text:
It's Me Again,
See, I told y'all I would do better. ;-) A couple of months ago my manager / business partner calls me to match calendars and to inform me about a booking in Detroit at a club called Baker's. I've been to the city quite a few times and I've never heard of the place. Where was I??? As always I do my due dilligence and research the venue only to find out that its a historical venue of sorts in the jazz music world having been in operation since 1934 making it the oldest operating jazz club in the world. Wow. World renowned the venue has hosted all the greats in jazz. Once I got word back to my band The joshua Trio we were estatic about playing this legendary club.
The day finally arrives and we're on the road heading to the Motorcity. Once we arrive in the city (considering the Kid {me} knows his way around the city alittle bit) I make a slight detour to take the guys by 2648 W. Grand Blvd. the original home of Hitsville USA aka Motown Records. The fellas had never been there before so that was my way of making the trip "official". After a brief photo session it was on to the club to set up for the show.
Pulling up to the venue and seeing the band's name on the marquee was such an experience. It made all the obstacles I faced that week leading up to the gig worth while. As usual I had my pre-show jitters. You know butterflies in the stomach, increased heart rate, etc. Lol! Anytime we play a "venue of note" as I call them there's always a sense of pressure to really do a great job. Surely, we're professionals at this but I never try to depend solely on my musical abilities to pull off a great performance. It's a must I tap into the source....GOD. I firmly believe that if I continue to turn to Him for guidance and direction, all will be well and it usually always is.
My man, jazz trumpeter Lin Rountree (who lives in Detroit) came in cool as ever and ready to blow. By the time we hit the stage at 8:58pm the place was packed. From the first tune the audience were in sync with us and I worked my charm with all I had to win them. :-) There was certainly magic in the air maybe it was because of all the legends who had graced the very stage we were standing on, the energy of the trio, the excitement of the crowd or just the Lord smiling on us yet again. Perhaps all the above.
The evening was filled with great performances and improvisations with me, the band and the audience. When we finished our final tune with those who stayed for the late set, still lively and singing along with us, the trio felt a sense of accomplishment and solidarity that comes with knowing that we gave a great show and gained new fans in a new city. To God be the glory! Real talk.
God Bless Y'all,


text:
Шестна́дцатый киломе́тр — посёлок железнодорожной станции в Колтушском сельском поселении Всеволожского района Ленинградской области.

История
В 1940 году была официально открыта железнодорожная линия Заневский Пост — Горы. Она прошла в основном через незаселённые территории. Во время Великой Отечественной войны Кузьминский железнодорожный мост через Неву взорвали, поэтому полноценного сообщения по этой ветке не было.

Посёлок образовался смежно и севернее платформы 16 км (16 километров — до Заневки) в лесном массиве.

По данным 1973 года посёлок при станции Шестнадцатый Километр находился в составе Новопустошского сельсовета.

По данным 1990 года посёлок при станции Шестнадцатый Километр входил в состав Разметелевского сельсовета.

В 1997 году в посёлке проживали 4 человека, в 2002 году — 4 человека (все русские), в 2007 году — также 4.

С 2013 года в составе Колтушского сельского поселения.

География
Посёлок расположен в юго-западной части района у платформы 16 км на линии Заневский Пост — Горы, между платформами Колтуши и Манушкино.

Кроме железной дороги, связь с другими населёнными пунктами возможна по просёлочной дороге ведущей на север к деревням Мяглово и Хапо-Ое.

Население

Примечания

Населённые пункты Всеволожского района

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


These were too funny not to post, courtesty of my colleague, Zoe. I am living vicariously through all of you this season. Be safe and enjoy your holiday as healthy as you can!
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.


text:
// Copyright 2019 The Chromium Authors. All rights reserved.
// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
// found in the LICENSE file.

package org.chromium.components.background_task_scheduler.internal;

import android.content.Context;

import org.chromium.components.background_task_scheduler.TaskInfo;

/**
 * Mock of BackgroundTaskSchedulerDelegate that tracks which methods are called.
 * This is used for all delegates that cannot be included in end-to-end testing.
 */
public class MockBackgroundTaskSchedulerDelegate implements BackgroundTaskSchedulerDelegate {
    private TaskInfo mScheduledTaskInfo;
    private int mCanceledTaskId;

    @Override
    public boolean schedule(Context context, TaskInfo taskInfo) {
        mScheduledTaskInfo = taskInfo;
        mCanceledTaskId = 0;
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public void cancel(Context context, int taskId) {
        mCanceledTaskId = taskId;
        mScheduledTaskInfo = null;
    }

    public TaskInfo getScheduledTaskInfo() {
        return mScheduledTaskInfo;
    }

    public int getCanceledTaskId() {
        return mCanceledTaskId;
    }

    public void clear() {
        mScheduledTaskInfo = null;
        mCanceledTaskId = 0;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


6 Baby Name Trends for 2015 | Work It, Mom!
Names containing X are climbing the charts. They are unique and give the underrated letter some much-needed love. Also consider Dixie for a girl and Dexter for a boy.


text:
Q: Estoy tratando de hacer un login con asp.net mvc y entity framework Estoy haciendo un login pero en el controlador no me esta tomando los valores que estoy ingresando en los campos del formulario.
  [HttpPost]
    public ActionResult Index(Usuarios log)
    {

        var usuario= db.Usuarios.Where(x => x.UsuNombre==log.UsuNombre && x.UsuPass==log.UsuPass).FirstOrDefault();

        if (usuario != null)
        {

            return RedirectToAction("Dashboard");
        }
        else
        {

            return View();
        }
    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Size: Randomly picked stones ranging from (~0.5" - 12").
Suggestion/Tips: Make sure to boil and rinse all stones before using it in any Aquarium.
Warning: Stones are not wash or soaked. Not responsible for any damages during shipping!
Note: Price includes shipping cost (only for US). Images below are example stones and will not be the exact set you'll get. Shop in the Pre-Design category for WYSIWYG.


Image Title: Bathroom Vanity Tops Diy Solution For Bath Counters Amazing DIY Within Plan 18. Post Title: Bath Vanity Tops. Filename: bathroom-vanity-tops-diy-solution-for-bath-counters-amazing-diy-within-plan-18.jpg. Image Dimension: 737 x 493 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: netscalerkb. Uploaded Date: Wednesday - October 03rd. 2018 16:03:26 PM. Category: Architecture. Image Source: contemporist.com. Decor Countertop Plan Amazing 32 Remodel Prepare Vanity 1. Vanities White 10. Bathroom Tops Sink Bath In For Canada 13. Counters 19. Intended With Md 34 Lowe Home 12. Pertaining DC Carrera S 4. Quartz 18. Repair Countertops Inside Made The Wayfair To Top N Custom 8. Sinks Within Gallery Va Polished Integrated DIY Throughout Marble Solution Depot Refinishing Engineered Enchanting Diy Glass 3. Furniture 15.


A rural Mountain Home man, Billy Rhodes, who's a prolific letters to the editor writer with a liberal mindset, recently received a piece of hate mail castigating him for his views. Additionally, someone shot his church's window with a BB gun.
Despite stories circulating on the Internet, the Mountain Home Police Department, Rhodes and the pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship church all say they don't believe the two incidents are connected.
"I feel pretty certain the two incidents are not related," said Carry Manuel, chief of the Mountain Home Police Department. "We investigated the matter, and unless more information comes in, that's the conclusion we've come to."
Rhodes says he feels the window at the church was likely shot out by kids.
"I've never mentioned my faith when writing a letter to the editor," Rhodes said. "It would be difficult for someone to have connected me to the church. I just don't feel like the letter and the window are related at all."
The hate mail Rhodes received is a racist diatribe full of foul language, ethnic slurs, homophobia, remarkably poor grammar, veiled threats and calling for him to move to Ferguson, Mo.
He received the hate mail after a letter to the editor he wrote was published in The Baxter Bulletin.
"The letter is disturbing and it does worry me a little bit," Rhodes said. "You just don't like getting something like that."
However, Rhodes says he won't live in fear and won't be intimidated.
"That note is just one misguided person, it doesn't represent the way people around here think," Rhodes said. "This is a great place to live with great people who are kind."
Alice Hurley has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Mountain Home for 20 years. For the past 10 years, she has served as the church's lay minister.
During her time with the church, Hurley says she's never known of a single incident where the church was a target of any threats or vandalism. Hurley admitted, though, the congregation discussed the letter Rhodes received and the damage to the window.
"The timing of the two incidents gave us pause. The general consensus was it was likely teenagers," Hurley said. "There was some thought given to the possibility of a more serious threat, but after speaking with police, we dismissed it."
While Hurley ascribed the damaged window to bored teens looking for a thrill, she was less impressed with the unknown individual who sent Rhodes the hate mail.
"The letter was obviously written by an uneducated person, it's full of spelling and grammar errors, almost to the point where it's difficult to decipher," Hurley said. "The person is clearly very biased."
Hurley made what some might consider a surprising offer. For those who are familiar with the Universal Unitarian faith, however, the offer is not surprising at all.
"We would like to invite both the shooter and the writer to come see our service," Hurley said. "They might learn something about us and perhaps change their opinions of us."


