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The Final Call | Minister Louis Farrakhan
Letter of warning to President George Bush (Dec. 1, 2001)
By the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan | Last updated: Dec 18, 2006 - 2:25:00 PM
[Editor's note: On December 1, 2001, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent a letter to President George W. Bush relative to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks and the American government's declared War on Terrorism. Though the correspondence was meant as a private matter, Jude Wanniski, a former associate editor of the Wall Street Journal and friend of the Minister, who tried using his contacts to get the Minister's letter directly into the hands of President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, released it publicly, without the Minister's consent. Mr. Wanniski was concerned, however that there was no response after 10 weeks that the letter had been sent. After the Attack on America on September 11, Minister Farrakhan held a press conference on September 16th, and it was at this press conference that the Minister said he would write President Bush, and, it took him almost two months to write the letter. Since the letter has been made public, Minister Farrakhan referred to it in his February 17th Saviours' Day 2002 address in Los Angeles. The letter is printed below in its entirety.]
George W. Bush, President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N. W.
As-Salaam Alaikum.
(Peace Be Unto You)
May this letter find you, your family and staff in the best of health and spirit in spite of the prevailing circumstances.
I am Minister Louis Farrakhan, National Representative of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, whom I believe Allah (God) raised among the Black people of America to teach us Islam as a means of our reformation and resurrection. He was also raised by Allah (God) as a Warner to the government and people of the United States of America. I sit in His seat by Allah's (God's) and His permission, therefore, His Mission is my Mission, and, it is out of my sense of mission and duty that I write.
I am deeply concerned for our country, and, I am deeply concerned for you.
I used the possessive pronoun our, because the blood of my ancestors soaks this soil and their blood has been shed on every foreign battlefield for the preservation of this nation. Therefore, we as a people feel a deep sense of ownership of America as much as any American. It is also out of this deep sense of concern and ownership that I write to you.
I write you from my prison. A prison without bars that has been made for me because of the passion for truth and justice out of which I speak, and, the propaganda that makes me appear to many as anti-White, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and anti-Gay. None of these names accurately describe who I am. I hope that you will open your heart to what I am writing not withstanding the prison from which I am writing.
Since Adam, there has not been one person or nation with power and dominion over the whole earth. This is the awesome position that America holds by Allah's (God's) permission.
This indeed is a great trial for you and for America, because, when Allah (God) allows anyone of us to rule over His servants and a great part of His creation, He does so to see how we act. If we act well, He will not replace our rule; however, if we allow the power, wealth, and wisdom that we possess over Allah's (God's) servants and creation to blind us so that we act other than as Allah (God) would desire us to act, then, He acts through the forces of nature and through people to overturn our rule.
This is a very dangerous Hour, but, it is an Hour filled with great opportunity. What is needed in this Hour is Right or Divine Guidance. This Guidance must be in accord with the Time and what this Time demands.
It is written in the Book of Revelation "The nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. " (Chapter 11 verse 18)
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, "We are living in the Day of Judgment." This is what is producing the anger of the nations and the Wrath of Allah (God). This is the time that those who have been deprived of justice must receive justice, for, it is only our acting on the principle of justice that will ease the anger of the nations and take away the Wrath of Allah (God). There can be no Justice without Truth, and, there can be no Peace in the world without Justice.
As a nation, America is blessed with wealth, wisdom, science, technology, and, abundance. America is also blessed with the awesome power to destroy nations of people. In order for you and America to receive the greatest of Allah's (God's) Blessings, which is the longevity and perpetuity that former great nations and empires have not enjoyed, you must rule according to the Will and the Way of Allah (God).
Mr. President, you and this nation stand in the position of the Vicegerent of Allah (God). (The person or nation that rules the earth in the place of Allah (God)). This is why America must rule the world as Allah (God) Himself would rule, for, she is now standing in His place by His permission.
Allah (God) also has awesome power to destroy. He is called The Possessor of Power over all things, and, He is also called The Destroyer, The Avenger. However, none of these attributes are His principle attributes. All of His attributes of might and power to avenge and destroy are balanced by His major attributes, which are Beneficence, Mercy, The Nurturer - of all things making them attain stage after stage until they reach perfection, and, King or Judge - who judges with justice. These are the four greatest attributes of Allah (God).
If America is to be truly triumphant in this Hour, these four great attributes must give balance and direction to America's awesome power to destroy and her desire to avenge the horrible act of September 11th.
When I heard you say that this act against America on September 11th has given purpose to your administration and that you feel that it is your mission to destroy the terrorists, their networks, those who harbor them, and, that the awesome power of America will be used toward this end. This, you hope will be the legacy that you leave to future generations; you also hope that the children and the American people will live without the fear of such evil as we experienced on September 11th. However, within these statements are my reasons for deep concern.
You have risen to the challenge of this Hour and this Hour has given you the support of the American people and the support of most of the nations of the earth. In my humble judgment, what you see as the purpose of your administration must not hinder or blind you from seeing the possibility of an even greater purpose and potential legacy.
It is out of this desire to see you fulfill that which will give you the greatest legacy that I write to you as a humble servant appealing to a great and powerful nation and ruler. I respectfully say to you that I believe if you continue this effort in the way that you presently have in mind, it will not end terrorism, but unfortunately may increase it.
On September 17, 1985, 1 had a vision-like experience where I was told of the secret plan of President Ronald Reagan who had met with his Joint Chiefs of Staff in early September 1985 to plan a war. I was not told whom that war was against, but, within a few months it became clear to me that the war was against Libya and its Leader, Muammar Gadhafi. President Reagan on coming into office had as one of his aims the desire to get rid of Muammar Gadhafi, and to place in the leadership of Libya a regime more favorable to America's foreign policy interests. The desire of President Reagan also concerned the planning of a war involving young Black men here on the soil of America. This is what inspired me to tour the country talking to Black men urging them to stop the killing of one another, and, this is what eventually led to the Million Man March on October 16, 1995. Another of President Reagan's desires was to make null and void the treaty that was signed by his predecessor, President Jimmy Carter, returning the Panama Canal to the Panamanian people by the year 2000.
President Manuel Noriega of Panama was demonized by the press, tried in absentia and found guilty of drug dealing. This was used as the justification for a violent action that was taken against Panama using the armed forces of America. However, the real aim was to place in Panama a government of America's choosing, and, to nullify the treaty signed by President Carter that gave the Panama Canal back to the Panamanian people.
During President Reagan's administration, Muammar Gadhafi was demonized in the American press. The bombing of a discotheque in Germany was used by President Reagan to justify the most expensive assassination attempt in the history of this nation.
I need not bore you with the details of this because you have access to information that will verify the truth of what I am writing.
I am writing this to show a consistent pattern of behavior of America's Presidents, administrations, and the press with respect to those Muslim leaders and other leaders that America has chosen to denounce as rogues, and to use as a justification for military action to cover their real purposes.
President Richard Nixon wrote that the enemy of democracy was not communism, but, fundamentalist Islam. Every President since the Nixon/Ford administration has taken some military action against a Muslim nation. President Jimmy Carter felt that the overthrow of the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and his replacement with the Islamist regime of Ayatollah Khomeini was a threat to America's vital interests. So, Saddam Hussein was given 80 billion dollars with America's approval by the Saudi government and the rulers of the United Arab Emirates to make Saddam Hussein a strong military power to use him against the rise of the so-called fundamentalist regime in Iran. During President Carter's administration, the American Embassy in Iran was taken and the hostage crisis began.
The effort of Jimmy Carter to free the hostages through military action after the fall of the Shah of Iran was a failure. In the negotiations between our government and the government of Imam Khomeini, it was agreed that the hostages would be released, but not during the administration of President Carter. The hostages were released in the early days of President Reagan's administration. President Reagan also saw Imam Khomeini and his desire that the Iranian people return to the purity of the faith of Islam as a threat to America's vital interests in that area of the world.
Your father fulfilled President Reagan's desire concerning the Panama Canal. Your father also had a problem that involved Saddam Hussein and Iraq. At the same time that he was prosecuting the war against Saddam Hussein, a part of that conflict also involved young Black men, gangs and drugs in America. Although the Gulf War was won by the allied forces, Saddam Hussein remains in power and has become a fixation with every succeeding President.
Mr. President, you have now inherited that which Presidents Reagan, Carter, your father, and President Clinton were not able to complete. What I have been shown is that you have decided to fulfill their unrealized expectations.
Afghanistan is only a preliminary to a much wider war which is already planned, and this war also has a home front aspect as well. Should you persist in this, you will do what no Islamic Leader is able to do. No leader of any Muslim nation can call for Jihad or Holy War and cause the Muslim world to obey that call. The only one who can call for such is one who sits in the position of Khalifah or successor of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Since the destruction of the Caliphate of Islam by corruption within the ranks of Islam, and European machinations; the rise of nationalism among Muslim nations has made it difficult and nearly impossible to unify the Arab and Muslim world on the question of Jihad. However, Mr. President, if you follow what you have in your mind, which many of those around you are encouraging you to do, then, you will do what Osama Bin Ladin and no Muslim extremist could ever do.
You will unite the Muslim world in hostility against America and Great Britain, and, you will use your great position of power inadvertently to call for a Holy War against the West.
You will force the more moderate Islamic regimes either not to side with you, or to side with you at the risk of being overthrown by growing Islamist forces within their countries.
The coalition that you are gathering will fall away from you and you will have to pursue this war alone. I am afraid that this extended war may take a turn that you and your advisors least expect, and involve America in the greatest of all wars, the War of Armageddon, in which no nation will be left out, including Russia and China.
I believe there is a better way to win. A way that may appear more difficult, but, you will be assured of the Help of Allah (God).
The world is with you to pursue those who perpetrated this act of war against America, and, your pursuit of the guilty parties is right and proper. However, Mr. President, it will take great courage on your part to look at America's policies with a critical eye, and, it will take even greater courage to break from the policies of the past and make a new beginning for this nation and the world.
You have sent a strong signal to the world in your statement that the Palestinians should have an independent, sovereign state. If you pursue this course with firmness and justice, the hot bed of terror in the Middle East will subside. The more fair, just and equitable the solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, the more the anger of those on both sides will subside, and, America will get the credit of settling this 53 year old problem with justice, thereby justifying America's position as the Viceregent of Allah (God). Mr. President, with the backing of the American people and the leaders of the world, if you reexamined policies that are unfair and changed them, this signal to the world would bring the world and those so-called enemies and rogue states into your and America's sphere of influence.
Since America is peopled by the people of the entire world, and, all have contributed to America's greatness, then, America as the world ruler has an obligation to the entire world.
There is no need for a clash of civilizations. The Muslim World has much to learn from the West and the West has much to learn from the Religion of Islam.
Creating the climate for dialogue will make a great future for America, and, under her rule a peaceful world can come into existence.
There is no nation on this earth that I know of where I would have the freedom to speak as I do or write the Head of State as I am writing, and, I truly appreciate this freedom.
There is no nation on this earth that offers more in the way of freedom than this nation, however, unrighteousness is what we all should work to overcome, because in the final analysis, it is righteousness, that will make this nation truly great. I am appealing to you and imploring you Mr. President to orchestrate an end to policies that are unjust.
I appreciate the privilege that I have to live in America, and, with all her faults there is no nation on this earth where I would rather live. However, this freedom that I enjoy under the constitution lays on me a heavy responsibility. That is, to protect the best of this nation and to work to overcome those weaknesses of the nation that are causing her fall.
I have traveled to many countries and have spoken to most of the Heads of State and Government, and, not one of them has ever said to me that they hate the American people, but, they have said that they are displeased with America's foreign policies.
I believe that I can be of service to you, our nation, and to all of those whom you believe are America's enemies. I believe that all of them can be made the friends of America. The whole world would like to have America as a true friend, but, America can never be a true friend of the people of the earth until and unless she rules with the Wisdom and Spirit of Allah (God) which reflects itself in our love for humanity, our love for truth, and our exercise of the principle of justice.
The nations would be willing to share their resources with America with joy if they believed that they would get a fair price for what they produce that would allow them to raise the standard of living of their people. There is nothing that the earth possesses that America could not have easy access to, if America determined to rule the nations of the earth with the principle of justice.
If America turns away from this principle and does what she is doing because she has the power to do it, then, Allah (God) who grants power will take it from America and bring another people in her place. This does not have to be, but it will be based on how America conducts herself in this Hour of her greatest trial and her greatest potential triumph.
Mr. President, please think and pray over what I have written, and, speak to your advisors and close friends concerning it. I pray that Allah (God) will grant you the wisdom to see that what I am saying to you is good and is the way to triumph over the evil and hatred that is in the world against the United States of America.
May Allah (God) grant you the wisdom to see deeply into the Prophets' utterances concerning this Hour.
I pray that we will be triumphant over terror and become the Friend of Allah (God) in so doing.
Best wishes for your success.
Thank you for taking the time to read these words. I Am Your Servant in the war against evil,
Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan
Servant to the Lost-Found
Nation of Islam in the West
Click here for Minister Farrakhan's second letter dated October 30, 2002
Warning, Judgment and Guidance for President Trump
Separation Or Death
The Challenge to Change: Who is Your Leader, God or Satan?
'Stand up on Truth': The Time for Reparatory Justice is Now!
'Holy Day' vs. 'Holiday': The Lie of 'December 25th'
The Abuse of the Female
'What is Justice?'— Redistribute the Pain through Our Economic Withdrawal
Is America headed for civil war?
Everybody Needs Somebody: A Tribute to Akbar Muhammad


