text:
Texas Blackland Prairies

The Texas Blackland Prairies are a temperate grassland ecoregion located in Texas that runs roughly 300 mi from the Red River in North Texas to San Antonio in the south. The prairie was named after its rich, dark soil. Less than 1% of the original Blackland prairie vegetation remains, scattered across Texas in parcels.

Setting
The Texas Blackland Prairies ecoregion covers an area of 50300 km2, consisting of a main belt of 43000 km2 and two islands of tallgrass prairie grasslands southeast of the main Blackland Prairie belt; both the main belt and the islands extend northeast–southwest.

The main belt consists of oaklands and savannas and runs from just south of the Red River on the Texas-Oklahoma border through the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area and southward to the vicinity of San Antonio, Bexar County. The central forest-grasslands transition lies to the north and northwest, and the Edwards Plateau savanna and the Tamaulipan mezquital lie to the southwest.

The larger of the two islands is the Fayette Prairie, encompassing 17000 km2, and the smaller is the San Antonio Prairie, with an area of 7000 km2. The two islands are separated from the main belt by the oak woodlands of the East Central Texas forests, which surround the islands on all sides but the northeast, where the Fayette Prairie meets the East Texas Piney Woods.

Texas counties that once supported blackland prairies include all or most of Collin, Dallas, Delta, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall counties, as well as portions of Bastrop, Bell, Bexar, Caldwell, Denton, Falls, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Grayson, Guadalupe, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Johnson, Lamar, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Rains, Red River, Tarrant, Titus, Travis, Van Zandt, and Williamson counties, all in the northwestern band of the region. The smaller southeastern band includes much of Grimes and Washington counties as well as portions of Austin, Colorado, Fayette, and the northwestern half of Lavaca county. Sources and maps vary on the exact boundaries of the Blackland Prairie, and some may include or exclude different portions of peripheral counties.

History
Native American hunter-gatherers contributed to the maintenance of the prairie through controlled burns to make more land suitable for hunting bison and other game. Hunter-gatherers continually inhabited the prairie since pre-Clovis times over 15,000 years ago. In historic times, they included the Wichita, Waco, Tonkawa, and Comanche, each of whom were gradually replaced by settled agrarian society. The advent of large-scale irrigated farming and ranching in the area quickly led to widespread habitat loss.

Early Czechoslovakian and German immigrants arrived in the region around 1825 to 1845 and found the rich black soil excellent for farming. By the end of the 19th century 98% of the blackland prairies were cultivated and it was the leading cotton region of the state, also producing sorghum, corn, wheat, and hay. The land was so valuable, crops were planted abruptly up to the roadsides, seldom fenced, and riparian areas were cleared right to the creek banks. Several of the larger cities in the state, such as Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Temple, and Waco, are located in the region and the agricultural activity in the area was a significant factor in their growth in the 19th century.

The U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey [now the United States Fish and Wildlife Service], led by chief field naturalist Vernon Bailey with a crew of 12 federal field agents conducted a 17-year (1889–1905), statewide survey of the natural history of Texas. The survey collected detailed data on the topography, land use, climate, as well as plant, bird, and mammal specimens, and extensive photographs of the landscape. However, because the natural state of the Blackland Prairie region was so altered, even at that time, that little wildlife remained and the biological survey crew spent little time there, ca. 4% of the total fieldwork. The human population of Texas in 1900 was less than 3,000,000 (ca. 11 people per square mile), in 2001 it was over 20,000,000 (ca. 78 people per square mile), in 2019 it was nearly 29,000,000 (96 people per square mile). Although 98% of the land was cultivated around 1900, after 1950 a shift in land use occurred, with about 50% in cultivation and a significant increase in pasture for livestock production, ca. 25% tame pasture and 25% rangeland. "As a result of cultivation, overgrazing, and other imprudent land-use practices, there are few if any remnants of climax vegetation in the region."

Ecology
The Blackland Prairie was a disturbance maintained ecosystem prior to the arrival of Europeans. Fires ignited by lightning occasionally swept the area, clearing or reducing the encroachment of trees and shrubs on the prairie, while stimulating the native herbaceous prairie species of forbs and grasses which are pyrophytic, adapted and resistant to wildfires. The exact frequency of fires is unknown but estimated to have occurred at intervals of 5 to 10 years. Herds of bison, and to a lesser extent pronghorn and deer, grazed on the grasses and trampled and fertilized the soil, stimulating the growth of the tallgrass ecosystem. Bison were extirpated from the area by the 1850s.

The soil of the Blackland Prairies, from which the "blackland" gets its name, contains black or dark-gray, alkaline clay in both upland and bottomland areas. Some western areas have shallow soils over chalk, while some soils in eastern areas are slightly acidic to neutral, grayish clays and loams over mottled clay subsoils (occasionally referred to as graylands). "Black gumbo" and "black velvet" are local names for this soil. The soils have vertisols properties, shrinking and swelling with moisture content. In dry weather, deep cracks form in the clay, which can cause damage to buildings and infrastructure. Soil management problems also include water erosion, cotton root rot, soil tilth, and brush control.

"The rich black 'waxland' soil of these prairies is almost proof against burrowing rodents, which penetrate the region only along some sandy stream bottoms, while the open country tempts jack rabbits, coyotes, and other plains species eastward slightly beyond their usual bounds. Few, if any, species are restricted to these prairie, however, and the effect on distribution is mainly negative.'"

The negative effect on distribution is evident in the Texas distribution of many wide-ranging species of both eastern and western North American fauna reaching their respective distributional limits in the region of the Texas Blackland Prairies and East Central Texas forests [e.g. eastern: American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans),; western: American badger (Taxidea taxus), western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox); and other fauna listed below].

Flora
Important prairie plants included little bluestem, yellow indiangrass, big bluestem, tall dropseed, and a variety of wildflowers including gayfeathers, asters, Maximilian sunflower, wild indigos and compass plant.

Fauna
Mammals: Some species found in the region include Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis), fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens), white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus)), eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), American beaver (Castor canadensis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), northern raccoon (Procyon lotor), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), bobcat (Lynx rufus), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and coyotes (Canis latrans).

The large, keystone species that once inhabited the Blackland Prairies, before the arrival of Europeans and the destruction of the tallgrass ecosystem, are now extirpated, including American bison (Bos bison), gray wolf (Canis lupus), red wolf (Canis rufus), mountain lion (Puma concolor), black bear (Ursus americanus), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) which once ranged into the western areas, and even jaguar (Panthera onca) and ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) that once occurred in the southern regions. Invasive species include nutria or coypu (Myocastor coypus), house mouse (Mus musculus), roof rat (Rattus rattus), and Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Feral house cats (Felis catus) and feral pigs (Sus scrofa), are of conservation concerns and pose serious threats to native fauna.

Birds: With spring and fall migrants, wintering species, breading and summer species, well over 325 species of birds occur in the region. Various seasonal and migratory species appearing in the region include Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea), Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius), Inca Dove (Columbina inca), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), American Pipit (Anthus rubescens), Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata), Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea), Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula), and Dickcissel (Spiza americana).

A few of the year round resident species include wood duck (Aix sponsa), blue-winged teal (Anas discors), black vulture (Coragyps atratus), cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), barred owl (Strix varia), greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus), loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis), tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), and grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum).

Reptiles: Although not particularly abundant, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) ranges into the Blackland Prairies. The ubiquitous red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) is found throughout the region, the river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) in the northeast, the Texas cooter (Pseudemys texana) in the southwest, the Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) in the larger rivers, and several records of the rare chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia). Others include eastern snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), three-toed box turtle (Terrapene triunguis), ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata), Mississippi mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), eastern musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), spiny softshellturtle (Apalone spinifera). Lizards include Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), Six-lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus), Prairie Lizard (Sceloporus conssbrinus), Western Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus), Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus), Broad-headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps), Prairie Skink (Plestiodon septentrionalis), and Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis).

Snakes are the most diverse group of reptiles in the region, species include the North American racer (Coluber constrictor), eastern hog-nosed snake (Heterodon platirhinos), prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster), speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki), coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum), yellow-bellied watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster), diamond-backed watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer), rough greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus), western ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus), Graham's crayfishsnake (Regina grahamii), flat-headed snake (Tantilla gracilis), western ribbonsnake (Thamnophis proximus), and several others. Venomous species include the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), and the Texas coralsnake (Micrurus tener).

