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Playlist: Our Favorite Reggae Riddims
Lover's Rock
Playlist: Fall Reggae 2015
Playlist: Fall Reggae 2015
Mario Evon Serenades Listeners on Debut Album: Our Review of Reggae-Soul Vol. 1: M.E. On Love
*Live performance photos courtesy of Michael Daley. Press photos courtesy of Randy Richards. Album artwork courtesy of Taj Francis. Full list of album credits on Mario Evon's Bandcamp page.
"What is love?" asks Mario Evon on his debut full-length LP album, Reggae-Soul Vol. 1: M.E. On Love, that tells a classic "boy-meets-girl" love story. As Evon embarks on a romantic journey of his own, you can't help but join him on this emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Filled with heart-felt, genuine lyrics, each song expresses Evon's experience during different stages of a relationship.
From Jamming at Home to Touring with Justin Timberlake: Our Interview with American Reggae Band The Common Kings
*Photos provided by and courtesy of Common Kings
The American reggae movement is the strongest it has ever been in history. With many successful artists and bands like SOJA, J Boog, The Green and Rebelution selling out venues every year, reggae is surely gaining prominence. One band in particular ranks very high with their contemporaries … The Common Kings.
These Kings are no strangers to the reggae scene. Junyer (lead vocals), Ivan (bass), Rome (drums) and Mata (guitar) formed four years ago at a jam session and have since released a plethora of hit singles, including "No Other Love" (featuring J Boog & Fiji), "Fly", "Alcoholic", "Wade in Your Water", "Your Turn", "Before You Go" and more. The Common Kings blend reggae, R&B, soul, island, pop and rock into an original, eclectic sound like no other. Their unique style even caught the attention of, pop music superstar, Justin Timberlake who asked the band to open for him during his Australian and New Zealand fall 2014 tour. This was quite an achievement for an unsigned and unknown band.
Despite touring with an "A-List" artist, these everyday guys from Orange Country, California (with Polynesian roots) remain humble, down-to-earth and grateful for their success. The band interacts with their fans on social media and keeps them updated about upcoming tours and music. Recently, we chatted with the Common Kings to discuss their story, music, opening for Justin Timberlake, their upcoming album and much more.
Our 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Viewers' Choice 2015: Your Top 20 Romantic Reggae & Dancehall Songs From Around the World!
*Photos Courtesy of the artists' official Facebook fan pages and various sources
For our second annual Valentine's Day Viewers' Choice article, we asked you to submit your favorite romantic reggae and dancehall songs from around the world. Thank you for your song submissions. Even though we could not include every single video, we featured the most requested songs. In no specific order, here were your top picks for February 2015 (aka International Reggae Month). Happy Valentine's Day!
Randy Valentine "Lock Me Up" (England)
Trey Smoov "Beauty Queen" feat. J Boog & Fiji (USA & Fiji)
Quique Neira "Agua de la Fuente (Un amor)" (Chile)
A 'Sweet Kiss' from Hawaii: Our Interview with Rebecca Beralas
*Photos courtesy of and provided by Rebecca Beralas
Hawaii's Rebecca Beralas' has certainly come a long way. From her early days in elementary school, humming her favorite songs, to her later days in her adult years, leading underground reggae bands, Rebecca Beralas has finally released her debut EP album as a solo artist. This incredibly gifted songstress showcases her strong, yet soothing vocals with lyrics that touch on love, empowerment, struggle and self-reflection. Rebecca's signature sound fuses lovers rock reggae, dub, R&B, pop, island and soul that brings joy to everyone's ears with her uplifting array of original romantic ballads. Strongly influenced by both Hawaiian and Jamaican reggae, Beralas' music truly brings positive vibrations from both islands with the power to evoke the happiest memories of your life. With a powerful EP, we cannot wait to hear her full length LP! We recently sat down with Rebecca to discuss her upcoming album, Hawaiian reggae, future live shows and much more.
New Zealand's Romantic Reggae Star: Our Interview with Awa
*All photos courtesy of and provided by Awa
If you already didn't know, reggae is immensely popular in New Zealand. The genre was popularized as far back as the 1970s and 1980s by bands such as Herbs and Unity Pacific. In 1979, Bob Marley's legendary concert, at the country's Western Springs Stadium, had a tremendous influence on many artists to form their own bands; many believed it was the catalyst for the spread of the genre. Additionally, some of the island's Maori people gravitated towards the Rastafarian religion that also contributed to the rise of reggae in New Zealand.
Today, one of the most prominent artists to hit the scene is Awa (a former member of the band Nesian Mystik). Now as a solo artist, his signature sound that blends romantic reggae and soulful R&B has captivated New Zealand's listeners. His debut EP, Native Intel (2011), earned him three Maori Music Awards for Best Maori Songwriter, Best Song and Best Maori Male Artist. Two years later, Awa's follow up album, Heartbeat (2013), broke the Top 10 New Zealand Album Chart for his hits "Home", "Perfect Day" (featuring Hawaii's Anuhea) and "Back In My Life" (featuring New Zealand's House of Shem). Now in 2014, this double platinum artist continues to pen more hit songs, especially on collaborations with CRSB and Pieter T. Recently, we caught up with Awa to talk about his career, upcoming concert and latest single.
Romain Virgo's Reggae Cover of Sam Smith's "Stay With Me"
*All Photos Courtesy of Niko Browne (Lifeline Music) & Romain Virgo
Check out Romain Virgo's smooth reggae cover of Sam Smith's, one-night-stand anthem, "Stay With Me". Niko Browne, of Lifeline Music (Jamaica), both produced the track and directed the music video. Virgo's superb vocal abilities mixed with Browne's incredible production skills create an excellent cover. Browne also produced many of the songs from Romain's sophomore album The System (2012) (VP Records).
How do you like Romain Virgo's version of "Stay With Me"? Do you like his rendition or Sam Smith's original better? Comment below!
Australia's Rising Reggae Artist: Our Interview With Eddie "Joe Coffee" Williams
*All photos courtesy of and provided by Eddie "Joe Coffee" Williams
Most people do not associate reggae music with Australia. With New Zealand being in such close proximity to the country, it did not surprise us that reggae's popularity has gained strength in Australia as well (as you have learned in our previous articles reggae is extremely popular in New Zealand). The newest artist to make waves in the Polynesian scene is Eddie "Joe Coffee" Williams. This Australian lover's rock crooner serenades his listeners with his smooth R&B vocals and romantic lyrics. His bright melodies and uplifting rhythms evoke emotions of elation and relaxation that can alleviate anyone's anxieties. His latest hits "Why Would You Do That", "No One" and "For You" have all gathered thousands of YouTube views. Recently, we had the pleasure to interview Joe Coffee to discuss the Polynesian reggae movement, his songwriting process, musical influences and much more!
New Zealand's Reggae Family: House of Shem "She's Mine"
*All photos courtesy of House of Shem
House of Shem is proof that musical genes run in the family. As one of New Zealand's most successful and well-known reggae bands since 2008, House of Shem consists of Carl Perkins and his two sons Te Omeka and Isaiah. Carl is a reggae veteran in his own right with thirty-plus years in the industry singing, writing and playing guitar for bands such as Herbs, Mana and The Twelve Tribes of Israel. Carl's sons, Te Omeka and Isaiah, follow in their father's footsteps; they sing, play keyboards and compose as well. This strong musical trio allows the band to have three lead vocalists that harmonize each other perfectly. House of Shem's family bond is an essential element to their incredible song writing ability.
The band's most recent release Harmony (2014) has gathered international acclaim and attention due to their distribution deal with VP Records Associated Label Group (VPAL Music). The album's first single and music video, "Take You There", has gained over 160,000+ YouTube hits and continues to dominate the online reggae radio community.
One of our favorite tunes from Harmony is their lover's rock anthem "She's Mine. We know how much you all enjoy lover's rock, so we made a video for our YouTube Channel! How do you like our video for House of Shem's "She's Mine"? Comment below!


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Nexant to Present Smart Grid Webinar Hosted by IEEE Smart Grid
Oct 15, 2015
Smart grid expert Josh Schellenberg to present overview of customer reliability benefits to support smart grid investment
SAN FRANCISCO – October 15, 2015 – Nexant Principal Josh Schellenberg will review current practices for measuring customer interruption costs and incorporating them into reliability and resiliency planning during an upcoming webinar, Using Customer Reliability Benefits to Support Business Cases for Smart Grid Investments, hosted by IEEE Smart Grid.
This IEEE Smart Grid webinar, part of a series on varying aspects of grid modernization globally, will summarize two distribution automation case studies and include an example from the Interruption Cost Estimate (ICE) Calculator, a publicly available online tool developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Nexant.
The complimentary, one-hour webinar will take place from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 15, 2015. To register, click here.
Schellenberg, Principal at Nexant, is a recognized expert in estimating customer interruption costs and incorporating customer benefits into utility reliability planning. Schellenberg has designed, managed and analyzed multiple interruption cost surveys for large North American utilities, the results of which have informed key regulatory proceedings. For a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study on the value of service reliability, he estimated an econometric model of power interruption costs for residential and C&I customers across the U.S. Schellenberg took the lead on building this econometric model into the Interruption Cost Estimate (ICE) Calculator, a DOE-sponsored online tool that utilities use to assess the value associated with reliability investments.
About IEEE Smart Grid
IEEE Smart Grid provides expertise and guidance for individuals and organizations involved in the modernization and optimization of the power grid. IEEE Smart Grid brings together IEEE's broad array of technical societies and organizations through collaboration to encourage the successful rollout of technologically advanced, environment-friendly and secure smart grid networks around the world. Learn more at smartgrid.ieee.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm back! Sorry, that 'week off' turned into slightly longer as I whizzed through the last three exams, spent a week gallivanting about Oxford and sleeping a lot, and then came back to the village to hibernate – my body needed a little while to sort itself out after a term of stress and sleep-deprivation… I'm back now, though, so you can expect lots of fun things to come! To kick us back off, here are some pictures of my triumphant emergence from my final exam!
You may or may not know that there's a tradition in Oxford called 'trashing', where all your friends meet you as you come out of your final exam and throw confetti and glitter and flower petals and silly string at you, and cover you in many ridiculous hats and decorations. It's great fun, and although there's always something horrible in the Daily Mail about the excesses of Oxford students, it's the perfect way to blow off steam after what could be up to three weeks of very long, difficult exams. It's an amazing feeling.
After they've covered you in stuff, the tradition is that you head down to the river, where the lucky finisher ends up thrown in. Luckily, my friends were slightly nicer and allowed me to get in myself!
Here I am enjoying my first drink since my birthday – Pimms, of course! Note the rather un-regulation sequinned skirt and make up (compare my regular sub fusc here)… Well, you only finish finals once!
And here I am in the river, which was extremely cold and unpleasant rocky, but excellent fun! We hung out on the riverbank for an hour or two, and ended up down at my boyfriend's house in the evening, watching Sleeping Beauty and relaxing for the first time in ages. Lovely.
So that's my excuse for my extended absence. Hope you can forgive me! What kind of posts have you been missing most?


