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Zane and Allison Hobbs-Part Two-Sexuality and Empowerment
in Women
Zane and Allison Hobbs discuss sexuality and female empowerment.
Interviews with Zane and Maya Anderson
Authors on the Rise will interview Ms. Zane at 8:05pm and Ms. Maya Anderson, a 13yr. old author at 9:20pm. Join us for an exciting evening.
Zane and Allison Hobbs-Part One-On Writing
in Books
Zane interviews Allison Hobbs about her dozens of titles and what it takes to make it in the writing industry.
BBCO/Rosie O'Donnel and Mike Brown
Hosted by dark-skinned free-thinker Vincent E Brown, this show discusses a myriad of issues from the political, moral, and religious. Of course, every now and then a bit of controversy is liable to show up at any time, so tune in and listen to a host who is black, Christian, and conservative.
Today, I will talk about some idiotic comments made by liberal comedienne extraordinaire, Rosie O'Donnel and the situation brewing in Ferguson, MO concerning the Mike Brown incident.
Getting To Know Author, Producer and Publisher Zane
New York Times Bestsellling Author Zane, has a new movie, Addicted coming to a theater near you on October 10th. The movie is based on her bestselling book, Addicted . Addicted displays an extremaly talanted and sexy all star cast. The buzz around this movie is astonishing! This is a movie that you do not want to miss!
Her latest book, The Other Side Of The Pillow is receiving rave reviews. Zane is a one stop entertainment shop,.She is a force to to reckon with.
Zane is the New York Times Bestselling Author of ten titles: Dear G Spot: Straight Talk About Sex and Love, Afterburn, Skyscraper, Nervous, The Sisters of APF, Gettin' Buck Wild: The Sex Chronicles 2, The Heat Seekers, Shame on it All, Addicted and The Sex Chronicles: Shattering the Myth. She is also an editor or a contributor to several other titles including: Love is Never Painless, Caramel Flava, Chocolate Flava, Breaking the Cycle, , Best American Erotica 2004, Best Black Women's Erotica, Brown Sugar 2, Twilight Moods, Dark Dreams, and the essay collection Becoming Myself: Reflections of Growing Up Female edited by Willa Shalit, the producer of the famous Vagina Monologues.
In addition to writing, Zane is the Publisher of Strebor Books International, an imprint of ATRIA/Simon and Schuster. Under Strebor, Zane is responsible for acquiring dozens of titles per year and currently has nearly fifty authors under her imprint. In December 2005, Strebor Books became the first major publishing house to implement an independent sales representative program.
Michael Brown
in Music
The U.N., however, blasted back at the couple after only mere hours of deliberation. In a statement released early this morning Senior chairmen of the UN's Committee Against Torture dismissed the couple's plea entirely.
"The sense of entitlement these people displayed is reprehensible" said chair member, Dr. Amancio Dominguez in an interview with National Report. "We deal with legitimate and widespread instances of human rights violations, and frankly the issues presented to us here are not even a blip on our radar. It is in our opinion after reviewing all the evidence that the officer in question committed absolutely no wrong doing."
He continued, "While I feel for loss endured by these two individuals, I believe they are blinded by grief, and this is simply not the forum which to project those feelings. My colleagues and I went over the surveillance footage, as well as other evidence documented in the case, and we believe that Michael Brown is indeed guilty of the acts of which he is being charged."
Another member of the UN committee told CNN this morning, "We have much more important things to do than involve ourselves in county level legal proceedings. This was an absolute waste of our time. Compared to human rights violations that are prevalent in such 3rd world countries as North Korea and Brazil, America's plight simply does not compare. While instances of police brutality certainly do exist, we have found that this was no such a case, and we will not be intervening in the matter."
Conversations 47: Zane
in Film
On the latest episode of Conversations, best-selling erotic author Zane is our special guest to talk about the adaptation of her book and now major motion picture, Addicted. Her work, which was the basis for the Cinemax programs, Zane's Sex Chronicles.and Zane's The Jump Off, is bringing her sizzling heat to the big screen. Zane will talk about her journey and more on Episode 47 of Conversations.
The Author Chat Show with Lynda D. Brown
in Books
Meet author Richard Tiller. Richard will be chatting with me about his book, Tough Conversations with the Heart of Jesus.
About the book:
If you will ever have to face another tough conversation, this book was written for you. Tough Conversations with the Heart of Jesus offers a Biblical perspective on how to anticipate and engage in these encounters in a way that will achieve the best results for everyone involved. The key to success in tough conversations lies in the heart. Skills are important, too, but if you have the right heart for tough conversations, the skills come more easily. Jesus shows the right heart for tough conversations. The biggest obstacle to success in tough conversations is fear. Eliminating fear changes everything. Jesus shows how to replace fear with courage, anxiety with calm, weakness with strength, insecurity with confidence, and pessimism with optimism. Tough conversations have been some of the most difficult challenges that human civilization has faced throughout history.
The Author Chat Show with Lynda D. Brown
in Books
My guest on Saturday, Nov. 22 is author Chasity Strawder. Chasity will be joining me to discuss her new book, Broken For the Promise.
About the book:
Chasity Strawder takes a trip down memory lane, recalling the hardships she endured after learning she was pregnant with her second son, Joshua. Chasity's battle for her life, and her survival through endometriosis, homelessness, and much more will encourage and strengthen you.
About the author:
Chasity Strawder is a native of Southeast Arkansas, but has been a resident of the Midwest for almost fifteen years. Besides becoming an author, pursuing a career as an educator has been the highlight of her life. Chasity was an elementary teacher for seven years in Michigan, and has just recently completed a master's degree in Educational Leadership. She is certified as a K-12 principal. "Broken For The Promise" is her first book, but she has future plans to write others.
Social Media Marketing with Amy Donohue | Brown Bag Business Chat
in Marketing
Join Heather Steele with guest host Amy Donohue from The Fab Social. The good, the bad, and the ugly of social media marketing. Tune in for tips to avoid looking like a jerk online!
Topics included in this chat:
What is your definition of social media?
How has social media changed your life?
How do you bridge the gap between the person and the brand on Twitter?
How do you introduce your business in the mix?
Do you agree social media is good for SEO and that sharing your content is smart?
What is the one habit you wish people would break?
About your host, Ms. Heather Steele:
Heather is the Chief Marketing Officer for Blue Steele Solutions, in Denton, Texas. She is a marketing professional specializing in interactive/Web marketing. She practices innovative operations and process development with a knack for making the most out of small marketing/sales budgets and personnel.
The Author Chat Show with Lynda D. Brown
in Books
Sunday, Nov. 23rd,I'll be chatting with author Meiah Shaun. Meiah will be stopping by Author Chat to discuss her new book, Marvelous Are Thy Works as part of her Write Now Literary book tour.
About the book:
Fatima, her best friend Lauryn and her cousin Sheba are natural hair stylist at All Natural Hair Salon in Washington, DC. Fatima wants to build a brand and invest into other business ventures for their salon. She desires to empower African American women by motivational speaking about the natural hair movement. She wants to travel nationally to spread her message. Lauryn and Sheba have rejected Fatima's business proposal. They are going through different life events and are struggling to maintain their friendships while doing business together. Fatima's boyfriend has not proposed after dating her for over five years. Fatima has to stand on her faith and follow her instincts as she moves into her destiny.
Marvelous Are Thy Works is an inspirational story about natural hair empowerment, self love and relationships.
About the author:
Meiah Shaun is an inspirational author and freelance writer. She is a graduate of LeTourneau University. She is a native of Orange, Texas and currently resides in Plano, Texas. Meiah Shaun is the author of Marvelous Are Thy Works, a novella. Meiah Shaun has a special interest in empowering African American women to self love and to embrace their natural hair. She and her twin sister rock Sisterlocks. Her fraternal twin sister is thirteen minutes older than her.
Noon Day School of Prayer with Nora Love and Vonita Brown
in Radio
BiblentheHood presents the Noonday School of Prayer with Mother Nora
Love. Teaching on what the Word of God declares as it relates to prayer.
Mother Love is a seasoned Christian who takes us deep into the prayer closet as she shares biblical truth and spiritual insight about prayer, Holy living and the Work of the Holy Spirit.
Co-hosted with Vonita Brown
Vonita Brown is a mighty women of God and dynamic prayer strategist who takes command with prophetic prayers to encourage the Body of Christ
The Noon Day School of Prayer is broadcast Monday through Wednesday from 12:30-1:00 PM (PST) Women of all Faiths and denominations are welcome.
If you enjoy listening to this broadcast join in on the Time2PUSH Ministries
Prayerline weekly Mon-Fri 12:30-1:00 PM (PST) and get on the Call 559-
726-1200 access code 523740#
It's time 2PUSH- Pray Until Something Happens
BibleNTheHood meets every Thursday @ 7pm
Restoration City Church 730 Taylor Street Fairfield, CA
Neva Lema, Pastor
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Mustang CAT
Mustang CAT Reviews
"I'm a service tech that went through the Think Big college program at OSUIT. "
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God benefits. Company in general is great to its employees. Good hours and weekends off if working in the shop.Cons
Working in El Campo is its own con... management is hard to deal with there.... And at that location your under paid compared to the rest of the company and industry.Advice to ManagementAdvice
Pay your employees like they should be. And show that you care about them and show respect to themRecommendsNeutral OutlookApproves of CEO
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In need of construction equipment that is as strong as a horse or stronger? Mustang Cat sells and leases new and used Caterpillar brand construction machinery and power systems to its customers in Southeast Texas.
