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press release
U.S. Delegation to OSCE PA Drives International Action against Human Trafficking, Discrimination, and Anti-Semitism
Friday, July 08, 2016WASHINGTON—Seven members of Congress traveled to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Annual Session in Tbilisi, Georgia last week to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. At the Annual Session, which brought together nearly 300 parliamentarians from 54 of the 57 OSCE participating States, the U.S. lawmakers introduced several successful resolutions and amendments targeting current challenges facing the OSCE region, ranging from human trafficking to discrimination and anti-Semitism to the abuse of Interpol mechanisms to target political opponents and activists. The delegation included Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (MS), Commissioner Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Commissioner Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14), Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-08), and Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-06). Rep. Aderholt currently serves as a vice-president of the OSCE PA, while Sen. Wicker was re-elected to a third term as chair of the OSCE PA Committee on Political Affairs and Security, also known as the First Committee, during the annual meeting. Chairman Smith led international lawmakers in battling international human trafficking and child sex tourism through a successful resolution calling on all OSCE participating States to raise awareness of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT), especially by convicted pedophiles, business travelers, and tourists. Chairman Smith, who serves as the OSCE PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, also hosted a July 3 briefing on U.S. efforts to prevent SECTT through a new international reciprocal notification system – known as International Megan's Law – that facilitates timely communications among law enforcement agencies. A second U.S. resolution, authored by OSCE PA Special Representative for Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance and Helsinki Commission Ranking Sen. Ben Cardin (MD), called for action against the anti-Semitic and racist violence sweeping across North America and Europe. The resolution, which passed overwhelmingly, urged members of the OSCE to develop a plan of action to implement its long-standing body of tolerance and non-discrimination agreements, called for international efforts to address racial profiling, and offered support for increased efforts by political leaders to stem the tide of hate across the region. The resolution was fielded by Commissioner Hultgren. Chairman Smith also called on participating States to more effectively prevent and combat violence against European Jewish communities through the introduction of two amendments to the resolution of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions (also known as the Third Committee). His first amendment called for the explicit recognition of the increase in anti-Semitic attacks in the region, while the second encouraged participating States to formally recognize and partner with Jewish community groups. Responding the abuse of Interpol systems for politically motivated harassment by Russia and other members of the OSCE, Co-Chairman Wicker authored a successful amendment to the First Committee resolution, which called on participating States to stop the inappropriate placement of Red Notices and encouraged Interpol to implement mechanisms preventing politically motivated abuse of its legitimate services. The amendment was fielded by Rep. Hudson. During the Annual Session, members of the delegation also offered strong support for important resolutions fielded by other countries, including one by Ukraine on human rights in illegally occupied Crimea and another on the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. They voted for a highly relevant resolution on combating corruption fielded by Sweden, and helped to defeat a Russian resolution attacking the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine in the context of combating neo-Nazism. U.S. delegates indicated their support for the work of attending Azerbaijani human rights activists, and met with attending members of the Israeli Knesset. While in Tbilisi, the group also met with several high-ranking Georgian officials, including Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili; Tedo Japaridze, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Parliament of Georgia; Mikheil Janelidze, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs; and David Bakradze, Georgian Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
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Chairman Smith Leads International Legislators against Human Trafficking, Child Sex Tourism
Monday, July 04, 2016WASHINGTON—The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution authored by Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) against international human trafficking and child sex tourism. The resolution was passed at the 2016 annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and has an agenda-setting effect for the 57-member intergovernmental organization. Smith, who leads the U.S. Delegation to this year's OSCE PA Annual Session, introduced a resolution calling on all OSCE participating States to work with the private sector and civil society to raise awareness of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT), especially by convicted pedophiles, business travelers, and tourists. The resolution also urges all OSCE participating States to enact laws allowing them to prosecute their citizens and legal permanent residents for child sexual exploitation committed abroad, and to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation to ensure that nations know about travel by convicted pedophiles prior to their arrival. "More children than ever before are being exploited – child sex tourism is soaring while protection lags," said Chairman Smith. "We must work together to protect children from convicted pedophiles and opportunistic predators who exploit local children with impunity during their travels abroad. Prevention and prosecution should go hand in hand." In addition to introducing the SECTT resolution, Chairman Smith hosted a July 3 briefing on U.S. efforts to prevent SECTT through a new international reciprocal notification system – known as International Megan's Law – that facilitates timely communications among law enforcement agencies. "Child predators thrive on secrecy – a secrecy that allows them to commit heinous crimes against the weakest and most vulnerable," said Chairman Smith. "Recent changes in the laws of the United States and partner countries are putting child predators on the radar when they travel internationally, but much remains to be done." Chairman Smith has served as OSCE PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues since 2004. His efforts to raise the profile of the human trafficking problem in the OSCE region are reflected in the 2013 Addendum to the OSCE Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, and have prompted other parliamentarians to take the lead in addressing human trafficking in their respective capitals. Chairman Smith first raised the issue of human trafficking at the 1999 St. Petersburg Annual Session, the first time it appeared on the OSCE agenda. Since then, he has introduced or cosponsored a supplementary item and/or amendments on trafficking at each annual session of the OSCE PA, including on issues such as sex tourism prevention, training of the transportation sector in victim identification and reporting, corporate responsibility for trafficking in supply chains, and special protections for vulnerable populations. In addition to authoring the 2016 International Megan's Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders, he authored the landmark U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its 2003 and 2005 reauthorizations. Chairman Smith co-chairs the United States Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus.
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Chairman Smith Champions Improved Security for European Jewish Communities at Annual Meeting of OSCE Parliamentarians
Sunday, July 03, 2016WASHINGTON—At the 2016 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Annual Session, meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia this week, Helsinki Commission Chair Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today called on participating States to more effectively prevent and combat violence against European Jewish communities in the face of increasing anti-Semitic violence in the region. "Violent anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise in several European countries – and there is a lot more we can do to stop it," said Chairman Smith, who led the U.S. delegation to the event. "European police and security forces should be partnering with Jewish community security groups, and the United States government should be working with the European governments to encourage this. The terrorist threat to European Jewish communities is more deadly than ever. We must act to prevent a repeat of the horrific massacres of Paris and Copenhagen." Chairman Smith offered two amendments to the draft resolution of the OSCE PA General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions (also known as the Third Committee). His first amendment called for the explicit recognition of the increase in frequency, scope, and severity of anti-Semitic attacks in the OSCE region, while the second called on participating States to formally recognize and partner with Jewish community groups to strengthen crisis prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and responses related to anti-Semitic attacks. Both amendments reflect consultations with and requests from European Jewish communities. Chairman Smith has a long record as a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. He co-chairs the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism in the U.S. House of Representatives and authored the provisions of the U.S. Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 that created the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism within the U.S. State Department. In 2015, he authored House Resolution 354, a blueprint for strengthening the safety and security of European Jewish communities. Following his landmark 2002 hearing on combating the escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe, "Escalating Anti-Semitic Violence in Europe," he led a congressional drive to place the issue of combating anti-Semitism at the top of the OSCE agenda. As part of this effort he authored supplemental resolutions on combating anti-Semitism, which were adopted at the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Annual Sessions of the OSCE PA. In 2004 the OSCE adopted new norms for its participating States on fighting anti-Semitism. Chairman Smith is a founding member of the the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (ICCA), where he also serves on the steering committee. In the 1990s, he chaired Congress's first hearings on anti-Semitism and in the early 1980s, his first trips abroad as a member of Congress were to the former Soviet Union, where he fought for the release of Jewish "refuseniks."
NATO's Warsaw Summit and the Future of European Security
Thursday, June 23, 2016This briefing, conducted two weeks prior to the NATO summit in Warsaw, discussed the prospects and challenges expected to factor into the negotiations. Key among these were Russian aggression and NATO enlargement, cybersecurity, and instability along NATO's southern border. Mr. Pisarski's testimony focused mainly on the challenge posed by Russian aggression and the role played by NATO's partners in maintaining stability in Eastern Europe. Dr. Binnendijk commented on seven areas he argued the Alliance should make progress on at the Warsaw summit, centering mainly around unity, deterrent capability, and the Alliance's southern strategy. Rear Admiral Gumataotao provided a unique insight into NATO Allied Command Transformation's core tasks and their expectations for Warsaw. The question and answer period featured a comment from Georgian Ambassador Gegeshidze, who spoke about his country's stake in the Summit's conclusions in the context of the ongoing Russian occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Germany's Chairmanship of the OSCE: Priorities and Challenges
Tuesday, March 01, 2016At this hearing, the U.S. Helsinki Commission welcomed Germany's Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, to discuss pressing issues in the OSCE region as Germany assumes the 2016 Chair-in-Office. Steinmeier began by honoring the historical connection between Germany and the institution of the OSCE. In his words, Germany would not forget the "instrumental work" of the Helsinki Commission and the "unequivocal support" of the U.S. in the reunification of the East and West. Steinmeier then introoduced the German theme for their chairmanship, "renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security," and called for the return of strong cooperation with the application of OSCE commitments in the face of current conflicts, such as Russian aggression in Ukraine, terror and religious radicalism in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and the refugee crisis across Europe. Members included Chairman Rep. Christopher Smith, Co-Chairman Senator Roger Wicker, Commissioner, Senator Ben Cardin and Commissioner Rep. Joseph Pitts. Each raised their concerns, but in some instances also pressed Minister Steinmeier to take certain political action (e.g. to condemn the Azerbaijani government for unlawfully imprisoning journalist Khadija Ismayilova). Priorities were also set to advocate for freedom of the media, to fight against discrimination, racism, and intolerance, and to combat human trafficking. Both parties agreed that the year ahead would be challenging, but discussed strong policies to build a more peaceful, stable international system and to ensure comprehensive security.
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German Foreign Minister to Testify at Helsinki Commission Hearing
Thursday, February 25, 2016WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing: "Germany's Chairmanship of the OSCE: Priorities and Challenges" March 1, 2016 2: 00 PM Cannon House Office Building Room 334 Live Webcast:www.youtube.com/HelsinkiCommission Germany's 2016 Chairmanship-in-Office of the 57-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – the world's largest regional security body – comes at a turbulent time. Russia's aggression against Ukraine continues to have serious ramifications on pan-European security; the refugee crisis has exposed cracks in the European approach to migration; and some question the OSCE's relevance and role in twenty-first century Europe. Germany's Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will discuss Germany's plans to "renew dialogue, rebuild trust, and restore security" as it assumes the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office, including resolving the conflict in Ukraine; supporting negotiations in Nagorno-Karabakh, Transdniestra, and Georgia; renewing discussions on key European security agreements; counterterrorism and cybersecurity; and strengthening OSCE capacities.
