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U.S. Statements at the 1999 OSCE Review ConferenceFriday, September 01, 2000
In February 1999, officials from 90 governments, including representatives from many OSCE participating States, visited Washington for the First Global Forum on Fighting Corruption among justice and security officials. Participants concluded that their governments must cooperate more closely if they were to succeed in promoting public integrity and controlling corruption among their officials. OSCE efforts served as an example to others when the international community gathered in the Netherlands in 2001 for the Second Global Forum on Fighting Corruption.
Torture in the OSCE RegionWednesday, June 21, 2000
In advance of the 2000 commemoration of the United Nations Day in Support of the Victims of Torture, the Helsinki Commission held a briefing to focus on the continuing problem of torture in the OSCE region. In spite of these efforts and the efforts of our Commission, including introducing and working for passage of two bills, the Torture Victims Relief Act and the Reauthorization of the Torture Victims Relief Act, torture continues to be a persistent problem in every OSCE country including the United States. This briefing considered two specific problem areas, Chechnya and Turkey, as well as efforts to prevent torture and to treat torture survivors. Witnesses testifying at the briefing – including Dr. Inge Genefke, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims; Maureen Greenwood, Advocacy Director for Europe and the Middle East, Amnesty International; and Douglas Johnson, Executive Director of the Center for the Victims of Torture – highlighted statistics about the number of torture victims in Turkey and Chechnya and related violations of individual rights.
The Ombudsman in the OSCE: An American PerspectiveWednesday, December 02, 1998
This briefing assessed the role of ombudsmen institutions in the countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe from an American perspective. The ombudsman institution was described as a flexible institution; adaptable to national and local government structures in a wide variety of countries, and a brief evaluation of the evolution of this institution was presented. Dean M. Gottehrer, a consultant on ombudsmen in human rights institutions for the United Nations Development Program, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE, and the United States Information Agency, presented a personal analysis of the role of ombudsmen institutions in protecting human rights in OSCE participating states.
Deterioration of Religious Liberty in EuropeWednesday, July 22, 1998
This briefing addressed the persisting question of problems of religious liberty and the patterns of discrimination against religious minorities and other belief groups that had developed in a number of countries in the OSCE region in the aftermath of the Cold War. Efforts of improving religious liberty in former communist countries were discussed, as well as the need for spending time and attention on countries farther west, like France, Belgium, and Austria, in which concern for religious minorities was also expressed. Witnesses testifying at the briefing – including Willy Fautre, Director of Human Rights without Frontiers and James McCabe, Assistant General Counsel of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society – examined the multi-tiered system that European countries employ regarding religion, and the different statuses and treatment of citizens based on where their religion falls within this system. The issues faced by minority religious associations, like being targeted by fiscal services, were also topics of discussion.
Romani Human Rights in EuropeTuesday, July 21, 1998
Commission Co-Chairman Christopher H. Smith presided over this hearing that discussed the rights of the Romani population in Europe. While ostensibly of Central and Eastern European descent, Romani, or Roma, individuals have existed in almost every European state. The Roma consist of a dispersed minority that, at the time of this hearing, was the fastest growing European population, numbering between 8 million and 10 million people. Unfortunately, their numbers did not protect the Roma from being the only population whose situation had actually worsened since the fall of Communism. From the first signs of anti-Romani discrimination in Romania to the dissolution of the Czechoslovak Federation in January of 1994, the reasons to justify holding this hearing to discuss the plight of the Romani were many. At this hearing, besides Commissioner Chris Smith, were Commission Chairman Steny Hoyer, and witnesses James Goldston of the European Roma Rights Center, Livia Plaks of the Project on Ethnic Relations, and Drs. David Crowe and Ian Hancock, professors at Elon and the University of Texas-Austin, respectively.
Report on Human Rights and the Process of NATO EnlargementSunday, June 01, 1997
The Commission held a series of three public hearings on Human Rights and the Process of NATO Enlargement in anticipation of the summit of Heads of State and Governments of Member States of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to be held in Madrid, Spain, on July 8 and 9, 1997. The emergence of new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and the demise of the Warsaw Pact created a security vacuum in the territory between the current eastern frontier of NATO and the Russian border. The first attempt to address the new security realities in the region occurred at the end of 1991 with the establishment of NATOs North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) as a forum for the evolution of a new relationship based on constructive dialogue and cooperation. In early 1994, the Partnership for Peace (PfP) was launched with the aim of providing a practical program to transform the relationship between NATO and states participating in PfP, moving beyond dialogue and cooperation to forge a genuine security partnership. (All 27 states of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) are OSCE participating States.) Simultaneously, NATO began to consider the possibility of enlarging the Alliance. The result was the 1995 Study on NATO Enlargement which addressed practical steps and requirements candidates for membership would have to satisfy. In December 1996, NATO foreign ministers called for a NATO summit at which one or more countries that wanted to join NATO would be invited to begin accession negotiations. The U.S. Congress was instrumental in stimulating the debate through several legislative initiatives. The NATO Participation Act of 1994 (PL 103-447) provided a reasonable framework for addressing concerns about NATO enlargement, consistent with U.S. interests in ensuring stability in Europe. The law lists a variety of criteria, such as respect for democratic principles and human rights enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, against which to evaluate the suitability of prospective candidates for NATO membership. The Act stipulates that participants in the PfP should be invited to become full NATO members if they... remain committed to protecting the rights of all their citizens.... Under section 203, a program of assistance was established to provide designated emerging democracies with the tools necessary to facilitate their transition to full NATO membership. The NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996 (PL 104-208) included an unqualified statement that the protection and promotion of fundamental freedoms and human rights are integral aspects of genuine security. The law also makes clear that the human rights records of emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe interested in joining NATO should be evaluated in light of the obligations and commitments of these countries under the U.N. Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Helsinki Final Act.
Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)Thursday, February 20, 1997
This briefing focused on the topics of European security and NATO enlargement, specifically in terms of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. Elements of the treaty that remained especially important, including the goal of avoiding destabilizing concentrations of forces in Europe and the goal of creating greater transparency and promoting information exchange among governments in Europe, were discussed. Witnesses testifying at this briefing spoke to the need for amendments and changes to the CFE, but maintained the relevance of the treaty to international security. Different strategies for making these changes related to Russian pressure and NATO involvement were presented.
U.S. Statements on the Human Dimension, 1996 OSCE Vienna Review Conference and Lisbon SummitFriday, November 01, 1996
This compendium of statements illustrates the U.S. perspective that one of the key and distinguishing features of the OSCE is the interlocking framework of critical, politically binding commitments which provide a common set of principles to which all participating States can aspire. The OSCE draws its real strength and practical flexibility from participating states' commitments to the values of the original Helsinki Act, rather than from a legalized, treaty-based institutional structure. A fundamental strength of the OSCE is the review process, which provides a regular opportunity to assess a participating states' efforts to further the realization of the Helsinki Accords within its own borders, and in its relations with other OSCE states. The OSCE is increasingly a pillar of European security. By facilitating honest implementation review the OSCE can strengthen security links based on common values.
Property Restitution, Compensation and Preservation: Competing Claims in Post-Communist EuropeThursday, July 18, 1996
This hearing, which Rep. Christopher H. Smith (NJ – 04) presided over, focused on how to rectify transgressions against individuals by former totalitarian regimes, which Smith called one of the most challenging issues confronting post-Communist societies in the OSCE region. This specifically related to the wrongful confiscation of property. Even though some Communist regimes were required by the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty to make restitution of Jewish property, these governments duly ignored such directives. In fact, Communist regimes were infamous for their complete disregard for private property, nationalizing factories, etc. Likewise, more recently, efforts to return property to former owners had been uneven and oftentimes unsuccessful, stymied by complex moral and legal obligations.
Religious Liberty: The State Church and Minority FaithsTuesday, November 28, 1995
Samuel G. Wise, Director for International Policy at the US Helsinki Commission, presented the second briefing in a series focusing on religious liberty in the participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This particular discussion was intended to evaluate the relationship between state churches or traditional religious and freedom of religion for minority faiths in the OSCE region through an analysis of the effects of certain historical legacies on individual states. Witnesses testifying at the briefing – including Father Kishkovsky, Ecumenical Officer of the Orthodox Church in America; Father George Papaioannou, Pastor of St. George Greek Orthodox Church; Gerard Powers, Foreign Policy Advisor for the U.S. Catholic Conference; Lauren Homer, Founder of Law and Liberty Trust; and Lee Boothby, Vice President of the Council on Religious Freedom – focused on the issue of minority and majority in society as it relates to religion and the potential for this issue to result in conflict. The historical origins of these tensions, especially in Eastern Europe, were particularly emphasized.
Religious Liberty in the OSCE: Present and FutureWednesday, September 27, 1995
