POLITICS DERAIL ENERGY PLAN;PATAKI'S ABORTIVE EFFORT TO OUST PSC CHIEF SHOWS PROBLEM: LILCO LOOMS AS BIG TEST
Philip Lentz
Gov. George Pataki's fumbled attempt to remove Harold Jerry as chairman of the state Public Service Commission shows how politics is derailing efforts to come up with a state energy policy.
The administration tried to oust Mr. Jerry last month because he voted against its efforts to lift restrictions in an unrelated matter, legalization of the pesticide DEET, not because of a disagreement over regulatory policy.
But Mr. Jerry turned the tables on the administration, abruptly stepping down as chairman before the governor had a chance to find a replacement. That forced the administration to ask Mr. Jerry to continue as chairman while it looked for a new PSC head.
The bungled episode renewed criticism that Gov. George Pataki has no energy policy at a time when the electricity industry is undergoing major upheavals.
"It shows it's still not clear who is making energy policy decisions," says Ashok Gupta, senior energy economist for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The broad restructuring issues aren't getting the attention or leadership from the second floor" (where the governor's office is located in the State Capitol).
Sweeping revamp under way
The turmoil comes while the PSC is in the middle of 2-year-old proceedings aimed at radically revamping the electricity industry, which it regulates. The intent is to provide more competition for consumers without damaging the economic viability of the state's seven investor-owned utilities.
But mergers among utilities in other states and federal deregulatory efforts are quickly changing the ground rules and could outpace slow-moving events in Albany. The Pataki administration has yet to tackle the issue of deregulating the state's electric utilities or a host of related issues, either in the PSC proceedings or by announcing a broad policy of its own.
There is also no state agency responsible for energy policy because Mr. Pataki abolished the energy office in a budgetary move. That has forced Louis Tomson, deputy secretary for all state authorities, to become the governor's de facto point person for energy, a role he has assumed with some reluctance.
Instead, the governor is focused on reducing high rates for consumers served by the Long Island Lighting Co. and the Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., which serve areas that strongly supported him in the election.
Experts say how Mr. Pataki handles the money woes at Lilco and Nimo will indicate how he wants to restructure the state's electricity industry.
"Whatever is done on Long Island will be a paradigm," says one energy executive. "The PSC competition hearings are a sideshow. The real show is what they do on Long Island and upstate."
Mr. Tomson acknowledges that the problems at Lilco and Nimo have taken precedence in Albany. But he says the administration has an energy policy, which is to increase competition and cut prices.
"Just because you're dodging bullets without learning how to knit doesn't mean you don't have a policy," he says. "The first thing we had to do was appoint the LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) board. The next question is the Niagara Mohawk difficulties. We're trying to do this one step at a time."
He adds, "We can see what's going on in the country, with utilities establishing new structures, buying each other out. It's important to have important answers because energy prices have a major impact on New York's competitiveness."
But the administration's deliberate approach has left the PSC moving toward a decision on competition amid mounting tension between Mr. Pataki's office and the agency.
Even before the controversial DEET vote, Mr. Jerry had angered the governor's office by resisting administration efforts to remove Democratic holdovers in the Department of Public Service, which the PSC chairman runs.
Never the first choice
Mr. Jerry's reign has been tenuous since the start. Mr. Pataki appointed Mr. Jerry, a PSC member since 1973, as chairman with the understanding that he would name a new chairman when a vacancy occurred. The death last month of PSC Commissioner Raymond O'Connor provided that opening, but industry sources say the administration has had trouble finding a suitable candidate. The modest salary ($95,635) and the difficult technical issues the PSC handles are roadblocks.
But the most important obstacle appears to be the presence on the commission of John O'Mara, a close political adviser to the governor who observers say is the real power on the PSC. His close ties to the governor could undermine the authority of a new chairman, making the job less attractive to potential nominees.
The governor originally wanted Mr. O'Mara to succeed Democrat Peter Bradford as chairman. But he declined in order to keep his Elmira law practice. Instead, he joined the PSC as a commissioner.
"They need a strong chairman, and it's very hard to get a strong chairman when O'Mara is in the position he's in," says Irwin Stelzer, an energy expert at the American Enterprise Institute who has been approached about the job."
The administration is aware of the problem. Aides say the governor will appoint a chairman by the time the PSC is ready to act, early next year.
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It's Just a Stage
It's Just a Stage is the nineteenth of twenty-nine titles in the Road to Avonlea storybook series, "based on the Sullivan Films productions adapted from the novels of Lucy Maud Montgomery." Written by Amy Jo Cooper and based on the episode of the same name by Marlene Matthews, it was first published in Canada by HarperCollins in 1992 and reprinted in the U.S. by Bantam Skylark in 1993. It was preceded by Dreamer of Dreams and followed by Misfits and Miracles.
From the Back Cover
Avonlea is star-struck when Pigeon Plumtree, world-renowned actress and Sara's cousin, sweeps into town. But the stars are crossed as pig farmer Pat Frewen tries to win Pigeon's heart instead of Theodora Dixon's, making Sara a confused Cupid. How will the curtain come down on Avonlea's longest running romance?
Adapted from the award-winning, internationally acclaimed television series, the magical adventures of "The Story Girl" continue—in the spirit and tradition of Lucy Maud Montgomery—for a new generation of young readers.
Reviews by Jennifer Johnson, Kaija Pepper, and Ann Moynes Smith.
Author: Amy Jo Cooper
Country: Canada/USA
Publishers: HarperCollins (Toronto); Bantam Skylark (New York)
Date: 1992 (Canada); 1993 (USA)
Pagination: iv + 101 pp.
Trim: 7.58″ x 5.25″
ISBN: 0-00-647389-X (Canada), 0-553-48045-6 (USA)
Series: Road to Avonlea


