#18th New York Independent Battery

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Britain, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, erstwhile coal-burning imperial behemoth, wants to be a “clean energy superpower.”

At least that’s the promise of the next prime minister, Keir Starmer. His Labour Party won the parliamentary elections on Thursday, ending 14 years of Conservative Party rule.

Labour made big campaign promises on climate. How that actually plays out will be felt not only in the daily lives of people in Britain, but also on the nation’s standing in the world.

Britain is one of history’s major climate polluters. It’s where the Industrial Revolution began in the 18th century, giving rise to a global economy driven by coal, oil and gas and with it, the emissions of planet-heating greenhouse gases. So the speed and scale of Britain’s energy transition is likely to be closely watched by other industrialized countries and emerging economies alike.

Britain likes to think of itself as a global climate leader. In 2008, it became the first among major industrialized countries to pass a climate change law. Its emissions have dramatically fallen since then. In 2021, its government set a legally binding target to bring down greenhouse gas emissions by 78 percent by 2035, relative to 1990 levels, in one of the most ambitious climate laws in the world.

Getting there, though, is the hard part. The new government will face a cost-of-living crisis at home, geopolitical turbulence abroad and a battery of extreme weather events exacerbated by the rise in fossil-fuel emissions.

Mr. Starmer’s campaign manifesto promised “zero-carbon electricity by 2030.”

Lucky for him, the country is already on its way there.

It no longer counts on coal to generate the bulk of its electricity. The last coal-burning power plant is slated to shut down in September. Coal has gone from supplying 40 percent of its electricity in 2012 to near zero today, according to an analysis by Carbon Brief, an independent climate news site.

[mcgiggers]

New York - September 2024

Just back from the Armory and related art festivities in the Big Apple which also hosted the US Open and New York Fashion Week. The eclectic mix of aficionados made for a raucous and visually entertaining backdrop for the supercharged events. On the art front, the Armory Show was center stage as it celebrated its 30th edition and its second at the revamped Javits Center. Other fairs visited were Independent 20th Century and Art on Paper. While the sheer proliferation of fairs in the last decade can inevitably result in hit or miss experiences, the gatherings nevertheless offer the opportunity to see thousands of works by a broad range of local and international artists all under one roof which, with some patience and visual filtering, always yields marvelous art finds.

This year the Armory featured over 235 leading galleries representing more than 35 countries. The notable absence of the mega-galleries and smaller overall international representation gave the fair a more local feel with an energized NYC vibe. The smorgasbord of primarily post-war contemporary offerings ranged from figurative to abstract with a hint of conceptual. The Javits Center easily accommodated the bulked-up size of the fair, and the comfortable spacing and layout enhanced the viewing experience.  Some highlights included: Deni Lantz’s dreamy John Zurier-inspired “Untitled”, 2024, oil and beeswax on canvas (72.0 x 59.84 in.); Anouk Lamm Anouk’s ethereal “post/pre Nº 64”, 2023, acrylic on linen (19.75 x 21.63 in.); Paul Feeley’s iconically shaped “Untitled (January 29)”, 1962, oil-based enamel on canvas (57 x 81 in.); and, Sara Siestreem (Hanis Coos)’s playful “foxes on the moon”, 2024, acrylic, graphite, Xerox transfer on panel board (49 x 72 in.).

Independent 20th Century fair was more highbrow. From a gallery perspective, that might be fine if the right people are showing up; from a fair goer perspective, the offering was more nuanced. Set in the historic Battery Maritime Building for the second year in a row, the smallish 32-exhibitor show primarily championed artists that applied their trade between 1900 and 2000. The highlights included: Squeak Carnwath’s painted patterns and thoughts in “Dick & Jane”, 1996, oil and alkyd on canvas (76 x 102 in.); Tom Fairs’ nightscape “Untitled”, c. 1998-99, mixed media on heavy paper (30 x 22 in.); and Rebecca Ward’s translucent “king ranch lll”, 2013, bleach on canvas (40 x 30 in.).

Art on Paper continued its run on the courts of Basketball City on Pier 36 and celebrated its tenth edition with a 100-gallery roster featuring top modern and contemporary paper-based art. On a relative basis, the offering was probably the most accessible from a price point perspective compared to that of other fairs which likely contributed to its enthusiastic appreciation by art fans.  Highlights included: David Richardson’s “White Roses #3”, 2024, chalk on paper (14 x 11 in.); Simone Christen’s “Moment of Bliss l”, 2023, ink on raw linen (30 x 24 x 1.5 in.); and Herman Cherry’s “Untitled #35”, 1968, oil on rag paper (18.25 x 23 in.).

One of the most impressive sights viewed during the New York visit was a billboard by Glenn Ligon spotted from the High Line at 18th Street and 10th Avenue. This new version of “Untitled (America/Me)” spans 25 x 75 ft and features an altered image of Ligon’s iconic 14 ft 2008 “Untitled” which stretches 14 ft across spelling out the word “AMERICA” in neon lights that flicker on and off.  In 2022, Ligon revisited “Untitled” by creating a print, the original “Untitled (America/Me)”, that manipulated a photograph of the neon by drawing X’s through letters leaving only M and E untouched. The billboard is a reprisal of that modest sized print (14 x 11 in., edition of 50) on a gargantuan level, magnifying perhaps the polarized state of affairs in America today.  

Meanwhile back in Hogtown, it’s time to heat up the grill with BBQ season nearly upon us. The burning question is who is going to run with the Barnes, Barrett and Quickley trio. The Big Austrian is a prime candidate in the middle, but who will suit up at the number 4 spot? The ask is for a 6’8” 240 lbs. defensive stalworth that can guard in space, run the floor and knock down 3’s at a 38% plus clip. The current roster’s cast of characters are not obvious candidates. Tricky Dicky, Kelly Canuk and B-Squared each fall short in a few categories. As the auditioning plays out in training camp and the pre-season, there may be some surprises among the lesser known and yet unproven entities on the payroll, but hope is not a strategy. The whole spells for some uncertainty regarding the upcoming season. Barring injuries, the Dinos may be good enough to better last season’s record of 25-67, but probably not good enough to make a splash beyond a play-in round. With that prospect, Sensei Masai’s hand will not be far from the tank button. In the interim, Coach Darko will have to manage as best as he can and be ready to pivot at any time.

