#george duckworth

[internatlvelvet]

Julia Stephen, her son George, Florence Fisher and H. A. L. Fisher

c. 1871

[federer7]

Mrs Herbert Duckworth, her son George, Florence Fisher and H. A. L. Fisher c. 1871

Photo: Julia Margaret Cameron

[theambitiouswoman]

Book Recommendations 📚📒

Business and Leadership:

"Good to Great" by Jim Collins

"The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries

"Zero to One" by Peter Thiel

"Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek

"Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell

Success and Personal Development:

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey

"Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol S. Dweck

"Atomic Habits" by James Clear

"Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth

"The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg

Mental Health and Well-being:

"The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle

"Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" by David D. Burns

"The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brené Brown

"The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund J. Bourne

"The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook" by Matthew McKay, Jeffrey C. Wood, and Jeffrey Brantley

Goal Setting and Achievement:

"Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want—Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible" by Brian Tracy

"The 12 Week Year" by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink

"The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

"Smarter Faster Better" by Charles Duhigg

Relationships and Communication:

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

"The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman

"Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High" by Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny, and Ron McMillan

"Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life" by Marshall B. Rosenberg

"Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus" by John Gray

Self-Help and Personal Growth:

"The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson

"Daring Greatly" by Brené Brown

"Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins

"The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod

"You Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero

Science and Popular Science:

"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

"Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

"A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

"The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins

Health and Nutrition:

"The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II

"In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan

"Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker

"Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall

"The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Fiction and Literature:

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

"1984" by George Orwell

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

[drawing-way-outside-the-lines]

tag the oc that is bad at math

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Phillip Jackson at HuffPost:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced a bill Wednesday that would give federal and state officials more power to hold police departments accused of bad behavior to account. The Enhancing Oversight to End Discrimination in Policing Act, led by Warren and in the House by Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), would strengthen the power of state attorneys general to launch investigations into police departments involved in civil rights violations if the Justice Department fails to act on them. The bill would also task the Justice Department with looking beyond “traditional law enforcement mechanisms” when providing reforms to selective police departments such as mental health support, civilian oversight bodies, and community-based restorative justice programs, according to Warren’s office.

Warren had introduced a version of the bill in 2020. This newest version of the measure would also revitalize the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, granting an increase in funding to pursue civil rights investigations into police departments and other government offices accused of discriminatory practices. It would increase funding for the civil rights division to $445 million per year over a 10-year period. (For scale, the 2023 budget for the division was $189.9 million.)

Warren first introduced her bill following the death of George Floyd in 2020. That earlier draft also called for Attorney General Merrick Garland to rescind a 2017 memorandum from his predecessor, Trump-era Attorney General Jeff Sessions, that limited the DOJ’s ability to initiate consent decrees on police departments — a key way of stopping bad behavior. (Garland rescinded that memorandum in April of 2021.)

Nine senators co-sponsored the bill: Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Several civil rights organizations are backing Warren’s new bill, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Urban League and others.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 9 other co-sponsors in the Senate are supporting the Enhancing Oversight to End Discrimination in Policing Act to strengthen police accountability. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) is pushing this in the House.

[ducktoonsfanart]

John D. Rockerduck and Jeeves (Lusky) with Rockerduck's family plus Donald and Scrooge - Duckverse - Gift for my friends

Once again I wish you a belated Valentine's Day, and on this occasion I drew a drawing of one of my beloved fictional couples from Donald Duck comics. It is about the love relationship between Rockerduck and Jeeves (Lusky) and that they are gay but the best partners in which they help each other. John Davison Rockerduck is the third richest duck in Duckburg and one of Scrooge's biggest rivals, but who knows how to use modern technology and spend money on everything just to beat Scrooge in the competition, and if he doesn't win, he eats his hat. He is often assisted by his butler, secretary and partner Jeeves (Lusky) and Rockerduck depends on him. Something similar to Albert Quackmore and Duckworth for Scrooge. Nevertheless, as a loyalist, he does not betray his boss and participates in the "crime" together. He often appears in Italian comics, but sometimes appears in other European comics as well. However, the two of them, even though they are not a couple in the comics, there are still many indications that they are in a romantic relationship and thanks to the fans of these characters, here I am to do my drawing related to the two of them.

Apart from them, there are Rockerduck's nephews, Ricky Rockerduck (who is Donald's age and likes to hang out with Donald, and is also clumsy), Simeon Rockerduck (Rockerduck's special nephew, similar to Donald's nephews) and Arsène, George and Patrick Rockerduck ( Rockerduck's nephews who are a pure copy of Donald's nephews, appeared a couple of times in Italian comics) who support their uncle Rockerduck, and there are also Donald Duck (who hangs out with Ricky) and Scrooge McDuck, Rockerduck's rival and best frenemy. I used mostly redraws from Topolino scenes and other European comics and combined some of my own in my own way (especially in the case of Rockerduck's nephews).

I hope you like this drawing and this Rockerduck/Jeeves pairing. And this is a gift for my friends, who told me that Rockerduck and Jeeves are great characters, especially for @salemaru (which was her birthday recently so this is also a birthday present), @rednevalbones and @bitterlynsposts. And thanks a lot for pointing me to these comics as well as new inspirations and this is my gift to you.

Feel free to like and reblog this if you like it! Just don't use these same ideas without mentioning me! Thank you!

