A new book examines the progress of Indias economy from its first Prime Minister to the current one – Scroll.in

Independent Indias economy is completing a 75-year-long journey. It has been a remarkable one too. Agricultural production has grown considerably and stabilised. We have not faced food shortages for over half a century. From its import-dependent status, Indian industry has transformed itself into one with a highly diversified product mix. Services produced here no longer mean just an Ayurvedic massage or the rope trick but high-end software solutions delivered onsite to the leading corporations of the world by young Indian engineers. Clearly, the economy has modernised in some significant ways.

However, heart-warming as these achievements may be, after seventy-five years Indias economic journey must be gauged by the goal that was set at its beginning. I begin this book by arguing that the goal of Indian independence, as visualised by its founders, is best reflected in Nehrus observation that India was embarking on a journey to end poverty and ignorance and disease, and the inequality of opportunity.

As these outcomes may be expected to be partly dependent on the economic progress made, this is how I have narrated the story of Indias economic journey over these nearly seventy-five years. I end this book with an evaluation of the extent to which political democracy, embraced wholeheartedly in 1947 and the procedures of which have been retained, has succeeded in delivering the goal envisaged for it.

The ending of colonialism and the adoption of political democracy did usher in an important freedom to Indians. They were no longer constrained by a foreign power and, at least in principle, were free of arbitrary rule. But surely the founders of India had more in mind for their compatriots. Actually, it is possible to argue that when Nehru spoke about ending poverty and ignorance and disease and the inequality of opportunity, he had in mind the need to endow Indians with the capability that would enable them to lead a full life.

There is also far greater undernourishment in the country and greater illiteracy. The only metric by which the Indian population is not far from the rest of the world is life expectancy. These data together imply that while Indians live almost as long as everyone else on the planet, a sizeable section of them lead a life of deprivation.

In a significant contrast, poverty, illiteracy and undernourishment have been almost eliminated in China. On every one of the indicators in the table, China does better than the world and India does worse than China. In terms of the most basic indicators of development, India has very far to go to reach the global standard.

The point of comparisons such as the one just made is to assess the gap that may exist between countries on the indicators of interest. This does involve the assumption that the benchmark used is attainable by all the countries included in the exercise.

This is a flawed understanding of the reasons for Indias condition. Her relatively poor performance on standard human development indicators can be understood by reference to public policy. In my discussion of the mortality from Covid-19, I have pointed out that the death rate across India can be explained in terms of the varying investment in a public health system, measured by the share of GDP that is devoted to public expenditure on health.

As health is a state subject in India, the analysis is based on the expenditures of state governments. This shows some of them spending less on health than they do on the police. The state of Maharashtra stands out as one that spends less than 0.5 per cent of its GDP on a public health system. During the first wave of Covid-19 it was the site of the worst form of the health crisis in India, with overflowing hospitals, limited health personnel, shortage of ventilators and oxygen and with the highest death rate among the states of India at that stage of the pandemic. No more evidence is needed to confirm the close relation between health outcomes and public policy.

As evidence on the connection between health outcomes and public policy appears in this book, I will here confine myself to the case of education. We can see the level of public spending on education in India and its consequences. Public expenditure on education as a share of GDP is lower in India than in every other regional grouping of the world. Commensurately, the outcomes in terms of literacy and schooling are, mostly, worse.

As spending here is lower than even that in sub-Saharan Africa, a region of the world with lower per capita income, it cannot be said that low spending on education reflects the capacity to spend. For India, it appears to have been a matter of priorities in public policy. Its consequence has been persisting illiteracy.

Interestingly, we find that public expenditure on education is much higher in the United States, a country committed to free market capitalism, while Indias Constitution declares the country a socialist republic. As seen in the table, the former socialist republics of Europe and Central Asia spend substantially more on health and education than India does, and this is reflected in the superior human development indicators in these countries.

It is difficult not to conclude that there is a class bias in this pattern of expenditure as public education is availed of only by the poorer classes. Whatever the underlying reason, it could not have been without wider-ranging consequences for the country. Indias children may not be receiving the attention they need at the time when they need it most that is, while at school. In any case, Indias poor performance on health and education can be understood in terms of the meagre public outlays on these foundational inputs into the capability of a population. It is the nature of its public policy alone that accounts for Indias disappointing human development record.

Excerpted with permission from Indias Economy From Nehru To Modi: A Brief History, Pulapre Balakrishnan, Permanent Black in collaboration with Ashoka University.

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A new book examines the progress of Indias economy from its first Prime Minister to the current one - Scroll.in

Forward progress stopped on Castaic brush fire that threatened animal shelter – Los Angeles Times

A brush fire in Castaic grew to at least 50 acres and threatened an animal shelter before forward progress was stopped Wednesday evening.

Crews on the Quail fire had reported a medium rate of spread, said Capt. Abraham Serrano of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The fire was reported in the 31000 block of Charlie Canyon Road, according to a tweet by the L.A. County Sheriffs Departments Santa Clarita Valley station. By 7 p.m., it was 50 acres, the Fire Department tweeted.

A second alarm was called on the blaze, which had threatened an L.A. County animal shelter in the area, Serrano said.

Forward progress on the blaze was stopped, all animals at the shelter were safe and no evacuations were needed, the sheriffs station reported at 7:23 p.m.

Michael Pittman, a county fire dispatch supervisor, did not have an acreage update around 7:30 p.m.

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Doe River Gorge making progress on bringing Christmas Train to the gorge for Christmas 2023 – Johnson City Press (subscription)

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The Problems of Evolution as a March of Progress – SAPIENS

Herschel Walker, the former football starturnedU.S. Senate candidate from Georgia, made headlines when he recently asked at a church-based campaign stop, if evolution is true, Why are there still apes?

This chestnut continues to be echoed by creationists, despite being definitively debunked. Anthropologists have repeatedly explained that modern humans did not evolve from apes; rather, both evolved from a shared ancestor that fossil and DNA evidence indicates lived 7 to 13 million years ago.

But Walkers question raises a larger, timely point that generally escapes recognition even by some scientists and educators.