For more information on any of the artists or works mentioned, and the starting lineup for the Dinos, “Just Google It”.

There you have it sportsfans,

MC Giggers

(https://mcgiggers.tumblr.com) Reporter’s Certification

I, MC Giggers, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views and that no part of my compensation was or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific views expressed herein.

I also certify that I may or may not own, directly or indirectly, works of artists mentioned in this report and that I may or may not have a strong bias for such artists and, more generally, for “Pictures of Nothing”.

[markerhunter]

Summary Statement, 4th Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Summary Statement, 4th Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Let us review the fourth quarter statements for the middle dozen New York independent “light” batteries:

I say “light” as while on paper these were indeed light batteries, in actuality not all served as light batteries. We see nine returns processed. All within January or February 1864. Very tidy… relatively speaking:

13th Independent Battery: Reporting from Bridgeport, Alabama with…

[shitloadsofwrestling]

A farewell to Horrorshow [September 18th, 2014 - May 31st, 2018]

At the finale of 2017, I made a decision to end something that’s aided my career and the careers of many others throughout various companies, states, and with several great athletes along the way. I’ve been asked by many to explain why it’s time that the group reaches its end, so here it is... a final farewell to the stable that I created, Horrorshow.

In the Summer of 2014, I was a film director working with wrestling talents in an effort to find the next big action star. Immersed in the world of pro wrestling, I realized that there was a world of hurt out in the business of wrestling so I made the choice to find the most maniacal and malicious wrestlers to lace a pair of boots, commenting backstage that our group resembled “wrestling’s walking horror movie”. The wrestlers in the group at the time, Zodiak, Derek Neal, and Josh Crow agreed that the group should go in that direction. At the following event, Evolution Pro Wrestling’s We Don’t Need TV, it was announced that #Spotlight would now be known as #Horrorshow. The hashtag was eventually dropped.

Over the next several months, new members of Horrorshow would start popping up in different companies. Tripp Cassidy, Chase Matthews, Adam Bueller, and Hayley Shadows were among the first several members. Over the next few months, Horrorshow would grow exponentially, including members who would do one-off appearances (such as Cliff Compton and Crazy Mary Dobson) and would make allies with wrestlers such as Joseph Schwartz. By the Summer of 2016, the group would also include Amazing Maria, Matt Atreya, and the new SSW Heavyweight Champion Kongo Kong, who defeated Sugar Dunkerton for the title in his first night with the group. That Summer was one of discovery, as we realized what the group was capable of. Other members who were added in companies like Pro Wrestling Freedom and Pro Wrestling Revolution were Jeremiah Plunkett and Team IOU, now known as The Carnies.

2017 was one of the most pivotal and active years that Horrorshow ever saw. Traveling between 17 states and working oceanside in Florida and sheltered from the snow in New York, audiences all over the United States were becoming familiar with the madmen and hellcats of Horrorshow. In Strong Style Wrestling, Horrorshow would remove Kongo Kong from the group and replace him with the new SSW Champion, “The Iron Demon” Shane Mercer. Returning to IWA Mid-South, Horrorshow would include “Legendary” Larry D and “Indestructible” Calvin Tankman. Other members who would be added to the fold included Meng, The Barbarian, Gangrel, and Kevin Thorn. By the years’ end, the group boasted an incredible 36 members from its inception to its end, with the final member Charlie Kruel being introduced in January of 2018.

After four long years of working together as a team and seeing the world through crimson-stained glasses, a realization was made. The group had accomplished its goal. Jason Saint became a well-known name in independent wrestling. Wrestlers like Shane Mercer, Kongo Kong, and Zodiak had become more popular than ever, the latter of which claiming that it was Horrorshow that kept him in professional wrestling. Hayley Shadows and Amazing Maria were names that continue to pop up in new states and areas on a consistent basis. But, with wrestlers such as Josh Crow and Chase Matthews leaving pro wrestling, with certain members being booked in different companies from each other, and with new avenues being offered at every turn, it seems desperate for Horrorshow to try and hold things together when there are just so many more directions we could go. The group has already established every member individually. “It just feels like time to go.”

At Adam Bueller’s Day Off, a benefit event to raise money for Adam Bueller (who was diagnosed with type b lymphoma), the group has its last hurrah, with two matches taking place as a farewell. Amazing Maria, Hayley Shadows, and Charlie Kruel competed in a triple threat match, which saw Maria come out on top, and the main event was set to feature Kongo Kong, Shane Mercer, and Zodiak in a second triple threat match. Instead, Josh Ashcraft interrupted the match and introduced Legacy Of Brutality, which prompted general manager Adam Bueller to make a 6-man match between the two groups. After Saint slugged Ashcraft, a Kongo Driver, a Heart Punch, a Moonsault and Battery, and a Last Rites Splash, Horrorshow sent Legacy Of Brutality packing, cementing themselves in history and putting one final nail in the coffin. 

It’s hard to say goodbye. There are a lot of memories both inside the ring and out that I’ll have for the rest of my life with some of the most incredible people I’ve ever known. Horrorshow will always be a family. One that watched each other’s backs and LOVE each other. No matter how far we stray, we know where home is.

We had our fights against the world, against each other We traveled in the night So many roads, so many shows together Far apart we grew, isolated but still together

- The Bouncing Souls, I’m From There

Horrorshow (2014-2018)

Photos by Mouse’s Wrestling Adventures and Rice-McCoy Photography.

