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Undocumented immigrants DO have legal rights under the U.S. Constitution and federal statute.
As far back as 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that:
"The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution is not confined to the protection of citizens. It says: 'Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.' These provisions are universal in their application to all persons within the territorial jurisdiction, without regard to any differences of race, of color, or nationality; and the equal protection of the laws is a pledge of the protection of equal laws." 2
All persons in the U.S., therefore, have constitutional rights. Among these are the right to equal protection of the law and the right to due process.
Also, undocumented persons have a constitutional right under the Fourth Amendment to deny any officer from entering their residence without consent, absent a search warrant.
Further, the Supreme Court has held that all children, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to free public education, as required under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 3
Additionally, under federal law publicly funded hospitals must provide emergency medical services to all patients, regardless of their immigration status. 4 Immigrants are also protected from workplace discrimination under state and federal laws.
Moreover, under federal law, a person may recover money damages for loss of property, personal injury or death where damages occurred as a result of the "negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the Government while acting within the scope of his office or employment, under circumstances where the United States, if a private person, would be liable to the claimant in accordance with the law of the place where the act or omission occurred." 5
These are just a few of the rights that our Constitution and federal laws grant to all persons living in the U.S. These rights are intended to protect all U.S. residents from discrimination and arbitrary government action. These rights are especially critical in times where hatred based on race, color, and national origin is on the rise.


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Old Home Day
1638 - Town of Hampton - 1961
73 Exeter Road
The original part of this house was constructed in 1648 for Godfrey Dearborn and is believed to be one of the first frame dwellings in the colony of New Hampshire. Dearborn settled first at Exeter and was one of the thirty-five men responsible for establishing the local government there in 1639. He then came to Hampton and built this house. Eight generations of Dearborns lived on the place until 1892. Many of the Dearborns became prominent in the life and history of Hampton. George Dearborn fought in the Civil War and died at the infamous Confederate prison at Andersonville in 1864. George's elder brother, Joseph Frederick, a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School became a successful lawyer in New Bedford where he was an investor in many enterprises, including the whaling industry for which that town became the foremost center in the world. He always remained fond of his native town, often returned here, and was finally laid to rest in the local cemetery. His widow provided the funds for the Dearborn obelisk in the High Street Cemetery as a memorial to all Dearborns.
There is much historical lore connected with the location of this house on Exeter Road which was laid out very early in the town's history as an Indian trail through the woods. Tradition tells us that the road was originally laid out by a bear. It appears that the old beast made a night raid on the settlement. The men in pursuit of it followed its tracks through the snow as far as the Squamscott Falls in Exeter, and later followed their trail in laying out the winding road. At any rate, this is one of the legends.
The area directly across Exeter Road from the Dearborn House was originally known as Wigwam Row because of an Indian settlement along the Southern slope which the natives wisely chose as their habitat, protected as it was from the cold north winds and storms by both the slope of the land and the dense forest which grew on the high ground above.
The Dearborn House is presently (1961) owned by Mrs. Helen Bourn, who has been carrying out a faithful restoration of the original house and of a second part built in the 1700's.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Information Commissioner's Office has alerted UK public and private sector organisations that from 25 May 2011 they will need the consent of the users of their websites before setting a cookie or similar information-gathering technology on a site.
Amendments to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations will also require websites to provide users with "clear and comprehensive information" about why their data will be stored.
The ICO says its advice is intended to help organisations to start to think about the practical steps they will need to take to remain compliant with the new law.
Information commissioner Christopher Graham said: "The implementation of this new legislation is challenging and involves significant technological considerations. That's why we've already consulted a wide range of stakeholders.
"But we want to spread the net as wide as we can and would welcome further comments from others who have practical examples to share. This advice is very much a work in progress and doesn't yet provide all of the answers."
Advice for the general public on what the new law will mean for them is currently being drafted by the ICO.
This article was originally published at Guardian Government Computing.
Guardian Government Computing is a business division of Guardian Professional, and covers the latest news and analysis of public sector technology. For updates on public sector IT, join the Government Computing Network here.


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Latest from Chris Larson
Introducing Lee Webb: Our New Announcer on Renewing Your Mind and the VP of Broadcasting for Ligonier Ministries
from Chris Larson Sep 30, 2013 Category: Ministry NewsYou may have noticed a new voice this morning on our daily broadcast, Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul. Late last year we launched a nationwide search for a new announcer. We sought to find someone who could not only collaborate well with Dr. Sproul but also connect and build a strong relationship with you, our listeners. We are pleased to announce Lee Webb has accepted this role and joins the ministry as Vice President of Broadcasting. Keep Reading
Welcoming Dr. Stephen J. Nichols as Our Newest Teaching Fellow
from Chris Larson Jun 27, 2013 Category: Ministry NewsWe are pleased to welcome our newest Teaching Fellow, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols. Combining a passion for church history and a love for the Reformed tradition, Dr. Nichols complements Ligonier's existing group of Teaching Fellows with his expertise in American Christianity, New Testament, and systematic theology. His gifts are a welcome addition to our efforts to reach the world with the message of God's holiness and grace. Keep Reading
There's Still Time to Join Us for a British Reformation Tour
from Chris Larson May 09, 2013 Category: Ministry NewsDr. Sproul will be joined by Dr. Robert Godfrey for an immersive learning experience to the United Kingdom August 15–23 (SOLD OUT). We're also hosting a second trip, August 25–September 2, led by Ligonier teaching fellows Drs. Sinclair Ferguson and Steven Lawson. There is limited space still available for the second tour. Keep Reading
2012 Ministry Update
from Chris Larson Nov 08, 2012 Category: Ministry NewsHere is our annual Ministry Update, which includes a letter from Dr. Sproul, a 2012 outreach report, as well as a timeline providing a brief overview of where we have been, what we have accomplished by God's grace, and a glimpse of where we are headed. Keep Reading
Shannon Macfarlane Sproul
from Chris Larson Oct 04, 2012 Category: Ministry NewsIt was beautiful. There a few rows ahead of me during Lord's Day worship sat a father with his children. As the congregation sang, this father sang over, with, and to one of his daughters who was bound to a wheelchair. The father delighted in this and, from the smile on her face, she knew how much her earthly father loved her. This was one of the most poignant moments I've experienced in corporate worship. Keep Reading
Announcing RefNet: 24-hour Christian Internet Radio
from Chris Larson Jul 26, 2012 Category: Ministry NewsRefNet is 24-hour Christian internet radio and it's freely available on your internet connected iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch; select Android devices; the Kindle Fire; on your computer through the RefNet website; direct via the RefNet stream; or on many other mobile browsers through RefNet's lite mobile version. Keep Reading
2011 Ministry Update
from Chris Larson Nov 17, 2011 Category: Ministry NewsHere is our annual Ministry Update for Ligonier's supporters and students. We are also sharing this update with the broader internet community to give thanks for the way the Lord has used the work of Ligonier Ministries in this our fortieth year. It includes a letter from Dr. Sproul and reports on what's been accomplished this year and what lies ahead for 2012. Keep Reading
The Big Four-O
from Chris Larson Sep 13, 2011 Category: Ministry NewsThe New York Times ran a story this spring that profiled a strange phenomenon. Rather than institution building, it seems that some non-profits, finding that their project-based work is nearing completion, have chosen to turn off the lights gracefully. Keep Reading
A Day 452 Years in the Making
from Chris Larson Aug 22, 2011 Category: Ligonier AcademyToday we welcomed our first class at Reformation Bible College. Even though the Ligonier staff has been working diligently for several years, this college is 452 years in the making. Keep Reading
From Brokenness to Mission is the Human Pattern
from Chris Larson Aug 15, 2011 Category: R.C. SproulDr. Sproul conveys a powerful gospel dynamic here from Isaiah 6. Keep Reading


