Category Archives: Rockall

Global Power Distribution Market Size, Status And Forecast 2020-2026

The Power Distribution Marketreport provides a detailed analysis of the area marketplace expanding, competitive landscape, global and regional market size, growth analysis. It also provides market share, opportunities analysis, product launches as well as recent developments with sales analysis, segmentation growth, market innovations and value chain optimization, SWOT analysis. Power Distribution Market latest report covers the current COVID-19 impact on the market. This has brought along several changes in market conditions. The rapidly changing market scenario and initial and future assessment of the impact is covered in the report.

(Exclusive Offer: Up to 20% discount on this report)

Click the link to get a free Sample Copy of the Report:

https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/06302121721/covid-19-impact-on-global-power-distribution-market-insights-and-forecast-to-2026/inquiry?Mode=70

Top Companies: Siemens, General Electric, ABB, Eaton, Hager, Chint Group and others.

This report segments the global Power Distribution market on the basis of Types are:Fixed TypeDrawer Type

On the basis of Application, the Global Power Distribution market is segmented into:Power PlantIndustrial SitesCommercial SitesOthers

For comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the Power Distribution Market is analysed across key geographies namely: United States, China, Europe, Japan, South-east Asia, India and others. Each of these regions is analysed on basis of market findings across major countries in these regions for a macro-level understanding of the market.

Browse the report description and TOC:

https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/06302121721/covid-19-impact-on-global-power-distribution-market-insights-and-forecast-to-2026?Mode=70

Major Points from the Table of Content of Power Distribution Market:

-Market Overview:The report begins with this section where product overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global Power Distribution Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Competition by Company:Here, the competition in the Worldwide Power Distribution Market is analyzed, By price, revenue, sales, and market share by company, market rate, competitive situations Landscape, and latest trends, merger, expansion, acquisition, and market shares of top companies.

Company Profiles and Sales Data:As the name suggests, this section gives the sales data of key players of the global Power Distribution Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the global Power Distribution Market.

Market Forecast:Here, the report offers a complete forecast of the global Power Distribution Market by product, application, and region. It also offers global sales and revenue forecast for all years of the forecast period.

Research Findings and Conclusion:This is one of the last sections of the report where the findings of the analysts and the conclusion of the research study are provided.

The research includes historic data from 2015 to 2020 and forecasts until 2026 which makes the report an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts and stakeholders looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs.

Customization of the Report: This report can be customized as per your needs for additional data up to 3 companies or countries or 40 analyst hours.

Please connect with our sales team ([emailprotected] ).

About Us:

MarketInsightsReports provides syndicated market research on industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. MarketInsightsReports provides global and regional market intelligence coverage, a 360-degree market view which includes statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.

Contact Us:

Irfan Tamboli (Head of Sales) Market Insights Reports

Phone: + 1704 266 3234 | +91-750-707-8687

[emailprotected] | [emailprotected]

Go here to read the rest:

Power Distribution Market 2020 With Top Countries Data: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Top Key Players Analysis and Forecast Research - Cole of Duty

An uninhabited islet in the North Atlantic Ocean

Rockall () is an uninhabitable granite islet in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the United Kingdom,[1][2] situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is claimed by the United Kingdom as its territory. This claim is not recognised by its neighbours.

Its approximate distances from the closest islands in each direction are: 301.3 kilometres (187.2 miles; 162.7 nautical miles) west of Soay, Scotland;[3] 423.2 kilometres (263.0 miles; 228.5 nautical miles) northwest of Tory Island, Ireland;[4] and 700 kilometres (430mi; 380nmi) south of Iceland.[5]The nearest permanently inhabited place is North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, 370 kilometres (230mi; 200nmi) to the east.[citation needed]

The United Kingdom claimed Rockall in 1955 and incorporated it as a part of Scotland in 1972. The UK does not make a claim to extended EEZ based on Rockall, as it has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which says that "rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf".[1] However, such features are entitled to a territorial sea extending 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres). With effect from 31 March 2014, the UK and Ireland published EEZ limits which resolved any disputes over the extent of their respective EEZs.[6][7]

In response to a Freedom of Information request in 2012, the British government stated: "The islet of Rockall is part of the UK: specifically it forms part of Scotland under the Island of Rockall Act 1972. No other state has disputed our claim to the islet."[1] In Scotland, Rockall is part of South Harris Parish in the Western Isles.[citation needed]

Ireland does not recognise Britain's claim, although it has never sought to claim sovereignty for itself.[8][9] Responding to a written parliamentary question in 2016, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs said: "The UK claims sovereignty over Rockall and has sought to formally annex it under its 1972 Island of Rockall Act. While Ireland has not recognised British sovereignty over Rockall, it has never sought to claim sovereignty for itself. The consistent position of successive Irish Governments has been that Rockall and similar rocks and skerries have no significance for establishing legal claims to mineral rights in the adjacent seabed or to fishing rights in the surrounding seas."[8]

The origin and meaning of the islet's name Rockall is uncertain. The Scottish Gaelic name for the islet, Rcal, may derive from an Old Norse name that may contain the element fjall, meaning "mountain".[10] It has also been suggested that the name is from the Norse *rok, meaning "foaming sea", and kollr, meaning "bald head"a word which appears in other placenames in Scandinavian-speaking areas.[11] Another idea is that it derives from the Gaelic Sgeir Rocail, meaning "skerry of roaring" or "sea rock of roaring"[12] (although rocail can also be translated as "tearing" or "ripping").[13][14]

The Dutch mapmakers P. Plancius and C. Claesz[nl], show an island called "Rookol" northwest of Ireland on their Map of New France and the Northern Atlantic Ocean (Amsterdam, c. 1594). The first literary reference to the island, where it is called "Rokol", is found in Martin Martin's A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland published in 1703. This book gives an account of a voyage to the archipelago of St. Kilda, and Martin states: "...and from it lies Rokol, a small rock sixty leagues to the westward of St. Kilda; the inhabitants of this place call it Rokabarra."[15]

The name Rocabarraigh, is also used in Scottish Gaelic folklore for a mythical rock which is supposed to appear three times, its last appearance being at the end of the world: "Nuair a thig Rocabarra ris, is dual gun tid an Saoghal a sgrios." (When Rocabarra returns, the world will likely come to be destroyed.)[16]

Since the late 16th century, the 17.15-metre-high (56.3ft) rock has been noted in written records.[17][18] In the 20th century, its location became relevant due to potential oil and fishing rights.