Speaking on behalf of Congressman Christopher H. Smith and Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato, chairman and co-chairman of the Helsinki Committee, the Committee's Director for International Policy, Samuel G. Wise, addressed the improvements made by the countries of the OSCE in religious liberty since the demise of communism. Observed deficits in this particular subject were also evaluated, including acts of OSCE governments perpetrating religious intolerance and discrimination against people of faith by passing laws favoring certain religions, turning a blind eye to harassment, and establishing bureaucratic roadblocks to prevent religious minorities from practicing their faith. Each panelist – including Dr. Paul Marshall, Senior Fellow of Political Theory for the Institute for Christian Studies; Dr. Khalid Duran, Senior Fellow for the Institute for International Studies; and Micah Naftalin, National Director for the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews – spoke to the overall factors affecting religious freedom in the OSCE, including: respect for other freedoms such as freedom of speech and religion, ethno-cultural tensions, and the relevance of old prejudices. These ideas were presented in the context of moving towards a more comprehensive respect for religious freedom among OSCE member states in the future.
Trade and Investment in Central Europe and the NISMonday, July 10, 1995
This briefing was the tenth in a series of briefings covering topics such as U.S. assistance to Central and East Europe and the NIS, and free trade unions. Topics of discussion included the economic aspects of efforts to develop institutional networks between the Central and Eastern European countries and the OSCE and the Western European multilateral structures and the progress that has been made by countries in developing association agreements with the European Union. Witnesses testifying at this briefing – including Harriet Craig Peterson, President of Cornerstone International Group and Thomas Price, Coordinator for OSCE Affairs for the State Department – evaluated regional issues associated with infrastructure, environment, energy, and border procedures that needed to be addressed to produce a smoother flow of goods from an economic perspective.
U.S. Assistance to Central and Eastern Europe and the NIS: An AssessmentFriday, February 17, 1995
This briefing discussed the successes achieved and the difficulties encountered on the road to democratic reform and stabilization are reflected throughout Central and Eastern Europe, and evaluated the impact of these factors in the scope and tenor of U.S. assistance programs. Such programs involve assistance to countries throughout the region in democratic institution building, market reform and restructuring, health care improvement, energy efficiency, environmental policy, and housing sector reform. Witnesses testifying at this briefing addressed the relevance of the crisis in Chechnya, continued conflict in the Balkans, and tensions in various parts of East-Central Europe to United States Interests in the region. They focused on the goals of U.S. assistance to the NIS and East-Central Europe and the effectiveness of current programs in furthering those goals.
Report: the U.S. Helsinki Commission Delegation to Hungary, Greece, Macedonia and Croatia (Nov. 11-17,1992)Tuesday, December 01, 1992
Budapest, Hungary, was the first stop of the Helsinki Commission delegation led by Commission CoChairman Senator Dennis DeConcini to Hungary, Greece, Macedonia, and Croatia. While in Hungary, the delegation planned to discuss a variety of domestic, bilateral, and regional issues with President Arpad Goncz, Prime Minister Jozsef Antall, and other high-level Hungarian officials. Chief among them were questions regarding the ongoing crisis in the former Yugoslavia; the delegation hoped to gain perspective on the regional ramifications of the crisis, and to learn more about Hungary's needs, concerns, and recommendations. Also critical was discussion of the specter of anti-Semitism and intolerance in Hungary, as manifested by the outspoken Vice President of the ruling Hungarian Democratic Forum Istvan Csurka; the delegation wished to express its strong condemnation of Csurka's divisive and exclusivist version of nationalism. Hungary's relations with the soon-to-be-independent Slovakia were also on the agenda, as well as the ongoing controversy over the Gabcikovo-Nagymoros Dam. The Commission delegation travelled to Macedonia to meet with government leaders and private citizens, including representatives of ethnic communities, with the goal of discussing questions related to Macedonia's recognition by the international community, and to observe the economic, political and social impact of the denial of that recognition to date. The delegation also wanted to examine the possibilities for violence and conflict in Macedonia due to the ongoing conflict in nearby Bosnia-Herzegovina and repression in neighboring Kosovo, and to hear Macedonian insights on this conflict and repression. Related to all the above, and central to the Commission delegation's concerns, was the degree of democratic development in Macedonia, especially in regard to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The delegation travelled to Macedonia via Thessaloniki, Greece. Taking advantage of this transit, a further objective of the delegation was to hear the views of Greek officials on issues related to Macedonia, and the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia in general. Finally, the Commission delegation wished to visit refugees from the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina to gain information on the circumstances leading to their presence in Macedonia, as well as to observe the quality of their treatment as refugees in that country. The Commission delegation's main interest in travelling to Croatia was to examine the situation for Bosnian refugees residing there as winter approached and to hear their reports of what was happening in BosniaHerzegovina. More generally, the delegation wanted to obtain a more detailed picture of the situation in the region as a whole as the fighting raged on. This included developments within Croatia itself, such as the situation regarding displaced persons and in the United Nations Protected Areas, as well as Croatia's role in the Bosnian conflict. Finally, the delegation had an interest in seeing the newly created U.S. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit at Pleso Airport outside Zagreb.
Report on the U.S. Helsinki Commission Delegation Visit to Hungary, Yugoslavia, and AlbaniaMonday, March 04, 1991
The main purpose of the Commission's visit to Budapest was to participate in the Seminar on Parliamentary Responsibility for Economic Development being co-sponsored by the Helsinki Commission, the Hungarian Parliament, the International Foundation for the Survival and Development of Humanity, and the Library of Congress. Additionally, members of the delegation discussed Hungary's current political and economic situation with members of the Alliance of Young Democrats (FIDESZ), leaders of the Gypsy community, and U.S. business representatives.
Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of HungaryTuesday, April 03, 1990
After reading through Hungary's complex electoral law this winter, a Hungarian scholar concluded that if he did not yet fully comprehend the mechanics of Hungary's leap to democracy, at least he understood why it had to have been a Hungarian who invented the Rubik's cube. The law was a product of Hungary's first democratic exercise, the roundtable among the ruling Socialist Party, its allied social organizations, and the major opposition parties which together mapped out the transition to a multi-party system. It represented the first of many compromises Hungarian political leaders have made and will continue to make in the transition to democracy. Common wisdom holds that unlike the situation in other countries in the region, Hungary's reform was masterminded by the ruling Socialist Party. Yet the issues at stake in this election underlined the essential role of the opposition in the 1970s and 1980s in setting the agenda for Hungary's journey to democracy. If massive street demonstrations did not force the ruling party to bend, unrelenting discussion of Hungary's future among the Democratic Opposition, and its sustained impact on public opinion, did. During the past two years, reform-oriented Socialist Party leaders have hustled to get to the right side of the issues, and they have consequently found themselves playing the incongruous role of morticians for the ruling party they helped to nurture. One of the most remarkable transformations to be witnessed in Hungary over the past year was the new political engagement of people who had associated politics with dirty business all their lives. Candidates who entered the campaign with some ambivalence about the corrupting power of politics quickly shifted their attitudes. Voters who had been forced to participate in electoral charades in the past, or subjected as one Free Democratic representative put it, "to a life of unrelenting Communist Party campaigning," felt that their vote could make a difference this time. Yet some voters who had been forced to participate in electoral charades in the past, or subjected as one Free Democratic representative put it, "to a life of unrelenting Communist Party campaigning," felt that their vote could make a difference this time. Yet some voters objected bitterly to the divisive nature of the campaign, which they attributed to the "arrogance" of the vying parties. At a time when the country needed to pull together, they felt, the parties were tearing communities apart in the run-up to elections. Yet by the time election day arrived, the parties were pulling together after all. The major parties participated in orchestrating the country's transition with the current government. Rival party representatives staffed local electoral commissions, and worked together elbow-to-elbow to inform voters of procedures and collect and count the votes. The bitterness and personal acrimony between leaders of Hungary's two leading opposition parties, the Hungarian Democratic Forum and Alliance of Free Democrats, melted away -- at least for election day melted away -- at least for election day.
Paris Human Dimension Meeting: Human Rights in the Helsinki ProcessTuesday, July 18, 1989
This hearing, chaired by Commissioner Steny Hoyer, took place after the first meeting of three 4-week meetings of the Conference of the Human Dimension. These meetings were a function of the Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe the first of which took place on June 23, with the 35 member states of the OSCE in attendance. On the U.S.'s part, the goal was to seek greater implementation of the human rights and human contacts provisions of the Helsinki Accords. The atendees discussed the Vienna Concluding Document of January 1989, continued Soviet and East European violations of the rights of national minorities and religious believers and restrictions on the rights of free assembly, association, expression, and noncompliance with human contacts provisions, and fostering greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Reform and Human Rights in Eastern EuropeThursday, December 01, 1988