Is this how the Karoo will end up looking? A photograph of fracking in Jonah, Wyoming, USA.
In my previous post I ran a Shell advert that I had doctored, which showed what their "commitments" to the Karoo would lead to should fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, be allowed to go ahead in this pristine South African heartland.
Little did I know just how accurate that drawing was. The picture above is being circulated in cyberspace in response to the outcry over Shell's proposals. It led me to dig a little deeper. I discovered the picture is from a website called Damascus Citizens - http://www.damascuscitizens.org/photos.html will take you to the pictures of fracking.
My doctored version of part of the Shell ad which appeared recently in South African newspapers.
Fracking at Eunice, New Mexico.
As I said in the heading, fracking frightening.
Mr. FOX: Yeah, highly proprietary. Well, not everything is secret. Their – the fracking fluid is something – there are many different chemicals in the process that they use over time. At first, they thicken the fluid with gelants and then they turn it around and turn it into a liquid. And it's very, very – there's no friction at all. So they're injecting all these different chemicals down on the wellbore – about 596 that we know about – a lot of which are proprietary. We don't know the chemical compositions.
The industry is not releasing what those chemical compositions are. They're saying it's like the special formula for Coca-Cola. But this is, you know, being injected underground and left there by the millions of gallons. And we know that most of the stuff is toxic: carcinogens, neurotoxins, other – endocrine disruptors, things that are – can – that can really be very harmful in small, small quantities.
FLATOW: It shows it right there in the legislature?
Mr. FOX: In the 2005 energy bills, it says right there. Yes. This is the Halliburton loophole. It is the exemption for hydraulic fracturing to the Safe Drinking Water Act. But they're also exempt from the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, which controls storm water runoff and the Superfund Act. So they don't have – they're not liable to clean up their mess. And also, the Community Right to Know Provisions. I mean, the list goes on and on.
The site also includes an interview on YouTube with Fox, which makes for equalling frightening viewing.
The big question is: why is the South African government agreeing to this? Like its plans for a massive oil refinery (using third-grade oil) at Coega near Port Elizabeth, it looks like they are intent on foisting the dirtiest fossil-fuel disasters on us at a time when we are crying out for clean alternatives like solar, wind, wave and tidal energy.
As I said in my previous post, will this become our Frackgate, with all the attendant backhanders and bribes?
This was originally just a blog where I mainly posted my drawings, but sometimes the activist in me is forced to emerge.
Just peruse some of my earlier drawings of the Karoo and think about what this will mean to that lovely part of our beloved country.


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Triple H's Return To The Ring, WWE Rebooting 'Leprechaun' Movie, Henry-SXSW
Submitted by Michael Bluth on March 16, 2012 - 12:28pm
- WWE Studios and Lionsgate are teaming to reboot the horror franchise "Leprechaun," according to Variety.com. WWE and Lionsgate are sharing production costs and will work together to market this film, which is currently set for a 2013 release. At this time, there are no actors, writers or directors attached to the film. Could we see Hornswoggle as the new Leprechaun?!
- Triple H returns to action this Sunday at WWE's live event from Madison Square Garden. Here's the card for Sunday's MSG show:
Triple H, CM Punk & Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho, Dolph Ziggler & Cody Rhodes
John Cena vs. Kane - Last Man Standing Match
Daniel Bryan vs. The Big Show vs. Mark Henry in a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
The Miz vs. R-Truth
- Mark Henry was in attendance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin, Texas this week. Fuse TV filed a report on the event and mentioned Henry, stating the following:
"A friend was eating lunch when WWE wrestler Mark Henry started talking to him and subsequently recommended Bacon, an Austin restaurant where nearly every item has its titular food. Music-related? Not really. But there is no weirder and more appropriately Austin moment than that."
- The New York Times has published an article looking at 1990s WWE performer Damien Demento. Demento, real name Phillip Thies, has launched an art show titled Karnal, featuring paintings and sculptures. The exhibit, which is housed at the Tachi Gallery in New York City, runs through April 14.
* NEW PICTURE Of BATISTA Filming The Movie Riddick (Mohawk!)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Gavin Maxwell is a partner in Accenture's Management Consulting practice with responsibility for all management consulting projects for our Health and Public Service clients in the Middle East. Gavin has led consulting engagements across Europe, the US, the Middle East and India. Gavin's Health and Public Service experience includes supporting the transformation in health, back office transformation of government, performance management and budgeting projects in addition to large scale system's enabled transformation. Gavin has served in the Irish Army for over 20 years, has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Economics, a Masters of Commerce in Shared Services and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Gavin isbased in Dubai with his family.


