title: John Mills-Cockell

texts:
<mask> (born 19 May 1943) is a Canadian composer and multi-instrumentalist, perhaps best known for his ground-breaking work with progressive / avant garde Canadian groups Intersystems and Syrinx, and for his numerous works for radio, television, film, ballet, and stage. Mills-Cockell was one of the earliest adopters of the Moog synthesizer, and is generally regarded as a pioneer in the field of electronic music. Early life

Mills-Cockell was born in Toronto, Ontario. His mother passed away when he was six months old. His father, whose work often required him to spend extended time overseas, found it necessary to place Mills-Cockell in an orphanage for a time shortly thereafter. Eventually, Mills-Cockell’s father remarried and the family was reunited. Mills-Cockell has two younger brothers.Mills-Cockell was introduced to music at the age of 5, when his father, a devoted amateur musician and choir singer, encouraged him to join a church choir. At the age of fifteen, he heard his first piece of electronic music and found himself "hooked." Formal musical education

Mills-Cockell studied music at the University of Toronto from 1963 to 1967. He studied piano under <mask>, and composition under Dr. Samuel Dolin, at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto from 1964 to 1968, where he also taught electronic music. He undertook graduate studies under Gustav Ciamaga at the University of Toronto’s Electronic Music Studio in 1967 and 1968. Intersystems

In Toronto in the fall of 1967, Mills-Cockell joined forces with light sculptor Michael Hayden, poet Blake Parker, and architect Dik Zander to form Intersystems, an arts collective and multimedia performance group. Intersystems’ multimedia presentations were a classification-defying juxtaposition of Mills-Cockell’s music, Hayden’s light shows, Parker’s spoken-word poetry readings, with Zander’s engineering skills underlying the construction of the presentations.Intersystems performed extensively in Canada and the US, including in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, New York City, Pittsburgh, and, at the invitation of Buckminster Fuller, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Intersystems released three LP recordings:  Number One Intersystems (1967), Peachy (1968), and Free Psychedelic Poster Inside (1968). These original releases have become collector's items and are exceedingly difficult to find. In late 2015, all three Intersystems albums were remastered and reissued, together with a 132-page bound booklet containing photos, essays, and reproductions of vintage press coverage, on Italian label Alga Marghen, to widespread acclaim. The band made a surprise comeback in March of 2021, with the announcement of their 4th album, titled #4. The album is set to release on April 31st of the same year. Syrinx

After the dissolution of Intersystems in 1968, Mills-Cockell continued to compose, working with a number of other established musicians, including Anne Murray, Bruce Cockburn, and Murray McLauchlan.His next major visible milestone came in 1970, when, together with percussionist Alan Wells and saxophonist Doug Pringle, Mills-Cockell formed Syrinx, a progressive music trio whose body of work incorporated elements of electronica, classical and world music, and psychedelic rock. Syrinx played the Toronto coffee-house circuit. After a time, Canadian music executive and talent manager Bernie Finkelstein signed the trio to his newly created True North Records. 1970:  First Album and Growing Notice

Syrinx released its first (eponymous) album in 1970. The album garnered an enthusiastic response from critics, and in its wake, the group found itself newly in demand from a variety of quarters. Syrinx opened for jazz legend Miles Davis on his Bitches Brew tour, and played bills with Ravi Shankar. In addition, the first release attracted the attention of executives from CTV, which commissioned a theme song for its forward-looking television series Here Come the Seventies.This commission resulted in Mills-Cockell composing Tillicum, which was later released as a single and was included on Syrinx’s second album. The first album also resulted in a 1971 commission, from the respected Toronto Repertory Orchestra, of Stringspace, which Mills-Cockell composed for Syrinx, the TRO, and additional percussion. Stringspace is a 26-minute composition in four movements:  December Angel, Syren, Ibisitx, and Field Hymn (Epilogue). Stringspace was performed live by Syrinx and the TRO, conducted by Milton Barnes, and broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s program Music to See in 1971. 1971: Long Lost Relatives

Riding the wave of notice and critical approval that arose from their first album, Syrinx returned to the studio in late 1970 to record a second album. However, after weeks of recording, a fire destroyed the studio, the group’s instruments - including Mills-Cockell’s Moog Mark II - and the master tapes of the recordings for their new album. Undeterred, and with fundraising support from the Toronto musical community, the group purchased new instruments and pressed on to record the album.Long Lost Relatives was issued in 1971 on Finkelstein’s True North label. The album included Mills-Cockell’s Tillicum and the four Stringspace pieces (which, owing to the space restrictions of the LP medium, spanned both sides of the LP), rounded out by  three additional Mills-Cockell compositions:  Tumblers to the Vault, Better Deaf and Dumb from the First, and Aurora Spinray. Tillicum was also released as a single, and peaked at #38 on the Canadian charts in 1971. The group disbanded in 1972 as Mills-Cockell, Wells, and Pringle went on to pursue other projects. 2016: Tumblers from the Vault (1970 - 1972)

On 24 August 2016, RVNG Intl. announced the release of Tumblers from the Vault, a remastered collection including Syrinx's entire released repertoire, together with some previously-unreleased tracks, including the audio recording of the CBC Music to See performance of Stringspace. Tumblers from the Vault has been released on 14 October 2016.Solo Albums and Collaborations

In the years following the 1972 break-up of Syrinx, Mills-Cockell released a number of solo efforts, including Heartbeat (True North, 1973), A Third Testament (True North, 1974), Gateway (Anubis, 1977), and Do Your Hear the Rushing River? (1995). He also released a cassette of Stella in Black and White, a collaboration with poet Blake Parker, in 1994. In 2004, Mills-Cockell released on CD his seven-movement Concerto of Deliverance, an "extended tone poem with words," with libretto by Blake Parker. Theatre and Dance

Mills-Cockell has been active throughout his career in musicals, and has composed over 100 scores for plays in theatres across Canada. Many of his works not specifically created for dance have been adapted by dance troupes, including Belong, by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ariel Ribbon, by the Anna Wyman Dance Theatre, and Jouney Tree and Chant for Your Dragon King by the National Ballet of Canada. He is currently working on bringing Savitri and Sam, a full-length opera he composed, with libretto by Ken Gass, to the stage.He is also working on his latest opera, Kid Catastrophe, with librettist France Ducasse. Film, Television and Radio

Mills-Cockell has composed scores for such feature films as The Clown Murders (1976), Deadly Harvest (1977), Terror Train (1980), Humongous (1982), and Striker's Mountain (1985). He has also been active as a composer for short film and television, and has created original scores for such productions as Packing Up, Reverse, The Italians, Stationary Ark, and The Little Vampire. He has scored dozens of radio productions for the CBC. Association with Robert Moog

During his tenure with Intersystems, Mills-Cockell was one of the first artists to adopt the Moog Modular synthesizer as a performance musical instrument, meeting several times with Robert Moog before finally purchasing an early model. He describes first learning of the instrument:

Mills-Cockell made several trips to Trumansburg to meet with Dr. Moog, and ultimately purchased a Moog Mark II synthesizer, which he proceeded to employ in Intersystems’ performances:

The Moog Mark II was destroyed in the same fire that consumed Syrinx’s master tapes for Long Lost Relatives. Mills-Cockell soldiered on, replacing the Moog with an ARP 2500 in late 1971.Awards

Mills-Cockell’s work has been the subject of numerous awards and grants. In 1966, his Fragments for Orchestra, Study for Bassoon, Prepared Piano and Magnetic Tape won a BMI Student Composers’ Award. Since 1968, he has received numerous grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. His score for Half a Lifetime, a 1 hour drama directed by Daniel Petry for Astral Films & HBO  was nominated for best musical score in the American Cable Awards. His 1978 score for The Newcomers:  The Italians received the CFTA award for Best Musical Score. In 1981, his score for Terror Train received a Genie Award nomination for Best Music Score. In 1989, he was awarded the ProCan award for "Outstanding Contribution to Music for Film".Personal life

Mills-Cockell lives on Vancouver Island with his partner, Jean. He remains active in musical composition. References

