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Al Qaeda branch claims IED attack on Tunisian soldiers
By Caleb Weiss | October 4th, 2018 | [email protected] | @Caleb_Weiss7
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) branch in Tunisia, the Uqba bin Nafi Battalio (KUBN), claimed responsibility for an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a group of patrolling Tunisian soldiers in the Mount Chaambi area of Kasserine. The blast killed at least one Tunisian soldier, while wounding five others.
The claim of responsibility, which was released via AQIM’s Ifriqiyah Muslimah Telegram page, states that KUBN “detonated an IED on a Kirpi armored vehicle, resulting in the killing and wounding of several apostate soldiers.” Additionally, the jihadist group claimed a second IED detonation on another group of Tunisian soldiers that had gathered around the damage vehicle.
However, local media has only reported one IED blast in the attack. Many outlets have reported that one soldier was killed in the initial blast, while five others were wounded. Other outlets have reported that one of the wounded soldiers later died in the hospital, raising the death toll from the blast to two.
This is KUBN’s first claim since July, when it claimed another IED blast on Tunisian security forces near Ghardimaou close to the Algerian border. In that ambush, at least six Tunisian police officers were killed. That July attack on Tunisian forces was the first claimed attack by KUBN since Dec. 2017.
Its most deadly ambush on the Tunisian military occurred in the Mount Chaambi region in July 2014, an incident that left 15 soldiers dead and 20 others wounded.
KUBN has remained a small, but persistent threat against Tunisian security despite the country making significant gains against the group. Several senior leaders have been killed in recent years, including officials sent to KUBN by AQIM to help reorganize the organization. Other raids and operations conducted against KUBN have done a considerable number on the group’s overall effectiveness.
Tunisia also faces a threat from the Islamic State. In 2015, the small North African country saw a spate of attacks conducted by the Islamic State. This includes the terrorist attack on the Bardo Museum, an ambush on a popular beach just three months later, followed by a suicide bombing in the capital Tunis in November. In March 2016, the Islamic State also claimed an assault on the Tunisian town of Ben Gardane near the border with Libya. It continues to claim sporadic attacks inside Tunisia, including one in June near Sfax.
Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.
Tags: Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, Katibat Uqba bin Nafi, KUBN, Mount Chaambi, Tunisia, Uqba bin Nafi Battalion | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9091331362724304, "wiki_prob": 0.9091331362724304, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1468473"} |
BEEHIVE GOSSIPS
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The Best Gift for Moms & Dads!
December 16, 2019 bellfamilycompany
Want a holiday, birthday, baby shower or just a friendly “I care” gift idea for your spouse, mom and dad friends or family member? What do parents need and want most of all … time off! Put money towards a Bell Family Gift Certificate to help with membership fees, a full or part time nanny placement, baby or night nurse placement or hours towards babysitting.
“I’m a new mom. Two of my friends were members of BFC, and each of them gifted me gift cards – it was amazing. I’m now a member myself!”
Of course the Bell Family team fully supports parent-time! The same old gifts can become rather dull, and if you’re anything like our mom team members, you want to pick out those things yourself. That’s part of the fun, right? We can make all arrangements for your friend or family member – no stress!
“One of my mom friends was struggling and needed a break. I sent her a $75 BFC gift card and she appreciated it so much!”
Simply contact us to purchase a gift certificate and indicate the amount you’d like to purchase. We will provide you with an e-card to print or email to the recipient. Happy gifting, readers!
babysitterBabysittingchildcaregiftsholidaysparentingparentssitter
The Only Toy Gift Guide Needed From NY Mag feat. Lindsay Bell
December 5, 2019 bellfamilycompany
It’s that time of the year where our minds run wild trying to think of the perfect gift to give the children. Our Founder & Owner, Lindsay Bell, teamed up with The Strategist at NY Mag, and helped to create the ultimate toy gift guide for children ages 7, 9 and 10. Read for Lindsay’s top picks and check out the full lists per age group below. Happy shopping, readers!
For your 7-year-old: Ultimate Secret Formula Lab
“This chemistry lab is mesmerizing for those kids who like to mix potions,” says Lindsay Bell, founder of the Bell Family child-care company. It comes with beakers, test tubes, petri dishes, the works, and inside them you can combine mixtures of, say, phenol red and ammonia to create invisible vapors.
For your 9-year-old: ThinkFun Code Master Programming Logic Game
It’s an enticing concept — your avatar traveling to an exotic land to collect “power crystals.” First you have to write a program for yourself using the included Guide Scroll to set out your pathways along the map (this mimics the step-by-step sequences that need to be followed in computer programming). Once you snatch up all of the crystals on your designed route, collecting “action” tokens along the way, you win. What might not be noticed in all the intensity, though, is just how many fundamentals of programming you’re learning (even “conditional loops” and “branches”), which is why this game is a favorite of Lindsay Bell, founder and owner of Bell Family child-care company. Plus there are progressive levels of difficulty: An Amazon reviewer whose husband is an engineer wrote that even he enjoys the harder ones.
For your 10-year-old: Snap Circuits Arcade Electronics Exploration Kit
Snap Circuits, says Rumaan Alam, a novelist and father of a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old, “is one of a whole slew of toys meant to appeal to STEM true believers. I don’t know if it’ll ensure your kid grows up to be an engineer, but I do know my kids spent many a cooped-up winter day building an AM radio or figuring out how to turn a little motor.” Ruka Curate, founder of the Tiny Treasures Nanny Agency, recommends this arcade-themed kit, which is a more advanced Snap Circuits version for 10-year-olds. Another option, according to Lindsay Bell, founder and owner of Bell Family child-care company, is Snap Circuits Extreme, although it’s a bit more expensive.
For the full gift guides from The Strategist at NY Mag, visit the links below.
Toy Gift Guide for 7-Year-Olds
Toy Gift Guide for 10-Year-Olds
childrengamesgift guidesgiftsholidaystoys | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.555570125579834, "wiki_prob": 0.444429874420166, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1564693"} |
MoneyGram Announces Strategic Partnership and Minority Investment in UAE-Based Fintech Startup Jingle Pay
Oct 04, 2022, 09:01 ET
Through this strategic partnership, consumers in the UAE can use the Jingle Pay app to send money in near real-time to over 200 countries and territories around the world
MoneyGram has also completed a minority investment in Jingle Pay, providing the Company with a direct ownership position in the startup
DALLAS, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MoneyGram International, Inc., a global leader in the evolution of digital P2P payments, and Jingle Pay, a financial super-app based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), today announced a partnership to enable convenient and fast global money transfers through the Jingle Pay app. Consumers in the UAE can use the Jingle Pay app – powered by MoneyGram's global payment rails and near real-time capabilities – to send money to over 200 countries and territories around the world.
MoneyGram has also announced the completion of a minority investment in Jingle Pay, giving MoneyGram an approximate 12% equity stake in Jingle Pay. Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO, has joined the Jingle Pay Board of Directors as Chairman to help guide Jingle Pay's strategic path forward.
"As consumer preference increasingly shifts online, investing in digital startups around the world is a critical component of our strategy," said Holmes. "We're excited to partner with Jingle Pay, as we believe in their strategic vision to improve the key elements of traditional banking through its suite of innovative digital offerings. As the startup continues to grow, MoneyGram's direct ownership in the company will strengthen our leading position in the Middle East and further accelerate our strategic goals to lead the evolution of digital payments."
As a global trade hub, the UAE hosts nearly 9 million expatriates, constituting approximately 89% of the population and making the country a powerhouse for outbound remittances.1 With a focus on financial inclusion, Jingle Pay is targeting expats in the region and providing consumers with access to an extensive list of accessible financial services, such as its multi-currency card and money transfer services.
"Jingle Pay is the super-app transforming the daily financial lives of consumers seeking accessible, instant and innovative money services," said Amir Fardghassemi, Founder and CEO of Jingle Pay. "Our partnership with MoneyGram extends our network of global remittance destinations and allows us to tap MoneyGram's remittance clearing expertise. It gives our users global coverage and cost-effective rates. At Jingle Pay, we are committed to reinventing how people store, spend and send money, while furthering financial inclusion and low-cost remittance corridors."
The Jingle Pay app is now live in the UAE.
About MoneyGram International, Inc.
MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), a global leader in the evolution of digital P2P payments, delivers innovative financial solutions to connect the world's communities. With a purpose-driven strategy to mobilize the movement of money, a strong culture of fintech innovation, and leading customer-centric capabilities, MoneyGram has grown to serve over 150 million people in the last five years. The Company leverages its modern, mobile, and API-driven platform and collaborates with the world's top brands to serve consumers through its direct-to-consumer digital channel, global retail network, and embedded finance business for enterprise customers. MoneyGram is also a leader in pioneering cross-border payment innovation and blockchain-enabled settlement. For more information, please visit ir.moneygram.com, follow @MoneyGram on social media, and explore the website and mobile app through moneygram.com.
About Jingle Pay
Jingle Pay is a UAE-born financial super-app, which empowers its users with a fast digital account, free of fees and zero-commitments, to reliably store, spend, and send money to 160+ countries, in 99+ currencies, at the best exchange rates globally. Jingle Pay's operations extend across the MENAP region with presence in the UAE, Bahrain, Pakistan and Egypt. For more information, visit jinglepay.com and follow us on @JinglePay on social media.
MoneyGram Media Contact
Sydney Schoolfield
Jingle Pay Media Contact
Christian Farioli
1 https://www.globalmediainsight.com/blog/uae-population-statistics/
SOURCE MoneyGram
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Unveils Sleek New Livery for 2023 Formula 1 World Championship Season
MoneyGram Provides Further Update on Timing of Closing of Merger Transaction with Madison Dearborn Partners | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.919353723526001, "wiki_prob": 0.919353723526001, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line37910"} |
Body, Mind, Spirit Magazine
SPIRITUALITY ›
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT
Transition of Master Kumar – and Beyond
By Luphil
Last Tuesday afternoon, 1 November 2022, I surprisingly got a call from a friend living in California. He told me that there is a message in the WhatsApp group of WTT India called Radhamadhavam (this being also the name of the assembly hall for teaching and spiritual activities in Master Kumar’s house).
Guru Prasad, the son of Master K. Parvathi Kumar, had just posted, “Our beloved Master KPK has sailed to higher realms. Master KPK Namaskaram.”
It was a shock. Although I knew that Sri Kumar was seriously sick, he had speeded up giving inspiration and guidance in many directions over the last months. His weekly “Merry Life” talks every second Saturday were brimming with inspiration and wisdom. Although his body was handicapped increasingly by the progressing stages of blood cancer and he was having pain, he kept on a high pace of interacting with members via writing, speaking, teaching.
I found it breath-taking, also what I came to witness from people who visited him or were in contact with him directly. He kept on reacting quickly when I asked questions concerning activities of WTT-Global in a chat group with him. In the last 2 months, he initiated several far-reaching new projects, which he first submitted to us in the “Triangle”, the internal organisational steering team of WTT-Global. We discussed details in a Zoom meeting, and then he presented them to larger circles of members. He contacted members to take over the responsibility for these new projects and gave guidance. As late as September/October, he even conducted the several days’ long Durga Festival and the Festival of Light, Divali, in Radhamadhavam with many participants.
When hearing of his passing, I started functioning in a kind of “auto-mode” for the following days – preparing and sharing communications, speaking with close persons and trying to keep up with other ongoing work and situations. Slowly, more information came in about the situation of Master Kumar in the last time, especially the last day. Guru Prasad, his son, gave a detailed report last Friday night about the disease and the moments of passing. And there were short videos and photos of the final rites, the cremation of the physical sheath of the Master last Thursday, and now about the 10 days of traditional rituals done after a passing. At the moment, Guru Prasad is on a journey bringing the ashes of Master KPK to sacred rivers in India.
Cremation, 3 November 2022
Cropped photo of a member
Guru Prasad pouring flowers and a part of the ashes of cremation into the Ganges, 5 November, cropped photo of a member
After the first shock, there were intense experiences of the sublime presence of the Master and joy. And the feeling of a new cycle starting. Gratitude filled my heart. Last Wednesday and Saturday evening in my German and English online study groups, we exchanged about the situation, and the members expressed their experiences. It was a very profound moment of sharing and meditation. Some had been in e-mail contact with the Master until the last days before his passing. The members of the group had similar experiences and we all felt a profound bond of connectedness. Yesterday, a friend who participated in the group exchange wrote: “It feels so good to go on all together this way. A big hug for all, Namaskaram.”
Today is Sri Kumar’s anniversary. He was born on 7th of November 1945 in Vijayawada, a Wednesday at 07:20 AM in the month of Scorpio. Through him manifested a great amount of global goodwill work; therefore, we celebrate the 7th of November in his honor as “Day of Goodwill”. He now concluded his journey on earth after 77 years. Our acts of goodwill, together with the regular prayer/meditation and self-study, are the best ways to pay homage to him and to keep him present among us.
A small group of WTT members from ANIMA Channel visited Visakhahaptnam in August and recorded a face-to-face personal interview with Master KPK which was just published in the ANIMA channel under the title “Man behind Master”. They shared it today, on Master KPK’s birthday, to honor His life and forever radiant presence, and as a token to the groups.
You find here the video with original sound in English (subtitled in German, French and Spanish) and here with Spanish voice-over.
Master KPK, extract from the Anima video
Luphil 5490 shares View profile
Journey to India, Part 5: A Review
Journey to India, Part 4: Guru Pooja Celebration 2023 in Visakhapatnam
Journey to India, Part 3: Group Meeting in Visakhapatnam
Journey to India, Part 2: December Call in Bangalore
COMMUNITY BODY, MIND, SPIRIT
gldmeier
elizabethprata
solarisastro | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6084253787994385, "wiki_prob": 0.6084253787994385, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1010290"} |
Military - Albania
Compare to: AfghanistanAlgeriaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColombiaCongoCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKoreaKuwaitKyrgyz RepublicLao PDRLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorth KoreaNorwayOmanPakistanPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSão Tomé and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovak RepublicSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyrian Arab RepublicTajikistanTanzaniaThailandThe BahamasThe GambiaTogoTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Bank and GazaworldZambiaZimbabwe
Military expenditure as % of GDP (% of GDP) 1.29758448139421
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) 1.21453456153656
Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure (% of central government expenditure) 7.74050554015509
Value & RankThe Military expenditure as % of GDP of Albania is 1.30 (% of GDP) with a global rank of 98.
Albania compared to other CountriesThe Military expenditure as % of GDP of Albania is similar to that of Germany, Cameroon, Romania, Gabon, Trinidad and Tobago, Netherlands, Philippines, Finland, Kazakhstan, Honduras with a respective Military expenditure as % of GDP of 1.34, 1.34, 1.33, 1.32, 1.31, 1.29, 1.28, 1.27, 1.25, 1.24 (% of GDP) and a global rank of 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103.Last 10 years averageAlbania had an average Military expenditure as % of GDP of 1.58 (% of GDP) in the last 10 years from (2003 to 2013).
Albania during the Great RecessionAlbania's Military expenditure as % of GDP had a positive growth of 33.8% during the Great RecessionAlbania since the end of the Great RecessionAlbania's Military expenditure as % of GDP had a negative growth (decline) of 37.2% since the end of the Great Recession
Value & RankThe Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure of Albania is 7.74 (% of central government expenditure) with a global rank of 54.
Albania compared to other CountriesThe Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure of Albania is similar to that of Kenya, Zambia, Qatar, Rwanda, Bolivia, Botswana, Madagascar, Benin, Peru, Congo with a respective Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure of 8.52, 8.43, 8.01, 7.83, 7.74, 7.59, 7.51, 7.47, 7.43, 7.34 (% of central government expenditure) and a global rank of 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59.8 years declineAlbania's Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure had a negative growth (decline) of 17.2 (%) in the last 8 years from (1996 to 2004).
Last 8 years averageAlbania had an average Military expenditure as % of central government expenditure of 7.25 (% of central government expenditure) in the last 8 years from (1996 to 2004).
Value & RankThe Armed forces personnel of Albania is 1.21 (% of total labor force) with a global rank of 57.
Albania compared to other CountriesThe Armed forces personnel of Albania is similar to that of Georgia, Slovenia, Dominican Republic, Chile, Tunisia, El Salvador, Peru, Thailand, Malta, Burundi with a respective Armed forces personnel of 1.35, 1.33, 1.32, 1.25, 1.22, 1.19, 1.19, 1.15, 1.14, 1.12 (% of total labor force) and a global rank of 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62.10 years declineAlbania's Armed forces personnel had a negative growth (decline) of 40.0 (%) in the last 10 years from (2002 to 2012).
Last 10 years averageAlbania had an average Armed forces personnel of 1.37 (% of total labor force) in the last 10 years from (2002 to 2012).
Albania during the Great RecessionAlbania's Armed forces personnel had a positive growth of 33.7% during the Great RecessionAlbania since the end of the Great RecessionAlbania's Armed forces personnel had a positive growth of 0.24% since the end of the Great Recession
click on the following link to view a complete list of countries by Military | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9226081967353821, "wiki_prob": 0.9226081967353821, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1211356"} |
Win Brad Paisley's "Ultimate NYC Thanksgiving Getaway"
Sweepstakes supporting First Responders Children's Foundation
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Brad Paisley, Universal Music Group Nashville & Gaylord Opryland Resort have joined forces this holiday season to bring you the Parade of Trees, including this once in a lifetime VIP experience donated by Brad, to benefit First Responders Children’s Foundation.
Brad Paisley – Ultimate NYC Thanksgiving Getaway
Roundtrip airfare for four people to New York, NY
Two hotel rooms for a 4 Day / 3 Night stay in New York City
Four tickets to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade viewing in Bryant Park (including front row view along 6th Avenue, between 40th-42nd streets.)
Four invitations to join children and relatives of fallen heroes at the annual First Responder’s Children’s Foundation pre-parade breakfast and awards ceremony at the Bryant Park Grill
Four tickets to the 2023 Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes
A personal zoom call from Brad thanking you for your donation
Hand-signed acoustic guitar
Brad Paisley merch pack including a Country Nation Hoodie, a Black & White Red Patch Hat, and a Stainless Steel Black Insulated Tumbler
PLUS beautiful ornaments from Brad’s Christmas tree on display at Gaylord Opryland Resort through January 10, 2023
This once in a lifetime VIP experience was donated by Brad Paisley to help First Responders Children’s Foundation provide scholarships and mental health services to the children and families of heroes who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty.
Click HERE for more VIP experiences donated by some of country music’s biggest stars.
Please note: Valid only for redemption November 22-25, 2023. This experience does not include a meet & greet with Brad Paisley. Seat locations will not be available in advance. Experience may not be transferred or re-sold. Roundtrip airfare for four will be booked in economy class by CharityStars and provided from the closest major airport to winner’s home city to a New York area airport up to a maximum of $3,000 USD total. Local ground transportation will not be provided. If for any reason the parade is rescheduled, passes will be valid for the next rescheduled date. No other recourse will be provided. You must be of legal age to consume alcohol; valid identification required for consumption of alcohol. Additional local restrictions may apply.
First Responders Children's Foundation supports the children and families of first responder heroes who risk their lives every day in service to our communities. The Foundation was established in the aftermath of 9/11 when over 800 children lost a first responder parent in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. More than two decades later, they continue to provide financial support to children who have lost a first responder parent in the line of duty, as well as families enduring significant financial hardship due to tragic circumstances.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, First Responders Children's Foundation launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund that impacted 530,000 children and 232,000 first responder families, including nurses, medical personnel and support staff in the Foundations response.
When a first responder is killed or injured in the line of duty, First Responders Children's Foundation ensures that their children and families receive the support they need, including financial and bereavement assistance, scholarship funding, mental health services and more.
Funds from last year’s Parade of Trees holiday program impacted the lives of dozens of First Responder’s families, through the FRCF Scholarship Program (which provides college scholarships to the children of first responder heroes who lost their lives) and the FRCF Mental and Behavioral Health Program (which provides funding in response to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder occurring at alarming rates amongst first responders and sadly, their children). This year’s Parade of Trees will once again be allocating funds raised to these two core FRCF programs.
First Responders Children's Foundation helps the helpers. Please, join them.
You’ll get a chance to leave a message once you’ve donated
Only 349 days to go (until Christmas)!
Cloudia Pawluk·21 days ago
Thankful for this opportunity! You are and have been my favorite since I knew what country music was. I love your music and everything you stand for. Thank you to you and your music for giving me a reason to keep going and staying strong throughout my life in all the ups and downs. Couldn’t have gotten through some of it without you!
Madelynn Johll·21 days ago
You and your wife are absolutely incredible! Such thoughtful generosity fills your lives between this effort and your store in Nashville. Love all of your music but honestly love the person you are even more.
NANCY LEARY·21 days ago
Brad, watched your band play at Lakeview in Syracuse 2022. You gave the guitar off your shoulder to some little boy in the crowd with a sign. And encouraged him that someday you could be in the crowd listening to him play on stage. Your a class act! Best to you and yours!ken
K Mowers·21 days ago
No donation is necessary to enter the sweepstakes. Filling out this form counts as entries.
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Why China’s Vaccine Internationalism Matters
In China, Covid vaccines, COVID-19 Corona virus
Why China’s Vaccine Internationalism Matters2021-06-042021-06-03https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-03-at-11.15.10-e1622708281572.jpeg200px200px
Qaio Collective: Why China’s Vaccine Internationalism Matters
As rich nations stockpile COVID-19 vaccines, China is providing a lifeline to Global South nations spurned by Western pharmaceuticals and excluded by the West’s neocolonial vaccine nationalism. So why is China being smeared for its efforts?
Written and published by Qiao Collective, Apr 8, 2021
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called it “the biggest moral test” facing the world today. World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom warned of a “catastrophic moral failure” whose price would be paid with the lives of those in the world’s poorest countries.
Such cautionings of inequitable global vaccine distribution have been shunted to the margins; instead, optimistic chatter of “returning to normal” is circulating once again as Global North citizens line up for their long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine. But normal, as ever, is relative: public health advocates warn that some countries may not be able to even begin their vaccination campaigns until 2024.
Vaccine apartheid is here, and it is revealing once more the ways our world continues to be structured by the geopolitical binaries of colonialism, capitalism, and racism. The People’s Vaccine Alliance reports that rich countries have bought enough doses to vaccinate their populations three times over. Canada alone has ordered enough vaccines to cover each Canadian five times over. Until March, the United States was hoarding tens of millions of AstraZeneca vaccines—not yet approved for domestic use—and refusing to share them with other countries (only under immense pressure did the Biden administration announce it would send doses to Mexico and Canada). Israeli officials, lauded for delivering a first dose to more than half of its citizens, have likened their responsibility to vaccinate Palestinians living under apartheid to Palestinians’ obligation to “take care of dolphins in the Mediterranean.” The European Union has extended controversial “ban options” which allow member states to block vaccine exports to non-EU nations. Meanwhile, countries like South Africa and Uganda are paying two to three times more for vaccines than the EU.
As of June 1st, 2021 China has exported 323.3 million vaccine doses, compared to 143.8 million exported by the EU and a measly 7.5 million exported by the United States, the world’s biggest vaccine producer.
While the Global North hoards global vaccine stockpiles, China—alongside other much-maligned states such as Russia and Cuba—is modeling a very different practice of vaccine internationalism. As of April 5th, the Foreign Ministry reported that China had donated vaccines to more than 80 countries and exported vaccines to more than 40 countries. Science analytics firm Airfinity reported that as of June 1st, 2021, China had shared 323.3 million domestically-manufactured vaccines with other countries through donations and exports. By contrast, the EU had exported 143.8 million and the United States a measly 7.5 million jabs, despite being the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. China has also partnered with more than 10 countries on vaccine research, development, and production, including a joint vaccine in collaboration with Cuba.
Crucially, China’s vaccine sharing has provided a lifeline to low-income Global South nations who have been out-bidded by rich nations racing to stockpile Western-made vaccines. Donations to African nations including Zimbabwe and Republic of Guinea, which both received 200,000 Sinopharm doses in February, have allowed those countries to begin vaccine rollouts for medical workers and the elderly rather than wait months or even years for access to vaccines through other channels. Just a week after Joe Biden ruled out sharing vaccines with Mexico in the short term, the country finalized an order for 22 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine to fill critical shortages.
Even more, Chinese vaccine aid has reached countries isolated from global markets by sanctions and embargoes enforced by the United States and its allies. In March, China donated 100,000 vaccines to Palestine, a move praised by the Palestinian health ministry for enabling the inoculation of 50,000 health workers and eldery in Gaza and the West Bank who have been cut off from accessing Israeli vaccine rollouts. Venezuela, with many of its overseas assets frozen by U.S. sanctions, received 500,000 vaccines donated by China in a gesture praised by Nicolás Maduro as a sign of the Chinese people’s “spirit of cooperation and solidarity.” China’s international vaccine policy follows the broad pattern of China’s early pandemic aid, which similarly equipped low-income and sanctions-starved nations with the tools to combat the pandemic at home.
From Venezuela to Palestine, Chinese vaccine aid has reached countries isolated from global markets by sanctions and embargoes enforced by the United States and its allies.
In the face of a global pandemic that the U.S. alliance has used as a political cudgel against China, China’s vaccine internationalism has been a natural outgrowth of its philosophy of mutual cooperation and solidarity. From rapidly sequencing the viral genome and making it immediately publicly accessible to world researchers, to sending medical delegations to dozens of nations around the world, China’s pandemic response has been guided by a simple axiom of global solidarity. Xi Jinping made China the first nation to commit to making a COVID-19 vaccine a global public good in May 2020, meaning any Chinese vaccine would be produced and distributed on a non-rivalrous, non-excludable basis. In a telling contrast, that commitment came just as President Donald Trump threatened to permanently freeze U.S. funding to the World Health Organization in an attempt to punish the organization for daring to work cooperatively with Chinese health officials. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has similarly emphasized vaccine solidarity, urging his colleagues at the United Nations Human Rights Council in February that “solidarity and cooperation is our only option.” Wang chastised countries that he noted are “obsessed with politicizing the virus and stigmatizing other nations” and implored that global vaccine distribution be made “accessible and affordable to developing countries.” China’s record to date shows it is working to follow through on the lofty rhetoric its officials have used to implore global solidarity to defeat the pandemic.
Workers unload a donated shipment of Chinese Sinopharm vaccines in the West Bank city of Nablus. [Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua]
Because China’s vaccine internationalism models a form of multilateral cooperation beyond the scope of U.S. hegemony, it has been met with relentless media propaganda designed to cast China’s vaccination efforts as shady, manipulative, and unsafe. In November 2020, the Wall Street Journal gleefully announced that Brazil had suspended trials of the Sinovac vaccine following an “severe adverse event.” Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing Brazilian president and Trump ally, declared it a “victory.” Casual observers would reasonably assume that there were serious safety issues with the Chinese vaccine; only closer reading would fill in the crucial context, that the cause of death of the participant was in fact suicide. A similar ruse was exploited in January, as headlines blasted that a Peruvian volunteer had died in the midst of a Sinopharm vaccine trial. Again, behind the salacious headlines was a crucial detail: the volunteer, who died of COVID-19 complications, had received the placebo rather than the vaccine.
Because China’s vaccine internationalism models a form of multilateral cooperation beyond the scope of U.S. hegemony, it has been met with relentless media propaganda designed to cast China’s vaccination efforts as shady, manipulative, and unsafe.
Brazil’s case is particularly instructive: a preliminary experiment to vaccinate an entire township of Serrana with China’s CoronaVac reduced COVID-19 deaths by 95%. The news of CoronaVac’s efficacy in Brazil comes after months of political obstruction of deployment of the Chinese vaccine by the right-wing Bolsonaro regime.
As study after study shows the efficacy of Chinese and Russian vaccines, the media has turned to painting vaccine aid and exports as a dangerous form of “vaccine diplomacy.” Human Rights Watch nonsensically described China’s vaccine aid as a “dangerous game,” citing conspiracies about the research development of Chinese-made vaccines. The New York Times wondered if China had “done too well” against COVID-19, claiming that the government was “over-exporting vaccines made in China in a bid to expand its influence internationally.” Headline after headline bemoaned that China was “winning” at vaccine diplomacy, making clear that Western pundits view the lives of Global South peoples as pawns in a zero-sum game valued only insofar as they further the interests of Western hegemony.
Some advocates say the bias against Chinese vaccines is based both on geopolitics and racist notions of scientific expertise. Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which coordinates medical access in India, Brazil and South Africa, said “the entire world—not just the West—is incredulous at the idea that you could have useful science in this pandemic come out of places not in the West.” Yet he emphasized the importance of Chinese and Indian vaccines as a “lifeline” to low and middle-income countries, both in addressing vaccine gaps in the developing world and as a “useful cudgel” for negotiations with Western pharmaceuticals.
Despite mainstream media tropes of Chinese “vaccine diplomacy,” it is the United States—not China—whose pharmaceutical companies are employing exploitative tactics to profit from vaccine sales. Pfizer, for instance, has been accused of “intimidating” Latin American governments in their vaccine sale negotiations, asking countries to put up embassy buildings and military bases as collateral to reimburse any future litigation costs—leading countries like Argentina and Brazil to reject the vaccine outright. One can only imagine the media hysteria which would ensue were Sinopharm to be caught demanding overseas military bases as collateral for its vaccine exports. But because it is a U.S. company, Pfizer’s medical neocolonialism has been absolved and flown under the radar.
Despite allegations of Chinese vaccine opportunism, it is the United States which has politicized its recent foray into vaccine exports. During his first meeting with leaders of the “Quad,” an anti-China alliance likened to NATO and consisting of the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, Joe Biden announced his intention to use the alliance to produce one billion vaccines for distribution in Asia in an explicit bid to “counter” China. It is telling that while China stresses global cooperation through channels such as COVAX (to which it has donated 10 million doses) the WHO, and the UN peacekeeper’s vaccination program, the United States is pursuing vaccine diplomacy through a highly-politicized military alliance designed to contain China. Likewise, despite the Biden administration’s lofty rhetoric about its leadership over a global “rules-based order,” it is the United States which has violated a UN Security Council resolution demanding a global military ceasefire to facilitate pandemic cooperation with recent airstrikes in Syria.
Perhaps most egregiously, the United States and other rich nations have blocked a proposed World Trade Organization waiver on intellectual property restrictions which would enable Global South countries to manufacture generic versions of COVID-19 vaccines. Proposed by South Africa and India with the backing of China, Russia, and the majority of Global South nations, Global North obstruction of vaccine IP waivers in the WTO makes clear that the status quo of vaccine apartheid is not an accident, but a product of deliberate policy by Western nations to put the profits of their pharmaceutical companies above the lives of the world’s poor. In an attempt to save face, the Biden administration announced in May its ostensible support for waiving IP restrictions on vaccine production. Yet after seven months of U.S. obstruction, the Biden administration’s change of heart is unlikely to yield immediate results, and experts say India’s and South Africa’s proposal could remain gridlocked in WTO negotiation for months.
Obstruction of vaccine IP waivers in the WTO makes clear that the status quo of vaccine apartheid is not an accident, but a product of deliberate policy by Western nations to put the profits of their pharmaceutical companies above the lives of the world’s poor.
With Global North nations stockpiling vaccines and experts warning that new rounds of vaccinations may be necessary to combat COVID-19 variants, critical vaccine shortages are here to stay. China’s manufacturing power and macroeconomic policy puts it in a position to continue to be the world leader in vaccine production. As of April, China’s Sinovac announced it had reached the capacity to produce a whopping 2 billion doses of CoronaVac per year, thanks in part to Beijing district government efforts to secure the company additional land for vaccine production. China’s vaccine production builds on the successful model of state intervention and coordination through which state-owned enterprises and private companies rallied to construct hospitals, manufacture PPE, and coordinate food supplies during China’s February 2020 outbreak.
The vaccine policies forwarded by China versus the U.S. and its allies serves as a microcosm for two very different worldviews: where China has insisted on global solidarity to defeat the pandemic, the Western world has refused to ease the pressures of its neocolonial regime. While China supports bids for vaccine equity in the WTO and UN, the Global North is bolstering vaccine apartheid for the sake of corporate profits. These differences alone ought to be enough to put to rest vacuous assertions that render U.S.-China conflict as a matter of “competing imperialisms.”
Xi Jinping stressed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic a commitment to “protect people’s lives and health at all costs.” Not when it is profitable, not when it is geopolitically expedient—at all costs. Western obstruction of efforts towards vaccine equity forwarded by China, Cuba, South Africa, and other Global South nations only reveals the very different calculus which governs the West’s continuing neocolonial regime.
Was there a Wuhan lab leak? An inquiry won’t dig out the truth. It will deepen the deceptionAmerican exceptionalism, China, COVID-19 Corona virus
WHO approval of Chinese CoronaVac COVID vaccine will be crucial to curbing pandemicChina, Covid vaccines, COVID-19 Corona virus | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9540699124336243, "wiki_prob": 0.9540699124336243, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line926765"} |
With Passage Blocked, Coast Guard Closes Oregon Inlet: Outerbanksvoice.com
Posted byHank Sibley Bluewater Yacht Sales March 28, 2015 March 28, 2015 Posted inFishing News, Marine NewsTags:oregon inlet
Oregon Inlet is closed to vessels drawing more than 2 feet, essentially shutting down the charter fishing fleet with four days left in the bluefin tuna season and as Easter week approaches.
Petty Officer Kathryn Bruner with the Coast Guard in Wilmington said Saturday that the closing was prompted by the latest U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey, which showed that search-and-rescue vessels can no longer get out of the inlet.
Emergencies will be handled by helicopters out of the Coast Guard’s air station in Elizabeth City, she said.
A buffer zone of 100 yards on either side of the Bonner Bridge will be enforced, she said, with fines for violators of $32,500. There was no estimate on how long the closing will last.
Warning of the potential for “catastrophic damage” to the Bonner Bridge, the Coast Guard assumed broader power to regulate boat traffic in Oregon Inlet in December. It allows the Coast Guard to establish a “temporary regulated navigation area.”
The federal channel running under the navigation span of the Bonner Bridge has been impassable for weeks, and boaters have been finding unmarked passages under spans farther south.
Word of the closing quickly spread.
Charley Pereira, president of the Southeast Bluefin Tuna Association, said that charter fishermen are so furious that they are discussing an “organized blockade” at the courthouse in Manteo on Monday.
“If we can’t work, they can’t work,” he said.
Four days days are left in the commercial bluefin season – which has been hopping — and charter trips are booked heavily in April and May. “It’s just insane that they would do this,” Pereira said.
Pereira said that local captains know their way around the shoaling, finding routes ranging from 8 feet to 35 feet deep. Charter boats need 3 to 5 feet.
“We’ve been getting out every day,” he said. “It’s easy — you go out there and look. You can see where the shoals are.”
One boat heads out first thing in the morning, finds the good water and radios everyone, he said. Captains have been using the “Big Block” — an area about 12 spans from the main span — as a reference point.
A Coast Guard statement later in the day said that the Army Corps of Engineers plans to send a dredge within the week.
Catherine Kozak contributed to this story.
Dare to pursue quarter percent sales tax for inlet dredging »
Dare leaders told more federal money for dredging not likely »
Occupancy tax for dredging triggers furious debate »
Bluefin quota up this year, but catching them is another story »
Jones urges Corp to use available money to help Oregon Inlet »
County authorizes tourism grant of $300,000 to dredge inlet »
Risk to Bonner Bridge may lead to stricter limits on navigation »
http://outerbanksvoice.com/2015/03/28/with-passage-blocked-coast-guard-closes-oregon-inlet/.
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Cliff Parker says:
Navigable waters are a federal responsibility. Commerce clause. Too much money spent on non essentials. Access to ports essential. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.593709409236908, "wiki_prob": 0.593709409236908, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line633773"} |
Kerewong Estate
Dr W C Daish, Truth, 15 July 1928, 24.
In 1906 the NSW Government passed legislation to enable the construction of a railway connection from Maitland to South Grafton.1 Many owners of large land holdings along the route saw this as an incentive to subdivide their property.
One such enterprising individual was Albert Edwin Smith, Manager of the Commercial Bank in Taree.2 In 1910 he had in his possession some 5466 acres of land situated between Cundle and Lansdowne which, with the expectation of a railway station nearby, he subdivided into farm lots.
The unsold portion of the holding was sold to William Christian Daish in 19123 and was further subdivided, but buyers were scarce. Daish was a medical practitioner and a somewhat colourful character who had just divested himself of a large pastoral property in western NSW. Not confining his interests to medicine, he dealt in land and became Mayor of Nyngan.4
No stranger to law courts, he devised an unusual defence argument when called upon as an expert witness in a criminal case5 and, on two occasions when young women died from unexplained causes, his personal involvement raised questions.6 Dr Daish died in Mosman (NSW) in 1947 aged 83 years.7
The area marketed as Kerewong never fulfilled its potential and is now known as Melinga.
Author: Penny Teerman
Kerewong Estate. Image courtesy of MidCoast Libraries Local History Collection.
1 Australian Railway History Volume 64 No. 904 (February 2013)
2 NSW Land Services Registry Online – Vol: 2055 Fol: 40
3 The Sun (Sydney) Thursday 20 June 1912 P5
4 Sydney Morning Herald Thursday 13 February 1947 P7
5 Truth (Sydney) Sunday 19 February 1928 P13
6 Truth (Sydney) Sunday 15 July 1928 P24 and Truth (Sydney) Sunday 20 January 1935 P20
7 NSW BDM: Death 2603/1947 and Victorian BDM: Birth 8370/1864
Category: Places March 10, 2020
Tags: DaishKerewongMelingaTaree
The Dun family of Hillside Dairy, Cape Hawke
Mary Ann Gogerly
Forster’s first police constable: Edward William Mitchell
Pipers Bay, Forster
North Arm Cove – the city that never was | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5699676871299744, "wiki_prob": 0.5699676871299744, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1452297"} |
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How 'Instagram therapy' helps normalize Latinx mental healthcare
The Latinx community is just as vulnerable to mental illness as the general population, but faces disparities in treatment.
By Marissa Cruz Lemar on October 24, 2021
> Life > Health & Wellness
Paging Dr. Internet, we need a diagnosis. In this series, Mashable examines the online world's influence on our health and prescribes new ways forward.
If you've spent time on Instagram in the past couple of years, you've likely encountered Instagram therapy — motivational quotations and educational content developed by therapists and delivered in aesthetically pleasing posts.
Recently, the number of Instagram therapy accounts tailored to people of color(Opens in a new window) has grown. While such accounts can't replace actual therapy, their content helps destigmatize mental healthcare, validate followers' experiences, and create a sense of community. These benefits are especially important for the Latinx community in the U.S., which faces unique barriers to care — from stigma to language and cultural gaps.
Latinx individuals show similar vulnerabilities to mental illness as the general population, but they face disparities in treatment. According to a 2019 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report(Opens in a new window), the prevalence of mental illness is about 22 percent for white adults and 18 percent for Latinx adults. However, when it comes to getting care, approximately 50 percent of white adults compared to 33 percent of Latinx adults received mental health services.
Overcoming barriers to care
While mental healthcare remains stigmatized in the United States, the stigma is more pronounced in the Latinx community. This community is diverse, but many members share similar values, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness(Opens in a new window) (NAMI), a grassroots advocacy organization, such as strong family bonds, connections to extended family and social networks, and a resilient approach to life and work that values adapting in the face of adversity. While these factors are generally positive, they can contribute to stigmatization and a hesitation to seek mental healthcare. Strong family bonds can create a reluctance to ask for help outside the home and a preference for keeping personal issues private. Connections to extended networks may result in a sense of shame at the possibility of a diagnosis. And resilience may mean that asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness(Opens in a new window).
Latinx therapists, like Kelly Rodriguez, are using social media accounts to overcome this. Rodriguez is a licensed marriage and family therapist and perinatal mental health certified professional based in Southern California. She runs @allthefeels.therapy(Opens in a new window) on Instagram and specializes in anxiety, trauma, and depression.
Stigma is rooted in either getting the wrong information or not having the correct sources of information, Rodriguez said.
"What we don't know, we don’t understand and it's scary. It's easier to say I don’t believe in [therapy] because I don't understand it, and reject it," she added.
One of her more popular posts is a bilingual list of misconceptions about therapy(Opens in a new window), attempting to break down such views and expose the realities of mental health treatment.
Similarly, Juriana Hernandez, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Santa Clarita, California, created the account @_amortherapy_(Opens in a new window) to normalize therapy in the Latinx community.
"A lot of people think that therapy is for white people or the privileged and not for everyone else," Hernandez said. She's using her posts to debunk this assumption, focusing on relationships and narcissistic abuse in particular.
"A lot of people think that therapy is for white people or the privileged and not for everyone else."
Besides stigma, a language barrier may prevent Latinx individuals from getting care, or they may simply want to work with someone who looks like them, speaks like them, and understands their culture. An overwhelming majority — 84 percent(Opens in a new window) — of psychologists are white, and only 6 percent are Latinx, so this can be difficult. Latinx therapy accounts highlight bilingual content and, perhaps just as importantly, providers who look like their followers. Both factors help normalize care and show that there are Latinx therapists who can relate to their clients but also provide understanding and support for mental health topics.
Finally, as NAMI explains, some in Latinx communities may not get treatment because they don't know the indicators or symptoms of mental health issues(Opens in a new window).
"Sometimes people don't know that what they're experiencing is a mental health challenge," Hernandez said. "They just might think there's something wrong with them."
Hernandez validates followers' experiences and shows that they're not alone in their struggles. For example, her post about gaslighting(Opens in a new window) from November 2019 was particularly resonant. She shared sample phrases an abuser would use and described the emotional and psychological consequences in a straightforward way. The post still gets engagement nearly two years later. For example, one follower explained how people were saying a friend was gaslighting them and while they were confused by the term, the friend "has said pretty much all of this before." Another commented that it "is going to be such a great challenge for me to not react [to the gaslighting] but I'm so happy I'm aware of what's happening.”
Avoiding misinformation risks
Therapy content on social media can be helpful, but there are risks. For example, posts are no replacement for personalized therapy(Opens in a new window). They should be treated as educational content and a stepping stone to further care.
Rodriguez, for example, keeps her content simple to avoid bringing up triggering topics that require nuance and more in-depth discussion. Her posts that get the most attention include practical, specific advice, such as end-of-the-year mental health tips(Opens in a new window), where she encouraged followers to practice gratitude and self-kindness and maintain a realistic mindset that doesn't compare their experiences to others.
Another concern is that people who post about mental health, such as coaches or wellness enthusiasts, are easily confused with licensed professionals making similar content. When unqualified individuals share information and followers confuse them for credentialed experts, misinformation occurs as the content is understood as legitimate. Generally this content appears as vague, feel-good advice with no supporting context or specific recommendations. The danger lies in the fact that followers aren't getting the support they may need, whether because the posts themselves are unhelpful or because they're getting a false sense that the content is enough to support their mental health.
Compared to other platforms like TikTok, Instagram has built-in features to help combat such risks. Instagram allows click-through links and the caption limit is rather long at 2,200 characters compared to TikTok's 150. These features offer additional space to include information like full titles, licensing information, and other relevant details. License numbers are easily verifiable online(Opens in a new window), on individual states' licensing board sites, by simply inputting the provider's information. Followers can check credentials and be sure they're seeing content from legitimate providers. (Despite these benefits for therapy content, Instagram's comparative culture can be the cause of mental health issues too, especially for teen girls).
"I like to remind people: Be mindful of who you follow. Do your research. Google those you follow to be sure they're who they say they are. And be mindful of terminology because therapy, counseling, coaching, psychiatry, etc. mean different things," Hernandez said. To illustrate, mental health counselors diagnose and treat(Opens in a new window) mental and emotional health disorders and support clients as they navigate relationship conflicts and life stressors, according to Forbes. They also help clients through talk therapy. Psychiatrists assess and diagnose mental health disorders as well, but they can prescribe the proper medication when needed. Coaches, on the other hand, aren't necessarily trained to help people facing mental illnesses and aren't accredited in the same way counselors and psychiatrists are.
Extending support beyond social media
Instagram therapy by and for Latinx individuals offers unique benefits to improving mental health access. In Hernandez's experience, people first find her Instagram, then go to her website to learn more, and eventually call to set up further care. If she's not the right fit for them or if they're not in California, where she is licensed, she uses the Instagram account Latinx Therapy(Opens in a new window) to connect them to a provider.
As founder Adriana Alejandre described in a statement, Latinx Therapy is not just an Instagram account, but also "a multimedia community that destigmatizes mental health myths, provides education to eliminate taboos of therapy, and advocates to combat mental health stigmas." More specifically, it provides a national directory of Latinx therapists and support for mental health professionals of color. It bridges online engagement and real-life support.
SEE ALSO: COVID-19 made student mental health a priority. Here's what that should look like in school.
Alejandre is a trauma therapist and activist, bringing both backgrounds to Latinx Therapy. "Our platforms exist to encourage anyone who wants to heal to know that they can heal with a provider of color, and that if they want to choose to build a career within the field of psychology, that they are not alone and we will support them," she said. Beyond care, the network is empowering Latinx individuals to become providers themselves. Latinx Therapy offers resources to support the aspiring (and practicing) therapist(Opens in a new window), ranging from a library of suggested books to bilingual reference materials to FAQs about the field.
With more Latinx therapists comes a better ability to reflect the diverse background of the Latinx community, something Hernandez sees the benefit of firsthand in her practice and through @_amortherapy_.
"How do we break these patterns and change generations? It's through social media. It has negative aspects, but if you use it in a way that can provide information to a lot of people it can be very effective and very helpful," Hernandez said.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential support 24/7. Text CRISIS to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET, or email [email protected] You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Here is a list of international resources(Opens in a new window).
Marissa Cruz Lemar is a writer and health communications consultant. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and Insider, among others. Follow her on Twitter: @mcruzmissile
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Ocugen Stock Will Probably Drop Below $1
Since the start of May, Covid-19 vaccine play Ocugen (NASDAQ:OCGN) stock is down around 50%. But the company has made some progress in bringing Covaxin, developed in India by Bharat Biotech, to the U.S. market. So, are things back on track?
Yes and no. Sure, the company now has a set date (June) for when it will submit its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s looking more like it’ll have a marketable vaccine within the next few months.
But this still doesn’t guarantee it will receive the big financial windfall from it that’s still priced into shares. A majority of American adults are already vaccinated. A large amount of those still not vaccinated are either hesitant about, or adamantly against, getting one. This makes it questionable whether it’ll get a sufficient number of orders.
Like with Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX), consider this another “too little, too late” vaccine play. Almost all of its value is tied to Covaxin’s perceived potential. As this perception fades, expect shares to fall back to where they were before this catalyst came about. With the risk of it eventually falling back to under $1 per share, your best move is to steer clear.
OCGN Stock and Upcoming EUA Application
Before the May 26 update, it was unclear for how long Ocugen would have to wait until it could put in its EUA request. A previous press release, which came out just days before this latest announcement, provided vague details about when exactly it was going to be ready to send in its application.
Also, changes to the FDA’s guidance on EUA submissions for Covid-19 vaccines made it questionable whether it could move ahead with its application. But as stated in the press release, Ocugen is confident it meets the criteria. This is because the recent changes apply only to spike protein-based candidates. Its candidate does not use this method, and instead combines the inactivated virus with a novel adjuvant.
In short, it’s a positive that the company has provided more details about its progress in getting EUA for Covaxin. But this is just the first step. The request still needs to be approved. As our own Larry Ramer argued on May 17, the fact this candidate has not held U.S.-based Phase-3 clinical trials could affect its chances of obtaining authorization.
Then there’s the demand issue. The company only has rights to commercialize Covaxin in the U.S. market. Unlike with Novavax, it can’t fall back on orders from overseas. With the U.S. Covid-19 vaccine market saturated, there’s likely little need for or interest in another one. Ultimately, this points to the continued breakdown of the OCGN stock bull case.
The Demand Is Still Not There for Another Vaccine
Let’s assume the company manages to get EUA for Covaxin. Can they even profit from it? There’s a reason why shares are still up 25-fold from their lows. Investors remain confident this candidate will produce a tremendous financial windfall for the company.
But like I argued in my last article on Ocugen, is the demand even there? Vaccination rates among adults in the U.S. have now hit 50%. Sure, that leaves tens of millions not vaccinated. But that’s not to say there’s enough room in the market for Covaxin. Even after widespread use of the vaccine, 70 million doses of the existing vaccines remain available.
And, don’t forget that vaccine hesitancy still runs high in the United States. 19% of respondents to a recent poll answered either “definitely not” or “only if required” when asked about their thoughts on getting a Covid-19 vaccine. Another 15% said they would “wait and see.”
In short, there’s little demand for yet another vaccine. It’s hard to see Federal or U.S. State-level health agencies rushing out to buy doses of Covaxin. This doesn’t bode well for OCGN stock, whose market capitalization today (around $1.6 billion) hinges on this vaccine being a commercial hit.
Bottom Line: OCGN Stock Has No Room to Go But Down
Ocugen may be moving ahead with its EUA application to the FDA. But it’s too early to say whether it gets authorization, much less finds enough demand in the U.S. market. As more investors realize the numbers do not add up, shares will continue trending lower from here.
How low could shares go? It’s worth considering that the company has other candidates in its pipeline. For example, it has a retinal disease gene therapy, OCU400. And, while dilutive, the capital raises the company executed earlier this year have upped its cash reserves from $24 million to $44.9 million.
But even when accounting for what it has outside its vaccine catalyst, it’s likely far from enough to prevent the stock from falling back to its pre-Covaxin-deal levels (well under $1 per share). In short, stay away from OCGN stock as it trends lower.
On the date of publication, Thomas Niel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Thomas Niel, contributor for InvestorPlace.com, has been writing single-stock analysis for web-based publications since 2016.
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Liam Gallagher Insults Noel In Drunken Bar Rant
in Alternative, News
The former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher recently reached Ireland and immediately went for a pint of Guinness ahead of his show in the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham on August 27.
Liam Gallagher enjoys drink before show
But before that he was determined to make sure to enjoy some of the Irish capital’s favourite tipples.
Just after touching down, he tweeted: “GUINNESS.” He tweeted he had multiple drinks, as there’s ‘no such thing as one.’ He also said Noel is a ‘lightweight’ drinking. He also suggested he was having more than 10 drinks and ‘raging,’ though it may have been after the concert. He also suggested Noel will ban Oasis songs from the Knebworth documentary. He said, “He ain’t got the balls.”
The Manchester legend is no stranger to these shores and has often been seen enjoying pints in various Dublin pubs. He also often heads to the west of Ireland to his mother’s hometown Charlestown, Co Mayo.
Tomorrow’s night gig will be a long awaited return to Dublin for the superstar. Fans can look forward to the front-man belting some of his own hits, along with a stream of Oasis classics such as Live Forever, Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova.
Fans of 90s rock are delighted to know that he will be joined at the show by support act, the Charlatans. Liam has said he can’t wait for his Irish concert: “I’m absolutely buzzing to announce that on 27th August 2022 I’ll be playing Royal Hospital Kilmainham. It’s gonna be biblical. C’mon You Know. LG x
Very limited tickets are still on stage for the show and they are available from Ticketmaster. Meanwhile, the concert chiefs have warned thousands of eager fans heading to Gallagher’s Dublin gig that no early queuing will be allowed.
Concert bosses said: “If patrons do turn up they will be turned away at restricted area points around the Venue.
“Queuing in streets around the Venue will cause disruption to local residents and we appeal to patrons to heed this advice and respect the community living in the vicinity of the Venue.”
There will also be strict security checks performed before fans can rock out to some of their favorite Liam Gallagher tunes. Backpacks and large handbags have been strictly banned from the venue and there will be no storage facilities provided on site.
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 27, 2022
No such thing as 1 c’mon
GUINNESS and fucking lots of it ya Bumbaclarts
I’ll be able to make last orders do you have them in Dublin
10 you lightweight
As many as I can I’m very thirsty at the moment I’ll get the gig out the way then let battle commence
It’s the best drink in Ireland
Tags: Liam GallagherNoel Gallagher | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9782727956771851, "wiki_prob": 0.9782727956771851, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line511608"} |
A Fox News host tries to reinvent the Statue of Liberty with Wild Take
In “The Five,” McCallum detailed a New York Post article that described complaints by an employee of the Row NYC Hotel, who allegedly provided New York City-funded housing and food. York to migrants staying there.
The employee described the migrants “throwing so much food”, covering the room with drinking vessels and fighting in the hotel.
“When I read this story, it’s true, I think [Emma] Lazarus’ poem for the Statue of Liberty reads: “Give me your tired, poor, huddled, longing to breathe free,” said McCallum, who later reinvented the statue as a symbol of welcoming immigrants.
He added: “I think when he hears that the food isn’t what they want, the Statue of Liberty is going to be a little bit torn from the head, and there are people in these hotels, and accordingly chaos. reporter, sex, fights, and domestic violence are taking place in the corridor. What’s going on?”
(H/T Media Matters to America)
FoxhostLibertyNewsreinventStatuewild
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Brill’s Encyclopedia of China
China in World History
The Chinese Empire was the longest-lasting civilization in world history and has the longest tradition of historical documentation (historiography, pre-modern). In addition, China is a highly developed and complex world civilization. This makes it an ideal benchmark for the West to compare itself with. Leibniz already referred to China as the "Europe of the East".
The first studies on Chinese history in the scholarly Europe of the 17th and 18th centuries were the numerous Jesuit publications. At the height of their mission to China, some of these Je…
Pigulla, Andreas, “China in World History”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of China, Managing Editor English Edition: Daniel Leese. Consulted online on 01 February 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1877-0339_bec_SIM_00247>
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004168633, 20121018
Provider: Brill Database: Brill Reference Online Content: text/plain; charset="utf-8" TY - CHAP PB - Brill UR - https://referenceworks.brillonline.com:443/entries/encyclopedia-of-china/china-in-world-history-SIM_00247 T2 - Brill’s Encyclopedia of China AU - Andreas Pigulla TI - China in World History SP - 0 ER - | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6949515342712402, "wiki_prob": 0.30504846572875977, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1721782"} |
home Songs of Syx
Songs of Syx
videogame_asset Songs of Syx
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By Pickysaurus
Are you interested in helping shape the future of Nexus Mods?
We're starting to roll out our new design system as we build new features and modernise the... Read full article
On 9 January 2023 we will be performing scheduled maintenance which will mean the entire site as well as our forums will be unavailable for a time. Please note that ... Read full article
We're starting to roll out our new design system as we build new features and modernise the current site layout. A key part of this process will be to hear from you - the modding community - as we test out new designs and features. With this in mind, we're looking for volunteers to take part in a few focus groups that will collect invaluable feedback which is sure to influence how our site looks and functions as we look to...
On 9 January 2023 we will be performing scheduled maintenance which will mean the entire site as well as our forums will be unavailable for a time. Please note that this will also affect the functionality of mod managers - downloads, updates, endorsements etc. (anything that requires interaction with our website and API). As we will be migrating our database to an upgraded system, we aim for this process to take several hours, but to be on the safe side please expect the site to be down for some...
We're hiring: .Net Developer
As we are aiming to accelerate our development capabilities for our desktop applications, we are looking to grow our team by hiring for a driven and enthusiastic .NET developer to help us build the next iteration of our mod management application.
As a member of the mod manager development team, it will be your responsibility to assist in the development and design of tools and offerings that improve the experience of our users. We are not looking to merely re-implement successful f...
Whats new in Collections?
When we originally made Collections publicly available, we knew that we still had a lot we wanted to improve on. Since then, we’ve been listening to your feedback and working hard on new features and improvements. Here are some of the changes that are going live this week.
Bug Reports Feature
We’ve built a new bug reporting feature from scratch, allowing Nexus Mods members to raise bugs on Collections for the Curator’s attention.
To leave a bug re...
Halgari joins Nexus Mods to help shape the future of Vortex
We're super excited to announce that starting next week Halgari - the tool developer best known for the Wabbajack mod list downloader - will become the latest addition to our team here at Nexus Mods. Acting as the Product Manager for Vortex, he will be focusing on the development of the mythical 2.0 update, which is still very much in the planning stages but will make our mod manager even better.
Vortex was first released to the public in February 2018 as an alpha build - rep...
RTX Remix - Q&A with NVIDIA
In case you haven't heard yet, NVIDIA's new modding tool - RTX Remix - got announced during their September keynote. It's a fantastic-looking application that has the potential to revolutionise graphical modding for old games. We're joined by Nyle Usmani, a Product Manager from the team behind the tool, to give you the opportunity to have your burning questions about RTX Remix answered directly from the source.
Vg52-HZhrFc
If you're not up to speed yet, here's a clip from...
Job opening: Community Manager position at Nexus Mods
Nexus Mods is looking to bolster our ranks once again by recruiting an experienced Community Manager to work with our existing team to help us better serve our community.
This position is based in our offices in Exeter in the UK and you will need a right to work in the UK before you apply.
As a Community Manager, it is your responsibility to interact with and look after the Nexus Mods community and understand the needs and wants of the various smaller commu...
Skyrim released on GOG
No, you did not misread the title. No, you've not fallen through a dragon break to 2011. It's true, Skyrim has been released on another platform today. You can now pick up a DRM-free copy of Skyrim Special Edition from GOG.com!
A few weeks ago we had a call with our friends at GOG who told us about a very special new release that was going to be exciting for our community. Skyrim was going to be added to GOG, completing the Elder Scrolls set on their website. You could say Skyrim is ...
What's new in Vortex 1.6?
Vortex 1.6 was released into the wild a few days ago, shipping with the latest batch of new features, UI improvements and a boatload of bug fixes. Here's a rundown of what's new in the latest version.
Dashboard improvements
In the previous version of Vortex, it was a bit too easy to accidentally mess up your dashboard layout by clicking and dragging in the wrong place or dismissing a dashlet. We've remedied this by adding a dedicated "Customise my dashboard"...
Flag mods and us (and you)
Dark0ne
Recently there's been some silly drama on our site that was sparked by someone uploading a mod for Spider-Man Remastered. The mod replaced the very few Pride flags the game actually has with the already prevalent USA flag texture from the game. The mod was removed from Nexus Mods and the author was banned.
To address the banning, which is what a lot of people want to focus on, the mod was uploaded by a sock puppet account (i.e. a newly made account by someone who already has an accou...
Win a GOG key for The Witcher 3 Game of the Year Edition
We're giving away 10 x GOG keys for The Witcher 3. For your chance to win one of them, simply leave a comment talking about the last mod you enjoyed (for any game). The event closes on 27 July at 15:00 (GMT+1) and we'll be picking the winners shortly thereafter.
I'm sure you'd agree that modding your game can be great fun! It's important to remember that without creators pouring their hearts and souls into their mods, and sharing them with all of us, it woul...
Morrowind's 20th Anniversary - Modathon, Prizes, Memories!
Morrowind is turning 20 today! To celebrate this anniversary, our good friend darkelfguy is running a special edition of his yearly Morrowind May Modathon and we're also giving away fabulous prizes in our Morrowind quiz!
Did you know that our site started out as a fansite for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind? That's right, and that was back in 2001 when the site launched under the name "Morrowind Chronicles" in anticipation of and leading up to the game's release exactly 20 years ag...
Skyrim SE and Fallout 4 Creation Kit now available on Steam
As some of you may already be aware, the Bethesda.net launcher is being shut down next month and players are being offered the chance to migrate their games and other content to Steam.
The Creation Kit - the official SDK for creating Skyrim and Fallout 4 mods - could only be acquired exclusively through this launcher which would of course be a problem for new modders once the service is taken offline.
Luckily, Bethesda has already made both the Fallout 4 and Skyrim Sp...
Reminder: Donation Options and Guidelines
Without mod authors sharing their creations our modding community wouldn’t exist. As you know, many mod authors put countless hours into their mods, maintaining documentation for users, and supporting their mods. It’s because of this fact that, over the years, we’ve added a number of ways for users to say “thank you” by donating to their favourite mod author - be it through our mod rewards system, the donation options we provide (donation button on the mod page), or by allowing mod aut...
Preparing for Starfield
Starfield, the first game in a brand new series from Bethesda Game Studios, is coming to PC and Xbox in November and while that may seem to be a long way off yet, we're already excitedly preparing for the release.
Update 12 May 2022: Bethesda has announced on Twitter that Starfield has been delayed until the first half of 2023.
If you haven't heard about it yet, Starfield is going to be the debut entry in an entirely new franchise and marks the first single-player RPG...
We're Hiring: Office Manager
Applications are now closed for this position.
With 20 full-time staff now working from the Nexus Mods office in Exeter, we're on the lookout for someone who can help us with the day to day running of our office space, looking after all of us and our beloved workplace.
We're naming this role the "Office Manager" role, however, it will involve a range of different tasks that could fit into all sorts of job descriptions, including "Facilities Manager",...
Donation Drive for Ukraine - Update
Two weeks ago, we launched a donation drive to raise funds and support the Red Cross in its mission to bring medical aid to the people of Ukraine suffering the consequences of an unprovoked attack on their country.
We’re very happy to say that the community came out strong in support of Ukraine raising over £6,500 (~$8,474) in direct donations, with some individual donations as high as $100 or even $1,000 - which is just incredible! Thank you so much for your donations.
Elegos Closed Alpha - Testers Required
“So, do you want to overthrow the royalty or work to stand with us?”
Decide for yourself by joining the Closed Alpha of Elegos - a moddable RPG - playtesting now!
We’ve partnered with Perpetual Games who are making an open-world RPG with modding at its front and centre! Today, Elegos is moving into the Closed Alpha playtesting phase. With this comes an open invitation to anyone in the community who would like to try out an early build of the game, so that ...
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Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) 95th Street Terminal
by engineering | May 6, 2012 | Bridge Design, Construction Engineering & Management, Highways & Roadways, Structural Inspection, Transportation Design | 0 comments
Field Inspection/Investigation and Conceptual Design Validation
Construction Phase Services
Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project will provide a major replacement and expansion of the existing 95th Street Bus and Rail Terminal. The proposed improvements include removal of the existing terminal north of 95th St. and construction of a new bus terminal facilities to the north and south of 95th Street, new bus berthing areas, new pedestrian bridges over the northbound and southbound Dan Ryan Expressway, reconstructing and widening of the existing 95th St. Bridge and existing CTA North Bus Bridge over the Dan Ryan Expressway. Construction will be staged to allow for the existing 95th Station to remain operational during construction.
Parsons Brinckerhoff as the General Engineering Consultant (GEC or Consultant) under contract with CTA will serve as the project’s Designer of Record (DoR). HBM performed the following structural services as sub-consultant to PB.
Performed structural field inspection of CTA North Bus Bridge and existing Dan Ryan Retaining East and West retaining walls within the limits of the project.
Assisted PB in validating the design assumption embodied in the design documents.
Prepare Final Design Plans, Specification for repair and reconstruction of existing east and west retaining walls along Dan Ryan. Reconstruction and widening of the existing CTA 95th St. North Bus Bridge. Design of new retaining walls associated with the new station.
Provide project management support for advanced package design
Provide civil and drainage QA/QC support for advanced package design
Provided constructions support reviewing shop drawings for reinforcement of retaining wall and request for information.
The HBM team’s responsibilities included bridge inspection services, field measurements, load rating, plan preparation, and preparation of rating report.
Project Prime Consultant: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Project Subconsultants: HBM Engineering Group, LLC
Cumberland Circle (Illinois Route 58 at Wolf Rd )
North Halsted Street Bridge over Chicago River North Branch Canal
41st Street Pedestrian Bridge over Metra Electric/CN and South Lake Shore Drive
Loyola University Ignatius House
US Route 30 over the Rock River (Rock Falls, Illinois)
Drainage & Utilities
Highways & Roadways
Structural Inspection
Transportation Design | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5630980134010315, "wiki_prob": 0.5630980134010315, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line979537"} |
CO2 emissions are on track to take us beyond 1.5 degrees of global warming – Science News
A new study shows just how hard it may be to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over preindustrial times.
The world’s existing power plants, industrial equipment, vehicles and other CO₂-emitters are on track to pump out enough carbon dioxide to blow past that target by midcentury, researchers report July 1 in Nature. Add in future power plants that are already planned, permitted or under construction, and we could emit enough by 2033 to raise average global atmospheric temperatures by 1.5 degrees, the researchers say.
If we want to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, then “we cannot invest more in fossil fuel power or infrastructure,” says Thorsten Mauritsen, a physical climate scientist at Stockholm University who was not involved with the work. “Everything we do from now has to change direction and not use fossil fuels.”
In the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, nearly all the world’s nations agreed to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions enough to limit warming to “well below” 2 degrees by 2100 (SN: 1/9/16, p. 6). The United States has said it would pull out of the agreement (SN Online: 6/1/17), though the exit wouldn’t be complete until 2020.
Still, calls have increased since 2015 for the more ambitious goal of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees. That would mean fewer heat waves, spells of extreme weather and species extinctions (10/27/18, p.7).
Human activity has already increased global temperatures by 1 degree. Emitting an additional 420 to 580 gigatons of CO2 could warm the planet to 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated in 2018. Current infrastructure could emit that much CO2 between 2018 and as early as 2035, though it could take until 2046 to reach those totals, the new study found.
Existing infrastructure, over its expected lifetime, would emit about 658 gigatons of CO2, says Steven Davis, an earth systems scientist at the University of California, Irvine, and his colleagues. About 41 percent of those emissions would come from China, 9 percent from the United States and 7 percent from the European Union.
Those expected global emissions rise to about 850 gigatons when proposed power plants are included. That’s enough to hit the 1.5 degree budget by 2033, and makes up roughly two-thirds of the 1,170 to 1,500 gigatons of CO2 to reach 2 degrees of warming.
“This analysis … lends some concrete context to what a 1.5 degree target would mean,” Davis says. “These targets that get bandied about are very ambitious” and will require more than a few solar power projects and incremental emissions reductions, he says.
Nearly 10 years ago, Davis and some colleagues performed a census of CO2–emitting infrastructure. The new study updates that census to include all known CO2 sources at the end of 2018, including power plants and industrial emitters, such as cement kilns, as well as transportation sources such as airplanes and vehicles. The update also accounts for shifts in greenhouse gas emissions caused by things such as the U.S. natural gas boom and China’s burgeoning economy. The resulting calculation is how much CO2 is “committed” to be created, unless policy or technology triggers change. The calculations don’t consider current and future efforts to mitigate emissions, for example by expanding renewable energy sources. Nor do the results account for projected emissions increases in developing economies.
This work also doesn’t consider other sectors, for instance agriculture, which contributes methane, a potent greenhouse gas, says Joeri Rogelj, a climate scientist at Imperial College London in England who was not involved with the work. Still, he says, the results should serve as a wake-up call.
