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Happy Halloween! My 666th Post!
Happy Halloween everyone, and welcome to my official 666th blog post! Whew, it has been a long time coming, crazy to think the amount of hours I must have spent working on this blog. I still remember when I discovered Spell Check, and I still have yet to work my way through all my old posts and correct the grammar, replace broken links, and missing images. Guess it is kinda obvious due to the billion blog posts I have done over the last few days that getting my 666th post on Halloween was a close call but am glad I achieved it.
The blog started off quite terrible, I cringe at the earlier reviews, but it has gone from strength to strength, now being seen by an average of 17,000 unique users per month, and with Google search positions in the Top 10 for many phrases (such as position 8 out of 62 million for 'zombie film reviews'). My writing might not be the best, but I have passion for horror, and really enjoy watching, reading, and playing it. A giant thanks to my friends and family for their support, I wont name names, but you all know who you are my zombie horde! Could not have carried on for so long without you.
It is chucking it down outside, fitting Halloween weather, Rotting Zombie HQ is warm and cosy though. Strange people in masks have cut the power to my house, so am using the laptop to write this. A small doll is hammering at my bedroom door, a hitch hiker with a hook for a hand is leering up at me from my back garden, while something Sinister is watching me from a crime scene photo on my wall. If I survive the night (the curse placed on me by an old crone is due to finally reach me come midnight, thinner!) then I hope for my blog to improve and improve, the next milestone is 1000 blog posts, as long as this is not the final year of Humans then I should reach that mark sometime in the next decade.
If you are one of the many, many people who have sent me stuff to do blog posts about then please carry on being patient, I do need to learn how to prioritise. So many books to read, and films to watch! Eventually it will happen and I will catch up. Keep on horror-ing, and keep on reading my blog, and feel free to send me any improvements, or criticisms you have, I love to hear from you.
Anyway, I will sign off now, bit of a self indulgent post, but I do deserve it...probably! Stay safe, and stay scared,
Forever watching,
The Rotting Zombie :)
Holidays with the Living Dead - Zombie Holiday Hotspots
I do not know why but there seems to be a load of zombie stuff around, maybe just because of the time of year.. First a building company had a zombie article, and then a loan comparison site, and now I am pulled to a holiday site (Cosmos Holidays) where there is an article on the different types of zombies you can expect to see around the world come zombie apocalypse.
Each short section has a funny photo of a tourist hotspot with added zombie, such as a Mummy in Eqypt, and a zombified Santas in Lapland with some advice on how best to avoid being bitten. The article really is worth a read, it's short and full of pictures. So follow this link here if you want to see some cool looking photos and read some safety tips that could well be wrong come the apocalypse (or right, who knows)!
Labels: Horror General, Zombies
Northampton Ghost Tour 2012
I was dead excited to be going on the Northampton Ghost Tour 2012. There were loads of groups going on the tour, a new group every 20 minutes. The tour guide seemed friendly enough, it's just that she was constantly stumbling over her lines she was reading from a script.
So the first stop for our tour was Northampton Museum that used to be a female prison. After the 2nd health and safety lecture of the night we were taken downstairs into the basement. It has been changed a lot, so was hard to imagine that there used to be a prison there. We were led into a small room were a woman (also stumbling constantly over her lines) babbled on about fairy tale Witches before telling us a true story about the mother of some girl who used to live in Northamptonshire and had been accused of being a Witch...but was found innocent. To help with her tale two young girls mimed the events, one playing the mother, and one the daughter. It was not particularly interesting and gave me a bad sign that tonight was going to be a total waste of the Halloween witching hours. Then we were led through the basement and back out on to the streets. An attempt to create scares was made by the girls who banged on a toilet door and screamed a bit, more irritating than anything to be honest.
With a heavy heart we set off to the old courthouse. Yet another health and safety lecture and we were taken into a courtroom were members of the group were asked to take part in a mock trial of a man accused of setting fire to a tramp. All the group were invited to be a part of the thing, apart from me and my sister who were surplus, so we sat at the back of the room bored out of our minds wondering just what this had to do with anything remotely connected to ghosts, or Halloween.
Thankfully the endurance of the trial came to an end and we were led down to the holding cells in the courthouse where many criminals marked for execution used to be kept. Our group was split in two and I headed off to the male holding cells. A great looking old fashioned jailer took us to two different cells, one with a man who had been convicted of dismembering a woman and dumping her body, who read us a letter written to his wife the day before he was killed, and then to a cell of a man who called himself Captain Slash (Captain Slash was actually a real highway man who was executed in Northampton in 1826). His over the tops rantings were fun, you could tell the actor was enjoying himself. Not soon after the lights went out and the jailer announced a prisoner had escaped. I was at the back of the queue to leave and so had Captain Slash appear from the darkness and try and scare me. I totally wasn't expecting that, but also didn't bat an eyelid as I thought it was just someone touching my shoulder to get past.
We were taken out to the courthouse car park where we were shown were the scaffolds that people used to be hung at (13 at a time) used to be. Unfortunately the tour guide was in a hurry, so after a 'we better hurry I can feel the presence of ghosts' (all said while reading from her script) we were rushed on, not giving me time to appreciate the location.
The courtroom cells was the first actually good part of the evening, so I was more happy as I headed off to the Northampton Library. After another health and safety lecture we were led up the stairs. First we were told about a Grey Lady ghost who was said to haunt the library (cue little girl walking past in a grey dress). Then about the ghost of a miserable boss said to haunt the place (cue a door opening and a guy shouting at us). Then we were led to a room which had been slightly decked out like a ballroom. During the 2nd World War dances were held there. Here there was a whole bunch of young girls wearing white face paint (I don't know why, there seemed to be a large surplus of young actor females on the darn tour). They played out some odd dance before advancing on the crowd watching, trying their best to look angry at us. then they retreated up some stairs and acted dead.
We were then led downstairs. Special mention has to go to the staircase here, populated by a boy pretending to be the ghost of a janitor. He was hilarious, shouting at us to move on, and ad libbing a lot, very entertaining, my highlight of the night.
We went into a small room, some guy I couldn't see from around some shelves was reciting a poem or something. It all ended when yet another small girl trying to look ghostly led us out and down some stairs while the janitor appeared again to shout some more at us. Downstairs we were taken outside, here the tour guide told us about the ghost of a builder who was supposed to have died on the site and haunts the staircase we had just came down.
We were then given a little story by more damned young girls about the tale of a cursed doll that roamed the halls of a school in Finedon before some pupils tracked it down and hacked off its feet. Then we were shunted into a small room were an unintelligible poem was recited from a speaker to us.
The night was drawing to a close now and our group were led to a room were we were introduced to a bunch of misfits known as the Northampton Paranormal Research Society. To be truthful this was a great part of the tour. They may have been odd looking, but they were interesting in their shyness and the things they said. It was fascinating to see some real life ghosts hunters. They talked about a poltergeist they investigated who knocked over fridges and lifted up sofas, and they warned vehemently against the use of Ouija boards (as the man said, 'they open up portals to evil dimensions'). So jealous of these guys, they must have an interesting life.
And that was it, tour over at around nearly two hours I got my monies worth (tickets were £7 each). It may not have been scary, it may have been utterly terrible in places but all in all I did enjoy it. Next time I would suggest they actually get some adult actors for the adult roles.
Posted by Daniel Simmonds at 15:39 1 comment:
Labels: Ghosts, Horror General, Psychos, Witches
Zombie Life Insurance Ad
I was recently contacted by the Zombie Survival Consultant for Confused.com who gave me a link to a video he had gotten his hands on that shows that when it comes to life insurance zombies are discriminated against. I never really thought about it before but I guess if there were zombies and they had been integrated into society there would be a lot of prejudice against them!
The below video is a fun little advertisement that made me smile, it is awesome when companies go to lengths to make advertisements that are actually entertaining. So feel free to go visit confused.com if you plan on getting life insurance, as shown here, it is too late if you are already dead!
Hunted: The Demon's Forge - Fantasy Videogame Review (X-Box 360)
When this game first came out I was quite interested in it despite its average review scores. It has been described as a Gears of War style dark fantasy game, by that it means there is a lot of cover based shooting (though with crossbows, and bows rather than sci-fi weaponry).
Two mercenaries; E'lara (a female Elf) and Caddoc (a gruff warrior) are investigating some ruins that Caddoc had been having dreams about. There they discover a mysterious stone and the woman from Caddoc's dream - a strange supernatural being called Seraphine. She tells them that the stone is called the Death Stone and has the power to make them stronger. She tells the duo that a nearby village where she lives has came under attack by monsters (goblin type creatures) and that her body has been kidnapped. With promises of her rich father being able to compensate them for rescuing her they set off.
I really enjoyed this game even if it is pretty much a one trick pony, I have to admit I finished the game months ago so my recollection might be a bit hazy. I tried to write a review at the time but was just not able to do so. Hunted is a big game, at least 10 hours long I would say. It is split into around 6 to 8 large areas, each made up of many levels. Initially you are in a town that is under attack by Lord of the Ring style goblins (the games main enemy type). You learn that the captured townsfolk had been taken to the large (very large!) mines under the city. I don't know why but I felt that the mines were the last area in the game so I was very surprised to discover I was not even half way into the game at this point.
Levels for the most part are quite linear, with multiple routes given the illusion of freedom. For the most part Hunted is a cover based shooter. In single player you can choose to be the warrior or Elf, but the Elf with her crossbow was just the obvious choice. It is fun in the same Gears of War way to slowly advance from cover to cover picking off enemies. I can imagine co-op (for which the game is designed) would be a lot of fun. If your partner gets downed you can revive them, and doors that require both of you to open act as check points.
As I mentioned enemies for the most part are goblins, but there are also minotaurs, skeletons and other fantasy monsters as well as a variety of boss battles that split up each area. The story is usual fantasy fare, done with a dark feel. The constant exchange of jokes and insults between the two protagonists is always entertaining and manages to provide a lot of backstory for the two likable people.
Throughout the game you can find new weapons and skills, and you get a RPG lite mechanic where you can upgrade your magic and skills. Expected turret sections appear, as well as survival based sections where you must hold out against waves of attacking enemies. There are plenty of optional side quests which really impressed due to the variety and scope of them. Side quests usually involved quite large areas with their own mood and mini stories. My favourite one involved going into a pitch dark tomb in which you had to use a torch to light your way. The walls were made up of skeletons whose arms reached out to try and grab you.
As I did say earlier it has been a while since I played the game, but it was a lot of fun, nothing fantastic, but an enjoyable, violent fantasy romp which actually looks quite good save for the odd animation issue (your finishing moves with the bow often look terrible for instance).
Labels: Demons, Fantasy, Ghosts, Horror Videogames, Monsters, skeletons
Zombie appearances in videogame: Moonwalker (1990)
Moonwalker is quite a fun platformer based on the terrible Michael Jackson film of the same name. Each level sees you as Jackson searching behind doors, in car boots, behind windows and bushes searching for children, kinda dubious when you think about the rumours. When you find them they say 'Michael!' and run off. Find all the children on a level and Bubbles the chimp appears and leads you to the boss. The game is split into 5 different areas, each with a different theme, and a different Michael Jackson tune playing.
The third area in the game is based in a graveyard, a graveyard where the main enemy type is a zombie. As you search the graveyard zombies rise up from graves, jump in from off screen and appears as bosses. You would think the song choice for this level would be obvious; Thriller right? Nope, instead for some reason the song chosen is 'Another Part of Me'. The Thriller tune appears briefly in one of the boss fights when you do your special dance attack (makes the zombies all start dancing like in Thriller for around 5 seconds). Cool to see zombies, but to this day I have never understood why the blatantly wrong song choice was chosen, though it has been suggested it may have been copyright issues as Michael Jackson never actually wrote Thriller.
Labels: Horror Music, Horror Videogames, Zombies
Silent Hill: Revelation 3D - Horror Film Trailer
I didn't mind the first Silent Hill film, it did an acceptable job of transforming the game onto the big screen. Saying that though I never expected a sequel, and definitely not one were Sean Bean would return to reprise his role. Silent Hill: Revelation looks to be heavily influenced by the Silent Hill 3 videogame.
Cheryl; the girl who had gone missing in the cursed town as a small child is now grown up when events lead her back to the town of Hell. As always I am dubious by the use of 3D, if it is anything like how the Resident Evil films have treated 3D it will just be a lot of things being thrown at the camera (such as Pyramid Heads giant sword as seen in the below trailer). Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is out on Halloween, I shall hopefully be seeing it before the end of the week and will give you my thoughts then.
Labels: Demons, Horror Films, Monsters
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012) - Horror Film Review
Yeah, yet another Paranormal Activity film is out. I was patient, I enjoyed the first two but the third was just a snooze fest which brought no new ideas (actually removed some as it was set in the past). The fourth film introduces the magical wonder of X-Box's Kinect.
Paranormal Activity 4 is a direct sequel to two, set in 2011, five years after possessed Aunt Katie kidnaps her nephew Hunter and vanishes. Alex; a 15 year old girl starts noticing strange things are happening in her house when creepy kid Robbie from across the street moves in due to his Mom being hospitalised for a few days. Robbie is always serious, walks around the house in the dead of night, and talks to a sinister imaginary friend. Anyway with all this bizarre stuff happening (things moving around on their own, loud unexplainable noises) Alex and her boyfriend Ben secretly set up webcams all over the house to catch any of this stuff. Knowing the format of the previous 3 films you can pretty much imagine what happens next.
Sigh. Paranormal Activity 4 is a scary film in places, it is just that it is so predictable now that many of the scares are completely reduced. There is only so many times you can see someone being dragged off down a hallway by an unknown force before it becomes normal, and expected. Having seen the terrifying Sinister the night before this was like entering the shallow end of a pool of terror, parts were scary but nothing compared to that film. Being a found footage there is of course no soundtrack but I found this quite distracting this time around, again going back to Sinister but that proved what a gigantic addition music is to horror. It tries so hard to scare, to be creepy but almost always fails. Not one of the dozen or so jump scares in Paranormal Activity 4 made me jump, or even be surprised, while as mentioned the dragging scenes, and floating objects, shutting doors etcetera made little impact. The only fearful parts for me here were the loud random noises, and of course the last 5 minutes which were a thrill ride, much like in 3. You can't recommend a film based on the last 5 minutes though. The usual format of day and night cycles are used here, ensuring each time it turns to day any kind of atmosphere has dissipated.
The plot has gotten a bit lost now, having spread over 4 films a story that should have been told in 1, maybe 2 at most. The tag line for this one is 'All the activity has led to this...' I'm sorry to say but no, no it hasn't at all, nothing is explained, instead more convolution is added, it feels like padding to draw out the already stretched out storyline. The characters are for the most part unlikeable. Alex and her boyfriend are fun, nice characters, but Alex's parents are idiots, and of course her neighbours are just horrid. I must say though that Aiden Lovekamp who plays Alex's kid brother Wyatt does a fantastic job, more so than the creepy Robbie kid played by Brady Allen who does everything that makes badly done spooky little kid film roles so terrible and in the process comes across as totally fake.
The whole point of setting up the cameras all over the house were to record the strange goings on, yet after the first few nights truly messed up stuff starts being filmed, yet no one ever bothers to look at the recordings again, a week or so later and not once has Alex or her boyfriend checked the footage when that was the whole point in the first place. Really it is just a crummy plot excuse to have cameras everywhere. It is also stupid that Alex is impotent, unable to get anyone to even listen to her, let alone dismiss her claims that something is in the house, though I guess the parents; portrayed as preoccupied with their marital strife hardly even acknowledge their children, or each other.
I just can't recommend this film, maybe if you have never seen a previous one in the series, but then what's the point of starting here? I really really hope they wrap up the story in Paranormal Activity 5 (already being made) as it should have been ended a long time ago. If the X-Box motion sensor was the only new idea they could bring (apparently it is able to reveal ghosts) then they need to find something different that I can actually Kinect to for the next one.
Labels: Demons, Ghosts, Horror Films, Witches
Witch Dog - Halloween News
The dog in its Witch costume might look cute but soon after this picture was taken it went on a rampage, killing 3 and critically injuring 4 more. It was eventually subdued when a S.W.A.T team were called in and after a tense battle its satanic powers were defeated. Police Commissioner for the Northampton Metropolitan Police commented on the incident saying "It is a shame when dogs like this one lose their way and turn to the dark arts, to be honest I blame the owners, the tell tale signs were all there".
Labels: Animals, Horror General, Witches
Sinister (2012) - Horror Film Review
This is getting silly now. Since watching Sinister earlier this evening the world has turned into a fearful place, the fear wont leave. Now sitting at my desk in Rotting Zombie HQ with all the lights on, a text message made me nearly fall off my seat backwards, everything is leading my heart to an early failure. Without a doubt Sinister is the most downright scary film I have ever suffered, never have I so wanted to leave a film than here. From start to finish my heart was in my mouth.
Controversial, struggling true crime writer Ellison Oswalt (superbly played by Ethan Hawke) moves to a new town with his wife and two kids to investigate a murder case where a family were discovered hanging from a tree in the back garden of their house, with the exception of the youngest child who had vanished. It just so happens the house Oswalt has chosen to live in while he writes the book he is working on is the very one and the same where the murders took place months previous. He discovers in the attic a box containing a projector and a set of film reels. His curiosity leads him to watch the Super 8 reels and discovers each one shows the brutal murder of a different family by an unknown assailant. Oswalt nearly calls the police to report the findings but his dream of writing a famous book (after a string of terribly received ones) stop him. As he gets more into his investigation stranger and stranger things start occurring in his house. Whoever had killed all these families now seems to be going after him.
The reason this film is so terrifying is due to the soundtrack. It builds up such terror and atmosphere that everything is turned into an endurance test. At times I thought of shielding my eyes but the knowledge that by far the scariest part of the film was the horror of the music, creeping terror. For example, each of the different montages of Super 8 murders had their own short totally messed up mini soundtrack playing, added a whole new layer of fear as did the build of and crescendo of the music for when the jump scares erupt.
The jump scares actually made me jump on many occasions, one in particular nearly had me shouting in fear, even when they are so obviously coming it still never failed to make my heart skip a beat. The lighting of the film is near non-existent. Normally with these types of films daylight brings with it periods of relief but not so here. 95% of the film takes place in the one location, the night scenes have Oswalt for whatever reason never turning on the damn lights, the most logical step I would do if I heard strange noises in the dead of night. Daytime meanwhile is nearly as dark, the rooms covered with thick curtains that barely let the light in.
Hawke is in every single scene in Sinister, this is very much an event shown from his perspective, he carries the film expertly bringing real flaws to his character of the writer searching desperately for his next big break at the cost of neglecting his family. Acting is all of a high standard, there are not many people in the film but all give solid performances.
I knew nothing about Sinister going in, I thought it was a demonic possession type film but instead plays out (at least initially) very much like The Strangers before diverting into more of an Insidious type vibe, subtly done. The more supernatural elements are also what brings the film down slightly. Spooky ghost children almost dancing around made me laugh, not cry. I didn't really like the look of the make up either on these children. The end twist of Sinister I figured out roughly 20 minutes into the film, it does not really do a good attempt at hiding it, so a later reveal by Deputy So and So (James Ransone nearly steals every scene he appears in with his subtle comedic banter) was not really even needed.
Sinister is a truly unsettling film that combines sound and visuals into a horrific combination. I do not know when I have last been as uncomfortable and yearning for a brightly lit room as I was in the dark cinema. Like Insidious I don't think I will ever wish to see Sinister again, it delivered horror, creeped me out, did it's job. Also like that film it again delivers a simple, yet well created story.
Posted by Daniel Simmonds at 17:26 2 comments:
First Blood - Murder Mystery event at Abington Park Museum
This evening I went to my first ever murder mystery event. Usually, or so TV and films had led me to believe an actual murder takes place but I guess thankfully there were no real murders here. I turned up fashionably late due to some confusion over when it was going to start (7pm, not 7:30pm!). I had been worried there wouldn't be many people going but there was around 30 people in all, the Museum was quite crowded. We were all entitled to one free glass of wine or bottle of beer, and lots of nibbles.
The story for the murder mystery was that the last scenes of a horror film were being filmed, due to budget constraints members of the public had been drafted in as extras to play zombies. The scenes of a Vampire revealing himself to an actress were filmed, all quite humorous due to the actor playing the vampire being a drunk and the real actors (all in character) wandering around in the crowd mumbling to themselves and being larger than life. After some scenes were shot it was time for the murder to take place. The lead actress had been killed in an unknown manner. She had two puncture wounds on her neck as if she had been bitten by a vampire. The police were called and informed the Directors P.A that they would be at the museum in an hour, in the meantime we were given the chance to try and solve who the murderer was. Soon after another person was found dead, again with two puncture wounds on their neck.
All the 5 or so characters had their own motivations for murder and we were given 10 minutes to go and speak to them all and try and piece together who the murderer was. I am happy to say I solved it and in great P.I style got the correct person even if I had their motivation wrong. The puncture wounds were just a red herring, the actual cause of death was by strangulation.
Having never been to an event like this before I did not know what to expect. As it was it was a bit chaotic at times due to the large crowd, some bits of the performance were missed but the actors were great at really staying in character, it was hard to question them though as I was grinning like a Cheshire cat at the surreal-ness of speaking to people who were acting, a fact that some of them picked up on and still in character asked me why I was smiling when a murder had taken place.
So it was a new experience, a fun one with friendly actors and a crowd of spectators who ranged from drunks, the bemused, and ones really getting into the spirit of the thing. First Blood was performed by the Looking Glass Theatre company.
Labels: Horror General, Vampires, Zombies
Evil Dead (2013) - Horror Film Trailer
The Evil Dead trilogy is an amazing thing, Evil Dead is one of my top 10 favourite horrors of all time. I had heard there was a remake in the process (as they seem to be remaking every single horror film ever nowadays) and today saw the trailer for it. Technically this is the 2nd remake as Evil Dead 2 was a reinvention of 1. The film looks to be ultra gory with far more realistic effects used. The original had zero budget and it really showed but the film still managed to be genuinely creepy, making it a classic horror film.
A lack of Bruce Campbell (though he is a Producer), and a lack of humour is not necessarily a bad thing for this reboot, the original film was played mostly straight anyway. The story had continued in games and comics and these continuations were for the most part not actually any good (the Marvel Zombies VS Army of Darkness graphic novel is a must read though). This trailer has gotten me interested, at the very worst I hope it draws people who have not seen the classic trilogy into doing so.
I really must get around to reviewing them on my blog, a stupid oversight on my part. Anyway check out the bloody trailer below.
Labels: Demons, Horror Films
House Call - Horror Film News
A while back I reviewed House Call a short high quality horror film. For Halloween the film is going to be made available for all to see for a limited time. From October 26th to November 1st is the time it will be made public and can be viewed on the House Call Facebook page as well as Vimeo and Youtube. At just 17 minutes it is well worth a watch.
Labels: Ghosts, Horror Films
The Zombie Revolution - London Zombie Event on 27th October 2012
This is actually a charity event so I can't really speak ill of it. On the 27th October 7pm till 9pm there is going to be a zombie walk in London in aid of St John's Ambulance. Everyone participating will be given an MP3 that will play out a story as well as give instructions for the zombie horde to follow such as zombie zumba, and zombie conga. They are hoping to get over 1000 participants which should make quite a good zombie horde.
Tickets cost from £5 to £25 and includes the MP3 download as well as a weekly email. It's all for charity and you might be in need of St John's Ambulance come apocalypse if you accidentally hammer a rusty nail through your hand while making barricades. More details can be found at Zombie Revolution.
Horror News: Halloween Edition 2012 Part 1
As I expected I have become swamped with loads of horror news in the run up to Samhain so I thought a good old fashioned news post was in order.
Firstly might I direct you to a business website. CB Structures Inc design pole buildings, hardly scary stuff, but they have written an article on the best pole barn to have created in event of zombie apocalypse. The article includes details on what materials the structure needs to be created out of but also gives tips on the best food and supplies to have, as well as some useful zombie fighting tips. Having bowling balls to drop out of high windows onto zombies is a fun idea! They also suggest the best and worst people to have in your zombie surviving team. A fun article that is worth having a look at. It can be found at CB Structures Inc.
Now I am not into drum and bass, mostly due to my next door neighbour who plays the infernal stuff loudly all the time, but regardless of that I will mention that a 'drumstep' horror album has been released. No idea what drumstep sounds like, kinda a more electronic drum and bass. 'Monsters Volume 3' by Figure was released on 16th October, it features 15 'spooky' tracks one of which includes a collaboration with Tommy Lee. If this is your type of thing then sure get it, why not. Song titles are cool, my favourite one is titled 'Michael Myers is Dead'.
Last but not least, and while I am on the subject of music I was alerted to a band (Americans UK) who have created a zombie based song titled 'Zombies Attack!!!'. The video for the song is made up from panels from a webcomic that sees zombies attacking the band as they play a gig. Well I will stick it below so you can see for yourself, I thought it was pretty cool, all songs about zombies are of course! Links to purchase 'Zombies Attack!!!' and the comic featured in the song can be found at Trip City.
I still have a Fall Out shelter full of horror news so I will save the rest for another day so as not to bloody the waters. My own news is that I am going to a murder mystery event this Thursday with my father which has the storyline of an actor at a play murdered by a real life Vampire. I will post my thoughts on it on this blog no doubt.
Labels: Horror General, Horror Music, Vampires, Zombies
Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981) - Horror Film Review
The Omen had Damien Thorn as a young child, it's sequel had him now as a 13 year old awakening to his destiny. This film he is now 32 years old and the head of a powerful company with close contact with the American President.
Damien arranges to become the American ambassador to Britain as he has realised the 2nd coming of Christ is imminent and that he is to be born in England. It is prophesied that the Antichrist will die, Damien hopes to kill the new Jesus before that happens so that Satan can rule the world. Meanwhile a group of Priest assassins armed with the 7 holy daggers (the only weapons capable of killing the Antichrist) set out to kill him.
First off, boy does this film do some serious ret-conning! The first two films were both blatantly set in the 1970's, yet this film wants you to accept that those events actually took place in the 1950's. To be fair I guess the only way around that would be to have the film take place around 2000 which would immediately date the film but still it is kinda silly. My only other gripe really is that it is supposed to take all 7 holy daggers to kill Damien but here 1 apparently is enough.
This time around I was pleased to see Sam Neill (of Jurassic Park and Event Horizon fame) playing Damien, in his first international film role no less. He really gets into the role of the Devil's son coming across as really quite evil on the one hand but also with a false humanity to him. His alone scenes where he rambles on in prayer to the Devil are fun, and he has the best line in the movie (not hard, the dialogue is pretty terrible!) when he says "Birth is pain, death is pain, beauty is pain!". What of the plot this time around? It is passable and fun. Part of the plan to stop the 2nd coming is to kill all the male born children of the 4th of March, This is shown during a montage of off camera baby deaths with some nasty ones such as a mother ironing her child, and a priest drowning a baby during its baptism implied. A lot of things in this film are implied rather than shown but as always the imagination does a great job of filling in the deaths.
Talking of deaths this time around most the adult ones are of the bumbling, hilariously inept Priest assassin squad. They are really shown as a bunch of clowns coming up with Scooby-Doo level of intelligence plans. From the moment the first assassin climbed a lighting rig in a studio, then perilously walked along it, dagger in hand, slowly creeping up on Damien...who was sat on a chair so far away from the rig that even if the Priest had done a running jump he would not have made it anywhere near him. This was the start of the hilarity as all the Priests end up getting killed in embarrassing, and funny ways that surely must have been intentional. Watch out for the scene on the bridge though, Sam Neill at his most creepy!
The direction is quite well done, a surplus of main characters muddy the water a bit with some odd sub plots that run their course rather oddly (a young boy getting corrupted by Damien, and his right hand man dealing with having to order the deaths of so many innocent babies). Special effect wise they do seem better than Omen II, nothing amazing but cool looking enough.
I have to say I have been quietly impressed with the Omen films. I knew the first was good but expected the sequels to be terrible. They are not, they have each been entertaining despite the somewhat hokey nature of the stories. For this film Sam Neill saves the day, it would have not been half as good without his magnetic presence.
Damien: Omen II (1978) - Horror Film Review
As promised here is the second of the five Omen films. The title of this film is really gonna mess with my filing system (Damien: Omen II? I would have gone with The Omen II).
Initially the film takes places one week after the end of The Omen, but that's just to wrap up the death of a surviving character. Skip forward 7 years and Damien is now 13, living with his Uncle's family in America. He seems quite a normal kid, so normal that he himself doesn't even realise there is anything strange about himself, but a series of disciples of the Devil awaken in him the knowledge that he is the Antichrist. As he comes to terms with this knowledge all around him who discover his evil die in a series of random accidents.
First off Jonathan Scott-Taylor as Damien is not very scary at all. He has kind of a piercing stare about him but is quite small and has a very high pitched voice making anything he says sound silly. William Holden as Richard Thorn (Damien's Uncle) follows the same kind of route that Gregory Peck travelled down in the first film. Interestingly enough Holden was originally picked to play Peck's character so is cool that he instead ended up playing the brother. In some ways this film could almost be seen as a half remake of The Omen but with a lot more ridiculous deaths. The special effects do not seem to be as good, whether it be a woman getting her eyes pecked out by crows (big hair to hide the fact it isn't the actress being attacked!), or the various random other deaths made quite humorous by the various actors actions. Pinned to the end of a speeding train all one character could do was wave his arms around in the air which had me laughing out loud; I'm sure that was not the intended response.
This is not a scary film, I would not say even mildly scary, at least The Omen had its moments. That isn't to say it is a snooze fest, for the near two hour running time I was plenty entertained, and pleasantly surprised that it was watchable and not just a cheap cash in. The plot is just a bit unbelievable, people who find out Damien is the Antichrist all need hardly any evidence, though the watchers who look out for the boy is a clever plot device which led to some obvious yet welcome twists.
All in all not a bad film, I have seen far worse horror sequels (Friday 13th Part II onwards for example). I shall continue on my Satanic journey and soon watch the rest. As always I will end by saying I really love Halloween, wish it was here all year long!
Dead Space 2: Severed (2011) - Sci-fi Horror DLC Review (X-Box 360)
Before playing the DLC for Dead Space 2 I thought I would give the main game a little playthrough just to pick up the controls. I totally forgot how great that game is, though it is true to say it is very noticeable where it stops being survival horror and becomes horror action (around the midway point).
Severed has you playing as security officer Gabe Weller (one of the main characters from the on rails horror shooter Dead Space: Extraction) who is in the Titan mines when the necromorph outbreak occurs. Contacting his pregnant wife who is at the medical centre for a check up he urges her to escape. Then ignoring his orders to combat the necromorphs (nearly his whole team have been killed anyway) he decides to try and rescue his wife.