text:
The PSPP Decision: a first ultra vires ruling from the German Federal Constitutional Court
Laura Tribess , 22 juin 2020
In its judgment delivered on 5 May 2020, the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) declared for the first time acts of EU institutions to be ultra vires and thus not binding within the national legal order.
The case concerns the constitutional complaints of several individuals directed against the 2015 Public Sector Purchase Program (PSPP) and related subsequent decisions of the European Central Bank (ECB). Under the PSPP, the central banks in the euro zone purchase government bonds or other debt securities issued mainly by euro Member States, subject to the framework set out in the ECB decisions. Entertaining doubts as to the conformity of the PSPP with EU law, the BVerfG had decided to stay the proceedings and had turned to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a preliminary ruling on the issue. The Court of Justice answered the questions submitted in the Weiss Grand Chamber judgment on 11 December 2018. It held that the PSPP neither exceeded the ECB's mandate nor violated the prohibition of monetary financing in Article 123 TFEU. In its recent ruling in the main proceedings, the BVerfG follows this conclusion on Article 123 TFEU. However, it openly rejects the Court's ruling on the ECB's mandate and, at the same time, the binding nature of the Court's judgment in this regard.
First, how come the BVerfG reviews a measure taken by an EU institution in light of EU law at all? In the context of constitutional complaints, the BVerfG is called upon to review a measure taken by a German state organ in light of the individual rights granted by the German Constitution.
The BVerfG's reasoning is based on Article 38(1) Basic Law, which guarantees the individual right to vote in elections to the German parliament. It includes a right to be subjected only to such acts of public authority legitimated through a vote. Article 23(1) Basic Law states that this right to democratic legitimation of public authority applies, in principle, also to the process of European integration. German State organs may not transfer sovereign powers to the EU in such a way that the EU could create new competences for itself, beyond the competences conferred upon it by the Treaties that were approved by law in Germany. German State organs must therefore take steps to ensure respect for the principal of conferral and must refrain from participating in the adoption and implementation of any measure exceeding EU competences. The BVerfG itself retains a right to review ultra vires challenges regarding EU measures in this framework.
Second, concerning the substantive question on the legality of the ECB's measures, the BVerfG concludes that the PSPP exceeds the ECB's competence. Under Articles 119, 127 et seq. TFEU, the ECB's mandate is one of monetary policy. Economic policy, on the other hand, remains a Member State competence (cf. Articles 2(3) and 5(1) TFEU). Applying the principle of proportionality set out in Article 5(1) and (4) TEU to the division of competences between the EU and its Member States, the BVerfG holds that the ECB failed to determine the proportionality of the PSPP's monetary policy objectives with regard to their economic policy effects. It concludes that the ECB thereby exceeded its mandate. By failing to challenge that the ECB did not justify whether the PSPP satisfies the principle of proportionality and remains within its mandate, the BVerfG considers that the German government and parliament violated the applicants' right under Article 38(1) Basic Law.
However, the BVerfG gives the ECB a three-month period to demonstrate in a comprehensible and substantiated manner that the monetary policy objectives pursued by the PSPP are not disproportionate to its economic and fiscal policy effects. If the ECB provides this justification, the Bundesbank may continue to participate in the implementation and execution of the PSPP.
Third, by openly disregarding the Court of Justice's judgment, the BVerfG's ruling says a lot on its relationship to the Court. The BVerfG recognises that the interpretation and application of EU law is primarily incumbent on the Court in accordance with Article 19(1) TEU. However, it highlights that the Member States remain the « masters of the Treaties » and underlines its own right to review ultra vires challenges regarding EU measures. The tensions inherent to this approach should be resolved in a cooperative manner and through mutual respect and understanding. Any ultra vires review must thus be exercised with restraint. The BVerfG recalls that it will only find a violation of the principle of conferral where an act manifestly exceeds EU competences, resulting in a structurally significant shift in the division of competences to the detriment of the Member States.
Based on this standard, the BVerfG concludes that the Court of Justice's judgment regarding the PSPP is ultra vires and is thus not binding within the German legal order. It recalls that the methodological standards applied by the Court are based on the (constitutional) legal traditions common to the Member States. The Court's competence under Article 19(1) TEU is exceeded where it manifestly disregards these methods. The BVerfG states that by applying a limited proportionality test to the PSPP, considering only the objective and the means employed but not its effects, the Court allows the ECB to decide autonomously on the scope of its competences to the detriment of the Member States (para. 136). This also contradicts the methodological approach taken by the Court in other areas of EU law (para. 146). The BVerfG concludes that the Court's application of the principle of proportionality to the PSPP is thus « not comprehensible from a methodological perspective. » (para. 153) Because the principle of proportionality cannot therefore fulfil its corrective function for the purposes of safeguarding the Member States competences, the Court's judgment is « simply untenable » (para. 117) and « objectively arbitrary. » (para. 118)
This ruling is the newest episode in a long-running debate between the BVerfG and the Court of Justice on the authority to review the respect for the Member States' competence in EU law. In its Maastricht (1993), Honeywell (2010) and OMT (2016) decisions, the BVerfG had consistently made clear that it claims an authority to declare EU acts ultra vires. A similar debate about the protection of fundamental rights came to a conciliatory conclusion in the BVerfG's Solange II decision of 1986, after the Court of Justice began offering a higher standard of protection for fundamental rights itself. The issue on competence, however, remained open and now resulted in this first ultra vires decision from Germany. While there is a case to be made for constitutional pluralism as a matter of EU law, this development highlights that its operationalisation remains a largely unresolved challenge.
It appears unfortunate to undermine the Court of Justice's authority at a time in which it plays an important part in defending the rule of law against political interference in several Member States. And it seems particularly unfortunate to take this risk when the ultra vires ruling is not evident, as demonstrated by varied points of criticism regarding the BVerfG's decision (see for example here and here).
In a short press release, the Court of Justice recalled that « the Court […] alone […] has jurisdiction to rule that an act of an EU institution is contrary to EU law. » European Commission President von der Leyen also announced that her institution currently analyses the ruling and is considering further steps, including infringement proceedings under Article 258 TFEU. Her statement is unambiguous when she underlines that « [t]he final word on EU law is always spoken in Luxembourg. Nowhere else. » It thus seems safe to say that the final word in this debate on the European legal order is yet to be spoken.
Laura TRIBESS, The PSPP Decision: a first ultra vires ruling from the German Federal Constitutional Court, actualité du CEJE nº 26/2020, disponible sur www.ceje.ch.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


- The Middle (6x16/s06e16) [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [abc].
- Modern Family (6x17/s06e17) [+] [+] [+] [+] [abc].
- The Goldbergs  (2x15/s02e15) [+] [+] [+] [abc].
- Black-ish (1x16/s01e16) [+] [+] [+] [abc].
- Nashville  (3x15/s03e15) [+] [+] [abc].
- Survivor (30x02/s30e02) [+] [CBS].
- Criminal Minds (10x16/s10e16) [+] [+] [CBS].
- CSI: Cyber (1x01/s01e01) [+] [+] [+] [+] [CBS].
- The Voice (8x05/s08e05) [+] [NBC].
- Chicago PD (2x17/s02e17) [+] [+] [+] [+] [NBC].
- Empire  (1x09/s01e09) [+] [+] [+] [+] [FOX].
- American Idol (14x17/s14e17) [+] [FOX].
- The 100 (2x15/s02e15) [+] [+] [The CW].
- The Americans  (3x06/s03e06) [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [FX].
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (10x08/s10e08), The Gang Goes on Family Fight [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [FXX].
- Man Seeking Woman (1x08/s01e08) [+] [+] [+] [+] [FXX].
- Suits (4x16/s04e16) [+] [+] [+] [USA Network].
- Broad City (2x08/s02e08) [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [Comedy Central].
- Workaholics (5x08/s05e08) [+] [+] [+] [+] [+] [Comedy Central].
- Melissa and Joey (4x10/s04e10) [+] [+] [+] [+] [ABC Family].
- Baby Daddy (4x10/s04e10) [+] [+] [+] [+] [ABC Family].
- Hindsight  (1x09/s01e09) [+] [+] [+] [+] [VH1].
- The Game (8x08/s08e08) [+] [+] [+] [BET].
- Street Art Throwdown (1x05/s01e05) [+] [+] [oxygen].
- Born in the Wild (1x01/s01e01) [+] [Lifetime].
- DCI Banks (5x01/s05e01) [+] [itv].
- Big Stars, Little Star (3x01/s03e01) [itv].
- X Company (1x03/s01e03) [+] [+] [+] [CBC].
- Winter  (1x05/s01e05) [+] [+] [+] [Seven].
- Wonderland [AU] (3x05/s03e05) [+] [+] [ten].


The incident took place on Saturday in SoHo around p.m. in front of the Mercer Hotel, according to New York Post. The incident was also caught on video.
Julien Chabbott, 28, of Chelsea, is shown in the video getting into the Ferrari as the cop is writing a ticket. The cop then steps slightly in front of the car to prevent Chabbott from driving off but Chabbott looks like he starts to drive a little bit and goes right over the cop's foot.
According to New York Daily, the cop became irate and slammed his hand on the Ferrari's window. He then shouted "you ran down my f------ foot."
According to Fox, Stephanie Pratt, 26, was at the scene and she just watched what was happening. She then got some items from the car when the incident ended, and then left.
Chabbot was charged with vehicular assault, obstruction of governmental administration, disorderly conduct and assault. The Ferrari was also impounded as evidence.


Rival is a handsome Greyhound that is looking for a home that has some experience with Greyhounds, ideally his new owners will be around throughout the day for him as he can become anxious if left on his own, he will also need somebody that is patient and willing to put in time and training with him. Rival is not used to an indoor environment, so will need lots of positive encouragement and training to help him overcome any fears. Rival can live with older teenagers that are sensible, and he would also possibly benefit from living with a female Greyhound. If you would like to be considered for Rival, please come along to the shelter and ask for more details.


