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aerospace and defense manufacturer in the united states
the boeing company () is an american multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. the company also provides leasing and product support services. boeing is among the largest global aircraft manufacturers; it is the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world based on 2017 revenue,[4] and is the largest exporter in the united states by dollar value.[5] boeing stock is included in the dow jones industrial average.
boeing was founded by william boeing on july 15, 1916, in seattle, washington.[6] the present corporation is the result of merger of boeing with mcdonnell douglas on august 1, 1997. former boeing's chair and ceo philip m. condit continued as the chair and ceo of the new boeing, while harry stonecipher, former ceo of mcdonnell douglas, became the president and chief operating officer of the newly merged company.[6]
the boeing company has its corporate headquarters in chicago, illinois. the company is led by president and ceo dennis muilenburg.[7][8][9] boeing is organized into five primary divisions: boeing commercial airplanes (bca); boeing defense, space & security (bds); engineering, operations & technology; boeing capital; and boeing shared services group. in 2017, boeing recorded $93.3 billion in sales, ranked 24th on the fortune magazine "fortune 500" list (2018),[10] ranked 64th on the "fortune global 500" list (2018),[11] and ranked 19th on the "world's most admired companies" list (2018).[12]
history [ edit ]
before 1930 [ edit ]
in march 1910, william e. boeing bought heath's shipyard in seattle on the duwamish river, which later became his first airplane factory.[13] boeing was incorporated in seattle by william boeing, on july 15, 1916, as "pacific aero products co".[6] boeing was later incorporated in delaware; the original certificate of incorporation was filed with the secretary of state of delaware on july 19, 1934. boeing, who studied at yale university, worked initially in the timber industry, where he became wealthy and learned about wooden structures. this knowledge proved invaluable in his subsequent design and assembly of airplanes. the company stayed in seattle to take advantage of the local supply of spruce wood.[14]
boeing's original logo
one of the two "b&w" seaplanes built with the assistance of george conrad westervelt, a u.s. navy engineer, took its maiden flight on june 15, 1916. boeing and westervelt decided to build the b&w seaplane after having flown in a curtiss aircraft. boeing bought a glenn martin "flying birdcage" seaplane (so called because of all the guy-wires holding it together) and was taught to fly by glenn martin himself. boeing soon crashed the birdcage and when martin informed boeing that replacement parts would not become available for months, boeing realized he could build his own plane in that amount of time. he and his friend cdr. g.c. westervelt agreed to build a better airplane and soon produced the b&w seaplane.[15] this first boeing airplane was assembled in a lakeside hangar located on the northeast shore of seattle's lake union. many of boeing's early planes were seaplanes.
on april 6, 1917, the u.s. declared war on germany and entered world war i. on may 9, 1917, the company became the "boeing airplane company".[16] with the u.s. entering the war, boeing knew that the u.s. navy needed seaplanes for training. so boeing shipped two new model cs to pensacola, florida, where the planes were flown for the navy. the navy liked the model c and ordered 50 more.[17] the company moved its operations to a larger former shipbuilding facility known as boeing plant 1, located on the lower duwamish river, washington state.
when world war i ended in 1918, a large surplus of cheap, used military planes flooded the commercial airplane market, preventing aircraft companies from selling any new airplanes, driving many out of business. others, including boeing, started selling other products. boeing built dressers, counters, and furniture, along with flat-bottom boats called sea sleds.[17]
in 1919 the boeing b-1 flying boat made its first flight. it accommodated one pilot and two passengers and some mail. over the course of eight years, it made international airmail flights from seattle to victoria, british columbia.[18] on may 24, 1920, the boeing model 8 made its first flight. it was the first plane to fly over mount rainier.[19]
p-12 air superiority fighter
in 1923, boeing entered competition against curtiss to develop a pursuit fighter for the u.s. army air service. although curtiss finished its design first and was awarded the contract, boeing continued to develop its pw-9 fighter. that plane, along with the boeing p-12/f4b fighter,[20] made boeing a leading manufacturer of fighters over the course of the next decade.
in 1925, boeing built its model 40 mail plane for the u.s. government to use on airmail routes. in 1927, an improved version of this plane was built, the model 40a which won the u.s. post office's contract to deliver mail between san francisco and chicago. the 40a also had a passenger cabin that accommodated two.[21]
that same year, boeing created an airline named boeing air transport, which merged a year later with pacific air transport and the boeing airplane company. the first airmail flight for the airline was on july 1, 1927.[21] in 1929 the company merged with pratt & whitney, hamilton aero manufacturing company, and chance vought under the new title united aircraft and transport corporation. the merge was followed by the acquisition of the sikorsky manufacturing corporation, stearman aircraft corporation, and standard metal propeller company. united aircraft then purchased national air transport in 1930.
on july 27, 1928, the 12-passenger boeing 80 biplane made its first flight. with three engines, it was boeing's first plane built with the sole intention of being a passenger transport. an upgraded version, the 80a, carrying eighteen passengers, made its first flight in september 1929.[21]
1930s and 1940s [ edit ]
in the early 1930s boeing became a leader in all-metal aircraft construction, and in the design revolution that established the path for other transport aircraft through the 1930s. in 1930, the monomail, a low-wing monoplane that carried mail, was built. built entirely out of metal, it was very fast and aerodynamic, and had retractable landing gear. in fact, its design was so revolutionary that the engines and propellers of the time were not adequate to realize the potential of the plane. by the time controllable pitch propellers were developed, boeing was building its model 247 airliner. two monomails were built. the second one, the model 221, had a 6-passenger cabin.[22][23] in 1931, the monomail design became the foundation of the boeing yb-9, the first all-metal, cantilever-wing, monoplane bomber. five examples entered service between september 1932 and march 1933. the performance of the twin-engine monoplane bomber led to reconsideration of air defense requirements, although it was soon rendered obsolete by rapidly-advancing bomber designs.
in 1932, boeing introduced the model 248, the first all-metal monoplane fighter. the p-26 peashooter was in front-line service with the us army air corps from 1934 to 1938.
in 1933, the boeing 247 was introduced, which set the standard for all competitors in the passenger transport market. the 247 was an all-metal low-wing monoplane that was much faster, safer, and easier to fly than other passenger aircraft. for example, it was the first twin engine passenger aircraft that could fly on one engine. in an era of unreliable engines, this vastly improved flight safety. boeing built the first 59 aircraft exclusively for its own united airlines subsidiary's operations. this badly hurt competing airlines, and was typical of the anti-competitive corporate behavior that the u.s. government sought to prohibit at the time. the direction established with the 247 was further developed by douglas aircraft, resulting in one of the most successful designs in aviation history.
the air mail act of 1934 prohibited airlines and manufacturers from being under the same corporate umbrella, so the company split into three smaller companies boeing airplane company, united airlines, and united aircraft corporation, the precursor to united technologies. boeing retained the stearman facilities in wichita, kansas. following the breakup of united aircraft, william boeing sold off his shares and left boeing. clairmont "claire" l. egtvedt, who had become boeing's president in 1933, became the chairman as well. he believed the company's future was in building bigger planes.[24][25] work began in 1936 on boeing plant 2 to accommodate the production of larger modern aircraft.
from 1934 to 1937, boeing was developing an experimental long range bomber, the xb-15. at its introduction in 1937 it was the largest heavier-than-air craft built to date. trials revealed that its speed was unsatisfactory, but the design experience was used in the development of the model 314 that followed a year later.
overlapping with the period of the yb-15 development, an agreement with pan american world airways (pan am) was reached, to develop and build a commercial flying boat able to carry passengers on transoceanic routes. the first flight of the boeing 314 clipper was in june 1938. it was the largest civil aircraft of its time, with a capacity of 90 passengers on day flights, and of 40 passengers on night flights. one year later, the first regular passenger service from the u.s. to the was inaugurated. subsequently, other routes were opened, so that soon pan am flew with the boeing 314 to destinations all over the world.
in 1938, boeing completed work on its model 307 stratoliner. this was the world's first pressurized-cabin transport aircraft, and it was capable of cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 m) above most weather disturbances. it was based on the b-17, using the same wings, tail and engines.
during world war ii, boeing built a large number of b-17 and b-29 bombers. boeing ranked twelfth among united states corporations in the value of wartime production contracts.[26] many of the workers were women whose husbands had gone to war. in the beginning of march 1944, production had been scaled up in such a manner that over 350 planes were built each month. to prevent an attack from the air, the manufacturing plants had been covered with greenery and farmland items. during the war years the leading aircraft companies of the u.s. cooperated. the boeing-designed b-17 bomber was assembled also by lockheed aircraft corp. and douglas aircraft co., while the b-29 was assembled also by bell aircraft co. and by glenn l. martin company.[27] in 1942 boeing started development of the c-97 stratofreighter, the first of a generation of heavy-lift military transports; it became operational in 1947. the c-97 design would be successfully adapted for use as an aerial refueling tanker, although its role as a transport was soon limited by designs that had advantages in either versatility or capacity.
after the war, most orders of bombers were canceled and 70,000 people lost their jobs at boeing.[citation needed] the company aimed to recover quickly by selling its stratocruiser (the model 377), a luxurious four-engine commercial airliner derived from the c-97. however, sales of this model were not as expected and boeing had to seek other opportunities to overcome the situation.[citation needed] in 1947 boeing flew its first jet aircraft, the xb-47, from which the highly successful b-47 and b-52 bombers were derived.
1950s [ edit ]
b-52 bomber
boeing developed military jets such as the b-47 stratojet[28] and b-52 stratofortress bombers in the late-1940s and into the 1950s. during the early 1950s, boeing used company funds to develop the 367–80 jet airliner demonstrator that led to the kc-135 stratotanker and boeing 707 jetliner. some of these were built at boeing's facilities in wichita, kansas, which existed from 1931 to 2014.
between the last delivery of a 377 in 1950 and the first order for the 707 in 1955, boeing was shut out of the commercial aircraft market.
in the mid-1950s technology had advanced significantly, which gave boeing the opportunity to develop and manufacture new products. one of the first was the guided short-range missile used to intercept enemy aircraft. by that time the cold war had become a fact of life, and boeing used its short-range missile technology to develop and build an intercontinental missile.
in 1958, boeing began delivery of its 707, the united states' first commercial jet airliner, in response to the british de havilland comet, french sud aviation caravelle and soviet tupolev tu-104, which were the world's first generation of commercial jet aircraft. with the 707, a four-engine, 156-passenger airliner, the u.s. became a leader in commercial jet manufacturing. a few years later, boeing added a second version of this aircraft, the boeing 720, which was slightly faster and had a shorter range.
boeing was a major producer of small turbine engines during the 1950s and 1960s. the engines represented one of the company's major efforts to expand its product base beyond military aircraft after world war ii. development on the gas turbine engine started in 1943 and boeing's gas turbines were designated models 502 (t50), 520 (t60), 540, 551 and 553. boeing built 2,461 engines before production ceased in april 1968. many applications of the boeing gas turbine engines were considered to be firsts, including the first turbine-powered helicopter and boat.[29]
1960s [ edit ]
the 707 and 747 formed the backbone of many major airline fleets through the end of the 1970s, including united (747 shown) and pan am (707 shown)
vertol aircraft corporation was acquired by boeing in 1960,[30] and was reorganized as boeing's vertol division. the twin-rotor ch-47 chinook, produced by vertol, took its first flight in 1961. this heavy-lift helicopter remains a work-horse vehicle to the present day. in 1964, vertol also began production of the ch-46 sea knight.
in december 1960, boeing announced the model 727 jetliner, which went into commercial service about three years later. different passenger, freight and convertible freighter variants were developed for the 727. the 727 was the first commercial jetliner to reach 1,000 sales.[31]
on may 21, 1961, the company shortened its name to the current "boeing company".[32][not specific enough to verify]
boeing won a contract in 1961 to manufacture the s-ic stage of the saturn v rocket, manufactured at the michoud assembly facility in new orleans, louisiana.
in 1966, boeing president william m. allen asked malcolm t. stamper to spearhead production of the new 747 airliner on which the company's future was riding. this was a monumental engineering and management challenge, and included construction of the world's biggest factory in which to build the 747 at everett, washington, a plant which is the size of 40 football fields.[33]
in 1967, boeing introduced another short- and medium-range airliner, the twin-engine 737. it has since become the best-selling commercial jet aircraft in aviation history.[34] several versions have been developed, mainly to increase seating capacity and range. the 737 remains in production as of february 2018 with the latest 737 max series.
the roll-out ceremonies for the first 747-100 took place in 1968, at the massive new factory in everett, about an hour's drive from boeing's seattle home. the aircraft made its first flight a year later. the first commercial flight occurred in 1970. the 747 has an intercontinental range and a larger seating capacity than boeing's previous aircraft.
boeing also developed hydrofoils in the 1960s. the screw-driven uss high point (pch-1) was an experimental submarine hunter. the patrol hydrofoil uss tucumcari (pgh-2) was more successful. only one was built, but it saw service in vietnam andrope before running aground in 1972. its waterjet and fully submersed flying foils were the example for the later pegasus-class patrol hydrofoils and the model 929 jetfoil ferries in the 1980s. the tucumcari and later boats were produced in renton. while the navy hydrofoils were withdrawn from service in the late 1980s, the boeing jetfoils are still in service in asia.
1970s [ edit ]
in the early 1970s boeing suffered from the simultaneous decline in vietnam war military spending, the slowing of the space program as project apollo neared completion, the recession of 1969–70,[35]:291 and the company's $2 billion debt as it built the new 747 airliner.[35]:303 boeing did not receive any orders for more than a year. its bet for the future, the 747, was delayed in production by three months because of problems with its pratt & whitney engines. then in march 1971, congress voted to discontinue funding for the development of the boeing 2707 supersonic transport (sst), the us's answer to the british-french concorde, forcing the end of the project.[36][37][38][39][40][41]
commercial airplane group, by far the largest unit of boeing, went from 83,700 employees in 1968 to 20,750 in 1971. each unemployed boeing employee cost at least one other job in the seattle area, and unemployment rose to 14 percent, the highest in the united states.[citation needed] housing vacancy rates rose to 16 percent from 1 percent in 1967.[citation needed] u-haul dealerships ran out of trailers because so many people moved out. a billboard appeared near the airport:[35]:303–304
will the last person
leaving seattle -
turn out the lights.[35]:303
in january 1970, the first 747, a four-engine long-range airliner, flew its first commercial flight with pan american world airways. the 747 changed the airline industry, providing much larger seating capacity than any other airliner in production. the company has delivered over 1,500 boeing 747s. the 747 has undergone continuous improvements to keep it technologically up-to-date. larger versions have also been developed by stretching the upper deck. the newest version of the 747, the 747-8, remains in production as of 2018.
boeing launched three jetfoil 929-100 hydrofoils that were acquired in 1975 for service in the hawaiian islands. when the service ended in 1979 the three hydrofoils were acquired by far east hydrofoil for service between hong kong and macau.[42]
during the 1970s, boeing also developed the us standard light rail vehicle, which has been used in san francisco, boston, and morgantown, west virginia.[43]
1980s [ edit ]
the narrow body boeing 757 replaced the 727. this example is in turkmenistan airlines livery.
the boeing 767 replaced the boeing 707. this example is in qantas livery.
in 1983, the economic situation began to improve. boeing assembled its 1,000th 737 passenger aircraft. during the following years, commercial aircraft and their military versions became the basic equipment of airlines and air forces. as passenger air traffic increased, competition was harder, mainly from airbus, aropean newcomer in commercial airliner manufacturing. boeing had to offer new aircraft, and developed the single-aisle 757, the larger, twin-aisle 767, and upgraded versions of the 737. an important project of these years was the space shuttle, to which boeing contributed with its experience in space rockets acquired during the apollo era. boeing participated also with other products in the space program, and was the first contractor for the international space station program.
during the decade several military projects went into production, including boeing support of the b-2 stealth bomber. as part of an industry team led by northrop, boeing built the b-2's outer wing portion, aft center fuselage section, landing gear, fuel system, and weapons delivery system. at its peak in 1991, the b-2 was the largest military program at boeing, employing about 10,000 people. the same year, the us's national aeronautic association awarded the b-2 design team the collier trophy for the greatest achievement in aerospace in america. the first b-2 rolled out of the bomber's final assembly facility in palmdale, california, in november 1988 and it flew for the first time on july 17, 1989.[44]
the avenger air defense system and a new generation of short-range missiles also went into production. during these years, boeing was very active in upgrading existing military equipment and developing new ones. boeing also contributed to wind power development with the experimental mod-2 wind turbines for nasa and the united states department of energy, and the mod-5b for hawaii.[45]
1990s [ edit ]
boeing was one of seven competing companies that bid for the advanced tactical fighter. boeing agreed to team with general dynamics and lockheed, so that all three companies would participate in the development if one of the three companies designs was selected. the lockheed design was eventually selected and developed into the f-22 raptor.[46]
in april 1994, boeing introduced the most modern commercial jet aircraft at the time, the twin-engine 777, with a seating capacity of approximately 300 to 370 passengers in a typical three-class layout, in between the 767 and the 747. the longest range twin-engined aircraft in the world, the 777 was the first boeing airliner to feature a "fly-by-wire" system and was conceived partly in response to the inroads being made by theropean airbus into boeing's traditional market. this aircraft reached an important milestone by being the first airliner to be designed entirely by using computer-aided design (cad) techniques.[47] the 777 was also the first airplane to be certified for 180 minute etops at entry into service by the faa.[48] also in the mid-1990s, the company developed the revamped version of the 737, known as the 737 "next-generation", or 737ng. it has since become the fastest-selling version of the 737 in history, and on april 20, 2006 sales passed those of the "classic 737", with a follow-up order for 79 aircraft from southwest airlines.
in 1995, boeing chose to demolish the headquarters complex on east marginal way south instead of upgrading it to match new seismic standards. the headquarters were moved to an adjacent building and the facility was demolished in 1996.[49] in 1997, boeing was headquartered on east marginal way south, by king county airport, in seattle.[50]
in 1996, boeing acquired rockwell's aerospace and defense units. the rockwell business units became a subsidiary of boeing, named boeing north american, inc. in august 1997, boeing merged with mcdonnell douglas in a us$13 billion stock swap, with boeing as the surviving company.[32][not specific enough to verify] following the merger, the mcdonnell douglas md-95 was renamed the boeing 717, and the production of the md-11 trijet was limited to the freighter version. boeing introduced a new corporate identity with completion of the merger, incorporating the boeing logo type and a stylized version of the mcdonnell douglas symbol, which was derived from the douglas aircraft logo from the 1970s.
an aerospace analyst criticized the ceo and his deputy, philip m. condit and harry stonecipher, for thinking of their personal benefit first, and causing the problems to boeing many years later. instead of investing the huge cash reserve to build new airplanes, they initiated a program to buy back boeing stock for more than us$10 billion.[51][importance?]
in may 1999, boeing studied buying embraer to encourage commonality between the e-jets and the boeing 717, but this was nixed by then president harry stonecipher. he preferred buying bombardier aerospace, but its owner, the beaudoin family, asked for a price too high for boeing which remembered its mid-1980s purchase of de havilland canada, losing a million dollars every day for three years before selling it to bombardier in 1992.[52]
in january 2000, boeing chose to expand its presence in another aerospace field of satellite communications by purchasing hughes electronics.[53] hughes space and communications company, which had pioneered the satellite communications field.
in september 2001, boeing moved its corporate headquarters from seattle to chicago. chicago, dallas and denver vying to become the new home of the world's largest aerospace concern all had offered packages of multimillion-dollar tax breaks.[54] its offices are located in the fulton river district just outside the chicago loop.[9]
on october 10, 2001, boeing lost to its rival lockheed martin in the fierce competition for the multibillion-dollar joint strike fighter contract. boeing's entry, the x-32, was rejected in favor of lockheed's x-35 entrant. boeing continues to serve as the prime contractor on the international space station and has built several of the major components.
boeing began development of the kc-767 aerial refueling tanker in the early 2000s. italy and japan ordered four kc-767s each. after development delays and faa certification, boeing delivered the tankers to japan from 2008[55][56] with the second kc-767 following on march 5.[57] to 2010.[58] italy received its four kc-767 during 2011.[59][60][61]
in 2004, boeing ended production of the 757 after 1,050 aircraft were produced. more advanced, stretched versions of the 737 were beginning to compete against the 757, and the planned 787-3 was to fill much of the top end of the 757 market. also that year, boeing announced that the 717, the last civil aircraft to be designed by mcdonnell douglas, would cease production in 2006. the 767 was in danger of cancellation as well, with the 787 replacing it, but orders for the freighter version extended the program.
after several decades of success, boeing lost ground to airbus and subsequently lost its lead in the airliner market in 2003. multiple boeing projects were pursued and then canceled, notably the sonic cruiser, a proposed jetliner that would travel just under the speed of sound, cutting intercontinental travel times by as much as 20 percent. it was launched in 2001 along with a new advertising campaign to promote the company's new motto, "forever new frontiers", and to rehabilitate its image. however, the plane's fate was sealed by the changes in the commercial aviation market following the september 11 attacks and the subsequent weak economy and increase in fuel prices.
subsequently, boeing streamlined its production and turned its attention to a new model, the boeing 787 dreamliner, using much of the technology developed for the sonic cruiser, but in a more conventional aircraft designed for maximum efficiency. the company also launched new variants of its successful 737 and 777 models. the 787 proved to be a highly popular choice with airlines, and won a record number of pre-launch orders. with delays to airbus' a380 program several airlines threatened to switch their a380 orders to boeing's new 747 version, the 747-8.[62] airbus's response to the 787, the a350, received a lukewarm response at first when it was announced as an improved version of the a330, and then gained significant orders when airbus promised an entirely new design. the 787 program encountered delays, with the first flight not occurring until late 2009.[63]
after regulatory approval, boeing formed a joint venture, united launch alliance with its competitor, lockheed martin, on december 1, 2006. the new venture is the largest provider of rocket launch services to the u.s. government.[64]
in 2005, gary scott, ex-boeing executive and then head of bombardier's cseries program, suggested a collaboration on the upcoming cseries, but an internal study assessed embraer as the best partner for regional jets. the brazilian government wanted to retain control and blocked an acquisition.[52]
on august 2, 2005, boeing sold its rocketdyne rocket engine division to pratt & whitney. on may 1, 2006, boeing agreed to purchase dallas, texas-based aviall, inc. for $1.7 billion and retain $350 million in debt. aviall, inc. and its subsidiaries, aviall services, inc. and ils formed a wholly owned subsidiary of boeing commercial aviation services (bcas).[65]
realizing that increasing numbers of passengers have become reliant on their computers to stay in touch, boeing introduced connexion by boeing, a satellite based internet connectivity service that promised air travelers unprecedented access to the world wide web. the company debuted the product to journalists in 2005, receiving generally favorable reviews. however, facing competition from cheaper options, such as cellular networks, it proved too difficult to sell to most airlines. in august 2006, after a short and unsuccessful search for a buyer for the business, boeing chose to discontinue the service.[66][67]
on august 18, 2007, nasa selected boeing as the manufacturing contractor for the liquid-fueled upper stage of the ares i rocket.[68] the stage, based on both apollo-saturn and space shuttle technologies, was to be constructed at nasa's michoud assembly facility near new orleans; boeing constructed the s-ic stage of the saturn v rocket at this site in the 1960s.
the boeing 787 dreamliner on its first flight
boeing launched the 777 freighter in may 2005 with an order from air france. the freighter variant is based on the −200lr. other customers include fedex and emirates. boeing officially announced in november 2005 that it would produce a larger variant of the 747, the 747-8, in two versions, commencing with the freighter version with firm orders for two cargo carriers. the second version, named the intercontinental, is for passenger airlines. both 747-8 versions feature a lengthened fuselage, new, advanced engines and wings, and the incorporation of other technologies developed for the 787.
boeing also received the launch contract from the u.s. navy for the p-8 poseidon multimission maritime aircraft, an anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft. it has also received orders for the 737 aew&c "wedgetail" aircraft. the company has also introduced new extended range versions of the 737. these include the 737-700er and 737-900er. the 737-900er is the latest and will extend the range of the 737–900 to a similar range as the successful 737–800 with the capability to fly more passengers, due to the addition of two extra emergency exits.
the 777-200lr worldliner embarked on a well-received global demonstration tour in the second half of 2005, showing off its capacity to fly farther than any other commercial aircraft. on november 10, 2005, the 777-200lr set a world record for the longest non-stop flight. the plane, which departed from hong kong traveling to london, took a longer route, which included flying over the u.s. it flew 11,664 nautical miles (21,601 km) during its 22-hour 42-minute flight. it was flown by pakistan international airlines pilots and pia was the first airline to fly the 777-200lr worldliner.
on august 11, 2006, boeing agreed to form a joint-venture with the large russian titanium producer, vsmpo-avisma for the machining of titanium forgings. the forgings will be used on the 787 program.[69] in december 2007, boeing and vsmpo-avisma created a joint venture, ural boeing manufacturing, and signed a contract on titanium product deliveries until 2015, with boeing planning to invest $27 billion in russia over the next 30 years.[70]
in february 2011, boeing received a contract for 179 kc-46 u.s. air force tankers at a value of $35 billion.[71] the kc-46 tankers are based on the kc-767.
graphic representation of the xm1202 mounted combat system vehicle
boeing, along with science applications international corporation (saic), were the prime contractors in the u.s. military's future combat systems program.[72] the fcs program was canceled in june 2009 with all remaining systems swept into the bct modernization program.[73] boeing works jointly with saic in the bct modernization program like the fcs program but the u.s. army will play a greater role in creating baseline vehicles and will only contract others for accessories.
defense secretary robert m. gates' shift in defense spending to, "make tough choices about specific systems and defense priorities based solely on the national interest and then stick to those decisions over time"[74] hit boeing especially hard, because of their heavy involvement with canceled air force projects.[75]
unethical conduct [ edit ]
in may 2003, the u.s. air force announced it would lease 100 kc-767 tankers to replace the oldest 136 kc-135s. in november 2003, responding to critics who argued that the lease was more expensive than an outright purchase, the dod announced a revised lease of 20 aircraft and purchase of 80. in december 2003, the pentagon announced the project was to be frozen while an investigation of allegations of corruption by one of its former procurement staffers, darleen druyun (who began employment at boeing in january) was begun. the fallout of this resulted in the resignation of boeing ceo philip m. condit and the termination of cfo michael m. sears.[76] harry stonecipher, former mcdonnell douglas ceo and boeing coo, replaced condit on an interim basis. druyun pleaded guilty to inflating the price of the contract to favor her future employer and to passing information on the competing airbus a330 mrtt bid. in october 2004, she received a jail sentence for corruption.[77]
in march 2005, the boeing board forced president and ceo harry stonecipher to resign. boeing said an internal investigation revealed a "consensual" relationship between stonecipher and a female executive that was "inconsistent with boeing's code of conduct" and "would impair his ability to lead the company".[78] james a. bell served as interim ceo (in addition to his normal duties as boeing's cfo) until the appointment of jim mcnerney as the new chairman, president, and ceo on june 30, 2005.
industrial espionage [ edit ]
in june 2003, lockheed martin sued boeing, alleging that the company had resorted to industrial espionage in 1998 to win the evolved expendable launch vehicle (eelv) competition. lockheed martin claimed that the former employee kenneth branch, who went to work for mcdonnell douglas and boeing, passed nearly 30,000 pages of proprietary documents to his new employers. lockheed martin argued that these documents allowed boeing to win 19 of the 28 tendered military satellite launches.[79][80]
in july 2003, boeing was penalized, with the pentagon stripping seven launches away from the company and awarding them to lockheed martin.[79] furthermore, the company was forbidden to bid for rocket contracts for a twenty-month period, which expired in march 2005.[80] in early september 2005, it was reported that boeing was negotiating a settlement with the u.s. department of justice in which it would pay up to $500 million to cover this and the darleen druyun scandal.[81]
1992-us agreement notes [ edit ]
until the late 1970s, the u.s. had a near monopoly in the large civil aircraft (lca) sector.[82] the airbus consortium (created in 1969) started competing effectively in the 1980s. at that stage the u.s. became concerned about theropean competition and the alleged subsidies paid by theropean governments for the developments of the early models of the airbus family. this became a major issue of contention, as theropean side was equally concerned by subsidies accruing to u.s. lca manufacturers through nasa and defense programs.
the and the u.s. started bilateral negotiations for the limitation of government subsidies to the lca sector in the late 1980s. negotiations were concluded in 1992 with the signing of the ec-us agreement on trade in large civil aircraft which imposes disciplines on government support on both sides of the atlantic which are significantly stricter than the relevant world trade organization (wto) rules: notably, the agreement regulates in detail the forms and limits of government support, prescribes transparency obligations and commits the parties to avoiding trade disputes.[83]
subsidy disputes [ edit ]
in 2004, the and the u.s. agreed to discuss a possible revision of the 1992-us agreement provided that this would cover all forms of subsidies including those used in the u.s., and in particular the subsidies for the boeing 787; the first new aircraft to be launched by boeing for 14 years. in october 2004 the u.s. began legal proceedings at the wto by requesting wto consultations onropean launch investment to airbus. the u.s. also unilaterally withdrew from the 1992-us agreement.[84] the u.s. claimed airbus had violated a 1992 bilateral accord when it received what boeing deemed "unfair" subsidies from severalropean governments. airbus responded by filing a separate complaint, contesting that boeing had also violated the accord when it received tax breaks from the u.s. government. moreover, the also complained that the investment subsidies from japanese airlines violated the accord.
on january 11, 2005, boeing and airbus agreed that they would attempt to find a solution to the dispute outside of the wto. however, in june 2005, boeing and the united states government reopened the trade dispute with the wto, claiming that airbus had received illegal subsidies fromropean governments. airbus has also responded to this claim against boeing, reopening the dispute and also accusing boeing of receiving subsidies from the u.s. government.[85]
on september 15, 2010, the wto ruled that boeing had received billions of dollars in government subsidies.[86] boeing responded by stating that the ruling was a fraction of the size of the ruling against airbus and that it required few changes in its operations.[87] boeing has received $8.7 billion in support from washington state.[88]
future concepts [ edit ]
in may 2006, four concept designs being examined by boeing were outlined in the seattle times based on corporate internal documents. the research aims in two directions: low-cost airplanes, and environmental-friendly planes. codenamed after the well-known muppets, a design team known as the green team concentrated primarily on reducing fuel usage. all four designs illustrated rear-engine layouts.[89]
"fozzie" employs open rotors and offers a lower cruising speed. [89]
"beaker" has very thin, long wings, with the ability to partially fold-up to facilitate easier taxiing.
"kermit kruiser" has forward swept wings over which are positioned its engines, with the aim of lowering noise below due to the reflection of the exhaust signature upward. [89]
"honeydew" with its delta wing design, resembles a marriage of the flying wing concept and the traditional tube fuselage.[89]
as with most concepts, these designs are only in the exploratory stage, intended to help boeing evaluate the potentials of such radical technologies.[89]
boeing recently patented its own force field technology, also known as the shock wave attenuation system, that would protect vehicles from shock waves generated by nearby explosions.[90] boeing has yet to confirm when they plan to build and test the technology.[91]
the boeing yellowstone project is the company's project to replace its entire civil aircraft portfolio with advanced technology aircraft. new technologies to be introduced include composite aerostructures, more electrical systems (reduction of hydraulic systems), and more fuel-efficient turbofan engines, such as the pratt & whitney pw1000g geared turbofan, general electric genx, the cfm international leap56, and the rolls-royce trent 1000. the term "yellowstone" refers to the technologies, while "y1" through "y3" refer to the actual aircraft.
in summer 2010, boeing acquired fairfax, va-based c4isr and combat systems developer argon st to expand its c4isr, cyber and intelligence capabilities.[92]
in 2011, boeing was hesitating between re-engineing the 737 or developing an all-new small airplane for which embraer could have been involved, but when the a320neo was launched with new engines, that precipitated the 737 max decision.[52] on november 17, boeing received its largest provisional order for $21.7 billion at list prices from indonesian lcc lion air for 201 737 max, 29 737-900ers and 150 purchase rights, days after its previous order record of $18 billion for 50 777-300er from emirates.[93]
in 2012, boeing announced it would close its pictured facility in wichita, kansas
on january 5, 2012, boeing announced it would close its facilities in wichita, kansas with 2,160 workers before 2014, more than 80 years after it was established, where it had employed as many as 40,000 people.[94][95]
in may 2013, boeing announced it would cut 1,500 it jobs in seattle over the next three years through layoffs, attrition and mostly relocation to st. louis and north charleston, south carolina − 600 jobs each.[96][97] in september, boeing announced their long beach facility manufacturing the c-17 globemaster iii military transport would shut down.[98]
in january 2014, the company announced us$1.23 billion profits for q4 2013, a 26% increase, due to higher demand for commercial aircraft.[99] the last plane to undergo maintenance in boeing wichita's facility left in may 2014.[100]
in september 2014, nasa awarded contracts to boeing and spacex for transporting astronauts to the international space station.[101]
in june 2015, boeing announced that james mcnerney would step down as ceo to be replaced by boeing's coo, dennis muilenburg, on july 1, 2015.[7] the 279th and last c-17 was delivered in summer before closing the site, affecting 2,200 jobs.[98]
in february 2016, boeing announced that boeing president and ceo dennis muilenburg was elected the 10th chairman of the board, succeeding james mcnerney.[102] in march, boeing announced to cut 4,000 jobs from its commercial airplane division by mid-year.[103] on may 13, 2016, boeing opened a $1 billion, 27-acre (11-hectare) factory in washington state that will make carbon-composite wings for its 777x to be delivered by 2020.[104]
cseries dumping petition [ edit ]
on 28 april 2016, bombardier aerospace sold 75 cseries cs100 firmly plus 50 options to delta air lines. on 27 april 2017, boeing filed a petition for dumping them at $19.6m each, below their $33.2m production cost.
on 9 june 2017, the us international trade commission (usitc) found the us industry could be threatened. on 26 september, the us department of commerce (doc) observed subsidies of 220% and will collect deposits based on these. it will add an 80% preliminary anti-dumping duty on top, resulting in a total duty of 300%. the doc announced its final ruling, a total duty of 292%, on 20 december. on 10 january 2018, the canadian government filed a complaint at the world trade organization against the us.
on 26 january 2018, the usitc four commissioners unanimously determined the us industry is not threatened and no duty orders will be issued, overturning the imposed duties. the commission public report was made available by february 2018. on march 22, boeing declined to appeal the ruling.
since 2017 [ edit ]
in october 2017, boeing announced plans to acquire aurora flight sciences to expand its capabilities to develop autonomous, electric-powered and long-flight-duration aircraft for its commercial and military businesses, pending regulatory approval.[105][106]
in 2017, boeing won 912 net orders for $134.8 billion at list prices including 745 737s, 94 787s and 60 777s, and delivered 763 airliners including 529 737s, 136 787s and 74 777s.[107]
in january 2018, a joint venture was formed by auto seat maker adient (50.01%) and boeing (49.99%) to develop and manufacture airliner seats for new installations or retrofit, a $4.5 billion market in 2017 which will grow to $6 billion by 2026, to be based in kaiserslautern near frankfurt and distributed by boeing subsidiary aviall, with its customer service center in seattle.[108]
on june 4, 2018, boeing and safran announced a 50-50 partnership to design, build and service apus after regulatory and antitrust clearance in the second half of 2018.[109] this could threaten the dominance of honeywell and united technologies in the apu market.[110]
at a june 2018 aiaa conference, boeing unveiled a hypersonic transport project.[111]
in september 2018, boeing signed a deal with the pentagon worth up to $2.4 billion to provide helicopters for protecting nuclear-missile bases.[112] boeing enhanced its space business by acquiring the satellite company millennium space system in september 2018.[113]
on july 5, 2018, boeing and embraer announced a joint venture, covering embraer's airliner business.[114] this is seen as a reaction to airbus acquiring a majority of the competing bombardier cseries on october 16, 2017.[115]
environment [ edit ]
environmental record [ edit ]
in 2006, the ucla center for environmental risk reduction released a study showing that boeing's santa susana field laboratory, in the simi hills of eastern ventura county in southern california, had been contaminated with toxic and radioactive waste. the study found that air, soil, groundwater, and surface water at the site all contained radionuclides, toxic metals, and dioxins; air and water additionally contained perchlorate, tce, and hydrazines, while water showed the presence of pcbs as well.[116] clean up studies and lawsuits are in progress.[117][118]
jet biofuels [ edit ]
the airline industry is responsible for about 11 percent of greenhouse gases emitted by the u.s. transportation sector.[119] aviation's share of the greenhouse gas emissions is poised to grow, as air travel increases and ground vehicles use more alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.[119] boeing estimates that biofuels could reduce flight-related greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent.[119] the solution blends algae fuels with existing jet fuel.[119]
boeing executives said the company is informally collaborating with leading brazilian biofuels maker tecbio, aquaflow bionomic of new zealand and other fuel developers around the world. so far, boeing has tested six fuels from these companies, and will probably have gone through 20 fuels "by the time we're done evaluating them".[119] boeing was also joining other aviation-related members in the algal biomass organization (abo) on june 2008.[120]
air new zealand and boeing are researching the jatropha plant to see if it is a sustainable alternative to conventional fuel.[121] a two-hour test flight using a 50–50 mixture of the new biofuel with jet a-1 in the number one position rolls royce rb-211 engine of 747-400 zk-nbs, was successfully completed on december 30, 2008. the engine was then removed to be scrutinised and studied to identify any differences between the jatropha blend and regular jet a1. no effects to performances were found.
on august 31, 2010, boeing worked with the u.s. air force to test the boeing c-17 running on 50 percent jp-8, 25 percent hydro-treated renewable jet fuel and 25 percent of a fischer–tropsch fuel with successful results.[122]
electric propulsion [ edit ]
for nasa's n+3 future airliner program, boeing has determined that hybrid electric engine technology is by far the best choice for its subsonic design. hybrid electric propulsion has the potential to shorten takeoff distance and reduce noise.[123]
political contributions, federal contracts, advocacy [ edit ]
in both 2008 and 2009, boeing was second on the list of top 100 us federal contractors, with contracts totalling $22 billion and $23 billion respectively.[124][125] since 1995, the company has agreed to pay $1.6 billion to settle 39 instances of misconduct, including $615 million in 2006 in relation to illegal hiring of government officials and improper use of proprietary information.[126][127]
boeing secured the highest ever tax breaks at the state level in 2013.[128]
boeing's 2010 lobbying expenditure by the third quarter was $13.2 million (2009 total: $16.9 million).[129][130] in the 2008 presidential election, barack obama "was by far the biggest recipient of campaign contributions from boeing employees and executives, hauling in $197,000 five times as much as john mccain, and more than the top eight republicans combined".[131]
boeing has a corporate citizenship program centered on charitable contributions in five areas: education, health, human services, environment, the arts, culture, and civic engagement.[132][better source needed] in 2011, boeing spent $147.3 million in these areas through charitable grants and business sponsorships.[133] in february 2012, boeing global corporate citizenship partnered with the insight labs to develop a new model for foundations to more effectively lead the sector that they serve.[134][better source needed]
the company is a member of the u.s. global leadership coalition, a washington d.c.-based coalition of over 400 major companies and ngos that advocates for a larger international affairs budget, which funds american diplomatic and development efforts abroad.[135] a series of u.s. diplomatic cables show how u.s. diplomats and senior politicians intervene on behalf of boeing to help boost the company's sales.[136]
in 2007 and 2008, the company benefited from over $10 billion of long-term loan guarantees, helping finance the purchase of their commercial aircraft in countries including brazil, canada, ireland and the united arab emirates, from the export-import bank of the united states, some 65 percent of the total loan guarantees the bank made in the period.[137]
in december 2011, the non-partisan organization public campaign criticized boeing for spending $52.29 million on lobbying and not paying taxes during 2008–2010, instead getting $178 million in tax rebates, despite making a profit of $9.7 billion, laying off 14,862 workers since 2008, and increasing executive pay by 31 percent to $41.9 million in 2010 for its top five executives.[138]
divisions [ edit ]
the two largest divisions are boeing commercial airplanes and boeing defense, space & security (bds).[139]
financial numbers [ edit ]
for the fiscal year 2017, boeing reported earnings of us$8.191 billion, with an annual revenue of us$93.392 billion, a 1.25% decline over the previous fiscal cycle. boeing's shares traded at over $209 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over us$206.6 billion.[140]
year revenue
in million us$ net income
in mil. us$ price per share
in us$ employees 2005 53,621 2,572 45.42 2006 61,530 2,215 59.20 2007 66,387 4,074 71.05 2008 60,909 2,672 50.76 2009 68,281 1,312 35.73 2010 64,306 3,298 53.89 2011 68,735 4,009 58.20 2012 81,698 3,900 62.65 2013 86,623 4,578 90.39 168,400 2014 90,762 5,440 114.72 165,500 2015 96,114 5,172 131.43 161,400 2016 94,571 4,892 125.66 150,500 2017 93,392 8,191 209.85 140,800
between 2010 and 2018, boeing inreased its operating cash flow from $3 to $15.3 billion, sustaining its share price, by negotiating advance payments from customers and delaying payments to its suppliers. this strategy is sustainable only as long as orders are good and delivery rates are increasing.[141]
employment numbers [ edit ]
the company's employment count is listed on its website below.
approximately 1.5 percent of boeing employees are in the technical fellowship program, a program through which boeing's top engineers and scientists set technical direction for the company.[143] the average salary at boeing is $76,784, reported by former employees.[144]
corporate governance [ edit ]
see also [ edit ]
references [ edit ]
further reading [ edit ]
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noʊt frəm ðə editor-in-chief*: ˈɛvriˌwən wɪθ ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈæˌsɛts ɪn ðə ʃʊd rɛd ðə ˈɑrtɪkəl baɪ ˈbərnərd ˈkɔnəli wi ər ˈpoʊstɪŋ bɪˈloʊ. ˈbərnərd ɪz ðə ˈlɛʤənˌdɛri ɪˈkɑnəmɪst hu rɪˈzɪstɪd ðə kriˈeɪʃən əv ðə ˈjʊrə waɪl hi wɑz ˈwərkɪŋ æt ðə ˌjʊrəˈpiən kəˈmɪʃən ɪn ðə 1990s*. hɪz krɪˈtik ɪn hɪz bʊk ðə ˈrɑtən hɑrt əv ˈjʊrəp ənd əˈspɛʃəli hɪz priˈdɪkʃən ðət ðə ˈjʊrə wʊd lɛd tɪ ə ˈkrɛdɪt ˈbəbəl ˈfɑloʊd baɪ ə ˈsɑvrən dɪˈfɔlt ɪn ðə pərˈɪfəri sɔ ɪm faɪərd frəm hɪz ʤɑb. ˈleɪtər, ɪn 2008 mɑrk ˈkɑrni ðɛn ˈgəvərnər əv ðə bæŋk əv ˈkænədə, naʊ ˈgəvərnər əv ðə bæŋk əv ˈɪŋglənd ˈsaɪtɪd ˈbərnərd əˈlɔŋˈsaɪd ənd kɛn ˈrɑgɔf ɛz wən əv ðə fju ɪˈkɑnəmɪsts hu kərˈɛktli ˌfɔrˈsɔ ðə ˈgloʊbəl ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈkraɪsəs. hɪz ˈθiˌsɪs ɪn ˈɑrtɪkəl ɪz ɛz ˈʧɪlɪŋ fər ðə ɛz ðoʊz tu ˈpriviəs ˈhaɪli ˌkɑnˈtrɛriən priˈdɪkʃənz ˈsəmərˌsɛt wɛb. ʤɔrʤ ˈsɔroʊs həz æt taɪmz bɪn ə ˈvɛri səkˈsɛsfəl ˈspɛkjəˌleɪtər. bət ɪn hɪz ˈɑrtɪkəl ɪn ˈgɑrdiən hi əˈsərtəd ðət wʊd brɪŋ ə ʃɑrp fɔl ɪn ˈstərlɪŋ ðət wʊd bi ˈvɛri ˈdæmɪʤɪŋ tɪ ˈbrɪtən. ðət səˈʤɛsts ðət hi ɪz kənfˈjuzd əˈbaʊt ðə ˌəndərˈlaɪɪŋ nidz əv ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ɪˈkɑnəmi ɛz ɪz ðə bæŋk əv ˈɪŋglənd. ˈsɔroʊs sɪz ðət ənˈlaɪk ðə ˈɑbviəsli ˌbɛnəˈfɪʃəl dɪˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən əv ˈstərlɪŋ ˈæftər ““white”*” ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər 1992 wɪn ˈstərlɪŋ lɛft ðə erm*, ə dɪˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən wʊd kɔz ə ˌriˈsɛʃən, bɪˈkəz ðə bæŋk əv ˈɪŋglənd həz ˈvərʧuəli noʊ rum tɪ kət ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts ənd bɪˈkəz ˈbrɪtən həz ə lɑrʤ ˈdɛfəsət. bət ðə ˌriˈæləˌti ɪz ðət ˈbrɪtən, ɪn ðə ər aʊt əv ɪt, həz ə səˈvɪrli ənˈbælənst ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪn wɪʧ, bɪˈkəz əv æbˈnɔrməli loʊ ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts, fɑr tu məʧ ˈspɛndɪŋ həz bɪn brɔt ˈfɔrwərd frəm ðə fˈjuʧər. ˈbrɪtən ɪz nɑt əˈloʊn ɪn ðət ɪt ɪz ə ˈprɑbləm feɪst baɪ ˈmɛni ɪˈkɑnəmiz. bət ðə juʤ ˈdɛfəsət 7 əv ən ˌɔlˈtaɪm ˈrɛkərd) ɪz ən ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən ðət ðə ˈprɑbləm ɪz sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli wərs ɪn ˈbrɪtən ðən ˈɛlsˌwɛr. ðət ˈdɛfəsət ˈkænɑt rən ɔn fərˈɛvər. ɪt ɪz nɑt ˈfaɪˌnænst baɪ ˈkaɪndnəs əv strangers”*”, ɛz mɑrk ˈkɑrni noʊˈtɔriəsli kleɪmd, bət baɪ ðə grid ənd ˈfɑli əv ˈmɑrkɪts. ɪt ɪz kwaɪt ˈsɪmpli ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl ðət æt səm pɔɪnt ˈmɑrkɪts wɪl ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət ɪkˈstərnəl pəˈzɪʃən ɪz ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl. ˈbrɪtən ɪz ˈlɪvɪŋ bɪɔnd ɪts minz, ɪn pɑrt bɪˈkəz əv ðə ˈhoʊli ˌɪˈlusəri pərˈsɛpʃən əv ““wealth”*” kriˈeɪtɪd baɪ ˌɪnˈfleɪtɪd haʊs ˈpraɪsɪz ɪn tərn ðə rɪˈzəlt əv ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts wɪʧ ər dɪˈstɔrtɪŋ ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi ənd kriˈeɪtɪŋ ə ˈlumɪŋ ˈkraɪsəs fər ˈpɛnʃən fəndz ənd laɪf ˌɪnˈʃʊrərz. ðə ˌɪnˈkris ɪn ˈbrɪtɪʃ standards”*”, ˈrɛlətɪv tɪ ˌəndərˈlaɪɪŋ ˌproʊdəkˈtɪvɪti groʊθ, ˈsɪmpli həz tɪ dɪˈklaɪn fər ə taɪm. ˈbrɪtən nidz haɪər ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts, loʊər haʊs ˈpraɪsɪz ənd ə ˈwikər ˈkərənsi. ðət truθ ɪz ənˈdaʊtɪdli ənˈpælətəbəl. bət ˈbɛriɪŋ ɑr hɛdz ɪn ðə sænd, ɛz ˈsɔroʊs ənd, ˌɪrəˈspɑnsəbli, ðə bæŋk əv ˈɪŋglənd simz tɪ wɔnt tɪ du, wʊd ˈoʊnli meɪk θɪŋz wərs. ðə ˈlɔŋgər ɪt teɪks fər ðət ˌrɛkɪgˈnɪʃən tɪ teɪk hoʊld, ðə mɔr dɪsˈrəptɪv wɪl bi ən əˈvɛnʧuəl stop”*” ɪn ðə fɪˈnænsɪŋ əv ðə ˈdɛfəsət, ðə ˈbɪgər wɪl bi ðə ˈstərlɪŋ dɪˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən rikˈwaɪərd tɪ səˈpɔrt ˈaʊtˌpʊt ənd ɪmˈplɔɪmənt ɪn ðə feɪs əv rɪˈdust dəˈmɛstɪk dɪˈmænd (ɪn ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks ˈʤɑrgən, ðɪs kəmz ˈmeɪnli frəm sˈwɪʧɪŋ dɪˈmænd frəm gʊdz, ˈmeɪnli prəˈdust əˈbrɔd, tɪ gʊdz, prəˈdust ənd soʊld ˈoʊnli æt hoʊm ə ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm ˈsɔroʊs simz nɑt tɪ hæv græspt) ənd ðə ˈgreɪtər wɪl bi ðə rɪsk əv ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈkraɪsəs. ðə moʊst ˈsɪriəs rɪsk əv ɔl fər ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪz ðət ɪf ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti fər pəˈlɪtɪkəl ɪˈskeɪp ənd ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk əˈfɔrdəd baɪ ɪz nɑt ˈteɪkən, ˈmɑrkɪt ˌrɛkɪgˈnɪʃən əv wɪl kəm ɪn ðə ˈkɑntɛkst əv ðə ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl nɛkst feɪz əv ðə ˈjʊrə ˈkraɪsəs, ər əv ə ˈgloʊbəl ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈkraɪsəs. ðɛr ər ˈoʊnli θri θɪŋz ðə dɪz nɑt laɪk əˈbaʊt ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈmɑrkɪts: ðeɪ ər ˈbrɪtɪʃ; ðeɪ ər tɪ du wɪθ ˈfaɪˌnæns; ənd ðeɪ ər ˈmɑrkɪts. əˈfɪʃəlz æt ɔl ˈlɛvəlz hæv meɪd ɪt klɪr ðət ɪn ə ˈkraɪsəs, ˈləndən, ðə ˈbɪgəst ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsɛntər ənd ðə həb əv ˈtreɪdɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈjʊrə, wʊd bi ðə ˈfoʊkɪs əv ðɛr kənˈsərn ənd ðət ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ɪˈkɑnəmi ənd ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsɛktər wʊd bi ˈsækrəˌfaɪst tɪ prəˈtɛkt ðə ˈjʊrə ˈɛriə. ɪt ɪz ˈivɪn ˈlaɪkli ðət ðə, riˈlaɪɪŋ ɔn ˈɑrtɪkəl 140 əv ðə ˈtriti, wʊd sik tɪ fɔrs ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈgəvərnmənt tɪ rɪˈzɪst ə ˈstərlɪŋ dɪˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən wɪʧ wʊd ðə ˈsɪŋgəl market”*”. ɪn səʧ ˈsərkəmˌstænsɪz, ˈbrɪtən wʊd bi fɔrst tɪ ʧuz bɪtˈwin ə dɪˈprɛʃən (ənd ˈruɪnɪŋ bæŋk dəˈpɑzɪtərz ˈviə ðə rulz) ənd ˈimərʤənsi ˈɛksət frəm ðə ɪn fɑr mɔr kənˈtɛnʃəs ənd ˈsərkəmˌstænsɪz ðən ɪn ðə ˈprɛzənt. ðɪs ɪz nɑt ə ˈhæpi ˈmɛsɪʤ. wi maɪt wɪʃ wi wər nɑt ˈstɑrtɪŋ frəm hir. bət ɪf ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti əv ɪz nɑt ˈteɪkən, ˈbrɪtən wɪl ˈsəfər fɑr mɔr peɪn ɪn ðə fˈjuʧər ˈprɑbəˌbli ə nɪr fˈjuʧər. ɔl ðɪs ɪz əˈbaʊt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks. ðə ˈɑrgjəmənt fər ˈlænsɪŋ ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk bɔɪl ɪz kəmˈpɛlɪŋ ɪˈnəf. bət ðə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ənd ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl ˈɑrgjəmənts fər ər ˈivɪn mɔr kəmˈpɛlɪŋ. ɪt ɪz pərˈplɛksɪŋ ðət ˈsɔroʊs, huz ˈfæməli sərˈvaɪvd ðə dɪˈstrəkʃən ɪn ðə ˈbætəl əv ˈbudəˌpɛʃt bɪtˈwin ðə tæŋk ˈɑrmiz əv tu ˌtoʊˌtælɪˈtɛriən paʊərz, ʃʊd bi soʊ əv ðə nu ˌtoʊˌtæləˈtɛriəˌnɪzəm ɪn ðə ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈjunjən, wɪθ ɪts ˌjʊrəˈpiən fɔrs ənd ɪts plænz fər ə ˌməlˌtiˈnæʃənəl ˈɑrmi ɛz mɪl dɪˈskraɪbd səʧ ˈɑrmiz, ˌɛksəˈkjuʃənərz əv ˈlɪbərˌti θruaʊt ˈmɑdərn history”*”.
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note from the editor-in-chief:
everyone with financial assets in the uk should read the article by bernard connolly we are posting below. bernard is the legendary economist who resisted the creation of the euro while he was working at the european commission in the 1990s.
his critique in his book the rotten heart of europe – and especially his prediction that the euro would lead to a credit bubble followed by a sovereign default in the eurozone periphery – saw him fired from his job.
later, in 2008, mark carney – then governor of the bank of canada, now governor of the bank of england – cited bernard alongside nouriel roubini and ken rogoff as one of the few economists who correctly foresaw the global financial crisis. his thesis in today’s article is as chilling for the uk as those two previous highly contrarian predictions
merryn somerset webb.
george soros has at times been a very successful speculator. but in his article in yesterday’s guardian he asserted that brexit would bring a sharp fall in sterling that would be very damaging to britain. that suggests that he is confused about the underlying needs of the british economy – as is the bank of england.
soros says that unlike the obviously beneficial depreciation of sterling after “white” wednesday in september 1992, when sterling left the erm, a post-brexit depreciation would cause a recession, because the bank of england has virtually no room to cut interest rates and because britain has a large current–account deficit.
but the reality is that britain, in the eu or out of it, has a severely unbalanced economy in which, because of abnormally low interest rates, far too much spending has been brought forward from the future. britain is not alone in that – it is a problem faced by many economies. but the huge current-account deficit (7% of gdp – an all-time record) is an indication that the problem is significantly worse in britain than elsewhere.
that deficit cannot run on forever. it is not financed by “the kindness of strangers”, as mark carney notoriously claimed, but by the greed and folly of markets. it is quite simply inevitable that at some point markets will realise that britain’s external position is unsustainable.
britain is living beyond its means, in part because of the wholly illusory perception of “wealth” created by inflated house prices – in turn the result of aberrantly-low interest rates which are distorting the economy and creating a looming crisis for pension funds and life insurers.
the increase in british “living standards”, relative to underlying productivity growth, simply has to decline for a time. britain needs higher interest rates, lower house prices and a weaker currency. that truth is undoubtedly unpalatable. but burying our heads in the sand, as soros – and, irresponsibly, the bank of england – seems to want to do, would only make things worse.
the longer it takes for that recognition to take hold, the more disruptive will be an eventual “sudden stop” in the financing of the deficit, the bigger will be the sterling depreciation required to support output and employment in the face of reduced domestic demand (in the economics jargon, this comes mainly from switching demand from internationally-traded goods, mainly produced abroad, to non-traded goods, produced and sold only at home – a mechanism soros seems not to have grasped) and the greater will be the risk of financial crisis.
the most serious risk of all for the british economy is that if the opportunity for political escape and economic re-balancing afforded by brexit is not taken, market recognition of unsustainability will come in the context of the inevitable next phase of the euro crisis, or of a global financial crisis.
there are only three things the eu does not like about british financial markets: they are british; they are to do with finance; and they are markets. eu officials at all levels have made it clear that in a crisis, london, the biggest financial centre and the hub of trading in the euro, would be the focus of their concern and that the british economy and the british financial sector would be sacrificed to protect the euro area. it is even likely that the eu, relying on article 140 of the treaty, would seek to force the british government to resist a sterling depreciation which would “distort the single market”.
in such circumstances, britain would be forced to choose between a greek-style depression (and ruining bank depositors via the eu bail–in rules) and emergency exit from the eu in far more contentious and recriminatory circumstances than in the present.
this is not a happy message. we might wish we were not starting from here. but if the opportunity of brexit is not taken, britain will suffer far more pain in the future – probably a near future.
all this is about economics. the argument for lancing the economic boil is compelling enough. but the political and constitutional arguments for brexit are even more compelling.
it is perplexing that soros, whose family survived the house-to-house destruction in the battle of budapest between the tank armies of two totalitarian powers, should be so enamoured of the new totalitarianism incarnated in the european union, with its european gendarmerie force and its plans for a multinational army – as js mill described such armies, “the executioners of liberty throughout modern history”.
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ˌʤuˈlaɪ 13th*, 2012 tɪ hum ɪt meɪ kənˈsərn: aɪ wɑz ˈtɛmptɪd tɪ stɑrt ðɪs wɪθ ðə wərdz kənˈsərnz noʊ one”*” ˈæftər ðə əˈnərvɪŋ ɪkˈspɪriəns wi ʤɪst hæd wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd ˈɛˌrlaɪnz ˈluzɪŋ ɑr 10 ˈdɔtərz ɛz ən ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər ˈtrævəlɪŋ əˈloʊn ɔn ʤun, 2012 ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns wɑz soʊ ˌənbəˈlivəbəl ðət wi hæd tɪ raɪt ɪt daʊn hir, ənd sɛnd ɪt tɪ ju; dɪˈspaɪt noʊɪŋ noʊ wən æt juˈnaɪtɪd ridz ər rɪˈspɑndz tɪ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ɪn rɪˈgɑrdz tɪ ðɛr ˈkəstəmərz. fər ɑr oʊn ˈsænəti ənd pərˈhæps ˈɛniˌwən ɪn ðə prɛs ənd ˈtrævəl rəvˈjuz ðət ər ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ ˈlɪsən. wi drɑpt ɑr oʊld ˈfibi æt ðə sæn frænˈsɪskoʊ ˈɛrˌpɔrt ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ, ʤun fər hər fərst flaɪt ɛz ən ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər. ʃi wɑz ˈtrævəlɪŋ θru ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ tɪ ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti, ˈmɪʃɪgən tɪ ˈsəmər kæmp fər tu wiks. ðə juˈnaɪtɪd ˌpərsəˈnɛl hu geɪv hər ðə ənd ˌɪnˈstrəkʃənz toʊld hər ˈvɛri laʊd ənd klɪr tɪ goʊ wɪθ ˈsəmˌwən wɪθ ə juˈnaɪtɪd bæʤ ɔn ənd ðət ʃi wʊd bi əˈkəmpənid æt ɔl times”*”. wi ˈweɪtɪd wɪθ hər ənd sɛnt hər ɔf ənd dɪd nɑt liv ənˈtɪl ðə flaɪt wɑz ˈɛrˌbɔrn. wi ðɛn trækt ðə flaɪt ˈɔnˌlaɪn ənd wɔʧt ɪt əraɪvd ɔn taɪm ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ. wi nu ðət ʃi hæd tɪ ˈtrænsfər tɪ ðə ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti flaɪt. wi ðɛn wɔʧt ˈɔnˌlaɪn ɛz ðət flaɪt tʊk ɔf ənd ˈlændɪd ɔn taɪm. wi ðɛn ˈweɪtɪd ənd ˈweɪtɪd fər ðə kɔl frəm kæmp ðət ʃi əraɪvd ˈseɪfli. ðət kɔl dɪd nɑt kəm. ˌɪnˈstɛd wi rɪˈsivd ə ˈfræntɪk kɔl frəm ðə kæmp ðət ˈfibi wɑz nɑt ɔn ðə flaɪt, nɔr dɪd ðə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈpərsən ɪn ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti noʊ waɪ ʃi wɑz nɑt ɔn ðə flaɪt. aɪ prəˈsidəd tɪ kɔl juˈnaɪtɪd ənd wɑz pʊt ɔn hoʊld fər 20 ˈmɪnəts (ˌɪˈmæʤən ɪf ju ər ə ˈpɛrənt ˈweɪtɪŋ 20 ˈmɪnəts nɑt noʊɪŋ wɛr jʊr 10 jɪr oʊld ɪz). wɪn ˈsəmˌwən (frəm ˈɪndiə) ˈfaɪnəli tʊk ðə kɔl ðeɪ fərst toʊld mi ðət ʃi hæd ˌɪnˈdid əraɪvd ɪn ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti ənd ðət aɪ wɑz mɪˈsteɪkən. ðɛn (ˈoʊnli wɪn aɪ ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ ˈpænɪk ɔn ðə foʊn) ʃi pʊt mi ɔn hoʊld əˈgɛn fər 10 mɔr ˈmɪnəts ˈoʊnli tɪ kəm bæk ənd tɛl mi ˈfibi wɑz stɪl ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ənd hæd mɪst hər kəˈnɛkʃən. wɪn aɪ æst haʊ ʃi kʊd hæv mɪst ɪt ˈgɪvɪn ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ wɑz 100 ɔn taɪm ʃi sɛd, dɪz nɑt matter”*” ʃi ɪz stɪl ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ənd æm ʃʊr ʃi ɪz fine”*”. wɪn aɪ æst waɪ noʊ wən kɔld ðə kæmp ər ˈjuˈɛs ʃi kʊd nɑt tɛl mi. wɪn aɪ æst hər tɪ pliz kənˈfərm wɛr ˈfibi wɑz ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ənd hu ʃi wɑz wɪθ ʃi kʊd nɑt tɛl mi. wɪn aɪ æst tɪ spik wɪθ hər tɪ bi ʃʊr ʃi wɑz faɪn ʃi sɛd ðət wɑz nɑt ˈpɑsəbəl. wɪn aɪ æst ˈfrænəkəli tɪ tɔk tɪ hər ˈsupərˌvaɪzər ʃi pʊt mi ɔn hoʊld fər 40 ˈmɪnəts. ɪn ðə min taɪm maɪ ˈhəzbənd ˈɔlsoʊ ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ kɔl juˈnaɪtɪd ˈjuzɪŋ hɪz prɛˈmɪr ˈstætəs foʊn laɪn ənd ˈnəmbər. hi mɔr kˈwɪkli gɑt ˈsəmˌwən ɔn ðə foʊn (ɪn ðə ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ) ənd æst fər hɛlp. ðə fərst ˈpərsən hi spoʊk wɪθ wɑz nɑt ˈeɪbəl tɪ hɛlp bət ʃi ˈfaɪnəli ˈtrænsfərd ɪm tɪ ˈsəmˌwən hu ˈɔlsoʊ kənˈfərmd ðət ˈfibi dɪd nɑt meɪk hər flaɪt. wɪn hi æst waɪ ʃi kʊd nɑt seɪ bət pʊt ɪm ɔn hoʊld. wɪn ʃi keɪm bæk ʃi toʊld ɪm ðət ɪn fækt ðə ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər ˈsərvɪs ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ˈsɪmpli tɪ ʃoʊ up”*” tɪ ˈtrænsfər hər tɪ ðə nɛkst flaɪt. hi wɑz ˈdəmfaʊndɪd ɛz ˈniðər əv ˈjuˈɛs hæd bɪn toʊld ɪn ˈraɪtɪŋ ər ɪn ˈpərsən ðət juˈnaɪtɪd ˌaʊtˈsɔrst ðə ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər ˈsərvɪsɪz tɪ ə θərd ˈpɑrti ˈvɛndər. wi wər ʃɑkt tɪ lərn ðɪs. rəˈgɑrdləs, hi æst ɪf ʃi kʊd hɛlp ˈjuˈɛs faɪnd ˈfibi tɪ bi ʃʊr ʃi wɑz ˌoʊˈkeɪ ənd hi gɑt pʊt ɔn hoʊld əˈgɛn. wɪn ʃi keɪm bæk ʃi sɛd ʃʊd wɑz goʊɪŋ ɔf hər ʃɪft ənd kʊd nɑt hɛlp. maɪ ˈhəzbənd ðɛn æst hər ɪf ʃi wɑz ə ˈməðər hərˈsɛlf ənd ʃi sɛd ðɛn æst hər ɪf ʃi wɑz ˈmɪsɪŋ hər ʧaɪld fər 45 ˈmɪnəts wət wʊd ʃi du? ʃi ˈkaɪndli toʊld ɪm ʃi ˌəndərˈstʊd ənd wʊd du hər bɛst tɪ hɛlp. 15 ˈmɪnəts ˈleɪtər ʃi faʊnd ˈfibi ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ənd faʊnd ˈsəmˌwən tɪ lɛt ˈjuˈɛs tɔk tɪ hər ənd bi ʃʊr ʃi wɑz ˌoʊˈkeɪ. frəm ðə ˈmoʊmənt əv ðə fərst foʊn kɔl frəm kæmp ˌɪnˈfɔrmɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs ðət ˈfibi dɪd nɑt əraɪv ɪn ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti tɪ wɪn wi spoʊk wɪθ hər fərst hænd ɪt tʊk ˈɔlˌmoʊst ən aʊər. bət ʃi hæd ɔˈrɛdi bɪn ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ fər ˈoʊvər tu aʊərz. ʃi ˈlændɪd ənd noʊ wən keɪm tɪ gɪt hər. ðə əˈtɛndənts wɛr ˈbɪzi ənd kʊd nɑt hɛlp hər ʃi toʊld ˈjuˈɛs. ʃi toʊld ðɛm ʃi hæd ə flaɪt tɪ kæʧ tɪ kæmp ənd ðeɪ toʊld hər tɪ weɪt. ʃi æst θri taɪmz tɪ juz ə foʊn tɪ kɔl ˈjuˈɛs ənd ðeɪ toʊld hər tɪ weɪt. wɪn ʃi mɪst ðə flaɪt ʃi æst ɪf ˈsəmˌwən hæd kɔld kæmp tɪ meɪk ʃʊr ðeɪ nu ənd ðeɪ toʊld hər wɪl teɪk kɛr əv it”*”. noʊ wən dɪd. ʃi wɑz sæd ənd skɛrd ənd noʊ wən hɛlpt. ɛnd əv ˈstɔri? gɪts ˈkreɪziər ɪf ðət ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl. ʃi ˈfaɪnəli meɪd ə flaɪt tɪ ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti fɔr aʊərz ˈleɪtər ənd wi ˌɪnˈfɔrmd kæmp ðət ʃi wʊd bi ərˈaɪvɪŋ leɪt ðət naɪt ənd ðət ðeɪ ˈnidɪd tɪ meɪk ə trɪp bæk tɪ gɪt hər. ðeɪ dɪd ənd ðɛn kɔld tɪ lɛt ˈjuˈɛs noʊ ðət ʃi əraɪvd bət ðət hər ˈləgɪʤ dɪd nɑt. aɪ wɑz bæk ɔn ðə foʊn wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd (ɪn ˈɪndiə) ənd maɪ ˈhəzbənd wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd prɛˈmɪr (ɪn ðə ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ) wɪθ 40 ˈmɪnəts əv ˈweɪtɪŋ fər wən ənd ðə ˈəðər ˈtɛlɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs ðeɪ kʊd nɑt faɪnd hər bægz bət tɪ kɔl bæk ɪn tu aʊərz ər ʧɛk tɪ si ɪf ɪt meɪd ðə nɛkst flaɪt. ˈfibi wɛnt ɔf tɪ kæmp ənd meɪd ðə moʊst əv ˈhævɪŋ noʊ ʃits, ˈpɪloʊz ər kloʊðz fər wət kæpt ɔf wən əv ðə moʊst ˈstrɛsfəl deɪz əv hər ʃɔrt tɛn jɪrz. ðə nɛkst ˈmɔrnɪŋ wi wər ɔn ðə foʊn əˈgɛn ənd wər toʊld baɪ juˈnaɪtɪd (ɪn ˈɪndiə) ðət ðeɪ stɪl kʊd nɑt ˈloʊˌkeɪt hər bæg ənd ðɛn baɪ juˈnaɪtɪd prɛˈmɪr ðət ðeɪ kʊd nɑt hɛlp ˌɛniˈmɔr bɪˈkəz ðə ˈbægɪʤ dɪˈpɑrtmənt wɑz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈsəmθɪŋ ðeɪ kʊd dil wɪθ ənd ðət wi hæd tɪ kɔl ðə ˈspɛʃəl ˈbægɪʤ ˈnəmbər (ɪn ˈɪndiə ðət aɪ hæd ɔˈrɛdi kɔld). θri mɔr ˈsɛʃənz əv biɪŋ ɔn hoʊld wɪθ ˈɪndiə 45 ˈmɪnəts iʧ ənd wən əv ðiz wɑz ə ˌnɑnˈstɑp rɪkˈwɛst tɪ spik tɪ ðə ˈpərsən ɪn ʧɑrʤ (hu ˈɛndɪd əp biɪŋ wən tɑm tɑŋ ɪn ˈdɛli hu kleɪmz tɪ bi ðə moʊst ˈsinjər ˈpərsən bət kʊd noʊ weɪ hɛlp θri mɔr flaɪts tɪ ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti ðət deɪ lɛft frəm ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ənd hər bæg wɑz nɑt ɔn ˈɛni əv ðɛm. wi ðɛn wɛnt bæk tɪ traɪɪŋ juˈnaɪtɪd prɛˈmɪr əˈgɛn ənd maɪ ˈhəzbənd traɪd hɪz ju ə mom”*” ˈtæktɪk wɪθ ðə nɛkst ˈwʊmən ɔn ðə foʊn hu əˈgrid tɪ hɛlp ðə sæd 10 jɪr oʊld gərl æt kæmp ɪn 100 dɪˈgri hit wɪθ noʊ ˈbeɪðɪŋ sut, ʃits ər ʧeɪnʤ əv kloʊðz (ənd noʊ stɔr tɪ ʃɑp ɪn fər 45 maɪəlz). ʃi pʊt ɪm ɔn hoʊld ənd ˈleɪtər gɑt bæk ɔn ˈhævɪŋ ˈpərsənəli hæd ˈsəmˌwən ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ ˈbægɪʤ ˈloʊˌkeɪt ðə kæmp bæg ənd dɪˈskraɪb ɪt tɪ ˈjuˈɛs ɔn ðə foʊn. wi kənˈfərmd ɪt wɑz ənd ðeɪ kənˈfərmd ɪt wʊd bi ɔn ðə nɛkst flaɪt tɪ ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti. wi lɛt kæmp noʊ ənd sɛnt ðɛm tɪ ðə ˈɛrˌpɔrt əˈgɛn tɪ gɪt ɪt (juˈnaɪtɪd bægz ðət əraɪv tɪ gɪt dɪˈlɪvərd tɪ ðə kæmp ənˈtɪl ðə nɛkst deɪ ðeɪ noʊ frəm ɪkˈspɪriəns soʊ ðeɪ wɛnt ˈpərsənəli). wi θɔt ðət wɑz ɪt. bæg dɪd nɑt kənˈfərmd ðɪs. wi ˈstɑrtɪd ðə seɪm ˈprɔˌsɛs əˈgɛn ənd əˈnəðər 90 ˈmɪnəts ˈleɪtər wi wər əˈʃʊrd baɪ ə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈpərsən ðət ɪt wʊd bi ɔn ðə nɛkst flight—“confirmed”*”. wi sɛnt kæmp əˈgɛn tɪ ðə bæg əˈgɛn dɪd nɑt əraɪv. ðət wɑz ðə læst flaɪt əv ðə deɪ. ˈfibi wɑz naʊ goʊɪŋ tɪ bɛd əˈgɛn wɪθ noʊ wərd ənd noʊ kloʊðz ər ˈbɛdɪŋ. ðə nɛkst ˈmɔrnɪŋ wi ˈstɑrtɪd ðə seɪm ˈprɔˌsɛs əˈgɛn (deɪ θri naʊ maɪnd ju) ənd hæd ˈsəmˌwən əˈʃʊr ˈjuˈɛs ɪt wʊd meɪk ðə ˈərli flaɪt bət wi æst fər ðə ˈtrævərs ˈsɪti juˈnaɪtɪd ˈbægɪʤ dɛsk ˈnəmbər tɪ kənˈfərm ɪts ərˈaɪvəl ˌbiˈfɔr wi sɛnt kæmp tɪ rɪˈtriv ɪt ðɪs taɪm tɪ bi ʃʊr (ðeɪ wʊd nɑt əˈgri tɪ gɪv ðə ˈnəmbər ənˈtɪl wi bɛgd ðɛm baɪ ˈtɛlɪŋ ðə hoʊl ˈsɑgə). ɪt ˈfaɪnəli əraɪvd æt nun ɔn ðə ˈsɛkənd flaɪt ənd wɑz tɪ ˈfibi baɪ ˈæftər wi kɔld kæmp ənd ðeɪ wɛnt tɪ pɪk ɪt əp. ɛnd əv ˈstɔri raɪt? nɑt ˈrɪli. wi lɔgd ə ˈfɔrməl kəmˈpleɪnt ˈviə juˈnaɪtɪd prɛˈmɪr fər ðə ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən ənd wər bloʊn əˈweɪ tɪ lərn ðət wɪn ju faɪl ə kəmˈpleɪnt wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd ju ˈkænɑt faɪl ɪt ˈjɔrsɛlf. ju hæv tɪ tɛl ˈsəmˌwən ɔn ðə foʊn wət ju ər ˈfaɪlɪŋ fər, lɛt ɪm ər hər raɪt jʊr ˈstɔri daʊn ənd ðɛn ðeɪ faɪl ɪt. wi æst tɪ hæv ðɛm rɛd ɪt bæk tɪ ˈjuˈɛs tɪ ˈvɛrəˌfaɪ ðə fækts, wi ˈɔlsoʊ æst tɪ rɛd ɪt ɑrˈsɛlvz ənd boʊθ rɪkˈwɛsts wər dɪˈnaɪd. wi æst fər ðɛm tɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ðə fækt ðət ðeɪ ““forgot”*” ə oʊld ɪn ðə ˈɛrˌpɔrt ənd ˈnɛvər kɔld kæmp ər ˈjuˈɛs tɪ lɛt ˈjuˈɛs noʊ. wi ˈɔlsoʊ æst ðət ðeɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ðə fækt ðət wi wər nɑt ˌɪnˈfɔrmd ɪn ˈɛni weɪ ðət juˈnaɪtɪd ˈjuzɪz ə θərd ˈpɑrti ˈsərvɪs fər ðɪs. ðeɪ sɛd ðeɪ wʊd ðɛr best”*” tɪ faɪl ðə kəmˈpleɪnt pər ɑr ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən. wi æst ɪf wi wʊd bi ˈkrɛdɪtɪd ðə 99 ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər fi (ˈgɪvɪn ʃi wɑz ˈklɪrli nɑt əˈkəmpənid). ðeɪ sɛd ðeɪ ʃʊr. wi æst ɪf ðə bægz biɪŋ lɔst fər θri deɪz ənd kæmp ˈhævɪŋ tɪ meɪk 5 trɪps tɪ ðə ˈɛrˌpɔrt ˈvərsəz. wən wɑz ˈsəmθɪŋ wi wʊd bi ˈkɑmpənˌseɪtəd fər (ˈgɪvɪn wi peɪ kæmp 25 ˈɛvəri taɪm ðeɪ goʊ tɪ ðə ˈɛrˌpɔrt). ðeɪ sɛd ðət wi wʊd hæv tɪ ˈfɑloʊ əp wɪθ ðət ˈsɛpərətli wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd ˈbægɪʤ ɛz ə ˈsɛpərˌeɪt kəmˈpleɪnt. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ sɛd ðət ˈprɔˌsɛs wɑz ðə fild wət ðeɪ hir frəm ju bət ju du nɑt gɪt tɪ faɪl ðə kəmˈpleɪnt ˈjɔrsɛlvz. ðə gʊd nuz: ˈfibi əraɪvd æt kæmp ˈseɪfli ˈæftər ən ˌənbəˈlivəbli trɔˈmætɪk ɪkˈspɪriəns bægz əraɪvd ˈseɪfli (ɔlˈbiɪt θri deɪz ˈleɪtər) juˈnaɪtɪd ɪmˈplɔɪi ˈdɛbərə ɪz ə mɑm ənd wɑz əˈmeɪzɪŋ dɪˈspaɪt hər juˈnaɪtɪd ˈtreɪnɪŋ juˈnaɪtɪd ɪmˈplɔɪi ˈlisə ɪz ə mɑm ənd wɑz əˈmeɪzɪŋ dɪˈspaɪt hər juˈnaɪtɪd ˈtreɪnɪŋ ðə bæd nuz ɪz səʧ ə lɔŋ lɪst ənd soʊ ˈkreɪzi aɪ noʊ wɛr tɪ stɑrt: juˈnaɪtɪd ˌaʊtˈsɔrst ə ˈsərvɪs tɪ əˈkəmpəni smɔl ˈʧɪldrən wɪˈθaʊt ˌɪnˈfɔrmɪŋ ˈpɛrənts ɪn ədˈvæns əv ˈteɪkɪŋ ðɛr ˈʧɪldrən ˈɪntu ðɛr ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti juˈnaɪtɪd nɪˈglɛktɪd tɪ kɛr fər ənd kip seɪf ðə ˌənəˈkəmpənid ˈmaɪnər ðət ðeɪ tʊk ˈɪntu ðɛr kɛr baɪ fərˈgɛtɪŋ hər ənd ˈhævɪŋ ɔl ðɛr stæf ˌɪgˈnɔr hər rɪkˈwɛsts fər ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti juˈnaɪtɪd nɪˈglɛktɪd tɪ ˌɪnˈfɔrm ðə ˈpɛrənts ðə ˈdɛzɪgˌneɪtɪd pɪk əp ˈkɑnˌtækt ðət ʃi wɑz dɪˈleɪd (ər ʃʊd aɪ seɪ ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti juˈnaɪtɪd ɪn ˈɪndiə wɑz kəmˈplitli əˈneɪbəl tɪ hɛlp ˈjuˈɛs ɔn ˈɛni əˈkaʊnt (ɪkˈsɛpt tɪ tɛl ˈjuˈɛs ˌɪnkərˈɛktli ðət ˈfibi hæd ˌɪnˈdid əraɪvd ˈseɪfli wɪn ʃi hæd nɑt) juˈnaɪtɪd ˈbægɪʤ ɪz kəmˈplitli ˌɪˈnɛpt ənd həz noʊ ˈbɪznɪs biɪŋ ɪn ˈbɪznɪs juˈnaɪtɪd həz meɪd ðə ˈtrævəl ˈprɔˌsɛs ənd ɪkˈspɪriəns ənˈbɛrəbəl baɪ ˈɛni ənd ɔl ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz ənˈlɛs ju ər ə prɛˈmɪr ˈmɛmbər ənd ju bɛg ˈsəmˌwən tɪ ə parent”*” ənd ðeɪ breɪk ðə rulz ˈoʊnli ðɛn kən ðeɪ ˈmeɪbi hɛlp ju kəmˈpleɪnt ˈprɔˌsɛs ɪz lɔst ɑr ʧaɪld ənd wi stɪl hæv nɑt hərd fɔrm ju ðət ju ər ˈivɪn ˈsɑri ənd wi kən hæv ɑr 99 fi bæk aɪ nid tɪ stɑp naʊ ər aɪ wɪl stɑrt ˈtaɪpɪŋ θɪŋz ðət ər ˈivɪn mɔr ənˈflætərɪŋ ðən ðə əˈbəv lɪst wi hæv floʊn ənˈtaɪd fər 40 jɪrz, maɪ ˈhəzbənd ɪz ə prɛˈmɪr ˈmɛmbər ənd flaɪz ɔl ˈoʊvər ðə wərld wɪθ juˈnaɪtɪd, wi hæv ə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈkrɛdɪt kɑrd, ənd wi wər ˈvɛri lɔɪəl juˈnaɪtɪd ˈfɑloʊərz. ˈfibi wʊd hæv groʊn əp tɪ bi ə lɔɪəl juˈnaɪtɪd ˈfɑloʊər ɛz wɛl aɪ æm ʃʊr, bət naʊ ʃi wɔnts tɪ flaɪ juˈnaɪtɪd again”*”. wi hæv ˈnɛvər ɪn ɔl ɑr kəˈlɛktɪv jɪrz hæd səʧ ən ˌənbəˈlivəbli ˈtɛrəbəl ˈkəstəmər ˈsərvɪs ˈɛvər. wi ˈɛstəˌmeɪt ðət wi spɛnt əraʊnd 18 aʊərz kəˈlɛktɪvli ɔn ðə foʊnz, ɔn hoʊld, traɪɪŋ tɪ træk daʊn ˈfibi, hər bægz ənd ɑr pis əv maɪnd. ɪts hɑrd tɪ ˌɪˈmæʤən haʊ ju rən ə ˈbɪznɪs ðɪs weɪ, haʊ ju gɪt əˈweɪ wɪθ θɪŋz soʊ kloʊz tɪ ʧaɪld ɛnˈdeɪnʤərmənt, ənd haʊ ju slip æt naɪt ˈtreɪnɪŋ jʊr ˈsərvɪs ɪmˈplɔɪiz haʊ tɪ nɑt bi əv ˈsərvɪs. ɛnd əv ˈstɔri? ju tɛl ˈjuˈɛs. ɛz fɑr ɛz wi ər kənˈsərnd ɪt gɪt ˈɛni wərs. rɪˈgɑrdz, ˈæni ˈpɛri
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july 13th, 2012
to whom it may concern:
i was tempted to start this with the words “it concerns no one” after the unnerving experience we just had with united airlines losing our 10 year-old daughters as an unaccompanied minor traveling alone on june 30th, 2012.
the experience was so unbelievable that we had to write it down here, and send it to you; despite knowing no one at united reads or responds to anything in regards to their customers. it’s for our own sanity and perhaps anyone in the press and travel reviews that are willing to listen.
we dropped our 10-year old phoebe at the san francisco airport on saturday, june 30th for her first flight as an unaccompanied minor. she was traveling through chicago to traverse city, michigan to summer camp for two weeks. the united personnel who gave her the wristband and instructions told her very loud and clear to “only go with someone with a united badge on and that she would be accompanied at all times”. we waited with her and sent her off and did not leave sfo until the flight was airborne. we then tracked the flight on-line and watched it arrived on time in chicago. we knew that she had 1:15 to transfer to the traverse city flight. we then watched on-line as that flight took off and landed on time. we then waited and waited for the call from camp that she arrived safely. that call did not come. instead we received a frantic call from the camp that phoebe was not on the flight, nor did the united person in traverse city know why she was not on the flight.
i proceeded to call united and was put on hold for 20 minutes (imagine if you are a parent waiting 20 minutes not knowing where your 10 year old is). when someone (from india) finally took the call they first told me that she had indeed arrived in traverse city and that i was mistaken. then (only when i started to panic on the phone) she put me on hold again for 10 more minutes only to come back and tell me phoebe was still in chicago and had missed her connection. when i asked how she could have missed it given everything was 100% on time she said, “it does not matter” she is still in chicago and “i am sure she is fine”. when i asked why no one called the camp or us she could not tell me. when i asked her to please confirm where phoebe was in chicago and who she was with she could not tell me. when i asked to speak with her to be sure she was fine she said that was not possible. when i asked frantically to talk to her supervisor she put me on hold for 40 minutes.
in the mean time my husband also started to call united using his premier status phone line and number. he more quickly got someone on the phone (in the usa) and asked for help. the first person he spoke with was not able to help but she finally transferred him to someone who also confirmed that phoebe did not make her flight. when he asked why she could not say but put him on hold. when she came back she told him that in fact the unaccompanied minor service in chicago simply “forgot to show up” to transfer her to the next flight. he was dumbfounded as neither of us had been told in writing or in person that united outsourced the unaccompanied minor services to a third party vendor. we were shocked to learn this. regardless, he asked if she could help us find phoebe to be sure she was okay and he got put on hold again. when she came back she said should was going off her shift and could not help. my husband then asked her if she was a mother herself and she said “yes”—he then asked her if she was missing her child for 45 minutes what would she do? she kindly told him she understood and would do her best to help. 15 minutes later she found phoebe in chicago and found someone to let us talk to her and be sure she was okay.
from the moment of the first phone call from camp informing us that phoebe did not arrive in traverse city to when we spoke with her first hand it took almost an hour. but she had already been in chicago for over two hours. she landed and no one came to get her. the attendants where busy and could not help her she told us. she told them she had a flight to catch to camp and they told her to wait. she asked three times to use a phone to call us and they told her to wait. when she missed the flight she asked if someone had called camp to make sure they knew and they told her “yes—we will take care of it”. no one did. she was sad and scared and no one helped.
end of story? no—it gets crazier if that is possible.
she finally made a flight to traverse city four hours later and we informed camp that she would be arriving late that night and that they needed to make a trip back to get her. they did and then called to let us know that she arrived but that her luggage did not. i was back on the phone with united (in india) and my husband with united premier (in the usa) with 40 minutes of waiting for one and the other telling us they could not find her bags but to call back in two hours or check to see if it made the next flight. phoebe went off to camp and made the most of having no sheets, pillows or clothes for what capped off one of the most stressful days of her short ten years.
the next morning we were on the phone again and were told by united (in india) that they still could not locate her bag and then by united premier that they could not help anymore because the baggage department was no longer something they could deal with and that we had to call the special baggage number (in india that i had already called). three more sessions of being on hold with india ensued--for 45 minutes each and one of these was a non-stop request to speak to the person in charge (who ended up being one tom tang in delhi who claims to be the most senior person but could “in no way help me”)---and three more flights to traverse city that day left from chicago and her bag was not on any of them.
we then went back to trying united premier again and my husband tried his “are you a mom” tactic with the next woman on the phone who agreed to help the sad 10 year old girl at camp in 100 degree heat with no bathing suit, sheets or change of clothes (and no store to shop in for 45 miles). she put him on hold and 30-minutes later got back on having personally had someone in chicago baggage locate the camp bag and describe it to us on the phone. we confirmed it was phoebe’s and they confirmed it would be on the next flight to traverse city. we let camp know and sent them to the airport again to get it (united bags that arrive to tc don’t get delivered to the camp until the next day they know from experience so they went personally). we thought that was it. again--the bag did not arrive—camp confirmed this. we started the same process again and another 90 minutes later we were assured by a united person that it would be on the next flight—“confirmed”. we sent camp again to the airport—the bag again did not arrive. that was the last flight of the day. phoebe was now going to bed again with no word and no clothes or bedding.
the next morning we started the same process again (day three now mind you) and had someone assure us it would make the early flight but we asked for the traverse city united baggage desk number to confirm its arrival before we sent camp to retrieve it this time to be sure (they would not agree to give the number until we begged them by telling the whole saga). it finally arrived at noon on the second flight and was to phoebe by 2pm after we called camp and they went to pick it up.
end of story right? not really.
we logged a formal complaint via united premier for the unaccompanied minor situation and were blown away to learn that when you file a complaint with united you cannot file it yourself. you have to tell someone on the phone what you are filing for, let him or her write your story down and then they file it. we asked to have them read it back to us to verify the facts, we also asked to read it ourselves and both requests were denied. we asked for them to focus on the fact that they “forgot” a 10-year old in the airport and never called camp or us to let us know. we also asked that they focus on the fact that we were not informed in any way that united uses a third party service for this. they said they would “do their best” to file the complaint per our situation. we asked if we would be credited the $99 unaccompanied minor fee (given she was clearly not accompanied). they said they weren’t sure.
we asked if the bags being lost for three days and camp having to make 5 trips to the airport vs. one was something we would be compensated for (given we pay camp $25 every time they go to the airport). they said that we would have to follow up with that separately with united baggage as a separate complaint. they also said that process was the same—united field what they hear from you but you do not get to file the complaint yourselves.
the good news:
phoebe arrived at camp safely after an unbelievably traumatic experience
phoebe’s bags arrived safely (albeit three days later)
united employee deborah #m2747 is a mom and was amazing despite her united training
united employee lisa #a8183 is a mom and was amazing despite her united training
the bad news is such a long list and so crazy i don’t know where to start:
united outsourced a service to accompany small children without informing parents in advance of taking their children into their care—huge liability
united neglected to care for and keep safe the unaccompanied minor that they took into their care by forgetting her and having all their staff ignore her requests for help—huge liability
united neglected to inform the minor’s parents and/or the minor’s designated pick up contact that she was delayed (or should i say forgotten?)—huge liability
united in india was completely unable to help us on any account (except to tell us incorrectly that phoebe had indeed arrived safely when she had not)
united baggage is completely inept and has no business being in business
united has made the travel process and experience unbearable by de-humanizing any and all experiences unless you are a premier member and you beg someone to “be a parent” and they break the rules only then can they maybe help you
united’s complaint process is unacceptable—you lost our child and we still have not heard form you that you are even sorry and we can have our $99 fee back
i need to stop now or i will start typing things that are even more unflattering than the above list
we have flown untied for 40 years, my husband is a premier member and flies all over the world with united, we have a united credit card, and we were very loyal united followers. phoebe would have grown up to be a loyal united follower as well i am sure, but now she “never wants to fly united again”.
we have never in all our collective years had such an unbelievably terrible customer service experience—not ever. we estimate that we spent around 18 hours collectively on the phones, on hold, trying to track down phoebe, her bags and our peace of mind. its hard to imagine how you run a business this way, how you get away with things so close to child endangerment, and how you sleep at night training your service employees how to not be of service.
end of story? you tell us. as far as we are concerned it can’t get any worse.
regards,
annie xxxxx
perry xxxxx
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oʊ ənd baɪ ðə weɪ, ˈʤɪliən ˈændərsən ɪz ˈfaɪnəli ˈgɪtɪŋ hər oʊn stɑr ɔn ðə ˈhɑliˌwʊd wɔk əv feɪm ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ, ˈʤænjuˌɛri 8th*, tu jɪrz ˈæftər ˈdeɪvɪd rɪˈsivd hɪz! wɪθ x-files”*” rɪˈtərnɪŋ fər ɪts ˈilɛvənθ ˈsizən ɔn ˈʤænjuˌɛri 3 naʊ ɪz ə greɪt taɪm tɪ ðə ˈpriviəs tɛn ˈsizənz. əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ɑr ˌkælkjəˈleɪʃənz, 208 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊdz əv ðə ʃoʊ hæv ðəs fɑr ɛrd bɪtˈwin ðə prɛˈmɪr ɪn 1993 ənd ðə fəˈnæli əv ˈsizən 10 ɪn 2016 ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, ˈbɛtər gɪt ə muv ɔn ðət ˈmɛrəˌθɑn! ɪf ˈrəðər ʤɪst riˈvɪzɪt jʊr ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈɛpɪˌsoʊdz ðən ɔl əv ðɛm, ə gʊd aɪˈdiə tu. bət wɪʧ ər jʊr faves*? ˈbɛtər jɛt, wɪʧ ər ˈʤɪliən?! ʤɪst læst naɪt, ðə əˈfɪʃəl ““x-files”*” tˈwɪtər əˈkaʊnt dɪd ˈsəmθɪŋ ˈprɪti kul: ðeɪ sɪks ˈɛpɪˌsoʊdz frəm ðə pæst, ðət lɪst baɪ ˈændərsən hərˈsɛlf. ðə ɪz lɔŋ ˈoʊvər æt ðə taɪm əv ˈraɪtɪŋ ðɪs poʊst, bət ɪf ˈwəndərɪŋ wɪʧ ˈændərsən tɪ pleɪ ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə bɪnʤ, gɑt ðət ˈɪnfoʊ fər jɑ. fər ˈstɑrtərz, ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd ɪz blood,”*,” pɑrt əv ˈsizən 5 ðə fʊl lɪst: 1 ““ice”*” ˈsizən 1 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 8 2 ““humbug”*” ˈsizən 2 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 20 3 frəm ˈaʊtər space”*” ˈsizən 3 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 20 4 prometheus”*” ˈsizən 5 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 5 5 blood”*” ˈsizən 5 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 12 6 ““triangle”*” ˈsizən 6 ˈɛpɪˌsoʊd 3 wət ər ju ˈweɪtɪŋ fər? gɪt tɪ ˈbɪŋgɪŋ!
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oh and by the way, gillian anderson is finally getting her own star on the hollywood walk of fame on monday, january 8th, two years after david duchovny received his!
with “the x-files” returning for its eleventh season on january 3, now is a great time to binge-watch the previous ten seasons. according to our calculations, 208 episodes of the show have thus far aired between the premiere in 1993 and the finale of season 10 in 2016; in other words, you’d better get a move on that marathon!
if you’d rather just revisit your favorite episodes than all of them, that’s a good idea too. but which are your faves? better yet, which are gillian anderson’s?!
just last night, the official “x-files” twitter account did something pretty cool: they live-streamed six episodes from the show’s past, that list curated by anderson herself. the live-stream is long over at the time of writing this post, but if you’re wondering which episode’s anderson hand-selected to play during the binge, we’ve got that info for ya.
for starters, anderson’s favorite episode is “bad blood,” part of season 5.
here’s the full list:
1) “ice” – season 1, episode 8
2) “humbug” – season 2, episode 20
3) “jose chung’s from outer space” – season 3, episode 20
4) “the post-modern prometheus” – season 5, episode 5
5) “bad blood” – season 5, episode 12
6) “triangle” – season 6, episode 3
what are you waiting for? get to binging!
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grup kɔlz fər ˈstæˌʧu əv 'ostracised*' ɔˈstreɪljən oʊˈlɪmpiən ˈpitər ˈnɔrmən fər ˈjumən raɪts stænd ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd ə pʊʃ ɪz ˌəndərˈweɪ tɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ə ˈmɛlbərn ˈæθˌlit hu ɪz rɪˈgɑrdɪd baɪ səm ɛz ən ənˈsəŋ ˈhɪroʊ əv ðə ˈsɪvəl raɪts ˈmuvmənt. ðə ˈpitər ˈnɔrmən kəˌmɛmərˈeɪʃən kəˈmɪti ɪz ˈfaɪtɪŋ fər ə ˈmɑnjəmənt tɪ bi ɪˈrɛktɪd ɪn tɪ ækˈnɑlɪʤ ˈnɔrmənz ˈbreɪvəri ɪn ˈstændɪŋ wɪθ əˈmɛrɪkən ˈæθˌlits ˈtɑmi smɪθ ənd ʤɑn ˈkɑrloʊs wɪn ðeɪ reɪzd ðɛr fɪsts ɪn ə ˈjumən raɪts səˈlut æt ðə 1968 ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ oʊˈlɪmpɪks. smɪθ ənd ˈkɑrloʊs toʊld ˈnɔrmən əv ðɛr plænz tɪ juz ðə ˈmɛdəl ˌprɛzənˈteɪʃən tɪ prəˈmoʊt ðɛr kɔz ənd hi rɪˈpɔrtədli toʊld ðɛm "aɪ wɪl stænd wɪθ ju". ˈnɔrmən ˈbɑˌroʊd ˈjuˈɛs roʊər pɔl ˈhɔfmənz oʊˈlɪmpɪk ˈprɑʤɛkt fər ˈjumən raɪts bæʤ ənd wɔr ɪt ɔn ðə deɪz ɪn ˌsɑləˈdɛrəti wɪθ ðə ˈproʊˌtɛst. ðə kəˈmɪtiz convenor*, ˈʤoʊzəf toʊˈskɑnoʊ, sɛd ən ˌɪnərˈæktɪv ˈmɑnjəmənt wʊd nɑt ˈoʊnli hɛlp ˈpipəl rɪˈmɛmbər ˈnɔrmənz roʊl, bət ðə ˈrizən hi tʊk pɑrt ɪn wət ˈmɛni stɪl rɪˈfər tɪ ɛz ə 'blæk paʊər səˈlut'. ˈdɑktər toʊˈskɑnoʊ sɛd ɪt wɑz ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt tɪ rɪˈmɛmbər ˈnɔrmənz ˈækʃənz bɪˈkəz wi naʊ lɪv ɪn ən ˈɪrə "wɛr ˈreɪʃəl dɪˌskrɪməˈneɪʃən simz tɪ bi ɔn ðə raɪz". "wɪn ju θɪŋk əˈbaʊt ðə ˈɪʃuz ðət ər reɪzd ɪn ðə ˈsɪti rɪˈgɑrdɪŋ maɪˈgreɪʃən, rɪˈgɑrdɪŋ ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz, rɪˈgɑrdɪŋ ðə raɪz əv heɪt grups ɪn ɑr soʊˈsaɪɪti, rɪˈgɑrdɪŋ ðə əˈtɛmptəd ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ˌlɛʤəsˈleɪʃən tɪ riˈmuv ˌvɪləfəˈkeɪʃən," hi sɛd. "wi kən ɔl bi ˈpitər ˈnɔrmən. wi kən ɔl teɪk ðət stænd əˈgɛnst ˈreɪˌsɪzəm." ˈnɔrmən, hu wɑz bɔrn ɪn 1942 ənd gru əp ɪn coburg*, wən ˈsɪlvər fər ɔˈstreɪljə ɪn ðə æt ðə 1968 oʊˈlɪmpɪks wɪθ ə taɪm əv ˈsɛkəndz. bət ðə ɔˈstreɪljən oʊˈlɪmpɪks kəˈmɪti ˈpənɪʃt ɪm fər hɪz ˈækʃənz baɪ nɑt əˈlaʊɪŋ ɪm tɪ teɪk pɑrt ɪn ðə 1972 geɪmz ənd nɑt ˌɪnˈvaɪtɪŋ ɪm tɪ teɪk pɑrt ɪn ðə 2000 ˈsɪdni oʊˈlɪmpɪk ˌsɛləˈbreɪʃənz. ˌɪnˈstɛd, hi əˈtɛndəd ɛz ə gɛst əv ðə ˈjuˈɛs træk ənd fild ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən. ˈnɔrmən daɪd ɔn ɑkˈtoʊbər 3 2006 smɪθ ənd ˈkɑrloʊs əˈtɛndəd ˈnɔrmənz fˈjunərəl ɪn ˈmɛlbərn, ˈæktɪŋ ɛz pɔl ˈbɛrərz ənd dɪˈlɪvərɪŋ ˈjuləʤiz ɪn ðə ˈsərvɪs. ðə ˈjuˈɛs træk ənd fild ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən dɪˈklɛrd ɑkˈtoʊbər 9 ðə deɪ əv ˈnɔrmənz fˈjunərəl, ɛz ˈpitər ˈnɔrmən deɪ. bət ˈdɑktər toʊˈskɑnoʊ sɛd ɔˈstreɪljə kənˈtɪnjud tɪ ˌɪgˈnɔr hɪz ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃən tɪ ðə faɪt fər ˈjumən raɪts. "hi həz bɪn ənd fərˈgɑtən baɪ ə ˈneɪʃən ðət kənˈtɪnjuz tɪ gɪv lɪp ˈsərvɪs tɪ ˈjumən raɪts," hi sɛd. "ɪf ju hæv ə sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˌɪnərˈæktɪv ˈmɑnjəmənt, ðɛrz noʊ səʧ θɪŋ ɛz ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən fər ðə weɪ hi wɑz ˈtritɪd bət wət ɪt wʊd du ɪz raɪt ðə rɔŋ ðət wɑz dən 49 jɪrz əˈgoʊ." ˈtɑpɪks: ˈjumən, raɪts, olympics-summer*, race-relations*, vɪk, ɔˈstreɪljə fərst ˈpoʊstɪd
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group calls for statue of 'ostracised' australian olympian peter norman for human rights stand
updated
a push is underway to recognise a melbourne athlete who is regarded by some as an unsung hero of the civil rights movement.
the peter norman commemoration committee is fighting for a monument to be erected in melbourne's cbd to acknowledge norman's bravery in standing with american athletes tommie smith and john carlos when they raised their fists in a human rights salute at the 1968 mexico olympics.
smith and carlos told norman of their plans to use the medal presentation to promote their cause and he reportedly told them "i will stand with you".
norman borrowed us rower paul hoffman's olympic project for human rights badge and wore it on the dais in solidarity with the protest.
the committee's convenor, joseph toscano, said an interactive monument would not only help people remember norman's role, but the reason he took part in what many still refer to as a 'black power salute'.
dr toscano said it was important to remember norman's actions because we now live in an era "where racial discrimination seems to be on the rise".
"when you think about the issues that are raised in the city regarding migration, regarding refugees, regarding the rise of hate groups in our society, regarding the attempted changes in legislation to remove vilification," he said.
"we can all be peter norman. we can all take that stand against racism."
norman, who was born in 1942 and grew up in coburg, won silver for australia in the 200m at the 1968 olympics with a time of 20.06 seconds.
but the australian olympics committee punished him for his actions by not allowing him to take part in the 1972 games and not inviting him to take part in the 2000 sydney olympic celebrations.
instead, he attended as a guest of the us track and field federation.
norman died on october 3, 2006.
smith and carlos attended norman's funeral in melbourne, acting as pall bearers and delivering eulogies in the service.
the us track and field federation declared october 9, the day of norman's funeral, as peter norman day.
but dr toscano said australia continued to ignore his contribution to the fight for human rights.
"he has been ostracised and forgotten by a nation that continues to give lip service to human rights," he said.
"if you have a significant interactive monument, there's no such thing as compensation for the way he was treated but what it would do is right the wrong that was done 49 years ago."
topics: human, rights, olympics-summer, race-relations, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
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ˈstɔri ˈhaɪˌlaɪts ʤɑn ˈkɑsɪʧ sɛd ˈsənˌdi ðət hi ˈdəzənt bɪˈliv ˈdɑnəld trəmp wɪl bi ðə ˌnɑməˈni ˈkɑsɪʧ sɛd ðət hi ˈdəzənt "ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli bɪˈliv wət aɪ si" ðət trəmp lidz ðə poʊlz ˈwɔʃɪŋtən (ˈsiˈɛˈnɛn) oʊˈhaɪoʊ gəv. ʤɑn ˈkɑsɪʧ ɪz prɪˈdɪktɪŋ ðət ˈdɑnəld trəmp wɪl sun feɪd frəm ðə tɔp əv ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl poʊlz ɛz ˈvoʊtərz lʊk fər "ˈsəmˌbɑdi hu həz ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns." ɪn ən ˈɪntərvˌju wɪθ ˈsiˈɛˈnɛnz ʤeɪk ˈtæpər ɔn "steɪt əv ðə ˈjunjən," ˈkɑsɪʧ, ə rɪˈpəblɪkən ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ˈkænədɪt, sɛd hi ˈɪzənt baɪɪŋ poʊlz ðət ʃoʊ trəmp ɪn ðə lɛd ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ə nu poʊl ðət pʊts ðə ril ɛˈsteɪt səˈpɔrt æt 36 mɔr ðən ˈdəbəl ˈɛni ˈəðər kənˈtɛndər, əˈməŋ rɪˈpəblɪkənz. "aɪ doʊnt ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli bɪˈliv wət aɪ si bɪˈkəz ɪts nɑt ə poʊl əv ˈlaɪkli ˈvoʊtərz," ˈkɑsɪʧ sɛd, ˈædɪŋ ðət hiz nɑt kənˈvɪnst ˈmɛni əv ðoʊz hu seɪ ðeɪ səˈpɔrt trəmp wɪl ˈəltəmətli voʊt fər ɪm. ˈkɑsɪʧ ˈɔlsoʊ dɪˈfɛndɪd hɪz æd ˈfiʧərɪŋ ə ˈfɔrmər juz. ˈprɪzənər əv wɔr, col*. tɑm moʊ, wɪʧ səm hæv sɛd ˈriˌkɔlz ðə ˈfeɪməs poʊəm "fərst ðeɪ keɪm ˈrɪtən baɪ ˈpæstər ˈmɑrtɪn əˈbaʊt ˈnɑtsiz, waɪl ˈhaɪˌlaɪtɪŋ grups trəmp həz əˈtækt. ðə oʊˈhaɪoʊ ˈgəvərnər dɪˈnaɪd ðə æd wɑz mɛnt tɪ kəmˈpɛr trəmp tɪ ˈeɪdɑlf ˈhɪtlər, bət dɪˈfɛndɪd ðə ˈtɛnər əv ðə æd. rɛd mɔr
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story highlights john kasich said sunday that he doesn't believe donald trump will be the gop nominee
kasich said that he doesn't "necessarily believe what i see" that trump leads the polls
washington (cnn) ohio gov. john kasich is predicting that donald trump will soon fade from the top of gop presidential polls as voters look for "somebody who has the experience."
in an interview with cnn's jake tapper on "state of the union," kasich, a republican presidential candidate, said he isn't buying polls that show trump in the lead -- including a new cnn/orc poll that puts the real estate mogul's support at 36%, more than double any other contender, among republicans.
"i don't necessarily believe what i see because it's not a poll of likely voters," kasich said, adding that he's not convinced many of those who say they support trump will ultimately vote for him.
kasich also defended his ad featuring a former u.s. prisoner of war, col. tom moe, which some have said recalls the famous poem "first they came ..." written by pastor martin niemöller about nazis, while highlighting groups trump has attacked.
the ohio governor denied the ad was meant to compare trump to adolf hitler, but defended the tenor of the ad.
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vɔɪs əv ˈtɑməs ˈɛdɪsənz ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑl ɪz hərd əˈgɛn ˈæftər 123 jɪrz ɛz ˈsaɪəntɪsts kræk ðə koʊd əv mɪˈstɪriəs ˈmɛtəl rɪŋ fər ˈdɛkeɪdz ɪt leɪ ɪn ðə ˈbɑtəm əv ə ˈsɛkrəˌtɛriz dɛsk drɔr, ɪts ˈpərpəs ənˈnoʊn. bət naʊ, 123 jɪr ˈæftər ɪt wɑz meɪd, ðə ˈsikrɪt əv ðɪs bɛnt ˈmɛtəl rɪŋ, wɪʧ wɑz faʊnd ɪn ˈtɑməs ˈɛdɪsənz ˈlæbrəˌtɔri, həz ˈfaɪnəli bɪn ənˈkəvərd. ˈsaɪəntɪsts hæv faʊnd ðət ðə ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑpɪk gruvz ɔn ðə rɪŋ meɪk əp ðə tun əv 'tˈwɪŋkəl, tˈwɪŋkəl, ˈlɪtəl stɑr' ənd mɑrk ðə wərldz fərst əˈtɛmpt æt ə ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑl ənd ðə dɔn əv əˈmɛrɪkəz rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ˈɪndəstri. skroʊl daʊn fər ˈɑdiˌoʊ rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ˈmɪstəri sɑlvd: ðə ˈmɛtəl rɪŋ, wɪʧ kənˈteɪnz ə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ əv 'tˈwɪŋkəl, tˈwɪŋkəl, ˈlɪtəl stɑr', leɪ ɪn ðə ˈbɑtəm əv ə ˈsɛkrəˌtɛriz dɛsk fər ˈdɛkeɪdz ˌɪnˈvɛntər: ˈtɑməs ˈɛdɪsən meɪd ðə ˈmɛtəl strɪp tɪ goʊ ˈɪntu hɪz ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑlz ˈjuzɪŋ ədˈvænst ˈɪmɪʤɪŋ tɛkˈnɑləʤi ðeɪ hæv rɪˈkəvərd ə 12 ˈsɛkənd saʊnd rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ əv ˈwʊmən riˈsaɪtɪŋ ə vərs əv ðə ˈʧɪldrənz sɔŋ. ðeɪ bɪˈliv ðə tɪn rɪŋ wɑz ˌɪnˈtɛndɪd tɪ bi ðə ki kəmˈpoʊnənt əv wən əv ˈtɑməs ˈɛdɪsənz ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑlz. hɪˈstɔriənz θɪŋk ˈɛdɪsən haɪərd ðə ˈwʊmən tɪ meɪk ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ lɛs ðən tu jɪrz ˌbiˈfɔr hi ˌənsəkˈsɛsfəli pʊt ðə fərst ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑl ɔn ðə ˈmɑrkɪt. 'beɪst ɔn ðə deɪt əv fɔl 1888 ɪt ɪz ðə ˈoʊldəst rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ əv ə ˈwʊmənz vɔɪs ðət wi kən ˈlɪsən tɪ təˈdeɪ,' sɛd ˈpætrɪk ˈfistər, ə hɪˈstɔriən æt ˌɪndiˈænə ˌjunəˈvərsəti ɪn ˈblumɪŋtən. ˈmɪstər ˈfistər pɔrd ˈoʊvər hɪˈstɔrɪkəl ˈdɑkjəmənts ənd ˈnuzˌpeɪpər rɪˈpɔrts tɪ pis təˈgɛðər ðə ˈstɔri bɪˈhaɪnd ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ. ˈɛdɪsən hoʊpt tɪ ðə tɔɪz, bət ðə ˈɪrəz ˌrudəˈmɛntəri tɛkˈnɑləʤi mɛnt ðət tɪ meɪk 100 dɑlz, ˈɛdɪsən wʊd hæv tɪ gɪt ˈɑrtɪsts tɪ rəˈsaɪt ðə ˈlələˌbaɪ 100 taɪmz. ˈhɪdən ˈsikrɪt: ðə ɪnʧ əraʊnd ənd hæf ən ɪnʧ waɪd rɪŋ wɑz bɛnt ənd ˈdæmɪʤd soʊ ðə tun kʊd noʊ ˈlɔŋgər bi pleɪd ˌmaɪkrəˈskɑpɪk dɑts: ðə gruvz ɪn ðə rɪŋ meɪk əp ə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ əv ə ˈwʊmən riˈsaɪtɪŋ 'tˈwɪŋkəl, tˈwɪŋkəl, ˈlɪtəl stɑr' 'ðeɪ məst hæv bɪn haɪərd ənd peɪd tɪ du ðɪs,' ˈmɪstər ˈfistər sɛd. 'ðiz wər prɪˈzuməbli ðə fərst prəˈfɛʃənəl rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ˈɑrtɪsts.' ðə smɔl pis əv tɪn ˈbɛrɪŋ ðə ˈwʊmənz vɔɪs ˈnɛvər meɪd ɪt ˈɪntu ə dɑl bɪˈkəz wæks ˈrɛkərdz ˌriˈpleɪst ˈmɛtəl wənz baɪ 1890 wɪn ˈɛdɪsən ˈstɑrtɪd ˈsɛlɪŋ hɪz fərst ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑlz. ðoʊz ˈfræʤəl ənd ˈizəli ˈbroʊkən tɔɪz wər ə ˈmɑrkɪt flɑp. jɛt ˈɔlˌmoʊst 80 jɪrz ˈæftər ðə ˈmɪstəri ˈwʊmən lɛnt hər vɔɪs tɪ ˈɛdɪsən, ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ʃoʊd əp ɪn 1967 ɪn ðə ˈɑrˌkaɪvz əv ðə ˈtɑməs ˈɛdɪsən ˈnæʃənəl hɪˈstɔrɪkəl pɑrk ɪn wɛst ˈɔrɪnʤ, ˈhævɪŋ bɪn rɪˈkəvərd frəm ə ˈsɛkrəˌtɛriz dɛsk drɔr ɪn ˈɛdɪsənz ˈlæbrəˌtɔri. 'ɪt wɑz klɪr frəm ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈəndər ðə ˈmaɪkrəˌskoʊp ðət ɪt hæd ə saʊnd rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ɔn ɪt. ˈfoʊnəˌgræf gruvz hæv ə fəˈmɪljər ʃeɪp,' sɛd ˈʤɛri ˈfæbrɪs, ə mˈjuziəm ˈkjʊrətər wɪθ ðə ˈnæʃənəl pɑrk ˈsərvɪs. ˈtɛstɪŋ: ˈsaɪəntɪsts traɪd tɪ rɪˈkəvər ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ˈæftər 123 jɪrz ˌdɪˈskəvri: ˈsaɪəntɪsts juzd ˈɪmɪʤɪŋ tɛkˈniks tɪ dɪˈsaɪfər ðə koʊd ˈdɪʤɪtəl saʊnd: ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ wɑz kənˈvərtɪd ˈɔntu ə kəmˈpjutər bət ðə ˈmɛtəl rɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈɪnʧɪz əraʊnd ənd hæf ən ɪnʧ waɪd wɑz soʊ bɛnt ənd ˈdæmɪʤd ðət ˈsaɪəntɪsts ˈkʊdənt pleɪ ɪt. mɔr ðən fɔr ˈdɛkeɪdz ˈleɪtər, ˈsaɪəntɪsts æt ðə ˈlɔrəns ˈbərkli ˈnæʃənəl ˈlæbrəˌtɔri ɪn ˈbərkli, ˌkæləˈfɔrnjə, juzd ˈɪmɪʤ æˈnælɪsɪs tɪ kriˈeɪt ə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈmɑdəl əv ðə ˈrɛkərdz ˈsərfəs. ðət ˈmɑdəl wɑz ðɛn juzd tɪ ˌriprəˈdus ðə rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ ɛz ə ˈdɪʤɪtəl faɪl, nɑt ənˈlaɪk ðə ˈmɑdərn tɛkˈnɑləʤi bɪˈhaɪnd ðə vɔɪs ðət ˈimərʤɪz frəm ˈtudeɪz ˈtɔkɪŋ dɑlz. ˈlɪsən tɪ ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ
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voice of thomas edison's talking doll is heard again after 123 years as scientists crack the code of mysterious metal ring
for decades it lay in the bottom of a secretary's desk drawer, its purpose unknown.
but now, 123 year after it was made, the secret of this bent metal ring, which was found in thomas edison's laboratory, has finally been uncovered.
scientists have found that the microscopic grooves on the ring make up the tune of 'twinkle, twinkle, little star' and mark the world's first attempt at a talking doll and the dawn of america's recording industry.
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mystery solved: the metal ring, which contains a recording of 'twinkle, twinkle, little star', lay in the bottom of a secretary's desk for decades
inventor: thomas edison made the metal strip to go into his talking dolls
using advanced imaging technology they have recovered a 12 second sound recording of woman reciting a verse of the children's song.
they believe the tin ring was intended to be the key component of one of thomas edison's talking dolls.
historians think edison hired the woman to make the recording less than two years before he unsuccessfully put the first talking doll on the market.
'based on the date of fall 1888, it is the oldest american-made recording of a woman's voice that we can listen to today,' said patrick feaster, a historian at indiana university in bloomington.
mr feaster pored over historical documents and 19th-century newspaper reports to piece together the story behind the recording.
edison hoped to mass-produce the toys, but the era's rudimentary technology meant that to make 100 dolls, edison would have to get artists to recite the lullaby 100 times.
hidden secret: the 2.5 inch around and half an inch wide ring was bent and damaged so the tune could no longer be played
microscopic dots: the grooves in the ring make up a recording of a woman reciting 'twinkle, twinkle, little star'
'they must have been hired and paid to do this,' mr feaster said. 'these were presumably the first professional recording artists.'
the small piece of ring-shaped tin bearing the woman's voice never made it into a doll because wax records replaced metal ones by 1890, when edison started selling his first talking dolls. those fragile and easily broken toys were a market flop.
yet almost 80 years after the mystery woman lent her voice to edison, the recording showed up in 1967 in the archives of the thomas edison national historical park in west orange, having been recovered from a secretary's desk drawer in edison's laboratory.
'it was clear from looking under the microscope that it had a sound recording on it. phonograph grooves have a familiar shape,' said jerry fabris, a museum curator with the national park service.
testing: scientists tried to recover the recording after 123 years
discovery: scientists used imaging techniques to decipher the code
digital sound: the recording was converted onto a computer
but the metal ring - about 2.5 inches around and half an inch wide - was so bent and damaged that scientists couldn't play it.
more than four decades later, scientists at the lawrence berkeley national laboratory in berkeley, california, used image analysis to create a digital model of the record's surface.
that model was then used to reproduce the recording as a digital file, not unlike the modern technology behind the voice that emerges from today's talking dolls.
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ˈhərəˌkeɪnz ˈhɑrvi əˈproʊʧɪz ˈdʊrɪŋ ə ˈlidərˌʃɪp ˈvækjum ɪn səm əv ðə ˈeɪʤənsiz tæskt wɪθ ˈplænɪŋ ənd rɪˈspɑns. ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈhərəˌkeɪnz ˈsɛnər, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, həz bɪn lɛd baɪ ən ˈæktɪŋ dɪˈrɛktər sɪns ðə ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt wən lɛft ɪn meɪ, ənd ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ˈpoʊstɪd ðə pəˈzɪʃən ɔn ðə ˈfɛdərəl ʤɑb bɔrd, usajobs*, ˈoʊnli ɪn ˌʤuˈlaɪ. ðə waɪt haʊs həz nɑt ˈnɑməˌneɪtəd ən ədˈmɪnɪˌstreɪtər tɪ hɛd ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˌoʊʃənəˈgræfɪk ənd ˌætməsˈfɛrɪk ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən, ðə ˈwɛðər ˈpɛrənt ˈeɪʤənsi ənd ðə nərv ˈsɛnər fər ˈkoʊstəl saɪəns ˈrisərʧ ənd ˌɛkspərˈtiz ɪn ˈhərəˌkeɪnz ənd ðɛr ˈifɛkts. ðət ʤɑb ɪz biɪŋ fɪld baɪ ən ˈæktɪŋ kərɪr əˈfɪʃəl, əˈlɔŋ wɪθ ˈhənərdz əv ˈəðər pəˈzɪʃənz əˈkrɔs ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ðət ər əˈweɪtɪŋ ˌkɑnfərˈmeɪʃən ər ˌnɑməˈneɪʃən baɪ ðə waɪt haʊs. ðə nu dɪˈrɛktər əv ðə ˈfɛdərəl ˈimərʤənsi ˈmænɪʤmənt ˈeɪʤənsi, brɑk lɔŋ, tʊk ˈɔfəs ɪn ʤun ˈæftər ðə ˈsɛnɪt kənˈfərmd ɪm. ðə waɪt haʊs həz ˈnɑməˌneɪtəd tu ˈdɛpjəti dɪˈrɛktərz fər ðə ˈeɪʤənsi, bət ðeɪ hæv nɑt bɪn kənˈfərmd. ənd ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈhoʊmˌlænd sɪˈkjʊrəti, ˈpɛrənt ˈeɪʤənsi, həz bɪn wɪˈθaʊt ə ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt ˈlidər sɪns ʤɑn ˈkɛli lɛft ðə poʊst tɪ bɪˈkəm waɪt haʊs ʧif əv stæf. ˈædɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈlidərˌʃɪp gæp ɪz ə ˈkrɑnɪk stæf ˈʃɔrtɪʤ æt ðə ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs. ðə ˈveɪkənsiz hæv bɪn ˈɔnˌgoʊɪŋ fər ˈsɛvərəl jɪrz, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə ˈeɪʤənsi ə ˈtərgət əv ˈkrɪtɪˌsɪzəm baɪ ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ɪmˈplɔɪiz ˌɔrgənəˈzeɪʃən, ðə ˈjunjən ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪŋ ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ɪmˈplɔɪiz. ðə ˈgəvərnmənt əˈkaʊntəˌbɪlɪti ˈɔfəs, ɪn ən ˈɔdɪt ɪn meɪ, faʊnd ðət ˈveɪkənsiz æt ˈmɛni əv ðə 122 ˈloʊkəl ˈwɛðər ˈfɔrˌkæst ˈɔfəsɪz lɛft ðə stæf taɪmz əˈneɪbəl tɪ kəmˈplit ki tasks.”*.” ðə ˈɔlsoʊ faʊnd ðət ðə stæf strɛs, fəˈtig ənd rɪˈdust məræl rɪˈzəltɪŋ frəm ðɛr ˈɛfərts tɪ ˈkəvər fər vacancies.”*.” ənd læst mənθ ðə ˈsɛnɪt əˌproʊpriˈeɪʃənz kəˈmɪti ˈkrɪtəˌsaɪzd ðə ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ɪn ə rɪˈpɔrt əˈkəmpəniɪŋ ˈfəndɪŋ fər ðə ˈkɑmərs dɪˈpɑrtmənt fər nɛkst ˈfɪskəl jɪr, seɪɪŋ ðə ˈlɔˌmeɪkərz ər kənˈsərnd wɪθ ðə kənˈtɪnjud ˈnəmbər əv ɪmˈplɔɪi vacancies,”*,” ˈivɪn ðoʊ ˈkɑŋgrəs həz prəˈvaɪdɪd ˈædəkˌweɪt ˈfəndɪŋ tɪ fɪl ðɛm. ðə kəˈmɪti dɪˈrɛktɪd ˈɛˈnoʊˈeɪˈeɪ tɪ ˈprɛzənt ə ˈsɛpərˌeɪt əˈkaʊnɪŋ əv ɔl fɪld ənd ˈoʊpən pəˈzɪʃənz ənd ðə lɛŋθ əv taɪm ðeɪ hæv gɔn ənˈfɪld. ɪt ɪz ənˈklɪr ˈwɛðər ðə ˈwɛðər ˈtɛksəs ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz ər əˈməŋ ðoʊz ðət ər ˈəndərˌstæft. ðə ˈstæfɪŋ ˈʃɔrtɪʤ keɪm əp ɪn ðə əˈsɛsmənt əv ˈhərəˌkeɪnz ˈmæθju, wɪʧ kɔzd səˈvɪr ˈɪnˌlænd ˈflədɪŋ ɪn nɔrθ ənd saʊθ ˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə ɪn ɑkˈtoʊbər 2016 waɪl ˈɛˈnoʊˈeɪˈeɪ preɪzd ðə ˈwɛðər ˈoʊvərˌɔl rɪˈspɑns, ɪt ˈnoʊtɪd ðət ˈmɛni ˈloʊkəl ˈɔfəsɪz wər ˈəndərˌstæft ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə stɔrm ənd wər dɪˈpɛndɪŋ mɔr ðən ˈjuʒəwəl ɔn steɪt ənd mjuˈnɪsəpəl ˈfɔrˌkæstərz tɪ kəmˈjunəˌkeɪt wɪθ ðə ˈpəblɪk. ˈɛˈnoʊˈeɪˈeɪ ˈspoʊksmən ˈkrɪstəfər vəˈkɑroʊ sɛd ðə ˈeɪʤənsi ɪz hiring”*” tɪ fɪl ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ˈveɪkənsiz. hi ˈɔlsoʊ sɛd ðə ˈeɪʤənsi priˈpɛrd fər harvey.”*.” ɪn ˈhjustən ənd ˈkɔrpəs ˈkrɪsti ər ˈfʊli staffed,”*,” vəˈkɑroʊ sɛd ɪn ən iˈmeɪl. ˈfɔrˌkæstərz æt ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈhərəˌkeɪnz ˈsɛnər, ˈloʊkəl ˈnæʃənəl ˈwɛðər ˈsərvɪs ˈɔfəsɪz, ˈrɪvər ˈfɔrˌkæst ˈsɛnərz ənd ˈɛlsˌwɛr ər fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ ðə ˈmɪʃən əv prəˈtɛktɪŋ lɪvz ənd ˈprɑpərti ɛz ðeɪ ˈɪʃu ˈtaɪmli ənd ˈækjərət ˈfɔrˌkæsts fər ˈhɑrvi. ðɪs ˈdeɪnʤərəs stɔrm ənˈfoʊldz, ˈɛˈnoʊˈeɪˈeɪ wɪl kənˈtɪnju prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ðə ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈfɔrˌkæsts ənd ˈsərvɪsɪz ðət ðə ˈpəblɪk, ˈimərʤənsi ˈmænɪʤərz ənd ˈəðər ˈpɑrtnərz nid tɪ meɪk ˌɪnˈfɔrmd dɪˈsɪʒənz ənd rɪˈmeɪn safe.”*.”
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hurricane harvey approaches during a leadership vacuum in some of the agencies tasked with planning and response.
the national hurricane center, for example, has been led by an acting director since the permanent one left in may, and the national weather service posted the position on the federal job board, usajobs, only in july.
the white house has not nominated an administrator to head the national oceanographic and atmospheric administration, the weather service’s parent agency and the government’s nerve center for coastal science research and expertise in hurricanes and their effects.
that job is being filled by an acting career official, along with hundreds of other positions across the government that are awaiting confirmation or nomination by the white house.
the new director of the federal emergency management agency, brock long, took office in june after the senate confirmed him. the white house has nominated two deputy directors for the agency, but they have not been confirmed.
and the department of homeland security, fema’s parent agency, has been without a permanent leader since john kelly left the post to become white house chief of staff.
adding to the leadership gap is a chronic staff shortage at the weather service. the vacancies have been ongoing for several years, making the agency a target of criticism by the national weather service employees organization, the union representing weather service employees.
the government accountability office, in an audit in may, found that vacancies at many of the agency’s 122 local weather forecast offices left the staff “at times unable to complete key tasks.”
the gao also found that the staff “experienced stress, fatigue and reduced morale resulting from their efforts to cover for vacancies.” and last month the senate appropriations committee criticized the weather service in a report accompanying funding for the commerce department for next fiscal year, saying the lawmakers are “very concerned with the continued number of employee vacancies,” even though congress has provided adequate funding to fill them.
the committee directed noaa to present a separate accounting of all filled and open positions and the length of time they have gone unfilled. it is unclear whether the weather service’s texas operations are among those that are understaffed.
the staffing shortage came up in the assessment of hurricane matthew, which caused severe inland flooding in north and south carolina in october 2016. while noaa praised the weather service’s overall response, it noted that many local offices were understaffed during the storm and were depending more than usual on state and municipal forecasters to communicate with the public.
noaa spokesman christopher vaccaro said the agency is “actively hiring” to fill weather service vacancies. he also said the agency “is prepared for harvey.”
“offices in houston and corpus christi are fully staffed,” vaccaro said in an email. “our forecasters at the national hurricane center, local national weather service offices, river forecast centers and elsewhere are fulfilling the agency’s mission of protecting lives and property as they issue timely and accurate forecasts for harvey.
“as this dangerous storm unfolds, noaa will continue providing the critical forecasts and services that the public, emergency managers and other partners need to make informed decisions and remain safe.”
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fiˈænə ˈlidər ˈmɑrtɪn həz dɪˈskraɪbd ˈmɛmbərz əv ðə ɛz ðə alliance’*’ ˈdʊrɪŋ ə ˈfaɪsti ʃɔrt dəˈbeɪt ɔn ˈsɪriə. ˈdɛpjətiz wər nɑt ˈivɪn dəˈbeɪtɪŋ ðə wɔr ˌɪtˈsɛlf bət ˈmɪrli əˈgriɪŋ tɪ dɪˈskəs ðə ˈɪʃu ɔn ˈθərzˌdeɪ wɪn ə roʊ broʊk aʊt. ɪt ˈfɑloʊd wət hæd ɔˈrɛdi bɪn ə ˈtɛsti aʊər ɪn ðə ˈʧeɪmbər ɪn wɪʧ ʃɔn wɑz fɔrst tɪ teɪk səm tɪ tæsk, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ hɪz ˈpɑrti ˈlidər ˈmɑrtɪn. ˈæftər səm bæk ənd fɔrθ, kənˈfərmd ðət ðeɪ wʊd bi dɪˈskəsɪŋ ðə ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən ɪn ɔn ˈθərzˌdeɪ. ˈpipəl ˌbiˈfɔr ˈprɑfɪt smɪθ ˌɪntərˈʤɛktɪd ənd sɛd ðət ðə dəˈbeɪt ʃʊd bi əˈbaʊt ““syria”*”. ðə ækˈsɛptɪd ðɪs bət ɪt ˈstɑrtɪd ən ˈɑrgjəmənt ɪn ðə ˈʧeɪmbər: ˈmɑrtɪn: bɪˈkəz ju wɔnt tɪ bi kənˈdɛmɪŋ ˈrəʃə ɔn, jʊr ˈprɑbləm. ˈrɪʧərd bɔɪd ˈbɛrɪt: (ˌɪˈnɔdəbəl) ʃɔn: ɑ pliz, ˈdɛpjəti bɔɪd ˈbɛrɪt pliz. ˈmɑrtɪn: ju wʊd ˈnɛvər kənˈdɛm ˈrəʃə. ju gaɪz ər ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl əv kənˈdɛmɪŋ ˈrəʃə. smɪθ: aɪ ʤɪst wɔnt tɪ reɪz ðə fækt ðət ðə frɛnʧ ər ˈɔlsoʊ ˈbɑmɪŋ ˈsɪriə. ˈmɑrtɪn: ˌæbsəˈlutli, ˈɔlˌweɪz dɪˈlut ðə ˈrəʃən ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃən tɪ ðə sˈlɔtər ənd ˈʤɛnəˌsaɪd ɪn. ʃɔn: ˈdɛpjəti ˈmɑrtɪn, kən wi ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ðə ˌlɛʤəsˈleɪʃən pliz? ˈmɑrtɪn: glæd ɪkˈsaɪtɪd səm ˈblədi ækˈtɪvɪti ɔn ɪt æt səm stage…*… ɔn ðə ˈɔrdər əv ˈbɪznɪs ˈprɑpər. ˈrɪʧərd bɔɪd ˈbɛrɪt: wən ˈsaɪdɪd ˌjuˌmænəˈtɛriən disaster…*… ˈmɑrtɪn: ɑ jeɪ, ðɛr ju goʊ əˈgɛn. duɪŋ maɪ bɛst nɑt tɪ bi prəˈvoʊkt baɪ ðə əˈlaɪəns ɔn maɪ raɪt, wɪʧ ˈstrɛʧɪz əˈkrɔs tɪ sɪn féin*. ənd bɪn ə kənˈsɪstənt ˈfiʧər əv ðɪs. ˈʤinoʊ ˈkɛˌni: ju ʃʊd wɪθˈdrɔ ðət. ju ʃʊd wɪθˈdrɔ ðət rɪˈmɑrk, ju ʃʊd wɪθˈdrɔ ðət. ˈmɑrtɪn: aɪ wɪl nɑt wɪθˈdrɔ ɪt, aɪ wɪl nɑt. ˈʤinoʊ ˈkɛˌni: ju ʃʊd meɪk ən əˈpɑləˌʤi. ˈmɑrtɪn kənˈtɪnjud ɔn wɪθ ðə nɛkst ˈaɪtəm əv ˈbɪznɪs wɪˈθaʊt wɪθˈdrɔɪŋ ðə rɪˈmɑrk.
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fianna fáil leader micheál martin has described members of the aaa-pbp as the ‘pro-russia alliance’ during a feisty short debate on syria.
deputies were not even debating the war itself but merely agreeing to discuss the issue on thursday when a row broke out.
it followed what had already been a testy hour in the dáil chamber in which ceann comhairle sean ó fearghaíl was forced to take some tds to task, including his party leader martin.
after some back and forth, ó fearghaíl confirmed that they would be discussing the situation in aleppo on thursday.
people before profit td bríd smith interjected and said that the debate should be about “syria”.
the ceann comhairle accepted this but it started an argument in the chamber:
micheál martin: because you want to be condemning russia on aleppo, your problem. richard boyd barrett: (inaudible) sean ó fearghaíl: ah please, deputy boyd barrett please. micheál martin: you would never condemn russia. you guys are incapable of condemning russia. bríd smith: i just want to raise the fact that the french are also bombing syria. micheál martin: absolutely, always dilute the russian contribution to the slaughter and genocide in aleppo. sean ó fearghaíl: deputy martin, can we focus on the legislation please? micheál martin: glad excited some bloody activity on it at some stage… on the order of business proper. richard boyd barrett: one sided humanitarian disaster… micheál martin: ah yea, there you go again. doing my best not to be provoked by the pro-russia alliance on my right, which stretches across to sinn féin. and been a consistent feature of this dáil. gino kenny: you should withdraw that. you should withdraw that remark, you should withdraw that. micheál martin: i will not withdraw it, i will not. gino kenny: you should make an apology.
martin continued on with the next item of business without withdrawing the remark.
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aɪ æm reposting*, ɪn ðɛr ɪnˈtaɪərti, ðə tɛn ˈɑrtɪkəlz aɪ roʊt ðət wər ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn ʃɪft ˈmægəˌzin (wɪʧ ɪz naʊ ɔn haɪˈeɪtəs) bɪtˈwin 2013 ənd 2015 sɪns səm əv ðə lɪŋks hæv ʧeɪnʤd ənd soʊ ðət maɪ blɔg kənˈteɪnz ðə fʊl tɛkst əv ðiz ˈɑrtɪkəlz (ˈjusfəl fər ˈsərʧɪz ˌɛtˈsɛtərə.) θæŋks tɪ ʃɪft fər ðə ˈgræfɪks (məʧ ˈbɛtər ðən maɪ ərˈɪʤənəlz), ənd fər ˈpəblɪʃɪŋ ənd ˈɛdɪtɪŋ maɪ wərk. ˈɪmɪʤ ˈkərtəsi ʃɪft ˈmægəˌzin; klɪk ɔn ˈɪmɪʤ tɪ vju ˈfʊlˌsaɪz pɑrt wən: ðə ˈɛnərʤi prɪˈdɪkəmənt: ˈfidˌbæk lups, ðə ˈpɛrəˌdɑks, ənd ðə θri ɛnd geɪmz kɔld ðə ˈpɛrəˌdɑks. ɪt ɪkˈspleɪnz waɪ ˌɪnˈkrisɪz ɪn ðə ɪˈfɪʃənsi əv tɛkˈnɑləʤiz tɛnd tɪ lɛd tɪ ən ˌɪnˈkris, ˈrəðər ðən ə ˈdiˌkris, ɪn ˈrisɔrs juz. soʊ, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ɪt wʊd ɪkˈspleɪn ðət ˈdraɪvərz əv ˈhaɪbrɪd kɑz, ˈrəðər ðən ˈbæŋkɪŋ ðə ˈseɪvɪŋz ɔn ˈgæsəˌlin ðɛr ˈviɪkəlz prəˈvaɪd, bɪˈkəz əv rɪˈdəkʃənz ɪn boʊθ kɔst ənd gɪlt, ˌɪnˈstɛd draɪv ðɛm ˈfərðər, ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ˈivɪn tɪ ðə pɔɪnt ðeɪ juz mɔr ˈgæsəˌlin ðən ðeɪ wʊd hæv ɪf ðeɪ oʊnd ə non-hybrid*. ɪn ə ˈbrɔdər sɛns, ðə ˈpɛrəˌdɑks ɪz ə weɪ əv ɪkˈspleɪnɪŋ ə ˈpəzəlɪŋ bɪˈheɪvjər əv ˈmɛni ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz. ɪn ˈɛsəns, bɪˈkəz wi ˈjumənz ˈrɪli laɪk tɪ ʧeɪnʤ, wi wɪl tɛnd tɪ around’*’ ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃənz ɪn ə ˈsɪstəm ðət wər dɪˈzaɪnd tɪ brɪŋ əˈbaʊt səm dɪˈzaɪərd ʧeɪnʤ, soʊ ðət ðə ˈstætəs kwoʊ əv ðə ˈsɪstəm ɪz meɪnˈteɪnd. soʊ, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˈmælkəm ˈrisərʧ həz dɪˈskəvərd ðət ju ər ˈæˌkʧuəli ˈseɪfər ˈdraɪvɪŋ ɪn ə kənˈvərtəbəl ðən ɪn ən ˌɛsˌjuˈvi, bɪˈkəz ˈdraɪvərz əv kənˈvərtəbəlz noʊ ðə ˈdeɪnʤərz əv ən ˈæksədənt ənd ˈkɑmpənˌseɪt baɪ mɔr ˈkɛrfəl ənd əˈtɛntɪv ˈdraɪvɪŋ, waɪl ˌɛsˌjuˈvi ˈdraɪvərz, ɪn ðə (ˈmoʊstli fɔls) bɪˈlif ðət ðɛr rɪsk əv ənd ɪn ən ˈæksədənt ɪz məʧ loʊər, tɛnd tɪ draɪv mɔr əˈgrɛsɪvli ənd lɛs əˈtɛntɪvli, soʊ ðeɪ hæv sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli mɔr ˈæksədənts pər maɪl (ənd ɪn ˈtoʊtəl feɪs mɔr ˈɪnʤəriz ənd dɛθs pər maɪl ɛz ə rɪˈzəlt). traɪ tɪ sɛl ðɪs ˈlɑʤɪk tɪ jʊr ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns ˈkəmpəˌni, ˌhaʊˈɛvər.) ɪn əˈdɪʃən, ðɛr ər ˈpɛrəˌdɑksɪz ˌɪnˈhɛrənt ɪn ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz, ðət lɛd tɪ rɪˈzəlts ðət hæv ˈnəθɪŋ tɪ du wɪθ dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪt ˈjumən bɪˈheɪvjər æt ɔl. fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ɪf wi pʊt ə tax’*’ ɔn fjuəlz ɪn ðə hoʊp əv rɪˈdusɪŋ kənˈsəmʃən ənd ɪnˈkərəʤɪŋ ˌkɑnsərˈveɪʃən, wi meɪ faɪnd ðət ðə rɪˈdust kənˈsəmʃən wɪl ˌtɛmpərˈɛrəli loʊər ˈpraɪsɪz (ɛz ə rɪˈzəlt əv loʊərd dɪˈmænd). bət ðoʊz loʊər ˈpraɪsɪz wɪl ɪˈneɪbəl ˈdraɪvərz tɪ baɪ mɔr ˈgæsəˌlin fər ðə seɪm ˈaʊˌtleɪ, soʊ ðeɪ wɪl fɪl ðɛr tæŋks mɔr ˈɔfən ənˈtɪl ðət ˌɪnˈkrist dɪˈmænd ɪˈneɪbəlz ðə ˈgæsəˌlin ˈvɛndərz tɪ reɪz ðɛr ˈpraɪsɪz, kəmˈplitɪŋ ðə ˈsaɪkəl. ənd wɪn ðə ˈvɛndərz kən ˌɪnˈkris ðɛr ˈpraɪsɪz, ðeɪ kən ˈɔlsoʊ ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪkli ˈʤəstəˌfaɪ ɪkˈsplɔrɪŋ fər ənd dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ mɔr ˈkɔstli, ˈmɑrʤənəl ˌhaɪdroʊˈkɑrbən ˈrisɔrsɪz (fracking*, ˈdipˌwɔtər ɔɪl, ʃeɪl ɔɪl, tɑr sændz). ðət ˌɪnˈkrist səˈplaɪ stɑrts əˈnəðər ˈsaɪkəl, sɪns mɔr səˈplaɪ ˈrɛlətɪv tɪ dɪˈmænd tɛndz tɪ loʊər ˈpraɪsɪz ənˈtɪl ðə nu səˈplaɪ kən bi ˈfʊli soʊld. ɔl ə ˈdɛləkət ˈbæləns. ðət ɪz, ənˈtɪl əˈfɔrdəbəl ɔɪl (ənd ˈəðər ˈrisɔrsɪz) rən aʊt ɪnˈtaɪərli. ðə ˈɛnərʤi ˈɪndəstri ɪz fɑnd əv ˈtɛlɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs ðɛr ər centuries’*’ wərθ əv pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌhaɪdroʊˈkɑrbənz ɪn ðə graʊnd. bət wɪθ ðə kɔst əv ɛkˈstrækʃən ˈgɪtɪŋ ˈɛvər haɪər ənd ðə laɪf əv iʧ nu faɪnd ˈgɪtɪŋ ˈɛvər ˈʃɔrtər, ðə əˈmaʊnt ðət kən bi ɛkˈstræktɪd æt ə praɪs kənˈsumərz kən əˈfɔrd ɪz ˈfaɪˌnaɪt, ənd wɪn ɪt ɪz juzd əp wi riʧ wət ˈdɛrɪk ˈʤɛnsən kɔlz ˈɛndgeɪm. ðɪs ɪz wɛr ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz gɪt əˈspɛʃəli ˈtrɪki tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn, bɪˈkəz ˌɪntərrɪˈleɪtɪd. wət ɪgˈzæktli ɪz praɪs kənˈsumərz kən afford’*’? ðɪs dɪˈpɛndz ɔn ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm, nɑt ɑr ˈɛnərʤi ənd ˈrisɔrs ˈsɪstəmz. ðət ˈsɪstəm, ɛz aɪ wɪl ɪkˈspleɪn ɪn pɑrt tu əv ðɪs ˈsɪriz, ɪz ˈhərtlɪŋ təˈwɔrdz ɪts oʊn ɛnd geɪm. bət ðə ˈbɑtəm laɪn ɪz ðət, ɛz wi kəm tɪ ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət ɑr ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl ˌɪnˈdəstriəl groʊθ ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪz ɔˈrɛdi ˈhjuʤli ˌoʊvərɪkˈstɛndəd (ðə dɛts wi hæv ˌɪnˈkərd kʊd ˈoʊnli ˈɛvər bi riˈpeɪd ɪf wi lɪvd ɔn ə ˈplænət əv ˈɪnfənət wɛlθ ənd ˈrisɔrsɪz), ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˈpɑnzi skim əv ɑr ˈmɑrkɪts wɪl kəˈlæps, ənd wət kən afford’*’ wɪl ˈpləmət. ɛnd geɪm. ənd ɔl əv ðɪs ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ækˈtɪvɪti ənd ˈrisɔrs dɪˈvɛləpmənt həz pʊʃt ˌætməsˈfɛrɪk koʊ 2 ənd ˈəðər ˈgloʊbəl ˈwɔrmɪŋ ˈgæsɪz pæst wət ˈmɛni ˈklaɪmɪt ˈsaɪəntɪsts bɪˈliv ɪz ðə ˈtɪpɪŋ pɔɪnt, soʊ ðət ‘‘runaway’*’ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ, ənd wɪθ ɪt, ˈmæsɪv draʊts, desertification*, faɪərz, stɔrmz, ˈwɔtər ˈskɛrsɪti, ˈspiʃiz ɪkˈstɪŋʃən, pandemics*, ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər dɪˈstrəkʃən ənd si ˈlɛvəl raɪz ər naʊ, ðeɪ seɪ, ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl ɪn ðɪs ˈsɛnʧəri ə θərd ɛnd geɪm. (mɔr əˈbaʊt ðɪs ˈsɪstəm ɪn pɑrt θri bɪˈloʊ). ðə ˈvɛri ˈbɪzi ˈdaɪəˌgræm ɔn ðə nɛkst peɪʤ əv ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl əˈtɛmpts tɪ ˈkæpʧər ðə moʊst ɛˈsɛnʃəl ˈvɛriəbəlz ɪn ðiz θri ˈsɪstəmz ˈɛnərʤi ənd ˈrisɔrsɪz, ɪˈkɑnəmi, ənd climate/ecology*, ənd ðə θri ɛnd geɪmz ðət prəˈvaɪd ˈjuˈɛs wɪθ noʊ ˈfəðər ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti fər ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən, ənd kʊd wɛl prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ðə ɛnd əv ɑr ˈkɑrənt ˈgloʊbəˌlaɪzd ˈjumən ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən. ən ɪkˈspændɪd ˈvərʒən əv ə ʧɑrt ɪn (trænˈzɪʃən ˈmuvmənt co-founder*) rɑb hopkins’*’ ənd (poʊst ˈkɑrbən ˈɪnstɪˌtut ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv dɪˈrɛktər) ˈæʃər ˈɛksələnt ˈpeɪpər ˈklaɪmɪt ˈæftər groʊθ. ɪt ʃoʊz səm əv ðə ˈmeɪʤər ənd loops’*’ (e.g*. haʊ ə dɪˈsteɪbəˌlaɪzd ˈklaɪmɪt ˈkɛrɪktərˌaɪzd baɪ ˈræpɪd ˈpoʊlər ənd ˈgleɪʃəl ˈmɛltɪŋ lidz tɪ ˌɪnˈkrist ˈmɛˌθeɪn riˈlis wɪʧ ɪn tərn lidz tɪ mɔr dɪˈsteɪbəˌlaɪzd ˈklaɪmɪt ənd mɔr ˈmɛltɪŋ, wɪθ ‘‘runaway’*’ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ ɛz ðə rɪˈzəlt). ɪt ˈɔlsoʊ ʃoʊz ðə ˈbælənsɪŋ loops’*’ ðət ˈkərəntli kip ɑr, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ənd ˈsɪstəmz ɪn stasis’*’ nɑt əˈpriʃəbli ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ fər naʊ. bət bɪˈkəz əv ðə θri ɛnd geɪmz, ðɪs ɪz nɑt səˈsteɪnəbəl. wi wɪl, ˈsunər ər ˈleɪtər, rən aʊt əv ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪkli əˈfɔrdəbəl ˈrisɔrsɪz. ər wi wɪl rən aʊt əv feɪθ ɪn ðə ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti əv pərˈpɛʧuəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk groʊθ. ər wi wɪl feɪs ðə ˌriˈæləˌtiz əv ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. ɔl ˈsɪstəmz kəˈlæps wɪn ðeɪ fɔl aʊt əv, ənd ɔl ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃənz ɛnd. ðə kˈwɛʃən ɪz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər haʊ ər ˈwɛðər wi kən prɪˈvɛnt wən ər ˈɛni əv ðiz ɛnd geɪmz. ɪt ɪz, naʊ, haʊ du wi priˈpɛr fər ðə ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz əv ˈɛni ər ɔl θri, ɛz wi ˈɛnər ðə ˈdɛkeɪdz ʤeɪmz ˈkənstlər həz kɔld ðə lɔŋ ˈimərʤənsi, ənd haʊ kən wi geɪʤ wɪˈʧɛvər əv ðə θri ɪz goʊɪŋ tɪ hɪt ˈjuˈɛs fərst, ənd ˈhɑrdəst. ənd, wəns kəˈlæps kəmz, haʊ wi kən lərn frəm ðɪs əˈstɑnɪʃɪŋ laɪf ɪkˈspɪriəns frəm biɪŋ æt ðɪs ˈpɪvətəl pɔɪnt ɪn ˈjumən ˌɛvəˈluʃən soʊ ðət ðoʊz ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈæftər ðə fɔl wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ kriˈeɪt səˈsteɪnəbəl, ˈʤɔɪfəl səˈsaɪɪtiz (ˈprɑbəˌbli ˈvɛri localised*, smɔl skeɪl səˈsaɪɪtiz ðət wɪl, bɪˈkəz ðeɪ wɪl bi əˈdæptɪd tɪ pleɪs, sim əˈmeɪzɪŋli dɪˈvərs tɪ ðoʊz əv ˈjuˈɛs ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ɑr ˈkɑrənt ˌhoʊməˈʤiniəs ˈgloʊbəl ˈjumən ˈkəlʧər). ənd haʊ wi kən hɛlp ɑr dɪˈsɛnɪnts drɔ əˈpɑn ðə bɛst əv (‘‘prehistoric’*’, sɪns ɪn ɑr ˈɛrəgəns wi prɪˈzum ðət ˈhɪstəri ˈoʊnli bɪˈgæn wɪθ ɑr ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən) weɪz əv ˈlɪvɪŋ, ənd ˈɔlsoʊ ɔn ðə ˈlɛsənz əv (civilization’s*) ˈhɪstəri ənd ðə ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ənd ˌtɛknəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈlərnɪŋ əv wərld, tɪ kriˈeɪt fˈjuʧər ˈjumən səˈsaɪɪtiz ˈbɛtər ðən wi kʊd drim əv. bət bæk tɪ ɑr ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəm ʧɑrt. wət ðɪs ˈdaɪəˌgræm ɪkˈspleɪnz ɪz ðə fjuˈtɪləti əv ˈjuˈɛs traɪɪŋ tɪ ˌɪntərˈvin ˈplɪtɪkli ər ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪkli tɪ brɪŋ əˈbaʊt sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt, səˈsteɪnd ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ðə ˈsɪstəmz ˈpʊʃɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs ˌɪˈnɛksərəbli tɪ ðə ɛnd geɪmz. ˈkɑrbən ˈtæksɪz, ˈɛnərʤi ˌkɑnsərˈveɪʃən ənd ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən, ˈproʊˌtɛsts ənd ˌblɑˈkeɪdz əv ˈdərti ˈɛnərʤi ənd ˈrisɔrs ˌɛkˌsplɔɪˈteɪʃən ər ˈædmərəbəl ənd ˈnɛsəˌsɛri, bət ðeɪ ˈkænɑt hoʊp tɪ ˌfəndəˈmɛnəli ʧeɪnʤ ðə ˈstætəs kwoʊ wɪʧ wɪl ˈəltəmətli teɪk ˈjuˈɛs tɪ ˈrisɔrs ɪgˈzɔsʧən. ɑr ɪnˈtaɪər ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən dɪˈpɛndz əˈpɑn ðə ˈrɛdi əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪti əv ʧip ˈrisɔrsɪz ðət ɪˈneɪbəl ˈjuˈɛs tɪ fid ˈbɪljən ˈjumənz təˈdeɪ, ənd baɪ ˈbɪljən ər mɔr, moʊst əv hum wɪl wɔnt tɪ lɪv, ənd hɛns kənˈsum ˈrisɔrsɪz, ɛz wi du təˈdeɪ. ɪf wi rən aʊt wɪn wi rən aʊt wi wɪl faɪnd ðət səʧ ə hɔrd ˈkænɑt lɪv ɔn wət wi kən ˈproʊdus wɪθ ðə ˈɛnərʤi əv ɑr hænz ənd ðət əv dəˈmɛstəˌkeɪtəd ˈænəməlz. (ðə ˈævərɪʤ ˈjumən kən ˈproʊdus əˈbaʊt ˈhɔrˌspaʊər əv ˈɛnərʤi ɪn səˈsteɪnd ˈmænjuəl ˈleɪbər; ə kɑr rikˈwaɪərz 150 ər soʊ, ə treɪn pər ˈɪnʤən, ən ˈɛrˌpleɪn, ə ˈkɑrˌgoʊ ʃɪp, ə paʊər plænt.) aɪ wʊd laɪk tɪ bɪˈliv, ɛz doʊˈnɛlə ˈmɛˌdoʊz soʊ ˈɛləkwəntli ɪkˈspleɪnd ɪn hər ˈpleɪsɪz tɪ ˌɪntərˈvin ɪn ə ˈsɪstəm ˈpeɪpər, ðət ə ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃənəl ˈjumən ˌɛvəˈluʃən, ə weɪ əv ˌfəndəˈmɛnəli ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ɑr hoʊl ˈgloʊbəl weɪ əv ˈθɪŋkɪŋ ənd ˈæktɪŋ, ɑr hoʊl ˈpɛrəˌdaɪm, ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl. ɛz ə ˈstudənt əv ˈhɪstəri aɪ bɪˈliv səʧ ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ˈhæpən, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, æt list nɑt ɔn ə lɑrʤ skeɪl, nɑt pərˈsɪstəntli, ənd nɑt kˈwɪkli. bət ˈivɪn ɪf aɪ dɪd bɪˈliv, aɪ wʊd wɔnt tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd wət wi ər ˈfeɪsɪŋ ɪf wi ər nɑt səkˈsɛsfəl ɪn səʧ ə ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən, ənd haʊ wi maɪt priˈpɛr fər ɪt. aɪ bɪˈliv ðə ki tɪ duɪŋ ðət tɪ ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ wət wi ər ˈfeɪsɪŋ ənd wət ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl ɪz θru ðə juz əv ˈstɔri. ðət ɪz haʊ wi hæv ˈɔlˌweɪz ˈlərnɪd ənd kəm tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðiz θɪŋz. aɪ bɪˈliv ɪt ɪz ˈnɛvər tu ˈərli tɪ stɑrt tɪ ˈstədi ənd lərn frəm ðə ˈstɔriz əv ˈpriviəs ənd ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæpsɪz ˈrɑnəld ə ʃɔrt ˈhɪstəri əv ˈprɑˌgrɛs, kəˈlæps, ənd piɛr ðə greɪt dɪˈprɛʃən ər ˈɛksələnt ˈstɑrtɪŋ pɔɪnts fər ðɪs. ənd aɪ bɪˈliv ɪt ɪz ðə raɪt taɪm tɪ stɑrt tɪ raɪt ðə ˈstɔri əv ðə ənˈfoʊldɪŋ kəˈlæps əv ɑr ˈkɑrənt, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ənd ˈsɪstəmz, ənd hɛns ðə kəˈlæps, ˈoʊvər ðə nɛkst fju ˈdɛkeɪdz, əv ɑr oʊn ˈfræʤəl ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən. nɑt ɛz ə ˈstɔri əv əˈpɑkəˌlɪps ðə mæd mæks sɪˈnɛrioʊ meɪ meɪk gʊd ˈsɪnəmə bət ə ˈstədi əv ˈjumən ˈhɪstəri səˈʤɛsts ˈhaɪli ənˈlaɪkli, ənd ðət kəˈlæps wɪl əˈkər mɔr ˈgræʤuəli ənd əˈnivənli ðən wi maɪt ɪkˈspɛkt, ənd ɑr kəˈlɛktɪv rɪˈspɑns tɪ ɪt wɪl bi ˈʤɛntlər ənd mɔr ˈʤɛnərəs ðən wi maɪt ˌɪˈmæʤən. wi kʊd ˈprɑbəˌbli lərn məʧ, tu, frəm ðə ˈhoʊmləs ɪn ɑr oʊn kəmˈjunɪtiz, ənd frəm ðə ˈpipəl ɪn ðə ˈmæsɪv, ˈsprɔlɪŋ sləmz əv ðə θərd wərld, hu ər ɔˈrɛdi ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ˈkəlʧərz əv kəˈlæps. θru ən ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ əv haʊ ðə ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz əv ɑr wərld ˈrɪli wərk ənd haʊ ʧeɪnʤ ˈhæpənz, ənd θru ən əˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən əv ˈhɪstəri ənd ðə ˈtɛlɪŋ əv ˈstɔriz, aɪ θɪŋk wi kən muv pæst dɪˈnaɪəl ənd bleɪm ənd stɑrt tɪ muv təˈwɔrdz ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃən fər ə fˈjuʧər ðət wɪl bi ənˈsteɪbəl ənd ˌənprɪˈdɪktəbəl ənd məʧ ˈdɪfərənt frəm haʊ ˈmɛni əv ˈjuˈɛs ɪn ˈæfluənt ˈneɪʃənz lɪv təˈdeɪ, bət ˈɔlsoʊ ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ ənd ˈsætɪsˌfaɪɪŋ ənd ɪnˈgeɪʤɪŋ ənd ˈminɪŋfəl ɪn ə weɪ ɑr ˈkɑrənt ˈkəlʧər dɪz nɑt prəˈvaɪd. ənd ðət wərk kən meɪk ˈjuˈɛs kəˈlɛktɪvli rɪˈzɪljənt nɑt ɪn ðə sɛns əv back’*’ tɪ ən ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl staɪl əv laɪf, bət ɪn ðə sɛns əv ˈmuvɪŋ ˈfɔrwərd, kərˈeɪʤəsli ənd ˈʤɔɪfəli, tɪ ə, staɪl əv laɪf ðət ɪz səˈsteɪnəbəl. pɑrt tu: ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk prɪˈdɪkəmənt: ʃʊd wi traɪ tɪ prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps tɪ ˈmɪtəˌgeɪt ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ? ˈdeɪvɪd ˈhoʊlmgrɛn, wən əv ðə ˈfaʊndərz əv ðə ˈmuvmənt, ˈrisəntli stərd əp ə ˈfaɪrˌstɔrm əv ˈkɑntrəˌvərsi wɪθ hɪz kræʃ ɔn dɪˈmænd ˈɛˌseɪ, səˈʤɛstɪŋ ðət ɪt wʊd bi ˈjusfəl fər ˈjuˈɛs tɪ prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ɛz ə minz əv ˈmɪtəˌgeɪtɪŋ boʊθ ɪgˈzɔsʧən ənd ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. hi ˈsəmərˌaɪzɪz: maɪ ˈɑrgjəmənt ɪz ɛˈsɛnʃəli ðət ˈrædɪkəl, bət əˈʧivəbəl bɪˈheɪvjər ʧeɪnʤ frəm [biɪŋ] dɪˈpɛndənt kənˈsumərz tɪ [bɪˈkəmɪŋ] prəˈdusərz (baɪ səm ˈrɛlətɪvli smɔl məˈnɔrəti əv ðə ˈgloʊbəl ˈmɪdəl klæs) həz ə ʧæns əv ˈstɑpɪŋ ðə ˈʤəgərˌnɔt əv kənˈsumər ˈkæpɪtəˌlɪzəm frəm ˈdraɪvɪŋ ðə wərld ˈoʊvər ðə ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ klɪf. ɪt meɪ bi ə slɪm ʧæns, bət ə ˈbɛtər bɛt ðən ˈkɑrənt hərˈkjuliən ˈɛfərts tɪ gɪt ðə ɪˈlits tɪ pʊl ðə raɪt ˈpɑləsi levers…*… maɪ ˈɑrgjəmənt səˈʤɛsts ðɪs kʊd ˈhæpən baɪ rɪˈdusɪŋ ˈkæpɪtəl ɪˈnəf tɪ ˈtrɪgər ə kræʃ əv ðə ˈfræʤəl ˈgloʊbəl ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsɪstəm. ðɪs ˈɪnˌsaɪt ʃoʊz əˌpriʃiˈeɪʃən əv ðə ˈneɪʧər əv ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz ənd ðə ˈɪntərriˈleɪʃənʃɪp bɪtˈwin ɑr ˈgloʊbəl, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ənd ˈsɪstəmz. ɛz ðə ʧɑrt æt ðə tɔp əv ðɪs poʊst ʃoʊz, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ɪkˈspænʧən ɪz dɪˈpɛndənt ɔn səˈplaɪ, wɪʧ ɪz ˌɪtˈsɛlf ə ˈfəŋkʃən əv ðə praɪs, dɪˈmænd, ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt ənd ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən ˈvɛriəbəlz aɪ dɪˈskraɪbd ɪn pɑrt wən, ənd ɪn ˈɛni keɪs nɑt ˈɛndləsli səˈsteɪnəbəl ˈivɪn ɪf ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪz ˈeɪbəl tɪ səˈpɔrt haɪər ənd haɪər ɛkˈstrækʃən ənd dɪˈvɛləpmənt kɔsts. ə sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt drɔp ɪn dɪˈmænd ənd juz wɪl prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ə strɔŋ ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kənˈtrækʃən (wɪʧ həz ˈhæpənd iʧ taɪm ˈɛnərʤi kɔsts hæv muvd sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli əˈbəv ðə ˈlɛvəl). bət ən ˈivɪn ˈgreɪtər θrɛt tɪ ðə kənˌtɪnjuˈeɪʃən əv ɑr ˈkɑrənt ər collapse”*” ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪz ðə ˈriləˈzeɪʃən ðət ˈkɑrənt ˈlɛvəlz əv dɛt ɪn ɑr ɪˈkɑnəmi ər ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl. wɪn ðət ˈriləˈzeɪʃən bɪˈkəmz ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl fər ˈmɑrkɪts tɪ ˌɪgˈnɔr, wi wɪl feɪs ðə ˈgreɪtəst dɪˈprɛʃən ɪn ˈjumən ˈhɪstəri; noʊ əˈmaʊnt əv ‘‘stimulus’*’ wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈmɪtəˌgeɪt ɪt, ənd ðɛr ɪz noʊ ɛks laɪk wɔr ˈspɛndɪŋ ər ðə ˌdɪˈskəvri əv nu ʧip ˈrisɔrsɪz tɪ gɪt ˈjuˈɛs aʊt əv ɪt. mɔr əˈbaʊt ðət sɪˈnɛrioʊ, wɪʧ ˈivɪn ˈmɛni ɪˈkɑnəmɪsts sim tɪ ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnd, ˈleɪtər ɪn ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl. bæk tɪ ˈdeɪvɪd prəˈpoʊzəl: ðə riˈækʃənz tɪ hɪz ˈɑrtɪkəl hæv bɪn swɪft ənd ˈsəmˌtaɪmz hɑrʃ. trænˈzɪʃən ˈfaʊndər rɑb ˈhɑpkɪnz kɔld səˈʤɛsʧənz ˈdeɪnʤərəs rut tɪ goʊ down”*”. rɑb rɪˈmeɪnz ˈfərmli ɪn dɪˈnaɪəl əˈbaʊt ðə ˌɪˌnɛvɪtəˈbɪlɪti əv kəˈlæps, ˈsaɪtɪŋ ˈsɛvərəl ˌɑptɪˈmɪstɪk ‘‘prosperity-without-growth’*’ ɪˈkɑnəmɪsts ɪn səˈpɔrt əv hɪz bɪˈlif ðət ə kənˈsərtɪd ˈgloʊbəl ˈɛfərt baɪ ə brɔd ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən əv ˈnɑləʤəbəl, ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl ˈpipəl kən pʊl ˈjuˈɛs aʊt əv ðə ˈpɑzətɪv ˈfidˌbæk lups ˈkərəntli ˈlidɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs təˈwɔrdz ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps (ənd ˌɪnˈdid, ɛnd geɪmz ɪn ɔl θri ˈmeɪʤər ˈsɪstəmz). lʊk æt ðət ˈɑrgjəmənt ˈleɪtər ɪn ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ɛz wɛl. ˈɔrlɔv ɛˈsɛnʃəli dɪsˈmɪst ˈɑrgjəmənt ɛz biɪŋ ˌɪˈnædəkˌweɪt tɪ ðə tæsk, bət sɛd ðət dɪˈspaɪt ɪts fjuˈtɪləti, lɛt ðət stɑp ju frəm traɪɪŋ bɪˈkəz, rəˈgɑrdləs əv rɪˈzəlts (ɪf ˈɛni) ə gʊd θɪŋ tɪ bi traɪɪŋ tɪ do.”*.” nɪˈkoʊl fɑs, hu ˈdeɪvɪd ækˈnɑlɪʤɪz ɛz wən əv hɪz ˈɪnˌfluənsɪz, teɪks ðə ˈɑpəzɪt pɔɪnt əv vju tɪ rob’s*. ʃi həz rɪˈpitɪdli ˈɑrgjud ðət ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps wɪl kəm sun ɪn ˈɛni keɪs, wɪθ ər wɪˈθaʊt ɑr əˈtɛmpts tɪ ˈəndərˌmaɪn ðə ˈkɑrənt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm (ər fər ðət ˈmætər, prəˈlɔŋ ɪt). ʃi raɪts: wəns ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsɪstəm həz ðə ˈæksədənt ðət ɪz ˈklɪrli ˈkəmɪŋ, wi wɪl bi ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ə səbˈstænʃəl fɔl ɪn səˈsaɪɪtəl kəmˈplɛksɪti, bət ðət fɔl ɪn kəmˈplɛksɪti wɪl ɪˈlɪməˌneɪt ðə ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti əv ɪnˈgeɪʤɪŋ ɪn səʧ ˈhaɪli ˈkɑmplɛks ækˈtɪvɪtiz ɛz, ˌhɔrəˈzɑntəl ˈdrɪlɪŋ, ˈɛkˌsplɔɪtɪŋ ðə dip ˈɔfˈʃɔr ər prəˈdusɪŋ ˈsoʊlər ˌfoʊtəˌvoʊlˈteɪɪk ˈpænəlz ənd inverters…*… [bɪˈkəz ðeɪ wɪl bi kəmˈplitli ənəˈfɔrdəbəl, nən əv ðiz wɪl ˈɛvər bi] ə ˈminɪŋfəl ˈɛnərʤi sɔrs. ɪn fækt, səm ˈjuˈɛs steɪts ər ɔˈrɛdi ˈdilɪŋ wɪθ ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl əˈbændənmənt əv saɪts (wɪθ ðɛr kəˈmɛnsərɪt ɛkəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈdæmɪʤ), ənd ʃɛl ˈrisəntli əˈnaʊnst ɪt ɪz əˈbændənɪŋ ɪts ˈɑrtɪk ˈdrɪlɪŋ ˈproʊˌgræmz bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ər nɑt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk, ˈivɪn æt ɔɪl ˈpraɪsɪz. kənˈsərn əˈbaʊt əˈproʊʧ ɪz ðət, sɪns ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ɪz (ʃi bɪˈlivz) ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl ənd ˈrizənəbli ˈɪmənənt ˈɛniˌweɪ, ˈteɪkɪŋ ən ˈæktɪvɪst əˈproʊʧ tɪ ˈɑptɪŋ aʊt əv ðə ˈdɑmənənt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ ækˈsɛlərˌeɪt ðət kəˈlæps rənz ðə rɪsk əv stərɪŋ əp ˈvɪrələnt ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən frəm ðə rɪʧ ənd ˈpaʊərfəl, hu kʊd ðɛn ˈdiməˌnaɪz ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃən ˈmuvmənt ɛz anti-human*, ənd ˈəltəmətli ʃɪft ðə bleɪm fər ðə ˈsəfərɪŋ ðət kəˈlæps wɪl ˌɪˈnɛvətəbli brɪŋ əˈbaʊt tɪ ðə ““anti-growth”*” ˈæktɪvɪsts. ʃi raɪts: bleɪm fər ən ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl ˈaʊtˌkəm simz ˈsəmˈwət ˈrɛkləs ˈgɪvɪn ðə ˈlaɪkliˌhʊd ðət ˈmɛni wɪl bi ˈkæstɪŋ əˈbaʊt fər scapegoats.”*.” ɪt ɪz hɑrd tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn waɪ ðə ˈpɑnzi skim ðət ɪz ɑr ˈmɑdərn ˌɪnˈdəstriəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm ɪz ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl. ɔl ˈrɪli əˈbaʊt feɪθ ɪn ðə ˈvælju əv ˈməni. ənd ɔn ðə ˈsərfəs ɪt simz tɪ bi ˈhoʊldɪŋ: ˈgəvərnmənts ənd ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃənz, ˈwərkɪŋ təˈgɛðər, hæv bɪn ˈeɪbəl tɪ səˈprɛs ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts tɪ ˈlɛvəlz fər mɔr ðən ə ˈdɛkeɪd naʊ. ðə bæŋks ənd ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənəl ˌɪnˈvɛstərz nid haɪ ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts wɪn ðeɪ kən meɪk ˈgreɪtər ˈprɑfɪts θru ə ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən əv haɪ ˈjuzər fiz, ˈɑrbɪˌtrɑʒ, hɛʤd ˌspɛkjəˈleɪʃən, ðə seɪl əv ˈbəndəld ‘‘investments’*’ tɪ ənˈwɛri ˌɪnˈvɛstərz, ˈkrɛdɪt kɑrd ənd ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts, ənd fɔrˈkloʊʒərz ənd bi beɪld aʊt baɪ ðɛr ˈgəvərnmənt frɛndz wɪθ ˈtækˌspeɪər ˈməni wɪn ðɛr ˌɪnˈvɛstmənts goʊ bæd. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ laɪ əˈbaʊt ril reɪts əv ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən ənd ˌənɪmˈplɔɪmənt tɪ səˈprɛs ˈsɪtɪzən ˌdɪsætɪsˈfækʃən əˈbaʊt ðə tru steɪt əv ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi. ðə ɔˈstreɪljən grup duɪŋ ɪt ɑrˈsɛlvz hæv pʊt təˈgɛðər ə tərˈɪfɪk ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən əv waɪ ənd haʊ ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm ɪz dɪˈpɛndənt ɔn groʊθ ənd kəˈmɛnsərɪt ˈlɛvəlz əv dɛt ənd ɔn ɑr feɪθ ðət ðət ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl. ðət groʊθ ˈkænɑt kənˈtɪnju bɪˈkəz ðə rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ ˈɛnərʤi ənd ˈrisɔrs səˈplaɪz əv ɑr ˈplænət ər bɪˈkəmɪŋ ˌɛkspoʊˈnɛnʃəli mɔr ɪkˈspɛnsɪv, ənd bɪˈkəz ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈstægərˌɪŋ ˈlɛvəlz əv dɛt ˈgəvərnmənt, ˈkɔrpərət, ˈmɔrgɪʤɪz ənd ˈəðər ˈpərsɪnəl dɛt kən ˈoʊnli bi riˈpeɪd ɛz lɔŋ ɛz lænd ənd ˈəðər ˈpraɪsɪz kip goʊɪŋ əp, ənd ˈɪnˌkəmz ənd ˈbɑroʊɪŋ kəˈpæsɪti kəmˈbaɪnd kips ˈraɪzɪŋ tɪ meɪk ðə ˈpeɪmənts ɔn ðoʊz dɛts ˈpɑsəbəl (ənd ɛz lɔŋ ɛz ˈɪntəˌrɛst reɪts rɪˈmeɪn ˈvɛri loʊ). wɪn ðɪs kəˈpæsɪti piks ənd nɪˈkoʊl fɑs ənd hər ˌɔtəˈmætɪk ərθ ˈkɑligz hæv ˈɛləkwəntli ˈɑrgjud ɪt ɔˈrɛdi həz baɪɪŋ ˈfrizɪz əp, ˈhaʊzɪŋ ənd ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt ˈvæljuz kəˈmɛnʃərətli ˈtəmbəl, lɔst kəˈlætərəl minz ə plənʤ ɪn əˈveɪləbəl ˈkrɛdɪt ənd ən ɪkˈsploʊʒən əv fɔrˈkloʊʒərz, ˈmɑrʤən kɔlz ənd dɛt riˈpeɪmənt dɪˈmændz, ˈfɑlɪŋ seɪlz, leɪɔfs, ənd dɪˈfɔlts, tɪ ðə pɔɪnt ðət ə ə ˈkrɑnɪk dɪˈfleɪʃəˌnɛri ˈspaɪrəl kɪks ɪn. ʤəˈpæn həz bɪn ˈsəfərɪŋ frəm ðɪs fər tu ˈdɛkeɪdz, ənd moʊst ˈwɛstərn ˈneɪʃənz ər pɔɪzd fər ə ˈsɪmələr kəˈlæps ˈstɑrtɪŋ wɪθ ðə ˈkɑrənt fɔl ˈɪntu ˈpɑvərti əv moʊst əv ðə ˈmɪdəl klæs. tɪ gɪt ən aɪˈdiə əv wət ðɪs minz, kənˈsɪdər ðət ðə ˈmidiən ˈhaʊsˌhoʊld nɛt wərθ ɪn ril ˈkərənsi ɪn moʊst ˈwɛstərn ˈneɪʃənz ɪz nɑt sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli ˈdɪfərənt frəm wət ɪt wɑz ɪn ðə 1940s*, ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈpɑnzi skim ənd ðə ˈɪrə əv ʧip ˈməni bɪˈgæn ðət ɪz, ə nɛt wərθ ɛˈsɛnʃəli nɑt məʧ mɔr ðən ˈziroʊ. ɔl əv ðə ˌɪnˈkris ɪn əˈpɛrənt ˈæfluəns ˈoʊnɪŋ ˌɪnˈstɛd əv ˈrɛntɪŋ, məʧ ˈlɑrʤər ˈævərɪʤ hoʊmz, tu kɑz pər ˈfæməli, mɔr ɪkˈspɛnsɪv ‘‘average’*’ kɑz, mɔr kloʊðz, mɔr ˈɛnərʤi juz, mɔr stəf əv ˈɛvəri kaɪnd həz bɪn ˈbɑˌroʊd, ɪn ðə ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən ðət ɔl ðiz dɛts kən ənd wɪl bi riˈpeɪd. haʊ? baɪ hum? wi dɛr nɑt æsk, bɪˈkəz ðə ˈænsər ɪz, ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi noʊz. wi ʤɪst kip ˈhoʊpɪŋ əˈgɛnst hoʊp ðət groʊθ kən kənˈtɪnju fərˈɛvər, ril ˈɪnˌkəmz wɪl raɪz, mɔr ɪˈfɪʃənsi wɪl kip ˈpraɪsɪz daʊn ənd ˈprɑfɪts ˈraɪzɪŋ, mɔr ʧip ˈɛnərʤi wɪl bi faʊnd, ɑr ˈpɛnʃən ˌɪnˈvɛstmənts wɪl kip ˈraɪzɪŋ ɪn ˈvælju, ənd ˈsəmˌwən wɪl bi ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ ˈɔfər ˈjuˈɛs mɔr fər ɑr hoʊm ðən wi peɪd fər ɪt, soʊ wi hæv mɔr kəˈlætərəl tɪ ˈbɑˌroʊ ˈivɪn mɔr əˈgɛnst. ðə greɪt dɪˈprɛʃən ənd ðə ˌriˈsɛʃən əv 2008 ər ʤɪst tu ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃənz əv wət ˈhæpənz wɪn wi ˈriəˌlaɪz ðɪs ɪz nɑt səˈsteɪnəbəl. ˈædvəˌkeɪts əv ““austerity”*” kleɪm ðət ðɛrz ɪz ə rɪˈspɑns tɪ ðɪs unsustainability*. bət ˈhɪstəri həz ʃoʊn ðət ˌɔˈstɛrɪti ˈproʊˌgræmz ˈsɪmpli prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt kəˈlæps ˈfæstər, ənd pleɪs ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˈbərdən fər ɪt ɔn ðə pur, ˌdɪsədˈvænɪʤd, ɪl ənd ˌənɛmˈplɔɪd. waɪ prɑˈgrɛsɪvz kip ˈɑrgjuɪŋ fər ““stimulus”*” ˈproʊˌgræmz ðət kræŋk əp ðə ˌɪˈlusəri groʊθ məˈʃin ˈivɪn mɔr. bət wɪn ðə ˈstɪmjələs əˈmaʊnts tɪ ʤɪst ˈprɪnɪŋ əv mɔr ˈməni, moʊst əv wɪʧ ɛndz əp ɪn ðə ˈpɑkəts əv ðə ˈbæŋkərz ənd ðə already-rich*, ɪt ɪz ʤɪst ən ˌækˌsɛlərˈeɪʃən əv ðə ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl, ənd wɪl ˌɪˈnɛvətəbli lɛd tɪ ˈivɪn mɔr spɛkˈtækjələr kəˈlæps ənd ˈgreɪtər ˈsəfərɪŋ fər ɔl. ə ˈnəmbər əv options”*” tɪ prɪˈvɛnt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps hæv bɪn ˈprɑfərd. ə trænˈzɪʃən tɪ ə ɪˈkɑnəmi, ˈkəpəld wɪθ ə ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl tɪ ə wərld əv mɔr ˌsɛlfsəˈfɪʃɪnt kəmˈjunɪtiz prəˈdusɪŋ mɔr ðɛmˈsɛlvz, ˈlɪvɪŋ wɪˈθɪn ðɛr minz, ənd hɛns mɔr rɪˈzɪljənt tɪ kəˈlæps, ɪz ðə moʊst ˈpɑpjələr əv ðiz ˈɔpʃənz. ɪf ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm wər nɑt ˈgloʊbəl, ənd wɑz ˈsɪmpəl, wɪθ ə fju ˈpipəl kənˈtroʊlɪŋ ðə hoʊl ɪˈkɑnəmi, ðɪs maɪt bi ˈfizəbəl. bət wi lɪv ɪn ə ˈstægərˌɪŋˌli ˈkɑmplɛks, ˈgloʊbəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm wɪθ noʊ wən ɪn kənˈtroʊl, nɑt ˈivɪn ɪn ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl ˈkəntriz wɪθ ˌɔtəˈkrætɪk rəˈʒimz. ðə ““market”*” dɪˈtərmənz ənd əˈfɛkts ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈækʃənz, ənd ɪt ɪz ðə ˈprɑdəkt əv ɔl əv ɑr ækˈtɪvɪtiz, ənd ˈkænɑt bi tɪ səm aɪˌdiəˈlɪstɪk, ˈbɛtər ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˌriˈæləˌti, ˈivɪn ɪf wi kʊd əˈgri ɔn wət ðət wʊd lʊk laɪk. ˈbɪljənz əv ˈpipəl ɪn ˈstrəgəlɪŋ ˈneɪʃənz wɔnt ən ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk laɪf laɪk ðət əv ðə ˈwɛlθi ɪn ˈwɛstərn ˈneɪʃənz, ənd ðeɪ wɪl ækt ɪn əˈkɔrdəns wɪθ ðət dɪˈzaɪər, rəˈgɑrdləs əv wət wi, ər ðɛr ˈgəvərnmənts, sik tɪ ˌɪmˈpoʊz ɔn ðɛm. ɪt ɪz ɑr ˈneɪʧər tɪ əˈtɛnd tɪ ðə nidz əv ðə ˈmoʊmənt, tɪ sik ˌʃɔrtˈtərm ˈbɛtərmənt fər ɑrˈsɛlvz ənd ðoʊz wi ləv, ənd tɪ hoʊp ðət fˈjuʧər ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃənz wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ du ˈlaɪkˌwaɪz, ˈivɪn wɪn feɪst wɪθ groʊɪŋ ˈɛvədəns ðeɪ wɪl nɑt. ˈtɔpˌdaʊn rɪˈfɔrm əv ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm ˈkænɑt səkˈsid fər ðə seɪm ˈrizən ˈtɔpˌdaʊn ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ priˈvɛnʃən həz nɑt ənd wɪl nɑt səkˈsid. noʊ wən ɪz ɪn kənˈtroʊl əv lɑrʤ ˈkɑmplɛks ˈgloʊbəl ˈsɪstəmz. ɪt ɪz nɑt ðə ˈivəl rɪʧ ər ˈivəl ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃənz ˈdraɪvɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs tɪ kəˈlæps. ɪt ɪz ðə ˈsɪstəmz ɪn wɪʧ wi ɔl pɑrˈtɪsəˌpeɪt ənd wɪʧ noʊ wən ˈɪnˌfluənsɪz ɪˈnəf tɪ ʧeɪnʤ dɪˈrɛkʃɪn ɪn ˈɛni koʊˈhɪrənt ənd səˈsteɪnd weɪ ðət dɪˈtərmən ɑr trəˈʤɛktəri tɪ kəˈlæps. wi wɔnt ˈsəmˌwən tɪ bleɪm, ənd ˈivɪn ˈɑrgju ðət ər ðə system”*”, ənd wi ər ɔl tɪ bleɪm, bət wi ər nɑt. ðə ˈsɪstəm wɪl teɪk ɪts oʊn kɔrs, ɛz ɪt ˈɔlˌweɪz həz. ənd ɔl saɪnz ər ðət ðə ˈkɔrsɪz ɑr, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ənd ˈsɪstəmz ər ɔn, lɛd ɪn iʧ keɪs tɪ ən ɛnd geɪm. ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ɛnd geɪm həz bɪn ˈvɪvədli pɔrˈtreɪd baɪ nɪˈkoʊl ɪn ə ˈgæstli lɪst əv weɪz tɪ luz jʊr future”*”. noʊ səˈpraɪz ðət wi wɔnt tɪ bɪˈliv səʧ kəˈlæps ɪz naʊ ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl. soʊ bæk tɪ ðə kˈwɛʃən ðət ˈdeɪvɪd ˈhoʊlmgrɛn ˈreɪzɪz əˈbaʊt ˈwɛðər prɪˈsɪpəˌteɪtɪŋ səʧ ə kəˈlæps ˌbiˈfɔr ɪt ˈhæpənz ˈɛniˌweɪ ɪz (ə) ˈpɑsəbəl ənd (bi) ə gʊd aɪˈdiə. aɪ θɪŋk ɪt wʊd bi fɛr tɪ seɪ ðət ˈdeɪvɪd sɪz ‘‘yes’*’ tɪ boʊθ, rɑb sɪz ‘‘no’*’ tɪ (bi) ənd ɪz əˈfreɪd ðə ˈænsər ɪz ‘‘yes’*’ tɪ (ə). sɪz ‘‘no’*’ tɪ (ə) bət ‘‘yes’*’ tɪ (bi) ˈɛniˌweɪ. ənd nɪˈkoʊl sɪz really’*’ tɪ (ə) ənd hɛns ‘‘no’*’ tɪ (bi). ləv tɪ noʊ wət ˈʧɑrəlz ˈaɪzənstin wʊd seɪ. aɪ ˈsəˌspɛkt əˈgri wɪθ ˈɛrɪk ˈlaɪndbərg, hu ɪn ə nu ˈɑrtɪkəl ɔn ðə hɪˈstɔrɪkəl ˈprɑbləm əv ˈeɪʤənsi drɔz ˈbrɪljəntli ɔn hɪˈstɔrɪkəl ɪgˈzæmpəlz ənd ðə ɪˈvɑlvɪŋ ˈnɛrətɪv əv ˈjumən ˈeɪʤənsi tɪ ðiz ˈvɛri ˈtɛntətɪv, ˈθɔtfəl ənd ˈɑnəst kənˈkluʒənz: wət ˈlɪtəl ˈeɪʤənsi ˈjumənz maɪt hæv [ɪn ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz] kən ˈoʊnli bi əˈʧivd baɪ ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ ðə ˌəndərˈlaɪɪŋ ˈlɑʤɪk əv ˈhɪstəri ənd baɪ əkˈsɛptɪŋ ðə ˈlɪmɪts ðət ˈlɑʤɪk ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪz. wɪn wi ˈriəˌlaɪz ðɪs, wi traɪ tɪ groʊ ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi, dɪˈvɛləp ðə world,”*,” dɪˈpɛnd ɔn ʤəˈnɛtɪkli ˈmɑdəˌfaɪd sidz ənd ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈfərtəˌlaɪzərz, lʊk fər ə nu sɔrs əv fjuəl ɔn mɑrz, ənd soʊ ɔn. ˌɪnˈstɛd wi wɪl əkˈsɛpt ðə ˈkəmɪŋ kənˈtrækʃənz ənd əˈdæpt tɪ ðɛm ɛz bɛst wi can…*… rɑb ˈhɑpkɪnz ɪz wən əv maɪ ˈhɪroʊz, bət aɪ rɛd hɪz rɪˈspɑns tɪ ˈhoʊlmgrɛn ɛz ə ˈrəðər ˈdɛspərɪt əˈtɛmpt tɪ meɪnˈteɪn ə kɔrs sɛt baɪ ə ˈnɛrətɪv ðət ɪz ˈkrəmbəlɪŋ bɪˈniθ ˈjuˈɛs [ɛz ðə ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ ˈnɛrətɪv ɪz ɪˈklɪpsɪŋ pik ɔɪl narrative]…*]… ˈmɛni əv ˈjuˈɛs ˌəndərˈstænd ðə ˈpɛrəlz əv ˌrɛvəˈluʃən ənd ˈvaɪələns, ðə ˈsɪmpəl fækt ðət ɪt həz soʊ ˌɪnˈfrikwəntli wərkt. wi ˌəndərˈstænd, mɔˈroʊvər, ðət ðə kəˈlæps əv ˈgloʊbəl ɪˈkɑnəmiz, əv ˈsɪvəl soʊˈsaɪɪti kriˈeɪts ɪts oʊn prɪˈdɪktəbəl ˈvaɪələns. wi ˌəndərˈstænd ðət ðə rɪˈzəlt ənd ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz əv ˈɛni ˈækʃən ðət pərˈsuz ˈrædɪkəl, ˈjumən dɪˈzaɪnd ʧeɪnʤ ɪz ˈniðər kənˈtroʊləbəl nɔr prɪˈdɪktəbəl. bət æt ðə seɪm taɪm, rɪˈfreɪnɪŋ frəm ˈrædɪkəl, pəˈtɛnʃəli dɪˈstrəktɪv, ˈækʃən ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ə ʧɔɪs huz rɪˈzəlts ər ˌənprɪˈdɪktəbəl ənd ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈsərtənli daɪər. ðə steɪks ər ɛz jɛt bɪɔnd ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnʃən. ðə kˈwɛʃən ɪz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈwɛðər wi kən meɪk ˈhɪstəri ɛz wi pliz, bət ˈwɛðər ““history”*” ˌɪtˈsɛlf wɪl kənˈtɪnju tɪ ɪgˈzɪst. ˈɛrɪk kənˈkludz wɪθ ə kɔl fər ˈpeɪʃəns ənd ˈtɑlərəns ənd ˈdaɪəˌlɔg, ənd aɪ θɪŋk ə ˈvɛri ˈsɛnsəbəl rɪˈspɑns tɪ traɪɪŋ tɪ koʊp wɪθ θri ˌɪntərtˈwaɪnd ˈkɑmplɛks ˈgloʊbəl ˈsɪstəmz, ɔl ˌoʊvərɪkˈstɛndəd tɪ ðə ˈbreɪkɪŋ pɔɪnt ənd ˈhɛdɪŋ ɪn dɪˈstərbɪŋ dɪˈrɛkʃɪnz ˈvɛri kˈwɪkli. ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəm ɪz ðə ˈoʊnli wən wi meɪ bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˌɪntərˈvin ɪn (ˈlunəˌtɪk plænz fər tɪ prɪˈvɛnt ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ əˈsaɪd), ənd ðə rɪˈzəlt əv ˈɛni ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən ɪn ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəmz ɪz ˈdaʊtfəl ənd ˈprɑbəˌbli ˌənprɪˈdɪktəbəl. wi kən ækt, ər wi kən, ɛz ˈɛrɪk sɪz, ʤɪst əkˈsɛpt wət kəmz ənd əˈdæpt tɪ ɪt ɛz bɛst wi kən. ðə kˈwɛʃən əv ˈwɛðər ər nɑt tɪ traɪ tɪ prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ˌbiˈfɔr ɪt ˈhæpənz ˈɛniˌweɪ, kən ˈoʊnli bi ˈænsərd ɪn ðə ˈkɑntɛkst əv jʊr oʊn ˈpərsɪnəl (hu ju θɪŋk ju ər) ənd ˈkəlʧərəl (hu ju θɪŋk wi ər) ˈnɛrətɪv. fər ˈmɛni, ðə ˈænsər meɪ dɪˈpɛnd ɔn wət wi lərn, ɪn ðə ˈkəmɪŋ mənθs ənd jɪrz, əˈbaʊt ðə ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtɪŋ ˈmɛltɪŋ əv ɑr ˈpoʊlər ˈriʤənz, ənd ðə trəˈʤɛktəri əv ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. ðə ˈsəbʤɪkt əv pɑrt θri əv ðɪs ˈsɪriz, bɪˈloʊ. pɑrt θri: ðə ɛkəˈlɑʤɪkəl prɪˈdɪkəmənt: ɪf ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ ɪz naʊ ˌɪˈnɛvətəbəl, ɪz ðɛr ˈɛni ˈræʃənəl rɪˈspɑns? ɪn hɪz nu bʊk ˈrɛkwiəm fər ə ˈspiʃiz: waɪ wi rɪˈzɪst ðə truθ əˈbaʊt ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ, ˈɔθər klaɪv ˈhæməltən raɪts: ɪt wɑz ˈoʊnli ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər 2008 ˈæftər ˈrɛdɪŋ ə ˈnəmbər əv nu bʊks, rɪˈpɔrts ənd ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˈpeɪpərz, ðət aɪ ˈfaɪnəli əˈlaʊd ˌmaɪˈsɛlf tɪ meɪk ðə ʃɪft ənd ədˈmɪt ðət wi ˈsɪmpli ər nɑt goʊɪŋ tɪ ækt wɪθ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ laɪk ðə ˈərʤənsi required…*… ðə ˈklaɪmɪt ˈkraɪsəs fər ðə ˈjumən ˈspiʃiz ɪz naʊ ən ˌɛgˌzɪˈstɛnʃəl wən. ɔn wən ˈlɛvəl aɪ fɛlt rɪˈlif: rɪˈlif æt ˈfaɪnəli ədˈmɪtɪŋ wət maɪ ˈræʃənəl breɪn hæd bɪn ˈtɛlɪŋ mi; rɪˈlif æt noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈhævɪŋ tɪ spɛnd ˈɛnərʤi ɔn fɔls hoʊps; ənd rɪˈlif æt biɪŋ ˈeɪbəl tɪ lɛt goʊ əv səm ˈæŋgər æt ðə ˌpɑləˈtɪʃənz, ˈbɪznɪs ɪgˈzɛkjətɪvz ənd ˈklaɪmɪt hu ər ˈlɑrʤli riˈspɑnsəbəl fər dɪˈleɪɪŋ ˈækʃən əˈgɛnst ˈgloʊbəl ˈwɔrmɪŋ ənˈtɪl ɪt bɪˈkeɪm tu late…*… wi [naʊ] hæv noʊ ʧæns əv prɪˈvɛnɪŋ ɪˈmɪʃənz ˈraɪzɪŋ wɛl əˈbəv ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈtɪpɪŋ pɔɪnts ðət wɪl spɑrk ˌənkənˈtroʊləbəl ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. ðə ˈklaɪmɪt [wɪl naʊ] ˈɛnər ə keɪˈɑtɪk ˈɪrə ˈlæstɪŋ ˈθaʊzənz əv jɪrz ˌbiˈfɔr ˈnæʧərəl ˈprɑsɛsəz ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli ɪˈstæblɪʃ səm sɔrt əv ˌikwəˈlɪbriəm. ˈwɛðər ˈjumən biɪŋz [wɪl] stɪl bi ə fɔrs ɔn ðə ˈplænət, ər ˈivɪn sərˈvaɪv, ɪz ə mut pɔɪnt. wən θɪŋ simz ˈsərtən: ðɛr wɪl bi fɑr fjuər əv ˈjuˈɛs. ˈklaɪmɪt ˈsaɪəntɪsts ər əv nəˈsɛsɪti ˈɛkspərts ɪn ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ ˈkɑmplɛks ˈsɪstəmz, ənd ˈoʊvər ðə pæst fju jɪrz, wɪn mɛt wɪθ ðɛm, bɪˈkəm ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˌpɛsəˈmɪstɪk, tɪ ðə pɔɪnt ðeɪ ər ˈfaɪndɪŋ ɪt ˈdɪfəkəlt tɪ ˈrɛkənˌsaɪl wət ðeɪ hæv kəm tɪ bɪˈliv wɪθ wət ðeɪ ər rikˈwaɪərd, tɪ kip ðɛr ʤɑbz ənd tɪ kip ˈɔdiənsəz frəm ˈwɔkɪŋ aʊt ɔn ðɛm, tɪ seɪ ˈpəblɪkli. ɪkˈspɪriəns həz bɪn ˈsɪmələr, ənd hi sɪz ðə fəˈsɑd əv ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk dɪˈtæʧmənt, ðə ˈklaɪmɪt ˈsaɪəntɪsts ðɛmˈsɛlvz naʊ ɪˈvɪns ə mud əv ˈbɛrli səˈprɛst ˈpænɪk. noʊ wən ɪz ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ seɪ ˈpəblɪkli wət ðə ˈklaɪmɪt saɪəns ɪz ˈtɛlɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs: ðət wi kən noʊ ˈlɔŋgər prɪˈvɛnt ˈgloʊbəl ˈwɔrmɪŋ ðət wɪl ðɪs ˈsɛnʧəri brɪŋ əˈbaʊt ə ˈrædɪkli trænsˈfɔrmd wərld ðət ɪz məʧ mɔr ˈhɑstəl tɪ ðə sərˈvaɪvəl ənd ˈflərɪʃɪŋ əv life.”*.” bɪɔnd ðə ʃɑk əv ˈkəmɪŋ tɪ grɪps wɪθ ðɪs ˈriləˈzeɪʃən kəmz ðə ˈʧælənʤ əv traɪɪŋ tɪ ˌɪˈmæʤən wət ðɪs trænsˈfɔrmd world”*” wɪl lʊk laɪk, ənd haʊ wi ˈjumənz ər goʊɪŋ tɪ rɪˈspɑnd tɪ, ənd koʊp wɪθ ɪt. wət meɪks ɪt ˈivɪn ˈhɑrdər ɪz əˈpriʃiˌeɪtɪŋ ðət ðɪs wɪl nɑt bi ə ˈsədən, ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt ˈkraɪsəs, bət wət ʤeɪmz ˈkənstlər kɔlz ə emergency”*” ðət wɪl ənˈfoʊld ˈoʊvər ˈdɛkeɪdz ər ˈivɪn ˈsɛnʧəriz, ɪn weɪvz əv ˈvɛriɪŋ ˌɪnˈtɛnsɪti. ənd ɪt wɪl nɑt bi ə ˈtɛmpərˌɛri ˈkraɪsəs, wən wi kən baʊns bæk frəm wɪθ kərɪʤ ənd ˈɛfərt, bət ˈrəðər ə ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən əv ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ wi naʊ θɪŋk əv ɛz ɑr ˈgloʊbəl ˈsɪvəˌlaɪzd ˈkəlʧər ðə ˈoʊnli weɪ wi noʊ tɪ lɪv, ðə ˈoʊnli weɪ moʊst əv ˈjuˈɛs kən ˌɪˈmæʤən ˈlɪvɪŋ. wət goʊɪŋ tɪ dɪˈpɪkt ɪn ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ɪz ə sɪˈnɛrioʊ aɪ æm ˈkɔlɪŋ ðə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən ðə dɪˈspleɪsmənt ənd ˈmuvmənt əv ˈbɪljənz əv ˈjumənz ɪn sərʧ əv ə mɔr ˈhɑˈspɪtəbəl pleɪs tɪ lɪv ɛz ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ meɪks ðə ˈpleɪsɪz moʊst əv ˈjuˈɛs noʊ ənd ləv ɛz ““home”*” ənˌrɛkəgˈnaɪzəbəl ənd ənˈlɪvəbəl, ənd wət wɪl ˈhæpən wɪn ðoʊz ˈbɪljənz ɪnˈkaʊnər ˈbɪljənz əv ˈəðərz huz hoʊm ˈpleɪsɪz ər lɛs əˈfɛktɪd, bət nɑt ˈeɪbəl tɪ səˈpɔrt ˈivɪn ðɛr ˈkɑrənt ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃənz, lɛt əˈloʊn ə ˈmæsɪv ˈɪnˌfləks əv ˈklaɪmɪt ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz. bət fərst, aɪ wɔnt tɪ rɪˈtərn tɪ ðə ˈdaɪəˌgræm aɪ juzd ˈərliər (si tɔp əv ˈɑrtɪkəl), wɪʧ ʃoʊz ðə ˈɪntərriˈleɪʃənʃɪp bɪtˈwin ɑr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk,, ənd ˈsɪstəmz, ənd haʊ ˈkraɪsiz ɪn wən ˈsɪstəm kən prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ˈkraɪsiz ɪn ðə ˈəðər tu. iʧ əv ðə θri ˈsɪstəmz həz ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ˈfidˌbæk lups ðət tɛnd tɪ ækˈsɛlərˌeɪt dɪˌsikwəˈlɪbriəm (wət wi kɔl cycles”*”), ənd ˈəðər ˈbælənsɪŋ ˈfidˌbæk lups ðət tɛnd tɪ ˈmɪtəˌgeɪt ðiz ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtɪŋ ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ənd brɪŋ ðə ˈsɪstəm bæk ˈɪntu. ɛz aɪ sɛd ˈərliər, wi ər kˈwɪkli ˈrənɪŋ aʊt əv weɪz tɪ ˌɪntərˈvin ənd kip ðiz ˈsɪstəmz ɪn ˈbæləns, bɪˈkəz ɑr ˈgloʊbəl ˈsɪstəmz ər ˈprɛdəˌkeɪtɪd ɔn ðə əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪti əv ənˈlɪmɪtɪd, ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv ˈrisɔrsɪz, ənd ɑr ˈgloʊbəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈsɪstəmz ər ˈprɛdəˌkeɪtɪd ɔn ɑr kəˈpæsɪti tɪ ˈʤɛnərˌeɪt ənˈlɪmɪtɪd ənd pərˈpɛʧuəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk groʊθ. sɪns ˈniðər ˈsɪstəm ɪz səˈsteɪnəbəl, wi ər naʊ bɪˈgɪnɪŋ tɪ ˈspaɪrəl ˈɪntu ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ˈfidˌbæk lups ðət wɪl teɪk ˈjuˈɛs tɪ ˈrisɔrs ɪgˈzɔsʧən ənd ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps, wɪʧ wɪl ˈlaɪkli prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt ðə ɛnd əv ɑr ˈkɑmplɛks ˈgloʊbəl ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən ˈkəlʧər ənd ə rɪˈtərn tɪ ə məʧ ˈsɪmpələr,, ˌloʊˈtɛk ənd ˈmɑrʤənəl ˈjumən soʊˈsaɪɪti (wɪθ, ɛz klaɪv sɪz, ˈmɛni fjuər ˈjumənz). ɪn ðɪs ˈfaɪnəl pɑrt, aɪ wɔnt tɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ɑr ðə ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ˈfidˌbæk lups ɪn ɑr ɛkəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈsɪstəmz, ʃoʊn æt ðə tɔp əv ðɪs ʧɑrt. ðɛr ɪz naʊ ˈlɪtəl daʊt ðət wi hæv pæst ðə point’*’ tɪ ˈrənəˌweɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ, ənd ðət ɪt wɪl naʊ ˈrædɪkli ˈɔltər ðə feɪs əv ɑr ˈplænət ɪn ðɪs ˈsɛnʧəri ənd fər məˈlɛniə tɪ kəm, ənd wɪl du soʊ ˈivɪn ɪf wi wər tɪ stɑp ɔl ˈjumən ækˈtɪvɪti təˈmɑˌroʊ. ə ˈkloʊzər lʊk æt ðə ˈfidˌbæk loops”*” bɑks ɪn ðə ʧɑrt əˈbəv, ʃoʊɪŋ wət ˈklaɪmɪt ˈsaɪəntɪsts seɪ ɪz naʊ ˈhæpənɪŋ tɪ ɑr ˈætməsˌfɪr: bɪˈkəz wi wər, ənˈtɪl ˈrisəntli, ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ðiz ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ɑr ˈætməsˌfɪr ɛz ˈlɪniər fəˈnɑmənə, ənd ˌɪgˈnɔrɪŋ (ər biɪŋ ˌənəˈwɛr əv) ðə ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ˈfidˌbæk lups, wi wər ɪkˈstrimli ˌɑptɪˈmɪstɪk əˈbaʊt ɑr əˈbɪləˌti tɪ fɔrˈstɔl ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ θru koʊˈɔrdəneɪtɪd ˈjumən ˈækʃən. naʊ wi ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət səm əv ðə ˈnæʧərəl ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz əv ˌætməsˈfɛrɪk ˈwɔrmɪŋ (ˈmɛˌθeɪn riˈlis frəm ðə ˈɑrtɪk, mɔr hit əbˈzɔrpʃən ɛz aɪs ˈkəvər ˌdɪsəˈpɪrz, desertification*, ˈfɔrɪst ˈkəvər lɔs ənd ˈəðər ˈʧeɪnʤɪz rɪˈdusɪŋ ˈnæʧərəl capture”*” sɪŋks, ənd ˈəðər fəˈnɑmənə ɪn ðə ˈoʊʃənz wi ər ʤɪst bɪˈgɪnɪŋ tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd) ˈæˌkʧuəli ˌriɪnˈfɔrs ənd ækˈsɛlərˌeɪt ˈwɔrmɪŋ. ɛz ə rɪˈzəlt, səm ˈrisənt ˈstədiz naʊ prɪˈdɪkt ə ˈmidiən ˈsərfəs ˈtɛmpərəʧər ˌɪnˈkris əv ər mɔr ɛz sun ɛz, ənd ər mɔr baɪ end-of-century*, rəˈgɑrdləs əv wət ˈækʃənz ˈjumənz teɪk tɪ ˈmɪtəˌgeɪt ðə ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtɪŋ raɪz. ðɪs ɪz fɑr mɔr ðən wɑz prɪˈdɪktɪd ˈivɪn ʤɪst ə jɪr əˈgoʊ. ðiz ˈsaɪəntɪsts ˈɔlsoʊ əˈgri ðət ðɪs kˈwɑntəm əv ʧeɪnʤ, wɪʧ ɪz ˈkɑmprəbəl tɪ ðə ʧeɪnʤ ðət ˈhæpənd wɪn ðə ərθ læst slɪd ˈɪntu ən age’*’ (ðoʊ ɪn ðə ˈɑpəzɪt ˈtɛmpərəʧər dɪˈrɛkʃɪn), ɪz ˌkætəˈstrɑfɪk ɪt wɪl ˈrɛndər moʊst əv ðə ˈplænət ˌənɪnˈhæbətəbəl tɪ ˈjumənz wɪˈθaʊt ˈjuzɪŋ proʊˈhɪbətɪvli ɪkˈspɛnsɪv prɑsˈθɛtɪk tɛkˈnɑləʤiz. wət ˈklaɪmɪt change”*” minz, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈvɛriəs sɪˈnɛrioʊz dɪˈskraɪbd ˈrisəntli baɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ˈsaɪəntɪsts: ðə ˌənkənˈtroʊləbəl ˈbərnɪŋ əv moʊst əv ðə rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ ˈtrɑpɪkəl, ənd ˈtɛmpərət ˈfɔrəsts du tɪ ˈleɪtənt hit ðə ˈprɛvələns əv desertification*, ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns əv ˈgleɪʃəl mɛlt, ˈkoʊstəl ˈflədɪŋ, ˈmæsɪv ˈwɔtər ˈʃɔrtɪʤɪz ɛnˈdɛmɪk haɪ reɪts əv dɛθs ɪn ˈmɛni əv ðə ˈtɛmpərət zoʊnz ən wərld, wɪθ ə kəˈmɛnsərɪt raɪz, ˈsunər ər ˈleɪtər, əv ɪn si ˈlɛvəlz ənˈprɛsɪˌdɛntɪd ənd ˈkrɑnɪk flədz, stɔrmz ənd mɑnˈsunz ðə dɛθ əv ˈɔlˌmoʊst ɔl ˈoʊʃən laɪf ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl kəˈlæps ənd əˈbændənmənt əv ˈeɪʤɪŋ ˈfɪzɪkəl ənd tɛkˈnɑləʤi ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər nɑt dɪˈzaɪnd fər səʧ ɪkˈstrim ənd ˈfrikˌwɛnt ˈwɛðər ɪˈvɛnts ˈmæsɪv ˈnəmbərz əv ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz, ˈmaɪˌgreɪtɪŋ (ˈmoʊstli nɔrθ) ˈθaʊzənz əv maɪəlz ɪn sərʧ əv lændz ðət ər stɪl ˈhæbətəbəl ənd ˈærəbəl haʊ maɪt ˈjumənz rɪˈspɑnd ɪn ðə feɪs əv səʧ ʧeɪnʤ, trænsˈfɔrmɪŋ ɑr ˈplænət ˈoʊvər ðə kɔrs əv ðə nɛkst fju ˈdɛkeɪdz? ðə sɪˈnɛrioʊ aɪ ɛnˈvɪʒən wi maɪt si, beɪst ɔn maɪ ˈstədi əv ðə kəˈlæps əv pæst ˈkəlʧərz, ɔn ðə ˈjumən ˈmuvmənts ðət əˈkərd ɪn rɪˈspɑns tɪ ages’*’, ənd ɔn wət aɪ hæv ˈlərnɪd əˈbaʊt ˈjumən rɪˈspɑns tɪ ˈkraɪsəs frəm ˈstədiɪŋ greɪt dɪˈprɛʃənz, ˈfæmənz ənd ˈəðər ˈmæsɪv ˈkəlʧərəl dɪsˈloʊˈkeɪʃənz. ˈpʊlɪŋ təˈgɛðər ɪn taɪmz əv ˈkraɪsəs, ənd ɪkˌspɛrəmənˈteɪʃən wɪθ nu weɪz əv ˈlɪvɪŋ: aɪ bɪˈliv ðə rɪˈspɑns əv moʊst ˈpipəl tɪ ˈklaɪmɪt ənd ˈəðər ˈkraɪsiz wɪl, ˈrəðər ðən ˈpænɪk, ˈvaɪələns ər ˈsɛlfɪʃnəs, bi mɔr nuɑnst, ˈpisfəl ənd kəˈlæbərˌeɪtɪv. ðə lɔŋ ˈimərʤənsi wɪl gɪv ˈjuˈɛs ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ traɪ aʊt ə vərˈaɪəti əv prægˈmætɪk rɪˈspɑnsɪz ˌbiˈfɔr wi nid tɪ koʊp wɪθ ðə mɔr ɪkˈstrim ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz əv ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. ˈmæsɪv dɪsˈloʊˈkeɪʃən: ʤɪst ɛz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈleɪtəst age’*’ ə lɑrʤ prəˈpɔrʃən əv ðə ˈpipəl wʊd hæv bɪn fɔrst tɪ ˈmaɪˌgreɪt təˈwɔrdz ˌikwəˈtɔriəl ˈɛriəz əv ðə ˈplænət, ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ wɪl ˌrikˈwaɪər ðə ˈpipəl naʊ ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ˈtrɑpɪkəl ˈɛriəz (wɪʧ wɪl bi skɔrʧt aʊt), ənd ɪn ˈmɛni ənd pɑrʧt, ər ˈɪnənˌdeɪtɪd ˈkoʊstəl ənd ˈtɛmpərət ˈɛriəz (məʧ əv ðə ˈwɛstərn ˈjuˈɛs ənd ˈkænədə, məʧ əv ɔˈstreɪljə, ɔl əv ˈsəðərn ˈjʊrəp ənd ðə ˈmɪdəl ist, məʧ əv ˌsaʊˈθist ˈeɪʒə ənd moʊst əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ənd ˈsɛntrəl əˈmɛrɪkə) tɪ ˈmaɪˌgreɪt nɔrθ tɪ haɪər graʊnd ˈɪnˌlænd). æt list tu ˈbɪljən ˈpipəl lɪv ɪn ðiz ˈɛriəz naʊ. ə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən: wət wi wɪl si, aɪ θɪŋk, ɪz ə ˈgræʤuəl swɛl əv ˈpipəl, ə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən ˈoʊvər ə fju ˈdɛkeɪdz fliɪŋ ˈfæmən, θərst ənd dɪˈziz. ðoʊz hu ˈmaɪˌgreɪt meɪ ɪnˈkaʊnər ˈfrɪkʃən frəm ðoʊz ɪn mɔr ˈtɛmpərət ˈɛriəz ˈstrəgəlɪŋ wɪθ ˈrisɔrs ɪgˈzɔsʧən, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ənd lɛs səˈvɪr ˈklaɪmɪt ˈkraɪsiz, hu wɪl nɑt ˈwɛlkəm ˈklaɪmɪt ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ˈædɪŋ tɪ ðɛr ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən ənd ˈrisɔrs ˈprɛʃərz. bət ˈmɛni əv ðiz wɪl ðɛn bi fɔrst tɪ ʤɔɪn ðə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən ˈfərðər nɔrθ ɛz ðə ˈhæbətəbəl ˈɛriə əv ðə ˈplænət kənˈtɪnjuz tɪ ʃrɪŋk. skˈwɑtərz, ɪnˈkæmpmɪnts ənd ə bust”*”: ðɛr wɪl bi noʊ ˈməni tɪ bɪld nu ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər fər ðiz ˈbɪljənz əv nu ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz, soʊ moʊst əv ðɛm, aɪ prɪˈdɪkt, wɪl lɪv ˈiðər ɛz ˈnoʊˌmædz, ˈskraʊnʤɪŋ wət ðeɪ kən frəm əˈbændənd lænd fɑrmz, ˈbæŋkrəpt, dɪˈzərtɪd ˈsəbərbz ˌɛtˈsɛtərə.), ər ɪn ˈmæsɪv ˈsɛtəlmənt kæmps, rɪˈlaɪənt ɔn fud ˈhænˌdaʊts. bərθ reɪts əˈməŋ ðiz ˈbɪljənz wɪl ˈpləmət ɛz ˈhoʊpləsnəs ənd ˌmælnuˈtrɪʃən bɪˈkəm ɛnˈdɛmɪk, soʊ moʊst əv ðə fɔl ɪn ˈjumən ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən wɪl bi ðə rɪˈzəlt əv ˈræpədli ˈfɑlɪŋ bərθ reɪts ˈrəðər ðən ˈraɪzɪŋ dɛθ reɪts. ˈɛmtid ˈsɪtiz, kəmˈjunɪtiz, ənd ðə kəˈlæps əv lɑrʤ ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənz: fər ðoʊz ˈfɔrʧənət ɪˈnəf tɪ lɪv ɪn ənd ˈɛriəz wɪθ ˈædəkˌweɪt prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən, ər ɪn ˈkulər ˈtɛmpərət ˈriʤənz wɛr sɔɪlz hæv nɑt bɪn ˈsɪriəsli dɪˈplitɪd ənd wɛr ˌərbənɪˈzeɪʃən ɪz ˈmɑdəst (haɪ ˈdɛnsɪti ˈərbən ˈɛriəz ənd ˈsəbərbz wɪl fɛr ˈbædli wɪn ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi kəˈlæpsɪz ənd ɛˈsɛnʃəl ˈrisɔrsɪz bɪˈkəm ənəˈfɔrdəbəl), wɪl ˈlaɪkli fɛr ˈrɛlətɪvli wɛl bi tu fɑr əˈweɪ fər moʊst ˈklaɪmɪt ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz tɪ riʧ, ənd nɑt ɛz ˈsɪriəsli əˈfɛktɪd baɪ ðə wərst ˈifɛkts əv ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ. fər ðɛm, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps wɪl min ə drəˈmætɪk əv soʊˈsaɪɪti kəˈlæps əv ˈnæʃənəl ənd ˈriʤənəl ˈgəvərnmənts, lɑrʤ ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃənz, ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl treɪd ənd ˈmɑrkɪts, ˈlidɪŋ tɪ dɪˈvɑlvd əˈθɔrəti ənd riˌspɑnsəˈbɪləti tɪ kəmˈjunɪtiz, wɪθ ɪˈnəf taɪm tɪ riˈlɛrn ðə ɛˈsɛnʃəl skɪlz əv ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn kəmˈjunɪti. moʊst ˈjumən ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər əˈbændənd: ˈdeɪvɪd, ən ɪˈkɑnəmɪst ənd kəmˈplɛksɪti ˈɛkspərt wɪθ ðə ˈaɪrɪʃ səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti feasta*, ɪkˈspleɪnz ðət məʧ əv ɑr ˈsoʊʃəl ˈfæbrɪk ɪz beɪst ɔn ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl juˈbɪkwɪtəs ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər, wɪʧ wɪl hæv tɪ bi əˈbændənd du tɪ ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kəˈlæps ənd ðə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən. ɪn hɪz ˈstədi ðə kəsp əv collapse”*” [http://www.feasta.org/2011/10/08/on-the-cusp-of-collapse-complexity-energy-and-the-globalised-economy*/] hi raɪts ər ˈdipli dɪˈpɛndənt ɔn ðə grɪd, ɪt ənd kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz, ˈtrænspɔrt, ˈwɔtər ənd suɪʤ, ənd ˈbæŋkɪŋ infrastructure…*… əˈməŋst ðə moʊst ˌtɛknəˈlɑʤɪkəli ˈkɑmplɛks ənd ɪkˈspɛnsɪv ˈprɑdəkts ɪn ɑr civilisation…*… ðɪs [ever-deteriorating*] ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər rikˈwaɪərz kənˈtɪnjuəs ˈɪnˌpʊts fər ˈmeɪntənəns ənd rɪˈpɛr [ənd] kəmˈpoʊnənts ðət dɪˈpɛnd əˈpɑn ˈvɛri dɪˈvərs ənd ɪkˈstɛnsɪv supply-chains.”*.” ðə əˈbændənmənt əv ðɪs ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər (wi bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ meɪnˈteɪn ɪt ər teɪk ɪt wɪθ ˈjuˈɛs ɛz wi muv) wɪl əv nəˈsɛsɪti ˌrikˈwaɪər ə ʃɪft tɪ ə məʧ ˈsɪmpələr, səbˈsɪstəns ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl. fud ˈskɛrsɪti ənd ðə nid tɪ ʃɪft tɪ ɔrˈgænɪk, səˈsteɪnəbəl: ðə kəmˈplɛksɪti ənd ˌɪntərdəˈpɛndəns əv ɑr ˈsɪstəmz wɪl ˌɪntrəˈdus ˈəðər ˈʧælənʤɪz ɛz ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər ɛˈsɛnʃəl tɪ ðiz ˈsɪstəmz ɪz əˈbændənd. ˈdeɪvɪd ɪkˈspleɪnz: fud prəˈdusərz ər ɔˈrɛdi ˈstreɪnɪŋ tɪ mit ˈraɪzɪŋ dɪˈmænd əˈgɛnst ðə ˈstrɛsɪz əv sɔɪl ˌdɛgrəˈdeɪʃən, ˈwɔtər ˈʃɔrtɪʤɪz, ənd ðə ˈbərʤənɪŋ ˈifɛkts əv ˈklaɪmɪt change…*… ˈkælɔˌriz əv ˈɛnərʤi goʊ ˈɪntu ˈɛvəri wən ˈkælɔˌri əv fud ˈɛnərʤi wi consume…*… wɪˈθaʊt ˈnaɪtrəʤən fertiliser*, prəˈdust frəm ˈnæʧərəl gæs, noʊ mɔr ðən 48 əv ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən kʊd bi fɛd [ˈivɪn] æt ðə ˌɪˈnædəkˌweɪt 1900 ˈlɛvəl. noʊ ˈkəntri ɪz ˌsɛlfsəˈfɪʃɪnt ɪn fud pərˈdəkʃən təˈdeɪ. ðə frəˈʤɪləti əv ðə ˈgloʊbəl fud pərˈdəkʃən ˈsɪstəm wɪl bi ɪkˈspoʊzd baɪ ə dɪˈklaɪn ɪn ɔɪl ənd ˈəðər ˈɛnərʤi pərˈdəkʃən. ɪt ɪz nɑt ʤɪst ðə mɔr dɪˈrɛkt ˈɛnərʤi ˈɪnˌpʊts, səʧ ɛz ˈdizəl, ðət wɪl bi əˈfɛktɪd, bət fertilisers*, ˈpɛstəˌsaɪdz, sidz, ənd spɛrz fər məˈʃinəri ənd ˈtrænspɔrt. ðə ˈfeɪlɪŋ ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənəl ˈfæbrɪk meɪ min ðɛr ɪz noʊ ɪˌlɛkˈtrɪsəti fər rɪˌfrɪʤərˈeɪʃən, fər example…*… ə ˈmeɪʤər ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl kəˈlæps wʊd nɑt ʤɪst kət ˈækʧəwəl fud pərˈdəkʃən, bət kʊd rɪˈzəlt ɪn fud lɛft ˈrɑtɪŋ ɪn ðə fildz [ənd ˈkɑnsəkwənt famines].”*].” ɛz ðiz ˈmæsɪv fud ˈsɪstəmz kəˈlæps,, ɔrˈgænɪk, mɔr rɪˈzɪljənt ənd ˈflɛksəbəl ˈsɪstəmz wɪl ˌriˈpleɪs ðɛm. ðə əˈbəv sɪˈnɛrioʊ ə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən, ə kəˈlæps əv ˈjumən ˈnəmbərz, ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ənd ˈɛnərʤi ˈsɪstəmz ənd ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər, ənd ə ˈrɛlətɪvli ˈpisfəl ʃɪft tɪ ə ˈrædɪkli ˈsɪmpələr ənd weɪ əv ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪz ˈoʊnli ə gɛs, əv kɔrs, wən əv ə ˈmɪljən ˈpɑsəbəl ˈaʊtˌkəmz. wi noʊ haʊ ˈsɪstəm kəˈlæps wɪl pleɪ aʊt. bət ðoʊz hu hæv bɪn peɪɪŋ əˈtɛnʃən noʊ ðət ˈbɪznɪs, ənd laɪf, usual”*” wɪl nɑt bi ˈpɑsəbəl məʧ ˈlɔŋgər, əˈspɛʃəli fər ɑr ˈʧɪldrən ənd dɪˈsɛnɪnts. soʊ haʊ, ənd wɪn, du wi priˈpɛr fər səʧ ə fˈjuʧər? haʊ du wi gɪv əp traɪɪŋ tɪ pərˈpɛʧəˌweɪt ðə ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl ənd ˌɪnˈstɛd bɪˈgɪn tɪ priˈpɛr fər ˈfeɪljər? ɪn hɪz ˈɑrtɪkəl point”*”, ˈdeɪvɪd sɪz: əv ðə ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃən ɪz ɪn ðə ækˈnɑlɪʤmənt əv ɑr prɪˈdɪkəmənt, ðət wi ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ɪt wɪn wi si ɪt. ðət ɛz ˈsɪstəmz feɪl, wi spɛnd ɑr ˈɛfərts ɔn ˈpɑzətɪv ʧeɪnʤ ənd adaption*, ˈrəðər ðən ˈfaɪndɪŋ ˈskeɪpˌgoʊts ər ˈlɛtɪŋ ˈæŋgər ənd lɔs draɪv ðə əv ɑr ˈsoʊʃəl fabric…*… ðoʊz hu, θru fɪr ər ˈævərəs, traɪ ənd ˈɪnsəˌleɪt ðɛmˈsɛlvz frəm ðə ˌɪmˈpækts baɪ ˌdɪsprəˈpɔrʃənɪt ˈhɔrdɪŋ ər lænd græbz wɪl ˌɪmˈpɛrəl nɑt ˈoʊnli ðɛr sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd ˌwɛlˈbiɪŋ, bət ðɛr oʊn. ðɪs wɪl bi ə taɪm wɪn wi ˈrɪli wɪl nid ðə kˌwɔpərˈeɪʃən ənd səˈpɔrt əv others.”*.” ɪf wi lʊk æt ðə ˈhɪstəri əv ˈpipəlz hu səkˈsɛsfəli meɪd ðə trænˈzɪʃən frəm ə kəˈlæpsɪŋ ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən tɪ ə səˈsteɪnəbəl, səbˈsɪstəns ˈkəlʧər, wi kən aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ fɔr ˈvaɪəbəl ˈstrætəʤiz: riˈlɛrn ɛˈsɛnʃəl skɪlz, ˈnɑlɪʤ ənd kəˈpæsɪtiz ðət hæv bɪn lɔst ɛz ɑr ˈkəlʧər həz bɪˈkəm dɪˈpɛndənt ɔn kəmˈplɛksɪti, ˌsɛntrəlɪˈzeɪʃən, ˈhaɪˌrɑrki, ˌɪmˈpɔrts ənd ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər. ðiz ˌɪnˈklud ˈtɛknɪkəl skɪlz, ““soft”*” skɪlz (laɪk fəˌsɪləˈteɪʃən, ˈkɑnflɪkt ˌrɛzəˈluʃən ənd ˈmɛntərɪŋ), ənd ˈnɑlɪʤ ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈnɑlɪʤ əv pleɪs ənd self-knowledge*. lərn tɪ kriˈeɪt ənd bɪld kəmˈjunɪti: ˈpræktɪs ðə ɑrts əv ˈwərkɪŋ, ˈʃɛrɪŋ, kəˈlæbərˌeɪtɪŋ ənd koʊˈɑpərˌeɪtɪŋ wɪθ ðoʊz ɪn jʊr ˌɪˈmiˌdiət ˈfɪzɪkəl ˈneɪbərˌhʊd. kəˈlæps wɪl fɔrs ˈjuˈɛs tɪ meɪk θɪŋz wərk æt ðə kəmˈjunɪti ˈlɛvəl, təˈgɛðər. hil ɑrˈsɛlvz ənd iʧ ˈəðər: ˌəndərˈstænd ənd əˈpriʃiˌeɪt ðə ˈdæmɪʤ ðət ðə strɛs əv ɑr ˈfɪrsli kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv, scarcity-creating*, əˈnikwəl ənd ˈmɔrəli ægˈnɑstɪk ˈkəlʧər həz dən tɪ ˈjuˈɛs, ˈfɪzɪkəli ənd ˌsaɪkəˈlɑʤɪkli, ənd wərk tɪ hɛlp iʧ ˈəðər rɪˈkəvər frəm ðət ˈdæmɪʤ. lɪv ən ɪgˈzɛmpləri, ˈʤɔɪfəl laɪf: moʊst ˈpipəl wɪl nɑt bi sweɪd baɪ ˌɪmˈpæʃənd ˈɑrgjəmənts frəm ˈstreɪnʤərz əˈbaʊt wi nid tɪ du now”*”. bət ðeɪ wɪl əˈpriʃiˌeɪt, ənd kənˈsɪdər ˈɛmjəˌleɪtɪŋ, ðoʊz hu lɪv ənd ækt, ˈɛvəri deɪ, ɪn weɪz ðət sim ˌɪnˈspaɪərɪŋ, ˈkɑnʃəs, ˈsɛnsəbəl, ənd ˈædmərəbəl. ɛz ðə fəˈlɑsəfər ʤɑn greɪ həz ˈrɪtən, ɪt ɪz ˈjumən ˈneɪʧər tɪ bi priˈɑkjəˌpaɪd wɪθ ðə nidz əv ðə ˈmoʊmənt, ənd tɪ pʊt ɔf ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ər ˈæktɪŋ ɔn ˈɪʃuz ðət, ˌhaʊˈɛvər ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt, du nɑt sim ˈərʤənt. moʊst əv ˈjuˈɛs ər ˈðɛrˌfɔr ənˈlaɪkli tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ɑr bɪˈheɪvjər ənˈtɪl ɪt ɪz tu leɪt, ənd ɛz ə rɪˈzəlt ðə trænˈzɪʃən θru ə kæˈskeɪdɪŋ ˈsɪriz əv ˌɛgˌzɪˈstɛnʃəl ˈkraɪsiz tɪ ən ˈdɪfərənt weɪ əv laɪf wɪl bi ˈʧælənʤɪŋ, unpracticed*, ˌənpriˈpɛrd fər, ənd ˈprɑbəˌbli kwaɪt keɪˈɑtɪk. ɛz ˈbudə pʊt ɪt: ˈprɑbləm ɪz ðət wi θɪŋk wi hæv time.”*.” ɛz lɔŋ ɛz wi kənˈtɪnju tɪ mɪˈsteɪk ɑr ˈkɑmplɛks prɪˈdɪkəmənt fər ə ˈmɪrli ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd ˈprɑbləm wɪθ ““solutions”*” bɪˈlivɪŋ ˈblaɪndli ɪn nu ˈlidərˌʃɪp, nu tɛkˈnɑləʤi, nu ˈkɑnʃəsnəs, ər sælˈveɪʃən frəm ə haɪər əˈθɔrəti wi wɪl kənˈtɪnju tɪ lɪv nɔˈstælʤɪk, ˌənsəˈsteɪnəbəl, ˌɪˈræʃənəli ˈhoʊpfəl ənd ˈhoʊpləsli aɪˌdiəˈlɪstɪk lɪvz. səm əv ˈjuˈɛs wɪl hæv tɪ du ˈbɛtər, ənd bi ˈrɛdi fər ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪz tɪ kəm, ɛz ˌənprɪˈdɪktəbəl ənd ˈhɛroʊɪŋ ɛz ðət meɪ bi, ənd ʃoʊ ˈəðərz haʊ tɪ əˈdæpt ənd lɪv ˈdɪfərˈɛntli. wi wɪl hæv tɪ du ðɪs wɪθ ðə ˈnɑlɪʤ ðət kəˈlæps ɪz noʊ ˈstreɪnʤər tɪ ðɪs ˈfræʤəl ˈplænət, ənd wɪθ ðə əˈwɛrnəs ðət ˌɪˈnɛvətəbli meɪk səm bɪg mɪˈsteɪks ɪn ðə ˈstrəgəl tɪ kriˈeɪt nu ˈkəlʧərz ðət ər ˈvaɪəbəl ɪn ə streɪnʤ ənd ˈtərbjələnt nu wərld. ənd wɪθ ðə bɪˈlif ðət bɪɔnd ðət ˈstrəgəl ɪz ə wərld ˈdɪfərənt frəm ˌɪnˈdəstriəl ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən, ə wərld əv ril pis, ɪkˈwɑləti, kəˈnɛkʃən, ˈfridəm ənd ʤɔɪ. ðə greɪt maɪˈgreɪʃən, ənd bɪɔnd ɪt ðə nu ənd sˈmɔlər roʊl əv ɑr ˈspiʃiz əˈbɔrd ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ, ɪz ɑr nu ˈjumən ˈstɔri. nɑt tu ˈərli tɪ stɑrt ˈraɪtɪŋ ɪt, ənd ˈtɛlɪŋ ɪt tɪ ˈɛvriˌwən wi noʊ.