During the course of the last several years, tremendous political changes have occurred in Eastern Europe. On the plus side of the ledger, the United States normalized relations with Poland, symbolized by the reinstatement of Poland's Most-Favored-Nation trad ing status (MFN) in 1987, following a series of prisoner amnesties and political improvements peaking in 1986. In Hungary, progress has included the introduction of a new passport law, undoubtedly the most liberal in Eastern Europe to date, permitting passport is suance according to roughly the same standards as in the West. In the German Democratic Republic, record numbers of people have been permitted to travel and to emigrate. On the negative side of the ledger, to mention only the most striking case of deterioration, United States relations with Romania have chilled because of that country's progressively poorer human rights performance. This led Romania to renounce its MFN privileges rather than face what promised to be a highly critical assessment before the U.S. Congress in 1988. In spite of worldwide condemnation of its policies, Romania has forged ahead with plans to destroy up to half of its approximately 13,000 villages. All this is painted onto domestic political and economic canvases which can seem alternately diverse and yet uniform, capable of metamorphosis and yet stagnant. In spite of the notable changes, there are few discernible area-wide trends in this geographic region united by its postwar fate. It is no wonder, then, that East European analysts have been left scratching their heads, trying to make sense out of all that is happening, or -- in some cases -- not happening. One of the traditional questions posed by these analysts involves the degree of influence events in the Soviet Union have on developments in Eastern Europe. The latest angle in this sophisticated guesswork has become the question of what role Mikhail Gorbachev performs in Eastern Europe's own passion play. Since World War II, Europe from the Baltic to the Black Sea has been the victim of push-me, pull-you politics emanating from Moscow: now racing to catchup with de-Stalinization, now being punished for taking de-Stalinization too far. Today's Eastern Europe seems to continue to walk a poorly defined path between being reactive to events in the Soviet Union, and proactively leading the way to parts unknown. Understanding the changes taking place in the region -- and the opportunities for the West which have arisen as a result of them -- may be more critical now than at any time since the end of World War II. Consequently, the Helsinki Commission has followed developments in Eastern Europe more closely during the past Congress than ever before. Extensive hearings have been held on virtually every aspect of the Helsinki Accords as they apply to Eastern Europe, drawing on a wide range of experts on East European affairs, including renowned scholars, high-ranking government officials, representatives from nongovernmental organizations, and East Europeans speaking from their firsthand experiences. In addition, the Commission has led congressional delegations to all six East European countries. These unprecedented trips provided Helsinki Commissioners and other Members of Congress with the opportunity to engage government officials in a dialogue on all aspects of the Helsinki Final Act, and to exchange views regarding specific areas of bilateral and multilateral concern. Just as important were delegation meetings with a wide range of private citizens, representing independent and unofficial thinking among the political, religious, and cultural communities. Commission staff delegations to Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia have performed important follow-up activities. The report that follows is based on the information garnered by the Commission's numerous hearings, delegations, and reports. It is an attempt to take that information one step further and, like The Gorbachev Record which precedes it, present a sober, factual analysis of trends in the countries of Eastern Europe. It is hoped that, as a result, we will better understand where and in what ways positive change is taking place in Eastern Europe, and where compliance with the Helsinki Final Act cries for improvement.
Vienna Review Meeting of the CSCE - Phase III and IVFriday, January 01, 1988
The main activity of the Vienna Meeting throughout Phases III and IV was the presentation and negotiation of proposals for inclu sion in the concluding document of the meeting. The number (more than 160), complexity and controversial nature of many of these proposals led to the extension of the Vienna Meeting well beyond its target closing date of July 31. These factors, along with other elements such as continuing major shortcomings in the implementa tion of existing commitments, are largely responsible for the continuation of the Vienna Meeting into 1988. The slow pace of progress already evident in Phase II continued through the next phase. Each side defended its own proposals but showed little disposition to begin the process of compromise which could lead to the conclusion of the meeting. The main procedural development during this phase was the appointment of coordinators from the neutral and non-aligned states to guide the work of the drafting groups. This development provided greater order and structure for the proceedings but did little to advance the drafting work or to induce compromises. Other major developments during this phase were the introduction of the long-awaited Western proposal on military security and the tabling of a comprehensive compromise proposed in Basket III by two neutral delegations, Austria and Switzerland. Both proposals were put forth at the very end of the phase and thus did not have much impact until the next phase. The Western (NATO) proposal on military security questions was designed as a response to the Eastern proposal which envisioned two main objectives: another round of negotiations on confidence and security-building measures (CSBMs) to build upon the successful Stockholm meeting and the initiation of negotiations on conventional disarmament, both within the same CSCE forum. The Western response to this proposal was delayed primarily because of United States and French differences over the connection between the conventional arms negotiations and the CSCE process, the French arguing that the negotiations should be an integral part of the process and the U.S. insisting that they be independent. The issue was resolved by agreement that the negotiations would be "within the framework of the CSCE," but should remain autonomous.
List of Organizations Involved in Exchange Programs with the Soviet Union and Eastern EuropeWednesday, October 01, 1986
The Commission developed this report to help interested persons and organizations participate in exchange programs with the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe: Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. It lists organizations which conduct exchange programs and other contacts with these countries. The parties to the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe declared their intention to expand cooperation in security, economic, humanitarian, information, culture, and education affairs and to respect and put into practice certain basic principles, including those of human rights. The Final Act was signed in Helsinki on August 1, 1975, by 35 heads of state or government, including the United States, Canada, and every state in Europe except Albania. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) was created as an independent government agency in 1976 to monitor compliance with the Final Act and to encourage U.S. governmental and private programs to expand East-West economic and cultural cooperation and exchange of people and ideas. In the Final Act, the signatories express the view that cultural exchanges and development of relations in education and science contribute to the strengthening of peace, better mutual under standing, and enrichment of the human personality. In the Com mission's view, exchange programs with the Soviet bloc countries break down barriers and lessen distrust. They help Americans learn about the views and goals of these societies. Such programs help expose the peoples of these countries to the values and goals of our pluralistic society. Critical to such programs is that Americans are given the opportunity to tell the Soviets and their allies on a personal level about their concern for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Mr. President, as the Senate chair of the Helsinki Commission, I have a longstanding interest in Central Europe. For many years the Helsinki Commission was one of the loudest and clearest voices to speak on behalf of those oppressed by communism and to call for democracy, human rights, and freedom from Soviet oppression. It has been a great triumph and joy to see the peoples of this region free from dictatorship.
Over the past two decades I have been profoundly heartened as newly freed countries of Central Europe have joined the United States and NATO and have become our partners in advocating for human rights and democracy around the globe. Leadership on those issues may be especially important now as some countries in the Middle East undertake transition, the outcome of which is far from certain. Even in Europe, in the western Balkans, there is a crying need for exemplary leadership, not backsliding. Americans know from our own history that maintaining democracy and promoting human rights are never jobs that are finished. As my friend and former colleague Tom Lantos said, "The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.''
For some time I have been concerned about the trajectory of developments in Hungary, where the scope and nature of systemic changes introduced after April 2010 have been the focus of considerable international attention.
At the end of November, Hungary was back in the headlines when Marton Gyongyosi, a member of the notorious extremist party Jobbik and also vice chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, suggested that Hungarian Jews are a threat to Hungary's national security and those in government and Parliament should be registered. The ink was barely dry on letters protesting those comments when another Hungarian Member of Parliament, Balazs Lenhardt, participated in a public demonstration last week where he burned an Israeli flag.
The fact is that these are only the latest extremist scandals to erupt in Budapest over the course of this year. In April, for example, just before Passover, a Jobbik MP gave a speech in Parliament weaving together subtle anti-Roma propaganda with overt anti-Semitism blood libel. After that, Jobbik was in the news when it was reported that one of its members in Parliament had requested and received certification from a DNA testing company that his or her blood was free of Jewish or Romani ancestry. At issue in the face of these anti-Semitic and racist phenomena is the sufficiency of the Hungarian Government's response and its role in ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law. And the government's response has been, to say the least, wanting.
First, it has been a hallmark of this government to focus on blood identity through the extension of Hungarian citizenship on a purely ethnic basis. The same Hungarian officials have played fast and loose with questions relating to its wartime responsibilities, prompting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to issue a public statement of concern regarding the rehabilitation of fascist ideologues and political leaders from World War II.
I am perhaps most alarmed by the government's failure to stand against the organized threats from Jobbik. For example, in late August a mob estimated at 1,000 people terrorized a Roma neighborhood in Devecser, taunting the Romani families to come out and face the crowd. There were reportedly three members of Parliament from the Jobbik party participating in that mob, and some people were filmed throwing bricks or stones at the Romani homes. The failure to investigate, let alone condemn such acts of intimidation, makes Prime Minister Orban's recent pledge to protect "his compatriots'' ring hollow.
Of course, all this takes place in the context of fundamental questions about democracy itself in Hungary.
What are we to make of democracy in Hungary when more than 360 religious organizations are stripped of their registration overnight and when all faiths must now depend on the politicized decision-making of the Parliament to receive the rights that come with registration?
What are we to make of the fact that even after the European Commission and Hungary's own Constitutional Court have ruled against the mass dismissal of judges in Hungary's court-packing scheme, there is still no remedy for any of the dismissed judges?
What is the status of media freedom in Hungary, let alone the fight against anti-Semitism, if a journalist who writes about anti-Semitism faces possible sanction before the courts for doing so?
What are we to make of Hungary's new election framework, which includes many troubling provisions, including a prohibition on campaign ads on commercial radio and TV, onerous new voter registration provisions, and limits on local election committees, which oversee elections?
I find it hard to imagine that Jews, Roma, and other minorities will be safe if freedom of the media and religion, the rule of law, the independence of the Judiciary, and the checks and balances essential for democracy are not also safeguarded. With that in mind, I will continue to follow the overall trends in Hungary and the implications for the region as a whole.


