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Movies and TV shows often portray schizophrenia as unpredictable, violent, or even scary. Far from the truth, schizophrenia is a mental disorder that distorts someone’s reality. It makes them hallucinate or hear voices that do not exist. These portrayals stigmatize people with this condition. In reality, the degree of intensity of schizophrenic episodes varies from case to case.
Schizophrenia is a truly debilitating illness that alters a person’s thoughts, actions, and perceptions. Psychotic episodes can occur only once in their whole life or reoccur whenever triggered. Harsh voices and delusions can lead to confusion or to actions that may endanger themselves. It is common for people with schizophrenia to have difficulties expressing themselves and communicating their thoughts.
Sadly, there is no cure for schizophrenia. However, do not lose hope as the right combination of psychotherapy and medication can help control the condition. While support from loved ones is helpful, guided treatment on its own is useful. It is possible and proven that people with schizophrenia can build meaningful relationships and live normal lives.
It is best to seek professional help and advice to find the best treatment for schizophrenia. Therapy has notable effects to help people with this condition. It allows patients to process their thoughts, distinguish what is real from what is not, and is effective in most cases. It can also help patients understand their condition better and overcome symptoms when they occur.
Planning to seek therapy for schizophrenia for you or your loved one? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions to help you start.
What type of therapy is best for schizophrenia?
Treatment for schizophrenia usually includes both medication and psychotherapy. Antipsychotics are useful for the initial treatment of an acute schizophrenic episode. These drugs reduce anxiety and aggression in the short term and decrease the risk of hallucinations and delusions with more prolonged usage.
Meanwhile, psychological treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, allow people to better deal with schizophrenic symptoms. Therapy helps identify and change patterns that lead to unwanted consequences.
Can schizophrenia be treated with therapy?
Proper treatment will help control symptoms, reduce episodes, and contribute to disorder management. However, schizophrenia demands lifelong treatments, even after the disappearance of initial symptoms. Doctors may try various combinations of antipsychotic drugs to provide the desired improvements with minimal side effects.
Psychological and psychosocial therapies are also crucial for helping the patient, and their loved ones cope with this mental illness. However, most patients can control their condition through rigorous treatment.
What psychologist deals with schizophrenia?
Psychiatrists are mental health professionals who specialize in managing schizophrenia and other similar conditions. As medical doctors, psychiatrists can give a diagnosis, prescribe medications, and deliver psychological therapy. They work with other psychologists who can assist in measuring treatment progress and conducting cognitive rehabilitation.
Psychiatrists can also benefit from licensed professional counselors and licensed clinical social workers for providing professional counseling.
What are the goals of therapy for schizophrenia?
The main therapeutic goals include preventing harmful behavior, reducing the severity of psychotic symptoms, and addressing causes that lead to acute episodes. Notably, schizophrenia is incurable, so therapy focuses on management and the restoration of normal function. Over time, therapy aims to decrease the risk of relapse by minimizing stress and training loved ones to provide adequate support.
What triggers schizophrenia?
Stress is the primary trigger for schizophrenia. In particular, major life events such as losing a loved one, loss of livelihood, termination of a relationship, or abuse can promote schizophrenic symptoms. People with a predisposition to schizophrenia, such as those with genetic factors and imbalanced neurotransmitters, are more vulnerable to these triggers.
How Can schizophrenia be cured permanently?
Unfortunately, schizophrenia has no permanent cure. However, effective treatment can help patients manage symptoms indefinitely. With therapy, many people with schizophrenia can engage in everyday activities in work and social relationships. Most patients get to restore normal function, with many even achieving a symptom-free life.
Does schizophrenia worsen with age?
Schizophrenia symptoms vary over the years, with some patients experiencing more intense impacts from the disease while others remain mentally stable. Remission rates can be significant for the general population, although varying remission criteria makes accurate analysis difficult.
However, schizophrenia does not accelerate mental deterioration with age. Many people receiving adequate treatment may even see improvements in psychosocial functioning due to better control over the condition.
Is schizophrenia the worst mental illness?
Schizophrenia can be one of the most debilitating mental conditions, although common media portrayals can exaggerate its effects. Given that this condition affects how people think, act, behave with others and perceive reality, schizophrenia can drastically affect life quality.
However, the severity of the illness itself varies among patients. Some people only have one psychotic episode for their entire lives, while others might struggle even between recurrent episodes.
What is the lifespan of a person with schizophrenia?
People with schizophrenia may have reduced life expectancies, with patients living from 12 to 15 years shorter than people without the condition. Factors contributing to reduced lifespan involve lifestyle factors, as it may be more difficult for people with schizophrenia to commit to healthy habits.
Furthermore, people with schizophrenia may receive less optimal healthcare, especially for dangerous but preventable conditions like cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Do people with schizophrenia have to take medication for life?
Given that schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, patients will have to take medications and attend psychological therapy sessions for life. However, they might receive various dosages and combinations of antipsychotic medications depending on their current symptoms and mental status. Changes in medication allow for optimized benefits and reduced side effects.
How do people with schizophrenia behave?
Distorted views of reality are hallmark symptoms of schizophrenia, causing patients to exhibit erratic behavior at times. People with schizophrenia can have hallucinations and illusions that cause them to behave inappropriately. Difficulties in expressing emotions can drive patients to withdraw socially.
Do people with schizophrenia feel the love?
People with schizophrenia can feel and express including emotions. Patients can form romantic relationships with other people. However, they might have difficulties in anticipating future emotions. It can also be challenging to engage in dating and other bonding activities with people.
Can a person with schizophrenia act normal?
Some schizophrenic patients undergoing therapy can experience a symptom-free and relatively normal life. However, experiences can vary. Some people might only have a single psychotic episode, while others might suffer from recurring symptoms. A combination of medication and psychological treatments can increase the chances of living a normal life.
What kind of voices do people with schizophrenia hear?
Schizophrenic patients who have auditory hallucinations might hear imaginary voices that give them comments, insults, or even encouragement. Experiences vary widely, but people most often hear repetitive, commanding, and hostile voices. These voices can be interactive, with the patient able to form a conversation with their imaginary companion.
Can overthinking cause schizophrenia?
Overthinking alone is not a trigger for schizophrenia. Overthinking about traumatic events is associated with the symptoms of schizophrenia. However, overthinking is likely an effect of the traumatic experience, not a cause for schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a disabling condition that can progressively worsen without the proper guidance and treatment. Hallucinating and having a distorted reality can strain relationships, which can lead to isolation and social withdrawal. At times, this erratic behavior can be overwhelming and further deteriorate overall well-being.
Treatment for schizophrenia cannot fully cure it, but it helps control and minimize symptoms. With regular treatment, one can expect things to get better over time. Constant treatment may be necessary even when there is no manifestation of symptoms. Support from a therapist and trusted people are key to overcoming the challenges presented by this mental illness.
Seeking help from a mental health professional or therapist is a brave step to take. Acknowledging one’s condition does not come easy for everyone. For some, it takes time.
The treatment process will help improve the overall quality of life. It can help reduce stressors and identify triggers. The success of the treatment lies in the willingness of the patient to communicate with a healthcare provider.
Of course, treatment will be tailored on a case by case basis. There is no one-size-fits-all plan to control and overcome schizophrenia symptoms. Striking a balance between medication and guidance is something your doctor or therapist will help you with.
Experiencing symptoms and being diagnosed with schizophrenia can be scary due to the stigma surrounding it. However, this illness does not define you. Have hope and strengthen the resolve to push towards recovery.
My best friend was one of the most dedicated workers I ever met. He was always the earliest person to reach the office and the last to leave. Even when he had the flu or migraine, he would still go to work, worried that his projects might get delayed because of him. So, when the company started laying off employees, and he became one of them, my best friend took it badly. Nothing and no one could cheer him up or make him leave the house to have fun.
When my best friend’s parents called me for help, I instantly knew that things were not getting better. I went to their house and kept knocking on his door, but he refused to open it. His mother had to open the door using the master key so that I could see his son.
Once I entered the bedroom, it took seconds for my eyes to adjust to the darkness that surrounded it. There was almost no light in his room! When I saw my best friend, he was sitting on the bed, hugging his knees. He was also rocking back and forth, and his eyes were staring into nothingness. I realized then that his parents had a reason to worry about my best friend’s mental health.
Instead of showing pity, I decided to act angry. I said, “Hey, man! What kind of a mess is this?”
My best friend uttered monotonously, “I don’t have a job anymore.”
“It’s the company’s loss, not yours,” I insisted. “Come on, let’s go out.”
“What will we do?” he asked.
Below are the non-mental-health-ruining things that we did.
Go On An Impromptu Trip
As soon as I got my best friend to dress up and leave his room, I dragged him to my car and sped away. I honestly did not have a destination in mind; I just went with my gut and hit the main road. We did not even bring a change of clothes and only had our wallets with us.
At first, my best friend complained about my lack of definite plans for our trip. But when we left the city and kept on driving past Nevada, he was already smiling. It was a better turn of events than we all expected.
Since my best friend had pretty much given up on life when he lost his job, he visibly lost a significant amount of muscles after a month of hibernation. The man had always been lean, but now he’s merely thin. While walking out of their house, I prayed that a strong gust of wind wouldn’t knock him over.
So, once we returned to the city, I brought my best friend to the gym that we used to go to. In truth, he made me sign up for it when I was dealing with weight-loss issues. I was merely returning the favor and doing something that I knew he would thank me for later.
Three times a week, we would go to the gym together. My best friend acted sluggishly in the beginning, but he eventually picked up the slack.
We had a little heart-to-heart talk one day, and I asked my best friend why he never asked for my help after the job loss. He said, “I was too ashamed to call you or any of our other friends.” I thought that wasn’t very smart, and I made sure he realized that. Then, I encouraged him to see everyone over dinner.
Again, the man tried to protest, claiming he wasn’t ready to meet our friends because he was still jobless. But my best friend listened (thankfully) when I told him that there’s no reason to try to impress anyone, much less the people he had known for three decades. As the night got deeper, we all saw our old, jolly friend return.
Look For A New Job
My best friend called me a few days later. I assumed he wanted to confirm the time and location for our next get-together. Instead, his mind was slipping back into the darkness, which he didn’t like. When I asked what he’s been doing when he’s not exercising or meeting us, he answered, “Nothing.”
My suggestion was to start looking for a new job. After all, unemployment was the root of my best friend’s problems, so there’s no better way to resolve everything than by breaking the spell. And since my best friend had an incredible track record, he got hired soon enough.
I must say my best friend was still lucky because he only dealt with mental instability for a month. Many people could have experienced it longer than that, and no one probably noticed or looked long enough to see it.
If you know someone who couldn’t get over the loss of something or someone in their life, teach them the non-mental-health-ruining things you just read above.
When confronted with a lot of trials in parenting, there are essential factors that you can bear in mind. Along with your own experience with parenthood, these practices will keep you and your family empowered, healthy, and happy.
Establish fostering and loving moments with your kids.
The key to an empowered family is built upon the times that you spend with one another. Make useful time with your children and other family members and prioritize them. Find ways to connect with them emotionally and mentally every single day. It can be as simple as watching television together, giving good morning hugs and kisses, fun conversations in the living room after meals. You can talk about how your day went or if there was anything in particular that you wanted to share – an interesting encounter or a worrying thought.
This regular involvement in your kids’ daily lives will establish a foundation of closeness and trust that will lessen the heavier burdens and trials, as they are already relaxed and confident of the attention that you provide them.
Be open to learning new things about parenting.