[itsfinancethings]

New world news from Time: Former President Lee Teng-hui Who Brought Direct Elections to Taiwan Dies at 97

(TAIPEI, Taiwan) — Former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, who brought direct elections and other democratic changes to the self-governed island despite missile launches and other fierce saber-rattling by China, has died. He was 97.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital said Lee died Thursday evening after suffering from infections, cardiac problems and organ failure since being hospitalized in February.

Lee strove to create a separate, non-Chinese identity for Taiwan, angering not only China, which considers the island part of its territory, but also members of his Nationalist Party who hoped to return victorious to the mainland.

Lee later openly endorsed formal independence for the island but illness in his later years prompted him to largely withdraw from public life.

Physically imposing and charismatic, Lee spanned Taiwan’s modern history and was native to the island, unlike many who arrived with Chiang Kai-shek in 1949, at the end of the Chinese civil war.

At times gruff, at times personable, he left little doubt he was the man in charge in almost any setting.

“A leader must be tough and strong enough so he can put an end to disputes and chaotic situations,” he wrote in his autobiography.

He was born in a farming community near Taipei on Jan 15, 1923, near the midpoint of Japan’s half-century colonial rule. The son of a Japanese police aide, he volunteered in the Imperial Japanese Army and returned to Taiwan as a newly commissioned second lieutenant to help man an anti-aircraft battery.

He earned degrees in Japan and Taiwan, as well as at Iowa State University and Cornell University in New York. He worked for the U.S.-sponsored Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction, which sought to encourage land reform and modernize Taiwanese agriculture.

In 1971, Lee joined the governing Nationalist Party. As a descendant of the people who migrated to the island from China in the 17th and 18th centuries, he was part of the party’s effort to broaden its base beyond the 1949 arrivals from the mainland. He was Taipei mayor, Taiwan province governor and vice president before succeeding to the presidency in 1988.

In his early years as president, Lee met significant resistance from Nationalist hard-liners who favored the party’s tradition of mainlander domination and resented Lee’s native status. He beat back the resistance, largely by giving his detractors important political positions.

In 1990, Lee signaled his support for student demands for direct elections of Taiwan’s president and vice president and the end of reserving legislative seats to represent districts on the Chinese mainland. The following year he oversaw the dismantling of emergency laws put into effect by Chiang Kai-shek’s government, effectively reversing the Nationalists’ long-standing goal of returning to the mainland and removing the Communists from power.

Communist China saw the democratic steps as a direct threat to its claim to Taiwan, and its anger was exacerbated when Lee visited the United States in 1995. To Beijing, Lee’s visit to Cornell signaled the United States was willing to accord special recognition to the ruler of a “renegade” Chinese province.

The U.S. made sure Lee did not meet with high-ranking American officials, including then-President Bill Clinton, but its attempts to dampen Chinese anger were unsuccessful.

China soon began a series of threatening military maneuvers off the coast of mainland Fujian province that included the firing of missiles just off Taiwan’s coast. More missiles were fired immediately before the March 1996 presidential elections, and the U.S. response was to send aircraft carrier battle groups to Taiwan’s east coast in a show of support. Taiwanese were uncowed and the elections went ahead, with Lee victorious.

In a celebrated interview in late 1996, Lee declared that relations between Taiwan and China had the character of relations between two separate states. This was heresy, not only in the eyes of Beijing, but also for many Nationalists, who continued to see Taiwan as part of China, and looked forward to eventual union between the sides, though not necessarily under Communist control.

In 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party as president, ending a half-century of Nationalist monopoly. His election was virtually guaranteed by a split in the Nationalist Party, which had two representatives in the race. The retiring Lee had supported one of them but was still blamed for the split, and the party moved to expel him.

In 2001, supporters of Lee formed a new pro-independence party. The Taiwan Solidarity Union also wanted to break the cultural and political connection between the island and the mainland.

Lee himself backed away from wanting a formal declaration of independence for Taiwan, insisting it already was, given the island was not Chinese Communist-controlled.

In 2012, he backed independence-minded candidate Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who lost to the Nationalists’ Ma Ying-jeou, an avatar of closer ties between China and Taiwan.

Tsai ran again and was elected in 2016, upping tensions again with China. Lee was ailing by that time and played little role in the election. Tsai won re-election this year by a healthy margin over her Nationalist challenger.

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[markpauldaphotography]

37 Books Every Gentleman Should Read

World Book Day is tomorrow as it is every 23 April.  Commit yourself to reach back to the classics, then begin reading.  Some book titles included in this list are expected, though there are a handful of surprises.  And, if you're thinking what to read during a general free time on the sofa, or by a pool or an ocean, I've got you covered.   A well-read gentleman is also a good conversationalist.  It's the perfect excuse to get lost in a good book.   Self-Control: Its Kingship and Majesty by William George Jordan The turn of the 20th century was the golden age of personal development books. In contrast to the self-help books of today, which are filled with flattering, empty, cliche platitudes, they’re direct, masterfully written, and full of profound and challenging insights that centre on the development of good character. Even in this golden age, one author stands supreme: William George Jordan. His Self-Control is full of beautifully written wisdom on self-reliance, calmness, gratitude, and more.

  How to Be A Gentleman: A Timely Guide to Timeless Manners by John Bridges Being a gentleman isn’t just being a nice guy, or a considerate guy or the type of guy someone might take home to meet their mother.  A gentleman realizes that he has the unique opportunity to distinguish himself from the rest of the crowd. He knows when an email is appropriate, and when nothing less than a handwritten note will do. He knows how to dress on the golf course, in church, and at a party. He knows how to breeze through an airport without the slightest fumble of his carry-on or boarding pass.  And those conversational icebreakers―“Where do I know you from?” A gentleman knows better.  Gentlemanliness is all in the details, and John Bridges is reclaiming the idea that men―gentlemen―can be extraordinary in every facet of their lives.