The DLC is around an hour long and is spread over two chapters. The first is set in the mines, the second set in the medical centre. Disappointingly there are no new locations used, it is all recycled from the main game with the exception of a multiplayer level that is repurposed. There are no new weapons, one new enemy type and that's about it. Gabe operates identically to Isaac Clarke, though no zero gravity sections.
Severed is all action, there is no survival horror here. The plot feels rushed and it really does not add anything to the mythos of the Dead Space universe. Admittedly the ending was shocking but the effect was kinda lost as a glitch occurs after completion which means the game fails to end, you have to manually quit out of your game which was a bit dodgy.
All in all not much to recommend here, even if you love Dead Space I would say avoid this, is not worth the cost.
Labels: Horror Videogames, Monsters, PC, Playstation 3, Sci-Fi, X-Box 360
The Omen (1976) - Horror Film Review
A special person brought me The Omen box set a while back, I have finally gotten around to watching the films, I started today funnily enough with the first film. I had seen it a while back but my memory was kinda hazy on the particulars of it (the perils of getting old).
When Robert Thorn's son dies soon after being born the staff at the Roman hospital he is at convince Thorn to substitute the dead child for one whose mother died during childbirth so as not to break the heart of Thorn's unknowing wife; Katherine (played by Lee Remick). Five years later and Robert is the American ambassador in London. Their child Damien is loved by them but then things begin to change. Their sons nanny commits suicide to be replaced by a creepy nanny Mrs Baylock, a strange Rottweiler takes up residence at their house, while Damien himself starts to behave strangely (such as being fearful of churches and terrifying animals just by his presence) A crazed priest contacts Robert and informs him in the worst way possible that his son is not actually his son; it is the Antichrist! As more and more people start dying around him Robert sets out to find the truth.
Despite being made in the mid 70's this film still holds up today, it has really good direction, and interesting plot and a great soundtrack, though is not actually scary. Gregory Peck as Robert is brilliantly cast, his slow realisation that Damien is evil is long coming but well done. Damien himself is not really in the film too much, and when he is he is either being silent or screaming. There are a lot of deaths in this film, far more than I recalled, people get killed in a way that made me realise the Final Destination films must be partially based on this. The death's are all violent, but all set up like accidents as well, such as the iconic death of a priest who gets speared after a metal pole on a church roof is struck by lightning causing it to fly off. Other death's are equally as grim; a hanging nurse, several falls from high places, decapitation and more, very well shot with good special effects used.
The film is nearly two hours long but doesn't outstay its welcome with a variety of locations used. Though mainly set in London it also takes in Italy and Jerusalem. While for the most part a thriller there is also a few horror parts, one in particular set in a derelict graveyard was particularly memorable due to a pack of demonic dogs. The making of the film had a lot of bizarre accidents surrounding it such as planes getting struck by lightning, the dog handler being attacked by one of the Rottweilers, and even the girlfriend of one of the crew members got decapitated in a car crash. All nasty stuff but led to the belief by some working on the film that it was cursed by Satan itself!
My film posts get far more views than my other posts yet lately I have been concentrating on the videogames. As such my brain has actually melted and I am struggling to remember how to review films! I will end by stating The Omen is a definite horror classic. They do not make them like this anymore!..unless you count the 2006 remake that is supposed to be kinda similar (review coming soon!)
Alien Breed 2: Assault (2010) - Sci-fi Horror Video Game Review (X-Box 360)
Well the first game in the revamped Alien Breed was called Episode 1 so it is a bit weird that the next game is called Alien Breed 2 and not Alien Breed Episode 2. Again it is an isometric 3D adventure game, it is comprised of 5 different levels, each one roughly 40 minutes long, so for 800 Microsoft points you get a good few hours.
Episode 1 ended with your character (baldy Conrad) boarding the derelict space hulk his ship the Leopald had crashed into. Assault picks up right where that game ended with you investigating the mysterious ship. It is on a crash course with an icy planet so your priority is to find a way to stop this from happening.
Location wise this is nowhere near as interesting as Episode 1. The Leopald was a ship in the state of disaster, everywhere you went you saw explosions, people dying, panic. The hulk on the other hand has been dead for nearly 400 years, there is no one living on it apart from the billions of alien bugs. As such it is not as exciting to explore. Each level barely looks different from the one before, a series of meaningless tasks are given to you like restoring power to systems, finding key cards, fixing valves. All not too fun. A few sections split up the fetch quests though, a brief escort mission made a nice change of pace while a late game turret section was fun. Story wise you find a lot about where the bugs came from and how they came to be roaming a dead space hulk, again there are nice comic book sequences between levels. some great voice acting comes to the play later on also.
As was the issue with the first game the aliens are just not varied enough, you have the face hugger clones that burst out of egg sacks, then a bunch that all look kind of similar but I did find them easier to identify than the first game. Again the Alien style scanner on your HUD is the star of the show creating tension when you see the red dots suddenly appear and charge towards you. There is only the one boss in the game but it was quite an epic one for a game that looks like this, reminded me of the end boss from Resident Evil 2.
I did enjoy plowing through this, and do want to get the third game to finish the story but it just is not varied enough to be an essential purchase. More of the same really, I will leave that up to you on whether that's a good or bad thing.
Labels: 2010, Aliens, Horror Video Games, Horror Videogames, PC, Playstation 3, Playstation Network, Sci-Fi, X-Box 360, X-Box Live Arcade
Mass Effect 3: Leviathan - Sci-fi Videogame DLC (X-Box 360)
Mass Effect 3 left kind of a bad taste in my mouth and not just because of it's 'bad' ending. Mostly because I was impatient to wait for the patch which fixed the bug that stopped me importing my Shepherd into the game so I effectively played through the game using a quite different looking Shepherd. Still I snapped up the DLC for this game, just hoped it would be better than the on disc DLC.
Leviathan has you investigating rumours of an unknown alien being with the ability to destroy Reapers. Not wanting to pass up a chance for further support against the galaxy threatening menace you set out to locate Leviathan to recruit it to your cause whether it wants to or not. And it certainly does not, having the same abilities as the Reapers it controls people to stop you finding it's location, you discover it could even be a rogue Reaper.
This DLC cost 800 Microsoft points and lasted around two hours. It takes in a variety of different locations and is around 50% story and 50% fighting. This was good as I had feared it would be just all mindless arena fights like so many missions in the main game were. The story is actually really interesting, it sheds a lot more light on the Reapers and the reasons for their attempted galaxy wide genocide of every intelligent species.
There are no new enemies, or any boss battles but there are a few new weapons to be found, as well as a new special power. Locations vary, some look great (nothing to rival the Shadow brokers ship from Mass Effect 2) while others are bland pre fab buildings, one cool location had you fighting through a series of walk ways that were getting blasted to pieces around you. Leviathan has kind of a horror bent to it, with plenty of mystery and possessed people.
I enjoyed this a heck of a lot more than I expected. Once all the single player DLC has been spat out I fully intend to start the trilogy again, this time with an evil male Shepherd.
Labels: Aliens, Horror Videogames, Robots, Sci-Fi
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Fantasy Videogame Review (X-Box 360)
Well after nearly a year and 93 hours later I am happy that I have seen as much of Skyrim and done as many quests as I felt the need to. I can't say I completed it as there is not an actual end to it as far as I can tell. Sure you can get all the quests done, but the world of Skyrim will still be there to explore.
Skyrim sees you as a prisoner on your way to your execution when a dragon appears which everyone finds quite exciting as they thought dragons only to be legends. Through the course of the game you come to discover that you are 'dragonborn' able to use the magic 'shouts' only dragons can, and learn of just why dragons have come back. As always with these games though that is just the excuse for you to be in the world with side quests in the hundreds far out numbering the main plot. You get to join the Thieves guild, to join the Dark Brotherhood, to en roll at the Mages University, become a leader of a clan of Werewolves as well as carry out tasks for both Gods and Demons, but also simple village folk.
Skyrim looks beautiful, it is on the North of the continent and is an icy, snowy, mountainous region. The world looks simply stunning and feels like a place you would just wish was real. There are lots and lots of Towns and Villages dotted around, all with different feels to them and each stuffed to the gills with quests. Over 50 hours into the game and I still had not visited all the towns. The last game 'Oblivion' was not terribly exciting. It had a shed load of dungeons but they were all designed and looked the same. Here the dungeons are much more interesting and varied and effort has been made to give a unique feeling between them thanks to journals and objects scattered around the dungeons. Some areas in these different caverns and forts actually made me gasp out loud in the level design. Usefully now also there is usually a secret passage at the end of each dungeon that takes you right back to the entrance without needing to back track.
The combat system is so much better this time. You can have magic equipped to one hand, a weapon to the other, or double hands of magic, or even a sword and shield, two handed weapon. All so easily selectable, so streamlined. Oblivion had a broken levelling up system that ended up turning enemies into nightmares, but this levelling system is sublime. Each time you level up you can increase either your health, magic, or stamina and then put one point into a billion different level trees (everything from archery up to lock picking, smithing, armour and speech).
I am struggling to write this, for me Skyrim was not a game, it was an experience, a chance to walk in a fantasy world, a living breathing place. Sure you have zero respect for anyone as they all behave so stupidly but you can just exist without the fear of violence. I would play this game intensely for about a month at a time, and then have a few months off before charging back into it. The shouts are a genius move, they do a variety of different things. For instance one shout gives you Jedi powers; the ability to fling enemies across the environment, by far my favourite shout as there is nothing more satisfying than flinging an enemy off a huge cliff (of which Skyrim has many). Other shouts include the ability to slow down time, move at lightning speeds, summon animals to fight with you, scare away enemies and even summon a freaking dragon to take on your foes!
Enemies are varied, a collection of bandits, soldiers, wizards, witches, zombies (many many zombies!), monsters and animals. Merely wondering around the world of Skyrim will see you assaulted by bears, ogres, wisps and even dragons who act as boss characters. Any fight with a dragon is epic, they attack at any time, in the middle of a swamp, up a mountain, they even attack you in villages where you assume you would have been safe. Killing dragons is important though as each dead one gives you a dragon soul which is used to get more shouts and upgrade your existing ones.
So at 93 hours I have for the time being ended my journey, taken a seat at the Ragged Flagon and put my feet up. There are still many many quests waiting for me, as well as the DLC that features a storyline revolving around vampires, and DLC that lets you purchase a house in the country and raise a family. I don't think I will ever be done with Skyrim, it is the ultimate open world game, even better than Fallout 3 which I adore. It just looks so good, so complete, so large and epic and so damn fun just to walk around in, whether your pushing your demonic horse to its limits (I never knew riding him off a cliff would lead to such a humorous but deadly accident!), bothering the neutral giants and their mammoth herds, collecting plants, or hunting wildlife this game just keeps on giving. Truly epic.
Labels: Animals, Demons, Fantasy, Horror Videogames, Monsters, Psychos, Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Zombies
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Cops: Couple Caught Having Oral Sex In Dining Room At McDonald’s In Pennsylvania
Meet Conrad Jablecki.
The 30-year-old Maryland man has been charged with indecent exposure and open lewdness after he engaged in oral sex with a woman in the dining room of a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, cops report.
According to investigators, Jablecki and a woman--who has yet to be apprehended--trysted publicly on a Thursday afternoon in March. A McDonald’s worker spotted the duo’s illicit activity and chased them from the restaurant in York (pictured below).
Jablecki, who lives about 40 miles south of the McDonald’s, was charged Monday in a District Court criminal complaint. Jablecki’s rap sheet includes convictions this year for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. In 2012, Jablecki was sentenced to 60 days in jail and placed on probation for two years in connection with charges that he exposed himself to a woman and her five-year-old daughter on a Maryland beach.
According to his Facebook page, Jablecki works for a landscaping firm. In posts last year, Jablecki wrote about seeking “A bad bitch W/ mean head game” and “a Girl who is a SupaFreak+Funny+Down to Earth+spontaneous+Drama-Free+Sense of Humor+Easy to conversate with jus talk About Everything an Anything!”
lewdness, indecent exposure, Pennsylvania, oral sex, McDonald's
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Police: Woman Beat Young Son Over Lack Of Mother’s Day Card
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Westra & Co.
Hello there. I’m Erik Westra. I plan, produce, and manage events around the world.
I am the former director of media and events at Brain Traffic, where I produced Confab Events, an international series of conferences for content strategists. I’m also the cofounder of Contents, an online magazine for people who care about the contents and policies of the internet. From 2000 to 2007, I was the head of promotion and publicity at two legendary concert venues: The Empty Bottle and First Avenue.
You can contact me by phone at (773) 243-9791 or via email at [email protected]. You can also find me on Twitter @erikwestra.
Westra & Co.[email protected]
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eshop: Touhou Super Smash Battles Might Be Headed To The Wii U eshop
Clαππαd
Bullet-hell and fighting blended together
Indie developer From Soy Sauce has announced that they are working on a Touhou game that is inspired by Super Smash Bros. Touhou Super Smash Battles promises to blend together the hectic action of the the Touhou series and the flawless fighting system of Super Smash Bros. This could be a perfect match for the Wii U which is "the main console" that the developer hopes to release the game on!
The lead developer Saijee Higuchi had this to say about the project:
Saijee Higuchi wrote: the controls are highly inspired by Super Smash Bros Melee and the Brawl Mod: Project M.
From Soy Sauce also plans to include familiar modes such as Break the Targets, Board the Platforms, Adventure Mode, Classic Mode, 8-Player Smash, and online multiplayer. They also promise to have over 15 characters and stages, but hope to have over 20 when the game launches. Gamecube Adapter support is also promised for the Wii U version!
Future dlc is planned and will include new modes, costumes, characters, and stages.
Touhou Super Smash Battles is expected to release sometime between October 2015 and February 2016 in North America, and March 2016 in Japan. There's no news about a possible European release, but we will let you know if that changes!
We would love to see your thoughts in our comments!
I'm in love with love!
Review: Bombing Bastards (Wii U eshop)
Review: Wii Sports Club: Tennis (Wii U eShop)
Review: Red Riding Hood (Wii U eshop)
Re: eshop: Touhou Super Smash Battles Might Be Headed To The Wii U eshop
on January 7th 2015, 10:28 pmGuest
on January 7th 2015, 10:39 pmTowafan7
@Clαππαd Thanks for posting this article.
on January 9th 2015, 12:39 pmAnime_Gurl
I want this Neow! ^.^
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Running the Numbers on Facebook & Video
November 03, 2015 / video405/ Patrick Kirk
Most business owners considering advertising only look at what it will cost them. They rarely consider what it would take to break even on an advertisement or campaign let alone consider the lifetime value of an advertisement. The reason?
November 03, 2015 / video405/ Patrick Kirk/
Advertising, Marketing, Oklahoma Video Production
Oklahoma Video Production, Oklahoma City Video Production, OKC Video, Corporate, Commercial
Oklahoma City Ad Club - Mayhem
October 20, 2015 / video405/ Patrick Kirk
Has there ever been a more loved bad guy than Mayhem?
You're in your car and need to change lanes. You think you're clear and you start to move over. The sound of crunching metal informs you that you're not. Cleverly concealed in your blind spot was a pickup truck. Mayhem strikes again.
Or your car is parked under a tree during a bad windstorm. Or there's too much snow piled on your roof. Or your cleaning lady falls down your stairs. As Allstate's brilliant ad campaign states, Mayhem is everywhere.
But how did an advertising campaign for an insurance company become an icon of pop culture?
I recently attended the Oklahoma City Ad Club's monthly luncheon at the Oklahoma History Center. Allstate Associate Marketing Manager Brooke Aslesen and Leo Burnett SVP/Account Director David Brot presented the Method Behind Mayhem. Together, they detailed the why and how behind Mayhem and how it helped to increase Allstate's brand recognition, market share, and bottom line.
Mayhem was a response to the massive campaigns started by Progressive and GEICO in the mid-2000s. How massive? In span of just four years, Progressive and GEICO together were outspending the entire insurance segment combined. Their ads were funny and aimed at a younger segment of the population who might be okay taking the risk of bargain insurance. Allstate and Leo Burnett decided they needed to counter without sacrificing the quality of the insurance they offer. They needed a way to communicate that in the long run, you could pay more by having shoddy insurance; that the real savings was buying from Allstate.
To get that message out, they had to fight for attention in a market filled with their competitor's ads. They needed something bold and edgy; something that illustrated the perils of cut-rate insurance in an entertaining and memorable way. And they needed to do so without shelling out the massive dollars their competitors were. So, they put out a search through their creative networks to find a fresh take on the market.
I was surprised to learn that even a big advertising firm such as Leo Burnett would go deep into the freelance market for ideas. The genesis of Mayhem came from a small group of recently graduated BYU marketing students. It's a great lesson on keeping your eyes and ears open and not getting caught up in pedigree or experience. Great ideas can come from anywhere.
What makes the Mayhem concept a great idea? It's instantly relatable. By personifying the slip ups, mistakes, and accidents in life, the commercial connects with real life circumstances that either you or someone you know has experienced. But it's also intriguing. The moment Mayhem, actor Dean Winters, appears on screen and says "I'm a ______" we are hooked. We know something is not right with the situation and that something is about to go very wrong. The other shoe is about to drop but we don't know how it will end up. But we most definitely want to see that other shoe drop. And when it does, we laugh. And as we're laughing, Allstate is able to bring their message home:
This can happen to you and our insurance will protect you when it does.
This is Great Story Telling 101. It's why, when Mayhem flashes on screen, we get excited. We know that we are about to be entertained. And in the back of our minds, we carve out a space for Allstate as a company capable of delivering quality and value to us. And that's Marketing 101...
Not surprisingly, every aspect of the Mayhem campaign was painstakingly crafted until it was perfect. Casting took several weeks instead of the typical day or two. Ms. Aslesen pointed out almost every word in every spot is debated until the copy is right. Mayhem even has rules! He can't do things that, if a person did, would be regarded as malicious (such as an unaired ad where Mayhem is your angry-ex destroying your car).
And this brings us to another point. Allstate needed a game changer to compete in an advertising landscape radically shifted by their competitors. But they didn't panic. They didn't rush out with four different campaigns, throw them on television, and match Progressive and GEICO dollar for dollar. They carefully considered the target audience they wanted to reach and how best to communicate their message to them.
They communicated with clarity not volume.
Effective story-telling takes time to craft. But when done right, you can cut through the wall of noise and delivery clarity and value to your target audience. They will appreciate you and your message because you will have delivered relatable material that they will value. And when it's time to make the purchasing decision, they'll think of you first.
Mayhem is a brilliant example of this. To date, Mayhem has 1.7 million Facebook likes and 56,600 followers on Twitter (since the end of September). A character from an insurance company is racing towards 2 million likes on Facebook and 100,000 followers on Twitter. Do you think it's because people love buying insurance?
Not a chance. It's because people love great story-telling. Businesses who deploy great story-telling will reap the rewards Allstate has. Since Mayhem debuted, Allstate has seen increases in market share, brand recognition and engagement, and most importantly increased revenue.
How's that for a great story?
October 20, 2015 / video405/ Patrick Kirk/
Ads We Love, Advertising, Branded Content, Marketing, Oklahoma Video Production, Things We Like
Ads We Love: Dollar Shave Club
September 15, 2015 / vidoe405/ Patrick Kirk
How to make shaving cool again:
From Dollar Shave Club | Agency/Production Company: Paulilu
Why it's cool:
Frank talk, well-placed expletives, dancing bears, and 'Merica!
Why we love it:
The history of advertising razor blades follows this simple formula: get a pro athlete, have him shave, show a graphic comparing your razor to your competitors, finish with an attractive woman feeling the pro athlete's face. Dollar Shave Club is a prime example of doing the exact opposite of what your competition is doing. They broke from their industry's mold with gusto.
What you can learn from it:
Be proud of your brand, how it came to be, and what it can do for your customers. We as a country have a love for pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps entrepreneurs. We take pride in patronizing companies with those types of stories. That's almost every small business in America. Use that sense of pride to your advantage.
September 15, 2015 / vidoe405/ Patrick Kirk/
Things We Like, Ads We Love, Marketing
Things We Like, Ads We Love
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Bit-torrent Launched µTorrent 3.0 & µChat Application Beta
BitTorrent, Inc., a leading innovator creating advanced technologies to efficiently move large files across the Internet, today launched µTorrent 3.0, the latest version of the popular software client that makes it easy for users to find, get and play massive files over the Internet.
“As more artists embrace BitTorrent technology as a way to distribute large media files to a broad audience, and as personal content file sizes explode, we’re evolving µTorrent to solve modern challenges and enable new use cases to thrive.”
In addition to µTorrent’s core downloading capabilities, the new software (in beta since April) reveals a bevy of new features. Streaming, also known as progressive downloading, enables people to preview a file long before it’s fully downloaded. Remote access empowers people to access their µTorrent client via a Web interface or from µTorrent’s Android app. Ratings and Comments aggregate the collective wisdom of the community to ensure the quality of torrent downloads. And a new drag-and-drop sending box makes it easy to share personal content, e.g. large smart phone videos and hi-res photos, directly with friends or social networks. The company also released a beta of a new app called µChat (blog). It enables users of both µTorrent 3.0 and BitTorrent Chrysalis clients to easily communicate with other people from within the software, all leveraging a patent-pending distributed architecture. µChat is ideal for new users looking for help on how to use the software, for enthusiasts to share advanced tips with one another, for community tech support, and for users to recommend/discuss independent artists found in the App Studio. Also, µChat may pose an interesting marketing/social engagement opportunity for independent artists and creators to directly communicate with their fans. “µTorrent’s popularity lies in its simplicity and power. As a result, we’re very selective in the features and apps we add, focusing on maintaining the lightness and speed our community expects,” said Jordy Berson, µTorrent’s director of product management at BitTorrent Inc. “As more artists embrace BitTorrent technology as a way to distribute large media files to a broad audience, and as personal content file sizes explode, we’re evolving µTorrent to solve modern challenges and enable new use cases to thrive.
What’s new in µTorrent 3.0?
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Ratings and Comments: Ratings enables the collective wisdom of the community to ensure the quality and security of downloaded torrents. Join in and contribute by simply clicking on the ratings or comment buttons in the torrent manager.
Drag-and-Drop Sending: Easily send massive personal files – e.g. home movies, smart phone videos and hi-res photos – directly from µTorrent. Select a file on your computer, drag it into the µTorrent “Drop files to send” box and µTorrent will create a Web link. Send the link via e-mail, social media post or similar to share your content.
Simplified UI: Minimize parts of the µTorrent interface with a click. Perfect for anybody who wants a minimal interface, this feature cuts out distractions and focuses on the business of finding and playing content.
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Stability etc.: Under-the-hood improvements including a focus on stability as well as improved Web seeding to add speed and reliability to the process of finding the original source of a single-source file.
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TNA iMPACT Report – 10/14/2010
We start off this week’s show with a look back at what happened at Bound for Glory with Abyss and then the revelation that Eric Bischoff, and Hulk Hogan were ‘They’ and they recruited Jeff Hardy, the new TNA World Champion. And we saw Jeff Jarrett join the crew while Rob Van Dam tried to find out why.
Eric Bischoff is outside and he is with Dixie’s attorney, Guy Blake. He says that was a different contract that he sent for Dixie to sign. He accuses Eric of changing the contracts and Eric says that is a serious accusation. The attorney says that Dixie signed the contracts under false pretenses and those weren’t the contracts she was supposed to sign. Eric says that Dixie signed the contracts in front of millions of people on television. He also says that if they want to take it to court, he will see him in five or six years when it gets in front of a jury. Eric says that this is his building and his show. Eric says that the attorney is trespassing. The attorney says that he hasn’t seen the last of him and it isn’t over.
We are live on tape from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Mike ‘Smush Smush’ Tenay and Taz.
Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff come to the ring and Hogan is still on his crutches. Tenay tells us that Hogan and Bischoff are now in control of TNA.
Eric has a mic and he wants to have the honor and privilege of introducing his mentor and his brother, the man who made this industry famous . . . Hulk Hogan.
Hogan wants to know where that no good Dixie Carter is. He says that he would like to welcome all of the TNA Maniacs to his company. He says that they decided enough of the ga-ga and it was time to take what was theirs. Hogan says that there is a motive to this madness. They tried to do it the easy way but Dixie didn’t want to do it the easy way. Dixie conned her to come to TNA and she promised him the keys to the car. She promised to take all of his ideas to take TNA to the next level, but Dixie didn’t want to do it the easy way so she took and grabbed everything that was promised to him and made it ours. It is now a company of Hollywood Hogan’s Immortals.
With them at the helm this company is going to live forever.
Eric says that has a great ring to it. Eric says that what they did would be considered a hostile takeover, but this was a work of art. He says that Rembrandt and Monet couldn’t conceive a piece of art as beautiful as they created. Most people didn’t see it coming and didn’t have a clue. He says that most of the people in the company were like deer in headlights.
It started with Abyss. People wondered why after Abyss was taken under Hogan’s wing and was given the Hall of Fame ring, why would Abyss turn on Hogan after having the torch passed to him? Only they knew why it happened. It made all of the sense in the world for them. Bischoff brings out the first domino to fall and the biggest one.
Abyss comes to the ring and he has Janice with him. Hogan welcomes his son and Abyss says ‘THEY’RE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!’ For months he prophesized that on 10/10/10 they would come to take total control of TNA. All of the ignorant sheep in the Impact Zone, at home, and in the back didn’t believe him. He says that they are in control of TNA. He says that he is their soldier and he follows their orders. He says that he will destroy anything or anyone who stands in their way.
Hogan tells his son that it is his destiny now that he will live forever because he is immortal.
Bischoff says that the next person was someone they did not see eye to eye with but they are the same. It is a person who knew where all of the bodies were buried. Eric brings out the founder of TNA, Jeff Jarrett.
Jeff comes to the ring and he hugs Hogan and Bischoff. Jarrett says that it was genius. Jarrett says that when Dixie Carter took a company that he started and founded right out from under his nose. She used daddy’s money to run him out of his own office. It has been a pleasure to work with Eric Bischoff and a joy to work with the Immortal One. They gave the entire Carter family exactly what they deserved. Now everybody in TNA . . . and he means everybody has to play by the new rules. Those rules are dictated by the new regime.
Ric Flair’s music plays and Fortune comes out to the ring. Ric has SoCal Val earn her money by holding the ropes open for them.
They stare each other down and Flair says that in Hogan’s absence he hasn’t been watching the show. Flair says that this company is run by Fortune. They are the heart and soul, the blood and guts. He says that Hogan’s guys don’t run the company. Flair says that for twenty-five years they have hated each other’s guts. By the end of tonight, someone is going to walk away.
Hogan suggests that they go at it tonight and Flair takes off the jacket and he is ready for a fight. There is no need for a fight because Hogan and Flair hug.
Bischoff says that Hogan and Flair are on the same time because Dixie brought in a bunch of used garbage that she compared to Flair and Hogan. Bischoff says that it was a nail in her coffin.
Hogan says that the greatest wrestler of all time, Ric Flair, had to be involved to make this plan work.
Flair says that he loved this more than his ex-wifes.
Eric says that this new regime wouldn’t be together if not for this next person. Eric introduces the current TNA World Champion, Jeff Hardy.
Jeff hugs Hogan and shakes some of the people’s hands in the ring. The fans chant that Jeff ‘sold out’ before he talks.
Jeff says that he didn’t sell out, he sold in. Popularity doesn’t mean a damn thing to him. Jeff says that he blames everyone and the cheers for his pain. He blames their greed for his anger. Jeff says that these people care about him more than the fans. They care about his well being. He says that Van Dam is another politician. Hardy says that he never played that game and he never will.
Hardy says that the Whole F’n Show is wondering what the Whole F’n Deal is. Hardy says that he is responsible for Abyss attacking Van Dam and it was needed to get Van Dam out of the picture. Hardy says that they are immortal and they will live forever.
We see Sting and Kevin Nash watching in the back.
Eric says that the party is here in the ring and he tells them to come to the ring and stop acting like a couple of wallflowers.
Hogan says to let bygones be bygones and forgive and forget. Hogan says that they have two empty seats at the table for them.
Sting and Nash start walking as we go to commercial.
We are back and we see footage of Dixie walking into the building telling security not to leave her side tonight.
Kevin Nash and Sting are almost in the ring.
Eric says that they are gloating and a little over the top. Eric says that this is a company and it is about money. Eric says that it is a new day and they want Sting and Nash on the team and they are welcome to join them.
Nash says that it is almost a perfect fit for him. He says that his entire career has been about money. He hasn’t cared about anybody else. He didn’t care if they starved or lost the roof over their head. On the way to getting here, as he got older, he got wiser. The bible says that gray hair is a sign of wisdom. With wisdom came compassion. Those guys in the back that he would have taken every dollar from in the past are his friends now. They are his family so he is going to pass on the money this time. He says that he wants nothing to do with these guys and if they are going to run the company into the ground, they can do it without him.
Sting says that this was not what he came to this company for five years ago. He says that he loved TNA and he wouldn’t have sacrificed his body so much if he didn’t love TNA. Sting says that this is a no win situation. He says that he is not going to repeat history
Sting and Nash leave the ring and Bischoff asks them if they are nuts because it is always about money and power. Eric says that they are handing it to them on a silver platter.
While Team Hogan talk in the ring, Taz and Tenay talk about the decision made by Sting and Nash.
We go to the back and we see D’Angelo Dinero confronting Sting and Nash about walking out when they finally set the sides. Dinero says that he is still making money and he is going to take on Sting and Nash’s cause even if he has to do it himself.
Dixie wants to know what Nash and Sting are doing. She says that they can’t leave her. Sting says that they tried to tell her before but she did not listen. Dixie says that they were talking in tongues and in cryptic messages.
Hogan and Bischoff walk up to Dixie and Dixie wants to know what they are doing. Dixie slaps Bischoff before he can talk. She wants Hogan to look her in the eye to tell her that he is screwing her out of the company. Hogan tells Dixie that if they are going to talk about this, it will happen in his office.
We are in Hogan’s office and Dixie wants to know if Hogan intentionally tried to screw her. Hogan says that he screwed her out of her company. Dixie wants to know why. Hogan says that Dixie said that he would be the happiest ever. Hogan says that when people want to talk with him, they talk.
Hogan says that in thirty years in the business. Dixie says that she gave him the opportunity. She tells Hogan that he isn’t getting this company. Dixie blames Bischoff for this. Dixie says that she never trusted him.
Dixie says that it will be their company over her dead body. She calls Eric a smug **** and she wants them out of here.