A more fruitful query might be, If evolution is true, why are there still humans? Why is our species almost universally seen as the logical endpoint of evolution, with all other species serving as inferior detours or temporary placeholders on an inevitable march toward humanity?

This default, hard-to-shake view of evolution has been debunked as definitively as Walkers ape question. Yet it continues to be echoed in education, policy, business, conservation efforts, and the behaviors of the vast majority of people in Western, industrialized nations.

It is not necessarily surprising that non-scientists might see Earths history as a progression toward higher levels of complexity, with humans representing the most complex. What is startling is that traces of this view remain in scientific thought.

Biology teachers seldom realize it underlies lessons of four-chambered hearts succeeding over three-chambered hearts, or of simple urinary flame cells in flatworms and nephridia in earthworms next giving rise to kidney tubules in higher animals. As if humans are the benchmark by which all characteristics should be measured, and developing more human-like organs is a prime indicator of evolutionary advancement.

Worse, the progressive complexity view continues to infect anthropology. Its exemplified by the iconic March of Progressa linear sequence of slumped apes eventually supplanted by upright humans. And it persists in the ideas that certain lower ancestral human populations gave rise to, and were succeeded by, more complex people, who are often depicted as having lighter skin tones.

People must unlearn this idea that biological diversity is an ascending ladder of complexity, with humans on top and nonhuman species as imperfect transitions and lesser beings. The chief result of this misguided worldview is our casual disregard for the natural environment, whichvia climate change, habitat destruction, and biodiversity losscontinues to cause disastrous consequences for humans and nonhumans alike.

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The Problems of Evolution as a March of Progress - SAPIENS

ASEAN slams progress on Myanmar peace plan at talks overshadowed by Taiwan – Reuters

A worker adjusts an ASEAN flag at a meeting hall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 28, 2021. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

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PHONM PENH, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Southeast Asia's regional bloc ASEAN is "deeply disappointed" by the limited progress made by Myanmar's military rulers in implementing a peace agreement to end the conflict in the country, a communique issued by its foreign ministers said.

The communique was issued on Friday and comes as ASEAN chair Cambodia hosts a broader international gathering, including counterparts from the United States, China, Russia, Japan, Britain and Australia.

The gathering has been overshadowed by tensions over developments around Taiwan following U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's solidarity trip to self-ruled the island this week, which has infuriated Beijing.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov walked out of a plenary meeting on Friday when their Japanese counterpart spoke, a person in the room said.

Wang had cancelled a meeting with Japan's Yoshimasa Hayashi in Cambodia on Thursday, with China citing displeasure over a G7 statement urging it to resolve tension over Taiwan peacefully.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations had warned on Thursday of the risk of miscalculations in the Taiwan Strait and "serious confrontation" among major powers, though Friday's communique did not mention Taiwan. read more

The communique did, however, bring up Myanmar's crisis since last year's coup and recommended that an ASEAN summit in November assess progress by the junta in implementing the peace plan "to guide the decision on the next steps".

"We extensively discussed the recent developments in Myanmar and expressed our concerns over the prolonged political crisis ... including the execution of four opposition activists," the communique said.

Myanmar is an ASEAN member but its generals, who have defended the recent executions as necessary, are barred from attending its meetings until progress in the ASEAN peace plan is demonstrated.

The five-point peace "consensus" calls for an end to violence and includes all parties to engage in dialogue and for ASEAN to provide humanitarian assistance.

But there has been little sign of the violence in Myanmar ending, with conflict spreading after the army crushed mostly peaceful protests in towns and cities.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had said at the start of the meeting that ASEAN would be forced to reconsider the peace plan if Myanmar's military rulers execute more prisoners.

A senior State Department official also said this week the United States was "looking what can be done to both sustain and increase the pressure" on the Myanmar generals.

Some members of ASEAN, which has a tradition of non-interference in each other's internal affairs, have been strident in their criticism of Myanmar.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said the junta has been frustrating everyone in ASEAN and making a mockery of the peace agreement, which should be inclusive of its opponents.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

The ASEAN ministers were joined on Friday for plenary sessions of the East Asia Summit and the annual ASEAN Regional Forum security gathering, attended by 27 foreign ministers.

"I have to say that never before, not like this year, have we been confronted with so many perils at the same time," Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said ahead of a plenary session, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Illustrating the tensions over Taiwan, China's Wang arrived for ASEAN's gala dinner late on Thursday, then walked out of the venue just moments after, according to Reuters journalists.

Wang and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have refused to meet each other in Phnom Penh.

Blinken told the plenary meeting on Friday that China's reaction to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan was "flagrantly provocative", a western official said.

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Reporting by Narin Sun and David Brunnstrom; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Stephen Coates

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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ASEAN slams progress on Myanmar peace plan at talks overshadowed by Taiwan - Reuters

KBE discusses progress, updates to education technology in Kentucky schools – Kentucky Teacher

Kentucky Department of Education Associate Commissioner David Couch, center, discusses the Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) operational plan for the upcoming school year at the Kentucky Board of Education meeting at Lake Cumberland on Aug. 3, 2022. He was joined by the departments Chief Digital Officer, Marty Park, left, and Division Director Mike Leadingham, right. Photo by Jacqueline Thompson, Aug. 3, 2022

The Kentucky Board of Education held several discussions around online, virtual and remote learning during its regular meeting on Aug. 3, held at Lake Cumberland.

Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Associate Commissioner David Couch, Chief Digital Officer Marty Park and Division Director Mike Leadingham discussed the Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS) operational plan for the 2022-2023 school year.

Couch told the board about $502 million in federal, state and local district funds that will be available this coming school year to address the education technology-enabled products and services for all 171 school districts and state schools (the Kentucky School for the Blind, Kentucky School for the Deaf and Area Technology Centers). This is the most that has ever been made available in the 30-year history of KETS.

KBEapproved $15.4 million in funding forthe KETS operational plan for the upcoming school yearto provide basic technology-enabled services, expand technology, replace aging devices, enhance cybersecurity and recruit and retain thetechnologyworkforcethat isneeded.