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MEET THE GRADS: Small town West Virginia student's passion leads to medicine
(Editor's Note: As commencement nears, WVU Health Sciences is featuring some of our most dedicated graduates. Here is the story of one of those students.)
Darrin Nichols was meant to be a doctor. With a penchant for community service and a passion for human anatomy and biology, he found in medicine the career path that perfectly complements his interests and future aspirations.
"As I began to ponder where my college education would take me, I couldn't help but be attracted to medicine," he said. "Medicine requires a great deal of education and combines service, leadership and knowledge, all of which I value greatly. It wasn't until my junior year of undergraduate study that I got to shadow physicians for the first time, and seeing these family physicians interact with their patients inspired me. From that moment forward, I knew that going to medical school was the right choice for me, and I knew that becoming a family physician was what I was meant to do."
A resident of Walker, West Virginia, Darrin stepped out of his comfort zone to attend West Virginia University. Despite the overwhelming transition of coming from a small high school with a population of 350 students to a large university with more than 30,000 students, Darrin praised WVU for its flexibility and and the breadth of resources available at students' disposal.
He graduated summa cum laude in 2013 as a university honors scholar with a bachelor of arts degree in biology from WVU's Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. He also earned a minor in business administration from WVU's College of Business and Economics before being accepted into the medical degree program at WVU.
Darrin's experience as an undergraduate student in biology at WVU was a natural stepping stone to pursue a career in medicine. He was ecstatic the day that he received his acceptance letter to WVU's medical school.
"Because of my experience, if felt only natural that I transitioned to the School of Medicine," he said. "I applied under the early decision category, meaning that I could only interview at WVU's School of Medicine. I have found the last four years to be just as great, if not better, than my first four years at WVU."
Reflecting on the time he spent at WVU, Darrin labels it as unique. The high quality of education WVU provides and the active community surrounding it fosters life-long learning and passion for leadership and service.
"One of my favorite things about West Virginia University is that students really do develop close relationships with people, and these relationships grow into large networks that span the nation, and even the globe," Darrin said. "WVU's School of Medicine is no different; I truly believe it is one of the best. The faculty and staff of the School of Medicine are unique, dedicated and caring individuals. They inspire medical students daily to take charge of their education, to always keep patient care at the top of the priority list and to work together to accomplish common goals."
Darrin is part of the WVU School of Medicine Rural Track, a program designed to go beyond routine medical school training to significantly impact the delivery of healthcare in an underserved region. Darrin explains how the program mission, paired with a rigorous mentorship, made the largest impact on him.
"I have had the distinct honor of being part of the WVU School of Medicine Rural Track, which has allowed me to gain extra experience in rural areas of West Virginia," he said. "WVU's Rural Track offerings fit my goals perfectly and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. The School of Medicine's faculty is excellent. Dr. Dorian Williams and Dr. Treah Haggerty have been really supportive. Heather Hanks, the Rural Track student coordinator has taken each Rural Track student and devoted individual attention to helping us succeed, and Dr. Tracy Hendershot, a local rural physician in Wirt and Wood Counties has been a role model for me since I met him. He is a clinical assistant professor for the School of Medicine, and his guidance and advice had a tremendous impact on me personally and professionally."
During his time at WVU's School of Medicine, Darrin has been involved in a diverse array of rewarding activities. He also took part in programs in his hometown area in Wood County.
"Early on in medical school, I served as the associate student director for the Family Medicine Interest Group, and as a student leader-coordinator for MUSRHOOM, the Multidisciplinary Un-Sheltered and Homeless Relief Outreach of Morgantown program," Darrin said. "In MUSHROOM, I led groups of student volunteers around downtown Morgantown throughout the year to provide basic needs and meaningful communication to the local homeless community."
In his third year of medical school, Darrin became president of Stepping Stones, an organization similar to MUSHROOM, on the Eastern campus of WVU's School of Medicine. Most recently, he has been serving on the Gold Humanism Summit Committee at the Charleston campus, which is charged with creating an educational summit that takes place every year at the Charleston Area Medical Center.
Darrin's achievements and contributions don't stop there. Motivated by his passion and hard work, he was a recipient of various awards and honors throughout his three years in medical school, the latest of which was a national competitive scholarship based on the merits of academic achievement, leadership, research and service.
He was named a 2016 Pisacano Scholar by the American Board of Family Medicine, a prestigious award given annually to only five medical students across the country. Darrin was the first student from West Virginia University to be named a Pisacano Scholar since the foundation was started in 1993.
"Early during my medical school career, I received Letters of Special Commendation from the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards for academic performance," he said. "I have been a recipient of the Institute for Community and Rural Health Medical Student Scholarship for the past three years, and in my third year of medical school, I was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, a national medical honor society. In the same year, I was also inducted into WVU's chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. I have been named as a Rural Scholar at the Charleston Division of the WVU School of Medicine. At the end of my third year, I was awarded the WVU School of Medicine Eastern Campus's Community Health Outreach Award. Most recently, I have been named a recipient of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission's Health Sciences Service Program Scholarship." In August of 2016, The PIsacano Leadership Foundation of the American Board of Family Medicine named me one of five 2016 Pisacano Scholars across the nation."
Asked about his future plans, Darrin emphasizes that his goal, after completion of his family medicine residency at Charleston Area Medical Center, is to return to his hometown area in Wood County to practice as a family physician and primary care provider.
"Being from a small community, I am so appreciative of the resources that were expended by my family, friends, neighbors and other community members who helped get me to where I am today," he said. "I hope to work in a complete family practice setting, seeing patients from newborns to elders and from a variety of backgrounds. This is the aspect I find most interesting about Family Medicine – this variety makes the practice of family medicine anything but ordinary."
The School of Medicine will hold three commencement ceremonies during the weekend of May 12-14, 2017: Ph.D. candidates at 9:00 a.m. on Fri., May 12 in WVU Health Sciences's Okey Patteson Auditorium; medicine doctoral candidates at 6:00 p.m. on Fri., May 12 at the Creative Arts Center; and, professional programs candidates at 4:00 p.m on Sun., May 14 at the WVU Coliseum. All ceremonies will be webcast live at www.webcast.wvu.edu. Following the events, videos will be available for viewing on WVU's official YouTube channel, WestVirginiaU. For more information, visit WVU's commencement website at www.graduation.wvu.edu.
For news and information on the WVU School of Medicine, follow us on twitter @WVUMedSchool, like us on Facebook or visit medicine.hsc.wvu.edu.
des: 4/21/17
Tara Scatterday
Director, Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Medicine
email@example.com | 304-293-0630

