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Hoekstra on NewsmaxTV: American Concerns About Terror Threats Well Grounded
by Pete Hoekstra
NewsmaxTV
https://www.investigativeproject.org/5053/hoekstra-on-newsmaxtv-american-concerns-about
Rick Blackwell: Welcome back everyone. Islamic radicals killed 130 people 17 days ago in Paris. There were concerns that Islamic terrorists would strike over the holidays. New York City increased security around the downtown parade attended by 3 million people, millions took part in black Friday shopping. Thankfully there was not a major attack. Still terrorism continues to be front and center in our concerns ion the United States. Tonight warnings for Americans in Afghanistan where credible reports of an imminent attack on Kabul sometime within the next 48 hours. For more on the threat we are joined via telephone by former CIA analyst Fred Fleitz. Fred is currently vice president at the Center for Security Policy. And from Newsmax Washington we are joined by Pete Hoekstra. Pete is currently the Shillman Senior Fellow with the Investigative Project on Terrorism, and is also the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He is also author of the new book Architects of Disaster: The Destruction of Libya. Thanks to you both for being here on Newsmax Prime. Congressman Hoekstra, 44% of Americans felt a terrorist attack was likely in the US back in April. That number now stands at 69%. Are Americans justified in their fears?
Pete Hoekstra: Oh I think so, absolutely. ISIS has made it clear that they want to attack in Europe, that they want to attack the United States, the source of the country that's sponsoring the bombings in Syria and Iraq. Al Qaeda has wanted to attack again in the United States. You've got lone wolves who are radicalized. So yeah, you've got a whole group of folks who are very, very interested in striking at the heart of the beast. They want to hit America, they want to hit us in the homeland.
Blackwell: Well fear obviously can drive people to act, but are we acting appropriately? And Fred you wrote a fascinating piece in the National Review where you called Hillary Clinton's worldview incoherent. Why do you believe the president and the Democratic frontrunner for president in 2016 are doomed to fail to protect our country?
Fred Fleitz: Well you know I was encouraged by what Hillary Clinton said when she said that we're at war with radical jihadists and that they have a radical ideology. But as I looked at her comments very carefully I was very disappointed. She said that there's no clash of civilizations and she was afraid to use the term 'radical Islam' because she said she didn't want to offend Muslim societies that she may need to deal with as president. The problem here is in Islam and the president's claim that this is not an Islamic problem is part of our problem. We have a severe problem with large numbers of Muslims around the world subscribing to radical theology, known as sharia. They want to ch -- They are at war with Western civilization, and if we don't recognize we're at war with this ideology which Clinton and Obama do not, we're never going to defeat it.
Hoekstra: If I could just add to that. The other thing is that the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, she's also the architect of our strategy in Libya. And the New York Times had a fascinating piece out in the last couple of days that said Libya now is maybe actually worse than the situation that we're seeing in Syria and Iraq and that the West even has less influence and less capability ultimately to turn things around in Libya than what they do in Syria. And right now the radical jihadists are controlling roughly 150 miles of the Mediterranean Sea, the seafront there which is a launching pad for radical jihadists into Europe.
Blackwell: Congressman Hoekstra I know obviously you have an expertise in that area from your latest book, but also you have an expertise in the phone surveillance program that collected data and phone records. Today is the first day actually of the new USA Freedom Act which will replace the wide net of collection with more targeted monitoring. Is this a good thing or do you worry we may not catch terrorists plotting against the United States with this new policy?
Hoekstra: We're not gonna have near the kind of capabilities that we had yesterday. And remember we were only collecting phone numbers. We weren't collecting content, we weren't collecting whose phone it was on and all those types of things. So the only thing we knew that is if a terrorist called into the United States we could go to the court and if the court agreed we could immediately find out what number that person was calling from outside, who they were connecting to and those types of things. And then with further court orders we might be able to surveil those calls, get the content and find these folks. And the thing was we had speed. We could do it quickly. We've lost speed and if you're gonna stop a terrorist attack you need the content and you need speed. You need to be flexible and agile. Those are the two things that we've lost today that we no longer have.
Blackwell: And Fred, quickly. What are your thought about the USA Freedom Act?
Fleitz: Well I think it was unfortunate it had to pass. I guess the only thing I can say is that it might have been worse. Edward Snowden is a traitor. He created an atmosphere of hysteria against US intelligence programs that led to this terrible legislation. And we know from intelligence officials that terrorists have gone to school on our intelligence capabilities based on Snowden's leaks, most of which have nothing to do with possible compromise of the privacy of Americans. They had to deal with how America spied on our enemies, and that was compromised by Snowden.
Blackwell: We're gonna have to leave it right there. Two thumbs down from Congressman Hoekstra and Fred Fleitz on the USA Freedom Act. Once again the book Architects of Disaster: The Destruction of Libya. Thanks to our guests. We're coming right back here on Newsmax TV.
Related Topics: Pete Hoekstra, New York City, Thanksgiving, ISIS, Afghanistan, terror threat, Hillary Clinton, Sharia, USA Freedom Act


Public hangins in Iran
September 27, 2007: Iran hanged three men in public for raping and robbing twelve young women, most of them university students, Iranian media reported. Hadi Jafartabar , Mirhadi Mirtaghi and Seyyed Shoja Mousazadeh were executed in front of thousands of spectators at a sports complex in the northern city of Babol , the state broadcaster said on its website.
