text:
Dignity in the Gray Zone Indiana v Edwards
James L. Knoll IV, MD
Psychiatric Times, Psychiatric Times Vol 25 No 13, Volume 25, Issue 13
The jaw-dropping indignity was easy to miss at a time when the O.J. Simpson murder trial was unfolding. A man named Colin Ferguson had been charged with killing 6 people and wounding another 19 after an apparently indiscriminant shooting spree aboard a Long Island railroad train.
"The dignity at issue is the supreme dignity of being master of one's fate rather than a ward of the State-the dignity of individual choice."
US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,
Indiana v Edwards, USSC, 20081
"It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
William Ernest Henley, Invictus
The jaw-dropping indignity was easy to miss at a time when the O.J. Simpson murder trial was unfolding. A man named Colin Ferguson had been charged with killing 6 people and wounding another 19 after an apparently indiscriminant shooting spree aboard a Long Island railroad train. Ferguson's trial somehow turned into a disgraceful demonstration of justice gone awry.
Insofar as justice refers to fairness, conformity to truth, and reason, the Ferguson trial appeared to be the antithesis. Ferguson was allowed to represent himself, despite a serious mental illness that any layperson would be able to recognize. As soon as Ferguson began to make his arguments, it was as if all dignity, fairness, and reason had fled the courtroom. Many times, the trial became both offensive and bizarre, as Ferguson demonstrated prominent irrational, delusional thinking, and "cross-examined" the victims he had shot.2 The debacle was broadcast live by both local media and court television.
Competence to stand trial
Competency to stand trial (CTST) is but one specific type of competency. In 1960, the US Supreme Court articulated the modern American standard for CTST in Dusky v United States.3 That standard is whether a criminal defendant "has sufficient ability to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding, and whether he has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him." At both the federal and state levels, the Dusky language has been adopted as the "test" for CTST.
In essence, the Dusky standard requires that the defendant:
• Understand the proceedings against him or her.
• Be able to assist counsel in his own defense.
Impairment in either of these elements may result in a finding of incompetency to stand trial (ICTST).
The defense attorney, the judge, or the prosecutor, at any point, may raise the issue of a defendant's CTST during the criminal proceedings. In practice, it is the defense attorney who most often raises the issue. A defendant's competency is often questioned when the defendant is obviously mentally ill, has a history of mental illness, or has demonstrated difficulty interacting with the court or defense counsel. In a review of 8416 patients referred for CTST examinations, evaluators found 19% of defendants to be incompetent to stand trial.4 Psychotic and "organic/intellectual" disorders were most strongly associated with findings of incompetence.
Table 1 lists some other common reasons why a defendant may be found incompetent to stand trial.
A defendant may exhibit symptoms of a major mental illness, yet still remain competent to stand trial as long as the symptoms do not impair the specific areas of functioning required for competence. The necessity of the defendant being competent to stand trial is guaranteed by the US Constitution, including the Sixth Amendment (right to confront witnesses, right to counsel) and the Fourteenth Amendment (right to substantive and procedural due process of law). Other reasons for requiring a defendant to be competent to stand trial include preserving the dignity of the defendant, as well as the dignity, fairness, and accuracy of the criminal justice system.
Indiana v Edwards
In its 2008 ruling in Indiana v Edwards, the US Supreme Court considered the case of a defendant with mental illness who was in the "gray area" of being able to satisfy the Dusky standard, yet who "may be unable to carry out the basic tasks needed to present his own defense without the help of counsel [page 10]."1 Ahmad Edwards had attempted to steal a pair of shoes and, in the process, he fired a gun at a security guard and wounded a bystander. He was charged with attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness, and theft. Before Edwards ever went to trial on these charges, he had been found incompetent to stand trial twice and had made 2 requests to represent himself. Both requests were denied.
Edwards was ultimately convicted, at 2 different hearings, on all the previously mentioned charges. Edwards then appealed his convictions, arguing that he was deprived of his constitutional right (via the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments) to represent himself at trial. The appellate court agreed, and the matter went to the Indiana Supreme Court who affirmed. The US Supreme Court agreed to consider Edwards's case because the precise question presented had never been posed to them.
The American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) submitted an amicus curiae (friend of the court brief) brief pointing out how disorganized thinking and other symptoms of serious mental illness can impair a defendant's ability to "play the significantly expanded role required for self-representation even if he can play the lesser role of represented defendant."5
The Supreme Court reasoned that "the nature of the problem" cautioned against using a single standard for both competence to proceed to trial with representation and competence to represent oneself.
Even though a defendant may satisfy the Dusky competence standard, this standard did not address the ability to represent oneself, which required important tasks-such as organizing one's defense, making motions, arguing points of law, participating in voir dire (preliminary examination of jurors and/or witnesses), questioning witnesses, and addressing the court and jury. In a pronouncement that seemed tailor-made for Ferguson, the Court stated that "a self-representation right at trial will not 'affirm the dignity' of a defendant who lacks the mental capacity to conduct his defense without the assistance of counsel . . . and may undercut the most basic of the Constitution's criminal law objectives, providing a fair trial [page 2]."
The Supreme Court still had the task of distinguishing the issue addressed in Edwards from a previous case, Godinez v Moran,6 in which the Court held that competence to plead guilty or to waive counsel did not require a higher or more elaborate standard than Dusky. The Court reasoned that Godinez and Edwards both "involve a mental condition that falls in a gray area between Dusky's minimal constitutional requirement that measures a defendant's ability to stand trial and a somewhat higher standard that measures mental fitness for another legal purpose [page 7]." However, in Godinez, the defendant's ability to represent himself at trial was not at issue. Rather, Godinez specifically dealt with the competence required to waive one's right to counsel and not the competence to represent oneself. Table 2 lists 2 of the landmark cases and issues considered by the Supreme Court in Edwards.