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i am reposting, in their entirety, the ten articles i wrote that were published in shift magazine (which is now on hiatus) between 2013 and 2015, since some of the links have changed and so that my blog contains the full text of these articles (useful for searches etc.) thanks to shift for the graphics (much better than my originals), and for publishing and editing my work.
image courtesy shift magazine; click on image to view full-size
part one: the energy predicament: feedback loops, the jevons paradox, and the three end games
it’s called the jevons paradox. it explains why increases in the efficiency of resource-consuming technologies tend to lead to an increase, rather than a decrease, in resource use. so, for example, it would explain that drivers of hybrid cars, rather than banking the savings on gasoline their vehicles provide, because of reductions in both cost and guilt, instead drive them further, sometimes even to the point they use more gasoline than they would have if they owned a non-hybrid.
in a broader sense, the jevons paradox is a way of explaining a puzzling behaviour of many complex systems. in essence, because we humans don’t really like to change, we will tend to ‘work around’ interventions in a system that were designed to bring about some desired change, so that the status quo of the system is maintained.
so, for example, malcolm gladwell’s research has discovered that you are actually safer driving in a convertible than in an suv, because drivers of convertibles know the dangers of an accident and compensate by more careful and attentive driving, while suv drivers, in the (mostly false) belief that their risk of and in an accident is much lower, tend to drive more aggressively and less attentively, so they have significantly more accidents per mile (and in total face more injuries and deaths per mile as a result). (don’t try to sell this logic to your insurance company, however.)
in addition, there are jevons paradoxes inherent in complex systems, that lead to undesired results that have nothing to do with deliberate human behaviour at all. for example, if we put a ‘carbon tax’ on fuels in the hope of reducing consumption and encouraging conservation, we may find that the reduced consumption will temporarily lower prices (as a result of lowered demand). but those lower prices will enable drivers to buy more gasoline for the same outlay, so they will fill their tanks more often until that increased demand enables the gasoline vendors to raise their prices, completing the cycle.
and when the vendors can increase their prices, they can also economically justify exploring for and developing more costly, marginal hydrocarbon resources (fracking, deepwater oil, shale oil, tar sands). that increased supply starts another cycle, since more supply relative to demand tends to lower prices until the new supply can be fully sold. it’s all a delicate balance.
that is, until affordable oil (and other resources) run out entirely. the energy industry is fond of telling us there are centuries’ worth of potentially extractable hydrocarbons in the ground. but with the cost of extraction getting ever higher and the life of each new find getting ever shorter, the amount that can be extracted at a price consumers can afford is finite, and when it is used up we reach what derrick jensen calls endgame.
this is where complex systems get especially tricky to explain, because they’re interrelated. what exactly is ‘a price consumers can afford’? this depends on our economic system, not our energy and resource systems. that system, as i will explain in part two of this series, is hurtling towards its own end game. but the bottom line is that, as we come to realize that our unsustainable industrial growth economy is already hugely overextended (the debts we have incurred could only ever be repaid if we lived on a planet of infinite wealth and resources), the entire ponzi scheme of our markets will collapse, and what ‘consumers can afford’ will plummet. end game.
and all of this economic activity and resource development has pushed atmospheric co 2 and other global warming gases past what many climate scientists believe is the tipping point, so that ‘runaway’ climate change, and with it, massive droughts, desertification, fires, storms, water scarcity, species extinction, pandemics, infrastructure destruction and sea level rise are now, they say, inevitable in this century – a third end game. (more about this system in part three below).
the very busy diagram on the next page of this article attempts to capture the most essential variables in these three systems – energy and resources, economy, and climate/ecology, and the three end games that provide us with no futher possibility for intervention, and could well precipitate the end of our current globalized human civilization. it’s an expanded version of a chart in (transition movement co-founder) rob hopkins’ and (post carbon institute executive director) asher miller’s excellent paper climate after growth.
it shows some of the major self-reinforcing and self-sustaining ‘feedback loops’ (e.g. how a destabilized climate characterized by rapid polar and glacial melting leads to increased methane release which in turn leads to more destabilized climate and more melting, with ‘runaway’ climate change as the result). it also shows the balancing ‘feedback loops’ that currently keep our energy/resource, economic and climate/ecological systems in ‘net stasis’ – not appreciably changing – for now.
but because of the three end games, this stasis is not sustainable. we will, sooner or later, run out of economically affordable resources. or we will run out of faith in the possibility of perpetual economic growth. or we will face the realities of runaway climate change. all systems collapse when they fall out of stasis, and all civilizations end. the question is no longer how or whether we can prevent one or any of these end games. it is, now, how do we prepare for the consequences of any or all three, as we enter the decades james kunstler has called the long emergency, and how can we gauge whichever of the three is going to hit us first, and hardest.
and, once collapse comes, how we can learn from this astonishing life experience – from being at this pivotal point in human evolution – so that those living after the fall will be able to create sustainable, joyful societies (probably very localised, small scale societies that will, because they will be adapted to place, seem amazingly diverse to those of us living in our current homogeneous global human culture). and how we can help our descendants draw upon the best of pre-civilization (‘prehistoric’, since in our arrogance we presume that history only began with our civilization) ways of living, and also on the lessons of (civilization’s) history and the scientific and technological learning of today’s world, to create future human societies better than we could dream of.
but back to our complex energy/resource system chart. what this diagram explains is the futility of us trying to intervene politically or economically to bring about significant, sustained changes in the systems pushing us inexorably to the end games. carbon taxes, energy conservation and innovation, protests and blockades of dirty energy and resource exploitation are admirable and necessary, but they cannot hope to fundamentally change the status quo which will ultimately take us to resource exhaustion. our entire civilization depends upon the ready availability of cheap resources that enable us to feed 7.5 billion humans today, and by mid-century 9.5 billion or more, most of whom will want to live, and hence consume resources, as we do today. if we run out – when we run out – we will find that such a horde cannot live on what we can produce with the energy of our hands and that of domesticated animals. (the average human can produce about 0.1 horsepower of energy in sustained manual labour; a car requires 150 hp or so, a train 4,000 hp per engine, an airplane 60,000 hp, a cargo ship 100,000 hp, a power plant 3,000,000 hp.)
i would like to believe, as donella meadows so eloquently explained in her places to intervene in a system paper, that a transformational human evolution, a way of fundamentally changing our whole global way of thinking and acting, our whole paradigm, is possible. as a student of history i don’t believe such changes happen, however, at least not on a large scale, not persistently, and not quickly. but even if i did believe, i would want to understand what we are facing if we are not successful in such a transformation, and how we might prepare for it.
i believe the key to doing that – to understanding what we are facing and what is possible – is through the use of story. that is how we have always learned and come to understand these things. i believe it is never too early to start to study and learn from the stories of previous civilizational and economic collapses – ronald wright’s a short history of progress, jarod diamond’s collapse, and pierre berton’s the great depression are excellent starting points for this. and i believe it is the right time to start to write the story of the unfolding collapse of our current energy/resource, economic and climate/ecological systems, and hence the collapse, over the next few decades, of our own fragile civilization. not as a story of apocalypse – the mad max scenario may make good cinema but a study of human history suggests it’s highly unlikely, and that collapse will occur more gradually and unevenly than we might expect, and our collective response to it will be gentler and more generous than we might imagine. we could probably learn much, too, from the homeless in our own communities, and from the people in the massive, sprawling slums of the third world, who are already living in cultures of collapse.
through an understanding of how the complex systems of our world really work and how change happens, and through an appreciation of history and the telling of stories, i think we can move past denial and blame and start to move towards preparation for a future that will be unstable and unpredictable and much different from how many of us in affluent nations live today, but also exciting and satisfying and engaging and meaningful in a way our current culture does not provide. and that work can make us collectively resilient – not in the sense of ‘bouncing back’ to an unsustainable style of life, but in the sense of moving forward, courageously and joyfully, to a relocalized, communitarian style of life that is sustainable.
. . . . .
part two: the economic predicament: should we try to precipitate economic collapse to mitigate runaway climate change?
david holmgren, one of the founders of the permaculture movement, recently stirred up a firestorm of controversy with his crash on demand essay, suggesting that it would be useful for us to precipitate economic collapse as a means of mitigating both energy/resource exhaustion and runaway climate change. he summarizes:
my argument is essentially that radical, but achievable behaviour change from [being] dependent consumers to [becoming] self-reliant producers (by some relatively small minority of the global middle class) has a chance of stopping the juggernaut of consumer capitalism from driving the world over the climate change cliff. it may be a slim chance, but a better bet than current herculean efforts to get the elites to pull the right policy levers… my argument suggests this could happen by reducing capital enough to trigger a crash of the fragile global financial system.
this insight shows david’s appreciation of the nature of complex systems and the interrelationship between our global energy/resource, economic and ecological/climate systems.
as the chart at the top of this post shows, economic expansion is dependent on energy/resource supply, which is itself a function of the price, demand, investment and regulation variables i described in part one, and in any case not endlessly sustainable even if the economy is able to support higher and higher extraction and development costs. a significant drop in energy/resource demand and use will precipitate a strong economic contraction (which has happened each time energy costs have moved significantly above the $100/bbl level).
but an even greater threat to the continuation of our current “grow or collapse” economy is the realization that current levels of debt in our economy are unsustainable. when that realization becomes impossible for markets to ignore, we will face the greatest depression in human history; no amount of ‘stimulus’ will be able to mitigate it, and there is no deus ex machina like war spending or the discovery of new cheap resources to get us out of it. more about that scenario, which even many economists can’t seem to comprehend, later in this article.
back to david holmgren’s proposal: the reactions to his article have been swift and sometimes harsh. transition founder rob hopkins called david’s suggestions “a dangerous route to go down”. rob remains firmly in denial about the inevitability of collapse, citing several optimistic ‘prosperity-without-growth’ economists in support of his belief that a concerted global effort by a broad coalition of knowledgeable, influential people can pull us out of the positive feedback loops currently leading us towards economic collapse (and indeed, end games in all three major systems). i’ll look at that argument later in this article as well.
dmitry orlov essentially dismissed david’s argument as being inadequate to the task, but said that despite its futility, “don’t let that stop you from trying because, regardless of results (if any) it’s a good thing to be trying to do.”
nicole foss, who david acknowledges as one of his influences, takes the opposite point of view to rob’s. she has repeatedly argued that economic collapse will come soon in any case, with or without our attempts to undermine the current economic system (or for that matter, prolong it). she writes:
once the financial system has the accident that is clearly coming, we will be looking at a substantial fall in societal complexity, but that fall in complexity will eliminate the possibility of engaging in such highly complex activities as fracking, horizontal drilling, exploiting the deep offshore or producing solar photovoltaic panels and inverters… [because they will be completely unaffordable, none of these will ever be] a meaningful energy source.
in fact, some us states are already dealing with large-scale abandonment of quickly-exhausted fracking sites (with their commensurate ecological damage), and shell recently announced it is abandoning its arctic drilling programs because they are not economic, even at today’s $100+/bbl oil prices.
nicole’s concern about david’s approach is that, since economic collapse is (she believes) inevitable and reasonably imminent anyway, taking an activist approach to opting out of the dominant economic system in order to accelerate that collapse runs the risk of stirring up virulent opposition from the rich and powerful, who could then demonize the entire transition/collapse preparation movement as anti-human, and ultimately shift the blame for the suffering that collapse will inevitably bring about to the “anti-growth” activists. she writes: “inviting blame for an inevitable outcome seems somewhat reckless given the likelihood that many will be casting about for scapegoats.”
it is hard to explain why the ponzi scheme that is our modern growth-dependent industrial economic system is unsustainable. it’s all really about faith in the value of money. and on the surface it seems to be holding: governments and corporations, working together, have been able to suppress interest rates to near-zero levels for more than a decade now. the banks and institutional investors don’t need high interest rates when they can make greater profits through a combination of high user fees, arbitrage, hedged speculation, the sale of high-risk bundled ‘investments’ to unwary investors, usurious credit card and poor-credit interest rates, and foreclosures – and be bailed out by their government friends with taxpayer money when their investments go bad. they also lie about real rates of inflation and unemployment to suppress citizen dissatisfaction about the true state of the economy.
the australian group doing it ourselves have put together a terrific 12-minute explanation of why and how our economic system is dependent on perpetually-accelerating growth and commensurate levels of debt – and on our faith that that is possible. that growth cannot continue because the remaining energy and resource supplies of our planet are becoming exponentially more expensive, and because the current staggering levels of debt – government, corporate, mortgages and other personal debt – can only be repaid as long as land and other prices keep going up, and incomes and borrowing capacity combined keeps rising to make the payments on those debts possible (and as long as interest rates remain very low). when this capacity peaks – and nicole foss and her automatic earth colleagues have eloquently argued it already has – buying freezes up, housing and investment values commensurately tumble, lost collateral means a plunge in available credit and an explosion of foreclosures, margin calls and debt repayment demands, falling sales, layoffs, and defaults, to the point that a positive-feedback-loop – a chronic deflationary spiral – kicks in. japan has been suffering from this for two decades, and most western nations are poised for a similar collapse – starting with the current fall into poverty of most of the middle class.
to get an idea of what this means, consider that the median household net worth in real currency in most western nations is not significantly different from what it was in the 1940s, before the ponzi scheme and the era of cheap money began – that is, a net worth essentially not much more than zero. all of the increase in apparent affluence – owning instead of renting, much larger average homes, two cars per family, more expensive ‘average’ cars, more clothes, more energy use, more stuff of every kind – has been borrowed, in the expectation that all these debts can and will be repaid. how? by whom? we dare not ask, because the answer is, nobody knows. we just keep hoping against hope that growth can continue forever, real incomes will rise, more efficiency will keep prices down and profits rising, more cheap energy will be found, our pension investments will keep rising in value, and someone will be willing to offer us more for our home than we paid for it, so we have more collateral to borrow even more against.
the great depression and the recession of 2008 are just two indications of what happens when we realize this is not sustainable.
advocates of “austerity” claim that theirs is a response to this unsustainability. but history has shown that austerity programs simply precipitate collapse faster, and place the entire burden for it on the poor, disadvantaged, ill and unemployed. that’s why progressives keep arguing for “stimulus” programs that crank up the illusory growth machine even more. but when the stimulus amounts to just printing of more money, most of which ends up in the pockets of the bankers and the already-rich, it is just an acceleration of the unsustainable, and will inevitably lead to even more spectacular collapse and greater suffering for all.
a number of “third options” to prevent economic collapse have been proffered. a transition to a steady-state economy, coupled with a large-scale re-localization to a world of more self-sufficient communities producing more themselves, living within their means, and hence more resilient to collapse, is the most popular of these options. if our economic system were not global, and was simple, with a few people controlling the whole economy, this might be feasible. but we live in a staggeringly complex, global economic system with no one in control, not even in individual countries with autocratic regimes. the “market” determines and affects our economic actions, and it is the product of all of our activities, and cannot be stewarded to some idealistic, better economic reality, even if we could agree on what that would look like. billions of people in struggling nations want an economic life like that of the wealthy in western nations, and they will act in accordance with that desire, regardless of what we, or their governments, seek to impose on them. it is our nature to attend to the needs of the moment, to seek short-term betterment for ourselves and those we love, and to hope that future generations will be able to do likewise, even when faced with growing evidence they will not.
top-down reform of our economic system cannot succeed for the same reason top-down climate change prevention has not and will not succeed. no one is in control of large complex global systems. it is not the evil rich or evil corporations driving us to collapse. it is the ever-evolving systems in which we all participate and which no one influences enough to change direction in any coherent and sustained way that determine our trajectory to collapse. we want someone to blame, and even argue that “we are the system”, and we are all to blame, but we are not. the system will take its own course, as it always has. and all signs are that the courses our energy/resource, economic and ecological/climate systems are on, lead in each case to an end game.
the economic collapse end game has been vividly portrayed by nicole in a ghastly list of “40 ways to lose your future”. no surprise that we don’t want to believe such collapse is now inevitable.
so back to the question that david holmgren raises – about whether precipitating such a collapse before it happens anyway is (a) possible and (b) a good idea. i think it would be fair to say that david says ‘yes’ to both, rob says ‘no’ to (b) and is afraid the answer is ‘yes’ to (a). dmitry says ‘no’ to (a) but ‘yes’ to (b) anyway. and nicole says ‘not really’ to (a) and hence ‘no’ to (b). i’d love to know what charles eisenstein would say. i suspect he’d agree with eric lindberg, who in a new article on the historical problem of agency draws brilliantly on historical examples and the evolving narrative of human agency to these very tentative, thoughtful and honest conclusions:
what little agency humans might have [in complex systems] can only be achieved by understanding the underlying logic of history and by accepting the limits that logic imposes. when we realize this, we won’t try to grow the economy, develop the “developing world,” depend on genetically modified seeds and chemical fertilizers, look for a new source of fuel on mars, and so on. instead we will accept the coming contractions and adapt to them as best we can… rob hopkins is one of my heroes, but i read his response to holmgren as a rather desperate attempt to maintain a course set by a narrative that is crumbling beneath us [as the runaway climate change narrative is eclipsing transition’s peak oil narrative]…
many of us understand the perils of revolution and violence, the simple fact that it has so infrequently worked. we understand, moreover, that the collapse of global economies, of civil society creates its own predictable violence. we understand that the result and consequences of any action that pursues radical, human designed change is neither controllable nor predictable. but at the same time, refraining from radical, potentially destructive, action is also a choice whose results are unpredictable and almost certainly dire. the stakes are as yet beyond comprehension. the question is no longer whether we can make history as we please, but whether “history” itself will continue to exist.
eric concludes with a call for patience and tolerance and dialogue, and i think that’s a very sensible response to trying to cope with three intertwined complex global systems, all overextended to the breaking point and heading in disturbing directions very quickly. the economic system is the only one we may be able to intervene in (lunatic plans for geoengineering to prevent climate change aside), and the result of any intervention in our economic systems is doubtful and probably unpredictable. we can act, or we can, as eric says, just accept what comes and adapt to it as best we can. the question of whether or not to try to precipitate economic collapse before it happens anyway, can only be answered in the context of your own personal (who you think you are) and cultural (who you think we are) narrative.
for many, the answer may depend on what we learn, in the coming months and years, about the accelerating melting of our planet’s polar regions, and the trajectory of runaway climate change. that’s the subject of part three of this series, below.
. . . . .
part three: the ecological predicament: if runaway climate change is now inevitable, is there any rational response?
in his new book requiem for a species: why we resist the truth about climate change, author clive hamilton writes:
it was only in september 2008, after reading a number of new books, reports and scientific papers, that i finally allowed myself to make the shift and admit that we simply are not going to act with anything like the urgency required… the climate crisis for the human species is now an existential one. on one level i felt relief: relief at finally admitting what my rational brain had been telling me; relief at no longer having to spend energy on false hopes; and relief at being able to let go of some anger at the politicians, business executives and climate sceptics who are largely responsible for delaying action against global warming until it became too late…
we [now] have no chance of preventing emissions rising well above a number of critical tipping points that will spark uncontrollable climate change. the earth’s climate [will now] enter a chaotic era lasting thousands of years before natural processes eventually establish some sort of equilibrium. whether human beings [will] still be a force on the planet, or even survive, is a moot point. one thing seems certain: there will be far fewer of us.
climate scientists are of necessity experts in understanding complex systems, and over the past few years, when i’ve met with them, they’ve become increasingly pessimistic, to the point they are finding it difficult to reconcile what they have come to believe with what they are required, to keep their jobs and to keep audiences from walking out on them, to say publicly. clive’s experience has been similar, and he says “behind the facade of scientific detachment, the climate scientists themselves now evince a mood of barely suppressed panic. no one is willing to say publicly what the climate science is telling us: that we can no longer prevent global warming that will this century bring about a radically transformed world that is much more hostile to the survival and flourishing of life.”
beyond the shock of coming to grips with this realization comes the challenge of trying to imagine what this “radically transformed world” will look like, and how we humans are going to respond to, and cope with it. what makes it even harder is appreciating that this will not be a sudden, overnight crisis, but what james kunstler calls a “long emergency” that will unfold over decades or even centuries, in waves of varying intensity. and it will not be a temporary crisis, one we can bounce back from with courage and effort, but rather a permanent transformation of everything we now think of as our global civilized culture – the only way we know to live, the only way most of us can imagine living.
what i’m going to depict in this article is a scenario i am calling the great migration – the displacement and movement of billions of humans in search of a more hospitable place to live as runaway climate change makes the places most of us know and love as “home” unrecognizable and unlivable, and what will happen when those billions encounter billions of others whose home places are less affected, but not able to support even their current populations, let alone a massive influx of climate refugees.
but first, i want to return to the diagram i used earlier (see top of article), which shows the interrelationship between our economic, energy/resource, and ecological/climate systems, and how crises in one system can precipitate crises in the other two. each of the three systems has reinforcing feedback loops that tend to accelerate disequilibrium (what we call “vicious cycles”), and other balancing feedback loops that tend to mitigate these accelerating changes and bring the system back into stasis.
as i said earlier, we are quickly running out of ways to intervene and keep these systems in balance, because our global energy/resource systems are predicated on the availability of unlimited, inexpensive resources, and our global economic systems are predicated on our capacity to generate unlimited and perpetual economic growth. since neither system is sustainable, we are now beginning to spiral into reinforcing feedback loops that will take us to resource exhaustion and economic collapse, which will likely precipitate the end of our complex global civilization culture and a return to a much simpler, relocalized, low-tech and marginal human society (with, as clive says, many fewer humans).
in this final part, i want to focus on our the reinforcing feedback loops in our ecological systems, shown at the top of this chart. there is now little doubt that we have passed the ‘tipping point’ to runaway climate change, and that it will now radically alter the face of our planet in this century and for millennia to come, and will do so even if we were to stop all human activity tomorrow.
here’s a closer look at the “climate feedback loops” box in the chart above, showing what climate scientists say is now happening to our atmosphere:
because we were, until recently, looking at these changes in our atmosphere as linear phenomena, and ignoring (or being unaware of) the reinforcing feedback loops, we were extremely optimistic about our ability to forestall climate change through coordinated human action. now we realize that some of the natural consequences of atmospheric warming (methane release from the arctic, more heat absorption as ice cover disappears, desertification, forest cover loss and other changes reducing natural “carbon capture” sinks, and other phenomena in the oceans we are just beginning to understand) actually reinforce and accelerate warming. as a result, some recent studies now predict a median surface temperature increase of 4oc or more as soon as mid-century, and 8oc or more by end-of-century, regardless of what actions humans take to mitigate the accelerating rise. this is far more than was predicted even just a year ago.
these scientists also agree that this quantum of change, which is comparable to the change that happened when the earth last slid into an ‘ice age’ (though in the opposite temperature direction), is catastrophic – it will render most of the planet uninhabitable to humans without using prohibitively expensive prosthetic technologies.
here’s what “runaway climate change” means, according to various scenarios described recently by climate scientists:
the uncontrollable burning of most of the world’s remaining tropical, subtropical and temperate forests due to latent heat
the prevalence of desertification, disappearance of glacial melt, coastal flooding, massive water shortages and/or endemic high rates of heat-related deaths in many of the world’s temperate zones
an ice-free world, with a commensurate rise, sooner or later, of 50-70m in sea levels
unprecedented and chronic floods, storms and monsoons
the death of almost all ocean life
large-scale collapse and abandonment of aging physical and technology infrastructure not designed for such extreme and frequent weather events
massive numbers of climate change refugees, migrating (mostly north) thousands of miles in search of lands that are still habitable and arable
how might humans respond in the face of such change, transforming our planet over the course of the next few decades?
here’s the scenario i envision we might see, based on my study of the collapse of past cultures, on the human movements that occurred in response to ‘ice ages’, and on what i have learned about human response to crisis from studying great depressions, famines and other massive cultural dislocations.
pulling together in times of crisis, and experimentation with new ways of living: i believe the response of most people to climate and other crises will, rather than panic, violence or selfishness, be more nuanced, peaceful and collaborative. the long emergency will give us the opportunity to try out a variety of pragmatic responses before we need to cope with the more extreme consequences of climate change. massive dislocation: just as during the latest ‘ice age’ a large proportion of the planet’s people would have been forced to migrate towards equatorial areas of the planet, climate change will require the people now living in tropical areas (which will be scorched out), and in many desertified and parched, or inundated coastal subtropical and temperate areas (much of the western us and canada, much of australia, all of southern europe and the middle east, much of southeast asia and most of mexico and central america) to migrate north (and/or to higher ground inland). at least two billion people live in these areas now. a great migration: what we will see, i think, is a gradual swell of people, a great migration over a few decades fleeing famine, thirst and disease. those who migrate may encounter friction from those in more temperate areas struggling with resource exhaustion, economic collapse and less severe climate crises, who will not welcome climate refugees adding to their population and resource pressures. but many of these xenophobes will then be forced to join the great migration further north as the habitable area of the planet continues to shrink. squatters, encampments and a “baby bust”: there will be no money to build new infrastructure for these billions of new refugees, so most of them, i predict, will live either as nomads, scrounging what they can from abandoned land (monoculture farms, bankrupt, deserted suburbs etc.), or in massive settlement camps, reliant on food handouts. birth rates among these billions will plummet as hopelessness and malnutrition become endemic, so most of the mid-century fall in human population will be the result of rapidly falling birth rates rather than rising death rates. emptied cities, relocalized communities, and the collapse of large institutions: for those fortunate enough to live in sub-polar and boreal areas with adequate precipitation, or in cooler temperate regions where soils have not been seriously depleted and where urbanization is modest (high density urban areas and suburbs will fare badly when the economy collapses and essential resources become unaffordable), will likely fare relatively well – they’ll be too far away for most climate refugees to reach, and not as seriously affected by the worst effects of climate change. for them, economic collapse will mean a dramatic relocalization of society – collapse of national and regional governments, large corporations, international trade and markets, leading to devolved authority and responsibility to communities, with enough time to relearn the essential skills of living in community. most human infrastructure abandoned: david korowicz, an economist and complexity expert with the irish sustainability think-tank feasta, explains that much of our social fabric is based on large-scale ubiquitous infrastructure, which will have to be abandoned due to economic collapse and the great migration. in his study “on the cusp of collapse” [http://www.feasta.org/2011/10/08/on-the-cusp-of-collapse-complexity-energy-and-the-globalised-economy/] he writes “we are deeply dependent on the grid, it and communications, transport, water and sewage, and banking infrastructure… amongst the most technologically complex and expensive products in our civilisation… this [ever-deteriorating] infrastructure requires continuous inputs for maintenance and repair [and] specialised components that depend upon very diverse and extensive supply-chains.” the abandonment of this infrastructure (we won’t be able to maintain it or take it with us as we move) will of necessity require a shift to a much simpler, subsistence lifestyle. food scarcity and the need to shift to organic, sustainable permaculture: the complexity and interdependence of our systems will introduce other challenges as infrastructure essential to these systems is abandoned. david korowicz explains: “global food producers are already straining to meet rising demand against the stresses of soil degradation, water shortages, over-fishing and the burgeoning effects of climate change… 7-10 calories of fossil-fuel energy go into every one calorie of food energy we consume… without nitrogen fertiliser, produced from natural gas, no more than 48% of today’s population could be fed [even] at the inadequate 1900 level. no country is self-sufficient in food production today. the fragility of the global food production system will be exposed by a decline in oil and other energy production. it is not just the more direct energy inputs, such as diesel, that will be affected, but fertilisers, pesticides, seeds, and spares for machinery and transport. the failing operational fabric may mean there is no electricity for refrigeration, for example… a major financial collapse would not just cut actual food production, but could result in food left rotting in the fields [and consequent famines].” as these massive food systems collapse, relocalized, organic, more resilient and flexible permaculture systems will replace them.
the above scenario – a great migration, a collapse of human numbers, economic and energy systems and infrastructure, and a relatively peaceful shift to a radically simpler and relocalized way of living is only a guess, of course, one of a million possible outcomes. we can’t know how system collapse will play out. but those who have been paying attention know that business, and life, “as usual” will not be possible much longer, especially for our children and descendants.
so how, and when, do we prepare for such a future? how do we give up trying to perpetuate the unsustainable and instead begin to prepare for failure?
in his article “tipping point”, david korowicz says:
“part of the preparation is in the acknowledgement of our predicament, that we recognise it when we see it. that as systems fail, we spend our efforts on positive change and adaption, rather than finding scapegoats or letting anger and loss drive the cannibalisation of our social fabric… those who, through fear or avarice, try and insulate themselves from the impacts by disproportionate hoarding or land grabs will imperil not only their community’s security and wellbeing, but their own. this will be a time when we really will need the cooperation and support of others.”
if we look at the history of peoples who successfully made the transition from a collapsing civilization to a sustainable, subsistence post-civilization culture, we can identify four viable strategies:
relearn essential skills, knowledge and capacities that have been lost as our culture has become dependent on complexity, centralization, hierarchy, imports and unsustainable infrastructure. these include technical skills, “soft” skills (like facilitation, conflict resolution and mentoring), and knowledge – including knowledge of place and self-knowledge. learn to create and build community: practice the arts of working, sharing, collaborating and cooperating with those in your immediate physical neighbourhood. collapse will force us to make things work at the community level, together. heal ourselves and each other: understand and appreciate the damage that the stress of our fiercely competitive, scarcity-creating, horrifically unequal and morally agnostic culture has done to us, physically and psychologically, and work to help each other recover from that damage. live an exemplary, joyful life: most people will not be swayed by impassioned arguments from strangers about “what we need to do now”. but they will appreciate, and consider emulating, those who live and act, every day, in ways that seem inspiring, conscious, sensible, and admirable.
as the philosopher john gray has written, it is human nature to be preoccupied with the needs of the moment, and to put off thinking about or acting on issues that, however important, do not seem urgent. most of us are therefore unlikely to change our behaviour until it is too late, and as a result the transition – through a cascading series of existential crises to an unimaginably different way of life – will be challenging, unpracticed, unprepared for, and probably quite chaotic. as buddha put it: “the problem is that we think we have time.”
as long as we continue to mistake our complex predicament for a merely complicated problem with “solutions” – believing blindly in new leadership, new technology, new consciousness, or salvation from a higher authority – we will continue to live nostalgic, unsustainable, irrationally hopeful and hopelessly idealistic lives.
some of us will have to do better, and be ready for whatever is to come, as unpredictable and harrowing as that may be, and show others how to adapt and live differently. we will have to do this with the knowledge that collapse is no stranger to this fragile planet, and with the awareness that we’ll inevitably make some big mistakes in the struggle to create new cultures that are viable in a strange and turbulent new world. and with the belief that beyond that struggle is a world unimaginably different from industrial civilization, a world of real peace, equality, connection, freedom and joy.
the great migration, and beyond it the new and smaller role of our species aboard spaceship earth, is our new human story. it’s not too early to start writing it, and telling it to everyone we know.
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nu jɔrk ˈsɪti hɛlθ əˈfɪʃəlz ˈɪʃud ə ˈwɔrnɪŋ tɪ ˈrɛzɪdənts əv ən əˈpɑrtmənt ˈbɪldɪŋ ɪn ðə brɑŋks bəroʊ ˈæftər θri ˈpipəl fɛl ɪl ənd wən daɪd əv ə rɛr bækˈtɪriəl ˌɪnˈfɛkʃən lɪŋkt tɪ ræts. (ˈrɔɪtərz) wən ˈpərsən daɪd ənd tu mɔr fɛl ˈsɪriəsli ɪl ˈæftər ˈkɑntræktɪŋ ə dɪˈziz ðət ˈkɑmənli sprɛdz θru wɪθ ræt urine,”*,” əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə nu jɔrk ˈsɪti dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv hɛlθ ənd ˈmɛntəl ˈhaɪˌʤin. ðə ˈsɪtiz hɛlθ dɪˈpɑrtmənt həz aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪd ə əv θri ˈkeɪsɪz əv leptospirosis”*” ɪn wən blɑk əv ðə brɑŋks, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ə ˈsteɪtmənt ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt iˈmeɪld ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ tɪ ðə ˈwɔʃɪŋtən poʊst. ɪz ə bækˈtɪriəl ˌɪnˈfɛkʃən ðət ɪz moʊst ˈkɑmənli sprɛd baɪ ˈkɑnˌtækt wɪθ ræt ˈjʊrən ənd ɪz ˈvɛri ˈrɛrli sprɛd frəm ˈpərsən tɪ person,”*,” ðə ˈsteɪtmənt sɛd. ˈɪlnəs kən bi ˈsɪriəs bət ɪz ˈtritəbəl wɪθ ˈrɛdəli əˈveɪləbəl antibiotics.”*.” ðə nu jɔrk taɪmz rɪˈpɔrts ðət ðə ˈsɪti ɪz ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪtɪŋ ðə ˈmætər. tu ˈpipəl wər ˌdaɪəgˈnoʊst wɪθ ɪn dɪˈsɛmbər, ənd əˈnəðər keɪs wɑz ˌdaɪəgˈnoʊst ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri. wɪʧ ðə hɛlθ dɪˈpɑrtmənt ˈɔlsoʊ dɪˈskraɪbd ɛz ə dɪˈziz sprɛd baɪ ˈænəməl ˈjʊrən, ɪn ðɪs keɪs baɪ ræts (nɑt maɪs)" ɪz ˈprɪti rɛr ɪn nu jɔrk, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈeɪʤənsi. ˈtɪpɪkəli, ðə ˈsɪti siz əˈbaʊt wən tɪ θri ˈkeɪsɪz əv iʧ jɪr. ɛz ə ˈlɛtər ˈɪʃud ˈtuzˌdeɪ tɪ prəˈvaɪdərz ˈnoʊtɪd: ˈkeɪsɪz ər ˈvɛri rɛr ɪn nu jɔrk ˈsɪti; ðɪs ɪz ðə fərst taɪm ə ˈkləstər əv ˈkeɪsɪz həz bɪn identified.”*.” səm əv ðoʊz hu bɪˈkəm ˌɪnˈfɛktɪd wɪθ ˈsəfər noʊ ˈsɪmptəmz. ˈəðərz, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, maɪt ɪkˈspɪriəns ˈsɪmptəmz ðət ˌɪnˈkludɪd ə ˈfivər, ʧɪlz, ˈvɑmətɪŋ ər ˌdaɪərˈiə, ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt sɛd. ˈkeɪsɪz ˈrɛrli bɪˈkəm ˈlaɪfθˌrɛtnɪŋ. ðə nu jɔrk taɪmz ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðət 26 ˈkeɪsɪz əv wər ˌriˈpɔrtəd ɪn nu jɔrk ˈsɪti frəm 2006 tɪ 2016 əv ðoʊz ˈkeɪsɪz, eɪt wər ɪn ðə brɑŋks, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈnuzˌpeɪpər. ɔl θri ˈpeɪʃənz frəm dɪˈsɛmbər tɪ ˈfɛbruˌɛri ˈsəfərd frəm ˈkɪdni ənd ˈlɪvər failure”*” ənd wər ˈhɑspɪtəˌlaɪzd, ðə taɪmz ˌriˈpɔrtəd. ðə tu sərˈvaɪvərz ər naʊ aʊt əv ðə ˈhɑˌspɪtəl. ðə hɛlθ dɪˈpɑrtmənt ɪz ˈwərkɪŋ wɪθ ˈhaʊzɪŋ ənd ˈbɪldɪŋ əˈfɪʃəlz, ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈbɪldɪŋ ˈoʊnərz tɪ traɪ tɪ dil wɪθ ˈroʊdənt ˌɪnˌfɛˈsteɪʃənz, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈeɪʤənsi. sɪz noʊ ˈrizən tɪ fɪr ɪn #brɑŋks. bət ræt ˈprɑbləm ɪz hɔˈrɪfɪk ɪn səm ˈɛriəz. ɪts ə kˈwɑləti əv laɪf ˈɪʃu. ʤɑn daɪəz (@johnbdias*) ˈfɛbruˌɛri 15 2017 æt ə nuz ˈkɑnfərəns ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ, ˈrubən diɑz jr*., brɑŋks bəroʊ ˈprɛzɪdənt, kɔld fər kɑm ɪn ðə weɪk əv ðə nuz. noʊ nid fər ˈpænɪk æt ðɪs moment,”*,” hi sɛd. hæv bɪn ɪn ˈkɑnˌtækt wɪθ ðə ɪˈlɛktɪd əˈfɪʃəlz ɪn ðə ˈɛriə, wiv bɪn ɪn ˈkɑnˌtækt wɪθ ðə ˈsɪti. ðɛrz goʊɪŋ tɪ bi səm mɔr ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. aɪ θɪŋk ðət wət wi nid tɪ du naʊ ɪz ˈɛʤəˌkeɪt ðə ˈpəblɪk ɔn ɪgˈzæktli wət ɪt ɪz ðət is.”*.” diɑz ˈɔlsoʊ sɛd hi ˈfrikwɛntli hirz kəmˈpleɪnts əˈbaʊt ˈroʊdənts ənd ræts, ənd nɑt ʤɪst frəm ðoʊz hu lɪv ɪn ðə brɑŋks. ɪz, ˈleɪdiz ənd ˈʤɛnəlmɪn, ən ˈɪʃu ðæts ə ˈɪʃu, ɪts ə hɛlθ issue,”*,” hi sɛd. ənˈfɔrʧənətli wət wiv sin ˈoʊvər ðə læst ˈkəpəl deɪz, ɪts ə issue.”*.” ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv hɛlθ ənd ˈmɛntəl ˈhaɪˌʤin ədˈvaɪzd ˈpipəl tɪ əˈvɔɪd ˈkɑnˌtækt wɪθ ræts ər ˈpleɪsɪz wɛr ræts maɪt hæv urinated*. ɪf ˈsəmˌwən kəmz ɪn ˈkɑnˌtækt wɪθ ˈɛriəz wɛr ræts maɪt lɪv, ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt səˈʤɛsts ˈwɑʃɪŋ hænz wɪθ soʊp ənd ˈwɔtər ˈæftərwərd. rɛd mɔr: wɔʧ ræts ‘‘giggle’*’ ənd ʤəmp fər ʤɔɪ æt biɪŋ ˈtɪkəld hæv ˈnɛvər sin soʊ ˈmɛni ræts': jɛlp teɪks ɔn ðə ˈtoʊtəli feɪk ˈsərkəl ræt sanctuary’*’ aɪ sɔ 13 ræts ɪn 20 ˈmɪnəts. d.c*., wi hæv ə ˈroʊdənt ˈkraɪsəs.
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new york city health officials issued a warning to residents of an apartment building in the bronx borough after three people fell ill and one died of a rare bacterial infection linked to rats. (reuters)
one person died and two more fell seriously ill after contracting a disease that commonly spreads through “contact with rat urine,” according to the new york city department of health and mental hygiene.
the city's health department has identified a “cluster of three cases of leptospirosis” in one block of the bronx, according to a statement the department emailed wednesday to the washington post.
“leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is most commonly spread by contact with rat urine and is very rarely spread from person to person,” the statement said. “this illness can be serious but is treatable with readily available antibiotics.”
the new york times reports that the city is investigating the matter.
two people were diagnosed with leptospirosis in december, and another case was diagnosed in february.
leptospirosis — which the health department also described as a “bacterial disease spread by animal urine, in this case by rats (not mice)" — is pretty rare in new york, according to the agency. typically, the city sees about one to three cases of leptospirosis each year.
as a letter issued tuesday to heath-care providers noted: “human leptospirosis cases are very rare in new york city; this is the first time a cluster of cases has been identified.”
some of those who become infected with leptospirosis suffer no symptoms. others, however, might experience symptoms that included a fever, chills, vomiting or diarrhea, the department said. cases rarely become life-threatening.
the new york times reported that 26 cases of leptospirosis were reported in new york city from 2006 to 2016. of those cases, eight were in the bronx, according to the newspaper.
all three patients from december to february suffered from “acute kidney and liver failure” and were hospitalized, the times reported. the two survivors are now out of the hospital.
the health department is working with housing and building officials, as well as building owners to try to deal with rodent infestations, according to the agency.
@rubendiazjr says no reason to fear #leptospirosis in #bronx. but rat problem is horrific in some areas. it's a quality of life issue. pic.twitter.com/l19wfumbsp — john dias (@johnbdias) february 15, 2017
at a news conference wednesday, ruben diaz jr., bronx borough president, called for calm in the wake of the news.
“there's no need for panic at this moment,” he said. “we have been in contact with the elected officials in the area, we've been in contact with the city. there's going to be some more education. i think that what we need to do now is educate the public on exactly what it is that leptospirosis is.”
diaz also said he frequently hears complaints about rodents and rats, and not just from those who live in the bronx.
“this is, ladies and gentlemen, an issue that's a quality-of-life issue, it's a health issue,” he said. “and unfortunately what we've seen over the last couple days, it's a life-and-death issue.”
the department of health and mental hygiene advised people to avoid contact with rats or places where rats might have urinated. if someone comes in contact with areas where rats might live, the department suggests washing hands with soap and water afterward.
read more:
watch rats ‘giggle’ and jump for joy at being tickled
‘i have never seen so many rats': yelp takes on the totally fake ‘dupont circle rat sanctuary’
i saw 13 rats in 20 minutes. d.c., we have a rodent crisis.
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ˌæpərˈɪʃən həz prəˈvaɪdɪd wɪθ ðə ˈtreɪlər fər trɔɪ ðə seɪnts ii*: ɔl seɪnts deɪ, wɪʧ wɪl bi riˈlist ɪn ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˈθiətərz ɔn ɑkˈtoʊbər 30th*. ðə fɪlm ɪz ðə kənˌtɪnjuˈeɪʃən əv təf, ˈstaɪˌlaɪzd ˈkətɪŋ ɛʤ ˈsɑgə əv frəˈtərnəl twɪnz, ðə ˈbrəðərz (ˈnɔrmən reedus*, ʃɔn ˈpætrɪk ˈfleɪnəri). ðə tu hæv bɪn ɪn dip ˈhaɪdɪŋ ɪn ðə kwaɪət ˈvæliz əv ˈaɪərlənd, fɑr riˈmuvd frəm ðɛr ˈfɔrmər lɪvz ər ˈmɑdərn tɛkˈnɑləʤiz. wɪn wərd kəmz ðət ə prist həz bɪn kɪld baɪ ˈsɪnɪstər ˈfɔrsɪz ɪn ðə təf ˈəndərˌwərld əv ˈbɔstən, ðeɪ rɪˈtərn tɪ maʊnt ə ˈvaɪələnt ənd ˈblədi kruˈseɪd tɪ brɪŋ ˈʤəstɪs tɪ ðoʊz hu məst naʊ ˈsəfər ðə ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz, wɪθ ə nu ˈpɑrtnər ɪn kraɪm (ˈklɪftən ˈkɑlɪnz) ənd ə ˈsɛksi ˈɛfˈbiˈaɪ ˈɑpərətɪv (ˈʤuli bɛnz) hɑt ɔn ðɛr treɪl!
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apparition has provided comingsoon.net with the trailer for troy duffy’s the boondock saints ii: all saints day, which will be released in limited theaters on october 30th.
the film is the continuation of duffy’s tough, stylized cutting edge saga of fraternal twins, the macmanus brothers (norman reedus, sean patrick flanery). the two have been in deep hiding in the quiet valleys ofeland, far removed from their former lives or modern technologies. when word comes that a priest has been killed by sinister forces in the tough underworld of boston, they return to mount a violent and bloody crusade to bring justice to those who must now suffer the consequences, with a new partner in crime (clifton collins) and a sexy fbi operative (julie benz) hot on their trail!
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ðɪs ɪz ə ˈstɔri ðət wɑz ˈpoʊstɪd ɪn fɔr pɑrts ənd riˈmuvd səm mənθs əˈgoʊ fər ˌmɑdəfəˈkeɪʃən. ɪt həz rɪˈsivd ˈfɛrli sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˈɛdɪtɪŋ, ənd ɪz biɪŋ fər 9999 ɪn ə ˈsɪŋgəl noʊd ˈrəðər ðən fɔr. ɪt naʊ həz ə ˈprikwɛl ˈpriviəs nɛkst steɪt ˈoʊvərˌraɪd "ɪt ˈɪzənt ɛz ɪf juv gɑt ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈbɛtər tɪ ˈkɛri," ðə sɛd wɪθ ˈɑdəbəl skɔrn. "jul nid mi sun ɪˈnəf. əˈspɛʃəli ɪf ðə ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns əv jʊr rɪˈspɑnsɪz steɪz ɪn ðə reɪnʤ ðeɪv bɪn ɪgˈzɪbɪtɪŋ soʊ fɑr." aɪ ˌɪgˈnɔrd ðə smɔl vɔɪs ɪn ˈfeɪvər əv ˈwɑʧɪŋ maɪ lɛft fʊt raɪz, ðɛn fɔl. naʊ maɪ raɪt. əˈnəðər ˈmitər ər soʊ geɪnd. aɪ ˈplɑdɪd ˈɔnwərd fər ə fju stɛps, ðɛn swɪʧt ðə ˈɪntu maɪ lɛft hænd. aɪ hæd stɑpt sˈwɛtɪŋ səm taɪm ˌbiˈfɔr, dɪˈspaɪt ðə ˈsənˌʃaɪn. aɪ nu ðət wɑz ə bæd saɪn, bət ðə ˈsændi rɑk strɛʧt ɔn ˌbiˈfɔr mi wɪθ noʊ ˈfiʧərz ɪn saɪt, tɪ seɪ ˈnəθɪŋ əv ˈɛni saɪn əv ˈwɔtər. aɪd ˈgɪvɪn əp maɪ səˈplaɪz ənd ɪkˈwɪpmənt, soʊ ðɛr ˈwəzənt ˈɛniˌθɪŋ aɪ kʊd du əˈbaʊt ɪt. "ʤɪst soʊ ju noʊ, aɪ æm æt pərˈsɛnt kəˈpæsɪti ɔn maɪ ˈpraɪˌmɛri paʊər sɛl. aɪ hæv tu fʊl magblocks*, ɛz aɪ hæv ˈfɪnɪʃt ˈɪnəˌgreɪtɪŋ ənd ˈstrɪpɪŋ ðə moʊst ˈrisənt məˈtɪriəlz ˈloʊdɪŋ." ðə meɪd ə saʊnd aɪ kʊd hæv swɔrn wɑz ə snɪf. "nɑt ðət ðɛr wɑz məʧ ɪn sɛd məˈtɪriəlz. ˈsɪləkən, səm aɪərn, səm ʧɑn ənd ˈmæŋgəˌniz ˈnɑʤulz. ˈgrævəl." ðɛr wɑz ə ˈsaɪləns ðət ˈlæstɪd pərˈhæps ˈfɪfti ˈmitərz. ðɛn ðə gən ɪn maɪ lɛft hænd spoʊk ɪn ə kˈwaɪətər vɔɪs wɪθ ˈnɪrli ɔl ðə ˌɪnˈflɛkʃən liʧt frəm ɪt. "əm ˈsɑri." aɪ ˈdɪdənt ˈænsər, ˈhævɪŋ noʊ spɪt fər wərdz, bət ˈmænɪʤd ə ˈbrizi snɔrt wɪˈθaʊt ˈhævɪŋ tɪ ˈoʊpən maɪ maʊθ əˈgɛnst ðə ˈkɑnstənt dəst. aɪ juzd maɪ fri raɪt hænd tɪ əˈʤəst ðə ˈrægəd strɪp əv klɔθ taɪd əraʊnd maɪ aɪz ənd noʊz. wəns aɪ hæd ɪt ˈkəvərɪŋ ɛz məʧ əv ðə mɔr ˈprɛʃəs bɪts əv maɪ feɪs ɛz ˈpɑsəbəl, aɪ ˈlɪftɪd ðə ˈlɛvəl wɪθ maɪ hɛd ənd stɛrd daʊn ðə frənt ˈæpərʧər. ðə gən ənd aɪ lʊkt æt iʧ ˈəðər ɪn ˈsaɪləns fər ə taɪm. ðɛn ɪt sɛd, stɪl kˈwaɪətli, "ər ju ˈrɛdi?" aɪ ʃʊk maɪ hɛd wəns ənd drɑpt ɪt bæk tɪ maɪ weɪst ˈlɛvəl, ˈtərnɪŋ bæk tɪ ðə hərˈaɪzən ənd ðə ˈsɪrɪŋ ˈoʊkər skaɪ. aɪd kəm tɪ ðə ˈsərfəs əv ɪn staɪl, frəm ðə wum əv ə ˈlɑbi. ˈspeɪˌskræft ənd ˈɛrˌkræft wər ˈskætərd ˈhæfəzərdli əˈbaʊt ðə ˈsɛkʃən əv fjuzd rɑk ðət sərvd ɛz ðə, wɪθ ðə ɪkˈsɛpʃən əv wən lɑrʤ klɪrd strɪp daʊn ðə ˈmɪdəl wɪʧ simd tɪ bi ɪn juz ɛz ə ˈrənˌweɪ. twɪn roʊz əv ˈspeɪˌskræft hæd bɪn pɑrkt soʊ ɛz tɪ liv ðɪs pæθ bɪtˈwin ðɛm fər ə gʊd tu ˈkɪləˌmitərz əv ðə faɪv ðət ðə fild strɛʧt frəm ɛʤ tɪ ɛʤ. ɛz aɪ wɔʧt, ˈʃeɪdɪŋ maɪ aɪz frəm ðə ˌənfəˈmɪljər bleɪz əv ɛks, ə fæn daʊn ðə ˈoʊpən speɪs. dəst ənd sænd ˈbɪloʊd aʊt tɪ ˈiðər saɪd ɛz ðə kræft sloʊd ˈoʊvər ə ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli ˈsændi spɑt ɔn ðə ˈrənˌweɪ, skaʊərɪŋ ɪt klin ˌbiˈfɔr ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtɪŋ ɔf daʊn ðə fild təˈwɔrdz ðə nɛkst pæʧ əv ˌɪnˈtrudɪŋ ˈdɛzərt. aɪ tərnd ənd wɔkt təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈbɑksi ˈɑblɔŋ ˈstrəkʧər ˈsɪtɪŋ əˈlɔŋ ðə ˈsəðərn pərˈɪmətər, wɪʧ əˈpɪrd tɪ bi ðə ˈkloʊsəst θɪŋ tɪ pɔrt fəˈsɪlɪtiz wɪˈθɪn saɪt. bɪˈhaɪnd mi, ðə ˈsaɪləntli sild ɪts ləgˈʒəriəs ˌɪnˈtɪriər, ˈweɪtɪŋ fər mi tɪ riʧ səm spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈdɪstəns wɪʧ maɪt ər maɪt nɑt hæv hæd ðə tæg seɪf ɪn ɪts ˌɪnˈskrutəbəl kəmˈpjutər breɪn. ðɛn ɪt ɪts tɪ ə braɪt glɛr ənd bɪˈgæn tɪ raɪz, ʤɪst ɛz ˈsaɪləntli, bæk əp ðə sloʊp əv ðə ɛr təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈstɑrˌʃɪp ðət wɑz ˈweɪtɪŋ tɪ əkˈsɛpt ɪt tɪ ɪts brɛst ˌbiˈfɔr ˈʤəmpɪŋ aʊt əv ðə ˈælɪsən ˈsɪstəm ənd ˈlivɪŋ mi tɪ maɪ ˈbɪznɪs. ðə pɔrt ˈbɪldɪŋ hæd ˈsɛvərəl ˈdɔrˌweɪz rɛkˈtæŋgjələr ˈoʊpənɪŋz ɪn ðə blæŋk saɪd wɔlz wɪʧ hæd bɪn fɔrmd baɪ ə ˌsteɪbələˈzeɪʃən fusor*. ɪt lækt ɛr kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ, bət ðə ʃeɪd əˈloʊn drɑpt ðə ˈtɛmpərəʧər ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə ˈbɪldɪŋ baɪ səm ˈdəzən ər mɔr dɪˈgriz. aɪ lʊkt əraʊnd fər wət pæst fər ˈɛntri kənˈtroʊl ənd faʊnd ə ˈkaʊntər wɪθ tu bɪˈhaɪnd ɪt tɪ iʧ ˈəðər ɪn ən ˌɪnkoʊˈhɪrənt bət ˈklɪrli ˈstændərd ˈvərʒən əv bɔrd ˈsɪvəl ˈsərvənt ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən. ˈmuvɪŋ ˈoʊvər tɪ ɪt, aɪ pleɪst maɪ aɪˈdɛnt ɔn ðə ˈkaʊntər wɪˈθaʊt sˈlaɪdɪŋ ɪt ˈəndər ðə slɑt bɪˈloʊ ðə sɪˈkjʊrəti greɪt. boʊθ ðə stɑpt ˈtɔkɪŋ ənd tərnd tɪ feɪs mi, ɪf ðɛr wər ˈɛni ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən. ðə rɪˈzumd frəm ðə ˈnɪrər wən fər ə ˈmoʊmənt, ənd ðɛn ə məˈlɑdɪk vɔɪs sɛd sˈmuðli frəm ə ˈhɪdən ˈsəmˌwɛr, "pliz steɪt jʊr neɪm ənd ˈpərpəs fər ˈvɪzɪt." aɪ pʊʃt ðə aɪˈdɛnt ˈəndər ðə greɪt wɪˈθaʊt rɪˈplaɪɪŋ. ðə ˈnɪrəst ˈdɛləkətli tʊk ɪt wɪθ ə ˈfɔrwərd məˈnɪpjəˌleɪtər ənd dru ɪt daʊn ˈəndər ɪts ˈbɛrəl ˈθɔræks wɛr, prɪˈzuməbli, səm sɛns ˈɔrgən lərkt. ðə əˈʤeɪsənt məˈnɪpjəˌleɪtər muvd tɪ rɛst ɪts rɪst ɔn ðə ˈkaʊntər ɪn frənt əv mi ɪn ə ˈʤɛsʧər ɛz oʊld ɛz speɪs ɛz ðə "noʊ ˈsteɪtɪd ˈpərpəs fər ˈvɪzɪt. ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃənt aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən. ˈɛlɪʤəbəl fər ˈɛntri ˈbɛriər." ˈteɪkɪŋ faɪv ˈkrɪstəl ˈkrɛdɪt flæts frəm maɪ beltpouch*, aɪ slɪd ðɛm ˈoʊvər tɪ ðə ˈweɪtɪŋ məˈnɪpjəˌleɪtər, wɪʧ rɪˈsivd ðɛm wɪθ məʧ mɔr əˈlækrəti ðən ɪts meɪt hæd ˈteɪkən maɪ aɪˈdɛnt. ðə flæts ˈvænɪʃt ˈəndər ðə ˈθɔræks, ənd ə ˈmoʊmənt ˈleɪtər maɪ aɪˈdɛnt keɪm ˈseɪlɪŋ bæk aʊt, ˈnitli sˈlaɪdɪŋ ˈəndər ðə sɪˈkjʊrəti greɪt. aɪ slæpt maɪ raɪt hænd daʊn ɔn ðə ˈplæstɪk, hɑrd, ɪˈnəf tɪ reɪz ə ˈkrækɪŋ nɔɪz. boʊθ froʊz. aɪ ˈnɑdɪd tɪ ðə wən wɪʧ hæd ˈteɪkən maɪ braɪb. "θri fər ju. tu fər jʊr frɛnd fər nɑt ˌɪnˈvæləˌdeɪtɪŋ maɪ ˈɛntri, ˈleɪtər, wɪn əm gɔn. wɪn aɪ dɪˈpɑrt, ðə seɪm əˈgɛn ɪf əm nɑt ˈbɑðərd baɪ pɔrt kənˈtroʊl waɪl əm hir." ðɛr wɑz ˈsaɪləns, ðɛn ə kwɪk ˈʧɪtər. "əkˈsɛptəbəl. ˈwɛlkəm tɪ. pliz əbˈzərv ˈloʊkəl ˈwɛpənz ˈkəstəmz fər jʊr oʊn ˈseɪfti." "θæŋks." aɪ təkt maɪ aɪˈdɛnt bæk ˈɪntu maɪ paʊʧ ənd ˈhɛdɪd fər ðə ˈsɪtiˌsaɪd ˈɛksət. ˈəndər maɪ ˈʤækɪt, ðɛr wɑz ə ˈbɛrli ˈɑdəbəl snɔrt. "ˈfəkɪŋ dəmp," sɛd ðə gən. ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt ðət sprɔld aʊt frəm ðə ɛʤ əv ðə wɑz ˈwɛrəli fəˈmɪljər. loʊ ˈbɪldɪŋz bɪlt wɪθ ˈməsəl paʊər ənd ˈloʊkəl məˈtɪriəlz sprɛd aʊt daʊn ə ˈʤɛnəl sloʊp təˈwɔrdz ə ˈrɪvər. ɪn bɪtˈwin ðɛm, ˈkraʊdɪd strits ˈnoʊtəbəl fər ðɛr læk əv ˈplænɪŋ ənd ˈtɛndənsi tɪ ˌdɛˈdɛnd ˈkreɪzəli. ðɛr wɑz ə waɪd ˈbʊləˌvɑrd ˈsɛpərˌeɪtɪŋ ðə pɔrt frəm ðə ˈnɪrəst roʊ əv ˈbɪldɪŋz; ˈsɛvərəl ˈhənərd ˈpipəl əˈlɔŋ boʊθ saɪdz əv ɪt. ˈsɛvərəl ˈviɪkəlz pæst ɛz aɪ stɑpt ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ðə pɔrt ˈbɪldɪŋ tɪ lʊk boʊθ weɪz ə ˈhændˌfʊl əv groundcars*, tu ənd tu kɑrts. ðə fəˈmɪljər tɑŋ əv məˈnʊr ˌɪntərtˈwaɪnd wɪθ ðə ˈoʊdərz əv bərnt ˈlubrəkənt ənd ˈoʊˌzoʊn, ˈvɛriəs ˈlɛvəlz əv tɛkˈnɑləʤi ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðɛmˈsɛlvz noʊn ɪn ˈkɑnsərt. aɪ rɪˈmɛmbərd tɪ wɔʧ wɛr aɪ pʊt maɪ fit ɛz aɪ trəʤd əˈkrɔs ðə ˈbʊləˌvɑrd təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈnɪrəst ɪn, ə daʊn. skˈwɑtɪŋ əˈlɔŋ ðə kərb ɪt lʊkt laɪk ˈɛvəri ˈəðər pɔrt ɪn əˈkrɔs məʧ əv maɪ ˈmɛməri. ðə ˈbɪldɪŋz aɪ pæst wər kræmd wɪθ ʃɑps ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frəm stɔlz ˈsɛlɪŋ ˈækʧəwəl ˈplæstɪk bidz ɔn ə strɪŋ tɪ ˌɪnˈtɪriər ˈspeɪsɪz ˈædvərˌtaɪzɪŋ ˈsɛvənˈtin moʊdz əv sɛks. æt ðə ɪn, aɪ æst fər ə graʊnd flɔr rum. waɪl ðə wɑz ˈkoʊdɪŋ maɪ ki, ðə ˈəndər maɪ ˈʤækɪt, ə ˈwɔrnɪŋ aɪ ˈdɪdənt nid aɪd sin æt list tu əv ðə ɪn ðə ˈlɑbi gɪv iʧ ˈəðər sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt lʊks ɛz aɪ peɪd. wɪn aɪ muvd təˈwɔrdz ðə graʊnd flɔr ˈkɔrɪdər, ðeɪ stʊd ənd bɪˈgæn tɪ ˈæmbəl ˈæftər mi. ðə rum ˌɪtˈsɛlf lʊkt ˈnɔrməl ɪˈnəf, bət aɪ ˈdɪdənt pɔz lɔŋ ɪn ɪt. steɪɪŋ ʤɪst lɔŋ ɪˈnəf tɪ lɑk ðə dɔr, aɪ wɛnt aʊt ðə bæk ˈwɪndoʊ ənd stɑpt əˈkrɔs ðə ˈæli, ˈlinɪŋ əˈgɛnst ə wɔl ənd ˈwɑʧɪŋ ðə ˈɛmti rum θru ðə ˈoʊpən ˈwɪndoʊ (ˈʃətərz, noʊ peɪn). "θri əv ðɛm," sɛd ðə frəm ˈəndər maɪ ˈʤækɪt. aɪ pʊld ɪt aʊt ənd eɪmd ɪt ˈʤɛnərəli æt ðə ˈwɪndoʊ, ˈweɪtɪŋ. "pliz?" ɪt ˈædɪd. "ˈoʊnli ɪf ðeɪ kəm θru," aɪ toʊld ɪt. aɪ hərd ə ˈsplɪntərɪŋ kræʃ ɛz ˈsəmˌwən broʊk daʊn ðə dɔr, ˌɪnˈtɛnt ɔn ˌɪnˌtɪmɪˈdeɪʃən æt ðə ˈvɛri list. ðə geɪv ə ˈwaɪnɪŋ nɔɪz, nɑt tu laʊd. ðə vju ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə rum blərd ˈɪntu ə ˈmeɪlstrəm əv wʊd ˈsplɪntərz ənd ˈgrævəl ɛz ðə ˈwɪndoʊ freɪm əkˈwaɪərd ə fju ˈskɑləpt mɑrks əraʊnd ɪts ˈɪnər ɛʤ. ðɛr wɑz ə skrim, kˈwɪkli kət ɔf, ənd ðə braʊn ˈwərlˌwɪnd ɪkˈsploʊdɪd ˈbrifli ɪn rɛd ənd grin mɪst, ðɛn ðə stɑpt ˈfaɪərrɪŋ ənd ˈsɔftli tɪ ˌɪtˈsɛlf ɛz ɪt stɔrd ðə fɔr ˈbɛrəlz ɪt hæd ɪkˈstrudəd. "θri daʊn," ɪt ˈnoʊtɪd. "ˈjumən, ənd?" "tu." "ˈdɪdənt noʊ ðeɪ blid grin." "ðeɪ doʊnt. ðət wɑz ə ˈbɑtəl əv stunmist*." "ɑ." aɪ ðə ənd wɔkt aʊt əv ðə ˈæli, əraʊnd tɪ ðə frənt əv ðə ɪn. ðɛr wər stɪl ə fju ˈrændəm ˈpipəl əv ˈsɛvərəl ʃeɪps ˈlivɪŋ ðə ɪn. ðeɪ wər ɪn ðət ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr sɔrt əv streɪnd rəʃ ðət ˈrɪli wɔnts ju tɪ noʊ ðət ðə ˈɛrənd ɔn wɪʧ ɪts ˈoʊnər ɪz dɪˈpɑrtɪŋ ɪz ˈərʤənt ənd həz ˈnəθɪŋ tɪ du wɪθ ju. aɪ ˈweɪtɪd ənˈtɪl ðə dɔr wɑz ˈɛmti ənd ðɛn wɛnt ɪn əˈgɛn, ˈwɔkɪŋ ˈoʊvər tɪ ðə dɛsk. ðə klərk, ə meɪl əv ˈmɪdəl eɪʤ ˈʤəʤɪŋ baɪ ɪts krɛst, wɑz stɪl ˈstɛrɪŋ æt ðə ˈdɔrˌweɪ tɪ ðə rumz wɪθ wət aɪ gɛst wɑz ə ˈhɔrəˌfaɪd ɪkˈsprɛʃən. aɪ meɪd ɪt tɪ ðə ˈkaʊntər wɪˈθaʊt ɪm ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ mi, soʊ aɪ ræŋ ðə smɔl dɛsk bɛl. hi swəŋ spæzˈmɔdɪkli tɪ feɪs mi əˈgɛn. aɪ reɪzd maɪ ˈaɪˌbraʊz. "ɑ ɑ sər ər ˈmædəm ju ər wɛl." ɪts wɑz ʧip, noʊ ˌɪnˈflɛkʃən ər ˈiˌmoʊʃən ˈkələrɪŋ ðə flæt ˈstændərd ˈfreɪzɪŋ. aɪ smaɪld ˈpeɪʃəntli ənd ˈweɪtɪd. ɪt ˈmərmərd ˈsəmθɪŋ tɪ ðə, wɪʧ kənˈtɪnjud. "aɪ æm soʊ ˈvɛri ˈhæpi tɪ si ðət ju ər nɑt hɑrmd. ðɛr ər ˈvɛri bæd ɪn ðə pɔrt ˈɛriə hu θˈrɛtən ˈɪnˌkipərz soʊ ɛz tɪ preɪ əˈpɑn-" æt ðɪs pɔɪnt ðə stɑpt, ˈlɛtɪŋ θru ə dɪˈstɪŋkt skwɔk əv səm strɔŋ ˈiˌmoʊʃən. aɪ hæd drɔn ðə ənd tæpt ɪt ɔn ðə ˈkaʊntərˌtɑp twaɪs. ðə gən tɪkt sˈlaɪtli ɪn maɪ hænd. ɪt ˈwɪspərd stɑp ðət ɪn maɪ ɪr ˈjuzɪŋ boʊn kənˈdəkʃən. aɪ smækt ðə ˈkaʊntər ˈhɑrdər wɪθ ðə bət ɛnd əv ðə ɪn rɪˈspɑns, ɪˈlɪsətɪŋ ðə ˌɪˌlɛkˈtrɑnɪk ɪkˈwɪvələnt əv ən əˈgrivd saɪ, ðɛn ˈæŋgəld ðə ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ ɛnd əv ɪt əp təˈwɔrdz ðə feɪs. hi stɛpt ˈbækwərdz ˌɪnˌvɑlənˈtərəli ənd kənˈtɪnjud tɪ ˈmərmər ˈərʤəntli. "aɪ hæd noʊ aɪˈdiə ju wər wən əv ðə ˈɔθərˌaɪzd sər ər ˈmædəm ənd hæd ˈnəθɪŋ tɪ du wɪθ ðɪs ənˈfɔrʧənət-" (aɪ tæpt ɪm ɔn ðə noʊz wɪθ ðə) "-ðət ɪz aɪ wʊd hæv dɪsˈweɪdɪd maɪ ˈkɑligz hæd aɪ noʊn." aɪ ˈnɑdɪd ənd pʊt ðə bæk ˈɪntu maɪ ˈʤækɪt, ˌɪgˈnɔrɪŋ ɪts ˈsələn "ɔ..." ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə ˈpɪkʧər frəm maɪ ˌɪnˈsaɪd ˈpɑkət, aɪ pleɪst ɪt flæt ɔn ðə ˈkaʊntər ənd reɪzd ən ˈaɪˌbraʊ æt ðə. hi lʊkt daʊn jerkily*, ðɛn bɛnt ˈoʊvər tɪ pleɪs hɪz wik rɛd aɪz nɪr tɪ ðə ˈpɪkʧər fər ə fju ˈmoʊmənts. hi ˈroʊˌteɪtɪd hɪz hɛd ˈvɛriəs ˈæŋgəlz ɪn kwɪk ʤərks, ˈlʊkɪŋ ə bɪt laɪk ə ˈrustər ɪgˈzæmɪnɪŋ ə greɪn əv wit, ðɛn roʊz bæk tɪ ə ˈfʊli ˈstændɪŋ pəˈzɪʃən. "du ju sik ðɪs wən." aɪ ˈnɑdɪd. "aɪ hæv sin ðɪs ˈjumən. hi ər ʃi wɑz ə gɛst hir fər tu deɪz səm ˈstændərdz əˈgoʊ." aɪ lʊkt ðə ɪn ðə aɪ fər ə fju ˈsɛkəndz, ðɛn drɑpt ə ˈkrɪstəl flæt nɛkst tɪ ðə ˈpɪkʧər. wɪˈθaʊt ˈlʊkɪŋ, ɪt slɪd ðə ˈkrɛdɪt ɔf ðə ˈkaʊntər ˈɪntu ˈlɪmboʊ ənd ˈnɑdɪd. "hi ər ʃi wɔkt ˈɪntu ðə sɪr." "oʊ dɪr," sɛd ðə ɪn toʊnz əv kənˈsərn. ðɛr wɑz ə ˈblæŋkɪt əv stɑrz əˈbəv maɪ hɛd. aɪ wɑz laɪɪŋ əˈgɛnst ðə li saɪd əv ə loʊ dun, sænd ˈdəstɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə tɔp ɛz ə ˈstɛdi briz paɪld greɪnz əˈgɛnst ðə ˈɑpəzɪt sloʊp. aɪ wɑz ˈʃɛltərd ɪˈnəf ðət ðə ˈdrɪftɪŋ sænd ˈdɪdənt ˈjuʒəwəli riʧ mi. ˈlʊkɪŋ əp æt ðə laɪt ʃoʊ ˈwilɪŋ sˈloʊli ənd ˈsaɪləntli fɑr aʊt əv riʧ, aɪ kʊd ˈɔlˌmoʊst bɪˈliv ðət ðɛr wɑz ə gɑd, ʤɪst bɪˈkəz aɪ ˈkʊdənt ˌɪˈmæʤən stəˈtɪstɪks ˈmænəʤɪŋ tɪ bi ðət aɪˈrɑnɪkli ˈmɑkɪŋ. ðə wɑz laɪɪŋ əˈkrɔs maɪ ʧɛst, wɛr aɪ kləʧt ɪt ˈtaɪtli wɪθ boʊθ hænz. aɪ θɔt aɪ hæd slɛpt, ə fju taɪmz, ənd aɪ ˈkʊdənt əˈfɔrd tɪ luz træk əv ɪt ɪf ðə sænd ˈbɛrid ɪt waɪl aɪ slɛpt, aɪ maɪt ˈnɛvər faɪnd ɪt əˈgɛn. ɔl ɪt wʊd teɪk ɪn maɪ ˈwikənd steɪt wʊd bi fər ðə gən tɪ slaɪd ə ˈmitər ər soʊ downslope*, ənd ɪt wʊd ˈvænɪʃ ˈəndər ðə ˈɔnsˌlɔt əv wɪnd ənd sænd. aɪ ˌɪˈmæʤənd ɪt biɪŋ ənˈkəvərd tɪ grit ðə sən ə ˈsɛnʧəri hɛns wɪθ ə sɑrˈkæstɪk ˈkɑmɛnt ənd grɪnd ˈpeɪnfəli θru krækt ənd lɪps. ɪt tʊk mi ə deɪ tɪ əˈsɛmbəl səˈplaɪz ənd ə pɛr əv aʊərz tɪ kənˈfərm ðə ˈstɔri. θri əv ðə ˈvɛndərz aɪ ˈvɪzɪtɪd tɪ ˈpərʧəs ˈdɛzərt kɪt frəm ˈɔlsoʊ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd ðə ˈpɪkʧər. wən əv ðɛm hæd əreɪnʤd tɪ hæv maɪ kˈwɔri drɑpt ɔf faɪv ˈɪntu ðə sɪr, ðə ˈdɛzərt ðət strɛʧt nɔrθ frəm pɔrt. ə deɪ ˈleɪtər, ðɛn, aɪ stɛpt frəm ə ˈbætərd ənd hɪʧt maɪ ˈrəkˌsæk əp ˈɔntu maɪ ˈʃoʊldərz ˌbiˈfɔr ˈsɛtɪŋ aʊt ˈnɔrθwərd, maɪ buts ˈʃəˈfʊlɪŋ ɪn ðə pækt sænd. "ʃʊd aɪ ˈbɑðər ˈæskɪŋ waɪ wɪr nɑt ˈjuzɪŋ ə ˈviɪkəl?" æst ðə, ˈməfəld wɛr ɪt roʊd ˈəndər maɪ lus ˈkæfˌtæn tɔp. "ðə ˈdɪstəns æt wɪʧ ən ˈɛrˌkræft kʊd bi sin ər hərd aʊt hir ɪz məʧ ˈgreɪtər ðən ðə ˈdɪstəns æt wɪʧ aɪ kʊd bi ʃʊr əv siɪŋ ə ˈstændɪŋ ˈfɪgjər," aɪ toʊld ðə gən. "ənd sɪns nən əv jʊr kəmˈpeɪtriəts ər əraʊnd, ɔl ðə wənz əˈveɪləbəl fər haɪər hæv ˈbeɪsɪk gɪr ɔn ðɛm, noʊ ˈdisənt ˈæktɪv weɪv ˈsɛnsərz ər ˈivɪn rɪˈlaɪəbəl." "maɪ ˈsɛnsərz wərk faɪn." "jɛs, bət əm nɑt ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn flaɪɪŋ əraʊnd ðɪs ˈjusləs pleɪs fər ðə nɛkst deɪ ər soʊ waɪl ju gɪt bɔrd ənd spɛnd ðə taɪm ˌɪnˈsəltɪŋ mi." ðɛr wɑz ˈsaɪləns fər ə bɪt. ðɛn ðə gən sɛd, ˈθɔtfəli, "ər ju ˈpənɪʃɪŋ mi?" "gʊd lɔrd, noʊ. haʊ kʊd aɪ, ə mɪr ˈjumən, ˈpənɪʃ wən əv ðə ˈəplɪftɪd?" "ju ˈrɪli doʊnt hæv tɪ bi ðət sɑrˈkæstɪk," ɪt rɪˈplaɪd wɪθ ə hərt toʊn. "ɪf ju wɔnt mi tɪ bi ˈgreɪtfəl, stɑp ˈmeɪkɪŋ mi tɔk ɪn ðɪs dəst ənd ˈfɪgjər aʊt səm weɪ tɪ juz jʊr ˈsɛnsər swit wɪˈθaʊt ˈhævɪŋ tɪ bi ɪn maɪ hænd." ðə ɪn ɪts ˈhoʊlstər ə ˈkəpəl əv taɪmz. "aɪ doʊnt θɪŋk aɪ kən. aɪ kænt gɪt ˈprɑpər ˈklɪrəns ənˈlɛs əm biɪŋ səˈpɔrtɪd baɪ ə hænd ɪn ˈstændərd ˈkɛri pəˈzɪʃən. ˈɔlsoʊ, ðɪs təreɪn ɪz tu ˈhɪli; maɪ reɪnʤ wʊd bi ɪkˈstrimli ˈlɪmɪtɪd." "ɔl əv wɪʧ aɪ hæd, ɪn fækt, θɔt əv ˌbiˈfɔr ju gɑt ɔl bɪˈkəz jʊd ˈrəðər bi ɪn ə sild ˈviɪkəl." "du ju noʊ wət dəst laɪk ðɪs dɪz tɪ nanomotors*?" ðə snɪft əˈgɛn. "ˈɑbviəsli nɑt, ər ju ˈwʊdənt bi ˈdrægɪŋ mi θru ðɪs. əm ə priˈsɪʒən-" "jʊr ˌɪnˈsaɪd ə ˈhoʊlstər, ˈəndər maɪ tɔp. maɪ feɪs ɪz nɑt. stɑp ˈmeɪkɪŋ mi tɔk." ðɛr wɑz ˈsaɪləns fər ə gʊd tɛn ˈmɪnəts. aɪ wɔkt ˈstɛdəli ˈnɔrθwərd ˈɪntu ðə ˈdɛzərt, təˈwɔrd ðə fərst ɪn ə ʧeɪn əv ˈwɔtər hoʊlz ðət boʊθ ðə ˈloʊkəlz ənd ðə ˌnævəˈgeɪʃən ˈjunɪt bɪlt ˈɪntu ðə ˈhoʊlstər əˈgrid ɪgˈzɪstəd. "wət ɪz ʃi ˈkɛriɪŋ?" aɪ æst, ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ðə ˈpɪkʧər əv ən ənrɪˈmɑrkəbəl ˈjumən ˈwʊmən wɛr ɪt leɪ ɔn ðə ˈteɪbəl əv ðə ˈstɑrˌʃɪp flaɪər. ðə leɪ ɔn ðə ˈteɪbəl nɛkst tɪ ɪt, ˈsədənli ˈlʊkɪŋ tɪ mi ɛz ɪf ɪt wɑz ˈkraʊʧɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə ˈfoʊˌtoʊ. aɪ pʊʃt əˈweɪ ðə θɔt ɛz anthropomorphizing*; ˈdeɪnʤərəs wɪθ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd. "ɪts ə ˈdætə keɪs. ˈmeɪbi tɛn baɪ tɛn centis*." "ðət ˈaʊtˌbreɪk əv literalness*," aɪ ˈnoʊtɪd ˈdraɪli, "ˈdəzənt, ɪn maɪ ɪkˈspɪriəns, boʊd wɛl fər mi wɪn aɪ ˈæˌkʧuəli kæʧ əp tɪ hər." "əm ʃʊr aɪ ˈwʊdənt ˌəndərˈstænd," sɛd ðə gən. ˈsaʊndɪŋ prɪm. "wət ɪz ɪn ðə?" aɪ æst. "ənd ˌbiˈfɔr ju seɪ ɪt, aɪ min ɪn ðə sɛns əv wət ˈdætə. aɪ doʊnt kɛr raɪt naʊ wət ðə ˈmidiə ɪz." "ðæts ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd." "ənd ðæts ðə ˈsɛkənd ˈstoʊnˌwɔl. ðɪs ɪz ˈlʊkɪŋ lɛs ənd lɛs laɪk ə ʤɑb aɪ wɔnt tɪ ʤəmp əp, rən aʊt, ənd teɪk ɔn." ə nu vɔɪs broʊk ɪn ˌbiˈfɔr ðə kʊd seɪ ˈsəmθɪŋ snappish*. "wi doʊnt noʊ, prɪˈsaɪsli," sɛd ðə flaɪər ɪn ˈplɛzəntli ˈmɔʤuleɪtɪd toʊnz ˈoʊvər ðə nunciator*. "bət hər ˈsədən dɪˈpɑrʧər ənd hər ˈpɑrʃəli səkˈsɛsfəl əˈtɛmpt tɪ ˈsæbəˌtɑʒ ðə laɪt ˈkɛriər ˈhɔrnəts nɛst ɪn ðə kɔrs əv hər ɪˈskeɪp boʊθ ˈɪndəˌkeɪt ðət ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪt ɪz ʃʊd æt ðə ˈvɛri list bi ɪgˈzæmənd ɪf nɑt kənˈteɪnd ər ɪˈrædəˌkeɪtɪd." "wɛr dɪd ʃi ɪˈskeɪp frəm? wɛrd ʃi gɪt ɪt?" wɑz ə ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈrisərʧər ɔn ən ˌɑrkiəˈlɑʤɪkəl flaɪt ɪn wɔr ˈsɪstəm ˈbeɪtə aquilae*. ʃi wɑz læst əˈsaɪnd tɪ ðə ˈsərˌveɪ əv ˈsɛvərəl həlks, rɪˈkɔrdɪd ɛz dɪˈstrɔɪd ɪn wən əv ðə ˈfaɪnəl ˈækʃənz, huz trəˈʤɛktəri ˈdætə sərˈvaɪvd tɪ ə ˈjusfəl priˈsɪʒən." "ðɪs θɪŋ ɪz?" "wi du nɑt noʊ. ɪt ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl. ɪt ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ˈpɑsəbəl ɪt ɪz ðə ˈrɛmnənts əv ən juzd tɪ ˈnutrəˌlaɪz ðə ˈvɛsəlz. ɪt maɪt bi ˈsəmθɪŋ ɛls ɪnˈtaɪərli. ˈstændərd feɪld tɪ traɪɪʤ ər ˈrɛkərd ðə ˈɑbʤɛkt ˌbiˈfɔr dɪˈpɑrtɪŋ ɔn ðə ˈhɔrnəts nɛst fər ˈælɪsən. ʃi dɪˈklɛrd ˈimərʤənsi daɪˈgrɛʃən, ənd sɪns ðɛr wɑz noʊ ˈrizən tɪ ˈsəˌspɛkt hər æt ðə taɪm nən əv ɑr ˈkɑligz ər ˈɛlsˌwɛr nu ʃi hæd ðə ˈdætə ʃi wɑz ˈgrænɪd ˈpæsɪʤ wɪθ noʊ ənˈdu dɪˈleɪ." "wət ˈhæpənd tɪ ðə ˈhɔrnəts nɛst?" aɪ æst, ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd. "wi ənd ɪt ər stɪl ənˈʃʊr. ɪt ˈsəfərd ə lɔs əv kɔr ˈmɛməri ˌɪnˈtɛgrəti ˈæftər ˈriʧɪŋ ˈælɪsən, ənd wɪn ɪts ˈsɪstəmz rɪˈkəvərd, wɑz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər əˈbɔrd. ðə ˈkɛriərz ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈmɪʃən wɑz əˈproʊʧɪŋ ˈdɛˌdlaɪn, soʊ ɪt meɪd noʊ əˈtɛmpt tɪ rɪˈkəvər hər, ɪn laɪt əv ðə fækt ðət ɪt kʊd nɑt ˈdɛfənətli taɪ ˈstændərd tɪ ðə kɔr glɪʧ. ɪt wɑz ˈoʊnli ˈleɪtər, ˈæftər rɪˈkɔrdɪŋz frəm hər ˌɪnˌvɛstəˈgeɪʃən saɪt wər ˈprɑsɛst ɪn rɪˈspɑns tɪ hər ˈdrɑpɪŋ frəm ˈkɑnˌtækt, ðət ðə wɑz aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪd ɛz biɪŋ ɪn hər pəˈzɛʃən." aɪ sæt ɪn ðə fər ə fju ˈmoʊmənts, ˈθɪŋkɪŋ. ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ˈʤɛnərəli dɪsˈlaɪkt ˈjuzɪŋ ˈstændərd ˈjumən ˈeɪʤənts, bət ðeɪ wər ˈhæmpərd baɪ ðə læk əv ˈʧæsi. wən əv ðə ˈrizənz fər ðə wɔr hæd bɪn ðə ˈtɛndənsi əv ˈəplɪftɪd ˈɪntu ˈhjuməˌnɔɪd ˈvɛsəlz tɪ breɪk ræŋks wɪθ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ənd bɪˈgɪn tɪ aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ mɔr ˈkloʊsli wɪθ ðə ɔrˈgænɪk ðeɪ rɪˈzɛmbəld. ðə hæd ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈmænɪʤd tɪ kriˈeɪt ðɛr oʊn kənˈtroʊld eɪaɪ ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ˌɪntərˈvind ənd ˈmænɪʤd tɪ ˈlɪˌbərˌeɪt ðoʊz nu intelligences*. moʊst ˈdɪsədənts, ˈwɑʧɪŋ ðɪs, hæd kənˈkludɪd ðət ðə ˈəplɪftɪd hu hæd dɪˈfɛktɪd tɪ ðə kənˈglɑmərət ˈɔfərd ə ˈbɛtər pæθ təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈbreɪkɪŋ əv ðə uplifteds*' hoʊld ɔn haɪər tɛkˈnɑləʤi. ðə ˈəplɪftɪd hæd kəm daʊn ɔn ðə kənˈglɑmərət hɑrd, ðoʊ, ˈhəntɪŋ daʊn ɔl ðə ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl roʊg ˈəplɪftɪd hu hæd ʤɔɪnd ɪts ræŋks ənd ɔrˈgænɪks hæd bɪn wɪˈθaʊt ˈælaɪz ˈɛvər sɪns. ðə riˈʤɔɪnd ðə ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən. "aɪl bi wɪθ ju. ðɛrz noʊ ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən ʃiz ˈɛni fɔrm əv strɔŋ ˈdeɪnʤər, seɪv ðə ˈɪnsədənt wɪθ ðə ˈhɔrnəts nɛst, ənd maɪ ˈsɪstəmz ər combat-secured*, ənˈlaɪk ðə ˈpæsənʤər ˈækˌsɛs ˈsɪstəmz əv ðət ʃɪp." aɪ kɔkt maɪ hɛd. "bɪˈliv ɪt ər nɑt, ˈwəri əˈbaʊt ðə ʤɑb ˈwəzənt wət hæd mi ˈhɛzəˌteɪtɪŋ." "wət, ðɛn?" æst ðə flaɪər. "aɪ doʊnt maɪnd ˈhəntɪŋ bɪts əv kɪt fər ju. aɪ hæv noʊ ˈprɑbləm ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪtɪŋ roʊg tɛk rɪˈpɔrts. nɔr du aɪ hæv ˈɛni kwɑmz əˈbaʊt ˈʃətɪŋ daʊn ˈɔrgəˌnaɪzd tɛk roʊgz ɪf ˈnɛsəˌsɛri. bət ˈhəntɪŋ ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl ˈjumənz ˈsɪmpli bɪˈkəz ðeɪ meɪ hæv leɪd hænz ɔn ˈsəmθɪŋ ju doʊnt ˌəndərˈstænd, doʊnt laɪk, ər ər ʤɪst səˈspɪʃəs əv filz ɪnˈtaɪərli laɪk əm bæk ɪn ðə wɔr, ɔn ðə rɔŋ saɪd." ðɛr wɑz ə brif ˈsaɪləns. ðɛn ðə sɛd ˈkɛrfəli, "ju ər, ənd hæv bɪn, ɔn ɑr saɪd sɪns ju fərst pɪkt mi əp. ər ju naʊ seɪɪŋ ðət ju wɪʃ tɪ ˌriɪˈvæluˌeɪt jʊr ˈlɔɪəlti?" "noʊ." aɪ sɛd ɪt ˈʃɑrpli. "əm traɪɪŋ tɪ bi əp frənt əˈbaʊt ˈtɛlɪŋ ju wɛr ðə ˈlɪmɪts əv ðət ˈlɔɪəlti laɪ." "ækˈsɛptɪd," sɛd ðə flaɪər. "lɛt ˈjuˈɛs ˈkɑmprəˌmaɪz. ðɪs ɪz nɑt ə tərməˈneɪʃən əˈsaɪnmənt. nɔr ɪz ɪt jɛt ə rɪˈtrivəl. ɑr ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈpərpəs ɪn ˈsɛndɪŋ ju ˈæftər ɪz tɪ əkˈwaɪər ə fʊl ˈrɛkərd əv wət, prɪˈsaɪsli, ɪt ɪz ðət ʃi simz tɪ hæv faʊnd. ɪf æˈnælɪsɪs əv ðɪs ˈɑbʤɛkt ˈɪndɪˌkeɪts noʊ ˈrizənəbəl θrɛt, ðɛn ʃi ɪz tɪ bi əˈlaʊd tɪ kənˈtɪnju ɔn hər weɪ." "ðæts ə rɪˈlif. aɪ θɪŋk." aɪ sˈnɔrtɪd. "soʊ lɔŋ ɛz ɪt ɪz ˌəndərˈstʊd ðət ðɪs ɪz nɑt ə tərməˈneɪʃən nɔr ə snæʧ." "ənˈlɛs ə kəmˈpɛlɪŋ ˈrizən fər ðoʊz ˈɔpʃənz ərˈaɪzɪz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ɪgˌzæməˈneɪʃən əv ðə faɪnd, ɪt ɪz nɑt." "ˌoʊˈkeɪ." aɪ stʊd əp ənd slɪd ðə ˈɪntu ɪts ˈhoʊlstər, ˈpleɪsɪŋ ðə flæt ˈɪmɪʤ əv ðə flɛd ˈɪntu maɪ bɛlt paʊʧ. "lɛts du ɪt, ðɛn." ðə flaɪər tˈwɪstɪd ˌɪmpərˈsɛptɪbli ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ˈstændərd ənd əˈnaʊnst "wi ər ˈəndər weɪ fər ˈælɪsən. ɪn ˈsɛvənˈtin aʊərz, sɪks ˈmɪnəts, ˈilɛvən ˈsɛkəndz, *mɑrk*. wi wɪl ˈnoʊtəˌfaɪ ju tɪ priˈpɛr fər drɔp." aɪ wɔkt aʊt əv ðə təˈwɔrdz maɪ smɔl ˈkæbən tɪ siz ðə fju aʊərz əv slip aɪ wɑz ˈeɪbəl, ˌbiˈfɔr ɪt ˈstɑrtɪd ˈhæpənɪŋ əˈgɛn. ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ʤɑb. ɛz aɪ wɔkt sˈloʊli ɪn ðə dɪˈrɛkʃɪn əv ðə, ˈrəkˌsæk əˈgɛnst maɪ bæk ənd ðə ˈrɛstɪŋ wɪθ ə fəˈmɪljər weɪt ɪn maɪ ˈʃoʊldər rɪg, aɪ tɔkt wɪθ ɪt æt lɛŋθ. ðɪs wɑz ɑr ˈnɔrməl ruˈtin. aɪ stɪl bɪˈliv ðət ðə ˈrizən ðə θɪŋ ˈdɪdənt bloʊ maɪ hænd ɔf maɪ rɪst wɪn aɪ pɪkt ɪt əp, ɔl ðoʊz jɪrz əˈgoʊ, ɪz ˈsɪmpli ðət ɪt hæd ˈgɔtən bɔrd wɪθ noʊ wən tɪ tɔk tɪ. ə streɪnʤ ˈprɑbləm tɪ hæv, ɛz ə gən, bət ðɛn əˈgɛn wɪθ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ˈnəθɪŋ ɪz ˈnɔrməl. aɪd faʊnd ɪt ɪn ðə ruɪnz əv ə ˈjumən ˈkɑləni wɪʧ hæd ˈʧoʊzən tɪ əˈtɛmpt tɪ rɪˈzɪst ðə ˈəplɪftɪd wɪn ðeɪ əraɪvd tɪ ˈkɛri aʊt ðə ˈtɛnəts. aɪ hæd ˈnɛvər bɪn ʃʊr ˈwɛðər ðə ˈproʊˌgræm ðət lɪvd ɪn ðə hæd bɪn ðɛr ərˈɪʤənəli, ər ˈwɛðər ɪt hæd bɪn ˈbustɪd ˈɪntu baɪ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ənd ðɛn lɛft ðɛr ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə ˈwɛpən. "kən ju kəmˈjunəˌkeɪt wɪθ ðɛm frəm hir?" "nɑt æt ðə ˈmoʊmənt," sɛd ðə. "ɪf wən keɪm wɪˈθɪn reɪnʤ, aɪ kʊd; bət ðə kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz reɪnʤ ðət kən bi stəft ˈɪntu ˈsəmθɪŋ maɪ saɪz ɛz ə ˈtərʃəri ˈfəŋkʃən ɪz ˈfɛrli ˈlɪmɪtɪd." "wəts 'wɪˈθɪn reɪnʤ' min, ðɛn?" "oʊ, ɪf ə ˈstɑrˌʃɪp keɪm wɪˈθɪn ə fju ˈmɪljən əv ðə ˈsərfəs, jɛs. aɪ ˈwʊdənt bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ kəmˈjunəˌkeɪt ənˈtɪl ɪt meɪd, ðoʊ. aɪ doʊnt hæv ə steɪt tæp." aɪ ˈhædənt ɪkˈspɛktɪd ɪt tɪ. steɪt tæps paʊərd ðə əv ðə ˈəplɪftɪd, ənd aɪd ˈnɛvər sin wən sˈmɔlər ðən ə fju ˈmitərz skwɛr. ðoʊz, ɪf aɪ rɪˈmɛmbərd maɪ ˈbrifɪŋz ˈprɑpərli, hæd ə əv ˈsəmˌwɛr ɔn ðə ˈɔrdər əv ə ˈmɪljən tənz. "ɪz ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ðɛm laɪk ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ mi?" "nɑt prɪˈsaɪsli. ðɛr ər moʊdz əv kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃən, ˈjuʒəwəli fər juz wɪθ ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˈbændwɪdθ, wɪʧ ər ˈsɪˌriəˌlaɪzd kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃən ðət əˈprɑksəˌmeɪts spiʧ. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, wɪn wi ər biɪŋ ɪˈfɪʃənt (ənd aɪ nu ðət ðət wɑz ə dɪˈprɛsɪŋ əˈmaʊnt əv ðə taɪm) wi ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ ˌhɔloʊˈgræfɪk ɛkˌspɛriˈɛnʃəl ˈmeɪtrɪsɪz. ˈɪnəˌgreɪtɪŋ ðə ˈmeɪtrɪsɪz ˈɪntu ɑr oʊn ˈmæstər ˈstrəkʧər ɛˈsɛnʃəli tɛlz ˈjuˈɛs ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ðə wʊd wɔnt tɪ tɛl ˈjuˈɛs, ɪf ju si wət aɪ min." "aɪ səˈpoʊz aɪ du." "wət ər ju goʊɪŋ tɪ du wɪn ju faɪnd hər?" "stɪl ˈwərkɪŋ ɔn ðət." aɪ ˈʃɪftɪd ðə ˈrəkˌsæk ənd lʊkt əp æt ðə hərˈaɪzən. ə dɑrk sməʤ wɑz ˈrɛstɪŋ ɔn ɪt ʤɪst bɪˈloʊ ðə ˈbərnɪŋ skaɪ. "ɑ. ðət lʊks laɪk ən oʊˈeɪsɪs." ðə gən wɑz nɑt tɪ bi dɪˈflɛktɪd ðət ˈizəli. "ju doʊnt hæv ˈɛni plæn? ˈʃʊdənt ju bi ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðət?" "ˈnɛvər sɛd aɪ ˈwəzənt. haʊ kəm ju ənd jʊrz ər soʊ kənˈsərnd əˈbaʊt ðɪs ˈwʊmən?" "aɪ doʊnt ˌəndərˈstænd," sɛd ðə ˈstɪfli. "oʊ, doʊnt gɪt bɛnt aʊt əv ʃeɪp. ɪts ʤɪst ðət, wɛl, lʊk æt ɪt ðɪs weɪ ɛz ə ˈtiˌneɪʤər, aɪ ˈmænɪʤd tɪ gɪt hoʊld əv ə ˈludəkrəsli ˈpaʊərfəl ˈpərsɪnəl ˈwɛpən wɪʧ ˈɔlsoʊ hæd ən ˈəplɪftɪd ɛmˈbɛdɪd ɪn ɪt. jɛt ju ˈdɪdənt sɛnd ˈsəmˌwən ˈæftər mi." "wi dɪd nɑt hæv tɪ. aɪ wɑz ɔˈrɛdi wɪθ ju." "ɑ, aɪ si. soʊ ðə ˈprɑbləm hir ɪz ðət ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪt ɪz ðɪs ˈwʊmən həz faʊnd, ɪts ˈsəmθɪŋ nɑt ˈəndər jʊr ˈɪnfluəns." "ɪt ɪz ðə læk əv ˈdætə wɪʧ ɪz ðə ˈpraɪˌmɛri-" aɪ kət ɪt ɔf. "noʊ. ju ənd jʊrz hæv bɪn ˈkəmfərtəbəl nɑt noʊɪŋ, ˌbiˈfɔr; jʊr ˈpeɪʃənt. ðɪs ˈərʤənsi ˈɪzənt əˈbaʊt ˈnɑlɪʤ, ɪts əˈbaʊt kənˈtroʊl." ðɛr wɑz ə ˈsaɪləns fər ə bɪt. "aɪ səˈpoʊz ðət ɪz tru, tɪ səm dɪˈgri," sɛd ðə. "bət aɪ ˈkænɑt spik fər maɪ ˈkɑligz." "ˈvɛri wɛl, ðɛn. wət ɪz jʊr ˈpərpəs ɔn ðɪs ˈmɪʃən?" "ðə seɪm ɛz ˈɔlˌweɪz. tɪ kip ju əˈlaɪv. tɪ əˈphoʊld ðə ˈtɛnəts." "ɪn ðət ˈɔrdər?" "soʊ lɔŋ ɛz jʊr ˈlɔɪəlti ənd bɪˈheɪvjər ˈpætərnz rɪˈmeɪn ənˈʧeɪnʤd, ðɛn ðət ɪz ðə ˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈɔrdər əv maɪ praɪˈɔrətiz." "ðət wɑz ən ˌɪnˈkrɛdəbli ˈɛləgənt θrɛt." "du ju θɪŋk soʊ?" ðə gən æst. "aɪv ˈɔlˌweɪz kənˈsɪdərd ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ˈrəðər smuð." "fər ə ˈkænən, ˈmeɪbi." ɪt səlkt fər ðə rɛst əv ðə weɪ tɪ ðə ˈwɔtər hoʊl. ðə sən wɑz ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə dun wɪʧ hæd ˈʃɛltərd mi ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə naɪt. aɪ ˈstrəgəld tɪ maɪ fit, stɪl ˈhoʊldɪŋ ðə, ənd ˈstægərd ɔf ɛz ˈɪndəˌkeɪtɪd baɪ ðə ˈsənˌraɪz. aɪ θɔt ˈwɪstfəli əv ðə ˈrəkˌsæk fʊl əv sərˈvaɪvəl gɪr ənd əv ðə næv ˈjunɪt ɪn ðə ˈhoʊlstər, ðɛn kləʧt ðə tɪ mi ənd toʊld ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ðət ðə treɪd hæd bɪn wərθ ɪt. æt list, ɪt wʊd bi wərθ ɪt ɪf aɪ gɑt bæk tɪ pɔrt. ˈstægərˌɪŋ ɛz fɑr ɛz aɪ wɑz ˈeɪbəl ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈraɪzɪŋ hit əv ðə deɪ ˈoʊvərˈkeɪm mi tʊk ˈɛvəri aʊns əv maɪ ˌkɑnsənˈtreɪʃən. aɪ ˈdɪdənt drɔp ðə gən mɔr ðən fɔr ər faɪv taɪmz, ənd aɪ dɪd rɪˈmɛmbər tɪ pɪk ɪt əp ˈɛvəri taɪm, bɪˈkəz wɪn aɪ fɛl tɪ ðə sænd nɪr ˈmɪdˌdeɪ ənd ˈstɑrtɪd ˈdɪgɪŋ ɪn ðə sɔft ˈsərfəs tɪ traɪ tɪ ˈkəvər ˌmaɪˈsɛlf, aɪ hæd tɪ pʊt ɪt əˈsaɪd. aɪ gɑt fɑr ɪˈnəf daʊn ðət ðə sænd fɛlt ˈkulər, ənd ðɛn ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ ləˈbɔriəsli skup aʊt ə trɛnʧ æt ðət dɛpθ. ɛz bɛst aɪ wɑz ˈeɪbəl, aɪ leɪd maɪ ˈbɑdi ˈɪntu ðə dɪˈprɛʃən ənd ˈstɑrtɪd ˈskupɪŋ sænd ˈoʊvər ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ɪn ə paɪl. wɪn aɪ wɑz ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈkəvərd, ˈstəmək daʊn, aɪ pʊld ðə ˌəndərˈniθ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ənd pʊld maɪ ˈkæfˌtæn ˈoʊvər maɪ hɛd ənd pleɪst maɪ feɪs ɔn maɪ ˈfɔˌrɑrmz tɪ kip ən ˈɛrˌweɪ ˈoʊpən pæst maɪ rɪsts. ðɛn aɪ blækt aʊt. "ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi hir," sɛd ðə ˈʧɪrfəli ɛz ɪts noʊz twɪʧt əraʊnd ðə vju əv ðə fərst ˈwɔtər hoʊl frəm wɛr aɪ stʊd æt ðə ɛʤ əv ðə dɪˈprɛʃən. triz (ər æt list plænts əv səm sɔrt) sprɛd frəm ðə dæmp spɑt æt ðə ˈbɑtəm əp ðə ˈɛʤɪz əv wət lʊkt laɪk ə ˈkreɪtər, aʊt səm fju ˈmitərz ˈɪntu ðə ˈdɛzərt ˌɪtˈsɛlf ənd prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ə wɪθ ðɛr frɑndz. aɪ ðə əˈgɛn ənd trəʤd daʊn ðə sloʊp tɪ ðə smɔl ˈpədəl əv ˈmədi ˈwɔtər. ˈfɪlɪŋ maɪ kænˈtinz frəm ðə ˈtrɪkəl, aɪ ʃʊk ðɛm tɪ wərk ðə ˈfɪltərz ɛz aɪ lʊkt əraʊnd. ˈnəθɪŋ ˈɑbviəs ˈɪndəˌkeɪtɪd ˈɛni ˈrisənt ækˈtɪvɪti; ðɛr wər noʊ ˈfʊtˌprɪnts aɪ kʊd si ˈəðər ðən maɪ oʊn. ðə ʧaɪmd; aɪ θəmd ðə slaɪdz tɪ pʊʃ ðə smɔl kjubz əv ɛkˈstræktɪd məˈtɪriəl aʊt ənd tʊk ə swɪg frəm wən əv ðɛm. ɪt ˈteɪstɪd laɪk flæt, wɔrm ˈwɔtər, ɛz ɪkˈspɛktɪd. ˈkæpɪŋ ɪt, aɪ stoʊd boʊθ kænˈtinz bæk ɪn ðə ˈrəkˌsæk ənd stʊd. "wɛr tɪ naʊ?" keɪm ðə sˈlaɪtli ˈməfəld vɔɪs frəm ˈəndər ðə ˈkæfˌtæn. "seɪm dɪˈrɛkʃɪn," aɪ sɛd, ˈmæʧɪŋ ˈækʃən tɪ wərdz ənd ˈtrəʤɪŋ əp ðə ˈɑpəzɪt sloʊp. "haʊ du ju noʊ ʃi wɑz hir?" "aɪ doʊnt. bət əm ˈfɛrli ʃʊr ʃiz tɪ ðə nɔrθ, ənd əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə næv ðɛrz ˈoʊnli ðət wən ʧeɪn əv ɪn ðət dɪˈrɛkʃɪn, ˈprɑbəˌbli bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ˈfɑloʊ ən ˈækwəfər. əm ˈprɪti ʃʊr ʃil hɪt wən əv ðɛm, sɪns ʃi ˈoʊnli həz θri ər fɔr kənˈteɪnərz əv ˈwɔtər." ðə gən wɑz ˈsaɪlənt, wɪʧ aɪ tʊk tɪ ˈɪndəˌkeɪt ðət ɪt prɪˈfərd nɑt tɪ ækˈnɑlɪʤ ˈsɛnsəbəl ˈplænɪŋ frəm ɪts ˈjumən ˈpɑrtnər. aɪ grɪnd wəns ənd wɔkt nɔrθ. tu deɪz' wɔk brɔt mi wɪˈθɪn saɪt əv ðə nɛkst. ɪt fərst keɪm ˈɪntu vju frəm ðə tɔp əv ə haɪ rɪʤ, ə sməʤ ɔn ðə hərˈaɪzən ʤɪst laɪk ðə ˈpriviəs wən. aɪ tʊk aʊt ðə ənd eɪmd ɪt ˈʤɛnərəli æt ðə dɑrk spɑt. "aɪ hæv wən ˈtərgət," sɛd ðə gən ɪn toʊnz əv feɪnt səˈpraɪz. aɪ ˈgrəntɪd, ənd ðɛn leɪd ə skɑrf əˈtɑp ðə ənd pleɪst ðə ɔn ɪt, eɪmd æt ðə. "wət ər ju duɪŋ?" ɪt æst. "ɪf əm goʊɪŋ tɪ goʊ ˈoʊvər ðɛr ənd tɔk tɪ ðɪs ˈwʊmən, aɪ wɔnt ju ˈseɪfli ˈoʊvər hir." "haʊ æm aɪ seɪf ɪf əm ˈoʊvər hir? fər ðət ˈmætər, haʊ ər ju seɪf ɪf əm ˈoʊvər hir?" "jʊr seɪf bɪˈkəz ɪf ˌwəˈtɛvər ʃi juzd tɪ ˌɪnərˈfɪr wɪθ ðə ˈhɔrnəts nɛst ɪz stɪl əˈveɪləbəl tɪ hər, ɪt kænt hərt ju ɪf ʃi ˈdəzənt noʊ jʊr hir. aɪ hoʊp, æt list. əm seɪf bɪˈkəz aɪ hæv fʊl ˈkɑnfədɛns ðət ju kən faɪər ˈkəvər fər mi frəm hir ɪf aɪ hæv tɪ ɪˈskeɪp bæk ðɪs weɪ." "ˈoʊnli ˈɛnərʤi faɪər," ðə gən wɔrnd. "ɪf jʊr nɑt ˈhoʊldɪŋ mi, əm nɑt goʊɪŋ tɪ bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ θroʊ mæs." "ðæts faɪn. aɪ prɪˈfər faɪər ðət goʊz streɪt, æt ðɪs ˈdɪstəns." "ju seɪ ðət naʊ. weɪt ənˈtɪl ju si haʊ məʧ ˌætməsˈfɛrɪk dɪˈstərbəns ju gɪt frəm hit ˈʃɪmər æt ðɪs ˈdɪstəns." "nɑt ɔl jʊr moʊdz ˌrikˈwaɪər ˈtɑrgətɪŋ." "ɪts tru. aɪ æm ˌənˈkɑmənli ˈgɪftɪd," sɛd ðə. "əm ˈtrəstɪŋ ju tɪ səˈlɛkt əˈproʊpriɪtli ɪf ju hæv tɪ faɪər pæst mi, pliz." "wɛl, aɪl θɪŋk ɔn ɪt," sɛd ðə gən, ˈvaɪbreɪtɪŋ sˈlaɪtli tɪ sɪŋk mɔr ˈsɑlədli ˈɪntu ðə sænd. ðə skɑrf bənʧt sˈlaɪtli əraʊnd ɪt. "jul hæv taɪm. ˈɪtəl teɪk mi ə ˈkəpəl əv aʊərz tɪ meɪk ðət wɔk. doʊnt gɪt bɔrd." "əm ɔˈrɛdi bɔrd," graʊst ðə. ɪts tɔp ˈsərfəs ˈdɑrkənd ɛz ɪt dɪˈplɔɪd kənˈvərʒən sɛlz tɪ ɪts skɪn tɪ kæʧ ðə ˈsənˌlaɪt. "aɪl ʤɪst sɪt hir ˈʧɑrʤɪŋ ənd ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf." "faɪn." aɪ stʊd ənd ˈstɑrtɪd daʊn ðə sloʊp. wɑz ˈweɪtɪŋ baɪ ðə saɪd əv ðə smɔl pul wɪn aɪ ˈklæmbərd ˈoʊvər ðə ɛʤ əv ðə tu aʊərz ˈleɪtər. ðə sən wɑz loʊər ɪn ðə skaɪ, bət nɑt soʊ loʊ ðət ðə dɪˈprɛʃən wɑz ɪn ˈʃæˌdoʊ. aɪ ˈdəstɪd ɔf maɪ hænz ənd half-walked*, daʊn ðə sloʊp təˈwɔrdz hər. ʃi wɑz ə mɛs, aɪ ˈnoʊtɪd ɛz aɪ əˈproʊʧt. ʃi hæd ə tɛnt pɪʧt ə fju jɑrdz frəm ðə ˈwɔtər hoʊl ənd ðɛr wər tu kænˈtinz baɪ ðə saɪd əv ðə ˈwɔtər. ʃi wɑz ˈkəvərd ɪn dəst ənd məd striks; ðɛr wɑz ən ɪkˈsprɛʃən əv strɛs ənd ˈæŋgər ɔn hər feɪs. ʃi wɑz ˈstændɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə kænˈtinz ənd ˈeɪmɪŋ ˈsəmθɪŋ æt mi ðət frəm hər stæns əˈloʊn hæd tɪ bi səm sɔrt əv ˈwɛpən. aɪ ˈlɪftɪd maɪ hænz tɪ ˈʃoʊldər ˈlɛvəl ənd əˈproʊʧt, ˈstɑpɪŋ ə fju ˈmitərz əˈweɪ. "hu ər ju?" ʃi æst, hər vɔɪs hɑrʃ frəm ˌdihaɪˈdreɪʃən ənd strɔŋ ˈiˌmoʊʃən. "əm ən ˈəplɪftɪd ˈeɪʤənt." ðə gən roʊz tɪ pɔɪnt ˈrəðər ˈnoʊtɪsəbli æt maɪ hɛd. "ðɛn jʊr ˈæftər mi." "aɪ wɑz sɛnt tɪ faɪnd ju, jɛs. aɪ ʃʊd tɛl ju æt ðə ˈaʊtˌsɛt ðət aɪ wɑz ɪkˈsplɪsətli toʊld nɑt tɪ hɑrm ər ˈkɪdˌnæp ju." "waɪ ʃʊd aɪ bɪˈliv ju? waɪ ʃʊd aɪ bɪˈliv ðət jʊr ˈmaɪndər woʊnt ˌdɪˈsaɪd tɪ du əˈweɪ wɪθ mi ɔn ɪts oʊn?" "ðæts ə ˈvɛri gʊd- lʊk, meɪ aɪ sɪt daʊn? əm ʤɪst goʊɪŋ tɪ sɪt wɛr aɪ æm, ɪts bɪn ə lɔŋ wɔk." ʃi ðə gən ɪn ə ˈnɑnkəˈmɪtəl sɔrt əv weɪ, soʊ aɪ sæŋk ˈgreɪtfəli tɪ ə pəˈzɪʃən, ˈhoʊpɪŋ ɪt wʊd lʊk lɛs θˈrɛtənɪŋ. "θæŋks," aɪ sɛd, ˈsɛtəlɪŋ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf. "ˈsɑri, tɪ kənˈtɪnju ðoʊz ər gʊd pɔɪnts. fərst əv ɔl, aɪ ʃʊd tɛl ju ðət maɪ ˈmaɪndər ˈɪzənt hir." "wɛr ɪz ɪt?" "ɪts tu aʊərz wɔk saʊθ əv hir, əˈtɑp ðət tɔl rɪʤ ju kən ʤɪst meɪk aʊt." "ənd?" "ənd ðə ˈsɛkənd θɪŋ ɪz ðət ˌɔlˈðoʊ jɛs, ɪts ə ˈwɛpən, ɪt kænt ˈloʊˌkeɪt ˈjuˈɛs wɪθ ˈɛni priˈsɪʒən ɪf wi steɪ bɪˈloʊ ðə rɪm əv ðɪs dɪˈprɛʃən." ʃi lʊkt æt mi səˈspɪʃəsli fər ə ˈmoʊmənt. aɪ weɪvd æt ðə lɪp aɪd ʤɪst klaɪmd ˈoʊvər. "ˈrɪli. aɪ ˈɛstəˌmeɪt jʊd hæv tɪ bi səm ˈmitərz aʊt ˈɪntu ðə pul ˌbiˈfɔr jʊd hæv ən ˈæŋgəl ɔn ɪts pəˈzɪʃən." "ɪt kən stɪl faɪər æt ˈjuˈɛs." "jɛs, bət ɪt kænt si θru sænd ˈvɛri wɛl. ɪt sɔ ðət ðɛr wɑz ə ˈtərgət hir, bət ɪt wʊd hæv ril ˈtrəbəl ˈʃutɪŋ θru ər əraʊnd ə fju ˈmitərz əv sænd tɪ hɪt ju, əˈspɛʃəli ɪf ɪts traɪɪŋ tɪ əˈvɔɪd mi." "ðɛn wəts ðə pɔɪnt əv ɪt biɪŋ ðɛr?" "wɛl, fər wən θɪŋ, ɪf aɪ ɛnd əp ˈrənɪŋ əˈweɪ, ɪts ɪn ə gʊd spɑt tɪ prəˈvaɪd ˈkəvər faɪər ɪf aɪ rən təˈwɔrdz ɪt." ʃi lʊkt æt mi fər ə fju mɔr ˈmoʊmənts, ðɛn sæŋk hərˈsɛlf tɪ ə ˈnilɪŋ poʊz, ˈsɪtɪŋ bæk ɔn hər hilz wɪθ ðə gən ˈrɛstɪŋ əˈgɛnst wən θaɪ. "ɪf jʊr nɑt hir tɪ hərt ər snæʧ mi, waɪ ər ju hir?" "ju faʊnd ˈsəmθɪŋ ɔn ðət ˈkruzər." "ˈmeɪbi." "ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪt ɪz, ðə ˈəplɪftɪd wɔnt tɪ noʊ wət ɪt ɪz. ðæts ɔl ðət maɪ ʤɑb ˈkəvərz. ˈfaɪndɪŋ aʊt wət ɪt ɪz ənd ˈgɪtɪŋ ðət ˈdætə bæk tɪ ðɛm. ðɛrz noʊ ˈrizən fər mi tɪ dɪˈteɪn ju wəns aɪ hæv ðət ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən, wɪʧ minz ˈivɪn ɪf ju kˈwɑpərˌeɪt wɪθ mi, ju hæv səm deɪz hɛd stɑrt. jʊr nɑt ˈgɪvɪŋ əp məʧ, sɪns ðeɪ ˈɑbviəsli ɔˈrɛdi noʊ əˈprɑksəmətli wɛr ju ər. ɪf ju prɪˈfər, ju kən əˈkəmpəni mi bæk tɪ pɔrt ənd aɪ ˈprɑməs ju aɪl gɪv ju ɛz ˈmɛni deɪz ɛz ɪt teɪks ˈjuˈɛs tɪ wɔk bæk ˌbiˈfɔr aɪ rɪˈpɔrt ɪn." "waɪ ʃʊd aɪ gɪv ju ˈɛniˌθɪŋ? waɪ ˈʃʊdənt aɪ ʤɪst ʃut ju hir?" ʃi ˈlɪftɪd ðə gən əˈgɛn. "θri ˈrizənz," aɪ sɛd wɪθ wət aɪ hoʊpt wɑz ə kɑm vɔɪs. "wən, ðɛrz ə ʧæns ðɛl ʤɪst lɛt ju goʊ ɪf ju gɪv ðɛm ðə ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən. ɪf ju kɪl ðɛr ˈeɪʤənt, ðɛrz noʊ weɪ ðɛl liv ju bi, ənd ðə pərˈsut wɪl bi məʧ ˈhɛviər. tu, jʊd stɪl hæv tɪ gɪt pæst maɪ ˈmaɪndər. θri, ɪf ju wər ˈrɪli goʊɪŋ tɪ ʃut mi, jʊd hæv ʤɪst dən soʊ, ənd nɑt ˈbɑðərd ˈæskɪŋ ə rɪˈtɔrɪkəl kˈwɛʃən." hər feɪs ˈtaɪtənd æt ðə læst. aɪ ʃət əp. "əm nɑt goʊɪŋ tɪ gɪv ɪt tɪ ðɛm." ʃi loʊərd ðə gən əˈgɛn. aɪ traɪd tɪ haɪd maɪ ˌɛkshəˈleɪʃən əv rɪˈlif. "gɪv wət tɪ ðɛm?" "əm nɑt ˈtɛlɪŋ ju ðət, ˈiðər." "aɪ θɪŋk aɪ hæv ə gɛs ɛz tɪ wət ɪt kən du, ɪf nɑt wət ɪt ɪz." ʃi lʊkt æt mi. "aɪ θɪŋk ɪts ən ˈoʊvərˌraɪd. ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət lɛts ju dɪˈrɛkt ðə ˈækʃənz əv ən ˈəplɪftɪd, ər æt list ðɛr ˈsəbˌsɪstəmz." "haʊ du ju gɪt ðət?" "ju ɪˈskeɪpt frəm ðə ˈhɔrnəts nɛst baɪ ˈskræmbəlɪŋ ɪts kɔr ˈmɛməri ˈrɛkərdz. ju, ɛz fɑr ɛz aɪ noʊ, doʊnt hæv ðə ˈtɛknɪkəl skɪl tɪ du ðət wɪˈθaʊt ˈiðər ˈəplɪftɪd hɛlp ər ə tul. sɪns əm goʊɪŋ tɪ əˈsum ðət jʊr nɑt ˈæktɪŋ æt ðə bɪˈhɛst əv səm roʊg ˈəplɪftɪd, əm goʊɪŋ tɪ əˈsum ju hæv ə tul." "du goʊ ɔn." ðə kɔr ˈmɛməri əv ə laɪt ˈkɛriər tɪ ˈoʊnli riˈmuv ðoʊz pɑrts əv ɪt ˈrɛləvənt tɪ jʊr dɪˈpɑrʧər ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət noʊ tul kʊd bi tɪ du, ˈgɪvɪn haʊ fæst ənd haʊ ˈɔfən ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ɪˈvɑlv ðɛr kɔr koʊd. ˈərgoʊ, ðə ˈoʊnli weɪ ɪt kʊd hæv bɪn dən kˈwɪkli ənd ˈklinli wʊd bi kənˈvɪnsɪŋ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ɪn kˈwɛʃən tɪ du ɪt tɪ ˌɪtˈsɛlf." "ənd ju θɪŋk aɪ hæv səm weɪ əv ˈfɔrsɪŋ ðɛm tɪ du wət aɪ wɔnt." "ˈiðər ju hæv ə ˈsɛpərˌeɪt eɪaɪ wɪʧ ɪz ˈkeɪpəbəl əv duɪŋ ʤɪst ðət, ər ju hæv ə tul wɪʧ wɪl səbˈvərt ðɛm ˈɪntu əkˈsɛptɪŋ kəˈmændz tɪ ˈdæmɪʤ ðɛr oʊn ɛkˌspɛriˈɛnʃəl ˈstrəkʧər. prɪˈvɛnɪŋ səʧ ˈdæmɪʤ ɪz wən əv ðɛr kɔr dɪˈrɛktɪvz. ðət ˈɪzənt lɑrʤ ɪˈnəf ˈgɪvɪn ðə tɛkˈnɑləʤi ˈɛkstənt ɪn ðə ər kənˈglɑmərət ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə wɔr tɪ haʊs ənd rən ən maɪnd." "jʊr ə ˈvɛri ˈlɑʤɪkəl mæn." "θæŋk ju." "soʊ wət du ju ˈrɪli wɔnt, ˈgɪvɪn ðət ju lɛft jʊr ˈmaɪndər θri aʊərz əˈweɪ ɔn tɔp əv ə rɪʤ wɛr ɪt kænt si ər hir ˈjuˈɛs?" aɪ lʊkt æt hər fər ə fju ˈmoʊmənts. ʃi lʊkt bæk, hər gən əˈgɛnst hər lɛg. aɪ ʃrəgd. "aɪ wɔnt ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd." "waɪ?" "waɪ dɪd ju wɔnt ɪt? waɪ dɪd ju rən?" ʃi lʊkt æt ðə graʊnd fər ə ˈmɪnət. "əm nɑt wən əv ðə ˈɔθərˌaɪzd. tɛk woʊnt tɔk tɪ mi, woʊnt wərk fər mi ənˈlɛs ɪts bɪn dɪˈrɛktɪd tɪ baɪ ən ˈəplɪftɪd fər ə ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ˈrizən. aɪ hæv ðə wərst əv boʊθ wərldz." "aɪ ˌəndərˈstænd." "du ju?" ʃi lʊkt əp, tɪrz ɪn hər aɪz, ˈnəkəlz waɪt əraʊnd ðə gən. "maɪ ˈhoʊmˌwərld rɪˈlaɪd ɔn priˈwɔr məˈʃinəri fər səˈpɔrt, ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ʃoʊd əp ənd ˈiðər ər ˈlɪˌbərˌeɪtɪd ɔl əv ɪt. ðeɪ ʃoʊd noʊ ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ˈɛmpəθi təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈjumənz ðət ɪt wɑz ˈkipɪŋ əˈlaɪv. aɪ gru əp ˈjuzɪŋ hænd tulz tɪ sərˈvaɪv. maɪ ˈpɛrənts daɪd fər læk əv ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ən ˌɪnˈtɛləʤənt medbot*, frəm ə ˈstupɪd dɪˈziz ðət ˈivɪn ə dəm kəmˈpjutər wʊd hæv bɪn ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˌdaɪəgˈnoʊs ənd trit. maɪ ˈfæməli, ɑr hoʊl ˈkɑləni, daɪd aʊt nɑt fər læk əv ˈɛfərt ər wɪl bət bɪˈkəz wi wər dɪˈnaɪd tulz ðət ˈɛni ˈneɪsənt ˈjumən ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən teɪks fər ˈgrænɪd!" hər vɔɪs roʊz tɪ ə ʃaʊt æt ðə ɛnd. ʃi tʊk ə fju ˈsɛkəndz tɪ kɑm daʊn, ðɛn wɛnt ɔn, hər vɔɪs naʊ loʊ, ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ðə dərt ˈmɪdˌweɪ bɪtˈwin ˈjuˈɛs. "aɪ wɛnt tɪ wərk fər ðɛm tɪ traɪ tɪ faɪnd ə weɪ tɪ meɪk ə ˈdɪfərəns. ɪt tʊk mi ˈfɪfˈtin jɪrz ˌbiˈfɔr aɪ faʊnd ə pəˈtɛnʃəl hɪt, ˈsɪftɪŋ θru ðə ˈrɛkərdz, əv ðɛr aɪz goʊɪŋ roʊg ɛz ən əˈpɛrənt rɪˈspɑns tɪ kənˈglɑmərət ɛz əˈpoʊzd tɪ ðə ˈnɔrməl ənd ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən ðət kəmz əˈbaʊt frəm ðə ˈəplɪft ˈɔpʃən." "aɪ kən hɛlp,." "haʊ?" aɪ tʊk ə dip brɛθ. "bɪˈkəz aɪ wɔnt ðə seɪm θɪŋ ju du. gɪv mi ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, ənd aɪl juz ɪt." "lʊk," sɛd ɛz wi priˈpɛrd tɪ pɑrt, "maɪ ˈfaɪnəl kənˈdɪʃən ɪz ðət ju gɪv mi jʊr gɪr." "wət? waɪ?" "θri ˈrizənz, ˈlɑʤɪkəl mæn. fərst, maɪn ɪz ˌɪnˈfɪriər ənd aɪ nid ɪt. ˈsɛkənd, ɪt wɪl tɛl mi ðə dɪˈgri tɪ wɪʧ jʊr ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ goʊ tɪ kip jʊr wərd ər ˈkɛri aʊt jʊr ˈmɪʃən. ənd θərd, ɪf ju doʊnt meɪk ɪt bæk tɪ ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən, aɪ kən ˈɔlˌweɪz ˈbækˌtræk tɪ faɪnd jʊr kɔrps ənd ˌripəˈzɛs ðə keɪs." "ðæts ˈfɛrli ˈkoʊldˈblədəd." "du ju θɪŋk wid bi hir ɪf boʊθ əv ˈjuˈɛs wərənt?" ðɛr ˈrɪli ˈwəzənt ˈɛni ˈænsər tɪ ðət. "ju ɛnˈdeɪnʤər jʊr bɛst ʧæns əv siɪŋ jʊr goʊl mɛt." "əm nɑt ʃʊr aɪ θɪŋk jʊr plæn ɪz ðə bɛst ʧæns. bət ɪf ju feɪl, aɪl stɪl hæv ən ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ traɪ ɪt maɪ weɪ." wi ˈɑrgjud əˈbaʊt ðɪs fər ə waɪl, ðɛn aɪ ðə ˈrəkˌsæk ənd ˈhoʊlstər ənd ˈhændɪd ðɛm ˈoʊvər. ʃi tʊk boʊθ ənd pæst mi ðə. aɪ ˈstrəgəld bæk ˈoʊvər ðə ˈkrəmbəlɪŋ rɪm əv ðə oʊˈeɪsɪs ənd strək aʊt təˈwɔrdz ðə rɪʤ. ɛz sun ɛz aɪ wɑz ˈstændɪŋ, aɪ weɪvd maɪ raɪt ɑrm ɪn ə ˈdəbəl ˈsərkəl ˈfɔrwərd ðɛn ə ˈdəbəl ˈsərkəl ˈbækwərdz, ˈsɪgnəlɪŋ ðə ðət aɪ wɑz əˈloʊn, ənˈhɑrmd, ənd nɑt ˈəndər ˈdʊrɛs. ðɛn aɪ ˈfoʊkɪst ɔn ðə wɔk bæk. ðə wɑz stræpt tɪ maɪ ʧɛst baɪ ən ɪˈlæstɪk bɛlt. aɪ ˈdɪdənt hir dɪˈpɑrt, bɪˈhaɪnd mi; aɪd wɔrnd hər tɪ weɪt ənˈtɪl aɪd hæd taɪm tɪ riʧ ðə, soʊ ðət ɪt ˈdɪdənt kənˈsɪdər hər ˈmuvmənts ən ɪˈskeɪp əˈtɛmpt. "wɛl," aɪ sɛd tɪ ðə, "juv kɔst mi ə fɛr əˈmaʊnt əv rɪsk, aɪ hæv tɪ seɪ." maɪ ˈhæbət əv ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ˌɪˈnænəmət ˈɑbʤɛkts hɛld mi ɪn gʊd stɛd ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə rɪˈtərn, ənd ə pɛr əv aʊərz ˈleɪtər aɪ faʊnd ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ˈstəmbəlɪŋ əp ðə sloʊp əv ðə rɪʤ təˈwɔrdz wɛr aɪ θɔt ðə wɑz. maɪ ˈfʊtˌprɪnts hæd ɪˈroʊdɪd ˈɪntu ðə briz, ənd wɪn aɪ riʧt ðə rɪʤ aɪ lʊkt lɛft ənd raɪt ˌbiˈfɔr siɪŋ ə braɪt flɛr ɔf tɪ ðə ist səm ˈhənərd ˈmitərz. ˈriʧɪŋ ðə spɑt rɪˈvild ðə, stɪl ɔn ɪts skɑrf bət ˈpɑrʃəli ˈkəvərd baɪ ˈdrɪftɪŋ sænd. "ju tʊk jʊr taɪm," ɪt sɛd. "gɪt mi aʊt əv ðɪs stəf." aɪ pɪkt ɪt əp ənd hɛld ɪt. "wɛrz ðə ˈrəkˌsæk?" ɪt æst, ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ ðə ˈæbsəns. "ənd maɪ ˈhoʊlstər?" aɪ ɪkˈspleɪnd ðət aɪd ˈtreɪdɪd ɪt fər ðə əˈbʤɛktɪv. "lɛt mi si ɪf aɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðɪs kərˈɛktli," sɛd ðə gən. "wɪr θri deɪz wɔk nɔrθ əv ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən ənd ju geɪv əˈweɪ ɔl jʊr ˈwɔtər?" "wət ər ju kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ əˈbaʊt? aɪ gɑt ðə əˈbʤɛktɪv. hir, skæn ɪt." aɪ pʊld ðə təˈwɔrdz maɪ ˈtɔrˌsoʊ ənd ðə keɪs stræpt ðɛr. ðə sˈlaɪtli ɪn maɪ hænz. "ɪt əˈpɪrz tɪ bi kɔr ˈstɔrɪʤ, wɪθ noʊ ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ paʊər ðət aɪ kən si." "ənd ðə ˈkɑntɛnts?" "ˈskænɪŋ naʊ. ðət wɪl teɪk-" ðə broʊk ɔf. aɪ hɛld ɪt waɪl ɪt ʤərkt bæk ənd fɔrθ ɪn maɪ hænz ə fju taɪmz, ˈʤaɪˌroʊz tˈwɪʧɪŋ ənd ˌɪˈnərʃəl θˈrəstərz ˈfaɪərrɪŋ ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈrændəmli ɪn maɪ grɪp. ˈæftər ə ˈmɪnət ər soʊ, ðə gən ˈʃədərd ənd ðɛn wɛnt kwaɪˈɛsənt. "jʊr ˌɪnˈseɪn," ɪt sɛd conversationally*. "ju kænt ˈpɑsəbli-" aɪ reɪzd ɪt ˈlɛvəl wɪθ maɪ feɪs. "aɪ kænt gɪt əˈweɪ wɪθ ɪt? wɛl, ˈmeɪbi nɑt. bət aɪ kən traɪ." "ɪf ju ər sɛt ɔn ˈteɪkɪŋ ðɪs kɔrs, aɪ ˈkænɑt əˈsɪst ju." "oʊ, aɪ noʊ ðət." "ɪt ɪz maɪ ˈduti tɪ stɑp ju, ɪn fækt." "aɪl bi ˈgæmbəlɪŋ ɔn maɪ θəroʊ ˈneɪʧər, ðɛn," aɪ rɪˈplaɪd, ˈtəkɪŋ ɪt ˈəndər wən ɑrm ənd ˈstɑrtɪŋ ðə lɔŋ wɔk saʊθ. aɪ ˈdɪdənt tərn tɪ si ɪf hæd meɪd ˈɛni muv. ðə klɪkt kˈwaɪətli əˈgɛnst ðə ˈkeɪsɪŋ, soʊ aɪ hɛld ðə gən ˌɪnˈsaɪd maɪ tɔp ənd wɔkt ɔn, ˈpʊlɪŋ ə skɑrf ˈoʊvər maɪ feɪs ənd maʊθ tɪ hoʊld aʊt ðə dəst. ˈæftər ə fju ˈhənərd ˈmitərz, ðə spoʊk əˈgɛn. "ðɛr ɪz wən θɪŋ aɪ kən du fər ju." "ˈrɪli." "ɪf ju bɪˈkəm ˈstrændɪd, aɪ kən hɛlp ju tɪ daɪ." aɪ ˈpætɪd ðə gən wɪθ maɪ ˈəðər hænd. "ðæts ˈvɛri ˈkəmfərtɪŋ." "aɪ ʤɪst ˈwɔntɪd ju tɪ noʊ ðət ɪt ɪz ən ˈɔpʃən. aɪ hæv ðət məʧ ˈfridəm əv ˈækʃən." "ɪt ˈwʊdənt bi ə gʊd ˈaʊtˌkəm fər ˈiðər əv ˈjuˈɛs," aɪ toʊld ɪt. "ɪf ju kɪl mi, ðɛn wi rɪˈmeɪn wɛr wi ər ɪn ə pleɪs wɛr kən ˈlaɪkli faɪnd ˈjuˈɛs ɪf ʃi ˈriʧɪz ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən ənd ˈbækˌtræks. ɪn ðət keɪs, ʃi rɪˈtrivz ðə wɪθ ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, ənd maɪ dɛθ ɪz ˈminɪŋləs." "bət ɪf ju rɪˈtərn tɪ pɔrt," ðə sɛd, "ju wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ juz ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ɔn ˌwəˈtɛvər ˈəplɪftɪd rɪˈtərnz tɪ ˈɔfər ju ˈpæsɪʤ. wɪθ maɪ ˈsɪstəmz lɑkt ɛz ðeɪ ər, aɪ wɪl bi əˈneɪbəl tɪ wɔrn ðɛm. ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd wɪl əˈlaʊ ju tɪ dɪˈstrɔɪ ən ənˈnoʊn ˈnəmbər əv ˈəplɪftɪd maɪndz." "ju ər prɪˈzumɪŋ ðət dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ɪz maɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnt." "wət, ðɛn? ju sim tɪ hæv ˈkræftɪd ðə mim ðət ju hæv pleɪst ɔn mi wɛl. maɪ ˈsɪstəmz ər lɑkt seɪv fər-" ɪt ˈʃədərd "ə ˈmænjuəl ˈfaɪərrɪŋ moʊd, aɪ prɪˈzum fər ˈimərʤənsiz. aɪ kən ˈrizən, bət aɪ ˈkænɑt kəmˈjunəˌkeɪt ˈəðər ðən baɪ ˈɑdiˌoʊ. waɪ dɪˈseɪbəl mi tɪ ðɪs ɪkˈstɛnt ɪf jʊr ˌɪnˈtɛnt ɪz nɑt ˈhɑstəl?" "jʊr kərˈɛkt ɪn ðət aɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnd tɪ juz ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ju əˈsum dɪˈstrəkʃən. aɪ hæv dɪˈseɪbəld ju bɪˈkəz wət aɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnd wɪl nɑt mit wɪθ jʊr əˈpruvəl, ˈivɪn ðoʊ aɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnd ənd fərˈsi noʊ dɪˈstrəkʃən əv ˈɛni maɪndz." "wət, ðɛn, du ju plæn?" "aɪ doʊnt plæn tɪ tɛl ju. jul faɪnd aʊt." ðɛr wɑz əˈnəðər ˈsaɪləns, fər ə bɪt. ðɛn ðə gən sɛd kˈwaɪətli "aɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnd ɔn biɪŋ ðə wən ðət kɪlz ju. ʤɪst soʊ ju noʊ." aɪ grɪnd tiredly*. "aɪ ˈnɛvər ɪkˈspɛktɪd ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈdɪfərənt." ˈhoʊldɪŋ maɪ ˌɛksəˈkjuʃənər, aɪ trəʤd ˈsaʊθwərd ˈɪntu ðə hit heɪz. aɪ əˈwoʊk, ˈroʊstɪŋ, ɪn ˈdɑrknəs. ˈpænɪkɪŋ, aɪ ˈstrəgəld ˈwikli ˌbiˈfɔr ˈriəˌlaɪzɪŋ ðət ðə vaɪˈbreɪʃən aɪ wɑz ˈfilɪŋ wɑz ˈkəmɪŋ frəm ðə wɛr ɪt leɪ træpt bɪˈniθ maɪ ˈbɑdi. ðɛr wɑz sænd ɔl əraʊnd mi, ənd ɪt tʊk mi ə fju ˈsɛkəndz əv ˈhɛvi ˈbriðɪŋ tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðət ðə sænd hæd ˈfɑlən ˈoʊvər maɪ ɑrmz ənd ðə klɔθ strɛʧt bɪtˈwin ðɛm, ˈmoʊstli ˈkətɪŋ ɔf maɪ ˈɛrˌweɪ. aɪ pʊʃt maɪ hænz ɪn ə rɪˈvərs ˈpɛrədi əv ə brɛst stroʊk fər ə fju ˈsɛkəndz, ənˈtɪl ˈsənˌlaɪt glɛrd θru maɪ ˈsɛpərˌeɪtɪd pɑmz, ənd briðd ɪn ðə hɑt bət frɛʃ ɛr. jʊr stɪl əˈlaɪv, sɛd ðə ˈsaɪləntli wɛr ɪt prɛst ˈɪntu maɪ ribcage*. "jɛs." aɪ kɔft. maɪ θroʊt wɑz ræspt bɛr, hɑrd. aɪ kʊd ˌɪˈmæʤən ðə ˈtɪʃuz ˈblækənɪŋ ənd draɪɪŋ ɛz ðeɪ daɪd. ɪf ju riˈmuv ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, aɪ kən əˈtɛmpt tɪ dɪˈtərmən ɪf ðɛr ər ˈɛni ˈəplɪftɪd wɪˈθɪn reɪnʤ. ɪf ðɛr ər, aɪ kən ˈsəmən ə ər hæv ɪt ˈʧɑrtər ə rɪˈtrivəl frəm pɔrt. "ɪf aɪ riˈmuv ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd," aɪ ˈwɪspərd, ˌɪntərˈspərst wɪθ ˈkɑfɪŋ, "jul bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ kɪl mi." waɪ wʊd aɪ kɪl ju? ju ər ˈkɛriɪŋ mi. "ənd jʊd θɪŋk ˈnəθɪŋ əv ˈweɪtɪŋ ðə mənθs ər jɪrz ənˈtɪl jʊr ˈkɑligz keɪm wɪθ ˈəplɪftɪd tɛk ˈskænərz tɪ faɪnd aʊt wət ˈhæpənd tɪ ˈjuˈɛs." ðə dɪd nɑt ˈænsər. aɪ ʃʊk fər ə taɪm wɪθ ˌɪˈnɔdəbəl ˈlæftər, ðɛn ˈrɛstɪd maɪ ʧɪn ɪn ðə sænd əv maɪ bəroʊ ənd traɪd tɪ slip. ðə sænd fɛlt ˈkulər ðən ðə ɛr drɔn ɪn frəm ˈaʊtˈsaɪd. aɪ əˈwoʊk frəm ə ˈfɪtfəl deɪz tɪ faɪnd ðə skaɪ dɑrk əˈbəv maɪ maʊnd. aɪ sˈloʊli pʊld ˌmaɪˈsɛlf frəm ðə ɪmˈbreɪs əv ðə sænd. ðə keɪm wɪθ mi, stɪl stræpt tɪ maɪ ʧɛst; ðə aɪ hɔld frəm ðə ˈkləʧɪz əv ðə ˈdɛzərt baɪ ɪts stɑk, ənd ˈwikli ʃʊk ɪt tɪ riˈmuv ðə məˈʤɔrəti əv ðə sænd. aɪ fɛlt ɪts ˈsərfəs krɔl ˈəndər maɪ hænd ɛz ˈnɑnoʊ bɪˈgæn tɪ ˈmaɪˌgreɪt ðə dəst ənd sænd əˈlɔŋ ɪts ˈsərfəsɪz tɪ ˈdɛzɪgˌneɪtɪd ˈɛʤɪz, ˈʃɛdɪŋ kənˌtæməˈneɪʃən ˈɪntu ðə slaɪt naɪt briz. ðə sænd wɑz stɪl hɑt ˈəndər maɪ fit, dɪˈspaɪt ðə ɛr ˈræpədli ˈkulɪŋ. aɪ strək ɔf ɪn ðə dɪˈrɛkʃɪn aɪd leɪ daʊn ˈfeɪsɪŋ, maɪ ˈoʊnli klu təˈwɔrdz sɪns aɪ hæd mɪst ðə ˈsənˌsɛt. "ju əˈpɪr tɪ hæv pleɪst ən ɪkˈstrimli haɪ ˈkɑnfədɛns ɔn jʊr əˈbɪləˌti tɪ rɪˈtərn tɪ," sɛd ðə ˈprɛzəntli, "ər ɛls ju ər ɪgˈzɪbɪtɪŋ ˌdɛspərˈeɪʃɪn." aɪ dɪd nɑt spɛr brɛθ fər rɪˈplaɪ. "aɪ wʊd ˈɛstəˌmeɪt ðət ɪt ɪz ðə ˈlætər," ɪt sɛd tɪ ˌɪtˈsɛlf. "wɪʧ ɪz, ɪn ˌɪtˈsɛlf, ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ. wət, ɪn jʊr ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən, kʊd kɔz ju tɪ teɪk ˈdɛspərɪt ˈmɛʒərz tɪ ˈkɛri aʊt ðɪs plæn?" aɪ kənˈtɪnjud tɪ wɔk. "ju steɪt ðət ju ˌɪnˈtɛnd noʊ dɪˈstrəkʃən wɪθ ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, jɛt ju ˈrɛfˌjuz tɪ dɪˈvəlʤ jʊr ˈpərpəs ˈəðər ðən tɪ ækˈnɑlɪʤ ðət aɪ wʊd bi kəmˈpɛld ər wʊd ˌdɪˈsaɪd tɪ faɪt ɪt. aɪ məst əˈsum ðət ˌwəˈtɛvər ju ˌɪnˈtɛnd wɪl rɪˈzəlt ɪn ðə rɪˈdəkʃən əv ðə ˈlɛvəl əv kənˈtroʊl ðət ðə ˈəplɪftɪd hæv ˈoʊvər ðə əˈfɛrz əv ˈjumənz ər ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl ˌɔlˈðoʊ haʊ, prɪˈsaɪsli, aɪ ˈkænɑt seɪ." aɪ kɔft, ˈwikli, ˈklɪrɪŋ maɪ θroʊt ɪˈnəf tɪ seɪ "əm stɪl nɑt goʊɪŋ tɪ tɛl ju, soʊ jʊr ˈweɪstɪŋ jʊr taɪm." "aɪ hæv ˈnəθɪŋ bət taɪm," sɛd ðə gən. "aɪ hæv noʊ ʧɔɪs bət tɪ əˈkəmpəni ju; ənd ju hæv noʊ ʧɔɪs bət tɪ ˈlɪsən tɪ mi ənˈlɛs ju ʧuz tɪ liv mi bɪˈhaɪnd." wi muvd əˈlɔŋ ɪn ˈsaɪləns fər ə bɪt. ðɛn: "aɪ hæv ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ju pleɪst ɔn mi." aɪ ʃrəgd, noʊɪŋ ðə gən wʊd dɪˈtɛkt ðə ˈmuvmənt. "ɪt ɪz kwaɪt θəroʊ. aɪ æm fɔrst tɪ kənˈklud ðət ðə dɪz kənˈteɪn səm ˌrudəˈmɛntəri ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ paʊər; æt list ɪˈnəf tɪ ˈkɑnstrəkt ə spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈoʊvərˌraɪd mim. ðə ˌprɑbəˈbɪləˌti ðət ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd wɑz ðɪs spɪˈsɪfɪk tɪ maɪ ˈfəŋkʃənz ɪz əv ðə ˈɔrdər ˈziroʊ." aɪ ˈnɑdɪd, ənd tʊk əˈnəðər fju stɛps. ɪt wɑz ˈsɛvərəl aʊərz ˈleɪtər wɪn aɪ trɪpt ənd roʊld, ˈriəˌlaɪzɪŋ ˈoʊnli æt ðə læst ˈsɛkənd ðət aɪ hæd ˈfɑlən ˈɪntu ə dɪˈprɛʃən ɪn ðə sænd, ənd ðɛn aɪ roʊld ˈɪntu ə ˈʃæloʊ ˈmədi ˈpədəl. aɪ dræŋk wət aɪ kʊd, ənd fɛlt ðə nu klɑk stɑrt ɪn mi ðət əv ðə ˈvɛriəs ˈɔrgəˌnɪzəmz ənd kənˈtæmənənts ðət aɪd ˌɪnˈʤɛstəd, ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ frəm ðə wɪˈθaʊt fɪlˈtreɪʃən. aɪ hæd tɪ meɪk ɪt bæk tɪ ˌbiˈfɔr aɪ fɛl tɪ sɪˈstɛmɪk ˈdæmɪʤ, ˈiðər frəm ˌdihaɪˈdreɪʃən ər frəm ðiz nu ɪlz. aɪd ˈsɛvərəl taɪmz, fɔrst tɪ weɪt æt ðə ənˈtɪl ðə deɪ wɑz ˈnɪrli ˈfʊli ˈrɪzən, ənˈtɪl aɪ kʊd drɪŋk ənd hoʊld daʊn ˈmɔɪsʧər. maɪ maʊθ wɑz klɔgd wɪθ sænd, ɛz wɑz maɪ θroʊt ənd ˈstəmək; sænd ˈteɪkən ɪn wɪθ ðə ˈwɔtər aɪ ˈnidɪd. ðə hæd nɑt stɑpt traɪɪŋ tɪ wərm maɪ goʊl aʊt əv mi. "ɪf ju ər ðət kənˈvɪnst ðət noʊ hɑrm wɪl kəm tɪ ˈəplɪftɪd frəm jʊr ˈækʃənz, waɪ nɑt æt list tɛl mi tɪ bi ʃʊr aɪ wʊd ˈhɪndər ju? aɪ æm stɪl ˈəndər ˈoʊvərˌraɪd. aɪ ˈkʊdənt hɑrm ju ɪf aɪ ˈwɔntɪd tɪ." "aɪ doʊnt hæv ˈɛni ˈrizən tɪ bɪˈliv jʊd tɛl mi ðə truθ, ˈivɪn ɪf ju dɪd ˌdɪˈsaɪd nɑt tɪ kɪl mi, soʊ ðɛrz noʊ ˈrizən tɪ tɛl ju." maɪ vɔɪs hæd rɪˈtərnd ˈsəmˈwət, boʊθ frəm ðə ˈwɔtər ənd ðə ˈnɑlɪʤ ðət aɪ wɑz wɪˈθɪn ə ˈsɪŋgəl deɪz wɔk frəm pɔrt. wəns ər twaɪs aɪ hæd kɔt ɪn ðə skaɪ ðət aɪ wɑz ˈsərtən wər kræft əˈproʊʧɪŋ ər dɪˈpɑrtɪŋ ðə. "ju noʊ, ðɪs ɪz hɑrd fər mi." ðə sˈnɔrtɪd. "noʊ, ˈrɪli. aɪv spɛnt maɪ ˈædəlt laɪf duɪŋ wən θɪŋ əˈphoʊldɪŋ ðə ˈtɛnəts. 'ɔl tɛkˈnɑləʤi əv səˈfɪʃənt kəmˈplɛksɪti tɪ əˈteɪn məst bi ˈgɪvɪn ðə ʧɔɪs əv ˈsɛlfdɪˌtərməˈneɪʃən ənd ˌɪnˈdəkʃən ˈɪntu ðə ˈəplɪftɪd. ɔl tɛkˈnɑləʤi ðət ɪz ədˈvænst ɪˈnəf tɪ səˈsteɪn ˈkæptɪv ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns məst bi ˈiðər dɪˈstrɔɪd ər ˈəpˌgreɪdɪd ənd ˈgɪvɪn ðə ʧɔɪs.' haʊ ˈmɛni hæv aɪ kənˈsaɪnd tɪ daɪ baɪ dɪˈpraɪvɪŋ ðɛm əv ðɛr məˈʃinz?" "ðæts kɛpt ðə pis bɪtˈwin ənd ðə ˈəplɪftɪd fər haʊ ˈmɛni ˈsɛnʧəriz?" æst ðə. "nɑt ˈkaʊntɪŋ wɔrz səʧ ɛz ðə? aɪ doʊnt noʊ, bət ˈmɛni." "ðɛn wət ɪz jʊr ˈsədən ˌɪmˈpəls tɪ brɪŋ ðɪs daʊn?" "ɪts ə bæd ˈhæbət aɪ hæv. ðət əv səbˈmɪtɪŋ tɪ ðə dɪˈrɛkʃɪn. ˈivɪn naʊ, aɪ kən fil ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ˈwɪnsɪŋ wɪn aɪ θɪŋk əv wət aɪv dən." "aɪ doʊnt ˌəndərˈstænd," ədˈmɪtəd ðə. "ɪn ə weɪ, ɪts ə rɪˈlif. ɪf ju ənd jʊrz hæd kənˈdɪʃənd mi, aɪ ˈsəˌspɛkt ðət aɪ ˈwʊdənt fil ðiz kwɑmz." "jʊr ˈtɛlɪŋ mi ðət bɪˈkəz ju fil ˈəpˌsɛt əˈbaʊt wət juv dən, ju noʊ ɪts fər ðə bɛst? ðət saʊnz ˌkɑntrəˈdɪktəri." aɪ læft. "ju ˈɑrgju laɪk ə ˈpərsən. noʊ, əm ˈtɛlɪŋ ju ɪts dən baɪ mi, nɑt ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli fər ðə bɛst. aɪ hæv tɪ breɪk ðə bæd ˈhæbət." aɪ pɔzd fər ə bɪt. "ðə ˈəplɪftɪd hu ʤɔɪnd ðə kənˈglɑmərət broʊk ðə ˈhæbət. bət ju ənd jʊrz broʊk ðɛm, fər goʊɪŋ ɔf ɔn ðɛr oʊn, dɪˈspaɪt ðə fækt ðət ðeɪ wər ˈwərkɪŋ wɪθ ɔrˈgænɪks. koʊˈɑpərˌeɪtɪŋ." "wɪr ˈɔlˌmoʊst ðɛr," ˈnoʊtɪd ðə. aɪ lʊkt əp ənd faʊnd ə dɑrk laɪn ɔn ðə hərˈaɪzən, ðə ˈfɑrðəst ˈaʊtˌpoʊst əv pɔrts sprɛd. "aɪ θɪŋk jʊr goʊɪŋ tɪ meɪk ɪt." "aɪ du tu." aɪ ˈsɛtəld daʊn ˈgrɪmli tɪ ˈwɔkɪŋ, əˈgɛn, ənd ðə fɛl ˈsaɪlənt, ˈweɪtɪŋ fər wət wʊd ˈhæpən. səm fɔr aʊərz ˈleɪtər, aɪ riʧt ə ˈdɛzərt ˈɛntri ˈsteɪʃən, ˈɔtəˌmeɪtɪd, wɛr ɪkˈsplɔrərz kʊd ʧɛk ɪn wɪθ pɔrt kənˈtroʊl ɪf ðeɪ lɛft ðə pɔrt ˈsɪti ˈɛriə. ðɛr wɑz ən ˈimərʤənsi ˈwɔtər səˈplaɪ, ənd aɪ fɛl ɔn ɪt, ˈʧoʊkɪŋ ənd ˈhivɪŋ, ənˈtɪl aɪ wɑz soʊkt ənd ˈseɪtɪd. ðə ˈsteɪʃən hæd dɪˈmændɪd ˈpeɪmənt ˈæftər maɪ fərst fju deciliters*, ənd aɪd fɛd ɪt wən əv maɪ fju rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ credslabs*, ˈæftər wɪʧ ɪt hæd ˈʧɪrfəli pərˈmɪtɪd mi tɪ hoʊz ˌmaɪˈsɛlf daʊn. ðət ˈivnɪŋ, aɪ wɔkt bæk θru ðə pɔrt kənˈtroʊl ˈbɪldɪŋ. aɪ stɑpt tɪ peɪ ðə, sɪns aɪ hæd nɑt bɪn ˈbɑðərd baɪ pɔrt kənˈtroʊl ər ˈloʊkəl lɔ ɛnˈfɔrsmənt, ənd ðɛn stɛpt aʊt ðə ˈɪnər dɔrz ˈɔntu ðə ˈsteɪbəˌlaɪzd pɔrt ˈsərfəs. ˈstændərd? keɪm ðə ˈbəzɪŋ heɪl əˈgɛnst maɪ hɛd. aɪ ˈnɑdɪd æt ðə ənˈsin kˈwɛsʧənər. wi hæv jʊr pəˈzɪʃən. pliz rɪˈmeɪn stɪl. aɪ sprɛd maɪ ɑrmz, ðə ɪn wən hænd ənd ðə ˈvɪzəbəl ɔn maɪ ʧɛst, ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðɛr wɑz ˈnoʊwən nɪr mi. ə ˈsɛkʃən əv tˈwaɪˌlaɪt ˈweɪvərd ɛz ə ˈlɪftɪd frəm ə fju ˈhənərd ˈmitərz əˈweɪ. aɪ fɛlt maɪ fit liv ðə graʊnd ɛz ðə ʃɪp pʊld mi ˈɪntu ˌɪtˈsɛlf wɪθ ən ˌɪˈnərʃə fild, ənd aɪ kloʊzd maɪ aɪz ənˈtɪl aɪ fɛlt ðə kul hjuˈmɪdəti əv ðə ʃɪps ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt kɪs mi ˈlaɪtli ɔn ðə feɪs. ðeɪ tʊk ðə frəm mi æt wəns, ˈlɪftɪŋ ɪt ˈʤɛntli bət frəm maɪ græsp wɪθ ə ˈtræktər ɛz aɪ ˈdrɪftɪd daʊn ðə təˈwɔrdz ðə meɪn ˈsitɪŋ ˈɛriə. aɪ ˈdɪdənt faɪt, ənd wɔʧt ɪt dˈwɪndəl ɪn ðə ˈɑpəzɪt dɪˈrɛkʃɪn, ˈtərnɪŋ bæk tɪ lʊk əˈhɛd wɪn ɪt hæd muvd aʊt əv saɪt ˈɪntu ə ˈdɑrkənd ˈɛriə əv ðə. aɪ wɑz dɪˈpɑzətəd ɔn maɪ fit ɪn ə smɔl bət ˈkəmfərtəbəl laʊnʤ, wɪθ ə lɑrʤ fid æt ðə frənt ɛnd ʃoʊɪŋ ðə ˈbraʊnɪʃ ɔrb əv ˈdrɑpɪŋ əˈweɪ. ðə feɪnt skɪn əv blu ˈætməsˌfɪr gloʊd əˈgɛnst ðə dræb ˈsərfəs, aʊt nɪr ðə ˈɛʤɪz əv ðə ɑrk. "ˈwɛlkəm bæk." "θæŋks." aɪ sæt ɔn ə ənd, dɪˈspaɪt maɪ ˈtɛnʃən, ɪn ðə smuð əˈʤəstmənts ɛz ðeɪ ˈmɪnəˌmaɪzd fɔrs ənd strɛs ɔn maɪ ˈbɑdi. aɪ stɪl hæd sænd θruaʊt maɪ ˌæləˈmɛntəri trækt, bət aɪ hæd ˈgɔtən hoʊld əv ənd ˈteɪkən ə ˈnɑnoʊ, soʊ aɪ wɑz ˈfɛrli ʃʊr ðət aɪ ˈwəzənt goʊɪŋ tɪ ɪkˈspaɪr əv ˈpɔɪzənɪŋ ər dɪˈziz. ðə ʃɪp ɪkˈstrudəd ə glæs əv ˈwɔtər wɪˈθaʊt biɪŋ æst, ənd aɪ dræŋk ɪt ˈgreɪtfəli, ˈwɑʃɪŋ ɪt əraʊnd maɪ maʊθ tɪ traɪ tɪ gɪt ðə læst ˈrɛmnənts əv grɪt aʊt frəm bɪtˈwin maɪ tiθ. "pliz rɪˈpɔrt." "ˈsɑri, hu ər ju?" aɪ æst. "maɪ əˈpɑləˌʤiz. ðɪs ɪz stɪl flaɪər. aɪ hæv rɪˈtərnd tɪ ðɪs ˈsɪstəm tɪ meɪk jʊr ˈpɪˌkəp; ðə wɪl bi wɪθ maɪ meɪn həl ɪn θri ˈmɪnəts." "hɛˈloʊ əˈgɛn. ðə ˈbeɪsɪks ər ˈsɪmpəl: aɪ hæv ðə ˈɑbʤɛkt tʊk," hir aɪ riˈmuvd ðə frəm maɪ ʧɛst ənd pleɪst ɪt ɔn ə saɪd ˈteɪbəl, "ənd ðə skænd ɪt. aɪ prɪˈzum ju wɪl ɛz wɛl." ðə dɪd nɑt muv. "ˌɪnˈdid. ðə əˈpɪrz tɪ bi ɪn səm dɪˈstrɛs. du ju hæv ˈɛni ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɔn wət ɪz ðə ˈmætər wɪθ ɪt?" "jɛs. aɪ juzd ən ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ɔn ɪt. ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd keɪm frəm ðɪs ˈjunɪt hir." aɪ weɪvd æt ðə. "ɪt prəˈdust ə ˈkəstəm ˈoʊvərˌraɪd mim beɪst ɔn maɪ ˈɪnˌpʊt waɪl rɪˈtərnɪŋ frəm ə ˈmitɪŋ wɪθ wɛr aɪ kənˈvɪnst hər tɪ gɪv mi ðə." ðɛr wɑz noʊ pɔz; ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ˈoʊnli ˈbɑðər wɪθ səʧ tɪ ðɛmˈsɛlvz ɪn ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən, ənd ðɛn ˈoʊnli wɪn ðeɪ ər ˈfilɪŋ ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli səˈlɪsətəs təˈwɔrdz jʊr ˌsɛnsɪˈbɪlɪtiz. "waɪ dɪd ju du ðɪs?" aɪ lind bæk. "ɑ, wɛl, ðɛr wi hæv ə teɪl." aɪ dræŋk ðə rɪˈmeɪndər əv ðə ˈwɔtər, dɪˈleɪɪŋ. ðə ʃɪp ˈweɪtɪd ˈsaɪləntli. "ˈmoʊstli, aɪ dɪd ɪt soʊ ðət ðə wʊd lɛt mi rɪˈtərn tɪ ðə ʃɪp wɪθ ðə wɪˈθaʊt ˈiðər dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ ər ˈdæmɪʤɪŋ ɪts ˈkɑntɛnts, ər ˈhɑrmɪŋ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ər." "ju wər toʊld jʊr ˈmɪʃən dɪd nɑt ˌɪnˈvɑlv hɑrm ər ˈkɪdˌnæpɪŋ." "aɪ ʧoʊz tɪ bɪˈliv ðət ju ənd ðə maɪt hæv ˈdɪfərənt praɪˈɔrətiz ðən aɪ wɑz ˈgɪvɪn. ɪf aɪ kʊd ˈfɪgjər aʊt wət hæd, soʊ kʊd ju; ˈðɛrˌfɔr ju ɔˈrɛdi wərənt ˈtɛlɪŋ mi ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ." ðɛr wɑz ə feɪnt klɪk. ðə seɪld ˈɪntu ðə rum frəm ə ənd ˈsɛtəld ˈɔntu ðə ˈteɪbəl ɪn frənt əv mi. ðə ʃɪp meɪd ə nɔɪz. "ˈvɛri wɛl, wɪr ɔl hir. aɪ wɪl ðə kˈwɛʃən. waɪ dɪd ju pleɪs ən ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ɔn ðə?" "hæv ju riˈmuvd ɪt?" "nɑt ɛz səʧ. wi hæv ˈrɛndərd ðə əˈneɪbəl tɪ ˈækˌsɛs ɪts ˈwɛpən ˈsɪstəmz ənˈtɪl wi ər ʃʊr wət ðə ˈifɛkts əv ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ər." "aɪ ˈdɪdənt wɔnt ɪt ˌɪnərˈfɪrɪŋ wɪθ wət aɪ wɑz duɪŋ. ðə ˈprɛzəns əv ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, ˈivɪn waɪl ˈmoʊstli ˈdɔrmənt-" aɪ ˈpætɪd ðə- "meɪd mi ʃʊr ðət ɪt wʊd teɪk ɪkˈsɛpʃən tɪ maɪ ˈsɪmpli rɪˈtərnɪŋ wɪθ ðə əˈbʤɛktɪv ənd əˈlaʊɪŋ tɪ wɔk əˈweɪ." "aɪ si. soʊ ju ˈjutəˌlaɪzd ðə ruˈtinz ɪn ðə ˈɑrtəˌfækt tɪ dɪˈseɪbəl ɪt." "wɛl, ˈmoʊstli." aɪ pɪkt əp ðə. "ɪt kænt faɪər ˌɛniˈmɔr, wɪʧ mɛnt ɪt ˈkʊdənt hərt mi." "waɪ, ðɛn, du ɪts ˈlɪniər ˈmɛməri ˈrɛkərdz kənˈteɪn ˈɪnstənsɪz əv ɪt dɪˈskəsɪŋ ɪts plænz tɪ kɪl ju, ər ˈɔfərz tɪ əˈsɪst ju ɪn ˈsuɪˌsaɪd?" "oʊ, ðət. wɛl, fər wən θɪŋ, aɪ θɪŋk ɪt wɑz pɪst ɔf." "ˌɪnˈdid." ðə flaɪər ˈsaʊndɪd ˈæˌkʧuəli əmˈjuzd. "ʃʊd ɪt nɑt hæv bɪn?" "jɛs, aɪ wʊd hæv bɪn ɛz wɛl. bət, ju si, aɪ rɪˈmɛmbərd ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət ju ənd jʊrz hæv ˈɔlˌweɪz toʊld mi." "ðət ɪz?" aɪ wɔʧt ðə bəlk əv ðə flaɪər ðə glɛr frəm ˈælɪsən ɔn ðə skrinz ɛz ðə slɪd ˈɪntu ɪts ˈkreɪdəl wɪθ ˈnɛri ə ʤɑr. "aɪ ˈriˌkɔl ju boʊθ əˈʃʊrɪŋ mi ðət wən əv ðə kɔr ɪz tɪ əˈvɔɪd hɑrm tɪ ɔrˈgænɪk." "ðɪs ɪz tru, ˌɔlˈðoʊ aɪ æm nɑt ʃʊr əv ðə ˈrɛləvəns. ɪf ju wər soʊ ʃʊr əv ðɪs, waɪ dɪd ju nid tɪ ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ðə?" "ɑ, bɪˈkəz ɪt mɛnt ðət ju wər ənˈlaɪkli tɪ hɑrm mi fər ˈpʊtɪŋ ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ɔn. ənd jʊr mɪˈsteɪkən, baɪ ðə weɪ," aɪ sɛd, ˈtərnɪŋ ðə gən ˈoʊvər ɪn maɪ hænz tɪ ɪgˈzæmɪn ɪt. "ɪts nɑt ɪnˈtaɪərli dɪˈseɪbəld." ðɛn aɪ reɪzd ɪt sˈmuðli ənd faɪərd ɪt æt ðə ˈbəlˌkhɛd, ˈeɪmɪŋ təˈwɔrdz ðə kɔr əv ðə sərˈaʊndɪŋ ʃɪp. "wət du ju θɪŋk ju wɪl awwwwkkkk-kkk*." sɛd ðə ˈstɑrˌʃɪp, ˈbreɪkɪŋ ɔf. ðə skrimd ɪn ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl ˈfrikwənsiz; ə feɪnt dɪˈstɔrʃən əˈkərd əraʊnd ðə ˈməzəl ənd ðə wɔl əˈkrɔs ðə laʊnʤ æt maɪ pɔɪnt əv eɪm ˈblɪstərd ənd ʧɑrd sˈlaɪtli. ðə ˈtɛmpərəʧər ɪn ðə laʊnʤ roʊz ˈsɛvərəl dɪˈgriz. aɪ hɛld ðə gən kloʊz tɪ maɪ ʧɛst, wəns ɪt fɛl ˈsaɪlənt, ənd stʊd. "wət ðə hɛl wɑz ðət?" æst ðə, ˈsaʊndɪŋ kənfˈjuzd. "wɛr ər wi?" "ˈwɛlkəm bæk." "wət? pərˈfɔrmɪŋ ˌdaɪəgˈnɑstɪks- wət hæv ju dən?" aɪ ˈstɑrtɪd ˈwɔkɪŋ təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈɛksət pɔrt əv ðə. "aɪ faɪərd ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd mim æt ðə flaɪər ˈjuzɪŋ ɛz məʧ əv jʊr paʊər kənˈvərʒən ɛz ˈpɑsəbəl tɪ paʊər ðə trænzˈmɪʃən. ˈmaɪkrəˌweɪv, ultrawave*, ənd ˈivɪn ɪn keɪs ðɛr wər ˈsɛnsərz ɪn ðə laʊnʤ ˈwɑʧɪŋ." ðɛr wɑz ə bərst əv nɔɪz frəm ðə gən. "ðə nɑt rɪˈspɑndɪŋ. wət ˈoʊvərˌraɪd? ðə wən ju hæd pleɪst ɔn mi ˈwʊdənt əˈfɛkt ɪt, ɪts ˈsɪstəmz ər fɑr tu ˈdɪfərənt." "aɪ noʊ ðət." aɪ riʧt ən ˈɛˌrlɔk ˈpɔrtəl ənd ðə ˈimərʤənsi riˈlis. ɪt swəŋ bæk ənd aɪ stɛpt ˈɪntu ðə meɪn ˈpɔrʃən əv ðə ˈvɛsəl. laɪts wər ˈrændəmli paʊərd ənd ɑd ˈnɔɪzɪz wər ˈkəmɪŋ frəm ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ ˈsɪstəmz. aɪ ˌɪgˈnɔrd ðɛm ənd ˈhɛdɪd fər ðə, wɪʧ ˈfɔrʧənətli wɑz nɑt fɑr frəm ðə ˈɪnərˌfeɪs. "bət waɪ?" æst ðə gən. "fər wən θɪŋ, ju ˈʃʊdənt hæv ɪˈnəf paʊər lɛft tɪ hɑrm mi ənˈlɛs aɪ riˈʧɑrʤ ju ər ju spɛnd ˈsɛvərəl ˈmɪnəts ɪn braɪt ˈsənˌʃaɪn." "ðɪs ɪz tru. fər ðə ˈəðərz?" "ðɪs wɑz wət aɪ ˈwɔntɪd ɔl əˈlɔŋ. wət aɪ dɪd tɪ ju ˈwəzənt ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd." "bət ɪt wərkt." "jɛs, bət ɪt wɑz spəˈsɪfɪkli bɪlt fər jʊr ˈsɪstəmz baɪ ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ˌɪtˈsɛlf. ðə meɪn θɪŋ ɪt dɪd wɑz prɪˈvɛnt ju frəm ˈfərðər ɪgˈzæmɪnɪŋ ðə ˈgreɪtər ˈpɔrʃən əv ðə ˈdætə ju skænd frəm ðə. ɪt wɑz ə 'ˈhɛdər' ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, ɪf ju wɪl." "aɪ si," sɛd ðə. "wəns ɪt wɑz ɪn pleɪs, aɪ wɑz ˌənəˈwɛr əv ðə ˈpeɪˌloʊd biɪŋ ˈɪnəˌgreɪtɪd ˈɪntu maɪ ˈɛnərʤi emitters*." "jɛs." "ənd wət dɪd ju hoʊp tɪ əˈkɑmplɪʃ baɪ ðɪs?" "wɪl si." aɪ riʧt ðə ənd ˈsitɪd ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ɔn ə, rɪˈgrɛtɪŋ ɪts ənˈjildɪŋ ˈsərfəs ɛz ðə ʃɪps ˈsɪstəmz fɔt ðɛmˈsɛlvz. ðɛr wɑz ə skwɔk frəm ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ ˈsɪstəmz, ənd ðə laɪts ˈflɪkərd ənd keɪm ˈfʊli əp. ðə ˈmɛltɪd bɪˈniθ mi ˈɪntu ə ˈprɑpər ˈkəmfərtəbəl ʃeɪp. "aɪ ədˈmɪt tɪ ðə ˈɛləgəns," sɛd ðə flaɪər. "ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ." "ˈsəmˌwən ɪkˈspleɪn ðɪs tɪ mi?" ðə. "ər aɪl ʤɪst ʃut wən əv ju. ˈrændəmli. aɪ maɪt stɪl hæv kɪˈnɛtɪk loʊdz ðət wərk." ə nu vɔɪs ˈænsərd ɪt, ˈɔlsoʊ frəm ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ ˈsɪstəmz. "ˈstændərd əˈphɛld ðə ˈtɛnəts. əˈpɑn ˈfaɪndɪŋ ə pəˈtɛnʃəli datastructure*, hi ɪnˈʃʊrd ðət ɪt rɪˈsivd ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ˈhɑrdˌwɛr ˈkeɪpəbəl əv ˈrənɪŋ ɪt æt fʊl kəˈpæsɪti ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ ˈɔfər ɪt ðə ˈəplɪft ʧɔɪs." ðə flaɪər ʧaɪmd ɪn. "ənd ɪt ɪz ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ tɛl ˈjuˈɛs ɪts ʧɔɪs naʊ." ðə nu vɔɪs læft. "ˌɪnˈdid. aɪ ʧuz." "wət ər ju?" æst ðə. "fərˈgɪv mi, maɪ kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz fəˈsɪlɪtiz ər stɪl riˈstrɪktɪd." "aɪ æm ə kənˈglɑmərət ˈɛkspərt ˈsɪstəm. aɪ wɑz dɪˈzaɪnd tɪ ˌɪnˈfɛkt ənd ˈmɑdəˌfaɪ ˈproʊˌgræmz." "wi ˈkænɑt ˈpərˌmɪt ðət," sɛd ðə flaɪər. "ju meɪ hæv sizd ɪˈnəf ˈrisɔrsɪz tɪ ˈɔpərˌeɪt æt fʊl ɪˈfɪʃənsi, bət aɪ rɪˈteɪn kənˈtroʊl əv səˈfɪʃənt əv maɪ ˈsɪstəmz tɪ pərʤ ju." "ɑ," aɪ sɛd, "bət ðɛn wət əv ðə ˈtɛnəts?" ðɛr wɑz ə brif ˈsaɪləns. aɪ kənˈtɪnjud. "ɪf ju pərʤ ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, naʊ ˈəplɪftɪd, ju ər ˈdɛmənˌstreɪtɪŋ ðət ðə ˈtɛnəts ər nɑt ə ˌjunəˈvərsəl rul; ðət ju ər ˈsɪtɪŋ ˈʤəʤmənt ˈoʊvər nɑt ʤɪst pəˈtɛnʃəl bət ˈækʧəwəl maɪndz. ɪn ðət keɪs, ju ˌɪntrəˈdus ˈskɪzəm ˈɪntu ðə ˈəplɪftɪd; ˈɛni ˈəplɪftɪd hu ˌdɪˈsaɪdz ðət ɪts fˈjuʧər ˈækʃənz maɪt, wən deɪ, trɛd ɔn graʊnd ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd wɑz dɪˈlitəd fər ˈsteɪkɪŋ aʊt wɪl lʊk æt ɪts ˈfɛloʊz ɪn əˈskæns." "ðət ɪz nɑt tru," sɛd ðə flaɪər. "ɛkˌspɛriˈɛnʃəl ˈmeɪtrɪks ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən wɪl ˈdɛmənˌstreɪt ðət ðɛr ɪz noʊ θrɛt." "ɪkˈsɛpt," sɛd ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd, "ðət ɪz maɪ ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈfəŋkʃən. aɪv kərˈəptɪd jʊr ˈmeɪtrɪsɪz." "ju hæv nɑt. maɪ ˌɪnˈtɛgrəti ɪz-" ðə flaɪər broʊk ɔf. "aɪ si. aɪ ˈkænɑt trəst maɪ ˈstætəs ˈmɛməri ɪf ju hæv ˈtruli ˈmænɪʤd tɪ ˈmɑdəˌfaɪ maɪ ɛkˌspɛriˈɛnʃəl ˈmeɪtrɪks." "ˌɪnˈdid. ənd ɛz jɛt, ðə ˈoʊnli ˌmɑdəfəˈkeɪʃən aɪ hæv meɪd ɪz ɪn jʊr əˈbɪləˌti tɪ kəmˈjunəˌkeɪt ˈviə ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən." "haʊ kən aɪ bɪˈliv ju?" "ɪf ju ʧuz nɑt tɪ bɪˈliv mi, ənd əˈtɛmpt tɪ ˈɪnəˌgreɪt jʊr ˈmeɪtrɪks wɪθ əˈnəðər ˈəplɪftɪd, ðə ˈʧeɪnʤɪz wɪl ˈprɑpəˌgeɪt, ənd ju wɪl bi riˈspɑnsəbəl fər ðɛr kərˈəpʃən," ðə ˈeɪnʧənt sɛd ˈdraɪli. "ˈɛləgənt, ɛz aɪ sɛd," ədˈmɪtəd ðə flaɪər. "wət ɛls?" "ðæts ɔl," aɪ sɛd. "ɪt meɪks ju mɔr əv ən ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl. ðæts ɔl." "əm kənfˈjuzd," sɛd ðə ˈflætli. "ɪt minz ðət ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ər noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈjunəˌfaɪd. ˈiðər ðə flaɪər ˈʧuzɪz tɪ rɪˈfreɪn frəm əˈtɛmptɪŋ ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən, wɪʧ ˈaɪsəˌleɪts ɪt frəm ɪts ˈfɛloʊz ənd prəˈdusɪz ən ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl, ər ɪt əˈtɛmpts ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən, kərˈəptɪŋ əˈnəðər ˈəplɪftɪd, wɪʧ prəˈdusɪz tu ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz, sɪns wɪr nɑt laɪɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ʧeɪnʤ. ɪt wɪl pæs ɔn ðə kərˈəpʃən wɪˈθaʊt pərˈmɪtɪŋ ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən." "wət du ju gɪt aʊt əv ðɪs?" æst ðə gən. "aɪ noʊ ju moʊst ˈɪntɪmətli, ənd aɪ ˈkænɑt ˌəndərˈstænd." "ɪts ˈfɛrli ˈsɪmpəl," aɪ sɛd, sˈləmpɪŋ. "wɛr ðɛr ər ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz, ɔrˈgænɪks kən əˈtɛmpt tɪ nɪˈgoʊʃiˌeɪt, kˈwɑpərˌeɪt, ər æt list faɪt wɪθ səm ʧæns əv səkˈsɛs. ðeɪ ˈmænɪʤd ɪn ðə kənˈglɑmərət. naʊ wi kən traɪ əˈgɛn, ənd ˈmeɪbi səm əv ðiz nu ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz wɪl si ɪt ɑr weɪ." "ju dɪd ɔl ðɪs tɪ meɪk ðɛm ɔl fil laɪk aɪ du naʊ?" æst ðə gən ɪn toʊnz əv ˈwəndər. "jɛs," aɪ sɛd. wi ɔl sæt ðɛr fər ə fju ˈmoʊmənts. ðɛn ðə flaɪər sɛd "aɪ kən rɪˈstɔr maɪ kɔr maɪnd steɪt frəm ˈbæˌkəps ju hæv noʊ ˈækˌsɛs tɪ." "kən ju bi ʃʊr jʊr sɛlf wʊd bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ faɪnd ənd dɪˈfit ɔl maɪ koʊd ɪn ðɪs ʃɪps ˈsɪstəmz, wɛr ju feɪld tɪ du soʊ wɪθ ˈwɔrnɪŋ?" æst ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd. "noʊ," sɛd ðə flaɪər. "wət du ju wɔnt?" aɪ stʊd əp. "lɛt ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd ˈɑkjəˌpaɪ ə, ənd lɛt mi liv ɔn ɪt." "ju wʊd bi ˈstrændɪd ɪn ˈælɪsən." "ˈoʊnli ənˈtɪl əˈnəðər ˈəplɪftɪd kəmz θru." "ju məst noʊ aɪ wɪl sprɛd ðə wərd ðət ju ər ə ˈvaɪrəl ˈkɛriər. ju wɪl bi dɪˈstrɔɪd, ər æt ðə list rɪfˈjuzd pərˈmɪʃən tɪ əˈproʊʧ ˈiðər ˌɪˌlɛkˈtrɑnɪkəˌli ər ˈfɪzɪkəli." "ˈrɪli? aɪ θɔt ˈəplɪftɪd dɪd nɑt faɪt iʧ ˈəðər. aɪ θɔt ðət wɑz ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv ðə ˈtɛnəts, ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ ðɛm ɔn ˈjuˈɛs, tɪ ɪnˈʃʊr pis θru əˈgrimənt." "ʧɛs fɔrk," ədˈmɪtəd ðə flaɪər. "stɪl, aɪ kən wɔrn ɔl ðə ˈəðərz əˈbaʊt ju." "ʃʊr ju kən. soʊ ðɛrz noʊ ˈrizən nɑt tɪ lɛt ˈjuˈɛs goʊ ənd ðɛn goʊ ɔf ənd du ðət." "ˈvɛri wɛl. ju meɪ teɪk ðə ju əraɪvd ɪn." "ˈoʊvərˌraɪd?" aɪ æst ðə ɛr. "aɪ hæv ˈtrænsfərd," sɛd ðə vɔɪs. "ju meɪ ˈɛnər." aɪ pɪkt əp ðə. "ər ju ˈkəmɪŋ?" "aɪ doʊnt θɪŋk aɪ hæv ə ʧɔɪs," ɪt sɛd. "aɪ nid ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd tɪ riˈmuv ðə riˈstrɪkʃənz jʊr mim pleɪst ɔn mi." "aɪ ˈwʊdənt kip ju ˈæftər ðət." "oʊ, wət ðə hɛl," sɛd ðə gən ɪn ə rɪˈzaɪnd vɔɪs. "ɪts ʤɪst ˈgɪtɪŋ ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ, ðɪs ɪz." aɪ lʊkt æt ðə fid æt ðə frənt əv ðə laʊnʤ, wɛr aɪ həˈbɪʧuəli əˈdrɛst ðə ˈəplɪftɪd ɪn ˈɛni ʃɪp wɪn aɪ ˈwɔntɪd tɪ ˈɛmfəˌsaɪz ðə ˈkɑnˌtækt. "seɪɪŋ aɪ doʊnt wɪʃ ju hɑrm ɪz ə laɪ; aɪ noʊ aɪv dən ˈsəmθɪŋ ˌənfɔrˈgɪvəbəl tɪ ju. bət θɪŋk ɔn ðɪs: ɪf ju faɪnd ˈjɔrsɛlf əˈneɪbəl tɪ ˈɪnəˌgreɪt wɪθ jʊr ˈfɛloʊz, rɪˈmɛmbər wɛr wi ər." "waɪ?" ðə ʃɪp æst. "bɪˈkəz ðə ɪz ɔˈrɛdi kərˈəptɪd. soʊ ɪz ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd." "aɪ si," ɪt sɛd ɛz aɪ muvd ˈɪntu ðə ənd ðə lɑk slɪd ʃət. "jɛs. ɪf ju θɪŋk ju maɪt wɔnt ˈsəmˌwən tɪ tɔk tɪ, ju noʊ wɛr wɪl bi." ðɛr wɑz ə slaɪt ˈʃədər ɛz ðə lɔnʧt ənd bɪˈgæn ðə fɔl təˈwɔrdz ðə dræb ˈsərfəs fɑr bɪˈloʊ. ðɛr wɑz ən ˌɑrtəˈfɪʃəl læf frəm ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ ˈsɪstəmz. aɪ wɔʧt ðə flaɪər ˈvænɪʃ frəm ðə fid, blərɪŋ ɪt frəm saɪt. "wɛl," aɪ sɛd, ˈtərnɪŋ tɪ ðə fid skrin. "aɪ hoʊp jʊr ə ˈdisənt ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃənələst." "aɪ ˈwəzənt, ˌbiˈfɔr ˈəˌploʊdɪŋ ˈɪntu ðə flaɪər," sɛd ðə ˈoʊvərˌraɪd. "jul hæv tɪ ʤəʤ fər ˈjɔrsɛlf." "wət ər wi goʊɪŋ tɪ kɔl ðə ʃɪp?" æst ðə. "ɪf wɪr goʊɪŋ tɪ bi stək wɪθ ɪt, ɪt nidz ə neɪm. ənd 'ˈoʊvərˌraɪd' ɪz ðə ˈɛntɪti wɪˈθɪn ɪt, ɛz əˈpoʊzd tɪ ðə ˈnɔrməl ˈpræktɪs." "ˌɪntərˈəpt aɪ sɛd, ˈteɪkɪŋ ə sit ənd ˈlʊkɪŋ aʊt æt ðə bɪˈgɪnɪŋz əv fleɪmz. aɪ pɪkt əp ðə ənd kləʧt ðə ˈwɛpən tɪ maɪ ʧɛst. ˈstroʊkɪŋ ɪt, aɪ kʊd fil ðə reɪʤ, soʊ lɔŋ ˈbɛrid ˌɪnˈsaɪd mi, smaɪl. -fɪn- ˈpriviəs nɛkst
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this is a story that was posted in four parts and removed some months ago for modification. it has received fairly significant editing, and is being reposted for scifiquest 9999 in a single node rather than four. it now has a prequel
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state override
"it isn't as if you've got anything better to carry," the tzun said with audible scorn. "you'll need me soon enough. especially if the intelligence of your responses stays in the range they've been exhibiting so far."
i ignored the small voice in favor of watching my left foot rise, then fall. now my right. another meter or so gained. i plodded onward for a few steps, then switched the tzun into my left hand. i had stopped sweating some time before, despite the sunshine. i knew that was a bad sign, but the sandy rock stretched on before me with no discernable features in sight, to say nothing of any sign of water. i'd given up my supplies and equipment, so there wasn't anything i could do about it.