This is the most money weve ever had available for education technology going into the next school year, said Couch.

Couch provided a handout showing students without access to technology in school and at home are less likely to gain 21st century learning skills. Kentucky schools are combatting this issue by providing students with more digital access.

Strong online skills, such as using shared digital workspaces, have been correlated with increased collaboration in the classroom, Couchs handout showed. Students who have access to computers and the internet are more likely to use technology more frequently and have better technology skills.

Couch said Kentucky was decades ahead of other states when it came to connecting schools to the internet.

Currently, 100% of Kentucky schools provide Wi-Fi access to students. Of these, 99% of schools have implemented dense Wi-Fi networks capable of supporting a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative, which encourages students to use their personal devices in the classroom, or a 1 to 1 initiative, in which a school district provides a device for every student.

Couch also encouraged the board to continue to support future funding opportunities for education technology in order to avoid a drop off in access to this technology within Kentucky school districts.

During your time as board members the things we have done in Kentucky history, in national history, are pretty amazing, he said.

Couch and Park later joined KDE Associate Commissioner Robin Kinney, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer Thomas Woods-Tucker, and Chief Academic Officer Micki Ray to discuss the proposed regulation 704 KAR 3:535, which would create an option for full-time enrollment in online, virtual and remote learning programs for K-12 students.

The regulation requires the students guardian to request to participate in the program if a program is offered by the district. All districts have the option whether to offer a program. This option previously was offered only to grades 5 through 12 and the proposed regulation extends it to kindergarten through grade 4.

I always say [decide] what is your best education plan first, then lay technology on top of it, said Couch.

Couch said there were some students during the COVID-19 pandemic who thrived in a remote and virtual setting. Going forward, he sees this continuing for approximately 1-2% of students.

Its not a huge percentage [of students], but its a pathway to the finish line for those students, he said.

The proposed regulation creates a new definition for a full-time enrolled online, virtual and remote learning program: a public school district program that enrolls K-12 students on a full-time basis where teachers and students are not in the same physical location, and all or most of the instruction is provided online through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous strategies.

The proposed regulation also states that a full-time enrolled program shall not be classified as an alternative education program, and the placement of students in the program is voluntary.

The board approved the regulation and it will take 7-9 months to go into effect.

KBE Work Session

On Aug. 2, the day before the meeting, the board gathered for a work session to discuss how to reach its goals and prepare for the upcoming year.

KDE Chief Communications Officer Toni Konz Tatman helped the board become better prepared to communicate the United We Learn vision for the future of education in the Commonwealth to stakeholders. She closed her presentation by encouraging the board members to always remember why you are doing this work.

Board members also heard from KDEs Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Damien Sweeney, and Ray and Park on how virtual learning programs can address themes critical to social-emotional health and academic success.

Sweeney said virtual learning programs can provide voice and choice to students by creating a learning experience that is unique to a students needs.

Park introduced several special guests to the board from the Bullitt Virtual Learning Academy (BVLA) (Bullitt County), including BVLA Principal Danny Clemens, Instructional Coach Dominic McCamish and Bullitt County Assistant Superintendent Adrienne Usher. BVLA is a recently developed virtual school where students can decide where they would like to participate in remote learning.

Clemens said BVLA students are not isolated when they enroll in the virtual program. Students can participate in virtual field trips and in-person extracurricular activities like marching band, sports, academic team and prom.

BVLA students become college or career ready, and the flexibility of the virtual setting allows students to attend classes while simultaneously earning an associate degree.

Clemens said the virtual program is great for students in all situations, including those with medical needs, anxiety and other mental health needs, accelerated learners, and those who might struggle with learning in a traditional classroom.

In other business, the board:

Litigation report.

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Packers News: Jordan Love making progress in year 3 – Acme Packing Company

Jordan Love is the most polarizing player on the 2022 Packers. Its a familiar position, given he occupied a similar role in 2021 and 2020.

The most infamous first-round pick of Brian Gutekunsts tenure as general manager, Love enters his third season a work in progress, again a familiar position. Thats not a surprise to the Packers; theyve described him in those terms since day one and havent been shy about hedging his progress, such as it is, with phrases like a long way to go.

Next week well get our first glimpse of Love in his third year as an NFL quarterback, an opportunity to judge for ourselves just how long he may still have to go. The praise hes received from head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements this summer is noteworthy, but, as always, until he can showcase some of those hard-earned practice lessons on a game field, questions are going to remain.

Success as a quarterback starts with your feet, and Tom Clements has helped Love shore up that part of his game.

Among the noteworthy takeaways here: Aaron Rodgers has no concerns about Christian Watsons absence.

Rodgers has plenty of praise for Romeo Doubs, too, who has turned heads every day of camp so far.

A truly deep dive on what goes into a particular play call from an analytics perspective.

Its not enough to stay out of the ocean, apparently. Great white sharks appear perfectly willing to jump out of the water and bring you to them.

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Packers News: Jordan Love making progress in year 3 - Acme Packing Company

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Continued Progress to Improve Conditions for Salmon and Other Native Fish in the Columbia River Basin – US…

Date: Thursday, August 4, 2022Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON The Biden-Harris administration today announced an important step to continue charting a path forward in a longstanding Columbia River Basin dispute regarding the operation of 14 federal dams and their impacts on the region's salmon, steelhead, and other native fish populations.

In an effort to continue collaborating on the important issues affecting the communities, economy and resources of the Pacific Northwest, the United States, the State of Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, and a coalition of plaintiffs led by the National Wildlife Federation have agreed to extend the stay in litigation through August 31, 2023.

The Administration is committed to supporting development of a durable long-term strategy to restore salmon and other native fish populations to healthy and abundant levels, while honoring federal commitments to Tribal Nations, delivering affordable and reliable clean power, and meeting the many resilience needs of the basins diverse stakeholders across the region, including those that use the rivers for irrigation, transportation, water supply, and recreation. This process will afford affected states, Tribal Nations, and regional stakeholders the opportunity to identify and implement alternative and durable solutions to longstanding challenges in the Columbia River Basin.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Continued Progress to Improve Conditions for Salmon and Other Native Fish in the Columbia River Basin - US...