Babol Public prosecutor Fazlollah Vakilirad said they began their "immoral acts" three years ago, Fars News Agency said. "They would deceive the girls, rape them and steal their belongings," he said. Fars said the men were hunted down after one girl gave her attackers large sums of money so they would not rape her, and then went to the police. Activists say many Iranian rape cases go unreported because of social stigma attached to the crime in the conservative Islamic state. (Sources: Trend News Agency, 27/09/2007)


(1.31) Wrestling: High Point captures SCIL title
By ANDREW GOODMAN Herald Sports Writer WANTAGE -- There weren't many smiles and there was no exhiliaration like last year. High Point's reaction wasn't different from any other win this season. But the Wildcats easily could have celebrated. They defeated Newton, 50-9, to win their second consecutive Sussex County Interscholastic League title. "I think you have to act like you've been there before," High Point coach John Gardner said. "The team has a lot of goals. Tonight wasn't all that we're looking to accomplish." The Wildcats are also looking for their first group title. But that will have to wait. Wednesday was about High Point going through another SCIL season undefeated. The Wildcats knew they would be the favorite at the beginning of the season. And after they defeated Kittatinny, 32-23, earlier this month, it was a foregone conclusion they would win the league title. It made way for the subdued reaction to clinching the SCIL. "It was sort of (expected), but we never overlook anybody," said 215-pounder Chris Smith, who beat Ben Kissane, 5-0, to officially clinch the title. When High Point ended Kittatinny's streak of seven straight league titles a year ago, the feeling was different. None of the Wildcats had ever been part of a team to accomplish something of that magnitude. So there was more emotion after topping Jefferson to clinch the title. "Last year, it was fresh to us because it was the first time we beat Kittatinny in a long time," said 152-pounder Mark Kehoe, who recorded a pin in 1:22 Wednesday. "You can't duplicate that feeling." High Point earned this title on Wednesday by wrestling the way it had all season. The Wildcats won all but three bouts and took a 35-3 advantage. The outcome was never in doubt, starting with Greg Case's 6-1 victory against Kyle Huber at 130. Newton coach Eric Bollette said the Wildcats are the best team he's seen. Despite the lopsided defeat, Bollette said he was pleased with his team's performance -- which says something about the caliber of team High Point is. "Their style is something you have to admire about them," Bollette said. "They're always moving and they're tough to score points on. They're a very well-coached team." Unlike other SCIL teams, High Point doesn't have anyone that would be considered a contender for an individual state title. "If you look through the lineup, we don't have any individuals that stand out," Kehoe said. But that's what makes the Wildcats successful. Their lineup is deep throughout and they can win any weight class on any day. And they will be considered one of the favorites to capture the Group III title. After the match finally ended Wednesday, the P.A. announcer made sure to mention that High Point won the SCIL title. The parents and the fans were more excited than the wrestlers and coaches. But despite the lack of celebration on the outside, Gardner's feeling on the inside may have been quite the contrast. "I don't care how many times you win something, you're usually winning with different groups or different pieces," Gardner said. "If you win the SCIL, you have a lot to be proud of." High Point 50, Newton 9 130: Greg Case (HP) d. Kyle Huber 6-1. 135: Gavin Tarsa (HP) p. Joe Daniele 3:06. 140: Greg Martin (HP) md. Mike Malson 13-2. 145: Austin Alpaugh (N) d. Kyle Donadio 4-0. 152: Mark Kehoe (HP) p. Elijah Reyes 1:22. 160: Ricky Cullen (HP) d. Jeff Mason 6-4. 171: Vinnie Gallo (HP) md. Ralph Carratura 13-2. 189: Joe Donahue (HP) p. Brenden Kramer 1:40. 215: Chris Smith (HP) d. Ben Kissane 5-0. 285: Ed Mattice (N) d. Brad Thomas 1-0. 103: Kevin Churchill (N) d. Griffin Panicucci 4-0. 112: Billy Gould (HP) won by forfeit. 119: John Scalise (HP) won by forfeit. 125: Ryan Swarts (HP) d. Kyle Molitoris 2-0. Records: Newton 17-6, High Point 16-3


Home Features Interviews A fan's reaction of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric's dramatic development
A fan's reaction of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric's dramatic development
"The game could have a big potential, but at the end of the day, people will still criticize"
As part of the Sonic News Channel's investigation on the community's reaction of the development of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, editor Ryan Scarlett spoke with popular community personality BlueParadox and asked the following questions.
SEGA has pulled the Rise of Lyric reveal trailer on YouTube. What's your reaction and what does it assume?
You know, it's quite surprising that, after a video that explained what went wrong with Rise of Lyric, SEGA decides to cover the whole thing by making the reveal trailer private. This is just very sad. The game could have a big potential, but at the end of the day, people will still criticize.
Who do you think is at fault? SEGA or Big Red Button?
I think it's SEGA's fault. From what I've heard, SEGA picked an engine (CE3) that wasn't compatible with the Wii U. The game was going be a multi-platform game, as far as I know; that why they chose that engine I guess. But then, all of the sudden SEGA decided to change their plans without warning to Big Red Button. (they warned them about this days later, which was too late) SEGA wanted to make the game exclusive to the Wii U due to the Nintendo deal that they made, without realizing that the CryEngine 3 wasn't suitable for the Wii U. So yeah, I think it's SEGA's fault. SEGA was putting so much pressure to Big Red Button. This led to some of the employees to leave the company (Big Red Button) because they just couldn't handle it.
What's your reaction to SEGA alleged mismanagement with the game development?
BlueParadox: If the engine is not supported on the Wii U's hardware then why did they continue with the development of the game? I think that they still had time to move all of the game's assets/data to a new engine that supported the Wii U. But instead they just had to continue developing the game. It's such a shame that a game like this had been developed for years and yet it's was received badly by critics.
Any further comments?
I just hope that SEGA is really learning from their "big" mistake, because what they've done is really unacceptable, especially when a lot of time and effort was placed in the game's development. Sanzaru Games did a great job with Shattered Crystal in my opinion. But the story was just awful. I hope the best for SEGA.
This article was originally published on 26 May 2015 by the Sonic News Channel, a former subsidiary of the Sonic News Network. Original content produced by the Sonic News Channel was inherited by Tails' Channel as of 23 October 2017.
This article was revised for clarity, and is presented for educational and informational purposes.
A fan's reaction on Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice's Delay to 2016
SAGE 2021 Review Slew: Indie Games
Since a big part of SAGE is getting feedback and learning to be a better designer, I'd like to help these indie devs with constructive tips on making a Sonic experience.
byNoah Copeland
SAGE 2021 Review Slew: Traditional Sonic Fan Games
Old-school and faithful, these fast-paced platformers invoke the heart and spirit of official 2D games.
Takashi Iizuka and Kazuyuki Hoshino talks Sonic Colours Ultimate, influence from the Sonic Movie – translated interview
The creative heads of Sonic Studio talks Sonic Colours Ultimate in a new interview with Famitsu.
Exclusive: Behind the Scenes of Sonic GT
Behind the scenes of the 3D momentum-based wonder.
byEvan TingleandbyShannyClassicNackFan


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Eighteen SMU faculty members retire with emeritus status in 2016-17
Posted on June 8, 2017 Updated: September 25, 2019
Eighteen distinguished faculty members with a combined total of nearly 585 years of SMU service retired with emeritus status in the 2016-17 academic year.
The professors, and their dates of service:
• Thomas E. Barry, Professor Emeritus of Marketing, Cox School of Business, 1970-2017
• Janis Bergman-Carton, Professor Emerita of Art History, Meadows School of the Arts, 1991-2017
• Edward Biehl, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1962-2017
• Gordon Birrell, Professor Emeritus of World Languages and Literatures, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1974-2017
• Dolores M. Etter, Professor Emerita of Electrical Engineering, Lyle School of Engineering, 2008-2016
• Richard F. Gunst, Professor Emeritus of Statistical Science, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1971-2017
• C. Michael Hawn, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Church Music, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1992-2017
• Debora Hunter, Professor Emerita of Art, Meadows School of the Arts, 1976-2017
• Alireza Khotanzad, Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering, Lyle School of Engineering, 1984-2017
• Ndiva Kofele-Kale, Professor Emeritus of Law, Dedman School of Law, 1989-2017
• Robert Krout, Professor Emeritus of Music, Meadows School of the Arts, 2004-2017
• Patricia Mathes, Texas Instruments Chair of Reading and Professor Emerita of Teaching and Learning, Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, 2003-2017
• Sherry L. Smith, University Distinguished Professor Emerita of History, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1999-2017
• Willard Spiegelman, Hughes Professor Emeritus of English, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1971-2017
• Steve Sverdlik, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1982-2017
• Martin Sweidel, Professor Emeritus of Music, Meadows School of the Arts, 1986-2016
• John Walther, Professor Emeritus of Earth Sciences, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1994-2017
• Ronald Wetherington, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, 1964-2017
Categories: For the Record, NewsTags: Alireza Khotanzad, Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, C. Michael Hawn, Cox School of Business, Debora Hunter, Dedman College, Dedman School of Law, Dolores M. Etter, Edward Biehl, emeritus faculty, Gordon Birrell, Janis Bergman-Carton, John Walther, Lyle School of Engineering, Martin Sweidel, Meadows School of the Arts, Ndiva Kofele-Kale, Patricia Mathes, Perkins School of Theology, Richard F. Gunst, Robert Krout, Ronald Wetherington, Sherry L. Smith, Steve Sverdlik, Thomas E. Barry, Willard Spiegelman
Good reading, good giving: SMU books for 2012
Posted on December 20, 2012 Updated: December 20, 2012
From art, history and religion to sweet Texas cuisine and fiction, SMU's 2012 book roundup offers a wide selection to satisfy the readers in your life. Treat yourself or those on your gift list to one of the current titles listed below the link.
