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Cue the Shameless Virginia Tech Comparisons: UW-Stout Takes Defense of Unconstitutional Censorship to New, Disgraceful Lows
I sometimes feel for the university spokespersons occasionally called on to defend unpopular decisions by their university—decisions which frequently are made by administrators without any clue about the likely public reaction, necessarily reduced to a set of talking points from which they must try not to depart.
But then I remember that such persons normally are paid salaries and benefits. And while the rents here in Philadelphia are a much better bargain than in New York or Washington, I'm guessing that the same money probably goes a little further in the greater Menomonie, Wisconsin, area, and that university spokespersons are probably able to live fairly comfortably. Hence I reserve none of my sympathy for the University of Wisconsin–Stout (UWS) spokesperson who has been trotting out the following crock of a defense of UWS's outrageous censorship of two harmless, satirical posters put up by UWS theater professor James Miller. Miller has been threatened with arrest and has been reported to UWS's "threat assessment team" simply for putting up the posters.
When questioned by the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram about the censorship of Miller's poster of Firefly actor Nathan Fillion, this was the university's bold defense:
"The word 'kill' is in there," UW-Stout spokesman Doug Mell said. "There's no question about that."
That's true. A penetrating insight, and one wholly in line with UWS's allergy to context and common sense, revealing just how low the bar is set for something to catch the eye of UWS's police and threat assessment team. (Mind you, the quote in question was actually an explanation that the character would not engage in unwarranted violence, as Robert and dozens of others have pointed out.)
In the same Leader-Telegram article (also printed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press; free subscription may be required), Mell also defends UWS's decision to remove the second poster—this one satirizing the university's overreaction and intimidation in removing the first one. Of this, Mell says that "[t]he second poster was taken down because obviously it depicts violence." As Miller pointed out in the same article, though, "[i]f you read the second poster carefully, it says 'don't condone violence.'" I'll submit that even a non-careful reading will yield the same conclusion, though obviously no amount of hand-holding is enough at UWS.
As we reported yesterday, and as Greg wrote in The Huffington Post, UWS has not heeded FIRE's warning of the gross unconstitutionality of its censorship and threat to punish Miller, particularly in light of the decades of Supreme Court precedent aligned squarely against the university's actions. Indeed, UWS has gone to special lengths to make clear that it will not defend the First Amendment right of faculty to engage in the kind of plainly harmless statements that Miller did.
Why? In the Leader-Telegram, Mell explains that "[o]ur action has to be viewed in the context of post-Virginia Tech and post-Northern Illinois." The sheer offensiveness of this statement, in the context of such clearly non-violent (indeed, anti-violent) expression by Professor Miller, can hardly be overstated.
The disgrace at UWS is only the latest example of this "magic words" theory, wherein a university seems to think all it needs to do to justify a blatant violation of a student or faculty member's rights is to invoke the tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University and the rest of us will casually shrug it off and credit it as a somehow legitimate response, as if the First Amendment contains an exception for post-tragedy sensitivities. We certainly will not—not when we've seen the same fraudulent defense used to such ends as forcing the cancellation of an Arkansas Tech student production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins. ("But just look at the title! It has the word 'Assassins' in it!" Can't you imagine UWS's Mell saying that?) Arkansas Tech President Robert C. Brown said at the time that the decision was made "out of respect for the families of those victims of the tragedies at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech, and from an abundance of caution."
Colorado College set an even worse example—finding two students responsible for violating the college's policy against "violence" on the basis of a satirical flyer with playful references to "chainsaw etiquette" and sniper rifles. Then-Colorado College President Richard Celeste steamrolled the two students behind the "Monthly Bag" flyer shortly after the shootings at Northern Illinois, and later exploited the shootings as justification for their bullying and punishment by the college, pointing to the fact that the flyers had appeared "within days of the horrific Valentine's Day killings at Northern Illinois University."
And Valdosta State University in Georgia expelled a student who had posted a collage on Facebook making fun of the university's president for saying that two new parking garages on campus would be his legacy. The title of the collage was "S.A.V.E. – Zaccari Memorial Parking Garage." Well, the president chose to take the word "memorial" as an "indirect threat[]" (as though you have to be dead to get a memorial), invoking Virginia Tech and apparently looking for any reason to punish the student for challenging his presidential legacy.
Not only do these justifications cheapen the very real losses suffered in those terrible tragedies, but at UWS this justification does absolutely nothing to alleviate the fact that the censorship was flagrantly unconstitutional and absurd.
UWS has been sticking to the same story all week. The university posted this statement on its Facebook page on Monday:
Stout supports the right of its students and employees to express themselves freely. However, UW-Stout also has the responsibility to provide an environment for its students, faculty and staff that is free from threats, either direct or implied.
After consultation with the UW System Office of General Counsel, administrators determined that the posters displayed outside Professor Miller's door constituted implied threats of violence, and they were removed.
The decision was made in the current context of tragedies on other university campuses, including those at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois.
You don't need a college education to dismiss as stupid the logic behind UWS's unconstitutional intimidation and censorship of Professor Miller. And, make no mistake, it's an appallingly bad argument. But it's also dangerous. It's a clear indication of a runaway administration completely out of touch with the obligations and requirements of an institution bound by the First Amendment, indifferent to the harm it has caused by defending its own warped notion of security.
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America's Pacific Century
RemarksHillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateEast-West CenterHonolulu, HINovember 10, 2011
DR. MORRISON: Aloha.
AUDIENCE: Aloha.
DR. MORRISON: How do you introduce the Secretary of State? And I think the first thing I think of as a public servant, we sometimes hear the word public servant spoken in a kind of derogatory tone. But the public servants that I've known, the members of our state and local government, members of our Congress, members of the international community, with a lot of volunteers and within a certain (inaudible) of the Department of State, are people who are incredibly dedicated and work tirelessly.
But there's no one, I think, who is more tireless than the Secretary of State, and our own little vignette on this is that there was 25 years that the East-West Center saw no Secretary of State come to our campus. And in the last two years, we've seen this Secretary of State three times. (Applause.) Now I have learned one other thing about her this time. She is a risk-taker. We told her that the weather was going to be raining, the program should be on the inside, and she told us that the weather was going to be fine – (laughter) – that the program was going to be on the outside. And you can see who won the argument – (laughter) – but I think calculated and intelligent risk and something we also need in public service.
So I'm very pleased to present our Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Applause.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you all. Aloha.
AUDIENCE: Aloha.
SECRETARY CLINTON: And it is such a great pleasure for me to be here, back in Hawaii and at the East-West Center. This is America's gateway to Asia, and one of the loveliest places in the world. I cannot speak for the 25 years of gap between secretaries of state coming here, but I am pleased that I have found my way here now for the third time. And the United States is so proud to host this year's APEC Leaders' Meeting in Honolulu, not only because we are committed to our partners in APEC, but also because it gives us the chance to share with them Hawaii's beauty and culture, and I know that President Obama is eager to welcome everyone to his hometown when he arrives here tomorrow.