Mustang Cat provides Caterpillar construction equipment and a selected group of allied lines, and Caterpillar engines as well as the design, engineering, and fabrication of engine packages in a wide range of power ratings.
The Cat Rental Store offers Caterpillar and allied lines of large and small equipment for the building construction industry. Other... More

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Play Free Lace Love on EnjoyDressUp
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Princess And Her Pony
The Girl And The Birds
A Rosy Outlook
This cute girl loves to wear clothes made by lace fabrics and she has in her fashionable wardrobe many beautiful items. Just check it out to see her feminine clothes, then choose the outfit you like best of all to dress her up for a new day! She is going to meet her boyfriend for a coffee and she wants to look very cute, so pay attention to all the details! Enjoy!


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Posted by bonniekgoodman on November 3, 2014
Sen. Strom Thurmond, D-S.C., waves as he leaves the Senate chamber at end of his 24 hour, 18-minute one-man filibuster on the floor. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) launched an old-fashioned filibuster Wednesday… But it doesn't appear that Paul is going to come close to the legendary filibusters — starting with Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," who was depicted as having spoken nearly 24 hours, though the 1939 movie only ran a bit more than two hours.
The record filibuster goes, of course, to former South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond in opposing the 1957 civil rights bill. Thurmond, then a Democrat, held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes….READ MORE
Source: USA TODAY, 3-6-13
STORY: Sen. Rand Paul filibusters CIA nominee
The five longest filibusters, per Senate records:
Strom Thurmond — 24 hours, 18 minutes, 1957…
Alfonse D'Amato — 23 hours, 30 minutes, 1986…
Wayne Morse — 22 hours, 26 minutes, 1953…
Robert LaFollette — 18 hours, 23 minutes, 1908…
William Proxmire — 16 hours, 12 minutes, 1981
Posted by bonniekgoodman on March 6, 2013
Source: Daily Mail UK, 2-11-13
Pope Gregory XII was the last pope to resign, standing down in 1415.
His resignation ended the Western Schism – a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 which saw two rival popes claiming to be in office: one based in Avignon, France; the other in Rome.
The dilemma of papal allegiance arose following the death of Gregory XI, an Avignon Pope, in 1378….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on February 11, 2013
Source: LAT, 2-11-13
The decision by Pope Benedict XVI to resign is a reminder of some colorful and controversial moments in Roman Catholic Church history….READ MORE
Source: Smithsonian, 2-11-13
308: Pope Marcellinus stepped down from the position shortly before dying…
366: Pope Liberius also stepped down without a clear reason.
1009: Pope John XVIII ended his time as pope and retired to a monastery….
1045: Pope Benedict IX was the first pope to very clearly step down….
1294: Pope Celestine V is probably the most famous of abdicators….
1415: Pope Gregory XII resigned in an attempt to end the Western Schism….
2013: Benedict XVI.
Dear Brothers,
I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on February 11, 2013
Source: Time, 2-20-12
To set the record straight, today isn't actually Presidents' Day. It is still known as Washington's Birthday, according to the federal government and section 6103(a) of title 5 of the U.S. Code.
Give George Washington the credit he's due, since this whole holiday thing started in 1796 when people began celebrating him during his final year as President. But even then, his Feb. 22 birthday wasn't a clear-cut date. At that time, there was still a bit of confusion over the change in calendar systems, especially considering Washington's birthday dated back to 1732. For those still using the old-school Julian-style calendar, which was in use in England until 1752, Washington's birthday was Feb. 11. The Gregorian calendar, which took over for the Julian style, however, had his birthday as Feb. 22. That led to some confusion in the 1700s.
But our forefathers worked through their differences and landed on honoring Washington annually on Feb. 22, often with galas in Washington, D.C., and the tried and true U.S. pastime of drinking. The tradition of celebrating Washington continued for the next 90 or so years, and Congress made the holiday a law, giving Washington the first federal holiday to honor a person when they made it official in 1880….READ MORE
The use of Presidents' Day as the name continued to grow in popularity, gaining widespread acceptance by the 1980s. Then, in 1999, due to Presidents' Day having taken over as the accepted name, a pair of bills tried to force the official use of Washington's Birthday for the holiday (Ronald Reagan's birthday on Feb. 6 has added a fourth presidential birthday to the month of February). But there wasn't much support for that, in essence offering Presidents' Day a chance to celebrate not only Washington and Lincoln, but also all other presidents. Even Harrison.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on February 20, 2012
Source: National Geographic, 2-13-12
Illustration by Labrouste Del., Mary Evans Picture Library/Alamy
John Roach for National Geographic News
Where did Valentine's Day come from? (Think naked Romans, paganism, and whips.) What does it cost? And why do we fall for it, year after year?
Valentine's Day History: Roman Roots
More than a Hallmark holiday, Valentine's Day, like Halloween, is rooted in pagan partying. (See "Halloween Facts: Costumes, History, Urban Legends, More.")
The lovers' holiday traces its roots to raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility, said classics professor Noel Lenski of the University of Colorado at Boulder.
The annual pagan celebration, called Lupercalia, was held every year on February 15 and remained wildly popular well into the fifth century A.D.—at least 150 years after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Lupercalia was "clearly a very popular thing, even in an environment where the [ancient] Christians are trying to close it down," Lenski said. "So there's reason to think that the Christians might instead have said, OK, we'll just call this a Christian festival."
The church pegged the festival to the legend of St. Valentine.
According to the story, in the third century A.D., Roman Emperor Claudius II, seeking to bolster his army, forbade young men to marry. Valentine, it is said, flouted the ban, performing marriages in secret.
For his defiance, Valentine was executed in A.D. 270—on February 14, the story goes.
While it's not known whether the legend is true, Lenski said, "it may be a convenient explanation for a Christian version of what happened at Lupercalia."
(Valentine's Day Pictures: Animal Pairs.)
Valentine's Day Cards
The first Valentine's Day card was sent in 1415 from France's Duke of Orléans to his wife when he was a prisoner in the Tower of London following the Battle of Agincourt, according to the association.
During the Revolutionary War, Valentine's Day cards—mostly handwritten notes—gained popularity in the U.S. Mass production started in the early 1900s.
Valentine's Day Candy:
Fifteenth-century Aztec emperor Moctezuma I believed "eating chocolate on a regular basis made him more virile and better able to serve his harem."
The origin of Valentine's Day is mysterious. Valentine's Day comes from a figure in Christian history but the exact identity of St. Valentine is difficult to prove. Tradition holds Valentine was a priest in Rome, who aided and sheltered Christians in persecution under Claudius II. In addition, he married Christian couples under the newly found faith of Christianity. Valentine was caught, and sent to Rome to renounce his faith. Valentine was be beaten with clubs and was be beheaded. He was executed on February 14, sometime around year 270.
One tradition holds that Valentine himself sent the first "Valentine" card:
While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today.
Several "Valentine" names are mentioned in history with a connection to St. Valentine: One is described as a priest at Rome, another as bishop of Interamna (modern day Terni, Italy), or martyred priest in Africa. Two of these two individuals seem to have suffered in the latter half of the third century and were buried on the Flaminian Way outside Rome, but at different distances from the city.
To confuse the understanding of Valentine's Day and St. Valentine, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. Many Christian historians believe that Pope Galasius did this to Christianize the pagan holiday of Lupercalia, which was a bloody and strange observance.
All of this uncertainty might lead one to believe that St. Valentine was just a made up saint. A figure of the imagination of Christians looking for a story. A myth. Such inconsistencies cause doubt and leave a rather murky past for this holiday. But, one piece of evidence may prove that St. Valentine was an actual historical figure. A catacomb was discovered from the third century that was dedicated to Valentine.
Regardless if there was one or two individuals named Valentine, it is clear that ancient Christians believed in Valentine as an actual historical figure that they dedicated a tomb to in his honor. His story inspired early Christians to continue their faith under persecution. It wasn't until famous writers, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, who made it popular to send love notes to lovers on Valentine's Feast Day.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on February 14, 2012
If you want to prepare for Thanksgiving like a real Pilgrim this year, here's what you should do: Cancel the plane reservations. Stop jotting down recipes. Leave the libations alone.
For the Pilgrims and Puritans, "thanksgiving" days were spontaneous and sober affairs.
When friends arrived from overseas, European Protestants defeated Catholics in battle, or a bumper crop was reaped, the Pilgrims dedicated a day to thanking divine Providence.
They would have considered it presumptuous to schedule a thanksgiving day in advance, said Francis Bremer, an emeritus professor of history at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. "It assumes that God is going to be good to you each particular year."
The Pilgrims' days of thanksgiving were usually spent in church, singing psalms, listening to sermons and praying. Work and playful pastimes were forbidden. When God provided, the Pilgrims were serious about gratitude.
