#9/11 1st Responders & Volunteers...Where Are They Now?

[duggardata]

All The Data:  Michaela (Bates) + Brandon Keilen

The Couple—

Michaela Christian (Bates) Keilen  (b. January 23, 1990)

Parents   Gil + Kelly Jo (Callaham) Bates

Child #   2 of 19

Hometown   Rocky Top, TN

Early Education   Homeschooling  (Abeka and IBLP / ATI)

Higher Education—

Tennessee College of Applied Technology (Bringing Up Bates (11–14–19), “Home is Where The Heart Is!”), Nursing / LPN  (2019—)

A.A. / A.S. in Liberal Arts / Medical Health Sciences (2016), Roane State Community College (Online)  (See Bringing Up Bates (9–22–16), “Three Pointers and Puppies.”)

Credentials—

Licensed Emergency Medical Technician  (TN; 2011—)

Licensed and AED–Certified First Responder  (TN; 2009—2012)

Occupation

Owner, Keilen Corner (Online Boutique)  (Oct. 2019—)

Nursing / LPN Student, Tennessee College of Applied Technology (2019—)  (See Bringing Up Bates (11–14–19), “Home is Where The Heart Is!”)

... Previously—

Owner, BrandonAndMichaela.com (Online Boutique)  (2017—2019)

Nanny  (Dates Unclear) (As of Late 2013 / 2014, Michel had the job for a “couple of years.”  Bringing Up Bates (1–22–15), “Training Up Bates.”)

EMT / First Responder, Medford Volunteer Fire Department  (Rocky Top, TN; 2009—?) (Bringing Up Bates (7–7–16), “The Big Chili.”)

Brandon Timothy Keilen  (b. September 15, 1989)

Parents   Ronald + Jillene “Jill” (Pope) Keilen

Child #   8 of 10  (Bringing Up Bates (2–26–15), “Michaela + Brandon”)

Hometown   _____, MI  (Id.)

Early Education   Homeschooling  (Id.)

Higher Education   B.A. in Biblical Ministry (2014), IBLP’s International Ministerial Institute  (Burnet, TX) (Note—Oddly, Brandon mentioned that his “final semester” at IMI was Fall 2013...  But, later, he’s still in school, and that’s why he and Michaela couldn’t get engaged until Spring 2015.  Duggar Data has a theory of why this is...  IMI is a 3–Year program, with an option to extend to 4 Years and earn a bachelor’s degree.  I think the 2013 graduation was from the 3–Year program.  Brandon must’ve opted to go for the bachelor’s degree, which explains the additional year.)

Occupation   [ Unknown ]

... Previously   Videographer / Creative Designer, Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)  (Oak Brook, IL; ?—2019) (Note—Brandon first started working for IBLP in Chicago after his homeschool graduation, probably 2007 or 2008.  Bringing Up Bates (6–11–15), “Meet The Parents.”)

The Relationship—

First Meeting   c. March 2009

Location   IBLP Headquarters; Hinsdale, IL

Details   The Bates Family took a trip to Chicago, so that Michaela and her sisters could attend Journey to The Heart.  Before departing for the session, Michaela was at IBLP, where she happened to notice Brandon.  Brandon also recalls meeting the Bates Family, at that time.

Timing   We know that this all happened in 2009, “just after” Michaela’s 19th Birthday—i.e., January 23, 2009.  Apparently, it wasn’t immediately after, though, since Brandon recalls it as “Spring 2009.”  Duggar Data is pretty confident that it was March 2009—which is arguably in the spring—based on this Post on FreeJinger, reporting that that’s when Michaela did Journey to The Heart.  (Unfortunately, the Post cites to a page that’s now deleted, so it’s impossible to verify.)

Pre–Courtship   November 29, 2013  (See Also)  (Friday)

Location   by Phone  (Michaela in North Carolina.)

Details   After praying about it, Brandon called Gil Bates and asked him for permission to start a relationship with Michaela.  Gil and Kelly talked to Michaela, and called back later that day with their blessing.  Brandon then called Michaela, and their pre–courtship began.  (See Also.) 

Timing   On the “Our Story” Posts on their website, both of the Keilens recall the fateful first phone call happening on Black Friday 2013.  (Note—Thanksgiving 2013 was on November 28, so Black Friday was on the 29th.)  Oddly, some other evidence contradicts this, indicating it was on November 28.  Duggar Data can’t really explain why...  Brandon realized his feelings on November 28th, then called Gil on the 29th?  Regardless, my spreadsheet has November 29 as their Pre–C.S. Date, based on the “Our Story” Posts.

Courtship   December 30, 2013  (Monday)

Location   Restaurant at The English Inn; Eaton Rapids, MI

Details   While Michaela was visiting Brandon in Michigan, they went on a date to The English Inn.  Over dinner, Brandon gave Michaela a journal, a poem professing his love, and a gold–plated dried rose, then asked her to start an official courtship.  She agreed.  

Announced   January 2, 2014 on the Bates Family Website  (+3 Days)

Engagement   April 13, 2015  (See Also)  (Monday)

Location   Great Falls Park; McLean, VA  (See Bringing Up Bates (7–9–15), “Brandon Pops The Question.”)

Details   Brandon set up a scavenger hunt for Michaela, which led her all over the Washington, DC Area.  It coincided with cherry blossom season, which was a nice touch.  After a few too many clues, Michaela ended up at Great Falls Park, where Brand was waiting with the ring.  (Bringing Up Bates (7–9–15), “Brandon Pops The Question.”)

Announced   April 16, 2015 by UpTV  (+3 Days)

Featured On   Bringing Up Bates (7–9–15), “Brandon Pops The Question”

Wedding   August 15, 2015, 2:00 PM  (Saturday)

Location   Wallace Memorial Baptist Church; Knoxville, TN

Officiants   Gil Bates (Bride’s Father), Dr. S.M. Davis (Groom’s Mentor) (Bringing Up Bates (2–4–16), “Wedding Bliss and First Kiss.”)

MOH   Kelly Jo Bates  (Bride’s Mother) (Id.)

Best Man   [ Unknown / Unable to Verify ]

Announced   N/A  (No Formal / Media Announcement)

Featured On   Bringing Up Bates (2–4–16), “Wedding Bliss and A First Kiss”

Honeymoon   Wyoming and Montana  (See Also Bringing Up Bates (2–11–16), “Fly Fishin’, Zip Linin’ Honeymoon.”)

Information about the Keilens’ infertility struggle...  After the jump.

Infertility Struggle—

Since their marriage, Michaela + Brandon have struggled with infertility.  They went public with their struggle in January 2017, when they chose to discuss it on Bringing Up Bates (1–26–17), “Doggy Dilemmas.”  They have shared since shared additional details about their infertility on the show, their personal blog, and social media.  Here’s what we know—

Firstly, Michaela + Brandon very, very much want children, and it was expected they’d probably have a large family.  Here’s what’s been said about this—

Michaela:  “Brandon and I have talked a lot about having children...  I would have as many as I possibly could.”  (Bringing Up Bates [BUB] (1–22–15), “Training Up Bates.”)

Michaela (on the Keilens’ Blog):  “Growing up I always dreamed of being a mother someday. ... Children were the greatest miracle in my eyes, and I spent all my free time babysitting.  Every time I rocked a baby to sleep, I dreamed of someday cuddling my own little one.”

Brandon:  “That ... is an area we want the Lord to have control in. ...  He is just saying no for now.  We hope it’s not no for always—but, it’s no for now.”  (BUB (1–26–17), “Doggy Dilemmas.”)

Kelly:  “Everyone in the family has always predicted and said, ‘Michaela is going to be the one that has a really, super large family.’”  (BUB (1–26–17), “Doggy Dilemmas.”)

After 6 Months of marriage, Michaela + Brandon began to worry that Michaela wasn’t getting pregnant.  (BUB (1–26–17), “Doggy Dilemmas.”)  Michalea went to her doctor, who ran a few tests but told her:  “Don’t even think about a baby until you’ve been married at least a year…  Babies take time!”

By the Keilens’ 1st Anniversary, Michaela still wasn’t pregnant, and the Keilens decided to see a fertility specialist.  (BUB (1–26–17), “Doggy Dilemmas.”)  The Keilens have shared quite a bit about this process, including the following—

The doctor did extensive testing.  Apparently, Michaela + Brandon were both examined.  (BUB (1–25–18), “SUN Day, Fun Day.”)  Brandon hasn’t commented publicly on the process, but Michaela has...  She described doing “a lot of bloodwork,” and  getting “a lot of ultrasounds.”  (BUB (8–31–17), “Here’s The Scoop.”)  She stated that, over the course of a year, they “tried all of the major tests”—racking up significant medical bills, in the process.  (BUB (1–11–18), “Decorating Dilemmas Job Decisions.”)

Despite all the testing, the doctor hasn’t been able to determine what’s causing their fertility struggle.  (See BUB (8–31–17), “Here’s The Scoop” and BUB (1–25–18), “SUN Day, Fun Day.”)

One thing the tests did show is that Michaela hyper–ovulates.  Bringing Up Bates hasn’t mentioned what’s causing this, or whether her doctors even determined a cause.  (Medically speaking, hyper–ovulation means that, if Michaela conceives, she’s at increased risk of having multiples.)  (BUB (1–25–18), “SUN Day, Fun Day.”)

Around August 2017, Michaela decided to undergo one final test, “then take a little break” from all the medical intervention in her infertility.  The test was a hysterosalpingogram—i.e., a medical procedure that uses x–ray to visualize scarring in the uterus or fallopian tubes.  Dr. Vick did the test.  He identified, and was able to clear, a fallopian tube blockage.  He advised the Keilens to wait three cycles, then consider surgery if they’re still unable to conceive.  (BUB (1–25–18), “SUN Day, Fun Day.”)

As of 2020, it’s unknown if Michaela got—or intends to get—the surgery that Dr. Vick mentioned.

Michaela has said that she is interested in adoption, if she’s unable to have her own children, saying:  “Someday [I’ll have a baby], maybe, and if not, I’ll adopt me a baby.”  (BUB (8–31–17), “Here’s The Scoop.”)  As far as I know, Brandon hasn’t ever spoken publicly about the possibility of adoption, surrogacy, etc.

What’s Next—

The Predictor will assume a couple is incapable of having children if they’re 5+ SDs Late to announce Pregnancy #1, and they’ve been married for 5 Years.  In the Keilens’ case, they’re already >5 SDs Late to announce Pregnancy #1.  (As of April 11, 2020, they’re actually ~47 SDs Late...  Way, way later than 5 SDs...)  Their 5th Anniversary is this year, on August 15.  If they still haven’t announced a pregnancy by then, the Predictor will stop predicting children for them.

... That’s All The Data for Michaela + Brandon.

[echodrops]

The Promises I Am Making (2019)

Well, 2018 is over. Uff, I feel like I can finally take a deep breath! (This is merely an illusion; the stress is coming for me NEXT WEEK, eek.) My twelve-year tradition of fifty promises continues, despite the urgh… lack of progress last year. This year, as always, I decided to carry over some of the promises that I failed to meet last year; I am going to work hard to make 2019 the year of taking care of business like a REAL adult! I have from now until January 1st, 2020, to keep these. Good luck self!

 1) Be more proactive about tracking and following up with struggling students to decrease the number of students who drop from my class when they realize they cannot pass.

2) Find a place to put in volunteer hours because uhhhh like this is actually important to my work evaluation and I definitely need something to write in that section… Yikes, this spring is my last chance to do this!! @_@

 “The Utah House” promises:

3) Install the fire escape window in the Utah house, no matter how much it might cost, because I can’t get a totally unrelated tenant in that basement without said window…

4) Buy sod to add grass to the front portion of the lawn so that it no longer looks like garbage.

5) Fix the bricks near the windowsills on the Utah house to prevent long-term damage.

6) Get a watering system for my roses at the Utah house because I think my bro is probably killing them and that’s just not cool.

7) Work on the patio at the Utah house before it just flat out falls down.

