A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop".

The term is used to signify a diocese that no longer functionally exists, often because the diocese once flourished but the territory was conquered for Islam by jihad (from the seventh century forward; the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, for example, Constantinople being conquered by the Turks in 1453 AD, and now called by them "Istanbul"), or because of a schism. The Greek-Turkish population exchange of 1923 also contributed to titular bishoprics.

Titular sees are also used to avoid causing offense or confusion when a bishop of one denomination serves a place which is also the see of a bishop of a different denomination.

Roman Catholic Church[link]

Until 1882, sees lost to the Muslim conquests were distinguished by the Latin phrase in partibus infidelium, "in the territory of the unbelievers", or more often simply in partibus, or because the diocese was dissolved, absorbed into another diocese, or the see was transferred to another location. These non-functional dioceses, now merely historical names, are called "titular sees."

At one time coadjutor bishops and archbishops were given titular sees, but they are now are raised to the diocese or archdiocese that they will oversee as coadjutor. Retired Bishops and Archbishops were also given titular sees, but the common practice now is to name them Bishop or Archbishop Emeritus of the see they retired from.

While the Vatican hopes that titular sees will one day become active dioceses once again, it realizes in most cases the chances of that happening in the near future are low.^{[citation needed]} Some titular sees appear also to remain vacant for ecumenical reasons (e.g. a number of those in the immediate vicinity of Greek Orthodox patriarchates).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] In Partibus Infidelium

In Partibus Infidelium (often shortened to in partibus, or abbreviated as i.p.i.), is a Latin phrase meaning "in the lands of unbelievers," words once added to the name of many of the sees conferred on non-residential or titular Roman Catholic bishops, for example: "John Doe, Bishop of Tyre in partibus infidelium".^[1]

During the expansion of Christianity in the early centuries AD, hundreds of dioceses were created in what is now Turkey, in the Middle East and throughout North Africa. In many of these areas, the presence of the Church diminished or disappeared as a result of schism, or as regions were converted to Islam. These dioceses were designated as "in partibus." In other circumstances, reorganizations would sometimes lead to dioceses being absorbed into one or more other dioceses. At times the see cities of dioceses were relocated to other cities, and the diocese in question was renamed.

An example of an enduring 'in Partibus' bishopric is that of the Bishop of Bethlehem. In 1168, the crusading William IV, Count of Nevers had promised the Bishop of Bethlehem that if Bethlehem should fall under Muslim control, he would welcome either him or his successors in the small town of Clamecy in the present day Burgundy, France. After the capture of Bethlehem by Saladin in 1187, the bequest of the by then deceased Count was honoured and the Bishop of Bethlehem duly took up residence in the hospital of Panthenor, Clamecy in 1223. Clamecy remained the continuous 'in partibus infidelium' seat of the Bishopric of Bethlehem for almost 600 years, until the French Revolution in 1789.^[2]

Prospero Fagnani (in cap. Episcopalia, i, De privilegiis) says that the regular appointment of titular bishops dates back only to the time of the Fifth Lateran Council under Leo X (Session IX); cardinals alone were authorized to ask for them for the dioceses. St. Pius V extended the privilege to the sees in which it was customary to have auxiliary bishops. Since then the practice became more widespread. The Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda, by its circular letter of 3 March 1882, abolished the expression in partibus infidelium; the present custom is to join to the name of the see that of the district to which it formerly belonged, e.g. "Johannes Doe, Archiepiscopus Corinthius in Achaiâ," or else merely to say "titular bishop".

Occasionally, the transfer of a diocesan bishop to a titular see has been used by the Holy See to strip a bishop of his responsibilities. For instance, in 1995, Bishop Jacques Gaillot, known for his controversial activism on Catholic-sensitive social and political topics, was transferred from the Diocese of Évreux in France to Partenia, a titular see in Algeria.

Orthodox Church[link]

The granting of titular sees is occasionally practised in the Eastern Orthodox Church.^[3]

One reason is to avoid causing offense or confusion when an Orthodox bishop serves a place which is also the see of a bishop of a different denomination: the Orthodox bishop in Oxford, England, is titled Bishop of Diokleia; the Russian Orthodox diocese of United Kingdom is the Diocese of Sourozh.^[4]

See also[link]

• List of titular sees
• Titular bishop

References[link]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 

External links[link]

• List of all Titular sees by Giga-Catholic Information

William Melvin "Bill" Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy. In both his stand-up performances and during interviews, he often criticized consumerism, superficiality, mediocrity, and banality within the media and popular culture, describing them as oppressive tools of the ruling class, meant to "keep people stupid and apathetic".^[1]

Hicks was 16 years old when he started performing stand-up comedy at the Comedy Workshop in Houston, Texas, in 1978. During the 1980s he toured the United States extensively and performed a number of high profile television appearances. It was in the UK, however, where Hicks first amassed a significant fan base, packing large venues with his 1991 tour.^[2] Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 at the age of 32. In the years after his death, his work and legacy achieved acclaim in creative circles. In 2007 he was voted the fourth-greatest stand-up comic on the UK's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups on Channel 4, and appeared again in the updated 2010 list as the fourth-greatest comic.^[3]

