Philosophical and political struggles in the Soviet Union.

Dialectical materialism was initially expounded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; one of the early works on the subject is Engel's 1878 polemic "Anti-Dühring". It was elaborated by Vladimir Lenin in "Materialism and Empiriocriticism" (1908) around three axes: the "materialist inversion" of Hegelian dialectics; the historicity of ethical principles ordered to class struggle; and the convergence of "laws of evolution" in physics (Helmholtz), biology (Darwin) and political economy (Marx). Lenin hence took position between a historicist Marxism (Labriola) and a determinist Marxism, close to what was later called "social Darwinism" (Kautsky). Lenin's most important philosophical rival was Alexander Bogdanov (1873–1928), who tried to synthesize Marxism with the philosophies of Ernst Mach, Wilhelm Ostwald, and Richard Avenarius (which were harshly criticized in Lenin's "Materialism and Empiriocriticism"). Bodganov wrote a treatise on "tectology" and was one of the founders of Proletkult after the First World War.  Following the 1917 October Revolution, Soviet philosophy divided itself between "dialecticians" (Deborin) and "mechanists" (Bukharin, who would detail Stalin's thesis upheld in 1924 concerning "socialism in one country", was not a "mechanist" per se, but was seen as an ally.) The mechanists (A.K. Timartizev, Timianski, Axelrod, Stepanov...), came mostly from scientific backgrounds, claimed that Marxist philosophy found its basis in a causal explanation of Nature. They upheld a positivist interpretation of Marxism which asserted that Marxist philosophy had to follow the natural sciences. Stepanov thus wrote an article flatly titled "The Dialectical Understanding of Nature is the Mechanistic Understanding". To the contrary, "dialecticians", whose background was Hegelian, insisted that dialectics could not be reduced to simple mechanism. Basing themselves mainly on Engels' "Anti-Dühring" and "Dialectics of Nature", they maintained that the laws of dialectics could be found in nature. Taking support from the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics, they responded that the mechanists' conception of nature was too restricted and narrow. Deborin, who had been a student of Georgi Plekhanov, the "father of Russian Marxism", also disagreed with the mechanicists concerning the place of Baruch Spinoza. The latter maintained that he was an idealist metaphysician, while Deborin, following Plekhanov, saw Spinoza as a materialist and a dialectician. Mechanism was finally condemned as undermining dialectical materialism and for vulgar evolutionism at the 1929 meeting of the Second All-Union Conference of Marxist–Leninist Scientific Institutions. Two years later, Stalin settled by fiat the debate between the mechanist and the dialectician tendencies by issuing a decree which identified dialectical materialism as the philosophical basis of Marxism–Leninism. Henceforth, the possibilities for philosophical research independent of official dogmatics virtually vanished, while lysenkoism was enforced in the scientific fields (in 1948, genetics were declared a "bourgeois pseudoscience"). However, this debate between "mechanists" and "dialecticians" would retain importance long after the 1920s.  Otherwise, David Riazanov was named director of the Marx-Engels Institute, which he had founded, in 1920. He then created the MEGA ("Marx-Engels-Gesamt-Ausgabe"), which was supposed to edit Marx and Engels' complete works. He also published authors authors, such as Diderot, Feuerbach or Hegel. Riazanov was however excluded from any political functions in 1921 for defending trade unions' autonomy.  During the Fifth Comintern Congress, Grigory Zinoviev condemned for "revisionism" the works of Georg Lukács, "History and Class Consciousness" (1923) and of Karl Korsch, "Marxism and Philosophy". "History and Class Consciousness" was disavowed by its author, who made his self-criticism for political reasons (he thought that, for a revolutionary, being part of the party was the priority). It became however a leading source of Western Marxism, starting with the Frankfurt School, and even influenced Heidegger's "Sein und Zeit" (1927). Lukács then went to Moscow in the beginnings of the 1930s where he would continue his philosophical studies, and returned to Hungary after World War II. He then took part to Imre Nagy's government in 1956, and was closely watched afterwards.  Lev Vygotsky's (1896–1934) studies in developmental psychology, which opposed themselves to Ivan Pavlov's works, would be expanded in the activity theory developed by Alexei Nikolaevich Leont'ev, Pyotr Zinchenko (a member of Kharkov School of Psychology), and Alexander Luria, a neuropsychologist who developed the first lie detector.

After the 20th Congress of the CPSU.

Nevertheless, the conditions for creative philosophical work began to emerge in the mid-1950s, after the 20th Congress of the CPSU in 1956, albeit only on the 'outskirts' of philosophy: the philosophy of the natural science (B. Kedrov, I. Frolov), theory of perception and gnoseology (P. Kopnin, V. Lektorsky, M. Mamardashvili, E. Ilyenkov), the history of philosophy (V. Asmus, A. Losev, I. Narski), ethics (O. Dobronitski), aesthetics (M. Kagan, L. Stolovitsh), logics (G. Shchedrovitsky, A. Zinovyev) and semiotics and system theories (Y. Lotman, who set up the Sign Systems Studies journal, the oldest semiotics periodical; V. Sadovsky). The works of the young Marx, such as the "Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844", which had been first published in 1932 but suppressed under Stalin because of its incomplete break with German Idealism, also started being discussed.

Others.

1) Vasily Nalimov (1910-1997) was interested mainly in the philosophy of probability and its biological, mathematical, and linguistic manifestations. He also studied the roles of gnosticism and mysticism in science. Nalimov is usually credited with proposing the concept of citation index.  2) The so-called "communist morality" was an important part of Soviet Union philosophy. According to Lenin and Stalin, morality should be subordinated to the ideology of proletarian revolution. Denying the validity of religion-based morality, they wrote: what is useful to us (the Soviet people) is moral, what is harmful to us is immoral. Morality is a weapon in class struggle. Party and Komsomol members were drilled to accept that position, and to act accordingly.

Publications and propaganda.

The USSR published voluminous materials to disseminate its philosophical ideals and justifications. These took the form of academic or professional journals or notes in the pattern of peer-reviewed material. For example, the book below challenges the idea of a medical deontology, or ethics based on moral rules, versus ethics based on utilitarian rules decided on the best outcome for the greatest number of people.

Philosophy in the Soviet Union was officially confined to Marxist–Leninist thinking, which theoretically was the basis of objective and ultimate philosophical truth. During the 1920s and 1930s, other tendencies of Russian thought were repressed (many philosophers emigrated, others were expelled). Joseph Stalin enacted a decree in 1931 identifying dialectical materialism with Marxism–Leninism, making it the official philosophy which would be enforced in all Communist states and, through the Comintern, in most Communist parties. Following the traditional use in the Second International, opponents would be labeled as "revisionists".

La philosophie en Union soviétique. En 1931, Staline a promulgué un décret visant à répandre cette philosophie dans tous les pays faisant partie du Komintern ; les États-Unis en réponse à ce décret ont créé l'OTAN. La vérité du parti était diffusée par la propagande du petit père des peuples.


Associated actions.

In preparation for the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, the Seikan Tunnel (Kaikyō Line) and associated approaches (approximately in total) were converted to dual gauge, with both the Shinkansen standard and narrow gauge tracks.  Upon the opening of the Shinkansen line the section of the conventional (narrow gauge) Esashi Line approximately paralleling the same route between and was transferred from the control of JR Hokkaido to a newly established third-sector railway operating company, South Hokkaido Railway Company, becoming the Isaribi Line.

Operations.

Service types.

Two train service types operate on the Hokkaido Shinkansen: limited-stop "Hayabusa" services between Tokyo or Sendai and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, and semi-fast "Hayate" services between Morioka or Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.  Under the initial timetable, ten return "Hayabusa" services operate daily between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and one return service operates daily between Sendai and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. One return "Hayate" service operates daily between Morioka and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, and one return service daily operates between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

Operating speed.

Initially the maximum speed on the approximately dual-gauge section (including through the Seikan Tunnel) was. There are approximately 50 freight trains utilising the dual-gauge section each day, so limiting the travel of such trains to times outside of Shinkansen services is not an option. Because of this and other weather-related factors cited by JR East and JR Hokkaido, the fastest journey time between Tokyo and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto was 4 hours, 2 minutes. The new section took 61 minutes from Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto on the fastest services.  By 2018, it was proposed to allow one Shinkansen service each day to travel at (the maximum speed proposed for the tunnel) by ensuring no freight trains are scheduled to travel on the dual-gauge section at that time. To achieve the full benefit of Shinkansen trains travelling on the dual-gauge section at, other alternatives are being considered, such as a system to automatically slow Shinkansen trains down to when passing narrow-gauge trains, and loading freight trains onto special "Train on Train" standard-gauge trains (akin to a covered piggyback flatcar train) built to withstand the shock wave of oncoming Shinkansen trains traveling at full speed. This would enable a travel time from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto of 3 hours and 45 minutes.  The tunnel speed limit was raised to in March 2019, saving 4 minutes on the Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate trip.  In March 2019, JR Hokkaido announced that it had requested permission from the MLIT to increase the speed limit on the line to. If approved, it intends for the entire line to be outfitted for the new top speed by the time the full line opens in 2030, except for the dual-gauge section.

Rolling stock.

All services are formed of 10-car JR East E5 or JR Hokkaido H5 series trainsets.  In February 2014, JR Hokkaido placed an order for four 10-car H5 Series Shinkansen trainsets for use on Hokkaido Shinkansen services from March 2016. Based on the E5 series trainsets operated by JR East since 2011, the order for 40 vehicles cost approximately 18 billion yen. The first two sets of the order are scheduled to be delivered to Hakodate Depot by road from Hakodate Port in October 2014, with test running commencing before the end of the year. The remaining two sets on order are scheduled to be delivered in 2015. The vehicles feature the usual upper green and lower white livery, with a purple stripe in the middle. The color purple was chosen to represent the purple flowers of Hokkaido: lilacs, lupine and lavender. Inside, the ordinary-class cars feature wood paneling and carpet with a snowflake motif. Green class features cream-colored walls representing the local dairy industry and carpet with a drift-ice motif. Gran class features dark blue carpets, said to be modeled after the shimmering lakes and bodies of water along the route.

