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text:
Tunnel Rats
Prepare for a stunning, no holds barred journey into the darkest chapter of the Vietnam War. A special U.S combat unit trained in underground warfare is sent on a mission to hunt Viet Cong resistance forces in the endless networks of tunnels.
(C) 2007 Tunnel Rats Productions Inc.
movie reviews from Rotten Tomatoes®
reviews counted: 2see all Tunnel Rats reviews -
Top Critic Reviews
Fresh: very good -- and that's amazing, considering who's receiving said accolade.
- Bill Gibron, Filmcritic.com, Thursday, June 24, 2010
Rotten: With 1968: Tunnel Rats, Boll continues to show himself to be an unusually versatile filmmaker -- outrageously awful in any genre.
- Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, Friday, December 19, 2008
Audience Reviews
Tunnel Rats is a surprinsly accomplished film from director Uwe Boll. Based on the Tunnel Rats of the Vietnam war, 1968 Tunnel Rats is a thrilling low budget war film. The film has a take no prisoners attitude and it's by better than any other of Boll's previous repertoire of work. Tunnel Rats, though flawed is a very accomplished film, with a decent cast and claustrophobic scenes in the tunnel systems of the Viet Cong. Thought not accurate, it does give you a slight glimpse of what the men on seek and destroy mission in the tunnels of the Vietnamese jungle went through, a tense, thrilling film this is one oif Uwe Boll's better films. Tunnel Rats is a raw, gritty and gory war film not for the faint of heart or if you're a traditional Boll basher out to just talk shit about his films, then skip this one, because this one won't make you change your mind and you'll hate it just because Uwe Boll made the film.
- TheDudeLebowski65, Thursday, June 10, 2010
"This place is all about survival..." If you're familiar with low-budget horror flicks and/or video-game-to-movie adaptations, chances are you've heard of Uwe Boll. Even if you're not familiar with Boll's cinematic output, you've more than likely heard opinions on the guy's work, and, in all likelihood, those opinions have not exactly been complimentary. If Boll's work and name is a mystery to you, here's all you need to know: he's renowned for making terrible video game adaptations, his original work sucks too, he's had more films on the Internet Movie Database's Bottom 100 at one time than any other filmmaker (living or dead), he is widely regarded as the worst director in history, and he's able to make Ed Wood look competent. With 1968 Tunnel Rats, Boll continues to prove his uncanny ability as a versatile director: he's outrageously awful in every genre. Upfront: despite the fact I detest Uwe Boll, I wanted to like this particular movie. Truly, I did. The trailer was very promising. Alas, I must've forgotten I was dealing with Boll, because it's his trademark to turn movies with potential into absolute duds. 1968 Tunnel Rats (shortened to just Tunnel Rats in some corners) is set during the Vietnam War, but is not a typical jungle warfare movie. Boll's film focuses on an American army platoon that have copped the unenviable task of infiltrating the complex network of underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong to move around undetected and plan clever ambushes. Unfortunately for the soldiers, a dangerous task lies ahead of them: crawling along these narrow, unlit passageways peppered with booby traps and armed VC soldiers. If there's one thing Boll managed to skilfully achieve here, it's capturing the claustrophobic disposition of these tunnels, and the air of uncertainty around every narrow twist and turn. Alas, the impressive recreation of these tunnels is the only thing remotely successful about Tunnel Rats. Almost immediately into the movie, the clichs begin to roll in fast and furious. The first 30 minutes or so is spent in exposition mode as the central characters are loosely established. Problem is, they're all stock characters: one solider misses his mother, another has a girl back home, their leader is a hardened career man, and someone wants to open a restaurant following their tour of duty. You get the idea. These archetypes are forgivable because these are the type of men you'd stumble upon in an American platoon, but what's unforgivable is the character development and the dialogue. Every character is two-dimensional, unremarkable, and interchangeable. No names ever stuck due to the lack of memorable faces, distinguishing features and killer dialogue. Worst of all, you never care about them. There's no reason to care about them. They're boring. Unsurprisingly, the script was improvised - the basic story was sketched out, but the actors were left to develop their own characters and write their own dialogue. It could not be more obvious, since the dialogue is also remarkably awkward and permeated with an unrealistic amount of swearing. Other Vietnam movies like Platoon and Apocalypse Now managed to offer interesting protagonists. Tunnel Rats makes us shrug and ask "Who cares?" Other major detractors stem from Boll's trademarks: appalling direction and shoddy cinematography. For starters, there's a frequent lack of authority, with scenes playing out awkwardly. Editing is both lazy and choppy as well, with shots dragging on awkwardly long and some slapdash action set-pieces. In particular, a shot used during the opening sequence that observes a helicopter drags on for far too long and reeks of self-indulgence. At such a prolonged length, these shots don't engage; leaving a viewer bored and uncomfortable. Of course, Boll's use of shaky cam is abominable as well. It's mighty clear Boll has no idea how to effectively use this technique. Instead of tracking fight movements with the shaky cam (like, say, The Bourne Ultimatum), Boll shakes the camera for the sake of it, and the results don't achieve the desired effect. To the credit of Boll, his cinematic technique is gradually improving - Tunnel Rats does contain the director's most watchable action sequences to date. However, the fact one can only accept this as an exploitative action film rather than a war drama is disconcerting. Predictably, Tunnel Rats is also marred by embarrassing technical inaccuracies. In the film, the U.S. soldiers use M16A2 and M655 Carbine Rifles, which were not developed until the 1980s and were certainly not used during the Vietnam War. The Americans are also shown wearing WW2-era uniforms and post-Vietnam web gear. The Viet Cong, meanwhile, are depicted using Norinco-Type 84S rifles instead of AK-47s, and they sport laughable hairstyles as if they just walked off the set of Tokyo Drift. To top it all off, the military outpost built deep into the jungle is without perimeter wires and guard towers. It's no wonder they were overrun so easily. Tunnel Rats tries its hardest to deliver the message of "war is futile", but this is not explored past surface level. We see soldiers breaking down and crying, we see guns being fired, we see their terrifying ordeals in the tunnel, but we never feel their pain. This is due to the awful character development and the lack of nuance in every performance. More acclaimed movies based on the Vietnam War run a solid two or three hours, whereas Tunnel Rats boasts a scant 90-minute runtime. It feels like an action film first, and a potent war drama second. Look, this is Boll's best effort to date, but it's by no means a good or even a decent film. It's poorly acted, poorly directed, poorly handled, and the improvisation did not have the impact it should. The cover states "After Apocalypse Now, After Platoon Comes...Tunnel Rats". In this sense, Boll aimed extremely high but missed by an unbelievable margin (and this tagline is worded poorly...). There are plenty of superior movies set during the Vietnam War, and it's advisable you watch those and avoid this subpar effort.
- PvtCaboose91, Saturday, January 30, 2010

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation have recently emerged as an additional level of regulation of activated forms of Rho GTPases. To characterize this novel regulatory pathway and to gain insight into its biological significance, we studied the ubiquitination of two constitutively activated forms of Rac1, i.e. the mutationally activated Rac1L61, and the tumorigenic splice variant Rac1b, which is defective for several downstream signaling pathways, including JNK activation. Whereas Rac1L61 undergoes polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation in HEK293 cells, Rac1b is poorly ubiquitinated and appears to be much more resistant to proteasomal degradation than Rac1L61. Mutational analysis of all lysine residues in Rac1 revealed that the major target site for Rac1 ubiquitination is Lys147, a solvent-accessible residue that has a similar conformation in Rac1b. Like Rac1L61, Rac1b was found to be largely associated with plasma membrane, a known prerequisite for Rac1 ubiquitination. Interestingly, Rac1b ubiquitination could be stimulated by coexpression of Rac1L61, suggesting positive regulation of Rac1 ubiquitination by Rac1 downstream signaling. Indeed, ubiquitination of Rac1L61 is critically dependent on JNK activation. IN CONCLUSION: (a) Rac1b appears to be more stable than Rac1L61 with regard to the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and this may be of importance for the expression and tumorigenic capacity of Rac1b; and (b) ubiquitination of activated Rac1 occurs through a JNK-activated process, which may explain the defective ubiquitination of Rac1b. The JNK-dependent activation of Rac1 ubiquitination would create a regulatory loop allowing the cell to counteract excessive activation of Rac1 GTPase.
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The Federal Government is about to make some big decisions about regulating junk food marketing to kids. Join our Burger Corp campaign and show them that Australian's support tougher government restrictions to protect kids from the unhealthy influence of junk food marketing.