Early life[link]

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, Bill Hicks was the son of Jim and Mary (Reese) Hicks and had two elder siblings: sister Lynn and brother Steve. The family lived in Florida, Alabama, and New Jersey, before settling in Houston, Texas when Hicks was seven. He was raised in the Southern Baptist faith, where he first began performing as a comedian for other children at Sunday School.^[4]

Hicks was drawn to comedy at an early age, emulating Woody Allen and Richard Pryor, and writing routines with his friend Dwight Slade. Worried about his behavior, his parents took him to a psychoanalyst at age 17 but, according to Hicks, after one session the psychoanalyst informed him that "...it's them, not you."^[4]

His mother described Hicks's early interest in comedy on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 30, 2009:

He always said up until the time he got interested in comedy that he was going to Texas A&M to be a vet. He loved animals and that's what he wanted to do. And then he got interested in watching Johnny Carson and he read books about Woody Allen, so he got interested in that. He said that he saw Johnny Carson on TV and he thought, "You mean you can make a living doing that?" So he decided that's what he would do.^[5]

Career[link]

Beginnings[link]

Hicks graduated from Stratford High School in Houston and began touring in the early 1980s. After a few years of performing the same material, he felt that his act wasn't progressing. He wanted to push the boundaries of creativity as his idols Jimi Hendrix and Richard Pryor had done. At 21 years old, Hicks had never consumed alcohol, smoked cigarettes, or tried drugs. He began to experiment to see if intoxication was indeed the key to crossing the line.^[6]

Once Hicks gained some underground success in night clubs and universities, he quit drinking, realizing that it wasn't alcohol that made a great comic, but his ability to express a truth, even if it was an unpopular one.^[6] However, Hicks continued to smoke cigarettes. His nicotine addiction, love of smoking, and occasional attempts to quit became a recurring theme in his act throughout his later years.

California and New York[link]

In January 1986, Hicks found himself broke, having spent all his money on a variety of substances.^[7] His career soon received another upturn, though, as he appeared on Rodney Dangerfield's Young Comedians Special, in 1987. The same year, he moved to New York City, and, for the next 5 years, performed about 300 times a year.^{[citation needed]} On the album Relentless, he jokes that he quit using drugs because "once you've been taken aboard a UFO, it's kind of hard to top that", although in his performances, he continued to extol the virtues of LSD, marijuana, and psychedelic mushrooms.^[8] He fell back to chain-smoking,^[9] a theme that would figure heavily in his performances from then on.

In 1988, Hicks signed on with his first professional business manager, Jack Mondrus.^{[citation needed]} Throughout 1989, Mondrus worked to convince many clubs to book Hicks, promising that the wild drug- and alcohol-induced behavior was behind him. Among the club managers hiring the newly sober Hicks was Colleen McGarr, who would become his girlfriend and fiancée in later years.^{[citation needed]}

Hicks quit drinking in 1988, as stated in his 1990 album Dangerous on the first track, entitled "Modern Bummer".

In 1989 he released his first video, Sane Man.^[10] It was reissued in 2006.

Early fame[link]

In 1990, Hicks released his first album, Dangerous, performed on the HBO special One Night Stand, and performed at Montreal's Just for Laughs festival.^[11] He was also part of a group of American stand-up comedians performing in London's West End in November. Hicks was a huge hit in the UK and Ireland and continued touring there throughout 1991. That year, he returned to Just for Laughs and filmed his second video, Relentless.

Hicks made a brief detour into musical recording with the Marble Head Johnson album in 1992. During the same year he toured the UK, where he recorded the Revelations video.^[12] for Channel 4 He closed the show with his soon-to become-famous philosophy regarding life, "It's Just a Ride". Also in that tour he recorded the stand-up performance released in its entirety on a double CD titled Salvation. Hicks was voted "Hot Standup Comic" by Rolling Stone magazine in 1993. He moved to Los Angeles in 1992.^{[citation needed]}

Hicks and Tool[link]

The progressive metal band Tool invited Hicks to open a number of concerts in its 1992 Lollapalooza appearances, where Hicks once famously asked the audience to look for a contact lens he had lost. Thousands of people complied.^[13]

Members of Tool felt that they and Hicks "were resonating similar concepts".^[14] Intending to raise awareness about Hicks's material and ideas, Tool dedicated their triple-platinum^[15] album Ænima (1996) to Hicks. Both the lenticular casing of the Ænima album packaging as well as the chorus of the title track "Ænema" make reference to a sketch from Hicks' Arizona Bay album, in which he contemplates the idea of Los Angeles falling into the Pacific Ocean. Ænima's final track, "Third Eye" contains samples from Hicks' Dangerous and Relentless albums.^[14][16]

An alternate version of the Ænima artwork shows a painting of Bill Hicks, calling him "Another Dead Hero," and mentions of Hicks are found both in the liner notes and on the record.