Amphibians: Frogs and toads in the region include the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii), Hurter's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus hurterii), Great Plains narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophryne olivacea), Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis), green treefrog (Hyla cinerea), spotted chorus frog (Pseudacris clarkii), Strecker's chorus frog (Pseudacris streckeri), and another ten species recorded from limited areas or marginal counties of the Blackland Prairie. Salamanders include the small-mouthed salamander (Ambystoma texanum), central newt (Notophthalmus viridescens), and western lesser siren (Siren intermedia).

Fish: Among the many fish of the region are spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus), white bass (Morone chrysops), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), freckled madtom (Noturus nocturnus), warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), orangespotted sundfish (Lepomis humilis), longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens). Just a few of the smaller species include threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis), blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta), shoal chub (Macrhybopsis hyostoma), ghost shiner (Notropis buchanani), pugnose minnow (Opsopoeodus emiliae), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), bullhead minnow (Pimephales vigilax), river carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio), blackstripe topminnow (Fundulus notatus), slough darter (Etheostoma gracile), bigscale logperch (Percina macrolepida), and dusky darter (Percina sciera) and many others.

Conservation
Because of the soil and climate, this ecoregion is ideally suited to crop agriculture. This has led to most of the Blackland Prairie ecosystem being converted to crop production, leaving less than one percent remaining. Some groups estimate that less than 0.1% of the area is remaining. Small remnants are conserved at sites such as The Nature Conservancy's 1,400-acre Clymer Meadow Preserve near Celeste, TX.

Protected areas
The U.S. Forest Service manages the Caddo National Grassland (17784 acres) under the multiple-use concept, balancing resource extraction, preservation, and recreation.

The State of Texas administers a number of state parks and wildlife management areas in the region, however they are mostly located around human-made lakes and riparian zones of rivers and creeks, focusing on recreation, fishing, and hunting, and not prairie conservation. Many of these areas are leased, not owned, by the state (* = leased).
 * Texas Blackland Prairies
 * Bonham State Park (261 acres)
 * Cedar Creek Islands Wildlife Management Area (160 acres)
 * Cedar Hill State Park (1,826 acres)
 * Cooper Lake State Park (3,026 acres) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers*
 * Cooper Wildlife Management Area (14,480 acres) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers*
 * Lake Tawakoni State Park (376 acres), Sabine River Authority of Texas*
 * Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area (2,335 acres), Sabine River Authority of Texas (1,561 acres)*
 * Lockhart State Park (? acres)
 * Purtis Creek State Park (1,582 acres)
 * Peripheral areas
 * Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area (16,174 acres), U.S. Forest Service*
 * Eisenhower State Park (463 acres), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers*
 * Fort Parker State Park (ca. 1500 acres)
 * Lake Bob Sandlin State Park (640 acres)
 * Lake Summerville State Park (? acres), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers*
 * McKinney Falls State Park (641 acres)
 * Mother Neff State Park (400 acres)
 * Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (13,783 acres)

title: Texas Blackland Prairies


text:
Ann Cavoukian

Ann Cavoukian (born October 7, 1952) is the former Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Canadian province of Ontario. Her concept of privacy by design, which takes privacy into account throughout the system engineering process, was expanded on, as part of a joint Canadian-Dutch team, both before and during her tenure as commissioner of Ontario (1997 to 2014).

She was hired by Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) as a distinguished visiting professor after the end of her three terms as IPC. Cavoukian was appointed executive director of the Ryerson's Privacy and Big Data Institute in 2014. Since 2017, Cavoukian has been the Distinguished Expert-in-Residence of the university's Privacy by Design Centre of Excellence.

Early life and career
Cavoukian was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1952 to ethnic Armenian parents Artin and Lucie Cavoukian, and immigrated to Toronto with her family in 1958. She is the sister of Canadian children's entertainer Raffi and photographer Cavouk Cavoukian.

She holds a B.A. from York University and received an MA and Ph.D in psychology from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in criminology and law.

In the 1980s, she headed the Research Services Branch for the provincial Attorney General.

She joined the Ontario provincial Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner in 1987. Cavoukian served as its first Director of Compliance followed by her appointment as Assistant Commissioner in 1990.

Tenure as Privacy Commissioner
She was initially appointed commissioner in 1997, and is the first Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of Ontario to have been re-appointed for a third term. Serving as an officer of the provincial legislature, the commissioner is independent of the government of the day.

Adoption disclosure
On March 29, 2005, Commissioner Cavoukian spoke out against the adoption disclosure Bill 183, Adoption Information Disclosure Act, stating that the proposed law needed an amendment giving birth parents and adoptees from adoptions that occurred prior to the passing of this retroactive law the right, if desired, to file a disclosure veto to prevent the opening of their sealed files.

The Adoption Information Disclosure Act received Royal Assent on November 3, 2005, without Commissioner Cavoukian's proposed disclosure veto.

On September 19, 2007, Justice Belobaba, of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled the Adoption Information Disclosure Act as unconstitutional – it breached section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and thus, the sections of the Act relating to access to birth registration information are invalid.

On November 14, 2007, the government of Ontario introduced new adoption legislation that includes both a disclosure veto for adoptees and birth parents in adoptions that have already taken place and also promotes openness for adoptions where a disclosure veto is not registered and for all future adoptions. The Access to Adoption Records Act includes both a disclosure veto for adoptees and birth parents in adoptions that have already taken place.

Personal Health Information Protection Act
On November 1, 2004, Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) took effect granting the province of Ontario its first health information privacy legislation governing the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information. Cavoukian had been an advocate of this legislation since the office of the IPC was first formed in 1987.

The IPC became the oversight agency for the new law. As of November 1, 2004 patients who are denied access to their own personal health records, or who believe that their personal health information was collected, used or disclosed contrary to the new legislation, can complain to the IPC.

During her tenure, Cavoukian issued eleven Health Orders under PHIPA.

Privacy by Design
Cavoukian created the concept of Privacy by Design. In 2010 the annual assembly of International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution recognizing privacy by design as an essential component of fundamental privacy protection. Privacy by design later became a core part of the European Union GDPR regulations.

Toronto Transit Commission surveillance cameras
In November 2007, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced plans to expand its video surveillance program, which resulted in a formal complaint to Commissioner Cavoukian from Privacy International, a U.K.-based organization, citing concerns that the TTC's proposed expansion was a violation of privacy laws. In response to this complaint, Cavoukian launched an investigation where she ruled that the TTC's expansion of its video surveillance system did not contravene any applicable privacy laws. As part of her investigation, she made 13 recommendations to the TTC, which were all implemented. She also encouraged the TTC to conduct a pilot project to test the use of a privacy-enhancing video surveillance technology developed by researchers at the University of Toronto.

Recent Activity
Cavoukian was awarded an honorary LL.D by the University of Guelph at the Fall 2014 convocation.

She was hired by Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) as a distinguished visiting professor after the end of her three terms as IPC. Cavoukian was appointed executive director of the university's Privacy and Big Data Institute in 2014.

Since 2017, Cavoukian has been the Distinguished Expert-in-Residence of the university's Privacy by Design Centre of Excellence.

Resignation from Sidewalk Labs-WATERFRONToronto Project
In 2017, Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (parent company of Google LLC), partnered with Waterfront Toronto to begin developing a smart city area in the 12 acre sector called Quayside. The project was heralded as a premier example that "would develop a whole new district of Toronto as a working model of a new type of smart city". Sidewalk Labs touted the Quayside Project as "an experimental urban neighbourhood 'from the internet up'". The project was occurring within the larger context of the Smart Cities Challenge, a competition for $80 million in Canadian government funding, although it was not seeking funding under the competition.

The proposed Sidewalk Labs development raised concerns around the breadth and depth of information collected under the project's umbrella. "Quayside may be one of the most sensor-laden neighbourhoods [proposed] in North America...It's being imagined as the sort of place where garbage cans and recycling bins can keep track of when and how often they're used, environmental probes can measure noise and pollution over time and cameras can collect data to model and improve the flow of cars, people, buses and bikes throughout the day". It was noted that "Access to those systems and the use of that data, in this private-public partnership, will raise novel policy questions for governments about privacy and governance.”

As the project was seen as a potential standard-setting benchmark in the development of smart cities worldwide, researchers raised concerns about the value of the data collected by Alphabet in the course of the project and how that value might be negotiated with the City of Toronto- as well as the ways that data would be collected and managed. These issues were acknowledged by Waterfront Toronto's board of directors in March 2018: "Privacy, data governance, cyber security and the ethical use of technology are complex questions which need to be addressed in a robust way to ensure that the Sidewalk Toronto initiative progresses in a way that encourages innovation while preserving the public good". The Board of Directors committed to "ensuring that the corporation has a robust team of independent advisors to ensure the protection of individual privacy rights for those who live,learn, work and visit within the new neighborhood". As part of that commitment, Ann Cavoukian was retained by Sidewalks Lab "to advise them on their privacy framework, and they have made a commitment to approaching all of their solutions with Privacy by Design at their foundation".

