Category Archives: Freedom

The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, won 4-3 in extra innings in the first game of Wednesdays doubleheader before dropping the nightcap, 5-1, against the River City Rascals at CarShield Field.

The Freedom (43-26) faced an early deficit in the first game, as Clint Freeman hit a RBI-double off Steve Hagen (5-4) in the second inning. But Florence tied the score in the third against Rascals (38-32) starter Dan Ludwig on a Taylor Oldham sacrifice fly that plated Austin Wobrock.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Andre Mercurio and Collins Cuthrell executed a double-steal, and catcher Mike Jurgellas throw to third was wild, allowing Mercurio to score the go-ahead run. Cuthrell scored on a Jordan Brower single.

Braxton Martinez homered in the bottom half to bring River City back within one run, and later, as the Freedom entered the bottom of the seventh three outs away from a win, Brandon Thomas led off with a game-tying home run over the tall right field wall. But in the eighth, consecutive doubles by Brower and Andrew Godbold put Florence back in the lead, 4-3, and Pete Perez overcame a pair of Rascals one-out singles to close out the win in the bottom of the inning.

Hagen earned the win in his Freedom debut, striking out five and walking only one while allowing seven hits over seven innings.

In the second game, the Freedom took a 1-0 second-inning lead against Reese Gregory. Brower reached on a fielders choice and advanced to third on a Godbold ground-rule double. Wobrock then scored Brower on a groundout to the shortstop.

But the lead would not hold, as Clint Freeman put the Rascals on top with a two-run homer to right-center in the bottom of the inning. The Rascals would not look back, adding three more runs in the third on a Paul Kronenfeld sacrifice fly, a RBI-triple by Jason Merjano and a Wobrock throwing error.

Florence would put at least one runner on base in three of the final five innings, but Gregory held the Freedom scoreless through the sixth while Cody Mincey finished the game with a perfect seventh.

The Freedom will look to salvage a series split in Thursdays finale. Right-hander Sam Brunner (0-0) will make a spot start for Florence, while right-hander Tim Koons (4-3) will pitch for River City. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at CarShield Field.

The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY.The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.

Florence Freedom

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Freedom split doubleheader with Rascals, go for series split before returning home this weekend - User-generated content (press release)...

As a retired Navy officer, I also swore an oath like Aug. 2 Public Pulse writer Mike McGrath (The fight must go on). It stated that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.

An important part of the Constitution is freedom of speech and a free press. Part of that is the right to say no or change your mind if you disagree with a law or policy.

I sense U.S. Sen. John McCains cancer diagnosis gave him a better perspective on health care, and his 30-plus years in the Senate prompted his willingness to compromise to get the job done.

Democrats and feckless Republicans arent our enemies but just citizens with different viewpoints. Name-calling shouldnt replace meaningful dialogue. Both sides have good ideas that should be implemented, and perhaps Gen. John Kellys experience will aid this cause in his new job of President Donald Trumps chief of staff.

The past six months have shown that nothing works unless both sides are included. Its called democracy. Something worth supporting and defending.

Jeff Johnston, Elmwood, Neb.

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The Public Pulse: Oath was to defend freedom - Omaha World-Herald

India's so-called 'Censor Board' is no stranger to controversy, more so in recent times. A combination of sanskaar and socio-politics has made sure that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is always in the news, for deciding what Indian citizens can and cannot see.

With the controversy over Kushan Nandy's Babumoshai Bandookbaaz being the latest to erupt and spark an outrage, the one perspective that usually seems lost in the debate around censorship, is that of the filmmaker(s) - the minds, bodies and souls that have gone into making the film and putting it out there.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Babumoshai Bandookbaaz.

Here's the thing: Most filmmakers, particularly those making films without the backing of major studios and stars, are resigned to the sheer scale of the battle it is, to first, get your film funded; second, make your film (because a production of any size is an inevitable nightmare); and third, get it out there, for the world to see.

A hold up at the Censors' is par for the course, with full knowledge that the rules that define the scope and reach of the CBFC's powers are, at best, arbitrarilyimplemented.

