Daily Archives: June 17, 2020

June 16, 2020

Now through June 28, volunteers throughout the metro Phoenix region will be putting on masks and picking up trash as part of a nationwide cleanup event called Masks On, Litter Gone.

Arizona State University, on behalf of Rio Reimagined, is partnering with the Ball Corporation and River Network for the cleanup, with the goal of collecting 2,500 pieces of litter throughout the Valley.

Participants who are encouraged to wear masks and maintain appropriate social distancing during the event are using technology to assist with the cleanup. Using the app Litterati, volunteers will upload a photo of each item they collect. The app keeps track of their progress and awards a $50 gift card at the end of the week to the challenge leader.

Through the app Litterati, we can replicate that experience of a community cleanup with a little competition, said Kylie Cochrane, ASU student and intern at Rio Reimagined. Individuals can join us from wherever they are, their neighborhood, local park, or trail and individually make a collective impact.

The two-week cleanup isnt the only attention Rio Reimagined is receiving lately.

The cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Avondale, in partnership with ASU, recently formed a Rio Reimagined Brownfields Coalition and secured $1.4 million in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Rio Reimagined is the initiative to protect, restore and revitalize the Salt and Gila River corridor traversing the metro Phoenix region. The recent effort was the vision of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who asked ASU to lead, convene and facilitate the regional effort.

The grants will support the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites (called brownfields) along the 58-mile stretch of river, priming the space for restoration and possible future development. Eliminating brownfields, many of which are former industrial sites, will enhance the health of the surrounding communities and natural environment, and create new, usable public spaces.

The grants add to a growing number of awards the team has received over the past year and a half in support of Rio Reimagined. Melissa McCann, director at the University City Exchange, leads the regional effort that resulted in the awards.

Were building capacity, McCann said. Public and private grant funding will support stakeholders efforts to transform the health of the river corridor, environmentally, socially and economically.

The grants come on the heels of Rio Reimagined being invited into the federal Urban Waters Partnership a designation that brings resources, support and access to funding. Only the 20th project to be recognized in this manner, this is the first project to achieve this standing under the current administration.

This is only the beginning, McCann said. This initiative will require expanded community engagement and direction to fully realize the opportunities available to transform the river into an asset that serves all.

The EPA funding will allow for two significant projects to take place in the region.

The first grant of $600,000 will support an environmental assessment of the land bordering the Salt, Agua Fria and Gila rivers to identify areas that are viable for redevelopment. Sites in Phoenix, Avondale and Tempe that will be considered for assessment formerly housed dry cleaners, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, dry wells, underground storage tanks and waste tire dumps.

The second grant of $800,000 will go to the city of Phoenix for the cleanup of contaminated sites throughout the city, including along the Rio Salado. The city will work with local grassroots organizations, developers and government agencies to remove hazardous materials like lead-based paint, chemicals, animal waste, trash, mold, asbestos and gasoline.

Cecilia Rivere, assistant director at the University City Exchange, points to regional coordination and past and present leadership from cities and tribal nations as factors in the Rios success.

The sum can be greater than the individual parts, Rivere said. If you band together and you approach something from a regional perspective, planning and designing a community asset at scale, there can be larger and better benefits.

Thinking and acting regionally comes naturally to the staff at the University City Exchange, who view their role as reflective of ASUs charter to assume fundamental responsibility for the communities it serves.

The goal of Rio is to improve life in the Valley by enhancing environmental quality, building cultural identity, restoring wildlife habitat and providing an economic catalyst, said Wellington Duke Reiter, special adviser to the president and executive director of the University City Exchange. Its an appropriate leadership role for ASU to support communities in this way as reflected in our charter.

Top photo courtesy ofTim Roberts Photography.

Senior Media Relations Officer , Media Relations & Strategic Communications

480-965-3779 Katherine.Reedy@asu.edu

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Earth's interior found to play important role in the evolution of life - ASU Now

On a new episode of ID the Future, Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with Eric Anderson, co-author of the new Discovery Institute Press bookEvolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell.Today they talk about Andersons second of two chapters in the book, in which he explores the challenges of building a self-replicating 3-D printer, and the light this sheds on the origin-of-life communitys search for their Holy Grail, a self-reproducing molecule that could have kickstarted the evolutionary process on the early Earth. Download the podcast or listen to it here.

In their conversation, Anderson suggests that there are engineering principles involved in the origin of life that may mean that a naturalistic origin is less like winning a long-odds lottery, and more like the chances of an inventor successfully building a perpetual motion machine. That is, it isnt just a tough probability problem; there are reasons for concluding that its impossible in principle. Also, Anderson notes, the early Earth wasnt the kinder, gentler place for simple self-replicators that Darwin or Dawkins has imagined.

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New ID Book Zeroes in on Evolution's Zero-Probability Problem - Discovery Institute

Juan Fernandez speaks to current market trends, and steps you can take to position your business for the future.

