Podcasts about district commissioner

Alan Snow is running for Jasper County Eastern District Commissioner. Alan joined Newstalk KZRG to discuss his work history, why he is running, and what his top priorities would be if elected. Join Ted and Steve for the KZRG Morning Newswatch!

Welcome back to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.  Jason Worthley is a returning guest.  Just a good guy that cares about his county and country.  Jason has served under three different law enforcement agencies all while living in Morgan County.  Jason in running for the Morgan County Western District Commissioner.  The election is August 6, 2024.  I was honored to get to just chat with Jason about life and why people should vote for him.  Thank you for tuning in to Country Tough with Jason Worthley.

Columbia has received $25 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, while Boone County has received $35-million in federal ARPA dollars. President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law. Boone County commissioner Janet Thompson joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri", telling listeners that more than 100 groups submitted ARPA applications to the county which totaled about $84-million. She notes 27 applications were funded. Commissioner Thompson tells listeners that commissioners hope to get the second round going in 2024, and she encourages applicants who didn't receive funding the first time to resubmit. She also praises Boone County's Nature Center, which is being built in the Three Creeks Conservation Area just south of Columbia. Commissioner Thompson notes the nature school is available to ALL Boone County school districts, adding that Three Creeks is a major part of the area's ecosystem:

Ms. Jokate Urban Mwegelo, District Commissioner of Korogwe, Tanzania, and Carla Carvalho, member and founder of Cape Verdean Association for the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence, discuss women's leadership and their role in politics on a continent like Africa. This podcast episode is part of The Charter Project Africa. It is co-funded by the European Union and its contents are the sole responsibility of The Charter Project Africa and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Pony Club Podcast cohosts Sarah Evers Conrad and Megan Scharfenberg interview the District Commissioner of Bluegrass Pony Club, Holly Wiemers, and Center Administrator for Brook Hill Farm Pony Club Riding Center Jo Anne Miller. This month's episode is supported by Kentucky Equine Research.Guest, Holly Wiemers: Holly Wiemers is the District Commissioner, or DC, of Bluegrass Pony Club, one of several clubs in the Central Bluegrass area of Kentucky. She's held the DC role for almost seven years. Before that, she served the club as secretary. She has a daughter, 16, who joined when she was 6 and is now an H-B and a C-2 in Eventing, and a son, 13, who was 4 when he joined Pony Club and who is now a D-2. She, along with her husband, also plan and implement the Midsouth Region's annual Tetrathlon rally each fall. She has worked for the University of Kentucky for the past 17 years, heading up marketing, communications, and public relations efforts for UK Ag Equine Programs. Guest, Jo Anne Miller: Jo Anne Miller is the Executive Director of Brook Hill Farm, a fully accredited horse rescue and therapeutic riding center. Brook Hill Farm is a United States Pony Clubs Riding Center that works with rescue horses in all of the programs, and Jo Anne serves as Center Administrator.  She is a retired professor of Equine Science at Randolph College, and her passion is looking at the wellbeing of horses through science.  She has been the co-chair of the PATH Equine Welfare Committee, and she is currently the chair of the EQUUS Foundation's Equine Welfare Advisory Group, serves on the Equine Welfare Committee for Horses in Education and Therapy International, is on the wellbeing committee for the Horses and Humans Research Foundation, and on the Virginia Horse Council.  Learn more about the United States Pony Clubs at www.ponyclub.org Email podcast hosts at communications@ponyclub.org Inquire about advertising at fundraising@ponyclub.org Read the blog at blog.ponyclub.org. Sign up for our e-newsletter. Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPonyClubs Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedstatesponyclubs YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesPonyClubs TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@unitedstatesponyclubs LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ponyclub Twitter: www.twitter.com/USPonyClub

This is a special episode featuring Victoria Charles Mwanziva interview with Najma Juma in 2017 on She's Bold radio show on Afro-radio Network. This episode encourage youth to seek information, learn and go for what they want without holding back. Victoria Charles Mwanziva is currently serving as the District Commissioner of Ludewa District, Njombe Region- United Republic of Tanzania. Formerly served as the Secretary for Publicity, Mobilization and Pioneers UVCCM- Umoja wa Vijana wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi; (The Youth League of the governing party of Tanzania; CCM) This work defines her passion which is service to people, volunteering for the youths development in Tanzania- and ensuring that the potential of youths is advanced to be at the frontline of the developmental agenda in Tanzania by making their voices heard, participation in politics, policy formulation and implementation in communities.

Most unit leaders may not be aware of the structure of their District and how important it is. The District is a critical part of your Council in its direct operations with all Scouting units in your area. The District Committee has 4 standard functions that directly relate to all Packs, Troops, Crews, Ships, and Posts. The District Committee Chair and District Commissioner work directly with the District Executives to manage all of the departments within the scope of leading activities within your District. A basic understanding of how this structure works for you is essential to understanding what is happening within your District.

Pony Club Podcast cohosts Sarah Evers Conrad and Megan Scharfenberg interview Annie Rogers, a Pony Club graduate with a special love of Tetrathlon, and Tori and Magda Lubov, a mother/daughter Instagramming Duo. This month's episode is brought to you by Stoneleigh-Burnham School and supported by Kentucky Equine Research.Guest, Annie Rogers: Annie Rogers has earned her H-A in Horse Management and her B in Eventing. She is a graduate of Radnor Hunt Pony Club in the Eastern Pennsylvania Region. A recent graduate of Cornell University, she studied Information Science with a concentration in Data Science. While active in Pony Club in high school, she was involved in Tetrathlon and Eventing. After moving away for college, she tried out polo as a way of continuing to ride and spend time with horses. She spent four years on Cornell's women's polo team and was able to travel for tournaments and the Division I National Championships by her senior year. Outside of academics and polo, Annie conducted cyber policy and artificial intelligence research, ran a Model UN Conference for high school students, and was an active member of her sorority. In true Pony Club fashion, though, she spent most of her free time helping teach polo, riding, and horse management to Cornell's first-year polo team. She will be moving to New York City in the fall to begin a full-time job in tech consulting. Guest, Tori and Magda Lubov: As a D-3 certified Pony Club member in Eventing, Tori Lubov has dabbled in many disciplines, but jumping has always been the biggest passion for her. She is a member of the Mercer Meadows Pony Club in the New Jersey Region. This 12-year-old is not afraid of new challenges, and she recently started showing in the hunters arena with her grey pony, Percy “The Lightning Thief.” Together, they are showing in children's hunters this summer. Her mom, Magda, is a former District Commissioner, or DC, of the Pineland Riders Pony Club, which Tori used to be a member of. Learn more about the United States Pony Clubs at www.ponyclub.org Email podcast hosts at communications@ponyclub.org Inquire about advertising at fundraising@ponyclub.org Read the blog at blog.ponyclub.org. Sign up for our e-newsletter. Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPonyClubs Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedstatesponyclubs YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesPonyClubs TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@unitedstatesponyclubs LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ponyclub Twitter: www.twitter.com/USPonyClub