Then, there is the additional problem of getting an 'A' certificate and still being asked to make cuts. In the case of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, we're talking about a whopping 48 cuts. (News about the alleged misogyny experienced by a female producer of the room, at the hands of the Censor Board, is another debate altogether a systemic flaw that also deserves sustained efforts to reform.)

There is no doubt that the liberal stance in the censorship debate would be to have no censorship at all, just a certification. However, the lack of strong liberal outrage over Madhur Bhandarkars Indu Sarkaar, for instance, means that the outrage ends up being politically-driven, almost always.

Indu Sarkar.

The Congress party's supposed 'spontaneous' protest to Indu Sarkaar is as detrimental to freedom of expression, as the Pahlaj Nihalani-led Censor Board's assault on content that doesn't suit the BJP-led establishment's idea of what sanskaars India should receive from its cinema.

And stuck between these two political ideologies, is every filmmaker who has a story to tell, and the audience, which has the full freedom to choose what it watches.

Back during the Congress-led UPA days, Vivek Agnihotri's Buddha in a Traffic Jam was another film that got unforgivably delayed due to political machinations.

As a free-thinking filmmaker, I believe Agnihotri's film is a half-baked attempt at making a political point. But also as a free-thinking filmmaker, I believe he has the full right to make the film he wants. As per the Constitution, the government can help decide what age group the film is suitable for, so that the film can release as is, with appropriate certification.

Agreed, at best that sounds idealistic, at worst, that sounds downright naive. But it is with this naive idealism that every filmmaker steps out to make a film, and stifling that voice is a thorough disservice to the art and craft of cinema, a powerful tool to expose the Indian audience to all kinds of stories, ideas and ideologies.

Opining, debating and criticising a film through all kinds of media must be encouraged, once the film releases, as long as there is no physical violence.

The point behind every outrage on the CBFCs over-reach is that we strive as close towards this kind of open, informed environment for cinema. This is yet another desperate call for reason, with a promise that every such incident will continue to find resistance from filmmakers and true fans of cinema.

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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz: Pahlaj Nihalani-led CBFC has put freedom of expression in a traffic jam - Firstpost

A civic rights activist in Kazakhstan who once led the charge for political change has been sentenced to two years of limited freedom, marking the culmination of her downfall.

A court in Almatys Almaly district this week ruled to find 39-year old Olesya Khalabuzar guilty of inciting ethnic hatred and has placed the activists movements until strict control for the period of her sentence.

Khalabuzar had made a name for herself as one of Kazakhstans more principled activists until she was detained by police in February on suspicion of involvement in a protest movement against planned constitutional amendments regarding ownership of land.

But the more shocking development came some months later as Khalabuzar suddenly publicly recanted all her prior civic engagements and described the work of her Spravedlivost rights movement as short-sighted and counterproductive, and admitted to unspecified attempts to blackmail government bodies.

Looking back [on my life], I have decided to take a very important step and declare: I AM RENOUNCING PUBLIC ACTIVISM, Khalabuzar wrote on her Facebook account on May 17.

Fellow activists argued she had been pressured by the authorities into performing the embarrassing public mea culpa.

Only two years ago, civic rights activist Khalabuzar was proclaiming ambitiously that her grand ambition for Kazakhstan was to promote a change in the populations mindset. The countrys citizens, she told EurasiaNet.org, had to change from slaves into masters and demand our rights.

The verdict against Khalabuzar can be appealed within 15 days before it comes into force. But she has told RFE/RLs Radio Azattyk that she does not intend to appeal since she has little hope of changing the decision.

The case of the prosecution rested on psychological and textual analysis of anti-land reform leaflets that spoke about the threat of the seizure of Kazakh lands by the Chinese in case of adoption of amendments to the constitution. The language was assessed by court witnesses as clear evidence of incitement to inter-ethnic enmity.

In court, Khalabuzar formally acknowledged the charge and declared her repentance.

The prosecutor agreed to ask for a minimum penalty, considering Khalabuzar had no criminal record and is a mother to three underage children.

