Slavery Reparations: Past Overdue

The annals of history are stained by an undeniable era of darkness; though the genocide remains unspoken, trivialized and sanitized Africans and persons of color were the victims of an unimaginable Holocaust that spanned 400 years costing between 50 and 100 million lives.

Cities and villages were burned and razed, cultural treasures and technological contributions were ravaged and destroyed; a continent was raped her youth and potential stolen, her resources exploited, a history was erased and a people denied their purpose and worth.

Born royalty, princes and princesses were stripped of their birthright, and they with their people robbed of Gods priceless gifts of freedom, dreams and aspirations.

With their dignity stripped, their beauty and worth denied, and families cruelly torn apart, a proud people were made outcasts in hostile, foreign lands and reduced to material property to labor and toil by an unenlightened society. Bound in chains, an innocen t people were stuffed in squalid ship holes to die of hunger and sickness, to drown in ferocious storms or to survive to live an existence of degradation and hell[1

When Union forces captured the South in 1865 and put a formal end to Slavery and its cruel and degrading practices, President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) and the federal government focused on restitution and reconstruction. The earliest Reparations plan offered each freed slave 40 acres of land and a mule to work this land.

Under the auspices of this plan, General William Sherman (1820-1891) set aside tracts of land in the sea islands around Charleston, SC[2 exclusively for freed slaves. Within a short time, about 40,000 freed slaves [had been settled on 400,000 acres in Georgia and South Carolina.[3

However, when President Lincoln was assassinated, his successor, Andrew Johnson (1808-1875), a southerner from North Carolina, rescinded the federal governments promise and reversed the Reparation s program. Former slaves were then evicted from their new lands that reverted back to white ownership. Despite Johnsons opposition, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens (1792-1868) made a feeble attempt in 1867 proposing an unsuccessful bill that again called for distributing land to freed slaves.

Ten years later, when reconstruction ended followed by the passage of repressive, restrictive laws (e.g. Jim Crow) and the formation of white terrorist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the south, plans to address the atrocities of Slavery and compensate its victims were forgotten. Afterwards, African-Americans saw little justice, were denied their constitutional rights, and subjected to terrorism (e.g. the entire town of Rosewood, FL was destroyed in January 1923 by white mobs while local officials sworn to uphold the law watched and even participated, leaving up to 80 black men, women, and children dead) and illegal lynching for nearly 100 years until the Civil Rights mov ement of the 1950s and 1960s finally liberated them.

By the time Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation was implemented through force, four million Africans and their descendants had been enslaved in the U.S. and its colonies from 1619 to 1865, which played an integral role in leading to and accelerating Americas rise in becoming the most prosperous country. With this fact, the original promise implemented by General Sherman, calculations of the sum total of the worth of all the Black labor stolen through means of Slavery, segregation, and contemporary discrimination ranging from $5 to $24 trillion, and estimates of the original plots given to and then stolen from freed slaves being valued at about $1.5 million each,[4 the time for slave Reparations is past overdue when the concept of unjust enrichment is pursued as advocated by Randall Robinson, the author of The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks.

Accordingly, despite many obstacles, including legal and low suppor t among whites, the Slavery Reparations movement has been revived and is gaining momentum.[5 In 1989, Congressman John Conyers (b. 1929) introduced H.R. 40 to examine the effects [that Slavery and its remnants Jim Crow have had on African-Americans since emancipation,[6 which to date lacks the necessary support required for passage. Next in 2000, based on careful research by Deadria Farmer-Paellmann (b. 1965), an Adjunct Professor of Law at Southern New England School of Law, who discovered evidence that Aetna wrote policies on the lives of enslaved Africans with slave owners as the beneficiaries, the company issued an unprecedented apology giving birth to the corporate restitution movement.[7

By 2002, nine lawsuits had been filed, the most notable in the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, NY against FleetBoston Financial, CSX (a major railways firm) and Aetna for direct involvement in the slave trade. Currently cases are pending against 20 companies from the banking, insurance, textile, railroad, and tobacco industries. At the same time, California and twelve other states have enacted disclosure laws requiring insurance companies doing business within their boundaries to reveal their role in Slavery, while boycotts are being staged against firms named in the Farmer-Paellmann litigation that are challenging restitution demands.[8

Despite critics, the case for Slavery Reparations is convincing and strong:

The disparity between African Americans and Whites ($6000 vs. $88,000 net worth) would have been significantly smaller had President Johnson not rescinded Lincolns original promise or if the 1867 Reparations bill would have passed giving freed slaves an economic foothold before waves of European immigrants poured into the U.S. during the latter decades of the 1800s.[9

The United States has already given land away in its 230-year history. Approximately 246 million acres of productive land was given to about 1.5 mi llion people through the Homestead Act. Ironically out of the 1.5 million beneficiaries that included many white immigrants, there were only 4000 native African Americans.

Internationally, land has also been awarded to compensate victims of injustices. The most notable example is the creation of Israel, which has benefited countless Holocaust (1938-1945) victims and their families.

Precedents also exist for monetary payments to victims of injustices. Since 1952, the German government and corporations (along with those of Austria and Switzerland, to name others) have paid more than $120 billion to fund early Israeli projects and compensate Holocaust survivors. Presently about 120,000 Holocaust survivors (once about 275,000) are still receiving lifetime reparation payments. At the same time, Japanese-Americans interned during World War II are receiving reparation for their loss of property and liberty during that period after filing a lawsuit under the F ederal Tort Claims Act, which waives the governments sovereign immunity in some situations,[10 and American Indian tribes have and continue to receive compensation for lands ceded to the U.S. by them in various treaties.[11

Many ask, Would Reparations for Slavery be just?[12 arguing that the practice was originally legal, [not a single person directly affected by Slavery remains alive,[13 the cost of tracing lineages to slaves would be unbearable, the process next to impossible, no one alive today owned slaves, and that payments based on Race alone would be perceived as a monstrous injustice setting back Race relations[14 without healing the ills of the black community.[15

Considering that, while every slave and his/her direct family are deceased, African Americans continued to suffer disproportionately from segregation, discrimination, and barbaric attacks into the late 20th century, and at times continue to be the victims of bias (e.g. racial profiling when it comes to jobs, shopping, law enforcement and voting despite equal opportunity and equal protection laws and the 1964 Civil Rights Act), remain disproportionately disenfranchised when it comes to net worth and home ownership and still suffer from a sense of a lack of self-worth versus todays black immigrants, Slavery Reparations are not only just but necessary.

Holocaust Reparations continue to be paid even though the genocide that murdered more than 7 million, predominantly Jews along with opponents of Adolf Hitlers (1889-1945) regime and other non-Aryans (persons with fair-skin, light hair, and blue eyes), was legal under the democratic ally elected Third Reich (1933-1945) government. Thus arguments that corporations should not be punished for legal acts are baseless. In reality, Slavery was as morally repugnant as the Holocaust and corporations that benefited from staling people, from stealing labor, from forced breeding, from torture, from committing numerous horrendous acts, in the words of Farmer-Paellmann should [not be able to hold onto assets they acquired through such horrendous acts.[16

Back in 1999, more than 50 years after the end of the Holocaust, Jewish groups seeking at least $20 billion in new Reparations called a $3.3 billion offer made by a German delegation representing the countrys government and corporations disgusting. They later agreed on a $5.2 billion Nazi slave [compensation fund that was approved by the German Parliament in 2000. However, while these negotiations were being held, the World Council of Orthodox Jewish Communities filed a[nother lawsuit in the U.S. against D eutsche Bank, Germanys second-largest bank, alleging that it funded and profited from Nazi atrocities.[17

Based on these two cases alone, the passage of time and existing legalities of the prevailing era, are irrelevant when it comes to redressing inhuman acts like the Holocaust and Slavery if justice is to be served. Slavery harmed slaves and thus, indirectly, their descendants.[18 Furthermore, as there is no statute of limitations when it comes to the Holocaust, it can also be argued that none should exist when it comes to Slavery especially since African Americans were not allowed access to the courts in any meaningful way even long after the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing Slavery was passed [in December 1865. Also, consistent with Californias legislation that revised existing statutes of limitations to ensure that certain Holocaust suits would not be time-barred,[19 legislation can also provide extensions to African Americans so as not to perpetuate past injus tices that were every bit as evil as those committed by the Third Reich.

Therefore, arguments that Slavery Reparations are illogical and that tax dollars [and corporate holdings should not be used for [this compensation[20 are equally as disgusting. Per Dr. Martin Luther King (1929-1968), the only practical route is for all citizens [to engage as full participants in a dialogue examining what is the cost of repairing our society to make it equally accessible to everyone[21 rather than dismissing and denying the need for past due Reparations to the African American community.

In addition, the commentary offered during the 1999 Holocaust compensation fight regarding monetary payments is as appropriate to Slavery Reparations as it was during these negotiations when it was stated, how to quantify this in financial terms is a difficult question Money itself cannot bring back the dead, nor can it erase the memory of years of forced labor, but those seeking compensati on say it may be the best system there is.[22 While no amount of money nor steps can redress the sins of Slavery, such Reparations with a formal national condemnation of and apology for the practice can bring justice and healing, boost the self-esteem of African Americans, reduce current racial net worth and private property ownership gaps, improve standards of life for black Americans, and provide them with new opportunities that might otherwise remain unattainable for generations to come.