“This should not be seen as a fatalistic prediction of what will happen,” Roelj says. But it’s a “strong call to ensure that we make choices that reduce the carbon impact of what is currently in the pipeline.”
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Climate change history: How journalists in the 1900s covered an emerging science. – Slate | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7878226041793823, "wiki_prob": 0.7878226041793823, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1500822"} |
Songs by Per Nørgård in an excellent new release from Dacapo
The Danish composer Per Nørgård (b.1932) www.pernoergaard.dk was born in Gentofte, Denmark. His father, born into a working class family in Esbjerg, started as an apprentice shop assistant, later opening a drapers' in Copenhagen. Per Nørgård studied with Vagn Holmboe at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, and subsequently with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. His early influences were Sibelius, Nielsen and Vagn Holmboe.
In the 1960s, Nørgård began exploring the modernist techniques of central Europe, eventually developing a serial compositional system based on the "infinity series". The infinity series is a series of numbers, therefore has to be called a serial technique, but Nørgård uses it to create a melodic line, but not at the same time to control rhythmical and dynamic aspects as used in Central European serialism.
He used this method in his Second and Third Symphonies and other works of the late 1960s and 1970s. It was his interest in the Swiss artist Adolf Wölfli www.adolfwoelfli.ch/index.php?c=e&level=17&sublevel=0 that inspired many of Nørgård's works, including the 4th symphony, the opera Det Guddommelige Tivoli and Papalagi for solo guitar.
Nørgård has composed works in most genres including six operas, two ballets, eight symphonies and other pieces for orchestra, several concertos, choral and vocal works, many chamber works including ten string quartets and several solo instrumental works. Nørgård’s eighth symphony was premiered on 19 September 2012 in the Helsinki Music Centre, Finland, by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Storgårds.
Dacapo Records www.dacapo-records.dk have just released a new recording of songs by Nørgård with the mezzo soprano, Helene Gjerris www.helenegjerris.dk and an instrumental ensemble directed by Casper Schreiber comprising of Ulla Miilmann (flute), Johannes Søe Hansen (violin), Lotte Wallevik (viola) Toke Møldrup (cello), Jesper Lutzhøft (guitar), Tine Rehling (harp) Anne Marie Abildskov (piano) and Gert Sørensen (percussion).
The first settings are Two recitatives Op.16 (1955-56) for alto with obbligato solo cello settings of verses by Par Lagerkvist. Jag lyssnar till vinden (I listen to the wind) opens with the solo cello in a plangent melody. When alto, Helene Gjerris enters the raw atmosphere has already been established. She has a really fine melodic voice so this chilled song never sounds astringent. The cello and alto are hushed in Gammal Genius (Old Genius) where occasionally Gjerris verges on sprechgesang. These two settings are wonderful in their austere brilliance.
Nørgård sets Ranier Maria Rilke in his Entwichlunger (1986) two songs for alto, flute, guitar, percussion and cello. In Kindheit (Childhood) the alto sings alone before a brief rumble of timpani points up the words ‘Still we recall them – maybe in a rain shower’. The other instruments enter at the words ‘then we lived lives like theirs’. This is a bleak, lonely setting of Rilke. The instrumental ensemble accompanies Gjerris from the beginning in Die Genesende (The convalescent). The precision of the instrumental ensemble is terrific in this wistful, sad setting. Helene Gjerris gives an amazing performance and there are so many little points made by instruments and voice.
Plutonian Ode (1980-84) a recitative and aria for soprano and cello is quite a different proposition. A setting of words by Allen Ginsberg, it is described as a threnody to plutonium with all its possibilities for destruction yet set against the human spirit with its ability to create ‘connections and meaning’. It is an intensely angry work in three parts. The first Recitation (Introduction) is spoken by Gjerris as is Recitation right up to the words ‘…blast of Disillusion?’ when she breaks into song after becoming increasingly vehement. From here until the end of this part, Gjerris moves in and out of song until at ‘Sophia’s reflection glittering thoughtful galaxies’ the song receives some exquisite singing. The final line is nevertheless spoken. When the cello enters in Aria, Toke Møldrup makes some particularly fine sounds. The words are rapid, sung with increasing passion and anger, almost too much to take. At the final words ‘oh doomed plutonium’ Gjerris’ voice is hushed.
This setting makes for a tough and unsettling experience but there can be no doubt of the integrity, passion and anger of this work.
Nørgård’s Trois Chansons de L’Amour Le Poésie (1967) arrangées pour voix d’alto et flûte en sol commences with Le sommeil (Sleep) which makes for an inspired song setting to follow the rigours of Plutonian Ode. There is a suitably drifting, ethereal feel to the song. The halting, faltering Les corbeaux (The Raven) is a masterly setting evoking ravens scouring the countryside, whilst La Terre (The Earth) is more passionate with a subtle flute accompaniment that adds just the right amount of colour and emphasis to the sung words, a setting of Paul Éluard.
Three Love songs (1963-65 rev. 2010) for mezzo-soprano, flute, percussion, harp, piano, violin, viola and cello starts with the larger instrumental ensemble directed by Casper Schreiber in a setting of words by Arthur Rimbaud. In L’étoile a pleuré rose (The Star has wept Pink) the flute again has an important role in accompanying the alto in this finely drawn setting. Helene Gjerris sings sensitively, bringing out every little aspect of this setting. Again there is such imaginative instrumental writing. The climaxes are truly stunning with the alto’s range and flexibility truly impressive. After an instrumental opening Gjerris enters in a stirring Wie soll ich meine Seele halten (How shall I keep my soul) with some lovely flute decorations. With Opfer (Sacrifice) Nørgård manages to make the listener feel slightly off balance with his writing thereby creating a strange atmosphere, concluding ominously.
Day and Night (1982) are two short songs for low voice and piano with cello (ad lib) and are settings of Ted Hughes and William Shakespeare. A Kill is a spiky piece with Nørgård allowing sprechgesang to seep out of the fragmentary writing where the words fragment across phrases. Silver-sweet Sound is a brief setting of Shakespeare with inspired cello and piano accompaniment.
The combination of flute and strings provides a fine setting of verse by Jess Ornsbo, Solen Så Jeg (I Saw the Sun) (1953 rev. 2010), against which Helene Gjerris sings ‘I saw the sun, thought nothing was any longer mind, human. After us no one comes.’
Sånger Från Aftonland (Songs from Evening Land) Op.17 (1956) for alto, flute, violin, viola, cello and harp has a beautiful instrumental opening to Part I again showing Nørgård’s ear for fine instrumental sounds. As Helene Gjerris enters the setting of Allt är så fjärran idag (Everything is so strangely far away today) we are already far into the atmosphere of this lovely song. She nevertheless adds the final texture, blending beautifully with the instruments, full of expressiveness. This song is a gem. Du människa som står vid stranden av mig (Oh human, you who stand upon my shore) is another exquisite setting with an instrumental opening with harp flourishes before the alto enters. There are so many little textures to add to the atmosphere. In Det är om aftonen man bryter upp (It is at evening that we depart) Per Nørgård again manages such a perfect setting, every little instrumental touch adds to the alto’s superb voice.
Part II of Sånger Från Aftonland has a dominant cello part in the instrumental Preludio that effectively divides Parts I and II. It is an impassioned section displaying some of the best of Nørgård’s instrumental writing. A livelier Nu är det sommarmorgon (Now it is summer morning) raises the mood with delicate harp phrases adding to the instrumental accompaniment. Gjerris slows at the words ‘Far off are cold stars, far off is boundless space’ becoming slightly thoughtful but she concludes with more warmth. There is a wistful, searching feel to the opening of Tacka vill jag (I will thank) before the alto joins with the words ‘I will thank the flowers and the clouds.’ This is a gorgeously lovely setting with the alto voice so much part of the whole, Gjerris singing with such conviction and understanding.
Part III of Sånger Från Aftonland consists of just one song, the return of Det är om aftonen man bryter upp (It is at evening that we depart) giving fine a balance between melancholy and wonder in the final part of this beautiful song cycle.
Schlafen Gehen, Schmerz Und Not (Off to Sleep, pain and Trouble) (2012) for vocals and percussion is an arrangement of an earlier work, Abendlied, from 1980. Helene Gjerris has her voice dubbed to sing the four parts of this work, which has the ‘voices’ and percussion strangely distant and giving an ethereal conclusion to this remarkable collection of songs.
Helene Gjerris sings with great control, flexibility and perception. These are remarkable settings, most are very beautiful; just the Plutonian Ode is taxing in its passion and anger. The songs are finely recorded and there are interesting notes on the composer and the music, as well as full texts and translations. This is an excellent new release.
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Martin Jones is the ideal interpreter of piano wor... | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5590808391571045, "wiki_prob": 0.5590808391571045, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1643004"} |
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Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the closest and recommended airport. More information on the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, including terminal maps, flight information, parking, and transportation, can be found on their website.
Transportation between Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and the Conference Hotel
The Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, TX is approximately 8 minutes (or 4 miles) from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The hotel offers a free 24-hour shuttle service to and from the airport, but not to local restaurants and attractions. Uber and Lyft rideshares also operate from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in a queue system and are generally available for transportation. Various airport shuttle services also operate including Super Shuttle, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Airport Tax, Airport Flyer Bus, and more.
Local transportation around the Dallas Fort Worth area is commonly done through ride share services (e.g., Uber, Lyft, Taxi).
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The original item was published from 10/2/2018 9:26:05 AM to 10/3/2018 4:09:51 PM.
[ARCHIVED] Street Art Brightens Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights is now the home of several public murals, adding some color to commuters and pedestrians around the city.
On the south-facing wall of the Utica BP gas station local artist Wendy Popko has installed a mural of a bear and her cub, representing the Marshall Fredrick sculpture in front of the Sterling Heights Public Library. Commissioned by the city, Popko says the bears represent family, the wavy lines represent the Clinton River that runs throughout this city, and the globe in the center represents Sterling Heights' cultural diversity.
Sterling Heights graphic designer and artist Kelly Gray won a mural design contest to have her work displayed on this exterior wall of the Sterling Heights Public Library. Her illustration of children reading inside a giant bookshelf was unveiled in June and actually painted by installation artist Elton Monroy Duran.
The city commissioned mural artist Louise Jones, known as Ouizi, to design the wall and anchor posts along the Dodge Park Trail under the M-53 underpass. Based out of Detroit, Ouizi has floral mural artwork all over the country and world and her unique style adds color to many commuters day.
While the illegal graffiti on the wall of the pedestrian tunnel below M-59 in downtown Utica is often deemed a blight, and has seen a police crackdown in the last few years, more than one artist has tried their hand at creativity there.
Media with questions can contact Sterling Heights Community Relations (586) 446-2470.
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News in Science › Energy and Transport
Overeating disrupts web of genes
Monday, 17 March 2008 Maggie Fox
Networks of genes are disrupted in people who are obese, some that can't be detected using simple blood tests (Source: iStockphoto)
One man's genes show the mystery of DNA, Science Online, 04 Sep 2007
Tall and lanky? Blame your genes, Science Online, 03 Sep 2007
Gut microbes may make you fat
Overeating disrupts entire networks of genes in the body, causing not only obesity, but diabetes and heart disease, in ways that may be possible to predict, researchers report.
The researchers developed a new method of analysing DNA and used it to discover that obesity is not only complex, something already known, but complex in ways that had not been previously understood.
"Obesity is not a disease that is the result of a single change to a single gene. It changes entire networks," says Dr Eric Schadt, executive director of genetics at Merck Research Laboratories.
His team identified networks of hundreds of genes that appear to be thrown out of kilter when mice are fed a high-fat diet.
"This network is completely rocked by exposure to a high-fat, Western-type diet," Schadt says.
They then turned to a database of Icelandic people and found people have the same networks.
The joint teams did a detailed study of 1000 blood samples and almost 700 samples of fat tissues from some of the Icelandic volunteers.
This showed that people who have a higher body mass index, a measurement of obesity, have characteristic patterns of gene activation in their fatty tissues not seen in DNA taken from blood.
"What it says it that the common forms of these diseases are very complex," says Schadt.
"Simple genetic tests cannot detect these networks," says Schadt.
Schadt says his team hopes to study these networks and identify the genes most key to causing disease. New drugs can be designed to target their activity, he says.
Companies can also profit from making tests to detect a person's particular pattern and his or her risk of various diseases related to overeating.
"Good diet and exercise is still probably the best treatment or way to prevent the onset of obesity," Schadt says.
"If you are not going to alter your lifestyle, we can identify what network is going to be most significantly altered. Then we can bring that network more into a state to where it looks like when you are on a normal diet."
Link with immune system
Schadt's team, writing in two studies published online in the journal Nature, says the diseases of obesity appear to originate in the immune system.
"The network is enriched for genes that are involved in macrophages," Schadt says.
"In a normal state these things are keeping you free of infection and fighting off things that want to harm your body. This network is also significantly changed when you are on a high-fat diet."
Some people have networks that predispose them to diabetes when they become obese, others to high cholesterol and clogged arteries.
Some network patterns appeared to predispose some people to so-called metabolic syndrome, in which patients develop a cluster of symptoms including high blood sugar, high blood pressure and clogged arteries.
And a lucky few can become obese with no apparent direct health consequences, at least as concerns heart disease and diabetes.
Tags: obesity, genetics
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https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/03/17/2191471.htm?topic=energy
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Rechargeable batteries: facts, myths and explosions | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7428992986679077, "wiki_prob": 0.7428992986679077, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line348353"} |
California Accident Attorneys Blog
by Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Multi Car Accident Presents Liability Issues for California Injury Claim
by Steven M. Sweat
People in California must use reasonable caution when they drive to try to prevent accidents and injuries to others traveling around them. However, when drivers are confronted with sudden and unexpected dangers, they are not expected to use the same degree of caution that they would in calmer situations. In Abdulkadhim v. Wu, Cal. Ct. App. Case No. B298091, the court reviewed a case in which a man was forced to suddenly change lanes to avoid colliding with a stopped vehicle on the interstate when the man traveling behind him subsequently collided with the stopped vehicle.{1]
Factual and procedural background
Jasim Al-Kuraishi was driving his vehicle on Interstate 10 near Rosemead CA on Oct. 11, 2014, at 1:00 am. He was traveling in the westbound lane going approximately 70 mph. Tommy Wu was traveling in front of Al-Kuraishi in the same direction when Wu saw a vehicle that was stopped in the lane in front of him about 20 to 30 car lengths ahead. Wu changed lanes by moving into the high-occupancy vehicle lane and passed the stopped vehicle while traveling between 40 and 50 mph. After he passed the vehicle and was about 400 feet in front of it, he saw Al-Kuraishi’s vehicle crash into the stopped car in his rearview mirror. The force of the collision caused Al-Kuraishi’s vehicle to travel into a different lane, and his car was struck by a second vehicle in that lane that was also traveling around 70 mph. Wu stopped his vehicle after witnessing the collision and called 911. When the paramedics arrived, Al-Kuraishi was pronounced dead at the accident scene.
Halah Abdul Abdulkadhim, Al-Kuraishi’s wife, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against multiple defendants on June 17, 2015, including Manuel Mendez, Jr., who was the driver of the disabled vehicle, Lesley Chavarria, who was the driver of the other vehicle that struck Al-Karaishi’s vehicle, and David Mendez, who was the owner of the disabled vehicle. She later amended the complaint to add Wu as a defendant on Oct. 7, 2016. Wu filed an answer to the complaint on July 14, 2017. On Dec. 7, 2018, Wu filed a motion for summary judgment. The court granted leave to the parties to supplement the evidentiary record about the sudden emergency doctrine at a hearing on the motion that was held on Feb. 22, 2019. At a hearing held on April 5, 2019, the court granted Wu’s motion for summary judgment. A judgment was entered in favor of Wu on July 2, 2020, and Abdulkadhim filed an appeal.
Issue: Whether Wu negligently changed lanes so late that Al-Kuraishi could not stop in time, or whether the sudden emergency doctrine applied?
On appeal, Abdulkadhim argued that Wu changed lanes to avoid the disabled vehicle so late that Al-Kuraishi did not have a reasonable amount of time to see and avoid Mendez’s vehicle. Wu argued that the sudden emergency doctrine preempted Abdulkadhim’s negligence cause of action against him and that there were no remaining issues of triable fact.
Rule: Under the sudden emergency doctrine, a person who is suddenly confronted by a danger that he or she did not create is not expected to use the same degree of care that a reasonably prudent person would use without the presence of the danger.
Motorists generally have a duty of care to exercise the same degree of ordinary care when they drive that reasonably prudent people would exercise under similar circumstances. Under the sudden emergency doctrine, a person who suddenly encounters an unexpected danger is not required to exercise the same degree of care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise under normal circumstances. Abdulkadhim argued that the sudden emergency doctrine did not apply to Wu’s case because he changed lanes so late that Al-Kuraishi did not have time to react in time to the stopped vehicle in his lane.
As we have previously explained, multiple vehicle accidents may involve several liable parties. When more than one party contributes to the case of an accident, each liable party will be responsible for paying his or her share of the damages.[2] In this case, Abdulkadhim sued several parties, including Wu. However, her case against Wu was dismissed by the trial court after the court found that the sudden emergency doctrine applied.
The court first noted that the appellant in an appeal involving summary judgment has the burden of showing that the trial court committed error in granting the motion. The appellant must cite to the record and to supporting authority. The court then noted that under the sudden emergency doctrine, a person who encounters a danger through no negligence of his or her own is not required to exercise the same degree of ordinary care that a reasonably prudent person would if the danger was not present. The sudden emergency doctrine does not apply in cases in which the person’s negligence causes or contributes to the creation of the dangerous condition.
Abdulkadhim argued that Wu’s lane change occurred so late that Al-Kuraishi did not have time to react to the stopped vehicle. She argued that by changing lanes too late, Wu had acted negligently and had contributed to the dangerous condition created by the stopped vehicle. Wu argued that the danger was Mendez’s disabled vehicle stopped in the traffic lane in which vehicles were traveling at high speeds and not his lane change. Abdulkadhim argued that the danger was Al-Kuraishi’s inability to see the disabled vehicle until it was too late because of the timing of Wu’s lane change.
The court pointed out that the sudden emergency doctrine deals with the dangers presented to the person who initially reacts. In the case of Wu, the danger presented to him was the stopped vehicle, and his lane change was not relevant to determining whether the sudden emergency doctrine applied.
The court affirmed the trial court’s order granting Wu’s motion for summary judgment. The case was dismissed, and Abdulkadhim was ordered to pay Wu’s costs on appeal.
Talk to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer
Unexpected dangers on the roads can cause serious injury or fatality accidents. If you suffered serious injuries or lost your loved one because of an unexpected danger on the road, you might benefit from consulting with an experienced injury attorney at the Steven M. Sweat Personal Injury Lawyers. Request a free consultation today by calling us at 866.966.5240.
[1] https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2020/b298091.html?utm_source=summary-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-08-14-personal-injury-b359f10687&utm_content=text-case-title-7
[2] https://www.victimslawyer.com/multiple-vehicle-car-accident-claims-in-california.html
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Cancel Culture - April 2022
As the TV production industry slowly recovers from ‘Covid-19’, there are still series cancelations due to the pandemic affecting cast, crew and production scheduling:
$100,000 Pyramid, The (renewed for Season 5)
20/20 (renewed for Season 43)
American Housewife (canceled; five seasons)
American Idol (renewed for Season 5; Season 20 overall)
America's Funniest Home Videos (renewed Season 32)
A Million Little Things (renewed Season 4)
Bachelor, The (renewed for Season 25)
Bachelorette, The (renewed for Season 16)
Bachelor in Paradise (renewed for Season 7)
Baker and the Beauty (canceled; one season)
Big Sky (renewed for Season 2)
Black-ish (canceled; after Season 8)
Bless This Mess (canceled; two seasons)
Call Your Mother (canceled; one season)
Card Sharks (renewed for Season 2)
Celebrity Family Feud (renewed for Season 6)
Conners, The (renewed for Season 4)
Dancing With The Stars (renewed for Season 29)
Don't (canceled; one season)
Emergence (canceled; one season)
For Life (canceled; after Season 2)
Fresh Off The Boat (canceled; six seasons)
Good Doctor, The (renewed for Season 5)
Grand Hotel (canceled; one season)
Goldbergs, The (renewed for Season 9)
Grey's Anatomy (Season 18)
Great Christmas Light Fight (renewed for Season 8)
Holey Moley (renewed through to Season 4)
How To Get Away With Murder (canceled; six seasons)
Kids Say The Darndest Things (canceled; one season)
Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (canceled ; seven seasons)
Match Game (canceled, after Season Five)
Million Little Things (renewed for Season 3)
Mixed-ish (canceled, after Season 2)
Modern Family (canceled, 11 seasons)
Press Your Luck (renewed for Season 2)
Rebel (canceled; one season)
Reef Break (canceled; one season)
Rookie, The (renewed for Season 4)
Schooled (canceled; two seasons)
Shark Tank (renewed for Season 13)
Single Parents (canceled; two seasons)
Station 19 (renewed for Season 5)
Stumptown (canceled; one season)
To Tell The Truth (renewed for Season 5)
United We Fall (canceled; one season)
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (renewed for Season 2)
Absentia (canceled; three seasons)
Bosch (renewed for final Season 7)
Boys, The (renewed for Season 3)
Expanse, The (canceled; three seasons)
Goliath (renewed for final Season 4)
Hanna (canceled; renewed for final Season 3)
Hunters (renewed for Season 2)
I Know What You Did Last Summer (canceled; one season)
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (renewed for Season 4)
Modern Love (renewed for Season 2)
Pack, The (canceled; one season)
Panic (canceled; one season)
Truth Seekers (canceled; one season)
Undone (renewed for Season 2)
Upload (renewed for Season 2)
Utopia (canceled; one season)
A Discovery of Witches (canceled; after Season 3)
Better Call Saul (canceled; six seasons)
Eli Roth’s History Of Horrors (renewed for Season 2)
Kevin Can F**k Himself (canceled; two seasons)
Lodge 49 (canceled; one season)
NOS4A2 (canceled, two seasons)
Ride with Norman Reedus (renewed for Season 5)
Soulmates (renewed for Season 2)
Walking Dead, The (canceled; after Season 11)
Dickinson (canceled; after Season 3)
For All Mankind (renewed for Season 2)
Little America (renewed for Season 2)
Little Voice (canceled; one season)
Mr. Corman (canceled; one season)
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (renewed for Season 2)
See (renewed for Season 2)
Servant (canceled; after Season 4)
Truth Be Told (renewed for Season 2)
Killing Eve (canceled; after Season 4
All Rise (canceled; two seasons)
Blue Bloods (renewed for Season 12)
Blood and Treasure (Season 2)
Bob ♥ Abishola (renewed for Season 3)
B Positive (renewed for Season 2)
Broke (canceled; one season)
Bull (canceled; six seasons)
Clarice (canceled; one season)
Equalizer, The (renewed for Season 2)
FBI (renewed for Season 4)
FBI: Most Wanted (renewed for Season 3)
God Friended Me (canceled; two seasons)
Hawaii Five-O (canceled; 10 seasons)
Love Island (canceled; three seasons)
MacGyver (canceled; five seasons)
Magnum P.I. (renewed for Season 4)
Man With A Plan (canceled; four seasons)
Mom (canceled; eight seasons)
NCIS (renewed for Season 19)
NCIS: Los Angeles (Season 13)
NCIS: New Orleans (canceled; seven seasons)
Neighborhood, The (renewed for Season 4)
S.W.A.T. (renewed for Season 5)
Talk, The (renewed for Season 12)
Tough as Nails (renewed for Seasons 3 & 4)
Tommy (canceled; one season)
Unicorn, The (canceled; two seasons)
United States of Al (renewed for Season 2)
Young Sheldon (renewed for Seasons 5-7)
100, The (renewed for final Season 7)
All American (renewed for Season 4)
Arrow (canceled; eight seasons)
Batwoman (renewed for Season 3)
Black Lightning (canceled, four seasons)
Burden of Truth (canceled; four seasons)
Charmed (renewed for Season 4)
Days of Our Lives (renewed for Season 56)
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (renewed for Season 7)
Dynasty (renewed for Season 5)
Flash, The (renewed for Season 8)
In the Dark (renewed for Season 3)
Katy Keene (canceled; one season)
Last Man Standing (canceled; after Season 9)
Legacies (renewed for Season 4)
Kung Fu (renewed for Season 2)
Moodys, The (canceled; one season)
Nancy Drew (renewed for Season 3)
Next (canceled; one season)
Outpost, The (canceled; after Season 4)
Pandora (renewed for Season 2)
Prodigal Son (canceled; after season 2)
Republic of Sara (canceled; one season)
Riverdale (renewed for Season 6)
Roswell, New Mexico (renewed for Season 4)
Supergirl (canceled; renewed for final Season 6)
Superman and Lois (renewed for Season 2)
Trickster (canceled)
Two Sentence Horror Stories (renewed for Season 2)
Walker (renewed for Season 2)
Stargirl (renewed for Season 3)
Titans (renewed for Season 3)
Diary of a Future President (canceled; two seasons)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (renewed for Season 2)
Mandalorian, The (renewed for Season 2)
World According to Jeff Goldblum (renewed for Season 2)
Right Stuff, The (canceled; one season)
Turner and Hooch (canceled; one season)
DisneyXD
DuckTales (canceled; three seasons)
9-1-1 (renewed for Season 5)
9-1-1: Lone Star (renewed for Season 3)
Almost Family (canceled; one season)
Beat Shazam (renewed for Season 4)
BH90210 (canceled; one season)
Bless The Harts (canceled; two seasons)
Bob’s Burgers (renewed to Season 13)
Call Me Kat (Season 2)
Deputy (canceled; one season)
Duncanville (renewed for Season 3)
Empire (canceled; six seasons)
Family Guy (renewed through Season 21)
Filthy Rich (canceled; one Season)
Great North, The (renewed for Season 3)
Hell's Kitchen (Season 20)
I Can See Your Voice (Season 2)
Labor of Love (canceled; one season)
Last Man Standing (canceled; Season 9, Season 3 on Fox)
Lego Masters (renewed for Season 2)
Masked Singer, The (renewed to Season 6)
Moodys, The (canceled; two seasons)
Outmatched (canceled; one season)
Paradise Hotel (canceled; one season)
Prodigal Son (canceled, two seasons)
Resident, The (renewed for Season 5)
So You Think You Can Dance (renewed for Season 17)
Simpsons, The (renewed for Season 34)
Cloak & Dagger (canceled; two seasons)
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (canceled; after Season 2)
Good Trouble (renewed for Season 3 in 2021)
Grown-ish (renewed for Season 4 in 2021)
Motherland: Fort Salem (canceled; three seasons)
Party of Five (canceled; one season)
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (canceled; one season)
Siren (canceled; three seasons)
FX/FX on Hulu
American Horror Story (renewed through Season 13)
Atlanta (renewed for Season 4)
Better Things (canceled; after Season 5)
Breeders (renewed for Season 2)
Dave (renewed for Season 2)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (renewed for Season 15)
Mayans M.C. (renewed for Season 4)
Pose (canceled; after Season 3)
Mr Inbetween (canceled; ending after Season 3)
Snowfall (renewed for Season 4)
Weekly, The (renewed for Season 2)
What We Do in the Shadows (renewed for Season 3)
Y: The Last Man (canceled; one season)
Good Witch, The (canceled; after season seven)
Home & Family (canceled; after season nine)
When Calls the Heart (renewed for Season Nine)
A Black Lady Sketch Show (renewed for Season 2)
Avenue 5 (renewed for Season 2)
Ballers (canceled; five seasons)
Betty (canceled; two seasons)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (renewed for Season 11)
High Maintenance (canceled; four seasons)
His Dark Materials (canceled; will end after Season Three)
Insecure (canceled; after Season 5)
Lovecraft Country (canceled; one season)
Mare of Easttown (canceled; one season)
Ordinary Joe (canceled; one season)
Outsider, The (canceled; one season)
Perry Mason (renewed for Season 2)
Righteous Gemstones, The (renewed for Season 2)
Room 104 (canceled; after Season 4)
Run (canceled; one season)
Succession (renewed for Season 3)
We're Here (renewed for Season 2)
Westworld (renewed for Season 4)
At Home with Amy Sedaris (canceled; after Season 3)
Gossip Girl (renewed for Season 2)
Doom Patrol (renewed for Season 3)
Generation (canceled; one season)
Head of the Class (canceled; one season)
Legendary (renewed for Season 2)
Love Life (renewed for Season 2)
Search Party (canceled; four seasons)
Selena + Chef (renewed for Season 2)
Food That Built America, The (renewed for Season 2)
Knightfall (canceled; two seasons)
Project Blue Book (canceled; two seasons)
Castle Rock (canceled; two seasons)
Crossing Swords (renewed for Season 2)
Dollface (renewed for Season 2)
Great, The (renewed for Season 2)
Hardy Boys, The (renewed for Season 2)
Harlots (canceled; three seasons)
Helstrom (canceled, one season)
High Fidelity (canceled; one season)
Love, Victor (renewed for Season 2)
PEN15 (canceled; after Season 2)
Runaways (canceled; three seasons)
Reprisal (canceled; one season)
Shrill (canceled; ending after Season 3)
Solar Opposites (renewed for Season 2)
Taste the Nation (renewed for Season 2)
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (renewed for Season 2)
A Little Late with Lilly Singh (canceled; two seasons)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (canceled; Season 8)
Connecting (canceled; one season)
Council of Dads (canceled; one season)
Debris (canceled; one season)
Good Girls (canceled; four seasons)
Indebted (canceled; one season)
Lincoln Rhyme (canceled; one season)
Manifest (canceled; three seasons)
New Amsterdam (canceled; five seasons)
Perfect Harmony (canceled, one season)
Punky Brewster (canceled; one season)
Superstore (canceled; six seasons
This Is Us (canceled; Season 6)
World of Dance (canceled, four seasons)
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (canceled; two seasons)
13 Reasons Why (renewed for final Season 4)
After Life (canceled three seasons)
AJ and the Queen (canceled; one season)
Altered Carbon (canceled; two seasons)
Anne with an E (canceled; three seasons)
Another Life (canceled; two seasons)
Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love (canceled; one season)
Astronomy Club (canceled; one season)
Atypical (renewed for Season 4; final season)
Away (canceled; one season)
Baby-Sitters Club, The (canceled; two seasons)
Big Show Show, The (canceled; one season)
Biohackers (renewed for Season 2)
Black Summer (renewed for Season 2)
Bonding (canceled; one season)
Carmen Sandiego (canceled; Season 4)
Castlevania (canceled; four seasons)
Country Comfort (canceled; one season)
Cowboy Bebop (canceled: one season)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (canceled; four seasons)
Crew, The (canceled, one season)
Crown, The (renewed through Season 6)
Cursed (canceled; one season)
Dad Stop Embarassing Me! (canceled; one season)
Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance (canceled; one season)
Dash and Lily (canceled; one season)
Daybreak (canceled; one season)
Dead to Me (canceled; three seasons)
Derry Girls (canceled; after Season Three)
Dear White People (renewed for final Season 4)
Duchess, The (canceled; one Season)
Elite (renewed for final Season 4)
Family Reunion (canceled; three seasons)
F is for Family (canceled; after Season 5)
Feel Good (canceled; two seasons)
Gentefied (renewed for Season 2)
GLOW (canceled; three seasons)
Grace and Frankie (canceled; Season 7)
Grand Army (canceled; one season)
Green Eggs And Ham (renewed for Season 2)
Hit & Run (canceled; one season)
Hoops (canceled; on season)
I Am a Killer (renewed for Season 2)
I Am Not Okay with This (canceled, one season)
Insatiable (canceled; two seasons)
Irregulars, The (canceled; one season)
Julie and the Phantoms (canceled; one season)
Jupiter's Legacy (canceled; one season)
Kevin Can F*** Himself (canceled, one season)
Kominsky Method (renewed for final Season 3)
Last Chance U (renewed for final Season 5)
Last Kingdom, The (canceled; five seasons)
Locke and Key (canceled, after Season 3)
Lost in Space (canceled; three seasons)
Lucifer (canceled; six seasons)
Messiah (canceled; one season)
Money Heist (canceled; five seasons)
Mr. Iglesias (canceled; one season)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (canceled; two seasons)
Narcos: Mexico (canceled; after Season Three)
Never Have I Ever (renewed for Season 2)
Next in Fashion (canceled; one season)
No Good Nick (canceled; one season)
OA, The (canceled; two seasons)
October Faction (canceled; one season)
On My Block (canceled after Season 4)
Order, The (canceled; two seasons)
Outer Banks (renewed for Season 2)
Ozark (canceled; four seasons)
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj (canceled; six seasons)
Peaky Blinders (canceled; after Season 6)
Queen Sono (canceled; one season)
Queer Eye (renewed for Season 6)
Selling Sunset (renewed for Season 2)
Society, The (canceled; one season)
Soundtrack (canceled; one season)
Special (canceled; after Season 2)
Spinning Out (canceled; one season)
Stranger Things (renewed for Season 4)
Sweet Magnolias (renewed for Season 2)
Teenage Bounty Hunters (canceled; one season)
Trinkets (canceled; two seasons)
Turn Up Charlie (canceled; one season)
You (renewed for Season 3)
V Wars (canceled; one season)
Virgin River (renewed for Season 2)
Warrior Nun (renewed for Season 2)
Witcher, The (renewed for Season 2)
Zero Chill (canceled; one season)
Paramount +
68 Whiskey (canceled; one season)
Twilight Zone, The (canceled; two seasons)
A.P. Bio (canceled; four seasons)
Brave New World (canceled; one season)
City On A Hill (renewed for Season 2)
Couples Therapy (renewed for Season 2)
Desus & Mero (renewed for Season 2)
Kidding (canceled; two seasons)
The L Word: Generation Q (renewed for Season 2)
On Becoming a God in Central Florida (canceled; one season)
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (canceled, one season)
Ray Donovan (canceled, seven seasons)
Shameless (canceled; 11 seasons)
Vice (renewed for Season 2)
Work in Progress (renewed for Season 2)
Ziwe (renewed for Season 2)
American Gods (canceled; three seasons)
Hightown (renewed for Season 2)
P-Valley (renewed for Season 2)
Rook, The (canceled; (one season)
Sweetbitter (canceled; two seasons)
Vida (canceled; three seasons)
Krypton (canceled; two seasons)
Magicians, The (canceled; 5 seasons)
Vagrant Queen (canceled; one season)
Van Helsing (canceled; 5 seasons)
Wynonna Earp (canceled; after Season 4)
Animal Kingdom (canceled; six seasons)
Claws (canceled; four seasons)
Briarpatch (canceled; one season)
Dare Me (canceled; one season)
Purge, The (canceled; two seasons)
Queen of the South (canceled; after Season 5)
Sinner, The (canceled; after Season 4)
Treadstone (canceled; one season)
Posted by Michael Stevens on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9171919226646423, "wiki_prob": 0.9171919226646423, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line324616"} |
Lydia Hawk Elementary
Chinook Middle School
Nisqually Middle School
Pleasant Glade Elementary
Host Homes
TOGETHER! has been igniting change across the South Sound and beyond since 1989 with health promotion, youth development and prevention initiatives.
In May 1989, community leaders in Thurston County met with social development researchers from the University of Washington to discuss the growing presence of substance abuse problems in our neighborhoods and schools. They embraced the "Communities That Care" research-based model for developing a comprehensive, community wide plan to combat the problem. This meeting gave birth to TOGETHER!.
Over the succeeding twelve months, TOGETHER! grew from a vision to a grass-roots campaign to mobilize the communities of Thurston County into a coordinated effort to prevent youth violence and youth alcohol, drug and tobacco use. Fifty-six key community leaders collaborated in program development, all dedicated to the vision of safe and drug-free communities for our youth.
TOGETHER! incorporated and was granted Washington State non-profit corporation status in September 1989, and IRS 501(c)(3) determination in June 1990. Grants and service contracts that have funded programs, operations and evaluation have included awards from federal, state and county agencies; local jurisdictions; and private foundations, and support from local businesses and interested individuals.
TOGETHER!'s community-mobilizing, coalition-building and prevention programming efforts of our first two and a half decades have been recognized over the years by a variety of organizations, including Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, Governor's Council on Substance Abuse, U.S. Department of Justice/FBI, Community Youth Services and the Thurston County Board of Health.
In the early twenty-teens TOGETHER! shifted our focus to that of health and educational equity, going upstream from drug abuse prevention consistent with the public health risk and protective factor model science we were founded on.
We believe all young people deserve health, wellness and success. To meet our mission we use our values to guide the way:
All people deserve social, health and educational equity.
We partner with families, schools, and the community to collaboratively address root causes to community problems.
We lead and support change across sectors to serve the needs of the whole child.
Keep up on our programs, partnerships, events and other news. Enter your e-mail and subscribe to our newsletter.
Join our mailing list here.
TOGETHER! is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to serve youth and families in the South Sound with a mission to advance the health and well-being of all young people. We offer direct service youth programs, mobilize communities through coalitions, advocate for healthier laws, norms and systems and promote health through community and individual education.
Address: 1520-A Irving Street SW, Tumwater, WA 98512
Email: [email protected]
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Home » CDC Updates Guidance for Critical Infrastructure Employee Exposure
By Chris Mann on July 29, 2021
Posted in Back-To-Work, COVID-19, Employment
Released on July 29, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on return to work. This version has been revised to address an inconsistency for critical infrastructure employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 (the CDC has not updated that guidance since December). To make this section consistent with the CDC’s new guidance for vaccinated employees, that section now states that asymptomatic critical infrastructure employees can continue to work but, regardless of vaccination status, employees should be tested 3-5 days following the known exposure and should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. Unvaccinated employees should continue to mask and practice other precautions (e.g. social distancing) outdoors as well for 14 days or until a negative test result is received.
This updated guidance is outlined in the chart below which addresses return to work scenarios under the current CDC guidance.
*** as of 7/29/2021
CDC Guidance on Return to Work
Positive test and symptoms Symptom Based:
At least 10 days from the onset of symptoms
At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever reducing medications
Improvement in other symptoms
Test Based: If recommended by healthcare provider, 2 negative tests in a row taken at least 24 hours apart.
Vaccination status does not matter.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html
No test or negative test and symptoms Symptom Based:
Positive test without symptoms
Time Based: 10 days since positive test
Exposed with symptoms Symptom Based:
Exposed without symptoms
If in “close contact” with someone who has tested positive (defined as within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes over a 24 period starting from 2 days before illness onset or positive test), 10 days after exposure or 7 days after exposure if negative test is obtained (test can be taken within 48 hours of planned end of quarantine).
But no isolation needed if:
The individual has been fully vaccinated, or
The individual has a prior positive diagnosis within last 3 months and has no ongoing symptoms
However, fully vaccinated employees should be tested 3-5 days following the known exposure and should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact-tracing-plan/appendix.html#contact
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html
Can continue to work as long as they remain asymptomatic. However, regardless of vaccination status, employees should be tested 3-5 days following the known exposure and should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. Unvaccinated employees should continue to mask and practice other precautions (e.g. social distancing) both indoors and outdoors for 14 days or until a negative test result is received.
No additional precautions or testing is needed (as long as they remain asymptomatic) if:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-infrastructure-sectors.html
Chris Mann can be reached at [email protected] or 504.582.8332.
Read more about Chris Mann
Employee handbook and paperwork for a new job.
The COVID-19 Workplace is Not a Time to Forget Your Normal Workplace Rules and Policies
New Louisiana Law Grants COVID-19 Liability Protection to Businesses | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7180951833724976, "wiki_prob": 0.28190481662750244, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1248416"} |
The LESAF project will be present at EuMW 2022
by LESAF
Events, LESAF Project
The 52nd European Mircowave Week Conference will take from September 25 to 30 in Milan (Italy). EuMw is a SIX day event, including THREE cutting edge conferences, THREE Forums and ONE exciting trade and technology Exhibition featuring leading players from across the globe. EuMW 2022 provides access to the very latest products, research and initiatives in the microwave sector. It also offers you the opportunity for face-to-face interaction with those driving the future of microwave technology.
LESAF project will take part in the workshop WS6: Technological needs for future SatCom connectivity at 25 september.
In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) services via satellite systems is expected to grow exponentially throughout the 2020 decade. The deployment of high throughput satellites (HTS) and mega-constellations, in geostationary and non-geostationary satellite orbits respectively, will result in higher demand and lower running costs. In addition to harsh environmental conditions, antenna systems must overcome important challenges derived from the operation in heterogenous scenarios, the associated regulations and the advanced features for passengers and airlines. One of the solutions proposed in this context is based on electronically steerable antennas (ESA), which can bring together high performance and reliability, multiple-beam operation, seamless handovers, and fast steering capabilities. Moreover, it can be integrated under industry standard ARINC-792 with low profile/drag solution to maximize interoperability and reduce fuel consumption. LESAF project explores the electronically steerable antennas to develop the key technology for the new generation of in-flight terminals.
You can look up the Agenda here.
Tags:EuMWworkshop
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OpenDay at TTI for university students 23/12/2022
LESAF project in the prestigious magazine InFlight-Online 21/11/2022
LESAF Project was present at Space Tech 2022 18/11/2022
LESAF was present at TSAS 2022 21/10/2022
The LESAF project will be present at TSAS 2022 17/10/2022
LESAF Project
ASD Conference EASN Electronically Steered Antenna ENIG ESA EuCap EuMW forum IBC interview Milestone OpenDay paper Space Space-tech TSAS TTI UC Website workshop
The project leading to this application has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 887197
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Family Farm and Food Bytes
02/08/2022 @ 9:35 am
MORE THAN 250,000 SERVINGS DONATED TO ILLINOIS FOOD BANKS - The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Checkoff Program donated 64,497 pounds of pork to food banks throughout the state in 2021 as part of Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign. Donations included to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank. Since its inception in 2008, the Pork Power program has generated over 986,000 pounds of pork- enough for over 3 million meals- for families throughout Illinois. (FarmWeekNow)
GMO LABELING NOT LIKELY TO IMPACT PURCHASE DECISIONS, STUDY SAYS - Most food products sold in the United States that are made with ingredients with detectable genetically modified DNA need to identify that on their labels. And though GMO labeling has been a hot topic of discussion for years, a new study indicates that there may not be much new consumer reaction to the required on-package disclosures. (Food Dive)
FARMER VETERAN COALITION SEEKS GRANT APPLICATIONS - The Farmer Veteran Coalition is accepting applications for its Fellowship Fund small grant program until Feb. 14. The nonprofit organization, based in Sacramento, California, awarded 138 grants last year. Grants were used for greenhouses and grow tents, walk-in coolers and cold storage units, milking systems, water filtrations, and honey extractors and even a mushroom substrate steamer and a copper still. For more information or to apply. (FarmWeekNow)Top of FormBottom of Form
FEDERAL PROGRAM ALLOWS SOME AMERICANS TO USE FOOD STAMPS FOR SELECT LOW-COST RESTAURANTS, PREPARED MEALS - In the past two years, six states have opted in to a little-used federal program that allows older adults to use their food benefits on select, low-cost restaurant meals. The Restaurant Meals Program is most widely available in California and Arizona, and newer entrants such as Maryland and Illinois are still ramping up their operations. (USA Today)
JOHN DEERE INTRODUCES IOWA-BUILT DRIVERLESS TRACTOR, TOUTED AS THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN AGRICULTURE - Touting it as the next revolution in agriculture, John Deere this week unveiled an autonomous tractor, slated to go into production later this year in Iowa. (Des Moines Register)
WEEKLY AGRICULTURE: USDA SENDS MORE DOLLARS FOR SCHOOL MEALS – USDA announced late last week that it will give schools roughly 25 cents more per school lunch this year. That might sound small, but it’s a big deal for school food operators struggling with increased costs, from food to labor and packaging, as well as upended supply chains. (Politico)
CHIPOTLE IS IGNORING BEYOND AND IMPOSSIBLE'S FAKE MEAT IN FAVOR OF CREATING ITS OWN, AND EXPERTS SAY IT'S A BRILLIANT MOVE – Chipotle just announced its vegan chorizo would expand to menus across the US. The chain developed its own plant-based meat, instead of working with an outside company. (Business Insider)
RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS HIRED THE MOST OF ANY INDUSTRY IN DECEMBER, LEAVING ECONOMISTS HOPING FOR 'LIMITED LABOR MARKET DAMAGE' FROM OMICRON – Restaurants and hotels saw the largest number of jobs added in December. With a gain of 53,000 in leisure and hospitality, that's a slightly better gain than the 41,000 jobs added a month before. Food services and drinking places added 42,600 jobs. (Business Insider)
GROCERY STORES STILL HAVE EMPTY SHELVES AMID SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, OMICRON AND WINTER STORMS – Shortages at grocery stores across the country have grown more acute in recent weeks as omicron continues to spread and winter storms have piled on to the supply chain struggles and labor shortages. (USA Today)
RENEWABLE DIESEL POISED TO POWER GROWTH IN SOYBEAN DEMAND – Soybean growers could see demand growth from the biofuels sector in the next decade, reminiscent of the ethanol boom that shifted into high gear in the early 2000s and pushed corn use to new heights. (Effingham Daily News)
WHERE ARE THE TRADE AGREEMENTS, MR. PRESIDENT, AFBF ECONOMISTS ASK – While everyone seems to be focused on higher crop input costs, the largest group of U.S. farmers wants to know when the Biden administration will work on trade talks. (Successful Farming)
OFF-SEASON 'COVER' CROPS EXPAND AS U.S. GROWERS EYE LOW-CARBON FUTURE – The purpose of cover crops is to restore soil, reduce erosion and to pull climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. More and more U.S. farmers are planting cover crops, from grasses like rye and oats to legumes and radishes. (Reuters)
About Family Farm and Food Bytes: This is a collection of articles gathered from both mainstream and agriculture media and is designed to keep you informed as a member and leader within the Cook County Farm Bureau® organization. The articles summarized above are not intended to represent Cook County Farm Bureau policy or positions, but rather to provide members an idea of what is being reported regionally, nationally, and globally. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6223739981651306, "wiki_prob": 0.3776260018348694, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line464796"} |
Round 3: Invasion Results; Michael Essa Takes the Victory
Posted on June 2, 2013 by FormulaD
Long Beach, Calif. – June 1, 2013 – Formula DRIFT presented by GoPro returned to Palm Beach International Raceway for Round 3: Invasion. Michael Essa in the GSR Autosport / Yokohama Tire BMW M3 takes the victory and moves into third place overall in the standings.
Round 3: Invasion returned for the third consecutive season to South Florida to a capacity crowd. The fans were treated to exciting on-track action intermingled with the Slammed Society car show and display of cars from the Targa Trophy.
“South Florida continues to prove to be a viable market with another capacity crowd,” stated Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The spirit of competition also continues to rise and is at the highest level it has ever been, which has made an amazing season thus far.”
The skies cleared up for the main event day and the crowds flocked to the venue. The technical track featured a fast entry that proved to be a challenge for some of the drivers with many favorites failing to enter the later rounds of competition. The consolation round pitted Robbie Nishida in the Bridges Racing / Achilles Lexus SC300 against Vaughn Gittin in the Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang. After failing to reach the line after a Competition Timeout following mechanical problems from the previous round, Gittin conceded to give Nishida the win and third place. The final battle pitted Michael Essa in the GSR Autosport / Yokohama Tire BMW M3 against returning champion Daigo Saito in the Bridges Racing / Achilles Tire Lexus SC430, who also won this event last season. The battle was fierce, but Essa took the victory after Saito had a slight error in his chase run. This is Essa’s first Formula DRIFT pro championship podium and victory, which moves him into third place overall in the standings. Saito in the process moves into first place overall with Gittin closely behind him in second place.
“It’s surreal. We started this week with some issues and didn’t qualify well,” said Michael Essa, winner of Round 3: Invasion. “The team put together a solid car and thanks to Yokohama Tire, Bilstein, Garret and the rest of the sponsors we were able to win. We need to keep the momentum going and I can’t wait for the next round.”
For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com
Formula DRIFT Professional Championship Presented by GoPro 2013 Standings After Three Rounds
1. Saito, Daigo Achilles Tire / Bridges Racing Lexus SC430 257 Points
2. Gittin Jr., Vaughn Monster Energy / Nitto Tire Ford Mustang RTR 244 Points
3. Essa, Michael GSR Autosport / Yokohama BMW M3 241.50 Points
4. Forsberg, Chris NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Nissan 370Z 202 Points
5. Aasbo, Fredric Hankook Tire Scion Racing tC 197.50 Points
6. Yoshihara, Daijiro Discount Tire / Falken Tire Nissan S13 195 Points
7. Moen, Kenneth Lutz Performance / Nexen Tire Nissan 240SX 184 Points
8. Pawlak, Justin Falken Tire Ford Mustang 182.50 Points
9. McNamara, Darren Falken Tire Nissan S14 180.50 Points
10. Bakchis, Aurimas Nexen Tire Nissan S14 166.50 Points
11. Tuerck, Ryan Team Retaks / Maxxis Scion Racing FR-S 150.50 Points
12. Field, Matt CX Racing / Blacktrax Nissan 240SX 144.50 Points
13. Wang, Forrest Get Nuts Labs Nissan 240SX 136.50 Points
14. DeNofa, Chelsea BC Racing BMW 3 Series 130 Points
15. Nishida, Robbie Bridges Racing / Achilles Tire Lexus SC300 127.50 Points
16. Powers, Matt Nitto Tire / Fatlace Nissan S14 119 Points
Round 3: Invasion Event Results
1. Essa, Michael GSR Autosport / Yokohama BMW M3 Winner
2. Saito, Daigo Achilles Tire / Bridges Racing Lexus SC430 Second Place
3. Nishida, Robbie Bridges Racing / Achilles Tire Lexus SC300 Third Place
Manufacturers Championship Standings After Three Rounds
1. Ford 426.50 Points
2. Lexus 414.25 Points
3. Nissan 386 Points
4. Scion 379 Points
5. BMW 371.50 Points
Tire Championship Standings After Three Rounds
1. Falken 461 Points
2. Achilles 417.50 Points
3. Nitto 408 Points
4. Hankook 399.50 Points
5. Yokohama 320.50 Points
Posted in FD News, Press Releases | Tagged Achilles, BMW, Daigo Saito, florida, Formula D, Formula DRIFT, invasion, Lexus, Michael Essa, palm beach international raceway, Robbie Nishida, Round 3, Vaughn Gittin, Yokohama
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FORMULA DRIFT BRINGS DRIFT DEMOS TO LA AUTO SHOW
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Women's Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Report, 2028
Women's Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Fiber (Cotton, Polyester, Cellulosic), By Distribution Channel (Offline, Online), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2028
2.2. Fiber Outlook
2.4. Regional Outlook
Chapter 3. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Variables, Trends & Scope
3.6. Roadmap of Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market
3.8. Impact of COVID-19
4.3. Consumer Fiber Adoption
Chapter 5. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Fiber Estimates & Trend Analysis
5.1. Fiber Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2028
5.2. Cotton
5.3. Polyester
5.4. Cellulosic
Chapter 6. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Distribution Channel Estimates & Trend Analysis
6.2. Online
6.3. Offline
Chapter 7. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis
7.2.2. Market Estimates and Forecast, by Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
7.2.4.2. Market Estimates and Forecast, by Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
7.6.4. South Africa
9.1. Dior
9.2. CHANEL
9.3. Gucci S.p.A.
9.4. PRADA
9.5. Giorgio Armani S.p.A.
9.6. Burberry Group Plc
9.7. Dolce & Gabbana S.r.l.
9.8. Gianni Versace S.r.l.
9.9. Louis Vuitton, Inc.
1. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market - Key Market Driver Analysis
2. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market - Key Market Restraint Analysis
3. Global Cotton Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
4. Global Polyester Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
5. Global Cellulosic Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
6. Global Others Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
7. Global Offline Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
8. Global Online Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, From 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
9. Global Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, By Region 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
10. Global Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
11. Global Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
12. North America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
13. North America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
14. North America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
15. U.S. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
16. U.S. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
17. U.S. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
18. Europe Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
19. Europe Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
20. Europe Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
21. Germany Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
22. Germany Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
23. Germany Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
24. U.K. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
25. U.K. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
26. U.K. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
27. France Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
28. France Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
29. France Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
30. Asia Pacific Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
31. Asia Pacific Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
32. Asia Pacific Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
33. China Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
34. China Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
35. China Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
36. India Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
37. India Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
38. India Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
39. Central & South America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
40. Central & South America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
41. Central & South America Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
42. Brazil Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
43. Brazil Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
44. Brazil Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
45. Middle East & Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
46. Middle East & Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
47. Middle East & Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
48. South Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
49. South Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Fiber, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
50. South Africa Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Estimates and Forecast By Distribution Channel, 2017 - 2028 (USD Million)
51. Vendor Landscape
1. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Snapshot
2. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Segmentation & Scope
3. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping
4. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Value Chain Analysis
5. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market Dynamics
6. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Porter's Five Forces Analysis
7. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Fiber Movement Analysis
8. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Distribution Channel Movement Analysis
9. Women’s Jerseys, Sweatshirts & Pullovers Market: Regional Movement Analysis | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6137281060218811, "wiki_prob": 0.3862718939781189, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1108958"} |
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Integrity Adds Dynamic New Life Insurance Leadership with Acquisition of DeLong Sales Group
Integrity Marketing Group, LLC
Partnership with high-performance IMO with visionary approach enhances Integrity's mission to provide holistic life, health and wealth solutions to all Americans
DALLAS, Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrity Marketing Group, LLC ("Integrity"), a leading distributor of life and health insurance, and provider of wealth management and retirement planning solutions, today announced it has acquired DeLong Sales Group, an independent marketing organization ("IMO") based in LaGrange, Georgia. As part of the acquisition, Scott DeLong, President of DeLong Sales Group, will become a Managing Partner in Integrity. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
"Young, visionary leaders like Scott are the future of this industry," shared Bryan W. Adams, Co-Founder and CEO of Integrity. "He has built a remarkable business by focusing on great service to his agents, who then provide exceptional service to their clients. At Integrity, Service is one of our core values. We've built our comprehensive insurtech platform around the resources agents and advisors need to better serve the life, health and wealth protection needs of American consumers. It's an honor for Integrity to come alongside agencies like DeLong Sales Group and support them in reaching their highest potential."
DeLong Sales Group helps families achieve peace of mind as they prepare for the future by offering life insurance products coupled with expert guidance. Scott DeLong began his career in the industry as an individual producer committed to helping Americans feel secure by helping them understand the best products for their needs. In 2015, he established DeLong Sales Group with a foundational system of training and product expertise that positions agents for long-term success.
"My objective has always been to build a lasting agency where we celebrate our wins together. Today is a collective win for our employees, our agents and their clients," shared Scott DeLong, President of DeLong Sales Group. "Integrity is changing the industry in exciting ways by offering resources an agent needs to be successful, from effective marketing campaigns to innovative technology. With the support Integrity gives to not only our business, but to every agent, we can accomplish our goals much faster. We're proud of what we've accomplished at DeLong Sales Group thus far, and I couldn't be happier about the direction of our future."
The Integrity platform offers transformational, world-class systems that support agents and advisors while streamlining processes. Resources include critical data and analytics, instantaneous quoting and enrollment and their MarketingCENTER assets portal, an on-demand library of compliant and customizable marketing assets. DeLong Sales Group can leverage Integrity's shared business services to increase operational efficiency. Comprehensive administrative support includes areas such as People & Culture, Technology & Innovation, finance, legal and compliance.
"It's incredibly exciting to become part of a larger organization that shares the same vision of service and innovation," explained Frank Buce, Managing Partner at Integrity. "After joining Integrity in 2019, my business tripled in size — and the Integrity partnership became the best decision I ever made for my company. I know the power for growth that DeLong Sales Group has just unlocked, and I expect them to see even greater results. Integrity offers access to a long list of partners we can call on for help and offer our expertise to as well. It's been gratifying and inspiring to help each other grow by serving more people. Because of Integrity, we've also brought in other product lines and revolutionized our lead program. Scott DeLong is a committed, consistent leader who is already experiencing tremendous success, but now with access to everything Integrity partnership has to offer, I look forward to seeing how he can scale his business faster than ever before."
All Integrity affiliated firms become part of its sophisticated partner network, an interconnected group of industry leaders who are innovating insurance and financial services. With unparalleled industry experience and diverse competencies, these industry experts are helping consumers plan for the good days ahead. By sharing best practices and collaborating on thoughtful solutions, they're positioned to better protect the life, health and wealth of all Americans.
DeLong Sales Group also gains the exciting opportunity to offer its employees meaningful company ownership through the Integrity Employee Ownership Plan.
For more information about DeLong Sales Group's decision to partner with Integrity, view a video at www.integritymarketing.com/DeLong.
Integrity, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading distributor of life and health insurance, and provider of innovative solutions for wealth management and retirement planning. Through its partner network of over 500,000 agents and advisors, Integrity helps millions of Americans protect their life, health and wealth with a commitment to meet them wherever they are — in person, over the phone and online. Integrity's cutting-edge technology helps streamline the insurance and financial planning experience for all stakeholders. In addition, Integrity develops products with carrier partners and markets them through its nationwide distribution network. In 2022, Integrity helped carriers place almost $20 billion in new sales and oversaw more than $40 billion of assets under management and advisement through its RIA and broker-dealer platforms. For more information, visit www.integritymarketing.com.
About DeLong Sales Group
DeLong Sales Group was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in LaGrange, Georgia. They provide life insurance products coupled with expert guidance to their clients. The agency was founded as a mentoring platform to provide insurance agents with an engaging and efficient system centered on sustaining success. Their successful training and development programs have provided agents with coaching to help them build successful careers all while serving the insurance needs of thousands of Americans.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/integrity-adds-dynamic-new-life-insurance-leadership-with-acquisition-of-delong-sales-group-301730450.html
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Transcending the Cold War: Summits, Statecraft, and the Dissolution of Bipolarity in Europe 1970-1990
By Kristina Spohr (editor) and David Reynolds (editor)
Jump down to see edition details for: Hardcover
Publisher Oxford Univ Pr
Publication date November 29, 2016
ISBN-10 019872750X
Published in Great Britain
Other format details university press
POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / Diplomacy,2163,A
HISTORY / World
HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century
Amazon.com description: Product Description: In 1989 and 1990 the map of Europe was transformed peacefully, without the wars which caused the other great ruptures of the international order in 1815, 1870, 1918, and 1945. What role did international summitry play in the denouement of the Cold War?
Scholars have tended to focus on long-term systemic factors, Gorbachev's reform agenda, or the impact in 1989 of 'people power'. This major multinational study, based on archives from both sides of the 'Iron Curtain', adopts a novel perspective by exploring the contribution of international statecraft to the dissolution of Europe's bipolar order. This is done through the examination of key summit meetings from 1970 to 1990 across three phases - 'Thawing the Cold War', 'Living with the Cold War', and 'Transcending the Cold War' - and in three main strands: the superpowers and arms control, their triangular relationship with China, and the German question. The threads are drawn together in a sweeping analytical conclusion.
Transcending the Cold War includes fascinating insights into key statesman such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Leonid Brezhnev and Mikhail Gorbachev, Willy Brandt and Helmut Kohl, Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping - both as thinkers about the international system and also practitioners of summit bargaining. Particular attention is devoted to the cultural dimension of summitry, as performative acts for the media and as engagement with 'the Other' across ideological divides.
Written in lively prose, this volume is essential reading for those interested in modern history, contemporary politics, and international relations - addressing issues that still shape the world today.
With Kristina Spohr (other contributor) | from Oxford Univ Pr (November 29, 2016)
9780198727507 | details & prices | 288 pages | List price $80.00
About: In 1989 and 1990 the map of Europe was transformed peacefully, without the wars which caused the other great ruptures of the international order in 1815, 1870, 1918, and 1945. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5232348442077637, "wiki_prob": 0.5232348442077637, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line81625"} |
2022 Year In Review -Themes & Events That Defined Business & Tech World
2022 is coming to an end, and the Business & Tech world witnessed a lot of changes, ups and downs
this year. Topics and major events like Cryptocurrency, Artificial Intelligence and its impacts,
Inflation and layoffs dominated 2022. In this blog, we take a look back at the major business & tech highlights that defined 2022, the impact it made and
things to look forward to in 2023.
What is Inflation?
In simple terms, Inflation means the gradual loss of purchasing power reflected when the prices of
goods and services increase in an economy over a period of time.
Inflation is measured by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the price index of
the average purchased consumer goods and services.
Almost half of countries worldwide are witnessing inflation rates of more than 10% this year, with
five reaching triple figures. Zimbabwe has the highest inflation rate in the world, standing at 269%.
Ukraine emerged as the country with the highest inflation rate in Europe due to war disruption.
Speaking of Ukraine War, according to Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics, the
Russian invasion of Ukraine was also one of the leading causes of high inflation.
What are the Common Causes of Inflation?
Some of the common causes of Inflation are increase in Money Supply, Government spending, Cost
production and decrease in supply of money, decrease in the demand for goods and services etc.
Undoubtedly 2022 witnessed a staggering number of layoffs from startups. More than 50 startups laid off close to
around eighteen thousand employees this year, and these startups include 12 unicorns Unacademy,
BYJU’s, OYO, Ola, Meesho, MPL, Chargebee, Cars24, LEAD, Innovaccer, Udaan and Vedantu.
The Indian startup ecosystem also wasn’t in a smooth ride as the funding was significantly lower
compared to 2021.
Why do layoffs happen? What are some of the common reasons?
Some common reasons why companies lay off employees include:
1.) Financial difficulties: When companies go through a financial crisis or face bankruptcy, they
usually lay off employees to reduce costs and try to stay afloat.
2.) Changes in market demand: If the products or services offered by the company are no longer in
high demand, it may lay off employees to reduce excess capacity.
3.) Restructuring: Laying off employees as part of a restructuring effort to streamline operations,
improve efficiency, or shift focus to new products or markets.
4.) Mergers and Acquisitions: When two companies merge or when one company (acquirer)
takeover another company (Target), layoffs happen to avoid duplication of roles and functions.
5.) Outsourcing: Outsourcing is also one of the reasons for layoffs, where in some cases, companies
lay off employees and contract out certain functions and focus areas to 3rd parties.
Take a look at our Layoff tracker of India for the year 2022:
2022 saw a record number of employees quitting their jobs for several reasons, including career
changes, bad workplace experience, slashed salaries, overtime shifts, etc.
Also known as the great resignation, the voluntary mass resignation of employees has been a
significant concern for employers this year and soon affected India too.
The great resignation started in USA two years back, followed by a few other countries, eventually
finding its way to India. It all began when companies brought new rules to the workplace after the
COVID-19 pandemic. It brought drastic changes in the workplace, which negatively affected the
employees leading them to take the hard decision.
What are the leading causes of great resignation?
1.) Overtime Shifts
2.) Slashed Salaries
3.) Restriction of leaves
4.) Extended work hours
5.) Employees choosing work-life balance over Salary
6.) Toxic Work Culture
7.) Increased scope in freelance and Work From Home jobs.
BUSINESS SUSTAINABLITIY
Reducing the impact of its activities on the environment and society has become a top
priority for companies this year. Consumers and investors are considering sustainability when
investing their time and money in companies.
Brands are turning towards technologies that adapt to the planet’s needs and help achieve
business sustainability. For instance, according to a survey, some of the common
sustainability initiatives brands invest in 2021 and 2022 are tracking emissions, improving
manufacturing efficiency, solutions for recycling products etc.
Business sustainability is a company’s ability to do business without negatively impacting
the environment, community, or society but simultaneously meeting the needs of the
present.
By adopting sustainable practices like using eco-friendly products, energy-efficient
equipment, recycling materials, installing solar panels, etc., they not only can reduce their
environmental impact but also improve their reputation, increase customer loyalty, and
reduce costs in the long run.
Cryptocurrency is a virtual currency that uses decentralized technology to secure financial
transactions without central authority or a financial institution. Moreover Cryptocurrency uses cryptography
for security and a crypto wallet to securely store, send, and receive cryptocurrency.
The Ups and Downs of Cryptocurrency in 2022
The cryptocurrency was filled with ups and downs this year. The fall of the FTX cryptocurrency
exchange, price fluctuations, regulatory challenges, Crypto scams and thefts contributed to the crash
of significant cryptocurrencies this year.
Crypto Highlights in 2022:
Credit:Tripple A
According to Singapore-based blockchain firm TripleA, the global crypto users went over 320 million users in 2022.
India ranks second worldwide regarding the highest number of crypto holders, with the USA on top with 46 million crypto holders. Source
2022 was the biggest year for digital-asset heists as crypto hackers stole more than $3 billion worth of cryptos.
One of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX, shocked the crypto world and investors when they filed for bankruptcy.
The two most popular and largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum, lost around two-thirds of their value in 2022. Other popular cryptocurrencies also saw a decline in value.
Artificial Intelligence by definition:
It is the ability of a machine or computer system to perform tasks such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making, which usually requires human intelligence.
In simple words, Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by
computer systems.
How do businesses use Artificial Intelligence?
Definitely Artificial Intelligence has greatly impacted business this year, with companies of various
sectors implementing AI to automate tasks and increase efficiency.
Also Artificial intelligence (AI) is used by businesses in various ways, like Automation, Predictive
Analysis, Marketing & Sales, Customer service, Cybersecurity etc.
How Businesses Used Artificial Intelligence in 2022
Credit: Mckinsey & Company
AI in 2022 has promised endless opportunities and growth for businesses in the coming
future. Also the usage of AI capabilities in organizations has doubled from 2018 to 2022, with Natural
language generation, Deep learning, and Robotic process automation on top.
In the Finance industry, some of the main AI capabilities used this year were Trading,
Personalized banking, and Fraud prevention.
Many AI-based trading platforms and Apps have emerged this year, leading to a massive
demand for these platforms. AI is also helping in personalized banking by improving
customer relationships, creating a financial plan, understanding the risk factors of specific
policies etc. Subsequently fraud prevention has been the main AI capability used by banks and fintech,
helping detect suspicious user behaviour and spending habits.
Marketing also is one of those industries that was hugely impacted by AI, especially this
year. Marketing agencies and companies have already invested a lot of money in AI.
Marketing automation, Sales, CRM, Customer profiling, and even SEO have benefitted from
Artificial Intelligence.
Some of the main trends of artificial intelligence in marketing for 2022 are:
AI-Powered Content:
Many AI content generation tools have emerged this year for digital
marketers and SEO professionals to create website content.
Market segmentation and Targeting:
AI that segments audience using algorithms, user behaviour, and other metrics helping marketers create personalized and targeted ads.
Marketing automation:
Some of the commonly performed automated tasks like email and
chatbot automation, audience segmentation have saved a lot of time for marketers. Marketing
automation also helps in managing campaigns across channels and auto-scheduling messages.