[ironworked]

Let's look at that list from Geeks for Harris:

Starring (in alphabetical order):

Andy 'Brak' Merrill, Anthony Rapp, Bill Nye, Bill Prady, Chace Crawford, Corey Booker, Curtis Armstrong, Danneel Ackles, Dave Foley, Dave Hill, Dru Levasseur, Elie Mystal, Eric Kripke, Erin Moriary, Felicia Day, Frank Conniff, Gail Simone, Garrett Reisman, George Takei, Gloria Steinem, Hal Sparks, Jack Quaid, Jacqueline Emerson, Jamia Wilson, Jennifer Taub, Jensen Ackles, Jeri Ryan, Jessica Carter Altman, Jim Beaver, Jody Hamilton, John Fugelsang, John Grunsfeld, Jon Cryer, Jonathan Frakes, Kaela Joseph, Karen Fukuhara, Kevin Woo, Kim Rhodes, Laz Alonso, LeVar Burton, Lindy Li, Lynda Carter, Mae Jemison, Mark Hamill, Mark Sheppard, Mary Trump, Matthew Modine, Megan Smith, Misha Collins, Mona Sinha, Nancy Altman, Nia Bentall, Patty Jenkins, Paul Booth, Rachel Miner, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Andy Kim, Rep. Wiley Nickel, Richard Speight, Rob Benedict, Robert Picardo, Ruth Connell, Sean Astin, Sian Proctor, Stacey Abrams, Tammy Duckworth, Tanya Cook, Tim Russ, Valorie Curry, Wajahat Ali, Waseem Daher Wheatus, Wil Wheaton, Yvette Nicole Brown, Zakiya Thomas.

[sleepy-stories]

nothing was organised but i added 5 characters in. i hope you find them

Fantasmagorie (1908)

Little nemo (1911)

Colonel heeza liar (1913)

Gertie the dinosaur (1914)

Bobby bump (1915)

Farmer al falfa (1915)

Mutt and jeff (1916)

Krazy kat (1916)

Koko the clown (1918)

Felix the cat (1919)

Aesop’s fables (1921)

Alice’s comedies: alice and julius (1922)

Dinky doodle (1924)

Pete (1925)

Winnie the pooh (1926)

Oswald the lucky rabbit & fanny cottontail & ortensia the cat (1927)

Clarabelle cow (1928)

Tigger (1928)

Mickey & minnie mouse (1928)

horace horsecollar (1929)

Popeye (1929)

Bosko the talk ink kid & honey (1929)

The little king (1930)

Bimbo (1930)

Betty boop (1930)

Pluto (1930)

Toby the pup (1930)

Flip the frog (1930)

Van beuren tom and jerry (1931)

Foxy & roxy (1931)

Scrappy (screen gem - 1931)

Goofy goof (1932)

Bluto (1932)

Goopy geer (1932)

Buddy (1933)

Fanny zilch (1933)

Three little pigs and big bad wolf  (dis) 1933

Donald duck & peter pig (1934)

Clara cluck (1934)

I haven’t got a hat crew: porky, little kitty, bean, oliver owl, ham and ex (1935)

Molly moo-cow (1935)

Owl jolson (1936)

Mortimer Mouse (1936)

Kiko the kangaroo (1936)

Daffy duck (1937)

Della & Hdl (1937)

Egghead (1937)

Elmer fudd (1937)

Gabby goat (1937)

Petunia pig (1937)

Happy Rabbit (1938)

Gandy goose (1938)

Happy rabbit (1938)

Andy panda (1939)

Barney bear (1939)

Casper the friendly ghost (1939)

Sniffles mouse (1939)

Dinky duck (1939)

Bugs bunny (1940)

Woody woodpecker (1940)

Tom and jerry (1940)

Daisy duck (1940)

Fauntroy fox and Crawford crow (1941)

Butch cat & toodles cat (1941)

Pete Jr (1942)

Mighty mouse (1942)

Spike bulldog (1942)

Nibbles mouse (1942)

Tweety (1942)

Beaky & mama buzzard (1942)

Henery hawk (1942)

Blitz wolf (1942)

Jose carioca (1942)

Meathead cat (1943)

Droopy (1943)

Chip & dale (1943)

Red hot riding hood (1943)

Topsy cat (1943)

Screwy squirrel (1944)

Panchito pistoles (1944)

Sylvester the cat (1945)

Pepe le pew (1945)

Yosemite sam (1945)

Heckle and jeckle (1946)

Foghorn leghorn (1946)

Gossamer (1946)

Barnyard dog (1946)

George and junior (1947)

Goofy gophers (1947)

Scrooge mcduck (1947)

Gladstone gander (1948)

Hippety hopper (1948)

Marvin the martian (1948)

Lightning cat (1949)

Butch (1949)

Wile e coyote & roadrunner (1949)

Tyke the pup (1949)

Playboy penguin (1949)

Penelope pussycat (1949)

Little quacker (1950)

Granny (1950)

Sylvester jr. (1950)

Snoopy (1950) 

Max Goof/Goofy Jr. (1951)

Clyde bunny (1951)

Gyro gearloose (1952)

Sam sheepdog & ralph wolf (1953)

Southern wolf (1953)

Speedy Gonzales (1953)

Tasmanian devil (1954)

Goldie o-gilt (1954)

Sam and friends- sam, yorick, pierre the french rat, hank and frank (1954) 

Kermit the frog, harry the hipster, omar, mushmellon (1955)

Michigan j. Frog (1955)

Flintheart glomgold (1956)

