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|Official site
Another 'Hot Fuss' over The Killers
Everyone is making a "Hot Fuss" over The Killers these days. That's because June 7th marked the 10-year anniversary of the album's release – an all-conquering debut for the band by any standard.
Of course a ten-year anniversary will often be cause for reminiscing, and the Internet celebrated the milestone with articles, photo galleries, and columns to rank the tracks of the classic album from top to bottom (In case you're curious, Vanyaland's No. 1 song was "Smile Like You Mean It," while the 'worst' track went to "Andy, You're a Star," which was called 'herky, jerky and awkward').
All the fuss comes at the same time The Killers are working to promote their greatest hits compilation, "Direct Hits," also marking their decade together as a band. That album dropped November 11, 2013 in a number of different editions, including an "Uber Deluxe" version which featured a picture book of the band's history. Two singles were spawned from the release – "Shot At the Night" and "Just Another Girl."
Following the band's wildly successful 2013 Battle Born world tour, in which they performed in 50 countries and headlined stages on six different continents, the road warriors continue their trek in 2014. Their calendar is packed for the summer and includes dates at both North American and U.K. music festivals.
The Killers recently headlined the Hangout Festival on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. They braved heat, humidity, high winds and sandstorms to play for the fans. And naturally… they killed it.
The Killers show what all the 'Fuss' is about (Created July 26, 2013)
What's all this "Hot Fuss" about the Killers? These guys have been making a name for themselves since they formed in Las Vegas in 2001. And all the commotion surrounding the band? It's only gotten louder since their debut album nearly a decade ago.
The band -- comprised of lead vocalist and keyboardist Brandon Flowers, guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – are known for hit songs like "Mr. Brightside," "When We Were Young, "Somebody to Hold Me" and "All the Things That I Have Done."
Named after a fictional band in a video, The Killers' debut album (the aforementioned "Hot Fuss") skyrocketed the band to international fame in 2004. Since then, they've released four albums that have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, earned them seven Grammy awards and a variety of other industry accolades.
Road warriors all, Flowers and the guys toured for two straight years after the release of "Hot Fuss," playing more than 400 shows and repeatedly headlining some of Europe's biggest festivals. They've also played sold out shows in places like Madison Square Garden, and on June 22, 2013 performed at the 90,000 capacity Wembley Stadium in London in what was their biggest show to date.
The Killers are still living the rock 'n' roll lifestyle in 2013, with dates now booked well into the fall. Those are mostly North American dates, but also include stops in Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and the United Arab Emirates from late September and into October.
Neon Trees 'Sleeps With A Friend' on North American Tour
Pop/rock outfit Neon Trees is taking its Pop Psychology (they are not therapists—it's just the name of their latest release) on tour in North America, starting next month. Dubbed the First Things First Tour, the tour will kick off in San Francisco, CA at Golden Gate Park on September 28, and then continue to Santa…Read more
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date city state venue 1/31/2015 Ubach-Palenberg Rockfabrik 6/18/2015 Dover DE Dover International Speedway 6/18/2015 Dover DE Dover International Speedway 6/20/2015 Atlantic City NJ The Borgata Festival Park
date city state venue 5/14/2014 Uncasville CT Mohegan Sun Arena 5/15/2014 Bethlehem PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center 5/16/2014 Gulf Shores AL Gulf Shores Beach 7/3/2014 Quebec QC Quebec City Festival 7/3/2014 Quebec QC Plains Of Abraham 7/3/2014 Ottawa ON Lebreton Flats 7/8/2014 Quebec QC Plains Of Abraham 7/9/2014 Ottawa ON Lebreton Flats 7/10/2014 Montreal QC Bell Centre 8/8/2014 San Francisco CA Golden Gate Park 8/9/2014 San Francisco CA The Independent 8/9/2014 San Francisco CA Golden Gate Park 8/15/2014 Liverpool Lan O2 Academy Liverpool 8/16/2014 Shifnal Tfw Weston Park 8/17/2014 Chelmsford London Hylands Park 8/19/2014 Glasgow Glg Bellahouston Park 8/21/2014 Belfast Ant Boucher Playing Fields
date city state venue 2/17/2013 Manchester Lancashire Manchester Arena 2/18/2013 Manchester Lancashire Manchester Arena 2/21/2013 Belfast Ant Odyssey Arena 2/22/2013 Dublin D The O2 - Dublin 2/26/2013 Helsinki ?? Hartwall Arena 2/28/2013 Johanneshov Sto Ericsson Globe Arena 3/1/2013 Oslo 03 Telenor Arena 3/4/2013 Hamburg HH O2 World Hamburg 3/5/2013 Munich ?? Zenith 3/7/2013 Cologne NW Lanxess Arena 3/8/2013 Verbier VS Verbier Festival 3/8/2013 Brussels Bru Forest National 3/9/2013 Esch-Alzette Kulturfabrik Esch-sur-Alzette 3/11/2013 Amsterdam A Ziggo Dome 3/12/2013 Paris Ile Zenith de Paris 3/21/2013 Uppsala Uppsala Domkyrka 3/26/2013 Asuncion Jockey Club 3/27/2013 Asuncion Jockey Club 3/31/2013 Buenos Aires C Estadio GEBA 4/2/2013 Santiago RM Movistar Arena 4/4/2013 Lima Estadio Nacional 4/9/2013 Monterrey ?? Arena Monterrey 4/10/2013 Monterrey ?? Arena Monterrey 4/12/2013 Guadalajara Jal Estadio 3 De Marzo 4/27/2013 San Francisco CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 4/28/2013 San Francisco CA Bill Graham Civic Auditorium 5/1/2013 Anaheim CA Honda Center 5/2/2013 Los Angeles CA Los Angeles Sports Arena 5/4/2013 Tucson AZ Tucson Electric Park 5/4/2013 Tucson AZ Tucson Electric Park 5/5/2013 Albuquerque NM Isleta Resort & Casino 5/5/2013 Albuquerque NM Isleta Amphitheater 5/6/2013 El Paso TX Abraham Chavez Theatre 5/8/2013 Houston TX Revention Music Center 5/9/2013 Grand Prairie TX Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie 5/10/2013 Cedar Park TX Cedar Park Center 5/12/2013 Nashville TN Grand Ole Opry House 5/15/2013 Toronto ON Air Canada Centre 5/16/2013 Cincinnati OH The Shoe at Horseshoe Casino 5/18/2013 Brooklyn NY Barclays Center 5/19/2013 Camden NJ Susquehanna Bank Center 6/6/2013 Esch-Sur-Alzette L Rockhal 6/10/2013 Paris Ile Zenith de Paris 6/13/2013 Newport Iow Seaclose Park 6/14/2013 Landgraaf Lim Megaland 6/15/2013 Newport Iow Seaclose Park 6/17/2013 Brussels Bru Forest National 6/22/2013 London London Wembley Stadium 7/2/2013 Kiev Palace of Sports 7/11/2013 Kinross Pkn Balado Park 7/12/2013 Kinross ?? Balado Airfield 7/12/2013 Kinross Pkn Balado Park 7/13/2013 Dublin D Phoenix Park 8/1/2013 Saint Paul MN Roy Wilkins Auditorium 8/2/2013 Chicago IL Grant Park 8/2/2013 Chicago IL Grant Park 8/3/2013 Bonner Springs KS Cricket Wireless Amphitheater - KS 8/3/2013 Chicago IL Grant Park 8/5/2013 Cleveland OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica 8/6/2013 Columbus OH Lifestyle Communities Pavilion 8/8/2013 Newark NJ Prudential Center 8/9/2013 Atlantic City NJ Borgata Event Center 8/10/2013 Columbia MD Merriweather Post Pavilion 8/12/2013 Raleigh NC Red Hat Amphitheater 8/13/2013 Charleston SC Family Circle Magazine Stadium 8/15/2013 Alpharetta GA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park 8/16/2013 Orlando FL Hard Rock Live 8/17/2013 Miami FL American Airlines Arena 9/6/2013 Windsor ON The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor 9/7/2013 Saint Louis MO The Highlands at Forest Park 9/7/2013 Pittsburgh PA Stage AE 9/7/2013 Saint Louis MO Central Field Forest Park 9/26/2013 Manila Smart Araneta Coliseum 10/7/2013 Tokyo 13 Studio Coast 10/8/2013 Tokyo 13 Studio Coast 10/11/2013 Dubai DU Atlantis, The Palm 10/26/2013 Las Vegas NV Downtown Las Vegas 10/26/2013 Las Vegas NV Downtown Las Vegas 10/27/2013 Las Vegas NV Downtown Las Vegas 10/27/2013 Las Vegas NV Downtown Las Vegas 11/6/2013 London Lnd Eventim Apollo 11/8/2013 Amsterdam Nhl Paradiso