Lord Kennet said of Rockall in 1971, "There can be no place more desolate, despairing and awful."[19] It gives its name to one of the sea areas named in the shipping forecast provided by the British Meteorological Office.

Rockall has been a point of interest for adventurers and amateur radio operators, who have variously landed on or briefly occupied the islet. Fewer than 20 individuals have ever been confirmed to have landed on Rockall, and the longest continuous stay by an individual was 45 days in 2014.[20] In a House of Commons debate in 1971, William Ross, MP for Kilmarnock, said: "More people have landed on the moon than have landed on Rockall."[19]

Rockall is one of the few pinnacles of the surrounding Helen's Reef; it is located 301.3 kilometres (162.7 nautical miles) west of the island of Soay, St Kilda, Scotland,[3] and 423.2 kilometres (263.0 miles; 228.5 nautical miles) northwest of Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland.[4] Its location was precisely determined by Nick Hancock during his 2014 expedition.[21] The surrounding elevated seabed is called the Rockall Bank, lying directly south from an area known as the Rockall Plateau. It is separated from the Outer Hebrides by the Rockall Trough, itself located within the Rockall Basin (also known as the "Hatton Rockall Basin").

In 1956 the British scientist James Fisher referred to the island as "the most isolated small rock in the oceans of the world".[22] The neighbouring Hasselwood Rock and several other pinnacles of the surrounding Helen's Reef are smaller, at half the size of Rockall or less, and equally remote, but those formations are legally not islands or points on land, as they are often submerged completely, only revealed momentarily above certain types of ocean surface waves.

Rockall is about 25 metres (80ft) wide and 31 metres (100ft) long at its base[23] and rises sheer to a height of 17.15 metres (56.3ft).[17][24][18] It is often washed over by large storm waves, particularly in winter. There is a small ledge of 3.5 by 1.3 metres (11.5 by 4.3ft), known as Hall's Ledge, four metres (13ft) from the summit on the rock's western face.[25] It is the only named geographical location on the rock.

The nearest point on land from Rockall is 301.3 kilometres (162.7nmi), east at the uninhabited Scottish island of Soay in the St Kilda archipelago.[citation needed] The nearest inhabited area lies 303.2 kilometres (163.7nmi) east at Hirta[26][original research?], the largest island in the St. Kilda group, which is populated intermittently at a single military base.[27][28] The nearest permanently inhabited settlement[citation needed] is 366.8km (198.1nmi) west of the headland of Aird an Rnair,[29] near the crofting township of Hogha Gearraidh on the island of North Uist at NF705711 (573633N 7317W / 57.60917N 7.51861W / 57.60917; -7.51861 (Hogha Gearraidh / Hougharry)). North Uist is part of Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.

The exact position of Rockall and the size and shape of the Rockall Bank was first charted in 1831 by Captain A. T. E. Vidal, a Royal Navy surveyor. The first scientific expedition to Rockall was led by Miller Christie in 1896 when the Royal Irish Academy sponsored a study of the flora and fauna.[30] They chartered the Granuaile.[22][31]

A detailed underwater mapping of the area around Rockall undertaken in 20112012 by Marine Scotland showed that Rockall itself is a minor pinnacle, whilst Helen's Reef extends in a sweeping arc of fissures and ridges to the north-west of the islet. Between the islet and Helen's Reef is a deeper trench much used by squid fishermen.[32]

Rockall is located in the pathway of the warming and moderating Gulf Stream. Although the rock does not sustain any weather station, the isolated nature of the setting dictates an extremely maritime climate without heat or cold extremes.

Rockall is made of a type of peralkaline granite that is relatively rich in sodium and potassium. Within this granite are darker bands richer in iron because they contain two iron-sodium silicate minerals called aegirine and riebeckite. The darker bands are a type of granite that geologists have named "rockallite", although use of this term is now discouraged.[34][35]

In 1975, a mineral new to science was discovered in a rock sample from Rockall. The mineral is called bazirite, named after the chemical elements barium and zirconium. Bazirite has the chemical composition BaZrSi3O9.[36]

Rockall forms part of the deeply eroded Rockall Igneous Centre that was formed as part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province,[37] approximately 55 million years ago, when the ancient continent of Laurasia was split apart by plate tectonics. Greenland and Europe separated and the northeast Atlantic Ocean was formed between them,[34] eventually leaving Rockall as an isolated islet.

The RV Celtic Explorer surveyed the Rockall Bank in 2003.[38] The Irish Light Vessel Granuaile (the same name as the steamer on the RIA 1896 botany survey) was chartered by the Geological Survey of Ireland, on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, to conduct a seismic survey of the Rockall Bank and the Hatton Bank in July 2004,[39] as part of the Irish National Seabed Survey.[39]

The island's only permanent macro-organism inhabitants are common periwinkles and other marine molluscs. Small numbers of seabirds, mainly fulmars, northern gannets, black-legged kittiwakes, and common guillemots, use the rock for resting in summer, and gannets and guillemots occasionally breed successfully if the summer is calm with no storm waves washing over the rock. In total there have been just over twenty species of seabird and six other animal species observed (including the aforementioned molluscs) on or near the islet.

Cold-water coral biogenic reefs have been identified on the wider Rockall Bank[40], which are contributing features for the East Rockall Bank and North-West Rockall Bank SACs.[41][42]

In December 2013 surveys by Marine Scotland discovered four new species of animals in the sea around Rockall. These are believed to live in an area where hydrocarbons are released from the sea bed, known as a cold seep. The discovery has raised the issue of restricting some forms of fishery to protect the sea bed.[43] The species are:

The earliest recorded date of landing on the island is often given as 8 July 1810, when a Royal Navy officer named Basil Hall led a small landing party from the frigate HMSEndymion to the summit. However, research by James Fisher (see below), in the log of Endymion and elsewhere, indicates that the actual date for this first landing was on Sunday 8 September 1811.[44]

The landing party left Endymion for the rock by boat. Whilst there, Endymion, which was taking depth measurements around Rockall, lost visual contact with the rock as a haze descended. The ship drifted away, leaving the landing party stranded. The expedition made a brief attempt to return to the ship, but could not find the frigate in the haze, and soon gave up and returned to Rockall. After the haze became a fog, the lookout sent to the top of Rockall spotted the ship again, but it turned away from Rockall before the expedition in their boats reached it. Finally, just before sunset, the frigate was again spotted from the top of Rockall, and the expedition was able to get back on board. The crew of Endymion reported that they had been searching for five or six hours, firing their cannon every ten minutes. Hall related this experience and other adventures in a book entitled Fragment of Voyages and Travels Including Anecdotes of a Naval Life.