Although it may be impossible to give direct compensation to most slave descendants, every effort should be made to locate and compensate those with confirmed direct lineages and to African Americans who had suffered under segregation. In addition, Slavery Reparations funds should contribute to black foundations, black scholarships, and black community projects aimed at improving infrastructure and standards of life, especially since precedents already exist for the latter. When Germany began Holocaust Reparations payments, Bonn funded about a third of the total investment in Israels electrical system and nearly half the total investment in [Israels railways, [consisting of diesel engines, cars, tracks, and signaling equipment [along with equipment for [agriculture, construction, expanding the countrys water supply, for oil drilling, and for operating the [countrys copper mines.[23

Based on the examples of national corporate and government contributions to Holocaust Reparations funds, it is not impractical, nor unfeasible for the governments and corporations of the United States, United Kingdom and other European states that benefited from Slavery to make payments to Slavery Reparations funds. When the United States is considered, many of the named firms that have directly and/or indirectly benefited from Slavery have sufficient assets and annual profits while the national government has millions of acres of federal land and holdings to utili ze for Slavery Reparations.

Furthermore, the federal government could add a line underneath the Presidential Election Campaign section that reads Slavery and Civil Rights Reparations Check here if you, or your spouse if filing jointly, want $3 to go to this fund on every federal tax return while states, especially those in the south that benefited the most from the slave trade and labor, most of which already have contribution lines for causes ranging from breast cancer research to wildlife, could also add such a line.

In conclusion, the African American community and advocates for justice must stand united and demand Slavery Reparations as stridently as the Jewish community and advocates for justice have for Holocaust compensation. Both abominations require Reparations and redress since they share great similarities morally repugnant brutal treatment and forced labor considered legal in their respective times under ruling governments that perpetrated and enco uraged them, and each has cost millions of lives. As the BBC states in The long fight for Holocaust compensation Reparations are particularly pertinent for a generation that has little direct memory of the Holocaust [since these financial payments are akin to acknowledging the horrors of the past and the responsibility of the present generation for ensuring that it does not happen again such payments are equally applicable for the past practice of Slavery.

In the accurate and eloquent words of Kimberley Jane Wilson, American Slavery was a sin The principles of liberty, justice and equality didnt apply to the millions of Africans brought to America against their will. Our history is full of racial ironies. When Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) wrote, All men are created equal, he owned 187 slaves. Patrick Henry (1736-1799) owned over 90 slaves when he shouted the famous words, Give me liberty or give me death! Union General Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) fought the Conf ederacy, but didnt free his own slaves until Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Even after Slavery ended, America the beacon of freedom to people all over the world still treated black Americans with indignity and, on occasion, savage cruelty.[24

Accordingly the long wait and many denials must end so that accruing damages can be mitigated and healing can begin. Slavery Reparations must be made as soon as possible to establish greater unity with improved standards of life for all, including African Americans. Only then can racism, even if predominantly de facto in nature, be extinguished for once and for all.

[1 William Sutherland. The Unspoken Holocaust. The International Whos Who In Poetry. (The International Library of Poetry. Owings Mills, MD 2004) 3.

[2 Reparations for Slavery. Wikipedia. 4 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReparationsforSlavery

[3 Reparations for Slavery. Wikipedia. 4 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReparationsforSlavery

[4 William Reed. Blacks worth $6k; whites $88k. Insight News. 12 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://www.insightnews.com/business.asp?mode=display&articleID=2617

[5 Making Amends: Debate Continues Over Reparations for U.S. Slavery. NPR. 12 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/racism/010827.Reparations.html

[6 William Reed. Blacks worth $6k; whites $88k. Insight News. 12 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://www.insightnews.com/business.asp?mode=display&articleID=2617

[7 Reparations for Slavery. Wikipedia. 4 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReparationsforSlavery

[8 Reparations for Slavery. Wikipedia. 4 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReparationsforSlavery

[9 William Reed. Blacks worth $6k; whites $88k. Insight News. 12 Sep tember 2006. 16 September 2006. http://www.insightnews.com/business.asp?mode=display&articleID=2617

[10 Anthony J. Sebok. Should Claims Based On African-American Slavery Be Litigated In The Courts? And If So, How? FindLaw. 4 December 2000. 16 September 2006. http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/sebok/20001204.html

[11 Reparations for Slavery. Wikipedia. 4 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReparationsforSlavery

[12 Would Reparations for Slavery be Just? The Claremont Institute. 5 May 2002. 12 September 2006. http://www.claremont.org/writings/020505erler.html

[13 Even if Millions Rally on the Mall, Reparations Wont Heal Black America. Project 21 Press Release. 15 August 2002. 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRReparations802.html

[14 Civil Rights: Should Black Americans Receive Reparations Payments Because of Slavery? The National Center For Public Policy Research. 23 August 2004 . 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRReparations802.html

[15 Even if Millions Rally on the Mall, Reparations Wont Heal Black America. Project 21 Press Release. 15 August 2002. 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRReparations802.html

[16 Peter Viles. Suit seeks billions in slave Reparations. CNN.com. 27 March 2002. 16 September 2006. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/03/26/Slavery.Reparations

[17 World: Europe Nazi slave offer disgusting. BBC News. 7 October 1999. 12 September 2006. http://nws.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/468248.stm

[18 Civil Rights: Should Black Americans Receive Reparations Payments Because of Slavery? The National Center For Public Policy Research. 23 August 2004. 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRReparations802.html

[19 Anthony J. Sebok. Should Claims Based On African-American Slavery Be Litigated In The Courts? And If So, How? FindLaw. 4 December 2000. 16 September 2006. http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/sebok/20001204.html

[20 Making Amends: Debate Continues Over Reparations for U.S. Slavery. NPR. 12 September 2006. 16 September 2006. http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/racism/010827.Reparations.html

[21 Civil Rights: Should Black Americans Receive Reparations Payments Because of Slavery? The National Center For Public Policy Research. 23 August 2004. 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21PRReparations802.html

[22 The long fight for Holocaust compensation. BBC News. 26 January 2000. 12 September 2006. http://nws.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/619896.stm

[23 Norman G. Finkelstein. Lessons of Holocaust Compensation. 2001. 12 September 2006. http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=4&ar=14

[24 Kimberley Jane Wilson. Reparations, Anyone? Project 21 New Visions Commentary. August 2001. 12 September 2006. http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21NVWilsonReparations801.h tml

Additional Sources:

$5bn Nazi slave fund agreed. BBC News. 14 December 1999. 12 September 2006. http://nws.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/565116.stm

Anthony J. Sebok. A New Dream Team Intends To Seek Reparations For Slavery Part I FindLaw. 20 November 2000. 16 September 2006. http://writ.corporate.findlaw.com/sebok/20001120.html

German Parliament Passes Nazi Holocaust Compensation Bill. Peoples Daily. 7 July 2000. 12 September 2006. http://english.people.com.cn/english/200007/07/eng2000070744925.html

Holocaust Reparations. Wikipedia. 25 May 2006. 16 September 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HolocaustReparations

Sara R. Parsowith. Austria begins Holocaust compensation process. Jurist. 16 December 2005. 16 September 2006. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2005/12/austria-begins-Holocaust-compensation.php

William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. He is the author of three books, Poetry, Prayers & Haiku (1999), Russian Spring (2003) and Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person behind the Mystique (2005) and has been published in poetry anthologies around the world. He has been featured in Who's Who in New Poets (1996), The International Who's Who in Poetry (2004), and is a member of the International Poetry Hall of Fame. He is also a contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online encyclopedia.

Author:: William Sutherland
Keywords:: Slavery, Reparations, Holocaust, Black History, African American Society, Politics, Race
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Stagecoach Drivers and Their Whips

Not everyone could manage a stagecoach. The stagecoach driver was held in higher esteem when on the summit of the Sierra than was the millionaire statesman who might be riding beside him.

While most stage drivers were sober, at least while on duty, nearly all were fond of an occasional eye opener. A good driver was the captain of his craft. He was feared by his timid passengers, awed by stable boys, and was the trusty agent of his employer.

The seat next to the driver, weather permitting, was the preferred seat of the men passengers. But this was one seat that was reserved, and it was not gotten by simply being the first to hop on the left front wheel rim and climbing into the box.

If the driver didnt want the person who took the seat there, he would firmly order him down, and then enjoy the passengers discomfiture for the next ten miles.

To sit in the drivers seat, one proceeded very much in the manner of securing an appointment to a high offic e. He went to the source of authorityabove the driver himselfto the superintendent and even to the president of the company.

Charlie Parkhurst was one of the more skillful stagecoach drivers, not only in California, but throughout the west. He was variously called One-eyed or Cockeyed Charlie, because he had lost an eye when kicked by a horse. For 20 years, he drove stagecoach in California. Twice Charlie was held up. The first time, he was forced to throw down his strongbox because he was unarmed. The second time, he was prepared.

When a road agent ordered the stage to stop and commanded Charlie to throw down its strongbox, Parkhurst leveled a shotgun blast into the chest of the outlaw, whipped his horses into a full gallop, and left the bandit in the road.

One-eyed Charlie was known as one of the toughest, roughest, and the most daring of stagecoach drivers. Like most drivers, he was proud of his skill in the extremely difficult job as whip. Proper handling of the horses and the great coaches was an art that required much practice, experience, and not the least, courage.

Whips received high salaries for the times, sometimes as much as $125 a month, plus room and board.

How in the world can you see your way through this dust? one passenger asked Charlie.

Smell it. Fact is, Charlie replied, Ive traveled over these mountains so often I can tell where the road is by the sound of the wheels. When they rattle, Im on hard ground; when they dont rattle I genrlly look over the side to see where shes agoing.

Yet, little was really known about Charlie Parkhurst before or after he came to California. It wasnt until his body was prepared for burial that his true secret was discovered.

