Freedom of the Seas Live Blog – Day 1 – Embarkation – Royal Caribbean Blog

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Cruise day is here and we are getting onboard Freedom of the Seas!

We flew down to San Juan on two nights before and enjoyed a relaxing start to our vacation. Prior to the cruise, there was a lot of conjecture about what time boarding would begin, but I decided around 10:30am to roll the dice and head to the port. We found no traffic or wait at all to check-in at the terminal.

We boarded the ship at 11am and it felt great to be back onboard one of my favorite ships in the fleet.

Getting onboard the ship, we walked around the ship a bit to see things. There were still Christmas and Hannukah decorations up on the ship, and I understand they will stay up through this sailing.

At 1:30pm, our rooms were ready and we are staying in a two bedroom grand suite on the aft of deck 8.

The room is very spacious, and more than enough room for the kids and us. It features two full bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a very spacious balcony.

After getting in the room, I took the kids up to the pool to enjoy the now-classic H2O Zone. This, like so many other areas of the ship, will be upgraded/replaced in the forthcoming Amplification.

In the afternoon, we held our first event of the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com group cruise, which was a welcome aboard event in the Viking Crown Lounge. We rented out the entire Olive or Twist bar and got our first official opportunity to meet everyone and put faces to online names.

Muster drill was at 5:15pm, and was luckily not too warm outside for the duration of the event.

Unfortunately Adventure Ocean did not open until 8:30pm, so we decided to skip dinner in a restaurant and eat with our kids in the Windjammer.

The Windjammer had a phenomenal gingerbread house at the entrance.

After dinner, we headed down to the Royal Promenade for some live music in the pub.

There was a Christmas tree lighting held as well on this sailing.

Tomorrow, we will be in St. Maarten.

I loved this creative fruit and cookie delivery to the room.

Here is the New Years Eve champagne options to pre-order.

The upper decks are closed due to winds this evening.

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Freedom of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation - Royal Caribbean Blog

STORIES OF THE DECADE: Freedom boys hoops rallies to win 2013-14 state title at buzzer – Morganton News Herald

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NOTE: The following story originally appeared in the March 17, 2014 edition.

The Freedom boys basketball team's motto all season was "play angry."

How can they possibly be angry anymore?

The No. 2 seed West Regional champion Patriots (31-1) never led on Saturday until it mattered, falling behind by 12 points in the first quarter and 13 in the third quarter of Saturday evening's 3A state championship game against No. 3 seed Wilson Hunt at the Dean E. Smith Center.

But a Kasen Wilson elbow jumper with just less than 3 seconds left completed a Freedom comeback in a wild 59-57 win which sent eighth-year coach Casey Rogers sprinting onto the court in celebration.

"Tonight just kind of summed up the year," Rogers said. "We played 32 games, and in 30 of them we've been the smaller team.

"Earlier in the year, we kind of stole a phrase from Wichita State. We talked about playing angry. We wanted to get where we needed to by playing basically eight, nine guards throughout the year. And I thought down the stretch, we epitomized playing angry, getting things done the Freedom way.

"Our toughness all year ... I'm just really proud of them."

Like the Weddington game in the regional semifinals the Saturday before, Freedom won despite being outrebounded by double digits (36-26). This time the Patriots were the ones forced to rally though.

But just like that game, Freedom found itself tied with about 30 seconds left and the other team in possession of the ball.

Freedom's Jeron Hemphill dunks duriing the 2014 state title game.

The decision was the same: ball pressure in the backcourt. And just like last time, the move worked, as Hunt (25-4) was whistled for a double dribble near midcourt with 18.2 seconds remaining.

"Like Weddington, we decided we were not going to let them hold for a last shot," Rogers said. "If we didn't get anything, we had a couple guys we had targeted to foul. But we got the double dribble, and from that point on, it was the same setup in terms of our offensive play call at that point.

"We ran a ball screen, and Kasen stepped up and made the game winner. ... (Kasen) is a folk legend in Morganton now."

Wilson said he nearly didn't shoot on the play.

"I shot faked," he said, "and I was going to pass to Gabe (Logan) because I heard him call my name. Then I looked up at the clock and just shot it."

Senior Khris Gardin said the game was eerily similar to the Weddington victory.

"It was just like an exact replica," he said. "We got the stop, coach called the play."

Rogers has now been part of two of the Pats' three all-time state crowns. He was a senior point guard the last time Freedom won state in 1997-98.

Freedom's 31st win breaks a program record set by the last championship squad 16 years ago.

From 47-34 down with 3:07 left in the third quarter, the Pats' largest deficit of the game, the margin was sliced to 50-42 after three periods when senior Chris Bridges banked in a straightaway 28-footer at the buzzer.

Patriots coach Casey Rogers reacts after a play against Weddington in the 2014 NCHSAA 3A West Regional semifinal.

Two straight turnovers forced by Freedom fullcourt pressure made it 52-49 midway through the final period.

The margin went back to 55-49 until Bridges' fifth 3-pointer of the contest with 2:12 left.

A Logan drive and three-point play and Jeron Hemphill putback tied the contest with 39 seconds remaining and set up the frantic finish.

Bridges (game-high 19 points, five rebounds) was named Charlie Adams championship game MVP, while Logan (11 points) was named Freedom's Most Outstanding Player of the game.

Wilson had 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting from the field, and Gardin added 11.

It was truly a team molded in Rogers' image, from one champion to now another.

"No matter what had happened, nobody can take away the memories and experiences this team has shared, especially today," Rogers said. "From a coaching standpoint, it was very satisfying.

"Small and fast has worked really well for us. It goes back to our toughness."

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STORIES OF THE DECADE: Freedom boys hoops rallies to win 2013-14 state title at buzzer - Morganton News Herald

Letter: Choice is simple freedom or slavery? – Northwest Herald

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To the Editor:

Overall, PBS News Hour and Politico, in particular the outstanding Judy Woodruff, moderated a substantive and productive debate among Democratic presidential candidates Dec. 19.

The candidates performed well, and competing world visions were laid out for the American voters.

Ironically, the most poignant moment, on foreign policy matters, came from South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. He said that the Peoples Republic of China is on a mission to use technology for the perfection of dictatorship.

I believe his articulation of this fact is critical if we are to understand the future. The U.S. must respond aggressively to the Chinese communists efforts to subvert democracy, censor inherent freedoms, violently oppress individual rights and kill everyone who stands in their way.

The next president of the United States, and our entire nation, must stand boldly for our democratic republic. Even during this joyful time of year, we must recognize that our enemies will not compromise, relent or grant us mercy in their quest to implement an autocratic and evil world empire.

This is truly a binary choice for our planet. Freedom versus slavery. Life versus death. We must fight to ensure that freedom, and life itself, prevails.

Henry J.H. Wilson

Barrington

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Letter: Choice is simple freedom or slavery? - Northwest Herald

Ring in the New Year with Freedom Soup: Recipe – FOX 29 News Philadelphia

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Ring in the New Year with traditional Haitian dish Freedom Soup

Tami Charles joins Good Day to share the recipe.

PHILADELPHIA - Need a new idea for your New Year's menu? How about trying some Haitian cuisine to kick off 2020?

Author Tami Charles joined Good Day to discuss "Freedom Soup" a traditional dish that Haitan families usally eat to celebrate a new year.

