from WEATHER service (www.weather.com/):
HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 p.m. EDT THIS EVENING...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
* TIMING... LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING.
* WINDS... NORTHWEST 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 55 TO 60 MPH.
IMPACTS...
* DRIVING WILL LIKELY BE VERY DIFFICULT AT TIMES... ESPECIALLY FOR HIGHER PROFILE VEHICLES.
* SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED TREE BRANCHES MAY BE BROUGHT DOWN.
* POWER OUTAGES WILL BE POSSIBLE.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Human Trafficking in the U.S.A.? What about Hampton Beach, NH? -- news report
from BOSTON dot-com online media:
HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) — Police investigating prostitution in the Hampton Beach area have arrested two men on charges of human trafficking.
Police have accused 34-year-old Edmund Mitchell and 27-year-old Reno Demesmin of bringing multiple young adult women into Hampton, working as prostitutes. The two allegedly controlled their actions through intimidation and drug use.
It was not immediately known if Mitchell or Demesmin had a lawyer.
They said the two also operated in several different motels in Hooksett and Manchester.
Where in 2014 Germany is Oct. 31 a holiday commemorating the Reformation?
from TIME AND DATE dot-com:
Many members of the Lutheran and some Reformed Churches attend special church services to mark the anniversary of Martin Luther's proclamation. Other people have a day off work to spend time with family or friends.
Many people use the day to shop or visit attractions in countries, such as Austria, Poland or Switzerland, as these countries are close to the German states. They also celebrate Reformation Day as a public holiday.
Stores in some tourist areas may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. Public transport schedules vary depending on where one lives or wants to travel. This event is not a public holiday in the rest of Germany.
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/germany/reformation-day
Many members of the Lutheran and some Reformed Churches attend special church services to mark the anniversary of Martin Luther's proclamation. Other people have a day off work to spend time with family or friends.
Many people use the day to shop or visit attractions in countries, such as Austria, Poland or Switzerland, as these countries are close to the German states. They also celebrate Reformation Day as a public holiday.
Public life
Reformation Day is a public holiday in a number of German states including: Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. In these states, post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed.Stores in some tourist areas may be open and stores at railway stations, airports and along highways are usually open. Public transport schedules vary depending on where one lives or wants to travel. This event is not a public holiday in the rest of Germany.
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/germany/reformation-day
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- we'll leave the "light on" for Halloween visitors / kids in costumes
from ABCNEWS dot-go-dot-com: HALLOWEEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE: Pint-sized goblins, super-heroes and princesses will take over 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue tonight (OCT. 31, 2014), as the president and first lady host their annual Halloween celebration, ABC’s MARY BRUCE notes. Local kids and children of military families will show off their spooky costumes as they parade up the south driveway of the decorated White House. The tiny trick-or-treaters will be rewarded with candy and, of course, some first lady-approved healthy snacks.
Who is "Rinkitink"?
A title character in one of L. Frank Baum's OZ series books for children: -- from Quotes online page:
“Never question the truth of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders.”
― L. Frank Baum, Rinkitink in Oz
“Never question the truth of what you fail to understand, for the world is filled with wonders.”
― L. Frank Baum, Rinkitink in Oz
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Born on Oct. 28, 1914: Dr. Jonas Salk (commemoration tribute at Salk Institute web homepage)
When Dr. Jonas Salk envisioned the idea of the Salk Institute for Biological
Studies, it was with the idea of creating a vibrant, intellectual community,
dedicated to pursuing the kinds of scientific achievements that had made him an
international figure only five years before.
Salk came to La Jolla following a career in clinical medicine and virology research. After obtaining his M.D. degree at the New York University School of Medicine in 1939, he was a staff physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
He then joined his mentor, Dr. Thomas Francis, as a research fellow at the University of Michigan. There, he worked to develop an influenza vaccine at the behest of the U.S. Army. In 1947, he was appointed director of the Virus Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
It was in Pittsburgh that Salk began to put together the techniques that would lead to his polio vaccine. He was already struck by the principle of vaccination: that if the body is artificially exposed to a harmless form of a disease virus, the body will produce antibodies that resist or kill the dangerous form of the virus if later exposed. In contrast to the Pasteurian dogma of the times, Salk believed that protective immunity could be induced without infection by a living virus such as those used in the vaccines against smallpox and rabies. In developing the influenza vaccine, he had observed that protection could be established using noninfectious, inactivated (killed) viruses.
Salk's research caught the attention of Basil O'Connor, president of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (now known as the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation). The organization decided to fund Salk's efforts to develop a killed virus vaccine against the most frightening scourge of the time: paralytic poliomyelitis.
Using formaldehyde, Salk killed the poliovirus, but kept it intact enough to trigger the necessary immune response. His work was enabled by a key achievement made by Harvard researcher John Enders. Enders and his team had figured out how to grow poliovirus in test tubes. This step was necessary to obtain the quantities of pure virus needed to develop and manufacture a vaccine.
The resulting injectable vaccine was tested first in monkeys and then in patients at the D.T. Watson Home for Crippled Children (now The Watson Institute), who already had polio.
Next, vaccine was given to volunteers who had not had polio, including Salk, his laboratory staff, his wife and their children. The volunteers developed anti-polio antibodies and none had bad reactions to the vaccine. Finally, in 1954, national testing began on one million children, ages six to nine, who became known as the Polio Pioneers: half received the vaccine, and half received a placebo. One-third of the children, who lived in areas where vaccine was not available, were observed to evaluate the background level of polio in this age group. On April 12, 1955, the results were announced: the vaccine was safe and effective. In the two years before vaccine was widely available, the average number of polio cases in the U.S. was more than 45,000. By 1962, that number had dropped to 910. Salk never patented the vaccine, nor did he earn any money from his discovery, preferring to see it distributed as widely as possible.
Given the fear and anxiety that polio caused during the first half of the century, the vaccine's success in 1955 made Salk an international hero, and he spent the late 1950s refining the vaccine and establishing the scientific principles behind it. By 1960, however, Salk was ready to move on. Salk's dream was to create an independent research center where a community of scholars interested in different aspects of biology – the study of life – could come together to follow their curiosity.
For more than a year, Salk toured the country in search of the right location for his research center. For San Diego mayor Charles Dail, a polio survivor, bringing the Salk Institute to San Diego was a personal quest. Dail showed Salk 27 acres on a mesa in La Jolla, just west of the proposed site for the new University of California campus then planned for San Diego. In June 1960, in a special referendum, the citizens of San Diego voted overwhelmingly to give the land for Salk's dream. With initial financial support from the National Foundation/March of Dimes, Salk and Kahn were able to proceed. To bring his concept of free-flowing labs and quiet studies to life, Salk recruited architect Louis Kahn. The resulting collaboration is a series of elegant concrete structures that overlook the Pacific Ocean.
Under Salk's direction, the Institute began research activities in 1963 and gradually expanded its faculty and the areas of their research interests. Salk's personal research activities included multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases, cancer immunology, improved manufacture and standardization of killed poliovirus vaccine, and the development of an AIDS vaccine. He published several philosophical books and advocated cooperative rather than confrontational approaches to addressing human needs.
Completed in 1967, the original Institute buildings were declared an historic landmark in 1991. During Salk's tenure as Founding Director, a major building addition consistent with his and Louis Kahn's original architectural vision was designed and constructed. The Institute now has 61 faculty members and a scientific of staff of more than 850, with labs that house research on everything from cancer, diabetes and birth defects to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, AIDS and plant biology.
The Salk Institute truly reflects the broad, humanistic interests of its namesake.
Salk died at age 80 on June 23, 1995. A memorial at the Institute with a statement from Salk captures his vision: "Hope lies in dreams, in imagination and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality." http://www.salk.edu/about/jonas_salk.html
Salk came to La Jolla following a career in clinical medicine and virology research. After obtaining his M.D. degree at the New York University School of Medicine in 1939, he was a staff physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
He then joined his mentor, Dr. Thomas Francis, as a research fellow at the University of Michigan. There, he worked to develop an influenza vaccine at the behest of the U.S. Army. In 1947, he was appointed director of the Virus Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
It was in Pittsburgh that Salk began to put together the techniques that would lead to his polio vaccine. He was already struck by the principle of vaccination: that if the body is artificially exposed to a harmless form of a disease virus, the body will produce antibodies that resist or kill the dangerous form of the virus if later exposed. In contrast to the Pasteurian dogma of the times, Salk believed that protective immunity could be induced without infection by a living virus such as those used in the vaccines against smallpox and rabies. In developing the influenza vaccine, he had observed that protection could be established using noninfectious, inactivated (killed) viruses.