Pony Club Podcast cohosts Sarah Evers Conrad and Megan Scharfenberg interview Joan Leuck-Waak, a senior Pony Club member who joined Pony Club for the first time in her later years and now also serves as a Horse Management Organizer. This month's episode is brought to you by Stoneleigh-Burnham School and supported by Kentucky Equine Research.Guest, Liz Halliday-Sharp: Liz Halliday-Sharp is a C-3 alum from Fallbrook Pony Club in Southern California and an inductee into the 2008 USPC Academy of Achievement. She has been a strong member of high-performance eventing for many years. She has represented the U.S. in multiple Nations Cup teams, was reserve for both of the most recent World Equestrian Games and the Pan American Games, was selected for the 2020 Olympic Team, as well being named the 2020 U.S. Eventing Rider of the Year. Currently, she is the #1 Eventing rider in the U.S. and ranked within the top 10 in the world according to points rankings, in addition to placing in the top 3 at last month's Land Rover Kentucky Five-Star Three-Day Event. With the most international eventing wins in the world for the past three years running (more than any other man or woman), Liz is very excited for the future with her talented group of horses and hopes to be a part of many U.S. teams for years to come. In addition to competing, she has a passion for inspiring young athletes in equestrian sport, and she hopes to encourage the next generation of top eventers to be their very best.Guest, Lydia Eilinger: Lydia Eilinger has been a member of Pony Club since age 8 and is an H-A HM and C-2 in Eventing. She serves as the District Commissioner of Milton Pony Club in the South Region. Lydia stays super busy with Pony Club activities as she just moved into the Chair position of the NYB after starting out as the secretary, and the Chair of the NYB Regional Youth Board Committee. She has also been a Visiting Instructor and traveled all around to teach Pony Club groups. She also represented the South Region as part of the 2022 National Youth Congress. She is also the Quiz secretary at this year's USPC Championships East.  Learn more about the United States Pony Clubs at www.ponyclub.org Email podcast hosts at communications@ponyclub.org Inquire about advertising at fundraising@ponyclub.org Read the blog at blog.ponyclub.org. Sign up for our e-newsletter. Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPonyClubs Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedstatesponyclubs YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesPonyClubs TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@unitedstatesponyclubs LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ponyclub Twitter: www.twitter.com/USPonyClub

Ron Hartman sits with Idaho Speaks to talk about his run for the Worley Highway District Commissioner.  He shares his views and ideas for how he would serve in this public capacity.To learn more about Ron and his campaign, please visit https://www.voteforhartman.com.SponsorDerek at Consumer Credit Auditors can fix your credit score and help you save money with lower interest rates.  Call (208) 601-6069.  Visit consumercreditauditors.com for more information.

Steve Adams sits with Idaho Speaks to talk about his run for Lakes Highway District Commissioner.  He shares his views and ideas for serving in this public capacity. To learn more about Steve, please visit his interview questionnaire on the KCRCC:  https://www.kootenaigop.org/candidates/steve-adamsSponsorFor your computer repair and computer network needs, call Joe with F1 for Help at (208) 687-0183.  Visit www.f1forhelp.net for more information.

Glen Heape sits with Idaho Speaks to talk about his bid for re-election to the Post Falls Highway District.  We discuss the issues facing the district today and his plans for the term in office.SponsorJoe Righello with Century 21 Butler & Associates, your goto Realtor to find you Forever Home!  Call (916)847-4567 or visit joerighello.com.Are you interested in starting your own podcast?  Zenith Exhibits Studios can help.  Call Ed to learn about the fixed monthly cost model at (208) 209-7170 or visit www.ZenithExhibits.com to learn more.

Lynn Humphreys sits with Idaho Speaks to talk about his bid for re-election to the Post Falls Highway District.  We discuss the issues facing the district today and his plans for the term in office.SponsorWest Coast Frames offers a variety of picture frames, posters and custom frame options.  Visit www.westcoastframes.com and shop online for your next custom frame.Are you interested in starting your own podcast?  Zenith Exhibits Studios can help.  Call Ed to learn about the fixed monthly cost model at (208) 209-7170 or visit www.ZenithExhibits.com to learn more.

Pony Club Podcast cohosts Sarah Evers Conrad and Megan Scharfenberg interview Genevieve Munson, a Pony Club member who recently received her A certification and who is having the adventure of a lifetime showing horses abroad in Europe, and Lisa Reader, who has been the National Coordinator of Pony Paddock at the USPC Convention for many years and who has volunteered in every way imaginable. This month's episode is brought to you by  Kentucky Equine Research.Guest, Genevieve Munson: Genevieve Munson has earned her A certification from Pony Club in both show jumping and dressage, and is a C-2 in Eventing. She is currently riding professionally abroads. Genevieve herself has already earned more than $300,000 in career earnings in the show ring. However, at the young age of 10, she was known for helping the USPC Pony Jumper team to their win in the U.S. Pony Jumper Championships, while also capturing the U.S. Pony Jumper Individual Championship as the only member to go clean in both rounds. She is an alum of the Northwest Arkansas Pony Club in the Midwest Region.Guest, Lisa Reader: Many people know Lisa Reader as the National Coordinator of Pony Paddock at the USPC Convention. However, there is much more to Lisa's dedication to Pony Club. She is a C-2 in Eventing and is a participating member of Los Alamos Pony Club. She has also done it all as far as volunteer positions. She has volunteered at numerous USPC Championships. She is a Chief Horse Management Judge and a member of the Discipline Education Committee. She has also served as a Regional Secretary and a Horse Management Organizer for the Southwest Region, as a Regional Instruction Coordinator, and as a District Commissioner and Joint District Commissioner of Los Alamos Pony Club. Many also know her daughters, Megan Sandoval and Lindsey Reader, who have also been active participants and volunteers within Pony Club. Lisa is also a member of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America. Hosts: Sarah Evers Conrad is the Marketing and Communication Director at the United States Pony Clubs, and Megan Scharfenberg is the USPC Marketing and Instruction Coordinator Learn more about the United States Pony Clubs at www.ponyclub.org Email podcast hosts at communications@ponyclub.org Inquire about advertising at fundraising@ponyclub.org Read the blog at blog.ponyclub.org. Sign up for our e-newsletter. Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPonyClubs Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedstatesponyclubs YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesPonyClubs TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@unitedstatesponyclubs LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ponyclub Twitter: www.twitter.com/USPonyClub

Welcome back to Camp Cast, exploring the ever-exciting world of tornados and money! No really, we sit down with Matt Phillippi to talk about one of his favorite campouts and to dig in a little around council finances. By the end of this episode, you will have a new appreciation for our Council Board and their work to make scouting a reality in our region. Matt is an Eagle Scout, the District Commissioner for VAHC, and our Council Treasurer. Today's episode is made possible by VAHC's Board and Camp Shenandoah, welcoming you Home in 2023. Music and Editing - Adam Sowers Production and Concept - Kyle Enfield