There is no universal manual guide for parenting, so you must be active, critical, and cautious in finding quality information. In today’s modern age, there are hundreds of resources online that parents can learn from. Some have better quality than the rest. Another great way to safeguard your family against bad parenting information is to double-check what you are reading with credible resources that are directly associated with your life, like your family physician, your kid’s teachers, or your relatives and significant others.
Additionally, don’t hesitate to widen your parenting comprehension by enrolling in parenting classes or participating in online support groups where you get to know other parents with similar experiences.
Practice positive habits to help you deal with stress.
When you are a parent, you tackle various levels of children-related anxiety and stress nearly every day. Make sure that you find the time of day for some quality alone time. Rejuvenate yourself by taking some rest and relaxation at least 30 minutes daily. This could be as simple as a refreshing soak in the tub while reading your favorite book or getting a therapeutic massage. Another technique for effectively dealing with the challenges of parenthood is through physical exercise, which has proven to help remove toxins and other negativities from the body. Mental exercises, such as meditation and yoga, are equally helpful activities as well.
Create a group for emotional support.
Over the decades, kids were so used to being raised by other members of the family, such as grandparents and other family members or close friends. Nowadays, parents need to take responsibility for creating their own social and emotional groups of support. Ask help from neighbors that you trust and respect and be involved in community activities. Connect with parents who have kids and are in a playgroup so your kids can join in. This is a good way for your kids and you as well to socialize with various families and learn from each other.
If you are a religious family, you might want to join a faith community that suits your beliefs. The more social ties you make with other parents who have the same values as you, the less alone you feel when dealing with unpredictable parenting problems.
Know important community resources that aid in supporting primary family requirements.
One of the greatest ways to maintain an empowered relationship with your kids is to be sure that your family’s primary needs are provided for. These needs include a comfortable home, sufficient food supply, and availability of education and healthcare. If one of these primary needs are in danger of lack or neglect, you must educate yourself on where you can seek help and support. Reach out to the family for resources at your physician’s clinic or speak to a counselor at your kid’s school. In certain countries, there is a specific number to call about support groups that help families in their areas. Asking for help and accepting it is not something to be ashamed about.
Make a list of routines that can help your kids improve their social capabilities.
When children are born, they have no idea whatsoever about how to behave socially. A lot of the daunting challenges come when they are exposed to a whole new situation, and they do not know how to respond. To avoid this, be sure that your children learn social skills so they feel that they belong and they know how to make friends. Try making a list of typical routines for improving their social skills. Create it in a way that they can follow a regular schedule around mealtime, naps, and sleeping time so that they will learn the principle of time and habit. Have an open conversation about how they must behavior their age and push them to learn good deeds by themselves and to ask questions about what is right and wrong.
By following these ways, you and your kids will continue to possess a healthy, strong, and empowered family relationship.
“Anxiety is a reaction to a situation we perceive as stressful or dangerous,” Monique Reynolds, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist.
In today’s world, anxiety is a very common mental disorder. It’s due to the things that pressure us, things that surround us which make us weak for no particular reason. The nervousness or uneasiness about something with an uncertain outcome can force us to become pressured. But don’t worry; there’s an abundance of tools available to overcome this condition. We have to understand the effects of positivity in our life, so let’s get into it.
We worry about things because we fear that we can’t handle worse situations. However, most of the things we worry about don’t particularly happen in real life. It is only the idea of fear that we incorporate in our minds. In fact, when we solely believe that negativity will impact our lives, then it will. But if we try to think about the opposite and picture ourselves on the right side of the moment, we’ll eventually end up laughing and smiling all through the course of the struggle.
How Do You Learn To Believe In Yourself?
You’ve already been through a lot of difficulties in life, and perhaps you already pull yourself out of it at some point. Self-belief and self-love are the two of the most powerful things that stop anxiety. Every time we face a new challenge in life, there’s a small part of us that assumes its difference from the previous ones we already encountered. From there, we imagine that we won’t be able to handle it. But guess what, we already made it through before, and we can probably deal with it the second time around. It’s a matter of positioning our thoughts into the realm of getting best results instead of focusing on the hardships instead.
Positive And Negative Vibes
Spending so much time thinking about the future is not going to help and will only make your anxiety worst. Fretting over hypothetical scenarios will only lock us away from reality. As a result, we limit capabilities in doing the things we have to do because we’ll get too afraid of trying. However, pushing too hard for something we want can give us anxiety as well. It will eventually cause us pain, suffering, frustration, and devastation. And because of that, we tend to stick to negative motivation and gather contrary ideas.
If we adopt the belief that life doesn’t give us anything we couldn’t handle, we will start to have faith in ourselves. We have to remember that we are in control of our destiny. Letting go and having faith in living our wishes are the most challenging parts. But once we get through the process of accepting what life has to offer, we will eventually receive the benefits afterward.
“The physical reaction to anxiety, by nature, is supposed to be short-term. The body is supposed to come back down to baseline,” clinical psychologist Robert Duff, Ph.D. says. “But a prolonged period of anxiety depletes your resources and exhausts you. If your anxiety is bothering you and you are suffering, you deserve to get help,” she adds.
Life might take you on a roller coaster ride, but that’s all going to be worth it. The final destination will always be up to you. Once you decide to get the things you want and pursue it with conviction, it’s already yours. You got to believe in yourself enough to get through the road of success. Even if you take bad turns, you can always find a chance to start over.
Psychologist Leslie Becker-Phelps, Ph.D., says that people in therapy “often come around to supporting treatment once they see that it makes a person happier.”
“Paranoia is a persecutory delusion. It’s the belief that someone or a group of people are attempting to harm you in some manner, physically, emotionally or mentally,” according to Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW.
Paranoia is not always a negative thing. For what it’s worth, it sometimes makes sense!
It has been a couple of months since the outbreak of Coronavirus, and surely, there are a lot of things that already changed in your routines. Somehow, you probably managed to adjust on schedules and learn new things to do. That is great if that is the case. But if you haven’t found the right routines and are still trying to figure out the best habits during your home quarantine experience, here are some of the tips you might want to consider.
Putting Your Phone Away When You Sleep
If you are the type of person who likes to begin his day by waking up to an alarm, you might want to consider putting it away when you sleep at night. That way, you will have to wake up and leave the bed to reach for it. And by forcing yourself to leave the comfort of your bed, you will be less likely to go back to it. Also, quit the habit of taking your phone with you in the bed so that you won’t have to spend hours using it before you sleep. Do not fall into the trap of using your smartphone as a sleep-inducer because that is useless.
Change To Your Workout Clothes Immediately
Once you get out of bed, change to your workout clothes immediately. That way, you can never skip exercise every day. It is a great time to exercise because your energy and motivation after waking up are higher compared to any other time of the day. It helps you get your day in a productive foot. You can try to work out at least 15 to 30 minutes a day. And on days you feel particularly tired, unmotivated and lazy, wearing your workout clothes can somehow give you an impression of moving your body and do some simple stretching.
Take A Morning Bath
Once you are done exercising, you can rest for a little while. After that, consider taking a bath. Not only it helps in revitalizing your whole body, but bathing in the morning can give you an energy boost. It can set your body into the right temperature as it promotes better blood flow. A morning bath can make you feel refreshed. It can set you up for a good mood and improve your overall well-being. Also note that even if you are at home, you need to change and use your regular clothes. Remember, not because you are home quarantined does not mean you have to stick with your pajamas all day.
Prepare And Eat Your Breakfast
Your morning routines will not complete if you miss out on your breakfast. But note that it is ideal that you prepare your own food. Not only can you choose what to eat, but you can also spend time getting busy preparing your meal. Plus, you can incorporate healthy diets and learn new cooking skills as well. And at mealtime, always remember to eat your food without distractions. Meaning, you should avoid using your phone while you are eating. That way, you can enjoy and savor the moment while having your breakfast.
After taking your morning slowly, you can consider cleaning everything before you fall into your leisure time. That way, you won’t have to worry about any pending tasks that might irritate you in the evening. Choose to step away from turning on the television or sucking yourself on social media updates. That way, you can work things around the house efficiently and productively. You can start by washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, wiping the windows, and so on. Just make sure you set your to-do list so that you won’t exhaust yourself by putting too much on the table.
We don’t often experience situations like this. In fact, for most of us, this COVID-19 pandemic is one of a kind. Its effects are not something we can easily forget about because it attaches trauma to our mental and emotional health. But despite the adversities of the situation, we understand the value of taking measures in keeping our overall health safe. Therefore, we need to establish strategies to stay emotionally healthy and resilient during this time as much as possible.
As we are all working through this COVID-19 crisis, we are aware of the mental illnesses it can create. There are anxiety and depression that we often cannot control. With that, we need to become more compassionate with ourselves regarding how to react to the things that are happening around us. Yes, we will have various responses in situations and that we might face the emotional pain differently. But we need to recognize our stressors to be able to find ways to deal with them. We need to understand that it is okay sometimes to feel weak because all of us are going to endure our moments of struggle one way or another.
As much as we want to practice and promote physical distancing to minimize the spread of the virus, we need to be socially connected. We must find time to reach out to our family and friends. We need to secure a technology-based interaction with others through phone calls, chat, and other forms of video conferencing. There are lots of options to choose from. We need to understand that in times of isolation, staying connected with people will help us fight the emotionally draining situation of this pandemic.
Look For Unique Opportunities
In this unique situation that we are experiencing, it is essential to look for sources of opportunities. Yes, the struggle will be difficult because of the rising levels of uncertainties, but we should not be scared. We need to search for positive opportunities that exist. It could be something we didn’t have time doing before, or it does not interest us back then but is now available. The opportunity could be something we thought we couldn’t do but is now waiting for our attention. We need to think about other things that require our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual presence.
Try And Engage In Different Activities
Due to our regular life, even before this pandemic situation, there are limited things we can do. But now that the situation allows us to focus on ourselves more, we need to try and engage in different activities that will make us feel different. It can be as simple as learning new things such as sewing, cooking, playing instruments, and so on. There are lots of activities that can allow us to become productive. Not only these simple activities cater to our sense of need in times like this, but it will also help us manage our stress and emotional burden.
Avoid Excessive Media Exposure
Yes, we all want to be up-to-date with the figures and facts of what is going on with Coronavirus and how it continually creates damage to the world. However, we need to recognize that for us to be able to maintain balanced emotional health, we must stay away from negative information from the media. We must tone down in pushing ourselves to the toxicity of the situation to avoid unhealthy consequences. We must pay attention to how much exposure we need so that we can set boundaries as to what is necessary for us and what is not.
Infidelity is one of the main reasons why relationships and marriages fail. According to Theresa E DiDonato Ph.D., “Infidelity can wreak havoc on a relationship.” Because of it, the confidence, bond, and trust that was once shared merely shatter into pieces in just one snap. And though how much a couple tries or how many years have passed after the discovery of infidelity, still, the pain brought by that wrongdoing lingers. Even after decades, the lousy moment keeps on recurring and can destroy the harmony at any time.
“Most people would agree that being authentic and transparent interactions with one’s intimate partner is essential to a successful long-term relationship,” according to Randi Gunther Ph.D. While browsing through Facebook, I saw a short note with an image of a young man and a woman almost kissing each other.