The Helsinki Process: A Four Decade Overview
Monday, February 01, 2016In August 1975, the heads of state or government of 35 countries – the Soviet Union and all of Europe except Albania, plus the United States and Canada – held a historic summit in Helsinki, Finland, where they signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. This document is known as the Helsinki Final Act or the Helsinki Accords. The Conference, known as the CSCE, continued with follow-up meetings and is today institutionalized as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, based in Vienna, Austria. Learn more about the signature of the Helsinki Final Act; the role that the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe played during the Cold War; how the Helsinki Process successfully adapted to the post-Cold War environment of the 1990s; and how today's OSCE can and does contribute to regional security, now and in the future.
OSCE Foreign Ministers Meet in Belgrade
Friday, January 15, 2016Serbia's year-long chairmanship of the OSCE culminated in Belgrade in the annual meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council on December 3 and 4, 2015. Key issues addressed in the context of Ministerial discussions included: Ongoing efforts to de-escalate the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the need for Russia to fully implement the Minsk Agreements. Reaffirmation of the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent commitments and the comprehensive nature of security (i.e., respect for fundamental freedoms within a state has an impact on the security between states). The assault on human dignity and human rights, including through terrorist attacks, the continued rollback on rights and freedoms in the OSCE area, and the refugee and migration crisis. Secretary of State John Kerry led the U.S. delegation, which also included Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Robert Berschinski; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Daniel N. Rosenblum; and Helsinki Commission Senior Senate Staff Representative Ambassador David T. Killion. The atmosphere was strained, as tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Russia and Turkey, and Armenia and Azerbaijan spilled over into the negotiations. As Russia blocked virtually all decisions on human rights, as well as on the migration crisis and on gender issues, only a handful of documents were adopted. Successful declarations addressed recent terrorist attacks in the OSCE region, combating violent extremism that leads to terrorism, and addressing the illicit drug trade.
Germany to Lead OSCE in 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016Germany will serve as OSCE Chair-in-Office in 2016. Germany has indicated it will continue the work on youth exchanges initiated by the previous Serbian and Swiss chairmanships. In the human dimension, Germany will focus on: Freedom of the press and freedom of information, independence of the media, and the safety of journalists. Protection of minorities. Combating political extremism, intolerance and discrimination, including anti-Semitism and integration issues related to migrants. Strengthening the rights of women.
Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Represents US at OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Also Visits Ukraine, Czech Republic
Monday, August 17, 2015Forty years after the signing of the Helsinki Final Act established the precursor to today's Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), five members of the Helsinki Commission and four other members of Congress traveled to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session in Helsinki to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to confronting Russian aggression in Ukraine and elsewhere. Led by Commission Co-Chairman Senator Roger F. Wicker (MS), the bicameral, bipartisan delegation organized by the Helsinki Commission included Commission Chairman Representative Chris Smith (NJ- 04); House Commissioners Robert B. Aderholt (AL-04), Steve Cohen (TN-09) and Alan Grayson (FL-09); and Representatives Gwen Moore (WI-04), Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Richard Hudson (NC-08) and Ruben Gallego (AZ-07). Before attending the Annual Session from July 5 to 7, several members of the delegation also visited Ukraine and the Czech Republic. A central concern to the delegation throughout the trip was Russia's restrictions on democracy at home and aggression in Ukraine, along with Russia's threat to European security.
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Chairman Smith and Rep. McGovern Introduce "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act"
Friday, January 30, 2015WASHINGTON—Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), today introduced the "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" (H.R. 624). The bill prohibits foreign human rights offenders and corrupt officials operating anywhere in the world from entering into the United States and blocks their U.S. assets. It effectively globalizes and strengthens the "Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012," which was directed at individuals and entities from Russia. "The 'Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act' is a game-changer, and demonstrates America's commitment to protecting human rights worldwide," said Chairman Smith. "We are sending a message to the world's worst human rights violators: we will shine a spotlight on your crimes. We will deny your visas. We will freeze your assets. No matter who you are or how much money you have, you won't be enjoying the fruits of your misdeeds by visiting the United States or taking advantage of our financial institutions." "We have made important progress in the last few years," Rep. McGovern said. "But since the introduction of the original Magnitsky Act, human rights defenders and anti-corruption activists worldwide have urged us to pass a law that covers similar violations in countries other than Russia. Through the Global Magnitsky Act, we can better standardize our approach to human rights violators and provide clear guidance to the executive branch on how we expect these perpetrators to be held accountable." "Conscripting child soldiers, kidnapping political opponents, and brutalizing people based on their religion are horrifying acts for which people must be held accountable – and this bill will do it," said Chairman Smith. "The earlier Magnitsky Act enjoyed overwhelmingly bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. I expect the Global Magnitsky Act to move forward with the same level of commitment in both chambers, and on both sides of the aisle." Earlier this week, Senators Ben Cardin (MD) and John McCain (AZ) introduced similar legislation in the Senate, which also applies worldwide and employs visa bans and property freezes. Unique aspects of the House bill include the requirement that the President impose sanctions if he or she determines that a foreign person has committed gross human rights offenses. The bill also permits the President to sanction perpetrators regardless of whether the victims were exercising or defending basic human rights; requires that the annual Global Magnitsky List be released each year on Human Rights Day; and directs the Comptroller General to assess and report on implementation. Both the "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" and the earlier "Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012" were inspired by Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who was arrested and imprisoned by the Russian government following his investigation into fraud involving Russian officials. He was beaten to death by prison guards in 2009 after being held in torturous conditions for 11 months without trial. Summary: The "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act" This act requires the President to publish and update a list of foreign persons or entities that the President determines are responsible, and who the President has sanctioned, for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights – including extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and prolonged, arbitrary detention – or significant corruption. Known as the Global Magnitsky List, the list will be due annually on December 10 (Human Rights Day). Although the bill directs the President to prioritize cases where the victims were seeking to exercise or defend internationally recognized human and rights and freedoms, like freedom of religious, assembly, and expression, or expose illegal government activity, the President can act regardless of the victim. Sanctions on these individuals and entities will include: Prohibiting or revoking U.S. visas or other entry documentation for foreign individuals. Freezing and prohibiting U.S. property transactions of a foreign individual or entity if such property and property interests are in the United States; come within the United States; or are in, or come within, the control of a U.S. person or entity. This act also requires the Comptroller General of the United States to assess the implementation of the law and report to Congress, so that Congress can ensure it is being executed fully.
Diversity on the Rise
Tuesday, December 23, 2014Germany is now only second to the United States in the number of migrants it annually welcomes to its borders. Predominantly from other European Union Member States, migrants now account for roughly 16.3 million residents, or 20 percent of the German population, putting Germany on course to becoming one of Europe's most diverse countries. Against the backdrop of an uptick in far-right extremism, anti-Muslim marches, continuing anti-Semitism, and parliamentary efforts to introduce anti-migrant policies, Germany's diverse citizenry is stepping forward to make Germany more welcoming.
OSCE Must Act on Anti-Semitism
Monday, December 08, 2014Germany, in cooperation with the Swiss Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), held the Berlin Tenth Anniversary Conference on Anti-Semitism on November 12-13, 2014, against the backdrop of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. The Conference was set to be a commemorative meeting acknowledging government efforts to combat anti-Semitism over the past decade. However, the recent rise in anti-Semitic incidents such as those that resulted in deaths in Kansas, Brussels, and Toulouse earlier this year, dictated that the meeting focus on a way forward to address current problems. Although the Conference attracted a notably lower level of attendance than it did a decade earlier, participants identified key opportunities for coalition development and OSCE action in the years to come. The Conference was attended by some 550 participants (including approximately 200 civil society representatives), and featured high-level panelists and speakers including Ambassador Samantha Power, United States Ambassador to the United Nations; Miroslav Lajcák, Slovak Republic Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; Lynne Yelich, Minister of State of Canada; Paavo Lipponen, Former Prime Minister of Finland; and Tzachi Hanegbi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel.
Bipartisan U.S. Delegation Defends Ukraine, Raises Concerns about Russia at OSCE Parliamentary Session
Wednesday, December 03, 2014From June 27 to July 3, 2014, a bicameral, bipartisan delegation of eight Members of Congress represented the United States at the annual session of the OSCE's 57-nation Parliamentary Assembly in Baku, Azerbaijan. The delegation, which was organized by the U.S. Helsinki Commission, also made side visits to Georgia and Moldova. The congressional delegation was led by the Commission Chairman, Senator Ben Cardin (MD), while the Co-Chairman, Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04) was head of delegation at the Assembly session. The Commission's Ranking Senator, Roger Wicker (MS) and House Commissioners Robert Aderholt (AL-04) and Phil Gingrey (GA-11) also participated, along with Senator Tom Harkin (IA) and Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-06) and Adam Schiff (CA-28). A central concern at the Assembly meeting, as well as during bilateral interaction with the authorities and people of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova, was Russian Federation's annexation of Crimea and its incursions into eastern Ukraine. The congressional delegation was highly critical of Moscow's attempt to reassert its domination over the affairs of its neighbors more than two decades after the Soviet Union's collapse, and it reassured friends and allies of the deep and continuing commitment of the United States to security and cooperation in Europe and throughout the OSCE region.
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Persistent Anti-Semitism in OSCE Region Threatens Security and Stability, Says U.S. Helsinki Commission
Monday, November 17, 2014WASHINGTON—Ten years after the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) adopted the Berlin Declaration on Anti-Semitism, which outlined concrete measures to fight anti-Semitism in the OSCE region, leaders from the United States joined their counterparts from other OSCE participating States at an anniversary conference to discuss challenges posed by contemporary anti-Semitism. High-level government representatives and political leaders at last week's event in Berlin highlighted their concerns about persistent anti-Semitism in the OSCE region, noting that it poses an ongoing threat to security and stability in the area. Participating States were encouraged to intensify efforts to counter anti-Semitic acts and hate crimes. "Ten years ago, the United States, Canada, and countries from across Europe held a critical meeting in Berlin to fight a surge in anti-Semitism," said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission. "I wish I could say this were purely a commemorative meeting to acknowledge what was achieved in the last 10 years, but facts dictate this must be a working meeting focused on resurgent anti-Semitism. First and foremost, this means addressing the rise in violent attacks like those we have witnessed in Brussels and Toulouse… I am also concerned about overly restrictive laws or regulations that may make it more difficult for Jews and Muslims to practice their faiths, including those relating to circumcision, ritual slaughter, and religious attire. We must break this cycle so that another decade is not lost to hate and instability." Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, was Chairman of the Commission at the time of the original Berlin meeting in 2004 and spearheaded the movement that led to the original Conference, where the OSCE became the first intergovernmental organization to adopt such meaningful commitments against anti-Semitism. "Over the past 10 years we've made progress in getting the OSCE and its member states to recognize their responsibility to fight the terrible social evil of anti-Semitism," said Co-Chairman Smith, who met with European officials and activists on the topic of increasing anti-Semitism in Europe in advance of the conference. "Now we're going to hold their feet to the fire on their commitments."