Current regulation does not protect children from being bombarded with ads for junk food. Around 54% of TV food ads aired between 6am and 9pm are for unhealthy foods. The volume of unhealthy food ads increases when children are most likely to be viewing – early evening and Saturday mornings. As the Coalition on Food Advertising to Children reports:
For example, in May 2007 the NSW Centre for Overweight and Obesity found there were 10 ads per hour for high fat and /or sugary foods during peak children's viewing times on Sydney commercial television, up from nine per hour in 2006. But it's much more than TV ads. Supermarket shelves carry a range of products featuring kids' favourite characters like Nemo, Bratz and Barbie. At the movies, in magazines or online – games, toys, celebrities and popular cartoon characters are used to promote an array of sugary and high-fat snacks. On the sporting field, sponsorship deals mean the logos of fast-food companies are emblazoned on children's chests as they sprint towards the finish line. Other common marketing techniques include:
If ads didn't influences kids, food manufacturers wouldn't spend millions on them every year.
We want to support parents to make healthy choices for their children. Ultimately, parents are responsible for what children eat at home and what they send to school in their lunchboxes. Parents are also responsible for ensuring that kids have a healthy start to life by helping them to develop good eating habits. But food marketing makes parents' jobs that much harder by tempting children with salty, fatty or sugary foods which they inevitably pester their parents to buy.
It's time to support healthy kids and happier parents with action. In February 2008, the South Australian Government called for a voluntary nationwide withdrawal of junk food ads during children's television viewing, following a similar ban in the UK being phased in now. It's a good start. As outlined in our submission to the Australia Communications and Media Authority on the review of the Children's Television Standards, CHOICE wants to see government regulation of all forms of food marketing to children. This includes:
We also want a single contact point for all advertising and marketing complaints so that consumers do not need a detailed understanding of the various forms of regulation and codes of practice in order to support the complaint.
CHOICE continues to advocate for better regulation of food marketing to children, in order to assist parents to make healthy choices for their kids. We're inviting Australians to join in a global campaign to stop the glut of junk food marketing to kids - coordinating our efforts with those of consumer advocacy groups all over the world. Right now, we're inviting consumers to help influence decision-makers by sharing how junk food marketing to children impacts on kids and families in the real world. We want them to hear your story. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is reviewing the Australia's Children's Television Standards. In August 2007 CHOICE made a submission on the ACMA issues paper calling for regulation of unhealthy food ads to children based on the nutrient profiling system developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.
CHOICE wants to put a human face to the issue of junk food marketing to kids. Reckon you can tell a good story about how all that advertising targets the child in your life? Email your own thoughts, photos (include captions) or videos to email@example.com in the Parents Jury, a web-based network of parents that lobby to reduce the level of junk food marketing to kids.
Children's Health or Corporate Wealth, a briefing paper by the Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC). Media Release: SA to ban junk food ads to kids. ABC News report SA government takes on junk food advertising. Code won't change what children see on TV — Opinion Editorial, SMH 27 July 2006 CHOICE's submission on the AANA draft Food and Beverages Marketing Communication Code. CHOICE's letter to Health Ministers calling for improved regulation of food marketing to children (10 July 2006). Look into my eyes, Consuming Interest Spring 2005 calling for the food and advertising industries to stop misleading marketing. CHOICE report: Little bellies, big problems: how parents, industry and government can solve Australia's obesity crisis. CHOICE's submission to FSANZ on Nutrition, Health and Related Claims.
Receive FREE email updates of our latest tests, consumer news and CHOICE marketing promotions.


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text:
Renda ready to finally capture Prizefighter glory
Rose vs. Jones heads Prizefighter in Blackpool
Coyle wins Prizefighter Welterweights IV
Gallagher ready to roll the dice in Prizefighter
Gallagher and Ochieng kick off Prizefighter Welterweights 4
Jason Cooking up a Commonwealth shot from Prizefighter glory
BAILEY and Jupp believe Mongolian Warrior is too old to win it
Choi Tseveenpurev is one of the favourites for Saturday night's Prizefighter Featherweight tournament live on Sky Sports – but two of his rivals believe he is too old to lift the trophy.
The Mongolian Warrior is fighting in Prizefighter for the second time having lost in the semi-finals of the Super-Featherweights to Derry Mathews last November and since then the popular London-based fighter has turned 40.
The bookies haven't been deterred by the former World Champion's age, but TRAD TKO gym pals Ian Bailey and George Jupp believe that the years under his belt mean Choi won't be pocketing the £32,000 winner's cheque in the 22nd edition of Matchroom Sport's revolutionary eight-man, one night tournament.
"I don't see Choi as the favourite - as scary as he looks!" said Slough's Bailey (7-7). "He's really not a three, three round fighter for me and you wonder whether he really had much of an amateur career. Someone like Lee Jennings had an 80-plus amateur career and he can just fall back into that easily. He might be able to pick his way through fights and conserve energy with an amateur style whereas you know with Choi that it's going to be a brutal three rounds."
"I think it could be an advantage that I am young and fresh with only four fights," added Jupp, from Bexley (3-1). "Choi is probably the favourite but he's 40 years old now and his best days are behind him. I believe in my ability and it was too good an opportunity to turn down just because of my inexperience."
Choi, Bailey and Jupp are joined in the line-up by unbeaten pair Lee Glover (6-0 from Tipton) and Troy James (9-0-1 from Coventry), Liverpool's Lee Jennings, Manchester prospect Rhys Roberts and Nottingham's Barrington Brown.
Tickets for Prizefighter Featherweights at York Hall, Bethnal Green in east London on October 29 are available from Matchroom Sport priced £35 unreserved, £60 ringside and £100 VIP – to buy call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.
Fielding handed English title shot against Dilks
Liverpool pair to fight for super middleweight belt on October 6 Rocky Fielding will face fellow ...
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Brough and Farrell added to 'Rocky and the Betfair Prizefighters'
Big names eyeing final spot in Liverpool Lightweights Nathan Brough and Kieran Farrell are the la ...


text:
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Fortunately, we've got all kinds of plans for all kinds of pleasures: take a moment to browse through the opportunities that await you in Billings.
Timeframe: Full Day
Planning: Reserve guided tours ahead. Recommended checking road conditions for self-guided tours.
Description: This tour available June to October. Beartooth Highway climbs to an astounding 10,947 feet above sea level. Since its completion in 1936, the highway has awed visitors with it astonishing views of one of the most rugged and wild areas in the lower 48 states. This day trip gives you the experience of viewing snow-capped peaks, snow fields, glaciers, and plateaus blanketed with tiny wildflowers. A stop in the historic mountain village of Red Lodge offers shopping and foods to represent the many ethnic groups that traveled to mine coal, ranch and farm. Call or visit the website for reservations or more information.
Timeframe: Full day tour.
Planning: Reserve ahead
Description: Thrill, rush, and adrenaline is what you can experience when you climb into the rugged 4x4 open air jeeps. Passengers will experience the Big Sky Country and its wildlife where every tree, wild flower and stream dances with the grace of the Old West. Look forward to the return over Beartooth Pass down into Red Lodge.
Timeframe: 2 Day or customize to your own timeframe
Planning: Customize this itinerary on your own or use our suggestion in the description below
Description: A 2-day Great Escape into the clean air, endless skies, and a kaleidoscope of badlands, flatlands, and highlands that includes history, culture, trophy fishing, and a really great steak. If you want to enjoy continuously-changing scenery, travel north on Highway 87 out of Billings and drive to Roundup and the beautiful Bull Mountains. While not the highest mountain range in Montana, the Bulls offer some of the most scenic vistas in the state. Roundup offers shopping of all kinds, two museums and their scenic "River Walk."
From Roundup, drive east on Highway 12 and take in some of the unusual sandstone structures visible along the route. Be sure to stop in Ingomar, once one of the world's leading sheep-producing regions, and home today to the historic Jersey Lilly Saloon. This rustic 100-plus-year-old building is a great place to have lunch or a snack. Be sure to try the "Best Cowboy Beans in the West" and their "sheep-herders' hors d'ouvres." If you call ahead, you can even arrange to take a ride on a real horse-drawn stagecoach to see the buffalo herd that calls the area home. You can even stay overnight at the Bunk 'n' Biscuit B&B.
Proceeding south and east on highway 12 brings you to Forsyth, county seat of Rosebud County and the site of one of the most beautiful courthouses in Montana. Forsyth is also home every year to the "Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match" where over 500 participants, many dressed in 19th century garb, shoot original and replica black powder rifles at metal silhouette targets up to 1/2 mile away. Additionally, Forsyth is a hub for railroad traffic hauling coal and grain from the plains of Montana to destinations throughout the world. You'll also want to stop at the Rosebud County Museum to view some of their unusual collections.