Grinch (1957)

Ruff and reddy (1957)

Huckleberry hound, yogi bear, boo boo (1958)

pixie, dixie, mr. jinks (1958)

Donald Duck jr. (1959)

Rocky and bullwinkle (1959)

Quick draw mcgraw (1959)

Loopy de loop (1959)

hokey wolf (1960)

Calvin and the colonel (1961)

Ludwig von drake (1961)

Magica de spell (1961)

Top cat, choo-choo, benny the ball, brain, spook, fancy-fancy (1961)

Rowlf the dog (1962)

Pink panther (1963)

Fethry duck (1964)

Woodstock (1967)

The banana splits (1968)

Fritz the cat (1972)

The muppets- gonzo (1970) miss piggy (1974), dr teeth and the electric mayhem, sam eagle (1975) fozzie, scooter, bunsen honeydew (1976), beaker (1977)

Garfield (1978)

Rizzo the rat (1980)

mario , donkey kong, pauline (1981)

Luigi (1983)

Elmo (1984)

Princess peach and bowser (1985)

Basil & ratigan (1986)

Ducktales - webby, beakley, launchpad, duckworth (1987)

Who framed roger rabbit- roger, jessica and benny (1988)

Ducktales - fenton (1989)

Babs, buster, plucky and hampton (1990)

Sonic and doctor egghead (1991)

Drake mallard (1991)

Pete Jr. (1992)

Max Goof (1992)

Tails (1992)

Amy rose (1993)

Yakko, wakko, dot (1993)

Knuckles (1994)

Lola bunny (1996)

Pepe the king prawn (1996)

South park- the boys, craig gang and the girls (1997)

Spongebob (1999)

Shadow the hedgehog, shrek and donkey (2001)

Fiona, ginger breadman and pinocchio (2001)

Sulley and mike wazowski (2001)

Dennis the Duck (2002)

Puss in boots (2004)

Shaun sheep & bitzer (2007)

Mlp (2010)

Kitty softpaws, humpty dumpty, and tina russo (2011)

Dhmis (2011)

Ducktales reboot- lena de spell and mark beaks (2017)

Hazbin hotel (2024)

[adultswim2021]

Neon Knome: “Pilot” | February 22, 2010 (online) | Pilot

I have to admit: I don’t think I’ve ever watched this. I remember liking it, though. I think I just saw a clip and then forgot I never saw this whole thing and just assumed I must’ve liked it. Well: guess what? I liked it. 

I decided that I liked this so much (despite never having seen it) that I also, at one point, blind-purchased a Paper Rad (the art collective behind this and other things similar to this) DVD called Trash Talking about ten years ago, used at Amoeba records. Inside of it was a cardboard sleeve containing another DVD labeled Problem Solverz, the name of the TV show that Neon Knome sorta mutated into. That Problem Solverz is 23 minutes long, and doesn’t seem to have anything to do with this other than being in the same style. 

For those who don't know: this show was actually picked up, but not by Adult Swim; it aired on Cartoon Network and it's title was changed to Problem Solverz. I didn't watch it, either. The Cartoon Network show was reviled, currently sitting on IMDB with a 2 out of 10 user rating. WOW! I am assuming it's because it was too good.

A segment on the DVD for Trash Talking is a short called “Gone Cabin Carzy” (sic). It’s an actual precursor to this pilot, with the same guys in it and stuff. Also the kick-off segment of the DVD includes the narrator character from Neon Knome, but not voiced by famous gay internet user George Takai like he is here. 

The thing about this pilot is that is that the plot is sorta inessential. There IS a plot: three roommates find a large car-sized roller-blade in their yard. Fearing their landlord might get mad at them for storing something in their yard, they take it upon themselves to dispose of it. They camp out in the woods after getting lost, and it turns out that it belonged to their landlord, voiced by Amy Sedaris. That was the plot, which earlier, if you remember, I said was "sorta inessential". A better way to capture the show's essence is to focus more on the art style and the absurdist dialogue. The art looks amateure but elaborate, as if Windows added an animation suite to MS Paint. The humor is sorta Xavier-esque with it’s non-sequiturs, but not as coarse or vulgar. It’s mostly just weird stuff. 

It’s also HIGH ART and I respect it. It takes a special kind of brain to get me to laugh at three guys unrolling a huge sleeping bag. It’s not even a joke. Almost nothing in here is jokes. But it manages to be more amusing than most of these pilots. I’m glad it became a show, but I don’t think I agree with the decision to let something this weird be on Cartoon Network proper instead of Adult Swim. This is the kind of stuff Adult Swim needs more of. They dang-ass fumbled with this one. I'm guessing they found it too "PG" for the block. Weird to think Baby Blues was on Adult Swim but not this.

The entire thing is on youtube and archive. It shows a date from 2007 on the opening slate, but as far as I know made it's public debut here. I would like to bet it may have played at an animation or film festival or something like that.