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There's lots of talk about the growth of assets in ETFs outpacing that of other financial products. While that storyline is mostly true, ETFs have low penetration in the multi-trillion retirement plan marketplace, where they're a virtual no-show.
Earlier this month, Blackrock's iShares unit said it would close 18 ETFs in mid-October.
Most of these funds had made little traction with investors, judging from their lack of assets.
But here's where things get really interesting: Of the ETFs being closed, nine iShares are target date or retirement-geared funds which have target dates from 2010 to 2050.
Did Blackrock's iShares just bail on the 401(k) market? Love them or hate them, target-date retirement funds have been immensely popular within the 401(k) market.
A key reason for this is their designation as "qualified default investment alternatives" by the Department of Labor (DOL). Coupled with automatic enrollment into retirement plans, this situation has been a boon for these types of retirement funds.
The DOL estimates that investors should contribute between $70 billion and $134 billion in additional retirement savings by 2034.
Despite the DOL's mouth-watering retirement savings projections, it appears that ETF providers – as gauged by their behavior – want no part of that growth.
Actions speak louder than words and right now the actions of major U.S. ETF providers very clearly say "We aren't serious about serving the 401(k) market." What else explains the sudden closure of target-date ETFs?
Actually, there are some additional factors to consider, experts say.
"The closure of the iShares target date ETFs for lack of assets is very simple. It's a lack of technology to record keep and trade ETFs in legacy recordkeeping systems," said Darwin Abramson, the CEO of Invest n Retire. Abrahamson's Portland, Ore.-based firm provides record keeping and trading systems for defined contribution (DC) plans, which includes the technology necessary to automatically trade ETFs.
Of course, other ETF providers may decide to step-up to the plate and make a bold move or two in this business. The $5 trillion 401(k) market is screaming for greater transparency and lower fees.
Blackrock's liquidation of its target-date ETFs opens the door wide open to firms like Charles Schwab, WisdomTree and other firms interested in actively pursuing the strategy of including ETFs in 401(k) plans. Hopefully, they will be more committed than Blackrock.


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The river wilder
Just about every watershed in the West has streams and rivers in need of restoration. Both rural and urban waterways are damaged -- dried by drought, plugged by dams, polluted by livestock or factories, channeled off to farms and cities, or diverted into culverts and covered by cement.
Here in western Colorado, the Gunnison River flows through a 2,000-foot-deep canyon on its way to join the Colorado River. The Gunnison once carved the smoky-gray cliffs of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with a peak flow of 13,000 cubic feet per second. In 1965, though, the last of three dams reduced it to about 10 percent of that. But last fall, a long-awaited settlement between the Park Service, the state, and Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups gave the river rights to a big spring flood -- 6,000 to 7,000 cfs, plus 85 days of high flow -- to help restore its natural state, not to mention its top-notch trout fishery.
On a mid-May morning, a dozen of us launched rafts into the lower river, just downstream of the park's boundary. At 3,000 cfs, it was at the tail end of its spring scouring. We floated past plentiful proof of the flood's benefits -- chocolate-colored water bearing nutrients from upstream; a gravel bottom washed free of sediment and ready for spawning trout; beaches swept free of weeds and debris and replenished with silt.
Clearly, all the Gunnison needed to start healing was more water. But in other areas, especially urban ones, damaged streams need more aggressive help. In this issue, writer Jeremy Miller traces the waterways of California's East Bay, where dozens of creeks have vanished, routed into culverts and even piped into sewers. Many of the communities atop those former streams are industrialized, polluted and impoverished. But a grassroots watershed movement is trying to resurrect both local waterways and local jobs.
There's another movement to restore watersheds in the West. Instead of urban activists and community leaders, though, this rural effort involves -- giant rodents. We noted traces of them along the Gunnison: chisel-pointed tree stumps, the slap of a broad, flat tail. Although beaver don't build dams in fast rivers like the Gunnison, they still help riparian health. In shallow streams, however, where their dams create big spreading ponds, they have a dramatic effect on habitat. Kevin Taylor takes us to a "beaver restoration" conference in Washington, where we discover how beaver dams can delay the release of snowmelt, rebuild wetlands and raise the water table. And he introduces us to some "beaver believers" who want to restore the animal throughout the West.
Not that it's always easy. Farther down the Gunnison, we noticed one unfortunate side effect of beavers -- a line of cottonwood saplings planted by the Bureau of Land Management, now reduced to bleached, pointy sticks. Apparently, one river restorationist can easily undo the work of another. Does that mean you can't always leave it to beaver?


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What's New
Atlas Font Family by Harold's Fonts
About: Atlas is based on a classic analog Art Deco font of the same name. My first version of it--the one with stripes--was originally named Farouk, but I've changed it to conform with period sources I have since found. I've also recreated the companion Solid font; both are completely redrawn with very clean edges.
Tags: 1920s, 1930s, Art Deco, Font, Sans Serif, Special Effect


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Sometimes we're so close to something we can't even see it. But I had a funny thought today. Imagine if every time you sat down to watch an Italian film, aliens were destroying Rome. Or if every time you turned on a French movie, some monsters were smashing the Eiffel Tower and kicking over the Arche de Triomphe. Imagine if you decided to get interested in Spanish film, and half the movies showed Madrid in ruins. What would you think?
I think you might think . . . these people are nuts. These people are seriously neurotic. These people are expressing some awful paranoia or some strange death wish or terror or something. You would think something is going on, and that whatever that something is, it's weird.
Of course, we live in the midst of this, so we don't even notice it. It's just the movies. But are movies only movies, or are movies collective dreams that mean something and say something? Post 9/11 trauma maybe? Or maybe nothing. Maybe this is just our era's very odd version of good, clean fun. Think about it. I have no clear opinion on this. You decide.


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DETROIT, April 25 (UPI) -- Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk both scored on the power play in a three-goal Detroit second period Thursday, pushing the Red Wings past Nashville 5-2.
Detroit moved into the No. 7 position in the Western Conference playoff race, but with one game left has yet to clinch a post-season berth. The Red Wings have not missed the playoffs since 1990.
The Red Wings have 54 points while both Columbus and Minnesota have 53. Both Detroit and Columbus have a game remaining while Minnesota has two left.
Detroit was facing a 2-1 deficit heading into the second period, but Franzen tied it 1:01 deep into the middle frame and Patrick Eaves put the Red Wings in front less than 3 minutes later.
Datsyuk delivered his 15th of the season with 47 seconds to go in the period and Justin Abdelkader added a goal late in the third.
Jimmy Howard picked up the win with 20 saves. Chris Mason allowed five goals on 38 shots.


