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In a recent blog post, I discussed the strange career of John Dickson Carr – namely that almost all of the novels that he is famed for, all of his greatest works, appeared in a fifteen year period in the middle of a forty two year period. It was inspired by a comment stating that during this time, there was nobody to compete with Carr. Well, no one seems to be arguing with the statement that Carr's greatest work was in this period – time to look at the other side of the coin, namely was there anyone else competing with him during this period? So let's have a look at the main contender – Dame Agatha herself.
The period in question was, roughly, 1934 to 1946, when Carr was at his peak. So what was Christie writing during this time?
Christie's career follows a different track to Carr's. She starts with an absolute cracker in The Mysterious Affair At Styles and there are only a couple of significant dips in quality – at the time of her divorce in 1927 (and it only lasts a couple of books) and right at the end (and again, at worst, three or four books). True, her final books are less inventive, but compare, say, Third Girl with The House At Satan's Elbow or By The Pricking Of My Thumbs with Papa La-Bas. While the Christie books may be flawed in places, they're still good reads. But what about the period in question?
Christie wrote twenty four books in the time that Carr wrote about thirty five. Of those, fifteen of those featured Poirot (including ten in a row – no wonder she got a bit tired of him) and all of the classics are in there – Murder On The Orient Express (not my favourite though), The ABC Murders, Cards On The Table, Death On The Nile, Appointment With Death, Five Little Pigs… In fact, looking at the list, there aren't many books that you'd think were classics that weren't written in this period. The obvious exceptions are The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd, Crooked House and A Murder Is Announced – and, if you're of a certain disposition, then Endless Night as well.
But can you compare one with the other? Well, not really, as it all comes down to personal taste. But if Carr's books were better, why has Christie never been out of print, while Carr has mostly disappeared. It's probably her lead characters – Poirot and Miss Marple have a certain element of humour about them, whereas Fell is, in my opinion, an unsympathetic individual unlikely to appeal to the casual reader. Merrivale is a lot more fun, but is hardly a subtle character – you'd never see Poirot posing for a statue wearing only a sheet. Carr's characters tend to be less nuanced – not always the case, but their behaviour can be extremely odd at times – whereas while this criticism is often thrown at Christie too, I think in that case, it's not usually warranted. That's not to say Carr's books aren't fun – one of the most enjoyable of his books, The Case Of The Constant Suicides has a most unlikely and yet predictable romance in it, but it's great fun, despite the characters not behaving like human beings.
But Carr was, in my opinion, the better mystery writer, and not just because of the locked room stuff. In a large number of Christie's works, the killer stands out a mile, once you know what you're looking for. The gambit that she employs is predictable and while there's a lot of fun trying to spot the clues, you know that if it's going to be the SPOILER SPOILERY suspect, then it makes the job a lot easier. Put it this way – if someone in a Christie novel is choked to death with a banana, and someone is allergic to that fruit, then they might have well have MURDERER tattooed on their forehead. Whereas Carr would make everyone allergic to bananas and would have locked them all in a safe beforehand. I mentioned last time that Carr's ability to hide a murder has often been overlooked and I'll repeat it here. By having an impossible crime, it means that everyone is the least likely suspect and the reader is so busy puzzling over the how, you can overlook the who.
I think this is why Carr is (generally) the favourite of the fans of the mystery but Christie is the more popular author – her books are probably more re-readable as well. Most people aren't looking for a complex plot and a murder method that might need a diagram or a sequence of events that ranges from unlikely to ridiculous (yes, The Problem Of The Wire Cage, I'm looking at you). Christie's plots can be summarised in a few words – even the cleverest ideas such as Death On The Nile or And Then There Were None.
Should I declare a winner (in my opinion)? Of course not, because a) this is a fairly pointless exercise in case you hadn't spotted it already and b) despite the similarities, there are so many differences between the writers that a direct comparison comes down to personal preference and for me, it depends on my mood. To illustrate, let's take three of the very best of each:
Christie: Death On The Nile; And Then There Were None; The ABC Murders
Carr: She Died A Lady; He Who Whispers; The Judas Window
I don't know about you but I can't compare them. It's like comparing apples with oranges. Hand on heart, if I was to pick one up to re-read, it'd be the Christie books. But as puzzles, especially for the experienced reader, Carr wins every time.
So was Carr the strongest writer in the given period? Impossible to say – I think we need someone who discovered the two authors at the same time to make the judgment call, rather than what most of us did, namely read all of the Christies, hunt around for an age for a replacement and then finally find Carr as such a breath of fresh air.
But dear reader, I'm sure you have an opinion. If you were sent to a desert island with ten of the best from Christie or Carr (assuming you've already read them). Which one would you pick? Or is there a third author that I'm overlooking? Ellery Queen? Margery Allingham? Ngaio Marsh? Dorothy L Sayers?