Thus, in Godinez, the "higher standard" was specifically the ability to proceed on one's own to enter a guilty plea. In contrast, the higher standard in Edwards sought to measure a defendant's ability to conduct trial proceedings. The holding in Godinez did not tell a state "whether it may deny a gray-area defendant the right to rep-resent himself [page 8]." In other words, if the defendant has a mental illness, yet meets the Dusky standard and wants to represent himself, is it constitutional for a state to limit his right to self-representation by insisting on representation by counsel at trial "on the ground that [he] lacks the mental capacity to conduct his trial defense unless represented [page 8]." The Supreme Court's answer to this question was yes.
The Court's holding, by a 7 to 2 majority, was that "the Constitution does not forbid States from insisting upon representation by counsel for those competent enough to stand trial but who suffer from severe mental illness to the point where they are not competent to conduct trial proceedings by themselves." Justices Scalia and Thomas were the dissenters, arguing that the case was not about whether there were limits to a defendant's right to self-representation, but "whether a State's view of fairness . . . permits it to strip the defendant of this right [page 6]." The dissent focused primarily on the "inestimable worth of free choice" and the "dignity and autonomy of the accused [pages 8, 9]" yet seemed to miss the all-important nuances of how severe mental illness is capable of degrading the very autonomy it so highly esteems. And herein lies the thorniest part of the entire issue: what is the greater "dignity"? Is it avoiding a humiliating spectacle and preserving the fair, rational proceedings of the court? Or is it, as the dissent appeared to imply, honoring the defendant's "right to challenge the State's case against him using the arguments he sees fit [page 5]"?
Ultimately, the dissent believed that the "dignity" at issue was the "supreme human dignity" of being master of one's fate and maintaining individual choice. If this means making a fool of oneself and/or conducting a defense to one's disadvantage, then so be it-"don't tread on me." In effect, the dissent swept aside critical particulars of how mental illness in the gray zone might affect the complex mental abilities required to represent oneself with its rigid (and perhaps illusory) view of an ideal state of pure autonomy. This is unfortunate because much is lost in the glossing over of how a defendant in the gray zone might lack the ability to prepare and organize his defense, prepare a line of questioning for witnesses, make appropriate objections, etc. Will allowing a defendant with mental illness to represent himself result in a display of supreme dignity?
Obviously, there remain some very divergent notions about the nature of mental illness in the Supreme Court. For example, the majority stated that "mental illness itself is not a unitary concept. It varies in degree. It can vary over time. It interferes with an individual's functioning at different times in different ways [page 10]." Bravo. On the other hand, the dissent appeared to use recent efforts to de-stigmatize mental illness as an opportunity to argue against the notion that mental illness may impair the as yet, ill-defined higher standard of representing oneself: "In singling out mentally ill defendants for this treatment, the Court's opinion does not even have the questionable virtue of being politically correct. At a time when all society is trying to mainstream the mentally impaired, the Court permits them to be deprived of a basic constitutional right-for their own good [page 11]."
To the dissent's credit, it is hard to dismiss their assertion that the majority's holding was "extraordinarily vague." The Court rejected Indiana's invitation to craft a test for the higher competency standard to represent oneself, and the dissent predicted that the Court will ultimately have to "give some meaning to this holding in the future, but the indeterminacy makes a bad holding worse [page 11]." Nevertheless, the Court refrained out of uncertainty about "how that particular standard would work in practice [page 13]." For the time being, the Court left trial judges with substantial latitude, concluding that "the trial judge . . . will often prove best able to make more fine-tuned mental capacity decisions, tailored to the individualized circumstances of a particular defendant [page 12]."
This holding will prove rather interesting, if not confusing, for both courts and forensic mental health professionals. Much progress has been made in forensic mental health in evaluating CTST. Many instruments have been developed to assist forensic mental health professionals in evaluating CTST.7-10 In 2007, AAPL published its comprehensive Practice Guideline for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial.11 Yet the research on pro se (self-representational) capacities is scant to nonexistent. A recent study of felony defendants who represented themselves concluded that they made up less than 1% of all felony defendants. It turned out that pro se defendants in state court did just as well as felony defendants with representation, and only 20% of pro se felony defendants displayed signs of mental illness.12
In effect, the Court has told judges and forensic experts to venture forth onto foggy and uncharted seas. At the very least, new research in this area should prove fascinating. How will one make the fine distinction between a defendant's lack of competence to represent himself (given all the complex tasks involved) and his mere bad judgment? Will we be able to distinguish a mentally ill defendant's decision to put forth a poorly conceived or disadvantageous defense from an illogical defense that flows from his mental illness? Will more serious charges require a higher level of competence for the defendant who represents himself pro se?13
The questions, at this point, seem both complex and endless-but such is the terrain that must be traveled in the pursuit of justice and dignity. In fact, the meaning of "dignity" itself is often very unclear. Dignity is a phenomenon of human perception and, as such, is a relative and subjective concept. Everyday life demands that each of us "voluntarily and repeatedly" relinquish dignity for certain compelling reasons.14 Perhaps the differing views of the US Supreme Court on dignity in the gray zone underscore this relativity.
1. Indiana v Edwards, 554 USSC (2008) (Scalia J, dissenting, 8).
2. Bardwell MC, Arrigo BA. Criminal Competency on Trial: The Case of Colin Ferguson. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press; 2002.
3. Dusky v United States, 362 US 402 (1960).
4. Warren JI, Murrie DC, Stejskal W, et al. Opinion formation in evaluating the adjudicative competence and restorability of criminal defendants: a review of 8,000 evaluations. Beh Sci Law. 2006;24:113-132.
5. Taranto RG. Brief for the American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law as amici curiae in support of neither party. Published February 11, 2008.
http://www.abanet.org/publiced/preview/briefs/pdfs/07-08/07-208_NeutralAmCuAPAAAPL.pdf
. Accessed October 6, 2008.
