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User:DouglasA

2011-01-18T20:08:51Z

ChelseaR: creation of parodist

User talk:NorthCarolinaGirl

2011-01-18T16:15:07Z

ChelseaR: Created page with "{{welcome}} Welcome to Conservapedia. ~~~~"

{{welcome}}

Welcome to Conservapedia. [[User:ChelseaR|ChelseaR]] 11:15, 18 January 2011 (EST)

North Dakota

2011-01-18T16:07:07Z

ChelseaR: /* Politics */

{{USState
|name=North Dakota
|flag=North_Dakota_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Liberty and Union Now and Forever; One and Inseparable"
|nick=The Peace Garden State
|capital=Bismarck
|governor=Jack Dalrymple
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Kent Conrad
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-2043
|s1email=http://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm Contact
|senator2=John Hoeven
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-2551
|s2email=http://hoeven.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=November 2, 1889 (39th)
}}
'''North Dakota''' is a northern Midwestern state; it is part of the Great Plains and became the thirty-ninth state to enter into the union on November 2, 1889.<ref> It entered on the same day as [[South Dakota]], but is given status first because of alphabetical order.</ref> The state capital is Bismarck, and the largest city is Fargo. North Dakota is the only state that has a state-owned bank in the nation.<ref>http://www.banknd.nd.gov/bndhome.jsp</ref> North Dakota is located in the center of the North American continent. The exact geographical center is located 97 miles NE of [[Bismarck]], 15 miles SW of [[Rugby]]. <ref>http://hypertextbook.com/bent/photos/geographic.center.html</ref>
==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Kent Conrad]] (D)
*Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R)
*Rep. [[Rick Berg]] (R)

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Jack Dalrymple]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Drew Wrigley]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Wayne Stenehjem]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Alvin Jaeger]] (R)
*Agriculture Commissioner [[Doug Goehring]] (R)
*State Auditor [[Bob Peterson]] (R)
*State Treasurer [[Kelly Schmidt]] (R)

==Population==
The original native American tribes in what is now North Dakota were the [[Mandan]], [[Sioux]], Arikara, [[Chippewa]], [[Cheyenne]], Assiniboine, and Hidatsa. Today only the Sioux and Chippewa remain; they comprise about 4% of the population.
[[File:Fargo.jpg|thumb|310px|Fargo and other cities are growing steadily as they absorb the people leaving the declining rural areas.]] Most settlers arrived from the 1880s to 1910, usually straight from Europe. Since then the population has held steady at about 650,000. Young people are moving out of rural areas to other states or to the few cities. The four urban counties (containing Fargo, Grand Forks Bismark and Minot) grew from 134,000 people in 1930 to 338,000 in 2007, while the other 49 counties--heavily rural--declined from 546,000 in 1930 to only 301,000 in 2007, and the decline continues. Thanks to high prices for oil and wheat, the state is prosperous and the state budget has a surplus. Higher education is a priority; he state ranks first in spending per capita on state colleges and universities.

==Ethnicity==
Three out of four residents today are descended from [[German Americans|German]] and Norwegian pioneers who arrived as farmers in growth years, 1880 to 1914. Many of the German speakers came from Russia, and are known as "Russian Germans." [[Yankees]] arrived too; they became townspeople, not farmers. Religion has always been strong, especially in Lutheran and Catholic churches.
===Norwegians===
Norwegian folk came to North Dakota with a reputation for honesty, hospitality, and thrift; they were modernizers and prohibitionists and soon acquired new traits involving good manners, a greater respect for women, more democratic ideas, and disregard for European class distinctions. "In Norway," one pioneer recalled, "we were in many respects a helpless tool in the hands of the state. There we had the state church. The child must be baptized or a fine must be paid." Ole Lima said that when his people came to America they became "a more wideawake people and more independent thinking. . . . The Norwegian, who has lived a while in America, is more civilized than if he had not been here. He has seen more, experienced more, thought more, and all this has opened his eyes and broadened his view."<ref> Quoted in Robinson (1966) p 548</ref>
[[File:ND-Leal.jpg|thumb|340px|The town of Leal in Barnes County in 1920, when it had 88 people; only 36 remain today--it's typical of many fading villages.]]

===Volga Germans===
On the other hand the "Russian Germans" or "Volga Germans" were traditionalists. They were germans who had lived isolated lives for generations in the Volga River region of Russia. They settled mostly in the south-central part of the state, the so-called German-Russian triangle. They brought little money and so worked poorer land, and were not as well off as other groups. No educated Germans-speaking pastors, teachers, professional men, or tradesmen had joined the peasants who migrated to America. The older generation was still speaking German (they never spoke Russian) in the 1940s, while the next generation was bilingual. Negatively influenced by their miseries and isolation in Russia, they saw themselves a downtrodden class cheated by businessmen and railroads; they raised large families with harsh discipline; they wanted their children to be farmers so took them out of school around age 14; they treated their womenfolk as inferior, and were slow to diversify their farms. Many grew sugar beets. In World War I (1917-18) their patriotism was ambiguous; distrusted by their neighbors they rejected prohibition and Americanization efforts and supported radical far-left political movements such as the NPL ("Non-Partisan League") in state elections and [[Robert LaFollette]] in 1924.<ref>Robinson (1966) pp. 285-87, 557; Gordon L. Iseminger, "The McIntosh County German-Russians: the First Fifty Years," ''North Dakota History'' 1984 51(3): 4-23; Iseminger, "Are We Germans, or Russians, or Americans? The McIntosh County German-Russians During World War I," ''North Dakota History'' 1992 59(2): 2-16. </ref>

==Climate==
The climate is harsh winter and summer, with light rainfall. Eric Sevareid (1912-1992), who survived to become a famous newscaster, recalls growing up in a village north of Minot:
:"It was a trial of the human spirit just to live there, and a triumph of faith and fortitude for those who stayed on through the terrible blasting of the summer winds, the merciless suns, through the frozen darkness of the winters when the deathly mourn of the coyote seemed at times the only signal of life."

==Farming==
[[File:Nd-farm-map.jpg|thumb|290px]] North Dakota has always been a farm state. The most productive area is the eastern strip in the Red River Valley, where the soils are good and the water is abundant. Too abundant, sometimes, as the Red River (which flows north into Canada) often floods. Farming here is diversified, with wheat dominant, along with sugar beets and other crops.

[[File:Sod-house.jpg|thumb|300px|There are few trees on the plains, so many pioneers built houses from sod and lived in them for years despite the dirt, darkness and insects. This hand-colored photo was taken about 1905.<ref> See Everett Dick, ''Sod-House Frontier'' (1937)</ref>]]

The East Central and West Central regions are dry and are given over to wheat and other grains.

The West region has considerable ranching, but there is so little moisture that crops are seldom grown.

Wheat farming boomed in the late 19th century, in part because of improvements in harvesting technology, particularly the automated reaper/binder that relied on twine to tie wheat into bundles for threshing. In 1899, to meet the rising demand for twine and confront International Harvester's monopolization of twine production, North Dakota and other Great Plains states set up their own twine factories using prison labor.
[[File:Nd-wheat.jpg|560px|thumb|left|Wheat harvest in Benson county, 1910]]
===Farmers Union===
[[File:Nd-Farm-union.jpg|thumb|400px|State headquarters of Farmers Union in Jamestown]]
The Farmers Union, the state branch of the National Farmers Union (NFU), was founded in 1927 and emerged out of the NPL in the 1920s. The Union grew rapidly in the 1930s when the [[New Deal]] (through the [[Farm Security Administration]] began funding rural cooperatives. The coops were businesses--grain elevators and retail stores--that are owned by the farmers collectively, and enjoy special tax privileges. Norwegians in particular favored the coops and the Farmers Union. The Union has always leaned to the left, as opposed to the conservative farm Bureau Federation. North Dakota is one of the few states where the Union has a much larger membership than the Bureau, thanks to those coops. In 1956 there were 58,000 farmers in the state, of whom 44,000 belonged to the Union In the 1956 the Union took over the remnants of the NPL and merged it into the Democratic Party, which is officially the Democratic-NPL Party. The Farmers Union in 2009 still has 42,000 members, because it is signing up town folk to join the coops. It still lobbies on the left on major state and national issues.