External links
<mask>-Cockell's website

 Entry at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca

1943 births
Living people
Canadian male composers
Musicians from Toronto
The Royal Conservatory of Music alumni
University of Toronto alumni
20th-century Canadian composers
21st-century Canadian composers

masks:
John Mills Coll
John Coveart
John Mills


title: Pamban Swamigal

type: original

texts:
<mask> (Tamil: பாம்பன் குமரகுருதாச சுவாமிகள்), popularly known as <mask>, was a Saivite saint and poet. He was a devotee of the Tamil god Murugan and composed and wrote poems in his praise. His samadhi is located at Tiruvanmiyur, Chennai. Early life and education
<mask> was born sometime between 1848 and 1850 to a Saivite family in the town of Rameswaram. The town was part of Ramnad district, currently known as Ramanathapuram district. He was named Appāvu but later became known as <mask> as he had lived and left his family at Pamban Island. A psychic predicted that Appāvu would be great man of words and wisdom.In his school days, Appāvu was very good in his studies and other activities and ranked high in Tamil and English. At the age of thirteen, on a Friday at sunrise Appāvu had a vision and was induced to write poems on Lord Kumāraguru, which he wrote immediately on a palm leaf in a facile pen in his coconut estate. He wrote one poem each day before his lunch for 100 days, ending each decad with his manasika guru's name Arunagiri Nāthar. His experiences with Lord Muruga
Since Pāmban Swāmi was interested in the holy life from the early days, his parents were keen to get him married soon in the year 1878. His wife's name was Kalimuthami; they had one son and two daughters. Even after marriage <mask> Swami lived like a saint, mostly doing poojais and prayers. After his father's death Pāmban Swāmi took over the family business.He won many legal cases related to his business by the grace of Lord Murugan. One night Pāmban Swāmi's daughter was crying due to illness. Her mother requested Pamban Samy to give vibhuti to the crying child but Pāmban Samy refused to do so and informed his wife to pray to Lord Murugan for help and started his meditation to Lord Murugan. She did as she was told by Pāmban Sami. After sometime Pamban Sami saw the child was not crying and found her fast asleep. When Pāmban Sāmi asked the mother about the change she replied that after her prayer to Lord Murugan, a saintly figure came inside the house and applied vibhuti on the child and went away. From that moment on the child was cured.He felt that Lord Murugan himself came and helped him at their request. Palani Incident
One day a friend of Pamban Swami informed him that he was going to Palani, the sacred hill temple. Pamban Swami also wanted to go to Palani and left his family life without informing them. When his friend asked if he had permission from his god, Pamban Swami said 'Yes' and lied to his friend. On the same day Lord Palani Murugan appeared before him with a frowning face and said Did I asked you to come there? " If I want your presence at the hill I could have done it easily. There is no reason for you to lie.I will call you when the time comes. You may remain there without any attachments." Then He asked Pamban Swami to promise that he would not go to Palani without His permission. To keep his word Pamban Swami never went to Palani till his last days. Pamban Swami also gave up the taste of lime, salt, and hot spices. He used to take plain rice with green dal and ghee. He used to take food only once a day before noon; if he missed the time he would take food the next day only.Making of Shanmuga Kavacham
In 1891 <mask> Swami wrote Shanmuga Kavacham, a powerful hymn of 30 verses composed for the benefit of Lord Murugan's devotees to protect them from illness of body and mind as well as from foes, wild beasts, poisonous creatures, demons, devils and biting insects. Several instances prove that this Shanmuga Kavacham verses effective in this respect. If you recite it with heart and soul to Lord Murugan, the results will be swift and miraculous. Making of Panchamirtha varnam
Also in 1891 <mask> Swami composed Panchamrita Varnam. Lord Murugan Himself has said to an old lady in Tiruchendur that "I will be present physically wherever the song is sung on a pleasant note." If anyone does puja inside the heart by reciting this poem, it is equal to doing abhisekam and puja. One time <mask> Swami was walking on a rough track and a thorn pricked and pierced into his foot.The terrible pain made Pamban Swami to shed tears and pray to God. On the same night Lord Murugan came in the dream of a cobbler in the next village and informed him to make and give a pair of slippers to Pamban Swami. When Pamban Swami was traveling to the village the next day the shoemaker came with the pair of slippers to Pamban Swami saying that in his dreams Lord Murugan came and had given instructions to make a pair of slippers for him. Pamban Swami was very much pleased and thanked Lord Murugan for his kindness to His devotees. Pamban Swami was once very ill due to diarrhea. Due to this he fainted and fell down and upon seeing this his wife fainted too. Lord Murugan came to their house just then and tapped with a stick, made Pamban Swami's wife get up and said "Don't worry.He will be alright. Just smear vibhuti on his body and say 'I will never leave you'." But Pamban Swami's wife was afraid to touch vibhuti as it was her menstrual time. Lord Bala Murugan said to her, "There is no prohibition during emergency." She did as she was told. Immediately <mask> Swami was cured. One day someone told Pamban Swami that a poet was writing a song of 100 verses that was incomplete for the last two months.Upon hearing this Pamban Swami decided that he would compose a song similar to that. So he started and finished 125 verses within an hour. To this day no poet or saint has duplicated such a feat. The poem is called Tiruvorumalai Komagan. The first verse of four lines consists of 64 words to each line with total 256 words. <mask> Swami composed the remaining 124 verses without adding any other words. He said with the divine guidance anything is possible.Visit to Kumarakottam
On his visit to Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, Pamban Swami had failed to visit Kumarakottam, the famous Murugan temple in the town. On his way back Lord Murugan appeared before him in the form of a 30-year-old man with a turban and asked if he had visited Kumarakottam where Kanda Puranam was composed by the temple priest Kanchiappa Sivachariyar. He took Pamban Swami near to the temple and vanished. After the pujas, Pamban Swami was very much delighted by the grace of Lord Kumaran. In the railway station the train was delayed due to some fault as though it was only waiting for Swami and then the train proceeded without delay. In the year 1894 at Peerapan Valasai near Ramanad in Tamil Nadu, Pamban Swami was determined to get upadesam from Lord Kumara Palani Andi himself and from no one else. So he obtained permission from the government officer to dig a pit in the burial ground to the size of 3' x 3' x 3' covered with lock & key for the roof.Before starting meditation he asked his followers to have faith in God. Because this was a burial ground there were a lot of disturbing events that took place. Once a big demon tried to seize Pamban Swami, but by hurling his dandam the demon vanished. On the seventh night a voice commanded Pamban Swami to get up. Pamban Swami replied that unless Lord Palani Andi Himself comes he would not get up, even if he had to die. Once again the voice said, "Your Lord has come to see you. Open your eyes."Pamban Swami was delighted to see Lord Murugan in the form of Palani Andi with a dandam in one hand and the other hand in chin mudra accompanied by two rishis. With a smiling countenance Palani Andi came forward and gave a "single utterance" (oru mozhi) upadesam in Pamban Swami's right ear. After that they turned back, walked towards the west and vanished. Without getting up on hearing that one word Pamban Swami was very much pleased and continued his meditation for 28 days without food, water or sleep. On the 35th day once again a voice was heard and commanded him to "Come out of the pit." Once again Pamban Swami replied that only if it is by his Lord he would get out. The voice said "Yes it's me."At once Pamban Swami got out of the pit and saw Chitra Poornima full moon in the sky. He had a cloth of one piece cloth like Patanatar or an āndi. Later his followers requested him to wear two pieces of white cloth one around the waist and the other over his shoulder. Pamban Swami was content to remain in silence but others wanted him to speak of his experience. Even today the oil lamp that Pamban Swami used in the pit is preserved in Ramanad town by Pamban Swami's followers. In 1895 Pamban Swami took sannyasa and left Pamban village. One day Lord Murugan appeared in his dream and asked him to proceed to Madras.But he accepted the command of his Lord and proceeded to Madras by train. Madras Trip
On his arrival at Egmore railway station in Madras a cartman came to Pamban Swami and requested Pamban Swami to sit in his cart. Without saying anything Pamban Swami sat in the jatka. The cartman took Pamban Swami to St. George Town to house number 41 Vaithiyanath Mudali Street. Pamban Swami got down from the jatka and in front of him an old lady Mrs. Bangaru Ammal came to Pamban Swami and told him that in a dream the previous night Lord Murugan had said that a saint would come to her house and that she should provide him with food and accommodation. And Pamban Swami accepted her invitation and stayed there for some time. Making of Thagaralaya Rahasiyam