The next landing was by a Mr Johns of HMS Porcupine whilst the ship was on a mission, (between June and August 1862), to make a survey of the sea bed prior to the laying of a transatlantic telegraph cable. Johns managed to gain foothold on the island, but failed to reach the summit.

On 18 September 1955, Rockall was annexed by the British Crown when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal AA Fraser RM, and James Fisher (a civilian naturalist and former Royal Marine), were winched onto the island by a Royal Navy helicopter from HMSVidal (coincidentally named after the man who first charted the island). The annexation of Rockall was announced by the Admiralty on 21 September 1955.[45]

The expedition team cemented in a brass plaque on Hall's Ledge and hoisted the Union Flag to stake the UK's claim. The inscription on the plaque read:

BY AUTHORITY OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND, BY THE GRACE OF GOD OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND OF HER OTHER REALMS AND TERRITORIES, QUEEN, HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, ETC. ETC. ETC. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH HER MAJESTY'S INSTRUCTIONS DATED 14. 9. 55. A LANDING WAS EFFECTED ON THIS DAY UPON THE ISLAND OF ROCKALL FROM H.M.S. VIDAL. THE UNION FLAG WAS HOISTED AND POSSESSION OF THE ISLAND WAS TAKEN IN THE NAME OF HER MAJESTY. [Signed] R H Connell, CAPTAIN, H.M.S. VIDAL, 18 SEPTEMBER 1955

It was the final territorial expansion of the British empire.[46]

The initial incentive for the annexation was the test-firing of the UK's first guided nuclear weapon, the American-made Corporal missile. The missile was to be launched from South Uist and sent over the North Atlantic. The Ministry of Defence was concerned that the unclaimed island would provide an opportunity for the Soviet Union to spy on the test. Consequently, in April 1955 an order was issued to the Admiralty to seize the island and declare UK sovereignty, lest it become an outpost for foreign observers.

On 7 November 1955, J. Abrach Mackay, a member of the Clan Mackay, made a protest about the annexation; the 84-year-old local councillor declared: "My old father, God rest his soul, claimed that island for the Clan of Mackay in 1846 and I now demand that the Admiralty hand it back. It's no' theirs'." The British Government ignored the protests, which were soon forgotten.[19][47]

In 1971,[48] Captain T R Kirkpatrick RE led the landing party on a government expedition named "Operation Top Hat" that was mounted from RFA Engadine to establish that the rock was part of the United Kingdom and to prepare the islet for the installation of a light beacon. The landing party included Royal Engineers, Royal Marines and civilian members from the Institute of Geological Sciences in London. The party was landed by winch line from the Wessex 5 helicopters of the Royal Naval Air Services Commando Headquarters Squadron, commanded by Lt Cmdr Neil Foster RN. As well as collecting samples of the aegerine granite, rockallite, for later analysis in London, the top of the rock was blown off using a newly developed blasting technique, Precision Pre-Splitting. This created a level area that was drilled to take the anchorages for the light beacon that was installed the following year. Two phosphor bronze plates were chased into the wall above Hall's Ledge, each secured by four 80-tonne rock-anchor bolts; there was no evidence of the brass plate installed in 1955.

Establishing that the rock is part of the United Kingdom and its development as a light beacon facilitated the incorporation of the island into the District of Harris in the County of Inverness in the Island of Rockall Act 1972 and reinforced the UK Government's position with regard to seabed rights in the area.

In 1978,[49] eight members of the Dangerous Sports Club, including David Kirke, one of its founders, held a cocktail party on the island,[50] allegedly leaving with the plaque.[51]

Former SAS member and survival expert Tom McClean lived on the island from 26 May 1985 to 4 July 1985 to affirm the UK's claim to the islet.[52]

In 1997, the environmentalist organisation Greenpeace occupied the islet for a short time,[53] calling it Waveland, to protest against oil exploration. Greenpeace declared the island to be a "new Global State" (as a spoof micronation) and offered citizenship to anyone willing to take their pledge of allegiance. The British Government's response was to state that "Rockall is British territory. It is part of Scotland and anyone is free to go there and can stay as long as they please"[54] and otherwise ignore them. During his one night on Rockall, Greenpeace protester and Guardian journalist John Vidal unscrewed the 1955 plaque and re-fixed it back-to-front.[55]

In 2010, it was revealed that the plaque had gone missing. An Englishman, Andy Strangeway, announced his intention to land on the island and affix a replacement plaque in June 2010.[56] The Western Isles Council have approved planning permission for the plaque.[57] The 2010 expedition was cancelled, but Strangeway still intends to replace the plaque.[58]

In October 2011 a group of Amateur radio (HAM radio) operators from Belgium travelled by ship to Rockall. Several HAMs climbed up the rocks and set up a radio station for some hours. They stayed overnight on top of the island. Radio contacts to all over the world were made using HF frequencies under the call sign "MM0RAI/P".

In 2013 an occupation of the island by explorer Nick Hancock to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes was planned. The challenge was to land on Rockall and survive solo for 60 days.[59] On 31 May 2013, Hancock, and a TV crew from BBC's The One Show, sailed to the islet aboard Orca III, and he made his first unsuccessful attempt to land on the islet.[60][61] The weather conditions at the time "were not favourable" according to a Maritime and Coastguard Agency official. Subsequently, Hancock postponed his challenge until 2014.[62] On 5 June 2014 Hancock landed on Rockall to begin his 60-day survival.[63] Despite being forced to cut his 60-day goal short after losing supplies in a storm, Hancock did remain on the island for 45 days, beating McClean's occupancy record by five days.[64][65]

The "Round Rockall" sailing race, sponsored by Galway Bay Sailing Club, runs from Galway, Ireland, around Rockall and back. It was held in 2012 to coincide with the finish of the 201112 Volvo Ocean Race around the world.[66]

The 20152016 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race race 12 from New York to Derry was extended around Rockall despite previous promises to crew from Sir Robin Knox-Johnston that this would not happen again after the race to Danang.[67]

In 2017, the Safehaven Marine team led by Frank Kowalski set a world record for the Long Way Round Circumnavigation of Ireland via Rockall island. The Baracuda-style naval patrol, search and rescue vessel, Thunder Child, completed the route in 34 hours, 1 minute, and 47 seconds.[68] Set on an anti-clockwise direction, the new record the first of its kind is now subject to ratification by Irish Sailing and the Union Internationale Motonautique, the world governing board for all powerboat activity.