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Discovery of pathway for deadly cancer could lead to better diagnosis, treatment
University of Florida Health researchers have discovered a molecular pathway involved in the deadly spread of the most lethal kind of brain cancer.
Their findings, which appear in the advanced online edition of EMBO Molecular Medicine, may help physicians make better decisions about treatment and help researchers pinpoint a target for therapeutic drugs in about half of all patients diagnosed with the form known as glioblastoma.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that 22,910 adults — 12,630 men and 10,280 women — were diagnosed with brain and other nervous system tumors in 2012. It also estimates that more than half of these diagnoses will result in death.
Florian Siebzehnrubl, Ph.D., a UF research assistant professor of neurosurgery, collaborated on the research with colleagues from the department of neuroscience, the department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine and the UF Health Cancer Center as well as researchers from the University of Bonn, Germany and University Hospital Freiburg, Germany.
"Glioblastoma is the worst type of brain cancer, and also the most common brain cancer in adults," said Siebzehnrubl, Ph.D., a professor in UF's Evelyn F. & William L. McKnight Brain Institute. "There is no cure and the prognosis is poor, mainly because the cancer cells can quickly infiltrate the entire brain."
These cells also resist chemotherapy, so even if surgery and irradiation eradicate the initial tumor, patients often suffer a recurrence of cancer soon after.
The researchers have found a molecular pathway, called the ZEB1 pathway, that, when present, causes cells to leave the initial tumor site, generates resistance to chemotherapy in these cells and generates new tumors away from the initial site.
"ZEB1 is known to be important in a number of cancers, functioning at the level of cancer stem cells, but there has been little work on this transcription factor in brain cancer," said David Sandak, vice president of Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. "We are excited about the finding as it integrates a single regulatory pathway with multiple oncogenic mechanisms and provides promise for a new therapeutic target for glioma."
In patients who have this pathway, the course of the illness is much worse than in those where the pathway is not seen, Siebzehnrubl said. These patients get sick very quickly, don't respond to chemotherapy and die sooner than those who lack the pathway.
The key regulator appears to be a protein called ZEB1 that binds to specific DNA sequences to control the flow of genetic information that drives this pathway. This particular kind of protein does not a have a specific site where therapeutic drugs can bind, so the researchers must look elsewhere to see if they can target a molecule that activates the pathway farther upstream.
"This gives us an idea of what we can do to target these lethal cells," Siebzehnrubl said.
The laboratory's next steps will be to examine what else might be regulating these tumor cells, since this pathway occurs in only half of patients with glioblastoma.
"We also want to look at what is going on in patients where this pathway is not active," Siebzehnrubl said.
The research was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute under award number R21CA141020 and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke under award number R01NS055165.
The journal article can be accessed here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/emmm.201302827/abstract. — Melissa Blouin


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Paul: Cruz would be 'friendly' White House rival
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky says he and Texas counterpart Ted Cruz will be "friendly competitors" should both run for president in 2016.
Each is addressing the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth — and both are possible White House contenders.
Paul told The Associated Press on Friday he's not made up his mind about running. But he noted that he's traveling the country frequently, keeping his options open.
Paul says that since he's undecided, he hasn't spoken to Cruz about both possibly running.
A native Texan, Paul's father Ron was a longtime Texas congressman and frequent presidential candidate.
Cruz and Paul are both tea party favorites and could compete for the support of the same conservative activists. But Paul said only that "we'll both be competing for Republicans."


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|Spring Term 2021 Introduction to Philosophy: Problems - 3117 - PHIL 100
Prerequisites/Notes: Recommended for freshmen and sophomores
Catalog Description : An introduction to philosophical analysis and intensive study of selected philosophical classics. Topics include the existence of God, the problem of evil, problems of knowledge, the relationship between mind and body, free will, determinism, and moral obligation. Recommended for freshmen and sophomores.
Attributes: Humanities Div GER (01cr), BM Humanities (01cr), Introductory Course


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After just two seasons, Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom are pulling the plug on their E! reality show so Lamar can focus on his NBA career. According to TMZ, Lamar wants to revive his career after being placed on the inactive list by the Dallas Mavericks a few weeks ago. Lamar failed to connect with teammates, showed general laziness and fell to career lows in points and rebounds.
He's now intent on reviving his career, with insiders saying he'll reside full-time in Los Angeles and work out with personal trainers.
Finally someone says no to Kris Jenner!!
Like HelloBeautiful On Facebook To Keep Up With Your Fave Black Celebs!
Is Khloe Kardashian Sucking Up To Beyonce Via Twitter For Kim?
More From HelloBeautiful


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LocalX Marketing was designed with your local business in mind! We bring national quality digital marketing services to the local marketplace with a full suite of solutions that will help take your business to another level.
As a branch of Gray Television Group, Inc., you can expect excellent marketing guidance and service from a trusted institution in your community. LocalX Marketing is ready to provide you with the vital solutions you need to thrive in today's ever-changing digital world.


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TMZ has obtained a sad and not so shocking video of Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans violently attacking another woman in North Carolina this week.
In the 1 minute, 36 second video (posted below), Jenelle can be seen confronting the other woman and ultimately attacking her while her douchebag friends cheer her on.
Jenelle, 19, is the clear instigator in the fight as she yells out some nasty insults at the woman named Britany before punching her in the face with a closed fist. The two fall to the ground while Jenelle continues to punch Britany repeatedly in the face though she is unable to defend herself.
Finally, one of Jenelle's friends breaks up the fight while Janelle and her other friends continue to drop verbal insults. As for the cause of the fight, sources tell TMZ it had something to do with Jenelle's boyfriend. While TMZ doesn't name him, it's likely it is Kieffer Delp as some new reports state the two are now back together.
And yes, this woman is somebody's mother. You know what they say, you can take the girl out the trailer and put her on MTV but…
That video is below.
UPDATE – TMZ is now reporting that cops are investigating the fight. The Brunswick County District Attorney's Office tells TMZ the matter is "under investigation."
UPDATE #2 – The victim of the attack Britany Truett tells TMZ the fight was indeed over Kieffer. According to Britany, Kieffer made a pass at her in the presence of Jenelle who then got upset. Britany states she and Jenelle have actually been friends for 7 years. Britany, who has a bruise on her eye, scratches on her face and a bite mark on her breast, reveals she has no interest in pressing charges. She says she just wants everything to go away.


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Duration: 365 days
Barabbas preferred to Jesus
'Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.' John 18:40
Suggested Further Reading: Leviticus 14:1–8
Barabbas was a murderer, a felon, and a traitor. This fact is very significant. There is more teaching in it than at first sight we might imagine. Have we not here in this act of the deliverance of the sinner and the binding of the innocent, a sort of type of that great work which is accomplished by the death of our Saviour? You and I may fairly take our stand by the side of Barabbas. We have robbed God of his glory; we have been seditious traitors against the government of heaven: if he who hates his brother be a murderer, we also have been guilty of that sin. Here we stand before the judgment seat; the Prince of life is bound for us and we are suffered to go free. The Lord delivers us and acquits us, while the Saviour, without spot or blemish, or shadow of a fault, is led forth to crucifixion. Two birds were taken in the rite of the cleansing of the leper. The one bird was killed, and its blood was poured into a basin; the other bird was dipped in this blood, and then, with its wings all crimson, it was set free to fly into the open field. The bird slain well pictures the Saviour, and every soul that has by faith been dipped in his blood, flies upward towards heaven singing sweetly in joyous liberty, owing its life and its liberty entirely to him who was slain. It comes to this—Barabbas must die or Christ must die; you the sinner must perish, or Christ Immanuel, the Immaculate, must die. He dies that we may be delivered. Have we all a participation in such a deliverance today? Though we have been robbers, traitors and murderers, yet we can rejoice that Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law, having been made a curse for us.
For meditation: What do you prefer to Jesus? Your family (Matthew 10:37), the praise of men (John 12:43), God's creation (Romans 1:25) or your pleasures (2 Timothy 3:4)? The Lord Jesus Christ died to save people like you, but you will have to change your priorities and preferences (Acts 3:14–15,18–19).
Sermon no. 595
16 October (1864)365 Days with C.H. Spurgeon, Vol. 2: A Unique Collection of 365 Daily Readings from Sermons Preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon from His Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (365 Days With Series); edited by Terence Peter Crosby; (c) Day One Publications, 2002.