Pony Club Podcast cohosts Sarah Evers Conrad and Megan Scharfenberg interview grooming expert Cat Hill, the cofounder and former DC of Finger Lakes Pony Club. After that interview, be inspired by Julia Magsam's journey as a youth through Pony Club. This month's episode is brought to you by Delaware Valley University.  Guest, Cat Hill: The former District Commissioner of Finger Lakes Pony Club and the owner of World Class Grooming with Emma Ford, a former member of The Pony Club in the U.K., talks grooming tips; her recent book called The Kid's Guide to Horsemanship and Grooming, published by USPC partner Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com)Guest Julia Magsam, H-B HM, C-3 in Dressage, and a C-1 in Eventing, is a member of Bluegrass Pony Club in the Midsouth Region and was one of the stars of the Pony Club documentary. She is also the recipient of the 2022 USPC Bodgie Read Memorial Scholarship, and is in college at Georgetown College. Hosts: Sarah Evers Conrad is the Marketing and Communication Director at the United States Pony Clubs, and Megan Scharfenberg is the USPC Marketing and Instruction Coordinator Learn more about the United States Pony Clubs at www.ponyclub.org Email podcast hosts at communications@ponyclub.org Inquire about advertising at fundraising@ponyclub.org Follow us on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPonyClubs Instagram: www.instagram.com/unitedstatesponyclubs YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/UnitedStatesPonyClubs TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@unitedstatesponyclubs LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ponyclub Twitter: www.twitter.com/USPonyClub

Naja chats with Mediator Charles Robinson, JD about single fatherhood, the practice of intentional peace, and how meditation changes the shape of your brain. About Charles: Charles Robinson has extensive training and experience in Labor/Employment Law, and Mediation. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Law School, he is a former Administrative Law Judge, and Special Master for the Milwaukee County Circuit Courts. He has managed disputes for universities, prisons, schools, and governmental agencies. He also provides training workshops and seminars for schools, businesses, and community groups. His mediation practice has an emphasis in Family Court matters for more than three decades. Over the course of his professional career, Charles has been an adjunct professor teaching, part-time, in the Schools of Human Services, and Continuing Professional Services. While teaching with a commitment to transform socioeconomic conditions and violence in his community, he has been an active volunteer and community leader. His work includes creating block-clubs; serving as District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America; providing mediation training for the police department; facilitating peace-circles for block-clubs; facilitating listening-circles for youth and police officers; and serving as a program leader with Landmark Worldwide, a personal and professional training and development corporation. To watch this episode on your favorite podcast streaming platform, visit https://youtu.be/5pMZCc8ykwA 