Continue reading "Good reading, good giving: SMU books for 2012"
Categories: For the Record, NewsTags: A. Azfar Moin, Afonso V, Andrés Blaisten Collection, Caroline Brettell, Cherri Gann, Collecting Spanish Art, Dedman College, Denise Gee, Dennis Ippolito, Dennis Simon, Diego Velázquez, Diego Velazquez: The Early Court Portraits, faculty books, faculty research, Jeffrey Engel, Joerg Rieger, José Bowen, Karl Kilinski II, Mark Chancey, Meadows Museum, Meadows School of the Arts, Modern Mexican Painting, Pamela Patton, Pastrana tapestries, Rebekah Miles, Ronald Wetherington, Shelette Stewart, Sherry L. Smith, Sherry Smith, SMU Centennial, staff books, student books, Sunday Eiselt, William P. Clements Department of History, Writer's Path
For the Record: Feb. 18, 2010
Brent Sumerlin, Chemistry, Dedman College, has been selected as a 2010-2012 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The award carries a grant of $50,000 to support his research. The Sloan Research Fellowships "seek to stimulate fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise," according to the foundation's website. The 2-year fellowships are awarded annually to 118 researchers "in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field." More than 30 Sloan Research Fellows have won Nobel Prizes later in their careers.
Ron Wetherington, Anthropology, Dedman College, has been selected to receive a "Friend of Darwin" award from the National Center for Science Education. Wetherington, who also serves as director of SMU's Center for Teaching Excellence, was honored for his advocacy on behalf of science by the NCSE, which supports the teaching of evolution in public schools. Read more.
Categories: For the RecordTags: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, awards and honors, Brent Sumerlin, Center for Teaching Excellence, Dedman College, evolution, grant programs, grants, National Center for Science Education, Ronald Wetherington, Sloan Research Fellows
Calendar Highlights: Sept. 9, 2009
The joy of science: SMU professors from multiple schools and disciplines will participate in a faculty symposium on "The Year of Darwin" 9:30 a.m.-noon Sept. 12 in McCord Auditorium, 306 Dallas Hall. Participants include David Meltzer and Ronald Wetherington, Anthropology, Dedman College; Larry Ruben and John Wise, Biological Sciences, Dedman College; Louis Jacobs, Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Dedman College; and Rhonda Blair, Theatre, Meadows School of the Arts. Presented by the Office of the Provost, Dedman College, Meadows School of the Arts, and Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. For more information, contact Pia Vogel, 214-768-1790, or visit the "Darwin's Evolving Legacy" homepage.
Interdisciplinary Dialogue: The interplay between basic social science research and action research will be at the center of "Research on Latino Religious Topics: A Challenge to Scholars," moderated by Harold Recinos, professor of church and society, Perkins School of Theology; and Hector Rivera, assistant professor, Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. The event begins Sept. 16 in the Prothro Hall Refectory (Room 104) with a light dinner at 6:30 p.m. and discussion 7-8:30 p.m.
Going green: The City of Dallas and more than 20 vendors will present sustainable products and other green solutions as part of SMU's first Sustainability Fair for students, faculty and staff. The event takes place 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Ballroom. Hors d'oeuvres will be served along with tea and lemonade. Presented by SMU Purchasing.
Godbey Lecture Series: Associate Professor of Hispanic American Literature Francisco Morán of Dedman College will discuss "Why Poetry Matters: Playing 'Ajedrez' (Chess) with Language" Sept. 17 at Maggiano's NorthPark Center. The lecture begins at 11 a.m., followed by lunch at noon. The cost is $45 for Godbey members, $65 for non-members. Register online or call 214-768-2532.
Categories: Calendar HighlightsTags: Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Darwin Year, Darwin's Evolving Legacy, David Meltzer, Dedman College, Francisco Morán, Godbey Lecture Series, Harold Recinos, Hector Rivera, Interdisciplinary Dialogue, John Wise, Larry Ruben, lecture programs, Louis Jacobs, Meadows School of the Arts, Perkins School of Theology, Provost's Office, Rhonda Blair, Ronald Wetherington, SMU Purchasing, sustainability, visitors
Faculty in the News: Nov. 21, 2008
Dan Howard (left), Marketing, Cox School of Business, discussed the deceptive marketing practices that allow companies to charge more for less product with CBS 11 News in Dallas. This story first aired Nov. 14, 2008, and has since appeared on numerous CBS stations throughout the country.
Edward Fox, J.C. Penney Center for Retail Excellence, Cox School of Business, talked with Bloomberg.com Nov. 20, 2008, about why Wal-Mart holds the key to holiday success for some major electronics manufacturers.
Ron Wetherington, Anthropology, Dedman College, spoke on proposed changes to how science is taught in Texas public schools at a meeting of the Texas Board of Education Nov. 19, 2008. He was quoted in a news story on the proceedings published by The Austin American-Statesman Nov. 20, 2008.
Nathan Balke, Economics, Dedman College, discussed how changes in consumer spending can affect economic recovery with The San Antonio Express-News Nov. 20, 2008.
Tony Pederson, Journalism, Meadows School of the Arts, wrote an op-ed on the strengths and weaknesses of media coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign, published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Nov. 16, 2008.
David Blackwell, Earth Sciences, Dedman College, discussed America's reserves of geothermal energy with CBN News Nov. 17, 2008.
Ravi Batra, Economics, Dedman College, discussed with New America Media what the current economic upheaval will mean for the United States socially and politically. The resulting article appeared Sept. 30, 2008.
Cal Jillson, Political Science, Dedman College, talked about Texas' "political power outage" in Washington, D.C. with The Houston Chronicle Nov. 16, 2008. He also discussed with the Hearst News Service Texas Speaker of the House Tom Craddick's struggle to retain his leadership position. The resulting article appeared in The Midland Reporter-Telegram Nov. 17, 2008.
