Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) operators complete demanding tactical training throughout their careers, but before becoming a SWCC operator they must first pass a 72-hour crucible during the fifth week of the SWCC Basic Crewman Selection (BCS) course called the Tour.

On Time, On Target, Never Quit is the SWCC motto, a valuable maxim the men and women learn at Basic Crewman Selection, take to heart when they embark on the Tour during Basic Crewman Training, and they take with them throughout their careers.

The Tour is 72 hours of physically and mentally demanding training evolutions designed to replicate harsh environments that SWCC operators may encounter in their carrier as a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen, said Chief Warrant Officer Four Joshua Hummel, SWCC school officer in charge.

During 23 hours of running and five miles swimming, the candidates complete grueling team building activities that develop unity, teamwork, character and humility. Pushed by a team of experienced SWCC instructors under demanding environmental conditions, candidates learn to work as a boat team and also to help the person next to them during life threatening situations.

The hardest part for a student is changing their mentality and habits, said Hummel. Anyone can show up to SWCC school for a day. It takes someone with self-discipline and mental perseverance to do it every day. From day one until they graduate the students have to realize becoming an elite operator isnt something you do one day a week or two weeks a month, its something you do every day, its a lifestyle.

SWCC operators work closely with Navy SEALs by providing clandestine insertion capabilities in coastal areas while operating specialized craft used to deliver operators and provide heavy weapons and other critical support. They conduct special reconnaissance, patrol, as well as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure on suspected maritime craft. The Tour is the end of the initial training and where candidates get selected to become SWCC operators, and proceeds the 14-week long Crewman Qualification Training which is just a portion of the six-month A-school.

BCS is administered by Basic Training Command, a component of Navy Special Warfare (NSW) Center, in Coronado, CA. NSW Center provides initial and advanced training to the Sailors who make-up the Navys SEAL and Special Boat Teams. For more information on SWCC and how to become part of it, visit http://www.SEALSWCC.com.

More here:

The Tour: SWCC's Hell Week - ShadowSpear Special Operations

FRANKFORT Next month, Calloway County will become one of six Kentucky counties to take part in a study to determine the effectiveness of using asphalt made with recycled tires to resurface roads.

In June, Gov. Andy Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) Secretary Rebecca Goodman announced that Calloway County would receive $56,100 grant for a rubber-modified asphalt project utilizing waste tires. The grant was part of a $482,749 total in grant funding that went to six counties, which also included Hardin ($114,514), Simpson ($85,830), McLean ($85,000), Butler ($101,430) and Green ($39,875) counties.

The news release from the EEC said the grant funding would be used for the application of chip seal or asphalt overlay to county or metro government roads. Chip seal also often called chip-and-seal is a road surface treatment that combines one or more layers of asphalt with one or more layers of fine aggregate and can extend the life of a road by four to eight years. Asphalt overlay is a new layer of asphalt applied over an existing asphalt surface and can extend the road life by seven to 10 years, the EEC said.

On July 15, the Calloway County Fiscal Court voted to accept the grant. The funding comes from the Waste Tire Trust Fund, which receives $2 from every new tire sold in the state. Road Supervisor Joel Stansberry said he thinks the program is a smart way to reuse the rubber from old tires.

(The state) doesnt have a way to get rid of everything, so theyre trying to find new ways to recycle them, Stansberry said. Theyre going to try it with the roads by making an asphalt out of it (to get) rubberized chip-and-seal. It seems like a really good program to recycle tires (to have less) waste and put them back into use. We drive on roads with our tires, so it may make them smoother; I dont know.

Im really thankful that they considered us for the grant. Any little bit we can get to help out our county is an improvement. Thats what we strive for, to make Calloway County better.

Stansberry said he plans to start the project around the middle of September, depending on the weather. The crew will start by using the new material to resurface Samuel Road, which is west of Kirksey and just south of KY 464. After that, workers will use the standard materials on Swift Road, which is north of Kirksey and to the west of Kirksey Road (KY 299).

With Samuel, were going to do a mile of the rubberized chip-and-seal, and thats going to be our test road, Stansberry said. Then were going to do a mile on Swift with the regular chip-and-seal and do a five-year study on it to see which one performed the best.

The plan right now is (to start the project) the middle of September. Thats when were shooting for, but if it rains a lot, we cant do it while its raining. Well do the rubberized (on Samuel first), and I dont know if well have enough time in the same day to do the other, but it will be back-to-back. It should be the next day, at least.

Paul Rister, the magistrate representing the countys 4th District, said he applied for the grant on the countys behalf after Deputy Judge-Executive Gina Winchester told him it was available. He said he had some grant-writing experience from when he used to work for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

It was a short write-up; it involved some math and figuring out what we wanted to do and finding a couple of good roads since its a comparison study, Rister said. I tried to put it all together and got lucky. I probably should have asked to do more, but we got what we got.

Rister said it is a 50/50 grant, which means the grant pays for the mile of rubber-modified asphalt and the county will pay for the mile of regular chip-and-seal. He said the EEC wanted the two roads to be close together and have similar traffic counts, and over the next five years, the state will periodically check on the roads to compare their conditions. He said Trigg County had participated in a similar study several years ago, and Judge-Executive Hollis Alexander had reported good results so far.

There are so many spare tires out there that people are trying to get rid of, so if this is a good process to reuse and recycle tires, then its possibly something for the future if it holds up as good as regular asphalt, Rister said.

Calloway County Judge-Executive Kenny Imes said he was pleased to receive the grant and be involved with the study.

Weve got 720 miles of road here and we cant keep caught up, Imes said. We just dont have the staff or the money to make headway; were not even breaking even. Any time we can get some help (with roads is welcome).

Imes said that with the recycling market having gone downhill in the last few years, it is encouraging any time a new use is found for recycled materials. In this case, it is rubber tires, but he said he had also recently read about how India is using plastic to resurface roads.

Some of them have been down for 20-something years and look just like they did the day (they were paved) other than getting lighter, Imes said. I dont know when the United States is going to look at that as a way of using our plastics as the adhesive, and maybe you (also) use asphalt. We cant experiment because we dont have the equipment or technology here to develop a road, but Indias done it, and as a nation, I think we need to look at more things like that.

See original here:

Calloway Road Dept. to take part in rubber-modified asphalt study - Murray Ledger and Times

Video footage shows a fight which broke out and spilled onto the street at a family pub in Ingoldmells.

The incident took place at Sealands Pub in Roman Bank, Ingoldmells on Tuesday, July 28.

Video footage shows a family being ushered out of the pub by bouncers, before a fight breaks out in the street and punches are thrown.

Another family then become involved in the argument, before a man takes his top off and another fight breaks out.

One man tells a security guard: "I want him on his own," before warning him 'touch her and I will leather you' when he begins arguing with another woman.

Small children, one in a pushchair, begin crying as the incident takes place.

One small boy shouts at the security guards: "Get the f*** off my dad!"

The video, which has been viewed nearly 350,000 times on Facebook, has also been shared more than 5,500 times since it was posted two days ago.

Other customers at the pub watch on as the argument escalates, with some calling it "disgusting" and "shocking".

The video also shows traffic on Roman Bank being held up as the incident unfolds in the middle of the street.

Lincolnshire Police have been approached for comment.

Lincolnshire Live has attempted to contact Sealands Family Bar about the incident.

Read more here:

Fight breaks out and spills onto the street at family pub in Ingoldmells - Lincolnshire Live

For Colin Woodthorpe football still matters, it's just that life has that way of putting things in perspective.

The former Chester City defender, who made 155 Football League appearances for the Blues between 1985 and 1990, is back in the game after a brief hiatus since leaving AFC Fylde back in October.

The surroundings may be slightly more humble, the challenge very different, but taking the assistant manager job at Northern Premier League Division One North West side Runcorn Linnets gives the 51-year-old the balance he needs in his life right now, working alongside Chester FC academy coach Calum McIntyre as he takes his first post in senior men's football.

A professional career that has seen him up sticks and move to some of the most remote places in the UK - Norwich and Aberdeen - means that a commute from his Northwich home to Runcorn for a part time post aligns with what really matters.

For Woodthorpe and his three sons, Nathan, Elliott and Ashley, the past 21 months have been unimaginably difficult following the death of his wife, Karole, from breast cancer in 2018.

"From October 2018 to now it has been a difficult journey," admitted Woodthorpe.

"I lost my wife and the boys lost their mother and life completely changes.

"You don't realise how much how much your wife being organised allows you to be organised in your own life and to thrive and achieve what you strive for. I used to be able to get out the door as and when I needed to but now there are a whole set of different challenges that you don't expect and where there is only you to deal with them.

"Christmas I found difficult as she used to take care of that. After she died I was petrified that first Christmas because I didn't want to drop the ball, I didn't want to forget people and I wanted to be able to do all that stuff that I used to take for granted because Karole did it. I know people were understanding but you want to do it for yourself, you want to show you can step up, but sometimes the little things can be so hard."

McIntyre was already friends with Woodthorpe having got to know him and Dave Challinor, who Woodthorpe worked under as assistant, successfully, at both Colwyn Bay and AFC Fylde. He wasn't expecting any interest from the former Norwich City, Aberdeen, Stockport County and Bury man in the role.

"Cal didn't think I'd be interested at all but he asked anyway," said Woodthorpe, whose youngest son Ashley has a rare genetic condition called Koolen De Vries which means he needs 24/7 care.

"I was happy to. It fits what I need right now and where I am at.

"My youngest, Ash, has special needs and is in his last year of high school so it all fits in geographically so I can be around and be a support to him, Nathan and Elliott.

"I can't tell you how proud of my lads I am.

"From when Karole was diagnosed through to her death and all the pain that comes after that they have been through A-Levels, GCSEs and Nathan has just been awarded his first professional deal at Crewe Alexandra, he's a left back like I was.

"For those lads to go through what they have done and still achieve just fills me with pride. I want to be around as much as possible to provide that support and right now this Runcorn role allows me to do that and I'm excited about it."

It's 35 years this year since Woodthorpe made his breakthrough in the professional game, emerging through the youth team ranks at Chester before being handed his debut by the legendary Blues boss Harry McNally.

What had been a tough decision whether to take on an apprenticeship with the Blues turned into a 23-year playing career that saw him clock up over 600 appearances, play in the Premier League and play in the UEFA Cup - including away at Inter Milan.

"I decided against an apprenticeship at Chester first off and went to the local college to study A-Level economics," recalled Woodthorpe.

"After a few days I thought 'no, not for me' so I went back and signed my YTS forms at Chester and started from there.

"It's quite something when your first manager is someone like Harry McNally. You don't know any different as a kid at that age, you think that all the things that went on there were normal, that it happened at every club up and down the country.

"It wasn't until I went to Norwich that I realised how mad Chester was.

