So a woman has failed the theory test 90 times. The true indicator of driving ability is not the ability to click a mouse button One thing’s for sure, she’s not scoring one for us women. You can picture the tabloid editor beaming already. Woman! Failed! Theory test! 90 times! Thanks to a freedom of information request, the worst driving student in the UK has indeed been unveiled: she is 26, lives in Southwark, and spent an astonishing £2,790 on driving theory test exams. Call it confirmation bias, but the opinion currently held by Neanderthals about females behind a steering wheel will only be strengthened by the story. One has to ask, though: how can someone fail a multiple choice test so many times? There are only 50 questions, followed by four answers each. Candidates have to get at least 43 answers right – not an issue if one studies hard – and then face the gruelling hazard perception test (more on that later). I know those details because yesterday morning found I and a dozen others wiping metaphorical sweat from our brows as we sat in a south London test centre, waiting to make good use of the knowledge accumulated in the past few weeks. Or in my case, days; I’m lucky to be gifted at last-minute cramming and passed. 45/50, if you must ask. I won’t lie – the test isn’t that easy. The current pass rate for the theory test is 62.9% ; people in the US are said to be horrified at our UK process. And while a lot of the expected answers are solidly rooted in common sense (“Q: You are invited to a pub lunch. You know that you will have to drive in the evening. What is your best course of action?” A. Avoid mixing your alcoholic drinks B. Not drink any alcohol at all C. Have some milk before drinking alcohol D. Eat a hot meal with your alcoholic drinks), others were more pointed (“How long will a statutory off road notification last for?”). Some, on the other hand, were downright stupid (“When should you take a call on your mobile phone while travelling?”). The first written examination was introduced for wannabe drivers in 1996, before being replaced by the computer test in 2000. But is it a truly essential part of the learning process? Talking to my colleagues about the unlucky student who failed so many times this morning, many of them recalled the “good old days” during which you would just be asked a few questions by your driving examiner before passing your driving test: do you know what that sign is? Yes? What about this one ? Good, all right then. Now show us how you park. Take the dreaded hazard perception test – a glorious example of a terribly explained task which many people who did not train for the test with a DVD find impossible to understand. On paper, this sounds relatively straightforward : “Examinees watch 14 one-minute clips filmed from the perspective of a car driver and have to indicate, usually by clicking a mouse button or touching the screen, when they observe a developing hazard.” Because we’re told that each clip is supposed to contain one hazard (with one exception, which contains two), many viewers decide to react only once, when they should instead click every time they suspect they see a developing hazard (which can be anything, from a far-away pedestrian to an incoming truck). Surely such skills would be better assessed by an instructor during actual driving lessons? The same applies to the multiple choice part of test, where it is easy to “luck out” or take educated guesses (which I did on occasion during mine). Truly, I couldn’t be convinced of the utility of the theory test. It did provide me with some basic knowledge, but it is nothing I wouldn’t have learned on the ground. The hard work lies ahead, in the hours during which I will drive the vehicle accompanied. I truly feel that practice, much like making a good damson pie, cycling or learning to tie laces, is the only way to learn. Perhaps the woman who failed so many times should just be given a free pass. Transport Road transport Jessica Reed guardian.co.uk
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So a woman has failed the theory test 90 times. The true indicator of driving ability is not the ability to click a mouse button One thing’s for sure, she’s not scoring one for us women. You can picture the tabloid editor beaming already. Woman! Failed! Theory test! 90 times! Thanks to a freedom of information request, the worst driving student in the UK has indeed been unveiled: she is 26, lives in Southwark, and spent an astonishing £2,790 on driving theory test exams. Call it confirmation bias, but the opinion currently held by Neanderthals about females behind a steering wheel will only be strengthened by the story. One has to ask, though: how can someone fail a multiple choice test so many times? There are only 50 questions, followed by four answers each. Candidates have to get at least 43 answers right – not an issue if one studies hard – and then face the gruelling hazard perception test (more on that later). I know those details because yesterday morning found I and a dozen others wiping metaphorical sweat from our brows as we sat in a south London test centre, waiting to make good use of the knowledge accumulated in the past few weeks. Or in my case, days; I’m lucky to be gifted at last-minute cramming and passed. 