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I'm very pleased to have a poem I wrote after the Brexit referendum up on Andy Jackson and WN Herbert's Neu!Boots and Pantisocracies site. Originally set up to publish a poem a day responding to the 2015 general election, they re-booted their project last month.
I'm not a polemic poet, but a number of factors came together to prompt me to write this one. I was new to fb last summer, and didn't submit a post-election response, though the Pantisocracy of the title took me back to graduate student days in Newcastle in the 80s. Researching a PhD on Wordsworth, autobiography and 18thC psychology, I became intrigued by Coleridge and Southey's vision of creating a socialist society in America. A greater part of my work was on the polymaths of the period, the usual suspects of the Scottish Enlightenment, and also English thinkers including Erasmus Darwin, and Joseph Priestley. That the latter was born in Birstall, the village in West Yorkshire where my dad's parents had lived, added an extra layer of interest.
The adult Priestley moved to Birmingham, and was a key member of the Lunar Society, where philosophers, industrialists, writers and radicals met at full moon for reasons of safety, in the days before street lighting. That didn't help them in the long run: their homes were burned down in 1791, in what became known as the Birmingham or Priestley Riots. The government turned a blind eye to locals' violent objection to the 'Lunartics', as they were known, celebrating the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille. Priestley fled, and eventually emigrated to Philadelphia, where he continued his work in science and theology – maybe forming a kind of pantisocracy-lite, close to the Susquehanna, Coleridge and Southey's chosen location.
Forward to midsummer, 2016, and I was taking long, late-evening walks in the Pentland Hills above Edinburgh. On the terrace of Swanston Brasserie, the sunset sparked little stars, like the ones on the EU flag, I thought whimsically, in our beer glasses. A full moon accompanied me across the Caerketton ridge. I dubbed it 'Remain Moon' (I think its official designation was 'strawberry moon'), and it seemed all would be well. Of course the assassination of MP Jo Cox in Birstall the week before could not be undone. It was always likely that Scotland would vote remain; now the pro-leave citizens of the northern England would surely re-consider?
I was back on the hill, under July's 'Buck Moon', the other day, still struggling to comprehend all the events of the past month. Another Bastille day atrocity had taken place, and too many others around the world. Birmingham has been the site of further riots since the Lunartics were smoked out. We do what we can, we dream or we act, and there are some terrific poetic responses on the Neu!Boots site.
Postscript: The August full moon, according to this source, will be the 'Sturgeon Moon' . . . .
Remain Moon Four years ago they gathered, the local press, the people, to pause in civic duty at the statue of Joseph Priestley. A week before the vote they came again, the people, and the national…