In the year 1896 Pamban Swami went to Chidambaram and wrote an upanishad known as Thagaralaya Rahasiyam.Lord Guha lives in every heart in a tiny light form. Pamban Swami gives examples from the Vedas, agamas, upanishads, Tevaram, Tiruppukazh and other scriptural sources. Pamban Swami also wrote two books known as Tiropa and Paripuranat Būthan. In this book, <mask> Swami provides quotations from all the 108 upanishads. <mask> Swami is the only saint who has composed 50 poems on Lord Murugan in pure Tamil without any words from other language due to his love on Tamil. Pamban Swami once said that any one who speaks ill of Sanskrit or Tamil is his enemy. The two sacred language are like two eyes.You cannot have one and despise the other if you want full knowledge of the spiritual world. On Pamban Swami's visit to Varanasi, he stayed at Kumāra Guruparar Mutt. Pamban Swami wrote that he was very happy to stay at this famous mutt. The head of the mutt once offered kavi cloth by taking away his white dress and requested Pamban Swami to wear it. Pamban Swami at first hesitated but upon reflection Pamban Swami took it as God's wish from that day to wear two-piece kavi dress. Once on a Shasti Pūja when Pamban Swami was present, the devotees had cooked rice for one hundred. But the one rice pot kept giving rice enough to feed nearly 400 people.So much was the demand that the other foods like vegetables, sambar and rasam had to be prepared three times, but the cooked rice never got emptied. Such miracles were commonplace in the life of Pamban Swami. While in Madras, <mask> Swami had a premonition of his mother's death and his elder son's death. Before the telegram came <mask> Swami gave instruction for no one to disturb him because he is a sannyāsi, a man without family or bindings. Fracture Cure
In December 1923 Pamban Swami had an accident at Thumbu Chetty Street in Madras. Pamban Swami was run over by a jatka and his left ankle was broken. He was admitted to the General Hospital.The doctors who attended upon Pamban Swami's leg said it would have to be amputated. Pamban Swami was only praying and said "Let them do what they want do." On hearing the news only Chinaswami Jothidar had extraordinary faith in Pamban Swami's poem Shanmuga Kavacham and started to recite it. Chinnaswamy Jothidar had a vision of the Vel entering Pamban Swami's broken ankle. Miraculously the leg was cured in the hospital. Even British doctors were astonished and described it as divine grace. On the 11th day Pamban Swami saw two peacocks dance before him and also saw Lord Murugan in an infant form lying next to his bed.In remembering the day Pamban Swami told his followers of the Maha Tejo Mandal Sabhai to believe in Lord Murugan and to do Mayūravahana Sevana Vizhā without fail, which is still done annually at his temple in Thiruvanmiyur. Pamban Swami's life proves this- "Vēlum Mayilum Thunai" is a not just a saying; it really helps sincere devotees in need. One day Pamban Swami called Chinaswami Jothidar to look for land in Tiruvanmiyur as his last days were near. Pamban Swami marked the floor corners with his leg all arrangements were made to for that portion of land to be purchased. On 30 May 1929 at 7:15 am Pamban Swami called his followers and advised them to believe in Lord Murugan. Then he took a deep breath, held it inside his stomach and entered samādhi state. <mask> Swamigal was a believer one God that is Siva the Para Brahman and Subrahmanya is part of Siva and comes from Siva.He clarifies this in his book Subrahmanya Veyasam. Pamban Swami got the name "Kumara Guru Dāsa Swāmigal" because of his deep love for Palani Murugan. His Sanskrit teacher named him as Kumara Guru and also as Pāmban Swāmigal because Swami lived and left his family at Pāmban Island. Pamban Swami's full name is Adhyaasrama Suddha Vaidheega Saiva Siddhantha Gnanabānu, which means Pamban Swami is full of sayasi. He was a sanyasi who followed the suddha advaita in the Vaideha way of Saiva Siddhanta in the Dāsa Marga. In his lifetime Pamban Swami wrote 6,666 poems, 32 viyasams and 1000 names of Lord Murugan. By reading his Gnānamūrtham hymn one will benefit in both worlds.He composed poems on Lord Kumara in more than 130 different forms as per Tamil grammar. Pamban Swami always liked to do silent Akā Pūja rather than audible pūja.

masks:
Pamban Gurudasa Swamigal
Pamban Swamigal
Pamban Swamigal
Pamban Swamigal
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban
Pamban


title: Joseph McMoneagle

texts:
<mask> (born January 10, 1946) is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer. He was involved in remote viewing (RV) operations and experiments conducted by U.S. Army Intelligence and the Stanford Research Institute. He was among the first personnel recruited for the classified program now known as the Stargate Project (1978–95). Along with colleague Ingo Swann, McMoneagle is best known for claims surrounding the investigation of RV and the use of paranormal abilities for military intelligence gathering. His interests also include near-death experiences, out-of-body travel, and unidentified flying objects. Biography

Early years
McMoneagle describes a remarkable memory of very early childhood events. He grew up surrounded by alcoholism, abuse and poverty.As a child, he had visions at night when scared, and began to hone his psychic abilities in his teens for his own protection when he hitchhiked. He enlisted in the Army in 1964, at the age of 18, to get away from the family turmoil. McMoneagle subsequently became an experimental remote viewer while serving in U.S. Army Intelligence. Military career
McMoneagle's early career was as an NCO and he retired after 20 years as a chief warrant officer. He was severely injured in a helicopter accident in Vietnam. He was involved in intelligence work for 15 years. From 1978, he was known as "Remote Viewer No.1" at Project Stargate — the U.S. Army's psychic intelligence unit at Fort Meade, Maryland. At his retirement McMoneagle earned his Legion of Merit for his last ten years of service, including five years of work in SIGINT (SIGnals INTelligence) and five years in the RV program. He retired from the Army in 1984, but continued work as a consultant at Stargate until 1993. Post-retirement
In 1995, funding for Project Stargate was terminated and the unit was decommissioned after the official finding that "no discernible benefit had been established". McMoneagle became a speaker at the Monroe Institute, where he had previously been sent as part of his RV training. McMoneagle then ran an RV business aimed at the corporate world called Intuitive Intelligence Applications, Inc. His services included that "he can help a wildcatter find an oil well or a quarry operator know where to mine". Views and assertions
According to McMoneagle, remote viewing is possible and accurate outside the boundaries of time.He believes he has remote-viewed into the past, present, and future and has predicted future events. Among the subjects he claims to have remote-viewed are a Chinese nuclear facility, the Iranian hostage crisis, the Red Brigades, and Muammar Qadhafi. He writes that he predicted the location and existence of the Soviet "Typhoon"-class submarine in 1979, and that in mid-January 1980, satellite photos confirmed those predictions. McMoneagle says the military remote viewing program was ended partly due to stigma: "Everybody wanted to use it, but nobody wanted to be caught dead standing next to it. There's an automatic ridicule factor. 'Oh, yeah, psychics.' Anybody associated with it could kiss their career goodbye."Supporters of his claims include Charles Tart. According to author Paul H. Smith, McMoneagle predicted "several months" into the future, and McMoneagle's own accounts provide differing claims of the accuracy of his remote viewing, varying from 5 to 95 percent to between 65 and 75 percent. McMoneagle claims that remote viewing is not always accurate but that it was able to locate hostages and downed airplanes. Of other psychics, he says that "Ninety-eight percent of the people are kooks." McMoneagle's future predictions included the passing of a teenager's "Right to Work" Bill, a new religion without the emphasis of Christianity, a science of the soul, a vaccine for AIDS, a movement to eliminate television, and a 'temporary tattoo' craze that would replace the wearing of clothing, all of which were supposed to take place between 2002 and 2006. He reports that he worked with Dean Radin at the Consciousness Research Laboratory, University of Nevada, Las Vegas to seek patentable ideas via remote viewing for a "future machine" Radin conceived. McMoneagle also says he has worked on missing person cases in Washington, San Francisco, New York and Chicago, as well as employing remote viewing as a time machine to make various observations such as the origin of the human species.According to McMoneagle, humans came from creatures somewhat like sea otters rather than primates and were created in a laboratory by creators who "seeded" the earth and then departed. Media appearances
McMoneagle was featured on a National Geographic Channel episode of "Naked Science" along with parapsychologist Edwin C. May who tested McMoneagle's ability to "remote view" six locations in the San Francisco Bay area, with mixed results. In 1994, McMoneagle appeared on an ABC network television special Put to the Test also with Edwin May who said that "About 20 per cent of what Joe does is as close to spectacular as I can possibly wish. Scientists don't like to use the term "miracle" very often, but this is as close to one as you can imagine". According to Dean Radin, "The best psychic averages about 3 in 10, like the best baseball hitters .300, the rest of us bat about 1 or 2 in 10." According to paranormal researcher Brian Dunning "The only thing I found impressive about McMoneagle's demonstration was their editing and narration job to make it look like the most amazing and miraculous psychic feat in history." The show took a 15-minute test and edited it down to 2 minutes leaving only what the producers felt were the best hits.After McMoneagle's vague pronouncements of a metallic sound, a pedestrian bridge, something tall that is not a building, a river or running water, something with a stripe on it and perpendicular lines. In 1995, McMoneagle defended the Stargate program in an interview for the Washington Post. McMoneagle co-wrote an episode of the psychic science fiction show The Dead Zone. In the episode, remote viewing was used in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. USA Network, which aired The Dead Zone, canceled the episode's initially scheduled broadcast because of concern about the subject matter, but did air the program a few months later, after the series returned from a mid-season hiatus. In 2002, McMoneagle started receiving regular coverage on Nippon Television's prime-time Chounouryoku Sousakan show (roughly translated, "FBI: Psychic Investigator"), during which he performed remote viewings related to unsolved police cases. In 2004, in Jon Ronson's Crazy Rulers of the World documentary (Episode 3, "The Psychic Footsoldiers", Channel 4), McMoneagle was interviewed and vividly described his technique for traveling "out of body" to Communist China to remotely view a trigger mechanism in a military nuclear weapons laboratory.Books

References

External links
 Official website of <mask> and Nancy McMoneagle

1946 births
Living people
United States Army officers
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
American occult writers
American psychics
Parapsychologists
Remote viewers

masks:
Joseph McMoneagle
Joseph


title: Bobby Chalmers

texts:
Robert Barry Lionel "<mask>" <mask> (born 19 February 1941) is a former association football forward who played professionally for the Rhodesia national team and various clubs in South Africa, where he scored 303 goals in all competitions, making him the all-time top goalscorer in the now-defunct South African National Football League. Chalmers captained the Rhodesian team during its unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, and was its leading goalscorer. In a profile published in 1980, Chalmers was described by journalist Glen Byrom as a "perfect gentleman and sportsman ... Southern Africa's crown prince of soccer". Growing up in a sporting family in Bulawayo, Chalmers showed promise in rugby and cricket as well as football. While still an amateur, he played three times for Rhodesia in 1961, in friendly matches against touring English clubs. The following year he moved with his new wife to Durban, South Africa, where he signed for Durban City as a professional. After two years playing on the wing, he became City's centre-forward during the 1964 season and was a great success, scoring 58 goals in all competitions that season and helping his team to win that year's Castle Cup, uniquely scoring a hat-trick in the final.He also performed strongly for a league all-star team in an exhibition game against Real Madrid in September 1964, scoring twice and afterwards receiving praise from visiting defender José Santamaría, a Uruguay international. In 1966, he was transferred from City to their cross-town rivals, Durban United, for what was then a South African record fee of R20,000. After two successful years with United, he moved again to Maritzburg, where he remained for the rest of his career. In 1969, he was recalled by Rhodesia to captain the national side in its bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. As a white man in a mostly black team, he was aided in this task by his fluent proficiency in both Sindebele and Shona. Rhodesia were pitted against a strongly fancied Australian team, but held their opponents to a draw in two successive matches before losing a play-off decider 3–1. Chalmers retired from playing in 1974, forced out of professional soccer by a knee injury, and became a public relations officer for a Durban hotel chain.Early life and amateur soccer