Workers making progress on University Lakes cleaning project – WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Crews were busy working on the University Lakes Thursday, dipping their shovels in and scooping out years of debris and muck from the water.

Right now, the dredging is a test to see what process will be best to clean up the rest of the lakes.

Governor John Bel Edwards and Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome were at the scene Thursday to oversee work as phase one of the University Lakes Project continues.

Edwards says the lakes are supposed to be an asset to Baton Rouge, and right now, they're anything but.

"Quite frankly, we haven't maintained them very well, and when they get too shallow, the water quality is poor, and it doesn't support wildlife," Edwards said.

City Park Lake is in the worst shape. If you drive over it on I-10, you can see the water covered in a thick green mat of algae. About two months ago, dozens of dead fish floated on the surface of the lake.

Edwards says the goal isn't just to make the lakes look nicer, but the project will hopefully also help with flooding a constant concern in Baton Rouge.

"If these lakes hold more water, that is less in our neighborhoods," Edwards said.

The project is currently in phase one, but the cleaning is going to be a long process.

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Workers making progress on University Lakes cleaning project - WBRZ

Progress continues on Clear Fire ahead of forecasted rains – akfireinfo.com

By Alaska Division of Forestry on August 4, 2022

Size: 72,191 | Completion: 77% | Personnel: 98 | Cause: Natural, lightning

Warm, drying weather has increased fire activity on the most southern portions of the Clear Fire (#346). The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection (DOF) Type 2 Initial Attack Crews White Mountain and Gannet Glacier are seeking out and extinguishing all hot spots along the fires edge and mopping up a wide perimeter to prevent any further fire growth. The warming weather is beneficial to the crews as it increases fire activity making it easier to identify and extinguish smoldering areas.

Firefighters are working with property owners in the areas of Kobe Ag and Anderson subdivisions as they work to complete their repairs to areas damaged by suppression efforts. This includes but is not limited to grading roads, breaking apart dozer berms, repairing fencing and restoring firelines. Property owners need to be aware of firefighters and heavy equipment still working in the area.

The rest of the eastern flank, the northern portion, and the areas of the western flank along the Teklanika River remain in patrol status. The perimeter in these areas remains intact. Any smokes that are visible are well within the interior of the fire and are not threatening containment lines.

Clear blue skies were reported over the fire Thursday morning, but this will change later in the evening as a storm front moves in bringing cooler and much wetter weather. The first initial push of rain will be Thursday evening and early morning Friday, mainly south and west of Fairbanks before seeing broad scale rain over much of the Interior.

The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place over the fire area. All non-mission aircraft and drones must avoid the area outlined in the TFR for the safety of aircraft supporting the Clear Fire and firefighters on the ground. Go tohttps://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html to stay informed of any modifications to the TFR. Remember, If You Fly, We Cant!

Fire Loss & Suppression Repair: Contact the Denali Borough at (907) 683-1330

Fire Information: akfireinfo.com

Phone: (907) 356-5511

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/AK.Forestryandhttp://www.facebook.com/BLMAFS

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First week of fall practice showing signs of progress – WV News

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First week of fall practice showing signs of progress - WV News

Seth Meyers on Kansas abortion vote: A promising sign of progress – The Guardian

Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers celebrated a victory for reproductive rights in the US a month after the supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, as voters in Kansas overwhelmingly decided to keep abortion protections in its state constitution. The defeat of a referendum to remove said rights from the constitution, 59% to 41%, was especially encouraging, said Meyers on Wednesdays Late Night, given that anti-abortion activists used every shady tactic they could think of and still lost.

The wording of the referendum was intentionally confusing, Meyers explained, reading the vague paragraph out loud. Wow, I cant believe they hired the same guy who wrote the iTunes user agreement, he joked. I hope voters were given the options yes, no, and da fuck?

That reads like the intro to a college paper you start writing at 3am the night before its due.

Moreover, Kansas voters saw through the bullshit and overwhelmingly backed abortion rights, despite misleading text messages from a GOP group. The night before the election, the group sent voters a text that said: Women in KS are losing their choice on reproductive rights. Voting YES on the Amendment will give women a choice. Vote YES to protect womens health. (Voting yes would do the opposite.)

You know, as a general rule, if your best strategy is to try to trick people into accidentally voting for you, thats probably a sign that youre the bad guys, Meyers said. Its like, if in order to get people to watch this show online, we made the title of every YouTube video click here for free boner pills!

Last night was both a promising sign of progress in the fight to safeguard abortion rights on the one hand, and a perfect case study of what the GOP has become on the other hand, he concluded.

Stephen Colbert also delved into the Kansas referendum on the Late Show, calling the 59% to 41% decision kind of shocking, the scale of that victory. Thats just not a win. Thats a Kans-asskicking.

And may I remind you, Kansas is a state so bright red it looks like me after 30 seconds on the beach, he added.

Keep in mind, this blowout happened after a series of dirty tricks from Republicans in Kansas, he continued. First, they made the wording of the ballot measure extra confusing, then they sent voters text messages right before the election that misleadingly equated a yes vote with personal choice.

They tried to trick them into voting the wrong way, Colbert said. This is the most misleading political message since 1952s I Like Ike too much to burden him with the presidency vote Stevenson.

In other news, Colbert pointed to a new study that found that eating processed food like ice-cream hurts brain function. Stop it, science, Colbert pleaded. Just stop studying things. This is why people turn against you and start eating horse paste. Whats next? Puppy kisses cause herpes? Exposure to Chris Evans is depleting the ozone layer? Just let us have nice things!

And on the Daily Show, Trevor Noah looked into a jaw-dropping moment during the defamation trial of Alex Jones, a far-rightwing commentator and a guy who makes Donald Trump look like a reasonable human being. During Wednesdays hearing, Jones, on trial for defamation after he repeatedly and systematically called the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting a hoax, found out on the stand that his lawyer had mistakenly emailed the prosecution evidence that proved he had committed perjury.