Charlotte Charlie Parkhurst was a woman. One doctor claimed that at some point in her life, she had been a mother.

Unknowingly, Parkhurst could claim a national first. After voting on Election Day, November 3, 1868, Charlie was probably the first woman to cast a ballot in any election. It wasnt until 52 years later that the right to vote was guaranteed to women by the nineteenth amendment.

All stagecoach drivers, including Charlie, considered their whips worth their weight in gold. Drivers considered their whips a badge of honor.

Some drivers would as soon be caught without their pants as without their whips. Many of the whips used by the stage drivers were fine works of art, generally ornamented with handcrafted silver ferules girdling a handle made of hickory. Many of these whips are prized museum pieces today.

Whips were never sold, loaned, borrowed, or traded. In his book, Stagecoach Days in Santa Barbara County, Walker A. Tompkins wrote, Whips were considered a part of the driver, who kept the lashes well-oiled and as pliable as a snake in the sun.

Most stagecoach whips had buckskin lashes, usually from 11 to 12 feet in length, attached to a five-f oot hickory shaft. The lashes were 10 feet too short to reach the lead team, which was controlled by reining.

Some rare drivers did carry a six-horse whip with a 22-foot lash, but these were mainly for circus and rodeo appearances, and considered too unwieldy for practical use.

The driver took his whip with him when off duty, and always hung it up. He never rested it in a corner for fear of warping the stock. Neither did he wrap the lash around the handle for fear of curling the thongs.

Stagecoach drivers were scornful of the way they were depicted in the movies. The top-grade stagecoach drivers used cracking of the whip sparingly. These drivers were concerned that the pistol-shot sounds made by the whips would only startle their passengers out of their naps or, worse yet, spook their teams.

Roads had to be built at public expense before stagecoaches were given a route. Some were little more than ox-cart tracks linking the various ranchos. Even the El Camino Real, the storied Kings Highway, was little more than a foot trail.

A tale is told about stage driver Whispering George Cooper. He got his name because of his loud bellow, which was said could be heard for miles, even against a wind, while he pushed his team up a treacherous pass.

At one point, Whispering George needed to repair a broken single tree that had developed a bad split. He scoured the stage for a bit of rope or a scrap of baling wire, to make the repair.

At that moment, a rattlesnake slithering across the road in front of them spooked his team. George killed the snake, which measured five feet or more in length. A passenger commented how much the snake resembled a rope.

By gawd, thats what Ill use it for! exclaimed George. He wrapped the dead snake around the single tree and knotted it into place. It worked, holding the damaged single tree together until it reached a relay station.

The term stagecoach came about in medieval Europe, when public coach travel was the only way one could get from one point to another without walking.

Trips were generally made in easy stages because of bad roads and the lack of overnight lodgings along the way. Hence, the term stage coach.

Alton Pryor has been a writer for magazines, newspapers, and wire services. He worked for United Press International in their Sacramento Bureau, handling both printed press as well as radio news. He traveled the state as a field editor for California Farmer Magazine for 27 years. He is now the author of 10 books, primarily on California and western history. His books can be seen at www.stagecoachPublishing.com Readers can Email him at stagecoach@surewest.net.

Author:: Alton Pryor
Keywords:: article submission, Articles, Writer s, Writing, Publishing, Ezine, Email marketing, Email newsletter, Email
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Sir Tom Stoppard the Early Plays Enter a Free Man

Sir Tom Stoppard, the early Plays

3. Enter a Free Man

Sir Tom Stoppard's play Enter a Free Man (Originally called A Walk on the Water, made for TV, 1963) is a more complex play built up on the simple foundations of A Separate Peace (1960). The chief difference is that George Riley of Enter a Free Man, having a wife and daughter, has a commitment to a social group. Thus he has not opted out of society to the extent that Brown has, but when he opts out of paid employment the issue of the individual's responsibility to others is more immediate and concrete.

Another important difference is that Riley takes upon himself an active role, that of inventor, whereas Brown wanted to do nothing and have nothing expected of him; even his painting was 'only to please Matron really' (p.14.). Riley has taken on a responsibility to himself as well as to his family, and therefore he can fail, whereas Brown, in his passive isolation, was escaping the possibility of failu re. In fact Riley is a failure, both as the head of a family and as an inventor and it is this fact that creates the tension of the play, because it forces us to consider that his actions might be justified in principle even if they fail in practice.

The positive side of George Riley is his independent creative spirit. He stands for the freedom of the. individual to use his own mind and follow his own principles.

'I was given a mind and I use it. I don't go through life as if it was a public escalator with nothing to do but watch the swimsuits go by.' (p.48)

He finds the ordinary routines of life meaningless and pointless, and he has the courage to follow his creative promptings in spite of the ridicule and indifference of those around him.

'A man must resist. A man must stand apart, make a clean break on his own two feet. Faith is the key - faith in oneself.' (p.16)

In terms of general principles his ideas are quite sound; to invent a produ ct useful in daily life, make a prototype in his own workshop, then form a partnership to go into business manufacturing the product. But he is quite out of touch with reality, his inventions always have a flaw which he has not foreseen. His thinking is logical, but at the expense of common sense and practicality. He does not realise that his prospective partner is merely making fun of him, and he avoids the guilt he ought to feel about being financially dependent on his daughter by believing that he will soon be worth millions from his inventions. He is living in a world of his own.

In making George so lacking in self-awareness Stoppard has avoided having his 'hero' face up to his responsibilities, or the guilt he ought to feel at their neglect. All the opposition to George comes from his daughter Linda, who points out his inadequacies,

'If he was honest he'd come down and say I've decided that some people are cut out to make a living and some people are cu t out to lie in bed, and I'm the bed type.' (p.60.)

This splitting up of the issue into two characters, one 'for' and one 'against' is characteristic of Stoppard's technique. He has said that he writes Plays as a means of contradicting himself, (see Bigsby: Tom Stoppard: Writers and Their Work p.24), and his Plays are often structured around the kind of dialectic process expressed by Moon in Stoppard's novel Malquist and Mr. Moon (1966):

'I distrust attitudes, he went on, because they claim to have appropriated the whole truth and pose as absolutes. And I distrust the opposite attitude for the same reason . . . when someone disagrees with you on a moral point you assume that he is one step behind in his thinking, and he assumes that he has gone one step ahead. But I take both parts, O'Hara leapfrogging myself along the great moral issues, refuting myself and rebutting the refutation towards a truth that must be the compound of two opposite half-truths. And you never reach it because there is always something more to say. But I can't ditch it.' (p.53.)

Enter a Free Man ends on a note of compromise and re-establishment of harmony. George and Linda both make failed attempts to escape the situation by leaving home, then understand each other better when they return. George makes steps towards coming to terms with reality by deciding to go to the labour exchange, and Linda grows more tolerant towards his 'eccentricities'. George's wife has always tolerated his odd behaviour without expecting him to be a success, in fact she married him because he was 'different', and she defends him as an individual, against Linda's attack on his social status.

'There's lots of people like your father different. Some make more money because they're different. And some make none because they're different'. (p.57)

'If he was going to be a failure anyway, he was better off failing at something he wanted to succeed at . He got hol d of a bit of enthusiasm. That was worth a lot.' (p.59)

It is notable in his first two Plays Stoppard gives equal weight to the human relationships and to the issue under examination. John Brown and Nurse Maggie strike up an affectionate relationship, and at the end of the play she is as reluctant to let him leave the hospital as she was to let him enter at the beginning. And in Enter a Free Man much time is spent on the home life of the Rileys, showing how having the father in a parasitic role causes tension and argument between the mother and daughter.

This aspect of the play is not very successful though, Linda and Persephone are not convincing characters; their behaviour is 'wooden' because Stoppard is more interested in them as spokespeople for and against George, than as characters in their own right. At this early stage in his career Stoppard seems to have realised that his talents did not lend themselves to the portrayal of characters and relationships.

The same is true of his novel Lord Malquist and Mr. Moon (1966) in which the characters are entirely flat, being representatives of stereotyped life-styles. The John and Maggie, or George and Linda/Persephone type of relationship, in which a couple co-exist in a fluctuating state of affection, misunderstanding and antagonism is recurrent in Stoppard's work. It can be found in almost every play. But the emotional content of his Plays is at an absolute minimum, the characters being primarily vehicles for the exploration of an issue. There is often room, however, for an actor to create a convincing character to fit Stoppard's script; Michael Horden's portrayal of George in Jumpers at the National Theatre being a good example.

Read the full version of this essay at: http://www.literature-stud y-online.com/essays/stoppard.html

Ian Mackean runs the site http://www.literature-study-online.com, which features a substantial collection of English Literature Resources and Essays, and where his sites on Books Made Into Movies, and Short Story Writing can also be found. He is the editor of The Essentials of Literature in English post-1914, published by Hodder Arnold. When not writing about literature or short story writing he is a keen amateur photographer, and has made a site of his photography at http://www.photo-zen.com

Author:: Ian Mackean
Keywords:: Tom Stoppard,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,English Literature,Plays,Drama,British,Theatre
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Your Stars 2

Leo
Some tragic news hits you hard and makes you re-evaluate your entire life. Use this opportunity to think long and hard about the direction you are taking. Its also a great excuse to spend a small fortune on getting absolutely slaughtered down the pub using the old drowning your sorrows chestnut. Out of all bad there comes some good eh?

Virgo
A really dull month for you Virgoans, or whatever youre called. With little money, your friends all away on holiday and no Countdown on the telly anymore, why dont you turn your boredom into something constructive andI dunnoinvent a new board game or something. What do you mean its a rubbish suggestion? Im doing my best to help! Im just an astrologer Im not Jimll bloody Fix It you know!!