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ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 Final Qualitative Determination
A final qualitative analysis of all addenda to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 that were included in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 was conducted. All 44 addenda processed by ASHRAE in the creation of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 from ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 were evaluated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for their impact on energy efficiency. DOE preliminarily determined whether that addenda would have a positive, neutral, or negative impact on overall building efficiency.
Publication Date:
Sunday, January 16, 2011


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The oceans, the seas, and lakes and rivers along with ships, boats, rafts and submarines have provided authors with inspiration since Jason's Argo and Noah's Ark. Non-fiction books feature stories of almost unbelievable hardships, bravery and endurance. The names of these famous ships alone need little introduction – the Bounty, the Titanic and the Mary Celeste have fascinated generations of readers.
When considering fiction, there is so much to choose from. Moby Dick is often classified as one of the great studies of obsession and humanity, Treasure Island is THE classic adventure story but Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea is also a thrill a minute. And then there's Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny and William Brinkley's post-apocalyptic novel, The Last Ship, the unique voyage in Yann Martel's Life of Pi, Arthur Ransome's children's classic Swallows and Amazons, and Erskine Childers' genre-defining spy novel, The Riddle of the Sands. Haul in any of these wonderful books or dive into our list of 20 collectible nautical books.
Think you know your stuff when it comes to nautical literature? Take our quiz to see if you're buccaneer material or should instead walk the plank. Take the quiz
See our video review of Adrift: Seventy Six Days Lost at Sea› Play Video
The Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters
Marshall Logan
One of the first books published after the unsinkable ship sank illustrations and survivor stories.
I Was Graf Spee's Prisoner
Captain Patrick Dove
A vivid 1940 account of a British prisoner on board the feared German WWII battlecruiser.
Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft
Thor Heyerdahl
Heyerdahls account of his historic 1947 voyage across the Pacific in a tiny wooden raft.
Sir Ernest Shackleton
With the Endurance locked in ice, Shackleton journeyed 800 miles in a 22-foot boat to find help.
PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II
Robert Donovan
JFKs heroics after his torpedo boat was hit by a Japanese destroyer helped launch his political career.
The Life of Vice-Admiral Bligh
George Mackaness
Published in 1931, this book describes the Bounty mutiny and the rest of Bligh's amazing career.
C-Six Ten Years as the Doctor of the QE2
Nigel Roberts
A memoir from 1988 check out the copies with two dustjackets (English and Japanese).
The Mary Celeste and Other Strange Tales of the Sea
J.G. Lockhart
The disappearance of the Mary Celestes crew in 1872 remains one of the greatest seafaring mysteries.
The Log of the Cutty Sark
Basil Lubbock
Still on show in London, the Cutty Sark was the worlds last tea clipper. Contains 59 illustrations.
The Perfect Storm
Sebastian Junger
Jungers 1997 interpretation of what happened to the Andrea Gail trawler in the 'storm of the century.'
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
C.S. Lewis
Published in 1952, the third Narnia novel sees Prince Caspian embark on a nautical quest.
The Cruel Sea
Nicholas Monsarrat
From 1951, this story of the North Atlantic convoys and their escorts became a classic.
Peter Benchley
The thriller from 1974 that culminates with the Great White pitted against the crew of the Orca.
Master and Commander
Patrick O'Brian
1969 saw the first Jack Aubrey novel. It became a mega-selling series.
English Passengers
Matthew Kneale
Won the Whitbread Prize in 2000, this story features a voyage to Tasmania.
The Sea-Wolf
Jack London
A psychological thriller featuring a memorable captain first printing of 40,000 sold out immediately.
Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks
Rudyard Kipling
Published in 1897, the spoiled son of a tycoon learns some hard lessons on a fishing boat.
The Happy Return
C.S. Forester
Foresters first Horatio Hornblower novel from 1937. First editions are scarce.
The African Queen
C.S. Forester
A classic from 1935 and yes we know the African Queen plied her trade on a river and not the sea.
Run Silent, Run Deep
Edward L. Beach
The best submarine novel ever written. Published in 1955 and penned by a WWII commander.