Salk's research caught the attention of Basil O'Connor, president of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (now known as the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation). The organization decided to fund Salk's efforts to develop a killed virus vaccine against the most frightening scourge of the time: paralytic poliomyelitis.
Using formaldehyde, Salk killed the poliovirus, but kept it intact enough to trigger the necessary immune response. His work was enabled by a key achievement made by Harvard researcher John Enders. Enders and his team had figured out how to grow poliovirus in test tubes. This step was necessary to obtain the quantities of pure virus needed to develop and manufacture a vaccine.
The resulting injectable vaccine was tested first in monkeys and then in patients at the D.T. Watson Home for Crippled Children (now The Watson Institute), who already had polio.
Next, vaccine was given to volunteers who had not had polio, including Salk, his laboratory staff, his wife and their children. The volunteers developed anti-polio antibodies and none had bad reactions to the vaccine. Finally, in 1954, national testing began on one million children, ages six to nine, who became known as the Polio Pioneers: half received the vaccine, and half received a placebo. One-third of the children, who lived in areas where vaccine was not available, were observed to evaluate the background level of polio in this age group. On April 12, 1955, the results were announced: the vaccine was safe and effective. In the two years before vaccine was widely available, the average number of polio cases in the U.S. was more than 45,000. By 1962, that number had dropped to 910. Salk never patented the vaccine, nor did he earn any money from his discovery, preferring to see it distributed as widely as possible.
Given the fear and anxiety that polio caused during the first half of the century, the vaccine's success in 1955 made Salk an international hero, and he spent the late 1950s refining the vaccine and establishing the scientific principles behind it. By 1960, however, Salk was ready to move on. Salk's dream was to create an independent research center where a community of scholars interested in different aspects of biology – the study of life – could come together to follow their curiosity.
For more than a year, Salk toured the country in search of the right location for his research center. For San Diego mayor Charles Dail, a polio survivor, bringing the Salk Institute to San Diego was a personal quest. Dail showed Salk 27 acres on a mesa in La Jolla, just west of the proposed site for the new University of California campus then planned for San Diego. In June 1960, in a special referendum, the citizens of San Diego voted overwhelmingly to give the land for Salk's dream. With initial financial support from the National Foundation/March of Dimes, Salk and Kahn were able to proceed. To bring his concept of free-flowing labs and quiet studies to life, Salk recruited architect Louis Kahn. The resulting collaboration is a series of elegant concrete structures that overlook the Pacific Ocean.
Under Salk's direction, the Institute began research activities in 1963 and gradually expanded its faculty and the areas of their research interests. Salk's personal research activities included multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases, cancer immunology, improved manufacture and standardization of killed poliovirus vaccine, and the development of an AIDS vaccine. He published several philosophical books and advocated cooperative rather than confrontational approaches to addressing human needs.
Completed in 1967, the original Institute buildings were declared an historic landmark in 1991. During Salk's tenure as Founding Director, a major building addition consistent with his and Louis Kahn's original architectural vision was designed and constructed. The Institute now has 61 faculty members and a scientific of staff of more than 850, with labs that house research on everything from cancer, diabetes and birth defects to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, AIDS and plant biology.
The Salk Institute truly reflects the broad, humanistic interests of its namesake.
Salk died at age 80 on June 23, 1995. A memorial at the Institute with a statement from Salk captures his vision: "Hope lies in dreams, in imagination and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality." http://www.salk.edu/about/jonas_salk.html
Monday, October 27, 2014
60_MINUTES (CBS News magazine, Oct. 26, 2014) -- highly rated episode on Dallas, TX Hospital coping with Ebola Patient Duncan
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/10/nurses-union-takes-issue-with-minutes-ebola-segment-197694.html?hp=l5
Two nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian were infected with Ebola during Duncan's treatment (one was declared Ebola-free on Saturday, the other is being treated at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta). In the 60 Minutes segment, one nurse attributed the contagion to the fact that the hospital and the CDC were "on a learning curve" in dealing with the disease: "It's unfortunate that colleagues had to get sick, but it was a learning curve."
As Idelson sees it, Texas Health Presbyterian could have been better prepared.
"The hospital was not adhering to proper safety protocols, which means having the optimal level of personal safety equipment and optimal training programs for the people who are most likely to be infected, which is the people treating the paitent," he said. "Somehow, this hospital managed to have two people who were infected. There has to be some accountability by these hospitals."
The Ebola segment was, however, a major boon to CBS' ratings. Sunday's edition of 60 Minutes drew a whopping 13.46 million viewers in the 8 p.m. hour, more than the total audience for the usually dominant NBC "Sunday Night Football."
Two nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian were infected with Ebola during Duncan's treatment (one was declared Ebola-free on Saturday, the other is being treated at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta). In the 60 Minutes segment, one nurse attributed the contagion to the fact that the hospital and the CDC were "on a learning curve" in dealing with the disease: "It's unfortunate that colleagues had to get sick, but it was a learning curve."
As Idelson sees it, Texas Health Presbyterian could have been better prepared.
"The hospital was not adhering to proper safety protocols, which means having the optimal level of personal safety equipment and optimal training programs for the people who are most likely to be infected, which is the people treating the paitent," he said. "Somehow, this hospital managed to have two people who were infected. There has to be some accountability by these hospitals."
The Ebola segment was, however, a major boon to CBS' ratings. Sunday's edition of 60 Minutes drew a whopping 13.46 million viewers in the 8 p.m. hour, more than the total audience for the usually dominant NBC "Sunday Night Football."
Mix it up at Lunch (Tuesday Oct. 28, 2014) - Tolerance dot-org event on annual basis
Just what is Mix It Up at Lunch Day?
A national campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance over a decade ago, Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to identify, question and cross social boundaries.In our surveys, students have identified the cafeteria as the place where divisions are most clearly drawn. So on one day—October 28 this school year—we ask students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch. It’s a simple act with profound implications. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misperceptions can fall away.
www.tolerance.org/
Sunday, October 26, 2014
St. Nicholas Orthodox Shrine at "Ground Zero" New York, NY
www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics : (October 2014) -- Show segment discusses the dedication of the site for a rebuilding effort (2014 - 2016) ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed 9/11/2001.
Oct. 26, 1994 -- Peace treaty signed between Jordan and Israel
from NYTIMES dot-com (On this Day in History):
ON THIS DAY
On
Oct. 26, 1994, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel and Prime Minister Abdel
Salam Majali of Jordan signed a peace treaty in a ceremony attended by President
Clinton.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
United Nations Day (October 24) -- 2014 Proclamation
from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov Press Office (Oct. 2014):
In 1945, in the shadow of a world war and the face of an uncertain future, 51 founding nations joined in common purpose to establish the United Nations and codify its mission to maintain international peace and security, encourage global cooperation, and promote universal respect for human rights. Nearly seven decades later, we once again find ourselves at a pivotal moment in history -- a crossroads between conflict and peace, disorder and integration, hatred and dignity -- dealing with new challenges that require a united response. As we confront these global problems in an increasingly interconnected world, the United Nations remains as necessary and vital as ever. On United Nations Day, we recognize the important role the United Nations continues to play in the international system, and we reaffirm our country's commitment to work with all nations to build a world that is more just, more peaceful, and more free.
The United Nations fosters international cooperation and enables progress on the world's most immediate threats and critical long-term challenges. From addressing climate change and eradicating poverty to preventing armed conflict and halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the work of the United Nations supports our shared pursuit of a better world. In this spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect, the international community must continue to find common ground in the face of threats to the prosperity and security of all our nations.
Across the globe, United Nations personnel put their lives on the line to give meaning and action to the simple truths enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Today, U.N. humanitarian staff are providing lifesaving relief to those trapped by conflict; U.N. peacekeepers are protecting civilians against threats from extremists and other violent groups; and U.N. health workers are helping to bring Ebola under control in West Africa and deliver critical medicines to people around the world. Their dedication, hard work, and sacrifice reflect the promise of the United Nations and the best of the human spirit.