Despite their reputation as buckle-belted killjoys, the Puritans and Pilgrims knew how to have a good time. They brewed beer, feasted on fowl and enjoyed sex — all in moderation, of course.
That's why some historians believe the 1621 celebration that's sometimes dubbed the "First Thanksgiving," was not actually a "thanksgiving" day at all. In fact, some historians even call it a "secular event."
"The 1621 gathering in Plymouth was not a religious gathering but most likely a harvest celebration much like those the English had known in farming communities back home," write Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac in their book, "1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving."….
The problem with defining the original 1621 celebration — besides the dearth of historical evidence — is the absence of a full-time minister among the Pilgrims, said Bremer. Religious rituals were not as formal as they would become when a pastor, Ralph Smith, arrived nearly a decade later.
In other words, the Pilgrims were winging it in 1621: Glad to be alive after a dangerous voyage, happy for a good harvest and excited about their future in a fresh, new land.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on November 23, 2011
As today's Columbus Day celebrations begin, marking Columbus' 1492 arrival in the New World, here are some little-known facts about the explorer celebrated by Italian-Americans across the United States.
1. When the Columbus Day Holiday Began
In the U.S., it's sometimes reported that the national holiday began in 1971, but that's actually the date when Congress changed Columbus Day to the second Monday of October. In reality, Columbus Day became a national holiday much earlier, in 1937. At that time, President Franklin Roosevelt declared the holiday would take place on Oct. 12 (the date Columbus first landed in the Bahamas). But the first known Columbus Day celebration in the U.S. took place in New York City in 1792, long before it became a national holiday.
2. Columbus' Journal Was Intended for an Audience
When historians examine primary sources from Columbus' voyages, they aren't reading private diaries. They're evaluating correspondence intended for the explorer's sponsors, those he refers to as the "Most Christian, High, Excellent, and Powerful Princes, King and Queen of Spain." In that sense, it's entirely possible that these journals were embellished, with some facts manipulated in Columbus' favor.
3. Columbus' Bones Are Still Shrouded in Mystery
It's still unclear where Columbus' bones were finally laid to rest.
When Columbus died in 1506 his remains were taken to a family mausoleum in Seville, Spain. But nearly 40 years later his son requested that the remains be placed in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo in the capital of the Dominican Republic, where he intended to be buried. In the late 1700s the bones moved to Cuba, and 100 year later they returned to Seville. But in 1877 bones marked as those of Columbus were found by cathedral workers in the Dominican Republic. Those bones have since been interred in the Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo.
In 2006, the year of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' death, a forensic team found DNA from bones buried in a cathedral in Seville matched the DNA from Columbus' brother, Diego. But at the time, the director of the Columbus Lighthouse insisted Columbus' remains had never left the Dominican Republic.
4. Pope Rejected Bid for Columbus' Sainthood
In 1882 the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's fraternity, supported Italian Americans who rallied for Columbus to be recognized as a saint because they said he had brought Christianity to the Indians. Pope Leo XIII, however, rejected that request because Columbus had an illegitimate son with Beatriz Enríquez de Harana, his mistress.
5. Columbus Brought Citrus to the New World
The history books note Columbus forcibly scored a lot of loot from the islands he visited, making off with gold, parrots, spices, and human captives from Haiti, an island he later named Hispaniola. The "riches" pleased his Spanish sponsors, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I, who were funding the voyage. During the process, Columbus also carried European items to the New World. In 1493, the year of Columbus's second voyage, he brought citrus fruit seeds to the West Indies and the trees ended up in the West Indies, Mexico, and Florida.
Source: NPR, 10-10-11
Tell Me More Audio Interview: Click to Play [11 min 48 sec]
Columbus Day is a national holiday, celebrated with parades and songs. While most Americans know that Columbus sailed the ocean blue, many of the facts surrounding the voyage remain misunderstood. Guest host Tony Cox speaks with historian William Fowler to set the record straight on some of the popular myths surrounding Christopher Columbus and his voyage.
TONY COX, host: I'm Tony Cox, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Michel Martin is away.
Coming up, we go to the West African country of Liberia as the country prepares to head to the polls. Many are watching to see whether the current president and modern Africa's first female head of state will stay in power. That's in just a few moments.
But first, today is Columbus Day, a day that schoolchildren across America celebrate the arrival of the man who was credited with discovering our country. But since 1492, we've learned a lot about what really happened. And today, we wanted to do a little myth busting about Christopher Columbus…..
COX: Now, Professor Fowler, not everyone gets a day named after them. Martin Luther King comes to mind, George Washington, Abe Lincoln had days named after them at one point, which have since been combined into what we now know as President's Day.
But there are controversies about some of these holidays, particularly around Martin Luther King and now to a certain extent we're talking about it today. In fact, Christopher Columbus, we have celebrated Columbus Day forever, you know. One hundred years, for sure, and then there was a break and then another 100 years before that with only some modern opposition to the holiday. Why do we, as Americans, hold the story of Columbus in such high regard still?
FOWLER: Well, in looking at history, Tony, people love certainty and they love heroes. And so, here we have the combination. We have a certain date, October 12, 1492 and we have a heroic figure, Columbus. So, you combine those two and it sort of just energizes people. It's a very romantic concept. And then, of course, it is true that Columbus changed the world. That what Columbus did was to make a greater change in the world than any man had done since the days of Julius Caesar. That is what opened the door. So, Columbus did in fact play that extraordinary key moment, key time, a great heroic mission.
COX: One of the other things that he is given credit for, which I'm assuming is correct and you being the history professor can set the record straight for us, is that he did open new trade routes from Europe heading toward Asia, although he never actually got there, I think. And that he also was responsible for the trading of or the introduction of certain food stuffs and certain spices from one continent to another.
FOWLER: Yes, that's absolutely true. This is sort of what historians sometimes refer to as the Columbian Exchange, and that is that products clearly travel from Europe and from Africa to the New World, and New World products traveled back to Africa and to Europe, as well.
So this is the beginning of this great exchange, much of it beneficial, some of not so beneficial, particularly when we talk about diseases. Of course, the European diseases that arrived in the New World just wreaked tremendous damage to the native peoples. So, much went back and forth now across the Atlantic.
COX: Professor Fowler, one of the things that has happened in modern time, as we mentioned in the introduction to this story, is that people are starting to push back on this myth of Christopher Columbus. When did the controversy begin and when did people begin to, you know, question, really, whether or not Columbus did what the history books told us he did?
FOWLER: Well, Tony, for hundreds of years following Columbus' voyages, the story of Columbus is one of celebration, of discovery and of conquest. And I think in recent times, certainly in the 20th century and certainly today in the 21st century, thankfully, we've become much more sensitive about indigenous cultures and the harm, the wreckage that the European arrival here in the New World visited upon those people.
And so, I think, as we reflect on that and the cost to native peoples here in this world, the damage that was done, I think that sort of mellows the way we might be thinking about Columbus, not suggesting we blame him individually. I don't think that's correct. He was a man of his times. But there was great evil that was done when the Europeans came. Today, perhaps, we think of discovery. We might also think of the word, invasion, and the result of that. Much good has happened, clearly, but much evil happened, as well.
COX: Well, you know, it's been a long time, Bill Fowler, since you or I was in elementary school reading about Christopher Columbus in our textbooks. What do they say today? Do you know?
FOWLER: I think that the textbooks, at least the ones that I have used and you see, are ones that are much more sensitive and do indeed talk about the harm done to indigenous peoples, and try to put the Columbian experience into a notion of cultural encounter, what happens when two alien cultures encounter one another. That's something from which we can learn a great deal. What does, in fact, happen when alien – different cultures encounter one another, that's a lesson for our own times.
COX: I suppose, to end, we should say that, eventually, maybe the poem – in 1492, Columbus sailed the blue – is going to have to be revised a little bit.
FOWLER: Oh, I have no hope that it will make wide public acceptance….
COX: William Fowler is distinguished professor of history at Northeastern University. He joined us from member station WBUR in Boston. Professor Fowler, thank you very much for the information and the lesson.
FOWLER: Thank you, Tony, and happy Columbus Day.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on October 10, 2011
Ms. Goodman is the Editor of History Musings. She has a BA in History & Art History & a Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University, and has done graduate work in history at Concordia University.
SUFFOLK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY COURTESY PHOTO | The Main Street fish markets in Greenport after the 1938 hurricane.
Hurricanes Bob in 1991, Gloria in 1985, and Donna in 1960 reached the Northeast. The 1938 storm called "The Long Island Express" or "The Great Hurricane of 1938″ killed hundreds of people in New England.
Photos: The Great Hurricane of 1938 — Fox Tampa Bay
Meteorologists stay course through storm of criticism: WCVB-TV (Ch. 5) chief meteorologist Harvey Leonard recalled the deadly hurricane of 1938 — the worst natural disaster ever to hit New England.
"Six hundred people died. Five-hundred died on the south coast of New England, primarily southern Rhode Island, without knowing what hit them.