NOTE: My ranking conventions originally dictated that I would wait until all installments of each pilot have aired (Soul Quest Overdrive and Yappy Broads still have additional episodes yet to premiere) but that’s a dumb, pointless rule and only demonstrates my pedantry. So: 

Neon Knome > Snake ‘n’ Bacon > Duckworth > Southies > Yappy Broads > Cheyenne Cinnamon > Soul Quest Overdrive

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 21st March 2023

Buckingham Palace

The King, Sovereign of the Order, was present this morning at a Service of the Royal Victorian Order held in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal, Grand Master of the Order, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also present. His Majesty was received by the Dean of Windsor (the Right Reverend David Conner) and the Chaplain of the Order (the Reverend Canon Thomas Woodhouse). Detachments of His Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard and the Military Knights of Windsor were on duty in St George’s Chapel. Afterwards The King gave a Reception at Windsor Castle for those who attended the Service. The King and The Queen Consort, Patron, this afternoon visited the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, and were received by the Chief Executive of Historic Royal Palaces (Mr John Barnes) and the Chairman of the Royal School of Needlework (Ms P Wood). Their Majesties, escorted by Dr Susan Kay-Williams (Chief Executive, Royal School of Needlework), viewed the progress of work being undertaken for the Coronation by embroiderers and other members of Royal School of Needlework staff, before viewing displays of objects from past Coronations from the Royal School of Needlework Archive and Collection and objects from the Historic Royal Palaces Collection.

Kensington Palace

The Prince of Wales, President, the Earthshot Prize, this morning held a Meeting. The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning held a Meeting to launch a Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, NatWest Head Office, 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Kent, Patron, St Mungo’s, this morning visited the Grange Road Service at 41-43, Crimscott Street, London SE1, and was received by Colonel Simon Duckworth (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).

[internatlvelvet]

Gerald Duckworth, Virginia Woolf, Thoby Stephen, Vanessa Stephen, and George Duckworth (back row); Adrian Stephen, Julia Duckworth Stephen, and Leslie Stephen (front row) at Alenhoe, Wimbledon in 1892

[corallapis]

Mural in All Saints Church, Thorney Hill by Phoebe Anna Traquair (1920-2), commissioned by the 3rd Baron Manners, commemorating the loss of his wife and two of his children. The mural depicts the Manners family and others, including at least four members of the Coterie who were killed in action in WWI — Capt. Bron Herbert; Lt. Raymond Asquith; Lt. Edward Horner; and Lt. John Manners — as well as Betty Asquith (née Manners), Katharine Asquith (née Horner), and Laura, Lady Lovat (née Lister) as the Madonna. The Manners family is depicted as they were in 1904, the year Molly Manners died.

1. 2. 4.  all sons of the Bishop of Exeter (see 11 below): Lt. Randle Gasycone-Cecil (1889-1917), Capt. John Gascoyne-Cecil (1893-1918), and Lt. Rupert Gasycone-Cecil (1895-1915)

3. Eric Gill (1882-1940), carver of the chapel, as St. John the Baptist

5. Charles Gore (1853-1932), as St. Peter the Apostle

6. Constance Manners (née Hamlyn-Fane), Lady Manners (1861-1920)

7. Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), as St. John the Evangelist as prophet

8. Capt. Auberon ‘Bron’ Herbert, 9th Baron Lucas (1876-1916)

9. William Blake (1757-1827), as St. John the Evangelist as writer

10. Phoebe Anna Traquair (1852-1936), self-portrait of the artist

11. Lord William Cecil (1863-1936), Bishop of Exeter, as St. Joseph

12. Hon. Frances Manners, later the 4th Baron Manners (1897-1972), as the Christ child

13. Laura Fraser (née Lister), Lady Lovat (1892-1956), as the Madonna

14. Angela Manners (1889-1970), as an angel

15. Lt. Hon. John Manners (1892-1914), as a pilgrim child

16. Katharine Asquith (née Horner) (1885-1976)

17. Lt. Raymond Asquith (1878-1916)

18. John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Baron Manners (1852-1927), as St. George killing the dragon

19. Lt. Edward Horner (1888-1917)

20. Hon. Mary ‘Molly’ Manners (1886-1904)

21. Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister (1827-1912)

22. Louis Pasteur (1882-1895)

23. Hon. Betty Asquith (née Manners) (1889-1962), as an angel

photos and identification credit to E. J. Duckworth

[frigid-arnica]

Currently the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval 111-116 introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders are slated to be reviewed by the senate foreign relations committee.

If you are represented by ANY of the following senators, call and email them in particular:

Ben Cardin - Maryland

James Risch - Idaho

Jeanne Shaheen - New Hampshire

Marco Rubio - Florida

Christopher Coons - Delaware

Mitt Romney - Utah

Christopher Murphy - Connecticut

Pete Ricketts - Nebraska

Tim Kaine - Virginia

Rand Paul - Kentucky

Jeff Merkley - Oregon

Todd Young - Indiana

Cory Booker - New Jersey

John Barrasso - Wyoming

Brian Schatz - Hawaii

Ted Cruz - Texas

Chris Van Hollen - Maryland

Bill Hagerty - Tennessee

Tammy Duckworth - Illinois

Tim Scott - South Carolina

George Helmy - New Jersey

The Joint Resolutions of Disapproval 111-116 need to pass committee before they can be voted on by the Senate.

Everyone should contact their senators but it is vital to contact the members of the committee especially. Supplying arms to Israel violates international law and 2 US laws. Contact them now and don’t let up.

To all my American friends, the time is now.

Please, execute a BOMBARDMENT. Call your representatives!

[stephenbloger]

How Does Military Experience Shape Political Leadership?

Military experience has long been recognized as a significant factor influencing political leadership. This article explores how prior military service shapes the decision-making processes, leadership styles, and policy choices of political leaders. By examining various studies by Kevin Vuong and historical examples, we can gain insights into the complex relationship between military backgrounds and political behavior.