On this day, let us resolve to strengthen and renew the United Nations. Let us choose hope over fear, collaboration over division, and humanity over brutality, as we work together to build a tomorrow marked by progress rather than suffering.
Our diplomacy can build the foundation for peace and our cooperation can be the catalyst for growth. By harnessing the power of the United Nations, we can build a more peaceful and more prosperous future for all our children and grandchildren.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 24, 2014, as United Nations Day.
In 1945, in the shadow of a world war and the face of an uncertain future, 51 founding nations joined in common purpose to establish the United Nations and codify its mission to maintain international peace and security, encourage global cooperation, and promote universal respect for human rights. Nearly seven decades later, we once again find ourselves at a pivotal moment in history -- a crossroads between conflict and peace, disorder and integration, hatred and dignity -- dealing with new challenges that require a united response. As we confront these global problems in an increasingly interconnected world, the United Nations remains as necessary and vital as ever. On United Nations Day, we recognize the important role the United Nations continues to play in the international system, and we reaffirm our country's commitment to work with all nations to build a world that is more just, more peaceful, and more free.
The United Nations fosters international cooperation and enables progress on the world's most immediate threats and critical long-term challenges. From addressing climate change and eradicating poverty to preventing armed conflict and halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the work of the United Nations supports our shared pursuit of a better world. In this spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect, the international community must continue to find common ground in the face of threats to the prosperity and security of all our nations.
Across the globe, United Nations personnel put their lives on the line to give meaning and action to the simple truths enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Today, U.N. humanitarian staff are providing lifesaving relief to those trapped by conflict; U.N. peacekeepers are protecting civilians against threats from extremists and other violent groups; and U.N. health workers are helping to bring Ebola under control in West Africa and deliver critical medicines to people around the world. Their dedication, hard work, and sacrifice reflect the promise of the United Nations and the best of the human spirit.
On this day, let us resolve to strengthen and renew the United Nations. Let us choose hope over fear, collaboration over division, and humanity over brutality, as we work together to build a tomorrow marked by progress rather than suffering.
Our diplomacy can build the foundation for peace and our cooperation can be the catalyst for growth. By harnessing the power of the United Nations, we can build a more peaceful and more prosperous future for all our children and grandchildren.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 24, 2014, as United Nations Day.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Lincoln and the Power of the Press -- Lecture at Springfield, IL Museum and Union Theater Stage
Event promoted and announced at Abraham Lincoln Online dot-org:
Harold Holzer, Lincoln and the Power of the Press
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2014 Time: 6:00 p.m. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum–Union Theater 212 North Sixth Street Springfield, IL 62701 Phone: (217) 558-8934 |
Description
Harold Holzer, one of America’s most popular and prolific Lincoln historians, discusses his brand-new book Abraham Lincoln and the Power of the Press. This book explores both the role of the press in the Civil War era and Lincoln’s relationship with it.
Museum opens at 6:00pm (Journeys and Treasures Gallery will be open). Book signing at 6:00 p.m. and discussion begins at 6:30 p.m.
Museum opens at 6:00pm (Journeys and Treasures Gallery will be open). Book signing at 6:00 p.m. and discussion begins at 6:30 p.m.
ON Death Penalty -- lecture at NYU School of Law -- Nov. 5, 2014
The Derrick Bell Lecture on Race in American Soceity
Please join us for the 19th annual Derrick Bell Lecture on Race in American Society on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 6 PM at NYU School of Law in the Greenberg Lounge of Vanderbilt Hall located at 40 Washington Square South, NY, NY 10012. Professor Stephen B. Bright of Yale Law School and President of the Southern Center for Human Rights will present his lecture titled, “Death Penalty: Still About Race and Poverty.” A reception will immediately follow the lecture.
http://professorderrickbell.com/
Please join us for the 19th annual Derrick Bell Lecture on Race in American Society on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 6 PM at NYU School of Law in the Greenberg Lounge of Vanderbilt Hall located at 40 Washington Square South, NY, NY 10012. Professor Stephen B. Bright of Yale Law School and President of the Southern Center for Human Rights will present his lecture titled, “Death Penalty: Still About Race and Poverty.” A reception will immediately follow the lecture.
http://professorderrickbell.com/
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
National Character Counts Week (Oct. 17 - 24, 2014) -- Proclamation
from Office of the Press Secretary (www.whitehouse.gov/):
For generations, our Nation's beliefs in mutual respect, shared responsibility, and equality for all have strengthened our bond as a people and guided our path -- uniting us in times of crisis and inspiring us in moments of triumph. During National Character Counts Week, we reaffirm the principles that built America and dedicate ourselves to passing on our highest ideals to our children.
For generations, our Nation's beliefs in mutual respect, shared responsibility, and equality for all have strengthened our bond as a people and guided our path -- uniting us in times of crisis and inspiring us in moments of triumph. During National Character Counts Week, we reaffirm the principles that built America and dedicate ourselves to passing on our highest ideals to our children.
We see the true character of our country in the examples set by the
work and lives of our people. We see it in the educators, mentors, and parents
who teach our kids not only to understand math and history, but also to know and
show compassion and respect. We see it in first responders who put themselves in
harm's way to protect strangers, and in our men and women in uniform who
selflessly serve the land we love and defend the values we cherish. And we see
it in small acts of kindness that define who we are as Americans and help us
recognize our common humanity.
When we give our daughters and sons a foundation of integrity, hard
work, and responsibility, and when we empower them with the courage to choose
these values in the face of cynicism, we prepare them for a lifetime of engaged
citizenship and create stronger communities across America. This week, and all
year long, let us all do our part to ensure the fundamental tenets that have
shaped our Union from its founding continue to sustain us and draw out the best
in each of us.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 19 through October 25,
2014, as National Character Counts Week. I call upon public officials,
educators, parents, students, and all Americans to observe this week with
appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
Night Owl and "Early to Bed" POTUS -- Philosophers' Net article
We know that the contrast between Bush and Obama could not be more stark. But I have just come across a distinction that may trump many of those with which we are already familiar, for example, that Obama has studied history, while Bush has become an object lesson for historians.
As reported in Politico:
Bush famously arrives at the Oval Office by dawn, leaves by 6 p.m. and goes to bed by 10 p.m. Dinners out are as rare as a lunar eclipse.
Obama, by contrast, stays up late. He holds conference calls with senior staff as late as 11 p.m., and often reads and writes past midnight. Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, he spent consecutive nights holed up in a Chicago hotel room, working on his speech until 2 a.m.
Why, you ask, might this be important? Night owls are often viewed with suspicion by day-timers, the morning people, the early risers, etc. Base prejudice. The list of productive night people is long, from Voltaire to Kafka to Winston Churchill. As a matter of fact, it seems that the odds of being creative increases if one is a night owl, at least this is what one recent study demonstrates.
Not a morning person? Take solace — new research suggests that “night owls” are more likely to be creative thinkers.
Scientists can’t yet fully explain why evening types appear to be more creative, but they suggest it could be an adaptation to living outside of the norm.
from Philosophers' Net (online magazine) edited by Jeremy Stangroom -- #PhilosophyExp (Twitter)
As reported in Politico:
Bush famously arrives at the Oval Office by dawn, leaves by 6 p.m. and goes to bed by 10 p.m. Dinners out are as rare as a lunar eclipse.
Obama, by contrast, stays up late. He holds conference calls with senior staff as late as 11 p.m., and often reads and writes past midnight. Ahead of the Democratic National Convention, he spent consecutive nights holed up in a Chicago hotel room, working on his speech until 2 a.m.
Why, you ask, might this be important? Night owls are often viewed with suspicion by day-timers, the morning people, the early risers, etc. Base prejudice. The list of productive night people is long, from Voltaire to Kafka to Winston Churchill. As a matter of fact, it seems that the odds of being creative increases if one is a night owl, at least this is what one recent study demonstrates.
Not a morning person? Take solace — new research suggests that “night owls” are more likely to be creative thinkers.