Home / News / Luxury Cars
Report: Buick To Get Own Version Of Opel Ampera
Buick is reportedly the next recipient of Chevrolet's 'Voltec' range-extended electric car platform, with news surfacing this week that GM's mid-level luxury brand will get its own version of the Opel Ampera. Buick, you may recall, is already selling a rebadged Opel in the form of the mid-size Regal sedan, which is essentially an Insignia under another name, and in the future it may also feature the Ampera.
GM has always insisted that its Voltec platform would be used in a number of different models beyond the Volt, and now Bloomberg, citing inside sources, is reporting that designers are already working on adding Buick styling to the Ampera. Key features are said to include a Buick-style grille and new bumpers.
If given the full go-ahead, the new Buick range-extended electric car is reportedly destined for sale in 2013.
Opel Ampera cutaway
The Opel Ampera's positioning in Europe is higher than that of the Chevrolet Volt here in the U.S., but the two cars are virtually the same minus some styling differences. The major hurdle for GM now is to differentiate a more expensive Buick version of the Ampera from the already well-equipped Volt, which sells for $41,000 before a federal tax incentive of $7,500.
One way would be to use more advanced materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber to reduce the weight of the Buick version of the Ampera, and thus improve performance. However, the same inside sources have said that the Buick version may not be all that different as GM is keen to start sales of its new range-extended electric car quickly.
Note that next month will also see the debut of a Buick plug-in hybrid concept car at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, a teaser of which you can view by clicking here. It's not known whether a production version of this concept car is planned, though with these latest insider comments it's entirely possible.
High-Res Gallery: Opel Ampera
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Replicas of Venice: The Venetian Index
Venice, recognized for its unique architecture and romantic gondola rides along the street canals, is one of the most popular Italian cities in the world. Today, it is a must stop for people traveling to Europe, with an average of 50,000 tourists a day (Wikipedia, 2015). In the past, however, the independent Republic of Venice owed its prosperity to its trade relationships with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world (Wikipedia, 2015). Its commercial success and growing wealth during the medieval period is what shaped the Venetian look we know today.
The popularity Venice gained with its picturesque canals makes people identify every city with waterways crossing the town center as a "Replica of Venice". Over 50 places worldwide have been referred to as the Venice of the North, the West or the East, as well as Little Venice, The Green Venice, Alpine Venice, the Polish Venice, the Portuguese Venice, Venice of the Languedoc, Venice of the Gâtinais and others. Half of those places are located in Europe and possess the canal as a key uniting feature. However, if you look deeply into their history, the proximity to water has shaped their development in ways similar to Venice's, turning them into central commercial hubs.
The purpose of this project is to locate all the European "Replicas of Venice" and identify what makes one associate them with the Italian town, be it the look of the city or its historical significance. Based on the performed comparison, each town will be evaluated on its Venetian qualities and assigned a place in the global ranking of European Venices.
In order to perform the Venetian ranking, first, a list was created of all the places worldwide referenced as "Venice of the XYZ". Half of the 50 places identified were located in Europe due to the greater similarity in city development on the old continent. Hence, the project scope was limited to Europe and key features were identified in each of the European Venices. Different trends among them were observed and grouped into two main categories: history and geography. Based on these categories, the Venetian Index (VI) was created. The index evaluates the overall performance of each replica in the benchmark characteristics of the Italian town.
Тhe Venetian Index
During the performed literary research, the common attributes united under the geography category were area, population, proximity to sea and the presence of canals. The history category covered age, trade development, architecture, presence of bridges and the celebration of Venetian holidays such as Carnival. Since not all of those attributes are equally important, appropriate weights were assigned to each of them. The general formula for the established VI is given in figure 1 below.
Тhe attribute selected to have the greatest importance and hence the highest weight, wa=3, was trade development. Venice's location on the Adriatic sea and its monopoly over the salt trade turned it into a wealthy commercial hub up until the Ottoman's conquest of Constantinople and the Portuguese voyages to Asia (Wikipedia, 2015). Many of the "Venetian Replicas" located in proximity of the sea, were also developed into big trade centers and shared a similar historical development with Venice.
The architecture, the proximity to a sea and the age of the city were given a weight of wa=2. The Venetian Gothic style is unique to Venice (Wikipedia, 2015). Nevertheless, all cities which have preserved their medieval look were awarded one point for architecture. The "Venetian replicas" positioned close to the sea were granted one point for proximity. The ones founded before the X century were given one point for age. The rest of the attributes (area, population, bridges, canals, and Carnival) were assigned a weight of wa=1.
Following these criteria, the maximum score on the Venetian Index was 14 points: 5 for geography and 9 for history. Principal component analysis was subsequently performed on each of the replicas to determine which city and in which categories resembles Venice the most. The VI ranking was created, listing all the cities, starting from the highest to the lowest number of points.
A website available on http://venetian-replicas.gear.host/ was created, where all the collected information on "Replicas of Venice" is currently displayed.
Map Representation
The world map section of the website highlights those European countries with Venetian cities, with the intensity of the color directly proportional to the quantity of "replicas" in the country (figure 2). By clicking on each country, one can see the names of all the "replicas" with representative pictures from the city center and an additional information link to their Wikipedia web page (figure 3).
Figure 2. World Map
Figure 3. Additional information by country
Venetian Index
The Venetian Index section of the website gives the users a brief explanation of the methodology used to create the index. The VI ranking section displays the individual country scores (figure 4).
Figure 4. Venetian Index Ranking
Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed in order to interpret the ranking results (figure 5). Amsterdam and Bruges, with equal scores in the geography and history categories, were the established leaders of the VI with a total score of 10/14. Both cities, including Hamburg in second place with 9/14, and Wrocław in third place with 8/14, were a part of the Hanseatic League, which dictated trade relationships in Northern Europe. All of them are currently referred to as "Venice of the North". The city of Nantes, or "Venice of the West", also in second place with 9/14, prospered thanks to the French slave trade in the XVIII century (Wikipedia, 2015).
Other places like Comacchio, Annecy and Giethoorn resembled Venice more in looks than in historic development. Annecy, "The Alpine Venice", is the only other city in Europe celebrating the Venetian holiday Carnival (Wikipedia, 2015). Giethoorn, Holland, another one of the many "Venice of the North" towns is famous for its transportation system, being fully accessible by boat (Wikipedia, 2015). Comacchio, "The Little Venice", is located just slightly north of the original Venice, in a similar coastal Lagoon (Wikipedia, 2015).
Figure 5. Principal Component Analysis
Conclusion and Further Work
Even though it initially appeared as if the canal is the only common feature between the European Venices, further research showed that cities developed in proximity to water share similar historic fates.
In the future, the Venetian ranking can be extended to include towns located in the rest of the world. Moreover, a more accurate ranking can be established by studying in detail the history and the economic growth of each of the commercial hubs.
Wikipedia, (2015). Amsterdam. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Annecy. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annecy [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Appingedam. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appingedam [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Bruges. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Colmar. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colmar [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Comacchio. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comacchio [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Copenhagen. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Empuriabrava. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empuriabrava [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Giethoorn. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giethoorn [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Hamburg. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Henningsvær. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henningsv%C3%A6r [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Isle-sur-la-Sorgue [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Manchester. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Montargis. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montargis [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Nantes. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nantes [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Saint Petersburg. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Sète. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A8te [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). 's-Hertogenbosch. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27s-Hertogenbosch [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Spreewald. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spreewald [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Stockholm. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Venice. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice [Accessed 13 May 2015].
Wikipedia, (2015). Wrocław. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wroc%C5%82aw [Accessed 13 May 2015].


KREV-LP Estes Park, CO
By Paul Saunders, Station Manager KREV@charterinternet.com
On Friday September 9 KREV-LP 104.7 broadcast the Estes Park High School football game on the air and video, in partnership with EstesParkLive.com KREV is owned by the Estes Park United Methodist church of Estes Park. Pastor Deb Olenyik said that "it is important for the church and station to be part of the community life to broadcast school sports and concerts and educational programs and we are excited to work with the school system on this new service."
Program Director Barney Treadway, is assembling more radio programs that local residents and visitors have come to enjoy. Station Manager Paul Saunders, is working with Eric Calkins of EstesValley.net on technical matters. In partnership with EstesParkLive.com the station KREV is now on the Internet in stereo. Saunders said that "technology that has become available in the last few years, has made Estes Park available to the world. People with second homes can listen to programs and see school events from their homes in other states and countries." Greg, Paul and Eric with web master Tim Buck plan more features to the web site with program play lists information showing as a song is being played and other exciting features.


ALERT HEALTH ALERT - COVID-19 Public Health Department
Departments A - L
Employment & Hiring
100 - Definitions (10/23/12) (PDF)
101 - Temporary/Seasonal Employment Policy (PDF) (10/23/12)
102 - Hiring Policy (PDF) (09/2018)
103 - Employment of Minors (PDF) (11/03/00)
104 - Employment Eligibility Policy (PDF) (02/12/00)
106 - Pre-Employment Physical Policy (PDF) (09/2018)
107 - Recruitment (PDF) (10/23/12)
108 - Recruitment and Selection of Police Officers (10/2022)
Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity
201 - Non-Discrimination, Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity (PDF) (08/30/99)
202 - Sexual Harassment (06/2018)
203 - American's with Disabilities Act and Employment (PDF) (12/13/00)
204 - Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PDF) (04/10/2018)
205 - Harassment of Protected Classes (06/2018)
Notice of Employee Rights under MGL Ch 149, Sect 185 ("Whistleblower Notice")
301 - Civic Duty Leave Policy (PDF) (07/01/00)
302 - Military Leave Policy (PDF) (06/22)
303 - Non-Occupational Sick Leave Policy (PDF) (09/2018)
304 - Bereavement Leave (PDF) (07/01/18)
305 - Unpaid Leave of Absence (PDF) (07/01/00)
306 - Domestic Violence Leave (02/2020)
310 - Vacation Policy (PDF) (05/2019)
311 - Overtime and Compensatory Leave Policy (PDF) (07/01/00)
314 - Holiday Leave and Holiday Pay (PDF) (07/01/00)
315 - Holiday Pay for Employees Working Rotating Schedules (PDF) (07/19/00)
316 - Personal Leave Policy (PDF) (07/01/00)
Family and Medical Leave Act - Employee Rights under Federal FMLA Law
Personnel Administration
401 - Discipline Policy and Procedures (PDF) (06/04/91)
402 - Drug Free Workplace Policy (PDF) (09/21/00)
403 - Personnel Records Policy (PDF) (07/01/00)
404 - Tardiness & Failure to Report to Work (PDF) (08/13/00)
405 - Membership in Professional Associations (PDF) (12/13/00)
406 - Reserved
408 - Step Increase Payment (PDF) (07/01/00)
formerly #409 - Needham Board of Health, "Regulation Affecting Smoking and the Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products in Needham" (effective as of 11/01/2020)
410 - Non-Management Performance Evaluation Program (PDF) (09/27/94)
411 - Management Performance Evaluation (PDF) (04/22/96)
412 - Injury on Duty Policy - Police (PDF) (11/01/94)
413 - Injury on Duty Policy - Fire (PDF) (05/01/95)
416 - Drug & Alcohol Testing Policy (PDF) (10/2020)
417 - Injury on Duty Policy - Police Chief (PDF) (09/10/96)
418 - Injury on Duty Policy - Fire Chief (PDF) (09/10/96)
419 - Public Works Performance Evaluation Program (PDF) (05/26/98)
420 - Access and Use of Telecommunications Systems (PDF) (08/17/00)
421 - Weather and Emergency Events (PDF) (07/01/00)
422 - Building Maintenance Performance Evaluation Program (PDF) (06/08/99)
423 - Rates of Compensation Policy (PDF) (08/10/15)
424 - Promotion, Transfer, and Reclassification (PDF) (09/11/00)
425 - Work Schedules (PDF) (07/01/00)
426 - Workplace Violence Policy (PDF) (03/19/03)
427 - Extra Committee Liaison (PDF) (02/07/06)
428 - Remote Work Policy (02/2021)
429 - ID Badge Policy (09/2016)
501 - Education Reimbursement Policy (PDF) (07/01/2018)
502 - Acting Pay Policy (02/15/94)
503 - Merit Program (PDF) (12/2020)
508 - Benefits and Worker's Compensation (PDF) (08/15/95)
509 - Vehicle Use Policy (PDF) (10/02/13)
510 - Travel Expense Reimbursement Policy (PDF) (07/11/2008)
511 - Overtime and Special Duty Payment Policy for Exempt Employees (PDF) (08/12/98)
512 - Management Compensation System (PDF) (08/10/15)
513 - Longevity Program Policy (PDF) (08/20/14)
514 - Traffic Supervisor Benefits (PDF) (09/01/16)
515 - Employer Contribution to a Town Offered Retirement Plan (PDF) (01/01/2022)
516 - Special Detail Workers (PDF) (06/2022)
Active Employees
Retired Employees & Surviving Spouses
Summary of Benefits and Coverages
Health Rates
FY2019 Health Insurance Rates (PDF)
CY2018 Medicare Supplement Rates (PDF)
HIPAA Privacy (PDF)
Injured While on Duty
Aflac Insurance
Credit Union Membership
Employee Assistance Plans
Section 125 Plan
Group Insurance Policy (PDF)
Benefits Forms
OptiMed Health Partners
Medicare Plan Open Enrollment
Holidays (PDF)
Represented Employee Groups
Alert / Notify Me
Sign up for the Town's Email Newsletter
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Needham Town Hall
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How can I serve on a town board or commission?
How do I request public records from the Town?
Where can I register for parks and recreation programs?
How can I dispose of my recyclable materials?
Does the Town of Needham provide notary services?