One of the iconic cycling destinations makes for a fantastic long weekend destination from the UK, or it could form the main event of a longer trip to sublime Provence. The Tour de France has been climbing the Géant de Provence since 1951, and has achieved almost-mythical status amongst British cyclists since the death of Tommy Simpson high up on the mountain in 1967.
Have a look at some of the great reviews this trip has been getting for this trip!
Why do it with us? We load your bikes up in the UK into our custom-fitted bike trailer and then take them down ahead of you the day before you travel. We meet you at the airport for 4 days of riding in blissful Provence, if you're doing one of our many long weekends, then we drop you back at the airport and drive your bikes safely back the next day. We stay in a great location (with a pool) right at the foot of the main route, and we know the mountain and surrounding roads and villages in great detail.
Price: For long weekends the price is just £695pp for groups of 8 people, or £795pp for groups of 6 people. For longer trips add around £150/person/day for groups of 8, or ring us for a quote. Includes transport of your own bikes and luggage to/from the UK, plus your transfers to/from Marseille airport and your bed & breakfast in a charming hotel with a pool, a great restaurant across the road and a great bar next door, right on the sunny southern flank of the Géant de Provence.
Support: You will receive full support throughout your rides and the rest of your trip at a ratio of no less than 1:8, including mechanical/medical backup, carrying your spare clothing, water and food, and sourcing of fabulous picnics of great local produce for you (our speciality). When you climb the 'big one' the van will be as close to you as you like and we can usually even pass spare water bottles in and out of the van as we come alongside you, a la Tour.
Routes: Alongside the obvious routes up and down Ventoux, your ride routes can be tailored to suit your thoughts, but we have a long list of suggested routes and must-see and must-ride spots. The van will be on hand to support you throughout your 4 days' riding, and we can meet you at beautiful places with a fantastic picnic, or we can book you in for lunch or supper wherever you like, and then bring you home afterwards if you'd like. We are at your service.
Day 1 - riding by lunchtime from the fabulous hilltop Provencale town of Gordes, following the 2016 Tour de France route on table-top smooth tarmac through gorges and vineyards to Bédoin, and your hotel.
Day 2 - an early start to do the big climb to summit before the masses arrive mid-morning. Then either down to the hotel via that descent, or continue on to do other climbs to make a day of it in the surrounding hills, and perhaps a later ride into the nearby sleepy hills of the Dentelles de Montmirail.
Day 3 - the 'recovery' day amongst the area's other fabulous highlights, such as the Gorges de la Nesque and lavender-filled valleys around Sault, and the untramelled villages well away from the hordes. Very much tailored to suit individual wishes.
Day 4 - ride out, descending toward the coast over the Vaucluse and Luberon plateaus and their distinctive villages before a long, late lunch and being dropped at the airport early evening.
About half of our guests opt to do the iconic climb not once but via all three routes in a single day. This means that they can officially join the Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux (you even get a badge). It's obviously a big challenge - 135km and about 4500m of ascent - and not for novices but it is achievable for any cyclist with a reasonable level of experience and fitness, and maybe a compact chainset! Let us know if you are interested and we'll let you know what to do.
The accommodation: We stay in two great locations. The first is a lovely, small hotel (selected by The Guardian as one of the five best hotels for cyclists in Europe), with a pool, right on the sunny southern flank of the Giant of Provence, with the summit just 18km away, rising from the back wall of the hotel. An excellent restaurant is right across the road and a great bar just next door with its own artisan, wood-fired bakery which opens at 6am.
The second is a wonderful converted farm which now operates as a five bedroomed chambres d'hote. A beautiful quiet location in a sumptuously converted rural buildings with a wonderful bike store and maintenance area, with a great group space and pool. They will also produce lovely evening meals on demand.
Arriving by plane: Departure: 7.55am Gatwick, arrival Marseille 11am local time. 50min transfer to beautiful drop-off point for lunch and day one ride. Return flight departs Marseille at 9pm for arrival Gatwick before 10pm. Allows plenty of time for a full day ride heading down toward the Mediterranean, and enough time even for an early supper and beer next to a quiet beach on the Cote d'Azur.
Group sizes: Would suit a single group of 8 but could be open groups comprised of individuals or pairs. Smaller groups can be catered for, but the best per person price is for groups of 8.
Ability: Any ability can be catered for but to climb Mont Ventoux all riders should have a good level of fitness and be accustomed to riding up steep hills for extended periods of time. Riding from the hotel to the summit is an 18km, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hr slog at an average gradient of 8%, with long sections of 12%. The fitting of a compact chain ring and/or 30+ tooth sprocket in your gearset is highly recommended.
Available weekends: You can choose a weekend for you and your mates by looking at our calendar page for availability, or look out for our 'open' groups if you are not numerous enough to make up a whole group. We recommend both the late Spring (May-June) and early Autumn (September-October) for a Mont Ventoux weekend. High summer is also great but there is a greater risk of very high temperatures. Just consult our calendar page and choose a date then give us a call on 07984 065329 or email us at angus@lavieenvelo.com.
Lee Smith (Maidstone, Mont Ventoux 'open' long weekend, Aug '16).
"I'm having a very tired week, legs still aching, missing my bike, missing the Giant of Provence, all my heroic cycling buddies, but most of all missing that view… Thanks for an epic weekend."
Duncan Walker (Blackheath, Mont Ventoux long weekend, July '16).
Laurie Roberts (Blackheath, Mont Ventoux long weekend, July '16).
Ian Chalk (Blackheath, Mont Ventoux long weekend, July '16).


text:
Why Gender-Neutral Bathrooms Aren't Just Important, They're Necessary
Laci Green of MTV 'Braless' breaks down a daily struggle for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
By John Walker
The worst thing that I, as a cisgender individual, have to worry about when using a public bathroom is the inexplicably awful aim of those who came before me. Every day, I take for granted the fact that I'll be able to access a bathroom at all, risk-free, which, for transgender and gender-nonconforming people, is not always guaranteed.
In this week's installment of MTV "Braless," host Laci Green breaks down why safe access to gender-neutral bathrooms are a necessity and how our current sex-segregated bathroom model doesn't adequately address everyone's needs. Gender-neutral bathrooms are now a codified thing in Austin, Texas, so why not everywhere else?
If you're unfamiliar with this topic, you might be wondering why people are making such a big deal about bathrooms in the first place. But, remember -- bathrooms have been politicized spaces since, like, forever, and I'm not just talking about former Senator Larry Craig's "wide stance" scandal.
The Transgender Law Center's "Peeing in Peace" resource guide details many of the ways in which the law has affected bathroom access, from the "white vs. colored" racial segregation under Jim Crow to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which, among other things, guarantees accessible public bathrooms to all citizens regardless of ability.
The guide also highlights how dividing our bathrooms along a male/female binary is politicized, as well. The division outright denies individuals who don't identify as male or female a designated safe space to relieve themselves. It also opens up trans and gender-nonconforming people to discriminatory gender-policing by the bathroom's other occupants.
The TLC's guide cites a 2002 survey conducted by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission that reveals that nearly 50 percent of respondents reported being harassed or assaulted in a public bathroom. A Williams Institute study from 2013 further states that the likelihood for such transphobic discrimination increases depending on the race and/or income level of the individual.
As a survival tactic, many trans and gender-nonconforming people avoid situations in which they'd have to use sex-segregated public bathrooms altogether, which excludes them from so many places (cafés! movie theaters! workplaces!) that cisgender people access on a daily basis and rarely think twice about.
Nobody should be denied full participation in public life -- or the basic biological human right to relieve themselves -- but until safe access to bathrooms, gender-neutral or otherwise, can be guaranteed for all, that will continue to be the case.