<mask> was born on 19 February 1941 in Southern Rhodesia's second city of Bulawayo, where he attended Raylton Junior School and Milton High School. He grew up in a sporting family, and was inspired by his eldest brother Des, who represented Rhodesia internationally at both rugby union and boxing. <mask> also showed promise at rugby, playing at full-back for the First XV at Milton, and once appeared as the Rhodesia cricket team's twelfth man in a first-class inter-provincial match. However, he proved a more keen soccer player, and honed his skills as an amateur in the youth teams at Queens Sports Club, usually playing as a winger. In May 1961, Bulawayo was visited by two English soccer clubs, West Ham United and Leicester City, who were each touring South Africa and Rhodesia. Both took on the Rhodesia national team at Queens Sports Club, with West Ham doing so twice; Chalmers appeared in all three unofficial friendly matches. Rhodesia lost to West Ham twice, by scores of 3–0 and 5–0, and played against Leicester on 24 May, just 18 days after the tourists had lost that year's FA Cup Final 2–0 to English League champions Tottenham Hotspur.Leicester beat Rhodesia 4–3. Professional soccer career

Durban City

In early 1962, Chalmers moved with his new wife Audrey to the South African beach city of Durban, where he gained a trial with Durban City of the all-white National Football League (SANFL), the first professional soccer league in South Africa. He impressed the coaches and signed on as a professional in April 1962. Based at their New Kingsmead ground, Durban City had been formed in May 1959, two months before the SANFL; by 1962, they were one of the country's top teams, having won two of the first three national titles. A key player for the club during its early days was Les Salton, a South African forward who was the SANFL's top goalscorer in each of its first three seasons, netting 117 goals in all competitions, including eight in one game against Johannesburg City in 1961. Chalmers joined just after Salton's sale to local rivals Durban United. Chalmers initially played as a winger, and scored 20 goals during his first professional season—15 in the league, and five more in cup competitions—as his club finished third in the league, one point behind Highlands Park and Southern Suburbs, another club from Johannesburg.In the Castle Cup, Chalmers received his first winner's medal as part of the Durban City team which beat Johannesburg Ramblers 2–1 in the final at Rand Stadium on 20 October 1962. He started the following season on the wing, but was fielded as a centre forward for the first time in June 1963, when his club took on Kimberley United in a Castle Cup first-round tie. The experiment proved a success, with <mask> scoring seven in Durban City's 14–1 victory, latterly described by South African Soccer Weekly as a "massacre". The following week, when he was retained as the team's front man for the home game against West Rand United, he scored a hat-trick. He scored four more hat-tricks during the 1963 season, and finished the year with 26 league goals and nine more in other competitions. Durban City once more finished third in the table. During early 1964, Chalmers prepared thoroughly for the new season, seeking to broaden his style of play and remove some of the perceived technical weaknesses which observers thought had previously let him down; for example, before this time his heading skill had been seen as sub-par, and his passing skill had been little more than ordinary.When the season started, however, it quickly became evident to reporters that his hard work had paid off. In what is generally considered one of his strongest years as a professional, Chalmers progressed significantly during 1964, showing marked improvement in his heading, passing and shooting in particular. According to Byrom, Chalmers was during this period the best player in South Africa, "by far". Alf Boyd, Durban City's Scottish manager, made Chalmers the team's permanent centre-forward seven games into the 1964 season. Chalmers appeared in two friendly matches against touring teams during this year. First a combined team representing Natal Province lost 8–2 to English side Arsenal, then on 8 September 1964 Real Madrid took on a National Football League all-star team, dubbed the "Castle Knights", in front of 35,000 spectators at Rand Stadium. Byrom says the match was very exciting; "a wonderful soccer spectacle".At half time the score was 3–0 to the visitors, but just after the interval <mask> pulled one back, beating Uruguay international José Santamaría and another Madrid defender before slamming it into the away net. Santamaria reportedly stood stunned with his hands on his hips, not believing what had happened. Jolted back to attention, the Spanish side rallied and scored twice more before Chalmers scored another "brilliant" goal to make the score 5–2. Although he had finished on the losing side, <mask> had acquitted himself well—the match is often cited as one of his best games. He was praised afterwards by Santamaria, who had been impressed by his speed and footballing instinct. <mask> became one of the league's top forwards, in one match scoring three goals in four minutes against Arcadia Shepherds. In the Castle Cup, his goalscoring exploits consistently helped Durban City to progress.In the quarter-final, he scored what Byrom considers one of the best goals of his career, in a home match against rivals Durban United. United, with Salton leading their front line, scored twice in the first 13 minutes before City closed the gap to 2–1 a minute before the break. Early in the second half, Chalmers collected the ball near the edge of the penalty area and sprinted with it along the 18-yard line, prevented from moving forward by three pursuant United defenders. <mask> then stopped abruptly and, as his opponents were caught off balance, fired a low shot past them into the net. City went on to win the match and eventually reach that year's final, against Jewish Guild at Rand Stadium on 10 October 1964. In front of 25,819 fans, the two teams were level at 1–1 before <mask> scored a hat-trick during the second half to give his side a 4–1 victory. It was the Rhodesian's second cup medal, and the only time a hat-trick was scored in a Castle Cup final.Also scoring freely in the league, <mask> finished the season with 58 goals in all competitions (two short of Salton's South African record, set in 1960), with 39 of them coming in the league's 32 games. Durban City finished as league runners-up, three points behind Highlands Park, and reached the final of the Life Bowl, where they lost 2–1 to Durban United. The derby match, played at New Kingsmead, attracted 28,881 spectators, over 8,000 more than the previous year's final (in Johannesburg). At the end of the season, Chalmers was named South African Footballer of the Year. In May 1965, soon into the new South African season, the Rhodesian Football Association's application for full membership in global soccer federation FIFA was approved, making it eligible to enter competitive international tournaments such as the World Cup for the first time (starting in 1970, as it was too late to enter qualifying for the 1966 tournament). Chalmers scored 38 goals for Durban City during the 1965 season, including 22 in the league, as the club finished third, 11 points behind first-placed Highlands Park. In the Life Bowl, City reached the final, which was played against Cape Town City at Cape Town's Hartleyvale Stadium.Chalmers scored two of his team's goals as Durban City finished 3–1 victors to win the cup for the second time. After Chalmers scored six goals for Durban City during the early part of the 1966 season, the club sold him to Durban United for a South African record fee of R20,000. Although this record was later surpassed by transfer fees paid for South African-based players by foreign clubs, it remained the most expensive purchase by a South African club when the SANFL was dissolved in 1977. <mask>' final goalscoring tally for Durban City in all competitions was a club record 157—40 more than Salton. Durban United

Chalmers continued to perform strongly in the colours of Durban United, scoring a further 36 goals (25 in the league) before the year was out, giving him a total of 42 for the 1966 season. United finished the league season in third place, while without Chalmers their rivals City dropped to eighth. In the Life Bowl, United reached the final, where Chalmers scored his team's goal in their 3–1 defeat to Johannesburg Rangers at Rand Stadium.In 1967, Chalmers scored 24 league goals and 12 in other competitions as United finished fifth in the league, equal on points with Durban City. In one game during this year, against East London City, he scored eight in his team's 13–0 victory. The next season, Durban United finished as league runners-up, four points behind Highlands Park. <mask>' contribution to the team this year was vastly reduced by a long-term injury; he appeared only six times for United during 1968, and scored only once. Maritzburg
Just before the end of the 1968 season, United sold

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title: Bobby Chalmers

texts:
 Chalmers to newly promoted Maritzburg, for whom he appeared three times that year without scoring. Maritzburg ended their first year in the top flight in eighth place. During his first full year with the club, 1969, Chalmers scored 12 league goals as Maritzburg finished the season in fifth place.He also played a key role for the club in both cup competitions that year, scoring a combined total of six goals, including the extra-time winner in the Castle Cup final against Cape Town City. In that year's Life Bowl, Maritzburg reached the final, but lost 5–1 to Highlands Park. At the end of the 1969 season, <mask> was called up by the Rhodesia national team. Captain of Rhodesia, 1969