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As you all may know, over the last four years I have been producing and music directing “Tommy and the Brothers”, a show about the lives and careers of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. My partner, co-producer and director is Thom MacNamara, a long time producer, former Director of the Celtic Arts Center in Hollywood, Barnum and Bailey clown and a well loved Ronald McDonald. He is also the current owner of the oldest Irish import shop in the US: MacNamara’s Irish Import Shop, in Hollywood, also home of the Wren Theater.
Thom and I began this project with the thought and belief that the story of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem needed to be brought to the stage as they were four men who changed the course of Irish music and singing across the world, from New York City to Sydney, Australia to Dublin, London and everywhere else in the late 1950’s through to 1984, their final tour. When a couple of the boys retired, Liam and Tommy formed Makem and Clancy and continued their career for many more years.
Thom and I auditioned many actors and singers in the eighteen months pre Covid and battled the ins and outs of players coming and going, dropping in, dropping out but through a few serendipitous moments, last year the team became an amazing foursome who, as individuals, have a love for the old Irish ballads and particularly the catalogue of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.
What we present on stage is a show in which our boys tell their stories of coming to America in the early and mid-1950’s, their time spent in the pubs, coffee houses and theaters around Greenwich Village in NY, their rise from part and full time acting jobs, which was their original ambition and goal, to becoming the four “best known Irishmen in the world” as described by Ireland’s celebrated radio and TV personality Gay Byrne at the time.
A couple of spots on the Ed Sullivan Show launched their career into a stratosphere they never expected, and our lads present the story through narrative and twenty one songs that will bring the audience back to a time and place; their world comes alive with the rollicking, devil may care approach they took to their performances, but as actors, every note and mannerism was very finely rehearsed. They were heavily influenced by the intense high energy of the American folk and union songs, took the Irish parlor songs and songs of rebellion and emigration and added the drive that delighted audiences worldwide. They hung out with the Beat crowd, Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte, Odetta, Josh White, to name a few: they were trailed everywhere at the time by a young kid named Bob Dylan, with whom Liam Clancy remained a lifelong friend. Bob Dylan once said he “hoped to be as famous as the Clancys some day”
Come join us at one of our shows, if you like Irish ballads, chances are you’ll here most of your favorites performed by Dalton Maltz as Liam Clancy, Danny Oberbeck as Tom Clancy, Sean Faye Cullen as Paddy Clancy and Joel Mankey as Tommy Makem. With authentic instrumentation the presentation is lively and heartwarming, and a definite date to put on your calendar. CLICK ON THE PHOTO ABOVE for tickets and information.