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"People always talk about Betty as the wife of Miles Davis when I'd like to think that Miles Davis was more likely the wife of Betty." Neneh Cherry's intro at the recent UK premiere of 'Betty - They Say I'm Different' perfectly captures the influence and spirit of one of the greatest funk musicians of … Continue reading Slipping into darkness: Mysterious disappearance of feminist icon explored in new Betty Davis film
Author: macyojimbo
Top 10 songs about obsession to inspire your writing
Songs about obsession can offer writers an emotional gateway into love's dark and edgier cousin. From The Police's 'Every breath you take' and The Human League's 'Don't you want me baby' to Morrisey's 'The more you ignore me' and Blondie's 'One way or another', there's so much inspiration! Here's my Top Ten tunes about the … Continue reading Top 10 songs about obsession to inspire your writing
Original girl power: celebrating funk feminism in YA
Summer 2018 will see the 20th anniversary of the era-defining The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and er, Destiny's Child self-titled release. But one landmark is unlikely to be on your radar: the 45th anniversary of Betty Davis' self-titled LP. Betty who, you ask? Betty was the first of her kind: a musician completely at … Continue reading Original girl power: celebrating funk feminism in YA
Romancing the stone: The man who built a magic castle to lost love
To say that the man who claimed to have mastered the building techniques of the ancient Egyptians was enigmatic is somewhat an understatement. Edward Leedskalnin's monumental love letter in stone to his teen fiancé is as mysterious and incredible a feat as any Old Kingdom pyramid. You see, Ed knocked up his megalithic mega-structure(s) single-handed. … Continue reading Romancing the stone: The man who built a magic castle to lost love
Writing female leads: should male authors stick to what they know breast?
The recent social media storm in a wine glass that condemns or parodies male writers for objectifying women is an amusing if not timely reminder that the arts have some way to go in portraying about one half of the world.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nothing new about today's Pinot Noir debate
That our notion of what constitutes "the good" in wine is connected to a particular zeitgeist seems undeniable and unavoidable. One hundred and fifty years ago Pinot Blanc and/or Chardonnay were added to the best red wines of Burgundy "for superior finesse." Nor were the red wine grapes of the region mostly Pinot Noir, as they are today. "Even along the Cote d'Or, Gamay [Beaujolais] occupied almost a third of plantings" in the 1850s for such vineyards as Clos de Vougeot, already by then one of the most famous wines in the world and one that helped send Burgundy's reputation to the top of the heap. The reason vignerons used these varieties was because they knew that Pinot Noir, by ltself, made a wine that was too light, in both color and body (often little more than a rosé), to satisfy the consumer's taste. "We have abandoned the production of pale-colored wines to conform with the taste of foreigners," a head of Vougeot recorded, as early as 1763. Nearly a century later, when this practice of adding other grapes to Pinot Noir was at its peak, a certain Dr. Lavalle wondered if it came "at the expense of finesse and bouquet, and perhaps aging?".
If this sounds eerily familiar, it's because it's pretty much the same debate we see happening today with respect to Pinot Noir (and, to some extent, with Cabernet Sauvignon). There's a school of thought that the "California" style of Pinot Noir–which is to say, fairly high in alcohol, dark in color, robust in body and fruit-forward–does not properly represent "classic" Pinot Noir, as it has been produced in Burgundy for centuries. But, as the above suggests, the notion of "classic Pinot Noir" is a myth, existing only in the heads of certain romantics who do not know their history.
In fact, "The trend towards darker, heavier [Pinot Noir] intensified during the first part of the nineteenth century," writes the author of the fine new book from which the above quotes and information were taken, In Search of Pinot Noir, by Benjamin Lewin, a Master of Wine. One cannot read it without realizing that there's nothing new about today's debate. It's been going on for centuries, and should force us all to pause and consider. Those who argue that Pinot's true "character" is expressed, say, only below 14%, and only through being 100% unblended, really need to answer how it is that Burgundy's historic legend rests largely on Pinot Noirs that were blended with other, full-bodied varieties, simply because the people who bought it wanted a wine that actually tasted good, rather than one that conformed with some pre-formed concept in their heads. Nor was the debate in Burgundy confined to the 18th and 19th centuries. Lewin quotes a French expert who said, as recently as 1949, that "The finesse of wine made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris is superior to that made of Pinot Noir alone"; and he [Lewin] even cites first-hand gossip that the practice of blending a little Pinot Gris into red Burgundy (by "mistake") continues unabated today.
So we are left with but one conclusion: that at any given moment in time, there is a zeitgeist that determines what we consider quality in wine. Today, in Pinot Noir, the zeitgeist is schizophrenic: a small cadre of experts and elitists insists that Pinot has to be low in alcohol and rather frail in body, in order to be considered high quality. On the other hand, a sizable number of consumers–the people who actually buy the stuff–joined by a sizable number of critics (including me) holds that Pinot Noir can express its essence when made across a spectrum of styles. Who knows whether or not some well-known California Pinot might have been "boosted" by the addition of a little red or white wine? If someone gave you a Pinot Noir you thought was fantastic, and then told you it had 5% Pinot Gris, would you decide you didn't like it? This is not to say that a low alcohol Pinot Noir (which we will presume to be unblended) cannot stun. Nor is it to say that a high alcohol Pinot Noir has necessarily been blended. Most, I trust, have not. But I wouldn't care, either way. Only a purist would object, based, not on the impact the wine made on his palate, but on the knowledge of how it was made. Purists are thus revealed to be ideologues; and ideology is just what this old world doesn't need, in wine, politics, religion or anything else.
These debates always leave me scratching my head a bit, high vs. low, oak vs. unoaked, Nikon vs. Cannon, etc.
I always summed it up with, "a sizable number of consumers–the people who actually buy the stuff," reasoning. It doesn't matter what the Critics say, or what influential Sommeliers say, or winemakers for that matter. What speaks the loudest is where consumers spend their dollar. One might claim they have been misguided, but that is a pretty weak argument. People generally spend hard earned money on things they like.
When I drink Pinot, I am looking for a range of style based on the 50-70 Pinot's I have had over the few years I have been learning about wine. A few have fallen out of that pack, too extracted, too jammy, producing a wine more on par with Syrah. I did not like these. I have also had a few that fell short, too light, too thin, a ghost of a wine. I did not like these either.
But amongst the ones I did like, there was no perfect Pinot, they covered many styles and I liked them for different reasons, as I am sure you Steve would agree.
I think a winemaker's first priority is honesty in winemaking. If you are of the opinion that great wine is a reflection of a place and a specific varietal, and that those expressions should be as pure as possible, great! Say so, tell us that's how you approached your wine. If you are of the opinion that great wine is a wine that tastes good, even if you have to intervene in someway, great! Say so, tell us that you compiled your wine from various components available to you to make a product your customers would enjoy drinking.
But don't tell me that you are a purist because you make two estate wines that total 35% of your overall volume while you also produce two or three bulk wines sourced from many vineyards that allow you to keep your doors open.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
In the end, if you like the Pinot in your glass, then it is a good wine regardless of the "style." It remains challenging for winemakers, critics and consumers to be open and receptive to all "styles" of Pinot Noir as it is human nature to want to defend a personal preference and demean the alternatives. Steve, your last sentence is right on.
Rhone Wines with a dash of Viognier… Its been going on forever across the globe…Poyr the wine in the glass.. Like it? Have another glass… or not : )
It should say "Pour" not "Poyr" … < < < now that is a subject… Spellng and Grammar….whoa
Steve I like your style and approach to wine. Celebrate the differences and not getting hung up on "rules" or division. If it tastes good I'll lap it up out of a dog bowl and refuse to allow a cork, screw-cap, fruit forward, old world/new world, over/under 14%, blended, not blended to get in the way of me liking a wine, or buying it. I like coke, but have been seen drinking a Pepsi.
I like Canon but have seen amazing photos from Nikon. I really dig a Pinot clone 115 and 2A, but have purchased some killer 667/777 Pinots too….I just get out the steak for those.
God did not provide a rule book to grapes grown in a field. So to the elitist I say, have fun sitting in your box. Great post Steve!
If a wine was labeled as 93% pinot noir, 5% syrah and 2% pinot gris, I doubt people would care. It is the fact that people are (maybe) not getting what they think they are getting. If you bought a diamond, you'd be upset if you found out it was cubic zirconium. Who cares if it is the prettiest damn stone ever. Now, if you knew it was cz before you bought it, then that is a different story…
Colorado Wine Press, I agree but also think all ingredients should be listed. Having 76% Pinot and 24% Syrah and calling it Pinot is legal, but not fair to the consumer. I would buy a blended Pinot if the producer said "I added 5% of ___ to boost ___"
Your story is interesting, and your message is clear up until your conclusion: the schizophrenia you describe appears to have been as evident in the 17-1800s as it is today, thereby undermining the formation of a zeitgeist in the collective consciousness of the wine world throughout the centuries.
Also, I would agree with your final sentence if you replaced "ideology" with "dogma" by definition.
The perception of wine balance seems to be the most valued quality to most professional wine critics like yourself whether is is stated or not. Thus, it is the perceived lack of balance due to alcoholic heat, excess extraction, harsh tannins, angular mouthfeel, etc that seems to turn off most critics, and that is what I read in between the lines when I see a wine with redeemable qualities panned by the media.
@Steve: (1) a commercial winemaker's first priority is to make wine that sell; (2) a huge majority of winemakers are quite transparent about their approach to making wine; (3) all winemakers intervene — it's just a matter of degree; (4) producing two artisan wines and the remainder as cash cows is just sound economics because winemakers can't always function as artiste's in the real world.
Many wine producers seem to rally around and promote production ideologies that suit there unique situations. For example, you hear a lot of litany about how much better estate, organic, biodynamic, or sustainable wines are compared to the alternatives, but the reality is that good/great wines can be made via many approaches, including ones that may be considered anti-artisanal. In many ways, it comes down to value (a $10 fighting varietal may be a better value than a $100 estate wine from a pedigree AVA aged in French oak). Still, there are winemakers who are only willing to make artisan wines whether they sell or not, but I have to wonder what happens to those lonely bottles sitting somewhere on a palette.
Finally, Winemaker Bob Cabral (now at Williams-Selyem) told me a story in the mid-1990s when he was at Alderbrook about his days of making bulk wine in the Central Valley. I'm paraphrasing, of course, but it went something like this: "Try keeping a farm of 300,000 tanks from not getting stuck fermentations. Tell me that's not winemaking!" His point is as valid today as it was then. There's a wine and an approach for every winemaker and consumer; you just have to find your niche.
Joe G
Cotati, Calif
Joe –
"@Steve: (1) a commercial winemaker's first priority is to make wine that sell; (2) a huge majority of winemakers are quite transparent about their approach to making wine; (3) all winemakers intervene — it's just a matter of degree; (4) producing two artisan wines and the remainder as cash cows is just sound economics because winemakers can't always function as artiste's in the real world."
Joe, I agree with all of these points. My main point was that I have met several winemakers who preach one thing, but do another in order to make a living. There is nothing wrong with that, just be honest about it. Say you have a few wines that express their terroir and tatse great, and your other wines were made to taste great and offer a good value but are not a pure reflection of a specific location.
@Wayne: Thanks for acknowledging my comments.
… and sorry about by spelling faux pas: 'palette" should have been "pallet".
… and that should have been "farm of 300,000-gallon tanks" in the last paragraph.
A true Burgundian, and those "experts and elitists", would argue that it isn't the 100% pinot noir or 100% chardonnay that makes their "fragile" wines great. Their wine isn't "pinot noir" at all – it's "Clos Vougeot", "Echezeaux", and "Cros Parantoux". It's just become Burgundian tradition that mono-varietal chardonnay and pinot noir wines serve as the best catalyst for expressing their vineyard's terroir.
Also, we don't need to tackle the whole effect of climate on ripening, do we? I don't think Clos Vougeot has struggled to properly ripen pinot noir beyond a rose color in many moons.
Steve, what are the sources in the first graph? I'd like to read them (en francais, maybe).
However the style when pinot noir is presented as a wine for those that have interest in reds it would be classified as a royal by most,the rest is defined by individual care and upbringing of which is interpreted to one's experience for judgment.