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U.S. Helsinki Commission Welcomes Candidacies of Germany, Austria for Future OSCE Chairs
Wednesday, November 05, 2014WASHINGTON—On November 4, Germany formally announced its candidacy for the 2016 chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), followed by Austria, which announced its candidacy for the 2017 chairmanship. In response, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Commission, issued the following joint statement: "We welcome the initiative demonstrated by the German and Austrian governments during a pivotal moment in the history of the OSCE. The leadership of these nations, which have been committed to the Helsinki Process from the very beginning, will be vital. We thank them in advance for their willingness to lead and for their drive to advance the cause of human rights, democracy, and international cooperation among our participating States." The OSCE Chairmanship rotates annually among the 57 participating States, and is decided by consensus. The post of the Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) is held by the Foreign Minister of the participating State selected to hold the Chairmanship. The CiO is assisted by the previous and succeeding Chairpersons; the three of them together are known as the Troika, which ensures continuity and consistency in the OSCE's work. Switzerland currently holds the OSCE Chairmanship, and Serbia will assume the OSCE Chairmanship in January 2015.
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Helsinki Commission on Opening of Europe's Largest Human Rights Meeting
Monday, September 22, 2014WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) and Representative Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Commission, released the following statement ahead of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) annual high-level meeting on human rights. From September 22-October 3, civil society and government representatives of OSCE participating States will gather in Warsaw, Poland, for the annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting to discuss compliance with the full range of OSCE human dimension commitments, with special focus on migrant rights, minority issues, and combating violence against women and children. "The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting takes place while Russian aggression in Ukraine continues to threaten basic OSCE principles. I expect this will be a major focus of the meeting, as well as Russian actions at home that are cynically rolling back the ability of civil society to comment on or contribute to how that country functions," said Chairman Cardin. "I am pleased that Professor Brian Atwood will head the U.S. Delegation at this critical time. The promises OSCE states made to one another almost 25 years ago, that respect for human rights within any country is a matter of concern for all states, has guided us and must continue to do so. I also welcome the leadership of the U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel Baer, who will be taking a high-level study group to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp." Co-Chairman Smith said, "The Russian government's gross human rights violations in Ukraine must be a central topic of discussion at the Human Dimension meeting. HDIM is an indispensable tool for holding states accountable to OSCE commitments and most effective when both government and civil society representatives have equal opportunity to debate each state's human rights record. One issue that states and civil society must discuss this year in Warsaw, and at the OSCE "Berlin Plus 10" anti-Semitism conference in November, is the alarming rise of anti-Semitic incidents in the OSCE region. The OSCE must also continue to combat trafficking in human beings, including through fulfilling commitments taken last year to train transportation workers to identify possible victims and to improve law enforcement information sharing internationally on potential sex tourists. Commitments are made to be kept."
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Commission to Hold Hearing with OSCE Human Rights Appointees
Tuesday, July 15, 2014WASHINGTON—Today the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) announced the following hearing: Anti-Semitism, Racism and Discrimination in the OSCE Region Tuesday, July 22, 2014 10:00 a.m. Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 562 Following an escalation of anti-Semitic hate crimes a decade ago, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) intensified efforts to combat prejudice and discrimination throughout Eurasia and North America. Since 2004, three Personal Representatives have been appointed annually by the OSCE Chair-in-Office (currently Switzerland) to address anti-Semitism; racism, xenophobia, and discrimination including against Christians and members of other religions; and intolerance and discrimination against Muslims. In an official joint visit to the United States, the Personal Representatives will address progress and ongoing challenges in the OSCE region a decade after the creation of their positions. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism Professor Talip Küçukcan, Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims Alexey Avtonomov, Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions
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U.S. Helsinki Commission Commemorates Romani Revolt at Auschwitz, Deportation of Hungarian Jews
Friday, May 16, 2014WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (MD), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) marked the 70th anniversary of the mass deportation of Hungary's Jews and the Romani revolt at Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. "On May 16, 70 years ago, 6,000 Roma at Auschwitz used improvised weapons to resist efforts to transport them from their barracks to the gas chambers. Sadly, their desperate and heroic efforts only delayed their mass murder," said Chairman Cardin. "I am appalled," he continued, "when government officials, sometimes at the highest level, characterize Roma as criminals or 'unadaptable' using stereotypes that are reminiscent of Nazi racial theories. Remembering and teaching about Romani experiences during the Holocaust is critical in combating anti-Roma prejudices today." Approximately 3,000 of those who participated in the Romani revolt were sent to Buchenwald and Ravensbruck concentration camps as forced labor, where most of them died. On August 2-3, 1944, the so-called 'Gypsy Family Camp' was liquidated and the remaining 2,879 Romani men, women and children were sent to the gas chambers. Altogether, 23,000 Romani people from 11 countries were deported to Auschwitz and approximately 19,000 perished. Some died as a result of inhumane medical experiments by Dr. Joseph Mengele. "This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the start of the final wave of Hungary's war-time deportation of Jews," noted Chairman Cardin. "Plans to empty the Romani camp at Auschwitz were, in fact, intended to make room for Jews arriving from Hungary." Anti-Semitic legislation was introduced in Hungary with the 1920 Numerus Clausus, which established limits on the number of Jewish university students. In 1941, more than 17,000 Jews were deported from Hungary to German-occupied Kamenets-Podolsk, where they were executed. Between May 15 and July 9, 1944, 437,402 Hungarian Jews were deported in the largest deportation of Jews to Auschwitz in the shortest period of time from any country. One of every three Jews who died at Auschwitz was from Hungary. Cardin concluded, "I welcome the participation of Czech Prime Minister Sobotka in the memorial service held on May 10 at the site of the concentration camp for Roma at Lety. I urge the Czech Government to take steps to reflect the historic significance of this site for Romani survivors and their families everywhere." Lety was the site of one of two concentration camps for Roma in the war-time Czech Republic. The construction of a large pork processing plant on the site during the communist period has generated continuing criticism. The Helsinki Commission supported the transfer of microfilm copies of its archives – the only known complete surviving archives of a Romani concentration camp – to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2000. On September 18, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial will hold a public symposium on new research regarding Roma and the Holocaust.
The State-Sanctioned Marginalization of Christians in Western Europe
Monday, December 10, 2012This briefing presented a close examination of recent reports and studies showing an alarming rise in social and governmental hostility toward religion in general—and Christianity in particular—in Western Europe. Various topics of discussion underscored how the current state of affairs is in tension with Europe's history as the intellectual birthplace of religious freedom, as well as with its commitment to democracy. Witnesses testifying at the hearing – including Professor Tom Farr, Director of the Religious Freedom Project Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University; Dr. Roger Trigg, Academic Director of the Kellogg Centre for the Study of Religion in Public Life at Oxford University; and Roger Kiska, Senior Counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom – noted with concern the growing European trend to pit human rights against religious freedom. Censorship of the cross and other religious symbols, growing restrictions on parental rights in the area of the education of their children, and limitation on free expression—including religious expression—through "hate speech" laws were also identified as obstacles for religious liberty in Western Europe.
Thank you, Chairman Cardin. And thank you all for being here.
Standing here today with this concrete icon before us, the images and lessons of history are inescapable. From the guard tower where officers had shoot-to-kill orders for anybody trying to escape the East -- to the stark contrast in coloring on either side of this barrier, the fall of the Berlin Wall is truly one of the finest chapters in freedom's story.
A few inches of concrete formed the line between a world of free expression and one of repression.
And now, 20 years later, it stands as a bold testament to the fact that a people empowered to express themselves cannot be contained, the march of freedom cannot be stopped.
Seeing the liberation that took place in November 1989 resonated with me personally. In my lifetime I've faced my share of walls – the walls of a segregated South, the walls of lingering racism and discrimination. But I overcame Jim Crow's walls to be Florida's first African-American federal judge and then its first African-American in Congress since the post-Civil War era.
And I stand here today, in this same building amid the ballot box that brought democracy to a land of apartheid; bombed out signs from sniper alley where journalists covered Europe's worst massacre since World War II; and here by the largest piece of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany – to remind us of how far we have come, and the work that remains to uphold the dignity of all, regardless of their background.
I am happy to see that as of last month we have a new assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor in Michael Posner. But I'm disappointed that this position was filled at the slowest pace in 28 years, and this administration has still not yet nominated an ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. For a president who so strongly supports international engagement and reinvigorating multilateral institutions, I expected better. I know it is early and the agenda is long, but I hope we will have an ambassador nominated by year's end.
The events of 1989 showed the power of civil society to spur change through the exercise of fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, association and movement. And because of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, we now live in a very different and better world.
And while personal and political freedoms have greatly expanded throughout the OSCE region over the last two decades, some countries continue to limit these basic rights.
In particular, I am concerned about backsliding of a free press and places where political and ethnic minorities are blocked from participating in civic life.
Across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, press freedom is too often lacking. Discussing the region recently, the OSCE representative on freedom of the media Miklos Haraszti was direct: "The iron curtain is still there."
As long as journalists face unjust fines and penalties designed to literally halt the presses, the press is not free. And if journalists continue to see their colleagues kidnapped, beaten, or killed with no sincere pursuit of the criminals – the press is not free.
Our politics can get nasty in this country, but you never see anybody thrown in jail just for running against an incumbent. Today, in too many places, we still see rampant political repression, perversions of the electoral process, and scare tactics used to marginalize those who simply seek to add a new voice to their country's governing process.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, we've seen new walls erected. Right now, Russia is building a virtual wall in what is internationally recognized as Georgian territory, escalating its effective annexation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Elsewhere walls are isolating minorities, and -- even here –keeping out immigrants. I've never been convinced that fences make good neighbors, and for a world endeavoring to lift up its people, walls are hardly a sign of progress.
The success of nationalistic parties, which campaigned on messages of hate in this year's European Parliamentary elections, concerns me.
The violence and systemic exclusion of Roma is nothing short of scandalous.
Don't get me wrong – historic progress has been made. But we are not done. And our country has much work to do as well.
For our country to advance freedom around the globe, we know we must advance it here.
This wall did not come down so that we could build new barriers. And those who fought for freedom in the East did not struggle so that their sons and daughters would have to take up their fight anew. We at the Helsinki Commission pride ourselves on giving voice to the voiceless, providing a forum for human rights defenders who often lack even the slightest megaphone for their cause. But like the activists and artists who painted this wall calling for the people to rise up so communism could fall -- we too know something about people power. We know a community galvanized for good, fighting for freedom cannot be stopped. And wherever such defenders of liberty rise up, we will stand up to join them. Through your words and through your work, I know you will be with them as well.
Thank you.


