Benjamin Netanyahu, left; anti-ISIS fighter, right / Getty Images
Speaking at the General Assembly this week, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu repeated a refrain he has sounded for three decades (since his days as Israeli ambassador to the U.N.) — that all forms of terrorism are different sides of the same coin and have civilization as their target:
So when it comes to their ultimate goals, Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas. And what they share in common all militant Islamists share in common. Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabab in Somalia, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Al-Nusra in Syria, the Mahdi army in Iraq, and the Al-Qaida branches in Yemen, Libya, the Philippines, India and elsewhere.
The startling assortment of groups; the lumping of a Shiite movement (Hezbollah) with those that can treat Shi‘a as apostates; the linking of Israel’s enemies with those now targeted by the United States — all this is politically convenient. But is it accurate?
In his press conference yesterday on the Gaza operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was open and honest about at least one thing: the outcome. He noted that it was “too early” to tell if long-term quiet had been achieved. This was inevitable, given the vague nature of “quiet” as a goal for a military campaign. Indeed, it is too early to tell for sure what long-term effects the war will have on Israel, on Hamas, on the Palestinian Authority, and on the prospects for peace talks.
But four things stand out for the immediate future. First, it is clear that Israel has won the war. Much of Hamas’s military capabilities have been degraded or used up, its regional allies are few and far between (and themselves bereft of much regional influence), and none of its efforts to achieve a tactical victory over Israel succeeded. In addition, the United States and many European governments are now talking about demilitarizing Gaza (essentially, disarming Hamas and the smaller jihadist groups) as part of a longer-term process to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. All of these tilt the balance of power in Israel’s favor.
Second, there is no military solution to the “Hamas problem” or, for that matter, to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more broadly. But there will be a return to the status quo ante if a political framework is not established as part of the talks that follow from the ceasefire. In this sense, the seeds for Hamas’s rejuvenation have been planted alongside the seeds of its taming. If Israel can work constructively with the Palestinian Authority and the international community, it can bring the PA/Fatah to Gaza to improve the lives of Palestinians there while also tying Hamas down by not letting it rebuild its military capacity or its authority. However, for this work, Israel will have to accept that Hamas isn’t only here to stay, but must be accepted as a political actor — one that has a role to play in the political process.
As an Israeli who lives in New York, I know that I can sometimes be unfair. On the one hand, I often get defensive when people criticize Israel. On the other, I can also get upset when people seem to blindly support Israel. Criticizing Israel is allowed, and even important for Israel’s wellbeing, but there are productive and unproductive ways to do it. In that spirit, here are eight ground rules that I believe can help improve the Israel debate.
Many conversations about Israel deteriorate into fights over whether or not the country even has the right to exist. This is not a productive question. Everyone has the right to exist all over the world, and that should never be doubted. The real question is whether Israel has the right to continue pursuing some of its policies.
The Israeli government is a coalition that is expected in some way to represent at least a majority of Israelis. That does not mean that all Israelis agree with the actions of Israel’s government. And just as there is a diversity of opinions in Israel, we should also expect and accept that Jews in the Diaspora will have a diversity of opinions.
Conversations about Israel tend to drag out when you’re simultaneously trying to prove your loyalty to, and criticize, Israel. Save yourself the trouble. Supporting Israel’s government is not the only way to show you’re a good Jew or patriotic Israeli. Criticizing can also be a form of caring.
(JTA) — After four weeks of a punishing Israel air and ground campaign that left nearly 2,000 dead and much of Gaza in ruins, Hamas has lived to see another day.
For Israel, that might not be the worst thing. That’s because for all of Hamas’ violent extremism, it also governs a territory, maintains a social service wing and controls smaller, more extremist factions. Through mediators, Hamas and Israel have reached agreements in 2011 and 2012, and are negotiating another one right now in Cairo.
But many of Hamas’ jihadi fellow travelers in Gaza don’t have the same interests. For most, their sole goal is to fight — not just against Israel, but to spread Islamist rule across the whole world. That’s why, in the thick of the conflict on July 28, outgoing U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency head Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said ousting Hamas could bring on “something like ISIS,” the radical Islamist group now conquering swaths of Iraq and Syria.
“If Hamas were destroyed and gone, we would probably end up with something much worse,” Flynn said, according to Reuters. “The region would end up with something much worse.”
Who are these groups? Here’s a quick rundown of the other major organizations in Gaza that seek Israel’s destruction.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad – Sometimes known in Israel simply as Jihad, this is the second-biggest militant group in Gaza after Hamas. Founded in 1979 as a break-away from the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic Jihad resembles Hamas in many ways. It’s a Palestinian national movement, it receives funding from Iran and has a small social service wing that includes schools, hospitals and family mediation services, according to the New York Times. It is also party to the negotiations taking place in Cairo.
A 2011 Reuters article estimated the Islamic Jihad’s militia, the Al-Quds Brigade, at 8,000 fighters, compared to tens of thousands of Hamas fighters. Islamic Jihad executed a number of terror attacks during the second intifada a decade ago, including the 2001 abduction and murder of two 14-year-old boys in Gush Etzion. It has frequently fired rockets at Israel from Gaza, including during the three rounds of conflict between Israel and Hamas in recent years.
Popular Resistance Committees – The Popular Resistance Committees, or PRC, is a break-away from the Palestinian Fatah Party, which governs the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. The PRC was founded in 2000 and opposes Fatah’s peace process with Israel. Unlike many groups operating in Gaza, the PRC is not Islamist. In 2012, Yediot Aharonot estimated that it was the third-strongest militia in Gaza and that it receives much of its funding from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is also backed by Iran.
The PRC also executed terror attacks during the second intifada. In 2006, it collaborated with Hamas on the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier.
Jihadi groups — There are a number of jihadi groups reported to be active in Gaza and allied with, or supportive of, the ISIS and Al-Qaeda agenda of reestablishing an international Islamic caliphate. Among them, the Army of Islam, which participated in the Shalit kidnapping and kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston in 2007.
Another group, Tawhid wal’Jihad, has shot a number of rockets at Israel and is most famous for the 2011 kidnapping and murder of Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian activist with International Solidarity Movement. Another, Jund Ansar Allah, attempted to attack Israel on horseback in 2009 and declared Gaza an Islamic emirate later that year, leading to a gunfight with Hamas forces.
Confused about Gaza? You’re not alone.
Le Monde has created an animated map to help people who can’t tell Gaza from the West Bank navigate the facts.
Say what you will about supposed French bias against Israel, the map is fairly informative, easy to follow and essentially lays out the bare bones of a very long and complex conflict — a good tool for someone who hasn’t been following the situation too closely.
Watch for yourself:
(JTA) — Now that the latest Gaza conflict appears to be nearly over it’s time to take stock of the winners and losers.
Who won the war?
Perhaps more than the other two Gaza conflicts in the last six years, Israel is the clear winner this time. The Israel Defense Forces dealt a serious blow to Hamas’ tunnel infrastructure, effectively neutralized the Hamas rocket threat thanks to the Iron Dome missile defense system and destroyed hundreds of Hamas targets in Gaza.
Hamas’ aim of doing significant damage to Israel failed. The organization’s numerous attempts to kidnap Israelis – soldiers or civilians – came up empty. The incessant rocket fire did not succeed in causing a mass casualty event or significant damage inside Israel. Hamas enjoyed a brief victory when most foreign airlines suspended flights to Ben Gurion Airport after a missile strike nearby, but flights resumed after a couple of days.
In all, three civilians were killed in Israel during the war: two from mortar fire in the immediate vicinity of the Gaza border and one from a rocket for which Iron Dome wasn’t deployed because its target was a sparsely populated area.
Israel lost 64 soldiers in the fighting, but nobody expected the army to escape casualties once the ground invasion of Gaza began. Death is the inevitable price of an extensive military operation in hostile territory. The question is whether the price Israel paid in the war will be worthwhile in the long run and how long will it be until the next round of fighting.
Did Hamas lose?
Hamas certainly doesn’t come out of this victorious. Its operational capabilities took a heavy hit thanks to Israel’s bombardment, the discovery and destruction of dozens of tunnels running under the Israel-Gaza border, and the depletion of a big chunk of Hamas’ rocket caches.
But it’s hard to say exactly how much damage Hamas has suffered because so much of what the terrorist group does takes place underground – literally and figuratively. The true picture of Hamas’ capabilities may become clear only in the months and years to come.
Moreover, Hamas does not live by the gun alone. Its power depends in large part on popular support. By that measure, Hamas is likely to pick up points from Palestinians for standing up to Israel – in contrast to the Palestinian Authority, which cooperates with Israel on West Bank security.
In the broader region, however, the reaction of other Arab countries to the Israel-Hamas conflict underscores just how little fondness there is for Hamas, an antagonist allied with the Arab autocracies’ own Islamist foes. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all stood by while Israel pummeled Gaza, in many cases withholding even pro forma criticism. In past conflicts they at least paid lip service to the Palestinian cause. This time, the public criticism was directed at Hamas.
With Hamas’ weapons stores depleted, it’s going to be much harder for the terrorist organization to rearm without as much financing from the Arab world and without Egypt acting as a smuggling conduit to Gaza.
(Reuters) — The existential vise in which the state of Israel lives is tightening as the civilian body count and property destruction in the Gaza Strip mount. The latest war between Israel and Hamas is further testament to the historical fact that Israel’s forefathers had to conquer the land that today’s Israelis dwell in and ferociously defend. What hope is left of finding a lasting settlement with the Arabs?
In his “My Promised Land,” Haaretz journalist Ari Shavit repeatedly and poignantly poses his country’s most pointed questions: How to live as free and moral people on the ruins of a dispossessed people? How to assuage the wounds inflicted on the expelled Arabs? And how to cherish the nation-fortress so dearly bought?
“Israel is the only nation in the West that occupies another people,” writes Shavit. “On the other hand, Israel is the only country in the West that is existentially threatened. Both occupation and intimidation make the Israeli state unique. Intimidation and occupation are the twin pillars of our condition.”