Dixie and Hogan argue over who controls the security and they force Dixie out of the office.
Serge comes up from behind and he gets punched while trying to protect his wife.
We are back and J-Woww has arrived at the Impact Zone.
Taz and Tenay talk about how Dixie must feel after being kicked out of the building.
Madison Rayne comes out with a referee. We see footage from Bound for Glory when Tara won the Knockouts Title.
Madison has a mic and she says that last Sunday night was the biggest night in professional wrestling. It was the biggest pay per view of the year and she had a plan. That plan involved her becoming the three time TNA Knockouts Champion. That didn’t happen because her title is around the waist of Tara. The same Tara who has her to thank for getting her job back in TNA. She demands that Tara come back to the ring and give her what she deserves . . . a Knockouts Title Match right now.
Tara’s music plays and she comes out to the ring.
Madison reminds Tara that she is the reason why she is back in TNA. Madison signed the contract to let her wrestle again. Madison is the reason why Tara was in the match and she owes her. Madison says that they had a deal and she tells Tara to do the right thing.
Tara gives the referee the title belt and then she
”Match Number One”: Tara versus Madison Rayne for the Knockouts Title
Tara lays down and Madison gets the three count.
Winner: Madison Rayne
After the match, Madison celebrates with Tara acting as if she did something monumental. Madison says that she did it. She tells Tara that she has to give her credit because she knows that was the toughest match . . .
Mickie James interrupts and she says that she calls herself a champion. She finds that disgraceful, not just for her but for anyone who held a title. Mickie tells Madison to shut up. She says that is making a mockery of a championship. Mickie says that she sees no better time to take the Knockouts Title than right now.
Mickie comes to the ring and Mickie punches Tara but Tara with a knee. Mickie with a back kick and Madison leaves the ring. Mickie holds up the title belt.
We go to the back where Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Lacey Von Erich are getting made up and J Woww enters. They hug and they are all buddy buddy. J Woww says that she is looking for Cookie. She says that this should be her last night here. We go to commercial.
We are back and the Beautiful People and J Woww are looking for Cookie. Eric Young sees them and he cannot believe that she is there. He wants her to sign his jugs with her Herbie Hancock. Orlando Jordan says that she looks fabulous and would like to put his lollipop in her mouth. She refuses and they walk away.
Kurt Angle comes to the ring and he is going to address the Impact Zone and people watching at home.
Angle says that he came to the Impact Zone a little late tonight and he was uninvited. He says that before he makes his statement of retirement. He would like to get a few things off his chest. He appreciates the chants of ‘Please don’t go’ but he is a man of his word. He says that he busted his ass for six months. At Bound for Glory he busted his ribs and reinjured his neck. He got stitches in his eye. Angle wants to know why Bischoff and Hogan screwed him at Bound for Glory. Angle says that he doesn’t expect them to come out, but if he is going to retire, he wants some answers.
Angle says that he didn’t win the title at Bound for Glory, but he didn’t get pinned. Angle tells Hogan and Bischoff that he is in a dilemma.
Jeff Jarrett comes out and asks Kurt what dilemma there is. Angle said that if he did not win the TNA title, he won’t wrestle any more. Since Angle didn’t win the title, he shouldn’t wrestle any more. He didn’t hear Angle say if he didn’t get pinned or got screwed. He didn’t expect Angle to come out and make excuses. He says that Angle was a 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, father, and husband . . . make that ex-husband. Jarrett reminds Angle that he will never forget the living hell that he made of his life when he brought Angle into TNA. Now he is looking forward to returning the favor.
Angle tells Jarrett that he can have his ex-wife. Angle wants to know how he made Jarrett’s life a living hell. By putting TNA on the map? By talking up TNA every time he could? By teaching the rookies everything he knows? Was it because it wasn’t all about Jarrett after Angle got here? Angle asks Jeff how many titles he won before he got here? Angle says that Jarrett held everyone down, but Jeff couldn’t hold Angle down.
Jeff says that had nothing to do with it. Jeff says that it is all about getting back what was his. Joining forces with Hogan and Bischoff was the golden ticket. Destroying Angle’s career was more important than taking Angle’s life from him.
Angle goes up the ramp to go after Jarrett, but Gunner and Murphy attack Angle and they cuff him while Jarrett kicks him. Jarrett punches Angle and then he sends Angle into the stage. Jarrett punches Angle and Taz leaves the announce table and he tells Jeff that is enough.
We are back with a Moments Ago Moment of the inhumane attack by Jeff Jarrett on Kurt Angle.
We go to an interview that Samoa Joe did at Daytona Beach on Monday where he says that he made the mistake of trusting Jeff Jarrett at Bound for Glory. Joe says that Jeff chose him for a reason and a purpose. That was to destroy everyone put in front of him. Joe says that man is now looking for him.
Match Number One: Abyss versus Samoa Joe
Joe punches Abyss and Abyss cowers in the corner until the referee pulls Joe away. Abyss sends Joe into the corner but Abyss misses a charge and Joe with an enzuigiri. Joe with boots to the head and then he hits a leaping kick followed by a back senton. Joe with punches to Abyss but Abyss grabs Joe by the throat and he hits a choke slam. Abyss goes to the floor and he takes SoCal Val’s chair as she runs away. Joe with a suicide dive and Joe clips the chair but he hits Abyss as well. Abyss gets the ring bell and hits Joe with it.
The referee calls for the bell and after Abyss gives the bell back it is rung.
Winner: Samoa Joe by disqualification
After the match Abyss brings Joe back into the ring and he punches Joe in the head.
Rob Van Dam’s music plays and Abyss leaves the ring.
Rob Van Dam gets on the mic (because there hasn’t been a lot of talking so far). Rob wants Jeff Hardy to come out to get this resolved. Rob says that Jeff owes the fans an explanation. Rob tells Jeff that he had his respect, trust, and support. Now he has his focus.
Jeff appears on the BrotherTronBrother and he says that you devour your friends when you bring them close. He chewed on Rob and spit him out. His words are biblical. Some refer to him as the new anti-Christ of wrestling.
Eric Bischoff’s music plays and he comes out to the ring. Eric says that there are dilemmas. He has a solution for Rob. Eric tells Rob that if he wants a shot at Jeff Hardy at Turning Point. Only if Rob can beat Ken Anderson in the main event tonight with the winner getting the title match at Turning Point.
Rob wants Anderson to come out so he can get his hands on Hardy.
We are back and Eric is impressed with Miss Tessmacher’s pearl necklace and he wants to talk about things after the show. Eric says that it is that easy with her. Eric’s soft and dulcet tones are now more harsh because he says that Pope and Nash know how easy she is. She shared information that she shouldn’t have shared. Eric says that she isn’t thinking with her head. Eric says that they are done. She has one option and that is to get in the ring with the Knockouts. She isn’t running things for the Knockouts any more. Eric tells her to get her 38DDs out of his sight.
Ken Anderson comes up behind Eric Bischoff. Ken shakes Eric’s hand and says that he says that he never thought he would meet a bigger a**hole than him. He calls Eric a d-bag and then he shakes Eric’s hand really hard and Ken says that Eric won’t win the war.
Match Number Two: D’Angelo Dinero versus Douglas Williams, Beer Money, Kazarian, and A.J. Styles in a Pope’s Getting Excommunicated Match’
Williams is the first to face Dinero and they lock up and Williams backs Dinero into the corner. Dinero with punches but Williams with a knee and shoulder tackle. Dinero with a flying forearm followed by elbows and a punch to the head and he gets a near fall. Kazarian tags in and he gets back body dropped. Dinero with a reverse atomic drop and flying shoulder tackle. Styles tags in and he gets punched and then Dinero hits a splash and goes to the floor. Dinero punches Flair but he turns around and gets the Carbon Footprint from Morgan. Styles picks up Dinero on the two count. Roode tags in and he punches Dinero and chops him. Roode with a knee and elbow and then he tags in Storm and they hit a double suplex. Instead of trying to win the match, they do their who they are deal. Kazarian tags in and hits a drop kick and gets a near fall. Kazarian with an Irish whip and Dinero knocks everyone off the apron. Styles hits Frankie with a Pele kick and then Dinero with a rollup on Kazarian. Beer Money with the DWI and then Kazarian gets the three count.
Winners: Beer Money, A.J. Styles, Douglas Williams, and Frankie Kazarian
Robbie E and Cookie are walking in the back.
We see J Woww walking with Lacey, Velvet, and Angelina as we go to commercial.
We are back and Cookie and Robbie E come to the ring. They have mics and Robbie says that he has something crazy to tell her. He says that they are on at the same time as the Jersey Shore and he says sorry because after Robbie E and Cookie debuted last week, nobody wants to watch those fake punks. They want to watch them. He says that Jersey Shore is done. Cookie says that the Jersey Shore poseurs are done. Cookie calls J Woww ‘J Cow’.
J Woww comes to the ring with Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, and Lacey Von Erich.
J Woww gets in Cookie’s face and Cookie calls her a poseur and J Cow. Cookie talks slowly and she tells her to take her fake weave and funbags and crawl back into the hole she came from.
Cookie slaps J Woww and J Woww takes her down and she slams Cookie’s head into the mat as she punches her. Robbie is taken care of by Angelina, Velvet, and Lacey.
We are back with a Moments Ago Moment of the battle between J Woww and Cookie.
It is now time to take a look back at what happened in the first half hour of the show.
Ken Anderson is walking in the back and now he is stretching as he gets ready for his match with Rob Van Dam.
Ken Anderson comes out and he isn’t going to use his mic to talk to the crowd because he is all about business.
Match Number Four: Rob Van Dam versus Ken Anderson in a Number One Contender Match
Anderson and Van Dam stand in the center of the ring and then Anderson punches Van Dam but Van Dam punches back. They exchange more punches. Anderson with a chop but Van Dam with a kick and a spin kick. Van Dam with a shoulder in the corner. Anderson punches Van Dam but Van Dam with an Irish whip and monkey flip. Van Dam with a running heel kick and he gets a near fall.
Anderson goes to the floor and Van Dam with a moonsault from the apron.
We move to Reaction and the match continues with Van Dam rolling Anderson back in but Anderson hits the ropes and it crotches Van Dam. Van Dam knocks Anderson to the mat but Anderson crotches Van Dam again. Anderson with a superplex and he gets a near fall. Anderson kicks Van Dam in the head and he connects with a back elbow for a near fall. Anderson with cross faces to the head and then he applies a reverse chin lock. Anderson with a knee and he gets a near fall. Anderson slams Van Dam’s head into the turnbuckles and then he kicks Van Dam. Anderson pulls Van Dam out of the corner to work on the back some more. Van Dam with punches and a clothesline. Van Dam with a savate kick. Anderson gets Van Dam on his shoulders but Van Dam with a slam and a split legged moonsault for a near fall. Anderson hits the rolling fireman’s carry slam but he can only get a two count.
Anderson goes up top for the Kenton Bomb but he misses when Rob moves out of the way. Van Dam goes up top for the Five Star Frog Splash but he hits Anderson’s knees.
Both men are down and that means that it is time for Eric Bischoff to come to the ring. He has something to say to the referee. He whispers something in Brian Hebner’s ear and Hebner leaves with Eric. Eric tells him to do his job as they go to the back.
Jeff Hardy comes to the ring with a chair and he hits Van Dam and Anderson in the back with the chair. Hardy puts the chair on Anderson’s arm and he hits a Twist of Fate onto the chair.
Source: PWInsider.com
Eric Bischoff
Lacey Von Erich
Madison Rayne
WWE Releases Matt Hardy
WWE Superstars Results – 10/14/2010
FUCK TNA! SHEAMUS THE BEST FAGS!
Jeffery Dahmer
Oh yes Sheamus you turn me on. I wish I could make sweet love to your tight ass. We can cuddle afterwards and you can sing to me while I run my fingers through your wonderful red hair. Oh yeah, just thiking about it makes me hard. please E-mail me sheamus, I look forward to drinking some beers with you.–> [email protected]
K Law swallows
I’m dissapointed. I come to this site just to read what K Law has to say and he is nowhere to be found. It’s just this shamass and his stalker buttbuddy.
Druid 3
Can we talk about wrestling? I thought the show was pretty good. You can tell they don.t have as much money for production as wwe. Hardy is a convincing heel.
Ballsack
”sheamus the best fags?”
He just came out the closet and admitted hes a fag.
the pope manairo dinero
SO IS THE POPE GETTING DEPUSHED OR IS HE GETTING GROOMED FOR SOMETHING BIG IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN TNA
big will
i thought it was boring it was like watching wcw all over again!
Oh man, it is wcw all over again, what sad way to go.
K Law
Because K Law has a life dickhead and apparently, you don’t if your thinking about me 24/7… I’m flatter… really, I am…
Anywho, the show was mostly promos. The only segment I enjoyed the most was Jarrett and Angle’s.
hey i think i was a preety good sho…there is no bios for me bout TNA or WWE…i like them both aqnd still miss ECW & WCW
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TNA Impact Report – 4/12/16
We start off with a video package looking back at last week’s Drew Galloway-Matt Hardy rematch, then we’re off to the arena where Matt Hardy and his entourage make their way to the ring. Pope is back in the broadcast booth, by the way, and he want to hears what Matt Hardy has to say. He tells the nobodies who pay to see him to be quiet, because this is about people named Hardy. His entire life and empire has been built on the Hardy name because he spent two decades creating and performing in the most famous matches in history, but there’s a man who is tarnishing the name and his brand, and it’s his own ball and chain, and he wants Jeff to get out here right now. Jeff comes out to the ring, and Matt asks how dare he stain their name. Jeff soaks in the crowd adulation for a moment before telling Matt that he’s proud to be a Hardy and the legacy they built. He has no problem with Matt doing his own, thing, he has a problem with what he’s doing with the title because it’s bigger than either of them. Matt says he’s always been the best, he’s always taken care of Jeff and their name, and he helped him along when he didn’t know the difference between psychology and biology, but it hasn’t been a two way street, and when Jeff stuck his nose in his match last week, it’s because Jeff is selfish. He wants Jeff gone, he’s sick of him, and he’s sick of the people thinking he lives in Jeff’s shadow. Jeff says he’s worried about him, but Matt says Jeff doesn’t get it because this is just something he’s good at. Matt lives this, and he’s trying to build something to hand down to his son, and if it weren’t for him, he’s be fixing motorcycles or doing silly paintings on the side of the highway. He tells Jeff he can change his name and be the Creature, Willow, or whatever, but Matt wants to be the only Hardy. Jeff says the fans chant Hardy for a reason, the CREATURES chant Hardy for a reason, and it’s everything they’ve done TOGETHER in this ring. Matt says he doesn’t care about the fans, he wants Jeff to be done with the name, and he wants to beat Jeff, hurt him, and show everyone that he’s the only real Hardy. The fans chant that Jeff is better, and Reby says of course Jeff won’t fight him, because he knows Matt is the better wrestler, the bigger brand, and she can tell that Jeff’s just scared. Jeff says the only thing he’s scared of is her crazy bitch genes in their family tree. Jeff says neither of them will win if they do this, but if he wants to fight, then Big Money Matt has his fight.
We look back at last week when Beer Money made their open challenge for tonight, and then we’re off to the ring for our opening match!
TNA World Tag Team Title Match: Beer Money vs The Bromans vs Decay vs Eric Young & Bram
This is one fall, not elimination rules. All eight men are going at it in a pier six brawl, Storm knocks Bram against the steps and rides the Boozer Cruiser into him. That was pretty cool, can’t say I’ve ever seen vehicular assault during a wrestling match before. Beer Money double suplexes Bram and do BEER…MONEY!, then Roode backdrops Storm over the top rope and onto Bram. Roode and Young are going at it in the ring, Steve trips Roode from the floor, and Young takes his head off with a clothesline. Decay has Roode trapped in their part of the ring, but Roode hits Abyss with a blockbuster, gets away from Young when he tags in, and makes a tag to Jessie, who cleans house on everyone. Bromans get the BroDown on Young and Jessie gets him in the Adonis Lock, but Abyss breaks it up. Jessie takes Abyss out with a springboard forearm, launches Bram to the floor, then Robbie takes Bram and Steve out with a dive to the floor. Bram gets back in and he and Young double team Storm, but Storm ducks a shot and Young hits Bram. Young yells at Bram, then Storm hits the Last Call on Young and gets the win.
Winners: Beer Money
Quick, but fun. Bram looks unhappy with Young as he climbs out of the ring.
Matt Hardy finds Jeff backstage and says that TNA made their match official for next week, and he really wants Jeff out of his life forever. Tyrus says he needs to go because of what he cost both of them, and Matt says he’ll beat him so bad he’ll want to quit. In fact, he wants an I Quit match, and Jeff says he never runs from a challenge. He even wants to up the ante: he and a partner will take Matt and Tyrus on tonight, and Matt gets his I Quit match if he wins, but if Jeff’s team wins, it’s Full Metal Mayhem. Matt’s down with that, so it looks like we have our main event!
Maria is backstage and says Gail finally got what she deserves, and now she’ll go out to the ring and get what she deserves.
Eddie Edwards is backstage being checked on by TNA officials. Looks like someone attacked his shoulder before his X Division Title shot tonight.
Maria comes out to the ring and says she did such a great job making the Knockouts division great again that Donald Trump himself asked her how to make America great again. now she will bring out her new Knockouts Champion, Jade! Jade comes out and Maria says she’s done so much for the Knockouts division, and Jade was nothing without her, but now everyone knows her name. Now Jade owes her, so she should give Maria her Knockouts Title. Jade says she’s not giving her anything, and grabs the mic out of her hand. She tells Maria that she earned the title last week, and it’s not her fault Maria’s too afraid to get in the ring and put in the work. Maria can try and take the title if she wants, but she’s not going to just give it to her. Gail Kim comes out to the ring and says that even she never thought Maria would stoop so low. She wants all the power without doing any of the work, and she hasn’t forgotten about her rematch for the title, but just because Maria is the dog who barks the loudest doesn’t make her the boss, just the loudest bitch. Maria says there Gail goes being trashy again, because she is a lady, the First Lady of Professional Wrestling, and Jade and Gail are just dumb wrestlers, and all the Knockouts are just sheep. Rebel and Marti come out and tell Maria that they’re not sheep, they’re familia…a family that she broke up, but she guesses it worked out for Jade, or should she say champ. She says not to forget who got her where she is because this is still their house, the Dollhouse. Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne come out to join the party, and Velvet says this isn’t their house because she and Madison are OG Knockouts, and Maria doesn’t speak for them. Madison says Maria isn’t the boss of any of them, and everybody knows she is the Queen B of this division because she knows how to lead people. Velvet has a problem with that, but Maria says that all they need is a real leader, and she is that leader. Billy Corgan comes out to the top of the ramp, and Maria asks if she can call him Bill, then says she listens to his music all the time and that he should be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, but if he can just, you know, tell everyone she’s in charge of the Knockouts division. Billy says that management is fully aware of her machinations, and one of her proudest achievements is the Knockouts division. Jade isn’t handing that title to anybody, she’s defending it tonight against Madison Rayne. As far as who runs things, he thought he made it real clear to Maria that in-ring action is what makes things happen here, not her scheming and dreaming. With due respect, if they want to run things and be the leader, then next week there is one match, one winner, one leader of the Knockouts. Maria thanks Billy and says she’s sure she’ll be the leader, but whoever wins tonight between Jade and Madison, she will be the boss. Jade takes a shot at Maria, but she ducks and Jade hits Madison. A brawl between all the Knockouts breaks out as Maria slinks back up the ramp with a big smile on her face.
Ethan Carter III says that Mike Bennett is very talented, but is no Miracle. He gets that Bennett is here to try and make an Impact, and he gets that because he did the same thing. He’s brought a lot on himself this past year, and he apologizes for none of it, but he’s learned accountability and that only standing alone will truly make himself the best. He’s going to teach Bennett a lesson tonight, a lesson in getting his ass kicked.
Gregory Shane Jerry Franklin Bartholomew Helms is in the ring with Trevor Lee, and he says Trevor was all ready to lay Eddie out tonight, but Eddie seems unable to compete tonight. This leaves Trevor without an opponent because nobody back there has the balls to come out and face Trevor Lee, but if there somehow is, he can come out and prove Helms wrong. DJ Z comes out looking like a space man, and our next match is now!
X Division Champion Trevor Lee vs DJ Z
Z unloads with a quick start, dropkicking Lee to the floor and then catching him with a flying headscissors when he comes back in. Z takes Lee out with a dive when he tries escaping to the floor, but then Lee pops DJ Z into a suplex on the ring apron. They head back inside where Lee puts the boots to the challenger, but DJ Z with another flying headscissors and a leaping DDT. Z makes a cover, but the referee distracts the referee. Z goes and yells at Helms, but turns around into a forearm from Lee. Lee goes for the small package driver, but DJ Z counters to a small package for the win.
Winner: DJ Z
Helms attacks DJ Z after the match, but Eddie Edwards runs out to make the save. Helms and Lee head for the hills.
Mike Bennett is backstage saying that EC3 thinks Bennett is trying to be like him, but he’s not trying to be anything like EC3. He knows exactly who he is, and he writes the course of his own history. He’ll also write the course of EC3’s history, and the last chapter happens tonight when he kicks his ass.
Jeff Hardy is backstage saying that the thing between Matt and himself is personal, and they’re still family, but he needs to win this match tonight and he has the perfect partner. Drew Galloway walks in and says Jeff had his back last week, so this week, he has his.
Maria comes out to the top of the ramp to ask the fans if they believe…IN MIRACLES?
“The Miracle” Mike Bennett vs Ethan Carter III
EC3 attacks Bennett as soon as he gets in the ring, and Bennett gets almost no offense in as Carter is a man possessed, shutting down everything Bennett tries and backdrops him to the floor. Carter goes out after him and Bennett tries to suplex EC3 on the floor, but Carter reverses and plants Bennett right on the entry ramp. Bennett gets back in the ring first and uses the high ground to catch EC3 with a spinebuster for 2. Maria gouges Carter’s eyes while the referee has his back turned, and Bennett whips EC3 hard into the corner, then does it again and covers for 1. Carter mounts a comeback and hits the Stinger Splash and a flapjack, then plants Bennett with a flatliner for 2. Bennett rolls to the apron and snaps EC3’s neck down on the top rope, then comes back inside and goes for the short punch, but EC3 ducks and hits a TKO. He makes a cover, but Maria puts Bennett’s foot on the bottom rope to break the count. EC3 chases Maria around and walks right into an Ace Crusher from Bennett. Bennett rolls out to the floor and grabs a chair, he takes a wild swing and EC3 ducks and Bennett drops the chair. EC3 gets a Tazmission while the referee gets rid of the chair, and EC3 lets go of the hold and grabs it back, then absolutely DRILLS Bennett across the back with it, and the ref calls for the bell.
Winner by DQ: Mike Bennett
EC3 repeatedly hammers Bennett with the chair, then walks back up the ramp while Maria comes in to frantically check on her husband.
We look back to “April 29” when Al Snow attacked Grado and Mahabali Shera and broke Grado’s hand with a pipe. Then we go to Al Snow backstage, who says that he took some unprofessional actions, was suspended for a week, and had the time to think about what he did. He wants Shera to meet him in the ring later tonight so he can apologize and ask for his forgiveness.
After the commercial, Al Snow is in the ring saying he was trying to make sure some young guys paid some dues. TNA told him to come out and apologize, and it’s the right thing to do, so he wants Mahabali Shera to come out so he can apologize. Shera comes out, and he is not dancing. Shera grabs Snow by the shirt and says Snow hurt his friend and put him in the hospital, and he hurt him, and he doesn’t care who he is, he’s going to hurt him right now. Snow begs him to relax and let him explain, and if Shera still wants to hit him afterward, he can. Shera lets go of Snow, and Snow says he’s been doing this a long time. He’s 53 and he’s been doing it since he was 18, and people kept telling him that wrestling’s changed and that it’s passing him by, and he sees him and Grado and all these young guys just walk in the door, and he had to fight, claw, and scratch just to get in. The fans are cheering Snow, and he tells them to stop because they don’t understand the things you had to do to earn your way in. One time, Chris Irwin beat him in the back of his head so many times that he went blindfor an hour, and they sent him home for a week, and he realized that just because that’s the way things were didn’t mean they needed to be the way they are. Maybe he did what he did because he’s angry or jealous, but he’s sorry, and he will pay for Grado’s medical bills, and he wants to do better than that. He doesn’t want to tear anyone down, he wants to build them up, take his experience, and help Shera, Grado, and all the young guys benefit from it so they can live their dream and be successful. He begs Shera to let him do that for him, and Shera says he needs to respect younger people, because he respect in that ring and every single person in the ring. Snow says he’s sorry again, and he promises to do everything he can to help them. Snow puts his hand out to Shera and he shakes it, and Snow hugs him, follows him out of the ring, and rams him head first into the ring steps before proceeding to smash his face into the steps over and over and punch him in the back of the head, presumably until he goes blind. Shera is clearly no longer in any condition to dance, and the fans chant “you still got it” at Snow as he does everything he can think of to be a terrible heel.
Drew is backstage texting with someone when Tyrus comes up and asks him if he knows what he’s doing by going out there tonight with Jeff Hardy. Drew says he’s perfectly aware of what he’s doing, and it’s not just the right thing, but he’s not going to let Jeff get taken out by Matt and his buddies, and he won’t hide behind a bodyguard. Tyrus says maybe he should have a bodyguard because bad things happen to good people all the time, and Drew is a good person. And don’t forget, Tyrus gets a title shot anytime he wants, and that makes him a dangerous man.
Al Snow is backstage and says he doesn’t have to explain anything, and he definitely doesn’t need to be told to apologize to some punk kid who just walks into the world he used to feed his family for 34 years. This is his business, it hasn’t changed, and it never will. You don’t reinvent the wheel, and if Grado and Shera want to earn his respect, they can come fight him for it.
Knockouts Title Match: Jade vs Madison Rayne
Jade comes right out with kicks flying, but Madison ducks them and rolls Jade up for a number of 2 counts. Jade counters a crucifix to a Samoan drop for 2, then chokes Madison on the ropes. Jade almost knocks Madison’s teeth out with a running boot to the face, another kick to the chest, and a seated dragon sleeper. Jade with more stiff kicks, and a gutwrench suplex for 2. Madison catches Jade with an enziguiri out of nowhere, and both girls are down. They trade shots in the ring and Madison comes out on top and hits a horthern lights suplex for 2. Madison with a sliding clothesline, but a top rope crossbody meets nothing but air. Jade with a shotgun dropkick and the STO for the win.
Winner: Jade
Jade makes her first successful defense of the Knockouts Title in dominating fashion.
Matt Hardy and Tyrus are backstage, and they’re…WALKING! So are Drew Galloway and Jeff Hardy!
Next week: a ladder match for control of the Knockouts division, a three way X Division Title match between Trevor Lee, DJ Z, and Eddie Edwards, and Matt Hardy battles his brother Jeff with a stipulation that will be determined right now!
Matt Hardy & Tyrus vs Jeff Hardy & Drew Galloway
Matt and Jeff start us off, but Matt tags out to Tyrus before ever making contact. Tyrus bowls Jeff into the corner and tries a short clothesline, but Jeff ducks under that and tags Drew in, and they take Tyrus down with a double clothesline and hit the senton/fistdrop combo the Hardys used to do. Jeff and Drew hit Poetry In Motion on Tyrus as we go to commercial.
Tyrus is in control of Drew when we comes back, and he and Matt double team the World Champion for several minutes. Tyrus in particular dishes out a LOT of punishment with hard shots and using his size to his advantage, but Drew dodges a Vader Bomb and both men make tags, and the Hardys are going at it again. Jeff gets the advantage and goes through his usual hot comeback combo, then gets a double leg cradle for 2. Jeff hits his version of the Twist of Fate, takes the shirt off, and goes up for the Swanton. Matt rolls out to the apron, avoids Jeff’s baseball slide, but comes back in and eats another Twist of Fate. Jeff goes back to the top, but now Tyrus is standing over Matt and daring Jeff to leap. He does, and Tyrus catches him, but Drew takes Tyrus out with the Claymore kick as Reby runs down to ringside and hands Matt a hammer. Matt uses the hammer to knock Jeff out, and Matt picks up Jeff’s limp form, hits his version of the Twist of Fate, and covers Jeff for the win.
Winners: Matt Hardy & Tyrus
Solid main event, Tyrus looked good in this one. Now Matt gets his I Quit Match next week against Jeff. Before we have time to dwell on that, Bobby Lashley runs in, knocks Jeff out from behind, and spears Drew into next week. Lashley picks Drew up and spears him again. The show closes with a video package hyping next week’s I Quit match, and then we call it a week.
Jeff Hard
Trevor Lee
Speculation on The Bella Twins Getting Their Own Reality TV Show After New WWE Trademark
Spoilers: WWE SmackDown Tapings for 4/14/16
TNA RULES!
I hate to keep telling people I’m a fag but I really am a fag. People can judge me all they want but I feel much better getting the truth out there. Thanks for understanding
cm crybaby
God what a way to open with Fat hardy and has been hardy. All I had to read to realize this was shit. And not gonna hit 300thousand viewers. And replays don’t count.
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xoxosweden.com / News / Environment
Sweden's summer party season
Some lucky Swedes can attend (at least) three parties during the late summer season as crayfish, fermented herring, and eel all make an appearance during the month of August � with parties in their honor filling up the calendar through early autumn.
In English, we call a distraction a �red herring,� something intended to divert attention from the real problem. It comes from what we Swedes might assume was the very pungent fermented herring (surstr�mming) that a boy in London (perhaps a savvy Swedish immigrant) used in the early 1800s to mislead hounds from following a trail � or maybe fugitives used it to cover their tracks and divert the dogs that were in hot pursuit. Whatever the etymology is, the �red herring� served as an extended metaphor for the London press and a popular idiom was born.
In Swedish, a red herring is a cured and salted herring. It even has its own day in Sweden � June 6. You�re not mistaken if you remember that�s also Sweden�s national day. Seems appropriate. Sillens Dag (�the day of the herring�) is actually a day for all herring, or �sill� in Swedish. And there may be as many kinds of sill as there are people who love it � on both sides of the Atlantic.
But fermented herring (surstr�mming) is a whole other thing. And it has its day in August � sharing the month with crayfish (kr�ftor) and eel (�l), all of them giving Swedes many mouth-watering (if sometimes also smelly) opportunities to enjoy the bounties of the Baltic. Swedes anticipate the August party season, which exists with the express reason for dining on these fresh water based crustaceous delicacies.