45/50, if you must ask. I won’t lie – the test isn’t that easy. The current pass rate for the theory test is 62.9% ; people in the US are said to be horrified at our UK process. And while a lot of the expected answers are solidly rooted in common sense (“Q: You are invited to a pub lunch. You know that you will have to drive in the evening. What is your best course of action?” A. Avoid mixing your alcoholic drinks B. Not drink any alcohol at all C. Have some milk before drinking alcohol D. Eat a hot meal with your alcoholic drinks), others were more pointed (“How long will a statutory off road notification last for?”). Some, on the other hand, were downright stupid (“When should you take a call on your mobile phone while travelling?”). The first written examination was introduced for wannabe drivers in 1996, before being replaced by the computer test in 2000. But is it a truly essential part of the learning process? Talking to my colleagues about the unlucky student who failed so many times this morning, many of them recalled the “good old days” during which you would just be asked a few questions by your driving examiner before passing your driving test: do you know what that sign is? Yes? What about this one ? Good, all right then. Now show us how you park. Take the dreaded hazard perception test – a glorious example of a terribly explained task which many people who did not train for the test with a DVD find impossible to understand. On paper, this sounds relatively straightforward : “Examinees watch 14 one-minute clips filmed from the perspective of a car driver and have to indicate, usually by clicking a mouse button or touching the screen, when they observe a developing hazard.” Because we’re told that each clip is supposed to contain one hazard (with one exception, which contains two), many viewers decide to react only once, when they should instead click every time they suspect they see a developing hazard (which can be anything, from a far-away pedestrian to an incoming truck). Surely such skills would be better assessed by an instructor during actual driving lessons? The same applies to the multiple choice part of test, where it is easy to “luck out” or take educated guesses (which I did on occasion during mine). Truly, I couldn’t be convinced of the utility of the theory test. It did provide me with some basic knowledge, but it is nothing I wouldn’t have learned on the ground. The hard work lies ahead, in the hours during which I will drive the vehicle accompanied. I truly feel that practice, much like making a good damson pie, cycling or learning to tie laces, is the only way to learn. Perhaps the woman who failed so many times should just be given a free pass. Transport Road transport Jessica Reed guardian.co.uk
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Black and white terrier mix is up for adoption after coming back to life, wagging its tail The animal shelter in Sulphur, Oklahoma, suffers from the under-funding and overcrowding all-too familiar in small town America. So when five scrawny puppies were abandoned outside its door last month it took the regrettable but inevitable decision to put them all to sleep. They were given injections in the limbs and heart, tested with a stethoscope to check they were dead, and then their bodies put out for disposal in the shelter’s rubbish bin. But the following morning something astonishing happened. An animal control officer who inspected the bin found that one of the puppies had apparently come back to life and was jumping around the container, tail wagging. News of the “resurrected puppy” began to spread locally. A girl dubbed the black and white terrier mix Wall-E after the animated robot from the film of the same name who was also a last survivor. A veterinarian technician, Amanda Kloski, arranged to care for the dog and arrange for his adoption. When she posted the details on Facebook, interest went crazy. The shelter, which normally has to battle against indifference towards abandoned animals, found its phonelines clogged with 3,000 callers begging to be allowed to give Wall-E a home. It has also had to make clear it will neuter Wall-E before the adoption is made to discourage unscrupulous dealers who plan to breed from him and market his offspring as the progeny of the “miracle dog”. More than $1,000 (£620) has been donated from across the country to the cash-starved shelter, and the puppy has been flown to New York to star on Good Morning America. “In Sulphur we never had the problem, or blessing, of more than one family wishing to adopt a dog so we are new to this concept,” the shelter said on a Petfinder page . “Most of our dogs do not get this chance or opportunity even once it is amazing!” United States Animal welfare Animals Ed Pilkington guardian.co.uk