Scientists can’t yet fully explain why evening types appear to be more creative, but they suggest it could be an adaptation to living outside of the norm.
from Philosophers' Net (online magazine) edited by Jeremy Stangroom -- #PhilosophyExp (Twitter)
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Bread for the World Sunday (http://bread.org/ )
From Web Home Page:
Bread for the World Sunday offers an opportunity to engage your congregation in God's work to end hunger. During a special church service, congregations commit themselves to the fight against hunger and poverty through education, prayer, and worship.
Your celebration of Bread for the World Sunday can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. The important point is to set aside a time for remembering those in our own country and around the world who struggle to get enough to eat. We also invite you to pray for the ministry of Bread for the World at this crucial time.
This is your chance to join thousands of other Christians across the country as we lift up our voices on behalf of hungry people. Bread for the World Sunday will be celebrated on October 19, 2014. . .
Bread for the World Sunday offers an opportunity to engage your congregation in God's work to end hunger. During a special church service, congregations commit themselves to the fight against hunger and poverty through education, prayer, and worship.
Your celebration of Bread for the World Sunday can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. The important point is to set aside a time for remembering those in our own country and around the world who struggle to get enough to eat. We also invite you to pray for the ministry of Bread for the World at this crucial time.
This is your chance to join thousands of other Christians across the country as we lift up our voices on behalf of hungry people. Bread for the World Sunday will be celebrated on October 19, 2014. . .
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Vatican Synod excises conciliatory words from document on Gays & Divorced Catholics
Posted at NPR dot-org: "All Things Considered" (Oct. 18, 2014)
A synod of Catholic bishops gathered at the Vatican has decided to eliminate a landmark opening to gays that had appeared in an interim summary of discussions made public earlier this week that had appeared to signal a possible shift in the tone of the church.
The move to scrap the message about gays, as well as one that would have signaled more acceptance of divorced church members, is seen as a sign of deep division in the ranks of the bishops.
The Associated Press reports:
But by the time of the their final report today, the language on gays and divorced members was gone. . . http://wvpe.org/post/vatican-bishops-scrap-opening-gays-divorced-members
A synod of Catholic bishops gathered at the Vatican has decided to eliminate a landmark opening to gays that had appeared in an interim summary of discussions made public earlier this week that had appeared to signal a possible shift in the tone of the church.
The move to scrap the message about gays, as well as one that would have signaled more acceptance of divorced church members, is seen as a sign of deep division in the ranks of the bishops.
The Associated Press reports:
"The bishops failed to approve even a watered-down section on ministering to gays that stripped away the welcoming tone contained in a draft document earlier in the week.According to the BBC: "The Pope said the full draft document, including the rejected paragraphs, should nonetheless be published.
"Two other paragraphs concerning the other hot-button issue at the synod - whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics can receive communion - also failed to pass."
"Correspondents say the text welcoming gay people and remarried Catholics had been watered down in the final version that was voted on - but it appears that they still met with resistance from conservatives.As The National Catholic Reporter's Vatican correspondent Joshua McElwee told NPR when Tuesday's preliminary summary was released, the bishops had said they wanted "to reach out to modern society and walk with people as they apply church doctrine alongside mercy."
"Speaking after the vote, Pope Francis told attendees he would have been 'worried and saddened' if there had not been 'animated discussions' or if 'everyone had been in agreement or silent in a false and acquiescent peace', AP news agency reported."
But by the time of the their final report today, the language on gays and divorced members was gone. . . http://wvpe.org/post/vatican-bishops-scrap-opening-gays-divorced-members
St. Marcellus (feast day at Notre Dame Basilica, ND dot-edu) - Oct. 30, 2014, 7 - 8 p.m.
Prayer Service for the Feast of St. Marcellus
Where: Basilica of the Sacred Heart
A prayer service celebrating the Feast of St. Marcellus will be held in the Lady Chapel at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart to honor this martyr of peace. Bones of St. Marcellus are kept beneath the main altar in the Basilica to serve as reminders of his life and his sacrifices for Christianity.
Contact:
Campus Ministry
Phone: (574) 631-7800
Campus Ministry
Phone: (574) 631-7800
A "Pi Run" (3.14 Kilometers) and a "Mole K" (6.02 Kilometers)
STEM Run
Where: Hesburgh Library, Notre Dame Campus
Join Chemistry Graduate Student Organization (CGSO), Biology Graduate Student Organization (BGSO), and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Organization (CBEGSO) for the 2014 STEM run (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Two race distances offered: a Pi K (3.14 kilometers) and a Mole K (6.02 kilometers), both starting at the library quad near the stadium. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Saturday October 18, 2014.
Two race distances offered: a Pi K (3.14 kilometers) and a Mole K (6.02 kilometers), both starting at the library quad near the stadium. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Saturday October 18, 2014.
Lecture "Democratic Poland" by former Prime Minister Suchocka -- Nanovic Institute, Univ. of Notre Dame -- Oct. 28, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern
“Democratic Poland: 25 Years After the Fall of Communism”
Tuesday, October 28th, 2014 at 5:30 p.m.
Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business, ND.edu/
The lecture is free and open to the public.
The Nanovic Institute for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame is honored to welcome Hanna Suchocka as the 2014 Nanovic Forum lecturer. Hanna Suchocka became the first female Prime Minister of Poland in 1992 during the presidency of Lech Wałęsa. She subsequently served as the Ambassador of Poland to the Holy See.
Freeze Warning / Frost Advisory for Saturday Oct. 18 - Sunday Oct. 19 Southwest Michigan area towns / cities
NOAA has this alert posted Saturday Oct. 18, 2014 for next 24 hours (Cassopolis, Dowagiac, Three Rivers, MI):
FREEZE WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING (Oct. 19)
HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
* OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER 30S WITH
SOME AREAS POTENTIALLY DROPPING TO AROUND 30 DEGREES.
IMPACTS...
* A WIDESPREAD FROST WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGE OR POTENTIALLY
KILL SENSITIVE OUTDOOR PLANTS
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE.
THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.
FREEZE WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY MORNING (Oct. 19)
HAZARDOUS WEATHER...
* OVERNIGHT LOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER 30S WITH
SOME AREAS POTENTIALLY DROPPING TO AROUND 30 DEGREES.
IMPACTS...
* A WIDESPREAD FROST WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGE OR POTENTIALLY
KILL SENSITIVE OUTDOOR PLANTS
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE.
THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.
Friday, October 17, 2014
81 years ago (Oct. 17, 1933) -- this refugee arrived in America from Nazi Germany
According to CWS Global (Church World Service) dot-org:
Albert Einstein came to the United States fleeing Nazi persecutors. . .#cws_irp
[further background from Capital Century website:
Einstein left Germany for good in December 1932, a month before the Hitler takeover. For most of 1933, he lectured and studied in England and in Belgium. In October, he set sail for America, for what he thought would be a six-month appointment at the Institute.
A delegation of well-wishers were on hand Oct. 17, 1933 to greet the great scientist. Einstein gave them the slip. He debarked south of Manhattan, was whisked to the Jersey Shore by launch, and from there was driven to Princeton University.
http://www.capitalcentury.com/1933.html
Albert Einstein came to the United States fleeing Nazi persecutors. . .#cws_irp
[further background from Capital Century website:
Einstein left Germany for good in December 1932, a month before the Hitler takeover. For most of 1933, he lectured and studied in England and in Belgium. In October, he set sail for America, for what he thought would be a six-month appointment at the Institute.
A delegation of well-wishers were on hand Oct. 17, 1933 to greet the great scientist. Einstein gave them the slip. He debarked south of Manhattan, was whisked to the Jersey Shore by launch, and from there was driven to Princeton University.
http://www.capitalcentury.com/1933.html
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Today (Oct. 16) is "World Food Day" (annual observance)
Read more about it at www.oxfamamerica.org/
On Oct. 16, 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded, built upon "its belief that the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all people can be achieved." Celebrated around the world, World Food Day honors that day and our commitment to defeating hunger.
Many think that hunger is about too many people and too little food. But that’s not true. Our planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child. Instead, hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources. Right now, many farmers in poor countries—the people who grow the food the world relies on—don’t have the power to access the resources they need to thrive.
The UN declared 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming,” citing the important role that these farmers play in ending hunger and poverty. But despite recent gains, the overall trend in the past 30 years has been to reduce the investment in agriculture in the developing world. And family farmers in the US face challenges too. Imagine what headway we could have made in reducing hunger if there had been a steady investment in family farmers. Imagine what these farmers could accomplish if they had access to the resources they need.