Kr�ftpremi�r
The month starts with the premier of the crayfish, AKA �kr�ftpremi�r,� which always falls on August 8. Crayfish season may be the shortest, but it is probably the most popular, beginning two weeks ahead of surstr�mming season and the �dark days of eel� (�lam�rkret).
Years ago the lakes of Sweden teemed with crayfish. They were exported to the ritzy restaurants of Paris, London and Berlin, but over-fishing threatened their existence and regulations were enforced. It wasn�t until 1994 that a ban on fishing for crayfish during certain times of the year was lifted; the last day of the ban was August 7, which made August 8 the first day to start eating them � and the date stuck.
And so did the reason to celebrate. The crayfish party (�kr�ftskivan�) is a celebration with friends and family, crayfish (served cold with lots of salt and dill) and snaps, special decorations and hopefully a full moon. Eating crayfish the Swedish way often includes side dishes such as crisp bread and cheese, and a variety of equally important rituals, not the least of which includes drinking snaps by the sip (a �nubbe�); some would say the most important part of a crayfish party is the sipping and the singing. Of course drinking responsibly (or drinking water) is advised, but it is often more important to sing (loudly) than to actually drink a lot of snaps, which is also served ice cold and straight up in shot glasses.
Here's how to make your own party at home: Swedish traditions: 'Kr�ftskivan'
Surstr�mmingspremi�ren
It is with some relief that the premier of fermented herring, AKA �surstr�mmingspremi�ren,� is also accompanied by snaps. And singing. Many people are truly grateful for that, since this particular delicacy is sometimes said to taste even worse than it smells. It smells because a) it�s not only the number one smelliest fish in the world but b) it�s also actually fermented. It is unclear how many Swedes actually enjoy this delicacy, but some data suggests half the population has it at least once a year and one percent has it every month.
Surstr�mmingspremi�ren is always on the third Thursday in August, so Swedes can make their plans for the next round of parties. This year that�s August 16.
The Baltic herring used for surstr�mming is caught in spring, just as it is about to spawn. It is fermented in barrels for a couple months, then tinned. Six month later, as that tin is bulging, it is ready to be sold in supermarkets all over the country. Some Swedes are accustomed to eating surstr�mming with fingerling potatoes and thin bread or diced onion and sour cream, or tomatoes and chopped dill. But they can all agree that opening the can outside, and far from the house, is important. There are plenty of informative (and humorous) accounts on YouTube if you want a tutorial on the art of opening a can of surstr�mming or how to eat it.
�lam�rkret
Last but not least (well, it may be least, but we�ll get to the reason for that), the end of August, brings �lagillen. ��l� means eel and �gillen� doesn�t really translate into English, though we ought to have a word for it: It means something like �the chance to have a good time while eating and drinking.�
These parties are less demanding and can last into the autumn, perhaps weaning Swedes off the crustacean-filled holiday month as they ease back into the daily life of work and school in September. It starts as "�lam�rkret s�tter in" (the eel darkness sets in) toward the end of August, when the moon is on the wane and the nights are a little darker; the eel can no longer see the nets and thus get trapped on their way to the sea. They move in great numbers as they pass the southeast coastline of Sweden, fattened up for their long journey.
There may be less emphasis on eel parties because the eel population has been threatened, and fishing for them has been limited in the last decade. Since 2007, only licensed fishermen are allowed to fish for eel, and they have strict limits.
Perhaps ironically, nothing but eel is served to eat at �lagillen parties, though there may be as many as 10 or 12 varieties of fried, boiled, smoked and grilled eel with various kinds of stuffing. It�s quite fatty and rich in flavor, and snaps is often the drink of choice, though it may not be quite as common as with surstr�mming.
We have never heard of an "�lagille" in North America, or a surstr�mming party � if anyone has, let us know. Kr�ftskivor, on the other hand, are abundant in the U.S. (See our events calendar to find a party near you or visit the nearest IKEA to set up your own.) If you are planning your own party in August, find all the ingredients you need by consulting our new apps at swedeninamerica.com and nordicinamerica.com.
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CONTACT: webmaster@mcpherson.edu
mcpherson.edu
bulldog connect
Faculty Advising Handbook (DRAFT) (pdf)
FAC 657. Guidelines Concerning Disputed Grades
601-699 Academic Policies - Enrollment, Curriculum, Classroom
Introduction. The McPherson College Catalog traditionally contains a statement that “all grades are determined by the instructor in charge of the specific course.” The guidelines that follow do not abrogate this basic principle of faculty responsibility. They do provide for an avenue by which students who feel that they have been unjustly evaluated may request review of the evaluation. In keeping with the spirit of the catalog statement, all such review of evaluations should remain solely in the hands of faculty; no student or student group should be involved in review procedure at any stage of its progress. The guidelines for review of disputed grades are as follows:
Step 1. No review procedure may begin until a student concerned about his/her evaluation has discussed this evaluation personally with the instructor who recorded the grade under review. (Note: this step may be waived in cases of permanent absence of the instructor or as otherwise deemed advisable by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.)
Step 2. When a student, after consultation with the instructor described in Step 1 above, feels a continuing grievance, the Provost and Dean of the Faculty may, if he or she deems this appropriate under the circumstances, confer with student and instructor separately and informally, thus attempting to obtain resolution of the dispute at issue.
Step 3. If resolution is not achieved in Step 2, above, the student, but only with the written permission of the Provost and Dean of Faculty, may appeal to a committee of review established as follows: One member of the faculty of McPherson College selected by the student; one member of the faculty of McPherson College, other than himself, selected by the instructor involved; one member of a faculty, preferably in an academic discipline close to that in which the review is undertaken, appointed either by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty or by the President of the College. The member of the committee thus appointed by the Provost and Dean of the Faculty or President may be from another institution than McPherson College. The appointed committee should examine any written or oral evidence submitted by the principals involved in the review. Following such examination, in closed session, the committee should determine the legitimacy of the student’s grievance; in the event that the grievance is found to be valid, the committee should recommend to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty an alternative grade for record. Decisions of this committee are final and subject to no institutional appeal. The Step 3 procedure described above shall occur only if the Provost and Dean of Faculty deems such procedure appropriate in the particular case, and gives to the aggrieved student written permission to pursue such procedure.
2015-12-03T09:33:27+00:00UPDATED: March 30th, 2009|601-699 Academic Policies - Enrollment, Curriculum, Classroom|
Copyright 2016 McPherson College | All Rights Reserved | 1600 E. Euclid, McPherson, KS 67460
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Recently in Yard Culture Category
Bunny 'Striker' Lee releases documentary and book on Jamaican music
By Webmin on March 25, 2015 5:31 PM No Comments
As Jamaican dub and roots reggae makes a heavy resurgence, Bunny "Striker" Lee pioneering producer of reggae, ska, dub an dancehall, is promoting his book and documentary - "Reggae Going International 1967-76, The Bunny 'Striker' Lee Story," and "I am The Gorgon, Bunny 'Striker' Lee and The Roots of Reggae".
They explain the journey of Reggae exploring the roots of reggae and telling the stories of many unsung heroes.
"Leslie Kong produced the most international hits but no one talks about him now...He's one of the founding fathers of the business. He recorded Bob Marley first, you know," explains Striker in Reggae Going International.
I Am The Gorgon, a documentary by Diggory Kenrick is narrated by Dennis Alcapone and features interviews with King Jammy's, Cornell Campbell, John Holt, Derrick Morgan, Horace Andy, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Family Man, U-Roy, Sly Dunbar, Lee Scratch Perry, Ken Boothe, Max Romeo, Tappa Zukie, Scientist, Niney The Observer, Linval Thompson, Roy Shirley, The Twinke Brothers, Jah Stitch, Earl Chinna Smith, and many other music legends.
"Reggae Going International 1967-76, The Bunny 'Striker' Lee Story," by Noel Hawks and Jah Floyd tells the history of Jamaican music and highlights the pivotal role 'Striker' Lee played in the emergence of dub, ska, reggae, and dancehall. It focuses on Lee's creativity of new sounds and ideas like the development of flyers, which is an emphasis on the drummers use of cymbals.
The authors highlight The Gorgon's journey through reggae from a promoter with Duke Reid, Coxone Dodd, and Leslie Kong to becoming the producer with the biggest catalogue in Reggae Music.
The Gorgon played an essential part in starting King Tubby's career and also contributed to Tubby's pioneering of the dub sound. Lee was also one of the first producers to pay musicians and artistes for their recordings. In 1968, he took his passion to England and help start Palma Brothers and Trojan records which he licensed his productions too. His success over the years led to being awarded Order of Distinction in the rank of officer for more than 40 years of dedicated service in the music industry in 2008.
These two references for the Reggae industry through film and book serve as resource that is in high demand at universities, colleges, community libraries, and reggae festivals in Europe, Asia, the United States, and South America. A book/DVD tour was completed in December with plans to penetrate Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.
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Participating Organizations
YouthCon - Informal & Experiential Jewish Educators Convention
Bullying in the Jewish World: 3 Questions for Rona Novick
1. Do you think bullying is an issue in informal education?
Unfortunately, bullying is an issue everywhere. Bullying happens most in informal settings and with less adult supervision. It involves social group pressures, and the interactions between individuals. This makes informal settings a prime arena for teasing, harassment and social exclusion. Creating caring peer networks is, of course, possible. It means setting the stage, making it the “in” thing to do, building youth leadership and social responsibility, and challenging callousness or “blindness” to the social well-being of others. I believe most youth want to be leaders not followers, most want to be kind, not cruel, most want to make a difference. Informal education settings and programs provide ideal opportunities to create the environments and give youth the tools grow into socially responsible citizens.
2. Is there anything unique in bullying in the Jewish world?
The Jewish world is a tiny one. Everyone knows everyone else. That means a young person who is socially excluded in one setting (like school) may be equally alone in other settings (camp, shul) because of the overlap of social networks. Also unique, however, is our mesorah, our powerful tradition of caring and inclusion. We have the opportunity to really live the words Kal Yisrael areyvim zeh la zeh and al taamod al dam reyecha.
3. What are you looking forward to most at YouthCon?
I do the bulk of my work in Jewish schools, where no matter how committed educators are to social issues, they have important mandates to cover curriculum as well. I’m excited to meet with engaged informal educators, for many of whom the heart and soul of their work is addressing the social lives of youth.
Rona Novick, PhD is the Director of the Fanya Gottesfeld Heller Doctoral Program at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University and Clinical Professor of Child Psychology at North Shore Long-Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Novick also serves as co-educational director of the Hidden Sparks program, providing consultation to day schools and Yeshivas. Dr. Novick developed the Alliance for School Mental Health at North-Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center and served as its director for eight years, authoring the BRAVE bully prevention program for schools.
Dr. Novick is a frequent and much sought speaker for both professional and general audiences. Her wit, warmth and engaging style, coupled with extensive knowledge in the fields of psychology, parenting, education and family life have earned her recognition nationally. She is the author of a book for parents: Helping Your Child Make Friends, and editor of the book series Kids Don’t Come With Instruction Manuals. Dr. Novick has made numerous appearances on local and national television and radio.
As the mother of three sons, Dr. Novick credits much of her knowledge and skill to on the job training.
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YouthCon Blog
The latest from the inaugural informal educators convention.
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Playoff Win Gives Grizzlies Boost Heading Into 2018
Posted 6:43 pm, August 21, 2018, by Bobby Swofford, Updated at 08:05PM, August 21, 2018
FORT SMITH (KFSM) - Only six teams in the state of Arkansas have their season end in a celebration.
Northside was not among the state champions in 2017 but the Grizzlies took a big step in the right direction.
"To finish what we started last year, where we couldn’t really do all year long and put a little emphasis on what we had going on at the end of the season, to start it again, oh yeah, we’re ready," Northside senior Greg Washington said.
The Grizzlies took down rival Southside in the final week of the regular season to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Northside then followed that up with a convincing win over preseason 7A favorite Har-Ber in the opening round of the postseason.
"It all started coming off that Southside win," Northside senior Stevie Young said. "We had learned how to play as a team, play as a whole. So when we had played Har-Ber, not likely to even beat them and not even be favored to make it to state, I mean beating Har-Ber had boosted everybody up."
That win was Northside's first postseason victory in three seasons and it was that game that the Grizzlies are using as fuel for 2018.
"The thing was, nobody thought we were going to win it so us winning that just gave it all. It definitely does give us momentum coming into this season because teams definitely know who we are," Washington said.
Northside returns 15 starters, eight on the offensive side, including Deuce Wise at quarterback after he accounted for 2,300 yards of total offense a season ago.
"You have to defend all eleven people on the field," Northside coach Mike Falleur said. "You can’t just guard him. He’s not going to run the football because first and foremost, that’s what we want him to do."
Northside kicks off the season on Aug. 24 as they host Heritage.
Filed in: Football Friday Night
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Kenny Chesney Books 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour
Angela Stefano
Kevin Winter, Getty Images for Stagecoach
Kenny Chesney will be downsizing (but just a bit) for his 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour. The trek will focus on arenas and smaller-sized venues, rather than the massive stadiums that the country superstar has been known to play.
“I wanted to change it up,” Chesney explains in a a press release. “Last year was so intense, and amazing ... [In 2019], I wanted to go to where the fans live ... strip things back a bit, and make it a little more intimate ... I love reaching to the very top, the very back of a football stadium, but I also love the idea of really being able to see the back of the room.”
Chesney will begin his 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour in Louisville, Ky., at the KFC Yum! Center on April 4. A total of 17 stops have been scheduled so far, with more to come. A list of cities, dates and venues is below.
“Sometimes it’s about stripping things back, and creating a different kind of experience,” Chesney adds. "This is the kind of thing you do for passion ... I never worry about the energy or the passion, but I think the songs are different depending on where you play them. So I’m fired up for 2019.”
Fans can visit KennyChesney.com to stay up to date on his tour. The Boot will update this story with specific dates, and more 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour stops as they are announced.
Kenny Chesney, 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour Dates
April 4 -- Louisville, Ky. @ KFC Yum! Center
April 5 -- Champaign, Ill. @ State Farm Center
April 6 -- Grand Rapids, Mich. @ Van Andel Arena
April 12 -- Greensboro, N.C. @ Greensboro Coliseum
April 13 -- Jacksonville, Fla. @ Daily's Place
April 18 -- Washington, DC @ The Anthem
April 25 -- Charleston, S.C. @ Volvo Car Stadium
April 26 -- Tallahassee, Fla. @ Donald L Tucker Civic Center
April 27 -- Orange Beach, Ala. @ The Wharf
May 2 -- Columbia, Mo. @ Mizzou Arena
May 3 -- Wichita, Kan. @ INTRUST Bank Arena
May 4 -- Oklahoma City, Okla. @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
May 10 -- Wilkes-Barre, Pa. @ Mohegan Sun Arena
May 11 -- Atlantic City, N.J. @ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
May 17 --- Sioux Falls, S.D. @ Denny Sanford Premier Center
May 18 -- Lincoln, Neb. @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
May 25 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Kenny Chesney's Best Live Shots
How Well Do You REALLY Know Kenny Chesney?
NEXT: Top 10 Kenny Chesney Songs
Source: Kenny Chesney Books 2019 Songs for the Saints Tour
Filed Under: kenny chesney, tour
Categories: Concerts, Country Music News
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الرئيسية > Varieties > 2 Astronauts from UAE Heading to International Space Station
رابط المصدر: https://aawsat.com/node/1382031
Asharq Al-Awsat
"Varieties"
2 Astronauts from UAE Heading to International Space Station
الاثنين - 22 ذو الحجة 1439 هـ - 03 سبتمبر 2018 مـ
The International Space Station. (AFP)
Two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates will be heading to the International Space Station, a first for the Gulf nation.
UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made the announcement on Twitter on Monday.
“Hazza and Sultan represent all young Arabs and represent the pinnacle of the UAE's ambitions,” tweeted Sheikh Mohammed.
“Congratulations to the people and youth of the Emirates,” he added.
The mission of Hazza al-Mansouri and Sultan al-Nayadi is scheduled for next years.
The first Arab in outer space was Saudi Arabia's Sultan bin Salman Al-Saud, who flew on a US shuttle mission in 1985. Two years later, Syrian air force pilot Mahammed Faris spent a week aboard the ex-Soviet Union's Mir space station.
Mansouri and Nayadi, who were among more than 4,000 Emiratis to apply for the program, were chosen after a rigorous six-stage vetting procedure.
اضغط هنا للطباعة.
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9-17 Highgate Road
NW5 1JY
Ride with Uber, O2 Forum Kentish Town's transport partner.
Getting here couldn’t be easier. Simply download and open the Uber app, type ‘O2 Forum Kentish Town’ into the ‘where to?’ section, and your ride will be with you in minutes. No cash needed.
If you’re all about #squadgoals, you can select UberXL to get your group of six here in style.
Uber has wheelchair accessible and mobility options in the app. Find out more here.
The nearest London Underground stations are:
Kentish Town (on the Northern line, High Barnet branch and about 150 metres away)
Camden Town (on the Northern Line and around 1,450 metres away)
Night Tube services are now running on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, offering a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays. Find out more here.
Tube map
Accessible features
There are steps to escalators and no lifts from the platforms at both Kentish Town and Camden Town Underground stations.
For information on which London Underground stations are accessible, download the Step free tube guide
Wheelchair access and avoiding stairs
Accessible public transport
Get more details on accessible public transport in London from Transport for London and accessibility guides here
In addition, our transportation partner Uber has a wheelchair accessible and mobility options in the app. Find out more at t.uber.com/uber.access
Every London bus route is wheelchair accessible, with automatic ramps and designated wheelchair spaces.
The following bus stops are available nearby, click here for details.
All south-bound buses go from the KF bus-stop, just outside Kentish Town Underground station, including the 214 towards Liverpool Street station and the 134 to Tottenham Court Road.
The C2 (north) goes towards Oxford Circus and Parliament Hill Fields and the 214 to Highgate village. These are from the KJ bus-stop on Highgate Road, just turn right when leaving our venue and it’s about 50 metres away.
Night buses are also available from the following bus stops.
There’s the N134 and N20 towards Barnet and Trafalgar Square from bus-stop TP, which is just up Fortress Walk, which is across the road from our venue, turn left and it’s just 30 metres away.
Remember that you can’t pay with cash on buses anymore, so don’t forget your Oyster Card or contactless bank card.
The nearest Overground train station is Kentish Town West and about half a mile away on Prince of Wales Road with direct services to Stratford and Richmond.
This is also a National Rail station (Zone 2) at the same place as Kentish Town Underground station that connects the Thameslink and Southeastern train services, with northbound trains to Luton and southbound to Sutton, Orpington and Sevenoaks, via London St Pancras and Blackfriars. Click here to find out more about accessible facilities and detailed station information.
Parking and by car
Public transport is by far the easiest way to get to us, but if you are driving, please remember that we are in a residential area, which means we’re in a Controlled Parking Zone that’s just for residents and permit holders.
We are on a busy main road, so if you need to do a drop off, please be careful and use the adjacent street, Greenwood Place. To find out more about Blue Badge parking in the area, just click here.
Look out for bike racks in local streets if pedal power’s your thing.
To find more information on self-service bike hire stations, click here.
Venue opening times
We’ll have opening times and curfew times if they’re out of the ordinary for seasoned gig-goers (7pm-11pm) on the event page of this website and on our social channels, too. All timings are subject to change, so check before you travel.
We have bars (of course), a cloakroom to leave your stuff and if you’re visiting us for the first time, just ask any of our friendly staff to show you the way. Please try and travel light as cloakroom facilities are limited, so if you really need to bring a bag, please make sure that it is small (laptop size or small handbag).
It’s always best to check the age restrictions for each event in advance as they vary from show to show.
A few obvious ones:
No under 8s please (think about it), but feel free to contact us if you’re unsure and avoid disappointment.
8-13 years, you’ll need to attend with an adult (18+) but check the event details.
If it says 14+, 16+, 18+, 21+… be sure to check before you book and remember to carry proof of age if you need it. Find out what we accept in our FAQs.
Have we got it all covered?
Hopefully, but if we’ve missed anything, it will be in our FAQs.
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866-305-1260info@accentfoods.com
Micro Markets
Pantry Services
Kitchen Express
Accent Food Services
Premier Vending Machine Provider
Making customers smile.
This is our top priority.
For 30+ years Accent has been the industry leader with a deep commitment to our customers, our employees, our community and the environment. We are experts in using refreshments and break space to boost workplace culture and productivity.
We are one of the largest independently owned refreshment services provider and pride ourselves on making our customers smile.
Born in Austin, Texas, our services now span across the United States.
What you put into your body directly impacts your health and happiness
Encourage Collaboration
Design a gathering space that brings people together, helps build relationships and provides an on-site “getaway.”
BOOST WORKPLACE CULTURE AND PRODUCTIVITY
Provide convenient access to delicious food and drinks to keep your people fueled and rejuvenated.
Offer a variety of product choices, including the latest trends like gluten-free and high protein, healthy fresh food, and traditional favorites.
Your one-stop-shop for all of your food service needs
Micro Markets offer a healthy, convenient, and efficient solution for your break room needs. This latest innovation in workplace dining combines the convenience and availability of traditional vending with the selection and taste of a full-service cafeteria.
Employees can choose over 300 food and beverage choices in a 24 hour, cafeteria style layout, customized to fit your needs! Our food choices are nearly endless with the micro market and can include smoothies, yogurts, salads, pastries, and much more. Every micro market is designed and constructed specifically for your workplace, with your employees in mind.
We offer state-of-the-art equipment with multiple payment options and interactive displays to increase engagement through promotional offers, product information, and feedback. Our back-end technology keeps our machines full and product properly rotated for freshness. We provide wide variety of traditional & healthy snacks and drinks to surprise and delight!
We bring the coffee shop and teahouse to your office – beans, cups, condiments and more! We offer a wide variety of options, including both local & national brands, as well as a private label option. Whether you’re looking for the typical cup of joe with brewed coffee, a really great single cup, or a different specialty drink every day with bean-to-cup, we’ve got the solutions to meet your needs!
Water Any Way You Like It: Filtered, Still, Sparkling, Flavored or pH Balanced.
Add and retain top talent by offering food perks! Let us be your one stop shop for delivering beverages, food, fruit and bulk items with access to emerging brands and local suppliers. We can create a customized menu that are offered complimentary to all employees.
Kitchen Express offers an ideal, cost-effective solution for 1000+ people. A hybrid solution with food service and a market, this platform offers rotating menus that may include salads, soup, sandwiches, and entrees. Catering options are also available.
News About Accent
From Regional Vender to National Retailer
For many vending operators, expanding their reach to new regions and markets is hindered by their technology platform’s inability to scale efficiently to manage wide-sweeping operations. Such was the case for Accent Food Services, a Texas-based refreshment services provider offering vending, micro market, and coffee services to its customers.
In order to grow its footprint in the market while still upholding the same standards for quality and service the company prided itself on, Accent realized it needed a technology platform designed specifically with unattended retail in mind—capable of providing the data, insight, and customer experience necessary for expansion.
Industry Titan Honored For Positive Life Changes By AHA
Josh Rosenberg, CEO and President of Accent Food Services received the December Lifestyle Change award from the American Heart Association – San Antonio. The AHA Lifestyle Change award is meant to recognize individuals who have made positive changes to improve their quality of life and health.
After being diagnosed with certain healthy conditions, Rosenberg began living healthier with yoga, juicing, regular exercise and the occasional golf for mental relaxation. It is these positive efforts and his optimistic attitude that are being recognized.
Accent Food Services Celebrates 1,000th Micro Market Milestone
In 2011, Accent Food Services opened its first micro-market in Austin, Texas. Not only would this new platform open opportunities for Accent in how they engage their consumers, but it would pave the way for positive change in how the vending industry was viewed overall. The unattended retail concept is clearly a successful space for the operator, as they have celebrated their 1000th micro-market grand opening!
Accent Food Services Welcomes New CCO
Accent Food Services has announced Dawn Piscitelli as it’s Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Dawn will lead strategy for the customer & consumer experience, and will drive value proposition and leadership for more than 35 of Accent’s sales associates and leaders. Dawn will report directly to Josh Rosenberg, President & CEO.
The Dollars and Sense of Accent’s Acquisition Streak
Which vending company will Accent Food Services scoop up next? What geographic area is next on its radar? What’s its master plan? The fast-growing multi-state vending powerhouse has the industry abuzz with speculation following its acquisition of 14 vending companies this tear alone and its expansion into territories far from contiguous with its Pflugerville, TX home base.
Out with the junk, in with the greens: SA company focusing on employee health with fresh food-stocked vending machines
Vending machines full of fatty and sugary snacks are a staple of the work place, but one San Antonio company is changing the way employees eat and, ultimately, live.
The options when eating out for lunch may not always be the healthiest. That’s why Accent Food Services features their Stocked Market machines.
Avanti Markets Honors its Operators’ Outstanding Achievements at Annual Operators Meeting
Avanti Markets Inc. — the largest independent micro market provider in the United States – held its Annual Operators Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky from October 3 through October 5, 2018, for its affiliate network of operators. This meeting previewed the new tools and solutions the company is deploying to accelerate operators’ business expansion and drive greater performance in 2019. With a focus on the value micro markets bring to the independent operator and exposure to over 40 key suppliers, this meeting remains the go-to destination for growth-minded operators.
The meeting celebrated the operators’ progress and innovation to create new opportunities. Avanti Markets recognized Ace Vending, now a part of Accent Foods Services, for their achievements and micro market dedication:
Accent Food Services Acquires Central Vending Services
Accent Food Services has acquired Central Vending Services, based in Gaithersburg, MD. This marks the first acquisition of this year for Accent Food Services and the third add-on for the company’s Mid-Atlantic division.
“Over the past year, we have been focusing on the integration of our acquired companies, investing in infrastructure including our facilities, people and technology, and growing our base,” said Accent chief executive Josh Rosenberg. “It is exciting to get back to improving our footprint through the right tuck-in acquisitions. CVS gives us a great start to continue our growth strategy. I’d like to thank Donald and Elysa Fischer for the opportunity to serve their customers as part of the Accent brand.”
Accent Food Services Expands West with Ace Vending Merger
Ace Vending Inc. and Accent Food Services have completed an asset purchase agreement to bring Ace Vending Inc.’s strong customer relationships and sophisticated technology into the Accent family. This transaction represents the largest for Accent and will expand our Western U.S. presence under Accent’s West Division. The ownership group of Kevin Van Hazel, Wade Stooks, Chuck Walton, & JD Stooks will all play key roles in the continued success of Accent’s West Division. In addition, we expect that the entire Ace Vending service team will join Accent and continue to provide the highest-level service to customers as part of the Accent team.
2913 AW Grimes Blvd.
Monday – Friday: 8am to 5pm
866-305-1260 FAX 512-251-2370
info@accentfoods.com
©2018 Accent Food Services
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Home » News » It's a Small Wool (After All)
It's a Small Wool (After All)
Students tend to Campus Farm's sheep in 'lamb watch' animal sciences courses
Holly Cuozzo via The Diamondback
Rachel George
Kayla Miner vividly remembers watching her sheep give birth to three lambs — Harry, Hermione and Ron — one spring Friday afternoon. “It was just the miracle of life, and I got to help and be a part of it,” the senior animal sciences major said. Miner watched the birth during her lamb watch course, ANSC 235: Applied Small Ruminant Parturition. Now she is a teaching assistant for the two-credit animal sciences course, in which students learn about and look after sheep on the Campus Farm.
“For them, it’s one of the few classes where they get to spend a whole lot of time on the farm doing animal science; they get to see all of their classes come together,” said Sarah Balcom, undergraduate animal sciences program director and lecturer for the lamb watch class. “They really like working with the lambs; let’s face it, they’re really cute.”
Students can enroll in the course in the spring semester and have the opportunity to take it again at the 300 level with less supervision as “advanced lamb watch” students. The 22 lamb watch students learn about a variety of topics from basic sheep care to the slaughter and breeding processes, proper birth practices and how to prevent infections and other potential problems in the weekly lectures. In labs, students learn skills from the Campus Farm manager, Crystal Caldwell, and student pairs care for a ewe and her lambs. The students administer vaccines and do other basic care chores for the sheep at first as they wait for the lambs to be born.
On the day of the lambs’ births, the pair of students responsible for the ewe giving birth will watch and then care for the newborns immediately after. They clean them and do other tasks, and the students come to the farm periodically to check on the lambs, looking for abnormalities. Students are also divided into eight groups to perform nighttime lamb watches every eight nights, Balcom said. “It’s one of my favorite classes to teach, and, I think, for the same reason that it’s a favorite class of the students: because it’s very hands-on with the animals,” Balcom said.
Some students in the course, such as senior animal sciences major Cody Auxier, feel privileged to work directly with the farm animals. “This class is very good in that not only does it offer learning in a very enticing way given the raising of adorable lambs, but it also offers that experiential aspect that might be lacking in the animal science department,” Auxier wrote in an email. In addition, the course offers a look at careers in animal science students might not have considered.
Though many animal science students come into their undergraduate studies on the pre-veterinary track, Balcom said, this course offers a look into the more traditional, agricultural side of animal science and gives students an alternate track to traditional veterinary studies, which students might eventually forgo for cost or other reasons. For Miner, the lamb watch class affected her postgraduate goals. She plans to attend Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., on the “mixed track,” learning about food animals, such as cows and sheep, as well as domesticated animals.
“[The class] is really fun, hands-on experience,” said Miner, who began working on the Campus Farm more than two years ago when she first enrolled in lamb watch. “It’s something that’s pretty unique to this university and just kind of brings this piece of agriculture into this very metropolitan campus — and everybody loves the babies because they’re super cute.”
In the end, Balcom and Caldwell hope students can appreciate what it takes to work on a farm with livestock and perhaps consider working with sheep in the future. “We hope they appreciate what it really takes to be a farmer,” Balcom said. “It’s a very doable thing, but it also requires commitment and a certain set of skills and a knowledge base to do that well.”
Video Sidebar
Lamb Watch (The Diamondback/Meagan Todaro)
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anarcho_metal —
Metal health? - Anarchist metalheads [entries|archive|friends|userinfo]
Anarchist metalheads
Metal health? [Feb. 14th, 2008|02:25 am]
anarcho_metal
[albanachdemon]
[ Current Music | Mournful Congregation "Miriam" ]
I should tell some of my crusty friends, maybe "addiction to crust" can be classified for benefits! My hair isn't long enough yet...
Man gets sick benefits for heavy metal addiction
Published: 19 Jun 07 15:12 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/7650/
A Swedish heavy metal fan has had his musical preferences officially classified as a disability. The results of a psychological analysis enable the metal lover to supplement his income with state benefits.