History.

In the early 1970s, two other Shinkansen routes were proposed for Hokkaido: Sapporo - Asahikawa (Hokkaido Shinkansen extension) and Oshamambe - Muroran – Sapporo (Hokkaido South Route). There were also further unofficial plans to connect to Abashiri, Kushiro, and Nayoro/Wakkanai. These plans have been indefinitely shelved.  On 1 November 2014, a ceremony was held at Kikonai Station to mark the completion of track-laying for the line between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.  Test-running on the Hokkaido Shinkansen tracks within Hokkaido commenced from 1 December 2014, initially at low speeds, with the speed raised to the maximum of later that month. Test-running was extended through the Seikan Tunnel to Oku-Tsugaru-Imabetsu in December 2014. Test-running south of Oku-Tsugaru-Imabetsu commenced on 21 April 2015, with the first train reaching Shin-Aomori Station from the north in the early hours of 24 May.

Future plans.

JR Hokkaido is extending the Hokkaido Shinkansen from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to, planned to open by 2030. Tunneling work on the Murayama tunnel, situated about north of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto station commenced in March 2015, and is scheduled to be completed by March 2021. The extension will be approximately 76% in tunnels, including major tunnels such as Oshima (), Teine () and Shiribeshi (). When the section to Sapporo opens, the estimated journey time from Tokyo to Sapporo will be at most 5 hours and 1 minute, but the goal is for it to be below 4 hours.

The is a Japanese high-speed shinkansen rail line that links up with the Tōhoku Shinkansen in northern Aomori Prefecture in Honshu and continues on into the interior of Hokkaido through the undersea Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May 2005, and the initial to section opened on 26 March 2016. Extension of the line to Sapporo is scheduled to open by fiscal year 2030. The line is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido).

La est une ligne japonaise de chemin de fer à grande vitesse située entre Aomori au nord de la région du Tōhoku et Sapporo sur l'île d'Hokkaidō. Depuis le, le tronçon entre les gares de Shin-Aomori et Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto est en service commercial.


Pregnancy planning.

In couples where the male and female are both HIV positive, conception may occur normally without concern for disease transmission. However, in couples where only one partner is HIV positive there is risk of transmitting the infection to the uninfected partner. These couples, known as serodiscordant couples, are advised not to engage in unprotected intercourse. Instead, assistive reproductive methods are recommended. In all serodiscordant couples, the infected partner is advised to begin ART so that their viral load is undetectable prior to attempting conception.  In couples where the woman is HIV negative and the man is HIV positive, sperm is collected from the male partner and HIV is removed from the specimen using a technique called sperm washing. This process is then followed by intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Couples may also use donor sperm from a non-infected male if desired.  In couples where the woman is HIV positive and the man is HIV negative, artificial insemination is recommended.  In areas where assistive reproductive techniques, such as IUI or IVF, are not available, techniques used during intercourse can be attempted to reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of HIV transmission. Most importantly, the HPTN 052 trial showed that when HIV infected partners were on ART and their viral load was undetectable no transmission occurred; in partners with a detectable viral load on ART there was 96% less transmission.  Many serodiscordant couples use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to limit transmission of the infection to the uninfected partner. Daily use of PrEP has been shown to decrease transmission of the infection by an average of 63–75%. However, use of PrEP during pregnancy has not yet been studied and its long-term effects on the foetus are unknown.  Although assisted reproductive techniques are available for serodiscordant couples, there are still limitations to achieving a successful pregnancy. Women with HIV have been shown to have decreased fertility, which can affect the available reproductive options. Women with HIV are also more likely to be infected with other sexually transmitted diseases, placing them at higher risk for infertility. Males with HIV appear to have decreased semen volume and sperm motility, which decreases their fertility. ART may also affect both male and female fertility and some drugs can be toxic to embryos. Additionally, there have been cases where an HIV-negative partner was infected with the disease despite artificial insemination with washed sperm.

HIV testing in pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HIV testing for all pregnant women as a part of routine prenatal care. The test is usually performed in the first trimester of pregnancy with other routine laboratory tests. HIV testing is recommended because HIV-infected women who do not receive testing are more likely to transmit the infection to their children.  HIV testing may be offered to pregnant women on an "opt-in" or an "opt-out" basis. In the "opt-in" model, women are counseled on HIV testing and elect to receive the test by signing a consent form. In the "opt-out" model, the HIV test is automatically performed with other routine prenatal tests. If a woman does not want to be tested for HIV, she must specifically refuse the test and sign a form declining testing. The CDC recommends "opt-out" testing for all pregnant women because it improves disease detection and treatment and helps reduce transmission to children.  If a woman chooses to decline testing, she will not receive the test. However, she will continue to receive HIV counseling throughout the pregnancy so that she may be as informed as possible about the disease and its impact. She will be offered HIV testing at all stages of her pregnancy in case she changes her mind.  HIV testing begins with a screening test. The most common screening test is the rapid HIV antibody test which tests for HIV antibodies in blood, urine, or oral fluid. HIV antibodies are only produced if an individual is infected with the disease. Therefore, presence of the antibodies is indicative of an HIV infection. Sometimes, however, a person may be infected with HIV but the body has not produced enough antibodies to be detected by the test. If a woman has risk factors for HIV infection but tests negative on the initial screening test, she should be retested in 3 months to confirm that she does not have HIV. Another screening test that is more specific is the HIV antigen/antibody test. This is a newer blood test that can detect HIV infection quicker than the antibody test because it detects both virus particles and antibodies in the blood.  Any woman who has a positive HIV screening test must receive follow-up testing to confirm the diagnosis. The follow-up test can differentiate HIV-1 from HIV-2 and is a more specific antibody test. It may also detect the virus directly in the bloodstream.

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

HIV/AIDS may be vertically transmitted from a mother to her child. This means the infection may be spread during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. 70% of transmissions are believed to occur during delivery when the baby comes into direct contact with the mother's infected blood or genital secretions/fluid in the birth canal. 30% of infections occur in utero during the pregnancy with 66% occurring within the last 14 days of a pregnancy. The mechanism for in utero infection is not well understood, but the current belief is that infected maternal secretions may cross the placenta during the pregnancy.  The risk of HIV transmission from a mother to child is most directly related to the plasma viral load of the mother. Untreated mothers with a viral load >100,000 copies/ml have a transmission risk of over 50%. For women with a viral load <1000 copies/ml, the risk of transmission is less than 1%. In general, the lower the viral load the lower the risk of transmission. For this reason, ART is recommended throughout the pregnancy so that viral load levels remain as low as possible and the risk of transmission is reduced.  Women with an established diagnosis of HIV often begin ART before becoming pregnant to treat the infection. It is recommended that all pregnant women begin ART regardless of CD4 counts or viral load to reduce the risk of transmission. The earlier ART is initiated, the more likely the viral load will be suppressed by the time of delivery. Some women are concerned about using ART early in the pregnancy, as babies are most susceptible to drug toxicities during the first trimester. However, delay in ART initiation may prove less effective in reducing infection transmission.  Antiretroviral therapy is used at the following times in pregnancy to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV:

Indications to start medications.

According to current recommendations by the WHO, US CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), all individuals with HIV should begin ART. The recommendation is stronger under the following conditions: Women are encouraged to begin treatment as soon as they are diagnosed with HIV. If they are diagnosed prior to pregnancy, they should continue with ART during the pregnancy. If the diagnosis of HIV is made during the pregnancy, ART should be initiated immediately.

Medications during pregnancy.

The goal of antiretroviral use during pregnancy is to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child. It is important to choose medications that are safe for the mother and the fetus and which are effective at decreasing the total viral load. Some studies have shown an increase in stillbirths, preterm delivery, and delayed fetal growth in women using high doses of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy. However, the overall benefits of ART are believed to outweigh the risks and all women are encouraged to use ART for the duration of their pregnancy.  Due to physiological changes in the body during pregnancy, it may be necessary to alter the dosing of medications so that they remain effective. Generally, the dose or the frequency of dosing are increased to account for these changes.  The recommended ART regimen for HIV-positive pregnant women consists of drugs from 4 different classes of medications listed below. In the United States, the favored regimen is a three-drug regimen where the first two drugs are NRTIs and the third is either a protease inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, or an NNRTI.

Nutritional supplements.

Vitamin A plays a role in the immune system and is a low-cost intervention that has been suggested to help with preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. A Cochrane review summarised the evidence of five trials conducted in Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe between 1995 and 2005, where none of the participants received antiretroviral therapy. They found that giving vitamin A supplementation to pregnant women or to women after they delivered a baby probably has little or no effect on mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The intervention has been largely superseded by antiretroviral therapy.

Labor and delivery.

Women should continue their ART regimen through childbirth.  The viral load helps determine which mode of delivery is safest for the mother and the baby. In cases where the viral load is low (<1000 copies/mL), the risk of transmission is low and a vaginal delivery may be performed. A cesarean section, on the other hand, is generally performed at 38 weeks gestation under the following circumstances: If, before her scheduled cesarean section, a woman's water breaks and she goes into labor, a cesarean section may not significantly reduce the risk of infection transmission. Under this circumstance, if there is no other medical reason to proceed with a cesarean section, a vaginal delivery may be performed and may be the safest for the mother and the baby.  Women who present to the hospital in labor with an unknown HIV status should undergo immediate HIV testing. If the initial screening test is positive, the mother should immediately be given a single dose of nifedipine (NVD), tenofovir (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) and a three-hourly dose of zidovudine (AZT) and the baby should receive prophylactic ART after birth. This will help reduce the risk of HIV transmission during labor and delivery. A confirmatory HIV test should also be performed in the meantime. If the test results are positive, treatment should continue. If the results are negative, the medications may be stopped.

Breastfeeding.