Potential Irish claims to Rockall are based on its proximity to the Irish mainland;[69] however, the country has never formally claimed sovereignty over the rock. Although Rockall is closer to the UK coast than to the Irish coast,[3][4] Ireland does not recognise the UK's territorial claim to Rockall, "which would be the basis for a claim to a 12-mile territorial sea".[8][70]

Ireland regards Rockall as irrelevant when determining the boundaries of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) as the rock is uninhabitable[2][71][72] and in signing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1997, the UK has agreed that "Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf".

In 1988, Ireland and the United Kingdom signed an EEZ boundary agreement, ignoring the rock per UNCLOS.[2] With effect from 31 March 2014, the UK and Ireland published EEZ limits which include Rockall within the UK's EEZ.[6][7]

In October 2012, the Irish Independent published a picture of the Irish Navy ship L Risn sailing past Rockall conducting routine maritime security patrols, and claimed that it was exercising Ireland's sovereign rights over the rock.[73]

The UK claims Rockall along with a 12-nautical-mile (22.2km; 13.8mi) territorial sea around the islet inside the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).[1] The UK also claims "a circle of UK sovereign airspace over the islet of Rockall".[1]

The UK claimed Rockall on 18 September 1955 when "Two Royal Marines and a civilian naturalist, led by Royal Navy officer Lieutenant Commander Desmond Scott, raised a Union flag on the islet and cemented a plaque into the rock".[74] Prior to this Rockall was legally terra nullius.[75] In 1972, the British Island of Rockall Act formally annexed Rockall to the United Kingdom.[75]

The UK considers the rock administratively part of the Isle of Harris and, under the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 a large sea area around it was declared to be under the jurisdiction of Scots law. A navigational beacon was installed on the island in 1982 and the UK declared that no ship would be allowed within a 50-mile (80km) radius of the rock.[76] However, in 1997, the UK ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), limiting territorial sea claims to a 12 nautical mile radius, and therefore allowing free passage in waters beyond this.

In 1988, the United Kingdom and Ireland signed an EEZ boundary agreement for which "the location of Rockall was irrelevant to the determination of the boundary".[2] In 1997, the UK ratified UNCLOS, which states that "Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf".

As the rock lies within the United Kingdom's EEZ, the UK has sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources of the area, including jurisdiction over the protection and preservation of the marine environment.[6][77]

In May 2017, declassified documents revealed that the 1955 decision to claim the rock as UK territory was motivated by worries that it could otherwise be used by "hostile agents" to spy on the future South Uist missile testing range.[78]

There have been various disasters on the neighbouring Hasselwood Rock and Helen's Reef (the latter was named in 1830).

Notes

Bibliography

Originally posted here:

Rockall - Wikipedia

Rockall is a very small, uninhabited island located around 300 miles (480 km) off the west coast of mainland Scotland. At just over 25 metres wide by17.15 metres high, the extinct volcano doesnt seem to have any outstanding features of particular interest but nothing could be further from the truth.

On 18 September 1955,a plaque was cemented on Halls Ledge, four metres (13ft) from the summit on the rock's western face, and the Union Flag was hoisted to stake the UKs claim. Since then it has been at the centre of a series of international arguments over which country it actually belongs to. Ireland, Iceland and Denmark (on behalf of the Faroes) have all staked their claims.

However,the Island of Rockall Act (1972)states:

"As from the date of the passing of this Act, the Island of Rockall (of which possession was formally taken in the name of Her Majesty on 18th September 1955 in pursuance of a Royal Warrant dated 14th September 1955 addressed to the Captain of Her Majesty's Ship Vidal) shall be incorporated into that part of the United Kingdom known as Scotland and shall form part of the District of Harris in the County of Inverness, and the law of Scotland shall apply accordingly."

The Act was amended by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973to transfer administrative control to the Western Isles Council when Inverness-shire was abolished.

In order to validate Rockall's right to be an island, and therefore to be a sovereign part of British territory, a former SAS soldier (Tom McClean) lived on the barren rock - which is only ever populated by seabirds - for40 days in 1985. This feat of endurance was broken in 1997, when Greenpeace activists landed on the island to protest about potential oil exploration in the region andhas since been broken again by Nick Hancock,who occupied the rock for 45 days in June/July 2014.

During the1980s, the Department for Agriculture andFisheries (DAFS) requested thatwhen a Fishery Protection vessel was at Rockall,landings were attempted to remove any plaques from other nations laying claims to Rockall. This was later stopped. The photograph above shows a crew member from the FPV Vigilantremoving a plaque.

Attempts to conduct scientifics surveys of the region have often been started, but had to be abandoneddue to the ferocious weather typical of the area. In September 2011, however,Marine Scotland scientiststook the chance to collect data on Scotlands most remote marine ecosystem. These results have proved to be incredibly significant and of great importance to understanding Scotlands seas.

Go here to read the rest:

Rockall - gov.scot

Located 300 kilometers from St Kilda, Scotland, the tiny uninhabited islet of Rockall is 29 meters high and measures just 31 by 25 meters. But despite its remoteness and inaccessibility, it is officially claimed by four European nations. The United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands), and Iceland all claim the rock because of the large amounts of oil and natural gas believed to be buried in the continental shelf, which could be worth as much as $160 billion U.S. dollars.

Rockall was first noted in written records at the end of the 15th century, but it was not landed on until September 8, 1811, when Basil Hall of HMS Endymion led a small landing party to the summit. There were fatal accidents on nearby rocks in 1824 and over 600 people lost their lives in 1904 when the steamer SS Norge ran aground on a neighboring reef.

The rock was then largely forgotten until September 18, 1955, when it became the last territorial expansion of the British Empire. A Royal Navy helicopter lowered three men onto the islet, where the Union Flag was raised and a plaque attached to the rock. At the time, the British government was performing weapons testing and was worried that the Soviet Union would use the unclaimed rock to place surveillance equipment. On February 10, 1972, Rockall officially became administratively part of the Scottish Isle of Harris.