From Forsyth, it's only an hour-and-half west on I-94 back to Billings. Along the way, you can stop in Hysham to visit the Treasure County Museum in the "Yucca Theater," one of eastern Montana's more unique structures.
And don't forget to stop at Pompey's Pillar, just 26 miles west of Billings. This famous sandstone outcropping is famous for the signature that Capt. William Clark carved into it in 1806 on his return leg of the Lewis and Clark Voyage of Discovery. Climb to the top and you'll enjoy a vista that is very much like the view Clark and his men experienced over 200 years ago.
When you get back to Billings, take advantage of big city entities like spas and fine dining. As Montana's largest city, it is unequaled in the state for the variety of entertaining and relaxing diversions available.
Timeframe: 1 Day or customize to your own timeframe
Planning: Customize this itinerary on your own or use our suggestion in the description below
Description: For the history buff, this is a great "off-the-beaten-path" drive. Miles City not only is the historic terminus of the early Texas to Montana cattle drives of the late 19th century made famous by the movie "Lonesome Dove," but it is also the site of some of the most beautiful homes in Montana, many of which were built by the early cattle barons. It is also home to the "World Famous Bucking Horse Sale" every year, where the world's best rodeo stock is sold at auction.
The area between Miles City and Broadus features broad, open spaces, plus interesting vistas of the Chalk Buttes. In Broadus, travelers will find two of the most interesting museums in the state, featuring everything from taxidermy mounts to sea shell collections. Proceeding west along Highway 212, visitors are again treated to ever-changing scenery and rock formations formed by eons of wind and rain. 212 passes through the Northern Cheyenne Nation, then on to the Crow Indian Nation. In Ashland, it's worth a stop at St. Labre Indian School, one of the most beautiful and architecturally-stunning buildings in Montana.
Garryowen is situated at the junction of Hwy 212 and Interstate 90. Here is where you'll find the Little Big Horn National Monument, commemorating the famous battle between Lt. Col. George Custer's troops and an overwhelming number of Cheyenne, Lakota and Arikara braves bent on preserving their vanishing way of life. Not to be missed is the Custer Battlefield Museum in Garryowen, where history buffs can view countless artifacts from the conflict that started on that very site on June 25, 1876.
From Garryowen, it's just a short 20-minute drive to Hardin, home to the Bighorn County Museum. Ever-expanding, this museum features 19th century buildings and homes that have been carefully and lovingly preserved just the way they would have been seen at their original locations.
Billings, Montana's most-populace city, is just an hour northwest of Hardin, and features first-class dining of several ethnic origins, lodging to fit any budget, shopping and actions such as ZooMontana, the Yellowstone Art Museum and Moss Mansion, built over 100 years ago by one of the most influential residents of early Billings history.
Timeframe: Full Day Tour
Planning: Reserve ahead
Description: The Beartooth Mountain Range rises to 9,500 feet above sea level and is composed of some of the oldest rocks on the planet. You will travel an old chrome mining road and trail up the side of a mountain with breathtaking views of Beartooth Pass, the valley below and high mountain lakes.
Timeframe: 1/2 Day
Planning: Reserve Ahead
Description: Travel the old trails traveled by Indians, explorers, and early settlers. See the Bozeman trail, Blood Valley, and other historical sites. Hear the stories of the area and the Old West, see the twin stone towers that stand 12 feet high and make the trails high above Blood Valley.
Timeframe: Full Day Tour
Planning: Reserve Ahead
Description: A tour rich in history. Experience some of the only physical evidence remaining from the Lewis & Clark Expedition; then on to the Little Bighorn Battlefield.
Timeframe: Half to Full Day Tour
Planning: Reserve Ahead.
Description: Get inspired by this guided and unique tour of the "Pathway though the Bible," a garden with biblical stories and rock formations. Next, you'll experience the breathtaking Beartooth Pass, then return to Red Lodge for lunch and self guided shopping. We'll return to Billings via the old mining town of Bear Creek.
Timeframe: (Full day tours on Saturdays from June to September)
Planning: Reserve Ahead
Description: Enjoy the Wild Mustang Tours and experience the majesty of the horses on either ATV or in a 4-wheel vehicle in the Pryor Mountains.


text: Back in March, Becky posted a link to a lampshade I made using this technique. Instructables user quixotiCfluX has posted a great tutorial showing the details of the process. He uses a cool trick with a staple remover to make sure all the tabs have exactly the same bend, which results in very uniform maille.


text:
Corporates that use derivative products to manage their risk exposure could face challenges in the months ahead.
With traditional asset classes like stocks and bonds losing luster, investors are seeking returns in alternative assets. But by speculating on currency or commodity derivatives, speculators may be making the prices of those products more volatile – and volatility is precisely what companies look to limit when they enter hedges.
A recent Financial Times piece on the currency market illustrated the scope of the problem. Paul Inkster, an executive at Barclays Stockbrokers, told the paper that his clients are buying and selling currency derivatives with fervor.
"Our clients have really taken to trading foreign exchange in the last year," Inkster was quoted as saying.
Some in the political realm are decrying the uptick in speculative activity. France's finance minister, Christine Lagarde, recently criticized the trend, telling radio station France Info that speculation in commodity futures was "unacceptable."
Speculators aren't always responsible for steep price run-ups; some of the commodity price spikes of 2008, for example, had nothing to do with speculation. But in a market where speculators are active, companies using derivatives to manage their risk exposure need to stay on their toes.
◦ Collateralization
◦ Asset Liability Management
◦ Portfolio Risk
◦ Sensitivities & Hedging
◦ Stress Testing & Scenario Analysis


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Yesterday's disturbance has now shifted off to the East and clearer skies are with us this morning. Temperatures are near freezing on the East Side and not much of a warm up is expected yet again today, although temperatures are going to be a little warmer than Wednesday.
Another cold morning will come tomorrow – there is already a frost advisory in place for Jackson & Josephine Counties and a freeze warning for parts of the Klamath Basin and Siskiyou County. If you have vegetation outside or a garden with plants sensitive to cold temperatures, be sure to cover them. Forecasted morning lows in Klamath Falls Friday morning are in the low 20's!
The warming trend, starting today, will continue into the weekend as well as a stretch of dry weather. But, come Saturday evening, the storm track to our north is inching further south. By Sunday, it will move inland and across the viewing area, bringing yet again heavy rain to the region. This system doesn't look as cold as what we've seen the past few days but afternoon highs are expected to stay well below normal through the extended forecast. As of now, another disturbance will follow Tuesday and Wednesday bringing more showers to the area.
Meteorologist Alyssa Caroprese


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University Calendar
Early Summer (film)
Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 7:00pm
Early Summer (1951), 125 mins Read more
Oviatt Library Special Collections & Archives Exhibition: California's Call
Friday, January 2, 2015 - 8:00am to Wednesday, December 23, 2015 - 12:00am
The Oviatt Library invites you to view items from the Library's Special Collections and Archives that highlight California's role as a land of promise and opportunity. Read more
Tin Can Transmissions-10 Years in the Making
Saturday, February 14, 2015 - 12:00pm to Saturday, March 28, 2015 - 4:00pm
Opening February 14, the exhibition entitled Telegraph Art Collective "Tin Can Transmissions-Ten Years in the Making", marks the ten-year anniversary of this nebulous and divergent collective of artists. Comprised of seven members with diverse disciplinary backgrounds, Telegraph is an artist collective that originated in Detroit, Michigan. Telegraph Art Collective is: Hartmut Austen, Haley Renée Bates, Fabio J. Fernández, Shannon Goff, Tom Lauerman, Brent Sommerhauser, Christian Tedeschi.
Tin Can Transmissions Lecture Series
Where: Art and Design Center Rm 300 (Purple Crit Room)
When: Monday Feb 9th | 1-2pm • Tuesday Feb 10th | 12-2pm • Wednesday Feb 11th | 2-4pm • Thursday Feb 12 | 12-2 Read more
Academic Freedom, Empire & the Settler Colonial State
Monday, March 2, 2015 - 4:00pm to 6:45pm
Civil Discourse & Social Change Initiative's first event of the Spring - panel discussion. Read more
Physics and Astronomy's Nuclear Physics Laboratory
Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
The Department of Physics and Astronomy's Nuclear Physics Laboratory will be open to interested staff, faculty and guests at 3 to 4 pm each Thursday in March.... Read more
Inside the Industry: Preventive Health
Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Come hear what CSUN Alumni from various Preventive Health fields have to share about trends in their field, career opportunities, and other topics. Read more
Early Summer (film)
Thursday, March 5, 2015 - 7:00pm
Early Summer (1951), 125 mins Read more
Even in Hell, There is Hope
Friday, March 6, 2015 - 2:30pm
"Even in Hell, There is Hope" writes Dr. Henry Oster who was five years-old when... Read more
Pinter x 2 (play)
Friday, March 6, 2015 - 7:30pm to Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 10:00pm
Harold Pinter's The Tea Party and The Collection
Take a Pinteresque pause to savor these two classic one-acts from the 1960s. Discover why this master of modern British drama earned a Nobel Prize for Literature.