The first step to ending hunger is awareness. . .
On Oct. 16, 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded, built upon "its belief that the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all people can be achieved." Celebrated around the world, World Food Day honors that day and our commitment to defeating hunger.
Many think that hunger is about too many people and too little food. But that’s not true. Our planet produces enough food to feed every woman, man, and child. Instead, hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources. Right now, many farmers in poor countries—the people who grow the food the world relies on—don’t have the power to access the resources they need to thrive.
The UN declared 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming,” citing the important role that these farmers play in ending hunger and poverty. But despite recent gains, the overall trend in the past 30 years has been to reduce the investment in agriculture in the developing world. And family farmers in the US face challenges too. Imagine what headway we could have made in reducing hunger if there had been a steady investment in family farmers. Imagine what these farmers could accomplish if they had access to the resources they need.
The first step to ending hunger is awareness. . .
Annual Fall Check-up (Skin Cancer specialist - Dermatologist): Oct. 16 -- South Bend Clinic, South Bend, IN
Report generated by Physician and Staff:
Seborrheic Keratosis: Moderate:
Benign Nevus: Mild:
Hemangloma: Mild;
Hx-Skin Malignancy Nec: Moderate.
October 16, 2014: 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, Dr. Holly Hake-Harris, South Bend Clinic, 211 N. Eddy Street, South Bend, IN 46617 = www.southbendclinic.com/
Seborrheic Keratosis: Moderate:
Benign Nevus: Mild:
Hemangloma: Mild;
Hx-Skin Malignancy Nec: Moderate.
October 16, 2014: 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, Dr. Holly Hake-Harris, South Bend Clinic, 211 N. Eddy Street, South Bend, IN 46617 = www.southbendclinic.com/
October 16 debate cancelled (Michigan District 5 -- U.S. Congress) -- League of Women Voters Urgent Update
The October 16 Upton/Clements Debate (Mendel Center, LMC, Benton Harbor, MI) Cancelled
The League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties regrets that the Clements/Upton candidate forum scheduled for tonight (October 16, 2014) at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time has been cancelled. We apologize for the short notice, but we just heard from the Honorable Mr. Upton's campaign last night that he would not be participating.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Congressional Debate (Michigan District 6): held at Mendel Center, LMC, Benton Harbor, MI - Oct. 16, 2014
On Thursday October 16, 2014, the League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties will host and sponsor for the public a debate from 8:15 p.m. onward at the Main Stage of the Mendel Center of Lake Michigan College. Participating will be incumbent Congressman Fred Upton (R) of St. Joseph, MI and challenger Paul Clements (D) of Kalamazoo, MI. The two won their primaries in August 2014 -- Clements is a Professor at Western Michigan University. The event is free and also includes an early debate-forum for candidates for the Michigan State House and State Senate. In addition to the LWV, eight other organizations are working as co-sponsors for voter education and participation. -- posted October 13, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time Zone.
International Day of Disaster Risk Reducation (October 13 annually)
from UMCOR dot-org (United Methodist Committee on Relief): ________
Rev. Pat Watkins, missionary for the Care of God’s Creation, offers a prayer for mindfulness of all God’s creation. International Disaster Risk Reduction Day is October 13.
God, You are a creator God, the One who brought order out of chaos, who fashioned the earth and stars and galaxies throughout the universe, who formed humanity out of the dust of the earth and breathed into our nostrils Your breath of life. We thank You so much for the gift of life and for the gift of being able to live and flourish on such an amazingly beautiful and complex planet. And we thank You for assigning to us the vocation of tilling and keeping the garden. Forgive us for exploiting Your creation for our own selfish economic desires, for the mistaken belief that the earth belongs to us to do with as we please. Forgive us for forgetting that our vocation is that of caring for all that Your hands have made. Give to us the same vision that You have for Your creation, and give us the courage and determination to see to it that Your vision for creation will become a reality in our world. In the name of Christ, who joins with You in all of creation, we pray. Amen.
Rev. Pat Watkins, missionary for the Care of God’s Creation, offers a prayer for mindfulness of all God’s creation. International Disaster Risk Reduction Day is October 13.
God, You are a creator God, the One who brought order out of chaos, who fashioned the earth and stars and galaxies throughout the universe, who formed humanity out of the dust of the earth and breathed into our nostrils Your breath of life. We thank You so much for the gift of life and for the gift of being able to live and flourish on such an amazingly beautiful and complex planet. And we thank You for assigning to us the vocation of tilling and keeping the garden. Forgive us for exploiting Your creation for our own selfish economic desires, for the mistaken belief that the earth belongs to us to do with as we please. Forgive us for forgetting that our vocation is that of caring for all that Your hands have made. Give to us the same vision that You have for Your creation, and give us the courage and determination to see to it that Your vision for creation will become a reality in our world. In the name of Christ, who joins with You in all of creation, we pray. Amen.
Suicide Terrorism in the Middle East (Oct. 14, 4 p.m.) - Kroc Center for Peace Studies, Notre Dame, IN
from EVENTS -- www.nd.edu/ :
Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Lecture: "Zealotry and Jealousy, Victimhood and Morality: Comments on Suicide Terrorism in the Middle East"
Cost: Free and open to the public
Gideon Aran, Professor of sociology and anthropology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Kroc Institute Visiting Research Fellow, will offer observations on suicide terrorism from an anthropological-sociological point of view, based on extensive field study of Palestinian suicide attacks in Israel during the Intifada.
Aran's research focuses on the social scientific study of religion as well as extremism, militancy and violence. His most recent academic publications focus on Jewish religious violence, religiosity and super-religiosity.
4 p.m. in room C103 in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies.
Aran's research focuses on the social scientific study of religion as well as extremism, militancy and violence. His most recent academic publications focus on Jewish religious violence, religiosity and super-religiosity.
4 p.m. in room C103 in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Hunter's Moon (October 8 and following) - 2014
from Almanac dot-com (Old Farmer's Almanac):
In 2014, the Full Moon falls on October 8—and there is a total lunar eclipse.
The eclipse will be fully visible from Western North America (and Alaska and Hawaii), but observers in Eastern North America will only be able to see part of the eclipse before the Moon sets below the horizon.
Some Native American tribes referred to this Moon as the Full Hunter's Moon, as it was the time to go hunting in preparation for winter. This full Moon is also called the Travel Moon and the Dying Grass Moon.
This is the first Full Moon following the Harvest Moon last month. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long.
In 2014, the Full Moon falls on October 8—and there is a total lunar eclipse.
The eclipse will be fully visible from Western North America (and Alaska and Hawaii), but observers in Eastern North America will only be able to see part of the eclipse before the Moon sets below the horizon.
Some Native American tribes referred to this Moon as the Full Hunter's Moon, as it was the time to go hunting in preparation for winter. This full Moon is also called the Travel Moon and the Dying Grass Moon.
This is the first Full Moon following the Harvest Moon last month. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long.
Gubernatorial Town Hall Forum - Debate (Oct. 12, 2014): Michigan Public TV, Newspapers
Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014 - 5:56 p.m. (Eastern) WKAR-HD | Featuring Republican Governor Rick Snyder and Democratic Congressman Mark Schauer.
The forum will be followed by analysis from Tim Skubick, senior capital correspondent and anchor of Off the Record, and a panel of journalists who have been covering the 2014 elections in Michigan.
The Michigan Gubernatorial Town Hall Forum is being co-hosted by Detroit Public Television, the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit.
The one-hour Town Hall Forum will include an audience of undecided voters, chosen by independent research companies contracted by both the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News. The voters will ask questions of the two candidates, along with Detroit Free Press Editorial Page Editor Stephen Henderson and Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley. Detroit Public TV Anchor Christy McDonald will serve as the event’s host.
Joining Tim Skubick for analysis on the Off the Record Special immediately following the Town Hall Forum are Zoe Clark, Michigan Radio; Bill Ballenger, Inside Michigan Politics; Kyle Melinn, MIRS News and Huel Perkins, WJBK-TV Detroit.
Both the Town Hall Forum and the Off the Record Special will be available as a LIVE WEBCAST.
The forum will be followed by analysis from Tim Skubick, senior capital correspondent and anchor of Off the Record, and a panel of journalists who have been covering the 2014 elections in Michigan.