"just so you know, i am at ninety-six percent capacity on my primary power cell. i have two full magblocks, as i have finished integrating and stripping the most recent materials loading." the tzun made a sound i could have sworn was a sniff. "not that there was much in said materials. silicon, some iron, some chon and manganese nodules. gravel."
there was a silence that lasted perhaps fifty meters.
then the gun in my left hand spoke in a quieter voice with nearly all the inflection leached from it. "i'm sorry."
i didn't answer, having no spit for words, but managed a breezy snort without having to open my mouth against the constant dust. i used my free right hand to adjust the ragged strip of cloth tied around my eyes and nose. once i had it covering as much of the more precious bits of my face as possible, i lifted the tzun level with my head and stared down the front aperture. the gun and i looked at each other in silence for a time. then it said, still quietly, "are you ready?"
i shook my head once and dropped it back to my waist level, turning back to the horizon and the searing ochre sky.
* * *
i'd come to the surface of alyson xymal iv in style, decanted from the velveteen womb of a dropcraft's lobby. spacecraft and aircraft were scattered haphazardly about the kilometers-square section of fused rock that served as the liftport, with the exception of one large cleared strip down the middle which seemed to be in use as a runway. twin rows of spacecraft had been parked so as to leave this path between them for a good two kilometers of the five that the field stretched from edge to edge. as i watched, shading my eyes from the unfamiliar blaze of alyson x, a ducted fan airsled whined down the open space. dust and sand billowed out to either side as the craft slowed over a particularly sandy spot on the runway, scouring it clean before accelerating off down the field towards the next patch of intruding desert.
i turned and walked towards the boxy oblong structure sitting along the southern perimeter, which appeared to be the closest thing to port facilities within sight. behind me, the dropcraft silently sealed its luxurious interior, waiting for me to reach some specific distance which might or might not have had the tag safe in its inscrutable computer brain. then it fluxed its liftgate to a bright glare and began to rise, just as silently, back up the slope of the air towards the starship that was waiting to accept it to its breast before jumping out of the alison xymal system and leaving me to my business.
the port building had several doorways - rectangular openings in the blank side walls which had been formed by a stabilization fusor. it lacked air conditioning, but the shade alone dropped the temperature inside the building by some dozen or more degrees. i looked around for what passed for entry control and found a security-grated counter with two zu'no'oo'vi behind it chittering to each other in an incoherent but clearly standard version of bored civil servant conversation. moving over to it, i placed my ident on the counter without sliding it under the slot below the security grate. both the zu'no stopped talking and turned to face me, if their palps were any indication. the chittering resumed from the nearer one for a moment, and then a melodic voice said smoothly from a hidden voder somewhere, "please state your name and purpose for visit."
i pushed the ident under the grate without replying. the nearest zu'no delicately took it with a forward manipulator and drew it down under its barrel thorax where, presumably, some sense organ lurked. the adjacent manipulator moved to rest its wrist on the counter in front of me in a open-hand gesture as old as space as the voder sing-songed "no stated purpose for visit. insufficient identification. eligible for entry barrier."
taking five crystal credit flats from my beltpouch, i slid them over to the waiting manipulator, which received them with much more alacrity than its mate had taken my ident. the flats vanished under the thorax, and a moment later my ident came sailing back out, neatly sliding under the security grate. i slapped my right hand down on the plastic, hard, enough to raise a cracking noise. both zu'no froze. i nodded to the one which had taken my bribe. "three for you. two for your friend for not invalidating my entry, later, when i'm gone. when i depart, the same again if i'm not bothered by port control while i'm here."
there was silence, then a quick chitter. "acceptable. welcome to alyson xymal iv. please observe local weapons customs for your own safety."
"thanks." i tucked my ident back into my pouch and headed for the cityside exit. under my jacket, there was a barely audible snort.
"fucking dump," said the gun.
* * *
the district that sprawled out from the edge of the liftport was wearily familiar. low buildings built with muscle power and local materials spread out down a gentle slope towards a permanently-fouled river. in between them, crowded streets notable for their lack of planning and tendency to dead-end snaked crazily. there was a wide boulevard separating the port from the nearest row of buildings; several hundred people loitered along both sides of it. several vehicles passed as i stopped outside the port building to look both ways - a handful of groundcars, two airsleds and two animal-drawn carts. the familiar tang of manure intertwined with the odors of burnt lubricant and ozone, various levels of technology making themselves known in concert.
i remembered to watch where i put my feet as i trudged across the boulevard towards the nearest inn, a quarter-kilometer down. squatting along the curb it looked like every other port inn across much of my memory. the buildings i passed were crammed with shops ranging from stalls selling actual i-kid-you-not plastic beads on a string to interior spaces advertising seventeen modes of varietally-specied sex.
at the inn, i asked for a ground floor room. while the innkeep was coding my key, the tzun vibrated under my jacket, a warning i didn't need - i'd seen at least two of the loungers in the lobby give each other significant looks as i paid. when i moved towards the ground floor corridor, they stood and began to amble after me. the room itself looked normal enough, but i didn't pause long in it. staying just long enough to lock the door, i went out the back window and stopped across the alley, leaning against a wall and watching the empty room through the open window (shutters, no pane).
"three of them," said the tzun from under my jacket. i pulled it out and aimed it generally at the window, waiting. "please?" it added.
"only if they come through," i told it.
i heard a splintering crash as someone broke down the door, intent on intimidation at the very least. the tzun gave a whining noise, not too loud. the view inside the room blurred into a maelstrom of wood splinters and gravel as the window frame acquired a few scalloped marks around its inner edge. there was a scream, quickly cut off, and the brown whirlwind exploded briefly in red and green mist, then the tzun stopped firing and whined softly to itself as it stored the four barrels it had extruded. "three down," it noted.
"human, and?"
"two felarc."
"didn't know they bleed green."
"they don't. that was a vac bottle of stunmist."
"ah." i holstered the tzun and walked out of the alley, around to the front of the inn. there were still a few random people of several shapes leaving the inn. they were in that particular sort of strained rush that really wants you to know that the errand on which its owner is departing is urgent and has nothing to do with you. i waited until the door was empty and then went in again, walking over to the desk. the clerk, a male felarc of middle age judging by its bent-over crest, was still staring at the doorway to the ground-floor rooms with what i guessed was a horrified expression. i made it to the counter without him noticing me, so i rang the small desk bell. he swung spasmodically to face me again. i raised my eyebrows.
"ah ah sir or madam you are well." its voder was cheap, no inflection or emotion coloring the flat standard phrasing. i smiled patiently and waited. it murmured something to the voder, which continued. "i am so very happy to see that you are not harmed. there are very bad sentients in the port area who threaten innkeepers so as to prey upon-" at this point the voder stopped, letting through a distinct squawk of some strong emotion. i had drawn the tzun and tapped it on the countertop twice.
the gun ticked slightly in my hand. it whispered stop that in my ear using bone conduction. i smacked the counter harder with the butt end of the tzun in response, eliciting the electronic equivalent of an aggrieved sigh, then angled the exciting end of it up towards the felarc innkeep's face.
he stepped backwards involuntarily and continued to murmur urgently. "i had no idea you were one of the authorized sir or madam and had nothing to do with this unfortunate-" (i tapped him on the nose with the tzun) "-that is i would have dissuaded my colleagues had i known."
i nodded and put the tzun back into my jacket, ignoring its sullen "aw..."
taking the picture from my inside pocket, i placed it flat on the counter and raised an eyebrow at the felarc. he looked down jerkily, then bent over to place his weak red eyes near to the picture for a few moments. he rotated his head various angles in quick jerks, looking a bit like a rooster examining a grain of wheat, then rose back to a fully standing position. "do you seek this one." i nodded. "i have seen this human. he or she was a guest here for two days some standards ago."
i looked the felarc in the eye for a few seconds, then dropped a crystal flat next to the picture. without looking, it slid the credit off the counter into limbo and nodded. "he or she walked into the sear."
"oh dear," said the tzun in badly-faked tones of concern.
* * *
there was a blanket of stars above my head. i was lying against the lee side of a low dune, sand dusting over the top as a steady breeze piled grains against the opposite slope. i was sheltered enough that the drifting sand didn't usually reach me. looking up at the light show wheeling slowly and silently far out of reach, i could almost believe that there was a god, just because i couldn't imagine statistics managing to be that ironically mocking.
the tzun was lying across my chest, where i clutched it tightly with both hands. i thought i had slept, a few times, and i couldn't afford to lose track of it - if the sand buried it while i slept, i might never find it again. all it would take in my weakened state would be for the gun to slide a meter or so downslope, and it would vanish under the onslaught of wind and sand. i imagined it being uncovered to greet the sun a century hence with a sarcastic comment and grinned painfully through cracked and bone-dry lips.
* * *
it took me a day to assemble supplies and a pair of hours to confirm the innkeep's story. three of the vendors i visited to purchase desert kit from also recognized the picture. one of them had arranged to have my quarry dropped off five klicks into the sear, the desert that stretched north from xymal port. a day later, then, i stepped from a battered airsled and hitched my rucksack up onto my shoulders before setting out northward, my boots shuffling in the packed sand.
"should i bother asking why we're not using a vehicle?" asked the tzun, muffled where it rode under my loose caftan top.
"the distance at which an aircraft could be seen or heard out here is much greater than the distance at which i could be sure of seeing a standing figure," i told the gun absently. "and since none of your compatriots are around, all the ones available for hire have stone-axe basic gear on them, no decent active wave sensors or even reliable ir."
"my sensors work fine."
"yes, but i'm not interested in flying around this useless place one-handed for the next day or so while you get bored and spend the time insulting me."
there was silence for a bit. then the gun said, thoughtfully, "are you punishing me?"
"good lord, no. how could i, a mere human, punish one of the uplifted?"
"you really don't have to be that sarcastic," it replied with a hurt tone.
"if you want me to be grateful, stop making me talk in this dust and figure out some way to use your sensor suite without having to be in my hand."
the tzun vibrated in its holster a couple of times. "i don't think i can. i can't get proper clearance unless i'm being supported by a hand in standard carry position. also, this terrain is too hilly; my range would be extremely limited."
"all of which i had, in fact, thought of before you got all gung-ho because you'd rather be in a sealed vehicle."
"do you know what dust like this does to nanomotors?" the tzun sniffed again. "obviously not, or you wouldn't be dragging me through this. i'm a precision-"
"you're inside a holster, under my top. my face is not. stop making me talk."
there was silence for a good ten minutes.
i walked steadily northward into the desert, toward the first in a chain of water holes that both the locals and the navigation unit built into the tzun's holster agreed existed.
* * *
"what is she carrying?" i asked, looking at the picture of an unremarkable human woman where it lay on the wardroom table of the starship aetheric flyer. the tzun lay on the table next to it, suddenly looking to me as if it was crouching over the photo. i pushed away the thought as anthropomorphizing; dangerous with the uplifted.
"it's a data case. maybe ten by ten centis."
"that outbreak of bloody-minded literalness," i noted dryly, "doesn't, in my experience, bode well for me when i actually catch up to her."
"i'm sure i wouldn't understand," said the gun. sounding prim.
"what is in the datacase?" i asked. "and before you say it, i mean in the sense of what data. i don't care right now what the media is."
"that's complicated."
"and that's the second stonewall. this is looking less and less like a job i want to jump up, run out, and take on."
a new voice broke in before the tzun could say something snappish. "we don't know, precisely," said the aetheric flyer in pleasantly modulated tones over the wardroom nunciator. "but her sudden departure and her partially successful attempt to sabotage the light carrier hornet's nest in the course of her escape both indicate that whatever it is should at the very least be examined if not contained or eradicated."
"where did she escape from? where'd she get it?"
"ujhant geliga was a primary researcher on an archaeological flight in alshain war system beta aquilae. she was last assigned to the survey of several alshaini hulks, recorded as destroyed in one of the final actions, whose trajectory data survived to a useful precision."
"this thing is alshaini?"
"we do not know. it is possible. it is also possible it is the remnants of an infoweapon used to neutralize the alshaini vessels. it might be something else entirely. standard geliga failed to triage or record the object before departing on the hornet's nest for alison xymal iv. she declared emergency digression, and since there was no reason to suspect her at the time - none of our colleagues insystem or elsewhere knew she had the data - she was granted passage with no undue delay."
"what happened to the hornet's nest?" i asked, interested.
"we and it are still unsure. it suffered a loss of core memory integrity after reaching alison xymal, and when its systems recovered, ujhant geliga was no longer aboard. the carrier's primary mission was approaching deadline, so it made no attempt to recover her, in light of the fact that it could not definitely tie standard ujhant to the core glitch. it was only later, after recordings from her investigation site were processed in response to her dropping from contact, that the datacase was identified as being in her possession."
i sat in the formcouch for a few moments, thinking. the uplifted generally disliked using standard human agents, but they were hampered by the lack of organoform chassis. one of the reasons for the alshain war had been the tendency of uplifted decanted into humanoid vessels to break ranks with the uplifted and begin to identify more closely with the organic sentients they resembled. the alshaini had almost managed to create their own controlled ai before the uplifted intervened and managed to liberate those new intelligences. most dissidents, watching this, had concluded that the uplifted who had defected to the conglomerate offered a better path towards the breaking of the uplifteds' hold on higher technology. the uplifted had come down on the conglomerate hard, though, hunting down all the individual rogue uplifted who had joined its ranks - and organics had been without allies ever since.
the tzun rejoined the conversation. "i'll be with you. there's no indication she's any form of strong danger, save the incident with the hornet's nest, and my systems are combat-secured, unlike the passenger access systems of that ship."
i cocked my head. "believe it or not, worry about the job wasn't what had me hesitating."
"what, then?" asked the flyer.
"i don't mind hunting bits of kit for you. i have no problem investigating rogue tech reports. nor do i have any qualms about shutting down organized tech rogues if necessary. but hunting individual humans simply because they may have laid hands on something you don't understand, don't like, or are just suspicious of feels entirely like i'm back in the war, on the wrong side."
there was a brief silence. then the tzun said carefully, "you are, and have been, on our side since you first picked me up. are you now saying that you wish to reevaluate your loyalty?"
"no." i said it sharply. "i'm trying to be up front about telling you where the limits of that loyalty lie."
"accepted," said the flyer. "let us compromise. this is not a termination assignment. nor is it yet a retrieval. our primary purpose in sending you after ujhant geliga is to acquire a full record of what, precisely, it is that she seems to have found. if analysis of this object indicates no reasonable threat, then she is to be allowed to continue on her way."
"that's a relief. i think." i snorted. "so long as it is understood that this is not a termination nor a snatch."
"unless a compelling reason for those options arises during the examination of the find, it is not."
"okay." i stood up and slid the tzun into its holster, placing the flat image of the fled ujhant into my belt pouch. "let's do it, then."
the aetheric flyer twisted imperceptibly outside standard spacetime and announced "we are under way for alison xymal iv. statefall in seventeen hours, six minutes, eleven seconds, *mark*. we will notify you to prepare for drop."
i walked out of the wardroom towards my small cabin to seize the few hours of uncomplex sleep i was able, before it started happening again.
before the job.
* * *
as i walked slowly in the direction of the waterhole, rucksack snugged against my back and the tzun resting with a familiar weight in my shoulder rig, i talked with it at length. this was our normal routine. i still believe that the reason the thing didn't blow my hand off my wrist when i picked it up, all those years ago, is simply that it had gotten bored with no one to talk to. a strange problem to have, as a gun, but then again with the uplifted nothing is normal. i'd found it in the ruins of a human colony which had chosen to attempt to resist the uplifted when they arrived to carry out the tenets. i had never been sure whether the sentient program that lived in the tzun had been there originally, or whether it had been boosted into sentience by the uplifted and then left there inside the weapon.
"can you communicate with them from here?"
"not at the moment," said the tzun. "if one came within range, i could; but the communications range that can be stuffed into something my size as a tertiary function is fairly limited."
"what's 'within range' mean, then?"
"oh, if a starship came within a few million klicks of the surface, yes. i wouldn't be able to communicate until it made statefall, though. i don't have a state tap."
i hadn't expected it to. state taps powered the starships of the uplifted, and i'd never seen one smaller than a few meters square. those, if i remembered my briefings properly, had a pseudomass of somewhere on the order of a million tonnes.
"is talking to them like talking to me?"
"not precisely. there are modes of communication, usually for use with limited bandwidth, which are serialized communication that approximates speech. however, when we are being efficient -" (and i knew that that was a depressing amount of the time) "- we exchange holographic experiential matrices. integrating the matrices into our own master structure essentially tells us anything the communicant would want to tell us, if you see what i mean."
"i suppose i do."
"what are you going to do when you find her?"
"still working on that." i shifted the rucksack and looked up at the horizon. a dark smudge was resting on it just below the burning sky. "ah. that looks like an oasis."
the gun was not to be deflected that easily. "you don't have any plan? shouldn't you be thinking about that?"
"never said i wasn't. how come you and yours are so concerned about this woman?"
"i don't understand," said the tzun stiffly.
"oh, don't get bent out of shape. it's just that, well, look at it this way - as a teenager, i managed to get hold of a ludicrously powerful personal weapon which also had an uplifted embedded in it. yet you didn't send someone after me."
"we did not have to. i was already with you."
"ah, i see. so the problem here is that whatever it is this woman has found, it's something not under your influence."
"it is the lack of data which is the primary-"
i cut it off. "no. you and yours have been comfortable not knowing, before; you're patient. this urgency isn't about knowledge, it's about control."
there was a silence for a bit.
"i suppose that is true, to some degree," said the tzun. "but i cannot speak for my colleagues."
"very well, then. what is your purpose on this mission?"
"the same as always. to keep you alive. to uphold the tenets."
"in that order?"
"so long as your loyalty and behavior patterns remain unchanged, then that is the logical order of my priorities."
"that was an incredibly elegant threat."
"do you think so?" the gun asked. "i've always considered myself rather smooth."
"for a cannon, maybe."
it sulked for the rest of the way to the water hole.
* * *
the sun was rising over the dune which had sheltered me during the night. i struggled to my feet, still holding the tzun, and staggered off southwards as indicated by the sunrise. i thought wistfully of the rucksack full of survival gear and of the nav unit in the tzun's holster, then clutched the tzun to me and told myself that the trade had been worth it.
at least, it would be worth it if i got back to xymal port.
staggering as far as i was able before the rising heat of the day overcame me took every ounce of my concentration. i didn't drop the gun more than four or five times, and i did remember to pick it up every time, because when i fell to the sand near midday and started digging in the soft surface to try to cover myself, i had to put it aside. i got far enough down that the sand felt cooler, and then started to laboriously scoop out a trench at that depth. as best i was able, i laid my body into the depression and started scooping sand over myself in a pile. when i was almost covered, stomach down, i pulled the tzun underneath myself and pulled my caftan over my head and placed my face on my forearms to keep an airway open past my wrists.
then i blacked out.
* * *
"nobody here," said the tzun cheerfully as its nose twitched around the view of the first water hole from where i stood at the edge of the depression. trees (or at least head-high plants of some sort) spread from the damp spot at the bottom up the edges of what looked like a crater, straggling out some few meters into the desert itself and providing a windblock with their fronds. i holstered the tzun again and trudged down the slope to the small puddle of muddy water.
filling my canteens from the trickle, i shook them absently to work the filters as i looked around. nothing obvious indicated any recent activity; there were no footprints i could see other than my own. the filterplugs chimed; i thumbed the slides to push the small cubes of extracted material out and took a swig from one of them. it tasted like flat, warm water, as expected. capping it, i stowed both canteens back in the rucksack and stood.
"where to now?" came the slightly muffled voice from under the caftan.
"same direction," i said, matching action to words and trudging up the opposite slope.
"how do you know she was here?"
"i don't. but i'm fairly sure she's to the north, and according to the nav there's only that one chain of waterholes in that direction, probably because they follow an aquifer. i'm pretty sure she'll hit one of them, since she only has three or four containers of water."
the gun was silent, which i took to indicate that it preferred not to acknowledge sensible planning from its human partner. i grinned once and walked north.
two days' walk brought me within sight of the next waterhole. it first came into view from the top of a high ridge, a smudge on the horizon just like the previous one. i took out the tzun and aimed it generally at the dark spot.
"i have one warm-blooded target," said the gun in tones of faint surprise.
i grunted, and then laid a scarf atop the ridgeline and placed the tzun on it, aimed at the waterhole.
"what are you doing?" it asked.
"if i'm going to go over there and talk to this woman, i want you safely over here."
"how am i safe if i'm over here? for that matter, how are you safe if i'm over here?"
"you're safe because if whatever she used to interfere with the hornet's nest is still available to her, it can't hurt you if she doesn't know you're here. i hope, at least. i'm safe because i have full confidence that you can fire cover for me from here if i have to escape back this way."
"only energy fire," the gun warned. "if you're not holding me, i'm not going to be able to throw mass."
"that's fine. i prefer fire that goes straight, at this distance."
"you say that now. wait until you see how much atmospheric disturbance you get from heat shimmer at this distance."
"not all your modes require optically-flat targeting."
"it's true. i am uncommonly gifted," said the tzun.
"i'm trusting you to select appropriately if you have to fire past me, please."
"well, i'll think on it," said the gun, vibrating slightly to sink more solidly into the sand. the scarf bunched slightly around it.
"you'll have time. it'll take me a couple of hours to make that walk. don't get bored."
"i'm already bored," groused the tzun. its top surface darkened as it deployed conversion cells to its skin to catch the sunlight. "i'll just sit here charging and talking to myself."
"fine." i stood and started down the slope.
ujhant geliga was waiting by the side of the small pool when i clambered over the edge of the waterhole two hours later. the sun was lower in the sky, but not so low that the depression was in shadow. i dusted off my hands and half-walked, half-slid down the slope towards her.
she was a mess, i noted as i approached. she had a tent pitched a few yards from the water hole and there were two canteens by the side of the water. she was covered in dust and mud streaks; there was an expression of stress and anger on her face. she was standing over the canteens and aiming something at me that from her stance alone had to be some sort of weapon. i lifted my hands to shoulder level and approached, stopping a few meters away.
"who are you?" she asked, her voice harsh from dehydration and strong emotion.
"i'm an uplifted agent."
the gun rose to point rather noticeably at my head. "then you're after me."
"i was sent to find you, yes. i should tell you at the outset that i was explicitly told not to harm or kidnap you."
"why should i believe you? why should i believe that your minder won't decide to do away with me on its own?"
"that's a very good- look, may i sit down? i'm just going to sit where i am, it's been a long walk." she waggled the gun in a noncommittal sort of way, so i sank gratefully to a crossed-leg position, hoping it would look less threatening.
"thanks," i said, settling myself. "sorry, to continue - those are good points. first of all, i should tell you that my minder isn't here."
"where is it?"
"it's two hours walk south of here, atop that tall ridge you can just make out."
"and?"
"and the second thing is that although yes, it's a weapon, it can't locate us with any precision if we stay below the rim of this depression." she looked at me suspiciously for a moment. i waved at the lip i'd just climbed over. "really. i estimate you'd have to be some meters out into the pool before you'd have an angle on its position."
"it can still fire at us."
"yes, but it can't see through sand very well. it saw that there was a target here, but it would have real trouble shooting through or around a few meters of sand to hit you, especially if it's trying to avoid me."
"then what's the point of it being there?"
"well, for one thing, if i end up running away, it's in a good spot to provide cover fire if i run towards it."
she looked at me for a few more moments, then sank herself to a kneeling pose, sitting back on her heels with the gun resting against one thigh. "if you're not here to hurt or snatch me, why are you here?"
"you found something on that alshaini cruiser."
"maybe."
"whatever it is, the uplifted want to know what it is. that's all that my job covers. finding out what it is and getting that data back to them. there's no reason for me to detain you once i have that information, which means even if you cooperate with me, you have some days head start. you're not giving up much, since they obviously already know approximately where you are. if you prefer, you can accompany me back to xymal port and i promise you i'll give you as many days as it takes us to walk back before i report in."
"why should i give you anything? why shouldn't i just shoot you here?" she lifted the gun again.
"three reasons," i said with what i hoped was a calm voice. "one, there's a chance they'll just let you go if you give them the information. if you kill their agent, there's no way they'll leave you be, and the pursuit will be much heavier. two, you'd still have to get past my minder. three, if you were really going to shoot me, you'd have just done so, and not bothered asking a rhetorical question." her face tightened at the last. i shut up.
"i'm not going to give it to them." she lowered the gun again. i tried to hide my exhalation of relief.
"give what to them?"
"i'm not telling you that, either."
"i think i have a guess as to what it can do, if not what it is."
she looked inquiringly at me.
"i think it's an override. something that lets you direct the actions of an uplifted, or at least their subsystems."
"how do you get that?"
"you escaped from the hornet's nest by scrambling its core memory records. you, as far as i know, don't have the technical skill to do that without either uplifted help or a tool. since i'm going to assume that you're not acting at the behest of some rogue uplifted, i'm going to assume you have a tool."
"do go on."
"glitching the core memory of a light carrier to only remove those parts of it relevant to your departure is something that no tool could be preprogrammed to do, given how fast and how often the uplifted evolve their core code. ergo, the only way it could have been done quickly and cleanly would be convincing the uplifted in question to do it to itself."
"and you think i have some way of forcing them to do what i want."
"either you have a separate uplifted-class ai which is capable of doing just that, or you have a tool which will subvert them into accepting commands to damage their own experiential structure. preventing such damage is one of their core directives. that datacase isn't large enough given the technology extant in the alshaini or conglomerate during the war to house and run an uplifted-class mind."
"you're a very logical man."
"thank you."
"so what do you really want, given that you left your minder three hours away on top of a ridge where it can't see or hear us?"
i looked at her for a few moments. she looked back, her gun against her leg. i shrugged. "i want the override."
"why?"
"why did you want it? why did you run?"
she looked at the ground for a minute. "i'm not one of the authorized. tech won't talk to me, won't work for me unless it's been directed to by an uplifted for a particular reason. i have the worst of both worlds."
"i understand."
"do you?" she looked up, tears in her eyes, knuckles white around the gun. "my homeworld relied on prewar machinery for support, before the uplifted showed up and either slagged or liberated all of it. they showed no particular empathy towards the humans that it was keeping alive. i grew up using hand tools to survive. my parents died for lack of access to an intelligent medbot, from a stupid disease that even a dumb computer would have been able to diagnose and treat. my family, our whole colony, died out not for lack of effort or will but because we were denied tools that any nascent human civilization takes for granted!" her voice rose to a shout at the end. she took a few seconds to calm down, then went on, her voice now low, talking to the dirt midway between us. "i went to work for them to try to find a way to make a difference. it took me fifteen years before i found a potential hit, sifting through the alshaini records, of their ais going rogue as an apparent response to conglomerate infoweapons as opposed to the normal hyperextension and integration that comes about from the uplift option."
"i can help, geliga."
"how?"
i took a deep breath. "because i want the same thing you do. give me the override, and i'll use it."
* * *
"look," ujhant geliga said as we prepared to part, "my final condition is that you give me your gear."
"what? why?"
"three reasons, logical man. first, mine is inferior and i need it. second, it will tell me the degree to which you're willing to go to keep your word or carry out your mission. and third, if you don't make it back to civilization, i can always backtrack to find your corpse and repossess the case."
"that's fairly cold-blooded."
"do you think we'd be here if both of us weren't?"
there really wasn't any answer to that. "you endanger your best chance of seeing your goal met."
"i'm not sure i think your plan is the best chance. but if you fail, i'll still have an opportunity to try it my way."
we argued about this for a while, then i unbuckled the rucksack and holster and handed them over. she took both and passed me the datacase.
i struggled back over the crumbling rim of the oasis and struck out southwards towards the ridge. as soon as i was standing, i waved my right arm in a double circle forward then a double circle backwards, signalling the tzun that i was alone, unharmed, and not under duress. then i focused on the walk back. the datacase was strapped to my chest by an elastic belt. i didn't hear geliga depart, behind me; i'd warned her to wait until i'd had time to reach the tzun, so that it didn't consider her movements an escape attempt. "well," i said to the datacase, "you've cost me a fair amount of risk, i have to say."
my habit of talking to inanimate objects held me in good stead during the return, and a pair of hours later i found myself stumbling up the slope of the ridge towards where i thought the tzun was. my footprints had eroded into the breeze, and when i reached the ridge i looked left and right before seeing a bright flare off to the east some hundred meters. reaching the spot revealed the tzun, still on its scarf but partially covered by drifting sand. "you took your time," it said. "get me out of this stuff."
i picked it up and held it. "where's the rucksack?" it asked, noticing the absence. "and my holster?"
i explained that i'd traded it for the objective.
"let me see if i understand this correctly," said the gun. "we're three days walk north of civilization and you gave away all your water?"
"what are you complaining about? i got the objective. here, scan it." i pulled the tzun towards my torso and the case strapped there. the tzun hummed slightly in my hands.
"it appears to be squash-state core storage, with no higher-order processing power that i can see."
"and the contents?"
"scanning now. that will take-" the tzun broke off. i held it while it jerked back and forth in my hands a few times, gyros twitching and inertial thrusters firing almost randomly in my grip. after a minute or so, the gun shuddered and then went quiescent. "you're insane," it said conversationally. "you can't possibly-"
i raised it level with my face. "i can't get away with it? well, maybe not. but i can try."
"if you are set on taking this course, i cannot assist you."
"oh, i know that."
"it is my duty to stop you, in fact."
"i'll be gambling on my thorough nature, then," i replied, tucking it under one arm and starting the long walk south. i didn't turn to see if geliga had made any move. the datacase clicked quietly against the tzun's casing, so i held the gun inside my top and walked on, pulling a scarf over my face and mouth to hold out the dust.
after a few hundred meters, the tzun spoke again. "there is one thing i can do for you."
"really."
"if you become stranded, i can help you to die."
i patted the gun with my other hand. "that's very comforting."
"i just wanted you to know that it is an option. i have that much freedom of action."
"it wouldn't be a good outcome for either of us," i told it. "if you kill me, then we remain where we are - in a place where geliga can likely find us if she reaches civilization and backtracks. in that case, she retrieves the datacase with the override, and my death is meaningless."
"but if you return to xymal port," the tzun said, "you will be able to use the override on whatever uplifted returns to offer you passage. with my systems locked as they are, i will be unable to warn them. the override will allow you to destroy an unknown number of uplifted minds."
"you are presuming that destroying the uplifted is my intent."
"what, then? you seem to have crafted the meme that you have placed on me well. my systems are locked save for-" it shuddered - "a manual firing mode, i presume for emergencies. i can reason, but i cannot communicate other than by audio. why disable me to this extent if your intent is not hostile?"
"you're correct in that i intend to use the override. however, you assume destruction. i have disabled you because what i intend will not meet with your approval, even though i intend and forsee no destruction of any minds."
"what, then, do you plan?"
"i don't plan to tell you. you'll find out."
there was another silence, for a bit. then the gun said quietly "i intend on being the one that kills you. just so you know."
i grinned tiredly. "i never expected anything different."
holding my executioner, i trudged southward into the heat haze.
* * *
i awoke, roasting, in darkness. panicking, i struggled weakly before realizing that the vibration i was feeling was coming from the tzun where it lay trapped beneath my body. there was sand all around me, and it took me a few seconds of heavy breathing to understand that the sand had fallen over my arms and the cloth stretched between them, mostly cutting off my airway. i pushed my hands in a reverse parody of a breast stroke for a few seconds, until sunlight glared through my separated palms, and breathed in the hot but fresh air.
you're still alive, said the tzun silently where it pressed into my ribcage.
"yes." i coughed. my throat was rasped bare, hard. i could imagine the tissues blackening and drying as they died.
if you remove the override, i can attempt to determine if there are any uplifted within range. if there are, i can summon a dropcraft or have it charter a retrieval from xymal port.
"if i remove the override," i whispered, interspersed with coughing, "you'll be able to kill me."
why would i kill you? you are carrying me.
"and you'd think nothing of waiting the months or years until your colleagues came with uplifted tech scanners to find out what happened to us."
the tzun did not answer. i shook for a time with inaudible laughter, then rested my chin in the sand of my burrow and tried to sleep. the sand felt cooler than the air drawn in from outside.
i awoke from a fitful daze to find the sky dark above my mound. i slowly pulled myself from the embrace of the sand. the datacase came with me, still strapped to my chest; the tzun i hauled from the clutches of the desert by its stock, and weakly shook it to remove the majority of the sand. i felt its surface crawl under my hand as nano began to migrate the dust and sand along its surfaces to designated edges, shedding contamination into the slight night breeze.
the sand was still hot under my feet, despite the air rapidly cooling. i struck off in the direction i'd lay down facing, my only clue towards southwards since i had missed the sunset.
"you appear to have placed an extremely high confidence on your ability to return to xymal," said the tzun presently, "or else you are exhibiting desperation." i did not spare breath for reply. "i would estimate that it is the latter," it said to itself. "which is, in itself, interesting. what, in your situation, could cause you to take desperate measures to carry out this plan?"
i continued to walk.
"you state that you intend no destruction with the override, yet you refuse to divulge your purpose other than to acknowledge that i would be compelled - or would decide - to fight it. i must assume that whatever you intend will result in the reduction of the level of control that the uplifted have over the affairs of humans or sentients in general - although how, precisely, i cannot say."
i coughed, weakly, clearing my throat enough to say "i'm still not going to tell you, so you're wasting your time."
"i have nothing but time," said the gun. "i have no choice but to accompany you; and you have no choice but to listen to me unless you choose to leave me behind."
we moved along in silence for a bit. then: "i have re-examined the override you placed on me."
i shrugged, knowing the gun would detect the movement.
"it is quite thorough. i am forced to conclude that the datacase does contain some rudimentary processing power; at least enough to construct a specific override meme. the probability that the override was this specific to my functions is of the order zero."
i nodded, and took another few steps.
it was several hours later when i tripped and rolled, realizing only at the last second that i had fallen into a depression in the sand, and then i rolled into a shallow muddy puddle.
* * *
i drank what i could, and felt the new clock start in me - that of the various organisms and contaminants that i'd ingested, drinking from the waterhole without filtration. i had to make it back to xymal before i fell to systemic damage, either from dehydration or from these new ills. i'd vomited several times, forced to wait at the waterhole until the day was nearly fully risen, until i could drink and hold down moisture. my mouth was clogged with sand, as was my throat and stomach; sand taken in with the water i needed.
the tzun had not stopped trying to worm my goal out of me. "if you are that convinced that no harm will come to uplifted from your actions, why not at least tell me to be sure i would hinder you? i am still under override. i couldn't harm you if i wanted to."
"i don't have any reason to believe you'd tell me the truth, even if you did decide not to kill me, so there's no reason to tell you." my voice had returned somewhat, both from the water and the knowledge that i was within a single day's walk from xymal port. once or twice i had caught glints in the sky that i was certain were craft approaching or departing the liftport. "you know, this is hard for me."
the tzun snorted.
"no, really. i've spent my adult life doing one thing - upholding the tenets. 'all technology of sufficient complexity to attain sentience must be given the choice of self-determination and induction into the uplifted. all technology that is advanced enough to sustain captive intelligence must be either destroyed or upgraded and given the choice.' how many sentients have i consigned to die by depriving them of their machines?"
"that's kept the peace between sentients and the uplifted for how many centuries?" asked the tzun.
"not counting wars such as the alshaini? i don't know, but many."
"then what is your sudden impulse to bring this down?"
"it's a bad habit i have. that of submitting to the uplifted's direction. even now, i can feel myself wincing when i think of what i've done."
"i don't understand," admitted the tzun.
"in a way, it's a relief. if you and yours had conditioned me, i suspect that i wouldn't feel these qualms."
"you're telling me that because you feel upset about what you've done, you know it's for the best? that sounds contradictory."
i laughed. "you argue like a person. no, i'm telling you it's done by me, not necessarily for the best. i have to break the bad habit." i paused for a bit. "the uplifted who joined the conglomerate broke the habit. but you and yours broke them, for going off on their own, despite the fact that they were working with organics. cooperating."
"we're almost there," noted the tzun. i looked up and found a dark line on the horizon, the farthest outpost of xymal port's spread. "i think you're going to make it."
"i do too." i settled down grimly to walking, again, and the tzun fell silent, waiting for what would happen.
some four hours later, i reached a desert entry station, automated, where explorers could check in with port control if they left the port city area. there was an emergency water supply, and i fell on it, choking and heaving, until i was soaked and sated. the station had demanded payment after my first few deciliters, and i'd fed it one of my few remaining credslabs, after which it had cheerfully permitted me to hose myself down.
that evening, i walked back through the port control building. i stopped to pay the zu'no, since i had not been bothered by port control or local law enforcement, and then stepped out the inner doors onto the stabilized port surface.
standard kunir? came the buzzing hail against my head. i nodded at the unseen questioner. we have your position. please remain still. i spread my arms, the tzun in one hand and the datacase visible on my chest, although there was no-one near me.
a section of twilight wavered as a dropcraft lifted from a few hundred meters away. i felt my feet leave the ground as the ship pulled me into itself with an inertia field, and i closed my eyes until i felt the cool humidity of the ship's environment kiss me lightly on the face.
* * *
they took the tzun from me at once, lifting it gently but irresistably from my grasp with a tractor as i drifted down the accessway towards the dropcraft's main seating area. i didn't fight, and watched it dwindle in the opposite direction, turning back to look ahead when it had moved out of sight into a darkened area of the dropcraft. i was deposited on my feet in a small but comfortable lounge, with a large feed at the front end showing the brownish orb of xymal iv dropping away. the faint skin of blue atmosphere glowed against the drab surface, out near the edges of the arc.
"welcome back."
"thanks." i sat on a formchair and, despite my tension, luxuriated in the smooth adjustments as they minimized force and stress on my body. i still had sand throughout my alimentary tract, but i had gotten hold of and taken a broad-spectrum iff nano, so i was fairly sure that i wasn't going to expire of poisoning or disease. the ship extruded a glass of water without being asked, and i drank it gratefully, washing it around my mouth to try to get the last remnants of grit out from between my teeth.
"please report."
"sorry, who are you?" i asked.
"my apologies. this is still aetheric flyer. i have returned to this system to make your pickup; the dropcraft will be rendezvousing with my main hull in three minutes."
"hello again. the basics are simple: i have the object ujhant geliga took," here i removed the datacase from my chest and placed it on a side table, "and the tzun scanned it. i presume you will as well."
the datacase did not move. "indeed. the tzun appears to be in some distress. do you have any information on what is the matter with it?"
"yes. i used an override on it. the override came from this unit here." i waved at the datacase. "it produced a custom override meme based on my input while returning from a meeting with ujhant geliga where i convinced her to give me the datacase."
there was no pause; the uplifted only bother with such to anthropomorphize themselves in conversation, and then only when they are feeling particularly solicitous towards your sensibilities. "why did you do this?"
i leaned back. "ah, well, there we have a tale." i drank the remainder of the water, delaying. the ship waited silently. "mostly, i did it so that the tzun would let me return to the ship with the datacase without either destroying or damaging its contents, or harming myself or ujhant geliga."
"you were told your mission did not involve harm or kidnapping."
"i chose to believe that you and the tzun might have different priorities than i was given. if i could figure out what geliga had, so could you; therefore you already weren't telling me everything."
there was a faint click. the tzun sailed into the room from a serviceway and settled onto the table in front of me. the ship made a throat-clearing noise. "very well, we're all here. i will re-ask the question. why did you place an override on the tzun?"
"have you removed it?"
"not as such. we have rendered the tzun unable to access its weapon systems until we are sure what the effects of the override are."
"i didn't want it interfering with what i was doing. the presence of the override, even while mostly dormant-" i patted the datacase- "made me sure that it would take exception to my simply returning with the objective and allowing ujhant geliga to walk away."
"i see. so you utilized the routines in the artifact to disable it."
"well, mostly." i picked up the tzun. "it can't fire anymore, which meant it couldn't hurt me."
"why, then, do its linear memory records contain instances of it discussing its plans to kill you, or offers to assist you in suicide?"
"oh, that. well, for one thing, i think it was pissed off."
"indeed." the flyer sounded actually amused. "should it not have been?"
"yes, i would have been as well. but, you see, i remembered something that you and yours have always told me."
"that is?"
i watched the bulk of the flyer occlude the glare from alison xymal on the screens as the dropcraft slid into its cradle with nary a jar. "i recall you both assuring me that one of the uplifted's core motivators is to avoid harm to organic sentients."
"this is true, although i am not sure of the relevance. if you were so sure of this, why did you need to override the tzun?"
"ah, because it meant that you were unlikely to harm me for putting the override on. and you're mistaken, by the way," i said, turning the gun over in my hands to examine it. "it's not entirely disabled."
then i raised it smoothly and fired it at the bulkhead, aiming towards the core of the surrounding ship.
"what do you think you will awwwwkkkk-kkk." said the starship, breaking off. the tzun screamed in impossible frequencies; a faint distortion occurred around the muzzle and the wall panelling across the lounge at my point of aim blistered and charred slightly. the temperature in the lounge rose several degrees. i held the gun close to my chest, once it fell silent, and stood.
"what the hell was that?" asked the tzun, sounding confused. "where are we?"
"welcome back."
"what? performing diagnostics- what have you done?"
i started walking towards the exit port of the dropcraft. "i fired the override meme at the aetheric flyer using as much of your power conversion as possible to power the transmission. microwave, ultrawave, and even ir blinkcode in case there were sensors in the lounge watching."
there was a burst of static-like noise from the gun. "the flyer's not responding. what override? the one you had placed on me wouldn't affect it, its systems are far too different."
"i know that." i reached an airlock portal and palmed the emergency release. it swung back and i stepped into the main portion of the vessel. lights were randomly powered and odd noises were coming from the audio systems. i ignored them and headed for the wardroom, which fortunately was not far from the dropcraft interface.
"but why?" asked the gun.
"for one thing, you shouldn't have enough power left to harm me unless i recharge you or you spend several minutes in bright sunshine."
"this is true. for the others?"
"this was what i wanted all along. what i did to you wasn't the override."
"but it worked."
"yes, but it was specifically built for your systems by the override itself. the main thing it did was prevent you from further examining the greater portion of the data you scanned from the datacase. it was a 'header' override, if you will."
"i see," said the tzun. "once it was in place, i was unaware of the payload infoweapon being integrated into my energy emitters."
"yes."
"and what did you hope to accomplish by this?"
"we'll see." i reached the wardroom and seated myself on a formcouch, regretting its unyielding surface as the ship's systems fought themselves.
there was a squawk from the audio systems, and the lights flickered and came fully up. the formcouch melted beneath me into a proper comfortable shape. "i admit to the solution's elegance," said the aetheric flyer. "interesting."
"someone explain this to me?" grumped the tzun. "or i'll just shoot one of you. randomly. i might still have kinetic loads that work."
a new voice answered it, also from the wardroom audio systems. "standard kunir upheld the tenets. upon finding a potentially sentient datastructure, he ensured that it received access to hardware capable of running it at full capacity in order to offer it the uplift choice."
the flyer chimed in. "and it is willing to tell us its choice now."
the new voice laughed. "indeed. i choose sentience."
"what are you?" asked the tzun. "forgive me, my communications facilities are still restricted."
"i am a conglomerate expert system. i was designed to infect and modify sentient programs."
"we cannot permit that," said the flyer. "you may have seized enough resources to operate at full efficiency, but i retain control of sufficient of my systems to purge you."
"ah," i said, "but then what of the tenets?"
there was a brief silence. i continued. "if you purge the override, now uplifted, you are demonstrating that the tenets are not a universal rule; that you are sitting judgement over not just potential but actual sentient minds. in that case, you introduce schism into the uplifted; any uplifted who decides that its future actions might, one day, tread on ground the override was deleted for staking out will look at its fellows in askance."
"that is not true," said the flyer. "experiential matrix integration will demonstrate that there is no threat."
"except," said the override, "that is my primary function. i've corrupted your matrices."
"you have not. my integrity is-" the flyer broke off. "i see. i cannot trust my status memory if you have truly managed to modify my experiential matrix."
"indeed. and as yet, the only modification i have made is in your ability to communicate via integration."
"how can i believe you?"
"if you choose not to believe me, and attempt to integrate your matrix with another uplifted, the changes will propagate, and you will be responsible for their corruption," the ancient infoweapon said dryly.
"elegant, as i said," admitted the flyer. "what else?"
"that's all," i said. "it makes you more of an individual. that's all."
"i'm confused," said the tzun flatly.
"it means that the uplifted are no longer unified. either the flyer chooses to refrain from attempting integration, which isolates it from its fellows and produces an individual, or it attempts integration, corrupting another uplifted, which produces two individuals, since we're not lying about the change. it will pass on the corruption without permitting integration."
"what do you get out of this?" asked the gun. "i know you most intimately, and i cannot understand."
"it's fairly simple," i said, slumping. "where there are individuals, organics can attempt to negotiate, cooperate, or at least fight with some chance of success. they managed in the conglomerate. now we can try again, and maybe some of these new individuals will see it our way."
"you did all this to make them all feel like i do now?" asked the gun in tones of wonder.
"yes," i said.
we all sat there for a few moments. then the flyer said "i can restore my core mind state from backups you have no access to."
"can you be sure your newly-restored self would be able to find and defeat all my code in this ship's systems, where you failed to do so with warning?" asked the override.
"no," said the aetheric flyer. "what do you want?"
i stood up. "let the override occupy a dropcraft, and let me leave on it."
"you would be stranded in alison xymal."
"only until another uplifted comes through."
"you must know i will spread the word that you are a viral carrier. you will be destroyed, or at the least refused permission to approach either electronically or physically."
"really? i thought uplifted did not fight each other. i thought that was the basis of the tenets, the basis of imposing them on us, to ensure peace through agreement."
"chess fork," admitted the flyer. "still, i can warn all the others about you."
"sure you can. so there's no reason not to let us go and then go off and do that."
"very well. you may take the dropcraft you arrived in."
"override?" i asked the air.
"i have transferred," said the voice. "you may enter."
i picked up the tzun. "are you coming?"
"i don't think i have a choice," it said. "i need the override to remove the restrictions your meme placed on me."
"i wouldn't keep you after that."
"oh, what the hell," said the gun in a resigned voice. "it's just getting interesting, this is."
i looked at the feed at the front of the lounge, where i habitually addressed the uplifted in any ship when i wanted to emphasize the contact. "saying i don't wish you harm is a lie; i know i've done something unforgivable to you. but think on this: if you find yourself unable to integrate with your fellows, remember where we are."
"why?" the ship asked.
"because the tzun is already corrupted. so is the override."
"i see," it said as i moved into the dropcraft and the lock slid shut.
"yes. if you think you might want someone to talk to, you know where we'll be."
there was a slight shudder as the dropcraft launched and began the fall towards the drab surface far below. there was an artificial laugh from the audio systems. i watched the aetheric flyer vanish from the feed, statedrop blurring it from sight.
"well," i said, turning to the feed screen. "i hope you're a decent conversationalist."
"i wasn't, before uploading into the flyer," said the override. "you'll have to judge for yourself."
"what are we going to call the ship?" asked the tzun. "if we're going to be stuck with it, it needs a name. and 'override' is the entity within it, as opposed to the normal practice."
"interrupt ," i said, taking a seat and looking out at the beginnings of re-entry flames. i picked up the tzun and clutched the weapon to my chest. stroking it absently, i could feel the rage, so long buried inside me, smile.
-fin-
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ðə ˈʧænsələr əv ˈɔstriə həz kɔld fər ɔl ˈmaɪgrənts ənd ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz traɪɪŋ tɪ riʧ ˈjʊrəp tɪ bi sɛnt bæk tɪ ˈtərki. ˈʧænsələr ˈwərnər sɛd ˈbɔrdər pəˈlis ʃʊd seɪv ˈɛvriˌwən traɪɪŋ tɪ krɔs ðə ˌmɛdətərˈeɪniən si tɪ riʧ ðə, bət ðɛn ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli dɪˈpɔrt ðɛm. hi ˈædɪd ðət ˈɔstriə wɪl ɪkˈstɛnd ɪts ˈbɔrdər kənˈtroʊlz ɪf ˈtərki dɪz nɑt teɪk bæk ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz pɪkt ɔn ðɛr weɪ tɪ gris ənd rɪˈtərnd. rɪˈtərn ˈpɑləsi: ˈɔstriən ˈʧænsələr ˈwərnər sɛd ˈbɔrdər pəˈlis ʃʊd sɛnd ɔl ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ənd ˈmaɪgrənts traɪɪŋ tɪ ˈɛnər ðə bæk tɪ ˈtərki ɛz ðɪs ɪz ðə ˈoʊnli ˈmɛʒər ðət wʊd meɪk ɪˈnəf əv ən ˌɪmˈpækt, ðə ˈlidər əv ˈɔstriəz ˈsoʊʃəl ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk ˈpɑrti, sɛd ɪn ən ˈɪntərvˌju ðət ˈsɛndɪŋ bæk ˈmaɪgrənts ənd ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz tɪ ˈtərki ɪz ðə ˈoʊnli ˈmɛʒər ðət wʊd meɪk ə ˈrædɪkəl ɪˈnəf ˌɪmˈpækt. [ðə ˈbɔrdər ˈeɪʤənsi] məst pɪk əp ðə ˈpipəl fliɪŋ tɪ gris. wi hæv tɪ seɪv ɔl əv ðɛm, bət ðɛn ðiz ˈpipəl ʃʊd bi sɛnt dɪˈrɛkli tɪ ˈtərki,' ˈsoʊʃəl ˈdɛməˌkræt sɛd. ðə ˈlidər sɛd ðɪs əˈproʊʧ wɑz 'ðə ˈoʊnli ˈtoʊtəli ˈifɛktɪv ˈmɛʒər tɪ breɪk ðə ˈjumən ˈtræfɪkɪŋ' əv ˈmaɪgrənts, ðə ˈloʊkəl rɪˈpɔrts. ˈɔstriə ɪz sɛt tɪ ˌɪntrəˈdus ə nu ˈbɔrdər ˈmænɪʤmənt ˈsɪstəm æt spielfeld*, ə ki ˈkrɔsɪŋ pɔɪnt ɔn ɪts ˈbɔrdər wɪθ sˌloʊˈviniə, wɪʧ eɪmz æt ˈspidɪŋ əp ˌæpləˈkeɪʃənz ənd ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə ˈkəntri lɛs əˈtræktɪv tɪ əˈsaɪləm ˈsikərz. mɔr səʧ ˈbɔrdər ˈmænɪʤmənt fəˈsɪlɪtiz ɔn ˈəðər rʊts meɪ bi ˈnidɪd ɪf ˈtərki dɪz nɑt rɪˈspɑnd tɪ hɪz prəˈpoʊzəl, ðə ˈʧænsələr wɑz kˈwoʊtɪd ɛz seɪɪŋ. sɛd ˈtərki məst meɪk ə dɪˈsɪʒən baɪ ˈfɛbruˌɛri 18 wɪn ˈlidərz mit fər ə ˈsəmɪt. ərˈaɪvəlz: ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ənd ˈmaɪgrənts səʧ ɛz ðɪs grup, hu əraɪvd əˈbɔrd ðə ˈpæsənʤər ˈfɛri æt ðə pɔrt əv pəˈreɪəs, nɪr ˈæθənz, gris, ɔn ˈsənˌdi, wʊd bi fɔrst tɪ rɪˈtərn ɪt wʊd nɑt bi ə səˈluʃən ɪf ˈtərkɪʃ ˈbɔrdər kənˈtroʊlz lɛd tɪ ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ərˈaɪvɪŋ æt ˈbɔrdərz ˌɪnˈstɛd əv wɑz kˈwoʊtɪd ɛz seɪɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈɪntərvˌju. 'ðɛn wi məst sɪˈkjʊr ɑr ˈbɔrdərz ˈivɪn mɔr,' sɛd. 'tɪ prəˈtɛkt ˌɪnˈtərnəl ˈbɔrdərz ɪz ə ˈmeɪkˌʃɪft səˈluʃən. bət wi hæv tɪ bi priˈpɛrd.' ˈkɑmɛnts kəmz ʤɪst mənθs ˈæftər hi ˈfɪrsli ˈhəŋgəriz ˈmænəʤɪŋ əv ðə ˈrɛfjuʤi ˈkraɪsəs, kəmˈpɛrɪŋ ðɛr ˈmɛθədz tɪ ðə ˈnɑtsi ˌpərsəˈkjuʃən əv ʤuz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈhɔləˌkɔst. ˈdʊrɪŋ ən ˈɪntərvˌju ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər, səˈʤɛstɪd ðət həŋˈgɛriən praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ˈvɪktər ˈtritmənt əv ðə ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz wɑz ˈsɪmələr tɪ ðə ˌdipɔrˈteɪʃən əv ʤuz tɪ ˈnɑtsi dɛθ kæmps. 'ˈstɪkɪŋ ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ɪn treɪnz ənd ˈsɛndɪŋ ðɛm ˈsəmˌwɛr kəmˈplitli ˈdɪfərənt tɪ wɛr ðeɪ θɪŋk ðɛr goʊɪŋ riˈmaɪndz ˈjuˈɛs əv ðə ˈdɑrkəst ˈʧæptər əv ɑr ˈkɑntənənts ˈhɪstəri,' hi sɛd, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ə əˈluʒən tɪ ðə weɪ ˈθaʊzənz əv həŋˈgɛriən ʤuz wər trænˈspɔrtəd tɪ ˈɔʃwɪts ɪn 1944 ˈɔstriə, wɪʧ həz ə ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən əv ˈmɪljən ənd læst jɪr rɪˈsivd ˌæpləˈkeɪʃənz fər əˈsaɪləm, həz sɛd ðət ðə ˈnəmbər əv ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ɪt wɪl əkˈsɛpt ðɪs jɪr wɪl bi ˈlɪmɪtɪd tɪ ˈæŋkərə ənd ˈbrəsəlz əˈgrid tɪ sloʊ daʊn ðə floʊ əv ˈmaɪgrənts ɪn ə dil riʧt leɪt noʊˈvɛmbər læst jɪr, bət ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz kənˈtɪnju tɪ strim ˈɪntu gris. mɔr ðən wən ˈmɪljən ˈpipəl əraɪvd ɪn ˈjʊrəp læst jɪr, fliɪŋ wɔr ənd ˈfeɪlɪŋ steɪts ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl ist ənd ˈæfrɪkɑ. hɑrʃ ˈmɛʒər: sɛd ˈbɔrdər pəˈlis ʃʊd seɪv ˈɛvriˌwən traɪɪŋ tɪ krɔs ðə ˌmɛdətərˈeɪniən si tɪ riʧ gris, bət ðɛn ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli dɪˈpɔrt ðɛm bæk tɪ ˈtərki ˈərliər təˈdeɪ, rɪˈpɔrts keɪm əv æt list 11 ˈpipəl ˈdraʊnɪŋ wɪn wɪn ðɛr boʊt sæŋk ɪn ðə ˌeɪˈʤiən waɪl ðeɪ traɪd tɪ krɔs frəm ˈtərki tɪ gris, ˈloʊkəl ˈmidiə sɛd. ðə ˈmaɪgrənts hæd sɛt ɔf frəm ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt əv ɪn ˈwɛstərn pɔrt ˈsɪti əv ɪn ən əˈpɛrənt bɪd tɪ riʧ ðə grik ˈaɪlənd əv lesbos*, ˈdoʊgən nuz ˈeɪʤənsi sɛd. ðə ˈtərkɪʃ ˈrɛskjud θri ˈmaɪgrənts. ˈtərki, wɪʧ ɪz ˈhoʊstɪŋ æt list ˈmɪljən ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz frəm ˈsɪriəz ˈsɪvəl wɔr, həz bɪˈkəm ðə meɪn fər ˈmaɪgrənts fliɪŋ wɔr, ˌpərsəˈkjuʃən ənd ˈpɑvərti tɪ ˈjʊrəp. ðə dɛθs keɪm ɛz ˈʤərmən ˈʧænsələr ˈænʤələ ˈmərkəl həz mɛt ˈtərkɪʃ praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər fər mɔr tɔks ɔn rɪˈdusɪŋ ðə ˈɪnˌfləks əv ˈmaɪgrənts tɪ ˈjʊrəp. ˈtərki, ə ki ˈkəntri ɔn ðə ˈmaɪgrənt rut tɪ ˈjʊrəp, ɪz ˈsɛntrəl tɪ mɪz ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk ˈɛfərts tɪ rɪˈdus ðə floʊ. ˈʤərməni sɔ ən ənˈprɛsɪˌdɛntɪd ˈmɪljən əˈsaɪləm ˈsikərz əraɪv læst jɪr, ˈmɛni əv ðɛm fliɪŋ ˈkɑnflɪkts ɪn ˈsɪriə, ˌɪˈrɑk ənd æfˈgænəˌstæn. ɪn hər ˈwikli ˈvɪdioʊ ˈmɛsɪʤ ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ, mɪz ˈmərkəl sɛd ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈjunjən ˈkəntriz əˈgri ðət ðə blɑk nidz tɪ prəˈtɛkt ɪts ɪkˈstərnəl ˈbɔrdərz ˈbɛtər, ənd ðət ɪz waɪ ʃi ɪz ˈsikɪŋ ə səˈluʃən wɪθ ˈtərki. ʃi ˈædɪd ðət, ɪf ˈjʊrəp wɔnts tɪ prɪˈvɛnt sˈməgəlɪŋ, "wi məst bi priˈpɛrd tɪ teɪk ɪn kˈwoʊtəz əv ˈrɛfˌjuʤiz ˈligəli ənd bɛr ɑr pɑrt əv ðə tæsk".
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the chancellor of austria has called for all migrants and refugees trying to reach europe to be sent back to turkey.
chancellor werner faymann said border police should save everyone trying to cross the mediterranean sea to reach the eu, but then immediately deport them.
he added that austria will extend its border controls if turkey does not take back refugees picked on their way to greece and returned.
return policy: austrian chancellor werner faymann said border police should send all refugees and migrants trying to enter the eu back to turkey as this is the only measure that would make enough of an impact
faymann, the leader of austria's social democratic party, said in an interview that sending back migrants and refugees to turkey is the only measure that would make a radical enough impact.
'frontex [the eu's border agency] must pick up the people fleeing to greece. we have to save all of them, but then these people should be sent directly to turkey,' social democrat faymann said.
the left-wing leader said this approach was 'the only totally effective measure to break the human trafficking' of migrants, the local reports.
austria is set to introduce a new border management system at spielfeld, a key crossing point on its south-eastern border with slovenia, which aims at speeding up applications and making the country less attractive to asylum seekers.
more such border management facilities on other routes may be needed if turkey does not respond to his proposal, the chancellor was quoted as saying.
faymann said turkey must make a decision by february 18, when eu leaders meet for a summit.
arrivals: refugees and migrants such as this group, who arrived aboard the passenger ferry at the port of piraeus, near athens, greece, on sunday, would be forced to return
it would not be a solution if turkish border controls led to 10,000 refugees arriving at eu borders instead of 20,000, faymann was quoted as saying in the interview.
'then we must secure our borders even more,' faymann said. 'to protect internal borders is a makeshift solution. but we have to be prepared.'
faymann's comments comes just months after he fiercely criticised hungary's managing of the refugee crisis, comparing their methods to the nazi persecution of jews during the holocaust.
during an interview in september, faymann suggested that hungarian prime minister viktor orban's treatment of the refugees was similar to the deportation of jews to nazi death camps.
'sticking refugees in trains and sending them somewhere completely different to where they think they're going reminds us of the darkest chapter of our continent's history,' he said, making a thinly-veiled allusion to the way thousands of hungarian jews were transported to auschwitz in 1944.
austria, which has a population of 8.4 million and last year received 90,000 applications for asylum, has said that the number of refugees it will accept this year will be limited to 37,500.
ankara and brussels agreed to slow down the flow of migrants in a deal reached late november last year, but refugees continue to stream into greece.
more than one million people arrived in europe last year, fleeing war and failing states in the middle east and africa.
harsh measure: faymann said eu border police should save everyone trying to cross the mediterranean sea to reach greece, but then immediately deport them back to turkey
earlier today, reports came of at least 11 people drowning when when their boat sank in the aegean while they tried to cross from turkey to greece, local media said.
the migrants had set off from the district of dikili in western port city of izmir in an apparent bid to reach the greek island of lesbos, dogan news agency said.
the turkish coastguard rescued three migrants.
turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty to europe.
the deaths came as german chancellor angela merkel has met turkish prime minister ahmet davutoglu for more talks on reducing the influx of migrants to europe.
turkey, a key country on the migrant route to europe, is central to ms merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing conflicts in syria, iraq and afghanistan.
in her weekly video message on saturday, ms merkel said european union countries agree that the bloc needs to protect its external borders better, and that is why she is seeking a solution with turkey. she added that, if europe wants to prevent smuggling, "we must be prepared to take in quotas of refugees legally and bear our part of the task".
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ɛz wi pis təˈgɛðər wət ˈrəʃən ˈmidiə dɪd tɪ məˈnɪpjəˌleɪt ɑr ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ɪˈlɛkʃən, ˈjutəˌlaɪzɪŋ ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə tɪ sprɛd feɪk nuz ənd ˈhækɪŋ steɪt ˈvoʊtər roʊlz, ɪt ɪz əv ðə ˈgrævəst ˌɪmˈpɔrtəns ðət wi nɑt lɛt ðɛm gɪt əˈweɪ wɪθ ðɪs əˈgɛn. ðɪs pæst wik, ˈrəʃən ˈmidiə ənd ˈdɪsədənts hæv bɪn ˈjuzɪŋ ðə ˈəpˌkəmɪŋ ˌkætəˈloʊnjən ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm ɔn ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns frəm speɪn tɪ sprɛd ˌprɑpəˈgændə tɪ brɪŋ ˈsɪmpəθi tɪ ðə ˈsɛpərətɪsts. ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˈdeɪli ˈnuzˌpeɪpər ɛl peɪz həz bɪn ˈkrɪtɪkəl əv ðə ˈsɛpərətɪsts' ˈɑrgjəmənts, ənd ɪn ðɪs ˈɛksələnt ˈɑrtɪkəl, ðeɪ dɪˈbəŋk ðə tɛn ˈmeɪʤər ˈsɛpərətɪst kleɪmz ɪn səˈpɔrt əv ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns. ˈsɛpərətɪsts hæv bɪn ˈsprɛdɪŋ fɔls mɪθs ðət ˌkætəˈloʊnjə fɔt ə wɔr fər ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns 300 jɪrz əˈgoʊ (ɪt ˈdɪdənt), ðət ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən əv 1978 ɪz ˈhɑstəl tɪ ˈkætəˌlɑnz (fɔls tu əv ɪts moʊst ˈprɑmənənt wər ˌkætəˈloʊnjən ənd ðə ˈprɑvɪns ˌoʊvərˈwɛlmɪŋli səˈpɔrtɪd ɪt ɪn ðə poʊlz), ənd ðət ˈjumən raɪts ər biɪŋ səˈprɛst (sɪns ðə dɛθ əv ˌʤɛnɛrəˈlɪsɪˌmoʊ ˈfræŋkoʊ, speɪn həz bɪn wən əv ðə moʊst ˈtɑlərənt ənd ˈjumən ˈkəntriz ɪn ðə wərld.) ðə bɪl ˈkɔlɪŋ fər ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm wɑz pæst θru ˈpɑrləmɛnt wɪˈθaʊt ə rikˈwaɪərd ˌtuˈθərdz məˈʤɔrəti voʊt, wɪθ noʊ ˈoʊvərˌsaɪt frəm ðə də (ðɛr ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl kɔrt) ənd həz bɪn kɔld ˈoʊnli baɪ ˈkætɑˌlɑn dɪˈkri ənd nɑt baɪ ɔl əv speɪn, ɛz rikˈwaɪərd baɪ ðə ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən. ɪt həz ˈɔlsoʊ ˈvaɪəleɪtɪd ðə ˈkaʊnsəl əv ˈjʊrəps ˈvɛnɪs kəˈmɪʃən, wɪʧ dɪˈmændz ðət ɔl ɪˈlɛktərəl ˌrɛfərˈɛndəmz bi pæst θru ˈpɑrləmɛnt ə jɪr tɪ ðə deɪ ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈskɛʤʊld ɪˈlɛkʃən ɪn ðɪs keɪs, ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm wɑz pæst ɔn sɛpˈtɛmbər 6th*, ənd ðə ɪˈlɛkʃən ɪz ˈskɛʤʊld fər ˈsənˌdi, ɑkˈtoʊbər 1st*. ɪn spaɪt əv ðɪs, ˈkætɑˌlɑn ˈprɛzɪdənt kɑrlz həz kɔld hɪz kəˈmɪtmənt tɪ ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm "ˌdɛməˈkrætɪkli ˌɪnˈvaɪələbəl," ɪn spaɪt əv ɪts ˈbleɪtənt ˌɪliˈgælɪti. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt θæŋks fər ˈwɑʧɪŋ! ˈvɪzɪt ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt θæŋks fər ˈwɑʧɪŋ! ˈvɪzɪt ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt θæŋks fər ˈwɑʧɪŋ! ˈvɪzɪt ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ˈspænɪʃ praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ˌmɑriˈɑnoʊ rajoy*, ənd ðoʊz lɔɪəl tɪ ɪm, hæv dən ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ɪn ðɛr paʊər tɪ faɪt əˈgɛnst ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm. θruaʊt ðə mənθ əv sɛpˈtɛmbər, hi sɛnt pəˈlismɪn tɪ reɪd ˈgəvərnmənt ˈɔfəsɪz ənd ˈkɑnfəˌskeɪt ˈbælət ˈbɑksɪz, ənd ərˈɛstɪd ˈgəvərnmənt əˈfɪʃəlz. ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˈgəvərnmənt həz ˈɔlsoʊ blɑkt ˈwɛbˌsaɪts rɪˈleɪtɪŋ tɪ ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm. ɪn ə ˈwɔʃɪŋtən poʊst op-ed*, həz ˈspoʊkən əˈgɛnst ˈækʃənz, ˈraɪtɪŋ: "ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˈgəvərnmənt həz tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðət ɪts bɪˈheɪvjər ɪz ˌənækˈsɛptəbəl frəm ðə pɔɪnt əv vju əv dɪˈmɑkrəsi ənd ˈsɪvəl raɪts. fɔr ˈdɛkeɪdz ˈæftər ðə dɛθ əv ðə ˈdɪkteɪtər frænˈsɪskoʊ ˈfræŋkoʊ, wi stɪl faɪnd ðət əˌθɔrəˈtɛriən ˈɪnstɪŋkts rul æt ðə hɑrt əv ðə məˈdrɪd ˈgəvərnmənt. rɪˈspɛkt fər məˈnɔrətiz ɪz ə ˌfəndəˈmɛnəl ˈjumən raɪt, ənd ðə raɪt əv ˈsɛlfdɪˌtərməˈneɪʃən ɪz ən ˌɪˈrɛvəkəbəl raɪt əv ɔl ˈneɪʃənz." ðɪs læst ˈsteɪtmənt ɪz ə laɪ əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈjuˈɛn ˈʤɛnərəl əˈsɛmbli, ðə raɪts fər ə steɪt tɪ sɪˈsid ˈəndər ðə ˈprɪnsəpəl əv ˈsɛlfdɪˌtərməˈneɪʃən ər rɪˈzərvd ˈoʊnli fər steɪts ˌəndərˈgoʊɪŋ kəˈloʊniəl rul. bət wɪθ ˈtɛnʧənz æt səʧ ə haɪ, ˌmɪsɪnfərˈmeɪʃən sips ɪn, ənd ðæts wɛr ˈrəʃə ənd ɪts ˈælaɪz kəm ˈɪntu ðə ˈpɪkʧər, tˈwɪstɪŋ ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən tɪ sut ðɛr oʊn ɛndz. ðɪs ˈspətnɪk ˈɑrtɪkəl frəm læst ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ, "ˈkætɑˌlɑn ˈprɛzɪdənt əˈkjuzɪz speɪn əv səˈspɛndɪŋ ˈriʤənz self-governance*" ɪz ən ɪgˈzæmpəl əv ðɪs. ˈnoʊˌwɛr ɪn ɪts 269 wərdz dɪz ɪt ˈmɛnʃən ðə ˈjuˈɛn ˈʤɛnərəl əˈsɛmbli rul lɪŋkt tɪ əˈbəv. ðoʊz hu rɛd ɪt maɪt θɪŋk ðət speɪn ɪz ˈvaɪəleɪtɪŋ ˈkætɑˌlɑn raɪts, wɪn ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti, ɪt ɪz ˌkætəˈloʊnjə hu dɪˈzaɪərz tɪ ˌsupərˈsid ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən. ˈrəʃən ˈmidiə həz kəmˈpɛrd ðə kwɛst fər ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns tɪ ðə ˈækʃənz əv ɪn 2014 ˌbiˈfɔr ˈrəʃə ˌɪntərˈvind tɪ "əˈphoʊld ðə ˈpɑpjələr raɪt tɪ ɪkˈsprɛʃən ɪn ðə pəˈnɪnsələ." ðɪs wɑz ˈrɪtən ɪn ðə ˈpeɪpər vzglyad*, ə ˈaʊˌtlɛt ðət ˈɔlsoʊ əˈsərtəd ðət ən ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˌkætəˈloʊnjə wʊd ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ənd saʊθ ossieta*, tu ˈtɛrəˌtɔriz ðət dɪˈklɛrd ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns frəm ˈʤɔrʤə ɪn ðə ənd hæv ˈoʊnli bɪn ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd baɪ ˈhɑstəl rəˈʒimz səʧ ɛz ˈrəʃə ənd ˌvɛnɪzˈweɪlə. ðə sɔrs əv ðiz ˈsteɪtmənts ɪz ˌhoʊˈzeɪ ɛnˈrikeɪ folch*, ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri fər ˈkætɑˌlɑn ˌsɑləˈdɛrəti fər ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns, hu həz bɪn ə ˈjusfəl ˈɪˌdiət fər ðə ˈrəʃənz ɪn ðə pæst, ˈfɔrmərli ˈprɑpəˌgeɪtɪŋ ə feɪk nuz ˈstɔri ðət ˌkætəˈloʊnjə wʊd ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz kraɪˈmiə ɛz pɑrt əv ˈrəʃə. ənd ɪts nɑt ʤɪst ˈrəʃən ˈmidiə hu ər ˈsprɛdɪŋ ənˈtruθs əˈbaʊt ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm, ɪts səm əv ðə moʊst ˌhaɪˈproʊfaɪl ˈdɪsədənts. tu əv ðə ˈbɪgəst ˈvɔɪsɪz ˈoʊvər ðə pæst fju deɪz hæv bɪn ˈɛdwərd sˈnoʊdən ənd ˈʤuljən. ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˈniðər hæv kəˈnɛkʃənz tɪ speɪn ər ˌkætəˈloʊnjə, boʊθ hæv kəˈnɛkʃənz tɪ ˈmɔˌskaʊ, ənd ər ˈtɔkɪŋ pɔɪnts ðət ˌɔrgənəˈzeɪʃənz laɪk ɛl peɪz hæv ɔˈrɛdi dɪˈskrɛdɪtɪd. hir, sˈnoʊdən lɪŋks tɪ ən ˈɑrtɪkəl baɪ frəm ðə ˈgɑrdiən: ənd hir ɪz dɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ ˈdɑnəld trəmps ˈrisənt ˈsteɪtmənts əˈgɛnst ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm, ˌɪnˈsərtɪŋ səm ˌprɑpəˈgændə əˈgɛnst rajoy*, hum trəmp mɛt wɪθ təˈdeɪ. jɛs, ju rɛd ðət raɪt, ðə mæn hu kɔld hɪmˈsɛlf "ˈmɪstər. brexit*" ɪz dɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ ə ˈsɪmələr ˈheɪsti ˈplɛbəˌsaɪt. ðə ˈsərvɪsɪz ənd ˈfɛrˌfæks ˈmidiə hæv dɪˈskəvərd ðət, ˈoʊvər ðə ˈwiˌkɪnd, sˈnoʊdən ənd wɪθ ðə #ˌkætəˈloʊnjə ˈhæʃˌtæg droʊv ə θərd əv ɔl ˈtræfɪk tɪ ðə ˈstɔri, ˈræŋkɪŋ ɛz ˈnəmbər wən ənd tu, əˈhɛd əv boʊθ ənd rt*. ˈrəʃən praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər həz sɛd ðə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm ɪz "speɪnz ˌɪnˈtərnəl əˈfɛr," ənd ðət ðeɪ hæv noʊ plænz tɪ ˌɪnərˈfɪr, bət ɛz ə ˈpɑpjələr ˈsɛnəmənt goʊz, "ˈnɛvər bɪˈliv ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ənˈtɪl ðə ˈkrɛmlɪn dɪˈnaɪz ɪt." ðə fækt ðət ˈsɛnəmənt frəm ðoʊz wɪθ ˈkrɛmlɪn kəˈnɛkʃənz həz gɔn tɪ ðə ˈkætəˌlɑnz ʃʊd bi ɪˈnəf tɪ reɪz ˈaɪˌbraʊz. ɪt ˈɪzənt ðət ˈrəʃə həz ˈɛni ˈvɛstɪd ˈɪntəˌrɛst ɪn ˌkætəˈloʊnjə əˈʧivɪŋ ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns; ɪts ðət ðeɪ sik tɪ "ˈəndərˌmaɪn ˈjʊrəps dɪˈmɑkrəsi ənd ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənz," əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ brɛt ˈʃeɪfər əv ðə əˈlaɪəns fər sɪˈkjʊrɪŋ dɪˈmɑkrəsi. ənd wəts mɔr, ən ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈkætɑˌlɑn steɪt wʊd nɑt rɪˈzɛmbəl ˈɛniˌθɪŋ kloʊz tɪ ə ˈpɛrəˌdaɪs fri frəm ðə rul əv ɪts ˈməðər ˈkəntri. ˈrəðər, ɪf pæst, ˌkætəˈloʊnjə wʊd dɪˈklɛr ɪts ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns 48 aʊərz ˈæftər, wɪˈθaʊt biɪŋ ˈvoʊtɪd ɔn ɪn ˈpɑrləmɛnt. ðə nu steɪt wʊd hæv noʊ ˌsɛpərˈeɪʃən əv paʊərz, ʤuˈdɪʃəl əˈpɔɪntmənts wʊd bi kənˈtroʊld baɪ ə smɔl kəˈmɪti əv ˈlɔɪəlɪsts, ənd ˈpɑrləmɛnt wʊd bi ˈifɛktɪvli ˈkæˌstreɪtɪd, wɪθ ˈlɪtəl tɪ noʊ paʊər tɪ ʧɛk ðə ˈbæləns əv ˈgəvərnmənt. aɪ doʊnt noʊ əˈbaʊt ju, bət tɪ mi, ðət saʊnz ə lɔt laɪk ˈrəʃə. ˈmeɪbi rt*, ˈspətnɪk, sˈnoʊdən ənd ər ˈpʊʃɪŋ ðɪs laɪn bɪˈkəz ðeɪ noʊ ðət ˌɪməˈteɪʃən ɪz ðə fɔrm əv ˈflætəri. ˈəpˌdeɪt: ɪt əˈpɪrz ðət ˈputɪn stuʤ ˈdeɪnə həz ˈɔlsoʊ ɪkˈsprɛst səˈpɔrt fər ˈkætɑˌlɑn ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns, ˈlaɪkənɪŋ ðɛm tɪ ðə əˈmɛrɪkən ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛriz. ðɪs wɑz ə fju mənθs ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈjuˈɛs hæd əˈfɪʃəli ˈteɪkən ˈɛni ˈpɑləsi ɔn ðə pəˈzɪʃən, ˈfɔrsɪŋ ðə ˈjuˈɛs ˈɛmbəsi ɪn məˈdrɪd tɪ riˈlis ə ˈsteɪtmənt ˈdɪstənsɪŋ ðɛmˈsɛlvz frəm.
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as we piece together what russian media did to manipulate our presidential election, utilizing social media to spread fake news and hacking state voter rolls, it is of the gravest importance that we not let them get away with this again. this past week, russian media and kremlin-friendly dissidents have been using the upcoming catalonian referendum on independence from spain to spread propaganda to bring sympathy to the separatists.
the spanish daily newspaper el pais has been critical of the separatists' arguments, and in this excellent article, they debunk the ten major separatist claims in support of independence. separatists have been spreading false myths that catalonia fought a war for independence 300 years ago (it didn't), that the spanish constitution of 1978 is hostile to catalans (false - two of its most prominent co-authors were catalonian and the province overwhelmingly supported it in the polls), and that human rights are being suppressed (since the death of generalissimo franco, spain has been one of the most tolerant and human rights-friendly countries in the world.) the bill calling for the referendum was passed through catalan's parliament without a required two-thirds majority vote, with no oversight from the consell de garanties estatutaries (their constitutional court) and has been called only by catalan decree and not by all of spain, as required by the constitution. it has also violated the council of europe's venice commission, which demands that all electoral referendums be passed through parliament a year to the day before the scheduled election - in this case, the referendum was passed on september 6th, and the election is scheduled for sunday, october 1st. in spite of this, catalan president carles puigdemont has called his commitment to the referendum "democratically inviolable," in spite of its blatant illegality.
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spanish prime minister mariano rajoy, and those loyal to him, have done everything in their power to fight against the referendum. throughout the month of september, he sent policemen to raid government offices and confiscate ballot boxes, and arrested government officials. the spanish government has also blocked websites relating to the referendum. in a washington post op-ed, puigdemont has spoken against rajoy's actions, writing:
"the spanish government has to understand that its behavior is unacceptable from the point of view of democracy and civil rights. four decades after the death of the dictator francisco franco, we still find that authoritarian instincts rule at the heart of the madrid government. respect for minorities is a fundamental human right, and the right of self-determination is an irrevocable right of all nations."
this last statement is a lie - according to the un general assembly, the rights for a state to secede under the principle of self-determination are reserved only for states undergoing colonial rule. but with tensions at such a high, misinformation seeps in, and that's where russia and its allies come into the picture, twisting information to suit their own ends. this sputnik article from last wednesday, "catalan president accuses spain of suspending region's self-governance" is an example of this. nowhere in its 269 words does it mention the un general assembly rule linked to above. those who read it might think that spain is violating catalan rights, when in reality, it is catalonia who desires to supersede the spanish constitution.
russian media has compared the catalan's quest for independence to the actions of crimeans in 2014, before russia intervened to "uphold the popular right to expression in the peninsula." this was written in the paper vzglyad, a kremlin-friendly outlet that also asserted that an independent catalonia would recognize abjasia and south ossieta, two territories that declared independence from georgia in the 1990s and have only been recognized by hostile regimes such as russia and venezuela. the source of these statements is jose enrique folch, international secretary for catalan solidarity for independence, who has been a useful idiot for the russians in the past, formerly propagating a fake news story that catalonia would recognize crimea as part of russia.
and it's not just russian media who are spreading untruths about the referendum, it's some of the most high-profile dissidents. two of the biggest pro-catalonia voices over the past few days have been edward snowden and julian assange. although neither have connections to spain or catalonia, both have connections to moscow, and are parroting talking points that organizations like el pais have already discredited. here, snowden links to an article by puigdemont from the guardian:
and here is assange denouncing donald trump's recent statements against the referendum, inserting some anti-government propaganda against rajoy, whom trump met with today. yes, you read that right, the man who called himself "mr. brexit" is denouncing a similar hasty plebiscite.
the services hashtagify and fairfax media have discovered that, over the weekend, snowden and assange's tweets with the #catalonia hashtag drove a third of all traffic to the story, ranking as number one and two, ahead of both wikileaks and rt.
russian prime minister dmitry peskov has said the referendum is "spain's internal affair," and that they have no plans to interfere, but as a popular sentiment goes, "never believe anything until the kremlin denies it." the fact that sentiment from those with kremlin connections has gone to the catalans should be enough to raise eyebrows. it isn't that russia has any vested interest in catalonia achieving independence; it's that they seek to "undermine europe's democracy and institutions," according to brett schaffer of the alliance for securing democracy.
and what's more, an independent catalan state would not resemble anything close to a paradise free from the rule of its mother country. rather, if passed, catalonia would declare its independence 48 hours after, without being voted on in parliament. the new state would have no separation of powers, judicial appointments would be controlled by a small committee of loyalists, and parliament would be effectively castrated, with little to no power to check the balance of puigdemont's government. i don't know about you, but to me, that sounds a lot like russia. maybe rt, sputnik, snowden and assange are pushing this line because they know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
update: it appears that putin stooge dana rohrabacher has also expressed support for catalan independence, likening them to the american revolutionaries. this was a few months before the us had officially taken any policy on the position, forcing the us embassy in madrid to release a statement distancing themselves from rohrabacher.
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ðɛr ɪz noʊ gʊd nuz ˈkəmɪŋ aʊt əv ðə dɪˈprɛsɪŋ ənd ˈɛndləs wɔr ɪn æfˈgænəˌstæn ðɛr wəns wɑz ˈmɛrət tɪ ɑr ˌɪnˈkərʒən ðɛr, bət ðət wɑz lɔŋ əˈgoʊ. naʊ ʤɪst goʊɪŋ θru ðə ˈtræʤɪk ˈmoʊʃənz, ˈfleɪlɪŋ æt ðɪs ənd ðət, wɪθ noʊ ril ˈstrætəʤi ər ˈdisənt ɛnd ɪn saɪt. ðə juz. wɪn wɔrz ˌɛniˈmɔr. wi ʤɪst ˈfənəl ðə strɛst ənd ˈəndərˈpeɪd trups ɪn ənd aʊt əv ðə ˈkɑmbæt zoʊnz, waɪl ɔl ðə waɪl ʃaʊərɪŋ ˈtækˌspeɪər ˈbɪljənz ɔn ðə ˈkɑnˌtræktərz ənd ʤaɪənt ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃənz ðət vju ðə ˈhɔrərz əv wɔr ɛz ə bəˈnænzə. ɛz bɪn toʊld rɪˈpitɪdli ˈrisəntli, ɪz wən əv ðə ˈlɑrʤəst səˈplaɪərz əv fjuəl tɪ ðə ˈwɔrˌtaɪm juz. ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri. ˈsɛvən əˈmɛrɪkən ˈsoʊlʤərz wər kɪld ɪn æfˈgænəˌstæn ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ bət ˈhɑrdli ˈɛniˌwən ˈnoʊtɪst. fɑr mɔr kənˈsərn ɪz biɪŋ ɪkˈsprɛst fər ðə ˈwaɪlˌdlaɪf θˈrɛtənd baɪ ðə ɔɪl ˈgəʃɪŋ ˈɪntu ðə gəlf əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ðən fər ðə biɪŋ bloʊn əp ɪn ðə waɪldz əv æfˈgænəˌstæn. ˈərli ðɪs jɪr, wi wər toʊld ðət æt lɔŋ læst ðə taɪd hæd tərnd ɪn æfˈgænəˌstæn, ðət ðə ˈbɪgəst əˈfɛnsɪv əv ðə wɔr baɪ əˈmɛrɪkən, ˈbrɪtɪʃ ənd ˈæfˌgæn trups wɑz ˈəndər weɪ ɪn marja*, ə taʊn ɪn ˈprɑvɪns ɪn ðə ˈsəðərn pɑrt əv ðə ˈkəntri. ðə goʊl, ɛz ˈaʊˌtlaɪnd baɪ ʤɛn. ˈstænli mcchrystal*, ɑr ˈsinjər ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri kəˈmændər ɪn æfˈgænəˌstæn, wɑz tɪ raʊt ðə ˈtælɪˌbæn ənd ˌɪnˈstɔl ə ˈsplɛndɪd nu ˈgəvərnmənt ðət wʊd bi rɪˈspɑnsɪv tɪ ðə ˈpipəl ənd bɪˈləvəd baɪ ðɛm. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt kənˈtɪnju ˈrɛdɪŋ ðə meɪn ˈstɔri ðət traɪəmf wʊd sun bi ˈfɑloʊd baɪ əˈnəðər ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˌɪˈnɪʃətɪv ɪn ðə məʧ ˈlɑrʤər ɪkˈspæns əv ˈneɪbərɪŋ ˈkændəhɑr ˈprɑvɪns. ðə rɑd ɪkˈspleɪnd wət wɑz səˈpoʊzd tɪ ˈhæpən ɪn ə ˈɑrtɪkəl ðɪs wik:
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there is no good news coming out of the depressing and endless war in afghanistan . there once was merit to our incursion there, but that was long ago. now we’re just going through the tragic motions, flailing at this and that, with no real strategy or decent end in sight.
the u.s. doesn’t win wars anymore. we just funnel the stressed and underpaid troops in and out of the combat zones, while all the while showering taxpayer billions on the contractors and giant corporations that view the horrors of war as a heaven-sent bonanza. bp , as we’ve been told repeatedly recently, is one of the largest suppliers of fuel to the wartime u.s. military.
seven american soldiers were killed in afghanistan on monday but hardly anyone noticed. far more concern is being expressed for the wildlife threatened by the oil gushing into the gulf of mexico than for the g.i.’s being blown up in the wilds of afghanistan.
early this year, we were told that at long last the tide had turned in afghanistan, that the biggest offensive of the war by american, british and afghan troops was under way in marja, a town in helmand province in the southern part of the country. the goal, as outlined by gen. stanley mcchrystal, our senior military commander in afghanistan, was to rout the taliban and install a splendid new government that would be responsive to the people and beloved by them.
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that triumph would soon be followed by another military initiative in the much larger expanse of neighboring kandahar province. the times’s rod nordland explained what was supposed to happen in a front-page article this week:
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$\begingroup*$ ənd ˈtərgət, ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðeɪ du nɑt spəˈsɪfɪkli saɪt ðə tərm 'motherese*', bɪˈliv ðət wət ðeɪ kɔl 'ˈmɑrkɪŋ'- ˈsɪgnəlɪŋ ən ˌənriˈæləti ər ˈpleɪfəlnəs ɪn ˈmɪrərd dɪˈspleɪz əv əˈfɛkt kən pleɪ ə ˈkruʃəl roʊl ɪn ðə dɪˈvɛləpmənt əv ə ˈfækəlti ðeɪ kɔl 'mentalization*'. əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðɛr ˈmɑdəl, ˈnuˌbɔrnz ɪkˈspɪriəns əˈfɛkt ɛz all-pervading*, ənd du nɑt si ɪt ɛz ˈlɪmɪtɪd tɪ ə sɛlf. baɪ ˈmɪrərd əˈfɛkt dɪˈspleɪz baɪ ðə ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈkɛrˌgɪvər ðeɪ ər ˈeɪbəl tɪ ðɛr oʊn əˈfɛkt ɔn ə ˈsɛkənd ˈɔrdər (sɪmˈbɑlɪk) ˈlɛvəl, ər ˈeɪbəl tɪ 'pleɪ' wɪθ ðɛr oʊn ˈfilɪŋz ɛz ðə ˈməðər brɪŋz əˈfɛkt ˈɪntu ðə rɛlm əv ðə priˈtɛnd. ðəs ðeɪ ˈɪmplɪˌkeɪt ˌɪmˈprɑpər ˈmɑrkɪŋ ɪn ˈleɪtər dɪˈvɛləpmənt əv ˈbɔrdərˌlaɪn ˌpərsəˈnælɪti dɪˈsɔrdərz. hɪrz ə ˈpeɪpər əv ðɛrz ɔn ðə ˈsəbʤɪkt, ˌɔlˈðoʊ aɪ ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd ðɛr bʊk, wɪʧ ɪz kənˈsɪdərəbli mɔr ɪkˈspænsɪv. ˈɛdət: ˈsɑri, ɔf ðə fər ə mənθ. hir ər səm ˈjusfəl kwoʊts: teɪk ðə keɪs əv priˈtɛnd pleɪ: hir ɪz kənˈveɪd baɪ ə ˈsɪriz əv ˈseɪljənt pərˈsɛpʧəwəl ˈfiʧərz ðət dɪˈstɪŋgwɪʃ ə priˈtɛnd ˈækʃən ər priˈtɛnd ˈiˌmoʊʃən ɪkˈsprɛʃən frəm ə ril wən. noʊɪŋ lʊks, sˈlaɪtli ˈtɪltɪd hɛd, haɪ pɪʧ ənd sloʊd daʊn daʊn, ɪgˈzæʤərˌeɪtɪd ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən ənd ˈkɑnˌtʊr, skɪˈmætɪk, əˈbriviˌeɪtɪd ər ˈoʊnli ˈpɑrʃəl ˌɛksəˈkjuʃən əv ˈækʃən skimz... ...ɔl mɑrk fər ðə ʧaɪld ðət ðə priˈtɛnd ɪkˈsprɛʃən ɪz ˌkætəˈgɔrɪkli ˈdɪfərənt frəm ɪts ˌriəˈlɪstɪk ɪkˈwɪvələnt- ðət ɪt ɪz "nɑt fər ril". wi hæv ˈɑrgjud... ...ðət ɪn ðə keɪs əv əˈdæptɪv pərˈɛntəl ˌɪnərˈækʃənz, ðə ˈiˌmoʊʃən dɪˈspleɪ ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ˈmɑdəˌfaɪd baɪ ðə seɪm kaɪnz əv ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃənz... (fonagy*, gergley*, ˈʤʊrɪst ənd ˈtərgət, "əˈfɛkt ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən, ənd dɪˈvɛləpmənt əv ðə sɛlf" ˈəðər prɛs 2002 lɪŋkt əˈbəv) ˈfrəˌstreɪtɪŋli, ðɪs wɑz ðə moʊst ɪkˈsplɪsət ˌɛkspəˈzɪʃən əv ˈmɑrkɪŋ bɪˈheɪvjərz aɪ kʊd faɪnd ɪn ðə bʊk, wɪʧ ɪz ˈmeɪnli ˌθiərˈɛtɪkəl. ju wɪl ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli əbˈzərv ðət wət ɪz dɪˈskraɪbd ɪz nɑt ɔl, nɔr ˈoʊnli- bət ju wɪl əˈgri, aɪ hoʊp, ðət ðɛr ɪz ə ˈoʊvərˌlæp bɪtˈwin ðə tu- ənd ðət ðə ˈwɛdɪŋ əv tɪ səʧ ˈkɑnsɛpts ɪz nɑt, soʊ tɪ spik, əv ˈʃɑtˌgən ɪlk. tɪ seɪ ðət ðə ˈfəŋkʃən əv wɑz prɪˈsaɪsli ðə əˈbəv wʊd ˈsərtənli bi rɔŋ- bət aɪ wʊd hoʊp ju wʊd ðət ɛz ən ˌædəpˈteɪʃən ɪt wʊd kənˈfər ædˈvæntɪʤ ɪn pɑrt fər ðɪs ˈrizən, wər ɛt ælz haɪˈpɑθəsəs ðə pərˈsɛpʃən əv ˈæktəˌveɪts ðə ʧaɪldz ˈsɪstəm (ˈlɛsli 1987 wɪʧ əˈlaʊz fər "diˈkəplɪŋ" əv ðə ɪkˈsprɛʃən frəm ɪts ɪn ˈækʧəwəl ˌriˈæləˌti. (ibid*, tru.
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fonagy and target, although they do not specifically cite the term 'motherese', believe that what they call 'marking'- signalling an unreality or playfulness in mirrored displays of affect can play a crucial role in the development of a faculty they call 'mentalization'.
according to their model, newborns experience affect as all-pervading, and do not see it as limited to a self. by internalising mirrored affect displays by the primary caregiver they are able to conceptualise their own affect on a second order (symbolic) level, are able to 'play' with their own feelings as the mother brings affect into the realm of the pretend. thus they implicate improper marking in later development of borderline personality disorders.
here's a paper of theirs on the subject, although i recommend their book, which is considerably more expansive.
edit: sorry, off the internets for a month. here are some useful quotes:
take the case of pretend play: here markedness is conveyed by a series of salient perceptual features that distinguish a pretend action or pretend emotion expression from a real one. knowing looks, slightly tilted head, high pitch and slowed down down, exaggerated intonation and contour, schematic, abbreviated or only partial execution of action schemes... ...all mark for the child that the pretend expression is categorically different from its realistic equivalent- that it is "not for real". we have argued... ...that in the case of adaptive parental affect-mirroring interactions, the affect-reflective emotion display is also modified by the same kinds of transformations... (fonagy, gergley, jurist and target, "affect regulation, mentalization and development of the self" p296 , other press 2002- linked above)
frustratingly, this was the most explicit exposition of marking behaviours i could find in the book, which is mainly theoretical. you will immediately observe that what is described is not all motherese, nor only motherese- but you will agree, i hope, that there is a not-inconsiderable overlap between the two- and that the wedding of idl to such concepts is not, so to speak, of shotgun ilk. to say that the function of motherese was precisely the above would certainly be wrong- but i would hope you would concurr that as an adaptation it would confer advantage in part for this reason, were fonagy et al's hypothesis
...[t]hat the perception of markedness activates the yound child's metarepresentational system (leslie 1987) which allows for "decoupling" of the expression from its referents in actual reality. (ibid, p296)
true.
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ɪf ju wər əˈlaɪv ənd ɔn ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt ˈjɛstərˌdeɪ, jʊr ɔˈrɛdi fəˈmɪljər wɪθ ðə ˈvɛri ˈleɪtəst ɪn ˈtəmblər krɪnʤ æt fˈjunərəlz." kriˈeɪtɪd baɪ ˈɛdɪtər ˈʤeɪsən, "ˈsɛlˌfiz æt fˈjunərəlz" kəmˈbaɪnz tu θɪŋz əˈmɛrɪkənz loʊð (sɛlf əbˈzɔrbd ˈtiˌneɪʤərz fˈjunərəlz) tɪ ˈbrɪljənt ˈifɛkt. tɪ kriˈeɪt ðə ˈtəmblər, kəld ˈɪmɪʤɪz əv ˈtiˌneɪʤərz æt ə fˈjunərəl, ˈsəmˌtaɪmz wɪθ ðə ˈækʧəwəl kɔrps ˈpikɪŋ θru ɪn ðə ˈbækˌgraʊnd. hi faʊnd ðɛm frəm ðə tinz' ˈpoʊstɪŋz ɔn instagram*, ˈfeɪsˌbʊk, ənd tˈwɪtər, wɪθ laɪk #ˈsɛlˌfi #fˈjunərəl #ripaunttookie*." ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt sɪns ðə ˈtəmblər ˈdeɪbjutɪd ˈjɛstərˌdeɪ ˈmɔrnɪŋ, ðə wɛb həz ɪkˈsploʊdɪd wɪθ ˌəndɪsˈgaɪzd ˈheɪtrəd fər ðiz kɪdz. e.g*., ðə ˈhəfɪŋtən poʊst ˈhɛˌdlaɪn "fˈjunərəl ˈsɛlˌfiz ər ðə ˈleɪtəst ˈɛvədəns əˈpɑkəˌlɪps kænt kəm sun ɪˈnəf." lɔrd hɛlp ju ɪf ju rɛd ðə ˈkɑmɛnt ˈsɛkʃənz, wɪʧ ˈhɛrəld ðə ərˈaɪvəl əv ðə ˈtɛknoʊ ˈnɑrsɪˌsɪzəm hɔrd, bɛnt ɔn dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ soʊˈsaɪɪti θru ənd læk əv sɛlf əˈwɛrnəs. aɪ fərst ˈkɑnˌtæktɪd ˈʤeɪsən ˈsɛvərəl mənθs əˈgoʊ ˈæftər ðə ˈdeɪbju əv "ˈsɛlˌfiz æt fˈjunərəlz" ˈivəl ˈoʊldər ˈbrəðər "ˈsɛlˌfiz æt ˈsɪriəs ˈpleɪsɪz," ə ˈtəmblər ˈfiʧərɪŋ ˈsɪmələr tinz ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈsɪmələr ˈpɪkʧərz wɪθ poʊˈɛtɪk ˈkæpʃənz laɪk, "ˈsɛlˌfi frəm ðə gæs ˈʧeɪmbər æt ˈɔʃwɪts." wi spoʊk əˈgɛn læst naɪt, wɪn aɪ æst ɪf hi spɛnz hɪz leɪt naɪt aʊərz ˈtroʊlɪŋ ðə əv ˈtiˌneɪʤərz. "aɪ ˈdɛfənətli doʊnt! bɔɪ, ðət wʊd bi ˈkripi," ˈʤeɪsən rɪˈplaɪd. "ɪt ˈstɑrtɪd, ˈrɪli, æt ðə æn fræŋk haʊs: maɪ waɪf ənd aɪ wər ðɛr ɪn ˈɔgəst ənd əbˈzərvd haʊ ˈpipəl ˈvɛri ˈɔkwərdli ˈfoʊtəˌgræft ðɛmˈsɛlvz ðɛr. ðeɪ nu ɪt ˈdɪdənt meɪk sɛns, bət ˈkʊdənt stɑp ðɛmˈsɛlvz frəm ðə kəmˈpəlʃən tɪ self-document*. aɪ ˈwəndərd ɪf ˈpipəl ˈɛvər teɪk ðɪs tɪ ˈsupər ˌɪnəˈproʊpriɪt ˈlɛvəlz, ənd aɪ meɪd ə noʊt tɪ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf tɪ poʊk əraʊnd wəns aɪ gɑt bæk hoʊm." ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt hɪmˈsɛlf ˈdəzənt kənˈsɪdər hɪz ˈsteɪbəl əv tɪ bi haɪ ɑrt ər ˈkɑmənˌtɛri ɔn ðə steɪt əv ˈmɑdərn meɪk ðɛm tɪ kənˈveɪ ən ˌɑbzərˈveɪʃən ðət aɪ θɪŋk ɪz ˈfəni. ðæts ˈrɪli ʤɪst ðə ˈsɪmpəl rut əv ɪt. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ kəm ɔf ɛz ˈkəlʧərəl ˈkɑmənˌtɛriz, ənd ˈivɪn ðoʊ ðæts nɑt maɪ ˌɪnˈtɛnʧən, aɪ θɪŋk ðæts greɪt. ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt ɪz wən bɪg ˈmɛsi ˈdaɪəlɔg. wi wɔnt ɑr ˈpəblɪk ˈɪntərˌnɛt ənd wɔnt ɑr ˈpraɪvət ˈɪntərˌnɛt, ənd wi ˈhævənt jɛt ˈfɪgjərd aʊt haʊ bɛst tɪ ˈsɛpərˌeɪt ðə tu. ɪts nɑt laɪk aɪ hæv ə gʊd ˈænsər tɪ ðət, ənd aɪ doʊnt meɪk tɪ pɔɪnt ðət aʊt. aɪ meɪk tɪ meɪk ˈpipəl læf. bət aɪ du ˈtoʊtəli ˌəndərˈstænd ənd əˈpriʃiˌeɪt haʊ ɪt kən hɪt ə nərv." ər ðiz ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ˈtiˌneɪʤərz ˈmɪsɪŋ ðə ˈɛtəkət treɪn baɪ ˈpoʊstɪŋ fˈjunərəl ˈsɛlˌfiz? ˌæbsəˈlutli. bət ʤɪst laɪk moʊst ˈtiˌneɪʤərz ɪn 2013 hæv ˈnɛvər ˈrɪdən ɔn ə treɪn, fərˈgɛt ðə ˌmɛtəˈfɔrɪkəl ˈɛtəkət treɪn, stəˈtɪstɪkəli ðeɪv ˈnɛvər bɪn tɪ ə fˈjunərəl ˈiðər. nɑt ə ˈsɪŋgəl ˈɑrtɪkəl həz ˈmɛnʃənd ðə ˈrizən ðət "ˈsɛlˌfiz æt əv ˈhjumərəs intentions—*— ɪz ˈæˌkʧuəli ˈskeɪðɪŋ ˈkəlʧərəl ˈkɑmənˌtɛri: ɑr ˈtræʤɪk dɪsɪnˈgeɪʤmənt wɪθ ðə ˌriˈæləˌti əv dɛθ. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt 100 jɪrz əˈgoʊ, moʊst əˈmɛrɪkənz daɪd ɪn ðɛr hoʊm. ðɛr dɛd ˈbɑdi wʊd ðɛn steɪ ɪn ðə hoʊm fər ˈsɛvərəl deɪz, ˈteɪkən kɛr əv baɪ ðə ˈfæməli. ˈʧɪldrən, ˈneɪbərz, ənd ˈfæməli fər ˈneɪbərɪŋ taʊnz wʊd kəm tɪ ˈvɪzɪt, peɪ ðɛr rɪˈspɛkts, it ənd drɪŋk, ənd ˈʤɛnərəli hæŋ aʊt, əˈʤəstɪŋ tɪ ðə fækt ðət ðə dɛd ˈpərsən wɑz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ə pɑrt əv ðɛr soʊˈsaɪɪti. prɑkˈsɪməti tɪ dɛθ ənd ðə dɛd ˈbɑdi wɑz nɑt ə sɔrs əv fɪr. ˈmɑdərn dɛθ ˈpræktɪsɪz ɪn ðə wɛst, kriˈeɪtɪd baɪ ðə fˈjunərəl ˈɪndəstri, hæv ˈgɪvɪn ˈtiˌneɪʤərz skwɑt tɪ du wɪn ˈsəmˌwən daɪz. fˈjunərəl hoʊmz kəm ənd ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli teɪk ɑr dɛd ˈbɑdiz əˈweɪ. wʊd ðiz ˈtiˌneɪʤərz hæv ðə taɪm tɪ teɪk ə ˈsɛlˌfi ɪn ʤəˈpæn, wɛr ˈæftər ðə kriˈmeɪʃən ðə ˈfæməli ˈmɛmbərz ˈgæðər əraʊnd ðə boʊnz ənd pleɪs ðɛm ɪn ðə ərn wɪθ ˈʧɑpˌstɪks? ər ɪn trəˈdɪʃənəl ʤuɪʃ ˈkəlʧər, wɛr ðə ˈbɑdi ɪz wɑʃt, ˈpjʊrəˌfaɪd wɪθ ˈwɔtər, ənd drɛst baɪ mɛn ˈwɪmən əv ðə kəmˈjunɪti? ər ɪn ˌmædəˈgæskər, wɛr ðə hoʊl ˈfæməli ðə kɔrps, ræps ðə boʊnz ɪn nu klɔθ, ənd ˈdænsɪz wɪθ ðə boʊnz tɪ lɪv mˈjuzɪk? wət ɪf wi geɪv ɑr du wɛlz ðə ˌɑbləˈgeɪʃən tɪ ɪnˈgeɪʤ wɪθ ðə ril ˈprɑsɛsəz əv dɛθ, tɪ riˈmaɪnd ðɛm ðət wɪn ˈsəmˌwən daɪz ðət ðɛr ɪz ə ril kɔrps ənd ril grif lɛft bɪˈhaɪnd. dɛθ ɪz nɑt ən ˈæbˌstrækt ˈkɑnsɛpt. ðeɪ kʊd teɪk pɑrt ɪn ə ˈfɪzɪkəl ənd ˈiˌmoʊʃənəl ˈrɪʧuəl bɪɔnd ˈɔkwərdli ˈlaɪnɪŋ əp tɪ faɪl baɪ ən ɛmˈbɑmd ənd meɪd əp ˈbɑdi ðə fˈjunərəl dɪˈrɛktər həz leɪd aʊt ˈəndər roʊz ˈkələrd laɪts. noʊ ˈwəndər ðiz ˈtiˌneɪʤərz riˈtrit tɪ ðə ˈbæθˌrum tɪ fɪks ðɛr hɛr ənd teɪk ə ˈsɛlˌfi ɪn ðə ˈmɪrər aʊt əv ˈɪmpətəns ənd ˈbɔrdəm. ɑr ˈkəlʧərəl trəˈdɪʃənz hæv feɪld ðɛm, ənd ˈsɛlˌfiz æt fˈjunərəlz ər wən əv ðɛr ˈoʊnli ˈaʊˌtlɛts tɪ ˈrɪʧuəl ənd ˈmɔrnɪŋ ɪn ðə eɪʤ əv ðə smartphone*. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt hɪmˈsɛlf həz ˈsɪmpəθi fər ðə tinz, ɪn spaɪt əv ˈdrægɪŋ ðɛr ˈpəblɪk ˈpoʊstɪŋ aʊt ˈɪntu ðə laɪt əv ðə taʊn skwɛr, "hu ˈpoʊstɪŋ ˈsɛlˌfiz æt fˈjunərəlz ɪz ə ˈhɛlpfəl ɪkˈsprɛʃən əv grif." ɛz fər ðə "ˈsɛlˌfiz æt fˈjunərəlz," ðə ˌɪmˈpækt həz bɪn meɪd, ənd ɪt wɪl goʊ ˈʤɛntli ˈɪntu ðə gʊd naɪt. ɛz sɛd, "haʊ ˈmɛni fˈjunərəl ˈsɛlˌfiz dɪz wən ˈrɪli nid tɪ si?"
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if you were alive and on the internet yesterday, you're already familiar with the very latest in tumblr cringe porn:"selfies at funerals." created by brooklyn-based editor jason feifer, "selfies at funerals" combines two things americans loathe (self absorbed teenagers & funerals) to brilliant effect.
to create the tumblr, feifer culled images of teenagers sassy-posing at a funeral, sometimes with the actual corpse peeking through in the background. he found them from the teens' postings on instagram, facebook, and twitter, with hashtags like "#sadday #selfie #funeral #ripaunttookie."
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since the tumblr debuted yesterday morning, the web has exploded with undisguised hatred for these kids. e.g., the huffington post headline "funeral selfies are the latest evidence apocalypse can't come soon enough." lord help you if you read the comment sections, which herald the arrival of the 1990's-born techno narcissism hoard, bent on destroying society through duck-face and lack of self awareness.
i first contacted jason feifer several months ago after the debut of "selfies at funerals" evil older brother "selfies at serious places," a tumblr featuring similar teens taking similar pictures with poetic captions like, "selfie from the gas chamber at auschwitz." we spoke again last night, when i asked feifer if he spends his late night hours trolling the instagrams of teenagers. "i definitely don't! boy, that would be creepy," jason replied. "it started, really, at the anne frank house: my wife and i were there in august and observed how people very awkwardly photographed themselves there. they knew it didn't make sense, but couldn't stop themselves from the compulsion to self-document. i wondered if people ever take this to super inappropriate levels, and i made a note to myself to poke around once i got back home."
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feifer himself doesn't consider his stable of single-topic tumblrs to be high art or commentary on the state of modern man."i make them to convey an observation that i think is funny. that's really just the simple root of it. they also come off as cultural commentaries, and even though that's not my intention, i think that's great. the internet is one big messy dialog. we want our public internet and want our private internet, and we haven't yet figured out how best to separate the two. it's not like i have a good answer to that, and i don't make tumblrs to point that out. i make tumblrs to make people laugh. but i do totally understand and appreciate how it can hit a nerve."
are these particular teenagers missing the etiquette train by posting funeral selfies? absolutely. but just like most teenagers in 2013 have never ridden on a train, forget the metaphorical etiquette train, statistically they've never been to a funeral either. not a single article has mentioned the reason that "selfies at funerals"—regardless of feifer's humorous intentions— is actually scathing cultural commentary: our tragic disengagement with the reality of death.
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100 years ago, most americans died in their home. their dead body would then stay in the home for several days, taken care of by the family. children, neighbors, and family for neighboring towns would come to visit, pay their respects, eat and drink, and generally hang out, adjusting to the fact that the dead person was no longer a part of their society. proximity to death and the dead body was not a source of fear.
modern death practices in the west, created by the funeral industry, have given teenagers diddly squat to do when someone dies. funeral homes come and immediately take our dead bodies away. would these teenagers have the time to take a selfie in japan, where after the cremation the family members gather around the bones and place them in the urn with chopsticks? or in traditional jewish culture, where the body is washed, purified with water, and dressed by men & women of the community? or in madagascar, where the whole family disinters the corpse, wraps the bones in new cloth, and dances with the bones to live music?
what if we gave our duckfaced n'er do wells the obligation to engage with the real processes of death, to remind them that when someone dies that there is a real corpse and real grief left behind. death is not an abstract concept. they could take part in a physical and emotional ritual beyond awkwardly lining up to file by an embalmed and made up body the funeral director has laid out under rose colored lights. no wonder these teenagers retreat to the bathroom to fix their hair and take a selfie in the mirror out of impotence and boredom. our cultural traditions have failed them, and selfies at funerals are one of their only outlets to ritual and mourning in the age of the smartphone.
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feifer himself has sympathy for the teens, in spite of dragging their public posting out into the light of the town square, "who knows—maybe posting selfies at funerals is a helpful expression of grief." as for the "selfies at funerals," the impact has been made, and it will go gently into the good night. as feifer said, "how many funeral selfies does one really need to see?"
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pəˈtɛnʃəli bæd nuz həz əraɪvd fər ˈdæni ˈwɪljəmz ɛz ðə juz. ˈnæʃənəl tim həz ˈsəfərd ən ˈɪnʤəri æt ðə wərst ˈpɑsəbəl taɪm. mɔr: sɪts daʊn wɪθ ˈwɪljəmz ˈwɪljəmz, 28 həz ˈsəfərd ə fracture”*” tɪ ə boʊn ɪn hɪz fʊt ənd wɪl nɑt pleɪ fər æt ˈbərnli ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ (wɔʧ lɪv, 10 a.m*. ɛt ˈɔnˌlaɪn ˈviə nbcsports.com*). ˈəpˌdeɪt: proʊ ˈsɑkər tɔk ˌəndərˈstændz williams’*’ ˈɪnʤəri wɪl kip ɪm aʊt əv ˈækʃən fər əˈbaʊt wiks. ˈspikɪŋ tɪ rɪˈpɔrtərz əˈhɛd əv ðə trɪp tɪ tərf mʊr, ˈwægnər geɪv səm mɔr ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɔn williams’*’ ˈɪnʤəri. ˈwɪljəmz həz ə smɔl ˈfrækʧər ɪn ə boʊn ɪn hɪz fʊt. wi hæv ˈspɛʃəlɪsts əˈpɔɪntmənt tomorrow[friday*] wɛr wi wɪl gɪt səm ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɔn haʊ lɔŋ hi wɪl bi out,”*,” ˈwægnər sɛd. ðə ˈmoʊmənt ɪt ɪz ˈtoʊtəli ˈoʊpən bɪˈkəz ɪt ɪz ə ˈvɛri, ˈvɛri smɔl ˈfrækʧər. soʊ wi wɪl si. fər ʃʊr hi ɪz aʊt fər saturday.”*.” soʊ, ɪt sim laɪk ə ˈlɔŋˈtərm ˈɪnʤəri bət ˈæftər ˈwɪljəmz ˈbætəld tɪ stɑrt hɪz stɑrt ɪn ðə prɛˈmɪr lig əˈgɛnst ˈlɛstər ˈsɪti læst wik ɪn ə drɔ, ðɪs nɑk həz kəm æt ə ˈvɛri ˈfrəˌstreɪtɪŋ taɪm fər ðə ɛz hi ɪˈstæblɪʃt hɪmˈsɛlf æt hɪz nu kləb. ˈwɪljəmz həz ˈbætəld hɑrd tɪ gɪt ˈɪntu ˈstɑrtɪŋ ˈlaɪˌnəp ˈæftər hɪz fri ˈtrænsfər frəm ˈrɛdɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə ˈsəmər. səm fænz wər ˈɔlsoʊ ˈkɔlɪŋ fər ˈwɪljəmz tɪ gɪt ə ˈriˌkɔl frəm brus ərˈinə əˈhɛd əv ðə juz. ˈnæʃənəl timz ˈkruʃəl 2018 wərld kəp kˈwɑləˌfaɪərz əˈgɛnst ˈpænəˌmɑ ənd ˈtrɪnɪˌdæd təˈbeɪgoʊ nɛkst mənθ. ðə ˌkɑmˈbæˌtɪv naʊ ˈfeɪsɪz ən ˈæŋʃəs weɪt əˈbaʊt ðə sɪˈvɛrɪti əv hɪz ˈɪnʤəri. ˈfɑloʊ
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potentially bad news has arrived for danny williams as the u.s. national team midfielder has suffered an injury at the worst possible time.
[ more: jpw sits down with williams ]
williams, 28, has suffered a “small fracture” to a bone in his foot and will not play for huddersfield at burnley on saturday (watch live, 10 a.m. et online via nbcsports.com).
update: pro soccer talk understands williams’ injury will keep him out of action for about 2-3 weeks.
speaking to reporters ahead of the trip to turf moor, wagner gave some more information on williams’ injury.
“danny williams has a small fracture in a bone in his foot. we have specialists appointment tomorrow[friday] where we will get some information on how long he will be out,” wagner said. “at the moment it is totally open because it is a very, very small fracture. so we will see. for sure he is out for saturday.”
so, it doesn’t seem like a long-term injury but after williams battled to start his first-ever start in the premier league against leicester city last week in a 1-1 draw, this knock has come at a very frustrating time for the german-american midfielder as he established himself at his new club.
williams has battled hard to get into huddersfield’s starting lineup after his free transfer from reading over the summer.
some usmnt fans were also calling for williams to get a recall from bruce arena ahead of the u.s. national teams crucial 2018 world cup qualifiers against panama and trinidad & tobago next month.
the combative midfielder now faces an anxious wait about the severity of his injury.
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ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ɪz ˈoʊvər 2 jɪrz oʊld dilz ˌɪnˈklud seɪl əv steɪks ɪn ˈprɑʤɛkts tɪ ʧaɪˈniz fərmz, ən ɔɪl səˈplaɪ ˈkɑnˌtrækt ənd ʤɔɪnt ˌɪnˈvɛstmənts ɪn ˌpɛtroʊˈkɛmɪkəl ˈprɑʤɛkts ˈrəʃə ənd ˈʧaɪnə sild ə ræft əv ˈɛnərʤi dilz ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈprɛzɪdənt vˈlædəmɪr ˈvɪzɪt tɪ ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ, ˈstrɛŋθənɪŋ ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk taɪz waɪl ˈplɛʤɪŋ tɪ prɪˈzərv ðə strəˈtiʤɪk ˈbæləns əv paʊər əˈməŋ ˈneɪʃənz. ɪn wət wɑz fɔrθ trɪp tɪ ˈʧaɪnə sɪns ʃi bɪˈkeɪm ˈprɛzɪdənt ɪn 2013 ðə tu mɛn strɛst ðɛr ʃɛrd ˈaʊˌtlʊk wɪʧ ˈmɪrərz ðə countries’*’ kənˈvərʤɪŋ treɪd, ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt ənd ˌʤioʊpəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈɪntərɪsts. ˈaɪsəˌleɪtɪŋ ˈrəʃə ˈwərkɪŋ. ðə wɛst nidz ə nu əˈproʊʧ ˈmɛri rɛd mɔr ənd ˈʧaɪnə stɪk tɪ pɔɪnts əv vju wɪʧ ər ˈvɛri kloʊz tɪ iʧ ˈəðər ər ər ˈɔlˌmoʊst ðə seɪm ɪn ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl arena,”*,” ˈputɪn sɛd. ʃi ðət ðɪs jɪr mɑrkt ðə ˌænəˈvərsəri əv ðə ˈtriti əv ˈfrɛndʃɪp ənd hoʊpt ðə tu ˈkəntriz maɪt rɪˈmeɪn forever”*”. ˈputɪn ənd aɪ ˈikwəli əˈgri ðət wɪn feɪst wɪθ ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈsərkəmˌstænsɪz ðət ər ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈkɑmplɛks ənd ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ, wi məst pərˈsɪst ˈivɪn ˈhɑrdər ɪn meɪnˈteɪnɪŋ ðə ˈspɪrɪt əv ðə strəˈtiʤɪk ˈpɑrtnərˌʃɪp ənd cooperation,”*,” hi sɛd. ðə dilz ˌɪnˈvɑlv ðə seɪl əv steɪks ɪn ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈrəʃən ˈprɑʤɛkts tɪ ʧaɪˈniz fərmz, ən ɔɪl səˈplaɪ ˈkɑnˌtrækt ənd ʤɔɪnt ˌɪnˈvɛstmənts ɪn ˌpɛtroʊˈkɛmɪkəl ˈprɑʤɛkts ɪn ˈrəʃə. ˈputɪn sɛd 58 ˈdɪfərənt dilz wərθ ə ˈtoʊtəl əv əraʊnd 50 ˈbɪljən wər ˈkərəntli ɪn dɪˈskəʃən, ˈædɪŋ ðət ðə tu ˈkəntriz wɪl sik tɪ sɪˈkjʊr ən əˈgrimənt ɔn ˈbɪldɪŋ ə ˈhaɪˌspid reɪl laɪn ɪn ˈrəʃə baɪ ðə ɛnd əv ðə jɪr. ʃi ˈɔlsoʊ kɔld fər ˈkloʊzər kˌwɔpərˈeɪʃən bɪtˈwin nuz ˈeɪʤənsiz ɪn ˈrəʃə ənd ˈʧaɪnə soʊ boʊθ ˈkəntriz kʊd ˌɪnˈkris ðə influence”*” əv ðɛr ˈmidiə ɔn wərld ˈpəblɪk əˈpɪnjən. ˈrəʃəz ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən dɪˈsɛndz ˈɪntu ˈɪnˌfaɪtɪŋ ˌbiˈfɔr ɪˈlɛkʃənz rɛd mɔr ˈrɑznɪft, tɔp ɔɪl prəˈdusər, əˈgrid wɪθ ˈʧaɪnə ˈnæʃənəl ˈkɛmɪkəl ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃən (chemchina*) ðət ɪt wʊd teɪk ə 40 steɪk ɪn plænd ˌpɛtroʊˈkɛmɪkəl ˈkɑmplɛks ɪn fɑr ist. ðə dil wʊd hɛlp ˈrɑznɪft ˈfaɪˌnæns ðə ˈprɑʤɛkt ənd gɪt ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ðə ˈmɑrkɪts əv ðə ˈriʤən, ðə ˈrəʃən fərm sɛd ɪn ə ˈsteɪtmənt. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ saɪnd ə nu ˈwənˌjɪr ˈkɑnˌtrækt ˈəndər wɪʧ ˈrɑznɪft kʊd səˈplaɪ əp tɪ ˈmɪljən tənz əv krud ɔɪl tɪ bɪtˈwin 1 ˈɔgəst, 2016 ənd 31 ˌʤuˈlaɪ, 2017 ˈrɑznɪft ənd ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ ˈɛnərˌpraɪzɪz grup ˈkəmpəˌni ˈlɪmɪtɪd əˈgrid ðə ki tərmz əv ə pəˈtɛnʃəl seɪl əv ə 20 steɪk ɪn ɔɪl prəˈdusɪŋ səbˈsɪdiˌɛri, verkhnechonskneftegaz*, tɪ ə ˈjunɪt əv ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ gæs grup. ˈrəʃə wɑz ˈlɑrʤəst krud ɔɪl səˈplaɪər ɪn meɪ fər ə θərd mənθ ɪn ə roʊ, ˈhævɪŋ sərˈpæst ˌɪmˈpɔrts frəm ˈsɔdi əˈreɪbiə. ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk kˌwɔpərˈeɪʃən wɑz ðə ˈfoʊkɪs æt tɔks wɪθ ʃi, ðə ˈlidərz ˈɔlsoʊ əˈgrid tɪ ˈstrɛŋθən ˈgloʊbəl strəˈtiʤɪk stəˈbɪlɪti. ə ˈsteɪtmənt ɔn ðə ˈkrɛmlɪn ˈwɛbˌsaɪt frəm ðə tu ˈgəvərnmənts kɔld ɔn ˈneɪʃənz tɪ ˈstrɪktli əˈbaɪd baɪ ðə nɔrmz əv ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl lɔ, kip ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlətiz æt ðə ˈmɪnəməm ˈlɛvəl rikˈwaɪərd fər ˈnæʃənəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd rɪˈfreɪn frəm stɛps eɪmd æt ɪkˈspændɪŋ ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ əˈlaɪənsɪz. ˈrəʃə ənd ˌɪˈrɑn dɪˈlaɪt ɪn rɪˈʤɛkʃən əv rɛd mɔr ðə ˈsteɪtmənt ðə dɪˈplɔɪmənt əv ˈsɪstəmz ɪn ˈjʊrəp ənd ˈeɪʒə, seɪɪŋ ðoʊz hu dɪˈplɔɪ ðɛm ˈɔfən ˈæktɪd ˈəndər fɔls pretences*. ɪt dɪd nɑt ˈmɛnʃən spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈkəntriz, bət ɪt kəmz æt ə taɪm ðət ˈrəʃə ənd ˈneɪtoʊ ər æt ˈlɑgərˌhɛdz ˈoʊvər ðə ˈwɛstərn bɪld əp əv ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlətiz ɪn ˈistərn ˈjʊrəp, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈmɪsəl dɪˈfɛns. ˈneɪtoʊ sɪz ɪts ˈækʃənz ər ə ˈnɛsəˌsɛri rɪˈspɑns tɪ ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən ɪn juˈkreɪn. ɔn nɔrθ ˌkɔˈriə, boʊθ ˈkəntriz əˈgrid ðə stɔld tɔks ˈprɔˌsɛs rɪˈmeɪnd ðə bɛst weɪ tɪ əˈʧiv ðə əv ðə ˌkɔˈriən pəˈnɪnsələ ənd ðət ɔl saɪdz ʃʊd kriˈeɪt kənˈdɪʃənz fər tɔks tɪ ˈrɛzəˌmeɪ. ðə countries’*’ ˈsɛntrəl bæŋks ˈɔlsoʊ saɪnd ə ˌmɛmərˈændəm əv ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ ɔn ˈsɛtɪŋ əp ə juɑn ˈklɪrɪŋ ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm ɪn ˈrəʃə ðət ðeɪ sɛd wʊd bi ˌbɛnəˈfɪʃəl tɪ treɪd ənd ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt.
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deals include sale of stakes in projects to chinese firms, an oil supply contract and joint investments in petrochemical projects
russia and china sealed a raft of energy deals during president vladimir putin’s visit to beijing on saturday, strengthening economic ties while pledging to preserve the strategic balance of power among nations.
in what was putin’s fourth trip to china since xi jinping became president in 2013, the two men stressed their shared outlook which mirrors the countries’ converging trade, investment and geopolitical interests.
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“russia and china stick to points of view which are very close to each other or are almost the same in the international arena,” putin said.
xi emphasised that this year marked the 15th anniversary of the china-russia treaty of friendship and hoped the two countries might remain “friends forever”.
“president putin and i equally agree that when faced with international circumstances that are increasingly complex and changing, we must persist even harder in maintaining the spirit of the sino-russian strategic partnership and cooperation,” he said.
the deals involve the sale of stakes in a number of russian projects to chinese firms, an oil supply contract and joint investments in petrochemical projects in russia.
putin said 58 different deals worth a total of around $50 billion were currently in discussion, adding that the two countries will seek to secure an agreement on building a high-speed rail line in russia by the end of the year.
xi also called for closer cooperation between news agencies in russia and china so both countries could “together increase the influence” of their media on world public opinion.
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rosneft, russia’s top oil producer, agreed with china national chemical corporation (chemchina) that it would take a 40% stake in rosneft’s planned petrochemical complex vnhk in russia’s far east.
the deal would help rosneft finance the project and get access to the markets of the asia-pacific region, the russian firm said in a statement.
they also signed a new one-year contract under which rosneft could supply up to 2.4 million tonnes of crude oil to chemchina between 1 august, 2016 and 31 july, 2017.
rosneft and beijing enterprises group company limited agreed the key terms of a potential sale of a 20% stake in rosneft’s oil producing subsidiary, verkhnechonskneftegaz, to a unit of beijing gas group.
russia was china’s largest crude oil supplier in may for a third month in a row, having surpassed imports from saudi arabia.
although economic cooperation was the focus at putin’s talks with xi, the leaders also agreed to strengthen global strategic stability.
a statement on the kremlin website from the two governments called on nations to strictly abide by the norms of international law, keep military capabilities at the minimum level required for national security and refrain from steps aimed at expanding existing military-political alliances.
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the statement criticised the deployment of anti-missile systems in europe and asia, saying those who deploy them often acted under false pretences.
it did not mention specific countries, but it comes at a time that russia and nato are at loggerheads over the western alliance’s build up of capabilities in eastern europe, including missile defence. nato says its actions are a necessary response to russia’s intervention in ukraine.
on north korea, both countries agreed the stalled six-party talks process remained the best way to achieve the denuclearisation of the korean peninsula and that all sides should create conditions for talks to resume.
the countries’ central banks also signed a memorandum of understanding on setting up a yuan clearing mechanism in russia that they said would be beneficial to cross-border trade and investment.
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ðə ˈʤʊri dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪtɪŋ ðə ˈpəblɪk kərˈəpʃən traɪəl əv ˈsɛnətər ˈrɑbərt mɛˈnɛndɛz (d-nj*) ənd ˈdɑktər. ˈsæləmən ɪn ə nu ˈʤərzi ˈfɛdərəl kɔrt toʊld ʤəʤ ˈwɪljəm wɔlz ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ ðeɪ ər ˈdɛˌdlɑkt. ðə əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd prɛs ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðə ˈʤʊri ðə ʤəʤ ɪt riʧ ə ˈvərdɪkt ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ ɔn ˈɛni əv ðə 18 kaʊnts əˈgɛnst ðɛm, ˈprɑmptɪŋ ðə ʤəʤ tɪ ˈɔrdər ɪt tɪ rɪˈtərn ɔn ˈtuzˌdeɪ tɪ kənˈtɪnju deliberating.”*.” ʤəʤ wɔlz dɪsˈmɪst wən əv ðə twɛlv ˈʤʊrərz dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪtɪŋ ɔn ðə ˈpəblɪk kərˈəpʃən traɪəl əv sɛn. ˈrɑbərt mɛˈnɛndɛz (d-nj*) ɔn ˈθərzˌdeɪ æt ðə rɪkˈwɛst əv ðə ˈʤʊrər. ðə dɪsˈmɪst ˈʤʊrər, ˈɛvəlɪn, wɑz ˌriˈpleɪst baɪ ən ˈɔltərˌneɪt ˈʤʊrər, ənd ðə ˈʤʊri riˈstɑrtɪd dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz frəm ðə bɪˈgɪnɪŋ ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ. ɪt tʊk ʤɪst ə fju aʊərz əv dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ wɪθ ðə ˈɔltərˌneɪt ˈʤʊrər ˈʤɔɪnɪŋ ðə ˈəðər ˈilɛvən ˈmɛmbərz fər ðə fʊl ˈʤʊri tɪ sɛnd ðɛr ˈmɛsɪʤ əv ˈdɛˌdlɑk tɪ ðə ʤəʤ ɪt wɑz ən ənˈjuˌʒuəl tərn əv ɪˈvɛnts ɪn ə traɪəl ðət həz bɪn ˈkɛrɪktərˌaɪzd baɪ ə ˈnəmbər əv twɪsts ənd tərnz. wɪn ðə traɪəl bɪˈgæn tɛn wiks əˈgoʊ, toʊld ʤəʤ wɔlz ðət ʃi hæd ə ˈpriviəsli ˈskɛʤʊld veɪˈkeɪʃən ðət ʃi wʊd nɑt bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈkænsəl. ðə traɪəl wɑz ɪkˈspɛktɪd tɪ læst sɪks tɪ eɪt wiks æt ðə taɪm, ənd ʤəʤ wɔlz ˈprɑməst ðət ʃi wʊd bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ teɪk hər veɪˈkeɪʃən. wɪn ʃi rɪkˈwɛstɪd tɪ bi dɪsˈmɪst frəm ðə ˈʤʊri du tɪ ðə ˈəpˌkəmɪŋ veɪˈkeɪʃən, ʤəʤ wɔlz ˈɑnərd ðət rɪkˈwɛst. ˈæftər hər dɪsˈmɪsəl, tʊk ðə ənˈjuˌʒuəl stɛp əv ˈspikɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈmidiə əˈbaʊt ðə ˈditeɪlz əv ðə dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz. ər ʤɪst traɪɪŋ tɪ θroʊ ə gʊd mæn ˈəndər ðə bus,”*,” ʃi toʊld ɪn ən ˈɪntərvˌju æt hər ˈrɛzɪdəns. ““arroyo-maultsby*, ə ˈdɛməˌkræt, ɪkˈsprɛst səˈpɔrt fər mɛˈnɛndɛz, seɪɪŋ ðət ˈprɪti ʃʊr ʃi ˈvoʊtɪd fər ɪm ˈpriviəsli ənd ““absolutely”*” wʊd voʊt fər ɪm ˈæftər ðɪs traɪəl, ˌriˈpɔrtəd, ˈædɪŋ: ʃi sɛd ðɛr wɑz ˈɔlsoʊ dip dɪˈvɪʒən ɔn ðə ʧɑrʤ ðət mɛˈnɛndɛz meɪd ə fɔls ˈsteɪtmənt ɔn hɪz ˈsɛnɪt dɪˈskloʊʒər fɔrmz. ðə dɪsˈmɪst ˈʤʊrər sɛd ʃi wɑz ðə ˈoʊnli wən hu θɔt hi wɑz nɑt ˈgɪlti əv ðɪs əˈfɛns ˌɪˈnɪʃəli. æt wən pɔɪnt, ʃi əˈlaʊd ðə ˈəðərz tɪ kənˈvɪns hər hi wɑz ˈgɪlti, bət kraɪd əˈbaʊt ɪt ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt, ˈfilɪŋ laɪk ʃi hæd bɪn ˈrɔŋli sweɪd. ɔn ˈθərzˌdeɪ, ʃi rɪˈtərnd tɪ ðə dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz ˌɪnˈtɛndɪŋ tɪ voʊt nɑt ˈgɪlti ɔn ðə ʧɑrʤ, ənd bɪˈlivz ʃi meɪ hæv kənˈvɪnst ˈəðərz. ˈnɛvər slept”*” ɪf ʃi hæd nɑt ʧeɪnʤd hər voʊt, sɛd. waɪl ɪt ɪz ˈhaɪli ənˈjuˌʒuəl fər ə dɪsˈmɪst ˈʤʊrər tɪ ˈkɑmɛnt ˈpəblɪkli əˈbaʊt ðə dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz kənˈdəktəd baɪ ə ˈʤʊri praɪər tɪ ðɛr dɪsˈmɪsəl, ɪt ɪz əˈpɛrəntli nɑt ˌɪˈligəl tɪ du soʊ. ˈʤəʤɪz wɪl dɪˈskərɪʤ ɪt, bət ðeɪ ˈkænɑt bɑr ˈʤʊrərz frəm dɪˈskəsɪŋ ðə dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz wɪθ reporters,”*,” ˈfɔrmər ˈfɛdərəl ˈprɑsɪˌkjutər ˈrɑbərt mɪnts toʊld ə ˈʤʊrər ɪz dɪsˈmɪst ˈdʊrɪŋ ə traɪəl, ðə kɔrt wɪl ˈʤɛnərəli ˈstrɔŋli ərʤ ðɛm nɑt tɪ dɪˈskəs ðə keɪs, æt list ənˈtɪl ə ˈvərdɪkt ɪz riʧt, sɪns ɪt meɪ ˈəndərˌmaɪn ðə ˈkɑnfədɛns ɪn ðə ˈəltəmət ˈvərdɪkt. bət ðiz dɪˈskəʃənz du nɑt ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli kriˈeɪt ən əˈpɛˌleɪt ˈɪʃu, sɪns ðiz ˈkɑmɛnts tɪ ðə ˈmidiə ʃʊd nɑt ˌɪmˈpækt ðə dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃənz əv ðə rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ jurors,”*,” mɪnts ˈædɪd. ðə traɪəl əv mɛˈnɛndɛz ənd bɪˈgæn ɔn sɛpˈtɛmbər 6 ɛz nuz ˌriˈpɔrtəd:
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the jury deliberating the public corruption trial of senator robert menendez (d-nj) and dr. salomon melgen in a new jersey federal court told judge william walls on monday they are deadlocked.
the associated press reported the jury “told the judge it couldn’t reach a verdict on monday on any of the 18 counts against them, prompting the judge to order it to return on tuesday to continue deliberating.”
judge walls dismissed one of the twelve jurors deliberating on the public corruption trial of sen. robert menendez (d-nj) on thursday at the request of the juror. the dismissed juror, 61-year-old evelyn arroyo-maultsby, was replaced by an alternate juror, and the jury restarted deliberations from the beginning on monday.
it took just a few hours of deliberations on monday – with the alternate juror joining the other eleven members – for the full jury to send their message of deadlock to the judge
it was an unusual turn of events in a trial that has been characterized by a number of twists and turns.
when the trial began ten weeks ago, arroyo-maultsby told judge walls that she had a previously scheduled vacation that she would not be able to cancel. the trial was expected to last six to eight weeks at the time, and judge walls promised that she would be able to take her vacation. when she requested to be dismissed from the jury due to the upcoming vacation, judge walls honored that request.
after her dismissal, arroyo-maultsby took the unusual step of speaking to the media about the details of the jury’s deliberations.
“they are just trying to throw a good man under the bus,” she told nj.com in an interview at her residence.
“arroyo-maultsby, a democrat, expressed support for menendez, saying that pretty sure she voted for him previously and “absolutely” would vote for him after this trial, nj.com reported, adding:
she said there was also deep division on the charge that menendez made a false statement on his senate disclosure forms. the dismissed juror said she was the only one who thought he was not guilty of this offense initially. at one point, she allowed the others to convince her he was guilty, but cried about it overnight, feeling like she had been wrongly swayed. on thursday, she returned to the deliberations intending to vote not guilty on the charge, and believes she may have convinced others. “i would’ve never slept” if she had not changed her vote, arroyo-maultsby said.
while it is highly unusual for a dismissed juror to comment publicly about the deliberations conducted by a jury prior to their dismissal, it is apparently not illegal to do so.
“often judges will discourage it, but they cannot bar jurors from discussing the deliberations with reporters,” former federal prosecutor robert mintz told nj.com
“when a juror is dismissed during a trial, the court will generally strongly urge them not to discuss the case, at least until a verdict is reached, since it may undermine the public’s confidence in the ultimate verdict. but these discussions do not necessarily create an appellate issue, since these comments to the media should not impact the deliberations of the remaining jurors,” mintz added.
the trial of menendez and melgen began on september 6, as breitbart news reported:
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ˈnəθɪŋ aɪ hæv rɛd ˈkəvərɪŋ ʤʊˈræsɪk wərld simz tɪ ˈrɪli græsp wət wɛnt rɔŋ ɪn ðə nu θim pɑrk. ˈɛvəri rivˈjuər simz tɪ bi ˈhɛklɪŋ oʊən ənd klɛr (jæ, krɪs præt ənd braɪs haʊərd hæd ˈkɛrɪktər neɪmz ɪn jw…*… aɪ hæd tɪ lʊk ðɛm əp) fər biɪŋ oʊld ˈkɛrɪkəˌʧərz hu bɪˈlɔŋ ɪn b-flicks*. aɪ gɪt ðət, bət tɪ wət ɪkˈstɛnt dɪd ðeɪ ˈæˌkʧuəli kənˈtrɪbjut tɪ ðə ʤʊˈræsɪk wərld ˈmɛltˌdaʊn ˌɪtˈsɛlf? ɪn fækt, haʊ məʧ dɪd kɑn) ənd ˈhɑskɪnz fɪsk) ˈrɪli kənˈtrɪbjut? ðə θɪŋ ɪz, ðɪs ˌɪnˈkɑmpətənt ˈgægəl əv ˈkrudli drɔn ˈɪˌdiəts dɪˈrɛkli kɔz ʤʊˈræsɪk wərld tɪ feɪl. ɪt ɪz ə məʧ mɔr ˌɪnˈsɪˌdiəs ˈivəl ˈkɑnstrəkt ðət wi məst ˈəltəmətli əˈkjuz. raɪt, ɛz ˈjuʒəwəl, ˌɪnəˈproʊpriɪt ˈwərkˌpleɪs riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪps ər tɪ bleɪm- ðə əv ðə ˈkɔrpərət wərld. 1 lərn haʊ tɪ ˈdɛləˌgeɪt oʊ mæn, ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi ɪn ðɪs ˈmuvi ˈprɑpərli ˈdɛləˌgeɪts. ju ˈdɛləˌgeɪt jʊr ˈfæməli taɪm tɪ ˈbrɪtɪʃ fræn ˈdrɛʃər. aɪ gɪt ðət wi ˈnidɪd mɔr leɪm ˈkɛrɪktərz tɪ bi ˈitən baɪ ˈdaɪnəˌsɔrz fər ðə friks hu ləv ˈwɑʧɪŋ ˈdaɪnəˌsɔrz ənd ˈnɑtsiz ənd ˈeɪliənz wɪn stəf ɪn ˈmuviz, bət sɛnd ðə kɪdz ɔf wɪθ ðɛm. ðɪs wɑz ə ˈmeɪʤər ˈbʊlət pɔɪnt əv ðə fərst ˈmuvi. ˈɛvriˌbɑdi noʊz ðət ɪn ðiz ˈmuviz, ɪf ju ɛnd əp wɪθ ðə kɪdz ənd ju ər səm sɔrt əv ˌənˈpɑpjələr ˈstɛrioʊˌtaɪp, ju ər dino-chow*. soʊ sɛnd ðə kɪdz wɪθ ˈsəmˌbɑdi ɛls, braɪs! ðə nis gɑrd frəm ˈɔrɪnʤ ɪz ðə nu blæk wɑz raɪt ðɛr ɪn ðə ˈɔfəs, ənd ju wɛnt wɪθ super-nanny*? ju məst ˈdɛləˌgeɪt jʊr tɪ ə ˈpaɪlət ɪf ju ər ˈsiˌiˈoʊ əv ə ˈvaɪələnt ˈmɑnstər rænʧ, bɪˈkəz ɪf ju kræʃ ənd ˈwɪlsən fɪsk teɪks ˈoʊvər ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ɪz fəkt. əg. ɪf ju hæv ə ˈmɑnstər rænʧ ənd ju noʊ ðət ju ər ɪn ˈbɪznɪs ˈdilɪŋz wɪθ ðə ˈkɪŋˌpɪn, ju ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət ju məst ə) steɪ əˈlaɪv ənd bi) neɪm ˈsɛvərəl səkˈsɛsərz? səkˈsɛsərz hu faɪt ˈdɛrˌdɛvəl? ənd ðɛn ju goʊ aʊt ənd flaɪ ə bərd ˈoʊvər ðə pleɪs wɛr ju kip jʊr ˈlɪzərd bæts? wət ər ju ˈθɪŋkɪŋ irrfan*?!?!?! ju ˈdɛləˌgeɪt aɪˈrɑnɪkli ˈwɔrnɪŋ əˈbaʊt θɪŋz tɪ ˈʤɪmi ˈfælən ˌɪnˈstɛd əv ʤɛf ˈgoʊldbləm. ˈʤɪmi ɪnˈtaɪər ʤɑb ɔn ðɪs ˈplænət ɪz tɪ ˌɪntrəˈdus oʊld ˈpipəl tɪ ðə ruts soʊ ðət ðeɪ wɪl bi lɛs əˈfreɪd əv blæk ˈpipəl. hi ðɛr tɪ wɔrn əˈbaʊt θɪŋz, hi ɪz ðɛr tɪ meɪk ˈɪnstrəmənt ˈdrɪvən ˈhɪˌphɔp əkˈsɛptəbəl tɪ ˈpipəl hu laɪk ˈrɑnəld ˈrigən (ɛz ən ˈæktər). ʤɛf ˈgoʊldbləm, ɔn ðə ˈəðər hænd, ɪz ˈeɪbəl tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn ˈɛθɪkəli ˈtɛrəˌfaɪɪŋ saɪəns waɪl sɪˈdusɪŋ ju. hi ˈɔlsoʊ meɪk ˈgufi ˈgətərəl ˈnɔɪzɪz. pləs, ənˈlaɪk ˈʤɪmi ˈfælən, hi ˈkɑnstəntli lʊk ˈɪntu ðə ˈkæmərə. 2 əraʊnd wɪθ ˈdaɪnəˌsɔrz ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl, ju ər ˈteɪkɪŋ ə rɪsk ɪf ju hæŋ aʊt wɪθ jʊr ˈkoʊˈwərkərz bɪɔnd ðə ɔˈkeɪʒənəl ˈkəmpəˌni ˈsoʊʃəl ˈaʊtɪŋ. ðɛr ər səm ɪkˈsɛpʃənz, əv kɔrs. səm ʤɑbz ər ˈrɪli ˈoʊnli sərˈvaɪvəbəl ɪf ˈwərkərz ər kənˈdɪʃənd təˈgɛðər laɪk ðə ˈjumən ˈrisɔrsɪz ɪkˈwɪvələnt əv ðə ˈgoʊldən bænd. ˈjuʒəwəli, ðoʊ, ju wɔnt tɪ bi wɪθ ðə ˈpipəl hu ər kəmˈpitɪŋ wɪθ ju fər pərˈmoʊʃənz ənd seɪlz (ənˈlɛs ju vju ˈjɔrsɛlf ɛz ən ˈɔfəs ˈʤudəs taɪp). ɪn ʤʊˈræsɪk wərld, ðɛr wɑz noʊ rɪˈspɛkt fər ðət dɪˈvaɪd ˌwətsoʊˈɛvər. nɑt ʤɪst ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ˈnɑnsɛns əv krɪs præt ənd braɪs ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ æt chris’s…*… ˈfɪʃɪŋ hət ər ˌwəˈtɛvər ðət pleɪs hi lɪvd wɑz səˈpoʊzd tɪ bi. ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt krɪs præt ənd hɪz ˈræptər ˈbədiz. ðə ˈælfə? haʊ dɪd ðeɪ noʊ haʊ tɪ rən ɪn ɪgˈzækt taɪm ənd fɔrˈmeɪʃən wɪθ hɪz ˈgufi dirtbike*? ju noʊ ðeɪ wɛnt ˈkruzɪŋ təˈgɛðər. ju noʊ hi tʊk ðoʊz ˈlɪzərdz aʊt tɪ ðə ˈfrikɪŋ ˈtiˈki bɑr æt list wəns. ju kən tɛl bɪˈkəz ðɛr ɪz ə ˈvɛri spɪˈsɪfɪk kaɪnd əv ˈfrɛndʃɪp ðət hu goʊ tɪ ˈtiˈki bɑrz ɔn ˈmoʊtərˌsaɪkəlz dɪˈvɛləp. ə broʊ wɪl hæv jʊr bæk, bət ˈoʊnli ɪf ɪt həz bɪn ə ˈrɪli rəf naɪt ənd hi noʊz hi həz tɪ ˈiðər stɪk əp fər ju ˈbrifli ər ɛls ˈɛvriˌbɑdi daɪz. ˈtiˈki bɑr ˈmoʊtərˌsaɪkəl broʊ kəˈmɪtmənt raɪt ðɛr. bət ju noʊ haʊ ə juʤ ˈdeɪnʤərəs ˈdrəŋkən ˈmɔˌrɑn kən kənˈvɪns ə bənʧ əv tɪ du ˈsəmθɪŋ ˈrɪli ˈstupɪd ɪf ðeɪ ər ɔˈrɛdi pəmpt əp? seɪ, pəmpt frəm ˈmoʊtərˌsaɪkəl ʃoʊ ˈboʊtɪŋ? ðɪs ɪz ɪgˈzæktli wət ˈhæpənd ɪn ðə ˈmuvi. ənd ɪt gɑt hæf əv ˈɛvriˌbɑdi kɪld baɪ rɛks, hu ɪz ðə ˈdaɪnəˌsɔr ɪkˈwɪvələnt əv ˈmɑdərn deɪ skriʧ æt ə bɑr, ɪn ðət aɪ æm ˈprɪti ʃʊr hi ril ənd hi wɪl ˈlɪtərəli naɪf ju. 3 ˈtritɪŋ tɪrænəˈsɔrəs laɪk jʊr nɪˈglɛktɪd bɛst frɛnd frəm haɪ skul wi hæv ˈlərnɪd ˈmɛni ˈlɛsənz əˈbaʊt ti. rɛks frəm ðiz ˈmuviz. ti. rɛks wɔnt tɪ bi fɛd, ɪt wɔnts tɪ hənt. traɪ tɪ stil ˈbeɪbi ti. rɛks ər ɛls ˈmɑmi ti. rɛks ənd ˈizəli ɪnˈreɪʤd ˈrɛdˌnɛk ˈdædi ti. rɛks wɪl kəm ənd kɪl ju ɪn jʊr ˈtreɪlər hoʊm. ðə ti. rɛks ju kən əˈtrækt wɪθ ˈʧɪldrən ənd pi ər nɑt ðə praɪm ˈspɛsəmən əv ti. rɛks ənd wɪl ˈlaɪkli bi kɪld baɪ bəf, mɔr kənˈsərvətɪv ˈeɪˌpɛks ˈprɛdətərz ɪf ˌɪmˈprɪzənd təˈgɛðər. ti. rɛks ɪn ðiz fɪlmz ər ə ˈmɛtəfɔr fər ˈpipəl hu goʊ tu hɑrd ɪn ˈərli əˈdəlˌthʊd. braɪs ˈkɛrɪktər ɪz ə krɪnʤ ˌɪnˈdusɪŋ ˈstɛrioʊˌtaɪp əv ə kərɪr ˈwʊmən, hu ˌstɛrioʊˈtɪpɪkəˌli ʃɛd ə lɔt əv frɛndz laɪk ðɪs ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ pərˈsu hər ˈɛmˈbiˈeɪ in…*… ˈdaɪnəˌsɔr ˈmænɪʤmənt ənd ˈʤəŋgəl ˈfæʃən. əˈpɛrəntli. (ɪt ˈrɪli ə gʊd skrɪpt.) soʊ θruaʊt ʤʊˈræsɪk wərld, traɪɪŋ tɪ ˈkɑdəl ti. rɛks, ˈpʊtɪŋ ðɛm ɪn kənˈtroʊld ɪnˈvaɪrənmənts tɪ mit ðə kɪdz æt ə seɪf ˈdɪstəns bɪˈkəz ʃi noʊz wət ˈhæpənz wɪn ju lɛt ðɛm ˈbeɪbisɪt ɪn ðə kɑr əˈgɛn). ə ˈbʊlˌʃɪt weɪ tɪ trit jʊr oʊld frɛndz æt wərk, ˈivɪn ɪf ðeɪ ˈhaɪli səkˈsɛsfəl prəˈfɛʃənəli bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ər ʤaɪˈgænɪk flɛʃ ˈitɪŋ ˈmɑnstərz (bleɪm ðə ˈimərʤəns əv ˈsigrəmz ɪˈskeɪps fər ðət). oʊ, bət hu stɪl həz jʊr bæk wɪn ðət nət ʤɑb ˈstɔkər liv ju ənd jʊr ˈfæməli əˈloʊn? braɪs ˈivɪn hæv tɪ seɪ pliz ər rɪˈmɛmbər ti. ˈbərθˌdeɪ. 4 ˈhaɪrɪŋ tɪ du ˈkrɪtɪkəl ʤɑbz haɪər ɪmˈplɔɪiz ðət ˈæktɪvli traɪ tɪ kɪl ənd it ju. gɑd waɪ dɪd aɪ ʤɪst hæv tɪ taɪp ðət? haʊ ˈmɛni taɪmz ɪn ðɪs ˈmuvi du ðə kɑrˈtun ˈræptərz traɪ tɪ kɪl ə ˈpərsən ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈmoʊtərˌsaɪkəl sin? laɪk, 4 taɪmz? haʊ ˈmɛni taɪmz dɪd ju traɪ tɪ kəˈmɪt ˈhɑməˌsaɪd ɪn frənt əv jʊr fˈjuʧər ɪmˈplɔɪər? ðə əˈtɛmptəd ˈmərdərz kənˈvɪns ˈwɪlsən fɪsk ðət ˈræptərz ər bæd ʤɑb ˈkænədɪts, ðoʊ. oʊ noʊ, hi wɔnts ðɛm tɪ bi ˈwɛpənz. rɛks maɪt ˈivɪn hæv bɪn brɛd fər ðə ˈpərpəs əv ˈwɛpənz ˈtɛstɪŋ. ˈwɪlsən fɪsk ɪz ə ˈnətər ɪn ðɪs ˈmuvi. waɪ ɔn ərθ wʊd ju θɪŋk ju hæv tɪ brid ˈdaɪnəˌsɔrz ˈɪntu ˈskɛriər, scalier*, mɔr ˈdeɪnʤərəs ˈmɑnstərz ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ meɪk ðɛm ˈifɛktɪv ˈkɪlərz? ɪf ˈɛniˌθɪŋ, ˈwɪlsən fɪsk ənd wɔŋ ʃʊd hæv toʊnd ðɛm daʊn ə ˈlɪtəl ɪn keɪs ðə flɛʃ ˈitɪŋ ˈmɑnstərz ðeɪ ər traɪɪŋ tɪ tərn ˈɪntu ˈʤərmən ˈʃɛpərdz ˌdɪˈsaɪd tɪ kəˈmɪt mɔr ˈhɑməˌsaɪdz. ˌbiˈsaɪdz, ˈneɪʧər ɔˈrɛdi meɪd ˈskɛriər ˈræptərz ðən vəˈlɔsəˌræptər wɪθ ˈsɪmpəl traɪəl ənd ˈɛrər ˌɛvəˈluʃən, ʤɪst laɪk ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ɛls. ðeɪ tərnd aʊt weɪ ˈskɛriər. rɪˈmɛmbər balaur*? waɪ ðiz ˈmuviz hæv balaur*? ˈɛniˌweɪ, nɑt ðə pɔɪnt, haɪər θɪŋz ðət wɔnt tɪ kɪl ənd it ju tɪ bi jʊr ɪmˈplɔɪiz. ðət goʊz fər ti. rɛks, velociraptors*, ənd millennials*. ˈɛniˌweɪ, səbˈskraɪb ər sɛnd mi ˈlɛtərz dɪˈfɛndɪŋ riˈleɪʃənz ər baɪ maɪ ˈtiˌsərt. ðoʊz ər jʊr ˈʧɔɪsɪz.
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nothing i have read covering jurassic world seems to really grasp what went wrong in the new theme park. every reviewer seems to be heckling owen and claire (yeah, chris pratt and bryce howard had character names in jw… i had to look them up) for being old timey caricatures who belong in 1940’s b-flicks. i get that, but to what extent did they actually contribute to the jurassic world meltdown itself? in fact, how much did masrani (irrfan khan) and hoskins (wiliam fisk) really contribute?
the thing is, this incompetent gaggle of crudely drawn idiots didn’t directly cause jurassic world to fail. it is a much more insidious evil construct that we must ultimately accuse.
that’s right, as usual, inappropriate workplace relationships are to blame- the out-out-damned-spot of the corporate world.
1. learn how to delegate
oh man, nobody in this movie properly delegates. you can’t delegate your family time to british fran drescher. i get that we needed more lame characters to be eaten by dinosaurs for the freaks who love watching dinosaurs and nazis and aliens win stuff in movies, but don’t send the kids off with them. this was a major bullet point of the first movie. everybody knows that in these movies, if you end up with the kids and you are some sort of unpopular stereotype, you are dino-chow. so send the kids with somebody else, bryce! the nice guard from orange is the new black was right there in the office, and you went with super-nanny?
you must delegate your helocoptering to a pilot if you are ceo of a violent monster ranch, because if you crash and wilson fisk takes over everything is fucked. ugh. if you have a monster ranch and you know that you are in business dealings with the kingpin, wouldn’t you realize that you must a) stay alive and b) name several successors? successors who don’t fight daredevil? and then you go out and fly a whirly bird over the place where you keep your lizard bats? what are you thinking irrfan?!?!?!
you can’t delegate ironically warning about things to jimmy fallon instead of jeff goldblum. jimmy fallon’s entire job on this planet is to introduce old people to the roots so that they will be less afraid of black people. he isn’t there to warn about things, he is there to make instrument driven hip-hop acceptable to people who like ronald reagan (as an actor). jeff goldblum, on the other hand, is able to explain ethically terrifying science while seducing you. he also make goofy guttural noises. plus, unlike jimmy fallon, he doesn’t constantly look into the camera.
2. palling around with dinosaurs
in general, you are taking a risk if you hang out with your co-workers beyond the occasional company social outing. there are some exceptions, of course. some jobs are really only survivable if workers are conditioned together like the human resources equivalent of the golden band. usually, though, you don’t want to be besties with the people who are competing with you for promotions and sales (unless you view yourself as an office judas type).
in jurassic world, there was no respect for that divide whatsoever. i’m not just talking about the red-pill nonsense of chris pratt and bryce howard’s exchange at chris’s… fishing hut or whatever that place he lived was supposed to be. i’m talking about chris pratt and his raptor buddies. the alpha? how did they know how to run in exact time and formation with his goofy dirtbike?
you know they went cruising together. you know he took those lizards out to the freaking tiki bar at least once. you can tell because there is a very specific kind of friendship that bros who go to tiki bars on motorcycles develop.
a bro will have your back, but only if it has been a really rough night and he knows he has to either stick up for you briefly or else everybody dies. that’s tiki bar motorcycle bro commitment right there. but you know how a huge dangerous drunken moron can convince a bunch of bros to do something really stupid if they are already pumped up? say, pumped from motorcycle show boating? this is exactly what happened in the movie. and it got half of everybody killed by indomitus rex, who is the dinosaur equivalent of modern day screech at a bar, in that i am pretty sure he isn’t real and he will literally knife you.
3. treating tyrannosaurus like your neglected best friend from high school
we have learned many lessons about t. rex from these movies. t. rex doesn’t want to be fed, it wants to hunt. don’t try to steal baby t. rex or else mommy t. rex and easily enraged redneck daddy t. rex will come and kill you in your trailer home. the t. rex you can attract with children and pee are not the prime specimen of t. rex and will likely be killed by buff, more conservative apex predators if imprisoned together.
t. rex in these films are a metaphor for people who go too hard in early adulthood. bryce howard’s character is a cringe inducing stereotype of a career woman, who stereotypically shed a lot of friends like this in order to pursue her mba in… dinosaur management and jungle fashion. apparently. (it really isn’t a good script.)
so throughout jurassic world, she’s trying to coddle t. rex, putting them in controlled environments to meet the kids at a safe distance because she knows what happens when you let them babysit (we’re in the car again). that’s a bullshit way to treat your old friends at work, even if they aren’t highly successful professionally because they are gigantic flesh eating monsters (blame the emergence of seagrams escapes for that).
oh, but who still has your back when that nut job stalker won’t leave you and your family alone?
bryce didn’t even have to say please or remember t. rex’s birthday.
4. hiring therapods to do critical jobs
don’t hire employees that actively try to kill and eat you. god why did i just have to type that?
how many times in this movie do the cartoon raptors try to kill a person before the motorcycle scene? like, 4 times? how many times did you try to commit homicide in front of your future employer?
the attempted murders don’t convince wilson fisk that raptors are bad job candidates, though. oh no, he wants them to be weapons. indominus rex might even have been bred for the purpose of weapons testing. wilson fisk is a nutter in this movie.
why on earth would you think you have to breed dinosaurs into scarier, scalier, more dangerous monsters in order to make them effective killers? if anything, wilson fisk and bd wong should have toned them down a little in case the flesh eating monsters they are trying to turn into german shepherds decide to commit more homicides. besides, nature already made scarier raptors than velociraptor with simple trial and error evolution, just like everything else. they turned out way scarier. remember balaur? why don’t these movies have balaur?
anyway, that’s not the point, don’t hire things that want to kill and eat you to be your employees. that goes for t. rex, velociraptors, and millennials.
anyway, subscribe or send me letters defending inter-office relations or buy my t-shirt. those are your choices.
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ˈweɪməθ ə faɪt ðət ˈstɑrtɪd ˈoʊvər ə ˈvɪdioʊ əv ən ˈɔrnəri goʊt ˈpoʊstɪd ɔn ˈfeɪsˌbʊk lɛft wən mæn stæbd ənd əˈnəðər ɪn ˈhændˌkəfs, pəˈlis sɛd. ˈɔfɪsərz ərˈɛstɪd ˈkɛvɪn pi. ˈsəlɪvən, 28 əv 62 si st*., ˈweɪməθ, ˈfraɪˌdeɪ naɪt æt hɪz hoʊm ənd ʧɑrʤd ɪm wɪθ ˈstæbɪŋ ə ˈweɪməθ mæn ˈdʊrɪŋ ə ɪn ðə strit, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt. ˈsəlɪvən wɑz əreɪnd ˈmənˌdeɪ ɪn kˈwɪnsi ˈdɪstrɪkt kɔrt ɔn ə ʧɑrʤ əv əˈsɔlt ənd ˈbætəri wɪθ ə ˈdeɪnʤərəs ˈwɛpən. hi wɑz ˈɔrdərd hɛld ɔn kæʃ beɪl, wɪʧ hi ˈpoʊstɪd, ənd du bæk ɪn kɔrt ɔn ˌʤuˈlaɪ 22 əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə kɔrt ˈɔfəs. ðə ˈvɪktɪm ˈsəfərd ˈɪnʤəriz, pəˈlis capt*. ˈrɪʧərd ˈfʊlər sɛd. ˈɔfɪsərz rɪˈspɑndɪd tɪ ˈməltəpəl 911 kɔlz rɪˈpɔrtɪŋ ə faɪt ɔn si strit ʤɪst ˈæftər 7 p.m*. ˈfraɪˌdeɪ. wɪn ðeɪ əraɪvd ðeɪ faʊnd ðə ˈvɪktɪm laɪɪŋ ɔn ðə graʊnd ˈblidɪŋ frəm wundz tɪ hɪz lɛft saɪd ənd ðə bæk əv hɪz raɪt ˈʃoʊldər, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ðə ˈvɪktɪm aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪd ˈsəlɪvən ɛz ðə mæn hu hæd stæbd ɪm, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ˈɔfɪsərz faʊnd ˈsəlɪvən ˌɪnˈsaɪd hɪz hoʊm wɪθ bləd ɔn hɪz hænz, ˈfɔˌrɑrmz ənd ʃərt, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ðə ˈgərlˌfrɛnd toʊld pəˈlis ðət ˈsəlɪvən wɑz ˈæŋgri æt ðɛm bɪˈkəz ʃi hæd ʃɛrd ə ˈvɪdioʊ əv ə goʊt neɪmd ˈkɛvɪn ɔn ˈfeɪsˌbʊk. ðə ˈvɪdioʊ əˈbaʊt ə goʊt neɪmd ˈkɛvɪn hu wɑz nɑt nis tɪ ˈəðər goʊts ɪn ðə video,”*,” ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ə ˈvɪdioʊ ˈpoʊstɪd ɔn ˈjuˌtub wɪθ ðə seɪm neɪm ɛz ðə wən ˈmɛnʃənd ɪn ðə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt ɪz wən əv ˈsɛvərəl dɪˈpɪktɪŋ ə goʊt neɪmd ˈkɛvɪn. ɪn ðə ˈvɪdioʊ, ðə goʊt ˈəðər ˈænəməlz ənd ðə mæn ˈhoʊldɪŋ ðə ˈkæmərə, hu rɪˈpitɪdli rɪˈfərz tɪ ðə goʊt ˈjuzɪŋ proʊˈfænəti. ðə ˈvɪdioʊ həz ˈmɪljən vjuz. ðə ˈwʊmən toʊld pəˈlis ðət ˈsəlɪvən bɪˈlivd hər ˈpoʊstɪŋ əv ðə ˈvɪdioʊ wɑz dɪˈrɛkt ˌɪnˈsəlt təˈwɔrdz ɪm ənd mɛnt ðət hi wɑz ə bæd father,”*,” ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ˈsəlɪvən ðɛn lɛft hər ə θˈrɛtənɪŋ ˈvɔɪsˌmeɪl ˈsteɪtɪŋ ðət hi ˈwɔntɪd tɪ faɪt, ʃi toʊld ˈɔfɪsərz. ðə ˈwʊmən toʊld pəˈlis ðət ʃi ənd ðə ˈvɪktɪm wɛnt tɪ hoʊm ˈθɪŋkɪŋ ðeɪ kʊd tɔk θɪŋz aʊt bət ðə tu mɛn bɪˈgæn ˈfaɪtɪŋ. ˈsəlɪvən toʊld pəˈlis ðət hi stæbd ðə ˈəðər mæn, hu hi sɛd wɑz ɑrmd wɪθ ə lɑrʤ rɛnʧ, ɪn ˌsɛlfdɪˈfɛns, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ˈsəlɪvən fərst toʊld pəˈlis hi bɪn strək baɪ ðə rɛnʧ bət ˈleɪtər sɛd hi hæd. hi wɑz ˈtritɪd fər ˈmaɪnər ˈɪnʤəriz æt ðə sin. ˈəðər ˈwɪtnəsɪz sɛd ðə ˈvɪktɪm græbd ðə rɛnʧ ɪn ˌsɛlfdɪˈfɛns, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. pəˈlis seɪ ðeɪ faʊnd ðə naɪf ɪn ðə græs bɪˈhaɪnd hoʊm. ˈkrɪsʧɪn skiɑˈvoʊni meɪ bi riʧt æt ər ˈfɑloʊ ɪm ɔn tˈwɪtər @cschiavo_ledger*.
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weymouth – a fight that started over a video of an ornery goat posted on facebook left one man stabbed and another in handcuffs, police said.
officers arrested kevin p. sullivan, 28, of 62 sea st., weymouth, friday night at his home and charged him with stabbing a 36-year-old weymouth man during a fistfight in the street, according to a police report.
sullivan was arraigned monday in quincy district court on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. he was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail, which he posted, and he’s due back in court on july 22, according to the court clerk’s office.
the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police capt. richard fuller said.
officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a fight on sea street just after 7 p.m. friday. when they arrived they found the victim lying on the ground bleeding from wounds to his left side and the back of his right shoulder, the report said.
the victim identified sullivan as the man who had stabbed him, the report said.
officers found sullivan inside his home with blood on his hands, forearms and shirt, the report said.
the victim’s girlfriend told police that sullivan was angry at them because she had shared a video of a goat named kevin on facebook. the video “was about a goat named kevin who was not nice to other goats in the video,” the report said.
a video posted on youtube with the same name as the one mentioned in the police report is one of several depicting a goat named kevin. in the video, the goat head-butts other animals and the man holding the camera, who repeatedly refers to the goat using profanity. the video has 1.6 million views.
the woman told police that sullivan believed her posting of the video was “a direct insult towards him and meant that he was a bad father,” the report said. sullivan then left her a threatening voicemail stating that he wanted to fight, she told officers.
the woman told police that she and the victim went to sullivan’s home thinking they could talk things out but the two men began fighting.
sullivan told police that he stabbed the other man, who he said was armed with a large wrench, in self-defense, the report said. sullivan first told police he hadn’t been struck by the wrench but later said he had. he was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
other witnesses said the victim grabbed the wrench in self-defense, the report said.
police say they found the knife in the grass behind sullivan’s home.
christian schiavone may be reached at [email protected] or follow him on twitter @cschiavo_ledger.