The dish has such a rich history that Tami Charles wrote a children's book to detail its importance.

Here's what you'll need to do to make your very on Freedom Soup for the New Year.

Begin by making the epis, which is a common marinade used in many Haitian dishes.

Ingredients:

3 scallions

3 garlic bulbs

2 peppers (red & green)

5 sprigs of thyme

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of parsley

2 celery stalks

cup of olive oil

cup of lime juice

1 teaspoon of vinegar

Epis Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender, or mash them using a piln (mortar and pestle).

Pour over the meat you will use for the soup.

Marinate for up to 24 hours.

Soup Ingredients:

2 pounds of your preferred meat (marinated in epis)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cups stock (beef, chicken, or vegetable)

2 packages, frozen butternut squash

1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

teaspoon, dried thyme

2 tablespoons, chopped parsley

2 tablespoons, chopped cilantro

1 large potato, peeled and cut

2 carrots, cut into 1 " pieces

2 stalks celery, cut

1/2 small green cabbage, cored and cut

1 handful of spaghetti, broken in half (or preferred pasta)

Directions:

In a large soup pot, brown the meat in the olive oil.

Add stock, scotch bonnet pepper, and squash. Boil until the meat reaches your desired level of tenderness.

Add the thyme, parsley, cilantro, and potato to the pot. Continue boiling for approximately 15 minutes.

Add the remaining vegetables, reduce heat, and simmer approximately 25 minutes, or until tender.

Stir occasionally until soup thickens. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Dont forget to remove the scotch bonnet pepper!

Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Ring in the New Year with Freedom Soup: Recipe - FOX 29 News Philadelphia

OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media welcomes release of Aseev and Halaziuk – Ukrinform. Ukraine and world news

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OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Dsir welcomes the release of Ukrainian journalists Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk from militant captivity in occupied Donetsk.

I welcome and am relieved that Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk, both contributors to Radio Liberty in Ukraine, were released today from long illegal custody in Donetsk as a result of todays exchange of prisoners, Dsir posted on Twitter on December 29.

Earlier, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media repeatedly called for the release of Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk illegally detained by Russian occupation troops in Donetsk.

As reported, on December 29, the detainee exchange between Ukraine and the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic took place at the Mayorske entry-exit checkpoint in Donetsk region.

Seventy-six people returned to Ukraine. Ukraine transferred 127 detainees, being ready to transfer 141 people, but 14 of them refused to return to the militant-controlled territory.

Stanislav Aseev is Ukrainian writer, journalist and blogger, member of PEN Ukraine. He was captured between May 10 and June 2, 2017 by militants and charged with espionage. There was almost no connection with him. Aseev was held in former museum Isolation, turned into a prison, and was later transferred to another prison. According to the released Ukrainian who was in captivity together with Aseev, the latter admitted that he had been tortured. On October 22, Russian-backed militants of the Donetsk Peoples Republic formation reported in their media that Aseev had been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Blogger Oleh Halaziuk was held captive also. He lived in the occupied city of Torez, Donetsk region, and was a professor at the local faculty of the Kharkiv Institute of Economics of Market Relations and Management. In June 2014, his brother, Vitaliy, reported to the Torez police department about disappearance of Oleh.

Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk were also columnists of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty and told about life under occupation.

ol

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OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media welcomes release of Aseev and Halaziuk - Ukrinform. Ukraine and world news

STORIES OF THE DECADE: Freedom girls go perfect in 2015-16 for programs 5th title – Morganton News Herald

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NOTE: The following story originally appeared in the March 13, 2016 edition.

For the fifth time overall and first time at the 3A classification, Freedom is the NCHSAA state champion of girls basketball.

The program won the 1989, 1994, 1995 and 2002 titles in 4A.

And while it's not fair to compare any of the previous teams' runs to this one or to one another, Saturday's finals win in 53-50 fashion over No. 12 Northern Guilford (25-8) at UNC's Carmichael Arena capped a postseason run and really, a season-long run of more sheer Lady Patriots' dominance that ever before witnessed.

No. 1 Freedom (32-0) had an average margin of victory of 30.7 points in six playoff games and nearly 36 points for the season. They won every game except two by more than 16 points, were ranked atop the polls all season and won 17 games by mercy rule (40 points or more).

This year's group of Lady Patriots broke the '94 team's average playoff margin of victory record (26.4 in five games).

And they broke the will of anyone who stood in the way, becoming Freedom's eighth state champion in the sport but first to ever complete an undefeated season.

It was total superiority.

The way the game started, with Freedom ahead 17-4 at the 1:30 mark of the first quarter on junior Ariyana Williams' crossover and pull-up for her first points, it seemed the Pats may be headed for another rout.

The Nighthawks, led by 6-foot-3 sophomore Elissa Cunane, ensured it would be anything but.

"It wasn't our prettiest game, but a lot of that is a testament to Cunane," said FHS coach Amber Reddick, who has now claimed state titles as a player, assistant coach and head coach with the program.

Lady Patriots coach Amber Reddick finishes the job cutting down the nets at the team's pep rally in March 2016.

"They're a tough team and made some runs on us. I was impressed with us gutting it out at the end the way we had to. I thought our posts did a good job on her, and our guards did a good job pressuring the ball. It just came down to putting the ball in (Ariyana's) hands and letting her make free throws ... just believing in each other and making plays."

Cunane finished with game highs of 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks.

But Williams, who was named Kay Yow title game MVP, had an answer each time.

NG used a 10-2 run after their largest deficit (at 21-7) to trail just 23-17 when Williams drew contact in transition and made both free throws.

It was 43-38 Freedom after three periods when Williams grabbed a rebound and went coast-to-coast to increase the margin to three possessions once more.

At 48-44 after a Cunane bucket down low, Williams attacked the goal and her layup made it 50-44 with just under 4 minutes left.

And in the biggest spot of the year, up 50-48 with 51.6 seconds left, Williams made 3 of 4 free throws in 1-and-1 situations to seal the championship win.

Williams had 16 points, three rebounds and two assists in her 20th straight postseason game with double-digit points.

Freedom was just 6 of 13 at the foul line before Williams' late flurry; NG finished 17 for 21 at the stripe. Both teams shot just under 40 percent from the field, but FHS had 11 more attempts.

"It feels really good to be state champs and get our picture on the wall (at the FHS gym)," Williams said. "I know my teammates believe in me, and I believe in them."

Given the lopsided margins all year, how the team would perform in a close game "was a big question mark coming in," Reddick admitted.

"But down the stretch, the last 4 minutes, we really took care of the basketball."

The Freedom press rattled NG early, forcing eight turnovers in the opening six-plus minutes. But foul trouble to every post player, Amy Rhoney, Taylor Gardin and Charmee Miller, forced FHS into the halfcourt setting for most of the last three periods. FHS forced just six turnovers spanning the final three periods.

"We did let that take us out of our rhythm and the way we normally play," Reddick said.

NG coach Kim Furlough credited her team's slow start to nerves.

"Being on a big stage, as young as we are," she said, "but I was super proud of our comeback. We didn't give up, and that's the way we've been all year. They don't quit."

Freedom senior Lindsey Adams was named her team's most outstanding performer in the game after her 16 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

"Freedom did a good job on screens," Furlough added. "And Adams is a great shooter. She showed that."