Noah cracked up at footage of a visibly reddened, flustered Jones confronted on the stand with his lies. He was so shocked, he started turning into every emoji, Noah said. At one point he even tried to give himself Covid, he added, pointing to a moment where Jones coughed on the stand. Did you see that? Oh, I cant speak, you know the disease I said is fake? Yeah, I got it, Ive got it.

You know youre in trouble when the truth chokes you up like an episode of Hot Ones, Noah continued.

But you realize, this moment is huge, because it shows that Alex Jones probably committed perjury. Which means Alex Jones lies about stuff, he joked. Yeah, I know, thats shocking, because does that mean chemtrails from planes arent turning the frogs gay? Was that also a lie?

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Seth Meyers on Kansas abortion vote: A promising sign of progress - The Guardian

Consumers Energy crews restore more than 42,000 customers overnight and morning – WOODTV.com

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (ABC 4) Consumers Energy crews continue to work around the clock and have restored power to more than 42,000 homes and businesses after winds that topped 60 mph swept across Michigan yesterday afternoon and evening. The energy provider still expects to restore power to a majority of the impacted customers by 11 p.m. Thursday, with a few of the hardest hit areas by 9:00 a.m. Friday.

We are grateful for our customers patience and understanding as our crews continue to make significant progress on restoration efforts today, said Guy Packard, Consumers Energys officer in charge for todays power restoration work. Mother Nature left behind a significant amount of damage, and we worked overnight and through the morning to get to this point. Our all-hands-on-deck effort will continue until every customer is restored.

More than 210 crews will continue today to restore power to the nearly 90,000 customers who were impacted by the storms. As of 11:15 a.m., less than 48,000 customers were without power. The majority of outages are in Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Jackson, Calhoun, Washtenaw and Genesee counties.

Consumers Energy crews are working even as more rain continues to hit the state. Restoration times can vary depending on changing weather conditions.Customers can report an outage and check the status of outage by visitingwww.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. They can also sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text REG to 232273 or visitwww.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts.

Packard urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and/or pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy asks the public to keep a safe distance from crews.

We will continue to prioritize the safety of our crews and customers while restoration continues, Packard said. Please slow down if you come across a Consumers Energy crew so everyone can go home safely.

Consumers Energy also asks the public to keep important safety tips in mind:

Consumers Energy is Michigans largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the states 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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Consumers Energy crews restore more than 42,000 customers overnight and morning - WOODTV.com

Derrick Barnes, Jermar Jefferson have made some of the biggest progress – Pride Of Detroit

For much of the offseason, weve heard Detroit Lions coaches and front office members talk about the importance of the 2021 draft class. If this team is going to make some noise this year and in the future, those seven picks will have to take a big jump this yearthe mystical Year 2 jump.

I mean were counting on it, weve got to have it, coach Dan Campbell said at the start of training camp. I mean, if t hey dont make a jump, were in trouble. Thats the bottom line because those guys are kind of our core and our foundation.

For some draft picks, that jump in play may have already started. We saw Amon-Ra St. Brown take a huge step in the last leg of his rookie season. Penei Sewell was playing like a top-five right tackle in December.

But there were plenty of players who went through some typical rookie struggles last year. Their Year 2 jump, the Lions hope, is coming. Now into the heart of training camp, Campbell pointed to two players he believes are in the midst of that Year 2 jump right now: fourth-round linebacker Derrick Barnes and seventh-round running back Jermar Jefferson.

Two guys from last year that I think really had made some to this point, made some of the biggest progress to this point is Barnes and Jefferson, Campbell said on Wednesday. Both of those guys just attitude-wise and their demeanor, and the way they just all the little stuff. It never had anything to do with the way they worked. I mean, they just didnt know what they didnt know, and they were young, and a little bit of deer in the headlights.

And this year, both of those guys have really come out with a different attitude, or a different demeanor, more confidence, and its good to see. Barnes, I love where Barnes is at because I can feel Barnes on special teams right now, and I see his growth as a linebacker. Hes very much in play in there. So, hes right where he needs to be, hes growing.

Barnes cracked the starting lineup last year, but he shared time with Jalen Reeves-Maybin for most of the year due to inconsistent play. This year, the linebacking corps remains as unsettled as ever. Barnes wont be given a job, but hell have the opportunity to compete for a starting role with the likes of Alex Anzalone, Chris Board, Shaun Dion Hamilton and rookie Malcolm Rodriguez, among others.

General manager Brad Holmes, too, has seen the improvement this year in Barnes.

That (jump) has been extraordinary, Holmes told SiriusXMs Jim MIller and Pat Kirwan on Wednesday. He just knows whats going on now. Last year as a rookie, he had one year under his belt playing at inside linebacker position. Now he knows what hes doing, hes much better in communication.

As for Jefferson, hes in a roster battle of his own. Last year, he spent much of the year sidelined, and with the Lions bringing back everybody from last years corps, theres a chance Jefferson doesnt make the initial 53-man roster. Hes currently repping behind reserves Godwin Igwebuike and Craig Reynolds on offense, but hes made significant strides on special teams, which could make him a tough cut later this month.

Jermar has taken a nice jump from year one to year two, which he really needed to make because obviously last year he really wasnt good enough, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said. He has taken a very sizable jump. Ive told him that Ive noticed he has done a great job. Now its just going to come down to how he plays in these preseason games. Based off how he is practicing I feel really good about him.

Jefferson also made one of the biggest plays on offense this training camp. He took a screen and broke three tackles on the way to a 50+ yard touchdown.

For both Barnes and Jefferson, theres a long ways to go to find the roles theyre looking for, but first impressions are important, and both have come into Year 2 looking noticeably better.

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Derrick Barnes, Jermar Jefferson have made some of the biggest progress - Pride Of Detroit

Activated Alumina Market is Estimated to Progress at a CAGR of 5.2% during the Forecast Period, Notes TMR Study – GlobeNewswire

Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The value of the global activated alumina market stood at US$ 1.0 Bn in 2021. Global market study on activated alumina predicts the market to rise at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period, from 2022 to 2031. The activated alumina market size is estimated to attain valuation of US$ 1.7 Bn by 2031. Players in the globalactivated alumina market are concentrating on important domains including oil & gas andwater treatment. A large number of end users utilize and valueactivated alumina's attributes, such as absorbance, which make it a useful component for several industries.