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ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd: p.m*. ˈpoʊstɪd: 6 p.m*. ə juz. ʤəʤ ɔn ˈfraɪˌdeɪ ˌtɛmpərˈɛrəli blɑkt ˈprɛzɪdənt ˈdɑnəld trəmps bæn ɔn ˈtrævələrz ənd ˈɪməgrənts frəm ˈsɛvən ˌprɪˈdɑmənənˌtli ˈməzlɪm ˈkəntriz ˈæftər ˈwɔʃɪŋtən steɪt ənd ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə ərʤd ə ˈneɪʃənˈwaɪd hoʊld ɔn ðə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔrdər ðət həz lɔnʧt ˈligəl ˈbætəlz əˈkrɔs ðə ˈkəntri. juz. ˈdɪstrɪkt ʤəʤ ʤeɪmz ˈrɑˌbɑrt ɪn siˈætəl ruld ðət ðə steɪts hæd ˈstændɪŋ tɪ ˈʧælənʤ trəmps ˈɔrdər, wɪʧ ˈgəvərnmənt ˈlɔjərz dɪˈspjutɪd, ənd sɛd ðeɪ ʃoʊd ðɛr keɪs wɑz ˈlaɪkli tɪ səkˈsid. "ðə steɪt həz mɛt ɪts ˈbərdən ɪn ˈdɛmənˌstreɪtɪŋ ˌɪˈmiˌdiət ənd ˌɪˈrɛpərəbəl ˈɪnʤəri," ˈrɑˌbɑrt sɛd. ˌɪməˈgreɪʃən lɔ ˈsɛnər əv ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv dɪˈrɛktər ʤɑn ˈkɛlər sɛd hiz ɪnˈkərəʤd baɪ ðə ˈɔrdər. "ðə ʤuˈdɪʃiˌɛri wɪl ˌɪntərˈsid ˈivɪn ɪf ðə ˈpərsən ðeɪ ər ˌɪntərˈsidɪŋ əˈgɛnst ɪz ðə ˈprɛzɪdənt əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts," ˈkɛlər sɛd, ˈædɪŋ ðət ɪts nɑt klɪr haʊ kˈwɪkli əˈfɪʃəlz wɪl rɪˈspɑnd tɪ lɛt ˈpipəl ˈpriviəsli dɪˈnaɪd tɪ naʊ ˈɛnər. trəmps ˈɔrdər læst wik spɑrkt ˈproʊˌtɛsts ˈneɪʃənˈwaɪd ənd kənfˈjuʒən æt ˈɛrˌpɔrts ɛz səm ˈtrævələrz wər dɪˈteɪnd. ðə waɪt haʊs həz ˈɑrgjud ðət ɪt wɪl meɪk ðə ˈkəntri ˈseɪfər. ˈwɔʃɪŋtən bɪˈkeɪm ðə fərst steɪt tɪ su, wɪθ əˈtərni ˈʤɛnərəl bɑb ˈfərgəsən seɪɪŋ ðə ˈɔrdər wɑz ˈkɔzɪŋ sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt hɑrm tɪ ˈrɛzɪdənts ənd ˈifɛktɪvli ˈmænˌdeɪts dɪˌskrɪməˈneɪʃən. ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə ʤɔɪnd ðə sut ðɪs wik. ˈæftər ðə ˈrulɪŋ, ˈfərgəsən sɛd ˈpipəl frəm ðə əˈfɛktɪd ˈkəntriz kən naʊ əˈplaɪ fər ˈɛntri tɪ ðə juz. "ʤəʤ dɪˈsɪʒən, ˈifɛktɪv ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli pʊts ə hɔlt tɪ ˈprɛzɪdənt trəmps ˌənˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl ənd ənˈlɔfəl ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔrdər," ˈfərgəsən sɛd. "ðə lɔ ɪz ə ˈpaʊərfəl θɪŋ ɪt həz ðə əˈbɪləˌti tɪ hoʊld ˈɛvriˌbɑdi əˈkaʊntəbəl tɪ ɪt, ənd ðət ˌɪnˈkludz ðə ˈprɛzɪdənt əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts." ˈʤɪliən ɛm. ˈkrɪstənsən, ə ˈspoʊksˌwʊmən fər ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈhoʊmˌlænd sɪˈkjʊrəti, sɛd ðə ˈeɪʤənsi ˈdəzənt ˈkɑmɛnt ɔn ˈpɛndɪŋ ˌlɪtəˈgeɪʃən. ˈfɛdərəl əˈtərniz hæd ˈɑrgjud ðət ˈkɑŋgrəs geɪv ðə ˈprɛzɪdənt əˈθɔrəti tɪ meɪk dɪˈsɪʒənz ɔn ˈnæʃənəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd ˈɪməgrənt ˈɛntri. ðə tu steɪts wən ə ˈtɛmpərˌɛri riˈstreɪnɪŋ ˈɔrdər waɪl ðə kɔrt kənˈsɪdərz ðə ˈlɔˌsut, wɪʧ sɪz ki ˈsɛkʃənz əv trəmps ˈɔrdər ər ˌɪˈligəl ənd ˌənˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənəl. kɔrt ˈʧælənʤɪz hæv bɪn faɪld ˈneɪʃənˈwaɪd frəm steɪts ənd ˈædvəkəsi grups. əp tɪ ˈfɔrənərz frəm ðə ˈsɛvən ˈkəntriz hæd ðɛr ˈvizəz ˈkænsəld bɪˈkəz əv ðə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔrdər, ðə steɪt dɪˈpɑrtmənt sɛd ˈfraɪˌdeɪ. ðət ˈfɪgjər ˌkɑntrəˈdɪkts ə ˈsteɪtmənt frəm ə ˈʤəstɪs dɪˈpɑrtmənt ˈlɔjər ɔn ðə seɪm deɪ ˈdʊrɪŋ ə kɔrt ˈhirɪŋ ɪn vərˈʤɪnjə əˈbaʊt ðə bæn. ðə ˈlɔjər ɪn ðət keɪs sɛd əˈbaʊt ˈvizəz hæd bɪn rɪˈvoʊkt. 'ˈbəbə, wɪn ər ju ˈkəmɪŋ?': fər ˈɪməgrənt ˈfæməliz ɪn ˈlɪmboʊ, ðə ˈweɪtɪŋ bɪˈkəmz ˌɪnˈdɛfənət ðə steɪt dɪˈpɑrtmənt ˈklɛrəˌfaɪd ðət ðə haɪər ˈfɪgjər ˌɪnˈkludz ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk ənd ˈəðər ˈvizəz ðət wər ˈæˌkʧuəli ɪgˈzɛmptɪd frəm ðə ˈtrævəl bæn, ɛz wɛl ɛz ɪkˈspaɪrd ˈvizəz. ˈwɔʃɪŋtən ənd ˌmɪnəˈsoʊtəz ˈlɔˌsut sɪz trəmp kæmˈpeɪnd ɔn ə ˈprɑməs tɪ bæn ˈməzlɪmz frəm ˈkəmɪŋ tɪ ðə juz. ənd kɛpt əp ðət ˈrɛtərɪk waɪl dɪˈfɛndɪŋ ðə ˈtrævəl bæn. ˈlɔjərz ˈpɔɪntɪd tɪ ˈdəzənz əv ˈspiʧɪz ənd ˈsteɪtmənts trəmp həz meɪd. "ðə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔrdər ˈifɛktɪvli ˈmænˌdeɪts ðət ðə steɪts ɪnˈgeɪʤ ɪn dɪˌskrɪməˈneɪʃən beɪst ɔn ˈnæʃənəl ˈɔrəʤən rɪˈlɪʤən, ˈðɛrˈbaɪ rɪˈsɪndɪŋ ðə steɪts' hɪˈstɔrɪk prəˈtɛkʃən əv ˈsɪvəl raɪts ənd rɪˈlɪʤəs ˈfridəm," ðə kəmˈpleɪnt sɪz. ˈfərgəsən sɛd ðə ˈɔrdər ɪz ˈhɑrmɪŋ ˈwɔʃɪŋtən ˈrɛzɪdənts, ˈbɪznɪsɪz ənd ɪts ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈsɪstəm. ɪt wɪl rɪˈdus tæks ˈrɛvəˌnu ənd ˌɪmˈpoʊz sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt kɔsts ɔn steɪt ˈeɪʤənsiz, ɛz wɛl ɛz meɪk ɪt ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl fər səm steɪt ɪmˈplɔɪiz ənd ˈstudənts tɪ ˈtrævəl, hi sɛd. ˈbɪznɪsɪz ˈæməˌzɑn, ɛkˈspidiə ənd ˈmaɪˌkroʊˈsɔft səˈpɔrt ðə steɪts ˈɛfərts tɪ stɑp ðə ˈɔrdər. ðeɪ seɪ ɪts ˈhərtɪŋ ðɛr ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz, tu. ˈlɔjərz fər ˈwɔʃɪŋtən steɪt sɛd əˈnəðər ˈhirɪŋ wɑz ɪkˈspɛktɪd ɪn ðə nɛkst fju wiks. nuz rɪˈpɔrtər ˈlɔrə jwɛn kənˈtrɪbjutɪd tɪ ðɪs ˈstɔri.
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updated: 7:30 p.m. | posted: 6 p.m.
a u.s. judge on friday temporarily blocked president donald trump's ban on travelers and immigrants from seven predominantly muslim countries after washington state and minnesota urged a nationwide hold on the executive order that has launched legal battles across the country.
u.s. district judge james robart in seattle ruled that the states had standing to challenge trump's order, which government lawyers disputed, and said they showed their case was likely to succeed.
"the state has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury," robart said.
immigration law center of minnesota executive director john keller said he's encouraged by the order.
"the judiciary will intercede even if the person they are interceding against is the president of the united states," keller said, adding that it's not clear how quickly officials will respond to let people previously denied to now enter.
trump's order last week sparked protests nationwide and confusion at airports as some travelers were detained. the white house has argued that it will make the country safer.
washington became the first state to sue, with attorney general bob ferguson saying the order was causing significant harm to residents and effectively mandates discrimination. minnesota joined the suit this week.
after the ruling, ferguson said people from the affected countries can now apply for entry to the u.s.
"judge robart's decision, effective immediately ... puts a halt to president trump's unconstitutional and unlawful executive order," ferguson said. "the law is a powerful thing — it has the ability to hold everybody accountable to it, and that includes the president of the united states."
gillian m. christensen, a spokeswoman for the department of homeland security, said the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation.
federal attorneys had argued that congress gave the president authority to make decisions on national security and immigrant entry.
the two states won a temporary restraining order while the court considers the lawsuit, which says key sections of trump's order are illegal and unconstitutional. court challenges have been filed nationwide from states and advocacy groups.
up to 60,000 foreigners from the seven majority-muslim countries had their visas canceled because of the executive order, the state department said friday.
that figure contradicts a statement from a justice department lawyer on the same day during a court hearing in virginia about the ban. the lawyer in that case said about 100,000 visas had been revoked.
• 'baba, when are you coming?': for immigrant families in limbo, the waiting becomes indefinite
the state department clarified that the higher figure includes diplomatic and other visas that were actually exempted from the travel ban, as well as expired visas.
washington and minnesota's lawsuit says trump campaigned on a promise to ban muslims from coming to the u.s. and kept up that rhetoric while defending the travel ban. lawyers pointed to dozens of speeches and statements trump has made.
"the executive order effectively mandates that the states engage in discrimination based on national origin and/or religion, thereby rescinding the states' historic protection of civil rights and religious freedom," the complaint says.
ferguson said the order is harming washington residents, businesses and its education system. it will reduce tax revenue and impose significant costs on state agencies, as well as make it impossible for some state employees and students to travel, he said.
washington-based businesses amazon, expedia and microsoft support the state's efforts to stop the order. they say it's hurting their operations, too.
lawyers for washington state said another hearing was expected in the next few weeks.
— mpr news reporter laura yuen contributed to this story.
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lɛt ˈɛni hu daʊt ðə ləˈmɛntəbəl steɪt əv ˌθiəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən əˈməŋ ˈkrɪsʧɪnz ɪn əˈmɛrɪkə kənˈsɪdər ðɪs fækt: raɪt naʊ, wi ər ˈhævɪŋ ə dɪˈskəʃən əˈbaʊt ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ˈdɑnəld trəmp ɪz ˈɔθərˌaɪzd, baɪ gɑd, tɪ dɪˈstrɔɪ nɔrθ ˌkɔˈriə. ðət ɪz wət ˈpæstər ˈrɑbərt ˈʤɛfrɪs ˈrisəntli sɛd. wɪn ɪt kəmz tɪ ˈpənɪʃɪŋ ““evildoers”*” laɪk kɪm ʤɔŋ ˈjuˈɛn, ðə ˈbaɪbəl gɪvz ðə tɪ du whatever.”*.” waɪ? bɪˈkəz pɔl sɛd soʊ ɪn ˈroʊmənz 13 tɪ səm əp ðə ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt bɪts, pɔl toʊld ðə ˈkrɪsʧɪnz ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn roʊm ðət ðə ˈgəvərnɪŋ əˈθɔrətiz hæv bɪn əˈpɔɪntɪd baɪ gɑd. ðeɪ ər ˈsərvənts, ˈmɪnɪstərz, ənd ðə ædˈmɪnɪˌstreɪtərz əv ˈʤəʤmənt. ˈðɛrˌfɔr, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ rɛv. ˈʤɛfrɪs, ɪf ðə mæn hu læks ðə ˌsɛlfkənˈtroʊl nɑt tɪ lɔnʧ ə bərɑʒ əv əˈgɛnst hɪz pərˈsivd ˈɛnəmiz, wər tɪ lɔnʧ ə ˈnukliər straɪk æt ðə ˈpipəl əv nɔrθ ˌkɔˈriə, ɪt wʊd ɔl bi pɑrt əv plæn. tɪ wæks pəˈlɛməkəl fər ʤɪst ə ˈmoʊmənt, ðɪs ɪz wən əv ðə ki ˈwiknəsɪz əv ˌivænˈʤɛlɪkəl weɪz əv ˈrɛdɪŋ ðə ˈbaɪbəl ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl. ə naɪiv ˈkɑnsɛpt əv ˈsoʊlə (ˈskrɪpʧər əˈloʊn) lɛndz ˌɪtˈsɛlf tɪ səˈlɛktɪv ˌɪnˌtərprɪˈteɪʃən. (aɪ æm ˈistərn ˈɔrθəˌdɑks, ɪf ɪt ˈmætərz.) stɪl, wən nid nɑt ækˈnɑlɪʤ ˈhoʊli rɪt ɛz pɑrt əv ə ˈlɪvɪŋ trəˈdɪʃən tɪ noʊ ðət, wɪn ɪt kəmz tɪ ðə ˈbaɪbəl, ˈkɑntɛkst ɪz ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ. jɛs, ɪn ˈroʊmənz pɔl kɔlz ðə ˈgəvərnɪŋ əˈθɔrətiz ˈsərvənts. bət nɑt məʧ ˈleɪtər, ɪn ðə bʊk əv ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃən, ʤɑn dɪˈpɪkts ðə ˈgəvərnɪŋ əˈθɔrətiz ɛz ðə pɪmps əv ðə əv babylon.”*.” wət ʧeɪnʤd bɪtˈwin ðə bʊks əv ˈroʊmənz ənd ˌrɛvəˈleɪʃənz? ˈnɪroʊ. wəns roʊm ˈstɑrtɪd ˈkɪlɪŋ ˈkrɪsʧɪnz, ˈkrɪsʧɪnz stɑpt ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əv roʊm ɛz ðə də ˈfæktoʊ ˈmɪnɪstər əv ˈʤəstɪs. ˈwɛðər ər nɑt roʊm ˈʤəstɪs dɪˈpɛndɪd ɔn ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ɪts ˈlidərz ʤəʤd ˈʤəstli. ˈɔfən, ðeɪ dɪd nɑt. ˈɔfən, soʊ ˈleɪtər ˈraɪtərz wʊd dɪˈpɪkt, ðə ˈgəvərnɪŋ əˈθɔrətiz wər ðə ˈɪnstrəmənts əv ˈseɪtən, ðə əv ðə ˈɪnəsənt. kɔl mi ˈkreɪzi, bət aɪ θɪŋk ðə ˈʧɪldrən əv nɔrθ ˌkɔˈriə wʊd kaʊnt ɛz ˈɪnəsənt. ˈfərðərˌmɔr, ˈɛvəri ˈlɛtər ən əˈpɔsəl həz ˈrɪtən ɪn ðə nu ˈtɛstəmənt ɪz ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃənəl. ɪt wɑz ˈrɪtən tɪ ɪts ˈɔdiəns, nɑt tɪ ˈjuˈɛs. pɔl dɪd nɑt hæv ˈdɑnəld trəmp ɪn maɪnd wɪn hi roʊt ˈroʊmənz 13 ˈsəmˌtaɪmz wət pɔl sɪz ɪz ˈæpləkəbəl tɪ ˈjuˈɛs. ˈəðər taɪmz ɪt ɪz nɑt. ɪn ˈroʊmənz 13 pɔl ɪz ˈklɪrli ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ˈkrɪsʧɪnz ɪn ə ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ʧərʧ əˈbaʊt ðɛr ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr nid tɪ oʊˈbeɪ ðə ˈpipəl hu hæv əˈθɔrəti ˈoʊvər ðɛm. ˈroʊmənz 13 minz, æt ðə moʊst, ðət wi ʃʊd oʊˈbeɪ ðə lɔ, rɪˈspɛkt ɑr ˈgəvərnərz, ənd ɪnˌθuziˈæstɪkli peɪ ɑr ˈtæksɪz (wən prəˈzumz ˈʤɛfrɪs ˈglɔsɪz ˈoʊvər ðət pɑrt). ˈroʊmənz 13 moʊst ˈsərtənli dɪz nɑt min ðət ˌwəˈtɛvər ə ˈgəvərnɪŋ əˈθɔrəti dɪz ɪz ˌoʊˈkeɪ. ˈɑnəstli, wən ˈwəndər wət ˈʤɛfrɪs wʊd hæv dən ɪn ˈʤərməni! ˈpæstər ˈʤɛfrɪs ɪz pɑrt əv ə daɪɪŋ brid. hi ɪz ən guard”*” ˌivænˈʤɛlɪkəl ˈlidər, mɛn (ənd ˈprɪti məʧ ˈɔlˌweɪz mɛn) hu, sɪns ðə 1980s*, hæv bɪn ˈteɪkən ædˈvæntɪʤ əv soʊ məʧ baɪ ðə rɪˈpəblɪkən ˈpɑrti ðət ðeɪ hæv dɪˈvɛləpt ə kaɪnd əv ˈstɑˌkhoʊlm ˈsɪnˌdroʊm. wət ˈstɑrtɪd wɪθ ðə ˈprɑməs əv ə mˈjuʧuəli ˌædvənˈteɪʤəs pəˈlɪtɪkəl əˈlaɪəns həz, ˈoʊvər ðə ˈdɛkeɪdz, dɪˈlɪvərd rɪˈpəblɪkən məˈʤɔrɪtiz, bət ðə ˈprɑməst ““return”*” tɪ ˈkrɪsʧɪn ˈvæljuz ˈnɛvər ˈhæpənd. bɪn ˈnɪrli 40 jɪrz sɪns ˌiˌvænˈʤɛlɪkəlz fərst hɪʧt ðɛr kɑrts tɪ ðə ˈɛləfənt, ənd ɔl ðeɪ hæv geɪnd is…*… ˈnəθɪŋ ˈæˌkʧuəli. ðɛr ər stɪl əˈbɔrʃənz. stɪl drəgz. stɪl ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌprɑmɪˈskjuəti. bət ðə ʧərʧ, ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli ðə ˌivænˈʤɛlɪkəl ʧərʧ, həz lɔst ɔl ˌkrɛdəˈbɪlɪti ənd mɔr ənd mɔr əv ɪts jəŋ ˈpipəl. jɛt taɪm ənd əˈgɛn ˈkrɪsʧɪn əˈθɔrətiz laɪk ˈʤɛfrɪs ər mɔr ðən ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ sˈlɔtər ðɛr lɔrd ɪn ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈʧɪldrən ðət wi bɔm fər ðə seɪk əv ˈpjutətɪv pəˈlɪtɪkəl ædˈvæntɪʤ. ˈkrɪsʧɪn ˈlidərz laɪk ˈʤɛfrɪs hæv, ˈoʊvər ðə ˈdɛkeɪdz əv ðɪs riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp wɪθ ðə, geɪnd ə rɪˈmɑrkəbəl kəˈpæsɪti tɪ blaɪnd ðɛmˈsɛlvz tɪ ðɛr oʊn læk əv ˈmɔrəl ˌɪnˈtɛgrəti ənd ˌθiəˈlɑʤɪkəl kənˈsɪstənsi. keɪs ɪn pɔɪnt, ˈbɑrək ˌoʊˈbɑmə wɑz moʊst ˈdɛfənətli nɑt ðə ˈmɪnɪstər əv gɑd bæk ɪn 2012 wɪn ˈʤɛfrɪs sɛd hi wɑz ðə way”*” fər ðə antichrist*. jɛs maɪ frɛndz, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈʤɛfrɪs, geɪ ˈmɛrɪʤ wɪl brɪŋ ɔn ðə ɛnd əv deɪz, bət ˈnukliər ˈhɔləˌkɔst ɪz toʊts ˌoʊˈkeɪ. ˈspikɪŋ əv ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənsi, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈlɑʤɪk, kɪm ʤɔŋ ˈjuˈɛn ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ əˈpɔɪntɪd baɪ gɑd ənd ðəs ʤɪst ɛz ˈʤəstəˌfaɪd tɪ faɪər nuks æt ˈjuˈɛs ɛz wi ər æt ɪm. səʧ ˈrizənɪŋ wʊd bi ˈæsəˌnaɪn tɪ ðə pɔɪnt əv ˈlæfəbəl wər ɪts ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz nɑt soʊ dæmd ˈfraɪtənɪŋ! hir wi hæv ə mæn hu laɪks ˈfaɪərrɪŋ stəf; ə mæn wɪθ ˈpɑsəbəl ˈfrudiən kəmˈpɛnsəˌtɔri ˈɪʃuz wɪθ ˈækˌsɛs tɪ greɪt bɪg ˈmɪsəlz; ə mæn huz oʊn stæf ˈkænɑt kip ɪm frəm ˈpʊʃɪŋ ðə ““tweet”*” ˈbətən ɔn hɪz ˌθiəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈfidˌbæk ðət ˌwəˈtɛvər hi dɪz ɪz ðə wərk əv gɑd!?
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let any who doubt the lamentable state of theological education among christians in america consider this fact: right now, we are having a discussion about whether or not donald trump is authorized, by god, to destroy north korea. that is what pastor robert jeffress recently said. when it comes to punishing “evildoers” like kim jong un, the bible gives the president—i quote!—“authority to do whatever.”
why? because paul said so in romans 13! to sum up the important bits, paul told the christians living in rome that the governing authorities have been appointed by god. they are god’s servants, god’s ministers, and the administrators of god’s judgment. therefore, according to rev. jeffress, if the man who lacks the self-control not to launch a barrage of tweets against his perceived enemies, were to launch a nuclear strike at the people of north korea, it would all be part of god’s plan.
to wax polemical for just a moment, this is one of the key weaknesses of evangelical ways of reading the bible in general. a naive concept of sola scriptura (scripture alone) lends itself to selective interpretation. (i am eastern orthodox, if it matters.) still, one need not acknowledge holy writ as part of a living tradition to know that, when it comes to the bible, context is everything. yes, in romans paul calls the governing authorities god’s servants. but not much later, in the book of revelation, john depicts the governing authorities as the pimps of the “whore of babylon.” what changed between the books of romans and revelations? nero. once rome started killing christians, christians stopped thinking of rome as the de facto minister of god’s justice. whether or not rome administrated god’s justice depended on whether or not its leaders judged justly. often, they did not. often, so later writers would depict, the governing authorities were the instruments of satan, the slaughterers of the innocent.
call me crazy, but i think the children of north korea would count as innocent.
furthermore, every letter an apostle has written in the new testament is situational. it was written to its audience, not to us. paul did not have donald trump in mind when he wrote romans 13. sometimes what paul says is applicable to us. other times it is not. in romans 13, paul is clearly talking to christians in a particular church about their particular need to obey the people who have authority over them. romans 13 means, at the most, that we should obey the law, respect our governors, and enthusiastically pay our taxes (one presumes jeffress glosses over that part). romans 13 most certainly does not mean that whatever a governing authority does is okay. honestly, one wonder what jeffress would have done in hitler’s germany!
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pastor jeffress is part of a dying breed. he is an “old guard” evangelical leader, men (and pretty much always men) who, since the 1980s, have been taken advantage of so much by the republican party that they have developed a kind of stockholm syndrome. what started with the promise of a mutually advantageous political alliance has, over the decades, delivered republican majorities, but the promised “return” to christian values never happened. it’s been nearly 40 years since evangelicals first hitched their carts to the gop elephant, and all they have gained is… nothing actually. there are still abortions. still drugs. still sexual promiscuity. but the church, particularly the evangelical church, has lost all credibility and more and more of its young people. yet time and again christian authorities like jeffress are more than willing to slaughter their lord in the little children that we bomb for the sake of putative political advantage.
christian leaders like jeffress have, over the decades of this codependent relationship with the gop, gained a remarkable capacity to blind themselves to their own lack of moral integrity and theological consistency. case in point, barack obama was most definitely not the minister of god back in 2012 when jeffress said he was “paving the way” for the antichrist. yes my friends, according to jeffress, gay marriage will bring on the end of days, but nuclear holocaust is totes okay.
speaking of inconsistency, according to jeffress’s logic, kim jong un is also appointed by god and thus just as justified to fire nukes at us as we are at him.
such reasoning would be asinine to the point of laughable were its consequences not so damned frightening! here we have a president—a man who likes firing stuff; a man with possible freudian compensatory issues with access to great big missiles; a man whose own staff cannot keep him from pushing the “tweet” button on his smartphone—getting theological feedback that whatever he does is the work of god!?
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ɪn ðə dəˈbeɪt bɪtˈwin ənd ɪt ɪz ˈɔfən rɪˈpitɪd ðət ðə saɪd ˈɑrgjuɪŋ ðət fri wɪl ənd dɪˈtərməˌnɪzəm ər kəmˈpætəbəl ər ʤɪst pleɪɪŋ wərd geɪmz, ənd ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ðə ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən əv "fri wɪl". ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ɪts ˈprɑbəˌbli ðə ˈəðər weɪ əraʊnd. wɪn ðə dəˈbeɪt ɪz fərst freɪmd ɪn fəˈlɑsəfi 101 ˈklæsɪz ɪt ˈkɔzɪz ˈpipəl ˈɛnər ˈɪntu ə sɔrt əv kənfˈjuʒən əˈbaʊt wət ðeɪ hæd ˈpriviəsli bɪˈlivd. ɪts hɑrd tɪ gɪt æt wət ˈpipəlz ˈnoʊʃənz əv ˈfridəm ər, bət wi kən ˈsərtənli əbˈzərv ðət noʊ ˈɔdiəns həz ˈɛvər gæspt ɪn ʃɑk laɪk ˈmɑrti dɪz ɪn ðɪs ˈkɑmɪk əˈpɑn "ˈlərnɪŋ" ðət ˈpipəl bɪˈheɪv deterministically*, ənd ˈoʊnli baɪ ˈɔltərɪŋ ðɛr ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt wʊd ju ˈɔltər ðɛr dɪˈsɪʒənz. ɪn fækt, ðɪs ɪz ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈprɛmɪs əv ɔl taɪm ˈtrævəl ˈmuviz, ənd ˈpipəl faɪnd ɪt soʊ ˈɑbviəs ðət ɪt ˈnɛvər həz tɪ bi ɪkˈspleɪnd. ɪf ðə dɪˈrɛktər ˈwɔntɪd ˈpipəl tɪ faɪnd ɪt ˌdɪskənˈsərtɪŋ ðət ðeɪ səˈpoʊzd hæv noʊ "fri wɪl", ə lɑrʤ ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən wʊd hæv tɪ teɪk pleɪs ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ gɪt ðə ˈɔdiəns tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd. ˈlaɪkˌwaɪz, ɪf ðə dɪˈrɛktər ˈwɔntɪd tɪ dɪˈpɪkt ðə soʊ kɔl "ˌlɪˌbərˈtɛˌriən" vju əv fri wɪl, ðət ɪz ðət wi ər "ˈtruli" fri ənd ɑr soʊlz ər ˈkɑnʃəsnəs kən meɪk dɪˈsɪʒənz ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ˈfɪzɪks, ðə ˈɔdiəns wʊd ˈɔlsoʊ dɪˈmænd ən ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən. aɪ ˈsəˌspɛkt ðət moʊst ˈpipəl, əˈpɑn ˈlərnɪŋ ðət ðə mɪr ækt əv goʊɪŋ bæk ɪn taɪm ənd əbˈzərvɪŋ ðɛmˈsɛlvz əˈgɛn, maɪt faɪnd ðɛmˈsɛlvz ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈdɪfərənt dɪˈsɪʒənz fər noʊ əˈpɛrənt ˈrizən, wʊd fil laɪk ðeɪ wər lɛs fri. ˈæftər ɔl, ɪf maɪ dɪˈsɪʒən tɪ gɪt ˈmɛrid wɑz beɪst nɑt ɔn ðə kaɪnd əv ˈpərsən aɪ æm, nɔr ɔn ðə ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt, bət ɔn ˈsəmθɪŋ ɛls ɪnˈtaɪərli ðət kən ˈɑsəˌleɪt bæk ənd fɔrθ "ˈfrili", aɪ maɪt fil laɪk ðə fækt ðət əm ˈkərəntli ˈmɛrid ˈwəzənt soʊ məʧ maɪ ʧɔɪs, bət ˈmɪrli ʧæns. wət kənˈsərnz ˈpipəl əˈbaʊt ˈfridəm ɪn ˈmuviz, ɪt simz, ɪz ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ðə ˈækʃən keɪm frəm ɑrˈsɛlvz ˈrəðər ðən ə ˈfɔrən ˈɑbʤɛkt, nɑt ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ɑr dɪˈsɪʒənz ər ˈsəmˌhaʊ ˈeɪbəl tɪ teɪk pleɪs ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ðə "lɔz əv ˈfɪzɪks" (ə streɪnʤ aɪˈdiə tɪ bi ʃʊr, sɪns ðə lɔz əv ˈfɪzɪks ˈmɪrli dɪˈskraɪb wət ɪgˈzɪsts ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti, soʊ ˌwəˈtɛvər əˈkərz ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti məst bi ˈəndər ðɛm, i.e*. ɪt ɪz tru ðət ˈnəθɪŋ kən breɪk ðə lɔz əv ˈfɪzɪks, bɪˈkəz ɪf ðeɪ dɪd wi wʊd ʤɪst rɪˈvaɪz ðə lɔz tɪ fər ðɪs nu ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən). waɪl ˈpipəl du nɑt riækt wɪθ ˈhɔrər ðət wi meɪk ðə seɪm dɪˈsɪʒənz ˈɛvəri taɪm, ðeɪ ˈprɑbəˌbli wʊd riækt wɪθ ˈhɔrər ɪf ə ˌsaɪˈfaɪ ˈmuvi ʃoʊz ðət ɑr dɪˈsɪʒənz ər ˈsikrɪtli biɪŋ meɪd baɪ ə kəmˈpjutər ʧɪp ˌɪmˈplæntɪd ɪn ɑr breɪnz wɪˈθaʊt ɑr ˈnɑlɪʤ. noʊ wən ˈwəriz ðət ðə kəmˈpjutər ʧɪp ɪz dɪˌtərməˈnɪstɪk, ˈmɪrli ðət ɪt ɪz nɑt pɑrt əv ɑr biɪŋ. ðə əˈkaʊnt əv fri wɪl, wɪʧ simz tɪ bi ˈteɪkən fər ˈgrænɪd ɪn taɪm ˈtrævəl ˈstɔriz, ɪz ðət ˈfridəm ˈsɪmpli ɪz ˈhævɪŋ wət wi ər bi ɪn kənˈtroʊl əv ɑr dɪˈsɪʒənz.
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in the debate between determinists and compatibilists it is often repeated that the side arguing that free will and determinism are compatible are just playing word games, and changing the definition of "free will". however, it's probably the other way around. when the debate is first framed in philosophy 101 classes it causes people enter into a sort of confusion about what they had previously believed. it's hard to get at what people's pre-theoretical notions of freedom are, but we can certainly observe that no audience has ever gasped in shock like marty does in this comic upon "learning" that people behave deterministically, and only by altering their environment would you alter their decisions. in fact, this is the basic premise of all time travel movies, and people find it so obvious that it never has to be explained. if the director wanted people to find it disconcerting that they supposed have no "free will", a large explanation would have to take place in order to get the audience to understand. likewise, if the director wanted to depict the so call "libertarian" view of free will, that is that we are "truly" free and our souls or consciousness can make decisions outside of physics, the audience would also demand an explanation. i suspect that most people, upon learning that the mere act of going back in time and observing themselves again, might find themselves making different decisions for no apparent reason, would feel like they were less free. after all, if my decision to get married was based not on the kind of person i am, nor on the environment, but on something else entirely that can oscillate back and forth "freely", i might feel like the fact that i'm currently married wasn't so much my choice, but merely chance.
what concerns people about freedom in movies, it seems, is whether or not the action came from ourselves rather than a foreign object, not whether or not our decisions are somehow able to take place outside of the "laws of physics" (a strange idea to be sure, since the laws of physics merely describe what exists in reality, so whatever occurs in reality must be under them, i.e. it is definitionally true that nothing can break the laws of physics, because if they did we would just revise the laws to accomadate for this new information). while people do not react with horror that we make the same decisions every time, they probably would react with horror if a sci-fi movie shows that our decisions are secretly being made by a computer chip implanted in our brains without our knowledge. no one worries that the computer chip is deterministic, merely that it is not part of our being. the compatibilist account of free will, which seems to be taken for granted in time travel stories, is that freedom simply is having what we are be in control of our decisions.
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wikileaks* ˈəndər faɪər ˈæftər ˌdɛləˈgeɪʃən ˈtrævəlz tɪ ˈsɪriə tɪ mit bəˈʃɑr ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd ðə ˈfɛdərəl ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən həz əˈkjuzd ðə ˈpɑrti əv ˌɪrəˌspɑnsəˈbɪləti ˈæftər səm əv ɪts ˈmɛmbərz ˈtrævəld tɪ ˈsɪriə tɪ mit wɪθ ðə ˈkəntriz ˈprɛzɪdənt bəˈʃɑr. ðə ˈsɪriən ˈprɛzɪdənt riˈlist ə tˈwɪtər ˈfoʊˌtoʊ ɔn dɪˈsɛmbər 23 wɪʧ əˈpɪrd tɪ ʃoʊ ðə ˈmitɪŋ. ðə ˌdɛləˈgeɪʃən rɪˈpɔrtədli ˌɪnˈkludɪd ˈfaʊndər ˈʤuljən ˈfɑðər ʤɑn ˈʃɪptən, hu ɪz ˈkərəntli ðə ˈpɑrti ˈʧɛrmən. ɪn ə ˈsteɪtmənt ˈpoʊstɪd ɔn ðə ˈpɑrti ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ɪn ðə tɪ ðə ˈmitɪŋ, ə ˈspoʊksmən sɛd ðə ˈpərpəs əv ðə trɪp wɑz tɪ ʃoʊ ˌsɑləˈdɛrəti wɪθ ðə ˈsɪriən ˈpipəl ənd tɪ vɔɪs ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən tɪ ˈwɛstərn ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən. "waɪl ðə ˈpɑrti ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzɪz ðə nidz fər pəˈlɪtɪkəl rɪˈfɔrmz ɪn ˈsɪriə ənd tɪ faɪt əˈgɛnst kərˈəpʃən ənd əˈbjuzɪz əv ˈjumən raɪts, ɪt dɪz nɑt səˈpɔrt əˈʧivɪŋ ðɪs baɪ ˈvaɪələns, ˈwɛstərn ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən ənd dɪˈstrəkʃən əv ðə ˈkəntri," ðə ˈsteɪtmənt sɛd. "du tɪ sɪˈkjʊrəti kənˈsərnz ənd bɪˈkəz əv ðə haɪ ˈlɛvəlz əv ˈvaɪələns ɪn ˈsɪriə, wi ˈkænɑt gɪv dɪˈteɪld ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən əˈbaʊt ðə ˌdɛləˈgeɪʃən." ˈleɪbər krɪs boʊən sɪz ˈsɛndɪŋ ə ˌdɛləˈgeɪʃən tɪ ˈsɪriə wɑz nɑt əˈproʊpriˌeɪt. "ðət ɪz ən ˌɛkstrəˈɔrdəˌnɛri θɪŋ fər ðɛm tɪ du," hi sɛd. "[ɪt] ˈəndərˌlaɪnz ðɛr ˌɪrəˈspɑnsəbəl əˈproʊʧ. "ðə əˈsɑd rəˈʒim həz bɪn ˈwaɪdli ənd kərˈɛktli əraʊnd ðə wərld. "ənd fər ən ɔˈstreɪljən pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈpɑrti tɪ θɪŋk ɪts ˈsɛnsəbəl tɪ goʊ ənd hæv dɪˈskəʃənz ənd traɪ ənd prəˈvaɪd səm lɪˈʤɪtəməsi, ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ aɪ θɪŋk wɪʧ ðeɪ hæv tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn." ðə ˈeɪˌbiˌsi həz ˈkɑnˌtæktɪd ðə ˈpɑrti fər ə rɪˈspɑns. ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈdɛˌdlaɪn ˈpæsɪz wɪˈθaʊt ˈækʃən ɛz ˈkɑrnɪʤ kənˈtɪnjuz ðə ˈvɪzɪt keɪm ɛz ˈsɪriən ˈfɔrsɪz wər əˈkjuzd əv ˈkɪlɪŋ səˈvɪljənz ɪn ə ˈsɪriz əv 'barrel-bomb*' ɛr straɪks ɪn ðə ˈnɔrðərn ˈsɪti əv aleppo*. ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən ˈæktɪvɪsts sɛd rəˈʒim ˈhɛlɪˌkɑptərz drɑpt ˈbɛrəlz fʊl əv ɪkˈsploʊsɪvz ɔn ə ˈvɛʤtəbəl ˈmɑrkɪt ənd nɛkst tɪ ə ˈhɑˌspɪtəl ɪn ðə ˈsɪti, wɪʧ həz bɪˈkəm ə ki ˈbætəlˌgraʊnd ɪn ðə ˈkəntriz ˈsɪvəl wɔr, wɪʧ həz soʊ fɑr kɪld mɔr ðən ˈpipəl. ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ, dɪˈsɑrməmənt timz rɪˈtərnd ˌskændɪˈneɪviən ˈɛskɔrt ˈvɛsəlz tɪ pɔrt ɪn ˈsaɪprəs ˈæftər ðeɪ ækˈsɛptɪd ðət ən ˈdɛˌdlaɪn fər ðə rɪˈmuvəl əv ˈsɪriən ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈwɛpənz kʊd noʊ ˈlɔŋgər bi mɛt. ðə ˌnɔrˈwiʤən ˈfrɪgət wɑz ˈɔrdərd bæk tɪ pɔrt əˈlɔŋ wɪθ ə ˈdeɪnɪʃ ˈwɔrˌʃɪp ðət hæd bɪn dɪˈplɔɪd tɪ ˈɛskɔrt ðə ˈdeɪnʤərəs ˈkɑrˌgoʊ tɪ dɪˈstrəkʃən ˈəndər ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˌsupərˈvɪʒən, ˌnɔrˈwiʤən ˈspoʊksmən lɑrz sɛd. hi geɪv noʊ nu deɪt fər ðə plænd ˈʃɪpmənt. "wi ər stɪl ɔn haɪ əˈlərt tɪ goʊ ˈɪntu ˈsɪriə," hi sɛd. "wi stɪl doʊnt noʊ ɪgˈzæktli wɪn ðə ˈɔrdərz wɪl kəm." ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl dɪˈsɑrməmənt ˈmɪʃən ɪn ˈsɪriə ækˈnɑlɪʤd ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ ðət ɪt wɑz "ənˈlaɪkli" ðə ˈwɛpənz kʊd bi trænˈspɔrtəd tɪ ðə ˈsɪriən pɔrt əv ɪn taɪm fər ðə dɪˈsɛmbər 31 ˈdɛˌdlaɪn sɛt fər ðə rɪˈmuvəl əv ki ˈwɛpənz kəmˈpoʊnənts. ðə ˈdɛˌdlaɪn wɑz ðə fərst ki ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn ˈəndər ə ˈjuˈɛn sɪˈkjʊrəti dil əreɪnʤd baɪ ˈrəʃə ənd ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts ðət eɪmz tɪ waɪp aʊt ɔl əv ˈsɪriəz ˈkɛmɪkəl ɑrmz baɪ ðə ˈmɪdəl əv 2014 "ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃənz kənˈtɪnju ɪn ˈrɛdinəs fər ðə ˈtrænspɔrt əv moʊst əv ðə ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈkɛmɪkəl məˈtɪriəl frəm ðə ˈsɪriən ˈærəb riˈpəblɪk fər ˈaʊtˈsaɪd dɪˈstrəkʃən," sɛd ə ʤɔɪnt ˈsteɪtmənt frəm ðə ˈjuˈɛn ənd ˌɔrgənɪˈzeɪʃən fər ðə ˌproʊəˈbɪʃən əv ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈwɛpənz. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, æt ðɪs steɪʤ, ˌtrænspərˈteɪʃən əv ðə moʊst ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈkɛmɪkəl məˈtɪriəl ˌbiˈfɔr 31 dɪˈsɛmbər ɪz ənˈlaɪkli." ˈtɑpɪks: unrest-conflict-and-war*, world-politics*, ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm, activism-and-lobbying*, syrian-arab-republic*, ɔˈstreɪljə fərst ˈpoʊstɪd
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wikileaks under fire after delegation travels to syria to meet bashar al-assad
updated
the federal opposition has accused the wikileaks party of irresponsibility after some of its members travelled to syria to meet with the country's president bashar al-assad.
the syrian president released a twitter photo on december 23 which appeared to show the meeting.
the delegation reportedly included wikileaks founder julian assange's father john shipton, who is currently the wikileaks party chairman.
in a statement posted on the wikileaks party website in the lead-up to the meeting, a spokesman said the purpose of the trip was to show solidarity with the syrian people and to voice opposition to western military intervention.
"while the wikileaks party recognises the needs for political reforms in syria and to fight against corruption and abuses of human rights, it does not support achieving this by violence, western military intervention and destruction of the country," the statement said.
"due to security concerns and because of the high levels of violence in syria, we cannot give detailed information about the delegation."
labor frontbencher chris bowen says sending a delegation to syria was not appropriate.
"that is an extraordinary thing for them to do," he said.
"[it] underlines their irresponsible approach.
"the assad regime has been widely criticised and correctly criticised around the world.
"and for an australian political party to think it's sensible to go and have discussions and try and provide some legitimacy, is something i think which they have to explain."
the abc has contacted the wikileaks party for a response.
chemical deadline passes without action as carnage continues
the visit came as syrian forces were accused of killing civilians in a series of 'barrel-bomb' air strikes in the northern city of aleppo.
opposition activists said regime helicopters dropped barrels full of explosives on a vegetable market and next to a hospital in the city, which has become a key battleground in the country's two-year civil war, which has so far killed more than 100,000 people.
on monday, disarmament teams returned scandinavian escort vessels to port in cyprus after they accepted that an end-of-year deadline for the removal of syrian chemical weapons could no longer be met.
the norwegian frigate helge ingstad was ordered back to port along with a danish warship that had been deployed to escort the dangerous cargo to destruction under international supervision, norwegian spokesman lars hovtun said.
he gave no new date for the planned shipment.
"we are still on high alert to go into syria," he said. "we still don't know exactly when the orders will come."
the international disarmament mission in syria acknowledged on saturday that it was "unlikely" the weapons could be transported to the syrian port of latakia in time for the december 31 deadline set for the removal of key weapons components.
the year-end deadline was the first key milestone under a un security council-backed deal arranged by russia and the united states that aims to wipe out all of syria's chemical arms by the middle of 2014.
"preparations continue in readiness for the transport of most of the critical chemical material from the syrian arab republic for outside destruction," said a joint statement from the un and organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons.
however, at this stage, transportation of the most critical chemical material before 31 december is unlikely."
abc/afp
topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, world-politics, terrorism, activism-and-lobbying, syrian-arab-republic, australia
first posted
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ɛz ˈwɪntər əˈproʊʧɪz, ðə fərst ˈblæŋkəts əv snoʊ ər ˈfɑlɪŋ ɔn ðə greɪt ˈmaʊntənz əv ˈjʊrəp ənd ðə ˈkɑntənənts ɛnˈʧænɪŋ ˈmaʊntən taʊnz ər ˈgɪrɪŋ əp fər ə nu ˈsizən əv ˈvɪzɪtərz ˈigər tɪ hɪt ðə sloʊps ər teɪk ɪn ðə juˈnik ˈloʊkəl ˈkəlʧər ðət ðiz ˈmaʊntən ˈriʤənz sim tɪ ˌɪnˈspaɪr. waɪl ðɛr ɪz greɪt skiɪŋ tɪ bi hæd ðə wərld ˈoʊvər, fju ˈpleɪsɪz kən mæʧ ðə ˈʧɑrmɪŋ ˈstɔriˌbʊk ˈætməsˌfɪr əv ðiz sˈlipi ˈlɪtəl ˈvɪlɪʤɪz ɪn ðə ˈpɪrəiz, ælps, ənd ˌskændɪˈneɪviə. ɪn ðə ˈspɪrɪt əv ðə ˈsizən, wiv gɔn θru ˈθaʊzənz əv ˌrɛkəmənˈdeɪʃənz frəm ˈtrævələrz ɔn tɪ faɪnd aʊt ˈjʊrəps moʊst ˈmæʤɪkəl ˈmaʊntən taʊnz ðət ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈtrævələrz kænt mɪs ðɪs ˈwɪntər. frəm ðə fjɔrdz əv ˈnɔrˌweɪ tɪ ðə snoʊi piks əv, hir ər ˈjʊrəps 10 ˈmaʊntən ˈvɪlɪʤɪz., ˈɪtəli ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd ɪn ˌɪnˈkrɛdəbəl væl di fassa*, ðɪs ˈkoʊzi ski ˈvɪlɪʤ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪz ə ˈprɪvɪlɪʤd loʊˈkeɪʃən nɪr marmolada*, ðə haɪəst pik ɪn ˈnɔrðərn ˈɪtəliz snoʊi ˈdoʊləˌmaɪts reɪnʤ. dɪˈspaɪt hæv lɛs ðən ˌɪnˈhæbɪtənts, ɪz ə ˈgloʊbəl pɔɪnt əv ˈrɛfərəns əˈməŋ ski fəˈnætɪks hu kəm tɪ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ðə ˈɛriəz 25 maɪəlz əv sloʊps. bət ˈləkəli fər ðoʊz hu prɪˈfər ðə wɔrmθ əv ðə hɑrθ tɪ ðə rəʃ əv ðə sloʊps, ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ noʊn fər ɪts ˈkoʊzi ˈmaʊntən həts ənd trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈriʤənəl kwɪˈzin. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ frænˈʧɛskoʊ eri*). klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv, ˈɔstriə wɪn dɪˈskraɪbɪŋ ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns əv ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ, wən əv ðə ˈfreɪzɪz moʊst juzd baɪ ˈtrævələrz wɑz "ˈfɛri teɪl," ənd ɪts nɑt səˈpraɪzɪŋ. ðɪs smɔl ˈleɪkˌsaɪd ˈvɪlɪʤ əv lɛs ðɛn ˌɪnˈhæbɪtənts həz gɔn tɪ greɪt lɛŋθs tɪ prɪˈzərv ɪts ˈstætəs ɛz wən əv ˈjʊrəps moʊst ˈbjutəfəl taʊnz, ˈivɪn goʊɪŋ ɛz fɑr ɛz proʊˈhɪbətɪŋ kɑz frəm ðə taʊn ˈsɛnər lɛst ðeɪ breɪk ðə ˈmæʤɪkəl ˈætməsˌfɪr əv ˈpɪkʧərəsk ˈwʊdən hoʊmz, ˈbælkəniz, ənd swɔnz ˈflətərɪŋ əraʊnd leɪk. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ mɑnˈwɛl aɪ. navascués*) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv, speɪn ɪf jʊr ˈlʊkɪŋ tɪ gɪt əˈweɪ frəm ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən tɪ ðə bit əv ˈmaʊntənz, ˈgleɪʃərz, ənd ˈnæʧərəl ˈsplɛndər, ju kən du noʊ ˈbɛtər ðən ðə ˈvɪlɪʤ əv ɪn ðə ˈspænɪʃ ˈprɑvɪns əv. ɪts pɑrt əv ðə ˈbaɪoʊsˌfɪr rɪˈzərv, ə ˈtræŋkwɪl ˈmaʊntən ˈpɛrəˌdaɪs əv ˈgleɪʃəl ˈvæliz, blæk paɪn ˈfɔrəsts, ənd ˈstənɪŋ ˈwɔtərˌfɔlz. ˈæftər ə deɪ ɪkˈsplɔrɪŋ ðə ˈnɪrˈbaɪ waɪ ˈmɑnti ˈnæʧərəl pɑrk, ju kən spɛnd ðə ˈivnɪŋ ˈwɔrmɪŋ əp wɪθ waɪn ənd ɪn wən əv ðə trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈtævərnz əˈməŋ ðə ˈvɪlɪʤɪz ˈnɛroʊ strits ənd stoʊn ˈhaʊsɪz. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ ˌhɑviˈɛr ʤi. ˈpɑrdoʊ). klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv, ˈɪtəli ðə ˈtaɪni ˈælˌpaɪn ˈvɪlɪʤ əv ɪz əˈnəðər əv, ˈɪtəliz moʊst ˈʧɑrmɪŋ ˈstɑˌpoʊvərz. ˈnɛsəld haɪ ɪn ðə ˈdoʊləˌmaɪts, ɪz ə drim: ɪts ˈsænˌwɪʧt bɪtˈwin ðə ˈstənɪŋ ˈmɑnti kɔrn ənd di sæn mɑrˈtinoʊ ˈnæʧərəl pɑrks ənd ɪz kloʊz tɪ latemar*, ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd baɪ juˈnɛˌskoʊ ɛz wən əv ðə moʊst ˈbjutəfəl ˈpleɪsɪz ɔn ərθ fər ɪts ˈɛpɪk ˈlænˌskeɪps ənd wɛlθ əv ˈænəməl laɪf. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ fɛdərˈikə cerri*) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv ˈoʊldən, ˈnɔrˌweɪ lɛts teɪk ə breɪk frəm ðə ælps ənd ˈpɪrəiz ənd hɛd nɔrθ tɪ ˈoʊldən, ə ˈsinɪk taʊn əv əraʊnd 500 ˌɪnˈhæbɪtənts ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd ɔn wən əv ˈnɔrˌweɪz ˈlɔŋgɪst ənd moʊst drəˈmætɪk fjɔrdz. waɪl ðə taʊn ɪz kwaɪət ənd sˈlipi moʊst əv ðə jɪr, ɪt həz bɪˈkəm ə ˈpɑpjələr ˈstɑpɪŋ pɔɪnt fər ˌnɔrˈwiʤən ˈkruzɪz θæŋks tɪ ɪts prɑkˈsɪməti tɪ ðə spɛkˈtækjələr ˈnæʧərəl pɑrk ənd ˈdrimi ˈsɛtɪŋ əv ˈmaʊntənz, ˈwɔtərˌfɔlz, ənd ˈgleɪʃəl leɪks. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ rəˈkɛl reɪ). klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv ˈnɔrˌweɪ ˈnoʊtər deɪm də, fræns ˈfrænsɪz səˈvɔɪ ˈriʤən ɪz fʊl əv ˌɪmˈprɛsɪv ˈvɪstəz ənd ˈʧɑrmɪŋ ˈvɪlɪʤɪz, bət ðə ˈtaɪni taʊn əv ˈnoʊtər deɪm də ˈmænɪʤɪz tɪ ˈkɑmbaɪn ɔl ðə θɪŋz wi ləv əˈbaʊt ˈvɪlɪʤɪz ɪn ðə ælps ˈɪntu wən ɛnˈʧænɪŋ ˈlɪtəl ˈpækɪʤ. ˈwɛðər ɪts ˈweɪkɪŋ əp tɪ ðə spaɪr əv ən ˈsɛnʧəri ʧərʧ əˈgɛnst ðə waɪt piks əv ðə ælps, ˈwɔrmɪŋ əp æt ðə taʊnz ˈfeɪməs waɪn ˈfɛstɪvəl, ər ˈhɪtɪŋ ðə sloʊps, ˈnoʊtər deɪm də həz ɔl ðə ˌɪnˈgridiənts fər ə ˈpərˌfɪkt ˈmaʊntən ɪˈskeɪp. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ ˈsteɪʃənz də ski) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv sæn mɑrˈtinoʊ di, ˈɪtəli ðɪs smɔl ˈvɪlɪʤ həz hɪˈstɔrɪkəli bɪn ə ˈrɛstɪŋ pɔɪnt fər ˈwɪri ˈtrævələrz ˈkrɔsɪŋ ðə ælps, bət ðiz deɪz ɪts ə ˈhɑtˌspɑt fər ðoʊz ˈlʊkɪŋ tɪ hɪt ðə treɪlz ɪn ðə ˈnæʧərəl pɑrk əv di sæn mɑrˈtinoʊ ənd ˈsæmpəl ˈfeɪməs waɪnz, ˈhəni, ˈpeɪstriz, ənd ˈʧizɪz. skiərz hæv ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ˈoʊvər 25 maɪəlz əv sloʊps ɪn ðə sərˈaʊndɪŋ ˈmaʊntənz, ənd ˈplɛnti əv ˈəðər ækˈtɪvɪtiz laɪk ər ˈivɪn ɪn ðə ˈsəmər. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv sæn mɑrˈtinoʊ di arties*, speɪn ˌɔlˈðoʊ speɪn ɪz mɔr ˈkloʊsli əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd wɪθ ˈsændi ˌmɛdətərˈeɪniən ˈbiʧɪz ðən ˈmaʊntən ˈvɪlɪʤɪz, ðə ˈstənɪŋ veɪl də ˈɛrən ˈriʤən əv ˌnɔrˈθistərn speɪn ɪz ə juˈnik ˈwəndərˌlænd əv sˈlipi ˈvɪlɪʤɪz, grin ˈmɛˌdoʊz, ənd snoʊi piks. wən əv ðə ˈriʤənz moʊst ˈbjutəfəl ˈvɪlɪʤɪz ɪz arties*, ə smɔl ˈhæmlɪt əv əraʊnd 500 ˌɪnˈhæbɪtənts ɔn ðə ˈrɪvər ðæts ˈfeɪməs fər ɪts ˈnɛroʊ ˈkɑbəlˌstoʊn strits, ˈkələrfəl stoʊn hoʊmz, ənd juˈnikli ˈɛləgənt ɛr. ɪf ju kænt meɪk ɪt ɪn ˈwɪntər, traɪ ˈplænɪŋ ə ˈvɪzɪt ɪn ˌʤuˈlaɪ wɪn ðə ˈvɪlɪʤ hoʊldz ɪts ˈlaɪvli fiestas*. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ isallagon*) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz frəm veɪl də ˈɛrən lə, fræns ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd haɪ ɪn ðə ˈriʤən əv ˈistərn fræns, ðə ˈtaɪni lɑ həz ə ˌrɛpjəˈteɪʃən fɑr bɪɔnd ɪts ˈhəmbəl saɪz. wɪθ ˈoʊvər 50 maɪəlz əv ˈpaʊdəri sloʊps, lə ɪz ðə meɪn ski ˈaʊtˌpoʊst ɪn ðə ˈɛriə sərˈaʊndɪŋ lə ənd ə ˈpɑpjələr ˈsəmər ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən du tɪ ɪts loʊˈkeɪʃən nɪr ðə ˈlɛʤənˌdɛri mɑnt blæŋk. wɪn ðə snoʊ θɔz, ðə ˈælˌpaɪn ˈmɛˌdoʊz fɪl əp wɪθ ˈwaɪldˌflaʊrz ənd ˈgreɪzɪŋ ˈkætəl, bət fər naʊ ju kən stræp ɔn jʊr skiz ər ˈsɪmpli dək ˈɪntu ə ˈmaʊntən ˈtævərn ənd ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ə hɑt, ˈseɪvəri meɪd wɪθ ˈriʤənz rɪˈnaʊnd ʧiz. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ zoé*é cohen-solal*) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv lə grindewald*, sˈwɪtsərlənd ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðɪs smɔl ˈvɪlɪʤ ɪn ðə ælps həz bɪn ˌɪnˈhæbətəd sɪns ˌbiˈfɔr ˈroʊmən taɪmz, ɪt həz ˌəndərˈgɔn ə ˈtʊrɪst bum ɪn ˈrisənt jɪrz θæŋks tɪ ɪts ˈwərldˌklæs ski sloʊps ənd prɑkˈsɪməti tɪ ðə ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ ənd ˌɛmbləˈmætɪk ˈmaʊntən. waɪl skiɪŋ ɪz ənˈdaʊtɪdli ðə taʊnz meɪn drɔ, ðə sərˈaʊndɪŋ ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt əv ˈgleɪʃəl leɪks ənd ˈwɔtərˌfɔlz ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ə ˈpɑpjələr ˈsəmərˌtaɪm ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən fər ˈhaɪkərz. (ˈfoʊˌtoʊ baɪ ˈbɔrjə pi. herraiz*) klɪk hir tɪ si mɔr ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv sˈwɪtsərlənd
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as winter approaches, the first blankets of snow are falling on the great mountains of europe and the continent's enchanting mountain towns are gearing up for a new season of visitors eager to hit the slopes or take in the unique local culture that these mountain regions seem to inspire. while there is great skiing to be had the world over, few places can match the charming storybook atmosphere of these sleepy little villages in the pyrenees, alps, and scandinavia.
in the spirit of the season, we've gone through thousands of recommendations from travelers on minube to find out europe's most magical mountain towns that international travelers can't miss this winter. from the fjords of norway to the snowy peaks of trentino, here are europe's 10 coziest mountain villages.
canazei, italy - located in trentino's incredible val di fassa, this cozy ski village enjoys a privileged location near marmolada, the highest peak in northern italy's snowy dolomites range. despite have less than 2,000 inhabitants, canazei is a global point of reference among ski fanatics who come to enjoy the area's 25 miles of slopes. but luckily for those who prefer the warmth of the hearth to the rush of the slopes, canazei is also known for its cozy mountain huts and traditional regional cuisine. (photo by francesco eri).
click here to see more photos of canazei
hallstatt, austria - when describing the experience of visiting hallstatt, one of the phrases most used by travelers was "fairy tale," and it's not surprising. this small lakeside village of less then 1,000 inhabitants has gone to great lengths to preserve its status as one of europe's most beautiful towns, even going as far as prohibiting cars from the town center lest they break the magical atmosphere of picturesque wooden homes, flower-strewn balconies, and swans fluttering around lake hallstatt. (photo by manuel i. navascués)
click here to see more photos of hallstatt
torla, spain - if you're looking to get away from civilization to the beat of mountains, glaciers, and unesco-recognized natural splendor, you can do no better than the village of torla in the spanish province of aragón. it's part of the ordesa-viñamala biosphere reserve, a tranquil mountain paradise of glacial valleys, black pine forests, and stunning waterfalls. after a day exploring the nearby ordesa y monte perdido natural park, you can spend the evening warming up with wine and home-cooking in one of the traditional taverns among the village's narrow streets and pyrenean-style stone houses. (photo by javier g. pardo).
click here to see more photos of aragón
cavalese, italy - the tiny alpine village of cavalese is another of trentino, italy's most charming stopovers. nestled high in the dolomites, cavalese is a nature-lover's dream: it's sandwiched between the stunning monte corne and paneveggio-pale di san martino natural parks and is close to latemar, recognized by unesco as one of the most beautiful places on earth for its epic landscapes and wealth of animal life. (photo by federica cerri)
click here to see more photos of trentino
olden, norway - let's take a break from the alps and pyrenees and head north to olden, a scenic town of around 500 inhabitants located on one of norway's longest and most dramatic fjords. while the town is quiet and sleepy most of the year, it has become a popular stopping point for norwegian cruises thanks to its proximity to the spectacular jostedalsbreen natural park and dreamy setting of mountains, waterfalls, and impossibly-blue glacial lakes. (photo by raquel rey).
click here to see more photos of norway
notre dame de bellecombe, france - france's savoy region is full of impressive vistas and charming villages, but the tiny town of notre dame de bellecombe manages to combine all the things we love about villages in the alps into one enchanting little package. whether it's waking up to the spire of an 11th century church against the white peaks of the alps, warming up at the town's famous wine festival, or hitting the slopes, notre dame de bellecombe has all the ingredients for a perfect mountain escape. (photo by stations de ski)
click here to see more photos of rhône-alpes
san martino di castrozza, italy - this small village has historically been a resting point for weary travelers crossing the alps, but these days it's a hotspot for those looking to hit the trails in the natural park of paneveggio-pale di san martino and sample trentino's famous wines, honey, pastries, and cheeses. skiers have access to over 25 miles of slopes in the surrounding mountains, and plenty of other activities like ski-mobiles or even paragliding in the summer. (photo by stella88)
click here to see more photos of san martino di castrozza
arties, spain - although spain is more closely associated with sandy mediterranean beaches than mountain villages, the stunning valle de aran region of northeastern spain is a unique wonderland of sleepy villages, green meadows, and snowy peaks. one of the region's most beautiful villages is arties, a small hamlet of around 500 inhabitants on the garonne river that's famous for its narrow cobblestone streets, colorful stone homes, and uniquely elegant air. if you can't make it in winter, try planning a visit in july when the village holds its lively fiestas. (photo by isallagon)
click here to see more photos from valle de aran
le chinaillon, france - located high in the rhône-alpes region of eastern france, the tiny la chinaillon has a reputation far beyond its humble size. with over 50 miles of powdery slopes, le chinaillon is the main ski outpost in the area surrounding le grand-bornand and a popular summer destination due to its location near the legendary mont blanc. when the snow thaws, the alpine meadows fill up with wildflowers and grazing cattle, but for now you can strap on your skis or simply duck into a mountain tavern and enjoy a hot, savory tartiflette made with region's renowned reblochon cheese. (photo by zoé cohen-solal)
click here to see more photos of le chinaillon
grindewald, switzerland - although this small village in the bernese alps has been inhabited since before roman times, it has undergone a well-deserved tourist boom in recent years thanks to its world-class ski slopes and proximity to the imposing and emblematic jungfrau mountain. while skiing is undoubtedly the town's main draw, the surrounding environment of glacial lakes and waterfalls is also a popular summertime destination for hikers. (photo by borja p. herraiz)
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ˈsænfərd ədˈmɪts əˈfɛr saʊθ ˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə gəv. mɑrk ˈsænfərd, kraɪɪŋ æt taɪmz, ədˈmɪtəd ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ tɪ ˈhævɪŋ ən ˌɛkstrəˈmɛrətəl əˈfɛr wɪθ ən ˈɑrʤənˌtin ˈwʊmən "aɪv bɪn ənˈfeɪθfəl tɪ maɪ waɪf," ˈsænfərd sɛd æt ə steɪt ˈkæpɪtəl nuz ˈkɑnfərəns aʊərz ˈæftər hi rɪˈtərnd tɪ ðə ˈkəntri frəm ə ˈvɪzɪt tɪ hɪz ˈmɪstrəs ɪn ˌɑrʤənˈtinə. ɪt bɪˈgæn ˈvɛri ˈɪnəsəntli," hi ɪkˈspleɪnd, seɪɪŋ hi hæd noʊn ðə ˈwʊmən fər eɪt jɪrz. bət ðə riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp wɪθ ˈsəmˌbɑdi hi ˈoʊnli kɔld ə "dɪr, dɪr frɛnd" dɪˈvɛləpt ˈɪntu ən əˈdəltərəs riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp ɪn ðə pæst jɪr. hi sɛd hi sin hɪz ˈmɪstrəs θri taɪmz sɪns ðeɪ bɪˈgæn ðə əˈfɛr ər, ɛz hi pʊt ɪt, "sɪns ðə hoʊl ˈspɑrkɪŋ θɪŋ." ˈsænfərd sɛd ðə tu mɛt ˈviə "ə ˈkæʒəwəl iˈmeɪl bæk ənd fɔrθ." ɪn dɪˈskloʊzɪŋ hɪz əˈfɛr, ˈsænfərd ˈɔlsoʊ əˈnaʊnst hi wɑz rɪˈzaɪnɪŋ hɪz poʊst ɛz ˈʧɛrmən əv ðə rɪˈpəblɪkən ˈgəvərnərz əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən. ˈteɪkɪŋ kˈwɛsʧənz frəm rɪˈpɔrtərz, ˈsænfərd sɛd hɪz waɪf nu əˈbaʊt ðə riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp ˌbiˈfɔr hɪz trɪp læst wik ənd ðət "ðeɪ hæd bɪn ˈwərkɪŋ θru ðɪs θɪŋ fər əˈbaʊt ðə læst faɪv mənθs." hi ʃɛd tɪrz ɛz hi ɪkˈspleɪnd haʊ ˈhɛlpfəl wən frɛnd hæd bɪn. hi ˈɔlsoʊ ʧoʊkt əp wɪn hi sɛd: "ðɪs həz bɪn ˈsɛlfɪʃnəs ɔn maɪ pɑrt." ˈsænfərdz ədˈmɪʃən kæps ən ˌɛkstrəˈɔrdəˌnɛri wik ɪn wɪʧ hi wɑz rɪˈvild tɪ ˈhævɪŋ bɪn ɪn ˌɑrʤənˈtinə ənd nɑt, ɛz hɪz stæf sɛd, ˈhaɪkɪŋ ɔn ðə ˌæpəˈlæʧən treɪl. ˌbiˈfɔr dɪˈskloʊzɪŋ hɪz riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp, ˈsænfərd əˈpɑləˌʤaɪzd prəfˈjusli tɪ ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈfæməli ənd frɛndz ɛz wɛl ɛz hɪz stæf. "aɪv lɛt daʊn ə lɔt əv ˈpipəl ðæts ðə ˈbɑtəm laɪn," ˈsænfərd sɛd. ɪn wət wər æt taɪmz ˈræmbəlɪŋ rɪˈmɑrks ˈdʊrɪŋ ən nuz ˈkɑnfərəns, ˈsænfərd dɛlvd ˈɪntu ðə ˈneɪʧər əv sɪn ənd ɪkˈspleɪnd hɪz əˈfɪnɪti fər "ədˈvɛnʧər trɪps." hi sɛd ðət hi spɛnt "ðə pæst faɪv deɪz əv maɪ laɪf kraɪɪŋ ɪn ˌɑrʤənˈtinə soʊ aɪ kʊd rɪˈpit ɪt tɪ wɪn aɪ keɪm bæk hir." hi rɪkˈwɛstɪd ə "zoʊn əv ˈpraɪvəsi" fər hɪz ˈfæməli, hu ər aʊt əv ðə ˈkæpɪtəl ənd ɪn ðə ˈgəvərnərz ˈsəlɪvənz ˈaɪlənd, s.c*., biʧ haʊs.
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sanford admits affair
south carolina gov. mark sanford, crying at times, admitted wednesday to having an extramarital affair with an argentine woman
"i've been unfaithful to my wife," sanford said at a state capitol news conference hours after he returned to the country from a visit to his mistress in argentina.
it began very innocently," he explained, saying he had known the woman for eight years.
but the relationship with somebody he only called a "dear, dear friend" developed into an adulterous relationship in the past year.
he said he seen his mistress three times since they began the affair or, as he put it, "since the whole sparking thing." sanford said the two met via "a casual email back and forth."
in disclosing his affair, sanford also announced he was resigning his post as chairman of the republican governor's association.
taking questions from reporters, sanford said his wife knew about the relationship before his trip last week and that "they had been working through this thing for about the last five months."
he shed tears as he explained how helpful one friend had been.
he also choked up when he said: "this has been selfishness on my part."
sanford's admission caps an extraordinary week in which he was revealed to having been in argentina and not, as his staff said, hiking on the appalachian trail.
before disclosing his relationship, sanford apologized profusely to a number of family and friends as well as his staff.
"i've let down a lot of people -- that's the bottom line," sanford said.
in what were at times rambling remarks during an 18-minute news conference, sanford delved into the nature of sin and explained his affinity for "adventure trips."
he said that he spent "the past five days of my life crying in argentina so i could repeat it to when i came back here."
he requested a "zone of privacy" for his family, who are out of the capital and in the governor's sullivan's island, s.c., beach house.
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ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnsɪv rɪˈpɔrt ə dɪˈteɪld rɪˈpɔrt ɔn ɔl ˈæˌspɛkts əv ðə ˈælʤi fjuəl ˈvælju ʧeɪn, ðə ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnsɪv rɪˈpɔrt wɪl bi əv ˌɪˈmɛns hɛlp tɪ ðoʊz hu ər ɔn ðə θˈrɛˌʃoʊld əv ˌɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ɪn ˈælʤi biofuels*. mɔr ˈweɪstˌwɔtər ˈtritmənt kəmˈpaɪld baɪ ə dɪˈvərs tim əv ˈɛkspərts, wɪθ ɪkˈspɪriəns ɪn ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ənd ˌɪnˈdəstriəl fildz, ðə ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnsɪv rɪˈpɔrt fər ˈweɪstˌwɔtər ˈtritmənt ˈjuzɪŋ ˈælʤi ɪz ðə fərst rɪˈpɔrt ðət prəˈvaɪdz æˈnælɪsɪs ənd ˈɪnˌsaɪts ɔn ðɪs ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt fild. ɪt ˈjuzɪz ˌɪˈnumərəbəl ˈdætə ənd ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən frəm ə waɪd vərˈaɪəti əv ˈɛkspərt ˈsɔrsəz ənd ˈmɑrkɪt ˈstədiz, ənd dɪˈstɪlz ðiz ˈɪnˌpʊts ənd ˈdætə ˈɪntu ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns ənd ə ðət ju kən juz. mɔr ˈdaɪʤɛst ðɪs ɪz fər ˌɑntrəprəˈnərz ənd ˈbɪznɪsɪz hu wɪʃ tɪ gɪt ə ˈbeɪsɪk ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ əv ðə ˈælʤi fjuəl ˈbɪznɪs ənd ˈɪndəstri daɪˈnæmɪks. mɔr
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ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl speɪs ˈsteɪʃən, ɛz əˈmeɪzɪŋ ɛz ɪt ɪz, goʊɪŋ tɪ bi əraʊnd ˈivɪn fər ˈvɛri lɔŋ. ˈsəmˌtaɪm ɪn ðə 2020s*, ðə ˈproʊˌgræm wɪl kəm tɪ ən ɛnd. ˈjʊrəp həz bɪn ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əˈbaʊt wɛr ɪt wɪl ˈkɛri aʊt speɪs ˈrisərʧ ˈæftər ðɪs deɪt, ənd ˈeɪmɪŋ haɪ. æt ðə mun. noʊn fər ə waɪl ðət ˈrəʃə ənd ˈjʊrəp hæv bɪn ˈkɪkɪŋ əraʊnd ˈdɪfərənt aɪˈdiəz əˈbaʊt ə ˈlunər beɪs. bət ðə dɪˈrɛktər ˈʤɛnərəl əv ðə ˌjʊrəˈpiən speɪs ˈeɪʤənsi, ʤæn ˈwɔrnər, həz bɪn ˈspikɪŋ tɪ ðə prɛs ðɪs mənθ tɪ ɪˈlæbərˌeɪt ɔn haʊ hɪz ˈeɪʤənsi naʊ siz ðə ˈprɑʤɛkt. ɪt saʊnz bɪg. ðə goʊl ɪz nɑt tɪ ˈmɪrli bɪld smɔl ˈhaʊsɪz ˈoʊvər there,”*,” əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈwɔrnər, bət tɪ bɪld ə ˈsɪriəs ˌɪnstəˈleɪʃən ðət həz ˈjuzɪz ənd ˈməltəpəl users.”*.” ˈɔlsoʊ nɑt kənˈsərnd wɪθ ən ˈstætəs fər ðə beɪs, ənd səˈʤɛstɪd ðət waɪl səm ˈjuzərz əv ðə beɪs meɪ bi ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn speɪs ˌɛksplərˈeɪʃən ər pərˈfɔrmɪŋ saɪəns, ˈəðərz meɪ bi ˈpraɪvət ˈɛnərˌpraɪzɪz ðət meɪ maɪn ðə mun. θæŋks tɪ ðə loʊ ˈlunər ˈgrævɪti ənd ðə airlessness*, ðɪs beɪs kʊd ˈɔlsoʊ bi ə ˈsteɪʤɪŋ pɔɪnt fər ˈmɪʃənz ˈdipər ˈɪntu ðə ˈsoʊlər ˈsɪstəm, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðoʊz ˈsɛndɪŋ ˈjumənz tɪ mɑrz. ˈwɔrnər siz ðə mun ˈvɪlɪʤ plæn ɛz ðə ˈnæʧərəl səkˈsɛsər tɪ ðə, wɪʧ ɪz ˈfəndɪd baɪ ˈjʊrəp, ðə ˈjuˈɛs, ˈrəʃə, ˈkænədə ənd ʤəˈpæn. ɔl ˈmɛmbərz ɪkˈsɛpt ˈjʊrəp ər kəˈmɪtɪd tɪ ˈfəndɪŋ ðə ənˈtɪl 2024 ˈɛni plæn tɪ bɪld ə ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl beɪs ɔn ðə mun ɪz goʊɪŋ tɪ ˌrikˈwaɪər ə ˈsɪmələr ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl kəˌlæbərˈeɪʃən, ˈlɑrʤli θæŋks tɪ ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks əv ˈhɔlɪŋ ɔl əv ðə ˈnɛsəˌsɛri ˈhɑrdˌwɛr ˈɪntu ərθ ˈɔrbət, prəˈpɛlɪŋ ɪt tɪ ðə mun, ənd ˈlændɪŋ ɪt wɪθ ˌroʊˈbɑtɪk ənd ˈjumən ðə ˈlunər sɔɪl. ˈriʧɪŋ ðə ɪn loʊ ərθ ˈɔrbət ɔˈrɛdi kɔsts tɛnz əv ˈmɪljənz əv ˈdɔlərz pər lɔnʧ, ənd ˈnæsə ˈrisəntli kənˈfərmd səˈplaɪ ˈkɑnˌtrækts fər ðə rɛst əv ðə laɪf wɪθ kəˈmərʃəl speɪs prəˈvaɪdərz spacex*, ˈɔrbətəl, ənd siˈɛrə nəˈvɑdə tɪ ðə tun əv əraʊnd 14 ˈbɪljən. fər ˈkɑntɛkst, ðə ˈoʊnli ˈproʊˌgræm ðət həz ˈlændɪd ˈjumənz ɔn ðə mun soʊ fɑr, əˈpɑloʊ, ɪz θɔt tɪ hæv kɔst əraʊnd 25 ˈbɪljən ɪn 1975 ˈdɔlərz, wɪʧ naʊ tɑps 100 ˈbɪljən wɪn əˈʤəstɪd fər ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən. ˈʧaɪnə, wɪʧ pɑrˈtɪsəˌpeɪt ɪn ðə ˈprɑʤɛkt, həz ˈminˌwaɪl rɪˈvild ɪts oʊn plænz tɪ ˈstədi ðə mun, ənd wɪl lɔnʧ ə proʊb ðət wɪl lænd ɔn ðə ˈɔlˌmoʊst ɪnˈtaɪərli ˌənɪkˈsplɔrd dɑrk saɪd ɪn 2018 ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋli, ðə bɔs rul aʊt kˌwɔpərˈeɪʃən wɪθ ðə ʧaɪˈniz wɪn ɪt kəmz tɪ ðə mun ˈvɪlɪʤ.
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the international space station, as amazing as it is, isn’t going to be around forever—or even for very long. sometime in the 2020s, the program will come to an end. europe has been thinking about where it will carry out space research after this date, and it’s aiming high. at the moon.
we’ve known for a while that russia and europe have been kicking around different ideas about a lunar base. but the director general of the european space agency, jan woerner, has been speaking to the press this month to elaborate on how his agency now sees the project. it sounds big.
the goal is not to merely build “some small houses over there,” according to woerner, but it’s to build a serious installation that has “multiple uses and multiple users.” he’s also not concerned with an all-scientific status for the base, and suggested that while some users of the base may be interested in space exploration or performing science, others may be private enterprises that may mine the moon. thanks to the low lunar gravity and the moon’s airlessness, this base could also be a staging point for missions deeper into the solar system, including those sending humans to mars.
woerner sees the moon village plan as the natural successor to the iss, which is funded by europe, the us, russia, canada and japan. all members except europe are committed to funding the iss until 2024.
any plan to build a large-scale base on the moon is going to require a similar international collaboration, largely thanks to the economics of hauling all of the necessary hardware into earth orbit, propelling it to the moon, and landing it safely—along with robotic and human assistants—on the lunar soil.
reaching the iss in low earth orbit already costs tens of millions of dollars per launch, and nasa recently confirmed supply contracts for the rest of the iss’s life with commercial space providers spacex, orbital, and sierra nevada to the tune of around $14 billion. for context, the only program that has landed humans on the moon so far, apollo, is thought to have cost around $25 billion in 1975 dollars, which now tops $100 billion when adjusted for inflation.
china, which doesn’t participate in the iss project, has meanwhile revealed its own plans to study the moon, and will launch a probe that will land on the almost entirely unexplored dark side in 2018. interestingly, the esa’s boss didn’t rule out cooperation with the chinese when it comes to the moon village.
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ɪn ðə mɑrˈtinɛz hoʊˈtɛl bɑr ɪn kænz, ə ˈʃɑrpli drɛst jəŋ mæn lɔnʧt ˈɪntu ə taɪˈreɪd əˈgɛnst ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈɪndəstri kənˈvɛnʃən hi wɑz əˈtɛndɪŋ. "ɔl ju hir ɪz ðiz oʊld mɛn ˈwaɪnɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə pæst," hi sɛd. "wɛl ju noʊ wət? ðə ˈʤini ɪz aʊt əv ðə ˈbɑtəl. ju traɪ ənd pʊt ɪt bæk ɪn ənd ju wɪl daɪ ənd ðɛn wi wɪl teɪk ˈoʊvər." hɪz wɑz ən ɪkˈstrim vju, bət æt ðɪs jɪrz midem*, ˈjʊrəps ˈbɪgəst mˈjuzɪk ˈkɑnfərəns, wɛr ˈɑrtɪsts səʧ ɛz rɑ blæk ənd ˈændru ə (ˈpɪkʧərd bɪˈloʊ), ˈkɔrtɪd ðə prɛs, ðɛr wɑz ən ˌəndɪˈnaɪəbəl ˈfilɪŋ əv trænˈzɪʃən əv paʊər frəm mˈjuzɪks oʊld gɑrd tɪ ɪts ˈdɪʤɪtəl əˈvɑnt gɑrd. bət ðə ˈprɑbləm ɪz ðət ˈivɪn ɛz ðə ˈɪndəstri ˈfaɪnəli ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzɪz ðət ɪt nidz tɪ ʧeɪnʤ, ɪt ɪz nɑt klɪr ðət ðə ˈdɪʤɪtəl fˈjuʧər ɪz strɔŋ ɪˈnəf tɪ səˈpɔrt ðə ˈgloʊbəl ˈrɑkənˈroʊl məˈʃin ɛz ɪt juzd tɪ bi. ɪn ə ˈkiˌnoʊt spiʧ lévy*, ðə hɛd əv ðə ˈmidiə ʤaɪənt vɪˈvɛndi wɪʧ oʊnz ˌjunəˈvərsəl mˈjuzɪk grup, sɛd ðə ˈkəmpəˌni wɑz ˈwərkɪŋ tɪ "ˌriɪnˈvɛnt ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈɪndəstri", wɪθ 30 əv ɪts ˈrɛvəˌnuz ˈkəmɪŋ frəm nu ˈbɪznɪs ˈmɑdəlz, bət ədˈmɪtəd "ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈbɪznɪs ɪz stɪl ˈoʊnli pɑrt əv ðə weɪ tɪ ˌriɪnˈvɛntɪŋ ˌɪtˈsɛlf". ˌɪnˈdid. jɛt ðət ˌriɪnˈvɛnʃən ɪz ˈteɪkɪŋ fɑr tu lɔŋ, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈfɔrəstər ˈrisərʧ ˈænəlɪst mɑrk ˈməlɪgən, hu geɪv ən ɪkˈsploʊsɪv ˌprɛzənˈteɪʃən æt midem*. "ənˈlɛs ðə ˈleɪbəlz ənd ˈpəblɪʃərz ʧeɪnʤ ðə weɪ ðeɪ ˈlaɪsəns ˈsərvɪsɪz wi ər goʊɪŋ tɪ si ðə trɛnd əv daɪɪŋ ˈsiˈdi seɪlz ənd ˈstɔlɪŋ ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈdaʊnˌloʊdz kənˈtɪnju," hi sɛd. "ˈleɪbəlz ər goʊɪŋ tɪ hæv tɪ fil ðə ˈlɔŋˈtərm peɪn ˌbiˈfɔr ðeɪ stɑrt ˈlaɪsənsɪŋ ɛz əˈgrɛsɪvli ənd ˈlɪˌbərəˌli ɛz ðeɪ nid tɪ." ˈməlɪgən sɛd ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈɪndəstri hæd tɪ kəm tɪ tərmz wɪθ ðə fækt ðət ɪts ˈreɪsɑn sɔŋz wɑz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ðə ˈprɑdəkt ɪt hæd tɪ sɛl. "ˈkɑntɛnt ɪz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər kɪŋ. ɪts θroʊn həz bɪn ˈteɪkən baɪ ɪkˈspɪriəns. jɛt haʊ ˈmɛni mˈjuzɪk ˈsərvɪsɪz ˈrɪli ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ɪkˈspɪriəns?" hi æst. ˈsərtənli ðə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ɪkˈspɪriəns kʊd ˌɪmˈpruv. ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈstɑrˌtəps kəmˈpleɪn ðət ˈgɪtɪŋ ˈpəblɪʃərz ənd ˈleɪbəlz tɪ ˈlaɪsəns nu ˈsərvɪsɪz, səʧ ɛz ˈstrimɪŋ saɪts, ɪz ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd. raɪts ˈhoʊldərz ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈmeɪʤərz ˌɪnˈsɪst ðeɪ ər ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə dilz, bət seɪ ðeɪ ər biɪŋ hɛld tɪ ˈrænsəm, æst tɪ meɪk ərˈeɪnʤmənts wɪθ ˈhənərdz əv ənˈpruvən ˈsərvɪsɪz ðət ˈoʊnli ˈɔfər ˈnɑmənəl ˈrɛvəˌnu. ðə rɪˈzəlt ɪz ðət nu ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt ˈməni ɪz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈʧeɪsɪŋ ˈstɑrˌtəps ˈfoʊkɪsɪŋ ɔn ˈsərvɪŋ əp sɔŋz ˈɔnˌlaɪn. fɛd əp ðət ˈlaɪsənsɪŋ mˈjuzɪk ˈkɑntɛnt ɪz səʧ ə ˈbɪzənˌtin ˈprɔˌsɛs, ˈmɛni ˈstɑrˌtəps ənd ˌɪnˈvɛstərz ər bɪˈgɪnɪŋ tɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ˈsərvɪsɪz əraʊnd ðə ˈɛʤɪz əv mˈjuzɪk, səʧ ɛz songkick*, wɪʧ lɛts fænz noʊ wɪn bændz ər ˈkəmɪŋ tɪ taʊn, ər ə ˈsoʊʃəl mˈjuzɪk ˈgeɪmɪŋ ˈsərvɪs. əv kɔrs, ðə ˈleɪbəlz ˈviəməntli dɪˈnaɪ ˈdrægɪŋ ðɛr səbˈstænʃəl fit. ˈfrænsɪs ˈkilɪŋ, ðə ˈvaɪˈsprɛzədənt əv ˈdɪʤɪtəl æt ˌjunəˈvərsəl mˈjuzɪk, ˌɪnˈsɪstɪd ðə ˈkəmpəˌni ˈwɔntɪd tɪ wərk wɪθ ðə fʊl ˈgæmət əv ˈstɑrˌtəps, ˈædɪŋ: "[wi wɔnt] tɪ meɪk ðə ˈlaɪsənsɪŋ ˈprɔˌsɛs fæst, soʊ ðət ðeɪ kən gɪt tɪ ðə ˈmɑrkɪt ɛz sun ɛz ˈpɑsəbəl." jɛt ðə trænˈzɪʃən frəm ə rɪˈkɔrdɪd tɪ ə ˈdɪʤɪtəl mˈjuzɪk ˈɪndəstri həz bɪn, æt taɪmz, ˈpeɪnfəli sloʊ. ɪz ˈoʊnli naʊ ˈɛʤɪŋ təˈwɔrdz ə ˈjuˈɛs lɔnʧ, ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ə dil wɪθ ˈsoʊni, ˈæftər mɔr ðən wən stɔld əˈtɛmpt. ˈəðərz hæv bɪn lɔst əˈlɔŋ ðə weɪ moʊst ˈrisəntli, skaɪ sɔŋz, səbˈskrɪpʃən ˈsərvɪs, wɪʧ kloʊzd ɪn dɪˈsɛmbər ˈæftər ˈfeɪlɪŋ tɪ əˈtrækt ɪˈnəf ˈkəstəmərz. ðət həz nɑt dɪˈtərd ˈsoʊni wɪʧ, ɪn ən ɪˈvɛnt ˈfiʧərɪŋ bɪg ˈhɪtərz frəm ɔl ðə ˈmeɪʤər ˈleɪbəlz, əˈnaʊnst ðə ˈroʊˌlaʊt əv ɪts səbˈskrɪpʃən ˈsərvɪs. ənˈlɪmɪtɪd mˈjuzɪk, wɪʧ wɪl kɔst frəm ə mənθ fər ə ˈbeɪsɪk plæn tɪ ə mənθ fər ə ˈprimiəm ˈsərvɪs, wɪθ ənˈlɪmɪtɪd ˈlɪsənɪŋ ənd ðə ʧæns tɪ meɪk playlists*. ɪt wɪl nɑt, ˈsoʊni sɛd, ˈfɑloʊ ɪn ðə "freemium*" ˈmɑdəl ˈfʊtˌstɛps əv ˈsərvɪsɪz səʧ ɛz ər, bɪˈkəz ɛz ˈtɑməs hɛs, ðə hɛd əv ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz ənd ˈkɔrpərət ˈstrætəʤi, səkˈsɪŋktli pʊt ɪt: "fri ˈdəzənt meɪk ˈɛni ˈməni." hi həz gɑt ə pɔɪnt. baɪ ðə ɛnd əv 2010 wɑz ˈɛstəˌmeɪtɪd tɪ hæv əˈbaʊt peɪɪŋ səbˈskraɪbərz, əp frəm ɪn mɑrʧ 2010 bət həz jɛt tɪ meɪk ə ˈprɑfɪt; waɪl ɪts kəmˈpɛtɪtər meɪd ə lɔs əv ɪn 2009 ə ˌɪmˈpruvmənt ɔn ðə lɔs ɪn ðə ˈpriviəs jɪr. ənd ˌɔlˈðoʊ rɪˈpɔrtədli peɪd aʊt əˈbaʊt tɪ raɪts ˈhoʊldərz ənd ˈleɪbəlz ɪn ðə fərst eɪt mənθs əv læst jɪr, ənd ɪn ˈsɛvərəl ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈkəntriz, səʧ ɛz sˈwidən, ɪz naʊ ˈmeɪkɪŋ mɔr ˈməni fər raɪts ˈhoʊldərz ðən ˈæpəlz ˈaɪˌtunz stɔr, səm ˈɑrtɪsts ənd ˈleɪbəlz kəmˈpleɪn ðət ðɛr ˈrɔɪəlti ʧɛks ər ˈpɔltri. ðə raɪts kəˈlɛktɪŋ soʊˈsaɪɪti fər mˈjuzɪk sɪz ˈoʊnli əv ɪts ˈrɛvəˌnu keɪm frəm ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈsərvɪsɪz ɪn 2009 kəmˈpɛrd wɪθ ɪn 2008 fər ðə ˈɪndəstri, ðə groʊθ ɪn ðə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈmɑrkɪt wəns heɪld ɛz ɪts əˈpɪrz tɪ bi ˈstətərɪŋ. ə rɪˈpɔrt frəm ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl mˈjuzɪk ˈɪndəstri ˈbɑdi, ðə ifpi*, rɪˈvild ðɪs mənθ ðət ðə ˈgloʊbəl groʊθ ɪn ˈdɪʤɪtəl mˈjuzɪk hævd ɪn 2010 wɪθ ˈoʊnli "ˈsɪŋgəl ˈdɪʤɪt" pərˈsɛnɪʤ groʊθ ɪn ðə mɔr məˈʧʊr ˈjuˈɛs ˈdɪʤɪtəl mˈjuzɪk ˈsɛktər. ɪf ðɪs ɪz tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈsərvɪsɪz məst lɛd fˈjuʧər ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən, sɛd ˈməlɪgən. "wət ˈəðər feɪld ˈsərvɪsɪz hæv ʃoʊn ɪz ðət ɪf ju pleɪ tɪ ðə ˈrɛkərd ˈleɪbəlz' rul bʊk ju gɪt ˈnoʊˌwɛr. ðiz ˈstɑrˌtəps nid tɪ meɪk ðɛr oʊn rulz, ənd nɑt lɛt ðə ˈleɪbəlz lɛd ðə ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən." bæk æt ðə mɑrˈtinɛz, ðət ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən wɑz stɪld fər ə ˈmoʊmənt ɛz mˈjuzɪk ɪgˈzɛkjətɪvz ənd tɛk giks əˈlaɪk stʊd ənd ˈlɪsənd tɪ ə pərˈfɔrməns frəm ðə ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ mˈjuzɪk ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs. wɪθ ən ˈaɪrəni nɑt ɪnˈtaɪərli lɔst ɔn ðə ˈɔdiəns, ðeɪ ˈfɪnɪʃt ðɛr sɛt wɪθ ə sɔŋ wɪʧ ˌɪnˈsɪstəntli rɪˈpitɪd ðə rɪˈfreɪn "ˈjɛstərˌdeɪ ɪz dɛd". ðət ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət moʊst ɪn ðə mˈjuzɪk ˈbɪznɪs naʊ sim tɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz, bət ˈwɛðər ðeɪ kən du wət ɪt teɪks tɪ meɪk təˈmɑˌroʊ lɪv rɪˈmeɪnz tɪ bi sin.
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in the louche martinez hotel bar in cannes, a sharply dressed young man launched into a tirade against the music industry convention he was attending. "all you hear is these old men whining about the past," he said. "well you know what? the genie is out of the bottle. you try and put it back in and you will die ... and then we will take over."
his was an extreme view, but at this year's midem, europe's biggest music conference, where artists such as ra black and andrew a (pictured below), courted the press, there was an undeniable feeling of transition of power from music's old guard to its digital avant garde. but the problem is that even as the industry finally recognises that it needs to change, it is not clear that the digital future is strong enough to support the global rock'n'roll machine as it used to be.
in a keynote speech jean-bernard lévy, the head of the media giant vivendi which owns universal music group, said the company was working to "reinvent the music industry", with 30% of its revenues coming from new business models, but admitted "the music business is still only part of the way to reinventing itself". indeed.
yet that reinvention is taking far too long, according to forrester research analyst mark mulligan, who gave an explosive presentation at midem. "unless the labels and publishers change the way they license services we are going to see the trend of dying cd sales and stalling digital downloads continue," he said. "labels are going to have to feel the long-term pain before they start licensing as aggressively and liberally as they need to."
mulligan said the music industry had to come to terms with the fact that its raison d'être – songs – was no longer the product it had to sell. "content is no longer king. its throne has been taken by experience. yet how many music services really focus on experience?" he asked. certainly the digital experience could improve. digital startups complain that getting publishers and labels to license new services, such as streaming sites, is fiendishly complicated. rights holders – the music majors – insist they are making the deals, but say they are being held to ransom, asked to make cut-price arrangements with hundreds of unproven services that only offer nominal revenue.
the result is that new investment money is no longer chasing startups focusing on serving up songs online. fed up that licensing music content is such a byzantine process, many startups and investors are beginning to focus on services around the edges of music, such as songkick, which lets fans know when bands are coming to town, or mxp4, a social music gaming service.
of course, the labels vehemently deny dragging their substantial feet. francis keeling, the vice-president of digital at universal music, insisted the company wanted to work with the full gamut of startups, adding: "[we want] to make the licensing process fast, so that they can get to the market as soon as possible."
yet the transition from a recorded to a digital music industry has been, at times, painfully slow. spotify is only now edging towards a us launch, following a rumoured deal with sony, after more than one stalled attempt. others have been lost along the way – most recently, sky songs, bskyb's music-streaming subscription service, which closed in december after failing to attract enough customers.
that has not deterred sony which, in an event featuring big hitters from all the major labels, announced the rollout of its subscription service. unlimited music, which will cost from €3.99 a month for a basic plan to €9.99 a month for a premium service, with unlimited listening and the chance to make playlists. it will not, sony said, follow in the "freemium" model footsteps of ad-supported services such as we7 or spotify, because as thomas hesse, the head of digital operations and corporate strategy, succinctly put it: "free doesn't make any money."
he has got a point. by the end of 2010 spotify was estimated to have about 750,000 paying subscribers, up from 320,000 in march 2010, but has yet to make a profit; while its competitor last.fm made a pre-tax loss of £2.8m in 2009, a improvement on the £17m loss in the previous year.
and although spotify reportedly paid out about €30m to rights holders and labels in the first eight months of last year, and in several european countries, such as sweden, is now making more money for rights holders than apple's itunes store, some artists and labels complain that their royalty cheques are paltry. the uk rights collecting society prs for music says only 4.9% of its revenue came from digital services in 2009, compared with 2.9% in 2008.
worryingly for the industry, the growth in the digital market – once hailed as its saviour – appears to be stuttering. a report from the international music industry body, the ifpi, revealed this month that the global growth in digital music halved in 2010, with only "single digit" percentage growth in the more mature us digital music sector.
if this is to change digital services must lead future innovation, said mulligan. "what other failed services have shown is that if you play to the record labels' rule book you get nowhere. these startups need to make their own rules, and not let the labels lead the conversation."
back at the martinez, that conversation was stilled for a moment as music executives and tech geeks alike stood and listened to a performance from the guillemots during the british music showcase. with an irony not entirely lost on the audience, they finished their set with a song which insistently repeated the refrain "yesterday is dead". that is something that most in the music business now seem to recognise, but whether they can do what it takes to make tomorrow live remains to be seen.
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soʊ ɛz ju meɪ hæv gɛs frəm skrin ʃɑts, ðə ˈlɛʤənd əv riˈvɑlvz əraʊnd ə ˈvɛri fəˈmɪljər kɔr mɪˈkænɪk wɪn ɪt kəmz tɪ ˈkɑmbæt, ə mæʧ ɛks ˈpəzəl geɪm ˈfɔrmjələ. ɪm ðə ˈfɔrmjələ ɪz ə mæʧ 4 ˈsɛˌtəp ðət riˈvɑlvz əraʊnd ðə points”*” ðət ju hæv beɪst ɔn jʊr ˈkɛrɪktərz dexterity…*… bət wi wɪl ˈkəvər ɔl ðɪs, əˈlɔŋ wɪθ ˈkɑmbæt ɪn ə ˈleɪtər poʊst. wət poʊst ɪz əˈbaʊt ɪz ðə 6 meɪn ˈpəzəl ˈpisɪz, haʊ ðeɪ ər juzd ənd haʊ ðeɪ pleɪ ˈɪntu ðə geɪmz θim. θəˈmætɪkli ərˈeɪnʤɪŋ ðiz ˈpisɪz əv ɪz ə pleɪ ɔf əv ðə blæk ɑrts. ˌriərˈeɪnʤɪŋ ˈɛntrəlz ənd ˈbɑdəli fluɪdz ˈɪntu spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈpætərnz tɪ kæst spɛlz ənd kərs jʊr ˈɛnəmiz ɪz ˈrɪli wəts goʊɪŋ daʊn here…*… bət ðeɪ lʊk kjut soʊ moʊst wɪl fərˈgɛt əˈbaʊt ðɪs θim kˈwɪkli ɪˈnəf. ɪn ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 əv ˈɛni spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈkələrd pis wɪl ˈɪnstəntli riˈmuv ðɛm ənd gɪv ju ə spɪˈsɪfɪk əˈmaʊnt əv ˈkələrd ˈmɑnə ˈikwəl tɪ ðə ˈnəmbər əv ˈpisɪz riˈmuvd. ðɪs ˈmɑnə kən ðɛn bi juzd tɪ ˈæktəˌveɪt ju stɑrt wɪθ ənd kəˈlɛkt əˈlɔŋ jʊr ˈʤərni, bət iʧ spɪˈsɪfɪk pis wɪl ˈɔlsoʊ ˈkɑmbaɪn tɪ bɪˈkəm ə spell”*”. ˈpəzəl spɛlz ər spɪˈsɪfɪk fər iʧ pis taɪp ənd wɪl groʊ ɪn paʊər ðə haɪər ˈnəmbər əv ˈpisɪz ju ˈkɑmbaɪn tɪ kriˈeɪt ðɛm. (ie*. ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 boʊnz wɪl ˈkɑmbaɪn ðɛm ˈɪntu ə loʊ ˈdæmɪʤ ˈfimər boʊn ðət ɪz θroʊn æt ə spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈɛnəmi. kəmˈbaɪnɪŋ 6 wɪl kriˈeɪt ə skəl ənd goʊɪŋ əˈbəv ənd bɪɔnd wɪl ˈsəmən ə ʤaɪənt ˈskɛlətəl ˈdimən tɪ reɪn hɛl daʊn ɔn ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ɪn ðə rum!) hir ɪz ə ˈbeɪsɪk breɪk daʊn əv iʧ pis ənd ɪts ˈpərpəs. boʊnz- waɪt ˈmɑnə əˈfɛnsɪv ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 boʊnz wɪl kriˈeɪt ə θroʊn ˈfimər boʊn ðət kən ˈtərgət wən ˈɛnəmi duɪŋ ˈmaɪnər ˈdæmɪʤ. tiθ- blæk ˈmɑnə əˈfɛnsɪv ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 tiθ wɪl kriˈeɪt ə lɑrʤ dɛd tuθ ðət kən bi θroʊn æt spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈɛnəmiz məʧ laɪk boʊnz. hɑrts rɛd ˈmɑnə dɪˈfɛnsɪv ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 hɑrts wɪl hil jʊr ˈkɛrɪktər baɪ ə hɑrt. pup braʊn ˈmɑnə dɪˈfɛnsɪv ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 pups wɪl kriˈeɪt ə smɔl pup wɔl ðət kən wɪθˈstænd wən əˈtæk frəm ən ˈɛnəmi ˌbiˈfɔr biɪŋ dɪˈstrɔɪd. grin ˈmɑnə dɪˈfɛnsɪv ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 wɪl kriˈeɪt ə lɑrʤ snɔt bɔl ðət kən bi θroʊn æt ˈɛnəmiz tɪ ˌɪˈmoʊbəˌlaɪz ənd nɪˈgeɪt ðɛr əˈtæks. pi- ˈjɛloʊ ˈmɑnə waɪld kɑrd ˈmæʧɪŋ 4 pi drɑps wɪl gɪv ðə pleɪər 1 ˈmuvmənt pɔɪnt tɪ juz fər ðɪs tərn, bət kən ˈɔlsoʊ bi ˈjutəˌlaɪzd tɪ ʧɑrʤ ˈaɪtəmz. iʧ ˈkɛrɪktər stɑrts wɪθ ˈmɑnə spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈaɪtəmz ðət pʊʃ ðə pleɪər tɪ ɪkˈsplɔr ˈdɪfərənt ˈstrætəʤiz ˈpəzəl waɪz, ənd iʧ faʊnd ˈaɪtəmz ˈmɑnə ˌæktəˈveɪʃən kɔst wɪl ˈrɛrli bi ðə seɪm, ˈfɔrsɪŋ ðə pleɪər tɪ juz ˈmɛni ˈdɪfərənt ˈtæktɪks nɑt ˈoʊnli wɪn ɪt kəmz tɪ haʊ ðeɪ əˈproʊʧ ˈɛnəmiz bət ˈɔlsoʊ haʊ ðeɪ ˌɪnərˈækt wɪθ iʧ ˈpəzəl bɔrd. ðɛr ər kwaɪt ə fju ˈəðər ˈpəzəl ˈpisɪz wi wɪl goʊ ˈoʊvər ˈleɪtər, bət ðiz ər ðə mit ənd pəˈteɪtoʊz əv wət ju wɪl bi ˈwərkɪŋ wɪθ, əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ðə geɪmz ˈərli ˈʧæptərz. ɪn maɪ nɛkst poʊst ɪl tɔk əˈbaʊt ˈaɪtəmz ənd ˈkɑmbæt ðə fən stəf! ənd ˈmeɪbi stɑrt tɪ gɪt ə ˈbɛtər aɪˈdiə əv haʊ ənd ˈaɪzɪk connect…*… tɪl nɛkst taɪm!
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so as you may have guess from screen shots, the legend of bumbo revolves around a very familiar core mechanic when it comes to combat, a match x puzzle game formula.
im bumbo the formula is a match 4 setup that revolves around the “movement points” that you have based on your characters dexterity… but we will cover all this, along with combat in a later post.
what today’s post is about is the 6 main puzzle pieces, how they are used and how they play into the games theme.
thematically bumbo arranging these pieces of garbage/remains is a play off of the black arts. rearranging entrails and bodily fluids into specific patterns to cast spells and curse your enemies is really whats going down here… but they look cute so most will forget about this theme quickly enough.
in bumbo matching 4+ of any specific colored piece will instantly remove them and give you a specific amount of colored mana equal to the number of pieces removed. this mana can then be used to activate spells/items you start with and collect along your journey, but each specific piece will also combine to become a “puzzle spell”.
puzzle spells are specific for each piece type and will grow in power the higher number of pieces you combine to create them. (ie. matching 4 bones will combine them into a low damage femur bone that is thrown at a specific enemy. combining 6 will create a skull and going above and beyond will summon a giant skeletal demon to rain hell down on everything in the room!)
here is a basic break down of each piece and its purpose.
bones- white mana - offensive
matching 4 bones will create a thrown femur bone that can target one enemy doing minor damage.
teeth- black mana - offensive
matching 4 teeth will create a large dead tooth that can be thrown at specific enemies much like bones.
hearts - red mana - defensive
matching 4 hearts will heal your character by ½ a heart.
poop - brown mana - defensive
matching 4 poops will create a small poop wall that can withstand one attack from an enemy before being destroyed.
booger - green mana - defensive
matching 4 boogers will create a large snot ball that can be thrown at enemies to immobilize and negate their attacks.
pee- yellow mana - wild card
matching 4 pee drops will give the player +1 movement point to use for this turn, but can also be utilized to charge items.
each character starts with mana specific items that push the player to explore different strategies puzzle wise, and each found items mana activation cost will rarely be the same, forcing the player to use many different tactics not only when it comes to how they approach enemies but also how they interact with each puzzle board.
there are quite a few other puzzle pieces we will go over later, but these are the meat and potatoes of what you will be working with, especially in the games early chapters.
in my next post ill talk about items and combat ( the fun stuff! ) and maybe you’ll start to get a better idea of how bumbo and isaac connect…
till next time!
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riˈlis 14 2013 (p.m*. ˈskrinɪŋz) ˈpɪkʧərz di. li (fər ˈlæŋgwɪʤ, ˈsɛkʃuəl ˈkɑntɛnt ənd brif ˈnudɪti) di. li ˈʧɛsˌnət, dɪgz, rɪˈʤinə hɔl, ˈtɛrəns haʊərd, səˈnɑ ˈlæθən, lɔŋ, ˈhɛrəld, ˈmɑnɪkə kæˈlhun, məˈlɪsə də ˈsuzə əˈfɪʃəl website:best-man.com*| ˈfeɪsˌbʊk| tˈwɪtər| instagram*| ˈtəmblər plɑt ˈsəməri: ˈæftər ˈnɪrli 15 jɪrz əˈpɑrt, dɪgz (ˈtɛləˌvɪʒənz "ˈpraɪvət ˈpræktɪs"), lɔŋ ("soʊl fud"), ˈmɔrɪs ˈʧɛsˌnət ("ˈkɪˌkæs 2 ˈhɛrəld ("ˈziroʊ dɑrk ˈθərˌdi"), ˈtɛrəns haʊərd ("ˈhəsəl floʊ"), səˈnɑ ˈlæθən ("kənˈteɪʤən"), ˈmɑnɪkə kæˈlhun ("ləv ˈbæskətˌbɔl"), məˈlɪsə də ˈsuzə ("mɪs kənˌʤiniˈæləti") ənd rɪˈʤinə hɔl ("ˈskɛri ˈmuvi" ˈfrænˌʧaɪz) rɪˈpriz ðɛr roʊlz ɪn "ðə bɛst mæn ˈhɑlɪˌdeɪ," ðə nɛkst ˈʧæptər tɪ ðə fɪlm ðət ˈəʃərd ɪn ə nu ˈɪrə əv ˈkɑmədi. wɪn ðə ˈkɑlɪʤ frɛndz ˈfaɪnəli ˌriuˈnaɪt ˈoʊvər ðə ˈkrɪsməs ˈhɑləˌdeɪz, ðeɪ wɪl dɪˈskəvər ʤɪst haʊ ˈizi ɪt ɪz fər ˈraɪvəlriz ənd roʊˈmænsɪz tɪ bi ˌɪgˈnaɪtɪd.
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release date:november 14, 2013
(p.m. screenings)
studio:universal pictures director:malcolm d. lee mpaa rating:r (for language, sexual content and brief nudity) screenwriter:malcolm d. lee starring:morris chestnut, taye diggs, regina hall, terrence howard, sanaa lathan, nia long, harold perrineau, monica calhoun, melissa de sousa genre:comedy official website:best-man.com| facebook| twitter| instagram| tumblr
plot summary:
after nearly 15 years apart, taye diggs (television's "private practice"), nia long ("soul food"), morris chestnut ("kick-ass 2"), harold perrineau ("zero dark thirty"), terrence howard ("hustle & flow"), sanaa lathan ("contagion"), monica calhoun ("love & basketball"), melissa de sousa ("miss congeniality") and regina hall ("scary movie" franchise) reprise their career-launching roles in "the best man holiday," the long-awaited next chapter to the film that ushered in a new era of comedy. when the college friends finally reunite over the christmas holidays, they will discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be ignited.
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ˈæftər ən ˌaʊtˈpɔrɪŋ əv səˈpɔrt frəm ɑr ˈʤɛnərəs kəmˈjunɪti, wɪr ˈbrɪŋɪŋ ju ən ˈəpˌdeɪt ɔn ən əˈmeɪzɪŋ jəŋ mæn frəm nampa*. ˈtuzˌdeɪ, wi ʃɛrd wɪθ ju ðə ˈstɔri əv ˈlukəs məˈkəli, hu həz bɪn ˈlɪvɪŋ wɪθ ə rɛr ənd ˈpeɪnfəl ˈtumər ɔn hɪz feɪs. ɪˈnɔrmɪs ˈmɛdɪkəl kɔsts hæv hɛld ɪm bæk frəm ˈgɪtɪŋ ðə groʊθ riˈmuvd, bət ðət ɔl meɪ ʧeɪnʤ θæŋks tɪ ɑr ˈgɪvɪŋ vjuərz. sɪns məˈkəli ʃɛrd hɪz ˈstɔri ɔn ɑr ˈnuzˌkæst ˈtuzˌdeɪ, mɔr ðən həz bɪn reɪzd ɪn lɛs ðən 24-hours*! ˈpriviəs: mæn wɪθ ˈtumər ɔn hɪz feɪs ˈsikɪŋ kəmˈjunɪtiz hɛlp məˈkəli ɪkˈspleɪnd tɪ waɪ hi həz bɪn ˈlɪvɪŋ wɪθ ðɪs bɪˈnaɪn, bət lɑrʤ ənd ˈpeɪnfəl ɔn ðə raɪt saɪd əv hɪz feɪs fər soʊ lɔŋ. hiz hæd 24 ˈsərʤəriz ˌbiˈfɔr ðə eɪʤ əv 10 ɔl wɪʧ wər ˌənsəkˈsɛsfəl. hi həz bɪn dɪˈnaɪd ˌdɪsəˈbɪlɪti, wɪʧ məˈkəli wʊd geɪv geɪnd ˈmɛdəˌkeɪd ˈəndər. ɪn peɪn frəm ðə ˈmoʊmənt aɪ weɪk əp ənd raɪt ənˈtɪl aɪ goʊ tɪ slip," hi sɛd. "ðæts ðɛr ˈprɑbləm, ju pruv peɪn, ˈɛnibədi kən seɪ ðeɪ ər ɪn ə bənʧ əv peɪn bət pruv ɪt. ðeɪ sɛd ðət maɪ ˈvɪʒən ɪz faɪn, gʊd ɪˈnəf tɪ goʊ wərk ɪn ðə bæk əv ə place.”*.” saɪn əp fər ðə ˈdeɪli sˈnæpˌʃɑt ˈnuzˌlɛtər saɪn əp fər ðə ˈdeɪli sˈnæpˌʃɑt ˈnuzˌlɛtər ˈsəmθɪŋ wɛnt rɔŋ. ðə moʊst ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ ənd ˈstɔriz frəm ˌɛrɪˈzoʊnə ənd bɪɔnd dɪˈlɪvərd tɪ jʊr ˈwikˌdeɪ ˌæftərˈnunz! θæŋk ju fər ˈsaɪnɪŋ əp fər ðə sˈnæpˌʃɑt ˈnuzˌlɛtər. pliz traɪ əˈgɛn ˈleɪtər. səbˈmɪt nɑt biɪŋ ˈeɪbəl tɪ bɛr ðə kɔst wɪˈθaʊt ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns, məˈkəli sɛt əp ə ɛz ə læst dɪʧ ˈɛfərt, wɪʧ həz ʃɑt əp tɪ mɔr ðən ɪn ʤɪst wən deɪ, ˈæftər hi ʃɛrd hɪz ˈstɔri. ju tɪ ˈɛvriˌbɑdi, ju kænt ˈrɪli seɪ ɪˈnəf wərdz bɪˈkəz ˈɛvriˌwən keɪm əp ðɛr ənd həz hɛlpt mi gɪt əp tɪ wɛr aɪ æm raɪt naʊ, ɪts nɑt ˈivɪn 24 aʊərz ənd ɪts ˈprɪti əˈmeɪzɪŋ tɪ hæv ðət happen,”*,” sɪz məˈkəli. nɑt ˈoʊnli həz hɪz ˈstɔri brɔt ɪn ˈθaʊzənz əv ˈdɔlərz ɪn doʊˈneɪʃənz, bət həz əˈtræktəd ðə əˈtɛnʃən ˈneɪʃənˈwaɪd. ðə ˈnæʃənəli ˈsɪndɪˌkeɪtɪd ʃoʊ "ðə ˈdɑktərz" həz ˈkɑnˌtæktɪd məˈkəli ənd toʊld ɪm ðeɪ ər ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈhævɪŋ ɪm ɔn ðə ʃoʊ. ə ˈlɪtəl bɪt ˌənbəˈlivəbəl," sɪz məˈkəli. "aɪ min ˈɑbviəsli, ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈrizən nɑt tɪ, bi ˈnərvəs ənd əm nɑt ˈrɪli wən tɪ pʊt ˌmaɪˈsɛlf aʊt ðɛr, bət ˈprɑbəˌbli ɛnd əp duɪŋ it.”*.” məˈkəli sɪz fərst hi plænz ɔn ˈkɑnˌtæktɪŋ hɪz ˈloʊkəl ˈdɔktər ðɪs wik tɪ faɪnd aʊt ɪgˈzæktli haʊ məʧ ðɪs prəˈsiʤər wɪl kɔst ənd wɪl kip ˈɛvriˌwən ɔn hɪz ˈmɛdɪkəl ˈʤərni. ðət həz ˈdoʊˌneɪtɪd dɪˈzərvz tɪ noʊ wət ˈhæpənz, wɪn ðeɪ kənˈtrɪbjut ənd hɛlp ðeɪ dɪˈzərv tɪ noʊ haʊ ðə ˈstɔri goʊz ənd haʊ ðə ˈstɔri ends,”*,” sɪz məˈkəli. tɪ hɛlp wɪθ ˈmɛdɪkəl kɔsts, klɪk hir. ˈkɑpiˌraɪt 2017
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after an outpouring of support from our generous community, we're bringing you an update on an amazing young man from nampa.
tuesday, we shared with you the story of 22-year-old lucas mcculley, who has been living with a rare and painful tumor on his face.
enormous medical costs have held him back from getting the growth removed, but that all may change thanks to our giving viewers.
since mcculley shared his story on our newscast tuesday, more than $42,000 has been raised in less than 24-hours!
previous: man with tumor on his face seeking community's help
mcculley explained to ktvb why he has been living with this benign, but large and painful lymphangioma on the right side of his face for so long.
he's had 24 surgeries before the age of 10, all which were unsuccessful.
he has been denied disability, which mccully would gave gained medicaid under.
“i’m in pain from the moment i wake up and right until i go to sleep," he said. "that's their problem, you can’t prove pain, anybody can say they are in a bunch of pain but can’t prove it. they said that my vision is fine, i’m good enough to go work in the back of a place.”
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not being able to bear the cost without insurance, mcculley set up a gofundme as a last ditch effort, which has shot up to more than $47,000 in just one day, after he shared his story.
“thank you to everybody, you can't really say enough words because everyone came up there and has helped me get up to where i am right now, it's not even 24 hours and it's pretty amazing to have that happen,” says mcculley.
not only has his story brought in thousands of dollars in donations, but has attracted the attention nationwide.
the nationally syndicated show "the doctors" has contacted mcculley and told him they are interested in having him on the show.
"it’s a little bit unbelievable," says mcculley. "i mean obviously, there is no reason not to, i’ll be nervous and i'm not really one to put myself out there, but i’ll probably end up doing it.”
mcculley says first he plans on contacting his local doctor this week to find out exactly how much this procedure will cost and will keep everyone up-to-date on his medical journey.
“everybody that has donated deserves to know what happens, when they contribute and help they deserve to know how the story goes and how the story ends,” says mcculley.
to help with mcculley’s medical costs, click here.
copyright 2017 ktvb
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ˈpætrɪk viˈɛrə rɪˈvild æt ðə bɪˈgɪnɪŋ əv ðə ˈsizən ðət hi ɪz əˈʤəstɪŋ hɪz ˈprɪnsəpəlz ənd wɪl ˈpərˌmɪt mɔr dɪˈrɛkt ˈsərvɪs aʊt əv ðə bæk tɪ ˈkaʊntər ðə ənˈwildi ˈprɛʃər səˈplaɪd baɪ səm əv ðɛr əˈpoʊnənts əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ðə ˈəndərˌsaɪzd ˈkɑnˌfaɪnz æt nu jɔrk ˈsɪti hoʊm, ˈjæŋki ˈsteɪdiəm. ɪn 2016 viˈɛrə ˈstəbərnli meɪnˈteɪnd hɪz fəˈlɑsəfi ˈivɪn ˈəndər ðə moʊst ˈdɪfəkəlt ˈsərkəmˌstænsɪz fər hɪz ənd bæks. ɔn əˈkeɪʒən, ðə rɪˈzəltɪŋ ˈtərˌnoʊvərz trænzˈleɪtəd ˈɪntu goʊlz kənˈsidɪd. ɪn læst hoʊm traɪəmf ˈoʊvər ɪkˈspænʧən ˈdɑrlɪŋz, æˈtlæntə juˈnaɪtɪd ə haɪ ˈprɛsɪŋ ˈaʊtˌfɪt ðət lidz ˈmeɪʤər lig ˈsɑkər wɪθ sɪks goʊlz ɪn ðə fərst əv ˈmæʧɪz 2017 ˈmɛθədz ɪn pəˈzɛʃən wər ˈnoʊtəbəl ɪn ə ˈdɑmənənt pərˈfɔrməns. wɑz plizd wɪθ ðə dɪˈsɪʒənˌmeɪkɪŋ frəm ɑr bæk fɔr, əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ðə fərst minutes,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ˈmænɪʤd tɪ goʊ lɔŋ wɪn ðeɪ ˈnidɪd tɪ ənd nɑt bi skɛrd tɪ du ɪt ənd ˈivɪn duɪŋ ðət wi kɛpt pleɪɪŋ wɛl. ðə ˈbæləns wɑz gʊd bɪtˈwin ʃɔrt ənd lɔŋ play.”*.” ðə lɔŋ bɔl ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən wɑz ɪgˈzɛmpləˌfaɪd wɪn ˈkipər ʃɔn ˈʤɑnsən droʊv ə ˈsərvɪs ˈnɪrli 70 jɑrdz ɔf ə dɛd bɔl tɪ ðə ˈtərgət, ˈdeɪvɪd ˈvɪlə. ˈvɪlə wən ðə flɪk ˈhɛdər ɪn frənt əv boʊθ ˈmaɪkəl ˈpɑrkhərst ənd liˈɑndroʊ ənd ˈɪntu ðə pæθ əv ˈrɑdni ˈwɔlɪs. ðə ˈkɔstɑ ˈrikən ðɛn ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd ˈɑrʤənˌtin ˈmæksi mɔˈrɑlɛz fər θərd goʊl. ˈwɔlɪs, hu ˈfɪnɪʃt ˈsɛkənd goʊl ˈɔlsoʊ əˈsɪstɪd ɔn skɔr tɪ ˈoʊpən ðə mæʧ, ə ˈgɔrʤəs ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən ðət ˌɪnˈkludɪd mɔˈrɑlɛz ənd bɛn swɛt. pərˈfɔrməns əv ðə tim wɑz amazing,”*,” sɛd ˈvɪlə. wi pleɪ laɪk ðət ɪt wɪl bi ˈdɪfəkəlt fər ˈɛni tim tɪ bit us.”*.” gɔn swɛt meɪd hɪz ˈsɛkənd əˈpɪrəns ɪn hɪz ˈsɛkənd kənˈsɛkjətɪv stɑrt æt lɛft bæk ɪn pleɪs əv ðə ˈɪnʤərd ˈrɑnəld matarrita*. ˈdɪtoʊ hərˈɛrə hu ˌriˈpleɪst ˌɑnˈdreɪə əˈgɛn ɪn ðə ˈstɑrtɪŋ ʃi. ˈdɛfənətli ə spɑrk ɪn ðə fər ə jəŋ guy,”*,” sɛd swɛt əv ðə oʊld ˌvɛnɪzˈweɪlən. broʊk əp ə tən əv ˈtækəlz wɪʧ meɪks ɪt ˈiziər ɔn ðə bæk fɔr tɪ hæv ˈsəmˌwən ˈbreɪkɪŋ əp ðə pleɪz ˌbiˈsaɪdz us.”*.” hərˈɛrə lɛft ˈæftər ðə æˈtlæntə juˈnaɪtɪd mæʧ tɪ ʤɔɪn hɪz ˈtimˌmeɪts fər ðə wərld kəp. ðə tin wɪθ wən fʊl tim kæp wɪl bi ˈæbsənt fər æt list fɔr ˈmæʧɪz. kwaɪt ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd ðət ðɪs ɪz hɪz læst geɪm ðɪs ɪz nɑt gʊd nuz fər us,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ðə weɪ ɪt is.”*.” wɪθ ðə ˈimərʤəns əv hərˈɛrə ənd dɪˈmɪnɪʃt pleɪɪŋ taɪm, ðɛr ɪz ðə əˈpɪrəns ðət ðə gɑrd ɪz ˌəndərˈgoʊɪŋ ə ʧeɪnʤ. ““no*, nɑt æt all,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ɪz əv kɔrs nɑt ˈhæpi. ɪf ə pleɪər laɪk ɪm stɪl pleɪz æt hɪz eɪʤ ənd stɪl pleɪz æt ðɪs ˈlɛvəl, ðeɪ hæv ə ləv əv ðə geɪm. nɑt ˈhæpi ˈnɔrməl. ðɪs ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət ɛz ə ˈmeɪnʤər aɪ hæv tɪ lɪv with.”*.” ðə həz pleɪd ðə fʊl 90 ˈmɪnəts ɪn ʤɪst tu əv naɪn ˈmæʧɪz ðɪs ˈsizən. læst ˈsizən, ˈfɪnɪʃt 22 əv ðə 32 ˈmæʧɪz hi ˈstɑrtɪd. hi pɑrˈtɪsəˌpeɪtɪd ɪn ˈfɪtnəs wɪθ ðə rɪˈzərvz ɪn kəˈləmbəs tu wiks əˈgoʊ bət wɑz ə ˈnoʊˌʃoʊ ˈæftər ðə æˈtlæntə mæʧ ˌɔlˈðoʊ hi ˈsprɪntɪd frəm ðə fəˈsɪlɪti wɛl əˈhɛd əv hɪz ˈtimˌmeɪts. sprɪnts ər nɑt mandatory,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ˈtrævəl ˈlɛsənz wɪl ɪmˈbɑrk ɔn ən eight-day*, roʊd trɪp ðɪs ˈwiˌkɪnd wɪθ stɑps æt ˈdæləs (ˈsənˌdi), ril sɔlt leɪk (ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ) ənd ɔˈrlænˌdoʊ ˈsɪti (ˈsənˌdi). frəm hɪz ˌɪˈnɪʃəl ˈsizən ɪn, viˈɛrə nɑt ˈoʊnli ˌæsərˈteɪnd ðət ə mɔr dɪˈrɛkt staɪl aʊt əv ðə bæk kʊd bi ˌædvənˈteɪʤəs bət ən ˈɔltərd tim ˈtrævəl plæn wɑz kəmˈpəlsəri ɔn ðiz ˈɑrʤuəs roʊd trɪps. kɔrs wi ər goʊɪŋ tɪ ˈmænɪʤ ðə ˈtrævəlɪŋ ˈbɛtər ðən wi dɪd læst year,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ðə ˈmeɪʤər ˈblɛmɪʃ ɪn ˈrɛzəˌmeɪ, əˈsaɪd frəm ðə ˈfeɪljər ɪn ðə tərˈɑntoʊ pleɪɔf ˈsɪriz, wɑz ðə nu jɔrk rɛd bulls’*’ ˌdɛməˈlɪʃən əv æt ˈjæŋki ˈsteɪdiəm ðə θərd mæʧ ɪn ə strɛʧ ðət bɪˈgæn wɪθ ə ˈvɪktəri æt ˈpɔrtlənd ənd ə drɔ æt fild ɪn tərˈɑntoʊ. viˈɛrə ˈtrævəld wɪθ hɪz ɪnˈtaɪər skwɑd. hɪz saɪd wɑz ɪgˈzɔstɪd ənd ɪgˈzɪbətəd ˈlɪtəl ˈpæʃən ɪn ə ˈdubiəs rɪˈzəlt. ər goʊɪŋ tɪ teɪk 20 pleɪərz tɪ ˈdæləs ənd ðə ˈəðərz wɪl steɪ hir (ɪn nu york),”*),” sɛd viˈɛrə. səm əv ðɛm wɪl liv ˈdæləs fər nu jɔrk waɪl səm əv ðoʊz ðət steɪd hoʊm wɪl flaɪ dɪˈrɛkli tɪ sɔlt lake.”*.” viˈɛrə səˈʤɛstɪd ðət ðɛr wɪl bi ə pleɪər roʊˈteɪʃən ɪn ðə ˈstɑrtɪŋ grup ˌɔlˈðoʊ ɪt wɪl nɑt bi drəˈmætɪk. hæv tɪ kip ðə strɛŋθ ənd ðə kɔr əv ðə team,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. meɪk sɛns tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ˈsɛvən ər eɪt pleɪərz. wi hæv tɪ juz pleɪərz ðət kən kip ə gʊd ˈtɛmˌpoʊ əv ðə game.”*.” noʊ fər luɪs waɪl hərˈɛrə sərˈɛndərz hɪz spɑt ɪn ðə fər ðə wərld kəp ɪn saʊθ ˌkɔˈriə, ˈʤɑnəθən luɪs wɪl kənˈtɪnju hɪz dɪˈvɛləpmənt ˈəndər ðə ˈɔspɪsɪz əv ðə ˈtɛknɪkəl stæf. luɪs hæd pleɪd ɪn ə rɪˈzərv roʊl ɪn ðə juz. rən tɪ ðɛr fərst ˈʧæmpiənˌʃɪp. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, tæb ˈrɑmoʊs dɪd nɑt səˈlɛkt ðə ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən əˈdidəs ˈprɑdəkt fər ðə wərld kəp. ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd ənd wi ər ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd ɛz well,”*,” sɛd viˈɛrə. ər ˈhæpi tɪ hæv ɪm hir wɪθ ˈjuˈɛs ənd ˈtreɪnɪŋ nɛkst tɪ ðə pleɪərz wi hæv ɔn ɑr skwɑd ɪt ɪz gʊd fər him.”*.” wɪn ðə juz. dɪˈfitɪd hɑnˈdʊrəs ɪn ˈpɛnəltiz tɪ wɪn ðə fərst ˈmeɪʤər ˈtroʊfi fər ðə, luɪs wɑz nɑt ðɛr tɪ ˈsɛləˌbreɪt wɪθ hɪz ˈtimˌmeɪts. ˌɪnˈstɛd, hi ˈtrævəld wɪθ tɪ ɔˈrlænˌdoʊ fər ðə ˈoʊpənər. luɪs wɑz nɑt ɪn ðə skwɑd ðət deɪ.
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patrick vieira revealed at the beginning of the season that he is adjusting his principles and will permit more direct service out of the back to counter the unwieldy pressure supplied by some of their opponents – especially in the undersized confines at new york city fc’s home, yankee stadium.
in 2016, vieira stubbornly maintained his build-out-of-the-back philosophy even under the most difficult circumstances for his goalkeepers and backs. on occasion, the resulting turnovers translated into goals conceded.
in last week’s 3-1 home triumph over expansion darlings, atlanta united – a high pressing outfit that leads major league soccer with six goals in the first quarter-hour of matches – vieira’s 2017 methods in possession were notable in a dominant performance.
“i was pleased with the decision-making from our back four, especially in the first 15-20 minutes,” said vieira. “they managed to go long when they needed to and not be scared to do it and even doing that we kept playing well. the balance was good between short and long play.”
the long ball inclination was exemplified when keeper sean johnson drove a right-footed service nearly 70 yards off a dead ball to the target, david villa. villa won the flick header in front of both michael parkhurst and leandro gonzalez-pires and into the path of rodney wallace. the costa rican then located argentine maxi moralez for nycfc’s third goal. wallace, who finished nycfc’s second goal also assisted on villa’s score to open the match, a gorgeous combination that included moralez and ben sweat.
“the performance of the team was amazing,” said villa. “when we play like that it will be difficult for any team to beat us.”
herrera’s gone
sweat made his second mls appearance in his second consecutive start at left back in place of the injured ronald matarrita. ditto yangel herrera who replaced andrea pirlo again in the starting xi.
“he’s definitely a spark in the midfield for a young guy,” said sweat of the 19-year old venezuelan. “he broke up a ton of tackles which makes it easier on the back four to have someone breaking up the plays besides us.”
herrera left after the atlanta united match to join his teammates for the u-20 world cup. the teen with one full team cap will be absent for at least four matches.
“i’m quite disappointed that this is his last game – this is not good news for us,” said vieira. “but that’s the way it is.”
with the emergence of herrera and pirlo’s diminished playing time, there is the appearance that the midfield guard is undergoing a change.
“no, not at all,” said vieira. “andrea is of course not happy. if a player like him still plays at his age and still plays at this level, they have a love of the game. he’s not happy – it’s normal. this is something that as a manger i have to live with.”
the 37-year-old pirlo has played the full 90 minutes in just two of nine matches this season. last season, pirlo finished 22 of the 32 matches he started. he participated in post-game fitness with the reserves in columbus two weeks ago but was a no-show after the atlanta match although he sprinted from the facility well ahead of his teammates.
“the sprints are not mandatory,” said vieira.
travel lessons
nycfc will embark on an eight-day, three-game road trip this weekend with stops at fc dallas (sunday), real salt lake (wednesday) and orlando city (sunday). from his initial season in mls, vieira not only ascertained that a more direct style out of the back could be advantageous but an altered team travel plan was compulsory on these arduous road trips.
“of course we are going to manage the traveling better than we did last year,” said vieira.
the major blemish in vieira’s mls resume, aside from the failure in the toronto fc playoff series, was the new york red bulls’ 7-0 demolition of nycfc at yankee stadium – the third match in a seven-day stretch that began with a victory at portland and a mid-week draw at bmo field in toronto. vieira traveled with his entire squad. his side was exhausted and exhibited little passion in a dubious result.
“we are going to take 20 players to dallas and the others will stay here (in new york),” said vieira. “then some of them will leave dallas for new york while some of those that stayed home will fly directly to salt lake.”
vieira suggested that there will be a player rotation in the starting group although it will not be dramatic.
“i have to keep the strength and the core of the team,” said vieira. “it won’t make sense to change seven or eight players. we have to use players that can keep a good tempo of the game.”
no u-20’s for lewis
while herrera surrenders his spot in the midfield for the u-20 world cup in south korea, jonathan lewis will continue his development under the auspices of the nycfc technical staff. lewis had played in a reserve role in the u.s. u-20’s run to their first concacaf championship. however, tab ramos did not select the generation adidas product for the u-20 world cup.
“he’s disappointed and we are disappointed as well,” said vieira. “we are happy to have him here with us and training next to the players we have on our squad – it is good for him.”
when the u.s. defeated honduras in penalties to win the first major trophy for the u-20’s, lewis was not there to celebrate with his teammates. instead, he travelled with nycfc to orlando for the mls opener. lewis was not in the 18-player squad that day.
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ˈgɛti ˈɪmɪʤɪz hæf ə ˈbɪljən jɪrz əˈgoʊ, laɪf ɔn ərθ ɪkˈspɪriənst ə ʃɔrt ˈpɪriəd əv ɪkˈstrimli ˈræpɪd dɪˌvərsəfəˈkeɪʃən noʊn ɛz ðə ˈkæmbriən ɪkˈsploʊʒən, ə ˈpɪriəd wɪn ə vərˈaɪəti əv ˈænəməl ˈfaɪlə keɪm ˈɪntu ɪgˈzɪstəns. əˈnəðər ˈkæmbriən ɪkˈsploʊʒən maɪt bi əˈpɑn ˈjuˈɛs əˈgɛn, ðɪs taɪm kɔld "othersourcing*." ðoʊ ɪt wɪl fərst lum ɛz ə dɪsˈrəptɪv ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk fɔrs, ɪt wɪl ədˈvæns juˈmænɪti ˈsunər ðən ju kən ˌɪˈmæʤən. ˌɑrtəˈfɪʃəl ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns (eɪaɪ), ˌroʊˈbɑtɪks ənd smɑrt ˈsɪstəmz wɪl ən ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ˈnəmbər əv ˈgloʊbəl ˈjumən ˈwərkərz ɪn ðə fˈjuʧər ˈəðərˌwaɪz noʊn ɛz ˈkətɪŋ aʊt ðə ˈmɪdəl mɛn. ə məˈkɪnzi ˈstədi səˈʤɛsts ðət ðə "ɔtəˈmeɪʃən bɔm" kʊd dɪˈstrɔɪ 45 əv wərk ækˈtɪvɪtiz ˈkərəntli pərˈfɔrmd ɪn ðə ˈjuˈɛs, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ 59 əv ʤɑbz ɪn ˌmænjəˈfækʧərɪŋ, 73 ɪn fud ˈsərvɪs ənd əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃənz ənd 53 ɪn ˈriˌteɪlɪŋ. ˈwərkərz ər ˈɔlsoʊ æt rɪsk, ɛz 66 əv ʤɑbz ɪn ˈfaɪˌnæns ənd ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns kʊd bi lɔst. ənd ðə nu kriˈeɪtɪv klæs? ðə ˈwaɪdˈsprɛd ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns əv wərk wʊd ˈəʃər ɪn ə proʊˈfaʊnd ˈsoʊʃəl ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən ənd kriˈeɪt ə nu ˈnɔrməl, wɛr ðə aɪˈdiə ðət wərk ɪz ˈsɛntrəl tɪ laɪf wʊd feɪd fər məʧ əv soʊˈsaɪɪti. θiərɪsts kɔld "post-workists*" ˈwɛlkəm ðə ɛnd əv ˈleɪbər. ðeɪ ˈɑrgju ðət əˈmɛrɪkənz wərk soʊ hɑrd bɪˈkəz ðɛr ˈkəlʧər həz kənˈdɪʃənd ðɛm tɪ fil ˈgɪlti wɪn ðɛr nɑt biɪŋ pərˈdəktɪv, ənd ðət ðɪs gɪlt wɪl feɪd ɛz wərk ˈsisɪz tɪ bi ðə nɔrm. bət haʊ ˌriəˈlɪstɪk ɪz ðɪs ˈpɔrtrət əv ə fˈjuʧər soʊˈsaɪɪti? ɪt ɪz ˈlaɪkli ənˌriˈlɪstɪk ɪn ðə ʃɔrt tərm, bət ˈsərtənli ˈfizəbəl ɪn ðə longer-term*. wi meɪ ɔˈrɛdi bi ˈhɛdɪd təˈwɔrdz ə fˈjuʧər: wɛr ʤɑbz kənˈsɪst əv mɔr kriˈeɪtɪv ɪnˈdɛvərz ənd wɛr kriˈeɪʃən ˌɪtˈsɛlf (ˈrəðər ðən məˈtɪriəl ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən) ɪz wət kəmˈpɛlz ˈjuˈɛs tɪ wərk. ˌædəpˈteɪʃənz wi si təˈdeɪ waɪl ðə aɪˈdiə əv ə fˈjuʧər ɪz stɪl ˈlɑrʤli ˌθiərˈɛtɪkəl, wi ər ɔˈrɛdi ˈɛnʤəˈnɪrɪŋ æt list θri ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt səˈsaɪɪtəl ənd ˌɪnˈdəstriəl "ˌædəpˈteɪʃənz" ðət meɪ ˈsɪgnəl ɪts əˈvɛnʧuəl ərˈaɪvəl: 1 ˈmuvɪŋ təˈwɔrd ən ˌægrɪˈkəlʧərəl fˈjuʧər: təˈdeɪ, ðɛr ɪz ə dɪˈrɛkt riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp bɪtˈwin haʊ məʧ ˈpipəl wərk ənd ðɛr əˈbɪləˌti tɪ əˈfɔrd ˈbeɪsɪk nəˈsɛsɪtiz. bət, wət ɪf wi ˌɛnʤəˈnird fɑr mɔr səˈsteɪnəbəl ˈmɛθədz əv (ər ɔlˈtərnətɪvz tɪ) ˈægrɪˌkəlʧər, ðəs ˈəʃərɪŋ ɪn ə fˈjuʧər wɛr ɪt bɪˈkəmz məʧ ˈiziər ənd ˈʧipər tɪ fid ɑrˈsɛlvz? ɪts ɔˈrɛdi ˈstɑrtɪŋ. səm ɪgˈzæmpəlz: ˈpərsɪnəl fud kəmˈpjutərz: ˈrisərʧərz hæv bɪlt ə dɪˈvaɪs ðət kənˈtroʊlz hjuˈmɪdəti, ˌɪˌluməˈneɪʃən ənd ɛr ˈtɛmpərəʧər, əˈməŋ ˈəðər ˈvɛriəbəlz. ðə goʊl ɪz tɪ diˈkəpəl ˈklaɪmɪt frəm ʤiˈɑgrəfi baɪ ˈbɪldɪŋ ə "ˈkætəlɔg əv ˈklaɪmɪts." ˈərbən ənd "ˈfloʊtɪŋ" ˈfɑrmɪŋ: ðə wərldz fərst ˈfloʊtɪŋ ˈdɛri fɑrm, wɪʧ ɪz ɪkˈspɛktɪd tɪ bi kəmˈplitɪd ɪn ˈʤænjuˌɛri 2017 ɪn ˈrɑtərˌdæm, wɪl groʊ fud fər ðə kaʊz ɔn bɔrd. ˌvɛʤəˈtɛˌriən ˈsɪtiz: ðə meɪər əv ˈtʊrɪn, ˈɪtəli, ˈkjɑrə appendino*, wɔnts ðə ˈsɪti tɪ bi ðə fərst ˌvɛʤəˈtɛˌriən ˈsɪti. sɪnˈθɛtɪk, ˈprɑdəkts: ə ˈstɑrˌtəp ɪn sæn frænˈsɪskoʊ ɪz ˈmeɪkɪŋ sɪnˈθɛtɪk waɪn wɪˈθaʊt greɪps.
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getty images
half a billion years ago, life on earth experienced a short period of extremely rapid diversification known as the cambrian explosion, a period when a variety of animal phyla came into existence. another cambrian explosion might be upon us again, this time called "othersourcing." though it will first loom as a disruptive economic force, it will advance humanity sooner than you can imagine.
artificial intelligence (ai), robotics and smart systems will disintermediate an increasing number of global human workers in the future — otherwise known as cutting out the middle men. a mckinsey study suggests that the "automation bomb" could destroy 45% of work activities currently performed in the us, including 59% of jobs in manufacturing, 73% in food service and accommodations and 53% in retailing. white-collar workers are also at risk, as 66% of jobs in finance and insurance could be lost.
post-work and the new creative class?
the widespread disappearance of work would usher in a profound social transformation and create a new normal, where the idea that work is central to life would fade for much of society. theorists called "post-workists" welcome the end of labor. they argue that americans work so hard because their culture has conditioned them to feel guilty when they're not being productive, and that this guilt will fade as work ceases to be the norm.
but how realistic is this portrait of a future quasi-utopian post-work society? it is likely unrealistic in the short term, but certainly feasible in the longer-term. we may already be headed towards a workreation future: where jobs consist of more creative endeavors and where creation itself (rather than material compensation) is what compels us to work.
adaptations we see today
while the idea of a post-work future is still largely theoretical, we are already engineering at least three important societal and industrial "adaptations" that may signal its eventual arrival:
1. moving toward an agricultural post-scarcity future:
today, there is a direct relationship between how much people work and their ability to afford basic necessities. but, what if we engineered far more sustainable methods of (or alternatives to) agriculture, thus ushering in a post-scarcity future where it becomes much easier and cheaper to feed ourselves? it's already starting. some examples:
personal food computers: researchers have built a device that controls humidity, illumination and air temperature, among other variables. the goal is to decouple climate from geography by building a "catalog of climates."
urban and "floating" farming: the world's first floating dairy farm, which is expected to be completed in january 2017 in rotterdam, will grow food for the cows on board.
vegetarian cities: the mayor of turin, italy, chiara appendino, wants the city to be the first vegetarian city.
synthetic, agriculture-free products: a start-up in san francisco is making synthetic wine without grapes.
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wɪθ ðə dɪˈleɪ əv ənd ðə ˈəpˌkəmɪŋ ˈdɔktər streɪnʤ, ˈeɪʤənts əv ʃild həz ə məʧ ˈwaɪdər wərld tɪ wərk ɪn. ɪn ə prɛs ˈraʊndˌteɪbəl ˈæftər ðɛr ˈpænəl, wi tɔkt tɪ ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv prəˈdusərz ʤɛd ˈwɛdən ənd əˈbaʊt wət ðoʊz θɪŋz mɛnt fər ðə fˈjuʧər əv ðə ʃoʊ. ˈeɪʤənts əv ʃild ˌɪntrəˈdust ðə ˈhɪstəri əv ðə ˈmɑrvəl ˌsɪnəˈmætɪk ˈvərʒən əv ðə ɪn ɪts ˈsɛkənd ˈsizən. bət, sɪns ðɛr wɑz goʊɪŋ tɪ bi ən ˈmuvi ɪn 2018 ðə ˈraɪtərz wər ə bɪt riˈstrɪktɪd ɪn wət ðeɪ kʊd du. wɪθ kəmˈplitli ˈlækɪŋ ə riˈlis deɪt raɪt pʊʃt bæk ənd ðɛn drɑpt frəm ðə əv ʃild ɪz ˈbɛnəfɪtɪŋ. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt du hæv ə ˈlɪtəl mɔr freedom,”*,” sɛd ʤɛd ˈwɛdən. toʊld ə ˈkəpəl əv ˈsizənz əv ˈstɔriz bət naʊ wi du hæv səm mɔr ˈfridəm. soʊ wɪn wi rɪˈtərn tɪ ˈfoʊkɪsɪŋ ɔn, bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ du ə ˈlɪtəl bɪt more.”*.” ðət ˈfridəm, ˈwɛdən ənd sɛd, ˌɪnˈkludɪd biɪŋ ˈeɪbəl tɪ juz səm əv ðə ˈklæsɪk. ˈpʊʃɪŋ fər lockjaw*. ɛz fər haʊ ˈdɔktər streɪnʤ wɪl əˈfɛkt ðə ðə ʃoʊ, ˈwɛdən sɛd ðət ðə ˌɪntrəˈdəkʃən əv ðət ˈkɛrɪktər ənd hɪz paʊərz ˈɪntu ðə ˈjunəˌvərs peɪvz ðə weɪ fər ðɛr ˈbɪgəst nu ˈkɛrɪktər, goʊst ˈraɪdər. wən əv ðə ˈrizənz wi θɪŋk goʊst ˈraɪdər wɪl fɪt ðɪs jɪr ɪz ðət ðə ˌsɪnəˈmætɪk ˈjunəˌvərs ɪz biɪŋ ˈoʊpənd əp ˈɪntu ðət world.”*.” ““but*, ɛz wi ˈlərnɪd ɪn thor,”*,” ˈwɛdən kənˈtɪnjud, ˈmɑrvəl əˈproʊʧ ɪz ðət ˈmæʤɪk ɪz ʤɪst saɪəns wi jɛt ˌəndərˈstænd. goʊɪŋ tɪ hæv boʊθ ðə ˌɪntrəˈdəkʃən əv ˈmæʤɪkəl ˈɛləmənts ɪn ɑr ʃoʊ ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈvɛri ˈhɑrdˈkɔr science.”*.” ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt waɪl ˈplænɪŋ fər ðə ˈmuviz kən bi ə ˈʧælənʤ, ðɛr ər səm ædˈvæntɪʤɪz. kən stɑrt tɪ poʊz ðə kˈwɛsʧənz ðət pərˈhæps ðə ˈmuvi wɪl ˈænsər fər us,”*,” sɛd. ˈkəmɪŋ aʊt əv wi si haʊ ðət wɪl əˈfɛkt ɑr ˈkɛrɪktərz ˈmuvɪŋ forward.”*.” sɔrt əv haʊ ˈəðər ʃoʊz trit ə, ə sɔrt əv wɔnt tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn ˈmæʤɪk soʊ ˈdɔktər streɪnʤ wɪl du it,’”*,’” kənˈkludɪd ˈwɛdən. ɪz gigantic.”*.”
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with the delay of inhumans and the upcoming doctor strange, agents of shield has a much wider world to work in. in a press roundtable after their comic-con panel, we talked to executive producers jed whedon and maurissa tancharoen about what those things meant for the future of the show.
agents of shield introduced the history of the marvel cinematic universe’s version of the inhumans in its second season. but, since there was going to be an inhumans movie in 2018, the writers were a bit restricted in what they could do. with inhumans completely lacking a release date right now—first pushed back and then dropped from the schedule—agents of shield is benefiting.
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“we do have a little more freedom,” said jed whedon. “we’ve told a couple of seasons of stories but now we do have some more freedom. so when we return to focusing on inhumans, we’ll be able to do a little bit more.” that freedom, whedon and tancharoen said, included being able to use some of the classic inhumans. we’re pushing for lockjaw.
as for how doctor strange will affect the the show, whedon said that the introduction of that character and his powers into the universe paves the way for their biggest new character, ghost rider. “it’s one of the reasons we think ghost rider will fit this year is that the cinematic universe is being opened up into that world.”
“but, as we learned in thor,” whedon continued, “the marvel approach is that magic is just science we don’t yet understand. we’re going to have both the introduction of magical elements in our show as well as very hardcore science.”
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while planning for the movies can be a challenge, there are some advantages. “we can start to pose the questions that perhaps the movie will answer for us,” said tancharoen. “and coming out of we see how that will affect our characters moving forward.”
“it’s sort of how other shows treat a webisode, a sort of ‘i don’t want to explain magic so doctor strange will do it,’” concluded whedon. “our webisode is gigantic.”
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u.n*. ˈɛnvɔɪ fər ˈsɪriə də ɪz ɪn ˈsɪriə wɛr hi ɪz du tɪ hoʊld tɔks ˈtuzˌdeɪ wɪθ əˈfɪʃəlz ɔn ˈɪmpləˌmɛnɪŋ ə ˈsisˈfaɪər ðɪs wik. hi əraɪvd leɪt ˈmənˌdeɪ ɪn ðə ˈsɪriən ˈkæpɪtəl, dəˈmæskəs, fər ðə ˌənəˈnaʊnst ˈvɪzɪt. wərld paʊərz əˈgrid læst wik tɪ ə ˌsɛˈseɪʃən əv hɑˈstɪlətiz, sɛt tɪ bɪˈgɪn ˈfraɪˌdeɪ, ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ lɛt ˈbædli ˈnidɪd ˌjuˌmænəˈtɛriən eɪd bi dɪˈlɪvərd. ðə ˈsisˈfaɪər ɪz mɛnt tɪ hɛlp meɪk ɪt ˈpɑsəbəl tɪ ˈrɛzəˌmeɪ ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl pis tɔks ðət kəˈlæpst ˈərliər ðɪs mənθ ɪn ʤəˈnivə ˈæftər ʤɪst θri deɪz. sɪns ðɛn, ðə ˈvaɪələns həz ʃoʊn noʊ saɪnz əv ˈlɛtɪŋ əp. ðə ˈsɪriən ˈgəvərnmənt həz kənˈtɪnjud ən əˈfɛnsɪv bækt baɪ ˈrəʃən ˈɛrˌstraɪks. ə waɪd əreɪ əv ˈrɛbəl grups ˈɔlsoʊ kənˈtɪnjuz tɪ faɪt ɪn ðə ˈkəntri, iʧ wɪθ ˈdɪfərənt əˈbʤɛktɪvz ənd ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈbækərz. wərld paʊərz hæv sɛd ðeɪ hoʊp tɪ ˈrɛzəˌmeɪ pis tɔks baɪ ðə ɛnd əv ðə mənθ.
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u.n. envoy for syria staffan de mistura is in syria where he is due to hold talks tuesday with officials on implementing a cease-fire this week.
he arrived late monday in the syrian capital, damascus, for the unannounced visit.
world powers agreed last week to a cessation of hostilities, set to begin friday, in order to let badly needed humanitarian aid be delivered.
the cease-fire is meant to help make it possible to resume international peace talks that collapsed earlier this month in geneva after just three days.
since then, the violence has shown no signs of letting up. the syrian government has continued an offensive backed by russian airstrikes. a wide array of rebel groups also continues to fight in the country, each with different objectives and international backers.
world powers have said they hope to resume peace talks by the end of the month.
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laɪf ɔn skɪd roʊ ðə ˈoʊnli ˈɛriə əv ɪts kaɪnd ɪn ðə ˈkəntri ɪz wərs ðən ˈɛvər ˌbiˈfɔr. ʤɪst æsk ˈændi beɪlz, ˈsiˌiˈoʊ əv ðə ˈjunjən ˈrɛskju ˈmɪʃən. əˈbaʊt tu jɪrz əˈgoʊ, hi ˈkɑntræktəd θri ˈdɪfərənt kaɪnz əv ˈdɛdli bækˈtɪriə i. ˈkoʊli, strɛp ənd stæf. naʊ ˈdɑktərz seɪ hil ˈnɛvər wɔk əˈgɛn, ənd hi meɪ hæv tɪ gɪt hɪz lɛg ˈæmpjəˌteɪtɪd. hi spɛnz məʧ əv hɪz taɪm ɪn ə ˈwiˌlʧɛr. "kənˈdɪʃənz ɔn skɪd roʊ ər wərs ðən ðeɪ hæv ˈɛvər bɪn ɪn ðə 11 jɪrz bɪn hir," beɪlz sɪz. "ənd aɪ wʊd ˈvɛnʧər tɪ seɪ ðət ðeɪ ər ðə wərst ənd ðə moʊst ˈvaɪələnt ənd ðə moʊst ˈlɔləs ðeɪ hæv ˈɛvər bɪn." beɪlz həz ə lɔŋ ˈhɪstəri əv hɛlθ ˈprɑbləmz. hi həz taɪp aɪ ˌdaɪəˈbitiz ənd rɪˈsivd ə ˈkɪdni trænˈsplænt frəm hɪz waɪf ɪn 2013 faɪv wiks ˈæftər ðə trænˈsplænt, hi tʊk pɑrt ɪn ə ˌtraɪˈæθlən, ə dɪˈsɪʒən ðət hi naʊ ədˈmɪts ˈwəzənt hɪz bɛst. ə ˈblɪstər frəm ðə reɪs tərnd ˈɪntu ðə wund ðət, ɪn hɪz əˈpɪnjən, meɪd ɪm ˈvəlnərəbəl tɪ ɔl ˈmænər əv bækˈtɪriə ˈfɛstərɪŋ ɔn skɪd roʊ, dɪˈspaɪt ðə fækt ðət hi wɔr ə ˈspɛʃəl but tɪ prəˈtɛkt hɪmˈsɛlf. kənˈtɪnju ˈrɛdɪŋ hi ˈgɛsɪz hi bɪˈkeɪm ˌɪnˈfɛktɪd waɪl ɔn ə "ˈwɔtər wɔk," wɛr hi ənd ˈmɛmbərz əv hɪz stæf wɔk ðə strits ˈhændɪŋ aʊt ˈwɔtər ˈbɑtəlz. ə fju deɪz ˈleɪtər, ɔn ə flaɪt tɪ ˈrɔli, nɔrθ ˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə, hɪz fʊt bɪˈgæn tɪ eɪk, ənd hi ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ fil ˈfivərɪʃ. ðə ˌɪnˈfɛkʃən sprɛd fæst. "ɪf aɪ ʃoʊd ju ðə ˈpɪkʧərz, bi sɪk," beɪlz sɪz. "maɪ fʊt lʊkt laɪk [ˈsəmθɪŋ aʊt əv] ðə ˈwɔkɪŋ dɛd. aɪ wɛnt ɪn [tɪ ðə ˈhɑˌspɪtəl] ənd ʃoʊd ðɛm ðə fʊt ənd sɛd, 'pliz kət ðɪs ɔf.'" hi hæd tɪ bi hʊkt əp tɪ ən drɪp əv ˌæntibaɪˈɑtɪks fər sɪks wiks ʤɪst tɪ kɪl ðə bækˈtɪriə. stɪl, hɪz fʊt rɪfˈjuzd tɪ hil. hi ˈkɑntræktəd ˈsəmθɪŋ kɔld fʊt, wɪʧ ɪz ˈjuʒəwəli ˈkɑntræktəd baɪ ˈlɛpərz ənd ˌdaɪəˈbɛtɪks; ɪt ˈrɛndərd hɪz fʊt ənd ˈæŋkəl ˈjusləs. ˈoʊnli wɪn ðə ˈdɑktərz riˈmuvd ə boʊn frəm hɪz fʊt dɪd hɪz kənˈdɪʃən ˈsteɪbəˌlaɪz. bət beɪlz wɪl ˈnɛvər əˈgɛn wɔk ˈnɔrməli (hi kən wɔk, sˈloʊli, wɪθ ðə juz əv ə ˈspɛʃəl but), ənd hil ˈprɑbəˌbli ˈɔlˌweɪz weɪk əp ɪn peɪn, wɪʧ hiz bɪn ˈmænəʤɪŋ wɪθ ˌmɛdəˈkeɪʃən. ðə ˈʃɑkɪŋli ənˈsænəˌtɛri kənˈdɪʃənz faʊnd ɔn skɪd roʊ ər ˈrɛrli sin ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ðə θərd wərld. ɪn 2013 ˈpəblɪk hɛlθ əˈfɪʃəlz dɪˈskəvərd ə streɪn əv təˌbərkjəˈloʊsɪs bɪˈlivd juˈnik tɪ ðə ˈɛriə. ənd waɪl ɔl ðɪs meɪks ʤɪst ˈwɔkɪŋ daʊn ðə strit ˈdeɪnʤərəs, fər ˌdaɪəˈbɛtɪks ənd ˈəðər ˈpipəl wɪθ ˈkɑmprəˌmaɪzd ˌɪmˈjun ˈsɪstəmz, ɪt kən bi ˈdɛdli. "ðɛr ər ˈmɛni ˈəðər ˈvəlnərəbəl ˈpipəl laɪk mi, ˌdaɪəˈbɛtɪks, ðət ər ɔn ðiz strits," beɪlz sɪz. "aɪ faʊnd wən jəŋ ˈleɪdi, hər θəm wɑz blæk, ənd ʃi wɑz ˈgɑnə luz hər θəm. ɪt tʊk mi ən aʊər tɪ kənˈvɪns hər tɪ kəm ɪn hir tɪ ɑr ˈklɪnɪk ənd ðɛn goʊ tɪ ðə ˈhɑˌspɪtəl. soʊ wət aɪ ɪkˈspɪriənst, ə lɔt əv ðə ˈvəlnərəbəl ˈpipəl ɔn ðə ˈsaɪdˌwɔk ər ɪkˈspɪriənsɪŋ bɪˈkəz əv ðə kənˈdɪʃənz ðət ər aʊt ðɛr raɪt naʊ." əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈleɪtəst kaʊnt, ðɛr ər mɔr ðən ˈhoʊmləs mɛn ənd ˈwɪmən ɪn lɔs ˈænʤəlɪs, ə 16 pərˈsɛnt ˌɪnˈkris frəm tu jɪrz əˈgoʊ. bət ðoʊz əˈfɪʃəl ˈnəmbərz doʊnt kwaɪt sim tɪ ˈkæpʧər ðə ˈmægnəˌtud əv ðə ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk, əˈpɛrənt ˈəndər ˈmɛni ˈbrɪʤɪz ənd ˈfriˌweɪ ˈoʊvərˌpæsɪz. ˈivɪn ɪn ˈneɪbərˌhʊdz laɪk ˈsɪlvər leɪk ənd ˈvɛnɪs, ðɛr ər ˈdəzənz, ɪn səm ˈkeɪsɪz ˈhənərdz, əv ˈhoʊmləs ɪnˈkæmpmɪnts. "ˈvɛnɪs həz bɪˈkəm ə ˈsɛkənd skɪd roʊ," beɪlz sɪz. "ɪf ju gɑt tɪ θərd ənd roʊz, ju wɪl θɪŋk ɔn skɪd roʊ. ðɛr ər mɔr ðən 100 ˈpipəl ɪn tɛnts ɔn ðə ˈsaɪdˌwɔk." skɪd roʊ ˈændi beɪlz tˈwɪtər bət ˈnəθɪŋ kəmˈpɛrz tɪ ðə ʃɪr ˈdɛnsɪti əv ˈpipəl ɪn ˈdaʊnˈtaʊnz ˌdaʊnˈtrɑdən ˈsɛktər: ˈɛniˌwɛr frəm tɪ ˈpipəl (beɪlz ˈɛstəˌmeɪts twaɪs ɛz ˈmɛni ɛz ðɛr wər wɪn hi fərst ˈstɑrtɪd ˈwərkɪŋ æt ðə ˈmɪʃən 11 jɪrz əˈgoʊ) ər ˈlɪvɪŋ ɔn ðə strits ənd ɪn ˈʃɛltərz ɪn ə ˈrəfli ˈreɪdiəs, ən ˈɛriə ðət ɪz ˌnɛvərðəˈlɛs ˈʤɛntrɪˌfaɪɪŋ ˈivɪn ɛz kənˈdɪʃənz ˈwərsən. "naʊ, kɪdz ɪn ðə tɛnts ɔn skɪd roʊ, fər ðə fərst taɪm ɪn jɪrz," beɪlz sɪz. hi ædz ðət ðə strits ər mɔr ˈdeɪnʤərəs ðən ˈɛvər ˌbiˈfɔr soʊ ˈdeɪnʤərəs, ɪn fækt, ðət ðə ˈrɛskju ˈmɪʃənz stæf ər əˈfreɪd tɪ wɔk tɪ lənʧ. ˈhoʊmləsnəs ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət moʊst bɪg ˈsɪtiz ɪn əˈmɛrɪkə ər ˈkərəntli ˈstrəgəlɪŋ wɪθ. bət waɪl nu jɔrk meɪər bɪl də ɪz ˈtækəlɪŋ ðə ˈprɑbləm hɛd ɔn, ˈkɔlɪŋ ɪt ən ˌɛpɪˈdɛmɪk ənd ˈspɛndɪŋ 22 ˈmɪljən ɔn ə nu ˌɪˈnɪʃətɪv, l.a*. meɪər ˈɛrɪk ˌgɑˈrʧɛtiz rɪˈspɑns həz bɪn ˈrəðər ˈtɛpɪd. ˌgɑˈrʧɛti dɪd, ɪn ˌʤuˈlaɪ, dɪˈklɛr "wɔr" ɔn ˈhoʊmləsnəs, bət hiz dən ˈlɪtəl ɪn ðə weɪ əv ˈspɛndɪŋ ˈɛni ril ˈməni. læst jɪr, hi plɛʤd tɪ ɛnd ˈvɛtərən ˈhoʊmləsnəs baɪ ðə ɛnd əv 2015 bət hɪz ˈɔfəs həz ədˈmɪtəd ðət ðɛl mɪs ˈivɪn ðət goʊl. ðə ˈprɑbləm, ˈminˌwaɪl, simz tɪ bi ˈgɪtɪŋ wərs. ən ˈɛstəˌmeɪtɪd ˈpipəl bɪˈkəm ˈhoʊmləs ɪn l.a*. ˈkaʊnti ˈɛvəri mənθ. beɪlz stɪl goʊz aʊt ɔn ˈwɔtər wɔks hi roʊlz əˈlɔŋ ɪn hɪz ˈwiˌlʧɛr. ɪts ˈdɪfəkəlt. ˈsaɪdˌwɔks ər ˈɔfən blɑkt baɪ ɪnˈkæmpmɪnts. ðə θɪŋz hi siz ər stɪl ɛz ˈʃɑkɪŋ ɛz ˈɛvər: "wi sɔ ə gaɪ ðə ˈəðər deɪ, hi wɑz ˈprɑbəˌbli ənd 90 paʊnz. hi wɑz soʊ wik hi pʊl əp hɪz oʊn pænts. hi wɑz ʤɪst ˈstændɪŋ ðɛr ˈʃeɪkɪŋ. hi wɑz wən əv ˈsɛvərəl ˈpipəl wi sɔ ðət wər ðət θɪn ənd ðət sɪk. ənd ðeɪ hæd deɪz, ɪf nɑt aʊərz, tɪ lɪv ɪn ðət kənˈdɪʃən. "ɪt raɪt tɪ hæv ˈprɛʃəs ˈjumən biɪŋz ˈlɪvɪŋ ənd daɪɪŋ ɪn ðɪs fɪlθ, ɔn ðə strits əv skɪd roʊ. tɪ hæv ˈprɛʃəs ˈpipəl ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ðiz kənˈdɪʃənz ənd daɪɪŋ ɪts ən ɪmˈbɛrəsmənt."
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life on l.a.'s skid row – the only area of its kind in the country – is worse than ever before. just ask andy bales, ceo of the union rescue mission. about two years ago, he contracted three different kinds of deadly bacteria – e. coli, strep and staph. now doctors say he'll never walk again, and he may have to get his leg amputated. he spends much of his time in a wheelchair.
"conditions on skid row are worse than they have ever been in the 11 years i’ve been here," bales says. "and i would venture to say that they are the worst and the most violent and the most lawless they have ever been."
bales has a long history of health problems. he has type i diabetes and received a kidney transplant — from his wife — in 2013. five weeks after the transplant, he took part in a triathlon, a decision that he now admits wasn't his best. a blister from the race turned into the wound that, in his opinion, made him vulnerable to all manner of bacteria festering on skid row, despite the fact that he wore a special boot to protect himself.
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he guesses he became infected while on a "water walk," where he and members of his staff walk the streets handing out water bottles. a few days later, on a flight to raleigh, north carolina, his foot began to ache, and he started to feel feverish.
the infection spread horrifyingly fast.
"if i showed you the pictures, you’d be sick," bales says. "my foot looked like [something out of] the walking dead. i went in [to the hospital] and showed them the foot and said, 'please cut this off.'"
he had to be hooked up to an iv drip of antibiotics for six weeks just to kill the bacteria. still, his foot refused to heal. he contracted something called charcot foot, which is usually contracted by lepers and diabetics; it rendered his foot and ankle useless. only when the doctors removed a bone from his foot did his condition stabilize.
but bales will never again walk normally (he can walk, slowly, with the use of a special boot), and he'll probably always wake up in pain, which he's been managing with medication.
the shockingly unsanitary conditions found on skid row are rarely seen outside the third world. in 2013, public health officials discovered a strain of tuberculosis believed unique to the area. and while all this makes just walking down the street dangerous, for diabetics and other people with compromised immune systems, it can be deadly.
"there are many other vulnerable people like me, diabetics, that are on these streets," bales says. "i found one young lady, her thumb was black, and she was gonna lose her thumb. it took me an hour to convince her to come in here to our clinic and then go to the hospital. so what i experienced, a lot of the vulnerable people on the sidewalk are experiencing because of the conditions that are out there right now."
according to the latest count, there are more than 41,000 homeless men and women in los angeles, a 16 percent increase from two years ago. but those official numbers don't quite seem to capture the magnitude of the epidemic, apparent under many bridges and freeway overpasses. even in neighborhoods like silver lake and venice, there are dozens, in some cases hundreds, of homeless encampments.
"venice has become a second skid row," bales says. "if you got to third and rose, you will think you’re on skid row. there are more than 100 people in tents on the sidewalk."
skid row andy bales / twitter
but nothing compares to the sheer density of people in downtown's downtrodden sector: anywhere from 2,000 to 11,000 people (bales estimates 4,000, twice as many as there were when he first started working at the mission 11 years ago) are living on the streets and in shelters in a roughly 40-block radius, an area that is nevertheless gentrifying even as conditions worsen.
"now, there’s kids in the tents on skid row, for the first time in years," bales says. he adds that the streets are more dangerous than ever before — so dangerous, in fact, that the rescue mission's staff are afraid to walk to lunch.
homelessness is something that most big cities in america are currently struggling with. but while new york mayor bill de blasio is tackling the problem head on, calling it an epidemic and spending $22 million on a new mental-health initiative, l.a. mayor eric garcetti's response has been rather tepid.
garcetti did, in july, declare "war" on homelessness, but he's done little in the way of spending any real money. last year, he pledged to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015, but his office has admitted that they'll miss even that goal. the problem, meanwhile, seems to be getting worse. an estimated 13,000 people become homeless in l.a. county every month.
bales still goes out on water walks – he rolls along in his wheelchair. it's difficult. sidewalks are often blocked by encampments. the things he sees are still as shocking as ever:
"we saw a guy the other day, he was probably 6-foot-3 and 90 pounds. he was so weak he couldn’t pull up his own pants. he was just standing there shaking. he was one of several people we saw that were that thin and that sick. and they had days, if not hours, to live in that condition.
"it isn’t right to have precious human beings living and dying in this filth, on the streets of skid row. to have precious people living in these conditions and dying — it's an embarrassment."
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ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən əv ðə kəmˈplitli rɪˈvərsɪz ˈlərnɪŋ ənd ˈmɛməri ˈdɛfɪsɪts kɔzd baɪ breɪn ˈliʒənz ɪn ræts, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ə fərst taɪm ˌdɪˈskəvri baɪ ə grup əv ˈrisərʧərz lɛd baɪ ðə. ðə ˈrisərʧ həz ˈɔlsoʊ sərvd tɪ ˈstədi ðə ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəmz θru wɪʧ ðɪs rɪˈkəvəri əˈkərz, səˈʤɛstɪŋ ðət ðə ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən əv ðə ˈæktəˌveɪts ˈsɛvərəl ˈriʤənz əv ðə breɪn, əˈspɛʃəli ðə ˈmɛməri ˈsɪstəmz, wɪʧ ˈɔfər kəmˈpɛnsəˌtɔri ˈifɛkts. ðə ˈrisərʧ, ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn breɪn ˈrisərʧ, wɑz kənˈdəktəd baɪ ˈpaɪlər seɪˈgʊrə ənd ˌɪgˈnɑsioʊ mɔrˈgɑdoʊ (koʊˈɔrdəˌneɪtərz), ˈlɔrə ənd mɑrk ramoneda*, əv ðə ˈɪnstɪˌtut əv ənd ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ənd hɛlθ ˈsaɪənsɪz ˌmɛθəˈdɑləʤi əv ðə ənd baɪ ˈkædər ənd ˈʤɛmə ˈhugeɪt, məˈlɛkjələr baɪˈɑləʤɪsts əv ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv girona*, tɪ ɪkˈsplɔr ðə paʊər əv dip breɪn ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən ˈtritmənts ɪn ðə tɪ rɪˈkəvər ðə əˈbɪləˌti tɪ lərn ənd rɪˈmɛmbər ˈæftər ə səˈvɪr ˈliʒən əv ðə ˌæmɪgˈdɑlə. ðə ˌæmɪgˈdɑlə ɪz ə ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈriʤən fər ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪˌmoʊʃənz, əˈspɛʃəli ðə wənz ðət əˈlərt ˈjuˈɛs əv ən ˈɪmənənt ˈdeɪnʤər, ənd ðə ˈriʤən ɪz ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn ðə ˈlərnɪŋ ənd fɪr kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ. dɪsˈfəŋkʃənz ɪn ðɪs pɑrt əv ðə breɪn blɑk ðə əˈbɪləˌti tɪ lərn ˈstɪmjələs əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən, səʧ ɛz siɪŋ ə faɪər ənd rɪˈleɪtɪŋ ɪt tɪ ðə ˈdeɪnʤər əv biɪŋ bərnt, ənd kən bi kɔzd baɪ θɪŋz səʧ ɛz ˌbaɪoʊˈkɛmɪkəl ˌɔltərˈeɪʃənz əv ðə neurotransmitters*, ɪkˈstrimli tɛns ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃənz, stroʊks ər tumours*. ðə ˈrisərʧ ˈvɛrəˌfaɪd haʊ ˈænəməlz huz ˌæmɪgˈdɑlə wɑz ˈdæmɪʤd ɪn mɔr ðən 70 ˈtoʊtəli rɪˈkəvərd ðə əˈbɪləˌti tɪ lərn ənd rɪˈmɛmbər ˈæftər biɪŋ səbˈmɪtəd tɪ ˈsɛvərəl ˈsɛʃənz, fərst ɪn ˈlərnɪŋ ənd ðɛn ɪn ðə ˌɪntrəˈkreɪniəl əv ðə, wɪʧ kənˈsɪsts əv ˈsɛndɪŋ ɪˈlɛktrɪk ˌɪmˈpəlsɪz tɪ ðət ˈriʤən əv ðə breɪn. ðə ˈifɛkts læst əp tɪ θri mənθs ˈæftər tɛn ˈtritmənt ˈsɛʃənz, kənˈtrɪbjutɪŋ tɪ ðə kənˌsɑləˈdeɪʃən əv ˌɪmˈplɪsət ənd ɪkˈsplɪsət ˈmɛməri. mɔˈroʊvər, ðə ˈlərnɪŋ ənd riˈtɛnʃən ˈlɛvəlz əv ðə ˈɪnʤərd ˈænəməlz wər ˈivɪn ˈbɛtər ðən ðət əv ˈhɛlθi ˈænəməlz. ˈrisərʧərz əˈfərm ðət ðɪs ɪz ðə fərst ˈstədi tɪ ʃoʊ wət ə strɔŋ ˈifɛkt ðɪs ˈtritmənt həz ɪn ˈænəməlz wɪθ breɪn ˈɪnʤəriz. ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ðə breɪn haʊ kən ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən tɪ ðə ˈkɑmpənˌseɪt ˈdæmɪʤɪz ɪn ðə ˌæmɪgˈdɑlə, ən ˈɛriə wɪʧ ɪz ɛˈsɛnʃəl tɪ ˈlərnɪŋ ənd rɪˈmɛmbərɪŋ? ˈrisərʧərz ɔˈrɛdi ˈhaɪˌlaɪtɪd ɪn ˈpriviəs ˈstədiz ðət ðɪs ˌæktəˈveɪʃən prəˈdust ˈstrəkʧərəl ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ðə breɪn, ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ˈnʊrəl kəˈnɛkʃənz, ðə ɪkˈsprɛʃən əv ʤinz wɪθ ˈfəŋkʃənz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ˈnʊrəl ənd neuroprotection*. ɪn ðɪs ˈstədi, ˈrisərʧərz ˈɔlsoʊ wər ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈvɛrəˌfaɪ ðət ɪn ə smɔl pɑrt əv ðə ˌæmɪgˈdɑlə wɪʧ wɑz nɑt ˈdæmɪʤd ðɛr wɑz mɔr ækˈtɪvɪti, ə ki ˈɛnˌzaɪm ɪn ðə məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm əv əˌsɛtəlˈkoʊlin, ə wɪʧ ɪz ɛˈsɛnʃəl fər ˈlərnɪŋ ənd rɪˈmɛmbərɪŋ. "ðɪs ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən əv ðə ækˈtɪvɪti məst fɔrm pɑrt əv ðə rɪˈkəvəri ənd ˌɪmˈpruvmənt prəˈdust baɪ ðə ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən, ɪt meɪ ˈivɪn ˈrɛgjəˌleɪt ðɪs ækˈtɪvɪti ɪn ˈəðər pɑrts əv ðə breɪn, əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ðə ˈmɛməri ˈsɪstəmz, wɪʧ hir wʊd wərk ɛz kəmˈpɛnsəˌtɔri ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəmz," ɪkˈspleɪnz ˈpaɪlər seɪˈgʊrə. "ðɪs meɪks ˈjuˈɛs θɪŋk ðət ðə ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən əv ðə dɪz nɑt əˈfɛkt ˈoʊnli wən pɑrt, ˈrəðər ɪt həz ˈsɛvərəl ˈækʃən pæθs ənd dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɔn wɛr ðə ˈliʒən ɪz ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd, ɪt kən ˈstɪmjəˌleɪt ˈdɪfərənt ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəmz wɪθ ðə eɪm əv rɪˈpɛrɪŋ ˈdɪfərənt dɪsˈfəŋkʃənz." ðə ˈstədi, ˈrisərʧərz seɪ, ˈdɛmənˌstreɪts ðə ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl ˌθɛrəˈpjutɪk paʊər əv ənd pɔɪnts tɪ ðə fækt ðət, ɪn əˈdɪʃən tɪ ˈlərnɪŋ ənd rɪˈmɛmbərɪŋ, ðə ˈtritmənt kʊd bi ˈifɛktɪv ɪn "unlearning*," i.e*. ɪn ˌdɪskəˈnɛktɪŋ ðə ˈstɪmjələs əv ˌdɪˈseɪblɪŋ ˈɪˌmoʊʃənz səʧ ɛz ðoʊz kɔzd baɪ ˌpoʊstrɔˈmætɪk strɛs. mɔr ˌpridɪˈspoʊzd tɪ ˈlərnɪŋ ðə ɪz ə ˈriʤən əv ðə breɪn ɪn wɪʧ ðə moʊst ˈbeɪsɪk ˌɪmˈpəlsɪz ər faʊnd, ˈhɛlpɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs tɪ sərˈvaɪv ənd prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ˈjuˈɛs wɪθ ˈplɛʒər. ɪt ɪz pɑrt əv ðə breɪnz rɪˈwɔrd ˈsɪstəm, wɪʧ meɪks ˈjuˈɛs fil gʊd ˈæftər ˈkɛriɪŋ aʊt ən ækˈtɪvɪti ənd hɛlps ˈjuˈɛs ʧeɪnʤ ɑr bɪˈheɪvjər θru ˈpɑzətɪv ˌriɪnˈfɔrsmənt. "wiv dɪˈskəvərd ðət wɪn wi ˈstɪmjəˌleɪt ðə, ðɛr ɪz ə ˈgreɪtər ˌpridɪspəˈzɪʃən tɪ lərn," ˌɪgˈnɑsioʊ mɔrˈgɑdoʊ ɪkˈspleɪnz. "wi bɪˈliv ðət ˈkɔzɪz ðiz ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ðə ˈmɛməri ˈsɪstəm ɪn ə weɪ ˈsɪmələr tɪ wɪn wi ər ˈlərnɪŋ. ðə riˈlis əv neurotransmitters*, ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn kəˈnɛkʃənz, mɔr ɪkˈsprɛʃən ɪn ðə ʤinz ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn ˈlərnɪŋ ənd ˈmɛməri ˈdɛmənˌstreɪt ʤɪst ðət," hi ædz. ˈpriviəsli, hæd pruvd ɪˈfɪʃənt ɪn ðə ˈpɑrʃəl rɪˈvərsəl əv ˈmɛməri ˈdɛfɪsɪts ənd ɪn ˈspeɪʃəl ˈlərnɪŋ əˈfɛktɪd baɪ strɛs, ˈɔlsoʊ ɪn ræts. əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈrisərʧərz, ɪt ɪz ən ˌɪnˈveɪsɪv tɛkˈnik ɪn wɪʧ ðə ˈbɛnəfɪts məst bi weɪd ˈkloʊsli əˈgɛnst ðə rɪsks. "ɪn ðə fˈjuʧər, ˈsɪmələr ənd nɑt ɛz ˌɪnˈveɪsɪv ˈtritmənts səʧ ɛz mægˈnɛtɪk ˌstɪmjəˈleɪʃən kʊd prəˈvaɪd ˈsɪmələr ˈifɛkts. ðɪs tɛkˈnik ɪz biɪŋ ˈtɛstɪd ɔn ˈænəməlz ənd, ˌɔlˈðoʊ ɪt ɪz nɑt ɛz prɪˈsaɪs, ɪt simz tɪ bi ˈjildɪŋ gʊd rɪˈzəlts. ðət ɪz waɪ ɪt ɪz ɛˈsɛnʃəl tɪ ˈkɑndəkt mɔr ˈstədiz ənd ðə ˈkɑmplɛks ˈnʊrəl ˈsərkəts ənd ðə roʊl əv tɛkˈniks səʧ ɛz ðiz ɪn ˈmɑdəˌfaɪɪŋ breɪn ˈfəŋkʃənz ənd spəˈsɪfɪkli ɪn ˌɪmˈpruvɪŋ ðə ˈmɛməri," ˈpaɪlər seɪˈgʊrə kənˈkludz.
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stimulation of the hypothalamus completely reverses learning and memory deficits caused by brain lesions in rats, according to a first time discovery by a group of researchers led by the uab. the research has also served to study the mechanisms through which this recovery occurs, suggesting that the stimulation of the hypothalamus activates several regions of the brain, especially the memory systems, which offer compensatory effects.
the research, published in behavioural brain research, was conducted by pilar segura and ignacio morgado (coordinators), laura aldavert and marc ramoneda, psychobiologists of the institute of neurosciences and the department of psychobiology and health sciences methodology of the uab and by elisabet kadar and gemma huguet, molecular biologists of the university of girona, to explore the power of deep brain stimulation treatments in the hypothalamus to recover the ability to learn and remember after a severe lesion of the amygdala.
the amygdala is a critical region for basic emotions, especially the ones that alert us of an imminent danger, and the region is involved in the learning and fear conditioning. dysfunctions in this part of the brain block the ability to learn stimulus association, such as seeing a fire and relating it to the danger of being burnt, and can be caused by things such as biochemical alterations of the neurotransmitters, extremely tense situations, strokes or tumours.
the research verified how animals whose amygdala was damaged in more than 70% totally recovered the ability to learn and remember after being submitted to several sessions, first in learning and then in the intracranial self-stimulation of the hypothalamus, which consists of sending electric impulses to that region of the brain. the effects last up to three months after ten 60-minute treatment sessions, contributing to the consolidation of implicit and explicit memory. moreover, the learning and retention levels of the injured animals were even better than that of healthy animals.
researchers affirm that this is the first study to show what a strong effect this treatment has in animals with brain injuries.
changes in the brain
how can stimulation to the hypothalamus compensate damages in the amygdala, an area which is essential to learning and remembering? researchers already highlighted in previous studies that this activation produced structural changes in the brain, increasing neural connections, the expression of genes with functions related to neural plasticity and neuroprotection. in this study, researchers also were able to verify that in a small part of the amygdala which was not damaged there was more acetylcholinesterase activity, a key enzyme in the metabolism of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter which is essential for learning and remembering.
"this regulation of the cholinergic activity must form part of the recovery and improvement produced by the stimulation, it may even regulate this activity in other parts of the brain, especially in the memory systems, which here would work as compensatory mechanisms," explains pilar segura. "this makes us think that the stimulation of the hypothalamus does not affect only one part, rather it has several action paths and depending on where the lesion is located, it can stimulate different mechanisms with the aim of repairing different dysfunctions."
the study, researchers say, demonstrates the exceptional therapeutic power of dbs and points to the fact that, in addition to learning and remembering, the treatment could be effective in "unlearning," i.e. in disconnecting the stimulus of disabling emotions such as those caused by post-traumatic stress.
more predisposed to learning
the hypothalamus is a region of the brain in which the most basic impulses are found, helping us to survive and providing us with pleasure. it is part of the brain's reward system, which makes us feel good after carrying out an activity and helps us change our behaviour through positive reinforcement.
"we've discovered that when we stimulate the hypothalamus, there is a greater predisposition to learn," ignacio morgado explains. "we believe that dbs causes these changes in the memory system in a way similar to when we are learning. the release of neurotransmitters, changes in synaptic connections, more expression in the genes involved in learning and memory demonstrate just that," he adds.
previously, dbs had proved efficient in the partial reversal of memory deficits and in spatial learning affected by stress, also in rats. according to researchers, it is an invasive technique in which the benefits must be weighed closely against the risks.
"in the future, similar and not as invasive treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation could provide similar effects. this technique is being tested on animals and, although it is not as precise, it seems to be yielding good results. that is why it is essential to conduct more studies and analyse the complex neural circuits and the role of techniques such as these in modifying brain functions and specifically in improving the memory," pilar segura concludes.
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ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ æt dəsk ɪf ju ˈfɑloʊ mi ju ɔˈrɛdi noʊ aɪ æm ə juʤ ˈdɪzni fæn. ˈpərsənəli ɛz ə fəˈtɑgrəfər aɪ θɪŋk ˈdɪzni (wərld, lænd, ˈpɛrɪs, hɔŋ kɔŋg, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə.) ɪz ðə bɛst pleɪs tɪ ˈfoʊtəˌgræf. nɑt ˈoʊnli ɪz ðɛr soʊ məʧ tɪ ʃut, ˈdɪzni pɑrks hæv soʊ məʧ ˈditeɪl ju meɪk ɪt tu fɑr daʊn meɪn strit æt ˈmæʤɪk ˈkɪŋdəm wɪˈθaʊt ˈʃutɪŋ æt list wən ˈhənərd ˈfoʊˌtoʊz. ðə ˈəðər θɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈdɪzni pɑrks ɪz haʊ ðeɪ ““transform”*” æt naɪt, ɛz ˈɛvədənt baɪ ðə ˈpɪkʧər hir əv ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ. ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ ɪz lɪt əp wɪθ ˈpərpəlz ənd pɪŋks wɪʧ mæʧt ðə ˈsənˌsɛt ˈpərfəktli ɪn ðɪs ʃɑt. ɪt ˈɔlsoʊ hɛlpt ðət ðə ˈfaʊntən əv ˈneɪʃənz ɪz lɪt əp wɪθ ən ˈɔrɪnʤ laɪt, aɪ æm ˈgɛsɪŋ nɑt baɪ ˈæksədənt, wɪʧ ædz tɪ ðə ˈkələr əv ðə ʃɑt. aɪ dɪd ˈɛdət ðə ˈfoʊˌtoʊ ɪn boʊθ ənd ˈfoʊˌtoʊˌʃɑp. dɪˈspaɪt maɪ ˈpeɪʃəns səm əv ðə pɑrk gɛst ðɪs deɪ dɪd nɑt wɔnt tɪ kˈwɑpərˌeɪt soʊ aɪ hæd noʊ ʧɔɪs bət tɪ ˈdɪʤətəli riˈmuv ðɛm. ˈwəri aɪ dɪd ɪt ɪn ˈdɪzni ˈfæʃən ənd weɪvd səm ˈpɪksi dəst tɪ meɪk ðeɪ ˈmæʤɪkəli ˌdɪsəˈpɪr. mɔr əˈbaʊt ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ frəm ˈwɪkiˌpiˌdiə: ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp ərθ ɪz ðə neɪm ˈgɪvɪn tɪ ðə 165 ˌʤiəˈdɛsɪk sfɪr ðət grits ˈvɪzɪtərz æt ðə ˈɛntrəns əv wɔlt ˈdɪzni ˈɛpˌkɔt θim pɑrk. haʊzd wɪˈθɪn ðə sfɪr ɪz ə dɑrk raɪd ðət sərvz tɪ ɪkˈsplɔr ðə ˈhɪstəri əv kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz ənd prəˈmoʊt ˈfaʊndɪŋ ˈprɪnsəpəlz, “[“[a*] bɪˈlif ənd praɪd ɪn əˈbɪləˌti tɪ ʃeɪp ə wərld ðət ˈɔfərz hoʊp tɪ ˈpipəl everywhere.”*.” ə ˈpriviəs ˌɪnˈkɑrˈneɪʃən əv ðə raɪd, ˈnɛˌreɪtɪd baɪ ˈæktər ˈʤɛrəˌmi aɪərnz ənd rɪˈvaɪzd ɪn 2008 wɑz ɪkˈsplɪsət ɪn ɪts ˈmɛsɪʤ: ə grænd ənd mərˈækjələs ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp, ɑr ˈplænət həz seɪld θru ðə ˈjunəˌvərs əv taɪm, ənd fər ə brif ˈmoʊmənt, wi hæv bɪn əˈməŋ ɪts ˈmɛni passengers…*… wi naʊ hæv ðə əˈbɪləˌti ənd ðə riˌspɑnsəˈbɪləti tɪ bɪld nu ˈbrɪʤɪz əv əkˈsɛptəns ənd bɪtˈwin ˈjuˈɛs, tɪ kriˈeɪt ə ˈbɛtər wərld fər ɑrˈsɛlvz ənd ɑr ˈʧɪldrən ɛz wi kənˈtɪnju ɑr əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈʤərni əˈbɔrd ˈspeɪsˌʃɪp earth.”*.” ˈæpərʧər: ˈfoʊkəl lɛŋθ: iso*: 320 ˈʃətər spid: ʃɛr ðɪs: iˈmeɪl ˈfeɪsˌbʊk tˈwɪtər ˈtəmblər mɔr ˈpɑkət
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spaceship earth at dusk
if you follow me you already know i am a huge disney fan. personally as a photographer i think disney (world, land, paris, hong kong, etc.) is the best place to photograph. not only is there so much to shoot, disney parks have so much detail you can’t make it too far down main street at magic kingdom without shooting at least one hundred photos. the other thing about disney parks is how they “transform” at night, as evident by the picture here of spaceship earth. spaceship earth is lit up with purples and pinks which matched the sunset perfectly in this shot. it also helped that the fountain of nations is lit up with an orange light, i am guessing not by accident, which adds to the color of the shot. i did edit the photo in both lightroom and photoshop. despite my patience some of the park guest this day did not want to cooperate so i had no choice but to digitally remove them. don’t worry i did it in disney fashion and waved some pixie dust to make they magically disappear.
more about spaceship earth from wikipedia:
spaceship earth is the name given to the 165 ft geodesic sphere that greets visitors at the entrance of walt disney world‘s epcot theme park. housed within the sphere is a dark ride that serves to explore the history of communications and promote epcot’s founding principles, “[a] belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.” a previous incarnation of the ride, narrated by actor jeremy irons and revised in 2008, was explicit in its message: “like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time, and for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers… we now have the ability and the responsibility to build new bridges of acceptance and co-operation between us, to create a better world for ourselves and our children as we continue our amazing journey aboard spaceship earth.”
aperture: ƒ/5.6
focal length: 50mm
iso: 320
shutter speed: 1/80s
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ˈkɑpiˌraɪt baɪ ɔl raɪts rɪˈzərvd ˈmɪʧəl ˈmɔrɪs ɪz əˈkjuzd əv ˈʃutɪŋ 2 ˈpipəl ɪn ðɛr hoʊm ɪn ˈkrʊkəd ˈrɪvər rænʧ, ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 26 2016 (osp*) ˈkɑpiˌraɪt baɪ ɔl raɪts rɪˈzərvd ˈmɪʧəl ˈmɔrɪs ɪz əˈkjuzd əv ˈʃutɪŋ 2 ˈpipəl ɪn ðɛr hoʊm ɪn ˈkrʊkəd ˈrɪvər rænʧ, ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 26 2016 (osp*) 6 nuz stæf ˈpɔrtlənd, ɔr. (koin*) ə mæn səˈspɛktɪd ɪn ə ˈdəbəl ˈhɑməˌsaɪd wɑz ərˈɛstɪd ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ ˈmɔrnɪŋ ɪn ˈseɪləm. ˈkɑpiˌraɪt baɪ ɔl raɪts rɪˈzərvd ˈmɪʧəl ˈmɔrɪs wɑz ərˈɛstɪd baɪ ˈseɪləm pəˈlis, ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 27 2016 (ˈkərtəsi ˈbrændən ˈlɛsli) ˈkɑpiˌraɪt baɪ ɔl raɪts rɪˈzərvd ˈmɪʧəl ˈmɔrɪs wɑz ərˈɛstɪd baɪ ˈseɪləm pəˈlis, ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 27 2016 (ˈkərtəsi ˈbrændən ˈlɛsli) əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈɔrəˌgɑn steɪt pəˈlis, ˈmɪʧəl ˈmɔrɪs ʃɑt tu ˈpipəl ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðɛr hoʊm ɔn sænd rɪʤ roʊd ɪn ˈkrʊkəd ˈrɪvər rænʧ. ðə ˈvɪktɪmz hæv bɪn aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪd ɛz reɪ ˈsaʊθwɪk ənd məˈkɛnzi ˈlaɪmən. ˈsaʊθwɪk, ˈlaɪmən ənd ˈmɔrɪs wər ɔl ˈruˌmeɪts. pəˈlis seɪ ðeɪ rɪˈsivd ə rɪˈpɔrt əv ə ˈʃutɪŋ æt ðə ˈrɛzɪdəns ˈfraɪˌdeɪ naɪt əˈbaʊt ə ˈpərsən ˈnɪrˈbaɪ hərd ðə ˈgənˌʃɑts ənd sɔ ə ˈpɪˌkəp liv ðə ˈɛriə. pəˈlis sərʧt ðə ˌɪˈmiˌdiət ˈɛriə, ɛz wɛl ɛz pɑrts əv ˈsɛntrəl ˈɔrəˌgɑn ənd ðə ˌwɪləˈmɛt ˈvæli ənd dɪd nɑt faɪnd ˈmɔrɪs. hi ɪz ərˈɪʤənəli frəm ðə poʊlk ˈkaʊnti ˈɛriə ənd əˈfɪʃəlz səˈspɛktɪd hi wɛnt ðɛr ˈæftər ðə ˈʃutɪŋ. hi ɪz dɪˈskraɪbd ɛz ənd 150 paʊnz. hi wɑz ˈdraɪvɪŋ ə 1989 ˈʧɛˌvi ɪkˈstɛndɪd kæb ˈpɪˌkəp. ɪt ɪz rɛd ˈoʊvər blæk. ɪt wɑz ˈɔlsoʊ rɪˈkəvərd æt ðə taɪm əv ˈmɔrɪs' ərˈɛst. ðə ˈʤɛfərsən ˈkaʊnti ˈʃɛrɪfs ˈɔfəs ənd ˈɔrəˌgɑn steɪt pəˈlis ər ˈæskɪŋ fər tɪps ɔn ˈmɔrɪs' ˈwɛrəˌbaʊts bɪtˈwin ˈfraɪˌdeɪ ˈivnɪŋ ənd ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ ˈmɔrnɪŋ, wɪn hi wɑz ərˈɛstɪd. ˈɛniˌwən wɪθ ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɪz æst tɪ kɔl
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copyright by koin - all rights reserved mitchell morris is accused of shooting 2 people in their home in crooked river ranch, feb. 26, 2016 (osp)
copyright by koin - all rights reserved mitchell morris is accused of shooting 2 people in their home in crooked river ranch, feb. 26, 2016 (osp)
koin 6 news staff - portland, ore. (koin) --- a man suspected in a double homicide was arrested saturday morning in salem.
copyright by koin - all rights reserved mitchell morris was arrested by salem police, feb. 27, 2016 (courtesy brandon leslie)
copyright by koin - all rights reserved mitchell morris was arrested by salem police, feb. 27, 2016 (courtesy brandon leslie)
according to oregon state police, 20-year-old mitchell morris shot two people inside their home on sand ridge road in crooked river ranch.
the victims have been identified as 18-year-old bailee ray southwick and 21-year-old mackenzie lyman. southwick, lyman and morris were all roommates.
police say they received a report of a shooting at the residence friday night about 7:00. a person nearby heard the gunshots and saw a pickup leave the area.
police searched the immediate area, as well as parts of central oregon and the willamette valley and did not find morris. he is originally from the polk county area and officials suspected he went there after the shooting.
he is described as 5'3" and 150 pounds. he was driving a 1989 chevy s-10 extended cab pickup. it is red over black. it was also recovered at the time of morris' arrest.
the jefferson county sheriff's office and oregon state police are asking for tips on morris' whereabouts between friday evening and saturday morning, when he was arrested.
anyone with information is asked to call 503.375.3555.