Shavit loves his country yet does not shy from describing the blood that flowed when his people took possession of it. He’s not alone in that uncomfortable place. The historian Benny Morris’ account, “1948,” is similarly unsparing of the brutalities that accompanied the expulsion of 700,000 Palestinians into permanent exile as the new state struggled to be born. Though denied a university post for years because of his apostasy from official Zionist positions on the “liberation struggle,” Morris did not change a word in his book but did change his mind about the nature of the Israeli state, seeing not its leaders but the Palestinians and their leaders as unassuageable enemies with whom peace might never be made.
That change was symptomatic. Though distinguished Israelis like David Grossman raise their voices against the attack on Gaza, and though there have been small protest marches in Israel, opposition to the fighting among Israelis remains subdued, with most opinion supportive, or detached. Tamar Herman, a political scientist, former Peace Now activist and author of the fullest study on the movement, says the pro-peace left has “lost contact with the mainstream.” Even Grossman, whose son was killed in the 2006 Lebanon war, writes that the logic of the present impasse compels Israel to defend itself, though he’s strongly critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to reach out to Hamas and to talk in good faith to the leader of the moderate Palestinian camp, Mahmoud Abbas.
Thus two forces face off, each secure in its rectitude. “There is no war more just than this,” asserts Netanyahu, while Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal tells Charlie Rose that, “I do not want to live with a state of the occupiers.”
(JTA) — There’s no shortage of images from the Gaza conflict.
We’ve seen rubble, dead Palestinian children, Israelis cowering during rocket attacks, Israeli military maneuvers and IDF footage of Hamas militants emerging from tunnels to attack Israeli soldiers.
What we haven’t seen are practically any images of Hamas fighters inside Gaza.
We know they’re there: Someone’s got to be launching those rockets into Israel (more than 2,800) and firing at invading Israeli troops. But so far the only images we’ve seen (or even heard about) are the Israel Defense Forces’ videos of Hamas fighters using hospitals, ambulances, mosques and schools (and tunnels) to launch attacks against Israeli targets or ferry arms around Gaza.
Why haven’t we seen journalists’ photographs of Hamas fighters inside Gaza?
We know Hamas doesn’t want the world to see images of Palestinian fighters launching rockets or using civilian havens like hospitals as bases of operation. But if we’re able to see images from both sides of practically every other war — in Syria, in Ukraine, in Iraq — why is Gaza an exception?
If journalists are being threatened and intimidated when they try to document Hamas activity in Gaza, their news outlets should be out front saying so. They’re not.
On Tuesday, The New York Times published an account by photographer Sergey Ponomarev on what his days are like in Gaza. Here’s what Ponomarev said:
It was a war routine. You leave early in the morning to see the houses destroyed the night before. Then you go to funerals, then to the hospital because more injured people arrive, and in the evening you go back to see more destroyed houses. It was the same thing every day, just switching between Rafah and Khan Younis.
Are there attempts to document Hamas activity?
Inna Vernikov, left; Penelope Cruz, right / Courtesy of the author; Instagram
You are a remarkable actress and a strikingly beautiful model. I have been following your successful career for years. Your performance in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” was an inspiring work of art. In fact, I am often complimented on just how much I look like you.
That being said, your sudden urge to comment on the centuries-long Middle East conflict has left me dumbfounded. Even more so, however, the contents of your uncalled-for outburst.
In the letter you recently signed, you unequivocally denounced the state of Israel for committing acts of “genocide” on the civilians of Gaza and demanded that Israel cease its fire. “Palestinians’ homes are being destroyed; they are being denied water, electricity [and] free movement to their hospitals, schools, and fields while the international community does nothing.”
Illustration by Yoni Weiss
In these pages, Daniel May’s “What Would George Orwell Say About the Gaza War?” used totalitarianism’s great enemy to criticize democratic Israel’s justified struggle against totalitarian Hamas. May’s argument, misreading Israel’s self-defense justification, and echoing Hamas’s propaganda points, peppered with clever quotations from George Orwell, was itself Orwellian.
Deciding how dead thinkers would judge today’s challenges is complicated. But “the right of self-defense” is not about Orwellian “euphemism,” “question-begging,” or “defend[ing] the indefensible.” When your neighbor launches thousands of rockets, builds dozens of attack tunnels under your borders, targets your civilians (while sacrificing its own), over years, “self-defense” is not a ruse but a compelling moral necessity. Israelis are justifiably asking now: “How many of our soldiers have died because we waited so long?”
Orwell, who wrote Animal Farm and 1984 in the 1940s, abhorred totalitarianism, the ends-justifies-the-means political doctrine willing to sacrifice anyone, anything, and any principle to serve a political movement or state. “Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism,” he proclaimed in 1946.
Orwell cherished freedom and repudiated state apparatuses that crushed individuals. He detested anti-Semitism. In today’s perverse politics, despite his economics, Orwell would recoil from the far left’s totalitarianism, Islamist terrorist fellow traveling, and doublethink which leads purported progressives to justify fascistic, sexist, homophobic, anti-democratic Hamas, in its self-destructive, nihilistic offensive against Israel.
Throughout the violence of the last three weeks in Israel and Gaza, one phrase has become ubiquitous among politicians and pundits. President Obama affirms his “strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself.” Secretary John Kerry states “Israel has every right in the world to defend itself.” Britain’s prime minister and foreign minister have both backed “Israel’s right to defend itself from attack.” The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution that “reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to defend itself.” In op-eds and organizational statements and speeches, the phrase has become the preferred shorthand for signaling support for Israel’s campaign.
Writing in 1946, George Orwell argued that political speech is largely made up of handy phrases that we reach for almost by reflex. These phrases, he argued, “consist largely of euphemism, question-begging, and sheer cloudy vagueness.” They don’t explicitly mislead. Instead, they halt the thinking. “Every such phrase,” he wrote, “anesthetizes one’s brain.”
Orwell thought such phrases were necessary to “defend the indefensible,” and it makes sense that we turn to them so readily in times of war. Cliche implies the inevitable (“cycle of violence”); euphemism obscures the awful (“collateral damage”); question-begging absolves judgment (“it is necessary because there was no other choice”). Such phrases distance us from a world pre-made, unalterable. Amidst the horrors of war, they are a soothing balm.
The force of the phrase “Israel has a right to defend itself” stems from its conflation of a statement of general fact with support for a specific act: this bombing campaign, this ground incursion, this war. Its implication is that those who support Israel’s right to defend itself by necessity support this war, and those who do not support it deny Israel’s right to defend itself. It tethers support for a specific decision to support for an incontrovertible truth, and opposition to a specific decision with lunacy, irrationality, and, yes, anti-Semitism (for who would argue that the Jewish people, alone, do not have this right?).
Khaled Meshal, head of the political wing of Hamas / Getty Images
“Apart from fringe elements such as the Jewish Voice for Peace, which abandoned the last shred of its dignity when its rabbinic co-chair presented Hamas as a force for reason, American Jews of all persuasions back Israel’s position.”
So says Rabbi Eric Yoffie, former president of the Union for Reform Judaism. He declares a rival Jewish organization as having “abandoned the last shred of its dignity” because Rabbi Brant Rosen, co-chair of Jewish Voice for Peace’s Rabbinical Council, argued that Israel should have considered negotiating with Hamas, and that Israel should have recognized the joint Hamas-Fatah unity government while given the opportunity.
Dignity is a strong word to use when attempting to criticize the strategic analyses of other Jews, and so I need to ask: Is it really that unreasonable to suggest that Israel negotiate with Hamas?
A woman cries as Israeli soldiers evict Jewish settlers from Gaza in 2005 / Getty Images
Even as war continues to rage, August will mark the ninth anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Dubbed a “disengagement” by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the retreat was greeted enthusiastically by the institutional Jewish community. A full-page ad in the New York Times, spearheaded by the Israel Policy Forum and signed by 27 organizations, praised the plan as “courageous.” The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations greeted Sharon as “a great and patriotic leader,” and even AIPAC came around, if with a caveat:
“If the Palestinians transform Gaza into a reasonably well-functioning, reasonably peaceful place — not necessarily Sweden — then the world won’t have to pressure Israel to do this in the West Bank,” said Howard Kohr, AIPAC’s executive director.
As luck (or possibly behind-the-scene conversations) would have it, the whole disengagement plan was conceived to help Israel avoid international pressure — if not quite in the way Kohr seemed to be suggesting. As Dov Weisglass, Sharon’s adviser and confidante, acknowledged in a pre-withdrawal interview, Gaza was to be sacrificed in order that Israel could better hold on to the West Bank.
The disengagement is actually formaldehyde. It supplies the amount of formaldehyde that’s necessary so that there will not be a [diplomatic] process with the Palestinians.
… The disengagement plan makes it possible for Israel to park conveniently in an interim situation that distances us as far as possible from political pressure. It legitimizes our contention that there is no negotiating with the Palestinians.
…We educated the world to understand that there is no one to talk to. And we received a no- one-to-talk-to certificate. That certificate says: (1) There is no one to talk to. (2) As long as there is no one to talk to, the geographic status quo remains intact. (3) The certificate will be revoked only when this-and-this happens — when Palestine becomes Finland. (4) See you then, and shalom.
In keeping with the contention that “there is no one to talk to,” Sharon didn’t even coordinate the withdrawal, much less negotiate it, with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Israel simply pulled up stakes, and gave the party with which it had been in a diplomatic process since 1993 nothing to show for its efforts.
Unsurprisingly, Hamas announced that its rockets had made Israel turn tail, and — in the absence of a credible competing claim — declared victory. Less than six months later, Palestinian legislative elections were held, and Hamas narrowly won. As is now abundantly clear, Hamas did not transform Gaza into “a reasonably well-functioning, reasonably peaceful place,” or, indeed, “Finland.”
The only power plant supplying electricity to Gaza was hit by Israeli shelling / Getty Images
Editor’s Note: Walid Abuzaid’s diary is running in two parts. You can read the first part here. This is the second installment.
Thursday, July 17
It’s 10 p.m. when the power finally returns. The electricity has been down since 11 p.m. last night. The power company said the electricity lines were down during the bombardments and that there’ll only be six hours of electricity every day.
I turn on the water heater so I can finally shower in the morning, since Eimar is asleep at last and I don’t want to make any noise. As I brush my teeth, I’m reminded of the salty water I have to shower in. When I asked the tower guard, Abu-Zeyad, about it when I returned home at the beginning of July, he said the water pipes for the whole neighborhood were damaged a while ago and no one has repaired them. I remember Mohammed, my friend from Beit Lahia, complaining about it since moving here after the war began. The water they use back in their home is really sweet water coming from the wells.