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Published 2014 ~ 128pp ~ $20, available from the BNT
A fine new book on the birds of the Bahamas has recently been published by the BAHAMAS NATIONAL TRUST and BIRDSCARIBBEAN. Compiled and edited by well-known Bahamas bird guide CAROLYN WARDLE with the BNT's Lynn Gape and Predensa Moore, this slim book is packed with valuable information. It doesn't set out to be an exhaustive field guide, a task already fully covered by Bruce Hallett's indispensable Birds of the Bahamas and the TCI. Nor is it anything like my own photographic tome 'Birds of Abaco', differing in scope and intention, and weighing a mere 225 gms as opposed to 2 kilos! Beautiful Bahama Birds is eminently a book for the pocket, day bag or backback, to be carried along with your Hallett.
I have illustrated this review with photos of sample pages of the book, invariably the best way to give a clear impression of this kind of publication. Apologies that some of my images are a bit wonky, my copy being new and individual pages being hard to keep flat…
The photographs throughout the book are mainly the work of Linda Huber and the late Tony Hepburn. I was fortunate enough to be able to use some of Tony's photographs for my own book, given with unreserved generosity; it is a fitting tribute to him that his images have now been published in Beautiful Bahama Birds, and that it is dedicated to him.
An idea of the broad scope and of the book and its usefulness to the birder can be gained from the contents pages, which I reproduce here. Click to enlarge them. The book is arranged in 3 parts: Let's Go Birding; Field Guide to 60 Common Birds; and Conservation Now.
PART 1 offers plenty of useful information and practical advice about birding in general (I wish I could have read this before I started my own book!). Anyone who loves birds will benefit from this whole section, even if they would not call themselves a birder – especially Chapter 3 'Getting Closer to Bird Life'.
PART 2 All 5 Bahama endemics are featured in the main section, which is handily divided very broadly into 'waterbirds' and 'land birds'. Some birds are commonly found on most islands; some have more limited range: for example the Bahama Oriole is now found only on Andros; and breeding populations of the Cuban Parrot are found only on Abaco and Inagua (the increasing number of sightings on New Providence give some hope for a breeding population there too). I've chosen the parrot because the underground-nesting subspecies on Abaco is so special; and the Flamingo and Bahama Oriole, both very sadly extirpated from Abaco in recent memory.
The illustrations by Tracy Pederson and Kristin Willams are clear and highlight well the identifiers for each species. Where necessary, species variations are shown, for example between sexes, breeding / non-breeding plumage and adult / immature. This can be a confusing and even fraught area (as I constantly find), which this book usefully addresses. Some birds in flight are also shown to aid ID.
PART 3 covers the National Parks, important birding areas of the Bahamas, conservation matters, and a charming section on birds in Bahamian culture. Appendices include lists of Bahamas native plants and their importance for wildlife; National Parks and Protected Areas; important birding areas of the Bahamas; a Checklist; a Bibliography; and a user-friendly Index (not all are…).
A good Checklist is a vital ingredient for any birder, whether visitor or local. Here, all the species occurring on the islands are shown on the left and their residential status and range throughout the islands across the top. Thus at a glance you can tell whether a given species is found on a particular island and when it may be found there. You would know not to look for Turkey Vultures on Eleuthera at any time; and that the black-bellied plover is a winter resident throughout the region and not to be seen during your trip in June… I also like the tick-boxes on the left for species collectors.
Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed this small book and unreservedly recommend it. It does not replace Hallett, but it complements it. Furthermore, I'm sure the straightforward style and presentation will appeal to bird-loving non-birders and also to younger birders – it may even encourage some out into the field! On p.20 the recommended reading list includes books that would appeal to young readers and links to appropriate websites, a thoughtful touch. I have learnt, or been reminded of, much from reading this book a couple of times. It is a welcome addition to the relatively sparse avian literature for the Bahamas, a prime birding region that is home to an astonishingly wide variety of birds including rare, threatened and vulnerable species like the Parrots, the Kirtland's Warbler and the Piping Plover.
BIRDER'S GUIDE TO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS (Tony White)


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Continuing my Year In Review of local LA comic book movers and shakers. Yesterday, we looked at Boom! Studios successful Boom! Kids imprint and their line of Disney comics.
Today, we look at comics publisher Archaia Comics. Originally set up as a banner for the self-publishing efforts of writer/artist Mark Smylie and his high fantasy series Artesia, it expanded into a full on publisher in the middle of this past decade, launching the anthropomorphic fantasy series Mouse Guard by David Petersen to much acclaim. More comics were announced until the young publisher seemed to become overwhelmed by its own plans, almost completely grinding production to a halt. It appeared as if Archaia was going to be another in a long line of comics publishers who have abruptly vanished. Then came news of the acquisition of Archaia by Chicago-based media company Kunoichi. For a time this didn't seem to change anything, but then Archaia came back. In the past year, they have firmly landed on solid ground and proved themselves to be a dependable publisher of quality comics and graphic novels, with an eye to innovation in the digital comics space. (more…)