Read more
Fourth Annual Terry Piper Lecture
Monday, March 9, 2015 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Reception: 9:00 a.m.
Lecture: 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Location: Northridge Center, University Student Union
Dr. Shaun Harper
Student Engagement and Inclusive Campus Environments
From Magical Thinking to Strategy & Intentionality
Physics and Astronomy's Nuclear Physics Laboratory
Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 3:00am to 4:00am
The Department of Physics and Astronomy's Nuclear Physics Laboratory will be open to interested staff, faculty and guests at 3 to 4 pm each Thursday in March.... Read more


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Hitler's Luftwaffe seemed invincible in the 1930s with its 'rehearsal' in the Spanish Civil War, and its Blitzkrieg tactics used in overrunning the bulk of Europe at the beginning of the Second World War. German Luftwaffe Bombers with names such as Junkers, Heinkel and Dornier brought fear to the hearts and minds of the civilized world.
- Luftwaffe Bombers presents a detailed look at the twin-engined Junkers Ju 88, while rarely seen archive film gives us a pilot's eye cockpit view during a stunning engine failure sequence.
- Heinkel's He 111 bomber also boasts detailed in-cockpit sequences. There is extremely rare footage of the He 111 'Zwilling' - which was two of the bombers welded together! The He 177 and the screaming Junkers Ju 87 'Stuka' dive bomber are also prominently featured.
- A section on the Dornier Do 17 and Do 217 completes this exceptional look at one of the most feared bomber forces in military history.
- Luftwaffe Fighters begins with an in-depth look at the Me 109. Incredible footage shows the captured German fighter in blistering action.
- Messerschmitt tried a new concept in fighters with its twin engined Me Bf 110.
- The Me 210 could be converted from fighter to light bomber. It also boasted two remote control rear firing guns either side of the fuselage. There is also rare colour footage of the unique Me 410.
- The vaults of The Imperial War Museum have also provided stunning footage of a captured Fw 190 in the hands of the RAF.
Special Feature
- Quizcraft (1942, 9 mins): World War Two Aircraft Recognition Training Quiz.
Catalogue Number: Time: 136 mins approx Region: 0 / PAL Subtitles: None Sound: Stereo / English Picture: 1.33:1 / Colour / Black and White Number of Discs: 1 Classification: E Barcode: 5027626651041
click to see more
The Germans started World War Two with the deadly advantage of having developed a formidable Panzer Force both in terms of their tanks' mechanical superiority and the integrated Panzer Divisions preparations for their deployment. The British tanks by contrast were basic, unimaginative throwbacks to the crude designs of the Great War.
Tanks were needed to smash through defences and enemy lines, to destroy gun positions and to isolate and paralyse the enemy in minimal time. As the war progressed relentlessly across Northern Europe British Tanks met the challenge of the heavier German Tanks by successfully mating the 17 Pdr Gun to the Sherman Tank creating the tank destroying Firefly. Other adaptations to tanks included the ability to 'swim' and lay bridges - helping to maintain the flow of armour into the heart of the Reich.
British Tanks Of The Second World War is the fascinating story of the design triumphs and adaptations that turned around the mismanagement, underproduction and technical inferiority of British tanks at the beginning of the war into a fearsome strike force that outfought the Panzer divisions and paved the way for Victory!
Beach Obstacles (1943, 31 minutes) - A fascinating silent film illustrating the many ways adapted tanks can be employed to overcome passive beach defences - walls, wire-filled gullies, concrete 'egg' obstacles, steel tubes etc. Includes images of Churchill tanks with 'Carpet'laying equipment enabling troops to cross areas of densely packed barbed wire and customised Convenanter and Matilda with a variety of explosive charges.
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Introductory offer on Box Frames - 25% off
This simple but classical look is a really cost effective way to get your photos framed and on the wall where everyone can admire them . We print your chosen image on premium matt photo paper and then glue it to a backing board. The print is then recessed by a couple of millimeters into the face of the frame.
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Bayview Cottages Waterfront Cedar Chalet near Acadia
32 Treetop Drive Bar Harbor, ME US 04609
Enjoy this home year round.
Our cedar chalet is located in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island just minutes from Acadia National Park. The chalet sits atop a hill overlooking Frenchman's Bay. The main floor has a cathedral ceiling with two-story glass windows overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. French doors lead to a large deck, perfect for relaxing and dining. This area provides spectacular views of the water during the day and, especially at sunset. This Bar Harbor home has complete access to Frenchman's Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. We furnished it to accommodate up to eight people. Amenities include a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, DirecTV and DVD. Please visit our beautiful, three-bedroom / three-bath home. Please call me for more information. Brenda Harp 813-334-1144
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Sources of inflation and output movements in Poland and Hungary: Policy implications for accession to the economic and monetary union
A Car Accident Attorney Nashville Can Assist in Diminishing The Pitiful And Monetary Pain Considerably
Values and Policy Coordination in the EU Discussion on the Lifting of the EU Arms Embargo on China, 2003-2005
Make Sure to Look at the Many Magnificent Museums in Europe
Global social policy addressing the internal brain drain of medical doctors in thailand - the story and lesson learned
One Way Car Rental in Europe - Clio Berline
2013 || Aarkstore.in || Europe Organic Food and Beverages Industry Outlook to 2016
The Place of Multiple Intelligence in Achieving the Objectives and Goals of Open and Distance Learning Institutions : a critical analysis
Wanking at Work - Weighing in on the Pros and Cons
Robert Axelrod, "The Live-and-Let-Live System in Trench Warfare in World War
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Can you have the same Europe with different people in it? The answer, says Christopher Caldwell, is no.Europe has undergone a demographic revolution it never expected. A half ...
The Dark Side of a Pastor's Life—A Breath of Fresh AirAre you tired of pretending? Living walled up? Going only skin deep? Craig Groeschel , pastor of the thriving ...
How important is religion for young people in America today? What are the major influences on their developing spiritual lives? How do their religious beliefs and practices change as young people ...
Macroeconomic Policy Regimes in Western Industrial Countries explains how certain countries have created a more liberal and market-based type of capitalism. The emphasis throughout is on how ...
Rich Dad's Guide to Investing follows the New York Times bestsellers Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant . Most of us know that the best investments never make it to market. ...
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This updated second edition of At Risk in America provides a detailed analysis of those key population groups most vulnerable to disease and injury in the United States today-including homeless ...
New technologies with the potential to improve the health of populations are continuously being introduced. But not every technological development results in clear health gains. Health technology ...


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Educational Resources
NetSuite's webinars help you learn more about what NetSuite can do for your business—right from your desktop. You can participate in a live webinars or watch a previously recorded webinars. All webinars include both visual and audio content, and many include product demonstrations.
Upcoming Live Webinars
Register to participate in one of the following upcoming live web seminars:
Debunking Myths About Cloud Computing
13 December 2011, 1.30pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)
Previously Recorded Webinars
Select a general topic area below to see a list of detailed webinars in that area:


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Q and A with Allan Gregg
September 10th, 2012 | 41 Comments
[Welcome, National Newswatch readers!]
After his stinging rebuke of the Conservative Government's "anti-science" policies at Carleton University last Wednesday, I had a chance to speak further with Harris-Decima Chair Allan Gregg the following morning about his views on science, politics, and the possibility of change.
You can read the prepared remarks for Gregg's speech here, and my story for today's Hill Times here. The full talk, which includes much more personal material than was included in Mr. Gregg's remarks, will be broadcast later this week on CPAC, I'm told.
Thanks to Mr. Gregg for being willing to spend so much time talking to a blogger.
Q. When you left the "At Issue" panel, you said that you wanted to be able to speak more freely, and more long-form, and have the latittude to get involved in certain issues and causes. Is this an issue and cause that we're going to be hearing more about from you?