Bruce Bullock, Maguire Energy Institute, Cox School of Business, discussed the oil industry's role in economic recovery with The Houston Chronicle Nov. 19, 2008.
Categories: Faculty in the NewsTags: Bruce Bullock, Cal Jillson, Cox School of Business, Daniel Howard, David Blackwell, Dedman College, Edward Fox, J.C. Penney Center for Retail Excellence, Maguire Energy Institute, Meadows School of the Arts, Nathan Balke, Ravi Batra, Ronald Wetherington, Tony Pederson
Latest Faculty & Staff News
SMU names new Associate Vice President and Dean of Students February 18, 2019
SMU to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Dream Week January 17, 2019
Robert H. Dedman, Jr. to speak at December Commencement Convocation December 12, 2018
Physicist named fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science December 11, 2018
SMU brand ambassadors: Dive into brand training and share your SMU stories December 11, 2018
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Hudson to guide US camp as Reynas admit pressuring Berhalter
World Cup assistant coach Anthony Hudson was named Wednesday to guide a January national team camp while Gio Reyna's parents admitted igniting a US Soccer investigation into coach Gregg Berhalter.
Hudson will guide the Americans, co-hosts with Mexico and Canada for the 2026 World Cup, in a Los Angeles training session ahead of friendlies against Serbia on January 25 and Colombia on January 28, US Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart said.
The news came a day after Berhalter, whose contract as US coach ended last Saturday, admitted kicking his future wife Rosalind in a 1991 incident he said was being used against him in a threatening manner.
Claudio Reyna, a former US captain and current sporting director at MLS' Austin FC, and his wife Danielle admitted in statements to The Athletic and ESPN that they pressed US Soccer Federation executives with details about Berhalter's past.
The moves came after Berhalter told Gio Reyna, their 20-year-old son who plays for Borussia Dortmund, that he would have only a limited role at the Qatar World Cup.
Berhalter and Claudio Reyna played together on youth and high school teams as well as the US national squad and their wives were college teammates at the University of North Carolina.
US Soccer is investigating Berhalter and the incident as well as conducting a World Cup review while considering who will manage the Americans in the upcoming home-field World Cup cycle.
Berhalter said he underwent counseling after the kicking and he has not repeated any physical incidents.
"It was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day," Berhalter said. "There are zero excuses for my actions that night."
Danielle Reyna challenged Berhalter's characterization of the incident.
"Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question," she said in a statement.
"Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed. It took a long time for me to forgive and accept Gregg afterwards."
Reyna said she was upset when he refused her son the consideration she had given him over the incident three decades earlier.
"I worked hard to give him grace," she said. "I would have wanted and expected him to give the same grace to Gio. This is why the current situation is so very hurtful and hard."
Claudio Reyna said there were no threats attached to his comments to US Soccer officials regarding Berhalter.
"While in Qatar, I shared my frustrations about my son's World Cup experience with a number of close friends, Earnie and Brian McBride among them," Claudio Reyna said. "However, at no time did I ever threaten anyone, nor would I ever do so."
- 'Personally betrayed' -
Details were not revealed to US Soccer officials until December 11 by the Reynas after Berhalter spoke of an unidentified player who was nearly sent home from the World Cup, with Gio Reyna confirming on Instagram the next day that he was the player.
"I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behavior for a few days after learning about my limited role," Gio Reyna said on Instagram.
"I apologized to my teammates and coach for this and I was told I was forgiven. Thereafter, I shook off my disappointment and gave everything I had on and off the field."
When Berhalter spoke of nearly sending a player home, even without naming her son, Danielle Reyna said she was upset.
"I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age," Danielle Reyna said.
"I felt very personally betrayed by the actions of someone my family had considered a friend for decades."
Hudson, 41, is a former national team manager for New Zealand and Bahrain as well as the US under-20 side.
js/dmc
Key play included a missed holding penalty by Orlando Brown
The late hit that gave the Chiefs 15 extra yards and a 45-yard game-winning field goal try came at the end of a play that began with something that has happened over and over in 2022. Offensive holding. Not called. Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown clearly held Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. No flag was thrown. [more]
One of the last Club World Cups in its current format begins on Wednesday in Morocco, where Real Madrid will be favourites to continue Europe's dominance of the much-maligned FIFA competition.FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on the sidelines of the World Cup in Qatar in December that an expanded Club World Cup is planned from 2025.


Since 2011 a large part of my life has been spent writing and drawing semi-topical comics for Guardian Weekend and Prospect. It sends me insane in on a weekly basis but I love it too. Mostly I don't take on comics commissions outside these publications because I find them difficult and time-consuming to make. They're basically miniature comedy sketches about whatever I think is 'in the air' at the time, and they never feature recurring characters or continuing plots. Sometimes I paint them but mostly I do ink and lettering on paper and then scan and colour digitally, for the sake of meeting deadlines. Some of these strips are collected in my book Some Comics By Stephen Collins (Jonathan Cape), and a selection of limited edition prints are available in my shop.
July 2014: commissioned by Pimm's in conjunction with Mother London and Love Creative to illustrate a full relaunch of the Pimm's website and social media presence. The brief was to provide a light visual tone representing the 'world' of each product, as well as extensive lettering and icons around the site.
Social media illustrations ("In summer, it's never not Pimm's O' Clock"):
Miscellaneous work for magazines and newspapers
Southwest Airlines magazine: for a piece by Steve Almond about returning to his childhood summer camp as an adult with a family.
Gouache and ink on paper, 2017
Radio Times: enjoying your midlife crisis. Gouache and ink on paper, digital editing, 2017
Guideposts magazine (US): reader's story about an older woman who makes friends in a new town by discovering her local launderette book club. Gouache and ink on paper, 2017
The Bank of Mum and Dad, Spear's magazine. Gouache, ink and digital editing, 2015
World of Whisky magazine. Ink and digital colouring, 2017
Conde Nast Traveller: Gallery etiquette in Dubai. Gouache and ink on paper, digital editing, 2016
The End of Oil, for Unherd magazine
Radio Times: Starlings on Prozac and other true stories. Gouache and ink on paper 2015 The taboo of not wanting children, Das Magazin (Germany), 2016. Gouache and digital
Work for Pimm's (July 2014) in conjunction with Mother London to illustrate a series of press ads.
Various illustrations commissioned by the Radio Times.
– THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER –
Also available: UK edition, Italian edition, German edition, Spanish edition, French edition, Polish edition and Korean edition (out soon)
Praise for THE GIGANTIC BEARD THAT WAS EVIL:
"A total work of art which elevates itself beyond comparison."
– Nick Hayes, Literary Review
"The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil is an artistic marvel"
– AV Club
"Slyly exquisite"
– Glen Weldon, NPR
"The British invasion has begun anew via The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil."
– Beth Carey, Comics Alternative
"An amazing book. Completely original. Surreal, yet believable."