It seems you have missed adding not_active=my_cond to those regions that appear to be misbehaving.
Hi KK, thanks very much for the heads up. Now I want to be able to do this: I am using the script below to move to the next and previous posts.


text:
Q: How to retrieve records of the last 30 days from table SELECT  DATE_FORMAT(<dateField>, '%m/%d/%Y')
FROM

WHERE <dateField>
BETWEEN CURDATE() - INTERVAL 1 month AND CURDATE()

I am getting this error.

ORA-00905: missing keyword
  00905. 00000 -  "missing keyword"
  *Cause:
  *Action: Error at Line: 1 Column: 104

Also, other functions like NOW(), DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY AND NOW() are not working, similar error is thrown. I am unable to process the date retrieved by SYSDATE, as I cannot convert it using DATE_FORMAT function. What could I possibly do now?

A: this should help hopefully.
The where clause is finding out the current server time (now()), and taking a month from it, then testing to see if the date field is greater than that value.
SELECT  DATE_FORMAT(<dateField>, '%m/%d/%Y')
FROM

WHERE <dateField> >= date_sub(now(), interval 1 month)

A: use mysql BETWEEN with CURDATE :-
SELECT  DATE_FORMAT(DATE_FORMAT(<dateField>, '%m/%d/%Y') ) FROM
table WHERE <dateField>
BETWEEN CURDATE() - INTERVAL 30 DAY AND CURDATE()

or try this :-
SELECT  DATE_FORMAT(DATE_FORMAT(<dateField>, '%m/%d/%Y') ) FROM
table WHERE <dateField> BETWEEN DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY) AND NOW()

A:
ORA-00905: missing keyword 00905. 00000 - "missing keyword" *Cause:

`ORA-00905 is an Oracle error code.
SELECT  DATE_FORMAT(<dateField>, '%m/%d/%Y')
FROM

WHERE <dateField>
BETWEEN CURDATE() - INTERVAL 1 month AND CURDATE()

And this is syntactically incorrect in Oracle.
In Oracle, you could use:

*

*TO_CHAR to display the date into your desired format.

*SYSDATE to get the current date.

*ADD_MONTHS to go back a month

Try:
SELECT  TO_CHAR(<dateField>, 'MM/DD/YYYY')
FROM

WHERE <dateField>
BETWEEN SYSDATE AND ADD_MONTHS(SYSDATE, -1);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
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After dropping the 'All Of Them' track which made much wave and had her accepted in the mass media. The Multi talented rap goddess 'Soft Vina' real name 'Maryvina Chinenye Orafu' comes out with this dope track titled 'I GO MAKE AM' produced BY Kez Louis.. This is one girl her talent speaks out for..


Rare find in NW San Antonio! This Beautiful Condo has 2 Bedrooms & 2 Baths. The bathrooms have been recently renovated and new paint throughout. High ceilings, open floor plan in a quiet complex. Enjoy the view from the large balcony. Condo is walking distance to UTSA and half a mile from Valero and La Cantera Shopping. Bamberger Nature Park has nice trails for biking or running.
Listing provided courtesy of Michelle Hartl of Keller Williams Heritage.