date city state venue 7/20/2012 Dover DE Dover International Speedway 7/20/2012 Richmond VA The National 7/23/2012 New York NY Webster Hall 8/17/2012 Leeds Yorkshire O2 Academy Leeds 8/18/2012 Shifnal Tfw Weston Park 8/18/2012 Chelmsford London Hylands Park 8/18/2012 Shifnal Tfw Weston Park 8/18/2012 Chelmsford London Hylands Park 8/19/2012 Chelmsford London Hylands Park 8/31/2012 Stradbally Laoighis Stradbally Hall 9/1/2012 London London Roundhouse 9/4/2012 Oslo 03 Sentrum Scene 9/10/2012 London Lnd The Forum 9/18/2012 Bronx NY Paradise Theater 9/22/2012 Toronto ON Sound Academy 9/26/2012 Los Angeles CA Fonda Theatre 10/26/2012 Glasgow Glasgow City SECC 10/27/2012 Aberdeen Abe Aberdeen Exhibition Centre 10/31/2012 Birmingham Warwickshire Genting Arena 11/3/2012 Nottingham Nottinghamshire Capital FM Arena Nottingham 11/4/2012 Newcastle Upon Tyne T & W Metro Radio Arena 11/5/2012 Cardiff Cardiff Motorpoint Arena Cardiff 11/8/2012 Sheffield South Yorkshire Motorpoint Arena 11/9/2012 Liverpool Msy Liverpool Echo Arena 11/9/2012 Liverpool Msy Liverpool Echo Arena 11/13/2012 Manchester Lancashire Manchester Arena 11/14/2012 Manchester Lancashire Manchester Arena 11/16/2012 London The O2 11/17/2012 London The O2 11/29/2012 Broomfield CO 1STBANK Center 11/30/2012 Orem UT UCCU Center 12/3/2012 Vancouver BC Pacific Coliseum 12/4/2012 Seattle WA Key Arena 12/5/2012 Portland OR Moda Center 12/7/2012 San Diego CA Viejas Arena 12/8/2012 Oakland CA Oracle Arena 12/9/2012 Universal City CA Gibson Amphitheatre 12/13/2012 Camden NJ Susquehanna Bank Center 12/14/2012 New York NY Madison Square Garden 12/15/2012 Toronto ON Air Canada Centre 12/17/2012 Boston MA Agganis Arena 12/18/2012 Fairfax VA EagleBank Arena 12/20/2012 Ypsilanti MI Eastern Michigan University 12/21/2012 Chicago IL UIC Pavilion 12/28/2012 Las Vegas NV The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 12/29/2012 Las Vegas NV The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
date city state venue 7/20/2011 Las Vegas NV Body English 7/21/2011 San Francisco CA Rickshaw Stop
date city state venue 8/8/2009 Elizabeth IN Horseshoe Southern Indiana 8/31/2009 Columbia MD Merriweather Post Pavilion 9/1/2009 Wantagh NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater 9/2/2009 Holmdel NJ PNC Bank Arts Center 9/4/2009 Boston MA TD Garden 9/5/2009 Montreal QC Quai Jacques-Cartier 9/6/2009 Toronto ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre 9/9/2009 Morrison CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre 9/12/2009 Mountain View CA Shoreline Amphitheatre 9/13/2009 Santa Barbara CA Santa Barbara Bowl 9/15/2009 Irvine CA Bren Events Center 9/16/2009 Los Angeles CA Hollywood Bowl 9/18/2009 San Diego CA Cox Arena 9/19/2009 Las Vegas NV Mandalay Bay Resort Event Center 9/22/2009 Sacramento CA Sleep Train Arena 9/24/2009 Portland OR Portland Memorial Coliseum 9/25/2009 Boise ID Quest Arena 9/26/2009 Salt Lake City UT The E Center Of West Valley City 9/28/2009 Phoenix AZ Web Theatre 10/1/2009 Orlando FL The Venue At Ucf 10/2/2009 Tampa FL USF Sun Dome 10/3/2009 Miami FL American Airlines Arena


text: A REGENCY MAHOGANY BOOKCASE A good quality early 19th century mahogany breakfront bookcase of small size in the manner of George Smith, having a dentil blocked moulded cornice with anthemion corner crests and central gadrooned platform above arched glazed centre doors and rectangular side doors, the inside lined with pale yellow moire fabric, and with adjustable later glass shelves. The lower section having a decorative brass and ebony inlaid strip to the front, above panelled side doors and oval fields to the centre doors, revealing further adjustable shelves; on a moulded plinth. English, circa 1820 Height: 7 ft. 9 ½ in; 237.5 cm Width: 5 ft. 6 in; 168 cm Depth: 22 in; 56 cm Provenance: Private collection, Hampshire. Literature: George Smith, 'A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration', London 1808. Edward T. Joy, 'English Furniture 1800-1851', London 1977, p.81.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Front View larger Fujifilm SDHC Memory Card Speed Class 4 (32GB) Item #: 072SD32GB4 3 Reviews This item is no longer available. Original Price: $14.99 Shop all SD Memory Cards Need help? 1.888.955.6000 Email Chat Ask an expert advisor No pressure, no commission — just lots of good advice from our highly trained staff. Overview Reviews Details Articles & Videos Our 60-day money-back guaranteeProduct Highlights:32GB capacityfor use with digital cameras, camcorders, and other SDHC card compatible devicesmechanical write protection switchlimited lifetime warranty Fujifilm SDHC Memory Card Reviews Average Customer Review: 3 reviews Review this product Submit a review and then enter to win a $350 rewards card Filter by rating: 5 Star: (0) 4 Star: (0) 3 Star: (0) 2 Star: (0) 1 Star: (0) Review this product: Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences about this product. Please be sure to focus your comments on the product itself. Read our Review Guidelines for more information. Review title * Email Your email won't be visible. Please use the email address that is associated with your order. Display name (e.g., JohnD) Your review will be signed using the display name and location * Your location (e.g., Charlottesville, VA) * Your rating Click on a star to rate the overall product on a scale of 1-5 1500 characters left * Your review Attach a YouTube Review Crutchfield Video Review Guidelines Only submit videos that you made or are authorized to use. Do not submit videos that contain music, video or visuals that are copyrighted and belong to someone else. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. Enter the URL of your YouTube™ video review or product demonstration. e.g., "http://www.youtube.com/v/o79TWHh598U" 500 characters left Pros 500 characters left Cons * Agree to Terms By checking this box you agree your review becomes the property of Crutchfield, that you are over 18 years of age, that you own or have owned this product, and that you are located within the United States or its territories. Please see our Review Guidelines for more information. We reserve the right (but are not obligated to) review all submissions and edit or remove any review in any manner which we deem necessary. Your review should be posted within seven days. Great Written By Anonymous, Texas on Monday, December 15, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Works as it should Was this review helpful? Yes No All for one and oine for all. Written By cuznsteve, Oakland Gardens, NY on Sunday, February 09, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Also including this in with a carrying case and the camera I am giving to my cousins young daughter, 8-9 yrs. I was hopeing for the largest one OI could find and I could not resist this free offer, it was free.So, in the bocx with the camera and tha camera carrying case it goes, all nice an d wrapped pretty for her birthday. Pros: Well, has 16 GB on it, that a good healthy number of pictures so no formetting endlessly like a robot every time after downloading or uploading rather toyour PC. Cons: Not the largest it could have been. Was this review helpful? Yes No Fujifilm SDHC Memory Card Written By ajw, Nebraska on Sunday, June 30, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) works fine 1 out of 1 people found this helpful Was this review helpful? Yes No Hands-on research What's in the box? | In-depth notes What's in the box? Download owner's manual One 32 GB SDHC memory card (Class 4) Product Research Features Overview: The Fujifilm SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) memory card can be used to record images, music, or other data when installed in a compatible digital camera, camcorder, smart phone, MP3 player, PDA, etc. If you want to use the card directly with a computer to load and save data, you can use an SD card reader if the computer doesn't have a memory card slot. Compatibility: The SDHC card is compatible with SDHC-compliant devices. You should check with the device manufacturer for exact compatibility. Speed Class 4: This SDHC memory card has a Speed Class 4 rating, which is in the Standard Performance range. It is fully SDHC Class-4 compliant, which guarantees a minimum transfer speed of 4 MB/s. Warranty: This SDHC card has a limited lifetime warranty that applies only to the original end user of the product for as long as the customer owns the product. The warranty is not transferable. Specifications: Dimensions: Width=0.945", Length=1.26", Depth=0.083" Weight: 2.0 grams (0.07 ounces) Operating Voltage: 2.7V - 3.6V Operating Temperature: -25°C (-13°F) to 85°C (185°F) Durability: 10,000 insertion/removal cycles Storage Capacity: 32 GB Speed Class Rating: 4 Our Product Research Team At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team. They verify what's in the box, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices. Sorry, the Fujifilm SDHC Memory Card is no longer available. Looking for a similar item? Shop all SD Memory Cards Or, you can still... Write a review Purchase accessories for this product Download the product manual Search the website Go


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Impatien Pink
Ingredients: Botanical Name: Aqua/Eau/Water, D&C Red No. 33 (CI 17200), FD&C Red No. 40 (CI 16035), FD&C Yellow No. 5 (CI 19140), Phenoxyethanol (and) Benzoic Acid (and) Dehydroacetic AcidCommon Name: Water, Red 33, Red 40, Yellow 5, Optiphen ND
Note: To learn more about how to dilute and use Bramble Berry's LabColors, click this link. If you'd like our handy blending charts or a more detailed instruction sheet, you can buy and download them here and here or buy printed copies here and here.