  A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole A Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favourite books of all time.  This New Orleans-based novel won author John Kennedy Toole the Pulitzer Prize. Its perfect comedy of errors is centred around the character of Ignatius J. Reilly, a lazy and socially ignorant, but very intelligent man, who still lives with his mother at the age of 30. A Confederacy of Dunces serves as a guide for what a man ought not to be while providing sound entertainment all the while.

  Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt by Tristan Egolf A literary sensation published to outstanding accolades in America and around the world, Lord of the Barnyard was one of the most auspicious fiction debuts of recent years. Now available in paperback, Tristan Egolf's manic, inventive, and painfully funny debut novel is the story of a town's dirty laundry -- and a garbagemen's strike that lets it all hang out. Lord of the Barnyard begins with the death of a woolly mammoth in the last Ice Age and concludes with a greased-pig chase at a funeral in the modern-day Midwest. In the interim there are two hydroelectric dam disasters, fourteen tavern brawls, one shoot-out in the hills, three cases of probable arson, a riot in the town hall, and a lone tornado, as well as appearances by a coven of Methodist crones, an encampment of Appalachian crop thieves, six renegade coal-truck operators, an outraged mob of factory rats, a dysfunctional poultry plant, and one autodidact goat-roping farm boy by the name of John Kaltenbrunner. Lord of the Barnyard is a brilliantly comic tapestry of a Middle America still populated by river rats and assembly-line poultry killers, measuring into shot glasses the fruits of years of quiet desperation on the factory floor. Unforgettable and linguistically dizzying, it goes much farther than postal.

  Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson I saw the theatre production of Treasure Island at the National Theatre not once, not twice, but three times.  Then, I read the book again with much delight.  Pretty much everything we think of when we think of pirates comes not from the pages of history but from this book: treasure maps with “X” marking the spot, deserted islands, peg legs, parrots, and more. Published as a children’s tale (and a rather adult one at that), American novelist Henry James praised it as “perfect as a well-played boy’s game.”

  The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton Read Hamilton's Federalist Papers, then read the Constitution.  Composed of 85 articles, The Federalist Papers served to explain and encourage the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The majority of the essays were penned by Alexander Hamilton and originally published in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet. While the Constitution lays out the laws of the land, these essays provide the 18th-century version of the ballot/blue books we get the mail around election time, explaining the laws that are being proposed. It is essential reading for any civically minded American.  Forget the theatre production.   Your Car’s Owner’s Manual Yep, that dusty book in your glove compartment. Come on, bring it out and get to know your car better. So, it’s not exactly “literature” but it’ll teach you something that will come in handy.  Guaranteed.  By the way, I was shocked to learn the battery in my Mercedes is located under the driver's seat. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith The fundamental work on free-market policies: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.” Want an education in economics?  This book is a great start.

  How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie The granddad of books about people skills, the advice found in How to Win Friends and Influence People is still sound and applicable 80 years later. Carnegie writes about skills like making people feel valued and appreciated, ensuring you don’t come across as manipulative (which happens unintentionally more than we think!), and essentially, “winning” people to your viewpoints and ideas. While it can sound a little disingenuous in its description, these are true skills that people use every day, and this book is a great resource for boning up your social game.

  The Republic by Plato The Republic is a Socratic dialogue, written by Plato around 380 BC, concerning the definition of justice and how a just city-state should be ordered and characterized. It is the great philosopher’s best-known work and has proven to be one of history’s most influential works of philosophy and political theory. In it, Socrates and other various interlocutors discuss the meaning of justice and examine whether or not the just man is happier than the unjust man, as well as the theory of Forms, the immortality of the soul, and the role of the philosopher in society.

  For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway Robert Jordan is a young dynamiter in the Spanish Civil War. He’s an American who’s volunteered to fight against Franco’s fascists and is sent behind enemy lines to take out an important bridge to impede enemy forces from advancing. He lives in a rudimentary camp with anti-fascist Spanish guerillas and comes to embrace their hearty way of life and love. And of course, there are some incredible battle scenes, which were informed by Hemingway’s own time as a correspondent in the Spanish Civil War.

  On the Road by Jack Kerouac A defining novel of the Beat generation, On the Road, is fictional, but a semi-autobiographical account of two friends’ road trips across America, against the backdrop of a counter-culture of jazz, poetry, drug use, and the drunken revelry of back-alley bars. Along with their travels, they’re searching for what many young men are: freedom, ambition, hope, and authenticity.  

  Travels With Charley In Search of America by John Steinbeck To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colours and the light—these were John Steinbeck's goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years.  With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way, he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers. 

  A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway’s classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s.  A Moveable Feast brilliantly evokes the exuberant mood of Paris after World War I and the unbridled creativity and unquenchable enthusiasm that Hemingway himself epitomized.

  Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss After a terrible storm, the Swiss family Robinson becomes shipwrecked on a deserted island. With teamwork, ingenuity, and a bit of luck, the group strives to overcome nature’s obstacles and create some semblance of community and civility within their new environs. A truly classic survival and adventure tale.

  Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand While there’s plenty of political, moral, and economic philosophy in this book, it’s coated in an action thriller of a story. Set in the near future, our protagonists are Dagny Taggart, heir to a transcontinental railroad empire, and Hank Rearden, the head of a steel company who’s invented a revolutionary new alloy. Together, they battle against evil government bureaucrats and socialists to hold civilization together, while all the while powerful industrialists are mysteriously disappearing, leaving behind only the cryptic phrase “Who is John Galt?” Though this book is associated with passionate libertarianism, the story is an interesting one to ponder no matter one’s political persuasions.

  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas The ultimate tale of betrayal and revenge. Edmund Dantes, days before marrying his beloved Mercedes, is brutally betrayed, arrested for treason, and consequently taken to a prison on an island off the French coast. The story goes on to tell of his escape from prison (don’t worry, it’s early in the novel and doesn’t ruin anything) and his becoming wealthy and re-entering society as an educated and sophisticated Count. He plots his revenge, eyes reclaiming his love, and ultimately…well, you’ll just have to read it.

