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History of EEASA
SAJEE
EEASA 2023
EEASA 2023 Abstract Submission
EEASA 2022 Namibia
ESD Resource Sharing
Homewriter2022-12-06T11:30:17+00:00
Welcome to EEASA
The Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa is a voluntary membership based multi-sectoral and multi-organisational association of educators, researchers, policy makers, students and practitioners. The day to day running of the Association is run by a voluntary elected Council, and administered by a secretariat. It is open to all who engage with the relationship between the environment and social processes including politics, economy and development.
The Association has been an integral part of the sub-regional evolvement from nature studies, to environmental education, education for sustainable development and its various manifestations, e.g. green economy. EEASA drew on the pioneering role in the practice of environmental education played by other NGOs including the Kalahari Conservation Society in Botswana, the Wilderness Leadership School, the Wildlife Society of South Africa, and the Mlilwane Trust in Swaziland.
Become a member of EEASA
EEASA News
Thank You EEASA Family
The Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA), is an organisation with a proud past and an exciting future. I believe we've learnt and grown and we will be stronger and more resilient than ever as a community. Thank you for your continued support and commitment.
Thank you for being a valued EEASA member and part of our EEASA family. The EEASA community adds value in so many ways; value arising from the rich interconnected web of perspectives and experiences which offers insight, guidance and inspiration to many of us during these trying times. A sincere thank you to each and every EEASA member (from Southern Africa and much further afield) for your continued support and participation. Just as a healthy eco-system thrives on diversity so we must endeavour to celebrate, protect and expand the diversity of our community. Let 2023 be a year of Hope and Inspiration.
Click here to view EEASA 2022 Newsletter for a note from the EEASA President and read more about Global Citizenship Education, the ESD Regional Strategic framework and more.
Education in Times of Climate Change
The seventh edition of NORRAG Special Issue (NSI), released in October 2022, is entitled "Education in Times of Climate Change." Climate change is not a new issue for education, but new levels of consensus and concern are emerging, suggesting that new policy developments may follow.
This NORRAG Special Issue (NSI 07) addresses the question of how education is to equip learners to participate in climate action that would fundamentally disrupt existing problematic systems. NSI 07 showcases what is currently being done to close the gap between the potential of education to contribute to more a sustainable and just world and the experiences of those in education.
This NSI has the potential to inform pedagogical praxis, co-learning, curriculum, climate action, policy formulation, frameworks for evaluating success, resourcing decisions and what we might consider educative acts for engaging with climate change and its multi dimensional uncertainties, risks and opportunities.
NSI 07 is guest-edited by Distinguished Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka and Professor Eureta Rosenberg, Environmental Learning Research Centre Rhodes University, South Africa. The 28 articles in the issue are divided into eight parts:
Part 1 draws lessons across disciplines, issues and contexts.
Part 2 addresses ways in which we can expand learning and agency across boundaries from three different continents.
Part 3 goes beyond formal schooling to offer lessons in building transformative learning, activism and relations.
Part 4 leads the reader past western, rational, techno-scientific ways of knowing to engage diverse knowledges in climate change responses.
Parts 5 and 6 challenge the reader to listen to and engage with young people and children's views and voices in climate action.
Part 7 focuses on higher education responses.
Part 8 concludes the NSI by considering other places and spaces relevant to education for sustainable and just futures
National Wetlands Indaba 2022
Wetlands Action for People and Nature
The National Wetlands Indaba for 2022 is taking place from Monday 24 October to Thursday 27 October 2022 at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the beautiful province of the Free State in South Africa.
The Indaba will be hosted by the Free State Wetland Forum (FSWF) and supported by the SA Wetland Society.
Be part of an event that celebrates the Ramsar World Wetlands Day theme for 2022 of Wetlands Action for People and Nature, through invited keynote speakers, plenary sessions, presentations, workshops, discussions and training events.
To submit an abstract click here.
Engaging 'Green TVET' in the SST Course with EEASA President, Dr Presha Ramsarup
In a recent Alumni Feature webinar in the SST course, Dr Presha Ramsarup, Director of the University of Witwatersrand Centre for Researching Education and Labour, and President of the Environmental Education Association of southern Africa (EEASA), offered further interesting guidance to TVET educators in taking up this challenge.
Dr Ramsarup clarified that while there was a need to focus on production, TVET should move beyond a productivist only lens, and give attention to issues of sustainable livelihoods and the common good (e.g. water resources and climate change). She noted that "TVET in the global South has generally been disconnected from the environment", with the result that TVET "uncritically mirrors the dominant logic of mainstream industry", which has a history of environmental damage (e.g. water pollution, advancing extractivism, and contributing to climate change). To read further please visit the SST website.
Transforming teacher education policy and practice for sustainable development in Southern Africa: Sustainability Starts with Teachers
UNESCO's Regional Office for Southern Africa are happy to announce that the NEW website on Education for Sustainable Development for teachers and teacher educators in the Southern African region is NOW LIVE!
The portal kicks off at time UNESCO and partners are working on fostering distance education to ensure learning never stops in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The website provides course materials, news, stories of change, policy briefs and an interactive learning space, developed under the Capacity Building Programme for Teacher Educators on Education for Sustainable Development called, "Sustainability Starts with Teachers". The web portal was developed in partnership with Rhodes University and will support the upcoming online Sustainability Starts with Teachers regional course to be launched in September 2020. Go to the Sustainability Starts with Teachers website for more information.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN A TIME OF CRISES
Please write for the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education. We are launching a 2020 Special Edition on EE in a time of crises: Insights for and from environmental education scholars. What do environmental education scholars make of the Covid19 pandemic and the reactions to it? What does it mean for our practice? For whom and how and what we teach, and research? To find the call details, click here.
Publications: The publication teams have produced another set of publications. These include the EE Bulletin issue 43; EE Bulletin issue 44 and the Southern African Journal of EE Vol 34 (2018). The journal is now available on Africa Journal Online (AJOL). To see articles and previous volumes, click here. For more information on EE Bulletins click here.
Some Achievements
Albeit being a voluntary organisation some of the accomplishments include the voluntary hosting of the EEASA annual conferences by countries in the region including the 4th World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) that was hosted in South Africa; developing and publishing various publications including monographs, bulletins as well as the accredited annual Southern African Journal of Environmental Education (SAJEE); and contributing to the inception and development of major regional Environmental Education /Education for Sustainable Development projects that have become stand-alone programmes such as the SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme (SADC REEP) coordinated by the SADC Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate.
EEASA plays a major role in providing a platform for developing and channelling a critical southern African EE/ESD bottom up/ broader voice to be developed and heard globally. Following a vibrant consultation and engagement with the 2005-2014 UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD) as reflected in EEASA's annual conferences and publications, EEASA has committed to the UNESCO Global Action Plan (GAP) as a way forward post the UNDESD. Although EEASA has committed to all 5 priority areas, UNESCO has invited EEASA to be a member of Partner Networks of the Global Action Programme on ESD participating in priority 3 (Building capacities of educators and trainers – increasing the capacities of educators and trainers to more effectively deliver ESD.) EEASA's priority 3 commitment is:
"Increasing capacities of educators and trainers through encouraging re-orientation of teacher education programmes in southern Africa in partnership with the SADC Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability in African Universities (MESA) Chairs, the SADC ESD Teacher Education Network, SADC REEP Network, ESSA, WESSA, and RCEs using cluster and institution based training workshops and online initiatives. Also, to promote and implement the use of eLearning and mLearning in disadvantaged areas, even those where electricity and internet connectivity are lacking – to enhance access to quality ESD materials in partnership with SADC."
Visit the NORRAG website for more information
These commitments will be explored, deepened, monitored and reported on through EEASA's annual conferences, publications and other activities (UNESCO funded a project for Out-of-School Youth in Namibia where they take two courses that we named "Education for Sustainable Development for out-of-School Youth" and "Micro-Gardening (Horticulture)". These two courses are for skills development where we focus on ESD (specifically on water and energy management) and food security where the youth learn how to produce vegetable using well managed water. These two courses are running on the mLearning system that I presented in Japan and we selected to offer the two courses in a rural school in Omusati region. The school don't have electricity from the national grid and without the Internet; we use solar energy. The out-of-school youth use the system in the afternoon when the school closes and the school learners use it during the morning up to 13:00 (school closes this time). We have already learning materials on the system for ESD (a lot of learning materials including the integration of ESD in some subjects offered in the Namibia curriculum), Mathematics, ebooks for kids to foster literacy and many more.)
To become a member, please email eeasa@eeasa.org.za
Contact EEASA
Fax2email: +27 86 425 9102
Email: eeasa@eeasa.org.za
Copyright 2020 EEASA | Built by Pomegranite | Covid-19 South African Online Portal


The annual 6hr Regularity Relay is an endurance team event promoted by the Marque Sports Car Association Inc. This event is held at the 2.6km long circuit at Mallala Motor Sport Park – Owen Road, Mallala – approx. 70 km north of Adelaide – allow 1 hour. Venue map.
Teams consist of a minimum of 3 cars with 4 drivers and a maximum of 6 cars with 6 drivers. Individuals not able to form a team may apply for vacancies within other teams. Currently there is an overall maximum of 30 teams or 180 drivers.
The goal for competitors is to drive and maintain a precise time that has been nominated in advance. Currently, the lowest lap time acceptable for this event is 1 min 18 sec and the greatest lap time is 1 min 40 sec.
Results are determined on variation from the nominated lap time. Bonus laps are rewarded when a driver completes a lap within +0.99 seconds of the nominated lap time. Penalty laps occur when a driver completes a lap under their nominated lap time.
Scoring is calculated by averaging the lap times nominated for a team, dividing this into the 6hr race duration and then doubling this value to arrive at "Goal Laps" for the team. Bonus Laps are added and Penalty Laps are subtracted from the actual laps to arrive at "Achieved Laps". Achieved Laps is then expressed as a percentage of Goal Laps and the team with the highest percentage is the winner.
Racing can be undertaken in marque sports cars, street sedans and/or sports cars. No open wheel cars. Other categories of cars are at the discretion of the organisers.
Being an endurance event drivers need the support of both pit lane crew and support crew who can record lap times and relay this information to the pit lane crew.
In 2015 we fielded two teams, in 2014 three teams and in 2013 two teams. In 2014 & 2013 we won 2nd place – WOO HOO !!