Roger Tullgren, 42, from Hässleholm in southern Sweden has just started working part time as a dishwasher at a local restaurant.
Because heavy metal dominates so many aspects of his life, the Employment Service has agreed to pay part of Tullgren's salary. His new boss meanwhile has given him a special dispensation to play loud music at work.
"I have been trying for ten years to get this classified as a handicap," Tullgren told The Local.
"I spoke to three psychologists and they finally agreed that I needed this to avoid being discriminated against."
Roger Tullgren first developed an interest in heavy metal when his older brother came home with a Black Sabbath album in 1971.
Since then little else has mattered for the 42-year-old, who has long black hair, a collection of tattoos and wears skull and crossbones jewelry.
The ageing rocker claims to have attended almost three hundred shows last year, often skipping work in the process.
Eventually his last employer tired of his absences and Tullgren was left jobless and reliant on welfare handouts.
But his sessions with the occupational psychologists led to a solution of sorts: Tullgren signed a piece of paper on which his heavy metal lifestyle was classified as a disability, an assessment that entitles him to a wage supplement from the job centre.
"I signed a form saying: 'Roger feels compelled to show his heavy metal style. This puts him in a difficult situation on the labour market. Therefore he needs extra financial help'. So now I can turn up at a job interview dressed in my normal clothes and just hand the interviewers this piece of paper," he said.
The manager at his new workplace allows him to go to concerts as long as he makes up for lost time at a later point. He is also allowed to dress as he likes and listen to heavy metal while washing up.
"But not too loud when there are guests," he said.
The Local spoke to an occupational psychologist in Stockolm, who admitted to being baffled by the decision.
"I think it's extremely strange. Unless there is an underlying diagnosis it is absolutely unbelievable that the job centre would pay pay out.
"If somebody has a gambling addiction, we don't send them down to the racetrack. We try to cure the addiction, not encourage it," he said.
Henrietta Stein, deputy employment director for the Skåne region, is also puzzled by the move; "an interest in music" is not usually sufficient to qualify for wage benefits.
"Certain cases are confidential but in general there is always a medical reason that is well-documented," she said.
Tullgren currently plays bass and guitar in two rock bands and says that he tends to get a lot of positive reactions for daring to be himself.
"Some might say that I should grow up and learn to listen to other types of music but I can't. Heavy metal is my lifestyle," he said.
From: reject
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Anthony Lejeune once wrote a survey of some of the more (and less) notable clubs in New York City, and at the outset of it he paraphrased Engligh wit P.G. Wodehouse’s fictional Bertie Wooster, and absent-minded fop: the convenient thing about New York is that it’s right there when you get off the boat. Mr. Lejeune travels to the city by airplane, not boat, but reaquaints himself with the city as quickly as if he walked down a gangplank onto cobblestones. Foremost among those things with which to be reaquainted: Coca-Cola.
The soda is an especial treat to an English clubman like himself, he writes, because most English clubs have purposefully little to do with it. Some refuse even to stock it. “Two members of the Cavalry Club in London, after idly discussing [whether that club carried Coca-Cola], decided to put it to the test. Summoning the wine waiter, they asked if there was any Coca-Cola in the club. Drawing himself up to his full six-foot-two, he replied freezingly: ‘For drinking purposes, sir?’
New York has almost as many clubs as London – clubs for the old upper-class, clubs for alumni of Ivy League colleges, clubs for actors, clubs for writers, predominantly sporting clubs, small intimate clubs like the Coffee House and the Leash, [and] architecturally magnificent clubs like the Metropolitan.”
That predilection for Coca-Cola aside, Mr. Lejeune finds a good deal of commonality between clubs this side of the ocean and that: “The founders of the Union Club [Editor’s Note: formerly discussed in these pages] in 1836 specified that it should be similar in its plans and regulations to the great clubs of London, which give a tone and character to the society of the British metropolis. Like their British originals, some of the older New York clubs evolved from groups of friends who met in coffee houses and taverns. But if the clubs of St. James’s Street are haunted by the ghosts of Regency bucks and dandies, the New York clubs always seem… redolent of another period – the confident, firmly-rooted, literate, polite society of Henry James and Edith Wharton.”
American clubs, he pushes on to note, tend to be more well-appointed than their monarchist forebears: the leather chairs are less shabby, though the portraits on the walls – being newer – are generally worse. He typically feels comfortable at American clubs, and appreciates their efforts to foist company on any man solitary. The exception, Mr. Lejeune writes, is the lunch hour. “The Lotos Club may have been named, in 1870, after Tennyson’s Lotos-eaters, who came to a land ‘in which it seemed always afternoon,’ but I have found myself alone in the Knickerbocker at two o’clock because everybody has rushed back to Wall Street.”
Despite the cheerful welcome, the rules remain rigid at the better American clubs, and the social hierarchy a complicated gridwork of connections and chains to rival the Brooklyn Bridge. Certainly, the issue of pedigree is hardly unique to the Manhattan clubs: a notoriously cantankerous aristocratic member of White’s Club, in London, complained in the nineteenth century that what he called “my tradesmen” were being elected to the club – by which he meant bankers and lawyers. Bankers and lawyers have always been socially acceptable in New York (not all lawyers, of course, and fewer bankers these days), but still Sumner Welles grumbled in the 1950s that “there’s no such thing as Club Society anymore. They can’t even keep in the men they used to keep out.”
The Old Guard, though it sometimes can’t even keep in the men it used to keep out, nevertheless retains its prim passivity: one member of The Brook, an old and much respected New York club, eats lunch at that club’s long communal table daily. The club allows no other tables, such that members must eat socially with one another. In protest, the old patrician insists on silently rising whenever a particularly gauche member arrives, and leaving. “He’s had a great many Brook Club soups,” observed a fellow member, “but he’s never yet gotten to the demitasse.”
Of coure, the menu has never been a reason to join any good club, and clubs have prided themselves perversely on serving the likes of what one clerical member once called “that piece of cod which passeth all understanding.” The point is conviviality, and a second point is the ability to take refuge from the vulgarities outside, where things are shiny and hard instead of muted and dark. As a result, many clubmen require at least two clubs, writes Mr. Lejeune: one in which to talk, and one in which to hide grumpily behind a newspaper.
The employees of a club also contribute to its fortunes. “The atmosphere of any club depends greatly on its servants, and the courtesy of an old-fashioned staff is particularly pleasing in New York, where the headwaiters in fashionable restaurants have been allowed – or so it strikes a visitor – to become extraordinarily autocratic and offhand.” A retreat from that brusque incivility is one of the most enticing aspects of any club, but even the alure of gilt-framed isolationism has run up against modernity, Mr. Lejeune writes.
“Rising costs, staff problems, and changing patterns of urban life have affected [clubs in] both New York and London. Bar profits are falling because of the current wave of puritanism, which is bad news for club treasurers. One reason why ladies’ clubs have never really worked is that women do not drink or lunch seriously enough for the clubs’ financial well-being.
This is no loss; the point about a club is that it should be private. Publicity is anathema. But the clubs themselves are still there, offering the quiet conviviality, the civilized manners, the refuge from uncongenial modernity that true clubmen seek. The surprising thing really is not that they have survived, but that there aren’t many more of them and that they are not more heavily used. Where else can a bachelor, a widower, or merely someone whose wife is engaged elsewhere, or a stranger in town—any solitary man who prefers not to eat and drink alone—go without embarrassment or prior arrangement to enjoy the company of his peers? Does any hotel now provide the simple amenity of a communal table, which every English coaching inn and every staging post on the Western trails used to supply?”
In closing, Mr. Lejeune recalls meeting an elderly American once in London’s Brooks’ Club. He said that when he was in London, he always stayed at Brooks’. When he was in Rome, he stayed at the Caccia. In New York, he stayed at the Knickerbocker. Since he didn’t much care for today’s world, he hardly ever went outside and was therefore never quite sure in what country he ever actually was.
The Gaming Room - Brooks' Club, London.
Leave a Comment » | Social Scene, Watering Holes | Tagged: gentlemen's club, Manhattan, Manhattan club, men's club, New York, New York City, private club, social club | Permalink
Hang Fire
Generally when flying I say a short, utilitarian prayer during takeoff, requesting safe passage and uneventful travels. Upon arriving intact, I give due credit and thanks.
On a recent flight home from New York I sat directly in front of an awful family: a father and his two adolescent sons, all three garrulous, abrasive and dumb. I forewent the prayer, reasoning that if the plane crashed those three would be wiped out and, plummeting, I could at least therein take comfort and find evidence of intelligent design.
I report with mixed feelings that such design takes apparently less interest in domestic air travel than it (It?) once did in Gomorrah.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: air travel, airline, airplane, domestic air travel, domestic airline, domestic airplane, Gomorrah, holiday travel, New York | Permalink
The Brooks Bros. Bar
The Brooks Brothers’ holiday gala was held December 8th at the firm’s Manhattan flagship store, 346 Madison Avenue (namesake of the clother’s “346” line of menswear). Chief among the night’s grand unveilings was the Brooks bar, a lounge and pool hall on the fifth floor of the shop.
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: 346, 346 Madison Avenue, bar, Brooks, Brooks bar, Brooks Brothers, Brooks Brothers bar, Brooks Brothers flagship, flagship, flagship store, holiday, Madison Avenue, Manhattan, Manhattan flagship, New York, New York bar, New York flagship store, New York lounge, New York pool, New York pool hall, pool, pool hall | Permalink
Observed In New York
Via the New York Observer, by John Pompeo:
For everyday New York men who strive to be reasonably well dressed, it can be a daunting experience shopping for clothes that won’t make you look like an ass.
Simply traverse the labyrinthine corridors of Barneys, Bergdorf and Bloomingdale’s, where the all-over-the-place mess hanging from the men’s racks is enough to induce migraines: Are pink ties metro or macho this week? Should slim-fit jeans really be this tight? Why do these scruffy flannel lumberjack shirts cost $300? And what’s with all the crazy stripes and extra pockets and ridiculous eagle prints? Things aren’t any simpler inside the showrooms of up-and-coming men’s wear designers, a casual survey of which might make a discerning fellow ponder whether he’d rather look like an urban vampire (Robert Geller), a coal miner (Gilded Age) or a confused sailor (Rogues Gallery).
All of which helps explain the current appeal of American “trad,” short for traditional: an Ivy League–inflected style that’s managed to retain an old-school sensibility without seeming dated or costumelike. Trad is, quite simply, a safe haven for sartorially selective gentlemen amid the ever-growing chaos of department stores and runways.
Think Oxford button-downs (and that’s real button-downs, meaning collars that button down, not simply dress shirts, to which the term is often misapplied). Natural-shouldered blazers. Flat-front khaki trousers. Loafers. Bow ties, rep ties. Polo shirts in solid colors. Lots of madras plaid. Early Brooks Brothers. New England WASPs. F. Scott Fitzgerald.“Trad is sort of the antithesis of what’s happening in fast fashion right now,” said Michael Williams, 30, who obsesses over classic American men’s clothing on his blog, A Continuous Lean. “It’s like the opposite of what all the men’s wear designers are doing,” Mr. Williams continued. “It’s not fashion; it’s clothes.”
THE ORIGINS OF trad date back to the turn of the century, with the founding in 1902 of the New Haven–based men’s clothier J. Press, considered the epitome of the style. The look became prominent on the Ivy League campuses of the 1950s and ’60s, as documented in the Japanese book Take Ivy, a rare photo collection first published in 1965 that’s enjoyed something of a revival in the past year. The term trad itself is said to have been coined by the Japanese, who have also been driving the current fascination with obscure U.S. clothing brands and Americana that’s taken hold at various men’s boutiques, department stores and on a handful of blogs akin to Mr. Williams’. (J. Press was acquired by a Japanese company, Onward Kashiyama, in 1986.)
Perhaps you’ve noticed Lacoste polos, Ray-Ban eyewear, bow ties and hand-sewn camp moccasins on the streets of Billyburg?
Those who embrace the look say subtlety is key.
“When done right, it should almost be invisible,” said John Tinseth, 52, an insurance broker and longtime traddy who’s been writing a blog called The Trad—anonymously, until now—for the past two years. He was on the phone from his West 57th Street apartment, dressed, he said, in L. L. Bean khakis and moccasins and a yellow university-stripe Oxford by Rugby.
“A guy should walk right by you and he’ll have the whole thing down and you won’t even notice,” Mr. Tinseth said. “That’s when it’s done perfectly.”
‘Imagine your best-dressed uncle throwing open his closet for you to frolic around in.’—David Wilder of J. Press
In New York, ground zero for trad is the J. Press store on Madison Avenue and 47th Street, one of the company’s four U.S. retail locations. (The others are in New Haven, Boston and Washington, D.C.)
There, you will find David Wilder, a polite 41-year-old sales associate and trad guru to scores of Manhattan males.
On a recent Friday afternoon, Mr. Wilder, who is tall and broad of build, with thin blond hair and Joycean spectacles, was toggling between register, rack and fitting room, stopping every so often to chat with familiar customers, who greeted him brightly by name.
He was trying to find a properly fitting $595 navy blue wool blazer for a young buck headed back to school at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.“I think this one’s going to be a lot better,” Mr. Wilder said, sliding a size 41-long onto the studious shopper’s shoulders.
Mr. Wilder grew up in Greenwich, Conn., “surrounded by Madras jackets and what we would call ‘go to hell’ pants, which are heavily patterned,” he said on his lunch break, over a quiche and a bottle of Canada Dry ginger ale at a sandwich shop across the street from the store. “The type of stuff you’d wear to the Belle Haven yacht club.” He was wearing tasseled Alden loafers; English-made J. Press over-the-calf socks; American-made J. Press khakis with a one-and-three-quarter-inch cuff (the trad standard); a Lewin striped shirt purchased on Jermyn Street in London (a bit racy for a trad ensemble, he said); a flat-knit solid navy blue necktie; and a natural-shouldered navy blazer by David Cenci. (His J. Press jackets were at the cleaners that day.)
AT YALE, Mr. Wilder studied 18th-century American and European history, and spent several of his summers working part time at the J. Press store in New York. “It was like working in your eccentric uncle’s genteel closet,” he said fondly. “Imagine your best-dressed uncle throwing open his closet for you to frolic around in. Like an insiders’ club for people who love the Ivy League look.”
After that, Mr. Wilder helped run a high-end personal stationery business, Therese Saint Clair, that his parents founded when he was 9 years old, and that he eventually sold in 2001.
About five and a half years ago, after a stint working as a concierge at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel, Mr. Wilder sent his résumé to the New York J. Press store on a whim. He was hired shortly thereafter, he said, and has been shilling trad style five days a week ever since.What is the difference between trad and preppy, The Observer wondered?“Preppy is a little broader than trad,” he said. “It’s more eccentric, more colorful.” (All those duck prints!)Trad’s entire purpose is to defy and transcend the whims of fashion, but inevitably some elements will be seen on the runways this week—likely during Thom Browne’s show on Sunday, Sept. 13, at his Hudson Street store (Mr. Browne got a massive plug when Vogue editor Anna Wintour recommended him to David Letterman on her Aug. 24 Late Show appearance).Since 2007, Mr. Browne—otherwise best known for encouraging men to expose their hairy ankles—has been designing a trad-oriented specialty collection for Brooks Brothers called Black Fleece.
This year’s spring/summer line was heavy on the madras, seersucker and paisley, with a predominantly navy blue, white and gray color palette. (A photo that surfaced on The Sartorialist blog in April 2006 of a silver-haired gentleman wearing a slim, short-cut navy blue blazer, a light blue Oxford shirt and dark gray slacks with an ankle-length pant hem ran with the caption: “O.K., Trads, you’re really closer to the Thom Browne aesthetic than you may want to admit.”) Like Mr. Browne, Michael Bastian, who is showing at Exit Art on Sept. 14, is a breakout men’s wear designer known to dabble in trad pieces.“Pick up a Browne or Bastian shirt,” said Mr. Tinseth, “and you can feel the heft of it and know it was made with care.”But a true traddy might opt for the more economical and authentic route of getting his dress shirts custom-made, perhaps by a tailor like Alexander Kabbaz, shirt maker to Tom Wolfe, Mr. Tinseth said. Likewise, a traddy would buy a J. Press suit over one made by a trendy designer.
“This stuff lasts forever, which I don’t think fashion people like because they need to sell new stuff,” said Mr. Tinseth, citing a pair of cordovan shell Alden wingtips he bought in 1986 and still wears today.Mr. Wilder, of course, concurred.“Traddies want something authentic,” he said, taking a sip of ginger ale. “Not something that’s a riff on something authentic.”
2 Comments | Social Scene | Tagged: Barney's, Bergdorf's, Bloomingdales, Brooks Brothers, J. Press, Michael Bastian, New York, Thome Browne, Yale, Yale University | Permalink
Americans celebrate Flag Day on June 14, a holiday during which we commemorate the adoption of the national flag of the United States by Congressional resolution in 1777. President Woodrow Wilson set that date aside as Flag Day in 1916, and in 1949 National Flag Day was adopted by an Act of Congress.
Though not an official Federal holiday, some states have adopted the date as a State holiday; Quincy, Massachusetts and Troy, New York annually produce nationally-renowned Flag Day parades, and the Wisconsin parade traditionally features detachments of the United States Navy.
Flag Day was first formally observed in 1885, when grade school teacher Bernard Cigrand held a ceremony commemorating the adoption of the flag at Wisconsin’s Stony Hill School. Today, a bronze bust of Cigrand sits in Wisconsin’s Flag Day Americanism Center.
On June 14, 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt saw a man wiping his nose with what appeared to be the American flag. Outraged that any American would be so disrespectful to the flag, especially on Flag Day, President Roosevelt began to beat the man with a stout piece of wood. After five or six hefty whacks, the President realized the offending fabric was, in fact, only a blue handkerchief with white stars on it. He beat the man several minutes more anyway, for getting him “riled up with national pride.”
Leave a Comment » | Social Scene | Tagged: American flag, American Flay Day, Bernard Cigrand, Betsy Ross, Congress, Flag Day, June 14, MASS, National Flag Day, New York, President Teddy Roosevelt, Quincy, Quincy Mass., Quincy Massachusetts, Teddy Roosevelt, Troy | Permalink
Borrower Beware
The New York Times’ Ron Lieber made interesting, if implausible, points about student loans in an article yesterday. His primary thrust was to advocate for paternalistic accountability and oversight on the part of lenders, schools, guidance counselors… every interested party, that is, but the borrowers themselves.
Mr. Lieber drew heavily on statistical data: percentages of graduates struggling to pay back student loans, unemployment numbers, average increases in college tuition, and the rest of the usual suspects. The landscape was a bleak one of hoodwinked lambs pawning their diplomas frames. In Mr. Lieber’s opinion, student lenders and the financial aid offices of universities have acted in concert to advance oversized loans to students who are poor credit risks, convincing them a college degree was worth any price. He thinks collegiate financial aid offices at places like NYU should advise students to consider cheaper schools and lenders should be less willing to make enormous loans so freely.
Both ideas are good ones, but Mr. Lieber’s statistical analyses take no account of folk wisdom: buyer beware. The primary responsibility in the purchase of any item, whether a pencil or a college education, is the buyer’s. Interested parties like lenders and schools are just that… interested parties: they have their own interests and they work in the service of those interests. Buyers ought to know this. It’s the rare fool who thinks the salesman has anything but his own bottom line at heart, and a fool and his money are soon… well.
Colleges are wonderful places and contribute immensely to the cultural and intellectual fabric or our country. But colleges are also businesses, even if non-profit, and the point of business is not to turn away business. This is true of lenders, too. Consumer know this, or ought to, and so the onus is on them to exercise sound judgment in making a purchase.
Should banks counsel students and turn away default risks? Probably. Should schools make sure families know the risks of borrowing? Most likely. Should voluntary borrowers of any sort be primarily accountable for their own borrowing, knowing that lenders are for-profit organizations intent on money-making? Without a doubt.
It’s more important now than ever that consumers inform themselves as to the cost of their consumption, whether of gasoline or education. Is the product worth the price? Mr. Lieber leans heavily on a girl recently out of NYU, nearly $100,000 in debt. She earns barely enough money to meet her monthly expenses.
“She recently received a raise and now makes $22 an hour working for a photographer. It’s the highest salary she’s earned since graduating with an interdisciplinary degree in religious and women’s studies. After taxes, she takes home about $2,300 a month. Rent runs $750, and the full monthly payments on her student loans would be about $700 if they weren’t being deferred, which would not leave a lot left over.”
The girl has a degree from one of the best schools in the country, which administers some of the best programs in the world. Its price seems justified, given its graduates’ comparative earning potential. Still, students need to take the initiative in charting their own finances; banks and schools cannot, and should not, be active co-pilots. Every customer of every product must decide: is the product worth the price, and can I afford the price?
If the product is an investment, like a college education, is it likely to be a sound one, returning profitable dividends? For instance, is “an interdisciplinary degree in religious and women’s studies” a product likely worth its price, or an investment likely to ever return anything at all?
7 Comments | Social Scene | Tagged: banks, college loans, financial aid, gender studies, lenders, loans, New York, New York Times, New York University, NYU, NYU financial aid, religious studies, Ron Lieber, school, school loans, student borrower, student borrowers, student lenders, student loans, women's studies | Permalink
Frank McCourt: 1930-2009
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, whose body of work includes Angela’s Ashes, Tis, and Teacher Man, died yesterday, Sunday, at age 78 of cancer in Manhattan.
Until his mid-60’s, Mr. McCourt was an amusement on the fringes of the New York literary scene: a beloved storyteller and entertainer, he worked as a creative writing teacher in the city’s public school system and was a fixture at The White Horse Tavern and other hangouts of the bookish set.
After retiring from the classroom in 1996, Mr. McCourt published Angela’s Ashes, which tells the story of his life, starting with his impoverished Irish roots, and for which he was given the Pulitzer Prize. As the author puts it in his novel’s celebrated preamble: “Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.”
“F. Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American lives,” Mr. McCourt once noted. “I think I’ve proven him wrong. And all because I refused to settle for a one-act existence, the 30 years I taught English in various New York City high schools.”
Frank McCourt, right, with brother Malachy.
Leave a Comment » | Social Scene | Tagged: Angela's Ashes, creative writing, Frank McCourt, Ireland, Irish, literary, literatti, literature, Malachy McCourt, Manhattan, McCourt, New York, public school, Pulitzer Prize, Teacher man, Tis, White Horse Tavern | Permalink
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Household Name
© Midroll Media, LLC Website
Surprising stories about how the biggest, household name brands affect our lives and culture — for better or worse. Host Dan Bobkoff finds tales of tragedy, love, strange histories, unintended consequences, and accidental success.
More information at www.businessinsider.com/household-name
Household Name Trailer
Business Insider is teaming up with Stitcher to bring you surprising stories behind the brands we all know, whether we love them or loathe them. Host Dan Bobkoff will change the way you think about Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, Starbucks, and dozens of other household name brands.
Household Name premiers July 25. Subscribe now!
1: TGI Fridays: The Tinder of the 1960s
You wouldn’t know it from the tired decor at TGI Fridays today, but this family restaurant has a sexy past. It was once a game-changing singles bar, which arrived on the cusp of the sexual revolution. We go back to the 60s and 70s to experience the original Fridays, and find out how it has changed the way we meet, date and marry.
2: Donald and Ivana's Affair (with Pizza Hut)
When Pizza Hut can’t get anyone to buy their new Stuffed Crust Pizza, help comes from an unlikely pair: Donald and Ivana Trump. We hear the behind the scenes making of this ad, and in turn, the making of a president. PLUS: Our first installment of Uncut with Household Name's producers.
3: The Last Blockbuster
How has Blockbuster Video survived against the odds so long in Alaska, and what will its decline mean? Before the world’s last Blockbuster stores disappear forever, we pay them a visit on the last frontier to find out.
4: Trader Joe's No-Buck Chuck
Trader Joe’s "Two-Buck Chuck" is the wine that got many of us through college. But when we found out that “Chuck” – or Charles Shaw – is a real guy, we had to know more. Turns out the real Charles Shaw has a wild winemaking past full of gambles, heartbreak, and cruel ironies. PLUS: Product Misplacement with Mindy Eskow.
5: The Coca-Cola President
Not many Presidents can say they got their start driving soda trucks around their country. Mexico’s former President Vicente Fox can, though. We find out what role Coca-Cola played in his rise to power, and investigate Coke’s unprecedented domination in Mexico. PLUS: Customer Service takes on Ikea.
6: Basically Starbucks
A Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks is the perfect accessory for the "basic bitch." But why? We dive into the PSL's origin story, and trace Starbucks’ route from elitist to basic. PLUS: Product Misplacement with Jean Edelstein.
7: The Bodies at the Brooks Brothers
There's a Brooks Brothers store across the street from the World Trade Center in New York. Shortly after the attacks on September 11, a young doctor named Sandeep Jauhar headed to ground zero to help. He ended up at the store, which was transformed into a makeshift morgue. Suddenly, he’s put in charge, which was the last thing he wanted. This is a story of ties and white collared shirts, and how heroism is often improvised.
8: The Jell-O Curse
Allie Rowbottom's life is built on a Jell-O fortune, just like it was for the lives of her mother and her grandmother. But along with the wealth from America's most famous dessert, there came a curse. Now the most recent heir to the Jell-O fortune, Allie tries to make sense of her family history, and all the strange ways Jell-O showed up in their lives. In the process, she learns what the curse means to her.
PLUS: Household Name Uncut on all the weird things we used to put in Jell-O molds.
Allie Rowbottom is the author of The Jell-O Girls, A family history, which you can find here, or at your favorite bookstore.
9: The Mattress Firm Conspiracy Theory
We go on a mission to find out why there are so many Mattress Firm stores. How do they end up next door and across the street from each other? Are the mattresses full of money? Reddit users started a conspiracy theory, so we teamed up with WBUR and Reddit’s Endless Thread podcast to put these questions to bed.
If you like Household Name, please take a moment to leave a rating and review of Household Name on Apple Podcasts. It really helps people find the show. And if you have feedback, send it to householdname@businessinsider.com.
© 2019 ART19, Inc.
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Luna Lovegood Review of the New YA Harry Potter and the Art of Spying
Review of the Unauthorized Harry Potter and the
Art of Spying Young Agent’s Edition
by Luna Lovegood (Scamander)
Owner and Publisher of The Quibbler
(reprinted with permission from The Quibbler)
I have been most pleased to ask to write a review of the new Harry Potter activity book and introduction to spying by our good friends Lynn Boughey and Peter Earnest.
As we all know, their first book—aimed at the older kids, ages 9 to 99—was a big hit and received many awards, including the national award of First Place from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in 2015 in the category of Young Adult. (They also won a national award as a reference book.)
The original “adult” version was popular with all ages 10 and above, though probably most popular with high schoolers, precocious middle schoolers, and adults that still have a bit of whimsy left in their nogglesnifts.
Indeed, the Boughey-Earnest original Harry Potter spy book consistently ranked either first or second in sales at the International Spy Museum, a very popular museum in Washington DC that receives over 600,000 Muggles each year. (They refuse to disclose the numbers on the witches and wizards who visit and go through this most popular DC attraction-or even admit that they hold numerous conferences and events for witches and wizards throughout the year!)
The first version walked us through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, detailing not only what happened, chapter by chapter, but providing a wonderful review of all the spycraft employed by Harry Potter and his friends (which of course includes me), which reference to real-world information and details about the Muggle spy world you cannot get anywhere else.
Boughey, a Muggle spy novelist, and Earnest, a renowned wizard in his own right, certainly have the knowledge and experience to write these two amazingly interesting books. Boughey is a true scholar, indeed, a Truman Scholar (Congressional scholarship) . . . and Peter spent 36 years in the CIA and the last twelve or so as the Founding Executive Director of the International Spy Museum.
I can tell you the original book is entirely accurate and a blast (not a like an Erumpent horn, hopefully) to read, and as I did in my previous review of the original book, I highly recommend it for wizards, witches, and Muggles of all ages above nine or so.
Luckily, I need not so limit Boughey and Earnest’s new Young Agent’s Edition by age. It is fine for all ages that are ready to do a word search, break a code, figure out a maze, or delve into the world of Harry Potter and the spycraft used throughout Harry’s famous struggle against Voldemort.
The book also goes into some very funny spy stuff directed at others, such as that terrible witch Dolores Umbridge (can you say Niffler?), or Hagrid’s inability to keep a secret (bless ‘im).
Anyway, the Young Agent’s Edition provides a lovely and shorter review of spycraft lessons contained in the “adult” version and describes quite well how spycraft was used by all of us (such as the members of Dumbledore’s Army) throughout our time at Hogwarts.
In addition to the text itself that provides an superb introduction to the art of spying (hence the title), the new book has dozens upon dozens of fun activities for children of all ages who love reminiscing about Potter lore: 5 mazes, 7 break the codes, 12 matching, 2 chronologies, 14 fill in the blanks, 2 crosswords, and 1 word placement.
Following the motif employed in their prior book, the authors provide a shorter but excellent glossary that lists all the essential spy terms, with examples from the chronicles of Harry Potter by the esteemed Potter expert J. K. Rowling (known as Jo by her friends).
Speaking of Jo, I also enjoyed the five fill-in-the-blank activity pages on historian J. K. Rowling: her background, where she got her many ideas, and how she became the chronicler of Harry Potter and his six years at Hogwarts and his final year taking the steps necessary to defeat the Man-Who-Can-Now-Be-Named.
One last point must be made: One of the most pleasant aspects of this new book is the illustrations by Kevin Connor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Although he claims to be a Muggle, I have it on good authority that he is NOT a No-Mag (as they call Muggles in the States).
Be that as it may, his 30 plus illustrations really make the book. His first drawing is especially fun, showing us such luminaries as Snape (greasy hair and all), Mundungus (he should get out of prison any day now!), a young Ginny Weasley with Tom Riddle’s Diary in hand.
Although perfectly designed for middle-schoolers (3rd through 6th Years), I as a supposed adult found doing the puzzles and activities a wonderful diversion from tending to my magazine The Quibbler and Rolf’s creatures.
I fully recommend Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent’s Edition, for kids and adults who can still remember being a kid (or at least the Potter books!).
Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent’s Edition
Lynn Boughey and Peter Earnest
Illustrations by Kevin Cannon
Wise Ink Creative Publishing: Minneapolis, MN (2017)
President-Elect Trump Briefed by Wizarding World Hours Before Inauguration
Exclusive by Rita Skeeter
Following a tradition dating back to James Madison in 1816, President Elect Donald Trump today — just hours before being sworn in as President of the United States — visited the previous MACUSA Headquarters immediately below St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Situated near the White House in Lafayette Square, St. John’s has become known as the President’s Church. Every President since James Madison has, at one time or another, worshipped there. Indeed, the president, whomever that may be, has his (or her, well I guess not, since Hillary lost) own pew, Number 54.