The Influence of Military Experience on Leadership

1. Decision-Making and Risk Assessment

Research indicates that leaders with prior military service are more likely to initiate militarized disputes and wars. Specifically, those with military experience but lacking combat exposure tend to be more aggressive in their decision-making. This phenomenon can be attributed to their familiarity with military structures and operations, which often leads to a greater willingness to employ military force when faced with international challenges.

2. Psychological Impact of Military Service

The psychological effects of military training and combat experiences can profoundly shape a leader's worldview. Traumatic experiences during service can instill resilience, decisiveness, and a strong sense of mission—qualities that are crucial in political leadership. Such experiences often occur during formative years, influencing leaders' attitudes toward conflict and cooperation.

3. Leadership Styles Developed in the Military

Military training emphasizes teamwork, accountability, and performance under pressure, which are essential traits for effective political leadership. Veterans often bring these skills into the political arena, fostering collaboration and strategic thinking among their teams. For instance, leaders like former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower utilized their military backgrounds to navigate complex political landscapes effectively.

Historical Context of Military Influence in Politics

1. Historical Precedents

Historically, there has been a significant overlap between military and political leadership, especially in the early years of the United States. Figures such as George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant transitioned from military command to political office, shaping national policies based on their experiences.

2. Evolving Military-Political Relations

Post-World War II, there was a shift towards a more apolitical military ethos in the U.S., largely due to concerns about the implications of military involvement in politics. However, recent decades have seen a resurgence of veterans actively participating in political discourse, reflecting broader societal changes and an increasing civil-military divide.

Case Studies

1. John Kerry vs. George W. Bush

The 2004 presidential election highlighted the contrasting military backgrounds of candidates John Kerry and George W. Bush. Kerry's combat experience in Vietnam was leveraged as a critical aspect of his candidacy, suggesting that his wartime experiences equipped him with unique insights into military decisions compared to Bush's National Guard service.

2. Contemporary Examples

In recent years, numerous veterans have successfully transitioned into political roles, bringing their military insights into governance. Their experiences often inform their approaches to national security and foreign policy, as seen with leaders like Senator Tammy Duckworth and former Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

Conclusion

Military experience significantly shapes political leadership by influencing decision-making processes, leadership styles, and policy choices. As societies evolve and the nature of warfare changes, understanding this relationship becomes increasingly important for both policymakers and voters alike. The insights gained from military backgrounds can provide valuable perspectives on governance and international relations in an ever-complex world.

[theiwtnsstand]

A Second Heartbreak: Salt Lake City's Fleet Block Tribute to Justice Faces Destruction

“One by one, the murals went up” says Rae Duckworth, leader of Black Lives Matter Utah chapter. Anyone who has been to Fleet block in Salt Lake City, Utah can tell you of their magnificence; wall after wall of vibrant pink and red murals depicting 29 people killed in police confrontations.

After the death of George Floyd in May of 2020, the collective grief and anger of the community inspired artists to pay tribute to the fallen. One mural turned into dozens, and it quickly turned into a space for solace and a testament to the enduring spirit of the Salt Lake City community. For the community, these murals are more than just paintings; they are tangible representations of shared history, a collective struggle, and an unwavering commitment to justice. But most of all, they serve as a constant reminder of the lives that were tragically cut short and as a powerful call to action for a more equitable and just future.

Lex Scott is the founder of the BLM Utah Chapter. Rae Duckworth joined in February 2019. Tragically, in September 2019, Rae needed the support of BLM more than she ever thought she would when she experienced a devastating personal tragedy. Rae’s cousin Bobby Rae Duckworth was shot and killed by police during a mental health crisis. Rae said of Lex and BLM Utah, “She had the supportive resources we needed to navigate the traumatic situation.” Rae developed a personal understanding of the importance of these types of resources, and when Lex Scott moved out of Utah, Rae took over as the Operating Chairperson of Black Lives Matter Utah Chapter.

Image Credit: Martha Harris/KUER / kuer.org

The city council voted to rezone the area and claims that the building and the land is structurally unsound and there are environmental issues with the soil. In a press conference on December 14, 2022, Salt Lake City mayor, Erin Mendenhall, said that “The Fleet Block murals have been a catalyst of collective healing and of social change here in Salt Lake City.”  The city first announced plans to develop the area at her first state of the city address in February 2019, when the murals started appearing, the city paused their development efforts. Rae says,” When they tried to rezone it, the community pushed back. This is such an impactful place.”

Bobby Duckworth, pictured above, is one of the 29 faces memorialized in the Fleet Block. Reporter Blake Apgar of the Salt Lake Tribune spoke to a relative of a victim who said that seeing the depictions of their loved ones torn down would be like “losing our loved ones all over again.”

Rae says the rezoning went through without the consideration of the community members that stood against it. Since there was such significant community support for the murals, the city had a meeting with the families. The families insisted on opening the conversation up to the whole community, and in the meeting the city stated that they would begin working towards a “permanent memorial.” There is no estimated time of completion for the rebuild. Rae says, “People are able to come to this shared space, and grieve their loved ones who lost their lives due to state sanctioned violence. It’s a space where they can mourn collectively, not in isolation.” This is where the victims’ families processed their grief, and in the interim during the rebuild, there will be no place for them to go.