The District Commissioner of Lejweleputswa, Maj Gen Lerato Molale applauded Sergeant Maruis Geldenhuys for an exceptional act of bravery in rescuing the lives of innocent people at the R30 road between Allanridge and Bothaville since the beginning of the year. Sergeant Geldenhuys joins us as we celebrate him for our South Africans Doing Great things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe - Episode 4 - The Clash Of Cultures Ends Tragically   Hi, I'm Christy Shriver and we're here to discuss books that have changed the world and have changed us.    I'm Garry Shriver and this is the How to Love Lit Podcast.  This is our fourth and final episode discussing Chinua Achebe's groundbreaking novel Things Fall Apart. In episode one we discussed the country of Nigeria, the history, the cultural context, Achebe's life, the poem from which the book got its name and a little of the life of Okonkwo- our hero in the story. In the second episode we explored the first seven chapters of the novel and talked briefly about the book that inspired Achebe to write it, Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness. Last episode we got into more controversial territory as we broached issues of gender as expressed by Achebe.  This week, in case gender wasn't controversial enough, we will focus on colonialism, religion and father/son relationships- Good Lord- Achebe is merciless!!!  He's killing us with controversy.    Killing us- haha- irony!!!  Is that foreshadowing?  It's true, but some how he does it so sweetly and can be confrontational without being offensive.  I really love to listen to Achebe lectures.  His voice is comforting.  Achebe conveys hope when he talks- especially in his later years, he really does, and I encourage anyone  to just google some of his lectures and listen to him.  I'll put some links on our website.  By virtue of his birthplace and age, he confronted issues fifty years ago that today are common problems all of planet earth.   By being born a child of two cultures and two distinct religions, by living in a country plagued with colonialism, civil war, racism and corruption, his perspective from lived experience has credibility, and on that note I do want to draw attention to a contemporary Nigerian author of our day who follows in the same vein as her mentor- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  Adichie first came to my attention through a friend who told her about her TedTalk “The Danger of a Single Story”.  Adichie, just like Achebe understands that things are more than just one thing- that balance must be the goal- and she speaks to our generation about how to apply these things today.  I'm going to link her TedTalk to our website as well.      So, let' begin talking about religion and the introduction of Christianity into the Nigerian landscape which is where we left off last week.  Last week, we were still in part 2 of TWA, Okonkwo was still in his mother's land.  Today we finish part 2 as well as discuss the most important ideas of part 3.     We finished with chapter 15 and the incident of the white man entering into Abame, being killed there by locals encouraged by the oracle and then slaughtered en masse by the full force of the colonial army.  And the pattern is established: The missionaries come first, but after them comes government in that order or as it says in chapter 18, “The white man had not only brought a religion but also a government.”    By chapter 16, we are referencing the white man, but not by missionaries building hospitals or even teaching in schools, but as soldiers.  It doesn't take long for one to follow the other.  We are also led to understand some of the things about Christianity that appealed to the native people. It's the second year of Okonkwo's exile and Obierika comes back to Mbanta to visit, but this time when he talks about the white man, it's about the white man coming to Umuofia, and not just that, it seems Okonkwo's own son has converted to Christianity and had been one of the missionaries to visit the clan.  Obierika was shocked.      Yes, and this again is where we see Achebe hitting on universal issues and setting them in a context that is foreign to most of us.  Okonkwo's issue with his son is more than just an example of colonial intrusion.  Why is Nyowe an early adopter of Christianity?  In large part, the only people converting to Christianity were the what they called efulefu- or worthless people- people that were on the absolute bottom of the Igbo social system.  In fact, this was one of the reasons the clan permitted Christianity- they were collecting all the garbage the clan really didn't want and were living in the Evil Forest, a place no one wanted to be. Here Achebe also explains that Igbo society had a class system, and not everyone was flourishing under it.  Those who were rejected by that system were the first to accept the new system that elevated their worth.  If you're an efulefu or an osu, which literally means outcast, that makes sense.  But Nyowe isn't efulefu?  His father has two titles.  Achebe answers this question very subtly for his audience by again using the narrative technique of gently letting us slip into Nwoye's mind- remember we call that indirect discourse.  Let's read the passage where the missionaries are talking about Jesus Christ and what exactly led Nwoye to convert to this new faith.    Read page 145-147    Now let me read what Okonkwo thought of his son's conversion.    Page 152-153    In some ways, what we see happening with Nyowe is very Freudian.  He basically rejects Igbo faith, in part at least, as a way to reject his own father.  Okonkwo won't bend on what his idea of a man is, so Nyowe embraces more of what Okonkwo hates.  The relationship falls apart. How many sons and daughters have done something just because they knew their parents hated it?  How many of become something their parents hate just to spite them?  Okonkwo himself is a reaction to his own father.  His obsession with masculinity is a direct response to his father as is his son's a response to his.  How complicated is this crazy thing we call the parent/child relationship.  The relationship you have with your parent or child is totally unlike any relationship you will ever have with any other person on this earth- and it goes on through the generations- although not this pronounced- but one generation reacting to the previous one.    And in the case of Okonkwo and Nwoye it brings us back to the imbalance between the masculine and feminine principles.  It is one of the things that divided these two men.      I think it's important to understand that not everything portrayed about the Igbo culture is something Achebe endorses.  Achebe never claims that Igbo culture is a perfect culture.  There is no such thing.  We have seen this raw expression humanity from the beginning.  One example would be the killing of twins.  As we make our way to the end of the book we began to understand more fully why it is important to Achebe to portray Igbo culture in as honest a way as he can.  Igboland is not Adventureland at Disneyworld; it's humanity on display.  Their civilization is not flawless, but it IS a human civilization. That seems obvious from this vantage point, but if we understand a little about colonial education, it becomes an important point to emphasize.       Actually, I heard Achebe talk about his homeland when the book turned 50 years old.  He talked about his love for his homeland.  He clearly loved his homeland deeply, but he also described Nigeria as frustrating.  He called it annoying, but then said, “It is the only home I have.”  There are things about it he loved about his home, his culture.  He loved their admiration of hard work and excellence, their appreciate of dialogue, but there were things about his homeland that he hated- the propensity for corruption as we will see exposed in part 3 is one I heard him talk about specifically- although I will say, if you could name a country that was without corruption, I'd move there now- no such animal exists.  But as he explained himself he made the point that his loyalty to Nigeria and to the Igbo was never contingent on Nigeria' perfection or really even on their commitment to improve- although he longed for the day when a leader would surface that could lead them into a better reality.  He talked about loving home because it is a part of who we are and we are a part of it- the improving part- that's where we do our part.  When we demand our homeland to be a perfect place as a requirement for our acceptance- we create a binary that cannot withstand pressure.     And may I point out that is also true between parents and children.  When we make uncompromising demands from anyone that puts the relationship exclusively on our terms, we create binaries that divide and ultimately makes relationships fall apart.    When I heard Achebe talk about his home country, it made me think about my home country- the United States but what he talks about applies to any country.  Achebe explains that the Igbo worldview is made up of ideals and beliefs- values, but even people who believe strongly in the ideals, like Okonkwo, don't always live up to their own beliefs and it is these weaknesses from within the culture that destroy it.  I understand him to be arguing that the military force was not the biggest threat during the colonization period- it was the cultural colonization that was given an opportunity to flourish because internal weaknesses.  This is kind of how I interpret the final part of the book.  That also seems to be similar to Yate's idea in the poem “The Second Coming” which not only gives us the book title, but if we read the whole stanza sort of outlines what happens in the story- Look at the stanza of the poem where Achebe gets this title    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;  Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,  The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere     The ceremony of innocence is drowned;  The best lack all conviction, while the worst     Are full of passionate intensity.    Look at these last three lines- The ceremony of innocence is drowned”- that's what we're seeing now in part 2.  We had this ceremony of innocence in part one, but it's drowning.  We also see that The best lack all conviction- - and finally we're going to see with the introduction of the character Enoch and the corrupt government officials- that “the worst are full of passionate intensity“.  This is the recipe that drives things to fall apart.      I agree with you. Humans, families and civilizations fall because of weaknesses from within the system- not without - the center no longer holds, to use Yeats words- and things fall apart.      Yeats actually believed that all civilizations eventually fall apart.  We can talk about that next episode when we feature the poem itself.     Well, he may be right.  How does a civilization evolve with people of integrity doing their best to preserve ideals and values while changing with the times?  How do you fight corruption from within?  There's a lot of opportunity, when things change, for power-grabbing.  People without integrity or wisdom often rise to power.      Achebe illustrates in this third section how all of this creates disaster.  On the personal level, we see a man of integrity, Okonkwo, but he cannot evolve or change.  We also see a society who will evolve, but corruption immediately sets in.  In times of great transition, it's just easier for people without integrity to get to the top.  They are willing to do things people with convictions just won't do- and the center doesn't hold= so  discuss the historical narrative of colonialism and how things break down on a community level, but before we do I do want to make one HUGE clarification- Okonkwo is going to fall, but let us be clear about one thing- the Igbo people have not fallen apart- not by any definition of the term.  