By October 2018, Cavoukian resigned from the Sidewalk Labs citing concerns that the project was not consistent with her widely respected "Privacy by Design" principles. While initially assured by Sidewalk Labs that they would de-identify all collected data at the source, Cavoukian was told at an October 15, 2018 meeting that Sidewalk Labs could not force the additional third parties involved in the data collection to similarly commit to de-identify data collected at the source. The de-identification of data at source was significant according to Cavoukian because "the smart city will likely be filled with sensors and other devices that will collect information 24/7, but their pervasiveness will make it to difficult to get consent from every person whose data is being collected". Cavoukian stated, “When I heard that, I said, 'I’m sorry. I can’t support this. I have to resign because you committed to embedding privacy by design into every aspect of your operation'.” Her letter of resignation stated "I imagined us creating a smart city of privacy, as opposed to a smart city of surveillance".

Cavoukian met with Waterfront Toronto on November 5, 2018, to call for the immediate de-identification of data at the source and to express her willingness to continue working with the organization. Cavoukian stated, “We don’t want people worrying about where they’re coming and going. We certainly don’t want a city of surveillance. That’s not on.”

2019 ITAC Smart Cities Technology Summit
Cavoukian participated in a panel discussion at the 2019 ITAC Smart Cities Technology Summit in Brampton, Ontario. At one point, she said: I’m not the only one who talks about the concern for privacy in smart cities. I’m on the International Council of Smart Cities and I assure you, most of the smart cities that are emerging are becoming cities of surveillance, not of privacy.

Works
Cavoukian published two books on privacy with co-authors:
 * Tyler Hamilton: The Privacy Payoff: How Successful Businesses Build Customer Trust, 2002.
 * Don Tapscott: Who Knows: Safeguarding Your Privacy in a Networked World, 1997.

Awards

 * 2014 – Top 50 Power List (Maclean's Magazine)
 * 2014 – Power 50 (Canadian Business Magazine)
 * 2014 – Award of Distinction (Corporate Knights)
 * 2014 – KuppingerCole Lifetime Achievement Award (European Identity & Cloud Conference)
 * 2011 – Top 25 Women of Influence (Women of Influence Inc.)
 * 2011 – Information Access and Protection of Privacy Award (University of Alberta)
 * 2011 – Privacy Professional of the Year (SC Congress)
 * 2011 – Kristian Beckman Award (IFIP)
 * 2008 – Privacy Hero and Leadership Award (WiredSafety)
 * 2007 – Top 100 most powerful women in Canada (Women's Executive Network)
 * 2007 – Dr. Barbara Wand Award (Ontario Psychological Association)
 * 2006 – Outstanding contribution to the protection of privacy rights in Ontario (Ontario Bar Association)
 * 2006 – IABC All-Star speaker (International Association of Business Communicators)
 * 2005 – Privacy Innovation Award (International Association of Privacy Professionals)
 * 2003 – Privacy Manager of the Year (Privacy Manager Magazine)

Memberships and affiliations

 * Chair, IPSI Advisory Board
 * International Biometric Advisory Council
 * IBM Privacy Management Council
 * Judge, FairWarning Privacy Excellence Awards
 * European Association for Biometrics Advisory Board (EABAC)
 * Future of Privacy Forum
 * RIM Council
 * Distinguished Fellow of the Ponemon Institute
 * Women of Influence

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ann Cavoukian


text: User talk:66.17.2.88

title: User talk:66.17.2.88


text:
French ship Soleil Royal (1669)

Soleil Royal (Royal Sun) was a French 104-gun ship of the line, flagship of Admiral Tourville.

She was built in Brest between 1668 and 1670 by engineer Laurent Hubac, was launched in 1669, and stayed unused in Brest harbour for years. She was recommissioned with 112 guns and 1200 men when the Nine Years' War broke out in 1688 as the flagship of the escadre du Ponant (squadron of the West).

She was said to be a good sailing ship and her decorations were amongst the most beautiful and elaborate of all baroque flagships. The emblem of the "sun" had been chosen by Louis XIV as his personal symbol.

Battle of Beachy Head
Soleil Royal was recommissioned with 112 guns and 1200 men when the Nine Years' War broke out. She departed Brest on 22 June 1690 as flagship of Anne Hilarion de Tourville. She spent three days in Camaret-sur-Mer waiting for favourable wind before sailing to Isle of Wight where the English fleet was thought to be anchored. Two ships sent in reconnaissance located the English anchored at Beachy Head.

The Battle of Beachy Head (known in French as "Bataille de Béveziers") began in the morning of 10 July 1690 when the French surprised the English ships anchored. Soleil Royal led the centre of the French formation.

Battle of Barfleur
In 1692, on 12 May, now carrying 104 guns, she left Brest, leading a 45-vessel fleet; on the 29th, the squadron met a 97-ship strong English and Dutch fleet in the Battle of Barfleur. In spite of their numerical inferiority, the French attacked but were forced to flee after a large-scale battle resulting in heavy damage to both sides. The Soleil Royal was too severely damaged to return to Brest, and was beached in Cherbourg for repairs, along with the Admirable and Triomphant.

Battle at Cherbourg and the end of the Soleil Royal
During the night of 2 and 3 June, beached at the Pointe du Hommet, she was attacked by 17 ships, which she managed to repel with artillery fire. However, a fireship set her stern on fire and the fire soon reached the powder rooms. Although the population of Cherbourg came to rescue, there was only one survivor among the 883 (or even 950)-strong crew.

The remains of the Soleil Royal now lie buried beneath a parking space next to the Arsenal.

Legacy
 Soleil Royal became a traditional name for capital ships of the Ancien Régime, and several ships bore it afterwards.

A detailed 1/40th scale model of the hull and sculptures was built in 1839 by sculptor and modelist Jean-Baptiste Tanneron. This model is now on display at the Musée national de la Marine in Paris.

title: French ship Soleil Royal (1669)


text: User talk:69.24.197.200

title: User talk:69.24.197.200


text: User talk:200.92.178.126

title: User talk:200.92.178.126


text:
John Muirhead

John Muirhead (July 11, 1877 – 1954) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1922 to 1936.

Muirhead was born in Clinton, Ontario and was educated at public schools. He worked as a farmer, and served as a school trustee and municipal assessor. In 1906, Muirhead married Lucy E. Dunfield.

He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1922 provincial election as a candidate of the United Farmers of Manitoba (UFM), defeating Conservative incumbent Reuben Waugh by 137 votes in the Norfolk constituency. The UFM unexpectedly won a majority of seats in this election, and formed government as the Progressive Party. Muirhead served as a backbench supporter of John Bracken's government throughout his time in the legislature.

He was returned in the 1927 election, defeating Waugh by thirty-four votes in a rematch from the 1922 contest. He defeated Waugh a third time in the 1932 election, by 236 votes.

He was defeated in the 1936 election, losing to Conservative John Lawrie by eighty-two votes. He sought a return to the legislature in the 1941 election, but lost to Lawrie by forty-four votes.

title: John Muirhead


text:
Talk:Morello crime family

Untitled
Massively incorrect. Makes far too many assumptions, most of the names are spelt wrong. Use with caution. It's just a repetition of many old Mafia myths. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.35.29.89 (talk • contribs)

I deleted the references to Antonio Morello. He was not related to Giuseppe Morello nor is there any evidence (aside from the claim of David Leon Chandler) that he was in the Mafia. Also deleted Saietta from Ignazio Lupo's name. He used his mother's maiden name as an occasional alias but his true name was Ignazio Lupo. Finally, deleted Rocco from Umberto Valenti. Umberto Valenti and Rocco Valenti were two different people. Umberto Valenti was a Sicilian was a member of Salvatore D'Aquila's crime family and Rocco Valenti was a member of the New York Camorra. There is probably more misinformation I did not correct, but it is much better now.RickW7x2 (talk) 19:43, 11 May 2011 (UTC)