Controversy[link]

Censorship and aftermath[link]

Hicks constantly faced problems with censorship. In 1984, Hicks was invited to appear on Late Night with David Letterman for the first time. He had a joke that he used frequently in comedy clubs about how he caused a serious accident that left a classmate using a wheelchair. NBC had a policy that no handicapped jokes could be aired on the show, making his stand-up routine difficult to perform without mentioning words such as "wheelchair".^[17]

On October 1, 1993, Hicks was scheduled to appear on Late Show with David Letterman, his 12th appearance on a Letterman late-night show, but his entire performance was removed from the broadcast—then the only occasion where a comedian's entire routine was cut after taping.^[18] Hicks' stand-up routine was removed from the show allegedly because Letterman and his producer were nervous about a religious joke ("if Jesus came back he might not want to see so many crosses"). Hicks said he believed it was due to a pro-life commercial aired during a commercial break.^[19] Both the show's producers and CBS denied responsibility. Hicks expressed his feelings of betrayal in a letter to John Lahr of The New Yorker.^[11][18] Although Letterman later expressed regret at the way Hicks had been handled, Hicks did not appear on the show again.^[18]

Hicks' mother, Mary, appeared on the January 30, 2009 episode of Late Show. Letterman played the routine in its entirety. Letterman took full responsibility for the original censorship and apologized to Mrs. Hicks. Letterman also declared he did not know what he was thinking when he pulled the routine from the original show in 1993, saying, "It says more about me as a guy than it says about Bill because there was absolutely nothing wrong with that."^[20][21]

Denis Leary[link]

For many years, Hicks was friends with fellow comedian Denis Leary. But in 1993 Hicks was angered by Leary's album No Cure for Cancer, which featured lines and subject matter similar to Hicks' routine.^[22] According to American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story by Cynthia True, upon hearing the album "Bill was furious. All these years, aside from the occasional jibe, he had pretty much shrugged off Leary's lifting. Comedians borrowed, stole stuff, and even bought bits from one another. Milton Berle and Robin Williams were famous for it. This was different. Leary had practically line for line taken huge chunks of Bill's act and recorded it."^[23]

The friendship ended abruptly as a result.^[24]

At least three stand-up comedians have gone on the record stating they believe Leary stole Hicks's material as well as his persona and attitude.^[25][26][27] In an interview, when Hicks was asked why he had quit smoking, he answered, "I just wanted to see if Denis would, too."^[28]

In another interview, Hicks said, "I have a scoop for you. I stole his [Leary's] act. I camouflaged it with punchlines, and, to really throw people off, I did it before he did."^[29]

The controversy surrounding plagiarism is also mentioned in American Scream:

Leary was in Montreal hosting the "Nasty Show" at Club Soda, and Colleen [McGarr?] was coordinating the talent so she stood backstage and overheard Leary doing material incredibly similar to old Hicks riffs, including his perennial Jim Fixx joke: ("Keith Richards outlived Jim Fixx, the runner and health nut. The plot thickens."). When Leary came offstage, Colleen, more stunned than angry, said, "Hey, you know that's Bill Hicks' material! Do you know that's his material?" Leary stood there, stared at her without saying a word, and briskly left the dressing room.^[23]

During a 2003 Comedy Central roast of Denis Leary, comedian Lenny Clarke, a friend of Leary's, said there was a carton of cigarettes backstage from Bill Hicks with the message, "Wish I had gotten these to you sooner." This joke was cut from the final broadcast.^[30]

In a 2008 interview, Leary said, "It wouldn't have been an issue, I think, if Bill had lived. It's just that people look at a tragedy and they look at that circumstance and they go, oh, this must be how we can explain this."^[31]

Comic style[link]

Hicks' style was a play on his audience's emotions. He expressed anger, disgust, and apathy while addressing the audience in a casual and personal manner, which he likened to merely conversing with his friends. His material was less focused on the everyday banalities of life and placed greater emphasis on philosophical themes of existence. He would invite his audiences to challenge authority and the existential nature of "accepted truth." One such message, which he often used in his shows, was delivered in the style of a news report (in order to draw attention to the negative slant news organizations give to any story about drugs):

Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration—that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we're the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather.^[32]

Another of Hicks' most famous quotes was delivered during a gig in Chicago in 1989 (later released as the bootleg I'm Sorry, Folks). After a heckler repeatedly shouted "Free Bird", Hicks screamed that "Hitler had the right idea, he was just an underachiever!" Hicks followed this remark with a misanthropic tirade calling for unbiased genocide against the whole of humanity.^[33]

Much of Hicks' routine involved direct attacks on mainstream society, religion, politics, and consumerism. Asked in a BBC interview why he cannot do a routine that appeals "to everyone", he said that such an act was impossible. He responded by repeating a comment that an audience member once made to him, "We don't come to comedy to think!", to which he replied, "Gee! Where do you go to think? I'll meet you there!" In the same interview, he also said: "My way is half-way between: this is a night-club, and these are adults."^[34]

Hicks often discussed conspiracy theories in his performances, most notably the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He mocked the Warren Report and the official version of Lee Harvey Oswald as a "lone nut assassin." He also questioned the guilt of David Koresh and the Branch Davidian compound during the Waco Siege. Hicks would end some of his shows, especially those being recorded in front of larger audiences as albums, with a mock "assassination" of himself on stage, making gunshot sound effects into the microphone while falling to the ground.