  Self-Reliance & Other Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self-Reliance” contains the most prominent of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophies: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and personal inconsistencies, and to follow their own instincts and ideas. You’re to rely on your own self versus going with the ebbs and flows of culture at large. Other essays in the collection focus on friendship, history, experience, and more.  Is it just me, or is this Self Reliance a necessity in today's world?  I'm anything except a conformist.

  The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov There is nothing more manly than a bout with the Devil. Mikhail Bulgakov wrote this entertaining commentary on the social bureaucracy in Moscow during the height of Stalin’s reign. Lucifer himself pays the atheistic city a visit to make light of the people’s scepticism regarding the spiritual realm. The novel also visits ancient Jerusalem under Pontius Pilate’s rule. Even for the non-religious, this book will provide plenty of food for thought.

  Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand This 1897 play follows French cadet Cyrano de Bergerac. He’s a poet, musician, and expert swordsman — a true Renaissance Man. Unfortunately, Cyrano has a tragically large nose, which hinders his confidence to the point that he’s unable to profess his feelings to Roxane and feels he isn’t worthy of anyone’s love. What is a man to do in such a situation? Read and find out.

  Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes It’s all well and good to be a dreamer, but a man must also be grounded in reality. It’s a lesson that Don Quixote comes to learn in the 17th-century eponymous book, which is widely considered to be the world’s first novel. Quixote, along with his squire Sancho Panza, travels the world in search of grand adventures and heroic deeds which would earn him the title of Knight. He continues against all odds, and in some cases, against all common sense. It’s funny, surprisingly easy to read given the fact that it’s over 400 years old, and can provide a man many lessons on the aspirations of heroism.

  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley This short, but ever-popular tale is a young woman’s take on humanity and horror. Mary Shelley was just 21 when Frankenstein was first published in 1818, and the book is widely regarded as the first popular science fiction/horror novel. While you surely know the monster and the story of mad scientist Victor Frankenstein bringing him to life, it’s a much darker and more philosophical book than what pop culture has made it out to be. You learn about science, ego, pride, and ultimately, what it means to be human.

  A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Dickens should be a part of every man’s reading life, and A Tale of Two Cities is a good starter. It’s set in London and Paris during the French Revolution and depicts the plight of the French peasantry, their turn to violence towards the aristocrats who marginalized them, and the parallels to London society during the same period.

  The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux In this travelogue, Paul Theroux recounts his 4-month journey through Europe, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia on the continent’s fabled trains: the Orient Express, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Mandalay Express and the Trans-Siberian Express. His well-documented and entertaining adventures have come to be considered a classic in the travel literature genre. This journal satisfies the vicarious traveller and inspires the adventurous man.

  The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer These epic poems are some of the world’s oldest pieces of literature. They’ve been read, enjoyed, and studied for thousands of years, and for good reason. They are not only beautiful to the ear, but contain lessons that every man can learn about heroism, courage, and manliness. The Iliad takes place during a few weeks of the final year of the Trojan War and details the heroic deeds of both Achilles and Hector, as well as a variety of other legends and stories. The Odyssey, a sequel of sorts, is about the great warrior Odysseus’ voyage home after the Trojan War. He faces various obstacles in his return to Greece, and we also see how his family back home dealt with his assumed death.

  The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway The novel that catapulted Hemingway to worldwide fame and success. The Sun Also Rises follows Jake Barnes and a group of ex-patriot friends through Spain and France, with plenty of wine-drinking and bull-fighting. The novel is a bit semi-autobiographical in that the main character is trying to deal with his war wounds — both physical and emotional — and escape to the supposed romanticism of travelling and eating and drinking to your heart’s content. Does Jake find happiness? You’ll have to read to find out.

  The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky While the book’s plot centres on an ageing, disinterested father and his three adult children, the substance found within goes much beyond that. Dostoevsky’s final and greatest novel, this book also involves spiritual and moral dramas and debates regarding God, free will, ethics, morality, judgment, doubt, reason, and more. It’s a philosophical work clothed as a novel — which of course makes Dostoevsky’s weighty ideas easier to digest. The McDuff translation gets rave reviews.

  The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Written in the early 1500s, this is the classic guide on how to acquire and maintain political power (even if those methods are sometimes unsavoury) — a so-called “primer for princes.” Its precepts are direct, if not disturbingly cold in their formulaic pragmatism. It asks the classic question: “Do the ends justify the means?” A worthy read for any man wishing to better understand the motivations and actions that tend to rule modern politics.

  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Set among New York City elites in the roaring ‘20s, this book is considered one of America’s great literary products for a reason. Narrator Nick Carraway is befriended by his mysterious millionaire neighbour, Jay Gatsby, and proves to be a crucial link in Jay’s quixotic obsession with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. The metaphors, the beautiful writing, and the lessons one can garner about reliving the past all make The Great Gatsby worth reading, again and again. Our interview with NPR’s Maureen Corrigan is worth a listen. She is the author of So We Read On: How To Great Gatsby Came To Be and Why It Endures. We discussed her research into why a novel was written about Jazz Age New York that resonates with Americans nearly a century later.

  1984 – George Orwell Read 1984, then go delete your Facebook account.  Perhaps the most essential to re-read today, 1984 sets stage in an oppressive futuristic society monitored by the ever-watching Big Brother. Protagonist Winston Smith goes to work every day at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites and distorts history. However, Smith decided to begin a diary — an action punishable by death. Amid modern-day data mining, the fall of Net Neutrality, and lunatic leaders, we cannot forget the toll of tyranny and totalitarianism.

  Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck Another assigned high school read you probably didn’t appreciate when you were sixteen, it’s time to revisit the ambling of George Milton and Lennie Small, migrant workers who search for jobs throughout California amid The Great Depression. And with all great novels, it’s been banned time and again for its mention of violence, swearing, racism, sexism, the works, but it’s an essential commentary on the nature of The American Dream, the dichotomy of strength and weakness, and the loneliness of isolation.