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Quelle: Webseite des Auslandskomitees der Kommunistischen Partei Iran (CPI)
Communiqué of the Communist Party of Iran on May First International Workers' Day (2012)
The current crisis of the global capitalism has brought unprecedented unemployment and poverty for the working class. In many developed and developing countries, the attacks by the states on workers' lives in order to control the crisis have been confronted by a wave of labor and mass struggles and protests on the streets. During this period, many labor leaders and activists have through exprience come to this conclusion that there is no capitalistic solution to the existing crisis. On the other hand, the reactions of the capitalist states to the crisis have caused spreading poverty and devastation for the society.
This situation and the growing working class struggles against the austerity policies and the devastating consequences of the crisis have created the tangible backgrounds for the radicalization of these class movements and for taking them beyond the limits of the reformistic policies by the labour unions. The anticapitalist "Occupy Wall Street" movement took shape in the context of this current crisis, a movement which, despite all the shortcomings it might have, could bring millions of angry protesters on the streets against the capitalist system, its deep-seated systemic crisis and the dark future it holds for the society.
The 99 percent movement in America few months ago declared this year's May First as a day of 'Global Strike' and called upon all the 99 percent of the world to leave their jobs on this day, take their demands to the streets and show their solidarity with the whole humanity. The intiators of the call hope that this action would create an opportunity for the "Occupy Wall Street" and 99% movement to spread into the industrial and production centers and working places.
The working class in Tunisia and Egypt, who were the forerunners of the North African and Mideast revolutions, through their continuing struggles and strikes in support of their urgent demands, showed that the replacemement of old dictators with ractionary Islamic groups and pro-west bourgeois nationalists can not be the accepted as the outcome of these revolutionary upheavals and that the struggles and the revolution must be continued.
In Iran the subsidy cuts, which were executed from last year and which were enforced based on the neoliberal policies and instructions of the IMF in order to help Iran's economy and help Iran become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) not only didn't help Iran's sick economic situation nor paved the way for its memebership in the WTO, but rather it worsened the economic situation further more. After one year of enforcing the subsidy cuts now and as a result of ending the price controls by the government, thousands of large and small production centers have been closed down. Also the large-scale economic embargoes on Iran not only accelerated the bankruptcy and close-down of many factories and production centers and as a result the large and daily layoffs, but also the high inflation rate and the skyrocketing food prices have caused more devastation and poverty for the workers.
The leader of the Islamic Republic called 1391 (Iranian current year) the year of 'National Production and Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital' which means more exploitation of the working class. The government also approved this year's national minimum wage to be 390 thousand Tomans which is in fact three to five times lower than the poverty level and this means pushing many more working families under the line of poverty and towards starvation.
The Iranian working class is receiving the blow from all sides. The unleashed attack by the contractor companies and the spread of fixed-term contracts, working without employment contracts, lack of effective social insurances, lack of standard health and safety insurances at work, discrimination against the female and immigrant workers, lack of the freedom of speech, lack of rights to strike and self-organization, systematic crack-down on labor protests and strikes and on independent labor unions and organizations, the daily arrest and harassment of labor activists in addition to many other violations have put the Iranian workers under unbearable pressure.
In order to put an end to this difficult economic situation and all other political and social deprivations that has made life hell for the working class, the workers have no other way but to lead a united and nation-wide struggle. The experiences of labor struggles during the past years have shown us that the workers will not be able to defeat the Iranian capitalist regime through scattered and disjoined protests, struggles and strikes. It is only through coordinated and general labor strikes that workers can force the capitalist class and their state to retreat and at the same time impose their urgent demands on them.
The labor activists and forerunners are well aware of the historical and important role of the working class in the coming upheavals and developments, thus they need to go among the workers and support and contribute to their current and daily struggles for achieving their demands. The current labor struggles require aware and objective involvement of the communists in the labor movement and this involement will help the workers' struggles not to deviate from its right course and serve the long term objectives of the working class. The ongoing attempts and activities by the Iranian workers for forming their own class and mass organizations should be accompanied with the aim of uniting all workers around the country and connecting their scattered struggles together.
Now that we are only few days away from May First, the workers' international solodarity day, the communist activists among the labor movement need to have a clear sight of the different phases in the advancement of the working class. The May First rallies and activities are an opportunity for disseminating the seeds of class awareness among the workers and poeple's masses. These activists need to have a clear and precise evaluation of the current situation and the power balance, try to help hold May First rallies and assemblies and at the same time spread awareness about socialism among the workers. May First as a part of the working class struggles is a chance for the workers to become more aware of their historical role in emancipating themselves and world from the exploiting capitalsit system. The communist workers should try to show to the working masses the necessity of organizing in their own class unions and political communist party in order to prepare for the workers' revolution, seize the political power and run the society by themselves.
During the May First celebrations and gatherings, the labor activists as well as the activists of the Communist Party of Iran need to remember that before anything May First belongs to the working class and this is not a party or organizational celebration detached from the working masses. Any activity on this day should stem from the direct and aware involvement by the working masses themselves. The capitalist class has always tried to create schism among the workers based on thier religion, nationality, gender and so on. It is the duty of the communists and aware workers to emphasize their class identity and unite in face of the capitalists. Thus they need to convince the radical and socialist workers as well as labour unions and organizations to work together to prepare for the May First activities and show their class union despite any political and opintion differnnces they might have.
For the Iranian working class, as it is for the world's working class, May First is a symbol of class solidarity and awareness, awareness of the workers' living and working conditions, awareness for struggle and awareness of the way of emancipation from the oppresssions and exploitations of the capitalist system. The Communist Party of Iran marks May First, the day of workers' class solidarity and congratulates all the workers around the world on this day.
Long Live May First International Workers' Day
Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran
Long Live Freedom, Equality and Workers' Government
The Communist Party of Iran
April 2012