Now, there are so many people in this audience that I would like to acknowledge. First, we are joined by leaders and representatives from a dozen Pacific Island nations. This region is known as the Asia Pacific, but sometimes the second word gets less attention than the first. And the Obama Administration has taken many steps to right that balance. We have reopened our USAID office, reinvigorated our commitment to the Pacific Island Forum, and have worked more closely with all our Pacific partners to address urgent challenges from climate change to pandemic health threats to environmental degradation. So I want to thank the Pacific Island leaders for joining us today, and for their continuing partnership with the United States. And if I could, I would like all the leaders to stand so that we can properly recognize them. (Applause.)
And of course, there are other very important representatives of Hawaii and our country here with us today. My dear friend and a great leader for our country, Senator Daniel Inouye, and his wonderful wife Irene. Thank you, Senator, Irene. (Laughter.) Representative Colleen Hanabusa and Representative Mazie Hirono, thank you both for being here. (Applause.) Governor, thank you for being here and welcoming me with a warm Aloha. (Applause.) The governor said he was much happier to see me in Hawaii than in Washington. I wonder why. (Laughter.) I also have a number of other friends who are here, in particular former Governor and Mrs. Ariyoshi who are here, thank you – (applause) – former Governor and Mrs. Waihee who are here, thank you – (applause) – and so many others whom I am always pleased to see and look forward to continuing our relationship on a range of issues.
I know that it's exciting for all of us to be here on the cusp of APEC, and I want to thank Charles Morrison and everyone at the East-West Center because, as you heard from Charles, this is the third time I've come on my way to somewhere else in the Asia Pacific, and I'm always grateful for the opportunity to come here to the East-West Center, because the ties between East and West are absolutely critical to our U.S. foreign policy. And to that end, I know that this is a whole-of-government effort. It's not only our civilian representatives who are focused on and engaged with the Asia Pacific, but also our military leaders, and I want to thank Admiral Willard, Admiral Walsh, and all of the military leaders who represent us so well in the Asia Pacific. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Now from the very beginning, the Obama Administration embraced the importance of the Asia Pacific region. So many global trends point to Asia. It's home to nearly half the world's population, it boasts several of the largest and fastest-growing economies and some of the world's busiest ports and shipping lanes, and it also presents consequential challenges such as military buildups, concerns about the proliferation of nuclear weapons, natural disasters, and the world's worst levels of greenhouse gas emissions. It is becoming increasingly clear that in the 21st century, the world's strategic and economic center of gravity will be the Asia Pacific, from the Indian subcontinent to the western shores of the Americas. And one of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decades will be to lock in a substantially increased investment – diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise – in this region.
Across the United States Government, under President Obama's leadership, our diplomats, military leaders, and trade and development experts are hard at work reinforcing our relationships in the region to set us on a course for broad and lasting progress.
Events elsewhere in the world have also lined up in a way that helps makes this possible. The war in Iraq is winding down. We have begun a transition in Afghanistan. After a decade in which we invested immense resources in these two theaters, we have reached a pivot point. We now can redirect some of those investments to opportunities and obligations elsewhere. And Asia stands out as a region where opportunities abound.
We have a model for what we and our partners in the region are working to achieve. It is what the United States and our partners in Europe achieved together in the past 50 years. The 20th century saw the creation of a comprehensive transatlantic network of institutions and relationships. Its goals were to strengthen democracy, increase prosperity, and defend our collective security. And it has paid remarkable dividends, in Europe itself, in our thriving two-way trade and our investment, and in places like Libya and Afghanistan. It has also proven to be absolutely critical in dealing with countries like Iran. The transatlantic system is and always will be a central pillar of America's engagement with the world.
But today, there is a need for a more dynamic and durable transpacific system, a more mature security and economic architecture that will promote security, prosperity, and universal values, resolve differences among nations, foster trust and accountability, and encourage effective cooperation on the scale that today's challenges demand.
And just as the United States played a central role in shaping that architecture across the Atlantic – to ensure that it worked, for us and for everyone else – we are now doing the same across the Pacific. The 21st century will be America's Pacific century, a period of unprecedented outreach and partnership in this dynamic, complex, and consequential region.
Now this goal is not ours alone. It is one that many across the region hold. I have heard from many different counterparts across the Asia Pacific an urgent desire for American leadership, which has brought benefits to this region already for decades. The United States is proud of our long history as a Pacific nation and a resident diplomatic, military, and economic power. And we are here to stay.
The alliances we've built over the years help provide the security that's made it possible for countries throughout Asia to prosper. American ships patrol sea lanes and keep them safe for trade; American diplomats help settle disputes among nations before they escalate. We've been a major trade and investment partner, a source of innovation, a host to generations of students, and a committed development partner, helping to expand opportunity and bring economic and social progress to millions of people. And as a staunch advocate for democracy and human rights, we have urged countries to strengthen their own societies and allow their own citizens to live free and dignified lives.
Just as our engagement has already delivered results for the people of Asia, it has and will continue to deliver results for the American people. This is a point I particularly want to emphasize. At this time of serious economic challenges, I am well aware of the concerns of those in our own country that the United States downsize our work around the world. When they hear me and others talk about a new era of engagement in Asia I know they think to themselves, "Why would we increase our outreach anywhere? Now's the time to scale back." This thinking is understandable, but it is mistaken. What will happen in Asia in the years ahead will have an enormous impact on our nation's future, and we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and leave it to others to determine our future for us. Instead, we need to engage and seize these new opportunities for trade and investment that will create jobs at home and will fuel our economic recovery.
And there are challenges facing the Asia Pacific right now that demand America's leadership, from ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea to countering North Korea's provocations and proliferation activities to promoting balanced and inclusive economic growth. The United States has unique capacities to bring to bear in these efforts and a strong national interest at stake.
Now that's the why of America's pivot toward the Asia Pacific. Now, what about the how? What will this next chapter in our engagement with Asia look like? It starts with a sustained commitment to the strategy we have followed in this administration, what I have called forward-deployed diplomacy. That means dispatching the full range of our diplomatic resources, including our highest-ranking officials, our diplomats and development experts, and our permanent assets, to every country and corner of the region.
Specifically, we are moving ahead on six key lines of action, which I have previously discussed in depth. They are: strengthening our bilateral security alliances; deepening our working relationships with emerging powers; engaging with regional multilateral institutions; expanding trade and investment; forging a broad-based military presence; and advancing democracy and human rights.
In the next two weeks, we will make progress on all of these fronts. I will join President Obama as he hosts the APEC Leaders' Meeting right here in Honolulu, and next week in Indonesia as he becomes the first American president to attend the East Asia Summit. We will also place special emphasis on engaging each of our five treaty allies, starting with the President's extended meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Noda here in Hawaii. The President will then go on to Australia, and I will travel to the Philippines and Thailand. And later this month, I'll visit South Korea for the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.
So these coming days represent a significant period of engagement, and let me briefly describe our goals, tracking our travels from APEC to our allies to the East Asia Summit. Economic issues are front and center in these relationships. American businesses are eager for more opportunities to trade and invest in Asian markets. And we share with most nations the goal of broad-based, sustainable growth that expands opportunity, protects workers and the environment, respects intellectual property, and fosters innovation.