You always have to remember, there's a range of what can happen. We're not God, but we have great tools to work with. We're trying our best. You prepare for the worst. You hope for the best." — Boston Herald, 8-26-11
"The '38 hurricane was the fastest hurricane ever measured." — Dave Samuel, a meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania
"It was something devastating—and unreal—like the beginning of the world—or the end of it—and I slogged or sloshed, crawled through ditches and hung on to keep going somehow—got drenched and bruised and scratched— completely bedraggled—finally got to where there was a working phone and called Dad. The minute he heard my voice he said, 'how's your mother?'—And I said—I mean I shouted—the storm was screaming so—'She's all right. All right, Dad! But listen, the house—it's gone—blown away into the sea!' And he said, 'I don't suppose you had the brains enough to through a match into it before it went, did you? It's insured against fire, but not against blowing away!—and how are you?'" — Katharine Hepburn on beach house in Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Photos from the Hurricane of 1938 gallery (24 photos) — MassLive
Posted by bonniekgoodman on August 27, 2011
What it is: The debt ceiling is a legal cap on the amount of money the Treasury can borrow to fund existing government functions. It essentially authorizes the Treasury to borrow the money necessary to pay the bills incurred by the federal government.
Where it came from: Before 1917, Congress authorized the Treasury to issue bonds for specific purposes. But that meant approving every bond separately. To fund World War I, Congress decided to give the Treasury more latitude by instituting caps on how much it could borrow through each type of bond, rather than forcing it to get every new bond approved separately. In 1939, this was changed so that most bonds were bound by the same limit, effectively creating the general debt ceiling we have today.
How has it worked? The debt ceiling has traditionally been raised as a matter of course whenever Congress passes spending bills requiring more borrowing, though the opposition party has often voted against increases to signal its opposition to the majority's deficit spending. Between 1940 and 2010, we have increased the debt limit more than 70 times, and from 1979 to 1995, a House rule proposed by Rep. Richard Gephardt made increases automatic by raising the ceiling whenever new spending is approved. The new Republican majority repealed this rule in 1995 in order to use raising the debt ceiling as leverage in getting President Clinton to agree to spending cuts.
Why it's an issue now: Currently, the debt limit is set at $14.3 trillion. Around Aug. 2, the Treasury will exhaust that borrowing authority. Because spending currently exceeds revenues by almost 45 percent, if that happens, we will either have to default on our debt or stop funding a substantial portion of the government. Congress could simply choose to raise the debt ceiling, but like the 1995 House GOP, the 2011 House GOP is insisting that it will not increase the debt ceiling without large spending cuts from President Obama.
What happens if we don't raise the debt ceiling but continue to pay interest on our bonds? This is an option known as "prioritization." The Bipartisan Policy Center released a report attempting to think through how this would work in practice, as it has never been attempted before. The raw numbers are chilling: In August, the federal government would have to cut expenditures by about $134 billion, or 10 percent of the month's GDP. If it chose, for instance, to fund Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, supplies for the troops and interest on our bonds, it would have to stop funding every other part of the federal government. The drop in demand, when coupled with the turmoil in the markets and the general financial uncertainty, would undoubtedly throw the economy back into a recession. Also keep in mind that we have to roll over $500 billion in debt that month, and if there was uncertainty about how we were going to pay our bills, it is not clear we could find buyers for our debt at anything less than an exorbitant rate. In this way, "prioritization" could actually increase the deficit.
What happens if we stop paying the interest on our debt? This is too scary to consider for any serious length of time. Treasury securities sit at the base of the global financial system. They are considered so safe that the interest rate on Treasuries is called the "riskless rate of return," as the market assumes there is no chance of default under any circumstances. Almost all other types of debt — mortgages, credit card, auto loans, business loans, hospital bonds, etc. — are yoked to Treasuries. Almost all major financial players hold substantial portfolios of Treasuries or Treasury-related debt in order to buffer themselves against financial shocks. Consider that the 2007 financial crisis was caused by the market realizing it had to reassess the risk of bonds based on subprime mortgages. If the market has to reassess the risk of Treasuries, the resulting financial crisis will be beyond anything we've ever seen in this country.
Do we need a debt ceiling? Strictly speaking, no. The debt ceiling is unique to America. In other countries, when the legislature passes a law, the Treasury is given automatic authority to carry it out. A number of former Treasury Secretaries have said it should be abolished, including Larry Summers, who said, "I think that given that Congress has to approve all spending and all tax changes, there is not much logic to the debt ceiling."
Does the debt ceiling reduce deficits? In general, no. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office examined this issue and concluded (pdf) that "setting a limit on the debt is an ineffective means of controlling deficits because the decisions that necessitate borrowing are made through other legislative actions. By the time an increase in the debt ceiling comes up for approval, it is too late to avoid paying the government's pending bills without incurring serious negative consequences."
Is the debt ceiling unconstitutional? A number of commentators have suggested that the 14th Amendment, which states that "the validity of the public debt of the United States … shall not be questioned," renders the debt ceiling unconstitutional. Others have disagreed, including Lawrence Tribe, a professor of constitutional law at Harvard, who notes that the Constitution gives Congress the sole power "to borrow money on the credit of the United States." Ultimately, this point is probably moot, at least for the time being, as the Treasury Department has stated that it agrees with Professor Tribe's interpretation.
What are the deals that Congress is considering in order to raise the debt limit, and could you rank them from most-to-least likely?
* McConnell and McConnell-Reid: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed giving Obama the unilateral power to increase the debt ceiling, with Congress capable of blocking him if it passed and overrode his veto on resolutions condemning the increase in the limit. The idea would be to force Democrats to vote repeatedly in favor of increasing the debt ceiling, while allowing House Republicans to vote against it without forcing the U.S. to prioritize programs or default. House Republicans rejected this as a giveaway to the administration, so to make it more palatable to them McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have been working on attaching $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and an expedited congressional process for approving them to the plan.
* A big deal: In negotiations with congressional Republicans, Obama pushed for a deal to cut the deficit by $4 trillion over 10 years through a combination of discretionary cuts, changes to entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare, and revenue increases achieved through cutting tax breaks. Specific options considered as part of this plan included an increase in the Medicare retirement age, reducing the rate of growth for Social Security benefits, and cuts to the employer health care tax deduction. House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor rejected the big deal, but it appears to be making a comeback.
* A small deal: Negotiations between the administration and congressional Republicans uncovered between $1 trillion and $2 trillion in spending cuts that both the Democrats and the Republicans could accept. The Democrats would like to see these spending cuts accompanied by new revenues, but there have been some intimations that the Obama administration could accept a deal with $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and no new revenues. The most specific look we've gotten at these cuts came in a slideshow presented by Eric Cantor and leaked to the press.
* A clean debt limit increase: For the first few months of negotiations, the White House stated that it wanted a "clean" debt limit increase, not paired with any spending cuts or rule changes. When it became clear Congress would not vote for this, the administration abandoned the call and started working out a deal. On May 31, the House voted overwhelmingly against a clean debt limit increase, in an attempt by House Republicans to get Democrats on record supporting it. You can argue, however, that McConnell's proposal is essential a clean increase.
* Cut, Cap, Balance: Rep. Jason Chaffetz introduced a bill, backed by the House Republican leadership, called "Cut, Cap, and Balance," which would increase the debt ceiling in exchange for $111 billion in immediate cuts next year, statutory caps on spending, and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution that includes a spending cap of 18 percent of the previous year's GDP and would require supermajorities to raise taxes or increase the debt ceiling. If the amendment was ratified, spending would have to drop to its lowest levels since the 1950s — despite the fact that we now have Medicare, Medicaid, more seniors, etc. — and taxes would be almost impossible to raise. The White House has promised to veto the bill, saying that deficit reduction does not require changes to the Constitution, and that the cuts involved are draconian.
Further reading:
*The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's comprehensive primer on the debt ceiling.
*The Congressional Budget Office's report on "Federal Debt and Interest Costs."
*The Government Accounting Office's report on past efforts to manage delays in lifting the debt ceiling.
*The Bipartisan Policy Center's analysis of what will happen if we pass the Aug. 2 deadline without lifting the debt ceiling.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on July 22, 2011
(CNN) — America's political leaders are paralyzed. The government is reeling from debt. Corrupt bankers foreclose on people's homes as a brutal recession sweeps the land.
We're talking, of course, about the great debt standoff of 1786: Shays' Rebellion.
Nervous Americans glancing at the upcoming August 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling are being told that the nation is entering uncharted territory. But historians say they've seen this movie before.
Many of the same issues driving this modern-day standoff — disagreement on how to handle the national debt, ineffective government and a populist citizen's revolt — drove the 18th-century uprising that's been called America's first civil war.
Historians say the lesson that can be drawn from Shays' Rebellion and other transformative events in U.S. history is this: Protracted political gridlock is seldom resolved through compromise. It comes when one political party finally beats the other down.
Many Americans, however, have told pollsters that they want the political parties to work together to solve the debt ceiling crisis. Yet political stability doesn't always come through give-and-take, some historians say
"There are times when only the outright defeat of political enemies can bring about needed reform," says Richard Striner, a history professor at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.
"It was only by confronting and defeating the aggressive leadership of the slave states that Lincoln and the Civil War Republicans rid the nation of slavery."…READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on July 22, 2011
Source: NYT, 7-21-11
Polls show that most Americans are disgusted at the standoff in Washington over the nation's debt. Aren't they used to this by now? After all, battles over federal borrowing and spending go back to George Washington. Yet each era's debates and decisions change the stage for the challenges to come.