– Raymond Briggs author of The Snowman
"The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil has the tone of a playful fable, from the cracked syntax of its title onward… It's a rather Seussian premise, and Collins underscores the joke by nudging narration and dialogue into half-rhyme […] For a book about the liberating joys of disruption, though, it's exceptionally disciplined: Collins renders several hundred pages of immaculately ruled buildings and bean-faced people (and the fuzzy curlicues that interfere with them) in meticulous, microdetailed pencil textures.'
– Douglas Wolk, New York Times
"If you go to the comics shop to encounter unfamiliar talents, to get that shock of the new, this is your best bet."
– The Comics Reporter
"Clever, funny and beautiful to look at… surely destined to become a classic."
– Rachel Cooke, The Observer (UK)
"Filled with elegant black-and-white sketches and darkly philosophical commentary, Collins's graphic novel details what happens when borders collapse and stories have no tidy endings."
– Time Out New York
All kinds of 21st-century anxieties writhe under the text: fear of immigration, the collapse of cultural homogeneity, ecological devastation—the end of a particular way of life […] Collins nimbly avoids the potential pitfalls of preachiness or meaningless absurdity here, leading to a confident and convincing début. I look forward to more.
– Edwin Turner, Biblioklept
"It's part satire, part parable, part nursery rhyme and part disaster movie, and it's an utter joy to read."
– Tom Gatti, The Times (UK)
it's kind of Roald Dahl – it's very funny, dark, fable-like and about exactly what it's title says."
– Linda Holmes, NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour
"An imaginative and funny fable that can be enjoyed on its own terms and as a nicely judged satire on ignorance, routine and the deadening influence of corporate and celebrity culture."
-James Smart, The Guardian (UK)
"Almost Kubrickian in the way it uses technical precision to exert such a level of experiential control over the reader[…] like Dahl's work, Collins' comic is deeply funny, never taking itself too seriously. It's full of jokes that seem casual and carefully timed—not the kind of jokes that knock you off your seat, but the kind of jokes you keep in your head for a long time.
– Shea Hennum, This Is Infamous
"A gorgeously penciled fable. The pacing and page design are immaculate."
– Teddy Jamieson, Sunday Herald (UK)
"There's a touch of Roald Dahl to this dark, beautifully drawn and wonderfully surrealist tale."
– Monocle
"A witty and surreal response to conformity, and how we should embrace our difference. Accompanied by incredible pencil drawings, you will be blown away by the quality, and be humbled by the underlying message."
– ItsNiceThat
"An inspired swirling of the mundane with the surreal… published in a super-sized, yummy parchment-like hardback drawn in soft pencil, it's like a children's book for the anxious adult."
– Metro (UK)
WINNER OF THE 9th ART AWARD 2013
WINNER OF THE GRAN GUINIGI AWARD 2014 (LA GIGANTESCA BARBA MALVAGIA)
Miscellanous illustrations, paintings, etc…
Painting commissioned as an employee's leaving present by advertising agency AMV BBDO. Gouache and ink on paper.
Advertising campaign commissioned by Time To Change / Mind in conjunction with DARE media. The brief was to come up with an idea to combat taboos around discussing mental health issues.
UK-based Illustrator and Cartoonist


The Madagascar pochard returns (again)
By tetrapodzoology on August 30, 2009.
The recent article about Meller's duck Anas melleri inspired me to recycle my ver 1 article about another of Madagascar's endemic ducks, the Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata [male shown below]. Meller's duck is endangered, with a global population of between 3000 and 5000, but the Madagascar pochard is in an even worse position: in fact, it was regarded as extinct until 2006, when a small group of less than 20 was discovered (read on).
In fact, just last month a joint group representing the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, The Peregrine Fund, and Ministry of L'Environement et Forêts went in quest of this population: you can read about their expedition at The Dodo Blog. Anyway, here's the 2006 article...
So by now the cat is out of the bag, and the news isn't news anymore anyway: the Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata, supposed extinct since 1992 (when the 'last' specimen died in captivity), has been rediscovered. Ducks are another of those tetrapod groups that we take for granted and regard as mundane, yet they're actually a-maz-ing. Before getting into pochards into any detail, let's remind ourselves how amazing ducks are.
Ducks are amazing
At least some ducks have particularly interesting sex lives, involving over-sized sex organs, gang rape and occasional necrophilia [more duck sex shown in adjacent image; photo by Dave Martill]. Some species are bizarrely aggressive*, regularly attacking and beating other waterbirds to death. Some ducks can carry their eggs and/or their juveniles in flight, and some species practise nest parasitism. Herbivory, filter-feeding, carrion-feeding and flightlessness have all been evolved by ducks. Many duck species are amazingly mobile, and consequently have enormous global ranges (an issue which is particularly significant with regard to mallards Anas platyrhynchos and their close relatives and derivatives). Their mobility is particularly interesting for two reasons. Firstly, it means that they are particularly good at colonising remote islands, and because populations have repeatedly become sedentary after having made a colonisation, ducks have also been good at evolving island endemics. Secondly, it means that ducks excel in transporting things, such as sediment particles and small or microscopic organisms.
* Notably steamer ducks: go here for more.
Ducks - particularly herbivorous species such as pochards - have proven to be highly important transporters of aquatic plants, both as seeds stuck to their feathers or feet (a form of transport known as epizoochory), and as propagules carried in the bird's gut (a form of transport known as endozoochory). Ostracods and small snails also get transported by ducks, in cases for distances of 30 km or so. The mobility of ducks (and other wildfowl) also has implications for the spread of viruses: recent work indicates that naturally migrating wildfowl were responsible for spreading the HPAI H5N1 virus from Russia and Kazakhstan to eastern Europe (Gilbert et al. 2006).
Anyway, back to pochards. Sometimes called bay ducks, pochards - the tribe Aythyini - are one of four clades that together make up Anatinae, the true duck group (the other anatine clades are Malacorhynchini [pink-eared ducks], Anatini [surface-feeding ducks] and Mergini [seaducks]). Found virtually worldwide, the 17 pochard species are diving ducks with high wing loadings and several specialisations for subaqueous locomotion. Some species do a distinctive leap before diving, and some have to run across the water surface before taking off (others are more typical in being able to leap directly from the water's surface). Pochards are mostly migratory, breed near permanent bodies of freshwater, and, except three of the scaups, all are predominantly herbivorous [Common pochard Aythya ferina shown here, from wikipedia].
The sad 'loss' of the Madagascar pochard
So back to the latest news from the world of pochards: the amazing rediscovery of the Madagascar pochard, also known as the Madagascar white-eye. First described from Lake Alaotra in central-eastern Madagascar in 1894, it was apparently still common during the 1930s and was even said to still be common in Soothill & Whitehead's 1978 Wildfowl of the World. This was incorrect, however, as in fact the species hadn't been found at the lake since 1971 (Young & Kear 2006), and the last published sighting comes from 1970. Furthermore, the 1970 sighting is controversial: it described an observation of the pochard at Lake Ambohibao (near Antananarivo), and as such is (so far as I can tell from the literature) the only sighting made away from Lake Alaotra. Incidentally, pochard bones from Reunion may or may not be anything to do with the Madagascar pochard (Mourer-Chauviré et al. 1999): if the Reunion bones are referable to this species, then it had a far wider range in the recent past than it did in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Following the pochard's decline, thorough searches failed to reveal any trace of its continued presence. However, a publicity campaign amongst villages around Lake Alaotra in 1989 then led to the 1991 capture of a single male. He was kept in captivity, but died in 1992, and little about the biology and behaviour of the species was learnt from the individual. This is unfortunate as the Madagascar pochard is particularly poorly known, though given that its specific name means 'unremarkable', you might think that there isn't much to know about it. We do know that, like other pochards, it feeds by diving, probably for the seeds of water-lilies and other plants. It may also eat some invertebrates.