8) Paint the stairwell so that there’s no chance of anything like lead paint or asbestos being exposed.

9) Trim the backyard bushes so the neighbors don’t hate us anymore…

Now back to our regularly scheduled disorganization:

10) Move into a new house in Texas where I can get real internet, please for the love of god…

11) Save money for my upcoming trip to Japan! 2020 baby!

12) Get my wisdom tooth removed because it’s still there and still killing me, yikessss.

13) Make an appointment with an eye doctor for like the first time in years. Good job, Yehn, good job.

14) Get my prescriptions refilled because I’m dwindling on asthma medicine and like… I could die from this… I should never have been left to care for myself; I’m not mature enough for this responsibility…

15) FINISH THE GIVEAWAY PRIZES I PROMISED LAST YEAR because holy shit I am incompetent and the worst and everyone has permission to hate me for starting things and never finishing them, fuck.

16) Go dolphin watching in the Gulf for real this time. Seriously, it’s $10 Yehn, you can do this.

17) Return to the Channel Islands to take better pictures. D;

18) Level all my classes to 70 in FFXIV before next expansion, please.

19) Organize and properly label all the photos on my computer so that I’m no longer desperately combing through folder and folder in blank confusion, looking for a single picture in a sea of thousands…

20) Update Home and a Half more than once? PLEASE??? The guilt I feel over this currently is crushing.

21) Complete the online American Literature class I am designing on time and with no corrections needed.

22) Earn 100% completion for Kingdom Hearts III. So excited!

23) Update my calendar with important dates—holidays, birthdays, etc.—and be productive about sending cards and well-wishes.

24) Get the garbage disposal in the Texas house fixed ASAP so I don’t have to wash the dishes by hand anymore because I absolutely hate that particular chore.

25) Finish all the books my coworkers and friends bought for me recently so I can thank them for their recommendations!

26) Actually move into my new place instead of leaving it completely undecorated and lifeless.

27) Try hard to get Creative Writing into a different area of the general ed. core so that more people will enroll in it.

28) Get caught up on my Ebird reports, even the old, old, old ones I never put in because I was slacking.

29) Throw away/return/sort all the stacks of old mail in the house (OMGGGG they’ve made me look like paper hoarder and I’m nootttt).

30) Clean up the garage before moving so that I don’t have to fight spiders to move when the time comes.

31) Find a way to boost grading productivity so that each class takes only two days to grade, maximum.

32) Go to a totally new restaurant and try their food.

33) Cancel old credit cards to make sure my credit is good before trying to buy a house (although I just checked my credit score and I’m in the great range already, so this is mostly for posterities sake).

34) Get official contracts from my tenants so I can use my rental income in my next loan calculation.

35) Talk to an HR rep about my retirement savings so that I can consolidate all my retirement accounts into one. (Man, look at all these ADULTING promises.)

36) Really finish decorating my office so it looks super cute and all my students want to visit me.

37) Not sign up for ANY more new responsibilities at work in the spring semester. This is the biggest challenge. D;

38) Migrate all the rest of my books to the new Texas house instead of leaving them in Utah… SOMEHOW.

39) Use my twitter account more often to make it worth following. I will try!!

40) Keep my hair cut nicely so I look less like a mess (than I really am).

41) Successfully find a bridesmaid dress for my friend’s wedding that matches the rest of the wedding party.

42) Make sure my skin is in good condition for the wedding so I don’t look like a disturbing ghost…

43) Complete my BNHA manga collection. Since my bro bought me a bunch of the volumes for Christmas, I might as well.

44) See a groove-billed ani. (It’s another type of bird.)

45) Respond to messages, asks, and comments more quickly. I promise I’m not ignoring people… D;

46) Lose ten pounds so that I feel more fit and comfy.

47) Pay down credit card debt by at least 1/3. Yikesssss, I really need to do this quick.

48) I will finally fucking finish that chapter 73 analysis of Noragami… I swear to god…

49) Reach 1700 followers on Tumblr. You should follow me—I’m only marginally a waste of time and space!

50) I will keep these promises. LOLLLLL.

Wish me luck!

[laurelrusswurm]

The white poppy is a flower used as a symbol of pacifism, worn either in place of or sometimes in addition to the red remembrance poppy for Remembrance Day or Anzac Day. In 1926, a few years after the introduction of the red poppy in the UK, the idea of pacifists making their own poppies was put forward by a member of the No More War Movement (as well as the proposal that the black centre of the British Legion's red poppies should be imprinted with "No More War").[1] Their intention was to remember casualties of all wars, with the added meaning of a hope for the end of all wars; the red poppy signified only the British military dead.[2] However, they did not pursue the idea.[1] The first white poppies were sold by the Co-operative Women's Guild in 1933[3]. The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) took part in their distribution from 1936, and white poppy wreaths were laid from 1937 as a pledge to peace that war must not happen again[1][4]. Anti-war organisations such as the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship now support the White Poppy Movement.

Those who promote the wearing of white poppies argue that the red poppy also conveys a specific political standpoint, and point to the divisive nature of the red poppy in Northern Ireland, where it is worn mainly by unionist but boycotted by Irish republicans.[5]

In 2018, St John Ambulance allowed its volunteers to wear the pacifist white poppy for the first time.[6]

Sales of white poppies steadily rose throughout the 2010s, often causing supporters of the PPU to become targets of abuse. On Thursday 1st November In 2018 Sales of white poppies were higher than in any previous year since white poppies were founded in 1933. As of 7th November 2018, 119,555 white poppies had been sold. The previous record was 110,000 white poppies in 2015. Last year, the figure was 101,000. Until 2014, the record was around 80,000 in 1938.[7][8]

Those who endorse the white poppy campaign involve actor Mark Rylance,[9] Poet Benjamin Zephaniah[10] and rapper Lowkey.[11]

Children's author Michael Morpurgo his decision to wear a white poppy alongside his red one in a Radio Times article: "Wearing the red poppy for me is not simply a ritual, not worn as a politically correct nod towards public expectation. It is in honour of them, in respect and in gratitude for all they did for us. But I wear a white poppy alongside my red one, because I know they fought and so many died for my peace, our peace. And I wear both side by side because I believe the nature of remembrance is changing, and will change, as the decades pass since those two world wars." [12]

New Zealand

In New Zealand, a White Poppy Annual Appeal has been run since 2009 by Peace Movement Aotearoa in the week preceding Anzac Day, with all proceeds going to White Poppy Peace Scholarships.[13] The appeal was controversial for some, with Veterans' Affairs Minister Judith Collins claiming the white poppy appeal was "incredibly disrespectful to those who served their country".[14]

White poppies have also been worn in New Zealand to mark Remembrance Day. In previous years, the annual white poppy appeal was run as a fundraiser for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament around the time of Hiroshima Day in August. Responsibility for organising the annual appeal was transferred to Peace Movement Aotearoa, as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in New Zealand closed down in 2008.[13]

Controversy

The Royal British Legion has no official opinion on the wearing of white poppies, stating that it "is a matter of choice, the Legion doesn't have a problem whether you wear a red one or a white one, both or none at all".[15] However, opponents[16] of the white poppy argue that the traditional red poppy already encompasses the sentiments claimed for the white poppy, such as "remembering all victims of war", and consider that it undermines the message of remembrance. Some groups such as Northern Irish nationalists though still see the red poppy as primarily remembering the British dead and not those who were victims in wars against the British, hence the belief that the red poppy is a political symbol. [17] In the 1930s, when the white poppy was first established, some women lost their jobs for wearing them.[18] Others are concerned that the money raised by the white poppy appeal may affect the funds raised for the Royal British Legion by the red poppy appeal.[19]

In 1986, John Baker, Bishop of Salisbury, stated in his diocesan newsletter that he had been asked about the appropriateness of the White Poppy. Baker responded "let's not be hurt if we see a white poppy...there is plenty of space for red and white to bloom side by side."[20] Salisbury MP Robert Key disagreed, and later that year asked British prime minister Margaret Thatcher her opinion on the issue. Thatcher expressed her "deep distaste" for the symbol during prime minister's questions.[21] In response, the White Poppy campaign received much media coverage in Britain.[20] The Daily Star ran several articles criticising the White Poppy campaign.[20] In The Guardian, artist Steve Bell published a cartoon satirizing Thatcher's opposition to White Poppies, which he allowed the Peace Pledge Union to republish.[20]

In November 2014, white poppy wreaths on the Aberystwyth War Memorial had to be replaced after they were removed from the Memorial and thrown in a bin.[22]

Wikipedia

[afternoonspeaker-2021-1]

Jim Aleski 昨天下午6:57 ·

I woke up on 9/11/01 annoyed that the Giants had lost their season opener the night before on Monday Night Football AND one of the members of my fantasy football team was injured in that same game and lost for the season. Such problems, right? One upside of the morning of 9/11/01, was that I had an unusually late call time for the film shoot I was working on. We were shooting an interview with Tom Selleck at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and I didn’t have to be there until 10:30am. I left my apartment in NJ at 8:30, stopped for coffee and was about to get on the New Jersey Turnpike in Woodbridge right at 8:48am. I remember it was 8:48 because that’s when the traffic report came on 880AM radio (“traffic on the 8s”) and when the news anchor tossed to the helicopter traffic reporter, the traffic reporter nervously and excitedly described a large amount of smoke coming from the World Trade Center. He thought a small plane just crashed into it. I realized I could see the towers from where I was driving and sure enough, there was smoke. A LOT of smoke. Black, pressurized smoke. That was no small plane. That was jet fuel. A jet had hit the towers. I was sure of it. I was also fairly sure a jet wouldn’t hit the towers on accident. Somebody flew it into the towers. This was probably at 8:49am. For some odd reason, I take a tiny amount of pride as a firefighter that I remember me having that thought right then as it happened – that somebody just attacked the towers with a jet. Unfortunately, I was right. I continued on towards the city. Traffic was backing up as people were clearly looking out the window at the skyline more than they were at the road in front of them. I was doing the same. Just past Newark Airport, while staring at the skyline, I saw a second explosion. Although I didn’t see the second plane, by the screams of the news anchors on the radio, I knew it was another plane. I had been right. We were under attack. I instantly decided that I wasn’t going to my shoot. Although I had worked for many a production company / client that would have insisted we try to shoot under any circumstance, I knew that the people I was working for that day were not those types of people. I also knew that the floor in the Waldorf that we were to shoot with Mr. Selleck was the home to the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and was guarded by US Marines (only US embassy on US soil, by the way, although not in the Waldorf anymore). I figured said Marines would not be hospitable to a film shoot happening on their floor that day. I did an illegal u-turn on the Turnpike, the type that only state troopers are supposed to do, and I drove towards home at 110 mph. Along the ride, I either received a call from or made a call to most of my film crew from that day. Needless to say the shoot wasn’t happening. I stopped home, made a few more work calls and tried to figure out what I was going to do. I figured I’d check in at my volunteer firehouse. I felt some sense of relief at the thought of going there and possibly being able to do something. All feelings of relief disappeared when I pulled up and saw a fleet of police cars pulled up hastily at the house next to the firehouse. A fellow firefighter – Dan Martin - lived there. It hit me - his wife Linda worked in the towers. The local cops went there to check on him. I ran inside too. It was about 10am. Literally about 1 minute before I walked into his house – probably while I was parking my car and not paying attention to the radio – the south tower collapsed. I walked in to Danny saying that Linda must be dead. Thankfully, not long after that, he got word that she was OK. I went over to the volunteer firehouse. It wasn’t long before county ambulance units were being dispatched to go to a mass casualty staging area up at Giants Stadium. Soon after that, fire units were also assembled to go and help backfill FDNY stations. Prior to 9/11, the FDNY would have relocated units from City Island in the Bronx to Tottenville in Staten Island before they’d call for outside help. Now,