subset: commoncrawl


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SAG-AFTRA, AMPTP Extend Current Contracts by 24 Hours to Continue Negotiations
The decision to extend another day to allow for further discussion was announced less than an hour before midnight.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have agreed to extend for 24 hours the current TV/theatrical contracts set to expire at midnight tonight, the parties announced in a statement less than one hour before midnight Monday. The extensions are effective starting 12:00 a.m. July 1, 2014, and expire at 11:59 p.m., July 1, 2014.
PHOTOS Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films
The extensions are effective for the Producers-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement, Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement, Exhibit A of the AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, The CW Supplement, all basic cable agreements that incorporate by reference the aforementioned contracts, and all associated schedules, exhibits, side letters and supplemental agreements now in force.
Negotiations will continue under the previously announced media blackout.
"We have no further comment," ended the statement.
Bookmark The Hollywood Reporter's Labor Page for the most in-depth coverage of entertainment unions and guilds.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: @jhandel


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Influenster Picks: Fall Jean Guide
Everyone knows a good pair of jeans can be a total game changer. There's no better feeling than knowing your butt looks great in your favorite pair of jeans. We all have a body type & style we take with us when looking for the perfect pair. Despite the path to a perfect pair being a painful process, when do you find 'the one', everything you've gone through just seems worth it. The Influenster Team would like to speed up this process for you a little bit. Here are our favorite brands and styles of jeans. Seeing a trend? We are too, high waisted is HIGHLY recommended.
Madewell High Riser Skinny Skinny Jeans
Picked by: Anna
Here's Why: I like the high-waisted skinnies because they make my butt look great! Also, the color never bleeds, which is a problem I've had even with higher costing denim.
TOPSHOP MOTO Black Rinse Jamie Jeans
Picked by: Elizabeth
Here's Why: I HATE muffin top so I'm always on the lookout for a high-waisted skinny jean. After trying endless pairs, I've found Topshop and rag & bone consistently have the best ones in terms of quality and fit, regardless of the season.
BDG High-Rise Seamed Jean - Black available at Urban Outfitters
Picked by: Rachel
Here's Why: I have a long torso and these hit me at just the right height, making me feel like I have super long legs. Really all I could ever ask for from a pair of jeans.
Super High Waisted Jean Legging from Express
Picked by: Rebecca
Here's Why: These jeans are tight enough to give you a flattering shape, but the fact that they're high waisted is super slimming in itself, especially for girls with the Booty like me and J.Lo. It adds some sass to the regular blue jean.
Picked by: Gabriela
Here's Why: I'm petit and they fit really nice, are super comfortable, and can go with any outfit!
Picked by: Imani
Here's Why: These fit me perfectly. I can also count on AG or JBrand for a perfect fit. Their jeans are always tight enough to give me a good shape, but they also wear in so nicely. I have pretty skinny legs, and like to cuff my pants at the bottom often, so I feel like pairs like these were made for me. With these brands I always end up keeping the jeans for years and end up liking them more and more as I wear them.
Picked by: Caroline
Here's Why: I love Levi's! They're comfortable, classic, affordable, and great for everyday wear. The skinny cut works perfectly with ankle boots for fall - and they're stretchy enough, so they won't suffocate your legs.
The Kimmie Crop in Legacy Blue from 7 for all mankind
Picked by: Carson
Here's Why: My favorite jeans in the entire world. I wear them constantly.
High Riser Skinny Skinny Cut-Edge Jeans in Black Sea from Madewell
Picked by: Emily
Here's Why: These jeans have the perfect amount of stretch to be comfortable, but still substantial denim to keep structure. They sit amazing on the hips! PS They're doing a promo right now where you can get $20 towards your next pair of jeans by bringing in an old pair to recycle!
The Legging Ankle Indigo Stone from AG
Picked by: Haley
Here's Why: So expensive, makes me cry, and yet so amazing I can't stop. These are the be all end all for me.
What pair is your favorite? Comment below!


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[field name=iframe]
Cyger: Sure. And so DomainMarket—the location that you reference, DomainMarket—is actually your location for selling the domain names. The 160,000 domain names that you own are available.
Mann: I started BuyDomains.com a long time ago, and then we sold it. Eventually my non-compete agreement ran out, and then we started DomainMarket.com.


text:
Check out Omarion featuring Kid Ink & French Montana in I'm Up, the song will appear on Omarion's new album Reasons due to be released October 23. Check out the video and tell us what you think.
Speaking of Omarion, we wonder if he will be back on the new season of Love and Hip Hop L.A. We'll have to stay tuned to VH1 to find out.
Facebook Comments Plugin Bloggerized by BloggerTricks.Biz


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Tutorial | Create a Professional Business Background
About the Author: Carlos Pinho
A father, a husband and a geek... Carlos was the founder of projects like The Tech Labs and Flash Enabled Blog. He is the founder of TekTuts He is passionate about technologies. Their main skills are in analytics, transport & logistics, business administration. He also writes about programming resources, trends, strategy and web development.
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Final phase of VAT Pilot Program in China
Stagnant economies all over the globe have been turning to tax reform in hopes of attracting investment, boosting revenue, and consumer spending. Thus far China has been no exception, but they are taking their reform to rather unprecedented levels and applying it to unexpected corners of the economy. In 2012, China did away with … Read More


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There seems to be some odd behaviour by Last 20 posts in that if you post twice in the same thread, it links to the first post but not any further posts.
Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage
I think that was always so. I noticed it a while ago but didn't say anything. I think it's rather an advantage, ex: some of us have 200 and over posts in the non-sensical thread, it would be kind of lame if all of the posts in the last 20 posts list appeared to be from the non-sensical thread.
I wrote the Last 20 Posts query that way intentionally, for the reason MemorY described. It seems more useful the way it is, but maybe we should change the section heading so it better describes what's in the list.
If members would prefer it to show strictly the last 20 posts, instead of last 20 threads posted in, it can be changed.
- h
I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Ah.. then perhaps change it to read "Last 20 Threads Participated in" or "Last 20 Threads Posted in" would be a better title. Certainly the comment about having multiple massive postings in a thread like Non-Sensical would be annoying and not a true picture of where a person spends their time.. then again..
Yeah just change the title to what MsM said. I think it's good as it is now... but then again
Forum Rules


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Vaginal Stimulators and Popular Sex Toys 101Vaginal Stimulators and Popular Sex Toys 101
Sex Toy education is one of the best things anyone can learn! It makes sex enjoyable, instills confidence, and make it more fun. We are going to show you the hottest and most popular sex toys and stimulators, how they are used, and product updates th
ArticlesThere are no articles stored in our database for this blog.