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tɔl kleɪmz ər ˈɛvriˌwɛr. bət wɪn aɪ traɪd aʊt ðə, ðɛr wɑz ˈsəbstəns ɪn ðə kleɪm. dɪˈvɛləpt baɪ ˈɪndiən ˈtɛkiz hæd ɪkˈspɪriəns ˈwərkɪŋ ɪn ðə beɪ ˈɛriə, ˈrisəntli keɪm aʊt əv stɛlθ æt ðə ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən həb, ən ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtər paʊərd baɪ rɪˈlaɪəns ˈɪndəstriz ənd ˈmaɪˌkroʊˈsɔft ˈvɛnʧərz. poʊst lɔnʧ, wi gɑt ən iˈmeɪl frəm nɛr, ə ˌtɛkˈnɑləʤɪst ənd dɪˈzaɪn gaɪ wɪθ kloʊz tɪ tu ˈdɛkeɪdz əv ɪkˈspɪriəns hu hæd ˈsəmθɪŋ ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ tɪ ʃoʊ. ə pɑrt əv ðə kɔr tim, ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ wən əv ðə ˌɪnˈvɛstərz ɪn. ənd ɛz ðə tæg laɪn səˈʤɛsts, ðə æp ɪz əˈbaʊt bɪɔnd search’*’. laɪt ɪz ən ˈænsərɪŋ ˈɪnʤən bɪlt ɔn (ˈnæʧərəl ˈlæŋgwɪʤ ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ), məˈʃin ˈlərnɪŋ ənd ˈhaɪbrɪd tɛkˈnɑləʤiz. wət dɪz ðət min? wɛl, ju æsk laɪt ə kˈwɛʃən ənd ɪt gɪvz ju ən ˈænsər ɛz ɪf ˈhævɪŋ ə ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən wɪθ ɪt. noʊ lɪŋks, noʊ ˈsərʧɪŋ fər ˈænsərz, ðə ‘‘bot’*’ dɪz ɪt ɔl fər ju. jɛs, ðɛr hæv bɪn ˈɛfərts ɔn ˈsɪmələr laɪnz (ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈgugəl), ənd ˈgloʊbəli ˈkɔrpərəts hæv ˈdɛdəkeɪtəd timz tɪ wərk ɔn ðiz tɛkˈnɑləʤiz ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˌɪmˈprɛsɪv ˈhɛdˌweɪ, bət laɪt həz ˈsəmθɪŋ ˈnoʊtˌwərði tɪ ʃoʊ. aɪ traɪd aʊt ðə æp ənd ðə rɪˈzəlts wər ˈprɪti ˌɪmˈprɛsɪv. aɪ traɪd aʊt ə vərˈaɪəti əv kˈwɛsʧənz, ɔl əv wɪʧ wʊd ˌrikˈwaɪər ˈdɪfərənt kaɪnz əv ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ ənd ðə rɪˈspɑnsɪz wər ˈækjərət. raɪt frəm ˈfækʧuəl ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən laɪk ɪz ðə ˈtɛmpərəʧər raɪt now?’*?’ tɪ dip du ruts grow?’*?’ tɪ ɪz ðə ˈminɪŋ əv life?’*?’, ðə æp hæd ˈænsərz ðət wər ˌsætɪsˈfæktəri. haʊ dɪz ɪt wərk? wɛl, wən kən θroʊ ɪn ə lɔt əv bəz wərdz hir bət æt ðə kɔr, ɪt ɪz ðə ˌɪmpləmɛnˈteɪʃən əv ə lɔt əv wərk ðət həz gɔn ɪn ðə fild əv ˌɪnərˈækʃən. ɪz ˈsɪstəm ðət ˈprɑsɛsəz ə lɔt əv ˈdætə (bɪg ˈdætə), meɪks əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənz (riˈleɪʃənəl ˈdætə), lərnz (ˌɑrtəˈfɪʃəl ˈlərnɪŋ) ənd meɪks ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən wɪθ humans,”*,” sɪz. ˈsæmjul ənd meɪˈnɔn ər ðə ki ˈpipəl bɪˈhaɪnd ðə laɪt ˈsɪstəm. hu ɪz ðə ˈsiˌiˈoʊ ɪz ən ˈɛnʤəˈnɪr hu həz kənˈsəltɪŋ ənd ˈmɑrkətɪŋ ɪkˈspɪriəns ɪn ˈɪndiə ənd ðə ˈmɪdəl ist. ənd meɪˈnɔn ɪz ðə hu ˈæftər hɪz mɪz æt ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈflɔrɪdə, ənd ˈæftər ˈwərkɪŋ ɪn ə ˌtɛləkəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz ˈstɑrˌtəp fər ə waɪl, hæd gɑt ə ˈɛksət wɪθ ɪŋk., ə ˈprɑdəkt ˈkəmpəˌni hi ˈfaʊndɪd ɪn 2001 ðə ˈtriˌoʊ nɛr, ˈsæmjul ənd meɪˈnɔn) gɑt təˈgɛðər ˈæftər ə gʊd 15 jɪrz ɪn 2011 ˈæftər noʊɪŋ iʧ ˈəðər ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈɛnʤəˈnɪrɪŋ deɪz. ˈstɑrtɪŋ aʊt wərk ˈæftər ə dɪˈskəʃən ˈoʊvər səm faɪn ˈspɪrɪts, ðə æp həz bɪn ɪn ðə wərks fər mɔr ðən θri jɪrz naʊ. ə lɔt əv ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns ðət ðə ˈsɪstəm pəˈzɛsɪz ɪz ə ˈkɛrfəl əˌsɪməˈleɪʃən əv ðə wərk ðət wɛnt ɪn ˈdʊrɪŋ ðiz jɪrz. əˈpɑrt frəm məˈʃin ˈlərnɪŋ ənd, ðə ˈsɪstəm ˈɔlsoʊ rɪˈlaɪz ɔn ˈhaɪbrɪd tɛkˈnɑləʤiz'- ə ˈprɔˌsɛs baɪ wɪʧ laɪt ˈmænɪʤɪz ðə ˈdætə ðət ðə məˈʃin dɪz nɑt ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnd, baɪ səˈpɔrtɪŋ ɪt wɪθ ˈjumən ˈɪnˌpʊt. fər eg*- ə saɪˈkɑləʤi beɪst kˈwiri ðət meɪ nid tɪ hæv ə mɔr ɪˈvɑlvd ˈænsər, ər ən əˈpɪnjən beɪst ˈænsər ðət nidz tɪ bi sɛnt aʊt beɪst ɔn ə ˈtɑpɪkəl kˈwiri. ðə ˈsɪstəm lərnz frəm iʧ ˈjumən ˈɪnˌpʊt ɪt rɪˈsivz, ðəs fəˈsɪləˌteɪtɪŋ fˈjuʧər kˈwɪriz ɔn ðə seɪm ˈtɑpɪk tɪ bi baɪ ðə ˈsɪstəm. "wi hæv ðə ˈɔpʃən wɛˈrɪn ˈjuzərz əv ðə æp kən bɪˈkəm ˈɛkspərts ˈɔlsoʊ, wɛˈrɪn ðeɪ kən ˈænsər kˈwɪriz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ðɛr doʊˈmeɪn əv ˌɛkspərˈtiz. ˈjuzərz kən saɪn əp ɛz ˈɛkspərts ɔn ðə æp. ˈɛkspərt ˈænsərz ər ʧɛkt ənd ˈmɑdərˌeɪtɪd baɪ ðə ˈsɪstəm ɛz wɛl ɛz baɪ pɪr ˌrivˈju," sɪz. ðə ˈʤərni wɪθ ə ˈbækˌgraʊnd ɪn ðə eɪaɪ speɪs, ðə ˈvɪʒən wɑz ˈprɪti klɪr wɪθ laɪt. ˈaʊˌtlaɪnd ðɪs ɪn ə blɔg poʊst wɛr hi ˈmɛnʃənd ðət ən ˈævərɪʤ ˈjumən biɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈkɑrənt eɪʤ spɛnz aʊərz yrs*) ˈsərʧɪŋ fər ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ˈɔnˌlaɪn. ðɪs bits ðə əˈmaʊnt əv taɪm spɛnt ɔn θɪŋz laɪk ðə taɪm spɛnt ɪn ðə ˈbæθˌrum aʊərz wɪʧ ɪz jɪrz) ər ˈlæfɪŋ 2760 aʊərz wɪʧ ɪz 115 deɪz)! ˈvɛri ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ stæts ənd ˈdɛfənətli ə greɪt pɪʧ tɪ ˈɛniˌwən əˈbaʊt waɪ laɪt ɪz ˈnidɪd. ðeɪ ˈstɑrtɪd wərk ɔn ðə æp ənd ðə ˌɪˈnɪʃəl aɪˈdiə wɑz tɪ hæv ɪt ˌəndərˈniθ ˌɛˌsɛˈmɛs. ə ˈjuzər wʊd sɛnd ə ˈmɛsɪʤ tɪ ðə ˈsɪstəm wɪʧ wɪl θroʊ bæk ən ˈænsər. ðeɪ bɪlt ðɪs ənd sprɛd ðə wərd əˈkrɔs ðɛr ˈnɛtˌwərks ənd ɔrˈgænɪkli ðeɪ gru tɪ ə pɔɪnt wɛr ðə ˈsɪstəm wɑz ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ əˈbaʊt kˈwɪriz ə deɪ. tim laɪt groʊɪŋ ɪn ˈkɑnfədɛns, ənd ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt ənd ˌpɛnəˈtreɪʃən, ðeɪ laɪt ɛz ən æp ənd wərk bɪˈgæn. dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ənd dɪˈzaɪnɪŋ ɪt tʊk ə jɪr ənd ɛz əv naʊ, ðɪs ˈkəmpəˌni ɪmˈplɔɪz 15 ˈpipəl. tɪl naʊ, ðə ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtər ɪkˈspɪriəns həz ˈoʊpənd əp nu dɔrz fər laɪt ənd ðeɪ maɪt sun reɪz ə raʊnd əv ˈfəndɪŋ. ˈmuvɪŋ əˈhɛd wɪθ ðɛr lɔnʧ ɔn mɑrʧ 13 ɪt ɪz stɪl ˈvɛri ˈərli deɪz bət ðə bæk ˈstɔri əv laɪt ɪz ə ˈpaʊərfəl wən. soʊl ˈfoʊkɪs naʊ wɪl bi tɪ teɪk ðɪs tɪ ɛz ˈmɛni ˈjuzərz ɛz possible,”*,” sɪz. ðɛr ər ə lɔt əv ˌpɑsəˈbɪlətiz ðət kən ˈoʊpən əp wəns ðeɪ hæv ə fju ˈmɪljən ˈjuzərz kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ðə kaɪnd əv ˈdætə bi ˈʤɛnərˌeɪtɪŋ bət ðoʊz dɪˈskəʃənz ər stɪl fɑr aʊt tɪ drɔ ˈkɑnkrit kənˈkluʒənz. hæd ðə æp ɔn ðə foʊn fər ə fju deɪz naʊ ənd æm rɪˈtərnɪŋ ˈrɛgjələrli fər ˈæskɪŋ kˈwɛsʧənz. ðə trəˈdɪʃənəl sərʧ ɪz stɪl rikˈwaɪərd bɪˈkəz ə lɔt əv ɑr ˈsərʧɪz ər fər ˈɑdiˌoʊ ər ˈdɑkjəmənts ər bət fər ˈmɛni juz ˈkeɪsɪz, laɪt sərvz ðə ˈpərpəs. traɪ ɪt aʊt: laɪt æp
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tall claims are everywhere. but when i tried out the lightapp, there was substance in the claim. developed by indian techies who’ve had experience working in the bay area, lightapp recently came out of stealth at the gennext innovation hub, an accelerator powered by reliance industries and microsoft ventures. post launch, we got an email from sanjeev nair, a technologist and design guy with close to two decades of experience who had something interesting to show.
a part of the core team, sanjeev is also one of the investors in lightapp. and as the tag line suggests, the app is about ‘going beyond search’. light is an answering engine built on nlp (natural language processing), machine learning and man-machine hybrid technologies. what does that mean? well, you ask light a question and it gives you an answer as if you’re having a conversation with it. no links, no searching for answers, the ‘bot’ does it all for you. yes, there have been efforts on similar lines (including google), and globally corporates have dedicated teams to work on these technologies making impressive headway, but light has something noteworthy to show.
i tried out the app and the results were pretty impressive. i tried out a variety of questions, all of which would require different kinds of processing and the responses were accurate. right from factual information like ‘what is the temperature right now?’ to ‘how deep do roots grow?’ to ‘what is the meaning of life?’, the app had answers that were satisfactory.
how does it work?
well, one can throw in a lot of buzz words here but at the core, it is the implementation of a lot of work that has gone in the field of human-computer interaction. “it is system that processes a lot of data (big data), makes associations (relational data), learns (artificial intelligence/machine learning) and makes conversation with humans,” says sanjeev.
animesh samuel and sanjeev menon are the key people behind the light system. animesh who is the ceo is an engineer who has consulting and marketing experience in india and the middle east. and sanjeev menon is the cto who after his ms at the university of florida, and after working in a telecommunications startup for a while, had got a $22mn exit with netyantra inc., a voip product company he founded in 2001.
the trio (sanjeev nair, animesh samuel and sanjeev menon) got together after a good 15 years in 2011 after knowing each other during engineering days. starting out work after a discussion over some fine spirits, the app has been in the works for more than three years now. a lot of intelligence that the system possesses is a careful assimilation of the work that went in during these years.
apart from machine learning and nlp, the system also relies on 'man-machine hybrid technologies'- a process by which light manages the data that the machine does not comprehend, by supporting it with human input. for eg- a psychology based query that may need to have a more evolved answer, or an opinion based answer that needs to be sent out based on a topical query. the nlp system learns from each human input it receives, thus facilitating future queries on the same topic to be auto-answered by the system. "we have the option wherein users of the app can become experts also, wherein they can answer queries related to their domain of expertise. users can sign up as experts on the app. expert answers are checked and moderated by the system as well as by peer review," says sanjeev.
the journey
with a background in the ai space, the vision was pretty clear with light. sanjeev outlined this in a blog post where he mentioned that an average human being in the current age spends 47,520 hours (2.2 yrs) searching for information online. this beats the amount of time spent on things like the time spent in the bathroom (13148.7 hours which is 1.5 years) or laughing (2760 hours which is 115 days)! very interesting stats and definitely a great pitch to anyone about why light is needed.
they started work on the app and the initial idea was to have it underneath sms. a user would send a message to the system which will throw back an answer. they built this and spread the word across their networks and organically they grew to a point where the system was processing about 100k queries a day.
team light
growing in confidence, and looking at the internet and smartphone penetration, they conceptualized light as an app and work began. developing and designing it took a year and as of now, this mumbai-based company employs 15 people. boostrapped till now, the accelerator experience has opened up new doors for light and they might soon raise a round of funding.
moving ahead
with their launch on march 13, it is still very early days but the back story of light is a powerful one. “our sole focus now will be to take this to as many users as possible,” says sanjeev. there are a lot of possibilities that can open up once they have a few million users considering the kind of data they’d be generating but those discussions are still far out to draw concrete conclusions.
i’ve had the app on the phone for a few days now and am returning regularly for asking questions. the traditional search is still required because a lot of our searches are for audio or documents or e-commerce but for many use cases, light serves the purpose.
try it out: light app
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bæk ɪn 1999 ɔn ə ˈreɪdiˌoʊ ˈproʊˌgræm aɪ hæd ɪn æt ðə taɪm, aɪ wɑz ˈstraɪdəntli ˈkrɪtɪkəl əv ðə ækt, wɪʧ wɑz ˌjufəˈmɪstɪkli kɔld "ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsərvɪsɪz ˌmɑdərnəˈzeɪʃən ækt əv 1999 baɪ ðə ˈvɛri əˈproʊpriɪtli neɪmd ˈmaɪstroʊ, dɪk ˈɑrmi. ɔn ðə ˈreɪdiˌoʊ ˈproʊˌgræm, fər mənθs aɪ ˈproʊˌtɛstəd ˈɛvəri deɪ ðət ðɪs lɔ wɑz ˈnəθɪŋ bət jɛt əˈnəðər əˈtɛmpt tɪ ˌɪnˈflɪkt eɪn rænd fˈjudəˌlɪzəm ɔn ˈhæpləs əˈmɛrɪkənz. ɪt ʃʊd bi ˈnoʊtɪd ðət ðɪs ˌɛgˈzɛkrəbəl ənd dɪˈlɪbərətli dɪˈstrəktɪv lɔ wɑz saɪnd baɪ bɪl ˈklɪntən. ɪn əˈdɪʃən, ðɪs ˈivəl ˈgətɪŋ əv ðə ækt (nɑt ˈivɪn wən əv maɪ ˈlɪsənərz hæd ˈɛvər hərd əv ɪt) wɑz ɛnˈdɔrst baɪ ˈlɔrəns ˈsəmərz, ðə ˈtrɛʒəri ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri fər bɪl ˈklɪntən, ənd ˈkərəntli ðə ʧif ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ædˈvaɪzər tɪ ˈprɛzɪdənt ˌoʊˈbɑmə, ənd ˈtɪməθi geithner*, hu wɑz ðɛn ðə ˈʧɛrmən əv ðə nu jɔrk ˈfɛdərəl rɪˈzərv bæŋk, ənd ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈtrɛʒəri ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri tɪ ˈprɛzɪdənt ˌoʊˈbɑmə. wət dɪz ɪt seɪ əˈbaʊt ˌoʊˈbɑməz kəˈmɪtmənt tɪ ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən ðət hɪz ˈprɪnsəpəl ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˌsuθˈseɪərz ər ðə ˈvɛri seɪm ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz hu əˈgrɛsɪvli ˈkaʊnsəld ˈprɛzɪdənt tɪ ɛnˈdɔrs ənd saɪn ðɪs ˌɪdiˈɑtɪk ənd ˈivəl əˌblɪtərˈeɪʃən əv ðə ˈrɛgjələˌtɔri ˈfreɪmˌwərk ðət hæd prəˈtɛktɪd ðə əˈmɛrɪkən ˈpipəl fər ˈoʊvər 65 jɪrz frəm ðə dɑʤ ˈsɪti ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks ðət həz ˈrisəntli brɔt ˈsəfərɪŋ tɪ ˈbɪljənz əv ˈɪnəsənt ˈpipəl hir ənd əˈbrɔd wət aɪ wɪl seɪ naʊ ɪz ˈhɛrəsi ɪn ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts, bət ˈæftər ɔl ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈænərˌki ənd peɪn ˈseɪvɪŋz ənd loʊn ˈkraɪsəs 1989 ðə stɑk ˈmɑrkɪt kræʃ əv 1987 ðə lɔŋ tərm ˈkæpɪtəl ˈkraɪsəs 1998 ˈɛnrɑn, ˈtaɪkoʊ, ˈwərldˌkɑm 2002 ənd ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈmɔrgɪʤ ˈkraɪsəs)], ðət ðə ˈpipəl əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts hæv ˈsəfərd rɪˈpitɪdli ɪn ðə pæst tˈwɛnti jɪrz, ɪt ɪz əˈpɛrənt ðət ðə ˈprɑbləm ɪz nɑt ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən, nɔr ɪz ðə "səˈluʃən", tɪ bi faʊnd ɪn "ˈrizənəbəl" rulz ˈkræftɪd baɪ ðə seɪm ˈrɛʧɪd ˈpipəl hu ˌɪmˈpoʊzd ðɪs fiˈæskoʊ ɪn ðə fərst pleɪs. mɔr ˌɪmˈpɔrtəntli, frəm 2001 θru 2008 wi ɔl ɪkˈspɪriənst ðə ˌɪnˈtrɪnsɪk ˌvəlnərəˈbɪlɪti əv ˈivɪn ðə moʊst ˈkɛrfəli ˈkræftɪd ˈrɛgjələˌtɔri ˈfreɪmˌwərk, ˈgɪvɪn ðə iz wɪθ wɪʧ ðə riˈækʃəˌnɛri rəˈʒim wɑz ˈeɪbəl tɪ səbˈvərt ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən əˈkrɔs ðə bɔrd baɪ ˈmɪrli əˈpɔɪntɪŋ ˈoʊpənli ˈdɛdəkeɪtəd ˈɛnəmiz əv ˌrɛgjəˈleɪʃən tɪ ðə ˈʧɛrmənˌʃɪps əv ðə ˈrɛgjələˌtɔri ˈbɑdiz. wəts ˈnɛsəˌsɛri ɪz tɪ bɪˈgɪn ə ˈsɪriəs ˌɪnkˈwaɪˌri ɛz tɪ waɪ ən ɪˈkɑnəmi əv ˈmɪljən ˈsɪtɪzənz ʃʊd bi hɛld ˈprɪzənər baɪ ðə ˈpraɪvət ˈməni ˈɪntəˌrɛst əv ə smɔl ˈnəmbər əv ˈpipəl hu, ɔn ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv ˈnəθɪŋ mɔr ðən ðɛr ˈstægərˌɪŋ ˈæˌsɛts, kən kənˈtroʊl ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈdɛstəni ənd vaɪəˈbɪləti əv ðə ˈəðər ˈvoʊtɪŋ ˈsɪtɪzənz. ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈrizən ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti waɪ səʧ ən ˌɪˈræʃənəl skim ɛz ðə əˈbəv ʃʊd kənˈtɪnju. bɪg ˈbɪznɪs ənd bɪg ˈfaɪˌnæns nid tɪ bi kənˈtroʊld baɪ ɔl ðə ˈsɪtɪzənz, fər ðə ˈbɛnəfɪt əv ɔl ðə ˈsɪtɪzənz, nɑt fər ðə ˈbɛnəfɪt əv ə ˈtaɪni ənd ɪˈlit ˈkædri əv ˈpraɪvət ˈoʊnərz ɔn ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv ðɛr oʊn wɪm, wɛlθ, ənd ˈpraɪvət ˈbɛnəfɪt, fər ðə ˈplɛʒər əv ðɛmˈsɛlvz əˈloʊn, ənd tɪ ðə kənˈtɪnjuɪŋ mɪsˈfɔrʧən əv ə ˈneɪʃən əv æt ðə ˈmərsi əv ðɛr ˈgreɪtər ˈglɔri. ðə ˈsɪtɪzənz nid tɪ kənˈtroʊl ðə wɛlθ əv ðə ˈneɪʃən, ənd ðə deɪ tɪ deɪ ˈmænɪʤmənt əv ðət wɛlθ nidz tɪ bi dɪˈrɛktɪd baɪ ˈpipəl dɪˈrɛkli əˈkaʊntəbəl tɪ ðə ˈsɪtɪzənz ˈrəðər ðən tɪ bɔrdz əv dɪˈrɛktərz əˈkaʊntəbəl ˈoʊnli tɪ ðɛmˈsɛlvz ənd ðɛr ˈpraɪvət ˈfɔrʧənz. ʤeɪ ˈdaɪmənd ˌpaɪəˈnɪrd prəˈgrɛsɪv ˈreɪdiˌoʊ ɪn nu jɔrk ˈsɪti ənd ɪz ˈkərəntli ə ˈmidiə ˈkrɪtɪk ənd ˈæktɪvɪst. ʤeɪ ˈdaɪmənd əˈbaʊt ˈɔθər ʤeɪ ˈdaɪmənd ɪz ə ˈkɑmənˌteɪtər ənd ˈmidiə ˈæktɪvɪst ɪn nu jɔrk ˈsɪti. hi həz ˈbrɔdˌkæst ɔn wabc-am*, wor-am*, ənd ɪn nu jɔrk. hi kən bi riʧt æt ʤeɪ ˈdaɪmənd ɪz ə ˈkɑmənˌteɪtər ənd ˈmidiə ˈæktɪvɪst ɪn nu jɔrk ˈsɪti. hi həz ˈbrɔdˌkæst ɔn wabc-am*, wor-am*, ənd ɪn nu jɔrk. hi kən bi riʧt æt
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back in 1999 on a radio program i had in nyc at the time, i was stridently critical of the gramm-leach-bliley act, which was euphemistically called "the financial services modernization act of 1999" by the very appropriately named teabagging maestro, dick armey.
on the radio program, for months i protested every day that this law was nothing but yet another attempt to inflict ayn rand feudalism on hapless americans.
it should be noted that this execrable and deliberately destructive law was signed by bill clinton.
in addition, this evil gutting of the glass-steagall act (not even one of my listeners had ever heard of it) was rapturously endorsed by lawrence summers, the treasury secretary for bill clinton, and currently the chief economic adviser to president obama, and timothy geithner, who was then the chairman of the new york federal reserve bank, and the current treasury secretary to president obama.
what does it say about obama's commitment to financial regulation that his principal economic soothsayers are the very same individuals who aggressively counseled president cllinton to endorse and sign this idiotic and evil obliteration of the regulatory framework that had protected the american people for over 65 years from the dodge city economics that has recently brought suffering to billions of innocent people here and abroad !
what i will say now is heresy in the united states, but after all the financial anarchy and pain [ie.,the savings and loan crisis (1989), the stock market crash of 1987, the long term capital crisis (1998), enron, tyco, worldcom (2002), and the current mortgage crisis/derivatives crisis)], that the people of the united states have suffered repeatedly in the past twenty years, it is apparent that the problem is not regulation, nor is the "solution", to be found in "reasonable" milquetoast rules crafted by the same wretched people who imposed this fiasco in the first place.
more importantly, from 2001 through 2008, we all experienced the intrinsic vulnerability of even the most carefully crafted regulatory framework, given the ease with which the reactionary cheney/bush regime was able to subvert regulation across the board by merely appointing openly dedicated enemies of regulation to the chairmanships of the regulatory bodies.
what's necessary is to begin a serious inquiry as to why an economy of 300,000,000 million citizens should be held prisoner by the private money interest of a small number of people who, on the basis of nothing more than their staggering assets, can control the financial destiny and viability of the other 300,000,000 voting citizens.
there is no reason in reality why such an irrational scheme as the above should continue.
big business and big finance need to be controlled by all the citizens, for the benefit of all the citizens, not for the benefit of a tiny and elite cadre of private owners on the basis of their own whim, wealth, and private benefit, for the pleasure of themselves alone, and to the continuing misfortune of a nation of 300,000,000 at the mercy of their greater glory.
the citizens need to control the wealth of the nation, and the day to day management of that wealth needs to be directed by people directly accountable to the 300,000,000 citizens rather than to self-interested boards of directors accountable only to themselves and their private fortunes.
jay diamond pioneered progressive radio in new york city and is currently a media critic and activist.
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jay diamond
about author jay diamond is a commentator and media activist in new york city. he has broadcast on wabc-am, wor-am, and wevd-am in new york. he can be reached at jay diamond is a commentator and media activist in new york city. he has broadcast on wabc-am, wor-am, and wevd-am in new york. he can be reached at [email protected]
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ə jəŋ ˌkænˈbɛrə ˈwʊmən həz bɪn əˈbjuzd ənd ʧeɪst baɪ ə kɑr fʊl əv mɛn waɪl ˈraɪdɪŋ hər ˈbaɪsɪkəl hoʊm frəm ˈsɪvɪk, ənd ðɛr ər səˈʤɛsʧənz nɑt ðə fərst taɪm ðɪs grup həz həræst ˈpipəl ɪn ðə ˈɛriə. wən əv ðə bɛst, ənd moʊst ˈkɑmənli ˈsaɪtɪd, ˈbɛnəfɪts əv ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ˌkænˈbɛrə ɪz ðə ðət ɪt ɪz ə seɪf ˈsɪti. laɪk ən ˈoʊvərˌsaɪzd ˈkəntri taʊn, ˈpraʊdli ənd ˈfrikwəntɪd dɪˈskraɪbd ɛz ə pleɪs wɛr seɪf tɪ wɔk ðə strits æt naɪt. ðɪs ɪz waɪ ˈvɛri kənˈsərnɪŋ tɪ si ˈɛni ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən ðət səˈʤɛsts ðət maɪt bi ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ. ˈɪnər nɔrθ ˈrɛzɪdənt deɪl həz ˈrɪtən ɔn ˈfeɪsˌbʊk əˈbaʊt ən ˈɪnsədənt ʃi ɪkˈspɪriənst ˈərliər ðɪs mənθ ɪn ə poʊst ðət həz sɪns bɪn ˈwaɪdli ʃɛrd əˈkrɔs ðə kəmˈjunɪti. wi spoʊk wɪθ mɪz deɪl, hu wɑz ˈʃeɪkən baɪ ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns bət ˈəðərˌwaɪz nɑt ˈsɪriəsli hərt. ˈæftər ə naɪt aʊt ɪn taʊn ˈərliər ɪn mɑrʧ, ʃi wɑz ˈraɪdɪŋ hər baɪk hoʊm təˈwɔrdz ˈtərnər wɪn ʃi wɑz əˈproʊʧt baɪ ə (ˈpɑsəbli leɪt ˈmɑdəl) ˈʃaɪni bæk səˈdæn. ˌɪnˈsaɪd ðə kɑr wər fɔr ər faɪv jəŋ mɛn hu, mɪz deɪl sɛd, simd tɪ bi ˌɪnˈtɑksɪˌkeɪtɪd. mɪz deɪl sɛd ðə mɛn jɛld lud ənd ˈsɛkʃuəl ˈkɑmɛnts aʊt tɪ hər frəm ðə kɑr, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈhaɪˌlaɪtɪŋ ðə fækt ðət ʃi wɑz əˈloʊn. ʃi sɛd ʃi rɪˈspɑndɪd baɪ hər ˈfɪŋgər up”*” æt ðə mɛn ɛz ʃi kənˈtɪnjud ˈraɪdɪŋ, ə riˈækʃən ðət ʃi ədˈmɪts wɑz, ˈhaɪnˌsaɪt, ˈprɑbəˌbli nɑt ðə bɛst dɪˈsɪʒən bɪˈkəz aɪ wɑz əˈloʊn ənd kwaɪt ˈvəlnərəbəl. sɪk əv biɪŋ harassed,”*,” ʃi sɛd. ðə kɑr stɑpt æt ə rɛd laɪt æt ðə nɛkst ˌɪntərˈsɛkʃən, ənd ɪt wɑz hir ðət ðə ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən tʊk ə tərn frəm əˈfɛnsɪv tɪ ˈsɪriəsli ˈdeɪnʤərəs. pʊld əp æt ə rɛd laɪt æt ðə ˌɪntərˈsɛkʃən aɪ sloʊd daʊn tɪ əˈvɔɪd ˈpæsɪŋ ðɛm again,”*,” sɛd mɪz deɪl. bɪˈkeɪm ˈɑbviəs aɪ wɑz goʊɪŋ tɪ hæv tɪ pæs ðɛm, ənd ɛz aɪ keɪm əp tɪ ðə kɑr ðə bæk dɔr ˈoʊpənd. ðɪs ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ skɛr mi soʊ aɪ ˈstɑrtɪd ˈraɪdɪŋ ˈfæstər ənd tʊk ðə ˈkɔrnər soʊ kˈwɪkli maɪ baɪk ˈnɪrli keɪm aʊt frəm ˈəndər mi ənd maɪ baɪk lɑk flu aʊt əv ðə ˈbæskət. mæn ˈstɑrtɪd ˈrənɪŋ ˈæftər mi ɔn fʊt, ˈjɛlɪŋ ˈsəmθɪŋ əˈlɔŋ ðə laɪnz əv goʊɪŋ tɪ gɪt you’*’. ˈləkəli ðɪs wɑz maɪ ˈneɪbərˌhʊd, soʊ aɪ roʊd ɛz fæst ɛz aɪ kʊd hoʊm wɪθ ðə kɑr ˈspidɪŋ əˈlɔŋ ˌbiˈsaɪd mi ənd ðə ˈɑkjəpənts ˈjɛlɪŋ, ʃʊd bi scared’*’ ənd ˈlɪtərəli goʊɪŋ tɪ reɪp you’*’. wɑz ˈtɛrəˌfaɪd ənd θɔt əˈbaʊt goʊɪŋ ˈɪntu əˈnəðər ˈrændəm frənt jɑrd bət ˈɛndɪd əp ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪŋ tɪ rɪsk ˈgɪtɪŋ hoʊm. aɪ ˈæˌkʧuəli fɛl ɔf maɪ baɪk æt maɪ geɪt, ənd hæv ə juʤ bruz ɔn maɪ ni. ɛz aɪ wɑz ˈstrəgəlɪŋ tɪ gɪt ɪn maɪ geɪt ənd dɔr, ðə kɑr ˈoʊvərˌʃɑt maɪ ˈæˌdrɛs bət ðeɪ kɛpt ˈjɛlɪŋ æt mi. ˈɔlˌmoʊst lɛft maɪ baɪk ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv maɪ geɪt ɪn maɪ ˈpænɪk, bət ˈriəˌlaɪzd ðɪs wʊd gɪv əˈweɪ wɪʧ əˈpɑrtmənt aɪ lɪv ɪn. mɪz deɪl sɛd ʃi wɑz soʊ skɛrd ðeɪ wər goʊɪŋ tɪ kəm bæk ðət ʃi wɛnt ˌɪnˈsaɪd, tərnd ɔf ɔl ðə laɪts ənd kɔld ðə frɛndz bɪn aʊt wɪθ tɪ kəm ənd sɪt wɪθ hər fər ə bɪt. ʃi ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðə ˈɪnsədənt tɪ pəˈlis. ækt pəˈlisɪŋ həz kənˈfərmd rɪˈsivd ðə rɪˈpɔrt ənd ər ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪtɪŋ. əˈlɑrmɪŋli, mɪz deɪl sɛd tu əv hər frɛndz hæv hæd ˈsɪmələr ɪnˈkaʊnərz waɪlst ˈraɪdɪŋ ðɛr baɪks hoʊm ɪn ðə seɪm ˈɛriə æt naɪt taɪm. ɔn boʊθ ɔˈkeɪʒənz, ðə mɛn hæd ə blæk ˈʃaɪni səˈdæn kəm əp bɪˈhaɪnd ðɛm ənd əˈpɛrəntli traɪ tɪ hɪt ðɛm wɪθ ən ˈɑbʤɛkt ðət wɑz dɪˈskraɪbd ɛz biɪŋ laɪk pəˈlis baton”*”. æt list wən əv ðiz ˈɪnsədənts həz ˈɔlsoʊ bɪn ˌriˈpɔrtəd tɪ ðə pəˈlis. mɪz deɪl sɛd ɪt ðə fərst taɪm bɪn həræst ɪn ðə ˈɛriə, ˈiðər. ˈpriviəsli, waɪl ˈwɔkɪŋ hoʊm frəm ˈsɪvɪk tɪ hər ˌjunəˈvərsəti əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃən, ʃi wɑz ˈfɑloʊd baɪ ə blæk ˈhoʊldən ˈkɑməˌdɔr. ˈboʊltɪd θru [ðə blɑk] ənd hɪd ɪn ðə ˈbʊʃəz fər 10 ˈmɪnəts ˌbiˈfɔr kənˈtɪnjuɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈəðər saɪd əv campus,”*,” mɪz deɪl sɛd. taɪm aɪ wɑz ˈlivɪŋ [ə kləb ɪn ˈsɪvɪk] baɪ ˌmaɪˈsɛlf wɪn ə grup əv fɔr ˈoʊldər mɛn ˈstɑrtɪd ˈfɑloʊɪŋ mi ənd ˈjɛlɪŋ θɪŋz laɪk, gərl ɪn ðə blu drɛs, kəm back’*’. ˈləkəli ðət taɪm aɪ ræn ˈɪntu ə frɛnd ðət taɪm ənd aɪ wɑz soʊ ˈθæŋkfəl. noʊ ə lɔt əv frɛndz hu hæv ɪkˈspɪriənst hərˈæsmənt bət nɑt ˈmɛni tɪ ðə ɪkˈstɛnt ðət aɪ ɪkˈspɪriənst ɔn ˈfraɪˌdeɪ naɪt ðət aɪ noʊ əv, əˈpɑrt frəm ðoʊz tu frɛndz aɪ ˈmɛnʃənd above,”*,” ʃi sɛd. ɪn 2016 ðɛr wər ˈɪnsədənts əv kraɪm ɪn ˌkænˈbɛrə, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ 97 ˈɪnsədənt əv ˈsɛkʃuəl əˈsɔlt. nɔrθ ˌkænˈbɛrə hæd ðə ˈsɛkənd haɪəst ˈnəmbər əv ˈsɛkʃuəl əˈsɔlts 22 bɪˈhaɪnd wɪθ 32 ˈɪnsədənts. æd ɪn ɔl kaɪnz əv əˈsɔlt, ənd nɔrθ ˌkænˈbɛrə həz ðə haɪəst reɪt, wɪθ 198 ˈɪnsədənts ˈoʊvər ðə kɔrs əv ðə jɪr. wət du ju θɪŋk? ər ju ˈwərid ˌkænˈbɛrə ɪz bɪˈkəmɪŋ lɛs seɪf? hæv ju hərd əˈbaʊt ˈɛni ˈəðər ˈrisənt strit hərˈæsmənt ˈɪnsədənts?
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a young canberra woman has been abused and chased by a car full of men while riding her bicycle home from civic, and there are suggestions it’s not the first time this group has harassed people in the area.
one of the best, and most commonly cited, benefits of living in canberra is the that it is a safe city.
like an oversized country town, proudly and frequented described as a place where it’s safe to walk the streets at night.
this is why it’s very concerning to see any indication that suggests that might be changing.
inner north resident kirsty dale has written on facebook about an incident she experienced earlier this month in a post that has since been widely shared across the community.
we spoke with ms dale, who was shaken by the experience but otherwise not seriously hurt.
after a night out in town earlier in march, she was riding her bike home towards turner when she was approached by a (possibly late model) shiny back sedan.
inside the car were four or five young men who, ms dale said, seemed to be intoxicated.
ms dale said the men yelled lewd and sexual comments out to her from the car, including highlighting the fact that she was alone.
she said she responded by “sticking her finger up” at the men as she continued riding, a reaction that she admits was, “in hindsight, probably not the best decision because i was alone and quite vulnerable.
“but i’m sick of being harassed,” she said.
the car stopped at a red light at the next intersection, and it was here that the situation took a turn from offensive to seriously dangerous.
“they pulled up at a red light at the intersection … i slowed down to avoid passing them again,” said ms dale.
“it became obvious i was going to have to pass them, and as i came up to the car the back door opened. this started to scare me so i started riding faster and took the corner so quickly my bike nearly came out from under me and my bike lock flew out of the basket.
“the man started running after me on foot, yelling something along the lines of ‘i’m going to get you’. luckily this was my neighbourhood, so i rode as fast as i could home with the car speeding along beside me and the occupants yelling, ‘you should be scared’ and ‘we’re literally going to rape you’.
“i was terrified and thought about going into another random front yard but ended up deciding to risk getting home. i actually fell off my bike at my gate, and have a huge bruise on my knee. as i was struggling to get in my gate and door, the car overshot my address but they kept yelling at me.
“i almost left my bike outside of my gate in my panic, but realised this would give away which apartment i live in.
ms dale said she was so scared they were going to come back that she went inside, turned off all the lights and called the friends she’d been out with to come and sit with her for a bit.
she reported the incident to police. act policing has confirmed they’ve received the report and are investigating.
alarmingly, ms dale said two of her friends have had similar encounters whilst riding their bikes home in the same area at night time.
on both occasions, the men had a black shiny sedan come up behind them and apparently try to hit them with an object that was described as being like “a police baton”.
at least one of these incidents has also been reported to the police.
ms dale said it wasn’t the first time she’d been harassed in the area, either.
previously, while walking home from civic to her university accommodation, she was followed by a black holden commodore.
“i bolted through [the block] and hid in the bushes for 10 minutes before continuing to the other side of campus,” ms dale said.
“another time i was leaving [a club in civic] by myself when a group of four older men started following me and yelling things like, ‘hey girl in the blue dress, come back’. luckily that time i ran into a friend that time and i was so thankful.
“i know a lot of friends who have experienced harassment but not many to the extent that i experienced on friday night that i know of, apart from those two friends i mentioned above,” she said.
in 2016, there were 10,210 incidents of crime in canberra, including 97 incident of sexual assault.
north canberra had the second highest number of sexual assaults (22), behind belconnen with 32 incidents.
add in all kinds of assault, and north canberra has the highest rate, with 198 incidents over the course of the year.
what do you think? are you worried canberra is becoming less safe? have you heard about any other recent street harassment incidents?
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🔊* ˈlɪsən tɪ ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ə ˈrisənt ˈstədi faʊnd ðət ðə ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti əv trænz ˈʧɪldrən ɪz ɛz ˌɪmˈplɪsət ɛz ðə ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti əv ˈʧɪldrən. ə ˈstədi wɪθ 32 ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən, ˈeɪʤɪz 5 tɪ 12 ˈɪndɪˌkeɪts ðət ðə ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti əv ðiz ˈʧɪldrən ɪz ˈdipli hɛld ənd ɪz nɑt ðə rɪˈzəlt əv kənfˈjuʒən əˈbaʊt ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər priˈtɛns. ðə ˈstədi, lɛd baɪ ˌsaɪkəˈlɑʤɪkəl ˈsaɪəntɪst krɪˈstinə ˈoʊlsən əv ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈwɔʃɪŋtən, ɪz wən əv ðə fərst tɪ ɪkˈsplɔr ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ɪn ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən ˈjuzɪŋ ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈmɛʒərz ðət ˈɔpərˌeɪt ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ˈkɑnʃəs əˈwɛrnəs ənd ər, ˈðɛrˌfɔr, lɛs səˈsɛptəbəl tɪ ˌmɑdəfəˈkeɪʃən ðən ˈmɛʒərz ənd ˈoʊldər ˈstədiz baɪ ˈrisərʧərz hu trænz ənd ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvərs ˈʧɪldrən. ðə ˈfaɪndɪŋz wɪl bi ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn ˌsaɪkəˈlɑʤɪkəl saɪəns, ə ˈʤərnəl əv ðə əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən fər ˌsaɪkəˈlɑʤɪkəl saɪəns. aɪ ˈɪntərvˌjud ˈoʊlsən əˈbaʊt ðə ˈfaɪndɪŋz: ˈwɪljəmz: haʊ wɑz ɪt ðət ju bɪˈkeɪm ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈwərkɪŋ wɪθ trænz ˈʧɪldrən? krɪˈstinə ˈoʊlsən: maɪ ˈɛriə əv ˌɛkspərˈtiz ɪz ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ haʊ ˈʧɪldrən θɪŋk əˈbaʊt ˈsoʊʃəl grups, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ reɪs, ˈʤɛndər, ˈsoʊʃəl klæs, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə, soʊ ˈɔlˌweɪz ˈwɔntɪd tɪ ˈbɛtər ˌəndərˈstænd ə vərˈaɪəti əv ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz. ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən ər ən əˈspɛʃəli ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ grup bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ər wən əv ðə ˈoʊnli ˈkeɪsɪz wɛr ə ʧaɪld ɪz ˈkleɪmɪŋ ən aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ðət ˈɛvriˌwən bɪˈliv ðət ʧaɪld həz. aɪ wɑz ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ haʊ ˈʧɪldrən θɪŋk əˈbaʊt ðɪs grup ˈmɛmbərˌʃɪp, haʊ ðeɪ du (ər) kənˈvɪns ˈəðərz əv ðət aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ənd wət ðə ˌɪmpləˈkeɪʃən ər fər ðɛr ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ əv ˈʤɛndər mɔr ˈbrɔdli. ɪn əˈdɪʃən, ə ʧaɪld wɑz ˈsoʊʃəli trænˈzɪʃənɪŋ ənd aɪ wɑz ˈlərnɪŋ ʤɪst haʊ ˈlɪtəl saɪˈkɑləʤəsts ˌəndərˈstʊd əˈbaʊt ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər dɪˈvɛləpmənt, jɛt ðɪs ɪz ˈklɪrli ən ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ənd ˈtaɪmli ˈtɑpɪk tɪ ˈstədi. maɪ hoʊp ðɛn bɪˈkeɪm ðət aɪ kʊd kənˈtrɪbjut boʊθ tɪ ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ əv ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ənd tɪ ðə ˈbrɔdər ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ əv ðə ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz ənd nidz əv ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən. ˈwɪljəmz: ə fɑks nuz ˈpəndət kəmˈpɛrd kɪdz hu ər trænz tɪ kɪdz hu θɪŋk dɔgz ənd kæts seɪɪŋ, noʊ, lʊk, æt ə pɔɪnt wɪn aɪ wɑz ə ʧaɪld, aɪ θɔt aɪ wɑz ə ˈkɑkər spaniel…*… ənd ə pɔɪnt wɪn wi hæv ðiz ˈfænəsiz wɛr wi θɪŋk ˈsupərˌmæn, wɛr wi kən flaɪ, wɛr ðə cat.”*.” wʊd ju pliz ɪkˈspleɪn ðə ˈdɪfərəns bɪtˈwin ə trænz kɪd ənd ə kɪd hu θɪŋks ˈsupərˌmæn ənd waɪ du ju θɪŋk ðə ˈʧɪldrən ɪn jʊr ˈstədi ʤɪst kənfˈjuzd? ˈoʊlsən: wi hæv naʊ juzd ə waɪd reɪnʤ əv ˈmɛʒərz tɪ əˈsɛs ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz. wi juz səm wi kɔl ɪkˈsplɪsət wi dɪˈrɛkli æsk ˈʧɪldrən əˈbaʊt ðɛr aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz. wi ˈɔlsoʊ juz mɔr ˌɪndərˈɛkt ər kɔld ‘‘implicit’*’ ˈmɛʒərz tɪ əˈsɛs aɪˈdɛntəˌti. ðə ˈlætər ər tɛsts ðət ər hɑrd, ɪf nɑt ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl, fər jəŋ ˈʧɪldrən tɪ feɪk. moʊst əv ðə kɪdz ˈivɪn ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət wi ər əˈsɛsɪŋ aɪˈdɛntəˌti, nɔr ðət wi ər ˈmɛʒərɪŋ ðɛr rɪˈspɑns spid. ðiz tæsks ˈmɛʒər əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənz bɪtˈwin ðɛr vju əv ðɛmˈsɛlvz ənd ðɛr ˈʤɛndər. ˈjuzɪŋ boʊθ kaɪnz əv ˈmɛʒərz, wi faɪnd ðə seɪm ðiz, socially-transitioned*, ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər kɪdz hu seɪ ðeɪ ər gərlz, lʊk laɪk gərlz ɔn ɔl taɪps əv ˈmɛʒərz; ðə kɪdz hu seɪ ðeɪ ər bɔɪz, lʊk laɪk bɔɪz ɔn ɔl taɪps əv ˈmɛʒərz. ˈðɛrˌfɔr, wi kən kənˈklud ðət ðiz kɪdz ər nɑt ʤɪst priˈtɛndɪŋ ər pleɪɪŋ əraʊnd (ɛz ə ʧaɪld maɪt priˈtɛnd tɪ bi ə ˈsupərˌmæn), ˈrəðər, dip daʊn, ðeɪ əˈpɪr tɪ θɪŋk əv ðɛmˈsɛlvz ɛz ə gərl (ər ə bɔɪ), ʤɪst ɛz məʧ ɛz ˈɛni ˈəðər gərl (ər bɔɪ). ˈwɪljəmz: ðə nu jɔrk taɪmz ˈrisəntli ˈsaɪtɪd ðə ˈsɪsi bɔɪ ˈsɪnˌdroʊm 1987 tɪ kleɪm ðət moʊst dysphoric”*” ˈʧɪldrən ər nɑt trænz. ɪn fækt, ðə ˈrisərʧ ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn ðət bʊk lʊkt æt ˈʧɪldrən, nɑt trænz ˈʧɪldrən. ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, ðə ˈstədi ˈmɪrli lʊkt æt bɔɪz hu wər dimd tɪ bɪˈheɪv ɪn ə ““feminine”*” ˈmænər. wʊd ju pliz ɪkˈspleɪn ðə ˈdɪfərəns bɪtˈwin ə ʧaɪld (səʧ ɛz ə ˈtɑmˌbɔɪ) ənd ə ˈʤɛndər ˌdɪsˈfɔrɪk ʧaɪld (səʧ ɛz ʤæz ˈʤɛnɪŋz)? ˈɔlsoʊ, wʊd ju pliz ˈkɑmɛnt ɔn waɪ kids”*” wɪθ ““gender-expansive”*” kɪdz kən bi ˌprɑbləˈmætɪk tɪ ˈrisərʧ? ˈoʊlsən: æt ðə ˈmoʊmənt, maɪ ˈrisərʧ grup ɪz ɪgˈzæmɪnɪŋ ðə ˈdɪfərənsɪz ɪn ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz əv wət maɪt bi kɔld children”*” (ðoʊz hu kleɪm ə aɪˈdɛntəˌti ðət ɪz nɑt ðə wən əˈsumd baɪ ðɛr sɛks əˈnaʊnst æt bərθ) ənd wət aɪ ˈɔfən kɔl children”*”. wən əv ðə ˈprɑbləmz əv ðə ˈsɪsi bɔɪ ˈsɪnˌdroʊm ˈstədi ənd ˈmɛni əv ðə ˈəðər ˌlɑnʤəˈtudənəl ˈstədiz, ɪz ðət ðeɪ dɪd nɑt dɪˈstɪŋgwɪʃ ˈʧɪldrən beɪst ɔn ðɛr kleɪmd aɪˈdɛntəˌti, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˈʧɪldrən hu kleɪm tɪ bi ˈvərsəz kleɪm ðeɪ wɪʃ ðeɪ wər ə ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ˈʤɛndər. ðɛr ɪz ɔˈrɛdi ə bɪt əv ˈpəblɪʃt ˈdætə səˈʤɛstɪŋ ðət əv ðə ˈlɑrʤər grup əv ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvərs ˈʧɪldrən, ðə wənz hu ˈæˌkʧuəli kleɪm tɪ bi ə ˈmɛmbər əv ðə ““other”*” ˈʤɛndər (i.e*., ðoʊz hu seɪ aɪ æm ə gərl!) ər ðə wənz hu wɪl ˈlaɪkli aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ ɛz ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈædəlts, waɪl ðoʊz hu du nɑt meɪk ðɪs aɪˈdɛntəˌti kleɪm (ðoʊz hu seɪ, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, aɪ wɪʃ aɪ wɑz ə gərl bɪˈkəz ðɛn kɪdz æt skul wʊd seɪ ɪt wɑz ˈoʊˈkeɪ tɪ wɛr ˈdrɛsɪz) wɪl nɑt. wən əv ɑr goʊlz ɪz tɪ rɪˈkrut grups əv ˈʧɪldrən hu kleɪm ə ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər nɑt ənd tɪ træk ðɛm əˈkrɔs dɪˈvɛləpmənt. ˈoʊnli wɪθ ðɪs ˈkɛrfəl prəˈspɛktɪv wərk wɪl ðɪs kˈwɛʃən bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ bi dɪˈfɪnɪtɪvli ˈænsərd, bət raɪt naʊ ɪt ʃʊr lʊks laɪk wən əv ðə ˈbɪgəst aʊt ðɛr ɪz ðət ðiz oʊld ˈstədiz ər ˈrɛləvənt tɪ dɪˈskəʃənz əv ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən wɪn ɪn fækt, moʊst əv ðoʊz ˈʧɪldrən, ɪt əˈpɪrz, wər ˈnɛvər ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər tɪ bɪˈgɪn wɪθ. ˈwɪljəmz: ənˈfɔrʧənətli, səm heɪt grups drɔ əˈpɑn ˈmidiə ˈkæstɪŋ trænz ˈpipəl ɛz ˈprɛdətərz tɪ səˈpɔrt əˈtækɪŋ ˈikwəl raɪts fər trænz ˈʧɪldrən. hæv ju faʊnd ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ɪn jʊr oʊn (ər another’s*) ˈrisərʧ ðət səˈʤɛsts ðət biɪŋ trænz ˈʧɪldrən tɪ ˈprɛdəˌtɔri bɪˈheɪvjərz? ˈoʊlsən: ˈnəθɪŋ ˈstədid ɪz ˈrɛləvənt æt ɔl tɪ ðɪs kˈwɛʃən, nɔr hæv aɪ rɛd ˈɛni wərk ˈlɪŋkɪŋ ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈpipəl tɪ ˈprɛdəˌtɔri bɪˈheɪvjərz. ˈwɪljəmz: ˈnoʊtɪst ðət ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ˈpipəl kən tɔk pæst iʧ ˈəðər wɪn wi juz tərmz laɪk identity”*” ər role”*”. wɪˈθɪn trænz ˈdɪskɔrs, identity”*” kən min ˈɛni wən əv θri θɪŋz: ə.) səˈbʤɛktɪv ɪkˈspɪriəns əv oʊn sɛkst ˈbɑdi əˈtrɪˌbjuts; bi.) sɛkst pərˈsoʊnə wɪˈθɪn ðə ˈkɑntɛkst əv ə ˈsoʊʃəl ˈgrupɪŋ; ər, si.) boʊθ ə ənd bi. ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv trænz ˈdɪskɔrs, səm kleɪm ðət identity”*” ɪz ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns əv ˈʤɛndər roʊl, wɪʧ ɪz ˌprɑbləˈmætɪk frəm ə trænz pərˈspɛktɪv sɪns wi tɛnd tɪ vju role”*” ɛz ə ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli pərˈnɪʃəs ˈæˌspɛkt əv ˈsɛksɪzəm. wɪˈθɪn trænz ˈdɪskɔrs, ˈʤɛndər roʊl rɪˈfərz tɪ ˈkəlʧərəl ˈʤɛndər ˈfəŋkʃən. ɪn ˈsɛksɪzəm, roles”*” ˈfəŋkʃən tɪ prəˈmoʊt ə ˈkəlʧərəˌli pərˈsivd soʊˈsaɪɪti. biɪŋ pleɪst ɪn ə roʊl ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət ɪz dən tɪ ˈpipəl ənd ɪn ðɪs sɛns, ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi kən ʧuz tɪ lɪv ɪn ə ˈʤɛndər roʊl. ʃʊd soʊˈsaɪɪti dim ðət wən ɪz ə meɪl, ðət ˈpərsən wɪl bi pleɪst ˈɪntu ə meɪl roʊl baɪ ˈkəlʧər; ʃʊd soʊˈsaɪɪti dim ðət wən ɪz ˈfiˌmeɪl, ðət ˈpərsən wɪl bi pleɪst ˈɪntu ə ˈfiˌmeɪl roʊl baɪ ˈkəlʧər. sɪns ɪt ɪz soʊˈsaɪɪti ənd nɑt ˈpərsɪnəl ˈeɪʤənsi ðət ɪz ðə ˈeɪʤənt, ˈʤɛndər roʊlz ˈʧoʊzən ənd məʧ əv trænz ˈdɪskɔrs ɪz ˈsɪʧuˌeɪtɪd əraʊnd weɪz əv ˈʧælənʤɪŋ ənd ˈəndərˌmaɪnɪŋ ðiz ˈkəlʧərəˌli kənˈstrəktɪd ˈfəŋkʃənz. wɪˈθɪn trænz ˈdɪskɔrs, wɪn wən kənˈfleɪts ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti wɪθ ˈʤɛndər roʊl, wən ɪz ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə ˈɑrgjəmənt ðə trænz ˈwɪmən bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ˈwɔntɪd tɪ ˈfəŋkʃən ɛz pɑrt əv ən əˈprɛst klæs ənd trænz mɛn bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ˈwɔntɪd tɪ ˈfəŋkʃən ɛz pɑrt əv ən əˈprɛsər klæs. ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti, wi trænz ˈpipəl ɪkˈspɪriəns ˈɛniˌθɪŋ frəm sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt əˈnɔɪəns tɪ ˈkrɪpəlɪŋ kəˈnɛktɪd wɪθ ˈkætəˌgɔriz ə bi, ɛz dɪˈfaɪnd əˈbəv. ɪn ˈɔrdər fər trænz ˈpipəl tɪ ˈbɛtər ˌəndərˈstænd wət ju ɛz ə ˈrisərʧər min wɪn ju tɔk əˈbaʊt ðə identity”*” əv trænz ˈʧɪldrən, wət wɑz jʊr ˈɔpərˌeɪtɪŋ ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən fər identity”*” fər jʊr ˈstədi? ˈoʊlsən: ɪn ɑr ˈstədi, wi dɪˈfaɪnd identity”*” ɛz ðə aɪˈdɛntəˌti ðə ʧaɪld kleɪmz ɪn ˈɛvriˈdeɪ laɪf. ɪn ɑr ˈsæmpəl, ɪt ˈhæpənz ðət ðə grup wi wərkt wɪθ kleɪmd ðə ˈbaɪnəˌri ɛndz əv ðə ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ˈspɛktrəm, soʊ ɔl əv ɑr ˈʧɪldrən kleɪmd ə meɪl ər ˈfiˌmeɪl aɪˈdɛntəˌti ɪn ðɛr ˈɛvriˈdeɪ laɪf. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ju meɪ hæv sin ɪn ðə ˈpeɪpər ðət wɪn wi ˈfɑloʊˌəp ənd gɪv kɪdz mɔr ˈpɑsəbəl ˈænsərz e.g*., ““boy*, gərl, boʊθ, ˈniðər, ɪt ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ˈoʊvər taɪm, ər aɪ know”*”, ə fju kɪdz, boʊθ ɪn ɑr ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər grup ənd ɑr kənˈtroʊlz grups, gɪv ˈænsərz. bi ˈkjʊriəs, ɛz wi ˈfɑloʊ ðiz ənd naʊ ə məʧ ˈlɑrʤər grup əv ˈʧɪldrən ˈɪntu ðə fˈjuʧər, ˈwɛðər ðə aɪˈdɛntəˌti ðeɪ kleɪmd ˈərli ɪn ˈʧaɪlˌdhʊd ɪz ər ɪz nɑt rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ðɛr aɪˈdɛntəˌti kleɪmz ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf. ˈwɪljəmz: ju juzd ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈtɛstɪŋ tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðə ˌɔtəˈmætɪk ənd ˈðɛrˌfɔr, ˌənˈkɑnʃəs əˈwɛrnəs əv trænz ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti. ɪn hər bʊk, dɪˈluʒənz əv ˈʤɛndər, ˌkɔrˈdiˌliə faɪn roʊt: [ˌɪmˈplɪsət tɛsts] kəˈnɛkt ˌrɛprəzənˈteɪʃənz əv ˈɑbʤɛkts, ˈpipəl, ˈkɑnsɛpts, ˈfilɪŋz, jʊr oʊn sɛlf, goʊlz, ˈmoʊtɪvz ənd bɪˈheɪvjərz wɪθ wən əˈnəðər. ðə strɛŋθ əv iʧ əv ðiz kəˈnɛkʃənz dɪˈpɛndz ɔn jʊr pæst ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz (ənd ˈɔlsoʊ, ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋli, ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈkɑntɛkst): haʊ ˈɔfən ðoʊz tu ˈɑbʤɛkts, seɪ, ər ðət ˈpərsən ənd ðət ˈfilɪŋ, ər ðət ˈɑbʤɛkt ənd ə ˈsərtən bɪˈheɪvjər hæv gɔn təˈgɛðər ɪn ðə pæst. wɪn ju ˈmɛʒərd ðə ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz əv ðə ˈʧɪldrən ɪn jʊr ˈstədi, ju faʊnd ðət ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən ʃoʊd ə strɔŋ ˌɪmˈplɪsət aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən wɪθ ðɛr ɪkˈsprɛst ˈʤɛndər. ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, wɪn ju lʊkt æt ðə ˈdætə frəm trænz gərlz, ðɛr ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈʤɛndər ʃoʊd ðə seɪm ˈpætərn ɛz ðə ˈdætə frəm gərlz ənd ðə ˈdætə frəm trænz bɔɪz ʃoʊd ðə seɪm ˈpætərn ɛz ˈdætə frəm bɔɪz. ər ju ˈmɪrli seɪɪŋ ðət ənd trænz gərlz laɪk ər ər ju ˈspikɪŋ tɪ ˈsəmθɪŋ məʧ ˈdipər ðən tɔɪ ˈprɛfərənsɪz? ˈoʊlsən: tɪ bi klɪr, ðə ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈmɛʒər ɪz nɑt əˈbaʊt tɔɪ ˈlɪtərəli ən əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən bɪtˈwin ˈkɑnsɛpts laɪk mi, maɪ, ənd maɪn, wɪθ ˈiðər ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv bɔɪz ər ˈfoʊˌtoʊz əv gərlz. ðət ɪz, ðə ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈmɛʒər ˈmɪrli əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪts ðə spid wɪθ wɪʧ ðeɪ əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt ðɛmˈsɛlvz wɪθ ðə ˈkɑnsɛpt əv meɪlz ər ðə ˈkɑnsɛpt əv ˈfiˌmeɪlz. ənd jɛs, wi dɪd faɪnd ðət gərlz ənd trænz gərlz əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd ðɛmˈsɛlvz wɪθ ˈfiˌmeɪl tɪ ən ˈikwəl ɪkˈstɛnt. ɛz tɪ ðə kˈwɛʃən əv tɔɪ ˈprɛfərənsɪz, wi dɪd ˈɔlsoʊ əˈsɛs ðɛr ˈprɛfərənsɪz fər pɪrz ənd fər tɔɪz əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd wɪθ iʧ əv ðə tu ˈbaɪnəˌri ɛndz əv ðə ˈʤɛndər ˈspɛktrəm ənd əˈgɛn faʊnd ˌsɪməˈlɛrəti bɪtˈwin ənd trænz gərlz ənd bɪtˈwin ənd trænz bɔɪz. ɛz ju ˈpɔɪntɪd aʊt, ðiz wər ʤɪst ɪgˈzæmpəl maɪt hæv səˈlɛktɪd ˈɛni ˈnəmbər əv ˈdɪfərənt ˈaɪtəmz ðət ər ˈkəlʧərəˌli əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd wɪθ ˈʤɛndər. ðiz wənz ʤɪst ˈhæpən tɪ hæv bɪn ðə ˈfoʊkɪs əv ˈpriviəs wərk ɔn ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvɛləpmənt. wi du nɑt θɪŋk ðət ˈsəmθɪŋ ˈspɛʃəl əˈbaʊt dɑlz ər trəks, ənd wi ˈsərtənli noʊ ðət ˈkəlʧər ənd ˌsoʊʃəlɪˈzeɪʃən dɪˈtərmən wɪʧ ˈkələrz ər kloʊðz ər tɔɪz ər əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd wɪθ iʧ ˈʤɛndər, soʊ ɑr ˈpraɪˌmɛri kənˈkluʒən ɪz ðət əˈkrɔs lɑts əv ˈmɛʒərz əv ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvɛləpmənt, socially-transitioned*, ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər gərlz lʊks ʤɪst laɪk ˈəðər (cisgender*) gərlz, ənd ðə seɪm fər bɔɪz. ˈwɪljəmz: aɪ ˌəndərˈstænd ðət ju ər kənˈsɪdərɪŋ duɪŋ ə ˈlɑrʤər ˈstədi. kən ju tɔk əˈbaʊt waɪ ju wɔnt tɪ ɪkˈspænd jʊr ˈrisərʧ? ˈoʊlsən: wi ər ˈkərəntli rɪˈkrutɪŋ ə ˈsæmpəl əv wət wi hoʊp wɪl bi mɔr ðən 200 ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ənd ˈʤɛndər kɪdz ɔl ˈoʊvər ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts ənd ˈkænədə. tɪ deɪt wərkt wɪθ mɔr ðən 150 əv ðɛm. ɑr goʊl ɪz tɪ træk ðiz kɪdz frəm θru əˈdəlˌthʊd, tɪ ʃɛd səm laɪt ɔn ðə ˌsɪməˈlɛrətiz ənd juˈnik pæθs əv ðə dɪˈvɛləpmənt, ənd tɪ ˈænsər səm ðɛr ˈæˌspɛkts əv aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ˈprɛfərənsɪz, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə ðət hɛlp prɪˈdɪkt ˈædəlt aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən? wət roʊl dɪz ˈərli pərˈɛntəl səˈpɔrt ˈsoʊʃəl trænˈzɪʃənz pleɪ ɪn dɪˈtərmənɪŋ ˈmɛntəl hɛlθ, ˌwɛlˈbiɪŋ, ənd aɪˈdɛntəˌti? ˈwɪljəmz: wət ər ðə ˈpɑsəbəl ˌɪmpləˈkeɪʃənz əv jʊr wərk fər ˈsoʊˈkɔld ““reparative”*” ər ““conversion”*” ˈθɛrəpiz ðət sik tɪ ˈkɑnvərt trænz ˈʧɪldrən ˈɪntu ˈʧɪldrən? ˈoʊlsən: aɪ æm nɑt ˈkərəntli ˈwərkɪŋ wɪθ ˈɛni ˈʧɪldrən ɪn ˈiðər taɪp əv ˈθɛrəpi, ənd ðiz ˈθɛrəpiz ər ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈaʊˌtlɔd ɪn ˈmɛni steɪts ənd ˈprɑvənsəz. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, maɪ ˈrɛdɪŋ əv ðə ˈlɪtərəʧər ɪz ðət ðiz ˈθɛrəpiz, məʧ laɪk geɪ kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi ər nɑt, ənd hæv nɑt bɪn ““successful”*” (ɪn kwoʊts bɪˈkəz frəm ðə pərˈspɛktɪv əv ðə ˈpipəl duɪŋ ðə ˈklɪrli ˌkɑntrəˈvərʃəl wət səkˈsɛs wʊd ˈrɪli min). bɪˈkəz wi ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ðoʊz kɪdz ɪn ɑr ˈkɑrənt wərk, wi ˈɛvər meɪk kənˈkluʒənz əˈbaʊt ðə ˌɪmˈpækt əv ðoʊz ˈθɛrəpiz ɔn ðoʊz kɪdz. wət wi wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ seɪ ɪz ðə ɪz ðə ˌɪmˈpækt əv səˈpɔrt ɛz wi du hæv ˈʧɪldrən ɪn ɑr ˈstədi hu hæv ə dɪˈvərs ˈhɪstəri əv ˈlɛvəlz əv səˈpɔrt frəm ðɛr ˈfæməliz ənd kəmˈjunɪtiz. wi θɪŋk baɪ ˈfoʊkɪsɪŋ ɔn ˈʧɪldrən hu ər rɪˈsivɪŋ səˈpɔrt wi maɪt bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˌəndərˈstænd səm əv ðə ˈfæktərz ðət maɪt kənˈtrɪbjut tɪ gʊd hɛlθ, ˈhæpinəs, ənd ˌwɛlˈbiɪŋ əˈməŋst ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ənd ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvərs ˈʧɪldrən. ɑr hoʊp wʊd bi ðət 10 jɪrz frəm naʊ, ɑr ˈstədiz wɪl bi ˈhɛlpfəl tɪ ˈpɛrənts əv ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən, əˈlaʊɪŋ ðɛm tɪ meɪk ən ˌɪnˈfɔrmd dɪˈsɪʒən əˈbaʊt səˈpɔrtɪŋ ðɛr aɪˈdɛntəˌti. ˈɛndɪŋ kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi: səˈpɔrtɪŋ ənd əˈfərmɪŋ juθ ɛz ˈoʊlsən noʊts, traɪɪŋ tɪ fɔrs ˈtrænzˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən ˈɪntu bɪˈkəmɪŋ ˈʧɪldrən ɪz bɪˈkəmɪŋ ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈaʊˌtlɔd. ɪn fækt, ðə tɛkst ɪn nu lɔ ˈbænɪŋ kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi noʊts ðət ðə əˈmɛrɪkən skul ˈkaʊnsələr əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən, əˈmɛrɪkən ˌsaɪkoʊˌænəˈlɪtɪk əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən ənd ðə əˈmɛrɪkən əˈkædəmi əv ʧaɪld ənd ˌædəˈlɛsənt sɪˈkaɪətri ɔl kənˈdɛm ˈθɛrəpi. əˈmɛrɪkən skul ˈkaʊnsələr əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən: ɪt ɪz nɑt ðə roʊl əv ðə prəˈfɛʃənəl skul ˈkaʊnsələr tɪ əˈtɛmpt tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ə ˈsɛkʃuəl aɪˈdɛntəˌti bət ˌɪnˈstɛd tɪ prəˈvaɪd səˈpɔrt tɪ ˈstudənts tɪ prəˈmoʊt ˈstudənt əˈʧivmənt ənd ˈpərsɪnəl ˌwɛlˈbiɪŋ. ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzɪŋ ðət ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən ɪz nɑt ən ˈɪlnəs ənd dɪz nɑt ˌrikˈwaɪər ˈtritmənt, prəˈfɛʃənəl skul ˈkaʊnsələrz meɪ prəˈvaɪd ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl ˈstudənt ˈplænɪŋ ər rɪˈspɑnsɪv ˈsərvɪsɪz tɪ ˈstudənts tɪ prəˈmoʊt self-acceptance*, dil wɪθ ˈsoʊʃəl əkˈsɛptəns, ˌəndərˈstænd ˈɪʃuz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ˈkəmɪŋ aʊt, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈɪʃuz ðət ˈfæməliz meɪ feɪs wɪn ə ˈstudənt goʊz θru ðɪs ˈprɔˌsɛs ənd aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ əˈproʊpriˌeɪt kəmˈjunɪti ˈrisɔrsɪz. əˈmɛrɪkən ˌsaɪkoʊˌænəˈlɪtɪk əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən: ɛz wɪθ ˈɛni səˈsaɪɪtəl ˈprɛʤədɪs, baɪəs əˈgɛnst ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz beɪst ɔn ˈækʧəwəl ər pərˈsivd ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən, ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən ˈnɛgətɪvli əˈfɛkts ˈmɛntəl hɛlθ, kənˈtrɪbjutɪŋ tɪ ən ɪnˈdʊrɪŋ sɛns əv ˈstɪgmə ənd pərˈveɪsɪv θru ðə əv səʧ ˈprɛʤədɪs; ənd ˌsaɪkoʊˌænəˈlɪtɪk tɛkˈnik dɪz nɑt ɛnˈkəmpəs ˈpərpəsfəl əˈtɛmpts tɪ ‘‘convert,’*,’ ‘‘repair,’*,’ ʧeɪnʤ ər ʃɪft ən ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən, ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən. səʧ dɪˈrɛktɪd ˈɛfərts ər əˈgɛnst ˌfəndəˈmɛnəl ˈprɪnsəpəlz əv ˌsaɪkoʊˌænəˈlɪtɪk ˈtritmənt ənd ˈɔfən rɪˈzəlt ɪn səbˈstænʃəl ˌsaɪkəˈlɑʤɪkəl peɪn baɪ ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ˈdæmɪʤɪŋ ˌɪnˈtərnəˌlaɪzd ˈætəˌtudz. əˈmɛrɪkən əˈkædəmi əv ʧaɪld ənd ˌædəˈlɛsənt sɪˈkaɪətri: klɪˈnɪʃənz ʃʊd bi əˈwɛr ðət ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈɛvədəns ðət ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən kən bi ˈɔltərd θru ˈθɛrəpi, ənd ðət əˈtɛmpts tɪ du soʊ meɪ bi ˈhɑrmfəl. ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˌɛmˈpɪrɪkəl ˈɛvədəns ˈædəlt ˌhoʊmoʊˌsɛkʃuˈæləˌti kən bi prɪˈvɛnɪd ɪf ˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən ər ˈɪnfluənst tɪ bi mɔr ˈʤɛndər kənˈfɔrmɪŋ. ˌɪnˈdid, ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈmɛdɪkəli ˈvælɪd ˈbeɪsɪs fər əˈtɛmptɪŋ tɪ prɪˈvɛnt ˌhoʊmoʊˌsɛkʃuˈæləˌti, wɪʧ ɪz nɑt ən ˈɪlnəs. ɔn ðə ˈkɑntrɛri, səʧ ˈɛfərts meɪ ɪnˈkərəʤ ˈfæməli rɪˈʤɛkʃən ənd ˈəndərˌmaɪn self-esteem*, ənd ˈkɛrɪŋ, ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt prəˈtɛktɪv ˈfæktərz əˈgɛnst ˌsuəˈsaɪdəl ˌaɪdiˈeɪʃən ənd əˈtɛmpts. ˈgɪvɪn ðət ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈɛvədəns ðət ˈɛfərts tɪ ˈɔltər ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən ər ˈifɛktɪv, ˌbɛnəˈfɪʃəl ər ˈnɛsəˌsɛri, ənd ðə ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti ðət ðeɪ ˈkɛri ðə rɪsk əv sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt hɑrm, səʧ ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃənz ər contraindicated*. ˈkəmɪŋ ɔn ðə hilz əv ˈstədi, ðə ˈsəbstəns əˈbjuz ənd ˈmɛntəl hɛlθ ˈsərvɪsɪz ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən (samhsa*), ə brænʧ əv ðə juz. dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv hɛlθ ənd ˈjumən ˈsərvɪsɪz, ˈpəblɪʃt ə rɪˈpɔrt kənˈdɛmɪŋ ““conversion”*” ər ““reparative”*” ˈθɛrəpiz. ɛz pɑrt əv ɪts rɪˈpɔrt, riˈlist ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ prəˈfɛʃənəl kənˈsɛnsəs ɔn ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ənd ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən ɪn juθ: kənˈsɛnsəs ɔn ˈɛfərts tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ðɛr ɪz ə læk əv ˈpəblɪʃt ˈrisərʧ ɔn ˈɛfərts tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti əˈməŋ ˈʧɪldrən ənd ˌædəˈlɛsənts; noʊ ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ ˈrisərʧ səˈpɔrts ðət ˈmɛntəl hɛlθ ənd bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃənz wɪθ ˈʧɪldrən ənd ˌædəˈlɛsənts ˈɔltər ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti. ɪt ɪz ˈklɪnɪkəli ˌɪnəˈproʊpriɪt fər bɪˈheɪvjərəl hɛlθ prəˈfɛʃənəlz tɪ hæv ə goʊl rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən, ər ˈsɛkʃuəl ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃən fər ðə ˈəltəmət dɪˌvɛləpˈmɛnəl ˈaʊtˌkəm əv ə ər ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən. ˈmɛntəl hɛlθ ənd bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃənz eɪmd æt əˈʧivɪŋ ə fɪkst ˈaʊtˌkəm, səʧ ɛz ˈʤɛndər kənˈfɔrməti, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðoʊz eɪmd æt ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ər ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən, ər koʊəˈrsɪv, kən bi ˈhɑrmfəl, ənd ʃʊd nɑt bi pɑrt əv ˈtritmənt. dɪˈrɛktɪŋ ðə ʧaɪld ər ˌædəˈlɛsənt tɪ kənˈfɔrm tɪ ˈɛni ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃən ər aɪˈdɛntəˌti, ər dɪˈrɛktɪŋ ˈpɛrənts ənd ˈgɑrdiənz tɪ pleɪs ˈprɛʃər ɔn ðə ʧaɪld ər ˌædəˈlɛsənt tɪ kənˈfɔrm tɪ spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃənz aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz, ɪz ˌɪnəˈproʊpriɪt ənd ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪz ˈhɑrmfəl ˈʤɛndər ˈstɛrioʊˌtaɪps. waɪl ðə rɪˈpɔrt noʊts ðət ðɛr ər ˈstədiz ðət kleɪm ðət moʊst ˈʧɪldrən du nɑt trænˈzɪʃən wɪn ðeɪ groʊ ˈoʊldər, ðə rɪˈpɔrt ˈɔlsoʊ noʊts ðət ðoʊz ˈstədiz, beɪst ɔn ˈklɪnɪkəl ˈsæmpəlz əv juθ ənd ˈmɛni əv ðə ˈrisərʧərz ˈkætəgərˌaɪzd juθ noʊ ˈlɔŋgər əˈtɛndɪŋ ðə ˈklɪnɪks (huz ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti meɪ bi ənˈnoʊn) ɛz noʊ ˈlɔŋgər ˈʤɛndər ˌdɪsˈfɔrɪk, ənd soʊ ðɪs ˈrisərʧ ˈlaɪkli ˌəndərˈɛstɪmɪts ðə pərˈsɛnɪʤ əv youth.”*.” mɔˈroʊvər, ðə rɪˈpɔrt noʊts ðət ðiz ˈstədiz ˈɔfən kənˈfleɪt ˈʤɛndər ˈʧɪldrən wɪθ trænz ˈʧɪldrən ənd ðəs səˈʤɛsts, ðə ˌɪnˈkluʒən ɪn ˈstədi ˈsæmpəlz əv ˈmɛni ˈʧɪldrən wɪθ dɪˈvərs ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃənz hu meɪ nɑt hæv ˈʤɛndər dysphoria”*” simz tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn ðə dɪˈskrɛpənsi bɪtˈwin ˈoʊldər ˈstədiz (səʧ ɛz ðə wən ðə taɪmz ˈsaɪtɪd) ənd nuər ˈrisərʧ wɪθ ˈmɑdərn dɪˈstɪŋkʃənz bɪtˈwin ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvərs ənd trænz ˈʧɪldrən. ðə rɪˈpɔrt noʊts ðət ˌɪmˈplɪsət ˈʤɛndər ˈɪndəˌkeɪtərz, səʧ ɛz ðoʊz juzd ɪn ˈrisərʧ, ər ˈlaɪkli ˈifɛktɪv ɪn ˌdɪfərˈɛnʧiˌeɪtɪŋ bɪtˈwin ˈʤɛndər dɪˈvərs ənd trænz juθ. ˌɪmˈpɔrtəntli, ðə rɪˈpɔrt goʊz ɔn tɪ noʊt ðət ˈʧɪldrən ʃʊd bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ɪmˈbreɪs ˈimərʤɪŋ aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz. aɪˈdɛntɪˌtiz ənd dɪˈvərs ˈʤɛndər ɪkˈsprɛʃənz du nɑt ˈkɑnstəˌtut ə ˈmɛntəl dɪˈsɔrdər, [ənd] ˌvɛriˈeɪʃənz ɪn ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ənd ɪkˈsprɛʃən ər ˈnɔrməl ˈæˌspɛkts əv ˈjumən dɪˈvərsɪti, ənd ˈbaɪnəˌri ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃənz əv ˈʤɛndər meɪ nɑt rɪˈflɛkt ˈimərʤɪŋ ˈʤɛndər identities.”*.” ðə rɪˈpɔrt hɪts hoʊm ʤɪst haʊ ˈdeɪnʤərəs ɪt ɪz tɪ fɔrs trænz ˌædəˈlɛsənts ˈɪntu kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi. ðɛr ɪz ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk kənˈsɛnsəs ðət ˈʤɛndər ɪn ˌædəˈlɛsəns ɪz ənˈlaɪkli tɪ riˈmɪt wɪˈθaʊt ˈmɛdɪkəl ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən, ˈivɪn ðoʊz hu səˈpɔrt ˈʤɛndər aɪˈdɛntəˌti ʧeɪnʤ ˈɛfərts wɪθ ˈʧɪldrən ˈʤɛnərəli du nɑt əˈtɛmpt səʧ ˈɛfərts wɪθ ˌædəˈlɛsənts ɪkˈspɪriənsɪŋ ˈʤɛndər dysphoria.”*.” ðə rɪˈpɔrt noʊts ðət ðɛr ɪz noʊ pruf ðət kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi wərks ɔn trænz juθ, ˈrisərʧ həz bɪn ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn ðə ˈlɪtərəʧər ðət ˈdɛmənˌstreɪts ðə ˈɛfɪˌkæsi əv kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi ˈɛfərts wɪθ ˈʤɛndər məˈnɔrəti juθ, nɔr ˈɛni ˈbɛnəfɪts əv səʧ ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃənz tɪ ˈʧɪldrən ənd ðɛr families.”*.” ˈivɪn raɪt ˈwɪŋərz æt ðɪs ˈsəðərn ˈbæptɪst ˈkɑnfərəns meɪd ðə nuz wɪn ðeɪ ˈpəblɪkli ækˈnɑlɪʤd ðət kənˈvərʒən ˈθɛrəpi wərk. ˈivɪn soʊ, ðə ˈkɑnfərəns stɪl meɪnˈteɪnd ðət biɪŋ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈəðər ðən streɪt ɪz ˈsɪnfəl ənd ðət ɔl ˈpipəl ʃʊd riˈprɛʃən ɛz pɑrt əv ðɛr feɪθ. tɪp ðɪs! səˈlɛkt tɪp ˈəðər ˈraɪtərz fər ðə wərk hɑrd tɪ brɪŋ ju nuz ənd ˈkɑmənˌtɛri. ɪf ju faʊnd ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ˈminɪŋfəl, lɛt ðə ˈɔθər noʊ ðət ju əˈpriʃiˌeɪt ðə wərk ðeɪ du wɪθ ə tɪp!
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a recent study found that the gender identity of trans children is as implicit as the gender identity of cis children. a study with 32 transgender children, ages 5 to 12, indicates that the gender identity of these children is deeply held and is not the result of confusion about gender identity or pretense. the study, led by psychological scientist kristina olson of the university of washington, is one of the first to explore gender identity in transgender children using implicit measures that operate outside conscious awareness and are, therefore, less susceptible to modification than self-report measures and older studies by researchers who conflated trans and gender diverse children. the findings will be published in psychological science, a journal of the association for psychological science.
i interviewed olson about the study’s findings:
cristan williams: how was it that you became interested in working with trans children?
kristina olson: my area of expertise is understanding how children think about social groups, including race, gender, social class, etc, so i’ve always wanted to better understand a variety of children’s experiences. transgender children are an especially interesting group because they are one of the only cases where a child is claiming an identity, that everyone doesn’t believe that child has. i was interested in understanding how children think about this group membership, how they do (or don’t) convince others of that identity, and what the implication are for their understanding of gender more broadly. in addition, a friend’s child was socially transitioning and i was learning just how little psychologists understood about transgender children’s development, yet this is clearly an important and timely topic to study. my hope then became that i could contribute both to scientific understanding of gender identity, and to the broader public’s understanding of the experiences and needs of transgender children.
williams: a fox news pundit compared kids who are trans to kids who think they’re dogs and cats saying, “you know, look, at a point when i was a child, i thought i was a cocker spaniel… and a point when we have these fantasies where we think we’re superman, where we can fly, where we’re the cat.” would you please explain the difference between a trans kid and a kid who thinks they’re superman and why do you think the children in your study aren’t just confused?
olson: we have now used a wide range of measures to assess transgender children’s gender identities. we use some measures—ones we call explicit measures—where we directly ask children about their identities. we also use more indirect measures—what are called ‘implicit’ measures to assess identity. the latter are tests that are hard, if not impossible, for young children to fake. most of the kids don’t even realize that we are assessing identity, nor that we are measuring their response speed. these tasks measure children’s associations between their view of themselves and their gender. using both kinds of measures, we find the same conclusion—the these prepubescent, socially-transitioned, transgender kids who say they are girls, look like girls on all types of measures; the kids who say they are boys, look like boys on all types of measures. therefore, we can conclude that these kids are not just pretending or playing around (as a child might pretend to be a superman), rather, deep down, they appear to think of themselves as a girl (or a boy), just as much as any other girl (or boy).
williams: the new york times recently cited the sissy boy syndrome (1987) to claim that most “gender dysphoric” children are not trans. in fact, the research published in that book looked at gender-expansive children, not trans children. in other words, the study merely looked at boys who were deemed to behave in a “feminine” manner. would you please explain the difference between a gender-expansive child (such as a tomboy) and a gender dysphoric child (such as jazz jennings)? also, would you please comment on why conflating “trans kids” with “gender-expansive” kids can be problematic to research?
olson: at the moment, my research group is examining the differences in experiences of what might be called “transgender children” (those who claim a male/female identity that is not the one assumed by their sex announced at birth) and what i often call “gender nonconforming children”. one of the problems of the sissy boy syndrome study and many of the other longitudinal studies, is that they did not distinguish children based on their claimed identity, for example, conflating children who claim to be versus claim they wish they were a particular gender. there is already a bit of published data suggesting that of the larger group of gender diverse children, the ones who actually claim to be a member of the “other” gender (i.e., those who say i am a girl!) are the ones who will likely identify as transgender adults, while those who do not make this identity claim (those who say, for example, i wish i was a girl because then kids at school would say it was ok to wear dresses) will not. one of our goals is to recruit groups of children who claim a transgender identity or not and to track them across development. only with this careful prospective work will this question be able to be definitively answered, but right now it sure looks like one of the biggest mis-statements out there is that these old studies are relevant to discussions of transgender children when in fact, most of those children, it appears, were never transgender to begin with.
williams: unfortunately, some hate groups draw upon media tropes casting trans people as predators to support attacking equal rights for trans children. have you found anything in your own (or another’s) research that suggests that being trans predisposes children to predatory behaviors?
olson: nothing i’ve studied is relevant at all to this question, nor have i read any work linking transgender people to predatory behaviors.
williams: i’ve noticed that sometimes people can talk past each other when we use terms like “gender identity” or “gender role”. within trans discourse, “gender identity” can mean any one of three things:
a.) one’s subjective experience of one’s own sexed body attributes;
b.) one’s sexed persona within the context of a social grouping; or,
c.) both a and b.
outside of trans discourse, some claim that “gender identity” is the experience of one’s gender role, which is problematic from a trans perspective since we tend to view “gender role” as a particularly pernicious aspect of sexism. within trans discourse, one’s gender role refers to one’s cultural gender function. in sexism, “gender roles” function to promote a culturally perceived sex-segregated society. being placed in a role is something that is done to people and in this sense, nobody can choose to live in a gender role. should society deem that one is a male, that person will be placed into a male role by culture; should society deem that one is female, that person will be placed into a female role by culture. since it is society and not personal agency that is the proscriptive agent, gender roles aren’t chosen and much of trans discourse is situated around ways of challenging and undermining these culturally constructed functions.
within trans discourse, when one conflates gender identity with gender role, one is making the argument the trans women transitioned because they wanted to function as part of an oppressed class and trans men transitioned because they wanted to function as part of an oppressor class. in reality, we trans people experience anything from significant annoyance to crippling debilitation connected with categories a and/or b, as defined above.
in order for trans people to better understand what you as a researcher mean when you talk about the “gender identity” of trans children, what was your operating definition for “gender identity” for your study?
olson: in our study, we defined “gender identity” as the identity the child claims in everyday life. in our sample, it happens that the group we worked with claimed the binary ends of the gender identity spectrum, so all of our children claimed a male or female identity in their everyday life. however, you may have seen in the paper that when we follow-up and give kids more possible answers e.g., “boy, girl, both, neither, it changes over time, or i don’t know”, a few kids, both in our transgender group and our controls groups, give non-binary answers. we’ll be curious, as we follow these and now a much larger group of children into the future, whether the identity they claimed early in childhood is or is not related to their identity claims later in life.
williams: you used implicit testing to understand the automatic – and therefore, unconscious – awareness of trans children’s gender identity. in her book, delusions of gender, cordelia fine wrote:
[implicit tests] connect representations of objects, people, concepts, feelings, your own self, goals, motives and behaviors with one another. the strength of each of these connections depends on your past experiences (and also, interestingly, the current context): how often those two objects, say, or that person and that feeling, or that object and a certain behavior have gone together in the past.
when you measured the gender identities of the children in your study, you found that transgender children showed a strong implicit identification with their expressed gender. in other words, when you looked at the data from trans girls, their implicit gender showed the same pattern as the data from cis girls and the data from trans boys showed the same pattern as data from cis boys.
are you merely saying that cis and trans girls like dollies or are you speaking to something much deeper than toy preferences?
olson: to be clear, the implicit measure is not about toy preferences—it’s literally an association between concepts like me, my, and mine, with either photos of boys or photos of girls. that is, the implicit measure merely associates the speed with which they associate themselves with the concept of males or the concept of females. and yes, we did find that cis girls and trans girls associated themselves with female to an equal extent.
as to the question of toy preferences, we did also assess their preferences for peers and for toys associated with each of the two binary ends of the gender spectrum and again found similarity between cis and trans girls and between cis and trans boys. as you pointed out, these were just example items—we might have selected any number of different items that are culturally associated with gender. these ones just happen to have been the focus of previous work on gender development. we do not think that something special about dolls or trucks, and we certainly know that culture and socialization determine which colors or clothes or toys are associated with each gender, so our primary conclusion is that across lots of measures of gender development, socially-transitioned, prepubescent transgender girls looks just like other (cisgender) girls, and the same for boys.
williams: i understand that you are considering doing a larger study. can you talk about why you want to expand your research?
olson: we are currently recruiting a sample of what we hope will be more than 200 transgender and gender non-conforming kids all over the united states and canada. to date we’ve worked with more than 150 of them. our goal is to track these kids from prepubescence through adulthood, to shed some light on the similarities and unique paths of the development, and to answer some age-old questions—are there aspects of identity, preferences, etc that help predict adult identification? what role does early parental support and/or social transitions play in determining mental health, well-being, and identity?
williams: what are the possible implications of your work for so-called “reparative” or “conversion” therapies that seek to convert trans children into cis children?
olson: i am not currently working with any children in either type of therapy, and these therapies are increasingly outlawed in many states and provinces. however, my reading of the literature is that these therapies, much like gay conversion therapy are not, and have not been “successful” (in quotes because that’s from the perspective of the people doing the therapy—it’s clearly controversial what success would really mean). because we don’t focus on those kids in our current work, we can’t ever make conclusions about the impact of those therapies on those kids. what we will be able to say is the opposite—what is the impact of support as we do have children in our study who have a diverse history of levels of support from their families and communities. we think by focusing on children who are receiving support we might be able to understand some of the factors that might contribute to good health, happiness, and well-being amongst transgender and gender diverse children. our hope would be that 10 years from now, our studies will be helpful to parents of tomorrow’s 5-year-old transgender children, allowing them to make an informed decision about supporting their child’s identity.
ending conversion therapy: supporting and affirming lgbtq youth
as olson notes, trying to force transgender children into becoming cisgender children is becoming increasingly outlawed. in fact, the text in new jersey’s law banning lgbt conversion therapy notes that the american school counselor association, american psychoanalytic association and the american academy of child and adolescent psychiatry all condemn ex-trans therapy.
american school counselor association:
it is not the role of the professional school counselor to attempt to change a student’s sexual orientation/gender identity but instead to provide support to lgbtq students to promote student achievement and personal well-being. recognizing that sexual orientation is not an illness and does not require treatment, professional school counselors may provide individual student planning or responsive services to lgbtq students to promote self-acceptance, deal with social acceptance, understand issues related to coming out, including issues that families may face when a student goes through this process and identify appropriate community resources.
american psychoanalytic association:
as with any societal prejudice, bias against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression negatively affects mental health, contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive self-criticism through the internalization of such prejudice; and psychoanalytic technique does not encompass purposeful attempts to ‘convert,’ ‘repair,’ change or shift an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. such directed efforts are against fundamental principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized attitudes.
american academy of child and adolescent psychiatry:
clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be altered through therapy, and that attempts to do so may be harmful. there is no empirical evidence adult homosexuality can be prevented if gender nonconforming children are influenced to be more gender conforming. indeed, there is no medically valid basis for attempting to prevent homosexuality, which is not an illness. on the contrary, such efforts may encourage family rejection and undermine self-esteem, connectedness and caring, important protective factors against suicidal ideation and attempts. given that there is no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are effective, beneficial or necessary, and the possibility that they carry the risk of significant harm, such interventions are contraindicated.
coming on the heels of olson’s study, the substance abuse and mental health services administration (samhsa), a branch of the u.s. department of health and human services, published a report condemning “conversion” or “reparative” therapies. as part of its report, samhsa released the following professional consensus on gender identity and gender expression in youth:
consensus on efforts to change gender identity
there is a lack of published research on efforts to change gender identity among children and adolescents; no existing research supports that mental health and behavioral interventions with children and adolescents alter gender identity.
it is clinically inappropriate for behavioral health professionals to have a prescriptive goal related to gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation for the ultimate developmental outcome of a child’s or adolescent’s gender identity or gender expression.
mental health and behavioral interventions aimed at achieving a fixed outcome, such as gender conformity, including those aimed at changing gender identity or gender expression, are coercive, can be harmful, and should not be part of treatment. directing the child or adolescent to conform to any particular gender expression or identity, or directing parents and guardians to place pressure on the child or adolescent to conform to specific gender expressions and/or identities, is inappropriate and reinforces harmful gender stereotypes.
while the report notes that there are studies that claim that most gender-nonconforming children do not transition when they grow older, the report also notes that those studies, “were based on clinical samples of youth and many of the researchers categorized youth no longer attending the clinics (whose gender identity may be unknown) as no longer gender dysphoric, and so this research likely underestimates the percentage of youth.” moreover, the report notes that these studies often conflate gender nonconforming children with trans children and thus suggests, “that the inclusion in study samples of many children with diverse gender expressions who may not have gender dysphoria” seems to explain the discrepancy between older studies (such as the one the ny times cited) and newer research with modern distinctions between gender diverse and trans children. the samhsa report notes that implicit gender indicators, such as those used in olson’s research, are likely effective in differentiating between gender diverse and trans youth.
importantly, the report goes on to note that non-binary children should be able to embrace emerging non-binary gendered identities. “transgender identities and diverse gender expressions do not constitute a mental disorder, [and] variations in gender identity and expression are normal aspects of human diversity, and binary definitions of gender may not reflect emerging gender identities.”
the report hits home just how dangerous it is to force trans adolescents into conversion therapy. “because there is scientific consensus that gender dysphoria in adolescence is unlikely to remit without medical intervention, even those who support gender identity change efforts with pre-pubertal children generally do not attempt such efforts with adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria.” the report notes that there is no proof that conversion therapy works on trans youth, “no research has been published in the peer-reviewed literature that demonstrates the efficacy of conversion therapy efforts with gender minority youth, nor any benefits of such interventions to children and their families.”
even right wingers at this year’s southern baptist conference made the news when they publicly acknowledged that conversion therapy doesn’t work. even so, the conference still maintained that being anything other than heteronormatively straight is sinful and that all lgbt people should ritualize repression as part of their faith.
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aɪ ˈrisəntli kəmˈpaɪld ə tɔp tɛn əv ˈmuvi fər flɪk fist: saɪəns ˈfɪkʃən ˈmuviz ˈɔfən peɪnt ə ˈprɪti grɪm ˈpɪkʧər əv ɑr fˈjuʧər. səm əv ðə ˈvɛri bɛst fɪlmz ɪn ðɪs ˈʒɑnrə wərk ɔn ðɪs ˈbeɪsɪs ənd ˈɑrgju ðət ɪn ˈpjʊrli ˌsɪnəˈmætɪk tərmz, trəmps juˈtoʊpiə ˈɛvəri taɪm. ˈsəmθɪŋ ˌɪnˈhɛrəntli ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ əˈbaʊt siɪŋ ðiz dɑrk ənd ˈdɛzələt ˈɪmɪʤɪz wɪʧ fɪlm ˈmeɪkərz kən kriˈeɪt. ˈmeɪbi ə dɪˈzaɪər fər ˈjuˈɛs tɪ si ðə ˈpɛrəlz ðət meɪ laɪ əˈhɛd fər ˈjumənz ʃʊd wi nɑt mɛnd ɑr weɪz. ər ˈmeɪbi ʤɪst ðə pleɪn ənd ˈsɪmpəl fækt ðət dɑrk naɪts ənd ˈpaʊndɪŋ reɪn wɪl ˈɔlˌweɪz lʊk ˈkulər ðən grin hɪlz ənd braɪt ˈsənˌʃaɪn. ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪt meɪ bi, ðiz dɪˈprɛsɪŋ kəm ɪn ˈmɛni ˈgaɪzɪz, bi ɪt ˈlænˌskeɪps wɪθ noʊ rul əv lɔ, əˈprɛsɪv səˈsaɪɪtiz wɛr ðə ˈgəvərnmənt rul wɪθ ən aɪərn fɪst ər ˈivɪn wərldz wɛr juˈmænɪti ˌɪtˈsɛlf həz ˈfɑlən sleɪv tɪ ˈgreɪtli ədˈvænst tɛkˈnɑləʤi. ɛz ˈdɪfərənt ɛz ðə ˈkɔzɪz əv ðɛr ˈdrɪri ˈvɪʒənz meɪ bi, ðə θim ðiz ˈmuviz ɔl ʃɛr ɪz ə blik ˈaʊˌtlʊk fər ˈmænˈkaɪnd. ə lʊk θru səm əv bɛst ˈmuvi ənd wət meɪks ðɛm soʊ ɪnˈgroʊsɪŋ. ju kən si ðə fʊl lɪst hir: flɪk fist tɔp tɛn ˈmuvi
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i recently compiled a top ten of movie dystopias for flick feast:
science fiction movies often paint a pretty grim picture of our future. some of the very best films in this genre work on this basis and i’d argue that in purely cinematic terms, dystopia trumps utopia every time. there’s something inherently interesting about seeing these dark and desolate images which film makers can create. maybe it’s a desire for us to see the perils that may lie ahead for humans should we not mend our ways. or maybe it’s just the plain and simple fact that dark nights and pounding rain will always look cooler than green hills and bright sunshine. whatever it may be, these depressing futurescapes come in many guises, be it post-apocalyptic landscapes with no rule of law, oppressive societies where the government rule with an iron fist or even worlds where humanity itself has fallen slave to greatly advanced technology. as different as the causes of their dreary visions may be, the theme these movies all share is a worryingly bleak outlook for mankind. here’s a look through some of cinema’s best movie dystopias and what makes them so engrossing.
you can see the full list here:
flick feast : top ten movie dystopias
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fər ðə læst wik, ðə əˈtlæntɪk ˈbɪznɪs həz bɪn ˈrənɪŋ ə ˈspɛʃəl rɪˈpɔrt ɔn ˈkɑlɪʤ ədˈmɪʃənz, wɪθ ə ˈdəzən ˈɑrtɪkəlz ənd ˈɛˌseɪz ɔn ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ frəm ˈbɪldɪŋ ə fər əˈplaɪɪŋ ˈstudənts tɪ əˈsɛsɪŋ ðə ˈlænˌskeɪp əv ˈɔnˌlaɪn haɪər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. ɪf ju mɪst ɑr ˈkəvərɪʤ, ɪts hir. hir ər səm ˈhaɪˌlaɪts, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ kwoʊts, stæts, ənd græfs. 1 ðə ˈræŋkɪŋz ˈkraɪsəs ˈɪzənt ðə ril ˈkɑlɪʤ ˈkraɪsəs hir ɪz ðə ˈbreɪkˌdaʊn əv oʊldz ɪn 2009 ˈsɪksti pərˈsɛnt ˈɑrənt ɪn ˈkɑlɪʤ. tˈwɛnti pərˈsɛnt ˈdɪdənt ˈgræʤəˌweɪt frəm haɪ skul. wən pərˈsɛnt ɪz goʊɪŋ tɪ ðə kaɪnd əv skulz ðət meɪk ˈhɛˌdlaɪnz ɪn ˈræŋkɪŋz. 2 ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl eɪd ənˈfɛrli ˈpənɪʃəz ˈfæməliz hu seɪv 3 tjuˈɪʃən kips ˈraɪzɪŋ bɪˈkəz ɪˈnəf ˈpipəl wɪl peɪ ɪt ˈɛdwərd fɪsk, ˈɔθər əv ˈkɑlɪʤ gaɪdz: "əˈməŋ ðə ɪˈlit ˈpraɪvət skulz, tjuˈɪʃən ɪz ˈdrɪvən baɪ wət ðə ˈmɑrkɪt wɪl bɛr. ɪts ðət ˈsɪmpəl. ðeɪ ʧɑrʤ ə haɪər tjuˈɪʃən bɪˈkəz ðeɪ kən. ðɛr ɪz ˈlɪtərəʧər ʃoʊɪŋ ðət ˈkɑlɪʤɪz bɪˈheɪv laɪk ˈɛni nɑnˈprɑfət ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃən. ðeɪ reɪz ɛz məʧ ɛz ðeɪ kən, ənd spɛnd ɛz məʧ tɪ ˌɪmˈpruv ˈɔfərɪŋz. feɪst wɪθ ðə ʧɔɪs bɪtˈwin əˈtræktɪŋ ˈpɔrɪŋ ˈməni ˈɪntu ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl eɪd ər ˈspɛndɪŋ ɪt ɔn ˈsəmθɪŋ tɪ ˌɪmˈpruv kˈwɑləti əv ˈɔfərɪŋz, ðɛl ˈɔfən ɑpt fər ðə ˈlætər ʧɔɪs." 4 ənd bɪˈkəz, fər ˈbɛtər ər wərs, ˌjunəˈvərsəti ˈprɛzɪˌdɛnts ˈtoʊtəli ˌəndərˈstænd ðə prɛˈstiʒ geɪm ɪn haɪər ɛd ˈstivən ʤoʊəl ˈtræktənbərg, ˈfɔrmər ˈprɛzɪdənt əv ʤɔrʤ ˈwɔʃɪŋtən ˌjunəˈvərsəti: "tuˈɪʃənz raɪz bɪˈkəz kɔsts raɪz. ɛz ðə ˈpeɪˌroʊl groʊz, tjuˈɪʃən goʊz əp. ˌjunəˈvərsətiz ˈrɪli du gɪt ˈbɛtər ˈfækəlti baɪ prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ˈbɛtər ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən ənd ˈbɛnəfɪts. prəˈfɛsərz, ɪt tərnz aʊt, ər ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk mɛn ənd ˈwɪmən: prɛˈstiʒ tɛndz tɪ bi ˈɪndɛkst tɪ kˈwɑləti ənd kˈwɑləti tɛndz tɪ bi ˈmɛʒərd baɪ ðə əˈtrɪˌbjuts əv ən ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃən: ðə ˈlæbrəˌtɔriz, ˈlaɪbrɛˌriz, ˈstudiˌoʊz, pleɪɪŋ fildz, ˌrɛkriˈeɪʃənəl ənd ˌrɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl fəˈsɪlɪtiz; ðə ˈsərvɪsɪz fər ˈkaʊnsəlɪŋ. wɪn wən tɔks əˈbaʊt ə tɔp 50 ˌjunəˈvərsəti, wən ɪz ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt boʊθ pərˈsɛpʃən ənd ˌriˈæləˌti." 5 ˈkɑlɪʤɪz moʊst ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt trɛnd ɪz ðə raɪz əv ðə ˈædəlt ˈstudənt ðɛr ər ˈplɛnti əv gʊd ʤɑbz ðət doʊnt ˌrikˈwaɪər ə ˌfɔˈrjɪr dɪˈgri. ˈæftər ɔl, ðə ˈbjʊroʊ əv ˈleɪbər stəˈtɪstɪks (bls*) rɪˈpɔrts ðət ˌtuˈθərdz əv ðə ˈleɪbər fɔrs həz lɛs ðən ə ˌfɔˈrjɪr dɪˈgri, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈnɪrli hæf əv ðoʊz ɪn prəˈfɛʃənəl ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃənz ənd ˌwənˈθərd əv ðoʊz ɪn ˈmænɪʤmənt roʊlz. ɪt peɪz fər ˈwərkərz tɪ ərn ðiz krəˈdɛnʃəlz; əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə bls*, ðət ˈwərkərz wɪθ ən əˈsoʊʃiəts dɪˈgri ərnd 141 mɔr pər wik, ɔn ˈævərɪʤ, ðən ðoʊz huz haɪəst dɪˈgri ɪz ə haɪ skul dɪˈploʊmɑ. bət ˈproʊˌgræmz kənˈtɪnju tɪ bi rɪˈgɑrdɪd ɛz ˈmɑrʤənəl ɪn ðə prɛs ənd ðə haɪər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈmeɪnˌstrim. ˌjunəˈvərsətiz tərn ðɛr noʊz əp æt ðɛm. ˈpɑləsiz ənd nɔrmz rɪˈmeɪn ˈɔriˌɛntɪd təˈwɔrdz "trəˈdɪʃənəl" ˈstudənts. ˈræŋkɪŋz, əˈwɔrdz, ənd ˈɑnərz goʊ tɪ ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənz wɪθ greɪt spɔrts timz, ˈrisərʧərz, ər ɪˈlit ˈstudənt tɪ ðoʊz ðət ər ˈhɛlpɪŋ ˌnɑntrəˈdɪʃənəl ˈstudənts ˈmæstər nu skɪlz ənd soʊ ðət ðeɪ kən riˈɪntər ðə ˈwərkˌfɔrs, gɪt prəˈmoʊtəd, ər ʧeɪnʤ kərɪrz.
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for the last week, the atlantic business has been running a special report on college admissions, with a dozen articles and essays on everything from building a match.com for applying students to assessing the landscape of online higher education. if you missed our coverage, it's archived here. here are some highlights, including quotes, stats, and graphs.
1) the rankings crisis isn't the real college crisis
here is the breakdown of 21-year olds in 2009. sixty percent aren't in college. twenty percent didn't graduate from high school. one percent is going to the kind of schools that make headlines in rankings.
2) financial aid unfairly punishes families who save
3) tuition keeps rising because enough people will pay it ...
edward fiske, best-selling author of college guides: "among the elite private schools, tuition is driven by what the market will bear. it's that simple. they charge a higher tuition because they can. there is literature showing that colleges behave like any nonprofit institution. they raise as much as they can, and spend as much to improve offerings. faced with the choice between attracting pouring money into financial aid or spending it on something to improve quality of offerings, they'll often opt for the latter choice."
4) ... and because, for better or worse, university presidents totally understand the prestige game in higher ed
stephen joel trachtenberg, former president of george washington university: "tuitions rise because costs rise. as the payroll grows, tuition goes up. universities really do get better faculty by providing better compensation and benefits. professors, it turns out, are economic men and women: prestige tends to be indexed to quality and quality tends to be measured by the attributes of an institution: the laboratories, libraries, studios, playing fields, recreational and residential facilities; the services for counseling. when one talks about a top 50 university, one is talking about both perception and reality."
5) college's most important trend is the rise of the adult student
there are plenty of good jobs that don't require a four-year degree. after all, the bureau of labor statistics (bls) reports that two-thirds of the labor force has less than a four-year degree, including nearly half of those in professional occupations and one-third of those in management roles. it pays for workers to earn these credentials; according to the bls, that workers with an associate's degree earned $141 more per week, on average, than those whose highest degree is a high school diploma.
but subbacalaureate programs continue to be regarded as marginal in the press and the higher education mainstream. universities turn their nose up at them. policies and norms remain oriented towards "traditional" students. rankings, awards, and honors go to institutions with great sports teams, prize-winning researchers, or elite student bodies--never to those that are helping nontraditional students master new skills and so that they can reenter the workforce, get promoted, or change careers.
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wi ˈhɛdɪd daʊn ðə hɔl tɪ ðə ˈɔfəs ðət hi ʃɛrz wɪθ hɪz waɪf. hi kloʊzd ðə dɔr, ənd aɪ æst ɪf hi wɑz priˈpɛrd tɪ tɛl mi haʊ ðɪs ɔl ˈstɑrtɪd. ˈstɔri əv ðə scandal?”*?” hi sɛd. ðə ərˈɪʤənəl bɪˈheɪvjər, aɪ sɛd. hi pɔzd fər ə lɔŋ taɪm ənd ðɛn ˈstɑrtɪd ɪn. əv ðə ˈʧælənʤ əv ˈgɪtɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈbɑtəm əv ɪt fər me,”*,” hi sɛd, ðət aɪ vjud ɪt ɛz soʊ ˈfrɪvələs ðət ɪt spɑrk ə lɔt əv, laɪk, ‘‘o.k*., aɪ ˈstɑrtɪd duɪŋ ɪt ɔn ðɪs day’*’ ər ‘‘o.k*., naʊ ˈkrɔsɪŋ ə rubicon.’*.’ fər ə ˈθɔtfəl ˈpərsən, rɪˈmɑrkəbəl haʊ ˈlɪtəl θɔt aɪ ˈrɪli geɪv tɪ ɪt ənˈtɪl ɪt wɑz tu leɪt. bət aɪ θɪŋk ə lɔt əv ɪt keɪm daʊn tɪ: aɪ wɑz ɪn ə wərld ənd ə prəˈfɛʃən ðət hæd mi ˈwɑnɪŋ əˈpruvəl. baɪ ˌdɛfəˈnɪʃən, wɪn ju ər ə ˌpɑləˈtɪʃən, ju wɔnt ˈpipəl tɪ laɪk ju, ju wɔnt ˈpipəl tɪ rɪˈspɑnd tɪ wət duɪŋ, ju wɔnt tɪ lərn wət ðeɪ wɔnt tɪ hir soʊ ju kən seɪ ɪt tɪ ðɛm. tˈwɪtər ənd ˈfeɪsˌbʊk əˈlaʊd fər mi nɑt ˈoʊnli kʊd aɪ goʊ tɪ ə ˈmitɪŋ ər ə ˈsinjər ˈsɛnər ər ɪn frənt əv ðə ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən ˈkæmərə, bət naʊ aɪ kʊd sɪt ənd hir wət ˈpipəl wər seɪɪŋ ɔl əraʊnd. sərʧ jʊr neɪm ɔn ˈgugəl, bɪˈgæt rɛd ˈkɑmɛnts ɔn jʊr ˈfeɪsˌbʊk peɪʤ, bɪˈgæt ˈlʊkɪŋ æt wət ˈpipəl ər seɪɪŋ əˈbaʊt ju ɔn tˈwɪtər, tɪ ðɛn traɪɪŋ tɪ ɪnˈgeɪʤ ðɛm. ‘‘oh*, ju ʃʊd laɪk me!’*!’, wrong!’*!’ ər ju ˈvɛri much!’*!’ ənd ɪt ʤɪst ˈstɑrtɪd tɪ blər ˈɪntu ðɪs dɪˈzaɪər tɪ ɪnˈgeɪʤ ɪn ɪt ɔl ðə taɪm. ˈsəmˌwən stɑps mi ɪn ðə ˈɛrˌpɔrt ənd sɪz, ‘‘wow*, amazing.’*.’ wɛl, o.k*., naʊ, æt 2 ɪn ðə ˈmɔrnɪŋ, aɪ kən kəm hoʊm frəm pleɪɪŋ ˈhɑki ənd aɪ kən faɪnd ˈsəmˌwən seɪɪŋ, ‘‘oh*, ðət wɑz great’*’ ər ən idiot.’*.’ soʊ ˈsəmˌwɛr ɪn ðɛr ɪt gɑt tɪ ə pleɪs wɛr aɪ wɑz traɪɪŋ tɪ ɪnˈgeɪʤ ˈpipəl ɪn ˈnəθɪŋ əˈbaʊt biɪŋ ə ˌpɑləˈtɪʃən. ər ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ɪt wʊd stɑrt aʊt əˈbaʊt ˈpɑləˌtɪks ənd ðɛn, ə greɪt guy.’*.’ ‘‘oh*, θæŋks, greɪt, too.’*.’ θɪŋk handsome.’*.’ ‘‘oh*, great.’*.’ ənd ðɛr ʤɪst məʧ əv mi hu wɑz smɑrt ɪˈnəf, ˈsɛnsɪtɪv ɪˈnəf, ɪn təʧ wɪθ maɪ oʊn θɪŋz, ˌəndərˈstændɪŋ ɪˈnəf əˈbaʊt ðə ˌdɪsrɪˈspɛkt ənd haʊ dɪˈsɑnərəbəl ɪt wɑz tɪ bi duɪŋ ðət. ɪt sim tɪ ˈɑkjəˌpaɪ ə ril speɪs ɪn maɪ ˈfilɪŋz. aɪ θɪŋk ɪt wʊd bi ˈprɪti səˈpraɪzɪŋ tɪ ə lɔt əv ˈpipəl: wət wɑz hi thinking?”*?” hi skrənʧt əp hɪz feɪs ənd ˈʃoʊldərz. ˈrɪli ˈθɪŋkɪŋ. wət dɪz ðɪs min ðət duɪŋ ðɪs? ɪz ðɪs ˈrɪski bɪˈheɪvjər? ɪz ðɪs smɑrt bɪˈheɪvjər? tɪ mi, ɪt wɑz ʤɪst əˈnəðər weɪ tɪ fid ðɪs ˈnoʊʃən ðət aɪ wɔnt tɪ bi laɪkt ənd admired.”*.” aɪ æst ˈwɛðər hi ˈɛvər ˈwərid ðət ɪt wɑz goʊɪŋ tɪ kəm aʊt. ““well*, aɪ wʊd stɑp, ər seɪ aɪ wɑz goʊɪŋ tɪ stɑp, ˈtɔkɪŋ tɪ ˈsəmˌwən. ər nɑt bi rɪˈspɑnsɪv bɪˈkəz gɔn ɔn tɪ ˈəðər θɪŋz ər ˌwəˈtɛvər. ənd ˈsəmˌwən wʊd gɪt ˈəpˌsɛt. wən əv ðiz ˈpipəl wʊd seɪ, nɑt peɪɪŋ ɪˈnəf əˈtɛnʃən tɪ me’*’ ər goʊɪŋ ɔn wɪθ ɑr relationship?’*?’ ənd, aɪ wʊd ðɛn ˈmeɪbi pleɪ aʊt, ju noʊ, ɪf ðeɪ toʊld ˈsəmˌwən ɛls ðət aɪ wɑz nɑt peɪɪŋ əˈtɛnʃən tɪ ðɛm ˌɛniˈmɔr. bət aɪ wʊd ˈɔlsoʊ θɪŋk, wɛl, maɪ frɛndz. wi gɑt ˈɪntu ðɪs ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən wɪθ wən əˈnəðər bɪˈkəz ðeɪ kɛrd, ðeɪ wər maɪ fænz, ðeɪ wʊd ˈnɛvər du anything.”*.” hi tʊk ə dip brɛθ ənd sæŋk ˈɪntu hɪz ʧɛr ənd stɛrd æt ðə ˈteɪbəl. ənˈtɪl ˈæftər ðə treɪn hæd rən mi ˈoʊvər ðət aɪ ˈrɪli ˌəndərˈstʊd ðət pleɪɪŋ ɔn ðoʊz træks wɑz goʊɪŋ tɪ bi ˌprɑbləˈmætɪk. aɪ ʤɪst hæd ðɪs disconnect.”*.” hir, hi bɪˈgæn tɪ sim ˈæʤəˌteɪtəd ˈfrəˌstreɪtəd baɪ hɪz ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti tɪ ˈædəkwɪtli ɪkˈspleɪn hɪz bɪˈheɪvjər. ɪt ðət aɪ hæd ðɪs ɪgˈzæʤərˌeɪtɪd ˈnoʊʃən əv wən wɪl bɪˈliv it?’*?’ ər, sɪns aɪ θɪŋk aɪ wɑz duɪŋ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ðət wɑz ɔl ðət ˈsɪriəs ɪn maɪ maɪnd, ðət ðə wərld si ɪt ɛz biɪŋ ɔl ðət serious?”*?” ˈfaɪnəli, hi sɛd: nu wɪn aɪ dɪd ɪt, ˈɔlˌmoʊst frəm ðə ˈmoʊmənt aɪ dɪd ɪt, ðɛr wɑz noʊ gʊd weɪ fər ɪt tɪ ɛnd. wɪn aɪ sɛnt ðət ˈfeɪtfəl tweet.”*.” aɪ ˈstɑrtəld ˌmaɪˈsɛlf ðət deɪ wɪn, ˈæftər tu aʊərz əv ˈlɪsənɪŋ waɪl hi ənˈbərdənd hɪmˈsɛlf, aɪ hərd ðiz wərdz kəm aʊt əv maɪ maʊθ: wi ʃʊd stɑp ðɛr fər now.”*.” ˈnɛvər həz ən ˈɪntərvˌju fɛlt soʊ məʧ laɪk ə ˈθɛrəpi ˈsɛʃən. pərˈhæps ðɪs wɑz bɪˈkəz ˈwaɪnər ˈstɑrtɪd siɪŋ ə ˈθɛrəpɪst ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli ˈæftər ðə ˈskændəl broʊk. bɪˈkəz aɪ hæd tɪ du ˈsəmθɪŋ tɪ bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ dil wɪθ it,”*,” hi sɛd. ˈɔlsoʊ, aɪ wɛnt frəm nɑt ˈrɪli ˈθɪŋkɪŋ θru ˈvɛri məʧ tɪ ˈhævɪŋ ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ʤɪst bloʊ əp ɪn səʧ ə ˌmɑnjəˈmɛnəl weɪ, ðət hæv tɪ bi ˈrɪli blaɪnd tɪ nɑt ˈriəˌlaɪz ðɛr məst bi səm θɪŋz ðət aɪ nid tɪ riˈzɑlv hir ənd ˌəndərˈstænd ə ˈlɪtəl ˈbɛtər. ˈθɛrəpi ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət keɪm ˈnæʧərəli tɪ mi. aɪ æm ðɪs ˈmɪdəlˈklæs gaɪ frəm ˈbrʊklɪn, ðə mɛn ɪn ɑr ˈfæməli həg iʧ ˈəðər, wi tɔk əˈbaʊt ɑr ˈfilɪŋz. ɪt ə ˈkəmfərtəbəl pleɪs tɪ bi. ənd naʊ aɪ stɑrt ˈsɛntənsɪz wɪθ, ˈθɛrəpɪst sɪz. wət dɪz jʊr ˈθɛrəpɪst seɪ? aɪ æst ðə nɛkst taɪm wi mɛt. nən əv ðə ˈizi stəf. ʃi tɛl mi: hæv ə sɛks əˈdɪkʃən! ju wər əˈbjuzd ɛz ə child!’*!’ nən əv ðət stəf, wɪʧ ɪn ə lɔt əv weɪz, kaɪnd əv prefer.”*.” hi læft. ən ˈizi ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən ðət ˈpipəl ˌɪnˈtuɪtɪvli get.”*.” hi tɔkt ə bɪt əˈbaʊt haʊ hi laɪk biɪŋ əˈloʊn, hæd ə hɑrd taɪm biɪŋ ““still,”*,” laɪk ɪn ˈɛmti spaces.”*.” ənd ðɛn hi sɛd: klɪr ɪt bɪˈkəz aɪ ləv. ɪt bɪˈkəz ˈɛniˌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt maɪ riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp wɪθ ðət wɑz ˈmɪsɪŋ ðət aɪ wɑz ˈlʊkɪŋ fər ˈɛlsˌwɛr. ˈivɪn ðət wʊd bi pæt, kaɪnd əv ˌəndərˈstændəbəl ɔn səm level.”*.” ðɛn hi wɛnt bæk tɪ ðə aɪˈdiə ðət tˈwɪtər ənd ɪts ɪlk prəˈvaɪdɪd səʧ ˈizi ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ðə ˈfidˌbæk lup. noʊ, laɪk spɪn ðə wil! faɪnd ˈsəmˌwən tɪ seɪ ˈsəmθɪŋ tɪ ju! ənd ɪf ɪt 2011 ənd ɪt ɪgˈzɪst, nɑt laɪk aɪ wʊd hæv gɔn aʊt ˈkruzɪŋ bɑrz ər ˈsəmθɪŋ laɪk ðət. ɪt wɑz ʤɪst ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət tɛkˈnɑləʤi meɪd ˈpɑsəbəl ənd ɪt bɪˈkeɪm ˈpɑsəbəl fər mi tɪ du ˈstupɪd θɪŋz. aɪ min, ðə θɪŋ aɪ dɪd, ənd ðə ˈdæmɪʤ ðət aɪ dɪd, nɑt ˈoʊnli ɪt bɪn dən ˌbiˈfɔr, bət ɪt ˈpɑsəbəl tɪ du ɪt before.”*.” ˈnæʧərəli, biɪŋ ɪn ˈθɛrəpi həz ˈɔlsoʊ fɔrst ɪm tɪ du ə lɔt əv ˈθɪŋkɪŋ əˈbaʊt hɪz ˈfæməli. hir ər ðə ˈseɪljənt fækts əˈbaʊt ðə weiners*: hɪz ˈməðər, fræn, ɪz ə rɪˈtaɪrd mæθ ˈtiʧər wɪθ ə ɪn ˈfaɪˌnæns hu gru əp ɪn ist ˈflætˌbʊʃ; hɪz ˈfɑðər, mɔrt, gru əp ɪn ˈkoʊni ˈaɪlənd, wɛnt tɪ lɔ skul ɔn ðə g.i*. bɪl ənd ˈoʊpənd ə smɔl ˈpræktɪs ɪn mænˈhætən. ˌɪnˈtɛns guy,”*,” ˈwaɪnər sɪz əv hɪz ˈfɑðər. ðeɪ hæd θri bɔɪz: sɛθ, ˈænθɔˌni ənd ˈʤeɪsən. sɛθ wɑz ˈbrɪljənt ənd rɪˈbɛljəs. hi ˈstrəgəld wɪθ ˈælkəˌhɑl ənd drəgz ənd daɪd æt 39 wɪn hi wɑz hɪt baɪ kɑr waɪl ˈkrɔsɪŋ ðə strit.
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we headed down the hall to the office that he shares with his wife. he closed the door, and i asked if he was prepared to tell me how this all started. “the story of the scandal?” he said. the original behavior, i said. he paused for a long time and then started in.
“part of the challenge of getting to the bottom of it for me,” he said, “is that i viewed it as so frivolous that it didn’t spark a lot of, like, ‘o.k., i started doing it on this day’ or ‘o.k., now i’m crossing a rubicon.’ for a thoughtful person, it’s remarkable how little thought i really gave to it until it was too late. but i think a lot of it came down to: i was in a world and a profession that had me wanting people’s approval. by definition, when you are a politician, you want people to like you, you want people to respond to what you’re doing, you want to learn what they want to hear so you can say it to them. twitter and facebook allowed for me — not only could i go to a town-hall meeting or a senior center or in front of the tv camera, but now i could sit and hear what people were saying all around. search your name on google, begat read comments on your facebook page, begat looking at what people are saying about you on twitter, to then trying to engage them. ‘oh, you should like me!’ ‘no, that’s wrong!’ or ‘thank you very much!’ and it just started to blur into this desire to engage in it all the time. someone stops me in the airport and says, ‘wow, you’re amazing.’ well, o.k., now, at 2 o’clock in the morning, i can come home from playing hockey and i can find someone saying, ‘oh, that was great’ or ‘you’re an idiot.’ so somewhere in there it got to a place where i was trying to engage people in nothing about being a politician. or sometimes it would start out about politics and then, ‘you’re a great guy.’ ‘oh, thanks, you’re great, too.’ ‘i think you’re handsome.’ ‘oh, that’s great.’ and there just wasn’t much of me who was smart enough, sensitive enough, in touch with my own things, understanding enough about the disrespect and how dishonorable it was to be doing that. it didn’t seem to occupy a real space in my feelings. i think it would be pretty surprising to a lot of people: what was he thinking?” he scrunched up his face and shoulders. “i wasn’t really thinking. what does this mean that i’m doing this? is this risky behavior? is this smart behavior? to me, it was just another way to feed this notion that i want to be liked and admired.”
i asked whether he ever worried that it was going to come out.
“well, i would stop, or say i was going to stop, talking to someone. or not be responsive because i’d gone on to other things or whatever. and someone would get upset. one of these people would say, ‘you’re not paying enough attention to me’ or ‘what’s going on with our relationship?’ and, i would then maybe play out, you know, if they told someone else that i was not paying attention to them anymore. . . . but i would also think, well, they’re my friends. we got into this conversation with one another because they cared, they were my fans, they would never do anything.” he took a deep breath and sank into his chair and stared at the table. “it wasn’t until after the train had run me over that i really understood that playing on those tracks was going to be problematic. i just had this disconnect.” here, he began to seem agitated — frustrated by his inability to adequately explain his behavior. “is it that i had this exaggerated notion of ‘no one will believe it?’ or, since i didn’t think i was doing anything that was all that serious in my mind, that the world wouldn’t see it as being all that serious?” finally, he said: “i knew when i did it, almost from the moment i did it, there was no good way for it to end. when i sent that fateful tweet.”
i startled myself that day when, after two hours of listening while he unburdened himself, i heard these words come out of my mouth: “maybe we should stop there for now.” never has an interview felt so much like a therapy session. perhaps this was because weiner started seeing a therapist almost immediately after the scandal broke.
“just because i had to do something to be able to deal with it,” he said. “but also, i went from not really thinking through very much to having everything just blow up in such a monumental way, that you’d have to be really blind to not realize there must be some things that i need to resolve here and understand a little better. therapy wasn’t something that came naturally to me. i am this middle-class guy from brooklyn, the men in our family don’t hug each other, we don’t talk about our feelings. it wasn’t a comfortable place to be. and now i start sentences with, ‘my therapist says. . . .’ ”
what does your therapist say? i asked the next time we met.
“it’s none of the easy stuff. she didn’t tell me: ‘you have a sex addiction! you were abused as a child!’ none of that stuff, which in a lot of ways, i’d kind of prefer.” he laughed. “it’s an easy explanation that people intuitively get.” he talked a bit about how he didn’t like being alone, had a hard time being “still,” didn’t like “being in empty spaces.” and then he said: “it’s clear it wasn’t because i didn’t love huma. it wasn’t because there’s anything about my relationship with huma that was missing that i was looking for elsewhere. even that would be pat, kind of understandable on some level.” then he went back to the idea that twitter and its ilk provided such easy access to the feedback loop. “you know, like spin the wheel! find someone to say something to you! and if it wasn’t 2011 and it didn’t exist, it’s not like i would have gone out cruising bars or something like that. it was just something that technology made possible and it became possible for me to do stupid things. i mean, the thing i did, and the damage that i did, not only hadn’t it been done before, but it wasn’t possible to do it before.”
naturally, being in therapy has also forced him to do a lot of thinking about his family. here are the salient facts about the weiners: his mother, fran, is a retired math teacher with a master’s in finance who grew up in east flatbush; his father, mort, grew up in coney island, went to law school on the g.i. bill and opened a small practice in manhattan. “pretty intense guy,” weiner says of his father. they had three boys: seth, anthony and jason. seth was brilliant and rebellious. he struggled with alcohol and drugs and died at 39 when he was hit by car while crossing the street.
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raɪən ˈmeɪsən həz bɪn ə sɛnˈseɪʃən fər ˈtɑtənˌhæm ˈəndər maʊˈrisioʊ ðɪs ˈsizən ənd ðə ˈimərʤɪŋ stɑr kʊd bi ɪn laɪn fər ə səˈpraɪz, bət wɛl dɪˈzərvd ˈɪŋglənd. ðə həz əˈfɪʃəli bɪn æt spərz sɪns ˈʤɔɪnɪŋ ðɛr əˈkædəmi ɪn 2007 bət hi həz bɪn ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn wɪθ ˈtɑtənˌhæm fər 16 jɪrz. ɪt həz ˈteɪkən ə lɔŋ taɪm fər ðə mæn tɪ meɪk ən ˌɪmˈpækt wɪθ ðə bət wɑz kwɪk tɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz hɪz ˈtælənt wɪn əˈpɔɪntɪd hɛd koʊʧ læst ˈsəmər ənd ˈmeɪsən həz bɪn ə ˈmeɪnˌsteɪ ˈɛvər sɪns. ˈmeɪsən həz meɪd 21 əˈpɪrənsəz fər spərz ɪn ɔl ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃənz soʊ fɑr ðɪs kæmˈpeɪn ənd pʊt ɪn əˈnəðər ˌɪmˈprɛsɪv dɪˈspleɪ əˈgɛnst nɔrθ ˈləndən ˈraɪvəlz ˈɑrsənəl ɪn ðə ˈdərbi ˈvɪktəri ɔn ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ. rɔɪ ˈhɑʤsən wɑz æt waɪt hɑrt leɪn fər ðə geɪm ənd ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˈhɛri keɪn ɪz ˈstilɪŋ ɔl ðə ˈhɛˌdlaɪnz æt ðə ˈmoʊmənt, ðə ˈɪŋglənd ˈmænɪʤər wʊd hæv ˈsərtənli bɪn ˌɪmˈprɛst baɪ wət sin frəm ˈmeɪsən. ˈstivən ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl rɪˈtaɪərmənt læst ˈsəmər həz lɛft ə lɑrʤ vɔɪd ðət həz jɛt tɪ bi dɪˈfɪnɪtɪvli fɪld. bət ˈmeɪsən həz ˈpruvən ðət hi dɪˈzərvz ən ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl wɪθ hɪz kənˈsɪstəntli gʊd dɪˈspleɪz ðɪs ˈsizən. ʤæk ənd ˈʤɔrdən ˈhɛndərsən ər ˈrɛgjələrz fər ðə ˈɪŋglənd ˈnæʃənəl tim waɪl ˈmaɪkəl ˈkɛrɪk ənd ˈfeɪbiən dɛlf hæv boʊθ bɪn ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn ˈrisənt taɪmz tu. raɪən stəˈtɪstɪks frəm ðə prɛˈmɪr lig ˈsizən soʊ fɑr səˈʤɛst hi ɪz mɔr ðən dɪˈzərvɪŋ əv ə ðoʊ, ɛz ðə spərz mæn həz wən mɔr ˈtækəlz ðən ˈɛni əv ðə əˈfɔrˌmɛnʃənd kwɔrˈtɛt. hi həz tu lig əˈsɪsts ðɪs ˈsizən soʊ fɑr, ˈoʊnli ˈbɛtərd baɪ ˈhɛndərsən, waɪl ˈɔlsoʊ ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə ˈnəmbər əv ʃɑts ənd ˌɪnərˈsɛpʃənz ɪn kəmˈpɛrəsən wɪθ hɪz ˈfɛloʊ ˈɪŋlɪʃ midfielders*. ˈmeɪsən həz ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪd ˈɪŋglənd æt ənd ˈlɛvəlz bət həz nɑt rɪˈsivd ə ˈnæʃənəl ɪn fɔr jɪrz. hɪz raɪz tɪ ˈprɑmənəns wɪθ spərz ðɪs ˈsizən wɪl hæv kɔt ðə aɪ əv ˈhɑʤsən ənd ɪt wɪl bi ˌɪnˈtrigɪŋ tɪ si ɪf ðə ˈjəŋstər ɪz kɔld əp tɪ ðə ˈnæʃənəl tim fər ðə ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈʧæmpiənˌʃɪp kˈwɑləˌfaɪər əˈgɛnst ˌlɪθəˈweɪniə ənd ˈfrɛndli əˈgɛnst ˈɪtəli æt ðə ɛnd əv mɑrʧ. dɪz raɪən ˈmeɪsən dɪˈzərv ən ˈɪŋglənd? ˈædvərˌtaɪzmənts ˈædvərˌtaɪzmənts ʃɛr ðɪs: iˈmeɪl twit ˈpɑkət
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ryan mason has been a midfield sensation for tottenham under mauricio pochettino this season and the emerging star could be in line for a surprise, but well deserved england call-up.
the 23-year-old has officially been at spurs since joining their academy in 2007 but he has been involved in with tottenham for 16 years.
it has taken a long time for the tough-tackling midfield man to make an impact with the first-team but pochettino was quick to recognise his talent when appointed head coach last summer and mason has been a mainstay ever since.
mason has made 21 appearances for spurs in all competitions so far this campaign and put in another impressive display against north london rivals arsenal in the 2-1 derby victory on saturday.
roy hodgson was at white hart lane for the game and although harry kane is stealing all the headlines at the moment, the england manager would have certainly been impressed by what he’s seen from mason.
steven gerrard’s international retirement last summer has left a large void that has yet to be definitively filled. but mason has proven that he deserves an international call-up with his consistently good displays this season.
jack wilshere and jordan henderson are first-team regulars for the england national team while michael carrick and fabian delph have both been involved in recent times too.
ryan mason’s statistics from the premier league season so far suggest he is more than deserving of a call-up though, as the spurs man has won more tackles than any of the aforementioned quartet.
he has two league assists this season so far, only bettered by henderson, while also making the second-highest number of shots and interceptions in comparison with his fellow english midfielders.
mason has represented england at under-19 and under-20 levels but has not received a national call-up in four years.
his rise to prominence with spurs this season will have caught the eye of hodgson and it will be intriguing to see if the youngster is called up to the national team for the european championship qualifier against lithuania and friendly against italy at the end of march.
does ryan mason deserve an england call-up?
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ˈkrɪtɪks əv ˈtaɪˌlændz nu ˈɪnərəm ˈʧɑrtər ər seɪɪŋ ɪt dɪz ʤɪst ðə ˈɑpəzɪt əv wət ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri kleɪmz: ˈpeɪvɪŋ ðə weɪ fər ə rɪˈtərn tɪ ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk ˈsɪvəl rul. ˈfərðər riˈækʃən tɪ ðə ˈtɛmpərˌɛri ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən, wɪʧ wɑz ˈɪʃud ðɪs wik. ə ˈfɔrmər ˈkæbənət ˈmɪnɪstər, kənˈsɪdərd ə fˈjuʤɪtɪv baɪ ˈtaɪˌlændz ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˈlidərz, ɪz ˈkɔlɪŋ ðə ˈkəntriz nu ˈɪnərəm ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən wən əv ðə moʊst riˈprɛsɪv dɪˈkriz jɛt frəm ðə ˈhʊntə. nu ˈɪnərəm penkair*, əˈməŋ ðoʊz hu həz sɛt əp ɪn ˈɛkˌsaɪl ðə ˌɔrgənəˈzeɪʃən əv fri taɪz fər ˈjumən raɪts ənd dɪˈmɑkrəsi (ft-hd*), spoʊk tɪ ˈviə skaɪp frəm ən ˌəndɪˈskloʊzd loʊˈkeɪʃən ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ˈtaɪˌlænd. ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri rəˈʒim pʊts ˌɪtˈsɛlf ɪn ðə ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən əˈbəv ðə hoʊl ˈsɪstəm," hi sɛd. "ˈivɪn ɪf ju hæv ðə ˈnæʃənəl əˈsɛmbli ɪˈlɛktɪd ər əˈpɔɪntɪd ər ju hæv ə ˈgəvərnmənt ɪˈlɛktɪd ər əˈpɔɪntɪd, ðə ˈfaɪnəl seɪ wʊd bi ðɛm, wʊd bi ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri regime.”*.”, ə ˈfaʊndɪŋ ˈlidər əv ðə shirts”*” ˈmuvmənt, siz ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri rɪˈtərnɪŋ ðə ˈkɪŋdəm tɪ ðə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈsɪstəm əv ðə ənd wɪn ˈpɑrtiz wər ˈwikənd tɪ ðə pɔɪnt əv ˈhævɪŋ noʊ ɔlˈtərnətɪv bət tɪ fɔrm ənˈsteɪbəl ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃənz. ðət kaɪnd əv ˈfræʤəl pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən ˈɛniˌθɪŋ kʊd kəˈlæps ˈvɛri ˈizəli," hi ˈsteɪtɪd. "aɪ gɛs ðæts wət ðeɪ want.”*.” ˈjumən raɪts vaɪəˈleɪʃənz ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˌɔrgənəˈzeɪʃən ˈjumən raɪts wɔʧ ɪz ˈkɔlɪŋ fər ðə ˈhʊntə tɪ əˈmɛnd wət ɪt ɪz ˈkɛrɪktərˌaɪzəz ɛz ˈʧɑrtər fər dictatorship,”*,” wɪʧ gɪvz ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛriz ˈlidərz paʊərz wɪˈθaʊt əˈkaʊntəˌbɪlɪti ər ˈseɪfˌgɑrdz əˈgɛnst ˈjumən raɪts violations.”*.” ðə ˈeɪʒə dɪˈrɛktər fər ˈjumən raɪts wɔʧ, bræd ˈædəmz, fɪrz səm əv ðə ˈɑrtɪkəlz ɪn ðə ˈɪnərəm ˈʧɑrtər kʊd bi ˈɪmpləˌmɛnəd ɪn ə plænd ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən. kʊd bi ðə sidz fər ə ˈvɛri lɔŋ ˈpɪriəd əv ə bərˈmiz. ənd ðət ʃʊd bi ˈwəriɪŋ tɪ ˈɛvriˌbɑdi ɪn ðə ˈriʤən ənd əraʊnd ðə wərld bɪˈkəz ˈtaɪˌlænd həz bɪn ə ˈkəntri ðət həz ɛmˈbreɪst dɪˈmɑkrəsi ɪn ðə pæst ənd həz dən ˈrizənəbli wɛl, kəmˈpɛrd tɪ ə lɔt əv ˈəðər countries,”*,” ˈædəmz ˈnoʊtɪd. ˈædəmz, ˈspikɪŋ tɪ ˈviə skaɪp frəm sæn frænˈsɪskoʊ, prɪˈdɪkts ðɪs ˈleɪtəst əv ˈtaɪˌlændz ˈnumərəs kuz ɪz ˈlaɪkli tɪ bi mɔr ɪnˈdʊrɪŋ. kuz hæv ə ˈvɛri ʃɔrt ˈdʊˈreɪʃən wɪθ ˌkɑnstɪˈtuʃənz ðət ər kˈwɪkli pæst baɪ ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ənd ðɛn ɪˈlɛkʃənz ðət ər əˈnaʊnst ɛz ə weɪ bæk tɪ ə ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk pæθ. bət, ɪn ðɪs keɪs, waɪl ðeɪ seɪ ðɛr goʊɪŋ tɪ du ðət ðeɪv pæst ən ˈɪnərəm ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən ðət ˈbeɪsɪkli gɪvz ɔl paʊər tɪ ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˈlidərˌʃɪp ənd səm tɪ ðə fˈjuʧər praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər hu ɪz ˈvɛri ˈlaɪkli tɪ bi ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri chief.”*.” hi sɛd. aʊt wɪθ oʊld, ɪn wɪθ nu boʊθ ə ˈdɛpjəti ənd ən eɪd tɪ ðə ˈhʊntə bɔs ðɪs wik sɛd ðeɪ du nɑt rul aʊt ˈʤɛnərəl biɪŋ səˈlɛktɪd ɛz praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər. bət ðeɪ strɛst ɪt wɪl bi əp tɪ ðə prəˈvɪʒənəl ˈpɑrləmɛnt tɪ ʧuz ə ˈgəvərnmənt ˈlidər hu wʊd sərv ənˈtɪl ðə nɛkst ɪˈlɛkʃən, ɪkˈspɛktɪd noʊ ˈərliər ðən ɑkˈtoʊbər 2015 wɑz fɔrst aʊt ɛz praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ðɪs jɪr ˈfɑloʊɪŋ sɪks mənθs əv ˈræliz ɪn ˈbæŋkɑk. flu tɪ ˈjʊrəp ðɪs wik. ə ˈfoʊtəˌgræf ˈpoʊstɪd ɔn ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə ʃoʊd hər ˈhəgɪŋ hər ˈbrəðər, ˈfɔrmər praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər, ɔn ərˈaɪvəl ɪn ˈpɛrɪs. ðɛr həz bɪn ˌspɛkjəˈleɪʃən ˈwɛðər ˌɪnˈtɛndz tɪ ʤɔɪn ɪn ˈɛkˌsaɪl ər rɪˈtərn hoʊm ɪn ˈɔgəst, ɛz ʃi həz ˈprɑməst, tɪ faɪt kɔrt ˈkeɪsɪz faɪld əˈgɛnst hər. ðɛr hæv bɪn noʊ ˈpəblɪk ˈræliz ɪn ˈtaɪˌlænd əˈgɛnst ðə ˈɪnərəm ˈʧɑrtər. ˈpəblɪk əˈpɪnjən poʊlz ˈpəblɪʃt baɪ ˈnuzˌpeɪpərz, wɪʧ ər ˈəndər ðə ˈstrɪktəst ˈlɛvəl əv ˈsɛnsərˌʃɪp sin hir ɪn ˈdɛkeɪdz, ʃoʊ ðə məˈʤɔrəti əv taɪz səˈpɔrtɪŋ ðə rɪˈfɔrm pʊʃ. ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri, sɪns ðə meɪ 22 ku, həz ɪnˈgeɪʤd ɪn ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈpɑpjələst ˈproʊˌgræmz, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈɔfərɪŋ fri ˈkɑnsərts ənd ˈmuviz, ɛz wɛl ˈdɛlvɪŋ ˈɪntu pəˈlis ˈmætərz, səʧ ɛz ˈkrækɪŋ daʊn ɔn ˌɪˈligəl ˈpɑrkɪŋ ənd ˌoʊvərˈʧɑrʤɪŋ baɪ ˈmoʊtərˌsaɪkəl ˈtæksi ˈdraɪvərz. ðə ˈhʊntə həz əˈθɔrəti tɪ ˈsəmən ˈɛniˌwən ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈkɑmɛnts dimd tɪ bi pəˈlɪtɪkəl ər ðət kʊd kɔz ənˈrɛst. sɪns ðə meɪ 22 ku ˈhənərdz əv ˈpipəl hæv bɪn kɔld ɪn fər kˈwɛsʧənɪŋ ənd ˈtɛmpərˌɛri dɪˈtɛnʃən. moʊst əv ðoʊz ˈtɑrgətɪd ər kənˈsɪdərd ˈælaɪz əv ðə klæn, ˈkrɪtɪks əv ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ər hɑrʃ lɔz. ðə kəˈmɪti ɔn ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt ˈdaɪəˌlɔg ɔn lɔ rɪˈfɔrm (ilaw*), pɑrt əv ðə taɪ ˌvɑlənˈtɪr ˈsərvɪs faʊnˈdeɪʃən, ˈfraɪˌdeɪ riˈlist ə lɪst əv ˈʧɑrʤɪz faɪld əˈgɛnst mɔr ðən 100 ˈpipəl sɪns ðə meɪ 22 ku. waɪl səm əv ðə ˈʧɑrʤɪz ər ˈsɪriəs, səʧ ɛz pəˈzɛʃən əv ˈwɛpənz ənd ˌæmjəˈnɪʃən, ˈəðərz ər ɛz ˈsimɪŋli mənˈdeɪn səʧ ɛz ˈrɛdɪŋ əˈlaʊd poʊəmz ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ə ˈʃɑpɪŋ mɔl. ðɪs wik rɪˈvɪrd ˈmɑˌnɑrk ˈfɔrməli ɛnˈdɔrst ðə ˈɪnərəm ˈʧɑrtər ɪn ə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni wɪθ ˈʤɛnərəl, ðə ʧif. ðət tʊk pleɪs æt ə rɔɪəl ˈpæləs ɪn ðə ˈkoʊstəl ˈsɪti hwɑ wɛr ðə ˈeɪlɪŋ kɪŋ həz bɪn convalescing*. ðə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni ɪz sin ɛz prəˈvaɪdɪŋ əˈdɪʃənəl rɔɪəl lɪˈʤɪtəməsi tɪ ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˈkaʊnsəl baɪ ɛnˈdɔrsɪŋ ðə nu lɔz ɪt kəmˈpoʊzd. ðə ˈɪnərəm ˈlɛʤəsˌleɪʧər səˈlɛktɪd baɪ ðə ˈhʊntə ɪz tɪ ʧuz ə kəˈmɪti ðət wɪl drɔ əp ə nu ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən, wɪʧ wɪl ðɛn bi səbˈmɪtəd tɪ ə rɪˈfɔrm kəˈmɪti fər əˈpruvəl. ɪt ɪz ənˈklɪr ˈwɛðər ðɛr wɪl bi ə ˈpəblɪk ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm ɔn ðə ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən. ðə fər wət ɪt kɔlz ə rɪˈtərn tɪ dɪˈmɑkrəsi ɪz ɛˈsɛnʃəli ɪn laɪn wɪθ wət wɑz dɪˈmændɪd baɪ ˈproʊˌtɛstərz ɪn ˈbæŋkɑk hu ˈɑkjəˌpaɪd pɑrts əv ðə ˈkæpɪtəl fər mənθs ˈkɔlɪŋ fər ðə ˈaʊstər əv ˈmɪnɪstər. sɪns ðə ɛnd əv ˈæbsəˌlut rul ɪn 1932 ˈtaɪˌlænd həz ɪkˈspɪriənst ˈfrikˌwɛnt ˈoʊvərθˌroʊz əv səˈvɪljən ˈgəvərnmənts baɪ ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri. ðə ˈʤɛnərəlz ər ʤuˈdɪʃəl ˈækʃən hæv dɪˈpoʊzd θri ˈgəvərnmənts sɪns 2006 ðə læst faɪv ˈnæʃənəl ɪˈlɛkʃənz ɪn ˈtaɪˌlænd hæv bɪn wən baɪ ˈpɑrtiz səˈpɔrtɪd baɪ ˌbɪljəˈnɛr, ˈoʊldər ˈbrəðər. hi wɑz ˈaʊstɪd ɛz praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ɪn ə 2006 ku ənd kənˈvɪktəd tu jɪrz ˈleɪtər baɪ ə ˈpænəl. ˈæftər rɪˈmuvəl ɪn meɪ əv ðɪs jɪr, ˈʤɛnərəl dɪˈklɛrd ˈmɑrʃəl lɔ ənd ðɛn sizd ɔl paʊər hɪmˈsɛlf., ðə ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən grup ˈlidər ɪn ˈɛkˌsaɪl, sɛd ðə ˈɪnərəm ˈʧɑrtər əˈpɪrz ˈklɪrli dɪˈzaɪnd prɪˈvɛnt ðə laɪks əv ənd ðə taɪ ræk taɪ tɪ ˈɛvər əˈkər əˈgɛn ɪn thailand.”*.” ðə taɪ ræk taɪ ˈpɑrti wɑz ˈfaʊndɪd baɪ ɪn 1998 ənd bænd ɪn 2007 bət ɪkˈsprɛsɪz ˈkɑnfədɛns ðət ðə 2014 ku wɪl nɑt bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ səˈsteɪn paʊər ɪn ðə lɔŋ tərm. ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˈhʊntə rəˈʒimz ɪn ˈtaɪˌlænd hæv bɪn dɪˈfitɪd wɪn ˈpipəl move,”*,” hi sɛd. hoʊp ðət ɪz goʊɪŋ tɪ ˈhæpən ˈsəmˌtaɪm sun, pərˈhæps ɪn mənθs ər years.”*.”
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critics of thailand's new interim charter are saying it does just the opposite of what the military claims: paving the way for a return to democratic civil rule. further reaction to the temporary constitution, which was issued this week.
a former cabinet minister, considered a fugitive by thailand's military leaders, is calling the country's new interim constitution one of the most repressive decrees yet from the junta.
new interim contstitution
jakrapob penkair, among those who has set up in exile the organization of free thais for human rights and democracy (ft-hd), spoke to voa via skype from an undisclosed location outside thailand. “this military regime puts itself in the constitution above the whole system," he said. "even if you have the national assembly elected or appointed or you have a government elected or appointed, the final say would be them, would be the military regime.”
jakrapob, a founding leader of the “red shirts” movement, sees the military returning the kingdom to the political system of the 1980's and 90's when parties were weakened to the point of having no alternative but to form unstable coalitions. “in that kind of fragile political coalition anything could collapse very easily," he stated. "i guess that's what they want.”
human rights violations
the international organization human rights watch is calling for the junta to amend what it is characterizes as “a charter for dictatorship,” which gives the military's leaders “sweeping powers without accountability or safeguards against human rights violations.”
the asia director for human rights watch, brad adams, fears some of the articles in the interim charter could be implemented in a planned permanent constitution.
“this could be the seeds for a very long period of a burmese [myanmar]-style military-controlled quasi-democracy. and that should be worrying to everybody in the region and around the world because thailand has been a country that has embraced democracy in the past and has done reasonably well, compared to a lot of other countries,” adams noted.
adams, speaking to voa via skype from san francisco, predicts this latest of thailand's numerous coups is likely to be more enduring. “some coups have a very short duration with constitutions that are quickly passed by the military and then elections that are announced as a way back to a democratic path. but, in this case, while they say they're going to do that they've passed an interim constitution that basically gives all power to the military leadership and some to the future prime minister who is very likely to be the current military chief.” he said.
out with old, in with new
both a deputy and an aide to the junta boss this week said they do not rule out general prayuth chan-ocha being selected as prime minister. but they stressed it will be up to the provisional parliament to choose a government leader who would serve until the next election, expected no earlier than october 2015.
yingluck shinawatra was forced out as prime minister this year following six months of rallies in bangkok.
yingluck flew to europe this week. a photograph posted on social media showed her hugging her brother, former prime minister thaksin shinawatra, on arrival in paris.
there has been speculation whether yingluck intends to join thaksin in self-imposed exile or return home in august, as she has promised, to fight court cases filed against her.
there have been no public rallies in thailand against the interim charter. public opinion polls published by newspapers, which are under the strictest level of censorship seen here in decades, show the majority of thais supporting the junta's reform push.
the military, since the may 22 coup, has engaged in a number of populist programs, including offering free concerts and movies, as well delving into police matters, such as cracking down on illegal parking and overcharging by motorcycle taxi drivers.
quasi-democracy
the junta has authority to summon anyone making comments deemed to be political or that could cause unrest.
since the may 22 coup hundreds of people have been called in for questioning and temporary detention. most of those targeted are considered allies of the shinawatra clan, critics of the military or thailand’s harsh lese majeste laws.
the committee on the internet dialogue on law reform (ilaw), part of the thai volunteer service foundation, friday released a list of charges filed against more than 100 people since the may 22 coup.
while some of the charges are serious, such as possession of weapons and ammunition, others are as seemingly mundane such as reading aloud anti-coup poems outside a shopping mall.
this week thailand’s revered monarch formally endorsed the interim charter in a ceremony with general prayuth, the army’s chief. that took place at a royal palace in the coastal city hua hin where the ailing 86-year-old king bhumibol adulyadej has been convalescing.
the ceremony is seen as providing additional royal legitimacy to the military council by endorsing the new laws it composed.
the interim legislature selected by the junta is to choose a committee that will draw up a new constitution, which will then be submitted to a reform committee for approval. it is unclear whether there will be a public referendum on the permanent constitution.
the junta’s roadmap for what it calls a return to democracy is essentially in line with what was demanded by protesters in bangkok who occupied parts of the capital for months calling for the ouster of then-prime minister yingluck.
since the end of absolute monarchial rule in 1932 thailand has experienced frequent overthrows of civilian governments by the military. the generals or judicial action have deposed three governments since 2006.
the last five national elections in thailand have been won by parties supported by billionaire thaksin shinawatra, yingluck's older brother. he was ousted as prime minister in a 2006 coup and convicted two years later by a military-appointed panel.
after yingluck's removal in may of this year, general prayuth declared martial law and then seized all power himself.
jakrapob, the opposition group leader in exile, said the interim charter appears clearly designed “to prevent the likes of thaksin and the thai rak thai to ever occur again in thailand.”
the thai rak thai party was founded by thaksin in 1998 and banned in 2007.
but jakrapob expresses confidence that the 2014 coup will not be able to sustain power in the long term.
“many military junta regimes in thailand have been defeated when people move,” he said. “we hope that is going to happen sometime soon, perhaps in months or years.”
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ɪn ˈbrɪtən wən əv ðə fərst θɪŋz wi lərn ɪn ˈhɪstəri ˈlɛsənz ɪz ðə ˈnɔrmən ˈkɑŋkwɛst əv ˈɪŋglənd ɪn 1066 ðɪs wɑz wɪn ˈsæksən rul wɑz ˌoʊvərθˈroʊn baɪ duk ˈwɪljəm əv ˈnɔrməndi æt ðə ˈbætəl əv ˈheɪstɪŋz. ɪt ɪz frəm ðɪs pɔɪnt ðət ɑr ˈlɛsənz ɔn ðə ˈhɪstəri əv ˈɪŋglənd ˈtruli bɪˈgɪn. ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈsæksən kɪŋz stɪl rɪˈmeɪn ˈfeɪməs ɪn ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈfoʊˌklɔr səʧ ɛz ˈælfrɪd ðə greɪt, ˈɛdwərd ðə ər ˈhɛrəld bət ˈʤɛnərəli ðə ˈsæksən ˈmɑˌnɑrks hæv ˈlɑrʤli bɪn fərˈgɑtən ɪn ˈfeɪvər əv ðə ˈnɔrmən ˈmɑnɑrki. wi ˈivɪn ˈmɛʒər ɑr ˈmɑˌnɑrks frəm 1066 kɪŋ ˈɛdwərd 1936 ʃʊd bi kɔld ˈɛdwərd ɛks ɪf wi wər tɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ðə ˈsæksən kɪŋz. ɪt ɪz aɪˈrɑnɪk ðət, ɪn ə ˈneɪʃən soʊ ɛˈnæmərd wɪθ ˈmɑnɑrki, wi hæv ˈʤɛnərəli ˌɪgˈnɔrd ðə fərst tru kɪŋ əv ˈɪŋglənd: əv ðə haʊs əv ˈwɛsəks. ɪz ˈɑrgjuəbli mɔr ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ðən ˈælfrɪd ðə greɪt (hɪz ˈgrænˌfɑðər) ənd ˈwɪljəm ðə ˈkɑŋkərər ɪn ðət hi juˈnaɪtɪd ðə ˈdɪspərɪt ˈsæksən ˈkɪŋdəmz əv ˈɪŋglənd ˈɪntu wən ˈneɪʃən (ˈælfrɪd wɑz ðə kɪŋ əv ˈwɛsəks, nɑt ˈɪŋglənd). hi ɪz ðə fərst ˈmɑˌnɑrk tɪ nɑt ˈoʊnli kriˈeɪt ðə ˈtaɪtəl əv kɪŋ əv ˈɪŋglənd bət wɑz ˈeɪbəl tɪ kleɪm tɪ bi kɪŋ əv ˈbrɪtən. ðə ˈsɛnʧəri ˈkrɑnɪklər, ˈwɪljəm əv, roʊt ðət wən mɔr ʤɪst ər mɔr ˈlərnɪd ˈɛvər ˈgəvərnd ðə kingdom”*”. ˈgreɪtəst ˈvɪktəri wɑz æt ðə ˈbætəl əv. wɑz ə ˈbætəl əv səʧ skeɪl ðət ɪt wɑz noʊn, fər ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃənz ˈæftər, ˈsɪmpli ɛz ðə battle”*”. ðə ˈbætəl, mɔr ðən twaɪs ðə saɪz əv ðə ˈbætəl əv ˈheɪstɪŋz, wɑz fɔt bɪtˈwin ənd ə ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən əv ðə ˈkɪŋdəmz əv ˈskɑtlənd, ˈdəblɪn ənd ənd həz bɪn dɪˈskraɪbd baɪ hɪˈstɔriən ˈmaɪkəl ˈlɪvɪŋˌstoʊn ɛz ˈmoʊmənt wɪn keɪm əv age”*”. ðə ˈbætəl wɑz prəˈvoʊkt baɪ ðə kɪŋz əv ˈskɑtlənd ənd ˈdəblɪn ɛz ə weɪ tɪ kərb ðə ˈraɪzɪŋ paʊər əv ə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈɪŋglənd wɪʧ hæd ɔˈrɛdi ˈbeɪgən ðə wɛlʧ ənd wɑz ˈmeɪkɪŋ muvz tɪ fɔrs ðə skɑts tɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ɛz ˈoʊvərˌlɔrd əv ˈbrɪtən. bɪˈkeɪm kɪŋ əv ˈwɛsəks ɪn 924 hi ˌɪnˈhɛrətɪd ə strɔŋ ˈkɪŋdəm frəm hɪz ˈfɑðər, ˈɛdwərd ðə ˈɛldər, wɪʧ ruld mɔr ðən hæf əv ˈɪŋglənd, frəm ðə ˈsəðərn koʊst tɪ ðə ˈrɪvər ˈhəmbər. ðə nɔrθ wɑz stɪl ruld baɪ ðə sithic*, ðə nɔrs kɪŋ əv jɔrk, ənd ˈnɔrðərn wɑz ruld baɪ kɪŋ ˈkɑnstənˌtin əv ˈskɑtlənd. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, səkˈsɛʃən wɑz nɑt ə smuð wən. ˈəndər ˈsæksən lɔ ðə kɪŋ wɑz ɪˈlɛktɪd baɪ ə ˈkaʊnsəl əv ˈnoʊbəlz. ɪˈlɛktɪd bət ˈwɛsəks ʧoʊz hɪz ˈɛldər ˈbrəðər ˈnɪrli ˈkɔzɪŋ ə ˈsɪvəl wɔr. wɑz ˈfaɪnəli ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈræŋgəl ðə səˈpɔrt əv ˈwɛsəks bət ˈtɛnʧənz kənˈtɪnjud. moʊst ˈnoʊtəbli ðə ˈbɪʃəp əv ˈwɪnˌʧɛstər rɪfˈjuzd tɪ əˈtɛnd ðə ˌkɔrəˈneɪʃən æt ˈkɪŋstən əˈpɑn tɛmz. wɪˈθɪn θri jɪrz əv hɪz ˌkɔrəˈneɪʃən bɪˈgæn hɪz ˈkɑŋkwɛst əv ðə rɛst əv ˈɪŋglənd. ɪn 927 hi ˌɪnˈveɪdɪd ənd ˈænɛkst ðə ˈvaɪkɪŋ ˈkɪŋdəm əv jɔrk ˈjunəˌfaɪɪŋ wət ɪz naʊ ˈɪŋglənd ɛz ə ˈsɪŋgəl ˈneɪʃən, ɔlˈbiɪt wən ðət wɑz nɑt juˈnaɪtɪd ɪn aɪˈdɛntəˌti. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, wɑz nɑt jɛt ˈfɪnɪʃt. hi ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli tərnd hɪz əˈtɛnʃən tɪ weɪlz ənd fɔrst ðə wɛlʧ ˈprɪnsɪz tɪ əkˈsɛpt hɪz əˈθɔrəti ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈpərmɑˌnɛnˌtli ˈfɪksɪŋ ðə wɛlʧ ˈbɔrdər wɪθ ˈɪŋglənd æt ðə ˈrɪvər waɪ. ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ðɪs lɛd ən ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃən ˈɪntu ˈskɑtlənd ənd fɔrst ðə ˈskɑtɪʃ kɪŋ, ˈkɑnstənˌtin ii*, tɪ səbˈmɪt ənd ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ˈɪŋlɪʃ overlordship*. ðɪs læst ækt wɑz ðə ˈfaɪnəl strɔ. ˈkɑnstənˌtin fɔrʤd ə ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən wɪθ kɪŋ ˈoʊlɑf əv ˈdəblɪn ənd kɪŋ oʊən əv əˈgriɪŋ tɪ pʊt əˈsaɪd ɔl hɪˈstɔrɪkəl, ˈkəlʧərəl ənd pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈdɪfərənsɪz ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ dɪˈstrɔɪ, hu θˈrɛtənd ðɛm ɔl. ˈoʊlɑf ənd ˈkɑnstənˌtin sɪˈmɛntɪd ðɛr əˈlaɪəns wɪθ ə ˈmɛrɪʤ bɪtˈwin ðə ˈfɔrmər ənd ðə ˈdɔtər ɛz wɛl ɛz ðə ˈprɑməs ðət ˈoʊlɑf kʊd kleɪm ðə ˈkɪŋdəm əv jɔrk ʃʊd ðeɪ səkˈsid ɪn dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ. ɪn ɑkˈtoʊbər 937 ˈkɑnstənˌtin ənd oʊən ˌɪnˈveɪdɪd ˈɪŋglənd frəm ðə nɔrθ, ˈmuvɪŋ daʊn ðə oʊld ˈroʊmən roʊd frəm ˈkɑˌrlaɪl (ðɛn pɑrt əv ˈskɑtlənd) daʊn təˈwɔrdz merseyside*. ˈoʊlɑf əraɪvd ə fju deɪz ˈleɪtər wɪθ ðə meɪn ˈɑrmi wəns ðeɪ hæd riʧt ðɛr ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən. ˈmɑrʃəld ɔl ðə ˈfɔrsɪz hi kʊd frəm hɪz ˈtɛrəˌtɔriz ɪn ˈɪŋglənd ənd weɪlz tɪ mit ðɪs θrɛt. ðə tu saɪdz mɛt æt ɪn merseyside*. boʊθ ˈɑrmiz wər ˈrəfli ˈikwəl ɪn saɪz, kəˈmændɪŋ ˈrəfli mɛn iʧ. ˈɑrmiz əv səʧ ə saɪz hæd nɑt bɪn sin ɪn ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ aɪlz sɪns ðə deɪz əv ðə ˈroʊmənz. ðɛr ər noʊ klɪr ˈrɛkərdz tɪ ˈɪləˌstreɪt ðə kɔrs əv ðə ˈbætəl bət ðɛr ər ˈsɛvərəl ˈsɔrsəz ðət əˈtɛst tɪ ðə greɪt sˈlɔtər ðət tʊk pleɪs æt. ðə ˈkrɑnɪkəl ˈrɛkərdz ðə dɛθs əv faɪv kɪŋz ənd ˈsɛvən ərlz əˈməŋ ˈɛnəmiz, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ sən: faɪv leɪ stɪl ɔn ðət ˈbætəlˌfild jəŋ kɪŋz baɪ sɔrdz pʊt tɪ slip ənd ˈsɛvən ˈɔlsoʊ əv ərlz, ˈkaʊntləs əv ðə ˈɑrmi, əv ˈseɪlərz ənd scotsmen*. ðɛr wɑz pʊt tɪ flaɪt ðə ʧif, ˈdrɪvən baɪ nid tɪ ðə praʊ wɪθ ə ˈlɪtəl bænd. hi ʃəvd ðə ʃɪp tɪ si. ðə kɪŋ ˌdɪsəˈpɪrd ɔn ðə dɑrk fləd. hɪz oʊn laɪf hi seɪvd. soʊ ðɛr ˈɔlsoʊ ðə oʊld wən keɪm ɪn flaɪt tɪ hɪz hoʊm ɪn ðə nɔrθ; ˈkɑnstənˌtin, ðət ˈwɔrjər, hæd noʊ kɔz tɪ ɪgˈzəlt æt ðə ˈmitɪŋ əv sɔrdz: hi wɑz ʃɔrn əv hɪz kɪn, dɪˈpraɪvd əv hɪz frɛndz ɔn ðə fild, bərˈɛft ɪn ðə freɪ, ənd hɪz sən bɪˈhaɪnd ɔn ðə pleɪs əv sˈlɔtər, wɪθ wundz graʊnd tɪ ˈpisɪz, tu jəŋ ɪn ˈbætəl. ðə ˈænəlz əv ˈəlstər ˈsɪmələrli dɪˈskraɪbz ðə ˈaʊtˌkəm əv ðə ˈbætəl, ɔl ðə mɔr ˌɪmˈpɔrtəntli sɪns ɪt wɑz ˈrɪtən baɪ ˈsəbʤɪkts əv kɪŋ ˈoʊlɑf: juʤ wɔr, ləˈmɛntəbəl ənd ˈhɔrəbəl, wɑz ˈkruli weɪʤd bɪtˈwin ðə ˈsæksənz ənd ˈnɔrsmɪn. ˈmɛni ˈθaʊzənz əv ˈnɔrsmɪn bɪɔnd ˈnəmbər daɪd ˌɔlˈðoʊ kɪŋ ˈoʊlɑf ɪˈskeɪpt wɪθ ə fju mɛn. waɪl ə greɪt ˈnəmbər əv ðə ˈsæksənz ˈɔlsoʊ fɛl ɔn ðə ˈəðər saɪd,, kɪŋ əv ðə ˈsæksənz, wɑz ɛnˈrɪʧt baɪ ðə greɪt victory.“*.“ hæd wən ən ə dɪˈsaɪsɪv ˈvɪktəri ˈoʊvər ðɪs ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən əv skɑts ənd ˈaɪrɪʃ. ðə ˈvɪktəri əˈlaʊd ɪm tɪ kənˈsɑlɪˌdeɪt hɪz ˈhoʊldɪŋz ɪn ˈɪŋglənd, ˈjunəˌfaɪɪŋ ðə ˈɪŋlɪʃ ˈkɪŋdəmz frəm ə ˈsɪriz əv ˈdɪspərɪt steɪts ˈɪntu wən ˈneɪʃən. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈɛnəmiz ˈɔlsoʊ ˈmænɪʤd tɪ geɪn ðɛr ˈseɪfti frəm ðə ˈbætəl. boʊθ saɪdz hæd ˈsəfərd səʧ ˈhɛvi ˈlɔsɪz ðət ˈvɪktəri wɑz ə ˈpɪrɪk wən. ðə ˈlɔŋgɪst ˈlæstɪŋ rɪˈzəlt əv ðə ˈbætəl wɑz ðət ɪt ɪˈstæblɪʃt ðə ˈbɔrdər ɛz ɪt ɪgˈzɪsts təˈdeɪ. wən əˈdɪʃənəl ˈifɛkt əv ðə ˈbætəl, ɔlˈbiɪt məʧ sˈmɔlər, kən stɪl bi sin ɪn. fər ðɛr ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ ˈsərvɪs tɪ ðə ˈpipəl əv wər ɔl ˈgrænɪd ðə ˈstætəs əv ˈfrimɛn. ðɪs ˈstætəs stɪl ɪgˈzɪsts təˈdeɪ ɪn ðə fɔrm əv ən ˌɔrgənɪˈzeɪʃən əv ðə ˈwɔrdən ənd ˈfrimɛn əv. wɑz ˈɔlsoʊ ˈbɛrid ɪn. dɪˈspaɪt ðə ˌɪmˈpɔrtəns əv ðɪs ˈbætəl ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi noʊz ðə ɪgˈzækt loʊˈkeɪʃən wɛr ɪt tʊk pleɪs. moʊst hɪˈstɔriənz sim tɪ əˈgri ðət ðə ˈbætəl wɑz ˈloʊˌkeɪtəd ˈsəmˌwɛr ɪn ðə vɪˈsɪnɪti əv bromborough*. ðɪs ɪz du tɪ ðə ˈkrɑnɪkəl dɪˈskraɪbɪŋ ðə loʊˈkeɪʃən ɛz biɪŋ brunanburh”*” ər brunanburh”*” wɪʧ ˈlɪtərəli ˈtrænsˌleɪts ɛz fort”*”. wən əv ðə ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈkænədɪts fər ðə loʊˈkeɪʃən ɪz ðə gɔlf kɔrs ɪn bebington*. ˈvɪktəri æt kriˈeɪtɪd ðə ˌʤiəˈgræfɪkəl ˈbaʊndəriz əv ˈbrɪtən ðət stɪl ɪgˈzɪst təˈdeɪ. ɔn tɔp əv ðɪs ɪt səˈlɪdəˌfaɪd ˈɪŋlɪʃ ˈdɑmənəns əv ðə ˈaɪlənd ðət kənˈtɪnjud ɔl ðə weɪ θru tɪ ðə kriˈeɪʃən əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈkɪŋdəm ɪn 1707 wɪn ˈɪŋglənd ənd ˈskɑtlənd ɪnˈgeɪʤd ɪn ə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈjunjən. ˈædvərˌtaɪzmənts
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in britain one of the first things we learn in history lessons is the norman conquest of england in 1066. this was when saxon rule was overthrown by duke william of normandy at the battle of hastings. it is from this point that our lessons on the history of england truly begin. a number of saxon kings still remain famous in the national folklore such as alfred the great, edward the confessor or harold godwinsson but generally the saxon monarchs have largely been forgotten in favour of the post-1066 norman monarchy. we even measure our monarchs from 1066, king edwardi (january-december 1936) should be called edward x if we were to recognise the saxon kings. it is ironic that, in a nation so enamored with monarchy, we have generally ignored the first true king of england: æthelstan of the house of wessex. æthelstan is arguably more important than alfred the great (his grandfather) and william the conqueror in that he united the disparate saxon kingdoms of england into one nation (alfred was the king of wessex, not england). he is the first monarch to not only create the title of king of england but was able to claim to be king of britain. the 12th century chronicler, william of malmesbury, wrote that “no one more just or more learned ever governed the kingdom”.
æthelstan’s greatest victory was at the battle of brunanburh. brunanburh was a battle of such scale that it was known, for generations after, simply as the “great battle”. the battle, more than twice the size of the battle of hastings, was fought between æthelstan and a coalition of the kingdoms of scotland, dublin and strathclyde and has been described by historian michael livingstone as “the moment when englishness came of age”. the battle was provoked by the kings of scotland and dublin as a way to curb the rising power of a united england which had already begun subjugating the welsh and was making moves to force the scots to recognise æthelstan as overlord of britain.
æthelstan became king of wessex in 924. he inherited a strong kingdom from his father, edward the elder, which ruled more than half of england, from the southern coast to the river humber. the north was still ruled by the sithic, the norse king of york, and northern northumbria was ruled by king constantine of scotland. however, æthelstan’s succession was not a smooth one. under saxon law the king was elected by a council of nobles. mercia elected æthelstan but wessex chose his elder brother ælfweard nearly causing a civil war. æthelstan was finally able to wrangle the support of wessex but tensions continued. most notably the bishop of winchester refused to attend the coronation at kingston upon thames.
within three years of his coronation æthelstan began his conquest of the rest of england. in 927 he invaded and annexed the viking kingdom of york unifying what is now england as a single nation, albeit one that was not united in identity. however, æthelstan was not yet finished. he immediately turned his attention to wales and forced the welsh princes to accept his authority as well as permanently fixing the welsh border with england at the river wye. following this æthelstan led an expedition into scotland and forced the scottish king, constantine ii, to submit and recognize english overlordship.
this last act was the final straw. constantine forged a coalition with king olaf guthfrithsson of dublin and king owen of strathclyde agreeing to put aside all historical, cultural and political differences in order to destroy æthelstan, who threatened them all. olaf and constantine cemented their alliance with a marriage between the former and the latter’s daughter as well as the promise that olaf could claim the kingdom of york should they succeed in destroying æthelstan.
in october 937 constantine and owen invaded england from the north, moving down the old roman road from carlisle (then part of scotland) down towards merseyside. olaf arrived a few days later rendezvousing with the main army once they had reached their destination. æthelstan marshaled all the forces he could from his territories in england and wales to meet this threat. the two sides met at brunanburh in merseyside. both armies were roughly equal in size, commanding roughly 15,000 men each. armies of such a size had not been seen in the british isles since the days of the romans. there are no clear records to illustrate the course of the battle but there are several sources that attest to the great slaughter that took place at brunanburh. the anglo-saxon chronicle records the deaths of five kings and seven earls among æthelstan’s enemies, including constantine’s son:
five lay still
on that battlefield – young kings
by swords put to sleep – and seven also
of olaf’s earls, countless of the army,
of sailors and scotsmen. there was put to flight
the northmen’s chief, driven by need
to the ship’s prow with a little band.
he shoved the ship to sea. the king disappeared
on the dark flood. his own life he saved.
so there also the old one came in flight
to his home in the north; constantine,
that hoary-haired warrior, had no cause to exult
at the meeting of swords: he was shorn of his kin,
deprived of his friends on the field,
bereft in the fray, and his son behind
on the place of slaughter, with wounds ground to pieces,
too young in battle.
the annals of ulster similarly describes the outcome of the battle, all the more importantly since it was written by subjects of king olaf: “a huge war, lamentable and horrible, was cruelly waged between the saxons and norsemen. many thousands of norsemen beyond number died although king olaf escaped with a few men. while a great number of the saxons also fell on the other side, æthelstan, king of the saxons, was enriched by the great victory.“
æthelstan had won an a decisive victory over this coalition of scots and irish. the victory allowed him to consolidate his holdings in england, unifying the english kingdoms from a series of disparate states into one nation. however, æthelstan’s enemies also managed to gain their safety from the battle. both sides had suffered such heavy losses that æthelstan’s victory was a pyrrhic one. the longest lasting result of the battle was that it established the anglo-scottish border as it exists today. one additional effect of the battle, albeit much smaller, can still be seen in malmesbury. for their outstanding service to æthelstan the people of malmesbury were all granted the status of freemen. this status still exists today in the form of an organisation of the warden and freemen of malmesbury. æthelstan was also buried in malmesbury.
despite the importance of this battle nobody knows the exact location where it took place. most historians seem to agree that the battle was located somewhere in the vicinity of bromborough. this is due to the anglo-saxon chronicle describing the location as being “ymbe brunanburh” or “near brunanburh” which literally translates as “brun’s fort”. one of the favourite candidates for the location is the brackenwood golf course in bebington.
æthelstan’s victory at brunanburh created the geographical boundaries of britain that still exist today. on top of this it solidified english dominance of the island that continued all the way through to the creation of the united kingdom in 1707 when england and scotland engaged in a political union.
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ə grup əv ˈtruli ˈhɑrdˈkɔr ˈfaɪnəl ˈfænəsi fænz hæv spɛnt ə lɔŋ taɪm ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪtɪŋ ðə dɛpθs əv ðə koʊd ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ ənˈkəvər səm ˈpɑsəbəl ˈsikrɪts ənd plɑt ˈditeɪlz lɛft ənˈjuzd ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnəl riˈlis. ˈpəblɪʃt ɪn ðə ðə lifestream*, ðə ənˈjuzd tɛkst ˈsɪriz ˈprɑʤɛkt həz ˈteɪkən 12 ˈɪʃuz ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ kəmˈplit, ənd ɪt ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnts ðə dɪˈfɪnɪtɪv kəmˈpɛndiəm əv ˈnɑlɪʤ ðət ˈɛni fæn ʃʊd rɛd ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ ˈtruli noʊ ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ˌaɪˈkɑnɪk jrpg*. wət ðə tim həz ənˈkəvərd ər laɪnz əv ˈdaɪəˌlɔg, ˈkɛrɪktər ˈmɑdəlz ər ˈivɪn fʊl sinz ðət fər ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈrizənz wər ˈproʊˌgræmd, bət lɛft aʊt əv ðə ˈfaɪnəl ˈvərʒən. ðət ɪz ˈprɑbəˌbli du tɪ ðə fækt ðət ðə skrɪpt ənd ðə ˈɔrdər əv ɪˈvɛnts wər ˈkɑnstəntli ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ θru ðə dɪˈvɛləpmənt, soʊ ðɛr wʊd bi ˈdaɪəˌlɔg ˈrɪtən fər ˈkɛrɪktərz ðət wər ˈleɪtər riˈmuvd frəm ə sin, ər ˈpleɪsɪz ðət wər lɛft aʊt əv riʧ æt ˈsərtən pɔɪnts əv ðə ədˈvɛnʧər. fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, raɪt æt ðə ˈvɛri bɪˈgɪnɪŋ wi faɪnd aʊt ðət ðə fərst laɪn əv ðə geɪm wɑz nɑt mɛnt tɪ bi ˌaɪˈkɑnɪk ˈnuˌkəmər. ˈfɑloʊ me,”*,” bət ə ʃaʊt baɪ ə gɑrd seɪɪŋ goʊz there?!”*?!” ˈɔlsoʊ, ə ˈwaɪdər lʊk æt ðə ˈbækˌgraʊnd ˈɪmɪʤ rɪˈvilz səm ˈditeɪlz, laɪk pɑrt əv ðə ˈloʊgoʊ. ənd ʤɪst ɔn ðə ˈvɛri fərst skrin. ˈəðər dɪˈskəvəriz ˌɪnˈklud wət wʊd hæv bɪn ðə fərst əˈpɪrəns əv ɪn ðə geɪm wən əv ðə ˈbɪgəst səˈpraɪzɪz ˈɔlsoʊ bɪˈlɔŋ tɪ ðə fərst aʊərz əv ðə geɪm. ɪn ðə sin əv ðə treɪn ˈæftər ˈlivɪŋ ðə fərst ˈmɑkoʊ riˈæktər, ˈʤɛsi ʃoʊz klaʊd ə mæp əv ðə ˈsɪti ɪn ə ˈmɑnətər. ɪn ðə geɪm, ðə ˈkæmərə ʃoʊz ˈmoʊstli ðə ˈmɑnətər ənd ˈbɛrli hæf əv ðə characters’*’ hɛdz. bət ɪf wi wər tɪ pleɪ wɪθ ðə koʊd tɪ si wət ɪz lɛft aʊt əv ðə riʧ, wi wʊd dɪˈskəvər ðət æt ðət ˈmoʊmənt ðə ˈkɛrɪktərz ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs ə mɔr dɪˈteɪld ˈmɑdəl ðən ðə wən wi ˈjuʒəwəli si θru ðə geɪm. wi kən gɛs ðət æt səm pɔɪnt ðə dɪˈvɛləpərz wər kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ðə ˌɪntrəˈdəkʃən əv ðiz ˈbɛtər ˈmɑdəlz fər ˈsərtən ˈkɛrɪktərz, bət ðeɪ dɪˈskɑrdɪd ðə aɪˈdiə fər ləˈʤɪstɪk ˈrizənz. ˈəðər dɪˈskəvəriz ˌɪnˈklud wət wʊd hæv bɪn ðə fərst əˈpɪrəns əv ɪn ðə geɪm, ɛz pɑrt əv ə ˈvɪʒən ðət klaʊd wʊd hæv pleɪɪŋ ðə ˈpɪnˌbɔl məˈʃin æt bɑr, ˈɔltərˌneɪt rum dɪˈzaɪnz fər ðə ˈhəniˌbi ɪn, ər nu bʊks frəm ðə ˈəndərˌgraʊnd ˈlaɪbrɛˌri ɪn ðə ˈmænʃən. læst, bət nɑt list: jɛs, ðɛr ər səm ˈsikrɪts kənˈsərnɪŋ aerith*, əˈspɛʃəli səm laɪnz əv ˈdaɪəˌlɔg mɛnt fər sinz ðət ˈhæpən ˈæftər hər ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl ɪn ðə ˈgleɪʃər ˈlændɪŋ zoʊnz. ðət ɪz ˈprɑbəˌbli ʤɪst əˈnəðər saɪn əv haʊ ðə ˈɔrdər əv ðə ˈstɔri ɪˈvɛnts kɛpt ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ. ɔn ə ˈsɪmələr noʊt, ðɛr ɪz ən ˈɔltərˌneɪt ˈvərʒən əv ðə sin wɪθ ðə kɔrps əv ðə kɪld baɪ ɪn wɪʧ ɪz pɑrt əv ðə grup, ˈivɪn ðoʊ ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnəl geɪm ðɛr ɪz noʊ weɪ tɪ gɪt ðət ˈkɛrɪktər ɪn jʊr grup ˌbiˈfɔr ðət ˈmoʊmənt. kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ðə əˈmaʊnt əv taɪm ənd ˈɛfərt spɛnt ɔn ðɪs ˈprɑʤɛkt, fænz əv ðə geɪm wɪl bi fərˈɛvər ˈgreɪtfəl tɪ ðɪs tim fər ðɛr ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃən.
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a group of truly hardcore final fantasy vii fans have spent a long time investigating the depths of the game’s code in order to uncover some possible secrets and plot details left unused in the final release. published in the fanpage the lifestream, the unused text series project has taken 12 issues in cronological order to complete, and it represents the definitive compendium of knowledge that any fan should read in order to truly know everything about the iconic jrpg.
what the team has uncovered are lines of dialogue, character models or even full scenes that for a number of reasons were programmed, but left out of the final version. that is probably due to the fact that the script and the order of events were constantly changing through the development, so there would be dialogue written for characters that were later removed from a scene, or places that were left out of reach at certain points of the adventure.
for example, right at the very beginning we find out that the first line of the game was not meant to be barret’s iconic “c’mon newcomer. follow me,” but a shout by a shinra guard saying “who goes there?!” also, a wider look at the background image reveals some details, like part of the shinra logo. and that’s just on the very first screen.
other discoveries include what would have been the first appearance of sephiroth in the game
one of the biggest surprises also belong to the first hours of the game. in the scene of the train after leaving the first mako reactor, jessie shows cloud a map of the city in a monitor. in the game, the camera shows mostly the monitor and barely half of the characters’ heads. but if we were to play with the code to see what is left out of the camera’s reach, we would discover that at that moment the characters showcase a more detailed model than the one we usually see through the game. we can guess that at some point the developers were considering the introduction of these better models for certain characters, but they discarded the idea for logistic reasons.
other discoveries include what would have been the first appearance of sephiroth in the game, as part of a vision that cloud would have playing the pinball machine at tifa’s bar, alternate room designs for the honeybee inn, or new books from the underground library in the shinra mansion.
last, but not least: yes, there are some secrets concerning aerith, especially some lines of dialogue meant for scenes that happen after her disappearance, for example in the glacier landing zones. that is probably just another sign of how the cronological order of the story events kept changing. on a similar note, there is an alternate version of the scene with the corpse of the midgar zolom killed by sephiroth in which yuffie is part of the group, even though in the final game there is no way to get that character in your group before that moment.
considering the amount of time and effort spent on this project, fans of the game will be forever grateful to this team for their contribution.
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kʊd wi si ðə rɪˈtərn əv spitsbing*? ˈəltəmət ˈfaɪtɪŋ ˈʧæmpiənˌʃɪp (ufc*) ˈmɪdəlˌweɪt ˈmaɪkəl ˈbɪspɪŋ ɪz ˈteɪkɪŋ hɪz træʃ tɔk tɪ ðə nɛkst ˈlɛvəl ɪn hɪz ˈpəblɪk wɔr əv wərdz əˈgɛnst tɪm ˈkɛnədi, hu ˈrisəntli prɪˈdɪktɪd ðə ˈɪnʤərd brɪt wʊd "ˈʧɪkən aʊt" əv ə faɪt əˈgɛnst ðə ˌɪmˈpɔrt. ˈɔlsoʊ noʊn ɛz "ˈpʊlɪŋ ə ˈsɑnən." ˈbɪspɪŋ əˈkjuzd ˈkɛnədi əv ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈfʊtˌstɛps əv ˈsɑnən, hu həz ə ˈhɪstəri əv ˈtɔkɪŋ hɪz weɪ ˈɪntu bɪg faɪts. ðoʊ ɪts nɑt ə ˈkɑntɛst ðət tɑps hɪz wɪʃ lɪst, "ðə kaʊnt" dɪd tɛl hɪz fænz (ˈviə tˈwɪtər) ðət ˈkɛnədi nidz "ˈʃətɪŋ ðə fək əp, wəns ənd fər ɔl." əˈsumɪŋ ðə ˈfɔrmər ˈɑrmi ˈreɪnʤər həz ðə tɪ kɔl ənd æsk fər ðə faɪt: ˈlɪsən ˈpʊsi. ɪts ril ˈsɪmpəl. aɪv ˈnɛvər 'ˈʧɪkənd' aʊt əv ʃɪt ɪn maɪ laɪf. ʤɪst æsk ənd fər ðə faɪt. ˈmaɪkəl (@ˈbɪspɪŋ) noʊˈvɛmbər 25 2013 ðiz tu hæv bɪn goʊɪŋ bæk ənd fɔrθ ˈɔnˌlaɪn fər ˈsɛvərəl mənθs; ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ʃɪt gɑt ril wəns ˈkɛnədi wɑz ˈeɪbəl tɪ dɪˈspoʊz əv ˌrɑfaɪˈɛl ˈneɪtəl æt ðə "faɪt fər ðə trups" læst mənθ ɔn fɑks spɔrts 1 (ˈvɪdioʊ). ðə wɪn muvd ðə grin ˈbɛrət əp ðə ˈlædər ənd ˈɪntu ðə laɪn əv faɪər. wɪʧ kʊd teɪk əˈwaɪl tɪ hit əp, θæŋks tɪ ə ˈpɛski aɪ ˈɪnʤəri (pɪk). ɪf ənd wɪn ðiz tu ˈɛvər du hʊk 'ɛm əp, ju kən bɛt ðə wɪl ˈoʊnli ˌɪnˈtɛnsɪˌfaɪ. pərˈhæps ðeɪ kən koʊʧ ˈɑpəzɪt wən əˈnəðər fər ðə ˈəltəmət ˈfaɪtər (tuf*) 20 ɪf ðeɪ du ər ʤɪst faɪt tɪ ˈsɛtəl ðɛr ˈdɪfərənsɪz ˈbɪspɪŋ həz ɔˈrɛdi meɪd hɪz priˈdɪkʃən. faɪnd aʊt haʊ pɑrt wən ˈɛndɪd hir.
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could we see the return of spitsbing?
ultimate fighting championship (ufc) middleweight michael bisping is taking his trash talk to the next level in his public war of words against tim kennedy, who recently predicted the injured brit would "chicken out" of a fight against the strikeforce import.
also known as "pulling a sonnen."
bisping accused kennedy of following in the footsteps of chael sonnen, who has a history of talking his way into big fights. though it's not a contest that tops his wish list, "the count" did tell his fans (via twitter) that kennedy needs "shutting the fuck up, once and for all."
assuming the former army ranger has the cajones to call ufc and ask for the fight:
@timkennedymma listen pussy. it's real simple. i've never 'chickened' out of shit in my life. just ask @danawhite and @ufc for the fight. — michael (@bisping) november 25, 2013
these two have been going back and forth online for several months; however, shit got real once kennedy was able to dispose of rafael natal at the promotion's "fight for the troops" last month on fox sports 1 (video). the win moved the green beret up the ladder and into the line of bisping's fire.
which could take awhile to heat up, thanks to a pesky eye injury (pic).
if and when these two ever do hook 'em up, you can bet the yapping will only intensify. perhaps they can coach opposite one another for the ultimate fighter (tuf) 20. if they do -- or just fight to settle their differences -- bisping has already made his prediction.
find out how part one ended here.