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After terrorist conspirator and "former" U.S. government agent David Coleman Headley received promises of leniency and extradition protection from American prosecutors for his role in the 2008 Mumbai massacre, speculation about his true masters was set ablaze as outrage erupted across India.
Headley — a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent and the son of a Pakistani diplomat — pled guilty to various criminal charges on March 18 in connection with his terrorist activities in India, Pakistan and Denmark. He is reportedly "cooperating" with investigators.
In exchange, the government vowed not to allow foreign authorities to question him or subject him to trial. Prosecutors also agreed not seek the death penalty, and he may not even serve a life sentence. Links to U.S. intelligence agencies will remain classified. And his guilty plea ensures that there will be no drawn-out trial that could publicly reveal any relationships with various intelligence agencies — most notably, the Central Intelligence Agency-linked Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence.
Headley admitted in the plea bargain that he helped plan the bloody massacre by conducting surveillance and selecting targets, gathering GPS coordinates for the terrorist team's boat landing along the coast, and more. He was also helping to plan an attack on a Danish cartoonist. And while the Federal Bureau of Investigation was given almost 10 hours to question the only surviving attacker in India, a team of Indian investigators who traveled to the U.S. to interrogate Headley was turned away.
The plea deal and the lack of American cooperation immediately sparked fury and despair in India, as the U.S. is reportedly bound by treaty to surrender Headley to Indian authorities. It also fueled accusations in the media that Headley still may have been linked to the American or Pakistani governments in some capacity. He began his terrorist training around the time that he was working for the U.S. government. But the connections, however, remain shrouded in mystery.
The terrorist group he was known to be working with —the ISI-linked Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba— carried out the devastating Mumbai attack in November of 2008 that dominated headlines around the world. The terrorists rampaged through the city with machine guns and grenades, leaving over 150 dead and hundreds more wounded. And as it turns out, the terrorist group was actually created with the help of Pakistan's secret services, which have well-known ties to the American Central Intelligence Agency and other government agencies.
"The LeT's close links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are legion and it is inconceivable that such a massive operation — with huge international ramifications and the potential to trigger war with India – could have been undertaken without the knowledge of the ISI, headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani, the present army chief, from October 2004 until October 2007," wrote M.K. Bhadrakumar, a former Indian ambassador who served in Pakistan, the Soviet Union and Afghanistan, among other assignments.
Along with many prominent Indians, Bhadrakumar strongly condemned Headley's plea agreement in the press. "The deal enables the US government to hold back from formally producing any evidence against Headley in a court of law that might have included details of his links with US intelligence," he wrote in the article for Asia Times. "Headley's links with the US intelligence will now remain classified information and the Pakistani nationals involved in the Mumbai attacks will get away scot-free."
He also noted that the Obama administration was "behaving very strangely" and that it had something "extremely explosive" to hide. "The speculation gaining respectability in Delhi is that Washington knew in advance about the Mumbai attack and deliberately chose not to pass on details to Delhi," the ambassador noted in the piece, entitled 'A spy unsettles US-India ties.' "Clearly, the Obama administration was apprehensive that Headley might spill the beans if the Indians got hold of him and the trail could then lead to his links with the CIA, the LeT and the Pakistani military."
Headley's involvement with the U.S. government began when he was caught trafficking heroin. To reduce his sentence, the DEA convinced him to work as an undercover agent in Pakistan. And in exchange for his cooperation, he only served two years. After 9/11, the agency worked closely with other government outfits, and they were forced to share information. So anti-terror operations had to have been aware of Headley's activities. These facts have led Indians to conclude that he was, in fact, still working for American intelligence.
"Many Indians are convinced that Mr. Headley is a CIA agent, perhaps gone rogue, and that the U.S. intransigence represents an attempt to shield him and his past activities from scrutiny," said writer Akash Kapur in a piece published by the New York Times. Another New York Times piece, entitled 'American Scout for Mumbai Attacks Was Jokingly Called 'Agent Headley' by Friends,' points out that Indians who knew Headley had long suspected that he worked for the CIA.
"I had a hunch then and I have a hunch now that he was an American agent of some sort," Headley's Indian friend Rahul Bhatt told Channel 4 News. "I nicknamed him Agent Headley. I thought, and I suggested to him, that he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, and he used to not like it." Apparently, Headley even "begged" Bhatt to stop calling him "Agent Headley" in public.
An important former Indian government and counterterrorism official was blunt with his conclusions as well. "The mishandling by the US is due to its anxiety to prevent a public admission of the US intelligence community's links with him and to protect Pakistan from the legal consequences of its role in the 26/11 terrorist strikes," noted security analyst Bahukutumbi Raman, a former top counter-terrorism official with India's foreign intelligence service.
"The plea bargain entered into by the FBI with Headley last week has created strong suspicions in India that the FBI wants to avoid a formal trial of Headley and was reluctant to allow Indian investigators to interrogate him because Headley was a deep penetration agent of the US intelligence," he added. Raman explained that Headley "was not a double agent, but a quadruple agent." He also allowed for the possibility that Headley may have gone horribly "out of control."
Speculation about the U.S.-agent-turned terrorist continues to run rampant in the Indian press. But how much is really known? In court documents, Headley's associates are referred to simply as A, B, C and D. So the truth about Headley may never be known to the public. And while that is a veritable tragedy, the truth must still be sought. The theories remain as varied as they are numerous, but the secrecy and strange deals seem to confirm people's suspicions that their governments are totally out of control and out of touch with the citizenry. Pakistan and India have even moved their "proxy war" into U.S.-occupied Afghanistan, complicating matters even further.
But there are several lessons to be learned from the tragedy and its fallout. For the Indians, be much more careful when "cooperating" with "allies." Also, examine your own government carefully — many of the theories surrounding the attack involve cooperation of at least some Indian officials.
Even more importantly, the government must respect the right of the people to keep and bear arms. The terrorists stormed through the city unhindered — slaughtering everyone in their path — for more than two days! As famed Indian pacifist Mohandas Gandhi wrote in his autobiography: "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest." And still, decades after independence, the government continues its counterproductive and dangerous policy of keeping law-abiding people disarmed, and therefore, easy targets.
For Americans, there are serious implications too. If the federal government would stick to the Constitution and quit meddling in foreign nations, these sorts of issues would not even crop up. The anti-American animosity and suspicion built up around the world would not exist. "Blowback" would not threaten American citizens and interests around the world. And the billions of dollars saved could be returned to the citizenry. So for the sake of U.S. taxpayers, victims of terrorism around the world and all of the casualties of the "war on terror," it's time for some serious changes in American foreign policy. The people must hold the government accountable, or the tragic consequences — death, oppression and confusion — will continue to mount.
Alex Newman is an American freelance writer and the president of Liberty Sentinel Media, Inc., a small media consulting firm. He is currently living in Sweden and has spent most of his life in Latin America, Europe and Africa. He has a degree in foreign languages and speaks Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and a little Swedish and Afrikaans. In addition, he earned a degree in journalism from the University of Florida, with emphasis on economics and international relations.


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March 8, 2014 WASHINGTON ( Associated Press) Underlying the talk about taking harsh punitive measures against Russia for its military incursion into Ukraine are economic complications and worries that sanctions levied against Moscow could, in the words of the Kremlin, "boomerang" back on the U.S. and Europe.
Heavier U.S. and European Union sanctions could sting Russia's already slow-growing economy and hurt its financial sector. But Moscow could retaliate and seize American and other foreign assets or cut exports of natural gas to Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russia for energy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday warned Secretary of State John Kerry that U.S. sanctions could "backfire," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. During a telephone call, Lavrov urged the U.S. not to take "hasty, poorly thought-out steps that could harm Russian-U.S. relations, especially concerning sanctions, which would unavoidably boomerang on the U.S. itself," the statement said. In a separate statement on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry also warned the European Union that any sanctions it imposed would not go unanswered and would harm "the interests of the EU itself and its member nations." Kerry underscored to Lavrov the importance of finding a constructive way to resolve the situation diplomatically, which would address the interests of the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the international community. Kerry and Lavrov agreed to continue to consult in the days ahead, according to the State Department.The full article is available at