"Thank you for your prompt response. Bramble Berry has the best customer service of any company I know of. Pass the word!" -Rene
Marcela of Majestic Bliss Soaps creates gorgeous cold process soap with lots of color and intense swirls. Marcela's soaps are not only beautiful, they also make a difference around the world. Every month a portion of the proceeds from Majestic Bliss Soaps are donated to world-recognized charity organizations. In addition to beautiful soap for people, […]
The post Interview with Marcela of Majestic Bliss Soaps appeared first on Soap Queen.


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SteelSeries 7H USB Gaming Headset
Hear the game like never before.
The SteelSeries 7H USB headset features 50mm drivers and two interchangeable ear-cushions that provide long lasting comfort.
The SteelSeries 7H USB version provides 7.1 virtual surround and ensures gamers the exact same sound and settings no matter where they are in the world or at what computer they are playing. Its USB soundcard provides preset optimized profiles as well as environmental settings that can be changed for quiet at home atmospheres to louder LAN party or tournament events. The headset can also be dismantled into 4 pieces, for compact and easy transportation.
Materials: Plastic Cover, Leather Cushions, Rubber Cord.
Dimensions: 3.5" L x 6.5" W x 7.2" H; 0.51 lbs.
SteelSeries 7H USB Gaming Headset
SteelSeries 7H USB Gaming Headset
Our innovative products will provide you and your family with years of enjoyment. And with the Brookstone Protection Plus service and replacement plans, you'll have the added peace of mind knowing that if the unexpected does happen, we will simply repair or replace your covered product. Our enhanced coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty, saving you time and money.
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The National Medal for Museum and Library Services is the nation's highest honor for libraries and museums that are serving their communities in exceptional ways. Park View Library Media Center Specialists Jennifer Fisher and Candace Main Rush and community member Pablo Rivera traveled to Washington from Sterling, Virginia to receive the national medal and spoke to IMLS about how the library impacts the community.
Read Transcript (PDF)
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Search our archive of grants awarded by the Institute. Search now
Visit our Subscription Page to sign up to receive e-mail announcements, newsletters, and more from IMLS.


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Solaray's Calcium Citrate Chewable is one of the most convenient forms of supplementing your diet with the essential mineral calcium, which provides nutritive support for healthy bones and teeth. This product is specially formulated by bonding calcium with natural citric acid with the intent to improve absorption. Our great tasting chewables have been formulated with a mixture of natural sweeteners and flavors for a fresh, orange taste.
Directions for Use: As a dietary supplement, chew 4 wafers daily.
* Daily value not establishedThese statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Other IngredientsSorbitol, Orange Juice Powder, Cellulose, Citric Acid, Guar Gum, Stearic Acid, Silica, Natural Orange Flavor and Stevia.
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy is your source for natural health products. Browse our online selection of products from all of the best natural brands, or visit one of our pharmacy locations and talk with one of our licensed practitioners. From natural beauty products and cosmetics to vitamins, herbs and supplements, we offer high-quality natural wellness products for the whole family! Start exploring—shop by brand or by condition to find the perfect natural health products for your body, skin, home and more.
The products and claims made about specific products on this site have not been evaluated by Pharmaca.com or the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy will not assume liability for any cross-contamination of ingredients, misprints, or adverse reactions to any ingredients in the products we carry. The products sold here may contain lead and other substances that are known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Prices and promotions are subject to change without notice. All content on this web site is copyrighted by Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy unless otherwise stated. All online offers and prices are valid for online purchases only, and may be different from those in our retail stores. Free shipping offer may not apply to all orders and all states; see shipping policy for full details. Copyright © 2009 – 2015 by Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy. All rights reserved.


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Future Drive, Tomorrow's Technology Today
Future Drive, incorporating EcoVelocity is the Motor Show which highlights the latest high-tech vehicles available to buy from the world's leading car manufacturers. Visitors to Future Drive will be able to see and test drive a great range of new cars and motorcycles, and try out a wide range of new technologies including electric, hybrid, range extender and hydrogen vehicles, as well as the best diesel and petrol models on the market.
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This area is intended for discussion only. If you have a question about your order you can get in touch via our Customer Service Area. Comments about existing orders, or with questions will be deleted.


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Times may have changed, but courtesy never goes out of style. In today's world sometimes it's complicated to figure out how to do the right thing. Local etiquette expert Karen Hickman answers your questions or helps solve your dilemmas on Fridays in The News-Sentinel and at www.news-sentinel.com.
Q. Karen, what is the appropriate dress for the staff and physicians in offices and hospitals today? I see so many unprofessional looking people working in health care. You can't tell who the nursing staff is from the dietary people, and when they come in and out of a patient's room it would be nice to identify who does what.
A. This question is one that causes confusion in many workplaces, not just the medical arena. Staying current and up with the times in dress is important. The days of everyone being in white and nursing caps seems to be a thing of the past. However, problems can arise if guidelines are not specific. Dress codes left to individual interpretation can leave room for big surprises.
Uniforms of some sort give an air of professionalism and a sense of solidarity. Different departments often adopt a certain color unique to them and easily identifiable. For instance, pediatric staff may want to gear uniforms to the children so they do not seem threatening. In certain departments, lab coats over street clothes offer protection and look professional. Hospital-supplied scrubs are essential in many areas and reduce concern for getting clothes soiled and from bringing germs in from the outside.
Shirts or coats with hospital and group logos offer another good choice.
One of the most important ideas of uniforms is to let the public know who you are, that you are at work, not at play, and that you are not some stranger off the street who comes into a patient's room in the middle of the night. In short, you should look like what you do and who you are.
If anyone has to question what you do or if you are working, it may be time to re-evaluate what you are wearing.
The need to move unencumbered in many situations presents some unique challenges. Here are some basic tips for dressing today in the health care arena:
•Establish well-defined dress codes and enforce them.
•Be clean and well-groomed. Shorter fingernails are more professional and more hygienic. Save nail art and dramatic nail color for social situations.
•Hair kept short or up is suitable and more professional in all business situations. Keep makeup subtle.
•Fragrances should be kept to a minimum, and if you smoke, consider how you smell leaning over a sick patient.
•Clothes that fit properly are a benefit to everyone, no matter the size.
•Clothes should be clean, well-maintained and pressed.
•Pantyhose should be worn with skirts; bare legs are unprofessional.
•Invest in and use a full-length mirror before leaving the house.
•Pants may not be flattering to all women. If that is the case, consider a uniform with a skirt.
•Jackets and blazers add an air of authority and professionalism to men and women.
•Identification badges should be visible at all times (first names only may be necessary for security reasons). Enforce identification with an introduction.
•Save athletic shoes for athletics. Wear clean, polished, professional shoes. No sandals — closed toes and heels are best.
•Jewelry kept simple and to a minimum presents a more professional image.
•Gum chewing is not a part of any uniform.
Individuals in administrative positions or positions that do not require a uniform, including physicians, should use care to look professional and well-groomed. It is just as important as those requiring a uniform.
Karen Hickman is a certified etiquette/protocol consultant and owner of Professional Courtesy LLC. Do you have a question for her? Email email@example.com, and we'll forward it to her.


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|WAC Inter-Congress in Auckland, New Zealand
|Friday, 11 November 2005 00:00
Second Indigenous Inter-Congress November 8 - 12, 2005
Waipapa Marae, University of Auckland, Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand
The uses and abuses of archaeology for Indigenous peoples
Nau mai haere mai ki nga huihuinga tangata o te ao.
This interconference provides a forum for examining a range of issues concerned with indigenous peoples and their past. WAC is based on, and campaigns for, the need to recognize the historical and social role and the political context of archaeological inquiry and the need to make archaeological studies relevant to the wider community. WAC's First Code of Ethics acknowledges the obligations of professionals in archaeology and heritage management to indigenous peoples. This involves the recognition of the importance of indigenous cultural heritage (sites, places, objects, artifacts, human remains etc) to indigenous people and also, that this heritage rightfully belongs to them as their cultural property.
contact: email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com
The Uses and Abuses of Archaeology for Indigenous Peoples
World Archaeology Congress
Conference Convenors: Des Kahotea (email@example.com), Joe Watkins (firstname.lastname@example.com), and Caroline Phillips (firstname.lastname@example.com) Program Chair : Stephanie Ford (firstname.lastname@example.com)
The World Archaeological Congress has long constituted itself as an organization of worldwide archaeology that recognizes the historical and social role of archaeology as well as its political context and the need to make archaeological studies relevant to the wider community. A forerunner in the debate against institutionalized views that serve the interests of a privileged few to the detriment of disenfranchised others, the WAC values diversity against institutionalized mechanism that marginalize the cultural heritage of indigenous people, minorities and the poor.