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The History of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Tragic Plane Crash
Lynyrd Skynyrd had established themselves as one of the most successful rock bands of the '70s by the time they released Street Survivors in October 1977. The group's career would come to a tragic halt just three days later, on Oct. 20, 1977, when their twin engine plane went down in a swamp in Gillsburg, Miss., killing three of the band members, a tour manager and both pilots on impact.
The group had put together a string of iconic hits including "Free Bird," "Gimme Three Steps," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Gimme Back My Bullets" prior to the release of Street Survivors. Anticipation for the new album was so high that it went gold within days, and Lynyrd Skynyrd embarked on the most ambitious headlining tour of their career, traveling between concert dates in their own Convair CV-300.
Rock legend has it that Aerosmith had looked into renting the same plane earlier in the year, but passed on it due to concerns over both the safety of the plane, and the readiness of its crew.
Lynyrd Skynyrd were traveling from Greenville, S.C., to Baton Rouge, La., when their plane apparently ran out of fuel toward the end of the flight. The pilots attempted to land on a small air strip, but the bottom of the plane clipped some trees, and the aircraft went down in a remote stand of forest. Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were killed instantly, while the other band members and road crew suffered terrible injuries. Drummer Artimus Pyle and two crew members crawled from the wreckage and hiked through swampy woods until they finally flagged down a local farmer, who sent for help.
Following the crash and the press attention that came along with it, Street Survivors became Lynyrd Skynyrd's second platinum album. Out of respect for the band and their family members, MCA recalled the album's original cover, which depicted the band members engulfed in flames.
Devastated by the loss of their singer and the injuries sustained by the survivors, Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the accident, leaving the survivors to try to make their own way with varying degrees of success and failure.
The next decade would see the musicians pursuing a number of projects, including the Rossington-Collins Band, Vision, and the Allen Collins Band — none of which came anywhere close to the success of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Perhaps inevitably, the band reunited in 1987, with Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle and guitarist Ed King — who had left the band two years before the crash — joined by Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny as their new lead singer.
But despite a successful reunion, tragedy and drama continued to plague the group; guitarist Allen Collins had become paralyzed after a drunk driving accident in 1986 that killed his girlfriend, and he died in 1990. Judy Van Zant Jenness and Teresa Gaines Rapp — the widows of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines — sued Skynyrd for violating an agreement they struck after the plane accident not to exploit the band's name for profit, and as the years went on, most of the original members either left or were forced out for various reasons. Bassist Leon Wilkeson died in 2001, and keyboardist Billy Powell died in 2009. Ean Evans — who replaced Wilkeson on bass — also died in 2009, leaving Gary Rossington as the sole survivor from the original band. The group continues to tour heavily every year.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Albums Ranked Worst to Best