"I loved it. The people were fantastic and people like Barrie and Pam Hipkiss, to see diamonds like those two still involved at the club is wonderful. It was a really friendly club with some superb people around it.

"As players we had that kind of Crazy Gang mentality, a bit like Wimbledon did. Harry helped forge all that and it was what was needed at the time as we weren't flush with cash and we had to make the most of the tools we had.

"We had tough lads like Graham Barrow and we did things our own way because that's what we had to do to make sure we gave ourselves the best chance."

Some of McNally's antics at Chester are the stuff of legend.

From being arrested in his underpants climbing a chimney in the Faroe Islands to breaking his leg on a friendly tour of Scotland because he didn't pull out of a tackle 'because it would have sent the wrong message', there will never be another like McNally.

Woodthorpe himself was at the centre of one of McNally's famous moments, when the Chester manager literally threw him back on to the pitch in a Freight Rover Trophy match at Wrexham when he was injured, following up the flash-point after the match with the declaration to the media that 'with minutes to go in a cup tie at Wrexham you must be prepared to die for the cause'.

"God, yeah, I remember that," recalled Woodthorpe.

"I'd been on the end of this heavy challenge and I was winded and felt like I'd cracked my ribs. I was ready to get up and get back playing but needed some time to compose myself.

"Out of the corner of my eye I see Harry storming up the touchline with a face like thunder and think he's going to give the ref some or have a go at their lad. He then throws me onto the pitch and screams at me.

"My mum was watching in the stands and started to make her way down as she wanted to hit him with her umbrella. She was furious.

"That's what it was like, though. You expected the unexpected.

"I remember when we were winning 4-1 against Bury, I think it was in 1987. We ended up drawing 4-4 and he comes back in the changing room at the end of the game and he is absolutely furious. I mean he is literally frothing at the mouth.

"While he's frothing at the mouth he's getting undressed and shouting and screaming at everyone. By this time he'd told everyone who wasn't a player to get out, including the lad who was running the bath.

"He jumps in this bath that is just scolding hot and lets out this blood curdling scream. He then storms around the tunnel looking for the volunteer who ran the bath to get him sacked, even though he told him to clear off and the poor fella had tried to tell him he hadn't finished running the bath and put any cold water in yet!"

As well as the pre-season tour to the Faroe Islands being full of tales to tell, the annual trip away would often elicit much of the same.

"We went to Ireland for one tour," said Woodthorpe.

"We played a couple of games, Cork and Waterford, but the thing was a massive booze up. But it was very much of its time back then, that's what it was.

"Anyway we have a night out in Dublin, all we do is drink Guinness. We can't find Harry and it ends up he's holding up traffic in Dublin city centre doing the dying fly on the floor. You're thinking 'that's my manager, that'.

"He'd tried to make us do this challenge to show how brave we were which involved eating the plate of food and then the paper plate and paper napkin. Nobody was going to do it, it was nonsense. But Harry's there, finishing his food and then starts chomping down on this paper plate and eats the lot, red napkin and all. It made him pretty poorly.

"We get the ferry back to Holyhead the next day and everyone is rough. Harry has a horrific hangover and he is just lying down on the floor of this ferry and all these kids who are on a school trip are just prodding him and he's there fast asleep, flat out. You're thinking 'what is going on here?'

"But that was Harry, I suppose. When it came to football he was dead serious and I found that he helped me in a big way and prepared me well.

"Was he demanding? Yes, very. But surely people would say that Sir Alex Ferguson was demanding or that Marcelo Bielsa was demanding. Now I'm not putting him in that bracket but managers who succeed and get the best out of players are demanding."

By the summer of 1990 Woodthorpe had attracted considerable interest from big clubs.

It was Norwich City who would be the ones to show their hand as they paid 225,000 for the services of the talented left back.

Still just 21, Woodthorpe headed to Norfolk to begin a new chapter with the Canaries.

"It was tough to start with and I had some pretty miserable nights and didn't know if I'd made the right choice," said Woodthorpe.

"I was staying at the Landsdowne Hotel for a few weeks but I ended up getting my first house that August and then things became easier.

"I mean it in the best way but I always felt that it was like the land that time forgot, Norwich.

"I got there and they had punks! I hadn't seen punks for about five years!

"It was horrific to get to but once I settled I just didn't want to leave. The people were brilliant, the lifestyle was brilliant and I was enjoying playing for a big club on the big stage.

"I'd gone from not knowing if I'd take up my YTS at Chester to playing Inter Milan at the San Siro. When you are a kid growing up you dream of things like that, to play on that kind of stage in games like that and that is something I'll always have.

"We had good lads at Norwich, too.

"David Smith ended up being my best man, then you had lads like Mark Bowen, Jeremy Goss and Ian Crook - the most gifted footballer I have ever seen. He was an absolute magician with the ball.

"It was a great time in my life and me and Karole were happy down there."

The idyllic life in Norwich that Woodthorpe and Karole had built for themselves would be turned on its head in 1994 as the Canaries accepted a bid from Aberdeen for his services.

It was a move that Woodthorpe didn't want to make.

"It's not like nowadays, if you move clubs you move your life there too," he said.

"I was in Norwich and of all the places to go it was somewhere even more remote. I had to flick through seven pages of the atlas to find Aberdeen.

"I'd heard there was interest but I used to avoid the phone. If I thought someone might come in I'd go for a walk or something so that nobody could get hold of me, I didn't have a mobile then. I thought if I don't speak to anybody then I don't have to move. It doesn't work like that, though.

"So we moved to Aberdeen and, again, the people were great.

"To drive up there took forever so we still had roots in Chester and whenever we would come back I would get this little propeller plane from Manchester.

"It would take in a few stops as you'd pick up riggers heading up to Aberdeen from Newcastle and Humberside.

"I remember Ricky Tomlinson being on board with us, he had his banjo with him and we had a right good time. I think we ended up drinking our fare."

Woodthorpe stopped in Aberdeen for three seasons, taking in another UEFA Cup adventure during that time, before deciding to head back closer to his North West roots, a move to Stockport County following before a switch to Bury, both of which would see him clock up over 300 Football League appearances between the pair.

Woodthorpe's final game as a professional arrived in 2008 at Bury, a club where he did link up with Barrow once more after the former Chester boss took the reins at Gigg Lane from 2003 to 2005.

Coaching and management wasn't always at the forefront of his mind but when his old teammate from Bury, Challinor, asked him if he wanted to join him as number two at Colwyn Bay following the departure of Neil Young to take up the role of Chester FC's first boss in 2010 he couldn't say no.

"We had a great run together and we were gutted with how it ended at Fylde," said Woodthorpe.

"We'd been at Wembley twice in a week just a few months before we left, losing in the play-offs and winning the FA Trophy. For me personally it was a year of a rollercoaster of emotions.

"I'd took a bit of time away but I happy with where I am right now, to be there for the lads, and happy that I'm able to get back into football and have it as part of my life again."

Original post:

From Sealand Road to the San Siro - Colin Woodthorpe on tragedy and a remarkable football journey - Cheshire Live

Senate Approves Commission to Revise or Redesign Massachusetts Seal and Motto

The Massachusetts State Senate on Tuesday passed legislation that would establish a commission to study and redesign the Massachusetts state seal and motto in an effort to make it more inclusive and historically representational.

The legislation, Resolve establishing a special commission relative to the seal and motto of the commonwealth (S.1877), will create a commission to study the state seal. Many people, particularly members of Native American communities, find the seal offensive and unwittingly harmful, and others feel it perpetuates a misunderstanding of indigenous culture and history. The commission will be tasked with making recommendations for a revised or new seal and motto for the state. The state seal and motto are featured on the Massachusetts flag and other official insignia.

This bill provides a chance to begin a conversation about our history and reimagine what a truly inclusive state seal and motto can look like, stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). The Senate will never waiver on its commitment to making our Commonwealth welcoming for all, and so I am proud to see this proposal for a commission to study our seal and motto move forward. I would like to extend my gratitude to the many advocates who have continued to raise this issue, and to Senators Lewis and Comerford for their work and collaboration on this issue.

COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter demonstrate that the social issues of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are entwined as the collective challenge to social structures solidifies, said Jean-Luc Pierite, President of the North American Indian Center of Boston and a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Today's vote in the Massachusetts Senate affirms that we can reconcile the identity of social systems while advocating and establishing needed change.

Our collective symbols of identity matter, and if they marginalize some of our fellow residents and perpetuate harmful stereotypes, they should be replaced, said Senator Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Education and lead sponsor of the resolve. I want to thank former Representative Byron Rushing, former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs John Slow Turtle Peters, and many other Native advocates and allies for championing this legislation for many years.

Symbols have weight. They have meaning. It's been encouraging to see Confederate symbols coming down across the nation, and yet we in Massachusetts continue to display a symbol that for many expresses the subjugation of Native Americans through violence, said Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), a lead sponsor of the legislation. By passing this legislation, the State Senate is now on the right side of history. Thank you to Senator Jason Lewis, the Senate President, and all of the organizers and towns that have held us accountable. Today, 400 years since the first European Settlement, we have joined together to reject racism, discrimination, and injustice, and in doing so, opened the door to a transformative path forward.

The current state seal, adopted in 1898, prominently features a Native American figure. Historical records show that figure is a composite based on a portrait of a Native American chief from the Chippewa tribe which is primarily located in Montana and the Dakotas, not Massachusetts. Above his head is an arm holding a colonial-era broadsword believed to be the sword of Myles Standish, a Plymouth Colony military commander known in part for killing Native Americans. The Native American holds a downward pointed arrow that has been interpreted as signifying the pacification of the native population.

Indigenous activists in Massachusetts have advocated for decades for a change to the Massachusetts seal, which is viewed by many as racist and over-generalizing. The original version of this bill was filed in 1985 by former State Representative Byron Rushing, a prominent Boston civil rights leader, and has been filed in some form in every session of the Massachusetts Legislature since then.

The commission will include:

Five members appointed by the Commission on Indian Affairs who are descendants of tribes with a historical presence in the commonwealth;Four members appointed by the governor with relevant cultural and historical expertise;The executive director of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs or a designee;The executive director of the Massachusetts Historical Commission or a designee;The executive director of the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities or a designee;The executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council or a designee; andThe House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory; Oversight.The commissioners will be appointed within 60 days of the bill becoming law and will make a final report by October 1, 2021.

The legislation now moves to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Passes Bill to Increase Higher Education Opportunities for People with Disabilities, Honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Today, the Massachusetts State Senate passed legislation which removes existing barriers for students with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders or other developmental disabilities so they can attend public institutions of higher education. The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, honors the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law 30 years ago this week by President George H.W. Bush.

Under An Act Creating Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, students would not be required to pass the MCAS, have a high school diploma, meet minimum requirements for academic courses, or take college entrance exams in order to access inclusive academic, social, and career development opportunities on college campuses with their peers. In addition, the bill also makes clear that strengthening access to higher education for students with disabilities is a goal of the Commonwealth's higher education system.