==Transportation==
The Red River and the Missouri River are navigable, with steamships active by the 1840s. They provided the easierst transportation until the opening of the roailroads in the 1880-1900 period. The Northern Pacific, Soo Line, Great Northern, and Milwaukee Road railroads served over 90% of the population, and sold land on very easy terms to immigrants. However, once they were settled in farmers and local merchants complained of high freight rates. The populated areas of east and central North Dakota are flat, making it easy for counties in the 1920s to build gravel roads to serve farmers.
[[File:Nd-old-home.jpg|thumb|400px|Before the 1950s counties operated "Old People's Homes" like this one in Grand Forks County for welfare recipients; today welfare is in cash payments, rental allowances and food stamps.]]
===Tourism===
Hunting fishing and boating are popular pastimes and draw summer tourists. The 2,300 acre tract of the '''International Peace Garden''' straddling the Canadian border was located near the geographical center of the American continent in 1932. The land was given by the Province of Manitoba and the State of North Dakota, after four years of planning by a group of distinguished gardeners. A cairn of native stone bears the inscription, 'To God in His Glory, we two nations dedicate this garden and pledge ourselves that as long as men shall live, we will not take up arms against one another.' Articles of incorporation were filed in Manitoba and North Dakota. A 100 percent Federal grant was received from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works. A Civilian Conservation Corps camp was installed in 1934 and aided in the garden's development until 1941. Other organizations contributed. The garden houses an International Music camp, weekly encampments of the Royal Canadian Legion, the North Dakota Farm Bureau, the North Dakota Farmers' Union, Boy Scouts, church groups, and other youth activities.<ref>John A. Stormon, "A History of the International Peace Garden," ''North Dakota History'' 1964 31(4): 205-215, </ref>

==Energy==
[[File:Nd-oil.jpg|thumb|350px]]
North Dakota has considerable fossil fuel reserves. Coal is extracted from large surface mines in central North Dakota. Substantial crude oil and natural gas reserves are located in the Williston Basin, in the western part of the State. Although a low population largely accounts for the State’s low total energy consumption, North Dakota’s per capita energy consumption ranks among the highest in the Nation, in large part due to high demand for heating during cold winters and an energy-intensive economy. Industry accounts for nearly one-half of the State’s total energy consumption.<ref> See [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=ND Energy Information Administration, State Report 2009]</ref>
===Petroleum===
North Dakota is a substantial crude oil-producing State with an output typically equal to roughly 2% of total annual U.S. production. The State is also an entrance point for Canadian crude oil transported via pipeline to U.S. Midwest refining markets. A small petroleum refinery near Bismarck refines crude oil extracted from the Williston Basin, which covers eastern Montana and the western Dakotas, as well as a small amount of Canadian crude. The refinery produces transportation fuels primarily for the northern Great Plains States and the Twin Cities area. A small new refinery has been proposed on the Fort Berthold Indian reservation in western North Dakota. If constructed, it would be the first new crude oil refinery in the United States in decades.

[[File:Nd-oil-drill.jpg|thumb|390px|Drilling for oil in 1963 in the Williston Basin, near the western border]]
Ethanol is produced at four ethanol plants in North Dakota, and a fifth is under construction, giving the State considerable ethanol production capacity. North Dakota is a moderate consumer of ethanol in blended motor gasoline, although it is one of the few states that allow the statewide use of conventional motor gasoline. (Most States require the use of specific gasoline blends in non-attainment areas due to air-quality considerations.) Ethanol is fast losing popularity because it is expensive and by taking crops out of the food chain it raises food prices.

===Natural Gas===
North Dakota typically produces roughly 1% of the Nation’s annual natural gas production. The majority of the State’s supply is transported via major pipelines originating in Montana and western Canada on their way to U.S. Midwest consumption markets. North Dakota has the distinction of being one of only two States that produce synthetic natural gas. The single largest source of synthetic gas in the United States is the Great Plains Synfuels Plant in Beulah, North Dakota, which annually produces more than 54 billion cubic feet of gas from coal. Overall State usage of natural gas is low, with the industrial sector leading State consumption. Over two-fifths of the households in North Dakota use natural gas as their primary source of energy for home heating.

===Coal, Electricity, and Renewables===
Electricity generation and demand are both low in North Dakota, commensurate with the State’s population. Coal-fired plants provide nearly all of North Dakota’s electricity generation. Most of the coal used for power generation is supplied by several large surface mines in the central part of the State. State coal production is substantial, and North Dakota brings in only small amounts of coal from other States. Hydroelectric dams account for most of the State’s non-coal-generated electricity. The Garrison Dam, located about 75 miles northwest of Bismarck, is North Dakota’s fifth largest plant in electricity generation capability. The vast majority of the State is rich in wind energy potential, a dozen wind power projects are currently operational, and the State has plans for further development. Nearly three-tenths of North Dakota households use electricity as their primary energy source for home heating.

==History==

Beginning in 1915, the [[Non-Partisan League]] ('''NPL''') quickly developed from a protest movement into a political force in North Dakota and neighboring [[Alberta]], Canada. Alienated farmers, especially Germans, demanded state government action to balance the widening gap between the price consumers paid and the amount producers received for their farm products, especially wheat. A. C. Townley and William Irvine rallied farmers into the Non-Partisan League's ranks with the organization's commitment to voting and democracy that were not influenced by traditional party politics. Conservative Republicans and Democrats formed an alliance to stope the NPL radicalism.

==Notable people from North Dakota==
[[File:ND-Missouri.jpg|thumb|380px|Badlands in western N.D.]]
*[[Dick Armey]], a former US Representative who played a significant role in the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in 1994, was born in Cando, then moved to Texas.
*[[Louis L'Amour]], an author who specialized in writing Westerns, was born in Jamestown.
*[[Sacagawea]], who served as a guide on Lewis and Clark's expedition, spent several years living in a village in what is now North Dakota.
* [[Lawrence Welk]], band leader; his parents were Volga German Catholics who left Russia in 1893 and migrated to Strasburg
* [[Roger Maris]], from Fargo; playing with the New York Yankees, he broke Babe Ruth's home-run record in 1961