Data Analysis and Insights:
AI can collect different data types, gain smart insights and help marketers make better campaign decisions too.
Artificial Intelligence in Logistics:
Automated warehouses were robots, and automated vehicles carry out the transportation of
goods. Companies are manufacturing fully automated warehouse replacing humans with
hundreds of robots, reducing overall costs.
Automobile:
Automobile company Tesla has already produced self-driving cars a few years back. Subsequently 2022
has seen more companies coming forward to produce autonomous vehicles and a lot of
autonomous vehicle startups.
Obviously AI is being used in healthcare for diagnosis and treatment, drug discovery, patient care,
clinical decision support, etc. and has shown a lot of potential in transforming many aspects
of healthcare, improving its efficiency and effectiveness. Moreover the algorithms and systems that help in
chronic ailments detection and treatment and personalized healthcare have already become a
reality.
What is exactly is NFT? How does it work?
Non-Fungible token (NFT) is a digital/virtual asset built on decentralized blockchain
technology and represents ownership of a unique item or asset.
NFTs became popular earlier this year, and users often used it to represent ownership of
digital assets, such as art, music, videos, and collectables. NFT provides a secure, verifiable
way to prove ownership of digital assets. Celebrities around the world in different industries
used NFTs to sell their digital artworks and collectables for millions of dollars, and some
musicians released their music as NFTs.
The Downfall of NFT and Its Causes.
NFT started declining soon after the crypto crash in May – June 2022. According to source,
Dune Analytics, the trading volume dropped from a record high of $17 billion in January to
$466 million in September.
What Caused the collapse?
As mentioned above, the crypto crash was one of the first and foremost reasons for the NFT collapse. The May crash affected the NFTs, too, wiping out billions of dollars from the market.
NFT scams – The marketplace is also filled with individuals selling fake and ridiculously priced NFTs, stealing the work of others and representing it as their own.
The industry’s failure to innovate beyond using an NFT as a profile picture on social media prevented new users from entering the market.
No clear use cases for NFTs in the real world – NFT works well for digital arts, but the same cannot be said about digital assets. What are you going to do with a bunch of digital assets like clothes or sneakers?
NFT is basically for the rich to become richer. Lack of diversity and inclusivity in the NFT marketplace, with many sales being dominated by a small group of wealthy collectors.
These are some of the main reasons for the downfall of NFTs. There are also other reasons,
like high transaction fees, Environmental consequences.
What is Metaverse?
Metaverse, in simple terms, is a virtual shared space where people can interact with each
other and with digital objects and experiences in a way that is similar to the real world.
It is a shared immersive word created by converging virtually enhanced physical reality and
physically persistent virtual space, including the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality,
and the internet. Metaverse is facilitated by the use of virtual reality and augmented reality
headsets.
However the Metaverse concept emerged in late 2021 and dominated the internet landscape
throughout 2022.
Metaverse And Its Future
The Metaverse is considered as the next evolution of the internet, where people can access
information, communicate with each other, participate in immersive experiences and interact
with digital objects and environments.
When it comes to business, Metaverse can potentially shape the future of companies in the:
Virtual Meetings/Events: The Metaverse could become a platform for virtual meetings and
events, allowing businesses to hold meetings and conferences in virtual offices where
attendees can enjoy a high-quality and similarly engaging experience.
Virtual retail: The Metaverse can take e-commerce to a different level by providing a new
platform for e-commerce businesses to create immersive shopping experiences and sell
products and services to customers.
Virtual real estate: The Metaverse could become a platform for virtual real estate, with
businesses buying and selling virtual properties and using them for various purposes, such as
virtual offices, training facilities, and event spaces.
Virtual training and education: The Metaverse can provide interactive and immersive
learning experiences through virtual training and education to employees and customers.
ChatGPT was launched by OpenAI in November this year and became hugely popular among
tech industries for its amazing capabilities and Conversational style responses to queries.
ChatGPT took the internet by storm because of its ability to accomplish various tasks and
answer any questions put forward by the users.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI Chatbot developed by OpenAI that uses Natural language processing
(NPL) to generate human-like responses to queries. It can write and debug codes, answer
questions, solve mathematical problems, write detailed essays etc.
What are some amazing capabilities of ChatGPT?
Write and debug Codes- ChatGPT can write codes for your websites or Apps and debug them too.
Mathematical Calculations- It can do mathematical calculations and solve problems.
Write essays and articles: It can write detailed essays and articles based on any topic you give
Personal Assistance Tasks- ChatGPT can even be your AI assistant and do tasks like sending emails, suggesting ideas, creating diet plans etc.
Create a marketing plan- Ask it to create a marketing plan or a strategy for you; ChatGPT will come up with one in just a matter of seconds.
Other amazing ways the internet uses ChatGPT are by generating AI prompts, explaining complex concepts in simple words, SEO tasks, etc.
ChatGPT received positive responses from the tech world, but it is important to note that it also has a few limitations, which the creators mentioned. ChatGPT can create a lot of impact not just in the tech world but also in other domains like marketing in the future. The AI tool is currently free to use, so make sure you try the tool out before it gets monetized.
Social Media in 2022
The Social Media landscape is everchanging, and 2022 was no different. A lot of new trends
emerged in 2022 across several social media platforms.
Short form videos
Instagram reels and short videos on other platforms are still the most preferred and engaging
format in 2022, with influencers and brands prioritizing it in their social media strategy.
Because of the high engagement rate, almost all major platforms have their own short video
format.
Brand Invest More in Social Commerce
Buying and selling products or services on social media platforms is called Social Commerce.
More than 70% of brands have already committed to social commerce, including small
businesses and enterprises. People purchasing products and services from social media have
seen huge numbers this year and are expected to grow next years, inspiring the major social
networks to invest in social commerce.
Livestream shopping
The livestream shopping e-commerce trend is becoming quite popular on social media. One
of its reasons was the ongoing pandemic that fueled its growth since brick-and-mortar
shopping wasn’t as available as before. Apparel and fashion, Beauty, and Consumer
electronics are the top categories in Livestream shopping. Livestream shopping is already
hugely popular in China.
The way Livestream works is that brands and influencers go live through an app, describe the
model and its features, and test various products for their audiences. People who watch these
live shows get to share any concerns they might have regarding the product and have the
option to purchase the products from the platform itself.
Livestream is very effective because it creates a sense of urgency among the audience,
tempting them to buy the products immediately. Several leading e-commerce platforms have
already started working on this feature, with Amazon recently rolling out a Livestream
shopping feature in the US.
AI in Social media
AI is taking over social media, too, as many AI-powered features are emerging on several
social media platforms.
AI tools like ChatGPT and Jasper are helping content creators and influencers curate content
and strategy ideas, while AI art tools like Midjourney are used to create stunning visuals for
We will see more of AI in the coming years, and it indeed will create a lot of impact on social
media.
Cryptocurrency Insurance
What is Cryptocurrency insurance? Crypto insurance secures the losses associated with cyber security breaches. Most cryptocurrency transactions contribute at least…
What is Tokenomics? Tokenomics is an important concept within the cryptocurrency space that has seen rapid growth in the last…
2022 is coming to an end, and the Business & Tech world witnessed a lot of changes, ups and downsthis…
Planning to Fundraise?
Scaalex makes it Easier.
Your Name Your email Your Number | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5426574945449829, "wiki_prob": 0.4573425054550171, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1728476"} |
Cataract removal is one of the most common operations in the United States, and among the safest and most effective. The surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an implant.
Typically, surgeons perform the surgery on one eye, and on the other eye soon after. The most common method takes about 15 minutes. About 95% of people see better after the surgery.
"The decision for any cataract surgery is based entirely on how the patient is functioning," Blackstone said. "We have patients with moderate or even severe cataracts that we elect to leave alone, simply because, based on what that patient's needs are, it may not be a good idea. But we also see patients who can read an eye chart very well but struggle with nighttime glare. It's when they begin having difficulty with daily activities that we start considering cataract surgery."
The U.S. National Eye Institute has more on cataracts.
SOURCE: University of Alabama at Birmingham, news release, June 8, 2021
Cataracts in Children
Childhood Vision Problems
Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery
Brain Tumors: Treatment Introduction
5 Steps to Protect Young Athletes' Eyes
Cataracts Quiz
Eyesight Quiz | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7138381004333496, "wiki_prob": 0.2861618995666504, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1773461"} |
Fifth Generation Wrestling Simulator
By triplexpac,
triplexpac
So I got bored and started surfing PWSE.net, and I read some info on this sim called 5GWS. It actually seems alright...
The Aptly named 5th Generation Wrestling Simulator promises in one of it's loading graphics take wrestling sims to the next level. I was given the opportunity to test an early beta version of the sim, so.....without further ado here are my initial finding and reports. I want to start from the beginning (well duh) this game certainly has flare, possibly the funkiest graphics (I use funky because I aren't sure if I am keen on the graphics) in any wrestling simulator I have seen, and MUSIC! A nice built in "theme" song for the sim and the addition to add your own MP3's. Jamie Goehring (strife to you PWSE forum regulars) have put consideration into the design of the game, offering theme alternatives as well as display resolution issues. So what about the sim? Keep in mind I loaded the Test Company (the new game isn't totally finished) "the main office" screen is packed full of options, neatly arranged around your screen for easy access and finding. This is your hub for the sim where you make all your decisions and navigate through the various features. SO the features, I mentioned there are a LOT and I will now briefly describe some of the features in the sim.
Company Details - It's being redesigned according to the pop up, but currently tells you the size, location and level of you company from Merchandise quality, pyro spending and production level it gives an overview to how your company is performing as a whole.
Active Roster - The roster page is stuffed full of stats, your wrestlers have statistics for risk level, selling ability, weapon ability amongst others, here you can check out there disposition and assign managers to them. You also have a cluster of other options including the ability to repackage the wrestler and suspend them.
Book Card - Whilst still at the first screen "overview" stage I wanted to comment on the visuals on it. Its like nothing I have seen to date, exceptional layout with booking statistics and card statistics separated nicely along with all the booking options, e.g. book a commercial, match, angle, etc. The initial shell looks good and Jamie will hopefully put effort into a good booking engine.
Event Calendar - Speaks for itself but again is clear as to what you've booked in at what dates of the year, also keeps tabs on tours, birthdays, contract expirations and rivals.
International Tour - Another nice piece of design engineering, with a lot of good research lists the venues and prices of where you can take your fed on tour abroad. Book a tour and generate support outside the US.
As I said those are some of the options, I want to save some for secret and some for the full review at the time of release
Overall the sim looks visually amazing with good groundwork already in place. There are still some runtime issues, bugs and general nastys which need to be addressed but it's an early beta and the author looks to have what it takes to fix those in due course. This sim SHOULD, if programmed at the level its been programmed so far, this should finally give us another BIG sim joining the likes of EW, PW as one we will play again and again. I would bet on this being a contender rather than another pretender, but only time will tell......
PWSE.net
After a few months, we are now able to reveal some more information about the Fifth Generation Wrestling Simulator. The game concept and design is put together by Jamie Goerhring and Clint Linneman, otherwise known as Strife and Chainlink Productions. I am not aware of the official release date, but by playing the beta preview, it seems to be nearing completion. Here are some of the features that you should expect to see upon it's release.
CHOOSE THE LOOK
One of the best features of this game is the ability to change the template that the game uses. With more than ten different templates to choose from, everyone is sure to find a look that they will like. Unlike many other games of its type, there is no need to modify images or anything, because the game already has each template programmed within. Within the display options menu, not only can you change a few colors and images that are used throughout the game, but you also have your pick of many other different things.
From the menu, you are given the choice to choose button types, window styles and more. The user is also shown what each control, such as a list box, will look like with the current template chosen.
As if that wasn't enough, you also have the choice of creating your own template; choosing header color, text box color, and much more.
Within the game settings menu, you are given the opportunity to choose how many months that both financial information and card results are stored.
PROMOTION DATABASE
The wrestling promotion editor brings many features that have been missing from other games. In 5GWS, the user is given the opportunity to not only modify production values, but also manage pyrotechnic spending and video package quality.
The user is able to modify training camp and development territory details from this menu as well, and also has the ability to set the promotion’s headquarters; choosing city, state and country.
WRESTLER DATABASE
This is the most complex of the editors and at times can be very confusing.
Each wrestler within the game is comprised of various statistics. Here is a list of just a few:
Catchphrases
There are a few things about the editor that makes it stand out from those in other games. In 5GWS, the user is able to configure morale, health, current and desired wage, contract length, and injury. The beauty of the injury statistic is that the user is able to start a game with a wrestler already injured for a set amount of time. This allows for more detail and reality when playing as “real” promotions.
Separate from the basic options for each wrestler are the advanced statistics. These include booking skills, training skills, attributes and move selection.
Booking skills enable the user to choose which aspect of the business the wrestler prefers, entertainment or sports. Training skills allow the option of even going into detail as to which aspects of wrestling the wrestler’s specialty and which he would be best suited to train. The attributes that go along with each superstar go beyond what some other games offer. Just to name a few: corporate popularity, backstage respect and learning curve. Move selection not only allows the choice of a trademark weapon, but also allows the creation of five different finishing maneuvers.
TV SHOW DATABASE
A few of the options that are intriguing are the ability to set the show to be live or taped, whether its focus is on sports or entertainment and length of the show.
SONG DATABASE
The game even allows for the licensing of various songs for use as event or wrestler theme songs.
This is where matches are made. The moves database allows for the editing of moves and move templates that are used by wrestlers within the game. What is put here is what will be seen when the action is going on within the squared circle. This option beats having to read the same recycled material for almost every single match that you produce.
TIME TO PLAY THE GAME
There are a few features that I would like to acknowledge throughout the game and the rest I will leave for you to find out yourself.
Game Clock:
Almost every action in the game takes time. Just like in real-life, you must also take into account the current time when taking care of the day-to-day business of the promotion. The time it takes to perform an action ranges from 30 minutes to 4 hours.
A calendar gives you the opportunity to see what the future holds. From this screen, you are able to view upcoming shows that are scheduled as well as tours and contract expirations.
Trading:
Throughout the game, you will be given offers by other promotions, requesting trades for wrestlers that you have under contract.
That is all I have to say about 5GWS. What I have covered is just the tip of the iceberg as this game has too many features and options to mention. From what I have seen, this game looks to be great when completed and in the process of completion could see many more features added.
Whenever 5GWS is released, look for it to be a great free-ware alternative to TEW.
Seems like a decent sim to me... has anyone else been keeping up with the sim community? Are there any other decent sims out there, or in production?
seems really good. I just hope it's not a free version of TEW cuz I didn't like TEW. I'll be looking forward to this.
Location: Wisconsin USA
CFW... http://www.ewc.ipbfree.com/
fineintent
Location: Ran McNally
But how many sims get announced, even make betas, and then just fall off the face of the earth? Adam Ryland is the only person who has consistently delievered good simulators.
Take H2H as an example, everyone around the sim said that it would blow EWR out of the water. They got bored making it, and released a hardly playable beta and source code.
Location: Berkshire, England
Well skin reading through all that infomation, looks like this game could be Teh Shit!!!
IWWROCKS
i am quite close to the creator and talk to him a bit. It is going at a good process and i can say it isnt like TEW (biased view coming up) Its alot better i havant played the Beta yet but from what hes told me it is good.
i am quite close to the creator and talk to him a bit. It is going at a good process and i can say it isnt like TEW (biased view coming up) Its alot better
i havant played the Beta yet but from what hes told me it is good
How can you judge if you haven't played it? I could say I've made a sim that is better than TEW - that wouldn't make it so. I'll reserve judgement till a sim is actually released.
There seems to be a lot of hatred towards Adam Ryland - particually on those CFW forums - why?
Probably the popular opinion some people have that he "sold out"
It's pretty much because Ryland sold out and stopped making free games in the form of EWR. And now with TEW, people feel ripped off because they spent 35 bucks for an unfinished game. It has taken 28 patches to fix the holes and its still not completely done.
It's pretty much because Ryland sold out and stopped making free games in the form of EWR.
Yeah I don't get that. People should be grateful that he made free games, and now he is trying to make a living out of something he enjoys.
Take an example: My band started out giving free demos to friends and promoters - now we sell E.P's. Did we sell out? No, people just want to make money for things they put work into.
As for the 'unfinished' aspect - take something like CM03/04, bugridden, but the patches correct the game. At least Adam has taken the time to correct these mistakes and in the tech forum at .400 listens to people's problems and sorts them. Grow up. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6751872897148132, "wiki_prob": 0.32481271028518677, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1044656"} |
Arrowhead Pride Radio
NFL Podcasts
From the Editors Show: 3 Chiefs losses to Bengals are by a total of 9 points
On this week’s AP Editors’ Show, Pete and John discuss their marinated takeaways from Kansas City’s loss to Cincinnati.
By Stephen Serda Dec 7, 2022, 9:01am CST
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Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
On the latest episode of the Arrowhead Pride Editors’ Show podcast, Pete Sweeney and John Dixon discussed their marinated takeaways from the Kansas City Chiefs‘ Week 13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
(Listen to the podcast above or by clicking here. It is also available on Spotify.)
The Chiefs’ 3 losses to the Bengals are by a combined 9 points
John: “The thing that struck me this morning after this big game where the Chiefs lose — and we’re going crazy because it’s the third loss in a row to the Bengals: the Chiefs have only lost by nine total points in these three games. We’ve seen Patrick Mahomes erase larger deficits than that in four minutes of game time. It’s not as if the Chiefs are getting destroyed in these games. They just haven’t found a way to get it done against this team yet. At the end of the day, NFL games turn on tiny things — and that’s really been the case in all three of these matchups.”
The Chiefs' loss came from fixable mistakes
Pete: “I tend to think that what could be considered fixable mistakes provide narratives the 180 treatment... What I mean by that is Travis Kelce — who is the epitome of excellence — fumbles the football. If he doesn’t fumble that football we’re sitting here talking about the Chiefs still being Super Bowl favorites, there’s no narrative about the Bengals, Patrick Mahomes is still MVP/best quarterback in football, Justin Reid’s trash talk is backed up and Harrison Butker isn’t a problem. All of this would be happening if Travis Kelce doesn’t fumble that football... I don’t want to kill Travis — because there were plenty of other mistakes in this game — but you could feel the game turn on that fumble. It felt like the Chiefs never recovered.”
The Chiefs are still looking for a playmaker outside of Kelce
Pete: “I think the Chiefs are a Super Bowl contender without Tyreek Hill. However, I think there are big games where you can see they really miss Hill... I just think it’s clear they are missing that super-talented wide receiver they can lean on in key moments of the game. Just think if the Chiefs had a player like Tee Higgins or Gabe Davis... they just don’t have that kind of guy who can go give you a play when you absolutely need it. They can absolutely still get it done with the personnel they have. It’s just going to be more challenging until they find that guy beyond Travis Kelce.”
John: “I think you’re right. The offense has been unexpectedly good without Tyreek Hill, but there's a dimension that just isn’t there this season... We saw early in the season how this was going with trying to replace one player with three or four and it worked for the most part. I also think we just haven’t seen exactly what the Chiefs were hoping to put on the field yet. with Kadarius Toney immediately going down and now Mecole Hardman trying to get healthy... I think if Mecole Hardman had been available for this game he would have made a difference for the Chiefs.”
How to listen to Arrowhead Pride podcasts
Arrowhead Pride podcasts are available on Amazon Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify, and Stitcher. Please rate and review, as this helps us grow AP Radio to reach more Chiefs fans all over the world!
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Bengals defeat Chiefs 27-24 in Week 13
Chiefs’ coordinators reflect on lessons from Sunday’s loss to Bengals
Andy Reid roundup: Bengals defensive strategies, containing Travis Kelce and what’s ahead | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9212918281555176, "wiki_prob": 0.9212918281555176, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1691480"} |
Worcester teen dad killed in 'play-fighting' incident
Laurel J. Sweet / Boston Herald
A 17-year-old Worcester father was killed in front of his family Tuesday night while "play-fighting" with his girlfriend's brother and what they thought was an unloaded gun, the teen's forgiving sweetheart said yesterday.
"It was an accident," Alejandro Zapata's 16-year-old girlfriend, Lucy Padilla, said through tears.
As her boyfriend lay dead on the kitchen floor of their Rodney Street apartment, Padilla said, her brother, 18-year-old Hector Padilla, who also lived there and allegedly fired the fatal shot, "was acting crazy -- like he was in shock."
Hector Padilla turned himself in to Worcester police early yesterday morning. He was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail after pleading innocent to murder.
Zapata, who authorities said was shot in the head in front of relatives, had two sons, ages 4 months and 3.
He was released in May from a state Department of Youth Services facility, where he had served time for "drug-related" issues, DYS spokeswoman Mary Silva said.
"He was a very well-liked kid who was doing what he needed to do," Silva said. "This is wasteful no matter how it happened. He was really making strides." | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.874172568321228, "wiki_prob": 0.874172568321228, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line896927"} |
Pynch
Thursday 19 August 7:00pm
£6.60 +bf
RSVP on Facebook
21-22 The Centre, Margate CT9 1JG
Pynch started life as a set of demos written and recorded by Spencer Enock in his parent’s basement in Ramsgate. Praised by BBC Radio DJ Abbie McCarthy for their ‘super cool lo-fi vibe’, his demos were played on both BBC Introducing and Radio 6.
On moving to London to study music, Spencer met bandmates-to-be Julianna Hopkins (Drums), James Rees (Guitar) and Jimmy Folan (Bass), and swiftly began establishing Pynch as a live act as well as a recording project.
2019 saw Pynch release their debut single ‘Disco Lights’ on the legendary Speedy Wunderground label and join The Libertines on their UK tour.
In 2020 Pynch continued their ascent with their second single ‘Somebody Else’, which was produced by frontman Spencer Enock back where the project began in his Parent’s basement. ‘Somebody Else’ received widespread critical acclaim from publications throughout the world such as So Young, Paste magazine and Indienauta.
The band then ended the year in style with Hard of Hearing Music describing their third single, ‘The Whole Word’s Going Crazy (For Love)’, as ‘an anthemic lo-fi masterpiece’. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.60975182056427, "wiki_prob": 0.60975182056427, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1849738"} |
Yasmin El-Rifae
Yasmin El-Rifae is a writer and editor. Her first book, Radius, a narrative history of a militant feminist group that fought mass sexual assaults in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian revolution, will be published by Verso in October 2022. This website is a collection of her writings.
BOMB Magazine | Within the Revolution: Yasmin El-Rifae Interviewed
You couldn't get it in Cairo, obviously. The book had been out for three weeks by the time I managed to find a copy on a trip to Toronto. My best friend Mariam had already read it and sent me a string of trigger warnings. "It's great," she said.
| Library Journal
A story like this was bound to be impactful, but in Egyptian journalist El-Rifae's hands, it comes to life in a mesmerizing and unforgettable way. This book focuses on the story of a group of people who banded together during the 2011 Egyptian revolution.
RADIUS | Kirkus Reviews
Powerful testimony of the Egyptian revolution destroying itself and the courageous people who hoped to save it.
The Most Eloquent Speaker at the Climate Summit is Alaa Abd El Fattah
By refusing to even drink water during the climate summit — an event dedicated to thinking about our planet and its future — Alaa is intervening in this global conversation by staking his fragile, incarcerated body as the argument
Lux Magazine
Chasing Language: Geography, Gender Neutrality, and Unfree Speech
Being in Tunis was an opportunity to discuss geographic pow- er dynamics as an entry point to thinking about gender neutrality. How to talk about language without first confronting the mecha- nisms and historical forces that control it — such as uniform and exclusionary national curricula — and the ways in which these forces themselves are gendered? Which Arabic were we talking about? For whom?
Mada Masr
On giving birth: Our bodies as vehicles and our bodies as agents
Much of pregnancy was like this: a process that was happening at my center, but somehow independently and without my conscious direction. There was an innate distance between myself and this invisible, intimate transformation.
We've broken the silence - now what?
It’s costly to talk about sexual violence. It’s costly for the victim speaking out. It’s costly for other women who feel called on to show solidarity, especially on the policed and trolled terrain of social media. It’s costly for the collective audience, so many of whom are retraumatized. More than this, sexual violence becomes overwhelming, it becomes another spectacle: the fact that women are talking about rape becomes the story itself.
Noor Naga, metafiction and the limits of self-knowledge
Sometimes a story needs three acts - A review of If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English, (Graywolf Press, 2022)
Double authorship: A conversation on I May Destroy You
Since the days of and Breaking Bad , great television now mostly exists for me as a sort of mirage I delusionally think I'm moving toward as I scroll through Netflix, mindlessness and mediocre content feeding one another like a snowball.
Confinement and disruption: How children are coping with the pandemic
Anas, 7 years old: I don't think I will get the virus ... I'll get it if I don't wash my hands and brush my teeth and if I touch my face or if I touch something with the virus. I do the things that keep the virus away.
Language after brutality
I have to start this piece by discarding an old one. I had written something, just a few days ago, in response to the news that Alaa Abdel Fattah was beaten in jail.
What the Egyptian Revolution Can Offer #MeToo
People remember the mob attacks, but they mostly do not know about the women who resisted them.
Where Does Palestine Begin?
I'm sitting in my office in New York, lingering over the draft of an email I need to send to the staff. It explains my complicated trip through Saudi Arabia and Germany and Egypt, finally to Palestine for the festival.
Defeat's possibilities: 3 activists recount 1967 as formative
It is June 3, and evening is falling on a rainy Paris. I have learned about the Festival Cine-Palestine, which has a screening of Al-Lail (The Night) by Syrian director Mohamed Malas. I watch with utmost attention the account of Quneitra, the Syrian town located in the Golan Heights and captured by Israel during the 1967 war.
I have spent time in Palestine over the last five years as an organizer of the annual Palestine Festival of Literature , which just took place this May. *** Houses in Jerusalem's old city are small and built on top of one another, sharing courtyards and terraces.
Giulio Regeni's death reminds us no one is safe from Egypt's brutal police
There is a scene filled with terrifying suspense in the 1995 French film La Haine. Police have detained two young men, having found them to be in possession of a small piece of hashish. They sit handcuffed to their chairs, side by side, as two cops beat and harass them.
That Metallic Sound That Hits Us
Waves of people have disappeared, been killed, too many count, too many to mourn properly. But Giulio’s death makes us confront the effect of this violence, of witnessing it, on our understanding of the world.
For journalists, freedom from jail is a qualified liberty
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in its latest report that Egypt is second to China as the world's worst jailer of journalists...
Circles about circles: On writing about sexual violence
I was part of Operation Anti-Sexual Harassment/Assault (OpAntiSH), one of several groups that fought mob attacks against women in Tahrir from 2012 onward. This piece is about my efforts to write about the group and its work. ---I thought it would be easier from the distance of New York.
LRB blog
PalFest on the Road
I am writing this in the car on the way from Haifa to Ramallah. Cell phones beep as we cross between Israeli and West Bank coverage. The view out the window has changed from the dark green mountains and manicured landscapes of northern Israel to the rocky textures of the West Bank mountains.
Muftah
A Conference in Cairo
I walked through downtown Cairo on a quiet Friday morning in March 2015, late to a conference I had helped organize and a little bit anxious. The conference was about the political importance of translation - of language and concepts - in connecting protest movements to one another and allowing them to be narrated from ...
Egypt's Economy: Hanging in the Balance
As 2014 drew to a close, the Egyptian economy was making international headlines. The Financial Times called Egypt the world's best destination for stock market investment.[1] Meanwhile, the Egyptian press documented a flurry of visits by delegations of businessmen from various economic superpowers.
Unauthorized memory
Yesterday they shot and killed a woman on Talaat Harb Street. She was walking, along with other members of the Socialist Alliance Party, through downtown to commemorate those killed since all of this started four years ago. Many of them were carrying flowers, wreaths to lay in Tahrir.
Guernica / A Magazine of Art & Politics
Yasmin El-Rifae: The Air Was Hot with Hysterical Nationalism
Image from Flickr via (flicts) By Yasmin El-Rifae A year ago I woke up in Cairo to the news of a massacre, the second of the summer. I was subletting a friend's apartment downtown, a beautiful place that gave me solitude above the blazing, dense insanity below while keeping me close to the small geography of my social life.
Egypt's Sexual Harassment Law: An Insufficient Measure to End Sexual Violence
A few days ago, heavy court sentences were imposed on seven men who were convicted of attempted rape, attempted murder, and torture, in a ruling seen by many as unprecedented in Egypt.
Cairo, again
Moments ongoing
I am sitting in Ramallah reading this article about the controversy surrounding the deaths of two Palestinian teenagers, shot by Israeli bullets (one through the back) last week at a protest commemorating the Nakba. CCTV footage of the incident has been circulated over the past week; meanwhile the media quotes Israeli army sources claiming the...
Notes from a bridge
All this sickness has to go somewhere, and it seems it has gone directly to my stomach. In my belly is a rock of congealing violence; of fractured time and place; of the anxiety of powerlessness.I am at the border crossing from Jordan into Israel, in order to reach the West Bank.
The last few months rendered me mute for a while. Trying to take in all that has been happening in Egypt - the attacks, the killings, the arrests, the abuse of justice on every level possible - and do what little I could to work against it somehow crippled my mind and tied my tongue....
Egypt's courts
In 2006, a group of judges agitated to demand an investigation of the 2005 elections fraud, opening up the tumultuous question of the judiciary's independence. The movement had a loud media presence at the time.
Egypt's Informal Economy | Middle East Institute
The black market for currency serves as an apt illustration of the allure of Egypt's informal economy, generally defined as enterprises that do not pay taxes and are not licensed by the government. Even for a trade as closely regulated by the government as currency exchange, a mirror market with looser rules that is often more advantageous for both buyers and sellers can develop.
The constitution of our symbols
I find myself craving the cinema these days. Something about the idea of images arranged into a purposeful narrative, characters with distinct conflicts to be either resolved or at least reflected on, is particularly appealing today. Or maybe the appeal is that of a clear arc, a moment of transformation, and maybe a message.
Women & the Fight for Bodily Integrity in Egypt
The struggle for bodily integrity-a right broadly defined as the inviolability of the human body and the self-determination of humans over their bodies-has been at the center of revolutionary aspirations in Egypt.
Margins, islands, and homes
I recently moved from downtown to Zamalek, which feels increasingly like an island playground/food court. Running errands, I elbow my way through crowds of preppy young people standing around in brightly colored shorts, waiting for a table at a café or a burger from one of the half dozen new burger places.
This is the third time I've tried to write something about these nightmarish days in Egypt. The words that come out have been too hollow and disconnected to share, but I'm trying again. I don't have a laser-sharp analysis to provide, and I'm certainly not going to take a wild stab at predicting what will...
Jadaliyya
Egypt at the moment feels like a series of battles and struggles, separated by geography but all ultimately linked together, hurtling towards some unknown destiny. People are dying, politicians are floundering. This post is about one fight: the one against sexual assault. The fight to free people's bodies from sexual violence is a global one.
Waiting to rebel
On returning to Cairo I felt myself, while struggling with the physical difficulties of the city, brimming with positivity for it. There are a lot of interesting people doing interesting things in what is now an undeniably tremendous space for collective projects, campaigns, and interventions. After decades of living with the state's failure to address...
Four Walls: The Poor Struggle to Find a Voice in Post-Mubarak Egypt
We recently visited the area of Cairo known as the "City of the Dead," or "el-Ma'aber" (the graves) in Arabic. For decades, people have lived on the grounds of this cemetery, in rows of cardboard shacks, facing a high fence marking the edge of the cemetery. Behind them are thousands of graves.
Egypt in Limbo: The Counter-Revolution
Nearly two months after Hosny Mubarak stepped down, the revolution that ousted him has turned into a battle ground. The January 25 Revolution, as it is called, carried the nation to a euphoric high - in its aftermath, people talked of rebuilding Egypt, of changing the political landscape, of a national rebirth.
Los Angeles Review of Books
Foundations of Solidarity: A Conversation with Yasmin El-Rifae
IN THE WAKE of the intensifying resistance to the occupation of Palestine, the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States (and beyond), and such movements as #StandWithStandingRock, appeals for solidarity with the plight of migrants, occupied populations, racialized minorities, and Indigenous peoples have become culturally pervasive. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.5221741795539856, "wiki_prob": 0.5221741795539856, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line208054"} |
SONS OF HERMES - 37
An approach to Star Alchemy François Jollivet-Castelot, a leading alchemical enthusiast, like Gérard Ecausse, was an early starter when it came to writing books. In fact even more so! He started at the age of 20. No wonder Papus was impressed.
The first, entitled La Vie et l’Ame de la Matière (The Life and Soul of Matter) came out in 1894. It was his belief that all matter was alive, a philosophy going by the name of ‘hylozoism’ with the laboratory discipline of ‘hyperchemistry’ trying to encourage the progress of that ‘evolution’. The natural route was hoped to be from lead into gold!
The contemporary discovery of radioactivity and of sub-atomic particles such as the electron and atomic nucleus at first encouraged theories of the alchemically minded although, as has since been established, lead tends to be the end of a process of decay from unstable elements such uranium, radium and polonium rather than the start of a progress into bankable precious metals.
Comment on devient Alchimiste (How to Become an Alchemist) came out at much the same time that J.J.Thomson discovered the electron, Ernest Rutherford the atomic nucleus, and Paul and Marie Curie radioactivity. A fascinating period, when interest in alchemy by sons of |Hermes was running alongside discoveries on the nature of matter that at first did suggest that all matter came from a common base – an electromagnetic spectrum. It was the orthodox who proved right in the end through the magical wonder of the creation of matter progressively cooked up in stars or in cosmic rays to be explosively distributed to solar and planetary systems via hydrogen, helium, lithium and the like to make us what we are, beings who originated as star dust.
Divided into three parts, this Jollivet-Castelot book claimed to be the most complete on the subject, presenting an Initiation to Alchemy. The first part devoted to ALCHEMY AND THE KABBALA; the second to MAGICAL TRAINING on HOW TO BECOME AN ADEPT; the third under the title PRACTICE details of experimentation, historic and critical. A SYNTHESIS to sum it all up. It was considered by enthusiasts to be an important work of initiation that would convince many chemists and philosophers, for, addressed to the sceptical expert, it brought - through the Laboratory - the laws of Analogy and the principles of mineral Transformation.
There was, however, not a great deal in practical terms from the efforts of the alchemists, although in 1925 Jollivet-Castelot did claim to have transmuted a small amount of silver into gold and became somewhat embittered that his work was never tested or verified, let alone approved, by official science. Reluctance of academia to take him too seriously may have been a consequence of his initial book, which was not so much evidence of scientific research as the musings of an occult student speculating on the significance of the Tarot Trumps as outlined by Eliphas Levi – ground already turned over by the youthful Papus, nine years his senior.
He had however, published, in 1904, La Science Alchimique, covering the history of the subject through predecessors such as Roger Bacon, Raymond Lully, Arnold de Villeneuve and Nicolas Flamel up to contemporaries such as Albert Poisson and Stanislas de Guaita, and in which he took account of recent scientific discoveries which he felt to be in support of alchemical theory, such as the common electromagnetic basis of all the chemical elements, which could, theoretically at least, point to the possibility of transmutation of one element into another.
Thus he hailed the discovery of radioactivity by Paul and Marie Curie in a chapter on ‘The Life of Metals’ even if evident only in certain elements. His enthusiasm is quite infectious.
A new state of matter, to which physicists have given the name of radio-activity, has been discovered by M. and Mme Paul Curie, who have thus recorded, if that is what one could call it, of the life and soul of certain remarkable metals. In fact, polonium, radium and actinium possess a spontaneous radiation, a luminosity analogous to phosphorus, but much more intense and permanent; radioactivity a hundred thousand times more intense than that of uranium (recorded in 1896 by Becquerel) luminous energy particular to these metals, that they derive from no external agent, and that develop electricity, impress photographic plates, pass through solid bodies, exercise on animate beings a marked physiological action , finally communicating properties, by induction, to the substances which one finds in contact with particles of polonium, radium and actinium.
The emission of these radio-active bodies is composed of a gaseous emanation, arrested by glass, and a radiation that penetrates glass and metals; this radiation divisible into two types: one responsive to magnetism, the other not so.
Research on these bodies is still very difficult and expensive: one retrieves about a tenth of a gram of chlorate of radium from a ton of the mineral residues of uranium. [Note: Philosophically the radium, by its energetic spontaneity, demonstrates the reality of Monism, that is to say the identity of force and matter, essential forms of Being, and beings, of the Universe. The living unity of the Cosmos thus appears in its simple beauty.]
Experts are literally plunged into a stupor by the demonstration of this strange physico/chemical phenomenon that contradicts the ‘static and unchangeable’ principles of Contemporary Science regarding the conservation of Force and Matter. What is it that constitutes this focus of spontaneous energy, this radiation that nothing is needed to feed and that cannot lose an atom of its weight of substance. That is the enigma that has come to trouble the self satisfaction of official Science. The Soul of Matter, the Life of metals under the form of Od, appears astonishing to the eyes of physicists! They state undeniably, by means of the fact, the irrefutable experience. Hylozoism!
There, where they think they are manipulating an inert substance, they are, on the contrary, touching animate matter, living, bizarre and mysterious, that delivers to them its indistinguishable astral spark! “Matter is one, it lives, it evolves and transforms.”
This is a far cry from speculation about the relevance of Tarot cards to the creation and behaviour of matter but is a fair shot at the constitution of physical chemistry and shows a sense of wonder that is altogether admirable, similar to scientific workers in the field today, such as the French astrophysicist Michel Cassé, whose Stellar Alchemy The Celestial Origin of Atoms I have found to be one of the most inspiring books on the creation of the elements I have met. {English translation by Cambridge University Press}. It is, regrettably, priced at far more than it should be in my opinion, but by shopping around the second hand markets it is possible to pick up a bargain.
It contains a defence and illustration of nuclear astrophysics, one of the most beautiful sciences there is. It bridges the gap between the atomic microcosm and the celestial macrocosm, setting out the origin and evolution of all the elements that make up our universe. It combines the physics of the very small and the very large, the inner workings of nuclei at one end of the scale and stars at the other. A sumptuous marriage between nuclear physics and astronomy, Earth and sky, celebrated in scientific thought, opening the way to a genuinely universal history of the material substance constituting all visible things.
Posted by Gareth Knight at 4:57 pm 1 comment:
François Jolivet Castelot - alchemist - and Madame de Thebes, society clairvoyant.
Turning a new page for a new year, {my contacts seem to like a rest between Advent and Twelfth Night}we will leave aside for a time the last days of Maïtre Philippe – “Friend of God” and “spiritual master” of Papus – to follow the steps of a very active newcomer, the enthusiastic young alchemist François Jolivet Castelot.
After his initiation into the Martinist Order {that we described in SH16} he set about forming an alchemical society, devoted to collecting relevant books and manuscripts and encouraging the performance of alchemical experiments; his belief being that Matter is inseparable from Life and that every atom and molecule of a metal or a mineral expresses the Universal Will according to the degree of evolution it has attained.
Founding a monthly magazine, Rosa Alchemica, he organised meetings at public restaurants to encourage enquirers, although was disappointed that many were what he regarded as too “Parisian”, that is to say preferring to chat and speculate about occult theories rather than apply themselves to the prayer, practice and discipline of laboratory work.
Although this did not prevent François from seeking guidance from wherever he might find it, including the fashionable society clairvoyant, Madame de Thebes, who for the past twenty five years had operated a psychic consultancy in luxurious apartments near the Arc de Triomphe. Her impressive list of clients included the Empress of Austria and the Queen of Italy as well as a number of artistes from establishments such as the Opèra, the Vaudeville and the Comedie-Française. Albums full of their autographed portraits decorated her rooms along with an impressive bevy of model elephants {don’t ask me why!}of various sizes, in bronze, copper or porcelain.
A bejewelled and matronly figure now in her fifties, an hour of whose time originally set back clients a golden ‘Louis’ – or 20 franc piece – the equivalent of ten Victorian sovereigns – that eventually inflated to twenty four times that sum.
Matching her style to those who came for guidance, she received the young alchemist rather after the style of an ancient temple priestess granting audience to a junior magus. In an analysis of his character and fortune, examining his hands with the aid of a magnifying glass, she predicted eventual success that would be earned through his own efforts, for though luck might not always favour him, given due application he would attain the mental poise that could bring high achievement.
She also encouraged his current political sympathies, that at the time followed those of the Duc d’Orléans in supporting the restoration of the monarchy. With her list of aristocratic customers, perhaps this was to be expected! Although it has to be said that twenty years later the highly idealistic young man became committed to Christian communism – a combination that did not help his prospects, political or mystical, terribly well.
However, in terms of the present, like many of her kind, Madame de Thebes’ high degree of popularity probably rested on the psychological skills of a sensitive and sympathetic ‘agony aunt’ rather than a mastery of the secrets of cheiromancy – or palmistry. But let credit rest where it is due!
One of the youngest of Papus’ trusted associates, Jolivet Castelot visited Paris frequently during the next few years, admitted to the higher Martinist lodges and appointed Professor of Alchemy and Spagyric Medicine. He also covered Magic, Hermetic Therapeutics, Astrology, Alchemy, History of Occultism, Mysticism and the Divinatory Arts, although techniques of ceremonial magic gradually played a lesser role, becoming regarded as contrary to Martinist principles; preference being given to Kabbalistic tradition and esoteric Christianity. An influence coming no doubt from Maïtre Philippe, although also implicit in Saint-Martin’s original approach to the doctrines and practice of his initial teacher, Martinès de Pasqually .
Posted by Gareth Knight at 2:47 pm No comments: | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6143144965171814, "wiki_prob": 0.6143144965171814, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line476150"} |
Author : Jenna Ryan
Download PDF The Woman in Black Book by Jenna Ryan Full eBook and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2011-07-15 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE MAN WAS HARD TO RESIST… Aidan Brodie's sensual stare could seduce a woman almost against her will. Samantha Giancarlo found herself to be no exception. Her reporter's instincts screamed at her to stay far away. But fate—in the form of a woman in black—had united them for a reason…. An explosive interview with the stranger thrust Sam into the thick of a murder investigation. And when her search revealed truths that struck too close to home, she was forced to heed other, more womanly instincts…. She had no choice but to accept the safety of Aidan's strong embrace—and the protection he was only too eager to provide.
Author : Susan Hill
Download PDF The Woman in Black Book by Susan Hill Full eBook and published by Random House. This book was released on 2015-02-05 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Heartstoppingly chilling' Daily Express Read the truly terrifying classic English ghost story behind the play. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose. 'No one chills the heart like Susan Hill' Daily Telegraph **If you love The Woman in Black, try The Various Haunts of Men, the first book in Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series**
Author : Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Publisher : 1st World Publishing
Download PDF The Woman in Black Book by Edmund Clerihew Bentley Full eBook and published by 1st World Publishing. This book was released on 2007-12 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Between what matters and what seems to matter, how should the world we know judge wisely? When the scheming, indomitable brain of Sigsbee Manderson was scattered by a shot from an unknown hand, that world lost nothing worth a single tear; it gained something memorable in a harsh reminder of the vanity of such wealth as this dead man had piled up-without making one loyal friend to mourn him, without doing an act that could help his memory to the least honor. But when the news of his end came, it seemed to those living in the great vortices of business as if the earth, too, shuddered under a blow. In all the lurid commercial history of his country there had been no figure that had so imposed itself upon the mind of the trading world. He had a niche apart in its temples.
Author : Zenith Brown
Publisher : Wildside Press LLC
Download PDF The Woman in Black Book by Zenith Brown Full eBook and published by Wildside Press LLC. This book was released on 2018-02-22 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WHO IS THE WOMAN IN BLACK? A living ghost, dressed in black, crashes a Washington cocktail party -- and touches off a chain of violence and murder. Who is the Woman in Black? The answer is a matter of life and death for a pretty young matron, a legendary captain of industry, a rich and dazzling hostess -- and for lady sleuth Grace Latham and her friend Col. Primrose. "Mrs Latham works wonders with the clues. A major Ford opus." -- New York Herald Tribune
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (Book Analysis)
Author : Bright Summaries
Publisher : BrightSummaries.com
Download PDF The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (Book Analysis) Book by Bright Summaries Full eBook and published by BrightSummaries.com. This book was released on 2019-04-03 with total page 22 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlock the more straightforward side of The Woman in Black with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, which follows the ambitious young lawyer Arthur Kipps as he volunteers to travel to remote Eel Marsh House to organise the affairs of the deceased Alice Drablow. However, he quickly becomes aware that the house harbours a dark secret that seems to be linked to a sinister black-clad woman whose spectral presences follows him around the town. He then uncovers a tragic story of loss and revenge that soon has disastrous consequences for his own life... The Woman in Black is Susan Hill’s best-known novel, and has inspired numerous film, television and radio adaptations. Find out everything you need to know about The Woman in Black in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!
Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel)
Author : E.C. Bentley
Publisher : BEYOND BOOKS HUB
Download PDF Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Book by E.C. Bentley Full eBook and published by BEYOND BOOKS HUB. This book was released on 2021-01-01 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents) Trent Last Case: The Woman In Black is a detective novel written by Edmund Clerihew Bentley and first published in 1913. Its central character reappeared subsequently in the novel Trent's Own Case (1936) and the short-story collection Trent Intervenes (1938).Trent's Last Case is actually the first novel in which gentleman sleuth Philip Trent appears. The novel is a whodunit with a place in detective fiction history because it is the first major sendup of that genre: Not only does Trent fall in love with one of the primary suspectsusually considered a no-nohe also, after painstakingly collecting all the evidence, draws all the wrong conclusions.Convinced that he has tracked down the murderer of a business tycoon who was shot in his mansion, he is told by the real perpetrator over dinner what mistakes in logical deduction he has made in trying to solve the case. On hearing what really happened, Trent vows that he will never again attempt to dabble in crime detection. Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents) Detective Philip Trent investigates the mysterious murder of a leading financier. Despite the title, Trent's Last Case is the first novel in which the gentleman sleuth Philip Trent appears. The novel is a whodunit with a place in detective fiction history because it is the first major sendup of that genre: Not only does Trent fall in love with one of the primary suspects—usually considered a no-no—he also, after painstakingly collecting all the evidence, draws all the wrong conclusions! This novel was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case. Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents) Trent's Last Case is a detective novel written by E.C. Bentley and first published in 1913. Its central character reappeared subsequently in the novel Trent's Own Case (1936) and the short-story collection Trent Intervenes (1938). Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents) Trent's Last Case is actually the first novel in which gentleman sleuth Philip Trent appears. The novel is a whodunit with a place in detective fiction history because it is the first major sendup of that genre: Not only does Trent fall in love with one of the primary suspects—usually considered a no-no—he also, after painstakingly collecting all the evidence, draws all the wrong conclusions. Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents) Convinced that he has tracked down the murderer of a business tycoon who was shot in his mansion, he is told by the real perpetrator over dinner what mistakes in logical deduction he has made in trying to solve the case. On hearing what really happened, Trent vows that he will never again attempt to dabble in crime detection. Trent’s Last Case THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Detective Novel) Trent's Last Case (Classic Detective Presents)
THE WOMAN IN BLACK BY EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY
Author : By EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY
Download PDF THE WOMAN IN BLACK BY EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY Book by By EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY Full eBook and published by BEYOND BOOKS HUB. This book was released on 2021-01-01 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE WOMAN IN BLACK BY EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY Trent's Last Case (US title The Woman in Black) is actually the first novel in which the gentleman detective Philip Trent appears. The novel is a detective story whose unique place in the history of detective fiction is because it is at the same time the first great sentiment of that genre itself: not only does Trent fall in love with a prime suspect - usually considered a no-no - he too, after painstakingly gathering all the evidence, he draws all the wrong conclusions. Convinced that he has tracked down the killer of a business tycoon who was killed in his mansion, during dinner he is told by the real culprit what errors in the logical deduction of the solution to the crime he committed. Hearing what really happened, Trent vows that he will never again attempt to dabble in crime detection. THE WOMAN IN BLACK BY EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY As The Woman in Black celebrates thirty years on stage, discover the truly terrifying classic English ghost story behind the play. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black – and her terrible purpose. THE WOMAN IN BLACK BY EDMUND CLERICAL BENTLEY ‘No one chills the heart like Susan Hill’ Daily Telegraph
Author : Helen O'Donnell Holdredge
Download PDF The Woman in Black Book by Helen O'Donnell Holdredge Full eBook and published by . This book was released on 1955 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life and loves of a great dancer.
The Modernist Madonna
Author : Jane Silverman Van Buren
Download PDF The Modernist Madonna Book by Jane Silverman Van Buren Full eBook and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Van Buren's analysis centres on the history of the evolving maternal signifiers presented in the artists' works. She peels away layer after layer of images to uncover the meanings contained in the artistic texts. The maternal metaphor is scrutinized through the lenses of semiological, psychological, psychoanalytic and historical insights.
The Lady in Black
Author : Frank J. Infusino Jr.
Publisher : First Edition Design Pub.
Download PDF The Lady in Black Book by Frank J. Infusino Jr. Full eBook and published by First Edition Design Pub.. This book was released on 2021-11-09 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1862, a young newlywed is executed for treason trying to free her husband, a Confederate cavalry officer, from an island prisoner of war camp in Boston Harbor. For years after, soldiers and later tourists swear they have seen a Lady in Black robes wandering the fortress in search of her dead husband, who accidently died by her own hand during the escape attempt. In present times, when a teacher is murdered while taking his history class on a field trip to the old fort, now a national historical monument, witnesses claim to have seen a mysterious person in black near the murder scene. Investigation of the murder falls to the Massachusetts State Police and a veteran detective who is recovering from an opioid addiction and concealing a dark secret which drives him to seek psychological help. The search for the killer leads the detective and his female partner to discover a plot by a Mexican cartel to use the island fortress as a distribution point to flood the American Northeast with counterfeit opioids. Skeptical of ghost stories, the detective, Vince Magliore, nevertheless encounters some inexplicable events while on the island fortress, and in a gun battle with cartel operatives, may have been saved by the intervention of a shadowy apparition. Urged by his psychologist, Magliore travels back to California to confess to his old boss, the chief of his former police department, the secret he has been hiding. The chief’s response to Magliore’s confession is totally unexpected.
True West Virginia Ghost Stories
Author : Jonathan Moore
Publisher : West Virginia Ghosts
Download PDF True West Virginia Ghost Stories Book by Jonathan Moore Full eBook and published by West Virginia Ghosts. This book was released on 2011-09-15 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “True West Virginia Ghost Stories” is a collection of over 400 hair raising stories, all true, that have been passed down for many generations in the mountain state. Over the past twelve years these stories have been archived by 'West Virginia Ghosts' and for the first time are being offered in anthology, full book form. The stories, written by different individuals, cover the entire spectrum of paranormal phenomena; ghosts, UFO's, Bigfoot, strange animals and creatures, and many more. There are many unexplained events cataloged throughout the work. If you love the paranormal and are fond of the mountain state or Appalachia in general, take a trip down these haunted country roads with “True West Virginia Ghost Stories!”
The Russian Intelligence
Author : Michael Moorcock
Publisher : Hachette UK
Download PDF The Russian Intelligence Book by Michael Moorcock Full eBook and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2013-03-28 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meet secret agent, Jerry Cornell: the polar opposite if a super sleuth. Jerry is always careful to choose a case that will solve itself so he can spend most of his agency's time in bed with a beautiful woman. But his luck runs out when he accidentally takes on the the assignment code-named 'Devil Rider'. The Russian Intelligence is the hilarious sequel to The Chinese Agent.
The Woman in Red; a Romance
Author : Woman
Download PDF The Woman in Red; a Romance Book by Woman Full eBook and published by . This book was released on 1864 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Subversive Spirits
Author : Robin Roberts
Publisher : Univ. Press of Mississippi
Download PDF Subversive Spirits Book by Robin Roberts Full eBook and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2018-01-17 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The supernatural has become extraordinarily popular in literature, television, and film. Vampires, zombies, werewolves, witches, and wizard have become staples of entertainment industries, and many of these figures have received extensive critical attention. But one figure has remained in the shadows--the female ghost. Inherently liminal, often literally invisible, the female ghost has nevertheless appeared in all genres. Subversive Spirits: The Female Ghost in British and American Popular Culture brings this figure into the light, exploring her cultural significance in a variety of media from 1926 to 2014. Robin Roberts argues that the female ghost is well worth studying for what she can tell us about feminine subjectivity in cultural contexts. Subversive Spirits examines appearances of the female ghost in heritage sites, theater, Hollywood film, literature, and television in the United States and the United Kingdom. What holds these disparate female ghosts together is their uncanny ability to disrupt, illuminate, and challenge gendered assumptions. As with other supernatural figures, the female ghost changes over time, especially responding to changes in gender roles. Roberts's analysis begins with comedic female ghosts in literature and film and moves into horror by examining the successful play The Woman in Black and the legend of the weeping woman, La Llorona. Roberts then situates the canonical works of Maxine Hong Kingston and Toni Morrison in the tradition of the female ghost to explore how the ghost is used to portray the struggle and pain of women of color. Roberts further analyzes heritage sites that use the female ghost as the friendly and inviting narrator for tourists. The book concludes with a comparison of the British and American versions of the television hit Being Human, where the female ghost expands her influence to become a mother and savior to all humanity.
The Woman Who Lost Her Soul and Other Stories
Author : Jovita Gonzàlez Mireles
Publisher : Arte Publico Press
Download PDF The Woman Who Lost Her Soul and Other Stories Book by Jovita Gonzàlez Mireles Full eBook and published by Arte Publico Press. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The writer Jovita González was a long memeber- and ultimately seved as president- of Texas Folklore Society, which strve to preserve the oral traditions and customs of her native state. Many of the folklore-based stories in this volume were published by González in periodicals such as Southwest Review from the 1920s through the 1940s but have been gathered here for the first time. Sergio Reyna has brought together more than thirty narratives by González and arranged them into Animal Tales (such as "The Mescal-Drinking Horse"); Tales of Humans ("The Bullet-Swallower"); Tales of Popular Customs ("Shelling Corn by Moonlight); Religious Tales ("The Guadalupana Vine); Tales of Mexican Ancestrors ("Ambriosio the Indian); and Tales of Ghosts, Demons, and Buried Treasure ("The Woman Who Lost Her Soul"). Reyna also provides a helpful introduction that succinctly surveys the authors life and work, analyzing her writings within their historical and cultural contexts.
Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults
Author : Bill Ellis
Download PDF Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults Book by Bill Ellis Full eBook and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2003 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
I Am The City King
Author : Lao PaoEr
Publisher : Funstory
Download PDF I Am The City King Book by Lao PaoEr Full eBook and published by Funstory. This book was released on 2020-11-14 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Small people also had the opportunity to traverse the city. Here, there was a different life in the city. There was also the chance to reverse the flow of life. Beautiful women surrounded the scenery around them. When minor characters are angry, the ancient martial arts are close to the body, the foreign world, the city freely shuttles back and forth. "Hey, what are you daydreaming for? Is the report not ready? " "CEO doesn't want it, I will continue to work hard!" Hu Yang worked hard, while the Ice Mountain female CEO cried out ...
No Ordinary Day
Life for Life (Talion #3)
Congo. Een geschiedenis
Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)
The Sword to Unite
Adept (The Wiccan Diaries, #3)
The One-Eyed King
The Fame Game (Fame Game, #1)
The Siren (The Original Sinners, #1)
White Heaven Women
Millie’s Fling
Ever the Hunted (A Clash of Kingdoms, #1)
Olive’s Ocean
The Chosen (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #15)
Lumberjack (A Real Man, #1)
The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr
Interlude (Rockstar, #4) | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6099667549133301, "wiki_prob": 0.6099667549133301, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line869245"} |
GateHouse: Feeling afraid trumps something to fear
The Trump campaign is exploiting crime and fear. Trump’s campaign is not the first presidential campaign to do so, but to understand what’s different about the Trump campaign requires first understanding the history of crime and politics.
In 1964, Barry Goldwater, the GOP nominee for president, introduced campaign operatives to the concept of crime as a divisive, hot-button issue. At the time, violent crime rates were beginning to rise. When Richard Nixon was making his second bid for president in 1968 the Civil Rights Act had passed, riots had erupted in cities across the country after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., and murder rates had increased 50 percent since 1950. Race relations were tenuous, at best, and Nixon knew it. Crime control became a surrogate for race control.
The conservative mantra of “tough on crime” worked for Ronald Reagan and helped push another Republican to victory. In 1988, when crime rates were soaring, George H.W. Bush clobbered Michael Dukakis with Willie Horton.
During Bill Clinton’s tenure violent crime was at its peak and easily exploited. During Clinton’s presidency, Loic Wacquant, as quoted by Michelle Alexander in The New Jim Crow, pointed out that “(Clinton) slashed funding for public housing 61 percent and boosted corrections 171 percent, ‘effectively making the construction of prisons the nation’s main housing program for the urban poor.’”
Today, according to The National Review, the national violent crime rate is about half of what it was at its height in 1991. Violent crime has fallen by 51 percent since 1991, and property crime by 43 percent. In 2013, the violent crime rate was the lowest since 1970. Even though violent crime rates are at near record lows Donald Trump and his surrogates are still exploiting crime and fear.
Nobody has done it better than former Speaker and short-lister for vice-president, Newt Gingrich. During a July 22 interview with CNN’s Alisyn Camerota — highlighted in a recent segment of John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight — Gingrich had this amazing exchange:
GINGRICH: The average American, I will bet you this morning, does not think crime is down, does not think they are safer.
CAMEROTA: But we are safer, and it is down.
GINGRICH: No, that’s your view.
CAMEROTA: It’s a fact … but hold on, Mr. Speaker, because you’re saying liberals use these numbers, they use this sort of magic math. This is the FBI statistics. They’re not a liberal organization.
GINGRICH: No, but what I said is equally true. People feel it.
CAMEROTA: They feel it, yes, but the facts don’t support it.
GINGRICH: As a political candidate, I’ll go with how people feel ...
Apparently, for the Trump Campaign facts don’t matter and that is the concern. Regardless of what one might think about Goldwater, Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Clinton their rhetoric was grounded in truth to some extent, crime rates were rising and some action was justified.
Now some will quarrel, justifiably, that Nixon’s efforts were more fixated on race than crime and that crime was code for African-American. However, crime was genuinely on the rise in 1968.
Today it is not about the facts. The Trump campaign is not only exploiting fear, they are creating it. The campaign is pledging to protect all Americans from what are essentially the safest streets in more than 45 years.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” In today’s political environment, feeling afraid is more important than actually having something to fear.
— Matthew T. Mangino is of counsel with Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly & George P.C. His book, “The Executioner’s Toll, 2010,” was recently released by McFarland Publishing. You can reach him at mattmangino.com and follow him on Twitter at @MatthewTMangino.
To visit the column CLICK HERE
Posted by Law and Justice Policy at Friday, August 05, 2016
Labels: crime rates, GateHouse News Service, politics, POTUS
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You are here: Home / Documentaries / Nancy Grace proves Steven Avery is innocent
January 10, 2016 By Emilio
Nancy Grace proves Steven Avery is innocent
I am not a fan of Nancy Grace. So when I heard that she was devoting an entire show to the Steven Avery case with the teaser that she was going to show the evidence the documentary left out, I thought I would watch with an open mind. Maybe there is important evidence that might help sway me one way or the other. What I got instead was another Nancy tirade where she gets her facts wrong and makes unsupported claims about evidence.
According to Nancy Grace, Netflix and the filmmakers were working for the defense and only showed one side of the story. If anyone showed only one side of the story, it was Nancy Grace. She continually made the claim that the film was done by a couple of film students. Considering that the film took ten years to make, it seems highly unlikely that they were film students for all of those ten years. So what was the evidence that was left out? She talked about Steven using *67 when calling to ask for Teresa Halbach. She said that Steven once answered the door in his robe. Those are interesting details, but they don’t sway me one way or the other. Nancy showed pictures of the police holding hand cuffs and ankle restraints. That is pretty damning evidence, especially if you were to believe the prosecutor’s original theory that Teresa was restrained on the bed in Steven’s trailer and raped and tortured. But there is no evidence to support that. Now if Teresa’s DNA was found on those handcuffs and restraints, he’s guilty. End of story. But I have not heard that. So now we know that Steven may be into bondage. The ankle restraints appeared to have a furry lining. I guess Steven wanted his torture victims to be comfortable.
Nancy brought up the fact that Steven’s DNA was found under the hood of Teresa’s vehicle. I don’t have enough information on that evidence to speak with any authority. But if you believe that evidence was planted, and I do, then that evidence is not persuasive. Next Nancy begins to lay out the prosecution case. The vehicle was found on the salvage lot. She did show the video of Steven asking about the rumor he had heard about a cop placing it there. I’ll give her that one. Next she talks about Teresa’s key that was found in Steven’s trailer with Steven’s DNA on it. What she failed to mention was that Teresa’s DNA was not found on the key. How does that happen? She talks about the blood in Teresa’s vehicle. She talks about the defense claim that the blood came from a vial of blood. But she doesn’t mention that Steven’s fingerprints were not found anywhere on or in the vehicle. She also doesn’t show the evidence room footage that shows that someone had tampered with that evidence. Next Nancy talks with disdain about how Teresa’s bones were found in a fire pit. What she fails to mention is that there were three different burn locations. I believe the defense theory that Teresa’s body was most likely burned in the large drum and then the bones were then poured onto the burn pit. The person who did that, however, did not get all of the bones out of the drum. Nancy does put on the footage of Steven’s girlfriend Jodi talking about phone records that show she called and talked with Steven when the crime was supposed to have been committed and made a second call later that evening, but she doesn’t play the audio recording of those two calls. You can’t listen to those recordings and envision any scenario that Steven was involved in a brutal crime and then talked so calmly to his girlfriend.
Lastly Nancy comes to the defense of fellow prosecutor Ken Kratz. She doesn’t mention the sexting scandal. She doesn’t mention anything about how Ken Kratz prosecuted two people on the same crime but told the jurors in each trial two different stories about how it happened. She doesn’t say anything about how Ken Kratz put an innocent sixteen-year-old in prison for forty years over a coerced confession.
Brendan Massey is innocent. Anyone with any common sense can see that. When Brendan’s fourteen-year-old cousin recanted her statements implicating Brendan, that should have been enough for Ken Kratz to drop all charges. When no evidence was found that backed up Brendan’s confession, that should have been enough. When Brendan got on the stand and told jurors that he made it all up, that should have been enough. When it was revealed that Brendan’s own public defender coerced another confession, that should have been enough. When Brendan’s mother denied police claims that she elected to not be present for Brendan’s interrogation, that should have made Ken Kratz think twice. If he simply watched the four-plus hours of Brendan trying to give the detectives what they wanted so he can go home to watch Wrestle Mania, that should have been enough for Ken Kratz to reverse course and save one child’s future. So no, Nancy, I have no sympathy for Ken Kratz.
As for Steven, if I had been on the jury, I would have voted not guilty because I have reasonable doubt. Steven doesn’t act guilty. He spends every minute of every day going over his case looking for something that might free him. Would a guilty person do that? Nancy Grace does not have the best track record in pinning guilt on anyone.
The documentary series Making a Murderer is one of the best documentaries I have seen. It shows how unjust are justice system is. When Brendan asks that he be assigned a new public defender, the judge asks Brendan why he wants a new lawyer. “He thinks I’m guilty,” Brendan replies. “I’m innocent.” “Well, I don’t see any conflict,” the judge says while at the same time realizing that his automatic response makes no sense. “I’m going to deny your motion.” Here’s an idea, the judge, lawyers, and appeal judges who upheld this travesty should all be disbarred and sent packing.
So Nancy has another show dedicated to the Steven Avery Case. This time she has shocking new details that proves Steven and Brendan’s guilt. So what is the shocking new evidence. Well, she puts on Brendan’s coerced confession. She shows Brendan on the witness stand being drilled by the assistant prosecutor. You know the one where he’s asking Brendan about what book talks about a woman being raped and tortured. If all you saw was Nancy’s show and her edited highlights, you would be just as disgusted as Nancy appears to be. But Nancy doesn’t show Brendan mentioning the book Kiss The Girls. She doesn’t show the cousin on the stand admitting that she made up the whole thing. She doesn’t show the police feeding Brendan the story he finally strings together. In the past, those who gave false confessions never had a chance because only the part Nancy showed would have been all they saw. This is different. Watch the video trying to get Brendan to admit that Teresa was shot in the head. “Something happened to her head, Brendan,” the police ask Brendan. “What happened? Tell us.” “He cut her hair,” Brendan replies, trying to come up with something to satisfy the police. Maybe Nancy still thinks the Central Park Five confessions are valid. Or how about the Memphis Three? Maybe Nancy should watch the Frontline special Confessions. Maybe then she’ll understand how false confessions happen. And by the way, there is not a single shred of evidence that supports Brendan’s confession. No blood evidence. No murder weapon. No DNA in the trailer where this all happened.
As for Jodi’s turn around. She’s obviously ticked off from that letter Steven sent her. How come Nancy didn’t play the audio of that fifteen minute phone call? The phone call that occurred at the very time Steven and Brendan were supposed to be raping and torturing Teresa? The phone call where Jodi is telling Steven how she expects him to be romantic when she gets out? Doesn’t sound like she’s talking to a monster then.
I just saw all of part two of this docuseries. Read more here: Review-of-making-a-murderer-part-two
Filed Under: Documentaries Tagged With: Brendan Massey, false confessions, Ken Kratz, Making a Murderer review, Nancy Grace, Steven Avery, Teresa Halbach, wrongful convictions
Review of Failure of Justice says:
[…] out later at trial. If you watched the documentary “Making a Murderer,” then you saw Brendan Dassey’s false confession. Unfortunately, Brendan is still in prison. Other famous cases involving false […] | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6617388725280762, "wiki_prob": 0.33826112747192383, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1061436"} |
Hawaii hotels: Flat average daily rate, lower occupancy so far in 2019
For the first three months of 2019, Hawaii hotels statewide reported flat average daily rate (ADR) and lower occupancy, which resulted in lower revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to the first quarter of 2018.
According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), statewide RevPAR declined to $236 (-3.3%), with ADR of $292 and occupancy of 80.8 percent (-2.7 percentage points) in the first quarter of 2019.
HTA’s Tourism Research Division issued the report’s findings utilizing data compiled by STR, Inc., which conducts the largest and most comprehensive survey of hotel properties in the Hawaiian Islands.