Survival expert Tom McClean lived on the island from May 16, 1985, to July 4, 1985 in order to bolster the United Kingdoms claim to the rock. In 1997, Greenpeace activists seized the rock to protest against oil exploration. They renamed it Waveland and over 15,000 passports were issued by the fledgling nation. However, by 1999, lack of funds forced them to leave. Since then, negotiations between Denmark, Iceland, Ireland. and the United Kingdom have continued and a deal is expected in the next few years. For a tiny rock once known as the loneliest islet in all the worlds seas, it has seen more than its fair share of activity.

Original post:

Rockall Rockall, Scotland - Atlas Obscura

COLLATE

To stay competitive in a global market, banks need an accurate, up-to-date picture of banking book collateral. But a complex maze of disparate credit systems and inaccurate reporting makes it hard to see the whole picture. COLLATE is the only platform that puts a golden view of your banking book collateral at your fingertips. See how you can turn data complexity into collateral confidence - and grow your bottom line.

TELL ME MORE

FASTNET

Securities-based lending is a valuable source of revenue for wealth managers. But with growing demand and potential market volatility without robust risk management, SBL can carry unique risks. FASTNET is built to help you manage the realities of growing your businesssupporting every phase of the SBL process. From collateral evaluation and proposal generation to credit risk monitoring and distribution, take full control with daily pricing and ratings feeds that deliver accurate portfolio valuations and power growth with full credit risk control.

TELL ME MORE

See original here:

Rockall, a Broadridge Business | Broadridge

Even during the lockdown, Kangana Ranaut is busy justifying her fashionista tag. The actress is currently enjoying her much-needed break in Manali with her family but professional commitments have never taken a back seat for her, have they? Kangana was among the Bollywood attendees who attended the virtual inauguration of India pavilion at Cannes 2020. The occasion was big enough and Ranaut ensured her outfit was in sync with the event.Yo or Hell No? Katrina Kaifs Very Own Pride Moment and Her Attempt to Rock All Colourful Look.

Kangana picked a chich white pantsuit for the event and we are super impressed with her choice. It was formal enough for an occasion and charming enough to match her taste. The Queen actress has always believed in taking the fashion world by storm and her many appearances in the past are a testament of the same. From simple cotton sarees to daring silhouettes and bold designs, she loves experimenting when it comes to her fashion wardrobe.Yo or Hell No? Nushrat Bharucha in Rudraksh Dwivedi Pink Dress View Pics.

Kangana Ranaut (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Kangana further paired her formal outfit with matching pumps, her statement curls, no jewellery and minimal makeup. She allowed her outfit to do all the talking and it did work in this case. We are certainly digging her new outing, what about you?

Do you think her #ootd deserves any attention or is too plain and boring for your taste? Let us know by casting your precious vote below.

(The above story first appeared on Report Door on Jun 23, 2020 12:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website reportdoor.com).

Excerpt from:

Yo or Hell No? Kangana Ranaut's White Pantsuit for Virtual Inauguration of India Pavilion at Cannes 2020 - Report Door

Like many of the grunge musicians he went on to inspire, Neil Young has a conflicted relationship with his own success. Heart of Gold put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore, so I headed for the ditch, he wrote in the liner notes to 1977s greatest-hits album, Decade. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there. The three albums Young released after Heart Of Gold contain some of the darkest and most visceral songs he ever laid to tape, but the 80s were a rough ride for entirely different reasons, when Young released a string of experimental albums for Geffen Records.

In 1982, Young left his longtime label, Reprise, to join his friend David Geffens new, eponymous imprint. The five albums he released for Geffen are easily the most experimental in his discography, with Young swerving from one musical lane to the next. Yet theres a lot to appreciate across these records, and their best moments serve as a reminder that while Young could be unpredictable in the studio, he was never uninspired.

Listen to the best of Neil Youngs Geffen Albums on Spotify and Apple Music.

You could write a short book unpacking Trans backstory, but, in brief: Youngs son Ben was born with cerebral palsy, which left him unable to speak (among other things) and required him to spend nearly two years in therapy. Intrigued by the idea that his son could learn to communicate through technology and inspired by bands like Devo and Kraftwerk Young threw himself into a synthetic new sound, laying Synclavier overdubs on top of rock instrumentation and singing through a vocoder to symbolise his attempts to communicate with his son. The result is an album that sounds at once glossy and corroded, like a clear topcoat applied to a machine that has already rusted through.

Initially seen as a misstep at the time of its release, on 29 December 1982, Trans has aged beautifully so much so that it no longer makes sense to call it an underrated gem. Its more raucous cuts, like We R In Control and Computer Cowboy (AKA Syscrusher), offer the same satisfying crunch as any Crazy Horse jam, while another song, Sample And Hold, splits the difference between Crazy Horse and Daft Punk. Even through a vocoder, Youngs plaintive tenor loses none of its emotive power, expressing the yearning at the heart of Transformer Man and Mr Soul.

On the whole, Trans is an album about how technology was going to change and has changed the world we live in. But its Little Thing Called Love and Hold Onto Your Love, two of three holdovers from a scrapped project named Island In The Sun, that go back to Youngs therapy sessions with his son, as well as a theme hes been writing about for his entire career: the power of love above all else.Must hear: Transformer Man

While listeners and critics scratched their heads in response to Trans, the higher-ups at Geffen wrung their hands. In an attempt to get their musical maverick back on track, they stipulated that Youngs next release be a rocknroll album. The album they got, Everybodys Rockin, was in fact a rockabilly album, complete with the rich reverb and backing vocals that characterised the genre in the 50s, and was cut in a little over a month with a group of players Young christened The Shocking Pinks.

Taken on its own terms, Everybodys Rockin is a fun blast from the past. Young faithfully recreates the rockabilly sound, and songs like the title track and Kinda Fonda Wanda would sound right at home on a jukebox. He and The Shocking Pinks also try their hand at a few covers most notably Junior Parkers Mystery Train, a song made famous by the original king of rocknroll, Elvis Presley.Must hear: Everybodys Rockin

Young had a version of Old Ways ready to go in 1983 but was forced to put it on hold in favour of his rocknroll album. He returned to the studio to make some adjustments to the record, adding some new songs and bringing in country music legends Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to sing along, before finally releasing the album on 12 August 1985.