==Bibliography==
* Anderson, Kathie Ryckman. ''Dakota: The Literary Heritage of the Northern Prairie State.'' (1990), quick look at 200 authors
* Arends, Shirley Fischer. ''The Central Dakota Germans: Their History, Language, and Culture.'' (1989). 289 pp.; the state's largest ethnic group
* Berg, Francie M., ed. ''Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota.'' (1983). 174 pp.
* Blackorby, Edward C. ''Prairie Rebel: The Public Life of William Lemke'' (1963), radical leader in 1930s [http://www.questia.com/read/11908002?title=Prairie%20Rebel%3a%20The%20Public%20Life%20of%20William%20Lemke online edition]
* Bochert, John R. ''America's Northern Heartland'' (1987), regional geography
* Collins, Michael L. ''That Damned Cowboy: Theodore Roosevelt and the American West, 1883-1898'' (1989). Teddy was a rancher here in the 1880s
* Cooper, Jerry and Smith, Glen. ''Citizens as Soldiers: A History of the North Dakota National Guard.'' (1986). 447 pp.
* Crawford, Lewis F. ''History of North Dakota'' (3 vol 1931), excellent history in vol 1; biographies in vol. 2-3
* Danbom, David B. ''"Our Purpose Is to Serve": The First Century of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.'' (1990). 237 pp.
* Danbom, David B. "North Dakota: The Most Midwestern State," in ''Heartland: Comparative Histories of the Midwestern States,'' ed. by James H. Madison, (1988) pp 107-126
* Drache, Hiram M. ''The Day of the Bonanza: A History of Bonanza Farming in the Red River Valley of the North.'' (1964), giant wheat farms with many employees
* Eisenberg, C. G. ''History of the First Dakota-District of the Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States.'' (1982). 268 pp. now part of [[ELCA]]
* Ginsburg, Faye D. ''Contested Lives: The Abortion Debate in an American Community.'' (1989). 315 pp. the issue in Fargo
* Hampsten, Elizabeth. ''Settlers' Children: Growing Up on the Great Plains'' (1991)
* Hargreaves, Mary W. M. ''Dry Farming in the Northern Great Plains: Years of Readjustment, 1920-1990.'' (1993). 386 pp.
* Howard, Thomas W., ed. ''The North Dakota Political Tradition.'' (1981). 220 pp.; essays on on Alexander McKenzie, Governor John Burke, Senator William Langer, Governor Fred G. Aandahl, Elizabeth Preston Anderson, NPL and the Independent Voters' Association.
* Hudson, John C. ''Plains Country Towns.'' (1985). 189 pp. geographer studies small towns
* Junker, Rozanne Enerson. ''The Bank of North Dakota: An Experiment in State Ownership.'' (1989). 185 pp.
* Lamar, Howard R. ''Dakota Territory, 1861-1889: A Study of Frontier Politics'' (1956).
* Lounsberry, Clement A. ''Early history of North Dakota'' (1919) excellent history by editor of ''Bismark Tribune''; 645pp [http://books.google.com/books?id=BHQUAAAAYAAJ&dq=inauthor:Clement+inauthor:Lounsberry&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0&source=gbs_navlinks_s online edition]
* Lysengen, Janet Daley and Rathke, Ann M., eds. ''The Centennial Anthology of "North Dakota History: Journal of the Northern Plains."'' (1996). 526 pp. articles from state history journal covering all major topics in the state's history
* Morlan, Robert L. ''Political Prairie Fire: The Nonpartisan League, 1915-1922.'' (1955). 414 pp. radical-left NPL came to power briefly
* Murray, Stanley Norman. ''The Valley Comes of Age: A History of Agriculture in the Valley of the Red River of the North, 1812-1920'' (1967)
* Peirce, Neal R. ''The Great Plains States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Nine Great Plains States'' (1973) [http://www.amazon.com/Great-Plains-States-America-Politics/dp/0393053490/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256351845&sr=1-2 excerpt and text ssearch], chapter on North Dakota
* Robinson, Elwyn B., D. Jerome Tweton, and David B. Danbom. ''History of North Dakota'' (2nd ed. 1995) standard history, by leading scholars; extensive bibliography
** Robinson, Elwyn B. ''History of North Dakota'' (1966) [http://www.questia.com/read/89553282?title=History%20of%20North%20Dakota First edition online]
* Schneider, Mary Jane. ''North Dakota Indians: An Introduction.'' (1986). 276 pp.
* Sherman, William C. and Playford V. Thorson, eds. ''Plains Folk: North Dakota's Ethnic History.'' (1988). 419 pp.
* Sherman, William C. ''Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural North Dakota.'' (1983). 152 pp.
* Smith, Glen H. ''Langer of North Dakota: A Study in Isolationism, 1940-1959.'' (1979). 238 pp. biography of influential conservative Senator
* Snortland, J. Signe, ed. ''A Traveler's Companion to North Dakota State Historic Sites.'' (1996). 155 pp.
* Stock, Catherine McNicol. ''Main Street in Crisis: The Great Depression and the Old Middle Class on the Northern Plains.'' (1992). 305pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15562850?title=Main%20Street%20in%20Crisis%3a%20The%20Great%20Depression%20and%20the%20Old%20Middle%20Class%20on%20the%20Northern%20Plains online edition]
* Stradley, Scot A. ''The Broken Circle: An Economic History of North Dakota'' (1993)
* Tauxe, Caroline S. ''Farms, Mines and Main Streets: Uneven Development in a Dakota County.'' (1993). 276 pp. coal and grain in Mercer county
* Tweton, D. Jerome, and Daniel F. Rylance. ''The Years of Despair: North Dakota in the Depression.'' (1973) politics of 1920s
* Tweton, D. Jerome and Jelliff, Theodore B. ''North Dakota: The Heritage of a People.'' (1976). 242 pp. basic textbook
* Wilkins, Robert P. and Wilkins, Wynona Hutchette. ''North Dakota: A Bicentennial History.'' (1977) 218 pp. popular history
* Wishart, David J. ''Encyclopedia of the Great Plains'' (2004), many articles by scholars on many topics
===Primary sources===
* Benson, Bjorn; Hampsten, Elizabeth; and Sweney, Kathryn, eds. ''Day In, Day Out: Women's Lives in North Dakota.'' (1988). 326 pp.
* Maximilian, Prince of Wied. ''Travels in the Interior of North America in the rears 1832 to 1834'' (Vols. XXII-XXIV of "Early Western Travels, 1748-1846," ed. by Reuben Gold Thwaites; 1905- 1906). Maximilian spent the winter of 1833-1834 at Fort Clark.
* Meek, Martha, and Jay Meek, eds. ''Prairie Volcano: An Anthology of North Dakota Writing.'' (1995), short works by 50 recent authors
* Raaen, Aagot. ''Grass of the Earth'' (1950) true, highly revealing story of one Norwegian family in 1880s
* University of North Dakota, Bureau of Governmental Affairs, ed., ''A Compilation of North Dakota Political Party Platforms, 1884-1978.'' (1979). 388 pp.
* WPA. ''North Dakota: A Guide to the Northern Prairie State'' (2nd ed. 1950), the classic guide [http://www.questia.com/read/16322595?title=North%20Dakota%3a%20A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Northern%20Prairie%20State online edition]
* Woiwode, Larry. ''Beyond the Bedroom Wall: A Family Album'' (1975) novel about growing up in N.D.
* Young, Carrie. ''Prairie Cooks: Glorified Rice, Three-Day Buns, and Other Reminiscences.'' (1993). 136 pp.

==External links==
* [http://history.nd.gov/publications/ndhistory.html ''North Dakota History: Journal of the Northern Plains''], with cumulative index
== References ==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Western United States]]

File talk:PzMyers2.jpg

2010-12-30T17:42:20Z

ChelseaR: Created page with "I'll bet that's a diet coke in his hand as well! Typical liberal atheist. ~~~~"

I'll bet that's a diet coke in his hand as well! Typical liberal atheist. [[User:ChelseaR|ChelseaR]] 12:42, 30 December 2010 (EST)

Nick Clegg

2010-11-12T19:06:48Z

ChelseaR:

'''Nick Clegg''' (b. January 7, 1967) is the leader of the [[Liberal Democrats]] and current Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Lord President of the Council.
Clegg is a self-described [[liberal]] and [[atheist]].