Check sources please
So far as one can tell, the unfortunate Francisco Meli/Mele was no mob boss - just a one-armed organ grinder who made the mistake of asking Antonio Morello's wife for money. Select "Keyword search" and enter "Antonio Morello" here: Mikedash 15:11, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:PeterMorello.jpg
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Giuseppe Morello or Peter Morello?
Currently, there exists two Wikipedia articles: Giuseppe Morello and Peter Morello. Both articles are seemingly about the same individual -- a mafiosi with a one-fingered hand who died in August 1930. Flask (talk) 08:05, 16 September 2009 (UTC)
 * I have redirected Peter Morello to Giuseppe Morello. See Mike Dash, The First Family, Simon and Schuster, 2009, pp. 330–1. "Masseria would be accompanied by [Giuseppe] Morello, whom the Castellammarese knew as Peter Morello – 'Don Petru' – an alias he adopted since leaving prison." Ericoides (talk) 12:31, 25 October 2010 (UTC)

116th Street Crew MergeTo
The article 116th Street Crew duplicates info in this article. They appear to be referencing the same crew based on their histories. I'm not sure why 116th mentions "116th Street Mob" and this article speaks to "107th Street Mob". Google brings back a ton on 107th but nothing on 116th ... the 116th article is riddled with cleanup tags, original research and other odd-ness. --Hutcher (talk) 03:53, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

 * In the 1900s, East Harlem in and around 107th was under Mafia control. The area of 107th St. was the being place for "the Morello gang" (aka 107th St. Mob). After the Morello's were arrested and murdered the "107th St. Mob" broke apart. Much of the Morello gang was taken over by Joe Masseria who operated from a restaurant on 116th street in early 1920 (book "Gangbuster" pg.22 Masseria operated from 116th St). Tom Reina (a former Morello gang member) formed his own group with members of the old Morello gang during the Mafia-Camorra war. The 116th St. Mob (aka the Masseria family; now known as the Genovese family) was led by Joe Masseria with old Morello's gang members, who still operated illegal rackets on 107th St. Tom Reina's group (aka Reina family; now known as the Lucchese family) operated on 107th St., Reina controlled Tom Lucchese and Luciano small gang known as the "107th St. gang". Both families (the Masseria and the Reina) were operating in East Harlem and the Bronx. The Masseria family fought smaller gangs and took them over in lower Manhattan (like the Little Italy gang and the Greenwich Village gang). The name 116th street was used by Genovese family members in 1990 Declaration of Vincent Cafaro. The name 116th St "could be a reference to Masseria's old hangout" and the start of the Masseria crime family (Genovese family). --Vic49 (talk)  22:11, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

Excellent explanation. I think this info really needs to be in the lead sections of the three articles: Morello crime family, 116th Street Crew and Genovese crime family. Your info sounds credible but to clarify: What would you like to see happen? If the Morello's, or 107th st Mob, died out then this article is cool in it's current form. Should 116th be merged into Genovese then if you say that 116th became Genovese or do we consider the 116th defunct now too and keep it separate? --Hutcher (talk) 03:59, 3 March 2011 (UTC)

 * The original mafia gangs in the early 1890s were a lot smaller (10-30 made members, with double the amount of associates) they were center around one specific area (ex: the Morello’s in East Harlem and the Bronx). During the 1900s the Mafia groups began forming alliance with other small group leaders together forming larger "families" (ex: the Morellos East Harlem/Bronx family formed an alliance with Little Italy boss Ignazio Saietta; the Morellos and Saietta were untied bosses in one family). At the end of the Morello family leaders Morello and Saietta were arrested, leaving half Morello brothers as the leaders of the family. The half Morello brothers started a war with a rival Italian organized crime group "The Brooklyn Camorra family" (Camorra is a different type of "Italian organized crime" that wanted NYC under there control and not allow the Sicilian "Mafia"'s to control the city.) The Morello’s win the war in 1918, when the Camorra leaders are deported (the city follows the Sicilian Mafia codes from now to present day).

 * The Morello family goes into a civil war to see who controls the old Morello family rackets (Masseria a former Morello gang member active in East Harlem, vs. Joe Morello the former boss vs. Rocco Valenti) while other members of the original Morello family split (ex: Tom Reina forming his own family (today is the Lucchese family) and Salvatore D’Aqual moves into Brooklyn taking over the old Camorra gangs forming his own "New family" (today it’s the Gambino family). The Morello civil war ends with Joe Masseria and Joe Morello forming an alliance killing Valenit. From this point on the Morello family (the old 107th St. Mob) is extinct; Masseria reorganizes the family and bases it from his 116th St. restaurant.
 * The Morello crime family article should be left as its own article but need be rewritten, with references. The Morellos were the early history of Italian organized crime in East Harlem/Bronx most of what was the "Morellos" became the Genovese family today.
 * The 116th Street Crew article should be left as its own article; When Masseria became boss he appointed Ciro Terrovana as the "Capo" of the area (Capo is a leader of a Crew in a specific area and must obey the boss's orders). Joe Masseria began appointing various capos around NYC controlling the family's specific rackets in specific areas (ex: Capo of East Harlem/Bronx Crew (aka 116th Street Crew), Capo of the Little Italy Crew and Capo of Red Hook/South Brooklyn Crew; just to name a few) A Crew is a group of 10-15 made members, with associates working under one Capo. All the crew members are part of a larger family (ex: solider in the Genovese family or solider in the Lucchese family). The 116th Street Crew article is about a specific "Crew" within the larger Genovese family today (the Crew has one the oldest history in organized crime, its name comes from Masseria's old 116th Street restaurant and the old name for the Masseria family "the 116th St Mob"). The Genovese crime family article is about the leadership of the enter family, while the 116th Street Crew article is about the history of the Capo leading the crew from Coppola, to Salerno to Bellomo. The Genovese family has used many members from the 116th Street Crew to hold leadership positions (Boss, Street Boss/Front Boss, Underboss and Consigliere). --Vic49 (talk)  00:15, 4 March 2011 (UTC)

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title: Talk:Morello crime family


text:
AMD Core Math Library

AMD Core Math Library (ACML) is an end-of-life software development library released by AMD, replaced by many open source libraries, including AMD libm 4.0. This library provides mathematical routines optimized for AMD processors.

The successor to ACML is the AMD Optimizing CPU Libraries (AOCL), a set of mostly open source libraries compiled for AMD64 processors. It includes the open source BLIS, libFLAME, ScaLAPACK, FFTW, and AOCL-Sparse, plus the original closed-source AMD LibM, memcpy, and RNG.

Features
ACML consists of the following main components:
 * A full implementation of Level 1, 2 and 3 Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS), with optimizations for AMD Opteron processors.
 * A full suite of Linear Algebra (LAPACK) routines.
 * A comprehensive suite of Fast Fourier transform (FFTs) in single-, double-, single-complex and double-complex data types.
 * Fast scalar, vector, and array math transcendental library routines
 * Random Number Generators in both single- and double-precision

Supported platforms
AMD offers pre-compiled binaries for Linux, Solaris, and Windows available for download. Supported compilers include GNU Fortran, Intel Fortran Compiler, Microsoft Visual Studio, NAG, PathScale, PGI compiler, and Sun Studio.

License
ACML has a proprietary freeware license. The library is distributed in binary form free of charge, but cannot be freely redistributed.

title: AMD Core Math Library


text:
Pontia daplidice

Pontia daplidice, the Bath white, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, the yellows and whites, which occurs in the Palearctic region. It is common in central and southern Europe, migrating northwards every summer, often reaching southern Scandinavia and sometimes southern England.

Description

 * The Bath white is a small white butterfly with a wingspan of 45 to 50 mm. The underside of the hindwing has a pattern of greenish blotches, which is characteristic of the Bath whites and easily identifies it from other pierids.
 * Sexes can be differentiated by markings on the forewing. The male is differentiated from the female by the markings on the upperside of the forewing. The apex of the forewing is black with white spots and lines. There is a black spot at the end of the cell. In the case of the female, there is an additional discal spot in 1b. The female also has an obscure row of terminal and marginal spots on the upper hindwing.