But to accomplish these goals, we have to create a rules-based order, one that is open, free, transparent, and fair. As a member of APEC and host of this meeting, the United States will drive an agenda focused on strengthening regional economic integration, promoting green growth, and advancing regulatory cooperation and convergence. And we will continue to work through APEC to invest in the economic potential of women, whose talents and contribution still often go untapped. This agenda will create jobs and generate growth for all of us, but only if all of us play by the rules. We have to remove barriers, both at borders and behind borders, barriers like corruption, the theft of intellectual property, government practices that distort fair competition. Economic integration must be a two-way street.
There is new momentum in our trade agenda with the recent passage of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and our ongoing work on a binding, high-quality Trans-Pacific Partnership, the so-called TPP. The TPP will bring together economies from across the Pacific, developed and developing alike, into a single 21st century trading community. A rules-based order will also be critical to meeting APEC's goal of eventually creating a free trade area of the Asia Pacific.
The United States will continue to make the case that, as a region, we must pursue not just more growth but better growth. This is not merely a matter of economics. It goes to the central question of which values we will embrace and defend. Openness, freedom, transparency, and fairness have meaning far beyond the business realm. Just as the United States advocates for them in an economic context, we also advocate for them in political and social contexts.
We support not only open economies but open societies. And as we engage more deeply with nations with whom we disagree on issues like democracy and human rights, we will persist in urging them to reform. For example, we have made it clear to Vietnam that if we are to develop a strategic partnership, as both nations desire, Vietnam must do more to respect and protect its citizens' rights.
And in Burma, where the United States has consistently advocated for democratic reforms and human rights, we are witnessing the first stirrings of change in decades. Now, many questions remain, including the government's continued detention of political prisoners, and whether reform will be sustained and extended to include peace and reconciliation in the ethnic minority areas. Should the government pursue genuine and lasting reform for the benefits of its citizens, it will find a partner in the United States.
As for North Korea, it shows a persistent disregard for the rights of its citizens and presents a major security challenge to its neighbors. We will continue to speak out forcefully against the threat from the regime that it poses to its own people and beyond.
Our commitment to democracy and human rights is shared by many nations in the region, in particular our treaty allies – Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. These five alliances are the fulcrum for our efforts in the Asia Pacific. They have underwritten regional peace and security for more than half a century. They leverage our regional presence and enhance our regional leadership at a time of evolving security challenges.
And now we are updating those alliances for a changing world with three guidelines in mind. First, we are working to ensure that the core objectives of our alliances have the political support of our people. Second, we want our alliances to be nimble and adaptive so they can continue to deliver results. And third, we are making sure that our collective defense capabilities and communications infrastructure are operationally and materially capable of deterring provocation from the full spectrum of state and non-state actors.
All these issues will be addressed in our upcoming visits and meetings. When the President meets with Prime Minister Noda, they will discuss the full breadth of our engagement that makes the U.S.-Japan alliance the cornerstone of peace and security in the region. In Australia, President Obama will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-Australia alliance and chart a future course for the partnership. I will do the same in the Philippines, where our two countries will sign the Manila Declaration, which sets forth a shared vision for continued cooperation between our nations. And in Thailand, I will convey our steadfast support for the Thai Government and people as they face the worst floods in their history. In South Korea, we will show once again how our alliance has gone global, through our work together in the G-20 and the Nuclear Security Summit, and now a major forum South Korea is hosting on development aid.
The United States takes very seriously the role that our military plays in protecting the region, including more than 50,000 U.S. servicemen and women stationed in Japan and South Korea. As this region changes, we must change our force posture to ensure that it is geographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainable. A more broadly distributed military presence provides vital advantages, both in deterring and responding to threats, and in providing support for humanitarian missions.
As we reaffirm and strengthen our Pacific alliances, we are also intensifying our Atlantic alliances, as Europe becomes more engaged with Asia. We welcome that. American and European diplomats have begun regular consultations to align our assessments and approaches. An effective partnership with Europe will be vital to solving many of the challenges facing Asia, and more cooperation between the Pacific and Atlantic regions could help us all in meeting our global problems.
As President Obama and I conclude our upcoming visits to our key treaty allies, I will join him next week at the East Asia Summit in Indonesia. We are proud to be part of the EAS, and we believe it should become the premier forum for dealing with regional political and security issues, from maritime security to nonproliferation to disaster response.
On this last issue in particular, the United States is ready to lend our expertise to help build the capacity of the East Asia Summit and other institutions to respond swiftly and effectively when natural disasters strike. From the 2004 tsunami to the earthquake earlier this year in Christchurch, New Zealand, the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan, the flooding now happening in Thailand, the United States stands ready to contribute, to deliver aid, to provide expertise and capabilities, financial resources. Other nations are now making disaster resilience a higher priority. Because even when disaster strikes just one country alone, the impact is widely felt, so this calls out for a closely coordinated regional response.
And that's what strong regional institutions can help provide, like the East Asia Summit, APEC, ASEAN, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. We need to be able to muster collective action when it is called for, reinforce a system of rules and responsibilities, reward constructive behavior with legitimacy and respect, and hold accountable those who undermine peace, stability, and prosperity. The institutions of the Asia Pacific have become more capable in recent years, and the United States is committed to helping them grow in effectiveness and reach. We are answering the calls to us from the region in playing an active role in helping to set agendas.
Our ability to build a successful regional architecture will turn on our ability to work effectively with the emerging powers, countries like Indonesia, or India, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Pacific Island countries. So we're making a concerted effort to build closer and more extensive partnerships with all these nations. India and Indonesia in particular are two of the most dynamic and significant democratic powers in the world, and the United States is committed to broader, deeper, more purposeful relations with each. And we want to actively support India's look east policy as it grows into an act east policy.
Our most complex and consequential relationships with an emerging power is, of course, with China. Some in our country see China's progress as a threat to the United States, while some in China worry that America seeks to constrain China. In fact, we believe a thriving China is good for China, and a thriving China in – is good for America. President Obama and I have made very clear that the United States is fundamentally committed to developing a positive and cooperative relationship with China.
Expanding our areas of common interest is essential. Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner and I, along with our Chinese counterparts, launched the Strategic and Economic Dialogue in 2099. These are the most intensive and expansive talks ever conducted between our governments, and we look forward to traveling to Beijing this spring for the fourth round. Now, we are looking to China to intensify dialogue between civilian and military officials through the Strategic Security Dialogue so we can have an open and frank discussions on the most sensitive issues in our relationship, including maritime security and cyber security.
On the economic front, the United States and China have to work together – there is no choice – to ensure strong, sustained, balanced future global growth. U.S. firms want fair opportunities to export to China's markets and a level playing field for competition. Chinese firms want to buy more high-tech products from us, make more investments in our country, and be accorded the same terms of access that market economies enjoy. We can work together on these objectives, but China needs to take steps to reform. In particular, we are working with China to end unfair discrimination against U.S. and other foreign companies, and we are working to protect innovative technologies, remove competition-distorting preferences. China must allow its currency to appreciate more rapidly and end the measures that disadvantage or pirate foreign intellectual property.