As the game ended, Rhoney found Reddick and lifted her coach off the ground as they embraced.

"We went straight to each other," Rhoney said. "She's the greatest coach I've played for, and I appreciate all she did for me."

Junior Amaryah Corpening added six points and six rebounds for Freedom, Rhoney had seven points, a team-best eight boards and two blocks and senior Madison Ervin had four points, four rebounds and four steals.

"It still hasn't really hit me that we actually won," Ervin said. "We came out with a purpose to get that big lead, and we needed it. ... Our fans were huge too."

Reddick seconded that: "Our fans, school, administration and athletic director are amazing. We had so much support coming down here. I looked up and saw that sea of red up there, and it was so special."

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STORIES OF THE DECADE: Freedom girls go perfect in 2015-16 for programs 5th title - Morganton News Herald

Press freedom situation yet to be satisfactory: FNJ – Khabarhub

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KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepalis Journalists (FNJ) has mentioned that although the cases of violation of press freedom came down in 2019, the situation for free press and journalists was not satisfactory in the country from the viewpoint of press freedom practice.

The report prepared by the Media Monitoring Unit of the FNJ recorded 50 cases of violation of freedom of press in 2019 against 58 in the previous year. Journalists have been victimized by State and from individuals. There is no environment favorable for the journalists to practice freedom of press- fear and meddling is continuous, stated the report.

Furthermore, it said, The tendency to arrest the journalists and lodging cases against them have risen merely on the basis of the journalists contact with the source.

These instances speak volume for how much the government is generous on the part of freedom of press. FNJs Secretary-General Ramesh Bista shared that journalist Manohar Dhakal of Makawanpur was murdered in 2019.

Similarly, according to the report, 11 media persons were attacked physically while 17 of the journalists and one media house faced action during 2019. Bista shared that as many as 10 cases of threats on journalists were reported and 7 journalists- 3 of them were part-timer- were arrested and lodged cases during this course.

Furthermore, one journalist was forced to quit journalism, one faced job threat. According to FNJ, many press related laws formulated by the provincial governments curtailed press freedom. Urging the three-tier government for devising media-friendly laws, the FNJ has condemned cases of violence of all kinds against the freedom of press.

Moreover, the Federation has demanded that the perpetrators of such cases be brought to justice. It has also pressed for enabling favorable environment for the journalists to work freely and without fear.

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Press freedom situation yet to be satisfactory: FNJ - Khabarhub

Freedom of the Seas 2019 Live Blog – Preview – Royal Caribbean Blog

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It is time once again to pack our bags, stock up on sunscreen, and get ready for our next Royal Caribbean adventure. We are headed back onboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas for a 7-night Southern Caribbean sailing. Each day, I will be LIVE blogging to share with you what it is like to cruise on a Royal Caribbean ship over the New Years Eve holiday.

This particular sailing happens to be a RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com Group Cruise, which means we have just about 90 blog readers joining us on this sailing. Group cruises have become a semi-annual tradition and I absolutely relish the opportunity to share the cruise experience by having a large network of friends onboard. It really enhances the fun onboard!

I picked this sailing to go on because I have always wanted to try a cruise over New Years Eve. Every year I have seen photos and videos posted on social media from other cruisers who were having a great time during a holiday like New Years, that I thought it would be so much fun to try it out myself.

Our seven-night sailing will depart on Sunday, December 29th and take us to four ports. We will visit St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao.

This will be my fifth time on Freedom of the Seas, and it is also one of the last sailings before Freedom gets a major$116 million amplification in Spring 2020. I think I booked this sailing prior to the amplification announcement, but I am still looking forward to one more sailing onboard before it all changes.

One of the booking mantras I always preach is booking as early as possible (December 2017), and thanks to that strategy, got my family a Two Bedroom Grand Suite on the aft of the ship.

This is my first time staying in this type of suite, so I am very much looking forward to seeing not only the room, but the aft views it provides.

Going on a Southern Caribbean itinerary was a major factor to choosing this particular sailing. It has been a few years since my last time to the Southern Caribbean, and I have not sailed out of San Juan since 2013!

Speaking of San Juan, we will head down there a couple of days early to spend some time in a favorite city of mine. We fly down tomorrow, and get to enjoy two nights and a full day there to walk around, eat, and explore at a more relaxed pace. Since it is late December, I am hoping for far more moderate temperatures than we had on previous visits this year, where it felt like the surface of the sun.

For the ports we will visit, time spent at or near the ocean is going to be a common theme. After all, the beaches I think are what draw most people to the Southern Caribbean.

We made plans for two of the ports we will visit, Aruba and Bonaire. I will be renting an ATV in Bonaire and we booked a hotel room in Aruba in order to gain access to the resort's facilities. I think in Curacao we are going to do more apotpourri approach and try to work in a few different things. No plans for St. Maarten quite yet, so this may be "let's wing it" type day.

Our Freedom of the Seas cruise begins on Sunday, December 29th, and I will be sharing the details on the blog, as well as across my social media channels. Be sure to follow me onFacebook,InstagramandPeriscopefor live updates throughout the day.

I invite you to share in this experience with me, by posting in the comments for any blog post questions and comments you may have. I try to make these live blogs as interactive as I can, so I want everyone to feel welcome to share their thoughts.

Thanks for reading all of this and welcome aboard our next fun live blog experience!

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Freedom of the Seas 2019 Live Blog - Preview - Royal Caribbean Blog

Freedom from 3Cs – The Indian Express

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By: Editorial | Published: December 31, 2019 12:20:14 am A government with a strong mandate like the Modi-led NDA 2 hasnt signalled so far that it has the desire or the appetite to go down that road.

IT is a reflection of the state of the Indian banking industry today, specially state-owned banks which dominate the landscape and are marked by a virtual freeze in lending, that the countrys finance minister had to reach out to bankers to assure them that they need not fear the three dreaded Cs Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Comptroller and Auditor General. At a meeting with bankers over the weekend, Nirmala Sitharaman while conceding that decision-making in banks was getting impacted because of the fear of the 3Cs attempted to assuage the apprehensions, saying that the government and its investigative agencies have put in place measures to address their concerns. Notably, Sitharamans predecessor, Arun Jaitley, in early 2019, had cautioned against the overzealousness of state agencies, warning of the dangers of the banking system grinding to a halt.

The Indian Banks Association, too, had protested a while ago after senior officials of the Bank of Maharashtra were arrested by the state police and following several cases dating back a decade or more being filed by agencies. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has blamed what he termed as the malafide unless proven otherwise doctrine of governance of the NDA Government for the breakdown of trust between institutions and the government. Bankers may tend to agree, especially when basic questions such as the definition of a bonafide decision and who should sit in judgement on loan approvals granted by banks years ago remain unclear even now. Little will be achieved through incremental moves. An enduring solution requires a significant lowering of state holding by the government in scores of banks well below the threshold of 51 per cent to free bankers from the purview of the three Cs, or privatisation.

A government with a strong mandate like the Modi-led NDA 2 hasnt signalled so far that it has the desire or the appetite to go down that road. The second best but sub-optimal solution would be to empower bankers and professional bank boards to decide on whether a decision to approve a loan was bonafide or malafide. It is a fact that the seeds of the current mess in Indian banking were sown during UPA 2 but that doesnt absolve the Modi government which was late in addressing the crisis during its first term. The perceived morality play reflected in punishing so-called rogue bankers and businessmen a political response to Rahul Gandhis suit boot sarkar jibe has already hurt banking and industry. With India set to end the fiscal with a multi-decade low in bank credit, the longer the government takes to unveil a roadmap and walk the talk to boost the confidence of bankers, the more elusive will be the economic recovery.