For the first quarter, Hawaii hotel room revenues fell by 4.7 percent to $1.13 billion compared to the $1.18 billion earned in the first quarter of 2018. There were more than 74,300 fewer available room nights (-1.5%) in the first quarter and approximately 190,500 fewer occupied room nights (-4.7%) compared to a year ago. Several hotel properties across the state were closed for renovation or had rooms out of service for renovation during the first quarter.
All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide reported RevPAR declines in the first quarter of 2019 except Upper Midscale Class properties ($134, +0.6%). Luxury Class properties reported RevPAR of $452 (-5.4%) with ADR of $594 (-1.2%) and occupancy of 76.1 percent (-3.3 percentage points). At the other end of the price scale, Midscale & Economy Class hotels reported RevPAR of $155 (-5.0%) with ADR of $187 (-0.5%) and occupancy of 83.1 percent (-3.9 percentage points).
Comparison to Top U.S. Markets
In comparison to top U.S. markets, the Hawaiian Islands earned the highest RevPAR at $236 in the first quarter, followed by the San Francisco/San Mateo market at $210 (+15.9%) and the Miami/Hialeah market at $208 (-3.5%). Hawaii also led the U.S. markets in ADR at $292 followed by San Francisco/San Mateo and Miami/Hialeah. The Hawaiian Islands ranked fifth for occupancy at 80.8 percent, with Miami/Hialeah topping the list at 83.0 percent (-2.1 percentage points).
Hotel Results for Hawaii’s Four Counties
Hotel properties in Hawaii’s four island counties all reported RevPAR decreases in the first quarter of 2019. Maui County hotels led the state overall in RevPAR at $337 (-2.7%), with ADR at $428 (-0.9%) and occupancy at 78.6 percent (-1.5 percentage points).
Kauai hotels earned RevPAR of $228 (-10.2%), with flat ADR at $305 (+0.2%) and lower occupancy of 74.8 percent (-8.7 percentage points).
Hotels on the island of Hawaii reported a decline in RevPAR to $225 (-9.7%), due to a combination of decreases in both ADR ($285, -2.0%) and occupancy (79.1%, -6.7 percentage points).
Oahu hotels earned slightly lower RevPAR at $196 (-0.9%), with ADR at $236 (+0.8%) and occupancy of 83.0 percent (-1.4 percentage points).
Comparison to International Markets
When compared to international “sun and sea” destinations, Hawaii’s counties were in the middle of the pack for RevPAR in the first quarter of 2019. Hotels in the Maldives ranked highest in RevPAR at $575 (+4.5%) followed by Aruba at $351 (+11.2%). Maui County ranked third, with Kauai, the island of Hawaii, and Oahu ranking sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
The Maldives also led in ADR at $737 (+5.2%) in the first quarter, followed by French Polynesia at $497 (-1.1%). Maui County ranked fifth, followed by Kauai and the island of Hawaii. Oahu ranked ninth .
Oahu trailed Phuket (84.5%, -6.3 percentage points) in occupancy for sun and sea destinations in the first quarter. The island of Hawaii, Maui County and Kauai ranked fourth, fifth and ninth, respectively.
March 2019 Hotel Performance
In March 2019, RevPAR for Hawaii hotels statewide declined to $227 (-4.3%), with ADR of $285 (-1.1%) and occupancy of 79.6 percent (-2.7 percentage points).
In March, Hawaii hotel room revenues fell by 5.9 percent to $373.3 million. There were more than 27,200 fewer available room nights (-1.6%) in March and approximately 66,850 fewer occupied room nights (-4.9%) compared to a year ago. Several hotel properties across the state were closed for renovation or had rooms out of service for renovation during March. However, the number of rooms out of service may be under-reported.
All classes of Hawaii hotel properties statewide reported RevPAR declines in March. Luxury Class properties reported RevPAR of $443 (-7.2%) with ADR of $583 (-3.1%) and occupancy of 75.9 percent (-3.4 percentage points). Midscale & Economy Class hotels reported RevPAR of $150 (-2.9%) with ADR of $182 (+0.8%) and occupancy of 82.0 percent (-3.1 percentage points).
Hotel properties in Hawaii’s four island counties all reported lower RevPAR for March. Maui County hotels reported the highest RevPAR in March at $336 (-1.4%) with ADR of $421 (-1.6%) and flat occupancy (79.8%, +0.2 percentage points).
Oahu hotels reported lower occupancy (80.4%, -2.3 percentage points) and flat ADR ($230, -0.2%) for March.
Hotels on the island of Hawaii continued to face challenges in March, with RevPAR dropping 11.2 percent to $216, ADR to $272 (-4.9%) and occupancy to 79.2 percent (-5.7 percentage points).
RevPAR for Kauai hotels fell to $213 (-14.6%) in March, with declines in both ADR to $286 (-4.5%) and occupancy to 74.4 percent (-8.8 percentage points).
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: American Travel News, and, Aruba, authority, average, billion, Breaking Travel News, challenges, class, Class hotels, classes, closed, compared, continued, Corporate News, County, daily, Data, decline, declined, declines, Destinations, Division, due, Economy, economy class, end, face, far, Feature, fewer, findings, first, first quarter, flat, followed, Francisco, free, French, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Hawaii Hotel Performance Report, Hawaii tourism, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii Travel News, Hawaiian, hawaiian islands, highest, Hospitality News, hotel, hotel room, Hotel Travel News, Hotels, HTA, in, Inc, International, international markets, island, islands, issued, Kauai, largest, LED, list, lower, Luxury, Luxury Travel News, maldives, march, Market, markets, Maui, May, Miami, Middle, million, months, most, News articles, nights, number, Oahu, occupancy, out, pack, percent, percentage, performance, Phuket, points, Polynesia, price, properties, published, quarter, ranked, ranking, rate, renovation, report, reported, research, Resort News, resulted, results, Revenue, revenue per available room, revenues, REVPar, room, room nights, rooms, s, San Francisco, scale, sea, service, Slightly, State, STR, Sun, survey, The Island, to, top, tourism, tourism authority, tourism research, Travel & Tourism Organizations News, Travel Destination News, Travelwire News, were, year
Plane spotted in California has the size of a football field
The world’s largest airplane made its first test flight on Saturday in California.
Stratolaunch Systems Corporation, founded by Paul G. Allen, today successfully completed the first flight of the world’s largest all-composite aircraft, the Stratolaunch. With a dual fuselage design and wingspan greater than the length of an American football field, the Stratolaunch aircraft took flight at 0658 PDT from the Mojave Air & Space Port.
Achieving a maximum speed of 189 miles per hour, the plane flew for 2.5 hours over the Mojave Desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet. As part of the initial flight, the pilots evaluated aircraft performance and handling qualities before landing successfully back at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
“What a fantastic first flight,” said Jean Floyd, CEO of Stratolaunch. “Today’s flight furthers our mission to provide a flexible alternative to ground launched systems. We are incredibly proud of the Stratolaunch team, today’s flight crew, our partners at Northrup Grumman’s Scaled Composites and the Mojave Air and Space Port.”
The test team conducted standard aircraft testing exercises. Initial results from today’s test points include:
Performed a variety of flight control maneuvers to calibrate speed and test flight control systems, including roll doublets, yawing maneuvers, pushovers and pull-ups, and steady heading side slips.
Conducted simulated landing approach exercises at a max altitude of 15,000 feet mean sea level.
The Stratolaunch aircraft is a mobile launch platform that will enable airline-style access to space that is convenient, affordable and routine. The reinforced center wing can support multiple launch vehicles, weighing up to a total of 500,000 pounds.
“We all know Paul would have been proud to witness today’s historic achievement,” said Jody Allen, Chair of Vulcan Inc. and Trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust. “The aircraft is a remarkable engineering achievement and we congratulate everyone involved.”
It landed safely back at the Mojave Air and Space Port as a crowd of hundreds of people cheered.
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: American Travel News, amp, and, Aviation News, aviation-website, Breaking Travel News, California, center, CEO, chair, completed, composites, control, convenient, Corporation, crew, desert, design, Engineering, Feature, feet, first, first flight, flight, flight crew, football, G, greater, ground, Grumman, handling, historic, Hour, hours, in, Inc, including, IT, landing, largest, launch, launched, MAX, maximum, miles, mission, mobile, Mojave Air, News articles, over, partners, Paul, PDT, People, performance, pilots, platform, points, port, proud, pull, results, s, said, sea, sea level, Size, space, standard, steady, Stratolaunch, Style, successfully, support, team, test, test flight, testing, The World, to, today, total, Travel Destination News, Travel Technology News, Travelwire News, up, UPS, variety, We, witness, World, world's largest
Travel Leaders Network embarks upon major international expansion
Travel Leaders Network, North America’s largest travel agency organization, in partnership with sister company Travel Leaders Corporate, has embarked upon a large-scale international expansion program to expand opportunities and provide enhanced service to corporate customers. To date, 40 major travel agencies from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia have become new members of Travel Leaders Network. Many more agencies are expected to join over the coming months.
“We are creating a network of agencies that will serve as connective tissue enabling us to respond to larger opportunities both regionally and internationally,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “These agencies, now backed by the scale, technology and tools available through Travel Leaders, are positioned to provide an even more customized, personalized and superior level of service to existing and new clients within their respective geographies.”
New members, some of which are among the largest corporate travel agencies in their countries, join several existing international members of Travel Leaders Network. Combined, the network now has agency representation in nearly 50 countries. Additionally, Travel Leaders Group agencies across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Mexico, inclusive of CTS (Corporate Travel Services), will play a significant role in the international expansion.
“Our plan is to sign one exclusive Travel Leaders representative in key countries around the globe. We are engaging partners who can offer a full portfolio of corporate, leisure and events services and are recognized in their country and by their peers as service-oriented, successful agencies,” said Block.
The newly-joined international members will have access to Travel Leaders’ comprehensive suite of resources. Those include online booking tools, a wide variety of marketing programs, the company’s extensive hotel program, including its highly curated SELECT Hotels & Resorts Program, international destination company (DMC) network and access to a vast array of education and training resources. Additionally, members will be able to support both international accounts and local customers through Travel Leaders’ end-to-end technology suite that provides profile management, online trip authorization, data consolidation and analytics, meetings technology and customer reporting tools. International partners will also have access to some of the marquee leisure programs offered by Travel Leaders Network.
“This expansion program is transforming both Travel Leaders Network and Travel Leaders Corporate into more robust international players with stronger abilities and reach enabling true multi-national account management based upon a highly personalized service model on an international scale,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Travel Leaders Corporate. “Clients will be serviced by local agencies who are leaders in their markets providing premium corporate travel services supported by a vast array of technology. These innovative agencies are now backed by one of the largest travel agency networks in the world. We’re not a call center operation and neither are they. That’s our sweet spot and our competitive difference.”
Member support will be provided on a regional basis with key positions located in each region, including Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific. “We have hired regional sales professionals in the areas of sales, operations, technology and account management to create a more localized support structure to best serve the needs of our international members,” Rizzi added.
Angeles Yugdar, Senior Vice President of International Markets for Travel Leaders Group, is leading the expansion efforts and overseeing the new regional team members. Kevin Brown, Vice President of International Sales for Travel Leaders Corporate, is also serving in a key role. New regional team members include:
•Carina Fernandez Grenno, Regional Partner Management Director, Latin America
•Susan Lancaster, Regional Partner Management Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa
•Pat Siow, Regional Partner Management Director, Asia Pacific
New international agency members include:
Global Travel Club LLC
Travel Leaders Brazil
Jamadvice
Supported by Vietnam
Travelux Limited
Trafalgar Tours SAS
Rutas Aereas S.A.
Supported by Serbia
Travel Leaders Egypt
Marietton Development SAS (Havas Voyages / Ailleurs Business)
Kyvernitis Travel
Grupo Travel
Travel Leaders Hong Kong
Travel Leaders Indonesia
Lachish Tours
Toppan Travel Service Corp.
Dakkak Travel Agency (DTA)
KAPICO Travels and Tourism Co. WLL
TAS Baltics Ltd.
JSC Vestekspress
Select Travel S.A.
Arcadia Travel
Travel Biz & Tours
Business + Travel Group
International Meetings and Conventions Panama Inc.
Compania de Desarrollo Turistico SRL – Comdetur
Promotora De Viajes Nuevo Mundo
Aerotravel
IBC Corporate Travel International Business Centre Ltd.
Travel Leaders Serbia
STC Travel Swiss SARL (Havas Voyages)
Travel Leaders Thailand
Sky Travel Holdings Limited (Ukraine)
Travel Leaders Uruguay
Molina Agencia De Viajes C.A.
HG Group
The above agencies join Travel Leaders Network’s existing international members which include:
Cozmo Travel
Greaves Travel Pvt Ltd and Orchid Voyages Pvt Ltd
Travel Management International
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, Angeles, Arab, arabia, areas, Armenia, around the globe, Asia, Asia Pacific, authorization, Bahrain, based, best, block, Booking, Brazil, Breaking Travel News, brown, Bulgaria, Burma, Business, c, call center, Cambodia, Canada, center, Centre, China, clients, club, Colombia, coming, company, competitive, consolidation, conventions, corporate, corporate customers, Corporate News, Corporate Travel, Costa, Costa Rica, countries, country, create, Croatia, customer, customers, Data, date, Destination, development, director, dmc, East, Education, efforts, Egypt, Emirates, end, Europe, even, Events, exclusive, existing, expand, expansion, expected, extensive, France, free, full, Global, global travel, Globe, Greece, Group, Grupo, Guatemala, Hong, Hong Kong, hotel, Hotels, IBC, in, Inc, including, inclusive, India, Indonesia, innovative, International, international destination, international markets, international sales, International Travel News, internationally, Ireland, Israel, japan, join, joined, Jordan, key, Kong, Kuwait, Laos, largest, largest Travel, Latin, Latin America, Latvia, leaders, leading, Leisure, Limited, Lithuania, LLC, local, Luxembourg, Madagascar., major, Malaysia, management, Marketing, markets, Mauritius, meetings, member, members, Mexico, Middle, Middle East, model, Montenegro, months, national, nearly, needs, Netherlands, network, networks, New, new members, newly, News articles, North, North America, offer, online, online booking, operation, operations, organization, over, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, partner, partners, partnership, PAT, personalized service, Peru, plan, play, players, portfolio, positions, premium, president, professionals, Profile, program, programs, provides, Qatar, region, regional, reporting, representation, representative, resorts, resources, role, Romania, Russia, s, said, Sales, SAS, Saudi, Saudi Arabia. (, scale, senior, Senior Vice President, Serbia, serve, service, services, serving, sign, significant, sky, stronger, structure, successful, suite, support, supported, Sweet, SWISS, Switzerland, team, Technology, thailand, The World, through, to, tools, tourism, Tours, training, Travel, Travel & Tourism Organizations News, travel agencies, travel agency, travel club, travel leaders, Travel Leaders Group, Travel Leaders Network, travel management, travel services, travels, Travelwire News, trip, UK, Ukraine, United, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, US, variety, Venezuela, vice, vice president, Vietnam, voyages, We, WHO, World, World News
Marriott International opens its 7,000th property
Marriott International, Inc. today celebrated the opening of its 7,000th property – The St. Regis Hong Kong. The stunning, 27-story luxury hotel, which features butler service, and multiple restaurants, is emblematic of Marriott’s global expansion strategy which disproportionately focuses on the highest lodging tiers as well as fast-growing international markets such as Hong Kong. The company’s first property, the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957 and was a four-story motor hotel in Arlington, Virginia.
“It’s thrilling to open our 7,000th property, an incredible milestone for a company that began as a nine-stool root beer stand in 1927 and didn’t even open its first hotel until decades later,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International. “I can’t think of a more fitting property to hold the honor than The St. Regis Hong Kong which underscores the benefits of our merger with Starwood, the importance of luxury and the tremendous opportunity in Asia.”
Today, Marriott’s pipeline is growing with an increasing number of legacy-Starwood branded hotels with brands such as St. Regis, Luxury Collection and W.
“Our newest luxury hotel – The St. Regis Hong Kong – is a testament to our well-defined global growth strategy,” said Tony Capuano, Marriott’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer. “By leveraging our industry-leading luxury brands, including those we gained from the Starwood merger, our robust relationships with multi-unit owners and our expertise in identifying strategic opportunities in global gateway markets such as Hong Kong, we are well positioned to expand our global footprint by 25 percent in the next three years.”
The milestone follows Marriott’s announcement in March that it expects to add more than 1,700 additional hotels by the end of 2021, including about 320 hotels in Asia Pacific. According to STR data, Marriott’s overall open hotels and signed pipeline at the end of 2018 totaled a combined 1.69 million rooms, which exceeds that of its next competitor by 36 percent.
Marriott estimates that these 1,700 properties expected to be added by the end of 2021 could provide up to 150,000 jobs around the world. In Asia Pacific alone, the company’s additions in the region over the same time period could provide up to 56,000 jobs.
“As we look at adding an expected 1,700 properties to our system, hiring and retaining talented people has never been more important to our continued success,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, Chief Global Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “As our footprint grows more global, workers in our hotels – from bartenders to housekeepers – will have ever-growing choices and opportunities as they grow their careers with Marriott International and its franchisees. For over 90 years, we have focused on building a company that puts its people first and this value remains at the forefront as our global growth continues.”
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: and, announcement, around the world, Asia, Asia Pacific, beer, benefits, brands, Breaking Travel News, bridges, building, celebrated, chief, Chief Development Officer, chief executive, chief executive officer, choices, collection, company, continued, continues, Corporate News, Data, decades, development, Dr, end, even, exceeds, executive, Executive Vice President, expand, expansion, expected, expertise, Features,, first, first hotel, free, gateway, Global, global expansion, global growth, grow, Growing, Growth, highest, hiring, Hong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong travel news, honor, Hospitality News, hotel, Hotel Travel News, Hotels, housekeepers, Human, human resources, importance, important, in, Inc, including, increasing, Industry, International, international markets, International Travel News, IT, Jobs, Kong, later, leading, legacy, lodging, Luxury, luxury brands, luxury hotel, Luxury Travel News, march, markets, Marriott, Marriott International, merger, milestone, million, News articles, number, officer, open, opened, opening, opportunity, over, owners, Pacific, People, percent, period, pipeline, president, properties, property, region, relationships, remains, Resort News, resources, restaurants, rooms, s, said, service, signed, St, St. Regis, Starwood, story, STR, strategic, strategy, success, system, The Region, The World, think, time, to, TO BE, today, tourism, Tourism Investment News, Travel Destination News, Travelwire News, Twin, up, value, vice president, Virginia, W, We, workers, World, World News, years
How safe is travel to Africa? African Tourism Board appoints SaferTourism
April 8, 2019 by Forimmediaterelease
African Tourism Board, (ATB) has travel and security on its top agenda when attracting visitors to the continent.
At the upcoming ATB Launch on April 11, the organization will be announcing their appointment of SaferTourism.com to provide support and guidance to keep African Tourism Safe.
The man behind SaferTourism.com is no other than one of the best global experts available in this field.
Dr. Peter Tarlow, seen as a world-renowned expert in travel and tourism will be the keynote speaker at the African Tourism Board Launch Event on April 11.
ATB members and WTM visitors will be able to meet Dr. Tarlow at the African Tourism Board Stand (AP 12). His goal is to provide proactive guidance and hands-on approach to keep African destinations, hotels and attractions safe and available specifically for North American Visitors.
Dr. Tarlow is leading SaferTourism’s Visitor Surety approach, meaning:
• The providing of a safe and secure environment for visitors and for those who work in its visitor industry
• Protection of tourism sites and infrastructure
• Perceptions, including how these perceptions impact its reputation
• The Protection of the economy vis-à-vis its tourism industry
Dr. Tarlow has been working on projects around the world and is known to include feedback from the US State Department in many of his international projects.
Dr. Peter Tarlow will be a speaker at the ATB Launch event on April 11,2019 during WTM Cape Town.
He is a world-renowned speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development. Since 1990, Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.
Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security. He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.
Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State and Wyoming.
He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:
The Bureau of Reclamation
The US Center for Disease Control
The US Park Service,
The International Olympic Committee
On the international scene, he has addressed conferences such as:
The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama),
The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico),
The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados),
The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI ((Vancouver, Canada),
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)
Additionally, Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security he has worked with:
Vancouver’s Justice Institute (2010 Olympic games)
The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization),
The Panama Canal Authority,
Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago.
In 2013 the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy. In 2015 the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians. As such he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school
In 2016 the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Tarlow as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.
Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao
Tarlow lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade. Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.
Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US government agencies and for businesses throughout the world. He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.
As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security and publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research and Security Management. Tarlow’s wide range of professional and scholarly articles includes articles on subjects such as: “dark tourism”, theories of terrorism, and economic development through tourism, religion and terrorism and cruise tourism. Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular online tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.
Among the books that Tarlow has authored are:
Event Risk Management and Safety (2002).
Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
Sports Travel Security (2017)
At numerous universities around the world Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. Tarlow earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University. He also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.
Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US. He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.
Tarlow is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M). He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA). Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.
Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: amp, and, Ap, appointed, appointment, appoints, April, areas, around the world, Aruba, association, ATB, attracting, attractions, author, authority, Barbados, Bell, best, board, boards, Bogota, Bolivia, book, Books, Brazil, Breaking Travel News, building, bureau, Business, businesses, Canada, Canadian, Cape, Cape Town, Caribbean, Carolina, center, Center for Disease Control, Chairman, chancellor, Chapter, Charleston, city, civilian, Colombia, commission, Committee, communities, community, conference, conferences, continent, contributing, control, Corporate News, courses, court, courts, creative, crime, Croatia, cruise tourism, Cruise,, current, customer, customer service, customs, D.C., Dakota, dark, dark tourism, department, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Department of State, Destinations, development, disease, Dominican, Dominican Republic, Dr, Dr. Peter Tarlow, East, economic, economic development, Economy, Ecuador, editorial, El Salvador, embassies, Empire State, Empire State Building, Engineering, English, environment, ethics, Europe, event, Events, experience, expert, experts, face, FBI, Feature, firm, For immediate Release, Forces, foreign, foreign tourism, founder, French, future, futurist, games, gaming, genocide, Global, goal, government, Government Affairs, Governor, governors, guidance, Hall, hands-on, highest, history, Homeland Security, honor, hotel, Hotels, iconic, Illinois, impact, impact on tourism, in, Inc, includes, including, independence, Industry, infrastructure, Institute, institution, intelligence, International, International Olympic Committee, international tourism, international trade, islands, issues, Janeiro, justice, keep, keynote, keynote speaker, Kitts, known, language, languages, las, Las Vegas, Latin, Latin America, Latin American, launch, leading, life, locations, M, major, man, management, Managing, Marketing, meaning, medical, meet, meetings, member, members, Mexico, Middle, Middle East, ministries, mounted, named, nation, national, NBC, New, News articles, newsletter, North, North American, numerous, office, Olympic, Olympic Games, online, organization, organization of american states, Ottowa, Pacific, Pacific Islands, Panama, Panama City, Paris, park, Park Service, past, People in Travel, personnel, Philadelphia, police, popular, portuguese, POST, president, Press releases, professional, professionals, programs, projects, protection, protest, public, published, Puebla, range, recognition, recovery, regular, religion, reports, republic, reputation, research, Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Risk, risk management, role, royal, rural, rural tourism, s, safe, Safety, safety and security, safety issues, Salvador, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, scale, scene, school, secure, Security, security personnel, senior, Serbia, service, services, shift, sites, skills, South, South Africa travel news, South Carolina, Spanish, speaker, speakers, Special, sports, St, St. Kitts, St. Louis, State, State Department, states, stations, statue, Statue of Liberty, strategies, support, Supreme, Supreme Court, system, Tarlow, terrorism, Texas, the Caribbean, the United States, The World, theme, thousands, through, Tidbits, to, TO BE, Tobago, top, tourism, tourism and travel, tourism board, Tourism Industry, tourism professionals, tourism research, tourism safety, tourism security, tourism security and safety, Tourism Tidbits, town, Trade, trains, translate, Travel, travel and tourism, Travel Destination News, Travel Disaster & Emergency News, travel professionals, travel research, Travel Safety, travel security, Travelwire News, Trends, Trinidad, turismo, United, United Nation, United States, university, urban, US, US Customs, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of State, US embassies, US government, US State Department, Vancouver, Vegas, visitor, visitor industry, visitors, Washington, Washington state, way, WHO, witness, work, worked, working, World, World Cup, World Tourism, World Tourism Organization, WTM, WTM Visitors, WTO, Wyoming, years | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.660198986530304, "wiki_prob": 0.33980101346969604, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1423339"} |
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXI, Chile, 1969–1973
104. Memorandum for the Record of a Meeting of the 40 Committee1
Washington, September 19, 1970, 10:45–11:15 a.m.
Chairman—Henry A. Kissinger
State—U. Alexis Johnson
Defense—David Packard
CIA—Richard Helms
JCS—Admiral Thomas Moorer
NSC Staff—Viron P. Vaky
SUMMARY OF DECISIONS
1. To hold another session at the end of the Middle East WASAG meeting Monday morning, September 21–8:30 a.m.2
2. a. Admiral Moorer to prepare material on possible military assistance.
b. Mr. Vaky to prepare material on possible outcomes of proposed action and possible U.S. postures.
A cable from the CIA Station in Santiago was distributed to the principals to read. (Dr. Kissinger has copy.) It was made clear that no one else other than the principals has seen this report.3
Dr. Kissinger pointed out that the operation apparently is underway spontaneously, and that he does not see anything that we can or should do. The question was what happens when and if it starts. We will have to examine whether there is anything for us to do in those circumstances.
Mr. Johnson pointed out that it might create widespread violence, perhaps leading to civil war.
Mr. Packard said that he wasn’t sure of that because Allende just might wait for the next round. It is difficult to know how to assess the situation.
Mr. Vaky commented that first it should be understood that the Popular Unity (UP) was a heterogeneous group. Not all of the elements would resort to violence; some, such as the Radicals, might even welcome this turn of events. Secondly, it was not clear that Allende himself would stay to fight; he might well leave the country. Thirdly, the Communist hard-core and the Socialist extremists probably would resort to violence. They had a labor union core and a local peasant core and might well cause widespread and serious internal a security situations. Another element to consider was the previous intelligence reports that the non-commissioned officers were infiltrated by Leftists and were in sufficient number Allende sympathizers. The question as to whether the troops would respond to orders needed further assessment.
It was agreed that the movement reported in the cable was self-generated.
Mr. Helms confirmed that we were not in specific contact with the military on this point.
Mr. Johnson said that then we really had only two choices: either tell them to turn it off, or encourage them.
Dr. Kissinger said the President would certainly not approve the course of action telling them to turn it off. We do have the choice of merely standing back or egging them on. He saw little point in the latter.
Admiral Moorer and Mr. Helms commented that other Latin American military would stand clear.
Mr. Helms reported a conversation he had with [name not declassified]. It was quite clear that Argentina and Brazil are up-tight. The Bolivian military are apprehensive. Only Peru seemed to welcome the course of events, and there was no idea there that they would intervene in any way.
Mr. Packard said we had to decide how we would like all this to come out. In his view what we wanted was a successful military action but without us involved.
Dr. Kissinger said that if it happens, however, we need to be ready for contingencies. For example, what do we do if there are civil disorders; what do we do if there is civil war; what do we do if asked for equipment.
Mr. Helms pointed out that the Chilean Army might very well need munitions or crowd-control weapons.
Mr. Vaky added that if we were asked to supply them we might consider clandestine channels rather than through MAP.
Dr. Kissinger said that the WASAG meeting on Monday should tack this item on at the end.
It was agreed that the WASAG meeting would be held at 8:30 AM Monday, September 21.
Dr. Kissinger asked Admiral Moorer to prepare a paper on how military assistance might be provided. Mr. Vaky was asked to prepare material on various possible outcomes and recommended U.S. posture.
Source: National Security Council, Nixon Intelligence Files, Subject Files, Chile, 40 Committee Minutes. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. A handwritten notation on the first page indicates that Vaky drafted the minutes.↩
No mention of Chile was found in the September 21 WSAG (Washington Special Actions Group) minutes. A meeting of the 40 Committee was held Tuesday, September 22, at 8:10 a.m. See Document 111.↩
Document 105.↩
Chile, 1969–1973
Abbreviations and Terms
Note on U.S. Covert Actions
Chile, 1969–1973 (Documents 1-366)
Two Tracks: U.S. Intervention in the Confirmation of the Chilean President, September 5–November 4, 1970 (Documents 62-171)
Allende Gossens, SalvadorHelms, Richard M.Johnson, U. AlexisKissinger, Henry A.Moorer, Thomas H.Packard, DavidVaky, Viron P. (Pete)
Abbreviations & Terms
CIAJCSMAPNSCUPWSAG | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6684759855270386, "wiki_prob": 0.3315240144729614, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1357419"} |
Browse: Home » 2020 » July » 21 » Mission Delhi – Kalu, Central Delhi
Mission Delhi – Kalu, Central Delhi
July 21, 2020 · by The Delhi Walla · in Mission Delhi
His face is almost invisible, under the huge load of goat fodder he is carrying on his head. All that you see are glimpses of his glinting eyes and flashes of his nose and lips. The young man is dressed in a green shirt and black shorts printed with the words “Tik Tok”. He’s walking along a Central Delhi alley.
“These are leaves from the gular trees,” he says, introducing himself as Kalu. His voice seems to be coming out of the green bundle, as one cannot see his mouth.
Kalu is in his late teens. A labourer, he says he does whatever assignment comes his way. “Right now I’m transporting fodder from a supplier to a stall in the bazaar,” he informs. Kalu has never been to a school. He frees his right arm and flicks his palm, in synchronization with his speech. “Mummy Papa gone.”
Kalu was very small when his parents passed away, he says. Without being prompted, he discloses that he is not from some far off part of the country, but from this very city. “I was born in Delhi.” His half-hidden lips spread into a very visible smile, revealing his paan-stained teeth.
So who does he live with?
Kalu’s eyes continue to sparkle as he shakes his head. The bundle is almost like a mini-jungle in itself, and moves with him. He explains that he is alone in the duniya, the world.
He sleeps on the footpath nearby, outside the closed shutters of a motor pump shop. “Many other laborers sleep there.”
And who cooks his meals?
He again shakes his head, more vigorously. “I have nobody, I myself look after my food.” He doesn’t cook, because he explains he has no stove. “I eat outside, in the dhabas.”
Kalu says he doesn’t feel alone though. He has many friends who are like his brothers and sisters. “When I fall ill they look after me…. once they even took me to a doctor.”
Besides, he doesn’t find time to feel lonely. In his free time he watches movies and movie songs on his mobile, though right now it’s not with him. He has left it in his bag, a bag he keeps safe in the custody of one of his friends, close to where he sleeps at night.
While Kalu’s days are hectic, he does avail himself a few hours of rest in the afternoon. These days he spends it watching film bits starring Shah Rukh Khan on YouTube. “He is better than Salman (Khan),” Kalu observes. “Shah Rukh dances better, though he doesn’t have as much muscle as Salman.” The boy is talking of both the superstars very casually, and uses only their first names, as if he were on intimate terms with them.
But now Kalu politely asks to be excused. He quickly wants to complete his assignment so that he can rush to the dhaba he patronizes for his breakfast—bun with butter, and a glass of doodh chai.
He walks away, his face hidden under his load. It’s a surreal sight.
[This is the 343rd portrait of Mission Delhi project]
A head that wears the forest
Mission Delhi – Dherapad, Central Delhi
Mission Delhi – Muhammed Salman, Bazaar Lane
Mission Delhi – Farida Begum, Central Delhi
Mission Delhi – Sooraj, Central Delhi
Mission Delhi – Benjamin Haswell, Central Delhi
← Mission Delhi – Jinachandran Nair, South City 2
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A Raelian Guide welcomed by organizers of Zacatecas Gay Pride.
September 02 2013, category: Actions : Americas, by: English
On the evening of August 16, 2013, banners in hand, the Raelian Guide Lucero Castillo walked to the Plaza Garcia, in Zacatecas, Mexico, where gathered the organizers of the Zacatecas Gay Pride.
She was welcomed with great respect by the organizers and she explained them the goals of ARAMIS-International towards sexual minorities, how the organization was founded and who created it? She was very enthusiastic to talk about the Raelian philosophy and proud to mention that the founder is Maitreya Rael.
The women organizers immediately congratulated her for the excellent support she brought them. The lesbian organizers wanted to help holding her banner and invited her to ride in the vehicle with which they would parade.
The parade started at 20:30,; and what a night! Journalists were constantly photographing and filming ARAMIS-International banner. Another demonstrator has offered to carry the banner with one hand while the Raelian Guide Lucero Castillo was holding it on the other hand, distributing very moving leaflets about the Raelian philosophy to the gay community.
"The organizers did not allow the participation of heterosexual people, but they allowed me to take part in the LGBT Pride. What a pleasure to see the participation of ARAMIS-International in the Gay Pride of Zacatecas in Mexico ... there was so much love. said Lucero Castillo.
For the Raelian philosophy, humanity was created by a humanoid civilization from another planet and for us all sexual orientations, whatever it can be, are innate and not a choice; and this apply to every human being, whether the person is heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual.
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Color Your Air Max
Winner in Instagram
To celebrate the Air Max 30th anniversary, Nike created a four special edition models.
But since expectations exceeded the number of available pairs for release, we launched "Color Your Air Max".
The main objective was to generate brand awareness on social media and to keep developing the iconic identity of Nike Air Max, something they've been forging through the past 30 years.
We set out to turn every sneakerhead into an Air Max designer so they could showcase their creativity and style in a fun and playful way using an asset that would represent them in a unique way. So, we offered a innovative experience through the use of Instagram edit tools. The most relevant social media platform for a product in the intersection of sport, fashion and lifestyle and a channel where sneakerheads go looking for inspiration, and to showcase their collections.
We leveraged the leadership of specific influencers in the world of sneakerheads and Instagram. They kicked off the seeding with a image of an Air Max silhouette and the campaign mechanics: "Design your Air Max and publish it using the campaign hashtag".
The users would showcase their own personal designs and the influencers would review all of them and declare the best ones that would win a pair of Air Max.
Sneakerheads in Argentina are very big fans of Air Max, up to the point of lining outside the store during the whole night to get them. So when they had the opportunity of participating of this campaign, they flooded Instagram with their designs.
R/GA Buenos Aires, Nike
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David Novak: Self-coaching leads to self-improvement
By John Baldoni
(Image credit: SmartBrief illustration)
We like to think of CEOs as creatures of success, but doing so misses the bigger picture. David Novak once introduced a new product, called Crystal Pepsi, when he was at PepsiCo. Time magazine ranked it among the “10 Worst Product Fails of All Time.”
“I was too in love with my own idea, and I moved too fast on it,” Novak tells Emily Bobrow of the Wall Street Journal. “People know how you’ve gotten your success, but they don’t know how you failed along the way,” he added.
Novak recovered nicely. When PepsiCo spun off its restaurants as Yum Brands, Novak became its president and, in 1999, its CEO. Before he stepped down in 2016 as chairman and CEO, both Barron’s and Harvard Business Review had named him one of the best CEOs globally.
His newest book is “Take Charge of You: How Self-Coaching Can Transform Your Life and Your Career,” co-authored with Jason Goldsmith. It’s an inside look (OK, pun intended) about what it takes to know yourself so you can perform at your best.
Self-coaching process
In an interview with me, Novak said, “I have self-coached myself throughout my career. Part of that is understanding you are who you are.”
Self-improvement is possible: “You should work on being a lot better, but you cannot be somebody else.”
Essential to success is finding purpose. “The key to finding your purpose is to unlock what it is that, that gives you passion, what it is that gives you joy, what it is that makes you happier as you pursue what your goals might be in your life.” For this reason, Novak and Goldsmith included exercises for self-discovery in their new book.
Purpose should include a term Novak calls a “joy builder.”
“There’s a reason why people say you should love what you do. If you love what you do, [the saying goes], you’ll never have to work another day in your life. … When you love something, you want more of it; you can’t get enough of it. And that makes you a better learner.”
Joy does not preclude hard work, and when you love what you do, working hard reinforces the notion that you are fulfilling your purpose.
Assisted self-coaching
“When you coach yourself, it doesn’t mean that you exclude others,” says Novak. “What it means is you understand who you are, where you want to go, what your single biggest thing is next in your life. Then you develop an action plan to get there.”
Once that plan is developed, then you “go find the ‘assistant coaches’ who can help you get there.”
One person Novak sought feedback from was Warren Buffet. “He encouraged me to talk about the things that could go wrong in the business, as well as the things that were great. And he said that would engender more trust with investors.”
Novak followed this advice, closing his generally positive presentations with one or two things that could go wrong. Investors appreciated this straight talk and, upon occasion, would downplay the negatives themselves.
Dealing with adversity
Setbacks are part of life. Novak says it’s important to address them and shift the mindset from “not” to “not yet.” For example, if you have a goal in which you fall short, you shift from “not accomplished” to “not yet accomplished.”
Experience teaches us lessons as well as humility. “You don’t know it all because … you do make mistakes, and you learn from those mistakes.”
Gratitude is a good buttress for moving forward. “We make our best decisions when we’re grateful and our worst decisions when we’re angry and tired and resentful. It’s so important to move yourself up that mood elevator and get into that state of gratitude.”
Reinforcing the sense of gratitude is taking inventory of your accomplishments, something Novak calls “personal highlight reel.”
Sometimes you can reinforce those highlights with objects — photographs, awards, plaques — that you can put in a place of honor, which Novak says, referencing a term his father used, as a “love me” corner.
“You are never as good as you think you are or as bad as you think you may be,” goes an old saying. I would add that you can get better if you are willing to take a hard look at yourself, admit your shortcomings and focus on what you do well to become even better.
John Baldoni is an internationally recognized leadership educator, executive coach and the author of many books, including GRACE; A Leader’s Guide to a Better Us, MOXIE, Lead With Purpose, Lead Your Boss, and The Leader’s Pocket Guide. In 2018 Trust Across America awarded John its Lifetime Achievement award for Trust. In 2019 Global Gurus ranked John No. 9 on its list of global leadership experts. His leadership resource website is www.johnbaldoni.com
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Tags ⋅ David Novak ⋅ self-leadership ⋅ self-coaching ⋅ self-improvement
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Book 3 of the Mastered Series
A man will find the domination he’s always craved…
Shiori Hirano and Knox Lofgren are left to run the martial arts program at Black Arts while Ronin Black travels. On the surface, the two highest ranked belts appear to cooperate—but in private, they butt heads constantly, despite the undeniable attraction between them. Soon their power exchanges start to make for a sweltering dynamic in the bedroom…
At first Knox is shocked to be living out his submissive desires, but Shiori sets out to prove that embracing his true sexual nature doesn’t make him a weak man. But even while their sexual relationship grants him a power and fulfillment he finds surprising, there’s no training regimen for the fight that comes with loving a strong woman…
(March 3, 2015)
Praise for Unraveled »
James brings readers another must-have book.
RT Book Reviews Magazine
Shiori Hirano wanted to beat the fuck out of someone.
And by “someone” she meant that smarmy asswipe Knox Lofgren.
Ob-Knox-ious had been in rare form today, harping on safety protocols until the newly earned black belt class looked ready to commit hara-kiri just so they wouldn’t have to listen to their Shihan drone on and on.
And there was another point of contention. Everyone else in Black Arts dojo called Knox “Shihan” since he was the highest-ranking belt after Master Black.
Or he was until she’d arrived.
Since Shiori outranked him by one belt level, she called him Godan, one step down in the ranking system-which really got his goat. Then he retaliated by refusing to refer to her by any official title at all, calling her She-Cat or Shitake.
Yes, they were shining examples of leadership.
Her brother, Ronin Black, had left Knox in charge of his martial-arts dojo while he took a ten-week sabbatical to Japan with his wife. While Shiori agreed Ronin deserved the break, she wasn’t sure she’d survive working eighty days with Knox.
“Are there any questions before you’re dismissed?” Knox asked the class.
Jesus. Loaded question.
And of course the biggest pain-in-the-ass student raised her hand. “Shihan, I’m a little fuzzy on that sit-up guard and sweep. Could you demonstrate?”
The silly chit expected Shihan would beckon her up to demonstrate? And he’d press his big body to hers as he relayed directions in his deep bedroom voice? No. He’d want her to observe and that meant . . .
“Shiori, I need your assistance.”
Right-o, Captain Asshat. And I need a gin and tonic. Jumbo-sized. Pronto.
Refusing wasn’t an option, so she rolled to her feet and moved to the center of the mat.
“Gather ’round so you can all see this.” As soon as the students had formed a circle, he sat and placed his right foot above her left knee.
She went to grab his left leg for the sweep, and he grabbed her white gi top by the lapels and shoved her to the mat, rolling her onto her shoulder and pinning her arm down with his knee on her gi sleeve.
When Knox went into side mount, it took every ounce of restraint not to immediately counter his move.
Little Miss Ten Million Questions asked to see the move one more time. And of course Shihan obliged her.
Finally he dismissed the class. She was about to bail when two hands landed on her shoulders.
So tempting to give in to her instinct and do a sweep and roll and jam her knee into his balls, but she refrained. She deserved a fucking cookie for that.
“Mandatory meeting with ABC instructors in five minutes in the second-floor training room.”
“Yippee.” She shook off his hands and started walking away.
“Great attitude. I saw some of that in class tonight. Curb it before next class.”
“No problem. As long as you curb your tendency to overexplain a simple technique for the benefit of jiggly tits, who’d just love for you to show her every mount technique in your arsenal.”
Knox stopped and latched on to her arm. “Jillian? She asked a valid question.”
“No, she asked for a demonstration. And I’m pretty sure her nipples pouted when you didn’t demonstrate on her. You demonstrated on me again.”
“Which is your job.”
“No. My job would’ve been to show the class how stupid that move is in the first place and the best way to counter it.”
His eyes cooled. “But you didn’t do that . . . in deference to me?”
“There aren’t any students around now, She-Cat. So let’s take this to the mat.”
“That offer is so freakin’ hard to refuse, but-”
Knox crowded her against the elevator door. “That wasn’t an offer.”
Shit. “You’re pulling rank on me?”
“Damn straight. You and me. Upstairs. Now.” He lowered his head and whispered, “Put your money where your mouth is, Rokudan. Put me in my place.”
Shiori balled her hands into fists against his sarcastic use of her sixth-degree black belt rank, Rokudan. What really rankled were the goose bumps flowing down the left side of her body from the rumble of his voice in her ear.
Knox walked off without looking back.
What the hell was wrong with her? She hadn’t uttered a peep, hadn’t tossed out an insult, hadn’t even created silent cutting remarks in her head when he’d made the challenge.
Because Knox affects you in ways you’re scared to admit.
When she entered the training room, Deacon looked at her, then at Knox, and said, “Jesus. This again?”
Shiori ignored him.
Knox waited for her on the mat. No hint of smile on his face; just the determined set of his jaw.
“How do you want me?”
That seemed to fluster him for a second before he barked, “Standing sweep.”
Knox grabbed on to her and tried to drive her into the floor.
She turned her upper body but kept her feet planted-tricky to execute without ending up with torn ligaments in her knee-and pushed on his center of gravity.
It knocked him back a step, as she’d intended, but his balance recovery was quick. So instead of her dog piling him, he crushed her back to his chest in a bear hug and at the same time he swept her feet out from under her.
They hit the mat hard.
Shiori threw her leg on the outside of his and pushed off with her other foot, which allowed her to control the direction they rolled.
Somehow she’d telegraphed her intent, because Knox countered and shoved her face-first into the mat-after he’d clipped her in the mouth with his elbow.
So he had her pinned down in the most humiliating position-with him lying on top of her, both of her arms trapped.
Then his warm lips were against her ear. “Come on, She-Cat. Put me in my place. Show me how stupid that move was.”
“Get the fuck off of me.”
“I’m game anytime you wanna teach me another lesson,” he murmured again, and then he was gone.
Shiori rolled onto her back. Fuck. Was she losing her touch? She pushed up into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around her calves.
That’s when she noticed the blood.
And the crowd that’d gathered around them.
Sophia “Fee” Curacao snatched a towel and doused it in water before she crouched beside Shiori. “You okay?”
Shiori nodded and held the towel to her mouth, where the wound was starting to sting.
Fee stood and glared at Knox. “I cannot believe you drew blood on her the first fucking day you’re running the dojo, Shihan.”
“It’s all right, Fee,” Shiori said softly. “I should’ve been paying better attention.”
The sight of blood had changed Knox’s taunting mood. “You’re damn right you should’ve been.”
Not an apology-not that she deserved one. Annoyed by the guys staring at her and the fucked-up way Knox was studying her mouth, she pushed to her feet. “I’m fine. Let’s get this meeting over with.”
Knox said, “Not you. Take off. You bleed, you leave.”
Shiori rolled her eyes. “That is a shitty rhyme and a shitty rule, so I’m not going anywhere.” | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7061054110527039, "wiki_prob": 0.29389458894729614, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1624808"} |
Huichol Indian art: yarn paintings (cuadros estambrados)
Art & Artists articles Culture & Arts
June 27, 2020 July 27, 2020 Tony2495Leave a Comment on Huichol Indian art: yarn paintings (cuadros estambrados)
This nearika — Huichol yarnwork “votive” painting — depicts the sacred blue deer, who also appear as shamans on each side of the composition. © Kinich Ramirez, 2006
This months cover features an example of Huichol yarn painting, Cuadros Estambrados, a transformational art form to the artists and shamans of the Huichol people, who use it to depict their myths, sacred totems, and stories.
This particular example sprung from the imagination of Justyn Vallori, a local artist and psychic who says she was drawn to this traditional art even before moving to Lakeside some five years ago.
Unable to pursue the discipline in the US, where she says that the yarn and other basic materials are unavailable, Justyn studied briefly with Huichol artesan, Francisco Loza, who supplied her with the basic techniques that she employs in the pursuit of her craft.
The paintings are done on a base of wood, which is first smeared with cera campeche, a mixture of bees’ wax and resin, which the Huichol apply with the heat and pressure of their hands. Justyn admits that she lacked the manual strength to do it this way, but found that by heating the mixture on the stove she could apply it easily with a brush.
When the cera has returned to room temperature, the images can then be created by pressing individual pieces of yarn directly onto the tacky surface with a pointed, wooden dowel.
The yarn used is called cristal, and comes in a variety of brilliant shades to kindle the artist’s imagination.
Unlike painting with oils or watercolors which blend, in yarn painting the art is in the shape and juxtaposition of solid colors, which give the finished product its resplendent and distinctive appeal.
Apart from having an eye for color, the artist must also be meticulous. The technique is demanding; a piece such as the one on the cover can take a month to complete, creating and altering it one strand at a time.
Inspiration for these cuadros traditionally comes in a dream or trance. The intent of the artist is to transport us into an altered state of consciousness. The work is designed to transform, to communicate on a powerful subconcious level for the instruction and evolution of viewers; art as a sacred medium for change.
Growing up in Kingston, New York, a small farming and factory community near Woodstock, Justyn found early on that art was a powerful healer and liberator. She practiced and studied most disciplines from dance to costume design and loves to share the process with others.
For this reason and some Mayan heritage on her father’s side, Justyn has always been drawn to indigenous art forms and practices her yarn painting with a view to connecting with the earth and an earlier heritage. She says that having the finished works in her home has a profound and salutory effect on her state of being.
Though she’s only been at it for a short time and does not intend to sell her work, which she believes should be the strict jurisdiction of the Huichol, Justyn felt inspired to convey how the process of this ancient art has changed her life; communicating, both verbally and visually through Cuadros Estambrados is a necessary part of sharing this growth.
This article appears courtesy of the Chapala Review, a monthly Newspaper published in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico. The focus is the Lake Chapala area. The goal is to provide quality information about the area, its stories, events, history, culture and people.
Published or Updated on: January 7, 2007 by Darryl Tenenbaum © 2008
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The magic of Chalma | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6354366540908813, "wiki_prob": 0.6354366540908813, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line934301"} |
{ "item_title" : "Out of Darkness", "item_author" : [" Ashley Hope Pérez "], "item_description" : "A dangerous forbidden romance rocks a Texan oil town in 1937, when segregation was a matter of life and death. A Top Ten Most Challenged Book of the Year This is East Texas, and there's lines. Lines you cross, lines you don't cross. That clear? New London, TX. 1937. Naomi Vargas is Mexican American. Wash Fuller is Black. These teens know the town's divisive racism better than anyone. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive. Naomi and Wash dare to defy the rules, and the New London school explosion serves as a ticking time bomb in the background. Can their love survive both prejudice and tragedy? Race, romance, and family converge in this riveting novel that transplants Romeo and Juliet to a bitterly segregated Texas town. Includes a fascinating author's note detailing the process of research and writing about voices that have largely been excluded from historical accounts. A Printz Honor BookA Booklist 50 Best YA Books of All Time SelectionA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best BookWinner of the Tom s Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award", "item_img_path" : "https://covers4.booksamillion.com/covers/bam/0/82/344/503/0823445038_b.jpg", "price_data" : { "retail_price" : "12.99", "online_price" : "12.99", "our_price" : "12.99", "club_price" : "12.99", "savings_pct" : "0", "savings_amt" : "0.00", "club_savings_pct" : "0", "club_savings_amt" : "0.00", "discount_pct" : "10", "store_price" : "" } }
by Ashley Hope Pérez
A dangerous forbidden romance rocks a Texan oil town in 1937, when segregation was a matter of life and death. A Top Ten Most Challenged Book of the Year "This is East Texas, and there's lines. Lines you cross, lines you don't cross. That clear?" New London, TX. 1937. Naomi Vargas is Mexican American. Wash Fuller is Black. These teens know the town's divisive racism better than anyone. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive. Naomi and Wash dare to defy the rules, and the New London school explosion serves as a ticking time bomb in the background. Can their love survive both prejudice and tragedy? Race, romance, and family converge in this riveting novel that transplants Romeo and Juliet to a bitterly segregated Texas town. Includes a fascinating author's note detailing the process of research and writing about voices that have largely been excluded from historical accounts. A Printz Honor Book
A Booklist 50 Best YA Books of All Time Selection
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
Winner of the Tom s Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
Publisher: Holiday House
Publish Date: September 2019
Laurie Halse Anderson
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Revised Edition)
Jesse Andrews
Maia Kobabe
Jonathan Evison | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7447084784507751, "wiki_prob": 0.25529152154922485, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line586397"} |
G.I. Joe: Classified – Scarlett
by generalsjoes | May 27, 2020 | G.I. Joe Classified 6" Line, review-no-frontpage | 1 comment
Ever since the beginning, one of the awesome things about G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was a focus on strong characters, regardless of gender and certainly Scarlett was no exception. It was clear from the first issue of the G.I. Joe comic and the first episode of the G.I. Joe animated series that she was one of the heart and soul’s of the G.I. Joe team.
From flying a Skystriker to low for Duke’s comfort or burying a throwing star in COBRA Commander’s gun arm, she’s been in the thick of it and I was thrilled to see her as a part of the first wave of G.I. Joe: Classified.
Hasbro did a pretty bang up job on this figure, too. They managed to keep the basic design aesthetics of the vintage figure, all while giving her some nice new armored elements that thrust her into the future.
A combination of layered body armor sculpting, impressive articulation cool accessories and really sharp paint applications gives this new Scarlett some great life, and I really love their choices here. While some of the figures suffer a bit from the abundance of gold (especially Roadblock) I think it works really well on Scarlett.
An absolutely critical member of the G.I. Joe roster, Scarlett deserves her place in the inaugural wave of these new six inch figures and she gets a pretty terrific update.
While there are some minor limitations to her articulation, the color breaks and textures of the suit are great and overall she brings some great color and vibrance to the Joe roster, especially at this larger scale.
From a design angle, Scarlett is almost a perfect update to the original, taking the overall shape and color of her 80’s unitard and translating it into something that bridges the future/military and super-hero divide very nicely.
I absolutely love the armor she’s sporting, looking thick and protective, yet sleek as well, allowing for great range of motion. Her armored gauntlets and boots are terrific as well, and I find myself loving the little touches like the three throwing stars on her left forearm and what appear to be small “rocket” boots at her calves. At least that’s what they are in my little world!
The color combinations are really nice, too, a mixture of blue, green and tan, a nice amalgamation of several different hues from Scarlett’s history. All of the different shades work well with the sculpt breaks on the body suit and armor, the overall appearance very eye-catching and appealing.
G.I. Joe has always existed in this strange place between real world military and comic book sci-fi, and this version of Scarlett really seems to lunge full speed into comic book sci-fi, and to be honest, I’m glad for it. She’s never had a full-blown military look or feel and this updated armored bodysuit is an excellent evolution from some previous appearances.
The shoulder pad and star on her left shoulder feels like a nice call-out to her Devil’s Due appearance as well, which featured a very similar design aesthetic. Her hair is nicely painted, though I would have loved a bit more of a red wash just to darken it up some. I find myself really loving the paint work on her face, including the light application of freckles underneath her eyes. Very well done.
I really love the strap, sheath and quiver over her torso, too, giving her room for all three of her throwing knives, which is a really awesome touch.
For the most part, Scarlett’s articulation is fantastic. Multiple torso joints, ball-joint neck and shoulders, double-jointed knees and rocker ankles. She’s capable of falling into a wealth of effective poses. Like the other figures she has “drop-down” hips which give her more sideways motion as well.
There’s only one hitch with her articulation. Because she’s got such skinny arms, she doesn’t get double-jointed elbows like her male counterparts. It’s not a huge take away, but I feel like it needs to be mentioned.
In spite of her layered body armor and aside from the aforementioned elbows, she maintains a great range of motion and fantastic articulation, a hallmark of G.I. Joe action figure design that is here in spades.
Well, this is certainly the hottest topic in any of the discussions around G.I. Joe: Classified. Scarlett I think manages to walk the line perfectly. Unlike many other members of the G.I. Joe team, Scarlett has never been known for her heavy duty military weapons compliment. The crossbow has been her stalwart, and it remains so here.
It’s a pseudo-futuristic crossbow with a pretty cool design aesthetic, with a removable top and bottom. I’m not sure what the benefit to taking the crossbow apart is, but it does come apart if you’re so inclined.
Along with the crossbow, she comes with three small knives, one of which fits neatly in a sheath on her chest strap, while the other two slide in place in sheaths within her quiver on her back. I love that she’s got places for all three knives, it’s that sort of detail that I really enjoy about the G.I. Joe: Classified line. So far none of them have come with accessories they didn’t have a place to store. A small point, but a valid one.
Scarlett’s accessories don’t blow my socks off, but they make sense for the character and are a nice inclusion. The trio of knives are the definite highlights for me, it adds a cool element to the character and I really dig the sheaths, too.
Like the other figures in the first wave of G.I. Joe: Classified, Scarlett has unique artwork on her box, in this case done by Phil Noto an acclaimed artist of comic books and other things. The art looks terrific (though somehow I neglected to take a picture of the other side of the box), though I do agree with some complaints that a lack of unification across all packaging can be a bit jarring for MIB collectors.
Scarlett is one of my favorite characters in G.I. Joe lore and I’m thrilled that such an important piece of A Real American Hero history ended up in wave 1 of the G.I. Joe: Classified line. Her modern updates are terrific, adding a fantastic sci-fi flair while still keeping some solid homages to her old school appearances.
The shining point for sure is the face paint with the freckles and the eyes, though she’s got amazing paint throughout the entire figure with a great mixture of gold that works far better for her than for some of her compatriots.
All things considered, this figure is terrific and the G.I. Joe: Classified line is off to an amazing start.
Group Shots
The Capture of Destro
G.I. Joe Classified Scarlett
As one of the founding members of G.I. Joe, I was thrilled to see Scarlett included in wave one of G.I. Joe: Classified, and she’s got some great updates to boot. A terrific sculpt, great modernized design aligned with her vintage look and her familiar trademark accessories. The narrow sculpting of her female form unfortunately sacrifices some key articulation, but the figure is great otherwise.
– Nice modern update with some vintage flair
– The combination of head sculpt and paint on the face is on point
– The gold trim really shines on Scarlett
– No double joints in the elbows
– Decent accessories, but could have used a bit more
Dre on June 12, 2020 at 11:39 am
Although Scarlett was never one if my favorites (I was more of a Lady Jaye kinda guy), this iteration is awesome. Her accoutrements scream Sci-Fi ninja with a touch of special ops. Big thumbs up Hasbro.
GeneralsJoes Reviews G.I. Joe: Classified Scarlett | GeneralsJoes - […] out the full review for G.I. Joe: Classified Scarlett, or click the link below to check out the G.I.… | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6410168409347534, "wiki_prob": 0.3589831590652466, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line511867"} |
Top investment in modern setting in Friedrichshain close to the Station and River Spree
Investing and living in Friedrichshain. In cooperation with the renowned distributor, we have available attractive and commission-free apartments in two residential buildings in a very distinctive location in Berlin-Friedrichshain. The former apartment buildings from 1958 were modernised in the 1990s and are currently undergoing a second revitalization, which is turning the apartments and the common property into highly interesting investment properties in Berlin. In contrast to the hip locations that are arising everywhere in Friedrichshain, the apartments for sale in this nice parition project are particularly interesting because they are located "right in the middle" but at the same time transmit a calm and sustainable atmosphere.
After completion of the ongoing work, the owners will be handed over top modern city apartments in a building with a timeless layout. Large windows and window doors, lifts, balconies with curtains, lots of greenery and beautiful lawns characterise the overall picture of the facility for owner-occupiers and investors alike. The building, which currently consists of 5 full storeys, will be extended by two more staggered storeys. A great, unpretentious investment object with considerable potential. Call us today!
Performance of properties in Berlin-Friedrichshain
+18.10 %
+123.40 %
The perfomance indicators show the average performance of properties in Berlin-Friedrichshain based on median asking prices. Detailed information on the local real estate market can be found in our market reports.
Go to marketreport Friedrichshain
Berlin-Friedrichshain is central, hip and creative. In Friedrichshain, there is still a lot of remembrance of the structures of the former GDR workers' district. Gradually, the quarters in Friedrichshain changed their image. The old warehouses and cold stores on the banks of the Spree, the Stalin buildings of Karl-Marx-Avenue or the prefabricated concrete buildings in the west of the district have been renovated or replaced. Friedrichshain has always reinvented itself in its history. In the bombings of the Second World War, many neighbourhood structures were lost and reconstruction in the eastern part of Berlin started very late. At the same time, the magnificent Stalinist buildings along Karl-Marx- and Frankfurter Allee were built.
Throughout Friedrichshain, the demand for apartments is enormous. The district is centrally located and offers ideal transport connections in all directions. The neighborhoods around Boxhagener and Revaler Straße, Warschauer Straße and Frankfurter Allee are very popular. The Simon-Dach-Straße and side streets attract hundreds of bars, clubs, pubs and restaurants, attracting local and international guests. In addition, there is strong demand for the north district in the Samaritan quarter and the residential areas along Warschauer Straße.
2 Schools Number of schools in the area
36. Schule (Grundschule)
Ludwig-Hoffmann-Grundschule
4 Kindergadens Number of kindergartens in the immediate vicinity
Kita Blumenkinder
Kita Farbenland
Kita Leonardo
Kita Spiel- und Erlebniswelt
2 Culture & Leisure Culture & Leisure nearby
Mercedes-Benz Arena Berlin
Tempodrom
2 Markets Weekly and flea markets nearby
Wochenmarkt Koppenstraße 32/ Ecke Karl-Marx-Allee
Wochenmarkt Am Kaufhof Ostbahnhof (Erich-Steinfurth-Straße) | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6874791979789734, "wiki_prob": 0.3125208020210266, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line707179"} |
HCR: Republican Party heads toward a full-on embrace of authoritarianism
February 1, 2021 February 1, 2021 ~ Michael Stevenson
By Heather Cox Richardson 1/31/21
The most prominent story these days is that the Republican Party is sliding toward a full-on embrace of authoritarianism. Former president Trump’s exit and ban from his favorite social media outlets has left a vacuum that younger politicians imitating Trump’s style are eager to fill by rallying people to the former president’s standard.
Notably, Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have tried to step into the former president’s media space by behaving outrageously and becoming his acolytes. Gaetz last week traveled to Wyoming to attack Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY), the third most powerful Republican in the House, for her vote in support of Trump’s impeachment. Not to be outdone, yesterday Greene tweeted that she had spoken to Trump and has his support, although neither her camp nor his would comment on her statement.
Republican state parties have also thrown in their lot with the former president. In Arizona, the state party voted to censure former Senator Jeff Flake, the late Senator John McCain’s wife Cindy, and Governor Doug Ducey for criticizing the former president. In South Carolina, the state party formally censured Representative Tom Rice for voting to impeach Trump, and Republican lawmakers are starting to consider stripping Cheney of her party position, a development that led former President George W. Bush to indicate his support for her this weekend. She has already drawn a primary challenger.
Across the country, Republican-dominated legislatures are trying to suppress the voting that led to the high voter turnout that fueled Democratic victories in 2020. According to the Brennan Center, which tracks voting rights, 28 states have put forward more than 100 bills to limit voting. Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, whose voters chose Biden this year after going for Trump in 2016, all have introduced plans to lower voting rates. So have other states like Texas, which have voted Republican in recent years but show signs of turning blue.
The former president would like to solidify power over the party, but he has his own problems right now. The top five lawyers in his team defending him against the article of impeachment in his Senate trial all quit this weekend. Trump apparently wanted them to argue that the attack on the Capitol was justified because Democrats stole the election from him. Recognizing that this is pure fantasy—courts have already thrown this argument out more than 60 times—which could put them in legal jeopardy, the lawyers instead wanted to argue that it is unconstitutional to try a former president on charges of impeachment.
Tonight, Trump’s office announced that David Schoen and Bruce L. Castor, Jr., will lead his defense. Schoen represented Trump advisor Roger Stone when he challenged his convictions; Castor was the district attorney who promised actor Bill Cosby he would not be prosecuted for indecent assault. The impeachment trial is scheduled to start on February 9.
There are signs that some Republicans have finally had enough of their party’s march toward authoritarianism, especially as pro-Trump Republicans grab headlines for their outrageous behavior, including shutting down a mass vaccination effort at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for about an hour yesterday.
Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), a 2010 Tea Partier but now one of the ten Republicans in the House to vote in favor of impeachment, told Anthony Fisher of Business Insider that “My dad’s cousins sent me a petition — a certified letter — saying they disowned me because I’m in ‘the devil’s army’ now….”
Kinzinger announced today that he has started a political action committee (PAC) to finance a challenge to Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party. Calling Trump’s loyalists in the Republican caucus “political terrorists,” Kinzinger said in the video launching the PAC, “Republicans must say enough is enough. It’s time to unplug the outrage machine, reject the politics of personality, and cast aside the conspiracy theories and the rage.”
It also appears to be sinking in to Republicans that momentum is on the side of the Democrats. Biden’s executive actions have generally been popular, and his support for workers threatens to shift a key constituency from the Republicans to the Democrats.
Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus proposal offers to give to ordinary Americans, hurting badly from the coronavirus recession, the kind of government attention that has lately gone to wealthier Americans. Among other things, it calls for $1400 stimulus payments, extends unemployment benefits, provides funds for state and local governments, and establishes a higher minimum wage. While Biden has said repeatedly that he would like Republican support for this measure, the Democrats have enough votes to pass a version of it without Republican support.
This would put Republicans in the position of voting against a measure that promises to be popular, and at least ten Republican senators would prefer not to do that. Today, they offered their own $600 billion counterproposal, and asked for a meeting with President Biden to discuss it.
In their letter to the president, they hinted that they think the nation has devoted enough money to the economic crisis already, noting that there is still money unspent from the previous coronavirus packages. But they did not state that reasoning explicitly, perhaps recognizing that this argument will not be popular from people who voted for Trump’s 2017 tax cut, which disproportionately benefited the wealthy, when one in seven adults say their households don’t have enough food to eat.
“We want to work in good faith with you and your administration to meet the health, economic and societal challenges of the covid crisis,” the senators wrote. After years in which Republican senators refused to discuss bills with the Democrats, this is a change indeed.
But perhaps not enough of one. In the Washington Post, James Downie noted that a proposal that is less than a third of Biden’s package is not a compromise. It also cuts stimulus checks down to $1000, cuts supplemental unemployment insurance, gives no local or state aid, and kills the minimum wage increase.
When asked why Democrats should compromise rather than go ahead without them, as Republicans repeatedly did when they held the majority, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) told “Fox News Sunday” and CNN’s “State of the Union,” respectively, that Biden should honor his call for unity and that refusing to do so would kill future hopes for bipartisanship.
In an article in The Guardian today, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich dismissed Republican concerns about the national debt, noting that if they were worried about it, they could just tax the very wealthy. “The total wealth of America’s 660 billionaires has grown by… $1.1 [trillion] since the start of the pandemic, a 40% increase,” he noted. Those billionaires could fund almost all of Biden’s proposal and still be as rich as they were before the pandemic hit.
Reich suggested that “[t]he real reason Republicans want to block Biden is they fear his plans will work.” A successful government response to coronavirus, the economic crisis, inequality, the climate crisis, and poverty would devastate modern-day Republicans’ insistence that the solution to every problem is tax cuts and private enterprise. If Biden’s plans succeed, Reich wrote, Americans’ faith in government, and in our democracy, will be restored.
Tonight, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that Biden has spoken with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and has invited her and the other nine signers of the letter to the White House (we later learned they will meet tomorrow).
But Psaki’s statement did not give ground. It reiterated the need for fast action, and noted that “$1400 relief checks, a substantial investment in fighting COVID and schools, aid to small businesses and hurting families, and funds to keep first responders on the job (and more) – is badly needed. As leading economists have said, the danger now is not in doing too much: it is in doing too little. Americans of both parties are looking to their leaders to meet the moment.”
Posted in Politics, USA authoritarianismFascismGOPHeather Cox RichardsonRepublican PartyTrump Crime Family
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Misfit Outpost Acquires Brewery Spot in Cypress
by Realty News Report October 2, 2021 October 2, 2021
CYPRESS, Texas – (Realty News Report) – NAI Partners arranged the acquisition of Misfit Outpost’s craft brewery location at 16602 Cypress Rosehill Road in Cypress, the former location of The Shack Burger Resort.
Misfit Outpost is the latest in a string of recent local brewery openings in the Houston area..
Misfit Outpost—a partnership between Fortress BeerWorks and Misfit Brewing—flung its doors open on Friday, Sept. 3. The 5-acre family- and dog-friendly brewery facility offers live music on weekends, a burger-fueled food menu, Misfit features its own beers brewed on-site, and sudsy offerings from Fortress BeerWorks—both on the tapwall and with 16-oz canned to-go options.