We have made great strides in Massachusetts to provide inclusive opportunities for persons with disabilities, but there is always more work to be done, said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). I appreciate the overwhelming support for advancing this bill and look forward to seeing it make its way through the legislative process. I would like to thank Senators Rodrigues, Lovely and Gobi for their attention to this important issue.

As we honor the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Senates passage of this bill today marks another important step towards removing barriers, creating access and opening doors of opportunity and possibility for individuals with disabilities, said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D- Westport) Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means. I applaud Senator President Spilka for her support and leadership, Senator Lovely for her commitment to this critical issue, and our partnersschool districts and public higher education institutionsfor their collaborative efforts to ensure full inclusion of individuals with disabilities within our Commonwealth.

A little more than thirty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act became U.S. law, I am proud that the Senate has expanded this legacy by passing An Act Creating Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, said Senator Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem). Breaking down barriers to higher education for persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities so they can enroll in college courses and participate in extracurricular activities represents a right and long overdue step for young people of all abilities. I am excited to see all of the great changes that will result if this bill becomes law, and am deeply appreciative to Senate President Spilka and Ways & Means Chair Rodrigues for their visionary leadership.

The opportunity to attend one of our many state community colleges, colleges and universities and the further opportunities that creates in life is something that many people strive for. All students deserve that regardless of their abilities, said Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education.

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking Americans With Disabilities Act, I commend Senate President Spilka, Chairman Rodrigues, Speaker DeLeo, House Speaker Pro Tempore Haddad and their colleagues in the Legislature for creating opportunities in higher education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan. This legislation builds on the universitys ongoing efforts to expand access to higher education through innovative programming.

Now, on the 30th anniversary of the ADA, the strongest civil rights law in the nation for people with disabilities, we at the MDSC applaud Senate President Spilka, Chair Rodrigues, Senator Lovely and members of the Massachusetts State Senate for passing Senate Bill S. 2844, which will open doors of opportunity for students with intellectual disabilities to gain access to higher education opportunities in an inclusive college setting, said Maureen Gallagher, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. For too long, public school options for students with intellectual disabilities transitioning to adulthood have been limited and the passage of this bill removes those existing barriers and ensures that people with intellectual disabilities have access to higher education that will lead to more opportunities for meaningful integrated employment and a fulfilling life in the community.

We are proud that many community colleges are already experienced with inclusive concurrent enrollment programs, and know first-hand that participating students gain life skills and education that increase their ability to live more empowered, independent, and inclusive lives, said Tom Sannicandro, Director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges. This bill creates a life changing opportunity by breaking down barriers to higher education for students with disabilities. We are happy to see the bill move forward to expand this critical program to more students in Massachusetts.

MAC applauds the Senate, our public higher education institutions, and school districts for working together to enact legislation that will remove barriers and provide access, said Julia Landau, Senior Project Director of Mass Advocates for Children. With this bill, persons with intellectual disabilities and autism will be able to participate in college and gain the skills necessary to successfully live and work in the community.

Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts strongly supports Senate passage of S. 2844, to provide college access for individuals with disabilities, said Michael J. Borr, President and Chair of AFAM. This higher education initiative can significantly change the trajectory of life for a young adult with autism. Participating in college courses alongside their peers, provides people with autism needed opportunities for growth and community inclusion. The CDC estimates that 2.21% of adults are diagnosed with autism and approximately 80% are unemployed. Many of these individuals would benefit greatly from the skill sets and much improved employment outcomes that this legislation provides.

Building on the success of the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI) grant program, the bill codifies that program, which enables school districts and public institutions of higher education to partner together to offer inclusive concurrent enrollment initiative options for students with disabilities ages 18 to 22. Since 2007, over 1,200 students with disabilities have taken advantage of the opportunity to participate academically and socially in the life of participating colleges in Massachusetts through the MAICEI program.

In response to the challenges facing school districts and public higher education institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate bill ensures no additional costs are placed on a school district beyond the existing obligations already required under state and federal special education law.

Furthermore, the bill also ensures that colleges are not required to bear any additional costs of providing individual supports and services for students with severe intellectual disabilities, severe autism spectrum disorders, or other severe developmental disabilities who attend the college through the MACEI initiative.

Finally, the bill delays the implementation of the requirements placed on our school districts and higher education institutions within the bill until the 20212022 school year.

The bill now heads to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka on Extending Session

"The Senate is pleased that the House has agreed with us to extend the session to complete vital legislation and stand ready to act as required by the COVID-19 crisis. This session extension does not affect the urgency of enacting the Reform, Shift + Build Act; I am confident that our colleagues in the House share our commitment to acting on this matter by the end of the week. Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland)"

See the original post:

MA Senate to Revise or Redesign Massachusetts Seal and Motto, Passes Bill to Increase Higher Education Opportunities for People with Disabilities and...

COVID-19 Impact on Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Insights, Forecast to 2027

The Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Research Report Forecast 2020-2027 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.

The report also explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the segments of the Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice market and its global scenario. The report analyzes the changing dynamics of the market owing to the pandemic and subsequent regulatory policies and social restrictions. The report also analyses the present and future impact of the pandemic and provides an insight into the post-COVID-19 scenario of the market.

Get Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.reportsandmarkets.com/sample-request/global-fresh-and-naturally-fermented-birch-juice-market-2020-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2025?utm_source=primefeed&utm_medium=6

The report further studies potential alliances such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, product launches, collaborations, and partnerships of the key players and new entrants. The report also studies any development in products, R&D advancements, manufacturing updates, and product research undertaken by the companies.

Competitive Landscape:

Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice market report highlights key players included in the market in order to render a comprehensive view of the competing players existing in the market. Company details, strategies, aptitude, history, cost analysis, and prevalent strategies

The major players covered in Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market @ BelSeva (Belgium),TreeVitalise (UK),Sibberi (UK),Sealand Birk (UK),Treo Brands (USA)

The final report will add the analysis of the Impact of Covid-19 in this report Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice industry.

Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Research Report 2020 carries in-depth case studies on the various countries which are involved in the Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice market. The report is segmented according to usage wherever applicable and the report offers all this information for all major countries and associations. It offers an analysis of the technical barriers, other issues, and cost-effectiveness affecting the market. Important contents analyzed and discussed in the report include market size, operation situation, and current & future development trends of the market, market segments, business development, and consumption tendencies. Moreover, the report includes the list of major companies/competitors and their competition data that helps the user to determine their current position in the market and take corrective measures to maintain or increase their share holds.

The report scrutinizes different business approaches and frameworks that pave the way for success in businesses. The report used Porters five techniques for analyzing the Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market; it also offers the examination of the global market. To make the report more potent and easy to understand, it consists of info graphics and diagrams. Furthermore, it has different policies and development plans which are presented in summary. It analyzes the technical barriers, other issues, and cost-effectiveness affecting the market.

The Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice market research report completely covers the vital statistics of the capacity, production, value, cost/profit, supply/demand import/export, further divided by company and country, and by application/type for best possible updated data representation in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs. These data representations provide predictive data regarding the future estimations for convincing market growth. The detailed and comprehensive knowledge about our publishers makes us out of the box in case of market analysis.

The study objectives of this report are:

To study and forecast the market size of Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice in global market.

To analyze the global key players, SWOT analysis, value and global market share for top players.

To define, describe and forecast the market by type, end use and region.

To analyze and compare the market status and forecast among global major regions.

To analyze the global key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.

To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.

To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.

To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market

To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.

To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.

Highlights of the report:

A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market

Important changes in market dynamics

Market segmentation up to the second or third level

Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume

Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments

Market shares and strategies of key players

Emerging niche segments and regional markets

An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market

Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market

Key questions answered in this report

What will the market size be in 2026 and what will the growth rate be?

What are the key market trends?

What is driving this market?

What are the challenges to market growth?

Who are the key vendors in this market space?

What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?

Make an enquiry @ https://www.reportsandmarkets.com/enquiry/global-fresh-and-naturally-fermented-birch-juice-market-2020-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2025?utm_source=primefeed&utm_medium=6

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Overview

Chapter 2: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Data Analysis

Chapter 3: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Technical Data Analysis

Chapter 4: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Government Policy and News

Chapter 5: Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Manufacturing Process and Cost Structure

Chapter 6: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast

Chapter 7: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Key Manufacturers

Chapter 8: Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis

Chapter 9: Marketing Strategy Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Analysis

Chapter 10: Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Development Trend Analysis

Chapter 11: Global Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis

About Us:

Reports and Markets is not just another company in this domain but is a part of a veteran group called Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. It offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for a wide range of sectors both for the government and private agencies all across the world. The database of the company is updated on a daily basis. Our database contains a variety of industry verticals that include: Food Beverage, Automotive, Chemicals and Energy, IT & Telecom, Consumer, Healthcare, and many more. Each and every report goes through the appropriate research methodology, Checked from the professionals and analysts.

Contact Us:

Sanjay Jain

Manager Partner Relations & International Marketing

http://www.reportsandmarkets.com

Ph: +1-352-353-0818 (US)

See the article here:

Fresh and Naturally Fermented Birch Juice Market Manufacturers Overview 2020-2027 over the Worldwide Regional Analysis of Industry Trends and...

When those big, plump tomatoes turn from blushing pink to red, its time to think about preserving their goodness for year-round use.

Tomatoes are without a doubt the most widely home-canned product in the United States. To avoid spoilage and the risk of foodborne illness, follow these suggestions:

Canning tomatoes: The natural acidity in tomatoes varies widely because of differences in ripeness, growing conditions, injury or disease on the fruit, and vine conditions. Because of these factors, acid should be added in the form of lemon juice or citric acid to all home canned tomato products. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure citric acid per quart of tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint.

Salsa: Most salsa recipes contain a mixture of low-acid foods, such as onions and peppers. Acid, like vinegar or lemon juice must be added to prevent the bacteria from growing. Use only salsa recipes that have been research tested to ensure that they contain enough acid and follow the directions closely.

Freezing tomatoes: Tomatoes are fairly simple to freeze. Wash and dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skins. Core, peel and freeze whole or in pieces. Pack into containers, leaving 1-inch headspace. Seal and freeze. Use only for cooking or seasoning as tomatoes will not be solid when thawed. Tomato products, such as sauce, puree, ketchup and chili sauce, can also be frozen. Prepare as usual, cool rapidly, pack into rigid containers leaving headspace, and freeze.

Pickling tomatoes: The safety concerns of pickled tomatoes are the same as those for canning tomatoes. When pickling, vinegar is typically added to achieve the necessary acidity. Do not alter vinegar, food or water proportions in a recipe or use vinegar with unknown acidity. Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients.

Think safety: Think creatively when planning to preserve tomatoes, but also think safety. There are many tested procedures and recipes available to preserve your tomatoes. Creating your own procedures and recipes could result in a hazardous product.