Cancer diagnosis and death[link]

Hicks wrote, "On June 16, 1993 I was diagnosed with having 'liver cancer that had spread from the pancreas.'"^[35] He started receiving weekly chemotherapy, while still touring and also recording his album, Arizona Bay, with Kevin Booth. He was also working with comedian Fallon Woodland on a pilot episode of a new talk show, titled Counts of the Netherworld for Channel 4 at the time of his death. The budget and concept had been approved, and a pilot was filmed. The Counts of the Netherworld pilot was shown at the various Tenth Anniversary Tribute Night events around the world on February 26, 2004.

After being diagnosed with cancer, Hicks would often joke that any given performance would be his last. The public, however, was unaware of Hicks's condition. Only a few close friends and family members knew of his disease. Hicks performed the final show of his career at Caroline's in New York on January 6, 1994. He moved back to his parents' house in Little Rock, Arkansas, shortly thereafter. He called his friends to say goodbye, before he stopped speaking on February 14.^[36]

He spent time with his parents, playing them the music he loved and showing them documentaries about his interests. He died of side effects of his cancer treatment in the presence of his parents at 11:20pm on February 26, 1994. He was 32 years old.^{[37][not in citation given]}

Hicks was buried in the family plot in Leakesville, Mississippi.

On February 7, 1994, Hicks authored a verse on his perspective, wishes, and thanks of his life, to be released after his death as his "last word",^[35] ending with the words: "I left in love, in laughter, and in truth and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit."

Legacy[link]

Arizona Bay and Rant in E-Minor were released posthumously in 1997 on the Voices imprint of the Rykodisc label. Dangerous and Relentless were also re-released by Rykodisc on the same date.

In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, fellow comedians and comedy insiders voted Hicks #13 on their list of "The Top 20 Greatest Comedy Acts Ever". Likewise, in "Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time" (2004), Hicks was ranked at #19. In March 2007, Channel 4 ran a poll, "The Top 100 Stand-Up Comedians of All Time", in which Hicks was voted #6. Channel 4 renewed this list in April 2010, which saw Hicks move up 2 places to #4.^[3]

Devotees of Hicks have incorporated his words, image, and attitude into their own creations. By means of audio sampling, fragments of Hicks' rants, diatribes, social criticisms, and philosophies have found their way into many musical works, such as the live version of Super Furry Animals' "Man Don't Give A Fuck". His influence on the band Tool is well-documented; he "appears" on the Fila Brazillia album Maim That Tune (1996) and on SPA's self titled album SPA (1997), which are both dedicated to Hicks; the British band Radiohead's second album The Bends (1995) is also dedicated to his memory.^{[citation needed]} Singer/songwriter Tom Waits listed Rant in E-Minor as one of his 20 most cherished albums of all time.^[38]

Contemporary comedians David Cross and Russell Brand have stated that they were inspired by Hicks.^[39][40]

The British actor Chas Early portrayed Hicks in the one-man stage show Bill Hicks: Slight Return, which premiered in 2004. The show was co-written by Chas Early and Richard Hurst, and imagined Hicks' view of the world 10 years after his death.

On February 25, 2004, British MP Stephen Pound tabled an early day motion titled "Anniversary of the Death of Bill Hicks" (EDM 678 of the 2003-04 session), the text of which reads:

That this House notes with sadness the 10th anniversary of the death of Bill Hicks, on 26th February 1994, at the age of 33 [sic]; recalls his assertion that his words would be a bullet in the heart of consumerism, capitalism and the American Dream; and mourns the passing of one of the few people who may be mentioned as being worth [sic] of inclusion with Lenny Bruce in any list of unflinching and painfully honest political philosophers.^[41]

Hicks appeared in a flashback scene in writer Garth Ennis' Vertigo comic-book series Preacher, in the story "Underworld" in issue #31 (Nov. 1997).^[42][43]

Film and documentary[link]

A documentary entitled American: The Bill Hicks Story, based on interviews with his family and friends, premiered on March 12, 2010, at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.^[44]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bill Hicks

• Official website
• Sacred Cow Productions
• Bill Hicks Quotes
• Bill Hicks at the Internet Movie Database
• The subversive legacy of comic Bill Hicks, Salon.com
• Bill Hicks is Dead: Tribute and Biography, with related videos.

Further reading[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2010)

Gold Motel is the Chicago-based solo project of singer-songwriter Greta Morgan, formerly of The Hush Sound. The band consists of Morgan (vocals, songs, piano/organ/keyboards), Eric Hehr (guitar), Dan Duszynski (guitar, vocals), Matt Minx (bass), Adam Coldhouse (drums).

History[link]

After The Hush Sound went on hiatus, Morgan moved from Chicago to Los Angeles looking for inspiration. There, she soaked up the Southern California music scene, going to five or six concerts a week.^[1] Morgan began writing nostalgic, summery music inspired by her time in California, which would eventually be the songs for Gold Motel. Upon her return to Chicago, Morgan started recording songs with friend Dan Duszynski of Chicago band This is Me Smiling, which lead to the recording of Gold Motel's first single, "Perfect in My Mind". Morgan and Duszynski were then joined by Matt Minx and Adam Coldhouse, both from This is Me Smiling, and Eric Hehr formerly of Chicago bands, The Villains of Verona and The Yearbooks.