 * Description from C. T. Bingham in The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma, "Butterflies Volume 2" (1907).
 * Male: Upperside: white. Forewing: basal half of costa narrowly irrorated with black scales, a broad irregular quadrate black spot over the discocellulars; apex and termen anteriorly, above vein 3 broadly black, with a subterminal series of spots of the ground colour, prolonged as fine lines to the terminal margin. Hindwing: uniform, the markings on the underside showing faintly through; a costal spot before the apex, and in some specimens, some obscure, anterior terminal markings indicated by irrorated black scaling. Underside: white. Forewing: the form of the markings as on the upperside but the base of the cell with an irroration of green scales, the black discocellular spot extended to the costa, often washed with green or with a green centre to the black; the apical patch green not black, with the spots of the ground colour on it ill-defined and obscure; a black or greenish-black spot in the outer half of interspace 1. Hindwing: green; costal margin at base yellow; dorsal margin white; a spot in middle of cell, another above it in interspace 7, a curved irregular discal series of conjoined spots beyond the cell, of which the upper two spots in interspaces 1 to 6, white; the veins sometimes faintly yellow. Antennae dusky-black; head, thorax and abdomen fuscous black; beneath; head, thorax and abdomen white.
 * Female: Upperside: differs as follows: Forewing: a dusky-black streak extends from the base along costa and terminates at the black spot on the discocellulars; a transverse, somewhat quadrate black spot in the outer half of interspace 1, with sometimes a short ill-defined black streak below it; the black area on apex and anterior portion of termen broader, the white spots on it blurred and obscure. Hindwing: a large costal black spot before apex; a broad, black, subterminal, inwardly diffuse, curved band in continuation of the same, and a terminal series of clavate black marks that start from the outer margin of the black subterminal band. Underside: markings much as in the male but broader. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen as in the male.
 * Wingspan: 52–56 mm

Distribution and habitat
This butterfly is common in central and southern Europe, Asia Minor, Persia and Afghanistan, migrating northwards in the summer. In Central Asia, the Bath white ranges from Baluchistan, Peshawar, Chitral, Kashmir and along the Himalayas right across the Central Himalayas up to Darjeeling. The butterfly appears to be extending its range westwards along the Himalayas. It is usually found on dry slopes and rough ground with little vegetation.

Host plants
The host plants of the larvae are in the family Brassicaceae and vary according to locality. They include tower mustard (Arabis glabra) and sea rocket (Cakile maritima).

Taxonomy
The following subspecies are recognised:
 * Pontia daplidice daplidice (Mauritania, northern Niger, northern Chad, France, south-western Europe, North Africa)
 * Pontia daplidice laenas (Fruhstorfer, 1908) (Palestinian territories)
 * Pontia daplidice aethiops (de Joannis & Verity, 1913) (highlands of Ethiopia, south-western Arabia, Near East, Afghanistan)
 * Pontia daplidice moorei (Roeber, 1907) (Jammu & Kashmir to N.E. India, Yunnan)

Habitat
The butterfly lives in the Mediterranean coastal dunes, on rocky, hot slopes etc.

Pinned specimen from 1702
The Hope Entomological Collection in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History contains a specimen of this species dating from 1702, which is the oldest pinned entomological specimen still on its original pin in existence.

title: Pontia daplidice


text: User talk:80.71.101.58

title: User talk:80.71.101.58


text:
National Institute for Aerospace Technology

The National Institute for Aerospace Technology "Esteban Terradas" (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial «Esteban Terradas» or INTA) is an autonomous agency of the Spanish public administration dependent on the Secretariat of State for Defence (SEDEF). It is responsible for the aerospace, aeronautics, hydrodynamics, and defense and security technologies research.

The INTA was established in 1942, as the National Institute of Aeronautical Technology (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeronáutica), and it was integrated in the Ministry of the Air. It has its headquarters in Torrejón de Ardoz, near Madrid.

Organization
Its budget, €190 million in 2019, comes from the Spanish Ministry of Defence and from its own projects with the industry. As of 2017, INTA had a total of 1500 employees, 80% of them are dedicated to R&D activities.

Its two main areas of activity are research and development (for example, in propulsion, materials, remote sensing) and certification and testing (for example, in aircraft, software, metrology).

Satellites
Main objectives of the Nano-satellites and Mini-satellites programmes;

 * R&D programmes in the field of small satellites from 20 kg to 150 kg started in 1997 after MiniSat-1 launch, to keep running internat space activities at INTA.
 * The systems and subsystems are mainly developed at INTA with collaborations in the R&D work with several universities and other institutions in Spain
 * Development of multimission Service Modules compatible with available launchers: up to 150 kg and 60x60x80cm.
 * Other specific tasks or satellite units to the small business Spanish industries, to encourage their participation in space technology.
 * Give flight opportunities to the Spanish research community at an affordable budget target each 3–4 years, for new experiments and instruments, in orbit demonstration technologies, earth observation and space exploration from Low Earth orbit.

Satellite programmes:
 * Intasat-1 was the first INTA satellite, launched on 15 November 1974 by a NASA Delta rocket.
 * LBSAT/UPM-Sat 1 was launched on Ariane 4 on 7 July 1995.
 * Minisat 01 weighted 190 kg and was launched on board of a Pegasus rocket over the Canary Islands in April 1997.
 * Nanosat 01 project was created to continue with the Spanish space program of low cost satellites. It was finally put into orbit by the Ariane 5 launch vehicle in December 2004.
 * Nanosat 1B was launched 5 years later on board of a Dnepr. Parallel to this research activity, a new research line was opened with MicroSat-1, which is a bit heavier at just above 100 kg and was scheduled to be launched in early 2012. NanoSat-2 SeoSat (Spanish Earth Observation Satellite) are also part of the INTA R&D projects.
 * Xatcobeo was launched in 2012. Developed in collaboration with Agrupación Estratéxica Aeroespacial (currently Alén Space).
 * OPTOS is the most recent addition to INTA's small satellites line. OPTOS is based on the CubeSat standard (a 3U platform) but goes far beyond the usual approach for this kind of satellites. It was designed, developed and tested with a completely professional methodology as it is conceived as a technology demonstrator with the target of proving that a satellite of that size can carry out dedicated missions as bigger satellites. It was launched in November 2013 by means of a Dnepr rocket and had a service life of 3 years.
 * Paz is an observation and reconnaissance satellite launched on 22 February 2018 operated jointly with Hisdesat
 * Ingenio was an optical imaging satellite destroyed during its launch in November 2020.
 * Anser

All these satellites are totally Spanish in manufacture and design, comprising a low-cost multiuse platform, with modular design subsystems and standard interfaces with the payload module.

Launchers
INTA designed sounding and orbital rockets such as:
 * INTA-100 (suborbital)
 * INTA-255 (suborbital)
 * INTA-300 (suborbital)
 * Capricornio (orbital; never flown)
 * Pilum (rocket) (orbital; under development)

These operated from the El Arenosillo rocket launch site.

Aircraft

 * SIVA UAV in service since 2006
 * Diana is a high speed UAV-aerial target in service
 * HADA suspenden UAV project
 * ALO UAV in service pending commercialization
 * Milano, MALE UAV

Instruments

 * Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) for detecting minerals and potential biological pigments for the ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover
 * Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) for NASA's Perseverance rover
 * Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) for the Curiosity rover
 * Temperature and Winds for InSight (TWINS) for the InSight mission
 * Signs Of LIfe Detector (SOLID) to be flown in a future mission (current proposal is Icebreaker Life mission)

Other projects

 * Artemisa

Facilities

This is an incomplete list of facilities:

Technological campuses

 * INTA's headquarters in Torrejón de Ardoz, where the General Sub-directorates of Aeronautical Systems are located
 * Campus of La Marañosa, in San Martín de la Vega, base for the General Sub-directorate of Naval Systems
 * Campus of El Pardo, in El Pardo, base for the General Sub-directorate of Terrestrial Systems

Testing facilities

 * Rozas Airborne Research Center (CIAR) in Castro de Rei, Galicia
 * Cuadros Testing Laboratory in Cuadros, León
 * General Marva Laboratory of Army Corps of Engineers (LABINGE) in Madrid
 * Flight Experimentation Tests for Aircraft Certification in Chauchina, Granada
 * Torregorda Testing Centre (CET) in Cadiz
 * Airbus A400M Development Efforts in Seville
 * INTA Turbojet Engine Test Centre (TETC INTA)

Tracking and launch sites

 * El Arenosillo Test Centre is a rocket launch site in southern Spain
 * El Hierro Launch Centre project for a spaceport in El Hierro
 * Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex shared with NASA in Madrid
 * Maspalomas Station
 * Cebreros Station
 * Villafranca Station
 * GNSS Service Centre in Madrid

Other facilities

 * Spanish Astrobiology Center shared with CSIC


text:
Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Cool (aesthetic)

 This page is an archive of the proposed deletion of the article below. Further comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or on a Votes for Undeletion nomination). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result of the debate was KEEP. Postdlf 05:10, 23 July 2005 (UTC)

Cool (aesthetic)
While an article on the history, sociology, and aesthetic of "cool" would be interesting, this article appears to mostly be composed of unsubstantiated assertions and artful original research. I suggest moving the substantiated elements into Cool (currently a disambig). Nectarflowed T 22:14, 12 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Note that, contrary to the article's argument, the word has been in use as "calmly audacious" since 1825, and has been applied since 1728 to "large sums of money to give emphasis to amount."--Nectarflowed T 22:38, 12 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Delete while the word may be old this article is original research. JamesBurns 09:53, 13 July 2005 (UTC)