subset: commoncrawl


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20 Years Later, DigiTech® Adds 6.5 Hours of Loop Time -- Now Showing The JamMan® Looper/Phrase Sampler
April 27, 2006
The powerful JamMan® loop creation tool, based on classic Lexicon® technology, includes a Compact Flash®card with storage for over 24 minutes of record time and 99 loops, USB connectivity, an XLR microphone input, power supply, 44.1 kHz CD-quality audio plus a full six-year warranty!
DigiTech® continues to set the benchmark for guitar effects processors with the new JamMan® Looper/Phrase Sampler.
WINTER NAMM SHOW, ANAHEIM, CA, January 19, 2006 -- Almost two decades ago DigiTech®, a leading manufacturer of guitar signal processors, and a Harman International company (NYSE-HAR), pioneered loop-based audio with the development of the PDS 8000 pedal. Now DigiTech takes looping from the original 8-second volatile recording memory of the PDS 8000 straight into the 21st century with the innovative JamMan® pedal, which is capable of saving up to 6.5 hours of loops and sample phrases. The JamMan Looper/Phrase Sampler is a powerful effects processor dedicated to loop creation, manipulation, playback and overdubbing, based on the classic Lexicon® JamMan rackmount effect. The new JamMan offers tremendous loop capabilities at resolutions up to CD-quality 44.1 kHz in a compact, easy-to-use stompbox format specially tailored to the needs of guitarists and performing musicians.
The DigiTech JamMan is equipped with a full complement of input and output connections. Inputs include a professional-grade, low-impedance XLR jack, along with a 1/4" instrument-level jack, each with a dedicated level control. A 1/8" Aux Input jack can accept signals from external sources such as CD or MP3 players. A 1/4" output (compatible with amps, mixers or headphones) is provided, as is a USB port for connecting the JamMan to a computer -- this allows the JamMan to serve as a Compact Flash® card reader, as well as enabling loop WAV data to be transferred to and from a computer for unlimited archiving of material. An optional FSX3 footswitch can be connected to the footswitch jack for controlling loop select up and down, as well as the loop auto-recording arming function for complete Hands-Free use.
Loops can be recorded using any of the inputs, and unlimited overdubs can be added to any loop; overdubs can be erased, and there is one level of undo/redo available. Auto Record allows the JamMan to begin recording as soon as it detects signal at its input.
When recording from the Aux Input, three additional record modes are available for creating backing tracks and loops: Center Cancel removes any material that is common to the left and right channels -- material panned to the center (usually this would be lead vocal or solo instruments). In Full Range Simulation mode, an EQ curve is applied to the incoming Aux Input audio; the curve allows full-range audio to be played back through a guitar amp/speaker with sound more like a hi-fi recording. In Center Cancel and Full Range Sim mode, both center cancellation and equalization are applied to the Aux Input signal.
A Rhythm (metronome) function is built-in, with user-adjustable tempo and time signature. Tap tempo is supported, and loops will automatically slow down or speed up to match the tempo. There are nine different combinations of upbeat and downbeat Rhythm sounds. A separate level control sets the volume for the Rhythm part. Tempo and time signature can be saved with each loop. Loops can be set for single-play or infinite loop playback.
Two different Stop modes are provided, which determine how the current loop ends playback. In Stop Mode, the loop stops playing as soon as the Stop button is pressed. In Finish Mode, the current loop will play to its end, then stop. With room for 99 onboard loops, and an included removable Compact Flash card with over 24 minutes of storage (optional cards support up to 6.5 hours of record time), there is no need to ever throw away a loop, allowing users to build up a large loop library, or to archive loops for songs or for later use. Stored Loops are "protected" to prevent them from being inadvertently modified, but users can still add overdubs to them.
Designed to provide guitarists with a full range of performance-oriented loop tools, the JamMan features two footswitches for complete on-the-fly foot control over loop creation and playback. The two footswitches control record, playback, overdubbing, loop stop, undo/redo, loop clear and tempo. The JamMan comes ready for action, with an included Compact Flash card and power supply. DigiTech provides a full six-year warranty on the JamMan pedal.


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The Ospreys will meet newly-crowned Aviva Premiership champions, Northampton Saints, as well as Top 14 semi-finalists, Racing Metro 92, along with and Benetton Treviso.
The Scarlets face a daunting task having been drawn in the same group as RC Toulon, Leicester Tigers, and Ulster Rugby.
Ospreys Head Coach Steve Tandy says he is "super-excited" with his club's draw and that the leading Welsh region "won't be overawed".
"With the changes to European rugby everybody knew that what was already a very tough competition would get even tougher this season, but when you look at that draw you have to be genuinely excited," said Tandy.
"I would say that players, the rest of the coaches and, particularly our supporters, will share that sentiment. It's going to be a fantastic, rollercoaster of a competition but we won't be overawed in any way.
"It's an awesome prospect and I can't wait to get started. The next key stage will be getting the fixture dates through, but whoever we play in the opening rounds, wherever we are playing, it's important that we get off to a flying start."
Scarlets head coach Simon Easterby immediately dubbed their draw as a 'Pool of Death'.
"There is real quality in all the pools, but ours, along with one other, looks to be by far the hardest. Having the back-to-back European champions is a huge challenge and going to the south of France means you are going to play in a real cauldron," said Easterby.
"Toulon have a fantastic group of players, genuine world stars, but we showed away to Racing Metro 92 last season that we could get a result in France. That said, we accept we will really have to rise our game this season.
In the European Rugby Challenge Cup, Cardiff Blues Defence Coach, Dale McIntosh, has urged his side to build on a proud history when they launch their bid for Cup glory.
The Blues will face London Irish, Grenoble and the number one qualifier from the FIRA-AER qualifying tournament.
He believes the Blues - who won the European Challenge Cup against Toulon in Marseille back in 2010 - can go into the new-look tournament in confident mood.
"It's an exciting draw for us and we look forward to mounting another strong European campaign. As a region we have a proud history in this competition as past winners and want to build on that," said McIntosh.
Newport Gwent Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones had seen his team plunged into one of the top pools in the European Rugby Challenge Cup with Stade Francais Paris, Newcastle Falcons and a FIRA-AER qualifier to join them in Pool 3.
"There are some really strong teams in Pool 3 and Newcastle Falcons and Stade Francais make for some great fixtures. High profile games against clubs like Stade Francais are where we want to be.
"The third side could be from anywhere, they could come from Russia or Romania or it could be a trip to Spain which makes for a nice twist. From my work with Russia, I know quite a bit about the second tier nations. It's an interesting pool, I'm not going to say we are going to win everything, but there are certainly some interesting fixtures there.
"The key thing for us is to start the season really well, but we'll take each week as it comes and if we do well we will definitely challenge."
2014/15 European Rugby Champions Cup
Pool 1: Saracens, Munster Rugby, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sale Sharks
Pool 2: Leinster Rugby, Castres Olympique, Harlequins, London Wasps
Pool 3: RC Toulon, Leicester Tigers, Ulster Rugby, Scarlets
Pool 4: Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, Bath Rugby, Toulouse
Pool 5: Northampton Saints, Racing Metro 92, Ospreys, Benetton Treviso
2014/15 European Rugby Challenge Cup
Pool 1: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, FIRA-AER 1
Pool 2: Exeter Chiefs, Bayonne, Connacht Rugby, La Rochelle
Pool 3: Stade Francais Paris, Newport Gwent Dragons, Newcastle Falcons, FIRA-AER 2
Pool 4: Edinburgh Rugby, Bordeaux-Begles, London Welsh, Lyon
Pool 5: Gloucester Rugby, Brive, Zebre, Oyonnax
Pool stage dates
Round 1: 16/17/18/19 October 2014
Round 2: 23/24/25/26 October 2014
Round 3: 4/5/6/7 December 2014
Round 4: 11/12/13/14 December 2014
Round 5: 15/16/17/18 January 2015
Round 6: 22/23/24/25 January 2015


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Police: Woman offered cop hit-man job
Updated 11:15 pm, Tuesday, February 18, 2014
DANBURY -- The Waterbury woman charged with attempted murder last week tried to hire an undercover officer to kill a male friend, police said.
Police said their investigation began with a tip last Wednesday morning that Elvira Rosa, 58, was looking to hire a hit man.
A detective from the Special Investigations Division arranged to meet her that evening, at which time she offered to hire him to kill the friend, police said.
Rosa was represented by a public defender when she was arraigned in state Superior Court. She remained in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond and is due back in court March 12.