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Mrs Rita Joseph is a Canberra-based writer on social issues whose work has been published internationally. She has represented the interests of families at major UN human rights conferences overseas. She delivered the following paper at the National Civic Council's annual national conference, held in Melbourne on February 1, 2014.
Remember the parable of the seven evil spirits?
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, "I will return to the house I left." When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." (Luke 11:24-26)
Eleanor Roosevelt with the Spanish
version of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, November 1948
Well, that's what happened to the noble United Nations human rights initiative after Nazism was defeated. We swept our house clean and put it in order. And then the old human rights abuses returned with the evil spirits of a new ideology entrenching many more even worse abuses.
Cleaning house, putting it in order
After World War II, in a moment of grace, we did indeed sweep clean our house and establish order. The nations of the world came together and declared that "disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind". On December 10, 1948, in Paris, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The declaration's drafters, representing the chastened nations of the world, saw the light of truth, that human rights are inherent and inalienable, that they are based on a small number of fundamental principles common to all societies, and major philosophies, legal systems and faith systems, principles recognised to be universals — "permanent principles" not subject to change with each new ideology or opinion poll or democratic vote. And so the whole architecture of modern international human rights law was built on a deontological basis (i.e., duty-based), on human rights principles discerned through natural law.
Several of the drafters were familiar with the natural law — they knew their Aquinas — and the Universal Declaration principles are remarkably consistent with the five fundamental self-evident principles of natural law identified by Aquinas as deeply and irrevocably embedded in our human nature:
1) To do good and avoid evil. (The do's and don'ts, responsibilities and protection of rights are sorted pretty well in the Universal Declaration).
2) To preserve life: suum cuique — protection for what is one's own. ("Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person" — Universal Declaration 3).
3) To procreate through sexual reproduction, a good to be supported and favoured, and what threatens it to be avoided. ("The family is the natural … group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State" — Universal Declaration 16-3).
4) To live in community. ("Everyone has duties to the community…" — Universal Declaration 29-1).
5) To exercise our intellects to search for truth, to reject falsehood, to dispel ignorance. (Again, the drafters of the Universal Declaration did pretty well on this one).
All of these are reflected in the Universal Declaration principles and in the rules set out for their universal application — inclusion, inherency, equality, inalienability and indivisibility.[1]
There are rules set down for interpretation, e.g., the "inner consistency" requirement (Universal Declaration Article 30),[2]which says, basically, that we can't introduce any new rights that will destroy any of the rights recognised here. Thus we can't, for example, introduce new "abortion rights for women" at the expense of destroying legal protection of the rights of unborn children; and we can't make up new "same-sex marriage" rights at the expense of destroying legal protection of children's rights;
Later, all nations agreed to the "ordinary meaning" test: Article 31 (1), General rule of interpretation of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969): "A treaty shall be interpreted in good faith in accordance with the ordinary meaning to be given to the terms of the treaty in their context and in the light of its object and purpose." So we can't tamper with the "ordinary meaning" of "marriage", "motherhood" and "parents" to introduce new "same-sex marriage" "rights".
Search for truth
In the search for truth, the drafters started with the promise "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person".[3] And, in the context of the drafting history, there can be no doubt "person" means every human being, "without distinction of any kind".[4] These were definitely "human rights" not "person rights".
They looked at the Nazis' dehumanisation of Jews and other "undesirable" groups such as gypsies, and the "mentally deficient" and children of "inferior" physical or mental status.
They looked at the Nazi abortion programs to eradicate Jewish children and the children of migrant workers, and any children deemed not "racially perfect", and saw how the Nazis condemned these children as having "negative value".
They saw in Nazi Germany and its occupied territories the abysmal failure of law courts to protect the "unwanted". At the Nuremberg Trials, the utilitarianism of the Nazi's positivist laws that clothed atrocities in "lawfulness" was rejected and condemned. The drafters of the Universal Declaration rejected the legal positivism that had emerged in the 20th century. They saw clearly that legal positivism had proved hopelessly inadequate to protect vulnerable human beings from shifting laws newly coined to advance popular new ideologies.
They saw the victims of ideologically-driven legal positivism, and they pledged: "Never again!"
Indeed, the drafters of the Universal Declaration recognised that human rights are logically antecedent to the rights enumerated in various systems of positive law and are held independent of the state. Human rights, they agreed, "constitute a law anterior and superior to the positive law of civil society".[5]
And so the nations of the world solemnly declared their commitment to the unity of the human race — human solidarity — universal membership in the one family, "the brotherhood of man".
They understood that every human being conceived is already endowed by nature with dignity and worth. They reaffirmed the existence of the family as the "natural … group unit of society entitled to protection by society and the state".[6]
It was understood implicitly that every child has a right to care by his/her mother and father. To have a mother and a father is a natural right inscribed in the very nature of human beings, in the very nature of human procreation, regeneration. Each state's obligation to protect marriage is tied to the obligation to ensure and protect "as far as possible, a child's right to know and be cared for by his parents". By reason and nature, one's own mother and father, one's genealogy, one's identity and one's security of existence belong fundamentally to each and every human being. The natural family — father, mother and children — are united and protected in ties of deep belonging, not ownership, in what the American theologian and philosopher, Benedict Ashley OP, called "flesh and blood ties … tangible and irrevocable".[7]
This was all good. So what happened that these good principles never really became fully operational?
Return of the evil spirits
The sexual revolution happened.
It wasn't until 1966 that two covenants codifying these principles into binding law were adopted. By then, however, the sexual revolution was being successfully launched on the back of the civil rights movement, which in the United States overshadowed broader human rights. Soon the new radical feminist ideology dominated domestic human rights agendas in much of the Western world. The sexual revolution spawned a new version of human rights built on the shonky foundation of hastily invented "women's rights" which demanded precedence over all other rights. "Affirmative action" was introduced to address the lack of married women in the paid workforce and the "slavery" of "forced" pregnancy, which included right from the start a woman's "right to abortion".
Jacques Maritain (1882-1973),
French philosopher and political thinker,
was one of the principal drafters of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Through the sexual revolution, the smallest children have now become helpless, rightless pawns of adults' desires, of adult freedoms grotesquely exaggerated. The sexual revolution derogated radically from respect for every child's dignity and rights established in international covenants. Adult freedoms would admit of no restraint.
And, finally, today this revolution is reaching its zenith (or perhaps its death throes?). Children are artificially begotten, chosen or rejected in accordance with perceived needs of adults — IVF and surrogacy are supported by embryo reduction and abortion programs — embryonic brothers and sisters are condemned as "too many" or of "the wrong kind". They are imprisoned in cold storage; selected "spares" are "used" regularly for practice material to improve IVF methods or as research material in stem-cell and pharmaceutical experiments. These tiniest of human beings can be used or abused and discarded at will.
Children are being denied the natural law right to know and be cared for by their biological mothers and fathers. There are of course many children who through tragic circumstances do not enjoy this right.
But it is intellectually dishonest to pretend that setting up radical new marriage laws and corollary adoption, IVF and surrogacy laws that deliberately deprive a child of the intimate knowledge and care by his/her own mother or father is anything other than an intolerable form of human rights abuse. Same-sex couples with adoption, IVF and surrogacy "rights", actually discriminate against children — and rupture our human rights obligations towards them
The natural law right for every child, barring tragedy, to come into the world with an intimately related mother and father is inherent — it is not subject to legal reconfiguration through social science studies on whether or not being deliberately deprived of a father or a mother is "deleterious" to children.
The sexual revolution triumphs
Many people today look back with an indulgent smile at the sexual revolution, which began in the sixties with the heady nonsense of hippies and flower power. Few realise that only now are we confronting the high point of the sexual revolution that has succeeded in enshrining in law and in practice a near absolute sexual freedom for adults and adolescents.
The revolution has been extraordinarily successful — many of our academics, our scientists, our lawyers and judges, our doctors and our legislators have led the revolution or supported it with enthusiasm. Others have been co-opted, sometimes willingly, sometimes intimidated. Only a few of any prominence have refused to be silenced and continue to raise their voices with courage and integrity.
A sexualised culture, the proliferation of pornography, the idea of a right to "recreational" sex without responsibility, the development of artificial alternatives to natural procreation, the absurd lie that marriage has nothing to do with children — these are just some of the consequences of the sexual revolution.
Been there before
At this point in time, this world of unfettered sexual freedom all looks well-entrenched and invincible.
But we need to remember: that was how Hitler's intended 1,000-year Third Reich looked for a time, and how communism looked for the greater part of last century.
The state of the world as we came out of World War II was no less demoralised than the state of the world right now.
We've been there before. We have a road map to lead us out of the mess. It is the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a set of true foundation principles, a brilliant blueprint soundly based on natural law.
It's still valid, still good. But this time round there are two things we must do differently:
1) We must prepare our defences more thoroughly. This time round we want a well-educated corps of people, young and old, trained to discern good from evil, who can proclaim the natural law and point to the limitations and deficiencies of positivist law with its utilitarian compromises that count the vulnerable as expendable. In schools and universities (especially law schools and faculties of medicine) and in the media, education in discerning truth and confronting evil is critical to success if we are not to be sabotaged by the next virulent new ideology that comes along.
2) We shall need savvy lawyers and politicians who can offer a coherent set of laws and repeals ready to be put into place when the current legal façade crumbles. We shall need good doctors with sound medical principles who can lead patients back from the lie that contraception and abortion are absolutely necessary to women's reproductive health and from the lie that increased medication, rather than behavioural restraint, is the answer to the currently raging epidemic of sexual excess and sexually-transmitted diseases.
The hard work on initiatives such as these must be escalated now.
How we erred
In our need to refute and discredit the lies and deceptions that have brought us to this present mess, we must look back at how it happened.
While Eleanor Roosevelt and her brilliant team of lawyers on the U.S. delegation were re-establishing on the global stage the concept of legal personality for every human being "without exception", in an isolationist parallel universe the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. law schools went on with business as usual. Earlier in the century, the U.S. had forsaken the profound depths of "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…".
By the thirties, U.S. courts had moved into the legal shallows of positivism and utilitarianism. In the sixties, U.S. law schools eventually took on board the human rights language, tacked it on to civil rights and women's rights and Vietnam War issues; but it was a language emptied of some important original content. Human rights language was corrupted and reconstructed superficially to accommodate the new ideology, new libertine lifestyles, and to undermine the morality of the rule of law.
It was unfortunate indeed that feminist ideology swept the world shortly after the international covenants came into force. For Western governments, such as those of the U.S., Britain and Australia, one hand didn't know what the other hand was doing. While the lawyers on the U.S. delegation to the UN had negotiated language and agreed on the international human rights obligations of their governments, no one, it seems, had briefed the U.S. Supreme Court justices who on privacy grounds withdrew legal protection from unborn children at risk of arbitrary deprivation of life. The U.S. delegation along with all the other delegations had long before agreed that privacy cannot be invoked to conceal a human rights abuse of children, including violations of their rights to prenatal care, survival and development.[8] Major human rights treaties have laid down the principle that "neither privacy nor state sanction can be a defence for human rights violations".[9]
While the U.S. in the international arena was reaffirming natural law principles and truths "existing prior to and independent of the state", back home the courts were continuing with arrogant claims that everything was changeable and open to judicial reinterpretation over time.
It wasn't just in the U.S. but also in Britain, Australia and other countries that this disconnect took place. The British parliament was first to be derailed –influenced quite irrationally by a slick superficial propaganda campaign launched and financed by a U.S. abortion advocacy group.[10] A parliamentary majority introduced the Abortion Act 1967 which targeted disability as a grounds for legal abortion. These parliamentarians were either ignorant of or in contempt of the human rights principles to which British delegations at the UN had solemnly agreed, namely, that every child is entitled to legal protection before as well as after birth and that disability is never grounds for withdrawal of human rights.
Let's take a look at what the U.S. Supreme Court justices cobbled together in the pathetically flawed Roe v. Wade 1973 decision. The attention of these justices appear to have been engaged elsewhere while the momentous Universal Declaration was being forged and the principles were being codified in the covenants and conventions of modern international human rights law. Indeed, U.S. Supreme Court justices appear never to have even heard of the universally-agreed principle of "legal protection before as well as after birth" for every child,[11] or the principle of unity of the human race, the principles of inherency and inalienability that were supposed to strip domestic judiciaries and legislatures of the authority ever again to withdraw or deny the human rights of any group of vulnerable human beings.[12]
The distortions we have inherited from Roe v. Wade
The world we have inherited from Roe v. Wade is a world in which mothers (and fathers) are held to have no natural obligation to care for the child they have conceived. Abortion rights advocates reject nature and the natural order of things. The mother must be free throughout pregnancy to choose her obligations — her foetus has invaded her bodily integrity and requires her permission to continue occupation until birth. Natural maternal moral obligations are dismissed as tyrannical and the natural maternal duty of care becomes an option, a choice.[13]
Such is the crazy mixed-up metaphysical reconstruction, by feminist ideologues, of pregnancy. They have taken pregnancy and motherhood, which is the most natural thing in the world, and turned it into an invasion of their privacy and personal autonomy to be seen as an unjust burden that only women are forced to carry.
Incredibly and quite irrationally, every pregnant woman has been given a totalitarian authority to decide whether she is carrying a child or whether her pregnancy is childless. After all, "it's only a foetus".
Arkansas abortionist, Dr William F. Harrison, gave succinct expression to this flawed but common defence by doctors who perform abortions: "It's not a baby to me until the mother tells me it's a baby."[14]
Thumbs up, the tiny human being lives. Thumbs down, the dehumanised "foetus" is exterminated.
The law lies through its teeth — and ignores the science
Today the rule of law has abandoned the tiny, voiceless victims. Legislatures and judiciaries have turned a blind eye. Routine arbitrary deprivation of small human lives has been decriminalised.
These small human beings have been dehumanised with all the authority of the law and in direct contradiction of the authority of the science. Biology, embryology, foetal surgery, ultrasound technology, and examination of the human remains of an aborted child all tell us that this child, selected to be aborted, is a human being, belonging to homo sapiens. The law lies through its teeth and insists this is not a human being, this is not a human life: "it" is not harmed when "its" life is aborted. The medical profession lies through its teeth when it insists these "foetuses" selected for abortion are not patients. How have doctors come to this bad place?
Rejecting the tyranny of ownership
An extreme feminist ideology in its first giddy flush of mindless popularity established a founding dogma that women must have totalitarian ownership and disposal rights over their "foetuses", which are to be treated as a woman's private property.
The natural law truth, however, is that we don't own our children.
Unlike "ownership", human belonging is a two-way street. We belong to our children — and they belong to us. We belong together.
We parents own the responsibility to protect the human rights of children. And, just so, will our children own the responsibility when we grow old, and ill and needy, to protect our human rights, our dignity and our worth as human beings. We belong to each other — there is no ownership, only human solidarity, "the brotherhood of man".
As with an earlier fascism, today's ideologues will not tolerate any conscientious objection or refusal to cooperate with their ideologically-skewed "health" programs. Even now, they are fashioning legislation to coerce doctors into being complicit in evil.
The medical profession is compromised. Science itself is perverted. And the law enforces the state-financed termination programs as "women's reproductive health".
Now whenever I write or speak of human rights principles and apply them to the tiny victims of abortion, so many women are incredulous — they just can't accept that a small "foetus" has the same rights as a fully-grown woman. This is surely the same incredulity that the slave-owners would have exhibited when first confronted with the truth that their slaves were human beings with the same human rights as the slave-owners themselves.
As with other longer-lasting tyrannies based on dehumanising victims, the dehumanisation becomes so entrenched, so unquestioningly accepted by legislatures, judiciaries, the media and the popular majority, that challenging the status quo is met with derision and immediate automatic rejection. Democratic majority opinion, expertly manipulated by the ideologically-correct spin, is absolutely convinced that their favourite evil practices are intrinsically necessary to continuation and progress of the economic and social well-being and life styles of the people.
As when the first proposals were made to abolish slavery, the greatest outcry came from those who could not even envisage life without slavery. Just so today, so many women (and men with an eye to protecting their established sexual freedoms) cannot even imagine how they could change their lifestyles in such a way that abortion is no longer "necessary". Young girls can't even imagine how they could live their sexually active lives without "access to safe abortion". High school and university students can't even imagine now how they could complete their education, and women cannot even imagine how they could keep their jobs and progress their careers, without "access to safe abortion". And we face the same problem in trying to shut down the IVF and surrogacy industries.
Truth is powerful
On the bright side, I have many times stated truths that were unpalatable to hostile audiences. Every time, without exception, some in the audience have come secretly to me afterwards and told me they have changed their minds. Truth is powerful, the truth is recognisable. If we can give words to the truth, and proclaim it from the hilltops, even out of season, people will recognise truth.
Even the most elaborate deceptions are sooner or later found out and thrown out. Recognition of truth is the beginning of reform, of return to authenticity and integrity.
Starting now, we must expose the lies on which rests this whole massive edifice of fake sexual freedom, fake reproductive health, fake human rights, fake family formation.
Legal professionals must expose corrupt laws. Politicians must reopen all the fake legislation that poses as "settled law". As Aquinas says, "Every human law has just so much of the nature of law, as it is derived from the law of nature. But if at any point it deflects from the law of nature, it is no longer a law but a perversion of law". Or, as Abraham Lincoln once said more simply, "There is no law that can give me the right to do what is wrong."
Medical professionals must challenge fake research and ideologically-generated claims of what protects reproductive health and what damages it. They must dismantle false assurances that sexual incontinence, promiscuity and prostitution are harmless as long as condoms and contraceptive "protections" are used.
The media must be shamed into abandoning the fake fictional happy-ending stories to fake marriages based on same-sex copulation, where children are acquired, made motherless or fatherless to accommodate adults' "sexual lifestyle choices". Recovering journalistic integrity, the media must begin the slow long process of examining the cracks already appearing in a decrepit edifice destined to crumble.
And our academics have a huge challenge — to overcome peer intimidation in order to expose ideological drivel that poses as genuine research and analysis. And, above all, they must teach natural law once again, making it accessible to every student.
Preparing to get it right
I began this paper with a cautionary parable first told over 2,000 years ago in which victory over one evil proved pyrrhic as seven even more wicked spirits reoccupied and recontaminated the cleaned house. And, as this National Civic Council national conference is about strategy, I shall finish with a recent, very memorable, very modern military disaster, where one evil, Saddam Hussein's regime, was toppled so easily, so suddenly that there was no forward planning; no plan ready to secure and retain what was good, or at least tolerable, in the political and moral infrastructure; and no plan ready to quickly install good policies in the vacuum.
Today, I believe we face the same state of unreadiness in the coming confrontation with a globalised evil. The seeds of self-destruction are already working within this monstrosity that the sexual revolution brought forth under the hand of extreme feminism. Its defeat and disintegration are inevitable.
Perhaps with good strategy we can hasten its demise a little. Perhaps we can prepare good people to identify evil and recognise the truth. Perhaps we can do this by stimulating research publications and media presentations of the true consequences of the aberrant ideology that has captured and corrupted our institutions and has reached right into our families. All people of good will — parents, teachers, professionals of all kinds, social mentors, young people, retired people, religious leaders and congregations — may be encouraged to engage in this search for truth. All human beings are made for this — it is integral to our dignity and worth — to search for truth, to identify evil and to reject it. Together we may expose the true extent of the social damage wrought by more than 50 years of corruption. Sooner or later, nevertheless, the cover-up of these harmful consequences will prove unsustainable; and yet another bizarre and foolish social experiment, yet another ageing ideology will bite the dust of history.
At that point, our biggest challenge will be replacement — that is, sorting what to keep and what must go, what must be rapidly restored, and what may be reformed more gradually over time. Most importantly, we must make ready beforehand a platform of principles and policies, readily understood, easy to communicate, good to go from the get-go.
I know that a priority in any such plan must be the well-being of our children whose rights to protection in an adult's world must be fully restored. We must restore the most fundamental connection of all — children have a natural right to be conceived through a man and a woman, who from the moment of conception take on the natural responsibilities of a mother and a father, of a blood relationship.
Once again the human procreative act, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, must be recognised as an act of dignity and worth.
You see, if there is contempt for the spiritual element in the human intimacies that generate life, then there is contempt for life itself. If it is not the case that all human life is sacred, then no human life is sacred. If there is not an inviolable right to life for everyone, then there is an inviolable right to life for no one.
And certainly we do not want to see a resurgence of that devil again.
Mrs Rita Joseph is a Canberra-based writer on social issues whose work has been published internationally. She has represented the interests of families at major UN human rights conferences overseas. She delivered the above paper at the National Civic Council's annual national conference, held in Melbourne on February 1, 2014. An abridged version appeared in the printed edition of this issue of News Weekly.
Purchase this book at the bookshop:
[1] Inclusion affirms the unity of the human race, "all members of the human family" — the unborn child, the disabled, the old, the frail, the dying, the needy. Inherency recognises that human rights automatically belong to us because we are human beings — they are not add-ons for governments or judiciaries to mess with. Equality — every human being has equal value and worth — rights are not be weighted according to size or age or ability or "wantedness". Inalienability — neither governments nor courts can withdraw these rights, nor bestow new rights that contradict any of our basic human rights. So this principle rules out abortion "rights", euthanasia "rights" and same-sex marriage "rights". And the principle of indivisibility tells us we can't uphold the rights of one group of human beings at the expense of abusing the rights of another more vulnerable group.
[2] Universal Declaration Article 30: "Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein."
[3] Second preambular paragraph of the UN Charter of Human Rights.
[4] From the first drafting session of Universal Declaration, the drafters expressed concern for "unborn children",UN Doc.E.CN.4/21. First Draft of the International Covenant (1947) — "any person from the moment of conception". This was reaffirmed in 1969 in the American Convention on Human Rights Article 1(2): " … 'person' means every human being".
[5] Recognition "of the inherent dignity and of equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family" appears in the Preambleof all three instruments of the International Bill of Rights and was characterised by the Commission of Human Rights as "a statement of general principle which was independent of the existence of the United Nations and had an intrinsic value of its own." General Assembly Official Records, United Nations, A/2929 Chapter III para. 4.
[6] Universal Declaration 16-3; also ICCPR 23-1 & (ICESCR) 10-1.
[7] Benedict M. Ashley, "Anthropological and ethical aspects of embryo manipulation", from the minutes of the Second International Congress of Moral Theology.
[8] HRC General Comment No 31 (2004), para.8: "It is also implicit in article 7 (ICCPR) that States Parties have to take positive measures to ensure that private persons or entities do not inflict … cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment … on others within their power." International human rights law has consistently rejected the right to privacy as a defence against human rights violations perpetrated by adults in positions of power over children in positions of dependency.
[9] UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1969), Article 5(b). Also UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993), Article 1 & Article 2(c).
[10] A very frank, gloating description (given in 1991) of the unscrupulous antics engaged in by a small but unconscionably powerful, U.S.-funded, contemporary lobby group, the Abortion Law Reform Association, during the lead-up to introduction and passing of the Abortion Act 1967. The reprehensible manner in which this group was able to manipulate the Parliament on such matters as Ground E for aborting children with disabilities "lawfully" is recorded in the Institute of Contemporary British History Witness Seminar Programme, July 10, 2001, School of Advanced Study, University of London. It is still available to be read online at
URL: www.kcl.ac.uk/innovation/groups/ich/witness/PDFfiles/AbortionAct1967.pdf
Here it is made clear also that Ground E of the Abortion Act 1967 was formulated and passed into law without any consultation with people with disabilities.
[11] "… [T]he child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth … the need for such special safeguards has been … recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights". UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child (1959) The U.S. also agreed to UN Resolution 1386 (XIV) Publicity to be given to Declaration of the Rights of the Child (November 20, 1959) calls upon parents, upon men and women as individuals … and national governments to recognise the rights set forth therein and strive for their observance, governments of member-states to publicise as widely as possible the text of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
[12] Right from the beginning of the drafting history of the Genocide Convention, the U.S. and all the other countries agreed that: "domestic law could never be invoked as a defence for non-fulfilment of an obligation under an international convention. Therefore, if under a convention a State undertook certain international obligations, the domestic law would not be a defence for failure to fulfil such obligations." (E/AC.25/SR.18).
[13] Justice Blackmun, the U.S. Supreme Court judge who wrote the majority opinion for Roe v. Wade (1973), expanded these views some years later in his concurrence in the 1992 abortion case Planned Parenthood v. Casey 505 U.S. 833, 922-43 (1992).
He said: "A State's restrictions on a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy also implicate constitutional guarantees of gender equality. State restrictions on abortion compel women to continue pregnancies they otherwise might terminate. By restricting the right to terminate pregnancies, the State conscripts women's bodies into its service, forcing women to continue their pregnancies, suffer the pains of childbirth, and in most instances, provide years of maternal care. The State does not compensate women for their services; instead, it assumes that they owe this duty as a matter of course. This assumption — that women can simply be forced to accept the 'natural' status and incidents of motherhood — appears to rest upon a conception of women's role that has triggered the protection of the Equal Protection Clause."
[14] Harrison drew his own moral line at the end of the second trimester, or 26 weeks. Until that point, he would abort for any reason. He is quoted in Stephanie Simon, "Offering abortion, rebirth", Los Angeles Times, November 29, 2005.
URL: www.truth-out.org/archive/item/58965:offering-abortion-rebirth