Libra
Something will happen with something. For even more information on what the coming month has in store for you, why not phone my new premium rate telephone number at the bottom of the page! (Calls charged at just 3.50 per minute)

Scorpio
Isnt the famine in Africa terrible? All those poor little kids with flies all over them wearing the clothes that we wore back in the 80s. Its time to do something about it. Why not arrange a concert in a London Park, invite the worlds top musical acts, screen the whole event on worldwide TV and maybe do the same in other major countries around the world? Either that or go through your wardrobe pulling out the stuff you wouldnt be seen dead in and take it down to Oxfam.

Sagittarius
Some unexpected news will put you in a situation where you have to make a major decision. Take your time and do what I do think, what would Brian McFadden do? Try and imagine yourself in Brians position under the same circumstances. How would he handle it? What would he be thinking? Just keep Brian in your heart and mind and youll come out of this ok.

Capricorn
A chance meeting with an old flame brings all those old feelings flooding back and befor e you know it, the pair of you will be at it like Jude Law with his child care staff. Just remember though that Jude is rich and attractive - you are neither and when your partner finds out what youve been up to, youll be single and penniless for ever. So make the most of your chance encounter and phone my new premium rate How To Have Mind Blowing Sex advice line at the bottom of the page. (Calls charged at just 3.50 per minute)

Aquarius
The coming month sees the start of the new football season. My charts indicate that some Aquarians cant wait for it whilst some can. They also indicate that itll be a good season for Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United or maybe Liverpool and that the Spice Girls may or may not get back together. Get yourself down to the bookies now!!

Pisces
You have to start cutting people a bit of slack. You have very high standards and expectancy levels and people are sometimes going to fall a little short. You have to bear this in m ind particularly when watching the new Ricky Gervais comedy series. It was never gonna be as good as the Office was it? Although its still quite funny isnt it? What about the bit in the first episode with the bloke with the big shoe? Ha! Never gonna win a Golden Globe though is it?

Aries
Just like the animal of your star sign, the ram, its the time of the year when you may well be pondering getting a hair cut. With all the Aries in the country rushing out to get their hair cut at the same time, no wonder they call it barber queue season. Geddit? Ha! Im bloody wasted here!

Taurus
For the last 3 months, your life has found new meaning. Youve had something to do every night and youve got to know lots of new people. For the first time in memory, youve not been lonely. Your previously sad and pathetic existence has had a purpose. All that though is about to come to a grinding halt at the end of August. To help cope with this earth shattering trauma, why not p hone my new premium rate How To Cope When Big Brother Ends helpline listed at the bottom of the page. (Calls charged at just 3.50 per minute)

Gemini
The star sign Gemini is named after Terry Nutkins seal that used to appear on Animal Magic back in the 1980s. And just like the pop singer Seal, your career could disappear into oblivion this month if you dont watch your back at work. Someone is out to get you. For Seal, it was Robbie Williams who came along, took over the charts and wrecked his career. So just watch out. He might seem like a cheeky chappy from Port Vale with some big tattoos, but hes out to get ya! Robbie that is- not Terry Nutkins. Although apparently Terry does have a big tatoo saying Club The Seal on his midriff.

Cancer
I think theres something wrong with these bloody star charts. That forecast Ive done for Gemini is just total and utter blimmin nonsense. But it cant be my charts. Theyve never been wrong yet. It must be..the Stars themsel ves! Oh my god! I dont like the way theyre aligning. Something terrible is going to happen! Dont go out this month! Not just you Cancerons.or whatever youre called. Everyone! Stay in doors and keep them locked. The last time the Stars were aligned like this The Krankies had their own prime time TV show and Les Dennis was considered one of the best up and coming comedy talents in the country! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your Stars are available via http://www.24-7london.co.uk. They are written by a variety of people under the guise of 'Septic Peg'. 24-7 London is an online entertainment guide to London, England with a sense of humour.

Author:: Lisa Mills
Keywords:: Horoscope, Stars, your Stars, Astrology,
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Export/Import of Inuit Eskimo Art Sculpture Containing Whalebone or Ivory

The Export of certain Inuit Sculpture from Canada to other pArts of the world including the United States does have some restrictions. In order to reduce harvesting of marine animals such as whales and walruses, the United States Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972. It was later modified in 1981 and a special section (101) of the act was developed to exclude Eskimo Inuit and other aboriginals living in the state of Alaska. Section 101 allowed Alaskan Natives to continue their traditions of hunting marine mammals for food and using pArts of such animals as raw materials in the making of clothes, crafts and Artwork.

The act makes it illegal for American citizens to Import any Ivory or WhaleBone from outside the United States. Therefore, American citizens would not be allowed to purchase any Artwork containing Ivory or WhaleBone from Canada and have it brought or shipped back to the United States. However, the act as it stands allows American citizens to purchase similar Artwork from Alaska since it is pArt of the United States. The Export of such Artwork created from marine mammals from the United States to Canada is not allowed.

Inuit Sculpture containing WhaleBone, walrus or narwal tusks (both considered Ivory) are restricted from Import and Export. However, Inuit Sculpture containing caribou antler is allowed since caribou is not a marine mammal and therefore does not fall under this act.

Exporting I nuit Sculpture containing WhaleBone or Ivory from Canada to other international destinations will depend on each specific country as each has its own specific regulations. Fines or penalties for Importing or Exporting illegal items can be very severe.

Fortunately, other forms of Inuit Art such as stone or antler carvings and prints are not only able to be Exported across the border, but are actually duty free.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American Art including carvings, Sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource Articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian Art as well as free eCards.

Author:: Clint Leung
Keywords:: Inuit, Art, Eskimo, Sculpture, Ivory, marine mammal, WhaleBone, Bone, Import, Export, Canada, Alaska
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Fauvism

Fauvism began in 1905. It was a short-lived movement and included a group of artists who used deep, more intense color than the work of the Impressionists. With simplified lines the subjects were easy to decipher. Objects were painted in any colour and the perspectives exaggerated.

'Fauves' means wild beasts in French. The finished look of the work was immaterial as the artists just painted what they visualized.

Leading the movement were Henri Matisse and Andre Derain. See Matisse's 1908 The Dessert; and/or Derain's The Two Barges.

Fauvism, had no concrete theories. Matisses aim was to use art as decoration. Seeing a work by Matisse one senses the feeling of dcor, especially if harmonizes with the surroundings.

Rough and clumsy, intense, vivid, unnatural colour, distortion, was the emotional, driving force.

The movement was not popular and was subject to abuse. However, it gained some respect when art buyers began to show interest.

Muc h of the work was derived from primitive and tribal art. Unlike Impressionism, it presented hyper emotionalism, shocking, violent colours, lines, shapes, distorted forms, with no glimmer of seeing any representation of the real world.

Fauvism ceased after 1908, when the artists went their separate ways.

[Not for publication: Henri Matisse and Andre Derain were two French artists,'Fauves' and these names are spelt as above. Their is no other way to spell them.

Margaret Houghton graduated in Fine Art from the Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1982, majoring in painting. She prefers acrylics to oil paints. Recently, she turned her attention to screenwriting which is a very long stride.

Author:: Margaret Houghton
Keywords:: Intense1,Simplified2,Exaggerated3,Decoration4,Rough5,Clumsy6, Distorted7,Vivid8,Emotional9,Hyper10,
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How to Create a MultiArtistic Piece (Article 1 of 2)

In the late 19th century the Music world was graced by an Artist who would push the boundaries of Music and Art. Richard Wagner laid the foundation for performance Art. Wagner combined several Art forms into a cohesive unit. One of the primary elements that Wagner would use to create this holistic creation was Music, which was the driving force for many of his pieces. But he incorporated other media such as scenic design, costumes, and intricate themes. The themes of many of his operas explored love between people and were at times expressed through mythical elements.

After the passing of Wagner, the collective Art world would remain dormant for some 30 years after his death. In the early 20th century collective Art was revived through Serge Diaghilavs Ballets Russes. His company would explore collective Art in a different direction than Wagner. One of the primary aspects of Wagners operas and Diaghilavs productions was that the Ballets Russes never used speech to na rrate the story. Wagner on the other hand used speech and vocals to express the narration. Additionally, the method of creation between the Ballets Russes and Wagner was that Wagner primarily produced almost every aspect of the performance, while on the other hand the Ballets had an expert in each field to give direction. For example, the story line to The Rite of Spring was created by Stravinsky, but the choreography was developed by Vaslav Nijinsky. In contrast to this piece, almost every aspect of Wagners Das Rheingold was created by Wagner. Wagner created the Music, designed the stage set, instructed the movement of the actors, and all other things. The primary difference in the method between Wagner and the Ballets Russes is that the Ballets Russes relied on input from one expert from each media and Wagner used a solo approach.

Many of the above Artistic works have been archived through various means such as scores, librettos, and all other things. But unfortunate ly the methods of creation for these productions have been rarely recorded and/or available for scholarly inspection. In the two examples above, one can find a libretto on each, which outlines the overall story, but does not help the Artist to learn how to create a multi-Artistic piece. In this installment of several Articles, the questions that will be addressed and answered include: What is a libretto? How can a libretto aid in developing a story line? How does one choose a theme? Should the story development be linear or abstract?

The first issue that a collective Artist must address is the theme that will be explored. A theme is the foundation for a production. Themes can be simple or complex in design. Debussys Afternoon of a Fawn has a simple theme in that it explores the end of teenage years and marks the beginning of adulthood. In addition to this piece, Wagners Flying Dutchmen investigates the intricacies of an interpersonal relationship. In these two examples the themes are fairly straightforward. In contrast to the Flying Dutchmen and Afternoon of a Fawn, The Rite of Spring appears to be complex at first, but after analysis one will find that in the very least it explores the various aspects of iconoclasm.