6. Godinez v Moran, 509 US 389 (1993).
7. Rogers R, Tillbrook CE, Sewell KW. ECST-R. Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial-Revised. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc; 2004.
8. McGarry A, Curran W. Competency to Stand Trial and Mental Illness. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health; 1973.
9. Johnson W, Mullet N. Georgia Court Competency Test-R. In: Hersen M, Bellack A, eds. Dictionary of
Behavioral Assessment Techniques. New York: Pergamon Press; 1987.
10. Hoge S, Bonnie RJ, Poythress N, Monahan J. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources; 1999.
11. Mossman D, Noffsinger SG, Ash P, et al. AAPL practice guideline for the forensic psychiatric evaluation of competence to stand trial. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2007;35(suppl 4):S3-S72.
12. Hashimoto E. Defending the right to self representation: an empirical look at the pro se felony defendant. North Carolina Law Review. 2007;85:423-
13. Buchanan A. Competency to stand trial and the seriousness of the charge. J Am Acad Psych Law. 2006;34:458-465.
14. Pinker S. The stupidity of dignity. New Republic. May 28, 2008.
http://www.tnr.com/story_print.html? id=d8731cf4-e87b-4d88-b7e7-f5059cd0bfbd
. Accessed on September 15, 2008.


text:
American military did most to bring peace to the world
Published 1:52 pm Tuesday, October 26, 2021
By Contributed Content
Thursday, November 11th, is Veterans Day. Many people get it confused with Memorial Day in the month of May which honors American war dead. More than a million men and women died to protect our nation and the democratic freedoms we enjoy today. Veterans Day honors those who served in the military and are living. While America 2021 has changed more and is more divided than ever we can be united in our respect and love for our military. Because our military is young, active and healthy COVID-19 took the lives of only 67 active duty military out of 1,400,000. However, because of high levels of stress and depression, suicide took the lives of over 400. Biden has added more unnecessary stress by requiring all military must get the vaccine even if they had COVID before or be discharged. Sadly, this could result in the loss of 20 percent or 280,000 military. China and Russia would be happy.
It's a high calling to have served in the American military especially in this time of all-volunteer military. They deserve our respect and admiration which they receive in East Tennessee. They deserve to be thanked when you meet one. Many restaurants in East Tennessee thank military veterans and active duty by giving them free food on Veterans Day. You can also honor your favorite veteran by purchasing a $10 ad which includes a picture along with a message to be published in the Wednesday, November 10th Elizabethton Star. Those serving in military come away with disciple and leadership qualities that only come from military service making them highly desirable for all employers. Most of the best policemen, firemen, teachers and government leaders have served in the military.
American military veterans and active duty deserve the highest recognition. According to www.prageru.com if the Nobel Peace Prize was given out to people who did the most to make the world a more peaceful place the United States military would win every year. The Nobel Prize is the world's most prestigious award with each recipient receiving an 18 karat gold medal and a check of about 1 million dollars. "The U.S. military saved the world from German domination in the First World War and saved the free world from German and Japanese fascism in the Second World War. The U.S. military saved the free world from communism in the Cold War. The reason America is free and the reason anyone on earth today is free is ultimately thanks to the U.S. Military. It's not just the open conflicts the U.S. military resolves; it's the not-wars — all the conflicts that were never fought because our enemies feared the consequences of American military involvement. The American military stands guard over the world's shipping lanes. Block those lanes and the price of everything skyrockets and international commerce stops and millions starve. The U.S. military has been and remains as close to a global sheriff as exists on Earth, keeping the peace!" The only one to bring more peace is the Prince of Peace also known as Jesus!
The Bible has helped and comforted military members since the time of George Washington. The daughter of a British World War I veteran says a bullet-scarred pocket Bible saved her father's life. The Bible says in these last days evil and dangerous times would come (2 Timothy 3). So the military and police are needed more than ever. The military and police are serving God by restraining evil and providing justice, law and order. (Romans 13:4). The least we can do is thank, respect and pray for them. Thank you military veterans and active duty. The Bible in John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." It takes love and courage to be willing to lay down your life for friends, family and country. I like the bumper sticker that said, "Get behind our military or get in front of it." I really like the bumper sticker that said, "Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and an American soldier. The soldier died for your freedom. Jesus died for your soul!"
D.D. Nave, Major, USAFR(I)
Elizabethton
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Cincinnati Bengals: Adam Jones Only Hurting Himself
By Matthew Willson
Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones (24) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
If you haven't heard by now, Adam Jones, who is also known by "Pacman" around the league, has been talking about a lot of things. He has complained about the officiating, not unjustified except the way he went about it, about Antonio Brown faking his injury after Vontaze Burfict's hit, and now he has said he will only apologize if Brown doesn't play this week, wait WHAT!!!
Adam Jones just finished a contract year and will hit free agency, if the Bengals don't complete a deal before the March 15th, when the free agency period begins. Everything he is saying and everything he is doing is hurting his chances of getting possibly his final decent contract of his career.
As I said in my article Top Five Free Agents to Re-sign, Jones is someone that the Bengals should pursue and with some urgency. His value to this team was high when he was on the field for this defense. When his head is on straight, his leadership ability is very valuable to young players like Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard, as they try to improve their skills on the field.
The current issue however is that everything he is saying, his actions in the media and on social media, could be construed as a distraction moving forward. Luckily for this Bengals team, they are in the offseason and the only distraction this is causing is in possibly negotiating a deal with Jones.
More from Stripe Hype
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Now, if they would have won, I am not sure he is doing this but the "what if's" behind his actions are what teams are looking at when deciding who to pursue. Adam Jones is talented and the Bengals are fortunate that they have the first shot at a top free agent, but as every team will consider, they must look at his downside with the upside, and adjust their offer accordingly.