While Young had recorded several albums in a country-rock style before (Harvest, Comes A Time, Hawks & Doves), Old Ways was (and remains) his furthest foray into pure country music and he didnt do it halfway, embellishing these songs with fiddles and even a Jews harp (the bouncy instrument you hear on Get Back To The Country.

As with Everybodys Rockin, the most compelling reason to listen to Old Ways is to hear Young throw himself headlong into a genre he isnt known for. There are a few moments where he wanders a bit too far into melodramatic, string-laden territory, but then there are also some truly lovely moments, like Are There Any More Real Cowboys?, an ode to country families and the working men who support them (Not the one/Thats snorting cocaine/When the honky-tonks all closed/But the one/That prays for more rain), and Bound For Glory, in which two lonely travellers find love on the road. Lets put it this way: if youve got a friend who loves country music and has never heard Neil Young, this wouldnt be a bad introduction.Must hear: Are There Any More Real Cowboys?

Its hard to say what exactly Young was trying to accomplish with Landing On Water, which came out less than a year after Old Ways, on 21 July 1986. On one hand, its the most rock-oriented album that he released on Geffen, rocking even harder than his 1987 reunion with Crazy Horse, Life. But on the other hand, it sometimes feels more robotic and compressed than Trans.

That said, Landing On Water has its highlights. Hippie Dream is a bitter swipe at you guessed it hippie idealism, reserving some of Youngs sharpest barbs for former CSNY bandmate David Crosby (Another flower child/Goes to seed). Touch The Night is an anthemic, crushing number that ends with a guitar solo so thrilling that even the production does little to dampen it. And on Pressure, Young hits the same cold, brittle grooves that Joy Division and Gang Of Four used to build post-punk. It would be fascinating to hear a modern rock band try to bring Landing On Waters retro-futuristic sound into the present.Must hear: Touch The Night

Young had little to do with his trusty backing band, Crazy Horse, in the 80s. They appeared on some parts of Trans, while many of the songs that would appear on Landing On Water were first attempted, unsuccessfully, with the group in 1984. In late 1986, Young brought the Horse on tour again, during which they performed several new songs live. Those songs would form the bulk of Life, released on 6 July 1987 as Youngs final album for Geffen, and his first with Crazy Horse since 1979s Rust Never Sleeps.

After four albums of genre experiments, Life marked Youngs return to no-nonsense rock. All but two songs were recorded in an amphitheatre, and it sounds like it. The material is stronger, too, starting with Mideast Vacation and Long Walk Home, two sobering tracks that address Americas hawkish approach to foreign policy as well as its human cost.

Life has some majestic slow-burners, such as Inca Queen and When Your Lonely Heart Breaks, and some fierce barnburners like Around The World and the pointed Prisoners Of RocknRoll, all of which transcend their 80s production and stand as some of the best songs Young wrote that decade. Its hard to say if anyone in the audience might recognise these songs if Young were to perform them live today, but it would be thrilling to see him dust them off.Must hear: Around The World

Young returned to Reprise in late 1987, but he wasnt quite finished with genre-hopping experimentation. In 1988, he released This Notes For You, in which he put together a new band, The Bluenotes (complete with a horn section), and tried his hand at blues-rock. He wasnt finished with being an anti-commercial crank, either. That albums title track is a vicious takedown of corporate-friendly artists who are all too happy to sign their songs over to advertisers. The songs music video featured a Michael Jackson lookalike with burning hair, which drove Jackson to threaten legal action.

While it would be difficult to argue that Neil Youngs Geffen years saw him at his artistic peak, one can be certain that he was making exactly the kind of music he wanted to. When the label sued him for making music that was uncharacteristic of [his] previous recordings, they had lost sight of what made him a rock legend: his refusal to rest on his artistic laurels, and his willingness to chase his muse down every road it leads him. No doubt Young would have made it easier on himself if hed been willing to pursue a more commercially viable path in the interest of selling more records, but he wouldnt be Neil Young if he did.

Read more from the original source:

The Geffen Years: How Neil Young Followed His Muse In The 80s - uDiscover Music

You dont know what youve got till its gone. Since live music in the UK entered suspended animation on 16 March, even the most mundane aspects of gig-going have acquired an exotic tang. While revisiting the concert movies below, I found myself gazing longingly at arena corridors, stadium loading bays and festival burger vans, let alone musicians and crowds. I get giddy at the thought of watching a mediocre band play an early afternoon slot on the third stage of a minor festival. The noise, the spectacle, the people, the ritual of it. Spirit me to a performance by someone I genuinely love and I might faint.

This is live musics lost summer: a packed calendar wiped clean in one swoop. The festival season is a black hole. Shows that were optimistically shunted back to autumn have now been kicked into 2021. The concert industry is worth more than $30bn a year, so its temporary disappearance is economically devastating for musicians and worse still for road crews, stage designers, caterers, venue staff and so on. For punters the loss is more intangible: an absence of joyful new memories; the phantom sense of what might have been. Every week my Google calendar tells me about another great night out that I should be having. Next weekend was meant to be Glastonbury. So much for that.

In this unprecedented drought, concert movies become precious escapism. Many are aimed at the fanbase and add nothing to the form, but the ones Ive chosen tell stories about historic events, or Herculean achievements, or bittersweet swansongs, or the white heat of fandom that will hold your attention even if you can take or leave the music. They reveal what it takes to put on a memorable show and how it can become more than just a show. These documentaries have never been as transporting as they are now. For the first time ever, they are the only access to live music that we have.

Directed by DA Pennebaker, 1968

Id say we wouldnt be talking about Monterey today without the movie, said festival promoter Lou Adler on its 50th anniversary. In 1967, Adler and John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas staged the first rock festival, with the goal of giving rocknroll the same artistic status as jazz and folk, and hired Pennebaker, hot from his Dylan documentary Dont Look Back, to film it. Pennebaker allowed his crew to film whatever they liked, however they liked, and collaged their different perspectives, during a marathon, sleep-deprived editing session, into a kaleidoscopic narrative that became the perfect advertisement for the concept of the rock festival and an inspiration to the organisers of Woodstock. Its especially moving because its standout performers were all gone within four years. Janis Joplin holding Mama Cass spellbound; Otis Redding vibrating with charisma; Jimi Hendrix humping his amp with such gusto that ABC television dropped the movie like a hot rock all memorialised in their glorious prime.