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TV critics may want to revise their 2013 Best and Worst List (a lesson: you should never release it until after the year is officially over).
Yep, the TV Gods still had a major shockeroo to throw our way: the worst and most shocking soap firing just occurred. On Tuesday, "The Young And The Restless"s talented leading man Michael Muhney announced on Twitter he was voted off the soap island in his uber-popular role as Adam Newman. Immediately, stunned fans and press went into soaphylactic shock. The devastating news delivered such a crushing blow that "Y&R" began trending on Twitter for the first time. The Mensa member's last day of shooting is Thursday; he will last air on January 30, 2014. A CBS rep declined to comment.
The "Veronica Mars" scene-stealer came on to the daytime TV scene as an accidental soap star of sorts. He first debuted on the number-one soap opera in 2009, when he took over the legacy character from Chris Engen, an actor who walked away mid-contract due to objections over Adam's storyline and character direction. A consistent prime-time TV character actor, Muhney surprisingly fell in love with the soap opera genre. He also became a co-champion for the art form, even spearheading Daytime Emmy Awards reform a couple of years ago. For his efforts, Muhney was nominated as Outstanding Lead Actor in a drama series this past year by the Daytime Emmy Awards.
In his first exit interview, Huffington Post Canada TV exclusively spoke with the 38-year-old actor moments after he announced his departure on Twitter to find out what happened, how he found out about his imminent exit from the soap world, if the role will be recast, details on his final scenes, and if he'll consider doing soaps again.
HuffPost Canada TV: What the hell?! Are you as shocked as we are? What happened?
Michael Muhney: I was informed Monday night at work. I was told "We're going to be letting you go." Everyone knows I always have something to say. I'm a chatterbox, laugh all you want, but I was rendered speechless for about five minutes. I didn't utter a word. There was truly a moment when I thought I was having a very vivid, surreal dream and I couldn't wake up so I could tell people I was having an awful dream about "Y&R" letting me go. So, unless this is a really long nap I'm taking, it's not a dream and it's really happening.
I was told at almost the exact same time my aunt found out she had officially been diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost within the same hour. So, that has helped me with perspective, in terms of what's happening in the real world. We're just talking about one guy who lost a job. Hey, there's no business like show business. So I want to say, first and foremost, there are more important things people are dealing with in the world today.
Who told you? And what's the official reason for your departure?
[Executive Producer] Jill [Farren Phelps]. We had a private talk in her office. She's always been very kind to me. We have a good rapport. It was intimate ... the way it was handled. [Pauses] Part of me feels this is because I've always been outspoken, and sometimes I've been too outspoken. Sometimes I've walked around with a big backpack full of hubris. That is entirely on me. CBS, Sony, and Jill Phelps are not to blame for that. If I'm going to claim to be a grown man, I have to own that. But it could be financial or story. It was explained to me that CBS and Sony want to give Adam a break for 3-6 months and then they'll bring him back with a different actor. Maybe he does need a break. Adam has been on screen a lot. He's not being killed off.
It's no secret that you and your co-star Eric Braeden [Victor Newman] have had your differences. Was he involved in your firing?
I do know one thing for sure: I really look up to and respect my friend, [Emmy-winning "General Hospital" star] Maura West. She had the most dignified walk down The Green Mile that I've ever seen [when she was fired from "Y&R," too]. In her final days, when her character was dead woman walking, she held her head up high and was classy and professional right until the end. I plan on doing the same thing with everyone I've worked with on the show. I'll apologize for when my character bled into my real life at times and if I was intense a few times. But I'll let everyone know how blessed and honoured I was that I got to work with them all. I got to be an actor in a land where you can play dress-up and pretend with a collective group of other talented actors. I'm going to take Maura's lead. If there were disagreements in the past with Eric, for me, it has to be history.
"Y&R" fans are obviously bereft you're leaving and are threatening to stop watching.
I wish I had an answer for all the fans. Life happens when you're making other plans. "Y&R" is a TV staple and it's bigger than one individual actor. It will continue without me. The fan love and loyalty means so much to me, and the love and friendship of my co-workers. I feel like I'm leaving a very, very dear friend and mentor in Peter Bergman. Also, I'm leaving behind Sharon Case and Melissa Claire Egan, two phenomenal co-stars and friends.
I've done a lot of pilots and projects which never made it in my career, but being let go is a first for me with multiple children. Back when I wasn't a father, it was much easier to move from job to job. Ironically, my greatest acting performance is the one that will never be seen: and that is the strength I display in front of my kids when things get tough. [With trembling voice] I'm their leader --and they're going to have a great Christmas if I have anything to say about it. Yes, I was let go before Christmas, but I choose to look at it positively: My kids are off school for holiday break, so I will have lots of time to spend with them, I'm going to soak up their innocent love. That's my focus now. I realize I live in a world where my career, actions and income impact three little people and my wife. I have to be cognizant of that. I take a lot of pride in my acting and my skills that I have worked very hard to sharpen in the past 16 years, but I pride myself even more on being a father and taking care of my family. That's going to be tough to face.
In its 40th year, "Y&R" has lost four of its most popular superstars: you, Michelle Stafford, Jeanne Cooper -- who passed away in May -- and Billy Miller. As a fan and industry watcher, do you think "Y&R" can survive this mass exodus of its most talented and popular performers? While Billy and Michelle quit, Billy wanted to stay but couldn't agree on contract outs. Michelle told me she would have stayed as well if she still felt inspired by Phyllis.
"Y&R" experienced a lot of loss this year. Bless his heart, on his last day Hartley Sawyer [who has also been let go as Jack's son, Kyle] was more concerned about me when I told him I was leaving! His jaw dropped. We both sat in my dressing room and just talked. It's still hard to process. But, hey, I get to walk out of that building on Thursday with a great actor and friend Billy Miller. It's been an interesting journey. What I envy in guys like Hartley and Billy is that they're single and don't have kids, so anything is possible. But I know, while this is new for me, it's healthy and good to be knocked off your center. I've been thrown into many a deep pool in my life and you can either choose to swim or sink. So, I'm going to break out my best breaststroke and see where it takes me.
As we're talking now, "Y&R" is trending on Twitter.
Wow. I don't know what to say. It's powerful, what I'm feeling, but it's not all positive. It's a conflux of sadness, disappointment, heartbreak, humility, warmth, and a reality check. I'm saddened. I poured my heart, blood, sweat and tears into this show. They say, you don't know what you've got until you lose it, so maybe there's a bit of that, but I try to be a grateful guy most of the time.
Did you anticipate they were thinking of letting you go? Or was this a blind side, a la "Survivor" tribal council?
I saw it coming, and I didn't see it coming. I suspected it could happen, but I didn't think that it really would -- at least not now; maybe down the line. I worked four-and-a-half years on "Y&R." I've been able to enjoy a candle that burns at both ends and a spotlight that burns so bright that maybe it burns out a bit faster than others. I felt like my version of Adam might not last forever. I never called in sick. I never even arrived on time -- I was always early, sometimes hours early, because I wanted to be sharp with my dialogue. I even went into work the day after I snapped my collarbone in half and they worked it into the show! I always gave a 100 percent effort all the time. I believe in being professional at all times.
Some fans and critics were worried about your future on "Y&R" when Adam ran over and killed Delia, Billy and Chloe's daughter. Did that raise a red flag for you?
No. I just thought it was going to be a great story to tell. All I know is whatever load they gave me I tried to carry it with integrity. If a tiny little ant can carry 100 times its weight, I should be able to carry my weight. I'm proud of the stance I made on the show. Gosh ... I can't believe I'm doing an exit interview as I'm heading into the CBS studios right now. I just realized I'm going to pull into these gates only a couple more times. Yesterday, I filmed goodbye scenes to Chelsea, Jack and to Adam's son, Connor. I didn't know at that point I was gone. [Voice cracks] I hope I made some kind of impact.
Let's talk about your future: Would you do another soap? Or are you done?
Let's put it this way, I'll consider Broadway, TV, soaps and film. I see the world differently than I did five years ago: it's all acting. And that's what I love. Given the opportunity to play another amazing role and be paid so I can put food on the table for my kids, I'd do another soap. I'm in. I'll come in with my heart because that's the only way to do things. We're paid as actors to be vulnerable and wear our emotions on our sleeves, so we tend to be more dramatic than the norm. That's a part of my personality and I'll continue to be that way as long as professional.
Arrogantly, when I began on "Y&R," I thought I would take this role for a couple of years, make an impact and return back to prime time and film. But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the process and the medium. When you become a champion for things that defend that medium and its integrity, you become invested. There are some people -- not all -- who have moved on from soaps in their careers and received huge fame, but they don't acknowledge soaps. If I never do another soap again, and I'm able to find lightning in a bottle this pilot season and find a special character like Adam and a job I'm passionate about, I'll always think fondly of the people involved and be proud of my soap career.
Also, I'm proud of the incredibly passionate fanbase that exists in soaps. Some look down on soap fans, but they're just as amazing as any other audience base out there. I'm not a martyr. I've made mistakes along the way, but even my missteps were all about forward momentum. Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan til they get punched in the mouth." But like Victor Kiam said, "Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward." I feel like I've learned a lot about an industry I find fascinating. And one that I'm in love with, by the way. If you only have one life to live, if you can have growth in life, you did something right. And I'm always growing, as an actor and a person.
Finally, when you think of your journey as Adam Newman, what do you think of? Favourite Adam moment?
The very first episode I ever aired. Hearing "Nadia's Theme," I heard the great, booming voice of Peter Bergman say, "The role of Adam Newman will now be played by Michael Muhney." That probably tops it all. So began my fairy tale with the show .... and the rest from here is happily ever after.