As is characteristic for such transparently political trials, however, the proceedings were marred by basic shortcomings. Hearings were perfunctory and Khalabuzars court-appointed lawyer was given only a few minutes before the start of the trial to familiarize herself with the case materials. Asked by Radio Azattyk why she did not hired a private layer, Khalabuzar answered simply: Because its pointless everything has been decided.

Astana has methodically and ruthlessly pursued almost all activists, politicians, journalists, business people and labor rights representatives that have in any way expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo. Khalabuzars fate is all too familiar.

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Kazakhstan: Repentant Activist Gets 2 Years Limited Freedom - EurasiaNet

Press Release | August 2, 2017

Coalition of more than 20 organizations launches nonpartisan U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker will help us demonstrate to courts, using data, the very real threats to newsgathering that were seeing," said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "By cataloguing these incidents publicly and in real-time, we hope that policymakers and courts take notice and hold those who would attempt to infringe upon freedom of the press accountable."

Led by the Committee to Protect Journalists and Freedom of the Press Foundation, the website will serve as a central repository for data at a time when journalists in the U.S. are facing increased hostility. The Reporters Committee serves on the steering committee for the website.

In recent months, journalists have been charged with crimes while covering protests in Washington D.C. and North Dakota; stopped at the border and subjected to searches of their electronic devices; and physically assaulted, in one case by a congressional candidate. Data collected on the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker shows that 19 journalists have been arrested in the course of their work in 2017 and that at least 10 reporters are currently facing charges. In 2017 at least four journalists have been stopped at the border and 11 have faced physical attacks, according to the tracker. These numbers may increase as we receive new information.

The United States has some of the strongest legal protections for press freedom in the world and a robust and varied media landscape, but this cannot be taken for granted. Open hostility, threats of leak prosecutions, and arrests have created a precarious situation for journalists, said Alex Ellerbeck, senior research associate for the U.S. at the Committee to Protect Journalists and chair of the steering committee for the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. A full and honest accounting of challenges to press freedom in this country is sorely needed.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker collects data based on news reports and tips submitted by journalists, professional organizations, and press freedom organizations. The coalition behind the tracker will use the research in letters, legal briefs, and advocacy campaigns.

With the Trump administration ramping up its war on journalism, this initiative could not come at a more important time, said Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. We hope it will be vital to highlighting the threats to press freedom in the U.S. and the important work journalists do to hold the government accountable.

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New website tracks press freedom violations in United States - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, saw their bats fall silent Tuesday night at CarShield Field, falling in the series opener to the River City Rascals, 9-1.

The Freedom (42-25) managed just three hits in the game, each of which came off Rascals (37-31) starter Lucas Laster (1-1), who battled bouts of wildness en route to walking five but lasted six innings.

After a Paul Kronenfeld RBI-single off Braulio Torres-Perez (2-1) in the bottom of the first inning, the Freedom tied the score in the top of the second. Collins Cuthrell worked a leadoff walk, took third on a Jordan Brower single and score on a groundout to second by Andrew Godbold. But Clint Freeman homered to right-center in the bottom half to put River City back in the lead for good.

Torres-Perez would go on to strike out eight, but also issued a season-high six walks. The left-handers only scoreless inning was the fourth, in which he overcame a leadoff walk by inducing two fielders choice grounders and caught Mike Jurgella breaking early from first base on an attempted steal.

Josh Silver hit two doubles while he and Josh Ludy each drove in two runs for River City, while Freeman collected three hits to lead the Rascals, who would also score two runs off reliever Jack Fowler in the eighth, following a scoreless seventh by Enrique Zamora.

Keivan Berges provided a defensive highlight for Florence in the sixth, throwing out Jurgella at the plate from left field on an attempted tag up from third on a fly ball by Silver.

Matt Chavarria earned the save for River City, allowing only a walk to Garrett Vail over the final three innings.

The four-game series continues with a doubleheader Wednesday, with the first game scheduled to begin at 5:05 p.m. Newly-acquired right-hander Steve Hagen (4-4) will start the first game for the Freedom against River City left-hander Dan Ludwig (5-2), while right-hander Cody Gray (7-2) will start game two for Florence against Rascals righty Reese Gregory (6-4).