NAI Partners’ Chris Caudill arranged the sale for Misfit Outpost, and also completed the lease for Fortress BeerWorks’ current location at 2606 Spring Cypress Road in Spring..
“Since opening Fortress three years ago in Spring, the craft beer community’s support has been overwhelming,” said Fortress BeerWorks co-founder and co-owner John O’Hara. “When the right opportunity arose to partner with Juan, help him go pro and get his delicious recipes in front of a wider audience, it was a no-brainer.”
Misfit Outpost began life as a homebrew project for founder Juan Sanchez, who quickly amassed a devoted following via photographs of his beers on Instagram—many of which were in the highly-sought-after Hazy India Pale Ale category, a beer style beloved by its fans for being extravagantly hopped to coax huge tropical fruit flavors showcased on a soft, creamy, hazy unfiltered body that often resembles a glass of orange juice and can even taste like one.
Larry-Koestler
“While examples of the Hazy India Pale Ale have become a staple in the supermarket beer aisle, larger breweries with national footprints are often unable or unwilling to replicate the over-the-top hop saturation and extreme pound-per-barrel dry-hopping rates showcased by the very best producers of the style,” said Larry Koestler, a craft beer enthusiast, consultant and Houston-based real estate executive. “Hazy Double IPA obsessives generally need to travel directly to the source to secure cans of the top-tier examples of the style to satisfy their craving for overindulgent, palate-coating, citrusy hop nirvana.”
Koestler is Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications at NAI Partners, the commercial real estate services business of Partners Real Estate Company,
“Houston has a deep and talented homebrew scene, with several local professional breweries having been launched by homebrewers, though this collaborative physical location arrangement between Misfit and Fortress is the first of its kind locally,” Koestler said. ”It’s always exciting when an up-and-comer you’ve been following and have enjoyed samples from goes pro, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the next homebrewer that wants to take the leap to the big leagues.”
The past 8 years have seen the total number of Houston breweries increase by 344 percent, with total square footage expanding by 179 percent to 652,533 SF, according to NAI report released in July.
Oct. 2, 2021 Realty News Report Copyright 2021
For more about Texas real estate, check out the book Houston 2020: America’s Boom Town – An Extreme Close Up by Ralph Bivins. Available on Amazon http://tiny.cc/4a2g6y
Houston 2020 Ebook version https://tinyurl.com/4xm7z8b5
Image courtesy Larry Koestler, NAI Partners. Misfit Outpost.
File: Misfit Outpost Acquires Brewery Spot in Cypress
File (2) Craft beer. Hazy India Pale Ale. Misfit Outpost Acquires Brewery Spot in Cypress. NAI Partners. Chris Caudill. Larry Koestler.
Comunidad Partners Acquires Apartments
Realty News Report February 1, 2023
Realty News Report January 31, 2023 | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9082741737365723, "wiki_prob": 0.9082741737365723, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1625034"} |
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09.03.2010 Marina & The Diamonds
by CenterOrch
Marina & The Diamonds
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I have been so excited about the return of Marina & The Diamonds to the U.S. Two themes emerged over Labor Day weekend: Turning 40 years old (a friend’s party in D.C.) and chasing Marina on the New Jersey Turnpike. I’m her starstrukk groupie for the long weekend as I saw her twice (New York and Philadelphia), but I could have easily seen her two more times (Asbury Park, N.J. and Washington, D.C.). Sufficed to say, I withheld myself before Marina put a restraining order on me.
Since her last jaunt through New York and SXSW in March, Marina has released her debut record here, The Family Jewels (buy it, it’s brilliant), but has yet to spend a lot of time in the U.S. to promote it with the exception of a few Left Coast dates over the summer.
A pretty hipster crowd filled Webster Hall. It’s cool she draws a pretty diverse fanbase. Unlike Robyn, Marina seems to still be somewhat of a secret here in the States. Webster Hall wasn’t even sold out. How is that possible? So I’m making my job to spread the Robot love to as many friends as I can. Wait, I am not a robot.
Marina’s band takes the stage and she appears wearing a beautifully fitted slinky black dress. It’s totally working for her. Not only does she have a face that the camera makes love to, but her body is ridiculous. On the wrong person, that dress could have been an unforgiving mistake. But not on Marina. Wasn’t it Bette Midler who said, “hey baby, if you got it, flaunt it?” Then she opens her mouth with the opening verse of “The Outsider.” “Feeling like a loser, feeling like a bum, sitting on the outside, observing the fun.” And just like that, I’m in love with her all over again.
Marina, with her increasingly signature bright pink lipstick and nails, covered nearly every song off The Family Jewels, including “Seventeen,” “Girls,” her latest single “Oh No!,” “Rootless” and “Are You Satisfied?” As I said the last time I saw her, she’s at her best when she gets behind the keys and sings “Numb” and “Obsessions.” It’s effortless, breathtaking and beautiful. I wisely positioned myself near the stage and off to the left to capture this Diamandis gem. I love the stars behind her and the wind blowing through her hair as she performs this song:
“I Am Not A Robot” is perhaps Marina’s most beloved song in her small catalog. It sealed the deal for me in 2009 and skyrocketed Marina to the top of my Best New Artist list. Ok, this list doesn’t really exist, but if it did, she’d be on top. If you check out her blog, you’ll see a couple of fan-made videos that reinterpret this gorgeous song. It’s about saying to yourself “stop being so ridiculous, you can’t let having a fear of failing hold you back,” as told to a reporter in her native Wales. “I’m just one person.” Clearly, the song has struck a chord with many of her fans as they all harmoniously sang along.
Other highlights included “Shampain,” the old ABBA cover which I believe will be her next single, and “Hollywood.” For the latter, Marina runs off stage and returns wearing a letterman’s jacket, big sunglasses, with two big cheeseburgers in her hands. Apparently this is Marina’s wardrobe interpretation of America. She closed her set with “Guilty.” Again caught on camera!
For her encore, she performed “Starstrukk,” a 3OH3 and Katy Perry cover. She posted a recording session of this on YouTube several months ago and has since become part of her set list in live acts. The song is so beautiful. The original is great, but it’s so upbeat you miss the heartbreak that this song is really about. “I just set them up to knock them down. I think I should know how to make love to something innocent without leaving my fingerprints out, now… L.O.V.E. is just another word I’ll never learn to pronounce.” Amazing, even more so live. She ended the night with “Mowgli’s Road.” Thanks to my friend Tanner at EW for getting me into the VIP section after the show to meet Marina. She looked at me and all I could say is “heyyyy Marina.” I told her I’d see her in Philly, and she gave me permission to be her stalker. Lovely and amazing. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8273847699165344, "wiki_prob": 0.8273847699165344, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line704735"} |
AM Services Group secures Grimsby deal
Open-access content Tuesday 13th August 2019 — updated 2.09pm, Tuesday 16th February 2021
Herpreet Kaur Grewal
AM Services Group has won a contract with chemicals company Tronox to deliver a range of security and front-of-house services at its Stallingborough plant.
Located near Grimsby, on the south bank of the river Humber, Tronox Stallingborough is a producer of titanium dioxide, a bright white powder made from titanium ore that has the ability to pigment almost any material and has made "modern paints more cost-efficient, easier to use and friendlier to the environment".
Across its 160-hectare UK site, Tronox employs around 370 technical and craft employees and receives some 500 visitors, contractors and deliveries each month.
The AM Services Group team provides manned guarding, concierge, and 24/7 gatehouse cover services. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6091277599334717, "wiki_prob": 0.3908722400665283, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1274801"} |
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Posted on Thu, Apr 5th, 2018 Thu, Apr 5th, 2018 by Leo Vidal
Oregon Governor Says She Will Refuse to Send Troops To Border
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) has posted a tweet saying that she will not respect any order from President Donald Trump to use state National Guard troops to “protect” border of the United States with Mexico.
“If Donald Trump asks me to deploy Oregon Guard troops to the Mexico border, I’ll say no,” Brown tweeted. “As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.”
She added another tweet which read: “There’s been no outreach by the President or federal officials, and I have no intention of allowing Oregon’s guard troops to be used to distract from his troubles in Washington.”
If @realDonaldTrump asks me to deploy Oregon Guard troops to the Mexico border, I’ll say no. As Commander of Oregon’s Guard, I’m deeply troubled by Trump’s plan to militarize our border.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) April 4, 2018
On Wednesday Trump issued a presidential proclamation which orders National Guard troops to be sent to the Mexican border to combat what he labelled as a “surge of illegal activity.”
The president also wrote a memorandum to Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. In it, he said wanted to , use the National Guard “to stop the flow of deadly drugs and other contraband, gang members and other criminals, and illegal aliens into this country.”
Trump first stated on Tuesday that he planned to deploy troops to the southern border to secure the area. It seems like a ploy he is using to try to get his beloved wall built, which Congress does not want to fund.
The president also seems very unhappy about current immigration laws, based on his tweets over the past week. Of course, if Fox News is unhappy, then he’s unhappy, and many people at that network have been criticizing him over immigration. In this latest tweets he wrote about “caravans” of migrants approaching the border, and he also asked Congress to pass tougher laws.
Kate Brown is the kind of governor this country needs who has enough courage to stand up to President Trump and his policies which make no sense and are harmful to the country.
Leo Vidal
I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.
CategoriesFeatured News TagsBorder, border wall, Mexican Board, Trump Order to send national guard
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Veijo Väinö Valvo Meri (1928-2015) *86
The grave site of Veijo Väinö Valvo Meri. Plot #86216498. Death record, obituary, funeral notice and information about the deceased person. [en]
Vital records:Veijo Väinö Valvo Meri at +Archives
Birth date: 31 December, 1928, Monday
Death date: 21 June, 2015, Sunday
This memorial website was created in memory of Veijo Väinö Valvo Meri, 86, born on December 31, 1928 and passed away on June 21, 2015. We will remember him forever.
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was a Finnish writer. Much of his work focuses on war and its absurdity. The work is anti-war and has dark humor.
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Born in Viipuri (today Vyborg, Russia), Meri graduated from secondary school in Hämeenlinna, then studied history and became an independent writer.
His diverse body of work includes novels, short stories, poetry, and essays.
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Veijo Väinö Valvo Meri
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was a Finnish writer. Much of his work focuses on war and its absurdity. The work is anti-war and has dark humor. Born in Viipuri (today Vyborg, Russia), Meri graduated from secondary school in Hämeenlinna, then studied history and became an independent writer. His diverse body of work includes novels, short stories, poetry, and essays.
Last update: 2015-06-22T10:34:00
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Prajñāpāramitā
Karma & Rebirth
Secular Emptiness
Manomaya: Background to Mind-Made Bodies.
© British Museum
In considering the Buddhist afterlife one of the more obscure terms, amidst a plethora of obscure terms, is manomaya kāya or 'mind-made body'. In the book of her PhD dissertation, Sue Hamilton (1996) explains that manomaya is one of the most obscure terms in the Pali Canon (138). This partly because of intrinsic ambiguity and partly because the word is used ambiguously. Also, Non-Theravāda Ābhidharmika Buddhists employed the word in a quite different metaphysical framework. This first of three essays on manomaya kāya will examine the Vedic and Pali uses of the term manomaya as a prerequisite to trying to understand the subsequent use manomaya kāya in the context of the Buddhist afterlife. I'll use the framework employed by Hamilton, though I won't always use her exact analysis.
PED tells us that the word maya is an adjective meaning 'made of' or 'consisting of' or 'originating in' (probably from √mā 'measure'). Thus the sense is similar to the metaphorical idiom "the measure of a man" in which we comment on "what a man is made of". It's related to the word māyā, which means 'to make, or create' (and later 'to make appear, illusion', 'to deceive'). The form maya is only used in Pali as the second member of a compound in the form x-maya where it generally means 'made of x' or 'consisting of x', though for example we'd translate aggimaya simply as 'fiery' (i.e. made of fire); sovaṇṇamaya 'golden'; dhūmamaya 'smoky' and so on.
Manas is also a polysemic word. It can mean virtually any phenomena that comes under the heading 'mental', from an individual thought, to the internal faculty of registering mental activity, to the entire apparatus of cognition, or mental activity generally. In some texts it even appears to substitute for hadaya. In Pali it is frequently used synonymously with, and indistinguishably from, citta, viññāṇa, and sometimes saññā; but later takes on the more fixed reference as the mental sense faculty (counterpart to the physical senses). As with all too many Buddhist technical terms, understanding any particular occurrence of manas in a text requires attention to the context.
Grammar Note: Textual Pali is uncomfortable with nouns ending in consonants that it inherits from earlier phases of the language. Thus the declensions of the word manas are a little confused. It's common to cite the word in the nominative singular, mano, as though it is an -a noun; and to see -a forms such as manena (instrumental singular). However it retains forms such as manaso, manasā and manasi (genitive, instrumental and locative singular) that reflect the form manas. Both forms of the instrumental singular occur, but manasā is more common in the suttas and manena in the later literature. Similarly for the genitive singular manaso/manassa. This suggests that as time went on Pali users saw manas more and more as mana.
We must be quite careful not to project modern ideas about the mind backwards in time and attribute them to the ancient Buddhists. Mind was not a function of the brain, but more likely of the heart (which we now know to be a slab of muscle for pumping blood). No distinction was made between thoughts and emotions (both were lumped into the category citta), but instead experience was understood as having physical (kāyika) and mental (cetasika) aspects depending on how they were presented to awareness, i.e. whether awareness arose in dependence on the five physical senses or the manas. Mind or consciousness was not a theatre of, or a container for, experience (see The 'Mind as Container' Metaphor). There was no resting-state consciousness waiting for sensory input, but instead we become aware of something when sense object and sense organ overlap and create the conditions for mental activity to arise (if any aspect of this set up is waiting for stimulus it is the organ itself, which is conceived of as being literally struck by sense impressions). The implication being that when there is no input, or, as in deep sleep, no viññāna to process the input, then we are not aware. Most importantly the ancient Buddhists focussed exclusively on cognition as a process rather than the mind as an entity. Where we are tempted to translate a Pali word as 'the mind', we'll find that 'mental activity' is almost always a better choice in the sense of more accurately conveying the understanding of the authors. There is no sense of having an organ 'the mind', which does the activity of thinking (as we conceptualise it now). 'The mind' precisely is the activity of thinking. Lastly as far as we can make out from their literature, the early Buddhists were not mind-body dualists, which is to say that, though they could make a distinction between mental and physical cognitions, they did not suppose the mind and body to be made of different stuff. To the extent they thought about ontology (which was seldom if ever) they seem to consider that phenomena were all of one kind no matter to which sense organ they presented themselves.
In other words, many if not most, of the fundamental metaphors we use for thinking about the mind would not have made sense to early Buddhists. They would not recognise our conception of the mind or consciousness. And this means that we struggle to see the mind from their point of view also.
According to Hamilton, the compound mano-maya can be analysed in at least three different ways:
made of mental activity.
made by mental activity,
made in mental activity; originating in mental activity.
That is, we can read mano as being in genitive (manaso mayaṃ), instrumental (manasā mayaṃ) or locative (manasi mayaṃ) case respectively. The dative case clearly doesn't apply. I'd add the ablative case: made from mental activity (manasā mayaṃ). Options 2. and 3b. amount to much the same thing, but option 3a. is very unlikely because Pali seemingly lacks the metaphor THE MIND IS CONTAINER. As we will see in the next essay the manomaya kāya qua body is made from this body (kāyā in the ablative case) [by mental activity]. Thus the ablative case not applicable.
There is a contrast between 1. and 2. The ontological implications are quite distinct. If something is made of mental activity then that suggests that mental activity is a kind of stuff something can be made of. The implication is that this is a different stuff than the body is made of (especially in the context of manomaya kāya). On the other hand if something is made by, or made in, mental activity, then it does not imply a separate stuff. Hamilton emphasises that in schemes like the khandhas, the interest is not in what a human is, in terms of substances, but in only in terms of the structure of human experience. And even the elements (mahābhūta) from which we are made are defined experientially (e.g. earth is characterised by resistance, colour, etc). In the Aṅguttara Nikāya commentary we find this gloss of manomaya: manena nibbattitaṃ "constructed by the mind" (Manorathapūraṇiyā 1.209) indicating that Buddhaghosa also understood the instrumental to apply. This means that we expect manomaya to mean "made by mental activity". Now we must look more closely at how it is used in practice to see if this is correct.
Hamilton tackles the term in four contexts:
Dhammapada 1 & 2.
A single case of manomaya referring to manodhātu.
As a synonym for the cosmological rūpadhātu, in which there is no ontological discontinuity between the body (rūpa) and the mind (arūpa).
The idea of a manomaya kāya in meditation.
For the purposes of studying the Buddhist afterlife, it is the last two the mainly concern us, while and 4. will form part of a subsequent essay on manomaya kāya. However we need to establish the parameters of what is meant by manomaya.
1. In the case of Dhammapada my analysis, based as it is on Hamilton's second book (2000), is close in spirit to the analysis found in her first book (1996). The conclusion is that manomayā dhammā means that experiences are made by mental activity, or, in other words reliant on mental processes. Dhammas are mind-y or mind-ish. This is not Idealism because experiences are also reliant on sense objects, which do not depend on mental activity. The emphasis on mental activity is methodological, because freedom from automatic responses to sense objects comes from a disciplined mind. Hence mental activity takes precedence (mano pubbaṅgamā). The contrast is explicitly between manas and dhammā. We might see this as a contrast between sense faculty (indriya) and sense objects (ālambanā), but the focus of the first lines of both Dhp 1 & 2 seems to be on mental activity generally and experiences generally. The other two padas however, are not about having experiences, but about acting on them. Mano precedes dhammās, but it is the state of mind in which one acts that determine whether we subsequently experience sukha or dukkha (see also AN i.11). Hamilton argues that to translate manas as "mind" here is a mistake of reification. The sense is more like "thinking" as an action rather than mind an entity; or thinking that sets actions in motion.
2. In the case of manomaya related to manodhātu Hamilton cites a verse from SN iv.71 (SN 35:94):
Papañca-saññā itarītarā narā,
Papañca-yantā upayanti saññino;
Mano-mayaṃ geha-sitañca sabbaṃ,
Panujja nekkhamma-sitaṃ irīyati.
Men with any perceptions of proliferation,
Approach the workings of proliferation connected with perception;
And dispelling everything mind-made connected with home;
They proceed to a life of renunciation.
Hamilton sees this as referring to "the fact that all saṃsāric phenomena are processed by the manodhātu" (143). That is, experience is conditioned by (maya) the mind (manas). My reading of pada b and my translation are somewhat different from Hamilton (and from Bodhi). I read papañca-yantā as "the workings or mechanisms (yanta) of proliferation (papañca)." In other words the verse suggests that once one begins to realise just how reactive mental activity is, one starts to lose interest in worldly things and wants more and more to follow up the insights, and this naturally leads to a renunciate lifestyle. Mano-maya is explicitly related "the home" (geha) as a metonym for all that is connected with ordinary daily life (with all its attachments). In other words here mental activity is responsible for proliferation and thus suffering.
This point warrants a brief digression. Experience is never "direct", despite the claims of some Buddhists. Experience is always a construct (e.g. of indriya, ālambana, and vijñāna); always mediated by mental activity; and only some aspects of experience are ever presented to awareness. Even in what we think of as integrated states such as jhāna, we stop experiencing the mundane sensual sensation (stop hearing the sounds around, stop experiencing our body) and become absorbed in the sensations associated with the object of meditation. What we are aware of is always partial, and always mediated by manas. Hamilton points out (143) that all experience, including experiences like insight, involves manas: "manodhātu is the door through which saṃsāra is subjectively experienced." And this is the reason experience is termed manomaya.
3.1 The Vedic Background
In order to establish a basis for relation between manomaya and the cosmological rūpadhātu (as distinct from the sensory experience of rūpa), Hamilton surveys various Vedic references to the power of the mind. For example in Ṛgveda X.129.4 desire is the first seed of mental activity. "The power of the mind originates in the process of thinking, or willing" (144). However, even in similar Upaniṣadic expressions the context is still ritual rather than ethical. "Desire" means the intense concentration of the sacrificer on the desired object of the sacrifice (very often a good afterlife). However, more of the power of the mind is associated with knowing: "Knowledge of a thing gives power over it, and the importance of knowledge underlies the sacrificial rationale: it is knowledge which gives the ritual actions their power" (145).
The word manomaya itself occurs only once in Ṛgveda at RV 10.85.12 which describes the marriage of Sūryā (daughter of the Sun) and Soma: "Sūryā mounted a chariot made of thought as she went to her husband" (áno manasmáyaṃ sūryā́, ā́rohat prayatī́ pátim) [Doniger's translation]. As with all the Ṛgveda sūktas, what this means is open to interpretation. However there is another word manoratha, a chariot of the mind, which means 'a wish, a desire' especially one expressed indirectly. Along with Radich (2007: 225 - he cites a work in Japanese at this point) I think we can see this as the bride's enthusiasm to begin her sexual life with her husband. The Ṛgveda is unembarrassed about such things.
In Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (BU) 4.4.5 we find the following passage reminiscent of Dhp 1-2:
sa vā ayam ātmā brahma vijñānamayo manomayo prāṇamayaś cakṣurmayaḥ śrotramayaḥ pṛthivīmaya āpomayo vāyumaya ākāśamayas tejomayo 'tejomayaḥ kāmamayo 'kāmamayaḥ krodhamayo 'krodhamayo dharmamayo 'dharmamayaḥ sarvamayaḥ |
The ātman is brahman: made of consciousness, made of mind, made of breath, made of the eye, made of ear, made of earth, made of water, made of wind, made of space, made of light, made of darkness, made of desire, made of non-desire, made of anger, made of non-anger, made of Dharma, made of non-Dharma, made of everything.
Note here the implication is very much "made of", but this is a passage from an Upaniṣad that is concerned with ontology, thus identical terms can take different meanings. The passage is part of a discussion of karma and rebirth which may well have influenced Buddhist ideas (BU 4.4). Hamilton notes that the first three items on the list (vijñānamaya, manomaya, and prāṇamaya) are taken up by the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (2.3) as an analysis of human existence. Breath makes up the bodily self; within this is a mind-made (manomaya) self; and within this again is a consciousness-made self (vijñānamaya). Hamilton sees this as evidence of existence on various levels of subtlety and density. While the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (CU 6.5) speaks of three modes of existence: coarse (sthaviṣṭha), medium (madhyama) and subtlest (aṇiṣṭha). She says, "In corresponding to an intermediate subtle level of cosmological existence, manomaya therefore also corresponds to an intermediate stage on the path to liberation." (146)
Each more subtle mode seems to exist within the less subtle, suggesting concentric layers. Late Vedic existence, then, has three layers. There is an interesting difference in old and new Vedic views on the cosmos that Hamilton does not pick up on. The old Vedic cosmos was separated into earth, sky (literally 'between'), and heaven (pṛthivī, antarīkṣa, and svarga). These were layers of a flat universe one on top of the other, with fire-based rituals (yajña) providing a way of bridging the gap. The new Vedic cosmos of the Upaniṣads is radically different in its geometry. This universe originates at a singularity in the heart (likened to a cave) where ātman dwells. From this central point the universe expands out in all directions. Whereas old Vedic ritual homologies enabled the sacrificer to ensure ṛta (roughly 'harmony') in the cosmos by performing the appropriate actions in the ritual; the new Vedic ātman centred universe was identified with, and established on the basis of, brahman. The one who identified with ātman in themselves, not only identified with the whole cosmos (idaṃ sarvaṃ), but, through the magic of homology, they actually became the whole cosmos. In Ṛgveda 10.90 the universe is created by the carving up of the primordial man (Puruṣa) as a sacrificial victim. In the Upaniṣads the integrated individual becomes the whole cosmos. This meant that using fire rituals to bridge the layers was unnecessary, because actually being the whole cosmos, obviates the need for anything so crude. Hamilton emphasises that there are no ontological discontinuities in either the old three tiered or the new concentric cosmos. However the early Upaniṣadic accounts of this cosmos are not systematic or even consistent.
Explicit reference to a subtle body (liṅga śarīra or sūkṣma śarīra) is rare, in fact singular, in the early Upaniṣads, but common in later Upaniṣads and in the commentaries of Śaṅkara. "Śaṅkara clearly identifies the manomaya body with the subtle body" (148). The equivalent word/words do not occur in Pali, even in the commentaries. We'll have to return to the subject of possible cross pollination with non-Buddhist religious ideas about subtle bodies in the next essay.
Buddhists analyse a person into one rūpakkhandha (masses of form) and four arūpakkhandha (masses without form). However Hamilton is quick to emphasise that, again, this is not an ontological distinction, not indicative of substance dualism (despite what many Buddhists think). From the Buddhist point of view all of the khandhas are experiential and all have the same nature, i.e. they are all impermanent, disappointing and insubstantial (in the sense of not providing a suitable anchor point for self identification). Despite later trends in Buddhist thought, rūpa/arūpa is an epistemological rather than ontological statement. Both impermanence and dependent arising are specifically features of mental activity in early Buddhist texts. In this worldview, though we are certain about the conditioned nature of experience, we are still none the wiser as to the nature of objects or the nature of the mind. But, as Hamilton says, this doesn't matter because: "What the phenomena are, in the ultimate sense, is irrelevant to attaining liberating insight" (149). This limitation on the domain of application of Buddhist ideas in early Buddhism is vital to understanding the basic metaphysics of early Buddhism. The philosophical problems involved in trying to generalise this observation about mental activity as a Theory of Everything are huge.
Buddhists also divided the "world" into three (flat) layers: kāmadhātu, rūpadhātu and arūpadhātu. However Buddhists added a twist in creating homologies between cosmological and psychological experiences. Each layer corresponds both to a realm or collection of realms in which beings can be reborn and to levels or states of meditation. Beings born in the various sub-levels of the kāmadhātu have form (rūpa) and experience sensual desire; and this corresponds to everyday consciousness. In the singular rūpadhātu beings have form (though it's not yet clear what this means); this corresponds to first four 'rūpa' jhānas which are characterised by increasing integration (samādhi) of the mind and the falling away of mental activity leaving equanimity. Finally in the various levels of arūpadhātu, beings who are formless and corresponds to the second lot of four 'arūpa' jhānas.
In the Ariyapariyesana Sutta the Buddha remarks that attaining the ākiñcaññāyatana (the sphere of nothingness; aka the third arūpajhāna) only leads to ākiñcaññāyatanūpapatti which literally means "rebirth in the sphere of nothingness"; where the verbal noun upapatti is the word most often used in connection with action of being reborn. The main sense is probably that having attained the ākiñcaññāyatana all that results is coming and going between ordinary awareness and ākiñcaññāyatana. There is no permanent radical reorientation of the psyche that we would usually equate with nibbāna. However, there is a implication of literal rebirth in the arūpadhātu or formless realm which corresponds to the psychological state.
Although the levels are to some extent reified into actual rebirth destinations, and elaborated on in this vein by commentators, this model seems to have been used as a metaphor for spiritual progress with increasing levels of attainment, purity, subtlety, and integration. Still there is no ontological distinction between the levels, they represent milestones on a continuous spectrum of attainment. Hamilton is thus cautious about the reading of, say, rūpadhātu as a literal place of rebirth which would have stronger ontological implications. There is some tension here between what seems to be implied by the suttas and how later Buddhists read the suttas. At some point Buddhists (including Māhāyānikas) abandoned any ontological reticence they had about rebirth realms.
3.2 Manomaya in the Pāḷi Suttas.
The term manomaya, then, is already in use in late Vedic texts which pre-date Buddhism and might reasonable be thought to influence early Buddhists. In Pali it is used in a similar way in the Poṭṭhapāda Sutta (DN 9). Poṭṭhapāda asks the Buddha if self (attan) and mental activity (saññā) are the same thing or different. Asked in turn what kind of self (attan) he believes in Poṭṭhapāda (described as a paribbājaka), declares three successive kinds of self, each of which is criticised by the Buddha.
"Oḷārikaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, attānaṃ paccemi rūpiṃ cātumahābhūtikaṃ kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkhan" ti
I believe in a material self (oḷārika attan), Bhante, with form (rūpa), the four main elements and nourished by material food
"Manomayaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, attānaṃ paccemi sabbaṅgapaccaṅgiṃ ahīnindriyan" ti.
I believe in a mind-made self (manomaya attan) with a complete set of limbs and functioning senses.
"Arūpiṃ kho ahaṃ, bhante, attānaṃ paccemi saññāmayan" ti
I believe in a formless self (arūpin attan) made of mental activity.
In each case the Buddha responds that:
Evaṃ santaṃ kho te, poṭṭhapāda, aññāva saññā bhavissati añño attā.... atha imassa purisassa aññā ca saññā uppajjanti, aññā ca saññā nirujjhanti. Iminā kho etaṃ, poṭṭhapāda, pariyāyena veditabbaṃ yathā aññāva saññā bhavissati añño attā" ti.
That being so, Poṭṭhapāda, saññā would be one thing and attan another... then [given such a self] some mental activity would arise in a person, and some would cease. The situation would be understood this way: saññā is one thing and attan is another.
A couple of little notes. The word attan has several references: it can mean body (as it might do here). Hīnidriya, i.e. hīna-indriya, means 'defective senses'. In the compound saññāmaya we're not entirely sure what saññā means. It can mean 'name'; 'the mind' (i.e. mental activity) generally, and the mental activity of 'perception' (or apperception) specifically. Walsh translates 'perception', but I think the more general sense probably applies here and have translated appropriately.
The main point here is that however one conceives of the self in relation to the three modes of existence, the self and mental activity are not identical. The reason is obvious to Buddhist thinkers: mental activity arises and passes away and a self is said to be permanent. Nothing that arises and passes away can be the permanent self. Or, the immortal soul cannot be found in experience (and for Buddhists experience is the only source of knowledge). Indeed the preceding paragraph in the Poṭṭhapāda Sutta establishes that knowledge arises on the specific condition of saññā:
"saññā paṭhamaṃ uppajjati, pacchā ñāṇaṃ, saññuppādā ca pana ñāṇuppādo hotī" ti
Mental activity arises first, knowledge arises after; and from the arising of mental activity knowledge arises.
With that proviso this passage seems as though it might reflect a view similar to that in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad above, where manomaya attan reflects the Sanskrit manomaya ātman idea of a subtle body. But note that here the Buddha rejects the idea as irrelevant to his liberation project.
Later in the text (DN i.197-202) the Buddha acknowledges the three types of attan: here referred to as attapaṭilābha 'acquired self'. The commentary glosses attapaṭilābha = attabhāva and Hamilton associates each with a level of existence (and we can additionally relate these to the three levels of the cosmos):
oḷārika attapaṭilābha = kāmabhava ~ kāmadhātu
manomaya attapaṭilābha = rūpabhava ~ rūpadhātu
arūpa attapaṭilābha = arūpabhava ~ arūpadhātu
However in each case the Buddha is more concerned with the contradictions of identifying aspects of experience with the self, and with how to get rid of such an idea of self. One gets the sense here that the Buddha is taking his interlocutors beliefs on face value and then turning the conversation on its head by showing that there is nothing desirable about any form of existence; and what's more the Buddha's teaching can be used to end (pahāna) all forms of existence. Thus I think here that Hamilton dwells too much on the characteristics of the different types of attapaṭilābha. They might be someone's view, but they don't form part of the early Buddhist worldview.
The Brahmajāla Sutta (DN 1), in its parody of Brahmanical belief, talks about beings born in the ābhassaro brahmā world who are mind-made. They feed on rapture (pīti), are self-luminous (sayaṃpabho), move through the intermediate realm (antalikkha-caro) and are beautiful (subhaṭṭhāyin). In other words they fit the sort of paradigm of floaty, ethereal, disembodied beings, like angels. The same passage occurs in the Mahāvastu (I'll deal with this along with other non-Pali Buddhist sources). Though note that they move through the intermediate realm (Skt antarīkṣa) which in Vedic thought is between heaven (svarga or devaloka) and earth. Does this mean that they move freely between the two? In Buddhist cosmology Brahmā beings are usually higher than devas in the hierarchy, not lower. Certainly devas are frequently portrayed as visiting the Buddha, so perhaps this requires freedom of movement through the antarīkṣa?
As the text is a parody of the whole idea of a creator god, we should be cautious of taking this sequence too seriously as cosmology. The terminology appears to drawn from Vedic mythology. However later Buddhists seem to have lost the sense of these stories and reified them: the mythic Brahmā world of the Upaniṣads and Purāṇa texts, where it represents the goal of the religious life of the Brahmins, becomes a saṃsāric, but literal rebirth destination (gati) for Buddhists.
Another passage in the Majjhima Nikāya (MN i.410) uses manomaya with reference to devas. Here there is an argument over the existence of immaterial realms (āruppā). Āruppa here is a substantive in -ya from arūpa 'formless', and roughly means 'formlessness'. Strangely enough, here the Buddha claims not to be in a position to answer the question on the existence or not of an arūpa realm, which contrasts with other times when, for example, he apparently personally travels to Brahmā's realm. He argues that whether or not there is an āruppā, there is still the possibility of rebirth in the rūpadhātu:
ye te devā rūpino manomayā, apaṇṇakaṃ me tatrūpapatti bhavissati.
I might still be reborn amongst the those mind-made devas with form.
But the point of this discussion here is captured right at the end
So iti paṭisaṅkhāya rūpānaṃyeva nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya paṭipanno hoti.
Considering that this is so, he practices being fed up with forms, turning away from forms, and the cessation of forms.
Again the point is not to affirm or deny rūpadhātu or manomaya devas, but to orient people who have such beliefs away from kāmadhātu. Presumably having a belief in heaven is being leveraged to focus believers away from sense pleasure towards more refined types of pleasure (such as jhāna). The same sutta contains a number of similar arguments. The disputes about ontology do not need to be resolved for someone to practice Buddhist methods, nor does successful attainment of the goal rely on resolving such disputes.
In this connection one also thinks of Nanda and the dove-footed nymphs (Ud 3.2). The Buddha's cousin Nanda had become a monk but was thinking of giving up the homeless life because he found it too difficult. When asked why he says that as he was leaving a lovely Śākya women had said to him, "hurry back noble son" (tuvaṭaṃ kho, ayyaputta, āgaccheyyāsī’ti). The memory of her was making celibacy and austerity painful for him. So the Buddha uses his magical powers to take Nanda to the heaven of the thirty-three devas (devesu tāvatiṃsesu). There he saw 500 celestial goddesses ((pañca accharāsatāni) with feet of doves (kakuṭapādāni). Having seen these heavenly beauties he reassessed his opinion of ordinary beautiful women and found he could continue to practice and the shift of his attention, though apparently (to his fellow bhikkhus) still on attachment to pleasure, soon resulted in his liberation from craving. The point of this story is the same. One way to become disenchanted with ordinary sense pleasures is to begin to experience the bliss of higher states of consciousness (jhāna). Having experienced the bliss which has a cosmological counterpart in the deva realms, one will find ordinary sense pleasures uninteresting.
As far we can see the word mano-maya means 'made by the mental activity' rather than 'made of/in or from mental activity'. In other words there is no suggestion of ontological dualism inherent in the phrase. This observation notwithstanding, many Buddhists have chosen to interpret manomaya as having a dualistic connotation because they are ideologically committed to ontological dualism. And having made that commitment it is almost impossible to argue with them, since no evidence is available or required for belief in an immaterial "mind" entity. Dualism is not susceptible to reasoned argument. It is far easier to explain the afterlife if one starts from a position of dualism. In previous essays I've looked at why people have a predilection for post-mortem continuity and at some reasons dualist beliefs are so prevalent. It's not that difficult to understand. It's easy to imagine where such beliefs come from and why they persist into our era when science seems to so dominant as a way of understanding the world. But it also means that the kind of metaphysical problems that emerge when trying to think about the afterlife are bound to emerge.
Mano-maya seems generally to apply to supernatural beings only (except in one case where it seems to refer to the mental process of proliferation or papañca). Especially it applies to devas, and often to the most refined kind of devas (thought there is some confusion over whether it applies to both rūpadhātu and arūpadhātu. And at least some of the early texts are not asserting the existence of such devas, or that form of existence, they are stipulating them for the sake of argument and using the idea of higher, divine pleasures as a way to help people detach themselves from lower, sensual pleasures. One of the most important stories (repeated in a number of suttas) is a clear parody of Brahmanical belief about how the universe began.
Buddhists took the idea that mental events (dhammā) are made by the mind (Dhp 1-2) with its lack of ontological connotation; combined them with existing cosmology and tried to turn it into a post-mortem ontology. And this leads us to the topic of the next essay which is the idea of a manomayakāya, a mind-made body.
~~oOo~~
Hamilton, Sue. (1996) Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being According to Early Buddhism. Luzac Oriental.
Hamilton, Sue. (2000) Early Buddhism : a new approach. The I of the beholder. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon.
Lee, Sumi. (2014) 'The Meaning of ‘Mind-made Body’ (S. manomaya-kāya, C. yisheng shen 意生身) in Buddhist Cosmological and Soteriological systems'. Buddhist Studies Review. 31(1): 65-90.
Labels: Afterlife , manomaya , Ontology
Common Credulity
generic virus image
There's nothing like having a common cold to bring out the voodoo in one's friends. As I write this I'm a week into a cold, the first for well over a year. I've had a bad sore throat, aches and pains, and now I'm starting to get swollen sinuses and excessive mucus production. Classic viral infection. It's a story that must have been playing out in humans for 10's of 1000s of years. Apparently there are over 200 variations of the viruses that cause the range of symptoms that we call "a cold". We call it a "cold" or a "chill" because historically we thought that cold damp air upset the four bodily humours, and caused the symptoms. Some people still think that being cold and damp causes colds, though this is not true.
One of the main recommended therapies, as I'm sure readers will know, is vitamin C and lots of it. Tell someone you have a cold and like a Jehovah Witness on the doorstep asking if you "know Jesus", they will ask you if you're taking Vitamin C, because "It helps me so much when I have a cold". Hallelujah!
We have Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling to thank for popularising Vitamin C. Back in 1970 he published a book called "Vitamin C and the Common Cold" which made some rather bold claims. Unfortunately the studies he based his book on have subsequently been discredited (by one of the authors of the study cited below). However he stimulated interest and since then many trials of varying have been conducted, but usually with confusing results. The way to deal with confusing results to do a review: combine all the studies done over a period and see what the averages look like. One of the largest ever reviews of research on Vitamin C was published in 2013.
Hemilä, Harri & Chalker, Elizabeth. (2013) 'Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold.' The Cochrane Library. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4
This study showed no prophylactic effect, but some minor therapeutic effect. Excluding trials that were not randomised or double blind, the researches examined many studies with thousands of participants. They concluded:
"... regular supplementation had a modest but consistent effect in reducing the duration of common cold symptoms, which is based on 31 study comparisons with 9745 common cold episodes."
but that...
"Trials of high doses [in the order of 8000mg] of vitamin C administered therapeutically, starting after the onset of symptoms, showed no consistent effect on the duration or severity of common cold symptoms."
The regular supplement was between 200 mg and 2000 mg with the most common dose being 1000 mg. The mean reduction in the duration of the cold symptoms for adults was 7.7% (ranging between 4 and 12%). Thus if my present cold lasts 14 days (which seems to be normal for me in the UK) I could expect a reduction in the duration of my symptoms of approximately one day from taking 1000 mg of vitamin C per day. Taking doses of 8000 mg per day showed no increased benefit unless one was a marathon runner (or similar) in which case it was associated with a moderately lower the risk of infection. One day out of 14 is hardly spectacular and is certainly well under the perceived benefit that people claim to gain from taking it. Mind you the study showed considerable variation. It might be almost twice as much (almost 2 days out of 14), but it might be half as much.
Something else to keep in mind is that with 200 separate viral agents causing a wide range of symptoms there is no standardised time that a cold lasts. Two people could even be infected with the same virus, at the same time, and still have symptoms of varying duration because of factors unknown. Of course scientists use control groups and statistical analysis to try to determine what is significant, but when every case of the common cold is different it's important not to overstate the value of these studies. For a lay person, dosing themselves with store-bought vitamin C and no control group, its not really possible to make sensible deductions about the efficacy of the stuff on their illness. Most of the studies that have been conducted have in fact been inconclusive or contradictory. Many of the studies conducted in the immediate aftermath of Pauling's book found no evidence at all for therapeutic effects of vitamin C. It's only in a large review that some clarity emerges.
So if the measurable effect is roughly one day in 14 why do people absolutely swear by Vitamin C and hawk it like bible-thumping evangelists? As pointed out in my précis of work on reason by Mercier & Sperber, we humans are very poor at solo reasoning tasks. Reason is a process that seems to have evolved for small groups to make collective decisions. One person proposes as idea and presents all the evidence for it (and thus confirmation bias is a feature of reasoning, not a bug), while other group members critique the idea and/or propose alternatives. Reasoning helps lead a small group to a decision. It does not necessarily lead to the truth or the Truth, but simply helps a small group decide what actions to take. Presumably the results of previous decisions play a part in critiquing the idea, but most of us simply cannot both propose and idea and critique it at the same time. Thus it's natural to argue for a remedy like vitamin C if one believes in it and to martial all the facts at one's disposal to support the argument. It's just that people making arguments find it hard to look beyond facts that confirm there argument. And it's up the rest of the group to come up with counter arguments. When a meme like "vitamin C is good for colds" becomes popular (due to a Noble laureate describing it as a panacea) then there are few people making the counter-argument and the reasoning process simply fails to work. There is no one to play the Devil's advocate and without that a theory cannot be properly thought about, let alone tested.
There is another possibility. I don't have my copy to hand, but there is an interesting supplement in Ariel Glucklich's book The End of Magic to do with perceptions of time. While studying tantric healers in Varanasi, he also came to know some divers. These men free dived from rowing boats to find treasure on the bottom of the Ganges (I think it might have been gold from corpses, but the reason is immaterial). Asked how long they could hold their breath these men answered in all sincerity "15-20 minutes". Which is incredible! Or it would be if it were true. In fact when timed they were under for about 5 minutes, which is about the physiological limit and similar to pearl divers and others to do this for a living. So where they lying? Glucklich concluded that they were not lying, but their sense of time when underwater became distorted. The diving is in fact quite dangerous as the river has strong currents and a huge amount of debris. Diving stretches the body's physiology, but when you add danger it magnifies the effect. Subjectively the divers experienced the time as much longer than the more objective observer sitting safely on the boat with a stop-watch.
I wonder if something similar happens to the ill person? Being ill seems interminable. I for one sleep badly when I have a cold and feel wretched for days on end primarily because of this. Perhaps time perception is altered. And something which promises to reduce the time of suffering becomes subjectively inflated. I wonder if an effect like this could be measured?
Science Reporting
Part of the problem is the way such science is reported. This particular study seems to have been widely and wildly reported. The Daily Mail summed it up this way:
"Taking vitamin C DOES reduce the risk of a cold - but only if you exercise
Vitamin makes no difference to couch potatoes
But in those who work out, it can HALVE the risk of a cold and help speed up recovery, say Finnish experts
Children are more responsive to the vitamin than adults"
Remembering that the "exercise" referred to was marathon running and the associated doses of vitamin C were in the order of 8000 mg which is 10,000 times the daily requirement for the stuff in the body. The result doesn't apply to the kind of moderate exercise that most people manage. In fact they chose not to focus on the result in the way that I have, i.e. on the demonstrable (if variable) therapeutic effectiveness of vitamin C in reducing the duration of symptoms. That was a more positive story. The Mail, generally speaking, is a right-wing paper with an agenda that includes demonising the poor and unhealthy. It is famous for regularly featuring front page stories on the latest cause of cancer or cure for cancer, with a preference for the former. In the Mail's world everything is either a cause or cure of cancer. The slightest hint that a substance, or especially a food, causes cancer and it goes on the front page. So for them it's natural to see the story as a criticism of "couch potatoes" and to focus on the negative side of health stories.
Another right-wing paper that loves health science stories, The Telegraph, reported that "Britons are wasting million of pounds buying vitamin C supplements to ward off colds after researchers found they have no benefit at all." This lack of prophylactic effect is consistent with the present study, but note the contradictory message compared with our other story. The review cited above is also referred to in the Telegraph story though no link is provided to the study. On the other hand another study shows that a small zinc sulphate supplement did seem to offer some protection from colds in some children. Though if you read carefully the author of this study carefully hedges the benefits of zinc with a "possibly". Zinc possibly prevents colds. "Might" is a long way from "does". Another more thorough report on the same study (chosen at random from many) says:
"[lead researcher] Allan concedes, “I certainly don’t want to be telling parents to put their children on zinc every day to prevent the common cold. The research is not very robust.” [emphasis added]
Why does one report on this research contain the words "The research is not very robust" and one not? Clearly reported news is not objective and one has to take into account what message the editor of the publication is trying to send. In this case the Telegraph wants to tell Britons they are idiots for spending money on cold remedies. And if we want to see the original report? From yet another source we (finally) learn that "the review is published in the Jan. 27 issue of Canadian Medical Association Journal." And this enables us to identify it as:
G. Michael Allan and Bruce Arroll. 'Prevention and treatment of the common cold: making sense of the evidence.' CMAJ (published ahead of print January 27, 2014).
But this is not available for free online reading (unlike the previous study). So the average person simply hits a dead end at this point. There is no way to check what the journalist is saying, and in the case of the Telegraph the journalist has clearly mislead the reader. If you search for research on this subject the results vary so wildly that it is very confusing. How is a lay person supposed to make an informed decision? The simple answer is that we don't. We almost never do. We decide based on what we already know, what our friends and family say, and some fairly random research on Google. Most of us are not able to assess the reliability of the information. It's an invidious position to be in.
Happily the large meta-analysis is free online, and these large studies of studies are probably the best way to assess the effectiveness of any given treatment. So we can rest assured that in the case of vitamin C it's worth taking when you have a cold.
I thought of this point having more or less finished the essay above. It might have been possible to weave into the main narrative, but in a way it works as a standalone comment because it highlights something about the public perception of medicines. Notwithstanding the poor standards of science reporting in the newspapers, the studies referred to above are very careful to eliminate the placebo effect by using double blinds and randomisation, so that even those administering the treatment don't know who is being given what. The placebo effect was first noticed because it skewed results in drug trials where the participants or the doctors knew what treatment was being given. When the patient believes that they are receiving an effective treatment that treatment is more likely to be effective and/or like to be more effective than if they believe they are getting no treatment (there's some suggestion that the knowledge of the administering doctor can also have an effect). From the scientists point of view this means they can be fooled into thinking that a drug is more effective than it is (they are really only interested in the chemistry and not the psychology of drugs they hand out).
Thus although the scientists are at pains to eliminate the placebo effect to describe only the effects of the drug that are due to it's chemistry, as a member of the public looking for an effective remedy one needs to make a slightly different calculation. Of course one wants to take an effective treatment, but the placebo effect means that a large factor in the effectiveness is that one believes the treatment is effective. In other words we have this equation:
Vitamin C + credulity with respect to vitamin C are (on average) more effective than vitamin C alone.
Of course no one measures this extra effectiveness, because the scientific credibility of drugs rests on their their chemical effects. But where it has been measured, the placebo effect is really quite a significant factor in health treatments.
Lay people might like to think of placebo as the credulity bonus. Doctors of course are supposed to be forbidden by moral codes from over-stating the effectiveness of drugs, despite the fact that many drugs -- like antibiotics and antidepressants -- are routinely over-prescribed. It would certainly be less harmful to prescribe vitamin C for colds than it is prescribing antibiotics. The excess vitamin C over the ~40mg or so recommended by the NHS is just excreted in urine and there are few side-effects even at relatively high doses.
next week it's back to limbo.
Labels: disease , Science , science reporting
Arguments For and Against Antarābhava.
One of the features of Buddhist rebirth beliefs under the microscope, is a great deal of disagreement and dissent between various Buddhist schools of thought and even internally to each school. This disagreement is seldom given sufficient attention. There is no single agreed account of rebirth or karma and I've already used this blog to highlight a number of disputes that in some cases are unresolved after more than 2000 years. In this essay I want to return to the subject of the antarābhava or interim state. I previously tackled in The Antarābhava or Interim State as a Vitalist Concept (11 July 2014) which critiqued the views of Sujato and Piya Tan. In this essay I will note some findings from an article by Qian Lin (2011) and another by Robert Kritzer (2000).
Lin points out that many of the traditional arguments for or against the existence of the antarābhava rely on lists of people who are called anāgāmin. Since this did play a central role in Piya Tan's apologetic for antarābhava and I glossed over it in my previous essay I will go into it in a lot more detail here. Lin surveys the relevant literature in Pali, Sanskrit, Gandhari, and Chinese and summarises the various lists of types of anāgāmin, giving information about the sectarian affiliations of the lists and discussing the discrepancies. He points out that even under close scrutiny, the history of the idea of antarābhava is unclear. We cannot tell which version of the antarābhava (or even no antarābhava) came first. I will make a comment on this at the end of this essay.
The word anāgāmin means "one who does not come [back]" (from ā√gam 'come') and is usually translated as "non-returner". In early Buddhist texts there are four types of noble disciples (P ariyapuggala): stream-entrants (P. sotāpanna), once-returners (sakadāgamin), non-returners (anāgāmin) and arahants. The various types are defined by which of the 10 fetters they have broken or weakened; and by how many rebirths they have yet to suffer in the kāmadhātu or sphere of sensual desire. The anāgāmin, having broken all of the five lower fetters, attains nibbāna without further rebirth in the kāmadhātu (hence they do not 'come back').
One thing to be aware of here is the Buddhist habit of working out permutations. If we have the unawakened and the awakened, the Buddhist exegetes had a penchant for listing all the possible states and treating each as if it were a real category. Another example is the paccekabuddha. It's unlikely that this category of awakened who did not teach has any basis in history (though compare Vinay Gupta), but if one is working through the possibilities, then this is one situation that can hypothetically exist. In all likelihood the anāgāmin is merely hypothetical (indeed the category is impossible to test). Thus although a lot of ink has been spilt over the interim realm based on the interpretation of this category, whatever the conclusion is, it has to be taken with a grain of salt. The discussion only makes sense within the religious parameters of Buddhism, and only follows the internal logic of Buddhism. It tells us nothing whatever about the world. That said, my task is to essay the various forms of afterlife believe held by Buddhists, so clarifying this aspect of Buddhist belief is important for a complete history of the idea.
To complicate matters there are canonical and post-canonical lists of subtypes of anāgāmin which vary in unpredictable ways: for example they may have the same list items but in a different order, and some philological problems remain with the texts, so that some terms are unclear in meaning. In these lists there are five sub-types of anāgāmin, of which one called antarāparinirvāyin which must mean something like "one who is liberated in-between". In other languages:
Pāli antarāparinibbāyin
Gāndhāri aṃtarapariṇivaï
Chinese 中般涅槃
Texts grouped by list type with school affiliation
(see Lin p.165)
The crux of the subsequent argument rests precisely on the question, "Between what?" The situation becomes more complicated as even the subtypes are sub-divided so that there are three kinds of antarāparinirvāyin. There are various approaches to explaining a total of seven sub-types of anāgāmin and there are three different lists of seven (the texts the different lists appear in along with their sectarian affiliation are represented in the table, right). The most prominent is the Pali Purisagati (Destination of Men) Sutta (AN 7.55; iv.70-4). This describes each type in terms of their practice, their level of realisation and uses a simile to illustrate the differences. Of the various lists all have the antarāparinirvāyin as the first member, but they are spread over a number of texts related to a range of different schools.
The Case Against Antarābhava
Lin surveys two main interpretations of the lists of anāgāmin types. The first occurs in the Aṅguttara Nikāya and the Chinese Madhyāgama and utilises the Iron Bowl Simile. In this simile an iron bowl (ayokapāle) is heated all day and struck with a hammer (Lin may have based his discussion on the Chinese counterpart in the Madhyāgama, as he discusses the simile in terms of an iron "slab": 159-60). The fate of the anāgāmin is likened to a chip or spark which flies off. For the sake of brevity, we'll stick to the similes for the antarāparinirvāyin anāgāmin. Struck by the hammer the chip...
arises and is extinguished (nibbattitvā nibbāyeyya)
arises, flies up, and is extinguished (nibbattitvā uppatitvā nibbāyeyya)
arises, flies up, strikes the floor, and is extinguished (nibbattitvā uppatitvā anupahacca talaṃ nibbāyeyya).
The traditional Theravāda interpretation of the antarāparinirvāyin anāgāmin found in the Puggalapaññatti is that the practitioner is reborn as a deva in the rūpadhātu and achieves liberation there before mid-life. This is consistent with the Theravāda view outlined above. "In-between" here is literally taken to mean the mid-point of life (in the rūpadhātu) i.e. between deaths. The 舍利億䰓誾曇論 = *Śāriptrābhidharma (T 1548) associated with the Dharmaguptaka Sect has a similar interpretation. Note that here that nibbattitvā is from nir√vṛt and nibbāyeyya is from nir√vā, and thus despite superficial similarities (rv > bb in Pali) the two words are not etymologically related.
Theravāda exegesis, particularly the Abhidhamma text, Kathāvatthu, explicitly denies the possibility of an antarābhava (Kv 361-5; Aung & Rhys Davids 1960: 212-213). A major problem with antarābhava from the Theravāda point of view is that the word is not found in the suttas. The whole idea of an antarābhava is in conflict with models such as the khandhas and the possible destinations for rebirth (gati). It is never mentioned as a gati. There is also the huge problem of continuity. For the Theravādin Ābhidhammikas the continuity of the viññānasota or stream of consciousness can only be maintained if rebirth is instantaneous: the last moment of consciousness in the dying person (cuticitta) must be the direct condition for the arising of the first moment of consciousness (paṭisandhicitta) in the new person. The more so because the cuticitta and the paṭisandhicitta have the same object (ālambana), as does any subsequent moment of bhavaṅgacitta (resting-state mental activity). If this series is interrupted the whole Theravāda model of how karma produces rebirth, including their solution to Action at a Temporal Distance, breaks down. So, historically, Theravādins reject the antarābhava on both scriptural and logical grounds.
Even so, in practice many modern day Theravādins accept the existence of an antarābhava, as noted in my previous essay. Lin cites the study by Rita Langer (2007: 82-84) which records that in Sri Lanka most lay people and many bhikkhus, against Theravāda orthodoxy, believe in an antarābhava. This ties in with local folk beliefs about the afterlife. Prolific translator Bodhi also seems to accept the idea of an antarābhava in his Aṅguttara Nikāya translation (see 2012: 1782 n.1536). Blogger and writer, Sujato also seems to accept it. Sujato (2010) glosses the Theravāda arguments against antarābhava and concludes:
"These arguments sound suspiciously post hoc. The real reason for the opposition to the in-between state would seem rather that it sounds suspiciously like an animist or Self theory."
While he is correct to be suspicious of vitalist or animist theories, he does not consider impact of discontinuity between beings on viññānasota (i.e. the destruction of the whole mechanism for karma carefully worked out by the Theravāda Ābhidhammikas). For Sujato the clinching argument comes from a single reference in the Kutuhalasāla Sutta (SN 44.9)
‘And further, master Gotama, when a being has laid down this body, but has not yet been reborn in another body, what does the master Gotama declare to be the fuel?’
‘Vaccha, when a being has laid down this body, but has not yet been reborn in another body, it is fuelled by craving, I say. For, Vaccha, at that time, craving is the fuel.’ [Sujato's translation]
His note shows that at least one of the Chinese counterparts to this text does not imply any gap. They also show that this passage is overlooked by the Kathāvatthu discussion. The question, then, is did this text even exist at that time? Sujato concludes that:
"the Buddha, following ideas current in his time – for Vacchagotta was a non-Buddhist wanderer (paribbājaka) – accepted that there was some kind of interval between one life and the next."
Apart from general caveats about what the Buddha might or might not have believed being entirely obscured by history, we must concede that this sutta is phrased in such a way as to allow for the idea that the author might have accepted a gap between death and rebirth. However note that Buddhaghosa glosses this by saying it refers to the moment (khaṇa) when between death (cuti) and arising of the paṭisandhicitta (SNA 3.114), i.e. Buddhaghosa is concerned to preserve the integrity of the viññāṇasota.
The context here resists the interpretation of antarābhava. Vacchagotta is involved in speculation about where famous people have been reborn or even if they have been reborn at all. The question raised is about rebirth generally, about how rebirth can occur at all. Vacchagotta's doubt is specifically related to not being reborn, he is perplexed about how someone is not reborn. In the metaphor "Fire burns with fuel, not without fuel" (aggi saupādāno jalati, no anupādāno). The metaphorical distance between one fire and the next is spatial not temporal. In answer to the question, what causes fire to spread across space and ignite new fires, the answer is wind (vāto), the archetype of physical movement. The wind element causes fires to spread. To then read the question about rebirth in temporal terms, as explaining a time gap between bodies (kāya) is to misunderstand the metaphor. The question, really, is about what drives a person (satta) from body to body (note the metaphysics of the question are still not orthodox Buddhism).
On the other hand it is de rigueur for Buddhists to allow the beliefs of their interlocutors to stand in an argument without disputing them, but to turn the conversation away from the content of beliefs towards practice. Thus when in the Tevijja Sutta the Buddha declares to the two Brahmin students that, unlike their own teachers, he definitely does know Brahmā, Brahmā's world and the way to Brahmā's world, we need not take the author literally. He is using the language of the theistic Brahmins without contention because his purpose is not to dispute metaphysics, but to direct attention to experience. Now, when the author of the Kutuhalasāla Sutta puts these words in Gotama's mouth he does not waste time having Gotama refute the metaphysics of rebirth, but simply gives the standard answer as to the condition for all kinds of rebirth: if one has any kind of existence the primary condition for that is craving. It's not, as Sujato seems to imply, that craving (taṇha) is a special kind of fuel (upādāna) for existence in the antarābhava. Craving is what keeps the rounds of rebirth turning. Taṇha is always the upādāna for bhava.
So if we see the Buddha answering a general question about rebirth in terms of an otherwise absent idea of antarābhava it really doesn't make sense. We cannot from such obscure and difficult passages claim to know the mind of the Buddha. In terms of Theravāda metaphysics, another kind of being in a previously unmentioned interim state is a philosophical disaster: the whole Abhidhamma model of karma collapses (which effectively means that Theravāda Buddhism collapses because answers to so many other questions ride on the model of karma). This means that even if some Theravādins believe in an antarābhava they are left with the task of reconstructing the whole of Theravāda metaphysics to account for it. In the process they abandon Buddhaghosa. Though we can see that antarābhava is attractive, it's clear that the implications of the belief have not been thought through.
The Case for Antarābhava
The literature which argues the case for the antarābhava is more extensive than the contrary. Lin highlights the Saṅgītiparyāya as containing an important argument in favour of antarābhava. This text (T 1536) is a Sarvāstivāda commentary on the Saṅgītisūtra (= P Saṅgīti Sutta DN ) included in their Abhidharma. In this reading the antarāparinirvāyin dies in the kāmadhātu, arises in the antarābhava and attains nibbāna before being reborn in the rūpadhātu. Other types of anāgāmin are reborn in the rūpadhātu and attain nibbāna from there, slowly or quickly. This pattern is also followed in the Vibhāṣā and the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya. The Abhidharmakośa mostly agrees and confirms the reading of antarāparinirvāyin.
Like the Theravādins, the Sarvāstivādin Ābhidharmikas had been developing Buddhist doctrine in order to solve problems in the received teachings, particularly the problem of Continuity and the problem of Action at a Temporal Distance (See Sarvāstivāda Approach to the Problem of Action at a Temporal Distance). As a result of the solution they adopted, the Sarvāstivādins ended up with the opposite problem to the Theravādins. Where the Theravādin model of continuity breaks down with an antarābhava, the Sarvāstivādins reasoned that there would be no way to maintain continuity through death without an antarābhava.
The Sāṃmitīyanikāyasśāstra (associated with the Sāṃmitīya Sect) argues that vijñāna without rūpa (i.e. a body) is not possible and that some kind of body is required to carry vijñāna from one rebirth to the next (Kritzer 2000: 241). This is significant, because wrapped up with antarābhava is the idea of the manomayakāya the so-called "mind-made body". Although neither Lin nor Kritzer mention this entity it is crucial in some accounts of the afterlife and thus at some point we will need to consider what it is and how it functions (I'll return to this idea in a forthcoming essay).
For a further detail of the Yogacāra arguments for antarābhava we can turn to Kritzer (2000). His article examined the views of Vasubandhu, especially as found in the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya (Vasubandhu's auto-commentary on the Abhidharmakośa) but also crucially the Viniścayasaṃgrahaṇi. The Bhāṣya is both the most systematic and one of the most influential accounts of the subject, as much for its portrayal of Vasubandhu's opponents as for his own views. Much of the contemporary scholarly writing on antarābhava is based on the Bhāṣya, and in many ways it has been over used as a source text on schools whose own literature is lost, fragmentary or only preserved in Chinese (especially the Sarvāstivādins). Kritzer points out that despite commonalities with the Sarvāstivāda account, the two should not be equated as he shows by examining arguments in the Vibhāṣā, one of the foundation texts of the Sarvāstivāda.
I want to write a separate summary of Kritzer (2000), since it will be quite long, but for now will try to give a flavour of the arguments. The crux seems to be a development of the idea vijñāna supported by rūpa mentioned above. Vasubandhu returns to an agricultural metaphor for the life-cycle of humans comparing us to rice plants (cf. comments on the fivefold-niyāma in Experience and Free Will in Early Buddhism). Vasubandhu's interpreters have read this different ways, but what he seems to be getting at is that the rice seed provides continuity between rice plants. What we do not see is one rice plant becoming another rice plant with no interval. Vasubandhu imagines that humans produce "seeds" when they die (though here he seems not to be referring to the karmic seeds stored in the ālayavijñāna). These seeds provide us with an interim body of a sort that sustains vijñāna until it can connect with rūpa again in rebirth (it's here that the idea of a mind-made body is both relevant and paradoxical because it suggests that a manokayakāya is the manas playing the role of rūpa in order to be a condition for the arising of vijñāna - i.e. it involves circularity that is disallowed by other doctrines of how conditionality works). The Viniścayasaṃgrahaṇi contains a series of questions and answers including this one:
Question: how does one know that there is an intermediate existence? Answer: because [when a being] dies here, there is no way for his citta and caittas to go without support to another place. It is not like an echo because [an echo] is merely an illusion. It is not like a reflected image because that [object] does not perish. And it is not like grasping an object because there is no movement [of consciousness in the case of perception]. Because these similes are inappropriate, the intermediate existence must be understood to exist. Thus, one must contemplate the arising of rūpaskandha in accordance with this”. (Kritzer 247)
This ties in with another image related to rice. Vasubandhu uses the example of a load of rice being transported from one village to another. It does not simply disappear from one village and appear in another, but goes on a journey through a series of stages. In other words Vasubandhu is, unlike many of his predecessors, thinking explicitly and abstractly about causation. Change or movement, as Vasubandhu observes it, is not instantaneous but gradual and thus rebirth cannot be instantaneous either. This may well hark back to Nāgārjuna's abstruse discussions of change in the first chapter of the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.
Sujato may well argue here that this metaphor is analogous to the fire metaphor in the Kutuhalasāla Sutta: that the transportation through space is the root metaphor for rebirth, and that as transit through space is not instantaneous then rebirth cannot be instantaneous. Something must effect the transit between bodies. In response we might question whether reifying the metaphor is helpful. Is the transmission of certain crucial (moral) information about the actions of the previous life onto the next life so as to determine the realm and circumstances of rebirth simply a physical process, like spreading fire or transporting rice grain? Or does the metaphor allow for differences? For advocates of substance dualism the mind is clearly a different stuff to the body and cannot be subject to physical laws or it would not work. One of the features of ESP, a feature of many Buddhist discourse, is that it works with no regard for physical distance: in clairvoyance for example, one knows the thoughts of others as they think them. For advocates of substance monism the idea of an afterlife is so unlikely that it is hardly worth thinking about, but presumably a substance monist would insist that information transfer must take an appreciable time: like downloading a file from the internet. However, no Buddhist metaphysics excludes miracles, magic or ESP.
Vasubandhu is clearly trying to avoid the charge of eternalism by making the antarābhava analogous to other states of being: vijñāna arises in dependence on the manifestation of rūpaskandha in the antarābhava. The scriptural argument against this is simple and was stated in the Kathāvatthu more than 2000 years ago: if there is a an interim state of being, then why is it not included in traditional lists of such states? If there is rūpa then this is (effectively) a rebirth. Why is it not listed as a rebirth destination (gati)?
Vasubandhu's main argument is similar in form to Xeno's paradox. The counter argument is that if some interim state between rebirths (even transition from kāmadhātu to the rūpadhātu) is definitely required, then the same argument holds for the transition from the kāmadhātu to the antarābhava. By Vasubandhu's reasoning we are forced to postulate an antarā-antarābhava and along with it some even more subtle form of being. And so on ab absurdum. Every transition requires an interim state between the original state and the changed state with infinite regress. So the idea of an antarābhava does not solve Vasubandhu's observed problem with causality.
The logic of the arguments outlined is entirely bound up with versions of the Buddhist worldview. As with all afterlife beliefs, there is no way to argue about the antarābhava from first principles. How we view the antarābhava is entirely dependent on what we stipulate at the outset. On traditional arguments, it is either required or forbidden depending on our starting assumptions about how karma and rebirth work. For religious Buddhists this has meant, essentially that religious arguments (based on scripture) carried considerable weight and that reasoned arguments were always constrained by religious arguments.
And thus it is all the more curious that contemporary religious figures such as Theravāda bhikkhus and scriptural commentators reject the religious arguments of their own tradition and adopt the antarābhava, even though it invalidates their own model of karma and rebirth. Such doctrinal conflicts have clearly never bothered the religious lay people very much. Lay Buddhism has always been a religion of faith and propitiation rather than intellect and theology.
My earlier essay pointed out some of the philosophical problems that the antarābhava entails: it seems to involve a form of eternalism. This is something that the Continuity problem cannot ever avoid: either there is discontinuity or there is continuity. In the former the problem of how to transmit information karma is unsolved, in the latter the solution is inevitably eternalistic. The idea of dependent arising doesn't actually solve this dilemma, it only disguises it. There are any number of problems with using pratītyasamutpāda as a Theory of Everything. One cannot take a description of the phenomenology of mental activity presenting itself to awareness and turn that into a general metaphysics and especially not into a physics without creating problems.