volunteers from NJ were heading over to backfill stations in Brooklyn. At the time, I thought this was as crazy as anything else I’d experienced that day. I didn’t end up being on the engine from my department that went over. They were there for 2 straight days. On the night of 9/13, I received a call from Dan Martin asking if I wanted to go over to the towers with him and some of his coworkers from the Jersey City Fire Department the next morning. Of course I said yes. Although we were specifically ordered by the chiefs of our volunteer fire department NOT to go, myself (now a career Cherry Hill FF), Dan Martin (now retired from the JCFD), Sean Farrell (now a Captain in the FDNY), and Bob Lasko (now retired from the Sayreville PD) from the Sayreville FD drove up to Jersey City and met up with a large contingency of Jersey City firefighters of all ranks. Although they too were under orders not to go across the river, we all walked down to the Hudson River, got on a tugboat and went across. This was 9/14/01. It was the first overcast day since the attack. It looked like we were going into a scene from a movie. It was dark, grey, rainy and dreary. The moisture in the air held the smoke down close to the ground. As we got off the boat, none of us spoke. As we walked towards the site of the towers, it looked like we were heading towards some mythical dragon’s lair or something. As we got within a few hundred yards of the towers, a boyish National Guard member, armed with an M-16 stopped us. It was clear that that the 20 or so of us were not going to stop and turn around, but a JCFD Captain respectfully “negotiated” with the kid. He told the kid that he personally vouched for all of us and we were here to help. The kid shook his head and we walked by. We got to the edge of the site. The JCFD officers approached some FDNY Chiefs and asked what we could do. The FDNY Chiefs said for us to go to staging, which was at the movie theater at the entrance to Battery Park City. I knew where that was, so I lead the group there. There were dozens and dozens of cops and firefighters from all over, waiting. We looked around there for a few minutes before the JCFD guys said we were never going to get called out of here and that we should just continue on around the site looking for another shot to help. So that’s what we did. We walked the perimeter of the site. I couldn’t get over how huge it was. I thought it looked like Giants Stadium had fallen over. In reality, it was WAY BIGGER than that, but that’s what I thought. We walked around towards the complete opposite side of the site by the Century 21 department store. The Century 21 store was being used as the morgue. In front of the store, lights and generators from Feature Systems, Inc. were powering/lighting the scene. I felt some pride that a film industry supply company was chipping in. I quickly realized that nearly all of the generators and lights that I saw down there on that day – 9/14/01 – were supplied by the entertainment business. I later learned that my good friend Rich Colangelo (sadly, now deceased likely due to PTSD) – a film industry caterer - spent several days down there cooking food for responders. Many people say he was the FIRST person down there set up to do so. We got around to the corners of Trinity and Liberty and finally found a spot that we could access “the pile”. I remember the first thing I saw was a line of Stamford, CT cops moving debris. Jeez, I thought… people are here from everywhere. Most of the people working this corner were cops and others who weren’t really equipped to be there. We at least had our turnout gear. The JCFD guys said we have to find a better spot. So we kept walking. We eventually made it all the way back to the west side of the site where we came upon the command post for New Jersey’s Urban Search and Rescue Team – NJ-TF1. They were operating out of the 1st floor of a building that was part of the World Financial Center – the office complex across the street from the towers. Several of the JCFD guys knew several of the

NJTF1 guys, and next thing we know, we were paired up with a team of people that were going onto the pile. The 20 or so of us went in with a search dog, some FDNY paramedics, and some other random people. We weren’t operating in any official capacity – I just think the NJTF1 guys saw it as an opportunity to get us all away from the command post. We relieved some North Hudson Regional Firefighters who were on the pile with circular saws. They just gave us their saws and buckets and walked off. We worked on the pile for several hours. The search dogs made a couple of “hits”. The paramedics went to these “hits”. In the hours we spent on the pile, we found one small tuft of hair and one human knee. I knew the second I saw the pile that there would be no survivors, but the magnitude of the loss really set in when I realized what we were actually finding. After a few hours, police officers started to order everyone off the pile. We didn’t know why. We assumed there was some sort of collapse or something happening. All of a sudden, fighter jets were circling overhead. We figured it was a good time to get out of there and find lunch. As we were walking away, we passed a contingency of politicians that were walking towards the pile. I shook then Senator Jon Corzine and Congressman Charlie Rangel’s hands. Little did we know that while we ate lunch – and the reason they cleared the pile and brought in the fighter jets – was that President Bush arrived on the scene. His famous scene where he stood with the retired FDNY guy with the bullhorn happened while we sat on some barge and ate lunch. We had no idea. We ate and rested up for a bit and headed back to the pile. Security was much tighter at this point, and we couldn’t make it back in as far as we were. We helped out at the edges for a few more hours before it got dark and we decided it was time to go. We went back to the shoreline, begged another tugboat operator for a ride, and crossed back over the Hudson River. I was soaked, covered in dust, and exhausted. We got off the boat to a tremendous surprise. There was a line of people, literally as far as the eye could see. They were making a sort of bucket brigade, ferrying supplies such as water and food towards the very tugboat we just got off. There were literally like 1000 people there. I couldn’t believe it. And all of a sudden they all started to clap. I didn’t know why they were clapping. I quickly realized they were clapping for us. It was an overwhelming moment. It got even more overwhelming when about the 10th person I passed on the line was somebody I knew. My dear friend from high school, Melissa Eimer, who I hadn’t seen in several years, was there helping out. She lived in Jersey City and felt like she had to try to do something. So there she was at 10pm loading a tugboat with water. Even though I was covered with dust and who knows what, she gave me a big hug. It was a moment the two of us recall to this day. A rare bright spot in the misery. The months after 9/11 were challenging. For a few weeks after the attack, it was nearly impossible to do a film shoot in NYC. The city was being extremely restrictive issuing permits, people didn’t want to fly, security was extra tight getting around… it was a mess. For people, such as myself, who were freelancers, this meant financial disaster. The fall was always my busiest time for work, the time where I made extra money to hold me over during the slower times. Now most of us weren’t working. This was tough. For the first and only time in my life, I had to collect unemployment. Thankfully the state of New York (where I got my check from) made the process easy for people whose livelihoods were affected by 9/11. I still have disdain for the people who arbitrarily decided that film permits were going to be restricted due to security reasons (and putting thousands out of work), while the people who worked in security were making money hand over fist. But that’s another discussion. After a few weeks, work not only went back to normal, it exploded. Everybody wanted to

come and shoot in NYC. It was their way of helping out. I remember being called for jobs that people wanted to shoot on the beach or on golf courses. In winter. In the New York area. We were like, we appreciate the thought, but you probably should go someplace warmer. One of the few paying jobs I did have in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, oddly enough, was shooting a series of public service announcements with Laura Bush. Mrs. Bush was delivering several messages to the nation’s children about what happened. Our location? The White House. You want to talk security! It took us 4 hours to get our equipment / crew through security. For a ½ hour shoot! We made it all the way through security, when finally somebody said “whoa this is a big crew. What piece of equipment do each of you operate?” Myself (the production manager), Mike Michelin (the producer), and Jordan Tarazi (our production assistant), were the only ones not operating equipment. Dirk Detweiler, our Executive Producer and Assistant Director was sly enough to say he helped with the lights even though he didn’t operate any equipment! Mike, Jordan and myself stared blankly. We weren’t allowed in! We had to wait out on the lawn while the crew shot inside. They said Mrs. Bush was lovely and wonderful. Big George himself even came in at the end and thanked everybody. On the way out of the White House, our assistant cameraman, Joe Volpe, stole a stack of White House napkins. I’m still not sure this was a wise maneuver on Joe’s part, but he got away with it. I feel like 2/3rds of the shoots I worked on after that had something to do with 9/11 (I even made this https://www.facebook.com/670826079/posts/10158242579986080/?d=n). Public service announcements. Ads that supported firefighters / cops / NYC / etc. As great as it was to be working and working on things that were “helping”, it got overwhelming. 9/11 was happening again. And again. And again. I heard more people’s stories than I care to recall. Many of these jobs were total freebies. They were public service announcements for one thing or another that somebody would beg you to work on for “a good cause.” Sure… I’ll come in and work for free on something that’s depressing! I spent nearly all of 2002 working at a company called LMA at the corner of West Broadway and Duane – about 8 blocks north of the WTC site. Each day, you’d walk to the office and you’d see the site. You’d leave and it would be there. If it was dark out (which it usually is when you’re leaving a production office), you’d see the glow of the lights. It looked like a football game was being played down there it was so bright. In the year or so I worked out of LMA’s office, I don’t think there was a single day where the entire office wouldn’t stop and talk about their experiences on 9/11. Every single day. We’d all stop. We’d all talk and/or listen. Sometimes it went on for an hour. I guess it was our way of dealing with it. You’d stop out for pizza or a drink after dinner, and there were workers from the site. Whether at Puffy’s Tavern or the Tribecca Tavern or wherever… there would be guys in there wearing their Carhardt jumpsuits and work boots. You weren’t sure if they were construction workers or firefighters or police officers. Probably all of the above. But you’d see them - everyday. The work seemed endless. Oddly enough, the thing that sticks with me the most out of all this was what I’d also see everyday in Penn Station. I would take the train into NYC to go to work, get off my train, and walk towards the escalator up to the street. For several years prior to and after 9/11, Penn Station was undergoing major renovations. They had temporary plywood walls up to separate the construction areas. In the hours/days after the attacks, people had posted “missing” posters of people unaccounted for in the attacks. Eventually these posters grew from a few to several hundred. So every day, coming off the train and later getting back on, you’d have to walk through this hallway of posters. It was something I dreaded twice a day. This went on

for about two years. The gauntlet of the lost. And then one day, the plywood walls were gone. The renovations were completed. Penn Station, although still dreary compared to Grand Central Station, was like new! And although this may sound harsh, the missing posters were gone! Thank God! The 9/11 related shoots went away too. Back to making promos for crappy TV shows and commercials for stupid products! Again, thank God! For me, 9/11 was a daily two-year process. Thankfully, I didn’t lose anybody close to me (only two people I very casually knew from high school). I didn’t get injured. I eventually recovered from the economic hardships. In the grand scheme of things, nothing bad really happened to me. But I needed to move on from it. I don’t need to see footage of the attack. I don’t want to go to memorial services or monuments or even the World Trade Center site or museum. I don’t need to wear a tee shirt or fly a flag that says “never forget.” To be honest, I’d love to be able to forget. But that won’t happen. 9/11 was undoubtedly an influencing factor as to why I swapped my careers around (media stuff as my main job before while volunteering as a firefighter to being a career firefighter and doing media stuff on the side). 9/11 is a part of who I am everyday. (The first photo taken by me on 3/1/01. All other photos taken either by me or Jersey City FD colleagues on 9/11/01 and 9/14/01)

[xtruss]

These 5 States Trade the Most With China

As a trade war continues between the U.S. and China, these states have the most to lose from a continuing conflict. Trade tension between the U.S. and China has been palpable for years, but some states could be hit harder than others.

By Andrew Soergel, Senior Writer Economics, Aug. 16, 2019

— U.S. News & World Report

In this Sept. 16, 2018, photo, American flags are displayed together with Chinese flags on top of a trishaw in Beijing. The American Chamber of Commerce in China says Beijing will "dig its heels in" after U.S. tariff hikes and appealed for a negotiated end to their trade battle. The chamber on Tuesday, Sept. 18 warned a "downward spiral" appears certain after President Donald Trump approved a tariff hike on $200 billion of Chinese imports in a dispute over Beijing's technology policy. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

State Economies Sit in Trade Crossfire

Global trade networks have been thrown into disarray in recent months as the trade war escalates between President Donald Trump and the Chinese government.

The U.S. has implemented tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese products. Beijing has responded in kind, notably pulling back on its purchases of American agricultural exports that had previously been vital to U.S. farmers.

As a result of the ongoing conflict, trade between the world's largest economies has plummeted in recent months. Total trade through the first six months of the year clocked in at slightly more than $271 billion – down more than $43 billion from the same window a year prior.