The 501 Files (The MSP 501 Profile Podcast): MSP Evolution & the New Normal

Company Name: ImageNet Consulting

Primary Services:

Twitter: @BMI_Imagenet

ImageNet Consultings Juan Fernandez

As the pandemic stretches on, business owners are all tasked with determining what the new normal will look like. Many are looking to position their companies for the next wave, while some are positioning for an exit.

Because of this, everyone should focus on four key components:

The fact remains that we all are looking to pivot in some way. Ultimately, we are looking to grow or go. So, it is time to redefine and evolve your offering to meet the needs of future customers and/or potential offers.

Join Juan Fernandez, VP of managed IT services at ImageNet Consulting, for a discussion on the new normal, current market trends and steps you can take to position your business for the future.

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The New Normal: ImageNet Consulting on the MSP Evolution - Channel Futures

16th June 2020, St. Louis, MO

Evolution St. Louis.

Evolution St. Louis has hired knit programmer Sarah Bridle, adding to its growing team of specialists and experts. Bridle has relocated from the United Kingdom and will work at the Evolution St. Louis advanced knitting facility in the United States.

Bridle will help Evolution St. Louis manufacture a broad range of products with its 3D and Knit & Wear complete garment technology, including fully fashioned knits, complex shapes, footwear and smart textiles.

Evolution St. Louis innovative flatbed knitting technology and forward-looking vision for the future make this an amazing opportunity to be part of the future of fashion and apparel, Bridle said. Im truly excited to join this growing team led by two industry leaders who are reimagining and reshaping the apparel manufacturing sector.

Bridle started her career with Knit-1 Ltd in the United Kingdom. She later worked for Stoll America and Stoll GB as a knitwear technician. Bridle graduated from Buckinghamshire New University in England with a bachelors degree in textile design.

Sarahs experience and technical expertise will be a true asset to Evolution St. Louis as we reinvent, recreate and revitalize the knit sector at our high-tech facility, said John Elmuccio, COO and co-founder of Evolution St. Louis.

We are excited for Sarah to join Evolution St. Louis and her international experience will be a true asset to our growing team, said Jon Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Evolution St. Louis. Weve always believed that Evolution St. Louis would be a magnet for talent and job creation and bringing someone of Sarahs caliber from overseas to St. Louis proves that point.

http://www.evolutionstl.com

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Evolution St. Louis adds seasoned knit programmer to technical team - Knitting Industry

"Hey, Stew," the LTJG called out. The Filipino sailor did not respond. "Hey! Stew!" The Filipino sailor continued to mop the deck. "Hey! Stew! I'm talking to you!" The Lt. j.g. grabbed the Filipino sailor by his shoulder and turned him around.

"Oh, sir. I didn't know you were talking to me," the Filipino sailor responded. "I thought you were looking for someone named Stew. As you can see on my uniform, my name is Tongson. The name my parents gave me, my Christian name, is Benjamin. If you called me by those names, I would have responded to you." This earned Seaman Tongson a tirade of expletives from the young naval officer who then stormed away. Later, Tongson decided to invoke the open door policy of the ship's skipper. "Sir, may I have a moment of your time?" Tongson asked as he knocked on the bulkhead of the captain's quarters.

"Come on in Tongson. What can I do for you?" The captain motioned for Tongson to enter.

"Sir, one of your officers refuses to address me and the other stewards by our names. Instead, he only calls us 'Stew'. I do not find this behavior to be acceptable for an officer."

"And so you shouldn't," replied the Captain. "Which of my officers is doing this? I'll take care of it."

The 1947 Military Bases Agreement provided a 99-year lease on many Philippine military and naval bases to the United States Military. Under Article 27, Filipino citizens could also be recruited into the U.S. military. However, they were restricted to serving as stewards. Despite this restriction, the Navy would recruit anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 Filipinos every year according to a New York Times article from 1970.

With many of these men coming from poverty, a job with the US Navy presented a better prospect than what they could find in the post-war Philippines. While Filipino sailors were paid equal wages, they, like Tongson, often experienced racism and differential treatment. However, following a modification to the Military Bases Agreement in 1971, Filipinos could enter into any enlisted rating that they were qualified for. In Tongson's case, he became an Electrician's Mate and eventually rose to the coveted rank of Chief Petty Officer.

Tongson (first row, first from the left) as an Electrician's Mate Petty Officer First Class (USS Montrose Cruise Book/released)

Today, Filipino-Americans can be found in all branches of the U.S. militaryalthough their presence is still strongest in the Navy. Anyone who has spent time aboard a ship is familiar with the "Filipino Mafia", the network of Filipino-American sailors that seem to be able to get you anything you may need while underway, including Filipino food like adobo, pancit, and lumpia. Filipino-American sailors have made greater strides than just acquiring scarce goods and sharing delicious meals, though.