We believe making these changes would provide a stronger foundation for stability and growth, both for China and for everyone else. And we make a similar case when it comes to political reform. Respect for international law and a more open political system would also strengthen China's foundation, while at the same time increasing the confidence of China's partners.
We have made very clear our serious concerns about China's record on human rights. When we see reports of lawyers, artists, and others who are detained or disappeared, the United States speaks up both publicly and privately. We are alarmed by recent incidents in Tibet of young people lighting themselves on fire in desperate acts of protest, as well as the continued house arrest of the Chinese lawyer Chen Guangcheng. We continue to call on China to embrace a different path.
And we remain committed to the One-China policy and the preservation of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We have a strong relationship with Taiwan, an important security and economic partner, and we applaud the progress that we have seen in cross-Strait relations between China and Taiwan during the past three years and we look forward to continued improvement so there can be peaceful resolution of their differences.
To those in Asia who wonder whether the United States is really here to stay, if we can make and keep credible strategic and economic commitments and back them up with action, the answer is: Yes, we can, and yes, we will. First, because we must. Our own long-term security and prosperity depend on it. Second, because making significant investments in strengthening partnerships and institutions help us establish a system and habits of cooperation that, over time, will require less effort to sustain.
That's what we learned from our transatlantic experiment. It took years of patient, persistent efforts to build an effective regional architecture across the Atlantic. But there is no question it was worth every political dialogue, every economic summit, every joint military exercise. For hundreds of millions of people in Europe, the United States and the transatlantic community has meant more secure and prosperous lives. If we follow that path in Asia, building on all that we have already done together, we can lift lives in even greater numbers. And this region can become an even stronger force for global progress.
In 1963, President Kennedy gave a speech about the Atlantic community in Frankfurt, Germany. Now, that was at a time when many people were convinced that it would not last. President Kennedy described an "Atlantic partnership: a system of cooperation, interdependence, and harmony, whose people can jointly meet their burdens and opportunities throughout the world." He acknowledged that there would be difficulties, delays, doubts, and discouragement. But the process of partnership would grow stronger as nations and people devoted themselves to common tasks. He said then, "Let it not be said of this Atlantic generation that we left ideals and visions to the past. We have come too far, we have sacrificed too much, to disdain the future now."
Well, today, on the opposite side of the world, we have faced a similar juncture. This Pacific generation has and will face difficulties. But our region is more secure and prosperous than it has ever been, and that is directly linked to the cooperation that has blossomed among us. The more we have seen each other's well-being as beneficial to ourselves, the better things have become for all of us.
Our work may have began long ago, but we are called today with new urgency to carry it forward. And in this, the United States is fully committed. We are ready to engage and to lead, on behalf of our citizens, our neighbors and partners, and the future generations whose lives will be shaped by the work we do today together.
Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
DR. MORRISON: I think that speech was breathtaking in its comprehensiveness, and it was also inspirational and it was visionary, and I think all of us here are proud to be part of the team. There's no place in the world that I think has a greater stake in the future of U.S.-Asia Pacific relations, so we thank you very much for that speech, which, with the two other speeches, makes a very nice trifecta of speeches. Thank you.
And the Secretary, as she did when she stood here before, has agreed to take three student questions, and I think the first student question is ready. It's Pattama Lenuwat there, and she is a Thai student in our leadership program, so Pattama.
QUESTION: Thank you very much, Madam Secretary, for sharing the foreign policy to Asian – Asia Pacific countries. I feel much appreciate for the policy that the U.S. Government have for the rest of the world, especially for Asian countries. I am Pattama from Bangkok, Thailand, land of smiles, I can say. If you see me smiling, it doesn't mean that I'm happy all the time, especially during the severe flooding in Bangkok at this moment. And unfortunately, our first female prime minister cannot come to participate APEC meeting this time, so – but I believe that U.S. Government will give a lot of support in terms of financial support to Thailand.
But my question is, in order to see my country to be developed in sustainable way, I would like to know: Is there any plan from the U.S. Government to encourage or increase the trade in Thailand after the flooding is relieved? Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well thank you, and our hearts go out to the people of Thailand. This has been a terrible flood and has covered a great portion of Thai countryside, and now, as you said, in Bangkok, it is slow, unfortunately, to recede. So the numbers of people that are without homes may be as high as 2 million, and we are deeply concerned by what is happening right now and what the consequences of this flooding will be. Because your prime minister could not come to APEC – and I think she made exactly the right decision; she must stay and help to lead the efforts to protect the people and take other necessary actions – I will be going to Thailand and I will be bringing with me a strong message of support and solidarity and specific measures of assistance.
We are very willing to help the Thai Government and the Thai people, but we want to be sure that we are responding to the help requested. It is not for us to make a judgment about what you need. It is for us to sit with your government and for your officials to tell us what you require and then for us to respond. But I have been working with Admiral Willard, the leader of our Pacific Forces with the Pentagon. I talked with Secretary of Defense Panetta before I left. So I will be coming with a list of ways we are prepared to help, but also to hear what will be most necessary. And I like the way you said this, that we should look at what we need to do immediately, but then once we get through this terrible period, what more can we do to help Thailand embark on a path of sustainable development.
DR. MORRISON: Now we have Derek Mane. He's from the Solomon Islands and he's a Pacific – a South Pacific scholar.
QUESTION: Thank you again, Madam, for the wonderful speech that has been (inaudible) of today. I have a couple of questions, but – however, for the (inaudible) I might be asking just two questions based on the U.S. (inaudible) in the Pacific region. My first question would be on the human right – violence in West Papua. What is the United States stand on the issue of violation of human rights in West Papua in Indonesia?
The other question that I might like, also, to (inaudible) is the economic leverage that China is getting into the region as well. For instance, the Ramu investment in Papua New Guinea for the coal mining, and also the proposed Fiji mining that's also China involvement in heavy – in economy. What is the view of the United States on that influence? Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: With respect to your first question, we have very directly raised our concerns about the violence and the abuse of human rights. We do not believe there is any basis for that. There needs to be continuing dialogue and political reforms in order to meet the legitimate needs of the Papua people, and we will be raising that again directly and encouraging that kind of approach.
With respect to Chinese investment, the United States does not object to investment from anywhere, particularly in our Pacific Island friends, because we want to see sustainable growth. We want to see opportunities for Pacific Islanders. But as I said in my speech, we want also to see investment carried out by the United States, by China, by anyone, according to certain rules that will truly benefit the countries in which the investment occurs. We also strongly believe that the interests of the countries need to be protected. So that if there is development of natural resources, which we are finding are quite prevalent in the Pacific Island nations, we want the people of those nations to benefit, not just the companies and the countries that do the extraction.
So we want a rules-based, fair, free, transparent, level playing field for investment and doing business. But perhaps even more importantly, we want to see the countries benefit. We don't want to wake up in a decade and see that natural resources have been depleted, you don't have any better roads, you don't have any better schools, you don't have any better health care, you don't have jobs for the people of the countries themselves because labor's been imported. So we want to be sure that everybody is signed up to a system of investment and business that will truly benefit the countries where it occurs. So that's one of the reasons we are pushing quite hard on a rules-based system, and why we're also talking with our colleagues in – not only the Pacific Island nations, but elsewhere in the region – about what they can do to try to maintain their natural resource heritage.