Women may transmit HIV to their child via breastmilk. For this reason, breastfeeding is discouraged in the United States amongst HIV-positive women. However, in developing countries such as South Africa, where the risk of death of the infant associated with avoiding exclusive breastfeeding is higher than the risk of contracting HIV, exclusive breastfeeding in a mother who is virally suppressed is encouraged.  In developed countries, where clean water and infant formula are both accessible and available, HIV-positive women should not breastfeed. They should use formula to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to the child. Even if the mother is on ART, she should avoid breastfeeding as HIV can still be transmitted through the breastmilk. Some women elect to use donor milk (breast milk donated from non-HIV infected mothers) instead of formula so that their child may receive the health benefits of breast milk, the most notable being increased immunity.  In underdeveloped countries, where clean water and formula are not as readily available, breastfeeding is encouraged to provide the child with adequate food and nutrients. The benefit of nourishment outweighs the risk of HIV transmission so breastfeeding is acceptable. The South African Department of Health guidelines state that HIV-infected mothers should exclusively breastfeed, that is the infant's diet should consist of breastmilk only and should not be supplemented with water, other liquids or foods, for 6 months after birth. After 6 months, the mother should introduce complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed for up to 24 months.  In a study conducted in South Africa, 1.1% of children born to HIV-infected mothers who were uninfected at 6 weeks of age, were infected within 1 month of breastfeeding and 4.0% were infected by 6 months of age. A study in Malawi found that the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding was 7% in children who breastfed for one year and 10% in children who breastfed for two years. The risk of HIV infection appears to be highest in the early months of breastfeeding and HIV-infected mothers who are not virally suppressed should avoid breastfeeding entirely if possible. In contrast, a systematic review commissioned by the WHO found that there is a very low risk (1.1%) of postnatal HIV transmission in infants breastfed by mothers on lifelong ART that was initiated in early to mid pregnancy. The overall risk of transmission was 3.3%, including exposures "in utero" and during childbirth. Another systematic review found that prolonged breastfeeding for infants born to mothers on lifelong ART is beneficial in terms of HIV‐free survival at least up to 24 months of age – increasing HIV-free survival rates from 89% to 96%.  If the mother has a high HIV viral load (>1000 copies/L), replacement feeding, such as formula, is only initiated as per the UNAIDS guidelines, termed the AFASS criteria, "where replacement feeding is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable, and safe." A mother may only be given infant formula, as explained by the WHO, if the following conditions are met:

Discrimination during pregnancy.

Despite advances made in preventing transmission, HIV-positive women still face discrimination regarding their reproductive choices. In Asia, it was found that half the women living with HIV were advised not to have children and as many as 42% report being denied health services because of their HIV status.  Compulsory sterilisation in an attempt to limit mother-to-child transmission has been practiced in Africa, Asia, and Latin American. Women are forced to undergo sterilisation without their knowledge or informed consent, and misinformation and incentives are often used in order to coerce them into accepting the procedure. The forced sterilisation of HIV-positive women is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights.  Legal advocacy against this practice has occurred in some countries. In Namibia, litigation was brought against the government by three HIV-positive women who claimed they were coerced during labour into signing consent forms that gave permission for the hospital to perform a sterilisation. The "LM & Others v Government of Namibia" case is the first of its kind in sub-Saharan African to deal with coerced sterilisation of HIV-positive woman. The court ruled that these women were sterilised without their consent but failed to find that this was due to their HIV status. A 2010 case in Chile have also aimed to seek government accountability for violation of sexual and reproductive rights of women living with HIV.

Considerations during pregnancy.

Pregnant women with HIV may still receive the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccination during pregnancy.  Many patients who are HIV positive also have other health conditions known as comorbidities. Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tuberculosis and injection drug use are some of the most common comorbidities associated with HIV. Women who screen positive for HIV should also be tested for these conditions so that they may be adequately treated or controlled during the pregnancy. The comorbidities may have serious adverse effects on the mother and child during pregnancy, so it is extremely important to identify them early during the pregnancy.

Postnatal care.

Babies born to HIV-positive women should receive a 6-week or 12-week course of zidovudine (AZT). The medication should ideally be started within the first 6 to 12 hours of life, but can be started up to 72 hours after birth. A 6-week course should be initiated if the mother has been on ART for more than four weeks before birth, and a 12-week course should be initiated if the mother is newly diagnosed or has been on ART for less than four weeks before birth. The baby should be tested for HIV at birth, 4 weeks after cessation of AZT (10 weeks or 16 weeks, depending on length of AZT course, after birth), 6 weeks after cessation of breastfeeding and at 18 months. Usual antibody based testing is unreliable in infants until the age of 18 months due to the transmission of maternal antibodies. A qualitative HIV DNA PCR assay is recommended as it will detect pro-viral HIV DNA since HIV RNA may be suppressed by ART. In order to ensure the baby is HIV-negative, there must be two negative test results. Since zidovudine has been known to cause or worsen anemia, the baby's blood count should be routinely checked during AZT therapy.  To reduce the risk of developing "Pneumocystis jirovecii" pneumonia (PJP), all infants born to HIV-positive mothers should receive trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole) from 4–6 weeks after birth, and stop prophylaxis when they are no longer at risk of contracting HIV from their mother.  Although the risk is very low, HIV can also be transmitted to a baby through food that was previously chewed (pre-chewed) by a mother or caretaker infected with HIV. To be safe, babies should not be fed pre-chewed food.

HIV in pregnancy is the presence of HIV in a woman while she is pregnant. HIV in pregnancy is of concern because women with HIV/AIDS may transmit the infection to their child during pregnancy, childbirth and while breastfeeding. However, the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV may be reduced by treatment of the HIV infection with antiretroviral therapy (ART). This lifelong therapy may be initiated in women before, during, and after pregnancy. After delivery, children are also given the medication temporarily as a prophylactic measure to reduce the risk of infection. Because HIV may also be spread through breast milk, mothers in the United States who are infected are encouraged to avoid breastfeeding. However, in developing countries such as South Africa, where the risk of death of the infant associated with avoiding exclusive breastfeeding is higher than the risk of contracting HIV, exclusive breastfeeding in a mother who is virally suppressed is encouraged.

La transmission du VIH à l’accouchement représente 65 % des transmissions mère-enfant du virus, ce qui en fait la source la plus importante des transmissions verticales du VIH. L’accouchement est très à risque pour le bébé d’une mère séropositive puisque dans 10 à 20 % des cas le virus se transmet lorsque ni la mère, ni l’enfant ne sont traités. Heureusement de nombreux traitements ont été élaborés afin de réduire les risques de transmissions qui permettent de faire baisser ce taux à 1 % environ lorsque la mère et l’enfant sont traités adéquatement. Par contre, le problème est principalement important dans les pays sous-développés où les femmes enceintes n’ont pas toutes accès à des tests de dépistage du VIH, aux traitements diminuant les risques de transmission et aux méthodes appropriées d’accouchement.


Career.

Hierocles was a "praeses" at some time between 293 and 303. The "Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire" ("PLRE") states that, as "praeses", he governed Phoenice Libanensis, the province on the eastern side of Mount Lebanon. The district included Palmyra, where the inscription attesting to Hierocles' career is located. Hierocles was the "vicarius" of some district (which Simmons and Barnes identify as Oriens) before 303; in that year he was made "praeses" of Bithynia. Although an apparent demotion ("praeses" was a lower rank than "vicarius", with fewer responsibilities and less prestige), the move brought Hierocles closer to the imperial court, and the real seat of power: the emperor.  Hierocles was later made "praefectus Aegypti". He is attested as such by a papyrus from Karanis ("Papyri Cairo Isiodrus" 69 = "Sammelbuch griechischer Urkunden aus Aegypten" 9186 Karanis). However, while the papyrus's date is clear (January), its year is not. It has been identified as either 307 or 310/11; most experts take the later date, though the "PLRE" takes the former. Eusebius, in the "Martyrs of Palestine", gives a similarly ambiguous date: after describing the martyrdom of Apphianus (2 April 306), Eusebius moves to the martyrdom of Apphianus' brother Adesius, who, "a little later", assaulted the prefect Hierocles in Alexandria and was executed. Nor do the existing lists of Egyptian prefects allow further precision: the "fasti" have gaps between Clodius Culcianus on 29 May 306 ("Papyri Oxyrhynchus" 1104) and Valerius Victorinus in 308 ("Papyri Oxyrhynchus" 2674) as well as between Aelius Hyginus 22 June 309 ("Papyri Oxyrhynchus" 2667) and Aurelius Ammonius on 18 August 312 ("Chrestomathie" 2.64). Timothy Barnes argues that the balance of probabilities favors the 310/311 date, as it would be consistent with what is known of Maximinus' actions elsewhere in the same period. In Palestine, in 308, he replaced the governor there with another, firmer supporter of his program of persecution.

Eusebius of Caesarea's "Against Hierocles".

Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 263–339) wrote a book titled "Against Hierocles" ("Contra Hieroclem") at some time in the early 4th century. Its date is disputed. Adolf von Harnack, writing early in the 20th century, argued that it should be dated to before 303, since it does not contain any reference to the persecution that began in that year. As it would have strengthened his argument if it had, this makes a later date unlikely. Ernst Schwartz, however, writing at about the same time, believed that "Against Hierocles" contained a reference to the death of Galerius, which happened in April or May 311. Schwartz consequently dated the work to between that event and the death of Maximinus in summer 313. J. Stevenson, in his "Studies in Eusebius" (1929), argued for a date of 306/07, on the grounds that Eusebius appears to refer to Hierocles as prefect of Egypt. His dating proved less popular in the literature than the dates of Harnack and Schwartz. Most mid-20th century scholars followed Schwartz.  In 1976, Barnes, in a restatement and expansion of Harnack's arguments, contested Schwartz' dating. Barnes found the 311–13 dating difficult to countenance given what else is known about Eusebius' literary history at this period—namely, that he wrote his "Preparation for the Gospel" (in fifteen books) and his "Demonstration of the Gospel" (in twenty) in or soon after 313. Not only was this an expansive literary project, it was also, Barnes argued, a project far removed in tone and substance from "Against Hierocles". Moreover, it seems to betray an advance in Eusebius' knowledge: whereas in "Hierocles" Eusebius states that Hierocles' comparison of Jesus to Apollonius of Tyana is his sole act of originality ("of all the writers, who have ever attacked us, [he] stands alone in selecting Apollonius, as he has recently done, for the purposes of comparison and contrast with our Saviour" p. 370.9–12), in the "Preparation", Eusebius makes extensive reference to Porphyry of Tyre's "Against the Christians", which used the same trope. Eusebius is also known to have written a work titled "Against Porphyry" in twenty-five books (it does not survive), which must fit somewhere into this timeline.  Barnes disputes the validity of Schwartz's claim that Eusebius refers to the death of Galerius. The passage cited (p. 372.15–23 Kayser) could refer to Decius or Valerian. The latter is also a clear candidate for the event Eusebius describes as Christ's "easily overcoming those who on occasion attacked his divine teaching", and the "infidels who persecuted him bitterly" described in the passage: Valerian's persecution was cut short when he was captured and killed during a war with Persia in 260. His death inaugurated four decades of religious peace, during which no imperial official took action against Christians.