But some parts of the U.S. have felt the effects of the U.S.-China trade war more heavily than others, particularly regional economies that have been historically reliant on Chinese commerce. U.S. News compiled 2018 and 2019 commodity trade data from the Census Bureau to see which states are trading the most with China – and which have the most to lose from a protracted conflict.

Individual states were scored on four separate metrics related to their trade with China: total import value, total export value, percentage of imports from China and percentage of exports to China. Those scores were then averaged and ranked accordingly.

5. North Carolina

— Total imports from China: 13th ($4.57 billion)

— Total exports to China: 7th ($1.61 billion)

— Percentage of imports from China: 19th (16.70%)

— Percentage of exports to China: 9th (9.16%)

North Carolina has weathered the trade friction with China relatively well so far, as it was one of only 10 states during the first half of 2019 to see its total exports to China rise over the year. Exports were up more than $313 million, a more than 24% gain on the year. Only Connecticut and Oregon saw a bigger improvement from the first six months of 2018.

The state ended up importing less, however, with shipments from China dropping by nearly $680 million (12.92%) from the first six months of 2018.

4. Tennessee

USA, Tennessee, Memphis, people walking on Beale Street at dusk

— Total imports from China: 4th ($11.41 billion)

— Total exports to China: 16th ($1.04 billion)

— Percentage of imports from China: 5th (27.23%)

— Percentage of exports to China: 16th (6.59%)

Only California, Illinois and Texas bought more Chinese goods than the Volunteer State during the first six months of 2019 – though imports were still down by more than $1 billion (8.33%). Only six states saw a bigger decline in imports over the course of the year

3. Minnesota

— Total imports from China: 12th ($4.63 billion)

— Total exports to China: 15th ($1.08 billion)

— Percentage of imports from China: 3rd (30.43%)

— Percentage of exports to China: 7th (9.8%)

Arkansas and California were the only other states to import a larger percentage of Chinese goods than Minnesota during the first half of the year. But the state's export market has weathered the trade war well enough, considering less than 5 percent of Minnesota exports are shipped to China, ranking 39th nationally.

2. Washington

— Total imports from China: 10th ($5.55 billion)

— Total exports to China: 3rd ($4.22 billion)

— Percentage of imports from China: 13th (22.25%)

— Percentage of exports to China: 5th (13.60%)

Washington remained a primary exporter to China through the first half of the year, but its sales have plummeted from where they sat a year ago. Exports in Washington were down by nearly $2.5 billion, behind only Texas in losses suffered between January and the end of June.

The state's imports from China have also dropped by nearly $1.8 billion, ranking 5th nationally.

1. California

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 11: A man takes photos with snow-capped mountains standing behind the skyline of downtown of the city on February 11, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. A series of snowstorms and rainstorms in California in recent weeks have drastically reduced drought conditions across the state, with only ten percent of the state now considered in conditions of moderate or extreme drought. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

— Total imports from China: 1st ($62.31 billion)

— Total exports to China: 1st ($7.81 billion)

— Percentage of imports from China: 2nd (31.31%)

— Percentage of exports to China: 10th (9%)

The sheer size of California's economy means that the state often dwarfs others in terms of sheer volume traded with other countries. But California is particularly reliant upon Chinese trade, with only Arkansas eclipsing its percentage of imports from China.

But the trade war hasn't been particularly kind to some Californian companies. The state's exports were down nearly $980 million through the first six months of the year, while its imports were down more than $10.5 billion – the largest trade shortfall of any state in the country.

A man climbing the route Inconceivable below the Teton Range shrouded in fog, Black Tail Butte, Jackson, Wyoming.

States With the Fewest Trade Ties to China

North Dakota, Wyoming, Hawaii, Montana and Rhode Island were America's five least dependent states on Chinese trade through the first half of 2019.

Northern states in the middle of the country, and to a lesser extent New England states such as Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, were among the least likely to hold strong trade ties with China. As a result, the value of their trade with the massive Asian economy was also among the least likely to have significantly declined.

States With the Most Trade Ties to China

— California

— Washington

— Minnesota

— Tennessee

— North Carolina

[ruveluarna-blog]

Development, Process, Collaboration

(This is our entire Facebook chat group, which shows our process of thought and elimination).