Here is a safe, tested recipe for salsa.

Wash and rinse pint or half-pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to fill. Prepare lids and ring bands according to manufacturers directions.

To prepare tomatoes: Dip washed tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until the skins split. Submerge immediately in cold water. Peel off loosened skins and remove cores. Remove seeds and chop (1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces).

To prepare onions: Peel, wash, core and dice onions (1/4-inch pieces). To prepare bell peppers: Wash and core bell peppers. Remove the seeds and membranes before dicing (1/4-inch pieces).

To prepare hot peppers: Wash and remove stems of hot peppers. Keep or remove as much of the seeds and membranes as you wish, depending on the pepper heat of the salsa that you desire. Dice peppers (1/4-inch pieces).

Combine prepared ingredients in a large pot; add lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer salsa for an additional 3 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent scorching.

Fill the hot salsa into prepared hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. If needed, remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace to 1/2-inch. Wipe rims of jars with a clean dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and bands.

Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (for an altitude between 1,001 and 6,000 feet).

Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.

Recipe from: National Center for Home Food Preservation

Cami Wells is an Extension Educator for Nebraska Extension in Hall County. Contact her at 308-385-5088 or at cwells2@unl.edu. Visit the Hall County website at http://www.hall.unl.edu

Read the original post:

Nutrition Break: Preserve tomatoes for a continuing taste of summer - Grand Island Independent

However, it wasnt the same this year. The company owns 70% of the market share in the waterproofing segment, and it saw a huge revenue decline during the nationwide lockdown, as its services are not included under the essential item lists. And, even as states began unlocking in phases, the pessimism around allowing carpenters, painters and plumbers into houses has kept demand under constraint and is expected to impact the companys sales larger than ever before.

With COVID hitting peoples pockets, analysts think home renovation is not going to be on peoples minds anytime soon. And, with high real estate prices, buying a new house is out of the question. That is the reason Pidilites shares have declined nearly 3% since the beginning of the first quarter, till date.

Advertisement

According to various analysts reports, the company is slated to see a revenue decline of almost 64%.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Investors wait for management commentary However, the management is siding more in favour of caution than hope. These low levels of prices are not going to benefit Pidilite for long-time, but in the short term, there will be gains which will accrue to them, the company told analysts.

Reading June sales and extrapolating it could be misleading, as there is pent-up demand which may be coming through. This is especially true for categories like waterproofing where remedial work is happening just before the monsoon season begins, the company told analysts.Advertisement

See the original post:

Pidilite shareholders are paying the price for the real estate slowdown weak pre-monsoon sales to drag reven - Business Insider India

BY CHAPEL FOWLER

News + Record Staff

SILER CITY Eddie Mason was more of a bookworm. But there he was, on the practice field at Jordan-Matthews in the summer of 1986, about to take his first handoff as a high school running back.

And I got my bell rung, Mason said. I mean, seriously. I was like, Dude, I dont want no parts of this.

Dazed from the hit, he looked up and locked eyes with Phil Senter, the Jets head coach.

Just days earlier, Mason, a rising freshman, had been riding his bike around town when Senter saw him and convinced him to try out for the football team. Masons older brother, Bucky, was a star for Jordan-Matthews. But his younger brother had but a year of youth ball experience.

On his first carry, it showed. And Mason felt ready to quit, right then and there, until Senter approached.

Eddie, listen, Senter said. When you get knocked down, get back up. Get back up.

He gave me the next play, a toss to the right, and I took it to the house Mason recalled. It was one of those situations where I didnt look back.

Get knocked down. Get back up. Mason found that to be a common theme as his football career progressed from Jordan-Matthews to the University of North Carolina to the NFL, where he played five years and 80 games as a linebacker, primarily on special teams.

He wouldnt change his path, though, because it brought him to where he is today: happily married with three children, strong in his Christian faith and the owner of MASE Training, a gym in northern Virginia that works out professionals, high schoolers and everyone in between.

You know the saying, he said. You may not win the battle, but you can always win the war if you just keep fighting.

A Siler City native, Mason grew up baling hay, chopping wood and tilling gardens for his grandfather, Walter Cheek, whom he called his greatest motivation to this day.

The chores were a pain then, but Mason later realized they helped him get a boost on strength training: his arms, legs and back got an unintentional workout almost daily.

Although he swears he could have been a better running back, and he also gave defensive back a try, Mason found his niche playing linebacker at Jordan-Matthews. At a lean yet stocky 6 feet and 220 pounds, he earned a reputation for his big hits and a slew of all-conference and all-state honors.

He also caught the eye of UNC coach Mack Brown and defensive coordinator Carl Torbush. So Mason moved a county north in 1990 to play for the Tar Heels. He enjoyed football, but he didnt see it as the end goal as a sociology major, he strived to serve as a Navy SEAL and later work for the CIA or FBI.

I had no desire to go play pro, Mason said. That was not on my radar.

He kept that plan in mind through his time at UNC, as he redshirted, spent two years as a reserve and started as a junior and senior in a hybrid linebacker/safety position for the Tar Heels. But his final game for UNC the 1994 Sun Bowl gave him a timely boost.

In a 35-31 loss to Texas, Mason finished with eight tackles, an interception and two pass break-ups. Four months later, the Jets drafted him 178th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft.

God did that, man, Mason said. Honestly. How do you go from being a special teams guy to having a pretty good senior campaign and then get drafted in the sixth round? Thats stuff out of a movie.

He logged 25 tackles as a rookie, all on kickoff and punt coverage, and was named the Jets special teams MVP. But a season-ending injury in 1996 training camp sent him on a three-year drought he was teaching fourth graders at Windsor Park Elementary in Charlotte when the Jacksonville Jaguars called in 1998.

Mason spent his last four years, all productive, with the Washington football team, formerly known as the Redskins, in an area he now calls home. He retired in 2003 and established MASE Training in Sterling, Virginia, the same year.

Workdays begin at 6 a.m. Masons always up by 5 a.m., if not earlier and before coronavirus-induced restrictions, he and his staff would work out 20 to 25 people an hour. A guided tour, conducted by Mason over Zoom, reveals saunas and squat racks and high-speed treadmills and weights galore.

This right here is where Id put you through the ringer, he said with a laugh, turning his iPhone camera to 50 yards worth of indoor turf tucked into one of the corners.

MASE Training, which Mason runs with Sonya, his wife of 23 years, is his way to give back to the same the football community that invested so much in good times and bad, as hes quick to note.

Senter, his coach at Jordan-Matthews, didnt give up on Mason through his various high school slip-ups. Brown, his coach at UNC who recently described Mason as like an adopted son, taught him etiquette and relationship tips in the 1990s he still uses today.

And so many others, he said, have helped along the way like former NFL coach Tony Dungy, who spoke with Mason during a very bad time in my life and later endorsed Masons 2015 book, Training for the Tough Game of Life.

As much as so many coaches and people have poured into me, I would be far remiss if I didnt pour into that same community, Mason said. You feel not an obligation but a calling to do it.

Reporter Chapel Fowler can be reached at cfowler@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @chapelfowler.

More here:

After J-M, UNC and NFL careers, Siler City's Eddie Mason gives back through training - The Chatham News + Record

Recent years have seen a rise in sustainable business practices as people become increasingly aware of their impact on the planet. In the past, sustainability was seen as a "nice to have" or providing a competitive edge to a brand. Today it has become an expected part of the way in which businesses are expected to operate.

The Sustainable Design episode discussed sustainability as the new currency of business and a driver of open and transparent business practices. Here the panel, made up of respected experts on the topic, discussed ways to build a successful brand with sustainability in mind.

Their discussions culminated in a number of insights, with four key tips being shared to help businesses build an environmentally and socially responsible brand.

Create something that serves a purpose, he explains. Sustainability should be the base ingredient and interwoven into the brand DNA, however it has to be functional and look good too.

Davis Ndungu, founder of Recycled Flip Flop Sculptures, is a great example of this. Davis started out his career as an artist using wood as a medium. However, when wood became too expensive, he had to seek out alternative low-cost materials. He started gathering old discarded flip flops, turning them into beautiful animal sculptures.

In times of crisis there are always opportunities, explains Davis. Follow your gut and create something that you believe in. Keep the end user in mind, but dont create something just because you think it will sell.

For example, Jasper credits the success of Sealand Gear to the fact that they remained true to their original brand values, which were developed five years earlier. According to him, a successful brand needs to have a strong story to tell. He recommends that businesses should have a thorough understanding of their business identity and core values and not to lose sight of who they are and what defines them,

Alexis Grosskopf, Co-founder of OceanHub Africa, a platform for ocean-conscious entrepreneurs, notes that, because sustainable business practices have become expected as standard, there are no longer grants to assist start-ups based purely on these principles However, he claims that making these principles core to a brands purpose and operations, adds value to its overall story and identity, which will help to draw in private investors.

What the episode:

Link:

[WATCH]: Tips on creating a sustainable business - Bizcommunity.com

Conventional insulating glass units (IGUs) are made of several sheets of glass separated by spacers and sealed hermetically around the edges. The cavity between panes is usually filled with argon. The seal keeps the ingress of moisture into the cavity low to prevent water condensing on the inside surfaces of the glass panes and to avoid any corrosion of metallic low-e coatings. Further, the seal prevents the fill gas from escaping.

There is a major drawback associated with this design: an exchange of gas or air between the cavity and the atmosphere is impossible. Thus, whenever the temperature in the cavity or the external air pressure changes, the pressure in the cavity changes as well. This causes the panes to bulge inwards or out, inducing flexural stresses in them. The edge seal is subjected to compressive or tensile loads. (Figure 1) Further, moveable solar shading devices integrated in the IGU might get trapped and damaged by panes bulging inwards.

Atmospheric effects as described above increase with format and inter-pane spacing (Figure 2). Thus, the overall depth of conventional IGUs has to be restricted to avoid any damage caused by changes in air pressure or temperature. Such restrictions would not be necessary if pressure equalization betweenthe IGU cavity and the atmosphere could be achieved permanently.

So, the advantages of permanent pressure equalization are:

No restrictions anymore on interpanespacing, and thus, Simplified integration of various components into the IGU, e.g. solar shading systems Implementation of IGUs with more than three panes without substantial restrictions on the inter-pane spacing Larger overall depth, and thus, less thermal bridging at the connection to the supporting structure Reduced heat transfer coefficient compared to conventional double and triple glazing Improved airborne sound insulation (increases with inter-pane spacing) Use of thinner glass panes possible.

The simplest way forward to achieve pressure equalization would be a large enough opening in the edge seal of an IGU. It could provide for complete pressure equalization between the cavity and the atmosphere, however, at the cost of a large volume flow of air between cavity and atmosphere (and vice versa) whenever the cavity temperature or the atmospheric air pressure change.