A couple of countries have done it very well. A country like Norway, which struck oil, put a very large percentage of the oil revenues into a trust fund for the future benefit of Norwegians. Botswana, which has made a great deal of economic benefit from the diamond industry, created a trust fund, so it's one of the reasons why Botswana has the best roads, why you can drink the water, why the school system is nationwide. That's what I want to see. I'm not against anybody investing, my own companies, anybody else's companies. But I want nations to stand up for their rights and to make sure that the benefits of the investments don't just go to a few members of the elite but benefit the people of these countries who deserve that kind of economic growth. (Applause.)
DR. MORRISON: Now we have Mian Cui from China.
QUESTION: Good morning, Secretary Clinton.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning.
QUESTION: My name is Mian. I'm from China. Since you talk a lot about making new rules, I would like to ask you a question about the future rule-makers still in school right now.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes.
QUESTION: So in this year, President Obama's speech in the State of Union, he actually said – talked about foreign students studying in the States. He said, like, some are the children of under – undocumented workers, others come here from abroad, study in our colleges and universities, but as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, they send – we send them back home to compete against us.
So I'm actually asking: What kind of adjustment or any changes do U.S. Government want to make or are thinking of making right now in terms of staying ahead in this competition of global talents? And also, what do you expect international education exchange programs to do, and what kind of role do you expect them to play in this process? Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: That's a great question because it's something I feel passionately about. And my colleague from the State Department, with whom I work closely on these issues, Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell and I, really zeroed in on the importance of greater student exchanges. So we're doing several things. We have a program to try to get 100,000 more students – more American students studying in China, more Chinese students coming to the United States, but we're also doing that with Indonesia, with Malaysia, with other countries as well. We want to increase the number of students coming to the United States from Japan and South Korea, which historically have been large pools of students now that needs to be reinvigorated.
We also have a very exciting program that will – that President Obama will be announcing to work with the East-West Center to teach more students in the region English, so that they could perhaps pursue educational opportunities in the United States. Senator Inouye has been a staunch supporter of student exchanges, because he knows how important they are. And so we're going to keep pushing this. And we're also trying to change our rules and regulations so that students both are – find it easier to come in the first place and easier to stay after they finish their education. So we fully agree with you that we want to put more emphasis on this.
Another area that we're focused on is opening up more American colleges and universities across the region, because we think that higher education is one of our great exports, and not every Chinese student or Indonesian student will be able to come study in the United States, but if we can have American colleges and universities that run high-quality programs, we'll be able to reach more students.
So on all of these aspects of this challenge, we are committed and we're going to do everything we can to increase numbers and to make it easier and to try to restore the level of student exchange that we had prior to 9/11. Because really, it was 9/11 that began to shut down our borders, make security much more difficult, and we lost a lot of students who decided they would go to Australia, or New Zealand, or China, or India, or somewhere else. And so we have worked hard to clear away some of the necessary security issues to get more students. And we want more American students to go and study as well. So hopefully, you'll begin to see the changes that we're working toward in the very near future.
Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
Thank you, Charles. Always good to be here with you.
DR. MORRISON: Okay. Thank you. We wish the Secretary well as she does her duties.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hare Cuff Links - Skultuna x Krista Kretzschmar
The Nordic Wildlife Collection for Skultuna is based on the already classical animal bracelets that the jewelry designer and goldsmith Krista Kretzschmar became famous for. She has shaped the collection from five selected Nordic animals: eagle, bear, wolf, deer, and hare. Each piece of the jewelry in the collection has first been developed and hand sculpted by Krista Kretzschmar, then produced by Skultuna. The series include bangles and cufflinks in polished steel and gold plated steel.
- Brand Skultuna 1607
- Material 316L High grade steel
- Measurements 15mm (onesize)
- Art no 1085-S
Please check our Size Guide HERE to ensure the correct size for you
Customer support
Don't hesitate to contact us using the chat below, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call +46 21 78303. We respond within 24 hours.
Shipping and returns
- Free Home Delivery World Wide - Free gift wrapping - VAT excluded - 30 day return policy - Normal delivery time 2-5 business days.


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Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft underground injection control (UIC) program permitting guidance for class II wells that use diesel fuels during hydraulic fracturing activities. EPA developed the draft guidance to clarify how companies can comply with a law passed by Congress in 2005, which exempted hydraulic fracturing operations from the requirement to obtain a UIC permit, except in cases where diesel fuel is used as a fracturing fluid.
The draft guidance outlines for EPA permit writers, where EPA is the permitting authority, requirements for diesel fuels used for hydraulic fracturing wells, technical recommendations for permitting those wells and a description of diesel fuels for EPA underground injection control permitting. The draft guidance describes diesel fuels for these purposes by reference to six chemical abstract services registry numbers. The agency is requesting input on this description.
While this guidance undergoes public notice and comment, decisions about permitting hydraulic fracturing operations that use diesel fuels will be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the facts and circumstances of the specific injection activity and applicable statutes, regulations and case law, and will not cite this draft guidance as a basis for decision.
EPA continues to work with states, the industry and other stakeholders to help ensure that natural gas is developed safely and responsibly.
EPA will take public comment on the draft guidance for 60 days upon publication in the Federal Register to allow for stakeholder input before it is finalized.
This free webinar will inform attendees on the most significant updates and modifications in the new standard, known as E1527-21 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process.


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Justin Bieber vs. Austin Mahone vs. Harry Styles vs. James Maslow: Who's the Best Brunette? – Readers Poll
It's a battle of the brunettes! Justin Bieber, Austin Mahone, Harry Styles and James Maslow are all facing off for fans to decide which hottie rocks brown hair best. Which pop star gets your vote?
Justin Bieber's brunette locks have carried him all the way from the swoop to the more sophisticated shaved-sides-long-on-top look. His light brown, honey-tinted color matches perfectly with those soulful, chocolate eyes -- a combination that is sure to leave Beliebers swooning.
Austin Mahone's sandy hair is one of our favorite things about his style, especially considering it goes so well with his tan, sun-kissed skin. His locks are lusciously thick, the kind that Mahomies would kill to run their fingers through. We're also huge fans of his deep side part, which totally gives the 18-year-old singer an air of maturity and a slight hint of preppiness. Super cute!
Harry Styles has some of the darkest (and wildest!) hair of the bunch, and who knows how many secrets are hidden in that mane. But fortunately, the scent of it isn't one of them -- as One Direction's hair stylist revealed that Harry's chocolate locks smell like a "combination of the One Direction perfume, some Fudge Urban Raspberry [hair product], and Vanilla Hair Spray and tour catering." Yum!
James Maslow rocked his perfectly styled brown hair all over the ballroom on 'Dancing With the Stars,' and it only made us love him even more. James' hair is super straight, a little more buzzed on the side than Bieber's, but with the top long and gelled into some swoon-worthy spikes. It totally compliments the scruff he has going on on his chin and cheeks, giving him a more rugged, adult look. We love it!
Which pop star rocks brunette hair best? Vote for Justin Bieber, Austin Mahone, Harry Styles or James Maslow in the poll below!