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‘No political imperative’ to lose 25,000 MoD posts and union leaders are confident cost-cutting can keep many staff in work Liam Fox, the defence secretary, has told unions that if they can find convincing ways of cutting the Ministry of Defence’s budget then thousands of threatened civilian jobs might be saved. Union leaders say they were told there was no “political imperative” to lose 25,000 ministry jobs, the figure set out in last year’s strategic defence and security review , and that ministers would look seriously at any fresh proposals to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies. A meeting between the two sides has been scheduled for next week to discuss ideas. Steve Jary, national secretary of the union Prospect, which represents 7,000 MoD staff, said it should be possible to save up to a third of the jobs in danger. Prospect has suspended the threat of industrial action pending further talks. “We were pleased with the meeting because the defence secretary accepted that the 25,000 figure is not sacrosanct,” Jary said. “Previously we had been told there was a political imperative to cut civilian jobs, but that seems to have changed. “We have argued that the figure was arbitrary and he seemed to accept the point. Now we have to give them our proposals, but we are making good progress.” Though the apparent softening of the MoD’s position will encourage civil servants, it may come as a surprise to armed forces chiefs who are having to draw up their own redundancy programmes for the army, RAF and Royal Navy. The budget squeeze at the MoD has affected all three services with the strategic review demanding the loss of up to 17,000 jobs from the military within four years. The RAF has already given details of its compulsory redundancy programme, while the navy and the army will report early next month. Union leaders, though, are convinced that they have found other ways of cutting the budget. Using documents obtained from freedom of information requests, they have discovered a huge increase in the amount paid by the MoD to outside consultants for procurement advice – a job formerly done in-house. “Some of this spending is just obscene,” said Jary. “The increase is one of the consequences of previous cuts in civilian staff at the department, and now these consultants are being used in an ad hoc way and it is very expensive. “The MoD is now paying a whole range of companies to provide assistance for technical support because it has lost the expertise to do this from within.” He said one external computer consultant appeared to have earned £180,000 for 80 days’ work. The union says this is the main area where savings could be made – the MoD is looking to save £650m from the civilian redundancy programme, and Prospect says half of that could be covered by using existing MoD staff rather than outsiders. Another saving could be found in reducing the number of highest ranking officers, who are being given civilian jobs because no other posts for them can be found. Sources close to Fox said the unions would need very credible ideas if they wanted to argue the cuts could be made in a different way. “We are having to tackle a £38bn overspend. That is the position we are in at the moment. It wasn’t an ideological measure to make 25,000 people redundant, we just have to reduce costs. “That hasn’t changed. He was sympathetic to their case and made it very clear that if there were other ways [of making cuts] he would look at them.” An MoD spokesman added: “In the current economic climate, we have to make savings and we have to balance the MoD budget.” Defence policy Liam Fox Trade unions Military Redundancy Nick Hopkins guardian.co.uk
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Click here to view this media And now, for a more realistic assessment of the situation at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant than what you’ll hear on Fox News , here’s physicist Michio Kaku this morning on Good Morning America with George Stephanopoulos, talking about the lame effort to pour water on the melting reactor cores from helicopters: KAKU: It’s like a squirt gun, using a squirt gun against a raging forest fire. They’re overwhelmed, they’re floundering, they just don’t know what to do. They’re clueless. STEPHANOPOULOS: And ironically, U.S. officials are most concerned about the spent fuel in Reactor No. 4 — that’s fuel that had been taken out of the reactors back in November. Now originally, officials thought that it had been out for some time, but this is relatively fresh fuel, which is why they’re so concerned. KAKU: Very concerned. Hollywood likes to focus in on the meltdown, the melted core’s exposed uranium. But old fuel is actually more dangerous than the meltdown, because there’s more radiation in an unguarded spent-fuel pond than the reactor itself. STEPHANOPOULOS: So it could ignite, that’s the