  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain Often called “the greatest American novel,” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn proceeds Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and is renowned for its use of written vernacular in imitation of southern antebellum society. The story follows teenager Huck Finn and his friend Tom Sawyer as they navigate themes of race and identity. So, yeah, you should re-read that one today, especially given that the original novel has been the subject of censorship in schools for years.

  The Poetry of Pablo Neruda If you need an “excuse” to read some of the best love poems ever written about oceans and women and the earth, say you’re brushing up on your dating one-liners. But the words by Chilean poet, diplomat, and politician Pablo Neruda are so much more than kindling. They are pure fire and combustion. This book will wake up your soul. It also mends broken hearts.

  The Stranger – Albert Camus An ordinary man finds himself on trial after committing a murder in one of the greatest novellas of the 20th century. A dissection of morality and the philosophy of the absurd, The Stranger is particularly relevant today as we face a world of heightened sensitivity and, perhaps, a society that makes no sense to us.

  The Call of the Wild – Jack London Try this: Take the novel on a long, boring, or otherwise dreaded journey. Close the last page a changed man (it’s that phenomenal) with a new outlook on struggle and bonds. Set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, London writes of Buck, a dog that is abducted and forced into the chaos and brutality of frontier life. In a word: rugged.  Secretly: a tear-jerker.

  Lord of the Flies – William Golding A band of British boys are shipwrecked on an island and try to maintain order and normalcy the way governments do. As you might guess, it all goes terribly, terribly wrong. Lord of the Flies, the first novel from Golding, is a perfect glimpse at the nature of savage inclination. It’s a short read but it’s a damn good one.

  Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger We’ll bet you first glimpsed the vibrant red cover of Catcher in the Rye some time in high school. But don’t let your memory fool you into thinking it’s a kids book. Possibly the best coming-of-age tale in all of literature, Salinger writes of the young and relatable protagonist Holden Caulfield and his first-person commentary on the world as he struggles between embracing adulthood and hiding in his childhood memories.

  How To Be A Gentleman Read the full article

[csrgood]

My Special Aflac Duck® Soars into Children's Hospital of Philadelphia During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

 Aflac, the leader in supplemental insurance sales at U.S. worksites, today delivered My Special Aflac Ducks to patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. My Special Aflac Duck, designed by Sproutel, is a social robot that uses medical play, lifelike movement, and emotions to engage and help comfort kids during their cancer care. Aflac and Sproutel conducted 18 months of child-centered research with children, parents, and medical providers at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to develop this innovative, award-winning duck. 

Today's first delivery to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia occurs during national Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, an annual effort to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer research and family support. Since the program's launch, Aflac has delivered more than 5,000 My Special Aflac Ducks to 220 hospitals in 47 states, free of charge to patients and families.

"Today, we're one step closer to our goal to deliver a My Special Aflac Duck to each child facing cancer across the country," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "Seeing the joy and comfort that this special robotic duck can bring to children and families fills us all with pride. As we recognize Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September, our mission and dedication to this important cause is at the forefront of the minds of our employees and independent agents nationwide, who passionately support this cause."

To date, Aflac has invested more than $3 million for the research, design and delivery of My Special Aflac Duck across the U.S. At today's delivery event, attendees were treated to a demonstration, highlighting how My Special Aflac Duck can help bring comfort and joy to children as they go through their cancer care.   After the demonstration, a fun scavenger hunt awaited the children and their parents, who found clues and visited various locations at the hospital, eventually leading them to the discovery of their very own My Special Aflac Duck.

"We are grateful to our partners at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for making this day possible for the young children coping with cancer in this community," The Aflac Foundation, Inc. President Kathelen Amos said. "The Aflac Duck has become a tangible, innovative companion for children as they go through their cancer journey, and it's an honor to be a part of something so impactful."

To date, Aflac has hosted special delivery events for My Special Aflac Duck in eight markets (Atlanta; Buffalo, New York; Columbia, South Carolina; Houston; Nashville; New Orleans; Omaha; and Orange County, California). Aflac will continue to expand its My Special Aflac Duck campaign to hospitals across the country, providing a My Special Aflac Duck to any child above the age of three with cancer in the United States, free of charge.

In addition to My Special Aflac Duck, Sproutel has created a free companion app available for smartphones and tablets on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Additional features of My Special Aflac Duck include:

Emotional expression: Seven RFID-enabled feeling cards help children communicate; the duck acts out a given feeling when that feeling card is tapped to its chest.

Medical and nurturing play: A chemotherapy port allows children to mirror their care experiences via play, giving them a sense of control during the process. The duck's no-cost companion app allows users to "bathe" it, "feed" it and give it "medicine" via augmented reality.

Music, singing and nuzzling: The duck sings when music is played. Customizable sounds include gentle waves, wind and a farm.

Breathing and heartbeat: The duck produces a naturalistic heartbeat and deep breathing, which caregivers can incorporate into calming routines and exercises.

Batteries and accessories: Provided so it is ready to use out of the box.

Convenience: A removable skin, which can be washed to adhere to hospital hygiene standards.

"To give children a new method to express emotions about cancer and cope with difficult procedures can help build self-efficacy, resiliency, and quality of life, and we're pleased to join Aflac in this program," said Lamia P. Barakat, PhD, director of Psychosocial Services and Behavioral Oncology Research Programs in the Cancer Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "My Special Aflac Duck is a wonderful way to engage children through play, in challenging and joyful times, and to help them successfully adapt to cancer treatment."

"For more than 20 years, Aflac has made helping children and families facing cancer a key component of our mission to be a responsible company that gives back to the community in meaningful ways," Aflac Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Frederick Crawford said. "We are honored to support these children in the Philadelphia community by bringing My Special Aflac Duck to this wonderful hospital and the more than 15,000 children diagnosed with cancer in America each year."