So despite the fact that Theravādins settled on their explanation (until recently) and Māhāyānikas settled on Vasubandhu's explanation, in fact neither the problem of Continuity, nor the problem of Action at a Temporal Distance, were definitively solved by either party. The problems were simply shelved as original intellectual contributions dried up. In India, Buddhist exegesis became a competition with non-Buddhists traditions on matters previously considered inconsequential to the Buddhist project; while in Sri Lanka and Burma it turned into increasingly elaborate restatements of old ideas. I'm not well enough informed about Buddhism outside Indian to form definition opinions, but my impression is that the problems of assimilating Buddhism into a culture like China presented such massive problems that Buddhist theology went in entirely different directions. The Chinese seem to have deified the Buddha, whereas the Tibetans were constantly occupied with managing the massive proliferation of teachings. Modern Buddhism largely ignores discontinuities and is mainly concerned with presenting Buddhism as a transcendent truth with no visible flaws, a panacea that applied to everything, results in Utopia, emerging fully formed from a singularity we call Buddha. Could we be any further from the historical nature of our own religion?
At the outset I mentioned that it was unclear from Lin's account whether antarābhava was part of the original narrative of Buddhism or not. I now think it is clear that it is a late addition. Awareness of problems like Continuity and Action at a Temporal Distance only emerge in the post-sutta literature of the Abhidharma. Antarābhava simply doesn't occur in any early text, even when the concept of punabbhava is prominent. The single reference which seems to point to a poorly defined belief in at least a spatial distance between lives, hardly changes the picture. The fundamental disagreement about antarābhava means it can only have emerged once Buddhism had began to fragment into sects. The arguments evinced by the various sides rely on mature Abhidharma theories. The Theravādins only consider it as a reaction to the Abhidharma theories of other schools. So antarābhava was not part of the original Buddhist narrative about the afterlife. That said, the problems which led to antarābhava being proposed as a solution were in place early on.
Aung, Shwe Zan & Rhys Davids, C. A. F. (1960) The Points of Controversy: or, Subjects of discourse being a translation of the Kathāvatthu from the Abhidhammapiṭaka. Pali Text Society. First published 1915.
Bodhi. (2012) The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Wisdom.
Kritzer, Robert. (2000) 'Rūpa and The Antarābhava.' Journal of Indian Philosophy 28: 235–272.
Langer, Rita. (2007). Buddhist Rituals of Death and Rebirth: Contemporary Sri Lankan Practice and its origin. Routledge.
Lin, Qian. (2011) 'The antarābhava Dispute Among Abhidharma Traditions and the List of anāgāmins.' Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 34(1-2): 149–186.
Sujato (2010) Rebirth and the In-Between State in Early Buddhism. http://santifm.org/santipada/2010/rebirth-and-the-in-between-state-in-early-buddhism
Labels: Afterlife , Interim State , Metaphor , Sarvastivada , Temporal Distance , Theravāda
Why I am Not a Feminist.
Entertainer Bill Bailey
is a feminist, apparently.
I don't like our Prime Minister David Cameron. I don't like him personally. I can't stand his puffy face, his mannered voice, or his inflated moralising tone. I certainly don't like his politics (to the extent they are visible over and above his pandering to various right-wing interest groups). I usually refer to him as David Camoron. As hateful a public figure as I've ever known.
Last week he fell foul of the media for not capitulating to pressure from women's fashion magazine, Elle, to be photographed wearing a tee-shirt with the legend "This is what a feminist looks like". This was after Opposition leader, Ed Miliband, and coalition partner and Deputy PM, Nick Clegg, were pictured in the media wearing a version of the tee-shirt. Leaving aside that Ed and Nick are rating very badly in the polls in the lead up to a general election and are apt to do anything that might win a vote, and leaving aside the detrimental effects on women from reading magazines like Elle, a lot of men have been donning the tee-shirt and/or declaring that they are feminists. Looking at the men (mostly entertainers and politicians) wearing these tee-shirts they all seem to be famous for two things: craving attention and craving approval. Neither profession is the acme of moral rectitude or (self) respect.
The attitude seems to be that if you are for gender equality then you are a feminist. I find this peculiar. I suppose these men who declare themselves to be feminists are trying to express solidarity with women's struggle for equality and against oppression. While I also feel a sense of solidarity for women's struggles, I don't imagine that this makes me a feminist any more than loving women makes me a lesbian. This tee-shirt incident and some other cues got me thinking about my relationship to feminism.
Feminism as I Understand it.
My education in Feminism was ad hoc and informal. My mother self-identified as a feminist from my earliest memories of her (at least from the early 1970s) though I couldn't really give a coherent account of that that entailed (mostly it seemed to be about hating my father and various other men). When I moved to Auckland and started attending high-school many of my friends were women and this has continued to be true my whole life. I've always respected intelligence wherever I've found it. One of my close friends at high-school, Mary, was a much more thoughtful feminist, who became an academic and does research in Women's Studies and Sociology. We had many discussions in the 1980s and 1990s about some of the basic ideas of Sociology and Feminism. I wasn't always convinced (particularly on the subject of the gender identity nurture/nature argument), but I could see that women had been oppressed historically and that despite some gains there was still some way to go.
Some of my women friends at university in the mid-1980s were ideological Feminists who were entranced by Dale Spender and similar authors. It was from these friends ca. 1985 that I first heard the idea that "all men are rapists and that's all they are" (a quote from a character in Marilyn French's 1977 novel The Women's Room). My friends tried to argue that this was in fact true and worked through the logic with me. At the time this left me speechless. Did my friends really think of me as a rapist and only a rapist? Rape being such a heinous crime, to be lumped in with rapists because I was born male was a bit of a shock. This remains one of my strongest impressions of feminism.
After graduation and a period of drifting, I began a 15 year career as a Librarian. 90% of librarians are women. All of my bosses were women during this period. Most of the professional women I knew in that phase of my life were self-described feminists and were also reading French, Spender and other Feminists. I never had a problem working for and with women in general. I admired many of the women I worked for and with.
Some of the key figures in my intellectual development since have also been women. My first meditation teacher was a woman called Guhyaprabhā. Sue Hamilton transformed my understanding of Buddhism to the point where I am effectively a Hamiltonian. Jan Nattier is my idol as a researcher and writer. Collett Cox helped me to understand the Sarvāstivāda and the larger problems in Buddhist Doctrine. My views on evolution were profoundly influenced by reading Lynn Margulis, who was also a vocal feminist (I'm persuaded by her views on Darwinism and Victorianism). I also trained with some formidable women martial artists back in the day. The country I grew up in gave women the vote in 1896, I believe we were the first country in the world to do so. New Zealand prides itself on egalitarianism and also led the world in equality and anti-discrimination measures for women.
As a result it seems straightforward and indisputable to me that, for example, woman ought to receive equal pay for equal work; or that women ought not to be discriminated against simply for being female. I actually find the segregation of women in sports odd. Except perhaps for contact sports, where physical size is an issue, I see no reason to have separate women's leagues in most sports. It shocks me that the UK is so backward in the area of equal pay and slow (even resistant) to change. I am dismayed by the backward attitudes in places like Saudi Arabia (and their sphere of influence). In my writing, I long ago adopted the neutral third person pronoun (they, them, their) instead of the masculine pronoun when referring to people generally. None of which makes me a feminist.
My understanding of feminism is, as I say, rather ad hoc. The key feminist idea seems to be a particular reading of history. Rather like Marxists do, feminists see history as a history of struggle of one group against another. But instead of class against class, feminists see history in terms of the systematic oppression of women by men, and women's struggle for emancipation from this oppression. This has stronger aspects (e.g. all sex is rape; women have been enslaved by men) and weaker aspects (e.g. gender roles are imposed on children by society). The goals of feminists on this reading include over-throwing patriarchy and deprecating all gender specificity in society since it is inevitably used as a tool of oppression.
Men and Feminism
Clearly feminism is a big subject and there are a range of attitudes. Some feminists are quite fond of men generally and some are quite hostile. I'm sometimes shocked at how open women are in their hostility towards men in general. I grew up understanding that sexist jokes and generalisations about women were unwelcome and unhelpful. But I now regularly hear sexist jokes about men, and I myself regularly seem to be stereotyped as "stupid", "inarticulate" or "unemotional". I've lost count of the times that women have said to my face "I hate men". According to some feminists men are responsible for "raping" the planet too. When I speak up, as I usually do these days, the accusation is usually hastily qualified "of course I don't mean you". I am a man. If you hate men, you hate me. And discrimination on the basis of sex is just sexism. I was briefly trolled by some women on Twitter this year for a comment I made on entitlement, and told that my hat (a black felt trilby) indicated hatred towards women.
As I understand it, the feminist position is that I am, as a man, by nature of my birth, complicit in the systematic oppression of women through all time. This outlook has a number of corollaries. As a man of English descent (in Britain I'm referred to as "white") I am complicit in historic and present-day slavery and all the oppression due to Imperialism and Colonialism through the ages (I should say that I abhor the use of "white" and "black" as racial or ethnic terms, but in the UK they are standard and it's hard to avoid them here). As an educated man, and despite my solidly working class roots, I am complicit in the oppression of poor, uneducated people. I am supposed to have had all the advantages denied to women and to live a privileged life. I wish. My chief blessing in life seems to be having a good memory and curiosity, but I grew up in the cultural and intellectual desert of a working class family, on the edge of a small town in New Zealand, amidst a community deeply affected by alcohol & drug addiction, violence, and the worst downsides of colonialism. My life history includes far too many instances of being abused, assaulted, and bullied by both males and females. I've been left with life-long mental health problems and now chronic physical health problems. But apparently all that matters is that I am "white" and male. A "stupid fucking white man."
It seems to me that men who declare "I am a Feminist" are confessing that they feel complicit in the oppression of women. I never have felt complicit in that oppression, nor felt any sense of commonality with oppressors. To the best of my ability I have never been complicit in oppressing anyone (though I'm not perfect by any means). Indeed I have been oppressed and continue to feel oppressed by society.
The very labels are divisive. As though all women have more in common with each other than they do with any man and vice versa and are united in this opposition. Or that all white people are the same. I just don't get this level of pigeon-holing. For example I feel I have far more in common with women friends and family than with male strangers. Or with women who suffer mental health problems than with neuro-typical men. Or with women members of the Triratna Order compared with men who are not members of the Order. Or with just about anyone in the street compared with politicians in Westminster or the CEO of a major bank.
The idea of men as no more than beasts is expressed in the myth of Beauty and the Beast. Marie-Louise von Franz (The Interpretation of Fairy Tales) has referred to this story in particular (along with Cinderella) as representative of female individuation myths. In von Franz's Jungian perspective, the story tells us that a woman relates to her inner masculine sub-personality (animus) as a beast to be tamed. This process of taming and transforming the energy associated with the experience of animus is what the Beauty and the Beast story illustrates. It is also the plot of every single Mills & Boon romance. However most flesh and blood men are not beasts, nor can we be turned into Prince Charming through domestication. We are a mix. Some of us can be beastly (often because we have been brutalised in growing up), but some of us are angelic, and most of us are somewhere in between. War and art seem to define our edges: Hitler and Bach. None of us are helped by projected psychological dramas. Taming one's inner masculine is a very different thing from relating to a man. The same is absolutely true in reverse. Men are sometimes helplessly caught up in projections of their own inner feminine onto women. With disastrous effect on their relationships with women.
Raising Men.
As for virtually all mammals, evolution has left human males (on average) with a larger body size, physically stronger than most females, and more aggressive. This is only because female mammals typically select larger more aggressive mates. Larger more aggressive mates are more effective protectors of foraging territory and the community. Though there are always trade-offs for this form of specialisation. A community must work hard to integrate, larger more aggressive members (primates mainly do this by grooming). Our communities are less and less willing to work in this way and more likely to demonize aggression ("all men are rapists"). With no external focus aggression can turn inwards on the community. We see this and/or pointless wars everywhere. But humans add an extra twist. Often the most powerful people are not the largest or most aggressive, but the most persuasive. Those who can persuade others to do their bidding, can and dominate societies. After all Julius Caesar & Napoleon were notoriously short of stature. Politicians are professional persuaders these days and not much else. If this is domination by persuaders is oppressive, it is almost always oppressive for the majority of men as well as women. This is the 1% lording it over the 99%. In my view this is a far more productive critique of history than one which posits the mere domination of women by men. Women have been (and still are) oppressed by men, but this occurs within a larger context. The emancipation of women stands alongside the need for the emancipation of people of colour, for example. Discrimination per se is a much larger topic than discrimination against women. Special interest groups are always needed in these circumstances to highlight particular issues, but special interest groups cannot be allowed to define the issues.
Though the media often focus on crimes against women as a group, men are far more likely to be murdered or to be victims of violent crime. (ONS) We rightly feel a sense of repugnance for sex crimes, but for example in the UK 68% of murder victims were male, which means that men are more than twice as likely to be murdered as women are. We need to ask why the media don't play on this statistic the way they currently play on crimes against women or children. Men of colour are, almost everywhere in the Western world, the victims of institutionalised racism from the police. They are stopped, searched, and arrested far more often, and given harsher sentences than pale skinned men. Men make up the bulk of the spiralling prison population and a majority of the men in prison have mental health and/or drug problems, and/or come from backgrounds of abuse and homelessness (US Justice Dept). A disproportionate number are men of colour. Men in prison are typically already brutalised when they get there, but certainly brutalised by the time they get out. When we look at the situation with regards crime and say "men are beasts" we are ignoring the degradation that is required to bring men down to that level and blaming the victims.
Like most men of my generation, I was largely raised by my mother and educated by female primary school teachers. I was raised to moderate how I used my strength with women even when it seemed unfair, as it often did in my neighbourhood where girls were just as likely to be the aggressors in conflict. One was not supposed to win fights with girls even when they started the fight; but one was not supposed to lose fights with other boys either. The line between bully and sissy was thin when I was a boy.
Positive male role models were few and far between. Most of the men I have known in my life have been floundering around wondering what the point of their life is. Many of the men in my family have had addiction and mental health problems. While we can all applaud the strides made by Feminists towards securing equal status in society for women, unfortunately in parallel there has been a devaluing or even a demonisation of men and a destruction of male social contexts. Male stereotypes are relentlessly negative or unobtainable, just like female stereotypes. Except, where female stereotypes are frowned on by liberals, male stereotypes are still being actively promoted.
My Dad was dyslexic. At school, he would go up to the blackboard to spell a word, get it wrong every time, and be beaten by the teacher in front of the class every time. Years of daily public beatings and humiliation, plus the tragic accidental death of his older brother in WWII, the early death of his Mum from cancer and his Dad's subsequent slide into alcoholism, the violent breakdown and breakup of his marriage, and yeah, Dad was a bit tongue tied at times, a bit emotionally repressed. He found it hard to express himself in words. Words only ever betrayed him. Though if one only paid attention to what he did with his hands he was a marvel (he kept his vintage 1928 Austin 12/4 in working order and did the most beautiful brick-work I've ever seen). There was little or no understanding or help available to my Dad. He was just expected to man-up and soldier on from an early age (to "harden up" as my older brother and his wife say to their son). And that, as much as anything, destroyed my Dad.
When I think about the ways in which feminists I know characterise men, and the relations of men and women, they simply don't seem to apply to my own life. They are too simplistic and blunt to be useful to me as a way of understanding myself better.
If anything I think men and women need to work together to create a better world. If any part of our society has a problem we all have a problem. At present its clear that the main problem in the world is that we are dominated by a hegemonic group of hyper-persuasive men and women, the 1%, who are parasitising the rest of society: the new, neolibertarian aristocracy. They have more or less captured government and public opinion in most countries, if not directly, then through powerful lobby groups with huge resources and through ownership of the mass media. They take far more than they need, offer as little as possible in return, and use their wealth to try to insulate themselves from the day-to-day realities of human life as far as possible. Nothing much new about the set up, except the mechanisms they currently use, especially their ability to persuade followers, are far more efficient than ever before. They resist liberalism, resist moves towards equality, and resist anything which threatens their hegemony. Step over the threshold of any major corporation and you leave liberalism and democracy behind. Corporations are feudal fiefdoms, where the only stakeholders who count are shareholders looking for short-term profits. If it is 1% who are promoting inequality and oppression, then a polarised, gender based approach to the problem, which blames all men, simply cannot help. The average man (as ever) is just a pawn in a much larger game.
Oppression is evil, but it is something that affects us all. There is an active force oppressing us all and we need to stand together against it. I don't see feminism as a unifying force or a rallying cry. It doesn't even appeal to all women, and it offers little for men, except a limited popularity with some women. When the voice of feminism appears to be a women's fashion magazine you know that something is deeply wrong. Feminism has certainly benefited women in the West and I do not mean to denigrate or dismiss feminism or feminists. But I don't think feminism is broad enough in its outlook to tackle the problems we face today or that the feminist view of history is productive of solutions for the broader problems of inequality and the capture of wealth and power by the modern day aristocrats. For example, what is the feminist response to climate change? Even if you removed all men from the equation, the women of the 1% would carry on regardless, because their values are not shared with feminists. We need to claw power back through laws that ensure good citizenship on the part of business. That power ought to go equally to men and women.
So for all these reasons (and others) I'm not a feminist. No one's asking, but I wouldn't wear the Elle tee-shirt (I would not want to be associated with a fashion magazine for any reason). I might wear a tee-shirt that said "this is what the 99% look like", but on the whole I try not to use my clothing as an ideological platform. The statement I prefer to make is that nobody owns me or can buy my opinion. If anything my cause is the cause of sober reflection on what is really happening and a refusal to just go along with the crowd.
Update (8-11-14): I didn't go looking for this, it was retweeted by William Gibson: Myla Dalbesio on Her New Calvin Klein Campaign and the 'Trend' of Plus Size Modeling. In this interview in Elle magazine, model Dalbesio, who is a very skinny young woman says:
“It’s kind of confusing because I’m a bigger girl,” Dalbesio says. “I’m not the biggest girl on the market but I’m definitely bigger than all the girls [Calvin Klein] has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating.”
It's views like this, and the accompanying photographs that lead to Body Dismorphic Disorder in young women. Elle's connection with feminism would seem to be rather tenuous, more so that of male politicians and entertainers.
Labels: feminism , men , Politics , Women
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Bird Taxonomy and Nomenclature
AOU-NACC Proposals 2022 (1 Viewer)
Thread starter Peter Kovalik
Peter Kovalik
Proposals 2022-A
2022-A-1: Reinstate Northwestern Crow Corvus caurinus as a species
2022-A-2: Recognize Turdus confinis (San Lucas Robin) as a separate species from Turdus migratorius (American Robin)
2022-A-3a: Treat Turdus plumbeus (Red-legged Thrush) as two species
2022-A-3b: Treat Turdus plumbeus (Red-legged Thrush) as three species
2022-A-4: Treat Turdus daguae as a separate species from Turdus assimilis (White-throated Thrush)
2022-A-5a: Reassess the taxonomy of the Pampa curvipennis (Wedge-tailed Sabrewing) complex: Lump excellens with curvipennis
2022-A-5b: Reassess the taxonomy of the Pampa curvipennis (Wedge-tailed Sabrewing) complex: Split pampa from curvipennis
2022-A-6: Split Haplophaedia assimilis from Greenish Puffleg H. aureliae
2022-A-7: Recognize Trogon ambiguus (Coppery-tailed Trogon) as a separate species from Trogon elegans (Elegant Trogon)
2022-A-8: Treat Lepidocolaptes neglectus as a separate species from L. affinis (Spot-crowned Woodcreeper)
2022-A-9: Recognize Thryothorus albinucha as a separate species from T. ludovicianus (Carolina Wren)
2022-A-10a: Split Numenius hudsonicus (Hudsonian Curlew) from N. phaeopus (Whimbrel)
2022-A-10b: Resume using the English name Hudsonian Curlew for N. hudsonicus
2022-A-10c: Resume using the English name Whimbrel for N. phaeopus sensu stricto
2022-A-11: Recognize extralimital Leptodon forbesi as a species distinct from Gray-headed Kite L. cayanensis
2022-A-12: Recognize extralimital Turdus maculirostris as a species distinct from Spectacled Thrush T. nudigenis
2022-A-13: Recognize extralimital Sipia palliata as a species distinct from Dull-mantled Antbird S. laemosticta
2022-A-14a: Recognize extralimital Herpsilochmus frater as a species distinct from Rufous-winged Antwren H. rufimarginatus
2022-A-14b: Change the English name of H. rufimarginatus to Rufous-margined Antwren
2022-A-15: Recognize extralimital Pyrocephalus nanus as a species distinct from Vermilion Flycatcher P. rubinus
2022-A-16: Change the scientific name of Anthus lutescens (Yellowish Pipit) to Anthus chii
2022-A-17: Revise linear sequence of genera in Troglodytidae, especially Ferminia
2022-A-18: Split Leucolia wagneri from L. viridifrons (Green-fronted Hummingbird)
2022-A-19: Split Black-billed Streamertail Trochilus scitulus from (Red-billed) Streamertail T. polytmus
2022-A-20a: Split Cynanthus latirostris (Broad-billed Hummingbird): Recognize C. doubledayi as a species
2022-A-20b: Split Cynanthus latirostris (Broad-billed Hummingbird): Recognize C. lawrencei as a species
2022-A-20c: Split Cynanthus latirostris (Broad-billed Hummingbird): English names
2022-A-21: Split Lampornis cinereicauda from White-throated Mountain-gem L. castaneoventris
Mysticete
Presumably this is part of the first wave of proposals for the reconciliation process between the major world checklists. Well that and some SACC book-keeping.
Andy Adcock
Mysticete said:
I thought the Crow had only just been lumped and why change Whimbrel to Curlew?
TomDerutter
Hudsonian Curlew sounds... weird. If it wasn't there twice, i'd have guessed it to be a mistake...
Edit: apparently it's the pre-1944 name
People born after 1944 might consider such a resumption a name change, but from an AOU/AOS nomenclature perspective that would not be correct
Farnboro John
TomDerutter said:
Perhaps it is, but given that it has already been changed to something else it is incorrect regardless of the bystander's natal date to attempt to characterise changing again as "not a name change"! Probably NACC is having a hissy fit because "Hudsonian" is also not American, being Canadian in implication.
Next the damnfools will be looking to abolish Whimbrel, they need to be stopped right here and now. Hudsonian Whimbrel rules!
Farnboro John said:
Hudsonian Whimbrel would probably make the most sense, since it makes it clear what the split refers to (versus curlew, which could suggest a Long-billed Curlew split to casual folks).
Reactions: Snapdragyn, raymie and Farnboro John
Andy Adcock said:
Had you read the proposal? It's by the author of a new paper who argues the lump was premature. And includes a rebuttal basically dismissing the new paper's claims. So I would guess it has zero chance of passing.
(Although based on my recent track record on predicting votes for AOS splits/lumps, that probably means it will pass!)
Reactions: Andy Adcock
thomasdonegan
Former amateur ornithologist
Reading the proposals, it seems many of them are the opposite of reconciliation. Most of these seem to involve Van Remsen trashing HBW taxonomy, picking a few nits, noting it's in a textbook not a learned journal article, saying it's not good enough and recommending not to accept. I don't know many of these species well enough to comment, but I know what someone on a mission with an agenda looks like.
Reactions: Xenospiza, Andy Adcock and Farnboro John
I am still reading through the proposal, but I find zero merit for retaining Hudsonian Curlew over Hudsonian Whimbrel, and points out an issue sometimes with scientists being in charge of common names. The argument seems to be stability of name in the literature, however given that "whimbrel" has been used since 1944, surely what is most important is reducing confusion for people today. It's one thing to bring back a name that was in use a few decades ago, but the overwhelming majority of people who use common names in birds and in which this is relevant are only familiar with Whimbrel.
Reactions: raymie, pbjosh, DMW and 1 other person
Exactly, stability of nomenclature is a very prominent issue at the moment.
njlarsen
Gallery Moderator
Opus Editor
Regarding proposal 3, I am surprised this paper is not included in there. https://repository.si.edu/bitstream...nd_Bermingham_2008.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
It is only mitochondrial and it is expressed in a different way than the taxonomist most often does, but there are 16/842 bp = 1.9% that show fixed differences between the Bahamas-Cuba-Caymans group and the Hispaniola-Puerto Rico-Dominica group. I doubt this would have led to a different recommendation but I would have liked to see it included. (and privately, I favor the two species view even though I only have live experience with one group).
I actually thought the Trogon proposal looked persuasive, given that it was essentially lumped by Peters back in the day with no explanation given. In fact one of the arguments AGAINST the split seems to just be because Birdlife didn't and the author hates the system they use to split taxa.
Jim LeNomenclatoriste
Taxonomy and zoological nomenclature
I don't know if it is Remsen who is behind this proposal, but it is the case, one has the impression that he is against all the taxonomic proposals made by HBW
Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:
Yes, he is the author of most of the Birdlife relevant proposals, or at least this and all of the Thrush proposals.
The Streamertails have been split by others for c25 years, certainly since the book by Raffaele et al in 1998.
The lump of Lampornis species seems relevant and justified, according to genetic data. I deleted Lampornis calolaemus and cinereicauda.
I hope it doesn't pass. Historically, here in southwestern British Columbia all crows were automatically considered Northwestern Crow. No debate, no problem. If you went south into Washington state, then you started to have arguments and discussions about American versus Northwestern, but for us life was simple.
But now if the split comes back, everybody knows that we're living in the heart of the hybrid zone and the best we can hope for is that crows are American/Northwestern or American X Northwestern. Worst case is that people want to try to identify "pure" specimens of one or the other.
Peter Boesman
I also had a quick read and agree that some proposals lack scientific objectivity/accuracy or in some cases contain clear errors.
I am just back from a birdsound recording trip to Colombia, and unfortunately have little time on my hands, but I couldn’t resist to pick a single proposal in order to explain my point. I chose to write down comments on proposal 2022-A-8 which tackles the Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes affinis complex, as this one largely deals with vocalizations and involves one of my own earlier publications. I sent my comments to Dr. Cherry Tesser, and hope by doing so, the NACC members will dispose of more accurate information in order to reach a well-founded decision.
I recommend anyone else with knowledge on the topics to do so as well for other cases.
I am not sure my comments will be made available on-line anytime soon through the NACC website, for which I include them below (editing somewhat messed up by copy/paste)
Comments on NACC proposal 2022-A-8: Treat Lepidocolaptes neglectus as a separate species from L. affinis (Spot-crowned Woodcreeper)
As I believe I was indeed the first to indicate significant vocal differences between the taxon neglectus and other taxa of the L. affinis complex (Boesman 2016) and given this input was the major reason for del Hoyo & Collar (2016) to treat the former as a distinct species, I would like to comment on the present NACC proposal 2022-A-8.
The author of the proposal - while admitting he is not an expert in Woodcreeper voices - mentions several arguments to question the claimed vocal difference, which I would like to tackle one by one:
“Howell & Webb (1995) describe the song in their field guide as “a reedy note followed by a rapid laugh, syeehr see-see-see-seesee-see-see-syn”.”
There is no guarantee at all that this is based on a vocalization heard in Mexico. At the time of writing (1995) only voice of neglectus had been published in Macaulay/Ross’s CD-set “Voices of Costa Rican Birds” and the existence of two vocal groups was unknown. If field guides are used as supportive documentation (a practice which definitely requires some caution), we may as well refer to a more recent field guide such as Vallely & Dyer (2018) “Birds of Central America” (one of the few covering a region in which both groups occur, unlike Howell’s Mexico guide) in which 2 vocal groups are mentioned (although admittedly an editing error did switch ‘north’ and ‘south’…).
“Marantz et al. (2000) could not find a song of nominate affinis to present in their account.”
Not sure if Marantz (2000) is in fact Marantz (2003) or a different publication, but in any case, Marantz (2003) also e.g. failed to describe the different vocalizations of L. albolineatus sensu lato (see Treat Lepidocolaptes layardi as a subspecies of L. fuscicapillus (lsu.edu)). We can’t blaim an author for not mentioning information that has not yet been revealed…
As a matter of fact, the transcription of song in Marantz (2003) is literally identical to the one in Howell (1995) suggesting it was simply copied. If Howell’s description would have been from Mexico and Marantz’s description allegedly was not from the affinis group, we clearly have a contradiction here…
“Also concerning is that the number of songs available in xeno-canto for affinis sensu stricto that are usable is, in my opinion, N=1 (Hoyer’s recording); the other cuts are nearly inaudible, labeled as “short song”, or call notes.“
This suggests that the claimed vocal difference is based on a single recording of the northern group (!). Besides Hoyer’s recording I invite anyone to listen to and scrutinize the sonogram of the following additional 10 recordings which document the song of the northern vocal group at well-spread different locations:
XC224913 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes affinis) :: xeno-canto
XC58106 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes affinis) :: xeno-canto
ML109877111 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Macaulay Library
Honduras:
El Salvador:
ML82758681 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper Macaulay Library
to be compared with song of the southern group:
XC8910 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes affinis) :: xeno-canto
ML521736 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Southern) Macaulay Library
(and several more)
ML28284 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Southern) Macaulay Library
Similarly, several tenfold recordings of the dominant call note of northern group (a single underslurred note) can be compared with the one of southern group (a single overslurred note)
“I wonder if the true song of affinissensu stricto has been recorded.”
It is pure speculation and against all available evidence to think that the northern group would have a song which has not yet been documented and is more similar to neglectus. I understand the reason of doubt, given the long underslurred whistle followed by 1-3 high-pitched shorter underslurred whistles is so different from the song of neglectus that it is at first hard to believe this is a homologous vocalization of a taxon so closely related. I would like to point out however that similar extreme vocal differences exist in other complexes (e.g. the L. albolineatus complex or the Sittasomus griseicapillus complex, the former split in several species, the latter since long awaiting an in depth study to do most probably the same).
See e.g.
Birds of the World (note on Lineated Woodcreeper)
Birds of the World (note on Olivaceous Woodcreeper)
Or compare e.g. songs in:
XC272020 Guianan Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes albolineatus) :: xeno-canto
XC224916 Layard's Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes layardi) :: xeno-canto
previously considered the same species, or
XC229785 Olivaceous Woodcreeper (Sittasomus griseicapillus) :: xeno-canto
also Illustrating drastically different songs !
Even if we would for a moment assume that not all vocalizations of both groups have been recorded, then we still see that ALL known vocalizations of the northern group are different from the ones of the southern group: song and call of the southern group is based on overslurred whistles, while in northern group on underslurred whistles (for definitions under/overslurred, see Pieplow (2017)). There is thus zero overlap in vocalizations of both groups.
“Great care must be taken with woodcreeper songs because individuals seem capable of producing variations of the same song”
Individual variation in voice is well known and is indeed quite extensive in many woodcreepers, but it should not be confused with or used as an argument to mask species-specific vocal characteristics, and surely it is no reason to minimize the taxonomic significance of voice in this suboscine family. I believe it is safe to say that nearly every woodcreeper species can be correctly identified based solely on voice, independently of individual vocal variation. In other words, I don’t see the relevance of this remark.
As a further consideration, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper sensu lato was split into Montane Woodcreeper L. lacrymiger and Spot-crowned Woodcreeper L. affinis largely based on voice (Ridgely 1994. The Birds of South America) long before genetic evidence was made available as a further support, illustrating the importance of vocal differences in this family and genus. With a dramatic increase in the availability of birdsound recordings during the last two decades, such findings can now be supported by even more extensive evidence than in these early days.
“It seems premature to draw conclusions solely on the basis of geographical patterns in woodcreeper vocalizations”
All recent splits of Woodcreeper complexes were supported by vocal differences in the distinct groups. As a matter of fact and as a striking and illustrative example, the geographical range of L. duidae was basically entirely redrawn based on voice, now extending into NE Peru and E Ecuador, whereas formerly, presumably purely based on hardly noticeable morphological differences, this was not at all the case (compare the obsolete range description of the different taxa for L. albolineatus in Marantz 2003 with present knowledge).
“A minor point is that the song of lignicidamay be unknown – it is represented in xeno-canto only by a single call note (by Dan Lane)… it seems to me that its vocalizations also should be included in any such study.”
The author seems to have overlooked the following additional recordings of this taxon from Tamaulipas, which were already mentioned and illustrated with sonogram in Boesman (2016):
Marantz: “The first thing that is apparent from these recordings is that the species' vocalizations are highly variable, with almost no two sounding the same”.
Marantz apparently focusses on variation and inexplicably fails to see the common distinguishing features that identify each group’s voice: song and call of the southern group is based on overslurred whistles, while in northern group on underslurred whistles. Southern group is a single long whistle followed by a long fast trill, song of northern group is a long whistle followed by 1-3 notes, etc.
Marantz: “In my mind, until one has dozens, if not hundreds, of recordings, and can map out in a clear way the homologous sounds of each group under study, it is inadvisable to begin splitting woodcreepers on the basis of their vocalizations.”
Required sample size is of course a matter of discussion, but if about 100 recordings (XC+ML) are not sufficient to draw conclusions about two groups, then one may question many other taxonomic decisions from the recent past. (This doesn’t mean at all I am not in favour of large sample sizes. On the contrary, I believe my efforts to document as many bird vocalizations as possible over the last 30 years (32.000+ recordings available on-line) clearly demonstrate the importance I am giving to this.)
In this case however, I believe that chances are very slim that a larger than present sample size will uncover a hitherto undocumented territorial song or will alter significantly our understanding of song and dominant call types: Lepidocolaptes woodcreepers are not typical dawn singers (as opposed to many other woodcreeper species) and have a rather limited and fairly stereotypical vocabulary, mainly consisting of a song phrase and a dominant call note, which typically is uttered sporadically during the active day-time hours.
I do agree however that more recordings are needed when vocal differences are more subtle, and especially the difficult (and in my opinion unresolved) case of Buff-throated/Cocoa Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus guttatus/susurrans proves that not all currently recognized woodcreeper species differ markedly in voice. Marantz’s PhD work (2005) primarily focussed on this complex, and therefore he may oversee this is rather the exception than the rule, or at least that in the Lepidocolaptes genus vocalizations are far more stereotypical and differences rather clear-cut.
Marantz: “Moreover, in Venezuela we found that populations that are not sister taxa, and which have very different vocalizations, seem to have no problem hybridizing when they come into contact.”
I don’t see the relevance of this remark. Reasoning along these lines, one could then argue that the Woodcreeper family is a single species... (In any case, hybridization is a non-issue in allopatric populations).
Marantz: “I would recommend basing decisions on careful analyses of a wide array of vocalizations rather than a simple analysis that uses the number of elements and their frequencies, which for woodcreepers is invariably going to lead one astray.”
I am open to any suggestions about describing objectively sounds, but before writing down my conclusions in Boesman (2016) I did analyse all on-line available recordings of all vocalizations (both song and calls) and I objectivated my findings by using standard basic sound parameters to allow quantification of differences, which I believe is common practice in bioacoustical analysis for taxonomic decisions.
I even highlighted and illustrated a somewhat aberrant vocalization, which was clearly a vocalization of a very excited bird, as can be heard in many Woodcreeper species after repeated playback:
ML6976 Spot-crowned Woodcreeper (Northern) Macaulay Library
Both above recordings have the same pattern on sonogram (and differ from all other available vocalizations), the recordist of ML6976 in 1971 thankfully carefully noted this voice was indeed stimulated by playback…
And finally, I placed the affinis complex in a broader context by comparing also with typical song of L. lacrymiger to check the possible hypothesis that the taxon neglectus would rather belong to this South American group, hypothesis that was proven wrong based on voice (besides genetic considerations).
In conclusion, I respectfully disagree that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that there are clearly two vocal groups in the L. affinis complex with very different voice. On the contrary, all 100+ on-line available recordings clearly indicate that both groups are readily identifiable by both song and call notes.
Whether this is sufficient evidence to treat both groups as distinct species is another matter and largely depends on the criteria used to reach such conclusion.
About the evidence there should however not be any discussion as explained above:
Both groups differ morphologically in minor details, which however at the time were deemed sufficient to describe them as different taxa
Both groups differ markedly in voice (we are talking here about very different voices, not differences for which a PCA is needed to plot separate groups…)
Both groups are genetically distinct lineages
Both groups are allopatric and thus taxonomic status in a BSC taxonomy needs to be determined by indirect evidence different from the examination of (inter)breeding behaviour as in the case of sympatry
Similar evidence was used to upgrade a complex in the same genus (L. albolineatus) to 4 species (initially 5, but see Treat Lepidocolaptes layardi as a subspecies of L. fuscicapillus (lsu.edu)). I thus believe taxonomic consistency would rather favour treatment of L. neglectus and L. affinis as two distinct species.
Finally, in anticipation of the possible remark that my analysis (Boesman 2016) was not peer-reviewed, I would like to point out that this was part of a single-person effort during a single year to document 400+ cases in which vocal differences may have an impact on their taxonomic treatment (See Ornithological Notes - Birds of the World), and for which peer-reviewing was practically impossible because of time-constraints. In the five years following this effort however, the scientific community has tackled several of these cases (although unfortunately far from all of them, at the present rate it will take another few decades to do so…). Unsurprisingly, their more in-depth analysis typically led to uncovering further fine-grained structure in vocal differences. In very few cases if any however, did it lead to contradictory findings in comparison with my earlier preliminary analysis.
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Kirk Roth
I had meant to comment on this weeks ago - but this English name issue underscores that while so-called "stability" is a common stated justification for a name, the term is rarely defined or even appreciated for having multiple possible interpretations. If "stability" means conforming to the literature in strictly a temporal sense then Winker is right that yes, 153 years is greater than 77 years. If stability means conforming to literature in a publication sense, then how many post-1944 articles, books, websites, and so on refer to the North American taxa as a "whimbrel" vs. those prior to 1944 which refer to it as a "curlew"? And it it more "stable" to contradict more publications or more time? Is it more "stable" to contradict more recent or more distant usage? Is it more "stable" to contradict more common or more rare usage?
This is not to mention the obvious instability of adding confusion to laymen, birders and researchers on the sensu stricto/lato question. Under the Winker suggestion, any report of a "Whimbrel" would need to be qualified both with the year of the report and frankly whether the author is familiar with the name change - not an inconsiderable problem evidenced by the multi-annual reports of Wilson's Snipe reported as "Common Snipe" so many years after the split, even in serious research.
And further instability would be introduced by contradicting the already established names by the IOC and now others. I recognize that the IOC split is only a year or two old, but it would be a bad look for the AOS to come late to the party and demand to change the name proposed by people who recognized the split earlier and frankly the name that is already in use. Is that sort of "stability" offset by literature from last century?
To be fair, Mr. Winker never actually mentions the word "stability" in his proposal although his description of "least disruption in the literature" could be interpreted as such under one of the definitions of the word. I think its important for us to recognize that stability in language is not such a simple concept as it is often portrayed in our discussions - the nuance is formidable.
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Peter Boesman said:
Peter, thank you for posting this here - it is very informative for us to see. Anything that illuminates AOS proposals is most welcome and sadly rare at some times. Moreover, a very careful and well crafted response to the proposal - well done and thank you for putting this work in.
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Messy Taxonomy
Jon.Bryant
AOU-NACC Proposals 2021
l_raty
Tenerife (Canary Islands) Birding Trip Report – July 2022
Shumi
Vacational Trip Reports
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‘Why did your father die?': Serbia's COVID-19 chaos spills onto Belgrade's streets
Responding to a pandemic is tough. Putting down a protest with force is a reflex.
Written byFilip Stojanovski
Posted 8 July 2020 17:14 GMT
Read this post in Italiano, Ελληνικά, русский, Español
Protesters in front of Serbian parliament in Belgrade on July 8, 2020. Signs read “All join the strike,” “Health system is not SMS nor SNS” [acronym of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party], “I don't want to get treated via SMS,” “I am not even allowed to get sick.” Photo by Zoran Torbica, used with permission.
Social networks in Serbia were still raw on July 8 after police and so-called plainclothes officers used force to put down a rally against the government's pandemic policies.
The police dispersed protesters who gathered outside the parliament building in Belgrade using teargas, batons, armored vehicles, attack dogs and horses. At one point during the demonstration, protesters pushed their way into the parliament, but they were quickly repulsed by police.
Some journalists witnessing the dramatic events said it brought back memories of chaotic post-election demonstrations in 2000.
Mass protests of mostly angry youth, clashes, teargas, and stampedes in Belgrade tonight. Tasted like 2000 way too much. Vučić simply refuses responsibility for disastrous measures during the pandemic, at the cost of social unrest. Peak impunity, and the outcome we all feared.
— Vujo Ilić (@vujoilic) July 7, 2020
The protests began on the evening of July 7 after the government announced a weekend curfew in Belgrade in response to a surge of COVID-19 cases across the country.
Protesters took to the streets to decry the way the authorities have mishandled the pandemic response and rail against corruption.
All about the vote
The Serbian right-wing populist government promoted a return-to-normal narrative in order to conduct parliamentary elections.
In a controversial move, Belgrade declared 4,000 persons who had previously tested positive to COVID-19 as “healed” on June 7, reducing the official number of active infections by about 10 times.
Epidemiologist Zoran Radovanović complained at the time that the patients had been “written off by an act of the quill, it was an administrative decision.”
When the election was eventually held on June 21, the ruling SNS party won an overwhelming majority of seats.
Opposition parties boycotted the vote, arguing that neither the government nor the pandemic had allowed conditions for a free and fair vote.
The protesters included a wide range of citizens, from left-wing students to right-wing groups, who coalesced without prior organization in front of the parliament.
za slučaj da se neko pitao koliko ljudi ima pic.twitter.com/ooHhsCjKVt
— Pru (@jprusina) July 7, 2020
In case anyone wonders how many people are there…
‘Why did your father die?’
In true populist fashion, Serbian government officials at first ridiculed the virus and repeatedly minimized its danger. Then, after backtracking and imposing strict quarantine measures in April, they completely relaxed those measures in the buildup to the vote.
A report by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) published on June 22 indicated that the government covered up COVID-19 deaths. President Aleksandar Vučić dismissed the report, but few are convinced by his position.
Meanwhile, the southwestern provincial town of Novi Pazar has become a virus flashpoint due to a spike in cases and a shortage of medical supplies.
Only a few TV networks — N1 TV, Al Jazeera Balkans and Nova S — provided live coverage of the protests.
The soundbite “Dad, this is for you” (Ćale, ovo je za tebe) from an interview on N1 TV became a slogan of the protests.
Snimak koji je obeležio večerašnji protest:
“Ćale, ovo je za tebe…” pic.twitter.com/kpEK5T8dhj
— TV N1 Beograd (@N1infoBG) July 8, 2020
Protester: Tear gas, live rounds, batons, everything against barehanded youth. Dad, this is for you, who died while there were no ventilators… Dad I love you very much, I do this for you and for my recently born son.
Journalist: Why did your father die?
Protester: Because there were no ventilators. To this day I haven't received his tests, the paperwork said that he died from the corona [virus]. No ventilators were available in the hospital in Zemun. That's according to the official report. While they [the government] were bragging that we donate ventilators abroad. Dad, this is for you, daddy! I know you would have been proud!
The following day, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denied the claim that the protester's father, painter Ljubiša Đurić (71), died due to lack of ventilators. In response, the protester published his father's medical history report, that indeed admits “lack of free places.” He has demanded an apology from the president.
Protesters and TV crews documented some of the most poignant scenes from the evening:
noćas su ispalili suzavac na mene, a ja sam ga sačekao na volej i vratio nazad na muriju izgleda da je neko iz mase to snimio i evo https://t.co/KvYrorOJIM
— иван__дамн (@ivan__damn) July 8, 2020
Today the cops shot a can of tear gas at me, and I responded with a volley kick and gave it back to them. Another protester filmed that and here I am…
Konjica pic.twitter.com/5xJWsZTncK
— Zoran Torbica (@torbica) July 7, 2020
Here comes the cavalry.
Policija gubi kontrolu i prebija ljude! pic.twitter.com/J7JIyCrBi1
— Ne davimo Beograd (@nedavimobgd) July 7, 2020
The police is losing control and is beating people up.
Some Belgrade riot police seem to be beating people completely unprovoked. These three men are sitting on a bench as a column of police walk by. Some police break off from the group and beat them. The men don't fight back, they attempt to retreat, but the police continue beating. pic.twitter.com/ankJg5IkTt
— Tucker Jones (@tuckcomatus) July 7, 2020
At around 3 AM on July 8, the police dispersed the protest, although some demonstrators remained in the vicinity of the building, broadcasting what they had just seen and experienced.
pic.twitter.com/rDfHaxmrKJ
— Zeljko Kisa (@ZeljkoKisa) July 7, 2020
I think that the state has to truthfully inform its citizens. If the state doesn't want to, then we have to force it to do it. That's it. That's our role in this society… I am a father of two small kids and I hope my children will live in a better state than the one I grew up in. That is my wish and my goal. This is what I'm fighting for. And that's the end. Good bye and thank you.
According to data provided by the Serbian government to the World Health Organization and compiled by Johns Hopkins University as of July 8, the country had 16,719 confirmed cases and 330 deaths from coronavirus.
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The history of surfing's expression session
September 6, 2022 | Surfing
The first-ever expression session movement hit surfing in the 1970s when wave riders discovered there was more to wave-riding than wearing a jersey.
If there's one sport where competitiveness doesn't necessarily mean high-performance, it's surfing.
The sport of kings is well-known for its artistic and soulful essence.
Pro surfers sometimes need to pause their careers and enjoy the pleasure of lonely searches and explorations of uncharted waves.
It's part of the thrill of being a surfer.
Whether they're part or full-time soul surfers, followers of the surfing religion, purists, or professional (free) surfers, there's always time for introspection.
After all, Nature makes the call; the surfer has to listen, process the message, and act according to his instinct.
But first, what exactly is an expression session? Why did wave riders feel the need to design an event that is a contest but not quite a competition?
Interestingly, the concept of an expression session is older than one might think.
"The surfing showcase event without judges, scores, winners, or losers, was first held in 1970, 1971, and 1973, primarily on the North Shore of Oahu, featuring a select group of the world's best surfers," notes Matt Warshaw, author of "The Encyclopedia of Surfing."
"The expression session was presented as a soulful 'anti contest' alternative to the standard surf meet."
Surf journalist and author Drew Kampion was one of the first to suggest "a new system between the individual and himself, to do the thing he does best as well as he can."
In other words, quite paradoxically, it's a contest that doesn't put a surfer against a surfer. But it still is a competition.
Expression Sessions: The Inaugural 1970, 1971, and 1973 Editions
The truth is that the idea turned out to be appealing and doable.
"Duke Boyd, owner of California-based Golden Breed beachwear company, along with pro surfer Jeff Hakman and surf magazine publisher Dick Graham, brought Kampion's idea to life with the Golden Breed Expression Session," adds Warshaw.
The world's first surfing expression session featured 24 male athletes - women were excluded from all three sessions.
The invitational-like bout included a $200 appearance fee and was supposed to give complete control over when and where to stage the event.
However, the inaugural expression session did not start well.
An angry group of non-invitees crashed the opening "Good Karma Party at Hakman's beachfront house and brawled with the official participants.
Then, the waves were far from perfect at Rocky Point.
The first round of the 1970 event was made of four sessions, each featuring six surfers.
A second round was held in slightly better surf the following week at Rainbows in Maui, with nine participants deciding not to fly over from Oahu.
David Nuuhiwa, Jock Sutherland, and Nat Young were the standouts of surfing's inaugural expression session.
Greg MacGillivray and Jim Freeman shot the 1970s event and included a few waves in their 1971 surf movie "Five Summer Stories."
The second-ever expression session was way better than its predecessor.
The first waves were ridden in stunning 10-foot surf at Pipeline, and the second round was held at Sunset Beach.
Gerry Lopez, Jeff Hakman, Owl Chapman, and Sam Hawk stood out.
The event was featured in "Oceans" (1972) and "Super Session" (1975).
Finally, the third edition ran in 1973 but was not covered at all by surf media. It was held at Off the Wall/Backdoor, Haleiwa, and Pipeline.
According to an entrant, "some surfers getting lost along the way," so it was definitely not a memorable session.
Do You Need Drama? Maybe Yes
The expression session format was redesigned and brought back to life in the 1980s and 1990s as professional surfing grew and went mainstream.
In 1988, the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau was not getting enough big waves.
As a result, contest director George Downing quickly organized a three-hour, no-prize-money expression session to entertain everyone.
During the ASP World Tour days, contest organizers filled the time between the semifinal and final heats with short free surfing matchups.
These laid-back show-off time slots featured six or more already-eliminated surfers doing their best to impress the crowd.
Expression sessions evolved into windows of modern surfing, where athletes could unleash all their creativity and take risks they wouldn't usually take in standard competitive formats.
The audience - offline and later online - loved it.
Gerry Lopez once wrote, "in its very essence, all that a surfer could dream of - an art show rather than a competition."
Expression sessions soon became extremely popular and regarded as the antechamber of future surfing-
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, these specialty events adopted different formats and included prize money and past legends of the sport.
Some of the world's best free surfers caught the audience's attention for the first time during these adrenaline-fueled trick showdowns.
And with the advent of aerial surfing, standalone, expression session-influenced competitions were held to promote the sport's striking displays of power and air skills.
Critics of expression sessions say fans and surfers want winners and losers, athletes at stake, pressure, politics, results, points, trophies, controversy, prize money, and a reason to come back in the future.
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If you could only get one type of surfboard or shape for your year-round sessions, which would you choose? The best answer is probably the funboard.
How to return to the beach when the surf gets rough
The ocean is in constant change and mutation, and sometimes the conditions make it difficult to get back to terra firma. Here's how surfers can return to shore safely when waves get bigger. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7715994715690613, "wiki_prob": 0.7715994715690613, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1751404"} |
McMillan Photos
iPhone Photography by Greg McMillan
A Bold Move – Why I Sold My Canon Gear
mcmillan August 4, 2016 July 15, 2017 Commentary, General Topic, iPhoneography
Sometimes people do the craziest things. I tend to be a pretty conservative fellow — you know, err on the side of caution, that sort of thing. But recently I made a decision that will, in a small way, change my life. Well, the photography side of my life at least. I have decided to become an iPhone only photographer, or an all out iPhoneographer.
I’ve had some sort of Canon DSLR for that past thirteen years and have enjoyed them immensely. My Canons have been great tools for capturing some pretty nice photos and there are much better cameras out there than the ones I’ve owned but I have also been having a lot of fun taking pictures with my iPhone, and the challenges that come with it.
You might say taking photos with an iPhone couldn’t be any easier. I mean really, you just point… and click, or tap, and voila, you have the shot, right?
This photo was in a gallery exhibition
Well, let me tell you, if you’ve never tried to get a really good photo with an iPhone, it isn’t that easy. Sure, it isn’t rocket science, but getting a shot that has the potential to be confused for a DSLR image has its challenges and using an iPhone has its limitations.
Speaking of limitations, some of you reading this might be thinking I’m off my rocker for leaving the DSLR scene with all of its possibilities to a very limited one in that of the iPhone. I knew that full well going into this. And believe me, this isn’t a spur of the moment decision. I have been mulling over this for probably two years now. I was just waiting to see if that “ah ha” moment would ever come to push me over the edge of uncertainty. That moment has been manifesting itself in a few different ways over those two years.
I began this thought process when the iPhone started to get good at taking photos. For me that started in October of 2013 when the iPhone 5s was released. The technology in that thing was very cool. It was the first iPhone that, when you tripped the shutter, would take a series of four images almost simultaneously, instantly analyze them and give you the sharpest one. I was impressed, but what impressed me more was the quality of the photos I was taking. And no, I realize they aren’t DSLR photos, I get that. But for images produced from a PHONE, they were pretty good. The continuing evolution of iPhone cameras kept increasing my faith in them as something I could use exclusively. The increase from 8 MP to 12 in the 6s was all but the icing on the cake for me and since I get a new iPhone every two years, I’m very excited to see what the 2017 model will have. Oh, and that’s a good point too. I get a new camera every other year!
Digging deeper into why I took this plunge, there are my reasons for taking photos in the first place. I’m not a professional so I don’t make a living doing photography. I don’t often print my photos, although I’m a firm believer that it helps to improve one’s photos. For the type of photography I do, I really don’t need a fancy full frame DSLR and big, expensive, top quality lenses. My memories and my works of art are generally reserved for my own menagerie of pixels stored on a hard drive both at home and abroad (my backups), and the ones I deem worthy are shared for you and anyone else who cares to take a look at them on a small handful of online portals. A good friend of mine once referred to me as a “social media” photographer, which is arguable, but I prefer to be called a “photographer,” just like anyone else who creates photos with a camera.
With an iPhone I can explore various types of photography all on the same device, and a versatile arsenal of apps allows me to do things like instant HDR, black and white, or even an upside down view camera style of photography just to name a few. It’s like having a darkroom right in my pocket. The limitations of the iPhone with regard to taking photos is, in my opinion, balanced quite nicely with the ever expanding possibilities for creating art provided by the thousands of people who create the apps available to us.
I spoke earlier about not needing expensive lenses and such. I don’t. But I have acquired a set of lenses that I can attach to my iPhone to expand my photographic experience. Again, the quality is not like that of my Canon stuff but I’m ok with it. The close up work I can do with the macro lens was probably the final deciding factor for making my switch to iPhoneography. I never did own a macro lens for my Canon so I hadn’t experienced the world up close but I’m loving it, and this little kit of lenses cost less for all five than the cheapest of Canon lenses.
Taken with a 10x Macro lens.
I could go on and on about what I like about iPhoneography but I’m sure a lot of those who began reading this have already moved on. If you are still here, thank you for your interest. I want to close by saying that I hope my peers don’t think any less of me as a photographer. I still know the craft. I’ll still help those in need whenever I can, and I will still learn from other photographers just as I have for most of my life. I know there will be times when I won’t be able to do what my peers are doing in their photography, but that’s okay, I’ve already accepted that. Currently I have two goals for my iPhoneography. Well, okay, one goal and one dream. The goal is to capture an image of the milky way. The dream? Well, it’s a long shot, but my dream is to be featured in the Apple World Gallery where, if selected, one of my images will occupy billboards around the world and be printed on the back cover of thousands of magazines. The goal is more likely to happen than the dream but hey, there’s nothing wrong with “shooting for the stars” now, is there?
Canon, change, iPhoeography
Next Milky Way – Attempt 1
Published by mcmillan
Happily married Christian and tech geek. I use Apple stuff to do things. Host of The iPhoneography Podcast. View all posts by mcmillan
Robert H.King says:
Hats of to you Greg from a fellow AiPC member. A truly bold decision and I look forward to seeing and hearing more about oh new sense of creative freedom!
mcmillan says:
Thanks Robert! I think it’s amazing that you pursue photography while visually impaired. That takes passion and commitment.
Thanks for the kind words Greg!
Limitations Of The iPhone Camera - The iPhoneography Podcast Ep 83 January 31, 2023
As more DSLR users are picking up their iPhones to take photos, we hear more about the limitations of the iPhone’s camera system. Dave and I discuss some of these limitations [insert interruption by Dave’s cat, Rosie] and give our insight on whether or not they are a stumbling block. Plus we look at what we’ve been shooting lately. Podcast Website: http://ip […]
Greg McMillan
Intentional Camera Movement January 18, 2023
I got hooked on a new technique for taking iPhone photos, Intentional Camera Movement, or ICM. Dave goes on a rant again and we discuss Our Recent Photos, all in the same episode again. Podcast Website: http://iphoneography.ca Greg’s Article On ICM Nicholas Bent on Instagram Bluristic on the App Store Dave on Instagram Dave on Twitter Dave on TikTok Dave on […]
Our Recent Photos - The iPhoneography Podcast Ep 81 Pt 2 January 10, 2023
In Part 2 of Episode 81 we look at Our Recent Photos ranging from snow images to a cool macro by... Dave. You thought we were going to say "Greg" didn't you? Podcast Website: http://iphoneography.ca Dave on Instagram Dave on Twitter Dave on TikTok Dave on VERO Dave on Mastodon Greg on About.me Greg on Glass Greg on VERO Greg on Twitter Greg’s […]
Frosted Tips
Top Ten from 2022 - No. 10
Top Ten from 2022 - No. 9
About.me Everything about me
Glass My Photos on Glass
Jack Hollingsworth Stories You Won’t Believe. With a Journey You’ll Never Forget.
My Thoughts Exactly My original website containing posts about stuff in general.
The Artful iPhoneography Community A community site of iPhone photographers that I host.
The iPhoneography Podcast A podcast all about iPhoneography.
Tiny Shutter The official website of Tiny Shutter, a site by Marc Sadowski. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7458778023719788, "wiki_prob": 0.25412219762802124, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1203250"} |
Bloomfield splits doubleheader with Taos
Karl Schneider
[email protected]
BLOOMFIELD – The Bloomfield baseball team ran out of gas after an emotional week of games and split its doubleheader with Taos at John Gutierrez Field this afternoon.
The Bobcats picked up two tough wins over Shiprock on Thursday and carried the momentum over to the first game against Taos, beating the Tigers 3-1. But they couldn’t keep up the energy and focus in the second game and fell 5-3.
“We’ve had a lot of high-emotion games the last few days,” Bloomfield head coach Frank DeHoyos said. “We came back to win the first game today, then kind of ran out of juice there at the end. It’s tough. It’s a tough way to play, but we need to play those kind of games.”
Bloomfield’s defense came up with multiple key plays during the first game to pick up the win, but mistakes came back to hurt the Bobcats in the second game.
Taos (11-8) got its lone run of the first game on a two-out solo home run Adam Abeyta hit off of Bloomfield pitcher Chauncey White in the first inning.
After struggling to get production at the plate in the first two innings, the Bobcats (11-8) became more aggressive in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game. White got things going with a single to left field, and during the next at-bat, Luke Deifenbaugh and White executed a hit-and-run to perfection. Deifenbaugh hit a ground ball to Abeyta at shortstop and was thrown out at first, but the slow-rolling grounder gave White a chance to advance to third on the play. Trying to get White out, Taos rushed the throw from first to third, and the ball sailed into foul territory, allowing White to cross the plate standing up.
After a single and a walk to start the top of the fourth, Taos looked poised to do some damage. But White struck out Taos’ third batter of the inning, and Deifenbaugh threw out the runner trying to steal third for a double play. White struck out the next Tiger to end the inning.
“In the first game we played, our team played their tails off, and Chauncey threw his tail off,” DeHoyos said. “It was a good game, and we played sound defense. That’s something we’ve been priding ourselves on and working on really hard, and it showed.”
The Bobcats carried the momentum from defense to offense and took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning when Saul Noriega hit a towering two-run homer over the right-field wall.
Taos got the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the sixth, but again Bloomfield’s defense came through.
A pitch from White hopped off the turf and bounced off of Deifenbaugh to get away, but the junior catcher recovered and tossed the ball to White, who tagged out the Taos baserunner as he slid headfirst into home plate.
In the second game, a pair of costly mistakes with two outs allowed Taos to score a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.
On the first run, with runners on second and third, Taos hit a ground ball to Bloomfield’s third baseman, who threw to first for the force out. But the throw was off its mark, allowing a run to score.
During the next at-bat, with runners on the corners, the Taos runner broke for second. Rather than letting the Tigers take the steal, Deifenbaugh tried to throw the runner out, but the throw wasn’t in time, and and the runner on third galloped home for the second run.
The Bobcats got on the board with a two-out RBI single from Deifenbaugh in the bottom of the third.
Bloomfield added to its run total in the fourth. Brendon Charley hit an RBI triple to deep center to tie the game at 2, then Noriega came through with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Charley and give Bloomfield the lead.
Taos answered in the top of the fifth, getting an RBI triple from Abeyta, then an RBI single from Antonio Fresquez to make it 4-3. Another run scored on a wild pitch.
Offensively, the Bobcats look to be moving past their struggles in the batter’s box, which have been an issue throughout the season. DeHoyos said he's not as concerned about the Bobcats’ hitting approach as he was a couple weeks ago.
“We’re turning the page a little bit and starting to drive the baseball a little bit. Now, it’s just a matter of the baseball gods kind of messing with us and letting us hit hard balls right at people,” DeHoyos said. “We just have to keep chipping away.”
Bloomfield will host Thoreau (2-14) for a doubleheader on Tuesday.
5A games postponed
The Piedra Vista at Aztec and Gallup at Farmington baseball games scheduled for today were postponed because of poor field conditions after a rainstorm Friday night.
The games will be rescheduled for a later date.
Karl Schneider is the sports editor for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4648. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8838263154029846, "wiki_prob": 0.8838263154029846, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line885525"} |
Changqing & Zixuan Fansite
Zixuan loving selflessly
Written by lovelikethis
Zixuan finally learns to love selflessly in the end. It’s very interesting how Zixuan learns and grows as the three lifetimes go along.
It was in Zixuan and Changqing/Liufang’s first lifetime that Zixuan learned what love was and how to love for the very first time. In the beginning she loved selfishly, but I think that’s natural when you finally find someone you love and want to be with for the rest of your life. Doesn’t everyone start out loving selfishly anyway? It was the first stage of love for her, and in their first lifetime Zixuan was the sweet, innocent and naive girl who only wanted to be a matchmaker and be Liufang’s bride. She hadn’t gone through the kind of pain and heartbreak that love can cause until she meets Liufang. After spending time together, Liufang tells Zixuan that if she still loved him after three years, he’ll marry her, and being the cute and naive girl who still retained her innocence, Zixuan smiles happily and agrees, thinking that nothing could ever go wrong. Three years later they both meet each other at the lake again, Zixuan sees him, gets mad so she runs off, Liufang runs after her and she slaps him. But then a moment later they reconcile and he leans in to kiss her; and it’s so bitter-sweet because I think that what Liufang did here was actually the very thing that made Zixuan fall even harder for him. I mean, if you think about yourself in her shoes, the guy who told you to wait three years didn’t keep his promise but then you learn that it was actually a misunderstanding on his part, and then he leans in to kiss you (just seconds after you were mad at him): I would think that this made Zixuan hold on even tighter to her love for him, because now she gets it that he really truly does love her the way she loves him. I think it was their first kiss (who Liufang initiated) that actually made her believe and grip tighter onto their love, hence one of the reasons why she appears to him in the second lifetime after they both willingly jumped off the cliff with each other.
In the second lifetime Zixuan has lost her innocence, which is what usually happens when you’ve gone through pain and hardship. You can see that she’s got a rough edge to her now; she’s got a harder exterior (which is also thanks to the actress’s outstanding portrayal of the more mature Zixuan) because after what happened, she has learned that love is not all flowers and cotton candy: there’s a dark and painful side to love that’s very real too. She’s no longer that naive and cute girl of the previous lifetime. What happened obviously left a huge scar inside her. But she still believes in holding onto their love and going after Yeping. In a way, it was almost like she was battling fate as well, in order to have a second chance to be with Yeping/Liufang.
And now here’s the thing that wasn’t supposed to happen: in their third lifetime together, Zixuan wasn’t supposed to show up in front of Changqing anymore, but because Chong Lou would have killed him, she had to save him. And now here’s the other thing that wasn’t supposed to happen: Changqing remembered Zixuan even though his memories were sealed. See, some things aren’t supposed to happen but they happen anyway. The way I look at it is that it was fate for them to come together for one last time before parting forever. Because with the current state that Zixuan was in, she really wasn’t ready to truly let go of Changqing, and both needed to resolve the debts and suffering that they endured in their previous lifetimes. Zixuan was hurting from being traumatized and not being able to let go of a love that was supposed to be but couldn’t be (I also think she did want to let go of Changqing, but it’s like there was still something missing in her that made her unable to let go still). And you know? If it is true love that Changqing has for Zixuan, he’d love her no matter how many lifetimes she comes back to love him. So in another way, it was actually Zixuan who had to make the final decision and stop the cycle. And she did. All this has just made me realize that Zixuan actually has a very strong personality indeed.
Zixuan
My point to all of this is that we don’t all start out perfect. We learn as we go on living, and that’s what happened to Zixuan. In the beginning, she thought that love was enough to be together with the one she loved. Changqing/Liufang was like her life. Her whole world revolved around him, it was obvious. But in the end she started to see that it was her who was wrong, and this is why she was finally able to accept reality for what it really was. Third lifetime around she learned to how to love right, and that was to love selflessly by letting Changqing go once and for all. So she really is a good woman, and that’s why she’s my favorite alongside Changqing.
Zixuan’s life as a Nuwa descendant
Tags: ä»™åŠå¥‡ä¿ 傳三, å¾é•·å¿, ç´«è±, 顧留芳, Gu Liu Fang, Lin Ye Ping, Xu Changqing, Zi Xuan, æž—æ¥å¹³
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 6th, 2010 at 3:56 pm and is filed under Changqing & Zi Xuan Articles & Opinions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Outdoors: Finally — a good year for perch!
Louie Stout
Tribune Correspondent
They say bluegill is Indiana’s most popular sportfish, but that’s because they are so prevalent in Hoosier waters.
That’s no knock on bluegills — how can you not like them? They’re pugnacious at the end of the line and scrumptious against the palate.
If yellow perch were equally prolific, however, they’d challenge the bluegill’s glorious reputation, at least on the dinner plate.
Just ask Lake Michigan anglers, who have been enjoying one of the best yellow perch seasons in recent years.
Of course, it’s not like the good ol’ days of decades ago when catching a bucket of the big lake’s giant perch was commonplace.
But it’s been pretty darn good and may be even better the next few years.
“Some anglers claim it’s the best perch fishing they’ve seen in five years,” Lake Michigan biologist Ben Dickinson said.
There are a couple of reasons for the improvement. First, the lake experienced an incredibly successful perch spawn in 2015. Those fish have grown to 8 inchers this year; certainly not jumbos, but they have been plentiful.
Mixed in with those are older/larger fish that keep anglers happy. That 2015 year class should be 9 inches or bigger next season.
Abundance, however, doesn’t always determine a successful Lake Michigan fishery.
The weather often rules.
“We finally got a good weather break that allowed the lake to set up properly,” Dickinson said. ”Last year, every time the weather stabilized we got a north wind that messed up the water column. We had good, stable weather this year.”
Water temperature is critical. When inshore water temps drop into the 60s, it pulls the perch shallower where they are accessible to anglers. This year, catches have been good in those 15 to 35 foot depths from Portage, Ind. east to New Buffalo. In fact, early morning anglers who are on the water at first-light have caught them as shallow as 10 feet.
But when the north wind kicks up, it not only makes it difficult for small boaters to get out, but it mixes the water and the perch scatter or move away from the shore.
Dickinson said the 2016 spawn was decent, but not anything like 2015. Data on subsequent years is sketchy because the DNR no longer contracts with Ball State University to do perch studies.
“Anecdotally, though, we’ve gotten a lot of reports from anglers who report seeing little perch chasing their baits when they wind in their lines,” he said. “So they have definitely been reproducing, which is a good sign.”
Dickinson said Indiana will be gathering more perch data next year as his crew will resume doing the work Ball State researchers once did.
“Next year will have a full workup on perch and expand our research,” he noted.