Charity Commission's reports into the funding of advocacy group Cage published
Alison Paines
Partner | UK
On 6 May 2016, the Charity Commission published its long-awaited reports on the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust ('JRCT') and the Roddick Foundation's ('RF's') funding of the controversial advocacy group, Cage. In parallel, similarly-worded documents, the regulator said both charities had acted in good faith and that no funds had been misapplied or misappropriated but concluded that the charities' monitoring processes were inadequate to ensure their money was 'used for exclusively charitable purposes'.
The Commission initially launched an investigation into JRCT after it received a complaint in September 2013 that it had granted funds to Cage which, it was alleged, had been used to spread 'support for jihadism, bigotry and hatred.' (Cage conversely says it campaigns to help communities affected by the so-called war on terror.) The enquiry was extended to RF in March 2014 after it was found to have granted funds to Cage as well. The Commission concluded its investigation and communicated its recommendations to JRCT and RF directly in December 2014, some 17 months before these reports were published.
The case reports
Whilst both reports are significantly longer than the average Charity Commission study (the case report on JRCT runs to 14 pages and the one on RF to 11 pages), the findings are generally unsurprising. The Commission determined that the charities' respective trustees 'acted in good faith' when they decided to grant funds to Cage, but it was 'difficult to see how in these circumstances the trustees could have been sufficiently assured that the monies given to Cage were used for charitable purposes, particularly as Cage is not a charity and not all of its activities furthered charitable purposes'.
Both reports called for the charities to make improvements to their control and scrutiny processes. The JRCT report adds that 'trustees needed to conduct more robust and more regular due diligence in respect of grant recipients, in particular non-charitable grant recipients'. The Commission concludes each report by saying 'it is clear to other charities and the public that the Commission…will probe robustly how charities spend charitable funds in order to ensure transparency and accountability and to preserve public trust and confidence in charities'.
Questions raised from the case reports
Though the reports are as we would have broadly expected, the conclusions reached raise two important questions.
The first of these concerns the funding by charities of the core organisational costs of non-charitable organisations. The reports make it clear that the Commission considers that core costs (staff salaries, for example) can only be funded insofar as they relate to the activities of the recipient that are directly connected to the activities it has agreed to fund. Whilst it seems a fair principle that non-charitable organisations receiving charitable grants should be able to use them only for such core costs as can be demonstrated to relate to the charitable activity being funded, there is concern that there does need to be a degree of flexibility here otherwise it could inhibit the development of some organisations and fetter the trustees' discretion.
The second issue arises from the Commission's conclusion, in both reports, that neither charity had fully appreciated the distinction between work to 'promote human rights' per se and work that has a 'charitable purpose' when they decided to grant funds to Cage.
The reports say 'under charity law, whilst the charitable purpose of advancing human rights can be supported in a number of ways, not all activities to support or promote human rights activities will be capable of furthering a charitable purpose'. Unfortunately, neither report gives examples to aid charities' understanding of the distinction. The main published guidance from the Commission on this issue is contained in the Commission's 2005 publication RR12, which takes a fairly wide approach as to when the advancement of human rights will be considered to have a 'charitable purpose'. It would be helpful to have more definitive guidance to prevent charities from struggling to determine whether funds granted to certain human rights causes will in fact have a 'charitable purpose' in the Commission's eyes.
Key lessons for other charities
On its face, the Commission offers some useful guidance for charities that are considering granting funds to non-charitable organisations. The Commission recommends that charities implement robust due diligence procedures at the award stage, and monitor the target bodies regularly to ensure that its funds are being used to further charitable purposes. Furthermore, the Commission acknowledges that charities will (and should) take a pragmatic, proportionate approach to their funding decisions depending on the type or organisation, the sums of money involved, and the purpose and location of the grantee.
What is unclear from the report is what guidance charities may rely on to ensure a charitable purpose is being furthered by the funds it grants. In the absence of clear guidance, the charities should therefore take a cautious approach and consult specialist advice where necessary.
The Commission published draft guidance for charities which fund organisations which are not themselves charities in February. The consultation on that guidance closed on 9 April and the Commission is considering the feedback. It is expected that a final version of the guidance will be published in due course.
The two case reports are available here and here.
The draft guidance on 'Grant funding an organisation that isn't a charity' is available here.
The Fundraising Regulation's updated guidance on handling complaints
The Institute of Fundraising's practical guidance for dealing with donations
The Charity Commission launches welcome packs for new trustees
Alison Paines Partner | London
+44 20 7597 6057 Email Alison LinkedIn View profile


Women's Dating
Dr. Duana Welch Takes a Fact-Based Approach to Helping People Find Love in Today's Digital World
The Short Version: When people turn to friends and family members for dating and relationship advice, they can receive guidance clouded with perceptions. Dating Coach, Author, and Social Scientist Dr. Duana Welch believes scientific studies offer more credible information to help singles and couples succeed. Her data-driven approach shows clients how to navigate the digital landscape, and she encourages them to become their own personal dating service to build healthy relationships.
In the post-Tinder dating world, recent trends have centered on a general confusion about technology and communication as well as an unease about dating apps. That's according to Dating Coach, Author, and Social Scientist Dr. Duana Welch.
In her practice, Dr. Welch has noticed that clients seem more confused than ever about what she calls the texting trap — when one party is unclear in his or her communication, prefers to chat, and never wants to connect in real life.
Dr. Duana Welch emphasizes the importance of bringing dating offline and into the real world.
Then there are dating apps that can be heavily appearance-driven and shed little light on the personality and character of other singles. It also doesn't help that studies show that both men and women are trying to date someone who is approximately 25% better-looking than they are.
"Dating apps have been around for a while, and texting has been around even longer, but the objectives are stronger because people have left many other ways of meeting potential matches behind," Dr. Welch said. "But I hear a lot of the desire to meet more people organically. Even young people are tired of hearing online is the only way. A lot of my clients say they want me to teach them to leave online dating behind and become their own dating services."
Leaning on both scientific studies and her own personal experience, Dr. Welch created Love Science Media, a dating and relationship coaching practice that imparts the skills necessary to help people find partners who make them happy. Single parents, younger daters, and those who've been out of the scene for years seek Dr. Welch's advice to better understand the data behind dating and what she calls the "human mating ritual."
"I teach my clients how to send the signals we know attract long-term partners," she said. "Some signals are geared toward finding a partner, but others are universal. I help people understand the difference and send the ones that work."
While you may think your friends and family can steer you in the right direction in dating, they often don't have the evidence on their side that Dr. Welch does.
"A lot of advice sounds great, but science shows it isn't good at all," she said.
Become Your Own Dating Service: A Proven Way to Meet a Long-Term Partner
A study showed that people who met online between 2005 and 2012 had happier marriages than those who met offline, but the rise of mobile apps and new sites has changed that dynamic. Dr. Welch said in the early years, dating platforms focused on the values and interests singles had in common, rather than pushing physical appearance as a priority.
"Apps treat people like the human meat market, and there's less personal information on which to base a decision," she said. "Many people have switched to apps because they feel like it's convenient, or they like sorting through all these people because there is a perception of abundance. But the quality of matches isn't as good as a website where you get a lot of information — like eHarmony."
Through her coaching practice Love Science Media, Dr. Welch takes a fact-based approach to help singles find compatible partners.
The solution to that problem, she said, is to become your own dating service. She came up with the idea when she studied arranged marriages and discovered that the spouses were, typically, happy.
"Moms and dads, or professional matchmakers, depending on the culture, will engage their entire network, sometimes globally, to find someone compatible with the single person," she said. "Suitable can mean similar social class, ethnicity, religion, family structure, or social values. And we know that similarities in core values and lifestyles can help marriages succeed."
She interviewed one woman who accepted her parents' help in finding a husband while she attended dental school. They narrowed it down to three, and she was attracted to one. He felt the same way, and they've now been married for 20 years.
"The way she put it for me was, 'Why wouldn't you want to have someone do that for you?'" Dr. Welch said.
The first step is to write down all the qualities you're looking for in a partner. Then find a few people in your life who are invested in your happiness and take them out to coffee. Tell them you respect them and know they've got someone in their social network perfect for you.
Using this method, you can meet people who are genuinely compatible before becoming romantically involved.
Why You Should Understand "The Human Mating Ritual"
Some of her clients use professional matchmakers, and many of those are still looking online, but Dr. Welch's process helps sharpen their focus on the person they're looking for.
"When you have people scouring their networks, they're really motivated," she said. "I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to go to a wedding where they introduced the two parties and are given credit for this wonderful marriage."
However, if you meet someone whose friend or family member thinks would be a good match, you still need to send the right signals. That's where you need to understand the deeply ingrained "human mating ritual," according to Dr. Welch.
"I have read, studied, written about, and coached about data-driven dating techniques in more than 32 countries. There is a human mating ritual that has happened probably since we've had language, art, culture, and religion — at least 45,000 years," she said. "Mating psychology comes from what worked for our ancestors."
"Women who marry in their mid-20s are having more career success than those who wait. Part of the reason is that women who wait longer, regardless of career success, expend more energy on dating activities, including getting over breakups." — Dr. Duana Welch
She likened it to the unconscious behavior that lions and peacocks use to attract mates. By understanding what you want in a mate and why you do the things you do to attract a partner, you can use your behavior and words to attract exactly who you want for a long-term, happy relationship.
And if you're a woman who is thinking you need to focus on your career instead of finding a stable partner, think again.
"Women who marry in their mid-20s are having more career success than those who wait," she said. "Part of the reason is that women who wait longer, regardless of career success, expend more energy on dating activities, including getting over breakups. They could put that energy into their career if they had a safe place from which to launch their lives. That would be a good marriage."
Studies also support the idea that you don't need to achieve happiness to be ready for a relationship. Instead, healthy relationships can make people happy, she said.
What Does the Future Hold for Dr. Welch? A New Book Focusing on Single Parents
Dr. Welch believes that a study-based approach to dating can help people better understand how to find — and maintain — satisfying relationships than they would with online dating technology. And she's branching out to share her expertise with other demographics of daters — including single parents.
She recently wrote her second book, one she said she could have used herself. Dr. Welch married a man she had found by being her own dating service, but she didn't follow one of her rules — it turned out he had a problem with drugs and alcohol.
"I struggled with writing this second book because I would have to tell my story. I did it because, otherwise, I would imply that I didn't make these mistakes," she said. "But the reason I know so much about the subject is that I made a lot of mistakes, and I suffered a lot."
Dr. Welch's "Love Factually" books explore real-life situations and back up advice with data.
The book, entitled "Love Factually for Single Parents [& Those Dating Them]," focuses on the problems that arise from dating after children.
"I wrote my first book, 'Love Factually: 10 Proven Steps From I Wish to I Do,' based on science for those looking for their life partner," she said. "Following the success of that book for everyone, now coming out in five languages, I felt there was a real need for a fact-based book specifically for single parents, and it's brimming with stories I've collected over the years from people who allowed me to share their stories. It's not a dry academic time."
One takeaway from her new book is to understand that kindness and respectfulness always matter — including noting whether your date is kind to the waiter. Another piece of advice is to embrace that, when you have found someone special, it will not be easy to integrate that person into your life — or yourself into theirs. A new dynamic can include you, your partner, your kids, their kids, former in-laws, and exes. You need to be patient and focus on love.
Dr. Welch said she writes books and offers reasonable rates on coaching to keep her advice accessible.
"I'm all about enabling lifelong love, so it's amazing when it happens," she said. "I'm reaching back in the past, and even though I went through so much pain, as readers of this next book will see, I'm so happy when I hear from someone who didn't have to go through that because they learned to put the odds on their side."