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Connect with your Social Network
Connect with your Social Network
Authentic & delicious Italian food •Excellent service •New vegan menu
American Restaurant. People talk about the vegan menu, nice beer selection and chicken and waffles.
Inside the Hilton Cityplace, WPB. Great vegan options!
I had a great time at AG for brunch on Sunday!...
Veg-Options, Vegan, Vegetarian


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Nursing school was basically free (or at least very inexpensive) for me. I was working at a community hospital while taking classes and 8-hour-long clinicals. The hospital had a pool of money available to share among its employees who were taking work-related courses. I paid up-front for tuition each semester and afterwards submitted grades to the nice lady in the financial office. A grade of B or better would mean I got a check to cover my tuition. Sweet.
I hardly ever bought texts. The RN's I worked with either loaned or gave me theirs. All the good parts were already underlined or highlighted for me.
I didn't stick my neck out. I got through nursing school by avoiding eye contact and keeping my head down. I'd let other students comment in class, then I'd either chime in or stay quiet depending upon how the instructors reacted to the question or opinion.
I wore solid black to every class.
Except sometimes, often in fact, I wore red sneakers. I like the shoes that collegiate wrestlers wear. These are light and have little sole. They come up around the ankles. Plus, nobody else wears them out and about. People would ask me where I got them, and I would tell them about the sports catalogues from which these things could be purchased. Wrestling shoes. Be the first kid on your block to sport them around.
I only missed two classes of the whole of them. One was to go to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins were the warm-ups. At the end of their set, Billy Corgin purposely left his guitar leaning up against a speaker cabinet and the arena was filled with screeching feedback as they left the stage. Very cool. The other was for the Public Enemy and Anthrax tour, with Primus and the Young Black Teenagers opening. Flavor Flav came out in pink bunny slippers and his trademark clock medallion. Anthrax did a speed-of-light version of Joe Jackson's "Got the Time."
I claimed to be sick for the first, and said in half-truth that I had to go to traffic court the second time. Truth is not always your friend.
Nursing schools pride themselves on their graduation rates and the percentage of their graduates who pass the boards on the first go. They mercilessly weed out any student that they even remotely think might fail the board exams. Many people who I wanted to pull along because I thought they would be good nurses were flunked because the instructors just plain didn't like their board prospects. Secretly I tried to help some of my fellow classmates. If it became apparent that they were getting help it drew negative attention to them. I would meet them in their cars in the parking lot after class.
One young woman I helped in this way was cut. We were making our "drug cards" together in her car after a clinical and one of the instructors saw us together. This young girl, fresh out of high school and eager to be a nurse, got the dump after being pommeled, scrutinized, and harrassed by our mostly elderly nurse instructors; people who hadn't worked at the bedside in many years.
One of my male classmates who had already had a physical-therapy degree was bumped off the rails simply because one of the more mean-spirited old-fashioned instructors didn't like him personally, I am quite sure. I saw single mothers struggling through school get dumped in the last semester just because some entrenched instructor didn't like one of their patient care-plans. That was particularly sad. One had two kids. Her mother cared for them so she could go to school and study.
I am luckily one of those people who "tests well," and I graduated in the top four of my class. Not that I'm proud. I maintained my training schedule during nursing school, qualifying for and running in the Boston Marathon in those years. That was probably easier than nursing school itself.
Though most of my teachers and clinical instructors were jack-assed throwbacks, I did like a few. Our mental-health nurse teacher was great. We had "positive group" at the end of our clinicals, in which she randomly challenged us to say good things that we observed one another do.
There was a drug bust during one of those 8-hour sessions in the mental-health unit. One of the younger patients was caught dealing cocaine to other patients. State troopers hauled him away. I have no idea how he managed to get his friends to sneak cocaine into a locked unit such as that one.
One of my classroom instructors was one of those people who had a wide variety of interests. I liked her and she liked me. She herself had graduated from the famed Boston University nursing school, and she knew well of my interests in Boston at that time. She said she could pull a few strings and get me a job there after graduation. That didn't pan out because I followed the love of my life to The Dismal Wilderness instead. The things we do for love...
I wrote papers on suicide, Menier's disease, and the moral development of children, among other things, for that instructor. I thought she graded them rather generously. As part of my research I visited suicide self-help groups for family members of people who had killed themselves, and I visited Montessori schools. I read Freud, Erickson, and Kohlberg and learned to pretty much hate one of those guys. I think that teacher appreciated my outside work, as if it were an effort. I actually just did it for enjoyment.
I also remember reading Paradise Lost while eating at the college snackbar between work and class, watching Sam Nunn cast his vote in favor of Clarence Thomas on the television news. Fucking bastards the both of them. While doing that I stumbled across one of my favorite words, said to have been coined by Milton: Pandemonium.
I paid about $200 to take my nursing board exams back in the day. But before the results were mailed out to us, the company that administered the tests for the state of New York demanded about another $180 from each of us. They raised the price of the licensing exam retroactively!
When I received the congratulatory letter in the mail months later, it wasn't for me but for another nursing graduate with a similar name. I called them up (they lived in Malone, about an hours' drive from where I was living at the time,) to tell them that they passed.
That person did not, however, have my results, as I had hoped. After several phone calls and an annoying written appeal or two, I finally got my passing grade and was able to collect an RN's pay instead of a "graduate nurse" pay.
Fucking incompetent greedy fuckers.
I was in the last class of NY nurses that took exams the old-fashioned way: on paper, with some skinny bitch exam proctor wandering among us to make sure we didn't cheat and to follow us to the bathroom. I took this test with about 4,000 others in a large convention room at the state capitol hundreds of miles from my home. The exam took two days. Many of my classmates pooled resources and shared local hotel rooms. I instead drove from Albany to my father's place in Saratoga Springs and he put me up for the night.
He said he was proud of me. He never obtained a college degree nor did he practice a profession.
I was lucky.
The cost of national board certification for teachers totals up to $2,500. That's sick. That's more than doctors pay for their basic three stages of exams.
Now, back to the Crack Den.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
How I Got My Nursing License
Posted by shrimplate at 7:29 AM
1 comment:
- WinnyNinny PooPoo said...
I had a cousin who was an artist in NYC that wore wrestling boots and John Lennon type glasses. Suits, overalls, dress slacks, jeans - the wrestling boots were his thing...But his weren't red...
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Philanthropy built CEU. From its founding endowment to the generous support of friends and alumni around the world, philanthropy is the fuel this university runs on. This autumn we're launching Philanthropy Week, to celebrate what we have been given—and to demonstrate the power of giving back. Join us at events in Budapest, worldwide and online. See the events at the left to get involved and join in the generosity that enables CEU to carry on its important work.
- Scholarships funded by alumni and individual and foundation donors help promising students receive a world-class CEU education
- The Mirabaud Media Lab was equipped by a trustee to give students the power to share work through filmmaking.
- Research commissioned by Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) Hungary explored youth employment in Hungary.
- Private funding for the Applied Policy Project connects students with clients like Health Poverty Action, EBRD, and International Crisis Group.
- The Blinken Open Society Archives is named for the donors to the valuable collections related to the Cold War and human rights.
- The Romani Studies Program, which encompasses CEU's work to enhance education, research, and professional opportunities for Roma, was launched with support from a consortium of funders.
- Google is funding the Center for Media, Data and Society's Media Ownership Tool, which tracks media ownership in Hungary according to political ties, ideology and interest groups.
- The U.S. Department of State supports a Holbrooke Fellow at the Shattuck Center on Conflict, Negotiation and Recovery.