The band decided on the name Gold Motel after pulling words out of a hat.^[2]

Gold Motel's first show ever was at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago with Secret Colours on December 22, 2009, before a sold-out crowd.^[3] In January 2010, Gold Motel opened for Butch Walker during his residency at Schuba's in Chicago. Since then, Gold Motel has toured across the United States with bands like Family of the Year, Skybox, Mark Rose, hellogoodbye, and Steel Train. Gold Motel played at South By Southwest and Lollapalooza in 2011 and in June 2011, Gold Motel toured the UK with hellogoodbye.^[4]

In August 2011, Gold Motel released a new single called "Leave you In Love", which will appear on the band's next album.^[5] This fall, Gold Motel plans to write and record its sophomore album.^[6][7]

[edit] Gold Motel EP

The five-song Gold Motel EP was released on December 15, 2009. The first single off the EP was "Perfect in My Mind", which was also the band's first music video directed by Eddie O'Keefe.^[8]

[edit] Summer House

Summer House is Gold Motel's first full-length album and was released on June 1, 2010. The album features ten songs which includes five new songs in addition to the five songs from the EP. Gold Motel premiered their music video for “We’re on the Run” on Spinner.com on April 27, 2010.^[9] The band celebrated Summer House at a record release show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on June 11, 2010. On July 1, 2010, Gold Motel premiered their music video for "Safe in LA" on Spin Magazine's website.^[10] The song "Summer House" was used in one of Crayola's commercials.^[11] "Perfect In My Mind" was also used in a Labello commercial.^[12]

[edit] Talking Fiction

Talking Fiction is Gold Motel's 7-inch, which was released in November 2010. It includes the songs "Cold Shoulders" and "Slow Emergency".^[13] The band premiered the music video for "Cold Shoulders" on Magnet's website.^[14]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Gold Motel on Myspace
• Twitter
• Interview on LoveAndSound.it

Joel M. Skousen is an American conservative political commentator^[1] non-fiction Survivalist author, and retreat consultant who specializes in preparedness topics, particularly survival retreat and fallout shelter design and construction, as well as in what he calls "strategic relocation."^[2] Skousen is the founder and chief editor of World Affairs Brief,^[3] a weekly news-analysis service. He has offered in both North and Central America consultation regarding architectural and retreat design.^[4]

Skousen has written several books. including Essential Principles for the Conservation of Liberty, Strategic Relocation—North American Guide to Safe Places, The Secure Home, Survival Home Manual: Architectural Design, Construction, and Remodeling Of Self-Sufficient Residences and Retreats, and How to Implement a High Security Shelter in the Home. He also published a booklet titled 10 Packs for Survival, which he has also posted to several web sites.^[5]

Skousen designs and consults on hardened retreat homes,^[6] often including fallout shelters with HEPA air filtration systems. In the book Dancing at Armageddon: Survivalism and Chaos in Modern Times by Richard G. Mitchell, Jr., (2001) Skousen was quoted: "'You never want to make a house look like an obvious fortress. Those who want in can always move up a bigger gun. There is no way you can design a home to withstand RPG (Rocket-propelled grenade) rockets and tanks. I design these homes so you virtually cannot tell inside or out that they are any different from a conventional home.'"^[7]

Because of its low population density and diverse economy, both Skousen^[8] and survivalist writer James Wesley Rawles ^[9] recommend the Intermountain west region of the United States, as a preferred region for relocation and setting up survival retreats.

Skousen was raised in Oregon and later served as a USMC fighter pilot during the Vietnam Era. During the 1980s Skousen was the Chairman of the Conservative National Committee. He was also the Executive Editor of Conservative Digest.^[10]

In late 2007, Skousen gained attention^{[citation needed]} when he gave his support to Ron Paul rather than to fellow LDS church member Mitt Romney in the 2008 US presidential campaign, in a widely-circulated YouTube video clip.^[11] After John McCain became the Republican Party's presumptive nominee in early 2008, Skousen also endorsed Pastor Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party: "As Ron Paul goes back to Congress to continue the fight there, I believe Chuck Baldwin is the person to continue the fight during this election cycle and beyond."^[12]

Joel Skousen is the older brother of Mark Skousen and the younger brother of Royal Skousen. The three Skousen brothers are the nephews of conservative author and commentator Cleon Skousen.^[10]

Books[link]

• Survival Home Manual: Architectural Design, Construction, and Remodeling Of Self-Sufficient Residences and Retreats, ISBN 1-199-30639-6 (1982)

• Essential Principles for the Conservation of Liberty, ISBN 1-199-30661-4 (1984)

• How to Implement a High Security Shelter in the Home, ISBN 1-199-30652-4 (1998)

• The Secure Home, ISBN 1-199-30672-0 (May, 1999)

• Strategic Relocation—North American Guide to Safe Places, ISBN 1-56861-053-X (various editions, latest listed is February, 2006)

Quotes[link]

This section is a candidate to be copied to Wikiquote using the Transwiki process.