If Adam Jones is looking for that payday, he needs to focus his passion and determination for football on the field and put his team before his actions. If he fades into the offseason from here on out, most teams, including the Bengals, will forget what happened and move forward. If he stays in the negative spotlight, he is only hurting himself.


Power Packing was established in 1888 with over 100 years of excellent service to British and International Industry and Commerce. Whether a UK based company selling overseas or an Internationally trading company purchasing from the UK Power Packing can help.
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Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (カルチュア・コンビニエンス・クラブ株式会社, Karuchua Konbiniensu Kurabu Kabushikigaisha) is a Japanese company that operates Tsutaya, a nationwide chain of video rental shops and bookstores. The company is headquartered in Ebisu, Tokyo. The stock of the company was formerly listed in the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO: 4756), but it has since been delisted following a management buyout in 2011.
As of December 2013, the company and its franchisees operate 1,461 Tsutaya rental shops in Japan.
The T Card, the membership card of Tsutaya, works as a platform for a cross-industry loyalty program. As of May 2010, more than 35 million holders of the card earn "T Points" at FamilyMart, Book Off, Lotteria, and so forth as well as Tsutaya shops.
1 2 3 "CCC Group consolidated annual results for year ending Mar 31, 2010" (PDF). May 11, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
↑ "平成22年3月期 決算短信" (PDF). May 11, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
↑ "会社概要". Retrieved June 13, 2010.
↑ "「TSUTAYA」のCCCがMBO 買い付け総額700億円". Retrieved June 4, 2014.
↑ "TSUTAYA". Retrieved June 13, 2010.
↑ "CCC、T会員数3500万人突破". Jiji Press. June 8, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.


Former cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Michael Burke has thrown his hat in the ring for next month's local elections. The Ballinrobe based Fine Gael candidate lost the seat he held previously in the 2014 local election and is looking to regain it this time around.
Claremorris local election candidate Paul Lawless is calling for firm and transparent measures to bridge the disconnect between local politicians and the public who vote for them.
Erris based Sinn Féin councillor, Teresa Whelan, has said one of the biggest issues coming up on the doorsteps on her canvas is the lack of broadband.
Fianna Fáil will hold their official launch for their candidates for the Castlebar Muncipal District area in next month's local elections this evening, Friday, April 26, in the Ivy Tower Hotel, Castlebar at 8pm.
A number of new candidates have been selected by parties for the upcoming local elections in Mayo, with Aontú having now selected three candidates to contest the elections.
Fianna Fáil local election candidate Sean Carey has called for the provision of an adequate broadband service in the Belmullet/Erris area.
Castlebar Municipal District Fine Gael Cllr Cyril Burke has welcomed the funding announced by Minister Michael Ring in relation to the Community Services Programme.
"There are 174 children in the Castlebar Athletic Club who want answers in relation to the failure to deliver facilities promised in phase two of the National Outdoor Pursuits Academy," according to Independent Candidate for the Castlebar Municipal District, Harry Barrett.
Today's the day when the people of Mayo get their chance to have their say on the future direction of representation of the county in the Dáil. This is the time when you get to express your democratic right and have a say on who you think is best to represent the county's interests on a local, national, and international level.
By the time the votes are all counted on Saturday and the people's verdict read out Mayo will be returning four deputies to the 32nd Dáil, one fewer than five years ago and two fewer than the county returned 24 years ago when the 27th Dáil was elected. From 1997 on Mayo was reduced to a single constituency as the old Mayo West and Mayo East constituencies were merged, and from 2016 on a large swathe of south Mayo has been subsumed into Galway West. With it in the region of 7,000 votes have gone south of the border and with them sitting Mayo TD John O'Mahony who is looking to take a seat in a battle royale that many observers expect to go on long into Sunday and maybe later before the final shake-out in that particular battle is decided.
While all eyes are on the battle to take the four seats up for grabs, the money seems to be on a one, two, three of Enda Kenny, Michael Ring and Dara Calleary taking the first three seats, but the order of how that finishes up could differ from last time. With those three odds on to make it back to Leinster House, there looks to be a three-way battle between Michelle Mulherin, Rose Conway-Walsh and Lisa Chambers for the last seat. But that's only five candidates and there are 11 others looking to sway your vote to their side. We'll run down through the other 11 and give you a brief overview below.


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What's the difference between distributed and remote-first work?
Zach Dunn
Last year, the entire world learned how to work remotely during a pandemic. As in-person work becomes an option again, companies don't have to give up the office to continue integrating remote work successfully.
In this post we'll go over a few common strategies for balancing remote vs. in-office work, and what each means for your office.
Distributed companies may not have an office
With distributed work, at least some of the organization works remotely and there may not even be an office. Distributed teams were already on the rise prior to 2020. In 2017 Automattic, (the company behind Wordpress) got rid of their office entirely because most people would work from home or nearby co-working spaces. This move later led to an entire new product line "Happy Tools", designed to share what Automattic learned in the process.
Not every company can make such a dramatic move and drop their office entirely (just ask any commercial real estate agent). A little further down the spectrum is Stripe's take on remote work. In 2019 Stripe opened "remote" as their fifth office location for engineering talent, making remote work a first class citizen instead of an awkward satellite to their San Francisco headquarters.
Remote-first companies use the office for collaboration
With remote-first work (aka "digital-first work"), most people work from home by default and choose to work in the office when their work supports it — typically at least once per week for most roles. In these environments, the office becomes a hub for collaborative work with your team.
This style of work is easier for companies to adopt, and isn't a lifestyle change for the average employee. Remote doesn't mean "only working from home", even if that was the only option available to most during the pandemic. You aren't "a remote employee" — just not working in the office today, and that's normal. In 2021, the office isn't for attendance anymore.
Next up: the hybrid work week
A hybrid work week integrates both remote and in-office work. It changes the relationship between headcount and real estate, because not everyone will work in the office at the same time — which lowers the facilities costs to support a growing team. Remote-first work means an office can support more people than before without impacting the quality of life for those working in it.