WAC focuses on the importance of the historical and social role and the political context of archaeological inquiry, and seeks to make studies in archaeology significant to the wider community of individuals, groups, and nations. In keeping with these aims, WAC presents this Indigenous Inter-Congress as a means of providing a forum for examining a range of issues concerned with Indigenous peoples and their pasts. WAC's First Code of Ethics acknowledges the obligations of professionals in archaeology and heritage management to indigenous peoples. This involves the recognition of the importance of indigenous cultural heritage (sites, places, objects, artifacts, human remains, etc.) to Indigenous people and also, that this heritage rightfully belongs to them as their cultural property.
The World Archaeology Congress issues a global call for abstracts from which to select speakers at the Inter-Congress, The Uses and Abuses of Archaeology for Indigenous peoples. Sessions include:
Who is Indigenous?
Sven Ouzman, South Africa, email@example.com ; Joram Useb, Namibia, email@example.com ; Joe Watkins, USA, email@example.com
Indigenous Paths to Archaeology
George Nicholas, Canada, firstname.lastname@example.com; Sonya Atalay, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com
The Representation Of Indigenous Peoples In Archaeological Theory
Alejandro Haber, Argentina, firstname.lastname@example.com; Gabriel De La Luz Rodríguez, Puerto Rico, firstname.lastname@example.com
Museums: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Dorothy Lippert, USA, email@example.com
Protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
Ken Isaacson, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com; Julie Hollowell, USA, email@example.com; George Nicholas, Canada, email@example.com
Repatriation: Issues for Communities
Naomi Anderson, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com; Chris Wilson, Australia, email@example.com
Resolving The Conflicts Between Archaeological And Indigenous Significance In Heritage Assessments
Desiree Martinez, USA, email@example.com; David Johnston, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com ; Sven Haakinson, USA, email@example.com
Parallel Perspectives
Carol Ellick, USA, email@example.com
The NAGPRA: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations Voices from Indian Country
Diane Lorraine Teeman, USA, email@example.com
Relationships between archaeologists, teaching institutions, heritage organisations, and Māori
Panel chaired by Peter Adds
Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Archaeology
Paper session chaired by Stephanie Ford, firstname.lastname@example.com
International Repatriation: building relationships and empowering communities
Panel chaired by Lyndon Ormond Parker email@example.com and Cressida Fforde firstname.lastname@example.com
Abstracts of 150 words will be accepted up to September 1, 2005. Please email your abstract to the Program Chair, Stephanie Ford: ( firstname.lastname@example.com). If you have identified a session that you would like to present in, you should email your abstract directly to the session conveners. You will need to include your contact information (name, institutional affiliation if any, mailing address, phone, fax and email). Authors selected to present their papers will be notified within one month of submission of their abstract.
Session Titles
Who is Indigenous?
Indigenous Paths to Archaeology
Relationships between archaeologists, teaching institutions, heritage organisations, and Māori
The Representation Of Indigenous Peoples In Archaeological Theory
Museums: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property
Repatriation: Issues for Communities
Resolving The Conflicts Between Archaeological And Indigenous Significance In Heritage Assessments
Parallel Perspectives
The NAGPRA: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations Voices from Indian Country
Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Archaeology
International Repatriation: building relationships and empowering communities
Session Abstracts
Who is Indigenous? (Sven Ouzman, South Africa, firstname.lastname@example.com; Joram Useb, Namibia, firstname.lastname@example.com; and Joe Watkins, USA, email@example.com)
What do you name yourself and what do other people call you? 'Indigenous', 'autochthonous', 'native', 'first nation', 'settler', 'colonist', 'immigrant' are names burdened with privileges and penalties. These names are usually 'exonyms' applied from outside rather than 'autonyms' applied from within. Naming and being named - ethnonomy - appears precise but often miscommunication occurs either because these names are incomprehensible or, more dangerously, they seem familiar but mean different things to different people. Isn't it curious how 'Europeans' seldom have to prove their European-ness? We need a common yet flexible definition or set of conditions of `indigeneity' to ensure properly respectful communication.
This communication needs to work at multiple scales. For example, The Ancient One from Kennewick, a person with a very specific history has, by legalistic and definitional sleight-of-hand been made into a 'national' heritage, undermining Native American sovereignty. This assumed right of access is also evident in San rock art, Māori tattoo designs and many other examples. Supporting Indigenous peoples' rights is a foundational concern of the World Archaeological Congress and informs WAC's Statutes, First Code of Ethics, Vermillion Accord on Human Remains, and stance on contemporary politics. But WAC-and archaeology generally-has failed to define/understand 'Indigenous' adequately so that such a definition/ understanding does not marginalise Indigenous people or patronise non-Indigenous people. This session aims robustly to discuss this issue.
Indigenous Paths to Archaeology (George Nicholas, Canada, email@example.com ; Sonya Atalay, USA, email@example.com )
Worldwide, the face of archaeology has literally changed as members of the non-Western groups once the subjects of anthropological inquiry are now involved in studying not only their own past but that of other peoples. In recent decades, archaeology has broadened its scope and opened its doors as a response to both internal discourse and external critiques-especially those coming from descendant communities. As a result, the discipline has become more responsible to and more representative of the many stakeholders who have an interest in the past.
One of the most significant changes in archaeology stems from the gradual increase in the number of Indigenous peoples participating in it. In the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, the involvement of Indigenous peoples with archaeology has been shifting from guiding and working for archaeologists to employing archaeologists in the pursuit of land claims and now to directing and conducting their own archaeological projects. Today, there are not only Aboriginal people working full- or part-time for archaeologists, but also Aboriginal people who are themselves doing and teaching archaeology as a profession, or who have made a choice to enter academia to pursue this career.
This session explores the process of being and becoming Indigenous archaeologists as told by Indigenous scholars-from North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and Africa-who are now university professors, CRM-practioners, community archaeologists, and graduate students.
Relationships between archaeologists, teaching institutions, heritage organisations, and Māori Discussants to be announced
A central challenge of New Zealand archaeology is that of mediating between the interests of Māori who culture and ancestral heritage is the subject of study and, often, destruction, on one hand, and archaeologists, on the other. This panel takes up the challenge of investigating these relationships.
What is the state of relationships between Māori and archaeologists? What efforts are being made to develop or enhance these relationships? Are such relationships really necessary? This panel brings a range of perspectives to this discussion, calling on speakers from Māori communities, teaching institutions, heritage organizations and the statutory bodies responsible for Indigenous heritage in New Zealand.
The Representation Of Indigenous Peoples In Archaeological Theory (Alejandro Haber, Argentina, email@example.com; Gabriel De La Luz Rodríguez, Puerto Rico, firstname.lastname@example.com)
While the politics of representation has been a guiding thread in most recent ethnographic and ethnological analysis, that is, the question of what is at stake and what possible power dynamics impress upon our writing about 'others', archaeology as a discipline has reflected very little about the same phenomenon. This symposium will hopefully provide a space to ponder the issue of representation in the production of archaeological theory and practice. Some of the questions that will be addressed include: how are indigenous peoples represented, if they are at all, by the diverse theories that have been used by archaeologists to account for their pasts? What are some of the social and political consequences that might stem from a mix of complex and competing archaeological theories when it comes down to the representation of indigenous cultures to the wider public? Furthermore, how do these theories imply or shape indigenous people's sense of themselves? In order to tackle some of these problems, both theoretical papers as well as specific case studies are welcome.
Museums: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Dorothy Lippert, USA, firstname.lastname@example.com)
The concept of a museum as a repository for human remains or exhibit space for cultural material is in many ways, outside the sphere of Indigenous tradition. For many Indigenous populations, material of these types cannot be divorced from its human context and the idea of sequestering the material in a location foreign to its caretakers is contrary to morals and ethics. The course of history has not always taken Indigenous values into account, however, and museums worldwide continue to maintain collections of human remains and sacred cultural objects. Indigenous populations have begun to engage museums in a dialogue designed to impart moral and ethical knowledge to what are generally non-Indigenous institutions. This has frequently resulted in the return of human remains and cultural objects, but there are notable exceptions. This session will explore ways in which Indigenous groups have worked successfully with museums, ways in which the dialogue has broken down and barriers to this process that are rooted firmly in the perceived nature of a museum.
Protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (Ken Isaacson, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com ; Julie Hollowell, USA email@example.com ; and George Nicholas, Canada, email@example.com )
Today, issues of ownership of, and access to, cultural and intellectual property lie at the forefront of archaeology and other disciplines that deal with Indigenous forms of cultural expression and knowledge. Worldwide, archaeology has met growing involvement on the part of Indigenous peoples, other descendant communities, for-profit companies, and host governments in everything from permitting excavations to claims exerted over artifacts and research data. At the same time, descendant communities have voiced legitimate concerns about the procurement, dissemination and exploitation of cultural and intellectual property.