Rhodesia enters the World Cup

Having become full members of FIFA in May 1965, the Rhodesia national team was eligible to enter the World Cup, but its entry into the qualifying rounds of the 1970 edition, the finals of which would take place in Mexico, caused a significant headache to the tournament's organisers. The political situation regarding Rhodesia, whose mostly white government had declared of independence from Britain in 1965, caused most countries not to accept Rhodesian passports, complicating overseas travel. Participation in international competitions became very difficult as many governments used the international sanctions on Rhodesia as grounds to refuse visas to the country's athletes, despite the fact that Rhodesian sports teams were racially integrated, unlike those of South Africa. As the Rhodesian Football Association had been expelled from the Confederation of African Football for political reasons, FIFA announced in December 1968 that Rhodesia would be placed in World Cup qualifying Group 15A, an Asian–Oceanian section which would see them play against Australia, Japan and South Korea, in an elimination mini-tournament held in the South Korean capital Seoul in October 1969.A month before the tournament was due to start, the South Korean government abruptly refused to grant visas to the Rhodesian players, citing the country's political situation. This prompted a series of tortuous negotiations between the various football associations and FIFA, which was keen to ensure Rhodesia could still play. Under the compromise ultimately agreed upon, the mini-tournament would go ahead without Rhodesia, and the winner from Seoul would then play Rhodesia over two legs in an as yet undecided "neutral" country. Australia protested that Rhodesia received an unfair advantage in playing fewer matches, but grudgingly went along with this. Australia won the initial qualifying series, while in Group 15B Israel defeated New Zealand over two legs. The winner of the second round matches between Australia and Rhodesia, played in Mozambique, would therefore play Israel for a place in the World Cup finals. Australia vs Rhodesia

The Rhodesian team, headed by Scottish manager Danny McLennan, was out of practice, having not played since 1967.A four-game friendly series against Malawi was organised for February 1969, with two games each at home and away. Rhodesia drew 2–2 and won 1–0 in Malawi on 1 and 2 February respectively, then won 4–0 and drew 1–1 at Gwanzura Stadium in Salisbury a week later. <mask> scored once in the third match. After breaking up for the domestic season soon after, the national side reconvened to begin training for the World Cup qualifying tournament in August 1969, while the South African league season was still going on. The 22-man squad chosen was made up of 13 blacks, seven whites and two coloured (mixed-race) players; according to the Melbourne Age, Rhodesia's key players were <mask>, Hylton Grainger (another forward, who played for Johannesburg Rangers) and Robin Jordan, who had been the country's first-choice goalkeeper since 1962. The side also included George Shaya, who had just won the inaugural Rhodesian Soccer Star of the Year award for his strong performances up front for Salisbury Dynamos. Because of their professional commitments in South Africa, <mask> and Grainger remained with their clubs until later.During late 1969, the Rhodesian team played seven practice matches against local clubs and provincial XIs, and finished the series unbeaten. <mask> and Grainger joined the squad for the last two warm-up games. Because of his proficiency in the Sindebele and Shona languages, as well as his experience in South Africa and unmatched reputation amongst the Rhodesian players, Chalmers was made the team's captain. With each side desperate to progress to the play-off against Israel, the Australian and Rhodesian soccer associations were at loggerheads long before the action began on the field. Chalmers personally became the target of protests from Sydney before the teams even travelled to Mozambique, with Australian officials positing that he should not be eligible for Rhodesia, as he was a permanent expatriate in South Africa. FIFA ruled that as a Rhodesian citizen who had never played for South Africa, there was no reason why Chalmers could not play. Four uninvited Rhodesian soccer officials surreptitiously observed the Australians' first practice session in Mozambique on 18 November.The teams were allowed two training sessions each at the match venue, the newly built 40,000-capacity Estádio Salazar, and during their exercises the Rhodesian squad were soon revealed to be well-drilled, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporter commenting on the high standard of their fitness, athleticism and ball skills, as well as the influence of Chalmers, who he wrote was ably fulfilling his duties as captain: "Chalmers ... their danger man, was all over the pitch cajoling his team to pull out that little bit extra." Observers still considered Australia to be favourites, but Rhodesia's strong form in training, combined with injury problems amongst the Australians, shortened the odds on a Rhodesian victory. As the first leg of the tie approached, supporters travelled from Rhodesia and South Africa to attend. A special train carried fans from Bulawayo, while three chartered flights came from the capital Salisbury. The first leg of the tie, played in torrential rain before about 6,500 spectators on 23 November 1969, was reportedly an uncultured affair, with the slippery playing conditions affecting both teams' passing and coordinated movement. The Australian team reportedly underperformed significantly, with their forward line struggling to work together against the Rhodesians, who were reported to be technically outclassed, but apparently far more motivated than the Australians, defending doggedly. Exceptional goalkeeping by the Rhodesian goalkeeper Jordan frustrated Australia for much of the game, and earned him glowing praise from reporters representing the Sydney and Melbourne presses.The score remained level until early in the second half, when Chalmers collected a loose ball and shot it past Ron Corry in the Australian goal to make the score 1–0 to Rhodesia. Tommy McColl scored Australia's only goal soon after, and the match ended in a 1–1 draw. Angry at their own poor performance, the Australian players declared Rhodesia to be the worst team they had ever played in a World Cup match, and promised the Australian press a 6–0 victory in the second leg. Four days later, in the second leg, the Rhodesian underdogs once again frustrated Australia, holding them to a 0–0 draw. A play-off was therefore organised for 29 November; if this tie-breaker still failed to produce a winner, the match would be decided by ballot. The Sydney Morning Herald reporter expected the play-off, attended by less than 3,000, to head the same way as the sides' two previous meetings, but was surprised to see Australia finally find their groove, "spraying pin-point passes all over the field, making Rhodesia look flat-footed by comparison". The Australians took the lead on 12 minutes through a goal from Willie Rutherford, who also contributed to his team's second ten minutes later: Rutherford crossed the ball into the opposing goal area from a free kick, and Rhodesian defender Phillimon Tigere inadvertently headed past Jordan to score an own goal.Jordan left the game after 37 minutes with a bloody wound to his head—the result of a collision with Australia's Ray Baartz—and was replaced between the posts by Stewart Gilbert. After the score remained 2–0 at the interval, Rhodesia fought back during the early second half and halved the gap on 49 minutes, when midfielder Nelson Mapara took advantage of a mix-up amongst the Australian defence to set up <mask>, who scored. Australia regained a two-goal cushion eight minutes later, however, when a hard shot from Johnny Warren, their captain, ricocheted off Rutherford, past the unsighted Gilbert and into the Rhodesian goal. The match ended 3–1, and Rhodesia were out of the World Cup. Australia coach John Barclay said afterwards that the Rhodesian team had performed well, and given his Australians an unexpectedly difficult time during the qualifying matches; McClennan agreed, and rued the injury in the last game to Jordan, which he said had unsettled his team. Australia lost to Israel 2–1 on aggregate in the final round. Style of play

Chalmers is widely held to be one of the best soccer players ever from Rhodesia or Zimbabwe, as well as one of the finest forwards to have played in South Africa.With his burly  frame, sports historian Peter Raath postulates that Chalmers "could quite easily have been a Springbok rugby player". Byrom describes him as "soccer dynamite"; "a graceful stylist, with a supple swerve and cannon-ball shot". Playing as a forward, Chalmers was a strong all-round player, able to skilfully control the ball with both feet and with his head. While able to supply his team-mates with deft passes, he also boasted an exceptionally powerful shot, which while he was playing for Maritzburg was once put to the test with an electronic timer. Chalmers' shot, taken bare-footed, was timed at , just below the speed registered with boots on by Leeds United and Scotland winger Peter Lorimer in an English "hardest shot" competition. As the captain of Rhodesia in 1969, Chalmers was greatly assisted in his leadership of the mostly black team by his fluent knowledge of both Sindebele and Shona. In his 1980 profile of Chalmers, Byrom described him as "always the perfect gentleman and sportsman", and attested that he "deserved the accolade as Southern Africa's Crown Prince of Soccer".Honours and achievements
Rhodesia national team
Full internationals only
1969: 3 caps (all as captain), 2 goals
Durban City
South African National Football League: runner-up, 1964
Castle Cup: winner, 1962, 1964
Life Bowl: winner, 1965; runner-up, 1964
Durban United
South African National Football League: runner-up, 1968
Life Bowl: runner-up, 1966
Maritzburg
Castle Cup: winner, 1969
Life Bowl: runner-up, 1969
Individual
South African Footballer of the Year: 1964
South African record transfer fee: R20,000, Durban City to Durban United, 1966
South African National Football League all-time top goalscorer: 303 goals (in all competitions), 1962–74
Durban City F.C. top goalscorer: 1963, 1964, 1965
Maritzburg F.C. top goalscorer: 1969, 1970, 1973