In 1992, Rear Admiral (then Commander) Eleanor Mariano was selected to serve as the Navy physician to the White House Medical Staff. President Clinton later selected her to serve as the White House Physician and director of the White House Medical Unit for which she was promoted to Captain. In 1999, she was nominated to the rank of Rear Admiral and was formally promoted in 2000, becoming the first Filipino-American to reach the rank. In 2014, Captain Ronald Ravelo took command of the USS Ronald Reagan, becoming the first Filipino-American sailor to do so. A year before, Rear Admirals Rauqel Bono and her brother Anatolio Cruz became the first and (so far) only Filipino-American siblings to simultaneously hold a flag-officer rank. While Cruz retired later that year, Bono was appointed by President Obama to the position of Defense Health Agency director and promoted to Vice Admiral in 2015. Following her retirement from the Navy in 2019, Bono became a Senior Fellow with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. On March 22, 2020 she was appointed as the head Washington State's COVID-19 health care response team by Governor Jay Inslee. The state's COVID-19 confirmed case, hospitalization, and death statistics peaked on March 23rd. At the time of the writing of this article, all three statistics have more than halved.

Vice Admiral Raquel C. Bono, DHA Director, command portrait (U.S. Army photo by Monica King/released)

Filipino-Americans continue to serve as an integral part of the U.S. Military. The naval officers previously mentioned all descend from parents who served in the U.S. military. As for Tongson, his daughter served in the U.S. Army as a nurse during Desert Storm and his grandson, the author, currently serves in the U.S. Army as a 1st Lt. with the 10th Mountain Division. Tongson gave his grandson his first salute at his commissioning ceremony aboard the USS Midway, a ship that Tongson served on, in 2017.

Tongson with the author at the commissioning ceremony (photo taken by Lace Pappas/released)

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From stewards to pandemic leaders, the evolution of the Filipino-American sailor - We Are The Mighty

The surreal quality of the present moment in American life is hard to miss. One element in the dreamscape is discussions of the Confederate flag as a symbol still held dear by some Americans, 155 years after the Civil War. NASCAR, for one,will now forbiddisplays of the flag at races, though its hard to see how that will be policed.

Who would fly such a thing in public, certain to cause pain to many who see it? No doubt a few diehard racists, but the rebel symbol may speak more to an impatience with the sneering coastal elite and with suffocating political correctness. That seemed to be the significance when, on a recent family trip to the Oregon beaches, I noticed a surprising number of the flags, on poles and as bumper stickers, inland from the zone of vacation homes on the ocean. The locals, it appeared, were communicating a message to the affluent Portland and Seattle progressives who drive through. In my Seattle suburb, a near-neighbor had a Confederate flag on his dock, positioned on a pole just below an American flag. He prudently took it down when someone posted a photo on the social media app Nextdoor, and there were cries for doxxing him and setting fire to his property.

There are still other meanings to the symbol. Some Southerners associate it with family history, Heritage not hate. A different and less familiar meaning, expressed in modern terms, would be Follow the science!

Yes, thats right. It is interesting to remember the role of racial science in the thinking of at least one prominent Confederate politician. Alexander H. Stephens was Vice President of the Confederacy. In 1861 he delivered a famous oration, the so-calledCornerstone Speech, justifying slavery and rebellion on scientific grounds.

The name of the speech comes from Stephens (arguably blasphemous) appropriation of a verse from Psalms, The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief cornerstone. He took the corner stone to be the emerging scientific consensus, which Americas Founders had violated in holding all men to be equal. On the contrary, Stephens argued, Africans were not equal, and science proved it. The Confederacy was the first scientific government, he said. The South, unlike the North, merely sought to follow the science! And this was why they would prevail in the end. He attacked the error in the Constitution:

Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error. It was a sandy foundation, and the government built upon it fell when the storm came and the wind blew.

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. [Applause.] This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. This truth has been slow in the process of its development, like all other truths in the various departments of science.

Stephens thought he saw justification for racism in science and religion, but he emphasized science. It was the advance of science, in his mind, that secured his perverted reading of religion:

As I have stated, the truth of this principle may be slow in development, as all truths are and ever have been, in the various branches of science. It was so with the principles announced by Galileo. It was so with Adam Smith and his principles of political economy. It was so with [William] Harvey, and his theory of the circulation of the blood. It is stated that not a single one of the medical profession, living at the time of the announcement of the truths made by him, admitted them. Now, they are universally acknowledged. May we not, therefore, look with confidence to the ultimate universal acknowledgment of the truths upon which our system rests? It is the first government ever instituted upon the principles in strict conformity to nature, and the ordination of Providence, in furnishing the materials of human society. Many governments have been founded upon the principle of the subordination and serfdom of certain classes of the same race; such were and are in violation of the laws of nature. Our system commits no such violation of natures laws. With us, all of the white race, however high or low, rich or poor, are equal in the eye of the law. Not so with the negro. Subordination is his place. He, by nature, or by the curse against Canaan, is fitted for that condition which he occupies in our system.