As commodifications of cultural pasts and claims over uses of the past continue to expand, questions about sharing the benefits of research and concerns about unauthorized or commercial uses of knowledge, images, stories, and designs will persist and fuel debate, or even legal action. The inability of current forms of intellectual and cultural property law to protect collective or perpetual interests in Indigenous forms of cultural expression is well known. While some efforts are underway to draft new forms of national and international guidelines for protection of Indigenous cultural and intellectual property, Indigenous communities, artists, organizations and tradition bearers have become ever more vocal about pursuing their own remedies by whatever means are available. Instead of waiting for new laws to emerge, they are making use of available legal mechanisms; developing their own policies, protocols, and negotiated agreements; building alternative trade and research networks; and taking other creative approaches to strengthen protection for cultural and intellectual heritage. Issues of cultural and intellectual property rights are also entwined with ongoing struggles for sovereignty, self-determination, subsistence rights, and social and economic equality and cultural integrity shared by Indigenous peoples all over the world.
Contending with intellectual and cultural property concerns in archaeology will require crafting new terms of engagement and compromise that protect and respect Indigenous knowledge and the archaeological record alike and promote more equitable sharing of benefits and knowledge produced by research. This session will draw from the practical experiences of communities and researchers who have contended with these issues. We seek examples of case studies, protocols, and research relationships that show how Indigenous communities and archaeologists can work together to protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights. Other questions this session might address include: What are the major concerns when it comes to protecting Indigenous cultural and intellectual properties and what forms of customary or legal protection apply? What are the key elements of successful, equitable resolutions to intellectual and cultural property concerns, and how can translate these into policy, protocols, and mutually beneficial research relationships.
Repatriation: Issues for Communities (Naomi Anderson, Australia, email@example.com; Chris Wilson, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com)
This session aims to provide a forum for Indigenous perspectives on issues faced by Indigenous communities around the globe, in dealing with the repatriation of Indigenous ancestral remains and associated material.
This session will open an area for discussing the social, cultural and political effects of repatriation within Indigenous communities. It will consider the issues that repatriation generates within a community context and explore Indigenous cultural concerns relevant to communities when dealing with Indigenous ancestral remains. It will also explore steps taken by Indigenous groups seeking to form collaborative and joint partnerships with institutions such as museums recognizing Indigenous rights to care their ancestors in an attempt to pursue ownership of the past and control of their future.
Resolving The Conflicts Between Archaeological And Indigenous Significance In Heritage Assessments (Desiree Martinez, USA, email@example.com ; David Johnston, Australia, firstname.lastname@example.com ; and Sven Haakinson, USA, email@example.com )
Much recent archaeological literature has highlighted a growing concern with the fracture between current cultural heritage management practice and the concerns of Indigenous people. This includes the undue emphasis placed on sites as the dominant units of cultural heritage management and the inflexibility of this approach in the face of the more abstract knowledge systems belonging to Indigenous peoples.
This session will consider how Indigenous and Western approaches to establishing significance have informed current debates in archaeological heritage assessment. Different approaches can generate conflict, which can be interpreted in terms of a clash of worldviews, particularly in terms of capitalist and Indigenous approaches to the construction of knowledge, time and space. This session will key into an emerging debate amongst archaeologists and cultural heritage managers about the most appropriate ways to identify and manage the living heritage of Indigenous peoples, their land and seascapes.
Carol Ellick (USA, firstname.lastname@example.com)
There is more than one story of the past. Archaeology presents a scientific story of human existence, one that is based on hypotheses, data, and interpretation. Cultures have traditional stories that interpret and maintain the past through oral histories, stories, and traditions.
Parallel Perspectives is an educational program that encourages children to "listen" to stories from the scientific and traditional perspectives. Students initiate their own research, and create a personal interpretation through the process of comparing and contrasting what they've learned. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer, simply an enlightening process that helps students build a personal framework for the past.
This session will highlight Parallel Perspectives and outreach and educational programs that focus on teaching indigenous and non-indigenous children cultural history through the incorporation of archaeology and traditional stories.
The NAGPRA: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations Voices from Indian Country
Diane Lorraine Teeman, USA, email@example.com
Many tribal communities have been impacted by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act since its inception in 1990. Originally heralded as unprecedented human rights legislation moving our U.S. society towards greater racial equality, the NAGPRA has had mixed results. Federally recognized and unrecognized indigenous North American cultures continue negotiating the return of their ancestors' remains. In some instances, the NAGPRA has facilitated the return of human remains and other items to tribal groups. Conversely, the NAGPRA has also served as an impediment to the repatriation of human remains and other items for "unrecognized" tribal groups and tribal groups determined to have "no scientifically identifiable cultural affiliation." Fourteen years after the NAGPRA's inception, many questions are unresolved. The future of the NAGPRA and other proposed legislative acts for protection of indigenous human remains is yet to be determined. This symposium endeavors to provide a forum which projects tribal communities' perspectives on the successes and failures of the NAGPRA legislation. At the heart of this symposium is the desire to facilitate productive dialogue between indigenous North Americans and anthropologists, with an emphasis on the presentation and discussion of indigenous epistemologies as they interact with western ideological systems.
Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Archaeology
Joe Watkins, USA, email@example.com
This session will provide the opportunity to present papers on a broad range of issues concerning the uses and abuses of archaeology for indigenous populations.
International Repatriation: building relationships and empowering communities
Lyndon Ormond Parker email@example.com and Cressida Fforde email@example.com
This session will look at various aspects of international repatriation, with focus on policy and legislation, and on the practical processes, challenges and outcomes that are presented. Over the past 15 years, indigenous human remains have begun to be repatriated across international borders, particularly from Europe. There is a growing knowledge base of skills and experience by all represented in the process, and this session will provide a forum for discussion about what can be learned from the past and developed in the future.
Tuesday 8 November
Wednesday 9 November
Thursday 10 November Free Day/Field Trip
Friday 11 November
Saturday 12 November
Accommodation for WAC Inter-Congress, Auckland, New zealand
The cost is $NZ20/night and breakfast is $NZ10.
For all other bookings please contact Amanda at the University of Auckland Accommodation and Conference Services email@example.com or 09 3737599 ext 89451. Please state that you are attending WAC and you will get a discount rate.
50 rooms have been set aside for WAC delegates until 24 October, after which there will still be rooms but they are not guaranteed. There are varied rates, all very reasonable, check the web site below:
Hotels near the conference venue, on the UOA preferred hotel list, and within 5-10 mins walking distance (avoid rush hour traffic), include:
This proverb has many meanings one of which is that respect should be accorded to those whose domain you enter.
This handout is a brief guide to the procedure for attending a powhiri at Waipapa Marae. The kawa can vary from place to place but for this marae the following guide will give you some idea of what to expect.
It should be noted that walking on to the marae is a time of remembrance, sadness and showing of respect. The manuhiri often walk forward slowly with their head bowed, some even shed tears for those who have died. So when called on to the marae it is appropriate to be silent and reverent.
1. Assemble outside the gate and organise kaikorero, koha and kaiwhakahokia i te karanga (the person who will return/answer the call from the home people). A koha is a gift to the people you are visiting, usually this is money, placed into an envelope and given to your speakers.
2. Move to the gate - women in the front, men at the back (and sides). It is important that you keep together, normally in an arrow formation with your caller in the front. Usually the elder women of your group will stand at the front. Stay together as a group when moving forward.
3. When the kaikaranga for the tangata whenua gives her call, your ope proceed to walk forward slowly on to the Marae atea. It is polite to be silent during the powhiri. Its important to stay close together as a group when walking on to the marae - so if you have children they should be at your side.
4. The kaiwhakahoki i te karanga for the manuhiri will reply. She/he is at the front (or sometimes to the sides) of the group and everyone stays behind or close by. The group walks slowly forward and stops about halfway between the gate and the wharenui. At this point the group will stop for one to two minutes (at a tangihanga this stop is often much longer).
5. The manuhiri starts walking forward and the kaikaranga for the tangata whenua will begin their second call.
6. The call is answered by the kaiwhakahokia i te karanga for the manuhiri. The group walks on to the porch of the house where they remove their shoes. They enter the house and go to the right side of the house. They then walk along the right hand side wall and remain standing. Seating will be provided for your speakers on the right hand side (all others will be seated behind them on the floor or on mattresses). It is correct to remain standing until everyone is assembled inside and until you are asked to be seated by the tangata whenua.
7. Once seated the speeches begin (prior to this though, a prayer of thanks is often given). As each speech is made, it is followed with a waiata. The manuhiri speakers follow with their speeches and waiata.
8. The koha is (usually) placed on the ground or handed to a representative of the tangata whenua by the last speaker before the final waiata. At the end of the speeches the tangata whenua will indicate to the manuhiri to come forward to shake hands and to hongi.
9. The hongi is incorrectly translated as rubbing noses. The hongi has special significance, including the mixing of the breath and the wairua. Often the hongi is only performed by the kaikorero and kaumatua of your group. The nose and then the forehead are pressed against the other persons nose and forehead once (in other parts of New Zealand it is two presses of the nose and forehead).
10. The formal part of the Powhiri finishes once the person has had something to drink and eat (there are cultural reasons for this). You are now tangata whenua and Waipapa is your marae. You will be called into the wharekai where a karakia is always said before the eating of a meal. It is polite to help in the kitchen. Don't ask those in the kitchen if they need help as they will say no, just help and they will greatly appreciate it. After a cup of tea you will reassemble in the house for further discussion, debate or instruction.