We gather around in the living room, the TV is on the news channel; we don’t follow any Ramadan series this year. Although Lamar forces us every once in a while to switch to MBC so she can watch the prank series with the sharks. We still check the news channels during every commercial. Nirmeen, my step-mom, tells us about her friend from university that has a Swedish passport. She and her family left in the morning and they’re now safe in Jordan. Lamar hears this and angrily asks my father, “When are you going to get us passports so we can travel whenever we want?” I’m speechless, so is my father. I wonder how many desperate fathers and mothers don’t have an answer to that question.
Demonstrators show support for Israel outside the United Nations in New York / Martyna Starosta
American Jews stand with Israel. At times of war and crisis, that’s the way it has always been, and this time is no different. Despite gruesome pictures of civilian casualties in Gaza, media coverage that is frequently critical of the Jewish State, and shrill and accusatory statements about Israel from U.N. officials and foreign diplomats, American Jewish support has been unwavering.
It is not only the Jews who support Israel, of course. According to the most recent CNN poll, a majority of Americans believe that Israel’s actions in Gaza are justified. But while there is some measurable slippage in Israel’s favorable ratings among the American people, American Jewish support remains firm. I have seen no poll data on American Jews to prove my thesis, but it is what I conclude from innumerable conversations and a review of both the Jewish press and Jewish organizational statements.
I offer a few observations on American Jewish attitudes on the current conflict with Gaza.
A Palestinian carries the remains of an Israeli shell in the Gaza Strip / Getty Images
Editor’s Note: Walid Abuzaid’s diary will run in two parts. This is the first installment.
Thursday, June 27
I was in Cyprus when it all started. When we heard about the kidnapped teens, we were thrilled by the possibility of another prisoner release. Hamas would be held responsible for the kidnapping, but we treat our prisoners well — at least the one prisoner we’ve ever had.
It’s my last night in Cyprus and one of so few in which I smile before I go to bed, for tomorrow I’m on my way home. I know it isn’t the smartest decision I’ve ever made, but I miss Gaza. I miss my life.
“I don’t want to f**king go to Cairo, I want to go to Gaza. How many times do I have to tell you? Do you want me to say it slower?!” I yell at the woman at the gate who takes my passport and makes me watch every passenger get on that plane until the gate closes. “Wait here, please,” she says for the 10th time, before whining about Arabs in Turkish to the lady next to her, who lends me her seat while I wait. An airline employee official who speaks Arabic finally arrives. She hasn’t come for me, but rather for the Yemenite whose Saudi residency has expired. He isn’t allowed to go to Cairo either; nor does he want to.
For three days I’m being prevented from traveling to Cairo from the Istanbul Airport, since Rafah crossing isn’t open until Sunday. I try explaining that I do not want to enter Cairo, and that I agree to be held in that disgusting deportation hall in the Cairo airport until the border opens. Yet, nothing I say changes the officials’ minds. In Arabic, “How do you even know Rafah will be open?” the translator dares to ask me. I refuse to even glance at him and continue to scream in English at the cold officials. It’ll be three days of this.
A Palestinian girl waits for permission to cross into Egypt at the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip.
Monday, June 30
I’m finally home, after my dad spent a lot of money to buy me another plane ticket on a different airline. I only had 30 euros for the way back; that’s what was left from the 250 euros that my uncle sent from Germany.
My bag is still in Cairo, but who cares — I’m home. I’ll go to my other uncle, the lawyer, and have him write a contract that will allow my relative in Egypt, Mohammed, to collect my bag for me. Then I’ll go to the bar association to make it all official, before sending the papers through DHL and waiting a week for them to arrive. After that, Mohammed may have to wait a few hours at the airport until he receives my bag. Following that, all that’s left is to wait for the border to open again. Simple!
This isn’t even what I intended to write about, god damn it.
Tuesday, July 1
I’m getting ready to embrace my mom, after not seeing her for almost a year. “Wasim, we’re f**ked; they’ve just found the bodies of the three Israelis. Don’t tell mom.” My younger brother, of course, decides to use that as an excuse to tell Mom that I’m still not in Gaza in order to surprise her when I get to her home. Wasim is like that. He arrived from Indiana just a couple of days before I did. He was there on a year-long youth exchange and study program — the same one I did in 2012. We call it a taste of freedom.
Wednesday, July 2
My mother cries all through the night, a sense of déjà vu overwhelms me as I recall the night of Nov. 11, 2013.
Back at my dad’s, home, we discuss the repercussions. My father and I don’t usually agree, but this time we both know something bad is going to happen. He asks my stepmother, Nirmeen, for the grocery list. She points out that she has already evaluated the situation and the list will be longer than a week. Lamar, my younger sister, comes along for one last ride before she has to stay in an apartment for an unknown length of time. She understands. She remembers October 2012, she was three years old then.
Thursday, July 10
We are in the living room with an incredible view. We can see Gaza’s entire harbor. I try to cover two-year-old Eimar’s ears when a rocket drops and destroys a mini yacht called “Gaza’s Arc.” She can’t sleep yet; she’s scared. She likes the fire though. She laughs.
“You look upset, you’ve been watching that boat for 30 minutes, what’s wrong?” Wasim wonders. “I don’t know what was in it,” I respond, “I don’t know why they bombed it, but I know someone loved that boat. That boat was someone’s dream, they just killed someone’s dream. That’s far worse than killing them.”
Friday, July 11
My dad and I go out for the first time in five days to get rgag, a kind of bread made in a saj oven, for the delicious Fatteh dish. It’s 5:22 p.m., the electricity’s been out for three hours. It’s the usual eight-hour rounds and the batteries are almost out. The windows of the house are open and the sweet wind is blowing in. I can hear the jets, drones, gunboats and the occasional thud. Eimar is still awake.
Saturday, July 12, 8:23 p.m.
I’ve just finished eating and I’m heading to my room for a long-awaited smoke or two. My mind is rushing with thoughts of the Brazil vs. Netherlands match. I saw a photo of Neymar with the rest of the team earlier today. I hope Brazil saves some face and wins the game — that would cheer up my Brazilian friend Pedro a bit. I’ve been to Amsterdam, and have friends there too, so I also want the Netherlands to win. Oh well. I’ll go on Facebook before I start looking for a good online stream of the match, one that can tolerate my agonizingly slow Internet speed.
“Breaking: Al-Qassam Brigades threatens to hit Tel Aviv with J-80 rockets at 9 p.m.”
“You still want to go donate blood?” Wasim asks sarcastically. I don’t indulge him this time. A couple of minutes later my mom calls. She succeeds in convincing me not to go out tonight. I haven’t moved from my place yet. I’ve smoked four cigarettes so far. It’s 8:58 p.m.
My dad asks me to take the car keys to the guard tower so he can park it in the underground garage. A chance to buy more cigarettes, I tell myself. I’m dreading the fact that I have to walk rather than “borrow” the car to drive to the market, since, like last night, Abu-Malek has closed up his shop. I don’t blame him. Tonight will be a particularly loud one, and I’m rehearsing the lies I have to tell Eimar.
A man demonstrates at a Hong Kong rally calling for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza / Getty Images
Since Israel launched its military operation in Gaza, other countries are seeing an increase in anti-Semitic hate speech and attacks. In France, synagogues are being firebombed. In Belgium, coffee shops are barring Jews from entry. In Chicago, leaflets threatening the Jewish community are being discovered on parked cars. In India, Jewish sites are being threatened with terrorist attacks. And all around the world, protests that start out as “pro-Gaza” or “pro-Palestine” or “anti-Israel” or “anti-Zionist” are quickly devolving into pure, old-fashioned anti-Semitism.
For many American Jewish liberals, this trend is deeply dispiriting — and confusing. They’ve spent years arguing that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are two different things, that the former isn’t necessarily rooted in the latter. But now, they complain, that argument is becoming harder and harder to sustain. The lines are getting blurry. If these protesters don’t actually hate Jews, they ask, then why do they keep conflating Jews and the Israeli government? Why are they resorting to this anti-Jewish — and not simply anti-Israel — rhetoric?
Or, in the words of recent Forward contributor Tova Ross:
When angry protesters shout “Death to the Jews!” at “anti-Israel” rallies in Antwerp, Berlin and London, and Jews are trapped in a Paris synagogue and firebombed by an angry mob, how can you honestly posit that anti-Zionism has nothing to do with anti-Semitism?
My response to that question is: Of course the two have something to do with one another — of course they’re uncomfortably intertwined — and are you really so shocked by that?
Is it really so hard to understand why — after Jews have spent decades telling every Jewish child that they are owed a free trip to Israel, citizenship in Israel, life and land in Israel purely by virtue of being Jewish — the world is slow to distinguish between Jews and Israel?
An ultra-Orthodox Jew watches the bombardment of Gaza from southern Israel / Getty Images
(JTA) — Most Israelis blame the war in Gaza squarely on Hamas, though there are plenty who fault the Israeli government for not pursuing peace more aggressively.
In the haredi Orthodox community, however, where practically everything is ascribed to the omnipresent hand of God in one form or another, the true cause of Israel’s troubles is seen as something else: sin, with the troubles Israel’s punishment.
Which sin? Take your pick.
Palestinians celebrate after Hamas’ armed wing said it had captured an Israeli soldier / Getty Images
Immediately after a Hamas military spokesperson announced the capture of an Israeli soldier this Sunday, the streets of Gaza, Hebron, Ramallah and Bethlehem erupted in fireworks and celebration. Israel confirmed this week that the body of, Oron Shaul, a soldier presumably killed when an armored vehicle was hit by an anti-tank missile, went missing.
If Hamas has the body they are likely to demand the release of prisoners in exchange for the body. In 2008, Israel released five Lebanese prisoners, including notorious murderer Samir Kuntar, for the corpses of two Israeli soldiers.
But rewarding terrorists by releasing prisoners in exchange for the body will only embolden Hamas and incentivize more kidnapping attempts and lead to more terrorism.
A Palestinian gestures as flames rise from the site of an Israeli air strike in Gaza / Getty Images
I’m done apologizing for Israel.
It’s tiring to apologize over and over. Instead, I’ve decided to come clean: I am a progressive American rabbi who leans left pretty hard. I’ve been engaged, as a US faith leader, in work to reform gun laws, extend LGBT rights around the world, grant refuge to illegal immigrants, protect women’s reproductive choice, and more. Paint me blue.
So, when it comes to Israel, many of those with whom I engage in social reform expect me to react to Israel’s military actions in Gaza with scorn and criticism. To be fair, there are times when I do. My Zionism demands I speak out on behalf of the Israel that remains, in my world-view, the most ambitious project-in-process of the Jewish People. Whereas Israel’s 66 short years have witnessed strength and resilience that have redefined Jewish identity in profound ways, the global Jewish family remains interwoven with Israel. If you question this, scan the last week’s news for anti-Israel rallies in Antwerp, Los Angeles, Paris, Boston, and elsewhere that featured widespread anti-Semitic chants and violence against Jews.
So I’m a progressive US faith leader. I’m a Zionist in Berkeley, CA. I’m a Jew in the world, worried for my family. So here is my response to those criticizing Israel this week.