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Freedom from 3Cs - The Indian Express

Freedom, Real Dividend of Democracy – THISDAY Newspapers

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THE HORIZON BY KAYODEK OMOLAFE kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

At last, Attorney General Abubakar Malami took a wise step last Tuesday in ordering the State Security Service (SSS) to comply with court orders by releasing from custody Colonel Sambo Dasuki and Mr. Omoyele Sowore. Well, it is better late than never, as they say.

But it could have been a wiser thing to do if the chief law officer of the federation had elected to comply with court orders, (to use his exact words) , some months or even years ago especially in the Dasuki case.

It is certainly less than wise that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari chose to obey the law only after it had needlessly inflicting upon itself enormous public relations disaster, as Dr. Reuben Abati, aptly put it on this page some weeks ago.

Strident voices from within and without have risen unison to warm against Nigerians descent into authoritarianism and an egregious assault on human freedom.

For instance, not a few observers of the Nigerian scene must have noted that just a few days before Malami took action, a group of American legislators had addressed to him a strongly worded petition. In respect of the Sowore case, the congressmen said: We are deeply concerned that established legal procedure and the rule of law are not being followed in his case.

More significantly was that, regardless of what Malami may say now, internal pressures are mounting against the tendency towards authoritarian rule. A groundswell of opinions is already building against reckless disobedience of court orders and official lawlessness. Even from otherwise reticent quarters, warnings are issued against a recipe for anarchy which the assault on the rule of law squarely represents.

It is commendable that forces of genuine democracy are awake to see the reality that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.Unwittingly, human rights abuse has been added to the list of the nations challenges which include mass poverty, insecurity and youth joblessness.

The tangible problems of bad roads and bridges along with epileptic power supply and physical insecurity may not actually define the administration in democratic terms. Instead what Buhari does or fails to do in the intangible realms of human freedom and national integration might be the ultimate defining factors.

After all, some of the monumental bridges and roads in Nigeria were constructed during military dictatorship. So roads, bridges and boreholes are not necessarily dividends of democracy. It is the respect for human freedom that is the real dividend of democracy.

To read the direction of the Buhari administration in these terms is, at least, consistent with liberal democratic ethos. The public sphere is suffused with liberal thinking on the implication of curtailment of human freedom under any guise.

For those who might like to discount the question of freedom in the race for development; when such a logic prevailed in the past it had tragic consequences. This is possibly why the Yale historian, Professor Timothy Snyder asserts that : History does not repeat itself, but it does instruct History can familiarize, and it can warn. A lot of admonition against attack on freedom is embodied in his On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century.

Up till his demise, eminent economist, Professor Sam Aluko, told anyone who cared to listen to him that there was a sound logic to economic management under the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha. Some even refer to some efforts of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) under the leadership of General Buhari. While economic historians may continue to debate Alukos proposition, there is, however, no argument that the regime of General Abacha was largely defined by the grand assault on human freedom and the shrinking of the democratic space.

It is precisely because of the centrality of freedom to development that those strategising for the Buhari administration should take seriously the mounting opposition to abuse of human rights and disrespect for the rule of law. This should be of interest particularly to the economic advisers of the administration as they think about holistic development for the country.

In fact, the 1998 Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Amartya Sen, actually equates development with freedom in his work, Development as Freedom. According to Sen, development efforts mean the removal of various types of unfreedoms that leave people with little choice and little opportunity of exercising their reasoned agency. Among the limiting factors to freedom identified by Sen are poverty as well as tyranny, poor economic opportunities as well as systematic social deprivation, neglect of public facilities as well as intolerance or over activity of repressive states.

While federal security agents descend heavily on protesters, some state governments charge their critics with terrorism and all kinds of crimes in the book.

Under a previous administration, Buhari himself and his running mate in a presidential election, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, led a public protest against alleged electoral manipulation. The sensibilities of decent people were assaulted when the police teargassed the protesters. The protesters went to court and the court upheld the constitutional rights of citizens to protest. The court said the police should protect the protesters rather than molest them. The court indeed affirmed the proposition of the legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, that human rights constitute a property of the people and not a dash.

It is, therefore, one of the huge ironies of Nigerias political history that the police harass citizens asserting their democratic rights to protest under Buharis watch.The president has proclaimed his conversion to liberal democracy. He should prove the skeptics wrong by making strict adherence to the rule of law a central part of his agenda.

Depending on the competence in economic management he may be ultimately vindicated on the huge loans to build roads, railways and bridges at the objective level.However, what is happening at the more subjective realm may actually define his administration in a more enduring way. This includes his disposition to human freedom, fostering national unity and strengthening the moral fabric of the society.It is time the president began to ponder how his administration would be defined when all would be history even on January 1, 2024.

Lest We ForgetBy Issa Aremu

There was no dull moment in the political economy of Nigeria in 2019.Recalling my reflections in 2019 actually passes for another word counts of reflection: no dull moment.

More for the better than the worse!Of special importance was the remarkable innovative corporate governance of CBN. Whoever fails to plan, is planning to fail, goes the popular received wisdom. As it is for human beings, so for public institutions and indeed nation states.

In 2019, CBN emerged as the singular institution that commendably sets corporate agenda for the next five years of the second tenure of its Governor. Mr Godwin Emefiele is the 11th Governor of the apex bank. Appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014, he was rightly reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari for another 5 years term in 2018.After eventful five years of what I perceive as activist autonomous central banking, Emefiele announced a renewed vision for the next tenure.

In his words: Put succinctly, our priorities at the CBN over the next 5 years are the following; First, preserve domestic macroeconomic and financial stability; Second, foster the development of a robust payments system infrastructure that will increase access to finance for all Nigerians thereby raising the financial inclusion rate in the country; Third, continue to work with the Deposit Money Banks to improve access to credit for not only small holder farmers and MSMEs but also Consumer credit and mortgage facilities for bank customers.

Our intervention support shall also be extended to our youth population who possess entrepreneurship skills in the creative industry. Fourth, grow our external reserves; and fifth, support efforts at diversifying the economy through our intervention programs in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

We are confident that when implemented, these measures will help to insulate our economy from potential shocks in the global economy. In my second term in office, part of my pledge, is to work to the best of my abilities in fulfilling these objectives. Will other public institutions be audacious to set agenda in 2020 upon which we can hold them accountable?

Precisely because I was involved, I bear witness that with respect to intervention in manufacturing sector, CBNs measures had renewed hope of the revival of cotton, Textile and garment sectors (CTG) policy.

Nigeria for once is moving from the old era of perennial cotton shortage to cotton surplus, thanks to CBNs creative supports for cotton farmers in Katsina and other cotton growing centers through improved seedlings and credits. Understandably,Stakeholders in the renewed drive to re-industrialize Nigeria praised CBN for the restrictions of sale of forex to importers ( read: smugglers ) of textiles into the Country.