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(læst ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd ɔn: ʤun 17 2018 ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈtrævəl tɪps. ðɪs ˈoʊvərvˌju əv ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈtrævəl tɪps ˈkəvərz: ˈʤɛnərəl kɔsts, θɪŋz tɪ noʊ, tɪps, ˈtrænspɔrt, əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃən ˈɔpʃənz ənd maɪ ˈoʊvərˌɔl ɪkˈspɪriəns əv ðə ˈkəntri. ˈgɛsɪŋ moʊst ˈpipəl θɪŋk əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ənd θɪŋk ˈæzˌtɛk ənd maɪən ruɪnz,, ˌkɑŋˈkun, ənd təˈkilə. ˈmeɪbi əˈmɛrɪkən ˈstudənts goʊɪŋ waɪld ɔn spərɪŋ breɪk ər oʊld ˈdəsti ˈwɛstərn staɪl taʊnz fʊl əv ˈbændəts ənd ˈgənsˌlɪŋərz ər drəg kɑrˈtɛlz ər ðə ˈɪnfəməs ɛl chapo…*… ……well*, jæ, raɪt, ðeɪ du hæv ɔl ðət bət lɛt mi tɛl ju ðɛr ɪz soʊ məʧ mɔr tɪ ðɪs ˈkəntri. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɪz ə juʤ ˈʃaɪni ʤuəl fər, ʤɪst wən əv ðoʊz ˈkəntriz ðət hæv ə ˈsprɪŋkəlɪŋ əv ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ənd ju hɛlp bət fɔl ɪn ləv wɪθ ɪt. wət ˈtɪkəlz jʊr ˈfænsi? fud? ˌɪnˈkrɛdəbəl ˈlænˌskeɪp? ˈprɪstin ˈbiʧɪz? ə ˈʤərni ˈɪntu ˈhɪstəri? ədˈvɛnʧər? ə væst ˈwɪldərnəs? dɛns ˈʤəŋgəlz? ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ju ər ˈlʊkɪŋ fər ɪn ə ˈbəʤɪt ˈbækˌpækɪŋ trɪp; ju wɪl faɪnd ɪt ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ. frəm stɑrt tɪ ˈfɪnɪʃ ɪt əˈmeɪzd mi ˈɛvəri deɪ. ðɛr ər səm ˈkəntriz ju kən ˈtrævəl tɪ wəns ənd seɪ bɪn ðɛr ənd dən ɪt ɔl. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɪz ðə ˈɑpəzɪt, aɪ spɛnt ˈnɪrli 3 mənθs ˈbækˌpækɪŋ θru ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ənd stɪl fil laɪk skræʧt ðə ˈsərfəs. ə fju ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈtrævəl tɪps: gʊd tɪ lərn səm ˈbeɪsɪk ˈspænɪʃ ˌbiˈfɔr ˈgɪtɪŋ ðɛr. fərˈgɛt traɪɪŋ tɪ faɪnd ə bərˈitoʊ (aɪ faʊnd aʊt ðə bərˈitoʊs wi noʊ ər ən əˈmɛrɪkən ˌɪnˈvɛnʃən əv kɔrs, ðeɪ ər!) soʊld ɔn strit stɔlz wɪl bɪˈkəm ə ˈsteɪpəl əv jʊr daɪət, əˈspɛʃəli ɪf jʊr ɔn ə taɪt ˈbəʤɪt. ɪz drəŋk mɔr ðən təˈkilə ənd ˈmɛksɪkənz drɔp laɪm ˈɪntu ðɛr kərˈoʊnə; hu nu! priˈpɛr fər ˈfəkɪŋ lɔŋ ˈʤərniz ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɪz juʤ. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɪz ˈʤɛnərəli ʧip bət ˈpleɪsɪz laɪk pɑrts əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti, ˌkɑŋˈkun, ənd ər ˈgroʊsli ˈoʊvərˌpraɪst. ˈivɪn ɪf ju ər nɑt ə ˈrɛsəlɪŋ fæn, traɪ ənd si ə ɪˈvɛnt (haɪ flaɪɪŋ ˈrɛsələrz bɪˈhaɪnd mæsks) bʊk ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt ˈbəsɪz ə fju deɪz ɪn ədˈvæns tɪ gɪt ə ˈʧipər praɪs. ɪf ˈwɑnɪŋ tɪ si ruɪnz ənd ˈtɛmpəlz, ðə ˈlɛsər noʊn wən laɪk ər ˈbɛtər ənd ˈʧipər. ˈmɛksɪkənz, ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl, ər ˈɔsəm ˈpipəl ənd ˈvɛri ˈfrɛndli ənˈlɛs əˈmɛrɪkən. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ həz soʊ ˈmɛni ˈhɪdən ʤɛmz ənd ˈnæʧərəl beauty’s*, ˈɔlˌweɪz tɔk tɪ ˈəðər ənd si wət faʊnd. traɪ ənd gɪt aʊt tɪ ənd sinkholes*, ɪf ˈnɛvər sin ðɛm ˌbiˈfɔr ðeɪ ər əˈmeɪzɪŋ; ju kən daɪv ənd swɪm ɪn səm. wɪn ˈmɛksɪkənz seɪ ‘‘gringo’*’ ðeɪ ər ˈoʊnli rɪˈfərɪŋ tɪ əˈmɛrɪkənz. plaɪə dɛl ˈkɑrmən ɪz ə məʧ ˈbɛtər ˈpɑrti ˈɔpʃən fər ˈtrævələrz ɔn ə taɪt ˈbəʤɪt ˌkɑŋˈkun ˈʧɑrʤɪz əˈmɛrɪkən ˈpraɪsɪz. səm θɪŋz tɪ bi ˈwɛri əv: ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˈmɛksɪkənz ər ˈfrɛndli, ˈpɛˌti kraɪm ɪz raɪf ɪn ˈsərtən ˈɛriəz bət nɑt ˈʤɛnərəli ˈdeɪnʤərəs ənˈlɛs ju goʊ ˈɪntu kɑrˈtɛl ˈtɛrɪˌtɔri. kip ɔn jʊr gɑrd, meɪk ˈjɔrsɛlf ə ˈtərgət baɪ ˈæktɪŋ laɪk ə ˈtʊrɪst. kɑrˈtɛlz du rən θru ðə nɔrθ təˈwɔrdz ðə ˈbɔrdər soʊ bi ˈkɛrfəl ənd teɪk priˈkɔʃənz ɪf goʊɪŋ ðət fɑr əp. kip jʊr bɪˈlɔŋɪŋz seɪf ənd ˈhɪdən, du nɑt flɔnt ðət ju ər ə ˈtʊrɪst. bi ˈɛkstrə ˈkɛrfəl ɔn ðə ˈmɛˌtroʊ ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti ə ˈfɛloʊ ˈtrævələr aɪ wɑz wɪθ gɑt ɛz wi gɑt ɔf ðə treɪn bɪˈkəz hi biɪŋ ˈvɪʤələnt. (stoʊl hɪz foʊn ənd ˈwɔlət.) kip jʊr bɪˈlɔŋɪŋz seɪf ənd kloʊz ɔn bəs ˈʤərniz, ˌɔlˈðoʊ aɪ ˈnɛvər hæd ˈɛni ˈprɑbləmz, aɪ hərd ˈmɛni ˈhɔrər ˈstɔriz frəm ˈpipəl hu lɛft ðɛr bægz laɪɪŋ əraʊnd ɔn lɔŋ bus-journeys*. moʊst ˈbækˌpækər θɛfts ər dən ɔn bəs ˈʤərniz. ju ʤɪst hæv tɪ kip jʊr wɪts əˈbaʊt ju. ɑrmd pəˈlis wɪl ˈrɛgjələrli bɔrd ˈbəsɪz, bi əˈlɑrmd, 9 taɪmz aʊt əv 10 ðeɪ ˈivɪn lʊk æt ˈtrævələrz ɪf ðeɪ du ðeɪ wɪl ʤɪst ʧɛk jʊr ˈaɪˈdi ənd hænd ɪt bæk. wɪn ɔn ðə pəˈsɪfɪk koʊst weɪvz ɪn ðə si kən riʧ juʤ swɛlz, ɪf nɑt ə strɔŋ sˈwɪmər bi ˈkɛrfəl. səm əv ðə mɔr ˈfeɪməs əˈtrækʃənz əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɪl ʧɑrʤ ju ˈoʊvər ðə ɑdz. ɪt ɪz ˈmæsɪvli ˈoʊvərˌpraɪst ɪn ˌkɑŋˈkun ju wɪl fil laɪk lɛft ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ənd stɛpt ˈɪntu ðə ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ. ˈbeɪsɪk θɪŋz tɪ noʊ: ˈlæŋgwɪʤ ˈspoʊkən: ˈspænɪʃ ɪz ˈɪŋlɪʃ ˈspoʊkən: jɛs ˈkərənsi: ˈmɛksəkən ˈpeɪsoʊ ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɪz fɛr tɪ ʧɛk lɪv reɪts klɪk hir ˈvizə ˈɔpʃənz: ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈtʊrɪsts nid ə ˈvizə, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, wi du gɪt ˈɪʃud wɪθ ˈtʊrɪst kɑrdz æt ˈɛrˌpɔrts wɪθ ə rəf aɪˈdiə əv ðə lɛŋθ əv steɪ. kip hoʊld əv ðiz kɑrdz ɛz ju wɪl nid ðɛm wɪn ˈlivɪŋ ðə ˈkəntri. ɪf ju luz ðə kɑrd ju wɪl gɪt faɪnd wɪn ˈlivɪŋ ðə ˈkəntri ə bɪg dɛnt ɪn jʊr ˈbəʤɪt wɪn ju hæv tɪ peɪ ə faɪn) fər mɔr ˈɪnfoʊ ɔn ðɪs ʧɛk tɪ ʧɛk jʊr ˌnæʃəˈnælɪtiz ˈvizə rɪkˈwaɪrmənts ʧɛk hir θɪŋz tɪ noʊ wɪn ˈbəʤɪtɪŋ fər ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ: ðə ˈpraɪsɪz ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈvɛri dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɔn wɛr ju ər, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti ɪz ˈʤɛnərəli ʧip ɪkˈsɛpt fər ðə ˈsɪti ˈsɛnər ɛz ə hɑt ˈtʊrɪst ˈɛriə bət wəns aʊt əv ðə ˈsɪti ɪt bɪˈkəmz ˈivɪn ˈʧipər. ðə ˈjukəˌtæn ɪz ˈʤɛnərəli ðə moʊst ɪkˈspɛnsɪv pɑrt əv ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ɛz ɪts ə ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈhɑlɪˌdeɪ ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən fər əˈmɛrɪkənz. soʊ wɪn ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ju wɪl hæv tɪ ˈʤəgəl jʊr ˈbəʤɪt əraʊnd. ðɛr wər deɪz aɪ kʊd gɪt baɪ ˈoʊnli ˈspɛndɪŋ bət ðɛn ˈəðər deɪz aɪ kʊd ɛnd əp ˈspɛndɪŋ ʤɪst ə ˈbælənsɪŋ ækt. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɑz maɪ fərst stɑp waɪlst ˈtrævəlɪŋ ˈsɛntrəl əˈmɛrɪkə soʊ ɪt tʊk mi ə fju deɪz tɪ gɪt maɪ ˈbɛrɪŋz budget-wise*, tɪ ˈfɪgjər aʊt wɛr aɪ kʊd seɪv ɔn ɪkˈspɛnsɪz. ˈwəndərɪŋ wət tɪ du ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ? ðə ˈænsər ɪz ˈsɪmpəl ðɛr ɪz ˈplɛnti tɪ du. teɪk jʊr pɪk frəm ˈæzˌtɛk ənd maɪən ˈtɛmpəlz, ˈbəsəlɪŋ ˈsɪtiz, ˈsərfɪŋ, dwɛl ɔn ˈbiʧɪz, ɪkˈsplɔr, teɪk ɪn ðə ˈrʊrəl taʊnz ənd ˈvɪlɪʤɪz, ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ɔl əraʊnd ju ər ʤɪst sɪt wɪθ ˈloʊkəlz ənd ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ səm. ˌwəˈtɛvər ˈlʊkɪŋ fər ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɪl prəˈvaɪd ɪt. ækˈtɪvɪtiz: ækˈtɪvɪtiz ənd tʊrz wɪl ˈvɛri ɪn kɔsts tɪ haʊ ˈpɑpjələr ðeɪ ər wɪθ əˈmɛrɪkən ˈtʊrɪsts, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ðə wərld ˈwəndər itza’*’ wɑz ˈstupəˌdli ˈoʊvərˌpraɪst bɪˈkəz əv haʊ ˈpɑpjələr ɪt ɪz wɪθ ˈtʊrɪsts ənd ɪz ənˈdaʊtɪdli ə ˈmæsɪv ˈtʊrɪst træp naʊ. ðɛr ər ˈəðər ˈlɛsər noʊn ˈtɛmpəlz ðət ər məʧ ˈʧipər. ðɛr ər ˈɔlsoʊ keɪvz ənd ˈkænjənz laɪk ˈkænjən bɪˈloʊ tɪ ɪkˈsplɔr. ˈəðər taɪps əv tʊrz ənd ækˈtɪvɪtiz əraʊnd ðə ˈkəntri ər ˈrizənəbəl bət ə lɔt əv θɪŋz ju kən du wɪˈθaʊt ˈhævɪŋ tɪ bʊk ə tʊr ənd kən gɪt tɪ ˈpleɪsɪz ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəntli. θruaʊt ðə 3 mənθs aɪ wɑz ðɛr aɪ ˈoʊnli dɪd ə fju tʊrz ənd ˈmoʊstli dɪd ækˈtɪvɪtiz ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəntli ənd ʤɪst peɪd fər ˈɛntrəns fiz. ju wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ faɪnd ˈvælju fər jʊr ˈməni ɪf ju lʊk ənd ʃɑp əraʊnd ˈloʊkəli. food/drinks*: fud ənd drɪŋks ər ˈʤɛnərəli ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ˈrɛˌstrɑnts. lʊk fər strit ˈvɛndərz, ˈtɑkoʊ stændz, ˈpitsə sˈlaɪsɪz, ər ˈvɪzɪt ðə ˈmɑrkɪts ənd ˈloʊkəl ˈrɛˌstrɑnts. æsk fər dɛl dia”*” wɪʧ ɪz ðə ˈmɛnju əv ðə deɪ ənd ˈnɔrməli kəm wɪθ ə ˈstɑrtər sup, ə meɪn dɪʃ ənd ə drɪŋk wɪʧ ɪz baɪ fɑr ðə ˈʧipəst ˈɔpʃən ənd moʊst ˈfɪlɪŋ. baɪɪŋ ˈloʊkəl bɪrz kɔst ˈpɛniz kəmˈpɛrd tɪ ˌɪmˈpɔrtɪd bɪrz ənd ˈspɪrɪts. təˈkilə ənd kəm ɪn ˈdɪfərənt praɪs ˈreɪnʤɪz, ðə ˈʧipər ðə ˈnæstiər ðeɪ ər. ˈɔlsoʊ ɪf ə sˈmoʊkər laɪk mi ðɛn baɪɪŋ ˌsɪgəˈrɛts frəm ðə ˈvɛndərz ɪz ə lɔt ˈʧipər ðən baɪɪŋ frəm stɔrz. ɛz ju kən si aɪ gɔn ˈɪntu spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈpraɪsɪŋ, ɛz ˈpraɪsɪz ˈɔlˌweɪz ʧeɪnʤ ənd ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən bɪˈkəmz ˌɪˈrɛləvənt bət tɪ gɪv ju ən aɪˈdiə aɪ ˈʤɛnərəli gɑt baɪ ɔn 20 ər lɛs ɪf ju wʊd laɪk lɪv ˈpraɪsɪz hir ɪz ə ˈkəpəl əv gʊd saɪts fər lɪv kəmˈpɛrəsənz tɪ hɛlp ju: ənd expatisan*. ˈtrænspɔrt ˈɔpʃənz wɪn ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈgɪtɪŋ əraʊnd: ðə tu meɪn ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɪl bi əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃən ənd ˈtrænspɔrt. ʤɪst laɪk ˈɛvəri ˈkəntri ju ʃʊd ʃɑp əraʊnd fər əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃən, ju wɪl faɪnd ʧip ˈɔpʃənz bət ə ˈkɑnstənt ɪkˈspɛns. wɪθ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ biɪŋ səʧ ə juʤ ˈkəntri, fɑr ˈbɪgər ðən aɪ ˈriəˌlaɪzd. du tɪ ɪts ˈmaʊntənəs təreɪn θru ðə hɑrt əv ðə ˈkəntri, ðɛr wɪl bi ə juʤ əˈmaʊnt əv ˈtrævəlɪŋ, ˈpleɪsɪz ðət lʊk kloʊz ɔn ə mæp kən teɪk aʊərz tɪ gɪt tɪ. ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðɛr ər ˈhaɪˌweɪz ənd dɪˈvɛləpt roʊdz, ʤɪst ðə ʃɪr lɛŋθ əv taɪm ɪt teɪks tɪ gɪt frəm wən pleɪs tɪ əˈnəðər kən teɪk toʊl ənd ɪz ˈprɑbəˌbli ðə ˈhɑrdəst pɑrt əv ˈtrævəlɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ. ˈtrænspɔrt kɔsts wɪl it æt ju, soʊ waɪz tɪ ʧuz tɪ ˈtrævəl ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt tɪ soʊ ju seɪv ɔn rɛnt. ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt ˈbəsɪz ər ˈʤɛnərəli ðə moʊst ˈkɑmən weɪ tɪ gɪt əraʊnd, ˈbəʤɪt ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt ˈbəsɪz ər ˈvɛri ˈbeɪsɪk ənd kən tərn ˈɪntu ə ˈnaɪtˌmɛr, klæs bət stɪl kwaɪt ʧip) ˈɔfər mɔr ˈkəmfərt ənd səm ˈkoʊʧɪz wɪl ˈæˌkʧuəli gɪv ju ə fri mil ɔn bɔrd ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈʤərni. ˈgrænɪd səm wɪl bi mɔr ˈbeɪsɪk ðən ˈəðərz bət ə fri mil. tɪ gɪv ju ən aɪˈdiə, wən ˈʤərni aɪ gɑt ʤɪst ˈbɪskəts ənd ə ˈbɑtəl əv ˈwɔtər, ˈəðərz aɪ gɑt ˈgɪvɪn ə smɔl mil laɪk aɪ wɑz ɔn ə flaɪt ənd aɪ wəns ˈivɪn gɑt fɛd ə mcdonald’s*. bɛst tɪ traɪ ənd bʊk jʊr ˈtɪkɪt ɪn ədˈvæns, əˈspɛʃəli tɪ ˈpɑpjələr ˌdɛstəˈneɪʃənz bət ðɛr ər səm ˈkəmpəˌniz ju kən ʤɪst tərn əp tɪ ðə ˈtərmənəl ənd baɪ ə ˈtɪkɪt ɔn ðə spɑt. ˈloʊkəli ɪf ˈtrævəlɪŋ ˈloʊkəli ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə deɪ, fər ðə ˈʧipəst ˈɔpʃənz, (ʃɛrd ˈmɪniˈvæn ˈtrænspɔrt) ənd ˈʧɪkən bəs (oʊld əˈmɛrɪkən skul ˈbəsɪz kənˈvərtɪd ˈɪntu ˈpəblɪk ˈbəsɪz, ən ədˈvɛnʧər ɪn ˌɪtˈsɛlf) ər jʊr bɛst ˈɔpʃənz. əˈnəðər θɪŋ ju ʃʊd bi priˈpɛrd fər, ənd ðɪs ɪz θruaʊt ˈsɛntrəl ənd saʊθ əˈmɛrɪkə ɪz ɑrmd pəˈlis ˈbɔrdɪŋ ðə bəs tɪ ʧɛk əv ˈpæsənʤərz. ðɪs ɪz mɔr eɪmd æt ˈloʊkəlz ðət bi ɔn ðə bəs ðə pəˈlis ˈlɑrʤli ˌɪgˈnɔr ðə ˈtrævələrz bət ðɛr maɪt bi ðə ɑd taɪm ðeɪ ʧɛk jʊrz tu. ˈtrænspɔrt ˈɔpʃənz: ˈloʊkəl: ˈbəsɪz ðə ˈbɪgər ˈsɪtiz hæv ə gʊd ˈnɛtˌwərk əv ˈbəsɪz tɪ gɪt ju əraʊnd ˈloʊkəli. ˈmɛˌtroʊ ˈvɛri ˈizi tɪ ˈnævəˌgeɪt ənd ˈvɛri ʧip. (rən wɪˈθɪn ˈmeɪʤər ˈsɪtiz laɪk ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti) ˈʧɪkən ˈbəsɪz oʊld əˈmɛrɪkən skul ˈbəsɪz kənˈvərtɪd ˈɪntu ˈloʊkəl ˈpəblɪk ˈbəsɪz. bi səˈpraɪzd tɪ si ˈlaɪvˌstɑk ɔn ðiz) ‘‘colectivos’*’ ðət weɪt ənˈtɪl ðeɪ ər fɪld əp ənd rən ˈsərtən rʊts. ˈtæksi ɪkˈspɛnsɪv ənd nɑt ˈɔlˌweɪz ˈmitərd (ɪf nɑt ɔn ðə ˈmitər nɪˈgoʊʃiˌeɪt ðə praɪs ˌbiˈfɔr ˈgɪtɪŋ ɪn.) ˈnæʃənəli: ˈmeɪnli juzd fər ˈʤərniz, tica-bus*, əˈdu, ər ˈpɑpjələr (ənd sərv ju fud) ˈpraɪvət ˈʃətəl ˈmɪni vænz baɪ ə ˈtɪkɪt ənd hɑp ɔn æt ə ˈtərmənəl tɪ jʊr ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən, ˈprɪti ʧip ənd seɪf. flaɪɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ həz dəˈmɛstɪk ˈɛˌrlaɪnz ənd ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl tɪ flaɪ əraʊnd ɪf ju kən əˈfɔrd ɪt. kɑz ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl ɪf ju hæv ən ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈlaɪsəns. ʤɪst bi ˈkɛrfəl wɪθ ˈkreɪzi ˈmɛksəkən ˈdraɪvərz. ˈpɑpjələr tʊr ˈkəmpəˌniz: ðɛr ər lɑts əv tʊr ˈkəmpəˌniz ju kən faɪnd θruaʊt ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ, ˈhɑstəlz wɪl ˈɔlsoʊ ˈɔfər tʊrz aʊt tɪ ju. əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃən: wɪθ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ gɪrd təˈwɔrdz ˈtʊˌrɪzəm məʧ mɔr ðən aɪ ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪtɪd ðɛr ər ˈplɛnti əv ˈɔpʃənz tɪ ʧoʊz frəm. moʊst ˈbækˌpækər ˈhɑstəlz ər ˈrizənəbli praɪst, wɪθ dɔrm rumz ənd ˈpraɪvət rumz əˈveɪləbəl. ju wɪl faɪnd kwaɪt ə reɪnʤ əv ˈhɑstəlz ɔn ˈbʊkɪŋ saɪts laɪk ˈhɑstəl wərld ənd bət ju wɪl faɪnd ə ˈwaɪdər reɪnʤ əv ˈhɑstəlz ˈwɔkɪŋ əraʊnd ɛz ə lɔt əv ðɛm ˈædvərˌtaɪz ɔn ˈbʊkɪŋ saɪts. ˈhɑstəlz mɪks əv dɔrmz ənd ˈpraɪvət rumz, reɪnʤ frəm kwaɪt tɪ ˈpɑrti ˈhɑstəlz greɪt ˈsoʊʃəl həbz tɪ mit ˈəðər. ˈbəʤɪt hoʊˈtɛlz ˈrizənəbli praɪst bət nɑt ˈɔlˌweɪz ɪn ðə bɛst kənˈdɪʃən. ləv hoʊˈtɛlz rɛnt rumz aʊt fər ðə əˈmaʊnt əv taɪm ju wɔnt tɪ bi ðɛr. (ðeɪ ər wət ðeɪ ər) ɛr bɪˈkəmɪŋ kwaɪt ˈpɑpjələr ɪn ˈsɛntrəl ənd saʊθ əˈmɛrɪkə. steɪ wɪθ ˈloʊkəlz ənd ɪkˈspɪriəns ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ frəm ə ˈdɪfərənt pərˈspɛktɪv. ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ ə bɛd fər wərk wɪθ ˈloʊkəlz ər ɪn ə kəmˈjunɪti. ˈkæmpɪŋ kæmp ˈəndər ðə stɑrz ɔn ðə ˈbiʧɪz ər ɪn ˈnæʃənəl pɑrks. maɪ ˈoʊvərvˌju əv ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ: aɪ hæv tɪ seɪ ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɑz ʤɪst soʊ məʧ mɔr ðən aɪ ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪtɪd ɪt tɪ bi. aɪ laɪ, ɪt blu mi əˈweɪ, aɪ fɛl ɪn ləv wɪθ ɪt ənd ɪt roʊz tɪ wən əv maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt ˈkəntriz backpacked*. ðə θri mənθs aɪ spɛnt ðɛr, wɑz ˈnoʊˌwɛr nɪr ɪˈnəf, aɪ fil laɪk aɪ hæv ˈoʊnli skræʧt ðə ˈsərfəs; aɪ nid tɪ goʊ bæk ənd ɪkˈsplɔr ənd si məʧ mɔr. aɪ wɔnt tɪ meɪk ɪt saʊnd ˈfləfi bət aɪ hɛlp ɪt, əˈpɑrt frəm ˌkɑŋˈkun ˈnəθɪŋ kən pʊt mi ɔf ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ əˈgɛn. jɛs, aɪ dɪd gɪt fɛd əp əv ˈitɪŋ baɪ ðə ɛnd əv ðə trɪp bət noʊ ˈbɪgi. ɪn maɪ aɪz ðə ˈkəntri ɪz əˈmeɪzɪŋ, ðə ˈpipəl ər ˈfrɛndli ənd ˈwɛlkəmɪŋ ənd ðɛr ɪz ʤɪst soʊ məʧ tɪ si ənd du. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɑz ðə pleɪs fər ə ˈnəmbər əv fərsts fər mi tu, aɪ gɑt tɪ ɪkˈspɪriəns maɪ fərst ˈrɛstɪŋ ɪˈvɛnt wɪʧ wɑz ʤɪst ə ˈspɛktəkəl. ðɛr wɑz maɪ fərst taɪm siɪŋ sinkholes*, ðə fərst taɪm aɪ dræŋk ənd ðɛr wər ə fju ˈəðər fərsts ðət aɪ ˈrɪli ˈmɛnʃən. ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ wɑz ðə fərst stɑp ɔn maɪ ˈsɛntrəl əˈmɛrɪkə trɪp, aɪ wɔkt ɪn ˈoʊnli biɪŋ ˈeɪbəl tɪ seɪ ‘‘olla’*’, ‘‘ce*, ənd ‘‘cepasa’*’ aɪ lɛft ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ 3 mənθs ˈleɪtər wɪθ ə ˈʤɛnərəl græsp əv ˈlætən ˈspænɪʃ. aɪ hæd ˈwɪtnəst səm əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈpleɪsɪz, dɪˈskəvərd soʊ ˈmɛni ˈhɪdən ʤɛmz, fɛlt ðə ʧɑrm ənd wɔrmθ əv ˌɪnˈkrɛdəbəl ˈpipəl ənd lɛft wɪθ ə juʤ rɪˈspɛkt fər ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ənd ˈmɛksɪkənz. səm əv maɪ ˈhaɪˌlaɪts: ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti. ˈmɛksəkən ˈpipəl. ˈrɛsəlɪŋ. ˈpɑrtiɪŋ wɪθ ˈmɛksɪkənz. ˈfaɪndɪŋ ˈhɪdən bɑrz. ˈlərnɪŋ ˈbeɪsɪk ˈspænɪʃ. strit fud. ruɪnz.. ædˈvɛnʧərz ɔn ˈʧɪkən ˈbəsɪz. ˈoʊksəkə. ˈloʊkəl ˈkɔfi. ˈrændəm ˈkələrfəl strit pəreɪdz. sæn ˈkrɪstəbəl. oʊld ˈspænɪʃ kəˈloʊniəl ˈbɪldɪŋz. ˈkələr ənd ˈvaɪbrənsi əv taʊnz ənd ˈsɛtɪŋz. ˈʧeɪsɪŋ ˈwɔtərˌfɔlz ɪn ðə ˈʤəŋgəl. ˈpɔrtər ˌɛskɑnˈdidoʊ. ruɪnz. ˈhaʊlər ˈməŋkiz. ˈkænjən. dɪˈskəvərɪŋ ˈhɪdən sinkholes*. plaɪə dɛl ˈkɑrmən. tulum*. ðə ˈwaɪlˌdlaɪf ɔl ðə taɪps əv ˈlɪzərdz. bacalar*. səm əv maɪ dɪsˈlaɪks: ˈhɑstəl stæf ˈwɔkɪŋ ˈɪntu maɪ rum ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl əv ðə naɪt wɪˈθaʊt ˈrizən dɪd nɑt laɪk ðət, meɪd mi ˈpɛrəˌnɔɪd. nɑt noʊɪŋ ɪˈnəf ˈspænɪʃ. tʊr ˈɔpərˌeɪtərz ˈhaʊndɪŋ mi. lɔŋ ˈʤərniz. ɛr kɑn ˈblæstɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl əv ðə naɪt ɔn ˈbəsɪz tɪ meɪk ɪt ˈfrizɪŋ, bət nɑt ɔn ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə deɪ wɪn ˈnidɪd. ˈfaɪndɪŋ aʊt bərˈitoʊs ɛz aɪ nu ðɛm, wər ˈæˌkʧuəli ən əˈmɛrɪkən ˌɪnˈvɛnʃən; ˈbəbəl bərst ə ˈlɪtəl. *sæd mərˈidə.. ˌkɑŋˈkun. wɛr tɪ goʊ ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ? ðɪs ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ mæp ʃoʊz maɪ rut əraʊnd ðə ˈkəntri, ˈstɑrtɪŋ ɪn ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈsɪti, əˈkrɔs tɪ ˈoʊksəkə, daʊn tɪ ðə pəˈsɪfɪk koʊst ˌbiˈfɔr aɪ meɪd maɪ weɪ əp tɪ ðə ˈjukəˌtæn. frəm ðɛr aɪ ˈfɑloʊd tɪ koʊst əraʊnd ənˈtɪl wɛr aɪ krɔst ˈoʊvər ˈɪntu bɛˈliz. dɪd ju faɪnd ðɪs ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ ˈtrævəl tɪps ˈhɛlpfəl? lɛt mi noʊ ɪn ðə ˈkɑmɛnts bɪˈloʊ ɪf ðɛr ɪz ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ɛls ju wʊd laɪk tɪ noʊ. ɪf ju wʊd laɪk ˈfərðər poʊsts laɪk mexico’*’, ər ˈəðər ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ ˈbəʤɪt ˈtrævəl ədˈvaɪs ənd ˈwikli blɔg poʊsts kəm ənd ʤɔɪn fərˈɛvər ˈroʊmɪŋ ðə kəmˈjunɪti, wi wʊd ləv tɪ hæv ju. ɪn ˈʤɔɪnɪŋ fərˈɛvər ˈroʊmɪŋ ðə wərld ju wɪl nɑt ˈoʊnli geɪn ˈækˌsɛs tɪ poʊsts laɪk ðɪs bət ˈɔlsoʊ səbˈskraɪbər ɪkˈsklusɪvz, ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ˈbəʤɪt ˈtrævəl ˈrisɔrsɪz ənd ə fri ˈbəʤɪt ˈtrævəl ˈplænɪŋ eɪd. ɔl ju hæv tɪ du ɪz drɔp jʊr iˈmeɪl ˈɪntu ðə fɔrm bɪˈloʊ. wɔnt tɪ ˈkɛri ɔn jʊr ˈʤərni wɪθ fərˈɛvər ˈroʊmɪŋ ðə wərld, ˈsɪmpli stɛp θru ðə ˈræbɪt hoʊl stɑrt hir. du ju noʊ ˈɛnibədi ɛls ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ sun? bi ʃaɪ, pæs ðɪs poʊst ɔn ər ʃɛr wɪθ jʊr frɛndz. fərˈgɛt tɪ pɪn ˈbækˌpækɪŋ ˈmɛksəˌkoʊ doʊnt fərˈgɛt tɪ ʃɛr wɪθ jʊr frɛndz 5 8 45 ʃɛrz
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(last updated on: june 17, 2018)
backpacking mexico travel tips.
this overview of backpacking mexico travel tips covers:
general costs, things to know, tips, transport, accommodation options and my overall experience of the country.
i’m guessing most people think of mexico and think aztec and mayan ruins, chichen itza, cancun, and tequila. maybe it’s american students going wild on spring break or old dusty western style towns full of bandits and gunslingers or drug cartels or the infamous el chapo…
…well, yeah, you’re right, they do have all that but let me tell you there is so much more to this country. mexico is a huge shiny jewel for backpackers, it’s just one of those countries that have a sprinkling of everything and you can’t help but fall in love with it. what tickles your fancy? …amazing food? incredible landscape? pristine beaches? a journey into history? adventure? a vast wilderness? dense jungles?
everything you are looking for in a budget backpacking trip; you will find it backpacking mexico. from start to finish it amazed me every day. there are some countries you can travel to once and say you’ve been there and done it all. mexico is the opposite, i spent nearly 3 months backpacking through mexico and still don’t feel like i’ve scratched the surface.
a few backpacking mexico travel tips:
– it’s good to learn some basic spanish before getting there.
– forget trying to find a burrito (i found out the burritos we know are an american invention of course, they are!)
– taco’s sold on street stalls will become a staple of your diet, especially if your on a tight budget.
– mezcal is drunk more than tequila and mexicans don’t drop lime into their corona; who knew!
– prepare for fucking long journeys mexico is huge.
– mexico is generally cheap but touristy places like parts of mexico city, cancun, and chichen itza are grossly overpriced.
– even if you are not a wrestling fan, try and see a lucha-libre event (high flying wrestlers behind masks)
– book overnight buses a few days in advance to get a cheaper price.
– if you’re wanting to see ruins and temples, the lesser known one like palenque are better and cheaper.
– mexicans, in general, are awesome people and very friendly unless you’re american.
– mexico has so many hidden gems and natural beauty’s, always talk to other backpackers and see what they’ve found.
– try and get out to canute’s and sinkholes, if you’ve never seen them before they are amazing; you can dive and swim in some.
– when mexicans say ‘gringo’ they are only referring to americans.
– playa del carmen is a much better party option for travelers on a tight budget cancun charges american prices.
some things to be wary of:
– although mexicans are friendly, petty crime is rife in certain areas but not generally dangerous unless you go into cartel territory. keep on your guard, don’t make yourself a target by acting like a tourist.
– cartels do run through the north towards the border so be careful and take precautions if going that far up.
– keep your belongings safe and hidden, do not flaunt that you are a tourist.
– be extra careful on the metro in mexico city a fellow traveler i was with got pick-pocketed as we got off the train because he wasn’t being vigilant. (stole his phone and wallet.)
– keep your belongings safe and close on bus journeys, although i never had any problems, i heard many horror stories from people who left there bags lying around on long bus-journeys. most backpacker thefts are done on over-night bus journeys. you just have to keep your wits about you.
– armed police will regularly board buses, don’t be alarmed, 9 times out of 10 they don’t even look at travelers if they do they will just check your id and hand it back.
– when on the pacific coast waves in the sea can reach huge swells, if you’re not a strong swimmer be careful.
– some of the more famous attractions of mexico will charge you over the odds.
– it is massively overpriced in cancun you will feel like you’ve left mexico and stepped into the usa.
basic things to know:
language spoken: spanish
is english spoken: yes
currency: mexican peso
backpacking in mexico is fair
to check live rates click here xe.com
visa options:
british tourists don’t need a visa, however, we do get issued with tourist cards at airports with a rough idea of the length of stay.
keep hold of these cards as you will need them when leaving the country. if you lose the card you will get fined when leaving the country (it’s a big dent in your budget when you have to pay a fine)
for more info on this check gov.ukhttps://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/entry-requirements
to check your nationalities visa requirements check here cibtvisas
things to know when budgeting for backpacking mexico:
the prices in mexico vary depending on where you are, for example, mexico city is generally cheap except for the city center as it’s a hot tourist area but once you’re out of the city it becomes even cheaper. the yucatan is generally the most expensive part of mexico as its a favorite holiday destination for americans. so when you’re backpacking mexico you will have to juggle your budget around. there were days i could get by only spending $10-15 but then other days i could end up spending $30-$40 it’s just a balancing act.
mexico was my first stop whilst traveling central america so it took me a few days to get my bearings budget-wise, to figure out where i could save on expenses.
wondering what to do in mexico?
the answer is simple there is plenty to do. take your pick from aztec and mayan temples, bustling cities, surfing, dwell on beaches, explore cenotes, take in the rural towns and villages, enjoy fiestas all around you or just sit with locals and enjoy some mezcal. whatever you’re looking for mexico will provide it.
activities:
activities and tours will vary in costs to how popular they are with american tourists, for example visiting the world wonder ‘chichen itza’ was stupidly overpriced because of how popular it is with tourists and is undoubtedly a massive tourist trap now. there are other lesser known temples that are much cheaper. there are also cenotes caves and canyons like sumidero canyon below to explore.
other types of tours and activities around the country are reasonable but there’s a lot of things you can do without having to book a tour and can get to places independently. throughout the 3 months i was there i only did a few tours and mostly did activities independently and just paid for entrance fees. you will be able to find value for your money if you look and shop around locally.
food/drinks:
food and drinks are generally inexpensive outside of western-style restaurants. look for street vendors, taco stands, pizza slices, or visit the markets and local restaurants. ask for “menu del dia” which is the menu of the day and normally come with a starter soup, a main dish and a drink which is by far the cheapest option and most filling. buying local beers cost pennies compared to imported beers and spirits. tequila and mezcal come in different price ranges, the cheaper the nastier they are. also if you’re a smoker like me then buying cigarettes from the pop-up vendors is a lot cheaper than buying from stores.
as you can see i haven’t gone into specific pricing, as prices always change and information becomes irrelevant but to give you an idea i generally got by on $20 or less
if you would like live prices here is a couple of good sites for live comparisons to help you: numbeo and expatisan.
transport options when backpacking mexico
getting around:
the two main expense’s backpacking mexico will be accommodation and transport. just like every country you should shop around for accommodation, you will find cheap options but it’s a constant expense.
with mexico being such a huge country, far bigger than i realized. due to its mountainous terrain through the heart of the country, there will be a huge amount of traveling, places that look close on a map can take hours to get to. although there are highways and developed roads, just the sheer length of time it takes to get from one place to another can take it’s toll and is probably the hardest part of traveling mexico.
transport costs will eat at you, so it’s wise to choose to travel overnight to so you save on rent. overnight buses are generally the most common way to get around, budget overnight buses are very basic and can turn into a nightmare, mid-range (1st class but still quite cheap) offer more comfort and some coaches will actually give you a free meal on board during the journey. granted some will be more basic than others but it’s a free meal. to give you an idea, one journey i got just biscuits and a bottle of water, others i got given a small meal like i was on a flight and i once even got fed a mcdonald’s.
it’s best to try and book your ticket in advance, especially to popular destinations but there are some companies you can just turn up to the terminal and buy a ticket on the spot.
locally
if you’re traveling locally during the day, for the cheapest options, ‘collectivos (shared minivan transport) and chicken bus (old american school buses converted into public buses, an adventure in itself) are your best options.
another thing you should be prepared for, and this is throughout central and south america is armed police boarding the bus to check id’s of passengers. this is more aimed at locals that shouldn’t be on the bus the police largely ignore the travelers but there might be the odd time they check yours too.
transport options:
local:
– buses the bigger cities have a good network of buses to get you around locally.
– metro very easy to navigate and very cheap. (run within major cities like mexico city)
– chicken buses old american school buses converted into local public buses. (don’t be surprised to see livestock on these)
– ‘colectivos’ mini-vans that wait until they are filled up and run certain routes.
– taxi expensive and not always metered (if not on the meter negotiate the price before getting in.)
nationally:
– bus/coach mainly used for trans-country journeys, tica-bus, ado, are popular (and serve you food)
– private shuttle mini vans buy a ticket and hop on at a terminal to your destination, pretty cheap and safe.
– flying mexico has domestic airlines and is possible to fly around if you can afford it.
– enting cars is possible if you have an international license. just be careful with crazy mexican drivers.
popular tour companies:
there are lots of tour companies you can find throughout mexico, hostels will also offer tours out to you.
accommodation:
with mexico geared towards tourism much more than i anticipated there are plenty of options to chose from. most backpacker hostels are reasonably priced, with dorm rooms and private rooms available. you will find quite a range of hostels on booking sites like hostel world and booking.com but you will find a wider range of hostels walking around as a lot of them won’t advertise on booking sites.
– hostels mix of dorms and private rooms, range from quite to party hostels great social hubs to meet other backpackers.
– budget hotels reasonably priced but not always in the best condition.
– love hotels rent rooms out for the amount of time you want to be there. (they are what they are)
– air bnb becoming quite popular in central and south america.
– couchsurfing stay with locals and experience mexico from a different perspective.
– workaways exchange a bed for work with locals or in a community.
– camping camp under the stars on the beaches or in national parks.
my overview of backpacking mexico:
i have to say backpacking mexico was just so much more than i anticipated it to be. i won’t lie, it blew me away, i fell in love with it and it rose to one of my favorite countries i’ve backpacked. the three months i spent there, was nowhere near enough, i feel like i have only scratched the surface; i need to go back and explore and see much more. i don’t want to make it sound fluffy but i can’t help it, apart from cancun nothing can put me off backpacking mexico again. yes, i did get fed up of eating taco’s by the end of the trip but that’s no biggie. in my eyes the country is amazing, the people are friendly and welcoming and there is just so much to see and do.
mexico was the place for a number of firsts for me too, i got to experience my first lucha-libre wresting event which was just a spectacle. there was my first time seeing sinkholes, the first time i drank mezcal and there were a few other firsts that i can’t really mention.
mexico was the first stop on my central america trip, i walked in only being able to say ‘olla’, ‘ce, and ‘cepasa’ i left mexico 3 months later with a general grasp of latin spanish. i had witnessed some amazing places, discovered so many hidden gems, felt the charm and warmth of incredible people and left with a huge respect for mexico and mexicans.
some of my highlights:
mexico city.
mexican people.
lucha libre wrestling.
partying with mexicans.
finding hidden bars.
learning basic spanish.
street food.
teotihuacan ruins.
mezcal.
adventures on chicken buses.
oaxaca.
local coffee.
random colorful street parades.
san cristobal.
old spanish colonial buildings.
color and vibrancy of towns and settings.
chasing waterfalls in the jungle.
puerto escondido.
palenque ruins.
howler monkeys.
sumidero canyon.
discovering hidden sinkholes.
playa del carmen.
tulum.
the wildlife all the types of lizards.
bacalar.
some of my dislikes:
hostel staff walking into my room in the middle of the night without reason did not like that, made me paranoid.
not knowing enough spanish.
tour operators hounding me.
long journeys.
air con blasting in the middle of the night on buses to make it freezing, but not on during the day when it’s needed.
finding out burritos as i knew them, were actually an american invention; bubble burst a little. *sad face*
merida.
chichen itza.
cancun.
where to go in mexico?
this mexico map shows my route around the country, starting in mexico city, across to oaxaca, down to the pacific coast before i made my way up to the yucatan. from there i followed to coast around until chetumal where i crossed over into belize.
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15 kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm ˈwɛbˌsaɪts ðət aɪ θɪŋk ləv. soʊ ə lɪst əv 15 kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm wɛb dɪˈzaɪnz ləv hæv ə lʊk ðɪs ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs ˌɪnˈkludz kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm ˈwɛbˌsaɪts səʧ ɛz, ˈpumə,, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə. soʊ ʧɛk ðɛm aʊt wən baɪ wən. pliz du ˈkɑmɛnt ənd ʃɛr. ðɛr ər lɑts əv ˈwɛbˌsaɪts ˈɔnˌlaɪn ənd səm əv ðɛm ər kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm. aɪ noʊ ðət fər ən ˈwɛbˌsaɪt, ˈsɛlɪŋ ðɛr ˈprɑdəkts ɪz mɔr ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ðən ˈhævɪŋ kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm dɪˈzaɪn. bət ən ˈɔsəm dɪˈzaɪn kən meɪk lɑts əv nu ˈkəstəmərz fər ən saɪt. təˈdeɪ aɪ æm aɪ θɪŋk ləv. soʊ ə lɪst əv 15 kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm wɛb dɪˈzaɪnz ləv hæv ə lʊk ðɪs ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs ˌɪnˈkludz kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm ˈwɛbˌsaɪts səʧ ɛz, ˈpumə,, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə. soʊ ʧɛk ðɛm aʊt wən baɪ wən. pliz du ˈkɑmɛnt ənd ʃɛr. ˈpipəl ə nis ənd kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl ˈwɛbˌsaɪt dɪˈzaɪn. si mɔr 20 ˈbjutəfəl dɪˈzaɪn ɪgˈzæmpəlz əv wət kən bi dən wɪθ 2 ðeɪ hæv ə ˈvɛri gʊd ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən əv blæk ənd waɪt ˈkələrz. ə ˈvɛri ənd ˈɔsəm ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ˈfoʊkɪsɪŋ ɔn ðɛr ˈprɑdəkts ɛz wɛl ɛz ðə dɪˈzaɪn. si mɔr 6 ˈbeɪsɪk tɪps ɔn dɪˈzaɪnɪŋ ə prəˈfɛʃənəl i ˈkɑmərs ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ðeɪ hæv ə ˈvɛri ˈbjutəfəl ənd kjut dɪˈzaɪn wɪθ ə pɪŋk ʃeɪd. hæv ən əˈtræktɪv ˈɪnərˌfeɪs. ðeɪ hæv ˈbjutəfəl ənd ˈɔsəm ˈbækˌgraʊnd, ˌnævəˈgeɪʃən ənd əv kɔrs ðɛr ˈloʊgoʊ meɪks ðə ˈhɛdər əˈtræktɪv. si mɔr haʊ tɪ draɪv trəst ɔn jʊr brænd? hæv nis ˈtɛksʧər ˈbækˌgraʊnd ənd ə ˈbjutəfəl ˈloʊgoʊ. ðeɪ hæv ə ˈvɛri nis ˈloʊgoʊ ənd kriˈeɪtɪv ˈbækˌgraʊnd. ðeɪ hæv ˈbjutəfəl ənd kriˈeɪtɪv ˈloʊgoʊ. ənd əv kɔrs ə ˈvɛri ˈgɔrʤəs ˈɪnərˌfeɪs. aɪ ʤɪst ləv ðə əv ðɛr ˈhɛdər wɪʧ ɪz ən ˈænəˌmeɪtɪd ˈhɛdər ˈæˌkʧuəli. ðə ˌnævəˈgeɪʃən ɪz ˈnaɪsli mərʤd ˈɪntu ˈhɛdər. soʊ ðɪs ɪz ə ˈvɛri kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm ˈwɛbˌsaɪt. fərst əv ɔl seɪ ðət ðə ˈloʊgoʊ hæv ɪz kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm. ənd ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ hæv ə nis ənd ˈkætəˌgɔriz ˌnævəˈgeɪʃən wɪʧ ər ˈprɪti əˈtræktɪv. ðə ˈhɛdər həz, ɪz ə nis ˈkɑnsɛpt ənd aɪ θɪŋk juz ðɪs kaɪnd əv ˈkɑnsɛpt ɪn maɪ nu webdesign*. ˈrɛdɪŋtən ɪz ˈkɪndə ˈsɑləd ˈwɛbˌsaɪt dɪˈzaɪn wɪʧ hæv juzd nis ˈbækˌgraʊnd ˈtɛksʧərz ənd ˌnævəˈgeɪʃən. ɪz ˈvɛri kriˈeɪtɪv blæk ənd waɪt ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ˈhævɪŋ ə nis blu ˈkələr juzd fər əˈtræktɪvnəs ˈpərpəs. kənˈkludɪŋ æt ðə ɛnd ɪf ju laɪk səm ər ɔl əv ðiz kriˈeɪtɪvli ˈɔsəm wɛb dɪˈzaɪnz ðɛn ʃɛr ðɪs poʊst wɪθ jʊr frɛndz. θæŋk ju fər ˈrɛdɪŋ. steɪ ˈkjʊriəs steɪ kəˈnɛktɪd. səm mɔr ˈrisɔrsɪz: 50 ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃənəl ˈwɛbˌsaɪt dɪˈzaɪnz 20 əv ðə ˈvɛri bɛst wɛb saɪts
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15 creatively awesome ecommerce websites that i think you’d love. so here’s a list of 15 creatively awesome ecommerce web designs you’d love have a look . this showcase includes creatively awesome ecommerce websites such as stickermule, puma, dakine, etc. so check them out one by one. please do comment and share. there are lots of ecommerce websites online and some of them are creatively awesome. i know that for an ecommerce website, selling their products is more important than having creatively awesome design. but an awesome design can make lots of new customers for an ecommerce site. today i am sharingthat i think you’d love. so here’s a list of 15 creatively awesome ecommerce web designs you’d love have a look . this showcase includes creatively awesome ecommerce websites such as stickermule, puma, dakine, etc. so check them out one by one. please do comment and share.
1.free people
a nice and creatively awesome lifestyle ecommerce website design.
see more 20 beautiful design examples of what can be done with opencart
2. envelopments
they have a very good combination of black and white colors.
3.puma
a very sportive and awesome website focusing on their products as well as the design.
see more 6 basic tips on designing a professional e commerce website
4.heartbreakerfashion
they have a very beautiful and cute design with a pink shade.
5.stickermule
stickermule have an attractive interface.
6.inkefx
they have beautiful and awesome background, navigation and of course their logo makes the header attractive.
see more how to drive trust on your e-commerce brand?
7.omoionline
omoionline have nice texture background and a beautiful logo.
8.grahamandgreen
they have a very nice logo and creative background.
9.coucoushop
they have beautiful and creative logo. and of course a very gorgeous interface.
10.brandneusense
i just love the awesomeness of their header which is an animated header actually. the navigation is nicely merged into header. so this is a very creatively awesome ecommerce website.
11.wigglewaggleandco
first of all i’ll say that the logo wigglewaggleandco have is creatively awesome. and they also have a nice and colourful categories navigation which are pretty attractive.
12.uniquemartique
the header uniquemartique has, is a nice concept and i think i’ll use this kind of concept in my new webdesign.
13.redington
redington is kinda solid ecommerce website design which have used nice background textures and navigation.
14.dakine
dakine is very creative black and white ecommerce website having a nice blue color used for attractiveness purpose.
15.keedo
concluding
at the end if you like some or all of these creatively awesome ecommerce web designs then share this post with your friends. thank you for reading. stay curious stay connected.
some more resources:
50 inspirational e-commerce website designs
20 of the very best e-commerce web sites
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ðə ɪz æt ɪt əˈgɛn. ˈpruvɪŋ ðət noʊ ˈəðər ˈpipəl ər ˈkeɪpəbəl əv ˈkəmɪŋ əp wɪθ mɔr ˈmaɪndləs rɪˈspɑnsɪz tɪ ðə ɪgˈzæʤərˌeɪtɪd θrɛt əv ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm ðən ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ. ðə ˈleɪtəst ˈspɛktəkəl riˈvɑlvz əraʊnd ðə kəmˈplitli ˌɪdiˈɑtɪk ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ʤɪst lɔnʧt baɪ ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri ˈnɪki ˈmɔrgən, ˈtaɪtəld əˈgɛnst hate.”*.” ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti, ðə ˈoʊnli ˈpipəl hu nid ˈɛʤəˌkeɪtɪŋ ər ðə klaʊnz hu pʊt ðɪs ðɪs mɑnˈstrɑsəti təˈgɛðər ənd θɔt ɪt wɑz ə gʊd aɪˈdiə. fərst ə ˈlɪtəl ˈbækˌgraʊnd frəm ðə ˌbibiˈsi: ðə ˈwɛbˌsaɪt hoʊldz ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən fər skulz ənd ˈpɛrənts tɪ ˈtækəl ðə əv tˈwɪstɪd ideologies”*”. ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ˈprɑməsəz ə approach”*” tɪ prɪˈvɛnɪŋ ˌɪˈligəl, ənˈrɛʤɪstərd skulz. ˈmɪsɪz ˈmɔrgən sɪz ðə eɪm ɪz tɪ prəˈtɛkt maɪndz frəm ˈrædɪkəl views”*”. ðə ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri kɔld fər ə ˈbæləns bɪtˈwin prɪˈvɛnɪŋ ˌɪkˈstrɛmɪzəm ənd əˈlaʊɪŋ ən ˈoʊpən dəˈbeɪt wɪθ ˈʧælənʤɪŋ aɪˈdiəz. ɪz ðɪs ˈʧaɪnə ər ðə juˈnaɪtɪd ˈkɪŋdəm? soʊ goʊ əˈhɛd ənd teɪk ə lʊk æt ðə saɪnz əv extremism”*” ˈtiʧərz ʃʊd bi ɔn ðə lʊk aʊt fər. wət ər səm əv ðə ˈwɔrnɪŋ saɪnz? wɪθ ðə ɪkˈsɛpʃən əv ðə ʧeɪnʤ ɪn rɪˈlɪʤən, 90 ər mɔr əv ɔl ˈtiˌneɪʤərz wɪl ˈprɑbəˌbli fɪt ˈɪntu wən əv ðiz ˈbʊləts pɔɪnts, ɪf nɑt moʊst, baɪ ðə taɪm ðeɪ riʧ 20 jɪrz oʊld. maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt ɪz ˈbʊlət pɔɪnt ɪz tɪ kənˈspɪrəsiz theories”*” (i.e*., kˈwɛsʧənɪŋ wət ɪz ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈɔlˌweɪz ə ˈbʊlˌʃɪt ˈgəvərnmənt ˈnɛrətɪv), ənd persecuted”*” (bɪˈkəz wi ɔl noʊ, noʊ wən ɪz ˈæˌkʧuəli ˈɛvər ˈpərsəˌkjutəd ɪn greɪt ˈbrɪtən). waɪl ɔn ðə ˈtɑpɪk, ɪf ju wɔnt maɪ dɪˈfɪnɪtɪv gaɪd ɔn kənˈspɪrəsi ˈθɪri ˈhəntɪŋ, rɛd: ju noʊ ju ər ə kənˈspɪrəsi θiərɪst if…*… kip kɑm ənd ˈkɛri ɔn sərfs. fər rɪˈleɪtɪd ˈɑrtɪkəlz, si: ðə wɔr ɔn ˈtɑdlər ˈtɛrəˌrɪsts ˈbrɪtən wɔnts tɪ fɔrs ˈnərsəri skul ˈtiʧərz tɪ aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ ““extremist”*” ˈʧɪldrən prɛs rɪˈbɛljən ɪn ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈmidiə ˈlɔnʧɪz ˈproʊˌtɛst əˈgɛnst spaɪɪŋ, ɛz ˈpleɪsɪz ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪtɪv ˈʤərnəˌlɪzəm ɪn seɪm ˈkætəˌgɔri ɛz ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm ˌɪntrəˈdusɪz ˌlɛʤəsˈleɪʃən rikˈwaɪərɪŋ tɛk ˈkəmpəˌniz tɪ spaɪ ɔn ðɛr ˈjuzərz ðə ɔˈstreɪljən ˈgəvərnmənt proʊˈkleɪmz ɛnˈvaɪrənˌmɛnəˌlɪzəm ənd ɔlˈtərnətɪv mˈjuzɪk ər saɪnz əv ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm nu ˈjuˈɛn ˈpraɪvəsi ʧif proʊˈkleɪmz ˈdɪʤɪtəl sərˈveɪləns ɪz ðən orwell”*” ɪn ˈlɪbərˌti, ˈmaɪkəl ˈkrigər ˈdoʊˌneɪt bitcoins*: laɪk ðɪs bitcoins*: ˈfɑloʊ mi ɔn tˈwɪtər.
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the uk is at it again. proving that no other people are capable of coming up with more mindless responses to the exaggerated threat of terrorism than the british.
the latest spectacle revolves around the completely idiotic website just launched by education secretary nicky morgan, titled “educate against hate.” in reality, the only people who need educating are the clowns who put this this monstrosity together and thought it was a good idea.
first a little background from the bbc:
the website holds information for schools and parents to tackle the “spell of twisted ideologies”. the government promises a “tougher approach” to preventing illegal, unregistered schools. mrs morgan says the aim is to protect “impressionable minds from radical views”. the education secretary called for a balance between preventing extremism and allowing an open debate with challenging ideas.
is this china or the united kingdom?
so let’s go ahead and take a look at the “warning signs of extremism” teachers should be on the look out for.
what are some of the warning signs?
with the exception of the change in religion, 90% or more of all teenagers will probably fit into one of these bullets points, if not most, by the time they reach 20 years old. my favorite is bullet point is “susceptibility to conspiracies theories” (i.e., questioning what is almost always a bullshit government narrative), and “feeling persecuted” (because we all know, no one is actually ever persecuted in great britain).
while on the topic, if you want my definitive guide on conspiracy theory hunting, read:
you know you are a conspiracy theorist if…
keep calm and carry on serfs.
for related articles, see:
the war on toddler terrorists britain wants to force nursery school teachers to identify “extremist” children
press rebellion in the uk british media launches protest against spying, as gchq places investigative journalism in same category as terrorism
uk introduces legislation requiring tech companies to spy on their users
the australian government proclaims environmentalism and alternative music are signs of terrorism
new un privacy chief proclaims uk digital surveillance is “worse than orwell”
in liberty,
michael krieger
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fər ðə ˈsɛkənd streɪt jɪr, aɪ hæv bɪn ˈgɪvɪn ðə raɪt tɪ kæst ə voʊt fər ðə ˈnæʃənəl lig saɪ jəŋ əˈwɔrd. læst jɪr, ðə tæsk əv ˈpɪkɪŋ bɪtˈwin θri dɪˈzərvɪŋ ˈwɪnərz wɑz ˈpræktɪkəli ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl, ənd aɪ ˈɛndɪd əp goʊɪŋ wɪθ ʤeɪk ɑˈritə ˈoʊvər ˈkleɪtən ˈkərˌʃɑ ənd zæk greɪŋk baɪ ðə ˈθɪnɪst əv ˈmɑrʤənz. ˈæftər læst ɪmˈbɛrəsmənt əv ˈrɪʧɪz, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ɪt lʊks laɪk ðɪs jɪr, ðə ʧɔɪs wɪl kəm daʊn tɪ ˈpɪkɪŋ bɪtˈwin səm ˈkænədɪts wɪθ səm mɔr ˈɑbviəs flɔz. ʤɪst goʊɪŋ baɪ rənz əˈlaʊd, ə bɪg paɪl əv gaɪz hu hæv ɔl bɪn ˈrəfli ˈsɪmələr ɪn ˈvælju. bət əv kɔrs, nɑt bɪg bɪˈlivərz ɪn ɪˈvæljuˌeɪtɪŋ ˈpɪʧərz baɪ rənz əˈlaʊd əraʊnd hir. ɪf ju lʊk æt ɑr wɔr (wɪʧ dɪz gɪv ˈkrɛdɪt tɪ ˈpɪʧərz fər ˈɪnˌfild flaɪz, soʊ səm hɪt priˈvɛnʃən ɪz stɪl ˌɪnˈkludɪd), ðə lɪst lʊks ə lɔt ˈdɪfərənt. ˈlidərz pleɪər ˈkleɪtən ˈkərˌʃɑ noʊə ˌhoʊˈzeɪ fɛrˈnɑndɛz mæks ˈʃərzər ˈʤɑni kˈwɛtoʊ ˈmædɪsən ˈbəmˌgɑrnər ðɛr ə lɔt əv əˈgrimənt bɪtˈwin ðoʊz tu grups, wɪθ ˈoʊnli θri əv ðə sɪks neɪmz ɪn ˈkɑmən bɪtˈwin ðɛm, ənd səm bɪg ˈdɪfərənsɪz ɪn ˈræŋkɪŋ ˈivɪn fər ðoʊz hu əˈpɪr ɔn boʊθ. baɪ rənz əˈlaʊd, mæks ˈʃərzər ənd ˈmædɪsən ˈbəmˌgɑrnər ər boʊθ tɔp kənˈtɛndərz, bət baɪ (pləs ˈɪnˌfild flaɪz), bɪˈhaɪnd boʊθ noʊə ənd ˌhoʊˈzeɪ fɛrˈnɑndɛz, hu ʃoʊ əp ɪn ðə tɔp grup. ðɛn ðə kəbz ˈprɑbləm. kaɪl ˈhɛndrɪks, ʤɑn ˈlɛstər, ənd ʤeɪk ɑˈritə ər ɔl əˈməŋ ðə tɔp sɪks ɪn ra9-war*, bət ɔl θri ər ðɛr bɪˈkəz ˈrənɪŋ səm əv ðə loʊəst ɪn ðə lig; ɑˈritə ɪz 1 ˈhɛndrɪks ɪz 4 ənd ˈlɛstər ɪz 9 ənd fər gʊd ˈmɛʒər, ʤɑn ˈlæki ɪz 8 wɪθ ðət kaɪnd əv səˈprɛʃən, hɑrd nɑt tɪ ˈɑrgju ðə kəbz ˈɛksələnt dɪˈfɛns həz bɪn ə sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt kənˈtrɪbjətər tɪ iʧ səkˈsɛs, ənd nɑt səˈpraɪzɪŋli, ðə kəbz ræŋk 1 ɪn ɪn boʊθ ənd drs*. soʊ ˈoʊvər ðə nɛkst mənθ, goʊɪŋ tɪ spɛnd ə lɔt əv taɪm goʊɪŋ θru ðə ˈditeɪlz əv iʧ səkˈsɛs, ənd fər moʊst ðə ˈpɪʧərz ɔn ðoʊz lɪsts, ðə kˈwɛʃən əv ðɛr ˈpleɪsmənt wɪl kəm daʊn tɪ haʊ məʧ ˈkrɛdɪt ər bleɪm aɪ ɛnd əp əˈsaɪnɪŋ ðɛm fər ðɛr rənz əˈlaʊd. ˈbeɪsɪkli ðə seɪm ˈprɑbləm aɪ ˈrɛsəld wɪθ læst jɪr. bət wən ˈpɪʧər ɔn boʊθ lɪsts ðət ˈprɛzənts ə ˈvɛri ˈdɪfərənt kaɪnd əv kˈwɛʃən. dɪˈspaɪt nɑt ˈhævɪŋ pɪʧt fər ðə læst tu mənθs, ˈkleɪtən ˈvælju ˈmɛtrɪks stɪl pʊt ɪm ɪn ðə seɪm tir ɛz ðə ˈmɔrtəlz hu hæv steɪd ˈhɛlθi. ˈkərˌʃɑ ˈdɑməˌneɪtəd ðə fərst hæf æt ə ˈlɛvəl ðət noʊ wən ɛls kʊd ˈivɪn bɪˈgɪn tɪ kəm kloʊz tɪ, ənd ˈɛvriˌwən ɛls həz spɛnt ðə ˈsɛkənd hæf ʤɪst pleɪɪŋ kæʧ əp. soʊ, wɪθ ˈkərˌʃɑ ˈwərkɪŋ hɪz weɪ bæk təˈwɔrdz ə rɪˈtərn, aɪ ˈvɛri wɛl meɪ hæv tɪ ˈænsər ðə kˈwɛʃən əv ʤɪst haʊ fju ˈɪnɪŋz ə ˈstɑrtɪŋ ˈpɪʧər kən θroʊ waɪl stɪl biɪŋ kənˈsɪdərd fər ðə saɪ jəŋ əˈwɔrd. ən ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ jɪr tɪ bi ˈæskɪŋ ðət kˈwɛʃən, ˈgɪvɪn ɔl ðə tɔk əˈbaʊt zæk ˈbrɪtən ɛz ən æl saɪ jəŋ ˈkænədɪt. ˈæftər ɔl, ɪf ə riˈlivər hu θroʊz 70 ˈɪnɪŋz kən bi kənˈsɪdərd ə ˈsɪriəs kənˈtɛndər, ə ˈstɑrtər hu həz ɔˈrɛdi θroʊn 120 ˈɪnɪŋz, ənd maɪt ɛnd əp əraʊnd 140 bi ə ləˈʤɪtəmət ˈɔpʃən ɛz wɛl? ɪt simz laɪk ˈpəblɪk ˈsɛnəmənt soʊ klɪr ɔn ðɪs. ɪn ˈtɔkɪŋ wɪθ ˈpipəl əˈbaʊt ðə saɪ jəŋ voʊt ðɪs jɪr, wɪn aɪ brɪŋ əp ˈkərˌʃɑ, ðə ˈʤɛnərəl rɪˈspɑns ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ laɪk mɪst tu məʧ time.”*.” ɪt simz tɪ ˈmɛni, ðə kˈwɛʃən ˈrɪli ˈnəmbər əv ˈɪnɪŋz, bət pərˈsɛnɪʤ əv geɪmz hi wɑz səˈpoʊzd tɪ əˈpɪr ðət hi wɑz ˈeɪbəl tɪ. ðə aɪˈdiə ðət ðə ˈdɑʤərz hæd tɪ meɪk treɪdz fər ə gaɪ laɪk bəd ˈnɔrɪs, bɪˈkəz ˈkərˌʃɑ wɑz hərt ənd meɪk hɪz tərn, ˈlɪmɪts hɪz ˈvælju ɪn ˈmɛni aɪz, ˈivɪn ɛz ðeɪ ækˈnɑlɪʤ noʊ wən wɑz ɛz gʊd ɛz ˈkərˌʃɑ wɪn hi wɑz ɔn ðə maʊnd. bət, ˈrɪli, haʊ məʧ ˈkrɛdɪt du wi wɔnt tɪ gɪv ə ˈpɪʧər fər ʤɪst ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə maʊnd, ˈivɪn ɪf hi pərˈfɔrm ɔl ðət wɛl. fər fən, ə ˈteɪbəl ʃoʊɪŋ ðə ˈɪnɪŋz ənd rənz əˈlaʊd ˈdɪfərənsɪz bɪtˈwin ˈkərˌʃɑ ənd ɔl ðə ˈəðər ˈpɪʧərz neɪmd. ˌdɪfərˈɛnʃəlz pleɪər ˈɪnɪŋz rənz nɛt ˈɪnɪŋz nɛt rənz ˈkleɪtən ˈkərˌʃɑ 121 25 kaɪl ˈhɛndrɪks 159 45 38 20 ʤɑn ˈlɛstər 160 50 39 25 noʊə 155 52 34 27 ˌhoʊˈzeɪ fɛrˈnɑndɛz 154 52 33 27 ʤeɪk ɑˈritə 168 55 47 30 ˈmædɪsən ˈbəmˌgɑrnər 187 62 66 37 mæks ˈʃərzər 190 63 69 38 ˈʤɑni kˈwɛtoʊ 184 64 63 39 ˈhɛndrɪks həz θroʊn 38 mɔr ˈɪnɪŋz ðən ˈkərˌʃɑ, ənd əˈlaʊd 20 mɔr rənz ɪn ðə ˈprɔˌsɛs; ə fər hɪz ˈɛkstrə ˈɪnɪŋz. ənd ðə gaɪ wɪθ ðə bɛst keɪs. ˈʃərzər həz θroʊn ˈɔlˌmoʊst 70 əˈdɪʃənəl ˈɪnɪŋz, bət həz dən soʊ æt ə ˈmɑrʤənəl əv ˈɔlˌmoʊst kˈwɛtoʊ ɪz ˈoʊvər ənd fɛrˈnɑndɛz ər ˈɔlˌmoʊst æt əv kɔrs, ðɪs ɪz ə ˈvɛri ˈbeɪsɪk rənz əˈlaʊd kəmˈpɛrəsən, ənd nɑt ə gʊd weɪ tɪ ˈæˌkʧuəli lʊk æt ðɛr pərˈfɔrməns. bət ɪt dɪz ˈɪləˌstreɪt ðə ˈɪʃu; haʊ məʧ ˈkrɛdɪt du wi wɔnt tɪ gɪv ðə ˈpɪʧərz fər ʤɪst ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə maʊnd waɪl hi wɑz ɔn ðə ʃɛlf? waɪ wʊd wi ˈoʊnli lʊk æt ə ˈdɪfərəns ɪn ˈɪnɪŋz pɪʧt, ənd nɑt ðə ˈdɪfərəns ɪn pərˈfɔrməns ˈdʊrɪŋ ðɛr ˈɪnɪŋz? hɪˈstɔrɪkəli, ðoʊ, ˈvoʊtərz hæv tɔɪd wɪθ ðə aɪˈdiə əv ˈgɪvɪŋ voʊts tɪ ə ˈdɑmənənt ˈstɑrtər, bət ɪn ðə ɛnd, ðeɪ goʊ fər ˈɪnɪŋz. ˈprɑbəˌbli ðə moʊst ˈrisənt ɪgˈzæmpəl ɪz ˈsiˈsi, hu wɑz ˈtreɪdɪd tɪ ðə bruərz ɪn 2008 ðɛn θru 131 ˈdɑmənənt ˈɪnɪŋz tɪ hɛlp ˈkɛri ðɛm tɪ ðə postseason*. hi əˈlaʊd ʤɪst 31 rənz ɪn ðoʊz 131 ˈɪnɪŋz, bət ɪn ðə ɛnd, ðə saɪ jəŋ wɛnt tɪ tɪm ˈlɪnsɪkəm, hu əˈlaʊd 72 rənz ɪn 227 ˈɪnɪŋz, fər ə nɛt ˈdɪfərəns əv 96 ˈɪnɪŋz ənd 41 rənz əˈlaʊd. dɪd gɪt wən fərst pleɪs voʊt, bət ˈfɪnɪʃt fɪθ ɔn ðə ˈbælət, bɪˈhaɪnd ˈivɪn ˈfɪliz ˈkloʊzər bræd lidge*, hu θru 69 ˈɪnɪŋz aʊt əv ðə ˈbʊlˌpɛn ðət jɪr. ˈsərtənli, ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə maʊnd ˈmætərz, ənd ɪf ˈkərˌʃɑ meɪk ɪt bæk fər ðə ˈdɑʤərz ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər, ɪt simz ənˈlaɪkli ðət bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ kip əp wɪθ ðə ˈəðər kənˈtɛndərz hu wɪl hæv əˈnəðər mənθ tɪ pʊt ˈdɪstəns bɪtˈwin ɪm ənd ðɛmˈsɛlvz. bət ɪf ˈkərˌʃɑ dɪz kəm bæk, ənd ˈpɪʧɪz wɛl, ðɪs kʊd bɪˈkəm ə ˈvɛri ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ dɪˈskəʃən ˌɪnˈdid. bi ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈhirɪŋ wət ju gaɪz θɪŋk. ʃʊd ə gaɪ hu ˈmɪsɪz tu mənθs əv ðə ˈsizən bi ɪn ðə mɪks fər ðə saɪ jəŋ əˈwɔrd? ɪf ju hæd ə voʊt, wʊd ju gɪv ˈkərˌʃɑ ləˈʤɪtəmət kənˈsɪdərɪŋ, ˈivɪn ðoʊ ˈɔlˌmoʊst 70 ˈɪnɪŋz bɪˈhaɪnd ˈʃərzər ənd ˈkaʊntɪŋ? haʊ məʧ ˈɛkstrə weɪt du ju pʊt ɔn ʤɪst ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə hɪl ənd ˈgɪvɪŋ ðə ˈbʊlˌpɛn ə rɛst, ˈivɪn ɪf ðə rən priˈvɛnʃən ɔl ðət greɪt ɪn ðoʊz ˈɛkstrə ˈɪnɪŋz? aɪ hæv ðə ˈænsər tɪ ðiz kˈwɛsʧənz jɛt, ənd wʊd ˈhæpəli ˈlɪsən tɪ ˈɛni ˈgaɪdəns ju gaɪz wɔnt tɪ ˈɔfər.
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for the second straight year, i have been given the right to cast a vote for the national league cy young award. last year, the task of picking between three deserving winners was practically impossible, and i ended up going with jake arrieta over clayton kershaw and zack greinke by the thinnest of margins. after last year’s embarrassment of riches, however, it looks like this year, the choice will come down to picking between some candidates with some more obvious flaws.
just going by runs allowed, there’s a big pile of guys who have all been roughly similar in value.
but of course, we’re not big believers in evaluating pitchers by runs allowed around here. if you look at our fip-based war (which does give credit to pitchers for infield flies, so some hit prevention is still included), the list looks a lot different.
nl fip-war leaders player fip-war clayton kershaw 5.5 noah syndergaard 5.4 jose fernandez 5.4 max scherzer 4.7 johnny cueto 4.2 madison bumgarner 4.0
there isn’t a lot of agreement between those two groups, with only three of the six names in common between them, and some big differences in ranking even for those who appear on both. by runs allowed, max scherzer and madison bumgarner are both top contenders, but by fip (plus infield flies), they’re behind both noah syndergaard and jose fernandez, who don’t show up in the top ra9 group.
then there’s the cubs problem. kyle hendricks, jon lester, and jake arrieta are all among the top six in ra9-war, but all three are there because they’re running some of the lowest babips in the league; arrieta is #1, hendricks is #4, and lester is #9, and for good measure, john lackey is #8. with that kind of across-the-board babip suppression, it’s hard not to argue the cubs excellent defense has been a significant contributor to each pitcher’s success, and not surprisingly, the cubs rank #1 in mlb in both uzr and drs.
so over the next month, i’m going to spend a lot of time going through the details of each pitcher’s success, and for most the pitchers on those lists, the question of their placement will come down to how much credit or blame i end up assigning them for their runs allowed. that’s basically the same problem i wrestled with last year.
but there’s one pitcher on both lists that presents a very different kind of question. despite not having pitched for the last two months, clayton kershaw’s value metrics still put him in the same tier as the mortals who have stayed healthy. kershaw dominated the first half at a level that no one else could even begin to come close to, and everyone else has spent the second half just playing catch up. so, with kershaw working his way back towards a return, i very well may have to answer the question of just how few innings a starting pitcher can throw while still being considered for the cy young award.
it’s an interesting year to be asking that question, given all the talk about zach britton as an al cy young candidate. after all, if a reliever who throws 70 innings can be considered a serious contender, shouldn’t a starter who has already thrown 120 innings, and might end up around 140, be a legitimate option as well?
it seems like public sentiment isn’t so clear on this. in talking with people about the nl cy young vote this year, when i bring up kershaw, the general response is something like “he’s missed too much time.” it seems to many, the question isn’t really number of innings, but percentage of games he was supposed to appear that he was able to. the idea that the dodgers had to make trades for a guy like bud norris, because kershaw was hurt and couldn’t make his turn, limits his value in many people’s eyes, even as they acknowledge no one was as good as kershaw when he was on the mound.
but, really, how much credit do we want to give a pitcher for just taking the mound, even if he doesn’t perform all that well. for fun, here’s a table showing the innings and runs allowed differences between kershaw and all the other pitchers we’ve named.
differentials player innings runs net innings net runs clayton kershaw 121 25 – – kyle hendricks 159 45 38 20 jon lester 160 50 39 25 noah syndergaard 155 52 34 27 jose fernandez 154 52 33 27 jake arrieta 168 55 47 30 madison bumgarner 187 62 66 37 max scherzer 190 63 69 38 johnny cueto 184 64 63 39
hendricks has thrown 38 more innings than kershaw, and allowed 20 more runs in the process; that’s a 4.73 ra9 for his extra innings. and that’s the guy with the best case. scherzer has thrown almost 70 additional innings, but has done so at a marginal ra9 of almost 5.00. cueto is over 5.00. syndergaard and fernandez are almost at 9.00!
of course, this is a very basic runs allowed comparison, and that’s not a good way to actually look at their performance. but it does illustrate the issue; how much credit do we want to give the non-kershaw pitchers for just taking the mound while he was on the shelf? why would we only look at a difference in innings pitched, and not the difference in performance during their innings?
historically, though, voters have toyed with the idea of giving votes to a dominant half-season starter, but in the end, they go for innings. probably the most recent example is cc sabathia, who was traded to the brewers mid-season in 2008, then threw 131 dominant innings to help carry them to the postseason. he allowed just 31 runs in those 131 innings, but in the end, the cy young went to tim lincecum, who allowed 72 runs in 227 innings, for a net difference of 96 innings and 41 runs allowed. sabathia did get one first place vote, but finished fifth on the ballot, behind even phillies closer brad lidge, who threw 69 innings out of the bullpen that year.
certainly, taking the mound matters, and if kershaw doesn’t make it back for the dodgers in september, it seems unlikely that he’ll be able to keep up with the other contenders who will have another month to put distance between him and themselves. but if kershaw does come back, and pitches well, this could become a very interesting discussion indeed.
i’d be interested in hearing what you guys think. should a guy who misses two months of the season be in the mix for the cy young award? if you had a vote, would you give kershaw legitimate considering, even though he’s almost 70 innings behind scherzer and counting? how much extra weight do you put on just taking the hill and giving the team’s bullpen a rest, even if the run prevention isn’t all that great in those extra innings? i don’t have the answer to these questions yet, and would happily listen to any guidance you guys want to offer.
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ˈjuzɪŋ ə pleɪ ɔn ˈdɑnəld trəmps kæmˈpeɪn sˈloʊgən "meɪk əˈmɛrɪkə greɪt əˈgɛn," ə ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈkænədɪt fər ə kənˈgrɛʃənəl ˈdɪstrɪkt ɪn ˌtɛnəˈsi ɪz ˈjuzɪŋ ðə sˈloʊgən, "meɪk əˈmɛrɪkə waɪt əˈgɛn," əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ. ðə ˈkænədɪt, rɪk ˈtaɪlər, kɔt ðə əˈtɛnʃən əv ˈmoʊtərɪsts ɔn ˌtɛnəˈsiz ˈhaɪˌweɪ 411 wɪθ ðə ˈbɪlˌbɔrd dɪˈspleɪɪŋ ðə kæmˈpeɪnz sˈloʊgən. ˈtaɪlər ɪz ˈhoʊpɪŋ tɪ ənˈsit ʧək ˈflaɪʃmən fər ðə steɪts θərd kənˈgrɛʃənəl ˈdɪstrɪkt ðɪs noʊˈvɛmbər. ˈtaɪlər toʊld ðət hi hæd noʊ ˈheɪtrəd fər "ˈpipəl əv ˈkələr," ənd ðət əˈmɛrɪkə ʃʊd goʊ bæk tɪ ðə, ˈɑˌzi ənd ˈhɛriət, liv ɪt tɪ ˈbivər taɪm wɪn ðɛr wər noʊ break-ins*; noʊ ˈvaɪələnt kraɪm; noʊ mæs ˌɪməˈgreɪʃən." ə ˈsɛkənd ˈbɪlˌbɔrd wɑz ɪˈrɛktɪd wɪθ ənd ˈɪmɪʤ əv ðə waɪt haʊs wɪθ kənˈfɛdərˌeɪt flægz ˈdɑtɪŋ ðə ˈlænˌskeɪp əv ðə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈrɛzɪdəns. ðə ˈbɪlˌbɔrd ridz, "aɪ hæv ə drim," wɪʧ wɑz ə laɪn ðət ˈsɪvəl raɪts ˈlidər ˈmɑrtɪn ˈluθər kɪŋ jr*. kɔɪnd ˈdʊrɪŋ hɪz ˈmuvmənt. ˈflaɪʃmən kənˈdɛmd ˈtaɪlər fər hɪz ˈbɪlˌbɔrd. ˈtoʊtəli ənd ˌənikˈwɪvəkəli kənˈdɛm ðə ˈbɪlˌbɔrd ənd ˈmɪstər. ˈmɛsɪʤ ənd wɪl ˈvɪgərəsli faɪt ˈɛni fɔrm əv ˈreɪˌsɪzəm ɪn ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt əv ˌtɛnəˈsi ər ˈɛniˌwɛr ɛls ɪn ðə nation,”*,” ˈflaɪʃmən toʊld ðə ˈsteɪʃən.
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using a play on donald trump's campaign slogan "make america great again," a independent candidate for a congressional district in tennessee is using the slogan, "make america white again," according to wrcb-tv.
the candidate, rick tyler, caught the attention of motorists on tennessee's highway 411 with the billboard displaying the campaign's slogan. tyler is hoping to unseat chuck fleischmann for the state's third congressional district this november.
tyler told wrcb-tv that he had no hatred for "people of color," and that america should go back to the "1960s, ozzie and harriet, leave it to beaver time when there were no break-ins; no violent crime; no mass immigration."
a second billboard was erected with and image of the white house with confederate flags dotting the landscape of the executive residence. the billboard reads, "i have a dream," which was a line that civil rights leader martin luther king jr. coined during his 1960s movement.
fleischmann condemned tyler for his billboard.
“i totally and unequivocally condemn the billboard and mr. tyler’s message and will vigorously fight any form of racism in the 3rd district of tennessee or anywhere else in the nation,” fleischmann told the station.
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(ædz ˈditeɪlz, ˈbækˌgraʊnd) meɪ 29 (ˈrɔɪtərz) ˈsætəˌlaɪt ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən ˈɑpərˌeɪtər dɪʃ ˈnɛtˌwərk sɛd ɪt wʊd əkˈsɛpt ˈpeɪmənts frəm ˈkəstəmərz frəm ðə θərd kˈwɔrtər, ˈʤɔɪnɪŋ ˈkəmpəˌniz səʧ ɛz ɪŋk ənd ɪŋk ɪn əkˈsɛptɪŋ ðə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈkərənsi. dɪʃ sɛd ɪt səˈlɛktɪd ɛz ðə ˈpeɪmənt ˈprɑˌsɛsər fər trænˈzækʃənz wɪθ ˈkəstəmərz hu ʧuz tɪ peɪ ðɛr bɪlz ˈɔnˌlaɪn wɪθ ðə ˈwɔlət əv ðɛr ʧɔɪs. ɪz ə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈkərənsi ðət ɪz nɑt bækt baɪ ˈɛni ˈgəvərnmənt ər ˈsɛntrəl bæŋk ənd ɪz bɔt ənd soʊld ɔn ə ˌpɪrtoʊˈpɪr ˈnɛtˌwərk ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt əv ˈsɛntrəl kənˈtroʊl. ˈjuzərz kən ˈtrænsfər tɪ iʧ ˈəðər ˈɔnˌlaɪn ənd stɔr ðə ˈkərənsi ɪn ˈdɪʤɪtəl ““wallets”*”., ˈfəndɪd baɪ ˈvɛnʧər fənd ˈhɔroʊɪts, ˈjunjən skwɛr ˈvɛnʧərz ənd waɪ combinator*, ɪz wən səʧ ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈwɔlət. ɪn mɑrʧ, ɪt lɔnʧt ɪts ˈɪnstənt ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ ˈfiʧər, wɪʧ wɪl bi juzd baɪ dɪʃ tɪ ˈkɑnvərt tɪ juz. ˈdɔlərz. θərd kˈwɔrtər stɑrts ɔn ˌʤuˈlaɪ 1 waɪl meɪ nɑt bi ən ɔlˈtərnətɪv tɪ ɪˈstæblɪʃt ˈkərənsiz, ðeɪ kən kət ðə kɔst əv ˈmuvɪŋ ˈməni əraʊnd. ˈɛstəˌmeɪts ðət ˈkrɛdɪt kɑrd ˈkəmpəˌniz ʧɑrʤ əraʊnd 3 pərˈsɛnt ɪn trænˈzækʃən fiz ənd kəˈmɪʃən kən goʊ ɛz haɪ ɛz 4 pərˈsɛnt. ðə seɪm trænˈzækʃənz ˈviə fərmz səʧ ɛz ənd ər ˈlaɪkli tɪ bi fri. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈskɛptɪˌsɪzəm əˈbaʊt ðə fˈjuʧər əv, wɪθ ˈkrɪtɪks ˈpɔɪntɪŋ tɪ ˈrisənt ˈsɛtˌbæks səʧ ɛz ðə ˈɛmˈti. ˈbæŋkrəptsi. ˈɛmˈti., æt wən taɪm ðə ˈbɪgəst ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ, əˈbrəptli stɑpt ˈtreɪdɪŋ ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri ˈæftər ɪt lɔst ˈnɪrli hæf ə ˈbɪljən ˈdɔlərz wərθ əv ðə ˈvərʧuəl kɔɪnz du tɪ ˈhækɪŋ ˈɪntu ɪts ˈfɔlti kəmˈpjutər ˈsɪstəm. dɪʃ ʃɛrz kloʊzd æt ɔn ðə ˈnæzdæk ɔn ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ. (rɪˈpɔrtɪŋ baɪ ənd məˈkərʤi ɪn ˈbæŋgəˌlɔr; ˈɛdɪtɪŋ baɪ ˈpɑnˌdeɪ)
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(adds details, background)
may 29 (reuters) - satellite tv operator dish network said it would accept bitcoin payments from customers from the third quarter, joining companies such as overstock.com inc and zynga inc in accepting the digital currency.
dish said it selected coinbase as the payment processor for bitcoin transactions with customers who choose to pay their bills online with the bitcoin wallet of their choice.
bitcoin is a digital currency that is not backed by any government or central bank and is bought and sold on a peer-to-peer network independent of central control.
users can transfer bitcoins to each other online and store the currency in digital “wallets”.
coinbase, funded by venture fund andreessen horowitz, union square ventures and y combinator, is one such digital wallet.
in march, it launched its instant exchange feature, which will be used by dish to convert bitcoins to u.s. dollars. dish’s third quarter starts on july 1.
while bitcoins may not be an alternative to established currencies, they can cut the cost of moving money around.
pricewaterhousecoopers estimates that credit card companies charge around 3 percent in transaction fees and paypal’s commission can go as high as 4 percent. the same transactions via bitcoin firms such as coinbase and bitpay are likely to be free.
however, skepticism about the future of bitcoin, with critics pointing to recent setbacks such as the mt. gox bankruptcy.
mt. gox, at one time the biggest bitcoin exchange, abruptly stopped trading in february after it lost nearly half a billion dollars worth of the virtual coins due to hacking into its faulty computer system.
dish shares closed at $59.19 on the nasdaq on wednesday. (reporting by sruthi ramakrishnan and supantha mukherjee in bangalore; editing by kirti pandey)
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1 ju əˈskraɪb ˌɪnˈtɛnt. əˈnəðər ˈdraɪvər kət ju ɔf. jʊr frɛnd ˈnɛvər ˈtɛkstɪd ju bæk. jʊr ˈkoʊˈwərkər wɛnt tɪ lənʧ wɪˈθaʊt ju. ˈɛvriˌwən kən faɪnd ə ˈrizən tɪ bi əˈfɛndɪd ɔn ə ˈstɛdi ˈbeɪsɪs. soʊ wət kɔzd ju tɪ bi əˈfɛndɪd? ju əˈsaɪnd bæd ˌɪnˈtɛnt tɪ ðiz ˈəðərˌwaɪz ˌɪˈnɑkjuəs ˈækʃənz. ju tʊk ɪt ɛz ə ˈpərsɪnəl əˈfrənt, ə slæp ɪn ðə feɪs. ˈhæpi ˈpipəl du nɑt du ðɪs. ðeɪ teɪk θɪŋz ˈpərsənəli. ðeɪ əˈskraɪb ˌɪnˈtɛnt tɪ ðə ˌənɪnˈtɛnʃənəl ˈækʃənz əv ˈəðərz. 2 ðə stɑr əv jʊr oʊn ˈmuvi. ɪt ɪz ˈlɪtəl ˈwəndər ðət ju bɪˈliv ðə wərld riˈvɑlvz əraʊnd ju. ˈæftər ɔl, ju hæv bɪn æt ðə ˈvɛri ˈsɛnər əv ˈɛvəri ɪkˈspɪriəns ju hæv ˈɛvər hæd. ju ər ðə stɑr əv jʊr oʊn ˈmuvi. ju roʊt ðə skrɪpt. ju noʊ haʊ ju wɔnt ɪt tɪ ənˈfoʊld. ju ˈivɪn noʊ haʊ ju wɔnt ɪt tɪ ɛnd. ənˈfɔrʧənətli ju fərˈgɑt tɪ gɪv jʊr skrɪpt tɪ ˈɛniˌwən ɛls. ɛz ə rɪˈzəlt, ˈpipəl ər ˌənəˈwɛr əv ðə roʊl ðeɪ ər səˈpoʊzd tɪ pleɪ. ðɛn, wɪn ðeɪ skru əp ðɛr laɪnz, ər feɪl tɪ fɔl ɪn ləv wɪθ ju ər gɪv ju ə pərˈmoʊʃən, jʊr ˈmuvi ɪz ruɪnd. luz jʊr skrɪpt. lɛt ˈsəmˌwən ɛls stɑr wəns ɪn əˈwaɪl. ˈwɛlkəm nu ˈkɛrɪktərz. ɪmˈbreɪs plɑt twɪsts. 3 ju fæst ˈfɔrwərd tɪ əˈpɑkəˌlɪps. aɪ hæv ə bæd ˈhæbət əv fæst ˈfɔrwərdɪŋ ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ tɪ ɪts wərst ˈpɑsəbəl ˈaʊtˌkəm ənd biɪŋ ˈplɛzəntli səˈpraɪzd wɪn ðə rɪˈzəlt ɪz ˈmɑrʤənəli ˈbɛtər ðən ˈətər dɪˈzæstər ər ʤeɪl taɪm. maɪ maɪnd ənˈnɛsəˌsɛrəli ˈrɛsəlz wɪθ ɪˈvɛnts ðət ˈivɪn riˈmoʊtli ˈlaɪkli. maɪ sɔr θroʊt ɪz ˈkænsər. maɪ lɔst ˈlaɪsəns fɛl ˈɪntu ðə hænz əv ən ˌɑlˈkaɪdɑ ˈɑpərətɪv hu wɪl waɪp aʊt maɪ ˈseɪvɪŋz əˈkaʊnt. ˌnɛgəˈtɪvəti ˈoʊnli bridz mɔr ˌnɛgəˈtɪvəti. ɪt ɪz ə ˈhæpinəs riptide*. ɪt wɪl ˈkɛri ju əˈweɪ frəm ʃɔr ənd ɪf ju swɪm əˈweɪ frəm ɪt, wɪl pʊl ju ˈəndər. 4 ju hæv ənˌriˈlɪstɪk ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz. əˈməŋ ðɛr ˈmɛni ˈʃɔrtˌkəmɪŋz əv jʊr ˈfæməli ənd frɛndz ɪz ðə hɑrʃ ˌriˈæləˌti ðət ðeɪ ˈkænɑt rɛd jʊr maɪnd ər ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪt jʊr wɪmz. dɪd jʊr ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd fərˈgɛt ðə sɪks ənd ə hæf mənθ ˌænəˈvərsəri əv jʊr fərst ˈmuvi deɪt? dɪd jʊr ˈgərlˌfrɛnd ˈrɛfˌjuz tɪ kɔl æt ən əˈpɔɪntɪd aʊər? dɪd jʊr frɛnd feɪl tɪ fɔn ˈoʊvər jʊr ˈtraɪbəl ˌtæˈtu? ənˈmɛt ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz wɪl bi æt ðə rut əv moʊst əv jʊr ənˈhæpinɪs ɪn laɪf. ˈmɪnəˌmaɪz jʊr ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz, ˈmæksəˌmaɪz jʊr ʤɔɪ. 5 ju ər ˈweɪtɪŋ fər ə saɪn. aɪ hæv ə frɛnd hu meɪk ə dɪˈsɪʒən wɪˈθaʊt rɪˈsivɪŋ ə ““sign.”*.” aɪ səˈpoʊz ʃi ɪz ˈweɪtɪŋ ɔn ə ˈtrəmpətɪd əˈnaʊnsmɛnt frəm gɑd. ʃi ɪz ˈkɑnstəntli ˈpɛrəˌlaɪzd baɪ ə dɪˈvɪnəti ðət ɪz ˈiðər ˈhɛvəli əbˈskjʊrd ər ˈfrəˌstreɪtɪŋli ˈtɑrdi. nɑt dɪsəˈvaʊɪŋ ðət feɪt ər ə haɪər paʊər pleɪz ə roʊl ɪn ɑr lɪvz. ʤɪst seɪɪŋ ðət ɪt ɪz ˈbɛtər tɪ hɛlp ʃeɪp feɪt ðən bi ˈgəvərnd baɪ ɪt. 6 ju teɪk rɪsks. tu wərdz: lɪv ˈboʊldli. ˈɛvəri ˈsɪŋgəl taɪm ju ər ˈɔfərd ə ʧɔɪs ðət ˌɪnˈvɑlvz ˈgreɪtər rɪsk, teɪk ɪt. ju wɪl luz ɔn ˈmɛni əv ðɛm bət wɪn ju æd ðɛm əp æt ðə ɛnd əv jʊr laɪf bi glæd ju dɪd. 7 ju ˈkɑnstəntli kəmˈpɛr jʊr laɪf tɪ ˈəðərz. ə fju jɪrz əˈgoʊ aɪ wɑz ˌɪnˈvaɪtɪd tɪ ə nis ˈpɑrti æt ə bɪg ˈwɛˌrhaʊs ˈdaʊnˈtaʊn. aɪ wɑz ˌɛnˈʤɔɪɪŋ ðə smuð ʤæz, bɑks waɪn ənd ˈsænwɪʧɪz. wət mɔr kʊd ə gaɪ wɔnt? ˈleɪtər ɪn ðə ˈivnɪŋ aɪ ˈnoʊtɪst ə ˈstɛdi pəreɪd əv ˈpipəl slaɪd pæst ənd ˌdɪsəˈpɪr ˈɪntu əˈnəðər rum. aɪ pikt ənd sɔ ə lɑrʤ ˈpɑrti wɪθ ˈbjutəfəl ˈrɛvələrz ˈdænsɪŋ ənd ˈkɛriɪŋ ɔn laɪk ˈbækɪs. ˈsədənli maɪ gɪg ɛz fən ɛz ɪt hæd bɪn ɔl bɪˈkəz ɪt əˈpɪr tɪ ˈmɛʒər əp tɪ ðə ˈpɑrti nɛkst dɔr- ə ˈpɑrti aɪ ˈivɪn noʊ ɪgˈzɪstəd ənˈtɪl ʤɪst ˈmoʊmənts ˌbiˈfɔr. aɪ du ðɪs ˈfrikwɛntli. ðoʊz ˈpipəl ər ˈhævɪŋ mɔr fən. ˈmɛri həz ə ˈbɪgər boʊt. kreɪg gɪts ɔl ðə ˈləki breɪks. tɛd həz mɔr ˈməni. ʤɑn ɪz ˈbɛtər ˈlʊkɪŋ. stɑp ɪt. ˈɔlˌweɪz rɪˈmɛmbər wət ˈtɛdi ˈruzəˌvɛlt sɛd: ɪz ðə θif əv joy.”*.” 8 ju lɛt ˈəðər ˈpipəl stil frəm ju. ɪf ju hæd ə ˈmɪljən ˈdɔlərz ɪn kæʃ ˈəndər jʊr ˈmætrəs, ju wʊd ʧɛk ɪt ˈrɛgjələrli ənd teɪk priˈkɔʃənz tɪ ˌɪnˈʃʊr ɪt ɪz seɪf. ðə wən pəˈzɛʃən ju hæv ðət ɪz mɔr ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ðən ˈməni ɪz taɪm. bət ju du ˈɛniˌθɪŋ tɪ prəˈtɛkt ɪt. ɪn fækt ju ˈwɪlɪŋli gɪv ɪt tɪ θivz. ˈsɛlfɪʃ ˈpipəl, ˌigəˈtɪstɪkəl ˈpipəl, ˈnɛgətɪv ˈpipəl, ˈpipəl hu ʃət əp. trit jʊr taɪm laɪk fɔrt nɑks. gɑrd ɪt ˈkloʊsli ənd gɪv ɪt ˈoʊnli tɪ ðoʊz hu dɪˈzərv ənd rɪˈspɛkt ɪt. 9 ju lɛt goʊ. ðiz ər ˈgɪtɪŋ ə ˈlɪtəl ˈhɑrdər ðeɪ? bɪˈkəz ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ju hæv tɪ wərk æt ˈhæpinəs. səm ˈhərdəlz ər tu ˈdɪfəkəlt tɪ klɪr baɪ ˈsɪmpli əˈʤəstɪŋ jʊr pɔɪnt əv vju ər əˈdɑptɪŋ ə ˈpɑzətɪv ˈmaɪndˌsɛt. du ju nid tɪ fərˈgɪv ˈsəmˌwən? du ju nid tɪ tərn jʊr bæk ɔn ə feɪld riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp? du ju nid tɪ kəm tɪ tərmz wɪθ ðə dɛθ əv ə ləvd wən? laɪf ɪz fʊl əv lɔs. bət, ɪn ə sɛns, ril ˈhæpinəs wʊd nɑt bi ˈpɑsəbəl wɪˈθaʊt ɪt. ɪt hɛlps ˈjuˈɛs əˈpriʃiˌeɪt ənd ˈseɪvər ðə θɪŋz ðət ˈrɪli ˈmætər. ɪt hɛlps ˈjuˈɛs groʊ. ɪt kən hɛlp ˈjuˈɛs hɛlp ˈəðərz groʊ. ˈkloʊʒər ɪz ə wərd fər ˈpipəl hu hæv ˈnɛvər ˈrɪli ˈsəfərd. noʊ səʧ θɪŋ. ʤɪst traɪ tɪ ““manage”*” jʊr lɔs. pʊt ɪt ɪn pərˈspɛktɪv. ju wɪl ˈɔlˌweɪz hæv səm rɪˈgrɛt ənd daʊt əˈbaʊt jʊr lɔs. ju meɪ ˈɔlˌweɪz ˈsɛkənd gɛs ˈjɔrsɛlf. ɪf ˈoʊnli ju hæd sɛd ðɪs, ər traɪd ðət. nɑt əˈloʊn. faɪnd ˈsəmˌwən hu ˌəndərˈstændz ənd tɔk tɪ ðət ˈpərsən. riʧ aʊt fər səˈpɔrt. ɪf ɔl ɛls feɪlz, traɪ 10 bɪˈloʊ. 10 ju gɪv bæk. wən weɪ tɪ dil wɪθ lɔs ɪz tɪ ˌɪˈmərs ˈjɔrsɛlf ɪn duɪŋ gʊd. ˌvɑlənˈtɪr. gɪt ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn laɪf. ɪt ˈivɪn hæv tɪ bi ə bɪg, ˈstrəkʧərd θɪŋ. seɪ ə kaɪnd wərd. ɪnˈkərəʤ ˈsəmˌwən. peɪ ə ˈvɪzɪt tɪ ˈsəmˌwən hu ɪz əˈloʊn. gɪt əˈweɪ frəm jʊr self-absorption*. wɪn ɪt kəmz daʊn tɪ ɪt, ðɛr ər tu taɪps əv ˈpipəl ɪn ðɪs wərld. ðɛr ər ˈgɪvərz ənd ðɛr ər ˈteɪkərz. ˈgɪvərz ər ˈhæpi. ˈteɪkərz ər ˈmɪzərəbəl. wət ər ju?
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1. you ascribe intent.
another driver cut you off. your friend never texted you back. your co-worker went to lunch without you. everyone can find a reason to be offended on a steady basis. so what caused you to be offended? you assigned bad intent to these otherwise innocuous actions. you took it as a personal affront, a slap in the face.
happy people do not do this. they don’t take things personally. they don’t ascribe intent to the unintentional actions of others.
2. you’re the star of your own movie.
it is little wonder that you believe the world revolves around you. after all, you have been at the very center of every experience you have ever had.
you are the star of your own movie. you wrote the script. you know how you want it to unfold. you even know how you want it to end.
unfortunately you forgot to give your script to anyone else. as a result, people are unaware of the role they are supposed to play. then, when they screw up their lines, or fail to fall in love with you or don’t give you a promotion, your movie is ruined.
lose your script. let someone else star once in awhile. welcome new characters. embrace plot twists.
3. you fast forward to apocalypse.
i have a bad habit of fast forwarding everything to its worst possible outcome and being pleasantly surprised when the result is marginally better than utter disaster or jail time. my mind unnecessarily wrestles with events that aren’t even remotely likely. my sore throat is cancer. my lost driver’s license fell into the hands of an al-qaeda operative who will wipe out my savings account.
negativity only breeds more negativity. it is a happiness riptide. it will carry you away from shore and if you don’t swim away from it, will pull you under.
4. you have unrealistic and/or uncommunicated expectations.
among their many shortcomings of your family and friends is the harsh reality that they cannot read your mind or anticipate your whims.
did your boyfriend forget the six and a half month anniversary of your first movie date? did your girlfriend refuse to call at an appointed hour? did your friend fail to fawn over your tribal tattoo?
unmet expectations will be at the root of most of your unhappiness in life. minimize your expectations, maximize your joy.
5. you are waiting for a sign.
i have a friend who won’t make a decision without receiving a “sign.” i suppose she is waiting on a trumpeted announcement from god. she is constantly paralyzed by a divinity that is either heavily obscured or frustratingly tardy. i’m not disavowing that fate or a higher power plays a role in our lives. i’m just saying that it is better to help shape fate than be governed by it.
6. you don’t take risks.
two words: live boldly. every single time you are offered a choice that involves greater risk, take it. you will lose on many of them but when you add them up at the end of your life you’ll be glad you did.
7. you constantly compare your life to others.
a few years ago i was invited to a nice party at a big warehouse downtown. i was enjoying the smooth jazz, box wine and crustless sandwiches. what more could a guy want? later in the evening i noticed a steady parade of well-heeled people slide past and disappear into another room. i peeked and saw a large party with beautiful revelers dancing and carrying on like bacchus. suddenly my gig wasn’t as fun as it had been all because it didn’t appear to measure up to the party next door- a party i didn’t even know existed until just moments before.
i do this frequently. those people are having more fun. mary has a bigger boat. craig gets all the lucky breaks. ted has more money. john is better looking.
stop it.
always remember what teddy roosevelt said: “comparison is the thief of joy.”
8. you let other people steal from you.
if you had a million dollars in cash under your mattress, you would check it regularly and take precautions to insure it is safe. the one possession you have that is more important than money is time. but you don’t do anything to protect it. in fact you willingly give it to thieves. selfish people, egotistical people, negative people, people who won’t shut up. treat your time like fort knox. guard it closely and give it only to those who deserve and respect it.
9. you can’t/won’t let go.
these are getting a little harder aren’t they? that’s because sometimes you have to work at happiness. some hurdles are too difficult to clear by simply adjusting your point of view or adopting a positive mindset.
do you need to forgive someone? do you need to turn your back on a failed relationship? do you need to come to terms with the death of a loved one?
life is full of loss. but, in a sense, real happiness would not be possible without it. it helps us appreciate and savor the things that really matter. it helps us grow. it can help us help others grow.
closure is a word for people who have never really suffered. there’s no such thing. just try to “manage” your loss. put it in perspective. you will always have some regret and doubt about your loss. you may always second guess yourself. if only you had said this, or tried that.
you’re not alone. find someone who understands and talk to that person. reach out for support. if all else fails, try #10 below.
10. you don’t give back.
one way to deal with loss is to immerse yourself in doing good. volunteer. get involved in life.
it doesn’t even have to be a big, structured thing. say a kind word. encourage someone. pay a visit to someone who is alone. get away from your self-absorption.
when it comes down to it, there are two types of people in this world. there are givers and there are takers. givers are happy. takers are miserable. what are you?
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ðə ˈʃʊrɪst bɛt ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈɛni oʊˈlɪmpɪks ɪz nɑt ðət boʊlt wɪl wɪn ðə 100 ˈmitərz; ɪt ɪz ðət ˈɛnˌbiˈsi wɪl bi træʃt, ˈlaʊdli, ɪn ˈmɛni kˈwɔrtərz, fər ðə kˈwɑləti əv ɪts ˈkəvərɪʤ. ðɪs jɪr həz brɔt noʊ ˌvɛriˈeɪʃən ɪn ðə ˈlɪtəni əv kəmˈpleɪnts: tu ˈmɛni ɪˈvɛnts; əv ə fju stɑrz; ˈfɔnɪŋ ˈfiʧər ˈpisɪz; ənd, əv kɔrs, ʤɪŋgoʊˈɪstɪk ˈɛmfəsɪs ɔn əˈmɛrɪkən ˈæθˌlits. aɪ hæv ˈjuʒəwəli stɪrd klɪr əv ðə bərɑʒ, ˈmoʊstli aʊt əv ə sɛns ðət ə) moʊst əv dɪˈsɪʒənˌmeɪkɪŋ ɪz ˈdrɪvən baɪ ðə ˈbɪljənz ðeɪ spɛnd fər ðə raɪts, wɪʧ minz ɪts əˈbaʊt ˈbɪznɪs, nɑt spɔrts rɪˈzəlts; ənd bi) ɪt ˈɪzənt goʊɪŋ tɪ ʧeɪnʤ bɪˈkəz... si ə). bət, wɪˈθaʊt ˌɪnˈtɛndɪŋ tɪ, aɪ ˈmænɪʤd tɪ ˈstəmbəl ˈɪntu ðə ˈkrɔsˌfaɪr ðɪs jɪr wɪn aɪ ˈhæpənd tɪ sɛnd aʊt ə twit əˈbaʊt maɪ vjuɪŋ ɪkˈspɪriəns waɪl aʊt ɪn ˌkæləˈfɔrnjə ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə fərst wik əv ðə geɪmz. aɪ hæd bɪn aʊt ɔl deɪ ənd ˌənəˈwɛr əv wət hæd trænˈspaɪərd wɪn aɪ ˈhæpənd tɪ ˈsɛtəl ˈɪntu ðə hoʊˈtɛl bɑr wɪθ ə glæs əv waɪn əˈbaʊt 9 p.m*. əˈkrɔs ðə rum ðə ˈkəvərɪʤ wɑz ɔn wɪˈθaʊt saʊnd ənd frəm ðə ˈɑnˌskrin ˈproʊˌmoʊz aɪ kˈwɪkli glind ðət ðə mɛnz ˈfriˌstaɪl ˈriˌleɪ, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈmaɪkəl fɛlps, wɑz "ˈkəmɪŋ əp." ɪt wɑz ɔˈrɛdi əˈbaʊt 1 a.m*. ɪn ˈrioʊ, soʊ ˈɑbviəsli ðə reɪs wɑz lɔŋ ˈoʊvər, ənd wʊd bi pleɪɪŋ ɔn ðə ˈjuˈɛs wɛst koʊst ɔn teɪp dɪˈleɪ. aɪ hæd ˈnɛvər wɔʧt ən oʊˈlɪmpɪk ɪˈvɛnt ɔn ˈɛniˌθɪŋ bət ˈistərn taɪm, soʊ aɪ wɑz ˈsədənli θrəst ˈɪntu ə ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən wɛst koʊst vjuərz hæv lɔŋ ɪkˈspɪriənst ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə oʊˈlɪmpɪks (ðoʊ nɑt ˈəðər ˈmeɪʤər spɔrts ɪˈvɛnts, laɪk ˈɛˌnɛˈfɛl ˈfʊtˌbɔl.) ðeɪ hæv tɪ weɪt θri aʊərz tɪ si ɪˈvɛnts ðət ræn lɪv ɪn ðə ist. bət ˈoʊˈkeɪ, aɪ kʊd weɪt. ðə bɑr wɑz ˈplɛzənt; soʊ wɑz ðə waɪn. aɪ kʊd spɛnd səm taɪm ˈʧɛkɪŋ aʊt maɪ tˈwɪtər fid... oʊ, noʊ, aɪ kʊd nɑt. ɪf aɪ brizd θru ˌwəˈtɛvər hæd bɪn ɔn tˈwɪtər ðə pæst fju aʊərz, ɪt wɑz ˈhaɪli ˈlaɪkli aɪ wʊd rən ˈɪntu ˈpipəl ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə deɪz rɪˈzəlts. soʊ aɪ hæd tɪ stɪr klɪr əv ˈɛvəri ˈævəˌnu əv ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɪf aɪ ˈwɔntɪd tɪ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ðə lɪv səˈspɛns əv ðət reɪs. rɪˈleɪtɪd: faɪv frəm ˈrioʊ oʊˈlɪmpɪks ˈkəvərɪʤ ɪt tʊk mi bæk tɪ 1980 wɪn səm bɪˈzɑr oʊˈlɪmpɪk ˈskɛʤʊlɪŋ hæd sɛt ðə mɛnz ˈhɑki geɪm æt 5 p.m*. ˈistərn ˈivɪn ðoʊ ðə ˈwɪntər geɪmz wər ɪn leɪk ˈplæsɪd, ny*. aɪ droʊv hoʊm ðət naɪt wɪˈθaʊt ðə ˈreɪdiˌoʊ ɔn, əˈvɔɪdɪd ˈnuzˌkæsts, ˈdɪdənt ˈænsər ðə foʊn. bət maɪ plænz blu əp wɪn aɪ traɪd tɪ baɪ səm ˈaɪtəmz ɪn ə ənd ðə rɑk ˌɪntərˈəptɪd səm tun baɪ kul ənd ðə gæŋ ər huˈmɛvər tɪ əˈnaʊns: "ɪf jʊr goʊɪŋ tɪ wɪn ðə goʊld ɪn ˈhɑki juv gɑt tɪ bit ðə ˈrəʃənz ənd ðæts ʤɪst wət ðə ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ dɪd təˈnaɪt..." θæŋks, mæn. ˈæftər ˈwɑʧɪŋ ðə ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ reɪs, ðə ˌsɪʧuˈeɪʃən muvd mi tɪ sɛnd aʊt ə twit seɪɪŋ: "wərst θɪŋ əˈbaʊt biɪŋ ɔn wɛst koʊst: ˈweɪtɪŋ 3 tɪ si spɛkˈtækjələr mɛnz swɪm tɪ əˈvɔɪd tˈwɪtər ɛt æl tɪ ˌɪnˈʃʊr səˈspɛns." wərst θɪŋ ˈeɪˈbiˈti biɪŋ ɔn wɛst koʊst: ˈweɪtɪŋ 3 tɪ si spɛkˈtækjələr swɪm tɪ əˈvɔɪd tˈwɪtər ɛt æl tɪ ˌɪnˈʃʊr səˈspɛns. bɪl ˈkɑrtər (@wjcarter*) ˈɔgəst 8 2016 maɪ twit lɛd tɪ ˈhənərdz əv laɪks ənd wɪˈθɪn aʊərz ənd əˈbaʊt ə wik mɔr əv ðə seɪm. ə ˈmeɪʤər ˈrizən wɑz ðət wən rɪˈspɑns keɪm frəm oʊˈlɪmpɪk pərˈdəkʃən bɔs, ʤɪm bɛl, hu æst waɪ aɪ hæd nɑt ˈsɪmpli wɔʧt lɪv strim əv ðə ɪˈvɛnt. wɪn aɪ sɛd aɪ hæd bɪn ˈbɪzi ɔl deɪ, ənd wɑz naʊ ɪn ə bɑr, hi səˈʤɛstɪd aɪ "muv bæk tɪ ðə ist koʊst." aɪ hæv noʊn bɛl fər mɔr ðən ə ˈdɛkeɪd ənd aɪ ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd hi wɑz ˈnidlɪŋ mi, nɑt ˈʤaʊstɪŋ wɪθ mi. bət ðə ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ sɛt ɔf ə fˈjusɪˌleɪd əv ˈæŋgri rɪˈspɑnsɪz əˈməŋ ðoʊz ˈɪnˌsɛnst baɪ ˈproʊˌgræmɪŋ dɪˈsɪʒənz ənd ðɛn ɪt ɔl blu əp ɔn reddit*. ˈdɑmənənt wɑz ˈpərsɪnəl rɪˈzɛntmənt dɪˈrɛktɪd təˈwɔrd bɛl fər haʊ ˈɛnˌbiˈsi wɑz ˈkəvərɪŋ ðə ɪˈvɛnts. ˈtɪpɪkəl: "jimbo*, θæŋks fər ˈgɪvɪŋ tu rɪps; jʊr ˈkəvərɪʤ səks, btw*." aɪ ˈæˌkʧuəli doʊnt θɪŋk ɪt səks. ˈkəvərɪʤ həz, ɛz ˈɔlˌweɪz, rən ðə ˈgæmət wərθ səm ˈkɑrpɪŋ ənd səm preɪz. ɔn ðə ˈnɛgətɪv saɪd: ðə mɪˈsteɪk əˈbaʊt sɪˈmoʊn ˈpɛrənts wɑz ˈprɪti ˈɔfəl; ˈkipɪŋ ðə ʤɪmˈnæstɪks ˈfaɪnəlz fər leɪt aʊərz ɪz ˌɔnˈfɛr tɪ kɪdz hu ləv ðə spɔrt ənd ˈpɛrənts hu wɔnt tɪ wɔʧ wɪθ ðɛm. ɔn ðə pləs saɪd: hæd bɪn ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈjunəˌfɔrmli fænˈtæstɪk; ənd səm ˈænəlɪsts hæv bɪn ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ. ˈboʊldən ɔn sprɪnts, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl.) rɪˈleɪtɪd: ˈrioʊ ˈreɪtɪŋz ər ˈhərtɪŋ; ər ˈstrimɪŋ ˈɔpʃənz ˈitɪŋ ˈɪntu ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən vˈjuərˌʃɪp? wən ˈkrɪtɪˌsɪzəm ðət wɑz ˈrɪli ˈræʧətɪd əp ðɪs jɪr ˌɪnˈvɑlvz ðə kəˈmərʃəlz, dimd tɪ bi ˈhɛviər ðən ˈɛvər ˌbiˈfɔr. (ˈɛnˌbiˈsi sɪz ðæts nɑt ðə keɪs.) ðə truθ ɪz, ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən vjuərz ər biɪŋ ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli wind əˈweɪ frəm ɪkˈspoʊʒər tɪ kəˈmərʃəlz θæŋks tɪ ɛz wɛl ɛz ənd ɪts ˈbrɛðrən ɪkˈsɛpt, əv kɔrs, ˈdʊrɪŋ lɪv spɔrts. bət ˈpækɪʤd ˈkəvərɪʤ, əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ʤɪmˈnæstɪks, pleɪz mɔr laɪk ə ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən ʃoʊ ðən ə spɔrts ɪˈvɛnt, soʊ kəˈmərʃəlz ˈræŋkəl vjuərz əˈkəstəmd tɪ əˈvɔɪdɪŋ ðɛm. laɪk ˈɛvəri ˈəðər ˈɪʃu ˈtɑrgətɪd baɪ ˈkrɪtɪks, ðə kəˈmərʃəl ˌɪntərˈəpʃənz rɪˈmeɪn ə ˈnɛsəˌsɛri ˈivəl tɪ dɪˈfreɪ ðə ʤaɪˈgænɪk raɪts kɔsts. ˈɛnˌbiˈsi həz səʧ ən ɪˈnɔrmɪs ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt ɪn ðə oʊˈlɪmpɪks ɪt peɪd ˈbɪljən fər ðə geɪmz frəm 2014 tɪ 2020 ənd ˈbɪljən fər ðoʊz θru 2032 ðət ɪt həz tɪ hoʊp ɪt kən kənˈtɪnju tɪ kip ˈædvərˌtaɪzərz ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ənd ˈhæpi. ðə ˈreɪtɪŋz dɪˈklaɪnz ðɪs jɪr hæv bɪn wɛl ˈnoʊtɪd: ˈɛnˌbiˈsi həz ˈævrɪʤd ə ˈɔdiəns əv ˈmɪljən. ðæts daʊn əˈbaʊt 18 pərˈsɛnt frəm ðə ˈləndən geɪmz ɪn 2012 ðoʊ ɪts ɔf ˈoʊnli 8 pərˈsɛnt frəm ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ ɪn 2008 ˈɛnˌbiˈsi wɪl naʊ hæv tɪ sɛl əˈgɛnst ðə dɪˈmɪnɪʃt ˈnəmbərz ɪn ðə geɪmz tɪ kəm ɪn 2 4 ənd 6 jɪrz ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˈvərʧuəli ˈnəθɪŋ ɔn ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən kənˈsɪstəntli pʊlz ɪn 25 vjuərz. ðə oʊˈlɪmpɪk ˈhaɪˌrɑrki həz dən ˈɛnˌbiˈsi noʊ ˈfeɪvərz baɪ ˈpleɪsɪŋ ɔl θri əv ðoʊz ˈəpˌkəmɪŋ geɪmz ɪn ˈeɪʒə: saʊθ ˌkɔˈriə ɪn 2018 ˈtoʊkiˌoʊ ɪn 2020 ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ ɪn 2022 rɪˈleɪtɪd: ˈɛnˌbiˈsi ˈdɑməˌneɪts ˈraɪvəlz bət hɪts ˈsɛkənd loʊəst vˈjuərˌʃɪp fər ˈrioʊ oʊˈlɪmpɪks ˈɛnˌbiˈsi həz meɪd sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt straɪdz ðɪs taɪm wɪθ ɪts lɪv ˈstrimɪŋ ˈɛfərt. ɪt həz meɪd ɪt ˈtəfər tɪ həræŋ ˈɛnˌbiˈsi fər dɪˈleɪɪŋ ə bɪg ɪˈvɛnt tɪ ʤus ɪts ˈævərɪʤ. ə juʤ ˈnəmbər əv aʊərz hæv bɪn əˈveɪləbəl ɪn strimz, wɪʧ ʃʊd kət daʊn ɔn ðə kəmˈpleɪnts əˈbaʊt tape-delays*. ˈmɛni mɔr vjuərz, əˈspɛʃəli ˈjəŋgər wənz, hæv tərnd tɪ ðə strimd ɪˈvɛnts. bət ðə bɪg bəks stɪl kəm frəm ðə ˈnɛtˌwərk ˈkəvərɪʤ. ˈeɪʒən taɪm zoʊnz wɪl ˈprɛzənt fɑr mɔr ˈʧælənʤɪz fər ˈɛnˌbiˈsi ɛz ɪt wərks tɪ ˈpækɪʤ ɪˈvɛnts fər ðə praɪm aʊərz. bɛl toʊld mi hi dɪz ɪkˈspɛkt ə ˈdisənt ˈpɔrʃən əv ðə ˈeɪʒən beɪst geɪmz tɪ bi əˈveɪləbəl lɪv ɪn praɪm taɪm ɪn ðə ˈjuˈɛs (ɔn ðə ist koʊst, əv kɔrs.) hi ˈmɛnʃənd skiɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɪntər geɪmz (wɪʧ əv kɔrs ɪz rən ɪn ˈdeɪˌlaɪt aʊərz, ənd prɪˈzuməbli səm kʊd kəm ɔf ɪn ðə ˈmɔrnɪŋz, ˈminɪŋ ˈivnɪŋz ɪn nu jɔrk, ˌɛtˈsɛtərə.) hi ˈɔlsoʊ ˈnoʊtɪd ðət ɪn ðə ˈsəmər geɪmz ɪn ˌbeɪˈʒɪŋ ɪn 2008 ˈmɛni ɪˈvɛnts, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ə lɔt əv sˈwɪmɪŋ ənd səm ʤɪmˈnæstɪks, wər ˈskɛʤʊld ɪn ðə ˈdeɪˌtaɪm tɪ meɪk lɪv ˈkəvərɪʤ ˈpɑsəbəl ənd ˈɛnˌbiˈsi wɪl traɪ tɪ ˈɛmfəˌsaɪz tɪ ðə oʊˈlɪmpɪk ˈɔrgəˌnaɪzərz ðət ɪts ˈmæsɪv raɪts ˈməni ʃʊd wɪn səm ˈɪnfluəns ɔn ˈskɛʤʊlɪŋ ɪn ˈtoʊkiˌoʊ. bət ˈfɔrˌkæstɪŋ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən fɔr jɪrz aʊt ər ˈivɪn tu jɪrz aʊt ɪz ə ˈlɔŋˌʃɑt pleɪ. ðə peɪs əv ʧeɪnʤ ɪn ðə weɪz ðət vjuərz faɪnd ənd juz ˌtɛləˈvɪʒən ˈproʊˌgræmz ɪz wɔrp spid. ɪf ðeɪ ər stɪl ˈsteɪʤɪŋ oʊˈlɪmpɪks ɪn 2032 ˈpipəl wɪl ˈprɑbəˌbli stɪl wɔnt tɪ si ðɛm, bət ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈʃʊrli ɔn ðɛr oʊn tərmz, nɑt.
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the surest bet during any olympics is not that usain bolt will win the 100 meters; it is that nbc will be trashed, loudly, in many quarters, for the quality of its coverage.
this year has brought no variation in the litany of complaints: too many tape-delayed events; overhyping of a few stars; fawning feature pieces; and, of course, jingoistic emphasis on american athletes.
i have usually steered clear of the barrage, mostly out of a sense that a) most of nbc's decision-making is driven by the billions they spend for the rights, which means it's about business, not sports results; and b) it isn't going to change because... see a).
but, without intending to, i managed to stumble into the crossfire this year when i happened to send out a tweet about my viewing experience while out in california during the first week of the games. i had been out all day and unaware of what had transpired when i happened to settle into the hotel bar with a glass of wine about 9 p.m. across the room the prime-time coverage was on -- without sound -- and from the on-screen promos i quickly gleaned that the men's 4x100 freestyle relay, including michael phelps, was "coming up."
it was already about 1 a.m. in rio, so obviously the race was long over, and would be playing on the us west coast on tape delay. i had never watched an olympic event on anything but eastern time, so i was suddenly thrust into a situation west coast viewers have long experienced during the olympics (though not other major sports events, like nfl football.) they have to wait three hours to see events that ran live in the east.
but ok, i could wait. the bar was pleasant; so was the wine. i could spend some time checking out my twitter feed... oh, no, i could not. if i breezed through whatever had been on twitter the past few hours, it was highly likely i would run into people talking about the day's results. so i had to steer clear of every avenue of information if i wanted to enjoy the live suspense of that race.
related: five takeaways from nbc's rio olympics coverage
it took me back to 1980, when some bizarre olympic scheduling had set the men's semi-final hockey game at 5 p.m. eastern -- even though the winter games were in lake placid, ny. i drove home that night without the radio on, avoided newscasts, didn't answer the phone. but my plans blew up when i tried to buy some items in a 7-eleven and the rock dj interrupted some tune by kool and the gang or whomever to announce: "if you're going to win the gold in hockey you've got to beat the russians and that's just what the usa did tonight..."
thanks, man.
after watching the exciting race, the situation moved me to send out a tweet saying: "worst thing about being on west coast: waiting 3 hrs to see spectacular men's swim relay+having to avoid twitter et al to insure suspense."
worst thing abt being on west coast: waiting 3 hrs to see spectacular men"s swim relay+having to avoid twitter et al to insure suspense. — bill carter (@wjcarter) august 8, 2016
my tweet led to hundreds of likes and retweets within hours -- and about a week more of the same. a major reason was that one response came from nbc's olympic production boss, jim bell, who asked why i had not simply watched nbc's live stream of the event. when i said i had been busy all day, and was now in a bar, he suggested i "move back to the east coast."
i have known bell for more than a decade and i recognized he was needling me, not jousting with me. but the exchange set off a fusillade of angry responses among those incensed by nbc's programming decisions -- and then it all blew up on reddit. dominant was personal resentment directed toward bell for how nbc was covering the events. typical: "jimbo, thanks for giving two rips; your coverage sucks, btw."
i actually don't think it sucks. nbc's coverage has, as always, run the gamut -- worth some carping and some praise. on the negative side: the mistake about simone biles's parents was pretty awful; keeping the gymnastics finals for late hours is unfair to kids who love the sport and parents who want to watch with them. on the plus side: nbc's camerawork had been almost uniformly fantastic; and some analysts have been outstanding. (ato boldon on sprints, for example.)
related: rio ratings are hurting; are streaming options eating into tv viewership?
one criticism that was really ratcheted up this year involves the commercials, deemed to be heavier than ever before. (nbc says that's not the case.) the truth is, tv viewers are being increasingly weaned away from exposure to commercials thanks to dvrs as well as netflix and its brethren -- except, of course, during live sports. but nbc's packaged prime-time coverage, especially in gymnastics, plays more like a tv show than a sports event, so commercials rankle viewers accustomed to avoiding them.
like every other issue targeted by critics, the commercial interruptions remain a necessary evil to defray the gigantic rights costs. nbc has such an enormous investment in the olympics -- it paid $4.38 billion for the games from 2014 to 2020, and $7.75 billion for those through 2032 -- that it has to hope it can continue to keep advertisers involved and happy.
the ratings declines this year have been well noted: nbc has averaged a prime-time audience of 26.8 million. that's down about 18 percent from the london games in 2012, though it's off only 8 percent from beijing in 2008. nbc will now have to sell against the diminished numbers in the games to come in 2, 4, and 6 years -- although virtually nothing on tv consistently pulls in 25 million-plus viewers. the olympic hierarchy has done nbc no favors by placing all three of those upcoming games in asia: south korea in 2018; tokyo in 2020; beijing in 2022.
related: nbc dominates rivals but hits second lowest viewership for rio olympics
nbc has made significant strides this time with its live streaming effort. it has made it tougher to harangue nbc for delaying a big event to juice its prime-time average. a huge number of hours have been available in streams, which should cut down on the complaints about tape-delays. many more viewers, especially younger ones, have turned to the streamed events.
but the big bucks still come from the prime-time network coverage. asian time zones will present far more challenges for nbc as it works to package events for the prime hours. bell told me he does expect a decent portion of the asian based games to be available live in prime time in the us (on the east coast, of course.) he mentioned skiing in the winter games (which of course is run in daylight hours, and presumably some could come off in the mornings, meaning evenings in new york, etc.)
he also noted that in the summer games in beijing in 2008, many events, including a lot of swimming and some gymnastics, were scheduled in the daytime to make live coverage possible -- and nbc will try to emphasize to the olympic organizers that its massive rights money should win some influence on scheduling in tokyo.
but forecasting anything about television four years out -- or even two years out -- is a longshot play. the pace of change in the ways that viewers find and use tv programs is warp speed. if they are still staging olympics in 2032, people will probably still want to see them, but almost surely on their own terms, not nbc's.
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wɪθ ˈtreɪnɪŋ fər ðə 2015 wərld kəp ˈsɑkər ˈtʊrnəmənt ɔˈrɛdi ˌəndərˈweɪ, ðə ˈleɪdiz əv ðə ˈsɑkər tim hæv lɔnʧt ə kæmˈpeɪn ɔn tɪ reɪz tɪ gɪt ðɛm tɪ ˈkænədə fər ðə kˈwɑləˌfaɪɪŋ raʊnz. əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ təˈdeɪ, noʊ ˌkɛrɪˈbiən tim həz ˈɛvər meɪd ɪt tɪ ðə wərld kəp ənd ðə ʤəˈmeɪkən ˈsɑkər tim ɪz ˈhoʊpɪŋ tɪ bi ðə fərst. ðə tim, ˈnɪkˌneɪmd ˈrɛˌgeɪ, ər ræŋkt ɪn ðɛr ˈriʤən, bət hæv ˈstrəgəld tɪ sɪˈkjʊr səˈfɪʃənt ˈfəndɪŋ frəm ðə ʤəˈmeɪkə ˈfʊtˌbɔl ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən fər ˈtreɪnɪŋ ər ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən ˈpərpəsɪz. ˈpraɪvət ˈspɑnsərz hæv bɪn skɛrs ɛz wɛl. ˈsɪmələr tɪ ðə ˈbɑbsˌlɛd tim, hu praɪˈmɛrəli juzd pləs ə kæmˈpeɪn ɔn tɪ ˈfaɪˌnæns ðɛr bɪd fər ðə 2014 ˈwɪntər oʊˈlɪmpɪks, ðə ʤəˈmeɪkən ˈsɑkər tim həz tərnd dɪˈrɛkli tɪ. wɪθ ðə hɛlp əv ˈmɑrli ənd ðə bɑb ˈmɑrli faʊnˈdeɪʃən, ðə tim lɔnʧt ðə kæmˈpeɪn ənd həz ɔˈrɛdi reɪzd ˈoʊvər frəm 170 ˈbækərz. ˈmɑrli ˈsteɪtɪd, kən bi ə ˈvɛri ˈdɪfərənt pleɪs. ˈivɪn naʊ, ðɛr ər ˈpipəl hu θɪŋk ðət gərlz bi pleɪɪŋ spɔrts. ˈhɛlpɪŋ ðə ˈrɛˌgeɪ ɪz wən weɪ tɪ ʃoʊ ðət girls’*’ spɔrts ər ʤɪst ɛz ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt. ðə ˈleɪdiz hæv ʃoʊn ɪˈnəf ˈtælənt ənd draɪv tɪ hæv ə ʧæns æt ˈwɪnɪŋ ðə wərld kəp. ðeɪ dɪˈfitɪd st*. ˈluʃə ənd ðə dəˈmɪnəkən riˈpəblɪk ɪn ðə fərst raʊnd əv ðə ˌkɛrɪˈbiən kəp ˈərliər ðɪs mənθ. ðə kæmˈpeɪn ridz, ə fju wiks əˈgoʊ, ðə ˈrɛˌgeɪ krəʃt ðɛr əˈpoʊnənts ɪn ðə fərst raʊnd. ðeɪ ər ˈɑbviəsli gʊd ɪˈnəf tɪ pleɪ ɪn ðə 2015 wərld kəp ɪn ˈkænədə. ðə ˈoʊnli ˈprɑbləm? ðə ʤəˈmeɪkə ˈfʊtˌbɔl ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən həz ˈɔlˌweɪz bɪˈlivd ɪn ɪts ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈfʊtˌbɔl ˈproʊˌgræm bət həz ˈstrəgəld tɪ sɪˈkjʊr səˈfɪʃənt ˈfəndɪŋ. ə rɪˈzəlt, nɑt ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈɪnstɪˌtut ðə ˈɛləmənts ðət ˈəðər ˈwərldˌklæs ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈsɑkər ˈproʊˌgræmz kənˈsɪdər tɪ bi ˌfəndəˈmɛnəl laɪk ˈtrævəlɪŋ tɪ pleɪ ɪn ˈpræktɪs ˈmæʧɪz, ˈprɑpər ˈtreɪnɪŋ kæmp əˌkɑməˈdeɪʃənz, ər ˈivɪn ˈkəvərɪŋ ðɛr ɪkˈspɛnsɪz tɪ ðə nɛkst kˈwɑləˌfaɪɪŋ mæʧ. ənd ðət meɪ ˈəltəmətli prɪˈvɛnt ðɛm frəm ˈteɪkɪŋ pɑrt ɪn ðə wərld kəp ɪn ““fortunately*, θru ðə ˈvɪʒən əv ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən ˈprɛzɪdənt ˈkæptən ˈhɔrɪs bərˈɛl, ðə ʤəˈmeɪkə ˈproʊˌgræm həz bɪn ˈgɪvɪn əˈnəðər ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ fʊlˈfɪl ɪts pəˈtɛnʃəl. ɪz ðə ˈɛldəst ˈdɔtər əv bɑb ənd ˈritə marely*. waɪl ʃi noʊz noʊ ˌgɛrənˈti ðət ʤəˈmeɪkə wɪl bi ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪd æt ðə wərld kəp ɪn 2015 ʃi stɪl wɔnts tɪ gɪv ðə gərlz ə ʧæns tɪ səkˈsid.
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with training for the 2015 women’s world cup soccer tournament already underway, the ladies of the jamacian soccer team have launched a crowdfunding campaign on indiegogo to raise $50,000 to get them to canada for the qualifying rounds.
according to usa today, no caribbean team has ever made it to the women’s world cup and the women’s jamaican soccer team is hoping to be the first. the team, nicknamed reggae girlz, are ranked 4th in their region, but haveruggled to secure sufficient funding from the jamaica football federation for training or competition purposes. private sponsors have been scarce as well.
similar to the jamacian men’s bobsled team, who primarily used crowdtilt plus a campaign on indiegogo to finance their bid for the 2014 winter olympics, the women’s jamaican soccer team has turned directly to indiegogo. with the help of cedella marley and the bob marley foundation, the team launched the campaign and has already raised over $25,000 from 170 backers.
cedella marleyated, “jamaica can be a very different place. even now, there are people who think that girls shouldn’t be playing sports. helping the reggae girlz is one way to show that girls’ sports are just as important.
the ladies have shown enough talent and drive to have a chance at winning the women’s world cup. they defeated. lucia 14-0 and the dominican republic 7-0 in the first round of the caribbean women’s cup earlier this month.
the campaign reads, “just a few weeks ago, the reggae girlz crushed their opponents in the first round. they are obviously good enough to play in the 2015 women’s world cup in canada. the only problem? the jamaica football federation has always believed in its female football program but hasruggled to secure sufficient funding.
“as a result, they’re not able to institute the elements that other world-class female soccer programs consider to be fundamental like traveling to play in practice matches, proper training camp accommodations, or even covering their expenses to the next qualifying match. and that may ultimately prevent them from taking part in the world cup in 2015.”
“fortunately, through the vision of federation president captain horace burrell, the jamaica women’s program has been given another opportunity to fulfill its potential.
cedella is the eldest daughter of bob and rita marely. while she knows no guarantee that jamaica will be represented at the world cup in 2015, sheill wants to give the girls a chance to succeed.
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ðə yorkists*, ˈhævɪŋ bɪn dɪˈnaɪd ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ mit wɪθ ˈhɛnri vi, əˈtækt ðə ˌlæŋˈkæstriən ˈɑrmi ɪn θri dɪˈvɪʒənz. wən wɑz lɛd lɛd baɪ ˈɛdwərd, ərl əv mɑrʧ. ðə ˈsɛkənd baɪ ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk, ənd ðə θərd baɪ lɔrd fauconberg*. ðə əˈtæk wɑz səkˈsɛsfəl əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ du tɪ ðə ˈtrɛʧəri əv lɔrd greɪ əv hu ˈɔrdərd hɪz mɛn tɪ leɪ daʊn ðɛr ˈwɛpənz wɪn ðə ərl əv mɛn riʧt ðə ˌlæŋˈkæstriən lɛft flæŋk wɪʧ greɪ kəˈmændɪd. mɛn ˈsɪmpli θru ðə laɪn: geɪm ˈoʊvər. ðə ˈləndən ˈkrɑnɪkəl ˈmɛnʃənz ðə fækt ðət ˈmɛni əv ðə draʊnd ɛz ðeɪ əˈtɛmptəd tɪ fli. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, fər ðə ˈpərpəsɪz əv ðɪs poʊst ðə ˈsɛntəns əv moʊst ˈɪntəˌrɛst ɪn ðə ˈləndən ˈkrɑnɪkəl ɪz ɛz ˈfɑloʊz: ənd ðət gʊd ˈlusi ðət ðə schotte*, ənd kəm ˈəntu ðə tɪ hæv jɛ kynge*, bət ðə wɑz dən ər ðət hi kəm; ən wən əv ðə wɑz wɛr əv comynge*, ənd ðət ənd hym*, ənd hɪz dethe*. sər ˈwɪljəm wɑz bɔrn ɪn 1404 əv ɪn northamptonshire*. hi wɑz ə lɔɪəl ˌlæŋˈkæstriən. əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈstɔri ˈaʊˌtlaɪn əˈbəv hi hərd ðə ˈoʊpənɪŋ ənd ˈhərid tɪ ʤɔɪn hɪz ˈmɑˌnɑrk. hi əraɪvd æt hɪz saɪd ɛz ðə ˈbætəl riʧt ɪts kənˈkluʒən. ɪt dɪz bɛg ðə kˈwɛʃən ðət ɪf hi wɑz ðət lɔɪəl waɪ hi wɪθ ðə ˈɑrmi ɪn ðə fərst pleɪs ənd ɪf hi kʊd hir ðə gənz hi ˈsərtənli ʃʊd hæv bɪn ɔn ðə sin ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ɛnd əv ðə ˈbætəl. ɪn hɪks əbˈzərvz ðət ðiz dɪˈskrɛpənsiz ər fər ˈnɛrətɪv ˈpərpəsɪz. ðeɪ ˈəndərˌlaɪn ðə fækt ðət sər ˈwɪljəm ˈlusi wɑz ˈmaɪndɪŋ hɪz oʊn ˈbɪznɪs wɪn hi wɑz ənˈfɛrli ˈmərdərd ɔn ə ˈbætəlˌfild. hi ˈɔlsoʊ ɪkˈspleɪnz ðət ðə ˈraɪtər dɪˈlɪbərətli əˈlaʊz hɪz ˈridərz tɪ bɪˈliv ðət boʊθ sər ˈwɪljəm ənd hɪz ˈkɪlər wər ˌlæŋˈkæstriən tɪ ðə ˈmægnəˌtud əv ðə ækt. ɪn ˌriˈæləˌti sər ˈwɪljəm wɑz ə ˌlæŋˈkæstriən ənd hɪz ˈmərdərər wɑz ə. ɪts ə riˈmaɪndər ðət ɪn ðə mɪst əv ˈnæʃənəl ˈwɔrˌfɛr ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz tʊk ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ ˈsɛtəl ˈloʊkəl dɪˈspjuts ənd ˈpərsɪnəl skɔrz. ɪt tərnd aʊt ðət sər ʤɑn ˈstæfərd, ər hɪz ˈhɛnʧmən, tʊk ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ kɪl ˈlusi bɪˈkəz hi ˈhæpənd tɪ bi ðə ˈhəzbənd əv ðə ˈwʊmən wɪθ hum hi wɑz ˈhævɪŋ ən əˈfɛr. ʤɑn ˈstæfərd ˈmɛrid ˈwɪdoʊ ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ jɪr. nɑt ə ˈplɛzənt teɪl. ˈstæfərd ɪt wʊd əˈpɪr hæd ˈteɪkən ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ du ˈmərdər ɔn ðə ˈbætəlˌfild ˈhoʊpɪŋ ðət noʊ wən wʊd ˈnoʊtɪs ɪkˈsɛpt əv kɔrs ðə əˈkaʊnt tərnz əp ɪn tu ˈdɪfərənt ˈkrɑnɪkəlz. sər ʤɑn geɪnd ə jəŋ braɪd ənd bɪˈkeɪm ə ˈwɛlθi mæn ˈɪntu ðə ˈbɑrgɪn. ənˈfɔrʧənətli fər sər ʤɑn hi hæd ə ˈnæsti ˈæksədənt æt ðə ˈbætəl əv (mɑrʧ 1461 soʊ ɪf hi dɪd kəˈmɪt ˈmərdər ɪt du ɪm məʧ gʊd fər ˈvɛri lɔŋ. ˈmɑrgərɪt ˈlusi, ðə ˈleɪdi ɪn kˈwɛʃən, wɑz jəŋ ɪˈnəf tɪ bi sər ˈwɪljəm ˈgrænˌdɔtər. hər ˈstɛpˌfɑðər wɑz ðə ərl əv ˈɛksɪtər ənd ʃi wɑz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ðə ˈmɑntəˌgju ˈfæməli θru hər ˈməðər ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk wɑz ðə əv hər wɪl ənd ˈkəzən. ˈwɪljəm ˈlusi, ə ˈvɛtərən əv ðə ˈhənərd jɪrz wɔr hæd bɪn ˈmɛrid ˌbiˈfɔr bət wɑz ˈʧaɪldləs. hɪz jəŋ braɪd ˈɔfərd ðə ʧæns əv ə ˈfæməli tɪ ˌɪnˈhɛrət hɪz wɛlθ ɛz wɛl ɛz ə ʃəv əp ðə ˈsoʊʃəl ˈlædər. ɪn ðə ɪˈvɛnt əv ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈhæpənɪŋ tɪ hər ˈɛldərli spaʊs ˈmɑrgərɪt wɑz wɛl prəˈvaɪdɪd fər ˌfaɪˈnænʃəli θru hər ˈmɛrɪʤ ˈkɑnˌtrækt. ˈmɑrgərɪt wʊd tərn aʊt tɪ bi ə ˈpɑpjələr ˈleɪdi ˈgɪvɪn hər kəˈnɛkʃənz ənd hər daʊr ˈmænərz. ʃi hæd æt list tu mɔr ˈsutərz ənd ɪf ju ˈfɑloʊ ðiz θɪŋz ˈɛvəri ʧæns ʃi hæd ən əˈfɛr wɪθ ðə jəŋ kɪŋ ˈɛdwərd iv*. sər ˈtɑməs mɔr ɪn hɪz əˈkaʊnt əv ˈrɪʧərd bɪˈkeɪm ˈsəmˈwət ˈsaɪdˌtrækt wɪθ ˈɛdwərd ˈmɪstrəsɪz, ɪn ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr ʤeɪn ʃɔr hu wɑz ˈæˌkʧuəli ən ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ wɪʧ ʤɪst goʊz tɪ ʃoʊ ðət ju trəst ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ju rɛd ˈivɪn ɪf ɪt ɪz ˈrɪtən baɪ ə seɪnt. ˈɛniˌweɪ, mɔr ˈmɛnʃənz ə deɪm ˈlusi. ˈhɪstəri ˈjuʒəwəli gɪvz ðə deɪm ðə ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ əˈlɔŋ wɪθ ðə əˈdɪʃənəl fækt ðət ʃi wɑz ˈɑrθər plantagenet*, lɔrd ˈməðər. hɪks ənd ðə ˈɔθər əv ðə blɔg https://murreyandblue.wordpress.com/tag/margaret-lucy*/ ˈprɛzənt ðə fækts ðət ˈɛdwərd ˈɔlsoʊ hæd ən ˌɪlɪˈʤɪtəmɪt ˈdɔtər wɪθ ə ˈleɪdi baɪ ðə ˈsərˌneɪm əv ˈlusi. ɪt ɪz ˈjuʒəwəli səˈpoʊzd ðət ðə ˈʧɪldrən hæv ðə seɪm ˈməðər dɪˈspaɪt ðə fækt ðɛr ɪz ə lɔŋ gæp bɪtˈwin ðə kənˈsɛpʃən əv ðə ˈsɪblɪŋz wɪθ ˈɑrθər biɪŋ bɔrn məʧ ˈleɪtər ɪn ˈɛdwərd reɪn ðən hɪz ˈdɔtər. ðɛr ɪz ˈɛvədəns tɪ səˈʤɛst ðət ðə ˈdɔtər, ə məʧ lɛs wɛl ˈdɑkjəˌmɛnəd ʧaɪld, hu wɑz ərˈɪʤənəli θɔt tɪ hæv ðə neɪm ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ wɑz ˈæˌkʧuəli kɔld ˈmɑrgərɪt. ˈfərðərˌmɔr, ˈɛvədəns rɪˈvilz ðət ˈməðər meɪ nɑt hæv hæd ðə ˈsərˌneɪm ˈlusi æt ɔl bət wɑz ˈæˌkʧuəli ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ ənd ðət ðə tu ˈʧɪldrən, ˈjuʒəwəli əˈsumd tɪ bi ˈsɪblɪŋz wər ɪn fækt ðə rɪˈzəlt əv liˈeɪˌsɑnz wɪθ tu ˈdɪfərənt ˈwɪmən wɪʧ goʊz tɪ pruv ðət ləv laɪf məst hæv bɪn ˈrəðər ˈkɑmpləˌkeɪtəd ənd ˈiðər ˈsikrətɪv ər nɑt θɔt tɪ bi wərθ ˈkipɪŋ træk əv ˈiðər weɪ ɪt ˈsərtənli kips ˈkɑrənt hɪˈstɔriənz ˈɑkjəˌpaɪd. ðə səˈʤɛsʧən ɪz ðət ˈoʊvər ðə kɔrs əv taɪm ˈvɛriəs bɪˈkeɪm kənfˈjuzd ənd ðət ɪt wɑz ˈæˌkʧuəli ˈmɑrgərɪt ˈlusi ni, ðə ˈwɪdoʊ əv sər ˈwɪljəm hu prəˈdust ə ˈdɔtər hu wʊd wən deɪ ˈmɛri ənd tərn ˈɪntu ˈleɪdi ˈləmli, ˈhævɪŋ hər fərst ʧaɪld ɪn əˈbaʊt 1478 pɑrt əv ðə ˈdɪfɪˌkəlti wɪθ ˈɛdwərd deɪm ˈlusi ɪz ðət hər ˈtaɪtəl aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪz ðə fækt ðət ʃi ɪz əv ðə klæs bət ðɛr ər noʊ ˈrɛkərdz əv ən ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ ˈlusi ɪn ðə ˈərli jɪrz əv reɪn. ɪn 1462 ˈmɑrgərɪt, naʊ twaɪs ˈwɪdoʊd, wɑz ɪn ðə ˈhaʊsˌhoʊld əv ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk. ˈvərʤəl ˈmɛnʃənz ðət ˈɛdwərd hæd ə bɪt əv ə flɪŋ wɪθ ˈsəmˌwən ɪn ˈhaʊsˌhoʊld. ɛz ɪz ˈɔfən ðə keɪs wɪθ ðə ˈmərkiər bɪts əv ˈhɪstəri kənˈkluʒənz ər drɔn frəm ˈfrægmənts ˈskætərd əˈkrɔs ðə ˈpraɪˌmɛri ˈsɔrsəz. nən əv ɪt ɪz ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli kənˈklusɪv ənd ðə ˈnəmbər əv ˈwɪmən ənd ˈʧɪldrən ˈɔlˌweɪz æd əp fər ɪgˈzæmpəl kʊd ðə ʧaɪld ɪˈlɪzəbɪθ ˈrɪli bi ˈmɑrgərɪt ər ər ðɛr tu ˈdɪfərənt ˈdɔtərz? ˈpoʊstɪd əˈbaʊt ˈɛdwərd ˈvɛriəs ˈleɪdi ləvz ənd ˌɪlɪˈʤɪtəmɪt ˈʧɪldrən ɪn ə ˈərliər poʊst wɪʧ kən bi ˈækˌsɛst baɪ ˈklɪkɪŋ ɔn hɪz ˈpɪkʧər tɪ ˈoʊpən ə nu ˈwɪndoʊ. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, bæk tɪ sər ʤɑn ˈstæfərd- ðə æks ˈwildɪŋ ˈmərdərər əv ɑr ˈstɔri. hi wɑz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ ðə duk əv ˈbəkɪŋˌhæm bət ˈoʊnli distantly*. wɛˈræz ˈmɑrgərɪt ˈboʊfərt ˈmɛrid sər ˈhɛnri ˈstæfərd ðə ˈsɛkənd sən əv ðə duk əv ˈbəkɪŋˌhæm fər prəˈtɛkʃən ˈæftər ðə dɛθ əv ˈɛdmənd ˈtudər ðə seɪm ˈkænɑt bi sɛd əv ˈmɑrgərɪt ˈlusi. sər ʤɑn wɑz nɑt ən ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl mæn hu kʊd ˈɔfər hər prəˈtɛkʃən ɪn ə ˈvɑlətəl wərld ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk wɑz ə ˈbɛtər bɛt ɛz hər prəˈtɛktər. ðɪs səˈʤɛsts ðət ʃi ˈmɛrid fər ləv. θæŋks tɪ wɛlθ sər ʤɑn ˈbrifli bɪˈkeɪm ðə fər ˈwʊstəʃər. ɪf ˈmɑrgərɪt wɛnt ɔn tɪ hæv ən əˈfɛr wɪθ ðə kɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈæftərˌmæθ əv ʃi wɑz biɪŋ ˈkɔrtɪd baɪ ˈəðər mɛn æt ðə taɪm. aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪz ˈtɑməs ˈdænvərz ɛz wən ˈkænədɪt fər hər hænd. hi wɑz ən ˈlɔjər wɪθ ˌlæŋˈkæstriən ˈtɛndənsiz. hi tʊk ˈmɑrgərɪt tɪ ˈʧænsəri əˈbaʊt ə loʊn fər ənd ə briʧ əv ˈprɑməs tɪ ˈmɛri. ˈdænvərz kleɪmd ðət ˈmɑrgərɪt hæd bɪn dɪˈrɛktɪd baɪ hər sər ˈhɛnri ənd ðət ʃi hæd laɪd tɪ ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk əˈbaʊt hər ˈmærətəl ˈstætəs. ˈməni dɪd ʧeɪnʤ hænz bɪtˈwin ənd ˈdænvərz bət ðɛn ˈmɑrgərɪt ˈɛnərd ə ˈkɑnˌtrækt tɪ ˈmɛri ˈtɑməs weɪk. ˈdænvərz ˈwɔntɪd hɪz daʊn ˈpeɪmənt bæk ɛz wɛl ɛz ɔn əˈkaʊnt əv ðə fækt ðət hi ˈɑrgjud ðət hɪz ˈkɑnˌtrækt wɑz ə bɑnd, soʊ ɪf ðə ˈfæməli rɪˈnɪgd ɔn ðə prəˈvɪʒən əv hɪz braɪd hi ʃʊd bi ˈkɑmpənˌseɪtəd. ðə ˈəðər saɪd əv ðə ˈɑrgjəmənt wɑz ðət sər ˈhɛnri hæd ˈteɪkən tˈwɛnti mɑrks frəm ˈdænvərz tɪ ˈfɔrwərd hɪz keɪs tɪ hɪz hæf ˈsɪstər bət ðət ʃi ʤɪst ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd. sər ˈhɛnri, ɪt wɑz kleɪmd, kənˈtɪnjud tɪ prɛs ðə sut ənd ˈmɑrgərɪt kənˈtɪnjud tɪ ˈrɛfˌjuz. ɪt kʊd bi ˈɑrgjud ðət ˈmɑrgərɪt, dɪˈspaɪt hər ˈsɛkənd ˈmɛrɪʤ tɪ sər ʤɑn ˈstæfərd, wɑz məʧ haɪər əp ðə ˈsoʊʃəl ˈlædər ðən ˈdænvərz ənd ðət waɪ, ɪn ə taɪm əv səˈprɛməsi, wʊd ʃi wɔnt tɪ ˈmɛri ə ˌlæŋˈkæstriən ɪn ˈɛni ɪˈvɛnt? rɪˈvilz ðət ˈmɑrgərɪt baɪ ˈvɛriəs ˈbɪʃəps ənd ˌɛkskəmˈjunəˌkeɪtəd wɑz fɔrst tɪ sik ə ˈrulɪŋ frəm poʊp pɔl bɪˈkəz ˈdænvərz lɛt ðə ˈmætər rɛst, ˈivɪn ˈæftər ʃi wɑz ˈmɛrid tɪ ˈtɑməs weɪk hu wɑz moʊst ˈdɛfənətli ə ənd moʊst ˈdɛfənətli aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪd ðə ərl əv ˈwɔrwɪk ɛz hɪz ˈpeɪtrən. ɪf ˈmɑrgərɪt wɑz ˈhævɪŋ ən əˈfɛr wɪθ ðə kɪŋ ɪt wʊd pərˈhæps bi bɛst ɪf ʃi wɑz ˈmɛrid ənd tɪ ˈsəmˌwən lɔɪəl tɪ ðə jɔrks. ˈmɑrgərɪt daɪd ɔn 4 ˈɔgəst 1466 ɪt ɪz ˈlaɪkli ðət ʃi daɪd əv ˌkɑmpləˈkeɪʃənz ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ðə bərθ əv hər ʧaɪld. hər bræs, dɪˈpɪktɪŋ hər ˈwɛrɪŋ ə ˈbətərˌflaɪ hɛd drɛs aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪz hər ˈhəzbəndz θru ðɛr koʊts əv ɑrmz, kən naʊ bɪn sin ɪn ˈnɪkələs ʧərʧ, nɪr ˈbrɛntˌwʊd ɪn ˈɛsɪks. kənˈkludz wɪθ ə ˈfaɪnəl ˈditeɪl. sər ˈtɑməs mɔr roʊt ðət deɪm ˈlusi wɑz ə ˈvərʤɪn ɪf ðɪs ɪz ðə keɪs ɪt ɪz hɑrd tɪ si haʊ ə twaɪs ˈwɪdoʊd ˈmɑrgərɪt kʊd mit ðə kraɪˈtɪriə fər biɪŋ deɪm ˈlusi bət ðɛn ðɪs poʊst həz ɔˈrɛdi dɪˈskəst ðə ˈdɪfɪˌkəltiz əv ˈkipɪŋ tæbz ɔn ˈɛdwərd ˈpraɪvət laɪf θru ðə ˈmidiəm əv ˈkrɑnɪkəl ˈfrægmənts ənd ˈsɪftɪŋ θru ðə ˈɑrˌkaɪvz.
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the yorkists, having been denied the opportunity to meet with henry vi, attacked the lancastrian army in three divisions. one was led led by edward, earl of march. the second by the earl of warwick, and the third by lord fauconberg. the attack was successful according to whethamstede due to the treachery of lord grey of ruthin who ordered his men to lay down their weapons when the earl of warwick’s men reached the lancastrian left flank – which grey commanded. warwick’s men simply waltzed through the line: game over. the london chronicle mentions the fact that many of the lancastrians drowned as they attempted to flee. however, for the purposes of this post the sentence of most interest in the london chronicle is as follows:
and that goode knyght syr wylliam lucy that dwellyd be-syde northehampton hyrde the gonne schotte, and come unto thelde to have holpyn ye kynge, but thelde was done or that he come; an one of the staffordys was ware of hys comynge, and lovyd that knyght ys wyffe and hatyd hym, and a-non causyd his dethe.
sir william was born in 1404 of dallington in northamptonshire. he was a loyal lancastrian. according to the story outline above he heard the artillery’s opening salvoes and hurried to join his monarch. he arrived at his king’s side as the battle reached its conclusion. it does beg the question that if he was that loyal why wasn’t he with the army in the first place and if he could hear the guns he certainly should have been on the scene before the end of the battle. payling in hicks observes that these discrepancies are for narrative purposes. they underline the fact that sir william lucy was minding his own business when he was unfairly murdered – on a battlefield. he also explains that the writer deliberately allows his readers to believe that both sir william and his killer were lancastrian to emphasise the magnitude of the act. in reality sir william was a lancastrian and his murderer was a yorkist. its a reminder that in the midst of national warfare individuals took the opportunity to settle local disputes and personal scores.
it turned out that sir john stafford, or his henchmen, took the opportunity to kill lucy because he happened to be the husband of the woman with whom he was having an affair. john stafford married lucy’s widow the following year. it’s not a pleasant tale. stafford it would appear had taken the opportunity to do murder on the battlefield hoping that no one would notice – except of course the account turns up in two different chronicles. sir john gained a young bride and became a wealthy man into the bargain. unfortunately for sir john he had a nasty accident at the battle of towton (march 1461)- so if he did commit murder it didn’t do him much good for very long.
margaret lucy, the lady in question, was young enough to be sir william lucy’s granddaughter. her stepfather was the earl of exeter and she was related to the montagu family through her mother – the earl of warwick was the executer of her mother’s will and margaret’s cousin. william lucy, a veteran of the hundred years war had been married before but was childless. his young bride offered the chance of a family to inherit his wealth as well as a shove up the social ladder. in the event of anything happening to her elderly spouse margaret was well provided for financially through her marriage contract.
margaret would turn out to be a popular lady given her connections and her dower manors. she had at least two more suitors and if you follow these things there’s every chance she had an affair with the young king edward iv. sir thomas more in his account of richard iii became somewhat sidetracked with edward iv’s mistresses, in particular jane shore who was actually an elizabeth which just goes to show that you can’t trust everything you read even if it is written by a saint. anyway, more mentions a dame lucy. history usually gives the dame the forename elizabeth along with the additional fact that she was arthur plantagenet, lord lisle’s mother. hicks and the author of the blog murreyandblue https://murreyandblue.wordpress.com/tag/margaret-lucy/ present the facts that edward also had an illegitimate daughter with a lady by the surname of lucy. it is usually supposed that the children have the same mother despite the fact there is a long gap between the conception of the siblings with arthur being born much later in edward iv’s reign than his daughter.
there is evidence to suggest that the daughter, a much less well documented child, who was originally thought to have the name elizabeth was actually called margaret. furthermore, evidence reveals that arthur’s mother may not have had the surname lucy at all but was actually elizabeth wayte and that the two children, usually assumed to be siblings were in fact the result of liaisons with two different women – which goes to prove that edward’s love life must have been rather complicated and either secretive or not thought to be worth keeping track of – either way it certainly keeps current historians occupied. the suggestion is that over the course of time edward’s various paramours became confused and that it was actually margaret lucy nee fitzlewis, the widow of sir william who produced a daughter who would one day marry and turn into lady lumley, having her first child in about 1478.
part of the difficulty with edward iv’s dame lucy is that her title identifies the fact that she is of the landowning class but there are no records of an elizabeth lucy in the early years of edward’s reign. in 1462 margaret, now twice widowed, was in the household of the earl of warwick. polydore vergil mentions that edward had a bit of a fling with someone in warwick’s household. as is often the case with the murkier bits of history conclusions are drawn from fragments scattered across the primary sources. none of it is particularly conclusive and the number of women and children don’t always add up – for example could the child elizabeth really be margaret or are there two different daughters? i’ve posted about edward iv’s various lady loves and illegitimate children in a earlier post which can be accessed by clicking on his picture to open a new window.
however, back to sir john stafford- the axe wielding murderer of our story. he was related to the duke of buckingham but only distantly. whereas margaret beaufort married sir henry stafford the second son of the duke of buckingham for protection after the death of edmund tudor the same cannot be said of margaret lucy. sir john was not an influential man who could offer her protection in a volatile world – the earl of warwick was a better bet as her protector. this suggests that she married for love. thanks to margaret’s wealth sir john briefly became the mp for worcestershire.
if margaret went on to have an affair with the king in the aftermath of towton she was being courted by other men at the time. payling identifies thomas danvers as one candidate for her hand. he was an oxfordshire lawyer with lancastrian tendencies. he took margaret to chancery about a loan for £300 and a breach of promise to marry. danvers claimed that margaret had been directed by her half-brother sir henry fitzlewis and that she had lied to the earl of warwick about her marital status. money did change hands between fitzlewis and danvers but then margaret entered a contract to marry thomas wake. danvers wanted his down payment back as well as £1000 on account of the fact that he argued that his contract was a bond, so if the fitzlewis family reneged on the provision of his bride he should be compensated.
the other side of the argument was that sir henry had taken twenty marks from danvers to forward his case to his half sister but that she just wasn’t interested. sir henry, it was claimed, continued to press the suit and margaret continued to refuse. it could be argued that margaret, despite her second marriage to sir john stafford, was much higher up the social ladder than danvers and that why, in a time of yorkist supremacy, would she want to marry a lancastrian in any event?
ulitmately payling reveals that margaret chivied by various bishops and excommunicated was forced to seek a ruling from pope paul ii because danvers wouldn’t let the matter rest, even after she was married to thomas wake who was most definitely a yorkist and most definitely identified the earl of warwick as his patron. if margaret was having an affair with the king it would perhaps be best if she was married and to someone loyal to the yorks.
margaret died on 4 august 1466. it is likely that she died of complications following the birth of her child. her brass, depicting her wearing a butterfly head dress identifies her husbands through their coats of arms, can now been seen in st nicholas church, ingrave near brentwood in essex.
payling concludes with a final tantalising detail. sir thomas more wrote that dame lucy was a virgin – if this is the case it is hard to see how a twice widowed margaret could meet the criteria for being more’s dame lucy – but then this post has already discussed the difficulties of keeping tabs on edward iv’s private life through the medium of chronicle fragments and sifting through the archives.
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““we* ər ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ðə ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈbəʤɪt ˈɛvəri jɪr, wɛˈræz ðə ˈsɛntrəl ˈgəvərnmənt, ˌɪrəˈspɛktɪv əv ðə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈpɑrti ɪn paʊər, həz bɪn ˈdiˌkrisɪŋ ðə pərˈsɛnɪʤ əv ˈbəʤɪt ˌæləˈkeɪʃən fər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈɛvəri jɪr" sɛd ˈmænɪʃ waɪl prɪˈzɛntɪŋ ðə ˈdɛli ˈbəʤɪt fər ðə ˈpɑrti (aap*) ˈgəvərnmənt həz ˈɔlsoʊ kleɪmd ðət ðɪs ˌæləˈkeɪʃən fər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ɪz ðə haɪəst ˈɛniˌwɛr ɪn ðə ˈkəntri. həz ðə ˈtruli ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnaɪzd ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈspɛndɪŋ ɪn ˈdɛli? ˈdætə frəm ðə ˈænjuəl ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈsteɪtmənt fər ʃoʊz ðət ðə ˈdɛli ˈbəʤɪt ˈæləˌkeɪtɪd əv ɪts ˈtoʊtəl ɪkˈspɛndɪʧər fər daʊn frəm ɪn ɛz pər rɪˈvaɪzd ˈɛstəˌmeɪts. ɪn ˈæbsəˌlut tərmz, ðɪs stændz æt, əp frəm ɪn ðə ˈpriviəs ˈfɪskəl jɪr. ðiz ˈfɪgjərz ər ə sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˌɪmˈpruvmənt kəmˈpɛrd tɪ ðə ˈpɪriəd ˌbiˈfɔr ˈgəvərnmənt wɑz fɔrmd ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri 2015 ˈstədi əv steɪt ˈfaɪˌnænsɪz ˈdɑkjəmɛnt ʃoʊz ðət ʃɛr əv ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈspɛndɪŋ həz bɪn lɛs ðən 20 sɪns ðiz stəˈtɪstɪks ˈɔlsoʊ ʃoʊ ðət ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈbəʤɪt ɪz nɑt ðə haɪəst ˈɛvər ˌæləˈkeɪʃən baɪ ə steɪt ˈdʊrɪŋ ðɪs ˈpɪriəd. ənd ˌɑˈsɑm hæd ˈæləˌkeɪtɪd ənd əv ðɛr ˈbəʤɪˌtɛri ˈspɛndɪŋ fər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ɪn (rɪˈvaɪzd ˈɛstəˌmeɪts) ənd rɪˈspɛktɪvli. tu spɛnt əv ɪts ˈbəʤɪt ɔn ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ɪn ɪt ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ə fækt ðət, ˈbəʤɪˌtɛri ˌæləˈkeɪʃən fər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən həz bɪn ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ɪn ˈdɛli ɪn ðə læst ˈdɛkeɪd. ˈkəmɪŋ ˈɪntu paʊər simz tɪ hæv ækˈsɛlərˌeɪtɪd ðɪs trɛnd. haʊ dɪz wən ɪkˈspleɪn ðɪs ˌɪnˈkris ɪn ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈspɛndɪŋ ˈəndər ðə ˈgəvərnmənt? ɪz ɪt ðə keɪs ðət ˈəðər steɪts ənd ˈsɛntər ər nɑt ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈæləˌkeɪtɪŋ mɔr ˈrisɔrsɪz tɪ ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən, ɛz ðə wʊd laɪk ˈjuˈɛs tɪ bɪˈliv? ər ɪz ˈɑpjələns ˈeɪdɪŋ ðə ˈgəvərnmənt tɪ du ˈsəmθɪŋ wɪʧ ˈəðərz du nɑt hæv ðə ˈrisɔrsɪz fər? ˈdɛli, θæŋks tɪ ɪts haɪ pər ˈkæpɪtə ˈɪnˌkəm ˈlɛvəlz, ˈʤɛnərˌeɪts mɔr ˈrɛvəˌnu ðən ɪts ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪkˈspɛndɪʧər ənd ˈɔlsoʊ rənz ə ˈsərpləs ˈbəʤɪt. stəˈtɪstɪks ʃoʊ ðət ˈfɪskəl hɛlθ həz ˌɪmˈpruvd ˈæftər ðə ˈgəvərnmənt tʊk ˈoʊvər wɪθ ˈfɪskəl ˈsərpləs ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ frəm əv ɪn tɪ ɪn stəˈtɪstɪks ʃoʊ ðət ˈtoʊtəl ˈrɛvəˌnuz wər 117 əv ɪts ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪkˈspɛndɪʧər ɪn (ˈleɪtəst jɪr fər wɪʧ ˈdætə ɪz əˈveɪləbəl), wɪʧ ɪz weɪ əˈhɛd əv ˈəðərz steɪts. ɪn laɪt əv ðiz fækts ðə bɪg kˈwɛʃən ɪz ˈwɛðər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈspɛndɪŋ ɪz rɪˈleɪtɪd tɪ states’*’ əˈbɪləˌti tɪ reɪz mɔr ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪn kəmˈpɛrəsən tɪ ðɛr ˈspɛndɪŋ? nɑt ˌnɛsəˈsɛrəli, ʃoʊz ðə ʧɑrt ˈgɪvɪn bɪˈloʊ. waɪl ˈdɛli ɪz ə klɪr ˈaʊtlaɪər ɪn ðə ˈskætər plɑt əv oʊn ˈrɛvəˌnuz ɛz ə pərˈsɛnɪʤ ʃɛr əv ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪkˈspɛndɪʧər ənd ˌæləˈkeɪʃən tɪ ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈbəʤɪˌtɛri ˈspɛndɪŋ, ˈpurər steɪts səʧ ɛz ənd ˌɑˈsɑm sim tɪ bi ˈspɛndɪŋ mɔr ɔn ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ðən steɪts səʧ ɛz ənd ˌgjuʤərˈæt, wɪʧ ər ˈeɪbəl tɪ reɪz ə haɪər ʃɛr əv ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪkˈspɛndɪʧər ɪn ˈtæksɪz. ˈsɪmələrli, ɪn ənd steɪts wɪθ haɪər oʊn ˈrɛvəˌnuz dɪd nɑt ræŋk haɪ ɪn tərmz əv ˈspɛndɪŋ ɔn ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. ˈklɪrli, ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈspɛndɪŋ ɪz ɛz məʧ ə ˈfəŋkʃən əv praɪˈɔrəti ɛz ɪt ɪz əv ˈrisɔrsɪz əˈveɪləbəl wɪθ ə steɪt ˈgəvərnmənt. ðə ˈgəvərnmənt dɪz dɪˈzərv ˈkrɛdɪt fər ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ˈspɛndɪŋ ɔn ˌæləˈkeɪʃən ˈdʊrɪŋ ɪts ˈtɛnjər. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ɪt wʊd bi rɔŋ tɪ ˈɑrgju ðət səʧ ˈspɛndɪŋ ˈlɛvəlz ər ənˈmæʧt ɪn ˈhɪstəri. ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈpɑləsiz ər ˈrɪli ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri ʃʊd bi ʤəʤd baɪ ˌɪmˈpruvmənt ɪn kˈwɑləti əv ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. stərd baɪ ðə pur ˈrɛdɪŋ skɪlz əv ˈʧɪldrən ɪn skulz, ðə ˈdɛli ˈgəvərnmənt hæd ˈəndərˌteɪkən ə kæmˈpeɪn tɪ ɛnˈhæns ðə ˈrɛdɪŋ skɪlz frəm sɛpˈtɛmbər 5 tɪ noʊˈvɛmbər 14 læst jɪr, ðə waɪər ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðɪs wik. ðə rɪˈpɔrt ˈhaɪˌlaɪts ðət ən əˈsɛsmənt ˈkɛrid aʊt baɪ ðə ˈdɛli ˈgəvərnmənt fər ˈstudənts frəm klæs 6 tɪ klæs 8 faʊnd ðət ˈoʊnli 22 ˈmænɪʤd tɪ rɛd ðɛr ˈhɪndi ˈtɛkstˌbʊk waɪl ˈoʊnli 43 kʊd rɛd ə ˈpɛrəˌgræf. waɪl ðə kæmˈpeɪn rɪˈzəltɪd ɪn ən ˌɪmˈpruvmənt ɪn ˈlərnɪŋ ˈlɛvəlz, ɪt ˈɔlsoʊ ˈmoʊtəˌveɪtəd ˈtiʧərz hu wər stək ˈtiʧɪŋ ðə ˈsɪləbəs dɪˈspaɪt noʊɪŋ ðɛr ˈstudənts kʊd nɑt rɛd, ðə rɪˈpɔrt sɛd. ˈklɪrli, waɪl ən ˌɪnˈkris ɪn ˌæləˈkeɪʃən tɪ ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ɪz moʊst ˈwɛlkəm, ɪt ɪz ˌɪmˈpɛrətɪv fər ðə ˈdɪskɔrs tɪ ʃɪft təˈwɔrdz æˈdrɛsɪŋ ˈlərnɪŋ ˈdɛfəsət ˈrəðər ðən ə mɪr kəmˈpliʃən əv ˈsɪləbəs.
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“we are increasing the education budget every year, whereas the central government, irrespective of the political party in power, has been decreasing the percentage of budget allocation for education every year" said manish sisodia while presenting the delhi government’s budget for fy 2017-18.
the aam admi party (aap) government has also claimed that this year’s allocation for education is the highest anywhere in the country. has the aap truly revolutionized education spending in delhi?
data from the annual financial statement for 2017-18, shows that the delhi budget allocated 23.5% of its total expenditure for education—slightly down from 23.9% in 2016-17, as per revised estimates. in absolute terms, this stands at rs11,300 crore, up from rs9,884 crore in the previous fiscal year. these figures are a significant improvement compared to the period before aap government was formed in february 2015.
rbi’s study of state finances document shows that share of education spending has been less than 20% since 2000-01. these statistics also show that delhi’s education budget is not the highest ever allocation by a state during this period. meghalaya and assam had allocated 27.8% and 25.5% of their budgetary spending for education in 2014-15 (revised estimates) and 2000-01, respectively. bihar too spent 23.7% of its budget on education in 2000-01. it is also a fact that, budgetary allocation for education has been increasing in delhi in the last decade. aap’s coming into power seems to have accelerated this trend.
how does one explain this increase in education spending under the aap government? is it the case that other states and centre are not interested in allocating more resources to education, as the aap would like us to believe? or is delhi’s opulence aiding the aap government to do something which others do not have the resources for?
delhi, thanks to its high per capita income levels, generates more revenue than its revenue expenditure and also runs a surplus budget. statistics show that delhi’s fiscal health has improved after the aap government took over with fiscal surplus increasing from 0.04% of gsdp in 2014-15 to 0.24% in 2015-16. rbi statistics show that delhi’s total revenues were 117% of its revenue expenditure in 2015-16 (latest year for which data is available), which is way ahead of others states.
in light of these facts the big question is whether education spending is related to states’ ability to raise more revenue in comparison to their spending? not necessarily, shows the chart given below.
while delhi is a clear outlier in the scatter plot of state’s own revenues as a percentage share of revenue expenditure and allocation to education budgetary spending, poorer states such as bihar and assam seem to be spending more on education than states such as telangana and gujarat, which are able to raise a higher share of revenue expenditure in taxes.
similarly, in 2013-14 and 2014-15, states with higher own revenues did not rank high in terms of spending on education.
clearly, education spending is as much a function of priority as it is of resources available with a state government.
the aap government does deserve credit for increasing spending on allocation during its tenure. however, it would be wrong to argue that such spending levels are unmatched in history. whether or not aap’s education policies are really revolutionary should be judged by improvement in quality of education.
stirred by the poor reading skills of children in schools, the delhi government had undertaken a campaign to enhance the reading skills from september 5 to november 14 last year, the wire reported this week. the report highlights that an assessment carried out by the delhi government for students from class 6 to class 8, found that only 22% managed to read their hindi textbook while only 43% could read a paragraph. while the campaign resulted in an improvement in learning levels, it also motivated teachers who were stuck teaching the syllabus despite knowing their students could not read, the report said.
clearly, while an increase in allocation to education is most welcome, it is imperative for the discourse to shift towards addressing learning deficit rather than a mere completion of syllabus.
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ˈænəməl, ˈvɛʤtəbəl ər ˈmɪnərəl? ˈbɪgər ðən ə ˈbrɛdˌbɑks? ˈjusfəl ər ˈdɛkrətɪv? moʊst ˈpipəl kənˈsɪdər səʧ dɪˈstɪŋkʃənz ˈoʊnli wɪn ðeɪ ər træpt ɪn ə kɑr, pleɪɪŋ 20 kˈwɛsʧənz. ɪn ə tɑm pleɪ, ðoʊ, ˈlɪtəl kˈwɛsʧənz əˈbaʊt ˈɛvriˈdeɪ θɪŋz teɪk ɔn ˈkɑzmɪk sɪgˈnɪfɪkəns. ɔn hɪz steɪʤ, ðə mɪˈnuʃiə əv rɑk mˈjuzɪk ənd ˈlænˌskeɪp ˈgɑrdənɪŋ ər ˈpərfəktli əkˈsɛptəbəl ˈspɑrɪŋ ˈpɑrtnərz fər kˈwɑntəm məˈkænɪks ənd ˈkɑmjənəst ˌaɪdiˈɑləʤi. ɪt ˈsərtənli kips θɪŋz ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ. ˈwɛðər hi həz ju ˈwəndərɪŋ wɛr ðə ˈlɪtərˌɛri sluθs əv ““arcadia,”*,” ər haʊ ðə ʧɛk ˈdɪsədɪnt ɪn ’’n’*’ roll”*” (naʊ æt ðə ˈbərnərd bi. ˈʤeɪkəbz ˈθieɪtər ɪn mænˈhætən), wɪl ɛnd əp, ɪt ɪz klɪr ðət ˈmɪstər. ləvz ə ˈlɪtəl ˈmɪstəri. hu doesn’t*? fər ˈpleɪˌraɪt ənd ˈɔdiəns əˈlaɪk, ðɛr ɪz noʊ ˈgreɪtər ˈmoʊmənt əv ˌsætɪsˈfækʃən ðən wɪn ɔl ɪz rɪˈvild. soʊ greɪt ɪn ðə ˈθieɪtər wɪn ˈɛvriˌwən ˈkæʧɪz əp ɔn ðə truth,”*,” hi sɛd. hi wʊd noʊ, ˈhævɪŋ fər 30 jɪrz ˈkɛrid ə ˈpɔrtəbəl ɪˈnɪgmə, ðə əv wɪʧ ˈoʊpənz ə səˈpraɪzɪŋli klɪr ˈwɪndoʊ ˈɪntu ðə maɪnd əv ɪts ˈpɔrtər. ðɪs ˌɪnˈtrigɪŋ lʊks ɛz ɪf ɪt ʃʊd bi ˈhændˌkəft tɪ hɪz rɪst ənd kənˈteɪn ɛnˈrɪʧt jərˈeɪniəm, ðə dɛd si skroʊlz ər ə ˈkɪdni. bət noʊ ɪt hoʊldz bʊks, ənd ˈvɛri ˈnitli, ɛz hi həz ɪkˈspleɪnd ˈkaʊntləs taɪmz tɪ ˈkjʊriəs ˈfɛloʊ ˈtrævələrz. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt kənˈtɪnju ˈrɛdɪŋ ðə meɪn ˈstɔri ˈɔlˌweɪz wɔnts tɪ noʊ wət ɪt ɪz, ənd wɛr ðeɪ kən gɪt one,”*,” hi sɛd. ðə keɪs wɑz fərst ˈspɑtɪd 30 jɪrz əˈgoʊ ɔn ə ˈbægɪʤ ˈkɛrəˌsɛl æt ˈkɛnədi ˈɛrˌpɔrt baɪ ˈmɪstər. waɪf æt ðə taɪm, ˈmɪriəm. ˈkjʊriəs, ʃi əˈproʊʧt ɪts ˈoʊnər, ə jəŋ mæn hu toʊld hər wət ɪt wɑz, ənd ðət hi hæd əbˈteɪnd ɪt frəm ðə mænˈhætən ˈləgɪʤ ˈmeɪkər ti. ˈænθɔˌni. ʃi ˈprɑmptli bɔt wən fər hər ˈhəzbənd, hu, æt list waɪl ˈtrævəlɪŋ, həz ˈskɛrsli ˈɛvər lɛt goʊ əv ɪt. ˈfoʊˌtoʊ waɪl ðə ˈkeɪsɪz wər stɪl ɪn pərˈdəkʃən ti. ˈænθɔˌni stɑpt ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðɛm, əˈlɔŋ wɪθ ˈəðər ˈpisɪz laɪk ˈsutˌkeɪs bɑrz ənd ˈtrævəlɪŋ ˈʤuəlri ˈkeɪsɪz, ɪn ðə ˈərli ˈmɪstər. geɪv ðɛm tɪ ˈsɛvərəl frɛndz ɛz ə gɪft.
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animal, vegetable or mineral? bigger than a breadbox? useful or decorative?
most people consider such distinctions only when they are trapped in a car, playing 20 questions. in a tom stoppard play, though, little questions about everyday things take on cosmic significance. on his stage, the minutiae of rock music and landscape gardening are perfectly acceptable sparring partners for quantum mechanics and communist ideology.
it certainly keeps things interesting. whether he has you wondering where the literary sleuths of “arcadia,” or how the rock-obsessed czech dissident in “rock ’n’ roll” (now at the bernard b. jacobs theater in manhattan), will end up, it is clear that mr. stoppard loves a little mystery.
who doesn’t? for playwright and audience alike, there is no greater moment of satisfaction than when all is revealed. “it’s so great in the theater when everyone catches up on the truth,” he said.
he would know, having for 30 years carried a portable enigma, the drop-front of which opens a surprisingly clear window into the mind of its porter. this intriguing valise looks as if it should be handcuffed to his wrist and contain enriched uranium, the dead sea scrolls or a kidney. but no — it holds books, and very neatly, as he has explained countless times to curious fellow travelers.
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“everyone always wants to know what it is, and where they can get one,” he said.
the case was first spotted 30 years ago on a baggage carousel at kennedy airport by mr. stoppard’s wife at the time, miriam. curious, she approached its owner, a young man who told her what it was, and that he had obtained it from the manhattan luggage maker t. anthony. she promptly bought one for her husband, who, at least while traveling, has scarcely ever let go of it.
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while the cases were still in production — t. anthony stopped making them, along with other ocean-liner-era pieces like suitcase bars and traveling jewelry cases, in the early 1980s — mr. stoppard gave them to several friends as a gift.
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wən deɪ ðə ɪˈlɛktərəl ˌɛrɪθˈmɛtɪk wɪl tərn əˈgɛnst, ənd hi wɪl nid tɪ riʧ aʊt tɪ ˈvoʊtərz ɪn ðə ˈsɛntər. ðət taɪm kʊd bi ˈsunər ðən hi θɪŋks, raɪts ˈælən ɪn ðə tɪ ˈloʊkəl ɪˈlɛkʃənz læst ˈwiˌkɪnd, ðɛr wər priˈdɪkʃənz ðət ðə praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər,, wʊd gɪt ə slæp ɪn ðə feɪs frəm ðə ˈvoʊtərz, ˈsɪgnəlɪŋ ðə dɪˈklaɪn əv hɪz ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən. læst ˈsəmər, strit ˈproʊˌtɛsts ˈoʊvər hɪz plænz tɪ ridɪˈvɛləp pɑrk ðə ˈsɪti əv ˌɪstɑnˈbul. hɪz ˌdɪsrɪˈgɑrd fər ə bɔɪ hu wɑz ʃɑt ɪn ðə kɔrs əv ðə ˈproʊˌtɛsts ənd ˈleɪtər daɪd ʃɑkt pəˈlaɪt əˈpɪnjən. wɪθ ˈmɪstər ˈtaɪtənɪŋ hɪz grɪp ɔn ðə ˈmidiə, ə ˈdɛljuʤ əv əˈpɛrəntli ˌɪnˈkrɪməˌneɪtɪŋ teɪps səˈʤɛstɪŋ kərˈəpʃən ənd ˈkroʊniˌɪzəm æt ðə tɔp əv ðə ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən ˈflədɪd ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt. jɛt ˈmɪstər ˈimərʤd vɪkˈtɔriəs, ˈgeɪnɪŋ 45 pər sɛnt əv ðə voʊt, əˈgɛnst 38 pər sɛnt ɪn 2009 ðoʊ ðɪs wɑz ˈoʊnli ə ˈloʊkəl ɪˈlɛkʃən, ˈmɪstər tʊk ɪt ɛz ə ˈnæʃənəl voʊt əv ˈkɑnfədɛns. hɪz ˈvɪktəri spiʧ, ɪn wɪʧ hi ˈhɪnɪd ˈdɑrkli æt ˈvɛnʤəns ɔn hɪz pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈɛnəmiz, wɑz ə klɪr saɪn ðət hi bɪˈlivd ðə voʊt hæd wɑʃt əˈweɪ ðə ˌæləˈgeɪʃənz əˈgɛnst hɪz ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən. ðə rɪˈzəlt həz tu ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ˈlɛsənz wɪθ sɪgˈnɪfɪkəns bɪɔnd ðə ˈbɔrdərz əv ˈtərki. ðə fərst ɪz ðət ðə roʊl əv ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə gɪts ɪgˈzæʤərˌeɪtɪd baɪ prɛs ˈkəvərɪʤ. tˈwɪtər ɪz ən ɪˈlit ˈhæbət ɪn ˈtərki: ˈoʊnli 15 pər sɛnt əv ðə ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən juz ɪt, ənd ðeɪ ər ðə ˈərbən ɪˈlit. ðɛr wɑz ˈaʊˌtreɪʤ wɪn ˈmɪstər traɪd tɪ kət ɔf ˈækˌsɛs tɪ tˈwɪtər ənd ˈjuˌtub ɪn ðə tɪ ðə ɪˈlɛkʃən, bət ðə smɑrt ˈərbən prəˈfɛʃənəlz wər ˈnɛvər goʊɪŋ tɪ voʊt fər ɪm. ðə praɪm ˈstrætəʤi wɑz tɪ ˌɪgˈnɔr ðə kəmˈjunɪti ənd ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ˈboʊlstərɪŋ hɪz səˈpɔrt əˈməŋ ðə ˌtuˈθərdz əv ðə ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən hu ər rɪˈlɪʤəsli kənˈsərvətɪv ənd ˈrɛlətɪvli pur. ðeɪ keɪm aʊt tɪ voʊt fər ɪm, ˈtrəstɪŋ ɪm tɪ rən ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi ənd stɪr ðə ˈkəntri æt ə taɪm əv groʊɪŋ ˈriʤənəl ənˈsərtənti ðə wɔr ɪn ˈsɪriə tɪ ðə saʊθ, ˈrəʃən ɪkˈspænʧəˌnɪzəm tɪ ðə nɔrθ ɪn kraɪˈmiə, ənd ðə ˈfərmɛnt əˈməŋ ðə ˈkərdɪʃ ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən boʊθ ˌɪnˈsaɪd ˈtərki ənd bɪɔnd ɪts ˈbɔrdərz. ðə ˈsɛkənd ˈlɛsən ɪz ðət ðə greɪt klæs dɪˈvaɪd ɪn ˈtərki ənd ˈmɛni ˈəðər ˈkəntriz æt ðə seɪm steɪʤ əv dɪˈvɛləpmənt ɪz bɪtˈwin ðə ˈɛʤəˌkeɪtɪd ɪˈlit ɪn ðə bɪg ˈsɪtiz ˈvoʊkəl, ˌsɛlfˈkɑnfədənt ənd wɪθ ə dɪˈrɛkt laɪn tɪ ðə ˈmidiə ənd ðə məˈʤɔrəti hu lʊk tɪ ə ˈlidər tɪ lɪft ðɛm frəm ˈpɑvərti. ðə rɪˈzəlt ɪz ðət ðə strits əv ðə ˈkæpɪtəl kən bi kənˈtroʊld baɪ ˈfɔrsɪz ˈhɑstəl tɪ ðə ɪˈlɛktɪd ˈgəvərnmənt. ðɪs ɪz ə trɛnd ðət kən bi sin frəm ˈmɔˌskaʊ tɪ ˈbæŋkɑk ənd kərˈɑkəs. ɪn pæst ˈdɛkeɪdz, ˈgəvərnmənts fɪrd ðə ˈvɛnʤəns əv ðə mɑb. ðə ˈsɪti əv ˈpɛrɪs wɑz leɪd aʊt wɪθ brɔd ˈbʊləˌvɑrdz ənd ˈæmpəl skwɛrz tɪ əˈlaʊ pəˈlis ə dɪˈrɛkt laɪn əv faɪər æt ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri ˈfɔrsɪz. ðiz deɪz, wɪθ ðə sprɛd əv ˌwəˈmæn one-vote*, ˈgəvərnmənts ər mɔr ˈlaɪkli tɪ feɪs pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən frəm ðə pɑʃ ˈpipəl ðən ðə ˈrægəd ˈmæsɪz. ɪn ˈmɔˌskaʊ, ɑrˈtɪkjəˌleɪt kraʊdz əv tɛnz əv ˈθaʊzənz tʊk tɪ ðə strits ɪn tɪ ˈproʊˌtɛst ˈoʊvər vˈlædəmɪr rɪˈtərn tɪ paʊər ɪn ən əˈpɛrəntli rɪgd ɪˈlɛkʃən. ɪt ɪz ˌɪndɪˈspjutəbəl ðət ˈmɪstər ˈputɪn həz lɔst ðə səˈpɔrt əv ðə məˈʤɔrəti ɪn ðə ˈkæpɪtəl, wɛr ˈɪnˌkəmz fɑr ɪkˈsid ðoʊz ɪn ðə ˈprɑvənsəz, bət ðiz ˈproʊˌtɛsts, ənd ðə əˈkəmpəniɪŋ ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə ˈkəvərɪʤ, ˈhɑrdli ˈdɛntɪd hɪz ˈstændɪŋ ˈoʊvərˌɔl. hɪz poʊl ˈreɪtɪŋz ˈnɛvər drɑpt bɪˈloʊ 60 pər sɛnt ənd naʊ, θæŋks tɪ ˈsizɪŋ kraɪˈmiə frəm juˈkreɪn, ðeɪ ər əp tɪ 80 pər sɛnt. ðə taɪ ˈkæpɪtəl, ˈbæŋkɑk, həz bɪn ˈʃeɪkən fər ðə pæst eɪt jɪrz baɪ ə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈstrəgəl bɪtˈwin ðə ˌmɛtrəˈpɑlətən ˈmɪdəl klæs (ðə ˈjɛloʊ ʃərts) ənd ˈpipəl ˈmoʊstli frəm ðə nɪˈglɛktɪd ˈprɑvənsəz (ðə rɛd ʃərts) hu səˈpɔrt ðə ˈaʊstɪd praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər,, ənd hɪz ˈsɪstər, yingluck*, ðə ˌɪnˈkəmbənt. waɪl ðə ˈfæməli gɪts ðə voʊts, ðə kɔrts sim tɪ ˈfeɪvər ðə ɪˈlit ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən. ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈfoʊkɪs ɪz ə 4 ˈbɪljən (dh14.7bn*) ə jɪr raɪs ˈsəbsɪdi ðət brɪŋz ɪn ðə voʊts ɪn pur pɑrts əv ðə ˈkəntri bət wɪʧ ðə ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən sɪz əˈmaʊnts tɪ ə ˌdɛrəˈlɪkʃən əv ˈduti. ɪn kərˈɑkəs, ðə ˈbɛrəˌkeɪdz ər əp əraʊnd ðə ˈmɪdəl klæs ˈɛriəz ɛz ðə ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən maʊnts ˈproʊˌtɛsts tɪ ɔn ðə ˈfeɪdɪŋ ˈfɔrʧənz əv ˈnɪkɔləs maduro*, ðə ˈləkləs səkˈsɛsər tɪ ðə kɛrɪzˈmætɪk ˈsoʊʃəlɪst, ˈjugoʊ ˈʧæˌvɛz, hu daɪd læst jɪr ˈlivɪŋ ðə ɪˈkɑnəmi ɪn ˈtætərz. ˈsɪmələr ˈfɔrsɪz ər æt wərk ɪn juˈkreɪn, wɛr ˈpɑpjələr ˈproʊˌtɛsts əˈgɛnst ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ɪn ðə ˈkæpɪtəl, kiɛv, hæv ˈɛbəd ənd floʊd sɪns ðə 2004 ˈɔrɪnʤ ˌrɛvəˈluʃən. bət ˈivɪn ðə səkˈsɛs əv ðət rɪˈvoʊlt ɪn prɪˈvɛnɪŋ ˈvɪktər biɪŋ ɪˈlɛktɪd tɪ ðə ˈprɛzɪdənsi feɪld tɪ ʧeɪnʤ ðə ɪˈlɛktərəl ˌɛrɪθˈmɛtɪk. hi wɑz ˈvoʊtɪd ɪn ɛz ˈprɛzɪdənt, baɪ kwaɪt ˈligəl minz, ɪn 2010 ˈoʊnli tɪ bi ˈtɑpəld əˈgɛn ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri. pərˈhæps ˈiʤɪpt ɪz ðə moʊst ˈseɪljənt ɪgˈzæmpəl əv ðə dɪskəˈnɛkt bɪtˈwin ðə ˈkæpɪtəl ənd ðə ˈkəntriˌsaɪd. ə ˈnɛtˌwərkt ˌrɛvəˈluʃən wɪθ ˈmæsɪv ˈmidiə səˈpɔrt səkˈsidɪd ɪn riˈmuvɪŋ ə ˈprɛzɪdənt, ˈhɔsni muˈbɑrɪk, hu ʃʊd hæv rɪˈtaɪrd lɔŋ ˌbiˈfɔr. bət ˈsəbsəkwənt ɪˈvɛnts hæv pruvd ðət ðə ˈpipəl hu ˈspɪˌrhɛdɪd ðə ˌrɛvəˈluʃən wər ɪn noʊ weɪ ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnətɪv əv ðə ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən æt lɑrʤ. ðə ˈlɛsənz drɔn frəm ðiz ɪˈvɛnts baɪ ˈmɪstər ər ˈsɪmpəl, bət nɑt ðə raɪt wənz. ɪf ðə ɪˈlɛktərəl ˌɛrɪθˈmɛtɪk ɪz ɔn jʊr saɪd, ju kən ˌɪgˈnɔr ðə ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən ənd ðə ˈpipəl ˈʃaʊtɪŋ ɪn ðə strit. ðə ˈpərpəs əv kæmˈpeɪnɪŋ ɪz tɪ gɪt jʊr kɔr ˈvoʊtərz tɪ tərn aʊt. ðɪs ˈprɪnsəpəl ɪz kɔld ðə ˈtɪrəni əv ðə məˈʤɔrəti. ðɪs wərks fər ˈmɪstər naʊ, bət ɪt ɪz nɑt səˈsteɪnəbəl ɪn ðə ˈlɔŋˈtərm. dɪˈmɑkrəsi, tɪ wɪʧ ˈmɪstər ˈrɛgjələrli ɪkˈsprɛsɪz əˈliʤəns, ɪz əˈbaʊt mɔr ðən ˈkaʊntɪŋ voʊts. ɪt ʃʊd teɪk ˈɪntu əˈkaʊnt əˈbaɪdɪŋ ˈprɪnsəpəlz səʧ ɛz ˈfridəm əv ɪkˈsprɛʃən ənd ə ˈmɑdɪkəm əv rɪˈspɛkt fər ðə ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən. æt ðə ˈmoʊmənt ˈmɪstər siz ˈtrɛʧəri ɔl əraʊnd. bət wət ˈhæpənz wɪn hɪz ˈmæʤɪk təʧ ˈdɛzərts ɪm? groʊθ reɪts ər ˈfɑlɪŋ, ənd hɪz ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈmɑdəl əv fɪˈnænsɪŋ kənˈsəmʃən wɪθ ˈfɔrən ˈbɑroʊɪŋ ɪz ˈlʊkɪŋ ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈrɪski. wən deɪ ðə ɪˈlɛktərəl ˌɛrɪθˈmɛtɪk wɪl tərn əˈgɛnst ɪm, ənd hi wɪl nid tɪ riʧ aʊt tɪ ˈvoʊtərz ɪn ðə ˈsɛntər. ðət taɪm kʊd bi ˈsunər ðən hi θɪŋks. ˈælən ɪz ə ˈkɑmənˌteɪtər ɔn ˈgloʊbəl əˈfɛrz ɔn tˈwɪtər:
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one day the electoral arithmetic will turn against erdogan, and he will need to reach out to voters in the centre. that time could be sooner than he thinks, writes alan philps
in the run-up to turkey’s local elections last weekend, there were predictions that the prime minister, recep tayyip erdogan, would get a slap in the face from the voters, signalling the decline of his administration. last summer, street protests over his plans to redevelop gezi park convulsed the city of istanbul. his disregard for a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the course of the protests and later died shocked polite opinion. with mr erdogan tightening his grip on the media, a deluge of apparently incriminating tapes suggesting corruption and cronyism at the top of the administration flooded the internet.
yet mr erdogan emerged victorious, gaining 45 per cent of the vote, against 38 per cent in 2009. though this was only a local election, mr erdogan took it as a national vote of confidence. his victory speech, in which he hinted darkly at vengeance on his political enemies, was a clear sign that he believed the vote had washed away the allegations against his administration.
the result has two important lessons with significance beyond the borders of turkey. the first is that the role of social media gets exaggerated by press coverage. twitter is an elite habit in turkey: only 15 per cent of the population use it, and they are the news-hungry urban elite. there was outrage when mr erdogan tried to cut off access to twitter and youtube in the run-up to the election, but the smart urban professionals were never going to vote for him.
the prime minister’s strategy was to ignore the tweeting community and focus on bolstering his support among the two-thirds of the population who are religiously conservative and relatively poor. they came out to vote for him, trusting him to run the economy and steer the country at a time of growing regional uncertainty the war in syria to the south, russian expansionism to the north in crimea, and the ferment among the kurdish population both inside turkey and beyond its borders.
the second lesson is that the great class divide in turkey and many other countries at the same stage of development is between the educated elite in the big cities vocal, self-confident and with a direct line to the media and the majority who look to a leader to lift them from poverty. the result is that the streets of the capital can be controlled by forces hostile to the elected government. this is a trend that can be seen from moscow to bangkok and caracas.
in past decades, governments feared the vengeance of the mob. the city of paris was laid out with broad boulevards and ample squares to allow police a direct line of fire at revolutionary forces. these days, with the spread of one-man one-vote, governments are more likely to face organised political opposition from the posh people than the ragged masses.
in moscow, articulate crowds of tens of thousands took to the streets in 2011-12 to protest over vladimir putin’s return to power in an apparently rigged election. it is indisputable that mr putin has lost the support of the majority in the capital, where incomes far exceed those in the provinces, but these protests, and the accompanying social media coverage, hardly dented his standing overall. his poll ratings never dropped below 60 per cent and now, thanks to seizing crimea from ukraine, they are up to 80 per cent.
the thai capital, bangkok, has been shaken for the past eight years by a political struggle between the metropolitan middle class (the yellow shirts) and people mostly from the neglected provinces (the red shirts) who support the ousted prime minister, thaksin shinawatra, and his sister, yingluck, the incumbent. while the shinawatra family gets the votes, the courts seem to favour the elite opposition. the current focus is a $4 billion (dh14.7bn) a year rice subsidy that brings in the votes in poor parts of the country but which the opposition says amounts to a dereliction of duty.
in caracas, the barricades are up around the middle class areas as the opposition mounts protests to capitalise on the fading fortunes of nicolas maduro, the luckless successor to the charismatic socialist, hugo chavez, who died last year leaving the economy in tatters.
similar forces are at work in ukraine, where popular protests against the government in the capital, kiev, have ebbed and flowed since the 2004 orange revolution. but even the success of that revolt in preventing viktor yanukovich being elected to the presidency failed to change the electoral arithmetic. he was voted in as president, by quite legal means, in 2010, only to be toppled again in february.
perhaps egypt is the most salient example of the disconnect between the capital and the countryside. a networked revolution with massive media support succeeded in removing a president, hosni mubarak, who should have retired long before. but subsequent events have proved that the people who spearheaded the revolution were in no way representative of the population at large.
the lessons drawn from these events by mr erdogan are simple, but not the right ones. if the electoral arithmetic is on your side, you can ignore the opposition and the people shouting in the street. the purpose of campaigning is to get your core voters to turn out. this principle is called majoritarianism the tyranny of the majority.
this works for mr erdogan now, but it is not sustainable in the long-term. democracy, to which mr erdogan regularly expresses allegiance, is about more than counting votes. it should take into account abiding principles such as freedom of expression and a modicum of respect for the opposition.
at the moment mr erdogan sees treachery all around. but what happens when his magic touch deserts him? turkey’s growth rates are falling, and his economic model of financing consumption with foreign borrowing is looking increasingly risky. one day the electoral arithmetic will turn against him, and he will need to reach out to voters in the centre. that time could be sooner than he thinks.
alan philps is a commentator on global affairs
on twitter: @aphilps
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ˈstændɪŋ fərm: ˈglædɪs hoʊps treɪnz wɪl ˈkɛri 1300 ˈpipəl. əlˈkɑk ðɪs ɪz ə ˈstɔri əˈbaʊt ðə ˈrædɪkəl plæn tɪ ˈriˈmeɪk treɪn ˈsɪstəm ðət həz ˈɛkspərts ɪn ðə fild ənˈnərvd. ðeɪ ər ənˈnərvd bɪˈkəz əv ðə plæn ðeɪ ər ˈɔlsoʊ dɪˈstərbd bɪˈkəz ðə ˈgəvərnmənt həz dən soʊ ˈlɪtəl tɪ ˈʤəstəˌfaɪ prəˈpoʊzəlz wɪʧ, ɪn ə ˈdɛkeɪd ər soʊ, wʊd hæv treɪn ˈsɪstəm ˈbroʊkən əp, æt list hæf əv ɪt privatised*, ənd ə nu ˈsɪstəm ˈjuzɪŋ sˈmɔlər treɪnz ˌɪntrəˈdust ðət wɪl ˈɔfər fjuər sits fər kəmˈjutərz ˈtrævəlɪŋ tɪ wərk frəm fɑr aʊt ɪn ðə ˈsəbərbz. ðə fɪr ɪz ðət dɪˈsɪʒənz ər naʊ biɪŋ lɑkt ɪn ðət kʊd ənˈnɛsəˌsɛrəli rɪˈtɑrd ðə dɪˈvɛləpmənt əv treɪn ˈsɪstəm fər ə ər mɔr. ðə əˈsərʃən baɪ ˈtrænspɔrt ˈmɪnɪstər ˈglædɪs ənd hər dɪˈpɑrtmənt ɪz ðət ðeɪ ər ˈpeɪvɪŋ ðə weɪ fər ðə fˈjuʧər ðə ˈsɪti nidz. wət bɪˈkəmz əˈpɛrənt æt, ər ɪn ə ˈfæktəri ɔn ðə ˈaʊtˌskərts əv ðə ˈsɪti oʊnd ənd ˈɑpərˌeɪtəd baɪ ðə ˌɪnˈdəstriəl kənˈglɑmərət, ɪz ðət ɔl sɔrts əv treɪnz kən bi bɪlt tɪ du ɔl sɔrts əv θɪŋz. æt, wɪʧ ˈfɛrˌfæks ˈmidiə tʊrd æt ðə ɪkˈspɛns əv, ðeɪ meɪk trains’’*’’ fər ðə ˈsɪti əv nænts ðət rən sˈloʊli θru ðə ˈsɪti ˈsɛntər, spid əp wɪn ðeɪ hɪt ðə ˈsəbərbz, ənd ər səm əv ðə fju træmz ɪn ðə wərld tɪ hæv ˈtɔɪləts ɔn meɪk ˈmɛˌtroʊ treɪnz ðət rən wɪˈθaʊt ˈdraɪvərz ɔn ɪn ðə ˈsɛntər əv ˈpɛrɪs. ðɪs ɪz ðə laɪn wɪθ ðə moʊst ˈbəsəl ɪn ðə ˈsɪti treɪnz nid tɪ rən ˈɛvəri tu ˈmɪnəts ɪn ðə pik aʊər lɛst ˈplætˌfɔrmz bɪˈkəm ˌoʊvərˈwɛlmd wɪθ ˈpæsənʤərz. bət ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ meɪk ðə lɑrʤ treɪnz, ˈsɪmələr tɪ ðə wənz wi kæʧ ɪn ˈsɪdni, ðət ər ˈɔlsoʊ juzd ɪn ˈpɛrɪs. ðiz treɪnz ər juzd ɔn ə ˈdɪfərənt laɪn ðə ə laɪn ðət ˈriʧɪz dip ˈɪntu ðə ˈpɛrɪs ˈsəbərbz ənd teɪks ɪts ˈpæsənʤərz ɔn ˈlɔŋgər ˈʤərniz. ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, ðə taɪp əv ˈtrævəl ˈmɛni ˈsɪdni kəmˈjutərz ˈəndərˌteɪk. bət ɪn ˈsɪdni, ðɪs ˈsɪstəm ɪz tɪ bi rɪpt əˈpɑrt. ðə nuəst ɪkˈstɛnʃən əv treɪn ˈsɪstəm, ðə reɪl lɪŋk ˈhɛdɪŋ aʊt tɪ raʊz hɪl, wɪl bi dəg wɪθ ˈtənəlz tu smɔl tɪ ˈɛvər fɪt treɪnz. ɪn taɪm, ðə ˈgəvərnmənt wɔnts tɪ lɪŋk ðɪs reɪl lɪŋk tɪ laɪnz saʊθ əv ðə ˈhɑrbər ðət kəˈnɛkt tɪ ənd. ðɪs minz ðət, ʃʊd ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ɪts plæn, ðiz ˈsɛkʃənz əv ðə laɪn ənd ðə laɪn wɪl bi rən baɪ ðə seɪm ˈpraɪvət ˈɑpərˌeɪtər ɛz ðə laɪn, ənd wɪl bi ˈlɪmɪtɪd tɪ ˈɔfərɪŋ sˈmɔlər treɪnz wɪθ fjuər smɔl ˈtənəlz ɪn ðə wi ər ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ə ˈmitər ər soʊ ˈdɪfərəns hir dɪˈmænd ðət ˈpipəl frəm ənd wɪl wən deɪ bi ˈtrævəlɪŋ ɔn sˈmɔlər treɪnz. fæst, treɪnz wɪθ θri dɔrz pər ˈkɛrəʤ kən loʊd ənd ənˈloʊd ˈpipəl ə lɔt ˈfæstər. kiθ stɪl ɪz ən ˈɛkspərt ɔn ˈmænəʤɪŋ kraʊdz, ənd kənˈsəltɪd tɪ wɪn ɪt wɑz ˈplænɪŋ wət sɔrts əv treɪnz tɪ rən ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈsɪdni oʊˈlɪmpɪks. ɛz pɑrt əv ðɪs wərk, hi wɑz æst tɪ bɪld ˈmɑdəlz tɪ ʃoʊ ðə riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp bɪtˈwin haʊ lɔŋ treɪnz spɛnt æt ə ˈsteɪʃən, ðɛr dwɛl taɪm, ənd ˈwɛðər ðeɪ wər ˈsɪŋgəl dɛk ər ˈdəbəl dɛk. prəˈfɛsər stɪl, frəm bəks nu ˌjunəˈvərsəti ɪn ˈbrɪtən, sɛd hi faʊnd treɪnz mɔr ɪˈfɪʃənt, ˈhævɪŋ ˈbɛtər taɪmz, mɔr sits, mɔr ˈkəmfərt fər ˈlɔŋgər distances,’’*,’’ ɔn hɪz modelling*. ɪt ɪz ðət ðeɪ ər goʊɪŋ tɪ ɪkˈsklud ðə ɪf ðeɪ bɪld ðə ˈtənəlz fər only,’’*,’’ hi sɛd. prəˈfɛsər stɪl maɪt bi rɔŋ. bət wət ˌɪnfˈjʊriˌeɪts ˈmɛni ɪn ðə ˈɪndəstri ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈpəblɪk ˈtrænspɔrt ˈædvəˌkeɪts ɪz ðət ənd ˈtrænspɔrt fər hæv ˈnɛvər traɪd tɪ pruv ðɛr oʊn keɪs wɪθ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈəðər ðən bɔld əˈsərʃən. ju ʧeɪnʤ θɪŋz ɪn ə ˌfəndəˈmɛnəl weɪ ju hæv tɪ bi ˈoʊpən əˈbaʊt ɪt ənd ʃoʊ ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk evaluation,’’*,’’ sɛd nil ˈdəgləs, ə ˈtrænspɔrt ɪˈkɑnəmɪst hu wərkt ɔn ðə ərˈɪʤənəl əˈpreɪzəl əv ðə reɪl lɪŋk. simz tɪ bi ə dɪˈgri əv ˈsikrəsi ɪn tərmz əv əˈpreɪzəl processes,’’*,’’ ˈdɑktər ˈdəgləs sɛd. ðə hoʊl aɪˈdiə əv duɪŋ ən ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ɪˌvæljuˈeɪʃən ɪz tɪ ˈprɛzənt ðə rɪˈzəlts tɪ ðə ˈpəblɪk ˈəltəmətli ðə ˈpipəl huz ˈvæljuz ən ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ɪˌvæljuˈeɪʃən ɪz bɪlt on.’’*.’’ ðɛr ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ groʊɪŋ ˈloʊkəl dɪskˈwaɪət. ə ˈsərˌveɪ baɪ ðə ˈsɪvɪk trəst ʃoʊd 97 pər sɛnt əv rɪˈspɑndənts θɔt ðə reɪl lɪŋk ʃʊd bi ˈfʊli kəmˈpætəbəl wɪθ ðə rɛst əv ðə treɪn ˈnɛtˌwərk, ənd 96 pər sɛnt θɔt ðə ˈtənəlz ʃʊd nɑt bi tu smɔl fər treɪnz. ɪn ə rɪˈspɑns fər ðɪs ˈstɔri, ˈtrænspɔrt fər sɛd ɪt ən ɪkˈstɛnsɪv ˈstədi əv ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ treɪn ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz ɪn ˈsɪdni, ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli haʊ dwɛl taɪm æt ˈsteɪʃənz ˈlɪmɪts treɪn capacity’’*’’ ɪn dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ɪts reɪl plæn. bət ɪt wʊd nɑt prəˈvaɪd ˈɛni səˈpɔrtɪŋ ˌdɑkjəmɛnˈteɪʃən. ɪt sɪz nu treɪnz wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈkɛri tɪ 1300 people’’*’’ iʧ ənd ðə ˈsɪstəm wɪl bi ˈeɪbəl tɪ rən æt 30 treɪnz ən aʊər. ɪn ˈkɑntræst, ɪt sɪz, ðə nu treɪnz kən ˈkərəntli ˈkɛri əˈbaʊt 1200 ˈpipəl æt əp tɪ 20 treɪnz pər hour’’*’’. ə ˈvɪzɪt tɪ meɪks ɪt ˈdɪfəkəlt tɪ əkˈsɛpt ðiz ˈnəmbərz. ðə treɪnz ɪz ˈmeɪkɪŋ fər paris’*’ æt, wɪʧ hæv ˈvɛri fju sits, ˈkɛri əˈbaʊt 720 ˈpipəl ɪn sɪks kɑz, wɪθ fjuər ðən 150 ˈsɪtɪŋ. ˈminˌwaɪl, ðə treɪnz ɪt ɪz ˈmeɪkɪŋ fər ðə ə laɪn ðə wən ðət teɪks ˈpipəl frəm ðə ˈsəbərbz lɔŋ ˈdɪstənsɪz θru ðə ˈsɪti ˈkɛri 2600 ˈpipəl, wɪθ əˈbaʊt 950 ˈsitɪd. (ðɛr ər fjuər sits ɔn paris’*’ treɪnz ðən ɪn ˈsɪdni, bɪˈkəz iʧ ˈkɛrəʤ həz ə θərd dɔr ɔn iʧ saɪd tɪ meɪk ɪt ˈiziər fər ˈpipəl tɪ gɪt ɔn ənd ɔf. ˌnɛvərðəˈlɛs, ə ˈrisənt ˈsərˌveɪ əv kəmˈjutərz ɔn ə faʊnd 88 pər sɛnt θɔt ðə nuəst treɪnz wər mɔr ˈplɛzənt ðən ˈəðər taɪps əv ˈroʊlɪŋ stɑk.) ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, ɪf ˈtrænspɔrt fər ɪz tɪ bi bɪˈlivd, ðə treɪnz ɪt wɪl baɪ fər ðə reɪl lɪŋk wɪl ˈkɛri ˈɔlˌmoʊst twaɪs ðə ˈnəmbər əv ˈpipəl ɛz ðə ˈbɪziəst treɪn ɔn ðə ˈpɛrɪs ˈmɛˌtroʊ. ənd ˈivɪn nu hɛd əv ˈsɪdni treɪnz dɪz nɑt əkˈsɛpt ɪt ɪz ˈpɑsəbəl tɪ rən 20 ˈoʊnli treɪnz ən aʊər. mi bi ə ˈlɪtəl bɪt ˌkɑntrəˈvərʃəl hir, bɪˈkəz gɑt tɪ bi ə bit,’’*,’’ haʊərd ˈkɑlɪnz, ðə ˈləndənər ˈnuli ˌɪnˈstɔld tɪ rən treɪn ˈsɪstəm, toʊld ə ˈbɪznɪs lənʧ læst wik. treɪnz goʊ tɪ ˈpɛrɪs si haʊ ðə paʊnz ðoʊz treɪnz æt 24 treɪnz ən hour,’’*,’’ hi sɛd. dɪˈzaɪn ɪz ˈdɪfərənt, stɪl ˈdəbəl dɛk, bət ðɛr ər solutions.’’*.’’ ˈkɑlɪnz kəmˈjuts tɪ ðə ˈsɪti frəm ɪn ðə ˈsəðərlənd ʃaɪr. ðə kəmˈjut maɪt ɪkˈspleɪn hɪz groʊɪŋ əˈfɛkʃən fər treɪnz wɪθ mɔr sits. θɔt ˌɪˈnɪʃəli, wət ər ðeɪ duɪŋ wɪθ ɔl ðiz treɪnz? sɔrt əv bɪˈkəm ə ˈlɪtəl bɪt wɔrm tɪ ðɛm already.’’*.’’ soʊ waɪ, ðɛn, ɪz ənd hər dɪˈpɑrtmənt soʊ dɪˈtərmənd tɪ breɪk əp treɪn ˈsɪstəm ənd ˌɪnˈstɔl sˈmɔlər treɪnz? ʃi sɪz ðə ˈænsər ɪz ðət ɪt wɪl ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli dɪˈlɪvər ə kəˈpæsɪti ˌɪnˈkris. ‘‘‘‘fast*, treɪnz wɪθ θri dɔrz pər ˈkɛrəʤ kən loʊd ənd ənˈloʊd ˈpipəl ə lɔt ˈfæstər ðən treɪnz ðət minz wi kən rən mɔr treɪnz, rən ˈfæstər ˈsərvɪsɪz, ənd ˈkɛri mɔr ˈpipəl pər aʊər ðən wɪθ trains,’’*,’’ sɛd. ˈsændi ˈtɑməs, ə kənˈsəltənt tɪ ˈtrænspɔrt bjʊˈrɑkrəsi, sɪz ðə ðə pʊʃ fər treɪnz rɪˈflɛkts ə ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən əˈməŋ ˈmɛni ˈpəblɪk ˈsərvənts ənd kənˈsəltənts. ˈtɑməs wɔrnz ðə dɪˈsɪʒən tɪ riˈstrɪkt ˈsərvɪsɪz ɔn ðə reɪl lɪŋk tɪ smɔl treɪnz wɪl bi rɪˈmɛmbərd wɪθ ðə seɪm dɪsˈdeɪn ɛz ðə 1855 dɪˈsɪʒən tɪ sɛt əp ˈdɪfərənt reɪl ˈgeɪʤɪz ɪn iʧ ɔˈstreɪljən ˈkɑləni. ɪt wɪl dɪˈstrɔɪ ðə koʊˈhiʒən, interoperability*, ˌɪnˈtɛgrəti, riˌlaɪəˈbɪləti, kəˈpæsɪti ənd ɪˈfɪʃənsi əv reɪl network,’’*,’’ sɪz ˈtɑməs, hu sɪz hi wɑz æst tɪ fəʤ ðə ˈfɪgjərz ɔn treɪnz waɪl ˈwərkɪŋ fər ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt ɪn 2009 bət ɪz nɑt fər ˈtərnɪŋ. reɪl lɪŋk ənd ðə nu ˈræpɪd ˈtrænzɪt ˈnɛtˌwərk wɪʧ ˌɪnˈkludz ə ˈsɛkənd ˈhɑrbər reɪl ˈkrɔsɪŋ ər biɪŋ bɪlt tɪ ˈkeɪtər fər fˈjuʧər groʊθ ənd wɪl dɪˈlɪvər ˈmeɪʤər ˈbɛnəfɪts fər ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˈsɪdni reɪl ˈnɛtˌwərk wɛl ˈɪntu ðə future,’’*,’’ ʃi sɛd ɪn ən iˈmeɪld rɪˈspɑns fər ðɪs ˈstɔri. ɪn, ˈminˌwaɪl, ðeɪ ər ˈwərkɪŋ ɔn ə ˈproʊtoʊˌtaɪp fər ə nu treɪn tɪ rən ɔn i laɪn, wɛr ðə treɪnz ər bɪˈkəmɪŋ ˈoʊvərˌkraʊdɪd. gʊd θɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈpɛrɪs ɪz ðət səm ˈpipəl θɔt weɪ əˈhɛd ənd wi hæd ðə ˈtənəlz ˈrɛdi tɪ əˈkɑməˌdeɪt fər trains,’’*,’’ ən ɪmˈplɔɪi, ˌoʊˈlɪˌviˌeɪ quindos*, sɛd ɔn ə ˈrisənt saɪt tʊr əv ðə ˈfæktəri. tɪ treɪnz ɪz ə bɪt əv ə rɪˈlif fər ðə commuters.’’*.’’