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Addis Ababa, February 13, 2019 (FBC) –More than 1,000 armed members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) have entered rehabilitation camps.
They are currently receiving training in camps located in the Oromia regional state, including in Tolay military camp, according to the Oromia Broadcasting Corporate (OBN).
The trainees told OBN that they chose to engage in a peaceful struggle because armed struggle has no benefit for the people.
They further called on others armed members of the Front to lay down arms and follow peaceful way.
The soldiers highlighted the need for teamwork to uphold the ongoing nationwide reform.
The training being given to the soldiers is mainly focused on constitutional order, federalism and on the nationwide reform.

domain: news


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Screen Australia has selected nine participants from Australia and three from New Zealand for its Access Coordinator Training program, designed to provide additional support for the emerging below-the-line crew position on film and television productions.
Tracey Rigney, Emma Freeman, Tanya Modini, Laura Scrivano, Zoe Pepper, Eve Spence and Amin Palangi are among the directors who will take part in Attagirl, the new lab dedicated to creating production and distribution pathways for feature films by female and non-binary creative teams.
Susan Moylan-Coombs will chair Screen Queensland's inaugural Equity and Diversity Taskforce, designed to develop three-year diversity plan for film, series and games in the state.
Producer, writer, and editor Stephanie Dower is Screen Producers Australia (SPA)'s Leadership Diversity Mentorship participant for 2023.
As someone who lives with physical disability, Stephanie Dower never connected with the characters she saw on screen because their portrayals were always negative.
Included in the slate are documentary series 'Facing the Numbers', exploring testimonies of First Nations people; the third instalment in Luke Eve's 'Cancelled' web series; and comedy series 'Plausible Deniability' by Iain Crittenden.
The Screen Producers Australia Council has named senior production manager Aimee Huxley as this year's recipient of Leadership Diversity Mentorship.

domain: entertainment


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There is more to Siargao than surfing. But who can resist its fabled waves? So we do island hopping, swimming with jellyfish, spelunking, kayaking, cliff diving and surfing when we visit Siargao islands.
Siargao is the ultimate place to be for surfers visiting the Philippines. It’s extremely good waves can get any enthusiast stoked.
Beyond its surfing spots, more natural wonders await for visitors to discover and enjoy – from secret coves and lagoons to still lakes and natural pools to pristine white sand beaches that are never crowded. These hidden gems make non-surfers enjoy the Siargao islands, too.
Enjoy Siargao islands!
Photos courtesy of my travel buddies (Ely, Gin, Joann).
Muffin-shaped mountains are scattered all over the island of Bucas Grande, providing a beautiful background against the paddle boats sailing to their first destination: the Jellyfish Sanctuary.
Sailing forward, more details of this part of the island are revealed. The mountains are limestone formations abundantly covered in untrimmed and thick vegetation.
In between mountains are tunnel-like passageways covered in canopies of protruding branches of wild plants and trees.
At the entrance the water is clear and shallow, making some marine species visible from the bottom such as “tajum” (sea urchin) that used to dominate the area when it was not yet known as the Jellyfish Sanctuary.
With only the sound of the flowing water and the rowing boat can be heard in the area, one could easily tell where this is heading to – a lagoon that is set in blissful seclusion.
Indeed, the lagoon is a wide expanse of flat turquoise calm, making the tableau of corals visible underneath. Seeing the corals from the bottom makes one feel like being able to touch them without having to dive down.
It’s amazing how everything remains unspoiled and the tranquility that envelops the area undisturbed. It is as if a thin sheet of blanket is blocking the outside noise, allowing only the chorus of various chirping birds to penetrate the invisible shield.
During off seasons, the different species of non-stinging jellyfish are nowhere to be seen. That was exactly the scenario when we visited Bucas Grande last November.
I admit it was a little disappointing. Thankfully, the lagoon is itself a thrill to see. Not to mention that passing through the maze-like waterways make the journey to the sanctuary quite like otherworldly.
For me, that part of Tojoman Lagoon, now called the Jellyfish Sanctuary, makes it an entirely unique natural gem in Surigao del Norte.
*The local government of Socorro – one of the 9 municipalities of Siargao – and the DENR must have done a good job in keeping the islands of Bucas Grande in Surigao del Norte well preserved and protected.
*According to tour guides swimming with millions of jellyfish can be experienced in the months of March until May, where they start to spring, and in the months of July until August, where they bloom into full grandeur.
It’s nice to see sculptures of the native people of Mindanao in the park of Davao. While it is likely for a cultural-themed park like that of People’s Park in Davao, I find it refreshing especially since in many Philippine parks it’s the sculptures of heroes that are normally erected in a specific area of the park.
They come in larger-than-life-sized, too, which make them hard to miss.
Here are some photos I took during our visit there.
3 bedrooms, each with toilet and bathroom and a tub in the adjacent room
an open-plan for living room and kitchen
entertainment area with a mini bar and a television unit upstairs
a small veranda with a view of the highlands
For three people, this last-minute upgrade from Mrs. Theresa Dejelo was more than we had asked for. While we spent our two-day extended vacation outside, we couldn’t be thankful enough to her for recommending this place to us.
It’s location although a bit secluded is quiet and away from crowds while the artsy furniture sets and decors are a pleasant sight.
For charging us with a rate per person (not for the entire house) for a transient home of this quality, she gave us more than we asked for.