This is one singular praise for the CBN Governor not too much. The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday March 5, 2019 at its meeting with stakeholders in the Cotton, Textile, Garment value chain in Abuja listed all forms of textile materials among items prohibited from foreign exchange in the official windows. There is also an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) facilitated by the bank between uniformed services: army, police, civil defense, customs service and textile manufacturers. The MOU envisages production of the service uniforms by local textile firms in line with presidential executive order 003.

The year 2019 was also the year of elections.We can debate the quality of elections especially in Kogi and Bayelsa, but Nigeria democratically transited at Federal and many states. Kwara election was the most nationally adjudged free and fair under the OTOGE movement. It was indeed a revolution made possible through voters cards and vote counts not by some instant proclamation from the streets!

Also last year, on the 16th of May, at the plenary, the senate passed the amendment to an Act in concurrence with the House of Representatives which approved the new date of June 12th as new Democracy Day earlier in December 2018, following the adoption of a report by Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Majority Leader, for the Senate to concur with the House. The bill was passed almost one year after President Muhammadu Buhari announced that the date would replace May 29 for Nigerians to commemorate the return to the civilian government.

That singular presidential action closed the chapter of June 12 saga. With as many as 85 million registered voters, in quantitative terms, Nigeria remains a democracy destination. But this democracy needs quality control that must start with issues based politics of development and productivity as opposed to politics of corruption and violence.

In November, President Muhammadu Buhari accented to the new Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) Act. It was what I called a smart patriotic economic move from above. This singular amendment of the Deep Offshore Act for once commendably balanced the age long corporate greed in oil and gas sector with urgent national needs in terms of revenue. Nigeria henceforth would receive its fair, rightful and equitable share of income from its oil and gas, hitherto made impossible with the old law that kept oil taxes to the barest minimum, disregarding the upward swing in oil prices.

The Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act was last enacted on March 23, 1999, with its commencement backdated to January 1, 1993. The provisions of the Act stipulate that the law shall be subject to review to ensure that if the price of crude oil at any time exceeds $20 per barrel, ( even when prices were in triple digits decades after!) the share of the revenue to the Nigerian government shall be adjusted under the PSC.

The new amendment promised to enhance national benefits from the non-renewable oil and gas resources. At international level, 2019 marked the centenary of International Labour Organization ( ILO). A century-long ILO remains the principal centre of authority in the international system on labour and social policy. ILO has come of age with 100 years of rich history in promotion of peace and social justice in the world of work.

As part of the ILO centenary activities, Nigeria for once played host to the Director General of the ILO, Guy Ryder at a global summit on youth employment creation in Abuja. Worthy of recalling is also the fact that, after addictive medical trips to Singapore, Robert Gabriel Mugabe (RGM) on September 6, 2019, heaved the last breath at 95 years . In 2019 foreign policy observers also hailed the proactive historic visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to South Africa between October 2 to 4, 2019.

Both leaders rightly damned xenophobic violence and the reprisals. The two Presidents also directed their Foreign Affairs Ministers to give practical expression to the Early Warning Mechanism for prevention and monitoring platform. Nigeria and South Africa also agreed to exchange a list of frequent travelers, notable business people and academics to facilitate the issuance of long term multiple entry visas for 10 years.

Nigeria looks forward to an eventful 2020, the year late President Musa Yar Adua envisaged that Nigeria would be one of the leading 10 developed countries. Of course Nigeria missed out on all the 8 goals set for Millennium Development agenda that elapsed in 2015.Will Nigeria meet the new Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) of 2030 which is just a decade to go from today? Happy 2020!

Issa Aremu mni, is a renowned labour leader

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Freedom, Real Dividend of Democracy - THISDAY Newspapers

Economic freedom, not government programs, the key to poverty reduction – Orange County Register – Daily Gaming Worlld

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People have struggled to find the best way to fight poverty since the earliest societies, but the answer is obvious if we just look at history.

From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution to modern times, poverty has been eased in the most radical and rapid way whenever people are free to work in the profession of their choice, to keep the fruits of their their work, to acquire and maintain private property and to rely on legal to protect their personal and economic freedoms.

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In recent decades, this age of relatively free enterprise and world trade has led to an unprecedented reduction in poverty.

This may surprise many who have heard the story, popular in the media and some academic circles, which claims that not only the rich get rich, but the poor get poorer.

Indeed, when a survey by Hans Rosling for Gapminder asked people whether the portion of the worlds population living in extreme poverty had a) almost doubled, b) remained about the same, or c) almost divided halved in the past 20 years, only 5% of Americans correctly answered that it had been cut in half.

According to World Bank estimates, the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $ 1.90 a day, has declined steadily from 36% in 1990 to 10% in 2015 (and to about 8.6% in 2018) the lowest level in recorded history.

In total, 1.1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty in just a quarter of a century an extraordinary achievement!

In addition, 80% of those who remain in extreme poverty are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, mainly in countries characterized by war, corruption and lack of economic freedom.

These results are supported by various freedom indexes, such as Frasers annual Freedom Institute of the Economic Institute (or its index of human freedom, which includes measures of personal freedom in addition to economic freedom).

These studies consistently show an incredibly strong correlation between nations that offer greater economic and personal freedom and desirable characteristics like higher per capita income and economic growth, lower poverty levels, longer life expectancy, lower infant mortality rates, greater gender equality and generally higher levels of happiness.

So while many are focusing on the next government program that will surely be the quick fix for reducing poverty, the best solution is to simply create the conditions that allow people to prosper by eliminating government laws and regulations that exacerbate poverty by restricting economic and personal factors. freedoms.

Adam B. Summers is a researcher at the Independent Institute and a former columnist and columnist for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group.

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Second Amendment Text, Origins, and Meaning

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Below is the original text of the Second Amendment:

Having been oppressed by a professional army, the founding fathers of the United States had no use for establishing one of their own. Instead, they decided that an armed citizenry makes the best army of all. General George Washington created regulation for the aforementioned "well-regulated militia," which would consist of every able-bodied man in the country.

The Second Amendment holds the distinction of being the only amendment to the Bill of Rights that essentially goes unenforced. The U.S. Supreme Court has never struck down any piece of legislation on Second Amendment grounds, in part because justices have disagreed on whether the amendment is intended to protect the right to bear arms as an individual right, or as a component of the "well-regulated militia."

There are three predominant interpretations of the Second Amendment.

The only Supreme Court ruling in U.S. history that has focused primarily on the issue of what the Second Amendment really means is U.S. v. Miller (1939), which is also the last time the Court examined the amendment in any serious way. In Miller, the Court affirmed a median interpretation holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms, but only if the arms in question are those that would be useful as part of a citizen militia. Or maybe not; interpretations vary, partly because Miller is not an exceptionally well-written ruling.

In Parker v. District of Columbia (March 2007), the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban on grounds that it violates the Second Amendment's guarantee of an individual right to bear arms. The case is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, which may soon address the meaning of the Second Amendment. Almost any standard would be an improvement over Miller.

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Second Amendment Text, Origins, and Meaning

Texas Church Shooting and the War on the 2nd Amendment – VCY America

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Date:December 31, 2019Host:Jim SchneiderGuest: Mark Walters MP3|Order

Mark Walters is a national board member of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the broadcast media spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation. Hes the recipient of the 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award, a columnist and author of three books, Lessons from Armed America Lessons from Unarmed America and Grilling While Armed.

Mark began by presenting details of what took place at a church in Texas this past Sunday.