Possible mention in Lactantius.

The unnamed individual mentioned by Lactantius who accused Jesus of having gathered a band of brigands may have been Sossianus Hierocles. According to Lactantius the individual accused Jesus of having a band of 900 brigands, and for this reason was crucified.

Sossianus Hierocles (fl. 303) was a late Roman aristocrat and office-holder. He served as a "praeses" in Syria under Diocletian at some time in the 290s. He was then made "vicarius" of some district, perhaps Oriens (the East, including Syria, Palestine, and, at the time, Egypt) until 303, when he was transferred to Bithynia. It is for his anti-Christian activities in Bithynia that he is principally remembered. He was, in the words of the "Cambridge Ancient History", "one of the most zealous of persecutors". While in Bithynia, Hierocles authored "Lover of Truth" (Greek: Φιλαλήθης, "Philalethes"; also known as Φιλαλήθης λόγος, "Philalethes logos"), a critique of Christianity. "Lover of Truth" is noted as the first instance of the trope, popular in later pagan polemic, of comparing the pagan holy man Apollonius of Tyana to Jesus Christ.

Sossianos Hiéroclès (en grec ancien ) est un proconsul romain qui a vécu sous l'empereur Dioclétien, vers la fin du et au début du. Il est gouverneur de la province romaine de Syrie avec le titre de "Praeses" au cours des années 290. De 293 à 303 il est "Vicaire" du Diocèse d'Orient, mais aussi gouverneur d"Arabia Augusta Libanensis". En 303, il est nommé proconsul de Bithynie. C'est pour ses activités anti-chrétiennes dans cette province qu'il est principalement connu. Certains Pères de l'Église le décrivent comme l'un des plus zélés persécuteurs. C'est en Bythinie qu'il rédige son "Discours ami de la vérité contre les Chrétiens" qui n'est connu que par la critique qu'en font Eusèbe de Césarée ou Lactance. Il a apparemment infléchi Dioclétien vers la décision de persécuter les chrétiens. Il sera peut-être vers 306-307 préfet d'Égypte. Il y applique avec zèle l'édit de persécution.


Playing career.

Junior career (1974–78).

Smyl played Junior A with the Bellingham Blazers of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL) for one season in 1974–75. Notching 33 points in 25 playoff games, he led the Blazers to a Fred Page Cup title as league champions in a 4–2 win over the Kelowna Buckaroos. Advancing to a best-of-seven series with the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) champions for a berth in the 1975 Royal Bank Cup, the Blazers lost the Pacific regional title to the Spruce Grove Mets.  Following his playoffs with the Blazers, Smyl debuted at the major junior level with the New Westminster Bruins of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). He appeared in three playoff games, being a part of the Bruins franchise's first President's Cup as WCHL champions. Joining the Bruins full-time the following season, Smyl put up 74 points in 72 games as the Bruins captured their second consecutive WCHL title. Earning a berth in the 1976 Memorial Cup, they lost the Canadian major junior title to the Hamilton Fincups.  In 1976–77, New Westminster repeated as President's Cup champions as Smyl posted 66 points in the regular season, then 13 points in 13 playoff games. Returning to the Memorial Cup, the Bruins won their first major junior title in franchise history. Playing in his third and final major junior season, Smyl recorded a WCJHL career high 76 points over 53 games. In the 1978 WCHL playoffs, he notched 35 points in 20 games, capturing his third consecutive President's Cup with the Bruins. At the 1978 Memorial Cup, Smyl was named the tournament MVP and received tournament All-Star Team honours with 14 points in five games. The Bruins became the first team to repeat as Memorial Cup champions in consecutive years as the Bruins won for the second straight year.

Vancouver Canucks.

Draft to Stanley Cup run (1978–82).

After a decorated season with the New Westminster Bruins, his final year of junior, Smyl was a third round, 40th overall selection in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. Smyl entered the NHL with the Canucks the following season in 1978–79. Playing on a line with fellow rookies Thomas Gradin and Curt Fraser, he scored 14 goals and 38 points over 62 games in his first season. He also proved to be physical, earning 89 penalty minutes as well. As the Canucks qualified for the 1979 playoffs as the final seed, Smyl scored his first NHL post-season goal in game one of the preliminary round against the Philadelphia Flyers. Vancouver won the game 3–2, but went on to lose the best-of-three series in three games. Smyl also played three games for the Central Hockey League's Dallas Black Hawks during the campaign.  Smyl became a point-per-game player in his second NHL season, leading the Canucks in scoring with 31 goals and 78 points over 77 games in 1979–80. In the second half of the season, he registered a team record point-scoring streak that lasted 12 games (five goals and 22 points) between February 7 and March 4, 1980. The streak broke Dennis Kearns' 11-game mark, set three years prior in March 1977. Shortly after the streak ended, he notched his first NHL career hat trick against the goaltender Pat Riggin during a game against the Atlanta Flames on March 7. Nearly a month later, he notched four assists in one game – a 5–0 win against the Edmonton Oilers on April 1, 1980.  The following campaign, Smyl was involved in an on-ice incident during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 17, 1981. During the first period, opposing forward Gary Rissling speared him in the face. Joined by several teammates, Smyl began fighting Rissling. Consequently, Smyl and Rissling both received minor penalties for roughing and major penalties for fighting, while additionally being ejected from the game. A week later, Rissling received a four-game suspension from NHL executive vice president Brian O'Neill. Smyl was not injured on the play and appeared in all 80 games for the Canucks in 1980–81, notching 25 goals and 63 points.  Early in the 1981–82 season, Smyl recorded a five-point game, notching a hat trick and two assists, in an 8–4 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 31, 1981. Late in the campaign, he was named team captain, succeeding defenceman Kevin McCarthy, who had broken his ankle during practice. He went on to complete the campaign with 34 goals and 78 points over 80 games.  Despite finishing the regular season with a losing record, the Canucks embarked on a playoff run to the franchise's first Stanley Cup Finals in team history. In the fifth and deciding game of the semi-finals against the Chicago Black Hawks, Smyl notched two goals in a 6–2 win to capture the Clarence Campbell Trophy as conference champions, sending the Canucks to the Finals. Facing the New York Islanders, who had finished the regular season 41 points ahead of the Canucks and had won the Stanley Cup the previous two years, they were swept in four games. Smyl scored the Canucks' only goal in their 3–1 defeat in game four, tying the game at 1–1 in the first period on his own rebound before Mike Bossy scored twice to secure the Islanders' win. Smyl accumulated 19 points in 18 playoff games, second in team scoring to Thomas Gradin.

Captaincy and retirement (1982–91).

During the subsequent off-season, Canucks general manager Harry Neale appointed Smyl as McCarthy's permanent successor as team captain. The decision was influenced by the Canucks' run to the Finals under Smyl's captaincy. Neale commented, "We reached a tremendous high last spring under Stan as captain and we feel we want to continue that atmosphere." Consequently, McCarthy asked to be traded, but remained with the team for one-and-a-half seasons thereafter until he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in January 1984.  In his first full season as captain, Smyl recorded career highs with 38 goals and 50 assists. In addition to leading the club in scoring for the second time in his career, his 88 points established a club record (it was broken by Patrik Sundström's 91 points the following season). Late in the campaign, he recorded the most prolific month by a Canucks player in team history with 31 points (10 goals and 21 assists) over 16 games in March 1983. During that span, he reeled off a 13-game point streak from February 27 to March 23 that included eight goals and 27 points. At 13 games, the streak surpassed the previous team record he set in 1980, but was quickly broken by teammate Darcy Rota six days later with a 14-game scoring streak of his own. Smyl, Rota and Gradin formed a high-scoring top line for Vancouver; all three teammates finished among the league's top 30 players in points. Entering the 1983 playoffs, the Canucks attempted to defend their Campbell Trophy of the previous season, but were defeated in four games of a best-of-five series against the Calgary Flames. Smyl helped the Canucks stave off elimination in game three, scoring the game winning goal with 57 seconds to go in regulation, but they were defeated the following game.  The following season in 1983–84, Smyl's production dipped to 67 points. Vancouver met the Flames in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year, losing in four games once more. Smyl and the Canucks would not qualify for the playoffs again for five years. He remained in the 60-point range in the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons. On February 27, 1985, Smyl scored his 187th career goal to pass Don Lever as the Canucks' all-time leading goal-scorer.  Late in the 1985–86 season, Smyl suffered torn knee ligaments due to a blindsiding check from opposing forward Alain Côté during the final minute of a 7–6 win against the Quebec Nordiques on March 26, 1987. He was sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. In the off-season, Smyl was re-signed by the Canucks to a multi-year contract in July 1986.  The following season, the Canucks met the Nordiques in a game on October 13, 1986. Smyl fought Côté during the game, but he was consequently sidelined by re-injuring his knee. Upon returning to the lineup, Smyl was involved in an altercation with Montreal Canadiens forward Stéphane Richer that led to a bench-clearing brawl during a game on November 2. After spearing Richer late in the third period, Canadiens forward Claude Lemieux then sucker-punched Smyl in the head on his way to the bench. A total of 139 penalty minutes were assessed to both teams and the Canadiens went on to win the game 5–3. Later in the season, Smyl became the Canucks' all-time leader in regular season games played with 648, passing Harold Snepsts in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 5, 1985. The following month, Smyl became the Canucks all-time points leader on December 14, 1986. Notching his sixth career hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks, he recorded his 551st career point to pass Thomas Gradin's all-time leading mark of 550. A little over a month later, Smyl was awarded the first and only penalty shot of his NHL career during a game against the Calgary Flames on January 16, 1987. Facing goaltender Mike Vernon, he scored to help the Canucks win 9–5. There was speculation at the trade deadline in March 1987 that Smyl would be traded to a playoff contender, as the Canucks were in the midst of another losing season. Smyl responded by asserting that Vancouver was his home and he had no desire to be dealt away. He finished the campaign with 20 goals and 43 points over 66 games in an injury-shortened season. It marked the lowest points total of his career and the start of a decrease in production in the remaining four seasons before his retirement.  After recording eight consecutive 20-plus goal seasons, Smyl's production dipped to 12 goals and 37 points over 57 games in 1987–88. Injured during the season, Smyl was temporarily replaced by defenceman Daryl Stanley as team captain in his absence. The following year, Smyl appeared in his last playoffs with the Canucks, as well as his first in five years. The Canucks took the President's Trophy winner Calgary Flames to seven games in the first round, but lost the deciding game in overtime. Smyl had an opportunity to win the series for Vancouver on a breakaway in overtime, but was stopped by a Mike Vernon glove save. Smyl was held without a point in the series. In 1989–90, Smyl played his last season as team captain and recorded 16 points in 47 games. He was often a healthy scratch (non-dressing player) and did not score his first goal of the season until the final game on March 31, 1990, a 6–3 win against the Los Angeles Kings (he had not previously scored since April 2, 1989 – the final game of the previous season). At the start of the next season, Smyl resigned his captaincy and it was split throughout the season between Dan Quinn, Doug Lidster and Trevor Linden (the captaincy would be retained by Linden). Smyl had held the position for eight years, the longest tenure among Canucks captains all-time. He scored his last NHL goal on December 5, 1990, against the New Jersey Devils. He played his last game on March 16, 1991, against the New York Islanders. After managing 14 points in 45 games, Smyl retired at the end of the 1990–91 season.