domain: geography


Welcome to Jenner & Block’s Government Contracts Legal Round‑Up, a biweekly update on important government contracts developments. This update offers brief summaries of key developments for government contracts legal, compliance, contracting, and business executives. Please contact any of the professionals at the bottom of the update for further information on any of these topics.
1. The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Vaccination Guidance (September 24, 2021)
- This guidance implements President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) 14042: Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors (full advisory on that EO here).
- This highly anticipated guidance imposes broad requirements for covered contractor employees (and subcontractor employees) to be vaccinated by December 8, 2021, regardless of whether they work full-time or part-time, whether they work at a contractor workplace, federal workplace, or from their homes, and whether they work directly on a covered government contract, indirectly, or only at the same workplace as those who do.
- See Jenner & Block’s advisory for details regarding applicability and operation.
- The Department of Defense has announced an early engagement opportunity for industry to comment, due no later than October 17, 2021.
1. GSAR Case 2016-G511, Contract Requirements for GSA Information Systems, Proposed Rule Issued September 10, 2021, Comments Due by November 9, 2021
- The GSA is proposing to amend the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to streamline and update requirements for contracts involving GSA information systems.
- The proposed rule will replace outdated text with existing policies issued by GSA’s Chief Information Officer and provide centralized guidance to ensure consistent application across the organization.
- The updated GSA policy will align cybersecurity requirements based on items being procured by ensuring contract requirements are coordinated with GSA’s Chief Information Security Officer.
- After finalization, this rule will require contracting officers to incorporate applicable cybersecurity requirements in statements of work to ensure compliance with federal guidelines and to prevent cyber incidents.
2. Notice of Rate Change for Minimum Wage Federal Contracts Covered by Executive Order 13658 (September 16, 2021)
- The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor issued this notice to announce the applicable minimum wage rate for workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts covered by President Obama’s EO 13658. Beginning January 1, 2022, the rate paid workers on covered contracts will increase to $11.25 per hour, while the required minimum cash wage to tipped employees will increase to $7.90 per hour.
- Covered contracts that are entered into on or after January 30, 2020, or that are renewed or extended on or after that date, will be generally subject to the higher $15.00 minimum wage rate established by President Biden’s EO 14026.
3. Extension of Time for Comments on FAR Buy American Act Requirements (September 23, 2021)
- The FAR Council issued a proposed rule on July 30, 2021, to amend the FAR to implement President Biden’s EO 14005, Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers.
- The deadline for submitting public comments has been extended from September 28, 2021 to October 28, 2021.
4. Request for Public Comments on Risks in the Semiconductor Supply Chain (September 24, 2021)
- The Department of Commerce is seeking comments from those impacted by ongoing shortages in the semiconductor supply chain.
- The goal is to accelerate information flow and reduce data gaps across the various supply chain participants, including domestic and foreign semiconductor design firms, semiconductor manufacturers, materials and equipment suppliers, as well as semiconductor intermediate and end-users.
- Comments are due November 8, 2021.
1. Marquis Solutions, LLC, B-419891; B-419891.2 (September 14, 2021) (Published September 21, 2021)
- GAO sustained a protest where the agency had unreasonably and disparately evaluated the protester’s quotation, resulting in its quotation not receiving further consideration in the competition.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a solicitation for medical courier services in the New York metropolitan area under FAR Part 13 simplified acquisition procedures.
- GAO observed that not only did the solicitation lack detailed instructions for preparation of technical quotations, the agency’s evaluation of the protester’s technical quotation was equally vague and took issue with the protester’s compliance with solicitation instructions.
- GAO held that the agency had not adequately documented the basis for its evaluation and source selection decision. In particular, the evaluators failed to explain (or provide examples of) the details lacking in the protester’s quotation, instead levelling “vague and conclusory” critiques against the protester’s quotation.
- GAO also found that the VA engaged in disparate treatment, including because the Agency found the protester’s quotation unacceptable for copying from the statement of work but overlooked the same concerns in the awardee’s proposal.
Even in competitions conducted under the simplified acquisition procedures under FAR Part 13 (meaning that the agency was not required to perform the in-depth evaluation required under FAR Part 15), agencies are still required to treat competitors fairly and equally and to sufficiently document the basis of its decisions.
1. MLB Transportation Inc. v. VA, CBCA 7019 (September 3, 2021)
- MLB Transportation, Inc. had a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs to transport patients from a VA hospital to their homes.
- Although the parties treated the contract as if it was an IDIQ contract, the contract did not include any language indicating that it was an IDIQ contract. The parties both acknowledged that the contract was intended to be an IDIQ contract but that it lacked a guaranteed minimum clause (previous contracts between the parties did contain the clause).
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the contractor could not recover its costs. MLB submitted a claim seeking reimbursement of the indirect additional costs.
- On appeal, the board determined that the contract did not contain a minimum guarantee of the services to be ordered. The board noted that an IDIQ contract that lacks a guaranteed minimum is illusory and unenforceable, since the government had not made a binding promise regarding the minimum amount it will purchase.
- The board opined that although the contract was not enforceable at its inception, the VA’s obligations were limited to compensation for services provided, but nothing more.
Contractors should take care to not only read all contract provisions but also to note any provisions that are absent. Ask for clarification where the contract type is unclear or where something seems to be missing. Don’t assume that provisions from prior contracts will carry over. Remember that IDIQ contracts will not be enforced unless they contain a guaranteed minimum clause.
2. Anglin Consulting Group, Inc. v. Department of Homeland Security, CBCA 6926 (September 7, 2021)
- The government entered into a contract with Anglin Consulting Group, Inc., for accounting and general clerk services. The firm fixed price contract had one base year and four one-year options. The government exercised two of the option years.
- Through bilateral modifications to the contract, the parties agreed to remove the position of finance clerk, and remove two of the remaining three other positions from the contract.
- Anglin submitted a request for equitable adjustment (REA), asserting that the descoping and deletion of work by these modifications caused it to absorb losses for costs incurred and caused loss profits. When the contracting officer denied the REA, stating that the underlying contract was a firm fixed price contract and the contractor had released all claims without reservation through the bilateral modification.
- The contractor submitted a certified claim on the same grounds as the REA, but added that none of the modifications released its claims. The contracting officer denied the claim. Anglin appealed.
- For the first time on appeal, Anglin argued that it only signed the modifications due to economic duress and that the government had breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing.
- In response to the government’s predictable motion for dismiss for lack of jurisdiction on the grounds that those claims had not been presented to the contracting officer, Anglin filed an amended complaint, adding yet another new claim.
- The Board dismissed the additional claims, finding that it did not have jurisdiction to hear claims that had not been presented to the contracting officer.
Ensuring that claims are presented at the right time and in the right way is essential and can be complicated. Legal advice from experienced government contracting attorneys can help contractors navigate this process.


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Thread Painting - Introduction to Thread Painting
Featuring: Nancy Prince
Posts On: April 26, 2011
Master teacher, Nancy Prince, gives you a short overview of the 6 exciting thread painting & thread sketching projects to start or augment your thread adventure.

domain: artistic


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The 21-day nationwide lockdown in India announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in effect since March 25, 2020. The lockdown was imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected over 1,000 people in India and claimed 27 lives so far. The lockdown has had a profound impact on the lives of people in India.
Here are some of the common impacts the lockdown in India has affected the people.
1. People are struggling to get necessities like food and medicines.
Obviously, with a nationwide lockdown in India, people are having trouble getting food and other necessities. There have been reports of people being beaten up by police for trying to get food, and of mobs looting stores. The shortage of food and other essentials has led to rising prices of goods.
2. Businesses have closed, leading to mass unemployment.
The lockdown has resulted in businesses closing down and people losing their jobs. It is particularly hard for daily wage workers who are struggling to make ends meet. With no income, they are finding it difficult to buy food and other essentials.
3. People are struggling to get medical care.
With the lockdown in effect, people are finding it difficult to get medical care. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients, and there is a shortage of medical supplies. It has led to people dying because they couldn’t get the treatment they needed in time.
4. People are bored and lonely.
With the lockdown in effect, people are confined to their homes with nothing to do. It has led to a lot of boredom and loneliness. Some people are even going crazy from the lack of stimulus.
5. People are struggling to pay their bills.
The lockdown has caused a lot of financial hardship for people. With businesses closed, many people have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. It has led to people defaulting on their loans and not being able to pay their bills.
6. There is a shortage of transport.
The lockdown has resulted in a shortage of transport, which is making it difficult for people to get around. It is causing a lot of inconveniences, especially for those who need to travel for essential purposes.
7. People are struggling to keep up with their studies.
The lockdown has impacted the studies of students. With schools and colleges closed, they are finding it difficult to keep up with their studies. It is causing them to fall behind in their studies.
8. There is a shortage of water and power.
The lockdown has resulted in a shortage of water and power. It is causing immense hardship for people who are struggling to get by.
9. Loved ones are separated.
One of the worst effects of the lockdown is that it has separated loved ones. With people not being able to leave their homes, they are unable to see their loved ones. It is causing a lot of pain and anguish for people.
10. Dying people are not able to get proper treatment.
Due to the lockdown, dying people are not able to get proper treatment. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients, and there is a shortage of medical supplies. It has led to people dying because they couldn’t get the treatment they needed in time.
11. People are getting infected with COVID-19.
The lockdown in India has resulted in people getting infected with COVID-19. It is because people are not able to follow the safety guidelines and are coming into contact with infected people. It is putting a lot of people at risk.
Additionally, there’s also a lot of fear and uncertainty about the future. With the lockdown in effect, people are not sure what will happen once it is lifted. There is a lot of fear that the situation will only get worse.
The COVID-19 lockdown in India has had a profound impact on the lives of people. It has led to a lot of hardship and suffering. However, it is significant to remember that lockdown is necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. We must all remain vigilant and follow the guidelines set by the government to ensure that we stay safe and healthy.

domain: sociology


Aussie pop-rock legends Zoot have cancelled their Australian reunion tour, which was supposed to feature a Melbourne Palais Theatre show.
Zoot have cancelled their tour with no new dates due to the band member’s careers abroad, after their original dates were postponed due to the pandemic restrictions.
They stated in a release that “much has changed in the two years since we announced the tour, and individual members of the band, whilst excited about the potential offered by the tour, are now unfortunately not in a position whereby they can move forward with the tour as scheduled. Rather than postpone the tour yet again, the decision has been taken to cancel the tour and refund all ticketholders.”
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
While there’s still a lot of people that remember the group’s rocking cover of Eleanor Rigby, in the modern age, Zoot are mainly known through the breakaway success of the group’s former members. First and foremost frontman Rick Springfield, who left Australia for the USA in 1972 after forging his early career through the band.
Springfield, who most famously hit with US number-one ‘Jessie’s Girl’ in 1981, is one of Australia’s most successful musical exports, so much so that many Australians have no idea he’s from New South Wales.
Zoot also forged the path for the group’s bass guitarist, Beeb Birtles, who went on to found another massive Australian musical success story, Little River Band, in 1975, and the band helped launch the career of Russell Morris – best known for classic Australian anthem ‘The Real Thing’ – among a plethora of ARIA top ten hits. Drummer Rick Brewer also went on to play with The Ferrets and The Motivaters.
Zoot last reunited for a Rick Springfield cruise back in 2011. While they left open the possibility of touring at some stage in the future, current tickholders will be contacted to organise a refund.
Find out more info here.