An individual who had been fed by the church and who had criminal violations on his record, attended the service in disguise and eventually opened fire. 2 people were shot, the first of which was in the process of reaching for a firearm. When both individuals were fired upon, in less than 6 seconds, a member of the church security team, 71 year old Jack Wilson, shot and killed the perpetrator.

Mark believes that because the church streams its services over the Internet, the mainstream media couldnt ignore this story. They had to cover it and couldnt bury it.

This broadcast includes audio from the pastor, comments from former Vice President Joe Biden, whats taking place in the gun rights battle in Virginia, as well as input from Crosstalk listeners.

More Information

http://www.saf.org

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Texas Church Shooting and the War on the 2nd Amendment - VCY America

Second Amendment saves lives in Texas church – Washington Times

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ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Two people were killed and another wounded in Texas after a man wearing a fake beard, wig, hat and long coat entered a church in the community of White Settlement, pulled out a shotgun and began firing.

Tragic and horrible as that is it couldve been much, much worse. It couldve been much, much bloodier.

The gunman was stopped in his tracks after Jack Wilson, a gun-carrying church security volunteer, and other armed parishioners pulled their own weapons and prepared to fire.

By the time the [attacker, identified as Keith Thomas Kinnunen, 43] approached a communion server and pulled out a shotgun, The Associated Press reported, Wilson and another security volunteer were already reaching for their own guns.

Several other armed church-goers reportedly reached for their weapons as well.

Kinnunen shot and killed armed church volunteer Richard White and a server, Anton Tony Wallace, AP reported. And as the 240-plus congregants in the church rushed for cover, Wilson was able to get a line of fire.

[Church members] were jumping, going chaotic, Wilson said, AP reported. They were standing up. I had to wait about half a second, or a second, to get my shot. I fired one round. The subject went down.

Dead.

In a matter of seconds the attacker was killed.

And because the attacker was so quickly killed, untold numbers of other lives were mercifully saved.

The Second Amendment saves, yes?

[Authorities] cant prevent mental illness from occurring, and we cant prevent every crazy person from pulling a gun. But we can be prepared like this church was, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a press conference outside the church on Monday.

Texas, notably, had just changed its laws to allow for church-goers with the legal rights to carry to bring their weapons inside of places of worship. That allowance took effect in September, and it came about because of a 2017 shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that left 26 dead.

Twenty-six versus two.

Either way you slice it, the deaths are tragic and senseless and horrible.

But 26 versus two.

Had this law not been passed and allowed these people to be armed, Paxton said in a Fox News interview, I fear we couldve lost hundreds.

Theres nothing to say to that except hes right.

Cheryl Chumley can be reached at [emailprotected] or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast Bold and Blunt by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.

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Second Amendment saves lives in Texas church - Washington Times

Second Amendment Supporters Need to Address Prevention of Mass Shootings – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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Second Amendment Activist Protest Activism Take Action

United States -(AmmoLand.com)-If there is one event that tends to bolster anti-Second Amendment extremists, its a mass shooting. The media coverage goes wall-to-wall and with it comes the mass outrage from not just reporters, but from anti-Second Amendment extremists across the country. There are major pushes for anti-Second Amendment laws, and those who support freedom are on the defensive.

Its never a good situation. Even when anti-Second Amendment legislation is fended off, it seems that there are a lot of new supporters for anti-Second Amendment legislation. For instance, it used to be that an Australia-style gun confiscation proposal was unthinkable in America but then some of those running for president put that front-and-center. Their campaigns fizzled out. In this election, at least. Who can say for sure what will happen in the future?

Here is one simple fact: Mass shootings are a significant strategic vulnerability when it comes to protecting our Second Amendment rights for the reasons mentioned. Therefore, Second Amendment supporters should be working to find ways to prevent them with solutions that are Second Amendment-compliant.

It should not be necessary to say this, but recently, it seems important to do so: Acknowledging this vulnerability and working to address it does not make a Second Amendment supporter a Fudd. Such a course of action does not make them an appeaser, either. Claims that this is about capitulating to anti-Second Amendment extremists are phonier than Michael Bloombergs claims that he has respect for the Second Amendment.

Lets lay it out clearly: If there is a vulnerability that those who seek to wrongfully deprive us of our rights are going to use, it should be addressed. This is no different than the simple precaution of locking your doors at night. Addressing something that gives anti-Second Amendment extremists an opening to attack our rights is no different than making it harder for someone to break into your home.

So how do we deal with mass shooters? In some cases, these mass shooters have multiple interactions with law enforcement. The person who carried out the 1989 Stockton shooting had a criminal record including charges of drug dealing and clearly had at least twice been caught with a firearm while apparently being a prohibited person under 18 USC 922(g).

That statute went unused, and this killer, even after being evaluated as a danger to himself and others, was allowed to roam free until he used a modern multi-purpose semi-automatic rifle to gun down five kids, a mass shooting that led to the first state-level semiauto bans in California and New Jersey. Thirty years later, anti-Second Amendment extremists now openly talk about Australia-style gun confiscation. Mass shootings fuel those calls. And now, we have anti-Second Amendment extremists in political office making horrific incidents more likely.

What can be done? While Second Amendment supporters debate the merits of Emergency Response Prevention Orders (aka red flag laws), there is also discussion of civil commitment laws, which have been on the books for years. Perhaps there needs to be more use of civil commitment before some of these mass shootings. Second Amendment supporters should be looking to come up with ideas that will not affect our rights or they will be constantly on the defense.

Many Second Amendment supporters are wise to point out that these horrific events often take place in gun-free zones which become shooting galleries. The Crime Prevention Research Center has plenty of material on that. Or, perhaps, we should leverage the emotional stories of Nikki Goeser and Susanna Gratia Hupp.

Some of these places are gun-free by law, others by policy set by property owners. The latter can be the easiest to overturn or they can be the hardest to overturn, especially with the right approach and mindfulness of how we come across. They are easy because they just require a property owner to make a decision to end the gun-free zone. That being said, if that property owner has come across poorly thought-out Second Amendment advocacy, then convincing that property owner to change policy will be extremely hard.

The fact is, we take steps to keep ourselves and our homes safe. This includes identifying vulnerabilities and addressing them. If the locks dont work on the door of our house, we get them fixed. We should be doing the same with our rights. Its just common sense.

About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.

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Second Amendment Supporters Need to Address Prevention of Mass Shootings - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Analyzing 2019: Texas shootings and 2nd Amendment politics | News – Kilgore News Herald

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Shootings in El Paso and Odessa prompted fresh questions and conversations about gun violence in Texas, even among some of the states elected Second Amendment advocates.

Mass shootings this summer in El Paso and Odessa prompted another round of debate, with some leaders who have firmly backed gun rights in the state talking openly and favorably about red flag laws and about expanding required background checks when guns are sold. Columns listed here all written before the holiday weekend church shooting in White Settlement tracked that political conversation, which has moved beyond what was said after earlier mass shootings in Sutherland Springs and in Santa Fe:

The El Paso shooting horrifies lawmakers. So do the solutions.

Another shooting, this time in a Walmart in El Paso, raises a familiar set of questions for politicians and lawmakers.

Since Texas leaders arent doing much about guns, watch what they say.

After the Odessa shootings, Gov. Greg Abbott said actions are louder than words. That may be right. But dont forget about the words.