Sitting in a lilac teacup covered in hearts, this little cat is waiting for you to take them home.
This adorable cat is cast in the finest resin before being lovingly hand-painted.
Start your day with a cup of cuteness! Sitting in a purple teacup emblazoned with white love hearts, this adorable cat leans on the rim with their front paws. It looks up at you with large, loving eyes, asking to be taken home and cherished. Cast in the finest resin before being lovingly hand-painted, this adorable cutiecat is exclusive to Nemesis Now and perfect for starting your day right.


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Бірсдорф-ам-Зее () — громада в Німеччині, розташована в землі Рейнланд-Пфальц. Входить до складу району Бітбург-Прюм. Складова частина об'єднання громад Бітбургер-Ланд.

Площа — 3,22 км2. Населення становить  ос. (станом на ).

Галерея

Примітки

Посилання

 Офіційний сайт

Громади Рейнланд-Пфальцу

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Bongo Fury
Bongo Bash
National Bongo Day
Bongo Types
Breaking Bongos
Other Trade Ads
Kitchen Conversions
Servicing Map
Captain Constellation!
April 11, 2016 Bongo Tales
Ex-Royal Navy pilot and airline captain Alun Thomas rode his restored 1960 Royal Enfield from Southampton to the Isle of Man, and then around the TT circuit.
Using a Bongo as a support vehicle, and supported by Bongo members, his object was to raise funds for the Cancer & Leukaemia in Childhood (CLIC) charity.
This is his story.
Captain Constellation's Challenge!
I depressed the tickler for the customary count of three, set the mixture slightly rich, and gave the kickstart a long, positive bootful. 700 cubic centimetres of raw power burst into life. I looked about me, checking that the other machines had all started, primed my chain lubricator, and we moved off in line behind Lead Marshall Harry Cardy's Thunderbird, down Government House drive. It was 1030. Turning right into Governor's Road, we crossed the two mini-roundabouts into Glencrutchery Road, passing the legendary pit lane, start line and grandstand, to stop briefly at the traffic signals at the top of Bray Hill, then off again at a comfortable 35-40 mph. Rea Men are doing over 160 at the foot of Bray, but we were just out for a gentle canter and our bikes were up to 57 years old. Best not push them too hard-and there is a speed limit on non-race days!
It was the 12th May, a couple of weeks before the TT races began, but preparations were well in hand, kerbstones being painted black and white, crash pads fitted to stone walls and lamp-posts. It wasn't hard to follow the course despite the traffic and the euphoria of finally realising the dream of riding a motorcycle around the Isle of Man TT Circuit. The sun blazed down, the haze shimmered, the 500 Bullet in front of me thumped authoritatively. My Constellation rumbled along at scarcely more than idling revs. What an absolutely cracking day!
My journey to the Isle of Man really began back in March 2005 when my grandson was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. He was just four and a half years old. The diagnosis was sudden and devastating. He and his family live in Cornwall, twenty-five miles from the nearest hospital. His surgery was carried out in London and his radiotherapy in Bristol. Chemotherapy was at both Bristol and Truro Hospitals. For the six week duration of his daily radiotherapy, the family was accommodated, in Bristol, at CLIC House, which provides bedrooms and shared kitchen, laundry, playroom, garden and lounge, for up to fourteen families, within walking distance of the hospital. At home, a CLIC nurse supported the family and counselled his school friends. Similar facilities are available at many paediatric units throughout the U.K.
In October, my grandson completed the aggressive treatment needed to prevent the tumour spreading, and he continues to be screened regularly. The results so far have been "all clear" and we hope fervently he will continue in remission. We have the greatest admiration for all the many hospital staff and their efforts to improve his health, but greater still is our admiration for his parents, who have worked so hard to maintain a normal way of life for their children whilst the treatment continued. CLIC Sargent has made a huge contribution to this, and in August last year my wife, Sue, and I decided to launch "Captain Constellation's Challenge" to raise both public awareness and money for CLIC Sargent.
I'm an airline pilot with BA Connect, based at Southampton, but as a classic motorcycle enthusiast I have long wanted to ride one of my Royal Enfield machines around the TT circuit, and Sue and I conceived my "alter ego", Captain Constellation, to undertake the Epic Ride from Southampton to the Isle of Man, and around the TT circuit, on my self-restored Constellation. Generally, my main interest has been in repair and restoration. I confess that I do not find riding in modern traffic much fun, so, apart from rallies and the odd blast around the lanes of Hampshire, a longish journey such as this was an unprecedented-and somewhat daunting-task!
Most of our spare time during the winter was taken up with various fundraising activities as well as fitting a tow hook to our Mazda Bongo support vehicle, procuring a suitable trailer and, of course, the many hours of painstaking route planning that would ensure that navigational errors did not delay our progress. We decided to trailer the Constellation home after the ride (quit while you're ahead!) and so it seemed a good idea to take along a spare machine. My Meteor Minor was selected for this role and an excellent Erde three-bike trailer was lent to us, free of charge, by Gordon Bevis, proprietor of Spike Island Motorcycles in Eastleigh.
I set off from home at 0900 on Monday 8th May, initially to stop off at A&A Motorcycles by way of a courtesy call, then to rendezvous with Sue, who had left a little later in the Bongo, at a convenient lay-by on the A36 at Landford. We then set off in a loose convoy over our prepared route to our campsite at Cowslip Green, near Bristol. Light rain was falling intermittently, the roads were damp most of the way, but my abiding impression is of an almost universal smell of diesel, of which there was considerable evidence on the road surface, especially around Salisbury. We had each written brief driving instructions, but had spent so long planning the route that we hardly needed to refer to them on the way, even though it was somewhat indirect.
On arrival at Brook Lodge Farm campsite 93 miles had been recorded on the Constellation's odometer. We were able to set up our awning in dry conditions, the rain having stopped, but the forecast indicated that more rain would fall later, and so it proved. Having secured the trailer and awning, Sue and I set off into Bristol, with Constellation and Bongo, to thank the staff at CLIC House for their assistance and care of our family. It was then that the heavens opened! By the time we reached CLIC House, I was virtually saturated, despite my shiny new Akito gear, and on arriving at CLIC House I discovered that all my lights had failed apart from the brake light. Fortunately, the rain eased off, and after a cup of coffee and a pleasant renewal of acquaintance with the CLIC staff, we were able to set off back towards the campsite. Closure of the swing bridge entailed a short diversion, but track was soon regained. About halfway back to the site, my second little technical problem began to manifest itself. It seemed to me that my engine was misfiring on one cylinder, especially at high power, which could only be due, I thought, to water in the magneto. Sure enough, just past the airport, the Connie gave up the ghost altogether. Sue was ahead of me, so I pulled into a convenient gateway to consider my options. I wasn't keen to use my mobile phone, as I would have to take off my brain bucket and the rain had started again. The odometer showed that I had covered 123 miles since leaving home that morning, so I checked the fuel tank contents and found that there was fuel, although the level was low. I have four Royal Enfields and the supply arrangements are different on all of them. I seemed to recall that the Constellation had no reserve tap, and I couldn't see one from on board the bike, so I tried leaning the bike over to the left to tip remaining the fuel over the central spine of the tank. This met with little success. I could see a little fuel running down the feed pipe, but it was no more than a teaspoonful. I would need more than that to get to the campsite. I pulled the bike onto its centre stand and prepared to phone Sue and ask her to get me some fuel from the garage about five miles ahead in Langford, but one last check under the fuel tank revealed that there WAS a reserve fuel tap, cunningly concealed right up under the "skirt" of the tank. "Is it open or closed?" I thought to myself. There was only one way to find out because, what with the weather and my presbyopia, I certainly couldn't read the labels. I pulled the lever across-and fuel gushed down the feed pipe! A gentle tickle followed by a firm prod saw me on my way once again, relieved not to have had to take off my helmet in the pouring rain and sorry to have doubted the excellent job that Sean Hawker made of rebuilding my magneto!
Back at the campsite, I found that the Meteor Minor's battery was flat. Now, this bike has coil ignition, and if I couldn't fix the Connie's lights it might be needed, and if it was, the battery would have to have some juice in it. A brief investigation revealed that the brake light switch was out of adjustment so after correcting that I rigged the battery charger whilst Sue took the Bongo off to the filling station to refuel and get some unleaded for the Constellation. When she returned, and I prepared to refuel the Constellation I discovered that I had no measuring cup for my Miller's VSP! The latest batch, which I had purchased especially for the trip, was in a new type of bottle. No measuring cup is supplied with the new design (Mr Miller please note!) and so I had made a mental note to bring one of the old cups with me. I now remembered that mental note. I began to feel a little disheartened. Fuel exhaustion, failed lights, flat batteries, cataracts of rain, and now old-timers disease! I made an experienced guess at the amount of VSP required, said a short prayer suggesting that some slightly drier weather would be a good idea for the morrow, considered the response to such prayer that Noah had obtained, and covered the bikes for the night.
Sue had prepared one of her most delightful culinary triumphs, and was busy resurrecting the frozen chilli in her Remoska. A large helping of hot chilli, accompanied by a no more than moderate-sized (!) glass of Cabernet Merlot and I began to feel a little more relaxed. In the morning, the rain would stop, I'd fix the lights, the Meteor would fire up on the first prod, and we had no more calls to make. But as I fell asleep, I thought that, had I been a Catholic, I'd have given my Rosary a thorough telling………
Day Two dawned cloudy and overcast, but the rain had stopped, indeed, it stayed dry pretty well all day. After breakfast, things began to look up. I soon found that the Constellation's lighting failure was due to the loss of a grub screw from the light switch. I had no spares, but I did find that the set screw from an emergency cable nipple would fit well enough, and so the lights were quickly restored. The Meteor's battery now overflowed with wigglyamps and the engine started easily, so after the usual camping chores, we broke camp, packed our gear and, at about 1130, we set off towards Much Wenlock.
The only cause for complaint I found was an encounter with what I can only assume was a shell-crater in the middle of the carriageway about 100 yards after passing the sign heralding my arrival in Shropshire. I couldn't avoid it due to overtaking traffic and the forks bottomed out, but I managed to keep my seat. After that, progress through Shropshire was rapid and smooth, I didn't even see much of the famous Shropshire fertilizer on the roads, although there were several spreaders to be seen and olfactory evidence was plentiful!
By the time we reached Craven Arms, the weather was dry and sunny with scarcely a cloud in the sky. As I approached the filling station via the rather tortuous approach road, the white, long wheel-based van ahead of me stopped abruptly. He had failed to make the turn into the pump lane and, without further ado, began to reverse quite quickly. I was obviously in the centre of his rear view mirror-we had both been making a right turn, and I was in his five-o'clock. I turned to my left and took off like a scalded cat, only just managing to prevent the collision which would have wrecked my bike and injured me. I took the bike back around the block and approached the filling station. As I parked at the next pump to the van I thanked the driver for almost writing me off. When I explained what had happened, he said I wasn't in his mirror, but after considering the matter for a minute or two, apologised, saying he hadn't seen me. Not the same thing, is it?
The town of Much Wenlock was reached about 3 o'clock, with 241 miles on the Constellation's odometer, and we soon located our campsite. The Sytche is a well equipped campsite on the edge of the town, looking out over the countryside to the North West. Whilst we erected our awning and arranged our wet gear to dry in the light breeze, the sky cleared and we were treated to a beautiful, warm, clear evening disturbed only by birdsong and the occasional helicopter from nearby R.A.F. Shawbury setting out on a navigation exercise (Much Wenlock is invariably the "departure point", to the annoyance of some residents and visitors alike!). As we sat in the evening sun savouring another excellent supper, this time chicken and vegetable casserole, and a drop more of the Cabernet, it struck me that most of the six or eight mobile homes on the campsite were equipped with extraordinarily elaborate aerial systems, some with satellite dishes, and almost all of our neighbours were sitting in their 'vans watching television, the silly sods!