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Sun | Local
Lauren Elizabeth Keen, 21, of Hansville died of unknown causes Jan. 29, 2001, in Seattle.
She was born Sept. 11, 1979, in Port Townsend to Chip and Linda Keen.
She was a 1998 graduate of North Kitsap High School in Poulsbo and attended the University of Washington.
She is survived by her parents, of Hansville; a brother, Charlie of Seattle; and her grandparents, Carl and Mary Stutzman of Fresno, Calif., and Bob and Bette Keen of Sacramento.
A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hansville Community Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Tuell-McKee of Bremerton.
Memorial donations may be made to the Lauren Keen Memorial Fund, c/o Hansville Community Center, Hansville, WA 98340.
George Lee Lewis, 65, of Kent died of heart complications Jan. 15, 2001, at Virginia Mason Hospital.
He was born Feb. 27, 1936, in New Mexico to Norman and Ina Lewis. He was a 1956 graduate of South Kitsap High School.
He served in the Air Force and later worked for GTE 35 years, retiring last year.
He is survived by his mother; a sister, Sylvia Ellsworth of Port Orchard; a brother, Don Lewis of Bremerton; five children; and grandchildren.
A memorial service was held in Des Moines, Wash., at the home of his daughter Diane Wattenberg.
Lucille M. Andle, 84, of Bremerton died Jan. 31, 2001, at Crista Shores in Silverdale.
She was born Dec. 16, 1916, in Hartford, Conn., to Paul and Angelina (Manfred) Sartori.
She married John Andle on Oct. 31, 1940, in Hartford. He preceded her in death in 1965.
She was a homemaker who enjoyed baking and caring for her flowers.
Survivors include a son, Richard Andle of Connecticut; two daughters, Brenda Rohan of Connecticut and Joanne Backus of Bremerton; a sister, Rose D'onofrio of Connecticut; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
At her request, a service will take place in Hartford, Conn. Local arrangements are under the direction of Miller-Woodlawn Funeral Home.
Aaron Nathaniel Vertefeuille, 25, of Bremerton died in an automobile accident near Yakima on Jan. 28, 2001.
He was born April 23, 1975, in Bremerton to Chuck and Lynn Travis.
He was a 1995 graduate of Bremerton High School and was a drummer in the marching band. He also graduated from Bryman College.
He joined the Washington Army National Guard, achieving the rank of specialist E-4.
He later was the assistant manager at Sera-Tec Plasma Center in Seattle and was a certified phlebotomist.
Survivors include his wife, Danielle; an infant son, Tyler; a brother, Jason; his parents, Lynn and Chuck Travis; his father, Don Vertefeuille; and his paternal grandparents, Hope and John Vertefeuille.
Services are pending. Arrangements are under the direction of Miller-Woodlawn Funeral Home.
Robert G. Heath, 87, of Port Orchard died Jan. 30, 2001, at Harrison Hospital.
He was born June 29, 1913, in Seattle to Alvah and Erma (Gordon) Emerson.
He married Zoe Heath in October 1941 in Port Orchard. She preceded him in death in 1986.
He drove an ambulance during World War II.
He was superintendent with the Kitsap County road district, retiring in 1975.
Mr. Heath was an outdoorsman and enjoyed traveling.
Survivors include a son, Gary Heath of Kitsap County; two stepsons, Dan Case of Port Orchard and Mike Case of Arizona; and a sister, Hallie Glaze of Hood River, Ore. He also was preceded in death by a brother, Don Heath; and a stepson, Harry Case.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Pendleton-Gilchrist Funeral Home at Rill Chapel.
Frank Jacob Torres, 19, of Bremerton died Jan. 31, 2001, in Bremerton.
He was born Jan. 18, 1982, in San Diego, Calif., to Anton and Sheryl (House) Torres. He attended Bremerton High School.
He enjoyed art and poetry.
He is survived by his parents; two brothers, Nathan Woodcock and Anton Torres Jr. both of Bremerton; a sister, Kerri Woodcock of Bremerton; and his grandparents, Shirley Fultz of Bremerton, Frank House of Tahuya, Adelia Torres of Mexico and Oscar Torres of Escondio, Calif.
A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday at Grand Central Station in Jackson Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Kitsap Cremation and Burial Society.
Memorial donations may be made at any Washington Mutual Bank, for the benefit of Sheryl and Anton Torres, in memory of Frank Torres.


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This certification program is intended for those with a passion for 3D architectural visualization, 3D broadcast designs, 3D animation and production of TV commercials.
It covers a wide range of topics under the following courses;
1. Graphics Design & Image Manipulation
2. 3D Motion Graphics Animation
3. Character Design
4. 3D Character Modelling
5. 3D Character Rigging
6. 3D Character Animation
8, 3D Animation
10. Colour Correction
Training Duration: (3 Months)
Internship (Optional): 2 Months
At the end of this class, participant will be able to:
1. Create 3D characters like humans, robots, cartoons e.t.c
2. Create 3D motion graphics animation (a video combining moving texts, graphics and images)
3. Animate 3D characters like humans, robots, cartoons e.t.c
4. Create and animate 3D models of products for TV advertisements like bottle of drinks, cosmetic, electronics (phone, laptops) airplanes e.t.c.
5. Create 3D TV broadcast studio designs
What Are The Requirements?
Education:From primary four upwards
PC: Students are advised to have their personal computer (laptop).
Computer Literacy: Intended applicants must be familiar with Windows or Mac Operating Systems.

domain: design


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The biggest problem with last November's landmark agreement among OPEC and some major non-OPEC oil producers to reduce output is that it lacks a clearly defined measure of success. The world's inventory overhang has persisted through the first six months of supply restraint under the deal.
Keeping benchmark crude prices in the $50 to $60 a barrel range -- which has been described as desirable by OPEC ministers, though not formally adopted as a target -- would be an obvious achievement. But Brent in early June slipped through the $50 mark and has languished there through most of July. Saudi Arabia, the chief architect of the production restraint deal, remained conspicuously silent through crude's downward spiral, while Russia, the de-facto leader of the non-OPEC bloc of collaborators, signaled it was not in favor of responding with deeper cuts.
A rise in crude prices resulting from restrained production is supposed to more than offset declining sales volumes, a fundamental trade-off for any producer agreeing to join in a coordinated action to cut output and an important criterion for continued quota discipline. This rationale now stands on shaky ground.
OPEC's reference basket, an average price of 14 crudes representative of its members' production, fell to a seven-month low of $45.21 per barrel in June. Using this as a proxy for oil sales revenue, the group's 11 members curtailing output were collectively poorer by around $7.7 billion in June, losing some $257.4 million a day versus December, the month before the supply reduction deal took effect.
Ecuador, a small OPEC producer, has announced its decision to renege on its pledge to cut output by 26,000 barrels per day because it needs to address its fiscal deficit. Kazakhstan, meanwhile, a non-OPEC oil exporter, has said it wants to gradually exit the deal a month or two after March, when the agreement is set to expire. Even if these moves do not unravel the entire production restraint agreement, OPEC can no longer count on full adherence as a measure of success.
OPEC's officially stated goal -- to bring global oil inventories in countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to within five-year average levels -- would be a signpost along the way, indicating that supply is coming closer to matching demand. But it should not be confused for the finish line.
Assuming that OPEC and its collaborators can hand back the reins to market forces to maintain an equilibrium and go back to pumping full tilt as long as stocks have dipped below the five-year average mark would be delusional.
In any case, that signpost has so far remained elusive, as increasing U.S. shale output as well as production in Libya and Nigeria -- OPEC members exempt from output cuts -- now counters nearly three-quarters of the 1.72 million barrels per day of pledged cuts under the agreement.
A proactive market-management strategy demands a commensurate and quick response to any substantial and sustained increases from Libya and Nigeria, but OPEC chose to drag its feet on this issue over the past months. Even if the two countries agree to a production ceiling in the coming weeks, they are not expected to concede to a reduction, so their current incremental supply would potentially continue flooding the market.
If OPEC's secret measure of success is to rein in U.S. shale producers and arrest their bounding production growth while aiming for crude to remain in the $50 to $60 range, events so far this year have established that these two goals are incompatible.
The bigger question now is whether the price for benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude -- which has remained in the low- to mid-$40s since the second week of June, nearly $10 a barrel below its year-to-date high -- would crimp the U.S. shale sector's investment and output.
A smaller number of weekly additions of oil rigs in the U.S. through July and a slightly slowing pace of growth in the country's crude production have grabbed the market's attention. But these trends are still a long way from erasing the gains of more than 800,000 barrels per day since October, the baseline month of production that OPEC is using to calibrate its cuts.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration believes the healthy cash flows at shale producers resulting from lower costs, higher productivity and increased hedging -- which has seen future production sold above $50 per barrel -- will sustain growth in output even with WTI price below $50.
This would suggest more of the sub-$50 environment in the weeks and months ahead, unless Nigerian and Libyan flows are disrupted in a big way.
It would be futile for OPEC to wait for the highly unlikely event of U.S. production reversing course into a decline. Even the first signs of such an occurrence would send crude spiking and the shale drillers returning in full force fairly quickly. While the precise break-even costs of the shale basins might be debatable in a constantly evolving environment, the nimbleness of the sector is not in doubt.
This leaves OPEC with two equally difficult options: to deepen its cuts or to make peace with crude lingering below its desired price range.
A third possibility is for the producers' group to continue believing in its mantra that only patience is needed for OECD stocks to ease back. This would be a milestone should it come around, not the final destination, and not necessarily a harbinger of higher prices.
Vandana Hari is founder of Vanda Insights, which provides research and analysis on energy markets.