Hey gals! Alrighty, we need to get this project underway! Let's all post our ideas on here and we can throughout the week decide on an idea we really like? MarleenaYeah that sounds like a good idea  i will get back to u guys with an idea tomorrowMAR 31ST, 11:20AMMarleenaOkay, so there's a work in week 4's powerpoints (topic: responsibility) called "Rythm 0" by Marina Abramovic. Basically, Abramovic lay out a bunch of props and allowed museum goers to manipulate her body, with or without the props, for six hours. Yoko Ono did a reinterpretation of the idea, but allowed the audience to take turns snipping pieces of cloth from her clothes.MarleenaI think it'd be really interesting to take these ideas and spin them in a more positive and constructive way. (The Rythm 0 artwork ended pretty "violently" - someone used the provided loaded gun to position it against her forehead, and then there was a fight in the audience to make them stop etc)ImmiYes will have a look into this later today !MAR 31ST, 1:19PMYes I really liked that one, I checked it out on YouTube!I'm down for thisMaybe we can even do an installation type thing and record itSo many ideas! Where do you live Marlena?*marleenaI'm thinking we should all get together sometime before class next week if we can, if not we can prepare it all over here MarleenaI live near liverpool, western suburbs Im still trying to brainstorm ideas on how we could reinterpret the work tho Hmm okay that's like a 55 minute drive MarleenaLOL we can try meet up at uniI reckon if we all agree on this artwork, let's each brainstorm ideas on any sort of way in which we could reinterpret it, then just post ideas here. Maybe on Sunday we can try and decide on what we like best?Yeah I think so hahahMarleenaokay lets do that, sunday we'll make a decision on what idea to pursue Im not too familar with "time-based work" sooo gotta do some researchMAR 31ST, 6:09PMImmiAPR 1ST, 9:37PMHaha all good!APR 1ST, 11:19PMHere are some very rudimentary ideas so far!Oh I just had an idea, we could go up to randoms on campus and out in the city and get them to write one word and hold it in front of them and we can film them holding it up. We can get them to write down whatever; what they think life is, beauty is, what is real, what dreams are, what they are labelled, whatever you want!Just an idea APR 2ND, 9:31AMMarleenahey just finished reading your ideas! looking good so far i think right now though the ideas as they are dont really link to responsibility clearly or are resolved enoughim looking at some of the stuff u written and trying to think of ways to push them furtheri think the idea of taking something that is meant to shed light on the negative parts of being human, and flipping it to show positivity is something really interesting relating to responsibilityi think that idea of asking people a personal question, like what life is etc, that u suggested touches on that and has potential reminds me of that artist who let people write on a wall what they want to do before they diesorry if the stuff im saying sounds kinda disjointed or weird, cos i just woke up and im just writing what i think as it goes in my head hahaMarleenaan idea i had about transforming marina's work, is maybe laying out a table of items like she did but including "caring" items instead, like bandaids and spa stuff and chocolates. we can put out a chair and a camera, and people are allowed to use the stuff as long as they sit in the chairMarleenahey about that idea with recording people's smiles, itd be kinda cool to expand it and do it about human's relationship with others, not just smiling but hugging talking and high fiving etc. itd be interesting how it relates to physicality, and itd probs contrast really well with the marina workImmiHey guys! Soz for being a little MIA I was going to have a good look this morning and see if I can workshop some of the ideas we've got too so I'll let ya know :)) awesome job so far teamMarleenano worries ive been supa swamped with stuff too hahaAPR 2ND, 11:22AMImmiok so i was having a look at some of the work in the lecture slides from the documentation and editing week and this work i thought was pretty interesting-- we could have a wall where we get people to collaborate by writing ideas or or drawings on like sticky notes or scrap paper and then organise them on a wall and then the time based aspect could be a sped up video of people writing and adding to the wall?  http://monumenttotransformation.org/atlas-of-transformation/html/c/crisis-of-capitalism/crisis-of-capitalism-ayreen-anastas-rene-gabri.htmlCrisis of Capitalism | Ayreen Anastas, René GabriCrisis of Capitalism | Ayreen Anastas, René Gabrimonumenttotransformation.orgImmicould be like a question related to stuff going on in the world and how they would fix it? or invent something? and get people to draw sketches or write ideas?i don't know just thinking :))APR 2ND, 6:19PMMarleenai think thats an interesting take on documentation... like, it relates to the idea of a kinda "communal" documentation?its pretty interesting to create a public forum for documentation, kinda like designated grafitti walls or online forumsImmiYeah nice!APR 2ND, 7:58PMMarleenahi everyone, dunno bout u guys but im still kinda conflicted about this assignment hahai think all the major ideas we came up with so far have been pretty interesting and im having trouble deciding which one i like the mostwhat are your opinions on this assignment?? is there anything u guys r super keen on so far?or anything u rly wanna do?for me, i definitely wanna do something that's hyper creative and outside the box - for this assignment im a little afraid of doing something thats been done or reminds me of a facebook or youtube vid i watchedi think no matter what idea we pick i definitely want to push it to its limits Yeah Marlena in response to your first response I agree, they were all heaps rudimentary ideas that I quickly wrote down before bed and definitely need expansion - they were just an idea to kick us off  I like the smile/high 5/hug ideas. I definitely want to do something "fresh" as well so I'm with you on that! No body likes the same old same. I'm still conflicted about the assignment too haha. The only thing is we have to think about the readability of it all - we don't really want to spend money buying items, etc, and we have to think about how we can record it and where we will do it MarleenaThanks for brainstorming so much  im definitely also keen on saving money too - doing something performance-y like suggested or just paper and pen like immi's idea seem like practical ideas to keep costs lowYep I like!MarleenaThe idea i suggested about the "caring" items would probs be no good for thatHaha maybe not Good thought butOkay let's keep brainstorming then and maybe decide by Tuesday night?MarleenaHaha yeah lets see how it goesWorse comes to worse we can talk it through with the tutor on wednesdayYeah, I'm sure we will figure it out but!MarleenaI will try make a list of ideas like u did No probs. We could even make a Pinterest board or whatever MarleenaOohh high tech hahaAPR 3RD, 1:09PMOkay so let's decide tonight on something solid so we can each conduct rudimentary experiments tomorrow on our own and document on TumblrMarleenaOk understood Immiyep nice.. i think maybe doing a time lapse or something could be interestingand maybe doing a trial of that? could get audience involved through drawing? I'm happy to do that at college?MarleenaIm looking at that email again and i think that tutor is only talking about her class, not ours, so i doubt when we rick up to class our tutor is going to expect us to have anything prepared (she will probs even send us an email herself)Immiok coolMarleenaBut doing a little experiment for tumblr ourselves actually sounds like a good idea to get us started, practice-led research and suchImmianother random idea hahah could be to record sound? and say have a story where each person hears the previous story and then adds to it?MarleenaThat sounds like a fun experiment to try im down for that Immiawesome! just not sure which artist it would relate to?i guess we could just say we used "so and so" as a starting point and then developed our own idea?MarleenaUr documentation one defsImmiok cooland then could focus on sound/ voice documentationMarleenaThe idea is to deform and experiment anywaysImminice!MarleenaHow bout for our first experiment, immi u can make a voice recording of the beginning of a story, u can send it to me and i will send my bit to ruve So its kinda like chinese whispers hahaImminice!! so just do it ourselves? or with other people?MarleenaAfter ruve we can keep sending it along and in the end we can compile itImmiyep sounds goodMarleenaImmiwill havd to do it later this arvo though once I've finished work hahaMarleenaAll good Immiawesome! nice work teamMarleenaWhat's the concept of this voice thingy? Soz I'll be at work for the next few hours so I won't respond ehahahMarleenaSo basically one person makes a voice recording of the beginning of a story and passes it along, and the next person continues the story with their own recording and passes that along  kinda like chinese whispersOkay, how do we get ransoms to do that though? Also I'm keen to try some experiments with people where I live tonight/tomorrowImmiI recon just ask people if they want to be apart of it hahaJust a trialMarleenaWe were just going to start with our group and maybe we can ask our friends to volunteer? HahaImmiAnd we can build on itYeah coolImmiMarleenaWhat kinda live experiments were u thinking of ruve??Another idea - photograph people's shoes, and get them to describe them self in one word. Show the pic to someone else and get them to describe whose shoes they see in one wordOr something like thatI don't knowMarleenaThats kinda interesting  its kinda like that saying "if u were in their shoes" APR 3RD, 7:31PMHahah APR 4TH, 10:43AMMarleenaHey guys this is just a compilation of the total ideas we made up so far! Feel free to add it to ur tumbr as documentation  I brainstormed some more ideas and such and added them to the list, too responsibility – marina abramovik, rhythm 0 Sit in a busy location with a sign explaining what to do – one of us filming place cameras on campus that people can draw on create an instagram page like ‘humans of UNSW’ where people take selfies and talk about themselves get randoms in the city to write one word and hold it in front of them and we can film them holding it up – the prompt can be: what life is, beauty is, what is real, etc recording people interacting affectionately with their friends/other people – smiles, hugging, high fiving ask a question and get people to write their answers and stick them on us ask them to write one sentence if that was all they had left to say documentation – ayreen anastas & rene gabri, crisis of capitalism have a wall where people collaborate by writing ideas or drawings on sticky notes or scrap paper and then organise them on a wall – time-based aspect would be a sped up video of people writing and adding to the wall – could be a question related to stuff going on in the world and how to fix it, maybe just sketching or writing ideas recording sound – have a story where each person hears a previous story and then adds to it (currently experimenting with this idea since it’s low effort and cost effective) wouldn’t it be sick if we could make a kinda song and beat out of every person’s clip of audio? Haha would definitely be interesting photograph people’s shoes and get them to describe themselves in one word – show the pic to someone else and get them to describe whose shoes they see in one word some of the ideas we have here would definitely relate to both responsibility and documentation artworks – I think both topics just both naturally overlap really well PS: in the above ideas I left out ideas which would be too expensive or unrealistic to carry outMarleenaoh god i just realised the formatting is really wack hahaanyways I JUST HAD AN EXPLOSION OF INSPIRATIONim excited to hear what u guys think of it!! i will type it up. i kinda tried to continue upon what u both already thought of (just uhh typing it up)ImmiAwesome Marleena!! Killing it with the ideas I recon they are all good starting points- we can discuss in class tomorrow and I think next step will be about pushing the ideas so they are more interesting and unexpected  and perhaps considering time based and getting creative with how we approach it, so we aren't just creating a 5min film or audioMarleenayeah i definitely agree with interesting and unexpected ImmiImmiWe'll have lots to discuss in class :))Marleenaso uhh here's that exposion of inspiration i was talking about. reading it again, some of the logistics dont make any sense like how the projection is going to work but i will share it here anyway in the spirit of experimentation MarleenaGet a large sheet of blue cellophane and draw a picture of a crying person. Draw exactly the same picture but instead on a sheet of paper of the same size. (In faint pencil instead) Have people draw/write on the sheet of paper what they would do to cheer the crying person up. Record the entire process of people drawing/writing on the paper. Turn the video into a time lapse. Hang the sheet of cellophane in front of a projector. Play the video on the projector, align the pictures of the crying person. Result: get a cool time lapse video of people drawing, be left with awesome looking artworkImmiMarleenaHahahaHey guys, you're both awesome! I have to go to work again now but I'll check this all out later and post something to Tumblr!ImmiNice yeah I've got classes pretty much till 5 now so will check back in laterMarleenaAg ttyl APR 4TH, 9:52PMAlright, so I'm going to update my tumblr with our ideas, I really like what we've got so far!And I'm going to pinterest ideas too. Then tomorrow in class maybe we can discuss with Anna our inability to choose an idea because we like them all hahahAPR 6TH, 1:51PMImmihttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1U8dukQ49_29jkB9ViKhWvooZRMLgVwbAOS3aFafhOuU/edit?usp=sharing hey guys I've made a group doc here which i recon will be easy to post info on and share ideas APR 6TH, 7:17PMMarleenathanks immi! checking it out now ImmiNot much info now haha just added a tiny bit before will some more tomorrow Add what you want and we can start formulating and idea to pursue Cool! Love what you've written so far - I've never used google docs though so I may take a little to get used to it APR 7TH, 12:28PMMarleenahi immi! would u be able to give me edit access for the doc? i sent a request, ty ImmiYeah I'll do it when I'm back at uni APR 8TH, 4:39PMImmihttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1U8dukQ49_29jkB9ViKhWvooZRMLgVwbAOS3aFafhOuU/edit?usp=sharing sox guys had it wrong setting should work now!APR 8TH, 6:40PMCool I'll try to figure it out ImmiAPR 9TH, 9:36PMYeah I'm liking these ideas guys  maybe we should do some experiments around these concepts?MarleenaIMMI i just read your comments and i think you're right about just picking something and pushing through with itdoing some experiments around this would be an excellent ideaim thinking of just trying out some basic things on my family haha like instructing them on things, and seeing their reaction when ive told them what theyve done is the artwork lolYeah I like the instructions and the audience creating the artwork through their perspectiveBut I love film too so I'm keen for eitherBut yeah if we pick one then we can each do experiments around that and see what worksMarleenamaybe in one of ur experiments u can try think of a way to incorporate more film elements??im not too sure how to do that cos i dont think im creatively inclined that way but it could be rly cool like... maybe you can play a film with realy different sound from whats actually being played, and have the audience watch it once blindfolded but then reveal the actual footage afterYEAAAAHThat's cool!MarleenahahaAPR 13TH, 6:27PMMarleenahi guys! im just checking in to see how you are all feeling about the assignment i did some stuff and put it in the google doc, and i kinda have a vision for what i think would be goodAPR 14TH, 11:24PMHeya girl, I literally haven't thought any about it this week as I've been so busy, it's due first or second week back? Also I'm keen to try whatever MarleenaHaha no worries due wk 8 first week backLel we should probs get on it then Let's decide on it and run with itMarleenaI was continuing our asmr video idea and writing a script for the instructions and voice - some is in the google doc If u wanna continue that idea, could u look into ways we could get a voice to say the instructions?  How to record it, and maybe possibility of having music to it too?I dont think this idea will be too hard to accomplish with the little time we have leftAlso help and ideas on the script would be amazing Sorry if it seems im just pushing watevs i wanna do lol its just an idea if u guys wanna get the thing over and done with lolNo totally cool, we've only got about 12 days so all good  I'm keen to look into music and voice recording, I could get my brother to say it? He has a nice audio voice. I can do some recording for experiments and send them through and post on Tumblr?I'll send you through an example here too0:09This was for another assessmentJust a thought hahaMarleenaThats a gr8 idea! Itd be awesome if ur brother could do it  thatd be way better than a text to speech robot lmaoId love to see some experiments and stuff 2 on the tunblrIll try get the script done asap too  hopefully by early next weekIm a total noob at voice recording and stuff like that so uhh might need to rely on u guys for that lolHaha cool, I'm down! I'm with my family this weekend so I'll record my brother doing some experiments and I'll post to tumblr Any ideas on what you want him to say?I'm going to check the google doc nowMarleenaYeah its all there  its kinda unpolished but just what u want with it Have fun with ur family!!!Yeah cool, I like what you've written so far, I think it could be really cool! I'll get my brother to read out the script so far, and I'll play around with some rad sound effects to go with it! Are we still getting the audience to close their eyes?Also I reckon we could even do just the one piece, but have parts slowed down, made faster, toned up or down, with different 'music' or sounds to it to create different emotions?Maybe instead of having three different ones, show how we can create the atmosphere just through exploration with tone, etc?MarleenaThe stuff I've written i intended to just be one piece,  its just i wrote different versions and wanted to include in thr doc as documentation  the second script is the latest draft. Sorry should have clarified. I rly like the idea of using music and tone to create emotion and atmosphere! Pushes the limits of what audio can be MarleenaI think getting the audience to close their eyes would be good for immersion Oooh i just reread the docYeah rad, all good! Alrighty, so do we want the instructions to go for like 2.5 mins or so with their eyes closed, and then they have 2.5 mins to create the artwork? or do we actually want them to just sit an listen the whole time?hahahaMarleenaYeah those three paragraphs at the end r supposed to be part of the same script Making them sit there for 2.5 mins thinking of the artwork sounds sadistic but totally marina-esque xDI say we do ithahaahah okay!MarleenaItd probs be 3 parts audio 2 parts thinking instead thoHahahaso say we provide them with the artistic tools needed, they sit there eyes closed, then produce the work in the dark still with music/sounds still playing?MarleenaThis is the kinda thing which makes normal think arti d ts are crazy lmaoahahhahahlove it but!so trueMarleenaI reckon including the actual creating if the artwork by the audience would be interesting!  