After a theme has been chosen, the thematic development must be created. The thematic development in essence brings life to a theme. The question that an Artist must address is how one wants the story to develop? During this stage one must choose as to whether the story will develop in a linear or abstract form. A story that is linear generally has the simple format of a beginning, middle, and end. In contrast to this format, the abstract method generally shows various aspects of a whole. Furthermore, the abstract format can be a brief excerpt of a situation. Afternoon of a Fawn is an example of this method. It only shows an encounter of a woman meeting a fawn in the forest. In relation to the first description of the a bstract method, Act I of The Rite of Spring, exhibits the various ceremonies that represent the creation of the eArth. Unlike Act I of The Rite of Spring, Act II follows a linear format. It begins with the selection of a virgin to be sacrificed. From this selection, the story proceeds into the next stage of development where the honoring of the chosen virgin is made public. Afterwards, the story ends with the sacrifice. In addition to addressing the issue of whether thematic development will be abstract or linear, the collective Artist must address if dialogue will be used. If dialogue is used, then it should be created during this stage. The last pArt of this stage is to determine how the story will be divided into sections. The purpose of using sections, for the most pArt, is to maintain clarity of thought and aid in the development of the theme. The hierarchy that a story can be divided into primarily includes acts and scenes. An act, by definition is pArt of a whole and within each act a portion of the theme is explored. Scenes, on the other hand, are the smallest pArt of an act and they essentially support the acts proportionate theme.

After the collective Artist has addressed the questions dealing with the theme and story development, now the Artist needs to create a libretto. A libretto, in essence, is an outline detailing all of the elements of the production. It includes the dialogue, scenic design, stage lighting, and all other things. The purpose for a libretto gives the creative Artist(s) a point of reference when they begin to produce the production. Some important features of the libretto include a synopsis of the production both whole and in pArt. Additionally, the libretto will include any dialogue that is used. The last aspect that one will see in a libretto is any stage commands, lighting effects, visual elements, and all other things. These elements usually outline their function and when they will occur.

After a n Artist has created a theme, determined the thematic development, and compiled all these aspects into a libretto. Then they move onto the next stage of the creative process. In the next Article, I will discuss this process and how it relates to the various Arts. Furthermore, I will detail the strengths and weakness of a few media.

Andrew Hanna, a collective Artist from Philadelphia, began his early exploration and study into the collective Arts during his undergraduate years at The University of the Arts. Prophecies of War, a collective Art piece that explores the stages of war, was performed at The Philadelphia Arts Bank.

Author:: Andrew Hanna
Keywords:: At Hand Productions, Andrew Hanna, Music, Wagner, Art, performance Art, Concert, Theater, Philly
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Babel vs. the PC

Imagine a time when mankind was young. Migration led many to the land of Shinar. It was during that time, that man came together and decided to build not only a city but a tower that would reach the heavens. Seeing the structure, the Lord was not very pleased. In fact, He knew what trouble this could lead to, so He confused mankind with different languages and scattered them across the face of the earth. Thus, is the story of Babel. (Babylon, the remains of an ancient city, is now located in Iraq.)

Eerily, times of a rich, historical past parallel today's society. The familiarity to modern civilization is uncanny. In the biblical tale of the tower of Babel, men came together with one language and one common goal: the desire to control the land and all that lay beneath the tower. Making the impossible - possible to Human nature.

The construction of the tower of Babel tells a story of man and its amorous lust for greed and power. To build such a massive structure that led directly to the heavens, what a marvel it must have been. Though the tale is simple, its meaning is vast. Herein lies the virtue of society itself. With the industrialized world at its peak and infinite Computerized technological advances, we have reached the brink of Babel. In this day and age, mankind has the means to communicate to the far outreaches of all the earth. With mere strokes upon a keyboard, we can speak with persons of different languages, cultures, race, religion and region. There are no boundaries to the human initiative.

What began as an oversized brain made of wires, metal and countless conductor boards, has evolved into the modern PC. We have at last designed the perfect mechanism to do our bidding. It thinks for us, supplies and stores information, and now with more and more Technology, we can even speak to other peoples by means of a Computer translator. The small screen that sits atop our office counters, our workbenches and our personal desks at home has become the brainchild of society's modernization, and has revolutionized the way we do and encounter most things.

Although it is just a machine, it has served a wonderful purpose. Through the use of Computer equipment, time is no longer a challenge. Messages, tests and reports can come back to us in a matter of seconds. Physicians, technologists, mechanics, archeologists, biologists, and so many other career paths have endless uses for this manmade tool. It has rewarded us richly with its knowledge, as we have enriched it with ours.

But, the question still remains: At what point does the tower of Babel (figuratively speaking) collapse? When has humankind reached its boundaries and at what interval will all be lost because of modern Technology? The world is our oyster - but what we must never forget is that the pearl of an oyster is created by disease. Just a thought to ponder.

06/2003

About the Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd - Author of Somewhere Along the Beaten Path

Feel free to visit Media Positive Radio -- Providing a positive and uplifting listening experience - All the Time! Featuring the finest music from Independent and Mainstream musicians all focusing on the power and greatness of every individual as well as the collective power of unity and brotherhood.

NOTICE: Article may be republished free of charge as long as Author Resource Box (above) is included, and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN in tact and active.

Author:: C. Bailey-Lloyd
Keywords:: Babel, Pc, Computer, Technology
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Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

The territory of Latin America has experienced a big economical growth and development during the 90s of the last century. It seemed that difficulties were overcome and new stage of development was achieved. The crisis of the 80s was left behind and new perspective and horizons of development in the economical, political and social field appeared for countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. But the euphoria and happiness caused by the rapid success and major changes was changed to new depression nowadays. And though the crises in not as deep as it used to be in the last century and steps to progress were made, problems the countries from Venezuela through Peru to Argentina face today are essential and its evident that brave and courageous expectations for rapid changes and economical wonder will not come true.

Political leaders and governors of the Latin American countries proclaim the ideas of economical growth, reduced poverty, social equality, opportunities f or personal development, business development and the equality between the representatives of the different classes. These are the things ordinary people who choose their governess seek also. So, sounds like both ordinary people and their governors seek for the same thing. But still this doesnt happen or even if it does, the changes are too slow and the short periods of progress are interrupted by the long periods of stagnation. There were made a lot of researches to find the possible reasons of such a situation and possible ways of solutions. A lot of scholars from different fields share same point of view. They all state that educational systems of the countries and educational traditions formed through the centuries have a very big influence on the economical, political and social life of the countries.

Changes which take place in these countries occur in the historical and cultural context where education was never considered to be essential and important pArt of the system. In the past countries of Latin America and the Caribbean were dominated by the small groups of educated elite and the rest of the population didnt get any education at all. Hieratical and highly stratified society was closed for the outer influences and very slow to change. This is how Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz describes the difference in the structure of societies and ways of thinking of Latin America and the US: To cross the border between is to change civilizations. Americans are the children of the Reformation, and their origins are those of the modern world; we Mexicans are the children of the Spanish empire, the champion of the Counterreformation, a movement that opposed the new modernity and failed.

Its common truth that universal high-quality basic education prepares people to take responsibilities for their lives, makes them creative, independent individuals who make a health and developed society. As education develops, poverty and inequality will be over-come, states Enrique Iglesias, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

The historical development and cultural traditions of Latin American and the Caribbean countries have left the prophesy which created the problems in the education modern society has to deal with now. And though a big effort during several last years was made to overcome them, these problems are still topical. These problems include the lack of trained and qualified teachers (poor salary teachers get for their job can be one of the roots of the problem), lack of monitoring of teaching and programs, problems with distanced learning using such modern educational techniques as Internet. Cube looks like a very nice exception among the countries of Latin America which faces a lot of problems in the sphere of e ducation. A lot of research was made to find out the reason of such a difference and finally it was proved that such a good state of the educational system was created by the higher number of good teachers. Also Cuban teachers are often evaluated, and those who fall behind are sent back for refresher courses.

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Author:: Aaron SchwArtz
Keywords:: Education in Latin America and the Caribbean
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Russians Live Lives of Interdependence

Most Russians live in small flats in large apartment buildings. Apartments are scarce and usually there are two to three generations living together.

Single people live with their parents and even married couples may live with one spouses family due to the scarcity of flats and the economics of living on their own.

Family members depend on each other. Grandma may look after the children and cook and clean for the family while the others are off at work. They take care of each other.

Living in small flats together, they have to be considerate of each other and compromise to get along.

It fosters an atmosphere of mutual interdependence. Russians are comfortable depending on each other, while westerners are more independent.

Because of their desire for interdependence, Russian women make excellent wives.

Russians are wonderful hosts and very warm when you visit them in their home. You will almost be smothered with attention when you are the ir guest or a member of their family.

However, they have almost two modes of operating in their daily lives. One is at the friend / family level and the other is at the public level.

At the public level, they are stone faced and do not smile. They are usually not very friendly and can be downright impolite. In Russia, you will not get a vapid smile at the bank followed by a have a nice day, as you would in America.

If you stop a stranger on the street or airport in Russia, you may not get any response at all. They may continue walking without speaking to you. Asking for help can be a very frustrating experience in Russia.

Russians are straightforward and blunt. Life is hard. They do not waste time with please and thank you. They will say what is on their mind in a way that does not leave any room for misunderstanding.

Manners were considered a part of bourgeois capitalist society during the Soviet era. Manners were frowned upon as a means of per petuating the old social order, like religion.