text:
Author: NZ Skeptics
Author Archives: NZ Skeptics
Notice of Annual General Meeting – 6th Dec 2020 – 7pm online
Hi <<First Name>>
NZ Skeptics will be holding its Annual General Meeting for 2020 online on Sunday December 6th at 7:30pm.
The URL to attend the meeting is: https://meet.google.com/egm-afct-ysi
If you cannot attend the meeting and wish to vote by proxy, please contact the Secretary to arrange a proxy vote form.
We hope to see you at the AGM.
Craig Shearer,
Chair, NZ Skeptics Inc.
Skeptic News: RIP Randi, hauntings and big cats
Randi, hauntings, and more…
Hello fellow skeptic – and welcome to November. For me, this year has both shot by and dragged. And what a tumultuous year it's been!
This week saw the passing of James Randi (aged 92), a noted Canadian-American magician and skeptic. Most of us in the skeptic movement will be aware of the major contributions he made and in his popularisation of skepticism itself. He certainly called out many con-artists who made their livings out of fooling the public. People such as Sylvia Browne (purported psychic medium), Uri Geller (spoon bender), and Peter Popoff (faith healer) were targets of his debunking activities.
Randi, through his educational foundation (The James Randi Educational Foundation) also set up the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge (now terminated), which has been a powerful device against those who claim to have paranormal abilities but never seem to be able to produce the goods when actually tested.
Randi visited New Zealand, lecturing at Canterbury University back in 1993, and no doubt spurred many people to join NZ Skeptics at the time. We are on the hunt for the original videos of the presentation,and intend to get them up onto our YouTube channel in due course.
As skeptics we should question hero figures (and indeed the concept of heroes). No person is without their flaws. Randi had doubts about climate change (though updated his position), and was less than critical about some bad actors in our movement. But, Randi was a product of his age. There have been plenty of obituaries praising Randi, but it's interesting to read the opinions of his critics too. From what I've read, many take a tone of broadly praising his work but taking issue with a particular sacred cow of their own.
On the whole, Randi encouraged critical thinking and, I think, had a positive effect on the world.
Haunting continuation
NZ Skeptics was recently approached for comment on the bizarre story of a purported haunted house in Pukekohe, Auckland. The story was amusingly written up in the New Zealand Herald.
Haunted NZ, an organisation that investigates haunted houses, contacted NZ Skeptics, challenging us to spend a night at a purported haunted location. I wrote about this on our website. Unfortunately the planned visit didn't happen – the proposed venue doesn't actually allow overnight visitors!
It seemed that the story had run its course, but I was contacted again on Friday by the NZ Herald journalist, saying they'd had some further communication with Haunted NZ. Allegedly, the spiritual entities have now been ejected from the house by their ritual, but are now haunting the outside of the house but won't come back inside. I was told that a karaoke party was crashed by a ghost – though how this would work I'm not sure.
The NZ Herald journalist was to be sent a video from Haunted NZ that would show proof of the "goings on". Unfortunately, this has failed to materialise as of this writing. STOP PRESS – apparently the video is still being produced and edited down. We'll provide a link so all can see if and when it actually arrives!
I'm a little suspicious of the timing of this being around Halloween. It seems like a good publicity stunt for Haunted NZ. On the other hand, perhaps spiritual entities do exist, and Halloween is their peak season for activity! 🙂
Big cats in Canterbury
This week saw another claim of a big cat in Canterbury. And by "big cat" I'm not talking about an over-sized domestic feline, but a real wild animal variety big cat – such as a Puma or Black Panther or Tiger. Over the years there have been several claims of anomalous wildlife, including Moas and Mooses.
It seems unlikely that a population of large wild animals could exist and not be discovered by the scientific community. We should seek more prosaic explanations until evidence shows otherwise. According to experts, it's quite possible that well-fed feral cats can grow to quite a large size. From a distance, it's easy to mistake the actual size of an animal.
The evidence we have so far is mostly anecdotal or distant grainy photographs where it's difficult to determine actual scale. For these cats to be real would require a breeding population. Most big cats are endangered species in other parts of the world. It seems particularly unlikely that a population would be able to establish itself here and without the widespread notice of people.
Election prediction/science
It will no doubt not have escaped your notice that this is the week of the US Presidential Election, pitting the incumbent Trump and Pence, against Biden and Harris. I don't think it's going too far out on a political limb to state that, as skeptics, we should be hoping for the candidate that respects and follows science and listens to experts will actually win.
Trump is certainly the anti-science candidate. His administration's response to COVID is evidence of that. But then there's the climate change denial (which is arguably an even bigger existential threat), as well as dozens of other examples of ignoring experts. I liken his penchant for rolling back regulations as akin to somebody trying to dismantle a live bomb by cutting random wires.
But it's not a done deal – while Biden is leading in the polls, the outcome is far from certain at this stage. The US election reminds me of a scientific experiment. The Republican Party seems to be doing all it can to bias that experiment in its favour. From measures like making it hard for people to vote, to voter intimidation, to legal challenges as to up to when or whether votes can be counted – all of these measures introduce bias into the result. We can be very thankful that we have a much more transparent system of voting here in New Zealand, and one where there's a sense of fairness in that everybody who wants to vote should be able to.
I recall thinking back in 2016 after Trump's unexpected win that it might not be so bad. That he would be surrounded by people that would moderate his worst impulses. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to have been the case.
This week is going to be very interesting. My opinion is that Biden will prevail, unless all of the dirty tricks and manipulation going on by Trump's side manages to bias things so far as to upset the result.
NZ Skeptics Merchandise
Have you visited the refreshed and redesigned NZ Skeptics website yet? You certainly should – it's got a nice, clean design, done by Weka Web Design. And now, we've got some great NZ Skeptics branded merchandise for sale. Take a look at our special merchandise page. There you'll find some fun items which you can use to advertise your skeptical mindset.
We think these items would also make great Christmas gifts for the skeptical and not so skeptical people in your life.
We hope you're enjoying our newsletters. There's a team of three of us taking turns in writing the newsletter, and you'll probably find that each of us has a different style of writing and a different set of opinions and values that seep into our writing. We hope you welcome this diversity of thought.
The committee of NZ Skeptics is always interested in hearing feedback from our readers. If you've got anything to say, or would like to contribute or help out, please get in touch by emailing us.
Skeptic News: Conversion "therapy" out, free expression under attack
Conversion therapy on the way out, The Amazing Randi trolling psychics, and terrorism in France.
The NZ Skeptics newsletter email, out to you after Labour day. Have you planted your tomatoes yet? Keeping you up to date with the latest skeptical news from around New Zealand and overseas.
NZ Skeptics have been organising some exciting merch! Keep your eyes open for news soon about how you can get your hands on NZ Skeptics t-shirts, tea-towels and more…
Auckland University Professor Richard Easther @REasther tweeted "DO. NOT. STOP. USING. THE. DAMN APP." In response to statistics showing a marked decline in New Zealanders using the government's Covid tracer app. It seems people's ability to understand threats is great if it involves a large creature with teeth, but not so great if it involves an invisible virus. Skeptics should follow the science, and the science is telling us we need to retain good contact tracing practices or any new outbreak will be harder to track and contain. I for one have been using that damn app.
We found many people being highly skeptical of Facebook after it's move to ban anti-vaccination ads and QANON groups, meanwhile, they remain lurking down the rabbit hole over on YouTube.
Jacinda Ardern can now move to ban conversion therapy and reform gender law. She had promised to do so, provided she had the numbers in parliament. Now the people have given Labour the numbers, there will be nothing stopping this coming into force. This is great news for the LGBT+ community and anyone who cares about human rights. Conversion therapy is an idea promoted by religion. It does not work and is cruel psychological torture, based on the misguided idea that you can pray the gay away. Forcing people to pretend to be who they are not to pass for what is acceptable by their community hurts them. I feel strongly that it is the community who needs to change and learn to accept everyone for who they are.
Mediawatch reported that the broadcasting watchdog upheld a complaint about misleading COVID-19 claims by ZB's Mike Hosking. It wasn't the only time he misread the stats and misled his listeners. If you can stand listening to Mr. Hosking, well, wow. Let's just say I'd rather watch Uri Geller bend spoons all day long.
The work Ken Ring Weather Check @RingCheck does on twitter impresses me, so I'd like to throw some love their way. With persistence and attention to detail @RingCheck picks apart the random dross Ken Ring throws our way disguised as insightful and spiritually guided premonitions about weather and earthquakes. In a recent tweet @RingCheck said "Astrology has abandoned Ken in Australia now. The whole continent seems to be oblivious to the transit of Uranus through Scorpio. Must have slipped into another dimension using the "astrological energy grid of the constellations". So, if you like a good debunking, bring your popcorn and enjoy.
The Spinoff published an article by Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris about how to bridge the gap with someone who's been pulled in by disinformation. This is the story of people calming down and listening, rather than point scoring and repeating facts at the other person. Kindness is the key to changing someone's mind.
Tim Caufield's new book 'Relax, Dammit!: A User's Guide to the Age of Anxiety' Caufield says that too often "decisions are dictated by concerns or beliefs about our world that simply aren't true". True that.
After the very sad news of The Amazing Randi's passing, The Onion let us know he is already bothering psychics from beyond the grave. We would expect nothing less. Also, ha ha ha ha ha ha!
On a New Zealand tour back in 1993 he gave a lecture at Canturbury University. Were you there? Do let us know!
This writer's other half was lucky enough to have attended the lecture, as he was studying at Canterbury at the time. It turns out NZ Skeptics actually had recordings of the event, on VHS, and were mailing them out to people on request. On learning this we've begun an investigation to see if we can find a copy of the recording and from there see if it's possible to get it into some type of form that would be publishable online. I'm very curious to see it, and to see if my now husband, who would have been just 18 at the time might have been captured on camera too. Watch this space.
According to issue 29 of New Zealand Skeptic James Randi's talks were so well received, NZ Skeptics received a bump in membership and had the best attended conference up till that point. We were also very excited that he came to thank us in person for our small contribution to his efforts to fight a legal battle with Uri Geller. The case was brought by Geller who was offended to the tune of a cool 15 million dollars, by Randi's suggestion that Geller's tricks were "the kind that used to be on the back of serial boxes when I was a kid". The court sided with Randi, and Geller was made to pay 120,000 in fees.
I'd like to finish with some words about the murder of French teacher Samuel Paty. His life was taken because some cowardly people felt so offended, and justified, they thought it was acceptable to end someone's life. Being offended is ok. You can get over those feelings. They are just feelings. Your ideas are not you. Unfortunately, religion has a way of making you conflate your sense of self with your beliefs, so that some people feel justified to do extraordinarily grotesque things, even killing. Disagreeing with someone's views is ok. Killing someone to protect ideas is terrorism.
After the events, the hastag #JeSuisProf started trending. From NZ Skeptics, #JeSuisProf.
Back in March 2019 white supremacist terrorism had hit us all hard and we stood together with the hashtag #TheyAreUs. White New Zealanders were forced to recognise the role we all play in the passive acceptance of racism in New Zealand, a foundation of lies and injustice that supports white supremacist terrorism, and the ongoing everyday racism that continues to injure so many with a thousand tiny cuts. Unfortunately, the ideology of white supremacy has a way of making you conflate your sense of self with your beliefs, so that some people feel justified to do extraordinarily grotesque things, even killing. Disagreeing with someone's views is ok. Killing someone to protect your ideas is terrorism.
Now in October 2020 we stand with Mr. Paty's family, friends and colleagues, everyone who was impacted by his death. Everyone who wants to talk honestly about controversial issues, for they should not have to fear doing so. Free expression is important and must be protected.
NZ Skeptics Member Update
What a year 2020 has been! Obviously unprecedented in many ways. We find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic and lucky to find ourselves in a country which has sensibly listened to scientists and other experts. What a contrast we've seen between countries that have respected the science and those whose leaders have ignored it, taking a fairly cavalier attitude to the risks and dangers the virus presents.
We have some major changes coming up with the NZ Skeptics Society.
Firstly, we trust that you've enjoyed receiving New Zealand Skeptic, the quarterly journal of NZ Skeptics Inc. The journal has been published for many years, but we've now taken the hard decision to stop publishing it. The Autumn 2020 issue, number 130 was our last issue.
The committee of NZ Skeptics has decided that the journal has "had its day" and to move to publishing more timely, online content, more frequently. Our plans are to publish a short regular newsletter (generally weekly, but sometimes life gets in the way), delivered via email, and to have more articles and blog-style pieces on our website. If you're signed up to the alerts mailing list, you should have received this by now.
We hope you'll find the new online-based content useful. We plan to cover New Zealand/Aotearoa-related content from a skeptical and science-related perspective.
Delivering in email form will allow us to keep our members informed more frequently and hopefully encourage engagement and participation. It will also be more easily shareable with others who might not otherwise be exposed to a skeptical perspective on things. To that end, we're going to be delivering the newsletter to anybody who's signed up to the mailing list, not just members of the society. We see this as a way of spreading our message to a wider audience than just society membership would allow.
We've had some regular contributors to the journal over the years, and we hope to retain their voices, albeit in a slightly altered format. If you're interested in writing content, we'd love to have you get in touch. Please contact us at [email protected] if you'd be interested in this.
Speaking of the website, we've now refreshed the look, giving it a more modern feel, thanks to our committee member Amy, from Weka Web Design. Please make sure you check it out. We plan on adding more content and a special members' only area in the near future.
As you're probably aware, we normally run an annual conference. Last year's in Christchurch was a stunning success. We had planned on running one this year in Wellington… then COVID hit. Then we planned on running an online conference, but, stressful as this year was, we could not pull things together in time. So, we have decided to forgo the conference this year, and plan on running an in-person one next year, on the assumption that things will be much more under control with the pandemic, hopefully with a vaccine in place. Things, we hope, will look very different in twelve months.
Finally, we've a couple of other items we think will be of interest to members.