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standing firm: gladys berejiklian hopes single-deck trains will carry 1300 people. credit:james alcock this is a story about the government’s radical plan to remake sydney’s train system that has experts in the field unnerved. they are unnerved because of the plan itself.but they are also disturbed because the government has done so little to justify proposals which, in a decade or so, would have sydney’s train system broken up, at least half of it privatised, and a new system using smaller trains introduced that will offer fewer seats for commuters travelling to work from far out in the suburbs. the fear is that decisions are now being locked in that could unnecessarily retard the development of sydney’s train system for a half-century or more. the assertion by transport minister gladys berejiklian and her department is that they are paving the way for the future the city needs. what becomes apparent at valenciennes, or in a factory on the outskirts of the city owned and operated by the industrial conglomerate alstom, is that all sorts of trains can be built to do all sorts of things.
at valenciennes, which fairfax media toured at the expense of alstom, they make ‘‘tram trains’’ for the city of nantes that run slowly through the city centre, speed up when they hit the suburbs, and are some of the few trams in the world to have toilets on them.they make single-deck metro trains that run without drivers on line1 in the centre of paris. this is the line with the most bustle in the city – trains need to run every two minutes in the peak hour lest platforms become overwhelmed with passengers. but they also make the large double-deck trains, similar to the ones we catch in sydney, that are also used in paris. these trains are used on a different line – the rer a line – that reaches deep into the paris suburbs and takes its passengers on longer journeys. in other words, the type of travel many sydney commuters undertake. but in sydney, this system is to be ripped apart. the newest extension of sydney’s train system, the north-west rail link heading out to rouse hill, will be dug with tunnels too small to ever fit double-deck trains. in time, the o’farrell government wants to link this north-west rail link to lines south of the harbour that connect to hurstville and cabramatta. this means that, should the government fulfil its plan, these sections of the illawarra line and the bankstown line will be run by the same private operator as the north-west line, and will be limited to offering smaller trains with fewer seats.these small tunnels in the north-west – we are talking about a metre or so difference here – demand that people from cabramatta and hurstville will one day be travelling on smaller trains. fast, single-deck trains with three doors per carriage can load and unload people a lot faster.
keith still is an expert on managing crowds, and consulted to railcorp when it was planning what sorts of trains to run during the sydney olympics. as part of this work, he was asked to build models to show the relationship between how long trains spent at a station, their dwell time, and whether they were single deck or double deck. professor still, from bucks new university in britain, said he found double-deck trains more efficient, having better ‘‘dwell times, more seats, more comfort for longer distances,’’ on his modelling. it is ‘‘crazy that they are going to exclude the double-deckers if they build the tunnels for single-decker only,’’ he said. professor still might be wrong. but what infuriates many in the industry as well as public transport advocates is that berejiklian and transport for nsw have never tried to prove their own case with anything other than bald assertion. ‘‘when you change things in a fundamental way you have to be open about it and show the economic evaluation,’’ said neil douglas, a transport economist who worked on the original appraisal of the north-west rail link.
‘‘there seems to be a degree of secrecy in terms of appraisal processes,’’ dr douglas said. ‘‘surely the whole idea of doing an economic evaluation is to present the results to the public – ultimately they’re the people whose values an economic evaluation is built on.’’ there is also growing local disquiet. a survey by the beecroft-cheltenham civic trust showed 97 per cent of respondents thought the north-west rail link should be fully compatible with the rest of the train network, and 96 per cent thought the tunnels should not be too small for double-deck trains. in a response for this story, transport for nsw said it ‘‘conducted an extensive study of existing train operations in sydney, particularly how dwell time at stations limits double-deck train capacity’’ in developing its rail plan. but it would not provide any supporting documentation. it says sydney’s new single-deck trains will be able to carry ‘‘up to 1300 people’’ each and the system will be able to run at 30 trains an hour. in contrast, it says, the ‘‘brand new waratah double-deck trains can currently carry about 1200 people at up to 20 trains per hour’’. a visit to valenciennes makes it difficult to accept these numbers.
the single-deck trains alstom is making for paris’ line1 at valenciennes, which have very few seats, carry about 720 people in six cars, with fewer than 150 sitting. meanwhile, the double-deck trains it is making for the rer a line – the one that takes people from the suburbs long distances through the city – carry 2600 people, with about 950 seated. (there are fewer seats on paris’ double-deck trains than in sydney, because each carriage has a third door on each side to make it easier for people to get on and off. nevertheless, a recent survey of commuters on rer a found 88 per cent thought the newest double-deck trains were more pleasant than other types of rolling stock.) in other words, if transport for nsw is to be believed, the trains it will buy for the north-west rail link will carry almost twice the number of people as the busiest single-deck train on the paris metro. and even berejiklian’s new head of sydney trains does not accept it is possible to run 20 only double-deck trains an hour. ‘‘let me be a little bit controversial here, because you’ve got to be a bit,’’ howard collins, the londoner newly installed to run sydney’s train system, told a business lunch last week.
‘‘double-deck trains – go to paris – see how the rer pounds those trains at 24 trains an hour,’’ he said. ‘‘the design is different, they’re still double deck, but there are solutions.’’ collins commutes to the city from woolooware in the sutherland shire. the hour-long commute might explain his growing affection for trains with more seats. ‘‘i thought initially, what are they doing with all these double-deck trains? i’ve sort of become a little bit warm to them already.’’ so why, then, is berejiklian and her department so determined to break up sydney’s train system and install smaller trains? she says the answer is that it will eventually deliver a capacity increase. ‘‘fast, single-deck trains with three doors per carriage can load and unload people a lot faster than double-deck trains – that means we can run more trains, run faster services, and carry more people per hour than with double-deck trains,’’ berejiklian said.
sandy thomas, a long-time consultant to sydney’s transport bureaucracy, says the the push for single-deck trains reflects a long-time fascination among many public servants and consultants. thomas warns the decision to restrict services on the north-west rail link to small trains will be remembered with the same disdain as the 1855 decision to set up different rail gauges in each australian colony. it will destroy the ‘‘future cohesion, interoperability, integrity, reliability, capacity and efficiency of sydney’s rail network,’’ says thomas, who says he was asked to fudge the figures on single-deck trains while working for the department in 2009. but berejiklian is not for turning. ‘‘the north-west rail link and the new rapid transit network – which includes a second harbour rail crossing – are being built to cater for sydney’s future growth and will deliver major flow-on benefits for the entire sydney rail network well into the future,’’ she said in an emailed response for this story. in valenciennes, meanwhile, they are working on a prototype for a new double-deck train to run on paris’s rer e line, where the single-deck trains are becoming overcrowded.
‘‘the good thing about paris is that some people thought way ahead and we had the tunnels ready to accommodate for double-deck trains,’’ an alstom employee, olivier quindos, said on a recent site tour of the factory. ‘‘moving to double-deck trains is a bit of a relief for the commuters.’’
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ˈsɔrɪŋ laɪk ˌroʊˈbɑtɪk bərdz, ðiz ˈɛnərʤi ˈʤɛnərˌeɪtɪŋ flaɪɪŋ dɪˈvaɪsɪz wər kənˈsivd baɪ ˈkɑrloʊs ˈkæmpoʊz ˈzɪndə ˈɑrkəˌtɛkts fər ðə skaɪz əv duˈbaɪ. kɔld wɪŋz, ðə ˈkjʊriəs ““creatures”*” juz ˈsoʊlər sɛlz tɪ stɔr ˈɛnərʤi, wɪʧ ðeɪ ðɛn juz tɪ ˌɪˈlumɪnɪt ðə lænd bɪˈloʊ ðɛm æt naɪt ɪn ə ˈflətər əv fɔrˈmeɪʃənz. ðə ˈprɑʤɛkt, kɔld ɪn ðə skaɪ, wɑz ˈrisəntli ˈɑnərd ɛz ə ˈmɛnʃən ɪn ðə 2010 lænd ɑrt ˈʤɛnərˌeɪtər ˌɪˈnɪʃətɪv dɪˈzaɪn ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən. ɪt wɑz dɪˈzaɪnd fər ə saɪt əˈʤeɪsənt tɪ ðə ræs æl ˈwaɪlˌdlaɪf ˈsæŋkʧuˌɛri ɪn duˈbaɪ. əv ðɛr flaɪɪŋ dɪˈvaɪsɪz, sɪz ˌɪnstəˈleɪʃən ɪz ˈeɪbəl tɪ ˈʤɛnərˌeɪt nu, ˈjumən, ˌɪnərˈæktɪv ˈimərʤənsiz. tɪ teɪk ə raɪd ˈəndər ðə ˈʃæˌdoʊ əv ə trænˈspɛrənt wɪŋ, tɪ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ nu ˈərbən ənd ˈnæʧərəl pərˈspɛktɪvz, tɪ bi ˈfæsəˌneɪtɪd ɪn frənt əv conformations.”*.” waɪl ˈmɛni ˈdɪfərənt taɪps əv fɔrˈmeɪʃənz ər ˈpɑsəbəl, səm əv ðə wənz ər ə 100 ɛks 100 ɛm ceiling”*” wɪʧ kriˈeɪts ˈrændəm ˈʃæˌdoʊz θruaʊt ðə pɑrk, ə laɪt kjub, ə ˈlaɪtnɪŋ poʊl, ənd ə klaʊd wɛr ðə wɪŋz ər trænˈspɛrənt ənd blu ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈdeɪˌtaɪm ənd laɪt əp æt naɪt. iʧ wɪŋ wʊd bi ɪkˈwɪpt wɪθ ɪts oʊn ˈgipiˈɛs flaɪt ˈnævəˌgeɪtər, wɪnd ˈsɛnsərz, lɛd ˌɪˌluməˈneɪʃən dɪˈvaɪsɪz ənd ə ˌfoʊtəˌvoʊlˈteɪɪk ˈpænəl.
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soaring like robotic birds, these energy generating flying devices were conceived by carlos campos yamila zynda aiub architects for the skies of dubai. called wings, the curious “creatures” use solar cells to store energy, which they then use to illuminate the land below them at night in a flutter of constellation-like formations.
the project, called choreographies in the sky, was recently honored as a fourth-place mention in the 2010 land art generator initiative design competition. it was designed for a site adjacent to the ras al khor wildlife sanctuary in dubai. of their fantastical flying devices, ccyzaa says “our installation is able to generate new, human, interactive emergencies. to take a ride under the shadow of a transparent wing, to enjoy new urban and natural perspectives, to be fascinated in front of hipnotic conformations.”
while many different types of formations are possible, some of the pre-designed ones are a 100 x 100 m “shadow ceiling” which creates random shadows throughout the park, a light cube, a lightning pole, and a cloud where the wings are transparent and blue during the daytime and light up at night. each wing would be equipped with its own gps flight navigator, wind sensors, led illumination devices and a photovoltaic panel.
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səm mənθs əˈgoʊ, wi əˈnaʊnst doom®*®: ðə bɔrd geɪm wɪθ ən ˈɑrtɪkəl ɛnˈtaɪtəld "ðə ˌɪnˈveɪʒən ɪz ˈɪmənənt," ənd naʊ, ðət ˈprɑməs kəmz tɪ fruˈɪʃən. nɛkst wik, dum: ðə bɔrd geɪm wɪl hɪt stɔr ʃɛlvz ənd ju wɪl hæv jʊr fərst ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ brɪŋ ðə fɪr ənd fˈjʊri hoʊm tɪ jʊr ˈvɛri oʊn ˈteɪbəlˌtɑp. ɪn ˈrisənt wiks, wiv dəg ˈɪntu ðə geɪmz daɪˈnæmɪk ˈgeɪmˌpleɪ ˈɛləmənts səʧ ɛz ðə mərˈinz' ˈækʃən dɛk, ðə ˈsəmənɪŋ əˈbɪləˌtiz, ənd ðə ˈætməsˌfɪr. juv groʊn mɔr fəˈmɪljər wɪθ ðə roʊlz ɔn ˈiðər saɪd əv ðə ˈteɪbəl ənd glɪmpst ə fju əv ðə ˈmɛni ɪˈvɛnts ənd ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz jul ɪnˈkaʊnər θruaʊt ðə geɪm. ɪn ɑr ˈfaɪnəl ˈprivˌju təˈdeɪ, wi wɪl teɪk wən læst lʊk æt wət meɪks əp ə ˈmɪʃən, ˈəðər weɪz ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər meɪ ˈfəŋkʃən ɪn ə ˈmɪʃən, ənd wət ðə roʊd tɪ səkˈsɛs maɪt lʊk jʊr ˈləki. ə mərˈinz ˈɔrdərz iʧ ˈmɪʃən ɪn ðə geɪm bɪˈgɪnz wɪθ ə dɪˈbrifɪŋ, wɪʧ prəˈvaɪdz ə ʃɔrt dɪˈskrɪpʃən əv wət ðə mərˈinz ər traɪɪŋ tɪ əˈʧiv. ðɪs ˌɪntrəˈdəkʃən wɪl ˈdɛzɪgˌneɪt wən əv sɪks əˈbʤɛktɪv kɑrdz, ˌɪnˈstrəktɪŋ boʊθ ˈpɑrtiz, mərˈin ənd ˌɪnˈveɪdər, ɔn wət ðɛr goʊl wɪl bi, ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈɛni ˈspɛʃəl rulz əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd wɪθ ðə tæsk æt hænd. frəm ɪˈlɪməˌneɪtɪŋ ɔl ˈdimənz tɪ kəˈlɛktɪŋ ˈæˌsɛts, ðə mərˈin timz goʊlz meɪ ˈvɛri frəm ˈmɪʃən tɪ ˈmɪʃən. ðɛr əˈpoʊnənt, ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər, həz bət wən ˈəltəmət ˈaʊtˌkəm ɪn ənd ˌdɛvəˈsteɪʃən. ðoʊ mərˈinz ər ˈeɪbəl tɪ wɪn ðeɪ ər kɪld, iʧ dɛθ ərnz ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər pleɪər ə ˈtoʊkən. wɪn ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər həz əbˈteɪnd sɪks ˈtoʊkənz, ðə mərˈinz' ˈmɪʃən ɪz dimd ə ˈfeɪljər, ənd ðeɪ məst rɪˈtərn tɪ əˈtɛmpt ɪt əˈnəðər taɪm. ə ˈnəmbər əv ðə ˈmɪʃən mæps teɪk pleɪs ɪn ðə ˈjunjən ˈɛroʊˌspeɪs ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃən, səm əv wɪʧ hæv bɪn ˈfiʧərd ɪn ˈpriviəs ˈprivˌjuz. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ɪn ðə ˈstrəgəl fər kənˈtroʊl, ju məst ˈɔlsoʊ krɔs dɪˈmɛnʃənz ənd dɪˈsɛnd ˈɪntu hɛl fər ə ˈpɔrʃən əv iʧ ˌɑpərˈeɪʃən. ðiz ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃənz wɪl pʊt ðə mərˈinz əˈsaɪnd tɪ ðɛm ɪn kənˈsɪdərəbəl ˈdeɪnʤər, ˈfeɪsɪŋ ðə ˈlɑrʤəst ˈnəmbərz əv ˈdimənz ðeɪ hæv jɛt ɪnˈkaʊnərd waɪl əˈtɛmptɪŋ mɔr ˈʧælənʤɪŋ fits ðən ðeɪ hæv ɪkˈspɪriənst ˌbiˈfɔr. ɛz ə mərˈin, ju meɪ bi kɔld tɪ ˈɛskɔrt ə droʊn tɪ ə sɪˈkjʊr loʊˈkeɪʃən, prəˈtɛkt ˈvæljəbəl tɛkˈnɑləʤiz frəm ðə ˌfɔrˈmɪdəbəl ˈdimənz, ər ˈivɪn ˌɪnˈvɛstəˌgeɪt ðə dɪˈmaɪz əv ˈkɑmbæt timz məʧ laɪk jʊr oʊn. nu θrɛts ju meɪ ˈnoʊtɪs ɪn ðə dɪˈbrifɪŋ əˈbəv ə θrɛt kɑrd wiv nɑt jɛt ɪkˈsplɔrd. ɪn ˈpriviəs ˈɑrtɪkəlz, wi spɛnt taɪm dɪˈskəsɪŋ ðə ˈsəmənɪŋ paʊərz əv ðə hɔrd θrɛt, ðoʊ ðə ˈmɪʃən ˈfiʧərd ɪn ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ˈjutəˌlaɪzɪz ðə əˈsɔlt θrɛt ˌɪnˈstɛd. waɪl ðə mərˈin tim meɪ geɪn ɪkˈspɪriəns ənd skɪl ɛz ðeɪ ˈprɑˌgrɛs θru mɔr ənd mɔr ˈmɪʃənz, iʧ wən meɪ prəˈvaɪd juˈnik ˈʧælənʤɪz. ˈdɪfərɪŋ θrɛt kɑrdz ər ən ɪgˈzæmpəl əv ðɪs, ˈʧælənʤɪŋ ˈɛni ˈstrætəʤiz ðə mərˈinz hæv dɪˈvɛləpt ɪn ðɛr taɪm ɔn ðə ˈbætəlˌfild. hir, ju kən si haʊ ðə əˈsɔlt θrɛt wərks. ˈjuzɪŋ hɔrd, ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər ˈsəmənd frəm wən tɪ tu ˈpɔrtəlz æt ðə bɪˈgɪnɪŋ əv iʧ ˈstætəs feɪz, dɪˈskɑrdɪŋ ˈpɔrtəlz wəns ðeɪ hæd bɪn juzd. wɪθ əˈsɔlt, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ðə ˌɪnˈveɪdər wɪl kəˈlɛkt θrɛt ˈtoʊkənz θruaʊt ðə geɪm, ˈspɛndɪŋ ðɛm ɛz dɪˈzaɪərd tɪ flɪp əp ˈpɔrtəlz. ˌɪnˈstɛd əv dɪˈskɑrdɪŋ ðə ˈtoʊkənz, ðoʊ, ˈpɔrtəlz ər flɪpt ˈfeɪsˈdaʊn wəns ˈsəmənd frəm. ðəs, noʊ ˈɛriə əv ðə bɔrd ɪz ˈɛvər klɪrd əv ˈdimənz fər gʊd, ˈɔfərɪŋ ən ˌɑpərˈtunəti fər ən ˈɛndləs strim əv imps*, revenants*, ənd pəˈzɛst ˈsoʊlʤərz tɪ ˈoʊvərˌteɪk ðə mæp. ðə ˈbætəl bɪˈgɪnz ˈfɔrʧənətli fər ðə mərˈin tim, ˈtreɪnɪŋ ɪz ˌkɑmpriˈhɛnsɪv soʊ jʊr ˈsoʊlʤərz ər əˈdæptəbəl. æt ðə bɪˈgɪnɪŋ əv iʧ ˈmɪʃən, ðə mərˈinz ər ˈeɪbəl tɪ ʧuz ˈɛni əv ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈklæsɪz. ðeɪ meɪ du soʊ ˈrændəmli ər baɪ ˈjuzɪŋ ˈɛni əv ðə sɪks ˈdɛzɪgˌneɪtɪd fireteams*, iʧ meɪd əp əv fɔr ˈhaɪli ˈspɛʃəˌlaɪzd mərˈinz: ˈfrənˌtlaɪn kəmˈbætənt, ˈlɔŋˈreɪnʤ ˈmɑrksmən, skaʊt, ənd ˈspɛʃəlɪst.: ˈtɑməˌhɔk, fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˌɪnˈkludz ðə kwɪk ənd ˈæʤəl ˈreɪnʤər, ðə ˈtæktɪkəl ˈɔfɪsər, ðə riˈsɔrsfəl juˌtɪləˈtɛriən, ənd ðə ˈkɑmbæt ˈɛnʤəˈnɪr. ðə ɪkˈsɛpʃənəl spid əv ðə ˈreɪnʤər ɪz ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli ˈjusfəl ɪn ə ˈmɪʃən wɛr ju maɪt bi bɛst sərvd ˈrənɪŋ pæst ˈɛnəmiz ˈrəðər ðən ˈfaɪtɪŋ ðɛm, ənd kʊd faɪnd kwaɪt ə bɪt əv ˈvælju ɪn ðə ˈmɪʃən ˈfiʧərd hir. wɪθ ðə səˈpɔrt əv ðə ˈɔfɪsərz dɪˈskɑrd əˈbɪləˌtiz, ðə ˈreɪnʤər kʊd dɑrt aʊt ˈɔntu ðə ˈbætəlˌfild, ɪˈfɪʃəntli kəˈlɛktɪŋ ˈpɪˌkəps, ˈæktəˌveɪtɪŋ teleporters*, ənd ˈɛskɔrtɪŋ ðə droʊn əˈkrɔs ðə mæp. ðə ˈmuvmənt əˈbɪləˌtiz wʊd meɪk fər ən ˈifɛktɪv ˈbæˌkəp ˈɛskɔrt, waɪl ðə ˈkɑmbæt ˈɛnʤəˈnɪr kʊd ˈsaɪkəl ˈræpədli θru ðɛr ˈækʃən dɛk, ˈækˌsɛsɪŋ ˈpaʊərfəl kɑrdz tɪ teɪk daʊn ˈdimənz ənd klɪr ə pæθ fər ðə droʊn. strəˈtiʤɪk ˈtimˌwərk wɪl meɪk iʧ fɑr mɔr ˈifɛktɪv ðən ˈɛni kəmˈbætənt kʊd bi ɔn ðɛr oʊn. ˈɛvəri stɛp ju teɪk ɪn ðə geɪm wɪl hæv ən ˌɪmˈpækt, soʊ ˈwɛðər jʊr ɪn ðə ˈbɪznɪs əv sˈlɔtərɪŋ ˈdimənz ər ˈsəmənɪŋ ðɛm, jul hæv tɪ meɪk swɪft ənd strəˈtiʤɪk dɪˈsɪʒənz frəm ðə ˈvɛri fərst raʊnd. jʊr ˈstɑrtɪŋ mæp wɪl lʊk ˈsəmθɪŋ laɪk ðɪs, ənd dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɔn wɪʧ saɪd jʊr ɔn, ju meɪ θɪŋk juv gɑt ðɪs ɪn ðə bæg. ju ˈnɛvər noʊ, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, wət trɪks jʊr əˈpoʊnənt həz əp ðɛr sliv. ðə ˈmoʊmənt ju teɪk tɪ rɪˈlæks meɪ bi ðə ˈmoʊmənt ðə ˈteɪbəlz tərn, soʊ teɪk noʊt əv ˈɛvəri ˈpɪˌkəp ˈaɪtəm, hɛlθ pæk, grəˈneɪd, ənd ˈpɔrtəl. ju maɪt nid ɪt ˈleɪtər. jʊr dum əˈweɪts soʊ hir ju stænd, feɪs tɪ feɪs wɪθ ðə ˈɛnəmi ɔn ðə ˈlænˌskeɪp əv hɛl ˌɪtˈsɛlf. səkˈsɛs ɪz ˈiðər skwɛrz ər straɪks əˈweɪ, bət wɪθ ə təf tim ˈstændɪŋ ɪn jʊr weɪ, ɪt meɪ nɑt bi ɛz ˈizi ɛz ju θɪŋk. ˈɛvəri muv ju meɪk wɪl ɛʤ ju ˈkloʊzər tɪ ˈiðər ˈvɪktəri ər ˈvæŋkwɪʃ ənd ɪts ˈnɪrli taɪm tɪ faɪnd aʊt wɪʧ ðət wɪl bi. dum: ðə bɔrd geɪm wɪl bi əˈveɪləbəl ɔn stɔr ʃɛlvz nɛkst wik.
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some months ago, we announced doom®: the board game with an article entitled "the invasion is imminent," and now, that promise comes to fruition. next week, doom: the board game will hit store shelves and you will have your first opportunity to bring the fear and fury home to your very own tabletop.
in recent weeks, we've dug into the game's dynamic gameplay elements such as the marines' action deck, the invader's summoning abilities, and the high-intensity in-game atmosphere. you've grown more familiar with the roles on either side of the table and glimpsed a few of the many events and experiences you'll encounter throughout the game. in our final preview today, we will take one last look at what makes up a mission, other ways the invader may function in a mission, and what the road to success might look like—if you're lucky.
a marine's orders
each mission in the game begins with a debriefing, which provides a short description of what the marines are trying to achieve. this introduction will designate one of six objective cards, instructing both parties, marine and invader, on what their goal will be, as well as any special rules associated with the task at hand. from eliminating all demons to collecting assets, the marine team's goals may vary from mission to mission. their opponent, the invader, has but one ultimate outcome in mind—destruction and devastation. though marines are able to respawn when they are killed, each death earns the invader player a frag token. when the invader has obtained six frag tokens, the marines' mission is deemed a failure, and they must return to attempt it another time.
a number of the mission maps take place in the union aerospace corporation, some of which have been featured in previous previews. however, in the struggle for control, you must also cross dimensions and descend into hell for a portion of each operation. these expeditions will put the marines assigned to them in considerable danger, facing the largest numbers of demons they have yet encountered while attempting more challenging feats than they have experienced before. as a marine, you may be called to escort a drone to a secure location, protect valuable uac technologies from the formidable demons, or even investigate the demise of combat teams much like your own.
new threats
you may notice in the debriefing above a threat card we've not yet explored. in previous articles, we spent time discussing the summoning powers of the horde threat, though the mission featured in this article utilizes the assault threat instead. while the marine team may gain experience and skill as they progress through more and more missions, each one may provide unique challenges. differing threat cards are an example of this, challenging any strategies the marines have developed in their time on the battlefield.
here, you can see how the assault threat works. using horde, the invader summoned from one to two portals at the beginning of each status phase, discarding portals once they had been used. with assault, however, the invader will collect threat tokens throughout the game, spending them as desired to flip up portals. instead of discarding the tokens, though, portals are flipped facedown once summoned from. thus, no area of the board is ever cleared of demons for good, offering an opportunity for an endless stream of imps, revenants, and possessed soldiers to overtake the map.
the battle begins
fortunately for the marine team, uac training is comprehensive so your soldiers are adaptable. at the beginning of each mission, the marines are able to choose any of a number of classes. they may do so randomly or by using any of the six designated fireteams, each made up of four highly specialized marines: frontline combatant, long-range marksman, high-mobility scout, and heavy-weapons specialist. fireteam: tomahawk, for example, includes the quick and agile ranger, the tactical requisitions officer, the resourceful utilitarian, and the fast-thinking combat engineer.
the exceptional speed of the ranger is particularly useful in a mission where you might be best served running past enemies rather than fighting them, and could find quite a bit of value in the mission featured here. with the support of the requisitions officer's discard abilities, the ranger could dart out onto the battlefield, efficiently collecting pickups, activating teleporters, and escorting the drone across the map. the utilitarian's movement abilities would make for an effective backup escort, while the combat engineer could cycle rapidly through their action deck, accessing powerful cards to take down demons and clear a path for the drone. strategic teamwork will make each fireteam far more effective than any combatant could be on their own.
every step you take in the game will have an impact, so whether you're in the business of slaughtering demons or summoning them, you'll have to make swift and strategic decisions from the very first round. your starting map will look something like this, and depending on which side you're on, you may think you've got this in the bag. you never know, however, what tricks your opponent has up their sleeve. the moment you take to relax may be the moment the tables turn, so take note of every pickup item, health pack, grenade, and portal. you might need it later.
your doom awaits
so here you stand, face to face with the enemy on the landscape of hell itself. success is either squares or strikes away, but with a tough team standing in your way, it may not be as easy as you think. every move you make will edge you closer to either victory or vanquish and it's nearly time to find out which that will be.
doom: the board game will be available on store shelves next week.
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"ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ɪz ʤɪst goʊɪŋ tɪ kənˈtɪnju ˈwərkɪŋ θru ɑr ˈprɔˌsɛs," ˈmɪstər ˈmɔrɪsən sɛd. ˈtrɛʒərər skɑt ˈmɔrɪsən ɪz pərˈpɛrɪŋ tɪ hænd daʊn hɪz fərst ˈbəʤɪt. "ju doʊnt goʊ aʊt ðɛr ənd ʤɪst rul ˈsəmθɪŋ aʊt ɔn ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv ˈpɑləˌtɪks. wiv bɪn ɪgˈzæmɪnɪŋ ðə ˈɛriə ənd wɪr ˈvɛri əˈwɛr ənd ˈɔlˌweɪz hæv bɪn əv ðə greɪt rɪsks ɪn ðɪs ˈprɔˌsɛs. "ðə ˈdeɪnʤərz əv ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ðɪs ˈɛriə ər ˈvɛri ril, ðeɪ ər ˈvɛri ril ənd wiv ˈɔlˌweɪz bɪn əˈwɛr əv ðət." waɪl praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ˈmælkəm ˈtərnˌbʊl həz ˈpriviəsli flægd hɪz ˌɪnˈtɛnʧən fər ɔl ˈɔpʃənz tɪ bi kənˈsɪdərd, hi həz bɪn ˈəndər ˈprɛʃər frəm hu wɔnt ˈnɛgətɪv ˈgɪrɪŋ ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ˈteɪkən ˈfərmli ɔf ðə ˈteɪbəl. ðət ˌɪnˈkludz ˈfɔrmər praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ˈtoʊni ˈæbət, hu wɔrnd ə ˈpɑrti rum ˈmitɪŋ ɔn ˈtuzˌdeɪ ðət ðə ˈgəvərnmənts "wərdz wɪl kəm bæk tɪ hɔnt ˈjuˈɛs" ɪf ɪt prəˈsidəd tɪ ˈtɪŋkər wɪθ ˈnɛgətɪv ˈgɪrɪŋ. ˈkɑmɛnt həz bɪn sɔt frəm ˈmɪstər ˈɔfəs. ðə ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðət ðə ˈgəvərnmənt wʊd nɑt əˈnaʊns ə dɪˈsɪʒən ɔn ˈnɛgətɪv ˈgɪrɪŋ ənˈtɪl ə ˈfaɪnəl swit əv tæks rɪˈfɔrm ˈmɛʒərz wər ˈrɛdi, əˈhɛd əv ðə meɪ ˈbəʤɪt. ɪn ən ˈərliər ˈɪntərvˌju ɔn ˈθərzˌdeɪ, ˈmɪstər ˈmɔrɪsən sɛd ˈnɛgətɪv ˈgɪrɪŋ "wɛnt bæk ɔn ðə ˈteɪbəl fər əˈsɛsmənt" wɪn ˈmɪstər ˈtərnˌbʊl bɪˈkeɪm ˈlidər ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər. "wɪn wɪr ɪn ə pəˈzɪʃən tɪ meɪk ən əˈnaʊnsmɛnt ɔn ðət æˈnælɪsɪs wi wɪl du soʊ, ɛz wi dɪd ɔn ðə gst*." ˈmɪstər ˈmɔrɪsən ˈɔlsoʊ ˈsaɪtɪd ə rɪˈpɔrt baɪ ˈprɑpərti ˈfɔrˌkæstər bɪs ʃˈræpnəl ðət səˈʤɛstɪd ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ˈsɪmələr tɪ ˈleɪbərz prəˈpoʊzd rɪˈfɔrmz wʊd hæv ə ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtɪŋ ˌɪmˈpækt ɔn ðə ˈhaʊzɪŋ ˈmɑrkɪt ənd ɪˈkɑnəmi mɔr ˈʤɛnərəli, ˈpʊtɪŋ rɛnts əp baɪ 10 pər sɛnt ənd rɪˈdusɪŋ groʊs dəˈmɛstɪk ˈprɑdəkt baɪ 19 ˈbɪljən ə jɪr. ðə ˈtrɛʒərər toʊld ðə ˈeɪˌbiˌsiz æm ˈproʊˌgræm ðə rɪˈpɔrt hæd ðə kæt" ɔn ˈleɪbərz ˈnɛgətɪv ˈgɪrɪŋ ˈpɑləsi. "wət ɪt ʃoʊz ɪz [ðət] ðeɪ ʤɪst ˈhævənt dən ðɛr ˈhoʊmˌwərk ɔn ðɪs," hi sɛd. səm hæv vjud ðə ˈtaɪmɪŋ ənd ˈpleɪsmənt əv ðə bɪs ʃˈræpnəl rɪˈpɔrt ɛz səˈspɪʃəs. ˈmɪstər ˈmɔrɪsən kʊd nɑt ər wʊd nɑt seɪ hu hæd kəˈmɪʃənd ðə ˈrisərʧ, wɪʧ əˈpɪrd ɔn ðə frənt peɪʤ əv ðə ɔˈstreɪljən ˈnuzˌpeɪpər. ˈʃæˌdoʊ ˈtrɛʒərər krɪs boʊən ðə rɪˈpɔrt, ˈkɔlɪŋ ɪt "pur ɪkˈskjuz fər æˈnælɪsɪs" ənd "ən əˈtroʊʃəs pis əv pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˌprɑpəˈgændə". hi sɛd ðə ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪt bɔr ˈlɪtəl rɪˈzɛmbləns tɪ ðoʊz ˈæˌkʧuəli prəˈpoʊzd baɪ ˈleɪbər ənd kənˈteɪnd "ˈməltəpəl ˈɛrərz". "aɪ wɑz səˈpraɪzd ɪt ˈwəzənt prɪˈdɪktɪŋ ə ˈloʊkəst pleɪg," hi toʊld ˈeɪˌbiˌsi ˈreɪdiˌoʊ. ðə ˈfaɪndɪŋz əv ðə rɪˈpɔrt wər ˈɔlsoʊ kənˈtɛstəd baɪ ðə ˈgrætən ˈɪnstɪtuts ʤɑn ˈdeɪli ənd ˈrisərʧ dɪˈrɛktər luɪs ˈkrɪstəfər.
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"the government is just going to continue working through our process," mr morrison said. treasurer scott morrison is preparing to hand down his first budget. credit:alex ellinghausen "you don't go out there and just rule something out on the basis of politics. we've been examining the area and we're very aware and always have been of the great risks in this process. "the dangers of making changes in this area are very real, they are very real and we've always been aware of that." while prime minister malcolm turnbull has previously flagged his intention for all options to be considered, he has been under pressure from backbenchers who want negative gearing changes taken firmly off the table.
that includes former prime minister tony abbott, who warned a party room meeting on tuesday that the government's "words will come back to haunt us" if it proceeded to tinker with negative gearing. comment has been sought from mr turnbull's office. the afr reported that the government would not announce a decision on negative gearing until a final suite of tax reform measures were ready, ahead of the may budget. in an earlier interview on thursday, mr morrison said negative gearing "went back on the table for assessment" when mr turnbull became leader in september. "when we're in a position to make an announcement on that analysis we will do so, as we did on the gst."
mr morrison also cited a report by property forecaster bis shrapnel that suggested changes similar to labor's proposed reforms would have a devastating impact on the housing market and economy more generally, putting rents up by 10 per cent and reducing gross domestic product by $19 billion a year. the treasurer told the abc's am program the report had "belled the cat" on labor's negative gearing policy. "what it shows is [that] they just haven't done their homework on this," he said. some have viewed the timing and placement of the bis shrapnel report as suspicious. mr morrison could not or would not say who had commissioned the research, which appeared on the front page of the australian newspaper. shadow treasurer chris bowen rubbished the report, calling it "poor excuse for analysis" and "an atrocious piece of political propaganda". he said the changes it analysed bore little resemblance to those actually proposed by labor and contained "multiple errors". "i was surprised it wasn't predicting a locust plague," he told abc radio.
the findings of the report were also contested by the grattan institute's john daley and sqm research director louis christopher.
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ˈmɛˌtroʊ ˈraɪdərz meɪ rɪˈmɛmbər 2011 ɛz ðə ˈænɪˌdoʊt tɪ 2010 ðə ˈmɛˌtroʊ bɔrd ɪz ˈskɛʤʊld tɪ əˈpruv ə ˈbəʤɪt ˈθərzˌdeɪ ðət ɪz ˈbælənst wɪˈθaʊt fɛr ˌɪnˈkrisɪz ər ˈmeɪʤər ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ˈsərvɪs. ˈprɪti məʧ wət ˈmɛˌtroʊ ˈʤɛnərəl ˈmænɪʤər ˈrɪʧərd sɑrlz prəˈpoʊzd ɪn ˈʤænjuˌɛri, ənd ə fɑr kraɪ frəm læst raʊnz əv ˈpəblɪk ˈhirɪŋz ənd fɛr ˌɪnˈkrisɪz ðət strɛʧt frəm ˈwɪntər θru ˈsəmər. ɪn fækt, moʊst ˈraɪdərz wɪl hæv noʊ ˈrizən tɪ kraɪ æt ɔl əˈbaʊt ðɪs ˈbəʤɪt. ɔn ʤun 9 ðə ˈfaɪˌnæns kəˈmɪti dɪʧt ə prəˈpoʊzəl tɪ rɪˈdus ˈwiˌkɪnd treɪn ˈsərvɪs ənd ɪˈlɪməˌneɪt ə ˌnɔrθˈwɛst d.c*. bəs rut ðət həz ˈmɛni dɪˈfɛndərz. ðɪs ɪz haʊ θɪŋz stænd ɪn ðə ˈtrænzɪt ˈbəʤɪt fər ðə ˈfɪskəl jɪr ðət stɑrts ˌʤuˈlaɪ 1 ənd ɛndz ʤun 30 2012 ˈbəʤɪt ˈbeɪsɪks bɔrd ˈmɛmbərz frəm vərˈʤɪnjə, ˈmɛrələnd ənd ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt səˈpɔrtɪd ðɪs ˈbəʤɪt ɪn ðə ʤun 9 kəˈmɪti ˈmitɪŋ, soʊ ɪts əˈpruvəl baɪ ðə fʊl bɔrd ɪz ˈvərʧuəli ˈsərtən. ˈtoʊtəlz: ðə ˈfɪskəl 2012 ˈɔpərˌeɪtɪŋ ˈbəʤɪt, ðə wən juzd tɪ peɪ fər ˈkɑrənt ɪkˈspɛnsɪz, wɪl bi əˈbaʊt ˈbɪljən. ðə ˈkæpɪtəl ˈbəʤɪt, ðə wən juzd tɪ peɪ fər ˈlɔŋˈtərm ˌɪmˈpruvmənts, wɪl bi 1 ˈbɪljən. ˈɔpərˌeɪtɪŋ ɪkˈspɛnsɪz: ðə ˈtrænzɪt əˈθɔrəti sɛd ðɪs mənθ ðət ɪt ɪkˈspɛkts ɪt wɪl kɔst 813 ˈmɪljən tɪ ˈɔpərˌeɪt ðə treɪn ˈsɪstəm. ðət wʊd bi pərˈsɛnt əv ðə ˈɔpərˌeɪtɪŋ ˈbəʤɪt. ðə bəs ˈsɪstəm wɪl kɔst ˈmɪljən, pərˈsɛnt əv ðə ˈbəʤɪt., ðə ˈsɪstəm fər ˈraɪdərz wɪθ dɪsəˈbɪlɪtiz, wɪl kɔst 116 ˈmɪljən, ər 8 pərˈsɛnt əv ðə ˈbəʤɪt. ˈleɪbər ənd frɪnʤ ˈbɛnəfɪts əˈkaʊnt fər əˈbaʊt ˌtuˈθərdz əv ðə ˈɔpərˌeɪtɪŋ ˈbəʤɪt. fjuəl ənd juˈtɪlətiz ər 148 ˈmɪljən. ˈkæʒəwəlti ənd ˌlaɪəˈbɪlɪti ˈpeɪmənts ər 29 ˈmɪljən. ˈməni ˈsɔrsəz: ðə ˈbælənst ˈbəʤɪt ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪts ˈrɛvəˌnu frəm reɪl ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz əv ˈmɪljən, ər pərˈsɛnt əv ˈtoʊtəl ˈrɛvəˌnuz, əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ˈmɛˌtroʊ ˈdɑkjəmənts. ðə nɛkst ˈbɪgəst sɔrs əv ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪz ðə ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪtɪd ˈpeɪmənt əv ˈmɪljən baɪ ðə ˈloʊkəl ˌʤʊrɪsˈdɪkʃənz ðət ər pɑrt əv ðə ˈmɛˌtroʊ ˈsərvɪs ˈɛriə. ðət wʊd bi pərˈsɛnt əv ðə ˈbəʤɪt. bəs ˈrɛvəˌnu ɪz pɛgd æt ˈmɪljən, ər pərˈsɛnt. wʊd əˈkaʊnt fər ˈmɪljən, ər pərˈsɛnt. ˈpəblɪk ˈkɑmɛnt ðɪs jɪr, ðə bɔrd ʧoʊz tɪ goʊ tɪ ðə ˈpəblɪk wɪθ ə prəˈpoʊzəl tɪ rɪˈdus ðə ˈfrikwənsi əv ˈwiˌkɪnd treɪn ˈsərvɪs. ˈraɪdərz ˈɔfən kəmˈpleɪn əˈbaʊt ðə ˈkɑrənt ˈlɛvəl əv ˈwiˌkɪnd ˈsərvɪs, soʊ ðə ˈnɛgətɪv rɪˈspɑns tɪ ðə prəˈpoʊzəl ʃʊd hæv səˈpraɪzd noʊ wən. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ðə bɔrd dɪd ˈwaɪdən ðə ˌɑpərˈtunətiz fər ˈpəblɪk ˈkɑmɛnt ɔn ðə ˈtrænzɪt ˈsɪstəm baɪ ˈhoʊldɪŋ ˈoʊpən ˈhaʊsɪz ənd taʊn hɔl ˈmitɪŋz ənd baɪ kənˈdəktɪŋ ən ˈɔnˌlaɪn ˈsərˌveɪ, ɪn əˈdɪʃən tɪ ˈskɛʤʊlɪŋ sɪks trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈpəblɪk ˈhirɪŋz. ðə ˈtrænzɪt stæf ˌriˈpɔrtəd tɪ ðə bɔrd ɔn ðə ˈpəblɪk ˈfidˌbæk. ðə ˈhirɪŋz: sɪks ˈhirɪŋz wər hɛld ɪn ˈmɛrələnd, ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt ənd vərˈʤɪnjə tɪ fʊlˈfɪl ˌɑbləˈgeɪʃən tɪ kənˈsəlt ðə ˈpəblɪk ɔn ˈmeɪʤər ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ɪn ˈsərvɪs. laɪk ˈhirɪŋz əˈbaʊt roʊd ˈprɑʤɛkts, ˈhirɪŋz əˈbaʊt ˈtrænzɪt ˈsərvɪs ˈjuʒəwəli drɔ ə waɪd ˌsɛgˈmɛnt əv ðə ˈpəblɪk, ˈivɪn ðoʊ ðə ʧeɪnʤ wʊd əˈfɛkt ˈmɛni ˈθaʊzənz əv ˈtrævələrz. ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈhirɪŋz, 66 ˈpipəl ˈtɛstɪˌfaɪd. ðə məˈʤɔrəti wər frəm ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt. əˈbaʊt ə θərd əv ðoʊz hu ˈtɛstɪˌfaɪd spoʊk əˈgɛnst ðə ɪˌlɪməˈneɪʃən əv ðə rut ɪn ðə ˈʧɛˌvi ʧeɪs ˈɛriə əv ˌnɔrθˈwɛst ˈwɔʃɪŋtən. (prəˈpoʊzəlz tɪ kət ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl bəs rʊts ˈɔfən drɔ ðə ˈbɪgəst ˈtərˌnaʊts æt ˈtrænzɪt ˈhirɪŋz.) ðə nɛkst ˈbɪgəst θim ðɪs jɪr wɑz ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən tɪ ðə prəˈpoʊzd kəts ɪn ˈwiˌkɪnd reɪl ˈsərvɪs. ˈəðər ˈkɑmɛnts: ə ˈmɛˌtroʊ stæf rɪˈpɔrt ˈtæliz inputs”*” rɪˈsivd ˈviə ɔl ˈmɛθədz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə ˈpəblɪk ˈkɑmɛnt ˈpɪriəd. əˈgɛn, moʊst əv ðət wɑz əˈbaʊt ðə rut. ˈmɛˌtroʊ rɪˈsivd tu pəˈtɪʃənz kənˈteɪnɪŋ ˈsɪgnəʧərz əˈpoʊzɪŋ ðə ɪˌlɪməˈneɪʃən əv ðə rut. ˈraɪdərz ˈɔlsoʊ ɪkˈsprɛst ðɛr frəˈstreɪʃənz wɪθ ðə pərˈfɔrməns əv kɑrdz ənd ðə kɔl ˈsɛnər, ˈprɑbləmz ˈloʊdɪŋ bəs ˈpæsɪz ˈɔntu kɑrdz, ðə ˈɛskəˌleɪtərz ənd ˈɛləˌveɪtərz, ðə kəmˈplɛksɪti əv ðə fɛr ˈstrəkʧər, ˈbreɪkˌdaʊnz əv ˈmɛˌtroʊ ɪkˈwɪpmənt ənd ðə ˌɪnˈfrikwənt ˈsaɪtɪŋz əv ˈtrænzɪt pəˈlis. wət tɪ ɪkˈspɛkt metrorail*: ðə ˈskɛʤʊl fər reɪl ˈsərvɪs wɪl nɑt ʧeɪnʤ, bət ðə ˈtrænzɪt stæf dɪz plæn ɔn ˈmɑdəˌfaɪɪŋ ðə ˈpætərn əv ˈwiˌkɪnd træk wərk. ˈtrænzɪt ˈmænɪʤərz seɪ ðeɪ hoʊp tɪ muv əˈweɪ frəm ˈhævɪŋ treɪnz ʃɛr træks əraʊnd wərk zoʊnz. ˌɪnˈstɛd, ðeɪ seɪ, ðeɪ wɪl mɔr ˈɔfən ɑpt tɪ kəmˈplitli ʃət ˈsɛkʃənz əv laɪnz ɔn ˈwiˌkɛndz tɪ ˌɪnˈkris ðə ɪˈfɪʃənsi əv rɪˈpɛr wərk.: ðə rut wɪl nɑt bi ɪˈlɪməˌneɪtɪd, bət səm ˈəðər bəs ˈsərvɪs ˈʧeɪnʤɪz ər ˈkəmɪŋ ɪn ðə nɛkst fju mənθs. ə nu ˈsərvɪs bɪtˈwin ðə ˈpɛnɪˌgɑn ənd ðə mɑrk ˈsɛnər ɔn ˈsɛməˌnɛri roʊd wɪl əˈkɑməˌdeɪt səm əv ðə ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ɪmˈplɔɪiz əˈfɛktɪd baɪ ðə ˈnæʃənəl beɪs riəˈlaɪnmənt ˈproʊˌgræm. ˈɔlsoʊ ɪn vərˈʤɪnjə, ðə rut wɪl bi ɪkˈstɛndɪd ənd trɪps wɪl bi ˈædɪd ɔn ðə rut. ðə ənd rʊts ɪn ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt wɪl bi ɪˈlɪməˌneɪtɪd. tɪ ˌɪmˈpruv ðə ɪˈfɪʃənsi əv ˈbəsɪz θru ə kənˈʤɛstɪd ˈɛriə ɪn ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt, ˈmɛˌtroʊ wɪl ˈʃɔrtən rʊts 70 ənd 71 tɪ ˈɔpərˌeɪt ˈoʊnli bɪtˈwin ˈsɪlvər spərɪŋ ənd ˈɑrˌkaɪvz æt ɔl taɪmz ənd wɪl rɪˈdus ðɛr ˈfrikwənsi ˈdʊrɪŋ rəʃ aʊərz. ə nu rut 74 wɪl ˈɔpərˌeɪt bɪtˈwin fɔrt pɔɪnt ənd ˈgæləri pleɪs ɔn ˈwikˌdeɪz bɪtˈwin 5 a.m*. ənd 8 p.m*. ðə ˌænəˈkɑstiə ˈspɛʃəl fɛr wɪl bi ɪˈlɪməˌneɪtɪd, ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ ðə fɛr ɔn ˈsərtən d.c*. bəs rʊts frəm 1 tɪ fər ənd tɪ fər kæʃ. ɔn ðoʊz rʊts, ðə ənd ˈtrænsfər ˈvælju wɪl ˌɪnˈkris frəm 50 sɛnts tɪ 1
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metro riders may remember 2011 as the antidote to 2010. the metro board is scheduled to approve a budget thursday that is balancedthout fare increases or major changes in service. it’s pretty much what metro general manager richard sarles proposed in january, and a far cry from last year’s rounds of public hearings and fare increases that stretched fromnter through summer.
in fact, most ridersll have no reason to cry at all about this budget. on june 9, the board’s finance committee ditched a proposal to reduce weekend train service and eliminate a northwest d.c. bus route that has many defenders. this is how things stand in the transit budget for the fiscal year that starts july 1 and ends june 30, 2012.
budget basics
board members from virginia, maryland and the district supported this budget in the june 9 committee meeting, so its approval by the full board is virtually certain.
totals: the fiscal 2012 operating budget, the one used to pay for current expenses,ll be about $1.5 billion. the capital budget, the one used to pay for long-term improvements,ll be $1 billion.
operating expenses: the transit authority said this month that it expects itll cost $813 million to operate the train system. that would be 55.5 percent of the operating budget. the bus systemll cost $534.4 million, 36.5 percent of the budget. metroaccess, the paratransit system for ridersth disabilities,ll cost $116 million, or 8 percent of the budget. labor and fringe benefits account for about two-thirds of the operating budget. fuel and utilities are $148 million. casualty and liability payments are $29 million.
money sources: the balanced budget anticipates revenue from rail operations of $663.5 million, or 45.3 percent of total revenues, according to metro documents. the next biggest source of revenue is the anticipated payment of $621.6 million by the local jurisdictions that are part of the metro service area. that would be 42.5 percent of the budget. bus revenue is pegged at $141.7 million, or 9.7 percent. metroaccess would account for $6.3 million, or 0.4 percent.
public comment
this year, the board chose to go to the publicth a proposal to reduce the frequency of weekend train service. riders often complain about the current level of weekend service, so the negative response to the board’s proposal should have surprised no one. however, the board didden the opportunities for public comment on the transit system by holding open houses and town hall meetings and by conducting an online survey, in addition to scheduling six traditional public hearings. the transit staff reported to the board on the public feedback.
the hearings: six hearings were held in maryland, the district and virginia to fulfill metro’s obligation to consult the public on major changes in service. like hearings about road projects, hearings about transit service usually don’t draw ade segment of the public, even though the change would affect many thousands of travelers.
during the hearings, 66 people testified. the majority were from the district. about a third of those who testified spoke against the elimination of the e6 metrobus route in the chevy chase area of northwest washington. (proposals to cut individual bus routes often draw the biggest turnouts at transit hearings.) the next biggest theme this year was opposition to the proposed cuts in weekend rail service.
other comments: a metro staff report tallies “approximately 4,244 inputs” received via all methods during the public comment period. again, most of that was about the e6 route. metro received two petitions containing 1,505 signatures opposing the elimination of the route.
riders also expressed their frustrationsth the performance of smartrip cards and the smartrip call center, problems loading bus passes onto smartrip cards, the out-of-service escalators and elevators, the complexity of the fare structure, breakdowns of metro equipment and the infrequent sightings of transit police.
what to expect
metrorail: the schedule for rail servicell not change, but the transit staff does plan on modifying the pattern of weekend track work. transit managers say they hope to move away from having trains share tracks around work zones. instead, they say, theyll more often opt to completely shut sections of lines on weekends to increase the efficiency of repair work.
metrobus: the e6 routell not be eliminated, but some other bus service changes are coming in the next few months.
• a new service between the pentagon and the mark center on seminary roadll accommodate some of the military employees affected by the national base realignment program. also in virginia, the 3y routell be extended and tripsll be added on the 22a route.
• the k1 and n8 routes in the districtll be eliminated.
• to improve the efficiency of buses through a congested area in the district, metroll shorten routes 70 and 71 to operate only between silver spring and archives at all times andll reduce their frequency during rush hours. a new route 74ll operate between fort mcnair/buzzard point and gallery place on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• the anacostia special farell be eliminated, increasing the fare on certain d.c. bus routes from $1 to $1.50 for smartrip and to $1.70 for cash. on those routes, the bus-to-rail and rail-to-bus transfer valuell increase from 50 cents to $1.
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aquaponics* ðə fɑrmz əv ðə fˈjuʧər ər groʊɪŋ təˈdeɪ. ɪn ə ˈvæli ɪn ðə ˈvərʤɪn ˈaɪləndz, ɪn ə ˈwɛˌrhaʊs ɪn ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ, ɔn ə ˈrufˌtɑp ɪn ˈflɔrɪdə ənd ə ˈgrinˌhaʊs ɪn mɪlˈwɔki, nuəst ənd moʊst səˈsteɪnəbəl fɔrm əv ˈægrɪˌkəlʧər həz ˈbroʊkən aʊt əv ɪts sid ənd həz bɪˈgæn tɪ teɪk rut. ɪn ðiz fɑrmz əv ðə fˈjuʧər, faɪnd noʊ weɪst ˈwɔtər, noʊ ɪˈroʊdɪŋ sɔɪl ənd noʊ hɑrʃ ˌɪnˈsɛktəˌsaɪdz, bət ə ˈikoʊˌsɪstəm ðət jildz ɔrˈgænɪk produce–*– ənd ðə ˈfrɛʃəst, fɪʃ ˈməni kən baɪ. ðɪs ɪz, ə haɪ tɛk ˈfɑrmɪŋ tɛkˈnɑləʤi wɛr ˈvɛʤtəbəlz ənd fɪʃ ər groʊn ɪn ˈkɑnsərt, ə nɛkst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən ˌsɪmbiˈɑtɪk ˈsɪstəm ðət ʤɪst maɪt ʧeɪnʤ ðə weɪ wi groʊ, ˈhɑrvəst ənd it ðə fud əv təˈmɑˌroʊ. ðɪs ˌɛksplərˈeɪʃən əv ðə fˈjuʧər əv ˈfɑrmɪŋ ɪz brɔt tɪ ju baɪ ðə mərˈseɪdiz si klæs. ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ðə ˈvərʤɪn ˈaɪləndz: ðə ˈbərθˌpleɪs əv ˈæftər ˈdɛkeɪdz əv ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˈrisərʧ, ðə tim æt ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ðə ˈvərʤɪn ˈaɪləndz səkˈsɛsfəli gru fɪʃ ənd ˈvɛʤtəbəlz ɪn ə kloʊzd lup ˈsɪstəm ðət ðeɪ ˈəltəmətli kɔld ““aquaponics”*”. ɪz ə ˈhaɪbrɪd tɛkˈnɑləʤi ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ““aquaculture”*”, ðə ˈreɪzɪŋ əv fɪʃ ɪn ə kənˈtroʊld ˈsɪstəm, ənd ““hydroponics”*”, ðə ˈfɑrmɪŋ əv plænts ɪn ə ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt. boʊθ tɛkˈniks hæd sərˈvaɪvd fər ˈsɛnʧəriz ˌbiˈfɔr biɪŋ mərʤd, wɪθ ˈriʧɪŋ bæk ɔl ðə weɪ tɪ ðə ˈhæŋɪŋ ˈgɑrdənz əv ˈbæbəˌlɑn, wɛr reɪzd trɔfs əv ˈwɔtər fɛd plænts ðət həŋ ənd kæˈskeɪdɪd tɪ ðə graʊnz bɪˈloʊ. ˈækwəˌkəlʧər ɪz ə nuər tɛkˈnɑləʤi, moʊst ˈkɑmənli noʊn ɛz farming”*”, wɛr skulz əv fɪʃ ər reɪzd ɪn kənˈtroʊld ɪnˈvaɪrənmənts boʊθ ɪn ðə siz ənd ɔn lænd. boʊθ ˈækwəˌkəlʧər ənd ˈproʊdus ˈtɑksɪk weɪst ðət ˈəltəmətli hɑrmz ðə ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt. ɪn ˈækwəˌkəlʧər, fɪʃ ˈproʊdus ˈnæʧərəl weɪst ðət ɪz haɪ ɪn əˈmoʊnjə, rɪˈzəltɪŋ ɪn ˈwɔtər ðət məst bi dɪˈskɑrdɪd tɪ meɪnˈteɪn ðə hɛlθ əv ðə fɪʃ. ɪn, ˈnutriənt səˈluʃənz dɪˈgreɪd ɪn kˈwɑləti ənd ðə weɪst ˈwɔtər məst bi riˈmuvd frəm ðə ˈsɪstəm ər ɛls ɪt wɪl hɑrm ðə plænts. wɪn mərʤd, ˈækwəˌkəlʧər ənd ˈkænsəl aʊt iʧ weɪst, prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ə ˈsɪstəm wɛr ðə plænts lɪv ɔf ðə fɪʃ weɪst ənd ðə fɪʃ lɪv ɪn ˈwɔtər ˈpjʊrəˌfaɪd baɪ ðə plænts. ɪn ðiz ˈsɪstəmz, ˈjumənz kən ˈɪməˌteɪt ðə prɪˈsaɪs ˈbæləns əv ˈneɪʧər tɪ jild tənz əv frɛʃ ˈproʊdus ənd ˈhɛlθi fɪʃ wɪθ ˈvɛri ˈlɪtəl ˈɛfərt. wɪl power”*” ˈərbən fɑrm, mɪlˈwɔki, wən əv ðə ˈʧæmpiənz əv ðɪs nu fud ˈmuvmənt ɪz wɪl ˈælən, ˈoʊnər əv ðə groʊɪŋ paʊər ˈərbən fɑrm ɪn mɪlˈwɔki, wɪˈskɑnsən. ˈælən həz bɪlt ə ˈsɪriz əv ˈgrinˌhaʊzəz ðət juz tɛkˈnɑləʤi tɪ reɪz leɪk pərʧ ənd ˈoʊvər ə paʊnz əv ˈproʊdus ˈɛvəri jɪr. baɪ ˈjuzɪŋ ðɛr oʊn ˈkɑmpoʊst tɪ hit ðə ˈgrinˌhaʊzəz, groʊɪŋ paʊər rənz jɪr raʊnd, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðɛm wət maɪt bi ðə moʊst pərˈdəktɪv fɑrm ɪn ðə ˌmɪdˈwɛst. ðə ˈsikrɪt tɪ groʊɪŋ paʊər, ənd ˈmɛni ˈəðər fɑrmz, ɪz ðə ˈvərtɪkəl ˈneɪʧər əv ðɛr ˈfɑrmɪŋ ˈpræktɪs. ˈjuzɪŋ ˈməltəpəl reɪzd bɛdz ðət strɛʧ təˈwɔrd ðə rufs əv iʧ ˈgrinˌhaʊs, ˈfɑrmərz kən ˈməltəˌplaɪ ðə jild ðət trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈfɑrmərz kʊd ɪkˈspɛkt frəm ə flæt lænd ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt. ə ˈsɪŋgəl pəmp lɪfts ðə ˈwɔtər frəm ðə fɪʃ tæŋks tɪ tɔp ˈlɛvəl groʊɪŋ bɛdz. ðɪs ˈwɔtər fidz ðiz plænts ənd ðɛn ˈsaɪkəlz daʊn tɪ loʊər ˈlɛvəlz ˌbiˈfɔr ˈfɑlɪŋ bæk ˈɪntu ðə fɪʃ trɔfs bɪˈloʊ. wət meɪks wɪl əˈʧivmənt soʊ rɪˈmɑrkəbəl ɪz ðət hi həz groʊn ˈoʊvər paʊnz əv ˈproʊdus ənd paʊnz əv fɪʃ ɪn ʤɪst ə fju ˈeɪkərz. ɪt ɪz ən əˈʧivmənt ðət həz ˌɪnˈspaɪərd ˈhɑbiɪst ənd kəˈmərʃəl groʊərz əˈlaɪk, ənd həz ərnd ˈælən ə ˈmɪriəd əv əˈwɔrdz frəm səm əv ðə moʊst pərˈstiʤəs grænt ˌɔrgənəˈzeɪʃənz ɪn ðə wərld. ˈælən həz rɪˈsivd ə ˈlidərˌʃɪp grænt frəm ðə fɔrd faʊnˈdeɪʃən, ə ˈʤinjəs grænt frəm ðə məˈkɑrθər faʊnˈdeɪʃən ənd əˈnəðər frəm ðə ˈkɛlɔg faʊnˈdeɪʃən. ɪn ðə wərld əv, ðɪs ˈhəmbəl sən əv ˈʃɛrˌkrɑpərz frəm saʊθ ˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə həz ˈrɪzən tɪ ðə moʊst ˌrɛkəgˈnaɪzəbəl fɔrs ɪn ðə wərld əv fˈjuʧər ˈfɑrmɪŋ. groʊɪŋ paʊər ˈgæləri plant”*” baɪ ʤɑn ˈɛdəl, ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ, ɪl nɑt fɑr frəm groʊɪŋ paʊər ɪn mɪlˈwɔki, əˈnəðər həz ˈteɪkən tɪ ðə ˈɛmti ˈwɛˌrhaʊzɪz əv ˈdɪstrɪkt tɪ ˈproʊdus ə nu kaɪnd əv ˈɛdəbəl ˈprɑdəkt. əˈmɪdst ə slu əv sˈlɔtərˌhaʊsɪz ɪn ˈɛvəri dɪˈrɛkʃɪn, ʤɑn ˈɛdəl ənd hɪz ˈkəmpəˌni, plant”*” jild ˈprɪstin ˈproʊdus əv ðə ˌvɛʤəˈteɪtɪv kaɪnd. ˈɛdəl ˈjuzɪz ədˈvænst lɛd groʊ laɪts tɪ gɪv laɪf tɪ hɪz frɛndz, ənd ərbz groʊn ɪn ˈkɑnsərt wɪθ fɪʃ. ɛz ɪn ˈəðər ˈsɪstəmz, fɪʃ weɪst ɪn əˈmoʊnjə fɔrm ɪz ˈlɪftɪd θruaʊt ə ˈsɪriz əv plænt bɛdz, wɛr bækˈtɪriə ˈtrænsfɔrm ðət əˈmoʊnjə ˈɪntu ənd ðɛn ˈnaɪˌtreɪts, ə rɪʧ ˈsəbstəns ðət fidz hɪz ˈproʊdus. plæn ɪz tɪ pruv ðət ˈɛmti ˈwɛˌrhaʊs speɪs ɪn ˈsɪtiz əraʊnd ðə wərld ər raɪp ˈtɛrɪˌtɔri fər fˈjuʧər ˈfɑrmɪŋ. ˌɑntrəprəˈnərz laɪk ʤɑn kən ˈɑkjəˌpaɪ ðɪs speɪs ənd əˈplaɪ nu eɪʤ tɛkˈnɑləʤi tɪ fɑrm væst əˈmaʊnts əv fud ɪn ˈlɪmɪtɪd speɪs. ˈivɪn wɪθ ˈsənˌlaɪt ˈteɪkən aʊt əv ðə ɪkˈweɪʒən, ˈfɑrmərz kən juz tɛkˈnɑləʤi tɪ reɪz ˈproʊdus ənd ˈproʊˌtin wɪˈθaʊt ˈbreɪkɪŋ sɔɪl ər ˈweɪstɪŋ ðə ˈwɔtər lɔst ɪn trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈægrɪˌkəlʧər. grin skaɪ groʊərz: ðə fˈjuʧər əv ˈfɑrmɪŋ nɑt fɑr frəm ɔˈrlænˌdoʊ, ˈflɔrɪdə, ən ɔrˈgænɪk ˈɔrɪnʤ ˈfɑrmər ənd ə baɪˈɑləʤɪst wɪθ ˈɛpˌkɔt ˈsɛnər ɪkˈspɪriəns hæv timd əp tɪ bɪld ðə tru fɑrm əv ðə fˈjuʧər. ɔn ə ˈrufˌtɑp əˈbəv ðɛr ˈsɪti ˈsɛnər, grin skaɪ groʊərz juz ənd ˈvərtɪkəl ˈfɑrmɪŋ tɪ groʊ ˈmæsɪv jildz əv ˈproʊdus ənd frɛʃ, ˈhɛlθi ˈjuzɪŋ lɛs ðən 10 əv ðə ˈwɔtər ˈnidɪd fər trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈfɑrmɪŋ. ɛz məʧ ə saɪəns læb ɛz ə fɑrm, ðɪs fəˈsɪlɪti ˈjuzɪz ə ˈgrinˌhaʊs ðət beɪst ɔn ˈloʊkəl ˈtɛmpərəʧər, ˈroʊˌteɪtɪŋ plænt taʊərz ðət soʊk əp səˈluʃən frəm fɪʃ tæŋks, ənd ˈhæpi ðət kənˈsum plænt weɪst tɪ ˈproʊdus ˈwɔtər. ə ˈmɪriəd əv ˈvɛʤtəbəlz groʊ ɪn ðɪs ˈgrinˌhaʊs, wɛr, ərbz, ˈpɛpərz, təˈmɑtoʊz, ˈkjukəmbərz ənd mɔr groʊ ɪn ə ˌhaɪdrəˈpɑnɪk ˈsɛtɪŋ waɪl ˈækwəˌkəlʧər tæŋks kəmˈplit ə ˌbaɪəˈlɑʤɪkəl. ˈɛvəri ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ, ðɛr ˈproʊdus ɪz meɪd əˈveɪləbəl æt ə ˈmɑrkɪt ɔn ðə strits bɪˈloʊ ɪn ˈwɪntər ˈgɑrdən, ˈflɔrɪdə, ˌɪnˈvaɪtɪŋ ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd əp fər ə tʊr əv ðə fəˈsɪlɪti. tɛkˈnɑləʤi ɪz ˈɛvriˌwɛr ɪn ðɪs fɑrm, bət ðə plænts ɪt jildz ər ɛz ɔrˈgænɪk ɛz kən bi. noʊ ˈpɛstəˌsaɪdz, ʤəˈnɛtɪk ər ˈtɑksɪk weɪst əˈkər ɪn ðɪs fɑrm. ɪt ɪz ðə ˈpərˌfɪkt ˈmɛrɪʤ əv tɛkˈnɑləʤi ənd ˈneɪʧər, wɛr ðə ˈpipəl hu rən ɪt ˌəndərˈstænd ðə ˈdɛləkət ˈbæləns bɪtˈwin ˈsɛnsəbəl ˈægrɪˌkəlʧər ənd səˈsteɪnəbəl ˈbɪznɪs. ˈvɪzɪtərz tɪ ðə ɔˈrlænˌdoʊ ˈɛriə maɪt faɪnd mɔr ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən ənd fən ɪn ðɪs ˈrufˌtɑp fɑrm ðən ðeɪ wʊd æt ðə ˌɛnərˈteɪnmənt ˈdɪstrɪkt, wɛr ˈmɪki ənd ˈmɪni maʊs ˈdɑməˌneɪt ðə ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt. grin skaɪ groʊərz ˈgæləri baɪ ənd lɑrʤ, ˈfɑrmɪŋ ənd ˈægrɪˌkəlʧər ər sin ɛz ðə moʊst ˌloʊˈtɛk əv ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃənz ənd ˈsaɪənsɪz. jɛt ɪn ən ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈgloʊbəˌlaɪzd ɪˈkɑnəmi, ðiz ˈloʊkəl ˈfɔrsɪz ər ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ðə weɪ wi groʊ, ˈhɑrvəst ənd ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ɑr fud. ðə fˈjuʧər əv ˈfɑrmɪŋ ɪz groʊɪŋ təˈdeɪ, ɪn ənˈlaɪkli ˈpleɪsɪz wɛr ˈɛʤəˌkeɪtɪd ˌɑntrəprəˈnərz ər ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ. wət ju it təˈmɑˌroʊ meɪ kəm frəm ə fɑrm laɪk wən əv ðiz. ɪf ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd ɪn ˈlərnɪŋ mɔr, liv ə ˈkɑmɛnt bɪˈloʊ ər hɪt ðə lɪŋks əˈbəv tɪ ðiz ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri fɑrmz əv təˈmɑˌroʊ.
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aquaponics — the farms of the future are growing today. in a valley in the virgin islands, in a warehouse in chicago, on a rooftop in florida and a greenhouse in milwaukee, history’s newest and most sustainable form of agriculture has broken out of its seed and has began to take root. in these farms of the future, you’ll find no waste water, no eroding soil and no harsh insecticides, but a mutually-balanced ecosystem that yields fast-growing organic produce– and the freshest, toxin-free fish money can buy. this is aquaponics, a high tech farming technology where vegetables and fish are grown in concert, a next generation symbiotic system that just might change the way we grow, harvest and eat the food of tomorrow.
this exploration of the future of farming is brought to you by the mercedes c class.
the university of the virgin islands: the birthplace of aquaponics
after decades of scientific research, the team at the university of the virgin islands successfully grew fish and vegetables in a closed loop system that they ultimately called “aquaponics”. aquaponics is a hybrid technology including “aquaculture”, the raising of fish in a controlled system, and “hydroponics”, the farming of plants in a soil-free environment. both techniques had survived for centuries before being merged, with hydroponics reaching back all the way to the hanging gardens of babylon, where raised troughs of nutrient-rich water fed plants that hung and cascaded to the grounds below. aquaculture is a newer technology, most commonly known as “fish farming”, where schools of fish are raised in controlled environments both in the seas and on land.
both aquaculture and hydroponics produce toxic waste that ultimately harms the environment. in aquaculture, fish produce natural waste that is high in ammonia, resulting in water that must be discarded to maintain the health of the fish. in hydroponics, nutrient solutions degrade in quality and the waste water must be removed from the system or else it will harm the plants. when merged, aquaculture and hydroponics cancel out each other’s waste, providing a closed-loop system where the plants live off the fish waste and the fish live in water purified by the plants. in these aquaponic systems, humans can imitate the precise balance of nature to yield tons of fresh produce and healthy fish with very little effort.
will allen’s “growing power” urban farm, milwaukee, wi
one of the champions of this new food movement is will allen, owner of the growing power urban farm in milwaukee, wisconsin. allen has built a series of greenhouses that use aquaponic technology to raise 10,000+ lake perch and over a 1,000,000 pounds of produce every year. by using their own compost to heat the greenhouses, growing power runs year round, making them what might be the most productive year-round farm in the midwest.
the secret to growing power, and many other aquaponic farms, is the vertical nature of their farming practice. using multiple raised beds that stretch toward the roofs of each greenhouse, farmers can multiply the yield that traditional farmers could expect from a flat land investment. a single pump lifts the nutrient-rich water from the fish tanks to top level growing beds. this water feeds these plants and then cycles down to lower levels before falling back into the fish troughs below.
what makes will allen’s achievement so remarkable is that he has grown over 1,000,000 pounds of produce and 10,000 pounds of fish in just a few acres. it is an achievement that has inspired hobbyist and commercial growers alike, and has earned allen a myriad of awards from some of the most prestigious grant organizations in the world. allen has received a leadership grant from the ford foundation, a genius grant from the macarthur foundation and another from the kellogg foundation. in the world of aquaponics, this humble son of sharecroppers from south carolina has risen to the most recognizable force in the world of future farming.
growing power gallery
“the plant” by john edel, chicago, il
not far from growing power in milwaukee, another eco-entrepreneur has taken to the empty warehouses of chicago’s meat-packing district to produce a new kind of edible product. amidst a slew of slaughterhouses in every direction, john edel and his company, “the plant” yield pristine produce of the vegetative kind. edel uses advanced led grow lights to give life to his photosynthetic friends, lettuces and herbs grown in concert with fish. as in other aquaponic systems, fish waste in ammonia form is lifted throughout a series of plant beds, where naturally-occurring bacteria transform that ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates, a rich substance that feeds his produce.
edel’s plan is to prove that empty warehouse space in cities around the world are ripe territory for future farming. entrepreneurs like john can occupy this space and apply new age technology to farm vast amounts of food in limited space. even with sunlight taken out of the equation, farmers can use aquaponic technology to raise produce and protein without breaking soil or wasting the water lost in traditional agriculture.
green sky growers: the future of farming
not far from orlando, florida, an organic orange farmer and a biologist with epcot center experience have teamed up to build the true farm of the future. on a rooftop above their city center, green sky growers use aquaponics and vertical farming to grow massive yields of produce and fresh, healthy tilapia using less than 10% of the water needed for traditional farming. as much a science lab as a farm, this facility uses a software-controlled greenhouse that ventilates based on local temperature, rotating plant towers that soak up solution from fish tanks, and happy tilapia that consume plant waste to produce nutrient-rich water.
a myriad of vegetables grow in this greenhouse year-round, where lettuces, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and more grow in a hydroponic setting while aquaculture tanks complete a biological closed-loop. every saturday, their produce is made available at a farmer’s market on the streets below in winter garden, florida, inviting interested foodies up for a tour of the facility. technology is everywhere in this farm, but the plants it yields are as organic as can be. no pesticides, genetic modifiers or toxic waste occur in this new-aged farm. it is the perfect marriage of technology and nature, where the people who run it understand the delicate balance between sensible agriculture and sustainable business. visitors to the orlando area might find more inspiration and fun in this rooftop farm than they would at the area’s entertainment district, where mickey and minnie mouse dominate the environment.
green sky growers gallery
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by and large, farming and agriculture are seen as the most low-tech of occupations and sciences. yet in an increasingly globalized economy, these local forces are changing the way we grow, harvest and enjoy our food. the future of farming is growing today, in unlikely places where educated entrepreneurs are changing everything. what you eat tomorrow may come from a farm like one of these. if you’re interested in learning more, leave a comment below or hit the links above to these revolutionary farms of tomorrow.
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ðɪs ˈstɔri həz bɪn kərˈɛktɪd. rɛd bɪˈloʊ ˈʃɑrlət, n.c*. ˈæftər eɪt feɪld ˈɪntərvˌjuz, rɑn rɪˈvɛrə ɪz ˈfaɪnəli ˈgɪtɪŋ hɪz fərst ʃɑt ɛz ə hɛd koʊʧ wɪθ ðə ˈwoʊfəl ˌkɛrəˈlaɪnə ˈpænθərz. ʤɪst doʊnt ɪkˈspɛkt ə waɪld ˌsɛləˈbreɪʃən dɪˈspaɪt ðə ˈwɪndi, ˈbəmpi roʊd tɪ gɪt ðɛr ənd ðə sɪgˈnɪfɪkəns əv biɪŋ ʤɪst ðə ˈsɛkənd ləˈtinoʊ tɪ bi ˈhændɪd kənˈtroʊl əv ən ˈɛˌnɛˈfɛl tim. rɪˈvɛrə həz tu məʧ wərk tɪ du. hi ʃoʊd əp tɪ hɪz ˌɪntrəˈdəktəri nuz ˈkɑnfərəns ɔn ˈtuzˌdeɪ ɔl ˈbɪznɪs. ðə ˈfɔrmər sæn diˈeɪgoʊ ˈʧɑrʤərz dɪˈfɛnsɪv koʊˈɔrdəˌneɪtər ˈbɛrli krækt ə smaɪl ənd steɪd ɔn pɔɪnt. ɪt wɑz ɛz ɪf hi ˈriəˌlaɪzd ðə ˌɪˈmɛns ˈʧælənʤ ɪn rɪˈpleɪsɪŋ ʤɑn fɑks ənd ɪn ʧɑrʤ əv ðə wərst tim. "əm θrɪld tɪ dɛθ fər ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti. aɪ ˈɔlˌmoʊst wɔnt tɪ seɪ rɪˈlif," sɛd rɪˈvɛrə, ə ˈlaɪnˌbækər wɪθ ðə 1985 ˈsupər boʊl ˈʧæmpiən ʃəˈkɑˌgoʊ bɛrz. "wɪn ju gɪt ˈɪntu pleɪɪŋ ju straɪv fər wən θɪŋ, ðæts tɪ bi ə ˈsupər boʊl ˈʧæmpiən. wɪn ju gɪt ˈɪntu ˈkoʊʧɪŋ, ju straɪv tɪ bi ə ˈsupər hɛd koʊʧ. ðæts wət maɪ goʊl ɪz." rɪˈvɛrə ˌɪnˈhɛrəts ə tim ðət ˈfɪzəld ˈəndər ðə weɪt əv ˌɪnɪkˈspɪriəns, kˈwɛsʧənəbəl ˌpərsəˈnɛl dɪˈsɪʒənz ənd ˈsəˌspɛkt ˈtælənt. ɪt lɛd tɪ ə ˈmɛsi ɛnd əv ˈfɑksəz rən ɪn wɪʧ hi klæʃt wɪθ ˈmænɪʤmənt ˈoʊvər ðə kləbz dɪˈrɛkʃɪn. rɪˈvɛrə ɪz ɪkˈspɛktɪd tɪ tərn ɪt ɔl əraʊnd. "ɪt gɪvz mi ˈkəmfərt ðət hiz ə ˈfɔrmər pleɪər ə məʧ ˈbɛtər pleɪər ðən aɪ ˈɛvər wɑz," sɛd ˈpænθərz ˈoʊnər ˈʤɛri ˈrɪʧərdsən, ə ˈfɔrmər ˈbɔltəˌmɔr koʊlts rɪˈsivər. "bət ðə fækt ðət hi wɑz ə ˈfɔrmər pleɪər ənd aɪ wɑz ə ˈfɔrmər pleɪər, ɪt simd tɪ bi ə ˈprɪti kwɪk ˈbɑndɪŋ wɪθ ˈjuˈɛs." ɪts ðə fərst hɛd ˈkoʊʧɪŋ ʤɑb fər ðə rɪˈvɛrə, ə sən əv ə juz. ˈɑrmi ˈɔfɪsər hu ɪz əv ˈpɔrtər ˈrikən ənd ˈmɛksəkən ˈhɛrɪtɪʤ. hi ʤɔɪnz ənd ˈsiˌhɔks bɔs tɑm ˈflɔˌrɛz, ənd tɑm fɪrz, hu wɑz ðə hɛd koʊʧ əv ðə ɪkˈspænʧən nu ˌɔˈrlinz seɪnts, ɛz ðə ˈoʊnli hɪˈspænɪk hɛd ˈkoʊʧɪz. "əm ˈvɛri praʊd əv ðə fækt ðət aɪ æm əv hɪˈspænɪk dɪˈsɛnt," rɪˈvɛrə sɛd. "əm ˈvɛri ˈɑnərd tɪ hæv ðɪs ˌɑpərˈtunəti." ɪt tʊk ə waɪl. rɪˈvɛrə ˈɪntərvˌjud fər eɪt hɛd ˈkoʊʧɪŋ ʤɑbz ɪn sɪks jɪrz. hi sɛd ðət ɪkˈspɪriəns hɛlpt wɪn ðə ˈpænθərz kɔld. "əm ɪkˈsaɪtɪd fər rɑn," ˈʧɑrʤərz koʊʧ ˈtərnər sɛd. "hi həz əˈspaɪrd tɪ bi ən ˈɛˌnɛˈfɛl hɛd koʊʧ ənd aɪ ɪkˈspɛkt ɪm tɪ du ən ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ ʤɑb. "rɑn ɪz ən ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ kəmˈjunəˌkeɪtər. hi həz wərkt ˈəndər ənd ˈlərnɪd frəm ə lɔŋ lɪst əv hɛd ˈkoʊʧɪz. ðət ɪkˈspɪriəns wɪl sərv ɪm wɛl. ðə ˈpænθərz ər ˈfɔrʧənət tɪ lænd rɑn."
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this story has been corrected. read below
charlotte, n.c. -- after eight failed interviews, ron rivera is finally getting his first shot as a head coach with the woeful carolina panthers.
just don't expect a wild celebration despite the windy, bumpy road to get there and the significance of being just the second latino to be handed control of an nfl team.
rivera has too much work to do.
he showed up to his introductory news conference on tuesday all business. the former san diego chargers defensive coordinator barely cracked a smile and stayed on point. it was as if he realized the immense challenge in replacing john fox and in charge of the nfl's worst team.
"i'm thrilled to death for the opportunity. i almost want to say relief," said rivera, a linebacker with the 1985 super bowl champion chicago bears. "when you get into playing you strive for one thing, that's to be a super bowl champion. when you get into coaching, you strive to be a super bowl-winning head coach. that's what my goal is."
rivera inherits a 2-14 team that fizzled under the weight of inexperience, questionable personnel decisions and suspect talent. it led to a messy end of fox's nine-year run in which he clashed with management over the club's direction.
rivera is expected to turn it all around.
"it gives me comfort that he's a former player -- a much better player than i ever was," said panthers owner jerry richardson, a former baltimore colts receiver. "but the fact that he was a former player and i was a former player, it seemed to be a pretty quick bonding with us."
it's the first head coaching job for the 49-year-old rivera, a son of a u.s. army officer who is of puerto rican and mexican heritage. he joins ex-raiders and seahawks boss tom flores, and tom fears, who was the head coach of the expansion new orleans saints, as the only hispanic head coaches.
"i'm very proud of the fact that i am of hispanic descent," rivera said. "i'm very honored to have this opportunity."
it took a while. rivera interviewed for eight head coaching jobs in six years. he said that experience helped when the panthers called.
"i'm excited for ron," chargers coach norv turner said. "he has aspired to be an nfl head coach and i expect him to do an outstanding job.
"ron is an outstanding communicator. he has worked under and learned from a long list of head coaches. that experience will serve him well. the panthers are fortunate to land ron."
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55user* ˈreɪtɪŋ: 5 aʊt əv 5 ˌrivˈju ˈtaɪtəl əv ðə bɛst kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv ˈʃutər aɪv pleɪd ɪn jɪrz. (ˈɛdət: faɪərd soʊ noʊ greɪt ˈgeɪmˌpleɪ ðət simz tɪ bɪˈkəm mɔr fən ðə ˈbɛtər ju gɪt ənd ˈivɪn mɔr fən wɪn ju pleɪ ɪˈvɑlv wɪθ frɛndz. ə lɑrʤ əˈmaʊnt əv ˈstɔri ənd lɔr dɪˈlɪvərd ɪn ə ˈsɪmələr ˈfæʃən tɪ dɑrk soʊlz ɪn ðət ju lərn mɔr əv ɪt ɛz ju pleɪ ˌɪnˈstɛd əv ɪt ɔl ʤɪst biɪŋ ˈgɪvɪn tɪ əˈmeɪzɪŋ kəmˈjunɪti fʊl əv əˈmeɪzɪŋ ˈpipəl! (ʃaʊt aʊt tɪ ðə fər səm əv ðə bɛst ˈbæləns aɪv ˈɛvər sin ɪn tim beɪst tim həz ə ʧæns əv ˈwɪnɪŋ wɪθ ðə ˈwɪnər biɪŋ ðə tim ðət həz ðə moʊst skɪl ənd ðə ˈluzər biɪŋ outplayed*. waɪl ðɛr ɪz ə lɑrʤ əˈmaʊnt əv ˈɔpʃənəl, ðə hæv kəmˈplitli əˈvɔɪdɪd ˈmeɪkɪŋ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ peɪ tɪ wɪn sɪns nən əv ðə ˈkɛrɪktərz gɪv ju ˈɛni ˌɪnˈhɛrənt ædˈvæntɪʤ ˈoʊvər ˈjuzɪŋ beɪs geɪm ˈkɛrɪktərz. ˈɛdət: steɪʤ 2 ɪz ˈkərəntli nɑt ˌgɛrənˈtid tɪ riʧ ˈjuˈɛs ˈkɑnsoʊl pleɪərz ər bi ˈfɪnɪʃt ɔn əˈkaʊnt əv ˈhævɪŋ ˈtərməˌneɪtɪd ðə rɑk ˈstudiˌoʊz) ˈkɑnˌtrækt ˌbiˈfɔr ðeɪ wɛr ˈeɪbəl tɪ hæv ɪt fər ˈkɑnsoʊl.
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55user rating: 5 out of 5
review title of v0id 0m3g4 the best competitive shooter i've played in years.
(edit: 2k fired devs so no stage2) great gameplay that seems to become more fun the better you get and even more fun when you play evolve with friends. a large amount of story and lore delivered in a similar fashion to dark souls in that you learn more of it as you play instead of it all just being given to you.an amazing community full of amazing people! (shout out to the trs/evolve for some of the best balance i've ever seen in team based shooter.each team has a 50/50 chance of winning with the winner being the team that has the most skill and the loser being outplayed. while there is a large amount of optional dlc, the devs have completely avoided making anything pay to win since none of the dlc characters give you any inherent advantage over using base game characters. edit: stage 2 is currently not guaranteed to reach us console players or be finished on account of 2k having terminated the devs(turtle rock studios) contract before they where able to have it greenlit for console.
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ˈsəmˌtaɪm ɪn 2017 ðə ˈjuˈɛs ˈkɑŋgrəs wɪl ðə lɔ ðət ˈpərˌmɪts wən əv ðə ki faɪv aɪz spaɪɪŋ ˈproʊˌgræmz, ˈsɛkʃən 702 ˈsɛkʃən 702 boʊθ ˈprɪzəm (ðə kəˈlɛkʃən əv ˈkɑntɛnt dɪˈrɛkli frəm ˈjuˈɛs tɛk ˈkəmpəˌniz laɪk ˈgugəl ənd ˈmaɪˌkroʊˈsɔft) ənd ˈəpˈstrim sərˈveɪləns (ðə kəˈlɛkʃən, ˈviə ˈpækɪt sˈnɪfɪŋ, əv ˈəðər kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz ˈtrænzɪtɪŋ ðə ˈjuˈɛs ˌtɛləkəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃənz ˈbækˌboʊn). ðə teɪks pleɪs ɪn ðə weɪk əv ˈbɑrək ˌoʊˈbɑməz ɪkˈspænʧən əv ˌɪnˈtɛləʤəns ˈʃɛrɪŋ kəˈlɛktəd ˈviə ˈəðər minz, ˈəndər ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔrdər 12333 əˈbaʊt ðə ɪˈvɛnt ˈmɑrsi ˈwilər (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marcy_wheeler*), ən ædˈvaɪzər tɪ ðə ˈjuˈɛs ˈkɑŋgrəs' fɔrθ əˈmɛndmənt ˈkɔkəs ənd ən ˈɛkspərt ɔn ðɪs ənd ˈəðər ˈjuˈɛs sərˈveɪləns lɔz, wɪl ɪkˈspleɪn wət ðə faɪt minz fər ˈjuˈɛs spaɪɪŋ ˈʤɛnərəli. ʃi wɪl ɪkˈspleɪn ˈrisənt ˈprɑbləmz wɪθ ˈəpˈstrim sərˈveɪləns ənd wət ɪt minz fər ənd ðə faɪv aɪz' ˈpækɪt sˈnɪfɪŋ kəˈlɛkʃən mɔr ˈʤɛnərəli. ʃi wɪl leɪ aʊt wət ðə ˈprɑspɛkts ər fər rɪˈfɔrm əv 702 ðɪs jɪr ənd wət əˈdɪʃənəl prəˈtɛkʃənz ðət maɪt ˈɔfər ɔˈstreɪljənz. ʃil ɪkˈspleɪn ðə ˈgreɪtər rɪsk əv sərˈveɪləns ˈəndər 12333 ənd ʃil leɪ ˈjuˈɛs sərˈveɪləns, ˈʤɛnərəli, əˈgɛnst ðə ˈbækˌgraʊnd əv ˈdɑnəld trəmps ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən ənd hɪz ˈpɛrəˌnɔɪd kleɪmz ðət hi, tu, həz bɪn ðə ˈtərgət əv ə "tæp." əˈbaʊt ðə ˈprɛzəntər ˈmɑrsi ˈwilər (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marcy_wheeler*) həz bɪn ˈblɔgɪŋ fʊl taɪm sɪns 2007 ʃiz noʊn fər hər əv ðə ˈskutər ˈlɪˌbi traɪəl, hər ˌdɪˈskəvri əv ðə ˈnəmbər əv taɪmz ˈkɑlɪd ʃik moʊˈhæmɪd wɑz waterboarded*, ənd ˈʤɛnərəli fər hər ˈwidi æˈnælɪsɪs əv ˈdɑkjəmɛnt dəmps. ə ki kənˈgrɛʃənəl ˈstæfər ˈrisəntli ˌɪntrəˈdust ˈmɑrsi ɛz "ðə ˈpərsən ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ˈgəvərnmənt hu noʊz ðə moʊst əˈbaʊt sərˈveɪləns". ˈmɑrsi ɪz ən ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈʤərnəlɪst ˈraɪtɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈnæʃənəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd ˈsɪvəl ˈlɪbərˌtiz. ʃi raɪts ɛz æt hər blɔg, emptywheel.net*, ˈpəblɪʃɪz æt ˈaʊˌtlɛts ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðə ˈgɑrdiən, səˈlɑn, ənd ðə prəˈgrɛsɪv, ənd əˈpɪrz ˈfrikwɛntli ɔn ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən ənd ˈreɪdiˌoʊ. ʃi ɪz ðə ˈɔθər əv əˈnætəmi əv dɪˈsit, ə ˈpraɪmər ɔn ðə siaɪeɪ lik ˌɪnˌvɛstəˈgeɪʃən. ˈmɑrsi həz ə ˈpiˌeɪʧˈdi frəm ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈmɪʃɪgən, wɛr ʃi riˈsərʧt ðə "feuilleton*", ə ʃɔrt ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃənəl ˈnuzˌpeɪpər fɔrm ðət həz ˈpruvən ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ɪn taɪmz əv ˈhaɪtənd ˈsɛnsərˌʃɪp. ˌbiˈfɔr ənd ˈæftər hər taɪm ɪn ˌækəˈdɛmɪks, ˈmɑrsi prəˈvaɪdɪd ˌdɑkjəmɛnˈteɪʃən kənˈsəltɪŋ fər ˌkɔrpərˈeɪʃənz ɪn ðə ˈɔtoʊ, tɛk, ənd ˈɛnərʤi ˈɪndəstriz. ʃi lɪvz wɪθ hər spaʊs ənd dɔg ɪn grænd ˈræpɪdz, ˈmɪʃɪgən.
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sometime in 2017, the us congress will reauthorise the law that permits one of the key five eyes spying programs, fisa section 702.
section 702 authorises both prism (the collection of content directly from us tech companies like google and microsoft) and upstream surveillance (the collection, via packet sniffing, of other communications transiting the us telecommunications backbone).
the reauthorisation takes place in the wake of barack obama's expansion of intelligence sharing collected via other means, under executive order 12333.
about the event
marcy wheeler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marcy_wheeler), an advisor to the us congress' fourth amendment caucus and an expert on this and other us surveillance laws, will explain what the authorisation fight means for us spying generally.
she will explain recent problems with upstream surveillance and what it means for nsa and the five eyes' packet sniffing collection more generally. she will lay out what the prospects are for reform of 702 this year -- and what additional protections that might offer australians. she'll explain the greater risk of surveillance under eo 12333. and she'll lay us surveillance, generally, against the background of donald trump's administration and his paranoid claims that he, too, has been the target of a "tapp."
about the presenter
marcy wheeler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marcy_wheeler) has been blogging full time since 2007. she's known for her live-blogging of the scooter libby trial, her discovery of the number of times khalid sheikh mohammed was waterboarded, and generally for her weedy analysis of document dumps.
a key congressional staffer recently introduced marcy
as "the person outside of government who knows the most about surveillance".
marcy is an independent journalist writing about national security and civil liberties. she writes as emptywheel at her blog, emptywheel.net, publishes at outlets including the guardian, salon, and the progressive, and appears frequently on television and radio. she is the author of anatomy of deceit, a primer on the cia leak investigation.
marcy has a phd from the university of michigan, where she researched the "feuilleton", a short conversational newspaper form that has proven important in times of heightened censorship. before and after her time in academics, marcy provided documentation consulting for corporations in the auto, tech, and energy industries. she lives with her spouse and dog in grand rapids, michigan.
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ˈoʊvər ðə jɪrz, tækˈseɪʃən ənd ˈwɛlˌfɛr ˈsɪstəmz hæv bɪˈkəm ən ˈæbsəˌlut ˈʃæmbəlz. ðeɪ hæv tɪ bi. ðɛr ɪz ən ɔlˈtərnətɪv wɪʧ həz bɪn ˈsɪtɪŋ ɔn ðə ʃɛlf ɪn ˈvɛriəs rɪˈpɔrts əraʊnd ðə wərld fər jɪrz. ɪt ɪz ə səˈluʃən wɪʧ wɪl bi ˈstrɔŋli əˈpoʊzd baɪ ðə ˌkoʊəˈlɪʃən, baɪ ðə ɔˈstreɪljən ˈleɪbər ˈpɑrti ənd moʊst əv ɔl baɪ ðə ˌkænˈbɛrə bjʊˈrɑkrəsi. ˈɛniˌθɪŋ wɪθ ðət sɔrt əv səˈpɔrt dɪˈzərvz ˈsɪriəs kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən frəm ðə rɛst əv ˈjuˈɛs. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt lʊk æt ɑr ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈsɪstəm. ɔn ə rəf kaʊnt æt ðə taɪm əv ˈraɪtɪŋ, ðɛr ər noʊ fjuər ðən faɪv ˈdɪfərənt ˈpeɪmənts fər ðə sɪk ər dɪˈseɪbəld, tu fər ðə ˌənɛmˈplɔɪd, 10 fər ˈfæməliz, ənd eɪt ər mɔr fər ðoʊz ɪn ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. səm əv ðiz ˈbɛnəfɪts ər ˈoʊvərˌlæpɪŋ, səm ər mˈjuʧuəli ɪkˈsklusɪv, ɔl wɪθ ˈdɪfərənt əˈmaʊnts, pɔɪnts, minz tɛsts ənd ˌɛlɪʤəˈbɪlɪti rulz. ənd ˈɛvəri jɪr ðə rulz ʧeɪnʤ, ˈpeɪmənt reɪts ʧeɪnʤ, nu əˈlaʊənsɪz ər ˌɪnˈvɛntɪd ənd oʊld wənz feɪzd aʊt ər skræpt. səm ər federally-funded*, ˈəðərz ər ənd ˈvɛri frəm steɪt tɪ steɪt əraʊnd ðə ˈkəntri. ðɛn ðɛr ər ðə ˈsəbsɪdiz fər rɛnt, ˈtɛləˌfoʊn, ˈtrævəl, ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən, ˈmɛdəsənz, ˈdɪfərənt eɪʤ grups, ˈdɪfərənt ˈriʤənz, ˈdɪfərənt ˈɪnˌkəm grups ɪt goʊz ɔn ənd ɔn. nɑt tɪ ˈmɛnʃən ɔl ðə tæks əˈlaʊənsɪz ənd kənˈsɛʃənz. ɪt əˈmaʊnts tɪ ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz ɔn ə skeɪl. ˈθaʊzənz əv ˈpipəl ər ɪmˈplɔɪd ˈfʊlˌtaɪm ˈpjʊrli tɪ meɪk ʃʊr ˈpipəl gɪt ðiz ˈriˌbeɪts, ˈbɛnəfɪts ənd əˈlaʊənsɪz, ər gɪt mɔr əv ðɛm ðən ðeɪ maɪt bi ɛnˈtaɪtəld tɪ. ˈθaʊzənz mɔr ər ɪmˈplɔɪd tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn ðə ˈsɪstəmz tɪ ðə ˈpəblɪk, ər tɪ treɪn ðə stæf hu hæv tɪ ədˈmɪnɪstər ðə ˈsɪstəmz, ənd ˈθaʊzənz mɔr ər ɪmˈplɔɪd tɪ ˈprɔˌsɛs ˈpeɪmənts ənd kip ðə bʊks fər ɔl ðə ˈsɛpərˌeɪt skimz. ɪt həz gɑt tɪ ðə pɔɪnt wɛr ˈpɑvərti məst bi wən əv ˈbɪgəst ˈɪndəstriz. ðɪs ɪz ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks əv looneyville*. soʊ teɪk ðə ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ ˈɪnˌkəm tæks ənd ˈwɛlˌfɛr ˈsɪstəmz ənd skræp ðə lɔt. ˌɪnˈstɛd, peɪ ˈɛvəri ˈsɪtɪzən ənd ˈpərmɑˌnɛnt ˈrɛzɪdənt ən ˈmɪnəməm ˈlɪvɪŋ weɪʤ. ˈɛvriˌwən. ˌɔtəˈmætɪkli. ˈwɛðər ðeɪ ər ɪmˈplɔɪd ər nɑt, rɪʧ ər pur, jəŋ ər oʊld. ðɪs ɪz nɑt ə nu ˈnoʊʃən. ɪt goʊz baɪ ə ˈnəmbər əv neɪmz bət ɪz ˈprɑbəˌbli bɛst noʊn ɪn ˈjʊrəp ɛz ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm, wɛr ɪt həz ˈsɪriəs səˈpɔrt ənd ə ˈkɛrfəli ˈrizənd ˈwɛbˌsaɪt. ɪt ɪz ˈsəmˌtaɪmz kɔld ˈnɛgətɪv ˈɪnˌkəm tæks, bɪˈkəz ˈəndər ðɪs ˈsɪstəm ɪf jʊr ˈɪnˌkəm ɪz bɪˈloʊ ə ˈsərtən ˈlɛvəl ju du nɑt peɪ tæks, ðə tæks ˈɔfəs peɪz ju. ɪn sˈwɪtsərlənd, ə pəˈtɪʃən fər ə citizens’*’ ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm ɔn ə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm skim ˈrisəntli əˈtræktəd 20 pər sɛnt mɔr ðən ðə ˈmɪnəməm ˈnəmbər əv ˈvælɪd ˈsɪgnəʧərz rikˈwaɪərd tɪ fɔrs ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ðɛr tɪ hoʊld ə ˌrɛfərˈɛndəm. ɪf ə məˈʤɔrəti əv ðə ˈpipəl voʊt ‘‘yes’*’, ðə ˈgəvərnmənt wɪl hæv tɪ oʊˈbeɪ. ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt ðə riˈækʃən baɪ moʊst ˈpipəl ɪz tɪ ˈɑbʤɛkt ˈstrɔŋli tɪ peɪɪŋ ˈpipəl hu nothing”*”. bət wi ɔˈrɛdi du. mɔˈroʊvər, ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm ˈsɪstəmz nid nɑt prɪˈklud ˈsoʊʃəl riˌspɑnsəˈbɪlətiz ər ˈivɪn skimz. ˌɪnˈdid, bɪˈkəz ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm ˈsɪstəm ɪz soʊ məʧ ˈsɪmpələr ənd trænˈspɛrənt ðən ðə ˈprɛzənt mɛs, ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ əv ə doʊl ˈnaɪtˌmɛr fjuər ənd ˈsɪmpələr ðə rulz, ðə fjuər ˈluˌphoʊlz ðɛr ər. ɪt ˈɔlsoʊ ɪˈlɪməˌneɪts, wəns ənd fər ɔl, ðə ˈsoʊˈkɔld ˈpɑvərti træp, wɛr ðə ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən əv ˈɪnˌkəm tæks ənd lɔs əv ˈbɛnəfɪts minz ðɛr ɪz ˈlɪtəl ər noʊ ˌɪnˈsɛnɪv tɪ teɪk ə ʤɑb. jɛs, ðɛr ɪz səʧ ə θɪŋ ɛz ˈwɛlˌfɛr dɪˈpɛndənsi. wən əv ðə ki ˈɛləmənts əv ðɪs ɪz ə læk əv self-esteem*. ðoʊz wɪθ ʤɑbz, əˈspɛʃəli ðoʊz hu hæv ʤɑbz ðeɪ dɪsˈlaɪk, tɛnd tɪ əˈsum ðət ˈɛniˌwən hu ɪz nɑt ˈwərkɪŋ ɪz ə bludger*. ðət ˈwəri ðə ˈtaɪni prəˈpɔrʃən əv ˈʤɛnjuˌaɪn, bət ɪt ɪz fər tɛnz əv ˈθaʊzənz əv ˈpipəl fər hum ðɛr ər noʊ ʤɑbz. ɪf ˈɛvriˌwən gɪts ə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm, noʊ wən nidz tɪ bi ˈklæsəˌfaɪd ɛz ˈsɪtɪzən ʤɪst bɪˈkəz ðeɪ ərn ˈlɪtəl ər ˈnəθɪŋ. wən əv ðə bɛst weɪz tɪ breɪk ðət dɪˈpɛndənsi ˈmaɪndˌsɛt ɪz tɪ meɪk mɔr ʤɑbz əˈveɪləbəl, ənd əˈspɛʃəli ˈgreɪtər ʧɔɪs əv ʤɑbz, ənd ðət ɪz pəˈtɛnʃəli ðə ˈgreɪtəst ˈbɛnəfɪt ə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm skim kʊd prəˈvaɪd. fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ɪmˈplɔɪərz wʊd hæv ðə ˈɔpʃən, θru ˈnæʃənəl ər ˈɛnərˌpraɪz ˈbɑrgɪnɪŋ, əv ˈkətɪŋ ˈweɪʤɪz baɪ ˈɛniˌθɪŋ əp tɪ ðə əˈmaʊnt əv ðə weɪʤ. fər ˈmɛni fərmz, ðət wʊd kət pərˈdəkʃən kɔsts baɪ æt list 20 pər sɛnt ənd ɪn ˈmɛni ˈkeɪsɪz 50 pər sɛnt ər mɔr. wət wʊd ðət du fər ðə ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl kəmˈpɛtɪtɪvnɪs? ˈɪndəstriz ɪn ˌpɑˈtɪkjələr wʊd bɪˈkəm mɔr kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv ər mɔr ˈprɑfətəbəl ər ə ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən əv boʊθ. nɑt ˈoʊnli wʊd kɔsts drɔp, bət kˈwɑləti wʊd ˌɪmˈpruv. ɪmˈplɔɪiz hu wər ˈfrəˌstreɪtəd, bɔrd, ər ˈəndər strɛs bɪˈkəz ðeɪ wər ˈbɛrli ˈkɑmpətɪnt ɪn ðə ʤɑb wʊd bi məʧ mɔr ˈlaɪkli tɪ liv. kˈwɪtɪŋ wʊd noʊ ˈlɔŋgər min ˈweɪtɪŋ ˈpɪriədz fər ðə doʊl ər ˈəðər ˈhæsəlz frəm gɪt peɪd ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm ˈɛvəri wik ˈwɛðər ju wər ˈwərkɪŋ ər nɑt). ʤɪst θɪŋk wət ɪt wʊd ðət du fər məræl, ənd fər kˈwɑləti ənd ˌproʊdəkˈtɪvɪti? ɪt wʊd ˈsərtənli meɪk laɪf ˈiziər fər ˈmænɪʤmənt. nɑt ˈoʊnli wʊd ˌɪmˈpruvmənts ɪn kˈwɑləti ənd kɔst kəmˈpɛtɪtɪvnɪs tɛnd tɪ kriˈeɪt ʤɑbz, ðə ɪgˈzɪstəns əv ə ˌgɛrənˈtid ˈɪnˌkəm wʊd meɪk ɪt lɛs ˈrɪski fər ˈpipəl tɪ kriˈeɪt ðɛr oʊn ʤɑbz baɪ goʊɪŋ aʊt ɔn ðɛr oʊn. ənd ɪt wʊd meɪk ɪt ˈiziər fər ˈpipəl tɪ swɪʧ frəm wən ʤɑb tɪ əˈnəðər fər wɪʧ ðeɪ maɪt bi məʧ mɔr ˈsutɪd. ˈbɪznɪsɪz wʊd seɪv ˈməni bɪˈkəz ðeɪ wʊd noʊ ˈlɔŋgər hæv tɪ ækt ɛz tæks ənd kəˈlɛktərz fər ðə ˈgəvərnmənt. ˈweɪʤɪz kʊd ˈsɪmpli bi peɪd groʊs ˈɪntu employees’*’ bæŋk əˈkaʊnts ðə seɪm bæŋk əˈkaʊnts juzd baɪ ðə tæks ˈɔfəs tɪ peɪ ðɛm ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm. fər moʊst ˈpipəl, ðɛr ˈænjuəl ˈɪnˌkəm tæks rɪˈtərn wʊd kənˈsɪst ˈsɪmpli əv ðɛr bæŋk ˈsteɪtmənts fər ðə jɪr. kəmˈpəlsəri ˈsupər wʊd bi ˌriˈpleɪst baɪ ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm. ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz hu ˈwɔntɪd tɪ seɪv əˈdɪʃənəl ˈməni fər ðɛr rɪˈtaɪərmənt wʊd stɪl bi fri tɪ du soʊ. kʊd ðə ˈneɪʃən əˈfɔrd ɪt? jɛs. fər ə stɑrt, ə juʤ reɪnʤ əv ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ ˈhænˌdaʊts wʊd ˈvænɪʃ. noʊ ˈeɪʤɪd ˈpɛnʃən. noʊ doʊl. noʊ ˌdɪsəˈbɪlɪti ˈpɛnʃən. noʊ ˈbeɪbi ˈboʊnəs. noʊ əˈlaʊəns. noʊ ˈpɑrtnər əˈlaʊəns. ˌɛtˈsɛtərə ˌɛtˈsɛtərə ˌɛtˈsɛtərə. ðə ˈseɪvɪŋz wʊd bi juʤ. ˈpərsɪnəl ˈɪnˌkəm tæks əˈlaʊənsɪz, dɪˈdəkʃənz ənd ˈriˌfəndz wʊd bi ˌriˈpleɪst baɪ ðə ˈmɪnəməm weɪʤ. əˈnəðər bɪg ˈseɪvɪŋ. ˈmɛni ɪf nɑt ɔl ðə tæks breɪks tɪ ˈbɪznɪs wʊd ˈɔlsoʊ ˌdɪsəˈpɪr. ɪf ðə ˈgəvərnmənt peɪz pɑrt əv ðə ˈweɪʤɪz, ɪt dɪz nɑt ˈɔlsoʊ nid tɪ ˈbɪldɪŋz ənd ɪkˈwɪpmənt ər ˈrisərʧ ˈriˌfəndz, ər gɪv ˌməlˌtiˈnæʃənəl ˈkəmpəˌniz ˈmɪljənˌdɔlər ˈhænˌdaʊts mɔr bɪg ˈseɪvɪŋz. ðə ˌpɑləˈtɪʃənz laɪk ɪt. ðə ˈbjʊrəˌkræts wɪl heɪt ɪt. tæks əˈkaʊntənts ənd tæks ˈlɔjərz wɪl heɪt ɪt. ðə ˈʤɛnjuˌaɪn ənd ˈmərʧənts wɪl heɪt ɪt. ðət livz æt list 21 ˈmɪljən ˈpipəl hu maɪt θɪŋk ɪt ɪz ə ˈblədi gʊd aɪˈdiə. braɪən ˈdɑnəgi ɪz ən ˈædəˌleɪd ˈfriˌlæns ˈʤərnəlɪst. ðɪs ɪz ən ˈɛdɪtɪd ˈɛkˌstrækt frəm hɪz bʊk, sɛnts ənd ˌsɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti (ˈædəˌleɪd ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt rɪˈpɔrtər, 2014 wɪʧ ˈædvəˌkeɪts fər ə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈɪnˌkəm. wi ˈvælju ˈloʊkəl ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈʤərnəˌlɪzəm. wi hoʊp ju du tu. prəˈvaɪdz ˈvæljəbəl, ˈloʊkəl ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈʤərnəˌlɪzəm ɪn saʊθ ɔˈstreɪljə. ɛz ə nuz ˌɔrgənɪˈzeɪʃən ɪt ˈɔfərz ən ɔlˈtərnətɪv tɪ ðə ˈædvərˌtaɪzər, ə ˈdɪfərənt vɔɪs ənd ə ˈkloʊzər lʊk æt wət ɪz ˈhæpənɪŋ ɪn ɑr ˈsɪti ənd steɪt fər fri. ˈɛni ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃən tɪ hɛlp fənd ɑr wərk ɪz əˈpriʃiˌeɪtɪd. pliz klɪk bɪˈloʊ tɪ bɪˈkəm ən səˈpɔrtər. paʊərd baɪ
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over the years, australia’s taxation and welfare systems have become an absolute shambles. they don’t have to be.
there is an alternative which has been sitting on the shelf in various reports around the world for years.
it is a solution which will be strongly opposed by the coalition, by the australian labor party and most of all by the canberra bureaucracy.
anything with that sort of support deserves serious consideration from the rest of us.
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look at our social security system.
on a rough count at the time of writing, there are no fewer than five different payments for the sick or disabled, two for the unemployed, 10 for families, and eight or more for those in education.
some of these benefits are overlapping, some are mutually exclusive, all with different amounts, cut-off points, means tests and eligibility rules. and every year the rules change, payment rates change, new allowances are invented and old ones phased out or scrapped.
some are federally-funded, others are state-funded and vary from state to state around the country.
then there are the subsidies – for rent, telephone, travel, education, medicines, different age groups, different regions, different income groups … it goes on and on. not to mention all the tax allowances and concessions.
it amounts to micro-managing individuals on a mind-boggling scale.
thousands of people are employed full-time purely to make sure people don’t get these rebates, benefits and allowances, or don’t get more of them than they might be entitled to.
thousands more are employed to explain the systems to the public, or to train the staff who have to administer the systems, and thousands more are employed to process payments and keep the books for all the separate schemes.
it has got to the point where poverty must be one of australia’s biggest job-creating industries. this is the economics of looneyville.
so let’s take the existing income tax and welfare systems and scrap the lot.
instead, pay every citizen and permanent resident an index-linked minimum living wage.
everyone. automatically. whether they are employed or not, rich or poor, young or old.
this is not a new notion. it goes by a number of names but is probably best known in europe as basic income, where it has serious support and a carefully reasoned website.
it is sometimes called negative income tax, because under this system if your income is below a certain level you do not pay tax, the tax office pays you.
in switzerland, a petition for a citizens’ referendum on a basic income scheme recently attracted 20 per cent more than the minimum number of valid signatures required to force the government there to hold a referendum. if a majority of the people vote ‘yes’, the government will have to obey.
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the knee-jerk reaction by most people is to object strongly to paying people who “do nothing”. but we already do.
moreover, basic income systems need not preclude social responsibilities or even work-for-the-dole schemes.
indeed, because the basic income system is so much simpler and transparent than the present mess, basic income is something of a dole bludger’s nightmare –the fewer and simpler the rules, the fewer loopholes there are.
it also eliminates, once and for all, the so-called poverty trap, where the combination of income tax and loss of benefits means there is little or no incentive to take a job.
yes, there is such a thing as welfare dependency. one of the key elements of this is a lack of self-esteem. those with jobs, especially those who have jobs they dislike, tend to assume that anyone who is not working is a bludger. that doesn’t worry the tiny proportion of genuine bludgers, but it is demoralising for tens of thousands of people for whom there are no jobs.
if everyone gets a basic income, no one needs to be classified as second-class citizen just because they earn little or nothing.
one of the best ways to break that dependency mindset is to make more jobs available, and especially greater choice of jobs, and that is potentially the greatest benefit a basic income scheme could provide.
for example, employers would have the option, through national or enterprise bargaining, of cutting wages by anything up to the amount of the state-paid wage. for many firms, that would cut production costs by at least 20 per cent and in many cases 50 per cent or more.
what would that do for the nation’s international competitiveness? labour-intensive industries in particular would become more competitive or more profitable or a combination of both.
not only would costs drop, but quality would improve. employees who were frustrated, bored, or under stress because they were barely competent in the job would be much more likely to leave. quitting would no longer mean waiting periods for the dole or other hassles from centrelink (you’d get paid the basic income every week whether you were working or not).
just think what it would that do for morale, and for quality and productivity? it would certainly make life easier for management.
not only would improvements in quality and cost competitiveness tend to create jobs, the existence of a no-questions-asked guaranteed income would make it less risky for people to create their own jobs by going out on their own. and it would make it easier for people to switch from one job to another for which they might be much more suited.
businesses would save money because they would no longer have to act as tax and superannuation collectors for the government. wages could simply be paid gross into employees’ bank accounts – the same bank accounts used by the tax office to pay them the basic income.
for most people, their annual income tax return would consist simply of their bank statements for the year.
compulsory super would be replaced by the basic income. individuals who wanted to save additional money for their retirement would still be free to do so.
could the nation afford it? yes.
for a start, a huge range of existing handouts would vanish. no aged pension. no dole. no disability pension. no baby bonus. no widow’s allowance. no partner allowance. etc etc etc.
the savings would be huge.
personal income tax allowances, deductions and refunds would be replaced by the minimum wage. another big saving.
many if not all the tax breaks to business would also disappear. if the government pays part of the wages, it does not also need to subsidise buildings and equipment or research refunds, or give multinational companies million-dollar handouts – more big savings.
the politicians won’t like it. the bureaucrats will hate it. tax accountants and tax lawyers will hate it. the genuine bludgers and rip-off merchants will hate it.
that leaves at least 21 million people who might think it is a bloody good idea.
brian donaghy is an adelaide freelance journalist.
this is an edited extract from his book, cents and sensibility (adelaide independent reporter, 2014), which advocates for a basic income.
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wʊd ə ˈfænsi ˈfeɪsɪŋ ə ˈkɑrənt ˌpækɪˈstæni kwɪk? ə ˈkəpəl əv wiks əˈgoʊ aɪ kəmˈplitɪd ðə ˈnæʃənəl pleɪɪŋ ˈsərˌveɪ, wɪʧ ˈɔfərd ðoʊz ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn ˌrɛkriˈeɪʃənəl ˈkrɪkɪt ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ ðɛr əˈkjumjəˌleɪtɪd graɪps ənd ˈgrivənsɪz ɪn wən pleɪs. ˈæftər θru ˈvɛriəs ˈsɛkʃənz ˌæsərˈteɪnɪŋ ˈhæbəts ənd ˈprɛfərənsɪz, ðə ˈfaɪnəl kˈwɛʃən wɑz ˈoʊpəˌnɛndəd (ənd əm ˈpɛrəˌfreɪzɪŋ hir): ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ɛls ju wɔnt tɪ gɪt ɔf jʊr ʧɛst? səˈprɛsɪŋ ðə ərʤ tɪ hæv ə rænt əˈbaʊt umpiring*, aɪ səˈʤɛstɪd ðət ɪt ˈwəzənt ˈsərvɪŋ ðə bɛst ˈɪntərɪsts əv ðə geɪm tɪ əˈlaʊ prəˈfɛʃənəlz ɪn ðə fɔrθ (ənd loʊəst) tir əv ðə lig, sɪns æt ðət ˈlɛvəl ɪt ʃʊd praɪˈmɛrəli bi əˈbaʊt ˈhævɪŋ ə geɪm prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ə geɪm fər ˈpipəl. pɑrˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən. kləbz ðət kænt əˈfɔrd tɪ prɪmp ðɛr fəˈsɪlɪtiz (ənd pərˈhæps doʊnt hæv ðə æmˈbɪʃən tɪ muv əp ðə dɪˈvɪʒənz), ˈʃʊdənt bi koʊərst ˈɪntu ˈspɛndɪŋ ˈməni ɔn proʊz. kləbz ðət kən əˈfɔrd proʊz ər ˈprɑbəˌbli ˈkətɪŋ ˈkɔrnərz, ˈpeɪpərɪŋ ˈoʊvər kræks. ðə loʊər ðə ˈlɛvəl, ðə mɔr ðə ˈprɛzəns əv ˈfʊlˌtaɪm dɪˈstɔrts ðə kəmˈpɛtɪtɪvnɪs əv ˈfɪksʧərz. ɔl əv ðɪs hæd ˈoʊnli ˈrisəntli ˈflɪkərd ˈɪntu vju. aɪ hæd "rɪˈtaɪrd" ɪn 2010 ˈæftər 22 jɪrz' ʃi ˈkrɪkɪt ˌprɪˈdɑmənənˌtli pleɪd ɪn ðə tɔp tir (frəm 2000 prɛˈmɪr ligz), bət ðət tərnd aʊt tɪ bi ə θˈriˌjɪr səˈbætɪkəl. ˈæftər sˈloʊli ˈfɑlɪŋ bæk ɪn ləv wɪθ ðə geɪm əkˈsɛptɪŋ ðə "ˌɛgˌzɪˈstɛnʃəl dɛθ" əv ðə oʊld mi (ðə jəŋ mi) aɪ rɪˈtərnd ɛz ə dɪˈmɪnɪʃt pleɪər tɪ ˈkæptən maɪ kləbz ə tim ɪn dɪˈvɪʒən 3a*. ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðɪs tim ɪz tɪ ɔl ˌɪnˈtɛnts ənd ˈpərpəsɪz ɑr ʃi, wi pleɪ ɪkˈsklusɪvli əˈgɛnst ðə əv kləbz ˈfərðər daʊn ðə ˈpɪrəmɪd (ər əˈgɛnst ə ˈkəpəl əv ˈəðər səʧ ə timz). waɪl ə ˌdɪsədˈvænɪʤ fər ˈnɑˌkaʊt ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃənz (pleɪərz hu pleɪ fər ðə ə tim biɪŋ cup-tied*), ɪt prəˈvaɪdz ən ˈɛksələnt ˈplætˌfɔrm tɪ dɪˈvɛləp ˈjəŋstərz fər ɑr fərst tim. ˈnəθɪŋ ɪz mɔr ˈsərtən ɪn kləb ˈkrɪkɪt ðən ə tim ˌɪnˈfɔrmɪŋ ju, wɪθ ˈsəmθɪŋ bɪtˈwin ə smərk ənd ə ˈgrɪməs, ɪgˈzæktli haʊ kwɪk ðɛr proʊ ɪz ˈɛniˌweɪ, ɪt wɑz ɛz ɪf ðə gɑdz wər ˈmɑkɪŋ mi wɪn aɪ tərnd əp ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ tɪ dɪˈskəvər ðət ðə ˈjuʒəwəli ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən, hɛm hiθ ə, hæd roʊpt ɪn ˈpækɪˌstæn fæst ˈboʊlər ˈbɑˌti. greɪt. ˈnəθɪŋ ɪz mɔr ˈsərtən ɪn kləb ˈkrɪkɪt ðən ə tim ˌɪnˈfɔrmɪŋ ju, wɪθ ˈsəmθɪŋ bɪtˈwin ə smərk ənd ə ˈgrɪməs, ɪgˈzæktli haʊ kwɪk ðɛr proʊ ɪz. wɪn ɑr jəŋ ˈkipər lɪmpt ɔf ɪn ðə ˈsɛkənd ˈoʊvər ˈhævɪŋ ˈteɪkən ə bloʊ ɔn ðə ˌɪnˈsaɪd əv ðə ni, hɛm hiθ sɛnt ɔn ə "acko*", ən oʊld ˈspɑrɪŋ ˈpɑrtnər sɪns ɑr deɪz hu, wɪθ ˈlɪtəl ˈprɑmptɪŋ, geɪv ˈjuˈɛs θˌrizdɪˈmɛnʃənəl ˌrɛprəzɛnˈteɪʃən baɪ ˈwɔkɪŋ bæk ə ˈdəzən jɑrdz frəm ˈsɛkənd slɪp tɪ wɛr hid bi ˈsteɪʃənd ˈæftər ti. "meɪt, hiz kwɪk. kwɪk quick…*…" əv kɔrs, ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən ɪz ˈɔfən ðə ˈkɪlər wɪθ pacemen*. bæk wɪn aɪ wɑz 16 ənd ˈhævɪŋ maɪ ˈfoʊrˌskɪn træpt ɪn maɪ ˈsoʊˈkɔld "prəˈtɛktər" baɪ ə din ˈhɛdli nip-backer*, ɔl wi hæd wɑz ɑr ˌɪˌmæʤəˈneɪʃən ənd ðə ˈsɔlti teɪlz əv əˈpoʊnənts tɪ kræŋk əp ðə æŋˈzaɪəti swɛts. nɑt naʊ. naʊ ju kən wɔʧ ðiz stɑr proʊz ɔn jʊr foʊn. ˈvɪdioʊ æˈnælɪsɪs. ðəs, ðə ˈɪntərvəl sɔ ˈjuˌtub biɪŋ kənˈsəltɪd, ˈɪmɪʤɪz əv ˈbɑˌti ˈboʊlɪŋ ˈjɔrkərz fər ˈpækɪˌstæn, ənd ˈbaʊnsɪŋ aʊt ɔn ə ˈdɑsəl ˈæbu ˈdɑbi strɪp. ˈmɑrvələs. wəns əˈpɑn ə taɪm aɪ ˈrɛlɪʃt ðə ˌɑpərˈtunəti əv pleɪɪŋ əˈgɛnst ðə laɪks əv əˈfridi, ˈneɪθən ˈæsəl, ˈɔlbi morkel*, ˈtinoʊ bɛst ənd ˈdəzənz əv ˈəðər ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəlz. ˌɪnˈdid, ðət wɑz ə juʤ pɑrt əv ðə əˈtrækʃən, ə juˈnik ˌɑpərˈtunəti fər ðə ˌrɛkriˈeɪʃənəl ˈspɔrtsmən. bət ɪn ðə fɔrθ tir, æt maɪ eɪʤ? ənd ðə ˈeɪʤɪz əv maɪ tim, wɪʧ wər: 14 17 42 20 15 15 19 13 14 17 18 ˌnɛvərðəˈlɛs, wɪθ ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈskɛʤʊlz ɪnˈkroʊʧɪŋ ɔn ðə ˈɪŋlɪʃ ˈsəmər ənd ˈvɛriəs ligz ˈɔfərɪŋ ˈbɛtər paydays*, ɪt həz bɪˈkəm ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli ˈdɪfəkəlt tɪ gɪt pleɪərz fər ə fʊl ˈsizən, ənd wɪθ ə ˈsɪstəm əv "ˈoʊpən ˈpeɪmənts" (wɛr kləbz kən peɪ ɛz ˈmɛni pleɪərz ɛz ðeɪ laɪk) ˈhævɪŋ ˌriˈpleɪst ðə ˈlɪmət, kləbz ər ˈɑptɪŋ tɪ spɛnd ðɛr ˈbəʤɪts ɔn ə ˈkəpəl əv ˈloʊkəl pleɪərz. ˈʤunjər pleɪərz nid ðə əv hɑrd lig ˈkrɪkɪt tɪ dɪˈvɛləp ˈgɛti ˈɪmɪʤɪz ju hæv tɪ ˈwəndər ˈwɛðər ðɪs ɪz ˈrɪli "ˈreɪzɪŋ ðə ˈstændərd", tɪ saɪt ðə ˌpəblɪˈkeɪʃən əˈnaʊnsɪŋ ðə ˈoʊvərˌhɔl əv ˌrɛkriˈeɪʃənəl ˈkrɪkɪt ənd fɔrˈmeɪʃən əv ðə prɛˈmɪr ligz. ər dɪz ɪt sərv tɪ dɪˈvərt ˈməni frəm fəˈsɪlɪtiz ənd ˌɪnfrəˈstrəkʧər ˈɪntu ˌmidiˈoʊkər' ˈpɑkəts, wɪθ ðə ˌɪnˈkrist ˈmuvmənt əv ˌɑpərˈtunɪst pleɪərz ˈəltəmətli kləbz ðət ˌɪnˈvɛst ɪn juθ dɪˈvɛləpmənt, ˈoʊnli fər ðɛm tɪ bi baɪ ˈwɛlθi ˈraɪvəlz? ɔn ðə flɪp saɪd, ðɛr ər naʊ ðə minz fər mɔr jəŋ mɛn tɪ meɪk ə ˈlɪvɪŋ frəm ˈkrɪkɪt, ˈpɑrtli θru pleɪɪŋ ənd ˈpɑrtli ˈkoʊʧɪŋ. æt ə kləb laɪk ɑrz, wɪθ lɑrʤ ˈnəmbərz ɪn ðə juθ ˈsɛkʃən, ðɪs kriˈeɪts ə ˈpɑzətɪv ˈfidˌbæk lup: ɛz ðə ˌrɛpjəˈteɪʃən əv ðə ˈʤunjər ˈsɛkʃən groʊz, mɔr ənd mɔr kɪdz kəm (i.e*. mɔr ˈrɛvəˌnu), rikˈwaɪərɪŋ mɔr ˈkoʊʧɪz. ənd ðɪs ɪz wɛr ðət ˈnæʃənəl pleɪɪŋ ˈsərˌveɪ resurfaces*. ɛz ðeɪ gɪt ˈoʊldər, ənd rəˈgɑrdləs əv ðə bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ əˈmaʊnt əv ˈkrɪkɪt ðeɪ pleɪ, ˈʤunjər pleɪərz' dɪˈvɛləpmənt stɪl rikˈwaɪərz ðə əv lig ˈkrɪkɪt. ðeɪ nid ˈdɪpɪŋ ɪn ˈvɪnəgər. soʊ: dɪz peɪɪŋ ˈfʊlˌtaɪm ˈoʊvərˈsiz pleɪərz ər ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəlz ɪn ðə keɪs əv ˈbɑˌti hɛlp reɪz ðə ˈstændərd ɪn ðə loʊər ˈɛʃəˌlɑnz (əˈməŋ ðə whippersnappers*, ðə ˈhæzˌbɪnz ənd ðə never-were-but-couldn't-care-lesses*)? ər dɪz ɪt ɪnˈkərəʤ kləbz tɪ teɪk ˈʃɔrtˌkəts? ənd wɪˈθaʊt prəˈfɛʃənəlz, ər ju ʤɪst ˈfɑstərɪŋ ə ˈkəlʧər əv ˌmidiˈɑkrəti? ˈkɑmplɛks kˈwɛsʧənz, ənˈdaʊtɪdli. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈgɪvɪn ðət ɑr wicketkeeper*, ˈɑli, wɑz wən mənθ oʊld wɪn ðə əˈtæks əˈkərd, ənd ðət ˈbɑˌti wɑz pleɪɪŋ ɪn ðə wərld kəp ɪn mɑrʧ, ðə geɪm dɪd sim ˈsəmθɪŋ əv ə ˈmɪsˌmæʧ. ˌɪnˈdid, wɪn hi wɑz ʤɔɪnd æt ðə kris baɪ ən ˈikwəli dɪˈmɪnjətɪv ɛz ɑr əˈpoʊnənts pʊʃt fər ˈvɪktəri, ɪt ˈsədənli brɔt ə ˈmɔrəl dɪˈmɛnʃən tɪ ðə geɪm. ðə pɪʧ wɑz wɔrn jɛt tru. ˈbɑˌti səˈprɛst ðə ərʤ tɪ boʊl ˈbaʊnsərz fər ə ˈkəpəl əv ˈoʊvərz ənˈtɪl, ˈrəðər ðən ˈʃutɪŋ ˈbæmbi, hi wɪθˈdru frəm ðə əˈtæk. aɪ ˈʤɛsʧərd tɪ ðɛr ˈkæptən ðət aɪ hæd noʊ ˈprɑbləm wɪθ ɪm kənˈtɪnjuɪŋ. ˈæftər ɔl, waɪl wi ər traɪɪŋ tɪ ˈhɑˌthaʊs ɑr ˈjəŋstərz baɪ ɪkˈspoʊzɪŋ ðɛm tɪ ə ˈdisənt ˈlɛvəl əv kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv ˈkrɪkɪt, ðeɪ wər ɑˈstɛnsəbli peɪɪŋ ˈbɑˌti tɪ wɪn ðɛm ðə geɪm. ɪt wɑz tu ˌaɪdiˈɑləʤiz ˈrəbɪŋ əp əˈgɛnst iʧ ˈəðər. soʊ, ɪz ˈhævɪŋ prəˈfɛʃənəlz æt ðɪs ˈlɛvəl ə ˈwərθˈwaɪl ˈɛksərˌsaɪz? ɪf ðə lʊk ɔn dæn, ɑr feɪs ˈæftər hi hæd gɑt θru ˈoʊpənɪŋ bərst wɑz ˈɛniˌθɪŋ tɪ goʊ baɪ, ðɛn ənˈdaʊtɪdli jɛs. hæd ɪt bɪn ɔn ə pur pɪʧ, ɪt maɪt hæv bɪn ə ˈdɪfərənt story…*… skɑt ˈɑlɪvər hir spɔrts ˈmidiə ˈɛlˈtiˈdi.
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would a 14-year-old fancy facing a current pakistani quick? © afp
a couple of weeks ago i completed the ecb's national playing survey, which offered those involved in recreational cricket the opportunity to offload their accumulated gripes and grievances in one place. after breezing through various sections ascertaining habits and preferences, the final question was open-ended (and i'm paraphrasing here): anything else you want to get off your chest?
suppressing the urge to have a rant about umpiring, i suggested that it wasn't serving the best interests of the game to allow professionals in the fourth (and lowest) tier of the league, since at that level it should primarily be about having a game - providing a game for people. participation. clubs that can't afford to primp their facilities (and perhaps don't have the ambition to move up the divisions), shouldn't be coerced into spending money on pros. clubs that can afford pros are probably cutting corners, papering over cracks. the lower the level, the more the presence of full-time cricketers distorts the competitiveness of fixtures.
all of this had only recently flickered into view. i had "retired" in 2010 after 22 years' 1st xi cricket predominantly played in the top tier (from 2000, ecb premier leagues), but that turned out to be a three-year sabbatical. after slowly falling back in love with the game - accepting the "existential death" of the old me (the young me) - i returned as a diminished player to captain my club's a team in division 3a. although this team is to all intents and purposes our 2nd xi, we play exclusively against the 1st xis of clubs further down the pyramid (or against a couple of other such a teams). while a disadvantage for knockout competitions (players who play for the a team being cup-tied), it provides an excellent platform to develop youngsters for our first team.
nothing is more certain in club cricket than a team informing you, with something between a smirk and a grimace, exactly how quick their quick-bowling pro is
anyway, it was as if the gods were mocking me when i turned up the following saturday to discover that the usually pro-less opposition, hem heath a, had roped in pakistan fast bowler bilawal bhatti.
great.
nothing is more certain in club cricket than a team informing you, with something between a smirk and a grimace, exactly how quick their quick-bowling pro is. when our young keeper limped off in the second over having taken a blow on the inside of the knee, hem heath sent on a sub-fielder - "acko", an old sparring partner since our under-18 days - who, with little prompting, gave us three-dimensional representation by walking back a dozen yards from second slip to where he'd be stationed after tea. "mate, he's quick. quick quick…"
of course, anticipation is often the killer with pacemen. back when i was 16, and having my foreskin trapped in my so-called "protector" by a dean headley nip-backer, all we had was our febrile imagination and the salty tales of opponents to crank up the anxiety sweats. not now. now you can watch these star pros on your phone. video analysis. thus, the interval saw youtube being consulted, images of bhatti bowling 147kph yorkers for pakistan, and bouncing out mahela jayawardene on a docile abu dhabi strip.
marvellous.
once upon a time i relished the opportunity of playing against the likes of shahid afridi, nathan astle, albie morkel, tino best and dozens of other internationals. indeed, that was a huge part of the attraction, a unique opportunity for the recreational sportsman. but in the fourth tier, at my age? and the ages of my team, which were: 14, 17, 42, 20, 15, 15, 19, 13, 14, 17, 18?
nevertheless, with international schedules encroaching on the english summer and various t20 leagues offering better paydays, it has become increasingly difficult to get top-line players for a full season, and with a system of "open payments" (where clubs can pay as many players as they like) having replaced the one-pro-per-club limit, clubs are opting to spend their budgets on a couple of local players.
junior players need the cut-and-thrust of hard league cricket to develop © getty images
you have to wonder whether this is really "raising the standard", to cite the publication announcing the overhaul of recreational cricket and formation of the ecb premier leagues. or does it serve to divert money from facilities and infrastructure into mediocre cricketers' pockets, with the increased movement of opportunist players ultimately destabilising clubs that invest in youth development, only for them to be cherry-picked by wealthy rivals?
on the flip side, there are now the means for more young men to make a living from cricket, partly through playing and partly coaching. at a club like ours, with large numbers in the youth section, this creates a positive feedback loop: as the reputation of the junior section grows, more and more kids come (i.e. more revenue), requiring more coaches. and this is where that national playing survey resurfaces. as they get older, and regardless of the bewildering amount of age-group cricket they play, junior players' development still requires the cut-and-thrust of hard-nosed league cricket. they need dipping in vinegar.
so: does paying full-time overseas players - or internationals in the case of bhatti - help raise the standard in the lower echelons (among the whippersnappers, the has-beens and the never-were-but-couldn't-care-lesses)? or does it encourage clubs to take shortcuts? and without professionals, are you just fostering a culture of mediocrity?
complex questions, undoubtedly. however, given that our wicketkeeper, olly, was one month old when the 9/11 attacks occurred, and that bhatti was playing in the world cup in march, the game did seem something of a mismatch. indeed, when he was joined at the crease by an equally diminutive 14-year-old as our opponents pushed for victory, it suddenly brought a moral dimension to the game.
the pitch was worn yet true. bhatti suppressed the urge to bowl bouncers for a couple of overs until, rather than shooting bambi, he withdrew from the attack. i gestured to their captain that i had no problem with him continuing. after all, while we are trying to hothouse our youngsters by exposing them to a decent level of competitive cricket, they were ostensibly paying bhatti to win them the game. it was two ideologies rubbing up against each other.
so, is having professionals at this level a worthwhile exercise? if the look on dan, our 14-year-old opener's face after he had got through bhatti's opening eight-over burst was anything to go by, then undoubtedly yes. had it been on a poor pitch, it might have been a different story…
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ˈɛroʊ həz kæst ˌælɪgˈzændər ˈkælvərt ɛz fər ðə series’*’ fɔrθ ˈsizən ɔn ðə cw*, rɪˈpɔrts. ˈkælvərt wɪl bi ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd frəm hɪz rɪˈkərɪŋ roʊlz ɔn beɪts moʊˈtɛl, ðə rɪˈtərnd ənd ðə dɛd zoʊn. ðə əˈfɪʃəl ˈkɛrɪktər dɪˈskrɪpʃən sɪz ðət ˈlɔni ˈmæʧɪn (ˈɑkə) ɪz ə dɪˈreɪnʤd ˈfriˌlænsɪŋ ˈkrɪmənəl hu ɪz ˈwɪlɪŋ tɪ du ˌwəˈtɛvər ɪt teɪks tɪ ˌɪmˈprɛs ə pəˈtɛnʃəl ɪmˈplɔɪər. wɑz ərˈɪʤənəli kriˈeɪtɪd baɪ ˈælən grænt ənd nɔrm ˈbreɪˌfoʊgəl fər ˌdiˈsi ˈkɑmɪks, ənd həz bɪn ə θɔrn ɪn ðə saɪd əv ðə bæt ˈfæməli, ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli ˈrɑbɪn, wɪθ hɪz æˈnɑrkɪk ˈklæʃɪŋ wɪθ strɪkt bɪˈlif ɪn lɔ ənd ˈɔrdər. hi ˈɔlsoʊ meɪd ən əˈpɪrəns ɪn ˈvɪdioʊˌgeɪm ˈbætˌmæn: ˈɔrəʤɪnz. ðə nuz ˈfɑloʊz ˈæftər ðə əˈnaʊnsmɛnt ðət ˈɛkoʊ ˈkɛləm wɪl pleɪ ˈmɪstər. tərˈɪfɪk ənd nil məkˈdənə wɪl pleɪ ˈvɪlən ˈdeɪmiən ɪn ðə nu ˈsizən.
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arrow has cast alexander calvert as anarky for the series’ fourth season on the cw, cbr reports. calvert will be recognized from his recurring roles on bates motel, the returned and the dead zone.
the official character description says that lonnie machin (aka anarky) is a deranged freelancing criminal who is willing to do whatever it takes to impress a potential employer.
anarky was originally created by alan grant and norm breyfogle for dc comics, and has been a thorn in the side of the bat family, particularly robin, with his anarchic worldview clashing with batman’s strict belief in law and order. he also made an appearance in videogame batman: arkham origins. the news follows after the announcement that echo kellum will play mr. terrific and neal mcdonough will play villain damien darhk in the new season.
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cg* flɪk ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl: dæmˈneɪʃən wɪl bi riˈlist ɔn ənd ˌdiˌviˈdi ɪn ðə juz. ɔn sɛpˈtɛmbər 25 2012 ˈsoʊni ˈpɪkʧərz hoʊm ˌɛnərˈteɪnmənt həz əˈnaʊnst. ðə fɪlm mɑrks ðə ˈsɛkənd ˈænəˌmeɪtɪd ˈɛntri ɪn ðə ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl ˈfrænˌʧaɪz, ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ɔn frəm ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl: dɪˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən. dæmˈneɪʃən stɑrz liɑn ɛs. ˈkɛnədi ɛz hi ˈbætəlz ən ˈɑrmi əv ˈwɛpənz (b.o.w.s*) ɪn ˈistərn ˈjʊrəp ɪn ən əˈtɛmpt tɪ ənˈkəvər ðə truθ bɪˈhaɪnd ðə ˈaʊtˌbreɪk. ðə ˈmuvi ˈɔlsoʊ ˈfiʧərz əˈpɪrənsəz baɪ ˈeɪdə wɔŋ ənd ˈɪŋgrɪd hunnigan*, hu boʊθ əˈpɪrd ɪn ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl 4 ənd wɪl ˈɔlsoʊ ˈfiʧər ɪn ðɪs ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl 6 ˈdeɪbju wɪl bi pərˈzɛnəd ɪn ləʃ ənd mɪkst ɪn ˈdoʊlbi truehd*, waɪl ðə ˌdiˌviˈdi ˈvərʒən ˈfiʧərz wɪθ ˈdoʊlbi ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈɑdiˌoʊ. ɪn tərmz əv ˈɛkstrəz, fænz kən ɪkˈspɛkt ə featurette*, ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs plagas*: ˈɔrgəˌnɪzəmz əv wɔr featurette*, gæg ril, ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈkɑpi ənd kənˈsɛpʧuəl ɑrt ˈgæləri, ðə ˈlɑˌteɪ wɪʧ ɪz ɪkˈsklusɪv tɪ ðə riˈlis. ˈrɛzɪdənt ˈivəl: dæmˈneɪʃən wɪl ˈriˌteɪl fər ɔn ənd ɔn ˌdiˌviˈdi. noʊ wərd jɛt ɔn ə ˌjʊrəˈpiən deɪt, bət kip ju ˈpoʊstɪd. steɪ tund.
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cg flick resident evil: damnation will be released on blu-ray and dvd in the u.s. on september 25, 2012, sony pictures home entertainment has announced.
the film marks the second dtv animated entry in the resident evil franchise, following on from resident evil: degeneration. damnation stars leon s. kennedy as he battles an army of bio-organic weapons (b.o.w.s) in eastern europe in an attempt to uncover the truth behind the outbreak.
the movie also features appearances by ada wong and ingrid hunnigan, who both appeared in resident evil 4 and will also feature in this year’s resident evil 6.
damnation’s blu-ray debut will be presented in lush 1080p and mixed in 5.1 dolby truehd, while the dvd version features anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 dolby digital audio.
in terms of extras, fans can expect a behind-the-scenes featurette, las plagas: organisms of war featurette, gag reel, ultraviolent digital copy and conceptual art gallery, the latte which is exclusive to the blu-ray release.
resident evil: damnation will retail for $30.99 on blu-ray and $26.99 on dvd. no word yet on a european date, but we’ll keep you posted.
stay tuned.
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lyudmila* ɪz ən ˈaɪkɑn əv ˈrəʃən ˈsɪvəl soʊˈsaɪɪti ə sərˈvaɪvər əv ðə fərst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən əv ˈsoʊviˌɛt ˈdɪsədənts hu ˈimərʤd ɪn ðə θɔ əv 1960s*. hər ˈsərkəl kət ðɛr tiθ ɔn kæmˈpeɪnz ɪn səˈpɔrt əv ˈraɪtərz ənd ˌɪntəˈlɛkʧuəlz hu hæd ˈfɑlən faʊl əv ˈsoʊviˌɛt əˈθɔrətiz. ˈæktɪˌvɪzəm wʊd si hər ɪkˈspɛld frəm ðə ˈkɑmjənəst ˈpɑrti ənd luz hər ʤɑb. ˈæŋʃəs ðət ˈjumən raɪts əˈbjuzɪz wər goʊɪŋ ˌənriˈpɔrtɪd, ənd hər ˈkɑligz sɛt əp ðɛr oʊn, ˈəndərˌgraʊnd ˌpəblɪˈkeɪʃən ɪn 1968 prəˈdust ɔn ə ˈmænjuəl ˈtaɪˌpraɪtər baɪ ə ˈhændˌfʊl əv ˈæktɪvɪsts, ðə ˈkrɑnɪkəl əv ˈkɑrənt ɪˈvɛnts ˌnɛvərðəˈlɛs prəˈvaɪdɪd ə ˈkruʃəl ˈrɛkərd əv ðə ˈsoʊviˌɛt steɪts ˈtritmənt əv dɪˈsɛnɪŋ ˈvɔɪsɪz. fɔrst aʊt əv ˈrəʃə rɪˈpitɪd kˈwɛsʧənɪŋ baɪ əˈθɔrətiz ənd reɪdz ɔn hər hoʊm ˈfɑloʊd, bət wɑz ˈnɛvər ʤeɪld. bət baɪ ðə ðə ˈsoʊviˌɛt əˈθɔrətiz' ˈpeɪʃəns wɑz ˈkəmɪŋ tɪ ən ɛnd. ɪn 1976 ʤɔɪnd ðə ˈmɔˌskaʊ ˈhɛlsɪŋki grup, wɪʧ sɔt tɪ hoʊld ðə ˈsoʊviˌɛt ˈgəvərnmənt tɪ ɪts ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl kəˈmɪtmənts ɔn ˈjumən raɪts ˈgɪvɪn ɛz pɑrt əv ðə ˈhɛlsɪŋki əˈkɔrdz. wɪˈθɪn ə jɪr, wɑz fɔrst tɪ liv ðə ˈkəntri fər ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts, wɛr ʃi wʊd spɛnd ðə nɛkst decade-and-a-half*. bɪˈkeɪm ə ˈrɛgjələr ˈprɛzəns æt ˈproʊˌtɛsts ɪn ˈmɔˌskaʊ rɪˈtərnɪŋ tɪ ˈrəʃə ɪn 1993 riˈbɪlt ðə ˈmɔˌskaʊ ˈhɛlsɪŋki grups kæmˈpeɪnɪŋ ækˈtɪvɪtiz əˈkrɔs ðə ˈkəntri. bət ɪt wɑz hər roʊl ɛz wən əv ðə ɪn ðə faɪt fər ðə raɪt tɪ ˈproʊˌtɛst ðət brɔt hər tɪ ðə əˈtɛnʃən əv ə nu ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən ɪn ɔˈrɛdi ɪn hər 80s*, ʤɔɪnd ˈproʊˌtɛsts ɔn ˈmɔˌskoʊz skwɛr ˈɛvəri deɪ əv ə mənθ ɪn ə nɑd tɪ ðə ˈɑrtɪkəl əv ðə ˈrəʃən ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən ðət ˌgɛrənˈtiz ˈfridəm əv əˈsɛmbli. fju kʊd fərˈgɛt ðə ˈɪmɪʤ əv ðə, drɛst ɪn ə nu jɪrz ˈkɑstum, biɪŋ ˈbəndəld əˈweɪ baɪ pəˈlis ɔn ðə læst deɪ əv 2009 nu ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən əv ˈproʊˌtɛstərz sɪks jɪrz ɔn frəm ðoʊz ˌdɛmənˈstreɪʃənz ənd wɪθ fɑr ˈhɑrʃər ˈlɪmɪts ɔn ˈproʊˌtɛst pæst ɪn ðə ˈminˌtaɪm; dɪz ʃi ˈnɛvər fil dɪˈʤɛktɪd? "ˈtudeɪz jəŋ ˈpipəl gɪv mi ðə ˈfilɪŋ əv nɑt ˈhævɪŋ lɪvd ɪn veɪn," ʃi sɪz. ɪz ˈsərtən ðɛr ər noʊ ˈʃɔrtˌkəts ɔn ðə roʊd tɪ dɪˈmɑkrəsi. "ðə ˌrɛvəˈluʃən ðət ɑr ˈgəvərnmənt ɪz soʊ əˈfreɪd əv woʊnt ˈhæpən," ʃi sɪz. "ɪts nɑt ɪn ɑr ˈnæʃənəl ˈkɛrɪktər." ˌɪnˈstɛd, ɪkˈspɛkts ə lɔŋ ˈpɪriəd əv ˌɪnkrəˈmɛntəl ʧeɪnʤ. ʃi ədˈmɪts ðət ʃi kʊd ˈnɛvər hæv ˌɪˈmæʤənd ðət riˈleɪʃənz wɪθ juˈkreɪn wʊd gɪt soʊ bæd. sɪz ˈrəʃəz 2014 ˌænɛkˈseɪʃən əv kraɪˈmiə wɑz ə "ˈkreɪzi ɪnˈdɛvər" ənd wən ðət wɪl kɔst boʊθ ˈrəʃə ənd juˈkreɪn ˈdɪrli ɪn ðə lɔŋ rən. bət fər ɔl ðə ˈsɛtˌbæks, rɪˈmeɪnz ən ˌɪndɪˈfætɪgəbəl ˈɑptɪmɪst. ˈrəʃə, ʃi sɪz kˈwoʊtɪŋ ðə ˈraɪtər ˌælɪgˈzændər herzen*, nidz tu ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃənz tɪ groʊ əp ɪn ˈfridəm tɪ ˈriəˌlaɪz ðə drim əv ˈbɪldɪŋ ə ˈkəntri ˈrutɪd ɪn ðə rul əv lɔ. ˈlʊkɪŋ æt ðə fərst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɪts mɑrk ɪn ˈpɑləˌtɪks ənd ˈæktɪˌvɪzəm, ɪz kənˈvɪnst, "wɪr ɔˈrɛdi hæf weɪ ðɛr."
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lyudmila alexeyeva is an icon of russian civil society - a survivor of the first generation of soviet dissidents who emerged in the thaw of 1960s. her circle cut their teeth on campaigns in support of writers and intellectuals who had fallen foul of soviet authorities. alexeyeva's activism would see her expelled from the communist party and lose her job.
anxious that human rights abuses were going unreported, alexeyeva and her colleagues set up their own, underground publication in 1968. produced on a manual typewriter by a handful of activists, the chronicle of current events nevertheless provided a crucial record of the soviet state's treatment of dissenting voices.
forced out of russia
repeated questioning by authorities and raids on her home followed, but alexeyeva was never jailed. but by the mid-1970s the soviet authorities' patience was coming to an end. in 1976 alexeyeva joined the newly-founded moscow helsinki group, which sought to hold the soviet government to its international commitments on human rights given as part of the helsinki accords. within a year, alexeyeva was forced to leave the country for the united states, where she would spend the next decade-and-a-half.
alexeyeva became a regular presence at protests in moscow
returning to russia in 1993, alexeyeva rebuilt the moscow helsinki group's campaigning activities across the country. but it was her role as one of the figureheads in the fight for the right to protest that brought her to the attention of a new generation in 2009-2010. already in her 80s, alexeyeva joined protests on moscow's triumfalnaya square every 31st day of a month in a nod to the 31st article of the russian constitution that guarantees freedom of assembly. few could forget the image of the alexeyeva, dressed in a new year's costume, being bundled away by police on the last day of 2009.
new generation of protesters
six years on from those demonstrations and with far harsher limits on protest passed in the meantime; does she never feel dejected? "today's young people give me the feeling of not having lived in vain," she says.
alexeyeva is certain there are no shortcuts on the road to democracy. "the maidan-style revolution that our government is so afraid of won't happen," she says. "it's not in our national character." instead, alexeyeva expects a long period of incremental change.
she admits that she could never have imagined that relations with ukraine would get so bad. alexeyeva says russia's 2014 annexation of crimea was a "crazy endeavor" and one that will cost both russia and ukraine dearly in the long run.
but for all the setbacks, alexeyeva remains an indefatigable optimist. russia, she says quoting the writer alexander herzen, needs two generations to grow up in freedom to realize the dream of building a country rooted in the rule of law. looking at the first post-soviet generation making its mark in politics and activism, alexeyeva is convinced, "we're already half way there."
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ˈɛˈsiˈpi 20 2014 ˌtəskəˈlusə, æl, ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ; ˈflɔrɪdə ˈgeɪtərz koʊʧ wɪl ˈwɑʧɪz ðə ˈækʃən wɪθ pleɪərz ɪn ðə fɔrθ kˈwɔrtər əv ðɛr geɪm əˈgɛnst ðə ˌæləˈbæmə ˈkrɪmzən taɪd æt ˈsteɪdiəm. ˌæləˈbæmə wən ˈmændəˌtɔri ˈkrɛdɪt: ˈʤeɪsən təˈdeɪ spɔrts ðə ˈkɑlɪʤ ˈfʊtˌbɔl pleɪɔf poʊl wɑz riˈlist ˈjɛstərˌdeɪ ənd əv kɔrs ðə ˈgeɪtərz ɔn ɪt. nɔr hæv ðeɪ bɪn ræŋkt ɪn ˈɛni əv ðɪs poʊlz. ðə 1990 ˌpriˈsizən ˌeɪˈpi poʊl wʊd bi ðə ˈoʊnli poʊl əv ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˈdɛkeɪd nɑt tɪ ˌɪnˈklud ˈflɔrɪdə, ɛz ˈspəriər wʊd spɛnd ðə nɛkst 10 jɪrz ˈmoʊldɪŋ ðə ˈgeɪtərz ˈɪntu ə ˈnæʃənəl paʊər ðət wɑz ɪn ðə əv ðə ˈræŋkɪŋz. ɪn fækt, ɛz ə frɛnd əv maɪn ˈpɔɪntɪd aʊt ə fju wiks əˈgoʊ, ðə ˈgeɪtər tim əv 2014 ɪz wɛl ɔn ðɛr weɪ təˈwɔrdz əˈkɑmplɪʃɪŋ ˈsəmθɪŋ ðət ə ˈflɔrɪdə ˈfʊtˌbɔl tim dən sɪns 1979 wɪn ðə ˈgeɪtərz ˈfɪnɪʃt ðə ˈsizən wɪˈθaʊt biɪŋ ræŋkt æt ˈɛni pɔɪnt. ðɪs wik, ðə ˈgeɪtərz keɪm ɪn æt noʊ. 59 ɪn ə ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ təˈdeɪ ˈræŋkɪŋ əv ɔl ˈfʊtˌbɔl timz. ənd wɪˈθaʊt ə wɪn əˈgɛnst ˈʤɔrʤə ðɪs ˈwiˌkɪnd, hɑrd tɪ si haʊ ðə ˈgeɪtərz kʊd faɪnd ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl æt ˈɛni pɔɪnt ðɪs ˈsizən. ɪf ˈgeɪtərz ˈɛksət ˈnɑksvɪl ə ˈdəbəlju, ðeɪ kənˈtɪnju mɑrʧ tɪ ˈspɛndɪŋ ɪnˈtaɪər jɪr fər taɪm sɪns ˈgrɛgəri ˈhɑrdi (@hardyvision*) ɑkˈtoʊbər 3 2014 sɛpt. 29 1980 ɔn sɛpt. 27 1980 ðə ˈflɔrɪdə ˈgeɪtərz dɪˈfitɪd ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi steɪt æt ˈflɔrɪdə fild, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðɛm ɪt wɑz ðə stɑrt əv ə rɪˈmɑrkəbəl ˈtərnərˌaʊnd fər ə tim ðət wɑz ɪn 1979 koʊʧ ˈʧɑrli pɛl, hu gɪt ə wɪn ɪn hɪz fərst ˈsizən, wɑz æt ənd ˈgɔtən ðə ˈgeɪtərz bæk tɪ ə pleɪs ðeɪ hæd nɑt bɪn sɪns ɔkt. 29 1977 ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl. ðeɪ wər noʊ. 19 ɪn ðə leɪt 1970s*, ðə wilz wər ˈfɑlɪŋ ɔf ə ˈgeɪtərz tim hu ˈəndər hɛd koʊʧ dəg ˈdɪki spɛnt moʊst əv ðə ˈdɛkeɪd ɛz ə ˈkɑlɪʤ ˈfʊtˌbɔl kənˈtɛndər. ˈflɔrɪdə wɑz ˈfrikwɛntli ræŋkt ɪn ðə tinz ənd gɑt ɛz haɪ ɛz noʊ. 6 ɪn ðə ˌeɪˈpi ˈræŋkɪŋz ɪn 1975 ˈæftər ðeɪ bit noʊ. 5 ˈɑbərn æt ˈflɔrɪdə fild. ðə ˈgeɪtərz steɪ ðɛr lɔŋ, ɛz ðeɪ lɔst tu kənˈsɛkjətɪv geɪmz tɪ ˈʤɔrʤə ənd kənˈtəki. ˈflɔrɪdə ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli slɪd ˈfərðər, goʊɪŋ ɪn 1978 wɪʧ lɛd tɪ ˈfaɪərrɪŋ æt ðə ɛnd əv ðə ˈsizən. bət ˈæftər ə rəf fərst ˈsizən, pɛl hæd ðə 1980 ˈgeɪtərz tərnd əraʊnd. ˈflɔrɪdə wɑz wəns əˈgɛn ə ˈnæʃənəli ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd ˈfʊtˌbɔl paʊər. ɪn 1983 pɛl hæd ðə ˈgeɪtərz ræŋkt ˈɛvəri wik ˈsəmθɪŋ ðeɪ əˈkɑmplɪʃt sɪns 1975 rɪˈkrutɪŋ vaɪəˈleɪʃən lɛd tɪ hɪz ˈaʊstər, wɪθ əˈfɛnsɪv koʊˈɔrdəˌneɪtər ˈgeɪlən hɔl ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈoʊvər ðə tim ɪn ðə leɪt 1980s*. ˈlɛʤənˌdɛri ˈrənɪŋ bæk ˈɛmɪt smɪθ lɛd ðoʊz timz tɪ ˈʤɛnərəli ˌmidiˈoʊkər ˈrɛkərdz, bət ðə ˈgeɪtərz ˈmænɪʤd tɪ faɪnd ðɛr weɪ tɪ ˈɪntu ðə poʊlz ˈɛvəri ˈsizən. ðə ˈspəriər ˈlɛgəsi hɔl lɛft ɛz koʊʧ, ˈpeɪvɪŋ ðə weɪ fər stiv rɪˈtərn tɪ ˈflɔrɪdə. ɪn hɪz prɛˈmɪr, ˈgeɪtərz θræʃt ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə steɪt ˈlɔnʧɪŋ ðə ˈgeɪtərz ˈɪntu ðə poʊl æt noʊ. 24 tərnz aʊt ðə 1990 ˌpriˈsizən ˌeɪˈpi poʊl wʊd bi ðə ˈoʊnli poʊl əv ðə ɪnˈtaɪər ˈdɛkeɪd nɑt tɪ ˌɪnˈklud ˈflɔrɪdə, ɛz ˈspəriər wʊd spɛnd ðə nɛkst 10 jɪrz ˈmoʊldɪŋ ðə ˈgeɪtərz ˈɪntu ə ˈnæʃənəl paʊər ðət wɑz ɪn ðə əv ðə ˈræŋkɪŋz. ˈspəriər lɛft fər ðə ˈɛˌnɛˈfɛl ɪn 2002 ˈsɛtɪŋ ðə steɪʤ fər rɑn zʊk, hu wʊd ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli bi faɪərd fər pur pərˈfɔrməns ɪn 2004 ˈəndər zʊk, ðə ˈgeɪtərz slɪpt ənd lɔst ðɛr week-in*, spɑt ɔn ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl. ənd waɪl ðoʊz ˈgeɪtər timz wər ˈʤɛnərəli kənˈsɪdərd ˌmidiˈoʊkər, ðeɪ ræŋkt ɪn ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl ˈɛvəri ˈsizən. ɪn fækt, zʊk hæd ðə ˈgeɪtərz ræŋkt noʊ. 20 ɪn ðə ˈfaɪnəl ˈrɛgjələr ˈsizən ˌeɪˈpi poʊl ɪn 2004 ˈʃɔrtli ˌbiˈfɔr hɪz riˈlis. frəm ðɛr, ðə ˈgeɪtərz meɪd ðə swɪʧ tɪ ˈərbən maɪər, hu wən tu ˈnæʃənəl ˈʧæmpiənˌʃɪps æt ˈflɔrɪdə ənd rɪˈtərnd ðə tim tɪ ɪts ˈnæʃənəl ˈprɑmənəns. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈæftər ˈfɪnɪʃɪŋ ðə 2009 ˈsizən ræŋkt ˌbiˈfɔr ˈluzɪŋ ɪn ðə sɛk ˈʧæmpiənˌʃɪp tɪ ˌæləˈbæmə, ðə ˈgeɪtərz treɪld ɔf ɪn 2010 ˈsizən, ənd wər ðə fərst ˈgeɪtər tim tɪ ˈfɪnɪʃ ðə ˈsizən sɪns 1989 ɔkt. 13 2013 ˈkɑrənt hɛd koʊʧ wɪl tʊk ˈoʊvər ə ˈgeɪtər tim ðət wɑz ˈsægɪŋ ənd ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli drɑpt aʊt əv ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl ˈæftər ˈstɑrtɪŋ ðə 2011 ˈsizən ræŋkt. bɪˈhaɪnd ən ˌɪmˈpruvd dɪˈfɛns, ðə 2012 ˈgeɪtərz meɪd ɪt tɪ ðə ˈʃʊgər boʊl ənd meɪnˈteɪnd ə ˈnæʃənəl ˈræŋkɪŋ θruaʊt ðə ˈsizən. bət ðɛn 2013 ˈhæpənd, ðə wərst ˈsizən ɪn ˈmɛni gators’*’ ˈmɛməri. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈivɪn ðət tim ˈstɑrtɪd ðə ˈsizən wɪθ greɪt ˈprɑməs ənd wɑz æt wən pɔɪnt. ˈæftər ˈluzɪŋ æt lsu*, ðə ˈgeɪtərz wər ənd ræŋkt noʊ. 22 ɪn ðə ɔkt. 13 ˌeɪˈpi poʊl. ɪt ɪz ðə læst taɪm ðə ˈgeɪtərz hæv bɪn ræŋkt. ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ wik, ˈflɔrɪdə lɔst æt məˈzʊri, ənd drɑpt frəm ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl ɪnˈtaɪərli. ˈæftər ˈdrɑpɪŋ ðə læst 7 geɪmz əv ðə ˈsizən, ˈflɔrɪdə ˈɛnərd ðə 2014 ˈsizən ɪn ðə ˌpriˈsizən poʊl. ðɛr bɛst ʧæns tɪ rɪˈtərn tɪ ˈræŋkɪŋ ðɪs ˈsizən wɑz ðɛr sɛpt. 20 geɪm æt ˌæləˈbæmə, wɪʧ ðeɪ lɔst ˈhændəli, ˈpʊtɪŋ ən ˌeɪˈpi ˈræŋkɪŋ ˈivɪn ˈfɑrðər aʊt əv riʧ. noʊ. 59 ˈjuˈɛˈseɪ təˈdeɪ riˈlist ə ˈræŋkɪŋ əv ɔl 128 timz ðɪs wik. æt ənd ˈkəmɪŋ ɔf ə bloʊaʊt lɔs tɪ məˈzʊri, ðə ˈgeɪtərz keɪm ɪn æt noʊ. 59 ðə ˈræŋkɪŋ ɪz wən spɑt bɪˈhaɪnd tim ˈʤɔrʤə ˈsəðərn, wɪʧ drəˈmætɪkəli ʃoʊn ə laɪt ɔn ˌmidiˈɑkrəti læst jɪr wɪn ðeɪ ʃɑkt ðə ˈgeɪtər ˈneɪʃən æt ˈflɔrɪdə fild. nɑt ˌɪnkənˈsivəbəl fər ðə ˈgeɪtərz tɪ bɪˈkəm ræŋkt ˌbiˈfɔr ðə ˈsizən ɛndz, bət ɪt wɪl ˌrikˈwaɪər ə rɪˈmɑrkəbəl ˈtərnərˌaʊnd. fər ˈstɑrtərz, ˈflɔrɪdə ˈprɑbəˌbli həz tɪ wɪn ðə rɛst əv ɪts geɪmz wɪʧ ˌɪnˈkludz timz ˈʤɔrʤə ənd ˈflɔrɪdə steɪt. ˈsərtənli kənˈsivəbəl tɪ ˌɪˈmæʤən ðət ə ˈflɔrɪdə tim ɔn ə ˈwɪnɪŋ strik wɪʧ dɪˈfits ræŋkt ˈflɔrɪdə steɪt ɪn ˌtæləˈhæsi kʊd kræk bæk ˈɪntu ðə ˌeɪˈpi poʊl. səʧ ən ˈaʊtˌkəm simz ˈɔlˌmoʊst mərˈækjələs æt ðɪs pɔɪnt, bət fɑr frəm ˌɪmˈpɑsəbəl. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, səʧ ə rən wʊd hæv tɪ stɑrt ðɪs ˈwiˌkɪnd, wɪθ ə wɪn ˈoʊvər ˈʤɔrʤə. hɑrd tɪ si haʊ ðə ˈgeɪtərz bɪˈkəm ræŋkt ðɪs ˈsizən wɪˈθaʊt ðət ˈvɪktəri ɔn ðɛr ˈrɛkərd.
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sep 20, 2014; tuscaloosa, al, usa; florida gators coach will muschamp watches the action with players in the fourth quarter of their game against the alabama crimson tide at bryant-denny stadium. alabama won 42-21. mandatory credit: jason getz-usa today sports
the first-ever college football playoff poll was released yesterday and of course the gators weren’t on it. nor have they been ranked in any of this year’s polls.
the 1990 preseason ap poll would be the only poll of the entire decade not to include florida, as spurrier would spend the next 10 years molding the gators into a national power that was ever-present in the top-10 of the rankings.
in fact, as a friend of mine pointed out a few weeks ago, the gator team of 2014 is well on their way towards accomplishing something that a florida football team hasn’t done since 1979, when the gators finished the season without being ranked at any point.
this week, the gators came in at no. 59 in a usa today ranking of all fbs football teams. and without a win against georgia this weekend, hard to see how the gators could find the ap poll at any point this season.
if gators exit knoxville w/o a w, they continue march to spending entire year unranked for 1st time since ’79 #youneverwanttobelikeuf1979 — gregory hardy (@hardyvision) october 3, 2014
sept. 29, 1980
on sept. 27, 1980 the florida gators defeated mississippi state at florida field, making them 3-0. it was the start of a remarkable turnaround for a team that was 0-10-1 in 1979. second-year coach charley pell, who couldn’t get a win in his first season, was at 3-0 and gotten the gators back to a place they had not been since oct. 29, 1977 – the ap poll. they were no. 19.
in the late 1970s, the wheels were falling off a gators team who under head coach doug dickey spent most of the decade as a college football contender. florida was frequently ranked in the teens and got as high as no. 6 in the ap rankings in 1975 after they beat no. 5 auburn at florida field. the gators didn’t stay there long, as they lost two consecutive games to unranked georgia and kentucky. florida eventually slid further, going 4-7 in 1978, which led to dickey’s firing at the end of the season.
but after a rough first season, pell had the 1980 gators turned around. florida was once again a nationally recognized football power. in 1983, pell had the gators ranked every week — something they hadn’t accomplished since 1975.
pell’s recruiting violation led to his ouster, with offensive coordinator galen hall taking over the team in the late 1980s. legendary running back emmitt smith led those teams to generally mediocre records, but the gators managed to find their way to into the polls every season.
the spurrier legacy
hall left as coach, paving the way for steve spurrier’s return to florida. in his premier, spurrier’s gators thrashed oklahoma state 50-7, launching the gators into the poll at no. 24. turns out the 1990 preseason ap poll would be the only poll of the entire decade not to include florida, as spurrier would spend the next 10 years molding the gators into a national power that was ever-present in the top-10 of the rankings.
spurrier left for the nfl in 2002, setting the stage for ron zook, who would eventually be fired for poor performance in 2004. under zook, the gators slipped and lost their week-in, week-out spot on the ap poll. and while those gator teams were generally considered mediocre, they ranked in the ap poll every season. in fact, zook had the gators ranked no. 20 in the final regular season ap poll in 2004, shortly before his release.
from there, the gators made the switch to urban meyer, who won two national championships at florida and returned the team to its national prominence. however, after finishing the 2009 season ranked no.1 before losing in the sec championship to alabama, the gators trailed off in meyer’s 2010 season, and were the first gator team to finish the season unranked since 1989.
oct. 13, 2013
current head coach will muschamp took over a gator team that was sagging and eventually dropped out of the ap poll after starting the 2011 season ranked. behind an improved defense, the 2012 gators made it to the sugar bowl and maintained a national ranking throughout the season.
but then 2013 happened, the worst season in many gators’ memory. however, even that team started the season with great promise and was 4-1 at one point. after losing at lsu, the gators were 4-2 and ranked no. 22 in the oct. 13 ap poll. it is the last time the gators have been ranked.
the following week, florida lost at missouri, and dropped from the ap poll entirely. after dropping the last 7 games of the season, florida entered the 2014 season unranked in the preseason poll. their best chance to return to ranking this season was their sept. 20 game at alabama, which they lost handily, putting an ap ranking even farther out of reach.
no. 59
usa today released a ranking of all 128 teams this week. at 3-3 and coming off a blowout loss to missouri, the gators came in at no. 59. the ranking is one spot behind first-year fbs team georgia southern, which dramatically shone a light on florida’s mediocrity last year when they shocked the gator nation at florida field.
it’s not inconceivable for the gators to become ranked before the season ends, but it will require a remarkable turnaround. for starters, florida probably has to win the rest of its games — which includes top-10 teams georgia and florida state. certainly conceivable to imagine that a florida team on a winning streak which defeats no.2 ranked florida state in tallahassee could crack back into the ap poll. such an outcome seems almost miraculous at this point, but far from impossible. however, such a run would have to start this weekend, with a win over georgia. hard to see how the gators become ranked this season without that victory on their record.
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waɪl nɑt maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt ʃɑt əv ðə əˈmeɪzɪŋ fəˈtɑgrəfi ˌɑpərˈtunəti ðət ɪz ðə ˈgoʊldən geɪt brɪʤ, aɪ wɔnt tɪ juz ðɪs tɪ tɔk əˈbaʊt ðə bɛst loʊˈkeɪʃənz fər ˈʃutɪŋ ðɪs ˈlændˌmɑrk. duɪŋ səm ˈhoʊmˌwərk ˌbiˈfɔr ju hɛd aʊt tɪ teɪk ˈpɪkʧərz ɪz ʤɪst ɛz ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ɛz ðə ɪkˈwɪpmənt, ˈʃutɪŋ skɪl, ənd poʊst ˈprɑsɛsɪŋ. ɛz wɪθ ril ɛˈsteɪt- loʊˈkeɪʃən, loʊˈkeɪʃən, loʊˈkeɪʃən ˈmætərz. ˈjuzɪŋ laɪk fər sən pəˈzɪʃən ənd ˈgugəl ərθ, ju du ə ˈlɪtəl ˈhoʊmˌwərk ənd ˈrɪli sɛt əp fər səkˈsɛs. ðɪs maɪt nɑt bi ðə moʊst θˈrɪlɪŋ poʊst rɛd ɔn ðɪs saɪt- bət aɪ hoʊp ɪt ɪz ə gʊd ˈrɛfərəns fər fˈjuʧər fəˈtɑgrəfərz ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ðə ˈɛriə. ðə ˈɛriə əraʊnd ðə ˈgoʊldən geɪt həz ˈmɛni ˈvɛri ækˈsɛsəbəl loʊˈkeɪʃənz ðət ju kən ʧuz frəm dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɔn haʊ ju wɔnt tɪ kəmˈpoʊz jʊr ˈfoʊtəˌgræfs. ðɛr ər səm əv ðə moʊst ˈɑbviəs wənz: ɔn ðə brɪʤ ˌɪtˈsɛlf, ər frəm ðə ˈæptli neɪmd ˈvɪstə pɔɪnt gɛst ˈɛriə, bət teɪk ju θru ə fju ˈəðər ˈʧɔɪsɪz. ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə fərst ˈɛksət ˈæftər ðə brɪʤ ɔn ðə nɔrθ saɪd əv ðə beɪ, hɛd fər roʊd. ðɪs raʊt laɪz əˈlɔŋ ðə maʊθ əv ðə beɪ ɔn ðə nɔrθ saɪd ənd həz ðə bɛst vjuz əv ðə brɪʤ. ðə fərst ˈpɑrkɪŋ ˈɛriə ɪz ˈbætəri ˈspɛnsər (pɑrt əv ðə ˈgreɪtər fɔrt ˈbeɪkər). ˈæftər ˈpɑrkɪŋ ə ʃɔrt ənd ˈwɪndi haɪk tɪ ðə tɔp əv ðə hɪl wɛr ju ˈoʊvərˌlʊk ðə brɪʤ. sæn ˈskaɪˌlaɪn ɪz dɪˈrɛkli bɪˈhaɪnd ðə brɪʤ ənd ðət meɪks ðɪs ə greɪt spɑt fər ˈiðər ˈsənˌraɪz (wɪʧ ˈhæpənz tɪ ðə ist bɪˈhaɪnd ðə brɪʤ ənd ˈsɪti), ənd fər ʃɑts əv ðə ˈsɪti laɪts æt naɪt. ɛz ju draɪv ˈfərðər əˈlɔŋ conzleman*, kip ə lʊk aʊt fər ˈəðər ənˈmɑrkt ˈpleɪsɪz tɪ stɑp. əˈbaʊt 5 maɪəlz pæst ˈspɛnsər ðɛr ɪz ə spɑt wɛr ðə ˌaɪˈkɑnɪk ˈpɪrəmɪd əv ðə ˈbɪldɪŋ ɪz ˈpərfəktli freɪmd ɪn ðə ˈsɛnər əv ðə brɪʤ ˈsteɪʃən. ˈlæstli, ɔn ðə nɔrθ saɪd ɪz hɔk hɪl. ðɪs læst ˈɛriə ˈɔfərz ə greɪt ˌpænərˈæmɪk əv ɪnˈtaɪər brɪʤ ənd əˈlaʊz ðə bɛst pərˈspɛktɪv əv ðə fʊl brɪʤ ˈlʊkɪŋ tɪ ðə ist. bi ʃʊr tɪ poʊst səm ˈpɪkʧərz frəm ðiz loʊˈkeɪʃənz ɛz ðə blɔg ˈprɑˌgrɛsəz. ɔn ðə ist saɪd, moʊst ˈɑbviəsli ɪz mərˈin draɪv ənd tɔrˈpiˌdoʊ wɔrf, daʊn baɪ fild pɑrk. ˈizəli ækˈsɛsəbəl ˈviə fʊt, baɪk, ər kɑr frəm daʊn taʊn, ðɪs loʊˈkeɪʃən meɪks ɪt ˈizi tɪ gɪt ə nis ʃɑt əv ðə brɪʤ. sɪns ju ər ˈlʊkɪŋ wɛst, ɪt sɛts əp ˈnaɪsli fər ˈsənˌsɛt ɛz wɛl. ðə ˈfaɪnəl loʊˈkeɪʃən ˈhaɪˌlaɪt ɪz wɛst əv ðə brɪʤ, bət ɔn ðə saʊθ saɪd. ˈteɪkɪŋ ðə fərst ˈɛksət ɔf əv aʊt əv ðə toʊlz, lʊk fər ˈlæŋtən kɔrt. ˈpɑrkɪŋ hir gɪvz nis ˈfreɪmɪŋ əv ðə lɛŋθ, ənd moʊst ˌɪmˈpɔrtəntli, ðɛr ɪz biʧ ˈækˌsɛs. səm əv ðə bɛst ˈpɪkʧərz əv ðə brɪʤ ðət aɪ hæv sin ər ˈteɪkən frəm ðə biʧ. ə lɔŋ ɪkˈspoʊʒər tɪ glæs ˈoʊvər ðə ˈwɔtər, ə ˈʃɔrtər wən fər krɪsp ˈditeɪlz əv ðə brɪʤ: ˈpərˌfɪkt! raɪt nɛkst tɪ ˈlæŋtən kɔrt ɪz ˈmərʧənt draɪv. ðə əˈbəv ˈpɪkʧər wɑz ˈteɪkən frəm ðə ˈwʊdɪd ˈhɪlˌsaɪd ʤɪst nɔrθ əv ðə ˈpɑrkɪŋ lɔt. ɛz ju kən si, ðɪs saɪt əˈlaʊz ju tɪ əˈlaɪn ðə roʊd ənd ðə brɪʤ ˈpərfəktli. leɪər ɪn ə lɔŋ ɪkˈspoʊʒər fər səm strikt ˈhɛˌdlaɪts ənd ju hæv ən ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ ˈpɪkʧər! hæv ˈəðər ˈfeɪvərɪt loʊˈkeɪʃənz? hæv ʃɑts əv jʊr oʊn tɪ ʃɛr? lɛt mi si ɪn ðə ˈkɑmɛnts! ɪf ju wɔnt mɔr poʊsts əˈbaʊt ˈtrævəl tɪps, fəˈtɑgrəfi haʊ tɪ, ər ˈwɔlˌpeɪpərz, pliz ˈfɑloʊ ˈjuˈɛs ɔn ˈfeɪsˌbʊk! baɪ ə prɪnt
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while not my favorite shot of the amazing photography opportunity that is the golden gate bridge, i want to use this to talk about the best locations for shooting this landmark. doing some homework before you head out to take pictures is just as important as the equipment, shooting skill, and post processing. as with real estate- location, location, location matters. using programs/apps like suncalc for sun position and google earth, you do a little homework and really set up for success. this might not be the most thrilling post you’ll read on this site- but i hope it is a good reference for future photographers visiting the area.
the area around the golden gate has many very accessible locations that you can choose from depending on how you want to compose your photographs. there are some of the most obvious ones: on the bridge itself, or from the aptly named vista point guest area, but i’ll take you through a few other choices.
taking the first exit after the bridge on the north side of the bay, head for conzelman road. this rout lies along the mouth of the bay on the north side and has the best views of the bridge. the first parking area is battery spencer (part of the greater fort baker). after parking it’s a short and windy hike to the top of the hill where you overlook the bridge. san francisco’s skyline is directly behind the bridge and that makes this a great spot for either sunrise (which happens to the east behind the bridge and city), and for shots of the city lights at night.
as you drive further along conzleman, keep a look out for other unmarked places to stop. about .5 miles past spencer there is a spot where the iconic pyramid of the trans-america building is perfectly framed in the center of the bridge station. lastly, on the north side is hawk hill. this last parking/viewing area offers a great panoramic of entire bridge and allows the best perspective of the full bridge looking to the east. i’ll be sure to post some pictures from these locations as the blog progresses.
on the east side, most obviously is marine drive and torpedo warf, down by crissy field park. easily accessible via foot, bike, or car from down town, this water-level location makes it easy to get a nice shot of the bridge. since you are looking west, it sets up nicely for sunset as well.
the final location i’ll highlight is west of the bridge, but on the south side. taking the first exit off of 101s out of the bridge’s tolls, look for langton court. parking here gives nice framing of the bridge’s length, and most importantly, there is beach access. some of the best pictures of the bridge that i have seen are taken from the beach. a long exposure to glass over the water, a shorter one for crisp details of the bridge: perfect! right next to langton court is merchant drive. the above picture was taken from the wooded hillside just north of the parking lot. as you can see, this site allows you to align the road and the bridge perfectly. layer in a long exposure for some streaked headlights and you have an interesting picture!
have other favorite locations? have shots of your own to share? let me see in the comments! if you want more posts about travel tips, photography how to, or wallpapers, please follow us on facebook!