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Tell Lawmakers To Vote NO! On Health Care Repeal
Health care repeal is moving again in the Senate! Stop the GOP's new plan to end health care for millions before it's too late. Call your senators NOW at 888-981-9704. Tell them to vote NO! on Cassidy-Graham.
Governors Urge Congress Not To Repeal Health Care
With governors' opposition, Republicans' effort to repeal Obamacare takes a major hit. WaPo: "The governors, five of them Republican or Republican-leaning, sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them not to support repeal legislation championed by GOP Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.). At least three other GOP governors who didn't sign the letter are opposed to this repeal bill. Even though the bill dismantles Obamacare and gives states near-universal power to set up health insurance programs, it doesn't hand the states much money to do that. 'We ask you to support bipartisan efforts to bring stability and affordability to our insurance markets,' the letter says, referring to bipartisan talks in the Senate to stabilize, not erase, key parts of Obamacare."
CBO to Report on New GOP Health Repeal by Early Next Week
CBO aims to provide preliminary assessment of Graham-Cassidy bill by early next week. CBO: "CBO is aiming to provide a preliminary assessment of the Graham-Cassidy bill by early next week. That assessment, which is being prepared with the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, will include whether the legislation would reduce on-budget deficits by at least as much as was estimated for H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act, as passed by the House on May 4, 2017... However, CBO will not be able to provide point estimates of the effects on the deficit, health insurance coverage, or premiums for at least several weeks."
GOP Senator Wants to Ban States from Single Payer
Louisiana Sen. Kennedy wants to ban state single payer in new GOP health bill. The Intercept: "John Kennedy plans to use the most recent effort to repeal and replace portions of the Affordable Care Act to push an amendment that would bar states from enacting their own single-payer systems, he told reporters on Monday. When asked by The Intercept on Tuesday about the status of his legislation, Kennedy said that the bill's co-sponsors, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., told him that the measure already bans single payer, but that he was welcome to offer his amendment either way... Kennedy's amendment is similar to pre-emption laws many states have passed to prohibit municipalities from controlling their own minimum wages or enacting municipal broadband. These laws have emanated from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a policy network funded by corporations."
Trump's UN Speech Stokes Nationalism
Trump's first speech to the United Nations was a disastrous, nationalistic flop. WaPo: "President Trump delivered a speech to his alt-right, anti-globalist base from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. He offered a vision of America's role in the world starkly different from any of his predecessors who stood in the same spot before the leaders of the world. In the end, Trump offered up remarks that were antithetical to the ideas and ideals that led the United States to play a central role in the U.N.'s founding in the wake of World War II."
WH Buries HHS Report on Positive Impact of Refugees
Trump administration rejects study showing positive impact of refugees. NYT: "Trump administration officials, under pressure from the White House to provide a rationale for reducing the number of refugees allowed into the United States next year, rejected a study by the Department of Health and Human Services that found that refugees brought in $63 billion more in government revenues over the past decade than they cost. The draft report, which was obtained by The New York Times, contradicts a central argument made by advocates of deep cuts in refugee totals as President Trump faces an Oct. 1 deadline to decide on an allowable number. The issue has sparked intense debate within his administration as opponents of the program, led by Mr. Trump's chief policy adviser, Stephen Miller, assert that continuing to welcome refugees is too costly and raises concerns about terrorism."