It is actually a thriving community all over the world to this day.  Listen to what Achebe said when talking about Igbo culture later;    A culture can be damaged, can be turned from its course, not only by foreigners. . . . [A] culture can be mutilated, can be destroyed by its own people, under certain situations. . . . The Igbo culture was not destroyed by Europe. It was disturbed. It was disturbed very seriously. But... a culture which is healthy will often survive. It will not survive exactly in the form in which it was met by the invading culture, but it will modify itself and move on. And this is the great thing about culture if it is alive. The people who own it will ensure that they make adjustments: they drop what can no longer be carried in transition[.] .. . So I think what has happened is that we still have the fundamental principles of the Igbo culture. Its emphasis is on the worth of every man and woman.      And so there we land once again on this idea of balance and finding balance during transition which is the big takeaway from the middle part of the book.      Christy, as we think about the role of missionaries in Africa, I know we start to get a little personal with you because of your family's involvement with missions all over the world and specifically the many ties you have to Africa.  For those that don't know, Christy was raised overseas and even before that her dad was a missionary in Vietnam during the sixties and her mother was in Nigeria, actually during Achebe's time there, working in education- although she worked with the Yoruba people.  Christy, it's been a long time , literally over 100 years, since the first missionaries were sent to Africa and there is no debating that the colonial government grew in parallel with the missionary efforts.  What are your thoughts on this last section book that looks at the mission work from the side of the indigenous people?    Well, honestly, I truly appreciate the fact that Achebe does not put all missionaries in the same basket.  Christian missions, and that's what I know although it's not the only religion to practice missions, but mission work obviously is cross-cultural by definition.  Historically there is no denying that a lot has been done in the name of missions that is destructive to native cultures and even individuals- sometimes because of ignorance but also sometimes intentionally. There has been a lot of arrogance- many have what today we call the “savior complex”- no doubt. But I don't believe missionaries are the only group that can be accused of that.  Any person or organization if they have a new technology like hospitals or bicycles or even a worldwide trade language like English- in this case, but it could just as easily be a computer or any other technology- Knowing something other people don't brings with it an arrogance- in most people.  I've seen it even in my little work place here in Memphis, but certainly in the US at large.  People with the technological edge in one domain can be led to misunderstand themselves and think they possess wisdom in all domains.  Some but not all  missionaries are like that- the ones that are going to be any good most certainly will not be- and Achebe makes this distinction very clear. Mr. Brown and Akunna have extensive dialogue over spiritual things that are respectful and helpful. There are missionaries like Mr. Brown, who are very aware of differences in cultures and want to respect them.  Mr. Brown holds on to his Christian interpretations of life principles like a Christian definition of human life but introduces the values as something to be discussed and accepted voluntarily not superimposed.      Well, you would think that the value of life would be something easy to define, but it actually isn't.    No, it's definitely not.  The Igbo obviously hold life as sacred; as do the missionaries, but how do we protect life.  How do we protect the lives of most people?  These kinds of ethical questions plague all cultures and Achebe expresses this with the killing of twins- that's the example we see here.  The Igbo see the twins as a threat to the lives of the already living; Christianity sees the value of the newborn babies as trumping the value of the adult members clan.  This is an honest discussion, but there are those like Mr. Smith who don't have dialogue at all.  They don't see differences of moral interpretation as related to culture but instead see  all things as my culture is morally right and yours is morally wrong.  We are good people and therefore you are bad people.  There have always been both types of missionaries and only someone with large amounts of direct experience with both kinds, like Achebe, would be interested in making a nuanced description of both. There do exists culturally sensitive missionaries who do have religious convictions but also seek to respect indigenous values and there are also unreflective cultural imperialists- and this second version is portrayed through the character of Mr. Smith.    Another interesting nuance that Achebe acknowledges is that there was some positive and immediate impact of British education, medicine and even commerce. I am a huge believer in education as a tool for empowerment, and even Achebe's influence on the world scene would not have been possible without missionary schools… Achebe was an individual shaped by two cultures- and he explores the messy nature of the colonial encounter.      Yes, and Achebe underscored more than once that Africa did gain a lot from the missionaries.  The question he raises is if culturally, they did not lose more than they gained, and he's not talking about soldiers or government- he's actually talking about education- and his reasons for this are psychological.  Africans were taught in colonial schools, whether directly or subtextually, that their history was inferior to European history.  That the “great” men to be imitated were all European, men like David Livingston.  They were taught that the important history of the world was history that occurred far away, not near where they lived or within their social fabric.  None of this is healthy for critical thinking and all of it creates feelings of inferiority in individuals as well as in entire cultures.  Achebe spoke of feeling that struggle within himself.       True and we must remember Achebe speaks as one of the children raised in the church, not in the village.  He went to these schools, did well, and in fact was one of the most successful in the entire nation.  This is what he said and I quote from an essay he wrote in 1976, “I was born in Ogidi in Eastern Nigeria of devout Christian parents. The line between Christian and non-Christian was much more definite in my village forty years ago than it is today. When I was growing up I remember we tended to look down on the others. We were called in our language “the people of the church” or “the association of God.” The others we called, with the conceit appropriate to followers of the true religion, the heathen or even “the people of nothing.” .      Again, we see her in a religious context what we were just talking about in terms of education.  This kind of thing reinforces the psychologically harmful idea that native Igbo or African culture of any kind is inferior-in fact, as far as Africans were taught- they were taught that before the Europeans came to Africa they had no history, no culture,  no civilization at all- that they had been savages- lesser forms of humanity.  That's what enraged Achebe and motivated his writing.    This is what these confrontations at the end of the book are about.  Achebe wants to write his book about his people- to incontroverdibly illustrate their humanity.  In order to do this he chooses to draw attention to the weaknesses within the community and within individuals that gave place to chaos- not the weaknesses in colonial schools or other outside pressures.  Let's look at Nyowe, for example, he had questions that were not being answered within the framework of traditional Igbo culture about his own identity and definition of masculinity.  He had deep wounds over the death of Ikemefuna that were legitimate.We also see other problems.  In chapter 18 this is highlighted through the character of Mr. Kiaga, the native-African missionary leader/interpreter as he tries to balance two contrasting worldviews in regard to the Osu or worthless people. The church, who you remember is mostly composed of people on the lower rungs of regular Igbo society, want to reject people from the church based on their being lower then them.  Mr. Kiaga, as an African leader in his own right, navigates Christian faith in an Igbo context, and Achebe displays how complicated this is.      Page 155    So, having discussed the messy situation as it pertained to the church and even the schools, I think the imperial imposition of colonial government is easier to understand.   Which brings up the natural question?  How does one country just show up in another country and set up government?  It's hard to understand how that happened?  From the view of the natives, these people just showed up.     That's a great question, and it has everything to do with what was happening outside of Africa while all this missionary work was going on inside.  It is outside forces that villagers didn't even know existed that was going to create the cataclasmic clashes we see in part three of the novel.  And honestly, from our vantage point in history, it just seems incredible that this happened.  So, in 1884, Otto von Bismark called together something called the Berlin or the Congo Congress.  Representatives from 14 countries attended, none of them were African, and they organized what was called the “Scramble for Africa”.  By the end of the conference, all of the countries with the exception of the US, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden-Norway, had made a claim to lands in Africa.      You mean, they agreed on where they were going to aggress and not to aggress the lands others were going to aggress?    That's definitely how Africans see it.  And honestly, colonizers had already been doing so- we talked about the Royal Niger company in episode 1. What happened at this conference did not start colonization in Africa, but it contributed to heighten it as well as help override most existing forms of African self-government that had existed up to this point. Colonialism happened with kind of this three prong front: religion, economics and finally military or government.  Could things have been different if only companies and missionaries had come to Africa and there were no political and military invasion?  We don't know.  That's not what happened.  In the case of Nigeria, the British military was associated with and aided by the advent of the missionaries and commercial endeavors, but the military presence immediately resulted in violence, a total upheaval of the political system, and taking away systems that were locally controlled- and in the case of the Southern regions of Nigeria, even the elimination of local languages as the language of state.  All of a sudden, everything is being done in English.  It's also ironic to notice that the British came in with a totalitarian regime and replaced what was, in the Igbo case, a democratic system responsible to the people they were governing.   In the name of progress, the new colonial system was an autocratic system comprised of people from the outside who were accountable to absolutely no one on the continent.  After the British invaded, Crown rule began around 1897, these are the exact years discussed in our book.  These District Commissioners were accountable only to an office in Britain- the mandate was to secure British interests.  Who was looking out for the common man or woman?   The system was not designed to do that.  