A. Yeah, I think that's exactly what I wanted to do. That was my intent and that's what I'm doing now.
Q. Are you writing a book?
A. I've got a couple of proposals in the works, but there's kind of a getting ready to get ready phase that you have to go through, to see is there really enough here to constitute a book. I'm at that stage right now in a couple of different fronts.
Q. You didn't mince words really last night. You were pretty hard on the Canadian government, and some other politicians like Jean Charest, Mitt Romney, and even Barack Obama. And it seems you're gravely concerned about what you're calling this "blatant attempt to obliterate the use of research and science in policy-making" and also to eliminate any evidence-based opposition to the government, and so …
A. It gets in the way of ideology, doesn't it? Because as I said in the remarks, invariably, the evidence either supports or refutes the ideology, so at the end of the day, evidence and reason should rule. And people who want to advance an agenda irrespective of that, know that, so they have to kind of remove it. This has gone on for all of history.
Q. So, you says it's gone on for all of history, so are things getting markedly worse, or is this only in Canada, or …
A. No, no, I think they got markedly better for a long, long time, especially since the period of the Enlightenment in the 16th century. And I think there is a remarkable progress that is undeniable. So I think you're just seeing it in the last three decades, where you're starting to see a culture of fear and a politics of division taking over, and I think it is reflective of a trend in the western world. Arguably the rest of the world arguably never got to the same point we did.
Q. Is this something that Canada imported from the States, or is it a function of the changing media landscape or maybe even the economy of the media, or is it something that sort of emerged with the "decline of deference" following Meech Lake and Charlottetown?
A. I think that has a lot to do with it. I didn't talk about that much in the remarks, but I think part of the problem, and this is North American-wide, is that there is kind of an "anti-elite" sentiment out there right now. And it really is a shift from a culture of deference, where we look to our leaders to solve all our problems, to one of defiance where we think our leaders are bums. In public opinion data it's overwhelming, and it's not just related to politics, it's bankers, it's priests … right across the board. So, someone who goes out there and advocates "anti-elitist" positions – you know, "we don't need scientists to tell us what should be happening in our parks, you know, campers always know what to do in our parks" – that's the kind of sentiment that's there, and it actually finds a very very rich soil.
Q. I agree with you, but I guess I have to ask whether science, and knowledge and reason are themselves neutral, and this is some of perhaps what they were getting at, one of your commenters last night, about "conviction" versus "knowledge", and does it matter who funds the research, and in what interest?
A. Of course it does. And I completely accept that science has been used for bad purposes historically as well as good, but then on balance, if you put the good and the bad on a balance sheet, you see that the good wildly outweighs the bad. Part of my concern right now is that you have "pseudo-science" that is rampant out there, and it's fairly hard for the layman to parse between. So it undermines the legitimacy of the real science that is being directed for the public good.
Q. Just to be devil's advocate for a second, don't some of the policy wonks sometimes make themselves, or keep themselves, or seem a little detached from the citizens whose taxes have funded their work? Do you think that's …
A. Absolutely. And it is. Even in my discipline of public opinion research, what we often do is we look at computer output. You know, these are people talking to us, and we treat them as just numbers, and we assume that it's just really one person – it's an aggregated Canadian. So, if 55% of Canadians think this, then the majority of Canadians think this, then Canadians think this ….So, I think there always is that problem, and I think that empathy has to be part of the equation. And we know that the best scientists are the ones that are in the field, and the best researchers are the ones who are on the street.
Q. Well…
A. So let me just finish there, because you know if you are detached, you never ever generate the right hypotheses to test. Because you're not close enough … to observe what actually might be going on there.
Q. The key to polling then, is to ask the right question.
A. Absolutely.
Q. So, one of your early mentors, [US pollster] Richard Wirthlin, he's arguing that values trumped issues in the work that he did for Ronald Reagan. He told George Lakoff that this was how Reagan managed to get elected: that people wanted to vote for him based on an appeal to values, in spite of most voters at the time disagreeing with his policies.
So, that being the case, that an appeal values will trump reason every time, how is it that you're so sure we could use reason and knowledge to "fight back", which was your closing call?
A. It's the power, you know, it's the power of 2 + 2 = 4. It's irrefutable. It's not very emotionally compelling; it's not something that causes people to stand up and give you a standing ovation. But over time, it will prevail. Dick is right to the extent that people make their judgements using irrational criteria in a very rational way. I mean, choice – political choice, consumer choice, what have you – is a fairly rational intersection of self-interest and self-image. People ask themselves these two things: (i) is it like me – self-image, and (ii) is it for me – self-interest. And if the answer to both those things is "yes", they're likely to be chosen. But the way you transmit "I am like you" could be "you and I love children, or puppy-dogs" as opposed to "you and I both believe that we have to have a guaranteed annual income program". So, yeah, there always is the element of the irrational in the rational, I just think it's something we have to keep our guard up for.
Q. But is it also maybe that "you and I both dislike that other person" or "both fear this phenomenon"?
A. [laughs] Well, there's always that as well, yes.
Q. Because that's the basis of wedge politics.
A. Well it is, but I've always feared those who try to keep the population ignorant, or try to misdirect them, or fool them. I've got no problem with right-wingers. I've got no problem with left-wingers. I just want them to be honest, and to base their ideology, and put it out there and have it challenged by facts and reason.
Q. So, what are the stakes if this trend can't be reversed? You say that we're not at 1984 yet, but how will we know if gotten there down the road?
A. Well, you know, I said it in my speech, and I'm surprised it didn't get more reaction, but it's something that you're not even allowed to say. You look at what Barack Obama is doing. The killing of Osama Bin Laden – by any traditonal criteria – is an International crime. You know, I don't care how bad the toad is, due process says that you're innocent until proven guilty, that you have a trial that is out in the open, that you're prepared to bring evidence, and that the evidence has to be brought against you in a public forum. Murder is committed routinely all over the place. And you know, not only is it not the source of shame, it's actually the source of great pride. The media, you know … "General Motors is working, and Osama Bin Laden is dead" … that is the most egregious example of the assault on reason; that we have actually got to the point as long as we disagree with the individuals, if we don't like them, if we fear them, that killing them – just on a whim … What if Barack Obama decided that he didn't like my speech last night, and just sent a drone over here …? [laughs]
Q. And even the television show that's supposed to be the most trenchant criticism of all the trends you're discussing, and the media and popular culture, itself did an episode that was a cheerleader for just that very US government action …
A. You mean "The Newsroom". Yes, exactly. Even Aaron Sorkin finds himself falling victim to that.
You know, John Adams, who was a great President, he first defended the British officers at the Boston Massacre. And this was right before the American Revolution. When he introduced the "Aliens and Seditious Act", that's what he called it. It cost him one run at the presidency, but that's what it was.
We're going backwards from the Enlightenment thinkers and the Enlightenment leaders, who were really inspired by that sort of stuff.
Q. One more question. The clear implications of your criticism of the current government is that the trend can only be changed at the ballot box in 2015. So, I'm wondering where are the internal critics of the current government? The Liberal Party is often thought of as representing the knowledge class – do they need to come back in order to reverse this trend? Do you think the party system is undergoing transformation and that the split at the ballot box is a temporary phenomenon, or what's your take on politics these days?
A. I think we're in a period of transition. It would not surprise me if we end up with a two-party system with much clearer choice, as one of the professors was advocating last night. That wouldn't surprise me at all. Probably the Liberal Party has become … you know they've gone from being the governing party, the natural party that most people identified with. If you asked people "which political party has values that best reflects your own", overwhelmingly for all my adult life, the Liberals won that question. Today they've become a party that basically represents no-one and stands for nothing. And that's how they're viewed — I'm not being cruel or anything. I mean, I could see that [meaning a move to a two-party system].
But the other thing too, is that for all of their [now referring to the Conservative government] – and I do believe that that's very genuine on their part; they think it's wrong what has happened because this mythical Canadian Tire / Tim Hortons person has been not represented and their voice hasn't been heard in the public discourse in Canada – they're not irrational to the extent they're prepared to commit political suicide. I mean, the extent to which scientists stood up to them and could actually put forward their case in a persuasive way, they will throttle it in; they will rein it in.
Q. And, are you going to be playing a role in that election, or in politics in the future?
A. No, no. I'm finished partisan politics. I will certainly weigh in on issues, but not on one [party] side or the other.


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Criticizing Labor, Breakaway Caucus Forms
by Paul Bass | Jan 5, 2014 9:22 pm
(28) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author
Posted to: City Hall, Labor
Declaring that "we don't want to be dictated to," a new coalition announced that it has formed to combat what it called union control of New Haven's Board of Alders.