Desiccation, food preservatives,catalysis, fluoride adsorption,vacuum systems, removal of fluoride adsorption andtrace metalsduring the de-fluoridation of drinking water are all common and important activated alumina uses. Activated alumina is a common industrial desiccant due to its excellent adsorption properties, which is expected to fuel demand of activated alumina market in the near future. Major marketplayers often opt for partnerships, mergers, andjoint ventures to increase their regional footprint. Additionally, these tactics aid established players in lessening rivalry. In addition to increasing capacity, producers of activated alumina are spending money on research and development to create novel formulations and activated alumina manufacturing process.

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Global Activated Alumina Market: Growth Drivers

Global Activated Alumina Market: Key Players

Some of the key market players are

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Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. The firm scrutinizes factors shaping the dynamics of demand in various markets. The insights and perspectives on the markets evaluate opportunities in various segments. The opportunities in the segments based on source, application, demographics, sales channel, and end-use are analysed, which will determine growth in the markets over the next decade.

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Activated Alumina Market is Estimated to Progress at a CAGR of 5.2% during the Forecast Period, Notes TMR Study - GlobeNewswire

Satisfactory Academic Progress: What You Need to Know About SAP – Student Loan Hero

Around 84% of U.S. college students receive some form of federal financial aid. However, its important to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP), otherwise you risk losing this benefit.

Every school has a different set of SAP standards. In general, youre expected to maintain a certain GPA while making steady progress toward obtaining your degree.

Lets take a closer look at SAP and what to do if you find yourself falling behind.

For many students, federal financial aid is the only way they can afford college. In fact, more than 10 million U.S. college students benefit from the governments annual distribution of $150 billion in grants, work-study funds and federal student loans.

However, federal aid isnt a free-for-all. Students must meet and maintain certain requirements to continue to receive financial support, including adhering to their schools satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy. Failure to do so could result in a financial aid warning or probation, which may affect your future eligibility for aid.

Without a financial aid package, you will have to find another way to cover your college costs, such as paying out of pocket, asking family for help or applying for private student loans although many private lenders also impose SAP restrictions.

Furthermore, certain schools wont accept alternative loans if you dont meet their SAP standards.

Its up to the college or university to define its own SAP standards. Furthermore, your schools SAP terms may vary, based on whether youre an undergraduate, graduate or professional student.

In order to fulfill a schools SAP requirements and continue receiving financial aid, students typically need to meet the following:

Keep in mind that SAP rules apply to the entire period youre receiving aid not just when you apply. Also, specific scholarships might have even stricter academic performance requirements than the ones outlined here.

Its worth talking to your schools financial aid advisors to understand their specific SAP policy. Some schools even have a SAP calculator on their website to help monitor your progress.

Most colleges wont immediately pull your financial aid as soon as your grades start slipping. Instead, they usually issue a warning that youre close to failing the SAP guidelines.

Your financial aid should still continue during the warning period, which generally lasts one semester. During that time you should use all the resources available to help boost your grades, such as learning and tutoring centers.

Ultimately, if you fail to meet your schools progress requirements after the one-semester warning period ends, your financial aid may be suspended.

If your school suspends your financial aid, you can check to see if they allow for a SAP appeal. You will most likely need to provide a one-page letter that explains what happened and what you plan to do to correct it.

Here are some common situations where an appeal might be considered:

Additionally, youll want to outline the specific steps you plan to take to improve your academic standing, such as repeating failed classes, signing up for tutoring sessions or enrolling for summer school.

Most schools will notify you about your appeal within 30 days. However, there is no industry standard on how often SAP appeals are approved. Ultimately, its up to your school to approve or deny your appeal based on your specific circumstances.

If your appeal is approved, you could be put on probation, which typically allows you one semester to rectify the issues while still receiving federal financial aid. Your school might impose extra stipulations, such as creating and sticking to an academic plan. If you fail to meet the criteria by the end of your probation period, your financial aid will most likely be suspended.

If your appeal is denied, you might be able to apply again. However, some schools have stipulations on how many times you can submit an appeal. Either way, you can usually keep attending school, but youll have to find another way to fund your tuition. (See our guide to college without financial aid here.)

Alternatively, you could consider a potential SAP workaround, which is to switch majors or degrees, or transfer to another school. For example, if your previous grades and coursework dont apply to your new concentration or college, you might be able to start over. This probably isnt the best plan of action, though, since many schools review your past academic performance when determining your eligibility for aid. Also, a transfer could affect your college loans.

In the end, the best plan of action is to work hard to stay on top of your coursework and to reach out for help before you start failing. Although getting satisfactory academic progress back on track can be hard, with some patience, creativity, commitment and a big reality check, it can be done.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress: What You Need to Know About SAP - Student Loan Hero

Rockland church community making progress on prayer garden – Northern Virginia Daily

FRONT ROYAL John Piazza remembers when his churchs Thursday night prayer group decided to build a prayer garden for the community.

They wanted to do more than just a simple small garden.

Lets do something that will make a difference in the whole community, he recalled them saying.

Piazzas late wife, Sheron Smith-Piazza, a church deacon, started the Gardening with God prayer group about five years ago, and the group meets every Thursday at the Piazza home in northern Warren County.

A landscape designer, Smith-Piazza had designed various gardens around their home most notably a large backyard oasis with brick walkways, two koi ponds with a small river connecting them, and a patio next to a pear tree and a wall of occupied birdhouses.

She used that garden as inspiration for the churchs prayer garden, her husband said, and although she lost a long battle with cancer on April 27, the prayer group and the greater church community are continuing her legacy.

Last weekend, the congregation at Rockland Community Church, installed a life-size marble statue of Jesus in the heart of their garden space in a field at 2921 Rockland Road.