Fresh air flowing into the cavity transports humidity from the atmosphere into the cavity. The moisture is being absorbed by the desiccant in the spacer until it is saturated. Then, condensation of water on the inner glas surfaces and corrosion of low-e coatings would follow. The durability ofan IGU would be reduced to merely a few years.

A restriction of the air flow is necessary, at the expense of a reduced degree of pressure equalization. A balance between pressure equalization and moisture uptake has to be found.

There are two ways, in principle, to achieve a restriction of the air flow:

3.1 Principles of the model

Within the framework of a research project [1], ift Rosenheim has developed a calculation model which simulates the behaviour of a permanently pressure-equalized IGU with respect to the degree of pressure equalization and moisture uptake.

Hourly weather data (temperature, solar irradiation, atmospheric pressure, atmospheric humidity) and parameters of the IGU (design, size, absorption characteristics) as well as parameters of the capillary tube or the valves are the input parameters to the model.

The model calculates the deflection of the glass panes, the related flexural stress in the panes and the moisture uptake due to the volume flow of air through the capillary tube or the valves, respectively. Diffusion processes through the edge seal or within a capillary tube are not represented in the model.

An iterative process yields suitable capillary tube parameters (inner diameter, length) or valve parameters (inlet and outlet pressure), in order to reach a balance between pressure equalization and moisture uptake of the IGU.

3.2 Example calculations

Figure 4 illustrates the pressure equalization by capillary tube and valves for the location Rosenheim as determined with the calculation model. The pane deflection is shown as a function of time. The x-axis displays the hours of one year, from 00:00 am on 1 January until 12:00 pm on 31 December. A positive value on the y-axis means outward bulging of the panes while a negative value means inward bulging of the panes.

The blue curve represents a hermetically sealed IGU. The curve follows the average daily temperature throughout the year. So, the panes bulge inwards during winter (because the temperature is lower than during the manufacturing of the IGU), and they bulge outwards during summer (because it is warmer than during the manufacturing). Further, the curve follows the dailytemperature changes. (Normal variations of the atmospheric pressure have only a relatively small effect on IGUs in comparison to daily and seasonal temperature changes.)

The red curve represents an IGU pressureequalized via a capillary tube. The curve does not show any seasonal changes, and the daily amplitude is smaller than that of the blue curve. Both effects are due to the partial pressure relief caused by the volume flow of air through the capillary tube.

A curve for a pressure equalization via valves (green) is only shown in the detail of Figure 4b as it would partly cover up the blue and the red curve in Figure 4a. The valve parameters in this model calculation were set, so that the degree of pressure equalization would be similar to that caused by the chosen capillary tube. Typical for the effect of valves are the plateaus of constant deflection (here at about 2.2mm).

This is when one of the valves is open, and air is flowing freely through it.

The results of model calculations for three locations with different climates are presented Table 1. Capillary tube and valve parameters were chosen so that the degree of pressure equalization was similar in all three cases. The values in the table indicate the moisture uptake due to the volume flow of air through the capillary tube or the valves, respectively. Permeation/diffusion through the edge seal and capillary tube are not considered in the model calculations.

There is a strong effect of the climate on the moisture uptake. For example, in Singapore about three-times as much moisture is getting into the cavity than in Rosenheim.

Further, IGU with valves show a considerably lower moisture uptake than those with a capillary tube. This is because for long periods, while the pressure in the cavity is between the setpoints of the two valves, the cavity is practically sealed. There is no exchange of air with the atmosphere.

EN 1279-3 Gas leakage [2]: Permanently pressure-equalized IGUs cannot be filled with argon or a similar gas as they are basically open to the atmosphere. A gas filling would escape within a few weeks. Therefore, a gas leakage test is not applicable.

EN 1279-2 Water penetration [3]: Conventional (hermetically sealed) IGUs absorb moisture via permeation/diffusion through the edge seal. The water penetration test of EN 1279-2 is designed to provide good conditions for this: a small specimen format to create high loads on the edge seal, a high concentration gradient between the cavity and the test chamber and last but not least a high test temperature. The evaluation of the EN 1279-2 test is based on many years of experience: If an IGU design passes the test, real-life IGUs will usually reach a durability of about 25 years and more.

For permanently pressure-equalized IGUs the situation is completely different. The main mechanism of moisture uptake is the volume flow of air due to changes in temperature or air pressure. If temperature and air pressure are constant, there is no volume flow. And the contribution of diffusion through the edge seal might be reduced as well because, after the pressure has equalized, there is no load on the edge seal which could potentially open up any flaws in the edge seal and favour diffusion through such flaws.

Further, no experience exists concerning the relation between EN 1279-2 test results and the real-life durability of permantly pressureequalized IGUs. So, passing the test does not say anything about real life durability.

Therefore, a water penetration test according to EN 1279-2 is not appicable to pressureequalized IGUs and even meaningless.

Large cavities in IGUs can be realized by applying pressure equalization.

The degree of pressure equalization has to be balanced against the moisture uptake to ensure a sufficient durability of the IGU.

Capillary tubes haven proven theoretically as well as experimentally to be suitable means to achieve pressure equalization.

Valves are theoretically very promising, however, suitable valves could not be found yet. Development work might be necessary.

There is no general solution. Capillary tube parameters and valve parameters have to be chosen depending on IGU format, construction and energetic absorption properties as well as the particular climatic loading.

[1] Rose, A., Sack N.Untersuchungen zur Umsetzbarkeit von druckentspanntem Mehrscheiben-Isolierglas(Pressure-equalized insulating glass units a feasibility study)Research reportift Rosenheim 2015

[2] DIN EN 1279Glas im Bauwesen Mehrscheiben-Isolierglas Glass in building Insulating glass unitsBeuth Verlag GmbH, Berlin

Original post:

Large Cavities Between Glass Panes by Pressure-equalized IGU - Glass on Web

Yes, George Floyds brutal murder, a flagrantly racist president and the pent-up emotions of a pandemic motivated people to take to the streets to demand racial justice. But social movements never emerge just because conditions are bad.

Bill Moyer, a movement strategist, wrote about this dynamic in his Movement Action Plan. He noted that the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979 became a rallying point for people concerned about the dangers of nuclear power. Yet Michigans Enrico Fermi plant had been closer to a full meltdown in 1966 and didnt lead to soul-searching or a social crisis. The difference was that in the intervening years, organizers had worked to seed local groups, build national networks, hone responses to the pronuclear lobby and develop alternative policy platforms.

The current movement has done all those things, spurred largely by the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo., over the killing of Michael Brown. It grew into a network of dozens of local Black Lives Matter chapters across the United States and Canada. Groups like Black Youth Project 100 and Movement for Black Lives built comprehensive policy platforms, leading to radical, ground-shaking demands like defund the police. As Jessica Byrd, a leader in Movement for Black Lives, said in a recent interview with Time, Movement made this moment different.

If one isnt aware of this work, its easy to assume that after this phase of street protests ends, the movement will be gone and it will be time to turn to the real work of voting to fulfill our civic duty.

But people who understand movements know that voting is not the end its one part of the process. Movements amplify complex questions that otherwise get simplified to sound bites in elections. Questions like: Does society really need armed police answering mental health crises? Can the police be reformed while still armed with military-grade weapons? What are practical alternatives to police systems? By changing peoples views, movements apply pressure to decision makers.

Contrary to popular belief, movements shouldnt be measured by whether the preferred candidates get into office, nor are they undermined by short-term failures to cobble together national legislation.

A better yardstick for a movement is the publics perception of the problem, a growing certainty that current policies dont work and ultimately peoples commitment to embracing alternatives.

Link:

Voting Isnt Everything - The New York Times

Big operations are extremely cost efficient, wrote Temple Grandin, a longtime proponent of humane animal handling, in a recent op-ed for Forbes. The downside is the fragility of the supply chains, as Covid-19 proves. This pandemic is going to be a wakeup call. As farmers across the country see herd-thinning expand into cattle feedlots, and as the losses for rural communities mount, many are asking whether the entire system needs dramatic reform. In late June, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey announced an investigation into the large meat-packers, questioning their commitment to providing a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply to the nation. A tight network of smaller producers, they argue, could help ensure that our food economy is more equitable for farmers, safer for packinghouse workers, and, for consumers, more resilient and reliable in the face of crisis. The current pandemic underscores that broader argument for a new system of meat production and distribution. Droving nearly six billion animals, some two-thirds of the total number of livestock slaughtered in the United States each year, onto the kill floors of barely 100 meatpacking plants owned by just six companies not only creates an impassable bottleneck; it has also produced a potential national security threat should our food supply chain experience a sustained disruption.

The current system, however, didnt evolve by accidentand it is important to recognize that it was never intended to protect the American consumer, much less the American farmer or the American worker. To change, it will require nothing short of breaking up the Big Six and enforcing antitrust laws to their fullest extent. More than that, though, it will take a cultural change, in which we, as eaters, no longer see issues of labor, on the farm or the factory floor, as separate from questions of what is on our forks, and how it got there.

Hogs on Bernie Herickhoffs Minnesota farm lost value as they gained weight during Covid-related delivery delays.

From the very dawn of the industrial meat era, going all the way back to when Upton Sinclair started serializing his novel The Jungle in 1905, the American public has appeared unmoved by labor abuses in the meat industry. Basing his book on two months in the Packingtown district of Chicago near the old Union Stock Yards, Sinclair graphically portrayed the killing floors at Armour and Swift, where supervisors moved through each room with a watch, pressing cutters to work faster while they increased the pace of the production chain. The speeding-up seemed to be growing more savage all the time, Sinclair wrote, but his readers were less concerned by the dehumanizing treatment of workers or the inhumane handling of livestock than the possible contamination of their meat. When President Theodore Roosevelt took up the cause of reform, Sinclair wrote, it was not because the public cared anything about the sufferings of these workers, but simply because the public did not want to eat tubercular beef.

As a consequence, after the Supreme Court ruled in Swift & Co. v. United States that the federal government had antitrust jurisdiction over the interstate activities of big packers, Congress used that power to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906measures aimed at consumer protectionbut did nothing to reform labor practices in the packinghouses. Sinclair complained that the new laws were written by the packers and paid for by the people of the United States for the benefit of the packers. Nothing would be truly reformed, least of all for workers. Theodore Roosevelt, among other influential critics, dismissed Sinclairs complaints as hysterical, unbalanced, and untruthful because they failed, as Roosevelt derisively put it, to consider the marvelous business efficiency of the big packers. The Jungle caused the whitewashing of some packing-house walls, Sinclair wrote in 1920, but it left the wage-slaves in those huge brick packing-boxes exactly where they were before.