 * STRONG KEEP This article is not original research and is under major construction/reconstruction (as are many articles on the web site) to broaden its focus (as it has been for the last two or three days), and there has been no discussion whatsoever of a VfD in the article discussion. The VfD has been initiated by someone clearly without a knowledge of the subject matter under discussion.  (The rationale of usage provided above is utterly shallow and meaningless and has no bearing whatsoever on the cool aesthetic.) Presently, I seem to be the only individual contributing in any substantive manner to this piece, but knowledgeable contributions are more than welcome.  IMO, this VfD is premature and ill-considered.  Wikipedia has a distinct lack of articles treating black/African cultures -- and a distinct lack of expertise in this regard, as its membership appears to be comprised largely of white males.  And while I claim no special (or innate) expertise in this subject based on formal education, ethnicity, or gender, I do at least have some exposure to the essential philosophical underpinnings of "cool" and am familiar with the concept in the African American and pop culture contexts. The stubborn ignorance (no pejorative intended; just naming it for what it is) and obstinacy demonstrated over time by some editors in the development of this piece -- very likely the result of the phenomenon of cultural appropriation and assimilation -- is all the more reason it should be given a chance to develop into a quality piece -- particularly given the importance of 'cool' in African societies and its impact on Western and world popular culture via the African American experience.  Okay.  I've spent far too much time responding to this **@#$%& VfD (time that could have been spent improving the article), and now must attend to some deadlines of my own. deeceevoice 11:41, 13 July 2005 (UTC)

 * VfDs serve an important role of community feedback in the organization of Wikipedia. Re: "The rationale of usage provided above is utterly shallow and meaningless and has no bearing whatsoever on the cool aesthetic."  As a matter of the article's general methodology, it's unscientific (much of this article is probably in the field sociology) to disqualify the seemingly related meaning "Calmly audacious" from being an ancestor to the modern cultural concept of coolness. Best, Nectarflowed T 10:46, 15 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Strong Keep: The article covers a real and notable topic, and a great deal of work has already gone into it. I agree that more citations, clarification and references to source material are needed, but that's only reason to improve the article, not delete it. Babajobu 12:22, 13 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Delete or rewrite. (is this still in voting?) Lack of african/-american articles does not mean you can add an african/-american slant to everything. You can not explain this with racism--I am not racist in any way. What's happening here is that you're being a Black Panther of wikipedia. You see the problem, then you go to an extreme and become just as skewed as the people you're campaigning against. You have destroyed the "cool" article. You will not allow any work on it that is not approved by you. You have lost all sense of what wikipedia is. This needs a rewrite. Fast.Lockeownzj00 17:40, 14 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Sorry, Lockeownz, but your comments are pure nonsense. deeceevoice 23:22, 14 July 2005 (UTC)
 * thanks for defending your article like a rational human being :D Lockeownzj00 01:28, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, I have defended it as a "rational human being." I wish I could say the same for your objections.  I won't get into a back and forth with you on this.  You seem inordinately concerned with making ridiculous comments ("a Black Panther of wikipedia" and allusions to "racism" -- which are comically off-the-mark.  Your objections have been registered -- as has my defense.  As far as any exchange between you and me is concerned, I'm perfectly content to leave it at that.  Substantive comments or questions from others on the VfD, however, are welcome.  deeceevoice 02:35, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Lockeownzj, this VfD is about a particular article, and is not a referendum on Deeceevoice's personality. Your entire explanation for your "delete" vote was devoted to bitching about Deeceevoice. Even if everything you said were true, it's irrelevant. As far as I'm concerned, that's a bad faith vote and should be disregarded. Babajobu 08:47, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Lockeownzj00's given reason for his vote was that he deems there to be an African American slant to the article.--Nectarflowed T 10:46, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * The article, as written, covers a specifically African and/or African-American topic. If other "cool aesthetics" exist, (perhaps influenced by the African version, but distinct) and warrant articles of their own, then create a disambiguation page and write those articles. But this article is only slanted in the sense, say, that the baseball article has an American slant, or the Ayyavazhi article has a Tamil slant. Babajobu 11:18, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Whether there's too much POV in this article is debatable, and users with different opinions are entitled to their vote. --Nectarflowed T 01:37, 16 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Strong Keep - convincing argument is not made that this meets the criteria for deletion. VfD is not the place for content disputes, as this appears to be.  This appears to be a bad faith VfD.  Guettarda 12:58, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Strong Keep- I agree with Guettarda, this does appear to be a bad faith Vfd, content disputes do not belong on Vfd. -JCarriker 19:29, July 15, 2005 (UTC)

 * Guettarda and JCarriker, can you explain why this topic's arguments, such as (1) "Cool is feminine energy; it is stillness, calm and strength" and (2) "Traditional West African ontology does not devalue one fundamental aspect of existence in relation to another" don't need to be referenced or supported with evidence?
 * It hasn't been demonstrated that this topic has recognized existence in the scholarly literature. The statements not only need to be referenced (which they're not), they need to be representative of recognized scholarly opinion.  If they're not, they need to be presented as popular or fringe theory, rather than as simple fact (as the article does now).
 * This topic (aesthetics of) presently meets the requirements for original research. Substantiated content in the article can be moved to cool.--Nectarflowed T 01:37, 16 July 2005 (UTC)
 * I have no intention of getting envloved in a content dispute, this is a Vfd over an entire article, not one version of it, or a referendum on its NPOV or accuracy. Vfding this article was improper, so I opposed its deletion. If you wanted a referendum on its NPOV or accuracy you should have filed an RFC, not jumped to this extreme measure. -JCarriker 03:55, July 16, 2005 (UTC)
 * The proposition here is to delete this article, based on the supported argument that it is unreferenced original research. The sections of the article that are substantiated can be included at cool, but don't warrant an entire article devoted to this subtopic of cool (the aesthetic of).--Nectarflowed T 01:50, 17 July 2005 (UTC)
 * I have stated my assesment of the situation, it will not change. -JCarriker 04:06, July 17, 2005 (UTC)
 * To interject here, thus far, there have been claims of "original research," that there is no evidence of this subject matter in scholarly research, blah, blah, blah -- when the article cites and quotes published sources. In fact, Thompson is, perhaps, the foremost modern (Western) authority on African Art and culture alive today, and has been for more than three decades.  And he's white. But because he writes of African and African American cool, he's somehow an "Afrocentrist."  No, this is not a referendum on me, my "Afrocentrist" perspectives (which -- news flash -- are not rendered invalid, ipso facto, incidently, by someone merely assigning that presumptively -- in their eyes, at least -- dismissive label to them), or even, really, the content of this article.  This is about a bad-faith move to delete an article -- with, again, absolutely no prior mention of such intent in the article discussion page -- because it treats another black subject which some benighted "contributors" assume, in their ignorance, to have other origins.  And not only do they assume such, they aggressively have asserted their ignorance as fact -- in the face of clearly articulated information to the contrary, and with the article still under major construction/expansion.

 * IMO, this is a common form of arrogance and pettiness on this website and an attempt at censorship -- and, IMO, a perfect example of the kind of hostility to new information (particularly as it relates to black people and black culture) that challenges fallacious and often inherently racist majority assumptions of the way things are. It is also an example of the ignorance of (relative) youth.  Few who lived through or are knowledgeable of the jazz scene from the time it caught fire in the 1920s, with its deep affinity with African culture and sensibilities and the pervasive influence it has had on  American popular culture; or few who have lived through the times of the bohemian/beatnik set and its groupie-mentality fascination with African American slang, soul, style and music, would bat an eyelash at the statement that cool is a fundamentally black phenomenon (though they likely would say "African American," rather than "African," because that is the context in which they are familiar with it).  But this ignorance (understandable), antagonistic intellectual arrogance (inexcusable) and inherent ethnic bias (pervasive) which is so much a part of Wikipedia is also precisely why I intend to go forward with the article, and with other submissions focusing on black-related topics on this venue.  And, no.  I'm not charging the people here with racism in its common sense, per se -- though I wouldn't necessarily rule it out across the board.  The bias I write of herein relates specifically to a skewed notion of a world where the depth of black culture and history is little known, little understood by the masses -- but also heavily distored/appropriated.  So, if people get so exercised/hostile over a little article on the cool aesthetic, gee, just think what'll happen later on down the line.  I'm certain we'll find out -- 'cuz I ain't goin' nowhere.  The article under discussion here will be a good one if people stop bickering and start doing their research (as I am) and contribute.  That is, after all, the Wiki way.  Of course, I understand perfectly if the topic is not of sufficient interest to everyone here to do so.  My interests are not likely theirs.  But if the whiners and grumblers don't do the research, if they admittedly don't know anything about a subject, then, respectfully, they should just shut the hell up, move on and go contribute constructively elsewhere.  Now, I've got some real work to do; I've got bills to pay.  I'm probably done with this page for a while, but will check back from time to time.  Peace.   deeceevoice 10:16, 16 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Since we've had miscommunications in the past, Deeceevoice, I want to make my position clear that I support your position. Especially since this vote seems to have been more about you personally, than the actual article in the VFD subpage title— which is completely inapproriate. I would do research on the topic and contribute but I'm currently bogged down in fighting illiteracy and virulent POV pushers in U.S. Geography topics. Good luck. Peace. -JCarriker 19:33, July 16, 2005 (UTC)