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Down parkas are the latest fashion among Peking youth. Winter has always been the least colorful season here, when even the slimmest wisp of a girl will bundle herself up in lumpy cotton-padded overcoat against the piercing winds whirling dust down Changan Boulevard.
This winter, as last, blue and khaki are the prevailing colors. But more and more, down parkas in brown and maroon or orange relieve the monotony. Often, under the parka, a pair of China-made jeans signals the really well-dressed young man around town.
Peking's largest department store, on Wangfujing near the Peking Hotel, reports sales of 500 down parkas per hour, but sales of cotton-padded overcoats have dropped by 80 percent or more.
This city has already had two snowfalls this year, and cyclists must beware of icy patches, particularly on streets that never get the sun. But snow is not a major problem on the arid north China plain, and would-be skiers must travel all the way to Harbin in the northeast.
Ice-skating, however, is the winter sport par excellence in the capital, with magnificent surroundings in which to take one's girlfriend for a spin - whether in Beihai Park overlooked by the white dagoba and the pavilions of the Qing emperors, or out at the Summer Palace beloved by the notorious Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi.
Indoors, the premier troupe of the Peking Opera has returned to the capital after a long tour. The Jixiang theater on Goldfish Lane was the scene of a particularly notable performance a few days ago, when Fang Rongxiang of Shandong teamed up with Qiu Shao Yun of Peking.
Both played the ''black face'' Bao Gong, a noted Sung Dynasty minister - Qiu in the first scene, Fang in the second. Both drew enthusiastic applause and shouts of ''hao'' - good.
Normally, when a theater performance ends here, the audience applauds perfunctorily, then rushes for the exits in order to catch the final buses before 10 o'clock. But not this evening. A whole flock of mostly young spectators rushed down front, shouting, applauding, demanding handshakes, and passing up bouquets to the two Bao Gongs in their resplendent gold-brocaded robes.
And thereby hangs a tale.
All through the 10 years of the so-called Cultural Revolution and the reign of the ''gang of four'' (1966-76), the Peking Opera was banned as reactionary and feudalistic. Jiang Qing, Mao Tse-tung's wife and the cultural czar during this period, allowed only eight operas.
Leading actors were ''persecuted to death,'' as officials now put it - beaten and otherwise cruelly mistreated and either died outright or later as a result of their sufferings.
Among them was Qiu Shengyun, founder of the Qiu school and one of the leading ''black face'' interpreters of his time. (In Peking opera, black-painted faces signify heroes and white-painted ones, usually villains.)
Typical entertainment in Peking is still Peking Opera and storytelling and acrobats. In Taipei it is discos and Western movies and smart coffee shops. Taiwan is the first and so far only Chinese province in which two-thirds of the population are city-dwellers, not peasants.
This kind of characterization may be angrily rejected both by Peking and by Taipei, but of one thing a visitor can be certain: Compared to the frenetic motor traffic and razzle-dazzle neon lights of Taipei, Peking is like a placid backwater in which the noonday siesta remains sacrosanct, and traffic jams are caused by thousands of bicycles overflowing into automobile lanes. Discos are fun, but I would still vote for the Peking Opera.


text: The Straight Column Ceiling Mount offers a 33" straight column from the ceiling attachment point to the center of the flat panel screen. The Straight Column Ceiling mount is ideal for sports facilities, airports, lobbies or retail environments. It delivers 20° of adjustable tilt and 360° of swivel. This mount ships complete with 2.5' fixed length extension column and theft resistant security fasteners.


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Nik trades with me a couple of times a month at least so I'm not quite sure how many "interview" questions he has had to endure but I do know that I now have a lot of trouble coming up with good ones.
For this trade I made Nik think of five questions and answer them. I know, I'm surprised he even talks to me anymore.
Q. What are you working on now?
A. Right now I'm auditioning to be Milla Jovovich's sketch artist for her new film. I was asked if I could illustrate a journal of a nightmare-troubled female art student. I did something like the necronomicon hahaha
Q. Your favorite line from a recent movie?
A. "Do you have the crazy?" - The Signal
Q. Your favorite extra from a movie?
A. In the making of Zolar:The Extreme Sports Alien, the director informs us that aliens are real and dragons are extinct
Q. Top 5 bad films?
A. Hard Rock Zombies
Night of the Lepus
Jimmy, The Boy Wonder
Q. Filmmaker you'd recommend?
A. Dave "The Rock" Nelson http://www.psychotronic.info/ioam/rock/index.htm
- Login to post comments


text:
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
I am a bit perplexed by the desktops in the unix world, I mean, I get that there are very good ones, like Gnome, which I like very much, but the many many distributions of Linux, and FreeBSD, and now Solaris all of which want to make Desktop systems all seem to provide basically the same bloody desktop experience. Where is the differentiation? Where is the actual innovation? What makes OpenSolaris truly unique enough as a Desktop OS for me to want to use it instead of Fedora, or Windows, or OS X?
Should I even expect such differentiation? Should I expect a unique experience, or are we working toward an OS world in which they are all the same and the only reason I choose one over the other is by politics and religious zealotry (I know people who are lovers of Ubuntu and turn into vicious monsters at the mention of Mint, but why?)
I really am perplexed by all these distributions...


text: Wolters Kluwer Health completes data integration initiative Published on October 04, 2005. New York—Wolters Kluwer Health, an information provider for health care professionals, has completed the consolidation of three business division databases into one integrated data suite. SalesLogix CRM was deployed to pull together data from Wolters Kluwer's Clinical Tools, Pharma Solutions and Professional & Educational divisions. The CRM platform will be used to forecast sales, print and distribute sales collateral, manage marketing campaigns and process orders. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


text:
Effective Data Management With Bar Code Labels
Effective data management plays an essential role for any growing business. Information technology has generated advanced tools for analyzing and managing data. Use of these tools can improve the performance of almost any operation. With these advancements in technology, bar code labels have replaced the traditional manner of pricing products manually. These are a continual series of black stripes and white spaces of varying widths printed on products which help identify and classify items uniquely.
Numerous symbols are incorporated into the coding which can only be read and interpreted appropriately by a scanner and computer software. These systems are used in a myriad of applications for accurate calculations, quick billing with proper product code, and maintaining records of inventory.
A single regulatory board that is responsible for governing bar code usage is the Uniform Code Council (UCC). For a company to use barcode labels commercially, it is necessary for them to contact UCC.
A 12 digit numbering system known as the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is encoded into the black stripes that can only be read when scanned through certain types of equipment.
This number is generally comprised of three separate parts:
1. The first being the prefix of company profile.
2. The second set of numbers is the item reference.
3. The last number is referred to as check digit for security and accuracy confirmation measures.
These encoded labels can be printed on a variety of materials, but before printing, it's important to consider the environmental conditions.
They can range from basic pre-printed paper stickers to special designed, sophisticated ones, but regardless of the material, the benefits of increased accuracy and efficiency provided by barcode label system are unparalleled.
A barcode system provides users with an efficient cost-effective way to enhance the overall speed and timeliness. The recent data gathered by the Data Identification Online website states that the error rate when using a bar code label system is about one in three million.
Benefits of Barcode Labels
A well designed structure provides the users with many benefits for all businesses:
– It classifies each product or an application effectively and uniquely.
– The data capturing rate is much faster with appropriate product code entered in records.
– Mistakes are minimized facilitating quick billing and managing inventory has become much easier than in the past.
– Facilitates quick and easy collection of reliable data with the help of a scanner that records data five to seven times faster than traditional methods.
– Minimizes error rate and increases accuracy: The data entered by the barcode scanner has an average error rate of one error in 300 characters entered.
– The most important benefit provided is that it boosts cost savings with accurate data collection.
– Revenue losses are reduced resulting from data collection errors.
– One of the best means to save on capital costs and keep a track of inventory, these systems help maintain a track record of finances.
– Improved Management: These help in easy collection of customer data and tracks sales efficiently through its automated data collection and management system, thereby allowing managers to make informed decisions that contribute to the growth and development of the company.
– Quicker access to comprehensive information helps management make better decisions, grab opportunities and lead the competition.
These advantages show that label system is the most preferred choice by companies and businesses. With pre-printed bar code labels, small businesses can maintain large inventory records has become possible when every item is indexed and registered in the database with scanning procedures available. Bar code labels have systematized and standardized the entire process of data collection and management with utmost ease.
Tags: Bar Code Labels, Business, Data Management