By then, the Federal Trade Commission had concluded a new investigation of the big packersa two-year inquiry ordered by President Woodrow Wilson to ascertain the facts bearing on the alleged violations of the anti-trust acts, and particularly upon the question whether there are manipulations, controls, trusts, combinations, or restraints out of harmony with the law or the public interest. In damning detail, the commission concluded that the big packers not only had a monopolistic control over the American meat industry but also were moving fast into eggs, cheese, fish, and vegetable oil. And they were trying to take over not only nearly every kind of foodstuff but also control of supporting industriesstockyards, shipping and refrigeration cars, cold storage, and warehouses. Elaborate steps have been taken to disguise their real relations by maintaining a show of intense competition, the report concludedbut by maintaining two-thirds to three-quarters control of all markets, the big packers were able to effectively restrain free trade by colluding against farmers and price-fixing to defraud consumers.

Rather than indicting the presidents of the five corporations named in the FTC report, however, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer entered into a landmark consent decree, compelling the meat companies to divest from other food sectors as well as from supporting industries along the supply chain. Congress subsequently passed the Packers and Stockyards Act, legally enshrining that agreement. The arrangement held for 50 years. From 1920 to the present date, concluded a study of deconcentration in the meatpacking industry in 1971, limited ability to use anti-competitive forms of conduct caused the largest companies to lose market shares continually to regional firms in a process that can and should be called market competition. Over that same period, conditions and wages improved considerably for meatpacking workers, livestock farmers and ranchers received increased prices, and the cost of food for consumers actually went down relative to hourly wages. But at precisely the moment that the study appeared, the systematic effort to unravel antitrust measures was beginning.

That transformation was rooted in a philosophy of intentional agricultural overproduction advocated by Earl L. Butz, President Richard Nixons secretary of agriculture. Butz embraced deregulation and market concentration as a way to prop up industrial-scale agriculture, in order to artificially depress food prices worldwidea strategy aimed at increasing American soft power on the world stage. In short order, the federal government went from policing food trusts at home to running an international food ring, intended to undercut our Communist competitors. Ronald Reagans Justice Department fortified this system in the 1980s, when it loosened standards for approving mergers under the 1920 consent decree. In 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Cargill, Inc. v. Monfort of Colorado, Inc. that demonstrating a price-cost squeeze for farmers or even collusion between packers did not constitute an antitrust monopoly unless their market share were large enough to succeed in a sustained campaign of predatory pricing such that, per the established antitrust standard, competitors actually are driven from the market and competition is thereby lessened.

The effect of these initiatives to tighten top-down market control of the U.S. food supply is hard to overstate. In 1972, there were nearly 3,000 packinghouses operating in the United States. Twenty years later, that number had plummeted to fewer than 200. At the start of the Reagan administration, there were roughly 600,000 hog operations nationwide. Twenty years later, there were only about 80,000 left. And those who managed to hold on were often in desperate shape. By 2001, an estimated 71 percent of chicken farmers were at or below the poverty line. Eventually, those farmers started filing antitrust suits under the Packers and Stockyards Act, and the 2008 Farm Bill required federal regulators to revisit the standards for antitrust enforcement in the food economy. The DOJ and the USDA held joint hearings and proposed rule changes to make it easier for farmers to sue over anti-competitive practices and antitrust market advantages. But the meat and poultry industry successfully lobbied to remove language from the rule about price-fixing, and Congress defunded implementation of the change through an appropriations riderand has repeatedly done so ever since. Only when the Organization for Competitive Markets, a livestock farmer advocacy group, filed suit against the Trump USDA did the DOJ finally agree to investigate unfair practices and undue influences in the meat industry before the end of 2020.

Read more:

Beyond Big Meat - The New Republic

We inhabit extraordinary times, times in which we are acutely aware of the intensity of what political thinker Frantz Fanon called the glare of historys floodlights. Around the world, the pandemic has thrown new light on old inequalities. From the United States to Brazil and South Africa, it is those who had already been rendered acutely vulnerable who are on the front lines of caring for those with private healthcare.

And then there was the rebellion. The velocity and scale at which the rebellion against police violence that began in Minnesota moved through the US, and then other parts of the world, was astonishing. Many were reminded of Lenins observation that there are weeks where decades happen.

Thinking about this moment with Fanon, we need to be aware of continuities and discontinuities or as he puts it, an opacity between the ages. Fanon is always speaking to us, but often in ways we cannot hear. We have to work to listen to him, and understand the new contexts and meanings in relative opacity. It is this constant dialogue that helps illuminate the present and enable ongoing fidelity to Fanons call in the conclusion of The Wretched of the Earth to work out new concepts.

One of the concepts central to Fanons thought is the idea of the rationality of revolt. In the chapter titled Medicine and Colonialism in A Dying Colonialism, he connects his work to hearing symptoms speak in the hospital to hearing quotidian resistances in daily life: It is necessary to analyse, patiently and lucidly, each one of the reactions of the colonised, and every time we do not understand, we must tell ourselves that we are at the heart of the drama, that of the impossibility of finding a meeting ground in any colonial situation. In other words, understanding requires both careful and critical listening aware of meaning and context.

The important first step is to recognise that we dont understand. In other words, rather than fitting these reactions into a readymade scenario, we begin with an absolute, the impossibility of finding a meeting ground, but this itself also could become an abstraction that effectively limits any further work. The hospital itself is such a space.

In the eyes of the psychiatrist, the patients are deemed as mad and therefore irrational and thereby in need of control (and medication). In the colonial hospital, ethnopsychiatry generalises the pathologisation. Politically, then, Fanon insists on self-critical reflection to enable listening as a first step towards understanding. It is on this basis of working with those who are considered external to history and rationality that new concepts are allowed room for their own development.

Understanding thus requires both critical listening and the development of new concepts through which to hear, with each dependent on the other. In The Wretched of the Earth, this is connected with the idea of the rationality of revolt, which becomes a new beginning that opens up both action and thought. And Fanon immediately adds a critique of the old leadership and old politics, which wants to close down thinking into a series of reformist demands constructed by old concepts.

In defiance of those inside the movement who tend to think that [nuance and] shades of meaning constitute dangers and drive wedges into the solid block of popular opinion, thinking becomes alive and principles are actually worked out in the struggles for freedom. This is a new form of political activity based on real action living inside history where people, he adds, take the lead with their brains and their muscles in the fight for freedom.

This thinking challenges revolutionary intellectuals to help work out the movements own self-clarification, to help develop what the movement itself is revealing. As Fanon puts it, these unexpected facets bring out new meanings and pinpoints the contradictions camouflaged by these facts.

It is in the working out of these unexpected facets that Fanons discussion takes on an important class dynamic. The nationalist elites unpreparedness, the lack of practical ties, their colonial mentality and their cowardice derives, he says, from their incapacity to rationalise popular praxis, their incapacity to attribute it any reason. It betrays an elitist attitude toward mass action, which it tries to control or suppress. It means the continuation, by other means, of the regime of necropolitics.

Hemmed in, crushed, denied space, food and clean water, Fanons description of colonial space in The Wretched of the Earth and the colonial world as a motionless and Manichean world of statues has rightly been considered one of his most important contributions. While space is absolutely essential to his analysis, so too is time. As he says in Black Skin White Masks, the problem considered here is one of time.

He refuses to consider the present as definitive and searches for notions of the future in the present, or as he wonderfully phrases it, the Algerian revolution being no longer in future heaven but in the radical actions and consciousness of the people. The idea of the future time in the present is similar toKarl Marxs description of time as the space for human development.

In The Wretched of the Earth, Fanon also asks about the timing of revolt. In this atmosphere of violence which is just under the skin What makes the lid blow off? It is impossible to predict but then, in retrospect, it is an event. As we look back over the past few months and their concatenation of events, it seems so obvious.

In A Dying Colonialism, Fanon explains the event as an opening into historical time, a time in which the oppressed become historical actors, and the future suddenly becomes a matter of contestation:

Before the rebellion there was the life, the movement, the existence of the settler, and on the other side the continued agony of the colonised. Since 1954 in Algerian society, it seems, things no longer repeat themselves as they did before.

Fanon dates the rebellion to 1 November 1954, the day that the National Liberation Front launched a number of attacks in Algeria against French colonial forces. For Fanon, it was an extraordinary declaration of intent against the odds that led to a radical change in consciousness among the colonised.

What is also obvious is that the spontaneity of popular actions is not simply spontaneous but the result of ongoing thinking and organising. When demonstrators in Bristol, England, pulled down the statue of slave trader Edward Colston and dumped it in the same harbour where his slave ships used to dock, there is thinking, a rationality of revolt intimating a different world. When demonstrators deface the statues of national heroes such as George Washington in the US and Winston Churchill in the UK, they express a moment of decolonialisation reminiscent of Fanons opening pages in The Wretched of the Earth.

There, Fanon talks about another notion of time and dignity, one that is fully integrated with a conception of human life and one that humanises and socialises the individual. Critical of the betrayal by the nationalist elites, he says the yardstick of time must no longer be that of the moment or up till the next harvest, but must become that of the rest of the world. Fanon immediately links that to humanising work. Today, his idea of the rest of the world takes on a significance that is universal and urgent in this moment of climate extinction and global pandemic.

It is a notion of time, liberated from the colonial foreclosure of possibility and capitalist time dominated by dead labour. Time, instead, is connected with life and self-determination, the development of a historical subjectivity that emerges through struggle. Nothing, however, is automatic. Fanons notion of time is also extremely sensitive to the psychological situation that people find themselves in, including the weight of collective trauma and prospects for future health that only time will fully reveal. He is aware that the process of creating actional people liberated from internalised inferiority is going to take time, insisting there is no magical process, no leader, no other who will do it for us.

In a certain way, you could say this way of taking measure of time echoes Marxs idea of time and his critique of capitalisms commodification and disposal of human time. What is time for capitalism but opportunity for profit? In Grundrisse, Marx contrasts a struggle over time and labour (forced and free), understanding a wholly different and more freely associated notion of labour time.

Marx writes, with glee, about an article in TheTimesof London about the cry of outrage of a West Indian plantation owner at the free blacks of Jamaica, who produce only what is strictly necessary for their own consumption, and how they do not care a damn for the sugar and the fixed capital invested in the plantations, but rather observe the planters impending bankruptcy with an ironic grin of malicious pleasure They have ceased to be slaves, says Marx, but not in order to become wage labourers As far as they are concerned, capital does not exist as capital, because autonomous wealth as such can exist only either on the basis ofdirectforced labour, slavery, orindirectforce labour, wagelabour.

Fanon sustains a fundamental sense of movement and opening to the future, in the form of a critical, questioning mode of praxis. He concludes his first book, Black Skin, White Masks, with a prayer. O my body, make of me always a man who questions!

In his final text, The Wretched of the Earth, there is a radical questioning from within the revolutionary movement. Perhaps we need to rethink everything, he says, connecting his notion of the future as a limitless humanity to new ways of life. Perhaps its necessary to begin everything all over again: to change the nature of the countrys exports to re-examine the soil and mineral resources, the rivers and why not? the suns productivity. Theres an ecological dimension here essential to human life and dignity.