== Early Life ==

Nick Clegg was born '''Nicholas William Peter Clegg''' in Buckinghamshire. His father was half-English, half-Russian, and his mother was Dutch. He speaks English, Dutch, French, German and Spanish. His wife is Roman Catholic. Aged sixteen, Clegg was arrested in Germany and charged with arson, after he and his friends were caught destroying a priceless collection of rare [[cactus|cacti]] whilst drunk.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1193693/Id-drunk-I-irresponsible-Criminal-Nick-Clegg-regrets.html Daily Mail - Nick Clegg on his regrets]</ref>

== Politics ==

Clegg describes himself as [[liberal#Liberalism in Europe today|liberal]] and is in favour of handing over further powers from British soverignty to the [[European Union]]. Each of the five bodies of the EU currently has some sort of legislative or judiciary power over the UK (with these ranging from simple group discussions in the Council of Ministers to fully independent legislation from the European Parliament.) He is in favour of significantly higher taxes for the rich, including a mansion tax - a fixed annual levy on all houses worth more than two million pounds, and of raising the income tax threshold to £10,000.
The policies of Clegg and his Party differ significantly from that of the two major UK parties, but in very different ways. The main points of difference with the Conservatives are over tax and monetary policy, with Clegg being definitely to the left of the Conservatives, but probably a little to the right of Labour (this is hard to say as Lib Dem tax policies are more leftist than Labour's, yet Labour's Keynsian approach to ending the recession is far to the left of Clegg, whose policies in this area are more Conservative.) However, the differences with Labour are mostly social, with the Liberal Democrats being significantly more in favour of small-government and decentralisation than even the Conservatives, who have (since Labour reversed many of its positions in the 90s) been the less authoritarian of the two major parties. In this area Clegg, like Cameron of the Conservatives, favours less central administration of schools and hospitals, and more power to local communities. Because of this, it is untrue to claim that Clegg's views are a "more extreme" version of either Labour or the Conservatives, but they cannot be placed in the middle either. The complex nature of their stance makes such simple comparisons impossible. On a few other policy issues, such as nuclear weapons, Clegg is noticeably distant from either major party (Clegg favours disarmament.)

Clegg is in favour of the Single Transferable Vote system for elections to Westminster. This system combines elements of majoritarianism (where an unpopular candidate cannot be elected by default because of a split in the vote of his opposition between several similar opposing candidates as is the case in FPTP (first past the post)) with elements of proportionality (where the number of votes cast for any candidate is directly proportional to the power said candidate has in government.) This system is praised by the UKs Electoral Reform Society, which has condemned the FPTP system for being unfair, as many votes are "wasted" and parties represented in a smaller area of the country need fewer votes to achieve a majority in Parliament. This system has resulted in several Labour victories with vote percentages that would not give the Conservatives a victory, and would garner very little support for parties with nationwide support such as UKIP or Clegg's own Liberal Democrats. In fact, in the 2010 election itself, UKIP received more than 3% of the vote, but assumed not a single one of the 650 seats in Parliament.

Clegg's performance in the first ever televised live UK election debate thrust him into the spotlight and up the opinion polls, with one poll even placing him first among the Prime Ministerial candidates at one point. However, a number of factors conspired to actually end up reducing the number of seats held by the Liberal Democrats at the election. The FPTP system, as mentioned above, discriminates against a party that is supported across the whole country, such as the Liberal Democrats or UKIP (the UK independence party, a vehemently anti-EU party.) David Cameron's support markedly increased in the final week leading up to the election. Gordon Brown's popularity took a major hit in the lead-up to the election, peaking with an occasion where he referred to a pensioner as a "bigoted woman", due to the nature of the FPTP electoral system's making the election a race between Conservatives and Labour, despite widespread Liberal Democrat support, many voters abandoned the Liberal Democrats at the 11th hour in order to prevent Brown's re-election by the splitting of his opposition between Clegg and Cameron. Despite this - Clegg was left in a position of considerable power when the Conservatives failed to gain a majority. This was not quite as important as it may have seemed, as a Labour-Liberal coalition would also not have had a majority, so a Liberal-Conservative coalition was really the only feasible option. Some had predicted Clegg would be a "king-maker" (able to form a majority when allied with either major party, and thus in a position of huge power out of proportion to his vote) but this did not come about. Despite Brown's resignation in the hope of sweetening a deal, David Cameron assumed the office of Prime Minister, with Nick Clegg as his deputy. Four other Liberal Democrats were placed in cabinet positions, and the "coalition manifesto" included a number of Liberal Democrat policies including a high-speed rail network (as opposed to further airport expansion planned by Cameron) and the raising of the income tax threshold to £10,000. It was reported that many senior Liberals were sceptical of a Conservative coalition until they had seen the manifesto. On voting reform and inheritance tax, as well as many other major issues, a compromise was reached.

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clegg, Nick}}
[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category: British Politics]]

Labour Party (UK)

2010-11-05T19:28:34Z

ChelseaR:

The '''Labour Party''' is a democratic party of the [[United Kingdom]] generally thought of as being on the [[left-wing|left]] of the political spectrum. It was once a bastion of [[socialism]] but has largely abandoned this in practice and in rhetoric (although there still is vague mention in the platform).<ref> see [http://www.labour.org.uk/labour_policies "Labour's Policies"]</ref> It was founded in 1900, and currently forms the [[Leader of the Opposition|Her Majesty's Opposition]], being the largest party in the UK not in currently in government. The current leader of the Labour Party is Ed Miliband, who was elected by Labour party members on September 25th 2010, after their crushing defeat four months earlier in the UK's [[general election]]. [[Image:Labour logo.jpg|right|thumb|170px|The Labour Party's logo]]

==History==
===Origins===
The Labour Party was formed out of an alliance of several prominent left-wing and socialist movements that existed in Britain at the turn of the century. Chief amongst them the were the [[Trades Union Congress]], the [[Fabian Society]], and the [[Independent Labour Party]]. The group took the name [[Labour Representation Committee]], later adopting the name [[Labour Party]] after achieving seats in the [[House of Commons]] at the 1906 election. Much of the intellectual energy came from the [[Fabian Socialism|Fabians, an informal group of intellectual socialists.]]

The rise of Marxist socialism in the late 19th century in the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) (1881-1911) did not create a militantly atheistic and anti-religious force. From its beginnings, circa 1881, the SDF contained Christians, non-Christians, and anti-Christians. These groups generally coexisted in a state of compromise. The membership of the SDF was generally secularist and freethinking but religion was not a central issue. For all parties in the SDF, the central issue was commitment to socialism.

[[File:Labour1910.jpg|thumb|290px|Labour called for abolition of the [[House of Lords]] in 1910; when elected, they kept it and appointed their own favourites to peerages. Later posters dropped the violent imagery and called for peaceful change.]]

===Interwar period===
In its early years the Labour Party benefited from an alliance with the other main left-wing party in Britain, the [[Liberal Party]]; from a growth in working class consciousness; and from dissatisfaction with both the Liberal and [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] parties in the wake of what were perceived to be their mistakes in the handling of the [[First World War]]. Winning growing numbers of seats at each election, the Labour Party was finally able to form a government in 1924 under the leadership of [[Ramsay MacDonald]]. However this was short-lived. The party did not have an outright majority, and in fact only had about one third of the total seats within the House. After just nine months the Party lost an important vote, and the government resigned. Four days before the election the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' published the "[[Zinoviev Letter]]", a forgery that seemed to indicate that the Communist Party of Great Britain was planning subversion or even a violent revolution in cooperation with Labour. The letter was leaked by the Foreign Ministry. The Labour Party was badly defeated in the 1924 general election, even though its vote increased by one million. The Conservative vote was up by two million as the Liberal party was rapidly collapsing. Historians agree the Zinoviev Letter was a forgery but their consensus is that it made little difference in the election. What is more important, after the election Labour leaders used it as an excuse for their failure; it became a roadblock to needed internal reforms in the Labour party.

[[File:Labour1929.jpg|thumb|300px|Despite the deliberate appeal to middle class voters in this 1929 poster, most Labour voters were working class blokes who did not wear white collars and ties.]]
The Labour Party briefly formed a government again in 1929, but this did not survive the effects of the [[Great Depression]]. In a dispute over the best way to handle the economic consequences of the global financial crash, the Party leadership fractured. A new "National Government" drawn from all parties was formed, with [[Ramsay MacDonald]] still as Prime Minister. However this was dominated by the other parties, particularly the Conservatives, who went on to dominate the British political scene for the rest of the interwar period.