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More revolting creatures: the snapping turtle, vulture, the tick, the jellyfish, and the slug.
A mother skunk trailed by six little striped kits is a sight at least as charming as ducklings following their mother. Skunks themselves are not revolting. It's the pungent, oily, yellow-green liquid that streams out of nozzles on either side of a skunk's anus that is revolting. Lovable though the creatures are, there will never be a children's book called Make Way for Skunks.
It is the skunk's confidence in that potent defensive weapon that makes its personality appealing. The critters, the size of a small cat but with a wider rump and a bit of a waddle, are the opposite of aggressive. Most of the time they're curious, playful, fearless, and calm (though in late winter, mating season, the males go haywire). A devil-may-care attitude does not serve them well on the highway. The poor creatures stick their tails straight up as a warning to a car. It doesn't work; most of us know the smell of skunk musk from road kill.
Fatal encounters with cars aside, skunks enjoy living near human beings. They're comfortable making a den under a porch or in a garage. (Some musk can leak into their feces, making them less than perfect neighbors.) Omnivorous, they treat our garbage bags like piñatas. They eat vegetables, berries, nuts, mushrooms, lizards, snakes, baby turtles and turtle eggs, birds, moles, worms—practically anything. That "anything" includes bees munched off the side of a hive and jalapeño peppers. To the benefit of the farmer and gardener, they eat mouse and rat nestlings, snails, cockroaches, and beetle grubs. On the negative side, they sometimes eat chicks and eggs.
As skunks cozy up to us, the reassuring news is that they are extremely reluctant to go nuclear. The typical skunk reacts only to truly threatening behavior. Are some skunks more trigger-happy than others? It seems logical that there's a cost to spraying—that it takes some time to recharge, when the animal would be vulnerable—but it turns out the scent glands refill quickly.
Before firing, a skunk will perform a complex warning dance, first backing away from a predator, tail raised as a warning flag, then stomping its front feet. The spotted skunk, smaller than the more common striped skunk, does a handstand that is, disregarding the possibility of subsequent spray, one of the cutest sights on earth. Should the aggressor fail to get the hint, the skunk, striped or spotted, turns its body into an ominous curve, both nose and rear end pointed at the threat.
The animal pops out the nipples leading from its grape-size anal glands, then rotates them like an anti-aircraft gun, at the same time adjusting the spray like a hose nozzle. When face to face with an aggressor, the skunk aims a jet at the attacker's eyes. When the predator is at a distance, the skunk sprays a mist up to 15 feet.
The system is a highly evolved version of the glands for scent marking possessed by all carnivores. Think unneutered cats. Europe has no wild skunks; South America's zorillo and Asia's stink badger have the same capability.
Most who have been skunked say the smell is indescribably horrible, and many find it literally nauseating. But some who have worked at describing it say it's not the worst smell in the world, not as repellent as the scent of decomposition or defecation. It's dark, acrid, and earthy, akin in a disgusting way to coffee, chocolate, cannabis, or burning leaves.
A skunk's recognizable black-and-white markings have a role in defense. Predators learn and remember what the source of this unpleasant experience looks like. Most domestic dogs do not learn, so dog owners are the most likely among us to have had an intense skunk experience, especially if they allow their dogs off leash at night. Some dog owners may not be learning, either. The most successful predator on skunks is the great horned owl, which, like most birds (except vultures), has a poor sense of smell.
The skunk's short life—only three or four years in the wild before succumbing to disease, an owl, a very determined coyote, or a car—has its highlights. Both sexes gorge in the fall before retreating to a den, not to hibernate, exactly, but to enter into a lethargic stage and crowd together for warmth. (The collective noun for a group of skunks is a huddle.) Sometimes there's just one male in a huddle, definitely a highlight for him. In late winter, many males go from den to den, practicing polygamy with gusto. Some females use the ultimate weapon to reject the visitor, perhaps anticipating that the encounter may not be as pleasant for them as for him. The female skunk is what's known as an induced ovulator, which means that ovulation doesn't take place without mating. (This is true of cats, ferrets, rabbits, and, no kidding, Bactrian camels. Primates, including us, are spontaneous ovulators.) For skunks, the sex must be rough to induce ovulation. The male skunk bites the female on the back of her neck, often drawing blood.
So the female emerges into the spring sunlight pregnant and wounded. She's also thin, as skunks lose about half their body weight over the winter. The newborn kits open their eyes at four weeks and are sexually mature at about nine months. Their anal glands are operative within a week after birth.
There are people who very happily choose to invite skunks, de-scented and neutered, into their homes, despite the challenges. (A common question on pet skunk Web sites: How do I get her to use the litter box?) "They are more intelligent than most people you'll meet, stronger than any dog, and more hard-headed than any teenager," says Shelor Brumbeloe, who owned a skunk who lived 20 years and runs SkunksAsPets.com. They are undeniably endearing, quite content to accept an unthreatening human being as a huddle-mate. Breeders have waiting lists and charge $300 per animal.
Pet skunks are outlawed in 33 states for fear of rabies. Wild skunks are more worrisome. In Ontario, Canada, they impregnate skunk baits with an oral rabies vaccine—an approach that will soon be tested in the United States.
Toronto's parks are awash with skunks; they've become as common as squirrels. New York's Central Park, not yet. Skunks are just beginning to infiltrate the northern border of Manhattan, probably by way of a railroad bridge from the Bronx. The animals will probably be messy and potentially smelly, but, on the bright side, they could help control rats and cockroaches. To get along with them you must be very, very calm and avoid making any loud noises or aggressive actions. Will New Yorkers learn to make way for skunks?


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Matt Grice (15-5 MMA, 2-6 UFC) and Jeremy Larsen (8-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) are the latest additions to this fall's UFC 166 event.
UFC officials on Wednesday night announced the bout, which sees Larsen drop to 145 pounds for the first time. It's not yet known whether the contest will serve on the event's pay-per-view main card or preliminary cards, which air on FOX Sports 1 and stream on Facebook.
UFC 166 takes place Oct. 19 at Houston's Toyota Center.
Larsen is in dire need of a win inside the octagon following back-to-back losses in a pair of UFC fights. On the regional scene, he went 8-2 in a five-year span before appearing on "The Ultimate Fighter 15."
Grice, meanwhile, also is looking to rebound after a valiant effort against Dennis Bermudez at UFC 157, which resulted in a split-decision loss and well-deserved "Fight of the Night" bonus. That setback followed a decision over Leonard Garcia at UFC on FX 3.
Grice is 1-2 in his current UFC stint following a 1-4 ledger in his first appearances with the promotion.
For the latest on UFC 166, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Matt Grice)