text:
EVENT: 2011 ING New York City Marathon - $1 Mil a Mile
EVENT DATE: Nov 06, 2011
AUTISM SPEAKS wrote -
For the fifth year, Autism Speaks is proud to be a charity partner in the 2011 ING NYC Marathon. We will have over 200 runners participating. In 2010 our team raised over $700,000 and we need your help to do it again.
Running 26.2 miles is a challenge that most of us will never take on. Our runners embrace this challenge to help their children, their grandchildren, their nieces and their neighbors. Statistics show that every 15 minutes a child is being diagnosed with autism. That means in the time it takes the average runner to complete the marathon, 20 children will be diagnosed.
Your donation means so much to our families...
A $25 donation means a newly diagnosed family can receive a 100 Days Kit which will walk them through what to do in the first 100 days from being diagnosed. http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/family_services/100_day_kit.php
A $60 donation means a school district can receive a School Community Tool Kit free of charge. The School Community Tool Kit is designed to support for the general education and administrative school staff who interact with students with autism in various capacities ..
Every donation makes a difference no matter its size. Donate Now!
At Autism Speaks, our goal is to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders.
We are dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and cure for autism; to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder. We are committed to raising the funds necessary to support these goals.
Autism Speaks aims to bring the autism community together as one strong voice to urge the government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.
Autism Speaks. It's time to listen.
To learn more about Autism Speaks visit www.AutismSpeaks.org


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The New York World is Pulitzer's greatest prize.
A monument to Joseph Pulitzer the New York World unquestionably is. It is even more than that; it is really a monument to the idealism of the many men from Central Europe who came to America as to the promised land, so joyous at having turned their backs upon the falsities, the hypocrisies, the military autocracies of the Continent that they brought to America a devotion quite unsurpassed by any native born. Theirs was a far keener appreciation of the true principles of a democratic society and of the fundamentals of American idealism than is held by nine-tenths of the college graduates of today who claim admittance to the Sons of the Revolution. True, Mr. Pulitzer was not like three others who left their mark upon American journalism–Carl Schurz, Oswald Ottendorfer, and Henry Villard–a product of the Revolution of 1848. He belonged to a later generation of immigrants and did not cross the ocean as a result of that idealistic uprising which would have liberalized Germany and spared the world its greatest agony had it succeeded. But the fact is nevertheless that New York owes what is today perhaps its most liberal English-language daily to a simple Jewish-Hungarian immigrant of humblest origin, who came to this country friendless and unknown with so little money it is a question whether he would not have been excluded had the laws been what they are today. If men like Congressman Johnson, who are now so bent on excluding all aliens from America in pursuit of the narrow, selfish, nationalistic dogma of "America for those who are already here," could ever be brought to measure the contributions of some of the thousands who came penniless to these shores in foul-smelling steerage quarters, they would surely he shamed into something different. They would at least have to concede that the morning World is today one of the few remaining assets in the field of journalism in which Americans with ideals can take pride.
Yet it does not begin to approximate what it ought to and so easily could be-the Manchester Guardian of America. For this is responsible the fact that the World is and always has been a creature of compromise. Nothing could be finer than the vision of its purpose Joseph Pulitzer published when he purchased it in 1883, which it now daily carries under its "mast-head" on the editorial page:
An institution that should always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, never belong to any party, always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers, never lack sympathy with the poor, always remain devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news, always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty.


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The most important factors to consider when purchasing a toilet are the type and water usage, according to Consumer Reports. The two types are gravity-feed toilets that pour water onto waste to force it down and pressure-assisted toilets that use water to displace air in a sealed tank, creating a vacuum effect that forces waste down. Water usage is identified by two features: WaterSense-certified toilets that use 1.28 gallons per flush and dual-flush models that have the option of half-flushing.
Gravity-feed toilets comprise about 90 percent of all toilets sold in the United States, according to Consumer Reports. They are much quieter than pressure-assisted models and require less water pressure in order to function, needing only 10 pounds per square inch versus 25 for pressure-assisted models. The best of them are as effective as pressure-assisted models as well, but they tend to cost just as much. Lesser models may not be up to every job. Pressure-assisted toilets noisily announce each flush, but they generally get the job done.
The U.S. government requires that all toilets manufactured after 1995 use 1.6 gallons of water or less per flush as of 2015. California has a stricter water conservation law that limits the threshold to 1.28 gallons, with compliant models gaining WaterSense certification. Dual-flush models half-flush liquid waste, saving water while maintaining the ability to eliminate solid waste with a full flush.
Price point was not a major factor in Consumer Reports' field tests, as the best toilets carried only a midrange price tag. Other options include bowl height, color, bowl shape, concealed trapways and two-piece designs. Consumer Reports subscribers can access a bowl by bowl performance breakdown, but the organization does not make this information publicly available, as of 2015.


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Welcome. This is not quite a true blog post yet but it is a starting point. My name is Vincent Plagnol, and I am a lecturer in statistical genetics at University College London, UK. Like many researchers, I feel like the pace of peer review is not quite as fast as it should and this blog is meant to address this by pointing out to new publications or ongoing work in a more reactive way, and discussing scientific issues which I think are worth posting. It is part of new year resolution to use public preprint servers whenever I feel it is appropriate. Basically to use more modern means of communication for my work, and see how far I can go with this.
So will this blog be used frequently? Ot will it be one of these new year resolutions that end up being forgotten? I am not sure yet but I will surely give it a go. So more soon on this.


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Staff Writer
They are springing up like mushrooms in western Queens.
Permits were filed in mid June for a 13-story, 122-room hotel in Astoria. It will be located at 37-10 24th St., the former site of the demolished Jung Sun Laundry Corp building, according to the company's now defunct Facebook page. The hotel will include a restaurant and bar.
According to reports, the developer is Gurpal Cheema's New Generation Development. New Generation purchased the site in September 2012 for $3.3 million, and a demolition application was approved in February 2013. Developers could not be reached for comment as of press time.
This hotel will be located a short walk from the Paper Factory Hotel, which opened earlier this year on 36th Street, and is also flanked by a Country Inn & Suites, a Quality Inn, Ramada Long Island City and a Best Western Plaza.
Reach Jackie Strawbridge at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, firstname.lastname@example.com or @JNStrawbridge.


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SAN FRANCISCO — Joy Schulenberg and her two roommates, Geoffrey and Bert, were sitting around the dinner table one evening when she expressed one of her deepest longings -- to have a child.
To her surprise, both men agreed that parenting was an aspect of life they were missing out on. So, the longtime roommates decided to have a baby and share the duties of being co-parents.
Today, more than five years later, their preschool child, Veronica, calls her lesbian mother ``Mommy,`` and her gay fathers ``Daddy,`` and ``Papa.`` The adults take turns baby-sitting and entertain the youngster with trips to nearby Golden Gate Park or weekend outings. Veronica was also in the Gay Pride Parade, riding on a float with other children of gay parents.
``I`m fortunate to have two other people to help,`` said Schulenberg, who gave birth at home. ``We can rotate duties and we`re flexible.``
She admits being unprepared for the ups and downs of motherhood, the disdainful stares of some lesbians when she was pregnant and then suddenly having an infant around who needed constant care.
``We really weren`t prepared. We were very, very social people, so it was a culture shock,`` said Schulenberg. ``We suddenly had a 24-hour-a-day responsibility. But, I have no regrets, absolutely none.
Schulenberg maintains an active lesbian social life, but continues to live with Veronica and the child`s two ``fathers`` in a familylike setting.
``I`m real domestic now. For Christmas I`m canning preserves and knitting clothes, things my grandmother used to do.``
Schulenberg said there`s some 2 million gay and lesbian parents in the United States, most of them having had children in a traditional marriage. The trend among an increasing number of childless homosexuals, she said, is co- parenting with other lesbians or gays. These homosexuals are considering several options in order to have a child -- intercourse with the opposite sex, artificial insemination, providing foster homes or adopting.