All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Poland takes to the streets

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Poland’s society is split over the new national conservative government’s policies like it hasn’t been in years. By the thousands, people are taking to the streets in nationwide protests.

Radio Interview, 1939 · James Naismith’s Life and Legacy: Celebrating 150 Years · KU Libraries Exhibits

This excerpt from a January 31, 1939, broadcast of the radio program “We the People” hosted in New York by Gabriel Heatter is believed to be the only known audio recording of Naismith. In the roughly three-minute clip, Naismith, who had traveled to New York for a basketball doubleheader at Madison Square Garden, discusses setting up the first basketball game with two peach baskets in a gymnasium at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts in December 1891.This recording was discovered by Dr. Michael J. Zogry, Associate Professor, Religious Studies, and Director, Indigenous Studies, University of Kansas, in the audio and manuscript archives of radio station WOR-AM that were donated to the Library of Congress by RKO General, Inc. Dr. Zogry obtained permission for the University to include the recording in its archives and to use it for educational purposes.

Source: Radio Interview, 1939 · James Naismith’s Life and Legacy: Celebrating 150 Years · KU Libraries Exhibits

Documenting Rape in India – The New York Times

In recent years, disturbing and widely publicized accounts of several gang rapes have begun to make the subject of sexual assault somewhat more visible in Indian society. But in her research, Ms. Sharma found that most of her subjects had either been accused of bringing dishonor upon their families or blamed by the police and neighbors for provoking their rapes.“The problem is not how women dress but how women are objectified by a patriarchal and feudalistic mind-set,” she said. “First the father owns them and then a husband owns them. They’re not treated as equals but second-class citizens.”

Source: Documenting Rape in India – The New York Times

GRACE & FRANKIE & OTHER NEWS

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So much going on. Since we wrapped Grace & Frankie mid-November, Lily has been nominated for a Golden Globe both for her role as Frankie and for her lead performance in “Grandma” and I’ve been nominated for a Golden Globe for my role in “Youth.” “Youth” is the film I travelled to Switzerland and Italy to make last year. An incredible experience working with Paolo Sorrentino. The film just won “Best European Film” and Paolo won “Best European Director”. The film is a feast for the eyes and a sort of meditative exploration of life, aging and passion.

To top it off, the same day the Golden Globes were announced, we got an official Season 3 renewal for G&F! Such great news all around. We really found our groove shooting Season 2, so I’m thrilled we will get an opportunity to do more. Don’t have our air date yet for Season 2 but of course I will keep you posted.

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Let’s see, what else? There’s been such a great reception to the Box set of my Original Workout Programs on AMAZON. I’m finding out that it’s become a popular gift item this season. Amazon has it as part of their deal of the month, so check them out here, if you haven’t already.

Then there’s been the Paris Climate Conference. Here’s a link to Bill McKibben’s Op Ed piece in the New York Times.
http://nyti.ms/1P6sG5a

I agree with Bill. If we’d passed the accord that has come out of Paris back during the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 (I was there), the weather disasters that are occurring at an ever increasing rate could have been at least partly avoided and we’d have been given a much better chance today of achieving the newly adopted goal of 1.5 degree Celsius (above pre-industrial levels). This is the level at which climate scientists say we can avoid the worst catastrophes that could make parts of the planet uninhabitable. The goal set by the Paris accord, if implemented, is more than twice that. Achieving the 1.5 degreeC goal requires leaving most of the remaining fossil fuels in the ground. That is why people like the Koch brothers and their ilk have spend $100s of millions funding Climate-denying “research” . . . making the world safe and habitable would hurt their bottom line. They’d rather die rich than help save the world –God’s creation, as Pope Francis says. Since the coal and oil and fracking industries fund so many political campaigns, most prominently the Republican Right Wing, if we elect a Republican we’re selling ourselves and our children’s children down the drain.

What is to be done (besides turning out next Nov in large numbers and voting for the planet)? As Bill McKibben says, ” . . . we need to build the movement even bigger in the coming years, so that Paris turns into a floor and not a ceiling for action. We’ll be blocking pipelines, fighting new coal mines, urging divestment from fossil fuels—trying, in short, to keep weakening the mighty industry that still stands in the way of real progress.”

And, trust me, I’ll be dragging these old bones and young heart to every rally and protest I can get to (when I’m not filming) and financially supporting the worthiest of climate efforts because I think it’s all worth saving and I have grandchildren.

Microcephaly – Brazil

On 8 December 2015, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Brazil provided PAHO/WHO with an update regarding the unusual increase in the number of cases of microcephaly among newborns in the northeast of Brazil.

As of 5 December, 1,761 suspected cases of microcephaly, including 19 deaths, have been identified. The cases are distributed across 422 municipalities of 14 federal units. Pernambuco and Paraíba are the most affected states with 804 and 316 cases, respectively. Fatal cases were reported in Rio Grande do Norte (7), Sergipe (4), Bahia (2), Rio de Janeiro (2), Ceará (1), Maranhão (1), Paraíba (1) and Piauí (1). Investigations are ongoing.

Kim Jong-un ordered his girl group home after learning Xi Jinping wasn’t planning on attending their performance

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Reasons for the abrupt and shocking cancellation of the official DPRK girl group’s performances in Beijing may now have come to light. Reportedly, the Moranbong Band’s visit to China was terminated once North Korea learned that Chinese President Xi Jinping would not be attending their concert.