But unknown to Muggles, St. John’s Church is also well-known to the Wizarding World as the location of the American Congress until MACUSA was moved to New York (to the Woolworth Building, as everyone knows) in 1892.
The church is especially known for the twenty-five historic Lorin Stained Glass Windows from Chartres, France which depict the story of Christ from St. John’s perspective. An additional twenty-five are found below in the Wizarding atrium, which depict significant Wizarding events in the United States and, of course, move — not like the boring ones upstairs that the Muggles think are so great!
(Oh yeah, and there’s some bell cast by Paul Revere’s son, Joseph, one of only two in DC. Like we care about some stupid bell!)
Press Attaché Mathilda Grimsditch — yes, the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandchild of one of the original twelve Aurors trained by President Jackson, Josiah, you twit, not Andrew, beginning in 1692, but don’t ask her or you will be there all day! — refused to provide any details, other than the following totally insufficient press release:
PRESS NOTICE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As is tradition, the President-Elect was provided a briefing from President Charity Picquery of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) the morning of the Inauguration. The topics of the discussions will remain private.
Mathilda Grimsditch
MACUSA Press Attaché
“The discussions will remain private”????
Well, not if I have anything to say about that!!!!!
President Picquery — yes, yes, as we all know, the granddaughter of Seraphina Picquery . . . can’t anyone get a job in this town without being related to a president????
As I was saying, I luckily, have very good sources and can tell you exactly what was said.
Following the Church service (which is used as a cover story for the meeting, as always) President-Elect Trump and his beautiful and talented wife Melania, were escorted by the Vestry Candidates (all of whom are wizards or witches) up to the nave and then exited the right door down to the old MACUSA atrium.
President-Elect Trump was personally (and rather ironically) ushered into the Pentagram parliament chamber by the Vestry Senior Warden Hilary West — only one “L” in Hilary, she notes.
President-Elect Trump then received a welcome from President Picquery.
In this reporter’s view, it seems more than a coincidence that this meeting occurred directly under the stained glass window showing, in moving detail, the Salem witchcraft burning of Wendelin the Weird, famous for being burned at least 47 times because she thought it tickled!
Perhaps just a wee little nudge about not going back in time and undoing all that has occurred recently?????
This intrepid reporter did note that President Picquery was very careful NOT to discuss the size of Mr. Trump’s hands, or the rather touchy issue of whether he is a squib — as alleged by candidate Hillary Clinton at the debate which I superbly moderated before MACUSA on September 22, 2016 (reprinted at artofspying.net blog, by the way).
The only sign of discomfort on the part of Mr. Trump was when President Picquery mentioned, quite pleasantly I might add, that she hoped that any issues relating to immigration or possible xenophobia would not affect the present wonderful standing of all wizards and witches that presently exists.
Melania Trump, escorted by Krista Becker in a glorious sky-blue dress and absolutely exquisite coral necklace, gave the beautiful Melania a run for her money.
Ms. Becker, who works at the US Postal Service, received the honor of escorting the soon-to-be First Lady due to her recent extensive coordination with the Ministry of Magic in regards to setting up the new owlery at the Vice President’s official home, the Naval Observatory.
One humorous incident did occur. When Mr. Trump pulled out his phone to Tweet about the meeting, Melania with a smooth wave of her hand levitated the phone away from the King of All Tweets and allowed it to gracefully waft into her purse, where it stayed for the remainder of the meeting.
The meeting lasted only about twenty minutes, and was interrupted only once when one the Vestry candidates — Jessica Sanchez, a noted advocate for the homeless in DC — noticed a beetle on a window ledge and kindly opened the window and let the small creature free, as opposed to squashing it. What a wonderfully kind woman!
Another Amazing Maze to Solve!
Here is another maze from the forthcoming book Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent Edition:
https://artofspying.net/category/blog/
New Harry Potter YA Spy Book Banned from Hogwarts!
New Harry Potter Activity Book About Art of Spying
Banned from Hogwarts
by Rita Skeeter
Special Correspondent to the Leaky Prophet
In an unprecedented move, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Zenophilia Tonks, has determined that the new Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent Edition shall be banned from Hogwarts for the duration of the 2017 school year.
“It is simply causing too much disruption,” Headmistress Tonks stated. “Students are reading the book and doing the activity pages, mazes, breaking codes, and such–to the determent of their studies. Some students are going so far as to put the book inside Transfigurations for Third Years during class. Poor Professor Windbagis simply can’t get the students to pay attention, even when she turns herself into a Siberian Tiger.”
Professor Windbagis confirmed this concern. “As much as we all love Harry Potter and learning all the spycraft lessons in the Young Agent Edition of the truly wonderful Harry Potter and the Art of Spying book, I simply have to get the students ready for their O.W.L.s, and that won’t happen with this new book lying about.”
Head Librarian Madam Pince was, as we would all surmise, furious about the decision.
“Banning books should never, never happen, especially one that does no real harm, such as the Potter Spying book. There are other ways of dealing with students reading in class or not getting their homework completed, but one should never, ever, ban a book!”
When asked about all the banned books that use Dark Magic, Madam Pince could only simper, “That is why we have a restricted section.”
Professor Longbottom — who as we all know participated in the final battle of Hogwarts and the person who killed the snake owned by He-Who-Used-Never-To-Be Named — understandably has great influence in the Wizarding world, and told this reporter that he considers banning the Potter Spy book as an attack against academic and intellectual freedom. “We fought against Voldemort to insure our freedoms,” said Professor Longbottom rather pedantically, “not to have them limited.”
The authors of the book, Lynn Boughey and Peter Earnest — frequent guest lectures at Hogwarts, particularly in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes — were not available for comment.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEVERUS – The Best Double Agent Ever!
Check out the artwork of the Best Double Agent Ever found in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent Edition (March 2017):
artofspying.net — Illustration by Kevin Cannon, Minneapolis
You Never Know What You Will Find!
In the upcoming Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent Edition, check out an AMAZING illustration by Kevin Cannon of Minneapolis,, our esteemed illustrator – and well known chaser.
Check Out This Amazing Potter Maze!
Check out one of the mazes that will be forthcoming in the new Harry Potter and the Art of Spying Young Agent Edition (March 2017) — filled with activity pages for all ages:
Go to https://artofspying.net/ for trivia, activity pages, Rita Skeeter interviews, and more!
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Tag Archives: Chris Rankin
Big News for Potterheads: MuggleNet’s Expo Patronum!
Everyone’s favorite Harry Potter fan site, MuggleNet has announced its first live event will take place April 18th in London. MuggleNet Live! Exp Patronum will feature once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet actors from the Harry Potter movies, attend guest panels, and generally celebrate the past, present, and future of the Harry Potter fandom.
The purpose of the event is to raise money for Lumos, an international charity founded by JK Rowling to end the institutionalization of millions of children around the world. In the last four years, the charity has supported the move of more than 12,000 children from harmful institutions to families or supported independent living, saved a further 644 children suffering from malnutrition, severe neglect or a lack of access to medical treatment, and trained more than 17,000 people on the issues, ranging from social workers and medical professionals, to civil servants and policy makers. Most recently Lumos launched its #LetsTalkLumos campaign in order to further raise the profile of their cause.
New guests and programs are being announced daily at the Expo Patronum website. Here’s a sneak peak of the famous guests making an appearance at the event:
Chris Rankin – Known for his role as Percy Weasley
Harry Melling – Known for his role as Dudley Dursley
Warwick Davis — known for his roles as Professor Flitwick AND Griphook!
Anna Shaffer – known for her role as Romilda Vane
Jessie Cave — known for her role as Lavender Brown
Follow @ArtofSpying on Twitter for more updates on this awesome event!
Times: 10am- 6pm
Ticket price: £100
Location: The Platinum Suites, Excel Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
Tickets Available Here!
1 Comment Posted in Blog Tagged Anna Shaffer, Chris Rankin, Expo Patronum, Harry Melling, Harry Potter, Jessie Cave, London, MuggleNet, Potterheads, Warwick Davis
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PDF only
astro-ph.IM
Astrophysics > Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Title:Processing Color in Astronomical Imagery
Authors:Kimberly K. Arcand, Megan Watzke, Travis Rector, Zoltan G. Levay, Joseph DePasquale, Olivia Smarr
(Submitted on 23 Aug 2013)
Abstract: Every year, hundreds of images from telescopes on the ground and in space are released to the public, making their way into popular culture through everything from computer screens to postage stamps. These images span the entire electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to infrared light to X-rays and gamma rays, a majority of which is undetectable to the human eye without technology. Once these data are collected, one or more specialists must process the data to create an image. Therefore, the creation of astronomical imagery involves a series of choices. How do these choices affect the comprehension of the science behind the images? What is the best way to represent data to a non-expert? Should these choices be based on aesthetics, scientific veracity, or is it possible to satisfy both? This paper reviews just one choice out of the many made by astronomical image processors: color. The choice of color is one of the most fundamental when creating an image taken with modern telescopes. We briefly explore the concept of the image as translation, particularly in the case of astronomical images from invisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. After placing modern astronomical imagery and photography in general in the context of its historical beginnings, we review the standards (or lack thereof) in making the basic choice of color. We discuss the possible implications for selecting one color palette over another in the context of the appropriateness of using these images as science communication products with a specific focus on how the non-expert perceives these images and how that affects their trust in science. Finally, we share new data sets that begin to look at these issues in scholarly research and discuss the need for a more robust examination of this and other related topics in the future to better understand the implications for science communications.
Comments: 10 pages, 6 figures, published in Studies in Media and Communication
Subjects: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
Journal reference: (2013) Studies in Media and Communication, Vol 1, No2, 25
Cite as: arXiv:1308.5237 [astro-ph.IM]
(or arXiv:1308.5237v1 [astro-ph.IM] for this version)
From: Joseph DePasquale [view email]
[v1] Fri, 23 Aug 2013 20:16:50 UTC (700 KB)
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Jonathan Barton
Maggie Clunie
Martin Fenton
Jordi Guitart
Winifred Jamieson
Daniel F. Job
Andrew McNicol
Indra Reinholde
Natasha Watson
Owen Morris - BA(Hons) Graduate 2016
Owen Morris writes ... Working in the professional world has been an incredibly exciting and enriching experience for me, but none of this would have been possible without the support and preparation given to me at Ballet West. Working with the Ballet West touring company and working hard every day under a variety of different teachers and techniques has not only prepared me for the rigours, dedication and hard work required to be a professional dancer but also the opportunity and rewards. The national tours I performed on whilst a student with Ballet West taught me a variety of different skills which has helped me in the working world including learning a variety of different stage crafts and repertoire, learning about performance and stage preparation, improving my performance skills as an artist, performing and working with a wide variety of different people and getting used to performing in a wide range of challenging and different performance venues.
The world class training at Ballet West provided me with the foundations to build myself as a dancer, along with a lot of hard-work, dedication and discipline. Ballet West also provided me with a network of teachers, choreographers and friends who I can count on to help connect with people in the industry and who support you every step of the way to reach your goals whether it be a job, exam or degree assignment.
Dancing abroad and in the UK has been incredibly rewarding and has really developed me as an artist and person, it has allowed me to perform in a wide variety of different venues. This includes at the state opera house in Bulgaria with the Ballet of the State Opera Varna and being given the opportunity to perform soloist roles, filming on set at Pinewood studios with Sergei Polunin, Misty Copeland, Liam Scarlett and Morgan Freeman as well on tour around the UK with Vienna Festival Ballet. I have also had the chance to appear in a television advert and gain some freelance teaching jobs as well. I will always carry into the future the skills and teaching I was provided with at Ballet West as well as a set of happy and fun times filled with people with the same passion, ambitions and goals as me.
Natasha Watson - BA(Hons) Graduate 2015
At the end of July 2010, Natasha Watson, who came to Ballet West through our Aspiring Professionals, won the Level 2 Genée Dance Challenge, organised by the Royal Academy of Dance. The competitors were judged on a solo which had been choreographed by their teacher. Natasha's solo, "River Flows in You" by Yiruma, was choreographed by Ballet West principal dancer Sara-Maria Barton, herself a medallist in the Genée International Ballet Competition. As a winner she was invited to perform her solo at Supper with the Stars, an exclusive fundraising dinner and curtain-raiser for the Genée International Ballet Competition, taking place in November.
In 2011, Natasha won a Festival 4 Stars Special Achievement Award for her achievements in dance and Best New Scottish Actress at the 2011 Scottish Variety Awards. She gained Distinction with a mark of 92% in her RAD Advanced 1 examination. She is also the youngest ever actress to be nominated for a Scottish BAFTA.
In 2013, Natasha was a bronze medalist at the Genée International Ballet Competition. Following her success at this competition, Natasha Watson danced with Scottish Ballet on their 2014 tour of Hansel and Gretel. Natasha graduated from Ballet West with a BA (Hons) in 2015.
Here are some examples of the destinations and prizes won by Ballet West students and graduates
Ballet Cymru
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Dancer on MSC Cruises
Dancer on Queen Elizabeth 2 Cruise liner
EBB Junior Company, Madrid
Estonian National Ballet
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London 2012 Opening Ceremony
London Ballet Company
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Mediterranean Entertainment Productions
Modelling & TV Work
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Peter Schafuss Nutcracker
Royal New Zealand Ballet
Royal Opera – Dancer
Scottish Ballet
Scottish Opera - Dancer
The Crown (Netflix Series) Dancer
The Nutcracker and The Four Realms (Disney Movie) Choreography Liam Scarlett
Theatrehagen Ballet
Varna State Opera Ballet, Bulgaria
Vienna Festival Ballet
BBC Young Dancer Ballet Finalists
Genée International Ballet Competition Finallsts and Bronze medallists
RAD Senior Awards Day Terry Darke Award for Musicality
RAD Senior Awards Day Winner (Advanced Level)
Solo Seal Award
Ballet West
Ichrachan House - Taynuilt - Argyll - PA35 1HP - Scotland - UK
Ballet West is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status
Company Number 175325 - Scottish Charity Number SCO22105
Click here to read Ballet West's latest QAA review report »
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You are here: Home › Zoning Change Approved for Proposed Madison Ballpark Site
Zoning Change Approved for Proposed Madison Ballpark Site
By Zach Spedden on September 22, 2017 in Minor-League Baseball, News
The potential for a new ballpark at the Town Madison development has taken a step forward, as the Madison Planning Commission has approved a key zoning change.
Back in July, we noted the potential purchase and relocation of the Mobile BayBears (Class AA; Southern League) by an Arizona investment group. Along with Baton Rouge and Savannah, Madison, AL–a city that is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area–was reported as being in the mix to land the BayBears. Additionally, it was reported by WHNT that the investment pitch from BallCorps, LLC said that the firm has had discussions with representatives from Madison County and the City of Madison regarding a potential new ballpark in the Town Madison development.
On Thursday, the Madison Planning Commission made a notable decision by unanimously approving a new zoning ordinance that would permit the construction of a new multipurpose facility. That, in effect, allows for a ballpark to be developed at that location if an agreement to land a team moves forward. More from WHNT:
Part of the ordinance’s description contained those magic words we’ve been anticipating, “There is a multi use venue that can be used as either a stadium or a ballpark.”
Even with the decision, a spokesman for the Town Madison development was coy about what that means for the prospects of attracting America’s pastime.
“What the city has done and gone ahead and created an opportunity site, that if they saw the opportunity to build a multipurpose venue albeit for baseball or for community use, this would obviously be a great place to do it,” says Joey Ceci of Town Madison.
The next decision in the process will be made by the Madison City Council, which will have to vote on the zoning change and could do so at its meeting on Monday. The Huntsville area has not had a professional baseball team since the relocation of the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League), who played their last full season at Joe W. Davis Stadium in 2014.
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Cat Age In Human Years
January 21, 2019 / Last updated : November 29, 2018 Melissa Bentley Cats
Though films primarily based on penguins are pretty uncommon, ‘Happy Feet’ is a really good film to watch in a digital television powered by Dish Tv. The story is primarily based on a little penguin named Mumble, who got an incredible talent for tap dancing. All emperor penguins are supposed to have a heart song to express their accurate like in their country. But poor Mumble got a terrible voice and that turn into a challenge for it to locate its true adore. As it does not have a heart song it became an unacceptable bird in his neighborhood. The film got a good clapping from children around the planet.
They appear just like a man wearing a dark coat, as their back portion is black, when bellies are white. The leading layer of a penguin’s skin got thick layers of stiff feathers and this assists it to really feel warm, even they are gliding by means of ice covered mountains. Just like peacocks, penguins also go through molting process, exactly where they shed their feathers and grow new ones. They even got an oil secreting gland above their tail that aids it to make its outer thick coat additional wind proof and water proof.
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Whenever we see penguins, it will be either floating in the water or sliding with their bellies. Naturally a query will come in our thoughts, regardless of whether penguin is a bird or fish. We have to describe penguin as a variety of flightless bird that devote key portion of its life in the sea. That is the reason why advertisers use penguins as their models in advertisements related to cooling equipments.
Some of the physique functions that assistance the bird to adapt to the aquatic life-style in the sea are its wings, feet and tail. The wings of penguins are just like airplane wings and are known as flippers. They use flippers to propel by way of water and at that time penguin got an look of a bird flying in the water. Meanwhile, penguin’s feet are internet shaped and pretty brief, so they can move in the water pretty quickly. The game they play in the ice is called tobogganing. They use its feet and flippers for this, which will support them to move swiftly and glide smoothly more than the ice using their belly.
Your chickens will want feed and a excellent spot for them to roost.
Primarily based on their size, colour, habits and habitats nearly seventeen penguin species are identified in the globe. Amongst them, Emperor penguins are the biggest and they will have a black cap, blue-grey neck, orange colored patch on the ear and yellow breasts. Meanwhile, the most widespread penguin in Antarctica is the king penguin and is regarded as the second biggest 1 in that area. Some other penguin varieties are Galapagos penguin, Adelie penguin,Chinstrap penguin, Gentoo penguin, Rockhopper penguin and Macaroni penguin.
Most of these elfin creatures are located in the southern hemisphere. The Galapagos penguins can be discovered in the Galapagos Islands, whilst certain other species can be seen in the islands close to New Zealand and Australia, the coast of South America and the icy waters close to Antarctica. Lately a container ship Rena was grounded on a reef on Mount Maunganui beach in New Zealand and the oil spilled from it affected some 360 birds living there, including practically 40 penguins. Wildlife rescuers did a good job there by cleaning and scrubbing those penguins and releasing it to its beach habitat after clearing the oil coat.
Read More – Cat Cafe Denver
Though films primarily based on penguins are pretty uncommon, ‘Happy Feet’ is a incredibly nice film to watch in a digital tv powered by Dish Tv. The story is primarily based on a tiny penguin named Mumble, who got an remarkable talent for tap dancing. All emperor penguins are supposed to have a heart song to express their true adore in their nation. But poor Mumble got a terrible voice and that become a challenge for it to find its true adore. As it doesn’t have a heart song it became an unacceptable bird in his neighborhood. The film got a excellent clapping from youngsters about the globe.
Cat Age In Human Years – The prime layer of a penguin’s skin got thick layers of stiff feathers and this aids it to feel warm, even they are gliding by means of ice covered mountains.
Best Reptile Vet In New York, NY
All About Your Hamster
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E07: Mockingbird
By Ran, May 19, 2014 in E07: Mockingbird
GallopingGhost
I meant reviews. You can go online the day after an episode airs and find plenty of reviews that draw on the up to date source material without going into the stuff that ranges into spoilers.
If viewers have to read reviews after each episode to figure out what is going on, the TV show is not doing its job.
Lady Fevre Dream
Head Cock Merchant & Bad Pussy Procurer
Location:South Jersey
Time for Me to Fly by REO Speedwagon.
I knew it was me, not her, but thanks for reminding me of who did the song. I couldn't not sorta hear the music in my head as I was typing the line, Time for her to fly.
Edited May 20, 2014 by Lady Fevre Dream
rmholt
If people who arent getting it are still watching the TV show is doing it's job.
That said, I think D & D are making things a lot clearer than in the past. If they make it too obvious there is no suspense.
Book readers certainly have to wait - sometimes several years/thousands of pages to know wth went on at many points.
There are more episodes coming up. As Michelle Fairley said - keep watching.
There ARE reviews out there to get background from and if people go there, then fine. I watched The Master and I am going to have to do a little Google to find out what the heck? Yet it was highly rated. I had to watch Memento a few times and take notes. People can survive a little subtlety and like some people on the forums can wait a week or so to see if confusing events are explained.
ETA: Roger Ebert seems to have had the same take on The Master as I did.
Edited May 20, 2014 by rmholt
I will say, not that it's terribly important, but Bronn's book line about icing Falyse really didn't work for the character as developed in the show. He's been made a bit too much of a cheerful rogue. There was a kind of nastiness to the book version that is just absent from Flynn's portrayal of him.
I didn't like the way the line about Falyse was delivered (or the fact that it even existed) but for different reasons. BookBronn is not the one who hurt Falyse, Cersei set all that in motion. The only thing we cannot be sure of is what happened to Lady Tanda, the first fall and the eventual death, but.....old ladies do fall and die from broken hips all the time. Who's to say that Bronn had anything to do with it. It could have been drunken Falyse with the intitial bump of her mother down the stairs.
I don't understand why some think that BookBronn betrayed Tyion anyway. He really wasn't required to die for him, and Tyrion himself understood it. It's just the show has a bit of lighter tone with Bronn's darkest side. For the most part, I was pleased with the cells scenes on the show, I guess I need to double check and see if BookBronn made anykind of cracks like that, that sounded soooooooooooooooooo obvious, anyway. I pretty sure he did, can't say I remember the exact wording, though. I do remember Tyrion wondering if Cersei realized what kind of serpent she is sending to the Stokeworths. It's the manner of dialogue delivery that, at times, makes Bronn seem lighter on the show, but lots of it is similar to the book. It just pisses me off that he seems to be given the blame already for the later mess at Castle Stokeworth when it was Evul Cersei, LOL
ETA: Oops, just remembered, Lady Tanda had an accident with the horse and saddle straps or some such. The old ladies down the stairs came from more modern issues, although......Maester Cressen certainly worried about them.
The line that made me laugh the most in the whole series was from the Davos chapter:
"Lord Wyman was looking down at Rhaegar as if he were a roach in need of a hard heel"
My favorite chapter in the series hands down. Pure awesome from front to back. Willa's outburst in defense of Stannis. Davos calling BS on the Freys: "What would a Frey know of honor?" "Set Jared I name you liar."
Especially when you get to the Theon chapter when Wyman lies to the Frey's in front of the Boltons and tells them how fond he has grown of the Frey's at White Harbor especially Rhaegar.
Lol calling Robb Stark a vile dog in front of Wyman. I bet Rhaegar did not die well. No sir.
The North remembers.
One hundred times........YES, YES, YES!! That is one of my all-time favorite lines. Hell, I love that line so much.......I'm sure that it has been responsible for at least one reread of ADWD. Tis all. :bowdown:
ETA: Okay, not all. I not only love that line and chapter, I love Davos's entire dungeon tour in the books. It is one of the highlights and has been responsible for getting me through rereads, if not starting them altogether.
Alia Atreides
Location:Brooklyn
I don't get that either he pretty much told Tyrion he would drop his drawers and screw Lolys if that it was a choice between doing that and fighting the Mountain. I adore Bronn both book and series; he also names his child Tyrion just to piss off Cersei :). That was rich!
LOL, I agree, I'm hopeful that ShowBronn will be the father himself now, it seems. I think it was important, the naming, it was Bronn's way of saying he still did have some loyalty to Tyrion, maybe was glad he escaped, and it certainly served by pissing Cersei off. Bronn's delivery is just a bit darker in the books, that's the main difference. I love,too, that ShowBronn was the guy who could pronounce the name of the snooty author of that book. That was a nice touch for the tv character, that and his explainations about what war is really like, sieges included. I'm actually really surprised that Bronn did get the Lollys treatment already, as I was wondering if he'd accompany Jaime. Still, I suppose Bronn could be part of Cersei's KL paranoia storyline now. I don't ever complain about extra Bronn on the tv show.
all could definitely happen; not sure how they will play him accompanying Jamie but anything is possible with the exception of anyone threatening again to turn Ghost into STEW... :P
FireAndBlood.
Location:Scotland
I haven't seen it yet, but can anyone quickly tell me if they play the Stark theme over at least part of the snow castle scene?
tyrell19
Also just a suggestion, not sure if any ones mentioned this yet but could Sana reveal to the lords declarants that she is not in fact his niece, but his bastard and this knowledge may have some how unhinged lysa into jumping. Just a thought I can see something along those lines happening
Have they called Prince Oberyn the Red Viper yet? Or have they mention anything about his knowledge of poisons?
Littlefingers In The Air
wave 'em like you just don't care
Location:Kent, Ohio
there was a scene where Tywin was pretty much interrogating the Red Viper earlier in the season and he tells him that it's strange how someone with an extensive knowledge of poisons shows up to Kings Landing and the king dies of poison.
This is the scene in question
Edited May 20, 2014 by Littlefingers In The Air
Location:Maui
anything is possible with the exception of anyone threatening again to turn Ghost into STEW... :P
YES! i can't believe he's not getting Dire wolf respect....
Ghost rocks all the Direwolves do ;)
So what's going to happen with Brienne next season? Rorge and Biter are dead and the Bloody Mummers don't even exist.
Oh, you are right. There was a whole section about her killing them.
Yes, yes, getting ratings is their job. I meant that if you have to refer to reviews and episode recaps in order to understand what is going on, they are not doing their jobs in conveying the story to the audience.
I think they do a good job. I watch with an "unsullied" and they can follow everything that's going on.
At least they kept in the death from infected bite, even though with different characters. Vargo Hoat's ear by Brienne transferred to The Hounds neck by Biter.
Location:Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
I didn't like the way the line about Falyse was delivered (or the fact that it even existed) but for different reasons. BookBronn is not the one who hurt Falyse, Cersei set all that in motion.
Bronn didn't kill Falyse in the end, but the line about an accident happening to her is from that scene in the book.
Uldra I
Location:Arkansas, USA
LOL! :rofl:
My point is that audiences might be OK with having to wait for all elements to be revealed, or to review previous episodes, or if not, to go to other sources. The fact that non readers are watching supports that. In fact, no one wants to watch something with no mystery.
Go To Topic Listing E07: Mockingbird
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Assi Joseph Meidan, born 1987 in Tel Aviv, lives and works in Paris since 2010.
A multidisciplinary creator whose work forms bridges between design and contemporary art.
His work was presented and selected in various places and scenes including the Lafayette Anticipation Art Foundation, Art Paris - Art Fair and Maison et Objet Rising Talent Award for his design.
In 2016, he created the Paris gallery “Of Nazareth” which featured young contemporary artists and held events with strong political and social influence.
His work is often minimalist and suggests small interventions in materials to produce new structures and analysis. The work formulates a dialog between elements of memorials and living spaces in harmony.
studio@assijosephmeidan.com
www.instagram.com/assijosephmeidan/
https://www.instagram.com/assijosephmeidan/
Maison & Objet 2018
Garden / Comme des Garçons
@ Vogue:
https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-news/articles/source-some-of-the-rarest-pieces-in-fashion-at-the-commes-des-garcons-flea-market/62117
@ AD Magazin:
https://www.admagazine.fr/lifestyle/news-lifestyle/diaporama/comme-des-garcons-lance-son-market-market/50293
WWD:
https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/comme-des-garcons-dover-street-market-clearance-sale-1202656686/
Purple:
https://purple.fr/diary/comme-des-garcons-market-market-is-back-and-opening-this-week-end-in-paris/
Grazia:
https://www.grazia.fr/mode/comme-des-garcons-organise-sa-5e-grande-braderie-ce-week-end-885834
Articals / Portraits
@ Côté Paris
@ Milk decoration:
http://www.milkdecoration.com/joseph-meidan/
Art Paris Art Fair
Arts Hebdo:
http://artshebdomedias.com/article/270314-art-paris-art-fair-design-experimental-et-poetique/
Rising talent Award
M&O web Rising talents:
https://www.maison-objet.com/fr/paris/programme/awards/talents-a-la-carte/marion-duclos-joseph-meidan-m-for-joseph
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Home › News › Top News
Tax Lien Assessed On Bishop Eddie Long And His Wife
BlackAmericaWeb.com Staff
They say there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes. Bishop Eddie Long has already experienced the former, but even in death, the IRS wants its coins. Long and his widow, Vanessa have been assessed with a federal tax lien in the hundreds of thousands.
The AJC.com reports:
The Department of the Treasury-IRS has filed notice of a federal tax lien on the late Bishop Eddie L. Long and his wife, Vanessa, according to documents filed in May in DeKalb County Superior Court.
The IRS is seeking $335,216.34.
Bishop Eddie L. Long was pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb County. The Lithonia megachurch pastor died of cancer in January.
The document said that taxes (including interest and penalties) have been assessed against the Longs.
“We have made a demand for payment for this liability, but it remains unpaid,” according to filing. “Therefore, there is a lien in favor of the United States on all property and rights to property belonging to this taxpayer for the amount of these taxes, and additional penalties, interests and cost that may accrue.”
It falls under the small business/self employed category and covers the tax period ending Dec. 31, 2015.
New Birth could not be reached for comment. Federal law prohibits the IRS from talking about specific cases.
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Bishop Eddie Long , Black Churches , Black pastors
5 thoughts on “Tax Lien Assessed On Bishop Eddie Long And His Wife”
FallMornings on July 5, 2017 at 1:23 pm said:
What hard life? She was doing well when he was alive. She didn’t save for a rainy day?
D1 on July 5, 2017 at 11:17 am said:
The IRS see’s no color all they see is… PAY UP!! Hard life for the wife. She has to suffer his BS even after death…DAMN. SMDH!!
Grady White on July 4, 2017 at 3:56 pm said:
White people just shake their head and laugh at us
Diane on July 4, 2017 at 9:09 pm said:
What you mean, us? Your not one of us. Blks damn sure are shaking their heads and laughing at your incompetent, petulant, fake ass prez. We as blk folk are laughing at his dumbass. Hahahaha.
RENO2AC on July 5, 2017 at 1:51 pm said:
You may need to educate yourself. I guess you’ve never of Willie Nelson, Nicholas Cage, Martin Scorsese, Robert Downey Jr., et al. Not sure where you got the idea that one not paying his or her taxes is directly related to race.