During the evening a temporarily absent neighbour returned to the site and it transpired that we had camped, quite unknowingly, next to another Mazda Bongo, and so we struck up an acquaintance with the owner.
Day Three dawned bright but cloudy. After the usual breakfast and camping chores, we set off at about 1030 after phoning ahead with our E.T.A. to H.M.S Eaglet, the Royal Navy establishment in Liverpool where our vehicles were to spend the night.
Commodore John Madgwick, O.B.E., is the Naval Regional Officer Northern England (NRONE), headquartered at Eaglet, but is better known to his friends as "Magic", and he had very graciously agreed to our leaving the Bongo, trailer and bikes in his establishment for security overnight, and so that we would be ready to board the nearby Seacat ferry to Douglas next morning. He and I have met briefly once or twice during the intervening years, but we served together in 826 Naval Air Squadron, H.M.S. Eagle, in the 1960s. Naturally, our meeting brought back many pleasant memories, but after an all-too-short interlude, duties called us both, Magic to the organisation of a forthcoming mine countermeasures exercise and myself to the trailering of both motorcycles in readiness for the ferry. I had to unship the Meteor Minor from the centre track, and position it onto the right side track, but first of all, since the Meteor has only 17″ wheels, it was necessary to remove the offside footrest so as to clear the trailer's mudguard. I then persuaded the Constellation onto the left side track, securing both very carefully for the Seacat's boarding ramp and sea crossing. All this was pretty thirsty work, as the sun had come out with a vengeance, and I regretted neglecting to bring a hat to protect my, nowadays, rather thinly-covered scalp, but the fact is that the weather had been so consistently depressing during the weeks before our journey began that I simply hadn't thought of it. Fortunately I was assisted, quite unasked, by a very helpful young man who emerged from the establishment accommodation block and took a very great interest in my bikes. I didn't catch his name, but I do thank him most kindly.
Day Four began with a continental breakfast at the Travelodge, and then all we had to do was stroll next door to Eaglet, flash up the Bongo and drive the mile or so to the ferry port, passing the "Three Graces" (the seafarer's term for those three elegant buildings which line the Liverpool waterfront, the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building, and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board building) along the way. Boarding the Super Seacat 2 was straightforward (in a roundabout sort of way!) and the ship was ready to "slip and proceed", as sailors say, on schedule at 1100. It was a beautiful day, the sea was smooth and the crossing uneventful, save for a scrumptious "Manx Breakfast" which, it must be remarked, closely resembles its English equivalent! We were alongside in Douglas by half-past one and duly disembarked, driving straight up to Government House where we were met by His Excellency, Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul Haddacks, and Lady Haddacks.
On arrival at Government House I was surprised and delighted to discover that Sir Paul's residence is guarded by a splendid field piece which strongly resembles that depicted on the Royal Enfield marque badge, and Sir Paul assured me that it is kept loaded and primed-just in case! A garage had been allocated for the motorcycles, and we proceeded to unload them and prepare for the final part of the Challenge-a lap of the TT circuit, scheduled for 1030 the next day. The Meteor Minor was unloaded first, fired up without difficulty, and ridden around to the garage, where it was checked and made ready for its part as back-up machine. I unloaded the Constellation, started it and rode it around to the garage as well. I then noticed the trail of oil which had been left on the roadway. It was immediately apparent that the oil was from the Connie, and the oil filter cap was found to be loose. This could be disastrous for the Constellation-perhaps the Minor would get a run around the circuit after all! I investigated and found that the oil filter cap securing stud had stripped its thread. I removed the stud, sawed off the damaged section of thread, and found that the stud, being rather longer than necessary, was still long enough to be reinstalled. The securing nut was, fortunately, undamaged, so the repair was completed, to my considerable relief! Although I would very much like to have ridden the Meteor Minor around the course, as things fell out, I didn't have time, and the "Challenge" was really to ride the Constellation. Just to be on the safe side, I took the Connie for a quick run down Glencrutchery Road, topped off the fuel tank, and finished off by checking the oil and tyre pressures. All was ready for the Big Day!
Day Five, Friday 12th May, 1015. I was ready. Both of the bikes were ready. The weather was fine. Silence reigned. Where were they? I had invited several friends and colleagues to accompany me around the circuit as a kind of "Captain's Escort". I have studied plenty of "on-bike action" videos and also driven around the circuit in a car, so I reckoned I wouldn't get lost, but a few riders who knew the circuit would guarantee it, and numbers would help with the publicity, as well.
I shouldn't have worried. One after another, they arrived, and what a wonderful sight and sound they made. The V.M.C.C. contingent comprised Tony East (1965 Thunderbird), Ken Blackburn (Velocette Venom), Clive Kneale (Sprung-hub Speed Twin), Harry Cardy (Oil-in-frame Thunderbird), Juan Clague (1948 B.S.A. A7) and Ashley Gardner, also a captain at B.A. Connect, (1973 Suzuki "Kettle"). All of these kind gentlemen are residents of the Isle of Man, of course, but the team was completed by the arrival of Brian Selwood, of the Royal Enfield Owners Club. He has attended the TT races regularly for many years and has also served as a track marshal. On this occasion he had ridden his 2000 Royal Enfield 500cc Bullet up from Aldershot a couple of weeks early in order to join us on the ride-and thus I was escorted by this Most Distinguished Company, seated upon seven of the most beautifully prepared bikes I have ever seen, on my lap of the circuit. What a fabulous experience, what wonderful friends, and what a fantastic result was in store!
As we made our stately progress around the hallowed circuit, there were very few delays. At Quarterbridge, a particularly busy and complex double roundabout when subject to normal traffic, we had to wait a minute or two before continuing toward Braddan, and as we approached the signals at Ballacraine we were held up by a couple of agricultural wagons. Preparations for the racing were in hand at Glen Vine, delaying us very briefly, and, after a short wait for temporary signals at Drinkwater's Bend, we settled into a pleasant 50 m.p.h. clip, subject, of course, to the local speed limits and keeping a weather eye out for the cardboard bobby with a radar gun just outside Kirk Michael!
The well known features of the circuit passed in succession, Alpine Cottage, Ballaugh Bridge, Sulby, and soon we were passing through Parliament Square, Ramsay, negotiating light traffic as we swung through Waterworks and into the Gooseneck. This is extremely tight and was taken at a careful 30 m.p.h. and then we were on the steep climb onto the Mountain. I had been a little concerned about my Constellation's power output. Although these 700cc twins were capable of well over 110 m.p.h. when new, I have been unable to replicate such a performance, not least because of current speed limits, of course, and I was unsure how the climb would go, but we virtually stormed up the incline, passing the Guthrie Memorial and into the Mountain Mile at a fine pace. After the necessarily slow initial climb out of Ramsay, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Constellation would climb easily in top gear. Tony East, who was just behind me on his '65 Thunderbird, confided afterwards that he had had to drop into third gear to keep up!
The Mountain section must surely be a universal favourite. Sweeping bends combine with beautiful views to make a racing circuit which is unique, as far as I know. Under racing conditions, the experience is rather less romantic and prodigiously more demanding-absolute concentration is required to progress through some of these extremely complex bend sequences at speeds of around 180 m.p.h., and in some races, four laps are completed!
Once again, the famous names slipped past, evoking memories of the radio commentaries I had heard in my youth, "listen as the factory Nortons come by, etc.", the Verandah, Bungalow, and into the triple curvature Brandywell. Windy Corner had been closed for resurfacing for about six weeks, commencing in March, and I had been worried that the work might not be completed before my Challenge lap, but all was well. In fact the camber has been modified to give a more consistent curve, and this might well lead to slightly better racing times, though it is said that the main problem with Windy is, naturally, the crosswind, which prevents riders from banking rapidly enough upon entering the bend. There was no wind today, and we had no trouble banking at our modest speed, and so to Kate's Cottage and into the long, precipitous straight down to Creg-ny-Baa. It would be easy to arrive at the Hotel with a little too much speed for the corner and I've often wondered how many riders have tried to take the bend too fast and ended up in the car park-or even the bar, perish the thought! There's always a big crowd here on race days, and there's a large stand, positioned well out of the way of any errant machines!
The remainder of the circuit is quite fast, and we covered it quickly enough, but at Signpost Corner we were really getting back into the suburbs, and first 40 and then 30 m.p.h. limits reduced our speed. Although the Isle of Man is the motorcycle racing capital of the world, you can still be prosecuted for speeding, and this particular stretch is a favourite. If proof were needed, I saw a speed cop here with a radar gun the day after the ride.
With 362 miles on the Constellation's odometer, we crossed the "Finish Line" at Government House at 1139, to be welcomed by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, and Lady Haddacks, the ex Mayor of Douglas, Mrs Glenda Corkish, and Mr Corkish, the ex Mayoress of Douglas, Mrs Ruth Denning, and Mr Denning, as well as the legendary TT rider, Eddie Crooks, and Mrs Crooks. Mrs Corkish and Mrs Denning had completed their term of office just the day before our ride.
As we parked our machines and began to relax and discuss our experiences Harry Cardy very graciously presented me with the last remaining badge commemorating the V.M.C.C. 2005 International T.T. Golden Jubilee Rally, a very handsome adornment indeed, which I shall always treasure. Mrs Denning then absolutely made our day by presenting Sue and I with a cheque for £2000 in favour of CLIC Sargent, which had been one of their favoured charities whilst in office. This took the total amount raised to a little over an absolutely incredible £10000! The entire company was then entertained for a light lunch by His Excellency and Lady Haddacks which made a splendid end to an absolutely fabulous experience.
After a weekend of relaxation courtesy of our hosts, when some of the splendours of the Isle of Man were explored by car, the bikes were trailered together for the journey home just as the weather broke on Sunday afternoon. A night of heavy rain could not dampen our enthusiasm for the island as, early on Monday morning, we made our way reluctantly to the ferry port to begin our journey home. We had had a week beyond our wildest dreams, the only disappointment being that the Meteor Minor had not graced the track. Perhaps it will return one day! The trip back was uneventful and quick. The day after our return we heard that the ferries had been held off because of the discovery of a WW2 bomb in the Mersey, and the M6 was closed in both directions following two crashes. The gods had certainly smiled on us for the whole adventure. Since our return the bikes have settled back into a less prestigious environment, and even more donations have been made, bringing our total to nearly £10900, and at the time of writing, there are still two months until the closing date of our fundraising.
It only remains for me to thank, most sincerely, first of all my wife, Sue, for her unwavering help, support and forbearance, and also the many, many, kind and generous individuals and companies, really too numerous to mention here, who have sponsored or assisted us on our journey, or contributed to our fundraising activities. We simply could not have done it without you all!
Alun Thomas
(aka Captain Constellation)
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They say that love won't last forever…but you can bet whatever you put on the Internet will. It's a tough lesson that many people, especially youth, are learning the hard way. Recently, two OHL hockey players received 15-game suspensions for making degrading sexual remarks to women online. Their case illustrates what we continue to warn people about; reckless use of mobile phones and the Internet. All users of personal/digital devices must be careful…and parents have a key role to play and you must monitor your kids' activities. The Internet is public and it's permanent…there is little room to make a mistake and hope to ever have it "corrected". "Sexting" has led to too many deaths and heartache for victims and their families.
Once you post something online it's out there, in cyberspace forever. You're not getting it back. Careless posting and text messaging are problems for adults but cause even greater concern when children are involved. There is a new free App called "Send This Instead". It provides "alternative messaging" you can send to somebody who asks for an image of you. "Send This Instead" was developed by the OPP Child Exploitation Unit which was part of my command before I retired. They are truly an amazing team and kudos to Joseph Versace for developing the App. It's another tool to assist in keeping your kids safe; through providing alternatives to sending images of themselves on-line.


