Monthly Archives: September 2021

Spoken Word with Electronics is an audio series of unusual stories and commentary, paired with modular electronic sounds and noises and, in this episode, rare archives of underground counterculture newspapers!

Hi, everyone, welcome back to the show. While this show is a podcast about electronics, it is also a sort of Audio Magazine where I share other projects. I've been archiving and uploading odd material onto the web for 20 years now, the standout moments being Comics with Problems and The Realist Archive Project. To a discerning vintage audience, those links might raise a smile. (And hello if you've never visited either, too) Both projects represent early Internet efforts to scan and upload material, far before social media robbed people of their independence to do so on their own, and both projects have an interesting history regarding where uploaded content got shared. This episode of SWWE introduces the third archive project of the site, which is a direct companion of The Realist Archive: The Other Scenes Inventory Report.

To counterculture historians and rare paper collectors, OTHER SCENES is widely considered among the best underground newspapers published in the 1960s. It was a daring and no bullshit ride into drugs, politics, race, sex, and news. It is playful and it is a lot of fun. It also has been largely forgotten by time, as competitive papers like Rolling Stone survived. (Rolling Stone not only copied Other Scenes format, incidentally, but it also copied its contributor pool, namely Hunter S Thompson, who contributed to Other Scenes, considering its editor John Wilcock a colleague). You'll get a chance to read all of this O.S. material soon.

You might recognize John Wilcock's name from the comic that ran on Boing Boing here for about ten years. This archive is meant to be additional material for the collected print edition of those comics, but the depth of this material likely far exceeds the comic itself.

It is called 'the inventory report' as I have a large box of material from John, which needs closer scrutiny now that the comic is complete. So each two weeks, as part of Spoken Word with Electronics, there will be four OTHER SCENES items added, including audio commentary. You can download nicely restored PDF copies at the archive. Each PDF copy is free for you to non-commercially distribute and is OCR scanned for searchable text. This first installment includes rules on how to attend a San Francisco Sex Party in 1967, along with a garden party that Wilcock attended with Alan Watts at the Aldous Huxley estate.

The goal here is to upload the entire run (or a very close percentage) of OTHER SCENES. Much of this material has not been seen in more than fifty years. It's a ton of fun to read. As Wilcock's biographer, I'm most excited about providing audio commentary, going through all the material.

This first posting of the Other Scenes Inventory includes Issue #1 ("Fuck Hate", 1967), Issue 3 ("The Scene", 1967), a "Diagram of a Drug Abuser" (reference material, TX Dept of Public Safety, Narcotics Service), and the original 1966 advertisement Wilcock ran in the Village Voice when leaving both The Voice and The East Village Other to strike it out on his own.

Here's this week's commentary track:

The remainder of the show asks you for your feedback. Feedback is on our mind this week, as the headphones in our studio had a slight leak in them. This is a fun trick to learn how to purposefully do, as your headphones can cause amplifier-rattling feedback with just the slightest tilt off your ears into a microphone when recording. And if this is something you love doing too, I'm interested in hearing YOUR feedback! Send any screeching howling tones, or drones, or walkee talkee scratches, etc, to our Soundcloud page via Direct Message, and we'll include your feedback (with credit) in the next episode. All feedback welcome!

SPOKEN WORD WITH ELECTRONICS #59: "I'd Really Like Your Feedback" (ANNOUNCING: OTHER SCENES!)

Connect with SWWE via Good Endeavors and Other Scenes on Bandcamp, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google . Thanks and have a good week.

Make your mind happy, Visit the OTHER SCENES ARCHIVE Today!

Read more from the original source:

The Realist Archive Project launches a sequel: "The Other Scenes Inventory Report" - Boing Boing

WARNING: The following story contains images that may be disturbing to some readers

It was September 2001 and I had been sent to New York to cover a boxing match for a Puerto Rican newspaper. It was a world championship bout between Puerto Rican boxer Felix Trinidad and the American boxer Bernard Hopkins.

Trinidad was a good friend of mine and the paper would send me to cover most of his fights. Id asked not to go on that particular deployment but I was told I had to go.

So, on Saturday, September 8, I boarded a flight from the Puerto Rican capital, San Juan.