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And when the armed guard gets killed millions of dollars have been wasted. Instead of armed guards in every school, how about some research funding to look into those who are mentally ill. They are the problem... not the guns, not the police.. its the mentally ill.
Did the assault rifle ban help in the US? I'm not too familiar with UK gun laws, but as far as I'm aware only shotguns & hunting rifles are legal, and obtaining a license isn't as easy as in the US, and this seems to have worked. The United Kingdom has one of the lowest rates of gun homicides in the world with 0.07 recorded intentional homicides committed with a firearm per 100,000 inhabitants in 2009 compared to the United States' 3.0 (over 40 times higher) and to Germany's 0.21 (3 times higher) (From wikipedia, referenced from UN documents)
Columbine happened during the ban. The assault weapons ban was a joke. If the gun was made before the ban you could still buy it. Also it was legal to buy parts for the gun they were just way over priced. So you could still buy the upper for an AR-15 then buy the Lower both would cost around 600-900 dollars. The worst part is to just buy the parts there was not background check and they could be sent to you house, not a gun dealer. It was the law that was on paper, but did nothing but cost people money.
This is more ridiculous than putting metal detectors in schools, but less ridiculous than simple increasing gun control.
I I dont know why you would think the NRA is crazy. It's composed of millions of members, most of which just slap an NRA sticker on there vehicles. They train thousands of cops/military annual. They have saved countless lives with there training of civilians on protecting there family. The NRA is not crazy, believing that the government will protect you is crazy.
Yeah, that is basically my opinion. State spending on mental institutions has been cut dramatically in the past 20 years. I remember a large facility in Michigan getting closed when I was in high school in the mid 90's, and a large one in Illinois getting closed in the early 00's when I was in college. Instead of treatment, it seems that we just dope up people nowadays. They stop taking the drugs and it spirals out of control. I'd guess that many people that would normally have went to a mental institution in the 50's-80's now just get put on drugs, or get nothing. Bad stuff happens. I voted no because I had an armed dean at my middle school because of some gang issues. I'd guess if a kid came in with a couple AR's and body armor, and chaos breaks out, the armed dean wouldn't have been basically useless. Because of his gun, the school wouldn't allow him to physically break up fights, he'd basically yell at them and then ring up others on his walkie talkie. He was a waste. I'd guess he made 25-30K. I went to a rural high school that had a cop come in for about an hour a couple times a week, he'd walk the halls, say hi to teachers and students and take off. It was always on random days. He was much more official, and I'd trust him way more than the armed dean, who would probably duck and cover if crap went down. In regards to gun control, I don't think you need a 30+ round clip to hunt or defend yourself.
I voted Yes. Most criminals become discouraged when police, or even armed security are around. I'll give you a quick example. I used to spend alot of time in Downtown Dallas. If someone fvcks with you during the day, you can just walk into any high-rise building, and there will be cops, security, etc. there to potentially help you. So, being followed is an easy fix. Same place at night, the scumbags outnumber the armed guards, and they are alot more quick to attempt to mug/rob people. At the very least, we can have a couple employees at each school with access to police radio, and cops on standby for a quick reaction.
Nothing that you mentioned has anything to do with the issue I'm on about. Rather than looking at a way to stop the "bad guys" getting guns, the NRA are just looking for more ways to get more guns in schools. Putting guns in schools is not the answer, plenty other countries have ways of keeping their schools safe without weapons & are successful in doing so. They clearly have a lot of support in America, and a lot of people there seem to think you need an assault rifle to defend your home, but , from what I've seen, the general opinion towards the NRA is extremely negative.
Shocked that the NRA is pushing for more guns. I'm eager to hear their plan on fighting forest fires. The blatantly ignored the issue of making guns readily available to the mentally ill, and chalked it up to "Natural Born Killers". So, rather than take a hard look at the number of people that SHOULD not own guns due to their mental state, let's just combat it with putting MORE guns in the hands of people with questionable mental capacity. But yeah, i think it's a great idea. We have so many eager gun owners that like to volunteer to help their community.....like George Zimmerman. #sarcasm
This sounds like a rant against the NRA that has nothing to do with what was discussed during the press conference with their president. Why would they give plans on forest fires? Everyone has been waiting for a response from the NRA and so they gave one. Who has been talking about putting more guns into the hands of people with questionable mental capacity? Sounds like a lot of people on here cant understand that bad things are going to happen regardless of what laws are put into place.
You're right, bad things are going to happen regardless, but when there are more guns out there, there's a higher chance of a mentally unstable person getting their hands on one. The stats speak for themselves, where guns are more available, more people are killed by shootings. As I've said I'm from the UK and we've got strict gun control here, and I'm not going to say that it's perfect (it's far from it), but it seems to be pretty damn effective at decreasing gun crime.
Bad guys will kill people even if you ban guns. So, ban video games instead. That will stop the killing.
MOAR GUNZ! I say we train babies from birth to shoot. You can start them on a mini-bb gun, then graduate them to .22 at around 5 years old, and then by 10 they can have a semi-automatic. But no full autos until you're 15 because it just doesn't make sense to be able to fire several hundred rounds a minute until you're right smack in the middle of puberty.


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October 4th, 2012, 02:05 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
YOUR Help is Needed NOW!
For Immediate Release:
Michigan Motorized Recreation Council With this session of Michigan winding down, time is of the essence on House Bills 5612-5613-5614 and 5615. Please send Representative Frank Foster (R) District 107, Chair of Natural Resources, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee an e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com requesting that a hearing be scheduled post haste on the above mentioned bills. Highlights of each bill is as follows; 5612: The openings of some M-roads to ORV travel to access gas, food, lodging and area tourist attractions. 5613: The waiving of DNR event fees for those events having 75 or fewer machines entered. 5614: To enable a County Sheriff to hire an ORV officer with minimal certification. 5615: To offer greater liability protection to grant sponsors maintaining Michigans ORV trails. Please send your e-mail upon receipt of this message. Sincerely; Dick Ranney Coordinator, MMRC
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August 23, 2008
7 comments:
oh talk about torture, i have all the issues published, except #1... but OUCH, those prices are totally nuts, they regularly sell for $150 - $300, but they are rare, and the ones with the records in them are amazing. i posted a few things on airforms, but i should dig them out and post more, they are total eye candy. have you seen the ASPEN magazines? they're also wonderful with small artist editions, flexi discs, and great printed things. i think ubu has the visuals of those online as well.
ReplyDelete- AnonymousJuly 8, 2009 at 12:26 PM
I have issue 7/8, the combo issue. The condition is good with some wear or browning on the edges, except for a large oil stain on the cover of issue 7.
Otherwise, the inside is excellent, the spiral binding is perfect with no tears, the orginal advertising supplement is still inserted. The records -- two -- are not only intact, but mint. I have played each one once only and no one has before me.
Their sleeves, like all the material between the covers, is in excellent condition - no tears, no stains, no marks.
There are no missing pages.
The drawback is the oil stain on the cover, and otherwise the normal wear on the cover and the slight browning of edges.
It is for sale at janiecalling at yahoo.com


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Already a paid subscriber but not registered for online access yet? For instructions on how to get premium web access, click here.
NEFCU opens Wantagh branch
The Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union has opened its newest branch, a 4,000-square-foot location in the Willow Wood Shoppes in Wantagh.
The branch at 1157 Wantagh Ave. is NEFCU's 10th.
Anthony Russo, vice president of Garden City-based Sabre Real Estate Group, arranged the lease with Willow Wood Associates, an affiliate of Breslin Realty Development Corp.


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From the start, Davison set out to become a notable new product development company. We strive to build the best possible products for our clients. Our goal is to push the envelope and drive our organization ahead. Take a look at our awards and recognition.
I.D. Magazine Design Awards
For the last 54 years, I.D. Magazine, "The International Design Magazine," has conducted an annual design review in the following categories: consumer products, graphics, packaging, environments, equipment, concepts, and interactive.
2012 - Surprise Pan IDSA Finalist
2008 - 360° Wrist Therapy Brace
2007 - Jack 'N Stand
IDSA Design Awards
Davison garnered three Industrial Design Excellence awards, cosponsored by BusinessWeek magazine and the Industrial Designers Society of America. We won two awards in 2006 and one in 1996, outshining several thousand products from corporations around the world.
2006 - The BikeBoard
Video at the Award Ceremony
2006 - Hover Creeper
Video at the Award Ceremony
1996 - Oil Filter Gripper
Pittsburgh's Most Creative CRIB Award
Davison's Inventionland, a more than 60,000 square-foot, Disneyesque design facility, was prestigiously awarded the inaugural Creative Rooms in Business (CRIB) award by the Pittsburgh Technology Council at the ceremony's third-annual Design, Art & Technology Awards (DATA) held at the Pittsburgh Opera. According to Inventionland founder and CEO George Davison, the recognition, by the oldest and largest technology association in Northern America, is an extreme honor.
Steel Heart Award
In December 2006, Dr. Joanne G. Sujansky, author of "Pittsburgh Will Steel Your Heart: 250 Reasons to Love Pittsburgh," nominated Davison's design facility, Inventionland, for a Steel Heart Award. The KEYGroup sponsored award is given monthly to local people or organizations that exemplify the attributes of the Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organizations program.
* Surprise Pan, Jack 'N Stand, and Hover Creeper are corporate products owned and licensed by Davison.