We asked some prominent historians for their perspective on the background to the current drama, as the clock ticks down on negotiations to keep the nation from falling into default. What evolution in the role of the two parties do we see? How have deficits affected a president's ideology, and vice versa? What are the important historical markers?
Richard Reeves
David Kennedy
Alonzo L. Hamby
Jon Meacham
H.W. Brands
Robert Dallek
Joan Hoff
Posted by bonniekgoodman on July 21, 2011
Ms. Goodman is the Editor of History Musings. She has a BA in History & Art History & a Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University, and has done graduate work in history at Concordia University.
Night falls on the Capitol on the eve of a government shutdown in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Michael Reynolds, EPA)
Days to the start of the 2014 fiscal year Congress cannot come to an agreement for a continuing resolution that would keep the government solvent. Adding to the issue this time is not just a budget that the administration could not agree, but also the debt ceiling is reaching its limit about 15 days after the budget expires.
This is second time in Barack Obama's presidency that a major threat loomed with the pressure of government shutdown. There have been 17 shutdowns in American history concentrated between the 1970s to the 1990s. This will be the 18th shutdown to hit Washington, and by October 17, the government would not have enough funds to meet its international loan obligations.
The government's budget has been at the center of all previous shutdowns, and the 2013 budget battle is only different that there is the added threat of hit the debt ceiling at the same time. A budget (annual appropriation bills) needs to be passed by Congress and signed by the President prior to the commence of the new fiscal year on October 1, or continuing resolutions also known as stopgap spending bills need to be passed to keep the government operating at the prior year's fiscal spending limits. However, if Congress fails to pass the appropriation bills, a continuing resolution, or the President vetoes or does not sign the resolution; these results in a government shutdown as there are no funds allocations to operate government.
The last and longest government shutdown in American history was when Democrat Bill Clinton was President and Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the Republican Congress in November 1995 and in December 1995 through to January 1996. The clash over the 1996 budget caused a government shutdown for six days in the first shutdown and for 21 days during the second shutdown. High partisanship affected the budget negotiation process resulting in the shutdown. According to Charles Tien writing on continuing resolutions in Robert E. Dewhirst, John David Rausch Encyclopedia of the United States Congress, "The government has shut down (partially) a total of 11 times since 1980; the fiscal year 1996 budget battle included two lengthy shutdowns. To avoid or end a government shutdown, the president or Congress must pass either the regular appropriation bill or a continuing resolution." (149)
Throughout the 1970s, various agencies have had to shutdown because of budget issues. As economic problems increased throughout the 1970s, Democratic President Jimmy Carter became the first president to face the issue of budget fights in Congress leading to the threat of government shutdowns. Lowell Barrington, Michael J. Bosia, Kathleen Bruhn Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices explain Despite being a Democratic President with a Democratic Congress "As Jimmy Carter found out during his four years as president of the United States, even having a legislature controlled by your own party is no guarantee that your policies will pass quickly, or resemble the original initiatives once they do." (240)
The whole concept of shutting down the government if a budget, appropriation bills, or continuing resolution, started with President Jimmy Carter. Charles Tien writing on continuing resolutions in Robert E. Dewhirst, John David Rausch Encyclopedia of the United States Congress explains, "Since 1980, failure to pass a CR or an appropriations bill has led to a government shutdown. In 1980 President Jimmy Carter's administration, in reevaluating a law passed in 1870, the Anti-deficiency Act ruled that agencies without appropriations had to close operations. The 1870 law said that "[I]t shall not lawful for any department of the government to expend in any one fiscal year any sum in excess of appropriations made by Congress for that fiscal year, or to involve the government in any contract for the future payment of money in a excess of appropriations." The Carter administrations ruling of the 1870 Anti-deficiency Act required Agencies without appropriations to shut down immediately."(149)
Congress used the law to shut down operations at the FTC in 1980. Tien explains; "The first agency to ever shut down for a lapse in appropriations was the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC shutdown for one day in 1980 because Congress refused to pass a full-year appropriation for the agency until it had authorizing legislation." (149)
The trend of government showdowns and shutdowns over the budget did not slow with the election of Republican President Ronald Reagan. The introduction of Keynesian supply-side economics to the Federal government, differing economic philosophies regarding spending, and an increase of partisanship between Democrats and Republicans accounted for the succession of government shutdowns throughout the 1980s.
During the Reagan administration, the government spent the most time on the brink of government closures. Steven Hayward writes in The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution 1980-1989; "Unable to agree on a budget, Congress passed a "continuing resolution" in November to keep the government running at current levels. Reagan cast his first veto and brieftly shut down the government, in a pattern that would repeat itself much of the next six years (and which was repeated most dramatically during Bill Clinton's presidency in 1995)." (188)
It was a battle that began from the onset of the administration and spanning the administration's two terms. Reagan and David Stockman worked to implement and impose his economic policies on Congress from the very start of his administration, causing friction.
The most remembered government shutdown in the Reagan Administration was in 1981. Tien explains that "President Ronald Reagan's administration used the shutdown guidelines the following year when Reagan vetoed a continuing resolution that resulted in a three-day broader government shutdown." (149) After short closures in 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1986, the government again faced similar situation in 1987 a closures were averted.
The Reagan administration in presenting and pursuing the passing of their first federal budget in 1981 looked to cut taxes, and cut spending in order to reduce the deficit and balance the budget. Reagan's economic solution was a program entitled "America's New Beginning"; a expansive program that would cut taxes, and spending across the board including social programs in order to reduce the swelling deficit, and infuse the lagging economic situation with life. The 1982 deficit was estimated to reach $109 billion.
Reagan in presenting his 1982 budget pleaded with the American people in a televised address; "Our immediate challenge is to hold down the deficit in the fiscal year that begins next week. A number of threats are now appearing that will drive the deficit upward if we fail to act… And without further cuts, we can't achieve our goal of a balance budget by 1984…. I'm asking all of you who joined in this crusade to save our economy to help again, to let your representatives know that you will support them in making the hard decisions to further reduce the cost and size of government." (187) Senator Ted Kennedy gave the Democratic response, "This is the government of the rich, by the rich for the rich." Summing up that the Democratic Congress was not interested in cutting the deficit or spending especially when it came to social programs.
The Reagan administration looked to cut spending in the upcoming 1982 budget. However, as the economy became increasingly worse by September and the Democratic Congress inability to find areas to cut that would have limited impact to rely upon social programs, there was an impass. Reagan reduced the numbers to 13 billion and then again by late October to half that amount, 7-8 billion, without any tax raises, and finally to meet Congress halfway at 4 billion and no less.
Nov 23, 1981: The spending feud between the Republican President Reagan and the Democratic Congress led to a shutdown. The November 20 deadline for a stop gap spending bill was on a Friday, however the House-Senate Conference delayed it to the following Monday to finalize a bill. The compromise bill consisted of 4 billion in spending savings/cuts, by reducing 2 percent of government spending. The White House in reviewing the numbers claimed there would only be 2 billion in savings from the proposed cuts. When presented with the bill in the morning, Reagan refused to sign Congress's continuing resolution.
Reporting in the New York Times stated; "President Reagan vetoed the measure as "budget-busting." Faced with the "difficult choice" of either signing the bill or disrupting Government services, the President said, "I have chosen the latter." Reagan's veto led to a shutdown in the government for the afternoon, forcing 400,000 of the 2.1 million federal employees home. Congress approved a stop gap spending bill which later the same day Reagan signed, ending the shutdown with work resuming the next morning. Only on December 12, 1981, did the Congress and and President Reagan approve an Omnibus spending bill, "setting the spending ceilings for the entire year, except in foreign aid. Thus, although the continuing resolution will be superseded by enactment of individual appropriation bills." (NYT, 12-13-1981, pg. 80)
The one day shutdown cost the government $65 million with a total of 670,000 workers furloughed. A worker who came to work as part of the essential government workers described it as a "snow day without snow…. People come to work sit around confused worry about their car pools, then maybe get interviewed on television." (NYT, 12-15-1985, pg. D23)
Oct. 4 1984: Congress failed to pass a stopgap money bill, when a new budget was not passed for the new fiscal year. On October 4th500,000 civil servants out of the 2.9 million civil servants where sent home from their jobs; leading to a partial shutdown. An emergency spending bill passed, which Reagan signed, and normal government operations continued the next morning. Both times the shutdowns were limited in their implications and impacts.
Nov 11, 1985: In Reagan's second term the government again faced a shutdown. Congress could not agree over a budget agreement, and the need to extend the federal borrowing limit, beyond the limit which was 1,823 trillion, which contradicted plans to balance the budget by 1991.
Oct. 17, 1986: The Democratic Congress and the Presidency's inability to agree on a new fiscal budget led to another half day furlough. Congress had also failed to come to an agreement and pass a spending bill. At Midday 500,000 non-essential federal employees were forced home. An emergency spending bill passed, returning employees the next day to work.
All previous government shutdowns lasted only short periods of time, in 1990 that changed under Reagan's successor and former Vice President, and then President George H.W. Bush when the government experienced its longest shutdown. In October 1990 the government was shut down a total of three days, because of Democratic Congress and the Republican President could not agree on a budget for 1991. As signs of economic problems were visible on the horizon, the battle was centered on the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to balance the budget.