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Putting the Plan into Action How China's Leaders Steer a Massive Nation
Western democracies consider themselves to be efficient, farsighted and just -- in other words, prime examples of "good governance." But in recent years, the euro and debt crises, along with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , have shattered faith in the reliability of Western institutions. Disconcerted Europeans are casting a worried eye at newly industrialized nations like China and Brazil . Can the West learn something from countries that for so long sought its advice? This is part IV in a four-part series looking at how the world is governed today. To read the introduction, click here. For part I, on Brazil , click here. For part II, on the United States , click here. For part III, on Denmark, click here.
When Duan Tingzhi dreams, he sees a future filled with fountains. He dreams of water shooting into the air throughout his new city, to the delight of its residents. According to the newspaper, one day there will be one thousand fountains in the Lanzhou New Area, a region north of the old city of Lanzhou.
For now, Duan sees only sheep, sheep with dirty coats, as gray as the skies above them. The sheep walk across Duan's wonderful, multi-lane, freshly asphalted street, and they're disruptive. They remind Duan, the man with the building authority, of just how far away the container terminals, the football stadiums, the sea and indeed the future still are from northwestern China, and how much work it will take to get there. Duan is so busy that he even sleeps in the New Area during the week, and he no longer has time for his family or for journalists.
And yet it isn't often that someone shows an interest in Gansu Province, a relatively poor province of mountains and deserts, and so Duan leans across the conference table and speaks as if he were trying to conjure up the future. The province has "great potential," he says, slicing through the air with the edge of his hand to punctuate his arguments. First, he says, everything is already there: airports, railways and highways. Second, there is "unlimited electricity." And third, the province has rich mineral resources, including coal, oil and nickel. Of course, he adds, it also has plenty of workers.
Duan's voice softens. He wants to attract international companies to the Lanzhou New Area. "Perhaps," he says, his voice becoming silky smooth, "you can help us convince Siemens to come here." The party official sitting next to him nods.
Then Duan has to go. It's a gloomy day, and the wind is howling through the shells of buildings. According to the plans, there will be 300,000 people living here in 2015, 600,000 by the year 2020 and eventually as many as a million.
But Duan is merely a local chief planner. The important chief planners are in Beijing and have one of the most difficult jobs in the world: governing a nation of 1.3 billion people. China's provinces are as populous as entire countries on other continents. Hunan has as many people as France, Hubei as many as Italy and Sichuan as many as Germany. China's powerful men have achieved much. While millions were still starving under Mao Zedong, China is now the world's second-largest economy.
Europe, immersed in both a debt crisis and a crisis of meaning, is not only mesmerized by Asia's rising powers, but is also asking itself how governing works in these countries. China's economic success also raises another, more outrageous question: Is it possible for an undemocratic government to be a good government?
Beijing's Development Strategy
In China, good governance is primarily defined as the government satisfying the material needs of its people. The people along China's east coast, in particular, have been able to enjoy rapidly growing prosperity. Deng Xiaoping, the reformer, deliberately chose to develop the coastal regions first. Under Deng's policies, the losers were primarily in rural areas and in western China.
Nowadays, when Shanghai residents take a taxi they can learn about the best temperatures for wine by watching advertising clips on a screen in front of their seat. Meanwhile, some farmers in western China live in caves because they can't afford brick houses. The government's response is a policy Beijing calls the "Great Western Development Strategy."
The central government attaches great importance to the strategy, as evidenced by the fact that it has appointed a special "leadership group" headed by Premier Wen Jiabao, as well as a separate agency, to manage the program. The new strategy was adopted in 1999, under then President Jiang Zemin. Even though Jiang may have also been thinking about his legacy, China's "Go West" policy reveals a strength of Beijing's approach: Once something has been recognized as a national problem and defined as a national effort, it is addressed in a consistent and enduring way. A government that is not voted into office has no need to take voting blocs and elections into account. This is the economic advantage of an authoritarian system.
Ms. Li Yingming meets with us in a nondescript, gray concrete building in Beijing. She is the deputy director of the Department of Western Region Development, which is part of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Li is satisfied, at least to the extent that she can be today, in the second year of the 12th Chinese five-year plan.
'A Long Road'
Tens of thousands of kilometers of railways and highways have been developed, including the controversial rail line to Lhasa, built at a cost of about €3.3 billion ($4.06 billion), new hydroelectric power plants, airports, a gas pipeline and a fiber optic cable network. "The progress we have made in this area in the last 10 years is greater than the progress made in the last 50 years."
But when will the Chinese in the west and those in the east have the same standard of living?
"That's a long road," she says with a smile. It isn't the cities that she's concerned about. China also has the "Starbucks Index," which shows where the brand-conscious middle class can be found. In reality, there isn't a single Starbucks in remote Lanzhou, whereas Shanghai has almost 150. Li, however, is more interested in farmers and the illiteracy rate. In Gansu Province, for example, in 10 years, it has fallen from 14.3 percent to 8.7 percent in 2010. Nevertheless, it is still significantly higher than the 2-percent illiteracy rate in China's southern Guangdong Province.
"Talented people play the most important role in China's development," says Li. And then she talks about how schools and dormitories are being built, and how hundreds of cooperative efforts bring together the different parts of the country. Universities on the east coast support their counterparts in the west, and there are partnerships between eastern and western provinces. Besides, says Li, more than 10,000 university graduates voluntarily go to western China each year to teach subjects like English. Of course, she adds, this experience is useful to young people embarking on government careers, and some of the most sought-after positions are reserved for them. "But," says Li, "these graduates also have a very strong spirit of volunteerism. They want to make a contribution to society."
At the end of the meeting, as we are walking through the hallway, she says: "Our leaders have told us that this is a hundred-year project." And then she hurries past a tall floor vase to her next appointment. Her time is precious.
A New Quality of Life
Duan, the official in the west, is also in a hurry. Duan builds things, and he does so because he can. Lanzhou is not Stuttgart, where protests have held up a major rail development project. Chinese pragmatists don't have to worry about how their plans will affect endangered species like the hermit beetle.
The land already belongs to the state, and the migrant workers who are building this city are hardworking and happy to be earning about 2,500 Yuan, or roughly €300, a month. The people who are living there now can be relocated. A government brochure clearly outlines how they should feel about the whole thing. "The construction of the Lanzhou New Area is a splendid solution that was conceived by the city government and the party committee to implement the Great Western Development Strategy," the brochure reads. It also specifies, in tiny lettering, how much compensation the government will provide for specific items, such as 4,000 Yuan for a concrete well and 700 Yuan for a gravesite (per coffin).
There are indeed farmers in Lanzhou who support the New Area, even though they know that there will be a lake where their houses now stand. They hope that they will be able to work as drivers for business executives in the new city. And then there are people like the medical student who eventually wants to move to Beijing, because it's the best place to work. He says that his biggest dream in life is to own a Lamborghini.
They are the people for whom the government is doing all of this, so that it can offer them something, a new quality of life. It doesn't want the students to leave, because the brain drain is one of Lanzhou's biggest problems. It wants farmers to be motivated by hope instead of rage. And, of course, the mayor and the party secretary in Lanzhou are also thinking about their careers, given that economic growth is still the gauge of a local politician's success.
Meanwhile the city is growing rapidly, with a current population of 3.6 million. But Lanzhou, wedged between mountains, declared the world's most polluted city 14 years ago, has no room to expand. Officials even considered removing mountaintops, but then they opted for the flat, undeveloped land out near the airport instead.
There are also those in Lanzhou who would have preferred to invest in the old city instead. But they don't want to see their names in print. The Chinese efficiency praised by so many in the West comes at a price: the silence of critics. The government decides what is good for the people. And if something is deemed good for everyone, the individual must conform.
How Five-Year Plans Keep Power in Check
But the Lanzhou New Area is only one piece of the puzzle. There was always more at issue for Beijing in its development program for the west. Most of all, it wanted to bring the west closer to the rest of the country. This creates stability, and "stability" is the favorite buzzword of China's rulers. And so the "Go West" strategy was incorporated into the national five-year plan.
This plan is an idiosyncratic political instrument. Just writing it alone takes more than two years. First a subset of chief planners within a larger group of chief planners, that is, the Department of Development Planning of the NDRC, develops the initial proposals -- under the leadership of the Central Committee and the Politburo, of course.
Then city and provincial governments are brought into the mix with their proposals, as are ministries and experts from universities and think tanks. Countless drafts are evaluated, adjusted and reviewed by the Central Committee, until a new plan is born and a consensus is reached. A beneficial side effect is that planning alone holds the giant Chinese administrative machinery together. Besides, the same principle applies here as it does elsewhere in Chinese politics, where draft documents are constantly being circulated and conferences never end: Consensus creates obligation, and those who have agreed to something later bear some of the responsibility for it.
In the third year of a given five-year plan, there is an interim evaluation. The last time this happened, the NDRC even asked the World Bank for its opinion, which led to the bank publishing its own report on implementation of the 11th five-year plan in 2008. By the fourth year, preparations for the next plan are already underway.
Of course, China's five-year plans have changed since the first one was launched in 1953. Whereas the Chinese initially emulated the Soviet Union, today Beijing doesn't seek to supplant the market's role in guiding the economy, but rather to steer the economy according to market principles. The terminology has also changed, with officials now referring to the plan as a program. But it still involves planning.
Five-year plans have their own dynamics, because the beginning of a new plan generally does not coincide with a change in leadership. This means that a new leader will likely remain tied to an existing plan and its established goals, and thus cannot immediately implement a radical change of course. This may irritate the individual at the top, because it prevents him from boosting his profile, but the principle creates continuity in the larger political picture. The plan keeps power in check.
China Experiments with Dual Approach to Governing
Ding Wenguang dreams of being part of the central government's next five-year plan. Ding, 48, is a short, clever man who knows what participation, one of the key elements of good governance, can look like in China -- to those with patience. He also knows that Beijing has recently been trying to combine two approaches to governing: from the top down and from the bottom up.
Ding also wants to fight poverty in the west, not only with investments but with an idea. He is the director of a non-governmental organization and a lecturer at the University of Lanzhou. When he came to the village of Qingshuiling in 2003, he witnessed a vicious cycle. Farmers were cutting down trees for heating, cooking and to sell the wood. This leads to erosion and landslides. But the more frequently nature punishes people, the poorer they become.
Ding wanted to create a "cycle of good" instead. Under his plan, the farmers would raise cattle, which meant that they had to plant grass, and the cow dung could be converted into biogas. To start the cycle, an aid organization donated cows to the poorest people in the village. In return, they were required to give the calves to the second-poorest residents, with the next generation of calves going to the richest of the poor. Today, the farmers live in brick houses, they have more tractors, mopeds and mobile phones, and everyone has a color TV set.
But how could Ding convince the government to apply his model on a large scale? How was he to explain to officials that everything has to be viewed as part of a bigger plan, one that incorporates both cow dung and disaster management? Ding began his lobbying effort.
If there is one thing that someone hoping to get his idea put into practice needs in China, it's trust. But a certain social status is needed to build trust. "I am a professor," says Ding. "If I were nothing, the officials wouldn't listen to me." It's also helpful to have received awards and official positions, such as being a representative in a people's congress. When close to 1,500 people died in landslides in Gansu Province, Ding was invited to conferences held by the provincial government. He is also a permanent advisor to the Ministry of Science and Technology in Beijing, for which he provides expert reports. Finally, Ding is a party member. That, he says with a smile, is important in China.
The Politics of 'Guanxi'
At the time, however, the first thing he needed was a "partner" in the local government. Fortunately he had a contact in the provincial government, namely the father-in-law of one of his students. He ensured that local officials would show interest in Ding's project village.
Another element of the game is called "guanxi," or the relationship between a supplicant and a sponsor or protector. Guanxi is part of Chinese culture and, therefore, Chinese politics. Having things in common with others, such as having attended the same school or university or having served in the same military unit, are the prerequisite for the development of guanxi.
Ding once served in the provincial government for four years, where he worked in a poverty reduction program. His former coworkers put him in touch with their supervisors. It was also helpful that Ding had traveled through Europe with officials for the purpose of "group brainstorming." The most important thing of all, however, is that Ding will be participating in a research project at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the future, which will involve frequent flights to the capital. "If you have guanxi," says Ding, "you have to spend less time on lobbying efforts."
Nevertheless, he still had to demonstrate that his proposed reforms were feasible and not too costly. He had learned that while it was important to have many meetings with officials, the reports had to be no longer than three pages and the restaurants had to be good. "Dinners can create an open and friendly atmosphere in which to champion your interests," says Ding. Guanxi thrives at such dinners, where participants are freed of the constraints of their respective roles. Banquets and politics are Siamese twins in China.
And because Ding kept bringing journalists to his project villages, and his ideas were even featured on a party website, he was successful. He believes that his model will become part of the provincial government's policy in 2014. He also expects 2016 to be a very big year for him, when his ideas will be incorporated into Beijing's next five-year plan.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government is asking for help in governing the country, for reasons Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has candidly admitted: "Given the complex and varied economic situation, it would be impractical to expect a few top leaders to always make the right decisions. Therefore, we need to seek advice from experts in order to make the decision-making process more scientific and democratic." Apparently Beijing also aspires to professional management, another dimension of good governance.
A Unique Think Tank Culture
One of the brains behind it all, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), is located in a light brown high-rise building. It is one of China's most important think tanks. However, unlike their counterparts in the West, whose credibility is enhanced by their independence from the government, influential Chinese think tanks tend to have close ties to the government.
Sometimes the State Council assigns certain tasks to the Academy. For example, professors working for CASS were asked to develop proposals for a new civil law. In another case, the Ministry of Railways wanted to know what would happen if passengers were required to provide identification when buying tickets. CASS also provides impetus for reforms that might, for example, involve the combining of government agencies. Of course, the premier also consults with CASS experts to obtain advice on economic policy. Sometimes CASS even publicly corrects elements of the administration. For instance, it has accused the National Bureau of Statistics of inaccuracies in calculating the rate of inflation.
The deference given to experts began with Deng Xiaoping, who sought to replace the emphasis on Mao and ideology with a focus on professionalism and knowledge. He wanted the intellectual to contribute to China's modernization. Today the University of Pennsylvania counts 425 think tanks in China, making it second only to the United States, where there are 1,815 think tanks.
In China, Experimentation Is the Norm
Chinese policies always follow the same pattern: First ideas are considered and then they are simply tried out. The government has turned the concept of the experiment into the norm. It uses small, local testing laboratories to try out a pilot project, but only once a proposed reform has been shown to be successful and applicable in multiple locations does the government venture to implement it more broadly. This stands in contrast to the Western concept of the constitutional state, in which the law comes before implementation.
The Chinese version has its advantages. For instance, it makes it easier to assess the consequences of innovations. A successful real-life test also helps convince opponents to support a reform. Flexibility is assured through the development of competing models. Sinologist Sebastian Heilmann has called China a "learning authoritarian system."
The establishment of special economic zones in the 1980s was already part of this model. There were pilot projects in healthcare, pension reform and the system of registration. Everything was tested, from road tolls to smoking bans to travel requirements for Taiwan.
Small Signs of Goodwill
The government even experiments at the local level with those elements of good governance it would normally refuse to accept: transparency and giving citizens a say. The towns of Wenling and Baimiao became famous for publishing their budgets and listing their expenditures in detail. This prompted the state-controlled newspaper China Daily to print an article under the headline: "Transparent Budget, Happy People." It concluded that publishing budgets leads to fewer people complaining about the squandering of taxpayer money and puts an end to the private abuse of public funds.
These are small signals of good will that the authoritarian regime is sending to its people. One milestone was an environmental law which requires the solicitation of public input. The people are even asked to comment, via email, on the five-year plan.
China's leaders sense that they can no longer simply govern as they see fit, and they are feeling new pressures. China now sees up to 180,000 so-called mass incidents a year. The people are becoming adept at staging sit-ins and blocking streets to champion their interests. What was once a matter for the very few now triggers nationwide solidarity activities. The Internet has become established as a marketplace for opinions and innovations. For instance, the rumors about a coup in Beijing only gained as much traction as they did because China's leaders generally act behind a cloak of secrecy, so that without freedom of the press the people can do nothing but speculate. What is happening on the web is direct participation, as short-lived as it is intense, a forced instead of tolerated participation in politics.
Officials in Lanzhou have also felt the effects of local residents' fury. When they tried to stage a run through the city on New Year's Day 2012, artist Ma Qizhi protested online. "Refuse to be a filter made of human flesh!" he wrote on Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website. He meant that the people of Lanzhou shouldn't offer themselves up to be sucking the city's polluted air into their lungs.
The protest wave surged through the Internet for only a few days, but more than 10,000 discussed their opinions of Lanzhou's plans on Sina Weibo. "The decision-makers must have swallowed some kind of pill if they think that children should run under such conditions," noted one person. Another wrote: "In China, the leaders are more interested in saving face than in their underwear, which is why they will not take back their instructions."
Even the state-owned news agency reported favorably on the resistance, and the local sports agency announced that it would take the suggestions of the environmental agency into account in the future.
Ma knew that he had succeeded in teaching the people a lesson. "The sad thing is when citizens don't say what they want to say. Taxpayers support this group of people, which is why they should perform their duties well."
The People Will Hold Government Accountable
The Chinese government has to get used to the idea that its people will be holding it accountable. The country is still filled with confidence. Chinese society has been shaped by the experience that everything was improving for everyone. This combination of economic growth and patriotism lends legitimacy to the regime, turning the people into a society of consumers and patriots.
But farmers, unemployed university graduates and the people in western China also want their share of success. President Hu Jintao himself has identified corruption, the opposite of good governance, as one of the greatest threats to party dominance. In the 2011 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, China was ranked 75th out of 183 countries. Beijing punishes people, even with the death penalty, but by pointing to the individual it seeks to divert attention away from the failings of the system.
Some are simply refusing to accept the deal that the Chinese government offers its citizens: We'll stay out of your private life if you stay out of politics on a large scale. Chinese civil rights activists are going to prison for values that most in the West take for granted. But some in the West also forget that voting rights, an independent judiciary and a democratic constitutional state are never only a means to an end, and never exist only to furnish results. Instead, they are values in their own right. Most Chinese are still satisfied with results, but they have to be good. A minority in China, however, wants more. Those are the people who are locked up for their opinions.
No government that does this can call itself a good government -- even if it delivers good results.