• Many Christians think it is wonderful anytime government officials mention God or quote from the Bible. I take strong exception, and not because I believe it is improper for government officials to appeal to God. I simply object to dropping the name of God or quoting scripture to cover for evil, and otherwise convince naive troops and Christians in general that an evil cause is just.^[13]

• More than ever, I still consider the nuclear attack on America as inevitable, both because the real axis of evil (Russia and China) are still building for that attack, and because our own government is controlled by those intent upon destroying US sovereignty and delivering our nation over to a socialist New World Order (NWO). [2006]^[14]

• The one thing you can learn from the liberal and controlled media, including arch liberal newspapers like the Washington Post, NY Times, and LA Times, is the direction in which the conspiracy against liberty is going. I spend about a third of my time watching what the opposition does. When they start uniformly promoting certain issues in all the liberal journals (global warming, smart growth, gun control, etc.), it is obvious that there is some coordination going on. But remember, you can only learn to see through the selectively filtered news dispensed by the establishment media if you have other sources that feed you the missing pieces.^[15]

• In terms of unity, we are at a real disadvantage up against the left. It only takes one thing in common for “liberals” to unite. It only takes one difference of opinion for conservatives to divide.^[16]

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	United States Marine Corps portal

• Self-sufficiency
• Intentional Community
• Blast shelter

References[link]

External links[link]

• Skousen's web site
• World Affairs Brief, Joel Skousen's weekly news analysis
• 10 Packs for Survival
• Joel Skousen Bill of Rights Day Speech, Salt Lake City, Utah. December 15, 2007

Beth Orton
Orton at the Mojo club night at the Slaughtered Lamb, Clerkenwell 2009
Background information
Birth name	Elizabeth Caroline Orton
Born	(1970-12-14) 14 December 1970 (age 41) East Dereham, Norfolk, England
Origin	Norwich, England
Genres	Folktronica, folk rock, trip hop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, acoustic guitar
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Heavenly (1996–2005) EMI-UK (2005–present) Astralwerks (2003-2010) ANTI- (2010- )
Associated acts	The Chemical Brothers, William Orbit
Website	Beth-Orton.net

Beth Orton (born Elizabeth Caroline Orton, 14 December 1970) is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica.^[1] She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first recordings. She had released a solo album, Superpinkymandy, in 1993. Since the album was only released in Japan, it went largely unnoticed by international audiences. Her second solo album, Trailer Park, garnered much critical acclaim in 1996. Orton developed a devoted audience with the release of the albums Central Reservation (1999) and the 2002 UK top 10 album, Daybreaker. In her 2006 release, Comfort of Strangers, she moved towards a more folk-based sound and away from the electronic sound of her past albums.

American films and television programmes such as Felicity, How to Deal, Charmed, Dawson's Creek, Vanilla Sky and Grey's Anatomy have featured her music and provided her with exposure to a more mainstream American audience.

Early career[link]

Orton was born in East Dereham, Norfolk, but moved to Dalston, east London at age fourteen. Her father, an architectural draughtsman, left her mother when Beth was eleven, and she lived with her mother, an artist and political activist, and her two brothers, her father dying shortly afterwards.^[2][3] Her mother died from cancer in 1989, when Beth was aged 19,^[4] which led to her travelling to Thailand for a short period, residing with Buddhist nuns. Orton found success as a musician relatively late, having first worked at menial jobs such as a waitress at Pizza Hut and even owning her own catering company.^[5] She was also more interested in acting during her early career, having enrolled at the Anna Scher Theatre School, and she spent some time touring Une Saison en Enfer with a fringe theatre company throughout the UK, Russia and Ukraine, playing Rimbaud's lover.^[6][7]

Singing career[link]

Early work[link]

Her first contribution in music came after she met William Orbit at a party and tried to borrow a cigarette from him.^[7] They began a relationship shortly after, and he encouraged her to do some spoken word for his Strange Cargo project and to sing. Possibly the best-known work from that time is "Water from a Vine Leaf", which she co-wrote and which was released as a limited-edition single. It was also at this time that Orbit and Orton covered John Martyn's "Don't Wanna Know 'Bout Evil", which was not only the first song that they recorded together, but also the first release as a duet called Spill in Japan, which was also re-released in 1997 in the UK. She regarded Orbit's influence as very positive, commenting "I think William pulled me out of the crowd and pulled me out of the gutter, in a way. Because I don't know where my enthusiasm was going to take me, because it was pretty raw to say the least."^[7]

[edit] SuperPinkyMandy

Shortly after, Orton and Orbit began experimenting to pull an L.P. together. "Don't Wanna Know 'Bout Evil" was the first track on that album, called SuperPinkyMandy, named after a rag doll which she bought at a jumble sale at the age of six.^[8] This rare album was released in Japan alone, in extremely limited numbers (popularly quoted as between 1000 and 5000 copies pressed). The sound is very much Orbit's, but several songs were co-written, and some tracks were later recycled, in very different versions). "She Cries Your Name" later appeared on what she now considers her debut album (Trailer Park). "Yesterday's Gone" became "Montok Point" for the fourth Strange Cargo release Hinterland in 1995. That album featured Beth on several tracks as vocalist, and also included an alternative version of "She Cries Your Name".