The Michigan Gubernatorial Town Hall Forum is being co-hosted by Detroit Public Television, the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit.
The one-hour Town Hall Forum will include an audience of undecided voters, chosen by independent research companies contracted by both the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News. The voters will ask questions of the two candidates, along with Detroit Free Press Editorial Page Editor Stephen Henderson and Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley. Detroit Public TV Anchor Christy McDonald will serve as the event’s host.
Joining Tim Skubick for analysis on the Off the Record Special immediately following the Town Hall Forum are Zoe Clark, Michigan Radio; Bill Ballenger, Inside Michigan Politics; Kyle Melinn, MIRS News and Huel Perkins, WJBK-TV Detroit.
Both the Town Hall Forum and the Off the Record Special will be available as a LIVE WEBCAST.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Co-winners are a Hindu and a Muslim -- Nobel Peace Prize 2014
From PBS dot-org/wnet/religionandethics/
A Hindu and a Muslim known for promoting for children’s rights were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Seventeen-year-old Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, author and advocate for the education of girls, is a Muslim. She becomes the youngest peace prize winner in history. Sixty-year-old Kailash Satyarthi of India is a Hindu activist who has fought to end child slavery in India. They will split the prize, worth just over a million dollars.
Nobel Peace Prize Honors Hindu and Muslim
A Hindu and a Muslim known for promoting for children’s rights were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this week. Seventeen-year-old Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, author and advocate for the education of girls, is a Muslim. She becomes the youngest peace prize winner in history. Sixty-year-old Kailash Satyarthi of India is a Hindu activist who has fought to end child slavery in India. They will split the prize, worth just over a million dollars.Canonization of Popes: John XXIII and John Paul II -- Lecture by Prof. O'Regan
from ND dot-edu:
October 11, 2014 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Saints as Popes: The Canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II
Cyril O’Regan, Huisking Professor of Theology, Notre Dame
Lecture takes place at Andrews Auditorium's
Lower Level, Geddes Hall, Notre Dame Campus, Notre Dame, IN.
More information about sponsoring Institute at http://icl.nd.edu/
The Institute for Church Life animates the University’s direct service to the Church through outreach in theological education, research, faith formation, and leadership development.
October 11, 2014 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Saints as Popes: The Canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II
Cyril O’Regan, Huisking Professor of Theology, Notre Dame
Lecture takes place at Andrews Auditorium's
Lower Level, Geddes Hall, Notre Dame Campus, Notre Dame, IN.
More information about sponsoring Institute at http://icl.nd.edu/
The Institute for Church Life animates the University’s direct service to the Church through outreach in theological education, research, faith formation, and leadership development.
Just War Theory (Conference topic : Oct. 12 - Reilly Center, Univ. Notre Dame - ISME
from http:// reilly. ND dot-edu:
International Society for Military Ethics 2014 Conference
October 12-15, 2014
Keynote Address: “A Moral Analysis of the US Civil War,” Kit Wellman, Washington University.
October 13: from 1330-1500
International Society for Military Ethics 2014 Conference
"The Ethical Dimensions of Civil War"
October 12-15, 2014
University of Notre Dame
October 13: from 1330-1500
Session 4: Jus ad Bellum and State Legitimacy
Chair: Pauline Kaurin
- Martin Cook on Why We Have a Moral Stake in (some) Sovereign States
- Kimberly Hudson on the Duty of Non-Intervention
Location: 100-104 McKenna Hall
Chair: Pauline Kaurin
- Martin Cook on Why We Have a Moral Stake in (some) Sovereign States
- Kimberly Hudson on the Duty of Non-Intervention
Location: 100-104 McKenna Hall
Session 5: Theoretical Issues in JWT
Chair: Randy Dipert
- Stehen Kershnar on An Axiomatic Theory of Just Warfare
- Ryan Jenkins and Duncan Purves on The Criterion of Right Intention and the Ends of War
Location: 112-114 McKenna Hall
Chair: Randy Dipert
- Stehen Kershnar on An Axiomatic Theory of Just Warfare
- Ryan Jenkins and Duncan Purves on The Criterion of Right Intention and the Ends of War
Location: 112-114 McKenna Hall
Session 6: Issues of Jus ad Bellum for Civil Wars
- Valerie Morkevicius on A Theory of Just Rebellion
- James Pittman on Jus in Bello Reflections and the American Civil War
Location: 106 McKenna Hall
- Valerie Morkevicius on A Theory of Just Rebellion
- James Pittman on Jus in Bello Reflections and the American Civil War
Location: 106 McKenna Hall
Casimir Pulaski Day (Oct. 11, 2014) -- why is he important to all Americans?
from WHITE HOUSE Proclamations section of Press Office (www.whitehouse.gov/) :
More than 200 years ago, Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski answered the call of our fledgling Nation as we sought to secure liberty and justice. A Polish-born leader, he fought and sacrificed his life for a country not fully his own. He understood that the promise of our new Nation was not about circumstance of birth, but rather a set of beliefs and unalienable rights. Today, we pay tribute to a hero of the American Revolutionary War, and we celebrate the contributions that generations of Polish-Americans have made to the country for whose independence Pulaski took up arms.
As a young man, Casimir Pulaski fought for Polish sovereignty, defending his homeland from foreign occupation with courage and bravery. After many years, his confederation was overpowered, and he was exiled to France where he met Benjamin Franklin. With Franklin, Pulaski discussed America's struggle to throw off the tyranny of an empire, and in 1777, Pulaski crossed the Atlantic to stand with a small band of patriots.
In America, Pulaski served with honor and distinction. During battle, he aided George Washington and -- because of his leadership and skill on horseback -- became known as the "Father of the American Cavalry." But tragically in October of 1779, as Pulaski led his troops during the siege of Savannah, Georgia, he was mortally wounded. While he was not witness to the conclusion of the war, his memory is forever enshrined in the pages of its history.
Pulaski's life represents only one chapter in the Polish people's long and storied legacy of fighting for freedom. This year, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of an election where, for the first time, the people of Poland had a choice. The culmination of centuries of struggle, it marked the beginning of a new course for Poland -- one that has ushered in the return of democracy and demonstrated the enduring strength of the ideals our two nations share. As we also recognize the 15th anniversary of Poland's membership in NATO, we are proud to call Poland one of our strongest and closest allies, and we are reminded that the blessings of liberty must be earned and renewed by every generation.
On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we reflect on the beginnings of our relationship with Poland. In the centuries since, Polish immigrants have sought the opportunities in America that Pulaski helped secure, and as they have, our nations' bonds of friendship have grown stronger. As we renew our commitment to honoring all those who fought for the freedom of our new Nation, let us resolve to stand with developing democracies around the world and with all people yearning to be free.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2014, as General Pulaski Memorial Day. I encourage all Americans to commemorate this occasion with appropriate programs and activities paying tribute to Casimir Pulaski and honoring all those who defend the freedom of our Nation.
More than 200 years ago, Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski answered the call of our fledgling Nation as we sought to secure liberty and justice. A Polish-born leader, he fought and sacrificed his life for a country not fully his own. He understood that the promise of our new Nation was not about circumstance of birth, but rather a set of beliefs and unalienable rights. Today, we pay tribute to a hero of the American Revolutionary War, and we celebrate the contributions that generations of Polish-Americans have made to the country for whose independence Pulaski took up arms.
As a young man, Casimir Pulaski fought for Polish sovereignty, defending his homeland from foreign occupation with courage and bravery. After many years, his confederation was overpowered, and he was exiled to France where he met Benjamin Franklin. With Franklin, Pulaski discussed America's struggle to throw off the tyranny of an empire, and in 1777, Pulaski crossed the Atlantic to stand with a small band of patriots.
In America, Pulaski served with honor and distinction. During battle, he aided George Washington and -- because of his leadership and skill on horseback -- became known as the "Father of the American Cavalry." But tragically in October of 1779, as Pulaski led his troops during the siege of Savannah, Georgia, he was mortally wounded. While he was not witness to the conclusion of the war, his memory is forever enshrined in the pages of its history.