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News & Legislation
Guild's CEO has concerns over appointment of new Housing Minister
News & Legislation The Guild 14th June 2017
Alok Sharma was named the latest Housing Minister on the evening of 13 June 2017.
The MP for Reading West is the 6th person in the role since 2010.
But what will it mean for the housing market? The Guild's CEO, Iain McKenzie, shares his thoughts.
"I welcome the news of the appointment of a new Housing Minister after waiting for five days after the General Election result. However, I am concerned by Alok Sharma's lack of industry experience. There's no doubt that his background in accountancy will help with the role, but the housing market is in crisis. We need a government representative who will stand up for the industry. I hope that Sharma can step up to the plate.
"Perhaps more concerning is the lack of a cabinet position for the Housing Minister. Housing was a key concern during election campaigning, but now it looks set to take a back seat in policy making while Brexit dominates the agenda while the sector deals with yet another new housing minister. As CEO of The Guild, I am going to endeavour to raise the profile of the issues facing our industry during this government, no matter how long it lasts for."
A Guild Member will be up-to-date on compliance and other political concerns. To find your closest office, click here.
What Does the Third Lockdown Mean for Homemovers in England?
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Gamescom Thieves Make off with Larian PCs
Published on August 17, 2012, by Lindsey Weedston - Posted in General News 0
Larian, creators of the Divinity franchise, have announced that they are offering a $5000 reward for information on the two PCs that were filched from their booth at Gamescom.
The stolen PCs weren't just your everyday computers. They contained early builds of two new Divinity games, Divinity: Dragon Commander and Divinity: Original Sin. Larian has issued an alert to the Gamescom community to track down the scoundrels.
"Two PCs were stolen from Larian's booth in the business hall at Gamescom, containing early builds of Divinity: Dragon Commander and Divinity: Original Sin.
Larian is offering a $5000 reward for information leading to the identification of the culprit and return of the PCs. We're asking the game community to band together to track these criminals down and to get the games back!"
Of course Gamescom still has backup systems for their Gamescom booth, so anyone who has an appointment with Larian won't be disappointed. It's still rather rude, so if you happen to have any information, shoot them an email.
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Author: Lindsey Weedston View all posts by Lindsey Weedston
Lindsey Weedston is a CheatCodes.com Contributing Editor who enjoys video games, video games, video games, playing video games, video games, and writing amusing short biographies about herself.
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Team Fortress 2 to Pit Red and Blu Against Giant Robots


BodySurfing competition to co-locate with 2022 USA Surfing events
USA Surfing is the ISA-recognized "National Governing Body for Surfing" in the United States. For the first time, surfing was included in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Starting in 2022, USA Surfing will co-locate with bodysurfing in three of their events in Southern California, according to a news release. As in surfing, the competitors will be part of a ranking system. Ongoing discussions may also see USA Surfing events included as part of the California BodySurf Tour, which was established in 2019.
The 2022 USA Surfing events where bodysurfing will take place are:
- Huntington Beach (south side of pier) - Friday, Feb. 11
- San Clemente (T-Street) - Friday, April 22
- Oceanside Harbor (north side of jetty) - Tuesday, June 14
Greg Cruse, CEO of USA Surfing, is enthusiastic about the prospects.
"We have seen the progression of bodysurfing in recent years and impressed with the support of the bodysurfing community," states Cruse in the news release. "We are happy to partner with USA BodySurfing to help promote this original form of surfing."
The USA Surfing Championships at the Oceanside Harbor in June will be a week-long event featuring several surfing categories and divisions.
Randy Gilkerson, a director of the Western Surfing Association, spearheaded the initiative to create a strategic alliance between surfing and bodysurfing.
"The WSA also looks forward to including bodysurfing in WSA events. I assisted a bodysurfing contest in Del Mar in October and saw a lot of potential for bodysurfing to grow alongside surfing," Gilkerson said in the news release.
Competition in the upcoming bodysurfing events will include open and junior divisions, and possibly several age groups. Registration will be available on STACT app and scheduled to open in early January.
For more information, visit usasurfing.org and delmarbodysurf.com.
Longtime tennis coach Alex Levie named 'Pro of the Year'