Of course, yellow perch can be caught on inland lakes, too, but are somewhat limited to the clear, sandy bottom lakes. Wawasee and Maxinkuckee in northern Indiana are good examples, while Diamond and Eagle in southwest Michigan also offer fair-to-good perch fishing.
Because the fish like cooler temperatures, the best fishing tends to be in early spring and late fall on shallow flats. Perch spawn not long after the ice leaves our lakes.
Family fishing event
The Potawatomi Wildlife Park Annual Fishing Derby near Tippecanoe, Ind. will be from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 7.
Cost is $5 for youths ages 10 to 16, $7 for those 7 and older and free to youngsters age 9 and under.
Families and individuals can enjoy a morning of fishing on a pond that is usually reserved for organized youth group fishing. Hot dogs, chips and beverages are available for purchase. Proceeds from sales and registration help cover costs and the prizes.
Kayak fishing team members representing Jackson Kayak and Native Watercraft will be present. Fluid Fun of Bristol, the regional kayak and canoe dealer serving the area, will also be present. They will be working with the kids, and be available to talk about kayak fishing and kayaks in general.
Those not interested in fishing but have questions on kayak are encouraged to come and talk with the reps during the morning’s event. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.5508715510368347, "wiki_prob": 0.4491284489631653, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1175493"} |
Home / Accessories / News
Apple ups Time Capsule capacity to 3TB
By Lex Friedman
Macworld JUN 20, 2011 11:45 pm PDT
Apple on Tuesday released new models of Time Capsule, its combination backup drive and wireless base station. The new Time Capsules are available in 2TB and 3TB capacities—previously, Time Capsule had topped out at 2TB.
Time Capsule connects to a wireless network, allowing users to back up Macs on the network via OS X’s Time Machine feature. The Time Capsules also include a Gigabit Ethernet WAN port and three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, as well as a USB port for connecting a printer or external drive.
The new Time Capsules still use the 802.11n Wi-Fi networking standard, with dual-band operation available for 802.11b/g devices like the iPhone and iPod touch. Other than the boosted hard drive capacities, it doesn’t appear the new Time Capsules score any new features.
The 2TB Time Capsule costs $299 while the 3TB model sells for $499; those prices are unchanged from the previous 1TB and 2TB offerings, respectively.
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Home Music Alice Cooper Recalls Jimi Hendrix Giving Him His First Joint!
Alice Cooper Recalls Jimi Hendrix Giving Him His First Joint!
Dalton Mac Namee
Alice Cooper recently recalled Jimi Hendrix supplying him with his first ever joint! He also told Cooper that a vibrating bed was a spaceship! You can check out that interview in full here.
Speaking on the SDR Show, Cooper recalls his first and worst experiences of drugs. These experiences came years before the rocker cleaned up his act.
On the Hendrix band Cooper said, “I’m sitting there after the show. I went to see them”.
Adding, “We were just a little high school band, but they said, ‘Hey, come on up to the hotel room.’ And we were sitting on his bed, and Jimi goes, ‘Here, man’ (with a joint), and I went, ‘Okay”.
“We’re on a spaceship” – Hendrix said to Cooper
During his first experience with the drug, Cooper said “Hendrix goes and puts a quarter in the bed you know, the vibrating bed. There was like eight people sitting on the bed. And he goes, ‘We’re on a spaceship!’ And I went, ‘Okay”.
Cooper also spoke about the negative things that he experienced from drug taking.
“It was Detroit, and I think it was crystal THC”, he explained.
He continued, “It was like four in the morning. I kind of regained consciousness. I got up. I remember it was about 20 degrees below outside, and I walked outside just in my shirt on, just to wake up”.
“And when I came back in, everybody was just kind of coming up. It was weird; it was like a (Federico) Fellini thing. It was so strange that I really did believe that everybody was dead and that I was the only one that survived it”.
Last month, Alice Cooper also said that he would love to sing for the Foo Fighters if his own band ever broke up. More on that from Nova here.
The rock legend is also another star to have received the Covid-19 vaccine along with his wife Sheryl. He also detailed his own battle with the virus. More here.
Covid 19 vaccine
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Ozzy Osbourne Announces Retirement From Touring With Immediate Effect
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St. Vincent To Perform With Sufjan Stevens At Oscars 2018
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Bakery products 2023
Video: Oatmeal
Video: EASY OATMEAL RECIPE | with sweet & savory flavors 2023, February
Calories, kcal: 363 Proteins, g: 12.5 Fats, g: 6.0 Carbohydrates, g: 64.9
Tolokno - flour made from oats or barley grains, which are pre-steamed, dried, fried, peeled and pounded. Tartar differs from ground flour, first of all, in better taste, in greater nutritional value, since all grain fractions are retained in it, while in ground, mill flour, the first, most nutritious peeled fractions are often wasted. Due to the fact that all parts of the original plant are preserved in oatmeal, oatmeal flour can be eaten without additional heat treatment.
In the old days, oatmeal was prepared from fried oats, or rather, aged overnight in a not too hot, but rather warm Russian oven. At the same time, the proteins of the grain underwent changes, denatured, and the flour obtained from such a grain lost its ability to form gluten, but it swelled well in water and quickly became thick.
Caloric content of oatmeal
The calorie content of oatmeal is 363 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Composition and useful properties of oatmeal
The fiber contains about 15-20% protein and about 5% fat, which contains lecithin - a substance that promotes better protein absorption (calorizer). Also, oatmeal contains ligin, which removes excess cholesterol and bile acids from the body, bioflavonoids, which are strong antioxidants and have a positive effect on the body's immune and endocrine systems. Bioflavonoids prevent the formation of tumors (including cancerous ones), help cleanse the body of toxic substances, take an active part in cell regeneration, and are catalysts for many biological processes.
Tolokno contains B vitamins, which are antidepressants and vitamins of youth, have a positive effect on the memory and condition of the skin and hair (including nails), the amino acids alanine and cysteine, which restore the hair structure and regulate the secretion of sebum. The lack of these amino acids is the cause of hair loss and fragility, avenanthramides, which prevent the formation of plaque on the walls of blood vessels, protect against clogged arteries.
Tolokno is recommended for normalization of impaired metabolism, treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Tolokno is an excellent remedy for skin rejuvenation. The inclusion of oatmeal in the diet promotes the elimination of lead and other heavy metals from the body. Oatmeal decoction is prescribed for anemia.
Butter in cooking
Tolokno is used for making desserts, cheese cakes, pancakes, kvass, pies with various fillings, cereals. They also add oatmeal to cottage cheese, soup, combine with honey, fresh herbs, etc.
Cereals and cereals
How To Make Oatmeal Cookies
We admit that it is rarely possible with delicious pastries to cause minimal harm to the slimness of the figure and at the same time get the maximum amount of useful minerals and vitamins. Homemade oatmeal cookies will delight you not only with excellent taste, but will also produce gentle bowel cleansing. Delicate, crispy, real delicacy that cooks quickly and without problems
Oatmeal Your Health
Oatmeal your health - calorie content, useful properties, benefits and harms, description
Milk Cocktail With Oatmeal
Milk cocktail with oatmealHow to prepare the dish "Milk cocktail with oatmeal"Mix milk, ice cream and cereal. Put on fire and bring to a boil.Cut the bananas into large pieces, sprinkle with lemon, put in milk.Beat bananas with milk and flakes with a blender until smooth
Oatmeal Crackers With Tomato And Garlic
Oatmeal crackers with tomato and garlicHow to cook Oatmeal Crackers with Tomato and GarlicMix water, oil, oatmeal and wheat flour, salt and baking powder into a tight dough. Let him rest for 30 minutes.Stir in the spices and seeds.Roll out a layer 3-4 mm thick, cut into crackers
Lazy Oatmeal With Blueberry And Protein
Lazy Oatmeal with Blueberry and ProteinHow to make Lazy Oatmeal with Blueberries and ProteinRinse the oatmeal under running water to improve the taste of the porridge.Pour it into a jar.Beat the protein and milk with a blender.Add milk mixture, yogurt and berries to the oatmeal | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6988182663917542, "wiki_prob": 0.30118173360824585, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line946554"} |
Robert Harry Clark Sr., 83
Robert Harry Clark Sr. of Vineyard Haven and Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Fla. died on Nov. 7 after a short illness.
Arba Maria Clark, 78
Arba Maria Clark, a longtime resident of Vineyard Haven, died Nov. 2.
Elizabeth Margaret Cullen, 91
Elizabeth Margaret (Betty) Cullen, a longtime resident of Wakefield and Chilmark, died peacefully at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital on Sept. 21.
Margaret Christine Freitas Chambers, 72
A graveside service for Margaret Chambers will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven.
Lorraine Elizabeth Calio, 75
Lorraine Elizabeth Calio died on Oct 6 at her home in West Tisbury.
Sarah Scott Cook, 86
Sarah Scott Cook died on Oct. 1 at Martha's Vineyard Hospital, surrounded by family and friends.
3:09 pm, October 5, 2022
John Callahan Jr., 84
John Callahan Jr., a resident of Bonita Springs, Fla. and part-time resident of West Tisbury, died Sept. 1.
John Callahan Jr. of Edgartown and Bonita Springs, Fla. died on Sept. 1.
2:55 pm, September 7, 2022
Tamma L. Cimeno, 57
Tamma L. Cimeno of Vineyard Haven died on August 20. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9649861454963684, "wiki_prob": 0.9649861454963684, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line521400"} |
West Garden Grove Youth Baseball
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West Garden Grove Youth Baseball (WGGYB) promotes the idea of growth in baseball skills at all levels, good sportsmanship, honesty, respect, loyalty, and a sense of teamwork through a positive competitive environment so our youth may become strong, well-adjusted members of the community.
Based in Garden Grove, California, WGGYB is an all-volunteer organization that offers both Fall and Spring baseball programs to boys and girls ages 2-14. We serve Garden Grove and all of Orange County. WGGYB is a member of Protect Our Nation's Youth (PONY) Baseball and plays by PONY rules. The difference between the PONY brand of baseball and Little League is that PONY more closely resembles Major League Baseball (MLB) play. PONY plays by MLB rules allowing both lead-offs and stealing starting at age 9 and field dimensions are more appropriately sized. Spring season begins mid-February until mid-May while Fall season begins late-August until mid-November.
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Waking From A Spell (Louisville Ballet)
Posted by Keith Waits | Apr 5, 2022 | Dance | 0
(Front from L to R): Amber Wickey, Sarah Bradley, Emmarose Atwood, (Back L to R): Celeste Lopez-Kernanen, Lexa Daniels, Caitlin Kowalski inAdam Hougland’s Sleeping Beauty. Photo: Sam English
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography by Adam Hougland
A review by Annette Skaggs
Entire contents are copyright © 2022 by Annette Skaggs. All rights reserved.
Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty is a classic ballet score, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa but over the years others have taken up the challenge with new stagings. As a story, the popular Walt Disney film from the 1950s is arguably the most common point of reference in the audience’s mind, and Adam Hougland’s new take has some similarity to the animated film, but, more importantly, is often quite different.
King Floristan XXIV (Brandon Ragland) and his Queen (Helen Daigle) are hosting a party upon the christening of their only child, Aurora (Leigh Anne Albrechta). As the Master of Ceremonies (Aleksandr Schroeder) welcomes each guest, none are more magical than the Lilac Fairy (Kateryna Sellers) and her fellow fairies of Wisdom (Lexa Daniels), Prosperity (Brienne Witsie), Patience (Simone Muhammad), Laughter (Shelby Shenkman), Confidence (Ashley Thursby). As each beautifully costumed fairy presents its gift to the Princess, it is quickly realized that one magical fairy was not invited, Carabosse (Mark Krieger). Storming into the palace Carabosse and his henchmen curse the Princess that she will die on her 16th birthday by a prick of the finger and quickly leaves. Having not presented her present yet, the Lilac Fairy assures the royal family that the Princess will be protected.
At Princess Aurora’s fabulous, pastel-colored bubblegum pop art birthday party, curated by Colleen Doty and Marion Williams, the festivities are in full effect. As is the custom of the land, the Princess is presented to suitors who have come to ask for her hand, each doing their best to impress in a series of set pieces marked by leaps and bounds. As the wooing continued the Princess is given a bouquet of dark flowers by a dark stranger, Carabosse disguised, and, of course, her finger is pricked by a hidden rose. As the Lilac Fairy comes to fulfill her promise the whole of the land falls into a deep sleep and a forest grows around the castle to protect its sleepy inhabitants.
One hundred years pass and we are transported to a magnificent hunting lodge, complete with the heads of stags on the wall and a lodge-like table/chair and bar. Carabosse is entertaining Prince Florimund (Ryo Suzuki) and introducing many of the ladies of the land with a round of speed dating. While the bevy of beauties took their turns with the dashing Prince, some sitting on his lap or at his feet in admiration, the Lilac Fairy appears incognito to introduce a vision of Princess Aurora to Floriumund, encouraging him to rescue the maiden fair from an eternal slumber.
Just as the Prince is about to reach the Princess, Carabosse returns to the castle and begins to fight the Prince. Through an absolutely exhilarating exhibit of the strength of dance and charisma, the Prince vanquishes the evil Fairy Carabosse and goes to kiss Aurora, thus lifting the veil of the curse.
Upon the couple’s wedding day, Florimund and Aurora enter one of the most elaborate wedding scenes that I’ve seen on the Brown Theatre stage, with an absolutely stunning banquet table! The whole of the land descends upon the castle to celebrate the nuptials including Red Riding Hood and the Wolf (Shelby Shenkman and Mark Kreiger), The Bluebird and Princess Florine (Justin Michael Hogan and Emmarose Atwood), and the very entertaining Puss in Boots and White Cat (Minh-Tuan Nguyen and Caitlin Kowalski). As the dancing comes to a close, the fairies return and the Lilac Fairy blesses the union.
While I am by no means an expert on dance, the movement was different than anything I had seen in other productions of Sleeping Beauty. Adam Hougland’s innovative choreography injected new life into this deeply cherished classic. I would not be surprised if this rendition becomes part of the repertoire of Sleeping Beauty for Louisville Ballet and other companies.
Mr. Hougland demands athleticism and synchronicity in his work. Were these needs consistently met? No. Several times there were instances where a leap or jump didn’t land quite well or when a large gathering of dancers in pointe shoes are flitting about the stage with less precision than one would desire. But, in all honesty, I witnessed very few mistakes that evening.
I dare say that costume designer Alexandra Ludwig wanted to use almost every color under the rainbow. From the opulence of the royal court to the endearing choices for the Fairies, such as a cheerleader outfit for the Fairy of Confidence, to the lavish wedding, the aforementioned pastel birthday party was a taffeta delight, while conversely, the costumes for the hunting lodge/pub gave me a “Thoroughly Modern Millie” vibe. Just stunning.
And just as great as the costumery was, the scenic and lighting designs were just as awe-inspiring. While I mentioned the exquisite tablescape at the wedding scene, the rest of the settings were just as expertly assembled and well thought out. The inside of the castle was bedecked in a lovely wallpaper speckled with peonies, and the scene of Aurora’s vision, with a suspended bed in clouds, was inventive. Jesse Alford’s lighting design, especially in the darker scenes gave us just the right suspenseful ambiance and excitement.
Perhaps one of my favorite scenic designs was presented just before the wedding. When the curtain was raised, we saw what looked like the hallway that leads from the dressing rooms to the stage of the Brown Theatre or even the Kentucky Performing Arts Center. Having walked that hallway on occasion, I enjoyed that nod, complete with the fairytale characters invited to the wedding just waiting for their call to perform; some leaning against the wall, some just sitting on the floor reading the trades.
During Artistic Director Robert Curran’s curtain speech, he reminded us that this was the final production the Louisville Ballet’s 70th Anniversary season, one that included several World Premieres, including Sleeping Beauty. He thanked us all for the continued support and laughed that this performance was perhaps a bit of kismet as we are now starting to emerge from an unexpected sleep. I believe he is correct.
Bravi Tutti!!
Louisville Ballet
Brown Theatre
Louisvilleballet.org
Annette Skaggs is heavily involved as an Arts Advocate here in Louisville. She is a freelance professional opera singer who has performed throughout Europe and in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boulder, Little Rock, Peoria, Chicago, New York and of course Louisville. Aside from her singing career, she has been a production assistant for Kentucky Opera, New York City Opera, and Northwestern University. Her knowledge and expertise have developed over the course of 25+ years’ experience in the classical arts.
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The Magic Is REAL (Louisville Ballet)
Louisville Ballet’s Balanchine Is “Brilliant”
Laser Focus (LouisvilleBallet)
17 Questions for Theresa Bautista | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6059768795967102, "wiki_prob": 0.3940231204032898, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line397658"} |
Home › Unsere Radtouren › San Juan Islands Tour
San Juan Islands Tour
Bike pastoral roads. Cruise beside sparkling waters. Hike through rich old-growth forest. Spend a half-day kayaking Roche Harbor's placid waters with a naturalist/guide. Our most popular tour of Washington's San Juan Islands highlights the very best of life on the Salish Sea. Top it off with sumptuous lodging and fresh island cuisine. Conde Nast Traveler named Friday Harbor (where you'll spend a good bit of time) one of the Most Beautiful Towns in America. And Fodor's Travel Guide trumpets, "You won't find a nicer place to ride than these islands in the Pacific Northwest's Puget Sound."
99 km / 62 mi
NEW itinerary
Lime Kiln State Park, whale-watching point.
Friday Harbor.
Sea kayaking.
Spectacular float plane flight over the Islands back to Seattle.
Can be tailored to all levels, there are optional miles that can be ridden on many days.
20-40 km / 12-25 mi
More start dates: Aug. 13, 20, 27, Sept. 3, 10, 17
Start dates May 28, June 4, 25 Juliy 2, Aug 20, Sept. 17 are guaranteed
Start date: june has limited space left.
2030-01-01 $ 3,941.- https://www.usaradtouren.com/unsere-radtouren/san-juan-islands-tour/
E-bike high end
Day 1: Explore Fidalgo Island, Then hop aboard a ferry to sail away to San Juan Island.
Meet us in Seattle for a complimentary van shuttle north to Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island. After a bike fitting, board a ferry to cruise the Salish Sea to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. Ride to Cattle Point, where you’re greeted by incredible views of Lopez Island, San Juan Island, Mt. Constitution and other places you’ll explore this week. Head back to Friday Harbor to browse its shops, art galleries, and whale museum. Spend three nights in pampered luxury at the historic Edenwild Inn. Their fresh, gourmet breakfasts and convenient location in town make it a top choice for an island getaway!
Meals L D Distance 29 miles Elevation + 1316 ft / -1145 ft
Day 2: Explore Lopez Island: Spencer Spit, Agate Beach and Watmough Bay
Explore Lopez Island today. Lopez is the flattest, most rural, and least populated of the three main San Juan Islands. It’s also considered the ‘bicyclist’s island’ for its quiet roads, gentle terrain, spectacular marine vistas, and friendly residents who wave as you bicycle past. Ride clockwise around the island, starting with Spencer Spit State Park, then south to Watmough Bay (watch for seals!). Listen to the sound of the waves gently stirring the rocks on the shore at Agate Beach. This is a great day for views of the Olympic Mountains and looking ahead to some of the places you will explore this week.
Meals B L D lodging: Edenwild Inn Distance 38 miles Elevation +2024 ft / - 2022 ft
Day 3: Ferry to Orcas Island then hike or bike to the summit of Mt. Constitution, highest point in the islands
Take a short Washington State Ferry cruise to Orcas Island, the largest and most mountainous of the San Juans. Ride to Eastsound, explore the town and have lunch on your own. Back on the bicycle, pedal to Moran State Park and Cascade Lake. Hike through the last remaining old-growth forest in the islands up to the summit of Mt. Constitution, the literal high-point of the San Juans. Prefer to ride? Challenge the switchbacks on the road to the top of “Mt. C” instead of hiking the trail. It’s one for the books! Either way, your reward at the top is a marvelous view of the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges and the emerald archipelago flung wide below. Ferry to San Juan Island where the Earthbox Inn will be our home for the next three nights.
Meals B, D, Elevation level: +1220 ft / -1220 ft (Mt Constitution adds 10mi; +2586 ft/-267 ft)
Day 4: Kayak to turn island with San Juan Kayak Expeditions
Kayak the calm waters of Puget Sound and the Salish Sea this morning. Our sister company, San Juan Kayak Expeditions, will provide two-person ‘yaks, guides and instruction. Spend the morning watching and learning about the abundant bird and marine life along the rocky, tree-lined shore on the way to Turn Island for a picnic lunch and the opportunity for a nice 1 mile walk around the circumference of the island. After kayaking, stroll about Friday Harbor, visit the Whale Museum, or take in the Art Gallery. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight in Friday Harbor.
Meals B L Distance: 3-5 mi
Day 5: Bike to Pelindaba Lavender Farm and historic Lime Kiln State Park, for whale-watching spots.
This morning, bicycle the serene shores of San Juan Island, enjoying open farmland and marine vistas from quiet country roads. Visit English Camp, a national historic park that was once part of the “Pig War” between England and the United States, and Lime Kiln State Park, one of the best orca (‘killer’) whale watching spots in the country. Tour the heavenly-scented fields at Pelindaba Lavender Farm and take your pick of several different routes back to town. Dinner tonight will be at the acclaimed Coho Restaurant.
Meals B L D Distance 23-33 miles elevation +1985 ft / -1985 ft
Day 6: Pedal to cattle point, then enjoy Friday Harbor before enjoying a scenic, traffic free, float plane ride back to Seattle.
Ride to American Camp near Cattle Point, hear the story of the little known “Pig War” between England and the United States. Rife with wildflowers in the spring and early summer, you might think you’d been transported to the southern California coastline were it not for the snowcapped mountain backdrop. Walk to South Beach, the longest public beach in the San Juan Islands. Watch for deer and foxes here as you do a little beachcombing and savor views of the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mt. Rainier from here as well – 125 miles!
Head back to Friday Harbor to browse its shops, art galleries, and whale museum. Bypass the infamous Seattle gridlock (on a Friday, no less!) and return to the “big city” in style via a chartered float plane. Savor birds-eye views of Puget Sound, Cascade Mountains, and Olympics as you soar over and past the traffic. Meet the van and a final celebration on the shores of Lake Union in downtown Seattle.
Meals: B,L Distance: 12 miles Elevation: +472 ft /-472 ft
Complimentary van shuttle north to Anacortes.
Meals: all included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner.
Road / Hybrid Bike, ( E-bike rent possible)
Luggage transfer.
Hiking, Kayaking.
At the end of your tour, board a chartered float plane for a spectacular flight back to Seattle.
Tucker House Inn
Lopez Islander or Lopez Farm Cottages | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.590834379196167, "wiki_prob": 0.590834379196167, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line324377"} |
Tosca, Synopsis and Musical Examples
by Judy Vander Heide
Setting: Rome, June 1800
Daytime:Church of San’Andrea della Valle
The Kingdom of Naples’ control of Rome is threatened by Napoleon’s invasion of Italy. Political prisoner Cesare Angelotti has bolted from the Neapolitan prison and fled to his sister’s private chapel in the Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. As an aged Sacristan kneels to pray, Mario Cavaradossi enters the church to continue work on his painting of Mary Magdalene, a portrait which is modeled on the image of the lovely Marchesa Attavanti, Angelotti’s sister. In a fit of reverie the artist compares the blond beauty of the Marchesa to his own raven-haired lover, the famous singer Floria Tosca.
When old friends Angelotti and Cavaradossi meet, the escaped prisoner is barely recognizable for the beatings he has endured from Police Chief Scarpia. He hides as Tosca enters the church; she is immediately suspicious and distrustful, having spied the painting of the Magdalene. Finally she allows Mario to reassure her as to his fidelity and their love.
After Tosca departs, the two old friends and political allies plan for Angelotti to h ide in the garden of Cavaradossi’s villa. A blast from the cannon at Castel Sant’Angelo proclaims the prisoner’s escape. As the Sacristan goes into the church accompanied by choristers who will sing the Te Deum, the supposition is that Napoleon has been defeated. Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police, enters, searches, but cannot find Angelotti. Upon the return of Tosca, he manipulates her jealousy by slyly encouraging her belief that Mario and the Marchesa have formed a relationship. Furious, Tosca departs for Cavaradossi’s villa and unwittingly is followed by the police. Scarpia revels in his plan to possess Tosca as the procession sings the Te Deum.
Evening:Scarpia’s Study in Palazzo Farnese
Tosca has received a note summoning her to Scarpia’s apartment. Frustrated because he has been unable to locate Angelotti, Scarpia has had Cavaradossi arrested, but the artist denies any knowledge of Angelotti. He sees Tosca for a brief moment and cautions her to remain silent about Angelotti’s whereabouts. Scarpia threatens Tosca, and after hearing Cavaradossi’s cries of anguish from the torture he is enduring, she reveals Angelotti’s hiding place. Now Cavaradossi has been brought before Scarpia; he is furious that Tosca has betrayed Angelotti but rejoices in the next instant when a police officer delivers the news that Napoleon, who for Cavaradossi embodies liberty, equality, and fraternity, has won a significant
victory. The artist is returned to prison. Scarpia proposes to Tosca that he will release Cavaradossi if she submits to him. Tosca cries out to God, asking why she must endure such misfortune when she has lived for art and piety.
She hears a drum beat announcing the forthcoming execution of her lover.Angelotti has committed suicide, and Scarpia, now in total control, tells Tosca he will arrange a feigned execution. She demands a letter confirming safe conduct out of Rome and, as Scarpia finishes writing, she seizes a knife that is lying on the table and plunges it into him. Taking the precious letter, she then lights candles and drapes a crucifix on Scarpia’s body.
Shortly before daw,n Cavaradossi has been dragged to the battlements of the castle. As he gazes at the stars, he is overwhelmed with memories of Tosca and pens a farewell note to her affirming his love.
Tosca enters and joyously tells him of the letter she has secured from Scarpia which promises
his safe conduct—and that she has killed Scarpia. Cavaradossi praises her fortitude and they rhapsodize about their future together. She instructs him how he should conduct himself during the sham execution by Scarpia’s firing squad: he is to remain silent and prostrate as if dead until she signals. While Cavaradossi is led before the soldiers, Tosca hides; then a volley of bullets strikes her lover. Scarpia, however, has had his revenge and betrayed her. Clutching Cavaradossi’s lifeless body, she weeps. As Scarpia’s henchmen, having discovered their patron’s murder, approach to apprehend her, Tosca evades them and plunges over the parapet to her death.
Judy Vander Heide is the president of the Ogden Opera Guild, which supports Utah Opera. She also serves on the boards of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera and Opera Volunteers, International and is a proud member of the Crescendo Society of Utah Opera.
tosca|
Verdi’s Rigoletto
Mar 11 - 19 | Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre
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Mason Bates & Mark Campbell’s The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
May 06 - 14 | Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7904300689697266, "wiki_prob": 0.7904300689697266, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line975801"} |
Husband Feels Unsupported in Parenting
My husband Brett and I often disagree on how to parent my 14 year old son Lachy. He is very strict and gets angry when Lachy does not listen to him and obey him. Tonight we were sitting as a family eating dinner on the grass by the river. I dropped some food and brushed it off onto the ground where the ducks ate it. Brett told me not to feed the ducks until after dinner as they would all be gathered around while we ate if I fed them. Lachy fed them anyway. Twice. Brett exploded and called him a “f***ing idiot” and told him he felt like “bashing his f***ing head in”. I told him that was enough and that he was embarrassing. He stormed off and went home. I approached him when we got home reiterating (as we have had this discussion before) that his behaviour was abusive and unacceptable. When we discuss these episodes he makes a lot of threats “I’ll just stop parenting him, I don’t have to I have my own son who listens to me…” and accusations “you never say anything, you just let him do what he wants, I’ll let you and his father parent him and see how he turns out”. He tells me he feels unsupported as I didn’t say anything to Lachy when he fed the ducks, as an example. Truthfully I was just enjoying the night and not really paying a lot of attention to Lachy feeding the ducks. I heard Brett tell him off the first time and the second time he lost his temper. I didn’t see much room in between for me to jump in and support him. I know I cannot control how Brett feels but I would prefer he didn’t feel unsupported. I feel that I am not doing the right thing If I ignore that he has expressed this to me and not try and be more supportive…but then I’m really not sure how to do this…I feel like I have to get angry at Lachy and yell at him and scold him (often over things that I really don’t think matter) in order for my husband to feel supported…this doesn’t feel right either. I’m really at a loss here.
C – Brett feels unsupported
T – I don’t know how to support him in a way that feels right to me
F – powerless
A – I don’t do anything
R – Brett gets angry and reinforces his feeling of being unsupported
T – Brett can choose to feel anyway he wants to feel
F – indifferent
A – inaction
R – As above
I’m really lost with this model. Please help. | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7044105529785156, "wiki_prob": 0.2955894470214844, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line174080"} |
POP Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) (Premier League)
Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
POP action figure of Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) #2
Lukaku is a Belgian striker who plays for Inter Milan. Known for his powerful strikes, but above all for holding the record for the youngest player in the Champions League, Romelu Lukaku is also the top scorer for the Belgian national team.
Romelu Lukaku has already won numerous trophies including the Belgian championship winner with Anderletcht, the top scorer for Everton, an English Cup finalist with Manchester United and the top scorer for the Red Devils since 2018! Lukaku's list of achievements will not end there and he will certainly score in the Italian championship!
Funko pays tribute to the striker with a Romelu Lukaku figurine. On this POP, the player still wears the red Manchester United jersey and we can see his fetish number 9 on the white shorts. His bright fluorescent green shoes bring out the charisma of the character.
Lukaku is not lacking in charisma and his figure is true to him in that sense as the player stands with the ball at his feet, his hands resting on his hips as if he was about to take a penalty or a free kick at full power!
Funko POP Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) figure in its box
Funko POP Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) figure unboxed
Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) POP reviews 💖
What price for Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) POP figure ?
The action figure of Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), from the Premier League franchise is a POP which came out in November 2018.
Action figure Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Item box 2
Franchise Premier League
Character Romelu Lukaku
Licence Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds
Category POP! Football
More Premier League POP figures 👌
POP Lionel Messi
POP Sergio Ramos
POP Jack Grealish
See all the Funko POP! Premier League | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7898240685462952, "wiki_prob": 0.7898240685462952, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line1064066"} |
Tag Archives: arpeggio
seems like a lifetime ago… (or, studio diary 20141101: arriving too late to save a drowning fungo bat)
A blast from the past as it were, sometimes, when you are involved in one project too many, various routine tasks (such as, uploading completed pieces of music) slip through the cracks. This is the story of one of those projects – a project that was actually completed at the end of October, 2014, was rough mixed on November 1, 2014, but is only just now seeing the light of day. The rough mix was acceptable, but for reasons unknown, the final mix was not made, and the piece just sat in the completed masters section of the database – done, complete – but not published!
That would be, my “third”, the “concerto no. 3 in d major for piano & strings“, my third concerto, but, the first to feature piano and strings, I’d always worked with horns before, specifically, oboes (my lead instrument of choice it would appear – see concerto no. 1 [in e minor] and concerto no. 2 [in a minor] – both for guitar and oboe – do you see a pattern emerging there?) so I wanted to test some uncharted waters, and see if I could “say” as much with just piano and strings. It was challenging, but in the end, I believe I have succeeded quite well in that particular aspiration. But I will let you be the judge of that…
A curious melody, sounding for the life of me, like a lost European folk melody, begins the piece, but then, suddenly, a banging and clashing of strings and timpani takes over, with urgent, repeating “morse-code”-like bursts, which then settle to almost ambient, mellotron-like strings, which wash over the listener in beautiful, deep waves…or so I hope, anyway!
That folk melody established at the very beginning, then re-occurs in various places within the larger work, as do other themes – I really like to try and establish a number of different, short musical themes or ideas, in the first (and sometimes, second) movement, and then, reiterate them, often in totally re-arranged or re-configured ways, at various points during movements 2 and 3 – I like to always refer “back” to earlier themes wherever possible, I find that gives you a cohesiveness that can otherwise, be lacking – you can hear the relationship between the movements, as well as their own unique characteristics.
What I found was, that of course, you can’t really have the strings or the piano “soloing” endlessly, so various interesting musical events probably “take the place” for me, of the missing oboe, short instrumental passages, plain and simple chord sequences; lovely pizzicato sections (I find pizzicato strings to be absolutely gorgeous, and I will use any excuse to include them in my work – I really will); but what I found very interesting was that I continued to turn to the percussion section, to take over sections of melody!
In particular, I began to rely heavily on the timpani, to express musical ideas, that normally might have fallen to a more common solo instrument (my missing oboe again, or clarinet, or flute…) – so I found that timpani alone, or, timpani with xylophone, became my new weapon of choice, and even better, when you contrasted those two percussive instruments against the best percussion instrument of all, the piano – it sounds great!
So I found myself playing xylophone a la Ruth Underwood, taking my cues from the world of Zappa jazz more than from the world of serious classical music, and I tried to think like a Zappa would (not an easy task) – however, I will say, that this concerto has a far more…”modern” sound to it, it’s far closer to jazz then my previous two works (in places), and normally, I am not a huge fan of modern classical composers or modern classical music, but I learned here, that it can be very invigorating and indeed, a joy to take those sort of almost jazz-like flights of fancy, and then keep bringing back to earth with the strings and piano, making sure that the normal classical motifs and forms are still in place, so that it still retains a flavour of non-modern classical music – elements as old as the hills – the piano, leading the way, the strings, supporting, questing – I really enjoyed the composition process in this instance, as I always do, and each time I produce a new piece, I learn something – actually, not “something” – many, many things – new.
Then, it’s almost as if the percussionists have temporarily “lost the plot”, as they seemingly almost wander off onto a strange melodic quote from “the firebird suite” – played on the xylophone in a humorous style [between 5:59 through 6:25].
More Ruth Underwood-style solo xylophone follows, which then resolves into the most incredibly ambient section of strings I’ve ever scored, which is the long, flowing section that ends the first movement – in such an incredibly calming, slow, and luscious way, and, the first time I’ve used a long fade out in a classical piece– the calm after the modern jazz storm I would almost say.
A strident string and piano theme begins at 6:42, but very quickly, loses its stridency, and becomes calmer, with pizzicato “dropped chords” occasionally appearing, long, deep strings, fade gradually along with the ever-calmer piano melody, which is now dream-like, almost ambient – eventually, the piano disappears altogether, leaving those gorgeous strings on their own for the last few moments running up to 08:07; until the first movement fades to complete silence, when another “first” is to immediately follow; the start of the second movement, has an even longer “fade in”, which then becomes a new piano theme (which, curiously, had originally been part of the first movement, had been rejected and removed to the outtakes section – and then, because I really liked it, re-instated as the first new piano theme in the beginning of the second movement; which then begins to merge and intertwine with more timpani and more xylophone, but, fleetingly; once again, the long, beautiful ambient “string chords” threaten to overwhelm, they just flow over what is happening whenever they will, often, at unexpected moments, and I really like the sound of those long, string section held chords – simple, effective.
Then we have a section of string madness, where more new themes emerge, including a brief, bowed solo from the bass (another first for me, I think) I have tried to be a bit more bold in terms of allowing individual players to have more solo “moments” – and probably, more solo piano than in any other piece. Some really lovely violin and viola leading up to ominous bass notes, long, held notes.
At some point, we are briefly re-visited by the opening “European folk music” theme, which is a nice place for a re-iteration, tying the first two movements together nicely.
Normal string melodies, trade off with pizzicato ones, followed by more moments of madness, from 11:18 thru 11:29 for example, when the lead violinist, begins playing high speed pizzicato riffs way above the top of his/her normal range, a piece of musical joyousness I simply could not resist, which started out as just one instance, and soon grew to a full 12 seconds of high pitched pizzicato madness – a temporary loss of sanity on the first violinist’s part, no doubt. 🙂
The second movement then settles into a sort of strange mixture of piano, timpani and xylophone, in more supporting roles, as violin, viola, and cello play interlocking lines, this section gave me a lot of grief at the time, but it was worth the pain, I persevered, and it all came out well in the end. Some sprightly up and down arpeggios for both the piano and for the xylophone are interspersed, accompanied by powerful timpani, the pianist playing with some wonderful flourishes and beautifully underpinning the piece with subtle low bass notes, while his/her right hand is playing double-quick arpeggios in the top octave of the piano keyboard.
Our familiar D suspended 4th to D major theme re-occurs too, extending out into a timpani–led improv section, followed by more mournful, long mellotron-like string parts that bring the second movement to its inevitable conclusion…
…the third movement begins immediately, without the customary rest between movements, at 16:02 on an eerie, ominous minor chord, with the bass alternating with a short-duration minor chord, a cello melody begins, and we are once again, away…
More new themes are immediately presented, piano and strings being featured heavily throughout this movement, we then move into some “octave” piano work, followed by a beautiful, strange almost Rundgren-esque chord sequence [17:31 – 17:42], involving both major seventh chords and bass notes that are not the root note – as example, C major 7th with a G bass, or C major 7th with an E bass – anything but a C bass!! (two of Todd Rundgren’s trademark devices, the major seventh and the 3rd or 5th in the bass – why not!) – which are then reiterated briefly by the strings –and then on into the next emerging theme, a descending chord motif…which then resolves to a piano theme first introduced in the first movement; our bright, major key sequence of D suspended 4th to D Major chords once again; which then resolves to a really stark, honest solo piano section that I am inordinately proud of [19:51 through 20:30].
A tension-building exercise is next, using a new piano riff to drive home a musical concept via repetition, and I love the powerful way that works, once again, resolving back to a reprise of that stark solo piano piece with its odd tempo slow-down [the one just referenced, from 19:51 through 20:30] – I love the fact that the tempo changes so often in this piece.
Again, the tension-building riff, but this time, for a shorter amount of time, it then dissolves into a piano and strings section that builds and builds in volume, until finally I reach my “Beethoven moment” [22:41 – 22:47] which while it may sound simple, it actually took some doing to get that part to sound right.
SPECIAL NOTE: since we are for now only producing recordings of the full concertos (previously, we have offered both the full concerto; and recordings of the individual movements, but we have discontinued that practice, and for the foreseeable future, we will be producing only complete, full versions of the concertos online) – here are the start times for each movement, and the total time as well, for those who like to know such things:
Beginning Of First Movement 00:00 Approximate Duration: 08:07
Beginning Of Second Movement 08:07 Approximate Duration: 07:55
Beginning Of Third Movement 16:02 Approximate Duration: 13:09 (13:15 with added silence at the end of the piece)
Overall Duration 29:11 (29:17 with added silence at the end of the piece)
As is my custom, it would seem, the third movement of every concerto I do, seems to always end up to be by far the longest of the three; I do not know why this is, I am not intentionally doing this, it just works out this way – partially, I suppose, because I want to add in themes from the first movement, and sometimes the second, that if all three movements started out life roughly equal, that the third would always end up having several minutes added, because, first of all, I want to re-insert certain earlier themes, but also, there just seem to be more emerging new themes, as well as sometimes, I like to re-arrange or sometimes, radically modify earlier themes, to present them with all new instruments, or with one instrument taking the lead and another a background part, the reverse of how they were in movement one, and so on – a place to experiment, a place to really stretch out both compositionally but also, as a player.
The piano parts are where I get to compose what I would love to sit out there in front of that audience and play, so they are special to me – I do tend to spend inordinate amounts of time working on the piano parts, solos and other instances of piano – which I use for everything – bridging sections, supporting the strings with some percussive, piano “rhythm” – I love to play piano, but I have also learned – that I love to score piano – it’s a real delight, and I love it when things work out well, and it ends up sounding just as I “hear it” in my mind – and that is an accomplishment, it’s not often easy for musicians to do that, but Notion is an app that actually does allow me to do that – it lets me wander compositionally where perhaps my mere, human hands maybe never really quite could – but my mind – my mind can!
To date, then, my “third”, the “concerto no. 3 in d major for piano and strings”, also remains, as of January, 2015, in any case, the longest in duration of my published concertos, although the Concerto No. 4 is nearly as long, clocking in at 27:22. I think this longer form suits better, allowing me more chances to introduce new themes or refer to existing ones…
In this case, the third movement of the third concerto becomes a vehicle for a fair amount of solo piano, which appears repeatedly in between other musical events; in my humble opinion, the piano solo in the third movement is one of the most surprising bits of music that I have come up with in recent times, it really surprises me, and, it contains a wonderful slow-down of tempo at one point, which really drives home the melody playing at that moment. After the long piano improv, a longish section of strings, with cello and viola soloing over the top of short chord bursts of strings, follows, again, this time, gradually slowing in tempo, with the cello leading the way to a long, long final sad chord…and then, back to the bright, beautiful string section with piano, theme of D major suspended fourth to D major, repeating, that originally appears in the first movement.
That piano theme fades away completely (I seem to really, really be on a “fade in / fade out” kick at the moment), or is that, rather, a “fade out / fade in”?? – the latter, in this case, and a completely new section, mostly piano-led, appears very gradually, fading in – to take us away into the lands of solo piano once again, repeating the wonderful “slow-down” tempo section, and then – to an incredibly Peter Hammill-esque duet between the lower registers of the piano and the string bass – it really, really is reminiscent of early Hammill there for a moment. [from 26:23 – 26:50 and beyond…] – I like how the piece lingers in this very lower register, where things are dark and deep – but then, moments later, the sun emerges again in the form of that persistent, sunny D suspended 4th to D major melodic section – what a swing of mood that is!
So many different moods and emotions are present here, especially in the third movement, which becomes a very rich and complex juxtaposition of themes, but somehow, I manage to make all of those recurrences, alternate versions, variants and mutations, all fit – and all work together nicely. It was sometimes not easy to fit it all together, at times I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but in the end, I made it work – and, I think I have some nice tension built in certain places, that resolves into some of the quietest, most ambient sections that to date, I’ve been able to include in a classical work.
Notion has been absolutely instrumental in helping me to learn how to score, but by the time I reached concerto no. 3 (September – October 2014) I had gained enough skill with Notion, and with scoring, that I could, somewhat playfully I admit, insert these short sections of odd music just for the sheer fun of it – and when you listen, you might think, hey, wait a minute, did I just hear…the firebird suite, by Igor Stravinsky, played on a solo xylophone? I am afraid the answer to that question is – “yes, you did”. Or “hey, wait a minute, wasn’t that Todd Rundgren on the piano there?? “yes – I am afraid so!”.
You are not imagining it, it’s really happening!
Therefore, I present, better late than never; completed on November 1, 2014, but not uploaded until January 2015, with a great amount of pride and happiness, here is my third major classical work to date, “concerto no. 3 in d major for piano & strings” by dave stafford – we hope you enjoy it.
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mobile universe of sound (the ios world)
Posted by pureambient on February 23, 2014
the ios universe of applications…is heaven for synthesists and musicians alike. as a guitarist, I appreciate guitar applications, but my passion is collecting synthesizers…also, real synthesizers were always big ticket items, and I couldn’t afford the nice ones.
for me, ios, and the availability of inexpensive apps that emulate great synths old and new, changed everything.
pre-ios, I had a limited number of hardware and software synths, and the soft synths mostly had to be run inside my DAW, or in some cases, as a standalone application on the PC, but still, I had no access to an almost limitless array of synthesizers – and now, with ios and the amazing developers who populate it, I have more choice than I can deal with!!
HARDWARE SYNTHS
or, how it all started…
imagine if you will, then, a guitarist who has been working on music for many, many years, and during that time, dabbled in synthesizers – in the early days, I had an arp odyssey (a mark I, no less!), surely one of the most difficult to tune synths of all time; I had a wonderful serge modular system, and to my everlasting horror, I foolishly sold them off many years ago…
then, by chance almost, I picked up a couple of classic yamaha hardware synths: a dx7s, and a dx11s, and the dx7 saw service in the live set up of the band bindlestiff, where I played synth on stage as well as ambient loop ebow guitar – and my partner played a korg, so that was a great contrast of two fantastic synths – and if you listen to some of the pieces we did with that combination, yamaha and korg, such as “the wall of ninths” or “pacific gravity” you can hear what two classic synths can do in live performance.
so – during the first thirty five or forty years of my career, I owned at most, five hardware synths, and now, I am down to three – and that was it. then came pro tools and sonar and soft synths in general, and I have a reasonable selection of those, which made recording much easier – in particular, having a decent grand piano, “true pianos”, was very useful, and I’ve used “true pianos” for a lot of projects, from my own songs to covers of peter hammill and van der graaf generator. I picked up the wonderful “m-tron pro” mellotron software, which inspired one of my best solo albums, “sky full of stars”, and I also have “BFD2” a dedicated drum program, which allowed me to have professional sounding drum tracks when making the rock / prog / ambient album “gone native” – and if you take your time with it, you can make really great drum tracks with, such as this one, “wettonizer”, from the “gone native” record.
LEARNING SYNTHESIS, ARPEGGIATORS & SEQUENCING
having owned such a limited range of hardware synths, I never really got the chance to expand my knowledge of synthesis by owning and playing a variety of synths, and I certainly never would have been able to afford most of the desirable synths (I remember playing a korg M1 when they came out, and just practically drooling with desire – but I simply could not afford it) – so I never bought a modern synth. I do love my yamaha dx7s, as eno has noted, it has a few really great sounds, it does certain things very, very well, and there’s nothing quite like it.
but overall, besides a modest collection of standalone and DAW-based soft synths, I really felt like I didn’t have much chance to understand, for example, the differences between additive synthesis and subtractive synthesis, I never really felt like I totally understood the magical relationships between oscillators, filters, modulators, and amplifiers, because I didn’t have examples of the many, many various hardware devices with their wildly differing approaches to synthesis. arpeggiators and sequencers were largely mysterious to me, but after working with the fairlight app (now called peter vogel cmi) for a year or so, I really “got” how sequencers work – which then meant I could use them with better clarity in many, many other synths that feature them.
then came ios. the apple platform, and, when you look at what is available for music – well, that’s what made me decide which tablet to get, when I saw what I could get on ios, at the time, compared to the relatively modest selection of apps on android – it seemed a no-brainer. I realise that over time, android is catching up, but I still don’t know if they will ever match the range, scope and incredible diversity of synths and near-synths that the apple store boasts – it’s astonishing what is available, and it’s astonishing that you can buy a massive collection of the world’s best synthesizers for a fraction of what the hardware versions cost – a tiny, tiny fraction.
FIRST GENERATION SYNTHS & THE FAIRLIGHT
so I went for the ipad/ios combination (despite not being a huge fan of apple in general!) and it was the wisest choice I ever made. within minutes, I was beginning to collect that massive set of synths that I could never in a million years have afforded in the hardware world – I started out by buying something that would have normally cost me about 20 grand, the great 80s sampler, the fairlight – and I spent about a year and a half, learning how to build sequences the slow way – and it was a fabulous learning experience, and I came to understand how the fairlight works, and how to arrange the instruments into sets, and create music in a way I never had done before (step by step) – quite inspiring, and very educational – and as I said, I could then transfer my new sequencing skills, to many, many other devices that support sequencing and sequences.
MOOGS & KORGS – GREAT EMULATIONS
another early purchase was moog’s “animoog”, and even now, when I have more app synths than I know what to do with, I am constantly returning to this synth, with it’s ever-expanding library of great sounds. the korg “iMS-20” soon followed, and that was probably the synth that I truly started to learn from, because it’s so visceral, and so visual, with it’s bright yellow cables in the patch bay, and it’s utterly faithful graphics… the first generation synthesizers that were first available on ios were already excellent, emulating hardware synths that would have cost me thousands, now mine just for a few quid on ios. unbelievable – because I never would have owned any of those in my real life, because the hardware versions are so incredibly expensive – well beyond my means. for example – the fairlight cost about ten thousand dollars more than my annual salary the year it came out. now – it’s mine for a pittance…
AND ARTURIA TOO…
other early device purchases were my beloved “addictive synth”, the very, very capable “n log pro” – a great sounding little device; “mini synth pro”, and another real favourite, the arturia “imini” – a mini-moog style synth on an ipad !!
between arturia’s “imini” and moog’s “animoog”, I was set to go for that style of synth. also, synths like the great bismarck “bs-161”, the very capable “sunrizer”, “cassini”, the amazing “alchemy” synth; the list goes on and on and on….
TOUCH CONTROL – THE REMARKABLE TC-11 SYNTH
then you get unique and amazing synthesizers like the touch control “tc-11” synthesizer, which takes real advantage of the ipad’s large screen, and delivers a synthesizer-playing experience that is unmatchable – you place your hand or hands on the screen, and by moving your fingers and hands in various ways, you “play” the synth – there’s no keyboard, but this shows you that you don’t necessarily need a keyboard to make beautiful synthesizer music (something I’d learned once before, when I got my first korg kaossilator – amazing hardware device!) – and you can produce truly beautiful music using a non-traditional interface like this – “tc-11” is simply, one of the highest quality, most remarkable devices that’s ever appeared on iosios – I absolutely love it. one of my very favourites, I do like synths that don’t have keyboards, but out of all of them, this is the most fun, and most creative, to work with and use to produce startlingly different synth music, often of great beauty – the remarkable “tc-11”.
SECOND GENERATION AND MISCELLANEOUS SYNTHS:
very quickly, I became a true collector of synth applications, and guitar applications, too – but it’s those synths that I keep going back to – and now, the second generation of application-based synthesizers are here, and they are beyond fantastic, with features and sounds that are incredibly complex, mature and amazing: the mighty “thor”; the incredible “nave”, “magellan”, the korg “ipolysix”, arturia’s amazing “isem” – the list just goes on and on and on.
the “dxi”, “epic synth” (1980s style synth), “launchkey” plus “launchpad”, “modular” (similar to my lost serge system, but reliant on in-app purchases to make it truly useful), “performance synth”, “sample tank” (the free version only so far), “spacelab”, “synth”, “synthophone”, “xenon”, “xmod”, and “zmors synth”….the list goes on still…
GENERATIVE DEVICES
then there were the generatives…mostly ambient in nature, and therefore, extremely well suited to the type of music that I generally make, so I happily adopted and became an adherent of “scape”, “mixtikl”, “drone fx”, circuli and so on…I worked with and continue to work with generative synthesis, which is a fascinating branch of synthesis, with it’s own quirks and interesting ways of working. mixtikl in particular holds my interest very well, sure, anyone can make sounds on it, but if you get into it deeply, you really have an enormous amount of control of how it generates the finished product…which is endlessly changing, never the same, constantly mutating according to the rules and conditions that you control…
“scape” is just purely beautiful, the sounds, courtesy of brian eno and peter chilvers, are simply top-notch, and using art works to create your generative pieces is a stroke of genius – and it’s very simple, just…drag geometric and other shapes onto a canvas, and see and hear your generative piece grow. more recently, I’ve picked up “drone fx”, which to my mind, is very nearly in the same class as “scape” and “mixtikl” given that you can set it up to create generative pieces, and the results are excellent – it’s a very ambient flavour, which suits me just fine, so I am very happy to add “drone fx” to my arsenal of generative music applications!
then there is “noatikl” (obviously, a spin-off or product related to the great “mixtikl”) – I don’t have much experience with this tool, I would call it a “sound design”-based generative music app, where you create loop-like pieces by connecting different sound generating nodes together – it’s quite odd, but it makes lovely music, and I hope to learn more about it and gain some skill in using it in the future.
THE LAND OF AMBIENT
this category includes most of the generatives, so please see “GENERATIVE DEVICES” above, for details on “scape”, “mixtikl”, “noatikl”, “drone fx”, and “circuli”. there are other really, truly important synths in this category, in particular, the brian eno-designed “bloom”, which was the predecessor to “scape” – “bloom” is a generative player, you select wonderfully named style and “bloom” then creates them on a grand piano for you – it’s really lovely, I can sit and listen to it for hours.
then there is another from the “mixtikl” family, the lovely ambient music player “tiklbox” – this one is really simple, it has a die in the middle, and you roll the die, and it then randomly selects or creates a piece of music based on the number you roll. It’s mostly very pleasant, I like the music it makes, but there is very little user interaction possible, you just turn it on, roll the die, and…listen. but – that’s cool, too.
PHYSICS-BASED SYNTHS
then you have the slightly strange synths, two more in the semi-ambient category being “circuli”, which is literally, circles that grow and collide, and those collisions produce music, and the somewhat similar “musyc” that makes it’s music with bouncing objects – again, virtual objects collide to produce notes, chords or percussion sounds. “orphinio” presents varying sets of intersecting circles, each set to a different tuning or modality. both of these “shape-based” synths have truly great potential, but you have to be patient to get the kind of sounds you want out of them.
GRID-BASED SYNTHS
then there are the “grid” devices – visual sequencers with massive grids that scroll past, and you merely “click on” some of the buttons as they pass, and note events begin. one of the best of these is an old favourite of mine, “beatwave”, which I have used as a background for guitar improvs, because you can very quickly “build” a good quality backing track (it’s very similar to looping, really) and then just let it run, and solo over the top of it for live performance purposes. a similar and also very enjoyable device, “nodebeat HD”, works in a very similar way, and in fact, there are a good number of these “grid” types of synths out there, most of which sound very good.
MICROTONAL GRID SYNTHS
then…again…you have the static grid types, such as the classic “mugician” and “cantor”, which use a static grid that you play by putting your finger on the notes you want to play, and “cantor” in particular, has a great “auto octave” function which means that if you want to go up very high, you just swipe a big diagonal line upward – and the device leaps up through four or five octaves – and a reverse diagonal, takes you back down to the lower notes. “cantor” is more note based, although it does have microtonal attributes, you mostly use real notes, whereas “mugician” is totally and utterly microtonal, you can “hit” notes, but it’s more about being able to play in a microtonal fashion – something that takes practice to get good at.
early on, I used “mugician” to play microtonal indian-style melodies over the remarkable “itabla pro” (one of my very, very favourite music apps of all time – I could write an entire blog about “itabla pro”; how good it is; and how much I LOVE it!) and that was great fun – it works really well as a lead instrument in that kind of musical situation.
slightly different in design to the “mugicians” and “cantors” (which while sounding very different, do have very similar interfaces visually at least) is the most excellent “sound prism pro” which features it’s own unique grid design, that is similar but different from the other two apps mentioned. “sound prism pro” has it’s own unique musical vocabulary, and is a bit more melodic / harmonic, whereas “mugician” and “cantor” are essentially solo instruments – melody only.
VOCAL SYNTHS
then there is the “vocal section”, which on my pad, share a special page with my audio utilities – in this category, we have some great tools for creating vocal harmonies and effects: “harmony voice”, “improvox”, “vio” and “voice synth” – each boasting it’s own slightly different way of achieving vocal harmonies – some very innovative and good sounding tools in this category, a lot of fun to sing into, too.
RECORDING STUDIOS – AUDIO, MIDI, HYBRID
just outside of the land of synthesizers, there are also a broad spectrum of recording studio applications, such as “auria” (professional audio multitrack studio), “cubasis” – professional AUDIO + MIDI studio, “nanostudio” one of the oldest and most respected MIDI studios, and a personal favourite (and it does qualify, because it has a synth in it – a GREAT synth, called “eden synth”, which I absolutely love), “isequence”, “isynpoly” and “synergy studio”, midi studios all; and the unique yamaha “synth and drum pad” which is a bit different from the rest and is a lot of fun to experiment with – some unique sounds there, too.
the most recent entrant to this category is korg’s groundbreaking “gadget” – an incredible studio with fifteen unique korg synthesizers, bass synths and drum synths (yes, fifteen) that you can combine in endless variations to produce some amazing music. I’m currently working on my first three pieces with gadget – and of course, I feel another eternal album coming on…
STANDALONE ARPEGGIATORS
on the same page as the studios, I also have a couple of standalone arpeggiators, “arpeggiognome pro” and “arpeggio”, which are very useful for driving your other synths, and unusual apps like “lemur”, which I purchased at half price for future development projects.
DIY SAMPLE PLAYERS – NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
I also have a few of what I term “idiot synths” (no offense to anyone) because you need know absolutely nothing to run them, they are really just sample players with controls to modify many samples running in parallel. the “groove maker” series are really quite good, I love the “groove maker rock” version especially. I also have “session band rock” which is similar, I’ve made a couple of nice “metal” backing tracks with “session band” – the “rock” version, of course!
PIANOS, ELECTRIC PIANOS, ORGANS, MELLOTRONS
then there is the more traditional section of keyboards, which features a variety of grand pianos, regular pianos, upright pianos, electric pianos (“iGrandPiano”, “iElectric Piano”, “EPS”, mellotrons, and a couple of really, really great emulations of organs – “galileo”, “organ+”, and “pocket organ c3b3” – I love all three of these! I am really pleased in particular to have the organs available, and the work that’s gone into them, right down to the quality of that leslie speaker emulation – I love the “slow to fast” sound and vice versa, and all of these do a good job of that. the sounds are simply beautiful, and, they are a lot smaller, lighter, and cheaper than real organs 🙂
DRUMS & BASS – AND PERCUSSION, TOO
this section of my ipad has really expanded of late, and there are a lot of great apps available for very little cost. starting with the basses; we have a large variety of very innovative and interesting-sounding devices, from oddities like “amen break” to more practical devices such as “bass drop hd” and”bassline”. the drums section, by comparison, is massive – old faithful “korg ielectribe”, “dm-1”, “drumatron”, “easybeats”, the unique “impaktor” (which makes a drum kit out of any ordinary surface), propellerhead’s quintessential “rebirth” which of course, handles bass and drums, and is enormous fun just to play…”synth drum”, “virtual drums”, and a million other drum kits and machines too numerous to mention…
my absolute, all time favourite drum app, however, is not any ordinary drum machine or drum kit, rather, it’s the extraordinary “itabla pro” – one of the most excellent applications I own. full on tabla samples, with several playing styles for each template; and an extremely large range of templates in all time signatures, it’s as much an education as it is a drummer. also featuring tanpura and other supporting instruments, it has two completely tunable tanpuras, the tablas and the two tanpuras are all tuneable within an inch of their life, and it makes outstanding music for interacting with other ipad instruments. I’ve been working for some time using synthesizers with “itabla pro” as accompaniment, and it works equally well with microtonal synths such as “mugician”, as well as ordinary “western” synths such as animoog – on my ipad right now, I am working on a new piece that features two animoog solo melodies over a tanpura and tabla backing – and it’s sounding very, very good so far.
notably, while not a percussion instrument, there is also an excellent free app, called “samvada” that does tanpura only, it’s beautifully made, sounds great, and is excellent for use either in conjunction with “itabla pro”; or, for situations where you want a tanpura drone but you don’t need tablas. sometimes, I just gang up the tanpuras on “itabla pro” with “samvada”, for the ultimate in rich, deep drones – fantastic.
ODDS AND SODS SYNTHS
other oddities include “tabletop” which is a sort of…table top, where you can arrange midi synths and drum modules to make music with, with a lot of in-app purchases if you want the really nice tools. it is possible to make decent music with the free supplied tools, but it is limited unless you are willing to spend a lot on IAPs.
there are so many in this “category” that I cannot possibly list them all: “76 synthesizer”, “moog filtatron”, “catalyst”, “cascadr”, “dr. om”, “noisemusick”, “figure”, “lasertron ultimate”, “samplr”, the list just goes on and on and on…
and as time passes, more and more synthesizers will arrive on ios, each more powerful than the last, it just seems like a never-ending process, there are so many excellent developers out there, as well as such a hunger from musicians (myself included, I am not ashamed to admit) for these synths – especially the vintage ones, the ones that emulate the classic keyboards that we all lusted after, but most of us simply could never afford. ios, and the availability of cheap synth apps – gives us what we could never, ever have in the real world.
armed with this vast array of synthesizing power, I feel like there is no sound that I can’t make, and no requirement I can’t meet – if I need a sound for a project I am building on my ipad – I will, absolutely will, already have a synth – or two – that can make that sound.
I am utterly in my element here, I hope the synths never stop arriving, and as long as developers keep creating them, I will absolutely, absolutely – keep playing them. rock on.
I will leave guitar applications for another day – suffice to say, they are equally diverse and fascinating, and several of them are putting serious challenges to existing stomp box and other guitar processing hardware items. I love my guitar apps, and it’s a whole new world of guitar playing – instead of my traditional set up; instead, I have a guitar to ipad to sound card set up – and I can get a whole world of excellent tone just using ios ipad guitar applications…
in the meantime, synthesists unite, and developers, please do not stop working on new and better and more innovative synthesizer apps. something needs to feed this addiction, and that’s truly what it has become – but in the best possible way, and I get so much enjoyment, hours and hours and hours of enjoyment, from just playing the various synths, to making various recordings using them – it’s created an entirely new application-based world of music that I did not realise I had in myself – and it’s an absolute joy to play these innovative instruments, and to try out new combinations of devices either by using them in a multi-track environment such as “auria”, or, for simpler set ups, the very practical “audiobus” (another game-changing device) and now, we have the new inter-app audio as well, so options for tying synths together via MIDI, or for triggering other devices from within one device, just grow and grow – it is truly amazing. I feel truly blessed to live in such times, technology at work for good, for the sake of sound, and the sound quality of most of these apps far exceeds expectations.
for that, and for the massive number of free, inexpensive or even expensive synthesizer applications, I am truly grateful, and truly happy, that these exist for me to collect 🙂
happy synth-ing!
3 Comments Posted in "application-based music", "collaborative working", "gear evolution", "journey through the past", "progressive rock", "the music of the moment", "the ongoing work of music", active, ambient, application, applications, artists, audio, current, drone, generative music, guitar, historical, korg, listening, mellotron, MIDI, mixes, mixing, moog, musicians, prog, pureambient, releases, rock, roland, SONAR, synth, synthesizer Tagged "ablackboxHD video channel", "addictive synth", "ambient music", "application based", "brian eno", "dave stafford", "drum machine", "e-bow guitar", "EMS VCS3 Synthesizer", "fripp & eno", "generative music", "generative", "gone native", "guitar craft", "guitar synth", "guitar synthesizer", "itabla pro", "korg ielectribe", "korg iMS-20", "korg ipolysix", "Mini Synth Pro", "sky full of stars", 76 synthesizer app, ablackboxHD, ablackboxHD video channel on YouTube, alchemy, alchemy app, alchemy synth app, ambient, ambient synth apps, ambient synthesizers, ambient synths, animoog, app, application, applications, apps, arp odyssey, arpeggiation, arpeggiators, arpeggio, arpeggiognome pro, arturia imini synth app, arturia isem, arturia isem synth app, audiobus, auria, auria app, auria audio recording app, auria recording studio app, bass drop HD, bass drop HD bass & drums app, bassline, bassline app, bassline bass synth app, BFD2, bindlestiff - 'pacific gravity', bindlestiff - 'the wall of ninths', bindlestiff - LOUD, bindlestiff - quiet, bismarck bs-161 app, bismarck bs-161 synth app, bit shape software, bloom, brian eno and peter chilvers, brian eno bloom, brian eno bloom app, brian eno scape, brian eno scape app, cantor app, cantor application, cantor synth app, cassini synth, catalyst app, circuli, circuli app, collector, consequences, covers of peter hammill songs, covers of van der graaf generator songs, dave stafford - 'wettonizer', dave stafford - gone native, dave stafford - sky full of stars, dave stafford - the haunting, dm-1 drum machine app, dr. om app, drone, drone app, drone fx, drone fx app, drone fx generative app, drones, drum kit apps, drumatron, drumatron drum machine app, e-bow, easybeats, easybeats app, eden synth, eden synth (nanostudio), eps electric piano, figure app, galileo organ, generative applications, generative apps, generative music synths, generative synthesis, generative synths, grid-based synth apps, groove maker, groove maker rock, IAA, ielectric piano, igrand piano, imini app, imini synth, inexpensive synth apps, inter-app audio, ios, isem, isem app, isem synth app, isequence, isequence app, itabla pro app, itabla pro application, itabla pro tabla & tanpura app, itabla pro tabla application, korg, korg gadget, korg gadget app, korg gadget music studio app, korg ielectribe drum machine app, korg ims-20 app, korg ims-20 synth app, korg ipolysix app, korg ipolysix synth app, korg m1, lasertron ultimate app, m-tron mellotron soft synth, magellan, magellan app, magellan synth app, manetron mellotron, microtonal, microtonal scales, microtonal synth, MIDI, mini synth pro app, mini synth pro synth app, mixtikl, moog, moog filtatron app, mugician, mugician microtonal synth app, mugician synth app, music app, music applicatiojn, music apps, musical sequence, musyc app, n log pro, nanostudio, nanostudio app, nanostudio MIDI studio app, nave, nave app, nave synth app, noakitl, noisemusick app, organ, orphinio, orphinio app, peter chilvers scape, peter jammill, physic-based synths, physics-based synth apps, pocket organ, propellerhead rebirth bass & drums app, pureambient, rebirth bass & drums, rebirth for ipad, samplr app, samvada, samvada drone app, samvada tanpura app, scape, sequence, sequencer, sequences, sequencing, serge modular synth, session band, session band rock, soft synths, software synthesizers, software synths, sound prism pro, sound prism pro app, sound prism pro synth app, sunrizer synth, synergy studio, synergy studio app, synth, synth app, synth app collector, synth application, synth application collection, synth applications, synth apps, synth apps collection, synth collector, synth drum app, synthesis, synthesized, synthesizer, synthesizers, tabletop, tabletop app, tabletop studio application, tanpura, tc-11 app, tc-11 synth app, tc-11 synth application, tc-11 touch controlled ipad synth app, thor, thor app, thor synth app, tiklbox, true pianos, true pianos soft synth, van der graaf generator, yamaha dx11, yamaha DX7, yamaha dx7s
application of the moment
Posted by pureambient on June 2, 2013
I’d like to talk about an application that I downloaded exactly one week ago, last Saturday, the day I returned from my holiday. it’s called ifretless guitar, and to be frank, I can’t put it down. every time I pick up the ipad, I find myself opening ifretless guitar, and seeing what I can learn.
this is a remarkable application, and even after just one week, I’m astonished at what I’ve learned from it and with it. first of all, as a standalone app, just with it’s basic “guitar string” sound, it’s excellent. you can set it up as a 7-, 8- or 9-string virtual “guitar”; you can select 7, 8 or 9 frets; and even better, you can tune it in many, many ways: standard guitar tuning, bass guitar tuning, maj 3rds, violin tuning, and tritone tuning.
it also has both a coarse tuner and a fine tuner so you can match it precisely to other apps and instruments.
that’s the basics, but beyond that, it has many, many excellent features, such as: you can set the lowest two strings to “power chord” mode, so they play chords instead of notes – meaning you can “chord” or “riff” with the bottom two strings, while you “solo” with the top 5 or 6 or 7 strings…
it has controls for velocity, a four band EQ section, a music player, a nice reverb control, and a really capable digital delay that adds a fantastic liveliness to the sound…not to mention, an x-y pad for added versatility.
the current price of the app is zero – so that’s a pretty capable app for the price. [update 20130603 – apologies – by the time this was published, the price had returned to $5.00. but you can, if you are willing to wait, get the “app ticker” application, then set it to “watch” ifretless guitar – and when the price drops, the app alerts you, you can set a threshold – so if it’s $5.o0 normally, you can tell app ticker to alert you when it reaches $3.99 or whatever price you want to pay – or it could drop to zero, and it would let you know that too. app ticker is a really useful tool – you can load all of the apps you want to buy but think are currently too expensive, and it will let you know when the price you want to pay is reached – brilliant].
but it gets better – when you realise just how much more you can do with this app, because like so many apps, of course, you can control other apps with it – so on day two, I started using it to control other ios synths, from n log pro to mini synth pro to launchkey to sunrizer to any number of other MIDI friendly devices, and I have to admit, playing high quality synths from a nine “string” interface tuned to whatever you desire, is a lot of fun!
so beautiful pads, string sounds, or mellotron-like patches, you can control from the fretboard, so you can play your own nine string version of king crimson’s “dinosaur” – I found myself playing all kinds of unlikely tunes, bits of “here comes the sun” or “something” ( no idea why, but very enjoyable) but I also found that I could do a credible “fripp soundscape” if I picked the right string or string-like synth sound, and then played odd triangular shapes – and I’ve never played touch guitar or chapman stick (well, before last saturday, anyway), but I am finding it very easy to do (because of course, I do play piano, and synth – but I also know my fretboard reasonably well – and if you don’t – another great feature is “turn note names on”) – so regardless of which tuning you pick, if you know your “notes”, you can play anything – chords, melody, whatever.
or, crank up the quality digital delay, and have a go at being tony levin for a day – no problem. for serious bass players, there is a “paid” version of the app, called “ifretless bass” – and if it’s ANYTHING like “ifretless guitar” – it’s going to be a brilliant application 🙂 if I find this app to be as long-lasting and useful as I believe it will be, I might even be tempted to buy the bass version. after one week, I’ve got a lot of mileage out of this application, I “play” a bit of nine string guitar almost every day, I play in different tunings, and I alternate between playing with the normal guitar string sound (which really does sound quite good, if I may say so myself), and driving various other ios synths with it, picking synths and synth voices at random to see how well ifretless guitar responds – and so far, it always responds brilliantly, it’s such an amazing feeling to “play” a beautiful mellotron sound with a trio of guitar strings, a string “chord”, or to “play” a mad arpeggiator or a powerful lead synth sound, on a virtual fretless nine string guitar – it’s just a great feeling, I don’t know why.