The Madagascar pochard's decline and apparent extinction seems predominantly to have resulted from extreme habitat degradation and the introduction of both herbivorous and carnivorous fish. Severe deforestation of the local hills has resulted in silting-up of the lake, the consequence of which has been the spread of papyrus marsh, the consequence of which has been the setting alight of the marshes to stop them spreading, the consequence of which has been the inadvertent killing of nesting birds. Carp (introduced in 1926), tilapia (introduced in 1955) and black bass (introduced in 1961) are among several alien fish that now live in Lake Alaotra. These fish appear to compete with native waterbirds by eating the same plants and invertebrates, and the larger, carnivorous fish species may predate upon pochard ducklings. Nylon monofilament gill-nets, hidden by local fishermen in open water or at the bases of aquatic plants, are thought to have seriously affected diving birds, including the pochard as well as grebes (Young & Smith 1989).
Given all these problems, it is not surprising that the pochard declined to apparent extinction. The Alaotra or Delacour's grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus [shown above], discovered in 1929 and described in 1932, is unique to the lake and also appears to have become extinct (partly due to hybridisation with the African little grebe T. ruficollis capensis). Lake Alaotra is also home to the Alaotra lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis [image below]: the only primate that spends most of its life in marshland. Confirming the presence or absence of any of these animals, particularly the pochard, is difficult however as 'the marsh is so extensive and difficult to travel in that the duck could easily go undetected inside it' (Young & Smith 1989, p. 23).
As an extinct species, the Madagascar pochard would join a long and sorry list of recently extinct wildfowl, many of which were endemic to small islands. Young et al. (1996) listed an amazing 54 wildfowl that have become extinct within the last 10,000 years. Most of these are obscure and familiar only to specialists, but a handful have been widely featured in the literature and are relatively familiar. Among the latter is the Pink-headed duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea, a highly distinctive pochard of India and Bangladesh, named in 1790 and widely regarded as having gone extinct in the 1930s or 1940s. More on this unusual species soon.
The Madagascar pochard returns
So, as announced on November 20th 2006 by The Peregrine Fund - an international conservation group that focuses on raptor-based conservation efforts - the Madagascar pochard has now been officially rediscovered. It really was hiding out, and not extinct. National Director for The Peregrine Fund's Madagascar Project, Lily-Arison Rene de Roland, and field biologist Thé Seing Sam, observed 13 Madagascar pochards in total, four of which were juveniles (for their photos, please go here). This is great news, as if the right conservation efforts are put in place the bird might be pulled back from the brink of extinction. It also provides hope for species that are possibly extinct, but are both highly cryptic and inhabit remote and difficult areas. Err, like the Pink-headed duck? Hmm, more on that another time [photo below, showing two male Madagascar pochard, by Lily-Arison René de Roland].
For other Tet Zoo articles on ducks and other anseriforms see...
Lo, for I have seen the Meller's duck, and it was good
Duck humps dog, and other stories from the world of waterfowl sex
Ridiculous super-elongate, coiled windpipes allow some birds to function like trombones - - or is it violins?
Harbour seal kills and eats duck
STOP 'feeding' the ducks
Attack of the flying steamer ducks
Meteoroid vs goose... again
2007: a good year for terror birds and mega-ducks
Tet Zoo picture of the day # 10 (on Swan goose)
Refs - -
Gilbert, M, Xiao, X., Domenech, J. Lubroth, J., Martin, V. & Slingenbergh, J. 2006. Anatidae migration in the Western Palearctic and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus. Emerging Infectious Diseases 12, 1650-1656.
Mourer-Chauviré, C., Bour, R., Ribes, S. & Moutou, F. 1999. The avifauna of Reunion Island (Mascarene Islands) at the time of the arrival of the first Europeans. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 89, 1-38.
Young, H. G. & Kear, J. 2006. The rise and fall of wildfowl of the western Indian Ocean and Australasia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 126, 25-39.
- . & Smith, J. G. 1989. The search for the Madagascar pochard Aythya innotata: survey of Lac Alaotra, Madagascar October-November, 1989. Dodo, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust 26, 17-34.
- ., Tonge, & Hume, J. P. 1996 Review of Holocene wildfowl extinctions. Wildfowl 47, 166-180.
If you said that the mystery duck from yesterday was a mallard, a weird mallard hybrid, a shoveler of some sort, or blah blah blah, then shame shame shame on you: you are a loser. If, however, you said it was a Meller's duck Anas melleri, then well done, you are some kind of freakin' duck genius,…
Pink-headed duck and Red-crested pochard: who would win in a fight?
So I recently recycled the Madagascar pochard article from Tet Zoo ver 1, first published in 2006. As you might have realised if you read the 2006 article (and if your memory is exceptionally good), I made one major change for the 2009 re-posting: I chopped out the bit about the Pink-headed duck.…
A new modern mammal for Madagascar
The fact that new, modern-day mammal species are discovered on a fairly regular basis should most definitely not be a surprise to the average Tet Zoo reader. These are not all 'cryptic species' distinguishable only on the basis of DNA: many are morphologically distinctive, honest-to-goodness new…
Common Pochard
tags: Common Pochard, Aythya ferina, birds, Image of the Day Common Pochard, Aythya ferina (Hiroshima, Japan). Image: Bardiac [larger].
IIRC, some 2,000 plus species of birds have gone extinct in oceanic isles over the past 10,000 years, not to mention the loads of amphibians, lizards, crocodilians, mammals and invertebrates...........
By Raymond (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
"Some ducks can carry their eggs and/or their juveniles in flight"
That's fascinating. Is there any more information about this?
By Stefan (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
Yes ducks ARE amazing. I spent a good while watching gadwall yesterday, along with some pochard. They are just coming out of eclipse. I find it amusing that some people regard ducks as dull coloured and boring - I usually point them towards mandarin and carolina wood ducks in full breeding plumage. mInd you a drake mallard or pochard, or even 'dull grey' gadwall is rather pleasing to the eye, and the camera :)
By Neil (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
Ducks: my favorite animals. Great article.
By Kevin Schreck (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
Great news, I hope
for the best for the duck!
Are you sure about Alaotra gentle lemur? The photo looks like obese crowned lemur.
BTW - about pochard bones. It seems that bird bones are more difficult to identify that believed. Kenyon shag and recently Lord Howe island booby (both non-existing) prove that we should be more careful about naming extinct island birds from bones.
By Jerzy (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
How wonderful that it's been rediscovered. (I just hope that it will now be conserved!)