Misguided Liberals in a Tizzy
Ammoland Inc. Posted on September 6, 2017 by Walter Williams
By Walter E. Williams
Confederate Statutes Monuments Liberalism
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Many blacks and their white liberal allies demand the removal of statues of Confederate generals and the Confederate battle flag, and they are working up steam to destroy the images of Gens. Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and President Jefferson Davis from Stone Mountain in Georgia.
Allow me to speculate as to the whys of this statue removal craze, which we might call statucide.
To understand it, we need a review of the promises black and white liberals have been making for decades. In 1940, the black poverty rate was 87 percent. By 1960, it had fallen to 47 percent. During that interval, blacks were politically impotent. There were no anti-poverty programs or affirmative action programs. Nonetheless, this poverty reduction exceeded that in any other 20-year interval. But the black leadership argued that more was necessary. They said that broad advancement could not be made unless blacks gained political power.
Fifty years ago, there were fewer than 1,000 black elected officials nationwide. According to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, by 2011 there were roughly 10,500 black elected officials, not to mention a black president. But what were the fruits of greater political power? The greatest black poverty, poorest education, highest crime rates and greatest family instability are in cities such as Detroit, St. Louis, Oakland, Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Buffalo. The most common characteristic of these predominantly black cities is that for decades, all of them have been run by Democratic and presumably liberal politicians. Plus, in most cases, blacks have been mayors, chiefs of police, school superintendents and principals and have dominated city councils.
During the 1960s, black and white liberals called for more money to be spent on anti-poverty programs. Since the Lyndon Johnson administration's War on Poverty programs, U.S. taxpayers have forked over $22 trillion for anti-poverty programs. Adjusted for inflation, that's three times the cost of all U.S. military wars since the American Revolution. Despite that spending, the socio-economic condition for many blacks has worsened. In 1940, 86 percent of black children were born inside marriage, and the black illegitimacy rate was about 15 percent. Today, only 35 percent of black children are born inside marriage, and the illegitimacy rate hovers around 75 percent.
The visions of black civil rights leaders and their white liberal allies didn't quite pan out.
Greater political power and massive anti-poverty spending produced little. The failure of political power and the failure of massive welfare spending to produce nirvana led to the expectation that if only there were a black president, everything would become better for blacks. I cannot think of a single black socio-economic statistic that improved during the two terms of the Barack Obama administration. Some have become tragically worse, such as the black homicide victimization rate. For example, on average in Chicago, one person is shot every two hours, 15 minutes, and a person is murdered every 12 1/2 hours.
So more political power hasn't worked.
Massive poverty spending hasn't worked.
Electing a black president hasn't worked.
What should black leaders and their white liberal allies now turn their attention to in order to improve the socio-economic condition for blacks? It appears to be nearly unanimous that attention should be turned to the removal of Confederate statues. It's not only Confederate statue removal but Confederate names of schools and streets. Even the Council on American-Islamic Relations agrees. It just passed a resolution calling for the removal of all Confederate memorials, flags, street names and symbols from public spaces and property.
By the way, does the statue of Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman qualify for removal? He once explained his reluctance to enlist former slaves, writing, "I am honest in my belief that it is not fair to our men to count negroes as equals … (but) is not a negro as good as a white man to stop a bullet?"
It's difficult to determine where this purging of the nation's history should end.
About Walter E.Williams
Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. Williams is also the author of several books. Among these are The State Against Blacks, later made into a television documentary, America: A Minority Viewpoint, All It Takes Is Guts, South Africa's War Against Capitalism, More Liberty Means Less Government, Liberty Versus The Tyranny of Socialism, and recently his autobiography, Up From The Projects.
18 thoughts on "Misguided Liberals in a Tizzy"
I think it's fair to assert that white liberal guilt and the "40 acres and a mule" mindset of liberal Blacks have combined
to create the current mentality of political correctness and the actions we see destroying this Country's history (good or bad), and build the massive national debt burden that continues unabated. I'm awaiting the day we hear the demand to remove our war dead from Arlington because it is Robert E. Lee's family farm.
Ross Campbell says:
What color are the statues,
They are the color Democrat…
Their Demoncrat Grandparents foufgt to have those statues installed who cares if they erase their history?
There are plenty of Americans who know they are the KKK & the white supremacists…ect
Under moderation then discard. What a deal.
oldvet says:
@tomcat… Your day in the barrel today !!
@ oldvet, frustrating isn't it?
@tomcat…It's a conspiracy. Ever see a troll get moderated?
@youse guys, I sympathize. I am really a much better author. My thoughts are always cogent, logical, well presented, and enlightening, but that is my writing that they throw away!
After LBJ got done screwing the system up a lot of years have passed and it now has become increasingly difficult for those welfare generations to find and be able to keep a job. They would fight tooth and nail to keep their position of the government keeping them from cradle to grave. It is time they learned, though. I agree with everything Will Clayton said because I went through the same process in my working life. No one has ever given me anything and I resist giving my hard earned dollars to any freebee programs other than donating to church for God's work.
Ragging Rivers says:
I believe all statues of people like Martin Luther King and all other black historical figures should be taken down, destroyed and deleted from from all text books and never allowed to be shown in any manner. They should be wiped from American history just as the narrow minded idiots are trying to erase our Southern History.
@RR…I'll drink to that.
@RR, But for the double standard being applied in our society, you are right?
@OV, Me too! The entire canine and equine staff are grooving on this cooler weather!
@WB…Sorry for the troubles south of you , been a little windy other wise gorgeous here.
Will Clayton says:
Oh poor me I was born black! Bullshit help yourself no one in the country has owned a slave in 200 years!! So tired of being responsible for what happened that that long ago. Strong people will always rule the weak. The law of the jungle is what we should be following- if your not strong enough to defend what's yours and protect your own freedoms- you do not deserve them.
Do not ask me for any more, as I have given enough. My entire life I have payed for the so call "less fortunate" with my taxes taken every damn paycheck. Well let me tell you I wasn't born with any silver spoon in my mouth, I worked for everything that I now have. No one gave me shit and I'm Irish- the first slaves in this county's history- look it up. All this article highlights for me is the need to kick off every mooching welfare recipient and make them get a job!!! Everyone that has been on assistance or government programs longer than a year should be denied ANY further help until a JOB is held for longer than a year. This is to repay what was taken by the recipient. This is laziness. I'm tired of being associated with these lazy individuals.
Charles Drapo says:
My sentiments exactly. Most people don't realize that the Civil War wasn't fought over slavery as a main issue. Cotton was the issue. The North blockaded the shipping lanes as the South was sending their cotton to jolly old England for a much better price than the North was paying. As a result, Northern factories went idle. Also if Blacks checked their own history they would find that they have been and still are some of the biggest slave traders in the world along with Islam. But where is Black Lives Matter? Oh, that's right it doesn't suit their Liberal White Backed Agenda.
I'll shake your hand,proudly.
I think that Dr. Williams point that the improvement that leads to a better life does not come from political "leaders", or wealth redistribution programs, or Bloomberg linked manipulations, or incognito marching Marxists destroying American history, but rather it comes from the self.
Leave a Comment 36800818 Commentshttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.ammoland.com%2F2017%2F09%2Fliberals-in-a-tizzy%2FMisguided+Liberals+in+a+Tizzy2017-09-06+19%3A23%3A06Walter+Williamshttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.ammoland.com%2F%3Fp%3D368008 Cancel reply
JIAZ: @Will Amen
Wild Bill: @Renov8, Well, let them support Wayne financially, too, but they will have to support him without me.
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Will: @JIAZ,I think these punk ass scumbags found that out ! I hope the "old man",the veteran,makes a full and complete…


From the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean: Ideas and Agents of Italian Colonization in S. America
Thursday, February 8, 2018 6:15pm The Heyman Center, Second Floor Common Room
First come, first seated
Italian and Mediterranean Colloquium
The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities
Full Title: From the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean: Ideas and Agents of Italian Colonization in South America, c.1840 to c.1880
Lucy Riall (EUI, Florence)
Respondent: Mark Mazower (Columbia University)
Moderator: Konstantina Zanou (Columbia University)
This paper will consider how the 'turn' to global history might alter our approach to modern Italy and its colonies. With its emphasis on transnational trends, and the themes of mobility and connectivity, the approach has much to offer scholars of Italian colonialism but so far has had relatively little impact in reshaping the field and introducing new themes of research. Focusing on Italians overseas in the age of nation and empire, this paper will seek to explain what the study of Italy might contribute to the burgeoning field of global history. Specifically, I take a number of well-known Italian migrants to Latin America and the Pacific (the journalist Giovan Battista Cuneo; the archaeologist Antonio Raimondi; the anthropologist Paolo Mantegazza; and the medical 'charlatan' Giulio Bennati), in order to retrace the political, commercial and scientific networks that brought them from the Mediterranean to the Andes and beyond. First, I argue that their lives can tell us much about the experience of empire in the nineteenth century and the extent to which a country without significant colonies could nevertheless participate in, and benefit considerably from, European imperial expansion. Second, I look at attempts to create national 'colonies' of settlement in the South American Republics and suggest that these colonies represent an important link between processes of global migration and those of European colonial expansion.
Cerro Mineral de San Francisco de Morococha
Antonio Raimondi watercolor
March, 1861 at Morococha, Central Andes of Peru
Altitude: 4,750 meters above sea level
Collection: Museo de Historia Nacional de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima.
Lucy Riall
Professor of History of Europe in the World
Mark Mazower
Ira D. Wallach Professor of World Order Studies
Konstantina Zanou
Assistant Professor of Italian


Stanner Award books
Unmasking the Racial Contract
Indigenous voices on racism in the Australian Public Service
Dr Debbie Bargallie
Winner of the Stanner Award, 2019. In an era of reconciliation and cultural diversity, Indigenous peoples in Australia still experience everyday and structural racisms in the workplace. Unmasking t...
Winner of the Stanner Award, 2019.
In an era of reconciliation and cultural diversity, Indigenous peoples in Australia still experience everyday and structural racisms in the workplace. Unmasking the Racial Contract is a study of one such workplace: the Australian Public Service. Bargallie shows that despite claims of fairness, inclusion, opportunity, respect and racial equality for all, Indigenous employees continue to languish on the lower rungs of the Australian Public Service employment ladder. By showing how racism is normalised in white institutions, Bargallie aims to help us see and understand — and ultimately challenge — racism.
This original and innovative book, written from an Indigenous standpoint, is the first to use race as a key framework to critically examine the discrimination faced by Indigenous employees in an Australian institution. Bargallie provides an insider's perspective and privileges the voices of other Indigenous employees, and she applies critical race theory to unmask the racial contract that underpins the 'absent presence' of racism in the Australian Public Service.
Bargallie provides an important counter-narrative to the pervasive myth of meritocracy, and encourages readers to consider the effects of the racial contract in colonial–colonised relations in Australia more broadly.
"I have just read Unmasking the Racial Contract. Congratulations! It is theoretically and empirically rich and robust, giving voice to Indigenous experiences of racial injustice, and clearly and powerfully identifying an agenda for dismantling racism, not just in the Australian Public Service, but in all our nation's systems and practices."
- Barbara Pini, Professor, School of Humanities, Griffith University
Released June 2020
Dr Debbie Bargallie is a descendent of the Kamilaroi and Wonnarua Aboriginal peoples of the North-West and Upper Hunter Valley regions of New South Wales, Australia. Debbie was born and raised on D'harawal country in Wollongong, New South Wales, where she continues to have strong connections.
In 2019 she was awarded the prestigious Stanner Award by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies for her doctoral research on Indigenous employee's experiences of racism in the Australian Public Service.
Debbie is currently a Postdoctoral Senior Research Fellow with the Griffith Institute of Educational Research at Griffith University.
LIna P.
Must read for any Australian professional
Contains an excellent overview of the history and formation of the Australian Public Service as well as historic and current labour issues specific to Indigenous people which have wide ranging ramifications for all Australians. Highly recommend this for professionals who want to create a more just and equitable Australia, through workplace practices. Should be mandatory for any professional who wants to work in an Indigenous organisation - private sector, public sector, academia, or not for profit.


Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition (Specifications and Price)
In 1952, Breitling developed the Navitimer, a revolutionary wrist-worn chronograph that instantly became a mainstay of every cockpit. It was worn by pilots for some of aviation's most impressive developments, thanks to an innovative slide rule that enabled them to make all critical flight calculations. Breitling has now unveiled the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, which celebrates one of the most iconic early designs of the Navitimer, released exactly 60 years ago.
Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition
Carrying on the Proud Navitimer Legacy
Breitling has announced the release of its first re-edition timepiece, with subsequent launches also planned for the future. The Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition is a chronograph that replicates – almost to the smallest detail – the design codes of one of the most venerated early Navitimers, the Breitling Ref. 806, including an all-black dial with tone-on-tone subdials and a rotating beaded bezel.
The Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition is a direct link to one of the most impressive legacies in all of watchmaking. In celebration of the year this specific design was produced, it has been created in an edition limited to 1959 pieces, all individually numbered and engraved on the caseback. With such a rich legacy, Breitling is looking forward to creating other models that celebrate some of the brand's significant milestones.
Breitling CEO Georges Kern knows that the new watch will find an enthusiastic audience: "In the past year, we've been thrilled to learn that there are so many people who have always been passionate about Breitling's legacy and that there's enormous interest not only in our new products but also in our heritage and our early timepieces. The Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition will give new Breitling fans and people who have followed the brand for decades a chance to own and enjoy their own exclusive piece of our legendary past."
First developed in 1952, the Breitling Navitimer is not only the most iconic of all Breitling wristwatches but also one of the industry's few true legends. This twentieth-century classic remains popular in the twenty-first century, more than 65 years after it was first launched to meet the needs of a growing commercial and recreational aviation market. Thanks to a circular slide rule enabling the wearer to make all critical calculations they might need when in the air, the Navitimer was quickly adopted by pilots and especially favored by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in the US. Its status would be further enhanced in the 1960s when it was worn by cult figures such as jazz great Miles Davis and Formula 1 champion Jim Clark.
Instantly recognizable, this timeless chronograph looks as stylish today as it did when it was first designed.
Breitling Navitimer Ref 806 1959 Re-Edition and the historical Navitimer Ref 806 from 1959 left to right
The Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition: Attention to the Smallest Detail
The Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition has been created with painstaking attention to every detail of the 1959 Navitimer design. Like its inspirational ancestor, it has an all-black dial with tone-on-tone sub-dials and, recreating one of the signature elements of the original Ref. 806 in 1959, the dial is adorned with a Breitling inscription in capital letters and an unsigned winged logo. A little-known fact is that the unsigned winged logo was used for the European market, while the watches sold in the US had an AOPA-signed logo.
The Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition has a rotating beaded bezel made of precisely 94 beads, exactly the number found on the 1959 model. In the course of the production period for the original Navitimer Ref. 806, the number of these beads – the small markings around the bezel – varied from as many as 125 in the early 1950s to as few as 93 in 1960. This may be a small detail, but for enthusiasts of historical wristwatches, it is an important one.
Even the stainless-steel case, measuring precisely 40.9 mm, has been developed specifically for the Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition, with the same lugs profile and finish as the original Ref. 806. The watch is presented on a black vintage-inspired leather strap. The famous circular slide rule, positioned beneath a piece of high-domed acrylic glass fashioned in exactly the same shape as the original, will be familiar to every passionate Navitimer fan.
In fact, the only concessions to modernity are the water resistance, which has been increased to 3 bar (30 meters), and a Super-LumiNova coating. While this is a modern luminous material, very special attention has been paid to its color to ensure it remains faithful to the luminescent material on earlier watches. Its hand-finished application gives the dial an additional touch of vintage allure and character.
In respect to the original manual caliber that powered the early Navitimer, a completely new manual (hand- wound) movement has been developed. The in-house Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09 mechanical movement is based on the brand's renowned in-house Manufacture Caliber 01 and is a COSC-certified chronometer. This movement will power many of the other hand-wound historical re-editions to come.
Reference: AB0910371B1X1
Caliber: Breitling Manufacture Caliber B09
Depth: 6.73 mm
Winder: mechanical, hand-wound
Power reserve: approximately 70 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800 a/h or 4 hertz
Chronograph: column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute and 12-hour counter
Display: hour, minute, second
Certification: COSC-certified
Height: 13.43 mm
Water resistance: up to 3 bar (30 meters)
Glass: acrylic, convex
Caseback: snapped, stainless steel
Crown: non screw-locked, two gaskets
Bezel: bidirectional with slide rule
Dial/Hands
Super-LumiNova luminescent numerals, hour and minute hands
Black vintage-inspired leather strap with pin buckle
The price for the Breitling Navitimer Ref. 806 1959 Re-Edition is US$8600 before taxes and wil be available on late April or May 2019.
For more information visit Breitling Online.


Call of Duty Modern Warfare: Access Spec Ops Missions
Daniel Hidalgo
Everyone wants access to the Call of Duty Modern Warfare Access Spec Ops Missions and in this guide we will tell you how to get it.
What is the Access Spec Ops Missions mode of Call of Duty Modern Warfare?
It is a game mode in which players can join and face waves of enemies that are gradually increasing their complexity levels. However, not all players know how to access the missions in this way, so then we will tell you how to do it.
How to get access Spec Ops Missions of Call of Duty Modern Warfare?
The first thing you have to do is go to the Co-Op section of the main menu, from where you can select a Spec Ops mission to play either alone or in a group.
At the moment there is only one mission available for this game mode, but it is expected that soon the developers will be launching more missions, keep in mind that in order to access the second mission once it is launched, you will have to have completed the first before.
This is all we have on how to get Access Spec Ops Missions of Call of Duty Modern Warfare, or at least for now, because we will remain very attentive to any scoop that may arise to keep you informed, so very pending.