Democrats wanted to increase taxes on the nation's richest to reduce the ballooning deficit, but in the 1988 campaign Bush had promise he would not increase any taxes across the board. Bush threatened to veto any budget that Congress presented to him that included a tax increase.
Oct. 6, 1990: President Bush made good on his veto threat; with the budget vetoed and without a continuing resolution agreed upon, the government was shut down throughout the three day Columbus Day weekend. Both the President and Congress wanted to limit the negative impact of a shutdown, and they agreed the new budget would not include any surtax or tax increases. Over the weekend President Bush then signed a continuance, and government opened on Tuesday morning.
The closure during the holiday weekend, limited the impact a three day closure would had on running the government, had it been closed for three days during the week. Bush was however, was forced to agree to tax increases, going against his main campaign pledge. The President signed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 on November 5, 1990 securing a budget for the fiscal year.
The 1995-1996 shutdowns were the longest amid the most heated battle over the budget between Congress and the President. President Clinton chose to veto several appropriation bills in the 1996 budget, at issue was funding amounts for social programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, public health, education, and the environment, all programs Clinton pledged to maintain to the public, however, the Republicans wanted Clinton to submit a seven year plan for a balanced budget. The Republican Congress could have voted on a continuance to keep the government operating on the previous fiscal years spending limits. However, the Republican controlled Congress looked to shut down the government hoping the public would blame the Democratic President, leading to a Republican victory in the next year's Presidential election.
Many believed Gingrich was motivated by revenge as opposed to policy when allowed the shutdown to occur, Senator Tom Delay in his memoirNo Retreat, No Surrender wrote, "He told a room full of reporters that he forced the shutdown because Clinton had rudely made him and Bob Dole sit at the back of Air Force One… (After Yizhak Rabin's funeral, where Clinton refused to discuss the budget as well on the flight) Newt had been careless to say such a thing, and now the whole moral tone of the shutdown had been lost. What had been a noble battle for fiscal sanity began to look like the tirade of a spoiled child. The revolution, I can tell you, was never the same." Throughout the shutdown Clinton suffered in the polls, but in the end the backlash was against the Republicans instead, whose popularity waned after the shutdowns, and in the 1996 election they actually lost 5 seats in the Congress to Democrats.
Nov 13, 1995: The first shutdown commenced at midnight on November 13, 2005, after a last minute attempt to avert the shut down; Clinton, Gingrich, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and Senator Bob Dole met, but failed to reach a compromise. Clinton described the negotiations in his memoirs, My Life; "Armey replied gruffly that if I didn't give in to them, they would shut the government down and my presidency would be over. I shot back, saying I would never allow their budget to become law, "even if I drop to 5 percent in the polls. If you want your budget, you'll have to get someone else to sit in this chair!" Not surprisingly, we didn't make a deal." At the midnight, a partial shutdown led to 800,000 "nonessential employees" being sent home or told not to come into to work, with only emergency government services remained open. This represented 42 percent of the civil servants employed. The shutdown only ceased with an agreement on a temporary spending bill.
Dec 16, 1995-Jan 5, 1996: When the temporary funding measures expired, and no continuance was yet again signed, the government shut down this time for 14 days from December 16, 1995 and finally ending on January 5, 1996; the longest shutdown period in US history. Although Congress enacted resolutions to end the shutdown and another temporary spending bill was signed ending the 21 day partial government shut down, the government did not go back to fully functioning until April. Clinton agreed to submit a seven year balanced budget plan approved by the Congressional Budget Office to ensure the government would keep running after the January 26, 1996 spending extension end date. With the agreement, Clinton declared 'The era of big government is over.'
In 1990 and in 1995, 1996, the budget battles and their subsequent shutdowns forced compromises, especially on the side of the President more than Congress. In 1990 Bush had to agree to tax increases, while in 1996, Clinton had to agree to a seven year balanced budget plan. Bush going against his campaign pledge lost his 1992 bid for re-election, Clinton however, escaped with a higher approval rating for his handling of the 1996 budget showdown, and was re-elected later that same year, while Republicans heavily shouldered the blame for the shutdowns.
President Obama and Congress were able to avert a shutdown during the last battle in April 2011, when at issue was the 7 million difference between the Democrats proposed 33 million and the Republicans 40 million in spending cuts. The President was willing to negotiate with Congress; discussions and reasoning averted a crisis at the last moment.
The U.S. began shutting down the government on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 at midnight after the battling Republican controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic controlled Senate could not agree on a continuing resolution, a stop-gap spending bill to keep the government funded for the new fiscal year. At the core of the conflict is the Senate and President Barack Obama wanting a "clean bill" without out any provisions, while the House has been insisting on some provisions to delays aspects of Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, the new healthcare law which is beginning to be formally implemented and ready for individuals and families to start enrolling in also on Oct. 1, 2013.
With time run out and negotiations played out by Congress, the Office of Management and Budget's Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell formally sent out a memo late Monday evening for all government agencies to begin the first government shut down in 17 years, stating that "agencies should now execute plans for an orderly shutdown due to the absence of appropriations." Approximately 800,000 federal employees will be furloughed as a result of the shutdown.
One aspect is almost certain, 2013 will be added to the list of recent government shutdowns over a budget battle, while only time will tell the long term political ramifications such a shutdown at a time when the economy is slowly recovering.
Posted by bonniekgoodman on April 8, 2011
How divided are Democrats' right now?
With 19 Democrats withholding support from Nancy Pelosi for House speaker on Wednesday, it represented the largest defection from a party's speaker nominee in nearly a century.
The resistance in the Democratic Party to back now-former Speaker Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the ceremonial first vote of the 112th Congress registered higher than at any point since 1913, according to data from the Congressional Research Service.
That year, which happens to be the last year for which records are available, featured 23 votes for Republicans other than that party's speaker nominee. Of the 19 Democrats who didn't support Pelosi on Wednesday, 18 voted for other Democrats and one voted "present."
In no other election in between do the numbers approach those two races (with an asterisk next to 1923, when 22 votes were cast for other Republicans on the first of nine ballots; by the ninth and final ballot, though, there were only two defectors).
Back in the 1920s, though, defections were much more common. Since 1945, only seven such protest votes have been lodged — total.
Of the 18 Democrats voting for other candidates yesterday, 11 voted for Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), two voted for Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and five voted for other Democrats. The seven candidates receiving votes is more than any other race on record.
The data overall is spotty, with no good numbers on which members voted for whom for House speaker. But a comparison of the House speaker vote totals and a look at the partisan breakdown of the corresponding Congresses shows that defectors have been few and far between — and in most cases, those not voting for their party's candidate simply didn't vote (perhaps because they weren't present).
Looking at those numbers, this appears to be the first time in at least 35 years that the number of Democrats not supporting their speaker candidate has been in double digits.
Twice over that span, the Democratic nominee for speaker failed to get the support of at least nine members of his party's caucus. In 1981, there were 242 Democrats in the House and 233 votes for Speaker Tip O'Neill (D). Two years later, there were 269 Democrats in the House and 260 votes for O'Neill.
But in both 1981 and 1983, about 20 members of Congress didn't register votes for either nominee — a number that suggests some of those withholding support were not protesting O'Neill, but merely that the members weren't there to vote. With Pelosi, all but one of the 19 who didn't vote for her cast ballots for someone else, and the lone non-voting member, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), has been a very vocal opponent of Pelosi….READ MORE
Posted by bonniekgoodman on January 6, 2011
Ms. Goodman is a graduate student at Concordia University and an Assistant Editor at HNN.
Even before he selected Appellate Court Judge John G. Roberts for the Supreme Court President Bush argued that any person he nominated would deserve "a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate, characterized by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote." To many Republicans that meant that the nominee's ideology should not be put on trial. If the nominee was qualified he or she should be confirmed. After Judge Roberts was selected Republicans argued that he was possibly one of the most qualified candidates for the bench that had ever been put forward. The obvious conclusion was that he should perforce be approved by the Senate forthwith.
What has been the standard used in the past to measure nominees to the Supreme Court of the United States?
The Bork Legacy
In 1987 President Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. After tumultuous hearings, which marked a turning point in the history of judicial nominations, Bork was turned down by the Senate. Since the founding of the Republic the Senate has rejected just a dozen nominees to the Court. But Bork's rejection came after a highly charged battle over his ideology. This was unprecedented. The fireworks over his ideology began immediately. Within an hour of his selection, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) took to the Senate floor to denounce Judge Bork's views on civil rights and abortion and argued, "No nominee, especially a nominee who is well known to have argued ideological positions on issues important to the American people, should be confirmed without full and candid disclosure and discussion of those positions and their importance to him." As Leonard Gross and Norman Vieira, co-authors of Supreme Court Appointments: Judge Bork and the Politicization of Senate Confirmations, have noted, "The Bork proceedings clearly established a firm precedent for ideological inquiries and for the rejection of judicial nominees, at least in some instances, on purely ideological grounds." One of the consequences was that presidents afterward would be tempted to nominate individuals who had not left a long paper trail of opinions. Bork had and he had been reproved and rejected.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
After Justice Byron White announced his retirement on March 19, 1993, President Bill Clinton decided to nominate Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman justice of the Supreme Court. When her nomination went to the Senate for confirmation Sen. William Cohen (R-Maine) stated bluntly that the nominee's ideology was rightly a matter of concern. But Cohen suggested during the hearings that judicial ideology should be used only to determine if the nominee's philosophy is "so extreme that it might call into question the usual confirmation prerequisites of competency and judicial temperament." Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) was not pleased with the advance praise of Ginsburg by many senators and argued that "a coronation in advance is not in the best interest of the system."