The pandemic accelerated how quickly companies experimented with this approach. Reopening is an opportunity to revisit the role of a modern office, focusing on flexibility and collaborative space for employees instead — even if it's just a single department to start.
Reopening your office this year?
Robin gives companies the tools to manage a safe return to the office, and people the power to make the most of their workplace again.
Get started with a demo.
Flex is Next: Reflecting on 'The Great Misalignment' in workplaces


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Jasper's Riddle
Jasper's Riddle is the "acoustic storybook" of composer and multi-instrumentalist L. S. Zeickner. A singer-songwriter from London, Lukas has captivated audiences with his youtube performance series, The Four Wise Monkeys.
Interview with Jasper's Riddle
1-When and why did you start playing?
I started singing when I was really young, as early as I remember. My brother introduced me to rock music when I was 10 and I was hooked. Later on I got into Jazz, Classical
2-Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
Rock legends like Tenacious D – they're my all time favourite band! I'v been inspired by some other legends like Fela Kuti, Arethra Franklin, Art Blakey, Bobby Timmons
3-Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' performance of moanin in Belgium 1958 is my all time favourite
4-Let's Talk about your music and your upcoming album. What is Jasper's Riddle all about?
Jasper's Riddle started off as a storybook, each song is its own short story but also part of a larger tale with interlocking melodies and themes. The stories are accompanied by a series of original paintings and poetry making it a bit of a multi genre art project.
5-Why did you choose to play this kind of music?
I'v always loved acoustic music because it is not limited by genre, people can enjoy the music and paintings together or seperately, and they never know what to expect next. I'v done a lot of electronic music and sound design as well but there's always something very nice about being able to come back to that raw acoustic sound.
6-Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
I dont really use a lot of special recording techniques but I do like to bring listeners into the room with me. I usually record in stereo, so the tracks have a bit of a "3d" feel to them.
7-How do you feel about the internet in the music business?
I think the internet is awesome!
https://www.reverbnation.com/jaspersriddle
https://www.facebook.com/Jaspersriddle/
https://www.instagram.com/jaspersriddle/


text:
Eight Goulston & Storrs Attorneys Selected for Inclusion to the 2018 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
October 1, 2018 – Press Releases
Goulston & Storrs is pleased to announce that eight of the firm's New York attorneys have been recognized as 2018 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. Directors Brian M. Cohen, Martin D. Edel, Abraham Leitner, Joel M. Miller, and David J. Rabinowitz were each named to the annual Super Lawyers list.
Additionally, Directors Nicholas Cutaia and Kenneth Sicklick, and Associate Daniel J. Valenti were recognized as 2018 New York Metro Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Rising Stars are selected based on the same criteria as Super Lawyers, but each attorney must be either 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less.
The group of recognized Goulston & Storrs attorneys reflect a cross-section of legal services represented in the firm's growing New York office, including its Capital Markets, Corporate, Litigation, Real Estate and Tax practices.
According to its website, Super Lawyers is "a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement." The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. Only five percent of lawyers in the state of New York are selected.
For more information regarding this press release, please contact:
Liz Cerasuolo
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Brian M. Cohen
Abraham Leitner
David J. Rabinowitz
Daniel J. Valenti


Kids toys are so much fun as are the timeless wooden toys that are making a return to the shelves. Wooden toys are nice in that they don't require batteries, allow kid's imagination to dream up more fun and they are durable. This adorable Log Carrier Wooden Toy Set is made by Melissa & Doug which are known for great toys with great quality.
My girls loved this truck and the fact that the logs come off, provided even more fun and enjoyment. They seem to like the classic toys such as this and I like how it stimulates the imagination, encourages fine motor and language development. I highly recommend this toy for either boys or girls. The quality and workmanship are very nice and the durability makes it even better.
Stay up to date with Gummy Lump toys by following them on Twitter and "liking" them on Facebook.


text:
How to Create the Perfect Pan Sauce
By Danilo Alfaro
Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images
Components of a Pan Sauce
First Step: Sauté Aromatics
Second Step: Deglazing
Third Step: Finishing Touches
Pan sauces might just be the single greatest culinary trick ever invented. Not only is it a quick and easy way to make a delicious sauce to accompany steaks, chops, and chicken, it also literally makes the washing up afterwards easier.
How is this possible? The entire premise of the pan sauce is that it utilizes the little roasty bits that stick to the bottom of a pan after you've cooked your meat or poultry, which just happen to be loaded with concentrated flavor.
So much flavor, in fact, that the French have a word for those little roasty bits: fond. And instead of scraping it off and rinsing it down the drain, you're scraping it off and dissolving it into a sauce.
Other than the fond, a basic pan sauce is made up of liquid, usually wine, stock, or broth; aromatics, like minced shallot or onion; whole butter; and seasonings (i.e., Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper). A little bit of chopped fresh parsley stirred in at the very end is also a nice touch and helps add some color to the sauce as well.
As an added benefit, making a pan sauce just happens to take almost exactly the same amount of time it takes your roasted or pan-seared meats to rest after cooking. It's a culinary alignment of the stars that's almost too good to be true.
Note that we're not talking about scorched, blackened bits. If you've burned your meat, a burnt-tasting pan sauce isn't going to make it any more palatable.
But a lovely, golden-to-dark-brown fond at the bottom of the pan is exactly what you want. Here's how to do it.
First, remove your meat from the pan and set it on a cutting board or platter, somewhere warm, covered with foil, to rest. Resting your meat is an important step, so don't gloss over this part.
You'll also want to pour any excess fat out of the pan, but you don't have to be too fastidious about this. Excess means anything beyond a tablespoon or so. You don't want a ton of liquid fat sloshing around, but you do need a little bit to sauté your shallots. If your pan seems dry, add a tablespoon of high-heat oil.