===Victory in 1945===
The [[Second World War]] saw a major shift in political attitudes within Britain, and led to a landslide victory for [[Clement Attlee]] in 1945. The modest, unassuming intellectual Attlee named a cabinet that included all elements of the party. Of 37 ministers, eight were former coal miners, and eleven had been active trade unionists.

This government introduced sweeping reforms of industry and the creation of the [[welfare state]]. Attlee's government nationalised major industries, founded the [[National Health Service]], and developed the idea of welfare from cradle to grave paid for out of taxation and available to everyone free of charge. Much of the welfare state is still in force today.

The Labour government was fiercely anti-Communist, but the economy was so weak it had to relinquish a leadership role to the United States. Atlee pushed President [[Harry Truman]] to take over Britain's historic roles, especially in Greece, and indeed helped push the U.S. into the [[Cold War]] against the [[Soviet Union]].

After losing in 1951, the Labour Party spent the next 13 years out of office and achieved little during the governments of Wilson (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) and his successor James Callaghan (1976-79). Their failures set the stage for the renewal of British energy and leadership under [[Margaret Thatcher]], beginning in 1979.

===Socialism===
Despite its historic commitment to socialism, the British Labour Party has been flexible and reformist in its doctrine ever since it was founded in 1900. After the crisis of 1931, the party adopted a broadly social democratic program in which socialism was linked with the idea of economic planning and social welfare. The Attlee government of 1945-51 was very moderate in its commitment to socialism. The years of opposition saw violent arguments in the party between left-wing Bevanites and the center-right supporters of [[Hugh Gaitskell]]. But the main differences concerned foreign and defense policy. On domestic issues, the party was now broadly revisionist, committed to the mixed economy and social equality.
[[File:Atlee45.jpg|thumb|370px|Atlee defeats Churchill in 1945, and becomes bowler for the British cricket team; he faces difficult issues like housing and finance which are coming to bat.]]

==New Left==
Wilson, on becoming prime minister in 1964, tried to bypass old doctrinal arguments by harnessing nationalized industry to ideas of scientific modernization. But his government was a great failure, not least in its relations with the trade unions, the linchpin of the party since its founding. Wilson represented the older traditions of the Labour Party and never understood the emerging "New Left" with new social roots, new ideas and new styles of political behaviour in the late 1970s. Following the disillusion and demoralization of traditional Labour Party activists with Wilson's government, a more radical and well-educated local Labour leadership appeared at the local level. This bred much disillusionment and launched a new left-wing socialism in the 1970s. The Labour government of 1974-79 added to this division. The left-wing pressure reached its climax in the early 1980s when Thatcher was in power but resulted only in heavy defeats for Labour in 1983 and 1987. The general impression in 1989 is of a loss of political and intellectual confidence, with British socialism trapped between a cherished past and an uncertain future.<ref> Kenneth O. Morgan, ''Britain since 1945: The People's Peace'' (2001)</ref>

===Social issues===
The Labour Party has also been a strong proponent of social reform. Under [[Harold Wilson]] in the late 60s, abortion and homosexuality were decriminalizes, the death penalty abolished and divorce was made easier. Unease from a perceived large number of immigrants from Commonwealth countries also led to four Race Relations Acts, all of which were passed under Labour governments.

===Industrial Strife===
see [[Winter of Discontent]]

The Labour Party always prided itself on strong links with [[Labor union|trade unions]], but by the late 1960s there was growing industrial unrest. Inflation was becoming a growing problem and unemployment began to rise. Harold Wilson was elected for a third time in February 1974, taking over from Conservative [[Edward Heath]] whose government was brought to its knees by oil shortages and a crippling coal miners' strike in 1973. Throughout the late 1970s strikes were commonplace, tight controls on pay rises, known as incomes policy, was struggling to curb inflation which reached a high of 28%. A series of devastating strikes in the winter of 1978/79 which became known as the [[Winter of Discontent]] led to the government of [[James Callaghan]] being defeated in a vote of no confidence and a general election which was won by the Conservative Party led by [[Margaret Thatcher]].

===A swing to the left===
[[Michael Foot]] became leader of the Labour Party in 1980 and took the party in a far left direction. The 1983 manifesto pledged to reverse all Thatcher's economic reforms; renationalise all privatised businesses, return taxes on the rich to the punitive level of the 1970s (98% in some cases), restore trade union powers, leave the European Economic Community, unilaterally surrender Britain's nuclear weapons and campaign for a united Ireland as a solution to the paramilitarism and terrorism that had beset the province of Northern Ireland throughout the 70s. The manifesto became known as the "longest suicide note in history" and was defeated by Thatcher's Conservatives in a landslide. Pro-EEC Labour Party members who formed their own party, the SDP, nearly polled more votes than the Labour Party. If not for the SDP's poorly thought-out electoral strategy (which gained plenty of votes, but almost no seats in the Commons), Labour could have been reduced to third party status in this election.

Foot was succeeded by [[Neil Kinnock]], who ditched much (but not all) of the far-left baggage from 1983. Under Kinnock, Labour was again defeated in a landslide in 1987 but, crucially, Labour came well ahead of the SDP (now in alliance with the Liberal Party).

===Tony Blair and "New Labour"===
The term New Labour didn't come into being until [[Tony Blair]] became leader in 1994, but the reform of the Labour Party took place long before then. By 1992, it was clear that Thatcher's reforms had struck a chord with voters and the Labour party were no longer promising to renationalise industries or restore trade union powers. Only the top rate of income tax would be raised from 40 to 50%. Opinion polls during the election campaign predicted a very close result, but the Conservative party won a narrow victory of 23 seats after an unusually high turnout.

John Smith became leader in 1992, but his sudden death in 1994 led to Tony Blair to become leader and the term "New Labour" was born. Blair started by reforming Clause IV. Clause IV dealt with the purpose of the Party and referred direct to its erstwhile desire for public ownership of the means of production; the current version instead calls for 'a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few'.
The revised version mentions "socialism" as a sop to the old timers:
:The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few.’

Blair promised no increases in income tax and pledged to run a stable economy. He scored landslide victories in 1997, and again in 2001.

One of Blair's most controversial decisions was to [[Iraq War|invade Iraq]] in 2003 alongside the Americans and other allies. Britain became the second largest contributor of armed forces to [[George W. Bush]]'s "Coalition of the Willing", and Blair staunchly defended the position, and won supporting votes in parliament. Partly due to the war's unpopularity, and partly to a perception that the Government had raised taxes on business and individuals to unacceptable levels, the Labour party won a much smaller majority in 2005 and has seen key bills defeated by backbench revolts such as the plan to hold terrorist suspects for up to 90 days without charge.

Blair had lost his momentum, so he retired in mid-2007 and was replaced per prior arrangement by his long-time Chancellor, [[Gordon Brown]]. The worldwide [[Recession of 2008]], continuing into 2009, hit Britain hard and has yet to bottom out. Labour took much of the blame, and its polling rates dropped to levels not seen since the early 1980s. Labour's popularity continued to decline in 2009, as the party made its worst electoral showing in a hundred years in the EU elections in June 2009. Brown, however, beat back his disunited critics, reorganized his cabinet, and stumbled onward. The Conservatives maintain a large lead for the next general election, which must be held by spring 2010.