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Generally, we think of spring as the time of birth and growth. As far as educational institutions go, Fall is when the ball gets rolling. Fortunately, growth and learning are not seasonal, so with that in mind, I'm happy to announce that my continuing education fall classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York City will be starting on Friday and Saturday September 20th and 21st, respectively.
As a teacher it's always exciting to watch my students evolve. Generally they make great strides, however, everybody develops differently, but it's always satisfying knowing that I help people keep moving closer towards achieving their goals. Occasionally, when the stars are properly aligned, mind-boggling progress will occur. A case in point are two students, Renee Finkelstein and Zuzanna Kozlowska, both of whom started studying with me this past spring. They had both done well during the semester, so much so that each signed up for my summer workshop. The summer workshop at SVA is 10 eight hour sessions – the approximate equivalent of a full semester of painting classes. The progress that each made during the two weeks of the workshop was quite mind-boggling, superseding their wildest expectations. Above, is the first of the two fantastic portrait paintings that Renee painted of Kyli during the workshop.
Below is the second, from the same workshop:
Compare it to the one she did in the Spring.
How does this happen? I believe that my teaching methodology facilitated both students because my approach to teaching painting is based on aligning one's mind to the mindset of great painters, not by weighing them down with a set of constraining rules and bylaws, which is time intensive. Rather, my goal is for them to discover their own capabilities while maintaining their own uniqueness. I teach my students how to make choices, not which choices to make. The problem with a regimented approach, is that individualism can be easily crushed. My approach is unique, time tested – I've been teaching for 40 years – and highly effective.
Bellow, are Zuzanna's two paintings. First is her workshop painting of Megan:
Followed by her painting from the Spring semester.
For those interested, my Friday class at the School of Visual Arts is called Realistic Figure and Portrait Painting. It's 12 sessions from 12 PM to 6 PM starting September 20, 2013. You can register and find more info here. My Saturday class, Classical Portrait Painting, runs from 10 AM to 4 PM. It starts September 21 and runs 12 sessions as well. You can click here to sign up or to learn more. These classes are also available for full college credit at a substantially higher fee, which is why each class is listed twice.
There will also be an open house for Fine Art Continuing Education classes on Thursday, September 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. at the school. I'll be there if you'd like to come and meet me. The address is 133-141 West 21st Street in room 602C.
Hope to see you there.
Until next time…