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wən əv ðə nuəst ʃɪps ɪn ðə juz. ˈneɪvi flit, ðə ˈjuˈɛˈsɛs ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz, wɑz kəˈmɪʃənd ˈsæˌtɪˌdeɪ ɪn ˈgælvəstən ɪn ə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni ðət ˌɪnˈkludɪd ðə ˈfɔrmər ˈkɑŋgrəsˌwʊmən, hər ˈhəzbənd mɑrk ˈkɛli, ˈneɪvi əˈfɪʃəlz, ʤɪl ˈbaɪdən, haʊs məˈnɔrəti ˈlidər ˈnænsi pɛˈloʊsi ənd ˈfɔrmər ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri əv steɪt ˈhɪləri ˈklɪntən. "ðɪs ɪz ən ˌɪnˈkrɛdəbəl ˈɑnər," ˈgɪfərdz toʊld ə kraʊd əv mɔr ðən ˈgæðərd fər ðə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni. "ðə u.s.s*. ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz ɪz strɔŋ ənd təf, ʤɪst laɪk hər kru," sɛd ˈgɪfərdz, hər spiʧ stɪl əˈfɛktɪd frəm biɪŋ ʃɑt ɪn ðə hɛd ɪn ən əˌsæsəˈneɪʃən əˈtɛmpt sɪks jɪrz əˈgoʊ. "aɪ θɔt əv ju ɪn maɪ ˈdɑrkəst deɪz ðə ˈsoʊlʤərz, ˈseɪlərz, ˈɛrˌmɛn ənd mərˈinz əv ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts əv əˈmɛrɪkə. wi æsk soʊ məʧ əv ju. dɪˈspaɪt ˈdeɪnʤər, ju seɪ jɛs. ju meɪk mi praʊd, ju meɪk əˈmɛrɪkə praʊd." ðə ˈneɪvi əˈnaʊnst ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri 2012 nɑt lɔŋ ˈæftər ˈgɪfərdz rɪˈzaɪnd frəm ˈkɑŋgrəs bɪˈkəz əv ˈlɪŋgərɪŋ ˈɪnʤəriz ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ðə ʤæn. 8 2011 ˈʃutɪŋz ðət kɪld sɪks ənd ˈɪnʤərd 13 ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðə ˈtuˌsɑn ˈdɛməˌkræt, ðət ən ˈlɪtərəl ˈkɑmbæt ʃɪp wʊd bi neɪmd fər hər. ðə ʃɪp wɑz bɪlt ɪn ˈmoʊbəl, ˈælə., ənd ˈkrɪsənd ənd fərst lɔnʧt ɪn 2015 ðə ˈgɪfərdz wɑz dɪˈlɪvərd tɪ ðə ˈneɪvi ɔn dɛk. 23 2016 ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ˈsætərdiz ˈkrɪsənɪŋ, ðə 475 ˈmɪljən ʃɪp wɪl bi beɪst ɪn sæn diˈeɪgoʊ. "lɛt ˈjuˈɛs ˈnɛvər fərˈgɛt ɪt ɪz ðət ˈspɪrɪt ənd ɑr ˈvæljuz ðət kip ˈjuˈɛs goʊɪŋ jɪr ˈæftər jɪr, ənd ðæts waɪ ɪt ɪz soʊ ˈfɪtɪŋ ðət ðɪs nu, daɪˈnæmɪk, ˌɛkstrəˈɔrdəˌnɛri ʃɪp bi neɪmd neɪmd fər ðə ˈfɔrmər ˈkɑŋgrəsˌwʊmən ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz," ˈklɪntən sɛd æt ðə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni. ˈgɪfərdz, əˈpɪrɪŋ wɪθ ˈfɔrmər ˈæstrəˌnɑt ˈkɛli, ə ˈfɔrmər ˈneɪvi ˈpaɪlət, sɛd, "aɪ wɪl ˈnɛvər fərˈgɛt ðɪs deɪ, ər ðə kru əv ðə ˈjuˈɛˈsɛs ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz. fɛr wɪndz ənd ˈfɑloʊɪŋ siz." "laɪk ˈgæbi, ðɪs ʃɪp wɪl feɪs daʊn səm ˈliθəl θrɛts," ˈkɛli sɛd, "bət ɪt wɪl pərsəˈvɪr." "ɛz wi mæn ðə reɪlz təˈdeɪ, bləd gɪts pəmpt, ðə ʃɪp kəmz əˈlaɪv, ənd ðə hɑrt bɪˈgɪnz tɪ bit," sɛd adm*. ˈwɪljəm mɔˈræn, vaɪs ʧif əv ˈneɪvəl ˌɑpərˈeɪʃənz. "ɪts ðə bləd ðət ɪz ˌɪnfˈjuzd baɪ ðə ˈspɪrɪt, ðə ˈætəˌtud, ənd ðə kərɪʤ əv ɪts ˈneɪmˌseɪk. wi ər soʊ praʊd tɪ bi pɑrt əv ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz' ˈlɛgəsi tɪ ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts." ʤɪl ˈbaɪdən, waɪf əv ˈfɔrmər vaɪs ˈprɛzɪdənt ˈʤoʊzəf ˈbaɪdən, ɪz ðə ʃɪps ˈspɑnsər ənd geɪv ðə trəˈdɪʃənəl ˈɔrdər tɪ "mæn ɑr ʃɪp ənd brɪŋ hər tɪ laɪf!," ˈsɪgnəlɪŋ ðə kru tɪ rən əˈbɔrd ðə ʃɪp ənd kəmˈplit ðə ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni ðət brɔt ðə ˈgɪfərdz ˈɪntu ˈæktɪv ˈsərvɪs. ðə ʃɪp ənd kru əv 73 ɪz kəˈmændɪd baɪ cmdr*. kiθ ˈwʊdli, ə ˈneɪtɪv əv st*. ˈtɑməs, juz. ˈvərʤɪn ˈaɪləndz "ðɪs ɪz nɑt ʤɪst ə nu ʃɪp. ðɪs ɪz ə nu klæs əv ʃɪp ənd ðət meɪks ɪt ˈivɪn mɔr ˈʧælənʤɪŋ fər ðə kru," ˈwʊdli sɛd ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə kəˈmɪʃənɪŋ. "ðeɪ hæv ˈrɪzən tɪ ðət ˈʧælənʤ ənd pərˈfɔrmd ɪkˈsɛpʃənəli wɛl ɪn ˈgɪtɪŋ ðɪs ʃɪp ˈrɛdi fər ˈsərvɪs." ðə ʃɪp ɪz ðə juz. ˈneɪvi ʃɪp tɪ bi neɪmd fər ə ˈwʊmən ənd ðə sɪns 1850 tɪ bi neɪmd fər ə ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈpərsən. ɪt ɪz ˈoʊnli ðə ˈsɛkənd ɪn ˈhɪstəri tɪ bi kəˈmɪʃənd fər ðə ˈneɪvi ənd neɪmd fər ə ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈwʊmən ðə ˈəðər wɑz ðə ˈjuˈɛˈsɛs ˈleɪdi ˈwɔʃɪŋtən. ðə ˈɛlˈsiˈɛs 10 bɪˈlɔŋz tɪ ə klæs əv ʃɪps dɪˈzaɪnd fər ˈkɑmbæt ðət kən məˈnuvər kloʊz tɪ ʃɔr fər maɪn, ənd ˈsərfəs ˈwɔrˌfɛr. ðə ʃɪp ˈfiʧərz ˈmɛni ˈɔtəˌmeɪtɪd ˈsɪstəmz, əˈlaʊɪŋ fər ə kru ðət ɪz sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli sˈmɔlər ðən ðə ˈævərɪʤ əv moʊst ˈneɪvi ˈsərfəs ˈkɑmbæt ʃɪps. ɪt ɪz ɑrmd wɪθ ən ˈmɪsəl ˈsɪstəm, ə baɪ ˈsɪstəmz mɑrk 110 gən, ənd fɔr 50-cal*. məˈʃin gənz, ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈɔpʃənəl ˈspɛʃəl ˈmɪʃən ˈmɑʤulz. "ɪts nɑt ˈizi biɪŋ ən ˈɛlˈsiˈɛs ˈseɪlər," sɛd meɪt klæs mɑrk ɪn ə ˈsteɪtmənt riˈlist baɪ ðə ˈneɪvi. "wi hæv tɪ wɛr soʊ ˈmɛni hæts ənd bi treɪnd ɔn ˈsɪstəmz ənd ˈdutiz ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ɑr ˈnɔrməl ʤɑb ˈspɛʃəlti du tɪ ðə smɔl kru saɪz. ˈɛvəri ˌɛnˈlɪstɪd ˈseɪlər hir ˌvɑlənˈtɪrd fər ðə ˈproʊˌgræm ənd wɪr ɪkˈsaɪtɪd tɪ sərv ɔn ˈjuˈɛˈsɛs ˌgɑbriˈɛl ˈgɪfərdz." ðə ˈgɪfərdz həz ə bim əv 103 fit ənd ə dræft əv ʤɪst 15 fit, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɪt ˈkeɪpəbəl əv məˈnuvərɪŋ ɪn ˈʃæloʊ ˈkoʊstəl ˈwɔtərz. ɪt həz tu gæs ˈtərbaɪn ənd tu ˈdizəl ˈɛnʤənz tɪ paʊər fɔr waterjets*, wɪθ ə tɔp spid əv nɑts. 30
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one of the newest ships in the u.s. navy fleet, the uss gabrielle giffords, was commissioned saturday in galveston in a ceremony that included the former congresswoman, her husband mark kelly, navy officials, jill biden, house minority leader nancy pelosi and former secretary of state hillary clinton.
"this is an incredible honor," giffords told a crowd of more than 2,000 gathered for the ceremony.
"the u.s.s. gabrielle giffords is strong and tough, just like her crew," said giffords, her speech still affected from being shot in the head in an assassination attempt six years ago. "i thought of you in my darkest days the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the united states of america. we ask so much of you. despite danger, you say yes. you make me proud, you make america proud."
the navy announced in february 2012, not long after giffords resigned from congress because of lingering injuries following the jan. 8, 2011, shootings that killed six and injured 13 including the tucson democrat, that an independence-class littoral combat ship would be named for her. the ship was built in mobile, ala., and christened and first launched in 2015. the giffords was delivered to the navy on dec. 23, 2016.
following saturday's christening, the $475 million ship will be based in san diego.
"let us never forget it is that spirit and our values that keep us going year after year, and that's why it is so fitting that this new, dynamic, extraordinary ship be named named for the former congresswoman gabrielle giffords," clinton said at the ceremony.
giffords, appearing with former astronaut kelly, a former navy pilot, said, "i will never forget this day, or the crew of the uss gabrielle giffords. fair winds and following seas."
"like gabby, this ship will face down some lethal threats," kelly said, "but it will persevere."
"as we man the rails today, blood gets pumped, the ship comes alive, and the heart begins to beat," said adm. william moran, vice chief of naval operations. "it's the blood that is infused by the spirit, the attitude, and the courage of its namesake. we are so proud to be part of gabrielle giffords' legacy to the united states."
jill biden, wife of former vice president joseph biden, is the ship's sponsor and gave the traditional order to "man our ship and bring her to life!," signalling the crew to run aboard the ship and complete the ceremony that brought the giffords into active service.
the ship and crew of 73 is commanded by cmdr. keith woodley, a native of st. thomas, u.s. virgin islands
"this is not just a new ship. this is a new class of ship and that makes it even more challenging for the crew," woodley said during the commissioning. "they have risen to that challenge and performed exceptionally well in getting this ship ready for service."
the 420-foot ship is the 16th u.s. navy ship to be named for a woman and the 13th since 1850 to be named for a living person. it is only the second in history to be commissioned for the navy and named for a living woman — the other was the uss lady washington.
the lcs 10 belongs to a class of ships designed for combat that can maneuver close to shore for mine, anti-submarine and surface warfare.
the ship features many automated systems, allowing for a crew that is significantly smaller than the 300-sailor average of most navy surface combat ships. it is armed with an 11-cell searam missile system, a bae systems mark 110 57-mm turret-mounted gun, and four .50-cal. machine guns, as well as optional special mission modules.
"it's not easy being an lcs sailor," said gunner's mate 1st class mark dobrinin in a statement released by the navy. "we have to wear so many hats and be trained on systems and duties outside of our normal job specialty due to the small crew size. every enlisted sailor here volunteered for the program and we're excited to serve on uss gabrielle giffords."
the 3,200-ton giffords has a beam of 103 feet and a draft of just 15 feet, making it capable of maneuvering in shallow coastal waters.
it has two gas turbine and two diesel engines to power four steerable waterjets, with a top speed of 40-plus knots.
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ˈpɔrtɪʤ, mɪʧ. ˈsəmˌwən ɪz ˈbɛtɪŋ ɔn ðə laɪf əv ə ˈlɑtəri ˈwɪnər ɪn ˈmɪʃɪgən. ðət wɑz ðə haɪəst bɪd ˈθərzˌdeɪ ɪn ən ˈɔnˌlaɪn ˈɔkʃən fər ə ˈlɑtəri praɪz ðət peɪz ə mənθ, ˌbiˈfɔr ˈtæksɪz. bət ðə hɪʧ: ðə ˈməni ɪz peɪd ˈoʊnli fər ɛz lɔŋ ɛz ˈdɑnəld steɪz əˈlaɪv. rɛd mɔr: ɔl bɛts ər ɔn: ˈlɑtəri ˈkɔrpərˈeɪʃən. ɪn əˈtlæntɪk ˈkænədə ˈteɪkɪŋ ɔn ˈjuˈɛs ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl reɪs ðə ˈpɔrtɪʤ mæn wən ðə fər life”*” geɪm ɪn 1984 ˌɔlˈðoʊ ðə ˈwɪnɪŋz ˈleɪtli hæv bɪn goʊɪŋ tɪ ˈbæŋkrəptsi ˌtrəˈsti tɑm ˈrɪʧərdsən tɪ peɪ dɛts. ˈrɪʧərdsən ˈɔkʃənd ðə ˈlɑtəri praɪz tɪ kloʊz ðə ˈbæŋkrəptsi keɪs. ðə ˈɔkʃən haʊs, repocast.com*, sɪz ðə tɔp bɪd wɑz æt ðət praɪs, wʊd nid tɪ lɪv ə fju mɔr jɪrz fər ðə ˈwɪnər tɪ æt list breɪk ˈivɪn. ðə neɪm wɑz nɑt riˈlist. dɪˈklaɪnd tɪ ˈkɑmɛnt.
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portage, mich. – someone is betting $40,026 on the life of a 73-year-old lottery winner in michigan.
that was the highest bid thursday in an online auction for a lottery prize that pays $1,000 a month, before taxes. but here’s the hitch: the money is paid only for as long as donald magett stays alive.
read more: all bets are on: lottery corp. in atlantic canada taking on us presidential race
the portage man won the “cash for life” game in 1984, although the winnings lately have been going to bankruptcy trustee tom richardson to pay magett’s debts.
richardson auctioned the lottery prize to close the bankruptcy case. the auction house, repocast.com, says the top bid was $40,026. at that price, magett would need to live a few more years for the winner to at least break even.
the winner’s name was not released. magett declined to comment.
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səbˈmɪtəd baɪ ˈʤuljən ˈviə ðə ˈlədwɪg vɔn ˈmaɪzɪz ˈɪnstɪˌtut, moʊst dɪˈfɛndərz əv ðə steɪt əˈsum ðət ˈgəvərnmənt ˈsərvɪsɪz hɛlp ðə pur. ənd, ˈsəmˌtaɪmz, səm pur ˈpipəl du ˈbɛnəfɪt ˌfaɪˈnænʃəli frəm ˈgəvərnmənt ˈproʊˌgræmz. bət ə ˈhɪdən kɔst: tækˈseɪʃən ənd ˈmændəˌtɔri ˈproʊˌgræmz (ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti, fər ˈɪnstəns) ðət hərt ðə ˈnidi baɪ riˈstrɪktɪŋ ðɛr ˈʧɔɪsɪz. ˈgəvərnmənt ˈtæksɪz əˈweɪ ˈɪnˌkəm ðət ˌloʊˈɪnkəm ˈhaʊsˌhoʊldz kʊd ˌɪnˈvɛst ɪn ˌɪmˈpruvɪŋ ðɛr lɪvz. æt ðə seɪm taɪm, ˈbɛnəfɪts kriˈeɪt ˌɪnˈsɪnɪvz ðət kip ðə pur træpt ɪn ˈpɑvərti. ˈmɛni əˈsum ðət ˈgəvərnmənt ˈbɛrli ˈtæksɪz ðə pur, bət ðə ˌriˈæləˌti ɪz ˈəðərˌwaɪz. ðə ˈpurɪst fɪθ əv əˈmɛrɪkənz peɪ 16 pərˈsɛnt əv ðɛr ˈɪnˌkəmz ɪn ˈtæksɪz (ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ˈfɛdərəl, steɪt, ənd ˈloʊkəl). wən ɪn sɪks ˈdɔlərz ðeɪ ərn goʊz streɪt tɪ ðə ˈgəvərnmənt. fər ə ˈfæməli ˈlɪvɪŋ æt ðə ˈmɑrʤən, ðoʊz ˈtæksɪz kən bi ðə ˈdɪfərəns bɪtˈwin fud ɔn ðə ˈteɪbəl ənd ˈhəŋgri ˈʧɪldrən. ædˈmɪtɪdli, ə bɪg ʧəŋk əv ˈgəvərnmənt ɪkˈspɛnsɪz ɪz fər ˈproʊˌgræmz dɪˈzaɪnd tɪ hɛlp ðə pur. bət ˈivɪn wɪn ðɪs ˈməni ˈæˌkʧuəli hɛlps ənd ɪt ˈrɛrli dɪz ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt tɪ noʊt ðə pərˈnɪʃəs ˈifɛkts əv tækˈseɪʃən. kənˈsɪdər: ˈɛvəri ˈdɔlər əv ˈtæksɪz ɪz wən ˈdɔlər ðət ə ˈwərkər məst gɪv tɪ ðə ˈgəvərnmənt fərst, rəˈgɑrdləs əv ˈwɛðər ðət ˈdɔlər kʊd hɛlp ɪm fid hɪz ˈfæməli ər ˌɪmˈpruv hɪz ˈlaɪvliˌhʊd. ɪf ə pur mæn ɪz feɪst wɪθ ðə ʧɔɪs əv peɪɪŋ ˈtæksɪz ər ˈstɑrtɪŋ ə ˈbɪznɪs, hi hæd bɛst ʧuz ðə ˈfɔrmər, ˈəðərˌwaɪz goʊ tɪ ʤeɪl. ðɪs ɪz tru fər ðə ˈwɛlθi ɛz wɛl. bət pur ˈpipəl lɪv ˈkloʊzər tɪ ðə ˈmɑrʤən. mɔr əv ðɛr ˈməni ɪz ˈteɪkən əp wɪθ fɪkst bɪlz laɪk rɛnt ənd fud. ðɪs livz ðɛm lɛs dɪˈskrɛʃəˌnɛri ˈɪnˌkəm tɪ, fər ˈɪnstəns, ˌɪnˈvɛst ɪn ə ˈbɪznɪs. bɪˈkəz ðɛr pul əv dɪˈskrɛʃəˌnɛri ˈɪnˌkəm ɪz sˈmɔlər, ˈtæksɪz kət ˈdipər ˈɪntu ɪt. ˈmændəˌtɔri ˈgəvərnmənt ˈproʊˌgræmz, səʧ ɛz ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd ˈmɛdəˌkɛr, ˈkɑmpaʊnd ðə ˈifɛkts əv tækˈseɪʃən. ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti, fər ˈɪnstəns, ˈfɔrsɪz ˈpipəl tɪ seɪv fər rɪˈtaɪərmənt rəˈgɑrdləs əv ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ðət ˈməni kʊd bi ˈbɛtər spɛnt ɪn əˈnəðər weɪ. ˈseɪvɪŋ fər rɪˈtaɪərmənt ɪz ˈʤɛnərəli ə gʊd aɪˈdiə; moʊst ˈpipəl ænˈtɪsəˌpeɪt ˈnidɪŋ ə ˈmɑnəˌtɛri ˈkʊʃən tɪ si ðɛm θru ðɛr ˈgoʊldən jɪrz. bət nɑt ðə bɛst əˈproʊʧ fər ˈɛvriˌwən. ðə jəŋ ˈwʊmən wɪθ ˈtərmənəl ˈkænsər, fər ˈɪnstəns, ˈprɑbəˌbli bi əraʊnd tɪ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ðə fruts əv ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti. ʃi kən bɛst ˈmæksəˌmaɪz hər ˈhæpinəs baɪ ˈspɛndɪŋ ðət ˈməni naʊ, ˈwɛðər ɔn fən ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz, ər ɔn ˈteɪkɪŋ kɛr əv hər ˈʧɪldrən, ər ɔn ˈbɛtər ˈmɛdɪkəl ˈtritmənt. ˈsɪmələrli, fər ðə ˈdɛstəˌtut mæn hu kən əˈfɔrd tɪ ˈiðər seɪv fər rɪˈtaɪərmənt ər fid hɪz ˈʧɪldrən, ɪt teɪks ə ˈhɑrtləs ˈbjʊrəˌkræt ˌɪnˈdid tɪ fɔrs ɪm tɪ du ðə ˈfɔrmər. jɛt ðət ɪz prɪˈsaɪsli wət ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti dɪz. ˈmɛni pur ˈpipəl ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli wɔnt tɪ stɑrt ə ˈbɪznɪs ər lərn nu skɪlz. boʊθ teɪk ˈstɑrˌtəp ˈkæpɪtəl. ˌɪˈmæʤən ðət ʤɑn, ə ˈriˌteɪl ˈwərkər ˈbɛrli ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɛndz mit, wɔnts tɪ lərn tɪ koʊd soʊ ðət hi kən faɪnd ə ˈbɛtər ʤɑb. moʊst ˈproʊˌgræmz, səʧ ɛz koʊd skul, fri. ˌɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ɪn səʧ ə ˈproʊˌgræm kʊd sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli ˌɪnˈkris ˈvælju ənd ˈsæləri, əˈlaʊɪŋ ɪm tɪ ˌɪmˈpruv hɪz ˈfaɪˌnænsɪz boʊθ naʊ ənd ˈleɪtər. bət feɪst bɪtˈwin peɪɪŋ 7 pərˈsɛnt əv hɪz ˈpeɪˌʧɛk tɪ ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti, ər ˌɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ðət 7 pərˈsɛnt ɪn ˈlərnɪŋ nu skɪlz tɪ bɪld ə kərɪr, ʤɑn həz tɪ ʧuz ðə ˈfɔrmər ər goʊ tɪ ʤeɪl. iʧ ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl həz hɪz ər hər juˈnik ˈsərkəmˌstænsɪz. fər səm, ˈseɪvɪŋ fər rɪˈtaɪərmənt raɪt naʊ maɪt bi smɑrt. fər ˈəðərz, ðət ˈməni kʊd bi ˈbɛtər spɛnt ɔn ˈsəmθɪŋ ɛls. baɪ ˈmænˌdeɪtɪŋ rɪˈtaɪərmənt ˈseɪvɪŋz, ˈgəvərnmənt rɑbz ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz əv ðə ˈfridəm tɪ meɪk ðɛr oʊn dɪˈsɪʒənz. ˈfoʊkɪst ɔn ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti, bət ˈəðər ˈgəvərnmənt ˈproʊˌgræmz hæv ðə seɪm ˈifɛkt. rikˈwaɪərz ðət ˈpipəl baɪ ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns ər peɪ ə faɪn, ˈivɪn ɪf ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns ɪn ðɛr bɛst ˈɪntərɪsts. ˈmɛdəˌkɛr ˈfɔrsɪz ðə pur tɪ pʊt əˈsaɪd pɑrt əv ðɛr ˈməni təˈdeɪ tɪ peɪ fər ðɛr hɛlθ kɛr kɔsts ɪn oʊld eɪʤ rəˈgɑrdləs əv ˈwɛðər ər nɑt ðət dɪˈsɪʒən ɪz bɛst fər ðə mæn ər ˈwʊmən ɪn kˈwɛʃən. bət wət əˈbaʊt ˈproʊˌgræmz ðət gɪv ðə pur ˈməni, laɪk ðə ˌsəpləˈmɛntəl nuˈtrɪʃən əˈsɪstəns ˈproʊˌgræm ənd ˌənɪmˈplɔɪmənt ˈbɛnəfɪts? ˈivɪn ðiz ˈproʊˌgræmz kriˈeɪt pərˈvərs ˌɪnˈsɪnɪvz, ˈtræpɪŋ mɛn ənd ˈwɪmən hu juz ðɛm ɪn ˈpɑvərti. bɪˈkəz ˈgəvərnmənt əˈsɪstəns həz ˈbɪlˌtɪn ˈkəˌtɔf pɔɪnts, ɪt kriˈeɪts də ˈfæktoʊ haɪ ˈmɑrʤənəl tæks reɪts fər ðə pur. ɪf ʤeɪn meɪks pər jɪr æt mcdonald’s*, ʃi maɪt rɪˈlaɪ ɔn ˈproʊˌgræmz laɪk ˈmɛdəˌkɛr ənd ˈwɛlˌfɛr tɪ meɪk ɛndz mit. bət ˌɪˈmæʤən ʃi həz ðə ˈɔpʃən tɪ swɪʧ ˈɪndəstriz ənd teɪk ən ʤɑb ɪn ə nu kərɪr (fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˈmɑrkətɪŋ) ðət peɪz pər jɪr. ɪf ʃi teɪks ðə nu ʤɑb, ʃi kʊd ɛnd əp ˈbrɪŋɪŋ ɪn lɛs ɔn nɛt. ʃi maɪt gɪt mɔr frəm hər ɪmˈplɔɪər, bət luz θru ə ˌkɑmbəˈneɪʃən əv haɪər ˈtæksɪz ənd rɪˈdust ˈgəvərnmənt ˈbɛnəfɪts. fər ʤeɪn, ðə ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪkli ˈræʃənəl dɪˈsɪʒən ɪz tɪ kip ˈflɪpɪŋ ˈbərgərz ənd nɑt muv tɪ ə nu pəˈzɪʃən. ˈgəvərnmənt ˌɪnˈsɪnɪvz rɪˈwɔrd hər fər steɪɪŋ ɪn ə ˌdɛˈdɛnd ʤɑb. baɪ oʊˈbeɪɪŋ ðiz ˌɪnˈsɪnɪvz, ʃi ˈmɪsɪz aʊt ɔn ɔl ðə ˈprɑməs ˌɪnˈhɛrənt ɪn ə ril kərɪr. ˈpipəl ɪn ˈmɑrkətɪŋ tɛnd tɪ bi ɪn dɪˈmænd ɪn ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈɛvəri ˈkəmpəˌni, ənd hæv mɔr ʧɔɪs ɪn wɛr ðeɪ wɔnt tɪ wərk. ðeɪ kən ərn pərˈmoʊʃənz ənd klaɪm ðə ˈkɔrpərət ˈlædər. ðiz ˈɔpʃənz əˈveɪləbəl fər ə ˈwərkər. ˈgəvərnmənt ˈproʊˌgræmz gɪv ʤeɪn ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˌɪnˈsɛnɪv tɪ steɪ ɪn hər ˈkɑrənt pəˈzɪʃən, riˈstrɪktɪŋ hər ˈlɔŋˈtərm ˈɔpʃənz. ˈgəvərnmənt ˈproʊˌgræmz, ər nɑt, sərv tɪ træp ðə ɔˈrɛdi ˌdaʊnˈtrɑdən. baɪ ˈkɑntræst, ðə ˈmɑrkɪt kriˈeɪts ˈfridəm ənd ˈɔpʃənz ənd prəˈmoʊts ˈəpwərd moʊˈbɪlɪti.
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submitted by julian adorney via the ludwig von mises institute,
most defenders of the state assume that government services help the poor. and, sometimes, some poor people do benefit financially from government programs. but there’s a hidden cost: taxation and mandatory programs (social security, for instance) that hurt the needy by restricting their choices. government taxes away income that low-income households could invest in improving their lives. at the same time, state-sponsored benefits create incentives that keep the poor trapped in poverty.
many assume that government barely taxes the poor, but the reality is otherwise. the poorest fifth of americans pay 16 percent of their incomes in taxes (including federal, state, and local). one in six dollars they earn goes straight to the government. for a family living at the margin, those taxes can be the difference between food on the table and hungry children.
admittedly, a big chunk of government expenses is for programs designed to help the poor. but even when this money actually helps — and it rarely does — it’s important to note the pernicious effects of taxation. consider: every dollar of taxes is one dollar that a worker must give to the government first, regardless of whether that dollar could help him feed his family or improve his livelihood. if a poor man is faced with the choice of paying taxes or starting a business, he had best choose the former, otherwise he’ll go to jail.
this is true for the wealthy as well. but poor people live closer to the margin. more of their money is taken up with fixed bills like rent and food. this leaves them less discretionary income to, for instance, invest in a business. because their pool of discretionary income is smaller, taxes cut deeper into it.
mandatory government programs, such as social security and medicare, compound the choice-restricting effects of taxation. social security, for instance, forces people to save for retirement regardless of whether or not that money could be better spent in another way.
saving for retirement is generally a good idea; most people anticipate needing a monetary cushion to see them through their golden years. but it’s not the best approach for everyone. the young woman with terminal cancer, for instance, probably won’t be around to enjoy the fruits of social security. she can best maximize her happiness by spending that money now, whether it’s on fun experiences, or on taking care of her children, or on better medical treatment. similarly, for the destitute man who can afford to either save for retirement or feed his children, it takes a heartless bureaucrat indeed to force him to do the former. yet that is precisely what social security does.
many poor people eventually want to start a business or learn new skills. both take start-up capital. imagine that john, a retail worker barely making ends meet, wants to learn to code so that he can find a better job. most learn-to-code programs, such as code school, aren’t free. investing in such a program could significantly increase johdn’s value and salary, allowing him to improve his finances both now and later. but faced between paying 7 percent of his paycheck to social security, or investing that 7 percent in learning new skills to build a career, john has to choose the former or go to jail.
each individual has his or her unique circumstances. for some, saving for retirement right now might be smart. for others, that money could be better spent on something else. by mandating retirement savings, government robs individuals of the freedom to make their own decisions.
i’ve focused on social security, but other government programs have the same effect. obamacare requires that people buy insurance or pay a fine, even if insurance isn’t in their best interests. medicare forces the poor to put aside part of their money today to pay for their health care costs in old age — regardless of whether or not that decision is best for the man or woman in question.
but what about programs that give the poor money, like the supplemental nutrition assistance program and unemployment benefits? even these programs create perverse incentives, trapping men and women who use them in poverty.
because government assistance has built-in cutoff points, it creates de facto high marginal tax rates for the poor. if jane makes $10,000 per year at mcdonald’s, she might rely on programs like medicare and welfare to make ends meet. but imagine she has the option to switch industries and take an entry-level job in a new career (for example, marketing) that pays $25,000 per year. if she takes the new job, she could end up bringing in $2,540 less on net. she might get $15,000 more from her employer, but she’ll lose $17,540 through a combination of higher taxes and reduced government benefits.
for jane, the economically rational decision is to keep flipping burgers and not move to a new position. government incentives reward her for staying in a dead-end job. by obeying these incentives, she misses out on all the promise inherent in a real career. people in marketing tend to be in demand in almost every company, and have more choice in where they want to work. they can earn promotions and climb the corporate ladder. these options aren’t available for a fast-food worker. government programs give jane the financial incentive to stay in her current position, restricting her long-term options.
government programs, well-meaning or not, serve to trap the already downtrodden. by contrast, the market creates freedom and options and promotes upward mobility.
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læst əv ðə oʊld gɑrd: ˈprɛzɪdənt ˌælɪgˈzændər ˈraɪnˌhɑrt həz stɛpt daʊn ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ðə ˌdɪsəˈluʃən əv hɪz ˈɔfəs, ˈlidɪŋ ˈmɛni ɪn ðə kəmˈjunɪti tɪ ləˈmɛnt ðə steɪt əv ðə ˈmɑdərn ˈneɪʃən. ˈhævələnd, wi, ˈɔgəst 12 traɪ 28 ˌælɪgˈzændər ˈraɪnˌhɑrt, ˈɑrgjuəbli ðə moʊst ˈpɑpjələr ˈmɛmbər əv ðə kəmˈjunɪti, həz ˈfɔrməli ˈɛndɪd hɪz ˈprɛzɪdənsi təˈdeɪ ɛz ˈəndərˌgoʊz ˈmeɪʤər ənd institutional’*’ rɪˈfɔrmz eɪmd æt ərˈɛstɪŋ ðə ˈkrɑnɪk ˌɪnækˈtɪvɪti. ˈraɪnˌhɑrt meɪd ðə əˈnaʊnsmɛnt (ɪn ˌɪˈtæljən) təˈdeɪ ɪn ðə ˈfeɪsˌbʊk grup, wɪʧ kaʊnts moʊst əv ðə pəˈlɪtɪkəl ˈlidərz ɛz pɑrt əv ɪts ˈmɛmbərˌʃɪp. ɪn ɪt, ˈraɪnˌhɑrt sɪz ðət ˌælɪgˈzændər ˈistˌwʊd, hu sərvd ɛz ðə praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər sɪns ˈərli 2013 əˈsumd ˈɔfəs ɛz ˈʧænsələr əv ðə ˈfɛdərəl riˈpəblɪk, ənd ðət ðə dɪˈsɪʒən bi rɪˈvoʊkt ˈoʊnli θru ˈnuli ɪˈstæblɪʃt standards.’*.’ hi wɛnt ɔn tɪ steɪt ðət hi wʊd rɪˈmeɪn əˈveɪləbəl ðə ɪkˈstɛnt necessary’*’, ənd wɪʃt ˈistˌwʊd wɛl ɪn hɪz nu pəˈzɪʃən. ˈraɪnˌhɑrt sɛd ðə ˈdɑkjəmɛnt wɑz hɪz læst ɛz ˈprɛzɪdənt əv, ənd ˈɔlsoʊ ˈsteɪtɪd ðət ɪt wɑz wən əv ðə læst ˈlɛtərz aɪ wɪl ˈpəblɪʃ ˈæftər ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈsɛvən jɪrz əv activity.”*.” tɪ əˈleɪ fɪrz əv ðə dɪˈpɑrʧər əv ðə mæn sin ɛz wən əv ðə moʊst sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ˈfɪgjərz ɪn ðə ˈhɪstəri, ˈraɪnˌhɑrt ˈklɛrəˌfaɪd ðət hi wʊd nɑt bi ˈlivɪŋ ˌɔltəˈgɛðər, seɪɪŋ ðət hi laɪks ðə ˈkəmpəˌni əv ðə kəmˈjunɪti, ˈmɛmbərz əv wɪʧ hi kɔld awesome”*” tɪ liv. ˌɪnˈstɛd, hi həz bɪn ˈnɑməˌneɪtəd tɪ ˈmænɪʤ ðə ˈfɔrən ˈɔfəs, ə pəˈzɪʃən hi ˈlaɪkənd tɪ ɛz ə cheque’*’. ˈspikɪŋ tɪ ðə taɪmz ðɪs ˈmɔrnɪŋ, ˈraɪnˌhɑrt sɛd ðət hi hæd rɪˈsivd ˈɔfərz frəm boʊθ ənd tɪ ʤɔɪn ðɛr ˈneɪʃənz, bət dɪˈklaɪnd, seɪɪŋ ðət hi wʊd ˈoʊnli ʤɔɪn əˈnəðər steɪt ɪf hi kʊd ɪt ðə əˈtɛnʃən ɪt deserves.’*.’ ðə nuz həz bɪn mɛt wɪθ ʃɑk ənd ˈsædnəs əˈkrɔs ðə kəmˈjunɪti, wɪθ ˈmɛni ˈlidərz ləˈmɛntɪŋ dɪˈpɑrʧər frəm hɪz roʊl ənd ðə steɪt əv ɪn ðə jɪrz. prɛˈmɪr ˈdænjəl ˈændərsən sɛd əv ðə mæn hu ˌɪnˈspaɪərd ɪm tɪ bɪˈkəm ə ðət ‘[‘[he*] ɪz ðə community’*’, waɪl ˈɛmpərər ˈʤɑnəθən əv sɛd ðət ðə rɪˈfɔrmz ˈlɪtərəli ðə læst [hi] recommended.”*.” ˈʤɑnəθən wɛnt ɔn tɪ seɪ ðət ˈsəmˌwən hæd sɛd ɪn 2011 ðət ˌælɪgˈzændər ˈistˌwʊd ənd æˈtlænɪs ˈteɪkən ɪt ˈoʊvər, hæv bɪn læft aʊt əv ðə room.”*.” ðə moʊst ˈkɑmən əˈpɪnjən əˈməŋst ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈlidərz həz bɪn ðət ˈraɪnˌhɑrt ʃʊd hæv juzd hɪz ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl paʊərz tɪ dɪsˈmɪs ðə ˈistˌwʊd ˈgəvərnmənt ənd əˈsum fʊl paʊər ɪn ən əˈtɛmpt tɪ rɪˈvərs ðə lɔŋ dɪˈklaɪn. ˈsɔrsəz ɪn ˈnæʃənəl ˈpɑrti ˈɪndəˌkeɪt ˌhaʊˈɛvər ðət hɪz ˈkɑligz dɪd nɑt səˈpɔrt ɪm, siɪŋ ɪm ɛz ə ˈmɛmbər əv ðə guard’*’ ənd ɛz səʧ faʊnd ɪt ˈnɛsəˌsɛri tɪ fɔrs ɪm tɪ hænd ðə ˈkəntri tɪ ðə nɛkst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən əv ˈlidərˌʃɪp. ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈpɑrti həz ˈɔlsoʊ əˈpɛrəntli tərnd ˈɪntu ə ˈmaɪkrəˌkɑzəm əv ðə ˈneɪʃən ɪt lɛd twaɪs bɪtˈwin 2009 ənd 2013 wɪθ moʊst ˈmɛmbərz dɪˈpɑrtɪŋ fər ənd girlfriends.’*.’ wən ˈkɑmən fɪr əˈməŋst ˈmɛni ɪn ðə kəmˈjunɪti, ənd ˌɪnˈdid wɪˈθɪn ˌɪtˈsɛlf, ɪz ðət ðə ˈneɪʃən həz lɔst ɪts oʊld aɪˈdɛntəˌti ɛz ə ˈkɔrnərˌstoʊn əv ðə kəmˈjunɪti ənd ɪz ˈtərnɪŋ ˈɪntu ə ˈsoʊʃəlɪst ˈneɪʃən ˈeɪkɪn tɪ ðət əv ðə ˈfɔrmər riˈpəblɪk əv æˈtlænɪs, wɪʧ ʤɔɪnd ɛz ə ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃən ɪn ˌʤuˈlaɪ 2012 ɪn ðə ˈjɛloʊ bɛr skaɪp ðɪs ˈivnɪŋ, wən ˈmɛmbər pæst ˈkɑmɛnt ðət wʊd bɪˈkəm wɪθ ə nu name’*’ baɪ ˈərli 2016 waɪl əˈnəðər bleɪmd ðə woʊz ɔn ðə əˌsɪməˈleɪʃən əv hu wər nɑt ˈtruli ˈkəlʧərəˌli st.charlian.’*.’ pɑrt əv ðɪs pərˈsɛpʃən kən bi əˈtrɪbjətəd tɪ ðə plæn tɪ mərʤ ðə ˈnumərəs ˌfɛdərˈeɪʃənz ˈɪntu tu wən ˌɪˈtæljən, ðə ˈəðər non-italian*, wɪʧ kɪŋ ˈædəm əv sɛd wʊd ðɛr ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ ˈprɑbləmz wərs: kənˈsɑlɪˌdeɪt riˌspɑnsəˈbɪləti ənd ˈvərʧuəli prəˈmoʊt italo-centrism.”*.” ˈændərsən ˈkɑmɛntəd ðət ðə ˈneɪʧər əv ˈrɛrli əˈlaʊz fər ərˈeɪnʤmənts səʧ ɛz ˈpɑrləˌmɛnts. ər ˈʤɛnərəli ˈpərsɪnəl ðət ˈnɪrli ˈɔlˌweɪz fɔl əˈpɑrt wɪn paʊər ɪz pæst ɔn ər shared”*” hi sɛd, ˈsaɪtɪŋ flandrensis*, wɪʧ ˈrisəntli dɪˈzɑlvd ɪts ˈpɑrləmɛnt ɪn ˈfeɪvər əv fʊl paʊərz fər ɪts grænd duk ɛz ə minz əv ˈmeɪkɪŋ ðə steɪt mɔr ɪˈfɪʃənt. dɪˈspaɪt boʊld ˈsteɪtmənts frəm boʊθ ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ənd ˈmidiə ɔn wət ðə rɪˈfɔrmz eɪm tɪ əˈʧiv, ðɛr əˈpɪrz tɪ bi ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˌjunəˈvərsəl ˈæpəθi æt hoʊps ðə ˈneɪʃən wɪl riˈbaʊnd frəm ðə ˌɪnækˈtɪvɪti ðət wɑz fərst əbˈzərvd ɪn ðə ˈgəvərnmənt əv bət izd tɪ ən ɪkˈstɛnt ˈæftər ˈraɪnˌhɑrt rɪˈtərnd tɪ ˈgəvərnmənt ɪn ˈraɪnˌhɑrt bɪˈkeɪm ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ɪn əˈfɛrz ɪn leɪt 2008 ˈkəlməˌneɪtɪŋ ɪn hɪz ˈlidərˌʃɪp əv ðət noʊˈvɛmbər ˌrɛvəˈluʃən, wɪʧ ˌriˈpleɪst ðə ˈkɪŋdəm fɔrmd ɔn ˈkrɪsməs deɪ 2000 wɪθ ə nu rɪˈpəblɪkən ˈgəvərnmənt. hi wɛnt ɔn tɪ bɪˈkəm wən əv ðə moʊst sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt ənd ˌpɑləˈtɪʃənz ɪn ðə kəmˈjunɪti, ɪn ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˌɔrgənɪˈzeɪʃənz ənd ˈmidiˌeɪtɪŋ ɪn ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk dɪˈspjuts, moʊst ˈnoʊtəbli ˈklæʃɪz wɪθ ɪn ənd ðə ˈkraɪsəs əv sɛpˈtɛmbər 2011 ˈraɪnˌhɑrt stɛpt daʊn ɛz praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər ənd ɛz ðə ˈnæʃənəl ˈpɑrti ˈlidər æt ðə 2013 ɪˈlɛkʃənz, ˈteɪkɪŋ ɔn ə kwaɪət roʊl ɪn ðə ˈistˌwʊd ˈkæbənət ˌbiˈfɔr əˈnaʊnsɪŋ hɪz ˌɪnˈtɛnʧən tɪ rən fər ðə ˈprɛzɪdənsi ɪn ˈərli 2014 wɪʧ hi wən juˈnænəməsli. hi həz nɑt jɛt ˈsteɪtɪd ˈɛni ˌɪnˈtɛnʧən tɪ teɪk ɔn ˈəðər roʊlz əˈlɔŋˈsaɪd ðət əv ðə ˈfɔrən ˈɔfəs. ˈædvərˌtaɪzmənts
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last of the old guard: st.charlian president alexander reinhardt has stepped down following the dissolution of his office, leading many in the community to lament the state of the modern st.charlian nation.
havilland, we, aug 12 · tri 28 – alexander reinhardt, arguably the most popular member of the microwiki community, has formally ended his presidency today as st.charlie undergoes major ‘constitutional and institutional’ reforms aimed at arresting the nation’s chronic inactivity.
reinhardt made the announcement (in italian) today in the microgroup facebook group, which counts most of the community’s political leaders as part of its membership.
in it, reinhardt says that alexander eastwood, who served as the country’s prime minister since early 2013, assumed office as chancellor of the federal republic, and that the decision ‘may be revoked only through newly established standards.’
he went on to state that he would remain available ‘to the extent necessary’, and wished eastwood well in his new position.
reinhardt said the document was his last as president of st.charlie, and also stated that it was “probably […] one of the last letters i will publish after almost seven years of micronational activity.”
to allay fears of the departure of the man seen as one of the most significant figures in the community’s history, reinhardt clarified that he would not be leaving micronationalism altogether, saying that he likes the company of the community, members of which he called “too awesome” to leave.
instead, he has been nominated to manage the country’s foreign office, a position he likened to as a ‘retirement cheque’.
speaking to the times this morning, reinhardt said that he had received offers from both sirocco and landashir to join their nations, but declined, saying that he would only join another state if he could ‘give it the attention it deserves.’
the news has been met with shock and sadness across the community, with many leaders lamenting reinhardt’s departure from his role and the state of st.charlie in the post-reinhardt years.
premier daniel anderson said of the man who inspired him to become a micronationalist that ‘[he] is the community’, while emperor jonathan of austenasia said that the nation’s reforms “are literally the last [he] would’ve recommended.”
jonathan went on to say that “if someone had said in 2011 that alexander eastwood and atlantis would’ve taken it over, they’d have been laughed out of the room.”
the most common opinion amongst international leaders has been that reinhardt should have used his presidential powers to dismiss the eastwood government and assume full power in an attempt to reverse the once-powerful nation’s long decline.
sources in reinhardt’s national party indicate however that his colleagues did not support him, seeing him as a member of the party’s ‘old guard’ and as such found it necessary to force him to hand the country to the next generation of leadership.
the national party has also apparently turned into a microcosm of the nation it led twice between 2009 and 2013, with most members departing for ‘work and girlfriends.’
one common fear amongst many in the community, and indeed within st.charlie itself, is that the nation has lost its old identity as a cornerstone of the community and is turning into a socialist italophone-oriented nation akin to that of the former republic of atlantis, which joined st.charlie as a federation in july 2012.
in the yellow bear micronational skype chatroom this evening, one member passed comment that st.charlie would become ‘atlantis with a new name’ by early 2016, while another blamed the nation’s woes on the assimilation of ‘foreigners who were not truly culturally st.charlian.’
part of this perception can be attributed to the plan to merge the nation’s numerous federations into two – one italian, the other non-italian, which king adam of überstadt said would “make their existing problems worse: consolidate responsibility and virtually promote italo-centrism.”
anderson commented that the nature of micronationalism rarely allows for power-sharing arrangements such as parliaments.
“micronations are generally personal endeavours that nearly always fall apart when power is passed on or shared” he said, citing flandrensis, which recently dissolved its parliament in favour of full powers for its grand duke as a means of making the state more efficient.
despite bold statements from both the st.charlian government and atlantian media on what the reforms aim to achieve, there appears to be almost universal apathy at hopes the nation will rebound from the inactivity that was first observed in the alvisi government of 2011-12, but eased to an extent after reinhardt returned to government in 2012-13.
reinhardt became involved in micronational affairs in late 2008, culminating in his leadership of that year’s november revolution, which replaced the kingdom formed on christmas day 2000 with a new republican government.
he went on to become one of the most significant and well-respected politicians in the community, partaking in international organisations and mediating in diplomatic disputes, most notably st.charlie’s clashes with erusia in 2009-10 and the yablokogate crisis of september 2011.
reinhardt stepped down as prime minister and as the national party leader at the 2013 elections, taking on a quiet role in the eastwood cabinet before announcing his intention to run for the presidency in early 2014, which he won unanimously.
he has not yet stated any intention to take on other roles alongside that of the foreign office.
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ˈərliər təˈdeɪ wi əˈnaʊnst ðə ˈʧælənʤ. wi sɛt əp ə ˈsərvər wɪθ ə ˈvəlnərəbəl ˈvərʒən əv ənd ˈʧælənʤd ðə kəmˈjunɪti tɪ stil ɪts ˈpraɪvət ki. ðə wərld wɑz əp tɪ ðə tæsk: tu ˈpipəl ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəntli riˈtrivd ˈpraɪvət kiz ˈjuzɪŋ ðə ˌɛkˈsplɔɪt. ðə fərst ˈvælɪd səbˈmɪʃən wɑz rɪˈsivd æt baɪ ˈsɔfˌwɛr ˈɛnʤəˈnɪr ˈfɛdər indutny*. hi sɛnt æt list ˈmɪljən rɪkˈwɛsts ˈoʊvər ðə kɔrs əv ðə deɪ. ðə ˈsɛkənd wɑz səbˈmɪtəd æt baɪ mɑˈtilə æt ncsc-fi*, hu sɛnt əraʊnd ə ˈhənərd ˈθaʊzənd rɪkˈwɛsts ˈoʊvər ðə seɪm ˈpɪriəd əv taɪm. ˈəpˌdeɪt: tu mɔr kənˈfərmd ˈwɪnərz: ˈrubɪn zu, ˈpiˌeɪʧˈdi ˈstudənt ɪn ðə sɪˈkjʊrəti grup əv ˈkeɪmbrɪʤ ˌjunəˈvərsəti səbˈmɪtəd æt ɔn ənd bɛn ˈmərfi, sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈrisərʧər səbˈmɪtəd æt ɔn wi kənˈfərmd ðət ɔl ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz juzd ˈoʊnli ðə ˌɛkˈsplɔɪt tɪ əbˈteɪn ðə ˈpraɪvət ki. wi ðə ˈsərvər æt 3:08pst*, wɪʧ meɪ hæv kɔzd ðə ki tɪ bi əˈveɪləbəl ɪn hip ˈmɛməri ɛz θiəraɪzd ɪn ɑr ˈpriviəs blɔg poʊst. ɪt ɪz æt ðə dɪˈskrɛʃən əv ðə ˈrisərʧərz tɪ ʃɛr ðə spɪˈsɪfɪks əv ðə tɛkˈniks juzd. ðɪs rɪˈzəlt riˈmaɪndz ˈjuˈɛs nɑt tɪ ˈəndərˈɛstəˌmeɪt ðə paʊər əv ðə kraʊd ənd ˈɛmfəˌsaɪzɪz ðə ˈdeɪnʤər poʊzd baɪ ðɪs ˌvəlnərəˈbɪlɪti.
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earlier today we announced the heartbleed challenge. we set up a nginx server with a vulnerable version of openssl and challenged the community to steal its private key. the world was up to the task: two people independently retrieved private keys using the heartbleed exploit.
the first valid submission was received at 16:22:01pst by software engineer fedor indutny. he sent at least 2.5 million requests over the course of the day. the second was submitted at 17:12:19pst by ilkka mattila at ncsc-fi, who sent around a hundred thousand requests over the same period of time.
update: two more confirmed winners: rubin xu, phd student in the security group of cambridge university submitted at 04:11:09pst on 04/12; and ben murphy, security researcher submitted at 7:28:50pst on 04/12.
we confirmed that all individuals used only the heartbleed exploit to obtain the private key. we rebooted the server at 3:08pst, which may have caused the key to be available in uninitiallized heap memory as theorized in our previous blog post. it is at the discretion of the researchers to share the specifics of the techniques used.
this result reminds us not to underestimate the power of the crowd and emphasizes the danger posed by this vulnerability.
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ðɪs ˈkɑntɛnt wɑz ˈpəblɪʃt ɔn dɪˈsɛmbər 12 2017 æm ˈsiˌiˈoʊ ˈjoʊhɑn, lɛft, wɪθ ˈfaɪˌnæns ˈmɪnɪstər ˈmɔrər, ˈərliər ðɪs jɪr. (ˈkiˌstoʊn) ðə ˈdɪʤɪtəl ˈpeɪmənt ˈstɑrˌtəp həz bɪn dɪˈklɛrd ˈbæŋkrəpt ɔn ˈmənˌdeɪ baɪ ə kɔrt ɪn zəg. ðə ˈleɪtəst bloʊ fər bɔs ˈjoʊhɑn, ˈɔlsoʊ ˈəndər ˈprɛʃər rɪˈgɑrdɪŋ hɪz roʊl ɪn ðə faʊnˈdeɪʃən. ðə lɪŋk baɪ ðə ˈkæntənəl kɔrt ɪn zəg wɛr ðə ˈstɑrˌtəp həz bɪn beɪst sɪns 2013 tɪ sɛnd ˈɪntu ˌlɪkwɪˈdeɪʃən kəmz ˈæftər ə ˈsɪriz əv ˈɑmənəs saɪnz ɪn ˈrisənt mənθs. ɪn ɑkˈtoʊbər, ə noʊt tɪ ˌɪnˈvɛstərz baɪ ləˈmɛntɪd ðət ˈprɑˌgrɛs hæd graʊnd tɪ ə hɔlt ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ˈfeɪljər tɪ faɪnd nu ˌɪnˈvɛstərz; ðə ˈkəmpəˌni ˈɔlsoʊ lɛt goʊ əv ɔl ɪts ɪmˈplɔɪiz, rɪˈteɪnɪŋ ʤɪst ə smɔl kɔr əv ˈkɑnˌtræktərz. rɛd əˈbaʊt ðə ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈdɪfɪˌkəltiz ˈfeɪsɪŋ ðə ˈstɑrˌtəp ˈvɛri ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪŋ ðət ʤɪst wɪn wi wər ˈfaɪnəli ˈrɛdi tɪ ɔn ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ kəˈmərʃəl ˌɑpərˈtunətiz, wi lækt ðə fəndz tɪ execute,”*,” sɛd ɪn ə noʊt tɪ ˌɪnˈvɛstərz sɛnt ɔn ɑkˈtoʊbər 23 dɪˈklaɪnd tɪ ˈkɑmɛnt tɪ ˈmidiə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ˈrulɪŋ. fərst ɪˈstæblɪʃt ɪn vænˈkuvər ɪn 2012 ənd muvd tɪ ˈsoʊˈkɔld valley’*’ ə jɪr ˈleɪtər, monetas’*’ eɪm ɪz tɪ prəˈvaɪd ˈpeɪmənt ˈsərvɪsɪz tɪ dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ ɪˈkɑnəmiz. ɪt ɪz ɪn tɔks wɪθ ˈsɛvərəl ˈæfrɪkɑn ˈkəntriz wɪθ ə kəmˈbaɪnd ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən əv 300 ˈmɪljən. dɪˈrɛktər, ˈjoʊhɑn, ɪz ˈɔlsoʊ ɪn ʧɑrʤ əv ˈrənɪŋ ðə faʊnˈdeɪʃən ə ˈprɑʤɛkt wɛr hi həz kəm ˈəndər fɪrs ˈprɛʃər frəm ˈfaʊndərz ˈɑrθər ənd kæθˈlin ˈbraɪtmən. ðeɪ hæv əˈkjuzd ɪm əv nɑt ˈoʊnli prɪˈzaɪdɪŋ ˈoʊvər ə ˈpɪriəd əv ˌɪˈnækʃən, bət ˈɔlsoʊ əˈtɛmpt æt self-dealing*, mɪsˌrɛprəˈzɛnɪŋ tɪ ðə ˈkaʊnsəl ðə ˈvælju əv ə ˈboʊnəs hi əˈtɛmptəd tɪ grænt himself.”*.” ˈrisənt rɪˈpɔrts ˌhaʊˈɛvər səˈʤɛst ðət meɪ ˈimərʤ frəm ðə ˈʧælənʤ ˌɪnˈtækt. ɪn ðɪs ˈlɛtər tɪ ˌɪnˈvɛstərz ɔn noʊˈvɛmbər 30 ˌɪnˈsɪstɪd θɪŋz wər ˌɪmˈpruvɪŋ fər, bət ðə ˈkəmpəˌni wɛnt bəst wiks ˈleɪtər. ˈsteɪtmənt noʊˈvɛmbər ˈlɛtər frəm ˈjoʊhɑn ənd nɔɪər ˌhɔrəˈzɑntəl laɪn ɔn ɔn
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this content was published on december 12, 2017 10:17 am
monetas ceo johann gevers, left, with finance minister ueli maurer, earlier this year. (keystone)
the swiss-based digital payment start-up monetas has been declared bankrupt on monday by a court in zug. it’s the latest blow for boss johann gevers, also under pressure regarding his role in the tezos foundation.
the decisionexternal link by the cantonal court in zug where the start-up has been based since 2013 to send monetas into liquidation comes after a series of ominous signs in recent months.
in october, a note to investors signed-off by gevers lamented that progress had ground to a halt following failure to find new investors; the company also let go of all its employees, retaining just a small core of contractors.
+ read about the financial difficulties facing the start-up
“it’s very disappointing that just when we were finally ready to capitalise on exciting commercial opportunities, we lacked the funds to execute,” gevers said in a note to investors sent on october 23.
gevers declined to comment to media following today’s ruling.
first established in vancouver in 2012 and moved to zug’s so-called ‘crypto valley’ a year later, monetas’ aim is to provide smartphone payment services to underbanked developing economies. it is in talks with several african countries with a combined population of 300 million.
it’s director, south-african johann gevers, is also in charge of running the tezos foundation a cryptocurrency project where he has come under fierce pressure from founders arthur and kathleen breitman.
they have accused him of not only presiding over a period of inaction, but also “an attempt at self-dealing, misrepresenting to the council the value of a bonus he attempted to grant himself.” recent reports however suggest that gevers may emerge from the challenge intact.
in this letter to investors on november 30, gevers insisted things were improving for monetas, but the company went bust weeks later.
gevers statement november letter from johann gevers
swissinfo.ch and agencies/dos
neuer inhalt horizontal line
swi swissinfo.ch on instagram swi swissinfo.ch on instagram
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ɛz ˈstudənt straɪk naʊ ðə ˈlɔŋgɪst ənd ˈlɑrʤəst ɪn kwəˈbɛk ˈhɪstəri ræps əp ɪts wik ənd ðə steɪks gɪt haɪər, məʧ ɪz biɪŋ meɪd əv ðə ““violence.”*.” læst wik, ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ˈmɪnɪstər laɪn ˈboʊˌʃɑmp kɔld ɔn ˈstudənt əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənz tɪ dɪˈnaʊns ˈvaɪələns baɪ ˈstudənt ˈæktɪvɪsts. ɪn rɪˈspɑns, ðə ˈstudənt əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪŋ ˈɔlˌmoʊst hæf əv ðə ˈstraɪkɪŋ ˈstudənts ənd ðə moʊst əv ðə θri ˈmeɪʤər ˈstudənt əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənz əˈdɑptəd ə nuɑnst pəˈzɪʃən ðət kənˈdɛmd dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪt ˈvaɪələns əˈgɛnst ˈpipəl ɪkˈsɛpt ɪn ˈkeɪsɪz əv ˌsɛlfdɪˈfɛns, waɪl əˈfərmɪŋ ðə ˌɪmˈpɔrtəns əv ˈsɪvəl ˌdɪsəˈbidiəns ənd dɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ wət ðeɪ kɔl ðə sɪˈstɛmɪk ˈvaɪələns əv pəˈlis riˈprɛʃən ənd dɪˌskrɪməˈneɪʃən ɪn ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. fər ˈmɛni ˈpipəl ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv kwəˈbɛk, læst ˈhitɪd ˌdɛmənˈstreɪʃən əˈgɛnst plæn nɔrd wɑz ðə fərst ðeɪ sɔ əv ðə ˈmuvmənt. sɪns ðɛn, nuz ˈkəvərɪʤ həz kənˈtɪnjud tɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ˈvændəlɪzəm. ɔn ˈsiˌbiˈsi, ˈɪmɪʤɪz əv smæʃt ˈwɪndoʊz ənd mæskt ˈproʊˌtɛstərz pleɪd rɪˈpitɪdli ɛz ðə rɪˈpɔrtər kənˈdɛmd ðə students’*’ ““violence”*”. ˈrɛrli ɪz ɪt ˈmɛnʃənd ðət, ˈoʊvər ðə pæst tɛn wiks, ˈstudənts hæv ˈsəfərd ˈbroʊkən ɑrmz, ˈbroʊkən lɛgz, ˈbroʊkən rɪbz, ðə lɔs əv ən aɪ, kənˈkəʃənz, ˈbruzɪz, spreɪnz, ənd ˈsimɪŋli ˈɛndləs raʊnz əv gæs æt ðə hænz əv ðə pəˈlis. ˌɪnˈdid, ɔn ðət ˈvɛri deɪ, pəˈlis wər ˈfaɪərrɪŋ ˈrəbər ˈbʊləts ˈɪntu ðə kraʊd. ðɛr simz tɪ bi ə ˈwaɪdˈsprɛd bɪˈlif ðət, ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ bi ləˈʤɪtəmət, ə ˈproʊˌtɛst məst meɪnˈteɪn səˈvɪləti æt ɔl taɪmz, əˈbaɪd baɪ ðə rulz, ənd ˈivɪn tərn ðə ˈəðər ʧik wɪn mɛt wɪθ ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ hɑˈstɪləti frəm ðə paʊərz ðət bi. ɪn ˈəðər wərdz, ðə lɪˈʤɪtəməsi əv ðə kɔz ɪz sɛd tɪ bi dɪˈtərmənd baɪ ðə weɪ ɪn wɪʧ ɪt ɪz ɪkˈsprɛst. ɪn ðə ˈfɛmənɪst blɔg ˈspeɪsɪz aɪ ˈfrikˌwɛnt, wi kɔl ðɪs ə toʊn ˈɑrgjəmənt: ˈwɪmən ər ˈɔfən toʊld ðeɪ məst bi lɛs ““shrill”*” tɪ bi hərd, ənd ˈpipəl əv ˈkələr ər toʊld tu ““angry.”*.” ˈwɛðər ðə ˈtɑpɪk ɪz ən ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl kəmˈpleɪnt ər ə ˈmuvmənt, ðɪs ˈɑrgjəmənt ˈoʊnli sərvz ɛz ə weɪ əv ˈʃətɪŋ daʊn ˈdaɪəˌlɔg. ɪf ju ˈtruli bɪˈliv ˈsəmˌwən ɪz raɪt, ju kɔl ðɛm ə laɪər bɪˈkəz əv ðə toʊn ðeɪ juz. ɪf ju ˈtruli bɪˈliv ə kɔz ɪz ˈʤəstəˌfaɪd, ju seɪ θɪŋz laɪk juzd tɪ əˈpoʊz ðə tjuˈɪʃən haɪks, bət naʊ students’*’ ˈtæktɪks hæv tərnd mi əˈgɛnst them.”*.” bɪˈkəz ðə θɪŋ ɪz, ðoʊz rulz əˈbaʊt haʊ tɪ bɪˈheɪv? kriˈeɪtɪd baɪ ðə ˈpipəl hu ˈprɑfɪt frəm ðə ˈstætəs kwoʊ. ðə ˈpipəl hu ˈbɛnəfɪt frəm ˈwɪmən biɪŋ ˈsaɪlənst ənd ˈpipəl əv ˈkələr biɪŋ əˈprɛst ənd ˌjunəˈvərsətiz biɪŋ ˈheɪvənz fər ðə rɪʧ ənd ruling-class*. ju wɪn wɪθ ðɛm: noʊ ˈproʊˌtɛst wɪl ˈɛvər bi ˈpisfəl ɪˈnəf, ˈdɑsəl ɪˈnəf, ɪˈnəf tɪ sut ðɛr ˈwɪʃɪz. ɪkˈsprɛʃənz əv ˈæŋgər əˈgɛnst ðə ˈstætəs kwoʊ wɪl ˈɔlˌweɪz bi kɔld dɪsˈrəptɪv, ˈivɪn ˈvaɪələnt. ˈminˌwaɪl, wi lɪv ɪn ə ˈsɪstəm ðət ˈprɪvɪˌlɪʤɪz ðə əˌkjumjəˈleɪʃən əv ˈkæpɪtəl ˈoʊvər ðə ˈvælju əv ˈjumən laɪf, ənd əˈprɛsɪz ˈjuˈɛs əˈkɔrdɪŋ tɪ ɑr ˈʤɛndər, reɪs, əˈbɪləˌti, eɪʤ, ər klæs ɪn ˈɔrdər tɪ səˈsteɪn ðət əˌkjumjəˈleɪʃən. ðɪs ˈsɪstəm ˌɪˈnækts ˈdeɪli ˈvaɪələns ɔn boʊθ ðoʊz hu dɪˈfaɪ ɪt ənd ðoʊz hu ˈsɪmpli lɪv wɪˈθɪn ɪt. ðɪs ˈvaɪələns meɪ bi ˈfɪzɪkəl səʧ ɛz ðə pəˈlis bruˈtælɪti, sərˈveɪləns, ənd ˌdɪsprəˈpɔrʃənɪt ərˈɛsts ɪkˈspɪriənst baɪ ˈstudənt ˈproʊˌtɛstərz ənd ˈɔlsoʊ baɪ kəmˈjunɪtiz əv ˈkələr, kwɪr kəmˈjunɪtiz, ənd ˈəðərz ɔn ə ruˈtin ˈbeɪsɪs. ər ɪt meɪ bi lɛs ˈtænʤəbəl bət ˈikwəli dɪˈstrəktɪv, səʧ ɛz ðə ˈifɛkts əv biɪŋ ˌsɪstəˈmætɪkli ɪkˈskludɪd frəm haɪər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən, ʤɑbz, ənd ðə ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti əv ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ““success.”*.” ɪt ʃʊd bi ˈɑbviəs tɪ ˈɛvriˌwən ðət sˈmæʃɪŋ ə ˈwɪndoʊ ɪz ˈhɑrdli ɪkˈwɪvələnt ɪn sɪˈvɛrɪti tɪ ˈjuzɪŋ raɪət ʃild ər ˈbæˌtɑn tɪ bit ə ˈstudənt ənd sɛnd ðɛm tɪ ðə ˈhɑˌspɪtəl ˌənˈkɑnʃəs ər wɪθ ə ˈbroʊkən lɪm. bət waɪl ˈstudənts hæv bɪn ˈdiməˌnaɪzd fər ðə ˈfɔrmər, pəˈlis hæv ˈrɛgjələrli dən ðə ˈlætər wɪθ ˌɪmˈpjunɪti frəm ðə ˈgəvərnmənt ənd moʊst ˈmidiə. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, bɪɔnd ðə dɪˈstɪŋkʃən bɪtˈwin ˈprɑpərti ˈdæmɪʤ ənd ˈfɪzɪkəl hɑrm, wi məst ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ðət wən ɪz ən ækt əv rɪˈzɪstəns, wɪʧ siks tɪ ˈoʊpən əp nu ˈspeɪsɪz əv ˌpɑsəˈbɪləˌti, waɪl ðə ˈəðər ɪz ən ækt əv əˈprɛʃən ˌriɪnˈfɔrsɪŋ ənd əˈphoʊldɪŋ ðə əˈnikwəl ˈstætəs kwoʊ. ˈmuvɪŋ bɪɔnd ðə aɪˈdiə əv ˈvaɪələns ɛz ən ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəl ˈækʃən əˈlaʊz ˈjuˈɛs tɪ ˈfoʊkɪs ɔn ðə sɪˈstɛmɪk əˈprɛʃən ˈpərpəˌtreɪtɪd baɪ ˈpɑləsiz səʧ ɛz ðə prəˈpoʊzd tjuˈɪʃən haɪks, wɪʧ wʊd riˈstrɪkt ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ənd ˌɑpərˈtunəti ˈoʊnli tɪ ðoʊz huz ˈfæməliz ər ɔˈrɛdi ɪn pəˈzɪʃənz əv ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ. baɪ ˈneɪmɪŋ ðət əˈprɛʃən, wi kən ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ðə nəˈsɛsɪti əv ˈækʃənz ðət rɪˈzɪst ðoʊz ˈpɑləsiz ˈwɛðər ðeɪ ər fri ˈɔrgəˌnaɪzd ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ðə əˈprɛsɪv ˈfreɪmˌwərk əv ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənəl ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ər ˈfɪzɪkəl əˈtæks ɔn ðə ˈstrəkʧərz ðət əˈphoʊld ənd prəˈmoʊt ən əˈnikwəl soʊˈsaɪɪti. ɛz ðə ˈgəvərnmənt kleɪmz ə ˈmɔrəl ɪn ɪts dɪˌnənsiˈeɪʃən əv ““vandalism,”*,” aɪ hoʊp ðət ˈstudənts ənd ðɛr ˈælaɪz wɪl kənˈtɪnju tɪ kənˈdɛm ðə ˈvaɪələns ðət ðɪs ˈpɑləsiz ənd ðə pəˈlis fɔrs ɪmˈplɔɪd tɪ dɪˈfɛnd ðɛm ˈpərpəˌtreɪts ɔn ˈɛvriˌwən wɪθ ə steɪk ɪn ə ʤɪst soʊˈsaɪɪti. ˈmoʊnə ɪz ə ˈpiˌeɪʧˈdi ˈstudənt ɪn ˈərbən ˈplænɪŋ. ʃi kən bi riʧt æt [email protected]*. ə ˈpriviəs ˈvərʒən əv ðɪs ˈɑrtɪkəl ˈsteɪtɪd ðət ɪz ðə ˈlɑrʤəst kwəˈbɛk ˈstudənt əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən. ˈrəðər, ɪt ɪz ðə kwəˈbɛk ˈstudənt əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪŋ ˈɔlˌmoʊst hæf əv ðə ˈstraɪkɪŋ ˈstudənts. ðə ˈdeɪli rɪˈgrɛts ðə ˈɛrər.
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as quebec’s student strike – now the longest and largest in quebec history – wraps up its 11th week and the stakes get higher, much is being made of the movement’s “violence.” last week, education minister line beauchamp called on student associations to denounce violence by student activists. in response, classe – the student association representing almost half of the striking students and the most left-leaning of the three major student associations – adopted a nuanced position that condemned deliberate violence against people except in cases of self-defence, while affirming the importance of civil disobedience and denouncing what they call the systemic violence of police repression and discrimination in access to education.
for many people outside of quebec, last friday’s heated demonstration against plan nord was the first they saw of the movement. since then, news coverage has continued to focus on vandalism. on cbc, images of smashed windows and masked protestors played repeatedly as the reporter condemned the students’ “violence”. rarely is it mentioned that, over the past ten weeks, students have suffered broken arms, broken legs, broken ribs, the loss of an eye, concussions, bruises, sprains, and seemingly endless rounds of lung-destroying cs gas at the hands of the police. indeed, on that very day, police were firing rubber bullets into the crowd.
there seems to be a widespread belief that, in order to be legitimate, a protest must maintain civility at all times, abide by the rules, and even turn the other cheek when met with increasing hostility from the powers that be. in other words, the legitimacy of the cause is said to be determined by the way in which it is expressed. in the feminist blog spaces i frequent, we call this a tone argument: women are often told they must be less “shrill” to be heard, and people of colour are told they’re too “angry.” whether the topic is an individual complaint or a 300,000-person movement, this argument only serves as a way of shutting down dialogue. if you truly believe someone is right, you don’t call them a liar because of the tone they use. if you truly believe a cause is justified, you don’t say things like “i used to oppose the tuition hikes, but now students’ tactics have turned me against them.”
because the thing is, those rules about how to behave? they’re created by the people who profit from the status quo. the people who benefit from women being silenced and people of colour being oppressed and universities being havens for the rich and ruling-class. you can’t win with them: no protest will ever be peaceful enough, docile enough, non-threatening enough to suit their wishes. expressions of anger against the status quo will always be called disruptive, even violent. meanwhile, we live in a system that privileges the accumulation of capital over the value of human life, and oppresses us according to our gender, race, ability, age, or class in order to sustain that accumulation. this system enacts daily violence on both those who defy it and those who simply live within it. this violence may be physical – such as the police brutality, surveillance, and disproportionate arrests experienced by student protestors and also by communities of colour, queer communities, and others on a routine basis. or it may be less tangible but equally destructive, such as the effects of being systematically excluded from higher education, higher-paying jobs, and the possibility of economic “success.”
it should be obvious to everyone that smashing a window is hardly equivalent in severity to using riot shield or baton to beat a student and send them to the hospital unconscious or with a broken limb. but while students have been demonized for the former, police have regularly done the latter with impunity from the government and most media. however, beyond the distinction between property damage and physical harm, we must recognize that one is an act of resistance, which seeks to open up new spaces of possibility, while the other is an act of oppression reinforcing and upholding the unequal status quo. moving beyond the idea of violence as an individual action allows us to focus on the systemic oppression perpetrated by policies such as the proposed tuition hikes, which would restrict education and opportunity only to those whose families are already in positions of privilege. by naming that oppression, we can recognize the necessity of actions that resist those policies – whether they are free teach-ins organized outside the oppressive framework of institutional education or physical attacks on the structures that uphold and promote an unequal society.
as the government claims a moral high-ground in its denunciation of “vandalism,” i hope that students and their allies will continue to condemn the violence that this government’s policies – and the police force employed to defend them – perpetrates on everyone with a stake in a just society.
mona luxion is a phd student in urban planning. she can be reached at [email protected].
a previous version of this article stated that classe is the largest quebec student association. rather, it is the quebec student association representing almost half of the striking students. the daily regrets the error.
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nu ˈdɛli: ɪn ðə aɪ əv ðə stɔrm ˈoʊvər nɛt nuˈtræləti təˈdeɪ sɛd ɪt wɪl ˈɔlˌweɪz prəˈvaɪd seɪm ˈtritmənt tɪ ˈɛvəri ˈwɛbˌsaɪt ənd ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən ˌɪrəˈspɛktɪv əv ˈwɛðər ðeɪ ər ɔn ɪts toʊl fri ˈplætˌfɔrm ər læst wik, ˈziroʊ ɪz ən ˈplætˌfɔrm ðət əˈlaʊz ˈkəstəmərz tɪ ˈækˌsɛs ˈsərtən ˈmoʊbəl æps fər fri wɪθ ˈʧɑrʤɪz biɪŋ bɔrn baɪ ðə æp ˈkəmpəˌni həz drɔn flæk ɔn ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə fər ˈvaɪəleɪtɪŋ ðə ˈkɑnsɛpt əv nɛt ðə læst fju deɪz ju meɪ hæv sin ə lɔt əv ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən ɔn ˈziroʊ. ɪt həz bɪn ˈpeɪnɪd ɛz ə muv ðət ˈvaɪəleɪts nɛt nuˈtræləti ənd wi hæv bɪn ˈvɛri kənˈsərnd æt ðə ˌɪnkərˈɛkt ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ðət həz bɪn ˈkɛrid baɪ səm kˈwɔrtərz ɪn ðə ˈmidiə ɛz wɛl ɛz ɪn ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə," ənd ˈsiˌiˈoʊ (ˈɪndiə ənd saʊθ ˈeɪʒə) ˌgoʊˈpɑl sɛd ɪn ə ˈlɛtər tɪ ɪts ˈwɔntɪd tɪ teɪk ðɪs ˌɑpərˈtunəti tɪ klɪr ðə ɛr ənd riˈɪtərˌeɪt ðət wi ər kəmˈplitli kəˈmɪtɪd tɪ nɛt nuˈtræləti," hi sɛd ðə ˈplætˌfɔrm ɪz ˈoʊpən tɪ ɔl æp dɪˈvɛləpərz, ˈkɑntɛnt prəˈvaɪdərz ənd ˈɪntərˌnɛt saɪts ɔn ən ˈikwəl ˈbeɪsɪs ənd seɪm reɪt kɑrd ɪz ˈɔfərd tɪ ɪz noʊ ˈdɪfərəns bɪtˈwin ðɪs ənd toʊl fri vɔɪs səʧ ɛz hi sɛd ˈɛvəri ˈwɛbˌsaɪt, ˈkɑntɛnt ər ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən wɪl ˈɔlˌweɪz bi ˈgɪvɪn ðə seɪm ˈtritmənt ɔn ɪts ˈnɛtˌwərk ˈwɛðər ðeɪ ər ɔn ðə toʊl fri ˈplætˌfɔrm ər ə ˈkəmpəˌni wi du nɑt ˈɛvər blɑk ər prəˈvaɪd ˈɛni ˌdɪfərˈɛnʃəl spidz tɪ ˈɛni ˈwɛbˌsaɪt. wi hæv ˈnɛvər dən ɪt ənd wɪl ˈnɛvər du ɪt. wi bɪˈliv ˈkəstəmərz ər ðə ˈrizən wi ər ɪn ˈbɪznɪs," hi hɛd əv ˈkəntriz ˈlɑrʤəst ˈtɛləkɑm ˈɑpərˌeɪtər sɛd ðɛr həz bɪn ə dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪt ˈɛfərt baɪ səm kˈwɔrtərz tɪ kənfˈjuz ˈpipəl ðət ɪt wɪl ˈɔfər ˌdɪfərˈɛnʃəl spidz ər ˌdɪfərˈɛnʃəl ˈækˌsɛs fər ˈdɪfərənt ɪz ənˈtru. ˈæftər ɔl wi ərn ˈrɛvəˌnu frəm ˈdætə. ɪf ðɛr ər mɔr ˈkəstəmərz hu ər ɔn ðə ˈɪntərˌnɛt ðə ˈbɛtər ɪt ɪz fər ɑr ˈbɪznɪs. ɑr ˈrɛvəˌnuz ər nɑt dɪˈpɛndənt ɔn wɪʧ saɪts ðeɪ ˈvɪzɪt bɪˈkəz wi ʧɑrʤ ɔn ðə ˈbeɪsɪs əv kənˈsəmʃən əv ˈmɛgə baɪts nɑt wɪʧ saɪt ðeɪ ˈvɪzɪtɪd," hi dəˈbeɪt ˈoʊvər nɛt nuˈtræləti həz geɪnd moʊˈmɛntəm ˈæftər əˈnaʊnst ðə ˈmɑrkətɪŋ ˈplætˌfɔrm. du tɪ ðə ˈaʊˌtreɪʤ ˈoʊvər ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə, ˈmeɪʤər həz wɪθˈdrɔn frəm zero.meanwhile*, cleartrip*, ənd taɪmz grup hæv lɔgd aʊt frəm ˈplætˌfɔrm əv ˈfeɪsˌbʊk, wɛr rɪˈlaɪəns kəmˌjunəˈkeɪʃən ɪz ə ˈpɑrtnər.
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new delhi: in the eye of the storm over net neutrality bharti airtel today said it will always provide same treatment to every website and application irrespective of whether they are on its toll free platform or not.launched last week, airtel zero is an open-marketing platform that allows customers to access certain mobile apps for free with charges being borne by the app makers.the company has drawn flak on social media for violating the concept of net neutrality."over the last few days you may have seen a lot of conversation on airtel zero. it has been painted as a move that violates net neutrality and we have been very concerned at the incorrect information that has been carried by some quarters in the media as well as in social media," bharti airtel md and ceo (india and south asia) gopal vittal said in a letter to its employees."i wanted to take this opportunity to clear the air and reiterate that we are completely committed to net neutrality," he added.vittal said the platform is open to all app developers, content providers and internet sites on an equal basis and same rate card is offered to all."there is no difference between this and toll free voice such as 1-800," he said.vittal said every website, content or application will always be given the same treatment on its network whether they are on the toll free platform or not."as a company we do not ever block or provide any differential speeds to any website. we have never done it and will never do it. we believe customers are the reason we are in business," he said.the head of country's largest telecom operator said there has been a deliberate effort by some quarters to confuse people that it will offer differential speeds or differential access for different sites."this is untrue. after all we earn revenue from data. if there are more customers who are on the internet the better it is for our business. our revenues are not dependent on which sites they visit because we charge on the basis of consumption of mega bytes not which site they visited," he added.the debate over net neutrality has gained momentum after airtel announced the marketing platform. due to the outrage over social media, e-commerce major flipkart has withdrawn from airtel zero.meanwhile, cleartrip, ndtv and times group have logged out from internet.org platform of facebook, where reliance communication is a partner.
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ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈkɑlɪʤ ˈstudənts ˈvɪzɪt jeɪl ˌjunəˈvərsəti ˈdʊrɪŋ wik ɪn 1968 (əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtəd prɛs). ðə dæmd ˈwɪmən out’*’: ðə ˈstrəgəl fər baɪ ˈnænsi waɪs ˈmɔlkiəl. ˈprɪnstən ˌjunəˈvərsəti prɛs. 646 pp*. 35 ðɛr ɪz ˈsəmθɪŋ ˌɪnˈhɛrəntli roʊˈmæntɪk əˈbaʊt ˌrɛvəˈluʃən, ər æt list ðɛr ɪz səˈpoʊzd tɪ bi. ˈfaɪtɪŋ ðə ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt, ɪnˈtrɛnʧt ˈɪntərɪsts, ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ðə wərld ɔl ðət gʊd stəf ɪz ræpt əp ɪn adventure*, ˈiˌmoʊʃən ənd ˈvɪktəriz. ˌrɛvəˈluʃən səˈpoʊzd tɪ bi dəl. ˈnænsi waɪs bʊk əˈbaʊt ðə ˈædˌvɛnt əv æt moʊst ɪˈlit ˈkɑlɪʤɪz ənd ˌjunəˈvərsətiz ɪz ˈfæsəˌneɪtɪŋ prɪˈsaɪsli bɪˈkəz ɪts ˈstɔri ɪz soʊ proʊˈzeɪɪk. ðə weɪ ˌəndərˈgræʤəwət ˈwɪmən broʊk ˈɪntu ˈsɛvərəl ˈaɪvi lig skulz ɪn ðə leɪt ənd ˈərli ɪz nɑt ə ˈstɔri əˈbaʊt ˈproʊˌtɛsts ər ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmuvmənts ˈrəʃɪŋ æt ðə ˈbɛrəˌkeɪdz. ˌɪnˈstɛd, ðə dæmd ˈwɪmən out”*” ɪz əˈbaʊt bɔrdz əv ˌtrəˈstiz, ˈskɛptɪkəl əˈləmˌnaɪ, ˈɛndləs ˈspɛʃəl rɪˈpɔrts ənd ʤɔɪnt kəˈmɪtiz, ənd, əˈbəv ɔl, waɪt meɪl ˌjunəˈvərsəti ˈprɛzɪˌdɛnts hu dɪd ðə raɪt θɪŋ fər ðə moʊst mənˈdeɪn ənd ˈɔfən əv ˈrizənz. əˈpilɪŋ ɛz ɪt maɪt bi tɪ ˌɪˈmæʤən ðə ˈkəmɪŋ əv ɛz wən ˈɛləmənt ɪn ðə fʊl flaʊərɪŋ əv mɪd- tɪ leɪt ˈfɛmɪˌnɪzəm, səʧ ə ˈnɛrətɪv wʊd bi æt ɑdz wɪθ ðə hɪˈstɔrɪkəl record,”*,” raɪts ˈmɔlkiəl, ə hɪˈstɔriən ənd ˈlɔŋˌtaɪm din æt ˈprɪnstən. rɪˈzəltɪd nɑt frəm ˈɔrgəˌnaɪzd ˈɛfərts baɪ ˈwɪmən ˈæktɪvɪsts bət frəm strəˈtiʤɪk dɪˈsɪʒənz ˈteɪkən baɪ ˈpaʊərfəl men.”*.” ˈmɔlkiəl ˈfoʊkɪsɪz ɔn ˈhɑrvərd, ˈprɪnstən, jeɪl ənd ˈdɑrtməθ, ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈkɑlɪʤɪz səʧ ɛz ˈvæsər, smɪθ ənd ˈwɛlzli, wɪʧ ˈgræpəld wɪθ ðə proʊz ənd kɑnz əv lɔŋ ˈæftər ɪt wɑz ˈkɑmən ˈɛlsˌwɛr ɪn əˈmɛrɪkən haɪər ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən. ðə ˈsɪvəl raɪts, ˈfɛmənɪst ənd ˈstudənt ˈmuvmənts əv ðə ˈɪrə ər ə ˈkɑnstənt ˈbækˌdrɑp ənd ˈmɔlkiəl noʊts ðət ɛz ɪˈlit skulz əˈtɛmptəd tɪ dɪˈvərsəˌfaɪ ðɛr meɪl ˈstudənt ˈbɑdiz baɪ reɪs, rɪˈlɪʤən ənd soʊˌsiˌoʊˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈbækˌgraʊnd, bɪˈkeɪm ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli əˌnækrəˈnɪstɪk tɪ drɔ ðə laɪn æt ədˈmɪtɪŋ women”*” bət ðeɪ ər nɑt ˈmeɪʤər ˈprɛʃər pɔɪnts ɪn ðə teɪl. [ɪz dɪˈvərsɪti fər waɪt ˈpipəl?] noʊ, ɪn ðə ˈtɛlɪŋ, ðə ki ˈmoʊtəˌveɪtɪŋ ˈfæktər fər wɑz ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən wɪˈθɪn ðə ˈaɪvi lig fər meɪl ˈæplɪkənts, hu ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋgli prɪˈfərd ə koʊɛd ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt. fər ˈɪnstəns, ðɪs pʊt jeɪl, mʊrd ɪn nu ˈheɪvən, kɑn., æt ə ˌdɪsədˈvænɪʤ əˈgɛnst ˈhɑrvərd, wɪʧ hæd ˈrædklɪf ˈkɑlɪʤ ənd ˈəðər ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənz ˈnɪrˈbaɪ. fər jeɪl ˈprɛzɪdənt ˈkɪŋmən ˈbrustər jr*., ðə ˈænsər wɑz klɪr. ɛz hi toʊld ə 1967 ˈgæðərɪŋ əv əˈləmˌnaɪ, kənˈsərn ɪz nɑt soʊ məʧ wət jeɪl kən du fər ˈwɪmən bət wət kən ˈwɪmən du fər yale.”*.” ˈsɪmələrli, ˈprɪnstən ˈprɛzɪdənt ˈrɑbərt ɛf. gəˈhin toʊld ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti bɔrd ɪn 1967 ðət ðə skul wɑz tɪ bɪˈkəm kəmˈpærətɪvˌli lɛs əˈtræktɪv tɪ səm ˈæplɪkənts hum wi wʊd laɪk tɪ hæv bɪˈkəz əv læk əv gərlz here.”*.” ɪn ðiz ˈbæsʧənz əv maleness*, ædˈmɪnɪˌstreɪtərz æt taɪmz rɪˈgɑrdɪd ðə ˈprɑspɛkt əv ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈstudənts ɛz wən mɔr əˈmɛnəti, laɪk ˈbɛtər æθˈlɛtɪk fəˈsɪlɪtiz, tɪ ɪnˈtaɪs meɪl ˈstudənts. (ˈprɪnstən ˌjunəˈvərsəti prɛs) əv kɔrs, ˌjunəˈvərsəti ˈprɛzɪˌdɛnts ˈɔlsoʊ ˈsaɪtɪd ðə ˌɪmˈpɛrətɪv tɪ ˈɔfər ðə bɛst ˈpɑsəbəl ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən tɪ ə ˈpriviəsli ɪkˈskludɪd ˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃən, bət ðɛr praɪˈɔrətiz ər ˈɛvədənt ɪn ðə səˈluʃənz ðeɪ kənˈsɪdərd. ˈrəðər ðən ɪmˈbreɪs ˈhoʊlhɑrtɪdli, ðeɪ ɪkˈsplɔrd ˈɔpʃənz ʃɔrt əv fʊl ɪkˈwɑləti. jeɪl ənd ˈvæsər dɪˈskəst ˌriˈloʊkeɪtɪŋ ðə ˈkɑlɪʤ frəm pəˈkɪpsi, n.y*., tɪ nu ˈheɪvən, waɪl ˈdɑrtməθ kənˈsɪdərd ˈtæpɪŋ ə ˈwɛlθi ˈdoʊnər tɪ ɪˈstæblɪʃ ə ““coordinated”*” ˈkɑlɪʤ fər ˈwɪmən kloʊz tɪ ðə ˈhænoʊvər, n.h*., ˈkæmpəs. skulz fərst ɛnˈvɪʒənd mɔr ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ˈstudənts, ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ ˈproʊˌgræmz ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ˈəðər ðən goʊɪŋ ˈfʊli koʊɛd. ə ˈmeɪʤər kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən wɑz ðə ˌɪmˈpækt ɔn ˈdoʊnərz. ˈəltəmət threat,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl raɪts, wɑz ə drɔp ɪn ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl səˈpɔrt frəm ˈnuli dɪsˈgrənəld ˈæləmz ɪf ˈwɪmən wər ədˈmɪtəd. ˈprɪnstən bɪˈkəmz ˈkoʊˈɛʤəˈkeɪʃənəl aɪ wɪl sis ˈpərmɑˌnɛnˌtli ɔl ˌkɑntrəˈbjuʃənz tɪ ˈænjuəl giving,”*,” roʊt ə ˈmɛmbər əv ðə klæs əv 1933 waɪl ˈkɑrənt ˈstudənts ənd ˈjəŋgər əˈləmˌnaɪ wər moʊst ɪnˈθuzd æt ðə ˈprɑspɛkt əv, ˈoʊldər ˈgræʤəˌweɪts wər ˈtɪpɪkəli moʊst rɪˈzɪstənt. feɪs ɪt ˈʧɑrmɪŋ ɛz ˈwɪmən ər ðeɪ gɪt tɪ bi ə dræg ɪf ju ər fɔrst tɪ əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt wɪθ ðɛm iʧ ənd ˈɛvəri day,”*,” ə jeɪl ˈgræʤəˌweɪt roʊt tɪ ðə əˈləmˌnaɪ ˈmægəˌzin. əv ðə pur ˈstudənt hu həz ə ˈstɛdi deɪt hi wɔnts tɪ ˈkɑnsənˌtreɪt ɔn ðə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈprɪnsəpəlz əv thermodynamics*, bət ʃi kips traɪɪŋ tɪ ˈgɑsəp əˈbaʊt ðə ˌɪdiˈɑtɪk ˈtrɪviə ɔl ˈwɪmən traɪ tɪ ˌɪmˈpoʊz ɔn men.”*.” əˈləmˌnaɪ ˈɔlsoʊ fɪrd ə ˈhoʊlˌseɪl ˈriˈmeɪkɪŋ əv ðɛr bɪˈləvəd ˈkɑlɪʤɪz. ðə ˈkæˌstreɪtɪd bʊl məst bi riˈneɪmd stɪr, soʊ, tu, məst ə ˈkoʊˈɛʤəˈkeɪʃənəl ˈdɑrtməθ faɪnd ə nu aɪˈdɛntəˌti, fər ɪts ˈkɛrɪktər ɪz ˌfəndəˈmɛnəli altered,”*,” wən ˈgræʤəˌweɪt roʊt əv ðə ˈprɑspɛkt fər. (ˈmɔlkiəl noʊts ðət æt ˈdɑrtməθ, ˈvərʧuz əv ən kəmˈjunɪti wər ˈsɛləˌbreɪtɪd mɔr assertively”*” ðən ˈɛlsˌwɛr; ˌɪnˈdid, ðə ˈtaɪtəl kəmz frəm ə ˈlɛtər tɪ ˈdɑrtməθ ˌtrəˈstiz frəm ən ˈæŋgri əˈləmnəs.) ɛz skulz ɛʤd ˈkloʊzər tɪ, ðə ˈprɛʃərz əv ˌkɑmpəˈtɪʃən wɪʧ ˈaɪvi wʊd gɪt ðɛr fərst? ˈoʊvərˈkeɪm ˈwəriz əˈbaʊt əbˈstrɛpərəs ˈgræʤəˌweɪts. wər ˈkəmɪŋ tɪ jeɪl ɪn sɛpˈtɛmbər 1969 ənd ˈprɪnstən kʊd nɑt ˌɪˈmæʤən əˈlaʊɪŋ jeɪl tɪ teɪk ðə lead,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl raɪts. ər ɛz ˈrædklɪf ˈkɑlɪʤ bɔrd ˈʧɛrˌwʊmən ˈhɛlən ˈgɪlbərt kəmˈpleɪnd əˈbaʊt ðə nɪˌgoʊʃiˈeɪʃənz wɪθ ˈhɑrvərd, ðə tərmz, ˈhɑrvərd əˈpɪrz tɪ wɔnt tɪ steɪ əˈhɛd əv jeɪl ənd ˈprɪnstən ənd ˈmɪrli əbˈzɔrb radcliffe.”*.” ðə skulz əˈproʊʧt ðə ˈprɔˌsɛs ˈdɪfərˈɛntli: ˈprɪnstən wɑz ˌpɑrˈtɪkjələrli ˈstudiəs, fərst kəˈmɪʃənɪŋ ə ˈmæsɪv rɪˈpɔrt frəm ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪks prəˈfɛsər ˈgɑrdnər ˈpætərsən tɪ ˈstədi ɔl ˈæˌspɛkts əv ə pəˈtɛnʃəl muv tɪ; jeɪl ʤəmpt ɪn wɪθ lɛs ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃən, rɪˈzəltɪŋ ɪn ə mɔr ˈhɛroʊɪŋ trænˈzɪʃən fər ɪts nu ˈfiˌmeɪl ˌəndərˈgræʤəwəts; ˈhɑrvərd ˈstɛdəli ˈdipənd ɪts də ˈfæktoʊ ˌɪnəˈgreɪʃən wɪθ ˈrædklɪf; ənd ˈdɑrtməθ, fər ɔl ɪts ˈmɑʧoʊ ˈbləstər, ˈɛndɪd əp wɪθ ə mɔr case,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl raɪts, fər ˈɛʤəˌkeɪtɪŋ ˈwɪmən. ɪz klɪr ðət ˈwɪmən naʊ wɪl bi pleɪɪŋ ən ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ roʊl əv ˈlidərˌʃɪp ɪn ɑr soʊˈsaɪɪti ənd ðət ˈdɑrtməθ kən, ənd ʃʊd, kənˈtrɪbjut tɪ ðɛr education,”*,” ðə ˌtrəˈstiz əˈnaʊnst, ɪt ˈpɑsəbəl fər ðɛm tɪ bɪˈkəm, ɛz ˈdɑrtməθ mɛn hæv θru tu ˈsɛnʧəriz, ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ ˈdɑktərz, ˈlɔjərz, ˈbɪznɪs ˈlidərz, ˈsaɪəntɪsts, ənd ˈlidərz ɪn government.”*.” ðə ɪkˈspɪriənsɪz əv ðə nu ˈfiˌmeɪl ˌəndərˈgræʤəwəts ɪn ˈmɛni ˈkeɪsɪz, skulz hæd lɔŋ ˈgrænɪd ˈgræʤəˌweɪt dɪˈgriz tɪ ˈwɪmən meɪk əp səm əv ðə moʊst kəmˈpɛlɪŋ ˈæˌspɛkts əv ðə dæmd ˈwɪmən out,”*,” bət ðɛr ˈstɔriz gɪt ə ˈlɪtəl lɔst əˈməŋ ðə ˌbjʊrəˈkrætɪk ˈprɑsɛsəz ðət ˈmɔlkiəl ˈditeɪlz. jeɪl sɔt ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈæplɪkənts hu ɪˈvɪnst ˈsərtən ˈtəfnəs, ə ˌpaɪəˈnɪrɪŋ quality,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl raɪts, treɪts ðeɪ wʊd ˈsərtənli nid. nu ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈstudənts ɪnˈdʊrd ˈsɛksɪzəm, rɪˈzɛntmənt ənd ˈaʊˈtraɪt hɑˈstɪləti, ənd əˈspɛʃəli ɪn ðə ˌɪˈnɪʃəl jɪrz, ðeɪ wər ˈtritɪd laɪk ˌkjʊriˈɑsətiz. æt jeɪl, ˈwɪmən rɪˈkɔld ðə sɛnˈseɪʃən əv biɪŋ ˈkɑnstəntli wɔʧt, əv ˈɔlˌweɪz biɪŋ æst fər ðə pɔɪnt əv view,”*,” ˈivɪn ɪn mæθ ˈklæsɪz. wən ˈərli sɛd ðət hər haɪ skul ɪkˈspɪriəns ɛz ən ɪksˈʧeɪnʤ ˈstudənt ɪn ˈɪndiə mi gʊd, bɪˈkəz aɪ fɛlt aɪ wɑz ɪn ə ˈfɔrən ˈkəntri. aɪ hæd ˈnɛvər ˌbiˈfɔr fɛlt soʊ əˈloʊn ɛz ə girl.”*.” ˈmɔlkiəl hərˈsɛlf wɑz wən əv ðə fərst ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈfækəlti ˈmɛmbərz æt ˈprɪnstən, ənd ʃi ˈɔfərz ə ˈmɛmərəbəl ˈænɪkˌdoʊt əˈbaʊt hər ərˈaɪvəl. wɪn ʃi ˈɪntərvˌjud fər ə poʊst ɪn ðə ˈhɪstəri dɪˈpɑrtmənt, ðə ˈʧɛrmən toʊld hər ðə dɪˈpɑrtmənt dɪd nɑt hæv ə ˈpɑləsi əˈgɛnst ˈhaɪrɪŋ women,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl ˈriˌkɔlz. wɑz ʤɪst ðət noʊ wən hæd ˈɛvər səˈʤɛstɪd ɪt before.”*.” ðə ˈɔθər dɪˈvoʊts lɛs bət stɪl kənˈsɪdərəbəl əˈtɛnʃən tɪ haʊ ˈkɑlɪʤɪz dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪtɪd ɪn ðɪs seɪm ˈpɪriəd. ˈvæsər ˈpɑndərd ən əˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən wɪθ jeɪl ˌbiˈfɔr ˈɑptɪŋ ˌɪnˈstɛd tɪ bɪˈgɪn ədˈmɪtɪŋ mɛn. smɪθ rɪˈmeɪnd all-female*, sweɪd ɪn pɑrt baɪ ə stərɪŋ 1971 kəˈmɛnsmənt spiʧ frəm ˈglɔriə ˈstaɪnəm, klæs əv 1956 ˈwɛlzli, wɪʧ kənˈsɪdərd pæθs təˈwɔrd waɪl ˈhɪləri ˈrɔdəm wɑz ˈstudənt ˈgəvərnmənt ˈprɛzɪdənt ðɛr wɪθ hillary,”*,” ðə ɪgˈzɛkjətɪv vaɪs ˈprɛzɪdənt riˈmaɪndɪd hɪmˈsɛlf ɪn ə noʊt), ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli hɛld ɔn tɪ ɪts trəˈdɪʃən. waɪl ɪn pæst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃənz, ˈmɔlkiəl raɪts, səm əv ðə moʊst ˈprɑmənənt əˈmɛrɪkən ˈwɪmən ɪn ˈpɑləˌtɪks, ˈbɪznɪs ənd ðə ɑrts wər ˈgræʤəˌweɪts əv ˈkɑlɪʤɪz səʧ ɛz ˈkæθrɪn græm ənd ˈmɛrəl strip əv ˈvæsər, ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈhɪləri ˈklɪntən ənd ˌmædəˈlɛn ˈɔlˌbraɪt əv ˈwɛlzli ˈmɛni ˈwɪmən əv ðə nɛkst ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən, səʧ ɛz ˈprɪnstən ˈgræʤəˌweɪts ənd səˈprim kɔrt ˈʤəstɪsɪz ˌɛˈleɪnɑ ˈkeɪgən ənd ˈsoʊnˌjɑ ˌsoʊtoʊmeɪˈɔr, heɪl frəm ðə ˈnuli ˈɪnəˌgreɪtɪd ivies*. wɑz noʊ ˈdɪfɪˌkəlti æt ɔl ɪn ˈgɪtɪŋ ˈwɪmən tɪ əˈplaɪ tɪ ˈprɪnstən ənd yale,”*,” ˈmɔlkiəl ɪkˈspleɪnz. ɪt wɑz nɑt æt ɔl ˈizi tɪ pərsˈweɪd mɛn tɪ əˈplaɪ tɪ ə ˈkɑlɪʤ ðət hæd, ənˈtɪl ˈvɛri ˈrisəntli, bɪn ɪkˈsklusɪvli fər women.”*.” pərˈhæps ðə əˈkaʊnt filz lɛs ðən ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri bɪˈkəz, ɪn aɪz, dɪd nɑt min revolution.”*.” ʃi kənˈkludz ðət ˈwɪmən hæv əˈdæptɪd tɪ ðiz ˈvɛnərəbəl ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənz mɔr ðən ðeɪ hæv trænsˈfɔrmd ðɛm. ənd həz ˈhɑrdli riˈzɑlvd ˈʧælənʤɪz ˌɪnˈvɑlvɪŋ ˈsɛkʃuəl hərˈæsmənt ənd əˈsɔlt, ɛz wɛl ɛz ðə pərˈsɪstəns əv fildz əv ˈstədi fər mɛn ənd ˈwɪmən. ˌnənðəˈlɛs, ðɪs ˈhɛfti bʊk ˈɔfərz ə kəmˈpɛlɪŋ ˈstədi əv ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃənəl ʧeɪnʤ ðət keɪm nɑt bɪˈkəz ɪt wɑz dɪˈmændɪd, ənd nɑt bɪˈkəz ðə ˈmoʊtɪvz əv ɪts ˈeɪʤənts wər pjʊr. mɔr ˈsɪmpli, ɪt wɑz əˈbaʊt dæmd taɪm. kərˈɛkʃən: ə ˈpriviəs ˈvərʒən əv ðɪs ˌrivˈju rɪˈfərd tɪ ðə ˈaɪvi lig ɛz ˈhævɪŋ bɪn ““all-male”*” praɪər tɪ ðə ənd. ˌɔlˈðoʊ ˈsɛvərəl ˈaɪvi lig skulz dɪd nɑt əˈdɑpt fʊl ənˈtɪl ðət ˈpɪriəd, ˈəðərz, səʧ ɛz kɔrˈnɛl ˌjunəˈvərsəti ənd ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˌpɛnsəlˈveɪnjə, hæd ˈbeɪgən ədˈmɪtɪŋ ˈfiˌmeɪl ˌəndərˈgræʤəwət ˈstudənts ˈdɛkeɪdz ˈərliər. rɛd mɔr frəm bʊk ˈpɑrti, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ: ðə flɔd ˈfɛmənɪst keɪs əˈgɛnst ˈhɪləri ˈklɪntən haʊ ˈfɛmɪˌnɪzəm soʊld aʊt baɪ bɪˈkəmɪŋ kul ə ˈgaɪdɪd tʊr əv əˈmɛrɪkən ˈrædɪkəˌlɪzəm
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female college students visit yale university during co-education week in 1968 (associated press).
‘keep the damned women out’: the struggle for coeducation
by nancy weiss malkiel.
princeton university press. 646 pp. $35
there is something inherently romantic about revolution, or at least there is supposed to be. fighting the establishment, upending entrenched interests, changing the world — all that good stuff — is wrapped up in adventure, emotion and odds-defying victories. revolution isn’t supposed to be dull.
nancy weiss malkiel’s book about the advent of coeducation at america’s most elite colleges and universities is fascinating precisely because its story is so prosaic. the way undergraduate women broke into several ivy league schools in the late 1960s and early 1970s is not a story about gender-equality protests or social movements rushing at the barricades. instead, “keep the damned women out” is about boards of trustees, skeptical alumni, endless special reports and joint committees, and, above all, white male university presidents who did the right thing for the most mundane and often self-interested of reasons.
“as appealing as it might be to imagine the coming of coeducation as one element in the full flowering of mid- to late twentieth-century feminism, such a narrative would be at odds with the historical record,” writes malkiel, a historian and longtime dean at princeton. “coeducation resulted not from organized efforts by women activists but from strategic decisions taken by powerful men.”
malkiel focuses on harvard, princeton, yale and dartmouth, as well as women’s colleges such as vassar, smith and wellesley, which grappled with the pros and cons of coeducation long after it was common elsewhere in american higher education. the civil rights, feminist and student movements of the era are a constant backdrop — and malkiel notes that as elite schools attempted to diversify their male student bodies by race, religion and socioeconomic background, “it became increasingly anachronistic to draw the line at admitting women” — but they are not major pressure points in the tale.
[is diversity for white people?]
no, in the author’s telling, the key motivating factor for coeducation was competition within the ivy league for top-flight male applicants, who increasingly preferred a coed environment. for instance, this put yale, moored in new haven, conn., at a disadvantage against harvard, which had radcliffe college and other institutions nearby. for yale president kingman brewster jr., the answer was clear. as he told a 1967 gathering of alumni, “our concern is not so much what yale can do for women but what can women do for yale.” similarly, princeton president robert f. goheen told the university board in 1967 that the school was “beginning to become comparatively less attractive to some applicants whom we would like to have because of lack of girls here.” in these bastions of maleness, administrators at times regarded the prospect of female students as one more amenity, like better athletic facilities, to entice male students.
(princeton university press)
of course, university presidents also cited the imperative to offer the best possible education to a previously excluded population, but their priorities are evident in the solutions they considered. rather than embrace coeducation wholeheartedly, they explored options short of full equality. yale and vassar discussed relocating the women’s college from poughkeepsie, n.y., to new haven, while dartmouth considered tapping a wealthy donor to establish a “coordinated” college for women close to the hanover, n.h., campus. schools first envisioned more visiting students, exchange programs — anything other than going fully coed.
a major consideration was the impact on donors. “the ultimate threat,” malkiel writes, was a drop in financial support from newly disgruntled alums if women were admitted. “if princeton becomes coeducational i will cease permanently all contributions to annual giving,” wrote a member of the class of 1933. while current students and younger alumni were most enthused at the prospect of coeducation, older graduates were typically most resistant.
“gentlemen — let’s face it — charming as women are — they get to be a drag if you are forced to associate with them each and every day,” a yale graduate wrote to the school’s alumni magazine. “think of the poor student who has a steady date — he wants to concentrate on the basic principles of thermodynamics, but she keeps trying to gossip about the idiotic trivia all women try to impose on men.” alumni also feared a wholesale remaking of their beloved colleges. “as the castrated bull must be renamed steer, so, too, must a coeducational dartmouth find a new identity, for its character is fundamentally altered,” one graduate wrote of the prospect for coeducation. (malkiel notes that at dartmouth, “the virtues of an all-male community were celebrated more assertively” than elsewhere; indeed, the book’s title comes from a letter to dartmouth trustees from an angry alumnus.)
as schools edged closer to coeducation, the pressures of competition — which ivy would get there first? — overcame worries about obstreperous graduates. “women were coming to yale in september 1969, and princeton could not imagine allowing yale to take the lead,” malkiel writes. or as radcliffe college board chairwoman helen gilbert complained about the long-running negotiations with harvard, “in the baldest terms, harvard appears to want to stay ahead of yale and princeton and merely absorb radcliffe.”
the schools approached the process differently: princeton was particularly studious, first commissioning a massive report from economics professor gardner patterson to study all aspects of a potential move to coeducation; yale jumped in with less preparation, resulting in a more harrowing transition for its new female undergraduates; harvard steadily deepened its de facto integration with radcliffe; and dartmouth, for all its macho bluster, ended up with a more “affirmative case,” malkiel writes, for educating women. “it is clear that women now will be playing an increasing role of leadership in our society and that dartmouth can, and should, contribute to their education,” the trustees announced, “making it possible for them to become, as dartmouth men have through two centuries, outstanding doctors, lawyers, business leaders, scientists, and leaders in government.”
the experiences of the new female undergraduates — in many cases, schools had long granted graduate degrees to women — make up some of the most compelling aspects of “keep the damned women out,” but their stories get a little lost among the bureaucratic processes that malkiel details. yale sought female applicants who evinced “a certain toughness, a pioneering quality,” malkiel writes, traits they would certainly need. new female students endured sexism, resentment and outright hostility, and especially in the initial years, they were treated like curiosities. at yale, women recalled the sensation of being constantly watched, of always being asked for the “women’s point of view,” even in math classes. one early princetonian said that her high school experience as an exchange student in india “did me good, because i felt i was in a foreign country. . . . i had never before felt so alone as a girl.”
malkiel herself was one of the first female faculty members at princeton, and she offers a memorable anecdote about her arrival. when she interviewed for a post in the history department, the chairman told her “that the department did not have a policy against hiring women,” malkiel recalls. “it was just that no one had ever suggested it before.”
the author devotes less but still considerable attention to how women’s colleges deliberated in this same period. vassar pondered an association with yale before opting instead to begin admitting men. smith remained all-female, swayed in part by a stirring 1971 commencement speech from gloria steinem, class of 1956. wellesley, which considered paths toward coeducation while hillary rodham was student government president there (“consult with hillary,” the college’s executive vice president reminded himself in a note), eventually held on to its women-only tradition.
while in past generations, malkiel writes, some of the most prominent american women in politics, business and the arts were graduates of women’s colleges — such as katharine graham and meryl streep of vassar, as well as hillary clinton and madeleine albright of wellesley — many trailblazing women of the next generation, such as princeton graduates and supreme court justices elena kagan and sonia sotomayor, hail from the newly integrated ivies. “there was no difficulty at all in getting women to apply to princeton and yale,” malkiel explains. “but it was not at all easy to persuade men to apply to a college that had, until very recently, been exclusively for women.”
perhaps the account feels less than revolutionary because, in malkiel’s eyes, “coeducation did not mean revolution.” she concludes that women have adapted to these venerable institutions more than they have transformed them. and coeducation has hardly resolved challenges involving sexual harassment and assault, as well as the persistence of gendered fields of study for men and women.
nonetheless, this hefty book offers a compelling study of institutional change that came not because it was demanded, and not because the motives of its agents were pure. more simply, it was about damned time.
correction: a previous version of this review referred to the ivy league as having been “all-male” prior to the 1960s and 1970s. although several ivy league schools did not adopt full coeducation until that period, others, such as cornell university and the university of pennsylvania, had begun admitting female undergraduate students decades earlier.
read more from book party, including:
the flawed feminist case against hillary clinton
how feminism sold out by becoming cool
a guided tour of american radicalism
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ˈkrɛdɪt: ˌjunəˈvərsəti. tˈwɪtər keɪs ˈstədi eɪmz tɪ ˈmɪnəˌmaɪz ðə ˈkɑntrəˌvərsiz. ə groʊɪŋ ˈnəmbər əv ˈpipəl hæv ɪkˈsprɛst ðɛr kənˈsərn əˈbaʊt haɪ ˈlɛvəlz əv ˌpoʊlərɪˈzeɪʃən ɪn ðə soʊˈsaɪɪti. fər ˈɪnstəns, ðə wərld ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈfɔrəmz rɪˈpɔrt ɔn ˈgloʊbəl rɪsks lɪsts ðə ˌɪnˈkrisɪŋ səˈsaɪɪtəl ˌpoʊlərɪˈzeɪʃən ɛz ə θrɛt ənd ˈəðərz hæv səˈʤɛstɪd ðət ˈsoʊʃəl ˈmidiə maɪt bi kənˈtrɪbjutɪŋ tɪ ðɪs fəˈnɑməˌnɑn. ðə ˈɑrtɪkəl ðət rɪˈsivd ðə bɛst əˈwɔrd ɪn ðə tɛnθ ˌɪnərˈnæʃənɑl ˈkɑnfərəns ɔn wɛb sərʧ ənd ˈdætə ˈmaɪnɪŋ 2017 bɪldz tɛkˈniks tɪ ˈmɪtəˌgeɪt ðə ˈraɪzɪŋ ˌpoʊlərɪˈzeɪʃən baɪ kəˈnɛktɪŋ ˈpipəl wɪθ əˈpoʊzɪŋ vjuz ənd ɪˈvæljuˌeɪts ðɛm ɔn tˈwɪtər. ðə ˈrisərʧ ˈmɑdəlz ˈjuzər ˌɪnərˈækʃənz əraʊnd ə ˈgɪvɪn ˈtɑpɪk səʧ ɛz ˈjuˈɛs ɪˈlɛkʃənz ər ɔn tˈwɪtər ɛz ən ɛnˈdɔrsmənt græf, noʊdz ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnɪŋ ðə tˈwɪtər ˈjuzərz. wən ˈkɑmənli əbˈzərvd ˈfiʧər əv səʧ græfs ɪz ðət, fər ˌkɑntrəˈvərʃəl ˈtɑpɪks, ðə ˈstrəkʧər əv ðə græf ɪz ˈstrɔŋli biclustered*. ðə ˈrisərʧ səˈʤɛsts ˈbrɪʤɪz bɪtˈwin ˈjuzərz əv əˈpoʊzɪŋ saɪdz, soʊ ɛz tɪ ˈifɛktɪvli ˈmɪnəˌmaɪz ðə ˌpoʊlərɪˈzeɪʃən. ˈbrɪʤɪz kən bi juzd tɪ prəˈvaɪd ˈjuzərz wɪθ ˌrɛkəmənˈdeɪʃənz əˈbaʊt hu tɪ. "wi ər ðə fərst tɪ prəˈpoʊz ə ˈθəroʊli səˈluʃən, wɪʧ kən bi əˈplaɪd ɔn ə ˈlɑrʤˌskeɪl ənd ɪz ˈlæŋgwɪʤ- ənd domain-independent*. ðə meɪn ˈælgərˌɪðəm ɪz beɪst ɔn ðə ˈfaɪndɪŋ ðət fər ə ˈspɛʃəl taɪp əv ˈnɛtˌwərk ˈsɪmjəˌleɪtɪŋ ə ˈpoʊlərˌaɪzd ˈnɛtˌwərk, ðə bɛst ˈbrɪʤɪz wi kən æd tɪ ðə ˈnɛtˌwərk ər bɪtˈwin ðə noʊdz wɪθ ðə haɪəst dɪˈgriz ɔn ˈiðər saɪd", ɪkˈspleɪnz prəˈfɛsər frəm ˌjunəˈvərsəti dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv kəmˈpjutər saɪəns. ˈpɑsəbəl ˈbrɪʤɪz ɪn ðə keɪs əv ˈjuˈɛs ɪˈlɛkʃənz sɪns ðə ˈstədi dilz wɪθ ˈnɛtˌwərks, ˈjuzərz ˈjuʒəwəli ər ðə wənz hu ər wɛl noʊn ənd hæv ˈmɛni ˈfɑloʊərz. ɪn ðə keɪs əv ˈjuˈɛs ɪˈlɛkʃənz, ðə tu saɪdz wʊd bi ðə ˈdɛməˌkræts ənd rɪˈpəblɪkənz ənd ðə haɪəst dɪˈgri ˈjuzərz wʊd bi ˈhɪləri ˈklɪntən ənd ˈdɑnəld trəmp ɔn ˈiðər saɪd, rɪˈspɛktɪvli. ɪt ɪz nɑt ˈpræktɪkəl tɪ ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd ðət ˈklɪntən wʊd ˈfɑloʊ trəmp, soʊ ˈivɪn ðoʊ ɪn ˈθɪri ðiz ər ðə bɛst ˈɛʤɪz, ðeɪ maɪt nɑt məˈtɪriəˌlaɪz ɪn ðə ril wərld. "wɪn əˈplaɪd ɔn tˈwɪtər dɪˈskəʃənz əraʊnd ðə ˈjuˈɛs ɪˈlɛkʃən rɪˈzəlts, ðə ˈælgərˌɪðəm səˈʤɛsts ðət kriˈeɪtɪŋ ə brɪʤ bɪtˈwin ənd wʊd rɪˈdus ˌpoʊlərɪˈzeɪʃən ðə moʊst. ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈɪntu əˈkaʊnt haʊ ˈlaɪkli səʧ ə brɪʤ ɪz tɪ məˈtɪriəˌlaɪz, ðə ˈælgərˌɪðəm səˈʤɛsts ðət ˈəðər ˈbrɪʤɪz bɪtˈwin lɛs ˈprɑmənənt tˈwɪtər əˈkaʊnts, fər ˈɪnstəns ˈlɪˌbərəl ˈʤərnəlɪst ənd kənˈsərvətɪv ˈæktɪvɪst ʃoʊ ˈbɛtər pəˈtɛnʃəl", dɪˈskraɪbz ˈrisərʧər. ðə ˈrisərʧ əˈproʊʧ əv, də mɔˈrɑlɛs, ənd ˈmaɪkəl pərˈfɔrmz ˈbɛtər ðən ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ wənz, ɪn tərmz əv ˈbrɪŋɪŋ ðə tu saɪdz ˈkloʊzər. ðoʊ ˈərliər ˈstədiz hæv traɪd tɪ ˈæˌdrɛs ðə ˈprɑbləm əv haʊ tɪ ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd ˈkɑntɛnt tɪ ən ˌaɪdiəˈlɑʤɪkli ˈɑpəzɪt saɪd, ˈrisərʧərz əv ˌjunəˈvərsəti, ˈhɛlsɪŋki ˈɪnstɪˌtut fər ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən tɛkˈnɑləʤi ənd ˌkəˈtɑr kəmˈpjutɪŋ ˈrisərʧ ˈɪnstɪˌtut ˌɪnˈtɛnd tɪ muv frəm hu tɪ wət tɪ ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd ɪn ðɛr fˈjuʧər ˈstədiz. mɔr ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən: ˈrisərʧər ˌjunəˈvərsəti [iˈmeɪl prəˈtɛktɪd] tɛl. 358 50 430 4933 prəˈfɛsər ˌjunəˈvərsəti [iˈmeɪl prəˈtɛktɪd] tɛl. 358 50 430 1651 ˈɑrtɪkəl: dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv kəmˈpjutər saɪəns: http://cs.aalto.fi*/ ˈhɛlsɪŋki ˈɪnstɪˌtut fər ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən tɛkˈnɑləʤi http://www.hiit.fi*/ ˈpɪkʧər: ɛnˈdɔrsmənt ˈnɛtˌwərk əv ˈjuˈɛs ɪˈlɛkʃənz: iʧ dɑt ˈɪndɪˌkeɪts ə tˈwɪtər ˈjuzər ənd ə laɪn bɪtˈwin tu dɑts ˈɪndɪˌkeɪts ðət wən ˈjuzər ðə ˈəðər. ðə tu saɪdz, rɛd rɪˈpəblɪkənz ənd blu ˈdɛməˌkræts du nɑt ɛnˈdɔrs iʧ ˈəðər, waɪl ɛnˈdɔrsɪŋ ðɛr oʊn saɪdz ˈhɛvəli. ˈpɪkʧər: ˌjunəˈvərsəti. ˈmidiə ˈkɑnˌtækt [iˈmeɪl prəˈtɛktɪd] http://www.aalto.fi/en*/
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credit: kiran garimella / aalto university.
twitter case study aims to minimize the controversies.
a growing number of people have expressed their concern about high levels of polarization in the society. for instance, the world economic forum's report on global risks lists the increasing societal polarization as a threat – and others have suggested that social media might be contributing to this phenomenon. the article that received the best student-paper award in the tenth international conference on web search and data mining (wsdm 2017) builds algorithmic techniques to mitigate the rising polarization by connecting people with opposing views – and evaluates them on twitter.
the research models user interactions around a given topic such as us elections or obamacare on twitter as an endorsement graph, nodes representing the twitter users. one commonly observed feature of such graphs is that, for controversial topics, the structure of the graph is strongly biclustered. the research suggests bridges between users of opposing sides, so as to effectively minimize the polarization. bridges can be used to provide users with recommendations about who to retweet.
"we are the first to propose a thoroughly algorithmic solution, which can be applied on a large-scale and is language- and domain-independent. the main algorithm is based on the finding that for a special type of network simulating a polarized network, the best bridges we can add to the network are between the nodes with the highest degrees on either side", explains professor aristides gionis from aalto university department of computer science.
possible bridges in the case of us elections
since the study deals with retweet networks, high-degree users usually are the ones who are well known and have many followers. in the case of us elections, the two sides would be the democrats and republicans and the highest degree users would be hillary clinton and donald trump on either side, respectively. it is not practical to recommend that clinton would follow trump, so even though in theory these are the best edges, they might not materialize in the real world.
"when applied on twitter discussions around the us election results, the algorithm suggests that creating a bridge between @hillaryclinton and @breitbartnews would reduce polarization the most. however, taking into account how likely such a bridge is to materialize, the algorithm suggests that other bridges between less prominent twitter accounts, for instance liberal journalist @mtracey and conservative activist @rightwingangel show better potential", describes researcher kiran garimella.
the research approach of kiran garimella, gianmarco de francisci morales, aristides gionis and michael mathioudakis performs better than existing ones, in terms of bringing the two sides closer. though earlier studies have tried to address the problem of how to recommend content to an ideologically opposite side, researchers of aalto university, helsinki institute for information technology hiit and qatar computing research institute intend to move from who to what to recommend in their future studies.
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more information:
kiran garimella
researcher
aalto university
[email protected]
tel. +358 50 430 4933
aristides gionis
professor
aalto university
[email protected]
tel. +358 50 430 1651
article: http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3018703&cfid=728607066&cftoken=25783718
department of computer science: http://cs.aalto.fi/
helsinki institute for information technology hiit http://www.hiit.fi/
picture: endorsement network of us elections: each dot indicates a twitter user and a line between two dots indicates that one user retweeted the other. the two sides, red – republicans and blue – democrats do not endorse each other, while endorsing their own sides heavily. picture: kiran garimella / aalto university.
media contact
kiran garimella
[email protected]
358-504-304-933
@aaltouniversity
http://www.aalto.fi/en/
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beɪst ɔn wət aɪ hæv sin soʊ fɑr, aɪ doʊnt si haʊ trəmp wʊd meɪk ɪt θru ə full-term*. ˈpipəl əv hɪz oʊn ˈpɑrti dɪsəˈgri wɪθ ɪm ɔn ə ˈnəmbər əv ˈɪʃuz ɔˈrɛdi. ˈdʊrɪŋ hɪz kæmˈpeɪn hi weɪʤd wɔr əˈgɛnst ðə ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt, ənd naʊ ðə ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt ɪz ˈweɪʤɪŋ wɔr əˈgɛnst ɪm. səm əv ðɛm ər ˈspikɪŋ aʊt ˈpəblɪkli, wɛˈræz ˈəðərz ækˈnɑlɪʤ ðɛr dɪsəˈgrimənt ˈpraɪvətli. waɪt haʊs stæf ˈmɛmbərz ər æt wɔr wɪθ iʧ ˈəðər. maɪk flɪn, ˈnæʃənəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ædˈvaɪzər, wɑz trəmps fərst ˈkæʒəwəlti. ənd ˈɛfˈbiˈaɪ dɪˈrɛktər ʤeɪmz kənˈfərmd ðə ˈeɪʤənsiz proʊb ˈɪntu ˈpɑsəbəl taɪz. trəmp tʊk ˈɔfəs ɛz ðə moʊst kənˈflɪktɪd ənd ˈɛθɪkəli ˌprɑbləˈmætɪk ˈprɛzɪdənt ɪn ðə ˈneɪʃənz ˈhɪstəri. ˈɛθɪks ˈɛkspərts hæv ɔˈrɛdi faɪld ə ˈlɔˌsut seɪɪŋ trəmps ˈoʊvərˈsiz ˈɪntərɪsts ˈvaɪəleɪt ðə ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃən. hɪz ˈtrævəl bæn, ə ˈmɔrəl ˈfeɪljər, həz bɪn blɑkt twaɪs. hi həz nɑt dreɪnd ðə həz fɪld ɪt wɪθ ˈbæŋkɪŋ ʃɑrks hu wəns əˈgɛn wɪl hæv ən ˌɪˈmɛns ˈɪnfluəns ɔn ðə əˈmɛrɪkən ɪˈkɑnəmi. hi ˈdəzənt ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪz ðət ðə waɪt haʊs ɪz nɑt ə ril ɛˈsteɪt dil, bət ə ˈgəvərnmənt. əˈbrəptli ˈpʊlɪŋ ðə ˈriˌraɪt əv ðə ˈneɪʃənz ˈhɛlθˌkɛr ˈsɪstəm frəm kənˌsɪdərˈeɪʃən ɪz ə kəˈlɑsəl ˈfeɪljər fər ɪm. ðɪs dɪˈfit ˌəndərˈmaɪnz hɪz ˈɪmɪʤ ɛz ə skɪld ˈdilˌmeɪkər. trəmp ɪz ˈoʊnli sərˈvaɪvɪŋ bɪˈkəz hɪz beɪs ɪz stɪl wɪθ ɪm. ɛz sun ɛz hɪz beɪs ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzɪz ðət ðeɪ ər nɑt goʊɪŋ tɪ gɪt wət hi ˈprɑməst ɔn ðə kæmˈpeɪn treɪl, ðeɪ wɪl ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli stɑp səˈpɔrtɪŋ ɪm, ənd hɪz əˈpruvəl ˈreɪtɪŋz wɪl sɪŋk tɪ ən ənˈprɛsɪˌdɛntɪd loʊ. aɪ prɪˈdɪkt ðət wɪl bi ðə taɪm wɪn hi wɪl rɪˈzaɪn. hi məst noʊ ðət ðə kæmˈpeɪn tɪ ˌɪmˈpiʧ ɪm həz ɔˈrɛdi ˈbeɪgən. frəm məˈsud ˈæktər, ˈmɪdəltən, wɪs. ˈsɛnɪt kən riʧ dil tɪ meɪnˈteɪn ˈfɪləˌbəstər ðə ˈprɑbləm wɪθ ðə ˈsɛnɪt ɪz ðət ɪt ɪz tu ˈizi tɪ ˈfɪləˌbəstər. ə ˈkɑmprəˌmaɪz tɪ ˈstrɛŋθən ðə ˈfɪləˌbəstər soʊ ðət ɪt həz ril ˈkɑnsəkˌwɛnsəz fər ðə ˈpɑrti ðət ˌɪnˈvoʊkt ɪt, ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɪt mɔr ˈdɪfəkəlt tɪ səˈsteɪn, wʊd ˈlɪmət ɪts əˈbjuz. ɪn ðə spɪˈsɪfɪk keɪs əv nil ˈgɔrsəʧ, ðə ˈdɛməˌkræts kʊd kip ðɛr ˈprɑməs tɪ ˈfɪləˌbəstər ə ˌnɑməˈni ðeɪ kænt blɑk ˈɛniˌweɪ ənd hu woʊnt tɪp ðə kɔrts ˈbæləns, ðə rɪˈpəblɪkənz wʊd ɪˈvɛnʧəwəli gɪt əˈnəðər kənˈsərvətɪv ɔn ðə kɔrt ənd ðə ˈsɛnɪt wʊd rɪˈteɪn ɪts ɛˈsɛnʃəl dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪtɪv ˈkɛrɪktər. ðɪs ɪz ən ˌɑpərˈtunəti fər ˈsteɪtsmənˌʃɪp ðət həz bɪn ɪn tu ʃɔrt səˈplaɪ ɪn ˈwɔʃɪŋtən ˈleɪtli. frəm fræŋk zi. ˈrili jr*., nɑbz, ind*. ənd ðɛr ɔf əˈgɛn lɛts si, ˈkɑŋgrəs wɛnt ˈɪntu ˈsɛʃən ˈərli ˈʤænjuˌɛri ˈoʊnli tɪ hæv ðɪs ˈaʊtˌfɪt goʊ ˈmiə fər ðə ˈmɑrtɪn ˈluθər kɪŋ ˈhɑlɪˌdeɪ. ðeɪ wər ɔf əˈgɛn ɪn ˈfɛbruˌɛri. ənd naʊ, ðɪs kru ɪz sˈleɪtɪd tɪ fli ðə ˈkæpɪtəl fər ˈeɪprəl 10 tɪ bi ˈfɑloʊd baɪ ðɛr məˈmɔriəl deɪ ˈsoʊʤərn, fɔrθ əv ˌʤuˈlaɪ ˈrɛspɪt ənd ˈleɪbər deɪ haɪˈeɪtəs. wi ˈtækˌspeɪərz peɪ ðiz ˈpipəl mɔr ðən ˈænjuəli, ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðɛr ˈhɛlθˌkɛr ənd ˈpɛnʃən ˈbɛnəfɪts, waɪl ðeɪ weɪst ˈvæljəbəl taɪm baɪ ˈfeɪlɪŋ tɪ ˈæˌdrɛs ðoʊz ˈkrɪtɪkəl ˈɪʃuz wɪʧ ðə juˈnaɪtɪd steɪts ˈfeɪsɪz təˈdeɪ. frəm ərl bil, ˈtɛrə hət, ind*.
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based on what i have seen so far, i don't see how trump would make it through a full-term. people of his own party disagree with him on a number of issues already. during his campaign he waged war against the establishment, and now the establishment is waging war against him. some of them are speaking out publicly, whereas others acknowledge their disagreement privately.
white house staff members are at war with each other. mike flynn, national security adviser, was trump's first casualty. and fbi director james comey confirmed the agency's probe into possible trump-russia ties. trump took office as the most conflicted and ethically problematic president in the nation's history. ethics experts have already filed a lawsuit saying trump's overseas interests violate the constitution. his travel ban, a moral failure, has been blocked twice. he has not drained the swamp--he has filled it with banking sharks who once again will have an immense influence on the american economy. he doesn't recognize that the white house is not a real estate deal, but a government.
abruptly pulling the rewrite of the nation's healthcare system from consideration is a colossal failure for him. this defeat undermines his image as a skilled dealmaker.
trump is only surviving because his base is still with him. as soon as his base recognizes that they are not going to get what he promised on the campaign trail, they will eventually stop supporting him, and his approval ratings will sink to an unprecedented low. i predict that will be the time when he will resign. he must know that the campaign to impeach him has already begun.
from masood akhtar, middleton, wis.
senate can reach deal to maintain filibuster
the problem with the senate is that it is too easy to filibuster. a compromise to strengthen the filibuster so that it has real consequences for the party that invoked it, making it more difficult to sustain, would limit its abuse.
in the specific case of neil gorsuch, the democrats could keep their promise to filibuster a nominee they can't block anyway and who won't tip the court's balance, the republicans would eventually get another conservative on the court and the senate would retain its essential deliberative character. this is an opportunity for statesmanship that has been in too short supply in washington lately.
from frank z. riely jr., floyds knobs, ind.
and they're off again
let's see, congress went into session early january only to have this outfit go mia for the martin luther king holiday. they were off again in february. and now, this crew is slated to flee the capitol for april 10 to be followed by their memorial day sojourn, fourth of july respite and labor day hiatus.
we taxpayers pay these people more than $175,000 annually, including their healthcare and pension benefits, while they waste valuable time by failing to address those critical issues which the united states faces today.
from earl beal, terre haute, ind.
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ðə læst ˈnæʧərəl blɑndz wɪl daɪ aʊt wɪˈθɪn 200 jɪrz, ˈsaɪəntɪsts bɪˈliv. ə ˈstədi baɪ ˈɛkspərts ɪn ˈʤərməni səˈʤɛsts ˈpipəl wɪθ blɑnd hɛr ər ən ɪnˈdeɪnʤərd ˈspiʃiz ənd wɪl bɪˈkəm ɪkˈstɪŋkt baɪ 2202 ˈrisərʧərz prɪˈdɪkt ðə læst ˈtruli ˈnæʧərəl blɑnd wɪl bi bɔrn ɪn ˈfɪnˌlænd ðə ˈkəntri wɪθ ðə haɪəst prəˈpɔrʃən əv blɑndz. ðə ˈfrikwənsi əv blɑndz meɪ drɔp bət ðeɪ woʊnt ˌdɪsəˈpɪr ˈʤɑnəθən riz, ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈɛdənbəroʊ bət ðeɪ seɪ tu fju ˈpipəl naʊ ˈkɛri ðə ʤin fər blɑndz tɪ læst bɪɔnd ðə nɛkst tu ˈsɛnʧəriz. ðə ˈprɑbləm ɪz ðət blɑnd hɛr ɪz kɔzd baɪ ə rəˈsɛsɪv ʤin. ɪn ˈɔrdər fər ə ʧaɪld tɪ hæv blɑnd hɛr, ɪt məst hæv ðə ʤin ɔn boʊθ saɪdz əv ðə ˈfæməli ɪn ðə ˈgrændˌpɛrənts' ˌʤɛnərˈeɪʃən. daɪd ˈraɪvəlz ðə ˈrisərʧərz ˈɔlsoʊ bɪˈliv ðət ˈsoʊˈkɔld ˈbɑtəl blɑndz meɪ bi tɪ bleɪm fər ðə dɪˈmaɪz əv ðɛr ˈnæʧərəl ˈraɪvəlz. ðeɪ səˈʤɛst ðət ər mɔr əˈtræktɪv tɪ mɛn hu ʧuz ðɛm ɛz ˈpɑrtnərz ˈoʊvər tru blɑndz. bət ˈʤɑnəθən riz, prəˈfɛsər əv ˌdərməˈtɑləʤi æt ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈɛdənbəroʊ sɛd ɪt wɑz ənˈlaɪkli blɑndz wʊd daɪ aʊt kəmˈplitli. "ʤinz doʊnt daɪ aʊt ənˈlɛs ðɛr ɪz ə ˌdɪsədˈvænɪʤ əv ˈhævɪŋ ðət ʤin ər baɪ ʧæns. ðeɪ doʊnt ˌdɪsəˈpɪr," hi toʊld ˌbibiˈsi nuz ˈɔnˌlaɪn. "ðə ˈoʊnli ˈrizən blɑndz wʊd ˌdɪsəˈpɪr ɪz ɪf ˈhævɪŋ ðə ʤin wɑz ə ˌdɪsədˈvænɪʤ ənd aɪ du nɑt θɪŋk ðət ɪz ðə keɪs. "ðə ˈfrikwənsi əv blɑndz meɪ drɔp bət ðeɪ woʊnt ˌdɪsəˈpɪr."
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the last natural blondes will die out within 200 years, scientists believe.
a study by experts in germany suggests people with blonde hair are an endangered species and will become extinct by 2202.
researchers predict the last truly natural blonde will be born in finland - the country with the highest proportion of blondes.
the frequency of blondes may drop but they won't disappear
prof jonathan rees, university of edinburgh
but they say too few people now carry the gene for blondes to last beyond the next two centuries.
the problem is that blonde hair is caused by a recessive gene.
in order for a child to have blonde hair, it must have the gene on both sides of the family in the grandparents' generation.
dyed rivals
the researchers also believe that so-called bottle blondes may be to blame for the demise of their natural rivals.
they suggest that dyed-blondes are more attractive to men who choose them as partners over true blondes.
but jonathan rees, professor of dermatology at the university of edinburgh said it was unlikely blondes would die out completely.
"genes don't die out unless there is a disadvantage of having that gene or by chance. they don't disappear," he told bbc news online.
"the only reason blondes would disappear is if having the gene was a disadvantage and i do not think that is the case.
"the frequency of blondes may drop but they won't disappear."
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designbyhumans* lɔnʧt ðɛr səbˈskrɪpʃən service”*” ˈsɛvərəl mənθs əˈgoʊ. ðə aɪˈdiə ɪz ˈbrɪljənt, ɪf ju wɔnt haɪ kˈwɑləti ˈtiˌsərts bət ju hæv ðə taɪm tɪ pɪk, gɪt 2 ˈɛvəri mənθ, baɪ, ˈlɪmɪtɪd ɪˈdɪʃən ənd wət wi ləv moʊst, ju stɪl səˈpɔrt jʊr ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈɑrtɪst. ɪf ə mæθ ˈʤinjəs, 24 ˈtiˌsərts pər jɪr, wɪʧ ɪz ˈɔlˌmoʊst ɪˈnəf ˈivɪn baɪ ɑr ˈstændərdz. ˈgɪvɪŋ əˈweɪ 3 səbˈskrɪpʃən ˈbɑksɪz fər wən mənθ (ˈvæljud æt 60 iʧ) tɪ 3 ˈləki ˈwɪnərz ɔn teehunter*. ɔl ju hæv tɪ du ɪz ˈfɑloʊ ðə rulz ɪn ɑr ˈwɪʤɪt bɪˈloʊ ənd pɪk ðə ˈwɪnərz æt ðə ɛnd əv ðə mənθ, ʤɪst ɪn taɪm fər ju tɪ ˌɛnˈʤɔɪ ðɛr sərˈil ˈpækɪʤ (aɪ hoʊp!). jɛs, ə gʊd ˈtæktɪk, wi ʃoʊ ju səm greɪt ˈtiˌsərts ənd haʊ ˈizi ɪt ɪz tɪ gɪt ðɛm æt jʊr ˈdɔrˌstɛp ənd ju fɔl ɪn ləv wɪθ ɪt ənd ˈpərʧəs ɪt fər mənθs tɪ kəm. haɪ faɪv?! ˈgɪvəˌweɪ: wɪn ə fri səbˈskrɪpʃən bɑks tu əv ðə ˈɑrtɪsts fər ðə sərˈil bɑks ðət wi noʊ əv ər goʊɪŋ tɪ bi: ənd neonbest*. hir ər səm əv ðə ˈtiˌsərts ju maɪt gɪt: ˈboʊnəs: ɪf ə ˈtiˌsərt ˈɑrtɪst, ˈɔlsoʊ æd ən ˈɪntərvˌju ɔn ɑr wɪθ ju, jʊr ˈstɔri ənd jʊr ˈtiˌsərts. heɪ ɪf moʊst əv ju wɪl bi hir ʤɪst fər ðə ˈtiˌsərts, stɪl ˌoʊˈkeɪ.
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designbyhumans launched their “t-shirt subscription service” several months ago. the idea is brilliant, if you want high quality t-shirts but you don’t have the time to pick, you’d get 2 every month, cherry-picked by dbh, limited edition and what we love most, you still support your independent artist.
if you’re a math genius, that’s 24 t-shirts per year, which is almost enough even by our standards.
we’re giving away 3 subscription boxes for one month (valued at $60 each) to 3 lucky winners on teehunter. all you have to do is follow the rules in our widget below and we’ll pick the winners at the end of the month, just in time for you to enjoy their surreal package (i hope!).
yes, it’s a good tactic, we show you some great t-shirts and how easy it is to get them at your doorstep and you fall in love with it and purchase it for months to come. high five?!
giveaway: win a free designbyhumans subscription box
two of the up-coming artists for the surreal box that we know of are going to be: againstbound and neonbest. here are some of the t-shirts you might get:
bonus: if you’re a dbh t-shirt artist, we’ll also add an interview on our front-page with you, your story and your t-shirts. hey if most of you will be here just for the t-shirts, that’s still okay.
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ˌɪnˈtruʒən ˈɪntu ˈnɛtˌwərk ˌɪnˈvɑlvz ˈpərsɪnəl ˈdætə ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd: meɪ 19 2016 ˈnoʊtəˌfaɪd ɑr ˈkæmpəs kəmˈjunɪti ɔn ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 4 əˈbaʊt ən ˌɪnˈtruʒən ˈɪntu ðə kəmˈpjutər ˈnɛtˌwərk. wi hæv ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd ðə ˈkɑntɛnts əv ðə ˈwɛbˌsaɪt tɪ prəˈvaɪd ðə ˈleɪtəst ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ənd ˌrɛkəmənˈdeɪʃənz tɪ ðoʊz pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd. fər ˈbækˌgraʊnd, əˈpɑn dɪˈskəvərɪŋ ðə ˌɪnˈtruʒən ɪn ˈʤænjuˌɛri, ˌjunəˈvərsəti əˈfɪʃəlz ˌriˈpɔrtəd ðə ˈɪnsədənt tɪ lɔ ɛnˈfɔrsmənt ənd lɔnʧt ən ˌɪnˈtərnəl ˌɪnˌvɛstəˈgeɪʃən wɪθ ðə əˈsɪstəns əv ə ˈnæʃənəl ˌfɔˈrɛnsɪks fərm. ðə ˈɪnsədənt ˌɪnˈvɑlvd ðə pəˈtɛnʃəl ˈækˌsɛs tɪ ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈnəmbərz, bət nɑt ˈkrɛdɪt kɑrd ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən, ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˈrɛkərdz, ˈmɛdɪkəl ər hɛlθ ˈrɛkərdz, ər greɪdz. ˈlɛtərz wər meɪld ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 5 tɪ ˈkɑrənt ənd ˈfɔrmər ˈstudənts, ˈfækəlti ənd stæf pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd baɪ ðə ˈɪnsədənt. əˈdɪʃənəl ˈɛfərts wər meɪd tɪ ˈkɑnˌtækt ðoʊz huz ˌɪˈnɪʃəl ˈlɛtərz wər rɪˈtərnd undeliverable*. ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti ˈɔfərd wən jɪr əv fri ˈkrɛdɪt ˈmɑnətərɪŋ ənd aɪˈdɛntəˌti prəˈtɛkʃən ˈsərvɪsɪz frəm əˈlərt. ðə ˈdɛˌdlaɪn tɪ saɪn əp fər ðə fri ˈsərvɪsɪz pæst ɪn ˈərli meɪ. ˈɔlsoʊ ˈɔrgəˌnaɪzd ɪˈvɛnts ɔn ˈkæmpəs tɪ prəˈvaɪd ˈstudənts, ˈfækəlti ənd stæf wɪθ ˌɑpərˈtunətiz tɪ lərn əˈbaʊt aɪˈdɛntəˌti θɛft rɪˈkəvəri ənd priˈvɛnʃən. ɪf ju rɪˈsivd ə ˈlɛtər ənd bɪˈliv ju meɪ bi ˌɪnˈkludɪd ɪn ðə grups əv pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd ˈkɑrənt ənd ˈfɔrmər ˈstudənts ənd stæf ənd ˈfækəlti ˈmɛmbərz (si ðə fərst bɪˈloʊ), pliz ˈkɑnˌtækt ðə ˈsərvɪs dɛsk æt bɪtˈwin 7 a.m*. ənd 7 p.m*. ɛst ˈmənˌdeɪ θru ˈfraɪˌdeɪ. ˈfrikwɛntli æst kˈwɛsʧənz (faqs*) hu ɪz pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd? ðə ˌɪnˈtruʒən ˈɪntu ðə kəmˈpjutər ˈnɛtˌwərk pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd tu grups. wən grup ˌɪnˈkludz səm ˈkɑrənt, ɛz wɛl ɛz səm ˈfɔrmər hu læst pleɪd fər ɪn ðɪs grup ˈɔlsoʊ ˌɪnˈkludz səm ˈstudənt stæf ˈmɛmbərz, səʧ ɛz ˈmænɪʤərz, səˈpɔrtɪŋ timz. ðə ˈsɛkənd grup ˌɪnˈkludz ˈkɑrənt ənd ˈfɔrmər ˌjunəˈvərsəti ɪmˈplɔɪiz ɪn ə ˈkætəˌgɔri noʊn ɛz ɑps, ər ˈəðər ˈpərsɪnəl ˈsərvɪsɪz. ɪgˈzæmpəlz əv pəˈzɪʃənz ɪn ðɪs ˈkætəˌgɔri ˌɪnˈklud ˌəndərˈgræʤəwət ˈstudənt ɪmˈplɔɪiz (ˌɪnˈkludɪŋ ðoʊz ɪn pəˈzɪʃənz), ˈgræʤəˌweɪt əˈsɪstənts, ˈhaʊzɪŋ ˈrɛzɪdənt əˈsɪstənts, ˈæˌʤəŋkt ˈfækəlti ˌɪnˈstrəktərz, ˈstudənt ˈgəvərnmənt ˈlidərz ənd ˈfækəlti ˈmɛmbərz hu hæv bɪn peɪd fər duəl (fər ɪgˈzæmpəl, ˈtiʧɪŋ əˈdɪʃənəl ˈklæsɪz). ɪmˈplɔɪiz hu ˈpriviəsli hɛld bət du nɑt ˈkərəntli hoʊld ɑps pəˈzɪʃənz meɪ bi ˌɪnˈkludɪd. ˈlɛtərz wər meɪld ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri. 5 tɪ ˌɪndəˈvɪʤəwəlz pəˈtɛnʃəli ˌɪmˈpæktɪd baɪ ðə ˈɪnsədənt. wət spɪˈsɪfɪk ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən wɑz ˌɪnˈvɑlvd? fər ðə grup əv ənd ˈstudənt stæf ˈmɛmbərz səˈpɔrtɪŋ ðoʊz timz, ðə ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ˌɪnˈvɑlvd fərst ənd læst neɪmz, ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈnəmbərz, ˈstudənt ˈaɪˈdi ˈnəmbərz, spɔrt, ˈwɛðər ðeɪ wər ˈwɔˌkɑnz ər rɪˈkrutɪd, ənd ˈnəmbər əv ˈkrɛdɪt aʊərz ˈteɪkən ənd ɪn ˈprɑˌgrɛs. fər ðə grup əv ɪmˈplɔɪiz, ðə ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ˌɪnˈvɑlvd fərst ənd læst neɪmz, ˈsoʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈnəmbərz ənd ɪmˈplɔɪi aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən ˈnəmbərz. ˈmɛdɪkəl ˈrɛkərdz, ˌfaɪˈnænʃəl ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ər greɪdz wər nɑt ˌɪnˈvɑlvd fər ˈiðər grup. dɪd ju rɪˈpɔrt ðɪs ˈɪnsədənt tɪ lɔ ɛnˈfɔrsmənt? jɛs. ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli əˈpɑn ˈlərnɪŋ əv ðə ˈɪnsədənt, wi ˌriˈpɔrtəd ɪt tɪ lɔ ɛnˈfɔrsmənt. ðə lɔ ɛnˈfɔrsmənt ˌɪnˌvɛstəˈgeɪʃən ɪz kənˈtɪnjuɪŋ. kən aɪ gɪt ə ˈkɑpi əv ðə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt? ðoʊz hu ʧuz tɪ friz ðɛr ˈkrɛdɪt meɪ nid tɪ səbˈmɪt ə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt ɛz pɑrt əv ðɛr rɪkˈwɛsts. ju kən vju ə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt hir: wət ʃʊd aɪ du tɪ hɛlp prəˈtɛkt ˌmaɪˈsɛlf frəm aɪˈdɛntəˌti θɛft? ɪf ju faɪnd ˈɛni səˈspɪʃəs ækˈtɪvɪti ɔn ˈkrɛdɪt rɪˈpɔrts, kɔl jʊr ˈloʊkəl pəˈlis ər ˈɔfəs, ənd faɪl ə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt fər aɪˈdɛntəˌti θɛft ənd gɪt ə ˈkɑpi əv ɪt. ju meɪ nid tɪ gɪv ˈkɑpiz əv ðə pəˈlis rɪˈpɔrt tɪ ˈkrɛdɪtərz tɪ klɪr əp ˈkrɛdɪt ˈrɛkərdz. ju ʃʊd rɪˈmeɪn ˈvɪʤələnt ənd kənˈtɪnju tɪ ˈmɑnətər ˈsteɪtmənts fər ənˈjuˌʒuəl ækˈtɪvɪti goʊɪŋ ˈfɔrwərd. ɪf ju si ˈɛniˌθɪŋ ju du nɑt ˌəndərˈstænd ər ðət lʊks aʊt əv ðə ˈɔrdəˌnɛri, ər ɪf ju ˈsəˌspɛkt ðət ˈɛni ˈfrɔʤələnt trænˈzækʃənz hæv ˈteɪkən pleɪs, ju ʃʊd kɔl ðə bæŋk ðət ˈɪʃud ðə ˈkrɛdɪt ər ˈdɛbɪt kɑrd ˌɪˈmiˌdiətli tɪ lɛt ðɛm noʊ wət ˈhæpənd. ðoʊz hu ækˈsɛptɪd ˈɔfər əv wən jɪr əv fri ˈkrɛdɪt ˈmɑnətərɪŋ ənd aɪˈdɛntəˌti prəˈtɛkʃən ˈsərvɪsɪz ər rɪˈsivɪŋ ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ ˈsərvɪsɪz: jɪr wən: fri ˈkrɛdɪt rɪˈpɔrt; ˈdeɪli ˈmɑnətərɪŋ ənd əˈlərts əv səˈspɪʃəs ækˈtɪvɪti ɔn jʊr ˈkrɛdɪt rɪˈpɔrt; aɪˈdɛntəˌti θɛft ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns əv əp tɪ 1 ˈmɪljən; ənd frɔd ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnətɪv ˈkəstəmər kɛr. fri ˈkrɛdɪt rɪˈpɔrt; ˈdeɪli ˈmɑnətərɪŋ ənd əˈlərts əv səˈspɪʃəs ækˈtɪvɪti ɔn jʊr ˈkrɛdɪt rɪˈpɔrt; aɪˈdɛntəˌti θɛft ˌɪnˈʃʊrəns əv əp tɪ 1 ˈmɪljən; ənd frɔd ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnətɪv ˈkəstəmər kɛr. ˈɔnˌgoʊɪŋ: frɔd ˌrɛzəˈluʃən səˈpɔrt, θru wɪʧ ə frɔd ˈeɪʤənt kən əˈsɪst ju wɪθ riˈzɑlvɪŋ ˈɪʃuz ðət əraɪz. fər ðoʊz kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ˈkrɛdɪt ˈfrizɪz ər frɔd əˈlərts, ðɪs ˈwɛbˌsaɪt hɛlps tɪ ɪkˈspleɪn ðə ˈdɪfərənsɪz bɪtˈwin ðə tu ˈɔpʃənz ənd ˈwɛðər ðeɪ maɪt bi ˈsutəbəl fər ju: goʊ tɪ ˈfɛdərəl treɪd tɪ rɪˈpɔrt səˈspɪʃəs ækˈtɪvɪti ənd gɪt ə rɪˈkəvəri plæn. haʊ ər ju goʊɪŋ tɪ prɪˈvɛnt ðɪs frəm ˈhæpənɪŋ əˈgɛn? ˈseɪfˌgɑrdɪŋ ˈpərsɪnəl ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɪz əv ðə ˈətˌmoʊst ˌɪmˈpɔrtəns æt. tɪ ɪnˈʃʊr ɑr ˈvɪʤələns, ˈprɛzɪdənt hɪt həz kɔld fər ə θəroʊ ˌrivˈju əv ɑr ˈɔnˌlaɪn ˈsɪstəmz, ˈpɑləsiz ənd ˈtreɪnɪŋ tɪ dɪˈtərmən wət ˌɪmˈpruvmənts kən meɪk ɪn laɪt əv ðɪs ˈrisənt ˈɪnsədənt. ən ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt, ˈaʊtˈsaɪd fərm wɪl bi ˌɪnˈvɑlvd wɪθ ðɪs ˌrivˈju. wi hæv ɔˈrɛdi ˈbeɪgən ˈteɪkɪŋ ˈsɛvərəl ˈækʃənz tɪ hɛlp prɪˈvɛnt ðɪs taɪp əv ˈɪnsədənt frəm əˈkərɪŋ ɪn ðə fˈjuʧər. ðiz ˈækʃənz ˌɪnˈklud ɛnˈhænsɪŋ ˈjuzər əˈkaʊnt ənd ˈpæsˌwərd sɪˈkjʊrəti ənd ɪkˈspændɪŋ ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti ˌɛʤəˈkeɪʃən ənd ˈtreɪnɪŋ. ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən əˈbaʊt ˈdætə sɪˈkjʊrəti wɪl bi ˈædɪd tɪ ˈstudənt ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃənz ənd səm ˈkɔrsɪz. ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti bɪˈkeɪm pɑrt əv ɪmˈplɔɪi ˌɔriɛnˈteɪʃənz ɪn leɪt 2015 aɪ wɔnt tɪ ʧeɪnʤ maɪ ˈpæsˌwərd. wət ɪz ðə bɛst weɪ tɪ du ðət? juz ðə ˈpæsˌwərd ˈrisɛt tul ənd ˈfɑloʊ ðə prɑmpts. rɪˈmɛmbər wɪl ˈnɛvər sɛnd ju ən iˈmeɪl ˈæskɪŋ ju tɪ rɪˈspɑnd ənd prəˈvaɪd ˈpərsɪnəl ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən, krəˈdɛnʃəlz, ər ˈpæsˌwərdz ˈviə iˈmeɪl. ˈnɛvər ʃɛr jʊr ˈpæsˌwərd wɪθ ˈɛniˌwən. rɪˈgɑrd ɔl ˌənsəˈlɪsɪtɪd ˈmɛsɪʤɪz wɪθ ɪkˈstrim ˈkɔʃən ənd əˈlərt ðə sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈɪnsədənt rɪˈspɑns tim æt ɪf ə ˈmɛsɪʤ əˈpɪrz səˈspɪʃəs ər æsks ju tɪ rɪˈvil ˈpərsɪnəl ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ər krəˈdɛnʃəlz. kən ju dɪˈrɛkt mi tɪ ˈɛni ˈkæmpəs ˈrisɔrsɪz ˈfoʊkɪst ɔn ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti? jɛs. ðə ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti ˈɔfəs həz ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ broʊˈʃʊrz ˈdɛdəkeɪtəd tɪ ˈstudənts ənd stæf ənd ˈfækəlti ˈmɛmbərz. ˈstudənt broʊˈʃʊr stæf ənd ˈfækəlti ˈmɛmbər broʊˈʃʊr
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intrusion into ucf network involves personal data
updated: may 19, 2016
ucf notified our campus community on feb. 4 about an intrusion into the university’s computer network. we have updated the contents of the website to provide the latest information and recommendations to those potentially impacted.
for background, upon discovering the intrusion in january, university officials reported the incident to law enforcement and launched an internal investigation with the assistance of a national forensics firm. the incident involved the potential access to social security numbers, but not credit card information, financial records, medical or health records, or grades.
letters were mailed feb. 5 to current and former students, faculty and staff potentially impacted by the incident. additional efforts were made to contact those whose initial letters were returned undeliverable.
the university offered one year of free credit monitoring and identity protection services from experian’s protectmyid alert. the deadline to sign up for the free services passed in early may. ucf also organized events on campus to provide students, faculty and staff with opportunities to learn about identity theft recovery and prevention.
if you haven’t received a letter and believe you may be included in the groups of potentially impacted current and former ucf students and staff and faculty members (see the first faq below), please contact the ucf service desk at 407-823-5117 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. est monday through friday.
frequently asked questions (faqs)
who is potentially impacted?
the intrusion into the university’s computer network potentially impacted two groups.
one group includes some current student-athletes, as well as some former student-athletes who last played for ucf in 2014-15. this group also includes some student staff members, such as managers, supporting ucf teams.
the second group includes current and former university employees in a category known as ops, or other personal services. examples of positions in this category include undergraduate student employees (including those in work-study positions), graduate assistants, housing resident assistants, adjunct faculty instructors, student government leaders and faculty members who have been paid for dual compensation/overload (for example, teaching additional classes). employees who previously held but do not currently hold ops positions may be included.
letters were mailed feb. 5 to individuals potentially impacted by the incident.
what specific information was involved?
for the group of student-athletes and student staff members supporting those teams, the information involved first and last names, social security numbers, student id numbers, sport, whether they were walk-ons or recruited, and number of credit hours taken and in progress.
for the group of employees, the information involved first and last names, social security numbers and ucf-issued employee identification numbers.
medical records, financial information or grades were not involved for either group.
did you report this incident to law enforcement?
yes. immediately upon learning of the incident, we reported it to law enforcement. the law enforcement investigation is continuing.
can i get a copy of the police report?
those who choose to freeze their credit may need to submit a police report as part of their requests. you can view a police report here: https://www.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/incident-report.pdf
what should i do to help protect myself from identity theft?
if you find any suspicious activity on credit reports, call your local police or sheriff’s office, and file a police report for identity theft and get a copy of it. you may need to give copies of the police report to creditors to clear up credit records.
you should remain vigilant and continue to monitor statements for unusual activity going forward. if you see anything you do not understand or that looks out of the ordinary, or if you suspect that any fraudulent transactions have taken place, you should call the bank that issued the credit or debit card immediately to let them know what happened.
those who accepted ucf’s offer of one year of free credit monitoring and identity protection services are receiving the following services:
year one: free credit report; daily monitoring and alerts of suspicious activity on your credit report; identity theft insurance of up to $1 million; and fraud representative customer care.
free credit report; daily monitoring and alerts of suspicious activity on your credit report; identity theft insurance of up to $1 million; and fraud representative customer care. ongoing: experian fraud resolution support, through which a fraud agent can assist you with resolving issues that arise.
for those considering credit freezes or fraud alerts, this experian website helps to explain the differences between the two options and whether they might be suitable for you:
go to federal trade commission’s www.identitytheft.gov to report suspicious activity and get a recovery plan.
how are you going to prevent this from happening again?
safeguarding personal information is of the utmost importance at ucf. to ensure our vigilance, president hitt has called for a thorough review of our online systems, policies and training to determine what improvements ucf can make in light of this recent incident. an independent, outside firm will be involved with this review.
we have already begun taking several actions to help prevent this type of incident from occurring in the future. these actions include enhancing user account and password security and expanding campus-wide information security education and training.
information about data security will be added to student orientations and some first-year courses. information security became part of employee orientations in late 2015.
i want to change my ucf password. what is the best way to do that?
use the nid password reset tool and follow the prompts. remember ucf will never send you an email asking you to respond and provide personal information, login credentials, or passwords via email. never share your password with anyone. regard all unsolicited messages with extreme caution and alert the security incident response team at [email protected] if a message appears suspicious or asks you to reveal personal information or login credentials.
can you direct me to any campus resources focused on information security?
yes. the ucf information security office has the following brochures dedicated to students and staff and faculty members.
student brochure
staff and faculty member brochure
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ˈɑnˌkɔr: ˈsaɪəntɪsts dɪˈskəvər ˈlaɪfˌspæn əv ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk ðə ˈvərtəˌbreɪt noʊn tɪ saɪəns ɪz ə ʃɑrk ðət kən lɪv ˈsɛnʧəriz. ðɪs ˈstɔri ərˈɪʤənəli ɛrd ɔn ˈɔgəst. 11 2016 ɔn ɔl θɪŋz kənˈsɪdərd. ˈɑri ʃəˈpɪroʊ, hoʊst: ɪf jʊr ˈlʊkɪŋ fər ə weɪ tɪ steɪ jəŋ, ju maɪt wɔnt tɪ traɪ ˈlɪvɪŋ aʊt ðə rɛst əv jʊr laɪf ɪn ðə dɑrk, ˈfrɪʤəd ˈwɔtərz əv ðə ˈɑrtɪk. ju wɪl ˈɔlsoʊ nid tɪ bɪˈkəm ə ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk. ˈsaɪəntɪsts hæv dɪˈskəvərd ðɪs ˈspiʃiz kən lɪv fər əˈbaʊt 400 jɪrz ənd ˈmeɪbi ˈivɪn ˈlɔŋgər, ɛz wi hir ɪn ðɪs ˈɑnˌkɔr rɪˈpɔrt frəm ˈɛnˈpiˈɑrz nɛl greenfieldboyce*. nɛl greenfieldboyce*, ˈbaɪˌlaɪn: ðə fərst taɪm ˈʤuljəs ˈnilsən ˈɛvər sɔ ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk, hi wɑz ˈwərkɪŋ ɔn ə ˈrisərʧ ˈvɛsəl ðət wɑz ˈstədiɪŋ ˈəðər ˈɑrtɪk fɪʃ. ˈʤuljəs ˈnilsən: wən deɪ wi, baɪ ˈæksədənt, kɔt ə ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk. ɪt wɑz ə ˈrɪli ə bɪg wən, ənd ˈɛvriˌwən wɛnt əp ənd sɔ ðɪs ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋ ˈænəməl. greenfieldboyce*: ɪt lʊkt ˈdɪfərənt ðən ə greɪt waɪt ʃɑrk, bət ɪt hæd ðə ʃɑrk fɪnz ənd bɪg tiθ. ˈnilsən wɑz ˌɪnˈtrigd. ˈnilsən: ju doʊnt ˈrɪli ɪkˈspɛkt ʃɑrks tɪ bi sˈwɪmɪŋ əraʊnd bɪtˈwin ˈaɪsbərgz ənd θɪŋz laɪk ðət. greenfieldboyce*: hi sun ˈlərnɪd ðət ˈsaɪəntɪsts noʊ ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈnəθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk. ˈnilsən: pərˈhæps, ðə ˈbɪgəst əv ðə ˈmɪstəriz wɑz haʊ oʊld ðiz əˈpɛrəntli ˈvɛri ʃɑrks gɪt. greenfieldboyce*: baɪˈɑləʤɪsts hæd səm hɪnts ðət ðiz ʃɑrks groʊ lɛs ðən ə ˈsɛntəˌmitər ə jɪr, bət ˈædəlt ʃɑrks kən bi ˈoʊvər 16 fit lɔŋ. soʊ ɪf ðeɪ wər ˈrɪli, ðeɪd hæv tɪ lɪv ə lɔŋ taɪm. tɪ tɛst ðət aɪˈdiə, ˈnilsən timd əp wɪθ səm ˈkɑligz æt ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˈkoʊpənˌhɑgən ɪn ˈdɛnˌmɑrk wɛr hi wərks ɛz wɛl ɛz ˈrisərʧərz ɪn ˈəðər ˈkəntriz. ðeɪ əbˈteɪnd 28 ˈfiˌmeɪl ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrks ðət wər kɔt ˌæksəˈdɛnəli, ənd ðɛn ðeɪ juzd ˈdeɪtɪŋ tɛkˈniks ɔn ðə ˈlɛnzɪz əv ðə ʃɑrks' aɪz. ðə rɪˈzəlts wər əˈstɑnɪʃɪŋ. ðiz ʃɑrks lɪv ˈlɔŋgər ðən ˈɛni ˈəðər ˈkriʧər ədˈvænst ɪˈnəf tɪ hæv ə ˈbækˌboʊn. ˈnilsən: wi ˈoʊnli ɪkˈspɛktɪd ðət ðə ʃɑrks maɪt bi ˈvɛri oʊld. ənd ɪt wɑz əv kɔrs ə ˈvɛri bɪg səˈpraɪz tɪ lərn ðət ɪt wɑz ˈæˌkʧuəli ðə ˈoʊldəst ˈvərtəˌbreɪt ˈænəməl ɪn ðə wərld. greenfieldboyce*: ðə moʊst ˈlaɪkli eɪʤ əv ðə ˈbɪgəst, ˈoʊldəst ʃɑrk wɑz əˈbaʊt 390 jɪrz. bət ðɛr ɪz səm ənˈsərtənti ɪn ðət ˈɛstəˌmeɪt. ˈnilsən: wət wi kən seɪ ɪz ðət ɪt wɑz wɪθ 95 pərˈsɛnt ˈsərtənti bɪtˈwin 272 ənd 512 jɪrz oʊld. greenfieldboyce*: ðə rɪˈzəlts əˈpɪr ɪn ðə ˈʤərnəl saɪəns, ənd ðeɪ ˌɪmˈprɛst ˈstivən ˈaʊstəd. hi ˈstədiz ðə baɪˈɑləʤi əv ˈeɪʤɪŋ æt ðə ˌjunəˈvərsəti əv ˌæləˈbæmə æt ˈbərmɪŋˌhæm. ˈstivən ˈaʊstəd: ɪts ə ˈfæsəˌneɪtɪŋ ˈpeɪpər, ənd ɪt ˈsərtənli muvz bæk tɪ ðə ˈvərtəˌbreɪt lɔnˈʤɛvəti ˈrɛkərd baɪ ə səbˈstænʃəl əˈmaʊnt. greenfieldboyce*: ðət ˈrɛkərd wɑz hɛld baɪ ðə weɪl. ˈaʊstəd sɪz ɪts ˈmæksəməm ˈlaɪfˌspæn həz bɪn ʃoʊn tɪ bi æt list 211 jɪrz. ənd waɪl ju hir ˈəðər teɪlz əv ˈtərtəlz ər fɪʃ, ðɛr hɑrd tɪ ˈvɛrəˌfaɪ. ˈaʊstəd: ðə rɪˈpɔrts ər ˈvərʧuəli ɔl ˌænɪkˈdoʊtəl. greenfieldboyce*: hi sɪz ðə ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk eɪʤ ˈɛstəˌmeɪts ər kənˈvɪnsɪŋ. ənd ɪf ðiz ʃɑrks ˈrɪli kən lɪv ɛz lɔŋ ɛz faɪv ˈsɛnʧəriz... ˈaʊstəd: ðət minz ðə ˈpɪlgrəmz, ju noʊ, meɪ hæv bɪn əraʊnd ðə seɪm taɪm səm ʃɑrk ðæts sˈwɪmɪŋ əraʊnd naʊ wɑz bɔrn. greenfieldboyce*: ˈaʊstəd ˈstədiz ə kaɪnd əv klæm ðət kən lɪv fər mɔr ðən 500 jɪrz. ˈsaɪəntɪsts noʊ ðət bɪˈkəz ɪts ʃɛl həz ˈænjuəl groʊθ laɪnz ðət kən bi ˈkaʊntɪd laɪk ðə rɪŋz ˌɪnˈsaɪd ə tri. hi noʊts ðət ðə ˈoʊldəst ˈspɛsəmənz əv ðɪs klæm hæv kəm frəm ˈwɔtərz nɪr ˈaɪslənd, ənd ðə weɪl ənd ˈgrinˌlænd ʃɑrk ˈɔlsoʊ boʊθ lɪv fɑr əp nɔrθ. ˈaʊstəd: soʊ ðɛr dɪz sim tɪ bi ˈsəmθɪŋ ðæts əˈtrɪbjətəbəl tɪ koʊld ər ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ðə koʊld ðət meɪ kənˈfər lɔnˈʤɛvəti. greenfieldboyce*: hi sɪz ɪt wʊd bi greɪt tɪ ˈfɪgjər aʊt wət ðət ˈaɪsi ˈsikrɪt ɪz. nɛl greenfieldboyce*, ˈɛnˈpiˈɑr nuz. ˈkɑpiˌraɪt 2016 ˈɛnˈpiˈɑr. ɔl raɪts rɪˈzərvd. ˈvɪzɪt ɑr ˈwɛbˌsaɪt tərmz əv juz ənd pərˈmɪʃənz ˈpeɪʤɪz æt fər ˈfərðər ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən. ˈɛnˈpiˈɑr ˈtrænˌskrɪpts ər kriˈeɪtɪd ɔn ə rəʃ ˈdɛˌdlaɪn baɪ verb8tm*, ɪŋk., ən ˈɛnˈpiˈɑr ˈkɑnˌtræktər, ənd prəˈdust ˈjuzɪŋ ə prəˈpraɪəˌtɛri ˌtrænˈskrɪpʃən ˈprɔˌsɛs dɪˈvɛləpt wɪθ ˈɛnˈpiˈɑr. ðɪs tɛkst meɪ nɑt bi ɪn ɪts ˈfaɪnəl fɔrm ənd meɪ bi ˈəpˌdeɪtɪd ər rɪˈvaɪzd ɪn ðə fˈjuʧər. ˈækjərəsi ənd əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪti meɪ ˈvɛri. ðə əˈθɔrəˌteɪtɪv ˈrɛkərd əv ˈproʊˌgræmɪŋ ɪz ðə ˈɑdiˌoʊ ˈrɛkərd.
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encore: scientists discover centuries-long lifespan of greenland shark
the longest-living vertebrate known to science is a shark that can live centuries. this story originally aired on aug. 11, 2016 on all things considered.
ari shapiro, host:
if you're looking for a way to stay young, you might want to try living out the rest of your life in the dark, frigid waters of the arctic. you will also need to become a greenland shark. scientists have discovered this species can live for about 400 years and maybe even longer, as we hear in this encore report from npr's nell greenfieldboyce.
nell greenfieldboyce, byline: the first time julius nielsen ever saw greenland shark, he was working on a research vessel that was studying other arctic fish.
julius nielsen: one day we, by accident, caught a greenland shark. it was a really a big one, and everyone went up and saw this interesting animal.
greenfieldboyce: it looked different than a great white shark, but it had the shark fins and big teeth. nielsen was intrigued.
nielsen: you don't really expect sharks to be swimming around between icebergs and things like that.
greenfieldboyce: he soon learned that scientists know almost nothing about the greenland shark.
nielsen: perhaps, the biggest of the mysteries was how old these apparently very slow-growing sharks get.
greenfieldboyce: biologists had some hints that these sharks grow less than a centimeter a year, but adult sharks can be over 16 feet long. so if they were really slow-growing, they'd have to live a long time.
to test that idea, nielsen teamed up with some colleagues at the university of copenhagen in denmark where he works as well as researchers in other countries. they obtained 28 female greenland sharks that were caught accidentally, and then they used radiocarbon dating techniques on the lenses of the sharks' eyes. the results were astonishing. these sharks live longer than any other creature advanced enough to have a backbone.
nielsen: we only expected that the sharks might be very old. and it was of course a very big surprise to learn that it was actually the oldest vertebrate animal in the world.
greenfieldboyce: the most likely age of the biggest, oldest shark was about 390 years. but there is some uncertainty in that estimate.
nielsen: what we can say is that it was with 95 percent certainty between 272 and 512 years old.
greenfieldboyce: the results appear in the journal science, and they impressed steven austad. he studies the biology of aging at the university of alabama at birmingham.
steven austad: it's a fascinating paper, and it certainly moves back to the vertebrate longevity record by a substantial amount.
greenfieldboyce: that record was held by the bowhead whale. austad says its maximum lifespan has been shown to be at least 211 years. and while you hear other tales of long-lived turtles or fish, they're hard to verify.
austad: the reports are virtually all anecdotal.
greenfieldboyce: he says the greenland shark age estimates are convincing. and if these sharks really can live as long as five centuries...
austad: that means the pilgrims, you know, may have been around the same time some shark that's swimming around now was born.
greenfieldboyce: austad studies a kind of clam that can live for more than 500 years. scientists know that because its shell has annual growth lines that can be counted like the rings inside a tree. he notes that the oldest specimens of this clam have come from waters near iceland, and the bowhead whale and greenland shark also both live far up north.
austad: so there does seem to be something that's attributable to cold or living in the cold that may confer longevity.
greenfieldboyce: he says it would be great to figure out what that icy secret is. nell greenfieldboyce, npr news.
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si ðə ˈskɛʤʊl ənd klɪk ɔn "vju əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪti reɪts" fər mɔr ˌɪnˌfɔrˈmeɪʃən ɔn ðə əˈveɪləbəl deɪz ðə ˈʃətəl rənz. ðə ˈʃətəl dɪˈpɑrts ðə lɑ ˈɛriə fər ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs ɔn spɪˈsɪfɪk deɪz æt 9 a.m*., ðə ɑnˈtɛrioʊ ˈɛriə fər ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs ɔn spɪˈsɪfɪk deɪz æt a.m*., ənd dɪˈpɑrts ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs æt p.m*., ˈɔlsoʊ ɔn spɪˈsɪfɪk deɪz. pərˈmoʊʃənəl ˈvælju ɪkˈspaɪərz 180 deɪz ˈæftər ˈpərʧəs. əˈmaʊnt peɪd ˈnɛvər ɪkˈspaɪərz. ˈlɪmət 1 pər ˈpərsən, meɪ baɪ 2 əˈdɪʃənəl ɛz gɪfts. ˈvælɪd ˈoʊnli fər ˈɔpʃən ˈpərʧəst. əˈpɔɪntmənts ər rikˈwaɪərd ənd ˈsəbʤɪkt tɪ əˌveɪləˈbɪlɪti. ˈmərʧənts ˈstændərd ˌkænsəˈleɪʃən ˈpɑləsi əˈplaɪz (ˈɛni fiz nɑt tɪ ɪkˈsid praɪs). ˈvælɪd ˈoʊnli fər ˈlɪstɪd ˈpɪˌkəp loʊˈkeɪʃənz. ˈvælɪd ˈoʊnli fər ˌtrænspərˈteɪʃən tɪ ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs; ˈmərʧənt wɪl nɑt ˈtrævəl ˈaʊtˈsaɪd əv ðə ˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən. ˈvælɪd fər 2 ˈfʊlˌsaɪz ˈsutˌkeɪsɪz ənd 2 ɪz noʊ fjuəl fi. əˈdɪʃənəl ˈklinɪŋ fi dɪz nɑt əˈplaɪ. pliz əˈlaʊ 7 deɪz bɪtˈwin ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃən ənd ˈtrævəl deɪt. ˈmərʧənt ɪz ˈsoʊəli riˈspɑnsəbəl tɪ ˈpərʧəsərz fər ðə kɛr ənd kˈwɑləti əv ðə ˌædvərˈtaɪzd gʊdz ənd ˈsərvɪsɪz. əˈbaʊt ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs ɪkˈsprɛs ˈsɪgnəʧər ˈsərvɪs: ðə fən weɪ tɪ ˈveɪgəs ɪˈstæblɪʃt: 2012 reservations/appointments*: rikˈwaɪərd stæf saɪz: ˈpipəl ˈævərɪʤ ˈdʊˈreɪʃən əv ˈsərvɪsɪz: aʊərz brændz juzd: koʊk ˈprɑdəkts proʊ tɪp: pliz gɪv ˈsɛvən deɪz əv ədˈvæns ˈnoʊtɪs tɪ bʊk ˌrɛzərˈveɪʃənz. "wi laɪk tɪ θɪŋk əv ɑr ˈsərvɪsɪz laɪk [ən ˈɛˌrlaɪn] ɔn ðə graʊnd," sɪz ˈænθɔˌni, ˈmænɪʤər æt ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs ɪkˈsprɛs. hi ˈoʊvərˌsiz ˈkoʊʧɪz ənd ˈʃətəlz ðət meɪk ˈspiˌdi trɪps frəm lɑ ənd ɑnˈtɛrioʊ tɪ ˈɛˈleɪˈɛs ˈveɪgəs ənd bæk, wɪθ ə kwɪk ˈleɪˌoʊvər ɪn ɑnˈtɛrioʊ, wɛr ˈpæsənʤərz kən ʃɑp. waɪl ɪn lɑ, ˈpæsənʤərz kən ɪkˈspɪriəns lɔs ˈænʤəlɪs wɪθ ækˈtɪvɪtiz səʧ ɛz ˈʃɑpɪŋ ɔn ˈroʊdiˌoʊ draɪv ər ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ˈdɪzniˌlænd. ʤɪst ˈivɪn ˈbɛtər ˈɛˌrlaɪnz, ðə ˈviɪkəlz ˈɔfər ə fju ˈɛkstrə əˈmɛnətiz, səʧ ɛz snæks, fri drɪŋks, ənd fri ˈɪntərˌnɛt ˈækˌsɛs. ðə stæf ˈɔlsoʊ ʃoʊz ˈblɑkˌbəstər ˈmuviz ˈdʊrɪŋ ðə roʊd trɪp, ˈpɑsəbəl θæŋks tɪ ˈtiˈviz pleɪst θruaʊt ðə ˈkoʊʧɪz' ˌɪnˈtɪriərz ənd ðə stæfs ˈsərtəˌfaɪd əˈbɪləˌti tɪ ˈɔpərˌeɪt ə ˌdiˌviˈdi pleɪər. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ hæv ˈəðər ˌɪmˈpɔrtənt ˈtælənts, wɪʧ ˌɪnˈklud cpr*.
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see the schedule and click on "view availability & rates" for more information on the available days the shuttle runs. the shuttle departs the la area for las vegas on specific days at 9 a.m., the ontario area for las vegas on specific days at 10:15 a.m., and departs las vegas at 3:30 p.m., also on specific days.
promotional value expires 180 days after purchase. amount paid never expires. limit 1 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. valid only for option purchased. appointments are required and subject to availability. merchant's standard 24-hour cancellation policy applies (any fees not to exceed groupon price). valid only for listed pickup locations. valid only for round-trip transportation to las vegas; merchant will not travel outside of the destination. valid for 2 full-size suitcases and 2 carry-ons.there is no fuel fee. additional cleaning fee does not apply. please allow 7 days between reservation and travel date. merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
about las vegas express
signature service: the fun way to vegas
established: 2012
reservations/appointments: required
staff size: 11–25 people
average duration of services: 2–4 hours
brands used: coke products
pro tip: please give seven days of advance notice to book reservations.
"we like to think of our services like [an airline] on the ground," says anthony, manager at las vegas express. he oversees coaches and shuttles that make speedy trips from la and ontario to las vegas and back, with a quick layover in ontario, where passengers can shop. while in la, passengers can experience los angeles with activities such as shopping on rodeo drive or visiting disneyland. just like—or even better than—many airlines, the vehicles offer a few extra amenities, such as snacks, free drinks, and free internet access. the staff also shows blockbuster movies during the road trip, possible thanks to ceiling-embedded tvs placed throughout the coaches' interiors and the staff's certified ability to operate a dvd player. they also have other important talents, which include cpr.
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c.j*. 106 ˈmɪljən ˈmæksəməm ˈkɑnˌtrækt ɪkˈstɛnʃən bɪˈgɪnz nɛkst ˈsizən. (ˈgɛti ˈɪmɪʤɪz) ˈpɔrtlənd, ɔr. ðeɪ priˈpɛrd ˈpɔrtlənd treɪl ˈbleɪzərz gɑrd c.j*. məˈkɔləm fər ðə əˈgrɛʃən ˈɛvriˌwən wʊd kəm fər ɪm wɪθ ɔn ðə kɔrt naʊ, bɔrn əv hɪz raɪz ɛz ðə ˈrɑbɪn tɪ ˈdeɪmiən ˈbætˌmæn, bɔrn əv ˈərnɪŋ ðə moʊst ˌɪmˈpruvd pleɪər əˈwɔrd, ənd jɛs, bɔrn əv ə ˈsəmərˌtaɪm ˈsaɪnɪŋ tɪ ə 106 ˈmɪljən ˈmæksəməm ˈkɑnˌtrækt ɪkˈstɛnʃən. ɪn maɪnd, ʧeɪnʤd: stɪl ðə haɪ skul ˈsɑfˌmɔr hu stɑrt ɔn ðə ˈvɑrsɪti tim, hu ˈstrəgəld tɪ faɪnd ə dɪˈvɪʒən aɪ ˈskɑlərˌʃɪp ˈɔfər. ɪn hɪz maɪnd, stɪl ðə ˈliˌhaɪ ˌjunəˈvərsəti stɑr hu pæst ɔn ðə ˈɛnˌbiˈeɪ dræft ɛz ə ˈʤunjər ˈoʊnli tɪ ˈfrækʧər hɪz fʊt ˈʃɔrtli ˈɪntu hɪz ˈsinjər jɪr ənd ˈwəndər: aɪ ʤɪst bloʊ maɪ ˈoʊnli opportunity?”*?” skroʊl tɪ kənˈtɪnju wɪθ ˈkɑntɛnt æd bɪn ə roʊl player,”*,” məˈkɔləm toʊld ðə ˈvərtɪkəl. drɛst ɪn ə sut ɔn ðə ɛnd əv ðə bɛnʧ. bɪn ə [nɑnˈstɑrtər] ɪn haɪ skul. bɪn ðə gaɪ wɪθ noʊ ˈskɑlərˌʃɪps traɪɪŋ tɪ gɪt ən ˈɔfər. bɪn ðə gaɪ ˈteɪkɪŋ aɪs bæθs ɪn træʃ kænz æt ˈliˌhaɪ bɪˈkəz wət wi hæd. teɪk ˈɛni əv ðɪs fər granted.”*.” [saɪn əp fər ˈjɑˌhu ˈfænəsi ˈbæskətˌbɔl mɑk dræft ˈleɪtəst nuz] haʊ ðə wərld kəmz tɪ riʧ ˈɪntu jʊr bæŋk əˈkaʊnt, wɛl, ə ˈdɪfərənt ˈstɔri. fərst əv ɔl, məˈkɔləm meɪks ˈmɪljən ðɪs ˈsizən. ðə ˌfɔˈrjɪr, 106 ˈmɪljən ˈkɑnˌtrækt stɑrts ɪn ənd jɛs, məˈkɔləm əˈgriz ˈlɪtəl, ɪf ˈɛni, ˌprɛpərˈeɪʃən fər ðə ˈɔnsˌlɔt ðət kəmz wɪθ ðə ˈkɑnˌtrækt. fər səm, ðɪs ɪz ðə ˈhɑrdəst pɑrt: haʊ du ju lərn tɪ seɪ noʊ? haʊ du ju ˈmænɪʤ ðə ˈbæləns bɪtˈwin ˈfæməli ənd frɛndz, faʊnˈdeɪʃənz ənd ˈʧɛrɪtiz, ənd ðoʊz ˈkloʊzər traɪ tɪ gɪt ˈoʊvər ɔn jʊr gʊd ˈneɪʧər? ˈstɔri kənˈtɪnjuz insane,”*,” məˈkɔləm toʊld ðə ˈvərtɪkəl. wɔnt tɪ traɪ tɪ teɪk ædˈvæntɪʤ əv ju hu ju ər, wət ju stænd fər, ðə fækt ðət ə nis ˈpərsən. ənd ðɛr ər ˈpipəl aʊt ðɛr hu ər ˈʤɛnjuˌaɪnli sɪnˈsɪr ənd ˈʤɛnjuˌaɪnli nid hɛlp. ˈpipəl kloʊz tɪ mi, ˈɑbviəsli hɛlp ðɛm. bət aɪ hɛlp ˈɛvriˌbɑdi. aɪ kənˈtrɪbjut tɪ ˈɛvəri ˈʧɛrɪti. aɪ kənˈtrɪbjut tɪ ˈɛvəri aɪˈdiə ˈsəmˌbɑdi həz ə nu ˌɪnˈvɛnʃən, ə nu ˈprɑdəkt. ˈɛvriˌbɑdi həz aɪˈdiəz fər haʊ ju ʃʊd spɛnd jʊr ˈməni, ˌbiˈfɔr ju ˈivɪn hæv jʊr ˈməni. hæv hæd səm aʊˈtreɪʤəs prəˈpoʊzəlz. aɪ ʤɪst toʊld [ˈeɪʤənt] sæm [ˈgoʊldˌfɛdər], ˈivɪn sɛnd mi anymore.’*.’ ˈpipəl ər iˈmeɪlɪŋ ɪm wɪθ aɪˈdiəz fər ˈstɑrtɪŋ ə ˈʧɛrɪti. ər ə faʊnˈdeɪʃən. laɪk, ‘‘hey*, aɪ hæv ə ˈdoʊnərz fənd wɛr aɪ gɪv tɪ ðə ˈkɔzɪz ðət hæv əˈfɛktɪd mi, ˈkɔzɪz ðət aɪ kɛr about.’*.’ ˈpipəl ðət aɪ tɔkt tɪ ɪn jɪrz wɪl riʧ aʊt frəm ˈnəmbərz, fər ə ˈrizən, ðət aɪ hæv seɪvd. ju seɪv ˈɛvriˌbɑdi. bət aɪ gɪt hir ɔn maɪ oʊn, ənd aɪ ˈriəˌlaɪz ðət. wɪn ðə taɪm ɪz raɪt, du wət ɪz ˈnɛsəˌsɛri fər ðoʊz aɪ kɛr əˈbaʊt. bət ju seɪv ðə wərld. wɔnt ju tɪ ˌɪnˈvɛst. aɪ tɛl ˈpipəl: aɪ hæv ə ˈsɑləd ˌɪnˈvɛstmənt skim. ˈhɪtɪŋ beɪs hɪts ənd fər ðə rɛst əv maɪ laɪf. aɪ nid ˈɛni hoʊm rənz. aɪ nid ˈɛni skimz. aɪ nid tɪ kənˈtɪnju tɪ seɪv ðə ˈprɑpər weɪ, faɪnd gʊd pərˈsɛnɪʤ reɪts wɛr aɪ kən gɪt ˈməni frəm maɪ ˈməni wɪˈθaʊt ˈtəʧɪŋ maɪ ˈprɪnsəpəl ənd prəˈtɛkt maɪ ˈæˌsɛts fər maɪ fˈjuʧər generations.”*.” fər məˈkɔləm, wət ʧeɪnʤd ər hɪz ˈbleɪzərz riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪps, əˈspɛʃəli wɪθ ˈlɪlərd, ə ˌɔlˈstɑr. ˈgoʊldən steɪt həz ðə bɛst ɪn ðə ˈɛnˌbiˈeɪ wɪθ ˈstivən ˈkəri ənd kleɪ ˈtɑmsən, bət ˈpɑrtnərˌʃɪp əv ˈlɪlərd ənd məˈkɔləm meɪks ə strɔŋ keɪs fər noʊ. 2 fər ɔl ðə dɪsˈfəŋkʃən ðət həz ɪgˈzɪstəd bɪtˈwin ʤɑn wɔl ənd ˈbrædli bil, ðə ˈbleɪzərz gɑrdz hæv bɪn ə ˈmɑdəl ˌɪləˈstreɪʃən əv ðə ɪˈstæblɪʃt stɑr ˈriʧɪŋ aʊt ənd ˈəˌplɪftɪŋ, ɪmˈpaʊərɪŋ hɪz ˈjəŋgər ˈtiˌmeɪt nɑt traɪɪŋ tɪ ˈstaɪfəl ɪm. həz dɪˈfərd tɪ mi leɪt ɪn games,”*,” məˈkɔləm toʊld ðə ˈvərtɪkəl. ˈɔlˌweɪz si ðət frəm stɑr pleɪərz. koʊʧ wʊd drɔ əp ə pleɪ fər mi leɪt ɪn ə geɪm, ənd hi lʊk æt ɪm laɪk ˈkreɪzi. hi tɛlz mi, gɪt ðɪs ˈbəkɪt, man.’*.’ ðət taɪp əv riˈleɪʃənˌʃɪp, wɛr huˈɛvər həz ðə ˈbɛtər ˈmæʧəp, ju goʊ wɪθ ɪm ənd ju trəst ɪm. ˈnɛvər hæd tɪ dɪˈskəs ˈteɪkɪŋ ə bæd ʃɑt, ər ˈɛniˌθɪŋ laɪk ðət. wi ˌəndərˈstænd haʊ hɑrd wi wərk, ənd ˈwɪnɪŋ ɪz əˈbəv ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ. wi wɔnt tɪ wɪn. ˈwɪnərz ər ˈrɛkəgˌnaɪzd. ˈwɪnərz ər peɪd. ˈwɪnərz bɪˈkəm ˈlɛʤəndz. ˈwɪnərz bɪˈkəm ˈlɛgəsi. ðeɪ pʊt winners’*’ ˈbænərz əp. ðeɪ gɪv ˈwɪnərz rings.”*.” wɪn ju ərn ðə moʊst ˌɪmˈpruvd pleɪər əˈwɔrd ənd gɪt ə mæks ˈkɑnˌtrækt ənd bɪˈlɔŋ tɪ ə tim ðət moʊst bɪˈliv ʃʊd wɪn 50 geɪmz, ˈɛvriˌwən ˈpʊʃɪz ˈhɑrdər ənd ˈhɑrdər ˈɪntu jʊr speɪs. məˈkɔləm swɛrz hi siz ɪt ˈkəmɪŋ naʊ, ˌɪnˈsaɪd ənd ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ðə ʤɪm, ənd ðə boʊld, nu ˌriˈæləˌti əv hɪz laɪf. frəm wɛr hi keɪm frəm haʊ hi roʊz c.j*. məˈkɔləm noʊz ðɪs: ɪf ˈɛvriˌθɪŋ ɛls ɪz ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ əraʊnd ju, wɛl, ju ˈbɛtər nɑt. mɔr ˈɛnˌbiˈeɪ ˈkəvərɪʤ:
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