John has been married to a Russian women for over five years. He has travelled the path from finding her, to traveling to Russia, to bring his wife to America, and adjusting to married life. He will show you step by step how to do this yourself. http://www.Russian-luv.com/Manners.html

Author:: John Kunkle
Keywords:: Russian,Culture,Bride,Manners,Etiquette,
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Women of the Gold Rush Era Not Told to Stay Home

Okay, you males out there - listen up, because it's way time for you folks to get a clue. I don't know where the mid to late 1900's male idea that women are helpless came from, but it is quarter past high time for you all to get over it. Women do not have the raw body strength ounce per ounce that a man has, we aren't going to argue that. If I had an acre of land to plow I would undeniably hire a man over a woman any day. Where the idea that I am helpless follows from that, is such a quantum leap of logic that it can't realistically be given any credence.

Im going to cut you just a bit of slack, and blame it on the fact that life in America has become so cush that men just dont really much get the chance to see what a Woman can accomplish when put to the test. Did I forget to mention in the last paragraph, that if there was no one I could hire, I would get it done on my own. I am a woman. I am a rockhound. As a rockhound, I travel to places out in the wilds to collec t my treasures. I do this with no company other than my dog most of the time. It is relaxing and keeps me mentally sharp, physically fit, and well entertained. Unfortunately, I continually get slammed by men who feel this is wrong for me to do. It is dangerous. I am too old. The car might break down. I might get lost. Anything could happen. And the one that really gets under my skin - I belong at home unless I am working or running errands. These are seriously attitudes that I am faced with frequently.

One February I was stranded in the Ochoco Mountains. Temperatures were in the single digits at night. It took me 4 days to get out. When I hit the main road, I flagged a car to get a ride to town. My dog and I were a bit dirty, but didnt feel any too bad. The same day that I walked out onto the main road, a man was being dragged off of Mt Hood in a stretcher. He had been out the same amount of time I had been. He didnt fare so well. Guess no one ever taught him to climb a tree to get dry wood to get a fire going. He wasnt a smoker, so he probably just forgot his lighter, too. The press did it up real well. I was never contacted to talk to the media - guess it might have made the guy look bad, or just wasnt exciting without a major rescue involved.

When I got to town I called my boss. He fired me without even asking if I was alright. He simply pointed out that I had no business going off by myself. Not even on a day off. To this day I firmly believe that had I been a male, my prowess at getting out of the situation in one piece would have been highly applauded. Would a man have been told that they had no business leaving the house on a day off?

Another man asked me if I had learned my lesson meaning did I know now my place was in the home. I quickly pointed out that yes I had. I learned that for a 44 year old woman I was still pretty buff. I also learned that I can still build a campfire that would make an Indian cry from jealous y. Oh, and that crayfish and fish are really easy to catch when the water gets cold enough. The truth is that throughout the history of this nation, women have proved to be able to handle any conditions a man can, handle any crisis a man can, and even excel financially in even the roughest of environments. Some of them can do this better than the very man who might have told them that their place is in the home.

Mining towns and camps were not the easiest places to live. Just getting to some of those towns in those days was often a life threatening journey. Women were just as likely to survive the trip as the men were. The towns themselves were often built to be temporary and were nothing more than tents or cabins with dirt floors at best. Winters were bitter, food often scarce when weather would not permit supply wagons through. But there were women in these camps. Surprisingly, many were making more money than the miners.

Once in the camps, women proved to be v ery enterprising, very necessary, and very well able to handle the conditions. They set up businesses washing miners clothing, cleaning, and much money was made by good cooks.

One miners wife, Mrs. C.J. Everson of Empire, Colorado made her fortune when she discovered and patented a new means of concentrating metals by pouring pulverized ore in a solution of water and an oily substance and agitating it. In the early 1880's the new method of concentrating allowed many local mines to double and triple their production of gold and silver.

Bet none of the miners ever told her that she should not be there. Of course there were women, also, that went into the field of mining themselves. I cant imagine a man being so pig-headed or insipid to have ever told Nellie Cashman that she had no business out there in the rough, that she was too frail, or not smart enough to handle the rough environment.

Nellie was born in Ireland in 1845 and her family came to America durin g the potato famine. In 1872 she and her mother moved to the Pioche, Nevada mining camp area and opened a boarding house there. Pretty rough country for a couple of women on their own, one an aged woman at that.

Nellie moved on a few years later on her own to the Cassiar district of British Columbia, close to where Juno now stands, where she operated a boarding house and started to actually to do some placer mining of her own.

It was here she claimed the title Angel of Mercy. Nellie was in the Victoria area when she heard that her fellow miners at Cassiar were hit by an extremely violent blizzard. No one could get through. Supplies were running out. People were sick. There wasn't much time to lose in saving her friends. How could she get through? Not one man who had tried had succeeded.

No one remembered to tell Nellie that her place was in the home. She gathered supplies, dogs and sleds, hired a few hands, and was off to the rescue. No one could make it th rough. But Nellie did.

Her ability to get through the snow that no one else could get through, bringing life saving medicines and supplies to the camp made her famous. No one told Nellie that she had no business out there - that she wasnt capable or that something might happen to her, or that she didnt belong out there. The miners were damned grateful that she had the grit to go - they thought of her as a hero. She had saved them from miserable deaths. She had accomplished what no man had been able to do.

Nellie continued to work boarding homes and hotels in mining districts. She also became quite knowledgeable about mining geology and worked and owned several claims. She made much money and gave much of it to hospitals and churches. In 1905, at the age of 60, Nellie moved to Nolan Creek in Koyukuk country, the northern most mining area at the time, and a more than harsh environment. Nellie spent the last twenty years of her life there, working and purchasing cla ims which she worked with her own hands and the help of a few paid assistants.

At the age of 79 she finally gave up tending her mines and claims when her health began to fade and worked her way south to receive care at Sisters of St. Ann in Victoria - a hospital that she had contributed much funding for forty years earlier. She died there in January of 1925, at the age of 80.

Okay, sure, that is one woman, but there were others. Need more convincing? Caroline Moorehouse Mallin, born in Ohio in 1829, was widowed with 2 children. She became an extremely successful miner in the Buena Vista area of Colorado. She worked extremely dangerous avalanche areas at high altitudes, and had 15 mines recorded in her name. Caroline worked these claims by herself.

The work was not easy. Caroline did her own mining work - shored up her mines with timbers, drilled and blasted, and even hauled the ores all by her little self. At home life was no easier. She had to haul water a lmost a mile, and had to go down the mountain and haul supplies back. After all she had two children to care for on her own. When the end of the miners day had come and the men started their journeys home to sit and rest after a hard day, Caroline got to go to her second job - her home and family. Someone forgot to tell her that this kind of life was too hard for a woman, or that she might become lost if she ventured from home on her own for supplies.

Olga Schaaf is another woman who just missed the fact that the wilderness is no place for a woman. Olga started breaking horses for pay at the age of fourteen. At twenty-six she married a mine owner and worked for him taking pack trains of Burros up the mountains to deliver supplies to miners who had no means to get supplies in winter. Olga became famous when stranded at a mine during a snowstorm, she was able to save the lives of the miners (and incidently her own), leading them out and down the mountain she knew so well to safety and supplies. None of the miners receiving Olgas delivered supplies, nor those that she rescued from the mine told her that a woman needed to stay home because something might happen to her if she left the house on her own.

Mollie Kathleen Gortner had a different reason for going to mining country - Cripple Creek, Colorado. She went to visit her son. While there she was looking for a herd of elk her son had told her about when she accidently found gold, a find that started her own mining career. Her son staked her first claim for her, but the Manager at the claims office told her women couldnt file claims. By the time she left the office, however, she was the proud owner of the soon to be famous Mollie Kathleen mine. Guess someone forgot to tell her that it was too rough for a woman out there.

Doctor Susan Anderson (Doc Susie) of Fort Wayne, Indiana moved to the mountains for her health after finding out she had tuberculosis. She went from Cripple Cree k to Denver and on to Greeley finding little acceptance in these towns for women doctors. She moved back up to the Mountains of Fraser, Colorado when her illness worsened. She did not tell the people there that she was a doctor, but word eventually leaked out despite. Doc Suzie ended up with many patients and was known to travel to very remote places in very difficult weather to treat them. The sick and injured miners she treated seem to have forgotten to mention that being a woman she was likely to become lost if she ventured out into the mountains on her own. Now if these stories arent convincing, all you need to do is troll through the histories of the myriad of mining areas during the gold rush era. Women played a major part of these histories. They not only supplied the services that miners needed, but many were miners themselves, working all day just to return home to care for their families and friends. The men in these camps and towns did not tell the women to stay h ome. They did not admonish them for going into environments that were hostile or outright dangerous, or where life was hard. Sure bad things could happen - but they could, and did, happen to men, too. ( Hmmn. No one ever told a man he should have stayed home if something happened to him while he was out). Men knew they needed these women, and were grateful that the gals could handle it out there so well. Life would have been much rougher without them.

All in all, where men came up with the idea that women are helpless is really unclear. Do they tell us not to go places because they are afraid that THEY couldnt handle it and would have their egos severely bruised if a woman could handle something the man could not? Or are they just so selfish that they think that a woman who is to have a man in her life is to completely give up her life to be available 24/7 to serve his needs because a man cant take care of himself without a servant for a day or two, or just dont want t o have to do anything for themselves? Perhaps they are worried about the poor little fragile thing like a woman (funny they dont worry about protecting her from childrens vomit and diarrhea or blood, terrible working conditions, or just plain over work).