domain: artistic


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Stepan Prokofyevich Timoshenko (Russian: Степан Прокофьевич Тимошенко; Ukrainian: Степан Прокопович Тимошенко, romanized: Stepan Prokopovych Tymoshenko; December 23, 1878 – May 29, 1972), later known as Stephen Timoshenko, was a Russian Imperial and later, an American engineer and academician of Ukrainian descent.
Stepan Prokopovych Tymoshenko (Степан Прокопович Тимошенко)
December 23, 1878
|Died||May 29, 1972 (aged 93)|
|Nationality||Russian Empire, then United States after about 1927|
|Alma mater||Petersburg State Transport University|
|Known for||Timoshenko beam theory|
|Awards||Louis E. Levy Medal (1944)|
Timoshenko Medal (1957)
Elliott Cresson Medal (1958)
Fellow of the Royal Society
|Institutions||Kiev Polytechnic Institute, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, University of Michigan, Stanford University|
He is considered to be the father of modern engineering mechanics. An inventor and one of the pioneering mechanical engineers at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. A founding member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Timoshenko wrote seminal works in the areas of engineering mechanics, elasticity and strength of materials, many of which are still widely used today. Having started his scientific career in the Russian Empire, Timoshenko emigrated to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes during the Russian Civil War and then to the United States.
Timoshenko was born in the village of Shpotovka, Uyezd of Konotop in the Chernigov Governorate which at that time was a territory of the Russian Empire (today in Konotop Raion, Sumy Oblast of Ukraine).
He studied at a Realschule (Russian: реальное училище) in Romny, Poltava Governorate (now in Sumy Oblast) from 1889 to 1896. In Romny his schoolmate and friend was future famous semiconductor physicist Abram Ioffe. Timoshenko continued his education towards a university degree at the St Petersburg Institute of engineers Ways of Communication. After graduating in 1901, he stayed on teaching in this same institution from 1901 to 1903 and then worked at the Saint Petersburg Polytechnical Institute under Viktor Kirpichov 1903–1906. In 1905, he was sent for one year to the University of Göttingen where he worked under Ludwig Prandtl.
In the fall of 1906, he was appointed to the Chair of Strengths of Materials at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The return to his native Ukraine turned out to be an important part of his career and also influenced his future personal life. From 1907 to 1911, as a professor at the Polytechnic Institute he did research in the earlier variant of the Finite Element Method of elastic calculations, the so-called Rayleigh method. During those years he also pioneered work on buckling, and published the first version of his famous Strength of Materials textbook. He was elected dean of the Division of Structural Engineering in 1909.
In 1911 he signed a protest against Minister for Education Kasso and was fired from the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. In 1911 he was awarded the D. I. Zhuravski prize of the St.Petersburg Ways of Communication Institute that helped him survive after losing his job. He went to St Petersburg where he worked as a lecturer and then a Professor in the Electrotechnical Institute and the St Petersburg Institute of the Railways (1911–1917). During that time he developed the theory of elasticity and the theory of beam deflection, and continued to study buckling. In 1918 he returned to Kyiv and assisted Vladimir Vernadsky in establishing the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences – the oldest academy among the Soviet republics other than Russia. In 1918–1920 Timoshenko headed the newly established Institute of Mechanics of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, which today carries his name.
After the Armed Forces of South Russia of general Denikin had taken Kyiv in 1919, Timoshenko moved from Kyiv to Rostov-on-Don. After travel via Novorossiysk, Crimea and Constantinople to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, he arrived in Zagreb, where he got professorship at the Zagreb Polytechnic Institute. In 1920, during the brief liberation of Kyiv from Bolsheviks, Timoshenko travelled to the city, reunited with his family and returned with his family to Zagreb.
In 1922, Timoshenko moved to the United States where he worked for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation from 1923 to 1927, after which he became a faculty professor in the University of Michigan where he created the first bachelor's and doctoral programs in engineering mechanics. His textbooks have been published in 36 languages. His first textbooks and papers were written in Russian; later in his life, he published mostly in English. In 1928 he was an Invited Speaker of the ICM in Bologna. From 1936 onward he was a professor at Stanford University.
Timoshenko's younger brothers, architect Serhii (Sergius Timoshenko, Ukrainian Minister of Transport, participant in the Second Winter Campaign against the Soviet regime, and member of the Polish Senate), and economist Volodymyr, both immigrated to the United States as well.
In 1957, ASME established a medal named after Stephen Timoshenko; he became its first recipient. The Timoshenko Medal honors Stephen P. Timoshenko as the world-renowned authority in the field of mechanical engineering and it commemorates his contributions as author and teacher. The Timoshenko Medal is given annually for distinguished contributions in applied mechanics. In 1960 he moved to Wuppertal, West Germany to be with his daughter.
In addition to his textbooks, in 1963 Timoshenko wrote a book Engineering Education in Russia and an autobiography, As I Remember in the Russian language. It was translated into English in 1968  by sponsorship of the Stanford University. Jacob Pieter den Hartog (1901-1989), who was Timoshenko's co-worker in early 1920s at Westinghouse, wrote a review in the magazine Science  stating that "… Between 1922 and 1962 he [S.P. Timoshenko] wrote a dozen books on all aspects of engineering mechanics, which are in their third or fourth U.S. edition and which have been translated into half a dozen foreign languages each, so that his name as an author and scholar is known to nearly every mechanical and civil engineer in the entire world.. Then, Den Hartog stressed: "There is no question that Timoshenko did much for America. It is an equally obvious truth that America did much for Timoshenko, as it did for millions of other immigrants for all over the world. However, our autobiographer has never admitted as much to his associates and pupils who, like myself often have been pained by his casual statements in conversation. That pain is not diminished by reading these statements on the printed page and one would have wished for a little less acid and a little more human kindness."
It should be emphasized that the celebrated theory that takes into account shear deformation and rotary inertia was developed by Timoshenko in collaboration with Paul Ehrenfest (1880-1933), famous Austrian-Dutch physicist, as the recent handbook  by Elishakoff shows, and thus, should be referred to as Timoshenko-Ehrenfest beam theory. This fact was testified by Timoshenko. The interrelation between Timoshenko-Ehrenfest beam and Euler-Bernoulli beam theories was investigated in the book by Wang, Reddy and Lee.
An archive of his manuscripts, letters, and handwritten materials are available online.
THE MAJOR FACTS of the life of Stephen P. Timoshenko are by now well known. He was born as Stepen Prokofyevich Timoshenko* in the village of Shpotovka in the Ukraine on December 23, 1878.

domain: library


text:
Celebrate Chinese New Year with Moleskine with this themed notebook featuring traditional colours and symbols to bring health, wealth and happiness during the Year of the Pig.
Auspicious gold and red covers with calligraphic continuous line drawings invite you to take notes and record thoughts about 2019 on the ruled pages inside.
Featuring an illustration of a a pig and peony flowers for prosperity.
Includes themed endpapers and comes with a traditional red envelope to share good wishes and luck with loved ones.
The theme continues on the paperband B-Side, which features lucky Spring Festival


text:
As often as I can, I check the doll sites that I favor. Lately it has not been so much of that, because I have been at the cottage and at my mother-in-law. I have made som quick visits and found some cuties.
|Most beautiful Catish Girl. Picture from Dollmore.|
The first one that caught my eyes was a Dollmore Catish Girl Doll - kaleidoscopically : Dreaming Reaa, a doll limited to 20 editions world wide (of course, my luck). During my years in this hobby, I have not really been interested in dolls with animal character, but this one just hit me with her beauty. There is something with her soft face, with that orange hair and the sheer that glows from her. So, this little beauty is on my wish list.
|Lucid, a Mokashura Boy. Picture from Dollmore.|
The next one was not something I wanted when it was released at Dollmore, a Mokashura Boy -Lucid. He is pretty, but I have always had a thing for girl dolls. But my hubby thought he was just beautiful and told me that it would be a good addition to my collection. Well, a surprise there! Did not see that coming. I have been looking, reading and I have been thinking. This doll have grown on me and I really can se him as a part in my resin family. I have a Mokashura Girl Normal - Duyou (Noomi), so he could be a brother or maybe a boyfriend. Who knows. But he is on the list too, now.
|It is Thursday, so a little trow back here.|
Me sitting on a table, pausing from gardening.
My husband and his father (may he rest in peace)
on a visit at Loka Brunn.
Taken in the 90's-something.
Otherwise it has been a calm and nice summer. Most of the time we have been at the cottage or at my mother-in-law. I am there right now and we will be here for about a week, while my hubby is working. Hope that you are enjoying your summer!


text:
Please call us on01297 20744
Opening hours - Weekdays 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm
|Total shipping: (VAT incl.)||To be determined|
|Total: (VAT incl.)|
Seago 3Dynamic 300N Automatic Lifejacket with S-lung design. Including Light, Sprayhood and Harness.
The 3Dynamic has been designed to combine a range of new features in one lifejacket that ensures elite performance and improved safety together with maximum comfort.

domain: design


text:
Power could be out until Thursday across Greater Akron
With the wind still whistling, Nick Reinfeld packed the contents of his lifeless refrigerator into a cooler on the front porch then shoved in the family’s frozen Thanksgiving turkey like a 19-pound ice pack.
“It’s not that bad,” the Norton man said. After tending to the perishables, Reinfeld checked on elderly neighbors, prayed for the safety of electrical workers repairing high voltage lines in blustery weather and played cards by candlelight with his wife and daughter.
“It’s an inconvenience, but we’ll survive,” said Reinfeld, who hasn't been able to work since the lights also went out at his graphic design business, Power Graphics, just down the street, which is blocked by a tall pine tree laying across the road.
Wind gusts that peaked at 70 mph Sunday downed dozens if not hundreds of trees, collapsed walls, sent lawn furniture flying and killed the power for more than 40,000 Ohio Edison customers in Summit County. Reinfeld and 11,000 other residents were still getting around by candlelight 24 hours later.
“It’s been a tough year,” said the upbeat Reinfeld. While the food stays cold outside, it's getting chilly inside.
“It’s sort of ingrained in us right now to hunker down," he said. "I just pulled out my old sleeping bag, which is (rated for) 20 below, for my daughter.”
He might need that sleeping bag again tomorrow and Wednesday with FirstEnergy triaging busted power lines and fried transformers. The Akron company is telling some customers that power might not be restored until Thursday afternoon.
FirstEnergy spokesperson Lauren Siburkis said the Akron area is one of the hardest-hit regions. As of Tuesday morning, about 7,000 people in the region still were without power, including nearly 5,500 in Summit County.
Siburkis said Akron was hardest hit, and customers should plan to be without power until Thursday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon is a worst-case scenario, but she said the storms and high winds that wreaked havoc across the state Sunday caused incredible amounts of tree damage.
"Our goal is to get all customers back up and running as quickly and safely as possible," Siburkis said. "However, the repairs are time consuming and this will be a multi-day restoration effort."
In the Greater Akron area alone, Ohio Edison has to fix more than 100 broken utility poles, more than 300 spans of power lines down and more than 20 broken transformers.
Part of the problem is that high winds persisted, so crews were unable to get in their buckets to start restoration work. Line workers can't safely get on lifts until wind speeds are under 40 mph.
She said FirstEnergy is hoping to bring in additional outside resources. The damage is widespread enough that most regions are holding onto resources.
FirstEnergy saw damage from Toledo all the way into New Jersey.
Residents can continue to check on outages at outages.firstenergycorp.com/oh.html. Many outages will say 4 p.m. Thursday until information is updated.
Because of how the grid system works, next-door neighbors can have different restoration times.
Part of what makes this process so time consuming is many outages need complete rebuilds of both poles and lines.
Other areas have transmission lines down, which are used to feed substations. Those lines take a lot of work to rebuild and need to be done before line workers can start picking away at other outages.
Siburkis said crews are continuing to work in 16-hour shifts until power is restored to everyone.
As of Monday afternoon, FirstEnergy was reporting 11,000 customers in Summit County, 3,000 in Portage and nearly 650 in Medina still didn't have power.
Stark, which is served by both FirstEnergy and AEP, had about 1,200 total customers without power Monday afternoon. Wayne had about 400 without power, and is also served by both utility companies.
Outages affecting schools
Many students in Akron Public Schools and in other districts are in remote learning due to the pandemic. It's currently unknown how many students could have been affected by not having power.
The weather and high winds caused some schools to go remote for the day or delay classes.
Twinsburg City School District delayed classes Monday by two hours. All the school buildings had power, the district said, but a number of roads were closed Monday morning. The Twinsburg Virtual Academy also was delayed.
Morning school bus service to the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center was canceled; morning preschool classes also were canceled.
Nordonia Middle School closed due to no power. Tallmadge Middle and Elementary schools went to remote learning due to no power in the school buildings.
Several resources have sprung up to help residents during the outage.
Stow is making dry ice available, according to an email from Mayor John Pribonic. Several Stow hotels also offered discounted rates for Stow residents who had a lack of heat.
The Twinsburg Community Center also opened as a warming center for people with no power. Interested residents can call 330-425-7161. COVID-19 restrictions, like mask wearing, will be in place.
Reporter Doug Livingston contributed to this story. Reach reporter Sean McDonnell at 330-996-3186 or firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: news