text:
How Did Pickleball Get Its Nam...
Home Sports & Active Lifestyle Classic Sports Tennis
How Did Pickleball Get Its Name?
Pickleball is named after the pickle boat, which is the name of the boat that comes in last with its catch. There is an untrue story that indicated the game was named after the owner's dog.
Pickleball is a racquet-based sport that combines three other familiar sports:
The sport is designed for two to four players and requires solid paddles to hit a ball over a net. The dimensions of the court are the same as the badminton court and the net and rules are similar to tennis.
Pickleball was invented in 1965 by Washington State Representative Joel Pritchard and two of his friends. Together with Pritchard's family, they created the game by cobbling together a badminton game and when they could not find all the pieces used fabricated paddles and a ball from a different game. The individuals present enjoyed the game and it became a favorite for the children. It also became a favorite of friends and, in 1972, Pritchard and his colleagues decided to copyright the rules.
There have been a number of stories that suggested the name of the game was derived from the name of the family dog. However, family members refute that story and indicate that the family dog, whose name is Pickles, did not join the family until two years after the game was created.
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Item Number: H20-A1224GL Have a question about this item?
The textured surface of each glass pearl adds dimension and visual interest in attractive colors that offer jewelry makers stellar design possibilities. Colors, shapes and sizes may vary in each lot.
Bead, Celestial Crystal®, glass pearl, champagne, 12mm round. Sold per 15-1/2" to 16" strand, approximately 30 beads.
Bead, Celestial Crystal®, glass pearl, champagne, 14mm round. Sold per 15-1/2" to 16" strand, approximately 25 beads.


text:
Alexandre Desmarteaux (1880-1926) est un comédien de théâtre et de burlesque et chanteur ténor québécois.
Paul Desmarteaux (1905-1974) est un comédien et humoriste québécois.


text:
Хосе Мануэль Пинто Колорадо (; 8 ноября 1975, Эль-Пуэрто-де-Санта-Мария, Кадис, Испания) — испанский футболист, вратарь. Выступал за испанские клубы «Реал Бетис», «Сельта» и «Барселона».

Биография
Выступал за клубы «Реал Бетис» и «Сельта».

Пинто перешёл в «Барселону» на правах аренды 18 января 2008 года. Он был арендован в качестве замены Альберту Хоркера, который получил растяжение связок. Он дебютировал в матче против «Депортиво Ла-Корунья», в котором «Барселона» проиграла 2:0. Его второй матч также завершился поражением, когда «Барселона» проиграла у себя дома «Мальорке» со счётом (3:2).

После игры с «Копенгагеном», на поведение Пинто пожаловались в УЕФА. Инцидент был заснят на видео, на котором видно, что Пинто имитирует свист, а затем злорадствует по поводу инцидента. После расследования он был дисквалифицирован на две игры.

20 февраля 2011 года, Пинто впервые, более чем за два года, появился в матче чемпионата Испании в футболке «Барселоны» (из-за травмы колена Виктора Вальдеса), сыграв в матче с «Атлетик Бильбао», завершившийся победой «Барселоны» (2:1), сам Пинто хорошо отыграл матч, в частности, сделав сейв после удара Фернандо Льоренте. Пинто снова отыграл весь Кубок Испании, в том числе и в финале с «Реалом», который завершился поражением Барселоны (0:1) в дополнительное время; на следующей неделе, против той же команды, в первом матче полуфинала Лиги чемпионов, он был удален арбитром Вольфгангом Штарком после ссоры в перерыве матча с участием самого Пинто (он был на скамейке), Альваро Арбелоа и делегата мадридского «Реала» Чендо.

После подписания «Барселоной» Марка-Андре Тер-Штегена, клуб сообщил Пинто, что контракт с ним продлеваться не будет, таким образом он стал свободным агентом.

Достижения

Командные
 Обладатель Кубка Интертото (1): 2000

 «Барселона»
 Обладатель Кубка Испании (2): 2008/09, 2011/12
 Чемпион Испании (4): 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13
 Победитель Лиги чемпионов (2): 2008/09, 2010/11
 Обладатель Суперкубка УЕФА (1): 2009
 Победитель Клубного чемпионата мира (2): 2009, 2011
 Обладатель Суперкубка Испании (3): 2009, 2010, 2011

Личные
 Обладатель трофея Рикардо Саморы (1): 2006

Личная жизнь
Женат на Елене Гросс. У Хосе и Елены двое детей: дочь Саира (2009) и сын Натан (2012).

Клубная статистика
По состоянию на 9 марта 2013 года.

Примечания

Ссылки
 Хосе Мануэль Пинто. «Из "Сегунды" в "Примеру"»

Футболисты Испании
Игроки ФК «Реал Бетис»
Игроки ФК «Сельта»
Игроки ФК «Барселона»
Обладатели трофея Саморы


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Human rights in the State of Palestine refers to the human rights record in the West Bank and Gaza.

Status of freedom, political rights and civil liberties

Rights and Liberties Ratings

 At the rankings, the highest index reports most democracy. 167 countries participated in the ranking, North Korea was worst (index 1.08) and Norway was best (index 9.87).

Freedom House's annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, Freedom in the World 2001-2002, reported that civil liberties declined due to the shooting deaths of Palestinian civilians by Palestinian security personnel; the summary trials and executions of alleged collaborators by the Palestinian Authority (PA); extrajudicial killings of suspected collaborators by militias; and the apparent official encouragement of Palestinian youths to confront Israeli soldiers, thus placing them directly in harm's way.
The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group reports everyday disagreements and clashes between the various political factions, families and cities that a complete picture of Palestinian society is painted. These divisions have during the course of the al Aqsa Intifada also led to an increasingly violent 'Intra'fada'.

Individual freedoms and rights

Freedom of speech
The PA has guaranteed freedom of assembly to the Palestinian population, and its Legislation states this.  Nevertheless,  the right to demonstrate for opponents of the PA regime or of PA policy has become increasingly subject to police control and restriction and is a source of concern for human rights groups.

Activists say there is a growing crackdown on writers who criticize the Palestinian Government. According to Executive Director of Advancing Human Rights David Keyes, in 2013, Anas Awwad, a 26-year-old Palestinian activist, was sentenced in absentia by a Palestinian court in Nablus, the West Bank, to one year in prison for "extending his tongue" against the Palestinian Authority's president, Mahmoud Abbas, on Facebook. Keyes also states that in 2012, Palestinian blogger Jamal Abu Rihan was arrested by the Palestinian Authority for starting a Facebook campaign called "The People Want an End to Corruption," he was indicted under the charges of "extending his tongue" against the Palestinian leadership.

In April 2012, a West Bank university lecturer Ismat Abdul-Khaleq was arrested for criticizing Abbas on Facebook.
Subsequently, agents belonging to the PA's Preventive Security Service in Ramallah arrested  Tarek Khamis, who works for Palestinian Zaman Press news agency. He was detained for criticizing the Palestinian Authority's treatment of Ms. Abdul-Khaleq and for the criticizing the clampdown on journalists in the West Bank.
According to David Keyes, George Canawati, the director of a Bethlehem radio station and the journalist Rami Samar were detained for posting criticisms of the Palestinian Authority on Facebook.

Threats of death were made against Minister Nabil Shaath for planning to participate in a conference in Italy attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom by the Jenin Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees.  They declared, "He will be sentenced to death if he enters. The decision cannot be rescinded, we call upon his bodyguards to abandon his convoy in order to save their lives."

Nabil Amar, former Minister of Information and a cabinet member and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was shot by masked gunmen after criticizing Arafat and calling for reforms in the PA in a television interview.