concern? KAKU: That’s right. You could have a fire — it would be like fireworks — go off like roman candles. Zirconium will oxidize with air, releasing hydrogen gas. So that when someone lights a cigarette, or lights a light switch, you have a roman candle gas bomb. STEPHANOPOULOS: And that just makes the rest of the situation that much worse, because no one can get close enough then to try and contain the damage in Reactors 1, 2 and 3. And that’s where the longer-term dangers are. KAKU: That’s right. At a certain point, they’re going to have to abandon ship, it will be a suicide mission to go in there. The radiation levels are near lethal right now. You’re committing suicide to spend large amounts of time there. … STEPHANOPOULOS: So what is the worst case — if they can’t get No. 4 under control, then that leads to further meltdowns. Is an explosion possible, like we saw at Chernobyl? KAKU: An explosion, or a melt-through — we’re talking about radiation being released into the larger environment. At Chernobyl, it was an uncontrolled release — 25, 30 percent of the core just shot into the air. STEPHANOPOULOS: That can’t happen here, because it hasn’t been active, right? KAKU: Well, it can happen in the sense you have hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas can ignite — not just from the containment, but in the vessel itself, and rip the vessel to pieces. More from ABC News: Radiation levels have risen rapidly at the plant and there is a fear that the situation is heading for the worst. The next 24 to 48 hours are viewed as critical in the effort to stabilize the crisis. If levels continue to rise, the doses emergency workers experience near the reactors could be lethal. One U.S. Official told ABC News that “it would be hard to describe how alarming this is right now” and that a suicide mission might not even be enough to avert disaster. A group of 180 workers rotate shifts working at the plant in teams of 50 men. The men have been nicknamed the “Fukushima Fifty.” One U.S. official told ABC News that they are urging the Japanese to get more people to help the workers inside the plant. “This is very, very radioactive material…if there is core on the floor and containment penetration, there will be significant public health consequences,” Ken Bergeron, a physicist and nuclear reactor safety expert, said. The term “core on the floor” means that the containment vessels’ wall give way at the bottom. There is no longer a way to cool the nuclear cores so they melt down, bleed out and send toxic nuclear clouds into the air.
Continue reading …Click here to view this media And now, for a more realistic assessment of the situation at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant than what you’ll hear on Fox News , here’s physicist Michio Kaku this morning on Good Morning America with George Stephanopoulos, talking about the lame effort to pour water on the melting reactor cores from helicopters: KAKU: It’s like a squirt gun, using a squirt gun against a raging forest fire. They’re overwhelmed, they’re floundering, they just don’t know what to do. They’re clueless. STEPHANOPOULOS: And ironically, U.S. officials are most concerned about the spent fuel in Reactor No. 4 — that’s fuel that had been taken out of the reactors back in November. Now originally, officials thought that it had been out for some time, but this is relatively fresh fuel, which is why they’re so concerned. KAKU: Very concerned. Hollywood likes to focus in on the meltdown, the melted core’s exposed uranium. But old fuel is actually more dangerous than the meltdown, because there’s more radiation in an unguarded spent-fuel pond than the reactor itself. STEPHANOPOULOS: So it could ignite, that’s the concern? KAKU: That’s right. You could have a fire — it would be like fireworks — go off like roman candles. Zirconium will oxidize with air, releasing hydrogen gas. So that when someone lights a cigarette, or lights a light switch, you have a roman candle gas bomb. STEPHANOPOULOS: And that just makes the rest of the situation that much worse, because no one can get close enough then to try and contain the damage in Reactors 1, 2 and 3. And that’s where the longer-term dangers are. KAKU: That’s right. At a certain point, they’re going to have to abandon ship, it will be a suicide mission to go in there. The radiation levels are near lethal right now. You’re committing suicide to spend large amounts of time there. … STEPHANOPOULOS: So what is the worst case — if they can’t get No. 4 under control, then that leads to further meltdowns. Is an explosion possible, like we saw at Chernobyl? KAKU: An explosion, or a melt-through — we’re talking about radiation being released into the larger environment. At Chernobyl, it was an uncontrolled release — 25, 30 percent of the core just shot into the air. STEPHANOPOULOS: That can’t happen here, because it hasn’t been active, right? KAKU: Well, it can happen in the sense you have hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas can ignite — not just from the containment, but in the vessel itself, and rip the vessel to pieces. More from ABC News: Radiation levels have risen rapidly at the plant and there is a fear that the situation is heading for the worst. The next 24 to 48 hours are viewed as critical in the effort to stabilize the crisis. If levels continue to rise, the doses emergency workers experience near the reactors could be lethal. One U.S. Official told ABC News that “it would be hard to describe how alarming this is right now” and that a suicide mission might not even be enough to avert disaster. A group of 180 workers rotate shifts working at the plant in teams of 50 men. The men have been nicknamed the “Fukushima Fifty.” One U.S. official told ABC News that they are urging the Japanese to get more people to help the workers inside the plant. “This is very, very radioactive material…if there is core on the floor and containment penetration, there will be significant public health consequences,” Ken Bergeron, a physicist and nuclear reactor safety expert, said. The term “core on the floor” means that the containment vessels’ wall give way at the bottom. There is no longer a way to cool the nuclear cores so they melt down, bleed out and send toxic nuclear clouds into the air.
Continue reading …An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan March 11 and the ensuing Tsunami wave delivered a devastating blow to the people, resources and economy of the U.S. ally. At this writing, a nuclear power plant there is on the verge of meltdown. As can be expected, it took a few days for the world and the American media to comprehend the complexity and gravity of the situation. But two things were very predictable in the aftermath of a natural disaster. First, Americans have responded generously, having rallied financial, physical, emotional and spiritual support for the Japanese. Second, the network news refuses to recognize the impact that churches, faith-based groups and small non-profits have in the recovery effort. From Friday March 11 until Tuesday, March 15, there were 11 stories about U.S. relief efforts on ABC, CBS and NBC. Many network anchors mentioned President Obama's pledge to assist the Japanese through agencies like Federal Emergency Management Agency and USAID. But not a single broadcast mentioned the work of Samaritan's Purse, Saddleback church, Salvation Army and other large faith-based groups mobilizing to help ease the suffering. Instead, the networks held government agencies like FEMA as the gold standard for relief efforts in Japan. CBS News correspondent Whit Johnson lauded the U.S. government and its agencies for quake and tsunami relief for Japan. On the March 12 broadcast of CBS “The Early Show” Johnson highlighted the work of the “U.S. Department of Energy,” “U.S. Government,” “U.S. Military Effort” and “USAID” in his report. “Beyond immediate needs for water, food, shelter, and medical supplies, USAID has deployed disaster response teams, search and rescue crews, rescue dogs and equipment,” Johnson reported. USAID is a government agency dedicated to helping international relief efforts. That evening, “CBS Evening News Saturday Edition” anchor Russ Mitchell continued to sing the praises of the U.S. federal government, completely ignoring church efforts. “The U.S. and dozens of other countries immediately offered to send aid to Japan,” Mitchell reported. “The Pentagon says Air Force engineering experts are heading to the area and at least six U.S. Navy ships will be prepared to help distribute supplies. The Los Angles County Search and Rescue Team is leaving for Japan tonight.” Ann Curry on the March 15 “Today” show highlighted the U.S.'s relief efforts in Japan, stating, “Since the U.S. Navy delivered supplies on Sunday, more than 90 countries have now offered aid, much of which has yet to get to the victims,” Curry noted. “An early tally by the American Red Cross shows that as of Monday, $23 million in donations have been offered to help Japan.” Hyping government programs and ignoring the faith based groups was common among network broadcasts, but faith-based groups were not impossible to find. Franklin Graham, son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, is a visible public figure and frequent media guest. Graham appeared on the Fox News show “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” on March 14 to talk about his involvement with Samaritan's Purse . Graham told viewers that the day after the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, Samaritan's Purse had given $200,000 to local Japanese churches as they respond to the crisis. Graham is the president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse, a Biblically-based organization known for its international aid. High-profile U.S. evangelical pastor Rick Warren sent out a tweet on Saturday that alerted his more than 263,400 followers about a website where they can donate to Japanese Disaster relief. Warren's church, Saddleback, is