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Nov 8 Patagonia | November 2013
Travel time: 15 hours, 45 minutes (LIM to EZE to FTE // FTE to AEP to EZE to LIM)
Miles covered: 6,470 (roundtrip)
Movies consumed: forgettable
Hours slept: forgettable
POST FLIGHT
Travel time: 7 days
Countries visited: two (Argentina and Chile)
Horseshoes found: one, luckily
Horseshoes forfeited at security checkpoint: almost one, unluckily
Guanacos spotted: lost count
Currency: ARS (Argentine Peso), 1 USD = 14.60 ARS, as of 2016 // CLP (Chilean Peso), 1 USD = 704.50 CLP, as of 2016
Interlude:
Back in 2012, my first association with Patagonia was the outdoor clothing company. Like a poser, I wore the fleeces while braving the chilly San Francisco summers, but I knew nothing about the man behind the company, his story and mission.
The documentary 180° South, filmed in 2007 and released in 2010, follows a surfer dude as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard (the founder of Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins (the co-founder of North Face who recently died during a kayaking accident in Chile) to Patagonia. Chouinard and Tompkins each began their companies and empires out of necessity. They were interested in making the gear required for their mountaineering lifestyles. They were less interested in consumerism and turning a profit, shutting down their shops when a big swell came in. In the film, Jeff Johnson meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it. The documentary is particularly focused on Tompkins' devotion to ecology and conservation in Chile. He retrospectively becomes the tragic hero of this story given the fate that would befall him the following year. As it has for countless others before and since, the region of Patagonia exercised its mythical pull, and I knew I had to see it for myself.
Chapter Six:
Now where were we? After five incredible days in the Peruvian Andes, we arrive in El Calafate, Argentina, no worse for wear. The airport (Comandante Armando Tola International Airport) is sleek and streamlined, a stone's throw from the icy blue waters of Lago Argentino, and about twenty kilometers east of the city. We began with a three-day/two-night tour of Argentinian Patagonia. The booking included airport transfers, hostel accommodations, some meals, and transportation to/from/around Los Glaciares and Torres del Paine National Parks. Say Hueque worked with us to create a personalized itinerary suited to our geographical, financial, and time constraints. Other than the glacier mini-trek optionally added to our itinerary, our days in Calafate were ours to do as we wished. Upon our arrival, Say Hueque dropped us at Calafate Hostel, just a few short blocks from the downtown area. For the next two days (and a third after a brief Chilean excursion), Calafate would be our home base, serving as both a hub for day tours and a destination in itself. Our hostel featured a private double room with private bathroom. The lodgings also offered a cozy communal space, internet cafe, and solid restaurant.
El Calafate is very quaint. It has the feel of a ski village – souvenir and gear shops, outdoor fireplaces, casino – without the slopes. That afternoon, we walked on a path adjacent to the Laguna Nimez Reserve. A must-see for birders, the nature preserve is home to at least 70 species, and just a short walk from our homebase. In the winter, the edges of the lake freeze, creating a natural ice skating rink. During the summer, if you are lucky, you might witness a flamboyance of flamingos congregating in the waters of Lago Argentino.
On the main strip, Av. del Libertador Gral. San Martín, every other shop sells candy, chocolate or ice cream. My personal favorite, Ovejitas de la Patagonia, featured specialty chocolates (some with white chocolate layered into miniature sheep molds) and ice cream worth screaming over.
A self-proclaimed bibliophile, I had to pay a visit to Borges y Alvarez Libro-Bar also on Libertador. The decor is kitschy (and apparently the food unimpressive), but the book-lined walls and great patio make for an enjoyable happy hour. This far south, just 800 meters north of Tierra del Fuego, you really notice the "midnight" sun. It remained light until nearly 10:30 p.m., giving us permission to day drink well into the night.
Chapter Seven:
Don't let the seasonal assignation of summer fool you, it is still quite brisk in November. Pack for winter and hope for the best. The hostel offered complimentary breakfast each morning, consisting of cereal and milk, biscuits and jam, and coffee, tea and juice. Due to its size and accessibility, the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the major tourist attractions in southern Patagonia. It is less than two hours by bus from El Calafate. Through our Say Hueque booking, we added the glacier mini-trek. We are shuttled from hostel to the glacier. The Los Glaciares National Park entrance fee ($25 USD) is not included, and must be paid in Argentinian pesos. From August to May, the weather is forgiving enough and the ice unforgiving enough that you are permitted to hike directly on the glacier. We are ferried across Lago Argentino to a thin, rocky beach. There is a small way-station with information about the glacier and cubbies to stow personal items. Our sneakers are fitted with crampons. We are briefed on safety protocol and provided with at least one glove to protect our hand, not from the elements but rather the ice, which can be very sharp.
From this beach, we walk directly onto the glacier. We are carefully guided on an exploration of just a fraction of the ice formation's surface, which occupies ninety-seven square miles in total. It is so massive: one of only three Patagonian glaciers that is growing. At one point, our guides seamlessly transition into bartenders, shaving ice from the glacier, pouring whiskey on the rocks. There's also fresh water for you teetotalers.
The ice is impossibly blue. You stare into the deep crevasses that seem to glow an electric blue. There is a warmth in the glow. You could imagine a worst case scenario wherein you slowly drift to sleep in its chilly embrace. The 100-minute trek was over as quick as it began. So it goes. If you have the time and resources, I recommend the longer "big ice" trek. I would have liked to explore that glacier all day, or at least for three to five hours.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. After the mini trek, we re-board the ferry to get another perspective, take advantage of the vantagepoint from the lake's surface. You see the south side, towering an average of 240 feet above the lake. Occasionally, you hear the crack of ice splitting, shifting, breaking off, as the glacier advances. A living breathing thing. Heard but not seen, until one large chunk calves, crashing into the lake below. Across the lake, we disembark and reconvene with our bus. A visitor center at the site features a walking circuit that allows visitors to view the southern flank and the east facing edge of the glacier. From this lookout, it seems impossible to traverse.
It starts to rain, so we snap a few photos then peruse the gift shop shelves and warm up with chocolate caliente in the cafe. It rained during the second half of our tour, but it appeared to have been a nice day in Calafate. That evening, we ate Hawaiian pizza at Casablanca, and returned to our temporary home under the never setting sun, with the feral dogs of Calafate tracking us and our leftovers the entire way.
Your mileage may vary regarding the human impact on the environment, but it would be irresponsible of me not to mention the effect of climate change on Patagonia and its magnificent glaciers. For some time, despite global warming, Perito Moreno was inexplicably growing, taking on ice while the rest of South America's glaciers were shedding. Scientists have posited various theories regarding this phenomenon, but are in agreement that overall Patagonia is still losing huge amounts of ice. In fact, the glaciers in Patagonia are receding at a faster rate than anywhere else in the world.
The other notable city in Los Glaciares National Park is El Chaltén, Argentina. 220 kilometers north of El Calafate and situated at the base of Cerro Torre and Cerro Fitz Roy mountains, it is Argentina's self-proclaimed trekking capital. In fact, Monte Fitz Roy is the basis for the Patagonia clothing logo following Chouinard's ascent in 1968.
Chapter Eight:
Today is a free day in El Calafate. We decided to take an off-road 4×4 Jeep tour of the Patagonian high desert balcony with Calafate Extremo. For me, a day abroad is usually an exercise in meal planning: squeezing in tours and museums between restaurants and food carts, always knowing when and where my next meal is coming from. True to form, we booked with this particular tour company based solely on TripAdvisor reviews praising the inclusive lunch. To this day, I endlessly torment my sister/travel agent, who, upon reading favorable things about the lunch provided by one particular tour, inquired as to the lunch provisions at each and every 4×4 tour company on Libertador. But that doesn't mean it wasn't the best sandwich I ever ate. After driving around for a couple hours, enjoying the views, we met up with other small groups, and our guides sautéed organic, free-range, grass-fed lamb, onions, peppers, all piled high on a fresh french roll. Dixie cups of local red wine were passed. We devoured the provisions sitting on tree stumps outside a little shack in the middle of nowhere. A pack of misfit Anthony Bourdains.
Now I hate to be the bearer of bad news. And, given what I know now, I debated even telling you about the lamb sandwich. But it was such an integral part of my Calafate experience that I couldn't leave it out, despite the heartbreak I felt upon learning that Calafate Extremo appears to no longer be operating, despite the heartbreak I feel sharing that information now. Should you find yourself in Calafate, I pray that I (along with the world wide web) am mistaken. I implore you to find the company formerly known as Calafate Extremo, to make further inquiries at each and every tour company you pass.
Still sated from lunch, we obviously planned our next meal. Pura Vida had great reviews, healthy homemade options, and limited business hours. We finally found it on the far side of town, its lights off and doors closed. Impatient and uninspired, we settled for dinner at our hostel, which was surprisingly delicious. We gorged on grilled steak and fries, gnocchi with alfredo sauce, and a loaf of fresh-baked bread, still piping hot and nearly the size of my head.
Chapter Nine:
Early this morning we checked out of our hostel, and were promptly picked up by a South Road truck for an excursion to Torres del Paine (pronounced pie-nay) National Park in Southern Chilean Patagonia. Torres del Paine (Spanish for Towers of Paine, "paine" being the indigenous word for the color blue) is so named for its three iconic granite towers that loom large in the backdrop. Make sure to bring your passport. You will need to present it at the Argentina/Chile border. You cannot bring fruit or vegetables across the border, so use the long bus ride to get those daily servings of fruit. Argentina and Chile do not require visas for stays less than 90 days. However, citizens from the United States, Australia, and Canada visiting Argentina must pay a reciprocity fee of $160 USD and will have to present the payment receipt at immigration control when entering the country from Chile during the return trip. The fee is valid for 10 years from the date of payment and for multiple entries. It is advisable to keep multiple copies of the receipt, as it must be presented every time you enter Argentina. After the obligatory border crossing rest stop, we continue on to Sarmiento Lake and Laguna Amarga with its breathtaking views of the Torres, weather permitting.
As I mentioned, we were heading directly to TDP from Calafate. For some, the gateway to Torres del Paine is Puerto Natales, Chile. The town is a good place to stock up on supplies and prepare for the trek.
Our bus driver took us on tour of the park's most notable sights, some of which are accessible on the periphery of the park before actually passing through the gates. I eat my bag lunch (another lamb sandwich, a close runner-up) on a little rock overlooking Cascada del Rio Paine, the Torres peaking through the clouds in the distance. We divide our time between busing to various lookout points and stretching our legs with short walks to others, like the rushing waters of Salto Grande.
The park entrance fee of 18,000 chilean pesos (about $38 USD) is discounted for Chilean nationals. In 2010, Torres del Paine was ravaged by an out of control campfire, the effects of which still haunt the park (as evidenced in the charcoal black trees showing no signs of new growth), but do not mar its overall beauty. Our preferred vantage point is Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Paine) as seen from Lake Pehoé. Other than the packs of guanacos (in the llama family), we did not spot much wildlife – until, at one point, I was overwhelmed by all the beauty, and wild horses nearly dragged me away.
For some passengers, this excursion was a day tour, returning to Calafate that evening. We, however, were dropped at the park entrance (Amarga gate) and transferred to another vehicle that would deliver us to our accommodations for the next two nights. Or close enough. We wound up in a van driving some guests of a certain age and a certain means to the beautiful Hotel Las Torres. For one quick second, I lent myself over to the fantasy that I, too, had a room at the inn. Instead, we trekked down the road to Refugio Torre Central. You will need to make reservations in advance. This particular refugio, which houses sixty people in ten coed dormitories each with three sets of bunk beds, was completely sold out during our stay. Each bed ("made up bed" indicates blanket and sheets provided) has accompanying storage bin that locks as long as you remember your padlock. There is another building with additional dorms and campsites also onsite. In November, the refugio network – comprised of several refugios, cabins, campsites, and dome-shaped yurts – is almost solely operated by teenagers on summer vacation. Torre Central has shared restrooms with private showers, lounge areas, a dining room, bar, and shop. My favorite refuge in the refugio featured a wood burning stove, cozy hammock, and the most incredible view of the Torres through its floor to ceiling windows. Breakfast, lunch (or box lunch if you're planning to be gone for the day), and dinner are optional and cost extra. Torre Central accepted credit cards, but sometimes the connection was down. Incidentally, our drinks and snacks were on the house one night, but I would recommend having extra cash on hand to cover food and board. Meanwhile, Hotel Las Torres is a good resource for park tours and transportation. It also grants non-guests access to a comfortable lobby, (untested and expensive) restaurant, spotty wifi, bike and bronco rentals, and nice restrooms.
Chapter Ten:
It is advisable to give yourself a couple extra days, not only to enjoy the sights, but also as a buffer against unexpected inclement weather. It is said that you can spend a week in Torres del Paine, at any time of the year, and end up seeing nothing, so unpredictable is its microclimate. In our case, particularly day one, visibility was as high as our hopes. Low season runs from September to December, March and April. The high season occurs during January and February. Services in and around the park, and tourism as a result, are reduced in the winter from May through August when weather becomes extreme and daylight dwindles to a couple hours a day. Nightly accommodations range from 35 to 305 pesos, depending on category, bedding, meal plans, and season. Campsites are significantly less expensive. Equipment rentals are available. Camping rentals also include use of restrooms and hot showers.
You will no doubt notice the different colors and textures of the granite formations. Glacial erosion is mainly responsible for the sculpting of the Paine massif (eastern spur of the Andes) in the last tens of thousands of years. The Cuernos' central bands of exposed granite contrast strongly with the dark aspect of their tops, which are remnants of a heavily eroded sedimentary layer. In the case of the Torres, what once was their overlying sedimentary rock layer has been completely eroded away, leaving behind the more resistant granite.
Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers (summer's long daylight maximizes outdoor hours); walk the popular "W" route in about five days; or trek the full circle in eight or nine days. The trails are clearly marked, and hikers are forbidden from straying off the beaten path. The "W" circuit, named for the shape of the route, is by far the most popular option. Hikers start and finish at either of the base points of the "W," performing each of the four shoots as a day trip. The entire trek is 71 kilometers. The five points of the W, from west to east, are:
Glacier Grey, a large glacier calving into a lake of the same name. Camping is available next to Refugio Grey.
Refugio Pehoé, situated on Lago Pehoé. This site offers great views of the Cuernos or "horns" of Torres del Paine.
Valle del Francés ("Frenchman's Valley"), often rated as the best scenery in the whole park. The challenging path leads up into a snowy dead-end, where several small glaciers are visible.
Hosteria las Torres, a large hotel at the base of the mountain range that I mentioned before.
The Torres del Paine themselves, large rock formations over a small lake, high in the mountains. Base of the Towers is also a manageable day hike. After a three to four hour ascent through the Asencio river valley and "Lenga" forests you reach the base lookout point with an amazing view of the three towers and glacier lagoon. If you are interested in a day hike, you can stow any extra gear at Refugio Torre Central.
The longer full circuit walk includes all the sights of the "W," but avoids most backtracking by connecting Glacier Grey and the Torres del Paine around the back of the mountain range.
This time around, the "W" circuit was not in the cards. We lacked the gear, know how, and endurance for such an endeavor. This was purely a reconnaissance mission, hedonistic and avoiding heavy lifting. We enjoyed a somewhat rainy day in the park, taking a short day hike, the beginning of which followed the Base of the Torres trail. There is a small kiosk, selling snacks and drinks, located at Hotel Las Torres at the beginning of the trek to Las Torres. Once more, we enjoyed the dinner and nightlife the refugio had to offer.
Chapter Eleven:
We have most of the day in TDP and, unfortunately, all of our luggage, namely carry-on sized backpacks and larger duffel bags. It was too much stuff and a hassle to travel with. I would suggest bringing just a backpack, and leaving larger bags in Calafate or Puerto Natales, if you have the luxury of a reliable hotel/hostel and return trip to pick them up. The only schedule we need to maintain is meeting our bus transfer at the main gate at 4:00 p.m. We are essentially boarding the return trip of the day tour we began two days prior.
There are three main bus stops in the Park: the Park entrance at Laguna Amarga; the Catamaran Dock at Pudeto; and the Conaf Administration Centre. From the Laguna Amarga main entrance, shuttles are available to the Las Torres sector and the terminus of the famous Base of Las Torres trek. There are also daily shuttles operating the reverse route. These shuttles seem to run only a couple times a day and become quite crowded. A wooden sign at the refugio posts the schedule. Boats and buses provide transport between Hosteria las Torres, Refugio Pehoé, and the park entrance at Laguna Amarga. If you entered the park in a different way and want just a one-way return ticket, board any bus with seats available, and pay the conductor directly. The price might vary from minute to minute or from driver to driver. 5,000 chilean pesos is a good place to start the negotiations.
We gather all our belongings and take the early shuttle to the park entrance, with the goal of finding our favorite lagoon from that first day. At Laguna Amarga gate, desperate and confused, we snag seats on a tour bus heading to the catamaran departure point at Lago Pehoé. The catamaran, operated by Hielos Patagónicos, connects Pudeto with Lodge Paine Grande. Tickets are not available for purchase in advance.
Day hikes to the Glacier Grey trail and backpackers taking the "W" or Circuit trails will need to cross Lago Pehoé at some point aboard a catamaran, about a 45-minute ride. The cost is $22 one-way or $36 round-trip. Buses from Puerto Natales are timed to drop off and pick up passengers in conjunction with the catamaran (November 15 to March 15 leaving Pudeto at 9:30 a.m., noon, and 6:00 p.m., and from Pehoé at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.; October 16-30 and March 16-30 from Pudeto at noon and 6:00 p.m., and Pehoé at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; October 1-15 and April, from Pudeto at noon, from Pehoé at 12:30 p.m.; closed May through September).
The winds have picked up along with our resolve. We stash our duffels at the small cafeteria/ticket booth, and set out retracing our steps, the reverse trip from two days ago. We know we are on the right track when we find Salto Grande. We somehow manage to find our favorite spot – the secluded beach with the Cuernos reflected in the crystal blue waters. We had every intention of dipping our toes, and perhaps more, in the lagoon, but it was too cold and windy and we couldn't risk losing our lift back. The lakes are vividly colored, mostly due to rock flour or glacial flour suspended in their waters, making them appear milky.
In an abundance of caution, we returned to the Amarga entrance with hours to spare. There is not much there, other than a guard station and benches minimally covered by an overhang. There is not much to do, other than bundle up, keep from freezing, and wait for our ride. I couldn't be wearing any more clothes.
At last, we board a bus back to El Calafate. After an eventful ride, marked by rain and sleet and snow, we once again check into Calafate Hostel. A bourgeois couple from our 4×4 tour earlier in the week recommended Casimiro Biguá, a steakhouse on the strip. Unforgettably displaying an entire rack of lamb roasting in the window, we had passed the restaurant many times and decided to splurge on our last night. The fried cheese appetizer was obviously amazing. What's not to like? The lamb was tender and accompanied by an array of flavorful sauces. Don Pichon is also supposedly excellent. Visitors flock to Patagonia for the unparalleled beauty and ice formations, but they stay in Calafate for the ice cream and a little lamb. Vegans may go hungry.
Chapter Twelve:
We just have the morning in Calafate. I grab some souvenirs – mostly chocolates for my colleagues. We sample the empanada offerings of a local bakery. We try our damnedest to not ruin our final hours in this beautiful city by contracting rabies from these stray dogs that seem to follow us everywhere. We succeed in this regard. Say Hueque handles our airport transfer. The rest of the day is spent enroute. From Calafate to Buenos Aires to the other airport in Buenos Aires to Lima, finally arriving late that night. See Peru Chapter 13 for details.
Our itinerary had us switching airports in Buenos Aires. We had just over three hours to get from Jorge Newbery to Ezeiza International Airport. Equal to the task, we waited in the long, but quick taxi queue near baggage claim, and made the journey with time to spare. During the drive, I noticed an interesting trend in Buenos Aires, wherein groups of families and friends would picnic on the large stretches of lawn along the highway. They excitedly unpacked coolers and grills, futbols and boomboxes, setting up chairs, tables, and umbrellas in the enclosed circular fields of on and off ramps. I guess it was as good a place as any to enjoy a lazy afternoon.
The other funny thing about South America was airport security. Other than my discovered horseshoe being disallowed in my carry-on, we did not have any issues with security. However, I was endlessly amused by the clear plastic box of "weapons" confiscated at the checkpoint. Just who are these passengers that think they can travel with scissors, box cutters, X-Acto knives with replacement blades? I think I even spotted a power drill in there. Puzzled by this high stakes game of "I Spy," I take comfort knowing that the security officers and metal detectors are working hard, not hardly working.
Memories are unreliable. They change with time and perspective. The good ones remain vivid and idealized, while the bad tend to lose their luster. Otherwise, we might never be doomed or blessed to repeat the past. As your unreliable narrator (with unpredictable mood swings), I will gloss over the more unflattering anecdotes of my travels. My meltdown at the Buenos Aires' airport will remain a mystery.
The empty pages of my travel journals and bare-bones blog may be misleading, but I have traveled fairly extensively prior to Patagonia and since. And I still believe, pound for pound, square mile for square mile, Torres del Paine is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. With its colors, scale, biodiversity, and grandeur, few places can compete. Now that I consider myself a trekker, in the least hardcore, most glamorous sense of the word, I am eager to return and attempt the "W" circuit. When I do, you will be the first to know.
see, travel
6. The American President (1995)
@mad_miller
Jun 11 National Parks | June 2014
Nov 1 Peru | November 2013
Aug 8 Cuba | August 2016
Aug 10 Iceland | August 2015