A Hamas-run council in the West Bank came under international criticism in 2005 for barring an open-air music and dance festival, on the basis of being "against Islam".

February 2016, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has issued report documenting freedom of expression violations in both West Bank and Gaza strip. The Euro-Med report, "Strangulation Twice: the Oppressive Practices of Palestinian Security Services," documents 1,274 arbitrary detentions in the West Bank in 2015 and 1,089 summonses to appear in front of the police or "interior security." Most of these actions by the Palestinian Authority targeted individuals affiliated with Hamas or who opposed PA policies. In Gaza, 117 arbitrary detentions and 98 orders to appear were attributed last year to Hamas, which governs the Strip. Like their PA counterparts, the security forces primarily targeted political opponents. The monitor said that the number of human rights violations committed by PA authorities in the West Bank were significantly greater than those for which Hamas was responsible. However, both organizations are guilty of censorship and oppression. The Euro-Med monitor called both sides, the PA and Hamas, to issue a clear and binding resolution mandating freedom of expression and prohibiting all forms of abusive detention.

In August 2016, Human Rights Watch published a report about Palestine discussing the freedom of expression in the Palestinian territories. The international organization documented the case of Majd Khawaja, 22, who was arrested by security forces at intelligence headquarter.  Khawaja was  accused of painting the word (intifada) uprising on a wall, having weapons and planning to smuggle people into Jordan. He was subjected to physical torture during interrogation. He published some songs about the corruption of the PA which considered as a criminal offense; The songs were removed from YouTube.

August 2016, Human Rights Watch published a report about Palestine discussing the freedom of expression in the Palestinian territories. The international organization documented the case of Mutaz Abu Lihi, 21, who was arrested by security forces at intelligence headquarter according to court documents, the Palestinian prosecution charged Abu Lihi and his rappers fellows with creating strife, under article 150 of penal code, and criticizing a higher authority, under article 195.  The prosecution said that Abu Lihi and others sprayed outdoor graffiti whose content was "defamatory sentences that include insulting directed personally against the president of the state of Palestine and against the authorities".

December 2016, Euro Med Human Rights Monitors issued a report regarding the violation of human rights and the international law in Palestine. As the three lawmakers were staging a sit- in at the office of the international committee of the Red Cross, their parliamentary immunity was suspended by the Palestinian president- Mahmoud Abbas; two of them are accused of embezzlement, weapons smuggling and defamation; as well as they were prevented from the delivery of food, water and visits by journalists. The three lawmakers instead stated that the president committed this as a revenge against them due to their alliance with Mohammad Dahalan.  According to the report, breaking the international committee of the Red Cross were considered as a violation of the international laws and conventions. The Palestinian authority's action was also in direct contradiction of the Palestinian executive system and its commitment to human rights standards as dictated by international agreements.

Al-Mizan Center for Human Rights published a report about violating the right of expression in Gaza. Since the beginning of winter, the electricity cuts began to worsen, which has negatively impacted the population of two million's basic needs. The electricity came on for four hours, followed by a 12-hour blackout. Due to Israel's border closures, there was a lack of fuel on the markets in Gaza as well and the humanitarian crisis got much worse: increasing numbers of deaths, particularly among children and  older, sick and disabled people living in the hundreds of high-rise building without elevators. On 12 January 2017, many thousands of people were gathered in Jabaliya refugee camp to demonstrate in front of the Electricity Company. The police dispersed them by shooting in the air and beating some people with cudgels. Accordingly, Mohammed Al Baba, a journalist at Agence France Presse, was sustained a cut over his left eye and his camera was seized as well as Fares Akram Al Ghoul, a journalist from the Associated Press, was assaulted by them. There are also six people sustained bruises. As mentioned in the report, the police summoned groups of people for questioning and broke into houses to arrest people with a view of forcing them to sign documents committing themselves to "respecting the law" and to prevent them from disturbing so called "public security" despite their violating of the Gaza population's right to protest in peaceful way and give their expression.

Freedom of the press
As of 2006, sixteen Palestinian journalists have been killed or wounded by PA security forces or armed groups.

Abdullah Issa, Palestinian publisher and editor of the on-line magazine Donia al Watan was detained in July 2006 by the Palestinian Authority for publishing a story about the theft of $400,000 from PA Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar while visiting Kuwait. The story cast aspersions on Hamas for having large amounts of cash while the Palestinian people were suffering from poverty.  This story had appeared elsewhere in the Arabic media.  Issa, accused al-Zahar and Hamas of interfering with freedom of the press in the Palestinian territories and expressed disappointment with Hamas's failure to reign in corruption as promised in their election platform: "Our people have the right to hold Hamas accountable for the deterioration in their living conditions,...We were hoping that the Hamas government would start chasing and arresting all the murderers and thugs who continue to roam the streets of the Gaza Strip and to open all the cases of financial corruption."  Donia al Watan's offices have been attacked by masked gunmen and there have been death threats against Issa and staff.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades has been blamed for a number of attacks on journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the Arab television station Al-Arabiya's West Bank offices.

In September 2001, Yasser Arafat's Tanzim kidnapped a Palestinian cameraman who shot film showing Palestinian citizens and police in Ramallah celebrating on 9/11/2001 following the attacks on US targets, and threatened to kill the cameraman if the film was shown on air.

In September 2006, a journalist was severely beaten and the computer equipment in the office of the Palestinian Authority's official news agency Wafa was destroyed. Graffiti was sprayed on the wall accusing the agency of a lack of objectivity. Fatah officials noted that PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar has accused the agency "of waging a motivated campaign of incitement" against him and blamed Hamas for the attack. Khan Yunis governor Osama al-Farra condemned the attack, saying it, "reflected the continued state of anarchy and lawlessness in PA-controlled areas".

The Fatah–Hamas conflict has further limited the freedom of the press in the PNA territories and the distribution of opposing voices in Hamas-controlled Gaza and the West Bank where Fatah still has more influence. In July 2010, with the easing of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israel allowed the distribution of the pro-Fatah newspapers al Quds, al Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida to Gaza, but Hamas prevented Gazan distributors from retrieving the shipment. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemned the Hamas restrictions of distribution of the West Bank newspapers in Gaza, and also condemned the Fatah-led government in the West Bank for restricting publication and distribution of the Gazan newspapers al-Resala and Falastin''.

In October 2012, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate appealed for the release of Palestinian journalists arrested by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, warning that freedom of the press had "seriously deteriorated," and that the Palestinian Authority had arrested five Palestinian journalists in September 2012. Walid Khaled, a journalist for the Palestinian newspaper Falasteen, began a hunger strike in September as well. A Palestinian judge ordered his release, but the Palestinian Authority ignored this.  The Palestinian Authority has arrested these journalists on suspicisions of having connections to Hamas, a rival which controls the Gaza Strip.

In May 2015, Al-Jazeera journalist Muhammed Fayyad was reportedly assaulted by multiple police officers while covering a Turkish minister's visit to the Gazan Ministry of Endowments. Fayyad, who said he "was struck on the head by a police officer" as he was ejected from the building, was later arrested. Gaza's Ministry of Internal Affairs released a statement that faulted "some journalists" for "chaos and a disturbance that misrepresented our people's image and embarrassed those responsible for the visit's agenda," and claimed that Fayyad was released pending further investigation.

Freedom of association
In 2000 the Palestinian the first Palestinian Labor Law. However, according to the Democracy and Workers' Rights Center (DWRC) the final draft lacked teeth; late in 2005, working with Palestinian Authority legal experts, DWRC successfully achieved Palestinian Legislative Council acceptance of an alternative Palestinian Labor Law.

The decades-old Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), which claims to represent all Palestinian workers, was incorporated into the PA upon its inception. Independent unionists assert the PGFTU lacks in internal democracy and transparency, and is dominated by Fateh (all of its general secretaries and most of its unit heads have come from Fateh). In a 2007 press release carried by the Advocacy Project, DWRC noted that internal elections had not been held since 1981. These critiques have been supported by scholars Joost Hiltermann, Nina Sovich and Sos Nissen, who argue that the PGFTU has long been dominated by political factions and has in turn failed to provide effective representation for workers.

According to the PGFTU, in June 2007 Hamas seized their headquarters and ordered PGFTU staff to discuss how they were to operate under Hamas rule. According to the PGFTU general secretary, the PGFTU's refusal to negotiate led Hamas to attempt to assassinate Rasem Al Bayari, the union's deputy general secretary, three times thereafter. According to Al-Jazeera, "Saed, who has been linked to Fatah, said Hamas executive forces had seized two more offices - in Gaza and Khan Younis - taking much of the property within."

In 2007, when DWRC organized the Federation of Independent and Democratic Trade Unions & Workers' Committees in Palestine representing 50,000 workers outside of the PGFTU, the PGFTU retaliated by informing on the Gaza head of DWRC and the independent trade union coalition to Palestinian internal security, claiming that they were affiliated with Hamas.

Freedom of property ownership
In the Palestinian National Authority, selling land to Jews is a crime punishable by death.

Freedom of religion

Many Jewish and Christian holy sites remain in areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority.  Under the Oslo Accords, both the Palestinians and Israel agreed to respect and protect religious rights of Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Samaritans by a) protecting the Holy Sites, 2) providing free access to the Holy Sites, and assuring freedom of worship and practice.
a. Protection of the Holy Sites;
b. Free access to the Holy Sites; and
c. Freedom of worship and practice.
The PA, however, has in some cases failed to honor these commitments (see sections below).

A Christian leader claimed that there were "rampant reports" of abuses and persecution in PA-run areas. Anti-Christian riots were reported in Ramallah and surrounding villages, as well as in towns in the Gaza Strip. There were also reports of violation of human rights of Christians in the PA-run areas.