Stephens was an enthusiastic reader of current science works. Which works, in particular? The historian and political scientist Harry Jaffa, in his bookA New Birth of Freedom: Abraham Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War (p. 224), wrote that he surmised that Stephens had Darwin in mind:

Stephens compares the great scientific discovery in regard to the Negro to the discoveries of Galileo, Adam Smith, and Harvey. He does not name the discoverer of Negro inferiority, nor does he even hint at what evidence had supposed this great discovery. One can only surmise that DarwinsOrigin of Species, published in 1859, may have been on his mind. Yet there is nothing in that work bearing directly upon the question of Negro equality.

Im not aware of evidence that Stephens was familiar with Darwin. TheOrigin of Species(full title:On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life) had come out two years before in England and in 1860 in America. However, as Jaffa notes, the book contains no discussion of the human races. That topic Darwin saved forThe Descent of Man, published in 1871, where he asserted a scientific racial hierarchy, with Africans at the bottom, that would have cheered Stephens and other Confederates. True, Darwin was against slavery, but his idea of a gradually branching Tree of Life left no obvious place for a divine image imprinted equally on every human. On the contrary, even before he wroteThe Descent of Man, an evolutionist might logically expect that humans of various races would have achieved different levels of advancement from their shared primitive ancestry, just as Darwin later made explicit.

Even if Stephens never heard of Darwin, there were scientific racists before Darwin such as French writer Arthur de Gobineau. Darwinian evolution emerged from the context of the scientific thinking of Darwins time, which was also Stephenss time. Darwin and Stephens were contemporaries and would have found much common ground, even as they disagreed about slavery.

In decades to come, at the very best universities, racist pseudoscience would gather even more strength and popularity with leading scientists and scholars. As John West tells the story in the documentariesHuman Zoos: Americas Forgotten History of Scientific RacismandThe Biology of the Second Reich, following the science of the time led to shaming Africans by displaying them in zoos, thus educating the public about the truths of evolutionary theory, to eugenics, and to genocide. Only with the revelation of the Holocaust did prestige scientists step back in shock from what they had done and try to sweep this past decorously under the carpet. Todays Alt-Right is not so shy. As I have reported (see here and here, for example), the Alt-Right invokes neo-eugenic theory, Darwinian evolution, and, of course, the Confederate States of America.

They have a twisted logic, or at least a consistency, on their side. I dont think youll see the Confederate flag floating overhead at the next March for Science. But, from a historical perspective, it would not be out of place there, any more than at a rally of the Alt-Right. Its only because of a willed amnesia that we forget this.

Photo: Alexander H. Stephens, by Matthew Brady, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Scientific Racism and the Confederate Flag - Discovery Institute

Posted by Mahima Suresh

Gone are the days when drinking beer and playing sports defined a man. With changing times, the distinctions between masculinity and femininity is blurring, and for good. As we know, Life imitates art and art imitates life. The changing definitions of masculinity have led to a more evolved portrayal of male characters in sitcoms. What does a modern man look like? How does he behave? Let us take a look at the evolution of the men in modern American sitcoms.

Jake Peralta from Brooklyn 99 is the first man under the scanner. In the season 5 episode where Jake and Amy work on their last case before Amy becomes a sergeant, Melvin Stermlys appearance leaves Jake jealous. He tries to fight it throughout the episode calling it an ugly emotion but he gives into it halfway through, leading to him almost botching up their investigation. When Amy calls him out, he admits that he was a little jealous of the super smart super model. Amy assuages his fears and by the end of the episode Jake has made peace with it. Here is a portrayal of masculinity as adapting and evolving.

Another example is when Jake agrees to do the pre-wedding tasks on his own so that Amy could go after her old nemesis.

Meanwhile, Ross from the popular 90s show FRIENDS takes a distinct approach, reflecting a different brand of masculinity. Hint: It is toxic. When Ross gets jealous because of the presence of another guy in Rachels life he gets territorial and never apologises to Rachel for it and that, coupled with his infidelity, ultimately leads to their break-up.

Another couple from Brooklyn 99 is Captain Raymond Holt and Professor Kevin Cosner. Both of them are portrayed as absolute no-nonsense, very good at their jobs and can best anyone in an intellectual conversation. They are mostly shown as partners with no toxic complexes.

Yet, in season 6, Captain Holt is shown as flustered, stumbling over objects and under-confident and for this, the makers call him a bimbo a colloquially used derogatory term for women.

Yet, in the season 6 episode The Bimbo, the generally competitive and confident Captain Holt is seen struggling with the feelings of intellectual inferiority in front of Kevins colleagues. He is shown as flustered, stumbling over objects and under-confident and for this, the makers call him a bimbo a colloquially used derogatory term for women.

Meanwhile, Terry Jeffords appearance might be the textbook definition of machismo, he is in fact proudly feminist.Hes affectionate and respectful towards his wife. His fatherhood involves care and emotionality aspects often associated with women. His whole family-man persona is such a refreshing change from the common trope of men complaining about their nagging wife and rowdy kids.