 * Deeceevoice, slapping book titles at the end of an article comprised of unsupported assertions doesn't make the article adequately referenced, and everyone will agree on that point. Every controversial assertion needs to be attributed to established scholarly work.  Wikipedia is reactive, not proactive to revolutions.--Nectarflowed T 01:50, 17 July 2005 (UTC)
 * JCarriker, in what way is this VfD personally about Deeceevoice if the initiator hasn't stated anything regarding him? Are you referring to Lockeownzj00 and Pharlap claiming this article is representative of POV-pushing on the part of Deeceevoice?  That's not personal, and both their votes give valid reasons. --Nectarflowed T 01:50, 17 July 2005 (UTC)
 * First off, regarding her, Deeceevoice is a woman. Second, I'll say it once more: content disputes do not belong on vfd, period. There is clearly a content dispute going on here. I appreciate your persistance, but unless you have some starteling new evidence, my postion is not going to change. Thanks. -JCarriker 04:06, July 17, 2005 (UTC)

 * Being bi-racial myself (african-american father), and therefore classified as "black" by racialist societies and racist individuals, I feel embarrassed how well-meaning people are so easily played by somebody who shares the color of my shell. Bad faith isn't a one way street. And equality starts with an EQUAL treatment. It doesn't help us in our fight for equality to yell "racism" everytime we face constructive criticism. (and Deceevoice has a long history of doing that, see my diffs concerning the wareware case) It doesn't help us to make up "racist" stories  either, as it happened just the other day, when deeceecvoice faced critics for her Blackface article, which is a featured article candidate (how could that happen since Wikipedia is allegedly such a racist net-society?) Facing criticism because of the inclusion of the terms "darky" in a section header and "nigger" in the related topics section, she made up a story about a mysterious racist editor, editing the page while she was allegedly blocked from editing . Yet the edit history proves that the "nigger" link was added 2 years before she joined Wikipedia (14:30, 10 December 2002 by Ortolan88 ) and that she even "alpha ordered" the links (including the "nigger" link)  (scroll down)  when she "rewrote" the article and that she inserted the "darky" and "coon" terms herself      Seriously. if you really want to help us, treat us like anybody else, and exercise "good faith" for anybody, no matter what color they are. And please double check before you accuse your fellow wikipedians of  "bad faith", no matter if they are considered to be black or white. Two wrongs doesn't make a right. Pharlap 19:25, 17 July 2005 (UTC)
 * If you knew anything about my work at wikipedia, you'd know I have a history of defending minority viewpoints, such as those held by Walabio on circumcision, that I don't neccesarrily agree with. I am very aware of the diversity of Africa, which is why I'm a critic of Kwanzaa and Afrocentrism (I don't care much for Eurocentrism or any other centrism for that matter). I know every country in Africa and its capital, do you Pharlap? However, you don't know anything about me, so don't assume I'm cutting Deeceevoice slack because she's Black, it is an insult to her and myself. I live in an integrated neighborhood in the South, I have far to many Black friends, associates, and enemies to think one person is qualified to speak for all black people; not her and not you. Do not presume to stereotype me again. -JCarriker 21:09, July 17, 2005 (UTC)
 * Do what you think you have to do, but maybe one day, one minute, you take the time to think about my words, I pray, I hope, .... Pharlap 21:21, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

I don't follow your edits. But, yeah, I can really see how prayerful and kind and hopeful you are. (crackin' up) Come down off the cross. It really doesn't suit. deeceevoice 21:35, 17 July 2005 (UTC)
 * My bad, JCarriker. The tight format of this piece had me mistaking your comments for those of Pharlap.  I should have known he never would have stepped back and said something so magnanimous (hence my response).  It's simply not in him.  I very much appreciate your reasoned support in this matter.  Peace 2 u.  deeceevoice 22:20, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Oh, Pharlap, you're embarrassing yourself. First, I was never "under attack" for Blackface. It's a quality article which stands on its own. When I became aware of the FAC request for the article, I saw that one person had expressed mild reservations about the use of the words "darky" and "coon" in the article, and I simply explained their usage. I had already deleted the link to Nigger. The business about Zwarte Piet was resolved amicably, I thought. I even sent User:Andries a note suggesting how he could improve his rather cryptic add-on by asking a few questions for him to address. I subsequently cleaned it up just a bit, and the resultant language is now part of the article. I did not see the related exchange on the talk page until after the fact, at which time I simply lost my patience with the silliness of it all. Now, with regard to "nigger": Simply because I alpha ordered a list some time ago where the word was included means nothing. I often peruse articles by section -- sometimes editing for content, but often first skimming, looking at an article as simply a copy editor, paying very little attention to content and context. A case in point is the controversy over the inclusion of a racist image in an article on Watermelon. I first saw no problem with the image because when I first took a look at the article, I was looking at it the image as merely an object, a photo, within a piece. I have a rather large collection of such images, so I don't find them shocking in the least; I'm accustomed to seeing them. My first reaction was that the photo needed to be upsized in relation to the rest of the images on the page -- simply in terms of visual space -- and that it should be staggered. With a background in all aspects of journalism, including page layout, it wasn't good to have a series of photos lined up on a single side of the page. I upsized the photo and staggered it. That was done when I saw the page as a copy editor. I went back later and looked at the page as an editor, and the thing that struck me immediately was that the image was wholly inappropriate in that context. I removed it, stating why -- and have weighed in, in the straw poll conducted on that issue to that effect. After doing that, I also went to Blacks and removed a table I'd seen at least a handful of times (and even copyedited minimally on a few occasions -- again taking a superficial approach) and which I'd been annoyed by to varying degrees over time. It consisted of largely pejorative terms for black people by country. The "watermelon" image and the issue it represented caused me to make the connection that I needed to finally act on that matter, as well. I deleted the table on the same grounds and placed a notice on the discussion page about why and opened the matter up for discussion -- and mentioned it in Talk: watermelon because, to my way of thinking, it is much the same issue, simply in a different article. So, Pharlap, your baseless insinuations in that regard are just that -- baseless. Next, with regard to my being blocked from editing "Blackface" -- unless you have some proof that it did not occur, then I suggest you button it. I was, indeed, blocked from editing the article by another editor because of an "impersonator." I was able to edit everything else, it seems, but not that piece. As a matter of fact, I've been blocked on two or three separate occasions in the last three days, with the block notification listing each time a different IP address. My mention of this situation was, I suppose, a complaint -- but also a kind of defense for my not having responded to the new edits sooner with the article under FAC consideration. And, while I admit I do find the situation at least a little curious, I in no way charged and certainly did not intend to insinuate nefarious goings on -- and certainly not on the part of any specific individual(s).  Finally, did I charge any of the people commenting here in favor of this ridiculous VfD with garden-variety racism?  Nope. (Did I already I know you're a half-white when I wrote my response? Yep. So, why would I do that? The very idea is absurd!) I no more called the white complainants in this process (or you) garden-variety racists than I insinuated any possible identity issues or self-loathing on your part. Nor will I do so. What I have stressed, however, is what I perceive as a stubborn, ill-informed adherence to preconceived notions about subject matter based on a knowledge base that is itself tainted by ignorant (again, no critical value attached to the word -- just stating it for what it is) presumptions and cultural appropriation/assimilation, and the aggressive, bad-faith action of this VfD. I suggest you, as we say, check your b*tch at the door, because your personal motivations are showing; you're still grinding that axe. Let it go, bwoi. Let it go. :p. My apologies to others for this lengthy diversion from the matter at hand, but, as in the Wareware RfC and related matters, dragging in unrelated "issues" and making wild accudations/insinuations is Pharlap's modus operandi. I've merely responded.  The VfD is still groundless. deeceevoice 20:13, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * First, I'm NOT your "BWOI", chill with your insults. Second, I provided the diffs, so you can stop lying and you can stop making up stories. The water melon case is a totally different issue, and after your edit war about the inclusion of white apartheid system into the melanin article just as ridiculous.  And we don't want to discuss your assertion that africans, sold for slavery, chained naked in the bottom of slave trading ships, took suitcases full of water melons along with them.  You play a good game. It's time to stop, your ignorance and racism is embarrassing. If somebody wants to see an example of your creative POV editing, one just has to check the recent changes at afrocentrism. Almost all your POV edits are faulty and unverifiable. Maybe you should consider writing novels, science fictions or something ... Pharlap 21:11, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Tsk, tsk. Pharlap, baby, you get more and more shrill with each post. Now, I'm "lying"? (chuckling)  You rattlin' the crystal up in here, bwoi.  Chill.  Take a deep breath and go to your happy place.  But how kind of you to express an interest in my career path.  Thank you.  Wun mo' 'gin:  peace 2 u. :D deeceevoice 21:19, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Delete original research - neither factual nor verifiable or encyclopedic.  Unfortunatly, editor's past attempts to correct the distorted facts and to turn this piece into a verifiable article have failed because of one editor's profound sense of ownership. That's why I think it's a good suggestion to move the few substantiated elements back to the original cool (which was destroyed in an arbitrary act of deletion) and expand it from there. Pharlap 08:05, 16 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Keep. It would be a shame to delete this, as a lot of work has gone into it, and it's interesting to read. I don't see it as original research because there are references, though I'd like to see more inline attribution. For example, where it describes West African ontology: "Apparent opposites, or countervailing constructs, not only meet — as with the Kalunga line, a sacred, underwater line of demarcation where the worlds of the living and of those passed on reconnect and interact — but can and often do inhabit the same space, conceptually or literally," it would be good to see "according to X," and an explanation, with a source, of where the idea of the Kalunga line comes from. But these are points that can be cleared up as the article's being worked on. SlimVirgin (talk) 01:21, July 17, 2005 (UTC)