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Denis Haack
Principal/Director
Denis holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (summa cum laude) from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. He studied at the Universities of Minnesota and New Mexico, and at L'Abri Fellowship with Francis Schaeffer.
He is the editor of Critique, a bi-monthly publication, author of The Rest of Success: What the World Didn't Tell You About Having It All (1989), and blogs at A Glass Darkly. He lectures on Christianity, culture and Christian faithfulness when invited at L'Abri conferences, public venues, church conferences and is visiting instructor in film and theology at Covenant Seminary. He is working on two books, one on Christian faithfulness in a pluralistic world and the other on learning to hear.
After a few years of living in a Christian commune (yes, that's right, they were hippies), he staffed a church as a youth pastor and was recruited by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship where he eventually became area director of New Mexico and Arizona. With Margie he began Ransom in 1983 with the desire to help Christians not react to modern culture but to engage it creatively and intelligently with the gospel.
Favorite addiction: English Black Tea by Yorkshire Gold and Bulleit bourbon.
Favorite hobby: Book collecting.
For little-known facts about Denis (that he might prefer you not know) and the beginning of Ransom, see the interview below.
Denis Haack "The Interview"
(An interview conceived, prepared, and written by Margie who knows Denis well enough to answer all the questions for him. Which she did.)
Margie Haack (MH): Let's start with: how did Ransom Fellowship begin?
Denis (DH): Ransom was an idea that germinated while I was on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a ministry to college students. IV was very keen on a particular Bible study method which I found helpful for myself and for students. I began to see that in the same way we studied Scripture through asking questions—such as what is being said in this passage, what does it mean, and then what do we do about it—that we could use the same ideas when we engaged in the culture around us. When we saw a movie, attended a concert, or just read a journal article from our trade or profession we didn't need to simply react or merely let it happen, we could think about it.
When I began showing movies followed by discussions with groups of students we began by asking ourselves if we were really listening to what was being said. Or were we just reacting according to a certain party line? Were we putting our minds on idle and merely being entertained? As I began to see and hear more carefully and not just to be entertained or to react, it led us to a deeper understanding of cultural issues and often that led to a purely natural opening for conversation with the people around us. Films, for example were often asking significant questions about life, death, and meaning, and it was right in front of our faces. We also found that watching a film in our living room became an inviting setting for our non-Christian friends.
The more we did this with students, the more our friends said, hey, please consider not limiting this to the campus, but come and do it with us, in our home, or with our church, or with our small group, etc. Eventually we went part-time with InterVarsity and began to work locally with individuals and groups of people. That soon evolved into a full-time ministry which we called Ransom Fellowship.
MH: Where did the name "Ransom Fellowship" originate?
DH: In 1983 when we were about to incorporate as a non-profit organization we realized we needed a name that would represent us. We liked the word ransom because it is richly layered and very meaningful to a Christian. When Christ came, Scripture says he gave himself as a ransom for many. We are part of God's ransomed people, and by his grace we hoped our ministry could involve some of that Holy Spirit process of ransoming—of helping to equip and call people to himself.
The other source of the word comes from C.S. Lewis. In Out of the Silent Planet, the first book of his space trilogy, the main character is a man named Ransom. Although he is very human and at times imperfect, he becomes a type of redeemer or savior. He was also a man who learned that understanding the times in which he lived was a matter of life and death. We too feel it is of paramount importance for Christians to be discerning about the times and the culture in which we live or we will not be able to authentically and winsomely communicate the gospel.
MH: How did you end up in Rochester, MN?
DH: Both my wife and I are from Minnesota. That is, she is native, I was sort of a transplant via Massachusetts and the Philippine Islands where my parents were missionaries. After our marriage we ended up living in Albuquerque, NM, for twelve years. As time went on we felt it was important to be closer to extended family, especially for the sake of our children, so we moved back to Minnesota in 1981.
But there was another reason, as well. I had always wanted to study at L'Abri. We owe a great spiritual debt to Francis and Edith Schaeffer. At the time it didn't seem possible for me to study at the Swiss L'Abri, however, we learned that Dr. Schaeffer was being treated for lymphoma at the Mayo Clinic which was located in Rochester, Minnesota. L'Abri began a branch there which gave us the chance to be students while living in our own home and working at the same time. Often I was the only student around and I felt as if I were privately tutored by him. It was my privilege to get to know him and study with him until his death in 1984.
MH: Did your background prepare you for a ministry that emphasizes cultural engagement and discernment?
DH: First let me say that, contrary to what some might think, people cannot live without some sort of cultural engagement. Culture is intrinsic to the human community. So no matter how some may try to isolate themselves or their children from any kind of engagement, it isn't really possible. As Tom Beaudoin writes in his book Virtual Faith—particularly for the current generation—"popular culture is part of the very air we breathe, it is the amniotic fluid which nurtured us." The question is how, as Christians, are we to be discerning about it in a way that does not deny our humanity and yet glorifies God? As we watch a movie, read a novel, listen to music, or attend an art show, we should be asking: what does this reveal to us about the nature of reality? About the transcendent? Or morality? And how does it line up with what we know to be true? Things like that.
MH: Did you answer my question?
DH: No, uh, I guess I didn't. And no, on the surface it didn't prepare me. On the other hand I believe in God's providence—that by it He equips us for our calling in life, so nothing is wasted. I was raised in an isolated corner of fundamentalism where I was taught that the Bible was sufficient for all things. In a sense that is true and I am thankful for the amount of memorization and knowledge I was required to profess, but, of course, simple knowledge is not enough to ransom us. [grins]
Culture was seen as the enemy and it was worldly to be involved in it any more than you had to be. For example, one might need a college course which required that you know the French Impressionists, but all you did was learn the facts for test purposes so you could get out of there and onto the more important things in life such as reading the Bible and witnessing. We were in constant retreat from the world.
MH: Did you lead a sheltered life while growing up?
DH: That would be me. For three reasons. One, our isolation was deepened because our church did not recognize other Christians as being genuine. Two, my parents were missionaries to the P.I. which had built-in isolation for me. And three, I was an introverted, geeky kid. That did not predispose me to breaking out.
MH: So how did you go from argyle socks and the King James Bible to teaching a seminary course on Film and Theology? You seem pretty cool now.
DH: My wife had a lot to do with this. We pretty much made the whole journey together and she has always been more comfortable with change and risks. I don't think I could have done it without her. [MH preens.]
MH: Does she make you wear that necklace? Do you have a tatoo? What translation of the Bible do you use?
DH: [Raises eyebrows and does not answer.]
MH: Well, then. Risks. What happened to your faith during college?
DH: College precipitated a crisis of faith. I was attending the University of Minnesota as a science major, but needed some liberal arts credits to complete my requirements. I took an art history class and remember sitting in the darkened auditorium looking at a slide of abstract art by Miro, hearing the prof explain what the artist was doing and I thought, this is creative, beautiful, meaningful, and painted by someone on his way to hell and I should not be appreciating it. The only art I had grown up with were framed Scripture verses embellished with vines and flowers. The more I opened my eyes, all around me creation, art, music, beauty leapt to life. Within my narrow religious framework there was no place to put these things because they were not essential to the gospel. In fact they were distractions from what was important.
That was where the crack began, and it wasn't until someone gave me a copy of Francis Schaeffer's The God Who is There that I again became hopeful that Christianity might have some universal relevance to life. Eventually I was able to affirm orthodox Christianity and I learned the joy of knowing Christ is Lord over all of life. So in relation to popular culture, his Lordship means we will find moments of common grace and traces of the image of God even in the midst of a very broken and sinful world. This was, well, it was breathtaking to me.
MH: How did you meet Margie?
DH: We were both taking the same chemistry class at the same time. In retrospect it was part of God's timing and providence because there were hundreds of students taking the same course in many different sections. She always sat down front taking notes, near where I sat. As we talked, I learned she was a Christian and I tried to recruit her for my church's student group, but she thought I was asking her for a date. When she said yes and then later learned I arranged for this married guy to pick her up and take her to an event she was mad. To put it mildly. But I think she was probably embarrassed by the misunderstanding.
MH: Misunderstanding? I guess you didn't have a lot of finesse?
DH: I was doing my job.
MH: [Shrieks] Well, WHY didn't you tell me that in the first place?
DH: Because it didn't OCCUR to me! [Looks around nervously for an exit.]
MH: [Clears Throat] So you got off to a bit of a rocky start?
DH: Yes. But she was intelligent, attractive, athletic, a kind of 60's Sidney Bristow and what began as a slow burn ended up as a lifetime love.
MH: [Looks mollified.] Tell us what difference your partnership has made to your ministry?
DH: As Christians we may have all the right theology, the right questions, the defensible answers, but unless we have a place of safety and warmth in which to have relationships with real people, we won't be very effective. Our desire has been to make our home a place of interest and beauty where people could come and know that any sort of question or topic could be addressed. An intimate place where we share needs, music, conversation, and allow the power of God to be demonstrated in ordinary everyday ways. We feel that hospitality is more and more necessary to reach this current generation as an antidote to the brokenness and alienation so many have experienced. This has been integral to our calling and ministry. And it seems that together our gifts combine to make this more possible.
MH: Speaking of gifts, are you musical?
DH: [looks suspicious] No. I play CDs and DVDs.
MH: Didn't you once own an electric guitar?
DH: Where is this going?
MH: I'm asking the questions. Where did you get it?
DH: I traded it. [Long pause.] For our couch and an easy chair.
MH: Didn't you throw in our electric knife for good measure?
DH: You never used it. [Groans.] That was a long time ago.
MH: Well, did you learn to play it?
DH: No. Not really. I think I learned a couple of chords.
MH: Did you learn "Stairway to Heaven"?
DH: No!! I thought maybe I could lead choruses with it.
MH: With "Stairway to Heaven"?!
MH: And why were you getting rid of the couch and chair?
DH: Look. I don't think I have to answer that.
MH: But people will want to know.
DH: [Deep sigh.] Okay. The short story is that when I reached my lowest point of doubt and it seemed Christianity was a lost cause, I thought I would give it one last go before giving it up and becoming a hedonist. At that time I came across the Scripture verse that says except you sell all you have and give it away you cannot be my disciple. I decided we ought to try that. Give it all up and see what came of it. I told Margie about it and asked her if she would do this with me. We'd only been married for a year, but we had all this stuff, wedding gifts and things. A car that was paid for.
MH: What was her response?
DH: She wasn't too happy at first. She said she'd pray about it over night.
MH: [Interrupting] Yeah. I cried all night. I was sort of in shock. I mean, I wanted you to love God and to serve him and all. And I had been praying for that, but this was pretty radical. Because when you first said "I found this verse and I want us to do what it says," I was so eager and self-righteous. I thought I was ready for anything. That night I had, oh, I guess it was a sort of epiphany. Not audible, but certainly in spirit I knew God was saying, "You weren't expecting this as an answer to your prayers, were you? I want you to trust me through this."
DH: And by the next morning you started planning a garage sale. We sold everything, our wedding gifts, our car, gave the money away, and joined an evangelistic team that worked in inner cities. The couch and chair was left over from the sale, and I thought the guitar might help our team.
MH: My consolation for our asceticism was a double sleeping bag so we could sleep together on the floors of church basements as we traveled.
[MH Laughs. DH looks pained]
DH: The thing is, we ended up in Albuquerque where we joined a Christian commune. God's kindness and care has been evident throughout our lives, but in looking back we can see how those strange times especially prepared us for the direction our ministry would take with Ransom. Involvement with popular culture continues to give us windows of insight into the postmodern generation. It can also give moments truth and grace which allow us to connect and to share the gospel.
MH: And your living room? Is it still bare?
DH: [Laughs] Not at all. What amazes us is how much of what we had was given back to us in one form or another. Not that we expected it. My reading of that text of Scripture is more nuanced now, at the same time my ignorance and immaturity back then did not stop God's work in our lives. And I'm really thankful for that.