We wouldnt even have to have them blindfolded for that bit. Would be rly interesting to see wat they imagined Hand out pieces of paper and set up pencils etcmaybe in keeping with marina's style, we could give them a bunch of mediums to choose from, i.e. giving the audience even more controlyeah definitely not blindfolded, but maybe keep the lights lowish?are we going to blindfold them?that could be funMarleenaI was thinking of blindfolds during the audio instructions but probably not for the creating part yeah agreedMarleenaYay! This is exciting This is gonna be fun hahaYeah I'm keen!what sort of mood are we thinking? because the sound effects will create the mood and toneor are we trying to evoke more than one emotion?MarleenaIm thinking a calming and compelling moodIf we're going to evoke an emotion itd be inspiration?Or enlightenmentalrightyso maybe some intense parts to make them really think, but sort of calming as well?MarleenaYeah! radI'll get to work MarleenaA+Since we're including a creating part, maybe the length of the script we have is enough?Do u reckon u'd be able test that in ur experiment?I just realized the time lmao. Goodnight all! Im off to bedYeah no props haha night!APR 15TH, 9:46AMImmiNice guys!! I will have a read of the script and stuff today Awesome  I was checking out some awesome social vids on YouTube last night and they were really inspiring! I'll some the links through and you guys can check em, maybe we can use some of the ideas for experiments or whatever. Also for the actual product, maybe we can include some more personally encouraging words, like starting with, 'you... are amazing... beautiful ..." etc and continue with the script?Just an idea ImmiCool I'll have a read of the script and let you guys know what I think :)) so far seems v v good hahaRadddd  I'll have to post the links later on as I'm out and don't have them hahahttp://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=mediumThe Power of WordsHarness the power of words to grow your business today: http://tinyurl.com/phokf69 For personal transformation order Andrea Gardner's book 'Change Your Words...youtube.comCheck this out!ImmiI think itd be more interesting to have the audience create the artwork at the same time as the recording so maybe we could do a trial using this script.. I can do it with my brother and have hie draw at the same time and if one of you wants to do the script and have someone draw after? And then we can discuss the implications and results of each?Marleenaok sure i will test out having someone draw the thingo afterwards ImmiAwesome :))APR 15TH, 6:29PMyeah great idea, that can be one of our experiments  I'm getting my brother to record it tonight so once it'd done I'll send it through and start playing with sound effects )ImmiQuestion, do either of you play an instrument?also I've added the youtube vids to google doc if you wanna check them out Marleenaunfortunately i dont haha all good, was just wondering for the soundtrack alright, here is my first edit!Play-5:01Unmutelet me know what you do/don't likeI added a few words to your script Marleenahope that's okay!APR 16TH, 10:13AMImmiokki so just did this with my brother and feedback is: that if we are drawing at the same time as the audio then it should be a littler more instructional.. not telling you what to do explicitly but perhaps having some words like "draw" or "translate this thought to the page" so that the audience knows to communicate the image they have in their head on the page. However, also good to draw after so having say 1-2 minutes of straight talking about imagining different things and then 1-2 mins after to drawMarleenai listened to the audio and i think the words u added helped out the script a lot ruve  enhanced it moreso i just tested out the audio and i definitely agree, the way it is designed now is best suited to having the drawing/creating component after the audioi think if we want to create a more "immersive" and ASMR-like experience, keep the drawing and audio separateMarleenai really enjoyed the music of the audio, i think it fits the tone of the piece well  my only thoughts are to add longer pauses between certain lines (like the one which says "i'll give u a minute" - this will help with immersion and give the audience space to think) and also refining the script more (tho i think it's pretty alright now)Marleenaother than that, only the final details are left. for the drawing/creating component, we can hand out A4 pieces of paper and any other materials to let people use (im sure the class will have stuff they can use to draw lmao) and for the audio part, i was thinking of just tearing up old rags and such for blindfolds  we could probably also get bedsheets to block out the window light as well, if u guys wanted ImmiI agree with the audience closing their eyes but it might be enough for them to just close their eyes? As then they have to conscious of not seeing and focusing on imaging? Also it could be good to leave the drawing up to the audience where they either draw during or after?Like if they have an idea they can jot it down but then have time after to drawAPR 16TH, 12:36PMMarleenai agree blindfolds might not be necessary, i just thought it might be good for immersion if its completely dark for them (and if their eyes open up a little bit, they still cant see) - i think for the sake of being immersed in the audio, it would better to have drawing afterwards so they can concentrate on thinking of what they will drawMarleenaim a bit worried if we leave it up to the audience they will chit chat during the audio lolAPR 16TH, 6:26PMImmiTrue pointAPR 16TH, 10:55PMRad! Glad you guys like it  yeah I definitely think I need to make some pauses longer, my brother said it pretty quickly. So you think the songs good to keep then? Yeah I reckon just to really immerse the audience we should blindfold them, and get them to draw once the voice says "open". The music will still be playing and I reckon keep it dark to keep the mood. Do you want to add anything else to the script? Also I reckon we should provide the art materials so we can point to that being the "responsibility" of us as the artist's APR 17TH, 9:45AMImmiYeah and I think discuss, in linking to marinas work, responsibility in terms of the 'creator' and whether the artist has to be the creator or whether the audience can be the creator etcYeah APR 17TH, 11:24AMMarleenaok, i will look over the script thing again soon - u guys can go over it again and add what u want as well umm im not really too sure what to add and i guess adding too much might be bad for time limit reasonsglad things are coming along!!  feeling less stressed already lolOkay no props, I'll work on it later today  all good! don't stressAPR 18TH, 9:52AMMarleenai just checked over the script again  added a few things here and there! looking good guysTUE 8:34PMOkay cool, let's have it finalised by tomorrow night then? And I'll get my brother to say it again Marleenasure thing! im fine with it if everyones ok with this deadline ImmiYep cool! I'll have a look in the morn sorry I've been trying to get a science report done ahh haha tomorrow night is good though WED 9:16AMImmiokki cool i re-listened to the audio and left a couple of comments on the google doc in regards to specific parts. If you guys want to have a look and then we can workshop the ideas into the final piece? :)) keen to do it in class and see what results we get hahaMarleenahullo ur up early!! hahai just checked ur comments and took ur advice into account and removed+added things i think its pretty much done!! i think its pretty interesting how u felt super relaxed and didnt feel like making art afterwards listening to it  am also keen to see what everyone else things - for me, its more like it inspires me rather than gives me great ideas etcWED 1:38PMImmiNice ! Yeah I think everyone will respond to it differently which is cool THU 1:11AMRad! I'll send the script again to my bro and then put together the piece, did you want me to keep the same musical soundtrack? Anything else you want me to add to it? We could even get the audience to just simply write one word about it or whatever as well THU 8:25AMMarleenaI think the same music is gr8, the only thing i rly wanna add is dramatic pauses xDFRI 12:04AMYeah great, I'll do it!FRI 9:37AMMarleenaso about the drawing bit, did any of youse have a4 paper and other drawing supplies at home that you could bring in for next wednesday?ImmiI've got A4 cartridge paperI've got pencils and heaps of mediums they can useAlso, what are we as the artist's going to do during this process?Are we going to do it too, or sit there as an object, watch and take notes, what?FRI 12:53PMImmimaybe we could also do it?then there isn't an 'us' and 'them' its just everyone responding to the audio?Marleenai think we might need to explain things a bit (like telling everyone to remain seated in the beginning and relax, and afterwards explaining we're going to give them to tools to draw what they want afterwards) because the audio isn't extremely explicit about thisso we might not be able to participate because we need to keep things running hahaImmitrueMarleenajust trying to think of the logistics because our class is pretty chatty/distracted sometimesImmior we could explain at the start everything and then the audio goes and once its finished we just have time to draw?haha true marleenaMarleenahahahayeah thats a good ideagive a little explanation at the beginning, prepare the art stuff, and then we can all participate togetherImminice :)) and then if we have to just stop and explain thats fine toowe won't really know how its going to pan out until we've done it any way! so will just have to see eee!Marleenayeah  no worries at allid appreciate if u guys could bring in the art stuff you have, i will too, i dont thing we'll need much paper just one sheet for everyone (like 20-30pcs), will only need pencils and other basic stuff as well, not to mention everyone in class probs has their own stuff tooImmiyeah for sure! i don't have a whole heap of stuff just cos I'm at not living at home but I've got some acrylic paint that i could bring ? and ill bring what ever i can find :))FRI 6:12PMMarleenanice! thanks FRI 9:04PMYeah man I have heaps I'll bring it all! What if I get my brother to say all of that, so we don't have to even talk at all? That could be kind of cool - like we remove ourselves so that we become part of the artwork, instead of having to explain ourselves? And then we can participate too?MarleenaYou know, that could work! We'd have to figure out the timing etc but itd be awesome!! Okay, I'll tweak the script a bit and get it done!FRI 10:51PMMarleenathanks  i will also tweak a little to help, if its not too lateYeah go ahead! I'll get him to do it tomorrowSAT 1:22AMImmiNice!!I'm happy to record stuff too if you need  but otherwise it's looking v goodSAT 2:52AMSure, if you like  just for continuity though do you think we should have just one voice? We could both record people tomorrow and compare the sound before I edit it if you like? SAT 8:14AMImmiHmm true, maybe it would work better with just one person? I guess depends if we want the instructions and audio to be connected or separate, what do you guys think?Marleenai think connected would be less jarring ImmiYeah true, ok in that case ruve are you ok in recording both parts?Marleenait should be ok, i just checked the script again and added in more instruction-type phrases and there's not much extra ImmiOk cool :))Marleenaso i read the script a dozen times lol, i was thinking instead of adding in the script "please use the materials at hand to create your artwork", we could have a slide on the projector instead say it? so that it kinda doesnt break the narrator's character as "our conscience"so that when everyone opens their eyes, they see the instructions on the projector to begin creating their artwork etcImmiYeah that could be good! We would just have to make sure that everyone stays on task I guess cos it could be easy for people to just stop thinking once the audio is over?Or we just have in the introduction that after the audio we will be drawingAnd then have the slide up? So that the audience is already thinking about creating a work from the audio and then once the audio is over they can go straight into it?Marleenai tried adding that bit to the audio but i think it breaks the atmosphere and also "ruins the surprise"cos i was thinking of our intentions and it might be better to have an authentic "first impression" by the audience?ImmiYeah trueMarleenaits kinda like, the intrigue plus if they knew theyd have to draw stuff, it might spoil the effect of the audioImmiYeah nice and then I guess linking to responsibility too and that they don't know before hand they are drawingMarleenayeah!ImmiYep I agree, will take away from the meditative aspectOk cool maybe we have the slideMarleenaalso about staying on task, the music will still be going during the drawing, and they're not drawing for too long, so it shouldnt get too crazyuhh hopefully LOLImmiHahaMarleenacos audio is what, 2 or 3 minsImmiYeah about thatI think 2 mins plus Intro?Marleenayeah i reckon it will be ok ImmiMaybe we can record the audio at the end of ruves brother saying the bit about drawing and then we can cut it out later if it interferes too muchBut at least we then have the option Marleenagood idea, doesnt hurt to try it outnice!! glad everything's coming along!! SAT 10:49AMYep cool, I'll get him to say it all then I'll do two recordings (we can use one for an experiment for Tumblr). If we have a slide, do you think the light of it will be too distracting? Or maybe we could have a really dark slide, almost like an artwork in itself, and have the words almost hidden there so they have to concentrate on reading it? Also, if we place paper in front of them they'll know they have to draw, so for an element of surprise we could perhaps place maybe a box with things in it secretly when they are listening (but then we can't listen) or we could just put the materials out front and let them choose? But that could take too longThoughts?MarleenaWhile their eyes r closed and theyre listening to the recording, we can just put on the slide and set up the art things  we can make the slide have a black background with white textI think the light will be ok like that - also btw i dont think i will end up making blindfolds because it doesn't seem too necessaryI think it will be fine just asking them to close their eyes - simplicity is bestIts a shame if we do it this way we wont be able to participate, but it sounds like it will run most smoothly if we handle the behind the scenesIm not too sure wat u mean about placing a box with things in it, putting all the stuff out front sounds good and simple and i dont actually think it will take too longIm worried having the text be too unreadable will take focus away from the limited time they have to draw Yeah no not so unreadable they can't read it, just dark enough so the light isn't too much, but yeah a black background  what I mean by a box is just having all the same materials placed inside maybe a box, one for each table, so they don't have to get up which should take less time?I know, what if we do the audio after we finish making it before class, and include it in our final product and compare ours as the artist's with the audience?That way we still get to do it and it could be more of a comparison?MarleenaThat would be pretty interesting  do u mean doing it alone or meeting up?I think its a little l8 to meet up but i can try it out defsImmiYeah we could do it separately or before class if there's time?No we wouldn't have to meet up, I mean each of us do it respectively at home ImmiOk yeahMarleenaYeah defs!ImmiAnd we could also compare doing it by yourself vs with other peopleJust so it adds another element to it?Yeah!ExperimentsLolMarleenaI think the box idea for each table is gr8, you dont even have to get a box u can just evenly spread it out  on each tableSo we could bring ours in and maybe even display them nicely whilst everyone has eyes closed? But maybe have them flipped so they can't see them until we reveal them at the end after they've drawn something?Yep okay cool MarleenaHahaha i like thatAlso, we don't want them to talk or look at each other's work right?What can we do to stop them doing this?MarleenaSlap their wrists with a rulerAlso don't forget the lights can't turn off, so are we blocking out the windows?Hahahah Hahahah#marinaMarleenaHahaAlso is there anything else that needs to be added to the script before I record?MarleenaWe could block them out, only thing wed need is sheets  white is ok but still lets light in, black would be betterIts not entirely necessary but might be coolAlso ye done with the script, the blue writing is the instruction bits I think having the calming music playing moderately loud will make them not talk as much - should keep them in the moment for 2-3 minsSo maybe in the audio u could raise the volume of the music just a little during the creating phase? We could include on the slide that they shouldnt talk etc but i think that's the extent of our power Yeah great idea I can do that Okay I'm not sure I have any black sheets but let's see what we can findAnd good idea having the instructions in blue!I'm keenMarleenaBlue font! Good idea No stress, the sheets arent entirely necessaryRadMarleenaOH i thought u meant have the instructions in blue font xDLike on the slideHahah that's okay, what colour do you want them?MarleenaAhh it doesnt really matter as long as the background is black - i was thinking dark grey,  white or calm blueYep coolSAT 9:42PMOkay so they are going to have about 40 seconds to get down their ideas lolBut that could be coolSAT 10:46PMOkay! I've done the edit, I'll send it through once it's uploaded and you can see what you think Also we should definitely give it a title Should we make note of the fact they don't have long and say that it was for a specific purpose?MarleenaSounds good! Good for reflectionAlso once I send it through, do you reckon we should get 3 people each to do it, and then we can compile these pieces together, maybe make a collage to post on Tumblr, and can display them on Wednesday as well?Just to add even more depth?https://www.youtube.com/uploadYouTubeShare your videos with friends, family, and the world.accounts.google.comhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNIUppJHQTYRUMINATION (audio artwork)This audio piece was a collaboration with two other art students. We have created an audio set of 'guidelines' in the contemplative stage, or the conceptual ...youtube.comsoz ignore the first one!I've called it Rumination for my youtube account, but if you don't like that we can change it! let me know what you guys think of it and if you want something changedAlso we can't forget to write our 300 words SUN 1:52AMImmi awesome! And thankyouu Haha would have likely forgotten about thatSUN 9:23AMMarleenaomg not gonna lie i completely forgot that as wellalso i think testing the audio out on ppl and displaying them is a nifty idea  not entirely necessary tho so dont have to stress about itMarleenaso just listened to the audio... having a mixture of putting the instructions on the screen and having ur brother read them out worked surprisingly well!  that was a good touch. i think we can actually afford to cut out some of the audio to make more time for the creating process at the endMarleenahmm ohh actually, i think a minute is alright, i just went over the audio againi went to the google doc and i underlined the chunk we could cut out if we wanted to extend the creating time, lemme know what u guys think  im pretty happy with what we have so far btw, i think we did a gr8 jobSUN 9:58PMCool! I think I actually don't mind the monologue taking up most of the time, because for me personally, I see the work as something that stimulates the conceptual stage rather than focus on the production of a piece, so I reckon a minute is okay. But I can edit it again if you both like  if we had a little extra time at the end we could possibly gather the pieces and display them out the front, but that may take too long anyway. Also, shall we all just write 100 words each about the project? Say we allocate a dot point each? Or would you prefer to do it a different way?Marleena100 words each sounds good Immiyeah i agree i think the drawing doesn't need to be too long as it is mostly about creating an image mentallyMarleenaYeah, im ok with not cutting much out tooImmiand yep 100 words sounds goodAlrighty, leave it as is then? Okay great, let's look at the rubric then decide what we shall each write?Also, do you mind if I post the vid to Facebook? I wanted people to do it and send me pics of their work, just to see what they created MarleenaLol no worries at all go ahead!Rad!I'm just looking up the assessment now Immiyes for sure!MarleenaYeah same Ahh sweetImmiim going to bed now cos I've got my stats exam tomorrow :// so will be able to do my 100 words tomorrow afternoon/ evening after the exmaMarleenaNo worries,  good luck with ur exam Immiahhh thanks! hahaAll good! Good luck!!I think I need to make the music a bit louder during the drawing process?Just listened to itMON 8:35AMMarleenathat sounds like a good idea considering we're going to be playing it in a large room, which might make the music sound even softerso i checked what the 300 word statement has to be about, and it basically needs to include: the original artwork chosen, the relevant weekly topic, and the process of productionso yeah! we can just pick a subject each, and write 100 words on that  if u guys dont mind, i will get started on "the original artwork"Yep cool! Immi want me to do the process of production so I can talk about the editing process?ImmiAwesome so I'll do weekly topic and how it links to responsibility?Marleenayup. woohoo! ImmiMarleenaso i just put mine in the end of our google doc for convenience MON 12:14PMImmiMON 7:25PMAwesome! Let's all put them there and then collate it so we can put it on our tumblrs MON 10:24PMHey girls! I've done my piece too, so I'm just editing them all together now, I hope that's okay  how'd you go today Immi?ImmiGood exams all done and I've put up my 100 words to the docWill do the audio tomorrow and drawing etc tooI'm happy to edit them if you want ruve! You've done heaps of work already :))Awesome! Yeah I know, I'm stitching the three together It's okay I'm almost done! I'll post it and then you can change it if you like ImmiOkki cool :)) awesomeOh yes I'll do the audio tonight too! Though it's hard with us because we already know what to expectOk it's up so you can check and change if you like Chat Conversation EndSeen by everyone Type a message, @name...