 * Comment: One just need to take a few minutes to research some of the articles statements to see that Nectarflowed rightfully labled it artful original research. Let's put aside the fact that there isn't ONE african culture, and that there isn't even ONE West African culture, and let's start with the entry, the assertion that

That isn't the case, What you find are "Elements of the African Aesthetic". with (cool) self-composure being ONE of the 5 elements, and not to other way around. What you also find is that "Robert Farris Thompson writes in his 1983 book Flash Of The Spirit that cool originated in Nigeria in the first half of the 15th century. Ewure was the name given to a ruler crowned king of the Nigerian Empire of Benin. At the time, the word literally meant, "it is cool".

Lets move to the statement that "Cool is feminine energy; it is stillness, calm and strength.... "Heat is masculine energy... " That isn't true either. It's exactly the other way around, which can be easily varified here: ''"The black male's cultural signature is his cool. It is sometimes the only source of pride, dignity, and worth in the absence of the outward status symbols of materialism and title that mark success in American culture. His status rides on his ability to communicate through human encounters, the most important information about himself: his coolness. Because it is so prized, preserving cool becomes an end in itself. (Majors & Billson)"  and here "The images here illustrate the masks of strength or the "cool pose" that Richard Majors and Janet Mancini Billson discuss in their landmark 1992 book of the same title. In Cool Pose, they bring the definition of cool up to date. The "cool pose", they write, "is a ritualised form of masculinity that entails behaviour, scripts, physical posturing, impression management, and carefully crafted performances that deliver a single critical message: pride, strength and control". They say that by acting calm, emotionless, fearless, aloof and tough, the African-American male shows both the dominant culture and the black male himself that he is strong and proud."''  Cool Pose: The Dilemmas of Black Manhood in America

And to merge informations about the unique mystical Yoruba concept of "itutu"  she's obviously hinting on, into an article addressing jazz culture and sunglasses in the 50's and black power activists wearing sunglasses in the 70s makes as much sense as to merge the christian concept of  "hot" hell and heaven as a (comparatively cool) state of wellbeing with sunglasses as fashion accessories and "cool" machoist attitute in europe. And while we are talking about sunglasses: wearing sunglasses indoors has it's origins in China, and is not an invention of African Americans performing in jazz clubs: "The first reason why they darkened glasses was because of smoke tinting, which was held in China before 1430. It was so far back in time, that of coarse their glasses were not of any prescription, and they were not used to protect your eyes from the sun.  Chinese judges had often worn sunglasses with quartz to hide the expression in their eyes while during a court case".   Maybe somebody wants to include that fact into the Cultural appropriation article, just in case you get the permission from the article owner.

This goes on and on, the whole article is a big mishmash of unsubstantiated assertions, distorted facts, ridiculous assumptions, and the tit bits of reliable informations are turned topsyturvy. In short: artful original research. Pharlap 17:53, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * More blah, blah from Pharlap -- which, as is my habit, I've only skimmed parts of it. (There are some things for which I simply have no patience.)  And more snide comments, too.  (I just saw the note about cultural appropriation.  Perhaps Pharlap should quit while he still has a shred of dignity left.  Oops!  Too late. :p   Excuse me, but the material's source is a book -- not the Internet.  Further, I said cool was feminine -- not coolness as it is commonly perceived in the African American context.  It is, in fact, neither masculine nor feminine in my culture; black women also possess and demonstrate cool.  We always have.  Finally, nowhere did I suggest that African Americans were the first to wear sunglasses.  This has gotten downright silly.  The VfD is still groundless/worthless.  And I'm back to work.  I'll return to Cool (aesthetic) later in the week when I have some time, and continue editing and improving the piece.  Peace.  Pharlap, I wish you peace, too.  You seem to need it more than anyone here -- seriously.  deeceevoice 20:38, 17 July 2005 (UT

Blahblah? well, I really didn't expect an intellectual, reasonable response from somebody who even thinks that the "swastikia" is BEAUTIFUL because it's black and NOT white.  Pharlap 22:56, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

 * If anyone doubts this, uh ... person's credibility, please feel free to click THIS link (without the typo, which was corrected almost two hours before the above post) and an additional note, and see how his twisted mind and nefarious intent deliberately have mischaracterized my comments. (Just can't help yourself, huh, Pharlap?  Keep it up.  You're making yourself appear even more ridiculous.  And even I didn't think that was possible.)  'Nuff said. ROTFLMAO. :p deeceevoice 01:24, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Please Keep; it's a real concept. Not only that, the article is well-written--indeed very well written--as well as sourced.  Nice job, and peace to everybody. Antandrus  (talk) 01:48, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Keep, obviously. – Quadell (talk) (sleuth) 19:40, July 22, 2005 (UTC)

 * Close The article has changed its topic since nomination. As the nominator, I think this VfD should be closed now.  Consensus is keep.--Nectarflowed T 20:23, 22 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Actually, the topic remains pretty much the same -- but I agree. This VfD was groundless, to begin with -- and has failed.  deeceevoice 20:40, 22 July 2005 (UTC)

 * As JCarriker noted above, it would be a mistake to equate a keep vote with an endorsement of the article's current state. You've changed some of the original research, such as what was the first paragraph of the article, but statements such as "Cool is feminine energy" are still unacceptably unreferenced until they have inline attribution, which was SlimVirgin's general recommendation, given above.
 * The topic and it's given definition, as you've noted on the talk page, has changed from cool as an aesthetic, to the African aesthetic of cool, and you've expressed plans to rename the article accordingly. The new topic has greater license to make non-sequitor claims, such as defining cool as, among other things, "rebirth and reincarnation."--Nectarflowed T 23:17, 22 July 2005 (UTC)

 * I repeat, the VfD was groundless. VfDs are not to be used to resolve content disputes. People voted -- and you lost.  The scope of the article has been broadened, yes, but its treatment of the cool aesthetic as African in origin has not.  Further, the language in the opening paragraph also appears later in the article, so you might want to think again about dropping this "bad-faith VfD" based on some misguided notion on your part that the fundamental assertions of the piece have, or will, change.  As far as the article in its present state, you weren't too concerned about jumping to conclusions based on your ignorance of the subject matter and where the article stood a few days ago.  As with any article on this web site, it is unfinished -- and was clearly still undergoing major development (and still is) when you initiated this process designed to push your particular point of view, rather than honor the Wiki process.  "Non-sequitor claims"?  Yeah.  Tell it to Thompson.  Again, your ignorance and obstinance are showing. *x*  But, hey, if you want to just slink away based on the fact that the VfD has been voted down by more than two to one at this point, be my guest.deeceevoice 02:11, 23 July 2005 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in an undeletion request). No further edits should be made to this page.