Points to Remember
A great deal of respect is accorded to people who are speaking so there are some rules that are important to know.
• There are no restrictions on women to speak within the wharenui but there are appropriate places and times. So always check prior to standing or until someone has indicated.
• It is not polite to speak when others are speaking. No matter how much you disagree with a speaker, you must wait until they have finished talking completely.
• Never walk in front of a speaker. If you really are desperate then walk behind them or bend down if walking in front of them.
Hongi - Pressing of nose and forehead in greeting [do not close your eyes]
Conference Venue
Waipapa Marae, The University of Auckland, 16 Wynyard Street, Inner City, Auckland .
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|Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 21:24


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|December 20, 2012
|The Agitator #54
|4 comments
|December 13, 2012
|The Agitator #53
|4 comments
|December 06, 2012
|The Agitator #52
|no comments
|November 29, 2012
|The Agitator #51
|6 comments
|November 15, 2012
|The Agitator #50
|3 comments
|November 07, 2012
|The Agitator #49
|1 comments
|October 31, 2012
|The Agitator #48
|2 comments
|October 24, 2012
|The Agitator #47
|6 comments
|October 15, 2012
|The Agitator #46
|6 comments
|October 08, 2012
|The Agitator #45
|5 comments
The two most divisive issues in America are guns and abortion, opinions that are largely immutable. I generally try to avoid discussing either one because it doesn't accomplish much if anything except to alienate people with opposing viewpoints. I would like to offer some observations, though, about guns in light of the Newtown, CT and other mass murder shootings over the past couple of years. Let me say outright that I am not for outlawing the possession of firearms for self-defense. But a logical question that follows is what kind of firearm should a citizen be allowed to own for his own protection and sport. The Supreme Court has upheld the right to own a gun, but the two recent opinions also acknowledged that the state had an interest in regulating guns. How far regulating can go has not yet been defined by the courts, but over time you can be sure that the law in this area will evolve.
The law today requires background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a firearm from a dealer. The big loophole is that there is no background check required for individual sales from one person to another, or if you buy a gun at one of the many gun shows around the country. Then there are the firearms that are stolen from people who legitimately possess them. Let some determined criminals find out that you have a stash of weapons and there is a good chance your home will be burglarized. I've heard arguments that if there had been armed teachers, administrators and janitors at Sandy Hook, maybe the killer would have been gunned down before he could have killed anyone, or at least not killed as many. I have to wonder if a teacher carrying a gun into school could always ensure that the gun was in a safe place at all times so that a curious student wouldn't find it. It has astounded me that people who have permits to carry guns have been arrested at airports, and invariably they say the same thing, that they forgot that it was in their briefcase or handbag. My background and training with guns includes knowing at all times where your weapon is. No exceptions.
A killer hell bent on committing mass murder doesn't have to go inside a school or other building to do it if he knows that people might be armed. He can wait for the school busses to arrive, and from a reasonable distance with an assault weapon on automatic he can take out quite a few people before anyone that had a gun would get a drop on him. Even then the guy with the automatic rifle is better situated to take out the guy who responds with a handgun. How often do we hear that we need more cops in the schools? I won't argue that it might help, but in light of diminishing school budgets and the unwillingness of taxpayers to pony up more money, who is going to pay for it? Another thing to consider is that several hundred cops are killed a year with guns. And cops are trained not only in a variety of firearms, but also in self-defense tactics against an armed gunmen. I learned during extensive weapons training that action is faster than reaction, and the gunman who gets the drop on a cop, who ambushes him is the one who will probably complete his mission. Then there is the "suicide by cop." How often are mass murderers either killed by police or commit suicide themselves once their damage is done? I don't have the stats, but I feel confident that the number is high.
Another question that demands an intelligent response is why the Congress failed to ban Teflon bullets when it had a chance? These bullets pierce the protective vests that police officers wear. They have no legitimate purpose that I can think of such as for hunting or target practice. Pure and simple, these bullets are cop killers. After the Oklahoma City bombing a bill was introduced that would require microscopic identification numbers in the manufacture of all explosives. This too was defeated by Congress. How would such a requirement infringe on one's second amendment rights or privacy? We register a myriad of things in our daily lives with no real concerns, but something as dangerous as dynamite causes concern with certain segments if a law were to require the ability to trace the manufacturer and purchaser.
Federal law imposes a lifetime ban on all convicted felons from possessing a firearm. How about the white collar criminal that never once manifested a propensity for violence? Shouldn't this category of person be allowed to protect themselves? Another concern should be that there are so many untrained owners of guns who carry them in public. Do they know the capability of the weapon they carry? If they intervene in a robbery would they know if the bullet in that gun might easily pass through a perpetrator and kill or maim a bystander? Are they aware of the civil liability if they shoot and miss the bad guy and hit an innocent? Lots of questions.
Lastly, have the privacy issues been considered? Every time we have a shooting incident there is a call for more metal detectors, more cops, more screening, tighter security, more cameras (which requires someone(s) to monitor), changed traffic patterns, no parking zones, and on and on. Some of the more serious Second Amendment defenders seem willing to trade their privacy in order to keep their weapons. Perhaps we should have that debate. But for sure we have given up a lot. Those of us who have been around for a while remember the days or walking right up to an airplane with ticket in hand. Everyone knows that today's airport experience doesn't even resemble those simpler times, how demeaning it has become for those who have physical limitations among others. Try to gently explain something to a TSA employee and you could land you in jail. That part of your First Amendment is history. And once we give up a piece of our privacy, we can be certain that it will never return.
These issues are complicated, and taking an all or nothing position on either side will accomplish nothing. All of us need to review and reexamine the different issues that are part of a fabric with a lot of threads overlapping and running in different directions.
The proposed new Atlanta stadium is back in the news. It looks like it's a done deal. At one point there seemed to be strong opposition to it, but some political pundits never wavered in declaring that it would happen. They must have known something that the less connected didn't. The only unresolved issue as of this writing is whether the General Assembly will approve raising the debt ceiling for the Georgia World Congress Center from $200 million to $300 million. I'm betting that it will happen.
In order to pay for the bonds that would have to be issued, approximately $300 million, our elected officials are providing glad tidings during the Christmas season and telling us that we, the good citizens of the Atlanta metropolitan, won't be paying for it. The Santa Claus in all this are the out of town visitors who will pay the hotel/motel tax. Such a deal! But there's always more to the story. It is a hoax. How many cities in America have the same tax for their out of town travelers to pay for their stadia, coliseums, sports arenas, concert halls, aquaria, and other facilities? So if you don't pay it on the home turf, if you are a business traveler or tourist, you will pay it somewhere else, but you will pay it. And the NFL owners are all part of this big game. The obvious question is that if the new stadium is such a grand bargain, where are all the venture capitalists and investors who seemingly would want to be part of the action and get a great return on their cash?
The second part of this hoax is that we are being told by our politicians that building the stadium will create jobs. Yet when I listen to His Porkulous, Rush Limbaugh---and he's not the only one---I hear him repeat the mantra that the government doesn't create jobs. Yet somehow government money pays for a lot of airplanes that Lockheed makes, and that means Lockheed is a pass through of tax money that goes to the workers, executives and shareholders. Since Lockheed has not built planes for the private sector for years, I think it's fair to say that the government in this one instance alone creates a lot of jobs. Multiply that by a million or more government contracts, large and small, and pretty soon you have a lot of jobs that somehow the government has created. If anyone doubts it, just pay attention to the media and listen to your congressional delegation talk about all the government jobs that will be lost to budget cuts, including base closings that the Pentagon wants to eliminate. Former Governor Zell Miller recently wrote that the current stadium brought in billions of dollars in business and taxes. So again I ask, if it's such a good deal where are the investors who like nice returns? Perhaps the Gwinnet Braves minor league stadium should be a warning. That too was touted as a money machine in the making, but it hasn't turned out that way at all, and the local taxpayers may yet end up on the hook for any debt. The big time capitalists usually know what they are doing, and if they aren't jumping in both feet first, I think it is a fair question to ask why.
I am all for building a new stadium if the private sector wants to pay for it. It will create jobs, both during the construction and for maintaining it over its lifetime. But why is it that the same segment of our political community which claims that the government doesn't create jobs will turn around and argue the opposite when it's politically convenient? And be sure that I am a big Lockheed supporter. We need their expertise and knowledge for our national defense. But there's nothing wrong with being honest and admit that the government does create jobs, and that is a good thing. Doubters should talk to laid off government contractors and workers who can't find work in the private sector or elsewhere with the government.