The fight was scheduled to take place on the following Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

On the morning of September 11, I headed to Central Park with photojournalists from two other Puerto Rican newspapers. Hopkins team had blocked access to his training sessions, which was unusual, but we hoped to spot him training in the park. We agreed that if one of us saw him, we would share the location with the others so we could each get the shots. It worked, and after wed taken the photographs, we went for breakfast on 53rd Street.

That was when one of those I was with received a call from Puerto Rico telling him a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. At first, he thought it was a joke. Then my boss called and told me to get to the towers to photograph the crash.

We immediately picked up our cameras and left, asking a taxi to take us to downtown.

By this time, the city from 14th Street to downtown had been sealed to everybody except first responders. We got as close as we could but were still some way from the towers. So we jumped out of the taxi, handed the driver a $20 bill and started running along West Broadway towards the towers. As we ran the 35 blocks, weaving in and out of the crowds, we stopped occasionally to photograph the chaos around us.

After about 25 minutes, we were within a block of the towers and there, on a quiet corner between Park Place and West Broadway, I saw a policeman, looking up at the North Tower. There was nobody else around. I took a photo of him capturing an image of that day that has been widely used since.

As I carried on walking towards the towers, a man in an FBI jacket passed me by. Shortly after, another in a Secret Service jacket walked past. I found it strange that they would be there for a plane crash.

I turned around and started walking towards the West Side Highway, and as I was walking, I saw the first person jump. She was a Black woman, in a smart skirt and vest top. I could see her clearly. It was like she was just floating.

I picked up my camera and took a photo. I remember saying to my fellow photographer Xavier Araujo, Wow, somebody just jumped. But he refused to believe me. He thought it was a piece of the building falling. But I was close enough to tell it was a person. I was so close I could see her face. She seemed calm and relaxed, as if she had no other option but to jump. She wasnt screaming for help or out of fear. I knew I was lucky not to see her hit the pavement.

When we got to the west side of the North Tower, we saw many other people jumping from the windows. Those images have stayed with me, and I often wonder what must have gone through their minds before they decided to jump.

I had been there for about 20 minutes when I heard the terrible sound, like a massive tree branch breaking, as the North Tower crumbled.

I photographed it as it collapsed and it was only then, when it no longer obscured my view, that I realised the South Tower had also fallen completely.

As I ran from the mayhem, I took one frame of a man kneeling on the floor crying, his shirt all torn. I switched lenses and saw a child running and screaming. As I took that frame, it reminded me of the photo of the Napalm girl from the Vietnam War.

I realized my digital cards were all full, so I ran a few blocks to the Getty Images office on Varick Street. There, I was uploading the contents of my memory card to a computer when we were told we needed to evacuate the building because the police suspected a bomb had been placed at the Holland Tunnel, adjacent to the office.

I left and took a taxi back to my hotel, from where I filed the photos I had taken. My newspaper ran a late edition that day and used my photos for it.

For the rest of the day, I stayed in my room. I cried a lot. I remember calling my ex-wife but being barely able to speak. Between sobs, I screamed, trying to tell her how many people I had seen jump from the towers.

To this day, I still have no recollection of what I did between 6pm on September 11 and the following morning. It must have been because of the shock.

When I woke up at 6am on September 12, I walked for more than 20 blocks towards the towers. I didnt see a single person during that walk, not even a dog. I regret not having taken those pictures because Im sure that was the only time in New York Citys history that the streets were so empty. I wish those images existed, somewhere other than just in my mind, because they were part of the 9/11 story, too.

I spent 21 days covering the 9/11 story before photographing the postponed Trinidad-Hopkins fight on September 29 and finally returning to Puerto Rico.

Today, I still have flashbacks images of the people standing in the windows before they jumped. I wonder what it was they saw that helped them make peace with that decision.

More importantly, it has always reminded me how fragile we are and that as human beings, we should give respect a chance. All races, cultures and nations should halt this constant creation of scars that has led to so many wars and conflicts such as 9/11.

Here is the original post:

Photographing 9/11: What did they think as they jumped? - Al Jazeera English

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With Covid-19 shifting most of our lives online, the appetitefor legal matters such as divorce to be dealt with in a way thatembraces technology has accelerated. A significant step towardsthis came into force from 13th September 2021 when HMCTS made thefinal move towards it being compulsory to use the online divorceportal to commence a divorce.

HMCTS have had the divorce portal for some time now, being usedby family lawyers and by people wanting to deal with the processdirectly. The change is that it will now become the only way tostart a divorce. A transition period has begun and paperapplications will continue to be processed until the 4th October2021, but no new paper applications will now be accepted. Witheffect from the 13th September, all new applications for divorcemust be made via the online portal, except for cases of nullity,dissolution of civil partnership and judicial separation.