“If you are involved with your local politics-  you can create, influence, and participate in change. You don’t have to fear change.” Rae Duckworth

I talked at length with Rae about whether city officials are doing everything in their power to preserve the original pieces of artwork. When she mentioned that some of the families of those depicted have experience in construction, I asked whether preservation is possible or has been discussed. As far as she knows the city is not considering preservation efforts like cutting away the murals, storing them during the construction, and displaying them again post-development.

In the end, we aren’t sure why. Perhaps the city doesn’t see the immense value of this memorial to the community as a symbol of the city's unwavering commitment to social justice, perhaps they simply believe that the return on investment for preserving these original pieces wouldn't be worth the commitment of time and dollars, or perhaps the murals serve as a constant uncomfortable reminder of the state’s culpability in the tragedies.

So far, the only solidified plans are the demolition. They plan to separate the block into four pieces, and the larger piece is going to be the “green space” area that will incorporate the new memorial. The other three pieces are supposed to incorporate an accessible space for nonprofits to exist around this center. Many community members are calling for a Community Justice Center that acts as a one stop shop for social support - incorporating things like a library, mental health services, and other community support services.

The city distributed a flyer (displayed at the end of this article) at one of the public meetings stating which area is to be demolished and plans for a permanent memorial. The families are supposedly going to oversee the memorial. Since the city has determined that they are incapable of preserving the current memorials, they have no choice but to allow the demolition to go through, and hope that the city makes good on their promises to give the families and the community what they are looking for. However, some of the families are worried about the city gatekeeping when the time comes.

Rae says: “They haven’t been very accessible. They [the families] have made it clear what they desire and that they don’t have faith in them keeping their promises. The majority of the families had a loved one killed by police, in some cases in Salt Lake City. Some of the families received phone calls from the mayor’s office providing condolences, but in the same breath the city has refused to make the officers accept accountability or actively reform the police departments responsible for these tragedies.”

This poor urban area is transitioning. Wealthier people are moving to it, improving housing, and attracting new business. They are displacing current inhabitants in the process. Homelessness is a growing problem in the area. With increased unhoused and unsheltered communities, comes an increased police presence – which ultimately will mean more police violence.

Just across the street from the Fleet Block murals, 22-year-old Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal was killed when law enforcement fired 34 shots – striking him more than a dozen times. Rae said the officers were looking for a man with white skin, short black hair and a Spanish accent. Bernardo had long black hair midway to his back and brown skin. According to an article from the Salt Lake Tribune:

 “The Palacios-Carbjal family’s lawyers, Nathan Morris and Brian Webber, take issue with “the decision to shoot a fleeing suspect in the first place,” as he was running away. The first rounds struck the man in the back. There was a disagreement between one officer who said, ‘Tase him! Tase him! Tase him!” and the other officers who defaulted to the use of lethal force, shooting 34 times,” Morris said. “That right there makes me think that there’s an issue relating to the training and what is actually the default when it comes to chasing a fleeing suspect.”

Bernardo’s last words were: “Officer, I don’t want to die.”  When his body was recovered, his weapon had not been discharged.

Which brings us to BLM Utah’s, and by extension, Rae Duckworth’s eventual goal. Prevention. We talked about ways that can happen and changes she would like to see in her community in the next 5-10 years.

A Transparent and accessible mayor in Salt Lake City.

BLM Utah has always strived to be completely transparent with and accessible to the community. Salt Lake City citizens deserve to have a mayor’s office that is both transparent and accessible.

Real Accountability

Rae said, “the most achievable and simplest form of police reform – fire cops who kill people.” She recalls hearing a military veteran speaking at a community meeting about Bernardo. He said that if a single person was shot by an on duty military member 37 times the way they did Bernardo, that service member would immediately be discharged and court marshalled. Rae says, “They have similar equipment, but aren’t held to the same standards as our military, and for that we are doing our communities a disservice.”

Community Policing

“The idea of community policing is to give veterans a role in protecting their environments.” Ray says, “We saw it in Uvalde. When police wouldn’t enter the schools, community members would; veterans, neighbors, and mothers hopped the fence.”

Increased Statewide Support for MCOT

Utah needs better allocation of resources to MCOT, the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team. All mental health and crisis calls should be routed to them. MCOT is made up of professionals with life-saving skills that unfortunately police do not have. We need to extend MCOT throughout the state, especially in rural areas.

Extensive Background Checks

Anyone who purchases a gun or works near them needs to go through extensive background checks.

Officer Sean Grayson, the officer who killed Sonya Massey, was discharged from the U.S. Army for a “serious offense.” He also worked in six different departments over a four-year period. He had previous DUI charges on his record, and it was recommended that he take “high stress decision” training. With past blemishes like this, how can people like this be allowed into our police departments.

City Sponsored Resources for Affected Families

When a person falls victim to police violence, we would like to see the mayor’s office be responsible for mental health care following the event.

Updated Body Cam Requirements

When this article’s author used to work in a call center, I was only paid for time that I was logged into the system and ready to receive a call. Similarly, officers should only be paid for time when their body cams are running.

Body Cam Footage Availability

Without fail, body cam footage must be made publicly available within 7-10 days after an incident.

Increased Education and Training

To qualify to be a police officer, you should be required to undergo extensive training, evaluation, and certification. They are dealing with the public, and with that comes a myriad of cultures and concerns. They need to be prepared to address any situation that comes their way with confidence.

Abolish School Resource Officers

We must abolish policies and practices that lead students, particularly those from marginalized communities, into the criminal justice system. This includes disciplinary policies that are unnecessarily harsh, zero tolerance approaches, and the use of school resource officers.