>>appears to have become extinct (partly due to >>hybridisation with the African little grebe T. ruficollis >>capensis).
In "extinction by hybridization", how is "extinct" defined? In theory, since the Alaotra grebe genes still exist in the little grebe population, could selective breeding of the most Alaotra-like ones reconcentrate those genes and re-create the Alaotra grebe?
By William Miller (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
The Madagascar pochard looks very much like the ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca. Are they sister taxa?
Darren:
said to still be common in Soothill & Whitehead's 1978 Wildfowl of the World. This was incorrect, however, as in fact the species hadn't been found at the lake since 1971 (Young & Kear 2006), and the last published sighting comes from 1970
Unfortunately, quite many semi-popular taxon monographs of the 'XYZ's of the World' kind are several years out of date regarding such fairly major details (in my experience anyway).
Jerzy:
That picture seems to have been taken in Jersey Zoo, so I reckon that the identification is reliable.
By Dartian (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
In "extinction by hybridization", how is "extinct" defined? In theory, since the Alaotra grebe genes still exist in the little grebe population...
To complicate matters, there's no certainty that the Alaotra genes will persist in the hybrid population - they may be filtered out by drift or selection. I do feel that "extinction by hybridisation" is a difficult concept, and that conservation programmes often take an overly simplistic view towards it. However, I'll admit that personally the question has me stumped.
By Christopher Taylor (not verified) on 30 Aug 2009 #permalink
Wow, I guess the fact that the pochard is a rediscovered species "supposed" to be extinct really does score high on the "HolyCrapometer"
I thought that was the sungrebe or some bird along those lines that carries its eggs and young in flight.
By Anonymous (not verified) on 31 Aug 2009 #permalink
I'm noticing a fascination with ducks
By Michael O'Sullivan (not verified) on 31 Aug 2009 #permalink
I met the biologist who rediscovered the Cebu Flowerpecker and Black Shama. It was pretty interesting to hear her tale and the issues with translation.
In the local dialect, the shama and the magpie-robin have the same name, Siloy. When they were told by ornithologists that it was extinct, the people were shocked. "The Siloy is still here." But the scientists thought they were talking about the magpie-robin not the black shama.
I bought her a laptop and let her know I'm willing to help out anyway I can. Anyway, its a wild tangent from the topic, but I thought it was an interesting case of supposedly extinct taxa and languages issues.
By Sebastian Marquez (not verified) on 31 Aug 2009 #permalink
@Christopher Taylor: I didn't necessarily mean that they would persist permanently - but this 'extinction' seems quite recent, and I imagine they'd persist until today, so it seems (naively) that an aggressive capture & breeding program could save those genes & maybe even reconcentrate them into something functionally identical to an Alaotra grebe.
There's a project (the Quagga Project) in South Africa attempting to do this with remaining Equus quagga quagga genes in E. q. burchelli...
Hi all, thanks for great comments. Assorted brief responses...
-- carrying of eggs and young in flight: this isn't apocryphal (nor was I thinking of sungrebes) but well supported and reported in a large number of species. My best advice: read Johnsgard & Kear (1968). See also the previous Tet Zoo comment here.
-- yes, that is definitely an Alaotra gentle lemur (comment 6), just a very fat one. Looks nothing like a crowned lemur!
-- is Madagascar pochard close to the Ferruginous duck? (comment 7). According to Livezey (1996), the Madagascar pochard is the most basal member of a (White-eyed duck or Hardhead A. australis (Ferruginous duck + Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri)) clade. So, they're part of the same little group, but not each other's closest relatives. Another clade, including Tufted duck and scaups, is the sister-group to this one.
Livezey, B. C. 1996. A phylogenetic analysis of modern pochards (Anatidae: Aythyini). The Auk 113, 74-93.
Finally, interesting thing about the rediscovery of the Cebu flowerpecker (comment 11): it represents one of the best examples of what Nigel Collar calls 'Romeo error'. That is, giving up on a species when it is not definitely extinct. By the time the species is discovered to still be around, the situation has become gravely worse. Other examples are Caerulean paradise-flycatcher Eutrichomyias rowleyi and Jerdon's courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus.
Oh - - Alaotra grebe: if its genes still linger, does it persist in a fashion? (comment 6 and also 8). Perhaps, but the species in the proper sense (in terms of a phenotypic expression) is almost certainly gone. Apparent hybrids were reported in the late 1980s, and unidentified grebes were observed at Lake Amparihinandriambavy in 2000, but I don't think there have been recent reports.
By tetrapodzoology on 31 Aug 2009 #permalink
I went to Durrell conservation trust HQ in jersy last week (i was on holiday in guernsy at the time) abd was fascinated by the scale of what G.Durrell believed in and i proceded to take photo's for my school magazine, i have read many of Geralds books and was curius about how he saved the mauritius kestral and how they are curently working on the pink pidgeon and the echo parakeet from the same island, so i woundered 'how come they havent tried helping the takahe and the kakapo from new zealand yet?
By Zach Hawkins (not verified) on 01 Sep 2009 #permalink
Thanks a lot for the information about carrying of eggs and young in flight :D
By Stefan (not verified) on 01 Sep 2009 #permalink
I find it amusing that some people regard ducks as dull coloured and boring??? I find ridicolous how humans never ever understood that nature isn't a toy for restless kiddsss. ducks should be what they want, and genicide of their genus isn't punishable, fortunately for us.
By angel (not verified) on 24 Jul 2010 #permalink
Saving Species (Radio 4 NH programme) had an article about the Madagascan Pochard today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vrvdk it should be up on iPlayer soon.
By Rosel (not verified) on 09 Nov 2010 #permalink
Tetrapod Zoology has moved
You are currently at the old, defunct version of Tet Zoo. To see new stuff (from July 2011 to present), click here. See you there.
Goodbye Tet Zoo ver 2. This really is the end.
On January 23rd 2007, Tet Zoo ver 2 - the ScienceBlogs version of Tetrapod Zoology - graced the intertoobz for the first time. There was rapturous applause, swooning, the delight of millions. Looking back at it now, that very first ver 2 post is rather odd. It's on the blood-feeding behaviour of…
Inside Nature's Giants: polar bear special
So sorry for the very short notice. The following airs here in the UK tonight (Thursday 30th June 2011), Channel 4. I look forward to it. For the Tet Zoo articles on ING and related issues, see... Inside Nature's Giants: a major television event worthy of praise and accolade. Part I! Inside…
Geckos love Tet Zoo
If you didn't know, I've been away. The last four articles that have appeared here were all scheduled to publish in my absence. I've been in Romania and Hungary where I had a great time - saw lots of neat animals (fossil and living) and hung out with some neat people. I'll talk about some of this…
Hoopoes and woodhoopoes
Yet more from that book project (see the owl article for the back-story, and the hornbill article for another of the book's sections). Hornbills, hoopoes and woodhoopoes are all similar in appearance and have been classified together in a group termed Bucerotes. Vague similarities with other long…


Prince William, Kate Middleton moving from London to give kids 'normal' life
Michelle Butterfield GlobalNews.ca
WATCH: Kate Middleton's Most Iconic Looks
Determined to give their children a "normal" upbringing, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are relocating to a more rural location.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are leaving Kensington Palace in London for Adelaide Cottage — described as a modest four-bedroom property on the Queen's Windsor Estate.