It was roughly at this time that she met Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers and began the first in a series of collaborations, supplying vocals to the tracks "Alive Alone" and "One Too Many Mornings" on 1995's Exit Planet Dust.

[edit] Trailer Park

Her first solo release, a cover of The Ronettes' "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine", was released, again in extremely limited numbers, in mid 1996, and was followed by "She Cries Your Name", shortly before the release of what she herself considers to be her début L.P. Trailer Park, released on Heavenly Records on 19 October 1996. This release earned her nominations for two BRIT Awards (best British newcomer, best British female), and the Mercury Music Prize in 1997, was well received by critics, and sold modestly well, shifting 300,000 copies and peaking at #68 in the UK. The album was produced by Andrew Weatherall, whom she selected based on his production of one of her favourite records at the time, Primal Scream's Screamadelica. The album was far removed from her previous work, with a lot more pop/folk tunes present, although there were more than a few hints of her electronic roots. She began to tour this record, first supporting acts such as The Beautiful South, and appearing with Ron Sexsmith, before breaking out on her own. In June 1997, she had her first UK Top 40 hit single with a reissue of "She Cries Your Name".

[edit] Central Reservation

She toured that summer with Lilith Fair, as well as releasing the Best Bit EP, improving on her previous best chart position, reaching #38 in the UK. Central Reservation, her second album (proper), helped Orton build on the success of her début. Although retaining the electronic edge of the former, this record showed a notably more acoustic side with several tracks consisting purely of Beth's vocal accompanied by a solitary acoustic guitar, with subject matters becoming more introspective, including "Pass in Time", a song about the death of her mother. Despite this style, the album still provided more polished moments such as lead single "Stolen Car" and the electro melancholy of "Stars All Seem to Weep" (with the haunting vocal allegedly recorded in a single take) or the jazz-and-strings-tinged "Sweetest Decline", songs which cut a much deeper mark than the more glossy feel of her debut. The album also featured notable contributions from folk musician Terry Callier, Dr. Robert and Ben Harper. Two tracks were also produced by Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl.

The album earned Orton a second Mercury Music Prize nomination and won the Best Female Artist award at the 2000 BRIT Awards.

[edit] Daybreaker

In July 2002 she released the album Daybreaker, which again blended the early electronica style, with up tempo pop songs and acoustic ballads. It featured guest appearances from musicians such as The Chemical Brothers, Emmylou Harris, whom she met at Lilith Fair, Ryan Adams and Four Tet. It was a great commercial success, reaching the top 8 of the UK album chart, and received largely positive from the press, ranging from "Her best work yet" from Mojo magazine,^[9] the NME (8/10),^[10] Rolling Stone^[11] and The Guardian, but receiving a more lukewarm reception from Q^[12] (Despite this she was nominated for the Q award for best album). This was followed in 2003 by an US only release on American label Astralwerks, The Other Side of Daybreak, an album consisting mainly of b-sides and remixes of songs from Daybreaker, created by artists such as Roots Manuva. She also contributed a song to the War Child charity, for their Hope compilation album that year.

A "best of" double album, entitled Pass In Time, was released in 2003. It represented Orton's extensive and diverse musical career through previously unreleased songs, b-sides, and rarities (such as "Where Do You Go" from Superpinkymandy), as well as collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers. The highlight of her career arguably came on 31 March 2003, when she played to a packed Royal Albert Hall in London on the last date of her worldwide Daybreaker tour. In addition, she played a tribute concert to Elliott Smith in November.

[edit] Comfort of Strangers

Orton's fourth studio album Comfort of Strangers was released in February 2006. The North American release was through Astralwerks, and the UK release was through EMI-UK. The release saw her move away from the electronica element that she is usually associated with, to a more stripped down traditional alt-folk album. This album followed an extended absence since her previous release, partially a result of several failed production attempts, and the parting of ways between her and Heavenly Records.^[13] The album was produced by the musician Jim O'Rourke.

Band[link]

Her consistent band from 1999's Central Reservation until around 2006 was guitarist Ted Barnes, keyboardist Sean Read, ex-Sandals drummer Will Blanchard and former Red Snapper member Ali Friend on bass. However, this had changed by 2008, with Ali and Ted having moved on to form their own band Clayhill, and Ted having pursued his own projects, with Beth guesting on his solo debut album, Short Scenes. Only Sean remained in her current live band as of 2008, although Clayhill have played as the support act on both her UK and US tours to promote Comfort of Strangers. Her current band (2008) consists of Leroy Bach, Matt Johnson (drummer), and upcoming guitarist Emmett Kelly.

SING with Annie Lennox[link]

Annie Lennox joined forces with Beth Orton and 22 other female artists to raise awareness of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to unborn children in Africa. The single "Sing" was first released on World AIDS Day on 1 December 2007, in conjunction with Annie Lennox's appearance at the Nelson Mandela 46664 concert in South Africa. [1] ^[14]

New album[link]

Orton has left her longtime record label and has completed work on a follow up album to Comfort Of Strangers" with producer Tucker Martine which will be released through ANTI- in the Fall of 2012.