Rae says, we have to dismantle the school to prison pipeline – where we see LGBT youth, people with special needs and obstacles, people with mental and physical disabilities, and marginalized communities disproportionately affected. And having law enforcement, who have already established no boundary of law operating inside of a school with children; it is terrifying.

There’s also a report from the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights that says school resource officers are “significantly more likely than other police to be arrested for sex related offenses. SROs can operate with little oversight because their immediate supervisors are usually located off-site at local police departments and often supervise SROs at multiple schools.”

Improved Mental Health Resources in Schools

We would like to see budget resources shifted from school resource officers to professionals trained with health in mind. Rae says, “when incidents of violence happen involving a school resource officer, it’s commonplace for us to hear police aren’t trained. Get people in there who are trained.”  A nurse and mental health therapists should be in those positions. Rae says: “Even as an adult it is difficult to navigate the world. When I look back to being a little black girl growing up in the State of Utah, I could have definitely benefited from these types of resources at certain stages of my life.”

For whatever reason, some students don’t get mental health support at home. Whenever school shootings happen, there’s always a question of whether mental health issues were overlooked. Many of the devastating consequences brought on by lack of social resources in this way are preventable.

Standardized reporting and data collection

Rae is a self-proclaimed “numbers hater” but she understands their significance. Knowledge is power, and data collection can tell a story. Data collection is a critical missing factor in acts of violence in police departments. With sufficient data we can identify patterns that lead to policy development, create accountability, lead to improved resource allocation, and raise awareness. And transparency in data collection can build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

But the importance of data collection goes beyond law enforcement to other public sectors. Rae tells a story of a mother named Brittany. Her daughter was Izzy Tichenor. As one of the only black children in her school, Izzy suffered from serious bullying. Additionally, the family was facing racial discrimination and socioeconomic obstacles. As any mother would, Brittany worked to communicate with the school and the district, hoping that they would take corrective action. She tried her best to make sure Izzy had a safe educational environment, and the school substantially failed the Tichenor family when she committed suicide at the tender age of ten.

Sandra Hollins, member of Utah’s State House of Representatives representing District 21, is working with Brittany and she is pushing for data collection within the education system. We know for sure that bullying disproportionately affects black and brown children and children who speak English as a second language. We need all the data we can get, and we can use this data to discuss policy changes within schools and make corrective actions that will turn schools into dedicated safe spaces.

Transparency as a Standard

It is impossible to have public trust, community engagement, and accountability without government transparency. Information about policing strategies and policing policies needs to be public, the community should be engaged in the decision-making process, and feedback should be encouraged. Citizens need to know what ethical standards the officers that are responsible for their safety are held to and how misconduct is addressed when it occurs.

Abolish qualified immunity

For more information on qualified immunity please see my article earlier in this week. You can find it here.

The author reached out to Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office for a comment on the destruction of the Fleet Block memorial murals. A representative of the office of the mayor, Andrew Wittenberg declined to comment and referred me to a website about the rezone of the fleet block. A website that ironically says, "It's your city, it's your business."

By: Jennifer Bartholomew, The iWTNS Stand

[carmenvicinanza]

Virginia Woolf

Non c’è cancello, nessuna serratura, nessun bullone che potete regolare sulla libertà della mia mente.

Virginia Woolf è stata una delle scrittrici più importanti del XX secolo. I suoi lavori sono stati tradotti in oltre cinquanta lingue.

Eliminando la forma comune di dialogo diretto e la struttura tradizionale della trama, ha portato l’attenzione del romanzo al monologo interiore. Il tempo non viene concepito con una cronologia precisa, ma attraverso pensieri e ricordi suscitati dall’ambiente circostante.

Ha rappresentato lo scorrere del tempo in dodici ore La signora Dalloway del 1925, in pochi giorni Tra un atto e l’altro (uscito postumo nel 1941), in diversi anni Gita al faro (1927) o addirittura in tre secoli con Orlando del 1928.

Pioniera della narrazione attraverso il flusso di coscienza, la forma letteraria e stilistica era alterata dall’identità della figura, in uno scambio continuo e un’attenta corrispondenza tra l’esigenza psicologica e quella linguistica.

Il suo saggio Una stanza tutta per sé, del 1929,  decostruisce il linguaggio patriarcale in ambito letterario e sociale e ha ispirato il movimento femminista degli anni Sessanta e Settanta.

Nacque col nome di Adeline Virginia Stephen a Londra il 25 gennaio 1882 in una famiglia benestante, era figlia di Sir Leslie Stephen e Julia Jackson, entrambi precedentemente vedovi e con prole.

Allevata in un’atmosfera colta che ospitava spesso personaggi del mondo della cultura, manifestò presto la sua inclinazione letteraria, era una ragazzina quando, col fratello Toby diede vita a un giornale domestico, Hyde Park Gate News, una sorta di diario familiare in cui scrivevano storie inventate.

Fino al 1895, anno in cui sua madre morì, la famiglia passava l’estate in Cornovaglia, il luogo dei suoi ricordi più felici che influenzarono, successivamente, alcuni dei suoi scritti di maggior successo come La Stanza di Jacob, Al faro e Le Onde. 