located in Southern California and is known as a “mega church,” with nearly 20,000 members . Warren is a frequent media guest, author of the best selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” and famously hosted a debate between presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama in August 2008. Others have wondered aloud on various cable news outlets and through web musings whether or not Americans should donate to Japanese relief efforts at all. Felix Salmon of Reuters cautioned against “earmarking funds” for Japan's relief because after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, many saw that it was “hobbling relief organizations and ensuring that they have to leave large piles of money unspent in one place while facing urgent needs in other places.” According to slashdot.org , “Scams are already spreading across Facebook.” Crooks take advantage of the chaos surrounding crises, and international disasters are breeding grounds for fake charities and scams. The USAID website refers viewers to another site, interaction.com , which lists more than 25 reputable organizations through which they can make an impact for the Japanese people. The networks are doing a disservice to their viewers and these organizations by not at least mentioning the various faith-based groups listed. Among the churches and denominations that have mobilized to give toward Japan disaster relief are the Adventists, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Baptist World Alliance , Catholic Relief Services , Christian Reformed World Relief Committee , Episcopal Relief and Development , Salvation Army , and the United Methodist Committee on Relief . The only non-profit organization that managed to climb onto the media pedestal that belonged to Federal Government agencies was the American Red Cross. “Saturday Today” did an entire segment on the American Red Cross's efforts in Japan, dedicating 463 words to the organization. The 2 minute 22 seconds dedicated to the non-profit's work is warranted, as the Red Cross has contributed, as of March 15, $10 million in aid to the Japanese Red Cross. However, slightly less visible, but just as important groups have come alongside the celebrity-backed Red Cross in aiding the Japanese people. The networks have simply ignored them.
Continue reading …An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan March 11 and the ensuing Tsunami wave delivered a devastating blow to the people, resources and economy of the U.S. ally. At this writing, a nuclear power plant there is on the verge of meltdown. As can be expected, it took a few days for the world and the American media to comprehend the complexity and gravity of the situation. But two things were very predictable in the aftermath of a natural disaster. First, Americans have responded generously, having rallied financial, physical, emotional and spiritual support for the Japanese. Second, the network news refuses to recognize the impact that churches, faith-based groups and small non-profits have in the recovery effort. From Friday March 11 until Tuesday, March 15, there were 11 stories about U.S. relief efforts on ABC, CBS and NBC. Many network anchors mentioned President Obama's pledge to assist the Japanese through agencies like Federal Emergency Management Agency and USAID. But not a single broadcast mentioned the work of Samaritan's Purse, Saddleback church, Salvation Army and other large faith-based groups mobilizing to help ease the suffering. Instead, the networks held government agencies like FEMA as the gold standard for relief efforts in Japan. CBS News correspondent Whit Johnson lauded the U.S. government and its agencies for quake and tsunami relief for Japan. On the March 12 broadcast of CBS “The Early Show” Johnson highlighted the work of the “U.S. Department of Energy,” “U.S. Government,” “U.S. Military Effort” and “USAID” in his report. “Beyond immediate needs for water, food, shelter, and medical supplies, USAID has deployed disaster response teams, search and rescue crews, rescue dogs and equipment,” Johnson reported. USAID is a government agency dedicated to helping international relief efforts. That evening, “CBS Evening News Saturday Edition” anchor Russ Mitchell continued to sing the praises of the U.S. federal government, completely ignoring church efforts. “The U.S. and dozens of other countries immediately offered to send aid to Japan,” Mitchell reported. “The Pentagon says Air Force engineering experts are heading to the area and at least six U.S. Navy ships will be prepared to help distribute supplies. The Los Angles County Search and Rescue Team is leaving for Japan tonight.” Ann Curry on the March 15 “Today” show highlighted the U.S.'s relief efforts in Japan, stating, “Since the U.S. Navy delivered supplies on Sunday, more than 90 countries have now offered aid, much of which has yet to get to the victims,” Curry noted. “An early tally by the American Red Cross shows that as of Monday, $23 million in donations