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D-jox - Producer.
He make Dark electronic music.
Based on home made recorded sounds he makes his music.
He likes to go out in the midle of night to record his sounds.
With that as start point he make Dark sinister Techno.
D-jox - Dj.
Playes mainly: Dark minimal Techno.
He started collecting vinyl cd/mp3 from 1998.
During the next fiew years he created his style of music.
And in 2001,He buyed his first record players and mixer.
That time he played a mixed style of breakbeat,electro and Techno Of the darker kind.
Al his music is based on Dark dungion hounting sinister horror sounds.
Now in 2012/2013.
He playes mainly Promos,His own music and ofcours random tracks he buyes here and there.
He realy likes the music of artists like:Mordred,Hefty,kubark.Gruenerstarr,Tiari,Daegon,
Monocraft,octave,Maksim Dark,Kamika,Bruno Ledesma & Lucas Ezequiel.And many more.
His Music is releesed by the recordlabels: “Brm Electro Records” & “Sickvillage Records”
Music Productions: D-jox
Music mix Recordings: D-jox.
For booking Email: https://www.twine.fm/signin .


text:
The mastercard financial will be contact you myself after you arrive at their credit limit and you may again once you get across it.
Modifying your credit limit
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Each time you affect increase your borrowing limit, the lending company will perform a credit check into your borrowing character. If you find yourself one have a look at possess little to no affect the credit rating, undertaking borrowing from the bank inspections tend to is adversely perception your credit rating, just as trying to get unnecessary money otherwise lost repayments normally.
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How come your borrowing limit amount?
Your own credit limit matters since it is basically the lender’s technique for declaring you might be a trustworthy charge card affiliate. A top borrowing limit form you are top that have being able to pay off you to definitely number – a lower life expectancy limit quicker very. Rather than exercise you toward exhaustive details of exactly what good highest borrowing limit often means, we have instead obtained a handy pros and cons listing lower than:
Which have less credit limit, when you are being smaller flexible, mode you’ll have greater abuse over your own investing. This is exactly such as for example used for people that have a problem with this new enticement out of playing cards, as possible cut-off immediately after using a comparatively low matter.
Furthermore, a top credit limit may actually possess a poor impact on your chances of delivering that loan, like getting home financing or an auto loan. It is because lenders you’ll have a look at your borrowing limit as potential loans, in the event you’re an accountable card associate. Increased borrowing limit often see them offer a quicker than favourable price otherwise refuse your entirely.