We're currently setting up a page on the website where you'll be able to order various NZ Skeptics merchandise – such as T-shirts, coffee mugs, tea towels and a few other specialty items. These items would make perfect Christmas gifts for the skeptical and not so skeptical amongst us.
Secondly, watch out in your physical mailbox in the next few weeks for a special item from us. We're not revealing what this is yet, but we think you'll like it.
As a committee we are interested in feedback on our decisions. If you've anything you'd like to let us know about, please contact us at the committee email: [email protected].
Craig Shearer
Edward Linney – Pharmacy Council Code of Ethics Consultation Response
Submission relating to proposals by the Pharmacy Council to alter Clause 6.9 of the code of Ethics
I am Edward Linney a consumer with an active interest in evidence based medicine.
I do not support the intent of clause 6.9b to avoid a requirement of credible evidence of efficacy for complementary therapy or other healthcare products.
Extract from consultation document
Proposed supplementary wording – two distinct parts – clause 6.9
6.9a "Only supply or promote any medicine or herbal remedy where there is no reason to doubt its quality or safety and when there is credible evidence of efficacy."
6.9b "Only supply any complementary therapy or other healthcare product where there is no reason to doubt its quality or safety and when sufficient information about the product can be provided in order for thepurchaser to make an informed choice with regard to the risks and benefits of all the available treatment options."
The addition of 6.9b explicitly avoids any requirement for there to be credible evidence of efficacy. It moves the roles of evaluation of scientific evidence from the scientists to the consumer. This is bizarre, we all understand that the patient purchasing the homeopathic remedy for example is a believer and is most unlikely to be able to make an informed decision in the complex task of selecting the best products to treat themselves with.
Pharmacies are businesses BUT they are run by scientifically qualified people and they trade on this image. They are the only place where the public can purchase prescribed pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists enjoy a very privileged position in that regard. In my view the public expects you to sell and promote products which are shown in appropriate testing to perform better than a placebo, in short evidence based products.
The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia ( The Government if you will) published an unqualified opinion in March 2015 after wide public consultation and a meta analysis of many trials that homeopathy is no more effective than placebo in treating humans. It comes as no surprise to me that when the credibility of these products which are actively promoted and sold in all my local pharmacies is vanishing that the Council proposed to avoid the requirement for efficacy in the sale of these to the public by pharmacies.
I believe there is a connection between the growing awareness that homeopathic remedies are placebos and the intention to explicitly avoid efficacy in the code of ethics in relation to their sale in pharmacies. It is a business protection step taken now to ensure that members of the public cannot take pharmacies to task for breaches of their code of ethics.
I submit it is totally unethical for the Council to put in place a provision whereby a scientifically trained seller uses that credibility to then sell known placebos as if they have efficacy. It is a betrayal of the science that trained them and a cynical exploitation of their status as health professionals. I wonder if pharmacists will have a warning label on these products which states they have NO active ingredients and they are no more effective than placebos. Perhaps the Council, if it wishes to see pharmacists selling these products should insist on a step like this, that would be the truth and assist the informed choice you are advocating. It was not so long ago that the pharmacies used to say "the health professional you see most often", sadly you cannot make this claim today given current practice in selling known placebos.
It is telling that the consultation document suggests not promoting or recommending products which lack efficacy but is unwilling to take the ethical step of including efficacy explicitly in the code. It is simply duplicitous and puts commercial gain ahead of evidence based operations in patient and public outcomes.
The Council should retain the requirement at all times when selling products that claim to assist medical situations that there MUST be credible evidence of efficacy. Not to do so is in breach of the duty of Council to promote good practice and protect the public by being complicit in the public opting for remedies which are placebos and thereby not using genuinely efficacious products that have been proven by proper trials. The patient outcomes are likely worsened if a placebo is used in place of the best treatment.
Pharmacies seek to be taken seriously and want to expand on their offering in the evidence based market by adding things like Wharferin testing for example. They cannot have it both ways they are either just a peddler of anything the public wants or are serious health professionals. Your decisions in this matter will answer that question.
Edward Linney
Skeptical Thoughts on the Radio!
Graeme Hill's Weekend Variety Wireless radio show on RadioLive is a Sunday night fixture where two prominent skeptics, Siouxsie Wiles and Mark Honeychurch chat about current skeptical topics and events.
Sunday, June 4th 2018
Sunday, May 28th 2018
Sunday, May 21st 2018
Sunday, May 6th 2018
Sunday, April 23rd 2018
Sunday, April 8th 2018
Skeptical Thoughts
Our current chair, Mark Honeychurch, has been filling in for Siouxsie Wiles recently on Graeme Hill's Weekend Variety Wireless show on RadioLive. He's had fun chatting with Graeme on the Skeptical Thoughts segment, and has talked about rugby injuries, therapeutic paint, the igNobels and the Republican Primary, amongst other topics.
Here are links to the recordings:
Sunday, August 15th 2015
Sunday, September 20th 2015
Keep an ear out – he may be returning to the radio soon!
Climate Change or Global Warming?
The terms "climate change" and "global warming" tend to be used interchangeably. This can create confusion and misunderstanding. While the underlying general warming is increasing at a comparatively steady rate due to greenhouse gas emissions, the climate changes triggered by the underlying warming can lead to extreme weather events that go to wild extremes ranging from drought to blizzards. This can lead to misguided ridiculing of climate change when extreme cold weather events occur.
It is notable that as early as 1988 when the United Nations realised the need to form a specialist organisation to address the issue, it chose the name Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) not Intergovernmental Panel on Global Warming. Even that long ago, the science community understood that the key issue facing humanity was not the underlying warming trend, but the changes that it would cause to global climate patterns, leading to a variety of catastrophic extreme weather events in various localities around the globe.
In this article, we generally use the more correct and accurate term "climate change".
Until recently, the NZ Skeptics steered clear of participation as an organisation in the climate change debate. This was partly because there have been varying opinions within the membership. Also, the issue was seen as a science versus science debate, rather than science versus pseudoscience. Nevertheless , over a number of years there has been vigorous debate among members as individuals.
By 2014 the science had become increasingly settled, and there is now an overwhelming consensus among appropriately qualified scientists that human-induced climate change is real and is a serious problem that demands urgent and concerted action. Also, there was increasing concern among the NZ Skeptics membership that we were being confused in the public mind with the community of climate change doubters and deniers who dub themselves as sceptics. Accordingly, in 2014 the NZ Skeptics committee agreed to issue a position statement to clarify the society's views. It was:
The New Zealand Skeptics Society supports the scientific consensus on Climate Change. There is an abundance of evidence demonstrating global mean temperatures are rising, and that humans have had a considerable impact on the natural rate of change. The Society will adjust its position with the scientific consensus.
Inevitably, there were some within the organisation that felt that the statement was too weak while others questioned the right of the committee to take such action on behalf of the membership as a whole.
In this short article, it is not possible to traverse all the scientific arguments supporting the reality of human-induced climate change. Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97% of peer-reviewed scientific literature agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities. Most of the leading scientific organisations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position. Moreover, this consensus among climate scientists is reinforced by findings in various other scientific disciplines.
The hypothesis that greenhouse gases could cause global warming was first mooted in the 19th Century, and it has been several decades since scientists first issued warnings that warming was occurring and could cause widespread climate change and trigger severe weather events.
Usually, when scientists develop a hypothesis, the scientific method demands that they run experiments to test it. In this case, that was obviously impossible, and the world had to wait to see whether the climate change hypothesis was correct. With the passage of time, the remarkable foresight of those early scientists has become apparent, as people in various parts of the globe become affected by the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. The validity of the scientific method and the scientific consensus is increasingly being demonstrated in ways that non-scientists can appreciate.
This raises the question of whether extreme weather events are caused by climate change or whether they would have occurred regardless. The most rational answer is that the changes to the global atmospheric and ocean environments in which weather occurs mean that all extreme weather events are different to what they would have been without climate change.
The Counter-Arguments
Over the last decade or so, the arguments put forward by the climate change doubters and deniers have changed. At first, many completely denied that warming existed at all, and in fact there are still some extreme deniers, particularly among talkback hosts and right-wing politicians, who maintain that climate change is some sort of huge global conspiracy or hoax. However, most of the doubter community has moved to a position of accepting that warming exists and that it is at least partly caused by human actions.
The arguments now put forward by the more rational end of the doubter community tend to revolve around doubts that the impacts of climate change will be as serious as is predicted and doubts that the potentially disastrous feedback loops forecast by some scientists will actually occur. This is often accompanied by an optimistic view that mankind has the technological ability to adapt to the changes that will come. On this last point of the ability to adapt, it is perhaps important to note that climate change is forecast to cause global and fundamental changes to global weather and sea levels. While mankind has shown the ability to adapt to many circumstances, the fact remains that we have never been able to truly cope with the more extreme events that nature throws at us, such as earthquakes, eruptions, tsunami, floods and tornadoes. There must be real doubt that we can cope with the sort of global consequences that climate change will bring.
Climate Change and Evolution
In many ways, the debate about climate change has parallels with the debate about evolution. When Charles Darwin put forward his hypothesis about evolution by natural selection in the mid-19th Century, it met a storm of protest from vested interests, as has occurred 100 years later with the climate change debate. In the case of evolution, the protest was led by the churches, whereas for climate change, the charge has been led by big business. However, it is interesting to note that, in the USA at least, the main political opposition in both cases has come from the fundamentalist right.
In both cases, the tactics have been somewhat similar, including cherry-picking of the science and radical claims about world takeovers and conspiracies.
Following the decades of debate, the NZ Skeptics now feel confident in agreeing with the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real, with human activity being a major contributing factor. We are satisfied that the problem is already sufficiently real and serious that urgent worldwide action is required. Nevertheless, we accept that precise predictions about the future course of events and the future ability of mankind to adapt might be subject to change as the evidence accumulates. That is the nature of the scientific method.
NZ Skeptics on The Skeptic Zone
Last week our chair, Mark Honeychurch, chatted with Richard Saunders on episode 334 of the Australian Skeptics' "Skeptic Zone" podcast (Aired March 15). Richard pre-emptively introduced Mark with statements like "yes those New Zealanders are just as skeptical as…anybody else". Richard asked Mark about the history of the movement in New Zealand and "what's going on in the land of the long white cloud in skepticism", and of course there was an obligatory comparison of our countries' skeptical histories and successes.
Mark talked about our new look logo, journal and website, and also about debunking Uncensored magazine's U.F.O. conspiracy theories, Shuzi bands and what New Zealand has to offer in the way of cryptozoological creatures (during which it was decided that there are worse ways to spend a weekend than searching for moa!). All round it was a great flying of our skeptical flag by Mark, ending in Richard expressing positive enthusiasm for a Skeptics in the Pub crawl and moa hunt combined. The Skeptic Zone is a podcast that is well worth a listen, being Australasian we share a lot of the issues they discuss and we have cultural similarities as well.
New Journal, Membership, Aliens
The latest issue of the NZ Skeptic is heading to the letterboxes of financial members, packed full of the intriguing, the informative and the infuriating. It's a whole new look for the journal, along with our new website and brand-new logo.
Now is the time to subscribe or renew your subscription to the Society. It's quick and easy to do online (or use the handy form in the journal).
If you don't see the Journal in the next week or so, it's because your subscription hasn't come through. Either join up now, or contact the secretary to check your current status.
Real Alien Footage Revealed? Not!
The NZ magazine Uncensored is standing by its claim to have released real footage of aliens at Roswell, despite clear evidence that the film was part of a B-grade movie released in 2006. See our side-by-side comparison.
What will Uncensored reveal next? This amazing story perhaps:
Footage Released of 1960s Secret JetPack Flight Over London
We'll award a virtual chocolate fish to the best breathless headline and image pairing you can come up with, Send your ideas to the Chair.
More weird illusions
If the debate over the colour of that dress got you flummoxed, here are some more neat ways the brain can be fooled.
Lee Traynor is doing the rounds at Skeptics in the Pub locations, and will be giving a talk titled "The skeptic's dilemma – on changing your mind". He's in Wellington on Friday, March 6th (6pm, Kitty O'Shea's), followed by Palmerston North on Saturday (7pm, venue TBC) and Hamilton on Sunday (The Bank, 7pm).
Felicity Goodyear-Smith is giving a talk at Auckland Skeptics in the Pub on Monday, 9th of March. Shared idée fixe – "The case of murder that wasn't" starts at 7pm at the Juice Bar at Windsor Castle.
Future Alert emails will be coming from our new address of [email protected], so if you're currently whitelisting our Skeptic Alert emails, please add this new address to your list to continue receiving our alerts.
Vicki Hyde
Media Spokesperson, NZ Skeptics
Uncensored "Roswell Video" compared to "Alien Autopsy" movie
NZ's Uncensored Magazine has proclaimed "ROSWELL ORIGINAL FOOTAGE OF DEAD ALIEN REDISCOVERED BY UNCENSORED EDITOR":
The NZ Skeptics heard that it was actually just footage from an Ant and Dec movie, so we decided to put together a side by side comparison.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/CGo4BZE4gsM]
You can check out the original footage from Uncensored Magazine, read more from the Editor of Uncensored or have a look at the IMDB page for the Ant and Dec movie.
Stephen Meyer vs. Alison Campbell
Hear Stephen Meyer's "evidence" for Intelligent Design and Evolutionary Biologist Alison Campbell's reply to his assertions that God Dunnit.
http://prog.radiolive.co.nz/radiolive/Hill/feb15/150222_hill_meyer.mp3


