ANTHROPOLOGY 281--Origin of Phrase "War on Terror"--FROM AL CAPONE TO SHIMON PERES

ANTH 281
Dr. J Ferguson
University of Nevada, Reno
Spring 2018  10M18
JC Langelle

A Derivative and Precursor, "War Against Terrorism"

     In Thursday's Anthropology 281 lecture, while discussing words and expressions that have either made a comeback, or have vague meaning, a classmate brought up "war on terror," as if to allude to its recent emphasis since the Twin Towers attacks in 2001. The classmate was quick to point out that the US government has used this phrase as an excuse to bomb, invade or  occupy anywhere in the world where a threat may be perceived. There was also an allusion that the current string of US presidents, possibly since Ronald Reagan, somehow had or have a monopoly on the phrase.  A brief history of the expression is now in order to set the record straight as to its origin, at least through the last century.

     Gangland Chicago of the 1930's had no shortage of "terrorists" as reported in the Jacksonville (IL) Daily Journal; dated Sept 22, 1932. Note that crime boss Al Capone and the derivative "War Against Terrorism" are mentioned on the same page, probably by no coincidence.

     In 1952, the British were fighting communists in a "war against terrorism" in Malaya. Naturally, the United States could hardly wait to lend a hand to assist in ridding the world of terrorists.

    
     Next, and once again, the battleground for the fight shifts, this time to the Algerian War for Independence in 1956.

     One of the last references to the derivative appears in Venezuela, with a local by the name of Fidel Castro as the instigator. The old expression that "the communists, they're everywhere" would soon be replaced by "the terrorists, they're everywhere."

     But the final say on who to fight, how to fight and what to call it, came from the Israeli Defense Minister in 1974, following an attack on a village by the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Shimon Peres put a new spin on the already redundant phrase and a  brand new war began. The headline misquotes Peres but the quotation in the third to the last paragraph clearly gives birth to the new phrase "war on terror."

     Peres' other quote about hunting them down in all corners of the land is an early and eerily reminiscent relative of "W"'s line about "they have no place under the sun" to hide. Not to be outgunned by the Israeli Defense Minister's rhetoric, the PLO boss Yasser Arafat steals headlines that also reference the war.

     By 1974, the "war on terror," having been born far away on the streets of Chicago, had now reached full maturity where it remains to this day, the Middle East. The US presidents stand in a long line of famous people who have nurtured the phrase from its early inception to its current use, where even students in an introductory linguistic anthropology class search to find a place for it in context with global events.

     Thank you, classmates, for bringing this matter to my attention. JCL.

ENG102--Ballet of Death: Red Smoke at Tango 2--TONGO TONGO VIDEO TIMESTAMP

ENG102

Prof M Judd

University of Nevada, Reno

Spring 2018 09M18

JC Langelle

 

Ballet of Death: Red Smoke at Tango 2--
Oct. 04, 2018

The enemy has released a video of the recent firefight in Niger; below is an examination of the sequence of events according to the timestamp, done in Photoshop.
 

[00:00]

Opening sequence, center stage; two standing actors in uniform, another in white, crouched down.
 

[00:11] Actor in white exits stage right

[00:12] Footsteps of principal actor, note direction of shadow.

[00:15] unidentified blue object appears, actor continues to move.

[00:17] A number of actors appear moving downstage, in a hurry.

Note angle of (lighting) shadow.

[00:21] Second sequence begins with new set of actors
 

. One principal exits downstage right., others remain in scene downstage.

[00:29] Original set of actors, one crouched behind vehicle 001, vehicle 002 , white, beyond.

[00:36] Yet another actor at the white technical mounted weapon, wearing soft cover and either glasses or goggles. Doors of technical are open. Camera moves around and principal actor sets weapon on front seat, climbs into driver's seat. To front of technical, actor is crouched.

[00:43] Another actor is framed in the technical front passenger seat window, in full combat gear.

[00:45] Several actors of the troupe visible onstage: one crouched  in front of passenger side windshield, one to his back, another standing in the passenger window, and another in the passenger rear view window. Behind him upstage left another is crouched. Technical begins to move, actors disappear.

[00:55] Technical stops, actor reappears in passenger window. Principal actor steps out of technical as second technical appears stage right, actors crouched behind it. Principal actor crouches down, holding barrel of weapon in right hand.

[01:02] Shadow of principal actor seen on ground as he crouches by driver door, another actor weapon shadow protrudes from rear of technical. Principal moves toward tailgate as another vehicle appears downstage left. Camera sweeps back to second technical where three actors are crouched on passenger side. Principal actor takes up position behind first technical, tailgate # 1539.