In April 2006, major Muslim organizations, local mosques, the city's Mufti and municipal leaders in the West Bank town Qalqiliya requested the interior minister of the Palestinian Authority shut down the Young Men's Christian Association, which had operated in the town since 2000, due to missionary activity.  The manager of the YMCA denied this: "It's not what we're about. There is no missionary activity here whatsoever. The YMCA is in the city to serve the population with financial help, sporting activities and general educational programs," and pointing to the organization's employment of many Muslims, their establishment of community programs including financing a mostly Muslim soccer club that had competed in national games.  The town's Muslim leadership issued a petition demanding that the organization close down the Qalqiliya branch or face violence which read as follows: "We the preachers of the mosques and representatives of major families in Qalqiliya ask you to close the offices of the YMCA because the population of Qalqiliya doesn't need such offices, especially since there are not many Christians in our city..." It warned, "The act of these institutions of the YMCA, including attempting to convert Muslims in our city, will bring violence and tension."  Three days before the delivery of this petitions, many imams spoke about the issue during Friday prayers; the following day Molotov cocktails were thrown at Qalqiliya's YMCA. In September 2006, the YMCA was given a "final notification" by local leaders.  On 11 September 2006, the organization's building was broken into and torched by assailants identified by members of the local government as members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad well-known to local security forces.

Christian sites
During 2007 many Western and Christian targets were attacked in the West Bank and Gaza. Members of local gangs and terror cells blew up and destroyed institutions linked to Western culture such as American schools, church libraries and dozens of Internet cafes. These events were largely ignored by the media.

According to the U.S. State Department's Annual Report on Religious Freedom, 2000, "there were periodic reports that some Christian converts from Islam who publicize their religious beliefs have been harassed. Converts complained that they were mistreated and threatened. The draft Palestinian Basic Law specifically forbids discrimination against individuals based on their religion; however, the PA did not take any action against persons accused of harassment".

After a visit to the Palestinian Authority administered areas, Senator Connie Mack related on the floor of the US Senate the case of a Christian convert from Islam who was falsely charged with selling land to Jews, arrested, beaten and tortured, and held for eight months without trial. Despite being released after his family borrowed thousands of dollars for bribes, his father continued to be held, he believed as insurance of his silence on the matter.

Jewish sites
Joseph's Tomb in Nablus was a site of clashes between Jews and Palestinians.  The Israeli army agreed to withdraw from the site and turn over control to the Palestinian police, who had agreed to protect the site.  Instead, they stood by while mobs ransacked the site and burned holy books.

Moreover, prominent members of the PA have denied that there is any Jewish historical connection to many Jewish holy sites, and PA Ministries have embedded such ideas in their press releases:

Yasser Arafat:
"That is not the Western Wall at all, but a Muslim shrine". – Yasser Arafat.
"Abraham was neither Jewish nor a Hebrew, but was simply an Iraqi. The Jews have no right to claim part of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Abraham's resting place, as a synagogue. Rather, the whole building should be a mosque."

Mufti Sheikh 'Ikrima Sabri:
"No stone of the Al-Buraq [Western] Wall has any relation to Judaism. The Jews began praying at this wall only in the 19th century, when they began to develop [national] aspirations."

PA Information Ministry Press Release:
"The archeology of Jerusalem is diverse – excavations in the Old City and the areas surrounding it revealed Umayyad Islamic palaces, Roman ruins, Armenian ruins and others, but nothing Jewish. Outside of what is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments, there is no tangible evidence of any Jewish traces in the old city of Jerusalem and its immediate vicinity."

Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda, PA newspaper:
"Be alert and treat Joseph's Tomb and Rachel's Tomb as parcels of Palestinian land which must be liberated, and treat Joseph and Rachel as two people who died, like anyone else."

Right to education
According to the ministerial statistic collected in September 2005, there are 2267 schools in general education, 31,001 classes, 1078488 students, and 48674 teachers in the Palestinian territories. 24% of schools are UNRWA-operated, 70% are governmental, and 6% are private. Another survey conducted in May 2005 shows that there are 138,139 students enrolled in Higher Education Institutions. Between these students, 9002 (6.5%) are in community colleges, 6034 (4.4%) in university colleges, 46453 (33.6%) in Al-Quds Open University, and 76650 (55.5%) in traditional universities.

Moves by the Hamas-run Education Ministry to impose Islamist ideals onto the educational system concern many Palestinians and outside observers. In March 2007, the Ministry pulled an anthology of folktales narrated by Palestinian women from the curriculum, removed the book from libraries, and reportedly destroyed 1,500 copies. The anthology was edited by Sharif Kanaana, a novelist and anthropology professor at Ramallah's Birzeit University, and Ibrahim Muhawi, a teacher of Arabic literature and the theory of translation. Education Minister Nasser Shaer said that the book is "full of clear sexual expressions." A story entitled, "The Little Bird," mentions private parts, and in the notes the authors say that, "the bird in the story is a symbol of femininity and that sexual subjects are a principal source of humor in Palestinian folklore".

Status of women
Women have full suffrage in the PA. In the 2006 elections, women made up 47% of registered voters. Prior to the elections, the election law was amended to introduce a quota for women on national party lists, resulting in 22% of candidates on national lists being women. The quota's effectiveness was illustrated in comparison with the district elections, where there was no quota, and only 15 of the 414 candidates were women.

Hamas has begun enforcing some Islamic standards of dress for women in Gaza, where women must wear a headscarf to enter government ministry buildings. In July 2010, Hamas banned the smoking of hookah by women in public. They claimed that it was to reduce the increasing amount of divorces.

Honor killings are a problem in the PA; the Hamas government has not moved to stop these killings and may have set up infrastructures which participate in them. According to the 2005 Annual Report of The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, 11 Palestinian women died as a result of honor killings in 2005. A November 2006 Human Rights Watch report, A Question of Security Violence against Palestinian Women and Girls, notes that, "a significant number of women and girls in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) are victims of violence perpetrated by family members and intimate partners. While there is increasing recognition of the problem and some PA officials have indicated support for a more forceful response, little action has been taken to seriously address these abuses. Indeed, there is some evidence the level of violence is getting worse while the remedies available to victims are being further eroded."  The report discusses spousal and child abuse, rape, incest, and "honor" crimes. The report suggests that reasons for the PA's failure to respond to the violence include, "discriminatory laws that condone and perpetuate such violence and the virtual absence of institutionalized policies to prevent violence, assist victims, and hold perpetrators accountable".  The report outlines Jordanian laws in force in the West Bank and Egyptian laws in Gaza, "include provisions that provide a reduction in penalty to men who kill or attack female relatives committing adultery; relieve rapists who agree to marry their victims from any criminal prosecution; and allow only male relatives to file incest charges on behalf of minors".  In addition, HRW interviewed Palestinian police officers, including chiefs of police who, "downplayed the severity of violence against women in the OPT and questioned the need for their involvement in the dissemination of potentially life-saving information to victims."  The report also noted that, "police officers and clan leaders regularly "mediate" and "resolve" these cases, typically by returning the abused women to the "care and protection" of her attacker, without ever referring the case to the courts or the woman to social or other services she might need". While Human Rights Watch acknowledged, "the severe constraints that the Israeli occupation imposes upon the PA," they concluded that, "notwithstanding these limitations, the PA holds ultimate responsibility for protecting victims and holding perpetrators accountable...and that PA is failing to act diligently to prevent, investigate, and punish violence against women, putting women's health and lives in jeopardy. Ultimately, the PA is denying victims their rights under international human rights law to non-discrimination and an effective judicial remedy for abuse".

Crimes against women accelerated during 2007. Cases of women being beaten are common in the Gaza Strip. Women murdered for "family honor" are seldom reported. Most women who are murdered are buried by members of their family in secret, and their deaths are not reported to any official body. The Palestinian media also refrain from reporting on this, for the sake of "family honor."

Israeli officials say Hamas in the Gaza Strip has established hard-line Islamic courts and created the Hamas Anti-Corruption Group, which is described as a kind of "morality police" operating within Hamas' organization. Hamas has denied the existence of the anti-corruption group, but it was recently reported to have carried out a high-profile "honor killing" widely covered by the Palestinian media.

In 2013, UNRWA canceled its annual marathon in Gaza after Hamas rulers prohibited women from participating in the race.

Status of homosexuality

Gay Palestinians are often arrested and tortured. According to Shaul Ganon of the Israeli-based gay rights group, Aguda,  "The PA's usual excuse for persecuting gays is to label them collaborators--though I know of two cases in the last three years where people were tried explicitly for being homosexuals...It's now [since the intifada, when police increasingly began enforcing Islamic law] impossible to be an open gay in the P.A."

Law enforcement
According to annual report of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group in 2005, 385 Palestinian fatalities were recorded.  Of these, 222 Palestinians were killed by Israelis, 113 Palestinians were killed by Palestinians, and 50 Palestinians were killed in unclear circumstances.  9 Palestinians were killed by Israeli settlers.  The same year,  51 Israelis were killed by Palestinians; 42 were civilians, 9 were members of the military.  Palestinians killed 10 Palestinians suspected to be Israeli collaborators in 2005.

Arab Organization for Human Rights Report
In December 2012, Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) released a report that accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) of "inhumane practices and human rights violations" against Palestinian civilians. The AOHR alleges that from 2007-2011, the PA detained 13,271 Palestinians, and tortured 96% of them, resulting in six deaths. The report claims that PA law enforcement raided universities, hospitals and houses in order to arrest people wanted for protesting against the Israeli occupation. The report also relates that PA officers confiscated equipment and personal cash after arresting the suspects.

Capital punishment
Capital punishment is legal in the PA.  The PA enacted 5 capital executions in 2005.

Conditions for detainees
Amnesty International has published a number of reports documenting the Palestine Authority's arrest and detention of civilians without charge.  In one year at least 400 such detentions were reported, primarily of political dissidents to the Palestine Authority . In that single year Amnesty International found: "Torture [by the Palestine Authority] of detainees remained widespread. Seven detainees died in custody. Unlawful killings, including possible extrajudicial executions, continued to be reported."