The delicate balance of protecting Texans in a state that worships guns

Shootings in Odessa and El Paso added pressure on Republican state leaders to do more to protect Texans. But in a state that prides itself on lenient firearms laws, the politics are treacherous.

The end for a time-honored Republican recipe in Texas politics

Texas Republicans are talking openly and in opposition to gun rights advocates about firearms restrictions that used to be sacrosanct for conservative politicians.

Texas gun laws might not change, but the conversation is evolving

Repeated mass shootings can change officials minds about their policy stances. After recent massacres, Texas politicians and officeholders are talking about guns in new ways.

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Analyzing 2019: Texas shootings and 2nd Amendment politics | News - Kilgore News Herald

Camille remembered, Second Amendment sanctuary movement hits and a yak escapes: Nelson County’s top stories of 2019 – Lynchburg News and Advance

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Most Nelson County families went to sleep the night of Aug. 19, 1969 not knowing rain from the remnants of Hurricane Camille would intensify and blitz parts of the county with more than 27 inches of rain.

Creeks turned into raging rivers that swept away homes and families, resulting in 125 deaths. The bodies of 33 of those victims were never found and eight of the dead were never identified.

Fifty years later in August, a few hundred people gathered at Nelson County High School to remember the lives lost and the massive recovery effort. A series of remembrances and events throughout 2019 were held to commemorate the storm and its devastation that forever changed the county.

Those headlines and more are among the top stories of 2019, as compiled by the Nelson County Times.

Music, slide shows and personal stories were plentiful in 2019 as many recalled the fateful storm that claimed so many lives. Phil Payne, a longtime Nelson attorney who served on the Camille Steering Committee, which planned remembrances for those killed and the many who stepped up in the time of crisis, said at an anniversary gathering: For the families of those for whom we gather here today to remember, words cannot express their loss. Retired Nelson judge J. Michael Gamble, a county native who recalled his own memories of witnessing horrific destruction in the storms aftermath, recalled so many residents, not waiting for help, who came out with power tools, equipment and their bare hands to clear debris and open roads, a testament that would have made those who perished proud. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors in August unanimously passed a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary and placed a wreath next to the Hurricane Camille memorial at the Nelson courthouse in Lovingston. The board declared Aug. 20 as a day of remembrance for the county. The storm dumped as much as 31 inches of rain in five hours and caused $100 million in property damages across the county, according to the resolution.

A yak named Meteor gained acclaim across the Internet after escaping its owner en route to a butcher in September and died after being struck by a vehicle. According to Nelson County Animal Control Officer Kevin Wright, the yak had been in a trailer from Buckingham headed for the market when it found its way down Front Street in Lovingston and into the mountains to evade capture. Though its time on the lam was short-lived, the animals journey captured headlines and generated much talk in Nelson. If any yak can escape slaughter, it deserves to live in peace, said Nelson resident Vanessa Miller Turner, who offered sanctuary.

Facing a challenge from Republican Daniel Jones, Nelson Sheriff David Hill won a second term in office on Nov. 5 with 3,288 votes, or 55% of the total vote. Hill edged Jones by 608 votes and captured nine of the countys 10 precincts, losing only the Schuyler precinct. Leading up to the election, some former Nelson deputies accused Hill of being unfit to lead and creating what they described as an unhealthy, toxic work environment. Hill, who ran as an independent and topped three other candidates in the 2015 election, said the citizens had spoken with his victory and it warmed his heart. Im sorry many of these people have been caught up in all this drama, Hill said.

On May 2, Roger D. Beverly, of Lovingston, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Winfred W. Watson, 48, of Charlottesville. The Nelson County Sheriffs Office said an argument led to the stabbing and Beverly was found hiding in trees not far from where Watsons body was found. Watson was stabbed multiple times and then set on fire, according to authorities. Beverly, 34, also is charged with concealing a body, a felony. He is scheduled to face a preliminary hearing Jan. 15 in Nelson General District Court, according to court records.

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline a natural gas project from West Virginia to North Carolina, including a 27-mile stretch in Nelson County where opposition has been fierce ran into a new obstacle in July when a federal appeals court panel in Richmond threw out a federal permit because it failed to adequately protect endangered or threatened species on the projects path. Meanwhile, in early October the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of a decision by a Richmond-based federal appeals court in 2018 that revoked a permit the U.S. Forest Service issued to allow the pipeline beneath the Appalachian Trail between Augusta and Nelson counties in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Construction of the pipeline, first proposed five years ago, is more than two years behind schedule and over budget by a few billion dollars in large part because of court rulings that have vacated federal permits for the project.

In December, Nelson supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of passing a resolution making Nelson County a Second Amendment sanctuary, a formal stance against any possible infringements on the Constitutional right to bear arms, which some fear is under threat by a new Democratic majority in the state legislature. A large crowd overflowed the boards meeting room to speak both in favor of and against the resolution, most wearing Guns Save Lives stickers handed out by the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Supervisor Ernie Reed voted against the resolution. More than 100 counties, cities and towns in Virginia have become Second Amendment sanctuaries following the Nov. 5 election.

In July Frederick Watson became the new full-time Nelson circuit judge, ending a longtime arrangement of the judge splitting time between Nelson and Amherst counties. The move was advantageous for the court dockets in Amherst and Nelson circuit courts as Judge Michael Garrett, who had for the previous four years served both counties, assumed a full-time role in Amherst.

In December the Nelson County Board of Supervisors bid farewell to Thomas Bruguiere, Jr., who served the West District seat since 2000, and South District Larry Saunders, who served two terms. Bruguiere opted not to run again and David Parr, a veteran Nelson County School Board member, replaced him as of Jan. 1. Saunders lost his seat by a slim margin to Robert G. Skip Barton. The Nelson County School Board also had some turnover with Margaret Clair winning the Central District seat as a write-in candidate, defeating interim member Doris Bibb, who also ran as a write-in. Bibb was appointed to the board after former member Dave Francis retired in August. Shannon Rothgeb Powell was elected to the West District seat vacated by Parr and East District representative George Cheape was elected after he previously was appointed to the seat following the resignation of Debbie Harvey.

In February breweries along the Brew Ridge Trail founded in Nelson County by a handful of breweries and the Nelson County Department of Economic Development was given a weeklong celebration 10 years after forming. Heidi Crandall, co-founder of Devils Backbone Brewing and Distilling Company, said being a part of the trail is about teamwork, with a goal of getting consumers to Nelson County.

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors this year approved a request for construction of a bed and breakfast directly across from the Waltons Mountain Museum in Schuyler. The Waltons-inspired home, called John & Olivias Bed & Breakfast Inn, opened in 2019. The Waltons was a TV show featuring the life of a Depression-era family in Virginias Blue Ridge Mountains. The late Earl Hamner, Jr., a Nelson native, created the show based off his book Spencers Mountain.

Reach Justin Faulconer at (434) 385-5551.

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Camille remembered, Second Amendment sanctuary movement hits and a yak escapes: Nelson County's top stories of 2019 - Lynchburg News and Advance

Standing Guard Over Your Constitutional Rights – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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OpinionBy Larry Keane

USA -(AmmoLand.com)- One doesnt need to look hard to see that our Second Amendment rights, and our industry, is under fire by those who cant fathom an individual who chooses to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.