[01:06] Principal actor now appears to be behind the second technical, blue SUV type vehicle. It does not seem reasonable to assume that he covered the distance in 00:04 seconds, the video has a redacted segment here. Principal takes up position behind blue SUV, passenger side, and it begins to move.

[0:01:17:16] spent cartridge seen ejected from weapon. Appearance of white smoke at treeline downstage center.
 

[01:23:19] Blue SUV is on the move as second actor appears stage left. Red smoke appears downstage center between two trees. Engagement sporadic.
 

[01:33] More spent cartridges ejected from principal actor's weapon at position rear SUV, passenger side.

[01:47} SUV reaches red smoke, several cannisters have been popped. Second principal actor crouched and moving along, using SUV as cover. Principal actor takes up position on front hood, passenger side. Signals driver to move to passenger side.
 

[01:51] Principal signals driver to turn left away from red smoke, at least two distinct cannisters popped.

[02:04] Another break in the sequence as the principal appears not at the front hood, but at the passenger rear once again. Spent cartridges ejected from weapon. No indication of the status of the red smoke.

[02:10] passenger door open, actor face down on seats, legs protruding from SUV. Principal removes something from the front seat. The SUV is still moving forward as seen by the right rear hubcap in motion, principal actor may have been knocked down by the movement. Camera goes skyward and sun seen overhead, passenger door open, SUV in motion, possibly driverless. SUV now appears to reverse direction as principal regains footing.

The red smoke is gone from the stage.

[02:29] First casualty on ground downstage center. Principal actor inspects casualty.

[02:42] Driver of SUV exits passenger side, joins principal. Casualty inspected, there appears to be no entry wound.  KIA actor dragged by driver to passenger side of SUV, there is no blood trail.

 

[03:21] another break in the sequence. driver crouched by KIA at passenger front of SUV. Driver and principal abandon position begin running.

[03:34] driver in front of principal, running, a vehicle appears stage right behind a tree.

[03:35] sequence again has a gap as running actor appears to right of principal and falling behind.

[03:38] driver appears stage left again, running. camera obscured, driver no longer visible, reappears running a few seconds later.

[03:47] principal raises weapon toward flank of running driver.

[04:03] principal is hit, falls to ground. camera shows blood spatters, glove extended from body, motionless.

[04:16] bursts of gunfire strikes principal.

[04:34] principal appears to be moved. more bursts of gunfire, dust kicks up immediate center.

[04:53] first enemy actor passes by principal, one large step

[04:58] principal appears to be on knees, possibly still alive at this point.

[05:05] second enemy actor enters above principal stage left, three steps to leave camera.

[05:11] third enemy actor enters, four steps, leaves camera.

[05:18] another burst of gunfire directly in front of camera.

[05:23] large puddle of blood forms to left of camera on ground.

For those in ANTHROPOLOGY  281, University of Nevada, Reno,  who do not believe there is a "War on Terror"..

DANCE 101--Essay on Balanchine's "Jewels"----THE MARIINSKY BALLET THEATER

DANCE APPRECIATION 101

Prof EA Garza

University of Nevada, Reno

Spring 2018 08M18

JC Langelle

“Jewels”-- Three Part Ballet by George Balanchine

 

 

    Russia, not the birthplace of ballet but certainly a major contributor to its preservation and development. St. Petersburg, the Mariinsky Theater, where the art form has moved from the court of Romanov to the proletariat, although aesthetically and financially, it may still be beyond the reach of the masses.  I will be the first to admit to a complete lack of the basics of ballet, but have been able to review the three part performance in Photoshop so that an accurate timestamp of the movements could be recorded. Below, are those recordings. Hopefully, I have given credit to the various dancers as they appear in the sequences, and apologize for not being able to identify completely and correctly.

“Emeralds”-- Female dancers wear green costumes, the male dancers have light colors with dark vests. The stage is immense, dwarfing the performers, draped in large green curtains on each side with a large green backdrop, obviously alluding to “emeralds.”

[00:00] Open, credits run:

The Mariinsky Theater presents “Jewels” Ballet in three parts

Choreography-George Balanchine

Ballet Director -Makhar Vaziev

Art-General Director-Valery Gergiev

Orchestra Conductor- Tugan Sokhiev

Scenery-Peter Harvey

Costumes- Karinska

Director-Brian Large

Music by Gabriel Faure.

Cast: Zhanna Ayupova, Denis Firsov, Daria Sukhorukova, Dmitry Semionov, Yana Selina, Xenia Ostreikkovskaya and Anton Korsakov

[01:39]  Conductor enters pit

[02:10]  Curtain rises to Denis Firsov & Zhanna Ayupova, flanked by female couples, five in all; two downstage to right and left, the others upstage, all perfectly still.