It has been live theater following the "fiscal cliff" negotiations---if you can call them negotiations---and how most of our elected representatives are oblivious to the American people. One of the more amazing things about it involves one person: Grover Norquist. By now most know that he heads up the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), and has secured pledges from most Republican officials that they will never, ever vote for a tax increase under any circumstances. What is more remarkable is that anyone would sign such a pledge. Senator Saxby Chambliss recently said that he was going to do what was right for America and not be bound by a 20 year old pledge. That resulted in a phone call from Norquist in which Chambliss claimed that he did not apologize, and that he stood by his statement. A closer look at his statement, though, would mean having the ability to read a crystal ball, because it was more of a politician's double speak. I guess a fair question is why would Chambliss or any official take Norquist's calls or meet with him in person? What gives this guy, who isn't even from Georgia, more clout to walk through doors than 99.9% of Chambliss' constituents? Is there someone besides me that finds it galling that if we try to correspond with our senator we have the good fortune of getting a form letter/email response? Where does Norquist derive his disproportionate power to get this kind of access? And he isn't even a big money player like Sheldon Adelson.
The Republicans are in a bind because of their no tax pledge. And while the fight continues Lockheed announced that it will shift a few hundred jobs to Ft. Worth. Whether this is just the beginning of downsizing the Marietta plant and building up the Texas sight is to be determined. But there is a lot of anger in Cobb County among conservatives at the loss of these jobs. And this is just a microcosm of defense jobs that are going away because of cutbacks and the Defense Department's own declaration that many ongoing weapons systems are unneeded. It is confusing to try and figure out the logic of those who demand that Obama cut spending, but somehow building unnecessary weapons is important to local and state economies. In effect, what the defenders of this waste decry is that their "stimulus" package is hurting them, but Obama's proposed stimulus to rebuild infrastructure is major league pork.
Meanwhile the Republicans want to cut back on Medicare payments to doctors, which they attacked Obama for doing during the campaign, and other programs that benefit the middle and lower classes. Student loans and food stamps are just two examples that are small potatoes compared to their sacred cows: Medicare Part D (which costs more than ObamaCare and TARP combined over a ten year period), loan guarantees to banks, agricultural subsidies, flood insurance subsidies, among others. And these are programs that add up to real money. Yet even the definition of "real" money is being revised. Many conservative bloggers claim that restoring the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy will "only" result in $100 billion over ten years. If that isn't much money to be concerned about, I wonder why the same critics seem to think that cutting subsidies to programs like public broadcasting will have more financial impact, that somehow that is going to make a difference in the deficits.
It will be fun to watch how this all plays out. But the American people are going to pay for it one way or the other.
The demise of Hostess bakery has at least two segments of the American public unhappy: those who will miss the product and those who blame the unionized workers and consider them the cause of this eighty year old company's ending to be their fault. Just maybe the explanations are a little more complicated and a little more nuanced.
Union bashing has taken on a new meaning since the recession, particularly public sector ones. But union membership is at an all-time low, probably down forty percent from its heydays. Public sector unions may comprise the largest segment of members today. They are really catching it, but overlooked is that many states and municipalities that signed agreements never kept their end of the bargain by paying into the pension funds as promised. I think it fair to ask why unions came to be, and the answer isn't complicated. Employers created working conditions that were intolerable. Unions not only sought better pay, but they also sought collective bargaining to improve safety, reduce the number of hours, and to protect workers against what we call unfair labor practices. In time the unions acquired power and with it came abuses that we are all too familiar with. In other words, the power and abuses shifted from the employer to the union. That pendulum has in recent years has swung back again. Today on reactionary radio you hear the talk meisters say that workers should be grateful just to have a job, that they should shut up and take whatever comes their way from their employer, that life is tough, and that everyone has to bear the burden. One of these charlatans once made the mistake of disclosing that he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (have any readers bought a full price Broadway play ticket over the years?), yet here he was blaming the unions for Hostess going under. While these worker bashers tout sacrifice, you can bet that the likes of Rush Limbaugh haven't given up anything ($40 million/year for His Porkulous) while trashing the working stiffs.
Back to Hostess. A few years ago Hostess went through Chapter 11 reorganization. The unions agreed to pay and benefit cuts in order for the company to survive. Then Hostess was purchased by some private equity investors and new management put in place---none with food service experience but instead, financial engineers. And what was one of the first things the new team did? They doubled their pay and took seven figure incomes. I remember that in officer training we were taught that an officer never eats until the last enlisted man has eaten, and he never sleeps until the last enlisted man has a place to sleep. That is leadership 101. But the Hostess management team went the other direction. While their company was failing they demanded that the workers take cuts while they took more out for themselves. And from what I have read, the management did nothing to try and offset the changes in American eating habits, which was shifting to healthier food products. The big boys made no effort to enter the export market in a meaningful way, something they could have done considering that the product has preservatives that would not have impeded shipping, and they made no effort to produce goods that the public wanted. No, it was too easy to clean the company out at the top and tell the bakers, drivers, and other workers to eat the crumbs that they were only too lucky to get. They overlooked the simple fact that owners and workers have a symbiotic relationship, and setting the example at the top, talking and working with your people, taking care of those that do the daily routines, can produce amazing results. Delta is an example. There are many other unsung American companies that understand good management and good leadership, that they are all in it together, and that happy workers are productive workers.
The income disparity between the C - level managers and employees has grown from roughly 40:1 in the early 1980s to 300:1 today. If anyone thinks that this is healthy, that it is making America better, so be it. I couldn't disagree more. We grew the largest middle class in history during and after WW II. This substantially contributed to the economy and benefited everyone. Middle class people could afford to send their kids to college, to buy homes, to own two cars, and contribute to the economic growth of our great country. Upward mobility jobs with rewarding careers were the American way of life if you were willing to work for it. With less disposable income today for the middle, there is less money being spent, and our consumer economy is hurting badly. It will get worse if better heads don't prevail and figure out that we are all in this together, that we don't ever want to become a nation of haves and have nots, that companies like Hostess could have survived, that Hostess is just a microcosm of a very bad trend.
Dr. Melvyn Fein, professor of sociology at KSU, writes a Monday column for the MDJ. No one will ever be confused about his political leanings. He is an unabashed Obama hater, and if you have read his writings over the years as I have, you will not likely have seen one kind word for the president. Oddly enough I have wondered if they know each other personally since Fein often refers to Obama by his first name. In his most recent column (November 12, 2012), Fein wrote a lamentation about Romney's election loss. Amazingly, he described the election as the "most sleazy, dishonest, and mean-spirited political campaign… (to) prevail over decency and competence." I have to wonder if Fein watched the Republican Primary debates in which Romney and his fellow candidates ripped each other to shreds with some of the most vulgar and personal attacks. I watched all of them in disbelief thinking that Obama would have a field day just replaying the sound bytes from them. But Obama didn't. As is so typical with Fein's columns, he is woefully short of facts, evidence or documentation for his assertions. Broad smears are a lot easier, although one would think that with his academic background he could do better. I also ask myself whether a student with a different political philosophy than Fein's can get a fair shake in his class.
Fein says that the voters were "cheated, misled, and manipulated", that they "opted for ideological purity over common sense." Where does a PhD professor come up with this stuff? First, this comment---and in fact his whole commentary---is insulting and demeaning and not worthy of a tenured professor. I would ask the good professor to ponder just a handful of issues that some of us considered defining, and to offer a factual retort vice more calumnies against those who see the world differently than him. First, it mattered to many of us that Romney flipped and flopped on healthcare, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and other social issues. Romney stated that he would have let GM and Chrysler go through bankruptcy. What he left out was that there was no private equity capital or venture capitalist money that would have jumped in. Even Ford, which took no TARP, supported the bailouts because they knew that the car parts manufacturers would have gone out of business without the other two carmakers. Second, Romney's promise to repeal ObamaCare. The provision that has the opponents angriest is the mandatory buy-in. Yet it was Romney who rightfully said as governor that there would be no more freeloaders who got care at the ER and passed along the costs to those who had insurance. Somehow making everyone pay for their insurance is wrong, but many of the same people would insist that even the poorest pay some income tax (on top of whatever other taxes they pay).
Professor Fein seems to believe that those who think like him travel the moral high road, that they are more intelligent, more insightful, better informed, more discerning. Perhaps he forgets that people are people, and even good people make bad choices, do stupid things, and are uninformed. (The priest-pedophile scandal and sexual mishaps in Washington are illustrative.) I wonder if one of Fein's like-minded thinkers, frequent MDJ LTE writer and blogger, "HFH" represents Fein's views. In a blog responding to a LTE dated November 11, 2012, HFH stated, "People who think Mr. Obama is a Muslim are ludicrously mistaken. He is almost totally surrounded by far left, secular, socialist Jews. These people are the most hubristic, cynical, and mendacious folks on the planet. They mean no one any good, except themselves and their friends." These are people from your side, Professor Fein. And there are many more where they came from. It would be interesting and educational if Professor Fein would focus his writing on what he is for and not so much what he is against. Providing facts and evidence---not just conclusions---would advance the ball of debate downfield.
I always enjoy listening to conservative/reactionary talk radio. Actually, I don't really enjoy it, but I think it is important to try and understand viewpoints that are different than mine for the most part. Hurricane Sandy caused a lot of damage, made people homeless, put people out of jobs whose businesses were destroyed, and otherwise caused devastation to people's lives. The costs of trying to restore some semblance of normality to the communities affected by the storm are staggering. Amazingly, there are reactionaries out there who don't think that the federal government should pick up a large share of the bill to do this.
