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City to apply for USDA grants for new police cars
Port Clinton will be applying for grants from the USDA to purchase new police cars, which police officials described as much-needed.
City to apply for USDA grants for new police cars Port Clinton will be applying for grants from the USDA to purchase new police cars, which police officials described as much-needed. Check out this story on portclintonnewsherald.com: https://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/story/news/2019/02/14/city-apply-usda-grants-new-police-cars/2868425002/
Jon Stinchcomb, Port Clinton News Herald Published 1:17 p.m. ET Feb. 14, 2019
The Port Clinton City Council is exploring potential grants to help fund the future purchase of new police cars as aging vehicles, such as this 2004 Ford Crown Victoria, need to be replaced. (Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)
PORT CLINTON - Efforts by city officials to replace several police vehicles among the department's aging and depleted fleet are moving forward.
This week, Port Clinton City Council introduced two ordinances that would allow the safety-service director to apply for a grant and/or loan from the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, to finance the purchase of new police vehicles and equipment.
The city council's emergency services committee has been looking into the issue for months and had plans prepared on how best to proceed, which includes applying for financial assistance to make the purchases in 2019.
In order to make the future purchases at the best possible prices, officials researched police cruisers available under Ohio's "State Purchasing Program."
With that, the city received a quote for the purchase of four police cruisers, along with necessary equipment to outfit them, and will be applying for a grant and/or low-interest loan in the amount of $160,000 from the USDA.
Officer Mark Anderson, of the Port Clinton Police Department, sweeps off snow from this 2004 Ford Crown Victoria cruiser. (Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)
The grants and loans are offered through the USDA Office of Rural Development's Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.
One of the advantages to that program is that if the city is not awarded grant funds, it will be eligible for a low-interest loan.
Port Clinton City Auditor Cole Hatfield said the nice thing about the program's loan structure is that its interest rate is capped at 4 percent, whereas most bank loans would be anywhere from 5.5 to 7 percent.
The program is also first come, first served, with the grant period beginning in October, and no deadline to apply.
The ordinances permitting the grant application had their first reading on Tuesday. The ordinances can be adopted as early as March following their third reading.
As the police department's fleet stands now, several officers are needing to share cruisers, according to Chief Rob Hickman. Hickman said when new cruisers are purchased, they hit the road immediately.
"If you look at them, some of them have a lot of miles," said councilwoman Margaret Phillips, who chairs the emergency services committee, regarding the aging cruisers that need to be replaced.
jstinchcom@gannett.com
Twitter: @JonDBN
Read or Share this story: https://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/story/news/2019/02/14/city-apply-usda-grants-new-police-cars/2868425002/
Huge flag boosts patriotic spirit in PC
Fremont man sentenced to prison for PC robbery
Teen honors grandfather with flight on B-17
Officials reel 'em in on Governor's Fish Ohio Day
Port Clinton shores up city beach after erosion
Squirt guns help Port Clinton runners cool off


The impact of digitalisation on the business activities of banks is growing. However, this increasing digitalisation also entails the risk of becoming a victim of cyberattacks. Liechtenstein banks therefore invest considerable sums in IT security in order to offer their clients the best possible protection against cyberattacks.
In addition to the technical means of defence, however, raising the awareness of users of online services is of fundamental importance. The most frequent cause of attacks on the internet is still human fallibility. The methods of cyber scammers are becoming increasingly imaginative and are often difficult to detect. With cleverly forged e-mails, text messages, and spoofed websites, scammers manage to trick online users into revealing their personal, financial, and professional information or even initiating transactions. It is therefore particularly important for the Liechtenstein Bankers Association to continuously inform and sensitise the public. The most significant activities include regular participation in the European Cyber Security Month, which takes place annually in October, and support for the Cyber Security Liechtenstein association.
Review your digital life and don't become a victim of cyber scams – the 7 most common cyber scam attacks.
As part of the European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) 2018, Europol, the European Banking Federation (EBF) and their partners from the public and private sectors launched a joint awareness campaign on cyber scams in October. The Liechtenstein Bankers Association (LBA) also participated in this campaign to raise awareness among citizens.
For this campaign, awareness material was made available especially on social media. Together with its member banks, the LBA also published awareness material and several articles in the regional media.
Scammers pretend to be your CEO or senior representative in the organisation and trick you into paying a fake invoice or making an unauthorised transfer out of the business account.
Scammers pretend to be one of your clients/suppliers and trick you into paying future invoices into a different bank account.
Scammers call you, send you a text message or an email to trick you into sharing your personal, financial, or security information.
Scammers use phishing emails purporting to be from a legitimate bank with a link to the spoofed website. Once you click on the link, various methods are used to collect your financial and personal information. The site will look like its legitimate counterpart, with small differences.
Scammers pretend to be interested in a romantic relationship. It commonly takes place on online dating websites, but scammers often use social media or email to make contact.
Scammers harvest your personal information via social media channels.


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The Plight of Invisible Walls
September 8, 2015 by Kristijonas Jalnionis in Game Design and Development
Most commonly, the term "Invisible Wall" is referred to in video games and they are most frequently noticed when their presence just does not make any sense. For instance, imagine a chest-high barrier, which player-controlled character should undoubtedly be able scale over, only to smash his face into an invisible barrier, which extends from the static mesh all the way to the sky. While it may sound like a hypothetical example, there is an excess of games, which are plagued with horrendous invisible wall placements.
Cases of bad invisible wall implementations
Fallout 3 comes to mind as one of the most notorious offenders in bad invisible walls placement I have seen in recent time. Despite the fact that players are given a large open world to explore, whenever a virtual boundary of the world is reached, players are stopped in their tracks by an invisible barrier accompanied by a message, which tells them to turn around and proceed the other way. What makes the matters worse, is that it is difficult to tell where the world boundaries are without looking at the map, since most these virtual boundaries are not walled off by any natural formations, like mountains for example. Quite the contrary – most of these boundaries look like an extension to the game world, featuring large open areas with appealing backdrops, deceivingly placed there just to fool the player.
Another open world game with bizarre invisible wall mechanics is Far Cry 2 released in 2008. If the protagonist wanders off too far into the African desert, the game forcibly passes him out followed by a rough transition back to the walled off garden that is the game world. No explanation throughout the game entire game is given on why the protagonist cannot leave the map boundaries. Players themselves would have to figure out why the character falls ill when the boundary is reached, and why he is magically placed back into the playable zone moments after.
There are several other cases when bizarre placement of invisible barriers and collision boxes can create a baffling experience in the game. For instance, early Medal of Honor games released for the original PlayStation console had strange instances when an enemy could not by killed if he stood behind a chain link fence, even though the gaps themselves were large enough to let a bullet through. In addition, shooting an enemy through a seam between the stairs was also impossible, thanks to invisible barriers placed in the seams.
Proper implementations of invisible walls
Previously mentioned examples displayed improper implementation of invisible walls, but are there any games, which feature unobtrusive invisible wall, thus justifying the word "invisible" in this term? First game, which springs to mind, is Borderlands. The implementation of invisible boundaries in its open world sandbox was excellent. Instead of having players face an invisible barrier, which stops them in their tracks, unmanned turret guns would be deployed where the world boundary exists. If players were to wander off past the boundary, they would be warned with an audible message. However, if they failed to comply, and still kept on venturing forward, those auto turrets would blast them to pieces for disobeying the warning.
Battlefield games also have a pretty effective and unobtrusive implementation of level boundaries. Since most of the levels take place on an open terrain, it is granted that the player would eventually leave the playable space. However, the game dealt with such issue in a similar fashion as Borderlands: if the player were to wander off past the boundaries of the game world, the game would warn them that the player-controlled character would be shot for deserting the battle. In the context of the game, this makes perfect sense, providing that in the real world scenario, similar punishment is carried out to deserters.
Speaking of a different approach to limiting player progress, Diablo 2 had a few novel ideas, which are hard to come by even in contemporary games. The game world was open to the player, though if the game detected that player-controlled character's level was not high enough as he was to venture in a new area, a patrolling guard would stop the player warning him that enemies, which dwell ahead are too powerful. From that point, it was fully up to the player whether he wanted to turn back or venture ahead disregarding the warning. In many cases, the latter option would result in swift death, but that is all right, since the game warned the player about the dangers ahead and his/her disobedience was punished.