Borders Line: An Impassioned Defense of JENNIFER'S BODY
Rewatching JENNIFER'S BODY reminds me what a damned shame it is that this movie was panned and ignored. I blame you.
By Meredith Borders Apr. 07, 2011
I have never understood why Jennifer's Body bombed at the box office. Well, that's not true. I understand it, but I don't approve of it. It's not fair. It's bullshit. A wickedly smart, original horror-comedy with gorgeous leads giving great performances and a highly gratifying amount of gore, this movie should have been a success. I was invested the first time I read about Jennifer's Body, before it had even been cast; a horror movie directed by a woman, written by a woman, telling a story about two high school girls—it sounded like the holy grail to me. I really liked director Karyn Kusama's debut Girlfight. I'm probably the last remaining person post-backlash to still admit that I liked Juno. You guys did at first, too. Until screenwriter Diablo Cody won the Oscar.
I can't help but think that if Cody weren't a hot woman with pin-up tattoos who calls herself Diablo and wore a leopard-print dress to accept her Oscar, there would be no backlash. Don't tell me it's because she goes by Diablo. Is that worse than Lucky or McG? Don't tell me it's because she won what you believe to be an undeserving Oscar for her Juno screenplay. Did you hate Matt Damon and Ben Affleck after Good Will Hunting? That was in 1998, before the internet could spread vitriol with such rapidity and breadth as it does now, but I don't recall a lot of flame wars and backlash over their win. So that leaves…what? The fact that she's hot, that she cheerfully admits to being a former stripper? Other than giving her an interestingly skewed perspective that not a lot of Hollywood screenwriters possess, I don't see how that's in any way relevant to her work.
Of course, you'd never admit to yourself that you don't like Diablo Cody because she's a hot former stripper with tats. So you say it's something else. You hate her dialogue, right? Nobody talks like that! Right? Here's a tip, kids. Nobody talks like ANY movie's dialogue, unless we're discussing mumblecore or maybe Melvin Goes to Dinner. I much prefer Cody's stylized, surreal jargon to the recycled "realistic" dialogue that we're treated to in most movies. "Let's just say I gave him a night he'll never forget." "We've got company." "Let's get out of here!" Do you talk like that? Christ, I hope not. Cody employs an intentionally heightened way of speaking that clues us into the fact that we're now in a heightened universe, whether it be filled with demon cheerleaders or dauntingly articulate pregnant teens. Cody's like Hughes, like Heckerling, like Heathers. The wacky slang is intentional, and it works.
Jennifer's Body actually had a double-whammy working against it, because people love to hate Megan Fox with even more gleeful relish than they reserve for Cody. She's crazy hot and she's a loudmouth. If there's one thing America hates, it's a hot, loudmouthed woman. (To be fair, America actually hates an overweight, loudmouthed woman even more.) Katherine Heigl was probably thrilled when Fox started mouthing off all over the airwaves, talking about farts and calling Michael Bay "Hitler." Fox got Heigl off the hook, giving audiences a new beautiful, ballsy target for their ire. Trashy men's magazines even boycotted Fox for a day, punishing her for the over-exposure that they themselves created. The stupid, manufactured boycott occurred just two months before Jennifer's Body opened, and it didn't bode well for the movie. When it was recently reported that Fox is in negotiations to star in Judd Apatow's next film, a sequel to Knocked Up, the trolls came out in droves. People just do not like this woman.
But back to Jennifer's Body. The film is witty and subversive, striking a perfect balance between familiar and fresh. It calls back to Buffy and Heathers while hitting a little harder, going a little darker. It's both gutsy and gutsy, in that it's a courageous undertaking that is filled with slimy entrails. The movie's fun as hell, working on a superficial level of lesbian kisses and boatloads of blood while telling a more substantive story about the intense, sometimes toxic nature of high school friendships between girls.
The performances are all delicious. Amanda Seyfried carries the weight of the film on her slender shoulders, playing both tough and vulnerable as Anita (Needy). Fox plays queen bitch Jennifer as flat and dead-eyed, and I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for my honest assertion that this is a deliberate acting choice on her part. She's a vapid teen possessed by a rabid demon. Flat and dead-eyed is the perfect way to play it. She nails many of the funniest lines of the film; dialogue that might read as kind of funny on the page is made hilarious in that vacant monotone. "PMS isn't real, Needy. It was invented by the boy-run media to make us seem crazy." That shit is gold in Fox's surprisingly deft hands. The chemistry of the friendship between Needy and Jennifer is particularly well-executed by the leads. These girls act like they've known each other all of their lives, like they love and hate and need and envy each other with equal ardor.
Johnny Simmons is fantastic as Needy's boyfriend Chip. Simmons can pull off earnest, bemused and sardonic with a raised eyebrow or slight shrug. Between Jennifer's Body and Scott Pilgrim, Simmons' star should be sky-high by now—and would be if those two terrific performances weren't in two of the most criminally neglected films of the last couple of years. And Adam Brody as a devil-worshipping Brandon Flowers is an absolute delight, dry and smarmy and fucking hilarious. You can tell Brody had a blast with the role.
Kusama uses a sure hand in directing the film. Jennifer's Body has some killer shots and the pacing is spot-on, upbeat without exhausting the audience. The gore really is glorious; the film just shamelessly revels in a whole bunch of truly disgusting stuff. Jennifer's Body also boasts some of the coolest end credits ever, and the soundtrack is solid. Even the in-story song "Through the Trees" by evil indie band Low Shoulder gets caught in my head for days after each viewing.
I think Jennifer's Body would have had a better shot had it been rated PG-13. But Kusama and Cody went balls-out and stuck to an R rating—shouldn't we reward them for that? As an audience, we rail at movie studio execs for pumping out endless horror sequels and remakes or hack romantic comedies. How can we blame them when they financed a completely original, unusual, franchise-free horror movie written and directed by two women, and that movie made $6.8 million opening weekend? How can we ask anyone to bankroll risky projects if we're not going to celebrate those decisions by representing at the box office?
I would never argue that Jennifer's Body is a perfect film. My argument is that because this movie was written by, directed by and starring women, critics and fans immediately raised the bar impossibly high. If this exact movie had Ti West or Neil Marshall's name attached to it, everyone would see it for what it is: unique, ballsy and an absolute blast. If you've never seen Jennifer's Body, or if you watched it but dismissed it after the first ten minutes, examine yourself. Is there any knee-jerk misogyny behind your motivations? If so, shake that shit off and rent this movie. VOD it. Buy it. But there's something even more important that you can do. I'd love for Jennifer's Body to become a cult classic, but it's too late for the performance of that movie to sway the financiers in Hollywood. So the next time something new, something surprising, something risky makes its way to theaters, ask yourself what kind of message you want to send to the guys in charge.
Queer Underworld: JENNIFER'S BODY (2009)
DESTROYER Director Karyn Kusama Talks Nicole Kidman's Transformative Turn And "Sunshine Noir"
Nicole Kidman Is On Fire In The First Trailer For DESTROYER
Meredith Borders Editorial Director
Meredith is the Editorial Director of BIRTH.MOVIES.DEATH. and the Alamo Drafthouse, and the Social Media Director for Fantastic Fest. She loves SMALLVILLE, and she's through apologizing for it.
By Leigh Monson, Oct 11, 2019
Let's talk about childhood crushes.
By Michael Gingold, Dec 27, 2018
The performance and the visuals are harsh and compelling in her new crime thriller.
By Scott Wampler, Oct 17, 2018
Karyn Kusama's latest looks relentless. We can't wait.


Displaying items by tag: ABP Port of Hull
An Irishman from Belfast Leads 'All Ships Great and Small' Out of Yorkshire Port
#Ports&Shipping - A former Belfast Port based tug, Irishman is currently to be found busy working in the East Yorkshire port of Hull on the Humber Estuary that flows into the North Sea, writes Jehan Ashmore.
Irishman, a 40 ton bollard pull tug had served in the original fleetline up stationed in Belfast Harbour, when Yorkshire based company SMS Towage located in Hessle, upriver of Hull, entered the towage market on the River Lagan from 2013. The 50 bollard pull tug Masterman, which started work in the city also that year was joined by sister Merchantman in 2015.
Merchantman in recent weeks assisted in the neighbouring Port of Larne. This involved handling the longest ever ship to the port, tanker CPO Germany which called to the ferryport (P&O services to Cairnryan) for scheduled maintenance.
In addition to Northern Ireland, SMS Towage which has an all (ASD) Azimuth Stern Drive designed fleet totalling 16 tugs, has operations spread throughout the UK, at ports on the Bristol Channel, Portsmouth in Hampshire and asides Hull, the towage firm has fleets elsewhere on the Humber estuary. These operations are at the Ports of Goole, Grimsby and Immingham (see major investment plans at the UK's Biggest Port). The port trio is operated by Associated British Ports (ABP).
Afloat recalls the first occasion of setting sight on Irishman, when in the summer boarding Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) veteran Marco Polo berthed in Hull's King George V Dock. The 24m Irishman had berthed ahead of the sweeping gracefull classic hull lines of former Soviet liner Aleksandr Pushkin launched in 1965 in the then Eastern Bloc state of East Germany.
These liner voyages ran between Leningrad, Russia and Montreal and Quebec in Canada, and also en-route calls via Tilbury, London, coincidently CMV's main UK homeport. (See further below, current cruise to Canada).
When Marco Polo eased of the berth in Hull's King George V Dock (used by P&O Ferries services to Belgium and Netherlands), the Irishman assisted at the bow of the 20,080 gross tonnage cruiseship. Also in the North Sea port was the aptly named Yorkshireman that handled operations at the ship's 'cruiser' stern. It is from here overlooking the stern that cruise-goers thronged the outside tiered decks to lap up the summer's notably prolonged heatwave and experience transitting the dock's lock.
Powered by twin Niigata engines at 3,000 bhp, Irishman lead Marco Polo through the dock's entrance. When Marco Polo eventually vacated the dock into the open waters of the Humber Estuary, mooring lines were handled by the cruiseship crew and those of the tugs in advance to the start of a one-night coastal mini cruise to Harwich, Essex.
As previously reported on Afloat, Marco Polo is also pictured in same Hull dock during another cruise accompanied by SMS new Superman which boasts a 72 ton bollard pull capability. The newcomer joins fleetmates, among them Englishman, Welshman and Scotsman.
Marco Polo as previously reported operates cruises to Ireland based from Hull, in addition the port has attracted other operators. This week on Thursday at Tilbury, is from where the cruiseship departed the Thames Estuary on a trans-Atlantic cruise. The first leg involved an overnight passage to Ireland, where the 880 adults-only cruiseship made an arrival yesterday to the scenic surroundings off Glengariff. The Bahamas flagged took anchorage in Bantry Bay.
The cruisecall to the west Cork destination, is where Bantry Bay Port Company is responsible for such ships visiting (but otherwise tanker traffic dominates). A further two cruise callers are scheduled this month marking the end of this year's season.
Today, Marco Polo continues heading further into the Altantic Ocean and bound for St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, where the aforementioned former liner spent a career in the early years. The cruiseship is due to make landfall on 12 September followed by calls including Montreal and Québec City.
Published in Ports & Shipping
Tug: Irishman
SMS Towage
ABP Port of Hull
More Business for UK Port of Hull As New Users Served by Irish Built Ship-to-Shore Cranes
#Ports&Shipping - Earlier this year, Afloat highlighted the arrival of Irish built ship-to-shore container cranes worth £10.5 million to the UK North Sea Port of Hull where further business has since taken root, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The growing trade of containers is thanks to the new infrastructure which will double the capacity of the Hull Container Terminal (HCT) to around 400,000 containers annually. The 10-acre facility located on the Humber Estuary, operated by Associated British Ports (ABP) is the third largest short-sea container port on the UK's east coast.
The addition of the new pair of 600 tonne cranes constructed by Liebherr outside Killarney, brings to four container cranes in total located at HCT. The Irish built cranes service ships of up to 500 standard containers, had arrived fully assembled to Hull in April having been transported as deck cargo on board heavy-lift ship HHL Lagos from Cork Dockyard in Rusbrooke.
Port of Hull now handles seven additional vessels per week to include the most recent new operator, I-Motion that began a trading link in the Port of Ghent, Belgium. This development marks the first ever container service linking the Ghent port area and the UK. Of the two ships serving the route, Marus, Afloat adds was the one-time Bell Atlas of the former Bell Lines, which had major operations based out of Waterford City followed downriver at Belview Container Terminal.
The Belgium based operator, I-Motion's arrival on the Humber follows as previously reported the debut in March of Samskip's operations between Hull and Amsterdam in neighbouring Netherlands.
The upgraded facility at HCT comes equipped with four ship-to shore-cranes that operate container handling operations alongside three berths capable of berthing vessels up to 199m in length.
As for the Irish built cranes they form part of a £15 million investment by ABP Port of Hull which also includes the purchase of terminal reach stackers and tug trailers.
In addition the port has created 9,000 square metres of new storage for customers.
Irish built cranes
ABP Port of Hull's Irish Built Mega Cranes Open for Business
#Ports&Shipping - UK ports operator, Associated British Ports (ABP) celebrated a milestone as the Port of Hull's two £10.5 million cranes built in Ireland, served their first container shipment.
The fully assembled 600 tonne cranes arrived on the Humber estuary last month from Cork Dockyard in Rusbrooke. The cranes constructed by Liebherr had been loaded on board heavy lift vessel HHL Lagos.
First to use the new 50m high ship-to-shore gantry cranes in Hull was Thea II, Afloat adds the containership's coincidental connection with Cork, from where last year BG Freight Lines launched a new service linking Liverpool.
The cranes are equipped to handle ships with more than 500 standard containers. The 360 TEU capacity Thea II had arrived last Friday from Amsterdam, to discharge and load 180 containers.
The newly-expanded terminal that can now handle double the capacity - some 400,000 containers per year - is going from strength-to-strength as it has recently secured three new weekly sailings from Amsterdam to Hull with Samskip.
"After taking around a year to construct and even longer to plan, seeing these colossal cranes up and running ahead of schedule is a highly-anticipated moment," said ABP Humber Director Simon Bird.
"These huge pieces of kit will be part of Hull's skyline for at least 20 years serving around 10,000 vessels in their lifetime. We have driven in major investments such as new equipment, increasing the footprint of the terminal and employing more operational staff to prepare for our next wave of growth in the container business."
The Humber container ports - Immingham and Hull - has seen 28% growth compared to last year. ABP state they are committed to investing £50 million in its container terminals on the Humber - located in Immingham and Hull - in response to continued growth in demand.