Notes and references
Footnote

References

Bibliography

 The section of this book about Chalmers also appears online: see

1941 births
Association football forwards
Expatriate soccer players in South Africa
Living people
Sportspeople from Bulawayo
Rhodesia international footballers
Rhodesian

masks: Chalmers Chalmers Chalmers Chalmers Chalmers Chalmers


title: Sam Fox

texts:
<mask> (born May 9, 1929) is an American businessman in St. Louis, and the owner of Harbour Group Industries. He was the United States Ambassador to Belgium from April 11, 2007 until January 2, 2009. President George W. Bush appointed <mask> to the post by a recess appointment on April 4, 2007. Early life
<mask> was born in Desloge, Missouri to Ukrainian Jewish immigrant Michel Fuks (later <mask>), and Fanny Gold. Encouraged by an older sister to go to college, he saved money by working summers in Illinois canning peas and corn. He also sold Fuller brushes. After moving in with the sister and her husband in St.Louis, he enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, where he joined Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity.He graduated with a B.S./B.A. (Bachelor of Science, Business Administration) with honors in business in 1951. During the Korean War, he served in the United States Naval Reserve. Career
In 1976, <mask> founded the Harbour Group, an operating company that builds and acquires businesses where he served as chairman and CEO until 2007 when he left to be the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium. Upon his return to the United States in 2009, he resumed his role as chairman. Since its inception, Harbour Group has built and acquired more than 176 companies in 37 industries.Civic participation and philanthropy
For more than 40 years, <mask> has been active in St. Louis civic affairs. He served two terms as chairman and one as president of the St. Louis Areas Council Boy Scouts of America; is former president of the board of commissioners of the Saint Louis Art Museum; and is a lifetime member of the Art Museum's board of trustees. In 2003 he also served as chair of the $63 million capital campaign of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. From 1998 to 2004 he served as chairman of a $1.5 billion capital campaign for his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, and from 1999 to 2001 he served as vice chairman of the board of trustees. In 2004 the university's board of trustees elected him a lifetime voting trustee. He serves or has served on the boards of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis, the St. Louis Muny Opera, and Forest Park Forever. In 2003 he was named St. Louis Citizen of the Year by the Post-Dispatch and a committee of the award's former recipients.Outside of St.Louis, <mask> serves on the boards of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, based in Alexandria, Virginia; the King Baudouin Foundation United States, a New York-based nonprofit that helps U.S. donors achieve their philanthropic goals in Europe and Africa; and The Washington Center, the largest independent, nonprofit academic internship program in the United States. In addition, through the Fox Family Foundation, a private philanthropy he and his wife established in 1986, <mask> has provided financial assistance to hundreds of charitable organizations in St. Louis and around the world. <mask> has also received numerous other honors and awards, including the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, the Marco Polo Award from the People's Republic of China, the Thomas Jefferson Award from the Missouri Historical Society, and the Sword of Ignatius Loyola Award from Saint Louis University. In 2004, Washington University dedicated its new <mask> School of Design & Visual Arts, and also awarded him with an honorary doctorate of laws degree. Saint Louis University awarded <mask> an honorary doctorate of public service in 2000. Political participation
A major donor to the Republican Party, <mask> was a Bush Pioneer in 2000 and a "Ranger" in 2004, categories for donors who recruit others to donate. On October 15, 2004, <mask> donated $50,000 to Swift Boat Veterans For Truth ("SBVT"), a 527 group that opposed John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election by claiming that Kerry exaggerated his service record.The SBVT has, in turn, been criticized for allegedly failing to substantiate many of their claims. <mask> noted that he made the donation after comparisons of President Bush to Adolf Hitler were posted on the website MoveOn.org. (See Ambassadorial nomination section below.) In later elections, <mask> supported of the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney and remained one of the most prominent Jewish donors to the Republican party. <mask> is a past chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition. President George W. Bush appointed <mask> and <mask> to serve on the Honorary Delegation to accompany him to Jerusalem for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel in May 2008. <mask> was an early supporter Josh Hawley and contributed to his campaign for Missouri Attorney General.He encouraged Hawley to run for US Senate against incumbent Claire McCaskill. After Hawley's support of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, <mask> released a statement describing Hawley's actions as "reckless pandering" and a "disgrace." In the statement <mask> said that his support for Hawley was a mistake and that he would not support the senator again. Ambassadorial nomination
<mask> was nominated for the position of Ambassador to Belgium in December 2006. During his February 2007 hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, <mask> was supported by both of Missouri's senators, Republican Kit Bond and Democrat Claire McCaskill, as well as by two former U.S. Senators from Missouri, John C. Danforth (Rep.) and Thomas F. Eagleton (Dem.). Danforth described him as "very bright...ebullient...(and) a soft touch," while Eagleton, in a letter, called him "the epitome of a humanitarian."<mask> faced lengthy questioning from John Kerry, the target of attacks by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group to which <mask> contributed in 2004. Kerry told <mask> that he represented "the quintessential American Horatio Alger story" and that his experience was "impressive... (and) a lot more than some people bring to this table." Kerry interrogated <mask> for approximately 35 minutes, however, beginning with 20 minutes of questioning directly pertinent to the ambassadorial position for which <mask> was nominated, such as the tensions over the U.S. Terrorist Finance Tracking Program which accessed transaction databases of the SWIFT network. Kerry continued with a series of questions related to Fox's financial support of SBVT, a 527 organization which had criticized Kerry's military record during the 2004 campaign. In response to the question from Kerry, "I assume that you believe the truth in public life is important," <mask> answered, "Yes, sir." Kerry then followed with, "And might I ask you what your opinion is with respect to the state of American politics, as regards the politics of personal destruction?"to which <mask> replied "I'm against 527s, I've always been against 527s....Senator Kerry, I very much respect your dedicated service to this country... Senator, you're a hero." In response to follow up questions from Kerry, <mask> said he had given to the 527 that attacked him because "when we're asked we generally give." For example, he said, in the most recent two-year period, he had made more than 1,000 contributions, of which more than 100 were political. He did not express regret for his contribution to SBVT. He noted that 527s supporting both candidates in the electorate had made "mean and destructive" claims, and that a video posted on the MoveOn.com website has compared the President to Hitler. He said that as long as one side was making such claims, "politically it's necessary."Recess Appointment
On April 4, 2007, while the Senate was in recess, Bush used his power of recess appointment to appoint <mask> to the position. This made <mask> ambassador until the end of the next session of Congress, and effectively made him ambassador for the remainder of the Bush presidency. Reactions to the Recess Appointment

Senate / Democratic Reaction
Several Democratic Senators criticized Bush's decision to make a recess appointment when the nomination was no longer pending before Congress. They also argued that this use of the recess appointment power was illegal because of statutory restrictions applicable to ambassadorships. Three Democratic senators wrote a letter to the Government Accountability Office on April 5, 2007, calling for an investigation of whether President Bush's appointment of <mask> as U.S. ambassador to Belgium the previous day was legal. The letter, submitted by Democrats Chris Dodd of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Robert Casey of Pennsylvania, read: "We view the recess appointment of Mr. <mask> as a clear abuse of the President's recess appointment power." Dodd argued that the law that enables the president to make recess appointments was not created to get around the approval of the Senate."This is really now taking the recess appointment vehicle and abusing this beyond anyone's imagination," Dodd said, according to AP. "This is a travesty." He said in a statement that what the President did was "deceptive at best and illegal at worst." Administration / Republican Reaction
The GAO, however, responded with an eight-page letter dated June 8, 2007, that the appointment had been legal. Indeed, the letter said "an alternative interpretation that would preclude Mr. <mask> from serving in a recess appointment would raise serious constitutional questions." Service as Ambassador
<mask> served as Ambassador from April 2007 to January 2009. In December 2009, the U.S. Department of State's Office Inspector General filed its official report on his tenure.The report noted that <mask> had "come to his job with significant and relevant executive leadership in the private sector." It continued:

"By all accounts, he used his business acumen and experience to excellent effect, notably in two areas. The first was in building important relationships with both the Belgian and American business communities, and with senior Belgian Government officials charged with financial and trade matters. The second was his active and visible outreach to the Belgian community to improve the image and standing of the United States at a time when both were suffering as a result of Belgian misgivings about U.S. policies, such as the Iraq war. His efforts in both areas were judged highly successful." The report gave <mask> particularly high marks for "shepherding to production a 20-minute film that highlights the closeness of Belgian-U.S. ties from the early 19th century. The film continues to play well to Belgian audiences and has been employed effectively to counter anti-American sentiment."In 2012, three years after his term as Ambassador had ended, <mask>'s contributions were recognized with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, bestowed by King Albert II. See also
 United States Ambassador to Belgium
 Foreign relations of Belgium

References

External links
 Profile from Horatio Alger Association

1929 births
Living people
American financiers
American philanthropists
American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
Jewish American philanthropists
Businesspeople from St. Louis
Olin Business School (Washington University) alumni
Ambassadors of the United States to Belgium
Recess appointments during the George W. Bush administration
Saint Louis Zoo people
People from St. Francois County, Missouri

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title: Dave Aranda

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<mask> (born September 29, 1976) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach at Baylor University. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at LSU, Wisconsin, Utah State, Hawaii, Delta State, and Cal Lutheran. Early life
Born in Southern California to Mexican immigrant parents from Guadalajara, <mask> graduated from Redlands High School in Redlands, California in 1994, where he was a linebacker. Coaching career