Exposure of civilian targets to military action

In November 2006, 50 veiled Palestinian women responded to a Hamas radio appeal to act as human shields between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen hiding in a Gaza mosque.  Women acted as a cover against Israeli troops allowing armed men occupying the Mosque to escape.  2 of these women were killed by Israeli forces.  In two further instances in November 2006, civilians were called to protect sites known to be targeted for attack by the IDF, in one instance by the owner of the targeted home, Mohammedweil Baroud, a commander in the Popular Resistance Committee and by calls broadcast from local Mosques.  The Human Rights Watch has condemned this behavior saying, "There is no excuse for calling civilians to the scene of a planned attack...Whether or not the home is a legitimate military target, knowingly asking civilians to stand in harm's way is unlawful.".
The Palestinian Authority has also been accused of using civilians as human shields and civilian property such as houses as sites for smuggling arms, launching sites for rockets, and factories to produce munitions, thereby exposing them to harm from Israeli Defense Forces military operations. Civilian deaths caused by these strikes are widely publicized in the media and create favorable public opinion for the PA and negative public opinion against Israel.
Hakam Balawi has stated, "... It is prohibited to launch rockets and to fire weapons from houses, and that is a supreme Palestinian interest that should not be violated because the result is barbaric retaliation by the occupying army and the citizenry cannot accept such shooting. Those who do it are a certain group that does not represent the people and nation, doing it without thinking about the general interest and public opinion in the world and in Israel. There is no vision or purpose to the missiles; the Palestinian interest is more important"
On the other hand, on 29 February 2008 Hamas parliamentarian Fathi Hammad spoke of a "death-seeking" culture where women, children and the elderly volunteer as human shields against Israeli military attacks. "[The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people have developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking," Hammad is quoted by Memri in a speech televised on Hamas' Al-Aqsa television station. "For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all the people living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideen and the children," Hammad is quoted as saying. "This is why they have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: 'We desire death like you desire life,'" he said.
The firing of Qassam rockets into Israel has been opposed by those living closest to the firing location due to Israeli military responses. On July 23, 2004 a family attempted to physically prevent the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades from setting up a Qassam rocket launcher outside their house. Members of the brigade shot one member of the family, an Arab boy, and wounded 5 others.

See also

 List of human rights organisations#Israel/Palestine
 Human rights in Islamic countries
 Islamization of the Gaza Strip
 Human rights in Israel
 Racism in the Palestinian territories
 Walid Husayin

External links
 Christy a Palestinian Christian's plea to Dr. Saeb Erekat- 2014

References

Palestinian law
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Palestinian Authority


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Music, Arts & Culture » Music
Upcoming Healdsburg Jazz Fest sports a samba mood
by Greg Cahill
music & nightlife |
Coupla (coco)nuts
Coupla (coco)nuts Dori Caymmi and Joyce kick off the fest.
lWhen North Bay jewelry designer and jazz buff Jessica Felix heard that Santa Rosa radio station KJZY planned to start a smooth–jazz festival in her hometown of Healdsburg, she didn't just get mad, she got creative.
You might say the 58–year-old Felix knows a thing or two about real jazz, music that isn't afraid to challenge the listener.
During the 1980s, while living in Oakland with her then-husband Ken Schubert, Felix often hosted top jazz acts at the couple's Gallery 552, a studio in a converted Victorian mansion that also served as the couple's home. Felix housed her guests, cooking for them, partying with them, getting to know them. As a result, she developed close personal relationships with some of the biggest names in the business.
Jazz remained a part of Felix's life after she moved to the relative quiet of Healdsburg a few years ago— after all, her jewelry and gift shop on the plaza is called Art and All That Jazz. But she had no plans to take on the often-demanding life of a festival promoter.
That all changed in 1999 when Felix teamed up with the Healdsburg Arts Council to host the Cedar Walton Quartet at the inaugural Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Under the guidance of artistic director and founder Felix, the festival has grown to include year-round events, with several in local wineries and restaurants, and a world-class public-school jazz–education program.
Now in its ninth year, the fest kicks off on May 3 with a "pre-festival" jazz gala featuring Brazilian chanteuse Joyce with Grammy–winning samba composer and guitarist Dori Caymmi at the Trentadue Winery. Chef Mateo Granados will provide a Brazilian–inspired menu paired with local wines and proceeds from the event will benefit the education programs.
That Brazilian flavor carries over as the fest begins in earnest on June 1 with the Stephanie Ozer Quintet hosting special guest vocalist Leny Andrade at the Geyser Peak Winery. On June 2, jazz pianist and vocalist Patricia Barber brings her red-hot quartet to Barndiva for two shows. Barber is the neo-boho queen of modern cool, a literate lyricist and savvy song interpreter who is blessed with a supple alto voice and plenty of attitude. The daughter of a jazz saxophonist and a blues vocalist, she can pen wistful originals that yearn for a new generation of Beat artists or drape the pleading classic-rock song "Light My Fire" in midnight blue.
The following day, the festival hosts a concert dedicated to renewing the spirit of New Orleans with the ReBirth Brass Band and trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis' New Orleans Quintet. Delfeayo, the third-born son of the four talented siblings in the Marsalis jazz dynasty, has toured with Ray Charles and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He is a recording artist and a much sought-after jazz record producer.
Other festival highlights include vocalist Rhiannon headlining a free June 5 concert in the Healdsburg town plaza with guest musicians Otmaro Ruiz, Abraham Laboriel and Alex Acuña. The Cookers—featuring all stars Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, Craig Handy (who holds down the alto chair in the Mingus Big Band), David Weiss, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart—turn up the heat June 8 at the Raven Theater. Guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Dave Holland team up June 9 for a duo concert at the Raven. Hall has been a major influence on two generations of jazz guitarists, including Pat Metheny (who has recorded with Hall). Holland contributed bass lines to two of Miles Davis' most influential recordings: In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. He also has played with everyone from Chick Corea to Stan Getz to Thelonious Monk.
The festival closes on June 10 with a co-headlining bill at the Rodney Strong Vineyard that features the George Cables Project with Gary Bartz, Eric Revis and Jeff "Tain" Watts; and the Roy Hargrove Quintet with special guest vocalist Roberta Gambarini. Jazz lion and eclectic trumpeter Hargrove alone is worth the price of admission; if you're not familiar with the lesser-known pianist George Cables, prepare to be pleasantly surprised.
The Healdsburg Jazz Festival's gala kicks off on Thursday, May 3, at Trentadue Winery, 19170 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 5:30pm. $130. For complete ticket and schedule information for the fest, go to www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org.
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No. 2/1 Kansas to Host Oklahoma State Saturday in Big 12 Battle
Jayhawk senior Travis Releford leads the Big 12 with a 61.7 field goal percentage.
#2/1 Kansas vs. Oklahoma State
Date Feb. 2, 2013
Time 3 p.m.
Location Lawrence, Kan.
Arena Allen Fieldhouse
Video Feed AT&T Jayhawk All-Access
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Live Stats GameTracker
Stats at a Glance KU OSU
Record 19-1 14-5
Points Per Game 73.9 71.1
Scoring Margin +15.3 +11.8
FG Percentage 48.2 44.3
3-Point FG Percentage 36.4 33.1
FT Percentage 72.1 75.1
Total Rebounds/GM 38.8 36.4
Rebounding Margin +6.4 +3.6
Assists/GM 15.5 12.6
Turnovers/GM 13.3 12.7
Steals/GM 7.4 7.5
Blocks/GM 7.5 4.8
Kansas Oklahoma State
PPG McLemore (16.1) Brown (14.8)
RPG Withey (8.3) Jurick (7.2)
APG Johnson (4.8) Smart (4.6)
SPG Releford (1.4) Smart (2.8)
BPG Withey (4.3) Jurick (1.2)
Kansas notes for Oklahoma State
JAYHAWKS RETURN HOME
Kansas returns home to host Oklahoma State in a Saturday afternoon Big 12 Conference battle. The Jayhawks and Cowboys will square off at 3 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse and the game will be televised on the Big 12 Television Network. Kansas takes a 33-game home-court winning streak, the second-longest in the nation, into the OSU contest.
Kansas, ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press and No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches' polls released Jan. 28, is 19-1 (7-0 Big 12) on the season after winning at new league foe West Virginia, 61-56, on ESPN's Big Monday. Kansas' 18-game winning streak is the nation's longest and is the third longest during the Bill Self era. In his 10th season at Kansas, Self holds a 288-54 record for an 84.2 winning percentage. Overall, Self is nearing his 500th career victory with a 495-159 record in his 20th season as a head coach. Kansas averages 73.9 points per game and is giving up 58.7 for a Big 12-leading +15.3 scoring margin. KU is outrebounding foes 38.8 to 32.5 and averages 7.4 steals while also leading the conference in field goal percentage at 48.2, field goal percentage defense at 35.0 and blocked shots at 7.5.
Kansas starts four seniors, including three fifth-year seniors, and one freshman. Named to the Sporting News Mid-Season All-American team Jan. 15, redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore leads the team in scoring at 16.1 points per game, which leads all Big 12 freshmen and ranks second overall in the conference. The Jan. 14 Big 12 Player of the Week and two-time conference rookie of the week, McLemore leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage (86.7) and is second in three-point field goal percentage (45.1). McLemore, who is listed on the USBWA Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year Award Midseason list, has a team-high 37 three-pointers made and is second on the team with 24 steals. All-America candidate senior C Jeff Withey leads Kansas in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and has seven double-doubles this season. Withey leads the league in blocked shots at 4.3 per game, which ranks third nationally. A USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Midseason honoree and Wooden Award Mid-Season Top 25 honoree along with McLemore, Withey is scoring 13.1 points per outing. Senior G Travis Releford leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 61.7 percent and ranks second in the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 86.4 percent. The Nov. 26 Big 12 Player of the Week, Releford was 7-for-9 with 15 points at West Virginia Monday. He is scoring 12.9 points per contest. Senior G Elijah Johnson has a team-high 96 assists and is second on the team with 29 three-pointers made to complement his 9.4 scoring average. Senior F Kevin Young rounds out the KU starters; he is scoring 7.3 points per game and is second on the team with 6.7 rebounds per outing. Young has two double-doubles this season. Other KU regulars include freshman F Perry Ellis (5.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg), sophomore G Naadir Tharpe (5.1 ppg, 2.5 apg) and redshirt freshman F Jamari Traylor (2.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg).
ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE
Located in Stillwater, Okla., with an enrollment of 35,000, Oklahoma State is 14-5 on the season, 4-3 in Big 12 play after its 78-76 come-from-behind win against Iowa State Wednesday (1/30). The Cowboys are coached by Travis Ford who is 94-60 in his fifth season at OSU and 284-206 in his 16th season overall. Oklahoma State is 11-1 at home, 0-4 in road games and 3-0 on neutral courts in 2012-13. OSU averages 71.1 points and gives up 59.2 for a +11.8 scoring margin. OSU has a +3.6 rebound margin, leads the Big 12 Conference in free throw percentage at 75.1 percent and is second in the league in turnover margin (+2.6). The Cowboys also force 15.3 turnovers per game.
Junior G Markel Brown leads OSU in scoring at 14.8 points per game which ranks fifth in the Big 12. He is second on the team with 25 three-pointers made and at 4.5 rpg is one of six Cowboys who average 4.4 rebounds or better. Freshman G Marcus Smart leads the Big 12 with 2.8 steals per game to complement his 13.6 scoring average. His 88 assists are a team high and his 5.6 rebounds per outing are second best on the OSU squad. Sophomore G/F Le'Bryan Nash is next in scoring at 13.5 points per contest. He averages 4.4 rebounds per game. Redshirt sophomore F Michael Cobbins (6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and senior C Philip Jurick (3.8 ppg, a team-best 7.2 rpg and 22 blocked shots) round out the OSU starters. Freshman G Phil Forte comes off the bench and has made a team-best 49 three-pointers this season. Forte averages 11.9 points per game, is second on the team with 28 steals and makes 89.1 percent from the free throw line. Other OSU regulars include freshman F Kamari Murphy (4.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and junior G Kirby Gardner (1.8 ppg).
Kansas leads the overall series with Oklahoma State 106-53. The Jayhawks have defeated the Cowboys in their last four meetings and five of the last six matchups. Kansas is 58-10 against Oklahoma State in games played in Lawrence, including a 43-8 record in Allen Fieldhouse. Since 1990, Kansas has defeated Oklahoma State 16-straight times in The Fieldhouse. Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, KU is 16-6 versus OSU (12-4 in regular-season play and 4-2 in the Big 12 Championship). KU head coach Bill Self is 10-7 all-time against his alma mater, including 9-4 while at KU. Oklahoma State's Travis Ford is 1-5 versus Kansas.
KANSAS TEAM NOTABLES
–Kansas is third in NCAA Division I and first in the Big 12 in blocked shots at 7.5 per game and also leads the conference in scoring margin (+15.3), field goal percentage (48.2) and field goal percentage defense (31.1). The Jayhawks also rank in the top four of the Big 12 in scoring (third, 73.9), three-point field goal percentage (second, 36.4), free throw percentage (third, 72.1), rebounding (third, 38.8), rebound defense (second, 32.5), rebound margin (second, +6.3), assists (third, 15.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth, 1.2).
–The Jayhawks have held a double-digit lead in all but two contests this season, with the exceptions coming in their 67-64 loss to Michigan State on Nov. 13 when they held a seven-point lead and at Texas (1/19) when they led by five.
–Out of its 20 games, Kansas has held 15 of its opponents to 60 points or less, including each of its last six conference foes: 46 at Texas Tech, 44 vs. Baylor, 59 at Texas, 55 at Kansas State, 54 vs. Oklahoma and 56 at West Virginia.
–KU has outrebounded 17 of 20 opponents this season including 13 of its last 14 foes. KU has had four games with 10-plus rebounds over its opponent, including a 41-31 advantage versus Oklahoma (1/26).
–Kansas has out shot all but two opponents in 2012-13. Michigan State outshot KU (52.1 to 50.0 percent) and Texas outshot KU 44.6 to 39.2 percent. Additionally, KU has shot 50 percent or better in nine games this season, including eight of the last 13 contests. KU's 54.1 percent at West Virginia (1/28) was its league best during 2012-13.
–Kansas has held a 40-plus point lead in four different games this season.
–Kansas had four players score in double figures in nine times this season, including five against Iowa State (1/9).
KANSAS SHOOTING
Kansas has out shot all but two opponents in 2012-13 and has shot 50 percent or better from the field in nine games. KU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 48.2 percent and is second three-point field goal percentage at 36.4 percent. Individually, senior G Travis Releford leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 61.7 and is 86-for-126 (68.3 percent) from the field in his last 17 games. Redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore has shot 50 percent or better from three-point range in nine of his last 12 games, including a 6-for-6 effort vs. Iowa State (1/9), a 2-for-3 game at Texas (1/19), a 1-for-2 night at Kansas State (1/22) and a 3-for-5 outing vs. Oklahoma (1/26). Senior C Jeff Withey has shot 50 percent or better in 16 of 20 games this season, including 10 games at 60 percent or higher. Withey was 4-for-6 (66.7 percent) at Texas, 3-for-6 at Kansas State, 6-for-11 vs. Oklahoma and 6-for-8 at West Virginia (1/28). Senior F Kevin Young has six games of shooting 66.7 percent or better, including two in conference play: 7-of-9 at Texas Tech and 2-of-3 at Texas.
IN THE POLLS
Kansas moved up to No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches' poll released Jan. 21. Kansas was last No. 1 on also on Feb. 14, 2011, and has been the nation's top team 38 times, including 20 in the Bill Self era. In the coaches' poll, Kansas has been ranked in each of the last 75 polls, including 62 times in the Top 10.
KU is No. 2 in the Jan. 28 Associated Press poll and dating back to the final three polls of the 2008-09 season, this marks the 70th-straight poll in which the Jayhawks have been ranked in the AP poll, including 60 times in the Top 10.
WITHEYBLOCKPARTY.COM
Here are some block party notables for Kansas All-American candidate Jeff Withey:
–Withey leads the Big 12 and is third nationally with 4.3 blocked shots per game. KU's record for single-season blocked shot average is 3.6 set by Withey in 2012.
–The 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Withey set the KU and Big 12 single-game record with 12 blocked shots versus San Jose State (11/26).
–Withey's 86 blocks in 2012-13 are more than six Big 12 teams this season and rank sixth on the KU single-season list.
–Withey ranks third on the KU career blocked shots list with 251. He is seven blocked shots from the KU career record of 258 held by Greg Ostertag (1992-95).
–For his career, Withey has had 10 games with seven or more blocked shots, including three in 2012-13.
–Withey broke the NCAA Tournament record for blocked shots with 31 in the 2012 event.
–Withey broke the Kansas and Big 12 single-season blocked shots record with 140 last year (3.6 per game). He became only the second Jayhawk to pass 100 blocked shots for a single season (125, Cole Aldrich in 2009-10).
AIRMCLEMORE.COM
Kansas guard Ben McLemore leads the Big 12 freshman class with a 16.1 scoring average, which is second overall in the conference. He leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 86.7 and is second three-point field goal percentage at 45.1 percent. KU's leading scorer as well, McLemore has five games with 20 points or more this season, including a 33-point effort against Iowa State (1/9) in the Big 12 opener.
Kansas freshman record-wise, McLemore's:
…16.1 ppg would surpass the KU freshman record of 14.6 ppg held by by Danny Manning in 1985.
…5.4 rebound average would rank eighth on the KU freshman list.
…37 three-pointers made in 2012-13 are eighth on the KU freshman list.
…45.1 three-point field goal percentage is fifth on the KU freshman list.
McLemore's 33 points against Iowa State (1/9):
–Were the most by a Jayhawk since Marcus Morris tallied 33 points against Iowa State on Jan. 12, 2011.
–Are the most points scored in a game this season in the Big 12 Conference for all players.
–Were the most by a Kansas freshman since Danny Manning scored 35 points against Oklahoma State on March 2, 1985.
–Consisted of him connecting on 6-of-6 three-point field goal attempts, marking the best three-point field goal percentage since Rex Walters went 6-for-6 from beyond the arc against Ball State in 2003.
MCLEMORE AND WITHEY NAMED TO MIDSEASON TEAMS
Kansas' Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey were named to the USBWA Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Midseason Watch List on Jan. 31. On Jan. 10, the duo was selected to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 announced by The Los Angeles Athletic Club. The Oscar Robertson award consisted of 12 players and Kansas and Indiana were the only schools with multiple players listed with two each. For the Wooden Award, Kansas is one of three schools to have two players among the 25, along with Duke and Missouri. The 2013 Wooden Award Gala will take place April 11-13, 2013, at The Los Angeles Athletic Club. The Gala will honor the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winners, All Americans and the Legends of Coaching Award winner, Kansas head coach Bill Self.
MCLEMORE SPORTING NEWS MID-SEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Kansas redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore was named to the Sporting News Mid-Season All-America First Team it was announced Jan. 15. McLemore is joined on the first team by Oklahoma State freshman Marcus Smart, Michigan sophomore Trey Burke, Creighton junior Doug McDermott and Duke senior Mason Plumlee.
Kansas will play at TCU on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. on ESPNU and at Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m. on either ESPN or ESPN2. KU returns home to host Kansas State on ESPN's Big Monday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.