Various stage maneuvers, up, down, hither and yon, away and together; eventually breaking at 7 1/2 minutes to

[07:38]  Ayupova solo, bows, exits stage right

[10:35]  Sukhorukova solo, enter stage left,

[14:44]   Dmitry Semionov

[16:58]  following a series of ballet moves, Semionov exits stage right leaving single female dancer, she is replaced by the second dancer.

principal male returns with first dancer from stage right and second dancer exits stage left  All dancers soon are onstage to complete the sequence, taking a bow upon exit stage right.

[18:45]  Korsakov enters from upstage left and is joined by Yana Selina (?) from upstage right. Movement, exit stage right.

[22:00] 2nd principal male and female dancers enter stage left, go through routine, exit stage right.

[25:24]  Firsov returns for solo, stage right. He is joined by two male, two female dancers. More females, males exit. Males, females platoon on and off the stage.

[29:34]  end.

                                       **

“Rubies”--

[00:00]

Again, the performers begin from a freeze frame, wearing tight red (ruby) outfits, an extreme from the classical first "emerald" cut. Stage curtains and backdrop in red. Zhanna Ayupova appears to be the lead again.

The movement is far more risque and suggestive compared to the seemingly innocent patterns of "Emeralds." The stage clears except for a happily bouncing duet. While in the first part, the flute played a key role in the composition, the piano is more noticeable here.

[06:18] principal female , flanked by the rest of the troupe, is placed into a number of positions by four male dancers.

[07:21]  male female duet slinking center stage to piano. The two appear to be Xenia Ostreikkovskaya and  Dmitry Semionov.

 

[14:19]  Ayupova is back with the troupe in a rather avant-cosmo off Broadway style.  Piano enhanced by the string section. One segment of five male dancers romping around the stage.

[20:41] The curtain drops to applause and raises as cast bows to audience.

[23:20] Following flowers and a number of bows, the curtain closes.

                                          ***

“Diamonds”--

Cast: Ulyana Lopatkina and Igor Zelensky, supporting dancers.

Music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

[00:00] It is back to basic classical costumes as the stage is glittering in white with the troupe introducing the principals. The females are decked out with tiaras loaded with diamonds. Wind and string instruments replace the piano from the last section.

[06:32] Lopatkina appears upstage left, Zelensky enters downstage right; both in white. Impressed by Lopatkina's legs which seem to bend in physiologically impossible angles.

[16:28] Lopatkina's performance is stunning, certainly befitting the title of diamonds it portrays. Flawless, the en pointe impossible, the pirouettes will make you dizzy watching them. Zelensky, on the other hand, served more as the dancer's bar throughout the sequence.

[17:00] the dancers return to the floor. followed by a Zelensky solo, upstaging his own previous performance with Lapotkina. He exits downstage right and the floor fills with male dancers. The orchestral accompaniment leans toward a military type horn salute. The ladies return and join the troupe.

[20:37] Lapotkina enters upstage left for a solo. The two principals dash in and out from each side of the stage, matching pirouette spin for spin.

[23:19] dancers, in pairs, enter, upstage right performing a sort of grand march. For a minute I thought I was watching a Paris ballet, the influence is somewhat evident, with a bit of a waltz tossed in.

[26:06] the dancers disappear and are replaced by the principals.

There are at least three cameras, as many as five,  covering the ballet, the main one is directly in the center.

 

[33:49] presentation of the conductor and the flowers

finis.

    Initially, Bolshevism and ballet did not mix. Balanchine, originally Balanchivadze, (1) became an expatriate and left Russia when it became the Soviet Union. He was hired by Sergei Diaghilev, another expatriate and eventually migrated to the United States. As for ballet behind the Iron Curtain, Joseph Stalin, following a great deal of convincing, allowed it to continue as a cultural heritage program to influence and persuade the lowbrow capitalists of the superiority of the socialist movement. (2)

    A Footnote: I would highly recommend watching this on Photoshop, as the clarity is unsurpassed, there is a time counter and the file in the program does not suffer many of the glitches encountered watching it online at the rather crude, and ever so proletarian, “YouTube” site.

References:

1. George Balanchine, by Brian Seibert, Rosen Publishing (2006)
2. Dancing Up a Storm, the 1917 Revolution and Russian Ballet, by Carolyn Pouncy, published in Culture Matters, 19 March 2017
3. Links for downloading the entire three parts of the ballet can be found at: http://hdvidzpro.pro/video/Mariinsky-Orchestra-and-Ballet