Early coaching career
After high school, <mask> retired from playing football due to injuries, so he became an assistant coach at Redlands High in 1995. <mask> attended California Lutheran University. As an undergraduate, <mask> was the roommate of Tom Herman and was linebackers coach for Cal Lutheran Kingsmen football from 1996 to 1999. <mask> graduated from Cal Lutheran in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy.In 2000, <mask> enrolled in graduate school at Texas Tech University and served as a graduate assistant for Texas Tech Red Raiders football from 2000 to 2002 under Mike Leach. From 2003 to 2004, <mask> was linebackers coach at Houston. He then returned to Cal Lutheran as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, positions he held for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In 2007, <mask> was defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Delta State. Hawaii
Following stints at California Lutheran and Delta State University, in 2008 he was tapped by his mentor, Greg McMackin, to serve as the defensive line coach for the University of Hawaii Warriors. In <mask>'s first season, he cultivated a talented unit that included David Veikune, Joshua Leonard and Keala Watson. In 2009, <mask> was credited with developing a creative defensive scheme that stymied Navy's vaunted rushing attack and allowed the Warriors to earn a 24–17 victory over a Midshipmen squad that defeated Notre Dame two weeks earlier.The following year he was elevated to defensive coordinator. He helped lead the Warriors to victory in nine of their last ten regular season games. In those wins, <mask>'s opportunistic defense limited the opposition to 16.1 points per game, only allowed 2.4 yards per rush  and held Colin Kapernick in check en route to handing the Nevada Wolfpack its only loss of the season. Under <mask>'s guidance the Warriors led the nation in turnovers caused (38) and tied a school record for most defensive touchdowns (5). Although the Warriors struggled to a 6–7 record in 2011, <mask>'s defense was particularly impressive in a 34–17 drubbing of Colorado. Leading up to the game, Colorado coach Jon Embree boasted that as to Hawaii's defense, the Buffaloes were going to "run the ball down their throat." <mask>, who later acknowledged that he took Embree's comment personally, met the challenge head on and limited the boastful Buffaloes to just 17 net rushing yards on the night.For the year, <mask>'s defense led the Western Athletic Conference and was tied for 15th in the FBS in sacks (35). At the conclusion of the season, he found himself on the wrong-side of the ledger and was fired after head coach Greg McMackin resigned. Despite the circumstances, <mask> said later "I miss the family atmosphere there. I miss the people." Utah State

In 2012, <mask> was the defensive coordinator for one year for the Utah State Aggies under Gary Andersen. That same year he was a nominee for the Broyles Award as the Aggies defense finished in the top 15 of all FBS schools in all four major defensive categories; seventh in scoring defense (15.4 points per game), 13th in rushing defense (113.8 yards per game), eighth in pass-efficiency defense (14 interceptions, 12 touchdowns, 54.1% completion rate, 5.7 yards per attempt) and 14th in total defense (322.1 ypg). Wisconsin
When Gary Andersen was hired as the new Wisconsin Badgers head coach, following the 2012 football season, Aranda followed him to Wisconsin.<mask> turned down  offers from Texas Tech and California. <mask> changed the Badgers' base defense from a 4–3 to a 3–4 and developed a more aggressive defense, putting pressure on the quarterback. His first year as defensive coordinator the Badgers defense ranked in the top 20 in all four major defensive categories; scoring defense (6th), total defense (7th), rushing defense (5th) and passing defense (17th). Week 10 of the 2014 football season <mask> was named Coordinator of the Week by Athlon Sports after his Wisconsin Badgers defense shutout Rutgers Scarlet Knights 37–0. It was Wisconsin's first road shutout since 1998. The Badgers took 1st place in the West Division with a 10–2 record, going 7–1 in the conference. Wisconsin played Ohio State for the conference title in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game where the Badgers lost to Ohio State 59–0.It was the first time since 1997 that the Badgers were shutout and the worst loss since 1979 when Ohio State also defeated the Badgers 59–0. Four days after the Badgers lost to Ohio State, Gary Andersen departed Wisconsin for Oregon State. Former Badgers offensive coordinator (2005–2011) and Pitt head coach (2012–2014), Paul Chryst, was hired as the next head coach of the Badgers. <mask> was the only assistant coach to remain on the coaching staff after Andersen's departure. Two of <mask>'s three years at Wisconsin one of his linebackers won the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Chris Borland in 2013 and Joe Schobert in 2015. Borland also won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. <mask> alongside his OLB coach Tim Tibesar were named Linebacker Coaches of the Year for 2015 by FootballScoop.Over <mask>'s three-year span as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin his defense ranked first nationally in total defense, second in scoring defense, third in pass defense and fourth in run defense. His final season with the Badgers his defense came in first in scoring defense, allowing just 13.1 points per game. LSU
On January 1, 2016, it was announced that <mask> was hired to replace Kevin Steele as defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers. The move to LSU saw his starting salary more than double from $520,000 to $1.3 million. His contract was guaranteed for three years and was not tied to the contract of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. On January 5, 2018, it was announced that <mask> received a new four-year contract that will pay him $2.5 million annually and the entire $10 million deal is guaranteed. This was in response to several attempts by Texas A&M to hire <mask>.In 2019 season, he won a championship with LSU. Baylor

On January 16, 2020, <mask> was named the head coach at Baylor University, replacing Matt Rhule, who left to become the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. 2020–present
In the spring of 2020, <mask> was tasked with navigating the 2020 Baylor Bears football team through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bears' spring practices as well as the Baylor football spring "Green and Gold game" were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving first time head coach <mask> and his new team without practice prior to entering the 2020 football season. <mask> finished the 2020 season 2-7 overall, and 2-7 in Big 12 play. After the season concluded, <mask> and Baylor parted ways with the Bears' first year offensive coordinator, Larry Fedora, and then later hired Jeff Grimes from Brigham Young University for the same role. In 2021, <mask> led the Bears to their best season in school history.The Bears were ranked in the top 25 for the majority of the 2021 football season and finished with a 12-2 record (7-2 in Big 12 play), the most wins in program history. In the 2021 Big 12 Championship Game, <mask> and the Bears beat Oklahoma State 21-16 on an iconic goal line stand to win Baylor's 3rd Big 12 football championship. The season ended with a historic Sugar Bowl win where they beat Ole Miss 21-7. <mask> won the AP Big 12 Coach of the Year (2021), the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards program's Big 12 Coach of the Year, and was the first Baylor football coach to win the George Munger Award. <mask> was also a finalist for many other national awards, including the 2021 Eddie Robinson Award, Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award, Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award, and Paul "Bear" Bryant Award for National Coach of the Year. Statistics
Team defensive statistics where Aranda was defensive coordinator. Personal life
David and his wife Dione have 5 children: two daughters, Jayden (born 2005) and Jordan (born 2007), and a son, Ronin (born 2010).Head coaching record

References

External links

 Baylor profile

1976 births
Living people
American football linebackers
Baylor Bears football coaches
Cal Lutheran Kingsmen football coaches
Delta State Statesmen football coaches
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football coaches
High school football coaches in California
Houston Cougars football coaches
LSU Tigers football coaches
Southern Utah Thunderbirds football coaches
Texas Tech Red Raiders football coaches
Texas Tech University alumni
Utah State Aggies football coaches
Wisconsin Badgers football coaches
California Lutheran University alumni
People from Redlands, California
Sportspeople from San Bernardino County, California
Coaches of American football from California
Players of American football from California
American sportspeople of Mexican descent

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title: Nikola Žigić

texts:
<mask> (, ; born 25 September 1980) is a Serbian former footballer who played as a centre forward. <mask> was born in Bačka Topola, in what was then SFR Yugoslavia. He began playing football as a youngster with AIK Bačka Topola, and scored 68 goals from 76 first-team matches over a three-year period in the third tier of Yugoslav football. Military service took him to Bar in 2001, where he was able to continue his goalscoring career with the local second-level club Mornar. A brief spell back in the third tier with Kolubara preceded his turning professional with First League side Red Star Belgrade in January 2003. He spent time on loan at third-tier Spartak Subotica before making his Red Star debut later that year. Despite suggestions that his height, of , made him better suited to sports other than football, <mask> ended the season as First League top scorer, domestic player of the year, league champion and scorer of the winning goal in the cup final.He won a second league–cup double in 2005–06, a second player of the year award, and finished his three-year Red Star career with 70 goals from 109 appearances in all competitions. In August 2006, <mask> signed for Spanish club Racing Santander; his goals and his partnership with Pedro Munitis helped them achieve a mid-table finish in La Liga. He then moved to Valencia, but was unable to establish himself as a regular in the starting eleven. He spent the second half of the 2008–09 La Liga season back with Racing on loan, for whom he scored 13 goals in just 19 matches. <mask> joined Birmingham City of the Premier League in 2010, and in his first season, he scored in their League Cup win. Even after relegation to the Championship, and despite increasing efforts to remove his large salary from the financially struggling club's wage bill, he remained with Birmingham for the full four years of his contract. Having been without a club for a few months, he rejoined Birmingham for the second half of the 2014–15 season.<mask> made his senior international debut for Serbia and Montenegro in March 2004, and following the breakup of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, he played internationally for Serbia until 2011. He won 57 caps for his country and scored 20 goals. He was a member of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup squads, and briefly captained his country in 2011. Personal life
<mask> was born in Bačka Topola, in what was then SFR Yugoslavia, the son of Jovan, a former footballer, and his wife Milica, who had been a basketball player. He completed his secondary education at the mechanical engineering school in Bačka Topola. His brother Branko, 15 months his junior, also became a footballer, as a central defender with clubs including Cement Beočin and Serbian First League club Proleter Novi Sad. During the Yugoslav Wars in 1999, <mask>'s hometown was beneath the flight-path of NATO bombers heading for Belgrade; for much of that part of the conflict, the family home was without electricity or running water.Žigić is married to Sanja; the couple have two daughters and a son. , they were living near Valencia, Spain, and Žigić was assisting in his agent's business. Club career