The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY.The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.

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Freedom bats fall silent, team manages just three hits in series-opening road loss to Rascals - User-generated content (press release) (registration)

Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 5 a.m.

In the quarter century since its release, Sublimes 40oz. to Freedom has soundtracked approximately 1.2 million backyard house parties, 2.7 million hotbox sessions and the glorious decimation of 124 trillion brain cells.

The official debut from the sun-fried Long Beach fusionists is implicitly responsible for weeds legalization in California, and its title track has kept the malt liquor business afloat more than any gimmicky advertisement ever could. It might be the most alternately loved and loathed masterpiece in music history.

This is where I tell you the haters are wrong. To dismiss 40oz. to Freedom is to deny the cultural ferment of Southern California itself; its conflating the flip-flops and gravity-bong clichs of fans with the brilliant syncretism of the band itself. To indict Sublime is to diss Long Beach, among the most diverse cities in the country, where the bands lead singer, Bradley Nowell, famously attended Polytechnic High around the same time as Snoop Dogg and Cameron Diaz.

Thats no coincidence. Sublime created platonic Southern California house-party music by appealing to everyone passing the J, from blond surfers and magnet-school actresses to Long Beach Crips and the first-generation progeny of Mexican, Cambodian and Caribbean immigrants.

The solution was to throw in everything, a risky choice that invariably fails for everyone but Sublime. During an atomized era when skaters and surfers, punks and hip-hop heads, reggae stoners, jam wookies and Spanish-language pop all ostensibly existed in their own universes, the Long Beach trio fostered a harmonious peace.

40oz. to Freedom starts with a Minutemen sample and quickly veers into an absurd, slanged-out, bilingual narrative about picking up a girl named Ramona who wants to go to a house party. Smoke Two Joints samples Eazy-E and Just Ice as part of a scratched hook. Theres a tribute song to KRS-One and covers of The Melodians, Bad Religion and the Grateful Dead.

These arent token gestures of eclecticism but the innate obsessions of a troubled yet deceptively intelligent lead singer with a genius for songcraft. Before dropping out a semester short of his degree, Nowell studied finance at UC Santa Cruz and Cal State Long Beach.

Singing in Spanish wasnt merely a nod at inclusiveness it reflected Nowells years spent studying the language, trips to Central America and growing up around Latinos. The dedication to the frontman of Boogie Down Productions wasnt some ironic gag but testament to a deep love and understanding of hip-hop culture, down to the Dust Brotherslike bricolage of psychedelic samples that permeate the album.

Nowell wasnt a Ras Trent but someone profoundly invested in reggae and dub. An inscrutable artist disguised as a drug-addled surfer bro, a seeker with a bizarre sense of humor and a ravenous appetite for all strains of sound.

In the abridged list of inspirations shouted out on the albums finale, he thanks Miles Davis, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Eek-A-Mouse, Crass, Fugazi, Butthole Surfers, Frank Zappa and Meat Puppets. You hear them all in 40oz. to Freedom, cloaked in goofy weed jokes, warped odes to psychic darkness, safe-sex testimonials rapped in Spanish and a particularly infamous antidate rape song. The latter has aged poorly in the context of contemporary mores, but it still attacked sexual assault at a time when most male singers stayed quiet on the topic.

If 40oz. to Freedom revels in its careening, narcotic whimsy, thats partially why its stood the test of time. At its core, music is utilitarian, and Sublime reached a universality of experience that cant become obsolete. As long as there are house parties to crash, 40s to sip and joints to smoke, there is this record. Besides, you have brain cells to spare.

An L.A. native, Jeff Weiss edits Passion of the Weiss and hosts the Bizarre Ride show on RBMA Radio. Follow him on Twitter @passionweiss.