==Sharia Infiltration==
There is evidence that the Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) has created a party within the Labour party. The IFE seeks to make Britain and [[Europe]] an Islamic state. In covert investigations by the media it was determined that the IFE were expressing opposition to democracy, support for sharia law or mocking black people and organized meetings with extremists, including [[Taliban]] allies. <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7333420/Islamic-radicals-infiltrate-the-Labour-Party.html Islamic radicals 'infiltrate' the Labour Party, TelegraphUK, February 27, 2010]</ref>

{{cquote| [They are] placing people within the political parties, recruiting members to those political parties, trying to get individuals selected and elected so they can exercise political influence and power, whether it's at local government level or national level.}}

==Prime Ministers==

* [[Ramsay MacDonald]] (1924 and 1929-1935) [http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page136.asp]

[[File:Labour45.jpg|thumb|270px|Labour won an unexpected landslide in 1945]]
* [[Clement Attlee]] (1945-1951) [http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page133.asp]

* [[Harold Wilson]] (1964-1970 and 1974-1976) [http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page129.asp]

* [[James Callaghan]] (1976-1979) [http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page127.asp]

* [[Tony Blair]] (1997-2007) [http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page4.asp]

* [[Gordon Brown]] (2007-present)
[[File:Labour45b.jpg|thumb|275px|left|Iconic 1945 election poster]]
==See also==
* [[Fabian Society]]
* [[Industrial Democracy]]

==Further reading==

* Davies, Andrew. ''To Build a New Jerusalem: The British Labour Party from Keir Hardie to Tony Blair'' (1996)
* Favretto, Ilaria."'Wilsonism' Reconsidered: Labour Party Revisionism, 1952-64." ''Contemporary British History'' 2000 14(4): 54-80 in [[EBSCO]]]]
* Morgan, Austen. ''Harold Wilson'' (1992), 625pp; negative appraisal
* Morgan, Kenneth O. ''Britain since 1945: The People's Peace'' (2001)
* Pimlott, Ben. ''Harold Wilson'' (1992). Pimlott tries to rehabilitate Wilson’s political reputation, revealing that he was the prisoner rather than the master of various domestic and international dilemmas.
* Swift, John. ''Labour in Crisis: Clement Attlee and the Labour Party in Opposition, 1931-1940'' (2001)
* Worley, Matthew. ''Labour inside the Gate: A History of the British Labour Party between the Wars'' (2005),

==External links==
*[http://www.labour.org.uk/home Official site]

==References==
<references/>

[[category:British Political Parties]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Labor Unions]]
[[Category:Socialism]]
[[category:New Left]]
[[category:1960s]]

Joe Sixpack

2010-11-05T14:07:32Z

ChelseaR: removing stub template

'''Joe Sixpack''' is an American-English expression characterizing a type of down-to-earth, typically conservative voter who wears a T-shirt, grabs a sixpack of beer, and enjoys watching a ballgame on television on the weekends, contrasting with the typical image of an elitist, fancy-college-graduate [[liberal]]. While the expression was used far more frequently during the 1980s than today, it represents a significant amount of the large, working-class population.

==Examples==
*Numerous candidates for office have appealed to this type of voter in recent elections, including [[Scott Brown]] in his stunning upset victory for the [[U.S. Senate]] seat previously held by [[Ted Kennedy]] in [[Massachusetts]].

[[Category:politics]]

Joe Sixpack

2010-11-05T14:07:03Z

ChelseaR:

Talk:Labour Party (UK)

2010-11-01T17:26:57Z

ChelseaR:

==Labour Party, socialists or not?==

Yes. Their party website decribes them as being a socialist party.

No. Fidel Castro describes Cuba as being a democracy - what the leader says doesn't make it so! Labour has pursued Third Way social-democratic policies since 1997, and during their time in power they have significantly shifted to the right. --[[User:Rafa|Rafa]] 18:04, 13 March 2007 (EDT)

Anyway, where does it describe them as socialist on their website?[[User:Sitedrm|Sitedrm]] 14:37, 21 March 2007 (EDT)

*I think it is more accurate to call the Labour Party a social democrat party rather than a democratic socialist party. While there are still elements with the party that could still be described as socialist, very few of the party's objectives match the definition. They are recognised as being centre-left much like other parties in Europe and social democrat is the label that is typically applied to this part of the political spectrum. They would be closest to the Democrats if an American comparison had to be made. I will make this minor change if nobody objects. [[User:Ajkgordon|Ajkgordon]] 13:16, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

::Ajkgordon, although I agree with the essence of what you are saying, I think it is also worth noting that the Labour party does use the term "democratic socialist" to describe itself - see [http://www.labour.org.uk/how_we_work]. Many Labour party members would be proud to emphasise that term, so I don't personally think it's misleading. [[User:OurMike|OurMike]] 13:37, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

:::Goodness, so it does! Well, I'll leave it then. Thanks. [[User:Ajkgordon|Ajkgordon]] 13:39, 9 October 2007 (EDT)

The acutal socialists from the Labour party left ages ago with Arthur Scargill who aligned himself alongside Greenpeace and the Green Party trying to get the British coal mines reopened. That is why the Labour party advertises itself as "New Labour". They are anything but socialist. --[[User:EllisUSA|EllisUSA]] 18:15, 16 August 2008 (EDT)

== Title ==

Shouldn't this be located at a more appropriate title given the numerous parties around the world with the name? I know how fond Conservapedians are of Wikipedia, but just [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party as a comparison]... Thought I'd throw that out there. I doubt [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Party_%28Netherlands%29 the one whose page I was looking for] would merit much interest here anyway. :) [[User:Punuma|Punuma]] 19:03, 6 October 2007 (EDT)

: The leading "Labour Party" is in England. We're not going to elevate political correctness over the obvious here by linking to obscure parties in other countries copying the same name.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 00:07, 7 October 2007 (EDT)

::Yes, most other leading Labo(u)r parties tend to have a nationality descriptor, such as the New Zealand Labour Party. The only exception I can think of is the [http://www.labour.ie Labour Party in Ireland], which is one of the top three or four political parties there. [[User:Ajkgordon|Ajkgordon]] 20:02, 10 October 2007 (EDT)

==Needs revamping==
This article is massively outdated - Labour have been out of government for half a year now (thank God) and this needs to be recognised. However, I can't edit the article. Can someone please change this/unlock the article. Many thanks, [[User:ChelseaR|ChelseaR]] 13:26, 1 November 2010 (EDT)

Baja California

2010-11-01T15:35:12Z

ChelseaR: moving image thumb right

[[Image:Border USMex.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Baja California''' is the name of a state in north west [[Mexico]]. Its capital is [[Mexicali]], which is just south of the [[U.S.]] border.

Mexicali has more [[Chinese]] restaurants per capita than any other city in Mexico. Mexicali lays claim to the highest per capita concentration of Chinese residents in Mexico. [http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/jcummings/jcchina.html]

[[category:Mexican States]]

Evolution syndrome

2010-08-12T20:24:02Z

ChelseaR:

'''Evolution [[syndrome]]''' is the tendency of some people to insist compulsively that human [[evolution]] from animals ''must'' somehow be true, and to spend nearly all of their time pushing that belief on others. It is reflected on the [[internet]] by people who devote over 90% of their edits and postings to pushing their belief in evolution and insisting on [[censoring]] or demonizing alternative views of the issue. They are particularly against teaching any alternative theories to children in school, sometimes claiming that this will harm children's critical thinking. A childish insistence on [[last wordism]] is a common characteristic of evolution syndrome.

Sufferers of evolution syndrome tend to be college students or graduates who wanted to excel in math or physics, but lacked the ability or work ethic to do so. They are frustrated "wannabees" with respect to academic recognition. But they find that [[liberals]] will praise their intelligence if they promote evolution. This is analogous to a struggling ball player deceitfully turning to steroids to enhance his performance, and thereby make it to the "Big Leagues."

Evolution syndrome blinds its victims to the logical fallacy of their [[materialism]]: if human senses have merely evolved, then it is to be expected that human senses have not developed to the point of being able to detect all of reality. Much of reality would still be "unseen" to an evolving human. Yet victims of evolution syndrome insist that there is nothing unseen, and no [[God]].

The primary effect of evolution syndrome is to keep its victims away from learning the [[Bible]]. Victims of this syndrome claim to be educated, yet justify their complete ignorance about the Bible in their slavish commitment to their evolution belief system.