Legacy and honours.

Smyl retired with Canucks franchise records in every major statistical category with 262 goals, 411 assists and 673 points in 896 games played. He became the first Canucks player to have his jersey number retired as his #12 was raised to the rafters at the Pacific Coliseum on November 3, 1991. In 2000, he was inducted into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame.  Smyl's all-time team records stood for more than a decade until Trevor Linden (who was part of the Canucks tri-captaincy after Smyl resigned the captaincy) overtook them, beginning with his goals mark in 2002–03. The following season in 2003–04, Linden played in his 897th game and recorded his 674th point as a Canuck to surpass Smyl on both marks. Smyl's last major mark of assists was passed by Linden on November 8, 2007 and then surpassed by Henrik Sedin in the 2009-10 season. Later Canucks captain Markus Näslund would, in turn, surpass Linden's marks in goals and points, but not games. Smyl was later present as Linden's retirement ceremony as he joined Smyl as the only two players to have their jersey numbers retired by the Canucks. Näslund joined them in that honour during the 2010–11 season.  At the 2010 Winter Olympics, held in Vancouver, Smyl was named the official ambassador for Molson Canadian Hockey House – a pavilion for hockey fans and players that was temporarily raised in Downtown Vancouver. He also ran a leg with the Olympic torch on the last day of the relay on February 12, 2010.

International play.

During his final year of junior, Smyl was selected to the Canadian national junior team for the 1978 World Junior Championships, held in Québec, Canada. Playing as the host nation, Canada earned the bronze medal, having finished third in round-robin play. Smyl notched a goal and an assist over six games.  Smyl got his first and only opportunity to represent Canada's men's team in 1985. After the Canucks became the first team eliminated from contention for the 1985 Stanley Cup playoffs, Hockey Canada selected Smyl and four other Canucks – Doug Halward, Doug Lidster, Tony Tanti and Cam Neely – to the national team for the 1985 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Facing the Soviet Union in the second game of the final round, Smyl scored the game winner, his only goal of the tournament, for Canada in a 3–1 victory. The win placed Canada in contention for their first gold medal at the World Championships in 24 years. However, they lost the gold medal to Czechoslovakia in a 5–3 loss. Smyl contributed two points in 10 games while playing on a line with Brian MacLellan and Bernie Nicholls.

Playing style.

Smyl was relatively small for an NHL player at 5 feet and 8 inches. He was known for his two-way play, being responsible on defence, while also producing offensively. He compensated for his size with toughness and relentless checking that made him a fan favourite and earned him the nickname "Steamer". Smyl was also a strong leader, serving as captain for the Canucks for eight seasons.

Coaching and front office career.

Assistant with Vancouver.

When Smyl announced his retirement on July 3, 1991, he was concurrently named a Canucks assistant coach, along with Rick Ley, to Pat Quinn. He was honoured for his playing career, spent entirely with the Canucks, during a pre-game ceremony on November 3. In his third year behind the bench, Smyl was involved in his second Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks in 1994. Vancouver went to seven games with the New York Rangers, losing 3–2 in the deciding game. Smyl helped coach opposite Rangers assistant coach Colin Campbell, who was also a part of the Canucks' 1982 Cup run as a player.  Between 1994 and 1999, the Canucks' head coaching position changed five times. Ley overtook head coaching duties from 1994 to 1996 as Quinn returned to his executive positions as president and general manager. After Ley was fired late in the 1995–96 season, Quinn served as the Canucks' interim head coach until Tom Renney was hired for the beginning of the 1996–97 season. In turn, Renney was fired after one-and-a-half seasons and replaced by Mike Keenan. Throughout the changes, Smyl remained in his position as assistant under all four head coaches.

Minor league head coach.

In June 1999, Smyl was named head coach of the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He became the second coach in Crunch history, replacing Jack McIlhargey, who had served for five seasons. He coached the Crunch to a.500 season in his debut behind the bench. In the 2000 off-season, the Canucks signed a two-year affiliation agreement with the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League (IHL). Smyl was reassigned to Kansas City, replacing their previous coach Paul MacLean.  When the IHL folded following Smyl's first season with the Blades, he was moved back to the AHL, named coach of the Manitoba Moose on June 28, 2001. He coached them to the second round in 2002–03. On March 2, 2004, he notched his 100th win as head coach of the Moose in a 3–0 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. However, as the Moose missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years in 2004, Smyl was dismissed as head coach on June 7, 2004, and reassigned within the Canucks organization. He was replaced by Washington Capitals assistant coach Randy Carlyle. Some Moose players later commented that Carlyle exhibited a stronger presence and was more demanding in comparison to Smyl.

Canucks front office.

Let go as Moose head coach, Smyl was named the Canucks' Director of Player Development in the 2004 off-season. Much of his time was spent overseeing the play of prospects within the Canucks' farm system – for example those playing with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL and Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL. He served in that capacity for four years until Mike Gillis took over as Canucks general manager from Dave Nonis after the 2007–08 season. Gillis expanded the Canucks' player development and scouting departments and assigned Smyl the newly created position as Director of Collegiate Scouting. Former NHL player Dave Gagner assumed Smyl's former Director of Player Development role. After one season in that role, Smyl was re-positioned, to his current role as Senior Advisor to Gillis before the 2008–09 season on September 11, 2008. In his duties as Advisor he still partially oversees collegiate scouting.

Personal life.

He left home at 13 years old to pursue his hockey career in British Columbia. His wife is Jennifer Smyl.

Stanley Philip Smyl (born January 28, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. As a junior, he appeared in three consecutive Memorial Cups with the New Westminster Bruins, winning the championship in 1977 and 1978. He was selected 40th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft and went on to play his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the team until his retirement in 1991. Smyl was born in Glendon, Alberta, but grew up in St. Paul, Alberta.

Stanley Phillip Smyl (né le à Glendon, dans la province de l'Alberta au Canada) est un joueur professionnel canadien de hockey sur glace. Son numéro fut retiré par les Canucks de Vancouver.


Origins.

The Socialist Caucus was founded in early 1998 in Toronto by Barry Weisleder, Joe Flexer, Sean Cain, Jorge Hurtado and other political activists who had been involved in Peter Kormos's unsuccessful 1996 campaign to lead the Ontario New Democratic Party. It soon had branches in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as supporters in Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia. It is now active primarily in Ontario at the federal and provincial levels. It also has supporters in other provinces. The caucus views itself as the successor to the Waffle of the 1960s and 1970s and a number of members in the Socialist Caucus were also in the NDP's Left Caucus and the Campaign for an Activist Party or CAP of the 1980s.  The Trotskyist group Socialist Action plays a "leading role" in the Socialist Caucus.

Policies.

The group is a socialist faction and advocates economic democracy and workers' control, full employment, the nationalization of large industries and the eradication of poverty and homelessness.  The caucus is anti-imperialist, and condemns many of the actions of the United States' government. It supports the Cuban Revolution, the withdrawal of Canada from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the independence of Quebec, and opposes Zionism.

Leadership campaigns.

In 2001, the Socialist Caucus ran Marcel Hatch in a leadership challenge against Alexa McDonough. Hatch won 120 votes out of 765 ballots cast. Bev Meslo was the Socialist Caucus' candidate in the party's 2003 leadership election, winning 1.1% of the vote in the party's first One Member One Vote leadership election, which was won by Jack Layton.  After an unsuccessful attempt to draft Peter Kormos to run for the leadership of the Ontario NDP, the Socialist Caucus endorsed Michael Prue leading up to the 2009 ONDP leadership election.  In the 2012 and 2017 NDP leadership elections, the Socialist Caucus endorsed Niki Ashton, on the latter occasion after leading an unsuccessful effort to draft former Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan as a candidate.

Other activities.