As the petitioner in the divorce, it is as simple as loggingonto the portal, opening an account and beginning divorceproceedings by walking through the online forms presented. Theportal guides you through each step of your application with easyonline options such as uploading and retrieving documents. Thereare then email prompts when the respondent has completed theirdocuments and options for the next stages.

As the respondent, an email will be sent from HMCTS stating thata petition has been submitted and that you must also create anaccount. As it stands, the respondent has to complete the onlineprocess alone, but this will change in due course to helprespondents who may be uncomfortable using the new technology orsimply need to relieve pressure of the process.

With the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 cominginto force in April 2022, there will be no need for the partyseeking a divorce to establish fault by their spouse. This willmake the process more amicable. The current portal will be adaptedto reflect the changes in the law, with a simplification of thelanguage used also coming through. It is anticipated that this willmake the process easier still.

The divorce process can still be managed by a solicitor, whocompletes the forms and generally manages the entire process.However, many people are now choosing to deal with the divorceprocess themselves. It is a matter for the individual to decide,balancing the cost of using a solicitor against the added ease andpeace of mind the solicitor can bring. At present, there are stillsome of the stages of the process or legal terminology that may notbe so straightforward. Whilst errors in applications have reduceddrastically (less than 1% compared to 40% with the old system),incomplete or incorrect answers will not allow the application tobe processed and that can cause significant delay. It is hopedthose issues will reduce further when the changes in law come intoeffect next year.

It is also important that the timing of forms being submitted inthe divorce process is considered carefully. The impact ofconcluding a divorce (by obtaining what is currently called theDecree Absolute and what will become the Final Order when theterminology is updated) can be significant. It is often vitallyimportant to ensure that all financial matters have been concluded,with a separate standalone order in respect of the finances made,before proceeding with that final step.

It must also be remembered that the digital divorce process onlyends the marriage itself and does not address the more complexmatters such as child arrangements and financialarrangements.

At Boyes Turner, we are already familiar with the online divorceportal, having used it for some considerable time now. However, weunderstand that the process can still be daunting for many people,regardless of whether it is online or not. We therefore offer allclients a variety of options in relation to how the divorce itselfis managed, encouraging everyone to save legal fees wherepossible.

The benefits of a technology based approach are clear: reducingcost, reducing delay and also reducing paper consumptiondrastically, having a positive impact on the environment.

We at Boyes Turner are therefore fully embracing the digitalshift and are committed to using technology where possible to helpour clients. We are ready to deal with all online divorceprocedures and help you with any family issue faced. If you arecontemplating filing a divorce petition, would like some adviceabout the process or want to know more about the other technologiesavailable to make the process easier then please contact a memberof our specialist family law team.

The content of this article is intended to provide a generalguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be soughtabout your specific circumstances.