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Yale Hook & Eye now accepts credit card payment through the secure Paypal website only.Details.
Yale's minimum orders are 144 yards or 100 meters. If you are looking for smaller quantities, please visit the websites of our customers who sell retail. Homesew.com IslandSewing.com
Content copyright (c) 2018 by Yale Hook and Eye Company, Inc. Design, hosting and support from OAO Solution Spark.


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A teenager accused of gunning down his parents and three siblings in their New Mexico home last month has been indicted on five counts of murder.
Investigators said Nehemiah Griego, 15, had hoped to go on a killing spree and die in a shootout with police.
A Bernalillo County grand jury also indicted Griego on Monday on three counts of intentionally caused child abuse and three counts of death of a child under 12, charges that relate to the killing of his two sisters and brother. Griego is being charged as an adult, prosecutors announced.FULL STORY
"He had hoped to go on a killing spree & die in a shoot out with the police".
Well I wonder what sort of weapon he must have been dreaming of using in his twisted fantasies? What weapon could give him that kind of power?
A baseball bat, a knife, a rock?
A bomb, poison, an axe(while they were sleeping) , arson?
Anything can be used "as" a weapon, whackos.
Thank you Boom for the enlightenment, a thing whackos do not want you to hear about. Anytime you strip away the ability to let one defend themselves, it's pretty much a no brainer crime will step in.
The sad part of all this is it's an everyday thing, we're j
hearing more now because of the firearms fight.
Sure . And we have seen shooting sprees & rise in gun deaths in Australia since the ban on guns. lol
Civilians should have unhindered access to military style assault weapons and magazines. Lets really go crazy.
@ saywhat, i dont think thats exactly what 1608 meant. True
Military weapons should not be in civilian homes BUT law abiding citizens should be allowed to purchase and keep weapons. And crooks are still gonna get em however they have been up til now. This is just one more political game.


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Study Indicates Cannabis Can be Used to Fight Covid
Can cannabis protect against Covid?
Forbes reports this is the contention of a study published this week by researchers affiliated with Oregon State University. A report on the research, "Cannabinoids Block Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 and the Emerging Variants," was published online on Monday by the�Journal of Natural Products," published this week by researchers affiliated with Oregon State University. A report on the research, "Cannabinoids Block Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 and the Emerging Variants," was published online on Monday by the�Journal of Natural Products.
"The researchers found that two cannabinoid acids commonly found in hemp varietals of cannabis, cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, and cannabidiolic acid, also known as CBDA, can bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19," reports Forbes. "By binding to the spike protein, the compounds can prevent the virus from entering cells and causing infection, potentially offering new avenues to prevent and treat the disease."
"Orally bioavailable and with a long history of safe human use, these cannabinoids, isolated or in hemp extracts, have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2," the researchers�wrote�in an abstract of the study.
"These cannabinoid acids are abundant in hemp and in many hemp extracts," Richard van Breemen, the researcher who led the study, told local media according to Forbes. "They are not controlled substances like THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and have a good safety profile in humans."
Van Breemen added that CBDA and CBGA blocked the action of emerging variants of the virus that causes Covid-19, saying that "our research showed the hemp compounds were equally effective against variants of SARS-CoV-2, including variant B.1.1.7, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, and variant B.1.351, first detected in South Africa."
"Any part of the infection and replication cycle is a potential target for antiviral intervention, and the connection of the spike protein's receptor binding domain to the human cell surface receptor ACE2 is a critical step in that cycle," van Breeman said.
"That means cell entry inhibitors, like the acids from hemp, could be used to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and also to shorten infections by preventing virus particles from infecting human cells. They bind to the spike proteins so those proteins can't bind to the ACE2 enzyme, which is abundant on the outer membrane of endothelial cells in the lungs and other organs."
Acknowledging that further research is needed, Breeman noted that the shows the cannabinoids could be developed into drugs to prevent or treat Covid-19.
"These compounds can be taken orally and have a long history of safe use in humans," van Breemen noted. "They have the potential to prevent as well as treat infection by SARS-CoV-2. CBDA and CBGA are produced by the hemp plant as precursors to CBD and CBG, which are familiar to many consumers. However, they are different from the acids and are not contained in hemp products."


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Tips on Buying the Best Spy Cameras
Spy cameras are known to offer information on any activity within an institution without other peoples' knowledge. You can collect evidence and proofs through recording what is going on within an institution using a hiding camera. Regardless of the size of a hiding camera, it can capture full details of a footage. For your security purposes, there are several hiding cameras that you can buy from. It might, however, be challenging to discern the best spy camera to buy. There are several characteristics you should look at when buying a hiding camera.
Based on the quality of a hiding camera, you can determine whether it is fit for buying. It is advisable that you buy a hiding camera that is of high quality. Your surveillance needs might not be well catered if you buy a hiding camera that is of poor quality. Also, a quality spy camera will help keep your family or your organization safe without incurring any payments or costs. Quality hiding cameras are durable and you will not, therefore, need to incur replacement costs. hiding a camera that is not warranted cannot is not reasonable. A warranty is a guarantee of long-lasting.
Additionally, consider the cost of a given hiding camera before you settle for it. The best hiding camera should come at an affordable price. Through comparing the prices of several hiding cameras, you will determine the most affordable one.
The technology used in the manufacture of a given hiding camera will also determine its suitability. The best hiding camera should use the latest technology. Technology has greatly affected the security industry. A spy camera that is not technologized will not be effective. You will be sure of enhancing security if you choose a technologized hiding camera.
You can discern a good hiding camera on the basis of its size. hiding a camera is a key thing you should ponder when determining its size. A good spy camera should be easy to hide. A hiding camera that is suggestive cannot therefore be effective. Look for a small-sized hiding camera that people cannot easily detect.
The reputation of the manufacturer of a hiding camera should also be considered before buying one. Choose a hiding camera that has been manufactured by a recognized company. You are guaranteed that a hiding camera has the best features if it is from a reputable company. You can, therefore, get the reviews of those who have used the hiding camera in question before. Choose a highly rated company when hiding a camera in your home or office. You can be sure that a hiding camera has the best features if most people like it.


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You don't need to own a yacht, go to boarding school or even enjoy squash to appreciate the belting from Leather Man Ltd. A New England staple since 1967, Leather Man continues to manufacture their belts in Essex, CT, just north of the Long Island Sound. Their specialty? Made-to-order belts suitable for any summer outing. Choose from D-Ring or tab & buckle closure, select the color of your webbing fabric and pick one of the many available ribbon motifs. Try a classic like the maritime signal flags, green headed mallards and spinnaker sails, or choose something a little more tongue-in-cheek like Indian beading or the skull and crossbones. There are thousands of possible combinations, all for an incredibly affordable price. A leather version of the tab and buckle belt is available for only a few clams more. Country club membership not included.
$28-35, available at Eliza B.
What should I pack for my first business trip?
- Matt, OH
With nearly every airline imposing a baggage fee nowadays, if you can get away with flying with just a carry-on, do it.