In the end, invisible walls are here to stay, as they are vital elements in level design. Thanks to them, navigation around complex geometry can be made more fluid, players can be kept out of unreachable spots and object collision can be made possible. Unfortunately, it is the improper deployment of invisible barriers is what gives them a bad name. It is entirely up to level and game designers to ensure that they limit player's progress and approximate collisions in an unobtrusive way. In addition, as we could see from examples provided before, all that is needed is a little bit of wit and creativity.
Note: an edited version of this article was originally published in PlusFiveInt
← 6 Deadly Sins of Touchscreen Gaming

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Some Advantages of Playing Online Games
Dec 7, 2022 Uncategorized
One of the business areas that is filling quickly in the US and all over the planet is that of the gaming business. In the US alone earlier year, computer games got incomes in overabundance of $12.5 billion. This solid development is happening when a few ventures are as yet battling to get through from the delayed worldwide downturn. As the American economy further develops the computer game industry is ensured to see considerably more noteworthy development. That implies that the organizations around here area will require a new deluge of qualified and instructed representatives in order to extend.
There are a wide assortment of open บาคาร่าออนไลน์ positions accessible in the gaming business and they are characterized for the most part into two unmistakable gatherings. Around half of the people utilized in this area care for the business side of industry and tackling errands like administration, advertising, bookkeeping and item deals. The other portion of the workers are the imaginative and specialized staff that really produce and plan the computer games. The work capabilities on the innovative side interest individuals like illustrators, computer programmers, illustrative craftsmen, computer game software engineers, scholars and realistic game originators. These open positions compensate fairly for prepared and qualified individuals.
The most pivotal work position on the inventive side of the computer game industry is that of making and conceptualizing the PC game, an errand embraced by the game fashioner. The PC game creator concocts the idea for the game and afterward deals with planning every one of the various elements that go into making up a shiny new enormous scope PC game. Most new computer games are planned by groups of game creators dealing with a different errands under the direction of their group chief, the lead planner. The lead creator handles the whole task and is liable for the staff and financial plan, so great organization abilities are alluring.
Working under the lead architect will frequently be a few junior fashioners dealing with the computer game. There are natural or level fashioners, frameworks or game specialist architects and planners who work for the advancement of the game creator interface. The typical computer game architect compensation levels for these various positions are subject to different elements like professional training, geographic area, work title, instructive level and the business you are working for. A commonplace computer game creator pay for a lesser fashioner is generally $40,000 each year. This could ascend to more than $100,000 following at least six years of industry experience.


Temple's Tyliek Raynor shown scoring his first career touchdown in the Owls 24-17 win at Navy.
Tyliek Raynor received the handoff on a draw play, and his instincts took over. One cut to the right, another further out, and he was on his way to the end zone, completing a stirring 15-yard run.
For Raynor, a redshirt sophomore at Temple, it was a long journey to a once-familiar place, one he knew well when he was lighting it up at Imhotep Charter in Philly. Temple coach Geoff Collins calls him a playground legend.
"I felt really good finally getting into the end zone, and scoring my first touchdown was a blessing," Raynor said after Tuesday's practice. "I just thank God through all the trials and tribulations I went through, I was able to get back and, hopefully, one of my goals was scoring a touchdown."
Raynor's injuries began when he broke his right ankle near the end of his senior season at Imhotep. The injury didn't hinder him as a freshman at Temple, but he still redshirted.
Tyliek Raynor running for Imhotep Charter against Catasauqua in November 2013.
Last year, he suffered a torn right meniscus in the summer and missed the entire season. Raynor still wasn't ready at the beginning of this season and missed the first four games.
He made his debut Sept. 29 in a 45-35 loss to Boston College and had just one carry for 2 yards. The next week, he had five carries for 14 yards in a 49-6 rout of East Carolina. Last week, he had three carries for 25 yards — including the 15-yard TD — in a 24-17 victory against Navy.
With the status of top running back Ryquell Armstead uncertain, Raynor could play a bigger role when Temple (4-3, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) hosts No. 20 Cincinnati (6-0, 2-0) in the Owls' homecoming game at noon Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
No running back on the Owls, not even Armstead, can match Raynor's speed.
"My speed is all back," he said. "I feel I got faster over the winter."
Raynor's teammates respect all he went through to return to the field.
"I was pretty excited for him," offensive tackle Jaelin Robinson said. "He is a tough guy and has had to battle back from a lot, and I was happy to see him get in there."
With Raynor's speed, the linemen don't have to hold their blocks as long.
"He is a downhill kind of guy, and that is a great thing to have in the backfield," Robinson said.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Raynor put on some muscle in the offseason and now is much stronger. He also had to be mentally strong to endure his long period of football inactivity.
"It was difficult," Raynor said. "I have a good group of family and friends, and they have always been on my side when I went down."
Raynor received good advice from those close to him.
"They said, 'Keep pushing, everything happens for a reason, and when you get your time, go,' " he said.
"All I needed was a few hits, a few cuts, just to get back and just feel like it was OK and didn't hurt," Raynor said. "There nothing that really hurts, and I just feel regular, 100 percent."
Record: Cincinnati, 6-0, 2-0 American Athletic Conference; Temple, 4-3, 3-0.
Coaches: Cincinnati, Luke Fickell (2nd season, 10-8; overall, 16-15); Temple, Geoff Collins (2nd season, 11-9).
Series history: Temple leads, 12-7-1. The Owls have won three in a row after last year's 35-24 win at Cincinnati.
– After defending the triple option in last week's 24-17 win at Navy, Temple returns to facing a more familiar spread offense. The key will be how the Owls handle dual-threat quarterback Desmond Ridder, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound redshirt freshman. Ridder has completed nearly 66 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,062 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. He has rushed for 315 yards (4.6 avg.) and four TDs. Containing him on run-pass options will be a key.
– Temple is averaging 31.4 points, but the Owls will be, at least statistically, facing their best defense so far this season. Cincinnati is among the top 10 nationally in many defensive categories, most notably scoring defense. The Bearcats are first in the AAC and third nationally, allowing just 13.7 points per game. The Bearcats are fourth nationally in total defense, allowing 274.3 yards per game. A major priority for Temple will be keeping 6-3, 290-pound senior defensive tackle Cortez Broughton away from quarterback Anthony Russo. Broughton has 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks, to lead the Bearcats in both categories.
– Cincinnati is first in the nation in pass-efficiency defense and eighth in passing defense, allowing just 154.3 yards per game. The Bearcats will be facing a deep Temple receiving corps and a confident Russo, who is 4-1 as the Owls' starting quarterback. While most teams try to establish the run to set up the pass, Temple might be better served doing the opposite and come out firing on the Bearcats secondary. What has made Temple so difficult to defend is that Russo has taken advantage of many options. Last week, he connected with nine receivers, led by Ventell Bryant, who had eight receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. Bryant is a key because he is both an outstanding route runner and a blocker. If Cincinnati gives him extra attention after last week, other Owls receivers are more than capable of stepping up.


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text:
1539: Planning
Comic #1539 (June 17, 2015)
Title text: [10 years later] Man, why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook control over our nuclear weapons?
Big companies have always tried to get the greatest amount of information from their customers, because that translates into more money earned. However, ability to gather, store and process such information is limited by the technology available. With the recent development of computers, this ability has grown far more than anyone could have suspected just 20 years ago; to the point that companies like Google or Facebook get almost unimaginable amounts of data from their users; and this data is gathered and stored automatically and can be efficiently accessed.
This data is routinely used to, for example, tailor online ads to the browsing history of the user seeing the ad. They could potentially be used for more evil purposes, like selling the medical history of users to insurance companies. Many users don't feel that they're giving out so much information, and in fact that few of them have given Google or Facebook their medical history. However some leaks have proven quite the opposite. In the AOL leak referenced in 155: Search History, searches for "how does a male's cocaine use affect a fetus", "hysterectomy" or "8 alcohol drinks a day", surely would be interesting for a medical insurance company to know.
In the comic, Ponytail is puzzled because people are not worried about Google or Facebook using their information in evil ways; however Megan raises a quite fair point, namely that the huge amount of nuclear weapons in existence is much scarier, and that was worrying to the general public in the 1980s, however people have grown tired of that and now concerns have moved to internet privacy only because it's "new". What is perceived as dangerous or worrying follows trends and fashions not directly related to real danger (i.e. "happen on auto-pilot"). The point Megan is making is that maybe it's better to just accept that things work in this way and go with the flow. This is very similar to what happens in 1480: Super Bowl or 1534: Beer.