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Nahanni National Park Reserve
Soar west from Fort Simpson via Twin Otter floatplane to Nahanni National Park Reserve—expanded sixfold in 2009 to span almost 12,000 square miles. At the 62nd parallel, this land of the midnight sun in Canada's Northwest Territories covers the vast plains and limestone karst lands of the Ram Plateau in the Mackenzie Mountains. You can descend into Canada's deepest ancient river canyons, reaching 3,000 feet, untouched by the last ice age, and home to the Dene people for thousands of years.
"From the Moose Ponds, the high alpine lakes that are the source of the Nahanni, to Nahanni Butte, a tiny village just 750 feet above sea level where the Nahanni and Liard Rivers converge—these canyons encompass some of the most diverse landscapes and ecosystems on the planet," says veteran guide Neil Hartling. Canada's most revered river for expeditions, the Nahanni also brims with the lore of Klondike gold prospectors, trappers, European adventurers, and their gory misfortunes in places like Headless Creek and Deadmen Valley.
What to See: Stand at the thundering precipice of 302-foot-high Virginia Falls, almost twice the height of Niagara Falls. See rare orchids thriving in its billowing mist. Watch from the 4,757-foot summit of Sunblood Mountain as Dall sheep leap from crag to crag. Examine Rabbitkettle's volcanic Tufa Mounds, or luxuriate neck-deep with mud masks in Kraus Hotsprings. "The Nahanni's first canyon, the steepest and deepest of them all, culminates at the hot springs," Hartling says. "That's where prospector and trapper Gus Kraus lived before the Nahanni became [part of] a national park reserve. In the winter, when it was 40 below outside, his dirt floor was so warm [from the geothermal heat] that he could walk around in bare feet."
When to Go: Mother Nature rules. Late June to mid-August is prime. Serious spring flooding can happen well into June. Severe weather is also common late in August.
Where to Stay: Purists camp on the Nahanni's shores, sharing campfire tales like that of the McLeod brothers, found decapitated here in 1905. The Nahanni Mountain Lodge on Little Doctor Lake was originally built by pioneer Kraus and his wife, Mary, of Kraus Hotsprings fame. It's accessible by floatplane only.
How to Get Around: Parks Canada highly recommends paddlers go with a registered, licensed outfitter. Nahanni River Adventures offers trips of various lengths and skill levels, with hiking, rafting, and paddling options. Park reservations and registration are required. More comfy day-trips via floatplane leave from Fort Simpson, Fort Liard, and Muncho Lake in northern British Columbia, offering a 90-minute to two-hour flight to Virginia Falls and surrounding areas.
What to Eat: Expedition paddlers dine on local delicacies like arctic char, Taku River salmon, and caribou—a no-fuss presentation, just a plate in hand riverside, but with a guaranteed spectacular view.
What to Read Before You Go: Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni, by Raymond M. Patterson (TouchWood Editions, 2009), chronicles the author's expeditions up the then unexplored Nahanni River in the 1920s.
- Nat Geo Expeditions
Helpful Links: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Parks Canada
Fun Fact: Late Canadian Prime Minister and veteran paddler Pierre Trudeau first protected this wildly diverse waterway with national park reserve status in 1972, paving the way for Nahanni to be designated the world's first UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Trudeau's eldest son, Justin, helped with the park's recent expansion.


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Biomarkers /
Back to Biomarkers List
Associated Genetic Biomarkers
Associated Diseases
Associated Pathways
Biomarker-Directed Therapies
NTRK3 F617L is a predictive biomarker for use of larotrectinib in patients.
Of the therapies with NTRK3 F617L as a predictive biomarker, 1 is FDA-approved in at least one clinical setting.
Malignant solid tumor has the most therapies targeted against NTRK3 F617L or its related pathways [5].
Larotrectinib +
Malignant Solid Tumor -
Biomarker Criteria:
Sample must match all of the following:
Sample must match all of the following:
Sample must match one or more of the following:
|Predicted Response: Acquired Resistance
|Clinical Setting(s): Metastatic (FDA, MCG)
|Note: Secondary mutations in the NTRK genes confer resistance to larotrectinib.
1. Hart R and Prlic A. Universal Transcript Archive Repository. Version uta_20180821. San Francisco CA: Github;2015. https://github.com/biocommons/uta
2. The UniProt Consortium. UniProt: a worldwide hub of protein knowledge. Nucleic Acids Research. 2019;47:D506-D515.
3. Liu X, Wu C, Li C, and Boerwinkle E. dbNSFP v3.0: A one-stop database of functional predictions and annotations for human nonsynonymous and splice site SNVs. Human Mutation. 2015;37:235-241.
Liu X, Jian X, and Boerwinkle E. dbNSFP: A lightweight database of human nonsynonymous SNPs and their functional predictions. Human Mutation. 2011;32:894-899.
4. The AACR Project GENIE Consortium. AACR Project GENIE: powering precision medicine through an international consortium. Cancer Discovery. 2017;7(8):818-831. Dataset Version 8. This dataset does not represent the totality of the genetic landscape; see paper for more information.
5. All assertions and clinical trial landscape data are curated from primary sources. You can read more about the curation process here.


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Located in the Cathedral, it includes several interesting areas, such as the Treasury-Reliquary, Chapter House, Sacristy, Choir and Chancel. Inside the Treasury chapel, the monstrance by Enrique de Arfe (16th century) is on display. Of special interest in the Sacristy are a painting of the apostles and "The Spoliation" by El Greco, as well as paintings by Goya, Titian, Raphael, Van Dyck and Bellini, and a St. Francis of Assisi carved by Pedro de Mena. In the room that leads to the vestry, there is another excellent collection of paintings, with works by Velázquez and Ribera. The Chapter House contains frescos by Juan de Borgoña and the portraits of all the prelates of the Archdiocese. In the Chancel, there is an extraordinary altarpiece, the combined work of Enrique Egas, Felipe Vigarny, Copín de Holanda and Juan de Borgoña, among others. Finally, the Choir has an extensive collection of works by such sculptors as Berruguete, Vigarny and Rodrigo Alemán.
Practical information
Monday to Saturday
Does not close at midday
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
General: €10
Price for a full visit to the Temple and the museums.
Audio guide


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Turkey has charged more than one 100 Kurdish politicians for demanding better conditions for the imprisoned ex-rebel leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
Prosecutors said the demand, which the 98 former mayors and eight other politicians signed two years ago, constituted terrorist propaganda.
They could face up to 20 years in jail.
Tension has grown since Kurdish politicians declared autonomy in the south-east last month and PKK rebels killed 13 Turkish soldiers in clashes.
Abdullah Ocalan has been serving a life sentence in a prison on an island near Istanbul.
He was originally sentenced to death in 1999, but that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment three years later.
A court in the capital, Ankara, announced on Wednesday that the Kurdish politicians would be tried in the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir.
Another 152 Kurdish politicians are already on trial in the city for alleged ties to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party).
Any expression of support for the rebels, however mild, can be construed as a criminal offence in Turkey, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Istanbul.
Tone changes
Among the latest batch of Kurdish politicians being charged are some who have done no more than call for improved living conditions for Ocalan, he notes.
But the sheer number now on trial – including respected community leaders – is a source of anger in much of the Kurdish south-east, our correspondent says.
The announcement of more trials came just 24 hours after a popular Kurdish politician elected to parliament last month was given a two-year sentence on similar charges.
Another elected MP was barred from taking his seat because of an outstanding sentence.
Kurdish leaders say the mass trials make a mockery of the government's claim that it wants to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the south-east, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives.
But the recent upsurge of PKK armed activity seems to have hardened the government's attitude, and there is no longer any talk of possible negotiations with Ocalan, our correspondent adds.
3 August 2011