Now in light of what you just learned, you can see that women just see your protests as silly, juvenile attempts to control another persons life for your own selfish wants. For those of you who kiss your women goodbye even though there is danger where she chooses to go, you are to be commended for your rationality. The rest of you need to get a clue, grow up, and learn to take care of yourself a little bit without the continual need of a mommy to do it for you. We really dont need your guidance to decide how we want to live our lives or what is best for us.

Now that I have unloaded and have spoken my mind, I need to get out of here. There is a mountain that I want to go check out. If you have a problem with that, dont bother emailing me. I am not receptive to your childish and tyrannical whims. You may feel free to call 1-800-waahh with your complaints anytime, though. Maybe the man that answers the phone will be more understanding.

2005 Sally Taylor: Sal is an avid gem and treasure hunter, explorer, writer, and is the owner of http://www.rockhoundstation1.com

Author:: Sally Taylor
Keywords:: women pioneer,pioneering women,women's interest,Rockhounding,rock hounding,rock hunting
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No Single Nation Can Impose Democracy on Another

Imposing Democracy on Another nation is something that many academics and philosopher types have debated over many decades. Some believe that no single nation can impose Democracy over Another nation. Indeed these same people will argue that no group of nations should impose democracy over Another either. And this would also include any group called a League of Nations, United Nations or One World Government.

However there are many who are in the United Nati ons who believe that there are many instances when such imposition would be necessary to prevent war, human rights abuses or and out of control government regime. It is for this reason that many could argue that there will be circumstances when it will be necessary to remove a radical regime such as a dictatorship and replace that governments leadership with a Democracy.

What do you do with a Nation State whose leadership insists on funding and sponsoring International Terrorists or even giving them nuclear weapons to use on large civilian populations and cities? Perhaps a protocol is needed of when to impose a legitimate democracy on Another nation and rather than allowing the Security Council of the United Nations, which is totally political, to decide when to do something about a menacing problem which is bound to get worse. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Author:: Lance Winslow
Keywords:: No Single Nation, Can Impose Democracy, Another
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Inuit Drum Dancing Of The Arctic

Like many other aboriginal cultures around the world, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic have made use of Drums in some of their traditional Music for centuries. Inuit Drum Dancing played a part in many special occasions such as births, marriages, an Inuit boy's first hunt, changing of seasons, greetings for visitors or to honor someone who had passed away. News of these special events was spread by word of mouth and many Inuit traveled great distances to attend.

The Inuit Drum called a qilaut was traditionally made from caribou skin with seal or walrus skin around the handle. Before, Inuit Drum Dancing was most commonly done by men but eventually both men and women performed it. There were various Inuit Songs called ajaaja that were sung while Drum Dancing. In the past, many individuals had their own ajaaja Songs that were unique to them and about their own personal life experiences. There were also many Songs that were passed down through many generations of Inui t.

Like Inuit throat singing, the practice of Inuit Drum Dancing was banned by Christian missionaries for many years. Eventually, the Inuit regained their right to perform their Drum Dances. However, Inuit Drum Dancing is not as important today to Inuit life as it once was since western lifestyles have become such a big part of the northern Arctic. Inuit Drum Dancing is still sometimes performed at symbolic celebrations such as opening ceremonies for conferences, festivals, graduations and shows for tourists. Watching an Inuit Drum Dancer perform his or her Music can be almost hypnotic and is one of the special treats from Inuit culture to be enjoyed by all. Inuit Drum Dancers are a common subject for Inuit art Carvings and drawings. Inuit artists have even outfitted some of their animal subje cts with Inuit Drums.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including Carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

Author:: Clint Leung
Keywords:: Inuit, Drum, Dancer, Dancing, Dance, Music, Song, Arctic, Carving
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The Art Of Cleaning Art

Art is a pArt of life and for some, it is their way of life. Others usually consider Art as a worthy investment. Regardless of how you see Art, restoring and preserving A rt pieces are important techniques to maintain their value. Painting restoration is a serious matter; that is why most people prefer to have their paintings professionally restored. However, if you like the thought of restoring your own pieces, lots of practice and familiarity with techniques are necessary. Because according to statistics, more paintings and Art works are destroyed each year by inept restoration and cleaning than by accidental burning or fire.

Clouded varnish, dirt, and smoke are the usual culprits that cause paintings to become dirty. Restoring paintings by cleaning it is the logical step of most owners. However, wiping paintings with rags or whatever liquid is damaging. Art restoration professionals recommend researching restoration techniques on the internet or attending seminars on restoring paintings before embarking on a restoration mission.

Art works look more elegant and classic when preserved in their original frames. As it is, detaching paintings from their frames is necessary and important before the actual cleaning. Non-removal of the frames not only causes discomfort and unease in cleaning, it also causes scratches and abrasion. Remove the frames by laying the picture backside up on a flat surface layered with foam or cushion to avoid scratching the frames. Vacuum accumulated dust on the frames' back and remove nails gently with a metal ruler and pliers. Secure the nails on board with labels of their previous positions. For example, secure and label the nails plucked from the lower right side of the frame as lower right. This way, each nail fits exactly on its previous place without causing added strain on the frame. Marking the frame is also a good idea to be able to return it to its original position.

After removing paintings from their frame, it is better to inspect the kind of dirt build-up on the paintings. Knowing the kind of dirt to be removed is necessary in finding and using the right product and tools. Anti-mildew solutions remove mildew build-up or foxing effectively. However, soaking the painting in these solutions damages the colors and the painting. To prevent this, soak or spray the solution on a cotton pad and wipe on the area affected with foxing. Follow up with a water-dipped cotton pad and wipe dry. Periodically check cotton pads to see if some color or paint was dissolved. For dirt build-up that requires light to medium cleaning, slicing an onion in half and dipping it in lemon juice remove grime and dirt off Art work. Rub paintings with lemon-soaked onion using a circular motion for even application. Slice the onion regularly to expose a fresh layer. An alternative is using warm water with lemon detergent or washing soda. Finish either treatment by wiping their painting with a moist sponge and leaving it to dry. Art works respond to this treatment with improved depth of color.

Experts recommend leaving varnish removal and painting repair to the professionals. Art works do not sell well or look good if extensively damaged. As these types of restoration require complicated techniques, the chances of botching the job are high if done by amateurs. The job is expensive but make the value of your paintings appreciate.

For more valuable information on Art, please visit http://www.Artbyelaine.com

Author:: William Teleo
Keywords:: Art, Art restoration
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Celtic Jewelry: Ancient Symbolism in Popular Fashion

The mysterious and the mystical have always had the power to hold human beings in thrall throughout the millennia. Celtic jewelry is no exception to this, since they are an extension and a reminder of the traditions and rituals of the Celts, an ancient European people. Today, men and women of all ages wear Celtic jewelry not only for their beauty, but also for their symbolism and metaphysical connotations.

Also popularly -- though inaccurately -- known as Claddagh jewelry, Celtic designs are appreciated for their intricacy and beauty. Numerous patterns of Celtic origin, such as the spiral and the cross, are used by jewelers in their creations. The Celtic spiral symbolizes eternity and is used abundantly in many Celtic jewelry items today. Just as popular is the Celtic cross, which pre-dates the Christian cross by about two centuries. The Celtic cross is thought to bring greater knowledge, understanding and the fortitude to deal with trials and adversities, as compare d to the Christian cross, which is believed to protect the wearer from harm.

Claddagh rings and bracelets are two more examples of popular Celtic jewelry items that are replete with symbolism. Rings that have the Celtic knot design symbolize eternal and undying love; this is why they are exchanged by the bride and groom in present day wedding ceremonies to signify their fidelity and never-ending commitment to each other. Such rings and bracelets are also given to friends as an indication of loyalty.

Necklaces and pendants are likewise integral pArts of a Celtic jewelry collection. Depending on the wearers preferences, the pendant may depict the image of Celtic figures such as the ever-popular knot, spiral, Celtic cross, serpent or dragon. Such symbols have deep spiritual and religious meaning, and it is one of the main reasons why Celtic jewelry items are popular dress accessories today.

A person does not have to be Irish or Scottish or to have any other Celtic connection in order to appreciate Celtic jewelry. Whether given as gifts or maintained as personal keepsakes, these unique pieces can be enjoyed just for their beauty alone. But a little awareness of their meaning, as well as their place in history and tradition add to their air of enigma and allure.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician and a writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off. This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

Author:: Sam Serio
Keywords:: celtic knots, claddagh rings, irish celtic jewelry,sterling silver, celtic jewelry, marriage band
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Toronto and the Police

CHAPTER ONE: The Attack of the Little People:

TORONTO THE GOOD:

Toronto is one of the worlds most secure and wonderful cities and there are few social systems as good as we have in Canada. My name is Robert Bruce Baird and I live in Parkdale where my parents lived and where I spent the first two years of my life. Circumstances or co-incidences see me researching my books at the same library where my father read almost every book while his grandfather worked long and hard to create the union in an era when that was a meaningful contribution to society and the world. It is a new building and I am sure there are many more books. I can remember him saying he would get the librarian to bring in many books that he wanted in addition to the complete works of Shakespeare, Shaw and the Britannica. He imparted a true Joy of Learning in me that I have never lost. But I am fifty-five years old and I have given up on the materialistic society I once excelled at to the point that I was a self-made millionaire by the age of thirty. I am a proponent of a spiritual and ethical approach to matching assets and responsibilities to actualize plans such as full technology usage in the vein of Galbraith and Bucky Fuller or the Club of Rome. You might already have gathered that from the quotes I began this book with, if you know Buckys work. Toronto was one of the places Bucky spent a lot of time.