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Need help shopping? Let one of our friendly design consultants answer all your questions about our extra shelves and rods or leave the dialing to us.
Color Samples Available: Learn more and order color samples here.
Alta Wardrobe Closet - Half and Half
Alta Narrow Wardrobe Closet - Left Opening Door
Alta Narrow Wardrobe Closet - Right Opening Door
Alta Wardrobe Closet - Wardrobe and a Half - Left Opening
This extra shelf also gives you more hanging space underneath
Fits any of our narrow, single door wardrobes from the Alta Collection.
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1 Furniture dimensions may include slight variations from those listed. To be certain that furniture will fit properly in the desired space, you must add a 3 inch allowance on each side, including height, width and depth. If the area where the furniture is to be placed will not accommodate the product plus a 3" margin, please contact us and we will be happy to quote a solution that is customized to your needs and space. 2 Colors and finishes may not appear exactly as they do on screen, as every monitor displays colors slightly differently. Sample images may not be shown at actual size, and may be enlarged to show detail or texture. More accurate color matching can be done with finish samples, available via our factory showroom. Please ask one of our design consultants about ordering samples or visit our factory showroom to see available product finishes in person. There may be dye lot variances on merchandise ordered at different times.


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Audio Samples
Album Summary
- Isaac Stern (Violin)
There are currently no reviews, be the first one!Also Purchased
Works Details
Beethoven, Ludwig van : Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61- Performer: Isaac Stern (Violin)
- Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
- Ensemble: New York Philharmonic
- Running Time: 43 min. 59 sec.
- Period Time: Classical
- Form: Concerto
- Written: 1806


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Edit:I am disapponted. Really. We got 2entries, and I can't make it. Sorry for the ones who did enter. But i have to cancel the contest.
Hey Twilighters
I know it's a little cliche, but i thought, since we're getting closer to Christmas, why not make a Holiday-themed contest?
So, to the rules *-*
Every entry must say in the description that it's for this contest, and it must be a new entry.
It must be something related to Christmas/New Year, and, OF COURSE, to the Cullens
You have until December 15th to send your entry, into the designed folder.
You can have 1 or 2 entries.
These prizes may change.
1st place: 15 points
2nd place: 8 points
3th place: 5 points
If you wanna help with the prize, just tell me ^^
SO that's it, have fun *-*


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Happy Earth Day!
Today marks the 40th annual celebration of the Earth. Let's celebrate it and let's appreciate it. We've only got one home (planet), let's take care of it. Hope you get to enjoy the Earth Day activities in your area. Get outdoors,pick up litter, recycle, bicylce, hike, walk, bird watch, and find something great to enjoy!I'm headed to Murray State University (in Kentucky). I've giving my first ever seminar talk. College science departments often have weekly or monthly speakers come and talk about their research. As a grad student, it's a regular thing to see and hear professors from all over the region or nation come and talk about the papers we may be reading. Undergraduates sometimes attend. But as a newly minted PhD this is a big deal to meal. It's like a debutante ball! I'll be giving a talk about my dissertation research - a reacap of my defense talk I gave a little more than a month ago. Plus, I hope to make some great connections.
Yay, for science!
As usual, thanks for your well wishes and support. Everything you contribute helps fund these little science adventures. In this case, gas money to Murray, Kentucky.
demystifying nature, letting everyone experience.


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Results for (816)-256-2405
Phone Number Details
Phone Number: 8162562405
MORE INFO ON 8162562405 Due to number portability, some numbers may have been transferred to a new service provider and nearby city.
Premium Information is up to date and includes owner name, most recent address, and much more. About KANSAS CITY, MOLocation Type: City Complaints about 816-256-2405Caller Type: Unknown (1 Reports) |
File a Complaint About 816-256-2405 |
I do not answer Unknown calls. Leaves no message. Multiple calls come in anytime day and night The caller was identified as an Unknown


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LinkBack | Thread Tools |
11-11-2012, 04:53 PM | #11 (permalink) |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 552
Olive honestly seems to bark more than howl. Play fighting, people on the sidewalk that she sees through the fence and people at the door get barked at, she cries when my husband and I leave or stand just outside the door and when she needs to pee in the morning. Howling is reserved for only epic situations...in her opinion, of course.
Sent from my iPad using PG Free
Sincerely, The Slave...err, Mama of Olive Oyl/Olive Ball/Olive Noodle/Punkin/Diddle/Whinyface Olive a Martini - Shaken, Not Stirred |
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11-11-2012, 06:16 PM | #12 (permalink) |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,470
Maddie has accidentally bayed a few times, and at 5 years old, she has never, not once, howled in our hearing, although she did apparently bay and howl when she was boarded. There were two beagles there also, and she followed their lead, lol.
So, is it voice? Or just the face that captures me, and haunts me so. Or, am I meant to never know? -San. |
11-12-2012, 06:27 AM | #14 (permalink) |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: S.West UK
Posts: 1,993
If this is something new, and she used to howl okay, then it might be as well to get your vet to look right down her throat. Just in case. If her howl has always sounded like this, then she's just not mastered the art to give it some wellie!! My gang used to sing on occasion - to the point that one time we'd been out and came home to a general sing-song going on. I got right into the kitchen before they realised we'd come home and stopped. Looking highly embarrassed
11-12-2012, 04:45 PM | #16 (permalink) |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 268
Edee howls when I howl at her. Hers goes from deep to a high screech. Its hilarious. AND THEN, my jack russell tries to join in too and his is so high pitched that it just trails off. I die laughing.
Edee--basset hound--age 5 ***rescue*** Domino--jack russell--age 3 |
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Waiting for Pops: A Journey From Boy to Man, John Philip Riffice, INDI Publishing Group, 2011
Told in reminiscences, this novel is one person's story of growing up in 1950s Chicago. It is not a very pretty picture.
Johnny Ryba was your average resident of post-war America. Dad worked long hours driving a forklift. He was offered lots of weekend hours, but refused them all, preferring to spend weekends at home. Mom stayed at home, and started drinking. An occasional beer turned into scotch every day. Being the sole care-giver for Rosie, his younger sister who was severely autistic, might have had something to do with it. The parents argued constantly, but always behind closed doors and at night.
One night, Dad dies in a car accident, and the body is immediately cremated. Mom is forced to put Rosie in an institution, where she spends the rest of her life. Mom continues drinking, and the yelling and emotional abuse against Johnny gets worse and worse. He takes care of all the cooking and cleaning, because Mom is usually passed out.
In high school, Johnny gets into a relationship with Holly. He puts off bringing her home to meet Mom for as long as possible. He doesn't know which Mom she will meet, the "happy" drunk or the "mean and rotten" drunk. Mom actually quits drinking for several months to impress Holly. Johnny is unable to tell anyone, including Holly, about his home life, even after learning that Holly is going away to college, because her home life is similar to Johnny's. Later in life, after Johnny is married, he learns some really unpleasant things about his sister, his mother and his "beloved" father.
This is a really well-done, and really interesting, piece of storytelling. Words like "sad," touching" and "poignant" also work very well. It is also recommended for anyone who over-indulges with alcohol, and thinks that their drinking does not affect their spouse or family. Read this book, then think again.
This blog will consist of book reviews, written by me, on a wide variety of genres. If have a book that you would like me to review, you can reach me at firstname.lastname@example.com. I also post my reviews to 11 or 12 different websites (honestly).
I have another 800 reviews at my archive blog: http://www.deadtreesreviewarchive.blogspot.com (please visit).
I post my reviews to:
2 yahoo groups
Amazon and B&N (of course)
I post my reviews to:
2 yahoo groups
Amazon and B&N (of course)
and on Twitter
I am always looking for more places to post my reviews.
Monday, December 26, 2011
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Tune up Your Anointing Theology
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Rise of the Hispanic Evangelical Church
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Get to know the Holy Spirit and how to interact with Him on a daily basis. Learn to enter God's presence and hear His voice clearly for yourself! Go deeper in your faith with Life in the Spirit and change your life and destiny. Are you ready to start your journey?


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Get ready to have your mind blown.
Article Archive
REVIEW: Genius
What Do We Lose When We "Go Digital"?
Does the move to digital comics mean a loss of one's comic soul? A simple excursion to a used bookshop reminds us that "going digital" means some sacrifice.
iFanboy's Best of 2012: The Best New GN's and Collections
Because floppies are for the birds.
Advance Review: THE HIGH COST OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Jim Krueger & Zach Brunner
Jim Krueger tells the story of a fairy tale gone wrong.