Watch it on: Criterion DVD (UK), HBO Max (US)

Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, 1970

When the Maysles brothers began covering the Rolling Stones 1969 US tour, neither they nor the band had any inkling that the final show, at Californias Altamont Speedway, would become the anti-Woodstock, rivalling the Manson murders as the symbolic terminus of the 1960s. The irony of Mick Jagger telling a press conference that Altamont would set an example to the rest of America as to how one can behave in large gatherings is unbearable.

It was Zwerin who suggested filming the Stones in the edit suite so that they became viewers as well as participants. We see Jagger strutting like a camp superhero at Madison Square Garden; Jagger pleading Dont lets fuck it up as the Hells Angels go rogue during a ragged Sympathy for the Devil; then Jagger, like a weary detective, numbly asking one of the Maysles to rewind the part of the tape where a young black man, Meredith Hunter, loses his life and a rock concert becomes a crime scene.

In later concert movies such as Hal Ashbys Lets Spend the Night Together and Martin Scorseses Shine a Light, the Stones appear untouchable. Here they are hubristic young men who have unleashed dark forces that they cannot comprehend. This is one concert that you wont long to have attended.

Watch it on: YouTube

Mel Stuart, 1973

Every summer following the 1965 Watts uprising in Los Angeles, residents held a festival to remember the 34 dead and celebrate the rebuilding of the community, but the seventh year was on another level thanks to Memphis record label Stax. Timed to coincide with Isaac Hayess 30th birthday, Wattstax was great promotion for Stax but it was also genuinely philanthropic, with the label underwriting most of the expenses and the $1 ticket price. They even arranged with the LAPD to have only unarmed black officers on duty at the LA Coliseum, and asked Jesse Jackson to bookend the six-hour event with rousing speeches, since sampled by Public Enemy and Primal Scream.

The movies white director, Mel Stuart, underlines the events cultural importance, jugglingterrific performances by the likes of Rufus Thomas (hilarious) and the Bar-Kays (eye-popping), the manic comedic riffing of Richard Pryor and barbershop conversations about aspects of black life, from racism to relationships. Headliner Hayes, the self-proclaimed black Moses, looks like a king but Stuart keeps cutting away to scenes of street life, as if to say that the movies real star is the city of Watts. The film closes with Jackson leading 112,000 people in a simple declaration of human dignity: I am somebody!

Watch it on: YouTube

Martin Scorsese, 1978

Theres a decadent air to The Last Waltz. The Band invited so many stars to join their seven-hour farewell concert at San Franciscos Winterland in November 1976 that Scorseses film ended up depicting a generation of rock royalty Bob, Joni, Neil, Eric, Van on the verge of being dethroned by punk. Inevitably, it fizzes with cocaine. A conspicuous white crumb was removed from Neil Youngs nose in post-production but his gurning during the climactic group singalong speaks for itself, while Van Morrisons crazed, high-kicking energy cannot be attributed to adrenaline alone.

The interviews, shot several months later, strike a dissonant note, too. None of the Band seem keen to talk except the mesmerising, insufferable Robbie Robertson, who sometimes seems like an actor playing the part of Robbie Robertson. It was the guitarist, who later became Scorseses music supervisor, who unilaterally pulled the plug on the groups touring career (its a goddam impossible way of life) and used the movie as a bridge to Hollywood. Yet for all the weird vibes, The Last Waltz looks and sounds extraordinary. Scorsese deployed rigorous storyboarding, 35mm film and seven cameramen, including the cinematographers behind Easy Rider, Deliverance and his own Taxi Driver, to give a fraught and patchy concert the golden glow of myth.

Watch it on: Amazon on demand

Jonathan Demme, 1984

The best concert movie ever made? Not according to Demme. This isnt a concert film, he said at the time. Its a performance film. The director wanted the film itself to be an experience rather than the record of an event that happened once. Hence no special effects, no fancy lighting, muted applause and minimal audience shots. This radical approach chimed with frontman David Byrnes ambition to wrap up Talking Headss live career with a meticulously choreographed, ever-changing spectacle, although he neglected to inform his bandmates that this would be the end.

Demme shot three shows at Hollywoods Pantages theatre and, with editor Lisa Day, finessed the footage into one seamless performance. In 2020, the narrative arc from solitude to community becomes a poignant metaphor for the return of live music: a socially distanced Byrne begins by singing Psycho Killer alone before other members of the nine-strong touring band gradually turn the stage into a carnival. Behind the scenes, Byrnes emotionally chilly perfectionism drove his bandmates to distraction but on stage, and on screen, this is ecstasy.

Watch it on: BFI Player and on demand

DA Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus and David Dawkins, 1989

Twenty years after Monterey Pop, Pennebaker made his masterpiece about musicians and the people who love them. Depeche Mode 101 is effectively two parallel road movies. One follows band and crew en route to their first stadium show, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and documents the peculiar mixture of strain, boredom and elation that characterises the final stretch of a long tour. Singer Dave Gahan, on the cusp of stardom, wonders if he was happier stacking shelves in Essex.

Simultaneously, the coast-to-coast bus journey of eight likable, telegenic fans becomes a love letter to fandom. When they all reach the Rose Bowl, we appreciate the concert from both perspectives, converging in the moment when Gahan crouches low, holds out his microphone, and invites the crowd to sing the final refrain of Everything Counts over and over again. This movie established Depeche Mode as a credible global stadium band, while the relationships between the bus kids inspired MTV to launch pioneering reality-TV show The Real World. Pennebaker, meanwhile, considered the film a career highlight. At the end, everybody waving back at David was such an extraordinary thing to film, he said shortly before his death last year. Ive never got over it.

Watch it on: YouTube

Adam Smith, 2012

However much they invest in innovative stage design, most artists still want to be the centre of attention, but Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons became one of the worlds best live acts by deciding that they were quite happy to be eclipsed by Adam Smiths visuals. His film of their headlining set at 2011s Fuji rock festival is a rhythmically edited 85-minute trip through mind-frazzling psychedelic imagery (clowns, robots, dancers made of light), punctuated by the faces of crowd members in various states of abandon. Towards the end, one wide-eyed fan wanders away from the melee, evoking the festival experience so viscerally that you can practically smell the distinctive aroma of wet grass, hot food and cigarette smoke. Small wonder than when it was released in cinemas in Dolby 7.1 surround sound, it had audiences dancing in the aisles.