Six alders met at the home of Beaver Hills Alder Claudette Robinson-Thorpe Sunday evening to make the announcement. They said they plan to hold the first of three neighborhood public meetings at Springs of Life-Giving Water Church at 31 Sperry St. at 4 p.m. on Jan. 25 to get constituents' input on the direction of local government.
The alders said they were reacting to the influence of one union in particular, UNITE HERE, whose Yale-based Locals 34 and 35 helped elect a majority of the Board of Alders in 2011 and 2013.
Robinson-Thorpe was a member of that union-backed coalition. Now, she declared, she's not. Another UNITE HERE-recruited alder, Newhallville's Brenda Foskey-Cyrus, said the same.
They argued that the UNITE HERE-backed board majority had created a new machine that dictates how people should vote and limits discussion and independence, just like the old Democratic Party machine that it replaced.
"I had left one master for another. The voting bloc went from the administration to the union-backed machine. The dictatorship I had in my first term began to show itself ugly in this new board. Nothing was or is not being done on the board without the unions' oversight," Robinson-Thorpe declared. (Click here to read a statement Robinson-Thorpe prepared.)
"We don't need to be dictated to."
Joining her and Foskey-Cyrus Sunday evening were West Rock Alder Carlton Staggers and first-term Alders Michael Stratton of Prospect Hill/Newhallville, Richard Spears of Bishop Woods, and Anna Festa of East Rock. Later, Downtown Alderman Doug Hausladen said he, too, is part of the group. They held out the promise that Board of Alders will have more "democracy" and transparency in the new two-year term.
They singled out board President Jorge Perez, Democratic Town Chair Jackie James, and UNITE HERE staffer Gwen Mills (who's also Democratic Town Committee treasurer) as the people enforcing discipline on issues and limiting independence.
Those three, in turn, argued in interviews with the Independent that the board operates transparently, and that they seek to bring alders to consensus to get things accomplished.
The move by Robinson-Thorpe and her colleagues—reprising in some ways a short-lived effort called "Take Back New Haven" by Stratton, Hausladen, and Festa in last year's election campaign—reflects the ongoing debate in New Haven over the role of organized labor in local politics, specifically the role of Yale's politically influential unions. Supporters say the group has succeeded in bringing lots of new community-minded people, especially women of color, into the political process and rejuvenated the Board of Alders as a progressive, independent branch of government. Critics, like the new breakaway group (and many posting in this comment thread), call the UNITE HERE-backed majority a new self-serving political machine.
Leadership Quest
The breakaway group recently supported Robinson-Thorpe's bid for a board leadership position: president pro tem. (The person in the position fills in if the board president is away.) The board's majority, in a caucus, chose West River's Tyisha Walker instead. A formal vote for the position will take place at this coming Tuesday evening's board meeting; Robinson-Thorpe said she plans to continue with her candidacy, even though she lacks the votes to win, in order to take a stand.
Perez and James suggested that Robinson-Thorpe has decided to organize the breakaway group out of disappointment that she didn't get the leadership position, rather than because of broader problems with how the board runs. They said that they in no way promoted Walker over Robinson-Thorpe, but rather that Walker simply convinced more colleagues to supporter her.
"This is all about the fact that Tyisha appears to have the votes to be president pro tem," Perez said. "I'm sorry to see [Robinson-Thorpe] is stooping to the level of making accusations."
"She's disgruntled," James said. "It's high school. It's very immature."
For her part, Robinson-Thorpe called the president pro tem vote the culmination of years of concerns she had developed over the unions' role in the board.
She said leaders had previously discouraged her from seeking leadership positions because she didn't have enough experience. Then this past year she showed her independence—and now someone with less experience than she has is getting the pro tem position. Robinson-Thorpe is beginning her third term in office, Walker, her second.
As chair of the board's Black and Hispanic Caucus, Robinson-Thorpe was part of the leadership team that set strategy and communicated with colleagues. Each leader had five alders to call to discuss plans and issues before the board; she said an independent alderman, Jusin Elicker, was on her list, and she was told not to call him or keep him in the loop. (Perez and James denied that.) She said the UNITE HERE-backed majority regularly left the eight or so alders outside the coalition in the dark about pending matters. (Perez and James denied that, too.)
Robinson-Thorpe and Foskey-Cyrus cited the June 2013 vote to sell two downtown streets to Yale for $3 million as a turning point in their view of the board majority.
Robinson-Thorpe said she wanted to vote against the deal. Board leaders supported the deal, saying it gave the city much-needed cash and institutionalized long-term financial commitments from Yale. Critics called it a short-term giveaway of a valuable downtown asset.
"I called Gwen [Mills] and said, 'I can't do this,'" Robinson-Thorpe recalled Sunday. "I was directed that, 'You're in a coalition. You have to vote with the coalition. You agreed to do this." Robinson-Thorpe said she ended up going along and voting yes, only to learn later that her constituents opposed the deal.
Mills denied every making that comment to Robinson-Thorpe. She and Perez noted that a number of UNITE HERE-backed alders, including Newhallville's Delphine Clyburn and Foskey-Cyrus, voted no on the Yale deal; thus, labor didn't hold a single, unified position. "She should have voted against it. Nobody held a gun to their head," Perez said.
Robinson-Thorpe said she was told she had a responsibility as a board leader to go along with the consensus of the leadership. "They want leadership to be cohesive."
Party leaders are supposed to find out where people stand on an issue, then try to forge consensus to get matters passed, James argued. "That's what leadership is all about—to get people [together] and get things accomplished. What adults do, they go into a room and talk about their issues."
Machine Politics? Or Coalition Politics?
Foskey-Cyrus said the turning point for her came in the early stages of the 2013 mayoral campaign, when labor-backed alders met at the union hall on Chapel Street in Fair Haven to discuss backing a candidate. When a number of members wanted to back Democrat Kermit Carolina, rather than the candidate favored by leadership (at the time Jack Keyes, who ended up not running; later, Toni Harp), the meeting ended without a vote, she said. And she was told, she said, "If you're not with us, you're against us."
"Right then I realized this is a joke. We're not a family. They're dictators," Foskey-Cyrus said. Foskey-Cyrus said she ended up backing Harp after Carolina allegedly threatened to support candidates opposing alders who didn't support his candidacy.
Alder Staggers said he, too, ended up regretting voting yes on the Yale street deal. He claimed that one of the board coalition leaders—he wouldn't name who—threatened him that he wouldn't be able to "get anything done" in his ward if he didn't support Harp for mayor. (He remained neutral in the mayor's race.) Again, Perez, Mills and James denied making the comments to Staggers or Foskey-Cyrus, or stifling debate.
To UNITE HERE's Mills, unions, like other organized groups in town, have a constructive role to play in politics and government.
"Unions in New Haven are well-organized, which isn't the case in a lot of the country. I think it's a good thing," she said Sunday. "It's an exciting and important time in the city. There's new leadership [in City Hall, in the schools, at Yale]. There are a lot of people—including unions—who want to focus on unemployment and violence. There's a lot of work to be done. There are roles" for many groups to play. "We should work together when there are shared priorities. Disagreement doesn't mean dictating."
Alder Stratton offered a different take on unions' role.
"The unions, like every other machine, give people a position. They don't give people a voice," he said at the Sunday gathering at Robinson-Thorpe's home. "It's a historical problem in New Haven. We have this powerful body, the Board of Aldermen, that has been under the thumb of a machine. We need another place to go when people disagree with the power structure."
The new caucus doesn't have a name yet. Robinson-Thorpe said it wants "the people" to decide on a name.