At the start of the show it is revealed that Terry is not allowed into the field until he gets the go-ahead by the therapist in his departmentally mandated psych evaluation, due to his crippling fear of losing his life on the field and leaving his newborn daughters fatherless. Throughout the initial half of season 1 we see him working through the issues with the therapist. Hes shown crying and admittedly vulnerable.

Also read: Kabir Singh: The Poster Boy For Toxic Masculinity

Male friendships are also arenas which expose the wide spectrum of masculinity. Charles Boyle and Jake Peraltas bond is among the non-toxic male friendships portrayed on TV.

The show starts off with Jake being a wannabe rebel man-child, but over the seasons under the watchful gaze of Holt, in a loving relationship with Amy, he becomes more mature and better in touch with his emotions. Meanwhile Charles Boyle is a foodie who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is not afraid to express his immense love for his best friend Jake for whom he has almost child-like admiration. Jake too, cares deeply for Charles and is by his side loyally. Male friendships are often shown as lacking depth and emotional involvement. In a fresh departure from that, the men of Brooklyn 99 are friends through thick, thin and the mundane.

However, the scene in which Jake and Charles sit in a car and look through binoculars to hide that they are crying over how it might be their last case, is another time the show reflected stereotypes. It is a reflection of how entrenched societys pressure on how real men should not cry is.

When it comes to guy friendships, Nick and Schmidt from New Girl is another case study.

In a Season 5 episode, Schmidt tells his fianc Cece that he wants a Tokyo themed bachelor party- a spa day with Hot Springs and Cherry Blossoms. Like a lot of things about Schmidts character, this is something thats traditionally not expected from a man. Seconds after, a man comes screaming at their car and suddenly Schmidt changes his mind and asks for a road-trip like a man.Nick does everything he could to make Schmidt feel tough. He even feigns pain when he shakes hands with Schmidt, following it up with youre the butchest man here.

But after a fight in a bar when things go awry, when Nick asks Schmidt why he was so affected by the shouting man, Schmidt replies that he needed to prove to himself that he can defend Cece. At the end of this fight Nick tells Schmidt that while he might not have made a good husband in the olden times, he would make a fine modern husband.

Nick tells Schmidt that he knows he is going to be a good husband to Cece because he was a good husband to him (Nick) for years. He follows this up by practicing a few Karate kicks, because hyper-masculinity prohibits men from feeling so deeply. This is a trope that shows have been using to balance two men getting close emotionally. This continues to be the case, but now most of it is self-aware and satirical.

Another scene is when Jess is out for the night and the guys plan a guys night stocking up on beer and meat. However, as the night progresses, they emotionally bond over discussing their deepest insecurities, listen to 1980s love songs and sip on sangrias.

Over the years weve seen that the American TV has had a learning curve when it comes to understanding masculinity effectively. Men do not have to play tough or broody, love a sport or trash talk about women to be masculine anymore.Meanwhile FRIENDS the sitcom we all grew up on, is a study on toxic masculinity. Throughout the show Ross toxic complexes are played up for laughs and not addressed maturely. The season 9 episode where he gets rid of Emmas nanny because he was too sensitive for a man or when he tries to get Ben to lose his interest in Barbies because its unbecoming of a boy easily come to mind. The show also has other problematic narratives built on transphobia and body-shaming.

Also read: Bollywoods Tryst With Toxic Masculinity

On the other hand, shows such as New Girl and Brooklyn 99 steer away from toxic masculinity while also portraying its characters realistically. Characters such as Schmidt, Nick, Jake, Charles, Terry and Captain Holt bring a diverse range of masculinities to the table as how it really is when we look around ourselves.

Characters such as Schmidt, Nick, Jake, Charles, Terry and Captain Holt bring a diverse range of masculinities to the table as how it really is when we look around ourselves.

For critically acclaimed prime-time shows to depict characters embodying a newer, empathetic masculinity, as opposed to hyper-masculinity or effeminacy, is important not only because they are not setting the latter as standards, they are getting closer to reality. Lets hope this shift will inspire more men become comfortable in expressing themselves. Lets leave the Chandlers and Ross behind and hope for a future of more Jakes, Charles and Schmidts.

Mahimais a student of third year integrated MA in Development Studies. She loves binge watching shows, reading, watching cricket, going down a YouTube rabbit hole and when shes not procrastinating, writing. She takes a special interest in sociology, political sciences, feminism and queer studies. She feels calm around water bodies and is very scared of heights. She is also extremely passionate about womens rights. In her free time, you will find her practicing on her ukulele and fangirling over fictional characters.

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The Evolution Of Masculinity In American Sitcoms - Feminism in India

HeritageDr Emma Wells is sat inside somewhat of a time capsule as she addresses the camera for a new documentary series exploring what makes a house a home.