I can easily see a whole range of live performance possibilities with this app, and I am quite certain that I will use it when I next make app-based live performance videos – because it’s an enormous amount of fun to play. I was thinking that it would sound amazing, run through a looper through the eventides – and I hope that I will be in a position to try it out as one of my premier sound-generation apps in the ios, normally, I am used to playing synthesizer applications, and applications with “new” kinds of interfaces, like “mugician” or “cantor“, but this is something that feels very natural (since I am primarily a guitarist) – so I am hoping this will become a respectable part of my ios instrumentation.
this app is a true gem, and given the price, you get so much value – it’s possibly the best free app I’ve ever downloaded, because it’s not just a guitar emulator, it’s practically a full-on control surface, with great features and a really well-thought out interface – it’s so easy to play, easy for beginners, because they can turn the notes names “on”…., easy for advanced players, because of the range of tuning / fretting options, as well as a lot of great features that make playing this application a real joy for folks at any ability level.
hats off to the developers of ifretless guitar (and ifretless bass), then; as with every app, there are a few things I’d love to see added to this already excellent and very musical tool, of course, my request would be please add robert fripp’s new standard tuning to the tuning choices (and maybe, a “set your own custom tuning function, too, where you can define the tuning of each string manually”), but regardless of such fanciful enhancements, this is one of the most useful control surfaces I’ve seen yet on the ipad. I do like this kind of app, I am very fond of both “mugician” and “cantor“, but I am finding that “ifretless guitar” is even more fun to play than either of those, well, more fun, anyway, because it’s familiar to me as a guitarist – yes, the ipad gives us lots of unusual and new ways to make music, and that’s fantastic, but there is something to be said for the devil you know, too 🙂
and this little devil is a real beauty – give it a try !
Leave a comment Posted in "application-based music", "progressive rock", "the music of the moment", active, ambient, application, applications, current, iPad, MIDI, music, pureambient, synth, synthesizer Tagged "application based", "king crimson", "Mini Synth Pro", "x-y pad", 7-string guitar, 8-string guitar, 9-string guitar, application, applications, arpeggiator, arpeggio, bass guitar, cantor, chapman stick, chord, coarse tuning, control surface, digital delay, EQ, fifths tuning, fine tuning, fourths tuning, fretless bass, fretless guitar, frets, fripp soundscape, guitar, guitar app, guitar strings, ifretless bass, ifretless guitar, launchkey, major 3rds tuning, mellotron, mellotron-like sound, melody, MIDI, MIDI friendly, mugician, n log pro, notation, note names, pureambient, pureambientHD, reverb, riff, robert fripp's new standard tuning, standard tuning, string sound, strings, sunrizer synth, synth, synth app, synth application, synthesizer, synthesizer app, synthesizer application, touch guitar, tritone tuning, virtual guitar | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7262569069862366, "wiki_prob": 0.2737430930137634, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line303265"} |
Magic thump Hawks, reel off 3rd straight win as push for a playoff spot continues
Bayern drawn against 2nd division Heidenheim in German Cup
Dixon banks in game-winning, half-court shot for Missouri St
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Jarred Dixon banked in a half-court shot just before the final buzzer to help Missouri State beat Illinois State 66-65 on Sunday.
Leading 65-63 with 7.8 seconds left, Illinois State turned it over on an inbounds play. The ball changed hands several times, leading to multiple players diving for the loose ball and it finally fell to Dixon, who took one dribble and launched it off the backboard before getting tackled by his teammates.
The Bears moved into a three-way tie with Illinois State and Drake for second, two games behind Loyola-Chicago, in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
Tulio Da Silva posted 17 points and seven rebounds and Ryan Kreklow had 14 points for Missouri State (13-12, 7-5), which earned its fourth consecutive home victory. Dixon added 13 points. Josh Webster had 11 points for the hosts.
Keandre Cook, who was second on the Bears in scoring entering the contest with 14 points per game, shot only 10 percent for the game (1 of 10).
Phil Fayne had 22 points for the Redbirds (14-11, 7-5). Milik Yarbrough added 17 points and six rebounds. Zach Copeland had 12 points.
Illinois State led by as many as eight points and Fayne's jumper gave the Redbirds a 58-51 advantage with three minutes to go. Webster grabbed and offensive rebound and scored with 13 seconds left and, after Zach Copeland answered with two free throws, converted a 3-point play to make it 65-63, setting up the final scramble.
Missouri State plays Evansville on the road on Wednesday. Illinois State faces Northern Iowa on the road on Wednesday.
Bobby Petrino joins UNLV staff as offensive coordinator
Top Auburn coaching candidates: Deion Sanders, Lane Kiffin, and more | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7896320223808289, "wiki_prob": 0.7896320223808289, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line323887"} |
On Air After Hours Rhian Evans | 10:00pm - Midnight
Bts - Butter Download
Search powers set to be extended
More from Isle of Man News
Friday, July 11th, 2008 10:01am
The Manx Treasury has put out a consultation document on proposals for a code to enable searches for cash linked to criminal conduct to be carried out more extensively than at present.
It follows in the wake of the United Kingdom, where such powers were brought in five years ago.
The code would use powers found in the Proceeds of Crime Bill 2008, which is currently awaiting Royal Assent.
Under existing law, police and customs officers have the power to seize cash from people entering or leaving the Island where there are reasonable grounds to suspect it is the proceeds of, or is intended for use in, criminal conduct.
The new move would allow them to search people or premises if there were reasonable grounds to suspect they concealed cash which would be liable to forfeiture, having either been obtained by means of criminal conduct, or intended for use in it.
More than 40% of calls unanswered at three GP practices
Health Minister says work is ongoing to improve experience for patients
Leisure centre in Braddan due to open in summer
The development started in June 2021
Isle of Man cost of living 36 per cent cheaper than London says comparison website
Expatistan data 'isn't bulletproof'
Police warning of scam email
It has the name of a serving officer
Patients kept in ED overnight due to lack of admission capacity
Noble's Hospital currently operating at OPEL 4
New lawn bowls facility could host international events
Current hut in Onchan Park could be demolished | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.8273860812187195, "wiki_prob": 0.8273860812187195, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line812744"} |
KALING THE SHOTS
Mindy Kaling says it was ‘easy’ to hide her second pregnancy as she ‘never got that huge’ as baby daddy remains mystery
Ekin Karasin
Published: 6:00 ET, Nov 25 2020
MINDY Kaling found "kind of easy" to hide her pregnancy because her baby bump was never that "huge".
The Office star, 41, secretly welcomed her second child, son Spencer, in September.
Mindy Kaling found 'kind of easy' to hide her pregnancy as her bump was never 'huge'Credit: Getty Images - Getty
Mindy explained that being in lockdown helped keep her pregnancy a secret, as she wasn't seeing anyone.
The comedian added that once she started showing, she simply wore "baggy" clothes in photos she put on Instagram.
“I mean, clearly, I was not going anywhere, like everybody else, so nobody found me out,” she told Elle.
“So that was kind of easy. And then just being at home and taking photos, I’d largely just kind of shot around my pregnancy. Shot myself from the waist up and then also wore baggy things.”
She welcomed her second child, son Spencer, in SeptemberCredit: Instagram
She hid the bump with 'baggy' clothes (seen in August)Credit: Instagram
Mindy added: “I never got super huge, so it was a little bit easier."
The Mindy Project star remained coy on who Spencer's father is.
She also has a two-year-old daughter, Katherine - whose father's identity she has never revealed.
Fans have suspected the dad could be Mindy's frequent collaborator and close friend BJ Novak, though it seems unlikely as the actor is Katherine's godfather.
She also has a daughter, Katherine, twoCredit: Instagram/mindakaling
The actress appears to be loving motherhood a second time round, as she gushed over Spencer.
“I mean, he’s still so little. I think he’s like seven weeks old, so I haven’t really seen what his personality is going to be like, but I do know that my daughter really likes the fact that he’s a boy," Mindy told Elle.
"I think she feels a little bit less competitive.”
The Never Have I Ever star added that Katherine - whose nickname is Kit - was initially worried the baby was going to steal all her toys.
Fans suspected her close friend BJ Novak could be the fatherCredit: Getty Images - Getty
"She was delighted when she found out he was so little and would not be interested in playing with toys for a long, long time. Now she’s really on board with it," she explained.
Mindy announced Spencer's birth in October on The Late Show.
Host Stephen Colbert said: "I got something I rarely get these days, which is good news, so if you wouldn't mind sharing with our audience I think they'd be thrilled to find out something extraordinary that nobody knows up until this moment."
She has not revealed who the father is for either of her kidsCredit: Instagram/mindakaling
KOURT'S MESSAGE
Kourtney shares post about 'broken things' as she feuds with family
Mindy said: "Yes, I'm telling it for the first time now. It feels so strange. I gave birth to a baby boy on September 3.
"This is news to a lot of people. It's true!"
The mom-of-two tends to keep Katherine off of social media
She shared a rare snap of her daughter in a recent post explaining why she is voting for Joe Biden in the presidential election.
In a photo of the pair hugging with her daughter's back faced the camera, Mindy wrote: "#imvotingfor my daughter Kit.
Mindy Kaling reveals she secretly gave birth to second child named Spencer as baby daddy remains a mystery | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.9766770601272583, "wiki_prob": 0.9766770601272583, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line92114"} |
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About traveling around the world
Readers ask: What Does The Andrew Jackson Political Cartoon Mean?
Posted on 17.12.2021 by Harry Chen
Purpose. The political cartoon was first shown in 1832 in the Library of Congress and was a response to Jackson’s veto against the United States national bank deposits in September. He is depicted as a monarch because opposers often viewed Jackson as an abuser of his presidential powers, not obeying the laws.
What is the overall message of the Jackson cartoon?
Jackson political cartoon This 1832 cartoon uses that theme to show Jackson, dressed as a king, trampling on the Constitution. While the cartoon garnered support for the opposing Whig Party, it did little to thwart Jackson’s desire to increase the power of the presidency.
What is the message of the cartoon Andrew Jackson as the great father?
The 1835 lithograph at right is titled “Andrew Jackson as the Great Father”. What do you feel is the message of the cartoon? That he is the one who started it all the caregiver for this large and important movement. Their was legal action taken to attempt to defend their homeland.
How does the political cartoon depict President Jackson?
1. Jackson is satirically depicted as a kindly father figure. Those who disagree may point out that the cartoonist depicts a benign, peaceful scene; they may feel that Jackson’s policy should be depicted as more demeaning, brutal, and cruel.
What is the meaning of the cartoon King Andrew the First?
Description. The caricature is of Andrew Jackson as a despotic monarch, probably issued during the fall of 1833 in response to the president’s September order to remove federal deposits from the Bank of the United States.
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What does the multi headed hydra represent in this political cartoon?
This cartoon from 1861 shows General Winfield Scott slaying a dragon called secession. The cartoon serves as a tribute to the commander of Union forces, Gen. Winfield Scott, shown as the mythical Hercules slaying the many-headed dragon or hydra, here symbolizing the secession of the Confederate states.
Who does the man in the cartoon represent?
1. The man in the cartoon as a baby, teenager, young adult, adult, and elderly man is Uncle Sam. The man represents America, as I said, and its expansionist ideology which started as soon as it got its independence from Britain.
Why do you think Jackson is riding a pig in the cartoon?
He is riding a pig because, he acted greedy towards the public and was a tyrant towards the public. The dollar signs represent wealth towards the Washington insiders. The figure on the left represents the south.
What was Jackson’s message to Congress on Indian Removal?
Jackson declared that removal would “incalculably strengthen the southwestern frontier.” Clearing Alabama and Mississippi of their Indian populations, he said, would “enable those states to advance rapidly in population, wealth, and power.”
Why is Andrew Jackson being removed from the $20 bill?
For years, critics have called for Jackson to be removed from the $20 bill because of his legacy of supporting the institution of slavery and his role in the forced, violent transfer of tens of thousands of Native Americans from the South on what became known as the Trail of Tears.
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Why was Jackson referred to as King Andrew?
Jackson was called King Andrew because he used his veto powers to cancel the Bank Bill.
How did Jackson abuse his power?
Over the course of vetoing the U.S. Bank Jackson went through several Secretaries of State and Treasury. This technique shows a second way President Jackson abused his power. By sabotaging the bank and strengthening his cabinet, Jackson was able to increase his presidential power.
What means political cartoon?
political cartoon, a drawing (often including caricature) made for the purpose of conveying editorial commentary on politics, politicians, and current events. Such cartoons play a role in the political discourse of a society that provides for freedom of speech and of the press.
What is Jackson stepping on?
He tramples on the Constitution and the coat of arms of Pennsylvania, the location of the United States Bank. A book titled the Judiciary of the United States appears to be thrown aside.
Why was Jackson seen as a tyrant?
Andrew Jackson, being a tyrant, abused his power in his time of presidency. Andrew Jackson was considered a tyrant because of his removal of the Native Americans, overuse of vetoing, and the general fact that he just…show more content… Vetoing is to allow or reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.
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3rd Annual
Placer County Fair Rib Cook-Off
Welcome to the 3rd annual Placer County Fair Rib Cook-Off!
This year will be bigger and better in a new location inside the fair.
Schedule Coming Soon
Bring your team to accept the challenge of who has the
best ribs in Placer County!
Limited to 20 contestants must register by May 1, 2023
Call Donnette @ 916.701.8181 or email [email protected] to find out how you can be a sponsor for the 2023 Rib Cook-Off by January 2023.
About the Rib Cook-Off
Join us at the 3rd Annual Placer County Fair Rib Cook-Off on Sunday, June 25, 2023, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
This wild and delicious fun event will feature over 15 teams competing for the bragging rights of the Best Ribs in Placer County, in addition to Judges Choice and Peoples Choice trophies. Attendees will enjoy a fun, Fair atmosphere including all kinds of beverages, music, carnival, Family Fun Zone, livestock, and so many vendors and entertainers!
Admission to the Fair is $10.00. A Tasting Kit is $10.00 for five (5) ribs and one voting ticket for your favorite team!
We look forward to seeing you at the Placer County Fair Rib Cook-Off on Sunday, June 25, 2023!
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Home › Forums › Supernatural Fan Wiki Community › Let’s all talk about – The Winchesters – Masters of War (S1 E4)
This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago by kate38.
November 1, 2022 at 10:23 am #24001 Reply | Quote
journalbookbinder
I think this one might give us more of John’s Vietnam backstory. I’m looking forward to it. I hear on the SPN Then and Now podcast that Jensen had to fight to be able to film the Vietnam sequences (for cost reasons; the network was against it) and he “took it all the way to the top” which I’m assuming was Mark Pedowitz (though Jensen didn’t name names) and that person approved it, saying he trusted Jensen to tell the story the way it needed to be told. Jensen felt the Vietnam experience was so important to who John is. I worry for the future of such decisions without Mark Pedowitz at the head of the CW.
November 2, 2022 at 4:56 pm #24361 Reply | Quote
Stedan
Am I the first one to write anything ?
I think that was my favorite episode so far. Maybe that is because it was not so much about John and Marys relationship. But what felt a bit weird, was that I at times almost forgot that this is the story of our John and Mary.
I loved Carlos character development. I`m glad that he is not just there for the fun moments and jokes.
Johns portrayal of ptsd was amazing and the ending scene was heartbreaking.
The only thing that did bother me a bit, was the coincidence that they found the book with the text that could kill the god, found in this room in which no one has been for a while. A bit too much luck to be believable.
Hi,Stedan —
I think you hit the nail right on the head! This has been my favorite episode so far, and I think it’s because there was very little focus on Mary and on the “relationship” between John and Mary. Aside from the sparring scene in the beginning, they had very little screen time together. I enjoyed the focus on John and Carlos (even though I don’t take Carlos seriously yet). I also appreciated the main story being nudged forward a little bit, as if John’s development will be a critical factor when they face the acreta.
My fears do seem to be well-founded as now there are articles out about how The Winchesters (and Walker: Independence) has not had the second half of the season ordered…so the first season will stick and hold at 13 episodes. Damn you, Nexstar for buying the CW!!!! But they say that NOT ordering the second half of season one does not mean they won’t order a second season. I want this show to have the chance to succeed. Bad timing on this change of ownership for our shows. But shows have much shorter runs these days…so I could see it just being a shorter-run show (like The Boys with only 8 episodes per season!).
BUT, on to the episode…
I love Drake as John. I can see John, Sam, AND Dean in his performance and I love it. For someone so new to acting, he’s a natural. He was inspired casting and I will keep watching just for him. Seeing the characters I love IN his portrayal right now feels to me like the only thing connecting this show to Supernatural.
I am continuing to have a hard time with the weird monsters. I understand that these are monsters from all different cultures and Mary is surprised to see them turning up so it is out of the ordinary and THAT has something to do with the Akrida. As we learned, the Akrida want to do away with everything on earth; humanity AND monsters and it seems that, judging by this episode, even Gods are worried about it! I wish I knew WHAT the Akrida wanted and WHY they want to do this! I can’t find this threat very threatening when it’s so vague and so weird (giant spider/crab dogs that so far just run around and follow a figure in a cape and hood).
I am just not finding these monsters scary. And I loved the scary monsters of early SPN. The actor playing the God in this one did a fine job – going from veteran to God and I didn’t see that coming! But the Samurai outfit…the fact that the guy in it was very “American” yet supposed to be from a different culture…it just didn’t fit for me! The spear…all of it was way too fantasy/video game for me! Not scary. I did like that this week’s God/monster was a thinking and talking being that obviously had some kind of plan for John; to make sure he was ready/violent enough to fight the Akrida (and deemed he WAS ready). I wish a thinking, scheming adversary would last more than one episode though.
I liked finding out more about Carlos, but…I wanted more. I wanted a war story – more than just apprehension from seeing the burning cigarettes of the Viet Cong out in the jungle. I wanted something that we didn’t expect of Carlos; a story about some kind of uncharacteristic and traumatizing war violence. He seemed surprised at the violence displayed by John after he killed the God. I did like the moment when he hugged John. For all Carlos’ bravado, he cares about John and I liked that. I also liked him in his Navy uniform because it looks so out of character to his usual hippie-equse wardrobe and I enjoyed the revelation that we really don’t know much about these characters yet.
The whole storyline with Maggie’s death is falling flat for me. It was a big trauma for Mary and Lata but we never knew Maggie (no flashbacks, etc.), so her death doesn’t have the traumatic urgency for me I want to feel.
Let’s talk about Lata. I love that there is a character of Indian descent. Love it. But I do not like this character!!!! She’s too…nice. She doesn’t seem real yet. And she ALWAYS has or finds the answer! One of the things that made Supernatural feel so real was Sam and Dean scrambling to find answers on their own. There was a “time is of the essence” feel and it was suspenseful. Here, they go to the “clubhouse”, Lata pulls out a book, and voila; she has most of the info. they need. It’s…boring and I did not expect that from Robbie Thompson.
Right now, this show has too much of a young adult novel fantasy feel to me. Not horror. Not Supernatural.
But I love John. I love Carlos (“What kind of heterosexual mating ritual am I interrupting?”) but want Carlos to be revealed to be a lot more of a badass!!! OR show that he was forced into violence at some point and that is why he’s now adopted the holy water water gun and less hands-on violence: because he didn’t like the person he was when he WAS violent. There’s no sign of that yet, but THAT would be interesting to me.
I haven’t talked much about Mary because…I’m still just not feeling Mary. Again, I know this may be by design. We had a little peek into what were supposed to be more real emotions when she was trying to escape the monster and talking on the CB radio to John last week…that was a step forward, but she seems overly-confident in her knowledge (maybe on purpose; maybe so it can bite her in the ass later) and what made Supernatural so good was Sam and Dean NOT having answers. If anything, I expected this show to be even more “in the dark” as far as how to fight monsters because it was decades before Sam and Dean so I thought the knowledge would be more scanty. But if anything there seems to be MORE info. from Mary and Lata.
I like that Mary is a strong female and not a pushover…she’s the leader really and I like that IDEA, but I’m just not feeling much from the actress yet. Unlike Drake who does make me empathize with him.
Millie REALLY accepted the whole crazy “God” story from Lata WAY TOO FAST! This is supposedly new to her (unless she’s also some kind of closet hunter!) and she accepted all of that without question which seemed very lazy writing to me. Wow. Never thought I’d EVER accuse Robbie Thompson of lazy writing when he wrote such intricate & thoughtful dialog as he did in “Don’t Call Me Shirley”.
Somehow, this show does not feel REAL to me yet. In spite of the crazy stories and monsters and concepts, Supernatural always felt REAL which is why I cared so much about Sam and Dean and WANTED them to “win” and figure things out at the last minute and save each other every week. I don’t care much yet about these characters. It’s still early. But I already cared immensely about Sam and Dean by the 4th episode of Supernatural. I did.
I would have enjoyed the fight scene with John because it’s the first time we really saw his “cold blooded killer” side – but the glowing SPEAR was so video-game ridiculous I couldn’t take it seriously!
So, this one had moments between characters that I liked…but I’m still wishing for more.
This reply was modified 3 months ago by journalbookbinder.
Hi, JBB!!
You make some excellent points 🙂
I like Drake a lot, too. I like his approach to John and I like how sincere and relatable they’re making him. John and Millie are still my favorite characters. That shower scene at the end was so tender and real – I loved it.
I agree with you about Maggie. I had to keep reminding myself who she was and why I should care about her death at all. I also agree with you that Lata having all the answers and always having the right book is already getting boring. And I realize that the Scooby gang needs a base of some kind, but the Men of Letters “clubhouse” (love that, by the way) is lame.
Speaking of Lata, how do you rush to the hospital, rush to find the magic vase, but then stop to admire the craftmanship before you destroy it to save your friends? That seemed odd to me.
If I recall, Millie knew about Henry being a Man of Letters (or trying to be one, anyway), which means she already knew about monsters and the supernatural. My guess is that’s why she accepted the god-dude theory so readily.
You also make a good point these characters. By episode four of Supernatural, I already CARED about Dean and Sam and I was invested in their story. So far, I care about John and Millie, but that’s it. I’m not really connecting with the rest of the characters. Maybe like you said, they’re not believable. I hope that changes soon.
November 2, 2022 at 10:29 pm #24409 Reply | Quote
PigNaPoke
Hi Y’all,
forgive me if some of the following thoughts are repeats of yours, but I am posting without reading first:
I did like the sparring sequence at the very beginning. Good choreography and it looked real to me. I also liked the glimpse at how Mary sees that something’s bothering John but instead of talking she offers a REAL sparring match to get it out of his system. Very “Winchester” of her. I wondered for a moment if John would go all out on her and how she would be fairing. I liked the little twist that even though she offered herself as a punching bag she ends up showing him he’s fighting too fairly or squarely.
I’m warming up to Mary a little more. She’s less wooden and I can see that she is trying to be less bossy with the gang. Her scenes with Latha going through Maggie’s things were very nice and I loved the little ritual they picked up from Maggie with the post cards stating some GOOD things that happened during the hunt! I like that we can see Mary constantly observing and assessing John, trying to figure him out. I like that they are not totally googoo-eyed for each other but learn to like and respect each other first. That’s refreshingly different from normal TV love stories.
Drake is doing really well as John. I see a little of both Sam and Dean in his performance at times. He has a Jensen-esque ability to keep emotions just under the surface but let us clearly see them. When they DO jump to the foreground like John’s occasional violent outburst or the tears at the very end, it’s hard to watch because it’s believable and you feel for him.
Love the scenes between John and Millie, both actors are great in them and I like the loving but realistically complicated relationship they seem to have. John is already displaying the very “Winchester” don’t talk about it, just bury it, attitude here and I like hearing from Millie that she struggles with talking about feelings as well, so he obviously learned that from her. But then when he REALLY needs the emotional support at the very end, she’s right there and jumping into the running shower to hug him tight. LOVED that scene.
Also already visible is John’s willingness to sacrifice himself for others and it seems natural for him and the jump into action and ask questions later vibe very much reminds of Sam and Dean.
The case was interesting to me at the start and I liked that at least some of the info, like that there are other cases like this all across the country, came from an outside source (the reporter kid) this time. Of course, then they magically find the right book again quickly to figure out what they are fighting.
(Side Note: I had really hoped that The Winchesters would slow down the case solving to maybe one in every TWO shows to make the search for clues more time accurate….BUT I get that I’m the minority with this and that most audience probably wants the MOW format….hence….magic books at every turn.)
I didn’t get the reasoning, though, that the “white old men” of the MoL would not have similar books at the club house and Latha and Mary had to go into Maggie’s room for it?! That seemed pretty tortured.
I enjoyed that we got Carlos and John working together and have Latha and Mary on the outside. The new team up was a nice change.
Glad to find out more about Carlos here and was surprised to find out he was in Vietnam as well and why. I did like his therapy sharing scene but needed a little more to the story to really understand his trauma there. He gets a little too emotional for me there without an obvious part of his story causing it but I do liked the glimpse at a more serious and deep Carlos. I wondered for a moment if he was just ACTING and sharing the emotional story to get out of there to search the files? Until he talked to John about how talking about it really helped. I do like how their friendship is still hesitant but growing warmer in this episode. They aren’t exactly sure of what to make of the other but sense that it’s worth figuring out.
Unfortunately, later in the episode the case got really thin and confusing to me:
Why would the god-monster want to have John join him to fight the Akrida? What interest does the god have in that situation? Was he after ANY soldier that could be honed? Why only in psych wards? And WHO moves the amphora around? Neto himself?
When Neto says to John that there are centuries of violence and anger in his blood, I guess it’s a reference to the SPN revelation about Cain and Abel? How would he know that if he’s a god from a non-Christian pantheon?
Why would John go into the jungle room without a clear indication that Carlos as in there? I’d liked to see him find something of Carlo’s at least to lure him in there….
The fight scenes were great, though! Lots of good action and different because of the spears.
Millie wanting to check out John, the Doc first telling her that the psych ward is locked and then suddenly giving them free reign because Millie threatens with the news was WEIRD!
Also ODD that the ladies were looking in bags and in drawers for a vase.
Also ODD that John breaks the spear and kills Neto with the wooden shaft. WHY? If that is the only way to kill the god, how did John know? And if that wasn’t the only way to do it why not use the actual glowy, pointy end??
Some scenes felt to me like they were stunted, maybe incomplete because parts were being edited out?
I really liked JoJo’s performance in this one, less airy, a little more weight, a little more nuanced. Like when Carlos finds John after killing the god and John is pretty much covered in blood, Carlos gives him a GREAT look that is in equal parts understanding and a little scared. Very good. And his last outfit when he sits back in the group therapy is Price-style fabulous.
My favorite parts of this episode were the inter-human relationship building scenes. I do like each of the actors and they make me interested in the characters and wanting to find out more.
I’d give this one a 5 out of 10. Wonky case but stronger character scenes.
Hi JBB,
I totally agree with you on Latha!! I am very disappointed with her character. I love the diversity as well, but I need that also to STAND for something. I don’t want nerdy-smart Indian book girl! I want more grit and less Disney-ish delivery of everything she says. She’s like a ray of sunshine that breaks through the curtains and doesn’t let you sleep – warm, bright and annoying.
Maybe it gets better if we get more of her back story, but at the moment she sticks out and not in a good way. She’s pretty unnecessary on the road, too. She would be more believable if she stayed behind and support them from her library job and MoL club house.
I want to like her, but there has to be more there.
I keep thinking of Charlie on SPN. She was cute, bubbly, innocent, nerdy, smart, clumsy – pretty much all the things Latha displays – BUT you could tell immediately that there was more to her story and she is brave, which I haven’t seen from Latha yet.
Of all characters, she leaves me the coldest.
I don’t have a problem with believing Mary’s trauma over the loss of Maggie. I can understand her sadness over losing a sister of sorts. Aside from that it seems to me that Maggie’s death at such young age gives Mary some anxiety over the ticking timer on her own chance to get out AND at the same time Maggie’s death gives Mary the impression that she won’t make it out of the life at all. Locking all that away by not going into the room seems realistic to me.
Does Millie maybe know more about Henry’s MoL activity and is not AS disbelieving of the supernatural as a complete innocent would be? And if it’s not that….maybe it’s just in the Winchester family to be totally ready to roll with the supernatural punches? John did the same thing. LOL
Hi, Guys!!
I don’t have much to add about this one. It’s my favorite so far, which is encouraging about the rest of the season.
Ahem. A surgical cap is completely worthless if 90% of your hair isn’t under it. Just sayin’…
I enjoyed the focus on John in this one, and I respect the writer’s and producers’ choice to shine light on PTSD. John Winchester is one of the strongest, most complicated, sincere and mentally solid characters I’ve ever encountered in any television show or film. If HE can have PTSD, it can affect literally anyone. My only criticism of this story line is that back in the 1970s, there was a real stigma associated with “getting help” when a soldier had problems like those depicted in this episode. I thought they handled the whole “Let’s get therapy” thing a little too lightly and eagerly. That made is less credible for me. Otherwise, I really do appreciate what they tried to do.
Interesting that Millie said John has been running toward danger since he was four. Is that how old he was when Henry left? I got the impression he was older. Or maybe that was just a heavy-handed reference to parallel Dean.
The whole fight scene kind of confused me. I thought the god-dude said John needed to draw “first blood” in order to save Carlos; but when they switched back to the fight, John was bloody, but the other guy wasn’t. And why kill all those other soldiers in all those other states if the dude’s goal was to prepare John to face the acreda? Unless I misunderstood that part, it seems like a weak connection.
Overall, this one gets a solid B+ — the best episode so far. Keep it up, Jensen!!
This reply was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by kate38.
Hey, JBB!
I’m glad Jensen got his way this time! Although I was a bit confused by the motives in the fight scene, I thought it was well done and well choreographed. And I like that they keep reminding us about John’s military service without beating us over the head with it.
Reply To: Let’s all talk about – The Winchesters – Masters of War (S1 E4) | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6055579781532288, "wiki_prob": 0.39444202184677124, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line535622"} |
Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy Type 4
The classification of patients under various epileptic syndromes is presented in Tables II and III. Eight patients in group A could not be classified under any defined epileptic syndrome presenting during this age. [indianpediatrics.net]
Burst suppression is present in EEG tests during both wakefulness and sleep. EEG tests can help in diagnosing infantile spasms and rule out other types of infantile seizures. [news-medical.net]
Table 2 shows the percentage of participants that have presented with each form of epilepsy. The most frequent presentations were epileptic spasms and tonic-clonic seizures. [analesdepediatria.org]
•We characterize a new epilepsy-related SCN8A mutation, R850Q, in the human SCN8A channel and present gain-of-function properties of the mutant channel. [read.qxmd.com]
Abstract Background At the onset, differentiation between abnormal non-epileptic movements, and epileptic seizures presenting in early life is difficult as is clinical diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of the various seizure disorders presenting at [ijponline.biomedcentral.com]
No definite etiology could be established for either case despite an extensive metabolic workup. CT performed within three months of age in both cases was normal. Other workers have also often been unable to find the etiology for EME. [indianpediatrics.net]
We identified 26 patients with Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy (IEE) of unknown etiology despite extensive workup and without any specific epilepsy syndromic phenotypes. [journals.plos.org]
Diagnostic workup In early myoclonic encephalopathy, EEG is characterized by a "burst-suppression" pattern with bursts of spikes, sharp waves, and slow waves, which are irregularly intermingled and separated by periods of electrical silence. [intechopen.com]
An EEG is an essential part of the workup for LGS. Neuroimaging is an important part of the search for an underlying etiology. LGS can be classified according to its suspected etiology as either idiopathic or symptomatic. [hindawi.com]
Hypsarrhythmia
Patients 1, 2, 3, and 5 had hypsarrhythmia and/or suppression-burst pattern on EEG, and responded poorly to multiple anti-epileptic drugs. [journals.lww.com]
Other signs and symptoms may include intellectual disability, reduced muscle tone (hypotonia ), hypsarrhythmia (an irregular pattern seen on EEG ), dyskinesia (involuntary movement of the body), and spastic di- or quadriplegia. [rarediseases.info.nih.gov]
The EEG will show an irregular pattern of suppression-bursts, progressing to hypsarrhythmia. Burst suppression is present in EEG tests during both wakefulness and sleep. [news-medical.net]
Thus, EEG demonstrates primarily burst-suppression patterns in the neonatal period, hypsarrhythmia in infancy, and slow generalized spike-wave discharges (GSWDs) in early childhood. [hindawi.com]
EIEE4 is caused by changes (mutations ) in the STXBP1gene and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.[1][2] Treatment is based on the signs and symptoms present in each person. [rarediseases.info.nih.gov]
Neuropsychological assessments should be performed in order to gauge developmental progress and the effect of treatments over time. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Prophylactic pharmacologic treatment is not advised [28]. [ijponline.biomedcentral.com]
Treatment There is currently no cure for EIEE. Patients with EIEE require constant supervision. [news-medical.net]
These seizures are often associated with febrile events and may be refractory to treatment with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). [preventiongenetics.com]
Prognosis The prognosis is related to the underlying disorder. The severity of developmental impairment varies with the type of epilepsy. Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (Ohtahara syndrome) The prognosis is very poor. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Prognosis Children have a poor prognosis, experiencing developmental regression, and eventual severe mental retardation. [intechopen.com]
Prognosis Prognosis is poor with death usually occurring in infancy (50% before age of 2). Survivors have severe psychomotor impairments with continuing seizures. The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. [orpha.net]
Depending on the severity, types of seizures, and prognosis, EEs can be classified into several major subtypes: Early Infantile EE (EIEE) or Ohtahara Syndrome is one of the most severe forms of EE and is characterized by the following: Presentation within [centogene.com]
Thus, EE of children pose difficult problems of diagnosis and prognosis due to the polymorphism of their electroclinical and evolutive pattern. [indianpediatrics.net]
The developmental prognosis partially depends on the etiology. When classified by etiology, normal development was described in 51% of cryptogenic cases versus only 6% of symptomatic cases. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Etiology No clear etiology is found in approximately 40% of cases (Hrachovy, 2008 & Vigevano, 1992). [intechopen.com]
In thirteeen (35.1%) cases no definite underlying etiology could be established. Birth asphyxia and central nervous system infections accounted for a majority of cases with known etiology. [indianpediatrics.net]
Etiology EIEE may be the result of different etiologies. Many cases have been associated with structural brain abnormalities. [orpha.net]
Many etiological factors including hereditary and non-hereditary conditions have been reported. However, in up to a third of all cases determining the underlying cause is not possible. [research.unipd.it]
The descriptive epidemiology of infantile spasms among Atlanta children. Epilepsia. 1999; 40(6):748-51. PMID: 10368073 Baxter, P. Epidemiology of pyridoxine dependent and pyridoxine responsive seizures in the UK. Arch. Dis. Child. 1999; 81(5):431-3. [invitae.com]
Epidemiology EIEE was first identified in 1978. I t affects 1 to 1.6 in 100,000 individuals worldwide and is considered a very rare condition. This number includes types of spasms other than those seen in EIEE. [news-medical.net]
Summary Epidemiology Incidence has been estimated at 1/100 000 births in Japan and 1/50,000 births in the U.K. Clinical description Onset of EIEE occurs within the first 3 months of life but some present within the first few weeks after birth. [orpha.net]
Epidemiologic features of infantile spasms in Iceland. Epilepsia 1994;35:802â805. 44. Kivity S, Lerman P, Ariel R, Danziger Y, Mimouni M, Shinnar S. [e-cep.org]
Epidemiology of epilepsy in childhood: a cohort of 440 consecutive patients. Pediatr Neurol. 1998 Jan. 18(1):46-50. [Medline]. Aicardi J, Ohtahara S. Severe neonatal epilepsies with suppression-burst pattern. [emedicine.medscape.com]
Pathophysiology The underlying mechanisms of these disorders are still poorly understood. [intechopen.com]
[…] malformations such as hemimegalencephaly, porencephaly, Aicardi syndrome, olivary-dentate dysplasia, agenesis of mamillary bodies, linear sebaceous nevus syndrome, cerebral dysgenesis, and focal cortical dysplasia have been noted as suspect causes.[9] Pathophysiology [en.wikipedia.org]
Pathophysiology The epileptic encephalopathies are a group of age-specific epilepsy syndromes of diverse etiologies that share the potential for causing significant cognitive impairment. [emedicine.medscape.com]
The early onset of these disorders suggests that developmentally regulated alternative splicing of NaV1.2 may be an important consideration when elucidating the pathophysiological consequences of epilepsy-associated variants... [read.qxmd.com]
Neonatal seizures are distinguished according to the presentation as clinical seizures, electroclinical seizures and electroencephalographic seizures and based on the pathophysiology in epileptic and non-epileptic seizures [14]. [ijponline.biomedcentral.com]
[…] treatment for abnormal muscle tone, stomach or lung problems.[7] A ketogenic diet may be suggested for reduction of symptoms.[2] Should the child survive past the age of three, vagus nerve stimulation could be considered.[2] No recent findings allude to preventive [en.wikipedia.org]
Prevention No information is available. Genetic counseling might be helpful. 6.6. [intechopen.com]
In FSc, prophylactic treatment might be useful in reducing the frequency and the duration of the crises but is not considered able to prevent the onset of subsequent epileptic seizures [29]. [ijponline.biomedcentral.com] | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.6480669379234314, "wiki_prob": 0.3519330620765686, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line555662"} |
By Sunlight Foundation Blog (Reporter)
Which states have strong campaign finance oversight?
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 11:58
By The Sunlight Foundation
Gov. Scott Walker recently passed a bill that may have reduced capacity for campaign finance oversight in Wisconsin. (Photo credit: Michael Vadon/Flickr)
If a state has campaign finance limits but no one is there to enforce them, do they really matter? The strength of oversight mechanisms is a fundamental part of an effective campaign finance system. Just as it is important to know what is happening with campaign finance limits and rules for disclosure, it’s important to know whether governments have effective oversight structures that let them enforce their own rules. In addition, since we have seen a lot of significant changes in U.S. campaign finance rules over the last number of years, it is vital that we know how the states are adapting to the new national campaign finance environment.
The State Integrity Investigation (SII) has produced in-depth research on key indicators regarding effective oversight for all 50 states. To update the data collection — tracking campaign finance developments since the end of the research period — we focused on two avenues through which we thought oversight systems could (or should) have demonstrated change: First, through their levels of active enforcement and, second, through passage of new laws, rules or guidance.
To research the former, we dug through national and local news sources for any instances in which state officials were fined or charged for violating campaign finance laws, using search keywords such as “campaign finance violation,” “ethics violation” or the always helpful “campaign finance scandal.”
However, the enforcement category presents its own challenges: Do indictments mean robust oversight? Or do indictments point to a culture of corruption? And, even when officials are publicly punished, we have little sense of how many of their colleagues may be escaping scrutiny. As there is no perfect measurement method to resolve this issue, we decided to view instances of public penalties as examples of oversight mechanisms functioning as they should.
Administrative change is easier to gauge: We used Sunlight’s Open States tool, along with LegiScan and state legislature websites, to find approved bills that strengthened oversight bodies in terms of funding or scope, and to find bills that did the opposite.
Overall, we found that 28 of 50 states had at least one new oversight-related development. Our research showed that public officials were fined or charged for elections violations in 24 states.
While a majority of the states saw some oversight-related action during the past year, some of those events were particularly notable. Here are what we observed to be the highlights — and lowlights — in the past 12 months of state campaign finance oversight.
Active enforcement
Over the past year, several high-ranking state officials or entities have been indicted or fined for campaign finance violations. State attorneys general or election enforcement agencies usually launched these investigations.
New Mexico was home to the most egregious case: In October 2015, Secretary of State Dianna Duran pled guilty to embezzlement and money laundering for using campaign contributions to fund her gambling habit. Given that Duran was the state official duty-bound to enforce elections law, her case undermined public trust. Kudos, however, go to Attorney General Hector Balderas for uncovering the crime. Duran’s sentence, which included 30 days in prison, fines, restitution, 2,000 hours of community service and an unusual requirement to make 144 hours worth of public appearances to discuss her wrongdoing, serves as a strong deterrent.
Elsewhere, the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission levied a record $325,000 fine on the state Democratic Party. This came as a settlement for a case in which Gov. Dan Malloy was accused of illegally financing his re-election with federal campaign funds. The state party did not admit wrongdoing.
On the other hand, Sunlight found instances in which oversight bodies awarded weaker penalties than outlined in law or, in some cases, failed to enforce a penalty at all.
In Indiana, for example, former gubernatorial candidate Glenda Ritz was accused of illegally raising a quarter of her campaign funds during the legislative session — but her campaign claimed it had made a “clerical error” and she wasn’t penalized.
Administrative change
Robust oversight relies on independent entities that can monitor candidates, political parties and PACs. This year, Wisconsin and South Carolina represented opposite sides of the same coin: regress and progress.
In December, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed AB 388, a bill that dissolved the state’s nonpartisan Government Accountability Board and created the Wisconsin Ethics and Elections Commissions in its place. While nonpartisan judges led the Government Accountability Board, a group of Republican and Democratic appointees will spar on the new commissions, leading to probable partisan gridlock and reduced capacity for oversight. The dissolution of the Government Accountability Board represents the end of a long and contentious relationship between the governor and the ethics body, and the end of the nation’s first nonpartisan elections oversight body.
In South Carolina, however, lawmakers made progress toward strengthening independent oversight. HB 3184 ended the status quo, in which members of the legislature investigated ethics allegations against other members, to create a new, independent state ethics commission. While the commission, like Wisconsin’s new model, will have partisan members appointed by the governor and the legislature, the Palmetto State has still made important strides in the right direction.
The above cases are just a snapshot of the developments we tracked over the past year. With ethics fines and penalties for officials in nearly half the states, not to mention those who may still be committing misdeeds under the radar, it is crucial that every state continues to commit to having an agency willing and able to enforce campaign finance law.
Our research shows that many states are not there yet, but that they can learn from those that have made progress.
Here’s where to start: Global Integrity and Sunlight are partnering to launch the State Expert Connector, a repository of contact information for experts on transparency and accountability across all 50 states. Robust oversight is not a natural phenomenon; it occurs when experts and lawmakers work together to win policy victories, one bill at a time. By providing a place to learn about the actors working on transparency and accountability issues across America, we hope to help seed more victories and that, a year from now, the list of states with strong oversight mechanisms will only grow longer.
Let us know your feedback and comments, including the utility the State Expert Connector might have for you and/or your organization. Please get in touch with Emily Shaw at [email protected] or with Johannes Tonn at [email protected].
This is the third of a series of four posts tracking state-level developments in campaign finance; find the others here. The contents of this blog and the underlying research are the result of a partnership between Global Integrity and the Sunlight Foundation in relation to the State Integrity Investigation.
The Sunlight Foundation is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that uses the power of the Internet to catalyze greater government openness and transparency, and provides new tools and resources for media and citizens, alike.
Source: http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2016/08/23/which-states-have-strong-campaign-finance-oversight/
Emails Of Media Elite – Hacked – Phone Calls As Well
Hillary Clinton And the Triumph Of the Kakistocracy
New Report Casts Massive Doubt On the LGBT “Born This Way” Narrative
Trump Taps Nigel Farage
Watercooler 8/24 Open Thread: Quick Hits and Fun With Guns
In historic victory, grad students at private universities win right to unionize
Obama Admin. Forced FBI to Stand Down & Stop Investigating Clinton Foundation
Is The US Real Estate Market Facing A New, Post-Financial Crisis, Chapter Of Moral Hazard? [del.icio.us]
VP Pick Pence is Sent Out to Trumpsplain the Recent Reports of Trump’s Immigration Flip-Flop
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NHA makes capital improvements
Photo by Brian Bushard
NHA director of facilities Ed Rudd
Posted Wednesday, March 2, 2022 5:50 pm
By Brian Bushard
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @bbushardim
(March 2, 2022) Inside the Nantucket Whaling Museum’s candle factory is a mish-mash of power tools and plastic covering the exhibits, while the Nantucket Historical Association embarks on a two-year, $2 million capital improvement project of its properties.
“These are the non-sexy things,” NHA director of facilities Ed Rudd said. “We’re trying not just to update our stuff but to take it one step higher.”
The work being completed is largely structural. There will be a new elevator designed to be able to take in water when Broad Street floods, an insulated roof on the candle factory to lower heating bills, as well as sewer updates, new windows and long-overdue masonry work on the concrete walls of the Fair Street research library and Quaker Meeting House.
Those walls have been cracking for decades, Rudd said. The American elm that was removed from the sidewalk was rotten to the core, he said.
On top of that, funding for structural and security work on The Old Mill, Oldest House and Greater Light will allow those properties to reopen after Memorial Day. They have not been open to the public for over two years.
“Unfortunately we’re at the mercy of supply-chain shortages and labor shortages, which is why we’re saying this is a two-year project, conservatively,” NHA interim executive director Johanna Richard said. “We only have these narrow windows to get it done.”
Half of the funding is coming from the NHA’s coffers, through private donations. The other half will come from grant funding, including a $395,000 grant from the Community Preservation Committee. The NHA’s plan is to apply for another CPC grant next year.
It’s part of a multi-year initiative to draw people to the NHA’s properties island-wide, in addition to the popular whaling museum at the bottom of Broad Street. Three years ago, the NHA expanded exhibits at the Hadwen House. It brought Christmas-themed art to Greater Light on Howard Street and the Thomas Macy House on Main Street. One year later, about a third of people who purchased tickets to the whaling museum upgraded their passes in order to visit the NHA’s other historic properties as well.
“The goal is to be able to touch all of our properties instead of just one property,” Richard said.
Dangerously cold weather forecast Friday into Saturday
Sconset Trust buys Elbow Lane property for worker housing
NP&EDC gives planning director 4 percent raise
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Denton Economic Development Partnership Launches a Business-Focused Website
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Denton Ranks Top 20 for 2022 Best Cities for Working Parents
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Denton Economic Development Partnership Names New Director of Strategic Partnerships
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City of Denton Recognizes Local Businesses with the 2021 Mayor-Council Business Awards
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Unite Private Networks Announces Expansion into Denton, Texas
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Livability's 2019 Top 100 Best Places to Live
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2019 Top 100 Best Places to Live
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Recognized as LEED Certificated City
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Denton Ranked #10 on 2018's Best Places to Buy a House by WalletHub
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Denton Gets Go-Ahead For Second Airport Runway
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Gov. Greg Abbott: Why Texas Is The Top State For Business In America
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New Alamo Drafthouse Location Opens in Denton
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Denton County Named #8 in Texas for GDP Growth
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Most Active Community by 55Places.com
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5 Cities That Are Great For Women's Careers
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North Central Texas College To Open Denton Campus
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12 Best Music Towns in the Nation
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Denton County named #1 Strongest Economic Growth Forecast in U.S. over next 5-years
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To remain competitive and to keep up with the ever-changing business climate, the Denton Economic Development Partnership is tasked to develop partnerships and engage in strategic marketing efforts on behalf of the City. The Partnership is supported by stakeholders from diverse industries who have a critical interest in Denton’s business and workforce development.
Denton Economic Development Partnership 401 N. Elm Street Denton, TX 76201Ph. 940-382-9693 [email protected]
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WomenDonald TrumpWomen's RightsWomen's March
Powerful, Funny And Feminist Signs And Posters From The 2019 Women's March
Women are coming out in force in New York, Washington, D.C., and around the globe.
Hilary Hanson
Assignment editor, HuffPost
Jan 19, 2019, 10:23 AM EST | Updated Mar 1, 2019
Women across the United States and around the world came out in force on Saturday to take part in Women’s March demonstrations for the third year in a row.
Originally spurred by the election of President Donald Trump, the Women’s March has become an annual event involving tens of thousands of women showing up to demonstrate over a range of issues, including calling for racial equality, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, health care access and protections for the environment, to name a few.
As women took to the streets, they carried some really clever, poignant and sharp signs. Here are some of the best we’ve seen.
A demonstrator at a women's march in London on Jan. 19, 2019, holding a sign reading, "Roses are red, violets are blue, I love smashing the patriarchy with you."
Simon Dawson / Reuters
A demonstrator holds up a sign at the Women's March in Washington, D.C., reading, "It's Mueller time, baby!" including an image of a baby with Trump-like hair.
A girl at the Women's March in New York City holds a sign reading, "Little girls with dreams become women with vision!"
Caitlin Ochs / Reuters
A group of demonstrators holds posters at the Women's March in Washington, D.C., including a sign featuring a woman wearing a hijab with the caption, "We the future will not be banned."
Participants in the Women's March in Washington, D.C., holding numerous signs, one of which reads, "I like naps but I stay woke."
SIPA USA/PA Images
A post shared by Beatrice Moritz (@beatricemoritz) on Jan 19, 2019 at 10:19am PST
A man in a Donald Trump face mask poses in front of the Trump International Hotel during the march in Washington, D.C., wearing a sign that reads, "Heart of I.C.E."
Shannon Finney via Getty Images
These women from CA flew to DC for this year’s #WomensMarch.
“We’ve marched in San Jose for the past two years, but things have gotten a bit worse since then.” pic.twitter.com/1epoJikFRj
— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) January 19, 2019
A post shared by New York Civil Liberties Union (@nyclu) on Jan 19, 2019 at 8:40am PST
A post shared by 100% (@100isnow) on Jan 19, 2019 at 9:37am PST
A post shared by Leslie Coren (@lescoren) on Jan 19, 2019 at 9:36am PST
These furry feminists warmed my (otherwise freezing) heart at the #WomensMarch2019 in #Ottawa today 🐾💗 pic.twitter.com/dcuhqgDbRo
— Alessia Matsos (@alessiamatsos) January 19, 2019
I’ll cover today the Women’s March 2019. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter @LindziRae #WomensWave #WomensMarch2019 @womensmarch pic.twitter.com/wXgZZLLqzW
— VeroBalderasIglesias (@VeroBalderasI) January 19, 2019
My women’s march sign for tomorrow!!! #WomensMarch2019 pic.twitter.com/8EW87hekBT
— Aaron. (@TheAaronLeal) January 19, 2019
A post shared by Emma Witkowski (@_emspired) on Jan 19, 2019 at 8:43am PST
It's a freezing day, but all these people braved the cold in Ottawa for gender equality! #WomensMarch2019 pic.twitter.com/sB3FAZ7xXD
— JCnockaert (@cnockaert_j) January 19, 2019
Demonstrators at a women's march in London, holding a sign reading, "Austerity is misogyny."
A post shared by Women's March LONDON (@womensmarchlondon) on Jan 19, 2019 at 1:28am PST
Donald TrumpWomen's RightsWomen's March
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Apache finds buyer for stake in Kitimat LNG project
Apache has hooked Woodside Petroleum as a buyer for its stake in Kitimat LNG and Wheatstone LNG
Apache Corporation which had been seeking an exit from the Kitimat LNG as well as Wheatstone LNG in Australia is getting their wish with a confirmed deal between them and Woodside Petroleum.
Woodside has agreed to buy Apache’s stake in the projects for $2.75 billion.
Woodside will also pick up the tab for spending on the projects for between June 30 2014 and the closing date, which was not specified. Apache does say it is expected in the first quarter of 2015, and is subject to government and regulatory approvals. The estimate for those costs is $1 billion.
Apache’s share of the Kitimat LNG project is 50 per cent.
“Today’s announcement marks the successful completion of one of our primary strategic goals of exiting the Wheatstone and Kitimat LNG projects,” said Apache Chairman and CEO G. Steven Farris in a news release. I am proud of Apache’s legacy in advancing the Wheatstone and Kitimat LNG projects, and I am confident that Woodside’s participation will have a positive impact in seeing these world-class LNG facilities through to first production.”
The sale of the Kitimat LNG project, the company adds, is subject to “certain operator consents.”
Apache says that those “consents” refers to the “standard consent process afforded to the operator of the project, Chevron.”
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Rebels, government troops break cease-fire in Congo
By Edmund Sanders Los Angeles Times
NAIROBI, Kenya — A shaky cease-fire in eastern Congo ruptured again Friday when a brief skirmish between rebels and government troops sent thousands of civilians fleeing a displacement camp as they lined up to receive food aid.
In what is becoming a sadly familiar scene, panicked families ran at the first sound of gunfire, dashing toward the city of Goma.
U.N. peacekeeping officials said the skirmish started when a squad of rebels fired their guns in the air. Fearing they were under attack, government troops lobbed artillery shells and mortars at the rebels, prompting a 40-minute battle.
"It was an accident," said U.N. spokesman Col. Jean Paul Dietrich. He said peacekeeping troops responded and the situation was quickly contained.
Rebel leader Gen. Laurent Nkunda last week declared a cease-fire, but clashes have resumed in recent days.
Nkunda has warned that he will renew assaults if Congolese President Joseph Kabila rejects his demand for direct talks. He claims to be fighting to protect minority Tutsis in eastern Congo from Hutu militiamen who escaped Rwanda after carrying out the 1994 genocide.
Kabila has called Nkunda a terrorist set on overthrowing the Democratic Republic of Congo's elected government.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Friday that the crisis is threatening to embroil the entire region. Eastern Congo was the center of two Central African conflicts in the 1990s in which almost 5 million people died, mostly from disease and starvation.
"This crisis could engulf the broader subregion," Ban said at a summit in Nairobi with seven African leaders, including Kabila and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Both sides in Congo accuse the other of receiving foreign assistance. Rebels say the government is helped by Angola and Zimbabwe. Congo's government accuses the Tutsi-led government of Rwanda of backing Nkunda.
U.N. officials said they are investigating the allegations. They say there is evidence that Rwanda's military has fired weapons across the border at Congolese troops but no proof that Rwandan troops crossed the border.
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Mar 15, 2022 3:37PM EDT
Bella Hadid Talks Nose Job Regrets & Fashion Industry Pressures in Candid Vogue Cover Story
Bella Hadid goes in-depth and candid with Vogue for the magazine’s April cover. The model is the latest talent to grace the magazine, where she spoke on many things about her life, her upbringing, the challenges she faces in the fashion industry and how she plans to say “no” more often this year.
In the interview, Hadid spoke about how she wishes she didn’t get a nose job at 14-years-old.
“I wish I had kept the nose of my ancestors,” she says. “I think I would have grown into it.” Her heritage is Dutch from her mother Yolanda Hadid’s side and Jordanian from her father Mohamed Hadid.
(L-R): Yolanda Hadid, David Foster, Bella Hadid in attendance for Andre Agassi Foundation for Education”s 15th Grand Slam for Children Benefit Concert, Wynn Las Vegas, Las Vegas on Oct. 9, 2010.
CREDIT: Everett Collection
Hadid also said that she wishes people would stop assuming that she’s had a more vast amount of plastic surgery done to her face.
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“People think I fully f—-d with my face because of one picture of me as a teenager looking puffy. I’m pretty sure you don’t look the same now as you did at 13, right? I have never used filler. Let’s just put an end to that. I have no issue with it, but it’s not for me. Whoever thinks I’ve gotten my eyes lifted or whatever it’s called—it’s face tape! The oldest trick in the book.”
Also, Hadid talked about how she always felt that she didn’t compare to her sister Gigi.
“I was the uglier sister. I was the brunette. I wasn’t as cool as Gigi, not as outgoing,” she recalls. “That’s really what people said about me. And unfortunately when you get told things so many times, you do just believe it. I always ask myself, how did a girl with incredible insecurities, anxiety, depression, body-image issues, eating issues, who hates to be touched, who has intense social anxiety—what was I doing getting into this business? But over the years I became a good actress. I put on a very smiley face, or a very strong face. I always felt like I had something to prove. People can say anything about how I look, about how I talk, about how I act. But in seven years I never missed a job, canceled a job, was late to a job. No one can ever say that I don’t work my ass off.”
Bella Hadid on the cover of US Vogue for April 2022.
CREDIT: Vogue
For the cover shot, Hadid wears a cream-colored backless top from Maison Margiela Artisenal that was thronged to the front of her body and had tulle sleeves. On the lower half, she slipped on a pair of baggy jeans, also from Margiela, that added a nice contrast of textures.
In another shot, she wears a crystal flower embroidered dress with a matching, clean bodice accented with abstract trim with gray shoulder straps.
She also wore a fair-isle printed sweater paired with a flowy flower print skirt coordinated with floral print western boots.
Hadid wore a variety of dresses, from edgy to sophisticated, and also popular separates from brands like Miu Miu, Celine, Olivier Theyskens, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren and more that highlight the model’s fashion appeal.
Click through the gallery to see Hadid’s street style evolution. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.6979045271873474, "wiki_prob": 0.6979045271873474, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line975027"} |
Bennet, Hickenlooper Denounce Trump for Placing Politics Above National Security with U.S. Space Command Decision
Today, Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D) and John Hickenlooper (D) released the following statement after the announcement by the U.S. Department of the Air Force that Huntsville, Alabama, has been named the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command and reports that President Trump politicized the process.
Bennet Applauds CDOT’s Efforts to Put Federal Relief Funding to Work for Coloradans
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Bennet Statement on House Vote to Impeach President Trump
Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below following the bipartisan vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol last week.
Bennet, Hickenlooper, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Immediately Address Significant COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Failures
45 Senate Democrats Write to HHS Detailing How Trump Administration Should Fix Vaccine Distribution Failures and Implement a Comprehensive National Vaccine Plan
Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D) and John Hickenlooper (D) joined 43 Senate Democrats in demanding the Trump Administration take immediate action to fix the significant Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine distribution failures as cases continue to climb.
Bennet Statement on Justice and Accountability Following U.S. Capitol Attack
Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and American democracy, and the need for justice and accountability for all those responsible, including President Donald Trump.
Bennet Statement Following Attack on United States Capitol
Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below following a breach of the United States Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.
Bennet Denounces Attack on U.S. Capitol and Effort to Overturn the Election
In Remarks on the Senate Floor, Bennet Describes Damage to American Democracy of Partisan Effort to Overturn a Properly Conducted Election
VIDEO: Watch Bennet’s Speech HERE Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet spoke on the Senate floor about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and the partisan effort by some Republican Members of Congress to object to the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the Elector...
Bennet Visits Broomfield FISH, Thanks Volunteers for Supporting Food Insecure Families
Senator’s Proposal to Increase SNAP Benefits by 15 Percent Included in COVID Relief Package President Trump Signed into Law
Yesterday, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet toured Broomfield Fellowship In Serving Humanity (FISH) with Executive Director Dayna Scott and Volunteer Coordinator Sharin Oliver to learn more about the organization and thank volunteers for supporting food insecure families during a moment of great need.
Bennet Builds Support for Outdoor Restoration Force Act
Proposal Would Create Millions of Jobs by Scaling Up Forest and Watershed Restoration Efforts
Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced building support for his Outdoor Restoration Force Act, new legislation to create jobs by investing in our natural infrastructure -- our public lands and water -- through collaborative forest health, wildlife habitat, and watershed restoration projects across the West.
Bennet Makes Strong Case for Permanently Basing U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs Following Virtual Community Visit
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after yesterday’s virtual community visit to Colorado Springs, another step in the U.S. Air Force’s process for determining the permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command. | {"pred_label": "__label__wiki", "pred_label_prob": 0.7424641251564026, "wiki_prob": 0.7424641251564026, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line5943"} |
Home | Business News | CBJ Newsmakers | INVICTUS ANNOUNCES RESIGNATIONS
INVICTUS ANNOUNCES RESIGNATIONS
Vancouver, B.C., Dec. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vancouver, BC, December 6, 2019 – INVICTUS MD STRATEGIES CORP. (“Invictus” or the “Company”) (TSXV: GENE; OTCQX: IVITF; FRA: 8IS2) announced today that Messrs. Sparkes and Stein have resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company effective December 5, 2019. For more information, please visit www.invictus-md.com. Marc RipaInterim Chief Executive Officer Investor Relations 1-844-800-6086E-Mail: [email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Invictus Invictus is a global cannabis company with a focus on the Canadian cannabis space, offering a selection of products under a wide range of cannabinoid profiles that fit the demand of the Company’s medical clients and retail customers. The Company’s integrated sales approach is defined by five pillars of distribution including medical, adult-use, international, Licensed Producer to Licensed Producer and sales to provinces. To meet growing demand, Invictus is expanding its cultivation footprint with two cannabis production facilities licensed under the Cannabis Act, which replaced the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations in Canada. Invictus’ wholly-owned subsidiary Acreage Pharms Ltd.’s (“Acreage”) Phase I and Phase II facilities are in full production. Acreage is awaiting the amendment to their license from Health Canada to include the Phase III facility. AB Laboratories Inc., a company which is a 50% owned subsidiary of Invictus has completed its Phase II expansion and received its amended license from Health Canada. Another of Invictus’ wholly owned subsidiaries, 2015059 Alberta Ltd. (dba Leaf Wise), continues to connect medical clients to physicians for medical cannabis and to Invictus’ fully licensed cannabis producers under the Cannabis Act. Invictus is targeting up to 50 percent of production to medical cannabis. Invictus drives sustainable long-term shareholder value by continuing to develop Invictus’ Canadian production of medical and recreational cannabis products. For more information visit www.invictus-md.com.Kathy Love
Invictus [email protected]
Wealth Minerals to Present at the LD Micro Main Event (XII)
Western Atlas Resources’ Shareholders Approve Gran Colombia Becoming a Control Person of the Company | {"pred_label": "__label__cc", "pred_label_prob": 0.7313892245292664, "wiki_prob": 0.26861077547073364, "source": "cc/2023-06/en_middle_0098.json.gz/line628335"} |
“Casino Royale” not your Father’s Bond
Less charm, more grit. Less fun, more run. It’s as if someone gave those responsible for 007’s 21st installment, “Casino Royale” the license to kill off any of the campy tone of the recent James Bond films. So, in with the blond Bond, the steely, Apollo-sculpted Daniel Craig (“Munich”) and out with the gentleman playboy attitude and cheesy one liners. Consider us die hard fans shaken, but have we been stirred for the better?
“Casino Royale” was creator Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel but was not included in the original movie rights deal that led to the 1962 film debut of “Dr. No.” To resurrect what some saw as a franchise prone to over-the-top CGI histrionics and an over dependence on gadgets versus true drama, director Martin Campbell (“Goldeneye”) and a team of writers reached back to the beginning of Bond’s origins and deliver an agent more fitting of Fleming’s “ironical, brutal and cold” descriptions.
From the opening black and white scenes that depict the new agents’ first government kills through to a lengthy and absolutely riveting on foot chase scene, it’s clear “Casino Royale” is going for an old school approach-maximizing Craig’s strapping, athletic stature to bone crushing effect.
Many of the other peripheral elements of the Bond films are still evident, the Aston Martins, the exotic locations (Bahamas, Montenegro), a threatening villain, in this case the blood weeping Le Chiffre (played with conviction by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen) and the requisite gorgeous women. But in this latest installment, the femme fatales aren’t simply superficial playthings. In one of the films bolder moves, Bond falls for (and who wouldn’t) stunning treasury agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green)-a strategy that sets up two of the most poignantly dramatic scenes in the 007 litany.
Another smart move is to feature actress Judi Dench who returns as “M” the tough spy boss responsible for Bond’s promotion, dryly demanding James’ compliance.
Despite all of this much appreciated effort at reinvention, there are gripes. The jury is still out on Daniel Craig. Cocksure and ripped, the new Bond is also humorless, lacking the killer grin that made women swoon and men envious. With his protruding bottom lip, stick out ears and rather thin coif, Craig’s 007 doesn’t cut the most attractive or brash figure at an elegant dinner party. To both his credit and his disadvantage, the fine British actor could easily be cast as one of Bond’s arch enemies.
The pacing and momentum of “Casino Royale” is hampered by its extensive running length (144 minutes) and a central plot point involving a seemingly endless high stakes game of “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The clich? of an obligatory torture scene is somewhat compensated for by its below-the belt-wince-inducing efficiency.
And where are the toys? Every Bond film must have at least one gadget that every 12 year old wants to own someday. There’s a seriousness to this Bond that restores some measure of credibility to the franchise. But the next installment could use a bit of the wit and style that made the International Man of Mystery so beloved. Bring back “Q,” let’s blow something up and have some fun!
Rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned).
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