domain: finance


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Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., author of fourteen novels and numerous short stories, was also a prolific visual artist during his lifetime. On display at the National Veterans Art Museum is Vonnegut’s Odyssey, showcasing over 30 of his silkscreen prints ― most of them exploring veterans returning home from combat.
This exhibition features dozens of abstract illustrations and self-portraits that capture feelings of isolation when a veteran, such as Vonnegut himself, returns home after having served his country in combat. Presented together, these works reflect the connections between Vonnegut’s return home from World War II and Homer’s epic of Odysseus’s return home after the Trojan War.
His work also examines how former serviceman and women struggle with combat-related health issues, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1922 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. He was deployed to fight overseas in Europe during World War II and was captured at the Battle of the Bulge, becoming a prisoner of war until 1945. Central to his war experience was the bombing of Dresden where nearly 135,000 civilians were killed. Vonnegut and his fellow POWs survived the bombing in a shelter beneath a slaughterhouse, where they were housed. At the end of the war, he returned to the U.S. and was awarded the Purple Heart. His war experiences, particularly his witnessing the bombing of Dresden shaped his creative endeavors including his published literature and art work.
After working as a journalist and publishing numerous short stories, Vonnegut established himself as an important voice in American literature with the publication of Slaughterhouse Five in 1969, a satirical novel about WWII. Shortly afterward, Vonnegut was also recognized for his drawings which often accompanied his writings.
Vonnegut’s drawings are characterized by his minimalist style of marker lines and his limited color palette. There is also a sense of surrealism at play which allows Vonnegut to abandon reality and indulge in imagination and free association.
Besides the theme of veterans returning home after combat, there are also several drawings of Vonnegut’s mythical Tralfamadorians ― the fictional alien race which he mentions in a few of his novels.
This exhibition also features a desk with some of Vonnegut’s original manuscripts from Slaughterhouse Five, along with a replica of the typewriter he used.
Recently, The National Veterans Art Museum acquired the prints thanks to a donation by the Nielsen family in honor of the late artist, Faith Nielsen, herself a mother of wartime veterans.
Vonnegut’s Odyssey shows us that Vonnegut was not only empathetic toward the plight of fellow veterans who struggled to fit into society after serving their country, but was also a peace advocate who didn’t trust political and military institutions. The drawings cover universal themes because Vonnegut believed combat veterans shared the same narrative no matter if the they served in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, or in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Vonnegut’s Odyssey will be on view through May 6. at the National Veterans Art Museum (4041 N Milwaukee Ave). Admission is free. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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At least one Chinese online retailer appeared to drop H&M’s products amid social media attacks on the Swedish company for saying that it was “deeply concerned” about reports of forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.
The Britain, Canada, the EU and the US on Monday imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, accusing them of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
China retaliated with sanctions on European lawmakers and institutions.
H&M had previously said in a statement that it was “deeply concerned by reports from civil society organizations and media that include accusations of forced labor” and that it did not source products from Xinjiang.
It was not immediately clear why an old statement from H&M, which media had reported last year, about the cotton-producing region was back in the public eye.
H&M’s official store on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s (阿里巴巴) Tmall (天貓), an e-commerce platform, was not accessible yesterday.
The official People’s Daily reported that searches for H&M products on platforms JD.com Inc (京東) and Pinduoduo Inc (拼多多) no longer showed any results.
Reporters were unable to determine if such products were previously available.
China is H&M’s fourth-biggest market with sales of 2.9 billion kronor (US$337 million) in the 12 months through November last year.
H&M also said in its original statement that it would phase out its relationship with a Chinese supplier accused of forced labor.
A graphic in a commentary from China Central Television that criticized the company over its stance said that “H&M you are no longer at all fashionable.”
Some people on social media called for H&M to leave China and for a boycott.
“It is so shameless to smear Xinjiang and we don’t buy your products,” one person wrote.
H&M declined to comment.
STEADY: Prices are to rebound following inventory rebuilding demand, TrendForce said, with Samsung Electronics Co further trimming capacity as it slashes DDR4 lines The contract prices of DRAM chips are to rise by as much as 18 percent sequentially this quarter — the first price upticks in about eight quarters — driven mainly by inventory rebuilding demand for DRAM chips used in mobile devices and PCs, TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) projected yesterday. The price rebound is led by a quarterly increase of mobile DRAM chips, which are to climb between 13 percent and 18 percent quarter-on-quarter this quarter, which has not been seen since the fourth quarter of 2021, the Taipei-based market researcher predicted. Likewise, the price of mainstream PC DDR4 DRAM is expected to bounce
CHINA NOT A FRIEND: ‘Newsflash: Democracy is good for your businesses,’ US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said as she gave a speech at a national defense forum US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on Saturday urged lawmakers, Silicon Valley and US allies to stop China from getting semiconductors and cutting-edge technologies key to national security. Speaking at an annual national defense forum in Simi Valley, California, Raimondo called Beijing “the biggest threat we’ve ever had” and stressed that “China is not our friend.” The world’s top two economies are locked in a fierce commercial and geopolitical rivalry, in which her department plays a leading role. In October, Raimondo unveiled a series of restrictions on the export of advanced chips to China, including those used in the development of artificial intelligence
SOLID FOUNDATION: Given its decades of expertise in megatronics, manufacturing and robotics, Japan has the wherewithal to create its own AI, Jensen Huang said Nvidia Corp plans to help build an artificial intelligence (AI) tech-related ecosystem in Japan to meet demand in a country eager to gain an edge in this emerging technology. The US company will seek to partner with Japanese research organizations, companies and start-ups to build factories for AI, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said yesterday during opening remarks in a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura. The company is to set up an AI research laboratory, and invest in local start-ups and educate the public on using AI, Huang said. Huang earlier this week met with Japanese Prime
A Hong Kong court postponed a court hearing on troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande Group’s (恆大集團) winding-up petition scheduled for yesterday until Jan. 29. Evergrande is trying to win support from its creditors for a plan to restructure more than US$300 billion in debt to stave off liquidation. The company’s lawyer told the court it was requesting an adjournment to “refine” its new debt restructuring plan. The Hong Kong High Court has postponed the hearing over Evergrande’s potential liquidation several times. Judge Linda Chan (陳靜芬) had said in October that yesterday’s hearing would be the last before a decision is handed down. Chan

domain: economics


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The UteZone publisher joined Gunther and Ben.
UteZone’s Dan Sorensen said the transfer portal is ushering in “free agency” in college sports. It’s a benefit for Utah. He explained why.
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According to the latest reports, the well-known Chinese smartphone manufacturer, of course, Meizu is preparing two new smartphones with great design and almost borderless screens, the Meizu 16 and Meizu 16 PRO, which will be presented soon in coming months of 2019.
Meizu 16 & 16 Pro – First Photo, Specs, In-Display Fingerprint, Bezelless Screen
Meizu has in its hands what will be its most important mobile in a long time. Until a few years ago this company was more or less on par with Xiaomi in the international arena. However, the race for the internationalization of Lei Jun’s company has positioned it closer to Huawei or Samsung than to its Chinese rivals, at least outside the borders of their native country.
Meizu had to give a rudder and for that, it seems that it will use the new family Meizu 16, two devices that will be somewhat more different from each other than we thought but that will finally be up to the flagships of each house.
A novel design
The most striking of this mobile is that Meizu finally risked something in the design, without being something spectacular, we see how the edges have been greatly reduced and there is no bet on the notch, something that will please many.
The side frames have been almost completely eliminated and the upper and lower frames have been greatly reduced, vaguely reminiscent of the Galaxy S9.
Some printing features
It is confirmed that the features of this model will be on par with mobile phones such as OnePlus 6, the best of Xiaomi or the most powerful devices of Huawei or Samsung.
A computer-generated image shows that there will be no fingerprint sensor behind, which coincides with the registered patent and with the front image, but it is not a guarantee that it has a fingerprint sensor on the screen. However, everything indicates that this will be the case.
The Meizu 16 PRO will have a Snapdragon 845 while the Meizu 16 will opt for the Snapdragon 710. Both will have FHD+ resolution OLED screens and 3D Press technology, something that we thought had gone out of style.
It is expected that the normal model has two cameras and the PRO three in the back, but there are still no photographs of it.
August is the date chosen for the presentation although for now there is no specific day and we do not know if they will be announced for markets other than Chinese.
So, what do you think about this? Simply share all your views and thoughts in the comment section below.


Geoff Shaw given 'adequate' briefings ahead of return to Parliament, Premier Denis Napthine says
Victoria's government has provided adequate briefings to balance-of-power independent Geoff Shaw about its planned legislation before Parliament this week, Premier Denis Napthine says.
But Mr Shaw has indicated the information for one piece of legislation being introduced by the Premier, provided via email, is not adequate to secure his support.
Mr Shaw was due to return to the Lower House on Tuesday after serving a three-month suspension for the misuse of his parliamentary car and fuel card.
He said he would apologise to the Parliament, having already repaid almost $7,000 - requirements that were part of the suspension motion passed by MPs in June.
The Member for Frankston has the deciding vote on any legislation put before the Lower House, and Mr Shaw said he would not support legislation he was not properly briefed on.
Briefing sent after COB Friday: Shaw spokesman
Dr Napthine said he had been in touch with Mr Shaw about the week's legislative agenda.
"I've got one piece of legislation as Premier, and I've advised him on the contents of that legislation by email and advised him, if he wants further advice, who to contact in my office to get that advice," Dr Napthine said.
"That gives him advice about the content of the legislation and where he can get further advice."
He said other ministers with legislation before the house this week had also been in touch.
But a spokesman for Mr Shaw said the briefing, which only included a short summary of the legislation, was sent after close of business on Friday afternoon.
The spokesman said that would not give Mr Shaw enough time to be adequately informed about the legislation before Parliament resumed.