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Tag Archives: ellen
Jimmy Fallon and the Emmy Awards
Last night I watched the 2010 Emmy Award Show. Jimmy Fallon was at his best. When was the last time you felt "at your best?" My philosophy of life is "find something you love to do and get someone to … Continue reading


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Breaking: Countries Act in Their Own Interests in Spite of What's Best for Everyone Else
The prisoner's dilemma, it seems, is still a profitable mine in economic academia.
A couple of researchers at the New York Fed are out with a new paper on capital controls. In it, conventional wisdom (and the aforementioned dilemma) proves right and the contrarian view, dating from the Asian financial crisis 15 years ago, wrong.
When countries simultaneously and independently engage in such interventions in the international flow of capital, not only global but individual welfare is adversely affected….
Countries decide to restrict the international flow of capital exactly when this flow is crucial to ensure cross-border risk sharing. Our findings point to the possibility of costly "capital control wars" and thus to significant gains from international policy coordination.
But here's the really shocking revelation:
The paper does allow that restricting capital flows can make sense from the perspective of an individual nation. It's just that in following this path, trouble is created for the broader global financial system.
NY Fed Paper Argues Against Capital Controls [WSJ Real Time Economics]


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taken from the LA Zoo's website
For Los Angeles
The Library Foundation of Los Angeles
LA Conservancy
We Like LA
KCRW – Design and Architecture
KCRW – Press Play
LA Observed
Inside the Story
the LAist
Literary Affairs
Los Angeles Magazine
For Parenting and Beyond
Common Sense Media
NY Times Parenting
NPR Parenting
Red Tricycle
Cultural Curation
Last Tweets
- How are the kids doing? https://t.co/PmsCwxQ8V9, Mar 16
- I wrote about Groundhog Day and how repetition can lead to mastery and growth. Thanks for the shoutout… https://t.co/ARa5EwAnCk, Feb 3
- More excellent advice about managing emotions in the family during this dreadful week. https://t.co/bjRa9DEQLr, Jan 7


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On May 7, 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the British ocean liner Lusitania just off the southern coast of Ireland, mere hours from port. The Lusitania was one of the largest and most luxurious ships of its time. It carried a complement of 1,962 people, passengers and crew, as well as hundreds of tons of munitions (something the British government repeatedly denied until 1982).
Shortly after the torpedo struck, there was a second (internal) explosion, and twenty minutes later the Lusitania's bow was on the seabed. Of the 1,962 souls onboard, 1,198 were lost. One of the mysteries surrounding the sinking of the Lusitania is why she still had unmanned lifeboats aboard when she went down. Only six of the Lusitania's 48 lifeboats were launched.
There was certainly little time to launch the boats before the Lusitania went under, and she was listing badly, which made the task extremely difficult and for some boats impossible. But there is another possibility as well. After the torpedo struck, one of the surviving passengers heard a passenger call out, "Captain, what do you wish us to do?" Captain William Thomas Turner replied, "Stay right where you are, Madam, she's all right."
The female passenger then asked the captain, "Where do you get your information?" and he answered, "From the engine room, Madam." There is no evidence, however, the engine room provided the captain with such information. It seems Turner said what he said not because it was true, but because he was trying to prevent a panic.
Moments later, a passenger shouted from the direction of the bridge, "The Captain says the boat will not sink," and cheers went up across the deck. According to an eyewitness, people who were trying to board the lifeboats changed their minds and turned around.
Misplaced trust killed many of the people who died that day. They got bad information, and accepted it as true. In this, the age of spin doctors and fake news, we may be as vulnerable in our own way as were the passengers of the Lusitania.
This is particularly true in the areas of spirituality and religion, where anyone (I am an example) can voice an opinion. Warnings against misplaced trust have been sounded since at least the prophet Jeremiah's time. He lambasted the religious professionals of his time who, he said, "…dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace."
This is a recurring theme in the Bible's Old Testament, and particularly in Jeremiah. The prophet carried on a lengthy feud with religious professionals who falsely reassured their hearers everything would be alright. St. Paul sounded a similar note in the New Testament when he warned, "While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly … and they will not escape."
The message, "You don't have to do anything; it'll be fine," plays well to an audience. It played well to the people aboard the Lusitania, and they broke into cheers – just minutes before they drowned. It played well in 1929 when the Secretary of the Treasury, just weeks before the stock market crash and the onset of the Great Depression, assured people, "There is no cause to worry. The high tide of prosperity will continue." And it plays well now.
I sometimes hear the "You don't have to do anything; it'll be fine" message in religious circles, usually introduced by the confident assertion that God loves us unconditionally. It's true God's love is unconditional, but nowhere in the Bible does the message of his love promote a laissez-faire complacency.
According to St Paul, God's kindness does not leave people where they are, but leads them elsewhere – to repentance. God is like a good parent. He doesn't stop loving his children because they disobey him or engage in immoral or self-destructive behaviors, but neither will he ignore or acquiesce to such behaviors.
The Bible is clear: God did not send his Son so we could remain in our selfishness and sin, but so we could escape them. He does not say, "Stay where you are; it's alright." That's not the kind of thing he would say. He loves us too much.
First published in The Coldwater Daily Reporter, 4/5/2017


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As if they haven't had enough headaches in New Jersey in the past week, this morning they can add earthquake to the list.
The magnitude-2.0 temblor struck at 1:19 a.m. and was centered two miles south-southeast of Ringwood, New Jersey, not far from the border with New York. The depth was 3.1 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The agency logged 11 responses from people who said they felt the quake across seven zip codes in New York and New Jersey. Quakes in the eastern U.S. - even small ones like this - are typically felt over a larger area than quakes in the western part of the country, the USGS says. Quakes occur less frequently in the eastern U.S. than in the West.
No damage was reported from Monday's quake.
The largest quake ever recorded in New Jersey was a magnitude-5.3 temblor in 1783, according to the USGS.
Sounds a lot like the ridicule Noah took just before it rained for the first time... signs of the times I guess...
Why blame ye God for natural disasters? God is absolute eternal truth. How very confusing are the words and deeds of greedy mankind from Gods truth. God seeks to lead us on safe paths toward life, warning us of danger. He calls them sins. He gave us minds to understand and prepare to survive natueal disasters that happen whether or not humans are present to see them. He wants us to know he is with us always, seeking peacefullnes. A larger asteroid strike might shake loose the Yellowstone caldera and midwest fault lines, ending most physical life on Earth for some time. God has been with us from the beginning to protect and shelter our souls better than any manmade machine is capable of doing. Please see the Faith that will sustain us when the machines are all gone.
You're right...i was praying so hard that I never even felt the 2.0 earthquake. Thank you God!


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Freenode offers a couple wonderful services to any IRC user that I'm afraid many just know about. They outline it very well on their website, but I'm afraid that many an IRC user aren't taking advantage of them. As such, seeing as though my blog syndicates a couple planets, hopefully I will reach a broad readership who use IRC, and hopefully, I will be able to convince those readers to take advantage of these services.
First, a Freenode cloak and what a it is. When you connect to an IRC server, the server looks up your hostname, and if the servers are in round robin DNS, a server with the least load and shortest ping times is chosen. When connected, your nick, coupled with your hostname, provide a unique identifier for your connection. The only problem is, unless cloaked, anyone can see your hostname, and create a DoS attack on you personally. While rare, and isolated incidents, the exposure makes you vulnerable. Freenode cloaks solve this issue.