In 2011, the Socialist Caucus proposed resolutions at that year's federal NDP convention to oppose the Alberta oil sands, legalize marijuana, boycott apartheid Israel, repeal the Clarity Act, and nationalize auto, bank and insurance companies. In the wake of the NDP's breakthrough in the 2011 federal election in which they won over 100 seats and formed Official Opposition in the House of Commons for the first time, Socialist Caucus chair Barry Weisleder told "The Globe and Mail" that "the election on May 2 sent a very clear message: the voters rejected the Liberal Party and the NDP should not strive to become a substitute Liberal Party. That’s the road to ruin", adding that "To survive, the NDP has to turn left and offer Canadians and in particular working people, an alternative to the corporate agenda." The faction also opposed a motion to remove the phrase "democratic socialism" from the preamble of the NDP's constitution and supported an unsuccessful resolution to bar the NDP from considering merger with the Liberal Party of Canada. None of the resolutions proposed by the Socialist Caucus received enough support to reach the floor of the convention for debate.  The Socialist Caucus publishes a newspaper named "Turn Left", edited by Sean Cain, for each federal and Ontario provincial NDP convention. Beginning with the 2011 NDP convention issue, the publication took the form of a magazine.  In September 2011, caucus chair Barry Weisleder won the nomination to be the Ontario NDP's candidate in Thornhill in the 2011 provincial election. Within 48 hours, the party's provincial secretary rescinded the nomination without explanation.  The Socialist Caucus opposed moves by the NDP at the 2011 and 2013 federal conventions to rewrite the preamble of the party's constitution in order to remove its commitment to socialism.  The Socialist Caucus in the Ontario New Democratic Party criticized Andrea Horwath's conduct of the party's campaign in the 2014 provincial election and unsuccessfully called for a review of her leadership at the party's subsequent convention in November 2014.  During the 2015 federal election, caucus leader Barry Weisleder was outspoken in his criticisms of the party's platform and campaign, claiming that the party had moved to the right under leader Tom Mulcair. Weisleder told the "National Post" that the party under Mulcair had undergone "a continuation of the movement towards conservative policies. It remains a party linked to working people and the working-class organizations in the country. But its leadership and the policies of that leadership continue to embrace the capitalist order." Subsequently, the Socialist Caucus called for the removal of Mulcair as party leader and supported a leadership review at the NDP convention held in April 2016 in Edmonton.

The New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus is an unofficial left-wing faction within Canada's New Democratic Party. Its manifesto maintains that the New Democratic Party has moved too far to the right, and is in danger of becoming indistinguishable from the Liberal Party. Consequently, the Socialist Caucus also opposed Tony Blair's Third Way policies and their adoption by the NDP because they "[leave] the basic class and economic structures of capitalism unchanged."

Le Caucus socialiste du Nouveau Parti démocratique (CS) (anglais : "New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus") est un courant politique de sensibilité socialiste au sein du Nouveau Parti démocratique (NPD), l'un des principaux partis politiques du Canada. Créé en 1998 à Toronto, autour de personnalités tant politiques que syndicales telles que Barry Weisleder, Sean Cain, Jorge Hurtado et Joe Flexer, il considère que la ligne politique du NDP a évolué vers la droite et est trop proche du Parti libéral du Canada, l'un des grands partis politiques fédéraux canadiens. Proche des syndicats, il milite, entre autres, pour plus d'égalité économique et sociale, et la nationalisation des grandes industries canadiennes.


Early life.

Totleben was born at Mitau in Courland (now Jelgava, Latvia). His parents were of Thuringian descent and originated in Tottleben, belonging to the Baltic German noble Tottleben family (also spelled "Totleben" or "Todleben"), but had since became merchants. Eduard himself was intended for commerce, but a strong instinct led him to seek a career as a military engineer. He entered the school of engineers at Saint Petersburg, now Military engineering-technical university ().

Military career.

Early military career.

Totleben joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1836. He saw active service as captain of engineers in the campaigns against Imam Shamil in the Caucasus, beginning in 1848 for two years.

Crimean War.

At the outbreak of war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in 1853, he took part in the siege of Silistria, and after the siege was raised was transferred to the Crimea. Sevastopol, while strongly fortified toward the sea, was almost unprotected on the land side. Totleben, though still a junior field officer, became the animating genius of the defense. On his advice the fleet was sunk, in order to block the mouth of the harbour, and the deficiency of fortifications on the land side was made good before the allies could take advantage of it. The construction of earthworks and redoubts was carried out in extreme haste and much of the artillery from the warships was transferred to them. It was in the ceaseless improvisation of the defensive works and offensive counterworks to meet every changing phase of the enemy's attack that Totleben's peculiar strength and originality showed itself. He never commanded a large army in the open field, nor was he the creator of a great permanent system of defence like Vauban. But he may justly be called the originator of the idea that a fortress should be considered not a walled town but an entrenched position, intimately connected with the offensive and defensive capacities of an army and as susceptible of alteration as the formation of troops in battle or manoeuvre.  Until 20 June 1855, Totleben conducted operations for the defense at Sevastopol in person; he was then wounded in the foot and was not present at the operations which immediately preceded the fall of the fortress. In the course of the siege he had risen from the rank of lieutenant-colonel to that of lieutenant-general, and had also been made aide-de-camp to the tsar. When he recovered he was employed in strengthening the fortifications at the mouth of the Dnieper, and also those of Kronstadt. In 1864, he suggested further improvements of the Brest Fortress that were implemented between then and 1868. In 1856 he visited England, where his merits were honoured.  On 24 March 1854, the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote him a letter asking for his help in returning to European Russia - the writer had been sentenced to four years of banishment in Siberia. (Totleben's brother Adolf had been Dostoyevsky's classmate at the school of military engineering in Saint Petersburg.)

Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78.

In 1860 Totleben was appointed assistant to Grand Duke Nicholas, and he subsequently became head of the department of engineers with the full rank of general. He received no command when another war against the Ottoman Empire began in 1877. Only after the early Russian reverses before Plevna was the hero of Sevastopol called to the front. Totleben saw that it would be necessary to draw engineering works around Osman Pasha and cut him off from communication with the other Turkish commanders. In due time, Plevna fell. Totleben then undertook the siege of the Bulgarian fortresses. After the conclusion of the preliminaries of peace, he was placed in command of the whole Russian army.

Later life.

After the war Totleben was assigned to be Governor General of Bessarabia and Novorossiya. He also became a hereditary Count.  In 1880, Totleben held the post of Governor General of Vilna, and after much suffering he died at Bad Soden near Frankfurt am Main. He is buried in Sevastopol.  The village of Totleben in Pordim Municipality, Pleven Province, is named after Eduard Totleben, in honour of his decisive role in the Siege of Plevna of 1877.

Franz Eduard Graf von Tottleben (, tr. ; – ), better known as Eduard Totleben in English, was a Baltic German military engineer and Imperial Russian Army general. He was in charge of fortification and sapping work during a number of important Russian military campaigns.

Édouard Ivanovitch Totleben (parfois retranscrit Todleben), né en 1818 à Mitau (aujourd'hui Jelgava en Lettonie), mort en 1884 à Bad Soben est un général russe du génie ayant servi pendant le siège de Sébastopol.


Background.

During a private New Year's Eve party that Wilson attended in a hotel room in 2003, when Wilson was 17 years old, multiple sex acts took place. Wilson engaged in oral sex with a 15-year-old girl, and the girl stated consistently that the act was consensual.  Additionally, Wilson engaged in sex with a 17-year-old girl, who woke up the next morning naked and disoriented and claimed to have been raped, which triggered an investigation. Police found condoms and evidence of drinking, as well as a video camera with footage of Wilson engaging in the sex acts, in the motel room used for the party. In the video, the 17-year-old girl appeared sleepy or intoxicated during the sex act but did not ask Wilson to stop.

Legal process.

Initial trial and plea deal.

The then 15-year-old girl has repeatedly stated that the act of oral sex was consensual, though she legally could not consent. The jury acquitted Wilson of the rape charge, but as the age of consent in Georgia is 16, they voted to convict him of aggravated child molestation for the oral sex incident. Some jury members later complained they had not understood the verdict would result in a 10-year minimum sentence, plus one year on probation.  Wilson received the 10-year sentence following a refusal to enter into a proposed plea bargain, stating his adamant belief that "It's all about doing what's right [...] And what's right is right, and what's wrong is wrong. And I'm just standing up for what I believe in." His decision to reject the plea agreement, as well as his continued fight to overturn his conviction, takes into account that sex offenders in Georgia must register themselves and are subject to penalty laws for life, and that the law was not intended to penalize teenage partners. As the law stands, Wilson would not even be able to return to his own family after an early release, as he has an 8-year-old sister Jiaya Bennett with whom he would be forbidden contact. The other young males involved (including one charged for the same oral sex acts as Wilson) accepted plea bargains with the possibility of parole; they are required to register as convicted sex offenders. Wilson had been offered a plea bargain for a five-year sentence with the possibility of parole before the trial but rejected the offer. After the jury had returned the guilty verdict, the prosecutor offered the same 5-year plea bargain again, and Wilson refused again. Another young man involved in the case had accepted a similar 5-year plea bargain and was paroled after two years.

Legislative action.

In part because of the publicity surrounding this case, the law under which Wilson was convicted was changed after his conviction; the act would now be treated as a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year in prison, and no sex offender registration. While Wilson's attorneys argued that such a change in the law should reverse his conviction, the Legislature specifically prohibited the bill from being applied retroactively.  A bipartisan group of legislators introduced a bill in the 2007 Georgia legislative session that would allow Wilson's sentence to be reduced by the courts. This session was adjourned in April, before the bill could be considered. Several legislators have subsequently called for a rare special session of the Legislature to reconsider the bill.  After the trial ended, the District Attorney's office received numerous open record requests for the videotape. David McDade inquired of the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia whether the videotape had to be released under the Open Records Act. The Council concluded that "if no one has filed for a protection order... claiming that disclosure of the video tape would invade individual privacy, we can find no reason why disclosure of the video tape is not required under... the Open Records Act." Ignoring the fact that it was the Legislature that wrote the Open Records Law (and which caused the initial controversy by refusing to apply the "Romeo and Juliet" clause retroactively), Georgia State Sen. Emanuel Jones said he would introduce legislation to block district attorneys from handing over photographic images in sex cases. "'I'm going to call it the David McDade Act,' Jones said. 'Sometimes we have to protect our kids from district attorneys.'" Because the participants shown having sex in the video were under 18, the videotape constitutes child pornography under federal law. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act prohibits prosecutors from allowing defendants in criminal proceedings to possess a copy of any evidence that constitutes child pornography, even if the purpose is to mount a defense against the charge. Under this law, Wilson and his defense team are prohibited from having a copy of the videotape that prosecutor McDade has distributed to anyone else who has requested it.