La sua fu una tipica infanzia vittoriana, fatta di lezioni casalinghe, rispetto delle convenzioni, benessere e la sensazione costante che tutta la vita della casa e della numerosa famiglia ruotasse intorno alla madre, bella e distante. La morte precoce della donna, quando la scrittrice aveva tredici anni, le procurò un lungo periodo di depressione che rivelò i primi segni del disagio mentale che ha caratterizzato tutta la sua esistenza.

Dal 1897 al 1901, ha studiato storia e lettere classiche al King’s College. L’anno in cui fu ammessa agli studi universitari, morì anche la sorellastra, Stella. Questi eventi portarono al suo primo serio crollo nervoso.

Nel racconto autobiografico Momenti di essere e altri racconti ha raccontato che lei e la sorella Vanessa Bell avevano subito abusi sessuali da parte dei fratellastri George e Gerald Duckworth. Questo ha sicuramente influito sui frequenti esaurimenti nervosi, il disturbo bipolare e la psicosi che la portarono a diversi tentativi di suicidio.

Dopo la morte del padre, nel 1904, con cui aveva un rapporto conflittuale di amore e odio, lasciò, insieme al fratello Toby e alla sorella Vanessa la residenza di Hyde Park. La loro casa diventò il centro del famoso Bloomsbury Group, destinato a dominare per oltre un trentennio la cultura e la letteratura inglesi. Ogni giovedì sera vi si incontravano importanti intellettuali per discutere di politica, lettere e arte. Si parlava di arte, letteratura, sesso e al centro dei dibattiti finivano le definizioni di concetti come la bellezza, la verità e il bene. Spesso si metteva in discussione la morale corrente, in quanto il gruppo non tollerava la monarchia e, soprattutto, combatteva ogni discriminazione sull’orientamento sessuale e ogni distinzione tra uomo e donna.

Alimentata da quel clima di fervore intellettuale, dava ripetizioni serali alle operaie in periferia, si era avvicinata al movimento delle donne e scriveva le prime critiche letterarie per diversi giornali.

Nel 1912 sposò Leonard Woolf, teorico della politica. Tre anni dopo, ha pubblicato il suo primo romanzo La Crociera. Intanto il suo mal de vivre non la abbandonava, così come il desiderio di togliersi la vita.

Nel 1917 fondò, assieme al marito, la Hogarth Press piccola casa editrice che ha pubblicato gli scritti di Katherine Mansfield, Italo Svevo, Thomas Stearns Eliot e James Joyce.

Nel 1925 ha pubblicato Mrs Dalloway, in cui abbandona la struttura del romanzo tradizionale in favore della tecnica del flusso di coscienza e del monologo interiore.

Attiva nei movimenti femminili per il suffragio universale, si è sempre occupata del ruolo della donna nella società. Tema che si trova nel libro che ha tratteggiato la storia del femminismo moderno Una stanza tutta per sé, del 1929 e Le tre ghinee che approfondisce la figura dominante dell’uomo nella storia contemporanea.

All’amata scrittrice Vita Sackville-West ha dedicato il romanzo Orlando, del 1928, ambientato nell’epoca elisabettiana, che seguendo la vita del protagonista, che reca sia tratti femminili che maschili, si dipana in un arco temporale che va dal XVI al XX secolo. Nelle recensioni dell’epoca l’opera brillava soprattutto per l’uso innovativo dell’elemento temporale, oggi brilla nel suo essere il primo manifesto della fluidità di genere. Una critica alle etichette e alle limitazioni stabilite dai pregiudizi che promuove l’idea che l’identità di genere non debba essere determinata dal sesso biologico, eleggendo la realtà androgina allo stato più naturale delle cose. Attraverso questa opera ha sottolineato come ciò che rende un uomo tale agli occhi della società sia il potere che possiede dalla nascita, mentre una donna è caratterizzata solo dalla mancanza di quel potere, economico, culturale e fisico.

Nell’estate del 1940 ha pubblicato l’ultima opera Tra un atto e l’altro.

Mentre i disturbi mentali continuavano a tormentarla, era sempre più sopraffatta da crisi di ansia e insicurezza.

La Seconda Guerra Mondiale peggiorò le sue paure, vedeva la disintegrazione del mondo che la circondava e cominciava a sentire voci nella sua testa. Temendo di impazzire, decise di togliersi la vita. Si riempì le tasche di sassi e si lasciò annegare nel fiume Ouse, il 28 marzo 1941, aveva 59 anni.

Virginia Woolf, come James Joyce e altri suoi contemporanei, ha adottato le nuove tecniche narrative dei primi decenni del XX secolo.

Rifiutando le tecniche narrative convenzionali, era più interessata al tempo psicologico, alla vita della mente dei personaggi, dove passato, presente e futuro si sovrappongono in un flusso continuo reso attraverso flashback, associazioni di idee, impressioni ed emozioni temporanee.

Ha esplorato temi tipici del romanzo modernista come l’ansia, la crisi, le difficoltà di comunicazione e temi che la toccavano profondamente come la solitudine, la distinzione tra sogno e realtà, la malattia mentale e i pregiudizi nei confronti delle donne che impedivano loro di esprimere la propria identità.

È stata la scrittrice che ha inaugurato una nuova epoca, cambiato la narrazione e trattato, per prima e così a fondo, temi inerenti alla condizione femminile. Ha ispirato un modo differente di scrivere. Conosciuto e vissuto profondamente lo slancio e la caduta che ha riportato con intelligenza e verità, mettendosi completamente a nudo. Il suo fascino e personalità travalicano lo spazio temporale, incantando ancora chi la incontra nella lettura.