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This CEO made $1.6 million in the stock market, then he gave it all to his employees
So, Rich Guy takes advantage of recent market volatility and makes a few transactions. In eight days, Rich Guy makes $1.6 million, more than the average American will earn in 20 years. Happens every day. Rich Guy gets a little richer. What else is new?
Rich Guy, also known as The Connor Group founder and CEO Larry Connor, got to thinking. How could he show appreciation to his people: maintenance workers, property managers, trainers. All have worked through the threat of COVID-19. They are deemed essential. The Connor Group operates higher-end apartments in 14 markets.
So, the company called an all-staff meeting disguised as a pandemic update. Connor spoke. "I started to think about probably our most important core values: Do the right thing and people count. I'm taking the entire $1.6 million and dividing it up among all of you. In my view, this is not a gift. You have earned it," he said.
The moment was recorded.
Some employees wept. Some laughed. Some of them opened their eyes as wide as saucers. Most couldn't believe what they were hearing.
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"Larry, Larry, thank you so much. Oh my God! It s so appreciated," said LaKeycha Montague, a regional service trainer in Atlanta.
"We believe in leading from the front," Connor said. "And in trying times, that means more than just talking about the problem. It means taking action."
The Dayton-based Connor Group has roughly 400 employees, whom the company calls "associates." Bonuses ranged from $2,000 to $9,000 and will be paid to all non-highly-compensated associates who started with the company before March 1.
"Yes, that sounds like Larry," said Pedro Ducos-Vazquez, who maintains a property in Raleigh, North Carolina. Connor has always been accessible to employees, said Ducos-Vazquez. He has been with the company for seven years. When Connor visits, he asks Ducos-Vazquez to "show me this, show me that," he said. They take off together, walk the property and talk about anything.
"Six thousand dollars. This is something you don't get every day. It just blew mind, I was so happy and I'm glad that I work for a company like this," Ducos-Vazquez said. "He is not just saying company things to motivate you. He lives our company's circle of values. He leads by example."
Melissa Demoulin, who left the restaurant industry after 23 years, joined the company in December and manages a Connor property in Sycamore Township, a Cincinnati suburb. Her $3,000 bonus came at the right time. Her husband has not worked in six weeks, a casualty of the COVID-19 economy. They have two young children.
"Just getting the news that he (Connor) was doing that was a selfless thing. It's so caring and so thoughtful that he wanted to take care of his people," she said. "You can say everything in the world, but just by doing that, actions speak louder than words. To take care of his people speaks volumes."
To be sure, many of us are struggling, as the pandemic has disrupted our economy in ways that we have not seen in nearly 100 years. Many states have decided to reopen for business, while encouraging people to use caution, despite the potential dangers. This is going to be a long, hard slog. Great leaders will want to pay as much attention to their employees' emotional and fiscal well-being as they do to the bottom line.
Connor did both with his magnanimous gesture for his associates. He led by example. He thanked them for their hard work. He praised them for their loyalty. He helped to lighten their financial burden amid an uncertain future. Check off all the boxes for Leadership 101.
If I were a betting man, I would bet that folks such as Ducos-Vazquez, Demoulin, and the rest of their teammates will exceed expectations when things get tough.
Byron McCauley is a columnist for the Enquirer. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Phone: (513) 504-8915. Social: @byronmccauley.


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Meltdown: Artisanal Popsicles in New Orleans
On a blistering hot day in New Orleans - which seems to be every day - there's hardly anything better than a quick stop at Meltdown, a gourmet popsicle store near the French Market.
Made with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, Meltdown offers some pretty interesting flavors that change regularly. My friend got her favorite Salted Caramel (do try this!) and I tried their lime ginger pop which was very cooling and refreshing! I can't remember what our third flavor was now ...
508 Dumaine St
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 301-0905


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America's public schools are the engine of America's greatness. From the 1880s on they turned a flood of children of immigrants—most of them poor, illiterate, and speaking no English—into patriotic successful citizens, prepared for college or for a productive life without college. They laid the foundation for America's productive might, innovative genius and entrepreneurial spirit.
Now they are failing. Big time. In Los Angeles, for example, only half of the students graduate, and of those who do, fewer that 30 per cent are ready for college, according to Los Angeles mayor Anthony Villaraigosa's op-ed piece in today's Los Angeles Times. And the story is similar all over America. In our cities it seems that the thing the schools are best at is preparing boys for prison and girls for single motherhood.
Last night I saw a wonderful documentary, Waiting for Superman. It documents not just the schools' failure but also the kids' ability to learn—to excel—when given good teaching. The movie makes vivid the burning of poor, uneducated parents to give their children a better chance, the conviction of some reformers and philanthropists that things could be better, and the cost in dollars and ruined lives of bad teachers.
The movie will stoke your anger at all the people who are allowing this tragedy to continue, and at the politicians who could do something and who don't.
Watch the trailer.
Tags: Anthony Villaraigosa, ethics, good teaching, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, prison, public schools, single motherhood, Waiting for Superman


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Vanderbilt Eye Institute
At the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, we strive to make life better for adults and children with eye conditions including glaucoma, vision loss and diseases of the retina. We treat patients from across Tennessee and the Southeast. Our doctors, researchers and support staff use the latest technologies and methods, and we conduct vital vision research that translates to better treatments.
Listing Details
Linda Patterson


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36 years after man disappears, family wants answers
Body of Russell Bean found buried in old friend's yard
The relatives of a homicide victim are breaking their silence for the first time after more than 30 years of unanswered questions.
Russell Bean was reported missing in 1978. Ten years later, his body was found buried in a police chief's yard. How Bean died and who killed him is unknown to this day.
"I don't feel justice was done," said Doris Corliss, Russell Bean's sister.
Corliss said her brother was the most lovable of the family's five siblings. But his disappearance and death is a mystery that has haunted the tiny western New Hampshire town of Marlow for more than three decades.
The story is the stuff of Hollywood, with alleged death-bed confessions, backhoes digging up bodies and charges of murder filed against the local police chief.
But now, almost 36 years after Russell Bean was reported missing, his killing remains unsolved, and his family is speaking out for the first time, hoping to get the answers that have escaped them and investigators for so long.
"I remember I was at home at the time," said his brother, Allan Bean. "It was the evening. I got a phone call from Doris, and it was very sad moment. It was difficult."
In mid-September 1978, Corliss said she got word from Russell Bean's wife, Sylvia, that he had disappeared.
"There's a description of him, what he was last seen wearing, and there's some investigation at that point, but things really seem to pick up in 1988," said Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati.
That year, Robert Chambers, a friend of Russell Bean, was the part-time police chief in Marlow. He married Russell Bean's wife about a year after he vanished.
In March, just before Chambers was scheduled to graduate from the Police Academy, state police showed up on his property with a search warrant and a backhoe.
"State police called me and asked me if I had heard anything from him, and I got kind of a funny feeling in my stomach, and then shortly thereafter, I heard they were going to dig around Chambers' front yard, and then I knew he was dead and buried," Corliss said.
Authorities said they were operating on a deathbed confession from Chambers' father, Clifton Chambers, that implicated his son in the killing and identified the location of the body.
After three days of digging, Russell Bean's remains were found.
"It was clear that he had been attacked, and that led to his death," Agati said.
A month after the body was found, Robert Chambers was arrested. The case was presented to a grand jury, which failed to return an indictment.
"As far as Mr. Chambers is concerned, the Attorney General's Office presented the case and attempted to have him indicted for murder," said Mark Sisti, Chambers' lawyer. "They presented the case in a fair fashion before the grand jury, and the grand jury said, 'No.' That case is over. It's not a cold case, as far as Mr. Chambers is concerned."
Sisti said the state's case had questionable evidence and unreliable witnesses. He also called the deathbed confession weak.
"There's just nothing there that I can see that's got any strength or any real fingerprint having to do with Mr. Chambers," Sisti said. "Every time you're looking at something in this case, things aren't coupling up."
"The two parts of the crime that we would have to prove at trial are the act of how Russell Bean was injured and by whom, and also the intent of what that person was," Agati said. "Without proof beyond a reasonable doubt of both of those parts of the crime, a case would not be able to move forward through the judicial system."
For the state, the investigation is still open. For the family, the wounds are still fresh.
"We are trying to find the witness that before was afraid to come forward," Agati said. "We're trying to find the witness that was in a relationship with somebody, whoever it may be, and that relationship has disintegrated. They're no longer in fear or they are in a position now where they are older, more confident and can come forward with the information they've been holding onto."
"I knew there was nothing I could do," Corliss said. "The only thing I could do for Russell now is help bring his killer to justice, which didn't happen yet."
"It's a matter of somebody doing the right thing, and sometimes it takes time for the person to be strong enough to do that," Agati said.
Anyone with information that might help the investigation is asked to call the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit at 603-271-2663.


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