What is the struggle really about? It is a reaching toward a new humanism based on self-determination, uprooting the alienated social relations of a racist and colonised society. If conditions of work are not modified, he adds, centuries will be needed to humanise this world which has been forced down to animal level by imperial powers. Hes talking about the forms of forced labour called freedom in neoliberal and neocolonial capitalism that consume life and environments. We know very well, we no longer have centuries. The time is now.

See original here:

Fanon and the 'rationality of revolt' - newframe.com

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Communist redistribution theory was extremely popular in American and European academic circles during much of the 20th century. Professors, (bomb-building) students and Hollywood wannabes all stumbled over one another in enthusiasm about it. Yet the Soviet model collapsed with food lines and empty store shelves, killing and starving over 100 million people in the process. Indeed, the history of godless Marxism is synonymous with death, war and misery.

Of course Communism failed; it was and is a dumb idea embraced by people with high IQs but low amounts of common sense. The philosophy is riddled with economic error and blind contradictions of human nature. People work, innovate and establish businesses for the reward of wage or profit. If those incentives are controlled, greatly diminished or removed by governmental force, the incentive for production and the enthusiasm for work is largely removed. The individual subjected to such conditions is incentivized to exert minimum effort for the government stipend provided. Few, if any, inventions or advances in science have emerged from Marxist cultures. When workers are assigned employment in Siberia (current China) for example its far more like slavery.

A third problem is presented when incompetent politicians attempt to direct the wheels of production absent any expertise. Should we return to caves and immediately remove cars, trucks and airplanes from the economy over a one-degree rise in temperature over a period of 100 years? Until truly efficient green technology exists, the proposed solution is more dangerous than a slight temperature rise.

As for European socialism, should we move to Denmark where a Big Mac costs $12 and a new Honda up to $90,000, and citizens pay a 56% tax rate? Americas discontents including leftist professors are not waiting at the Danish border, seeking entry.

In contrast, millions maass at our borders, attempting escape from quasi-sociaist states. Socialist policies cannot produce free-market results.

FRANK GARDINER

Provo, Utah

Read the original:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Socialism removes incentives - Washington Times

TOPLINE

Facing allegations of discriminatory behavior from employees, Snap published its first annual diversity report Wednesday looking at team demographics from 2019, becoming the latest company to reckon with diversity and inclusion following a resurgent Black Lives Matter movement this summer.

In this screengrab CEO Evan Spiegel, speaks at the virtual Snap Partner Summit2020.

In 2019, Snaps team was 4.1% Black and 6.8% Latinx and 32.9% of staff identifed as female; at the director-level and above, the leadership team was 2.6% Black, 2.6% Latinx, 16.5% Asian, 7% multiracial, 70.4% white and 24.3% identified as female.

The diversity report outlines steps Snap has taken to improve, including hiring Google exec Oona King as its first vice president of diversity and inclusion in 2019, creating hiring goals for underrepresented groups and instituting a living wage pledge which set a minimum employee salary of $70,000 for all employees at headquarters and equity grants for employees worldwide.

CEO and founder Evan Spiegel addressed concerns of racism at an all-hands meeting last month and said he was concerned with releasing diversity reports because they effectively normalize the current makeup of the tech industry, of which Snapchat's in line, but said the team would work on a report that would include Snaps diversity and inclusion strategy, according to a Business Insider report.

The meeting came days after former employees shared their experiences as people of color at the company on Twitter, including discriminatory behavior from leadership team members.

Five former employees who worked on the content team from 2014 and 2018 told Mashable that editorial practices were racially biased and they had to advocate for Black representation; Snap said it would investigate the allegations.

This month, Snap hired a law firm and launched an internal investigation into allegations of racism and sexism, according to a Business Insider report.

When many prominent Silicon Valley tech companies started publishing diversity reports in 2014, there was hope that transparency would be a catalyst for change. Looking at 2019 data, Google said 51.7% of all employees were white, 41.9% were Asian and 32% of employees were female; Facebook said 41% were white, 44.4% were Asian and and 37% were female; and Twitter said 40.9% were white, 27.7% were Asian and 42% were female.

91%. That is the percentage of Snaps tech employees who were white or Asian in 2019. Just 16.1% of all tech employees identified as female.

Snap Inc. Diversity Annual Report (Snap)

Snap CEO says in internal meeting he doesn't release diversity numbers because it would reinforce the perception that Silicon Valley isn't diverse (Business Insider)

Snapchat ex-employees say past editorial practices were racially biased (Mashable)

Snap is investigating allegations of racism and sexism within the company after some employees complained of a 'whitewashed' culture (Business Insider)

Five Years of Tech Diversity Reportsand Little Progress (Wired)

Read more from the original source:

Just 10.9% Of Snap Employees Are Black Or Latinx, Company Discloses Amid Allegations Of Discrimination - Forbes

J.H. Binford Peay III

by James A. Bacon

The Virginia Military institute will not purge monuments to Stonewall Jackson and VMI cadets who fought at the Battle of New Market, Superintendent J.H. Binford Peay III announced last week in a letter to the VMI community.

But the retired four-star general said the military college will intensify efforts to achieve diversity among staff and cadets, and it will alter its Cadet oath ceremony, which involves a reenactment on the New Market battlefield where VMI cadets helped win one of the last Confederate victories of the Civil War. In the future, he added, the college, which was founded in 1839, will emphasize recognition of leaders from its second century.

Peay justified retaining memorials to Jackson and the cadets who fought at New Market:

Unlike many communities who are grappling with icons of the past, VMI has direct ties to many of the historical figures that are the subject of the current unrest. Stonewall Jackson was a professor at VMI, a West Point graduate who served in combat in the Mexican War, a military genius, a staunch Christian, and yes, a Confederate General. Throughout the years, the primary focus on honoring VMIs history has been to celebrate principles of honor, integrity, character, courage, service, and selflessness of those associated with the Institute. It is not to in anyway condone racism, much less slavery.

Peay said he wants to erase any hint of racism at VMI, and acknowledged that some African-American cadets and alumni have contacted him to say that parts of the VMI experience did not live up to the standards that it should have. He is committed, he said, to fixing any areas of racial inequality at our school.

In the letter, Peay elaborated upon the changes in VMI symbolism that will take place:

Meanwhile, VMI continues to develop its curriculum emphasizing American history and civics within the context historically of national and world events, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and slavery. Every cadet will take the American Civic Experience course. Also, wrote Peay, two courses on Virginia history will be reviewed to ensure that they are taught with the proper context and from multiple perspectives.

Bacons bottom line: As recently as a year ago, there was broad sentiment in Virginia to maintain traditions and monuments that celebrated enduring virtues honor, integrity, character, courage, service, and selflessness while placing the memorials in their historical context. Outside of VMI, there appears to be little appetite today for the view that one can honor the personal virtues of extraordinary men without honoring indeed, while disapproving of the slave-holding society in which they lived. Sadly, such nuanced thinking appears to be beyond the capacity of our intelligentsia, which views the world in increasingly Manichean terms. Some will see Binford Peay and the VMI board as hopeless anachronisms. If our society ever rejects identitarian politics and re-embraces the cultivation of personal virtue, history will treat them more kindly

Related

Link:

Striking a Balance Between History and Diversity at VMI - Bacon's Rebellion

The British Cleaning Council (BCC) has held a virtual meeting with the director of Labour Market Enforcement (LME), as part of its drive to ensure the voice of the cleaning and hygiene sector is heard at the highest levels.

The BCC wants to work with Matthew Taylor to ensure any remote or remaining concerns on modern slavery, pay below the minimum wage and worker exploitation continues to be prevented within the industry. As a result of the meeting, Taylor has agreed to organise a workshop for the sector later in the year, to advise as to how the LME intend to look into worker exploitation in the sector and non-compliance with the law and how these issues can be addressed.

BCC deputy chairman, Jim Melvin (pictured with BCC chairman, Paul Thrupp), said: It was a very useful discussion with Mr Taylor, which helped raise the profile of the cleaning and hygiene sector within Government and ensure it is better understood. Our membership of reputable and responsible businesses has always been concerned about any risk of worker exploitation and the payment of illegally low wages within our industry. We continue to promote the undoubted professionalism and high standards within the industry whilst also wanting to prevent workers in the cleaning and hygiene sector being exploited. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to discuss the industry to Mr Taylor and his team and we look forward to working with him in the future to assist in the removal of any of these practices. In the meantime, the BCC would strongly encourage anyone with concerns about worker exploitation in our sector to report it.

For details of how to complain about not being paid the National Minimum Wage, employment agencies, gangmasters or working hours, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pay-and-work-rights-complaints

Originally posted here:

BCC works with director of LME to fight worker exploitation - Cleaning & Maintenance

Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP

In this day and age, with escalating mask requirements by either state, local, or private entities like Wal-Mart, the mask has become a symbol of our broken time.

Yet, in a day and age where masks are becoming more and more a requirement for everyday living due to the COVID-19 crisis, the mask of humanity, justice, rationality, and peace is being torn off the collective face of the American government and politics and replaced with the sneer of the reality television host and the dead eyes of federal troops from unknown agencies.

Take for example billionaire capitalist Elon Musk boldly stating that the political and economic system of the U.S. capitalists can overthrow any government they want. Take for example Trump touting an absolute quack who mentions demon sperm. Take for example the use of mercenaries to suppress the protests in Portland, Oregon. The list goes on and on, but there can be no doubt the simple image of a peaceful, loving republic that would base its decisions on shrewdness and compassion has gone out the proverbial window.

Never before has so much been showcased in American history that could not be considered anything but absolute political decline, though of course, the crimes of the United States should not be news to anyone with a barely working understanding of history, a history that goes deeper and uglier than most Americans may realize or wish to realize.

The United States is in danger of hitting a moment of terminal decline much like a cancer patient, stage four, on their last round of chemo that the patient takes not because of a feeling that things will turn around, but because the show must grimly go on.

The United States potential decline is on a historical scale. The nation is already experiencing a round of deaths that rival a World War.

In the aviation industry, a common phrase shared amongst pilots is the first step to surviving a plane crash is to understand your plane is crashing. The danger is real, the clock is ticking. The margin of error is tiny.

What is to be done, to quote a famous Russian revolutionary? What can we do during such a time when the proverbial national plane is crashing?

The thing we can do is to recognize first that the danger can no longer be disguised. Yes, this country does not care for the poor, otherwise, it would not be haggling over hundreds of dollars per person as opposed to the billions paid out in bailout money that cant be properly traced.

Yes, a national strategy to combat the pandemic was abandoned because Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Trump, said that only blue states run by Democratic Governors were being hit by the virus and thus not worthy of support and easy targets of political blame.

Yes, we do have billionaires like Musk who are openly congratulating themselves on coups supported by our so-called democratic government in order to steal the resources of another country and to murder those who stand its way.