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WFC's Team-By-Team Preview - Part 1
Huddersfield - 20
Top target
Tom Ince - £6.0 - TSB 2.2%
14 goals, 6 assists and a shot frequency of 1 every 27.55 minutes last season in the Championship. With 4 goals already in pre season, Ince is one who could well outperform his price tag this season.
Differential/Punt pick
Steve Mounie - £6.0 - TSB 0.5%
Coming off the back of 14 goals and 3 assists with an average of 3 shots per game for Montpellier in the Ligue 1 last season, Mounie has carried this form over to his new club, with 3 pre season goals. Dominant in the air and holding the ball up for teammates, Mounie is one to look out for this season.
Be wary of…
Tommy Smith - £5.0 - TSB 0.8%
Huddersfield conceded 58 goals in the Championship last season, only keeping 13 clean sheets. That's more goals conceded than relegated Wigan, and 18 more than the other two promoted clubs. Despite his 4 goals and 10 assists last season, his attacking output isn't enough to make him an appealing FPL option at his price of £5.0.
Predicted top scorer
Mounie (11)
Predicted top assister
Mooy (8)
Predicted GW1 line-up
Burnley - 19
Top target
Robbie Brady - £5.5 - TSB 0.4%
Averaged 13 attacking third actions and 7 crosses per game last season. On free kick and corner duty, Brady has registered 3 goals and 1 assist in pre season.
Differential/Punt pick
Sam Vokes - £6.0 - TSB 2.5%
Burnley's top scorer last season, Vokes was a quiet achiever in terms of FPL. With a shot frequency of 1 every 37.5 minutes, the Welshman netted 10 goals and provided 3 assists, despite only making 20 starts. With the possibility of penalty duties, expect Vokes to continue this form into the 2017/18 season.
Be wary of...
Tom Heaton - £5.0 - TSB 11.8%
The top goalkeeper in FPL last season, expect Heaton to continue picking up regular save points. However, it is unlikely Burnley can maintain such a sturdy home defence this season, reducing his clean sheet and bonus point capabilities.
Predicted top scorer
Vokes (12)
Predicted top assister
Gudmundsson (9)
Predicted GW1 line-up
Brighton and Hove Albion - 18
Top target
Anthony Knockaert - £6.0 - TSB 2.3%
15 goals and 8 assists in the Championship last season. On free kick and corner duty, he will be Brighton's go to man in attack and need to replicate last season's form if his team are going to survive.
Differential/Punt pick
Lewis Dunk - £4.5 - TSB 3.1%
Helped his side to 20 clean sheets in 43 appearances last season. Scored 2 goals from 26 headed shots, and also provided 2 assists. His average of 12 clearances per game last season could also see Dunk become a bonus point magnet when Brighton keep a clean sheet.
Be wary of…
Glenn Murray - £6.0 - TSB 0.9%
Although Murray netted 23 goals and provided 6 assists in the Championship last season, he will be turning 34 in September. Rotation will come into play and he may struggle to keep up with the pace of the Premier League.
Predicted top scorer
Knockaert (8)
Predicted top assister
Gross (8)
Predicted GW1 line-up
Swansea - 17
Top target
Tom Carroll - £4.5 - TSB 4.2%
At his price, he could be a steal. A nailed on starter, expected Carroll to have a strong season creatively, especially is Sigurdsson leaves.
Differential/Punt pick
Jordan Ayew - £5.0 - TSB 1.9%
Impressive attacking stats last season, with a shot frequency of 1 every 31 minutes, as well as picking up 1 goal and 4 assists in 9 starts. Consistent minutes will be key for Ayew this season, and if he can nail down a regular starting role as expected, he will likely better his 7 goals for Aston Villa in the 2015/16 season.
Be wary of…
Alfie Mawson -£5.0 - TSB 1.7%
Obviously, he is a great attacking threat. However, FPL managers will need to rely on this for returns, as clean sheet points will be likely be hard to come by.
Predicted top scorer
Llorente (13)
Predicted top assister
Carroll (8)
Predicted GW1 line-up
*Order of teams based on @WFC_LS_Potzi's article; EPL Title Contenders, Relegation Battlers, Key Players and Ladder Prediction