domain: economics


text:
The Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Developments in privacy law and writings of a Canadian privacy lawyer, containing information related to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (aka PIPEDA) and other Canadian and international laws.
The author of this blog, David T.S. Fraser, is a Canadian privacy lawyer who practices with the firm of McInnes Cooper. He is the author of the Physicians' Privacy Manual. He has a national and international practice advising corporations and individuals on matters related to Canadian privacy laws.
For full contact information and a brief bio, please see David's profile.
The views expressed herein are solely the author's and should not be attributed to his employer or clients. Any postings on legal issues are provided as a public service, and do not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to. Nothing herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.
This web site is presented for informational purposes only. These materials do not constitute legal advice and do not create a solicitor-client relationship between you and David T.S. Fraser. If you are seeking specific advice related to Canadian privacy law or PIPEDA, contact the author, David T.S. Fraser.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Looking back, 2007 has been the worst year ever for privacy breaches. This may only be the case because of mandatory breach reporting in many US jurisdictions, but the numbers are pretty staggering. See: Personal data theft reaches all-time high Chron.com - Houston Chronicle, which includes:
Major 2007 breaches
Some major data breaches disclosed in 2007:
- Discount retailer TJX Cos. reports hackers broke into its computer systems and accessed at least 46 million customer records, primarily credit card data. Banks later sue TJX and estimate the breach involved at least 94 million records.
- Britain's tax and customs department loses two computer disks containing personal information such as addresses and bank account numbers for about 25 million people. The disks were sent via internal government mail to the government's audit agency, but never arrived.
- Dai Nippon Printing Co., a Japanese commercial printing company, says a former contract worker stole nearly 9 million pieces of private data on customers from 43 clients.
- A check-authorizing subsidiary of Fidelity National Information Services says information on 8.5 million consumers was stolen, allegedly by a former employee.
- Online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. said one of its databases was hacked and contact information for its more than 6.3 million customers was stolen.
- The online job site Monster Worldwide Inc. discovered that con artists had grabbed contact information from resumes of 1.3 million people.
Source: Associated Press research
Continuing the "year in review" trend, Michael Geist's annual A to Z of techlaw in Canada is heavy on privacy content. See: Michael Geist - The Letters of the Law: The Year in Law and Technology from A to Z.
I was interviewed the other day by Chris Lambie of the Halifax Chronicle Herald in response to the recent decision to restore the liquor license of a well-known Halifax bar on the condition that it double its surveillance cameras and allow the feeds to be reviewed off-site by the police (See: Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Halifax bar gets liquor license back on condition that cops have off-site access to surveillance system). I didn't realize that my comments would form its own article ...
Dome agreeing to let cops monitor patrons via in-house cameras could set precedent, privacy expert fears - Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca
By CHRIS LAMBIE Staff Reporter
Sun. Dec 30 - 5:27 AM
The decision to give law enforcement officials access to surveillance cameras at the Dome bar complex in downtown Halifax could mean other bars will be forced to do the same if they want to keep selling booze, says a privacy expert.
Authorities closed the Dome after a brawl early on Dec. 24 resulted in 38 arrests. The bar is back in business now, but only after it agreed to implement a long list of security measures, which include giving police and liquor inspectors full access to surveillance cameras at the premises or via the Internet.
"The biggest risk is this can become more common, and once you start doing that it’s very easy to extend it further and extend it further," said David Fraser, a privacy lawyer in Halifax.
"They see it work in once place and they extend it all over the place. And then it’s impossible to go out and have a drink without actually being watched by the police. A lot of people would get freaked out by that."
Once police and liquor inspectors get access to surveillance cameras in bars with a history of violence, authorities could make it mandatory in establishments with potential for problems, Mr. Fraser said.
"As these things become more normal or more standard, the less jarring it is for those who actually care about privacy.
"If you put a frog in a pot of cold water and you turn up the heat, it’s not going to jump out because it doesn’t notice the incremental changes."
There would be few limits on what authorities could do with the information they gather from surveillance cameras, Mr. Fraser said.
"It’s really no different than, theoretically, having a cop sitting at the bar or walking around the establishment. It’s just a whole lot more convenient and probably more pervasive."
Mr. Fraser said he’d be less likely to have a drink in a bar if he knew authorities could be watching.
"The idea of being watched at all has a psychological kind of a factor. For some people, it adds enough of a creep-out factor that, if you’re given the choice of two places that are otherwise identical, one has video surveillance which you know is being watched by cops and the other one doesn’t, regardless of whether or not you intend to do anything unlawful, you’d probably go to the place that was slightly less creepy. At least that would be my own inclination."
The more people watching surveillance cameras in bars, the more room there is for abuse, Mr. Fraser said.
"Sometimes on cable (TV) you’ll see these shows of weird things caught on surveillance," he said.
"Many of them come from the United Kingdom, where there’s pervasive surveillance by law enforcement. And people are making copies of these tapes when they see funny things. And you can tell, when you see how the cameras zoom, that they follow attractive women’s bottoms and things like that. Stuff like that really has the potential to be abused."
Police aren’t sure yet how they’ll use 64 surveillance cameras at the Dome.
"This is something new to us. We’ve never had access to their cameras, other than, as in any establishment, you would have after (a crime) for the purpose of investigation," Halifax Regional Police Supt. Don Spicer said after Friday’s Utility and Review Board hearing that reinstated the Dome’s liquor licence.
"So we really have to look at what we really will be doing with the access that we will be gaining."
There are signs outside the Dome indicating the bar is under video surveillance.
"When you go to a public place, which a bar is, and the signs are posted, I don’t think there will be any problems," said Environment and Labour Minister Mark Parent, who is responsible for the alcohol and gaming division.
The new camera system means liquor inspectors will be able to monitor the bar without being there, Mr. Parent said.
"That was something that the bar owner offered voluntarily and it makes our job that much easier," he said.
It does set a precedent "for bars like the Dome," Mr. Parent said.
"It clearly sends a signal to any other establishment that’s having problems that they need to take some dramatic steps."
At first, Mr. Parent said it’s not akin to the all-seeing Big Brother in George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-four.
"I guess Big Brother if you want to put it in that sense, if you’re out to do something wrong," he said. "If you’re not out to do something wrong, then I think you’d see it as a safeguard."
The cameras are "an effective low-cost tool because we don’t have the staffing to be everywhere at once," Mr. Parent said. "So I think the important thing is that notices are up so people know, so that it’s not a surprise to them."
Surveillance video could be used to both indict and clear people of any wrongdoing, he said.
"Certainly there are privacy concerns that need to be addressed," Mr. Parent said. "The tapes would need to be used only by official people. You’d have to be very careful how you used them and they would have to make sure that there was no abuse of that in any way. . . . It’s always a balance between public safety and public privacy."
Update: I was just interviewed by CBC Radio News here in Halifax on the story. Here's the piece:
Here, also, is the order of reinstatement from the Utility and Review Board of Nova Scotia.
Update: Here's a CBC online report: Police plans for Halifax bar surveillance cameras cause concerns.
More "year in review" content, this time the worst privacy quotes of the year from CSO Magazine:
Privacy: The Worst Quotes of the Year - Web Exclusives - Online Column - CSO Magazine
...And the Privvy for Doubleplusgood Newspeak of the Year goes to... Deputy Director of National Intelligence Donald Kerr"Too often, privacy has been equated with anonymity; and it’s an idea that is deeply rooted in American culture.... But in our interconnected and wireless world, anonymity—or the appearance of anonymity—is quickly becoming a thing of the past.... We need to move beyond the construct that equates anonymity with privacy and focus more on how we can protect essential privacy in this interconnected environment. Protecting anonymity isn’t a fight that can be won. Anyone that’s typed in their name on Google understands that."
Privacy advocates seized on Kerr’s Orwellian attempt to singlehandedly change the definition of privacy because, hey, it’s really hard. (Source: Office of the Director of Naval Intelligence.)
Thanks to Pogo for the link.
In the better late than never department: TJX creates executive jobs to deal with privacy issues - The Boston Globe. (Thanks to Pogo for the link.)
Saturday, December 29, 2007
In the wake of the UK's recent huge privacy incident, parliamentarians are considering a proposal that executives be directly accoutable for information security and perhaps even have to certify -- a la Sarbox -- its information practices. See: Call for CEOs to carry can for data leaks - Times Online.
Privacy International's latest report puts Canada at the top of the heap (along with Greece and Romania), but sinking into the mire.
The Canadian Press: Canada, Greece and Romania have best privacy records, global report says
Canada, Greece and Romania have best privacy records, global report says 59 minutes ago
LONDON - Individual privacy is best protected in Canada but is under threat in the United States and the European Union as governments introduce sweeping surveillance and information-gathering measures in the name of security and border control, an international rights group said in a report released Saturday.
Canada, Greece and Romania had the best privacy records of 47 countries surveyed by London-based watchdog Privacy International. Malaysia, Russia and China were ranked worst.
Both Britain and the United States fell into the lowest-performing group of "endemic surveillance societies."
"The general trend is that privacy is being extinguished in country after country," said Simon Davies, director of Privacy International. "Even those countries where we expected ongoing strong privacy protection, like Germany and Canada, are sinking into the mire.
"I'm afraid that Canada has kind of lost the plot a plot a little bit this year and hence its move downwards," Davies told the Canadian Press in comments about Canada.
He cites the C-I-A's accessing the banking records of Canadians through the SWIFT banking information system, the Canadian no-fly list, and the Toronto Transit Commission's installation of security cameras as examples of the erosion of privacy rights.
He also decried the increasing number of programs involving the United States, which he said unfortunately has no federal privacy law.
"What's happening, is that Canadian information, sensitive information, is flowing across the border in increasing volumes," Davies said.
"Frankly, that's the sort of situation where government should put pressure on the U.S. government to protect that information legally," he said, "But it's not doing so."
The report came two days after Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart warned in a release that 2008 will be "another challenging one for privacy in Canada."
"Heightened national security concerns, the growing business appetite for personal information and technological advances are all potent - and growing - threats to privacy rights," Stoddart said.
In the United States, President George W. Bush's administration has come under fire from civil liberties groups for its domestic wiretapping program, which allows monitoring - without a warrant - of international phone calls and e-mails involving people suspected of having terrorist links.
"The last five years has seen a litany of surveillance initiatives," Davies said.
He said little had changed since the Democrats took control of Congress a year ago.
"We would expect the cancellation of some programs, the review of others, but this hasn't occurred," Davies said.
Britain was criticized for its plans for national identity cards, a lack of government accountability and the world's largest network of surveillance cameras.
Davies said the loss earlier this year of computer disks containing personal information and bank details on 25 million people in Britain highlighted the risks centralizing information on huge government databases.
The report said privacy protection was worsening across western Europe, although it was improving in the former Communist states of eastern Europe.
It said concern about terrorism, immigration and border security was driving the spread of identity and fingerprinting systems, often without regard to individual privacy.
The report said the trends "have been fuelled by the emergency of a profitable surveillance industry dominated by global IT companies and the creation of numerous international treaties that frequently operate outside judicial or democratic processes."
The survey considers a range of factors including legal protection of privacy, enforcement, data sharing, the use of biometrics and prevalence of CCTV cameras.
Another "year in review" ... this time the Computerworld nominees to the security hall of shame:
The 2007 Security Hall of Shame
A brace of breaches: 2007's five worst
In a league of its own: The TJX Companies Inc.
The U.K.'s VA: HMRC misplaces records on 25 million kids In November
The system was broken brokered: Fidelity National Information Services
Some honor among thieves: TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. Brokerage firm Ameritrade
Creatures from the hack lagoon: Monster.com
Ummm ... oops?
Do you copy?: DHS's self-created DDoS attack
Bag that: Supervalu gets phished
Undiplomatic relations: Symantec in China
Hear me, see me: House outs whistle-blowers
Arrrrr! WGA sees pirate people
... and your 2007 poster boys
Consultant turns bot herder: John Schiefer
Exit strategy: Gary Min
Don't drop the soap: Ivory Dickerson
Unbirthday boy: Yung-Hsun Lin
Pick a hat already: Maxwell Butler
Early on Christmas Eve a huge brawl at one of Halifax's largest bars resulted in the suspension of the property's liquor license. After a hearing yesterday, the license was restored on a number of conditions. Among them, the bar has to double the number of surveillance cameras on the premises and has to provide liquor regulators and the police with real-time access via the internet.
This is a first in Nova Scotia, but likely not the last time we'll hear of this. Why not have them mandatory in all licensed establishments? In all hotels? Hmm. Drinking takes place in university residences, so maybe we should require police surveillance of those places? The thin edge of the wedge.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Personal information on hundreds of thousands of users of adult websites may have been compromised in a breach that is said to have the potential to undermine the confidence that most consumers have in porn websites. Hmm.
Privacy resolutions from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:
News Release: Do you resolve to protect your privacy in 2008? (December 27, 2007) - Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Do you resolve to protect your privacy in 2008?
OTTAWA, December 27, 2007 – Threats to the privacy rights of Canadians will intensify in 2008 unless organizations resolve to do more to protect personal information, warns Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart.
“Heightened national security concerns, the growing business appetite for personal information and technological advances are all potent – and growing – threats to privacy rights,” says Commissioner Stoddart.
“The coming year will be another challenging one for privacy in Canada.”
With that prediction in mind, Commissioner Stoddart today released her 2008 list of top 10 suggested New Year’s resolutions for businesses, individuals and government.
Resolutions for businesses in Canada:
1. Protect personal information with strong security.
More than 162 million records were compromised by theft or loss in 2007, triple the number of data losses for the previous year, according to a USA Today analysis of breaches in the US, Canada and other countries. This alarming trend can be reversed if businesses begin to recognize the value of personal information. The disastrous breach involving Winner’s and HomeSense stores is an example of what can go wrong if businesses don’t invest in the latest security.
2. Use encryption to protect personal information on mobile devices such as laptops.
We are seeing too many headlines about personal information at risk because a laptop has been lost or stolen. Organizations must ensure personal information on a mobile device is encrypted – protecting information stored on a laptop with a password is simply not enough.
3. Ensure credit card processing equipment masks complete card numbers on receipts.
Complete credit card numbers should not be printed on receipts for electronically processed transactions. Businesses were supposed to switch to electronic processing equipment that masks card numbers – for example, by printing Xes – by the end of 2007. Printing complete card numbers exposes customers to the risk of identity theft. (Some very small businesses may still be manually taking imprints of cards because it is not economically feasible for them to purchase electronic equipment. They should still take all steps necessary to protect the information they collect.)
Resolutions for Canadians:
4. Think twice before posting personal information on social networking sites.
Many Facebook and Myspace users think of these sites as private, when, in reality, the information they post can often be seen by just about anyone. Before posting something, ask questions such as: How would I feel defending this comment or photo during a job interview five years from now? Am I harming someone else or invading someone’s privacy by posting this comment, photo or video? We like this simple rule of thumb: If Grandma shouldn't know, it shouldn't be posted.
5. Ask questions when someone asks for personal information.
It’s a good idea to understand why information such as your phone number or postal code, or driver’s licence is being requested and how it will be used. If you are concerned about receiving junk mail or telemarketing calls, decline to provide the information. Canada’s privacy laws offer you a choice about providing personal information that is not necessary for a transaction.
6. Take steps to protect your personal information.
Invest in a good shredder or burn all documents that include your name, address, SIN, financial information or other sensitive personal information. Papers containing personal information don’t belong in the recycling bin.