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The Haters Are Wrong: Sublime's 40oz. to Freedom Is a Long Beach Classic - L.A. Weekly

Conservatives' 'power of no' stifles Republican agenda News & Observer The power of the House Freedom Caucus, says its leader, lies in the power of negation." It's the power of 'no,'" said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., whose 40-member group of diehard conservatives in the House has been responsible for killing one ... and more »

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Conservatives' 'power of no' stifles Republican agenda - News & Observer

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., is calling for the resignation of Robert Mueller, the special counsel for the Russia investigation, and says Mueller has a conflict of interest because he's close friends with former FBI Director James Comey.

Franks, a member of the House Freedom Caucus who sits on the Judiciary Committee, said another major problem is that members of Mueller's team donated to Hillary Clinton's campaign last year.

"Bob Mueller is in clear violation of federal code and must resign to maintain the integrity of the investigation into alleged Russian ties," Franks said. "Those who worked under them have attested he and Jim Comey possess a close friendship, and they have delivered on-the-record statements effusing praise of one another."

"No one knows Mr. Mueller's true intentions, but neither can anyone dispute that he now clearly appears to be a partisan arbiter of justice. Accordingly, the law is also explicitly clear: he must step down based on this conflict of interest," Franks said.

"Already, this investigation has become suspect reports have revealed at least four members of Mueller's team on the Russia probe donated to support Hillary Clinton for President, as President Trump pointed out. These obviously deliberate partisan hirings do not help convey impartiality," Franks said. "Until Mueller resigns, he will be in clear violation of the law, a reality that fundamentally undermines his role as Special Counsel and attending ability to execute the law."

In recent weeks, the drumbeat from Trump supporters against Mueller has intensified. Some have speculated that Trump may fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions after a series of disparaging statements due in large part to his recusal from the investigation, and push for Mueller's ouster from the investigation.

Trump has repeatedly labeled the investigation a "witch hunt" and has maintained that he committed no wrongdoing.

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House Freedom Caucus member calls for Mueller resignation - Washington Examiner

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback gives a presentation on Thursday March 5, 2015, during a breakfast at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis. Chris Neal / Topeka Capital-Journal via AP

In addition to Trump's tweets stating transgender people will not be able to serve "

An Unpopular Governor

Brownback is the country's second-least popular governor (behind Chris Christie of New Jersey), according to the

I havent seen any editorial or commentary expressing regret that hes leaving, Burdett Loomis, professor of political science at the University of Kansas, told NBC News. Most people are saying 'good riddance.'"

He is going to be known for his extreme and large-scale tax cuts. They failed objectively. And after four and half years, a legislature filled with more moderate Republicans and more Democrats overturned almost all his tax policies, Loomis explained. Hes also gutted the government. A lot of people have quit. He just doesnt believe in government sort of like Trump.

Of his appointment to the Office of International Religious Freedom, Loomis called it a reward for a failed governorship. To me, this seems like the most consolation of consolation prizes. Most people dont even know this position exists.

I think its highly symbolic, he added. In the past 15 years, Loomis noted Brownback has become even more religiously conservative. He has moved from conventional to Midwest Protestantism to a sort of Evangelical Christianity to becoming a member of

He is utterly anti-abortion. Hes never seen an anti-abortion bill he wont sign in a second, and he is a believer in traditional marriage, Loomis said. His religious beliefs definitely affect his policy decisions.

Brownbacks LGBTQ Track Record

As a congressman, Brownback actively

Then in 2016, Brownback signed

Equality Kansas, a group dedicated to ending LGBTQ discrimination in the state, said Brownback is "unsuited to represent American values of freedom, liberty, and justice" and urged Kansas senators, Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, not to confirm him in the position.

"Since his inauguration in January of 2011, LGBT Kansans have faced near-annual assaults on our liberties and our dignity in the name of 'religious freedom,'" the organization said in a

Professor Loomis said the idea of Brownback being an ambassador for religious freedom is "staggering."

As with many of Trumps appointees, hes appointed someone who needs to be fairly open about religion and human rights, but instead its someone who is fairly closed about it," Loomis added.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

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Trump Taps LGBTQ-Rights Opponent Sam Brownback as Religious Freedom Ambassador - NBCNews.com