Appeals.

The case was appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court; the court twice refused to hear the case, with the presiding judge delivering an opinion that said she was "very sympathetic to Wilson's argument" but that she was bound by the Legislature's decision to make the law not apply retroactively.  The governor does not have pardon power in Georgia, but the prosecutor has the power to set aside the verdict. The prosecutor Eddie Barker, apparently waiting for an admission of guilt, has said "the one person who can change things at this point is Genarlow. The ball's in his court."

"Habeas" petition.

In response to a petition of "habeas corpus" filed by Wilson's attorneys, the Superior Court of Monroe County in the State of Georgia reduced Wilson's charge to misdemeanor aggravated child molestation, ordered that his name not be placed on the sex-offender registry, and resentenced him to 12 months and with credit for time served. Stated Judge Thomas Wilson (no relation), "The fact that Genarlow Wilson has spent two years in prison for what is now classified as a misdemeanor, and without assistance from this Court, will spend eight more years in prison, is a grave miscarriage of justice."  Georgia's Attorney General Thurbert Baker has appealed Judge Wilson's decision, staying Genarlow Wilson's release. Baker maintains the judge did not have the authority to overturn the conviction and says there is a plea bargain offer on the table.  According to Baker, the plea deal could allow Wilson to be eligible for First Offender Treatment, which would mean that he would not have a criminal record nor would he be subject to registering on the sex offender registry once his sentence had been completed. It could also result in Wilson receiving a reduced sentence, possibly leading to his release based upon time already served. Wilson's lawyer, B.J. Bernstein, would not accept the proposed deal because it would require her client to plead guilty to a felony with a fifteen-year sentence, forcing him to register as a sexual offender for up to fifteen years.

Bond hearing.

Following the grant of "habeas" and Baker's appeal, Bernstein urged prosecutors to allow her client to be set free on bond until the appeal could be heard. Whitney Tilson, a New York City investment manager, and others offered to finance a million dollar bond on Wilson's behalf, but District Attorney McDade noted that Wilson's crime, aggravated child molestation, prevented him from being released on bond. Douglas County Superior Court Judge David Emerson agreed with McDade and canceled a scheduled bond hearing. Bernstein announced that she would file an appeal.

Georgia Supreme Court appeal hearing.

On July 9, 2007, the Georgia State Supreme Court set a hearing for Genarlow Wilson's appeal for July 20, 2007, more than two months earlier than previously scheduled. The first motion was an appeal by the State Attorney General Baker of the Monroe County Superior Court judge's decision to reduce Wilson's felony conviction to a misdemeanor and release him. The second motion was brought by Wilson's attorneys to have him released on bond while the appeals are heard which the Douglas County Superior Court judge denied.

Wilson's release.

On October 26, 2007, the Georgia State Supreme Court ruled 4–3 that Wilson's sentence was cruel and unusual, and ordered him released. He was released from prison in the late afternoon that day. The majority opinion said that the new law (which made oral sex between minors a misdemeanor instead of a felony) "represent a seismic shift in the legislature's view of the gravity of oral sex between two willing teenage participants" and "reflect a decision by the people of this State that the severe felony punishment and sex offender registration imposed on Wilson make no measurable contribution to acceptable goals of punishment.... Although society has a significant interest in protecting children from premature sexual activity, we must acknowledge that Wilson's crime does not rise to the level of culpability of adults who prey on children and that, for the law to punish Wilson as it would an adult, with the extraordinarily harsh punishment of ten years in prison without the possibility of probation or parole, appears to be grossly disproportionate to his crime."  The dissenting opinion said that the legislators had explicitly made the law non-retroactive and, therefore, should not be applied to Wilson. The majority opinion claimed, however, that it did not apply the law retroactively but instead that the punishment was unconstitutionally cruel and unusual. The dissenters argued that the precedents the majority relied upon involved legislation with no prohibitions against retroactivity.  Attorney General Baker said he would not appeal the ruling.

Reaction.

On December 21, 2006, "The New York Times" published an editorial condemning the Georgia Supreme Court's original refusal to hear Wilson's appeal, noting that Wilson was not a sexual predator, and that his behavior would have only been a misdemeanor if he had actually had sex with the girl, instead of having had oral sex (due to a loophole in the applicable law's provision intended to prevent exactly this kind of dubious conviction).  Oral sex has long had a special criminal status in Georgia law; until 1998, oral sex even between husband and wife was punishable with up to 20 years in prison. The United States Supreme Court, in 1986, originally upheld Georgia's anti-sodomy law (which covered both oral sex and anal sex) as constitutional even when applied to criminalize two consenting adults in the privacy of their bedroom ("Bowers v. Hardwick", 478 U.S. 176). Twelve years later, Georgia's Supreme Court would, however, find that the same law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court was unconstitutional on state constitutional grounds, at least as applied to oral sex with persons over the age of consent ("Powell v. Georgia", S98A0755, 270 Ga. 327, 510 S.E. 2d 18 (1998)).  On April 30, 2007, "The New York Times" published another editorial noting that Georgia's legislature had closed the loophole in the law and that if Wilson were tried today he would now be facing only misdemeanor charges for the same act. However, the State Senate adjourned for the year without taking up a bill allowing judges to review previous cases like Wilson's and Wilson continued to serve a mandatory 10-year sentence. The "Times" also noted that Wilson's attorneys had applied for a writ of "habeas corpus" with the U.S. Supreme Court and it urged the Court to grant it. In the same editorial, the "Times" lambasted prosecuting district attorney David McDade for continuing to publicly charge that Wilson participated in gang-raping a different 17-year-old girl, even though he was acquitted of charges in that case.  On May 24, 2007, former US president Jimmy Carter wrote a letter to state attorney-general Thurbert Baker (who is also African-American) in which he questioned whether Wilson's race had played a role in his treatment. He wrote: "The racial dimension of the case is likewise hard to ignore and perhaps unfortunately has had an impact on the final outcome of the case," pointing out that white defendants have received lesser punishments for similar conduct.  Following the June ruling in Monroe County, both Attorney General Baker and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue expressed concern that other convicted child molesters might attempt similar legal tactics to get out of prison. While Baker called the Wilson sentence "harsh", he also noted that he had taken an oath to uphold state law.  Black leaders such as Rev. Joseph Lowery, Dr. Francys Johnson, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Congressional Black Caucus have criticized Baker's appeal of the Monroe County ruling. Meanwhile, Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist in Atlanta, has criticized them for not having all the facts and failing to stand up for the victims in the case. He also questioned the motivations of Wilson's attorney, Bernstein, and urged her to attempt to find a resolution in the case.  On Genarlow's behalf, the NAACP, led by Dr. Francys Johnson, also marched on Douglas County, Georgia, for the injustice done. There were many participants there, including the girl's mother who stated that she forgave Genarlow and was in favor of his release. The speakers targeted Douglas County judicial system and particularly David McDade for his unfair treatment.

Wilson v. State, 652 S.E. 2d 501, 282 Ga. 520 (2007) was a Georgia court case brought about to appeal the aggravated child molestation conviction of Genarlow Wilson (born April 8, 1986 to Juanessa Bennett and Marlow Wilson).

Wilson" v. "State of Georgia est un arrêt de la cour du Comté de Monroe en appel d'une condamnation de Genarlow Wilson (né le ) pour "aggravated child molestation" en 2005, celui-ci ayant eu des relations sexuelles orales avec une fille de 15 ans lors d'un réveillon de nouvel an, infraction entraînant d'office une condamnation à 10 ans d'emprisonnement.


Plot.

Tex Murphy is hired by business mogul Marshall Alexander, founder of TerraForm Corporation, to locate his missing daughter, Alexis. As in the first game, Tex travels between destinations and interrogates characters associated with the subject such as Alexander's attorney, his wife, and Alexis's roommate and business partners. Interrogations are menu-based and dialogues open up additional destinations and dialogue options. The investigation will reveal to Tex that the girl's disappearance is linked with an item in Alexander's possession.  Alexis has been traced on planet Mars, whose exploitation is mostly owned by Alexander's company. Tex will find out that Alexander was actually Collier Stanton, a scientist and explorer of Mars, infamous for killing mutant colonists to obtain the "Oracle Stone". With this stone, Alexander foresaw the future, read antagonists' minds and built his corporate empire. Alexis's good will was used to lure her into stealing the Stone and bring it to Mars, only to fall into the hands of Thomas Dangerfield, the original discoverer of the Stone.  The character of Larry Hammond, who appeared in "Mean Streets", returns to this game, giving information to the player. Lowell Percival who is introduced here, also appears in "Killing Moon", as does Mac Malden, who appears in both "Killing Moon" and "Pandora Directive".

Gameplay.

Unlike the more experimental "Mean Streets", "Martian Memorandum" adheres to the genre conventions of the point-and-click adventure game. The gameplay style is based on interrogations, gathering information which "unlocks" new destinations and interrogation options. A verb bar at the bottom of the screen allows players to select different ways to interact with their environment. Certain objects can be collected, placed in an inventory and then used at a later point in time. It also introduced dialog trees to the series. Conversations feature voice and small video clips, elements that were greatly expanded in later games in the series. The game is notable for its increased use of digitized human voices and digital "video" of human actors, playable even through a PC's internal speaker.

Reception.

"Dragon" gave the game 3 out of 5 stars. "Computer Gaming World" in 1992 praised the audio and digitized animation, and concluded that ""Martian Memorandum" produces hours of enjoyment [and] provides a tremendous challenge". That year the magazine named it one of the year's top four adventure games.