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The stakeholders are clearly divided on whether or not to accept the New Education Policy. Its supporters argue that NEP 2020 accurately addresses the problems of stagnation, inefficiency and rigidities associated with the education system; encourages interdisciplinary education, ensures multiple choices of entry and exit, promises education in mother tongues, and all that. They welcome the policy recommendation that talks about spending a minimum of 6 percent of GDP on education and increasing the access to higher education. In contrast, its critics point out that the Policy is a poor imitation of the American model of education, tuned to the needs of the Indian and foreign educational entrepreneurs who want to make education a commodity in the market, and turn students as consumers and teachers as mere service providers. They express the fear that the NEP furthers commercialization, commodification and communalization of education in India. They criticize the reduction of central governments allocation for education, and argue that the entry of private sector or foreign universities may help the rich, but will not do any good to the masses, as the fee in these institutions is not affordable to the majority of the Indians anyway. They also point out that even before the Policy is discussed and passed by the Parliament and the state assemblies, the Union government, against the spirit of democracy and federalism, is forcing the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to implement the same. Let our political representatives, teachers associations and student organizations debate over the veracity of these contrasting arguments. On my part, in this piece, let me focus only on the implications of the NEP for universities and HEIs in the northeast.In a country like India where educational standards and access vary from region to region, and community to community, it does not always make sense to enforce a uniform admission policy in all HEIs. Unlike the universities like JNU, UoH, Delhi University, etc., which cater to all India needs, the central and state universities in the north-eastern states are created to address basically to the educational and economic needs of the disadvantaged communities and the backward regions of the northeast. Here the universities offer different types of official and unofficial preferential policies for the local students in the admission. Universities like NEHU may find it difficult to go for all India entrance tests for that admission, as it may not be perceived as advantageous to the locals.As Education is in the Concurrent List, unless the NEP becomes an Act, it is not binding on state governments to accept its recommendations. Many proposals made in the NEP for the UG cannot be implemented unless the colleges under the state government are roped in. For example, whether a central university like NEHU should have one year PG, or a two-year PG depends on whether the colleges would prefer to offer a three-year degree or a four-year degree. It needs a larger consultation with the state government, the college managements and also the general public. Similarly, teaching PG courses in local languages is unthinkable in multilingual north-eastern states.The NEP insists on making all HEIs multidisciplinary. For the idea to become a reality, it is essential to design appropriate courses, fill up all vacant faculty positions, and even make a provision in the University Regulations enabling appointment of teachers from other disciplines. NEHU has been experimenting with the CBCS system at PG level with some success. But there are problems in implementing the CBCS at UG level. Some resourceful colleges in Shillong and Tura may be in a position to implement CBCS to some extent, but most colleges in the city and in semi-urban areas will not be in a position to run the CBCS. Further, we dont need to be excited about entry and exit options that the NEP proposes, for, a degree is viewed as a minimum qualification for most jobs. The students have little to gain if they drop out after one year or two years with a certificate or diploma.Teaching and research are integral parts of any University or HEIs. Ignoring this aspect, NEP proposes into Research Universities and Teaching universities. Given that the teachers in NEHU and other universities in the northeast publish less, one is not sure whether the government would declare them as just Teaching Universities. For different reasons the teachers in the universities in the northeast devote more time for teaching, less on publications. While advocating the need for increasing the number of quality publications from the faculty and research scholars, there is a need to identify the reasons and address the problem. Further, there is a danger that the proposal for Autonomous Colleges encourages the sprouting of predatory private commercial colleges which start different courses and grant degrees without any control from the University. What would be the fate of the students emerging from such colleges where the admitted students spend thousands of rupees as fee and secure degrees with little market value?NEP 2020 gives emphasis on online teaching methods. The Pandemic has shown us both the possibilities and limitations of information technology. It is true that there is so much on the internet today which can be made use of for improving our teaching and research. The universities in the northeast should create infrastructure in the form of multi-digital classrooms, a digital library and a well-equipped studio for recording, preserving and uploading our lectures and talks. At any time, or anywhere, the students, scholars and teachers should be able to access the library sources through the internet. While creating facilities for online teaching, it is necessary to keep in mind that the online teaching should be supplementary, never as an alternative to offline teaching. Healthy, humane and cordial one to one relationship between the student and teacher is essential for overall growth of the students. There is really no joy in sitting and talking in front of a laptop, and giving lectures without knowing whether the audience is really listening and enjoying our lectures, or sleeping and whining during our lectures. The governments should not be allowed to use online teaching as an excuse to reduce the number or the significance of teachers.Some proposals that the NEP makes are good, and it is possible to implement them. The NEP proposes that pedagogy should be taught as a paper for scholars pursuing Ph.D. programs. The MHRD is also insisting on making ethical considerations a part of the research course for Ph.D. Such recommendations can be implemented without much difficulty. NEP also talks about academic leadership. The document says, Leaders of an HEI will demonstrate strong alignment to Constitutional values and the overall vision of the institution, along with attributes such as a strong social commitment, belief in teamwork, pluralism, ability to work with diverse people, and a positive outlook. However, given the nature of politics and the continuing feudal values and practices in universities / HEIs, one only hopes these ideas would indeed become a reality one day.To sum up, the state governments, the universities and the people in the northeast should take a selective look at the NEP, and decide what is good for the people and the region in the long run. There is no need to be unduly sceptical, but at the same time one should not be in a hurry to accept everything without understanding the consequences of uncritical acceptance. Let all stakeholders understand, discuss and debate, and choose the best options that would increase the reach and improve the quality of HEIs in north-eastern states.(The writer teaches Political Science in NEHU: email [emailprotected])

See the original post here:

NEP 2020 and Higher Education in the Northeast By H. Srikanth - The Shillong Times