I am from Brooklyn and Staten Island. I have several relatives who still live on Staten Island, and I am intimately familiar with the geography of the island. I have been stunned by the flooding and devastation. It defies my imagination. People who have paid taxes all their lives find themselves facing staggering costs of repair, to rebuilding their homes, to rebuilding their lives. We haven't heard yet how many people have temporarily or permanently lost their livelihoods, but we will and the numbers won't be pretty. Reactionary radio and their followers never fail to talk about the need for staying in Afghanistan, to spend money on weapons that the Defense Department says we don't need, to keep military bases open that the Pentagon says are obsolete, and more. But now there seems to be resistance to having the federal government contribute toward the cleanup costs of the storm. If I understand this thinking correctly, it's okay to spend money to rebuild countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, but our own citizens are leeches for asking for help, the same citizens that have paid for the these foreign commitments and unnecessary defense costs.
The Bush administration began the bailouts of the banks and auto manufacturers. As distasteful as it was, I supported it. Sometimes you have to do things that go against every fiber in you just because it means survival. The banks have shown their gratitude by their extremely conservative lending policies. Recall too that Rush Limbaugh defended the bonuses that some of the beneficiaries of taxpayer largess took for themselves. But somehow it is "liberalism" and "typical tax and spend" Democrats who are now under attack because the states that have suffered the most from the storm need help from the federal government. Something is very wrong with this kind of thinking. This shouldn't be a partisan issue; it should be an American issue where all of us support our fellow Americans who are desperately in need at the moment. To offer less goes against what once united us and made our country great.
Donald Trump has made a lot of money from commercial real estate ventures. I applaud him for it. That he is the son of a wealthy real estate developer who gave him a leg up should not be overlooked, and while that does not undermine Trump's success, it rounds out an understanding of an important component of how he achieved it. And with his success and vast wealth he has been able to acquire a media audience for his political views. Amazingly, Trump was even taken seriously for a while as a presidential candidate. It didn't last long the more he talked, and even respectable Republicans got chills every time he got in front of a microphone.
Last week, after much touting in the media, Trump delivered a major announcement. I thought that it was going to be something so monumental that all TV and radio broadcasts would be interrupted for it. It turns out that that The Donald wanted to put $5 million on the table for President Obama to direct to the charity(s) of his choice if he would make available his Columbia University and Harvard Law School grades, the sources of his tuition, and his State Department passport file. There was one caveat, though: all the documents would have to meet with Trump's personal satisfaction. When Obama released his long form birth certificate, Trump seemed satisfied, but then the reactionaries went to work with all sorts of unfounded assertions, and Trump withdrew his acceptance of the birth certificate. I guess anyone with a big checkbook could make similar offers to any public official they have their sights on, which would accomplish nothing.
Now if Trump was really fair and balanced he would make a similar charitable offer to Romney. It would include Romney's Selective Service records, his tax returns, undergraduate and law school grades, and documentation of who paid for his tuition. So a fair question to Trump is why the information he seeks from Obama really matters? Is it because he is trying to show that Obama is a beneficiary of affirmative action? That Obama was given his grades and admitted to the Harvard Law Review, not on merit, but because of his race? Is he suggesting that Obama's tuition was paid for by a clandestine foreign power that had a crystal ball to know that one day he would run for president of the United States? How far does this nonsense go? I wonder where Trump was to challenge Clarence Thomas' qualifications since Thomas admits that he was a product of affirmative action. I don't recall Trump asking for Thomas' grades, source of his tuition, or proof of his very heartfelt story of growing up in poverty in Pin Point, GA. Could it be that Thomas' ideology lines up with Trump's so it wasn't important?
Trump is a graduate of New York Military Academy, but despite being in the draft mix during Vietnam he never served his country in uniform. I would ask him to produce his Selective Service records to see what deferments he took advantage of. But a bigger and more important question of this great benefactor is this: why don't you just donate the $5 million, chump change to you, to the Sheppard Spinal Center's program in treating severe head and spinal injuries of wounded veterans? This generous contribution would fund the program for five years. That at least would do some immediate good and perhaps assuage his conscience, if he has one, for ducking military service during Vietnam. Until I see his Selective Service records I have no reason to believe that he was nothing but a loud mouth, self-serving patriot who somehow bought his way out of service. I don't need any more proof for that statement than he seems to need for his.
The MDJ published an editorial from The Macon Telegraph on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, about "Renewing Licenses…and the law of unintended consequences." The day before I received in the mail my annual business license renewal form. The new Georgia Immigration Reform Act requires that anyone holding a professional license must prove that they are an American citizen each time the license is renewed. I say again---not once---but each time the license comes up for renewal. And that also includes the required annual county business license. Needless to say, this has resulted in a huge backlog in the Georgia Secretary of State's office, where professional licenses are processed. Considering that the governor has ordered each state agency to cut their budgets and personnel, this has caused a lot of people some heartburn. What used to take a matter of days to a week or so can now take months. In the meanwhile new applicants cannot practice their profession, whether it is to cut hair, massage therapy, or any one of a long list of occupations that the state licenses. This really helps the economy. The Cobb County business license renewal paperwork has to be submitted this year by November 22nd to ensure that it will be processed in time to get your license by January 1, 2013. In past years you could complete the process in a matter of days before the end of the year with no problem.
We've heard from Republicans on the national and state level for years proclaim that excess regulation is killing small businesses. I'm not sure what regulations they are referring to because they never really say. If it's the burden of the tax code, I wonder when they plan to do more than talk about it and actually pull together and pass serious tax reform legislation. Perhaps they should consider this immigration law as an example of the wasted time, which means money, that will be spent after proving once that you are legally here in the U.S. What is the logic behind this requirement? I asked two of our elected officials last year who voted for the law, both Republicans, the "why" question. You'll never guess what they said, and you can't make this stuff up: they hadn't read the bill in the detail that might have alerted them to it. I suspect that there will be any number of current small business people and those about to go into business for themselves that will operate under the radar rather than comply with this unnecessary nuisance.
As a final point related to this topic, does anyone remember that the Cobb County commission quietly passed an increase in the business license fees last year? I never saw a word about it in the MDJ. I found out when I got my bill. And I thought that Republicans also supported no tax hikes because it hurt small businesses. My point is that the Democrats (I am not a Democrat) get bashed for tax hikes and increased regulation, but here are two egregious examples of Republicans talking out of both sides of their mouths.
During the vice presidential debate "Jumpin' Joe" Biden said that neither he nor the White House knew that the consulate in Benghazi had requested increased security. The State Department did not notify the top chief executives of the request for reasons that we don't know. I won't second guess the State Department because I don't know what they knew. What we do know is that the State Department had requested upwards of $300 million for increased security for its embassies. The Republican congress said no, a vote that included Paul Ryan's. I am going to wait out the results of the several investigations looking into what occurred before concluding that the State Department's security section got it wrong in how they prioritized which embassies and consulates got what. As for not notifying the White House of the request for a security augmentation, I can only wonder how many "emergency" requests are submitted daily from the Defense Department, Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and other agencies that deal directly with national security, and what the protocols are for kicking them up to the president. Limited budgets cause organizations to do triage, something that shouldn't happen but does in these times of tight money, and where a large segment of our population doesn't want to pay for the services that they want and expect.
I agree with Obama's critics that the first reports about Benghazi concerning the video were wrong. But after that I go in a different direction. Intelligence gathering is both an art and science. We all know some of the incredible technology that our spy agencies use, but sorting through the voluminous information takes people and time. And we also know that HUMINT (human intelligence) is still as important as all the gadgetry. That too takes time to gather and process. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, a lot of moving parts.
I think it is fair to put the Benghazi intelligence failure in perspective. Intelligence failures in the this country are historic ranging from completely missing the North Korean attack on South Korea on June 25, 1950, to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Considering the untold dollar amount that is poured into intelligence gathering and spy craft, it's hard to believe that things like this could happen, but they did and still do. How about the information that was known before 9/11/2001 that some of the terrorists were taking flying lessons but only wanted training in takeoffs? The schools reported this well before that black day, but somehow it fell through the cracks. The Tet offensive caught us by surprise. Anyone recall the great intelligence failure that led to the Iraq war? The two human sources in that fiasco, Ahmed Chalabi and the German source, Curveball, were both frauds and suspected of lying well before the March 2003 invasion. Our spy satellites, which had completely saturated the land mass of Iraq didn't pick up any evidence of nuclear weapons or their transfer to another country. President Bush later admitted that there was no WMD---this after a few thousand American lives were lost, many more permanently injured, and countless Iraqis killed.
I am not making light of what happened in Benghazi. I am making light of much of the politicized attacks on Obama for it, especially when you put it in perspective of far more serious intelligence failures that have had much larger consequences. I can only wonder if a Romney-Ryan administration would have done things differently with the same budgetary constraints, if they would have been more prescient and able to avoid what happened. Perhaps so, but the historical record of intelligence failures certainly makes it a fair, non-partisan question.


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