Friday February, 23, 2006 seemed like many other days at the start. I had finished another book called Phoenician Makers of the Bible and Much More a couple of days before. I was continuing work on two other books but taking it easy as the Winter Olympics from Torino provided me with a lot of entertainment. I was thinking about when I should re-contact best-selling author Jim Marrs about his offer to do a forward for my book titled Americas Assassination and Aspirations. Jim wrote the book that the movie JFK is based on, in part. He is a long time corresp ondent of mine and we have both given each other some helpful research since I started writing and participating in the World Wide Web. He has said he will do this in the spring so I decided to wait until the end of March; but as you will shortly see I might be in Jail at that time.

After depositing my Canada Pension Plan and Ontario Disability Support Plan (ODSP) checks in the bank I went back to the Group Home I self-admitted myself to about seven years earlier. The ODSP check is for about $33. and I could live on my own and get more money from them. They pay my landlord about $500. a month in addition to my rent of $543.30. My spendable income is less than $200. a month with a tax rebate amounting to about $550. a year which I use to get my books in the market or to do research on artifacts sent to me by fellow researchers. I went to the smoking lounge to watch the Olympic coverage and to see how many medals Canada was adding to their already historic medal count.

Minh the Mighty:

There is a long history of activism in regards to my involvement in the Group Home or Hospital and Prison Without Walls that I live in. When I came here in January 1999 the home was owned by Mrs. Carmen Carter whose husband had died a short time earlier. He was a Seventh Day Adventist minister and leader and she is from a wealthy Jamaican family. She had been a psychiatric nurse and was on Mayoral Committees and they had donated the land that Branson Hospital is located on and the city was asking for more of the land to expand that hospital upon as I remember. Mrs. Carter said I was sent by God and other such things. At first I tired to help the mentally challenged and victimized people of the larger community. I established Bridge Clubs and Euchre Tournaments with the help of a COTA (Community Occupational Therapy Associates) worker named Catriona. I organized a newsletter and paid for the printing myself. Catriona said that her bosses liked it and they would distribute it. Habitat Services checked it out in advance and also indicated they would distribute it but the self-help and groups I was promoting created a problem for one of their Directors who had pursued his adopted son into the consumer survivor community and these homes for over sixteen years.

His son was cross-dressing and was diagnosed as having Multiple Personality Disorder. In one four or five hour session with me he opened up more than he had ever done with all his social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists during that sixteen years. I discovered someone in his family had taken lit cigarettes to his penis and other such travesties of morality. His step-father was the Director of Habitat that we were dealing with and though I never met him in person he began slandering me. The newsletter was never delivered and we stopped making it after three months. This young man had a sister adopted by the same family. This family is very wealthy and I can only imagine that they would not want this can of worms opened up given the fact that the young girl had run away and she had been involved in the sex trade. These are common symptoms of the Cycle of Violence and incest and the system does not wish to address those problems directly because parents are often the victimizer and they are the voters as well as the fact that it would be hard to help all those who have been abused. C. Everett Koop as Surgeon-General of the United States said it was an epidemic. I was involved in a personal mission to help these people in the US for at least nine years including a year when I lived with a noted Doctor of Psychology who was my twin (born the same day as me).

I eventually stopped actively reaching out to help people when various other acts of psychiatrists an d hospitals made it clear I was black-flagged and they would not support my efforts. I continued to help as I could in my own home. Mrs. Carter had developed Alzheimers or something like that and she had sold the home to Peter and Kelly about a year and a half before the confrontation that is the cause of this effort or explanation.

In the week leading-up to Minh attacking me one of the people I had helped had moved out of the house. His name is Peter Lye and he would have been able to provide me with a good witness to what happened and the police constable would have been more hesitant to do what he did if Peter had been there. I am pretty sure Minh knew this and began to try to get me at this juncture partially because Peter was no longer there. Peter had held the door open over a year earlier when I threw Minh out the door from some distance. Minh is anorexic and less than half my weight. He and his crack-smoking lover who had been squatting in his room for most of that month had forced us to take action and involve the police on more than one occasion. At that juncture Philip (his lover) had bumped me with his chest and I was about to throw him out when Minh came to his lovers defence.

So when I returned from doing my banking and started to watch the Olympics Minh came into the smoking lounge and turned the station on the TV. Minh does not smoke cigarettes and I do not know if he personally does the cocaine and crack that was often done by his male lovers in his room. A year earlier had seen the end of him going into the street and bringing as many as six lovers a day into his room as well as other thieves, prostitutes and low-lifes. At this juncture I had seen the medal update and there was nothing I really needed to watch; and even though others might have liked to continue watching and Minh had not asked for a vote I went upstairs to work on my books and web communities.

Later in the day I returned to watch the hockey game between Finland and Russia. Minh came in and turned the station and was still moving it despite my asking him not to. I got up from the couch and went to the TV. I grabbed his hand and because the TV knobs are missing and we have to stick our fingers into the holes where the knobs used to be I had to move his hand backwards rather than merely slap it away. I did not look to see what happened when I threw his hand backwards as I started to return the TV station to the game we were watching.

Minh punched me in the eye from behind. I continued to get the TV onto the right station as well as continuing to smoke a cigarette in my other hand. He may have hit me more than once but am not sure when each aspect of my wounds and chucks of hair lying on the floor occurred. I do remember getting on top of him while still smoking my cigarette and him yanking a huge lock of hair from my head. I do not have a lot of hair up top but I am trying to be humorous in mentioning that. It was at this time that he stuck his fingers into my eye socket and I became concerned. I stood up and got hold of his head. I pushed his head down towards his knees and gradually got him to where I could sit on a chair even though he continued to punch at my lower extremities. I had my left hand under his chin and my right hand on the back of his head at the base of the skull or the top of his neck. He continued punching me even though he must have known I could have broken his neck easily at this juncture.

There have been other incidents where I did not call the police when Minh hit me and I think he knows that I am a person who will not hurt other people unless I have to. In this instance I called for the staff person who we call Cliff to phone the police because I thought this would rise to the level of being worthy of an assault charge what with seeing my hair on the floor and knowing I was bleeding near my eye. There are legal uncertainties about what is allowab le for tenants, owners and other rights including whether or not the law for hotels or motels, or apartments apply. This uncertainty had existed even when the house got good police service while Mrs. Carter paid the Benevolent Association and up to $500 a month to various police causes; while avoiding payment of duty on her American-registered Mercedes Benz with Texas plates that had been given to her when her son died around the same time her husband had passed on. Peter and Kelly refused to pay the Benevolent Association when asked to do so but there is no proof which clearly establishes the nature of the protection racket they run. The art of SPIN and deception is not limited to journalism or politics.

A TOUGH HOMBRE:

When the police arrived my friend Mel was at the door holding it open for them. Melvin is a black man who served two tours in Vietnam including a black ops base in Laos or Cambodia as an aircraft technician. He became a drug addict in Vietnam but he has beaten the habit in the last four years with the help of Peter and myself as well as others. I asked the policeman if I could leave Minh in his care so I could rest after a long period of adrenaline rush and energy spent restraining his. I sat down in my usual place on the corner of the couch with the table between me and the lady cop I later learned is named Caroline. She took information including my ID from my shaking hands while I explained to the constable what had occurred.

Incredibly the policeman said he would not be pressing any charges as he felt it was just a fight despite the evidence to the contrary. I explained my role in the house even though I was pretty sure he had been there before at a time when things were especially rough and a parolee who was threatening everyone had defecated on the floor in front of the kitchen door to get back at the staff. I explained that I had done everything according to what many cops and the owner thought was the proper way to handle such a confrontation but that we still needed further clarity from the courts as to the legal position we were in vis a vis the different labels that might be legally interpreted as applicable to the situation. He said I was no lawyer and that he was no Average Joe and preened his ego along with using words of a purple nature. I responded with the same words and told him I wanted a judge to decide and that I did not need his opinion or that of any other cop due to the established uncertainty. I also said that if there were no charges laid against Minh that would necessitate people using force to protect themselves. He said I was Threatening. There is a legal charge that could go along with that. He asked Cliff (Who I think had just came by and quickly left. His son had been killed in the previous two years while acting as security for a downtown bar.) for his opinion and Cliff muttered something about having nothing to say.

I pointed out that the o wners were not paying the protection and that his threats of sending me to Jail did not bother me. I like Jail or I could certainly say I have learned a lot in Jail as you can see from my appendix number one. I probably told him about that article titled The Man Who Loved Jail which has been on the web for some time. Th e situation continued with us repeating our positions until he asked me to go outside. I got up and was near the door when he first laid hands on me. I told him there was no need to get physical. He continued and I braced myself on the door jambs with my legs apart. I remember his first punch to my kidney did not hurt and I remember him saying to his partner Take him down. I let them wail on me for a minute or more and kept saying I was not resisting arrest but rather I was insisting on it.

I do not recall him asking me to go to the floor in the small room but I could see that might end the charade so I went onto the floor on my hands and knees. He pounced upon me on the left side of my body and the lady cop went to my fight and grabbed my hand which was under the table. His weight on my shoulders and neck did make it hard to breathe when I was face down on the floor and I told them I was not resisting but I would have to move so I could breath. They could not prevent me from doing any movement I wished to do. I would imagine I weigh as much as the two of them do together. I was on my back with my hands out front to the side so she could put the cuffs on and he was on top of me screaming obscenities and asking me if I could breathe better as he had both hands on my neck. I think he was trying to choke me but he was unable to do it.

Author of many books available at Lulu and World-Mysteries.com

Author:: Robert Baird
Keywords:: Group Homes, Toronto, Jail
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