Characteristics of evolution syndrome include:

*Frequent use of bizarre jargon such as "[[quote mining]]," "[[moving the goalposts]]," and "fundie"
*A belief that consensus can somehow define scientific truth, even though consensus cannot define mathematical truth
*A tendency to be easily amused by [[deceit]]
*An utter lack of [[open-mindedness]]
*A superficiality or pseudo-intellectualism
*A lack of critical thinking
*Over-reliance on name-calling
*Ruthlessly demanding "provable fact" by the other side while themselves insisting on unproven theories
*Utter intolerance for [[Expelled:_No_Intelligence_Allowed|other positions in science]]
*A complete lack of curiosity and knowledge about anything that might contradict [[materialism]], such as [[migration]] and [[homing]]
*A complete ignorance about the [[Bible]], despite its historical value, and even though evolutionists pretend to be learned
*A tendency to be irrational [[atheism|atheists]] (see: [[Causes of atheism]])
*A tendency to favour non-democratic political ideals such as [[socialism]] or [[fascism]]
*An over-reliance on academic authority

Evolution syndrome particularly afflicts people who have some educational background without having the intellectual depth of more accomplished peers. They are like minor league baseball players who take steroids to try to get to the major leagues: they think that harping on evolution will gain them credibility they lack based on their intellect. Evolution syndrome can be seen on [[wiki]]s, [[Usenet]] groups, faculty positions below full professorships, and some less selective doctoral programs.

There is a high incidence of [[atheism]] among this group and indeed, many if not most atheists suffer from evolution syndrome. Whether atheism is a cause of evolution syndrome or vice-versa is still to be discovered, but the number of [[Theistic_evolution|theistic Evolutionists]] suggest that the link is not absolute.

Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views, and avoiding the insistence that others should share in one's view are key to avoiding evolution syndrome.

== The atheist and evolutionist helpline ==
[[Image:Olive baboon.jpg|thumb|center|300px|<big> [[Essay: The atheist and evolutionist helpline|Atheist and evolutionist helpline]]</big>
<br />
<br />
Scienceblogger Chad Orzel described the commentators on [[PZ Myers]]' Scienceblogs.com site [[Pharyngula (blog)|Pharyngula]], and other Scienceblogs.com commentators, as "screechy monkeys". Take the [[Essay: The atheist and evolutionist helpline|screechy monkey self-test]]. There is hope and healing available for [[atheism|atheist]] and [[evolution|evolutionist]] screechy monkeys. ]]

== See Also ==

*[[Richard Dawkins]]

*[[Evolution]]

*[[Atheism]]

[[category: Syndromes]]
[[Category:Conservapedia Terms]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

English language

2010-07-30T19:42:14Z

ChelseaR: May be a tad obvious, but perhaps necessary

The English language (originating in [[England]]) is the predominant language of the [[United States of America|United States]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Australia]], [[Canada]] as well as other former members of the [[British Empire]]. Due to the enormous economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the these nations, English functions as the world's major international language.

==History and Development==

English is considered a member of the Germanic language family, one of the oldest surviving Germanic languages within the North-Sea Germanic/Ingvaeonic sub-grouping of this family, with a vocabulary based upon Saxon, Angle, and Jute descent. The language has changed considerably in its existence; predecessors to modern English are highly distinct and are often mistaken for a completely different language, as evident in Old-English and Middle English. [[French]], amongst other Romance languages, has had a large impact on the language as well, due to the conquest of England by the French speaking Normans in 1066 AD. French also had a great impact on the language as it was the Lingua-Franca, considered so up until [[World War II]] (where English itself became the Lingua-Franca), in subjects such as law, science, philosophy, and politics.

Scholars typically identify several key factors in the development of the language in regards to the insurgence of non-native terminology. These times include the influence of French, mentioned above, the commerce England had with Spain, introducing Spanish to the language, and the affect of the [[Renaissance]] and [[Enlightenment]] period, which brought Latin and Greek based words to the language. Based on the history of the English language, it is sometimes compared to a common [[Creole]] language due to the many factors that have helped it develop over hundreds of years.

After World War II, the rise of the United States as a world superpower led to English replacing French as the Lingua-Franca, becoming the world's most used language for diplomacy, commerce, science, and so forth. Because of this, English is considered the world's most important international language by many.

==Spelling==
English spelling, technically phonetic based on the Roman alphabet, has changed considerably over time. Because England had vast differences in pronunciations and [[dialects]], and because there was no standardized agreement of how to represent each sound nor which Roman letters corresponded to which sound, spelling was quite variable. Standard spellings did not come about until the late seventeenth century. In or around 1828 in the United States, the lexicographer [[Noah Webster]] argued for simplifying some spellings which were no longer phonetic, such as the -our in words such as "colour". Most, though not all, of his proposed changes were adopted, such that US English spelling differs from UK English in some hundreds of instances. UK English spelling is the standard in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and most of the Commonwealth of Nations including Canada and Australia; US English spelling is the standard in the [[United States]] and its territories.

The term "English" may also be used to refer to a person from the United Kingdom born in the country of England, or to describe something from England or with characteristics particular to that place.

==See also==
* [[Official English]]

[[Category:English language| ]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]

Clown

2010-07-30T19:35:35Z

ChelseaR:

[[File:Clown.jpg|right|frame|A typical modern day clown costume.]]
A '''clown''' is a comic performer. Clowns come from a broad tradition of historical performances.

Modern day clowns usually work in [[circus]]es, [[theater|theatrical]] productions, movies or domestic parties as entertainers, and typically wear brightly colored clothes and heavy facial makeup. While much of their appeal is to young children, a fear of clowns - coulrophobia - is not altogether uncommon amongst younger children and some adults also.

[[Category:Dictionary]]

Britain

2010-07-30T19:21:02Z

ChelseaR: Britain is the name of the island

#REDIRECT [[Great Britain]]

Battle of Yorktown

2010-07-30T18:05:07Z

ChelseaR: /* further reading */

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:AmRev Logo.PNG|300px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: gray no-repeat scroll top left;"|Battle of Yorktown
|-
|Begun
|October 11, 1781
|-
|Ended
|October 17, 1781
|-
|}

The '''Battle of Yorktown''' was fought in the fall of 1781 in Yorktown, Virginia, between British forces under the command of General Lord [[Charles Cornwallis]], and the American Continental Army under Lieutenant General [[George Washington]] along with the French army under Comte de Rochambeau, and the French fleet under Admiral de Grasse. The victory at Yorktown effectively ended the [[American Revolution]].

==Final movements into Virginia==
By the summer of 1781, the United States had been at war with England for over six years.

In the summer of 1780, the Americans received a major boost to their cause when 5,500 French troops, commanded by Comte de Rochambeau, arrived at Newport, Rhode Island. France had been sending supplies to the United States all along, but after France and England declared war against each other in 1778, French King [[Louis XVI]] sent troops and naval assistance to the United States to engage the enemy.

[[Image:1781USA.jpg|thumb|300px]]
When Rochambeau’s forces arrived, the British were operating on two fronts. General Clinton, commander of British forces in North America, was occupying New York City. Cornwallis was marching north from South Carolina. The main American army under Washington was stationed along the Hudson River above New York City.

In the spring of 1781, Washington met with Rochambeau to plan an attack on Clinton. A French fleet was expected to arrive in New York later that summer, and Washington wanted to coordinate the attack with the fleet's arrival. As planned, Rochambeau's army marched in July and joined with Washington's troops outside New York City, only to learn that the French fleet was sailing to the lower Chesapeake Bay.

Washington changed his strategy to make Clinton think he was planning to attack him in NEw York City, while instead slipping away to the south to trap Cornwallis. In order to fool Clinton, Washington had his men build big army camps and huge brick bread ovens visible from New York to give the appearance of preparations for a stay. Washington also prepared false papers under his signature discussing plans for an attack on Clinton, and let these papers fall into British hands. British intelligence failed and Clinton thought Washington and the French army were stationary.