In the title text we move ahead 10 years, to a similar conversation where the two aspects of the above have been inexplicably mixed. A future equivalent to Ponytail asks why we all think it is OK to hand over the control of our nuclear weapons to Google and Facebook, which would certainly be a nonsensical route to take. This could also be seen as another step toward the singularity, from which perspective handing over control of nuclear weapons could be desirable, catastrophic, implicit and/or unavoidable.
This comic was posted on the day after Vladimir Putin had announced that Russia would add 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear stockpile within the year.
Within a year Randall has made several other comics about nuclear weapons, the first of these, 1520: Degree-Off, came just 1½ month before this one. Later these two comics were released early in 2016: 1626: Judgment Day and 1655: Doomsday Clock. Nuclear weapons are also mentioned twice in Thing Explainer, specifically they are explained in the explanation for Machine for burning cities about thermonuclear bombs, but they are also mentioned in Boat that goes under the sea about a submarine that caries nukes. All three comics and both explanations in the book, does like this comic, comment on how crazy it is that we have created enough firepower to obliterate Earth several times (or at least scourge it for any human life) [citation needed].
[Megan and Ponytail are walking]
Ponytail: Why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook all this control over our lives?
Megan: I dunno.
Megan: Our species built thousands of nuclear weapons, scattered them around the planet, and then moved on to other things.
Megan: Maybe it's best to accept that some of this big-picture planning is just happening on autopilot.
One thousand likes to nuke... say, Malawi. Or Malibu.
Wouldn't it be scarier if it all turned out to be according to someone's plan? Would it be better if things were? Do your politics jive with your answer?108.162.229.54 12:14, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
I think nuclear weapons of soviet union are in bad hands no matter if accounted for or not. The shortage of good hands in russia seems more acute than in US. I mean, even the US nuclear weapons are more scary than google, but if google would somehow get the soviet union nuclear weapons, I would consider it improvement. At least they would no longer need to censor the searches ... -- Hkmaly (talk) 12:30, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
Seriously you've read too many creepypastas, seriously. Miguelinileugim (talk)
Well maybe it is a Creepypasta but it is not much better that Putin has them under control than some Bellasarus tyrant... etc. But do you really think that there was full control of all nuclear weapons in Russia and the other states after the breakdown of USSR? I do not... But fair enough to take it out of the explanation. It can be stated down here as personal opinions. --Kynde (talk) 15:50, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
Anyone from Ukraine here to comment that? -- Hkmaly (talk) 14:25, 21 June 2015 (UTC)
I read Megan's comment differently. The explanation seems to paint it as a "Why don't you care about this instead?". I read it as "People are stupid. Here's another example of people being stupid" Jdluk (talk) 13:28, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
I fully agree, and nowhere does she say she finds it more disturbing. 198.41.239.37 13:34, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
I also agree now I have seen your comment, and have corrected my explanation accordingly --Kynde (talk) 15:50, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
I don't quite agree with the second part of the explanation text: "this kind of big-picture planning actually doesn't exist ... This is of course a scary thought,..." As the first commenter mentioned, it would be scarier if there was such planning of the lack of care and handling for the consequences -- the arms race was planned, the consequences probably not so much. It's on auto-pilot, or otherwise said "it will be someone else's problem... later".
However denuclearization has been a topic even since 1946 (see the Baruch Plan). It's just that WMD are old news and media outlets will likely prefer to highlight the "threat" of Google and Facebook on people's lives. Draws more headlines and it's easier with a subject that common people can easily understand, as they read one-liner news feeds while tweeting about their latest cappuccino, pin their location in foursquare and then continue on reading on how much their activities can be followed.
Not to mention as with some of Randall's strips, I have the feeling the comic is just a prelude for the title text punch line. Ralfoide (talk) 16:34, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
There's an irony in that both the arms race was planned and the consequences were planned, to a degree. The RAND Corporation (no relation whatsoever to Ayn Rand) was responsible for a lot of long-term nuclear planning, and to a degree, is still involved in The Business. In fact, they were satirized by Dr. Strangelove as the "Bland Corporation", and the famous RAND analyst named Hermann Kahn was Kubrick's technical consultant. Nuclear planning wasn't and isn't unconscious, but the irony is that Randall is still right in that we have and still do hand over a lot of our thinking to corporations. NuclearStudent (talk) 04:11, 28 December 2016 (UTC)NuclearStudent (talk) 4:18, 27 December 2016 (UTC)
Explanation styles
Why are so many explanations lately just paraphrasing of the text in the comic -- it does not offer any explanation at all. The above explanation can be cut down to two lines. Spongebog (talk) 17:25, 17 June 2015 (UTC)
I thought the Title Text was one of those "bread, eggs, breaded eggs" jokes (would link to TVTropes if I knew how).108.162.221.103 14:56, 18 June 2015 (UTC)
I also think it's inappropiate to just describe what happens in the comic. A proper explanation should include details about what the comic means, not only what it says. I've rewritten everything up to the part about the title text in an attempt to fix that. Hope it looks better now. 108.162.229.249 12:11, 19 June 2015 (UTC)
Great that you improved the explanation, instead of just complaining about it. ;-) --Kynde (talk) 12:56, 19 June 2015 (UTC)
Retrieved from "https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1539:_Planning&oldid=186709"
Comics from June


Opened in 1994, the Kemper Museum's signature Gunnar Birkerts-designed building is home to the Museum's growing Permanent Collection, exhibitions, and educational programming. The popular and acclaimed Café Sebastienne and the Museum Shop are found within Kemper Museum.
One block from the Museum's signature location is the museum's second location, Kemper East. This is where the majority of Kemper Museum's administrative staff can be located. With galleries on its first floor, Kemper East, located at the corner of 44th and Warwick, presents exhibitions drawn from the Museum's Permanent Collection. Kemper East opened in 2004.
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Tekno recently released his single titled 'Woman' has dropped visuals to this amazing tune. Woman generally speaks about the roles of women in Africa particularly in Nigeria, as their major duty involves cooking and taking care of the home. With this track, Tekno preaches gender equality as women should be given the same opportunities as men.
The video portrays Tekno appreciating beautiful women/mothers from different ethnic groups. Tekno waits until International Women's Day, which is today to drop this Amazing tune.
Happy Internation women's Day to all women.


text:
Gerald Hill
Some of the Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy at sea.
"After that, we used to be running from Liverpool in these beautiful ships through the Suez Canal, dodging submarines all the way…"
Enlistment
V-E Day
Camaraderie
My name is Gerald Hill. I was born in Bristol in England. My vivid memories are still attached to the Blitz which we had in 1940 to '42. I can talk at length about the Blitz, but we'll pass over that. I was sent in 1942 to a naval college called HMS Conway, which was situated in north Wales. We were enrolled as Royal Navy Cadets, and the idea was that we were to be given the elementary rudiments of sea-going, and then sent to sea in either the Royal Navy or the Merchant Navy. After two years, I was offered a very good position with the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co. It was a very well-known company that ran from Britain down to South Africa, and it was very well established, with beautifully shaped ships. So I jumped on that one and I became a cadet in the Union Castle Co. To tell you the truth, we didn't see too much action. In 1944, when I first left England in the Union Castle, the convoys mainly started at Liverpool, around the coast of northern Ireland, out into the middle of the Atlantic trying to dodge submarines, and then into the Straits of Gibraltar, and to the supply lines that were required for the fighting in Italy at that time. We had lots of scares as far as submarine activity was concerned – that's U-boat activity – and in the Mediterranean, we were attacked quite a bit by German fighter-bombers. People who were operating from Italy at the time into these convoys that were going to the Anzio beachhead and Naples. That was pretty much my excitement. After that, we used to be running from Liverpool in these beautiful ships through the Suez Canal, dodging submarines all the way, and then into the Indian Ocean to Bombay to support the anti-Japanese effort. The war ended in May of '45, and at that time I had left these rather nice passenger ships, which were troop carriers, and had been put into a cargo ship that was taking grain to North Africa from Canada. Then, for two more years after that, we pretty well toured the globe, inasmuch as I went back to the passenger ships after a few more months, and we were engaged in taking war brides to Australia. Now, eight hundred and fifty war brides and about a hundred and fifty men was quite a challenge.