These district commissioners were despised by local people and the local people who worked for them were viewed pretty much like as traitors.        Achebe uses a word that looks like an Igbo word, if you don't know any better.  When I first saw it, that's what I thought it was. the word Kotma- KOTMA- but it's really a distortion of the English words “Court man”.  He's making fun of them- calling them distortions of words- because that's what they are- distorters of words- of truth- of reality- they are government messengers- but in a distorted way- kotma.    And this distortion of reality is a total shock for Okonkwo as he returns to Umuofia to a totally colonial environment.  Okonkwo wants to rebuild just like he had done as a young man, and he has a plan to come storming back and climb up to the top of the social hierarchy.  He is prepared for the natural setbacks of being gone from home for so long.  He knows the white men are there, and he knows that will be a problem with his oldest son, but he has already decided how to address this. Let's read how Okonkwo plans to deal with the fact that his oldest son is now a Christian.    Page 172.     Well, and although Okonkwo was prepared to deal with the missionary presence, he was not prepared for the colonial government as well as the Africans kotman- many if not most who were not even from the communities they served.  Let's read that part.     Page 174     I will say, I've enjoyed the humor of the locals making fun of the invaders.  Some of the most thematically important lines of the entire book come from this chapter, chapter 20.  Okonkwo just cannot believe that his hometown has lost its self-efficacy.  It does not rule itself.  He cannot climb to the top of the social hierchy by hard work and getting respect from his peers.  Outsiders were coming, people unaccountable to anyone, and they were not honorable people.  These outsiders had control.  He's shock, and we can clearly understand why.  It is shocking to all the readers.  This isn't fair.  And we, like Okonkwo have to ask, how does this happen, to which the wise voice of Obierika once again weighs in.      Page page 176    And once again, Achebe resists the temptation to make the end of the book about the colonial invaders.  We understand what the invaders are doing, but it isn't the focus.  Achebe wants to tell us what has happened from inside the culture.  He wants to also demonstrate what about Okonkwo himself that is problematic.  Why does this great man fall?  And even prior to that, we should ask the question, why is this a great man, and there is no doubt that we are to think of him as great- even if he's imperfect- Achebe does not see perfection as the standard for greatness.  As we look at the ending of this book, we must see that there are three endings here- the first will center around Okonkwo- the personal.  The second will center around the district commissioner- the colonial.  The third centers around the Igbo people- the global.  When we see it this way, I believe, we can see that the colonial elements of this book are actually the most dated and least important of the three endings.  But let's look at how we are to understand the ironic ending of this book.    First, let's look at Okonkwo's personal story.  Okonkwo's story starts in the vein of a classical Greek hero.  He's mythical from the first chapter.  He epitomizes much that is admired by his community- he's strong- but with a fatal flaw- harmatia if you remember that from our study of Oedipus.  He has hubris- excessive pride.  He reminds me in a lot of ways of Achilles- larger than life.  But, just like the classical Greek heros, his excessive behaviors puts him at odds not just with the members of his own community, but at odds with the gods as well.  He defies the gods, but he also takes up their cause as well.  In chapter 22, Mr. Brown, the missionary who is Mr. Smith's successor was not wise in keeping peace between the Christians and the rest of the clan, and one of his hot-headed converts did one of the most disrespectful things anyone could ever do in Umuofia= he unmasked the egwuwu in public, if you remember this was a man who represented the voice of the ancestors.  Nothing could be more sacrireligious to this community.  Mr. Smith hid Enoch from the wrath of the clan and as a result the clan burned down the church.  When the egwugwu came to execute justice these were their words ‘page 190'      And of course, now that we know more of the Igbo civilization, their traditions, their systems, this retribution seems reasonable and understandable, and Okonkwo's anger entirely justified.    Exactly, it is also reasonable that in the next chapter when the six leaders of the community are invited to discuss this with the District Commissioner, they go in good faith.  Dialogue the instrument of balance in Igbo culture is the only way to peace.  It is also entirely understable that Okonkwo burns with rage, when they are deceived, locked up, shaved and humiliated.   This is a government who literally and ironically lies, puts men in handcuffs and ironically claims it's in the name of a “peaceful administration.” The quote is, “Okonkwo was choked with hate.”  He's mad at the District Commissioner.  He's being humiliated by men who have not worked for their place in society.  They are given authority by the British, some outside agent that has not been given any permission by anyone to be in charge.  There is internal agreed upon, locally controlled system of justice.   AND, we, as readers are to clearly understand the people running the show are not ethical or moral people.  They are the opposite- the kotma overcharge the community for the bail- which itself is unethical, keeping a huge bribe for themselves.  The new justice system is totally corrupt at every level.  So, the reason or Okonkwo's anger is justified.  But. His response which comes in the second to the last chapter of the book is foolish.  “In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete.  The messenger crouched to avoid the blow.  It was useless. Okonwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body.”  But the twist to this hero story is the following sentences, “Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man.  He knew that Umuofia would not go to war.  He knew because they had let the other messengers escape.  The had broken into tumult instead of action.  He discerned fright in that tumult.  He heafd voices asking, “Why did he do it?”  He wiped his machete on the sand and went away.”      If we look at this scene, we can be shocked.  Okonkwo didn't kill a white man. He killed a fellow native and furthermore, then he wiped the blood off of his machete.  That was never done in their culture.  He had remained true to his values until he fell apart and violated a core principle- the deliberate killing of a native.  He has been broken as we can clearly see- this is not the honorable man from the beginning of the book. His suicide which we don't see, but find, doesn't really surprise the reader at this point.  It's consistent with what has happened to him.  Okonkwo would rather die than yield to the Kotma.  But even more than that, he has fallen apart in his own culture- he would rather face the wrath of his own gods and commit one more crime against the goddess Ani- suicide- then live in this new world order.  Very Greek, really.  Obierika honors him with his angry words towards the District Commissioner.  The text reads, “Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend's dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously, “that man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia.  You drove him to kill himself, and now he will be buried like a dog.'  He could not say more.  His voice trembled and choked his words.”    Well, truthfully and rather ironically, the application of British law in Africa was something the British considered to be their greatest contribution.  They considered themselves, and I will quote the journal of African law“The keeper of the conscience of the native communities in regard to the absolute enforcement of alleged native customs.”  As we can see from reading Achebe's book, that is a totally foolish statement.  The British had NO idea what they were doing.  They created nicely phrased attempts at integrating African values with things like repugnancy laws and stare decisis- but neither British or African justice was faithfully implemented.   The whole thing reeks with irony.  This story is a perfect illustration. African natives had already executed justice with no loss of life until the British intervened.  The burning of the church was something the District Commissioner understood nothing about.  It WAS the execution of justice- not an aggressive act at all.    And this is the irony that Achebe uses to end his book.  Let's read the end of the book.  Let me point as we do that Achebe has again taken us into the mind of a character- this time the white District Commissioner.  He gets the final word after they have cut down Okonkwo's body.    Read 208-209    In Achebe's essay “Colonialist Criticism” he says this, “To the colonialist mind it was always of the utmost importance to be able to say: ‘I know my natives', a claim which implied tow things at one: a) that the native was really quite simple and b) that understanding him and controlling him went hand in hand- understanding being a pre-condition for control and control constituting adequate proof of understanding.”     Yet, look how he ends his book- such bitter irony- Okonkwo's story is an epic story, but the District Commissioner understands so little of it, that he can't even fill a paragraph.  He is no better than Conrad's Marlow.  Nothing has changed.       And with this bitter mockery of the colonizers, Achebe confronts and discredits the entirety of the quasi-historical record kept by district commissioners all over the continent for the duration of colonial occupation.      And like I said, he can do this with a gentleness that cuts to the heart.  The final way to understand the ending of this book is to look at the people Okonkwo left behind.  That is where the tragedy goes from Greek tragedy to modern tragedy.  In Greek tragedy the audience finds catharsis or emotional release. It's open; we're free. And with the death of Okonkwo we have a classical Greek ending, but the story is more than just Okonkwo- what about the people he left behind.  What about his son Myowe who changed his name to Isaac?  He he okay now?  Nothing here suggests that he will be.   Modern tragedy provides no release by definition- to certainty.  In this case, we are left with a postcolonial Africa that is ambiguous.  Achebe called it “the crossroads of cultures”-  and that is where Achebe is very much a post. Modern writer of his day- very much in the vein of writers like Eliot, Kafka or even Fitzgerald to some degree.    Well, and as students of history we can also find our current modern moment- today the entire world is at a crossroads of cultures.  Nigeria found itself in a world that was ironically aristocratic and democratic, heroic but ironic and both contemporary but ancient.  And in that sense, the world today very much reflects the clashes of culture Achebe so skillfully represented.      And it's much larger than race or even colonialism.  Are we, as citizens of on planet, going to discard ancient wisdom and tradition in favor of new outside influences and ideas that provide quick economic gains at the expense of a center that holds?  Are the young with their technology going to rule over old?  Are those with the power going to steam role over the many without?   Do our systems promote integrity or corruption?   And in that sense, we are all heirs of Achebe's prophetic message- if I may be so bold and perhaps melodramatic to say.      What a book?  What a man?   Thanks for listening…..etc..and the rest.                 