What is a cloak? A cloak hides your hostmak, which contains your IP address and/or domain name, keeping others from seeing where your IRC session is connected, and keeping you effectively secure from outside DoS attacks. For example, when you join a channel, your hostmask is displayed as follows:
21:25 -!- lamer [firstname.lastname@example.com] has joined #ubuntu
Here we can plainly see the user "lamer" and his IP address. While that might not be the IP address that he is located at, but rather just his IRC session, he is potentially prone to a DoS attack. Now, image that he was cloaked by Freenode staff:
21:25 -!- lamer [n=user@unaffiliated/lamer] has joined #ubuntu
We know his nick, as is needed to communicate with him, but we know nothing of his domain or IP address. A DoS attack on this user would be ineffective.
Unaffiliated cloaks are handed out with no strings attached. The user is asked to follow a few basic rules before the cloak can be given, but if they are met, they are handed out freely and willingly. However, it would be much appreciated if the user would financially donate to Freenode. Such users are given a special cloak, part of "project cloaks". The following cloak would be applied if our user "lamer" above donated at the bronze level:
21:25 -!- lamer [n=user@pdpc/supporter/bronze/lamer] has joined #ubuntu
This cloak is a special cloak that can be worn with pride showing that you are helping Freenode keep up with necessary server maintenance and general overhead. There are many other cloaks that can be applied, if you are involved with a certain project. Ubuntu has such cloaks for approved members, which you have probably seen around the network:
21:25 -!- lamer [n=user@ubuntu/member/lamer] has joined #ubuntu
There are many, many other project cloaks that can be applied, such as Gentoo development, Wikipedia editing and even cooking. Regardless of the cloak, your domain/IP is hidden from the users on the network, effectively killing any chance for a personal DoS attack. If anything else, they look cool and show your involvement with a specific project.
Now, I'd like to move on to another topic, effectively securing your connection even further. The topic is avoiding a specific router exploit called the DCC exploit. Rather than go into the details of how it is executed, the DCC exploit is troublesome for large channels, as it causes massive quits from the channel, effectively flooding the channel. Large channels are getting better, and most routers have patched the bug through firmware updates, but there are still users that are being affected.
What happens in most channels, is if you are affected by this exploit, then usually you will be temporarily banned from the channel until you either patch your router's firmware, or connect to Freenode on a different port. While patching your router's firmware should be your first priority, it definitely isn't the easiest, and you could end up with a dead router if executed poorly. The easiest way to patch this bug is to connect to Freenode on port 8001 as the exploit only affects users on port 6667. Check your IRC client's documentation on how to connect to servers on different ports.Check your IRC client's documentation on how to connect to servers on different ports.
These two tools secure your connection on Freenode, making it pretty difficult to remove you from the network unless you're Freenode staff. While your connection is not secured via encryption, and still in plain text on the wire, unless connected to Freenode's hidden service via tor, you can rest assured that you'll stay connected, given the fact that you have a stable ISP.
I would HIGHLY recommend taking full advantages of these two services: acquiring a cloak, and connecting on port 8001, if you spend any amount of time on Freenode. Join #freenode for further information regarding these topics.


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The crazy product bonanza that is the IFA expo in Berlin is only two weeks away. The buzz is beginning to build. But until the announcement blitz begins with the press conferences on the 30th August, we're having to make do with a normal news week.
Luckily though, it's been an interesting one. With news ranging from the dead man who received a $218 trillion phone bill, to the revelation that the Nintendo Wii is set to face yet more stock shortages. Here's a round-up of the week's hottest stories...
The week started with news that the Nintendo Wii is on the brink of overhauling sales of the Microsoft Xbox 360 to become the biggest selling next-gen console on the market. The Xbox 360 was launched a year before the Wii, but booming Nintendo sales have seen it catch up fast.
Google offers up to 250GB for Gmail accounts When Google introduced its Gmail webmail service in 2004 its impact on competitors like Hotmail and Yahoo was immediate. The-then-1GB offering forced others to rethink their business plans completely and with wind that Hotmail was going to up its storage to 5GB, Google has forged ahead again.
Onkyo launches super HD DVD player in US Japanese home entertainment company Onkyo announced on Monday the launch of its first HD DVD player, the DV-HD805. It's set to become one of the first HD DVD players to take advantage of high-bit-rate audio streaming using HDMI version 1.3a - one to watch out for in the UK sometime soon perhaps?
Man gets $218 trillion phone bill A Malaysian man who received a $218 trillion phone bill for his late father's phone line - with a demand to pay it within 10 days or face prosecution - is preparing to fight any legal action. Most bizarre story of the week? See more stories like this in this week's Weird Tech round-up.
Are you stressed out by email? New research shows that email stress is rising fast. Office workers are becoming increasingly distracted and feel under pressure as the result of ever-more rapidly filling inboxes.
PSP processor throttled by Wi-Fi connection In June, Sony updated the PSP and unlocked the full processing potential of its 333MHz CPU. But now the Japanese company says that if you've got your PSP's Wi-Fi connection enabled, the clock speed of the console returns to its previous setting of 266MHz.
BBC iPlayer growth annoys ISPs Britain's ISPs have expressed their discomfort at the mass-adoption of on-demand TV through the BBC's iPlayer service. The corporation initially said it would be introducing users gradually to the Beta service. However, user numbers are known to be over the 120,000 mark, and ISPs want money out of the BBC to pay for all the bandwidth.
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There's a protest outside the Dail right now. You can follow it on Twitter via #Savita. Michael Nugent is there. He wrote a blistering post on the subject before departing.
…while Savita was dying, the Catholic church was running an immoral propaganda campaign to mislead Irish people into believing that pregnant women will always get the medical care they need in Irish hospitals.
And Irish politicians were yet again refusing to legislate for abortion to save the life of a pregnant woman. They have now repeatedly refused to do this for twenty years, since the Irish courts established this right in the X case.
We have such a law in the US, at least in the case of hospitals that get federal funds (which most do). On the other hand it's not enforced. Catholic hospitals are allowed to let women die the way University Hospital Galway allowed Savita Halappanavar to die. Both countries are doing evil in this respect.
… just two years ago, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on complaints from three anonymous women (known as A, B and C) who had to travel from Ireland to England to have abortions, for various different reasons.
The European Court found that there is no automatic right to an abortion under the European Convention on Human Rights, and that two of the women did not have a right to an abortion, but that Ireland had violated the Convention with regard to the third woman.
The reason was that abortion is legal in Ireland when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, and the Irish state had failed to provide an accessible and effective procedure by which a woman can have established whether she qualifies for a legal abortion.
Twenty years after the X case, and two years after the ABC case, pregnant women in Ireland are still caught in the grip of Catholic dogma and political cowardice.
The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference has responded to the ABC ruling by launching a new campaign to stop the Irish Government from carrying out its duty to legislate. The campaign's website is at http://chooselife2012.ie.
Outrageous lying name for the site – "choose life" indeed – they chose death for Savita Halappanavar.