Washington and Rochambeau set out for Yorktown in mid-August and they arrived in Williamsburg, 13 miles west of Yorktown, in mid September.

Cornwallis was in Yorktown because he had been ordered by Clinton during the summer to provide a protected harbor for the British fleet in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Cornwallis chose Yorktown because of its deep-water harbor on the York River. His army spent the latter part of the summer fortifying Yorktown and Gloucester Point across the York River.

The French fleet, as part of the overall plan, entered the lower Chesapeake Bay in the end of August and disembarked 3,000 French troops to wait for Washington and Rochambeau in Williamsburg. On September 5, they encountered the smaller British fleet in a naval engagement known as the '''Battle of the Capes''. The British broke off the engagement and returned to New York for reinforcements. The French, commanded by Admiral de Grasse, remained in the lower Chesapeake and established a blockade.
==The Siege==
By the end of September, approximately 17,600 American and French soldiers were gathered in Williamsburg, while 8,300 British soldiers were occupying Yorktown, including a small number of German auxiliary troops (called "Hessians") hired to help fight the war.

Cornwallis recognized the odds were in the allies' favor, and he sent Clinton a note asking for help. Clinton responded that a British fleet with 5,000 men would sail for Yorktown from New York on October 5.

Cornwallis had his men construct a main line of defense around Yorktown that consisted of ten small enclosed forts (called redoubts), batteries with artillery and connecting trenches. The Americans and French marched from Williamsburg to Yorktown on September 28 and began digging a trench 800 yards from the British defense line to begin a siege. By October 9, the allies' trench was finished and their artillery had been moved up. Firing at the British continuously, they had virtually knocked the British guns out of action by October 11. Cornwallis had the additional misfortune to learn at that time that Clinton's departure from New York had been delayed.

During the night of October 11, the allies began a second trench 400 yards from the British. The next days were spent bringing up artillery and strengthening the new line. The new line could not be completed, however, without capturing British redoubts 9 and 10. On the night of October 14, 400 French stormed redoubt 9 and 400 Americans stormed redoubt 10, capturing them in less than 30 minutes. Nine Americans and 15 French died in this brief and heroic action.

On October 16, the British tried two desperation moves. Early that morning they attacked the allied center, attempted to silence a French Battery, but the French cannons were firing again in less than six hours. Late that night they tried to evacuate Yorktown by crossing the York River in small boats to Gloucester Point. A violent windstorm arose at midnight, however, scattering the boats and forcing an abandonment of the escape.

==The Surrender==
At 10 o'clock on the morning of October 17, 1781, a drummer beating a "parley," and a British officer with a flag of truce, mounted a parapet south of Yorktown. The allies saw the signal, and soon the incessant, devastating artillery fire ceased. A hushed stillness fell over the field. Lord Cornwallis, realizing the defeat of his army was inevitable, sent a handwritten note to Washington:

:''"Sir, I propose a cessation of hostilities for twenty-four hours, and that two officers may be appointed by each side, to meet at Mr. Moore's house, to settle terms for the surrender of the posts of York and Gloucester."''

Washington agreed to only a two hour cease fire for Cornwallis to submit general terms of surrender. Messages continued to pass over the battlefield between the two commanders. Finally, on the afternoon of October 18, the two British commissioners, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Dundas and Major Alexander Ross met in "Mr. Moore's house" with the allied officers, Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, for the Americans, and Second Colonel Viscount de Noailles (Marquis de Lafayette's brother-in-law), representing the French. The negotiations ended before midnight, and Laurens carried a rough draft of the articles to General Washington. Washington, however, was not completely happy with the results and made a few minor changes. Once the articles were revised and redrafted, a copy was sent to Cornwallis in Yorktown for his signature.

===The Articles===
The Articles of Capitulation were terms for the surrender of Cornwallis's British army. The 14 articles directed the surrender from the disposition of the troops, artillery, and arms, to even the surrender ceremony itself.

The articles directed where the troops, now prisoners of war, were to be sent. The soldiers were marched off to camps in Frederick, Maryland, and Winchester, Virginia. One field officer for every 50 men was allowed to reside near their respective regiments to witness their treatment and deliver clothing and other necessaries to the soldiers at the camps. All other officers were paroled and allowed to go to Europe, New York, or any other American post then in possession of the British forces, on the condition they would no longer fight until properly exchanged. Another article provided for the care of the sick and wounded prisoners. Proper hospitals would be furnished, with patients attended by their surgeons on parole. Medicine and supplies were to be provided by the American hospitals, the British stores in both York and Gloucester, and passports would be issued to procure further supplies from New York if necessary.

The third article referred to the surrender ceremony and contained the provision that deprived the British of the honors war. Customary honors allowed the surrendering troops to march out of their works with their regimental flags flying and playing an enemy's tune in honor of the victor. George Washington was not going to allow these honors, instead he stated, " The same honors will be granted to the surrendering army as granted to the garrison of Charlestown". In May, 1780, an American army was captured at Charleston, South Carolina and not given the honors of war, therefore, in retaliation, the British would not be granted them at Yorktown. The troops, the article read, were to "...march out...with shouldered arms, colors cased, and drums beating a British or German march. They are then to ground their arms and return to their encampment, where they will remain until they are dispatched to the places of their destination..."

By the afternoon of October 19th, 1781, both commanders had signed the Articles of Capitulation, and the defeated British army was marching out from Yorktown to lay down their arms, ending the last major battle of the American Revolution.

They did not know that on that very day, Clinton sailed for Yorktown from New York with 5,000 troops.

News of the British defeat at Yorktown spread quickly. Celebrations took place throughout the United States. London was shocked. The British prisoners were marched to prison camps in Winchester, Virginia and Frederick, Maryland. The American army returned to the Hudson River, while the French army remained in Yorktown and Williamsburg for the winter. Clinton and Cornwallis eventually returned to England where they engaged in a long and bitter public controversy over who was to blame for the British defeat at Yorktown.

==Further reading==
* Adams, Randolph G. "A View of Cornwallis's Surrender at Yorktown." ''American Historical Review'' 1931 37(1): 25-49. Issn: 0002-8762 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762(193110)37%3A1%3C25%3AAVOCSA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X online at Jstor]
* Greene, Jerome. ''Guns of Independence: The Siege of Yorktown, 1781'' (2005)
* Ketchum, Richard M. ''Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution'' (2004)
* Morrissey, Brendan and Adam Hook. ''Yorktown 1781: The World Turned Upside Down'' (1994) British perspective
* Tuchman, Barbara W. ''The First Salute'' 1988, chapter on battle
* Wickwire, Franklin B. ''Cornwallis: The American Adventure'' (1970)
* Willcox, Walter. “The British Road to Yorktown: A Study in Divided Command”, ''The American Historical Review'', Vol. 52, No. 1. (Oct., 1946), pp. 1-35 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762(194610)52%3A1%3C1%3ATBRTYA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W in JSTOR]
*Wood, W. J. ''Battles of the Revolutionary War, 1775–1781''. ISBN 0-306-81329-7 (2003)
*Wright, J: “Notes on the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 with Special Reference to the Conduct of a Siege in the Eighteenth Century”, ''William and Mary Quarterly'', 2nd Ser., Vol. 12, No. 4 (Oct., 1932), pp. 229-249, [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-5597(193210)212:4%3C229:NOTSOY%3E2.0.CO;2-M&origin=historycoop ONLINE AT jstor]
* ''West Point Atlas'' [http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_americanrevolution_maps.htm online]

* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/colo/Ythanout/ytsiege.html National Archives report, the main source for this article]

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[[Category:American Revolutionary War Battles]]
[[Category:American Revolution]]