have been offered to help Japan.” Hyping government programs and ignoring the faith based groups was common among network broadcasts, but faith-based groups were not impossible to find. Franklin Graham, son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, is a visible public figure and frequent media guest. Graham appeared on the Fox News show “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” on March 14 to talk about his involvement with Samaritan's Purse . Graham told viewers that the day after the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, Samaritan's Purse had given $200,000 to local Japanese churches as they respond to the crisis. Graham is the president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse, a Biblically-based organization known for its international aid. High-profile U.S. evangelical pastor Rick Warren sent out a tweet on Saturday that alerted his more than 263,400 followers about a website where they can donate to Japanese Disaster relief. Warren's church, Saddleback, is located in Southern California and is known as a “mega church,” with nearly 20,000 members . Warren is a frequent media guest, author of the best selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” and famously hosted a debate between presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama in August 2008. Others have wondered aloud on various cable news outlets and through web musings whether or not Americans should donate to Japanese relief efforts at all. Felix Salmon of Reuters cautioned against “earmarking funds” for Japan's relief because after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, many saw that it was “hobbling relief organizations and ensuring that they have to leave large piles of money unspent in one place while facing urgent needs in other places.” According to slashdot.org , “Scams are already spreading across Facebook.” Crooks take advantage of the chaos surrounding crises, and international disasters are breeding grounds for fake charities and scams. The USAID website refers viewers to another site, interaction.com , which lists more than 25 reputable organizations through which they can make an impact for the Japanese people. The networks are doing a disservice to their viewers and these organizations by not at least mentioning the various faith-based groups listed. Among the churches and denominations that have mobilized to give toward Japan disaster relief are the Adventists, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Baptist World Alliance , Catholic Relief Services , Christian Reformed World Relief Committee , Episcopal Relief and Development , Salvation Army , and the United Methodist Committee on Relief . The only non-profit organization that managed to climb onto the media pedestal that belonged to Federal Government agencies was the American Red Cross. “Saturday Today” did an entire segment on the American Red Cross's efforts in Japan, dedicating 463 words to the organization. The 2 minute 22 seconds dedicated to the non-profit's work is warranted, as the Red Cross has contributed, as of March 15, $10 million in aid to the Japanese Red Cross. However, slightly less visible, but just as important groups have come alongside the celebrity-backed Red Cross in aiding the Japanese people. The networks have simply ignored them.
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Rumblings of discontent in both north and south serve as reminder of country’s fractious reality Silvio Berlusconi has been booed at a ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of Italy’s national unity. The public holiday saw joyful celebrations in cities such as Rome and Turin, but also further signs of how fractured the country still seems at times. Politicians in the wealthy north questioned whether workers and students should have been given the day off, while some in the south said they were tired of being regarded as second-class citizens. Berlusconi’s government declared a one-off national holiday to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the day Victor Emanuel II became the first king of a united Italy following centuries of rivalry among city-states and foreign occupation along the peninsula. Italians rarely hang out their nation’s red, white and green flag, except for sports events like the World Cup. But the holiday saw a sprinkling of flags draped from balconies, terraces and windows in the Italian capital. Children also waved tiny flags as Berlusconi, the Italian president Giorgio Napolitano and other VIPs attended ceremonies in Rome, including one at the Altar of the Homeland, known as the Wedding Cake, in Piazza Venezia. The monument was erected in 1911 to mark what was then the 50th anniversary of a united Italy. State TV and the Italian news agency ANSA said Berlusconi was greeted with catcalls on the Janiculum Hill, where monuments and a museum honour efforts by Giuseppe Garibaldi and other Italian heroes top forge a united nation. Berlusconi is due to stand