MH: You mentioned children earlier. How many do you have?
DH: Three. Two daughters and a son who are, as of this year, grown and gone. But not far. Our daughter Marsena is married to Daniel and lives in Chattanooga, TN. She's a writer, a novelist with her first one published as A Dark Oval Stone and currently works on film scripts. Jerem married Micah in November 2002 and lives near Warroad, MN. He works for Marvin Windows and cannot believe he has found someone as delightful as Micah to share his life. (They are way too cute together.) They have four children. Anson, Paige, Ava Lou and Milo – who was a little surpise after a five year gap. A pleasant surprise. Sember, our youngest, has five children which keeps her plenty busy. She also lives in Chattanooga, TN
MH: Has being a father affected your life or ministry? As if it wouldn't!
DH: Next to my wife, our children have been most influential in shaping my life, my character, my walk with God. Without them I would be more arrogant, completely impatient as opposed to somewhat, far less trusting of God, less tolerant, and less aware of what the "burning issues" are for postmoderns. They have been a source of both painful growth and inexpressible joy. I cannot explain why they seem to love me in spite of my failures as a parent, but I am thankful. The other joy of having been a father is our grandchildren. There is hardly anything I would not do for them. I have often told my wife that it would be a wonderful trick to just go directly to grand-parenting. So, yes, I think being a father has had the net effect of making me more compassionate and more authentic person. They've helped keep me anchored in the real world.
[MH nods in agreement.]
Margie Haack
Principal/Co-director
Margie is author of Letters from the House Between (formerly Notes from Toad Hall) a four-times-annual publication that includes personal reflections and a ministry update for Ransom Fellowship. She has been a featured speaker at various conferences and retreats on topics ranging from the providence of God in suffering to the cultural significance of tattooing. The subject that most intrigues and challenges her is what is required for us to be faithful in ordinary, everyday life.
She is the author of The Exact Place a childhood memoir of coming to faith, and God in the Sink a collection of essays taken from her publication Notes From Toad Hall. They highlight the many ways we find ourselves facing life with all its challenges, humor, suffering, and sacredness.
She's now grateful she didn't pursue medicine, as she had one day hoped, because she is more interested in and more skilled at the art of writing and hospitality, which involves but isn't limited to comfort food, painting every room a vibrant color, and gathering pieces of eclectic furniture that invite you in and enjoin you to sit down and rest awhile.
Favorite addiction: coffee.
Favorite hobbies: Yarn bombing. Collecting mushrooms and guessing which ones would kill you if you ate them.
For all who want to punish themselves by learning more: below there's an interview of Margie by Margie.
Margie Haack "The Interview"
(An interview conceived, written and answered by Margie who thinks she knows herself well enough to be honest with hardly any exaggeration or irony.)
Where I grew up, here in Minnesota, we were taught that being quiet and shy was a virtue, not a problem for your therapist. If I ventured to mention the blue ribbon I won at the county fair for barrel racing even though there were only two other entries, my father would tell me to get over myself. It is difficult to get over your heritage, but the manager of our website says I must. So I am trying to think of anything I have done or said that might be worthy of being co-director of Ransom Fellowship for twenty some years. I can't think of much except that it is evidence of God's great grace, and that I married the other co-director and for years there wasn't anyone around to help him seal envelopes and take them to the post office. I collect and identify mushrooms, but some people have said what does that have to do with anything? I would agree, but when you look close you see that God made them strange and beautiful and they make you want to identify The Destroying Angel in case you were ever tempted to eat one….
In any case, in spite of my tendency to run down rabbit holes, here is my self-interview:
Q: So. Where were you born?
MH: In Warroad, MN, which is a very small town on the Canadian border. My mother was a seventeen year old widow at the time. We have always joked that we'd be in a nursing home together.
Q: And where did you grow up, then?
MH: Oh, up there. It's pretty remote. Kind of a cross between a Twilight Zone swamp and the forests of The Lord of the Rings. But I got out. [Smirks.]
Q: How?
MH: I went to the University of Minnesota on a scholarship and majored in pre-med. [Looks smug.]
Q: Does that mean you're a doctor?
MH: Well, no. I met my future husband while at school and he was having a very bad experience living with a medical person. You see, his parents were missionaries in the Philippines and he had been left behind with a family from his church and the mother who was a nurse had a tiny problem with germs and such. Everything was covered with plastic sheeting. There's more, but I can't say it. It left Denis wary of medicine and the people in it, so he didn't want anything to do with the profession as a whole. Of course, we now know how unfair this was. And possibly not mature. But there I was and he loved me and I loved him quite madly and one of us had to give something up. So I said, awww, who wants to study for m-cats anyway? I also wasn't doing so good in organic chem.
Q: Did this decision to leave your studies and hook up with, er, marry Denis ever come back to haunt you, that is did you have any regrets?
MH: You bet I did. Every mother who has several babies in diapers, a husband who works long hours in a calling he loves, one family vehicle, and no money has second thoughts. Around then I became a feminist for a couple of years. I was really mad. [Furrows brows and looks grim.] I was very influenced by both Francis and Edith Schaeffer's writings—Mrs. Schaeffer modeled something wonderful as she understood how important beauty and creativity are to the making of a home. At the time it was revolutionary among evangelicals. She helped me see that the intimacy and nourishment of even a simple meal can make all the difference for someone who is hungry for God. Not only for friends and visitors, but for one's own family. I was able, without guilt, to go from Melmac (plastic dishes) and paper plates to pottery and china. That was a small thing in a way, but it represented moving from a throw-away, impersonal kind of culture to one that valued beauty, thoughtfulness, time spent together that says: as another human being, you mean something to me and are worth this effort because you are made in the image of the Creator God.
BUT then I went through this time where I was extremely nasty to Denis because he seemed to get to do all the fun things and I was sick of serving the tea and the tea-cakes and changing diapers while he sat in the living room engaging with people while pearls of wisdom dropped from his lips. I began to think about how much more fulfilled I would be if I had gone into medicine. And then I would have had money, too. You can see where all this might lead. He could not ask the smallest thing of me during that time because I completely unloaded on him. We did a lot of arguing and had a lot to learn. What finally got through to me was a simple passage from Matt 20:26-28 "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." And then in John 13 where Jesus washed the Disciples feet, he asks them point blank: "Do you understand what I have done? Do you?" I had to answer, yes I do understand. And it pierced me to suddenly realize how very, very destructive my attitude was. There were just no excuses against or around what God calls each and every one of us to do in our everyday lives. I'm not only saying women here, but men, too. I simply could not argue that I was the one exception to this calling and could not ignore that Jesus expected me to follow his example in all things including in my marriage. It was hard to give up that anger. I still work at it. Both of us grew through this time. Denis became more helpful, too. Later as we came to know more and more physicians, I began to see I never would have made it through the punishing schedule they must keep. I wasn't that driven. Or disciplined? And it became obvious that my interests lay much more in arts and culture.
Q: So let's get back to Ransom Fellowship. Exactly what do you do for Ransom?
Well, Ransom has always been a lot about who we are or what we do in our home. Our home—Toad Hall—has been a place where people have come to stay, to talk, to eat, even to do something that is more and more needed today and that is to sleep or to rest. It has been important to us that our home reflect something of creativity and beauty, that you should be able to walk in and say "I could sit down and feel comfortable here, I could read a book, or I could talk about something very personal and important because I feel safe." This atmosphere depends on what you do with things like color, art, and space, and how you put it all together. It has less to do with how much you spend on furniture (ours is eclectic and some of it is shabby) and decorating than it has to do with a certain dimension of humanness or perhaps of proportion. So throughout our years in ministry we have had people in for Bible study, discussions, play readings, music, movies, and meals. And much to our delight we've been able to feed people both physically and spiritually and in serving, we ourselves have been blessed many times over.
In addition to being a fallen domestic goddess, I write and sometimes lecture. I put out Notes From Toad Hall (in 2015 we moved to a different home so I now write Letters from The House Between) four times a year with the help of a managing editor. I sometimes write essays for other publications and have published The Exact Place a memoir about my childhood and God in the Sink, a collection of essays. Writing is hard work for me and I often feel like a cat we once owned who needed a daily dose of medicine. We had to wrap her in a towel to immobilize her—that didn't stop her from trying to bite us—then we had to force the pill between her clenched jaws and stroke her throat until she swallowed it. I feel akin to her; God makes me swallow this pill of writing and has even wrapped me in a sort of towel which has curtailed a lot of my activities.
Q: Do you have a favorite lecture?
MH: How did you know I wanted to answer that question? Yes, I do. I really enjoyed one I prepared titled "Piercing the Tattooed Generation." I love this generation. Getting to know them and understanding the issues they face has been watershed for me. They are full of the deepest griefs, some of the wildest humor, and most profound joys I have known. Knowing them is critical to the church if we are going to have any sort of significant dialogue regarding Jesus. And okay, I confess that I also like it when someone comes up afterwards to show me their tattoos which, of course, you wouldn't necessarily know they had because they're hidden under clothing.
Q: Umm, let's get back to some of the more basic details of your life. Like do you have any children?
MH: Three. Marsena is married to Daniel. She was our first child and was so compliant and easy to discipline some of our friends decided they would have children after all because she appeared so perfect. Denis and I thought it was due to our wonderful godly parenting and he even taught a Sunday School series on "How to Raise Children." Then God gave us two more children who were far more normal, meaning they were more challenging at times and had a knack for engaging our dark sides. Now Denis wishes like anything he could find the tapes of that Sunday School and destroy them all. Our son, Jerem, lives in northern Minnesota having returned to his mother's roots, and is married to Micah and has four children of his own, having weathered his growing up years and post adolescence very nicely. Our youngest, Sember, is a lovely woman with five great kids. There is no doubt that Jerem and Sember were gifts from God for many reasons. But, distinctly, one of them was to keep us from becoming insufferable prigs. For that reason and for many others we love them.
Q: What's it like to be in ministry with the same person for so many years, to be married to the same guy, to have your offices in the same building, and do all the same things together? [His office is on the second floor right above hers and both look out on a wooded ravine so they can notify one another when wildlife comes into view with: "Deer! On your left!"]
MH: I know. It's weird. [She laughs.] But we still like each other. Sure there are times. I'm glad to mention them when appropriate. We make each other laugh a lot. I admire and respect him. As we have partnered together over the years, he has encouraged me and been my best advocate for developing my particular gifts. He has never acted as though I were competing with him or somehow eclipsing him. I am far more competitive than he so that has been a remarkable model for me. We have learned to appreciate and rely on one another's gifts not just in our ministry, but when it comes to family matters, decisions about finances, and the household. We usually defer to one another or come to an agreement. So, yes, we do a lot together and some people think it is sick and boring, but we like it most of the time. And, oh by the way, so you don't think we are completely pathologic, we can function quite well apart and have distinct hair styles. (Please see photos.)
Q: Do you have an accent, being from Minna-soda?
MH: I hide it. If I don't, people think I starred as myself (Marge, the county sheriff) in the movie Fargo. This pains me.
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
MH: Lay around? I have a, like, it's a carved oak wooden post, quite heavy, about two and a half feet tall. It's flat on top and just right for a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea. I like to drag it up close to the couch so that when I am lying down I can reach out and grab it, and I have a crossword puzzle, the latest seed catalog, and whatever book I'm reading, like right now it's a collection of short stories by Robert Olen Butler. When feeling more active I like to collect mushrooms and identify them. My favorite is Fly Agaric, the bright orange toadstool that looks like it dropped out of a fairytale. It's poisonous and slightly hallucinogenic. I'm not tempted.
Q: So finally, do you ever read your Bible?
Everyday. Well. Almost. Umm, sometimes. (Please see The Bible Reading Program for Shirkers and Slackers from Notes From Toad Hall, Still Winter, 2002)
Q: You didn't have to answer that. Remember? You're the one asking the questions.
[Silence.]