Previous stories examining the new labor majority's first term in office:
• Perez: We Kept Our Word
• For Wonkish Rookies, City Hall Wasn't Hollywood
• "Labor" Agenda Takes Shape In 1st Year
• Outside City Hall, A New Way Of Doing Business
• Rookies Learn: All Politics Is Hyperlocal
Post a Comment
posted by: FHResident on January 5, 2014 9:51pm
So sad to see our community leaders acting just like rival gang members!! While our city homicide and unemployment rate is going high! People stop this madness and act like caring civilized adults, there's a lot of work to do in our communities instead of backstabbing one another. My God no one can be trusted anymore, this truly disappoints me as a tax payer too much drama while our city is falling apart. People get it together, Mayor Toni Harp takes office and you all begin to go haywire. This is a joke. You all need to reevaluate yourselves and the positions you all have because you ain't happy where you at. At one point I thought I'd run for alder woman but now with the reputation that you all are acquiring I tell you one thing my sanity is more important than making a fool out myself and having to live with it for the rest of my life, there's no way in hell any one not worth my health nor time will take the peace I have or take me out of my character. This is not about community is gotten personal and that is truly not a good thing.
posted by: darnell on January 5, 2014 11:58pm
OMG, for once I am speechless. How can these folks admit that they voted against their conscience and communities? Now I can go to rest with the thought that I have seen it all….LOL
posted by: NewHavenTaxTooHigh on January 6, 2014 1:27am
Finally! The residents and taxpayers of New Haven need real representation. Let's hope this is the beginning of something new.
posted by: nh4life on January 6, 2014 7:39am
Certain Alders are claiming things were said that are being denied. How are these people supposed to work together to get anything done in this atmosphere ?
posted by: Christopher Schaefer on January 6, 2014 8:39am
"UNITE HERE-backed board majority had created a new machine that dictates how people should vote and limits discussion and independence, just like the old Democratic Party machine that it replaced." This kind of thing has gone on for decades at ALL levels of government: city, state, federal. Regardless of your ideological leanings, the ONLY way to end this entrenched corruption is to get rid of EVERY incumbent. Andy Ross, the best qualified candidate for Wooster Square, lost merely because he was a Republican. But it was voters who REALLY lost by maintaining the status quo. So next time you have an actual choice, hold your nose and fight your gag reflex if you have to, but vote for anyone who is NOT part of the local Democratic Machine. If the newcomer proves to be a disaster, you can get rid of them next time around. But New Haven—and Connecticut—never will change until voters wake up to the massive scam that's been taking place for decades—and dump ALL incumbents.
posted by: robn on January 6, 2014 8:43am
Commenters who continually deny fascistic union strong-arm tactics (and use reductio ad absurdum terms such as "conspiracy" and "cabal") can now eat their words.
posted by: Common Ground on January 6, 2014 8:45am
Well, this is petty. There are constructive things happening in town, and seriously bad things happening like the violence, and this is how a group of alders spends their time? Half of them aren't even on the board yet and they are criticizing their own body. That doesn't seem like keeping an open, independent mind.
Anyway, the common ground in town is that everyone wants to be safe, have a way to provide for their families, and be able to send kids (if they have them) to a good school. Numerous community gatherings and polls have made this known over and over. Mayor Toni Harp seems to understand this. I'm hoping to see those things be the topic of discussion, not this ridiculousness.
posted by: David S Baker on January 6, 2014 8:47am
These folks RECENTLY came to the conclusion that sucking diversity out of city governemnt with union dollars was a bad idea? This has been going on for four years!
Trust these folks only as far as you can throw them Mike Stratton.
posted by: Greg-Morehead on January 6, 2014 8:50am
I agree with the Alders that are coming out against James, Perez, and Mills.
Myself and others have been saying this for a long time. The union control of the board and those that are pushing their weight around, ARE dictators! They claim to have the residents best interest at heart, but they truly don't. They are pushing the Unions agenda, and thats it! Thorpe and the others are NOT disgruntled, nor are they acting like this is high school, but they are telling the truth about what really goes on. Residents on the outside, don't see the half of what goes on behind the scenes.
Those in power on the board currently and with the Unions,say what the residents want to hear and behind the scenes, they are moving forward with their agenda. I know for a fact that their were people who were told to vote for Toni. Alot of the union backed Alders never seen her around or have ever worked with her in the past, but (as one current Alder told me)they have to vote in favor of the group.
I don't know when New Haven residents will wake up and see whats really going on here! Watch as time goes on, there are going to be bones thrown to the residents by way of so called legislation that looks like its in favor of the community, but, in turn, there's a hidden agenda and behind the scenes price thats going to have to be collected on.
When Will We WUNH?(Wake up New Haven)
posted by: wendy1 on January 6, 2014 9:08am
I applaud transparency and independence in any alder. For too long, alderpeople have been out for themselves, feathering their own nests at the expense of the poor townspeople.
The sale of parts of our city including whole streets is a disgrace. It is time for the city to go after the elephant in the room, Yale Corp., also UI, Fusco, and all the other uber rich villains in town. The townspeople have been stepped on enough, mistreated and cheated enough!!!!!.
This means that we, the working classes, will have to pay close attention to cityhall and the BOA. Citizens must get involved MUCH MORE and stay in touch with alders MUCH MORE. I am pro-union but I have walked over to the union office (corner of temple and elm) to complain. This union has done some good things but they are still unable to unionize Yale-New Haven or get workers a living wage ($30 an hour). We have to pay attention.
posted by: Anderson Scooper on January 6, 2014 9:16am
Where the heck is Hausladen in this picture? Inquiring minds want to know!
[Ed.: "Later, Downtown Alderman Doug Hausladen said he, too, is part of the group."]
posted by: Threefifths on January 6, 2014 9:26am
You all keep saying union control.How about the old fossils and dinosaurs who have been on the BOA rubber stamping before the so call union got in.Also how come this group to so long to bring this up.They used the union machine to get themselves elected.Give me a break.This is why you need IRV voting Term Limits and Proportional Representation you will not have this problem.
Alder Stratton offered a different take on unions' role.
"The unions, like every other machine, give people a position. They don't give people a voice," he said at the Sunday gathering at Robinson-Thorpe's home. "It's a historical problem in New Haven. We have this powerful body, the Board of Aldermen, that has been under the thumb of a machine. We need another place to go when people disagree with the power structure."
Spoken like a true one percenter.
My Bad. Forgot Election Recall.
posted by: FacChec on January 6, 2014 9:45am
After voting unanimously on every major issue in committee and before the full board for the last two terms, this split developed by Robinson Thorpe comes as a bit of a surprise.
I hope her new found independence was not propelled by the lack of support for the weak and non influential board position of President pro-tem of the board.
I am hard pressed to see what legislative agenda was advanced by the united here and Perez during the past two terms; they had no agenda, but merely reacted to those that the Mayor advanced. Since all major votes before the board were passed unanimously WITHOUT DEBATE, these new found independent alders have a lot of explaining to do, since here-to-fore they were content on voting the way Perez told them to vote.
For this new term it appears the union and Perez want greater control over the board in order to continue to advance DeStefano's, now Harp and Malloy's, downtown and railroad development over the neighborhoods.
posted by: Threefifths on January 6, 2014 9:50am
My bad again.Did not these same above BOA members help the same unions that they are criticizing work with the same unions who back Harp to get elected.Also how come these same BOA people who got help from the same unions who they are criticizing also help them get elected.This all sound to me like take back New Haven Machine is back.
posted by: Anderson Scooper on January 6, 2014 9:54am
On a more serious note, yes, the Unions should keep their money out of our neighborhood elections.
If they want to endorse, fine. If union members choose to volunteer, okay, I guess. But financing paid canvassers to the tune of $20-$40 per voter? Gross. (And what's even grosser is those canvassers posing as concerned Democratic volunteers, without mentioning that they are getting paid, and by whom.)
My lasting remembrance of the Unions' power madness is their vulgar attempt to replace one of the best alder people ever, our neighborhood activist Doug Hausladen, with a carpet-bagging Yale undergrad who broke her lease just so she might represent us! (Q: Who lives in SoHu without knowing where Modern Pizza is? A: The Unions' choice aldermanic candidate!) That sad fact combined with the ugliness with which they went after Doug,—door-to-door casting aspersions about his character,—was far, far worse than anything Susie Voigt and Team DeStefano ever attempted.
Therefore if a handful of alder people have decided they don't want to be under the thumb of the heavy-handed union machine, Hallelujah and count me in! I can even propose an agenda for the group. How about better schools, a safer city, and jobs for everyone?
posted by: HewNaven on January 6, 2014 10:04am
In Robinson-Thorpe's prepared statement she mentions weekly meetings of the "21" (the alders elected with Unite-Here support) at union offices. I want to hear more about those meetings! That is indeed a cabal.
posted by: anonymous on January 6, 2014 11:28am
You hit the nail on the head, Anderson.
Jackie James's comment referring to "high school" level behavior is offensive and inappropriate in my opinion, given the youth population and diversity of the neighborhoods where she works.
Everyone already knew that the UNITE-bought Alders were told not to speak to Justin Elicker - he had always represented city residents' interests over the interests of suburbanites within the UNITE leadership. When it comes to the strong-arm tactics used the Board of Aldermen and secretive DTC, this article is just the tip of the iceberg.
Hopefully, a coalition will emerge that demands real progress on issues and struggling neighborhoods, not more meaningless press conferences on how we only had three more murders this year, or X number of new hires (presented without any regard to new fires).
posted by: Guido Brunetti on January 6, 2014 12:30pm
Thanks for highlighting the fact that Justin Elicker was deliberately left out of the loop even though he was on the "call" list.