Yes, we do have secret police in the streets of Portland.

Yes, the commander in chief is supporting insanity and his son-in-law is a brutal crook who thought more of how to hurt political opponents than to save lives.

The idea of the United States as we were told about as children does not match up with what we see today.

The mask has come off. We see the face of the beast. What is to be done?

History rarely has been kind to the indecisive and the hesitant. The locomotive of history has started up and will result in either one of two things. As Friedrich Engels once said: Bourgeois society stands at the crossroads, either transition to socialism or regression into barbarism.

While those words were spoken many years ago, it seems as apt today as it did during the 19th century. Though we are not nearly at the level of barbarism as it was during Engelss day when chattel slavery and crushing poverty were the rule for the so-called industrialized world, it cannot be seen that we are marching forward to a better day and age with massive increases in wealth inequality and declines in life expectancy.

It can be seen that we are approaching a historical moment of reckoning. Fascism is capitalism in decay and with a record 33 percent drop in GDP, capitalism is very much in decay.

It is time to rise up. The plane is crashing. Something needs to be done. And the only solution is a movement of the people to take back control of our lives.

A massive turnout of voters on Nov. 3 to defeat Donald Trump and all his enablers in Congress, the Senate and the state legislative bodies across the country is an essential first step. If we can do that we will better be able to wage the fight that we will have to continue.

As with all op-eds published by Peoples World, this article represents the opinions of its author.

See the article here:

In an age of masks, the mask is off - People's World

In her new book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Isabel Wilkerson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, recalls once seeing a small, barely noticeable welt in the corner of a room in her home and deciding it was nothing. But over the years, the welt became a wave that widened and bulged, until the ceiling was bowed. The tiny flaw in the homes structure could only be ignored for so long before it threatened the integrity of the whole.

America is like that old house, Wilkerson observes, and the owner of an old house knows that whatever you are ignoring will never go away.

For many Americans, the country now seems to be in that catastrophic phase. The rot cannot be ignored. Tens of thousands have died from the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19; the economy has been devastated by the pandemic, and millions have lost work and face eviction due to the lack of government aid. Protesters have filled the streets of American cities, decrying police brutality against Black people, while police and federal agents respond with rubber bullets, tear gas, and beatings.

The interlocking systems that structure American life no longer seem stable but why?

Some may say its the advent of President Donald Trump, a destructive aberration from our usual political leaders. Others believe the roots lie far deeper. Wilkerson, for example, argues that a caste system as central to [our nations] operation as are the studs and joists that we cannot see in the physical buildings we call home has both structured American society and led inexorably to its decay.

Wilkerson, the author of the acclaimed The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of Americas Great Migration, traces this caste system back to the colonization of America and the creation of the American slave trade, which arose out of the demand for cheap, virtually limitless labor. Unlike white indentured servants, she writes, African slaves lacked ongoing ties to family or organized labor movements back in England, which could provide aid in eventually seeking wages and freedom. Over time, colonial law began to privilege white indentured servants, at first exempting Christians (at the time roughly synonymous with Europeans) from lifetime enslavement.

As enslaved Africans began to convert to Christianity, however, the rationale evolved and hardened into one of racial difference. Americas rigid caste system, Wilkerson argues, was developed to justify and perpetuate a brutal form of chattel slavery. It made lords of everyone in the dominant caste, she writes. Slavery so perverted the balance of power that it made the degradation of the subordinate caste seem normal and righteous.

After the abolition of slavery, the caste distinction remained vital to the white population who feared losing the psychological wage of a superior rank a fear that has remained powerful in American politics and daily life. Jim Crow enshrined caste into law, but caste, as Wilkerson describes it, is not strictly legal; it also plays out in unequal application of criminal law, or widespread perceptions of Black people as poor or uneducated that shape how they are treated by medical workers, teachers, banks, employers, and police.

This is not exactly new, of course; what Caste proposes is a framework for understanding it not as Americas odd preoccupation with race, but as just one example of a caste system much like others we are familiar with.

Wilkerson turns again and again to metaphors to pin down what caste means exactly, arguing that its not exactly race (though in the U.S. it is inextricable from it), nor is it class. It is, she says, the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. Or it is the play itself, in which the actors wear the costumes of their predecessors and inhabit the roles assigned to them. The people in these roles are not the characters they play, but they have played the roles long enough to incorporate the roles into their very being. Caste is like a corporation that seeks to sustain itself at all costs.

Wilkerson focuses most of her attention, rightly, on the tremendous suffering inflicted by caste on the lowest subordinate group in a system, and on Black Americans in particular. Using studies, historical research, and anecdotes from daily life, she argues that it is caste expectations that frequently exclude Black people from high-status jobs and that scapegoat them for crime and other social ills. These expectations inflict stress especially, she argues, on Black people who defy caste by climbing into higher social classes, which has profound health implications.

Socioeconomic status and the presumed privilege that comes with it do not protect the health of well-to-do African-Americans, she points out. In fact, many suffer a health penalty for their ambitions The stigma and stereotypes they labor under expose them to higher levels of stress-inducing discrimination in spite of, or perhaps because of, their perceived educational or material advantages.

In the current moment, with rioters protesting police killings of Black people, and the coronavirus tearing through Black and brown communities, Wilkersons caste opus is often clarifying. She traces how caste relegates most lower-status people to the type of essential work that forces them to leave home, endangering their health, even as many predominantly white office workers remain safely isolated while working remotely. She examines how it undergirds every interaction between people of different castes, especially as the election of Barack Obama, and then Donald Trump, drove a resurgence of caste policing.

After the 2016 election, she writes, the surveillance of black citizens by white strangers became so common a feature of American life that these episodes have inspired memes of their own. White people calling the cops on Black people entering their own homes or waiting at a Starbucks, she argues, is a distant echo of an earlier time when anyone in the dominant caste was deputized, obligated even, to apprehend any black person during the era of slavery.

In an era of increasingly widespread anti-capitalism, it can be surprising how matter-of-fact Wilkerson is about class hierarchy. Class mostly appears in the book as either a function of caste or a foil to it: Black people are mostly confined to low-wage labor and lower social classes, while some rise to the upper classes but face frequent assumptions that they are unfit to be in upper-class spaces. To limn the precise reach of race-based caste, Wilkerson focuses on those who defy caste-assigned class, especially wealthy Black people. In several anecdotes, including some drawn from her own life, Wilkerson remarks on a Black person being treated rudely despite being expensively dressed, owning a house, or participating in a white-collar professional gathering. The episodes are revealing; they speak to the reality that class does not account for all racial disparities, and that caste functions with and through class rather than being identical to it.

This makes sense, as the project of the book is to tease out what caste is. But the question of class hierarchy lingers tantalizingly. Wilkerson often suggests that hierarchies are natural, provided that the sorting happens through personality, grit, and intelligence rather than caste. She devotes one rather eccentric chapter to the concept of alphas, digging into the science of wolf pack hierarchies to argue that one harm of caste is to force people from dominant castes to behave as alphas and to suppress natural alphas from lower castes into subordinate roles. In her disproportionate interest in the individual experience of upper-class people from lower castes, like herself, and her apparent acceptance of class as a reasonable hierarchy, Wilkerson neglects to explore the full implications of how the intersection of caste and class disadvantage poor Black people. As long as class hierarchies are embraced, one is left wondering how injustices like those inflicted by caste might ever be fully eradicated.

If a future utopia fails to materialize in Wilkersons dissection of caste, her macro-level analysis of the caste system itself is more fruitful. Her exploration of why caste provides a rickety framework for society as a whole is particularly illuminating, exposing how Americas vulnerability to the pandemic arose is rooted in the neglect and vilification of the lower castes. Both the ebola and the coronavirus pandemics, she argues, exemplify the dangers of creating scapegoat lower classes on whom to offload societal anxieties. By treating these illnesses as exotic diseases faced by poor, underdeveloped nations populated by lower-caste people, white Americans failed to realize that they could easily fall victim to the same virus. This was a problem for Africa, seen as a place of misfortune filled with people of the lowest caste, not the primary concern of the Western powers, she writes of the anemic involvement of the U.S. in finding treatments for ebola during the epidemic in West Africa. This dynamic continues to play out today, as white Americans defy masking and social distancing guidance perhaps partly because COVID-19 originated in China and has disproportionately sickened Black and brown people, allowing white people to dismiss it as a disease of the lower castes very likely fueling outbreaks that leave Americans of all races dead.

The myth of American exceptionalism is enduring though frequently debunked. The nations centuries-old pattern of imperialism and violent racial subjugation has always been presented to the world as natural and inescapable, where other countries systematic oppression and genocide of certain groups are framed as human rights violations, a function of the United Statess wealth and influence rather than its morality.

Wilkerson matter-of-factly punctures this inflated image not just by examining the unique cruelties of American caste, but by refusing to present it as utterly exceptional. She compares the American racial caste to the lingering, millennia-long Indian caste system and the accelerated, chilling, and officially vanquished caste system implemented in Nazi Germany. The similarities between the systems are clearly laid out and convincing; Nazis, as she notes, even researched Jim Crow law as a model for instituting legal restrictions on Jews.

Yet the comparison has already drawn outrage. Bari Weiss referenced the argument, which Wilkerson advanced last month in a New York Times feature adapted from the book, in her public resignation letter as an example of the hostile working environment she claimed she faced at the Times. The paper of record is, more and more, the record of those living in a distant galaxy, one whose concerns are profoundly removed from the lives of most people, she wrote. This is a galaxy in which, to choose just a few recent examples, the Soviet space program is lauded for its diversity; the doxxing of teenagers in the name of justice is condoned; and the worst caste systems in human history includes the United States alongside Nazi Germany.

For immigrants separated from their children and held in detention centers, or Black people funneled into the prison industrial system at hugely disproportionate rates, this characterization of American caste may not seem distant from their own lives at all. But it is distant from the American self-mythology, honed over centuries, which positions the United States as a country uniquely devoted to freedom, tolerance and justice.

People bridle instinctively at stigmatizing comparisons. Wilkerson points out that [t]he dominant caste resists comparison to lower-caste people, even the suggestion that they have anything in common or share basic human experiences, as this diminishes the dominant-caste person and forces the contemplation of equality with someone deemed lower. Many may balk, as Weiss did, at the idea that Americas racial caste system can be put in the same category as that of Nazi Germany. But Wilkersons brutal accounting of the unimaginable cruelty inflicted under slavery, Jim Crow and the following decades makes a powerful case that white Americans resist being shocked and a bit peeved and acknowledge the truth revealed by her comparisons.

American exceptionalism is a lie. To fix our broken country, we have to learn not just from our own crimes, but from how much like other evil-doers we actually are.

Calling all HuffPost superfans!

Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter

Read more from the original source:

'Caste' Explodes The Myth Of American Exceptionalism - HuffPost