Resolutions for the federal government:
7. Overhaul the no-fly list to ensure strong privacy protections for Canadians.
The no-fly list involves the secretive use of personal information in a way that has very serious impact on privacy and other human rights. Innocent Canadians face the very real risk they will be stopped from flying because they’ve been incorrectly listed or share the name of someone on the list.
8. Move forward with proposed reforms to Canada’s privacy laws.
The federal government is currently holding consultations on important amendments to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). These proposed changes include mandatory breach notification, a step that would encourage businesses to take security more seriously and protect Canadians against identity theft.
We also urge the federal government to open a review of the Privacy Act, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008. Canadians should be offered the same level of legal protection under the Privacy Act as they have, as consumers, under PIPEDA.
9. Ensure that identity theft legislation is swiftly passed.
The government has introduced Criminal Code amendments to help police stop identity thieves or fraudsters before Canadians suffer actual financial harm. The changes include explicit penalties for collecting, possessing and trafficking in personal information.
10. Develop anti-spam legislation.
Canada remains the only G-8 country without anti-spam legislation, raising the danger that we will become a harbour for spammers. Halting the proliferation of spam is another important measure necessary to address identity theft.
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is mandated by Parliament to act as an ombudsman, advocate and guardian of privacy and the protection of personal information rights of Canadians.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
- Surveillance cameras.
- The war on smoking.
- The war on junk food.
- The war on salt.
- Pedestrian cell-phone use.
- Naked body scanners.
- Phone-surveillance ads.
- Human chip implants.
- Manipulating sexual orientation.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
I think we'll be seeing even more of these out of the UK as government authorities and the media turn their attentiont to the issue.
It's being reported that a number of National Health System trusts have "lost" the personal information of hundreds of thousands of British residents in the past little while. See: BBC NEWS UK Nine NHS trusts lose patient data
Saturday, December 22, 2007
This past week, the US Federal Trade Commission gave the green light to the merger of Google and DoubleClick. As is highlighted in the official Google blog entry on the topic, privacy didn't play any part in the FTC's decision:
Official Google Blog: Analysis: The FTC clears our acquisition of DoubleClick
Privacy not a part of the merger review. Though we strongly believe in protecting our users' privacy, the FTC clearance decision reaffirmed the law by noting that privacy concerns played no role in its merger review. This is an important principle, as privacy issues need to be addressed on an industry-wide basis, and not on a company-by-company basis. The FTC wrote, "although such issues may present important policy questions for the Nation, the sole purpose of federal antitrust review of mergers and acquisitions is to identify and remedy transactions that harm competition. Not only does the Commission lack legal authority to require conditions to this merger that do not relate to antitrust, regulating the privacy requirements of just one company could itself pose a serious detriment to competition in this vast and rapidly evolving industry." The FTC also noted, however, "that the evidence does not support a conclusion" that this particular transaction will harm consumer privacy.
Data combination wouldn't pose problems. The FTC rejected the suggestion from competitors that Google would combine user information with DoubleClick's customers' data to obtain an advantage in the market, writing that the data is owned by DoubleClick’s customers and that "at bottom, the concerns raised by Google’s competitors regarding the integration of these two data sets -- should privacy concerns not prevent such integration -- really amount to a fear that the transaction will lead to Google offering a superior product to its customers." Moreover, "a number of Google’s competitors have at their disposal valuable stores of data not available to Google. For instance, Google’s most significant competitors in the ad intermediation market, Microsoft, Yahoo!, and Time Warner have access to their own unique data stores."
FBI aims for world's largest biometrics database - Yahoo! News
... At an employer's request, the FBI will also retain the fingerprints of employees who have undergone criminal background checks, the paper said....
Thursday, December 20, 2007
I don't think there's much debate that the relationship between a physician and a patient is one where confidentiality and trust are absolutely critical. This is why there's such outrage when a physician takes advantage of this position of trust.
Yahoo! News is running an article about a Chief Resident of General Surgery from an Arizona hospital who took a picture of a patent's tattooed genitals when the patient was sedated. The surgeon apparently was showing the picture around to other doctors, thinking the tattoo "HOT ROD" was funny. It may be funny, but the actions of this physician are appalling and bring the whole profession into disrepute. See: Tattooed privates prove not so private - Yahoo! News.
UPDATE: No HIPAA charges expected: Doctor in penis case likely will avoid federal charges.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner has found that Ticketmaster violated that province's privacy law by requiring that purchasers consent to use of their information by concert promoters. From the Commissioner:
Office of the Information and
Privacy Commissioner of Alberta
December 19, 2007
Ticketmaster investigated under Personal Information Protection Act
The Complainant went on Ticketmaster’s website, www.ticketmaster.ca to purchase tickets for an event. During the on-line transaction, the Complainant was unable to proceed with his on-line ticket purchase unless he consented to Ticketmaster’s “Use of Personal Information” privacy statement. The Complainant was particularly concerned with the contents of this privacy statement, which authorized Ticketmaster to share his email address with event providers for the event providers’ marketing purposes.
CBC has some coverage of the story here: CBC.ca Arts - Ticketmaster's online sales violated Alberta privacy law.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I just got a new Blackberry Curve 8310, with built-in GPS. But just before giving up my old Blackberry 8700 I installed the new Google Maps with the "my location" feature. The "my location" feature is somewhat handy but the privacy geek in my has a few questions.
The feature uses signals from the cell phone network to approximate your location within a few hundred metres (depending on the density of cell towers in your area). When I installed it, I didn't have to give it any special permission to get access to carrier information or other stuff. Handy if I want it, but it makes me wonder whether any software installed on my Blackberry can get access to this data and perhaps transmit it in the background. That certainly raises privacy issues.
If anyone knows, please let me know.
In the meantime, here's a Google promotional video on the new Google Maps:
Monday, December 17, 2007
Friend and compatriot PGuy pointed me to this story about a new device that would be built into new cars that would prevent the car from starting if the driver shows evidence of having too much alcohol in their blood. The technology would sense it from the driver's skin through the steering wheel: New device may end drunk driving The News is NowPublic.com. He asked if I thought it raises privacy issues.
I don't really see privacy issues per se, unless the thing records the readings. But I'm not sure it's a good idea. Those most likely to otherwise drink and drive will bypass the system or will hit the reefer if they intend to take the car home.
I just wonder where these things will end. A sensor that you're too tired, too jittery, too easily distracted, listening to an iPod, eating a cheese burger, have squabbling kids in the back?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Seth Godin has an interesting take on privacy, particularly online:
Seth's Blog: People don't truly care about privacy
People don't truly care about privacy
There's been a lot of noise about privacy over the last decade, but what most pundits miss is that most people don't care about privacy, not at all.
If they did, they wouldn't have credit cards. Your credit card company knows an insane amount about you.
What people care about is being surprised.
If your credit card company called you up and said, "we've been looking over your records and we see that you've been having an extramarital affair. We'd like to offer you a free coupon for VD testing..." you'd freak out, and for good reason.
If the local authorities start using what's on the corner surveillance cameras to sell you a new kind of commuter token, you'd be a little annoyed at that as well.
So far, government and big companies have gotten away with taking virtually all our privacy away by not surprising most of us, at least not in a vivid way. Libertarians are worried (probably with cause) that once the surprises start happening, it'll be too late.
This leads us to Ask.com's new Eraser service, which promises to not remember stuff about your searching. The problem they face: most people want Google and Yahoo and Amazon to remember their searches, because it leads to better results and (so far) rarely leads to surprises.
The irony is that the people who most want privacy are almost certainly the worst possible customers for a search engine. These are the folks who are unlikely to click on ads and most likely to visit the dark corners of the Net. If I were running a web property, I'd work hard to attract the people who least want privacy and want to share their ideas with everyone else
Make promises, keep them, avoid surprises. That's what most people (and the profitable people) want.
Monday, December 10, 2007
This has nothing to do with privacy, but I'm trying to get the word out as widely as I can.
Many in Atlantic Canada may recall hearing about Zachery Hall in the newspapers and on the regional television news some time ago. Zachery was a little boy who suffered from the disease Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenoleukodystrophy]. It is a very rare disease in which the body's myelin is progressively destroyed by a mechanism that is not well understood. (Myelin is the insulation for our body's nerve cells.) The disease causes progressive deterioration of the nervous system, leading to failure to develop, seizures, loss of coordination, then blindness, deafness, dementia and ultimately death.
Members of the community were very generous to support Zachery's family while he was undergoing treatment. Our support also helped him to go to Disneyland with his family while he was still able to enjoy it. Zachery Hall died in 2006 at age 10.
Zachery's little brother, Bretton, has been diagnosed with the same horrendous disease. They have been able to identify it at a much earlier stage than Zachery's and are hopeful that earlier treatment may be able to provide him with a longer life with greater quality of life.
Bretton's family is not well off to begin with. He will be receiving very long and expensive treatments in Ontario. We hope to be able to assist the family with their expenses in this.
Bretton's aunt and I have set up a trust account at ScotiaBank to assist the family. We hope to be able to help with his treatments, assist with his quality of life and to help the family in what is a devastatingly difficult time. The community has been very generous in the past and I'm hopeful that we may be able to help this family in our community. If you are able to make a donation, please let us know. You can send a cheque to either of us, payable to “Jo Anne Conrod and David Fraser in Trust”, or you can make a deposit at any Scotiabank Branch (Name: Jo-Anne Conrod & David T. Fraser (In Trust for Bretton Kinslow) / Act#: 700030255629 / Transit#: 70003).
c/o McInnes Cooper
1300-1969 Upper Water Street
PO Box 730
Halifax, NS B3J 2V1
c/o St. Matthew’s United Church
1479 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 1Z2
Donations are gratefully received through the account shown above, or via PayPal.
From today's Halifax Daily News:
Not unlike other boys his age, six-year-old Bretton Kinslow spent a good chunk of time before bed last night jumping off the couch, trying out new wrestling moves and practising tricks on his skateboard.
Unlike other boys his age, Bretton and his family are standing by at their Hatchet Lake home for a call from Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto with the news that there's a stem-cell match for the grade primary student.
On Nov. 8, Bretton was diagnosed with the same genetic disease that killed his brother Zachery Hall just last year at the age of 10.
Adrenoleukodystrophy or ALD - a rare disease that was depicted in the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil - causes damage to the myelin sheath that insulates the nerve cells in the brain.
The most common type of ALD is linked to the x-chromosome and, with only one x-chromosome, men are more severely affected.
Young boys are the most common victims of the disease, which causes progressive deterioration of the nervous system leading to loss of co-ordination, blindness, deafness, dementia and, ultimately, death.
By the time doctors realized what was wrong with Zach, his mother Lisa Kinslow said, it was too late.
But after he became sick, the IWK kept a close eye on Bretton.
"They monitored Bretton every six months," Kinslow said.
At the last six-month checkup, it was confirmed Bretton had developed ALD.
He's now on the list for a bone- marrow transplant, which is conducted using the stem cells from an umbilical cord.
With the transplant, every cell in Bretton's body will be renewed, hopefully staving off the deterioration of his nervous system.
"He won't even have the same blood type anymore," Kinslow said.
While Bretton bounced himself off the couch, showing off for the photographer, Kinslow and her husband Mark explained there are no guarantees the transplant will save Bretton, but he has a better chance than his older brother, who was diagnosed too late.
"With Zach, it was different; we knew the outcome," she said.
"With this one, we're fighting for it."
Kinslow said Bretton has some understanding of what's going on.
He knows he's going to Toronto for the doctors to make him better; he knows he'll have to take a lot of medication; and because of chemo-therapy before the transplant, he knows he'll probably lose his hair.
"I don't want to be bald," he said at one point last night, grinning and rubbing his head.
Kinslow admitted it's been a rough go for the family.
She's trying to keep it together for Bretton and trying not to let his illness become the focus.
"We spend every day with him, we play with him, we talk with him," she said.
"There's nothing that he wants to do that we don't try."
Bretton's aunt, Jo-Anne Conrod, and family lawyer David Fraser with McInnes Cooper have set up a trust fund for Bretton and his family to help get them through their time in Toronto and future challenges.
Donations can be deposited at any Scotiabank branch under the name Jo-Anne Conrod and David T. Fraser (In Trust for Bretton Kinslow/Acct. # 700030255629/ Transit #70003)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse: Scotsman.com News - Missing discs 'hold witness protection scheme IDs'.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
I am surprised this hasn't received more coverage. Cardsystems is facing bankruptcy as a result of the very high profile data breach in 2005. See: Credit-card company facing liquidation | www.azstarnet.com ®.
Daniel J. Michaluk has a great comment on an Alberta case that's pending dealing with employee drug testing, which is a very common practice in that province's oil sands projects. Check it out: One to watch - Drug testing case at Alberta CA « All About Information.
A US federal judge has denied a request by the Federal Government for a subpoen of a list of Amazon.com customers, citing the chilling effect that such a subpoena may have:
The Associated Press: Feds Cancel Amazon Customer ID Request
"The (subpoena's) chilling effect on expressive e-commerce would frost keyboards across America," U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker wrote in a June ruling.
"Well-founded or not, rumors of an Orwellian federal criminal investigation into the reading habits of Amazon's customers could frighten countless potential customers into canceling planned online book purchases," the judge wrote in a ruling he unsealed last week.
Seattle-based Amazon said in court documents it hopes Crocker's decision will make it more difficult for prosecutors to obtain records involving book purchases. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil said Tuesday he doubted the ruling would hamper legitimate investigations.
Crocker — who unsealed documents detailing the showdown against prosecutors' wishes — said he believed prosecutors were seeking the information for a legitimate purpose. But he said First Amendment concerns were justified and outweighed the subpoena's law enforcement purpose.
"The subpoena is troubling because it permits the government to peek into the reading habits of specific individuals without their knowledge or permission," Crocker wrote. "It is an unsettling and un-American scenario to envision federal agents nosing through the reading lists of law-abiding citizens while hunting for evidence against somebody else."
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
This is interesting:
globeandmail.com: Passport applicant finds massive privacy breach
A security flaw in Passport Canada's website has allowed easy access to the personal information - including social insurance numbers, dates of birth and driver's licence numbers - of people applying for new passports....
Thanks to Michael Geist for the link.
The Business and Technology blog from Scott & Scott reports that Nevada has just passed a law requiring the encryption of personal information when in transit. See:
Nevada Passes Data Encryption Law (Business and Technology Law)
Nevada recently passed a law requiring businesses to encrypt customers’ personal information during transmission of an electronic transaction. While other data protection laws require the shredding of records or the implementation of reasonable security measures to protect sensitive information, Nevada’s mandates use of encryption technology....
Monday, December 03, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
According to the New York Times, TJX has agreed to settle claims brought against it by Visa card issuing banks if they accept the offer by December 19. Claims will be paid by year end. See: TJX Agrees to Pay $40.9 Million to Visa Card Issuers - New York Times.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Techdirt has an interesting report, culled from Slashdot, about an experiment that went in an unanticipated direction. Neflix released a chunk of deidentified data hoping that researchers could use thed data to tweak and improve the company's recommendation algorithm. Other researchers used the data to match Neflix reviewers to IMDB reviewers, which identified many of the supposedly anonymous Neflix users. See: Techdirt: There's No Such Thing As An Anonymized Dataset (and thanks to Rob Hyndman for sending me the link.)
What's the big deal? Two things: first, those Neflix viewers thought their information would remain private and some of it would reveal personal attitudes toward sex, violence and other matters. Secondly, it is a lesson for anyone else who thinks that releasing an "anonymized" dataset would be ok.
The Canadian Privacy Law Blog is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.