The garden will sit below a pavilion where the congregation holds regular church services and overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The garden is mapped out with lines that indicate where brick walkways, benches, flowers and eight pink and white dogwood trees will go. The walkways will form a cross around an 8-by-40-foot reflecting pool, and eight small gardens with purple and white flowers will be planted around it.

In September, the prayer group hopes to complete the rest of the work, including relocating several orange koi fish from Piazzas house into the pool thats waiting at the church.

The whole job should cost about $150,000 to $200,000 once completed, Piazza said, but most of the work has already been sponsored by church members.

Benches, individual gardens and giant stone planters are largely spoken for, though the church will continue to sell memorial engraved bricks that range in cost from $150 to $400 to fund the project and to give the community a stake in the garden. So far, Piazza said, about 150 bricks have been sold.

Additionally, he said, the garden will be fenced in, have underground irrigation from the churchs well and have night lighting. Handicap parking will be available, sunset maples will fill in the treeline behind the garden along the churchs property, and Piazza said theyre hoping to plant 200 dogwood trees that community members can buy in memory of loved ones.

Once completed, Piazza hopes the garden will provide not only a meditative space for local residents but also a destination for people encouraged to drive out from Washington, D.C., or beyond.

He also mentioned concerts, weddings and other events that the space could accommodate once it opens to the public.

There are all kinds of possibilities, Piazza said. We want it to be for everybody.

Rockland is a nondenominational church with about 100 members. They typically see 40 to 50 parishioners on Sundays and have welcomed Interim Pastor Mark Jordan, who is retired from being a Baptist minister.

The church has gone through a transformation, said George McIntrye, board chairman for the church.

Theyve added a LOVE sign on their property to tie in with the states Virginia is for Lovers tourism campaign, and an informational sign along the road in front of the church was built by a local Scouting group.

Additionally, McIntyre and fellow prayer group members Dawn and Scott Hinkle and Linda Litchfield have been instrumental in planning the prayer garden, Piazza said.

Since April, Litchfield has taken over as project manager of the garden, and McIntyres business, The Apple House restaurant and gift shop in Linden, donated the funds to pay for the marble statue.

All of this is done to celebrate the good and the love in the world, McIntyre said.

The Hinkles have handled the brick project, placing all the orders, Piazza said.

The four of them, he said, "They're just godsends to this project."

Though the location of the prayer garden was consecrated about a year ago, the church has seen a lot of delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated supply chain issues.

Theyve received all the garden decor but are still waiting on plumbing for the reflection pond before they start planting the flowers and placing other elements around the garden.

The current plan is to do most of the work in September and then hold a dedication ceremony.

Much of the work will be done by church volunteers, but Piazza said that Lantz Construction poured the concrete for the pool and theyll have a contractor supply the plumbing.

His wifes company, Turtle Rock Landscaping, of Rileyville, will do the brickwork under its new owner, Duenis Diaz.

People have needed a place to go and just be, Piazza said. Its coming true now.

McIntrye is also excited to see the garden completed and Smith-Piazzas vision realized.

Weve seen a lot of her work. Were kind of memorializing the whole project after her, he said.

Its the quality of her expertise that comes through. Its like shes still there.

For more information about the project or the church, call 540-635-8312 or visit tinyurl.com/Rockland-Facebook.

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Rockland church community making progress on prayer garden - Northern Virginia Daily

Student groups spur progress toward UM sustainability | The University Record – The University Record

As the University of Michigan continues to work toward carbon neutrality across all campuses and units, three student-led organizations have released annual reports that collectively detail a broad effort toward a universitywide culture of sustainability.

The reports from the Sustainable Food Program, Student Sustainability Coalition and Planet Blue Student Leaders showcase initiatives from the past year that have helped the campus community engage in more sustainable behaviors and learn more about relevant efforts on and off campus.

We couldnt be more pleased with the role that U-M students have taken in advancing sustainability, carbon neutrality and social justice, said Alex Bryan, sustainability programs manager for Student Life.

As these are urgent and important issues at U-M and around the world our community has shown great interest in taking meaningful and just climate action. And in no surprise, our students are helping to lead the effort. Over the last year, these groups have facilitated programs that led to more than 3,200 peer-to-peer interactive engagements.

The U-M Sustainable Food Program is a student-led initiative that aims to build just and resilient campus food systems. This includes helping scale the Campus Farm and expanding the Maize and Blue Cupboard.

The UMSFP 2021-22 academic year report notes a number of successful programs, events, collaborations and working groups, including:

The Student Sustainability Coalition report for the 2021-22 academic year details the organizations work fostering collaborations and empowering student-led environmental work at U-M.

The SSC, which the Graham Sustainability Institute and Student Life co-facilitate, seeks to connect students and student groups to catalyze university sustainability efforts. The organization communicates with the campus community via a weekly newsletter, dedicated social media accounts, summits and informal coffee chats.

The SSC report puts forward several ideas for fostering a culture of sustainability throughout U-M. In the year ahead, SSC aims to address a knowledge gap between students and U-M administration around relevant campus efforts, expand offerings like Earthfest that are programmed towards students, and work to center diversity, equity, inclusion and justice within sustainability initiatives.

The report also highlights the Planet Blue Student Innovation Fund, which funds student-led and initiated work that both reduces the universitys carbon footprint and helps foster sustainable values on campus.

SSC funded four PBSIF projects over the last year, including an energy-efficient cold-storage system that uses winter air for cooling, a bicycle repair station, canopy covers and light switch stickers that encourage energy conservation.

The Planet Blue Student Leaders program focuses on peer-to-peer engagement and culture change, with focus on early undergraduates as well as those who are less familiar with U-M carbon neutrality work or sustainability generally.

During the 2022-2022 academic year:

During the last year, U-M student programs granted $56,000 to 12 student-led projects that prioritized equity and sustainability. Also, 281 graduating seniors earned Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cords, in recognition of their involvement in climate action and dedication to the environment. Cords were produced locally by U-M students and with sustainable wool and dye from plants from Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

U-M continues to make strides toward net-zero emissions. Recent actions include joining the U.S. Department of Energy Better Climate Challenge, planning geothermal exchange heating and cooling systems, announcing $300 million in green bonds for capital projects aligned with U-M sustainability goals, launching a public dashboard tracking U-M emissions reduction efforts, and financing LED and energy conservation projects.