Since 1995, Aflac has contributed more than $136 million to the pediatric cancer cause, including more than $6 million donated each year by 17,000 independent agents licensed to sell Aflac products. The funds are committed directly from their monthly commission checks. To see My Special Aflac Duck in action and to learn more about this important cause, please visit AflacChildhoodCancer.org.

About Aflac Incorporated  Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental insurer, by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan, where it insures 1 in 4 households. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative in the United States, for eligible claims, Aflac can process, approve and electronically send funds to claimants for quick access to cash in just one business day. For 13 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2018, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 20th consecutive year, and in 2019, Fortune included Aflac on its list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 18th time. To find out more about One Day PaySM and learn how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999.

Media contact Kristen Fraser, 706.580.3813 or kfraser@aflac.com 

Analyst and investor contact David A. Young, 706.596.3264, 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

source: https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/42633-My-Special-Aflac-Duck-Soars-into-Children-s-Hospital-of-Philadelphia-During-Childhood-Cancer-Awareness-Month?tracking_source=rss

[gessvhowarth]

Things To Do Today In London: Thursday 9 February 2017

Forget those winter blues with John Cusack and Jack Black in High Fidelity at House of Vans. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures What we're reading A campaign to save the Northwold Estate. An independent Battersea. Several injured after battery pack fire on Overground train at Dalston Kingsland. Stunning pictures of London's last pie and mash shops. Network Rail to reopen Gospel Oak to Barking route — but the work's not finished yet. Things to do THE TUDORS: Who were the Tudors? What kind of lives did they lead? Taken from the accounts of their servants, this talk about the private lives of the Tudors unveils a less glamorous side of the likes of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. The National Archives, £5/£4, book ahead, 2pm-3pm MODERN LONDON: Explore the history behind the London that we live in today on this guided walk. Learn about the 18th century version of WikiLeaks, the American who helped London's poor and an event that led to creation of security services. Farringdon Underground station, £12/£9, book ahead, 2pm-4pm RICHARD BURTON: Immerse yourself in the life of the legendary Richard Burton with new, one-man show, Burton. Explore the various aspects of the Welsh actor's life, including his guilt, mental state and tempestuous relationship with Elizabeth Taylor. Artsdepot, £12/£10, book ahead, 2pm/7.30pm FREE FILM SCREENING: Rob knows a lot about music, but very little about women. Watch as he recounts his top five breakups, including the one he is currently going through, in film High Fidelity. House of Vans, free, just turn up, 5pm/7pm Watch Burton at Artsdepot. UNDER THE SEA: Despite being one of the major components of the Earth, we don't know all that much about the ocean. Join Professor Carolyn Roberts for a talk about what is actually going on in our oceans. Barnard's Inn Hall, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm JAPAN: Travel to Japan with True North, Akita, a film that reveals the natural beauty of the country. Producer Hidetaka Ino will speak after the screening about the concept of locality in Japan and its development.The Swedenborg Society, free, book ahead, 6.30pm FEAR THE BEARD: Lucinda Hawksley, a descendant of Charles Dickens and an author in her own right, gives a talk about facial hair, and how it was influenced in the Victorian period. Find out what Florence Nightingale herself had to do with facial hair fashion. Florence Nightingale Museum, £8, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm HIGH ADVENTURE: Hear how four professionals decided to escape the demands of daily life and sought adventure and excitement by paddleboarding from Bristol to London with only five hours of training. The Prince of Wales on Drury Lane, £6, book ahead, 6.30pm-9.30pm CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL: Imagine Children's Festival begins at Southbank Centre today. Over the 11 days, events include author talks, performances of favourites such as The Gruffalo, and a pedal-powered screening of The Little Mermaid. Southbank Centre, various prices, 9-19 February KITTY IN BOOTS: See drawings by Quentin Blake at the House of Illustration. He's better-known for illustrating Roald Dahl's work, but these drawings were intended for a recently re-discovered Beatrix Potter book, The Tale Of Kitty-In-Boots. House of Illustration, £8.25, book ahead, until 26 February Stage review: The Glass Menagerie reflects fragile beauty Kate O’Flynn and Cherry Jones in The Glass Menagerie. Photo by Johan Persson Hot out of Broadway, this tremendous, moving revival of the semi-autobiographical work that made Tennessee Williams’s name does full justice to his intimate family tragedy. John Tiffany’s beautifully judged production balances poignant realism with expressionist lyricism, and Bob Crowley’s self-reflecting watery design features a fire escape soaring dreamlike above. Heading a strong cast, American star Cherry Jones is faultless as the overbearing, faded Southern belle who persuades her restless son to bring home a ‘gentleman caller’ for her damaged daughter. The Glass Menagerie, Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane WC2N 4BG. From £15, until 29 April ★★★★★ Neil Dowden Art review: Giant fingers & sewer living Image copyright Anna Arca This year’s Jerwood Solo Projects is the best year yet. Giant flesh coloured fingers present a world of sci-fi feminism, a sewer is converted into a living space in a critique on modern living, and the surveillance state is brought home with a jarring video. Three brilliant and ambitious works in a great exhibition. Jerwood Solo Presentations 2017 at Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, SE1 0LN. Free, until 26 February ★★★★★ [Monday-Sunday] Good cause for the day QUIZ NIGHT: Test your knowledge on Harry Potter, the tube, pop music, LGBTQ history and food at the Nerdy Pub Quiz. 75% of your £10 ticket goes to Stonewall Housing. Hackney Attic, £10, book ahead, 7.30pm Funzing Fun things to do with our friends and sponsor Funzing. London Talks @ Night || The Science of Psychedelics Scientific research is resuming on how psychedelics affect the weirder aspects of human consciousness. This talk from Dr David Luke engages in current study into pyschedelics and their historical use in shamanic rituals. Be prepared, you might leave with more questions than answers. Get tickets BucketList Talks - How to follow your dreams Hear crazy true stories from the people who've probably done everything on your bucket list. Be inspired by tales of marathon running, exploring the Arctic at 16 and driving to Mongolia. Get tickets LDN Talks @ Night ||How the Mind Heals your Body Learn to harness your mind to help your health and wellness. The placebo effect is scientifically proven fact and it's not an anomaly. There are many ways positive thinking can be of benefit to you in everyday life. Get tickets