Watch it on: EMI DVD

Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, 2012

When you start a band do you imagine how it will end? journalist Chuck Klosterman asks LCD Soundsystems James Murphy in this documentary about Murphys premature retirement from music. Cutting between the bands farewell performance at Madison Square Garden, the Klosterman interview and the melancholy morning after, Southern and Lovelaces film is coloured by Murphys melancholy ambivalence about his decision to go out on a high at the age of 41. He admits that stopping might actually be his biggest failure.

The fly-on-the-wall scenes evoke the uncertainties of middle age and the ceaseless reinventions of New York City while the concert footage is thrillingly kinetic. Seeing the ecstatic faces of the crowd and band members, you wonder why anyone would want to give this up. The last shot captures one weeping fan, frozen in place as the lights go up and the venue empties, unable to say goodbye. Murphys U-turn in 2016 showed that, in the end, he couldnt either.

Watch it on: Apple on demand

Alan Elliott and Sydney Pollack, 2018

By far the most intimate performance on this list took place over two days in January 1972, at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Five years into her reign as the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin wanted to prove that she had not forgotten her gospel roots and put together a hybrid show that functioned as a musical memoir: an R&B band playing with a community choir; hymns from her childhood mixed with recent hits by Carole King and Marvin Gaye; her preacher father in the front row and two Rolling Stones at the back. Pollack caught every detail, from the beads of sweat on Franklins brow to the Reverend James Clevelands tears of emotion.

Unfortunately, a technical blunder meant that the music couldnt be synchronised with the images and the film gathered dust even as the audio recording went double platinum. Even when Alan Elliott bought the rights in 2007 and used digital technology to reconcile sound and vision, Franklin blocked its release. Only after her death in 2018 did her estate give the film its blessing and enable Aretha, finally, to take viewers to church.

Watch it on: Amazon Prime

Beyonc, 2019

I wanted us to be proud of not only the show but the process, says Beyonc in this blockbuster account of her two nights headlining the Coachella festival in 2018. As director, writer, producer and star, she is in full command of Homecomings narrative. The concert footage and the supposedly candid rehearsal clips are designed to tell the same two stories about excellence and endurance.

One is Beyoncs arduous return to the stage after giving birth to twins. It takes a village, she says as she marshals hundreds of people across three sound stages during four months of rehearsals. While most big-budget concerts depend on screens and structures, the stage design here consists of people: more than 200 dancers and musicians, including Jay-Z, who appears endearingly awestruck by his wifes achievement. The second narrative, which elevates Homecoming above self-hagiography, is the pride and struggle of black women: lines from Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde and Nina Simone place the shows in the tradition of unapologetically black art. The charge on you, says the late Maya Angelou, is to make this country more than it is today.

Watch it on: Netflix

The rest is here:

From the Band to Beyonc: concert films to fill the live music black hole - The Guardian

NISKAYUNA --The Niskayuna Town Board held a special meeting Wednesday evening held mostly behind closed doors, a day after Town Comptroller Paul Sebesta was suspended over allegations he wore blackface in a photo two years ago.

Sebesta has not been officially identified by town officials, but a group called Progressive Schenectady named him in bringing concerns about the phototo the attention of town leadership earlier this week, and town officials have responded to the group.

Sebesta, a 32-year town employee who earned nearly $130,000 last year and one of its top administrators,has been suspended, and an independent investigation launched, town officials said. Sebestais also the town's director of human resources.

TownSupervisor Yasmine Syed announced the suspension in a press release issued late Tuesday night, and the Town Board followed up with an executive session on personnel issues Wednesday evening.

According to Syed's release, the Town Board received the report Monday that alleged "a Facebook post of an appointed official showed the employee in blackface." The Facebook post has since been taken down, but Progressive Schenectady said there are screenshots of it.

"Wearing blackface has long been seen as a demeaning reinforcement of stereotypes, and this behavior by, not just a town official, but by the director of human resources is unconscionable and needs to be addressed," Progressive Schenectady wrote in a notification to the town.

"In any context, the use of blackface is offensive and unacceptable," Syed responded to the group in an email. "A profoundly offensive image, such as the one you have described, is not in line with the workplace culture that I have strived to form at Town Hall: one of dignity, respect for all, and human decency. I do not, in any way, condone the use of blackface, whether intentional or unintentional, or any behavior that degrades members of our community."

"One cannot separate blackface from its history of oppression," Town Board member Rosemary Jaquith Perez wrote to the group. "It is an ignorant and degrading practice which prolongs its racist legacy. It cannot be tolerated."

Board member Bill McPartlon also responded, saying the town must have a "zero tolerance for racism."

"I do not condone or accept abhorrent acts that demean or harm others based on race, sex, ability, or who they love," board member Denise Murphy McGraw said on Wednesday. "This applies first and foremost to those of us who have the honor of working for the taxpayers of Niskayuna everyday."

Sebesta could not be reached for comment.

On Monday afternoon, the board called an emergency executive sessionanddirected an investigation be done by outside legal counsel. "In accordance with Section 406 of the Town's Employee Handbook, the town has suspended the employee pending the outcome of the investigation, given the gravity of the allegations and in light of the employee's position of authority within the town," the town's press releasesaid.

"In any context, the use of blackface has racist connotations and is offensive and unacceptable," the release continued. "Equality and inclusivity are the standard for our community and our town offices and employees."

The board will take appropriate action once the outside investigation is complete, Syed said.

"We are grateful to the members of our community who provided this report and encourage anyone who sees racism or discrimination to say something so we can address it," the release concluded.

"We're happy specifically with Supervisor Syed's response," said Lynell Englemyer, a member of Progressive Schenectady. "That fact that she has launched an independent investigation ... I think is a good start."

The group will keep tabs on the town's response, she said.

The controversy comes just over a week after protesters held a Black Lives Matter rally outside Niskayuna Town Hall, one of countless protests both locally and nationally against racism. The protests around the country camein response tothe death of George Floyd, anunarmed black man who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Reach staff writer Stephen Williams at 518-395-3086, [emailprotected] or @gazettesteve on Twitter.

Originally posted here:

Niskayuna comptroller suspended after blackface accusation - The Daily Gazette