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From Tailgate to Trackside: NASCAR Gets Rowdy in Richmond
Kara MartinSenior Analyst ISeptember 11, 2009
The Chevy Rock and Roll 400 is a race that we anxiously await each year. It's the race that makes or breaks a season for a handful of drivers. With the top four drivers already locked in, Saturday night proves to be a mathematician's dream as, eleven drivers compete for the remaining eight coveted Chase positions.
Many articles will be published breaking down the odds and speculating on how the chips will fall…this one ain’t one of them!
This week I invite you to get rowdy in Richmond with me as I report up close and personal from tailgate to trackside.
Richmond is my “go to,” my first love and the one that I will return to each and every year.
Welcome to my house!
Richmond International Raceway, then known as Strawberry Hill Speedway began as a half-mile dirt track in 1946. NASCAR’s partnership with the track began on April 19, 1953 as Grand National Series driver, Lee Petty took the checkered flag.
Over the years, the track has undergone three name changes, four configuration changes and one surface change, from dirt to asphalt. Lights were added to the track in 1991 making RIR the only tack on the circuit to hold all of it’s major events “under the lights.”
Today the .75 mile, D-shaped oval is one of the series most beloved tracks. It’s “racing perfection” as driver’s take the field one last time before to 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup begins.
The September race in Richmond is one of the most exciting and anticipated races of the year.
Class dismissed, let’s get rowdy in Richmond!
Unlike other tracks with sprawling acres of beautiful countryside, Richmond International Raceway is located deep in the heart of downtown. While there are private campgrounds surrounding the outskirts of the track, backyard camping is where it’s at!
Twice yearly the friendly folks of Richmond open their arms and lawns to NASCAR fans. For a moderate fee you can park by the day or even camp by the week as many of the homes have been modified to include RV electrical and water hookups.
To spend a couple nights parked in someone else’s yard is lodging at its finest! Remember camping out in your own living room as a kid with your best friends under “forts” of blankets and furniture? It’s just like that, antics and all!
What the fans be grillin?
The night race allows for plenty of daylight tailgating, fans love to get to the track fast then take it slow!
A good southern breakfast on the grill is always a great start to any day. There’s nothing better than a perfect combination of bacon, eggs, grits, biscuits and sausage gravy combined a strong cup of fireside coffee to get you in the mood for a day of tailgating goodness.
It is not uncommon to pop open a beer at 9:00 in the morning as barbecue smokers everywhere begin firing up. The weekend chef has all day to perfect a delicious meal of baby-back ribs, seasoned pork shoulder, smoked brisket and roasted chicken. Definitely worth the wait!
At Richmond anything goes, including the drink of choice. Beers from the cheapest “Natty Light” are nestled in ice right next to the Sam Adams. Shots from whatever bottle is passed your way by a friend or total stranger must always be well received. We Southerners are known for our hospitality, so it would be rude to turn down an invitation from even the reddest of necks!
You’ve got a full day in store, make the most of it!
Kick it up at Scotts Party Zone with Kenny Wallace, Joey Logano, Brendan Gaughan, Jason Keller, and Sam Hornish on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, join Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, and Michael Waltrip at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Green Fan Zone for a question and answer session before the race.
If chillin’ out in style is more your thing, make your reservations at the Torque Club. The air-conditioned lounge combines premiere suite amenities with the best outdoor seating.
For a $35 dollar donation, get your stroll on with Richard Petty, Bobby Labonte, Reed Sorenson, and A.J. Allmendinger by participating in the NASCAR Foundation’s Track Walk.
What would the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 be with a band? Catch the All-American Rejects on the frontstrech of the raceway as they kick-off the pre-race celebrations.
As we remember the tragedy of eight years ago, RIR will honor will honor the lives lost by flying the American flag that flew over Ground Zero, originally affixed to the “Last Column” of the World Trade Center.
The flag was raised at 2 pm on Thursday by Nationwide driver Benny Gordon, who’s car will feature a 9/11 memorial paint scheme, retired New York fireman Lt. Mickey Kross, and RIR president Doug Fritz, along with representatives from the Henrico County, Va., police and fire departments.
“Lt. Kross escaped from the North Tower of the World Trade Center as it collapsed. He spent many months helping with recovery efforts at Ground Zero and is currently working with the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
As part of the patriotic festivities, Lt. Kross, as a representative of the National September 11 Memorial, will lead the grandstands in the Pledge of Allegiance during Friday's pre-race festivities prior to the Virginia 529 College Savings 250.
Joe Daniels, the president of the September 11 Memorial, also will be a guest of Gordon's team at Friday night's Nationwide Series race. The flag will fly until Saturday after the Sprint Cup race.
The September 11 Memorial & Museum has launched a 'Text-to-Donate' program based around the Richmond race. Cellular users can text 'WTC' to 25383 to arrange a $5 donation to support the project.”
Please stop and take a moment to remember our fallen heroes.
Check out these events and more at www.RIR.com.
I’ll be checking in all weekend, so keep your eyes peeled for updates from the track as we rock on at Richmond!
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“I am a revolutionary, I am a proletariat I am the people, I am not the pig.”
I bring the big homie Fred Hampton into this space because his words still reign true today as they did when he first said them in the sixties before his untimely death. Excuse me, before the capitalist power structure assassinated him before our very eyes and ruled it just. It is fitting that we honor the strongest among us that fought diligently against an inherent unjust and cruel system. However, how many laborers have died slower deaths through a system that denies us a decent existence? How many people have died without food, without homes, without insurance without the basic needs of human beings. These things are seen as optional to our bosses, the captors of our labor, and the road block to human development.
Shout out to all the incarcerated workers, immigrant workers, sex workers, drug dealers whose labor are consistently criminalized and devalued in this capitalist society. By honoring the most vulnerable among the working class we strengthen the collective. We can’t talk freedom from capitalist chains without including folk that have been ruled out as undesirables by the elites as well as many among us. Sex work is work. By creating a division between the values of labor of others we are reproducing the same system that harms, kills and destroys us all. We cannot disrupt capital without disrupting our own capitalist thinking. To all laborers that feel alienated in this society that has taken all things good and replaced with nothing but subservient and meager living, you are family. You are the working class. You are one of us. You are the proletariat. I bring into this space the millions of Black and brown men and women that have been removed from the nation’s means of production and have resisted through the creation of underground economies that have sustained communities that have been left for destruction under the social order of Benign Neglect. As we celebrate the martyrs of the Haymarket uprising on May 4, 1886 let us remind ourselves the sacrifice of not just the men and women who cast their lives aside to further the labor movement, but, also let us take time to call to the millions of unnamed workers among our collective history present and future that continue the struggle against exploitation on the local, national and international stages. Let us not forget the Black and brown folk, the Femmes, Queer and trans folk, the bulk of the working class that resist every day to work and live in a society that thrives off the socially constructed difference made to enforce worker subjection. Let us not forget where we are on the global stage. Let us not forget who sits on the throne of this imperialist and murderous empire. Let u not forget who the oppressor and oppressed really are in this game of accumulation vs humanity. People over profit. Bottom lines over lives. This revolution cannot be waged without an understanding of how gender and race exist in this continuous class struggle.
Let us not forget the white working class voted for Trump! We cannot celebrate May Day without examining this fact. We have seen just how ugly it gets when race and gender is ignored for a strict class analysis. White workers, understand how you perpetuate the system by relying upon the signifiers of race and gender to support your own labor and social positions in this society. Whiteness has always worked in this manner. The genocide of indigenous people and the displacement of Africans within the context of settler colonialism of the US has removed most indigenous people from the labor market while the labor of Black folk, once proclaimed as property, has since the end of slavery been devalued and exploited in order to the sustain this society we can somehow call the land of the free and brave.
As I close I draw our attention to the precursor of this celebration. The HayMarket uprising. Yesterday I went to the home of one of the dopest anarchist family I have met and broke bread with other amazing people. I was speaking to a historian of labor movement and anarchism and he was putting me on game on the real history of Haymarket. As we know, a bomb was thrown at police during the historic day of May 4, 1886 killing one and wounding six others. No one knows who threw the bomb but the state, of course, used this as a way to assassinate prominent radical labor organizers of the time. I was told by the historian that when interviewed about Haymarket, Lucy Parson, a renown anarchist said “we should have all thrown bombs that day”. I think about that statement during this political time that is showing us more each day the social and economic despair that is America. This despair is as American as baseball and greatly impacts the racialized and gendered workers among us. Are we all willing to throw the next bomb to sustain this struggle? Are we willing to bomb the capitalist power structure? As the American empire prepare itself for the next phase of its illegitimate order on the world we must honor the named and unnamed heroes of Haymarket that fought for workers and the eight hour work day. We must honor the Black radical tradition that fought for the liberation of Black people. We must honor the Stonewall riot that fought for Queer liberation. These struggles all fight capital and the way it always dehumanizes the most marginalized among us in order to sustain itself. It’s Mayday 2017. Honor this day, but more so, honor the people, all the people, that make this day possible. Workers united will never be divided.
blmcu2015
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Lack of association of TIM3polymorphisms and allergic phenotypes
Jian Zhang1,
Denise Daley1,
Loubna Akhabir1,
Dorota Stefanowicz1,
Moira Chan-Yeung2,
Allan B Becker3,
Catherine Laprise4,
Peter D Paré1 &
Andrew J Sandford1
BMC Medical Geneticsvolume 10, Article number: 62 (2009) | Download Citation
T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM3) is a TH1-specific type 1 membrane protein that regulates TH1 proliferation and the development of immunological tolerance. TIM3 and its genetic variants have been suggested to play a role in regulating allergic diseases. Polymorphisms in the TIM3 promoter region have been reported to be associated with allergic phenotypes in several populations. The aims of this study were to examine whether genetic variation in the promoter region of TIM3 influenced transcription of the gene and risk for allergic phenotypes.
We performed 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We screened for polymorphisms in the promoter region. Deletion analysis was used to localize the promoter region of TIM3. Genotyping was performed by TaqMan assays in three asthma/allergy population samples.
We found two regions with promoter activity in TIM3. One region was from -214 bp to +58 bp and the other from -1.6 kb to -914 bp relative to the transcription start site. None of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes affected the transcriptional activity in reporter gene assays. No association between the SNPs and any phenotype was observed in the study cohorts.
Our findings indicate that SNPs and haplotypes in the TIM3 promoter region do not have a functional effect in vitro and are not associated with allergic diseases. These data suggest that polymorphisms in the TIM3 promoter region are unlikely to play an important role in susceptibility to allergic diseases.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that is a major cause of morbidity in developed countries and has been increasing in prevalence [1, 2]. Asthma is a common disease caused by interactions between multiple genes of small to modest effect and equally important environmental factors. Asthma susceptibility has been linked to several loci e.g. chromosomes 5, 6, 11, 12 and 14 [3]. Among these linkages, chromosome 5q23-35 has been replicated in several genome-wide studies in different populations [3].
McIntire et al. identified a chromosomal region that regulated TH2 cytokine production as well as airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) using a congenic mouse model of asthma [4]. This region was distinct from the IL4 cytokine gene cluster and other nearby cytokine genes [4]. The region is homologous to human chromosome 5q33 and contains the TIM (T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain) gene family [4]. There are two genes in this family (TIM1 and TIM3) that are biologically plausible atopy susceptibility genes. TIM1 (also known as the hepatitis A virus cellular receptor, HAVCR1) is expressed preferentially on TH2 cells and TIM3 (HAVCR2) is expressed preferentially on TH1 cells after activation of naive CD4+ T-helper cells. TH1 cells mediate immune responses to intracellular pathogens, delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, and produce cytokines such as interferon-γ, IL2, tumour-necrosis factor-α and lymphotoxin. TH2 cells mediate immune responses to extracellular pathogens and produce cytokines such as IL4, IL10 and IL13 which promote atopic and allergic diseases [5]. TIM1 promotes TH2 cytokine production and proliferation. In a murine model of asthma, stimulation of TIM1 in the presence of antigen prevented the development of respiratory tolerance and increased pulmonary inflammation [6]. TIM3 inhibits TH1-mediated auto- and alloimmune responses and acts via its ligand, galectin-9, to induce cell death in TH1 but not TH2 cells [7–9]. Considering their immunological function and chromosomal location both TIM1 and TIM3 are good candidate genes for asthma.
Recent association studies suggested that polymorphisms in the TIM3 promoter region may be associated with asthma-related phenotypes in both Caucasian and Asian population samples [10–12]. Other studies have demonstrated associations of TIM1 polymorphisms with asthma and related traits [11, 13, 14]. In the present study, we performed an association study in three asthma/allergy population samples to investigate the role of polymorphisms in the TIM3 promoter region and determined whether these polymorphisms affected TIM3 transcriptional activity.
Study populations
We used three independent asthma/allergy population samples: the Canadian Asthma Primary Prevention Study (CAPPS) cohort, the Study of Asthma Genes and the Environment (SAGE) birth cohort and the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean (SLSJ)/Québec City (QC) Familial Collection (Table 1). The study protocols were approved by ethical review boards at all participating institutions. Informed consent was obtained from each individual or his/her guardian.
Table 1 Sample sizes by study, phenotype and ethnic background
The CAPPS cohort was initiated in 1995 and recruited from two Canadian cites, Vancouver and Winnipeg [15, 16]. Infants were recruited who were at high risk for the development of asthma, defined as those who had at least one first-degree relative with asthma or two first-degree relatives with other allergic diseases. In total, there were 545 families recruited into this study (549 infants, 4 sets of twins). At the 7-year time point loss to follow-up was minimal, with 86% of the families completing a questionnaire. Spirometry and methacholine challenge testing were performed at the 7-year time point. The diagnoses of asthma and other atopic disorders were made by a pediatric allergist based on a detailed history and physical examination. Atopy was defined as at least one positive skin prick test. Methacholine challenge testing was carried out according to Cockcroft et al. [17]. The provocative concentration of methacholine that induced a 20% decrease in FEV1 from post-saline value (PC20) was determined. AHR for this cohort and the SAGE cohort was defined as a PC20 of less than 3.2 mg/ml methacholine [18, 19].
SAGE is a population-based sample of 16,320 children, born in the province of Manitoba, Canada in 1995 [20]. In 2002, the families were sent a questionnaire to determine their health and home environment exposure. Children were classified according to the presence of asthma (n = 392), hay fever/food allergy (n = 192) or neither (n = 3002). All the children in the asthma and allergy groups were invited to participate in the study, together with a random sample (n = 200) of children with neither condition. A pediatric allergist assessed the presence of asthma based on a detailed history and physical examination, a methacholine challenge test was administered and skin prick tests for common allergens were performed. In total, 725 families were recruited into the study, including 247 with an asthmatic child and 328 with an atopic child.
The SLSJ/QC Familial Collection is comprised of 306 families from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (n = 227) and Québec City (n = 79) regions of Québec, Canada [21, 22]. There is at least one adult asthmatic proband in each family. Asthma was assessed using a respiratory health questionnaire and pulmonary function tests. AHR was defined as a PC20 < 8 mg/ml at the time of recruitment. If PC20 was not measurable, a 15% increase in FEV1 after inhalation of a bronchodilator or a variation in PEF of at least 12% within a 2-week period was also considered diagnostic of AHR. Participants were defined as having asthma if they had a reported history of asthma that was validated by a physician, or they showed asthma-related symptoms and a positive PC20 at the time of recruitment. Subjects were defined as atopic if they had at least one positive response to a skin prick test. Subjects with a PC20 > 8 mg/ml were considered not to have AHR; non-asthmatics were those who had no history of physician-diagnosed asthma, no symptoms of asthma and a PC20 greater than 8 mg/ml; non-atopics were those who had no positive response on skin prick test.
Expression of TIM3in tissues
The Human Multiple Tissue, Human Immune System cDNA Panels and Human Blood Fraction Panel (BD Biosciences/Clontech, Palo Alto, CA, USA) were used to analyze expression of TIM3 in various tissues. The PCR primers for the gene expression study are listed in Table 2. Resting CD14+ (monocytes), CD4+ (T helper/inducer cells), CD8+ (T suppressor/cytotoxic cells) and CD19+ (B lymphocytes) cells were positively selected from mononuclear cells from healthy donors by immunomagnetic separation with Dynabeads M-450 (Dynal, Oslo, Norway). Cells were activated with pokeweed mitogen (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA, USA) and concanavalin A (ICN, Costa Mesa, CA, USA) by standard methods, and the degree of activation of lymphocytes was estimated on the basis of morphological criteria (blast morphology and mitoses) and expression of two activation markers, CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor) and CD71 (transferrin receptor). We used glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) as an internal control for PCR. Amplification conditions were an initial denaturation step at 94°C for 10 min followed by 34, and 30 cycles of denaturation at 94°C for 30 s, annealing at 60°C for 30 s and extension at 72°C for 30 s for primer pairs amplifying TIM3 and G3PDH, respectively.
Table 2 Sequence of primers used in reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, 5' Rapid Amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE) and (RT-PCR) and plasmid constructs
5' Rapid Amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE)
We performed 5' RACE experiments using commercially available RACE-ready human leukocyte and spleen cDNAs (Marathon Ready cDNA, BD Biosciences/Clontech) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Primers used for amplification for the first round PCR and for the nested PCR are shown in Table 2. The amplified RACE product was cloned into pCR2.1 TOPO-TA cloning vector (Invitrogen). Plasmids were purified by column chromatography (Invisorb Spin Plasmid Mini Kit, Invitek GmbH, Berlin) and subjected to direct sequencing with M13 primers.
Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) screening and genotyping
Approximately 2500 bp of the 5' flanking region upstream of the transcription initiation site of TIM3 was amplified by PCR from genomic DNA of 19 unrelated healthy Caucasians. Subsequently, the products were subjected to direct sequencing with a Big-Dye Terminator Kit (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). Genotyping of the two tag SNPs was done by TaqMan Assay-on-Demand™ SNP typing (Applied Biosystems).
Plasmid construction, transfection and luciferase assay
Genomic fragments of the 5' flanking region of exon 1 of TIM3 were amplified. PCR products were digested with XhoI and KpnI overnight at 37°C and then subcloned into the pGL3-Basic vector (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) digested with XhoI and KpnI. The clones were sequenced to confirm that the inserts were correct. The YT human T/NK cell line provided by Dr. Zacharie Brahmi as a gift was resuspended in RPMI 1640 (Sigma-Aldrich Co, St. Louis, MO, USA) with 20% FBS. Approximately 1 × 107 YT cells were cotransfected with 30 μg of test construct and 150 ng of pPL-TK (Promega) by electroporation with a Gene Pulsar II (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) set at 300 V and 975 μF. Transfected cells were harvested 24 h after transfection. Cells were lysed by the addition of 200 μl of lysis buffer (Promega). Twenty μl of each lysate was used for luciferase assay with the Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System (Promega). The firefly luciferase values were normalized to the Renilla luciferase values of pRL-TK, which were determined at the same time. The signal was read using a POLARstar OPTIMA (BMG, Alexandria, VA, USA) fluorimeter. Reporter activity is presented as the mean of at least five independent measurements.
Differences in transcriptional activity in the reporter gene assays were analyzed by ANOVA and unpaired t-tests. We tested for association with asthma, atopy, atopic asthma and airway hyper- responsiveness phenotypes using the Family based Association Test (FBAT) software [23].
Tissue expression of TIM3
Expression of TIM3 was analyzed by PCR-based methods (Figure 1). TIM3 was strongly expressed in placenta, lung, kidney, spleen, and leukocytes. In the Human Blood Fraction Panel TIM3 was more highly expressed in active CD4+ cells than resting CD4+ cells. However it was more highly expressed in resting CD8+ cells than in active CD8+ cells. TIM3 was also strongly expressed in resting CD14+ cells. No splicing variants were found.
Expression of TIM3 in multiple human tissues. Results of PCR amplification of cDNA from different organs (A), the immune system (B), and blood fractions (C) are shown. G3PDH was included as an internal control. MC, mononuclear cells; R, resting; A, activated; NC, non-template control.
Isolation of 5' full-length TIM3 transcripts and structure of the human TIM3gene
Current information at the time of the experiment (January 2007) in the NCBI database http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov indicated that TIM3 was composed of seven exons and the translational start site was contained within exon 1. TIM3 was highly expressed in leukocytes and spleen and therefore 5' RACE experiments were performed with cDNAs derived from these cell types. We were able to identify an additional 25 bp of sequence on the 5' side of the known cDNA sequence (Figure 2). No additional novel exons were detected.
Genomic structure of the human TIM3 gene. The open boxes represent the positions of exons 1–7. The shaded box is the region we extended in our 5'RACE experiment. TIM3 contains seven exons and the coding sequence (CDS) starts in exon 1. The downward arrows indicate the SNPs in the promoter region. The four red arrows indicate SNPs that are in perfect LD.
Polymorphism screen
We screened for polymorphisms in the TIM3 promoter region using DNA from 19 unrelated normal subjects and found six polymorphisms -574 G/T (rs10515746), -882 C/T (rs4704853), -1516 G/T (rs10053538), -1571delC, -1766G/T (rs10061463) and -1922 G/A (rs12186731) in TIM3 (Figure 2). Among the six polymorphisms four (-574 G/T, -882 C/T, -1571delC and -1766G/T) were in perfect linkage disequilibrium (r2 = 1). There were only three haplotypes formed by the six polymorphisms.
Transcriptional activity of the 5' flanking region of TIM3
To examine the transcriptional activity in the 5' flanking region of TIM3, we constructed plasmids that contained sequences from -2220, -1702, -914, -452, -241 and +63 relative to the transcription initiation site. The primers used for plasmid construction are listed in Table 2. The expression of TIM3 in YT cells was confirmed by RT-PCR (data not shown). The constructs were then transiently transfected into YT cells. Deletion analysis revealed that promoter activity of TIM3 in YT cells required at least 241 bp of upstream sequence and the maximal reporter gene expression was observed with the -1702 bp construct (Figure 3). There were five polymorphisms, -574 G/T, -882 C/T, -1516 G/T, -1571delC and -1766G/T in this region. To determine whether the five polymorphisms and their haplotypes were functional, we generated luciferase reporter gene constructs that contained the 5' flanking region of TIM3 from exon 1 to -1702 bp with three different haplotypes, i.e., haplotype GCGCG, haplotype GCTCG and haplotype TTG-T. The results showed there was no difference in expression level between each haplotype (Figure 3).
Promoter activity assay of the human TIM3 gene promoter constructs. (A) Luciferase activity is presented relative to the PGL3 basic vector after each construct was transfected into YT cells. All values are the mean ± SD of at least five independent experiments. (B) Comparison of the promoter activity and the conserved regions in the human genome. (C) Comparison of the promoter activity between the haplotypes.
FBAT analysis
To determine whether the previously reported TIM3 associations [10–12] were present in the CAPPS, SAGE and SLSJ/QC populations, we chose -882 C/T and -1922 G/A as tag SNPs. However -1922 G/A was in a region of repetitive sequence. Therefore, rs13170556, which was in perfect linkage disequilibrium (LD) with -1922 G/A, was genotyped in our samples. Both polymorphisms (rs13170556 and rs10061463) were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.1) in all cohorts. We performed FBAT analysis to test for association with asthma, atopy, atopic asthma and AHR. The results were corrected by the number of SNPs tested within TIM3 (n = 2) and the effective number of independent phenotypes (n = 3). We found that rs13170556 was associated with asthma in the CAPPS cohort in both the Caucasians only analysis and in the combined analysis of the Caucasian families with the non Caucasian families (p = 0.0138 and 0.0085, respectively) (Table 3). However, after correction for multiple testing we found no evidence for association in any of the three cohorts individually or in joint analysis of all the cohorts (Table 3). Similarly, there was no association found for -882C/T with any phenotype in any of the analyses (Table 4).
Table 3 Allele frequencies of the rs13170556 polymorphism in the three study cohorts for each phenotype
In the present study, we determined the expression pattern of TIM3 in human cells. We investigated the genomic structure and transcriptional activity of TIM3 and investigated polymorphisms in the promoter region of TIM3 in multiple cohorts. We isolated the full-length genomic region of TIM3 and characterized its promoter region. We found six polymorphisms in TIM3, but none was associated with asthma or the transcriptional activity of the gene in vitro.
TIM3 was initially cloned as a TH1-specific cell-surface marker. In our results, TIM3 was expressed on activated CD4+ cells as well as resting CD8+ cells and CD14+ cells, consistent with previous reports. In the mouse, TIM3 was expressed in both CD4+ and CD8+ cells [24, 25] and in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells TIM3 was expressed at a higher level on CD14+ cells and CD8+ cells than on CD4+ cells [26]. TIM3 was also reported to be expressed in NK and NTK (NK-like T) cells [26, 27]. In our results, TIM3 was expressed at a higher level in activated CD4+ cells than in resting CD4+ cells but conversely expression was higher in resting CD8+ than in activated CD8+ cells. Our results demonstrate that the expression level of TIM3 is not only differentially regulated in subsets of T cells but is also determined by the activation state of the cell.
TIM3 is expressed in human NK cells both at the mRNA and protein levels [26, 27]. We found that TIM3 was also expressed in one type of NK cell line, the YT cell line, which was used in the reporter gene assays. We identified TIM3 promoter activity in the -241 bp and -1702 kb regions relative to the transcription initiation site. Conserved non-coding sequences may contain transcriptional regulatory elements participating in the temporal and tissue-specific expression patterns of genes [28, 29]. In the UCSC website http://genome.ucsc.edu/ there are three conserved regions in the TIM3 promoter (Figure 3B) and the first conserved region contributes to the -241 bp promoter region and the last two regions contribute to the -1702 bp promoter region. There are five SNPs in the -1.7 kb region and the -1516 G/T, -1571delC and -1766G/T SNPs flank the conserved sequence. However, the haplotype formed by these SNPs did not affect the promoter activity (Figure 3C). We also stimulated the YT cell line with IL-2 at different concentrations but we found no difference in promoter activity among the different haplotypes after the stimulation (data not shown).
There are discrepant reports concerning the association between TIM3 polymorphisms and allergic phenotypes [10–14]. Graves et al. [11] studied a mixed Caucasian/Hispanic population. The two TIM3 SNPs that showed association with eczema and atopy were rs1036199 and rs4704853. However, in our sample these two SNPs were in perfect LD and rs4704853 was not associated with any phenotype. This discrepancy may be due to the different ethnic group studied in the previous report [11]. Two other studies reported associations in Asian samples [10, 12]. The -574G > T (rs10515746) polymorphism was associated with asthma and rhinitis in a Korean population although the -574T allele was found in less than 2% of the patients [10]. Therefore, our study may not have been adequately powered if this association is limited to the Asian population.
In Caucasian and African-American populations no association of TIM3 polymorphisms was seen with asthma or related phenotypes [13, 14]. The three cohorts used in this study were family-based and there were more than 1000 individuals in each cohort. There were non-Caucasian samples in both SAGE and CAPPS but we analyzed the data separately to avoid possible loss of power due to genetic heterogeneity. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed to avoid false positive results. Although a nominal association of rs13170556 was found in the CAPPS cohort it was not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Moreover, the association was not replicated in the other two cohorts and in the combined analysis of all three cohorts. Therefore, the association was likely a statistical artifact rather than a true positive result.
We did not analyze other phenotypes such as total or specific serum IgE in this study. We did not analyze haplotypes in the patient cohorts as we believe that this would have been inappropriate since we used tag SNPs from HapMap and it has been suggested that in this scenario there is little benefit of exhaustive haplotype testing [30]. In addition, we used the most powerful approach given our study design, there is high LD in the region, the marker coverage was not dense and our single SNP main effects were negative. All these factors made it unlikely that we would have benefited from haplotype tests.
The power to detect an association in this study varied with the phenotype, allele frequency and cohort considered. Power was calculated using the TDT Power Calculator [31]. For a major allele 'A' and minor allele 'a', we assumed the penetrance of the three genotypes was AA = 0.1, Aa = 0.2 and aa = 0.5. For an allele frequency of 0.13 and the phenotype of allergic asthma in the CAPPS cohort (i.e. 37 trios) the power to detect an association was only 0.41. However, for a sample size of 96 trios (e.g. AHR in the SAGE cohort) the power was 0.80 and was >0.80 for all other phenotypes in all cohorts in the Caucasians.
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This study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the AllerGen NCE. JZ was supported by a Canadian Lung Association Fellowship Award. AS was supported by a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Senior Scholar Award.
James Hogg iCAPTURE Center for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
, Denise Daley
, Loubna Akhabir
, Dorota Stefanowicz
, Peter D Paré
& Andrew J Sandford
Respiratory Division, Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR
Moira Chan-Yeung
The Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Allan B Becker
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC, Canada
Catherine Laprise
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Correspondence to Andrew J Sandford.
JZ participated in the genotyping, performed the remainder of the molecular analysis and produced the first draft of the manuscript, DD performed the analysis of the genetic epidemiological data and helped to draft the manuscript, LA participated in the genotyping, DS participated in the genotyping, MC-Y participated in the recruitment of the patient cohorts and helped to draft the manuscript, AB participated in the recruitment of the patient cohorts and helped to draft the manuscript, CL participated in the recruitment of the patient cohorts and helped to draft the manuscript, PDP participated in the recruitment of the patient cohorts, the design of the study and helped to draft the manuscript, AJS participated in the design of the study and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Companion of choice at birth: factors affecting implementation
Tamar Kabakian-Khasholian1 &
Anayda Portela2
Two recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization confirm the benefits of companion of choice at birth on labour outcomes; however institutional practices and policies do not always support its implementation in different settings around the world. We conducted a review to determine factors that affect implementation of this intervention considering the perspectives and experiences of different stakeholders and other institutional, systemic barriers and facilitators.
Forty one published studies were included in this review. Thirty one publications were identified from a 2013 Cochrane review on the effectiveness of companion of choice at birth. We also reviewed 10 qualitative studies conducted alongside the trials or other interventions on labour and birth companionship identified through electronic searches. The SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework was used to guide the thematic analysis of implementation factors.
Women and their families expressed appreciation for the continuous presence of a person to provide support during childbirth. Health care providers were concerned about the role of the companion and possible interference with activities in the labour ward. Allocation of resources, organization of care, facility-related constraints and cultural inclinations were identified as implementation barriers.
Prior to introducing companion of choice at birth, understanding providers’ attitudes and sensitizing them to the evidence is necessary. The commitment of the management of health care facilities is also required to change policies, including allocation of appropriate physical space that respects women’s privacy. Implementation research to develop models for different contexts which could be scaled up would be useful, including documentation of factors that affected implementation and how they were addressed. Future research should also focus on documenting the costs related to implementation, and on measuring the impact of companion of choice at birth on care-seeking behavior for subsequent births.