[911remembered]

9/11 1st Responders & Volunteers...Where Are They Now?

It’s been 17 years since 9/11/2001 changed the world forever…

People from all walks of life “answered the call” to help during our darkest hours…where are they now?

This video is just a taste of the full movie, but it conveys a strong message of how September 11 affected those who responded. The people depicted in this film are Ground Zero Responders & Volunteers. Their reactions during these interviews was recorded back in the mid 2000’s, not long after the attacks. Though short, this trailer is emotionally stirring and evokes genuine questions about the nature of humanity at the most challenging times.

This trailer was originally posted on the official 9/12 From Chaos To Community website, we are simply sharing it raise awareness among our 9/11 Community and rest of the world. To purchase the film, please visit their website.

[vegas-glitz]

The Tax Honesty Movement

http://topicsofnote.com/?p=10086&utm_source=SocialAutoPoster&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Tumblr

The tax honesty motion (THM) is not a person or a solitary organization. The THM is a perception or way of thinking based mostly upon independence and accountability. The phrase "The Tax Honesty Motion" was coined in the mid 1990's, by an unfamiliar writer, to describe this escalating phase of our modern society. There are some who have examined tax regulation, the Constitution, and Supreme Courtroom tax instances, and have come to the conclusion that not absolutely everyone is issue to specific profits tax. But additional to the position is that they motivation our government to answer the queries posed to them to exhibit where the legislation helps make the common citizen liable for that tax and in which in the Structure they derive that electric power. This perception is founded upon the actuality that People in america, as the rightful and just sovereigns of this country, demand an open transparent government that is answerable to them, their creator, "We the Men and women". In unique - honesty by the govt on difficulties relating to taxation of the American individuals.

There are some who may well be shocked to discover that the profits tax, which is used to people's wages, is a alternatively modern incidence in American record. For the to start with 150 yrs of our country there was no money tax. In truth, the initial handful of occasions the federal government tried using to enact this sort of a plan, the Supreme Courtroom discovered it unconstitutional (1850-1913). If it was unconstitutional then, why is it constitutional now?

In the late 1800's and early 1900's, there ended up a number of corporate tax conditions which ruled what was and what was not "earnings." In normal the federal government can only tax via two strategies - either instantly or indirectly. Report 1, Area 9, of the Constitution says a direct tax is a tax that is levied right on a person or assets, and as a result, it need to be apportioned among the the states based mostly on the states populace. (A major motive we have a national census.) An oblique tax is levied on a privilege or an motion, this sort of as a company, or a product sales tax on certain items or business.

Congress passed the Earnings Tax Act of 1894 which taxed rental revenue from true estate. In 1895, the Supreme Courtroom dominated the act unconstitutional, as it was a direct tax and need to be apportioned.

In 1913 Congress handed the Sixteenth Amendment which authorized taxation of incomes with out apportionment. To which incomes did this relate? As with all issues in the authorized planet, context is every thing in the 1943 circumstance of Halvering V. Edison Bros. Stores, the courtroom said that neither the Treasury Division nor Congress could "tax as profits that which is not income within the this means of the 16th Modification."

What then is 16th Amendment cash flow? In Corn V Fort, the court dominated "The individual, unlike the corporation, are not able to be taxed for the privilege of existing", and "the people Ideal to live and personal house are all-natural rights for the satisfaction of which an excise simply cannot be imposed." In Stratton's Independence, LTD V. Howbert, 1913, the Supreme Courtroom mentioned that the 1909 company Tax Act "was an excise tax on the carry out of enterprise in a company ability... measuring on the other hand, the quantity of tax by the profits of the corporation." Also, in the 1921 case of Merchants' Mortgage & Trust Co. V Smietanka the court stated, the phrase profits have to be provided the exact same indicating in ALL cash flow tax legislation as was specified in the Company Tax Act of 1909. This currently being the situation all "profits" tax is dependent on "corporate" money. In the 1909 Corporation Tax Law (Chap. 6, 36 stat. 11), it states that the revenue tax was levied "with regard to the carrying on or accomplishing business by this sort of a corporation..." It is thus settled that 16th Modification earnings ought to deal with company money. As wages are a person's home, and the right to get the job done and own assets are unable to be taxed with no apportionment, the immediate tax versus individual wages is unconstitutional.

There is also the issue of WHO is created liable by the tax code. In Financial system Plumbing and Heating Co. V United States, the Courts have mentioned that the income regulations "relate to taxpayers, and not to nontaxpayers." Mainly because Congress does not offer with nontaxpayers, their laws only protect those people who ARE taxpayers. Thus, you will in no way see any code which says what is not topic to tax, only what is subject to tax. This circumstance exhibits that there are people who are NOT taxpayers how then do we know if we are just one of them?

In accordance to the IRS code for the taxpayer, taxes are paid on "wages" for "providers performed by an worker for his employer." This seems straight forward adequate But what is an staff? According to the IRS code Title 26, Subtitle C, Chapter 34, Segment 3401, "Employee incorporates an officer, personnel, or elected official of the United States, a point out, any political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, or any company or instrumentality of any just one or additional of the foregoing. The term "personnel" also incorporates an officer of a corporation." Centered on the IRS's definition for staff, are you an personnel? Most of us are not. If wages are attained by staff and you are not by definition an personnel, then you are not a taxpayer (until you volunteer to be one.)

As most of us do not gain "cash flow" nor are we "staff", as outlined by the IRS's have code we should really, for that reason, not be issue to the tax. This small write-up simply cannot address every facet of the THM, but these illustrations illustrate the points which the THM endeavors to resolve, honesty among the government and the citizen. As we can see from the illustrations above, our guidelines are so convoluted, misleading, and imprecise, that the ordinary citizen may perhaps not be ready to discern who is and who is not liable for the tax. The THM basically wants the authorities to response such issues actually and straight. As Citizens, we ought to have nothing at all fewer.

The 1st Amendment states, "...and to petition the authorities for a redress of grievances." This proper requires the servant federal government to reply the people's inquiries when they feel they have been wronged. Petition of redress goes over and above the historical past of our very own federal government, as it was employed by our founders to obtain responses from the King of England to attempt and correct the wrongs of the early colonists. Even so, background might be repeating by itself. 1 of the principal causes...for our withdrawal from England, as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, was: "In each and every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our recurring petitions have been answered only by repeated harm."

In 2001 a team of THM leaders led by Mr. Robert Schulz from "We the People today Basis", and many others from close to the place, coordinated a assembly with the IRS, associates of the Division of Justice, and a member of Congress to go over their grievances relating to unique taxes and tax law. It was agreed on by all events, the date was set, and it was even arranged to be world-wide-web-solid dwell and recorded for posterity. A shrewd law firm from the governing administration decided they experienced far better have a glimpse at which concerns would be questioned at this discussion board, so they were being offered a checklist of 299 issues. The govt has consistently said that the arguments of the THM are frivolous and with out merit. They now experienced the chance provide a knock-out blow and to crush each individual argument as soon as and for all. Inside a 7 days of acquiring the questions, the federal government said they would not be attending the assembly and they gave no other causes.

When Robert Schultz and the "We the People Basis" questioned why the government would not reply their inquiries, the government's reaction was silence. Afterwards, when the Treasury section was questioned on camera why they did not solution the petition, they responded that they would solution the petition by enforcement. Meaning, they would use pressure against the people today of the United States to make them comply. Mr. Schultz then brought go well with versus the United States to obtain resolution to his petition. This scenario has risen to the Supreme Courtroom to decide if the government has an obligation to solution the petition of the persons. Currently the Supreme Courtroom is determining if they will settle for the scenario. This will be the to start with time in our country's history that this problem will be raised.

Who is included in the THM? It is not a person individual or team. It is much more an awakening by much more and extra American Citizens to the realization that anything is not proper with our tax procedure. The leaders of present-day THM contain Aaron Russo, a Hollywood film director and founder of restoretherepublic.com, which is now managed by Gary Franchi from the Lone Lantern Culture. Like so numerous of us, Mr. Russo arrived to the realization that a little something was not suitable in The us, and he begun to examine. This culminated in a amount of productions, such as Aaron Russo's Mad as Hell movie presentation and the the latest The usa Liberty to Fascism. Aaron Russo has introduced far more than a information of Tax Honesty, but he has awakened the American public to notice that without personalized involvement, by just about every of us, to hold the govt in examine, we will proceed to drop far more and a lot more legal rights.