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Now You Can Buy The "Pink Sauce" From Tiktok That Went Viral At Wal-Mart
Prepare yourself, because Pink Sauce is coming to a Walmart near you very soon. In June of 2022, Chef Pii's creation of a condiment that was colored like Pepto-Bismol became popular for the first time on TIkTok, raking up views and comments from people all around the world. After a few months, the designer of the sauce formed a partnership with Dave's Gourmet in order to introduce her pink product to "the commercial market."
Walmart will be the sole retailer of Pink Sauce products until July 2023, according to an announcement made by the firm on January 11 and published in a press release. Beginning in the middle of January, the item can be purchased in over 4,300 different retailers as well as on the internet.
Dave's Gourmet claims that in addition to the traditional form of the sauce, customers will now be able to purchase vegan and gluten-free variants of the product. After the news broke, Chef Pii, a popular social media influencer and private chef located in Miami, posted a video to her Instagram account showing her purchasing a bottle of her product from a Walmart location.
The first time that Chef Pii displayed her pink sauce was in a TikTok video that she posted on June 11, 2022. In the video, she was seen dipping a chicken tender into a dish that was filled with the fuchsia-colored sauce. People were immediately curious about what it was composed of and how it tasted, which led to its rapid spread around the internet.
In another video, she discussed the components that go into her dish, which are honey, chili, garlic, and dragon fruit in addition to sunflower seed oil (what makes it pink). Concerns about the quality of the meals were voiced as the movement garnered greater attention.
New Yorkers With Pot Convictions Are Getting Ready To Start The State's First Legal Sales
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In July, Chef Pii explained to TODAY.com why the sauce's color kept shifting and stated that she was well aware of the issues that had been raised. She also stated that manufacturing had been halted. "We changed the color due to the audience's perspective, because they were complaining that the pink was too bright," Chef Pii said. "So then we made it a little lighter. Everything that they're judging, those are all prototypes."
She continued by saying, "The health of (our customers) is our number one priority." Earning their confidence and putting a smile on their face is our top goal. And making sure that the pink sauce is served in the correct manner is our number one responsibility.
TODAY.com had contacted the Food and Drug Administration at the time in order to determine whether or not the sauce was currently undergoing the process of product registration. In spite of the fact that a spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the rumor, it was mentioned that in general, food manufacturers are expected to adhere to Current Good Manufacturing Practices in order to assist in ensuring the safety of food.
"As is always the case, it is a manufacturer's continuing responsibility to ensure that foods marketed are safe, wholesome and in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements," the spokesperson said, adding that it "takes seriously reports of illnesses or injury that appear likely to have been caused by an FDA-regulated product."
Following the establishment of the partnership between Chef Pii and Dave's Gourmet in August of the previous year, the latter mentioned that they would assist the former in bringing the product to a commercial size "while adhering to the necessary food safety production rules."
In the most current press release that Dave's Gourmet has issued, in which they announce the news about Walmart, they write that "The sauce is prepared in accordance with FDA criteria in an SQF-certified facility and is shelf-stable."
If you enjoyed reading this post, please share your feedback with us in the comments box below. Also, don't forget to check back on our website Journalist PR for the most up-to-date information regarding the entertainment industry and popular culture.


Molecular weight standard specially designed for electrophoretic analysis of small and medium DNA fragments on agarose and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Ideal for sizing of PCR products and relatively small double-stranded DNA. It is especially useful for determining 100 bp differences between DNA fragments. M100-1000 ready-to-use DNA ladder contain purified blunt-ended PCR products. The ladder is premixed with 6x Green DNA Loading Dye for direct loading onto agarose and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels.The optimized 6x Green DNA Loading Dye contains two electrophoresis tracking dyes: orange G and xylene cyanol FF. Orange G migrates at approximately 50 bp on a standard 1% TAE or TBE agarose gels, whereas xylene cyanol FF migrates at approx. 4 kbp.
Store at room temperature or at 4°C. For longer periods, store at -20°C.


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The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano not only provides food 7-days a week to individuals who need assistance because of personal challenges, but we are also here to support the community through any wide-spread crisis.
We are still helping hundreds of survivors of the devastating 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County. Though the daily headlines have faded, we are committed to nourishing those who still need us as they rebuild their lives. And most recently, we have been providing food to furloughed federal employees who unexpectedly found themselves needing our services for the first time ever due to the 35-day government shutdown.
We are proud of the role we play in getting people back on their feet no matter the circumstances. It's because you are there for us, that we can be there for our community members in their time of need.
Download a copy of our current 990 tax document and Audited Financial Statement using the links below.
For more information about financial statements, please contact HuLynne Besharatpour at [email protected] or 925-676-7543 ext. 212.


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Bernie Sanders on NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed after World War II as a way to get the militaries of various countries to agree on mutual defense strategies. Bernie believes the United States should remain in NATO. He thinks that other members of the alliance should meet their funding commitments. He is opposed to expanding NATO membership because it antagonizes Russia and increases the risk of conflict. Although Bernie is generally anti-war, he supported NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999 and did not vigorously oppose NATO's 2011 military intervention in Libya, although he did voice concerns.
Membership in NATO: Bernie supports the ongoing membership of the United States in NATO.
Funding NATO: Bernie believes that all members states in the alliance have a responsibility to meet the funding obligations that they have pledged to NATO.
Anti-Expansion: Bernie is against the expansion of NATO to include new member states because it risks provoking military conflict with Russia.
NATO Military Engagements: NATO has been involved in military action in Kosovo and Libya.
Membership in NATO
Bernie supports the ongoing membership of the United States in NATO.
During the 2016 Democratic debate in Brooklyn, Bernie said, "NATO has been the most successful military alliance in, probably, human history. I will stay in NATO."
Who are the current members of NATO?
There are currently 29 member countries in NATO: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the U.S., and the United Kingdom.
NATO partners with 40 other non-member countries, the European Union, and the United Nations.
"I would not be embarrassed as president of the United States to say to our European allies, 'You know what, the United States of America cannot just support your economies. You got to put up your own fair share of the defense burden.'"
Bernie Sanders 2016 Ninth Democratic Debate in Brooklyn referring to NATO
Bernie believes that all members states in the alliance have a responsibility to meet the funding obligations that they have pledged to NATO. Each member country has pledged to contribute 2% of their GDP to fund the NATO operations.
Bernie believes European nations should fund more of the costs of the alliance, which is primarily intended to protect their continent. Currently, only 7 of the 29 countries in the NATO alliance are meeting the 2% target.
American taxpayers pay for 22 percent of NATO's budget, contributing nearly $686 million in 2017. Most of America's NATO allies had been decreasing their military spending until recently.
Despite the incremental increase in spending by other members of the alliance, the United States still contributes more than twice as much as the second-largest funder. Bernie believes Europeans should play a larger role in funding the defense budget of a primarily European coalition.
In response to President Trump's demand that NATO members double their spending to 4%, Bernie responded, "We spend $700 billion on defense, more than the next 10 nations combined, and end up with 30 million uninsured and crumbling infrastructure. Mr. President, instead of demanding that Europe spend more on planes and guns, why don't we join them in guaranteeing health care to all."
Anti-Expansion
Since 1949, NATO membership increased from 12 countries to 29. Bernie currently opposes further expansion of NATO because it could lead to military conflict with Russia.
Which countries are interested in joining NATO?
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, the Republic of North Macedonia, and Ukraine have all indicated an interest in joining NATO.
Why is the expansion of NATO a problem?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the satellite states of the U.S.S.R. became democracies and some of those nations were invited to join the NATO military alliance. As NATO expanded eastward, many of these former Soviet countries joined the alliance. This eastward expansion meant the member states of NATO now bordered territory that Russia considers not only strategically important, but also a military threat. Article 5, an integral part of the NATO treaty, requires mutual protection from all member states in the event one member state is attacked or requires military assistance to defend that state.
And so, as Russia-adjacent member states are added (many of which have had long standing territorial disputes with Russia), the risk of conflict increases because any member state can invoke the mutual defense clause and thereby bring the whole alliance into the conflict.
The potential membership of Georgia and Ukraine are particularly provocative because they each share a border with Russia. In 2008, Russia and Georgia engaged in a 5 day military conflict due to mutual accusations of military build-up. There is also an ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine over the Crimean Peninsula.
What is Bernie's opinion on NATO expansion?