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Nunataks are small volumes of rock that emerge above ice sheets and glaciers. They are isolated from mountain ranges and are often easier to access. This makes them particularly useful to geologists as a source of data about bedrock. The photos here shows the view of nunataks in Antarctica taken by Euphro and Chantal, who are both nunatak scientists and photographers.
Photo Friday highlights photo essays and collections from areas with glaciers. If you have photos you'd like to share, let us know in the comments, by Twitter @glacierhub or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Events for Thursday, November 29, 2018
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CRPS Awareness Month 2018
November is CRPS Awareness Month 2018 For the whole month of November across the world we will be recognising International CRPS Awareness Month 2018! For the last 20 years CRPS awareness month has been going on around the world to try and raise awareness for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) formerly Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or RSD. The more people including the general public, medical/healthcare and legal professionals are made aware of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome will help those living with the chronic condition to get diagnoses quicker and treatment started sooner. If we as a CRPS charity can help just 1 (one) person affected by this chronic condition or make 1 person aware of the effects of CRPS then we have made a difference. So how can YOU help us to raise awareness for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome? HOW YOU CAN HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR CRPS Here are some ideas of how you can help raise awareness for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) during CRPS awareness month 2018: Download our Twibbon for CRPS Awareness Month on both Facebook and Twitter Buy any of our CRPS awareness products - Leaflet | Postcard | Wristband | Bookmark | Enamel Badge | Pen | Notepad and Pen set | Christmas Cards ... We're including a FREE CRPS information leaflet and a button badge for every order during November 2018! Talk to your local MP about the condition and how it affects you and about Burning Nights CRPS Support charity. Contact your MP and let them know about our Campaign to Raise Awareness of CRPS in Westminster. Visit our CRPS campaign in Westminster article on this which includes a free template letter which you can just add your brief story and send it to your local MP. Speak to your local Town Hall or Library and ask them to light their building orange as Manchester Town Hall did last year and Blackpool Tower are doing again for the 2nd year Talk to your local Doctors' surgery or pain clinic about putting some of our CRPS awareness leaflets or A4 posters in their waiting rooms, to try and reach out to anyone who may be affected by Complex Regional Pain. Contact us if your surgery would like to include them in their waiting room or ask the Practice Manager to contact us Ask your local school/college to give a brief speech to their pupils to give them an idea of what CRPS is, the symptoms and how it affects you Provide a brief article for your local newspaper Ask to give an interview on your local radio station Hold a coffee morning Hold a fundraiser - See our fundraising page for ideas. We can support your fundraiser by sending you A4 posters for your event, A5 flyers & t-shirts are available Ask your friends and family to post on social media about you and your CRPS story or share our website Check out our CRPS Awareness Month page! Donate £5 by Text - Text ORANGE to 70500 to give £5 to Burning Nights CRPS Support. Texts cost donation plus 1 message at your standard network rate. 100% goes to the charity. Always ask the bill payers permission. HEALTHCARE & LEGAL PROFESSIONALS & STUDENTS For health and legal professionals as well as student healthcare professionals we provide Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) awareness and information sessions which are currently free to those in the NHS. These sessions are individual and bespoke information and awareness and are usually from 1 hour in length up to half day events. Please contact Victoria Abbott-Fleming the charity's Founder and Chair who provides these CRPS awareness sessions. We can also send your department, clinic or company with CRPS information leaflets for both patients and professionals alike as well as an A4 poster advertising the charity and its frontline services. Please contact us if you'd like us to send you a small supply. SCHOOLS, COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES We can also provide CRPS information sessions to any schools, colleges and universities who may have students who live with CRPS. The schools and colleges session gives you an idea about the condition as well as practical tips and advice on dealing with a student with CRPS. Please email our founder Victoria who provides these sessions not only during CRPS awareness month 2018 but all year round. LEARN MORE ABOUT COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME (CRPS) You can learn more about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) via pages within our website, such as: WHAT IS CRPS? HISTORY OF CRPS HOW CRPS IS CAUSED CRPS DIAGNOSIS & PROGNOSIS CRPS SIGNS & SYMPTOMS CRPS TREATMENTS You can also find more information and support about living with CRPS in our blog area. Here we have a couple of blog series: Alternative Therapy for CRPS and Persistent Pain Psychological Treatments for CRPS and Persistent Pain As well as our CRPS Pain Diary, Coping with CRPS/RSD, Acceptance of CRPS/RSD, Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation treatment for CRPS, Amputation for CRPS and other blogs on various topics on life with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. WHAT'S GOING ON DURING NOVEMBER - CRPS AWARENESS MONTH 2018? We have a couple of fundraising events and landmarks that are supporting us by changing their lights to orange. Why not check out our events calendar to see what's going on and where during November - CRPS awareness month 2018? In addition to those fundraising events we also have 3 landmarks who have kindly agreed to change their building lights to orange in support of CRPS awareness month: BLACKPOOL TOWER - Why not go along to the Tower on 5th November 2018, take some photos and share them with us on social media?! Thank You Blackpool Tower! Here are some images of Manchester Town Hall and Blackpool Tower who have supported CRPS awareness month in the last 2 years: Making people aware about CRPS is the key to getting the condition properly recognised across the world. It could help ensure that sufferers are correctly diagnosed and treated when they visit their GP's, doctors and hospitals. There are so many ways that you can try and get the message across to people about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome during CRPS awareness month this November 2018. So why not let us know what you're up to help raise awareness for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome month?! What are YOU doing to help during CRPS awareness month 2018??! Don't forget to […]Find out more »


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All prices are in All prices are in USD
Replaces older maps with the latest maps on PCM 2.1 units. The maps have an updated database with more points of interest, with more road covered. As a result, considerably more tourist information (hotels, restaurants, parking garages/lots, services stations, etc.) is provided. Comes with the latest maps available from Porsche.
Posted by Paul W. on 27th Dec 2016
I was stucked with 2008 maps on my Cayenne... oh boy what a nightmare! Now I dont get lost every other time I use the Porsche GPS (which is not perfect, but with this new maps at least is much better)
Posted by Robin Th. on 22nd Dec 2016
Placed order on a saturday and got it on Monday! Thaaaanks!
Posted by Unknown on 3rd Nov 2016
Porsche maps are not the best you can find. In any case this product work properly but it's easy to find the same at half price. I found the other website too late ;-)
Posted by John C. on 5th Sep 2016
Just upgraded my 2006 Carrera S maps with this and now I can properly navigate in London
Posted by Antonio Mendes on 30th Aug 2016
Just received the DVD and works like a charm, but my son´s street still doesn´t appear in the map (it also does not appear on my BMW GPS) probably because its a new road on the countryside.
Posted by Giovanni RONDANINI on 30th Mar 2016
Hi there,
I received the DVD for the PCM 2.1.
It works perfectly on my 997 Turbo 2006.
Many thanks and best regards.
Giovanni RONDANINI, Switzerland
Posted by Blake on 8th Mar 2016
Wasnt expecting to find this map update at this price, it works just fine...thanks!


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Posted by Damozel | Before listening, please note that D Cupples has already seen off The New York Times' ludicrously unfair bashing of Hillary which Olbermann is discussing. Read her rebuttal here. Note also the caption --- 'Democrats keep taking negative turns' --- while Olbermann selectively bashes only Hillary, repeating the words 'mean and vacuous' with a little smack of satisfaction.
Then listen to his 'witty' proposal for putting an end to Hillary's successful campaign against his precious Obama.
Continue reading "Olbermann's Hillary Derangement Syndrome Takes Him Over the Top and Right Across the Line (Updated)" »


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One of the best ways to stay peaceful in the bedroom is to style it according to vastu shastra. This is the oldest method that is being used by people to bring harmony as well as prosperity in their lives. It is believed that if one follows the correct 'vastu shastra' while decorating his or her house, it lets the residents stay peacefully throughout the life. It is the Chinese concept of placement that relates to 'wind and water'. Literally, it is a decoration principle that is based on the belief that our vicinity affects us. A feng shui bedroom helps to arrange the space to build connection with your partner as is said by Jayme Barrett (feng shui consultant, Los Angeles). So, here are some color strategies that can help turn an uninspiring bedroom into a sensual one.
When we think of the colour Red, love and romance are the first thoughts that come to our mind. Also, it is the colour of the fire element, excitement, passion, and warmth. Every room of the house needs warmth and especially the bedroom. This simply means that it needs a little bit of red colour to ignite that fire of passion and warmth both together.
Green colour is known to bring prosperity. On the other hand, deep green colour makes the walls talk. It is recommended by medical practitioners that green is good for eyes. It provides a soothing effect to the eyes and helps keep the eyesight correct. If one follows the bedroom feng shui rules correctly, he or she will definitely see the positive impact right in front of their eyes.
Blue colour is considered to be a cooling shade that lightens up the mood. Having blue colour all around keeps a person happy and elated all the time. Go for the blue and make the bedroom a heavenly place to live. It evokes deep serenity and calmness and is believed to be a good colour to use in the bedroom.
Purples and mauves are a symbol of courage and chivalry. Painting the walls with violet as per the feng shui bedroom exhibits a feeling of royalty and wealth. It also depicts how spiritual a person is. As for the basic meaning of purple in feng shui is richness and deepness. Hence, if someone loves to be royal as well as noble, the magic of purple will surely work on that person.
Gorgeous grey and feng shui are a great combination. This colour is focused and a polished metal element that is subtle and cool. It helps gain precision, protection, and sensibility in the sphere of life. Besides, it comes in various tones and a million shades of gray are easily available so that one can easily choose the most suitable shade for his or her bedroom.
For the ones who love deep light shades, light brown palette is the perfect one for their rooms. Also, brown is the color of the earth, which means it represents quietness. In short, it is nurturing and rooting.
It is said that each colour has its own vibe. Similarly, when one thinks of following the bedroom feng shui rules, pastel shades strike his or her mind for sure. Pastel shades are light and calming. They are neither too dull nor too bright. Therefore, a person who wants a medium tone of any particular colour for the bedroom, the pastel shade of that colour can be the best alternative he or she can go for.