The federal government has no intention to borrow from local and foreign creditors following the removal of fuel subsidy and the harmonisation of exchange rate, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Mr Wale Edun has said.
The minister said this Monday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the inaugural meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.
He said government would plough back savings from subsidy removal into various sectors of the economy to boost government revenue and improve the business environment for local and foreign investments.
“Essentially, we went through an exercise of looking at where things stood regarding the economy, the growth rate, the exchange rate, inflation, unemployment and so on.
The overriding conclusion is that we are not where we should be, and we also examined the president’s eight-point agenda, that is, the eight priority areas for moving the Nigerian economy forward and for delivering to Nigerians, and those are basically food security; ending poverty, economic growth and job creation, access to capital, particularly consumer credit, inclusivity in all its dimensions, particularly as regards youths and women, improving security, improving the playing field on which people and particularly companies operate, rule of law, and of course, fighting corruption.
It is around those matrix that the plans and the targets of what will be delivered in the next three years or so were identified, discussed, and inputs were given by various ministers, and we’ll now go away with the marching order to refine further the targets in particular and within weeks to start rolling out policies and programmes to turn around the economy and make things better for all Nigerians. That really is the substance of what the discussion was all about,” he said.
In his inaugural speech, the President urged the new set of Ministers to hit the ground running by working hard to turn around the fortunes of the country.
“We have talents; we have the level of intellectuals and capacity to turn this country around. You and I know that the expectation is high and there is a tough time right now therefore we must work hard, commit ourselves and create a buoyant economy that will serve every Nigerian,” he said.
The President charged the ministers to work as a team, stressing that they must stay focused as they discharge their responsibilities, the country will move forward.
“Everyone of you is a member of this team, we can do whatever we want from our areas of responsibility but it all depends on you. If you stay focused, we will all arrive at a better destination and the country will be better for it,”he said.
The President said the natural endowments of the country must be properly harnessed to make life better for the citizens of the country.
“We must unlock the energy and natural resources of this country. We must start to produce for ourselves, dig ourselves out of the woods, focus on education, healthcare, and make social investments that are essential for the development of our people.
Our priority areas are defined in our economic programmes. Every area is our priority and you belong in the driver’s position to realise and make that priority a fulfilling promise to the entire nation and the continent of Africa.
We must achieve the economic growth that is expected of us. We must feed our people, we must leverage on what we have and grow more to satisfy Nigerians. It is only in your hands now,” he said.


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To celebrate my blogoversary I invited some of my favourite authors. But today's guest is doubly special because not only is she one of the nicest persons I know, but at the same time she is a gun-carrying serious army officer! So please give it up for the lovely Jessica Scott, who will tell you about the importance of anniversaries and present you with a terrific giveaway! ;-)
So happy to be here celebrating Stella's blogoversary! Anniversaries are so important and as a soldier, I never realized how important they were until I started missing them.
My character Sergeant First Class Garrison knows full well how missing anniversaries can impact a marriage. My debut novel opens with Shane receiving divorce papers but he's so focused in the war and preparing his soldiers for it, he barely blinks at the dissolution of his marriage. He recognizes that much of it is his fault and part of his reticence at getting involved with Jen involves how much of the blame he shoulders for the failure of his first marriage.
In , the follow up to , Shane is determined to make their first Valentine's day a special one. Jen doesn't understand the big deal but because Shane knows how badly he screwed up in the past, he's determined not make the same mistakes again.
Both books take a hard look at the life that soldiers lead and the impact of the war on those who love them. It's a reminder for me to make all anniversaries count when you have them, so today for Stella's anniversary, I'm giving away copies of all 4 of my books!
Oprah has called her. True story.
Her debut novel launched Loveswept, the first Random House digital imprint.
She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and is currently a company commander stationed at Fort Hood.
Most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.
Connect with Jessica at her website - - - Goodreads
Order of the series:
Book #2.5 in the Coming Home series
From the author of Because of You comes an all new Coming Home short story.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever.
Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.
As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.
Read an excerpt
Read my review
Book #1 - - read my review
Book #2 -
Book #2.5 - - read my review
Book #3 - Back to You - to be released in 2013
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domain: literature


Product Code: HNC006
ex-vat: £ 865.83
The ancient Japanese symbol that represents Hana can be translated as “flower” and “brilliant and gorgeous”. Both meanings express the sonic character of Hana cartridges.
Excel Sound, the manufacturer, which used to make cartridges for other brands, produces all the major parts, from materials like aluminium for the cantilever, AlNiCo magnets, pure iron for the magnetic circuit, and 4N copper wire for MC wiring. The electrical sub-assembly is then packaged in an ABS plastic body by highly skilled artisans. Hana cartridges as a result offer astonishing price/performance value.
The Hana MH is a high-output moving coil with a Microline stylus, suitable for connection to a moving-magnet phono stage. In addition to the advanced stylus design, the MH has other features found in much more expensive high-end cartridges, including:
- Body made of Delrin©, a rigid plastic with significantly improved resonance damping characteristics.
- Cryogenic processing for key components such as the front yoke, and centre and rear elements of the magnet circuitry, yielding a more precise and musical sound quality.
- High purity copper wire for the coils, offering greater clarity and precision of sound.
- Captive threaded nuts for easy mechanical fixing to the tonearm headshell.
- Nude Microline
- Magnetic circuitry
- Pure iron/Cryo treatment
- Coil wire
- High purity copper
- Output balance
- Tracking force
- Channel separation
- Frequency response
- Suggested load impedance
- Cartridge weight


(Junior) Kennady Kuhlman, from our Girls’ soccer team. This Junior forward scored a hat trick in the first 12 minutes of the game and then added an assist to lead the Eagles to a victory over Saginaw Heritage.
Audrey Regan was team captain as a Senior this year on the Girls Varsity Swim & Dive Team. She earned the MISCA Academic All State award along with many wonderful accolades in her 4 years on the swim team (4 year letter winner, KLAA scholar athlete, All county, team’s highest GPA). So when she was approached about rowing in college…
Audrey’s mother Angie Regan says, “We always imagined she would choose to continue swimming in college”. Audrey, a freestyle sprinter, is also a 4 time state qualifier. But in an extraordinary turn of events Audrey was offered athletic scholarships at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Notre Dame for ROWING!!
According to the rowing coaches, between Audrey’s stature (she’s about 6.0′ tall), academics, and her swim training, she was the perfect candidate to row. This is only the 2nd time in Notre Dame’s history that a non-rower (no previous rowing experience) has been offered scholarship money.
Audrey shared, “All three schools are amazing, but I attended a swim camp at Notre Dame when I was just twelve and have dreamed of attending college there ever since”.
Audrey has committed to Notre Dame this week and will continue her academic and athletic career as one of the Fighting Irish.
Congrats to Coach Cheney on his selection to the High School Sports Scene Dream Team Coach of the Year & The MIchigan Grappler, East-Dream Team Coach of the Year.
Congrats to Kyle Kantola, Reece Hughes, Sage Castillo & Brandon Krol -Dream Team Honorable Mention for High School Sports Scene! #earned
A Direct Link to the On-Line version of the High School Sports Scene and a great article about Hartland Wrestling, along with a highlight of State Champ Reece Hughes is available HERE
Photos from the MHSAA Team and Individual State Finals can be found HERE
The Livingston Post -Tim Robinson
The Hartland wrestling team had another memorable team experience on Thursday.
It goes without saying that it couldn’t have been as thrilling as winning the state team title for the first time in February.
But a trip to the state legislature is high on the list for coach Todd Cheney.
He was part of a delegation that included assistant coaches and team managers who made the trip to Lansing.
“About three weeks ago, I got an email from an aide to (state representative Henry) Vaupel, who wanted to have us come out and be introduced in front of the House of Representatives,” Cheney said.
“He took us to the house chambers and we took a picture,” Cheney said. “We got a tour from a guy who showed us the Senate chamber, the old supreme court room and the old governor’s office.
“It was an educational experience too,” he added. “We talked with our guide about what reaches the floor and how (the process works).”
Sen. Joe Hune also met with the team, which later had lunch at the capitol before going home.
“It was a really neat experience for the kids,” Cheney said. “Pretty cool being in that environment. To be honored in the House was kind of neat.”
Next up for the champs: A ceremony at halftime of the Brighton-Hartland boys lacrosse game on May 4 at the Hartland football field.
“The boys will get their rings there,” Cheney said. “That will be really cool.”
MORE Photo’s can be found on our Hartland Athletics Twitter and Facebook pages!
Hartland Athletics – TWITTER
Hartland Athletics – FACEBOOK
To reports of the KLAA’s imminent demise, several athletic directors said Thursday night: Not so fast.
The Detroit Free Press reported Friday that 10 schools, including Pinckney will be leaving the league after the 2016-17 school year.
“Nothing’s in stone yet,” Pinckney athletic director Brian Wardlow said Thursday night. “We’re doing our best to try and make it work. We’re looking forward to competing in the KLAA next year, and after that it’s still up in the air.”
The schools reportedly leaving include the three Walled Lake high schools and two each in the South Lyon, Waterford and Huron Valley school districts.
Among the issues cited are disparities in attendance, from Grand Blanc with more than 2,700 students to South Lyon East, which has less than 1,000; and some of the distances between high schools, especially Grand Blanc, which is 24 miles from Waterford Kettering and 25 miles from Hartland and Waterford Mott, the closest schools.
Howell athletic director Dan Hutcheson says league members have been working hard to resolve some of the differences.
“It’s always a tough task to get two people to agree, let alone 24 schools,” he said. “We’ve been working diligently and put out a great effort, but you never know how it’s going to shake out.”
The league was created in 2008 through a merger of the Kensington Valley Conference and the Western Lakes Activities Association, along with the addition of the Waterford schools from the Oakland Activities Association.
According to league bylaws, schools who want to withdraw must do so a year in advance.
“It certainly appears there may be some schools leaving,” Brighton athletic director John Thompson said, “but we haven’t officially received notice from any school at this juncture. The landscape could change.”
KLAA member schools have been working to iron out differences for more than a year, Thompson said.
“We’re looking for ways to have a positive situation for all 24 member schools,” he added. “The reality is, like anything else, I’m not sure you can make everyone happy. … Everyone has their own situation. Every school district is different.”
“It’s one of those situations where you have to have a domino fall to know what the next steps are,” Hutcheson said. “We’ll meet as a group, look at the plans and see how we function as a group,. Hopefully all 24 schools stay as this gets sorted out. But this is a work in progress.”