Bernie is presently opposed to further expansion of NATO, claiming it's a waste of taxpayer dollars and not geo-politically sound. In 1997, as a Congressman, Bernie said:
"After four decades of the cold war and trillions of United States taxpayer dollars allocated to compete in the arms race, many of our constituents understand that it is not the time to continue wasting tens of billions of dollars helping to defend Europe, let alone assuming more than our share of any costs associated with expanding NATO eastward."
Bernie sees the eastward expansion of NATO as an unnecessary provocation of Russia — and, as stated in the quote above, he's not interested in revisiting the Cold War era when Russia and the U.S. were constantly pitted against each other.
Even "pro-western" politicians in Russia have been hesitant to support NATO's expansion to include Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, the Baltic states that were part of the former Soviet Union. Russian President Vladimir Putin's personal envoy even suggested that Finland's membership in NATO would start "World War III," while Putin himself referred to Ukraine's potential membership as a "direct threat" to Russian national security.
With regard to defending current member countries, Bernie was unequivocal during a 2016 Democratic primary debate on PBS when he said, "We have to work with NATO to protect Eastern Europe against any kind of Russian aggression."
Learn more about Bernie's stance on Putin at the Russia issue page.
NATO Military Engagements
Kosovo Crisis
In the 1990s, the Yugoslavian army conducted a mass ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, which was then a region of Serbia. Serbia would not cooperate with diplomatic efforts to bring peace to the region. Bernie ultimately voted in support of NATO's bombing of Serbia because he felt it was necessary to prevent further genocide.
What happened during the Kosovo Crisis?
Kosovo had been a fairly autonomous area within former Yugoslavia until 1989, when Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic altered the status of the region by removing its autonomy and bringing it under direct control of Belgrade, the Serbian capital. The Kosovar Albanians opposed the move.
Their unrest eventually erupted in 1998, when conflict between the Serbian military and police forces and Kosovar Albanians resulted in the slaughter of over 1,500 Kosovar Albanians. The international community grew concerned as 400,000 people were forced from their homes. Their displacement was the result of Milosevic's disregard for diplomatic efforts aimed at peacefully resolving the crisis.
As NATO considered ways to help achieve a peaceful resolution to the crisis, the situation grew dire. NATO decided to authorize airstrikes in order to support diplomatic efforts to make the Milosevic regime withdraw forces from Kosovo, cooperate in bringing an end to the violence, and facilitate the return of refugees to their homes. At the last moment, President Milosevic agreed to comply, and the airstrikes were called off.
In 1999, conflicts in Kosovo reignited. NATO threatened to use air strikes again, this time sending the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe compliance on the ground from both sides.
Although the Kosovar-Albanian delegation signed a peace treaty, the Serbian delegation did not. After more attempts to make peace with Serbia, NATO launched an air campaign known as Operation Allied Force. After 77 days, NATO withdrew their forces and proceeded in a series humanitarian efforts to relieve the suffering of the many thousands of refugees forced to flee Kosovo by the Serbian ethnic cleansing campaign.
What was Bernie's opinion on the Kosovo crisis?
During a town hall event Bernie hosted regarding NATO's air war in Serbia in May 1999, he started off by saying, "If anyone thinks there is a simple solution to this problem, then you know very little about this problem."
Generally, Bernie did not want to engage in another ground war like the failed effort in Vietnam, and believed airstrikes would minimize U.S. military casualties and would be the likeliest way to stop a war criminal — Milosevic — who could not be dealt with diplomatically. In other words, he saw supporting the NATO airstrikes on Serbia as justified on humanitarian grounds:
So how did the situation in Kosovo conclude?
Ultimately, the Kosovo resolution won support from Congress, allowing the United States' involvement in the airstrikes to go forward. NATO airstrikes began in late March 1999 and ended by mid-June that same year. Soon after the airstrikes ended, the Serbian government agreed to disarm, and its complete demilitarization was confirmed by September. Milosevic and other leaders were charged with war crimes by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
In 2011, the Arab Spring came to Libya in the form of a popular uprising. After long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi responded by violently targeting civilians, NATO used military intervention on behalf of the rebels to end the war. Since then, Libya has not been able to achieve stability and continues to be marred by conflict. Bernie takes a conservative stance on involvement in Libya, and believes we should have spent money on fixing America's problems instead.
What was the situation in Libya in 2011?
Following the expulsion of the UNHCR – the United Nations' refugee agency – in late 2010 and leaked diplomatic cables showing that the Libyan government mishandled nuclear materials, unrest began to brew in Libya. The arrest of human rights activist Fethi Tarbel in early 2011 led to protests, clashes with police, and rioting in Benghazi, which subsequently spread throughout the country. This conflict quickly evolved into the Libyan Civil War, which ultimately involved NATO military intervention to topple the government of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Why did NATO intervene?
The international community watched in alarm as Gaddafi targeted civilians in his efforts to regain control over the country. In the U.S., the Senate unanimously passed a resolution urging the United Nations to impose a no-fly zone and encourage Gaddafi to step down. Soon after, a no-fly zone was imposed with the support of the U.S. However, this did not stop Gaddafi's army from continuing attacks on civilians. In response, NATO conducted airstrikes in Libya.
Why was U.S. involvement in Libya so controversial?
President Obama made sure to notify Congress within 48 hours of his first announcement that the he had mobilized a U.S. military intervention in Libya, as prescribed by the War Powers Act. This initiated a 60-day period, during which he was required to obtain approval from Congress. If he did not obtain approval from Congress in that time, the act gave him at most 30 days to halt all hostilities.
After the 90 days were up, Obama's counsel, Robert Bauer, reasoned that the president had the right to continue the military campaign in Libya without legislative support, effectively breaking an established law.
What did Bernie say about Libya at the time?
In a February 2011 interview, Bernie expressed concerns with Obama's decision to circumvent the War Powers Act, saying:
"I think one of the things many people are upset about is this war took place without consultation of the Congress, without debate within the Congress. Look, everybody understands Gaddafi is a thug and murderer. We want to see him go, but I think in the midst of two wars, I'm not quite sure we need a third war."
In a June interview later that year, he said:
"I have reservations about our involvement in Libya. I mean, we are in a huge deficit. We are in two wars. And I would become somewhat conservative on that issue."
So how has he voted with regards to our involvement in Libya?
Bernie hasn't had a chance to vote on bills regarding Obama's choice to join the Libya airstrikes. The Kerry-McCain bill, drafted by Senate Democrats who wanted to show support for the president's military intervention in Libya, was pulled from a vote in July 2011 because Republicans promised to vote against it "irrespective of national security interests," due to an unrelated protest over the budget.
What happened after the NATO airstrikes helped to topple Gaddafi?
While the rebels did manage to form an interim government and hold elections after the fall of Gaddafi's regime, the new government faced challenges from rival rebel groups and never managed to completely solidify its power.
On September 11, 2012, Islamist militants attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing the American ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three others. Bernie released the following statement after the attacks:
"I was deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other American consular personnel. I join President Obama in condemning the senseless acts of violence at our diplomatic post in Benghazi. The families of the four Americans who were serving our country are in our thoughts and in our prayers."
Following the attacks on the American consulate, factional violence escalated. In 2014, a full-blown civil war resumed, which continues to this day.
How did the U.S. react to the attack on its consulate in Benghazi?
The U.S. immediately increased security worldwide at diplomatic and military facilities, and began investigating the Benghazi attack. Through the investigation, it was discovered that the attack in Benghazi was premeditated, and not due to protests against an anti-Muslim video created in America, as had been initially theorized.
What's happened in Libya since then?
Though the U.S. and NATO succeeded in the military effort to oust Gaddafi, they were not able to achieve their broader goal of setting Libya on a path toward democracy and stability.
Since the consulate attack in 2012, the U.S. and other Western countries have cut staff in Libya. After the Benghazi incident which had been the Obama administration's top priority, the U.S. established an eight-year plan to train Libyan security forces after receiving direct request from Libya. However, the program was not able to begin due to the dangerous climate and the Libyan government's inability to raise the funds required.
Today, Libya is considered by most observers to be a failed state and a humanitarian disaster.
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Hooper's War
Tom Joad
We Meant Well
War Comes Home: Welcome to Post-Constitution America
Tags: al Awlaki, FBI, Manning, NSA
Posted in: Afghanistan, Embassy/State
This article originally appeared on TomDispatch.com. In light of the Bradley Manning verdict, this seemed worth re-reading.
On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress created the first whistleblower protection law, stating "that it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds, or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states."