Yet another THM chief is previous IRS Exclusive Agent Joseph R. (Joe) Banister. Even though doing the job at the IRS, Mr. Banister started out hunting for answers to the thoughts posed to him by the persons he was investigating. Just after a lot investigation and investigation he could not come across the solutions, so he requested his superiors in the IRS. Just after he was advised essentially to shut up and color like anyone else, Joe decided to do a thing else and to aid bring the truth of the matter to light.

There are many others from the IRS like Sherry Jackson, a former, remarkably embellished, income agent who desired to reply the concerns posed by the "We the People today Basis." We the People Foundation have been presenting $50,000 to any one who could prove the typical American was liable to pay out taxes. Ms. Jackson wanted to establish them wrong and to gather the $50,000 but she could not find the law, even nevertheless she worked for years with the tax code even though in the IRS, it just was not there. She now functions to assistance the THM educate the American persons.

Folks like Robert Schulz of the We the People today Foundation have expended a great deal of their own time, cash, and tricky operate to provide the reality of individual taxation to all Us citizens. Mr. Schulz is having the govt to court and is preventing the struggle to force our authorities to be straightforward with it can be citizens and reply our issues.

Dave Winner is a paralegal and the creator of authentic intent, a website web-site dedicated to teaching all People the truth of the matter about America's tax scheme. Mr. Winner has spent yrs studying the tax code, Supreme Court scenario heritage, and the Constitution and has determined that most of us need to not be taxpayers subject to the tax code. He also helps people to live in just the law as nontaxpayers.

Though that are its major target the THM is about a lot more than just taxes, it is about restoring our republican kind of governing administration. THM is about re-instilling transparency and honesty into the dealings among our authorities and it can be persons, it is about re-constructing belief.

The beliefs espoused in the THM also kindle the motivation for a return to a federal government that operates in just the bounds established by the Constitution. These days our Structure is disregarded by our Federal government, except if it suits their needs.

The blame for the corruption of our current governmental system, having said that, does not lie thoroughly with the governing administration. We the Men and women share the lion's share of the blame. We have authorized our govt to go unchallenged 12 months immediately after yr since of ignorance, cowardice, and apathy. Every session of Congress enacts additional laws proscribing our legal rights, and we do practically nothing. Each individual yr the Govt passes additional unconstitutional legislation, and we do nothing. Each and every time the legislature provides up extra of its' tasks, we do almost nothing. It is time the Citizens of this excellent country stop performing absolutely nothing. The THM are Citizens undertaking a little something to enable restore accountability within just our govt.

In my belief the THM is the last vestige of hope we have to guidebook this place back to currently being a Constitutional Republic and a freedom-loving nation. The attempts using position inside of the THM and the circumstances remaining decided by the Supreme Court docket to determine if the government has an obligation to respond to the petitions of the people today may perhaps by the previous tranquil signifies left by the Citizen to keep its' governing administration accountable. When a federal government decides it is not accountable to the people, the persons come to be serfs and are worthy of no extra than chattel and the only reaction gets to be enforcement by the authorities.

Resource by Michael Lemieux

[josephborrello]

Magnitude and Direction, Issue #40 | 23 Aug 2019

Hardware, Prototyping, and Fabrication

Via The Prepared: The VertiWalk is essentially a human-powered elevator (it's not as hard to operate as it sounds) that can improve mobility for people struggling to get up and down stairs. Blaser Hub has scientifically tested which nerf darts are best, so you know what to stock up on before the next office war. 🧲 This 252-segment ferrofluid display is part digital clock, part lava lamp.

Software and Programming

🤬 Try to play this horrible-UI game without losing your mind. 🔊 There's been speculation of secret codes and messages hidden in songs for generations. Now, though, it's finally come to pass. Not only does this article provide an informative and interactive breakdown on what a JPEG really is and how it works, it also provided this somewhat disturbing factoid: "...in the same way you confuse your brain when you rub your eyes too hard andstart to see blotches of dimness and color! These blotches you see—known as phosphenes—don’t come from any light stimulus, nor are they hallucinations made up in your mind. They arise because your brain assumes that any electrical signal arriving through the nerves in your eye is conveying light information. The brain needs to make this assumption because there’s no way to know whether a given signal is sound, sight, or something else. All the nerves in your body carry exactly the same type of electrical pulse. When you apply pressure by rubbing your eyes, you’re sending non-visual signals that trigger the receptors in your eye, which your brain interprets—incorrectly, in this case—as vision. You can literally see the pressure!" This new knowledge makes me wonder all kinds of things about brain-computer interfaces I wasn't thinking about before!

Science, Engineering, and Biomedicine

As climate change causes the loss of glaciers around the world, more than environmental issues are being precipitated. In the case of Italy, it means they have to keep redrawing their borders. 🥑 Rest easy, folks, we've sequenced the avocado genome. It may seem like just a white orb, but the eye is one of the most complex organs in the body and notoriously hard to replicate in vitro, which makes this tear-shedding artificial eye all the more impressive.

Mapping, History, and Data Science

I came across an interesting article by Jeff Sisson on the BetaNYCSlack Group the other day investigating how a section of Queens most people would probably indentify as Maspeth ended up getting labeled "Haberman" on Google Maps. The conclusion he arrived at, while not 100% confirmed, does seem likely and serves as a reminder that our data is only as good as we are, the topic of this week's Moment of Inertia. "There will probably never be a year in which no one dies in an aviation accident, but there will definitely never be a year in which 10 percent of the global population dies in a single plane crash. Yet that could happen with a supervolcano, an asteroid strike or a nuclear war." The New York Times on why our perceptions of probability make us woefully under-prepared for existential threats (ourselves included). Much to my chagrin, you can't technically ride the entire NYC subway system in alphanumeric order (i.e., 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-A-B-C-D-E-...-Z) with a single metro card swipe (the lack of transfer between the G and J trains is what does you in, in case you were wondering). You can however, travel 154.6 miles in the system without ever doubling back on yourself with a single swipe, as this WNYC article explains. (Also, in case you were curious 154.6 miles is roughly the distance from New York to Baltimore.)

Events and Opportunities

Remember two weeks ago when I said this section was the longest it had ever been? Well, the community may have one-upped itself yet again this week.

TONIGHT, 8/23 Join the New York Academy of Sciences for a brainy comedy night where local scientists will attempt to confirm the hypothesis that science does indeed have a sense of humor.

Tuesday, 8/27 The New York 3D Group hosts their first meetup at The World Bar, where participants can learn about 3D scanning technologies and even how to get a scan of themselves.

Wednesday, 8/28 The NY/NJ chapter of the Society for Conservation GIS are gathering for an informal chat over snacks and drinks. Come network with the organizing committee and other members of the chapter. If your map-minded data enthusiast like myself, they're always looking for volunteers, presenters, and suggestions for activities.

Wednesday, 8/28 The Hardware Startup meetup may not be having formal events over the summer, but that's not going to stop the community from getting together for their second happy hour of the season.

Tuesday & Wednesday, 9/3-4 If you've got some time to take a trip up to Cambridge, join the Harvard Biotech Club for their 20th anniversary Bridging the Gap symposium, annual Career Fair, or both. Students from all academic institutions are welcome and dozens of companies will be on hand for networking and recruiting.

Wednesday, 9/4 The Transit Techies meetup is back with all of your favorite transit-and-data-related projects. If you like trains, data science, and/or the view from Hudson Yards, I highly recommend you check out what is one of my favorite meetups.

Wednesday, 9/4 NYDesigns is hosting is next Women in Tech Happy Hour at Bierocracy in Long Island City. As always, individuals who identify as female and men are also welcome to attend.

Thursday, 9/5 Join Columbia Nano Labs for their annual Industry Day conference. Learn how you can use and leverage the Nano Labs facilities, hear from a panel of entrepreneurs who have done just that, and listen to faculty and technical experts discuss the way these sophisticated tools contribute to cutting-edge research.

Thursday, 9/5 The HAX hardware startup accelerator is journeying east from their usual haunts of San Francisco and Shenzen for a visit to New York to connect with the local hardware community with a special after-work hardware meetup and a night of socializing, drinks, and bites.

Friday 9/6 I'd like to say Nanotech NYC scheduled their next nanonite happy hour in honor of my birthday, but I don't think Jacob or the other organizers know when my birthday is! (Although they do now.) At any rate, NYC's nanotech community (practitioners and enthusiasts alike) will be getting together at Clinton Hall in east Midtown.

Some other upcoming events to keep on your radar...

Monday, 9/9 Small science gets a big showcase at Nano Day at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. Learn about some of the most exciting nanotechnology research and innovations coming from the NYC area and meet other technologists working in the field.

Wednesday, 9/11 Scientists, researchers, cartographers, artists, andeveryone in between will be gathering together at Peculier Pub for the next SciArt mixer.

Friday, 9/13 The Nanotech NYC meetup hosts Kendra Krueger, the founder of 4LoveandScience, a research and education platform that inspires new modes of working and learning in a complex world. An electrical engineer with nanotech experience in academia and the photonics industry, Kendra is also a trained facilitator in mindfulness, sustainable design and social justice.

Thursday, 9/19 LiveIntent is hosting their first tech happy hour at their office in lower Manhattan. The event promises to be a great opportunity for New York tech professionals to network, share ideas, meet our team, and learn all about LiveIntent and how their re-imagining email. There will be food, beer and wine provided, along with video games andboard games available!

Tuesday, 9/24 Join GeoNYC and Doctors Without Borders for a special map-a-thon to fill in missing geospatial data for underserved regions in order to provide international and local NGOs and individuals with the data they need to better respond to crises.

Wednesday, 9/25 Coming off their 1st birthday party, the NYC JLABS crew is taking a short break for the summer but will be back in September for their next Innovators and Entrepreneurs mixer.

Wednesday, 9/25 The RobotLab meetup's September event focuses on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Industry 4.0 and autonomous manufacturing.

Saturday, 9/28 Admission is just the swipe of a metro card for the Parade of Trains at the Brighton Beach station. Vintage train cars from all periods of the subway's history will be on display, as well as taking passengers on short trips around south Brooklyn.

Tuesday, 10/1 The next stop on Ogilvy's healthcare innovation pop-up series takes them to Hudson Yards, where they're teaming up with the HITLAB and SAP.iO Foundry for an event that will focus primarily on the female and underserved health innovators who are disrupting healthcare today.

October 11-16 Innovation Week at Mount Sinai. What started as just the SINAInnovations conference is now a week's worth of activities dedicated to bringing New York's biomedical innovation communities together. Here's the full lineup:

Friday-Sunday, 10/11-13 Mount Sinai Health Hackathon. The 4th annual Mount Sinai Health Hackathon will be an exciting 48-hour transdisciplinary competition focused on creating novel technology solutions for problems in healthcare. This year’s theme is Artificial Intelligence – Expanding the Limits of Human Performance.

Tuesday, 10/15 Careers & Connections 2019. October may feel far away, but I promise you it's not and you'll want to be sure to mark your calendars for GRO-Biotech's next big event, the Careers & Connections mini-conference and networking event, held concurrently with emerging healthcare technologies conference, SINAInnovations.

Tuesday & Wednesday, 10/15-16 SINAInnovations Conference. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is hosting its eighth annual SINAInnovations conference around the theme of Artificial Intelligence. A range of talks andpanels will focus on the explosive growth of AI in our society and in particular in medicine, featuring international thought leaders across the range of relevant domains.

Saturday, 10/26 The Future of Care conference is back at Rockefeller University featuring some of the latest breakthroughs in clinical care and the innovators helping shepherd them from bench to bedside. Apply to attend the conference by September 6th.

Map of the Month

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Odds & Ends

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