Although Ginsburg's confirmation seemed almost assured the Senate did consider her positions on liberal issues. When asked about her position on abortion Ginsburg was forthright, becoming the first nominee to expressly confirm that she believed in a woman's right to abortion. Despite her frank admission, few Republicans took the position that her embrace of abortion rulings disqualified her from a seat on the Court. But Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and others became exasperated when she declined to answer Senator Specter's question about her position on the death penalty. They also expressed frustration when she declined to answer questions about gay rights. When Sen. Cohen pressed her for an answer, she responded, "Senator, you know that that is a burning question that at this very moment is going to be before the Court, based on an action that has been taken. I cannot say one word on that subject that would not violate what I said had to be my rule about no hints, no forecasts, no previews."
Republicans did not find Ginsburg to be a controversial nominee and on Thursday, July 29, 1993, the Judiciary Committee voted unanimously in favor of her confirmation, a mere six days after the hearings concluded. The Senate then approved Ginsburg's nomination by a vote of 96 to 3. The three dissenters were Conservative Republicans Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina), Don Nichols (R- Oklahoma), and Robert C. Smith (R-New Hampshire). Sen. Helms said he voted against her because of her position on abortion and the "homosexual agenda."
Stephen Breyer
President Clinton was able to fill a second seat in the Supreme Court when Justice Harry Blackmun announced his retirement in April 1994. Clinton chose another nominee who would elicit little or no opposition when on May 12, 1993 he announced his selection of Chief Judge Stephen Breyer of the court of appeals in Boston. Breyer was a judicial moderate. As Leonard Gross and Norman Vieira observed, "Breyer was perceived as a candidate without an ideological agenda. Some of his opinions were sure to please liberals, while other opinions would give comfort to conservatives." The New York Times reported that "in this new low-key era, don't expect even the conservative Republicans on the panel to raise any serious objections." (NYT, July 8, 1994) Breyer, formerly chief counsel for the judicial committee, had strong support in both parties. Republican senators like Sen. Hatch wanted Clinton to nominate Breyer. Prior to the hearings Senators Hatch and Strom Thurmond (R-South Carolina) both assured Breyer they would support his confirmation, an indication that Breyer was ideologically compatible to Republicans.
Although Senators Hatch and Thurmond supported Breyer; they and Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyoming) were concerned about Breyer's ideological position on freedom of religion, an important conservative issue. They were disconcerted his admission that he believed in a wall of separation between church and state. They felt that his position was rigid. As a judge Breyer had ruled that a school district's officials had the right to visit a religious grade school to evaluate the quality of its teaching; Republicans deemed this a violation of religious freedom. Breyer defended his action by claiming he was more sensitive to the issue then the Supreme Court had been in similar rulings. Breyer also claimed, according to the NYT, that "the great religious wars of three centuries ago were fought over the right of people to pass on their beliefs to their children. It was therefore not surprising, he said, that controversy over the issue increased when it involved schools." (NYT, July 14, 1994) The senators were also concerned about his position on home schooling; Breyer responded that he approached the issued without a bias one way or the other.
Breyer's largest hurdle came when Newsday broke a story indicating that he had investments in some of Lloyd's of London's insurance syndicates. Senators argued that his investments would create conflicts of interest if Breyer would be presented with "Superfund" cases that could affect Lloyd's potential liability. In the hearings Breyer promised to sell off his investments in Lloyds, and to make all of his investments public. However, as the confirmation process was winding down Newsday further exposed Breyer as having been on a three-judge panel in a pollution case where the Kayser-Roth Corporation was sued by Lloyd's of London after being held accountable for cleaning up the site of a chemical spill. The case demonstrated that he had failed to recognize that he had a conflict of interest. (Lloyd's was directly involved in the case, but it was uncertain if his syndicates were.)
Despite concerns about the Lloyd's case, the eighteen member Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to approve Breyer's nomination. Ten days later, on July 29, 1993, after less than six hours of debate, Breyer easily won Senate confirmation by a vote of 87 to 9. The Boston Globe reported, "Conservatives and liberals alike rose to praise his abilities as a judge, with Kennedy and Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah leading the way." (Boston Globe, July 30, 1994) The nine dissenting senators (all Republicans) included: Conrad Burns (R-Montana), Daniel R. Coates (R-Indiana), Paul Coverdell (R-Georgia), Jesse Helms, Trent Lott (R-Mississippi), Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska), Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma), and Robert C. Smith. They indicated they were primarily concerned with Breyer's ethics, but also objected to his support of federal funding for abortion counseling, his lack of commitment to private property rights, and his opposition to prayer in public schools and at public schools' graduation ceremonies.
Sen. Smith told the Union Leader that he opposed Breyer because "He will move the court away from the conservative justices' (William Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas) way of the court, which most people in New Hampshire essentially support on most of the issues." Although he still voted for him, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) "chastised Breyer for his role in promoting a federal courthouse on Boston's waterfront that he called 'an exercise in extravagance and arrogance.' " (Boston Globe, July 30, 1994)
In the end, despite their reservations, most Republican senators approved of Breyer's nomination because, as Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) put it, they "take the view that Breyer is the best justice – ideologically speaking – they can expect President Clinton to nominate." (Christian Science Monitor, July 27, 1994)
Posted by bonniekgoodman on July 25, 2005


text:
|By PR Newswire
Article Rating:
|February 20, 2013 09:30 AM EST
NUREMBERG, Germany, Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SUSE® today announced a joint success with Descon Engineering Limited. Descon has bolstered its leading position in the engineering and construction services industry using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP® Applications and the SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension to power its SAP ERP software. The successful migration from legacy process management applications to an integrated SUSE and SAP solution provides Descon the robust, highly available platform needed to rapidly and reliably respond to customers.
The Pakistan-based company provides engineering services to process plants and is a major player in the Asia Pacific region, serving the oil and gas, chemical, cement and petrochemical sectors.
Prior to working with SUSE, Descon ran all of its SAP ERP-based processes on a distributed server landscape. Over time, the firm realized that this method did not offer sufficient stability to meet its end-to-end uptime goals.
Bilal Hussain, ERP Architect at Descon, said: "Our success as a business depends on our ability to provide best solution and services in EPCC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning). We determined that an SAP ERP solution would enable us to maintain agility as our business grows and decided to search for an operating system with proven reliability for SAP ERP workloads."
Ultimately, Descon chose SUSE Linux Enterprise because of its leading integration with SAP applications and long-term partnership with SAP. Today, a majority of customers running SAP solutions on Linux use SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. In addition, the High Availability Extension included with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications enabled Descon to leverage existing in-house competencies to build and maintain a clustered environment, which helps reduce unplanned downtime and further ensures continuous access to mission-critical applications and data.
The success Descon has experienced using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications comes on the heels of the recent announcement that SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 11 Service Pack 2 is now certified for integration with the SAP NetWeaver® technology platform. This establishes a reference architecture to help ensure customers such as Descon are able to achieve a fully compliant implementation of high-availability scenarios for running SAP solutions.
"Descon is a prime example of how leading companies are utilizing Linux for more than just cost reduction," said Michael Miller, vice president of global alliances and marketing for SUSE. "In addition to the substantial financial savings, the combination of SAP applications, SUSE Linux Enterprise and Intel-based hardware helps them improve performance, increase reliability and tighten security, enabling competitive advantage and a leadership position."
Since implementing SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications, Descon has achieved its goal of building a stable SAP ERP-based platform with 98 percent uptime.
"Stories like Descon's illustrate why enterprises need fully integrated solutions that are scalable, flexible and available to stay one step ahead within the global economy," said Helge Deller, head of SAP LinuxLabs, SAP AG. "We're extremely pleased that, along with SUSE, we're able to play such an integral part in Descon's ability to stay ahead of the game."
Today, all of Descon's business processes are supported by SAP ERP running on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. "Through deploying SUSE Linux technologies, we have further benefited from the highly reliable SAP ERP platform we needed to drive business growth," added Hussain.
More information for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP2 for SAP Applications can be found at https://www.suse.com/products/sles-for-sap/.
More information about SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension can be found at https://www.suse.com/products/highavailability/.
About SUSE
SUSE®, a pioneer in open source software, provides reliable, interoperable Linux and cloud infrastructure solutions that give enterprises greater control and flexibility. More than 20 years of engineering excellence, exceptional service and an unrivaled partner ecosystem power the products and support that help our customers manage complexity, reduce cost, and confidently deliver mission-critical services. The lasting relationships we build allow us to adapt and deliver the smarter innovation they need to succeed—today and tomorrow. For more information, visit us at www.suse.com.