Tuesday, 16th June 2020, 11:45 am

Shes positioned in one of the ten unique rooms at Denis Severs House in London. The historical reinterpretation museum captures what life - and the home - would have been like for a family of Huguenot silk-weavers, from 1724 right through to the dawn of the 20th century.

Its a fitting backdrop as Wells considers how homes have changed over time, one of a number of craftspeople, designers, architects and historians interviewed for new three-part series The History of Home.

The history of home is the history of humankind, says Wells, ahead of the shows launch. Its deeply intertwined with who we are, where we are, how we are and why we do things.

Homes are not just places of shelter, theyre a symbol of status, theyre landmarks, community places, workspaces. And we havent got to where we are by chance. Everything from lighting to electricity to the birth of the kitchen even - because we once had kitchens that were outside - has happened in order to allow us the home that we have today.

The show, narrated by American actor Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation fame, examines how the fundamental elements of daily life, such as the need for shelter, comfort, and sustenance, have transformed lives and homes.

Viewers are taken on a journey across the globe to see some of the worlds most spectacular properties, from Highclere Castle, the main setting of period drama Downton Abbey, to Kirkjubargarur, also known as Kings Farm, in the Faroe Islands, one of the oldest inhabited wooden houses in the world.

The programme explores the histories and mysteries behind every room in the house, looking at how homes have developed from the treetop nests of our two million-year-old ancestors to the design of 3D printed houses on Mars.

Houses were very communal, the way we lived was much more communal than how we live today, explains Wells, a Lecturer in Ecclesiastical and Architectural History at the University of York. Its much more segmented today.

One would live in a huge open hall house, a huge open space where youre all huddled around not only warmth but the light. Everything came from the fireplace - that was how you ate, that was how you had warmth and that was how you could see.

Then as the medieval era goes on, we start to see development of the bedroom and we start to see the birth of the kitchen. Moving into the early modern and Tudor period, it was Henry VII who created the first time that we see separate rooms.

"It was as late as the 15th century that we actually see rooms specifically designed for different purposes. That has gone on and weve refined that through architecture, through invention and through need as well.

England has some great examples of going from this real communal living space to now having rooms for particular functions - a bathroom or a dining space for example. Now whats interesting though is were going back to what it was somewhat and were having these open living spaces which are a hybrid of kitchen-dining-living room, for example.

For many people, the coronavirus pandemic has meant a merging of work and home space, at least for the time being, and rooms have been adapted to create makeshift offices and studies.

But the idea of working and living in the same area is not a new one - and viewers learn more when Wells pays a visit to the Pullen estate in London, some of the countrys last surviving Victorian tenement buildings.

Built in 1886 by James Pullen, they were designed for crafts and tradespeople, from shoemakers to stationers, and featured both living and workshop space. They were built in the 1880s by a local builder and purpose built for crafts people, explains Wells, who used to run a heritage consultancy specialising in homes history and historic buildings. They are essentially the first particularly designed home-work space in one.

Brick was a popular building material of that time period, as it still is today. The invention of the Hoffman kiln in the mid-19th century meant bricks could be mass produced for the first time, rather than being made by hand.

Brick is an extremely important material, Wells says. The invention of things such as the Hoffman kiln meant that bricks could be produced consistently and at scale. Particularly in England with the terrible weather we have, we needed these brick buildings.

"Previously to that, it was timber framing and stone, which was extremely expensive. The production of brick meant we could have houses built very quickly and much more cheaply, which created another huge commercial industry as well.

The creation of new light sources was also an important development for the evolution of housing. Progressing from open fires to rushlight candles and onto gas and electric lighting enabled society to create ways of living that were all familiar with today.

You just have to look at the difference between a candle and an electric light bulb and how much you can do between one and the other, Wells elaborates. Although the quality of lighting remained unchanged for a couple of thousand years, when we started to get gas lighting and electric lighting, thats when we really start to see the birth of the modern home.

Were able to do things - its when we start to have family time, when we start to be able to have separate rooms for different things, for going off and working or doing different activities that you really couldnt do before - you had to be huddled around in one place (around the fire or light source).

Wells has numerous TV and radio appearances to her name, but says this series was one of the most enjoyable shes filmed. Its a great series. Its one of a kind... You get to see every aspect of the house, every type of house or home you can truly think of.

And its not just stories of different houses. Its how rooms as well as grander houses are set pieces to our lives. They are backdrops to our lives. Fundamental elements of our day to day living have shaped them through the need for things like shelter, comfort, sustenance, fashion...Our homes reflect who we are, our needs, our values, our relationships, our economic status, our career aspirations.

The show has wide appeal, Wells claims - to those interested not only in architecture but also in societal history and the way we have lived. And also those who just want to see some absolutely fantastic properties because there are so many great ones featured.

The History of Home premieres exclusively on CuriosityStream, beginning June 18.