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I am the master of fitting Christmas trash into the trashcan. Over the years, I've perfected the art of breaking down boxes, folding paper and fitting them all together like a puzzle inside the garbage can.
The garbageman has no idea of my mastery. He couldn't begin to grasp the amount of debris inside the can. My family knows… They've learned not to wad up wrapping paper. Oh no, that takes up too much room. They've learned to stack everything next to me for the master to begin his work.
As I was beginning to disassemble everything in the reassembling into compact process, something dawned on me… There was no clear-hard-plastic-shaped-for-the-product-type of trash to conquer.
You know the type of product I'm describing… The ones that are almost impossible to get into. The ones you risk your life with knives, scissors, or both trying to get into. After you finally do, often the product is wired and tied to the back cardboard which takes another couple hours to get undone.
This is the trash that tests the master. It's uneven without any symmetry to cut and stack. I sat there breaking down the elementary type boxes. Breaking them at the corners, then bending the side flaps backward so that they could be stacked together as flat as possible.
"Where's the tough trash"? I thought to myself.––No toys… I realized this is the first year without toys. That means our youngest has outgrown that part of her childhood. She has closed the door on that chapter of her life. She's more like her sisters now.
There was a time when that's the only trash I'd deal with. Slowly my job of fitting everything into the trash can has gotten easier. I should've seen it coming… It seemed the same for the gifts, right down to the swordfights with empty wrapping paper rolls, the "cookie day" with grandma and Emma. Putting up the tree, breaking 10% of the ornaments, the exterior lights, pressing the button on the Homer Simpson Santa I got as a gift six years ago to hear the various annoying Christmas sarcastic comments, my wife losing presents, it was Christmas as usual in some aspects.
No toys–shoot… The end of an era. It's not the conquering of the trash I'll miss. In truth, it was a real pain, but worth the trade-off.
I surprised all my girls again this year with jeans. (Trying to make up for last year and what has become known as "the year of the Narnian winter coat debacle") Surprisingly all the jeans fit except for the youngest. I guess I still see her as smaller and younger than what she really is. I kept the receipt so we can get her a bigger pair.
This year, the first year with no toys reminds me that everything changes. We were all young once. Our children are getting older. My Christmas days are numbered. Each one is precious and cannot be revisited in the flesh, only in memories.
Sensing the times are slipping ahead I asked my daughters to do something for me.
This year before I read Luke chapter 2, I told them it was in honor of my dad. I asked them to make sure wherever they are at Christmas, that they read the Scripture to their family at this time. I know they will…
I choose the word "bittersweet" to describe the reality of my children slowly becoming the women of responsibility and independence intended by God and us.
I'm proud of what they're accomplishing on their own and seeking God in the process.
All this over toy trash? Maybe I think too much… Then again maybe not…
I will always appreciate being wanted, I'm going to miss being needed…


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McClung and the SPFBO
Just over a year ago, Mark Lawrence launched his Self Published Fantasy Blog Off in which over 250 self-published novels were submitted in batches to ten volunteer bloggers in a two round competition. Each blogger identified the favourite in their personal batch and then the ten batch winners were reviewed by all bloggers to identify an overall winner.
You can read more about it here.
Yesterday, on an impulse, I bought the overall winner "The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids" by Michael McClung. Today I finished it and then discovered that Mark Lawrence had just announced the SPFBO #2 (posted here) and that makes this not simply a review of this very worthy winner of SPFBO #1 but also an opportunity to reflect on self-publishing in general and the SPFBO process in particular.
As a self-published author myself (and SPFBO #1 first round entrant) I have a natural sympathy towards self-published work and McClung himself wrote eloquently in Lawrence's blog (here) about his own motives for self-publishing. It was more to do with impatience and disappointment with the traditionally published route, than the blinkered narcissism that most of those who still look down on self-publising would assume.
I have read many self-published books, including three of the eight I have read so far in this (irritatingly busy) year. There is a range in their quality just as there is in the quality of traditionally published books but, unsurprisingly, the range in self-published work is greater with authorial enthusiasm carrying some weaker works half-formed into the public domain.
However, there is a significant region of overlap where the best of the self-published works can put many a traditional piece to shame. The SPFBO had a degree of randomness in the approaches of bloggers and the allocation of titles, but it is reassuring to find that the book which eventually emerged victorious is a shining star in the self-published pantheon.
The Thief who pulled on Trouble's braidsThis is a well crafted book about a thief called Amra setting out to avenge a friend. Its central mystery carries it through a series of intruiging plot developments and engaging new characters, while the high quality of the writing gives the reader many points at which to pause and smile in appreciation.
It reminds me of Daniel Polansky's Low Town series which had the cynical first person narrator "The Warden." Amra, like the Warden, has carved out a successful career on the wrong side of the law yet preserves an inner morality that she would die rather than admit to. There are touches of Scott Lynch's work "The Lies of locke Lamora" in a well developed sense of city and culture and a multiplicity of Gods, priests and temples none of them to be entirely trusted. There is also a resonance with Lucas Thorn's (another self published novelist) work, the tales of the violent elf Nysta. Like Nysta, Amra has a wide variety of bladed implements whose individual properties she is intimately aware of and very efficient at using. Like Nysta, Amra also has a friend of the wizarding persuasion. And, yet again I find myself enthralled by (or in thrall to) a feisty female who takes crap from absolutely no-one.
The world building is cleverly incidental. Asides that tell us Atan the Camlachan purveyor of cooked meat is from a fallen warrior race and "should have been handling a broadsword, not meat skewers."
Like all good cities Lucernis has its own version of the Shanghai Hilton, though I did wonder if Havelock prison was a homage to Pratchett's Patrician Vetinari. The city is, if not quite a den of vice and iniquity, certainly no better than it should be. "You can't just go walking around with a severed head in Lucernis. But you can, I discovered, walk around with a lumpy head-shaped item, wrapped in linen and dripping blood. I think it's just that nobody really wants to know you're walking around with a severed head, and are appreciative of the courtesy of leaving room for doubt."
McClung gives his heroine a sharp and distinctive voice, in describing her friend and ally she muses "Why he chose to live next to a field of bodies in various states of rot I'll never understand. But I never asked him. I was afraid he might tell me."
The book is littered with economical but powerful descriptions which I always think are the mark of a great writer - making every word punch above its weight. Such as one grieving woman, "She sat rigid as ever, but one manicured hand was white-knuckled, throtting a silk napkin." Or an old man whose "wrinkles had wrinkles and his hair was little more than a silver net across his spotted pate."
Amra is an entertaining and educational narrator, a skilled thief who speaks to the camera every so often, such as explaining why she wraps her grapnels in white cotton.
She meets and describes a variety of people and, while she is unlucky in her enemies, she can count herself fortunate in her friends who are loyal and/or powerful, though for Amra the relationship is often seen in simple terms "We put meat on each other's tables."
This is a short book in an age when fantasy fiction seems to require door stopping blockbusters filled with backstory. McClung handles exposition by putting some of it in the mouth of a cussed priest of a dead god of knowledge. In most unpriestly but entertaining language he berates our heroine and fills her in - somewhat belatedly - on what she is up against. Then, just for badness, there is an epilogue of said priest's rantings - far more enteraining than a dry appendix of info-dump.
The story develops rapidly with the twists and turns enough to satisfy an afficianado of both fantasy and murder mysteries (which may explain its dual appeal to me.) In so doing McClung lays the seeds (if I have read my runes correctly) for seven more sequels in Amra's troubled life. In book one we have got to know her and her most significant allies. If there is character development (as opposed to revelation) then I guess it lies in Amra discovering not so much that "the only thing to fear is fear itself" (there are plenty of really scary things well worth fearing in Amra's world) as that "the only thing to hate is hate itself." Which, by the way is not a bad message in the troubled contemporary times in which we live.
What other Self published works might learn from McClung's success ?
The Thief who Pulled on Troubled Braids, more so than other self-published works I have read, is one that could easily take its place within the higher echelons of traditionally published fantasy.
I read H.G.Wells "The Time Machine" recently and was interested to discover that it was Wells' early big idea, rushed out without the time he felt it deserved for the fuller development. For many self-published authors there is that same enthusiasm for a single big idea, a theme, or style, or perspective that makes their story unique. But, the big idea is not enough, the craft and the mastery of basics are essential and that is what McClung has achieved.
In my youth I used to play cricket at a fairly low grade level. I bowled and I, and other bowlers I played with would strive for that same unique specialness in our bowling that so many authors aspire to in their writing. We dreamed of that special delivery, the unplayable ball, the one that was as fast as a rocket, that spun like a top, that did stuff no batsman could predict. But the truly successful sportsman, like the truly successful writer, is not the one with the isolated flashes of innovative brilliance. It is the one with the control of craft to deliver consistently high quality performance. It is within such a disciplined environment that brilliance can be most properly and effectvely expressed.
McClung maintains that quality and control - getting the basics consistently right, and it is that foundation which, for me deservedly lifts a good story into the truly professional bracket.
What impact has the SPFBO victory had for McClung?Even with SPFBO success there does not appear to have been a clear or immediate translation into Anthony Ryan or Michael J Sullivan style success
At this moment on Amazon, "The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids" ranks as follows
Amazon.co.uk 75,537 Paid in Kindle Store and 15 reviews
Amazon.com 69,884 Paid in Kindle Store and 74 reviews
For comparison
My own "Lady of the Helm" which did not make it past the first round sort for SPFBO and (which has had minimal marketing due to work pressures) ranks as follows
Amazon.co.uk 86,797 Paid in Kindle Store and 19 reviews
Amazon.com 254,768 Paid in Kindle Store and 14 reviews
I would hypothesise that critical acclaim is of itself not enough (I guess no surprise there). To get success a book needs
a) luck and
b) a well mobilised and vociferous fan base spreading the word
and that b) is something every author needs to work on - and fans need to support.
McClung's book is a really good book - it deserves a wider audience than it seems to have got so far.
Maybe SPFBO as a competition needs to find ways to spreading its own message more widely, so that this great winner shall succeed beyond the competition, with countless readers clamouring for copies!


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Improving Graduate Career Education in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Policy
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Home » Trivium Pursuit Blog
Hunter: Grammy, play swords with me.
Grammy: I don't like violence.
Hunter: Do you like cellos?
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Skullfest 2018 will go down at Charley's Restaurant and Saloon in Pa'ia on Saturday, October 20th. This is their 4th annual Pa'ia Youth and Cultural Center fundraiser, and everyone is invited to the North Shore for this pre-Halloween rager. There'll be a costume contest with prizes, projected visuals, and live music with The Neverminds, The B.A.D.S, and the EXILES. 21+. $10. 9:00pm. Charley's Restaurant and Saloon, (142 Hana Hwy., Pa'ia); 808-579-8085; Charleysmaui.com
A previous version of this post, and the listing as a Pick of the Week in the 10/18 print edition of MauiTime, stated the ticket price for Skullfest is $20. It is actually $10. We apologize for the error. See you there!
photo courtesy of B.A.D.S.