Pulaski's life represents only one chapter in the Polish people's long and storied legacy of fighting for freedom. This year, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of an election where, for the first time, the people of Poland had a choice. The culmination of centuries of struggle, it marked the beginning of a new course for Poland -- one that has ushered in the return of democracy and demonstrated the enduring strength of the ideals our two nations share. As we also recognize the 15th anniversary of Poland's membership in NATO, we are proud to call Poland one of our strongest and closest allies, and we are reminded that the blessings of liberty must be earned and renewed by every generation.
On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we reflect on the beginnings of our relationship with Poland. In the centuries since, Polish immigrants have sought the opportunities in America that Pulaski helped secure, and as they have, our nations' bonds of friendship have grown stronger. As we renew our commitment to honoring all those who fought for the freedom of our new Nation, let us resolve to stand with developing democracies around the world and with all people yearning to be free.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2014, as General Pulaski Memorial Day. I encourage all Americans to commemorate this occasion with appropriate programs and activities paying tribute to Casimir Pulaski and honoring all those who defend the freedom of our Nation.
Columbus Day - - a time to assess the Myth surrounding the 1492 Explorer and his cross-world impact and discovery (?)
from a CNN article concerning Prof. of History (Dominican University, Illinois) David M. Perry --
In October 2013, my daughter came home from school excited about Christopher Columbus. He had come to visit her class! During his visit, he told the children that he had figured out the world was round and then bravely led his crew to discover America. Then they all made telescopes.
In October 2013, my daughter came home from school excited about Christopher Columbus. He had come to visit her class! During his visit, he told the children that he had figured out the world was round and then bravely led his crew to discover America. Then they all made telescopes.
As a father and history professor, I was caught off-guard. Columbus actually didn't figure out the world was round. He didn't really discover America, either. And telescopes weren't around until about a century after Columbus died. But what do you tell a 5-year-old who has bought into a myth? And how do you do it without constructing an anti-myth, pegging the explorer as one of the most evil people to walk the Earth? What should we tell our children about Columbus?
I asked that question of William Phillips, professor of history at the University of Minnesota and co-author of The Worlds of Christopher Columbus and of LeAnne Howe, the Eidson Professor in American Literature at the University of Georgia and an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation. In both cases, professors started from the same principle: Tell the kids the truth.
The story goes that Columbus had to persevere against the odds to get support for his venture, because everyone but him believed the Earth was flat. This just isn't true. The ancient Greeks proved that the Earth was round about 2,000 years ago, and one even used the shadow of the Earth on the moon during an eclipse to estimate its circumference. The problem for Columbus is that he was bad at math and worse at geography, and everyone with an education knew it.
"He failed to get funding for a long time," Phillips wrote, "because his calculations of the earth were on the small side, he thought that dry land covered more of the sphere than it does, and he believed Japan was some 1500 miles off the coast of China." In other words, most people knew roughly the distance between the west coast of Europe and the east coast of Asia but believed it was filled with a vast ocean in which Columbus would surely die.
Columbus was stubborn. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, he refused to give up his plan, and because he was so stubborn, he kept fighting for funding until he finally broke through to the Queen of Spain. His stubbornness also, as both professors noted, kept him from ever admitting that he hadn't reached Asia. For Columbus, the idea of a whole new continent and unknown peoples just didn't fit his worldview.
The indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, however, were used to hosting strange arrivals from all over the Americas in their towns, according to Howe. Their settlements were decades or even centuries old, built in part on transcontinental trade, and Columbus did not seem so outlandish. These were settled lands with rich societies, not, as often depicted, simple or primitive.
That's one of the real tragedies of the story of Columbus and probably the hardest part to explain to children. The complex indigenous societies of the Americas were decimated by exposure to Old World diseases, crumbling under the weight of epidemic. By the time later waves of settlers arrived in North America, they often found wilderness. It was a new wilderness, born of drastic population decline. Columbus didn't know that his voyage would spread diseases across the continents, of course, but disease wasn't the only problem. Columbus sailed the ocean blue not for the love of exploration but because he wanted access to Asian gold. Instead, he found marvelous soft cotton, which Howe says was far superior to similar cloth in Europe. He also took slaves for display back home and to work in his conquered lands. Cloth and slavery defined the Columbian exchange from the beginning.
Despite all this, it's not correct to simply demonize Columbus. He was a brave man, launching his ships into an uncertain fate, driven by greed, faith and hope. Like many brave men, he believed very strongly that he knew what he was doing -- even though he was wrong about so many details -- and it's OK to be impressed by his bravery.
Moreover, his voyages had an undeniable historical impact, sparking the great age of Atlantic exploration, trade and eventually colonization by Europeans. In a very real way, this era reshaped the world, the languages we speak, the religions we follow, the foods we eat and the diseases we catch. I don't know if that's a reason to have a school holiday, exactly, but it's definitely worth remembering.
So if your child comes home in the leadup to Columbus Day, like mine did, full of praise for the explorer's bravery and vision, that's a fine place to start, even if he didn't really "discover" the Americas or figure out that the Earth was round. He was, indeed, brave.
But then explain that brave people can do bad things, and worse things can happen without any planning. That's one of the lessons of history.
Friday, October 10, 2014
St. Francis of Assisi blessing of the animals -- what does PETA interpret that to mean (2014 web posting)?
Bless All Animals!
St. Francis loved all God’s creatures and followed God’s example of kindness, mercy, compassion, and love for all creation. But there is nothing loving or compassionate about factory farms and slaughterhouses, where billions of animals live miserable lives and die violent, bloody deaths. St. Francis would be appalled by the degree of suffering that we inflict on animals to indulge our acquired taste for their flesh.What Can You Do?
You have a choice. When you sit down to eat, you can add to the level of violence, misery, and death in the world, or you can respect God’s original plan with a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet is good for your health and spares animals unimaginable suffering and violence. Remember: God’s mercy is over all God’s creatures.Read more: http://www.peta.org/features/saint-francis-assisi-day/#ixzz3FknFNJNj
Sukkot 2014 (Jewish fall holiday)
Sukkot begins Wednesday night (October 8) at sundown. It is a Jewish harvest festival to commemorate the years the people of Israel wandered in the desert and lived in temporary shelters or sukkahs.
Peace Prize (2014) -- to be awarded in December to Advocates for Child education (India, Pakistan)
as posted at NOBEL PRIZE dot-org website:
Showing great personal courage, Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Gandhi’s tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children’s rights.
Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzay has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.
The Nobel Committee regards it as an important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism. Many other individuals and institutions in the international community have also contributed. It has been calculated that there are 168 million child labourers around the world today. In 2000 the figure was 78 million higher. The world has come closer to the goal of eliminating child labour.
The struggle against suppression and for the rights of children and adolescents contributes to the realization of the “fraternity between nations” that Alfred Nobel mentions in his will as one of the criteria for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Oslo, 10 October 2014 (Friday morning).
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2014
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 is to be awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzay for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Children must go to school and not be financially exploited. In the poor countries of the world, 60% of the present population is under 25 years of age. It is a prerequisite for peaceful global development that the rights of children and young people be respected. In conflict-ridden areas in particular, the violation of children leads to the continuation of violence from generation to generation.Showing great personal courage, Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Gandhi’s tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children’s rights.
Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzay has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.
The Nobel Committee regards it as an important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism. Many other individuals and institutions in the international community have also contributed. It has been calculated that there are 168 million child labourers around the world today. In 2000 the figure was 78 million higher. The world has come closer to the goal of eliminating child labour.
The struggle against suppression and for the rights of children and adolescents contributes to the realization of the “fraternity between nations” that Alfred Nobel mentions in his will as one of the criteria for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Oslo, 10 October 2014 (Friday morning).
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
The combination of a full lunar eclipse coinciding with a sunrise -- Eastern Time Zone viewing -- Senelion
from ARTICLE on Weather & Astronomy for www.washingtonpost.com/ :
Spectacles on both horizons! In the eastern U.S., as the sun is rising (from the east) as the moon is setting (to the west), this presents a unique opportunity to observe a full lunar eclipse and sunrise at the same time. This rare coincidence is called a selenelion.
“Weather permitting, you could have a short window of roughly 2 to 9 minutes (depending on your location) with the possibility of simultaneously seeing the sun rising in the east while the eclipsed full moon is setting in the west,” writes Space.com.
In Washington, D.C., sunrise Wednesday morning (October 8, 2014) occurs at 7:11 a.m. – meaning both the eclipse and sunrise may be visible between roughly 7:11 a.m. and 7:16 a.m.