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Attorney Stephanie Bogue joins Gilmore & Bell
Gilmore & Bell, P.C., a leading public finance law firm, is pleased to announce that Stephanie A. Bogue has joined the Firm as an associate attorney in the St. Louis office.
Stephanie was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2018 after graduating from the Saint Louis University School of Law (magna cum laude). During law school, Ms. Bogue won six Academic Excellence Awards and was named a Mel Friedman Fellow in Real Estate Law. She has since been elected to the Woolsack Honor Society. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Bogue graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a B.S. in Mathematics and Statistics. View Stephanie's profile here.
About Gilmore & Bell
Gilmore & Bell is one of the leading public finance law firms in the United States. For more than 20 years, Gilmore & Bell has ranked in the top 10 nationally in the number of bond counsel opinions rendered on municipal bond issues. The Firm primarily represents states, counties, cities, school districts and other governmental and quasi-governmental entities as bond counsel in public finance transactions. Gilmore & Bell has offices in Missouri, Kansas, Utah, Nebraska and Illinois. For more information, visit us at www.gilmorebell.com.
View all Gilmore & Bell Attorneys
Posted: Sept 24, 2018


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Funeral held for Navy vet, 38, with no known living relatives
Navy veteran Richard Lee Anderson was given a funeral with honors after his family could not be found. (Fox 7 Austin)
Prayers were said Thursday at a funeral in Texas for a 38-year-old Navy veteran who died eight months ago with no known living relatives.
Richard Lee Anderson served in the Navy from 1996 to 2002, Fox 7 Austin reported. He died of pneumonia alone in a hospital.
His funeral was held at a church in North Austin followed by burial at the Central Teas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.
His mourners were volunteers from local organizations.
"It's sad, but it's nice that we can come here and honor him for his service," Don Comier of the CenTex Patriot Guard Raiders told the station.
Funeral director Robert Falcon tried in vain to find Anderson's family.
"At such a young age we thought that we would have no problem with trying to locate family and unfortunately it's just been very unsuccessful," Falcon told Fox 7.
Click for more from Fox 7 Austin.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/funeral-held-for-navy-vet-38-with-no-known-living-relatives