Personal life[link]

Orton gave birth to a daughter, Nancy, in mid-December 2006.^[15] She cancelled her September 2006 UK tour because of her pregnancy.^[16]

She played at the One Big No concert in March 2003 at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, organised by Emily Eavis.^[17]

All of her recent releases are "carbon neutral", whereby a tree is planted in a poor area of Mexico for every certain amount of units produced, to offset the emissions generated when pressing the CDs and other marketing paraphernalia.^[18]

She has also been offered the opportunity to act. Having played the lead female in the independent film Southlander, she was asked to audition for the role of John Cusack's girlfriend in the film High Fidelity. She states that she would act, if an appropriate part came up for her.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• SuperPinkyMandy (Japan only - 1993)
• Trailer Park (1996) - UK #68
• Central Reservation (1999) - US #110, UK #17
• Daybreaker (2002) - US #40, UK #8
• Comfort of Strangers (February 2006) - US #92, CAN #89, UK #24
• TBA (2012) - ANTI-

^[19]

Compilations[link]

• The Other Side of Daybreak (2003)
• Pass in Time: The Definitive Collection (2003) UK #45

EPs[link]

• Best Bit EP (14 December 1997) #36 UK
• Concrete Sky EP (15 July 2002)

^[19]

Singles[link]

• "Don't Wanna Know 'Bout Evil" (as Spill) (1992)
• "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine" (1997)
• "She Cries Your Name" (26 September 1996)
• "Touch Me with Your Love" (1997) #60 UK
• "Someone's Daughter" (24 March 1997) #49 UK
• "She Cries Your Name" (re-issue) (2 June 1997) #40 UK
• "Stolen Car" (22 February 1999) #34 UK, #32 US Modern Rock
• "Central Reservation" (13 September 1999) #37 UK
• "Anywhere" (2002) #55 UK
• "Thinking About Tomorrow" (2003) #57 UK
• "Conceived" (29 November 2005 - Digital download, 30 January 2006) #44 UK
• "Shopping Trolley" (26 June 2006) #87 UK

^[19]

Guest spots / rarities[link]

Soundtrack and compilation appearances[link]

• "Frankie" - live recording of the Mississippi John Hurt folk ballad on the The Harry Smith Project: The Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited compilation.
• "Ooh Child" - a cover of the Five Stairsteps' song contributed to the Warchild charity's Hope compilation album.
• "Sisters of Mercy" - a cover of the Leonard Cohen song, for the Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man soundtrack.
• "What A Wonderful World" - a cover of the Louis Armstrong song, for the Starbucks Winter Wonderland Christmas 2008 Album.
• "Wild World" - a cover of the Cat Stevens' song, for the How To Deal soundtrack.
• "I Me Mine/Dig It" - a cover of The Beatles song, for the Mojo magazine coverdisc Let It Be Revisted. Also available as a limited cover mounted vinyl.
• A remix of "Carmella" was featured in a Adult Swim bump.

with Chemical Brothers[link]

• vocalist for "Alive Alone", on Exit Planet Dust (1995).
• vocalist for "Where Do I Begin" on Dig Your Own Hole (1997).
• vocalist for "The State We're In" on Come With Us (2002).

with William Orbit[link]

• vocalist for "Water From a Vine Leaf" on Strange Cargo III (1993).
• vocalist for "Million Town", "Kiss of the Bee" and "She Cries Your Name" on Strange Cargo Hinterland (1995).

with Red Snapper[link]

• vocalist for "Snapper" on Snapper EP (1994).
• vocalist for "In Deep" on The Swank EP (1994).

Both collected on Reeled and Skinned (1995).

with Bert Jansch[link]

• vocalist for "Watch the Stars", "Katie Cruel" and "When the Sun Comes Up" on The Black Swan (2006).

Other collaborations[link]

• "Beautiful Way" - a duet found on Beck's Midnite Vultures.
• "Brown Sugar" - a duet with Ryan Adams, featured in a free CD from Uncut.
• "Dice" - a Finley Quaye song sampling Beth's vocals from 'Roll The Dice,' originally from her album SuperPinkyMandy.
• "Inside" - guesting on New Buffalo's album The Last Beautiful Day.
• "Love Can Do" - found on Terry Callier's Lifetime.
• "No Expectations" - recorded with Beck, unreleased.
• "Ted's Waltz" (remaster) - an alternative version of her own song, appearing on her guitarist Ted Barnes' album, Short Scenes.
• "Untouchable (Part 2)" - a duet with Princess Superstar on her album Princess Superstar Is.
• "You Better Mind" - a duet with Sam Amidon on his album I See The Sign.
• "Superstar/Diamonds And Rust" - guesting on Justin Vivian Bond's album "Dendrophilia"

Filmography[link]

• Southlander
• Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
• Charmed: 9 February 2003 'Sand Francisco Dreamin' (Season 5, Episode 14)

See also[link]

• List of singer-songwriters

References[link]

External links[link]

• Beth Orton Official site (UK)
• Astralwerks site Official site (North America)
• [2] Official MySpace page
• www.beth-orton.net Resource site
• Beth Orton at the Internet Movie Database