The move will also place them closer to Lambrook School in Berkshire, where Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four, will attend as day students, breaking royal tradition that often sees royal children board at the school they attend.
Royal experts say the move is one that aligns with the Cambridges' goals of having privacy for their family, married with their love of the outdoors.
The move also ensures that the family will be much closer to Queen Elizabeth II, who moved to Windsor Castle at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adelaide Cottage is about a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle, officials said in the statement.
Queen Elizabeth II appears on a screen via videolink from Windsor Castle, where she is in residence, during a virtual audience at Buckingham Palace, London, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021.
Victoria Jones / The Associated Press
The queen's official residence is Buckingham Palace in London, but British media reports have said the monarch, 96, may now choose to permanently reside in Windsor.
Jonathan Perry, Headmaster at Lambrook School, said: "We are delighted that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be joining us this coming September and very much look forward to welcoming the family, as well as all of our new pupils, to our school community."
The co-educational private Lambrook School in Ascot near Windsor Castle. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will attend Lambrook School in Berkshire from September 2022.
Jonathan Brady / Getty Images
Adelaide Cottage is named after Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV. Built in 1831, it is substantially more modest than the Cambridges' other properties, which include their apartment in Kensington Palace, their 10-bedroom property in Norfolk and a cottage in Scotland.
According to media reports, William and Kate's full-time nanny, Maria Borrallo, will live elsewhere for the first time due to the downsizing of the home. The family's other staff will also live offsite.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, told Express that the move has many benefits for the family.
"Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace is perfect in so many ways but the Duke and Duchess and their children are unable to come and go as they might like or take advantage of the nearby London parks because of the ever-present privacy issues."
A royal source told CNN that the move will allow William and Kate to be "active parents in a busy school."
Prince Charles, from left, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Louis, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, Thursday June 2, 2022, on the first of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Alastair Grant / Getty Images
"They want to be as normal a family as possible," the source added.
One royal commentator says the move also sends a message that William wants to avoid some of the disappointments of his own childhood.
Columnist Dan Wootton said the Duke wants to be more present in his children's lives, claiming that Prince Charles was often consumed with his royal duties following the death of Princess Diana.
Wootton said William "makes explicit his desire to avoid repeating what he believes are the mistakes of his upbringing."


Now Now - 2023-05-02 May 2
ELCA African National Ministries
Wartburg Seminary 333 Wartburg Place, Dubuque, IA
In cooperation with the Center for Global Theologies, Wartburg Learning for Life invites you to join Rev. Dr. Joseph M Bocko, Program Director for ELCA African National Ministries, for a presentation about the ELCA's work. This event will be available both on-campus and via Zoom. Dr. Bocko has a bachelor's degree in theological studies…
Admissions Online Open House – 2/21/23
With work, school, home, family, and church, our routines are set and drive us from one day to the next. Do you have a gnawing feeling in your gut that you may be ready for your routine to shift a bit, or that you are being called to do something different? Join us for an…
American Indian Alaska Native Tribal Nations
Wartburg Learning for Life invites you to join Vance Blackfox, the ELCA Desk Director for American Indian Alaska Native Tribal Nations, for a presentation about the ELCA's work. This event will be available both on-campus and via Zoom. On-campus participants will enjoy a soup supper before Mr. Blackfox's presentation. All are welcome. Please register here.…
March 9 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring
Challenges and Opportunities of Online Worship—Worship Webinar
The January 2023 issue of Currents in Theology and Mission will focus on the challenges and opportunities of online worship, including the meaning of assembling as online or digital communities, digital communion, and more. Several authors of those articles will reflect on the lenses through which they consider these issues and what they learned from…
ELCA Global Missions
The Center for Global Theologies, in cooperation with Wartburg Learning for Life, hosts Rahel Mwitula-Williams, ELCA Director for Global Mission Funding for a public forum on global missions. Available both on-campus and via Zoom, the public forum is both for members of the Wartburg community and for all others interested in the ELCA's work. Watch…
March 24 @ 5:00 pm - March 26 @ 12:00 pm
Considering Your Call Weekend – 3/24/23 – 3/26/23
Offers You The Opportunity To: Explore vocation and discernment with others Learn about Wartburg's degree programs and the various pathways to earn your degree Worship with the Wartburg Seminary community Meet current faculty, staff, and students, hearing their stories and experiences Share in meals and fellowship, including social events with the community Experience Wartburg Seminary…
In Pursuit of Justice, Equity, and Inclusion: Jesus, Ida B. Wells, James Baldwin, and You
Join Pastor Lamont Wells, Wartburg's Strategic Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, for a session that will explore biblical narrative(s) and cultural experiences of demands for justice that will help inform our collective call to respond to local and global inequities. The participant will learn history, faithful methods and strategies to bring healing to divided…
2023 Reformation and Reunion
You are cordially invited to... come home … to the place of your formation … for ReFormation and Reunion! Take time for reunions and celebrations! Take time to learn, relax, and care for yourself! REGISTER HERE Tentative Schedule Pre-Event Presentation Tuesday, April 11, 12:00-1:15 PM Rev. Lisa Heffernan (2013), ELCA Coordinator of Disabilities Ministries Tuesday, April…
April 11 @ 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
ELCA Disability Ministries
Wartburg Learning for Life invites you to join Pastor Lisa Heffernan, coordinator for ELCA Disability Ministries for a presentation about her work. A 2013 WTS graduate, Pastor Heffernan works remotely out of South Dakota, where she is also serving in a congregation as their part-time interim pastor. In beginning her work, Pastor Heffernan wrote, "As…
April 20 @ 8:00 am - April 22 @ 5:00 pm
Spanish Language, Culture, Hospitality
Thursday, April 20, 7:00-9:00 pm, Friday, April 21, 5:00-7:00 pm, Saturday, April 22, 9:00-11:00 am Pastor Violeta Siguenza, director of Centro Teologica Luterano Multicultural (CTLM), leads three sessions on ministry with Latine people. • Session 1, on Thursday evening, will focus on (a) Spanish language basics and cultural variations and (b) hospitality within Latine cultures. •…
Native American Theologian
Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy will give a presentation about Native American and Lutheran theology. She describes herself in these (among many other) ways: I am a beautiful mosaic of lived-experience and culture. My Lakota name is Mato Waste Winyan (Good Bear Woman). I am a proud member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Currently based in Minnesota,…
The Challenges of Latinx Theological Education
In cooperation with CTLM, Wartburg presents the Rev. Dr. Daisy Machado, former director of the Hispanic Summer Program, now retired, speaking on "The Challenges of Latinx Theological Education: A View from the South." Dr. Machado is Professor Emerita of American Religious History at Union Theological Seminary. Her scholarship focused specifically on United States Christianities. She…