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HLA and HPA antibody formation may lead to platelet refractoriness where less than an expected rise in platelet count is seen after a platelet transfusion.(3) This may occur in about 20-70% of patients receiving multiple platelet transfusions.(4) Post-transfuson purpura can also occur as a consequence of development of HPA and HLA antibodies.
Alloimmunisation against HLA antigen is also implicated in transplant rejection, febrile non-haemolytic reaction and in TRALI.
Obtain patient history of any previous transfusions, transplantations or pregnancies.
Perform an antibody screen tests on the patient's plasma to detect clinically significant red cell antibodies, HLA or HPA antibodies.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the transfusion reaction with most reactions being mild. Alloimmunisation cannot be completely prevented. In Australia, all cellular blood products are leucodepleted where most white cells are removed by filtration to reduce the risk of HLA sensitisation. RhD immunoglobulin is also given to pregnant women who are RhD negative to prevent haemolytic disease of the newborn. To reduce the risk of TRALI plasma for FFP and cryoprecipitate is only accepted from males and apheresis platelets from males and nulliparous women only.
If a red cell alloantibody is identified, antigen-negative blood is warranted if further transfusion is needed.
Chou ST, Liem RI, Thompson AA. Challenges of alloimmunization in patients with haemoglobinopathies. BJH 2012;159(4):394-404.
Hod E, Schwartz J. Platelet transfusion refractoriness. BJH 2008;142(3):348-360.
Fung MK, Grossman BJ, Hillyer CD, Westhoff CM (ed). Non-infectious complications of blood transfusion. Chapter 19, AABB Technical Manual, 18th edition. AABB, Bethesda, 2014.