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How fast a year goes by! Today is the first birthday of little Luna! Happy birthday, baby girl.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Posted by The DRC Family at 8:04 AM 3 comments
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Late-Breaking, Exciting News!
Today we received some wonderful news. We are soon to receive another new addition to our family! There is a two year old male dolphin in Louisiana in desperate need of a home. He was found stranded on the Louisiana shore -- coated with oil and injured -- back in September. We have been asked to provide a forever home for this beautiful boy who, because of his young age and lack of family, would not be able to survive on his own.
Also today we found out that Merina's baby is boy! We will have more information here as it becomes available and will include more details in our next e-newsletter to members.
Because you are a very important part of DRC we would appreciate your input in helping us name these two young dolphins. If you have any name suggestions that you have not already submitted, please put them in the comments of this blog and we'll add them to the list.
Thank you for being part of Dolphin Research Center and we'll continue to update the blog and our website to keep you informed!
Posted by The DRC Family at 4:10 PM 16 comments
Friday, January 21, 2011
Associated Press video about Blindfolded Imitation
The media has really jumped on the story of DRC's latest published research study into Blindfolded Imitation. We thought you might like to see the piece that the Associated Press did after visiting DRC.
Posted by The DRC Family at 9:14 AM 4 comments
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Blindfolded Imitation in the News
Reuters News wrote a terrific article about DRC's Blindfolded Imitation study. Check it out here!
Posted by The DRC Family at 8:10 AM 2 comments
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wounded Warrior Project stopped by DRC with over 30 soldiers swimming with dolphins. What a wonderful afternoon.
Posted by The DRC Family at 3:42 PM 1 comments
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tomorrow, Friday, CNN expected to air Blindfolded Imitation story sometime bet. 6-9am! Will probably be online later
Posted by The DRC Family at 5:11 PM 0 comments
Saturday, January 8, 2011
How fast time goes. In 2008, Jax arrived at DRC. It feels like he's always been part of the family. Happy anniversary, Jax!
Posted by The DRC Family at 10:01 AM 3 comments
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Four years ago today, Tursi gave birth to an adorable baby girl. Happy Birthday, Gypsi! We love you
Posted by The DRC Family at 8:58 AM 2 comments
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
From the way that guests cheered and clapped, they were excited about swimming with dolphins today.
Posted by The DRC Family at 3:31 PM 0 comments
Monday, January 3, 2011
2011 begins with beautiful, sunny weather in the Florida Keys. Come on down!
Posted by The DRC Family at 9:04 AM 1 comments
Saturday, January 1, 2011
We wish you all a happy, healthy, joyous new year!
Posted by The DRC Family at 12:18 AM 1 comments


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Large Rose Gold Twist Living Locket Base
Life is about choices, and this Large Rose Gold Twist Locket Base is a smart pick. Make another great choice by pairing it with the Large Rose Gold Face with Crystals by Swarovski, and Stacked Heart Mixed Metal Window Plate. Include your favorite Charms and Dangles to tell your story.
- Holds approximately 7-10 Charms (depending on size)
- Requires a Large Twist Living Locket Face to Complete
- Locket Faces and Bases sold separately


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This classically simple milliard is similar to a clafouti - both desserts are a cross between a cake and a custard and are about as thick as a thin cake layer.
- Yield
- Serves 6
- 1 pound seedless red grapes (about 3 cups), rinsed well and drained
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Armagnac, or to taste
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
- Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- In a shallow glass baking dish arrange grapes in one layer and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Cool grapes completely. Reserve 1 cup grapes and transfer remaining grapes to a 6- to 8-cup shallow baking dish.
- Increase temperature to 375°F.
- In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy and beat in whole egg and yolk until combined well. Add flour and salt and beat mixture on low speed until just combined. Add milk and Armagnac, beating until batter is just combined, and pour over grapes in baking dish, spreading evenly. Arrange reserved grapes decoratively on top of batter.
- Bake milliard in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes, and cool slightly on a rack.
- Dust milliard with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.