domain: law


text: Khadijah is a first-year graduate student from Albuquerque, NM. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNM with a double major in Pre-law Philosophy and Criminology and a Certificate in Peace and Global Justice. As an undergraduate, Khadijah won first place in African American Student Services’ Research Symposium for showcasing her research on the relationship between negative stereotypes of African Americans portrayed by the media and trends of police brutality in African American communities. She also volunteered with Outcomes Inc. Restorative Justice Program which teaches juveniles alternatives to violence to deter them from entering detention centers. As an intern for Bernalillo County’s Unclaimed and Indigent Cremation Program, Khadijah was motivated to become involved in promoting public health through policy work. She aims to become an effective advocate for policy changes that will benefit the health and livelihood of minority groups across the country.

domain: sociology


text:
Casting a ballot in the upcoming presidential election in Venezuela will require Oscar Ganem to drive 832 miles from his home in Pompano Beach to a polling station in New Orleans.
That's no sweat, he says, for he despises President Hugo Chavez so much he's willing to travel great distances to help oust the socialist leader.
"It's a message to a dictator that you can't take away freedom and democracy from us," said the Weston-based paralegal. "We will drive up 19,000 miles if we have to."
Ganem will be among the estimated 10,000 Venezuelans living in Florida who will be taking planes, buses and cars to New Orleans starting next week to vote in the Oct. 7 election.
The journey to cast a ballot in New Orleans was created after Chavez closed the country's consulate in Miami in January. More than 19,000 Venezuelans living in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas were registered to vote at that site, according to Venezuelan officials.
More than 102,000 Venezuelans live in Florida, according to the 2010 census.
An organization called Aerovotar has chartered six planes that will leave from Miami on election day and fly back hours later. Several other groups have organized dozens of buses to depart from cities throughout Florida including Weston, West Palm Beach and Orlando.
Some voters like Carolina Pastrano, 39, of Boynton Beach, will be joining a caravan of more than 300 vans, buses and cars that will depart from Doral on Saturday following a ceremonial rally.
"There is a great chance that [voters abroad] will play a significant role in the election," said Pastrano. "It's an important election for Venezuelans here and there. It's our duty."


text:
Enzo Amore (Eric Arndt) posted the following statement issued through his attorneys about the recent rape allegations brought against him:
Statement From Counsel For Eric Arndt
Over the last two days, Philomena Sheahan has made multiple public accusations against Eric Arndt (also known as Enzo Amore with the WWE), including allegations of sexual misconduct concerning an October 2017 incident in Phoenix. Mr. Arndt fully and unequivocally denies those accusations. He is cooperating with the authorities in this matter and looks forward to having it resolved in a timely manner. Neither Mr. Arndt nor his counsel will be making any further public comments on this matter.
— Enzo Amore (@real1) January 24, 2018
The post Enzo Amore Issues Statement Through His Attorney About Recent Rape Accusations Made Against Him appeared first on Wrestlezone.
The post "Enzo Amore Issues Statement Through His Attorney About Recent Rape Accusations Made Against Him" is originally published at Wrestlezone. Keep reading this article by clicking here.


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