text:
Q: Spring Data Version Compatibility VS Elasticsearch version Compatibility I have my Spring version as 3.0.5 and ElasticSearch version as 5.6.10.
Now, I want to migrate Elasticsearch version to 6.3. So, will my Spring be compatible with ElasticSearch 6.3 version.
Thank you

A: Concerning this README file on git project of spring-data-elasticsearch, you can use Elasticsearch 6.5.0 with Spring Data Elasticsearch 3.2.x.
I haven't tried it yet, but you can give it a try!


text:
Tyler Everingham (born 7 January 2001) is a racing driver from Australia. He currently competes in the Super2 Series for MW Motorsport. In 2019, he was awarded the Mike Kable Young Gun Award.

Career results

Career Summary

*Season in progress

Super2 Series results
(key) (Race results only)

Supercars Championship results

Complete Bathurst 12 Hour results

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

References

External links
Supercars Official Profile

2001 births
Living people
Australian racing drivers
Supercars Championship drivers
People from Dubbo
Racing drivers from New South Wales
Australian Endurance Championship drivers
Garry Rogers Motorsport drivers
Australian F4 Championship drivers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Newell Window Fashions' new warehouse and distribution centre at Tamworth
The curtain has gone up on Newell Window Fashions' new warehouse and distribution centre at Tamworth.
The 80,000 sq ft centre is part of a pounds 4 million investment which Newell is making to underpin its position as the UK's leading manufacturer and distributor of curtain tracks, poles, blinds and accessories.
Sixty new full time jobs have been created as a result of the investment, said Newell general manager Nick Friend.
The company makes products under the Swish, Harrison Drape and Kirsch brands.
Mr Friend said the new centre, located at Tamworth's Lichfield Road industrial estate, would improve customer service and speed up delivery times.
'And with more retailers stocking Newell Products, we could eventually be seeing a little bit of Tamworth at the windows of every UK home,' he added.
The centre was declared open by Tamworth MP Brian Jenkins.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home » Missing » Rita Chretien: Search continues for Al
Rita Chretien: Search continues for Al
Update, August 8, 2011: Elko County authorities say bones found near the site where Rita was found stranded are not from a human.
Rita Chretien who survived 7 weeks alone in her car waiting for her husband to return, is doing better. Her liquid diet has been upgraded to regular food.
Rita and her husband, Al, got lost on their way to Las Vegas from their home in Canada. After their car broke down, Al left Rita behind while he went to go get help. Rita waited 7 long weeks for Al to return. She survived on melted snow and a ration of trail mix and candy, that soon ran out. She lost around 25 pounds during her ordeal.
When two men and a woman searching for elk antlers came across Rita and Al's van, they saw that it was stuck in a ditch. There were blankets over the windows and a piece of paper taped to the windshield that said "stuck."
Rita's family said they are going to remain in the U.S. until Al is found. Searchers from the Elko County Sheriff's Dept. continued looking for Al. They believe he might have headed to Mountain City.


text:
Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Criminal Justice
Apply online Program summary
Credential: degree
Credits: 120
Next start: monthly
Criminal justice systems are complex and require an understanding of crime as well as the institutions and professionals that operate within these systems. Athabasca University's Bachelor of Professional Arts, Criminal Justice Major will teach you to think critically about criminal justice policies and practices.
Student recommended
Source: institutional data analysis
Q: Why take the Bachelor of Professional Arts?
AU's Bachelor of Professional Arts program lets you turn your diploma into a degree while still being able to work and meet personal commitments. You bring your knowledge and professional experience, and we bring you the wider context, including relevant theories and issues.
Q: How long will it take to complete?
Finish this program in as little as 2 years of full-time study, or work at your own pace and take as long as you need. There is no time limit for completion.
Transfer and advanced credit
Whether you've just earned your diploma or have several years of experience in the criminal justice field, this program is for you. You will get advanced education in areas such as
cross-cultural awareness
managing family violence
law and policing
You will also learn more about
the adult and youth justice systems
criminal justice policies, procedures, and programs
the roles of criminal justice professionals (such as law enforcement) and other stakeholders (such as victims and offenders)
Taking this degree-completion program can support career advancement and continued education at the graduate level.
Why take the Bachelor of Professional Arts?
Completion times
The BPA is designed for students who have completed an approved 2-year diploma or equivalent from an accredited college or institute of technology. You can also apply to the program with a combination of post-secondary education and related work experience.
You will be considered a pre-program student until your admission requirements are confirmed. You can still take courses during this time.
In addition, applicants must also complete AU's English Language Assessment (ELA) prior to being enrolled in the program.
To self-enrol in the English Language Assessment, please follow the steps below:
Click this link: https://mais.lms.athabascau.ca/mod/quiz/view.php?id=55054
Under "Self-enrol with Key," enter the enrolment key: ela22bpa
Click "Enrol me."
Click "Quiz."
Click "Attempt quiz now" at the bottom of the page.
You can apply to AU online anytime. Once you've completed the online application form and paid the one-time general application fee (and transfer credit evaluation fee, if applicable), you're officially an AU student and can start registering in courses.
How to enrol in an undergraduate program
Make sure we get your transcripts if you want us to consider your previous post-secondary education for transfer credit.
If you have significant life and work experience that relates to this program, you may be eligible for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). You can use PLAR credits either toward program entry, if you don't have a related diploma, or toward program requirements, which could mean fewer courses to get your AU degree.
You must complete a minimum of 30 credits at AU.
Learn about transfer and advanced credit at AU
Contact the program coordinator for more information about PLAR in the criminal justice program
To complete the program you will need to complete the common core courses of the Bachelor of Professional Arts, plus those specific to your major.
Requirements: Bachelor of Professional Arts, Criminal Justice Major
Our program plans can give you an idea of what courses you need to finish this program, and how to plan the order you'll take them in. If you're feeling stuck, our academic advisors can help.
Program plan: Criminal Justice Major
Preparatory (100) level courses are not permitted in this program.
Program allows a maximum of 12 credits at the junior (200) level.
Program requires a minimum of 18 credits at the 400 level.
Detailed information about courses in this program can be accessed using the following links:
Bachelor of Professional Arts, Criminal Justice Major
Once you have paid the initial application fee, tuition is pay-as-you-go for each course registration. Course fees vary depending on your location and other factors.
Calculate your course cost
You can estimate your total program cost by multiplying the cost of a 3-credit course by the number of courses you need to take for the program. Remember that tuition costs may increase each year.
Graduates from the Bachelor of Professional Arts-Criminal Justice (BPA-CRJS) program should
Describe the tripartite structure of the criminal justice system (the courts, the police, and corrections).
Examine the policy, adjudication, and rehabilitation functions of the criminal justice system.
Analyze the differences in and interactions between the adult and youth justice systems.
Identify ethical issues in criminal justice research and work.
Evaluate psychological and sociological theories of crime and social deviance.
Evaluate the theories and research that underpin correctional treatment programs.
Analyze research methodologies that inform criminal justice research and practice recognizing the limits of these methodologies and of one's knowledge and ability to make sound judgements and recommendations.
This program is intended to attract not only newly graduated diploma students but also those with several years of experience. The general program goals are to
provide graduates with the critical-thinking skills, administrative skills, and advanced education in areas such as community policing, cross-cultural awareness, the environment, organized crime, managing family violence, and law and policing that are needed by police, corrections, security and other enforcement officers.
afford increased areas of employment and advancement in the criminal justice field for police officers, corrections officers, court officers and private security officers.
Customs Officer
Canadian Intelligence Officer
Military Police Officer
Correctional Officer
Parole Officer
Crime Analyst
Policy Analyst (provincial and federal solicitor general departments)
Private/Corporate Investigator
Youth Worker (young offenders)
Special Constable (solicitor general/justice/municipal departments)
At Athabasca University:
Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies
Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education
Graduate Diploma in Distance Education Technology
Master of Counselling
Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling
At other educational institutions*
graduate studies: master in criminology, sociology
* Entrance requirements vary among educational institutions. It is the students' responsibility to research the entrance requirements of other universities.
Additional information that you need to know about AU and this program.
Visit program website
Download program plans
Ask AU
How AU programs work
View program listings
Email program
Get information about AU
We have information to share with you!
AU has over 85 programs, here are the ones that are related to the Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Criminal Justice program.
University Certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations
Get a better understanding of industrial relations and human resource matters with Athabasca University's online University Certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations.
View University Certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations
Bachelor of Arts Major in Sociology
Sociology helps you both understand and change the world you live in. The study of sociology links together the social, economic, political, cultural, and ecological aspects of a changing global society.
View Bachelor of Arts Major in Sociology
Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations
The Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations looks at employment relations in social, legal, political, and economic contexts.
View Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations
Bachelor of Arts Major in Anthropology
Anthropology, in its broadest sense, is the study of what it is to be human. The discipline differs from all others that study human beings because it is holistic, historic, global, and comparative. It helps us understand human differences ...
View Bachelor of Arts Major in Anthropology
Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Human Services
The Bachelor of Professional Arts, Human Services Major is a degree-completion program designed to meet to the career and professional needs of workers in the human services fields of child and youth care, corrections, coun...
View Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Human Services
Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Governance, Law, and Management
Organizations have shifted from "command and control" management to flexibility, innovation and lifelong learning. The Bachelor of Professional Arts, Governance, Law, and Management Major is a degree-completion program that...
View Bachelor of Professional Arts Major in Governance, Law, and Management
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Work, Organization & Leadership
Work, Organization, and Leadership draws from the humanities, social sciences, labour studies, gender studies and cultural studies to examine contemporary developments in the world of work, organizations and leadership.
View Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Work, Organization & Leadership
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Community Studies
Community Studies explores issues of social justice and social change as they relate to community-based organizing, community economic development, education, and social movements.
View Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Community Studies
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies is the exploration of the links between the arts and other human activities in complex societies. It includes both high art and popular culture, both ancient texts and new hypertexts.
View Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Cultural Studies
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Equity Studies
Equity Studies is a disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and multi-disciplinary approach to social justice and inequality. Ranging across the local, regional, national, and global, Equity Studies explores inequalities between and among humans t...
View Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Equity Studies
Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Heritage and Social History
The Heritage and Social History focus area will provide a unique opportunity for students to study theoretical and applied issues in heritage and social history using an interdisciplinary approach.
View Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies - Heritage and Social History
https://www.athabascau.ca/ 4740850d0a2a3e94614b8a68679bee7e