Two hundred thirty-five years later, on July 30, 2013, Bradley Manning was found guilty on 20 of the 22 charges for which he was prosecuted, specifically for "espionage" and for videos of war atrocities he released, but not for "aiding the enemy."
Days after the verdict, with sentencing hearings in which Manning could receive 136 years of prison time ongoing, the pundits have had their say. The problem is that they missed the most chilling aspect of the Manning case: the way it ushered us, almost unnoticed, into post-Constitutional America.
The Weapons of War Come Home
Even before the Manning trial began, the emerging look of that new America was coming into view. In recent years, weapons, tactics, and techniques developed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as in the war on terror have begun arriving in "the homeland."
Consider, for instance, the rise of the warrior cop, of increasingly up-armored police departments across the country often filled with former military personnel encouraged to use the sort of rough tactics they once wielded in combat zones. Supporting them are the kinds of weaponry that once would have been inconceivable in police departments, including armored vehicles, typically bought with Department of Homeland Security grants. Recently, the director of the FBI informed a Senate committee that the Bureau was deploying its first drones over the United States. Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security and already flying an expanding fleet of Predator drones, the very ones used in America's war zones, is eager to arm them with "non-lethal" weaponry to "immobilize targets of interest."
Above all, surveillance technology has been coming home from our distant war zones. The National Security Agency (NSA), for instance, pioneered the use of cell phones to track potential enemy movements in Iraq and Afghanistan. The NSA did this in one of several ways. With the aim of remotely turning on cell phones as audio monitoring or GPS devices, rogue signals could be sent out through an existing network, or NSA software could be implanted on phones disguised as downloads of porn or games.
Using fake cell phone towers that actually intercept phone signals en route to real towers, the U.S. could harvest hardware information in Iraq and Afghanistan that would forever label a phone and allow the NSA to always uniquely identify it, even if the SIM card was changed. The fake cell towers also allowed the NSA to gather precise location data for the phone, vacuum up metadata, and monitor what was being said.
At one point, more than 100 NSA teams had been scouring Iraq for snippets of electronic data that might be useful to military planners. The agency's director, General Keith Alexander, changed that: he devised a strategy called Real Time Regional Gateway to grab every Iraqi text, phone call, email, and social media interaction. "Rather than look for a single needle in the haystack, his approach was, 'Let's collect the whole haystack,' " said one former senior U.S. intelligence official. "Collect it all, tag it, store it, and whatever it is you want, you go searching for it."
Sound familiar, Mr. Snowden?
Welcome Home, Soldier (Part I)
Thanks to Edward Snowden, we now know that the "collect it all" technique employed by the NSA in Iraq would soon enough be used to collect American metadata and other electronically available information, including credit card transactions, air ticket purchases, and financial records. At the vast new $2 billion data center it is building in Bluffdale, Utah, and at other locations, the NSA is following its Iraq script of saving everything, so that once an American became a target, his or her whole history can be combed through. Such searches do not require approval by a court, or even an NSA supervisor. As it happened, however, the job was easier to accomplish in the U.S. than in Iraq, as internet companies and telephone service providers are required by secret law to hand over the required data, neatly formatted, with no messy spying required.
When the U.S. wanted something in Iraq or Afghanistan, they sent guys to kick down doors and take it. This, too, may be beginning to happen here at home. Recently, despite other valuable and easily portable objects lying nearby, computers, and only computers, were stolen from the law offices representing State Department whistleblower Aurelia Fedenisn. Similarly, a Washington law firm representing NSA whistleblower Tom Drake had computers, and only computers, stolen from its office.
In these years, the FBI has brought two other NSA wartime tools home. The Bureau now uses a device called Stingray to recreate those battlefield fake cell phone towers and track people in the U.S. without their knowledge. Stingray offers some unique advantages: it bypasses the phone company entirely, which is, of course, handy in a war zone in which a phone company may be controlled by less than cooperative types, or if phone companies no longer cooperate with the government, or simply if you don't want the phone company or anyone else to know you're snooping. American phone companies seem to have been quite cooperative. Verizon, for instance, admits hacking its own cellular modems ("air cards") to facilitate FBI intrusion.
The FBI is also following NSA's lead implanting spyware and other hacker software developed for our war zones secretly and remotely in American computers and cell phones. The Bureau can then remotely turn on phone and laptop microphones, even webcams, to monitor citizens, while files can be pulled from a computer or implanted onto a computer.
Among the latest examples of war technology making the trip back to the homeland is the aerostat, a tethered medium-sized blimp. Anyone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan will recognize the thing, as one or more of them flew over nearly every military base of any size or importance. The Army recently announced plans to operate two such blimps over Washington, D.C., starting in 2014. Allegedly they are only to serve as anti-missile defenses, though in our war zones they were used as massive surveillance platforms. As a taste of the sorts of surveillance systems the aerostats were equipped with abroad but the Army says they won't have here at home, consider Gorgon Stare, a system that can transmit live images of an entire town. And unlike drones, an aerostat never needs to land. Ever.
Welcome Home, Soldier (Part II)
And so to Bradley Manning.
As the weaponry and technology of war came home, so did a new, increasingly Guantanamo-ized definition of justice. This is one thing the Manning case has made clear.
As a start, Manning was treated no differently than America's war-on-terror prisoners at Guantanamo and the black sites that the Bush administration set up around the world. Picked up on the "battlefield," Manning was first kept incommunicado in a cage in Kuwait for two months with no access to a lawyer. Then, despite being an active duty member of the Army, he was handed over to the Marines, who also guard Guantanamo, to be held in a military prison in Quantico, Virginia.
What followed were three years of cruel detainment, where, as might well have happened at Gitmo, Manning, kept in isolation, was deprived of clothing, communications, legal advice, and sleep. The sleep deprivation regime imposed on him certainly met any standard, other than Washington's and possibly Pyongyang's, for torture. In return for such abuse, even after a judge had formally ruled that he was subjected to excessively harsh treatment, Manning will only get a 112-day reduction in his eventual sentence.
Eventually the Obama administration decided Manning was to be tried as a soldier before a military court. In the courtroom, itself inside a military facility that also houses NSA headquarters, there was a strikingly gulag-like atmosphere. His trial was built around secret witnesses and secret evidence; severe restrictions were put on the press — the Army denied press passes to 270 of the 350 media organizations that applied; and there was a clear appearance of injustice. Among other things, the judge ruled against nearly every defense motion.
During the months of the trial, the U.S. military refused to release official transcripts of the proceedings. Even a private courtroom sketch artist was barred from the room. Independent journalist and activist Alexa O'Brien then took it upon herself to attend the trial daily, defy the Army, and make an unofficial record of the proceedings by hand. Later in the trial, armed military police were stationed behind reporters listening to testimony. Above all, the feeling that Manning's fate was predetermined could hardly be avoided. After all, President Obama, the former Constitutional law professor, essentially proclaimed him guilty back in 2011 and the Department of Defense didn't hesitate to state more generally that "leaking is tantamount to aiding the enemies of the United States."
As at Guantanamo, rules of evidence reaching back to early English common law were turned upside down. In Manning's case, he was convicted of espionage, even though the prosecution did not have to prove either his intent to help another government or that harm was caused; a civilian court had already paved the way for such a ruling in another whistleblower case. In addition, the government was allowed to label Manning a "traitor" and an "anarchist" in open court, though he was on trial for neither treason nor anarchy. His Army supervisor in the U.S. and Iraq was allowed to testify against him despite having made biased and homophobic statements about him in a movie built around portraying Manning as a sad, sexually-confused, attention-seeking young man mesmerized by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Finally, the same judge who essentially harassed the press throughout Manning's trial issued a 24-hour advance notice of her verdict to ensure maximum coverage only of the denouement, not the process.
Given all this, it is small comfort to know that Manning, nailed on the Espionage Act after multiple failures in other cases by the Obama administration, was not convicted of the extreme charge of "aiding the enemy."
Not Manning Alone
Someday, Manning's case may be seen as a bitter landmark on the road to a post-Constitutional America, but it won't be seen as the first case in the development of the post-Constitutional system. Immediately following 9/11, top officials in the Bush administration decided to "take the gloves off." Soon after, a wounded John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban, was captured on an Afghan battlefield, held in a windowless shipping container, refused access to a lawyer even after he demanded one as an American citizen, and interrogated against his will by the FBI. Access to medical care was used as a bribe to solicit information from him. "Evidence" obtained by such means was then used to convict him in court.
Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen who clumsily plotted to detonate a nonexistent "dirty bomb," was held incommunicado for more three years, over a year of which was in a South Carolina military jail. He was arrested only as a material witness and was not formally charged with a crime until years later. He was given no means to challenge his detention under habeas corpus, as President Bush designated him an "enemy combatant." Pictures of Padilla being moved wearing sound-proof and light-proof gear strongly suggest he was subjected to the same psychosis-inducing sensory deprivation used as "white torture" against America's foreign enemies in Guantanamo.
Certainly, the most egregious case of pre-Manning post-Constitutional justice was the execution of American citizen Anwar al-Awlaki by drone in Yemen, without due process or trial, for being an al-Qaeda propagandist. In this, President Obama and his top counterterrorism advisors quite literally took on the role of judge, jury, and executioner. In a similar fashion, again in Yemen, the U.S. killed al-Awlaki's American teenage son, a boy no one claimed was connected to terrorism. Obama administration lawyers went on to claim the legal right to execute U.S. citizens without trial or due process and have admitted to killing four Americans. Attorney General Eric Holder declared that "United States citizenship alone does not make such individuals immune from being targeted."
Then-FBI Director Robert Mueller, asked in a Congressional hearing if the FBI could assassinate an American citizen in the United States, replied that he simply did not know. "I have to go back. Uh, I'm not certain whether that was addressed or not." He added, "I'm going to defer that to others in the Department of Justice." As if competing for an Orwellian prize, an unnamed Obama administration official told the Washington Post, "What constitutes due process in this case is a due process in war."
Post-Constitutional America
So welcome to post-Constitutional America. Its shape is, ominously enough, beginning to come into view.
Orwell's famed dystopian novel 1984 was not intended as an instruction manual, but just days before the Manning verdict, the Obama administration essentially buried its now-ironic-campaign promise to protect whistleblowers, sending it down Washington's version of the memory hole. Post-9/11, torture famously stopped being torture if an American did it, and its users were not prosecutable by the Justice Department.
Similarly, full-spectrum spying is not considered to violate the Fourth Amendment and does not even require probable cause. Low-level NSA analysts have desktop access to the private emails and phone calls of Americans. The Post Office photographs the envelopes of every one of the 160 billion pieces of mail it handles, collecting the metadata of "to:" and "from:" addresses. An Obama administration Insider Threat Program requires federal employees (including the Peace Corps) to report on the suspicious behavior of coworkers.
Government officials concerned over possible wrongdoing in their departments or agencies who "go through proper channels" are fired or prosecuted. Government whistleblowers are commanded to return to face justice, while law-breakers in the service of the government are allowed to flee justice. CIA officers who destroy evidence of torture go free, while a CIA agent who blew the whistle on torture is locked up.
Secret laws and secret courts can create secret law you can't know about for "crimes" you don't even know exist. You can nonetheless be arrested for committing them. Thanks to the PATRIOT Act, citizens, even librarians, can be served by the FBI with a National Security Letter (not requiring a court order) demanding records and other information, and gagging them from revealing to anyone that such information has been demanded or such a letter delivered. Citizens may be held without trial, and denied their Constitutional rights as soon as they are designated "terrorists." Lawyers and habeas corpus are available only when the government allows.
In the last decade, 10 times as many employers turned to FBI criminal databases to screen job applicants. The press is restricted when it comes to covering "open trials." The war on whistleblowers is metastasizing into a war on the First Amendment. People may now be convicted based on secret testimony by unnamed persons. Military courts and jails can replace civilian ones. Justice can be twisted and tangled into an almost unrecognizable form and then used to send a young man to prison for decades. Claiming its actions lawful while shielding the "legal" opinions cited, often even from Congress, the government can send its drones to assassinate its own citizens.
One by one, the tools and attitudes of the war on terror, of a world in which the "gloves" are eternally off, have come home. The comic strip character Pogo's classic warning — "We have met the enemy and he is us" — seems ever less like a metaphor. According to the government, increasingly we are now indeed their enemy.
This article also appeared on:
The Nation http://www.thenation.com/article/175589/welcome-post-constitution-america
Commondreams: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/05-3
Salon.com: http://www.salon.com/2013/08/05/in_post_constitutional_america_we_are_all_the_governments_new_enemy_partner/
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-van-buren/bradley-manning-trial_b_3707109.html
Michael Moore: http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/welcome-post-constitution-america-what-if-your-country-begins-change-and-no-one-notices
Digg.com
Asia Times: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-01-060813.html
Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/08/bradley-manning-constitutional-rights
Le Monde Diplomatique (English): http://mondediplo.com/openpage/welcome-to-post-constitution-america
ZNET: http://www.zcommunications.org/welcome-to-post-constitution-america-by-peter-van-buren
Truthdig: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/welcome_to_post-constitution_america_20130805/
Counterinformation: https://counterinformation.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/welcome-to-post-constitution-america/
Information Clearing House: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35760.htm
Nation of Change: http://www.nationofchange.org/welcome-post-constitution-america-1375712052
Middle East online: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=60564
al-Arab online: http://www.alarabonline.org/english/display.asp?fname=\2013\08\08-05\zopinionz\970.htm&dismode=x&ts=8/5/2013%2011:15:21%20AM
Democratic Underground: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023408050
Outlook India: http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?287286
Smirking Chimp: http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/tom-engelhardt/50975/tomgram-peter-van-buren-the-manning-trial-began-on-9-11
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/05/1228975/-Peter-Van-Buren-The-Manning-Trial-Began-on-9-11?detail=hide
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Peter-Van-Buren-The-Manni-by-Tom-Engelhardt-130805-781.html
http://my.firedoglake.com/tomengelhardt/2013/08/05/peter-van-buren-the-manning-trial-began-on-911/
http://thegreenbelt.blogspot.com/2013/08/welcome-to-post-constitutional-america.html
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/welcome-to-post-constitution-america/52973
http://www.blogotariat.com/node/1185276
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Rich Bauer said...
In post-Constitution America "Planet of the Apes Meets the Flying Monkeys."
Dr. Zaius: I have always known about man. From the evidence, I believe his wisdom must walk hand and hand with his idiocy. His emotions must rule his brain. He must be a warlike creature who gives battle to everything around him, even himself.
08/21/13 4:30 PM | Comment Link
meloveconsullongtime said...
The essential weakness in the Americans' (well, the old fashioned ones, the best ones) belief in "The Constitution", is directly descended from the origins of Protestant Christianity, which was in fact a foundation of the US Constitution.
Here's the root of America's problem:
1. The US Constitution's Bill of Rights, was based (insofar as it acknowledged any Rights of Man) NOT upon self-evident first principles, but rather upon the legacy of Christianity. (Gloss: Science, and especially Darwin's particular view of evolution, does NOT indicate any kinds of Human Rights or equality, which are matters of faith rather than reason.)
2. America, being an essentially Protestant country (or in any case an anti-Catholic country), has always pretended to believe that no personal authority exists other than what individual minds choose;|
3. But if truth and morality are decided by individual minds, then the ultimate authorities of what is true and moral, are those who have the most power in this world.
4. Therefore, the "constitution" of the Americans is, after all, that "might makes right" – because if truth and right are decided by individuals without any correction by any Divine authority, then, simply, might is right, and power decides what is true.
So, you Americans, please don't complain about what you have all signed up for. You are an anti-Catholic country. You regard moral absolutes as madness – therefore you cannot complain about subjecting yourselves to moral relativism.
And don't answer back that your ultimate moral standard is "science" or "reason", because those are essentially contestable terms. Genocide is reasonable, depending upon one's premises.
You Americans claim that your system is based upon science, logic, and reason. And now you can see where that has led you.
Your American superstitions are as dead as Communism. You Americans worship false gods, including most of the Christians among you.
kyzl orda said...
Dear MLCT, i read up above and wonder if it is not a protestant-catholic perspective so much as being a victim to the fates, in which old problems and discourses just seem to keep recylcing, thanks to the lack of spine and/or integrity of humankind,or at least – some of them, with added, old-fashioned greed and ruthless ambition
I'll come out of the closet as a Roman Catholic and just say this
Unfortunately, there have been plenty of Catholic-oriented countries in our modern era that have been rather complicit in what has transpired, whether it's harassing Greenwald's partner, David Miranda, in Brasil or allowing rendition of a cleric from italy to egypt without a thorough investigation of facts that led to the Cleric being raped, precisely because a bunch of American lawyers suddenly have an aversion to conducting a legal questioning in our own country according to the laws they are supposed to uphold (and managed to pass the Bar)
Being weak-willed is just as guilty to being the first party to what are unConstitutional practices
Theodore Roosevelt, who happens to be my patron saint of the Civil Service lol, had great wisdom to impart on many things, including leadership and our government. He came from among the families of the American Protestant noblesse oblige, and i'll just leave it here with two of his many profound wisdoms:
"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else."