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May 18, 2017
Waterloo Bridge hearing draws concerned citizens
Photos/Cassandra Brown
VDOT Environmental Program Planner Sarah Clarke, restoration advocate Mary Root of Remington and County Preservation Planner Wendy Wheatcraft review an aerial photo of the Waterloo Bridge and its surroundings.
Bridge neighbor Michelle Dowd, who opposes its reopening, shares her concerns with Commonwealth Transportation board member Scott Kasprowicz of Middleburg.
There are still a lot of unknowns with cost. We are fairly confident it can be restored, but there is still no absolute guarantee.
— VDOT Resident Engineer Mark Nesbit
Waterloo Bridge
• What:
Wrought iron truss with wooden deck, erected in 1878; renovated in 1919.
• Where:
Waterloo Road (Route 613) across Rappahannock River west of Orlean, connecting Fauquier and Culpeper counties.
• Closed:
January 2014 because of deterioration.
• Estimated rehabilitation:
$4 million.
• Public hearing:
5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, Warrenton Community Center, 430 E. Shirley Ave.
• Attendance:
94 signed register.
• VDOT project info:
Click here
Staff Journalist
Citizens who favor restoring the Waterloo Bridge came in force to a public hearing Wednesday in Warrenton.
Ninety-four people signed in during the Virginia Department of Transportation's two-hour event to solicit public comments.
"My interest is strictly from a historic point of view. I would love to see it preserved," Warrenton resident Dave Gerrish. "I think we have an obligation to preserve some of our past . . . if it can be functional."
"I think the bridge needs to be put back into service . . . and preserved," said Bryan Jacobs, a Fauquier County Architectural Review Board member who lives near Remington. "There are very few of them left, and already we've let some of them get away from us."
However, several citizens who live on either side of the Rappahannock River near the bridge oppose reopening it to vehicles because of concerns about traffic and littering.
Michelle Dowd, who lives on the Culpeper side, hopes the span will remain closed to vehicles.
"When the bridge was open, there was a lot of loitering, dumping of trash. The bridge was being abused," Ms. Dowd said. "It's better for the bridge if it's made into a park or pedestrian bridge."
"It's not a necessary route," she added. "We don't want to see it taken down . . . but don't want it used for vehicles. It wasn't meant for that. You have to put yourself in the shoes of people (who live) in the area."
Phoebe Tufts and her husband Paul Decher own about eight acres next to the bridge in Fauquier.
Ms. Tufts hopes VDOT will take a longer-term approach to preserving the Waterloo Bridge. She opposes reopening it to vehicles and suggests "truly saving the bridge by removing it and taking it somewhere," such as a park.
"Our number one concern is this is a poor use of taxpayer money," Ms. Tufts said. "But, at the same time, we understand saving the bridge."
Earlier this month, VDOT unveiled a
$4-million proposal
that would include "dismantling and removing the truss structure, making repairs and then reinstalling the bridge."
The 139-year-old, single-lane over the Rappahannock has remained
closed since January 2014
A donor's recent, $1-million pledge toward the bridge's restoration apparently helped revive interest after discussion stalled more than two years ago.
"We felt like that was the opportunity to get the discussion of the project going again," said Mark Nesbit, VDOT's Warrenton resident engineer. "It's a significant amount of money for a private citizen to propose."
Russell Hitt, who owns Hitt Construction in Falls Church, and his wife Joan earlier this year pledged the $1 million toward rehabilitation. Mr. Hitt also owns property near the bridge in Rappahannock County.
But, additional funding for the project remains uncertain. The Commonwealth Transportation Board, which controls funding, has allocated nothing for the project.
"There are still a lot of unknowns with cost," Mr. Nesbit said. "We are fairly confident it can be restored, but there is still no absolute guarantee."
VDOT officials will submit citizen comments to the board, which would decide whether to seek funding from several sources, including Culpeper and Fauquier counties.
"The county support of the project would be very important . . . for the CTB, if it came to that point," Mr. Nesbit said.
In 2014, VDOT outlined
five options
, including construction of a modern, single-lane bridge for an estimated $2.5 million. A new, two-lane bridge would cost $5.5 million, VDOT estimated at that time.
For more expensive rehabilitation, the state agency asked Fauquier and Culpeper counties to share the cost.
But, the two affected counties and PEC commissioned an engineering study that put the
restoration cost at $1.8 million
— less than half the VDOT estimate at the time of $5 million.
Then, in January 2015,
a VDOT study
estimated rehabilitation would cost $4.8 million versus $6.1 million for a new, two-lane bridge.
Recently, the agency re-evaluated the range of estimates, resulting in the $4 million price tag for restoration of the historic structure. To reduce costs, the agency removed road improvements on either side of the bridge, according to Project Manger Howard Tomlinson.
The bridge, which an average of 630 vehicles used per day, connects Fauquier and Culpeper counties near Orlean.
Built in 1878, the span provided a popular shortcut on Old Waterloo Road (Route 613) from western Fauquier to Clevenger's Corner, where Routes 211 and 229 meet in Culpeper.
VDOT more than three years ago closed the bridge because extreme deterioration made it unsafe for vehicles, even with a posted weight limit of 3 tons.
Since the closure, the Warrenton-based PEC and some citizens have advocated to save the span for its cultural and historical significance.
Preservation Virginia in January 2014 put the Waterloo Bridge on its 10th annual list of
"Virginia's Most Endangered Historical Sites."
Citizens have until May 27 to send comments to: Howard Tomlinson, VDOT Project Manager, 1601 Orange Road, Culpeper, Va. 22701 or
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Thursday, August 13
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text: BUSINESS Euro cable will get fatter 5:00 AM PDT 10/11/2007 by Mimi Turner , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME 'Upside' vast with 16 mil digi subs Europe's burgeoning cable sector represents a potential gold mine for Hollywood studios and content providers, trade body Cable Europe said Wednesday.The sector is forecast to add 6 million digital television subscribers across the continent this year, bringing the total to 16 million, according to Cable Europe president Manuel Cubero."There's tremendous upside for channel suppliers," said Cubero, who also is vp at KabelDeutschland, Germany's biggest cable network. "As the number of subscribers grows, so does the revenue for the content supplier. The number of digital pay TV channels rolling out in Europe is growing very fast."The cable industry is on an accelerating growth curve, driven by the digitization of analog cable systems and an influx of investment into the sector from such private-equity operators as Providence Equity Partners and Cinven, who are consolidating small- or medium-size players into operations of significant scale.By the end of 2005, there were 7.2 million digital cable subscribers in Europe, a figure that grew to 10 million by the end of 2006, with Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K. and Romania remaining the biggest territories overall."We believe that growth will continue to accelerate," he said. Over time, the digital cable's interactive potential means that the sector also could account for significant volumes of interactive and targeted advertising, according to research produced by the trade body."The cable industry could further monetize its fast-growing digital television base by providing interactive and enhanced advertising," Greenwich Consulting Benelux CEO Thierry Bouffioux said."The digital cable TV set-top box provides the cable operators plenty of information about the preferences and behavior of their digital television customers." FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Mimi Turner email@example.com @thr AP email@example.com @thr


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Mad Max Ⓥ
Recent activity by Mad Max Ⓥ
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@richard G I have linked the accounts from C2 end, and verified on strava that they are linked, but nothing, also tried unlinking from each and 1 at a time and relinking, must just be a bug Yeah la...
Hopefully they change the program so that ErgData can also be upgloaded , I can't use a laptop with row pro in the gym
So where about on strava should I be able to see the data , done 7 work outs on the C2 now since linking the accounts, and cant find where it shows up in strava?
OK so I just found out about the C2 log option that lets you sync to strava, I went through the motions of setting it up, it took me to a strava page where I had to allow the sync. I have since do...


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Almost twenty months ago the world celebrated with the Egyptian people the removal of a longtime dictator; Mubarak, as a victory for the new Arab Spring democracy.
Almost a year later, things turned sour, and the new hope for democracy turned into despair as a result of the apparent control of the Muslim Brotherhoods and Salafis on the direction of the election to choose the new president. By June of this year it was very clear that the Muslim Brotherhoods are in control of power as the newly elected president of Egypt, Muhammad Morsi, emerged from the ranks of this Islamic group known for its hardliner religious approach, affinity for sharia law, and support for terrorism.
Many, including myself, warned of hostile take-over by the Islamists in which the democratic process will be hijacked by the Islamist groups and a different direction will be taken to enforce their agenda, regardless of how the majority people of Egypt felt.
This month, President Morsi fulfilled this expected prophecy by giving himself an almost absolute power to rule the battered nation of Egypt, hence assuming a similar dictatorship form as his predecessor Mubarak and as a result, taking Egypt and the new democratic process centuries backward. After all, Morsi's decision is based on religious grounds which states that the Islamic ruler of a state is above the law.
It is without a doubt a very troubling development that will add insult to injuries. The Egyptian people have been imprisoned by a civic dictatorship for many years, however, at that time they had a voice to were able to express their thoughts openly. Today, under an Islamic regime, they dare not express any thoughts or opinions against such regime out of fear of reprisal by the so called Islamic government which uses its Quran and the teachings of its prophet as the ultimate guide.
It may have appeared difficult for some time to topple a regime as Mubarak's, yet it was doable. However, as a former radical Islamist myself, I can predict that it will take an act of god to remove the current Islamic regime that is on its way to turn this precious country; Egypt, into a pool of blood. That is the blood of its innocent people. In other words, the very very minority will be ruling the majority at any cost. This is the new Islamic democracy.
In light of all of this madness, one can only ask: How is Morsi working for you today?
To learn more about the Radical Islamic agenda, get a copy of our book "The Quran Dilemma" at www.TheQuran.com