Students interested in understanding the growth of cities through science and social studies.
discuss the history of Natchez, Mississippi and its ties to slavery and the slave trade in the United States.
articulate the physics and mechanics of river transport, examining the Mississippi River as a specific case study.
illustrate the process of urbanization, specific to the urban planning of Natchez, defining key social and cultural elements such as neighborhood development, transportation of materials needed for urbanization, accessibility of resources, and the growth of information and communication transfer.
analyze concurrent historical events north of the Mississippi River and across the United States in relation to Natchez.
connect his or her own experiences with those of enslaved individuals, understanding that these stories are of both our past and present world.
Natchez is one of the earliest European settlements in the lower Mississippi River Valley. The origins of the city date back to 1716 when French settlers established Fort Rosalie atop the bluffs of the river. In 1789, the Spanish governor Manual de Gayoso ordered the survey and creation of the street grid and the city was born. Today, Natchez is well-known for its unique collection of historic architecture, reflecting three centuries of its history which help to tell the human story of slavery from several different perspectives. The two antebellum homes at Natchez National Historical Park are like moments frozen in time. Built in the 1840s, the two homes served two very different masters — a white plantation owner and a free black barber — providing two distinct windows into life in the American South before the Civil War.
The Melrose 1800s Greek revival-style mansion represents the height of Southern prosperity and the "Cotton Kingdom." Sitting today on 80 lush acres maintained by the National Park Service, the Melrose house gives visitors a glimpse into the lifestyle of the pre-Civil War American South and helps them understand the roles that slaves played in an estate setting. By contrast, the William Johnson House complex located in downtown Natchez was the residence of William Johnson, a free black barber in Natchez. Renovated by the National Park Service, the Johnson House allows visitors to learn more about the life of free African Americans in the pre-Civil War South.
Alongside the stories of these two residences runs Natchez's deep connection to the slave markets and auctions that dotted the Mississippi River in the 1800s. With nearly 200,000 enslaved individuals passing through the Forks-of-the-Road market in Natchez, this city played an undeniably strong role in the American slave trade, and doubtlessly impacted the greater landscape of slavery in the United States.
In this lesson, students will embark upon a research project to better understand the growth of Natchez as a city and as a center for slave auctions and trading. Navigate the class to www.CyArk.org, and click on the Themes tab. Find the Atlantic Slave Trade Theme, and open the interactive map. This map visually connects heritage sites associated with the slave trade to each other and to the maritime routes between them. Encourage students to explore the map further, and especially the portal for the Natchez National Historical Park project in more detail.
What has changed in the urban layout of Natchez between 1800 and today?
Which neighborhoods are more densely populated?
What is the socioeconomic breakdown of these neighborhoods?
How does Natchez interact with the Mississippi River?
During this time period, what was happening further north along the Mississippi River? What about elsewhere in the United States?
How has transportation to/from Natchez changed?
Think about transportation of people, material goods, and news/information.
Using their research, students will create a graphic representation displaying their observed changes. Options for these graphics include map comparisons using manual drawings, AutoCAD, SketchUp, or graphic designing programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
Students should be prepared to present their findings to the class, and provide the teacher with a complete bibliography.
What routes of travel existed between which regions?
Were there any opportunities for escape?
In what ways does this journey affect your entire life, as well as those of your family?
Consider new language acquisition, the breakup of families, new cultures, music, and folklore.
Teacher evaluates student groups based on completion and integrity of the assignment, quality of research, creativity, and demonstrated competence utilizing new technologies.


I just received my new MacBook Air 13.3″ (MC965LL/A) and I heard that they put in 2 different SSD's in each one. I found the best way to check which drive you have, and which is technically 'better'.
Go to : Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Serial-ATA.
If it is TS it is a Toshiba and probably a bit slower. If it is SM, it is a Samsung drive and faster.


Valinda~Viriam Kaur MA, E-RYT, (owner of South Bay Yoginis) has been teaching Yoga since 2000 and practicing since 1994. She has a Master's Degree from UCLA in Dance/Movement Therapy and recently completed her 5th year of advanced studies in Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. She has led yoga retreats in La Paz, Mexico, Ojai & Joshua Tree, CA.
Valinda was just a simple choice for the RYW Ambassador team. Her clear and kind vision makes her an original, and a perfect fit for the principals of retreating yourself well. Don't be fooled by her gentle nature as she can create a challenging sequence within a seconds notice. Valinda has it all going on. She just lives and breathes peace and bliss. If you would like to plan a retreat with Valinda, contact us at jen@retreatyourselfwell.com.


text:
Q: Modifying a list of dictionaries with the same keys This is from scraping data off of IMDB. I have four lists of items - ratings, rankings, titles, years. I need to take these lists and merge them into a list of dictionaries which would look like:
dict_list = [{'rating':value_from_rating_list,
              'ranking':value_from_ranking_list,
              'year':value_year_list,
              'title':value_from_title_list},
             {entry two},
             {entry three},
              etc...]

The end product being a list of dictionaries, with each dictionary having those four keys with the different values from the the four lists of items, so if looking at a completed dictionary within the list it would look like:
{'rating':8.5, 'ranking':10, 'year':2010, 'title':'Movie Name'}

with each of key values coming from one of the separate lists.
I've tried generating a dictionary with the key names in place e.g.:
key_names = {'rating':None, 'year':None, 'ranking':None, 'title':None}

lis = []

for i in range(1,20):
   lis.append(key_names)

But I'm not sure after doing that how to update the individual dictionaries within the list with the values from the other four pre-generated lists.

A: You say you have 4 pre-generated lists, in that case (assuming the i-th item belongs together) you can zip them:
mov = ['a', 'b', 'c']
rat = [1, 2, 3]
year = [1999, 2000, 2010]

[{'title': t, 'year': y, 'rating': r} for t, r, y in zip(mov, rat, year)]

which gives:
[{'rating': 1, 'title': 'a', 'year': 1999},
 {'rating': 2, 'title': 'b', 'year': 2000},
 {'rating': 3, 'title': 'c', 'year': 2010}]

However I personally would prefer an immutable structure like collections.namedtuple here:
from collections import namedtuple

Movie = namedtuple('Movie', ['title', 'year', 'rating', 'ranking'])

mov = ['a', 'b', 'c']
rat = [1, 2, 3]
rank = [10, 9, 10]
year = [1999, 2000, 2010]

>>> [Movie(t, y, rt, rk) for t, rt, y, rk in zip(mov, rat, year, rank)]
[Movie(title='a', year=1999, rating=1, ranking=10),
 Movie(title='b', year=2000, rating=2, ranking=9),
 Movie(title='c', year=2010, rating=3, ranking=10)]

That's a matter of preference, namedtuple is just an alternative.

A: You don't need pre-populate keys. Not existed keys automatically created on update.
key_names.update(your_new_list)

A: Suppose you have following four lists, 2 elements each:
In [177]: l1 = range(2)
In [178]: l2 = range(8, 10)
In [179]: l3 = range(12, 14)
In [180]: l4 = range(15, 17)

Let's create a list where'll store the result:
In [181]: l = []

Iterate through the first list and create a new dictionary for each iteration:
In [184]: for ind, i in enumerate(l1):
      d = {"a": i, "b": l2[ind], "c": l3[ind], "d": l4[ind]}
      l.append(d)

In [189]: l
Out[189]: [{'a': 0, 'b': 8, 'c': 12, 'd': 15},
           {'a': 1, 'b': 9, 'c': 13, 'd': 16}]


Christian Aid has welcomed David Cameron's speech at today's UN climate summit and praised his desire to see an end to 'perverse fossil fuel subsidies' but urged him to look beyond a dash for shale gas.
Mohamed Adow, Christian Aid's Senior Climate Advisor who is attending the summit, said: "David Cameron claimed to be the leader of Britain's 'greenest government ever' so his attendance at the most important climate change summit in years is welcome.
"His commitment today to see an end to fossil fuel subsidies is the kind of constructive action we need if we're going to tackle rising carbon emissions.
"Mr Cameron is absolutely right to link the battle against global poverty with tackling climate change.


The Big Train first arrived at Pleasurewood Hills in 1984. The train stops at different points around the park and you can hop on and off as many times as you like during your visit. As you make your way around the park you will notice a number of crossing points which are fitted with barriers and alarms. When the barriers are lowered, make sure you give the passengers a wave as they go by!


The event takes place at Yowie Park, Hope Street, Kilcoy, Queensland 4515. See Course page for more details.
It is entirely organised by volunteers - email yowiehelpers@parkrun.com to help.
See our volunteer page for details on getting involved in making Yowie parkrun happen.