Watch for Uranus: Writes Slates Bad Astronomer, Phil Plait: “Uranus will be very close to the Moon during the eclipse, so I expect we’ll see some pretty cool pictures of that conjunction. Uranus is tiny, but it’ll appear as a bluish-green star less than a degree east of the Moon. That’ll make a pretty sight in binoculars, too.”
Spectacles on both horizons! In the eastern U.S., as the sun is rising (from the east) as the moon is setting (to the west), this presents a unique opportunity to observe a full lunar eclipse and sunrise at the same time. This rare coincidence is called a selenelion.
“Weather permitting, you could have a short window of roughly 2 to 9 minutes (depending on your location) with the possibility of simultaneously seeing the sun rising in the east while the eclipsed full moon is setting in the west,” writes Space.com.
In Washington, D.C., sunrise Wednesday morning (October 8, 2014) occurs at 7:11 a.m. – meaning both the eclipse and sunrise may be visible between roughly 7:11 a.m. and 7:16 a.m.
Watch for Uranus: Writes Slates Bad Astronomer, Phil Plait: “Uranus will be very close to the Moon during the eclipse, so I expect we’ll see some pretty cool pictures of that conjunction. Uranus is tiny, but it’ll appear as a bluish-green star less than a degree east of the Moon. That’ll make a pretty sight in binoculars, too.”
Will a non-Scandinavian win the NOBEL PRIZE for Literature (announced October 2014)?
part of Descriptive Journalism Article on the "betting odds": (NY TIMES dot-com)
The last American writer to win the Nobel was Toni Morrison, in 1993. Is it time for another? The Americans mostly likely to win, according to Ladbrokes, are Phillip Roth, followed by Joyce Carol Oates, and then Thomas Pynchon and Bob Dylan, those karmic-anarchic twins. It would be beautiful to learn that these last two are the same person.
This doesn’t, though, seem an especially likely year for an American to win, if only because our book-world hegemony is rising, now that American writers are, for the first time, eligible to win Britain’s "Man Booker Prize." Two Americans, Joshua Ferris and Karen Joy Fowler, made the Booker shortlist. That prize will be announced on Tuesday October 14, 2014
.
Among the many foreign writers on the Ladbrokes Nobel list are Peter Handke, Milan Kundera, Nuruddin Farah, Umberto Eco, Margaret Atwood, Amos Oz, Paul Muldoon, and Salman Rushdie, with the Syrian poet Adonis, as always, in strong contention.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
New Supreme Court Term (First Monday of October 2014) -- Red Mass held day before (for Supreme Court Justices)
Segment on www.c-span.org/ [Cable C-Span Channel]:
New Supreme Court Term
Adam Liptak talked by phone about the upcoming Supreme Court term, including the cases and issues that could come before the Court. He also discussed the traditional Red Mass service to mark the start of the new term.
Wed. Oct. 8 - Total Lunar Eclipse -- called "Blood Moon"
data from Old Farmer's Almanac [ www.almanac.com/astronomy ]: October 8, 2014: Total Eclipse of the Moon. This lunar eclipse will be fully visible from Western North America (and Alaska and Hawaii), but observers in Eastern North America will only be able to see part of the eclipse before the Moon sets below the horizon. The Moon will enter the penumbra at 3:14 a.m. Central Time Zone (4:14 a.m. EDT) on October 8th and will leave the penumbra at 8:35 a.m. Central (9:35 a.m. EDT).
- - - for Eastern U.S. population the coincidence of the Lunar Eclipse at local Sunrise is called = Senelion.
- - - for Eastern U.S. population the coincidence of the Lunar Eclipse at local Sunrise is called = Senelion.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Child Health Day (First Monday of October 2014) -- Proclamation
White House Press Office (www.whitehouse.gov/) :
All children deserve equal opportunities to realize their potential and reach their dreams. Securing this promise for our daughters and sons begins with ensuring their health and well-being. As we pause on Child Health Day to reflect on this profound obligation, let us recommit to fostering a society where there are no limits to what our Nation's young people can achieve.
The Affordable Care Act supports children's health not only by expanding access to quality, affordable health insurance for millions of Americans, but also by guaranteeing that most health plans cover recommended preventive services for children without copays, including immunizations and developmental screenings. Millions of children are already benefiting from this care, and even more will be protected in the years to come. As kids grow, the Affordable Care Act continues to support their health by prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to stay on a parent's health insurance plan until age 26. This builds on the successes of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which have significantly reduced the percentage of uninsured children.
When more than one-third of American children and adolescents are overweight or obese, expanding access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity is an urgent health issue. Working with both the public and private sectors, First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative is making it easier for parents and children to make healthy choices that put kids on the path to a bright future during their earliest months and years.
As a Nation, we have an obligation to invest in the health of future generations by protecting our planet and our environment. In the past 30 years, asthma rates have doubled, and as air pollution gets worse, more kids will suffer. Clean air and water are essential to the well-being of our children and grandchildren, and we must work today to secure their tomorrow. My Administration has taken action and will continue to pursue policies that reduce harmful air pollution, improve water quality, and protect communities from toxic chemical exposures.
When young Americans have the opportunity to live healthy and safe lives, they are free to pursue their full measure of happiness. Today, we continue our work to support our children's health and build a Nation where all our daughters and sons can thrive.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in October as Child Health Day and has requested that the President issue a proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 6, 2014, as Child Health Day. I call upon families, educators, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and all levels of government to help ensure America's children are healthy.
All children deserve equal opportunities to realize their potential and reach their dreams. Securing this promise for our daughters and sons begins with ensuring their health and well-being. As we pause on Child Health Day to reflect on this profound obligation, let us recommit to fostering a society where there are no limits to what our Nation's young people can achieve.
The Affordable Care Act supports children's health not only by expanding access to quality, affordable health insurance for millions of Americans, but also by guaranteeing that most health plans cover recommended preventive services for children without copays, including immunizations and developmental screenings. Millions of children are already benefiting from this care, and even more will be protected in the years to come. As kids grow, the Affordable Care Act continues to support their health by prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to stay on a parent's health insurance plan until age 26. This builds on the successes of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which have significantly reduced the percentage of uninsured children.
When more than one-third of American children and adolescents are overweight or obese, expanding access to nutritious foods and opportunities for physical activity is an urgent health issue. Working with both the public and private sectors, First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative is making it easier for parents and children to make healthy choices that put kids on the path to a bright future during their earliest months and years.
As a Nation, we have an obligation to invest in the health of future generations by protecting our planet and our environment. In the past 30 years, asthma rates have doubled, and as air pollution gets worse, more kids will suffer. Clean air and water are essential to the well-being of our children and grandchildren, and we must work today to secure their tomorrow. My Administration has taken action and will continue to pursue policies that reduce harmful air pollution, improve water quality, and protect communities from toxic chemical exposures.
When young Americans have the opportunity to live healthy and safe lives, they are free to pursue their full measure of happiness. Today, we continue our work to support our children's health and build a Nation where all our daughters and sons can thrive.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in October as Child Health Day and has requested that the President issue a proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 6, 2014, as Child Health Day. I call upon families, educators, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and all levels of government to help ensure America's children are healthy.
Canticle of all Creatures (Prayer of St. Francis for Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Sister Mother Earth): with music co-written by Maurice Jarre
A BEAUTIFUL YouTube Video (6 minutes 57 seconds) -- text as captioned:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDFbgNrZ20
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDFbgNrZ20
/ / / / /
Praise of the Creatures or Laudes creaturarum by St. Francis of Assisi
Bring Food Donations (for different species) to "Blessing of the Animals Service" October 5, 2014 afternoon
St. Paul's UMC Houston, TX church website - 2014 event on Sunday Oct. 5, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Please keep animals on leash or within carriers.
Bring pictures of pets that do not travel well or do not get along well with others.
Stuffed animals welcome.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
http://www.stpaulshouston.org/events/
Please bring food donations for your species.
- Pet food will be given to animal rescue organizations.
- Human food will be given to the Emergency Aid Coalition.
Please keep animals on leash or within carriers.
Bring pictures of pets that do not travel well or do not get along well with others.
Stuffed animals welcome.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
http://www.stpaulshouston.org/events/
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