With your pan over a medium heat, add your chopped shallots or onions. Shallots are preferable because their flavor is even more concentrated than onions, and because they mince up smaller. Cook for a minute or two or until they soften and start to turn translucent. Don't worry about scraping the pan yet—that comes in the next step.
Deglazing is one of those wonderful culinary words that describes a process that is as much fun as it sounds. It's also incredibly simple, in that it involves pouring the liquid into your hot pan.
Wine is a great choice, because it adds wonderful astringency to the sauce that mere stock won't. But if you're using stock or broth, stirring in some Dijon mustard toward the end will also help you achieve that tangy flavor.
Red wine, which is an excellent choice for making a pan sauce to accompany red meat, will of course also impart a richer color to your sauce. You might use white wine for pork or poultry, but there are no hard and fast rules. Use what you've got or whatever your preference dictates. For a basic recipe, start with half a cup, or more for a full roast.
The big sizzle that results from pouring the liquid into the pan that is the first step in dislodging the cooked-on fond. Use a wooden spoon to loosen the fond. Then simmer for a few minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half.
Now remove the sauce from the heat and stir in your mustard and chopped herbs. Whisk in your butter. Three tablespoons is about right if you're starting with half a cup of liquid, but add the butter a tablespoon at a time. It usually works best if your butter is cold, like when you're making a beurre blanc sauce.
Finally, season to taste with salt and pepper and you're all done. Simply spoon this pan sauce onto the plate along with your meat or poultry. Because it's so concentrated, a little goes a long way.
Remember, you can make a pan sauce in a roasting pan as well as in a skillet. That means you're not limited to making a pan sauce for steaks and chops but indeed you can use this technique to make a pan sauce to accompany roasted meats like prime rib or roasted pork loin, as well as a whole roasted chicken.
Just make sure that your roasting pan is made of a material that's safe for the stovetop (like stainless steel, for example). You can usually place the roasting pan across two burners on your range to reduce the sauce.
If you like a recipe with specific quantities and so on, here's a recipe for a basic pan sauce (along with a few variations).
Pan Sauce for Chicken, Pork, or Steak
The Basics of Making a Smooth Roux Gravy Rich With Flavor
What Is Fond?
The Classic French Chateaubriand
Pan Sauce Gravy
Au Jus Recipe for Prime Rib
Traditional Beef Gravy
How to Deglaze a Pan
Cooking Terms from A to Z for Absolute Beginners
How to Create the Perfect British Cheeseboard
Pork Rib Roast
Juicy Beer-Braised Pork Loin With Carrots and Onions
How to Make Easy and Elegant Tilapia Piccata
How to Make Roux
12 Cooking Basics Everyone Should Know
A Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Perfect Cheesecake


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I believe in true feelings and I believe if we want something very much we will get it. I value romantic moments and wish my man to know also how to be romantic. He values femininity and tenderness in a lady.


text:
by Kapka Kassabova
An essay written for the Writing About Immigration edition of the June 2019 Sozopol Fiction Seminars of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation
Writers often find their true material through the subconscious mind. The obsession that has guided me to my truest writing always emerged more intuitively than consciously. A writer develops, over time, this ability to tap into a reservoir of knowledge, imagination, memory, and feeling that exists both at the individual level and the collective. You go into a dark, place full of buried treasure, where anything is possible, and begin your quest for your true story. You are fuelled, all along, by the particular energy of your subject.
My imagination is fuelled by the spirit of a particular place. It is a strong sense for a place that hooks me first, before I even know what the principal enquiry will be. For a story-teller, the best places are like a narcotic – you enter the circle and become addicted enough to give that place years of your life, to take risks, to merge with its essential spirit, to tune into its voices and listen – really listen. To drop your preconceptions and encounter as equals the living and the dead who inhabit that place. And to emerge with something worth giving form to. The energy and intent which fuel a writer's work will be directly received by the reader. This is why art should affect us physically and emotionally, not just intellectually.
Sometimes you lose yourself in the process – a side effect of total immersion – and this becomes part of the journey. Although the archetypal Hero's Journey that forms the basis of most human narratives, is circular, you can never return to the same place, because all true journeys must transform us – inner or outer, literary or geographical, physical or spiritual, or all of the above. For my four books of creative non-fiction, I undertook just such labyrinthine journeys through time and space. This includes my most urban book, Twelve Minutes of Love: A Tango Story, which traces the story of the Argentine tango, the mongrel music of immigrants. The tango became the creative confluence of European emigrants to the New World, African music imported by sub-Saharan slaves into Latin America, and the urban working class of immigrants and dispossessed gauchos in Uruguay and Argentina. Border and To the Lake (2020) explore Balkan narratives and geographies. Despite their cultural and geographic specificity, these narratives tap into universal human experience.
It was only recently that I clearly saw the recurring thread in all my writing: journeying and migration. Migration and its accompanying themes of loss, reinvention, and how memory and emotion is held by people and places affected by it. Especially when there is no memorialisation on a collective level, when there has been no consistent process of truth and reconciliation, no communal "coming to terms with the past," and therefore – no societal healing for the deep wounds sustained by millions of people and their descendants. This is the case with Bulgaria, and with all other Balkan nations. That's us. We are all survivors of history. But survival is not enough. If the definition of trauma is repetition, in the words of the American child psychiatrist Selma Freiberg ("Trauma demands repetition, repetition, repetition," she wrote), we must bring the light of understanding and self-knowledge to the process, if we are to break the repetitive cycle.