Home » National Farmers Union
Posts Tagged: National Farmers Union
Women in ag praise election of NFU's first female president
The appointment of the first female president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) has been welcomed by some of Ireland's leading advocates for…
Cost of rural crime rises 13% in Northern Ireland
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British farmers warn of 'dangerous' disappearance of EU labour
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British meat exports to the EU could face tariffs of 26% post-Brexit
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British farms 'critically short' of seasonal fruit and veg labour supply
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Controversial Gove gets top agri job in UK cabinet change
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English farmers downbeat on Brexit 'despite voting leave'
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Will a 'British-only' button for online UK food shoppers freeze out Irish beef?
The Daily Express has reported that UK Environment Minister, George Eustice and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) have discussed labelling options for buying…
UK moves a step closer to accessing 'lucrative' US beef and lamb market
The UK has moved a step closer to exporting beef and lamb to the US following talks between the two nations this week,…


Hope of revival for Egypt's metal bands
For Egyptian metal musicians the January 25 Revolution and dismantling of the State Security, is a ray of hope to revive the marginalized metal scene in Egypt
Wael Ossama, Thursday 14 Jul 2011
A darkly dressed, long haired guitarist rips violent blasts from his blazing instrument as hundreds of manic fans rollick in the mosh pit. Their fists shoot up with index and pinky fingers splayed in the international symbol to rock on, head-banging as fast double-bass drums seem to shake the smoky air.
This was the scene at Metal Blast, the first metal concert to be held in Egypt after the revolution (March 2011 at in El Sawy Culturewheel).
A brief look at that ecstatic crowd, bustling with energy, roiling with joy, the undeniable roar of freedom; even the most modest spectator would want to join in the glad smashing of that pit.
A few years ago, an event like this one was unlikely to be seen in the public.
The Egyptian metal scene, once cornered by the now-dismantled State Security Investigations Service is back and thriving with numerous ongoing gigs and concerts featuring dozens of Egyptian bands.
In the early 1990s, the Egyptian publications Rose al-Yousefpublished a study on the youth interests that placed exaggerated emphasis on groups of youth, dressed in black and sporting piercings, who were interested in metal music. The research identified these young people as satanic followers who, as the story grew, began getting arrested by State Security, accused of being part of a growing "satanic trend." The incident would stigmatize the Egyptian metal scene for years.
Metal fans argue the moral panic was part of State Security's strategy of public distraction. At the time it gained huge media attention and raised the concerns of a largely conservative Egyptian society.
The bad press caused a sudden collapse of Cairo's growing metal scene at the time, with many bands and fans permanently losing interest in remaining part of a music scene that carried with it serious stigmas and legal consequences.
The infamous satanic worship cases could have escalated to prosecution on the basis of blasphemy laws that outlaw the ridicule of religions.
After a few years of hiatus, the Egyptian metal scene slowly and cautiously resurfaced in mostly remote areas around Cairo and on Nile boats away from the scrutiny of the public and State Security.
The organisers of these events relied on word of mouth advertising within a constricted circle of metal fans and the Egyptian metal scene regained a following both from a new generation who had never experienced the crackdown in the 1990s as well as persistent and defiant metal fans from that years before.
However, it wasn't until El Sawy Culturewheel (Zamalek) had encouraged rock and metal bands to perform in the mid 2000s that the Egyptian metal scene acquired a sense of a much needed legitimacy and protection that further encouraged bands and fans to become part of it.
As a result of this significant push, two international bands performed in 2007 in front hundreds of metal fans.
Also in 2007, Wyvern, one of the leading metal groups in Egypt, also performed in the heart of Cairo along other metal bands in the SOS music festival in front of thousands of music fans which attracted significant media coverage.
This freedom and success to break away from the fears of the glooming fate of state control, however, was cut short when once again in 2008 several gigs were shut down and their organisers were detained by State Security.
While metal bands continued to perform at El Sawy Culturewheel, few have taken the initiative to organize or perform outside the safety of the cultural centre.
New era for Metal Music in Egypt
After the revolution and its success in dismantling state security, the Egyptian metal scene is growing within El Sawy Culturewheel as well as outside it.
In March this year the first volume of Metal Blast attracted almost 1,000 fans in El Sawy Culturewheel. A month later, the same venue in collaboration with Metal Blast organisers held the first Metal festival, which lasted for three days and was covered by the government owned Egypt satellite channel.
Karim El Sharkawy, organiser of Metal Blast, felt rejuvenated by the success of these events is considering once again organising open air festivals outside the Wheel.
"State Security has continuously intimidated venue owners and forced them to cancel our contracts, some of them refused to even refund our deposits. We are now hoping that State Security is dismantled we can expand our activity to venues outside El Sakkiah," says Sharkawy.
Sharkawy is encouraged by the recent success of the second installment of "Heavy Tunes," the first open air metal festival to be held this year.
"We hope that sponsors would feel more secure about their investment and become interested in the potentials of the metal scene," Sharkawy elaborated.
Ali Mostafa of Rock Nation, another event label, while optimistic about the future is concerned about problems plaguing the metal scene other than state security.
"There are still three main problems with the Egyptian metal scene that we must face. Firstly, the attitude and behaviour of some fans of the genre that emphasize the stigma that has accompanied us for years. Secondly, the conflicts between the organisers themselves and, finally, the weak financial gains of the gigs despite their potential."
"I am also concerned that sponsors would be reluctant to invest or support these kinds of gigs amidst the instability that the country is currently experiencing," Mostafa added.
Metal veteran Ahmed Ekramy, owner of Music Gates label has a more critical view of the current situation of the metal scene.
"The regime has fallen, but the mindset is still the same," says Ekramy.
"The difference between metal musicians and any other musician is the color of their shirts. However, investors and sponsors still hold the same negative view of the genre and don't want to be involved with it just yet."
Ekramy who booked the British death metal band Napalm Death for a show in September is hopeful that this will be "the first actual step to support tourism in Egypt by the metal scene."
He believes that the general sentiment against metal is groundless.
"In metal concerts, the law is largely maintained and respected compared to other events such as trance concerts that are based on selling alcohol sometimes to minors."
Ahmed Abdul Moneim, guitarist of metal core band Destiny in Chains, is frustrated by the persistence of the media and the public to view metal musicians negatively. "I am a Muslim. I know the five pillars of Islam. I pray and I fast just like anybody else.
"We don't attack religions in our songs and the topics of our songs are mainly primal human emotions," Moneim explains.
Metal musicians in Egypt take pride in their musical taste, saying they enjoy being set apart from the mainstream.
"Egyptian pop music only deals with one topic: romance. We on the other hand deal with social, individual and political issues but it seems that it's not what most people want," Muhammed Hisham, drummer of local band Egypticus, complains.
Despite the difficulties and the challenges that face them, metal fans in Egypt say they feel that the revolution has granted them a space of freedom that never existed before. While many are cautiously optimistic, some are still worried about a restoration of dangers from the past.
Nevertheless, the scene is trying to recreate and represent itself as a legitimate subculture that has the right to exist within Egypt's diverse culture.
On Sunday, 17 July, El Sawy Culturweheel will hold a metal music night, featuring two metal bands performing original music: Enraged and Simplexity
El Sawy Culturewheel, Zamalek, 17 July at 8pm
El Sawy Culturewheel
Metal Blast
State Security
Enraged
Simplexity
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