Originally published in the December 1938 edition of Esquire. It is a translation, probably by Stephenson himself, of "Leiningens Kampf mit den Ameisen" which was originally published in German in 1938.Summary: A Brazilian plantation owner and his 400 workers brave an onslaught of millions of merciless and ravenous ants. Narration, Music, and Sound Design by Jon Fredette.District Commissioner played by Pedro Daher: https://www.fiverr.com/pedrodaher?source=order_page_summary_seller_linkAdditional Sounds by FreeSound Forum Users:briankennemar and RTB45

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Helping Gwinnett’s small businesses recover from COVID-19 is a major topic that the candidates running for Gwinnett County Commission District 1 want to tackle in 2021.Republican Laurie McClain and Democrat Kirkland Carden weighed in on the big issues facing District 1, including the looming issue of dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. That will dominate the county commission’s agenda in 2021 as the county, state and nation recover from the pandemic.Both candidates said helping small businesses will be key to recovering from the pandemic.“The biggest issue facing Gwinnett County is the response and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Carden said. “County officials have been on the front lines responding to this pandemic by providing public health services, emergency management assistance and enforcing the many executive orders enacted while continuing to provide other essential services to our residents.”SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com

Welcome to season 2, episode 10 of the Jupiter Farms Residents Podcast! This month we have Matt, Jillian, Kristen and... Susan on deck. Our very special guest is Mike Martinez one of the three commissioners of the Jupiter Inlet District. Believe it or not Mike represents YOU and if you're not sure what the Jupiter Inlet District is or what it does, you're in for a real treat (no tricks, we promise)!But seriously, if you're interested in boating, environmental health of the beach and the rivers - this podcast is for you. Support the show (http://www.jupiterfarmsresidents.com/donate-to-jfr/)

Time for another special guest: this time it's David, a local District Commissioner, who takes us through Unit Commissioner service. How do you stop in to visit your units when they aren't meeting? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-practical-scouter/message

This interview is with Julia MacIntosh the District Commissioner for Nailsea Girlguiding. Listen in as we discuss with Julia how Girlguiding is run in Nailsea and it's developement through the years. There is a lot more going on in with Girlguiding in Nailsea than you may think and although the sound quality is slighty hampered Julia's passion for guiding certainly shines through...

Lynne Armitage is the District Commissioner for British Girl Guiding in Spain. She speaks to TRE's Hannah Murray

This episode features Alisha Bower, Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner in Story County, Iowa. This episode was recorded in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa and their Rotationally Raised podcast.A native Wisconsinite, Alisha was raised on a small hobby farm in Southwest Wisconsin’s picturesque Driftless region. She attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities majoring in Political Science and Spanish, then returned to school for her Master of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin Madison, focusing her studies on nonprofit administration and designing and managing research projects in agriculture and food systems.Alisha talks about how she ran to became a SWCD commissioner, what the role is responsible for, and why someone might want to serve in this role.The information presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only, and does not represent an endorsement of any particular candidate or of the Plate to Politics program.

In this episode, we sit down with Kenneth Mantel. Ken is running for Skokie Park District Commissioner. Ken is a Skevanston resident, father to Walker Elementary School students and a local insurance broker at Mantel Insurance Company. Ken even wrote the Affordable Care Act policies for Illinois from 2014-2018. Ken was lucky enough to grow up in Skokie, and is now raising his family in the same amazing community. He has a passion for civic engagement with a background in Political Science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a M.S. in Public Service Management- Public Administration from DePaul University. He is also a member of the Skokie Public Safety Commission, Skokie Chamber of Commerce, Skokie Littler task force, and Kiwanis International. As a park district commissioner, he has goals to improve the camp and class registration process, ensure improvements to IT infrastructure, increase ADA compliance and give better pet access to our parks. In collaboration with private and corporate partners he plans to fund future capital projects and make Skokie Park District the premiere park district in Chicago’s Northshore. The election takes place on April 2, 2019. Early Voting will take place March 18-April 1. To find your early voting locations and election day voting location, click this link: https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/service/your-voter-information/voter/search To support Ken, go to his website at https://mantelforskokieparks.com/, GoFundMe page here:https://www.gofundme.com/mantel-for-skokie-parks like his page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mantelforSkokieParks/ or email Ken at kjmantel@gmail.com. I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Meet Mavis Bates who is running for Fox Valley Park District At Large Commissioner This is her short interview that answers many frequently asked.  Please talk about her to your friends, share this video, check out her website and follow her on Face Book. Most importantly vote for her starting with early voting and mail in ballots today through 4/2/19. Website- https://mavisbates.wordpress.com/ Facebook- https://m.facebook.com/Friends-of-Mavis-Bates-2215482401805468/

Episode 86: Cam Davis, Metro Water Reclamation District Commissioner LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE, AND RATE Every week, Indivisible Chicago Podcast host Tom Moss talks to politicians, newsmakers, academics and activists about resisting the Trump agenda. The ICP is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Indivisible Chicago. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or listen online at IndivisibleChicago.com/podcast. Take a minute to rate us on iTunes. It helps us get the word out about the ICP. https://apple.co/2oR4UlH INDIVISIBLE CHICAGO PODCAST SHOW NOTES FOR JANUARY 21, 2019 Opening: While it has not always been so in baseball, when it comes to economic supremacy in the Midwest, Chicago beat St. Louis a long time ago, and water is a big part of that story. Interview: Cam Davis had an interesting year last year. He mounted a write-in campaign to win the primary for a vacant seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, which he won. Survived an attempt by Rauner to subvert that election. Then won his seat outright on the November ballot. In December, he was sworn in, and now, on to the vital work of protecting Chicago’s water supply.

Jokate Mwegelo is an actress, entrepreneur as well as the District Commissioner of Kisarawe district in Pwani region (in Tanzania). She talks to Lee Kasumba about youth leadership on the continent. She calls for Africa’s youth around the world to uplift Africa themselves.    