I am the fourth generation in a female line to emigrate. A hundred years ago, my great-grandmother from Ohrid emigrated from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia to the Kingdom of Bulgaria. That country later became the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and most recently – North Macedonia. Her only daughter, my grandmother, emigrated from the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia to the People's Republic of Bulgaria. My mother, an only child, emigrated with her family from Bulgaria to New Zealand, and I emigrated from New Zealand to Scotland, which may yet break away from the United Kingdom. We became serial emigrants. Restlessness, along with political upheaval, became an inherited condition. As the changing names of these countries suggest, the uprootings in our family and numberless others were triggered by cataclysmic geo-political forces: the fall of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, decolonisation, and the rise of Balkan nation-states; then the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913 and the two world wars that followed on from that; the Cold War, its end, and globalisation. Yet our family is not an exception. Today, over twenty per cent of Bulgarians live outside the country. Mass diasporas, nations within nations, have become a cross-generational phenomenon in many world cities. The pattern of displacement in our family is typical of the collective destiny of the people of the Balkans in the 20th and early 21st century, and representative of the constantly shifting currents and counter-currents of trans-continental human migration.
In childhood, my favourite book was an illustrated Ancient Greek Myths and Legends. The fascination of those archetypal narratives lay in the fact that there was always a journey. It was rarely pleasant and often ended in disaster, but it was always of great consequence and eventfulness. Shape-shifting and transformation was inevitable once you were on the road or on the open sea.
Once upon a time in what is now Lebanon, a Phoenician princess called Europa had a dream: two continents in the shape of women wrestled over her. They were Asia and a smaller continent to the west, linked by a strait over the Pontus Euxinos – the Black Sea with the Bosphorus. Though it was Asia that had raised the princess, it was the other continent that won the wrestling match. Soon after Europa's dream, a bull with golden horns appeared. She straddled him and off they sailed to Crete. The bull was of course an avatar of that primordial lecher Zeus. Europa gave birth to Minos. Minos's wife fell for a bull and gave birth to the Minotaur – a prisoner in the labyrinth of the collective unconscious. The Minotaur, a freak of nature and a child of nature, is a compelling figure. An embodiment of the "physics of sorrow", in Georgi Gospodinov's novel. Seemingly the ultimate "other," he reflects back at us our humanity and our bestiality.
The European origin myth is Eastern, pastoralist, pagan. It is rooted in migration and metamorphosis, and the two are related. The Pontic region and south-east Balkans were home to Europe's earliest civilisations – no wonder the Balkan peninsula carries the memory of ancient events and peoples. But also of extraordinary, unsung, unreported odysseys in the last one hundred years, during which people were forced to become the "other" by crossing a border. It is not a coincidence that I, the child of immigrants, have intuitively followed these grooves of migration, with the desire to memorialise those – like us – who were absent from official history accounts. But in the telling of the stories that make up Border and To The Lake, two things became clear. One, we are all without exception children of immigrants and survivors; it's just a question of time-scale. Two, so are the unborn of today. They are the immigrants of tomorrow. The borders erected by the fathers will come back to haunt the children – just like in a Greek tragedy, where it was all preventable until the last moment.
Kapka Kassabova is a cross-genre writer with an interest in human geographies. She is the author of three books of creative non-fiction: Street Without a Name (2008), Twelve Minutes of Love (2011) and Border: A Journey to the Edge of Europe (Granta/ Greywolf, 2017) which won the British Academy Al-Rodhan Prize, Saltire Book of the Year, Stanford-Dolman Book of the Year, the Highland Book Prize, and was shortlisted for the National Circle of Critics Award in the United States. The essay Border Ghosts was shortlisted for the Pushcart Prize. Her work has been translated into 15 languages. Kapka lives in Scotland.
THE ELIZABETH KOSTOVA FOUNDATION and VAGABOND, Bulgaria's English Monthly, cooperate in order to enrich the English language with translations of contemporary Bulgarian writers. Every year we give you the chance to read the work of a dozen young and sometimes not-so-young Bulgarian writers that the EKF considers original, refreshing and valuable. Some of them have been translated in English for the first time. The EKF has decided to make the selection of authors' work and to ensure they get first-class English translation, and we at VAGABOND are only too happy to get them published in a quality magazine. Enjoy our fiction pages.
Issue 154 Elizabeth Kostova Foundation
RUIN BLUES
Why is it that there are places in the world which chime with us, even if we've never been there before? While others make us ill at ease, in some subtle but incurable way not unlike a dysfunctional relationship.
'THE OLD DOG' OF DIPLOMACY...
This essay was originally included in the anthology Fathers Never Go Away (ICU Publishing, 2020), edited by Nevena Dishlieva-Krysteva and translated from the Bulgarian by Ekaterina Petrova
TOO FAR FOR COMFORT
"Are all Bulgarians as touchy-feely as you?" The question had never occurred to me, until my friend Jenny asked me a few weeks after we met during our freshman year of college in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
A SHADOW JOURNEY GOES TO NEW YORK CITY, WASHINGTON DC
The book is one of the latest publications by the Free Speech International Foundation.
FROM PETERSBURG WITH LOVE, AN EXCERPT FROM A TRAVELOGUE
Russia's former imperial capital captivates visitors with its history, its culture, and the splendid riches of its palaces The dark river flows and does not sleep,
KAPKA KASSABOVA'S BORDER WINS BRITISH ACADEMY'S PRIZE
Border, her memoir-cum-travelogue about Bulgaria's southeastern frontier from Communism to the present, was published in 2017 to international acclaim.
WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS, An excerpt from a travel essay
The sun doesn't set in the summer there so we played cards for hours in the ceaseless twilight; during the daytime, we hiked an old Viking trail. We carried our backpacks through the wilderness and set up camp each night by rivers and waterfalls.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE DISEASE, An excerpt from a memoir
The day I was admitted to the hospital, I just laid there and stared straight ahead—a piece of paper had been stuck to the closet, and the closet was blocking half of the window. Out its other half, I could see some thick black branches.
I'VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE, An excerpt from a memoir
I went out for a run one lightly rainy morning – on Halloween, actually. Movement kept at bay the dreadful sensation that the island hungered to swallow me up, annihilate my spirit.