A recentHarris poll,as reported by USA Today, showed that nearly 50 percent of all Americans are concerned that their right to bear arms (is) at risk.

We get it. Were in the halls of Congress and our state capitals working to defend against attacks on our industry and Americans ability to buy the firearms they choose to shoot with recreationally, hunt and defend themselves and their families. The mission of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, as the firearms industry trade association, is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. We represent the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of firearms, ammunition and related products, as well as shooting ranges across the United States. The hardworking, patriotic people that comprise this essential American industry depend on our work to not only protect their businesses and livelihoods, but also to protect the crucial function they play in fulfilling the ability of all Americans to keep and bear arms.

Awakening

We share the concerns of those who are witnessing the continuous assault on our civil liberties. The NSSF exists because of the Second Amendment. Without it, there are no protections for Americans who buy our firearms. This freedom which is enjoyed by all citizens faces unprecedented threats, and Americans are paying attention. Its being manifested in the surge of jurisdictions adopting Second Amendment sanctuary status in response to pressing legislative threats to our rights.

These figures arent outlandish to those following what is being said in the 2020 Democratic primary for president or those observing college campuses across the country. It is perfectly reasonable for Americans to worry that their right to keep and bear arms is in danger whenfirearm confiscationis a mainstream talking point among Democratic candidates for president. On college campuses, these arent rhetorical debates. They are violent protests against young adults bycommunist Antifa thugswho are afraid to show their faces.

Inherent Rights

Our industry and Americas gunowners understand, however, that the Second Amendment contains crucial language that guarantees the preservation of all of our other rights as citizens. It reads that the security of a free state is dependent on a well-regulated militia made up of the People who have a God-given, pre-existing common law right to keep and bear arms. Without the Second Amendment, our ability to speak freely, worship freely and debate freely would face threats not even yet considered by those who participated in the Harris poll. The Second Amendment is why our industry exists.

The threats to our rights are indeed very real but the fastest way to lose them is to bury our heads in the sand instead of challenging those who wish to take them away. Were not idle in this fray. We are undaunted and unrelenting. Our civil rights are critical to our industry, and our industry is critical to ensure the preservation of all of our rights.

About The National Shooting Sports Foundation

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations, and publishers. http://www.nssf.org

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Standing Guard Over Your Constitutional Rights - AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

Rock singer Grace Potter talks growth, heartbreak and evolution before her return to Jannus Live – Creative Loafing Tampa

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RED LIGHT MANAGEMENT

Soulful rock singer Grace Potter has played Jannus Live many times before as frontwoman of the rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, but on January 9 shes returning to the infamous downtown St. Petersburg venue a completely changed artist.

In the seven years since she last toured, shes endured the breakup of her band, a divorce, her first child, and a new marriageups and downs that her latest album Daylight, which was released in October, explores in cathartic detail. Potter has seen the highest highs, like in 2010 when her song "Something That I Want" went viral after appearing on the Tangled soundtrack, as well as the lowest lows, like in 2016 when her marriage with ex-bandmate Matthew Burr ended.

IF YOU GO

Grace Potter.

Thurs. Jan., 9. 7:30 p.m.$28.50.

Jannus Live, 16 2nd St. N. St. Petersburg, FL.

jannuslive.com

CL recently talked to Potter across the Atlantic Ocean about her transformative past couple of years, not only as an artistbut as a person.

I just got back to my hotel room in London after finishing up a cool rehearsal with Kermit the Frog at the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, Potter laughs, in somewhat disbelief of the sentence she just uttered. Although shes piggybacking off of the positive energy of rehearsal, she quickly jumps right into a reflection of the gritty past that preceded her recent comeback to music.

The earliest stages of her most recent solo album Daylight, were mere journal entries, poems, half-formed songs, meditations, prayers, and repetitive phrases that only made sense to her. It was a way for me to deal with a tectonic shift both in my life and in my soul, Potter reminisces.

On the surface, Daylight grapples with the relatable themes of heartbreak and pain, but buried deep in the 11 track LP is a journey of pure renewal. Potter emerges from her hardships with a new, loving marriage and her first child. In the words of Potter herself, Its the first album where Im firmly planted in my shoes.

It was slowly written over the course of her three-year-long hiatus, which was filled with years of painting houses, learning how to be a mother, and dealing with her broken relationship with music.

When asked by CL if she missed the life of a musician during her time off, she quickly replied Fuck no! before retracting a bit and rethinking the question. But actually, I really missed talking to strangers, Potter said. Ive always felt like it was my base level connection to the world. Ive always loved the feeling of being connected with everyone through music.

That connection will nonetheless be felt in the air of Potters Jannus Live performance on January 9a show that she is particularly excited for.

I've definitely had good experiences there in the past Potter says about Jannus Live. Its kind of fortuitous timing, because a lot of my friends and family are going to be down there in Florida for that showit's going to be a weird Florida version of a hometown show.

Whether she missed it or not, Potter is back living the life of a touring musician. But this time, she has her family experiencing it with her. Her husband and producer Eric Valentine and son Sagan will join her on the entirety of this U.S. tour, which spans from coast to coast.

When one thinks of the phrase coming of age, they usually think of a teenage movie or an adolescent shit-show of confusion. But what Grace Potter has experienced over the last couple of years is an all-encompassing, re-defining coming of age at 36 years old. Perhaps she glazed over her transformative years of early adulthood since shes been a touring musician since 19 years old, but Potter is back being the gritty, soulful singer that fans worldwide know her to be. And now she has the life experience to bring her musical reputation to life.

The joy Ive always gotten from this life comes from losing myself in the music, transcending my ego and my place in the world I like to just feel the world.

Potter invites you to be part of her brand new world at Jannus Live next Thursday.

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Rock singer Grace Potter talks growth, heartbreak and evolution before her return to Jannus Live - Creative Loafing Tampa

Witness to History: From Windrush to the NHS the evolution of the ‘hostile environment’ – The Independent

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At the start of this decade, the hostile environment didnt exist. Several ministers, both Labour and Conservative, had bandied the term around as a potential strategy for reducing immigration, but it wasnt in the public domain and nothing had taken effect. In the years that followed, however, a stream of policies were quietly formulated with the sole aim of making the UK a hostile place for undocumented immigrants. And ten years on, those two words have come to encapsulate the root cause behind a string of Home Office immigration scandals.

When I started in my role on the social affairs beat at The Independent in early 2017, criticism of the policy was bubbling under the surface. Charities and campaigners would make reference to it when commenting on stories about issues in the UKs asylum and refugee policy, saying the problems were linked to a thing called the hostile environment. There had been warning signs, such as data-sharing agreements between the Home Office and both the Department for Health and the Department for Education allowing for information about patients and pupils to be shared for immigration enforcement purposes. These were concerning, but the true impact was yet to be seen.

It was in November of that year that it first came under real public scrutiny, when campaign group Migrants Rights Net (MRN) launched a legal challenge against the Home Office over its use of NHS patient data, with campaigners describing it as an important step forward in the fight to dismantle the hostile environment policy. A month later, human rights group Liberty launched a legal challenge against the departments decision to collect data on school pupils nationality and country of birth. Both challenges ultimately succeeded in forcing the government into a climb-down.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

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Witness to History: From Windrush to the NHS the evolution of the 'hostile environment' - The Independent