Editors note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

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How history has shaped the evolution of the modern house - and what makes it a home - Yorkshire Post

Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades in Billions. Image Credit: SHOWTIME

Maggie Siff has a knack for choosing TV scripts.

For more than a decade, the actress has been best known for her roles on television from Mad Men to Sons of Anarchy. But her most recent silver screen success has been embodying the intricate skin of Wendy Rhoades on the crime drama Billions, now streaming its fifth season on StarzPlay in the Middle East.

Driven, unflappable and multifaceted, Wendy is a trained psychiatrist with a sharp eye for human behaviour. She aids the charitable but ruthless self-made billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) build his hedge fund, and plays a key role in his company, Axe Capital, as an in-house performance coach. Behind closed doors, she leads a risque private life with her sadomasochistic husband Chuck Rhoades a US attorney fighting corruption and, naturally, Axelrods natural nemesis but this season, their marriage is skating on thin ice.

For Siff, its been a wild journey portraying the character since the shows initial premiere on Showtime in 2016. What was her way into this particular role?

I loved how sharp AND empathetic she was, writes Siff in an email to Gulf News, which she sends from the northeast of America. Im in the state of Maine, near my family, she says; the production of Billions is currently on hold with only seven episodes available to fans, due to coronavirus restrictions.

All those years ago, Siff says, it was the duality of Wendy that pulled her in.

I really enjoy characters who embody oppositional qualities the fact that she can be a shark around certain people, and wholly receptive and soft around others. This was what drew me and intrigued me about her, says the actress.

MORALLY QUESTIONABLE

The most surprising part of her Billions journey so far, however, was the way in which Wendy, one of the more likeable characters on the series, could be swayed into amorality.

Ive enjoyed the way the character has been corruptible, explains Siff. No one is immune to the seduction of power; no one is free from their ego and its dubious control over ones better moral instincts. She has been in a power struggle with her own demons and you really see her trying to regain moral ground when she loses it.

Has it been fun for Siff, as an actress, to enter into that morally grey area as the show develops?

Siff responds with a resounding: Yes!

In an industry that has proven itself to be far more sympathetic towards men playing dirty on screen, here is a female character who can get blood on her hands, rather than live up to pristine and outdated expectations.

Ive always thought women have a harder time being allowed to inhabit that kind of terrain, says Siff. For a long time, women have been expected to be the moral centre beautiful, kind, virtuous. Thats changing in the world of entertainment, but I have enjoyed seeing her fall into grey areas and seeing her deep conscience try to grapple with it.

DIGGING UP A GOLD MINE

Siff, who celebrates her 46th birthday in a few days (June 21), began her Hollywood career on the small screen.

Her first credited role was Mother in 1998 on Sunset Beach, followed by a guest spot on the crime series Third Watch in 2004. She also appeared on Rescue Me, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, 3 lbs, and Greys Anatomy before she had her first small film role in 2007s Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney.

But Siffs breakthrough moment on TV was in the hugely successful period drama Mad Men, where she played main character Rachel Menken starting in 2007.

A year later, she appeared in Sons of Anarchy, a crime thriller about an outlaw motorcycle club, as Tara Knowles, a role that earned her two Critics Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Both Mad Men and Sons of Anarchy ran for seven seasons, and Billions is now in its fifth.

Whats Siffs secret to choosing scripts that resonate with audiences?

I havent really done anything beyond try to follow my instinct about roles I like, admits Siff. But I do think Ive been interested in all of the projects because I hadnt seen the worlds depicted on television before.

THE STORY CONTINUES

In season five of Billions, the rivalry between Siffs on-screen boss and her husband continues. But Wendy forms surprising new alliances that will test her relationship to both men. For fans and critics alike, Wendyhas undergone a satisfying arc over the years and has the character growth to show for it.

Ask Siff why fans have stuck around for so long with Billions, and she points to a clear answer.

I think people like to see people who are living large lives that look nothing like their own. Its a particular form of fantasy and escapism, says the actress.

But, while fans will probably need more escapism than ever in todays world of quarantine, uncertainty and unrest theres only a portion of the season that they will be able to access. Due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures, production on Billions had to be stopped temporarily.

The tagline for season one of the series was: Trust no one. So, what would the tagline for the latest season be, if Siff had to write it herself?

Wait for It, because audiences will have to, she says. Weve shot and will air seven episodes but wont be able to complete the season until its safe to go back to work.

Don't miss it!

'Billions' streams on StarzPlay in the UAE

Link:

'Billions' star Maggie Siff on the evolution of Wendy Rhoades - Gulf News

As the findings of the $9.5 million review of the country's health and disability system led by panel chairwoman Heather Simpson are released on Tuesday, Stuff casts a microscope over the events that have shaped our health system over the past half-century.

New Zealand has undergone four previous public health transformations since the early 1980s, each bringing with it a new set of organisations and structures to fund and deliver health services to the community.