Sign on the Window is like that necktie and your Panama hat... it helps you look good in the face of utter destruction. Each week we listen to a random Bob Dylan song and this week, from 1976, "Black Diamond Bay." We talk context (5:45), the merits of traveling over staying in LA drinking a beer (12:00),the song itself (23:00, theories (30:00) and storytelling. We talk Conrad, Achebe, and Kendrick Lamar so buckle up. CONTEXT (5:45)“Black Diamond Bay” was recorded at Columbia Studios in New York City on July 29, 1975 in 12 takes, then on July 30 in 5. There is a connection to Joseph Conrad, namely the 1915 novel Victory, as Ian Bell notes:There is no hero, certainly no epic journey, least of all a spiritual rebirth. Instead, the song owes everything to Conrad’s use in Victory of doubled perspectives, physical and moral, and to the idea of fate, blind and mute, that permeates Blood on the Tracks. In ‘Black Diamond Bay’, good and evil contend; people scurry around on their plots, affairs and petty human errands; the volcano explodes regardless. The End. — Ian Bell, Time Out of Mind: The Lives of Bob DylanThis song was played only 1 time. Or was it?!?!Bob Dylan dot com, your home for most things Bob Dylan, says that the song was performed in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 25, 1976, at the end of the Rolling Thunder Revue. Ian Bell mentions a 2003 collection by **Les Kokay (Songs of the Underground: A Collector’s Guide to the Rolling Thunder Revue 1975–1976)which notes the supposed performance but accepts that the claim is based on a single unsupported report of a show with no bootleg extant.TRAVELING OR STAYING IN LA WITH A BEER? (12:00)This song was written with the end in mind. The closing line makes it clear: there’s always another hard luck story that you’re gonna hear. Dylan told Neil Hickey in 1976:I don’t feel that to live in this country you have to watch the TV news. You learn from talking to other people. You have to know how people feel, and you don’t get that from television news.And in the end I never did plan to go anyway to Black Diamond Bay. As two traveled people who can conceptualize nameless, faceless people far away living lives of imagination and passion, do we relate to Dylan’s apathy?SONG ITSELF (23:00)Definitely a hidden gem in the Dylan catalogue, as ambitious as “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” and “Changing of the Guards” as a stand alone fiction. It’s got this old movie kind of vibe, the “movie-spinning” as Michael Gray calls it. You can almost see this in black and white while present day schlub, drink in hand, is vividly, embarrassingly, in color.The narrative is engaging and the chord sequences complement the mood. The level of detail is astounding as are Dylan’s casual flexes with the songs internal rhyming (“veranda” with “necktie and a;” “open” with “rope and;” “second floor” with “Ambassador;” “vous plaît” with “fly away;” “the basement blew” with “je vous aime beaucoup”).Dylan populates this islands with memorable characters. Our main character, the woman in the Panama hat, is trying to start her life over before it’s too late. The Greek tries to kill himself, fails (?, or doesn’t), but the volcano goes off anyway. The desk clerk reassures everyone the rumblings “happen everyday.” The soldier and the tiny man, the loser and dealer. The Soviet ambassador. It just goes on!Which makes the end of the song wallop. Daniel likened it to the end of Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece Things Fall Apart. The novel, which focuses in Okonkwo in nineteenth century Nigeria, closes with this passage (imagine the Commissioner in LA drinking a beer on some sofa):The Commissioner went away, taking three or four of the soldiers with him. In the many years in which he had toiled to bring civilization to different parts of Africa he had learned a number of things. One of them was that a District Commissioner must never attend to such undignified details as cutting a hanged man from the tree. Such attention would give the natives a poor opinion of him. In the book which he planned to write he would stress that point. As he walked back to the court he thought about that book. Every day brought him some new material. The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph, at any rate. There was so much else to include, and one must be firm in cutting out details. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. — Chinua Achiebe, Things Fall ApartThe irony that we just read an entire book on a man who will be reduced to a paragraph resonated. All those hard luck stories that you’re gonna hear are worthy, even if we concede that we don’t have the capacity to hear them all. Achiebe, and Dylan, challenges our perception and empathy for others.THE EPISODE’S BOOKLET & PLAYLISTRECOMMENDATIONSKelly “discovered” the back catalog of Kendrick Lamar. ‘Bout time. Daniel played Great Collapse Neither Washington Nor Moscow… Again (and The Redskins Neither Washington Nor Moscow… from 1986.ENDINGSKelly guessed #402. “Let’s Stick Together.” Would be our first from Down in the Groove. It’s #451. The classic "Up to Me," which originally premiered on 1985’s Biograph.Next week: No one else could play that tune...Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts. See our real-time playlist See That My Playlist is Kept Clean on Spotify. Follow us intermittently on Twitter and Instagram.Tell your friends about the show, rate and review wherever they let you, and consider supporting us by subscribing or at Patreon. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit signonthewindow.substack.com/subscribe

Ken Davis is joined by four veterans of the Harold Washington years in Chicago. Jacky Grimshaw was the mayor’s Director of Intergovernmental Relations and is currently Vice President for Policy at the Center for Neighborhood Technology. Patrick O’Connor was (and still is) the Alderman of the 40th Ward. Cheryl Corley was City Hall reporter for WBEZ and is currently Midwest/Chicago correspondent for NPR. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia was elected Alderman during Washington’s term and was part of the realignment of the City Council that awarded Washington majority control of the Council. He’s currently 7th District Commissioner at the Cook County Board. The guests tell behind-the-scenes stories about their interactions with Washington, who died in office thirty years ago this weekend. The panel also looks at the Washington legacy and speculates about how Washington, had he survived and been re-elected, might have grappled with the difficult issues Chicago is facing today. This program was produced by Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV).

This act by the white minority government in 1965, led to a decade of war with black nationalists. Ian Findlay, a District Commissioner at the time, explains why Rhodesia tried to hold back the 'winds of change' sweeping across Africa. (Photo: Armed Rhodesian police on the streets of Bulawayo, Nov 1965. Credit: Terry Fincher/Getty Images/Hulton Archive)

Metro Atlanta will be voting on a critical transportation tax in 2012. Join us as we explore how Atlantans will benefit, why it's necessary and the challenges that faced in getting it passed. Commissioner Larry Johnson was elected as the DeKalb 3rd District Commissioner in November 2002. With the overwhelming support of the community he won with 92 percent of the vote, making him one the youngest commissioners to ever be elected to serve on the Board of Commissioners. During his first year in office, he accomplished a number of things, including voting for 32 million dollars in infrastructure and highway improvements, such as sidewalks and improvements to relieve traffic congestion; the Millage Rate was decreased for homeowners; and the adoption of the Property Maintenance Ordinance. Commissioner Johnson has served as Chairman of the Economic Development/Planning Committee for the Board of Commissioners; is past the Chair of the Board of Education/Board of Commissioners Intergovernmental Committee; former chair of the Budget Review Committee; former chair of the Economic Development/Planning Committee; and currently serves as the Chair of the MARTA Partnership Committee and is also the current Chair of the Economic Development Committee.