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/londonist/sBMe/~3/oiNY_UdnuVc/things-to-do-today-in-london-thursday-9-february-2017

[markerhunter]

Summary Statement, 3rd Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Summary Statement, 3rd Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

In the previous installment, for the third quarter of 1863 we detailed the first dozen New York Independent Batteries.  Of those still on active duty, their service was almost entirely in Virginia (with one battery in the District of Columbia the exception).  But for the next dozen – 13th through 24th Batteries – we find greater geographic distribution:

Note that nine of the twelve have returns. …

[markerhunter]

Summary Statement, 2nd Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Summary Statement, 2nd Quarter, 1863 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

For the first dozen of the New York independent batteries, discussed last week, we found all active batteries within the eastern theater.  Many were involved with the Gettysburg Campaign, directly or indirectly.  But looking to the second batch – 13th to the 24th Batteries – we find the service of that batch was much more varied:

Of the twelve, only eight had returns for the quarter.  Only one…

[itsfinancethings]

(TAIPEI, Taiwan) — Former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, who brought direct elections and other democratic changes to the self-governed island despite missile launches and other fierce saber-rattling by China, has died. He was 97.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital said Lee died Thursday evening after suffering from infections, cardiac problems and organ failure since being hospitalized in February.

Lee strove to create a separate, non-Chinese identity for Taiwan, angering not only China, which considers the island part of its territory, but also members of his Nationalist Party who hoped to return victorious to the mainland.

Lee later openly endorsed formal independence for the island but illness in his later years prompted him to largely withdraw from public life.

Physically imposing and charismatic, Lee spanned Taiwan’s modern history and was native to the island, unlike many who arrived with Chiang Kai-shek in 1949, at the end of the Chinese civil war.

At times gruff, at times personable, he left little doubt he was the man in charge in almost any setting.

“A leader must be tough and strong enough so he can put an end to disputes and chaotic situations,” he wrote in his autobiography.

He was born in a farming community near Taipei on Jan 15, 1923, near the midpoint of Japan’s half-century colonial rule. The son of a Japanese police aide, he volunteered in the Imperial Japanese Army and returned to Taiwan as a newly commissioned second lieutenant to help man an anti-aircraft battery.

He earned degrees in Japan and Taiwan, as well as at Iowa State University and Cornell University in New York. He worked for the U.S.-sponsored Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction, which sought to encourage land reform and modernize Taiwanese agriculture.

In 1971, Lee joined the governing Nationalist Party. As a descendant of the people who migrated to the island from China in the 17th and 18th centuries, he was part of the party’s effort to broaden its base beyond the 1949 arrivals from the mainland. He was Taipei mayor, Taiwan province governor and vice president before succeeding to the presidency in 1988.

In his early years as president, Lee met significant resistance from Nationalist hard-liners who favored the party’s tradition of mainlander domination and resented Lee’s native status. He beat back the resistance, largely by giving his detractors important political positions.

In 1990, Lee signaled his support for student demands for direct elections of Taiwan’s president and vice president and the end of reserving legislative seats to represent districts on the Chinese mainland. The following year he oversaw the dismantling of emergency laws put into effect by Chiang Kai-shek’s government, effectively reversing the Nationalists’ long-standing goal of returning to the mainland and removing the Communists from power.

Communist China saw the democratic steps as a direct threat to its claim to Taiwan, and its anger was exacerbated when Lee visited the United States in 1995. To Beijing, Lee’s visit to Cornell signaled the United States was willing to accord special recognition to the ruler of a “renegade” Chinese province.

The U.S. made sure Lee did not meet with high-ranking American officials, including then-President Bill Clinton, but its attempts to dampen Chinese anger were unsuccessful.

China soon began a series of threatening military maneuvers off the coast of mainland Fujian province that included the firing of missiles just off Taiwan’s coast. More missiles were fired immediately before the March 1996 presidential elections, and the U.S. response was to send aircraft carrier battle groups to Taiwan’s east coast in a show of support. Taiwanese were uncowed and the elections went ahead, with Lee victorious.

In a celebrated interview in late 1996, Lee declared that relations between Taiwan and China had the character of relations between two separate states. This was heresy, not only in the eyes of Beijing, but also for many Nationalists, who continued to see Taiwan as part of China, and looked forward to eventual union between the sides, though not necessarily under Communist control.

In 2000, Taiwan elected Chen Shui-bian of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party as president, ending a half-century of Nationalist monopoly. His election was virtually guaranteed by a split in the Nationalist Party, which had two representatives in the race. The retiring Lee had supported one of them but was still blamed for the split, and the party moved to expel him.

In 2001, supporters of Lee formed a new pro-independence party. The Taiwan Solidarity Union also wanted to break the cultural and political connection between the island and the mainland.

Lee himself backed away from wanting a formal declaration of independence for Taiwan, insisting it already was, given the island was not Chinese Communist-controlled.

In 2012, he backed independence-minded candidate Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who lost to the Nationalists’ Ma Ying-jeou, an avatar of closer ties between China and Taiwan.

Tsai ran again and was elected in 2016, upping tensions again with China. Lee was ailing by that time and played little role in the election. Tsai won re-election this year by a healthy margin over her Nationalist challenger.

[markerhunter]

Summary Statement: December 31, 1862 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Summary Statement: December 31, 1862 – New York Independent Batteries, Part 2

Earlier this week, I started on the long list of New York Independent Light Artillery Batteries, from the fourth quarter (December), 1862 summaries.  This second part of the list presents a lot more gaps to fill and questions to answer:

Notice this set of batteries, between the 15th and 32nd, is not complete.  So that’s one gap to address.  And we have only six returns logged in by the clerks,…