Martian Memorandum is a dystopian cyberpunk/noir graphic adventure game that was originally released in 1991 for MS-DOS. It was developed and published by Access Software. The game is the second in the series of "Tex Murphy" mysteries; its immediate sequel is "Under a Killing Moon". The game is set in 2039, several years after "Mean Streets".

Martian Memorandum est un jeu vidéo d'aventure de type point and click développé et édité par Access Software, et sorti en 1991. Il constitue le deuxième volet de la saga Tex Murphy. L'aventure se passe en 2039, plusieurs années après les aventures de Mean Streets.


Club career.

Jones' career started with Airbus UK Broughton and Aberystwyth Town. He joined Rhyl in the May 2007, winning a Welsh Premier League championship medal with the club and representing them in Europe. He then joined The New Saints in May 2009. He played for the club in qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, against clubs such as Helsingborg, Anderlecht, and Bohemians scoring in both home legs against the Belgian and Irish champions. In July 2012, he played his final matches for The New Saints playing a significant role in both legs of the second-round qualifying matches of the UEFA Champions League against Swedish Treble-winning side (comprising Super Cup, League and Swedish Cup titles) Helsingborg. In total he scored 25 goals in 111 appearances for the club.  In January 2012 he went on trial with Leeds United for seven days. After attracting interest from several English League and European Clubs, Jones signed a two-year deal with League One club Bury in August 2012, after Bury paid out an undisclosed fee for his services from TNS.  He was released by Bury at the end of the 2017–18 season.  In August 2018, Jones returned to the Welsh Premier League signing for Connah's Quay Nomads. Jones made six appearances in all competitions for the Nomads, including playing in a Scottish Challenge Cup victory over Falkirk where he assisted the winning goal. He departed the club three months later after struggling to attain the required level of fitness.

International career.

Jones won 9 caps for Wales at the semi-pro under-23 level, and captained the side once. He was selected for the senior semi-pro team for the 2008 Four Nations, scoring a hat-trick against Gibraltar.

Personal life.

His father Brynley was also a professional football player, having played for Chester City in the Football League, as well as Bangor City and Oswestry Town.

Honours.

Individual

Craig Jones (born 20 March 1987) is retired footballer who played as a midfielder. Previously, he was club captain at Bury. He is a three times Welsh Premier League champion. He previously played for Welsh clubs Airbus UK Broughton, Aberystwyth Town, Rhyl, TNS and Connah's Quay.

Craig Jones, né le à Chester, est un footballeur gallois évoluant au poste d'ailier. Il est champion du pays de Galles en 2009, 2010 et 2012 avec deux clubs différents.


Background.

In October 1936, Belgium abandoned its previous military alliance with France, fearful that after the German Remilitarization of the Rhineland, bringing German forces to its borders, it would get involved in a Franco-German war. It was recognised that a policy of neutrality could only be viable if Belgium possessed strong defences. Existing defence plans were therefore pursued more vigorously. A strong defence line was created along the Albert Canal, running eastwards from Antwerp to the modern fortress of Eben Emael and from there to the southwest along the River Meuse. Although this was a powerful position, it had been understood from the outset that Belgium could not resist a major German invasion alone and that despite its neutrality would need to cooperate with the French army to block a German advance. Eben Emael was too close to Germany, and the salient it created was too large, to make it practical for assisting French forces to occupy such a forward position. For this reason a shorter defence line was planned between Antwerp and Namur in the south. This should be the "line of main resistance", while the Albert Canal-Meuse line would function as a "covering line", delaying the enemy long enough for allied help to arrive and entrench itself. However, the Belgian government was hesitant to start any large-scale construction along this line as it could be seen by Germany as a breach of neutrality as well as an invitation to occupy the area to the east of it.  After the outbreak of the Second World War, Belgium was under considerable pressure from France and the United Kingdom to take their side even before a German invasion, partly because it was feared Belgian defences would collapse before allied troops had the time to reinforce them. To assuage such fears, the Belgian government hastily ordered to improve the Antwerp-Namur position in September 1939. The construction work was largely done by conscripts mobilised in September but also by about a thousand civilian workers hired from private contractors.

Location.

The line in the north was anchored on the old fortress belt of Antwerp. This way the existing Fort Broechem, Fort Lier and Fort Koningshooikt could be used. From the latter fort southwards, the line continued to Haacht, protecting the city of Mechelen. From Haacht it ran to Leuven, which city was incorporated into the frontline. Originally, this had not been the case: in this sector between November 1939 and April 1940 the line was shifted to the east four times. The next twenty kilometres, the line followed the course of the River Dyle until Wavre was reached. The area between Koningshooikt and Wavre represented the main position where the Belgian army itself was expected to fight and to the improvement of which most funds were directed. This explains the name Koningshooikt-Wavre line.  From February 1940 onwards, the line was extended to the south in the direction of Namur, to close the so-called "Gembloux Gap" between the Dyle and the Meuse. Also a branch westwards of Wavre was created, running to Waterloo, Halle and Kester, ending in Ninove. This covered the southern approaches of the Belgian capital Brussels. This extension was more symbolic than real, containing only thirty-eight pillboxes, and served to counter German allegations that the K-W line violated Belgian neutrality by being directed against Germany. The western branch pretended to block a possible French advance.

Structure.

The K-W line was not a massive fortification line with modern forts sheltering the artillery, like the French Maginot Line. There were no permanent fortress garrisons occupying it. In case of war, regular infantry divisions had to entrench themselves along the line after having been withdrawn from the Albert Canal-Meuse covering line. Construction work was aimed at preparing this entrenchment by providing a pre-existing infrastructure, consisting of a telephone network, command bunkers, pillboxes for the machine guns, anti-tank obstacles and inundations. Little was done in the way of digging trenches, placing barbed wire entanglements or laying minefields beforehand.  About four hundred concrete pillboxes were constructed. Most of these ware placed along a forward line of defence, directly behind main obstacles. To provide some depth, about a kilometre to the west a second line of pillboxes was present. However, when inundations were located in front of the forward line, these were considered to offer enough protection that a second pillbox line could be discarded with. In front of Mechelen, the river Dyle curved to the west. This was seen as an especially vulnerable spot and between the Dyle and the River Nete a third line of pillboxes was constructed covering the eastern approaches of Mechelen. Multiple lines were also present west of Leuven, due to the many changes in the construction plans.  The pillboxes were able to withstand hits by the German 15 cm sFH 18, the heaviest howitzer German infantry divisions were equipped with. They were not of a uniform construction; each pillbox was tailored to adapt to the specific terrain conditions of its location, avoiding dead angles and often allowing enfilading fire. To this end they contained up to three chambers in which a single machine gun could be placed. The machine guns were not permanent fixtures; the troops retreating from the covering line were supposed to bring their MG 08s, called "Maxims", along.

The K-W Line, an abbreviation for the full title of Koningshooikt–Wavre Line, was the main Belgian line of defence against a possible German armoured invasion through the centre of Belgium, during the initial phase of the Second World War.

La ligne KW (en néerlandais "KW-stelling" ou "KW-linie") était une barrière anti-char belge installée entre Koningshooikt et Wavre (d'où le nom KW) conçue comme un moyen de défense contre l'invasion allemande dans le centre de la Belgique, au début de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. La ligne KW fut construite entre et principalement le long de la Dyle, sur ordre du ministère de la Défense belge. Les fortifications consistaient en une série de bunkers de combat, de bunkers de communications, de fossés antichars et de structures en acier (élément Cointet, tétraèdres et barres de fer). Elle était connue chez les Alliés sous le nom de "Ligne de la Dyle" et chez les Allemands sous le nom de "Mur de fer". La ligne formait, avec la ceinture fortifiée de Liège et le réduit national d'Anvers, le noyau de la défense belge jusqu'en 1940.


High school career.

Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Brown was listed as the No. 26 small forward and the No. 115 player in the nation in 2005.

College career.

Brown played college basketball at Xavier University with Xavier Musketeers, from 2005 to 2009.

Professional career.

Charlotte Bobcats (2009–2012).

Brown entered the 2009 NBA draft, and was selected 40th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats.  On July 13, 2009, he was signed to a two-year contract by the Charlotte Bobcats. On February 24, 2011, Derrick Brown was waived by the Bobcats after a trade with the Thunder that sent Nazr Mohammed to the Thunder. The New York Knicks announced on March 1, 2011 that they had claimed Brown off waivers.  On December 9, 2011, he returned to the Bobcats with a one-year minimum deal. Over 65 games in 2011–12 NBA season, which was shortened to 66 games due to 2011 NBA lockout, Brown averaged career-high 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1 assist per game.  On June 29, 2012, the Bobcats extended a qualifying to Brown, making him a restricted free agent. However, on July 18, 2012, the Bobcats withdrew the offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. On September 27, 2012, Brown signed with the San Antonio Spurs. However, he did not make the team's final roster.

Lokomotiv Kuban (2012–2015).

On October 31, 2012, Brown signed a three-year contract with the Russian team Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar. He was named to the All-EuroCup Second Team in 2013. In 2013–14 season, he debuted in European top-tier EuroLeague. Over 23 EuroLeague games with Lokomotiv Kuban, he averaged 13.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Anadolu Efes (2015–2018).

On June 23, 2015, Brown signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes. On June 21, 2017, he signed a two-year contract extension with Efes. In 2017–18 season, his third with the team, Brown's role and productivity decreased significantly. Over 19 EuroLeague games, he averaged 7.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. After the season, he parted ways with the club and was inactive for the whole 2018–19 season.

Crvena zvezda (2019–2020).

On June 27, 2019, he signed a one-year deal with the Serbian club Crvena zvezda. He was waived on February 3, 2020.

Derrick Paul Brown (born September 8, 1987) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Crvena zvezda of the ABA League and the EuroLeague. Standing at, he plays at the power forward position.

Derrick Brown, né le à Oakland, aux États-Unis, est un joueur américain de basket-ball. Il évolue au poste d'ailier fort.