text:
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Home » African » PMB's 100 Days In Office-Joe Onwukeme
PMB's 100 Days In Office-Joe Onwukeme
In African
As We Approach PMB's 100 Days In Office.
Every journey starts with a single step and every presidency begins with the first 100 days in office and every presidents' 100 days in office is very vital in it's government. Albeit success in the first 100 days, however, has never meant a guarantee of success later nor have early difficulties necessarily doomed a presidency to failure. A president's first 100 days in office lays a foundation of how it's government would be run before the end of it's tenure. Like the early returns on election night, the first 100 days is always a subject of great interest and speculation. But should also be viewed with skepticism, prudence and caution.
President Buhari's first 100 days in office will in a few days time be a subject of review by majority Nigerians, who in the not too distant past, overwhelmingly said no to the former ruling party PDP that held Nigeria by the scrotum for 16 unbroken years.
President Buhari, who after he was inaugurated was confronted with an early difficulty as a result of extreme profligacy of previous permissive governments that left our nation on the throes of demise.
Mr. President, a man reputed for his disdain for corruption has set the ball rolling by running an open government which to a reasonable extent, is a clear departure from what was obtained in the past.
In every fora, he has been creating a result-oriented awareness targeted at instituting justice against all those who in their gluttonous accumulation of wealth left our nation in a near-comatose state.
Though many are increasingly of the opinion that president Buhari is very slow, It takes the discerning to understand that Mr. President is not a magician and will not change the misfortunes that has befallen us in 100 days in office. He has started on a slow but steady path with clear emphasis on curbing insecurity and corruption.
To show his committment in curbing excesses in government, President Buhari, along side his vice president, Prof. Osibanjo, began by fulfilling one of their main campaign promises, by slashing their annual income by half immediately they were inaugurated.
While I strongly disagree with those who are of the opinion that PMB is grappling with hang over of dictatorship, citing his delay in constituting it's cabinet. PMB should understand that time waits for no one in his search for saints to make up his cabinet.
President Buhari's last week's appointments into his cabinet has worsend the already generated tension over his continued neglect of some sections of the country in his appointments which ran contrary to chapter II section 14(3) of the 1999 constitution that stipulates — (3) The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few state or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.
One of Mr. President's media aides has come out to deny the news making the rounds in both conventional and internet media that PMB, through his appointments so far, is more of a sectional than a national president and would ensure all sections of the country will be considered in his government.
Nobody is disputing the fact that all sections of the country will be considered, but what consideration are we talking about when nobody from a particular region is among the top 10 sensitive positions at the national level?
If truly, those appointed were based on competence and credibility, does it mean that in his almost 100 days in office, he didn't or yet to find anyone, including "technocrats" from the South-east region credible and qualified for appointments?
Howbeit, let us not rule out the fact he's gradually restoring sanity in our political space and some of those challenges we thought are impossible a task to sanitize are being tackled head on.
EFCC, our anti-corruption agency that was redundant, inactive and alleged to be embroiled in monumental corruption in the recent past has suddenly woken up from it's slumber and is now knocking on the doors of known politicians and their cohorts who in the past missaproppriated public funds.Our moribund refineries which past governments, either by default or design never thought it necessary to repair and ensure they worked at maximum capacity is becoming a reality. Steady power supply which has been an impossible a task in our nation is having a face lift and so far electricity supply all over the country has risen to an unprecedented height. Unlike what was obtained in the last few months of the past administration, Mr president has never sought for loan to pay it's work force and has been consistent in the payment of workers' salaries since he was inaugurated.
It is gratifying to note also that in less than 100 days of president Buhari in office, even with the decline in the sale of crude oil in the global market, Nigeria has been able to save trillions of naira from the sale of crude oil alone.
Above all, PMB, as a repentant and elected democrat should be cognizance of the fact that, no immunity will shield him from public odium if he and his yet to be constituted cabinet does not initiate other radical reforms and policies that would rescue this nation from it's accumulated and hydra headed problems.
Joe Onwukeme
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System Ndimkora on PETITION TO ARREST AND PROSECUTE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI OF NIGERIA FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES.
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Desert Herald
SAHARATV