trial in the coming weeks for allegedly paying an underage Moroccan teenager for sex and for using his position to try to cover up his relationship with her – charges he has consistently denied. His three-year-old government suffered the defection of a major ally last year , and his most important coalition partner is now the Northern League, which once advocated the north’s secession from Rome. Several Northern League politicians criticised the declaration of a public holiday and others said they would keep town halls in the region open in defiance. Some in the less developed south said their region was considered second-class by Rome. “The south doesn’t have a lot to celebrate,” said Arturo Iannaccone of the Noi Sud movement. “After 150 years we still have a two-speed Italy.” Italy Silvio Berlusconi Europe guardian.co.uk
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US writer James Frey and British author John Niven will both publish books imagining return of Messiah to contemporary New York It’s as awkward as two socialites wearing the same dress to a party. Hard on the heels of news that US author James Frey ‘s new novel will be a second-coming story entitled The Final Testament of the Holy Bible , comes word that a novel on a stunningly similar theme, this time by a British writer, will also be published in April, just days before Frey’s book. Frey’s story will feature the return of the Messiah in contemporary New York, in the form of Ben Zion Avrohom, an alcoholic bisexual who impregnates a prostitute. John Niven ‘s novel The Second Coming features Christ returning to earth in contemporary New York as a struggling musician who, as the author puts it, “smokes dope and gets laid”. Niven – whose literary CV will be no more reassuring to the Christian right than Frey’s, given that his book Kill Your Friends was described by Guardian reviewer Jane Housham as “an orgy of mad, gleeful nastiness” – is philosophical about the uncanny coincidence. “It’s not that unusual to have a couple of novels published in the same ball park, but it’s slightly freakish scheduling that they’re so close together,” he said. “But the atheist debate has raged in non-fiction in recent years and now it’s moving into fiction.” Niven’s story is more lighthearted than Frey’s appears to be: his Christ-figure lives by just one true commandment – “Be Nice” – and realises his best chance of winning the hearts and minds of the American people is by entering a TV talent contest. The author describes it as very much a “comic novel”. But Niven, like Frey, is anticipating some controversy – and like Frey, he has run into issues over publication in the US. Frey has chosen to avoid mainstream publishers with his new book, preferring instead to publish with the Gagosian gallery in New York, although in the UK he is sticking with John Murray, who also published his previous works. John Murray managing director Roland Philipps said: “James knew he didn’t want to publish in the traditional way in the US because it has a much more charged relationship with religion. He anticipates death threats, book burnings and bannings. In the US, James couldn’t see a publisher standing by him.” Philipps added: “I’m sure there will be people who are offended, but I think what he’s done is an entirely valid attempt to create a mythology around imagining what it would be like if a Messiah figure came down today. It’s a worthwhile exploration of the nature of belief.” Niven has yet to find an American publisher for his novel at all, although both his previous books have been published there by HarperCollins. “We had an incredible reaction to this novel in Europe – a big sale in Germany, an auction in Italy,” he said. “But in America the publisher who had published my last two declined to publish, citing commercial reasons.” Niven hopes that in the “relatively sane” culture of the UK, any controversy will be muted. But he admits that one episode in the novel, in which God calls a board meeting of all the saints, including Mohammed, does occasionally cause him to wake up bathed in sweat. “From the reading I did, I gathered you’re not meant to have a physical representation of Mohammed, so I changed it so that he was only on speakerphone,” Niven said. “But I did still get a text from a friend saying ‘I look forward to seeing your be-hooded pleas for mercy on Al-Jazeera.’ I very much hope it won’t come to that.” Niven and Frey’s Easter novel clash is one of many such examples. Novelist David Lodge was unlucky when his 2004 novel Author, Author, about writer Henry James, was eclipsed by the close publication of Colm Tóibín’s The Master, on the same subject. Meanwhile Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote in the Oscar-winning 2005 film Capote took the limelight from Toby Jones’s portrayal of the same writer in the film Infamous, released shortly afterwards. James Frey Christianity Religion Fiction Benedicte Page guardian.co.uk
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