"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life."
~ Theodore Roosevelt
Eric Hodgdon said...
Good, solid, Peter.
Learn about political power.
Organize the opposition.
http://www.aeinstein.org/selfLiberation.html
08/22/13 1:10 AM | Comment Link
wemeantwell said...
My upcoming book (See "What's Next") talks about Occupy, unions and the importance of grassroots organization. The voice for all this is a character named Preacher Casey, purposefully stealing the name and mission from a similar character in Grapes of Wrath who radicalizes Tom Joad.
Rena said...
Manning was not kept in Quantico for three years, nor was he "deprived of clothing, communications, legal advice, and sleep" for three years, as this article asserts. While Leavenworth is no picnic, Manning and his lawyer both have said that the treatment there is vastly better than Quantico, where she was treated as this piece and the Daily Beast article you link to, claim.
This error/exaggeration puts the rest of your assertions in doubt, which is a shame, because this is (or could be) a great chronicle of the times we live in.
Manning spent his first period of confinement in a literal animal cage in Kuwait previously used to contain military working dogs, without access to a lawyer and was subjected to sleep deprivation via regular reversals of his day/night cycle.
Manning, despite being an active duty Army PFC, was then sent to the Marine Brig in Quantico where he was indeed deprived of of clothing, communications, legal advice, and sleep and subjected to constant harassment, bullying and intimidation by his guards. The Marine guards chose to treat him that way as a potential suicide even though a Marine psychologist stated otherwise.
He was finally transferred to the Army prison at Leavenworth. There is nothing good or pleasant about being locked up in Leavenworth. I have seen the place in person; have you?
All told, he was held for three years before his trial began. There has been no explanation of why a three year pretrial confinement was needed, nor how it did not violate his right to a swift trial and due process.
The detention conditions prompted national and international concern. Juan E. Mendez, a United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, published a report saying the detention conditions had been "cruel, inhuman and degrading." In January 2011 Amnesty International asked the British government to intervene because of Manning's status as a British citizen by descent. In early April, 295 academics (most of them American legal scholars) signed a letter arguing that the treatment was a violation of the United States Constitution.
My statements are no exaggeration. Your picking at small things causes you to miss the big ones.
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Let's face it—the last thing you want to do on a hot summer day is cook anything in the oven. That doesn't mean you need to sacrifice delicious desserts. There are plenty of ways to make cool desserts, from using purchased cakes and toppings to cooking on the stovetop or in the microwave. For a quick chocolate craving, make a batch of no-bake cookies, which needs only one minute on the stovetop. Or make a sinfully sweet cheesecake or pie that needs no cooking at all.
If you are planning on entertaining, let your guests build their own shortcakes with purchased sponge cake, whipped topping and a variety of fresh sliced fruits and berries. Or bake biscuits on a cool day and keep some in the freezer for those quick shortcakes. Keep frozen fruit juice pops on hand for the kids, along with instant puddings and flavored gelatin for a dessert that can be put together without a sweat.
If you're short on time, soften a carton of store-bought vanilla or chocolate ice cream and add funfetti, chocolate chips, crumbled cookies, or bits of edible cookie dough. Mix your chosen ingredients into the softened ice cream and refreeze.
Here are 15 scrumptious desserts to help you keep your cool.
Fresh blueberries give this frozen lemonade pie extra color and flavor. The pie takes just a few minutes to mix in a blender. Just freeze and eat! The pie is an ideal dessert for a hot summer day.
The kids will love these no-bake cookie dough pops. Keep some cookie dough pops in the fridge for hot days or make them for a summer birthday party.
Pure maple syrup is the star ingredient in this rich ice cream, and chopped walnuts and maple sugar flakes add a bit of crunch. You will need to plan ahead for this recipe as the mixture needs to be refrigerated for 3 to 4 hours before it goes into the ice cream maker.
This incredible frozen peanut butter cup pie is the perfect dessert or weekend treat for a hot summer day. The classic graham cracker pie shell and simple cream cheese and peanut butter filling take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to prepare—just mix, freeze and enjoy!
This easy lemonade pie is made with a three-ingredient filling. Use a purchased graham cracker crust to make assembly even quicker. This recipe is made with sweetened condensed milk but you can also make it with softened vanilla ice cream.
This recipe for the popular ice cream flavor is enhanced with vanilla bean paste and sugar cane syrup. You can use chocolate chips, but if you include shaved chocolate instead it will become more like stracciatella, the Italian gelato.
Surprise the kids with this popular novelty dessert. Layered with whipped topping, pudding and chocolate cookie crumbs, this adorable treat is perfect for a summer birthday party or family gathering.
By using a store-bought graham cracker crust, you can assemble this creamy dessert in no time without turning on the oven. Feel free to make your own variation by swapping the chocolate pudding for your favorite flavor, or add chopped candy bars or banana slices to the top.
This simple chocolate cheesecake requires no oven time whatsoever. The filling includes melted chocolate chips, sugar, cream cheese, and butter, mixed with whipped topping and chilled in a graham cracker crust.
Don't wait for the Fourth of July to enjoy this fabulous ice cream. The vanilla ice cream is accented by swirls of raspberry sauce and blueberry jam to create a delicious and beautiful frozen treat.
Buttermilk might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind when you think of ice cream, but you'll be pleasantly surprised when you taste it. The tang of the buttermilk in the sweet, creamy ice cream is pure heaven.
This creamy peanut butter pie is a snap to throw together with a graham cracker crust, a thin layer of fudge and a cream cheese and peanut butter filling. Make this special and delicious dessert for any occasion.
Just because it is summertime doesn't mean you can't have pumpkin! Treat your guests to this impressive but easy pumpkin pie. And it really takes only 10 minutes to prepare, especially if you use a store-bought graham cracker crust.
This candy is a breeze to fix with melted chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Feel free to leave the bourbon out or replace it with a liqueur fruit syrup.
It's hard to believe this delicious cream cheese dessert requires no cooking. The graham cracker crust is chilled, and then the cream cheese filling is added. Use purchased or homemade cherry pie filling in the recipe.


Residents of a landmark art deco building in the City of London were evacuated on Saturday evening after fire swept through part of the distinctive curved facade of the nine-storey block of flats.
Four fire engines and a specialist fire investigation unit were called to the incident at Florin Court in Charterhouse Square – better known to TV viewers as Whitehaven Mansions, the home of Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.
Residents of the 120 flats – which include a large proportion of studio or bedsit apartments – were evacuated but nobody was hurt.
Alerted to the drama, actor David Suchet, who played the detective in the long-running British TV series, tweeted: "I am so sorry!! I do hope no-one was hurt?" In June he bowed out of the series after solving 67 cases.
The London fire brigade confirmed that a first-floor flat was "severely damaged" by the blaze, which also spread upwards to a second-floor flat, causing a small amount of damage. Smoke damage spread to six floors above and those whose homes were affected were moved to the Barbican Thistle hotel.
A spokesperson for the London fire brigade said: "We believe the fire was accidental, most likely caused by a cigarette. None of the occupants of the flat were smokers, so it's possible that someone threw a cigarette out of a window or off a roof terrace above, which then blew into an open window in the bedroom and started the fire.
"Wherever you're smoking, it's crucial to make sure you put out cigarettes fully before disposing of them, particularly in these dry conditions. Never, ever throw a lit cigarette out of a window – you have no control over where it ends up, and it could cause a great deal of damage and upset to you or someone else. It's very lucky no one was injured in this fire."
The 1930s apartment block, on the east side of Charterhouse Square and close to the Barbican estate, is considered an architectural gem of the art deco period and is popular for fashion photo shoots as well as Poirot. It is known for its distinctive curved facade, including curved glass in windows, many of which were shattered by the blaze.
One couple, who did not wish to be identified but who said they rented the flat above the one where the fire broke out, returned to look at the scene on Sunday morning and said: "There was a delivery van outside and we believe the driver called the fire brigade. It all happened so quickly but the first fire engine came within five minutes. It could have been a lot worse and we are thankful no one was hurt."