Early career
He joined his hometown football club, AIK Bačka Topola, as a youngster, and graduated to the senior side in 1998–99. He began as a centre back, but soon realised he preferred scoring goals to defending. <mask>'s parents did not want him to take football seriously until he completed his education, and he remained with AIK Bačka Topola until 2001, scoring 68 goals in 76 matches in the Serbian League Vojvodina, the third level of Yugoslav football. When military service took him to Bar, he was able to play for the local club, Mornar, for whom he scored 15 goals from 23 appearances in the 2001–02 Second League of FR Yugoslavia. After trials in France with Saint-Étienne and Créteil came to nothing, Žigić returned home where he played 8 matches for third-tier club Kolubara, scoring 3 goals.Žigić signed his first professional contract in January 2003, with Red Star Belgrade, one of the biggest clubs in the country. Because he was not considered ready for first-team football at that level, he spent the latter part of the 2002–03 season on loan at Spartak Subotica, another third-tier side, for whom his goalscoring rate was even higher: 14 goals from just 11 league games. Red Star
Returning head coach Slavoljub Muslin brought Žigić into Red Star's senior squad for the 2003–04 First League season, and gave him his debut in the starting eleven on the opening day. That first game ended in defeat, and Žigić's physical appearance – a growth spurt from the age of 16 had brought his height to  – provoked suggestions that he might be better suited to basketball. He opened the scoring as they beat Hajduk Kula 2–0 in the next league match. In between, he produced a hat-trick against Nistru in the 2003–04 UEFA Cup qualifying round, and went on to contribute a further three goals as Red Star beat Odense 6–5 on aggregate in the first round. He scored twice in the 3–0 win in the Eternal Derby against Partizan, and celebrated by miming a basketball shot.By the mid-season break, he had 12 league goals as well as the 6 in the UEFA Cup, and was named Player of the Year for 2003, both by the captains of the First League teams voting via the Večernje novosti newspaper and by the Football Association. He finished the season as the league's top scorer, with 18, as Red Star won their 23rd title, and scored the winning goal in the cup final. Resuming the partnership with Marko Pantelić begun in the second half of 2003–04, Žigić continued to score freely in the new season. With Red Star two goals and a man down in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier against Young Boys, he netted twice in the last 12 minutes to give his team an away draw. Domestically, Pantelić top-scored with 21 league goals and <mask> contributed 15 as Red Star finished in second place, behind Partizan. Žigić scored against Partizan to help Red Star reach the cup final, but was one of five regular starters unavailable for that match through injury or suspension, and his team lost to a last-minute goal to ten-man Železnik. In September 2005, Žigić signed a one-year extension to his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of the season.He helped his team progress through the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Cup, and according to Reuters' correspondent, "capped a brilliant individual performance with two goals" as well as providing the cross for Milan Purović as Red Star beat Roma 3–1 in the third match of the group stage. His first goal, a header, appeared to have been scored from an offside position, but for the second, in the 86th minute, he dispossessed Philippe Mexès, evaded two more opponents, and bent the ball into the top corner from  with his weaker left foot. He said afterwards, "I've never scored a goal like that in my entire career. I was going to pass the ball but there was no one ahead of me so I just decided to go for it and see what happens". The win left Red Star needing to win their last group match to stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout rounds, but they failed to do so. For the second time in three years, <mask> was chosen as domestic player of the year in the captains' poll, and was also honoured by the Red Star Sport Association as best male athlete of 2005, an award open to athletes representing the club in any sport, not just in football. After Pantelić's departure for Hertha BSC, Red Star's goals were spread more evenly among the remaining forward players.In the league, <mask> and Boško Janković were joint-top scorers with 12, and Purović contributed one fewer, as the club won their 24th title. They completed the double with a defeat of city rivals OFK in the cup final, coming back from 2–0 down via <mask>'s 67th-minute free kick under the defensive wall and Purović's equaliser to take the match into extra time, during which Žigić gave Red Star the lead with a header and Dušan Basta made the final score 4–2. After the match, Žigić refused to answer questions about his Red Star future. Racing Santander
Žigić began the season with Red Star, but on 29 August 2006, he signed a four-year contract with La Liga club Racing Santander. The fee, officially undisclosed, was variously reported at anything from €4.5M to €7M. Although better offers had been rejected, those offers had arrived at the wrong time: the pressure on Red Star to win the domestic title meant they were unlikely to dispose of a major player in mid-season. The player felt he was more likely to start matches with a club at Racing's level.Partnering the diminutive Pedro Munitis, he contributed 11 goalsincluding a hat-trick in a 5–4 win over Athletic Bilbaofour assists and five penalties won in league competition over the season as Racing finished tenth. The efficacy of the pair earned them the nickname of  (the Two Point-getters); ahead of the coming season, new coach Marcelino García Toral recalled how "we all know how many points Racing picked up when Žigić and Munitis weren't there. Without them, Racing didn't add points". His performances earned him the captains' vote as best player based abroad for 2006, and contributed to his 2007 Football Association of Serbia Golden Ball award. Valencia
Žigić signed for Valencia in August 2007. The fee was unconfirmed, but suggestions appeared in the media of €15M, €18M, and around €20M, a figure possibly including the player's wages over the five years of his contract. He had been linked with numerous other moves, and Fenerbahçe made an offer that was better financially for both Racing and the player, but Žigić preferred to stay in "the best league in Europe" in a country where he was accustomed to the language and culture.He was suffering from an ankle injury when he arrivedwhich delayed his integration into the first-team group and, according to Mundo Deportivo, undermined the coaching staff's confidence in himthen aggravated the injury by playing in a Euro 2008 qualifier in September, and did not appear for Valencia until October. He made his debut as a second-half substitute in Valencia's Champions League group-stage defeat at home to Chelsea, and started the next league match, another home defeat against Espanyol, but was selected only infrequently either by Quique Flores, who had signed him, or by successor Ronald Koeman. With the transfer window approaching, Koeman had given Žigić two weeks to convince him he was worth keeping. Prior to the Copa del Rey on 19 December, Valencia had not scored for six matches, and they were soon 1–0 down to third-tier opponents Real Unión. Žigić came on and scored twice to turn the match around, and followed up with another goal three days later as Valencia came from behind to secure a 2–2 draw at Real Zaragoza. A mooted loan to English club Portsmouth fell through when Koeman changed his mind about the player leaving, but he made only nine league appearances (two starts) in what remained of the season, and was sent off in the first of those. Speculation regarding moves to the Premier League came to nothing.By October, Žigić had appeared just once for Valencia, in the UEFA Cup, and an opportunity arose to join his former club, Racing Santander, on an emergency loan. This depended on the league allowing Racing to release Luis Fernández on medical grounds, because of a degenerative condition of his knee, thus freeing up a space in the first-team squad. The LFP's medical committee decided that the condition was not yet clearly career-ending, so any agreement with Žigić had to be held over until the January 2009 transfer window. In the meantime, he played in four more cup matches for Valencia, two domestic and two UEFA, and scored in three of them, but took no part in the league campaign. The loan agreement was duly revived, and Žigić returned to the club and the city that "feel like home". Racing were to pay his wages and write off the debt outstanding from the sale of Mario Regueiro, and there was no option to purchase. Resuming his partnership with Munitis in the first game of his second spell, Žigić scored the only goal of the visit to Real Valladolid, repeated the feat at Getafe two weeks later, and scored again in the next match, a 2–0 win away at Sevilla.He finished the season as Racing's top scorer, with 13 goals from only 19 games. In the 2009 close season, there were rumours linking Žigić with moves to clubs including Sunderland, Monaco, and Bordeaux, but the player insisted his intention was and always had been to be successful with Valencia. He made 26 appearances for the club in 2009–10 in all competitions, more than in the previous two seasons combined, but only 5 were league starts. Within four minutes of replacing the injured David Villa in the league match against Racing in October, he took advantage of a defensive error to score the only goal of the game; out of respect for his former club, he did not celebrate. On 2 January 2010, his 93rd-minute header against Espanyol took Valencia third in the table, and his double against Deportivo La Coruña in the 2009–10 Copa del Rey put Valencia 2–0 up at half-time; the game finished 2–2 and Valencia lost 4–3 on aggregate. With four minutes left of the Europa League quarter-final second leg, Valencia were denied a penalty when an Atlético Madrid defender pulled Žigić to the ground so forcefully that a large hole was torn in the front of his shirt, apparently unnoticed by referee or goalline official; the tie ended goalless, so Atlético progressed on away goals from the first leg and went on to win the competition. Away to Espanyol on 1 May, again as a substitute for Villa, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win that secured Valencia a place in the next season's Champions League.Birmingham City
On 25 May 2010, <mask> signed a four-year contract with

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