The first was the establishment of Area Health Boards in 1983, followed by the Regional Health Authorities and Crown Health Enterprises (1993-1997), and Health Funding Authority and Hospital and Health Services (1998-2001).

Dominico Zapata/Stuff

The number of district health boards could be drastically cut following recommendations in a new report issued on Tuesday.

Eventually, this led to the introduction of 21 District Health Boards (DHBs) in 2001.

READ MORE:* Halve number of DHBs, drop elected boards: sweeping health system reform plan accepted by Govt* Elected board members and DHBs to merge in health system shake-up* DHBs cut mental health funding by $55m; health spending falling overall - union

AFR

Health Minister David Clark wants to cut the number of district health boards, in line with a suite of recommendations made in a major review of the health and disability sector published on Tuesday.

HEALTH SECTOR CHANGES - KEY DATES

1983: 14 Area Health Boards (AHBs) were formed between 1983 and 1989, including locally-elected and appointed board members. An early version of population-based funding was put together to determine funding for AHBs.

1984: Mori health was identified as a health priority by the Ministry of Health.

1988: The Mason Report was published outlining problems dogging the country's mental health system. Judge Ken Mason was tasked with investigating the treatment of patients who had a mental health issues and a history of violent offending.

1 NEWS

It found the health a disability sector is complex and fragmented, and suggested slashing the number of DHBs.

1993: Four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) were established - Northern, Midland, Central and Southern."

The purchasing and provision of health services were separated, heralding the establishment of the Government's drug-buying agency Pharmac - created in response to the rapid increases in the prices of medicine.

The Department of Health also become the Ministry of Health. The Area Health Boards were subsequently reconfigured into 23 Crown Health Enterprises.

1994: Robyn Stent became the country's first person appointed to the role of Health and Disability Commissioner.

Stuff

The Government's drug-buying agency Pharmac was set up in 1993 in response to rapidly increasing costs of buying medicines.

1996: The government-commissioned Mason Inquiry, chaired by former judge Ken Mason, was launched. It had a wider brief than the Mason Report of 1988, and looked at general mental health services and the failure to properly resource community care. The report recommended the Mental Health Commission be established.

1998: In order to streamline health administration, the four RHAs were combined into one national purchasing agency, the Health Funding Authority.

1999: The Government took the first step in its attempt to streamline health administration, with Health Minister Annette King signalling the intention to bring the Health Funding Authority into the Ministry of Health.

Stuff

Deputy Labour leader Annette King held the health portfolio as the Health Funding Authority was moved into the Ministry of Health in 1999.

2000: The Health Funding Authority, which was responsible for buying health services on behalf of the Government, and the Hospital and Health Services were disbanded.

2001: 21 DHBs were established, courtesy of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000. DHBs are Crown entities which report to the Minister of Health and are funded through a population-based formula by the Ministry of Health.

DHBs were responsible for planning, funding and ensuring the provision of health and disability services across a geographical area.

2002: Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) were developed in 2002 to manage primary care, including general practitioners and their services.

supplied

21 District Health Boards were established in 2001, but almost 20 years on, their numbers could be dramatically slashed.

2003: Population-based funding formula is introduced. It determined the share of funding allocated to each DHB based on the number of people living in each district. Its aim was to ensure the fair distribution of funding relative to the health and disability needs of their population.

2009: The Whnau Ora taskforce was set up.

Chaired by Professor Mason Durie, the taskforce was made up of six members. At the time, Mori Party co-leader Tariana Turia described Whnau Ora as the "way forward to achieving a future where whnau determine what is in their best interests".

Stuff

Tariana Turia and Prime Minister John Key arrive at the Beehive for a Whnau Ora press conference in 2010.

2010: Whnau Ora was launched, in recognition that the Government's standard ways of delivering social health services were not delivering good outcomes for Mori.

2012: Mental Health Commission, which came about after the release of the Mason Inquiry findings in 1996, was disestablished. Its core functions were transferred to a Mental Health Commissioner who was placed in the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner.

BRADEN FASTIER / Stuff.co.nz

Former district court judge Ken Mason says there is once more a "groundswell of concern" from the public for an independent inquiry. First published in July 2017.

2020: Complete overhaul of New Zealand's health system proposed, including the slashing of DHB numbers from 20 to between eight and 12 in the next five years, and moving to fully appointed boards.

The final report of the Health and Disability System Review also recommended creating a new Crown Entity, tentatively called Health NZ, focusing on the operational delivery of health and disability services, and financial performance.

The creation of a new Mori Health Authority was also recommended, the new entity sitting alongside the Ministry of Health - which would take on a stewardship role and would focus on building its public health capacity - and Health NZ.

However, the review panel was split over the formulation of the proposed Mori Health Authority, with some claiming the authority's mandate was not ambitious enough and wouldn't sufficiently address Mori inequity in health outcomes.

Additional sources: Parliament website, Ministry of Health

Continue reading here:

Timeline: The evolution of New Zealand's public health system - Stuff.co.nz