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Firefighters make further progress to contain raging Oak fire near Yosemite – The Guardian US

Firefighters have made significant progress battling the ferocious Oak fire burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Yosemite national park, achieving 45% containment by Friday morning. The blaze has consumed more than 19,200 acres, fueled through the dry, overgrown vegetation coating the hillsides and favorable fire conditions that spurred erratic and extreme behavior.

Many have still been kept from their homes as the fire continues to spread since igniting last week, as residents await word on whether theirs was one of the 162 structures reported destroyed. That number could go up as damage assessment crews work to investigate the destruction, and hundreds of houses still lie in the fires path.

If the fire intensifies it could reach those areas, said a Cal Fire public information officer, Hector Vasquez, noting that warmer and drier conditions are expected in the coming days and that the steep, rocky terrain where the fire is burning has hindered efforts to corral it. Homes will remain at risk until the blaze has been completely extinguished. But the number [of homes at risk] has gone down significantly in the last few days, he added.

The Oak fire is one of many disasters raging across the US, as scorching temperatures baked the Pacific north-west, the west remained parched in record drought, and severe storms sent flash floods surging across several states. At least four people have died due to the extreme heat in Oregon, according to the state medical examiner, while the death toll mounts in Kentucky, where 16 people have been reported killed in historic flooding.

We may have even lost entire families, said Kentuckys governor, Andy Beshear, speaking in an update posted on YouTube.

The climate crisis has turned up the dial on disasters and, as temperatures continue to climb, extreme events are expected to increase and overlap, testing resilience and hampering recovery. Although the ways that individual events are linked to climate change must be studied to be confirmed, the trends tell a troubling story of whats to come.

Instead of random extreme weather events, were seeing these large-scale anomalies, said climate scientist Karen McKinnon, who studies climate variability at the University of California, Los Angeles. She also noted the scale of the continent-wide heatwave.

Most evidence pointed to the extreme 120F temperatures in the Pacific north-west last year as being largely a freak event, she said. But if we see it again, thats a huge signal that something about the underlying physics of the system is changing. If you see two freak events in a row, then you know you need to re-examine your conceptual system.

As for fires, California which experienced record-breaking blazes in recent years has had a milder start to its high-risk season, even with the destructive Oak fire.

This time last year we had multiple fires burning throughout the state, Vasquez said, adding that the lack of competition for resources played a big part in enabling crews to attack the fire quickly. We had so many personnel and they got here quickly because we had a wide range of personnel not assigned to other incidents.

Still, with months left before the state sees wetting rains that reduce the risks, this could just be the beginning of another fire-filled season. Fires are important to maintaining the health of Californias landscapes, and can improve resilience and ecosystem recovery, especially in forests that are adapted to flames. But high-intensity conditions and an over-abundance of dried fuel have changed fire behavior, resulting in more destructive blazes.

Overgrown parched vegetation across the state is baking in summer heat. Many regions are primed to burn.

There have been several fires started since the Oak incident started, Vasquez said, and that could be a strong indicator of what lies ahead of us.

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Firefighters make further progress to contain raging Oak fire near Yosemite - The Guardian US

Progress Pride Flag to Fly in Oak Bluffs – The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News

The LGBTQ+ progress pride flag will fly over Oak Bluffs for two weeks in June to coincide with pride month, following a select board discussion Tuesday that saw dozens of community members advocate for the flag to be flown in town.

Please dont turn back the hands of time by disallowing such a flag from being raised in our community, Marthas Vineyard NAACP representative Jennelle Gadowski said.

The progress pride flag is an LGBTQ+ flag designed in 2018 that includes stripes to represent people of color and the transgender community, alongside the larger LGBTQ community.

The flag will be raised beneath the American flag on the Ocean Park flagpole on June 1 during a flag raising ceremony approved earlier this week by the parks commission. The flag will remain raised for two weeks, including through the Oak Bluffs pride parade on June 11, which will march down Circuit avenue and end in Ocean Park.

The select board approved raising the flag in a 4-1 vote. Board member Jason Balboni was the lone dissenter, arguing that a non-governmental flag should not be flown on the same pole as the American flag. Mr. Balboni said he would prefer to see a new flag pole erected specifically for the purpose of flying community flags. In this capacity he said he would like to see the progress pride flag flown through the whole month of June.

So Im not completely a bad guy, he joked. Just a lot.

Board member Brian Packish said he personally agreed with Mr. Balboni but considering the long line of speakers advocating for the flag at the meeting, he said it was his job to represent the will of the community.

Im not here serving as an individual, he said.

Throughout the meeting, speakers stood before the select board to offer their personal experiences and underscore the meaning of the flag for the LGBTQ+ community.

Us taking that stand is so important at this time, Larkin Stallings said, citing national discussion surrounding the handling of LGBTQ+ identity in schools.

Last summers display of pride flags on our Island made a huge impression, Alex Palmer said, adding that flying the progress pride flag is an opportunity for Oak Bluffs to display its values to the world.

Speakers also took aim at a proposed flag policy the town is considering, regarding community flags in general. Members of the board argued that a policy is needed due to potential legal vulnerabilities, such as accusations that the town may fly one community flag over another.

Were constantly working around challenges around how we handle the flag, Mr. Packish said.

Arthury Hardy-Doubleday, attorney and president of the Marthas Vineyard NAACP, argued that discretion over which flags to fly and when is a power the board should have, and approach with careful thought.

I think adopting the policy as written, it ties your hands behind your back, Mr. Hardy-Doubleday said.

The board decided to forgo a decision on a flag policy, and create a subcommittee comprising two select board members and a handful of members of the public to work toward a new draft for the policy.

I think theres a way that we can thread this needle, Mr. Hardy-Doubleday said.

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Progress Pride Flag to Fly in Oak Bluffs - The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News