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The Little Pie Bandit
Uploaded by Cheri T, Jan 03 2009 02:30 PM
- Owner:
- Uploaded: Jan 03 2009 02:30 PM
- Views: 653
- Album: Cheri T's Album
My niece on Christmas Eve...Grandma caught her helping herself, and I helped MYSELF to photograph:)
Supplies in details.
This is just sooo precious! What a great catch. I love the way the pine branches bracket the photo so nicely. Great job. Thanks for posting.
Just simply adorable! It is awesome you were there with Camera in hand...she looks so proud of herself! I love this LO...I added it to my Favs! The green and red....perfect! TFS!
Oh my goodness Cheri - I love this layout! I love your title, the embellishments you used AND what an absolutely precious photo - your niece is adorable AND to capture that moment is priceless!
Totally love this!!! What a super catch!! (on both accounts by the look of it)
I love this, what a precious LO, well done for capturing the moment too.
What a precious little girl and precious photo! Love the LO....Great job Auntie!!
You helped yourself to a darling photo. She's adorable! And obviously enjoying that pie. Love your title and how you put it on the notepaper, and the greenery is the perfect way to add a touch a Christmas to that gorgeous red background. Beautiful page!
Too cute...love the title!
too too precious - how great you were there to capture the moment. Would never have thought of using the pine branches for a frame
Too CUTE! Priceless!


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Coed Intramural Soccer Saturday 9/28!!
Start Date: September 28, 2013
End Date: September 28, 2013
Time: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Coed Intramural Soccer Saturday nights is now being offered!
Saturday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. on the Leicester Alumni Field. **(Weather permitting)**
No experience needed, come and PLAY! Teams of 12 with 8 players on the field at a time. Space is limited to 10 teams so register now, as competion BEGINS SEPTEMBER 14th!!
Please register online below before Septemeber 9th and designate a team captain to contact: Pat Hickey at: firstname.lastname@example.com with your team
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Baker, Gideon (2006) Revisiting the concept of representation. Parliamentary Affairs, 59 (1). pp. 155-172. ISSN 1460-2482
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
In Hannah Pitkin's influential book, The Concept of Representation (1967), the case is made that, despite its undoubted complexity, representation means something; that it is possible to establish when representation has taken place and, conversely, when it has not. Representation, as a central practice of modern politics, has objective content. Though it will often be imperfect, it is possible to be fairly and accurately represented politically. Yet it is argued here that such confidence in representation is less obviously convincing today, and for a particular reason. This is that, over the last thirty years, the subject of representation, which Pitkin more or less takes for granted, has itself become a site of controversy. The question that needs to be asked now is: how far do developments in the theory of the subject undermine faith in the possibility of representation?
Item Type: | Article |
Journal or Publication Title: | Parliamentary Affairs |
Subjects: | ?? ja ?? |
Departments: | Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences > Politics & International Relations (Merged into PPR 2010-08-01) |
ID Code: | 24012 |
Deposited By: | ep_ss_importer |
Deposited On: | 25 Feb 2009 14:56 |
Refereed?: | Yes |
Published?: | Published |
Last Modified: | 23 Mar 2017 17:22 |
Identification Number: | |
URI: | http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/24012 |
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Register | FAQ's | New Posts | Today's Posts | Extras |
» Dryer Sounds Terrible Brand New |
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Dryer Sounds Terrible Brand New
Model Number: WED88HEAC0 Brand: Whirlpool Age: Less than 1 year
Whirlpool Duet Dryer sounds horrible, it clicks rhythmically about once every second, the drum makes a terrible grinding noise when it rotates, and it makes a very loud squeaking noise when it is rotating. This machine is brand new and sears service is seriously no help. I really would rather not call a whirlpool tech out but I will if I have to. Thanks! Related Models |
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Call whirlpool directly and tell them your experience with the sears tech and see if they can send another authorized servicer in your area to check it out. The Duet series both washers and dryers suck especially if you bought them from Costco.
Sears Cares
We truly apologize for the disappointing experience you have encountered with your dryer. My name is Liz and I am a member of the Sears Social Media Support team. I saw your comment and wanted to offer our assistance. We can truly understand how important it is to have your dryer working properly. At your convenience, please contact our office via email at email@example.com so you dont have to be upset by this any longer. In the email, please provide a contact number and the phone number the dryer was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. In addition, please include your Screen name (yankeeh8ter12) in the email for reference to your issue. Again, were sorry for any trouble we have caused and we hope to talk to you soon. Thank you, Liz R. Social Media Moderator Sears Social Media Support |
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Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ngram anomalies
Fortunately it is possible to probe these areas of anomaly with the goal of figuring out what they mean. So let's see what happens when we pick out a set of common words that are not freighted with a lot of culturally specific significance. This will let us see more clearly how the instrument itself works.
Consider the color words red, green, yellow, blue, black. Let's graph the frequency of these terms in American English from 1800 to 2000. Before looking at the Ngram graph, let's consider what we would expect ex ante. Color words occur in books to designate -- color. Color terms are common words, so we might expect that they would remain fairly constant in frequency over time. So here is the null hypothesis about the frequency of common color terms: without a change in culture about color, we should expect the color words would remain roughly constant in frequency (flat curve). And the usage patterns for each term should be independent from the others. So we should expect a degree of independent random fluctuations in the frequencies of each color word, where "blue" bumps up in frequency in a given year and "red" bumps down.
(Why should we expect a degree of independence in the random fluctuations between "red" and "blue"? Because, fundamentally, there is no common mechanism that would link their behavior.)
Here are some ways in which the actual behavior of color terms might deviate from the null hypothesis. Some colors may be more in style than others at a time -- there may be a cultural preference for red over blue, so the frequency of red may be greater than the frequency of blue. And the frequencies may change as cultural preferences change; so blue may become more frequent than red in a later generation. More generally, literary taste may change by becoming more descriptive overtime -- with more frequent use of color terms -- or more formal, with less use of color terms. So it would be possible to explain persistent differences in frequency of color terms; shifting frequencies across different color words; and even a longterm rise or decline in the whole family of color words.
So ex ante, for this group of common color words we would expect a graph of flat lines for the five terms, with uncorrelated fluctuations in each line.
Now let's look at the actual graph of these word frequencies (link).
Here we can see behavior that flatly contradicts these reasonable ex ante expectations. First, there are stretches of time in which the color words covary extremely closely, to the extent that the graphs look identical in shape. This is true, for example, in the neighborhood of 1820. This is impossible to explain as anything else than an artifact of some sort. It is impossible to believe that the frequencies of several color words would fluctuate up and down with this degree of synchrony.
Here is another aspect of the graph that is also suggestive of artifact: the long wave of rise and fall in the frequency of all the color words between 1810 and 1920. It is not impossible that "color" became more important in literary language and then declined; but that seems improbable. So this long wave coordinated behavior of the color words seems to be more likely the effect of a database anomaly than a manifestation of a real trend.
Is there any reliable information in this graph? Yes. There is one feature of this graph that appears to have real significance, and that is the change in the behavior of "black" after 1960. Prior to that year the term behaves pretty much like all the other color words. After that year it takes off on a very different trajectory. And this abrupt and accelerating increase in the frequency of "black" seems to have everything to do with a real social and cultural change in the 1960s and forward -- the abrupt increase in those decades in the salience of race. There is a similar divergence between the behavior of "black" and all the other color words in 1860; the frequency of the word increases for a few years following the American civil war.
More tantalizingly, it may be significant that "blue" moves up from "yellow" to "green" in frequency over time. This is one element of the graph where the terms are not correlated with each other; instead, "blue" changes its position relative to other color frequencies.
This example shows that we need to be careful about the inferences we draw from the patterns that appear from Ngram searches. We need to always ask: "Does this pattern really correspond to a fact about underlying collective linguistic behavior, or is it the result of an artifact?" More fundamentally, we need to understand the sources of the artifacts we are able to detect -- spurious correlations, inexplicable long-wave changes in frequency, and others still to be discovered. And, finally, we should seek out techniques that can be applied to the results that serve to filter out the artifacts and focus on the real variations the data contain. We need some signal processing here to separate signal from noise. The Ngram tool is powerful, but we need to use it critically and intelligently.
4 comments:
- Hakayati said...
I think this would have made a better screenshot for your experiment.
Otherwise, great post. For the decline of frequency for these color words during the last 60 years or so, I wonder how much that might have to do with an overall growing vocabulary pool and increasing word diversity. Maybe more books were published by authors with a more graduated color perception (XKCD's color survey).
Btw, the lines look less correlated for other languages, for instance German and Russian. But I agree that it is not trivial to distinguish interpretable patterns from artifacts. - December 22, 2010 at 2:55 PM
- Daniel Little said...
Thanks for the revised screenshot -- much better!
- December 22, 2010 at 6:52 PM
There is certainly a common mechanism to link the usage of red and blue; they are both colours! Try adding color and colour to your chart. The correlations indicate that a significant percentage usages of a colour occur in discussions of colour more generally and are not incidental to those discussions. Results also vary a bit if you look at the same color names capitalized.
- December 24, 2010 at 1:48 AM
Check the data from 1525-1565... Something quite interesting. I used the 5 most common words in the English language for this, so, yeah... Try it.
--Anonymous - April 17, 2016 at 4:00 PM