text:
NGC 970 (również PGC 9786) – galaktyka spiralna (S), znajdująca się w gwiazdozbiorze Trójkąta. Odkrył ją 14 września 1850 roku Bindon Stoney – asystent Williama Parsonsa. Tuż obok na niebie widoczna jest galaktyka J023410.7+325832, jednak nie wiadomo, czy istnieje między nimi związek fizyczny.

Zobacz też
 Lista obiektów NGC

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

0970
Galaktyki spiralne
Gwiazdozbiór Trójkąta
Obiekty astronomiczne odkryte w 1850


This unit is being rebuilt by the condo association.New walls, (concrete blocks/ poured concrete headers ), brand new roof, new hurricane impact resistant sliders, new doors. new electrical system and plumbing systems.New owner will be responsible for the finished product: flooring, painting, cabinetry and mill work, plumbing fixtures, AC units.The new owner will benefit from having a much stronger structure that the original units built 40+ years ago.Note: owner includes in the sale the contents of a container where he stored the old granite countertops and other items salvaged from the unit, if buyers is interested in such.
I found this listing at 311u Lovenlund Gns, St. Thomas, , 00802 and would like more information. Thank you.
Hi, Check out this property I found on Sea Glass Properties: 311u Lovenlund Gns, MLS #19-574.


text:
Opegrapha umbellulariae är en lavart som beskrevs av Zahlbr. Opegrapha umbellulariae ingår i släktet Opegrapha och familjen Roccellaceae.   Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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umbellulariae