1989: NOT YOUR COMRADE ANYMORE, An excerpt from an essay shape
I remember kindergarten as a gloomy and depressing place – now that I think about it, as the place where the groundwork was laid for out future participation in society.
NEW YORK: PERSONAL COPY, An excerpt from a travel diary
A Hurricane of a Welcome
WAITING FOR THE GOATS: NEW MEMORY FROM OLD BULGARIA, An excerpt from a memoir
My gaze passes onto the other hill, Kalakoch, the kale and its mysterious banks and ditches.


Shannon collects a bunch of trusted mercenaries (Hal Yamanouchi, Gabriele Tinti, Mario Pedone, Nello Pazzafini) who all want to get their hands on the gold promised for the completion of the mission, and off they go through the forbidden zone by motorbike, jeep and van, and they don't only have to fight the regressive mutants (mutants who have stepped down the evolution ladder to mutate back to ape and fish people) in front of them, but also the army (led by Gordon Mitchell) that's desperate to capture the mutants, because young Tommy (Christopher Walsh), a boy of unparalelled ESP powers that could be used as the ultimate weapon.
Time and again, it looks as if Shannon and company have had it, and all of his mercenaries die one by one - but when it looks like everything is lost, enter Karnak, his old rival from the TV show, who actually saves Shannon's hide more than once. Why? Because he wants to get his hands Shannon was promised for completing his mission ... then he plans to have his final fight with Shannon.
In the early 1980's, dozens of films based on post-doomsday movies like Escape from New York and Road Warrior were produced in Italy, usually on the cheap - and Endgame was made on a low budget end of the low-budget scale, which shows in the crude and cheap props and costumes and lack of special effects. On top of that, action was not really director Joe D'Amato's forte, and his interest in the science fiction aspects of is story seems to be neglectable.
That all said, Endgame is not too bad a movie, especially if compared to others of its kind: The story seems to be more thought through than usual and actually features a few interesting points, the crude and cheap costumes and props give the film a certain realism (concerning its post-doomsday settings) not often found in the pseudo sci-fi worlds not often found in other post-doomsday flicks, and the lack of spectacle helps the story to develop more fully. Sure, this all makes the film no masterpiece, but more interesting than many other movies of its ilk nevertheless.


text:
Nine Hurt in Minnesota Mall Knife Attack, Suspect Killed
The attacker "made some references to Allah" and asked at least one person if they were Muslim during the attack, police said.
People stand near the entrance on the north side of Crossroads Center mall between Macy's and Target on Saturday.St. Cloud Times via AP
Sept. 18, 2016, 4:53 AM UTC / Updated Sept. 19, 2016, 12:56 PM UTC
By Phil Helsel and Daniella Silva
Off-Duty Officer Hailed as Hero for Shooting Minnesota Mall Attacker
Sept. 19, 201601:29
Nine people were hurt in a knife rampage at a Minnesota mall during which the attacker made references to Allah, authorities said.
The suspect was shot dead by an off-duty police officer at the Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud, which began around 8 p.m. (9 p.m. ET) on Saturday.
The suspect was wearing a private security uniform, officials said.
"We have confirmed that he asked at least one person if they were Muslim before he assaulted them," St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson told reporters, adding that the suspect "made some references to Allah."
Anderson said he was armed with at least one knife "big enough to hurt someone."
An ISIS-affiliated news outlet claimed that the attacker was "a soldier of the Islamic State," according to NBC News terrorism analyst Flashpoint Intelligence, a global security firm.
"We're currently investigating this as a potential act of terrorism, and I do say 'potential,'" FBI agent Richard Thornton, of the agency's Minneapolis office, said at the news conference.
FBI Investigating Minnesota Mall Attack as 'Potential Act of Terrorism'
"We don't know whether the subject was in contact with, had connections with or was inspired by a foreign terrorist organization," Thornton added.
None of the nine people wounded suffered life-threatening injuries, and all but three had been released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon, St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said. Authorities initially said eight people had been injured in the attack, but an additional person later went to the hospital.
Among the injured were a 15-year-old girl, a 50-year-old woman and seven men ages 20 to 53, Kleis said.
The suspect was described as a lone attacker, and there is no evidence anyone else locally was involved, Anderson said. The assaults occurred at multiple locations and businesses at the mall, he said.
Suspect wielding knife stabs 9 in Minnesota Mall
The cop who shot the alleged attacker was identified as Jason Falconer, a part-time officer with the Avon Police Department and former police chief of Albany, Minn.
"He clearly prevented additional injuries and potentially loss of life," Kleis said Sunday. "His heroic actions are exemplary."
Officer Jason Falconer.Avon, Minn., Police Department
The suspect's identity hadn't been publicly released Sunday afternoon, but local Muslim and other religious leaders indicated that he was Somali.
"The central Minnesota Somali community is in distress, and we are afraid of the consequences of this incident," Mohamoud Mohamed, executive director of the St. Cloud Area Somali Salvation Organization. said at a news conference.
"Our community in central Minnesota has no relationship with ISIS or any other Islamist terrorist group," Mohamed said, adding that much of the local Somali residents fled to St. Cloud to escape groups like ISIS.
"We are being made again to suffer for their acts," he said. "They are minorities in our faith. Islam is peace."
Jaylani Hussein, Minnesota executive director for the Council on American Islamic Relations, stressed that "this is an act of an individual."
"We are all shocked just like you, and we are all grieving just like you," Hussein said, adding: "We are concerned about the potential for backlash."
At the same time, he said, "this is a tragedy that affects all people in St. Cloud, and there is an opportunity for the community to come together."
Police had three contacts with the suspect in the past, Anderson said, most for minor traffic violations.
St. Cloud is a city of around 65,800 people about 65 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
Phil Helsel
Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.
Daniella Silva
Daniella Silva is a reporter for NBC News, focusing on education and how laws, policies and practices affect students and teachers. She also writes about immigration.
Alex Johnson and The Associated Press contributed.