(C) 2013 SUSE LLC. All Rights Reserved. SUSE and the SUSE logo are registered trademarks of SUSE LLC in the United States and other countries. SAP, SAP NetWeaver and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries. All other product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
SAP Forward-looking Statement
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.
We are reaching the end of the beginning with WebRTC, and real systems using this technology have begun to appear. One challenge that faces every WebRTC deployment (in some form or another) is identity management. For example, if you have an existing service – possibly built on a variety of different PaaS/SaaS offerings – and you want to add real-time communications you are faced with a challenge relating to user management, authentication, authorization, and validation. Service providers will want to use their existing identities, but these will have credentials already that are (hopefully) i...
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"Matrix is an ambitious open standard and implementation that's set up to break down the fragmentation problems that exist in IP messaging and VoIP communication," explained John Woolf, Technical Evangelist at Matrix, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held Nov 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Nov. 27, 2014 04:00 AM EST Reads: 984
Connected devices and the Internet of Things are getting significant momentum in 2014. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Jim Hunter, Chief Scientist & Technology Evangelist at Greenwave Systems, examined three key elements that together will drive mass adoption of the IoT before the end of 2015. The first element is the recent advent of robust open source protocols (like AllJoyn and WebRTC) that facilitate M2M communication. The second is broad availability of flexible, cost-effective storage designed to handle the massive surge in back-end data in a world where timely analytics is e...
Nov. 26, 2014 11:45 PM EST Reads: 1,114
How do APIs and IoT relate? The answer is not as simple as merely adding an API on top of a dumb device, but rather about understanding the architectural patterns for implementing an IoT fabric. There are typically two or three trends: Exposing the device to a management framework Exposing that management framework to a business centric logic Exposing that business layer and data to end users. This last trend is the IoT stack, which involves a new shift in the separation of what stuff happens, where data lives and where the interface lies. For instance, it's a mix of architectural styles ...
Nov. 26, 2014 11:30 PM EST Reads: 1,000
The Internet of Things will put IT to its ultimate test by creating infinite new opportunities to digitize products and services, generate and analyze new data to improve customer satisfaction, and discover new ways to gain a competitive advantage across nearly every industry. In order to help corporate business units to capitalize on the rapidly evolving IoT opportunities, IT must stand up to a new set of challenges. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Jeff Kaplan, Managing Director of THINKstrategies, will examine why IT must finally fulfill its role in support of its SBUs or face a new round of...
Nov. 26, 2014 09:00 PM EST Reads: 1,048
Cultural, regulatory, environmental, political and economic (CREPE) conditions over the past decade are creating cross-industry solution spaces that require processes and technologies from both the Internet of Things (IoT), and Data Management and Analytics (DMA). These solution spaces are evolving into Sensor Analytics Ecosystems (SAE) that represent significant new opportunities for organizations of all types. Public Utilities throughout the world, providing electricity, natural gas and water, are pursuing SmartGrid initiatives that represent one of the more mature examples of SAE. We have s...
Nov. 26, 2014 06:00 PM EST Reads: 1,046
The Internet of Things will greatly expand the opportunities for data collection and new business models driven off of that data. In her session at @ThingsExpo, Esmeralda Swartz, CMO of MetraTech, discussed how for this to be effective you not only need to have infrastructure and operational models capable of utilizing this new phenomenon, but increasingly service providers will need to convince a skeptical public to participate. Get ready to show them the money!
Nov. 26, 2014 04:00 PM EST Reads: 1,086
One of the biggest challenges when developing connected devices is identifying user value and delivering it through successful user experiences. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Mike Kuniavsky, Principal Scientist, Innovation Services at PARC, described an IoT-specific approach to user experience design that combines approaches from interaction design, industrial design and service design to create experiences that go beyond simple connected gadgets to create lasting, multi-device experiences grounded in people's real needs and desires.
Nov. 26, 2014 03:45 PM EST Reads: 1,035
P2P RTC will impact the landscape of communications, shifting from traditional telephony style communications models to OTT (Over-The-Top) cloud assisted & PaaS (Platform as a Service) communication services. The P2P shift will impact many areas of our lives, from mobile communication, human interactive web services, RTC and telephony infrastructure, user federation, security and privacy implications, business costs, and scalability. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Robin Raymond, Chief Architect at Hookflash, will walk through the shifting landscape of traditional telephone and voice services ...
Nov. 26, 2014 02:00 PM EST Reads: 1,503
Scott Jenson leads a project called The Physical Web within the Chrome team at Google. Project members are working to take the scalability and openness of the web and use it to talk to the exponentially exploding range of smart devices. Nearly every company today working on the IoT comes up with the same basic solution: use my server and you'll be fine. But if we really believe there will be trillions of these devices, that just can't scale. We need a system that is open a scalable and by using the URL as a basic building block, we open this up and get the same resilience that the web enjoys.
Nov. 25, 2014 09:30 PM EST Reads: 1,257
The Internet of Things is tied together with a thin strand that is known as time. Coincidentally, at the core of nearly all data analytics is a timestamp. When working with time series data there are a few core principles that everyone should consider, especially across datasets where time is the common boundary. In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, Jim Scott, Director of Enterprise Strategy & Architecture at MapR Technologies, discussed single-value, geo-spatial, and log time series data. By focusing on enterprise applications and the data center, he will use OpenTSDB as an example t...
Nov. 25, 2014 09:30 PM EST Reads: 1,309
The Domain Name Service (DNS) is one of the most important components in networking infrastructure, enabling users and services to access applications by translating URLs (names) into IP addresses (numbers). Because every icon and URL and all embedded content on a website requires a DNS lookup loading complex sites necessitates hundreds of DNS queries. In addition, as more internet-enabled 'Things' get connected, people will rely on DNS to name and find their fridges, toasters and toilets. According to a recent IDG Research Services Survey this rate of traffic will only grow. What's driving t...
Nov. 25, 2014 07:00 PM EST Reads: 1,344
Enthusiasm for the Internet of Things has reached an all-time high. In 2013 alone, venture capitalists spent more than $1 billion dollars investing in the IoT space. With "smart" appliances and devices, IoT covers wearable smart devices, cloud services to hardware companies. Nest, a Google company, detects temperatures inside homes and automatically adjusts it by tracking its user's habit. These technologies are quickly developing and with it come challenges such as bridging infrastructure gaps, abiding by privacy concerns and making the concept a reality. These challenges can't be addressed w...
Nov. 25, 2014 04:30 PM EST Reads: 1,350
Explosive growth in connected devices. Enormous amounts of data for collection and analysis. Critical use of data for split-second decision making and actionable information. All three are factors in making the Internet of Things a reality. Yet, any one factor would have an IT organization pondering its infrastructure strategy. How should your organization enhance its IT framework to enable an Internet of Things implementation? In his session at Internet of @ThingsExpo, James Kirkland, Chief Architect for the Internet of Things and Intelligent Systems at Red Hat, described how to revolutioniz...
Nov. 24, 2014 07:00 PM EST Reads: 1,650
Bit6 today issued a challenge to the technology community implementing Web Real Time Communication (WebRTC). To leap beyond WebRTC's significant limitations and fully leverage its underlying value to accelerate innovation, application developers need to consider the entire communications ecosystem.
Nov. 24, 2014 12:00 PM EST Reads: 1,537
The definition of IoT is not new, in fact it's been around for over a decade. What has changed is the public's awareness that the technology we use on a daily basis has caught up on the vision of an always on, always connected world. If you look into the details of what comprises the IoT, you'll see that it includes everything from cloud computing, Big Data analytics, "Things," Web communication, applications, network, storage, etc. It is essentially including everything connected online from hardware to software, or as we like to say, it's an Internet of many different things. The difference ...
Nov. 24, 2014 11:00 AM EST Reads: 1,671
Cloud Expo 2014 TV commercials will feature @ThingsExpo, which was launched in June, 2014 at New York City's Javits Center as the largest 'Internet of Things' event in the world.
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SYS-CON Events announced today that Windstream, a leading provider of advanced network and cloud communications, has been named "Silver Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY. Windstream (Nasdaq: WIN), a FORTUNE 500 and S&P 500 company, is a leading provider of advanced network communications, including cloud computing and managed services, to businesses nationwide. The company also offers broadband, phone and digital TV services to consumers primarily in rural areas.
Nov. 23, 2014 07:30 PM EST Reads: 1,855
"There is a natural synchronization between the business models, the IoT is there to support ," explained Brendan O'Brien, Co-founder and Chief Architect of Aria Systems, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at the 15th International Cloud Expo®, held Nov 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
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The major cloud platforms defy a simple, side-by-side analysis. Each of the major IaaS public-cloud platforms offers their own unique strengths and functionality. Options for on-site private cloud are diverse as well, and must be designed and deployed while taking existing legacy architecture and infrastructure into account. Then the reality is that most enterprises are embarking on a hybrid cloud strategy and programs. In this Power Panel at 15th Cloud Expo (http://www.CloudComputingExpo.com), moderated by Ashar Baig, Research Director, Cloud, at Gigaom Research, Nate Gordon, Director of T...
Nov. 23, 2014 07:45 AM EST Reads: 1,841