I echo the sentiment that Justin was dedicated to constituent service not machine politics and it's accompanying nasty power plays.
To realize he was punished for this is disheartening. Power to this new coalition!
posted by: NewHavenTaxTooHigh on January 6, 2014 12:45pm
These revelations leave the residents of New Haven wondering what else is happening behind closed doors between the unions and our elected representatives, and, more importantly, if any laws have been broken.
posted by: darnell on January 6, 2014 1:07pm
Look, I like and respect Justin as much as the next guy, but come on, really? It was a short 3 years ago that Justin was part of the "in" crowd. He was appointed Chairman of one of the most powerful committees his freshman year, not because he was smarter than anyone else, but because he was part of the cliche that was in charge. He sat in plenty of closed secret meetings, I know, because at the time I was the alderman not getting calls. When the union took over, of course his fortunes changed.
Now we all know to the victor goes the spoils, but that isn't how our government for the people is supposed to work. I'm sure I would have been as welcomed in the union dominated board as I was in the previous board (sarcasm).
I had hope for the union board, and am a little disappointed with these revelations. I have hope for the new administration. Time will tell.
What I am truly confused by is the Carlton Staggers position on a lot of things. As my alderman I was of course very disappointed with his voting record, particularly on the sell of the streets. I was very surprised that he didn't endorse and support Mayor Harp during the primary or general election, since she endorsed him in the race against me 2 years earlier, even when she admitted that she didn't know much about him. Very strange indeed. I guess loyalty is in short supply these days.
posted by: WestvilleCitizen on January 6, 2014 1:21pm
As I have said previously, the Yale unions appear to support democracy as a tactic rather than as a value. When it suits their end, the tactics change. Free thinking union supporters out there need to speak out against Proto, et al. and their ways. Only when their power is threatened will they (possibly) change their tune. To what, only time will tell.
posted by: webblog on January 6, 2014 2:01pm
By their own admissions in this article, the new independents openly admit to cowing down to the wishes of the leadership coalition, rather than to the best interest of their constituents.
There is no excuse for voting unanimously, without debate for the 2013 budget, and then telling their constituents what a good job they had done reducing the budget against the administration wishes.
The fact that they were being phoned ahead of the vote is no excuse for not acting independently when the actual vote took place.
Because there are only five so called leadership positions, they act in concert, after Perez and the Mayor had cut the deal.
Therefore, for all intent and purposes Perez is the dictator and the others simply fulfilled their role as rubber-stampers, they admit so in this article.
As much as staggers is concern, he is nonexistent; he attends meeting inconsistently, comes late, plays with his dumb phone and leaves early, after voting YES.
As for the future, Robinson-Thorpe and her new rebel crew had better come up with their own legislative agenda which clearly demonstrates democracy" and transparency in the new two-year term, and further shows they not just start blowing smoke.
posted by: cedarhillresident! on January 6, 2014 2:51pm
This is a long time coming. I am glad to see these strong community leaders take a stand.
"Courage is a kind of salvation "–Plato-
We have gotten so use to a machine that many fell in line to the new one…with thoughts that the new one is better than the old one. But again, it is a machine controlling most of the people who can run, what way most people will vote. And forgetting that our elected officials our suppose to represent us, not what they are told by a chosen few.
" I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Nelson Mandela
I stand up and clap my hands for each of you and hope others will follow.
posted by: Hill South on January 6, 2014 5:19pm
These alderpersons admit to have folded under pressure to cast votes contrary to the opinion of the people they were elected to represent. This does not give me confidence in their continued or future ability to lead. But this is no different then how I felt when their candidacy was initially promoted by UNITE HERE. In their election campaigns they promised their constituents that they could count on them to represent their needs and concerns ... that they would be heard. 2-3 years later you tell us that you did not have the courage or the fortitude to vote with integrity ... that you were threatened or coerced into doing something you thought was wrong. And NOW you want people to have faith in you? Glad none of you are my Alder.
posted by: citoyen on January 6, 2014 11:45pm
This is a very encouraging development, from within the ranks of the Board of Alders itself. May it grow in strength, steadily.
I am *glad* to learn some alders have recognized past errors and want to do better henceforth. This could be called learning and growing.
All this feel-good happy talk from the union machine leaders. "That's what leadership is all about—to get people [together] and get things accomplished." "It's an exciting and important time in the city. There's new leadership [in City Hall, in the schools, at Yale]. There are a lot of people-—including unions-—who want to focus on unemployment and violence. There's a lot of work to be done. There are roles for many groups to play. We *should* work together when there are shared priorities."
All of it is more and more being seen for what it is—empty, calculated, perhaps poll-tested, double-speak.
A political machine is a machine is a machine.
What New Haven needs, desperately, is continuing *competition*—like during the recent election season. NOT the stifling of dissenting voices.
Since there is no viable opposition party in New Haven, this will have to be accomplished somehow within the Democratic Party framework. Which will have to mean direct challenges to the entrenched Democratic Party power structure. There need to be transparency, responsiveness, and *freedom from fear of retribution* within a reformed version of the NH Dem Party.
posted by: Christopher Schaefer on January 7, 2014 9:50am
citoyen says: "Since there is no viable opposition party in New Haven, this will have to be accomplished somehow within the Democratic Party framework… within a reformed version of the NH Dem Party." Unfortunately, the nature of the beast is such that it is beyond "reform". So why not a 3rd party? Such a party would have "no position" on issues that have caused feuds at the state and/or national level—e.g. ObamaCare, abortion, gay marriage, military spending, immigration reform, income tax reform—because these issues are Not Relevant at the municipal level. New Haven cannot revise the federal or state tax codes, cannot pass federal or state constitutional amendments, cannot increase or decrease military spending, etc., etc. New Haven once had a third party—the Green Party—which became obsolete because it adopted a platform that mirrored much of the Democrats' platform. So why not a 3rd party that has a platform which is utterly Distinct from the Dems and focused Exclusively on providing alternative ideas to New Haven's Machine?
posted by: citoyen on January 7, 2014 11:13pm
C. Schaefer,
Interesting idea. I'm inclined to agree that the nature of the beast is that it could be beyond reform. I'll have to think about this for a while.
The the thing is, New Haven does not exist in a vacuum—there's a wider world out there, and I don't know if, realistically, it's possible to conduct political affairs within the city borders as if there's not. And third parties, realistically, never really go anywhere (except for, say, Republicans in the late 1850s). I've been here a while, and I watched the Green Party rise and fall—did they manage to elect all of one alderman to the board? or maybe two altogether, from one ward? I don't really remember—and the whole enterprise never had any chance of catching fire across the whole city.
In a sense, I suppose Justin Elicker's "independent" candidacy this time around, and Jeffrey Kerekes's last time, were, if not a third party approach, at least a third way approach to New Haven politics. And both gained a lot of momentum. At the same time, there was, as just one example, all that crazy resistance that Justin must therefore be a Dick Cheney right-winger. On election day, I encountered an acquaintance, and we talked a bit, and I asked whom he'd voted for, and he said, "I voted for the Democrat." People's voting habits are very entrenched around here.
It's an interesting question, and not a new one, here or elsewhere. To affect the power structure, is it more effective to try from inside or outside? The answers differ, time to time, place to place. (The Yale unions tried inside, and they've been very successful. Their key has been *organization.*)
posted by: robn on January 8, 2014 9:05am
What labor is calling "organization" is really just manufactured consent. There's a reason why the labor coalition chose Toni Harp over someone much more interesting like Jessica Holmes or GHW and that's because the coalition strategized how to get otherwise uninterested voters to the polls using cult of personality; its cold calculation (before I get heat for this, the NHI has done numerous articles on the subject of the "historic" election of New Havens first black female mayor; and how that drew people to the polls. fact.)


text:
Anthro Challenge #100 - Pumpkin, Potion, CandyWelcome to the 100th installment of Anthro Challenge! We've reached the 100 mark! This one will have a wide range of possibilities for you to draw up something really fun!
If you have any suggestions for themes, please feel free to comment on the front of our group or send us a note! We are welcome to new ideas from the Community! What themes do you find more challenging vs others?
%AnthroCommunity | %anthrochallenge
AC Challenge #100 - Pumpkin, Potion, Candy
What Your Challenge Is
October is known for fall, the change of season, fiery colors and the excitement of Halloween! We love Halloween just as much as the next person, so, our theme will be centered around Halloween! Put your artisitc witchy hat on and let's get to creating something magical! Make sure your piece has something to do with pumpkins, potions or candy! Any one of those thre