Companion of choice at birth is defined as the continuous presence of a support person during labour and birth [1]. The intervention has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve labour outcomes and women’s satisfaction with care [2, 3]. It has also been identified as a key element in the WHO vision of quality of care for pregnant women and newborns [4]. Different names have been given to the intervention including continuous support during childbirth, companion of choice at birth, labour companion, emotional support during birth. We will refer to this intervention herein as companion of choice at birth.
Evidence for companion of choice at birth emanates from a Cochrane systematic review conducted in 2013 [1] showing that companion of choice at birth increases the likelihood of vaginal births, therefore reduces the need for caesarean sections and the use of forceps or vacuum during vaginal births. In addition, it reduces the need to use pain medications during labour, it shortens the duration of labour and improves women’s satisfaction with care. It also improves Apgar scores of the newborns.
The Cochrane systematic review included 22 trials involving more than 15,000 women. The trials were conducted in low, middle and high-income countries with considerable variation in hospital settings. The form of care evaluated was continuous presence and support during labour or labour and birth. The control group received “usual care” as defined by the study investigators that did not involve continuous support during labour or during labour and birth.
In the research conducted, the support person varied from a nurse or midwife of the hospital staff to a doula, a woman not related to the labouring woman and not a hospital staff but employed through the trial to accompany labouring women, to a companion of choice identified by the pregnant woman from her social network. The most beneficial form of support appears to be from a person who is not a member of the woman’s social network, is not hospital staff and who has some experience or has received some informal training. However, in the absence of such a person, the support from a person of choice from among the woman’s family or friends improves women’s satisfaction with care [1].
Institutional routines and policies, providers’ attitudes as well as the physical environments of hospitals do not always support the implementation of the intervention. Given the multiple dimensions of this intervention including variation in the delivery of the intervention according to the context and the provider of the support, there is a need for greater understanding of the factors that influence successful implementation and sustainability of the intervention. These factors include the perspectives, experiences, knowledge and skills of different stakeholders involved in implementation, as well as relevant decision making processes, and barriers and facilitators within and outside of the health facility.
This paper aims at a) describing stakeholder perspectives and experiences with the intervention; b) identifying the barriers and facilitating factors to implementation; and c) describing those implementation factors which could be linked to programmes who reported on increased women’s satisfaction.
This is a literature review of factors influencing implementation of companions of choice at birth. It is based on information describing the implementation of the intervention derived from trials identified through the Cochrane review [1], qualitative research conducted alongside any of these trials, or studies describing health care providers’ attitudes towards the provision of support during childbirth.
This review included 41 publications. We assessed all the studies identified in the Cochrane review in 2013 [1] for reported information on implementation factors. These also included studies that were excluded from the Cochrane review [1]. We included 31 studies in our review through this process:22 published articles [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26] included in the meta-analysis of the Cochrane Review [1]and 9 excluded from it [27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35]. We excluded one of the trials included in the Cochrane review [1] because it was not published in English [36]. In addition, we conducted electronic searches on Pubmed and Medline to identify qualitative studies describing the experiences of stakeholders with the implementation of companion of choice at birth published through March 2015. We also searched the bibliographies of the published trials to identify qualitative studies on implementation factors or feasibility of the intervention published alongside the trials. We identified an additional 10 studies in this category [37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46].
No quality assessment of studies was done for this review, considering that we were interested in identifying publications reporting on implementation factors that were not directly related to validity of the outcomes assessed in the trials.
The first author extracted data from the publications included in this review, and used the SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework [47] to guide the extraction and categorization of information on implementation factors into meaningful themes. A research assistant verified the coding and abstracting of the data. Thematic analysis was used to identify factors that influence implementation of the intervention as well as different stakeholder perspectives and experiences of the intervention and contextual characteristics. To capture information about the context of the implementation in the reviewed studies, we retrieved information from the discussion sections. The variation in settings in these studies between high, middle and low income countries allowed for some comparison of factors in the different contexts.
The characteristics of the studies included in this analysis are presented in Table 1. Among all the reviewed studies, only eight aimed at reporting on implementation factors for the introduction of a companion of choice at birth in a hospital [13, 23, 27, 32, 43,44,45,46]. The remaining studies in this review aimed at reporting the effectiveness of the practice.
Table 1 Table of characteristics of included studies for companion of choice at birth
All identified implementation factors are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 Acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility of companion of choice at birth
Stakeholders’ perspectives
Studies mainly reported on the experiences and perspectives of women and health care providers. Receiving support by a companion of choice at birth was reported as a positive experience that was largely appreciated by women, and when present, by their male partners [13,14,15]. In three other studies, the presence of the companion was experienced as a buffer to women’s and their families’ low expectations and experiences of bad treatment at hospitals [16, 27, 43].
In some close-knit communities, where most people knew each other, women were reserved about the presence of doulas recruited from their same community or the presence of a female family member with them during childbirth [39, 42, 45]. They expressed their worries of being exposed to the companion and the consequent expected gossip in the community about them not being able to keep up with social expectations of behaviour, such as not losing control and not shouting. This is in contrast to another low-income community where lay female companions were regarded as allies not invested in the hospital system and their presence was appreciated [17].
In three studies conducted in high-income countries and one from a low-income setting, the presence of a female companion was perceived to be beneficial in addition to the presence of male partners. Despite the fact that male partners were appreciated for providing emotional and spiritual reassurance, women perceived them as lacking the skills needed for other aspects of support necessary to them [14, 18, 32, 45] as well as not coping well with seeing women go through labour and birth [45]. Both in low and high income country settings, male partners were found to be not consistently present throughout labour, they were mainly absent in early and late labour and were viewed as being less physically interactive compared to female companions [32, 45]. In conservative cultures, such as in Arab countries, in Ghana, and in China, women sometimes appreciated the presence of the male partner to witness the challenges that women go through during childbirth [43,44,45]. In Arab cultures, the presence of the male partners was not socially acceptable especially in shared labour rooms [40, 43].
The attitudes of health care providers involved in the intervention were sometimes positive as they perceived the presence of the companion helpful in reducing the dependency of women on the staff. This was mainly important in settings with shortage of nursing and midwifery staff [16, 21, 39]. The presence of the companion was noted to positively influence the behaviour of the staff towards women [21]. Some studies reported negative attitudes and some resistance in acceptance of companions to labour wards [13, 20, 39, 44, 46]. Nurses and midwives reported their doubts about the role of the companion and expected less cooperation of women with the staff throughout labour and birth in the presence of the companion [13, 20, 39, 44, 46]. Concerns were reported about the use of traditional medicines by lay companions [39]. Providers also reported concerns about companions who are not part of the hospital staff, interfering in medical decisions and about cross infections in the labour and delivery ward [39, 43, 44]. Efforts such as influencing the attitudes of health care providers by informing them about the evidence on companion of choice at birth and motivating them by sharing positive birth experiences are considered to be necessary for the successful implementation of this practice [21, 22].
Barriers and facilitating factors for implementation
A number of health service-related barriers and facilitating factors were identified in the implementation of companion of choice at birth in hospital settings. These varied according to resources available in the facility and to the people providing support. Whereas having a female relative as a companion is considered a low cost intervention that is valued in facilities with shortage of nursing staff [16, 25, 39], the task of providing continuous support by nurses and midwives of the hospital was reported to intensify the human resource shortages [39] or had implications on the organization of shifts at the labour ward [27]. Where doulas were considered as labour or birth companions, their arrival to the labour ward early during labour was deemed necessary, for example before the woman had taken the decision to ask for an epidural [28].
The presence of an accompanying person was also found to have implications for the organization of space in the facility. In low or middle income country hospitals, a lounge near the labour ward was deemed necessary for companions to take short breaks [25]; in others providing a private space or a cubicle for the dyad of the labouring women and her companion was considered to be important for the success of the intervention [27, 39, 43, 44]. Crowding of shared labour rooms was a major concern in resource-constrained facilities [16, 43].
In facilities with shortage of nurses or midwives, the possibility of hiring and training unemployed or retired nurses and midwives was suggested [24, 26, 45] as well as training of lay companions [22, 43, 45] or doulas [23]. Clear communication with the companion about his/her duties was deemed necessary to reduce the negative providers’ perceptions about the role of the companion [43, 46].
Although none of the reviewed studies reported cost analysis, there were some discussion on expected cost implications in few of these studies. In high-income countries and among high-income populations, it is expected that the cost of hiring a doula will be covered by women themselves as very few hospital-based programmes offer that option [22]. In low-income settings, the involvement of family members as companions during childbirth is an inexpensive practice [16] however, the cost of transportation for volunteer companions need to be considered to sustain the programme at the facility [27]. In general, it is expected that the beneficial effect of a companion of choice at birth would be cost-effective for healthcare insurers and for hospitals as it reduces the financial costs of obstetric interventions such as epidural use and cesarean sections and the time spent on complications [16, 32].
Women reported positive experiences with having a companion of choice at birth across the different facility settings and country-income levels in the reviewed studies, regardless of the person providing the support. In facilities where male partners’ presence was accepted in addition to the female companion, an added value of the female companion was reported. Whereas the evidence indicates that companion of choice at birth is mostly an effective intervention when provided by persons who are not employed by the hospital [2], considerations should be given to the acceptance of doulas or family members in each cultural context as well as to the entailed costs for training or transportation.
We note the importance of the person providing the support in terms of increased women’s satisfaction with the birth experience. Only four studies reported on this outcome [7, 21, 23, 24]. Two studies that included lay female relatives of labouring women as companions reported an increased satisfaction of women during childbirth [21, 23]. The effectiveness of the intervention was attributed by the authors to the fact that the companions were related to women therefore more in tune with women’s needs [23] and to the positive influence of their presence on health care providers’ behaviours in terms of sharing of information related to the care given to the labouring woman [21]. Another study showing an increase in women’s satisfaction also reported the provision of information as a positive factor influencing women’s satisfaction, however in this case the support during childbirth was provided by midwives [7]. One trial in Mexico that used retired nurses as companions during childbirth reported no effect on women’s satisfaction [24]. Retired nurses were considered to be “de-sensitized” to women’s needs and less empathetic than lay companions [24].
Providers’ perceived the usefulness of the companions in facilities suffering from nurse and midwife shortage. In all of studies conducted in high or low income countries, providers carried negative attitudes towards the implementation of companion of choice at birth. They reported concerns about cross infection and crowding in labour wards as well as about the expected collaboration of women and of companions with the healthcare team and feared interferences with clinical decisions.
Other implementation barriers existed such as the allocation of resources within the facility and the organization of care to facilitate nurses or midwives continuous presence with the woman during labour and birth. Barriers in resource constrained environments related mainly to crowding and availability of space and privacy for women and their companions in the labour ward as well as to cultural preferences of the companion.
The implementation of this practice requires the commitment of the management of health care facilities to change institutional policies and to provide the appropriate physical space that respects women’s and their companion’s privacy. This could be informed by recent literature on the importance of supporting the supporters during childbirth through observing their interaction with the space [48]. While the evidence doesn’t indicate the necessity of providing training to the lay companion [2], there were different approaches used in the reviewed interventions and considerations need to be given to various modes of orienting the companion in order to improve the acceptance of the intervention mainly by the health care providers.
Influencing the attitudes of health care providers is necessary for the successful implementation of the intervention. This could be achieved through sensitization activities including the provision of evidence-based information, through minimizing system barriers such as to avoid overloading the staff and resolving issues of space and privacy, through affecting providers’ behaviours and through sharing of women’s positive experiences with this practice to motivate their participation. The latter can be achieved through the use of effective communication to clarify the role of the companion in the labour and delivery wards.
Given the improved health outcomes reported as well as the positive experiences of women with companion of choice at birth reported regardless of the person providing support across all studies, we had expected that the use of this practice in hospitals would increase facility births. However, no trials reported on the effect of this practice on this outcome. Two studies reported on women’s views reported that being denied of having a companion during childbirth can act as a reason for women opting to give birth at home [38, 39]. The need for such specific studies in those contexts where facility births are low would confirm if increased quality and increased satisfaction with services increases use of the services.
Implementation factors were mostly described in the qualitative studies identified for this review. These studies were descriptive in nature and focused on women’s experiences and views [37, 38, 41, 45], few also included the perspectives of health care providers and discussed system related factors important for implementation [39, 43, 46].
More effort should be put in documenting and reporting implementation factors associated with interventions, by describing the context in terms of facility practices, providers’ attitudes, community culture and challenges, either within the reporting of the intervention outcomes or in separate publications. More importantly, future studies should use implementation research methods to develop and test companionship models in different facility settings and cultures. This will inform initiatives that aim at for scaling-up these models of care to a larger number of health care settings in their region or country.
Future research should also focus on measuring the costs pertaining to the training of personnel or the lay companion and to the changes in the physical space, as well as on the impact of companion of choice at birth on care seeking behavior for subsequent births.
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The authors thank Hannah Bontongton and Sylvana Hassanieh for their assistance in preparing this manuscript and Helen Smith for her guidance and valuable comments.
Funded by the World Health Organization through the work done for the development of WHO recommendations on health promotion intervention for maternal and newborn health 2015.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.
TKK carried out the analysis and drafted the manuscript. AP contributed in the interpretation and to the writing of the manuscript. AP is a staff member of the World Health Organization. She alone is responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy or views of the World Health Organization. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Health Promotion and Community Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Tamar Kabakian-Khasholian
Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Anayda Portela
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Correspondence to Tamar Kabakian-Khasholian.
Companion of choice at birth
Continuous support during childbirth
Labour companionship
Lay companion
Factors that affect implementation of health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health in low- and middle-income countries
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I’m still sometimes confused by the present layout of Bradford city centre. Etched in my mind is the arrangement I discovered during my teens. That’s when I earned my first slivers of freedom and was finally permitted, unsupervised, to make my own way into town. Back then, the bus swooped into the Bradford bowl and stopped directly outside the old smoked-glass fronted police station which we knew as the Tyrls. Word had it that there were cells beneath the building from which prisoners were taken to the adjacent Magistrates Courts via an underground walkway. This was long before City Park and Centenary Square, when there was no pedestrianised public area and the lone fountain outside the police station was without airs. But at least we had stylish shops.
The self-effacing Sunwin House had been settled at the junction of Sunbridge Road and Godwin Street since 1932, baring its window displays beneath distinct dark brown awnings. It was the sort of department store that Bradfordians can only dream about today. Sunwin House sold everything from buttons to beds, from toothpaste to television sets, and from wigs to wedding dresses. It had the kind of food hall where buying basics like bread and milk made you feel extravagant. Unaffordability never stopped mum scanning the performance ranges of the German sewing machines on the first floor. The cookware in the basement was more my thing, where I liked to imagine how it would feel to have Wedgewood in my dowry.
The store was owned by the Co-operative group so customers earned dividend stamps – an early version of the club card, you might say – where you were rewarded with a tiny percentage of the value of your spending. A small purchase earned you the small ‘5’ stamps, of which you had to collect 32 before you had the satisfaction of filling a page. You could garner the higher value ’40’ stamps with a large purchase, of which four alone were enough to fill an entire page. There was something gratifying about being issued with a crisp new book, with its distinct red cover promising the ultimate incentive, ‘This book when completed and exchanged is worth £1’. I was the sort of organised person, you see, that industriously collected the stamps, licked them diligently before sticking them meticulously in the book. As if completing the book wasn’t rewarding enough, there was still the bonus of monetary gain to be had!
Across the road from Sunwin House stood the crisp white 12-storey headquarters of the National and Provincial Building Society. The substantial 1960s office block monopolised the prime location, which today makes up much of City Park and Centenary Square. With its prim lawns bursting with spring bloom, it stood self-assured, bowing only before the majesty of the Venetian gothic styled clock tower of Bradford City Hall. It was here on the fourth floor, in mortgage administration at Provincial House that I put my organisational skills to use. Although it was a temporary position, it was the sort of stable nine-to-five office job that mum valued. There was even the possibility of a discounted mortgage rate if I could just impress my employers enough to offer me a permanent position.
Alas, I handed in my notice to start married life in Pakistan. A couple of years later though, I was back in Bradford with ego bruised, contemplating a return to clerical work. Meanwhile, mum was willing me to return to married life in Islamabad after my ‘short break’, which is why she was still shielding the real reason for my abrupt arrival back in Bradford. I wasn’t sure how temporary my refuge would be but I knew it was enough for now. Bigger decisions could wait. I wasn’t ready to make any. I wasn’t sure that they were mine to make anyway. In the meantime, I wanted to make up for the months I’d lost in Pakistan. There was self-esteem to be regained. Perhaps it was time to send a message to my family that I was taking control. But while I yearned for my old life, I didn’t want to confine myself to mortgage admin. If I was going to find a job this time, it would have to be on my terms. To offset my emotional disappointments perhaps, I was also primed to elevate the professional bar.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that my career path was probably influenced by that cult American TV series, The Incredible Hulk. I should say in my defence that I was just an impressionable teenager when the series was broadcast during the early 1980s. It was about a scientist with a sinister secret; a condition which transformed him into a giant green monster whenever he became angry. Jack McGee was his nemesis, a hardnosed reporter investigating the mysterious monster’s sightings for The National Register. Every time he confronted the irritated scientist, Jack was darkly warned, “Mr McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
An annoying antagonist he may have been to everyone else, but I saw Mr McGee as a man with a mission. I was charmed by the world he inhabited; driving up and down the country at all hours to document the stories that fascinated him. He had the sort of job that also appealed to my nosey disposition. But I also knew that any perceptive Pakistani parent would deem it a disagreeable career choice for precisely these perks.
In mum’s day, you see, the ultimate job for respectable women was teaching. But then, as I was often reminded, mum was raised in a society where parental wishes were heeded without question. So she’d worked in a state-run girls’ school in Rawalpindi before marriage. Not only was it stable and secure, the female environment also created the sort of seclusion which the principles of purdah are based on. Even progressive protagonists in Bollywood films of that era became teachers. Naturally, they were portrayed as noble, no-nonsense creatures, ready to nurture their students. There’s an irrepressibly effervescent song from the brilliant film Shree 420 (Raj Kapoor, 1955) which comes to mind. ‘Ichak Dana Bichak Dana’ means ‘One Little Seed, Two Little Seeds’, which refers to a game of ‘guess what’. It’s performed by the luminous Nargis, who takes the role of the aptly named Vidya, meaning knowledge. Using song and illustration, she devotedly encourages her young charges to solve riddles in a makeshift classroom in her father’s courtyard. As she asks, ‘bolo kya’ – ‘what is it?’ – at the end of each rhyme, Raj Kapoor in his Chaplinesque guise can’t help falling in love with her. The wholesome teacher though remains characteristically unimpressed by his flirtations.
And so, it was much to mum’s alarm that I rejected the lure of a discounted mortgage and went to work for a tin-pot TV production company. I began to travel almost immediately since we worked from a suite of grubby offices at the Batley Enterprise Centre. We were making a factual series called Zara Dhyan Dein, which loosely translated meant ‘please pay attention’. The programmes looked at health and social issues affecting South Asian families in Britain; like reducing the risk of a heart attack, healthy eating and depression. It didn’t matter that the programme was just five minutes long, or that it was broadcast in the middle of the night. People still watched it, primarily because there was little else televised in Urdu in those days, but mainly because the programme was screened immediately after the weekly Bollywood film.
You see, it was normal to record the Bollywood film off the TV in the late 80s and early 90s because it saved you having to stay up until the early hours to watch the film as it was being broadcast. It was also the only economical way of creating a personal film library. It’s worth remembering that programming VCRs to record automatically was a fiddly affair. It was far simpler to stay up long enough to manually press record at the start of the film, and then retire to bed knowing that recording would continue until the four hour tape was full. Of course the five minute health broadcast, Zara Dhyan Dein, which followed the film, would also be recorded inadvertently.
As it turned out, mum had nothing to worry about. My job as researcher was to organise things, including finding people to take part in the programme; an Indian GP one week, a Pakistani taxi driver the next, volunteers in a gurdwara, a diabetes patient, or a housewife discussing her family’s diet. It may only have been five years since the ceremonial burning of The Satanic Verses outside the Magistrates Courts in Bradford, but Muslims as well as Hindus and Sikhs were still clamouring to be on TV. I realised that, despite the ungodly hour of broadcast, working on a TV programme for the Asian community seemed to garner an absurd amount of kudos. The weariness of being under the media’s glare that we Bradfordians baulk at today, hadn’t yet set in. On the contrary, having a film crew in the house offered credibility and public recognition. Best of all, mum’s friends assumed that landing this marvellous job was my first step to submitting my husband’s visa paperwork. Although I had no intention of inviting him to join me in Bradford, it suited mum and me not to contradict the conjecture in the community. It bought us both time; as I asserted my new-found independence, I hoped mum might muster the strength to go public with my separation.
Things were going well until the producer announced a programme highlighting the importance of prenatal care. I was to find a young Asian couple where the wife was visibly pregnant, whom we would film going through routine check-ups at a local hospital. At my young age, I’d never had anything to do with pregnancy, so how could I have known that this condition merits the utmost privacy among South Asians. Only after accepting the producer’s challenge did I realise that flaunting one’s baby bump like a pregnant Spice Girl was a massive taboo. Doing so, you see, alludes to private marital relations. Even now, a respectable married woman is expected to bury her bulging bump beneath her diaphanous dupatta and further disguise it with loose clothing.
To this day, pregnant protagonists in Bollywood films also remain a rarity. They don’t parade their pregnant bellies and they certainly don’t sing and dance. The only song that comes to mind is from the blockbuster Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (Sooraj Barjatya, 1994). You may recognise the opening bars because ‘Didi Tera Devar Deewana’ (Sister, Your Brother-in-law is Crazy) was famously used in a kitchen roll TV commercial a few years ago. The song further emphasises the invisibility of expectant women from our screens because it actually features a mock pregnancy, purely for the sake of entertaining a gathering of women at a baby shower. As celebrations begin to mark the imminent birth of her sister’s baby, Madhuri Dixit’s character bears a fake oversized bump. The nature of the celebrations requires such a strictly separate women’s space that a lady in drag has to play the male lead. As the two lampoon intimate scenes and pregnancy stereotypes, men are forced to watch secretly because they’re vigorously refused access.
I suppose it was precisely because pregnancy is hidden from public view in my culture that we were making a programme about pre-natal care in the first place. But how could we make the programme if I couldn’t find anyone to take part. The producer seemed very understanding of my dilemma and agreed to come up with an alternative plan. On the day of filming, however, I arrived at the hospital to find a pair of unbecoming dungarees waiting for me, complete with a fake built-in baby bump. In the wake of my failure to find a willing participant, it seemed that I would have to take the role of expectant South Asian mother myself. An Indian crew member was lined up as my on-screen husband.
Despite my unease, I grudgingly went along with the plan in the name of professional integrity. Clad in my pregnancy dungarees, the opening sequence had me writing a letter to a friend to share my happy news. In one scene, I was shown discussing my dietary needs with a nurse. In another, I was having blood tests with my reassuring husband sitting beside me. As filming progressed, so did my anxiety. Amusing as it sounds, I knew this indiscretion would only further aggravate my relationship with mum. I wanted to earn her respect yet my televised phantom pregnancy was surely set to do the reverse.
I made sure she never saw the programme even though it was repeated several times over the coming months. The plot unfolded unintentionally in the food hall of Sunwin House. Mum was treating me to a vanilla custard slice from the bakery counter when she bumped into an old friend. We’d last seen her at my pre-marriage party as I was preparing to leave Bradford. “Congratulations!” she squealed as she embraced mum. Without as much as a glance at my noticeably non-expectant figure, she continued, “So that’s why your daughter is back in Bradford!”
That moment of disclosure was as poignant as it was painful because it captured the frailty of our mother-daughter relationship perfectly. Everyone in Bradford appeared to know something that I’d been frantically trying to keep from her. Meanwhile, mum was resolute that nobody in Bradford must come to know the real reason for my return.
THE NEXT INSTALMENT: THE IMMIGRANT SPOUSE
PREVIOUS: GODSPEED TO BRADFORD
Posted in Bollywood, Bradford, British Muslims, British Pakistanis, Hindi Cinema, Indian Cinema, Social History in Britain, South Asians in Britain
Tagged with baby bump, Bounty kitchen roll advert, Bradford, Bradford City Hall, Centenary Square, Chaplinesque, City Park, Co-operative Group, confinement, Didi Tera Devar Deewana, dividend stamps, Godwin Street, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Ichak Dana Bichak Dana, Jack McGee, Madhuri Dixit, media, mortgage administration, Nargis, National and Provincial Building Society, National Register, One Little Seed Two Little Seeds, police station, pre-natal care, pregnancy taboo, Provincial House, purdah, Raj Kapoor, riddle, Salman Khan, Shree 420, Sooraj Barjatya, Sunbridge Road, Sunwin House, teacher, teaching, The Incredible Hulk, The Satanic Verses, the Tyrls, TV production company, Urdu, VCR, Venetian gothic styled clock tower, video cassette recorder, video recorder, Zara Dhyan Dein
« 17 Godspeed to Bradford
19 The Immigrant Spouse »
Hi Irna, love your blog, as you know. Thought this might be a better way of leaving my details and the library’s school email (perhaps should have done this in the first place rather than twitter!). We’re definitely going to have a Bollywood week at school during October so if you do fancy coming down to Brum to speak it would be brilliant.
Saw ‘Dil Se . .’ and ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’ at the weekend – two very different films! Loved them both in their own way – love Zeenat Aman singing Chura liya hai and Dharmendra has the most amazing screen presence – but ‘Dil se . . ‘ is amazing and fascinating in so many ways. There aren’t many films that want to discuss state violence and nationalism or terrorism v freedom fight in a sophisted way – let alone mix in the most amazing singing and dancing. They were times when it made me think of Battle of Algiers – which is about the highest compliment I can pay.
If you really would like to come you can email me at school, but don’t feel bad if you’d rather not. Either way I shall keep you up to date (bore you) with my Bollywood journey.
All the best, Gareth.
Gareth Beniston
Another superbly constructed instalment, thanks again for sharing the unfolding tale. I also enjoyed your McGee analogy, especially in the context of your desire for a career that satisfied your nosey disposition. Your mention of that in contrast to the “approved” job of teacher made me smile when I saw your choice of song – til date NO ONE has been able to explain to me what the hell “anar” has to do with “iichak daanaa biichak daanaa daane uupar daanaa, iichak daanaa chhajje uupar la.Dakii naache, la.Dakaa hai diivaanaa, iichak daanaa” It’s the only part of the call and response / Q&A style of the song that makes no sense, and that irritates MY nosey nature.
stuartnz
Great blog! Loved the carer path based on the career of a hulk character.
Jay Russell
Best Bradford blog by far. And now officially the world’s most awesome set of blog post tags.
Briefing Bradford (@bfdnews)
As always Irna, a great post. How you write and describe simply captures the reader. Those places you recalled bring back memories when my father use to take us kids from Leeds (where we lived) to Bradford, only to feel more at home with the amount of South Asian community visible in Bradford City Centre. I remember, the Bradford Central library to be the first stop, followed by the Bradford Photography museum and then a routine walk up past Sunwin House to Kirkgate market then to John Street Market.
Reading this post, brought back some good memories.
The British Asian Blog
Irna – this is just fantastic stuff – have sat here for the last couple of hours just reading episode after episode – as frustrated by what you don’t tell us as fascinated by what you do describe – more, more!
Anamaria Wills
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No, My First Name Ain’t Royal Baby: Awesome Royals in YA Fantasy
Liberty Hardy 05-14-19
YA Fantasy Week, and this list of royals in YA fantasy, is sponsored by Flatiron Books.
Welcome to Finale, the final book in Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series! It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist. Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend. After uncovering a secret, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change him. Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun.
Everybody wants to rule the world. A lot of people would be perfectly fine not sitting on a throne. But some are born into it. Some marry into it. And some fake their way into it. And then there are those who really, really love it. YA fantasy is full of royals, reluctant or otherwise. And these nine novels have some of the most awesome royals in YA fantasy!
Note: When I first thought of this idea for YA Fantasy Week, I thought it would be a piece of cake. Then I realized it would spoil a lot of books to mention that characters were, or became, royalty. YA sure loves an ascension and/or a secret! So these are YA novels in which the characters are already known to be royalty.
Rule by Ellen Goodlett
Much like Robert Baratheon, the king of Kolonya has a lot of illegitimate heirs. And since he’s dying, and his true heir has just been murdered, the throne is going to go to one of his three daughters. But between the sisters themselves and someone who knows their secret and will stop at nothing to keep them from the throne, will any of them have a chance to rule?
The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
Khalid, the 18-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is said to take a new bride every night and kill her every morning. So Shahrzad volunteers to marry him, with a secret plan for revenge, since he killed her best friend. But once inside his domain, she discovers the stories aren’t quite true, and she’s going to be the first wife to uncover the truth.
Furyborn (The Empirium Trilogy) by Claire Legrand
This is the fun first book in a trilogy about two young women: one is one of two prophesied queens who reveals her powers to save her best friend, and the trials she endures to prove she’s really a queen; and the other is a bounty hunter one thousand years later who is trying to fight the corrupt empire.
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
What’s better than one dangerously magic queen who has to kill to ascend the throne? THREE OF THEM. Triplets Mirabella, Katharine, and Arsinoe have been training their whole lives for their 16th birthday: when they will have to kill their sisters in order to be the Queen Crowned. Each has a different set of skills and powers. But who will come out on top?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Mare is a Red, a poor thief, until she ends up in the Silver Court, exhibiting magical abilities that only nobles are supposed to possess. To hide this mistake, she is to marry a prince. But will Mare embrace her new position, or use it to help the growing Red rebellion? It’s going to be hard to do when the Queen has the power of mind control.
The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire) by C. J. Redwine
This is an epic fantasy inspired by Snow White! Lorelai Diederich is a crown princess and fugitive at large. She swears to kill the wicked queen who murdered her father and stole her throne. Prince Kol has promised to kill Lorelai for the queen in return for magic to save his kingdom. Lorelai must work twice as hard to evade the huntsman and take down the queen.
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Princess Hesina of Yan doesn’t want to be queen. She doesn’t want any responsibilities, really, but when her father dies, it looks like she’s going to get them anyway. But first she has to prove he was murdered—something she’s having a hard time getting other people in the kingdom to believe. So she’s taking her case before the court. A courtroom drama in a YA fantasy novel??? How can you not love it?!?
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
Theodosia was 6 years old when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered. Theo was crowned Ash Princess and forced into her new life as a prisoner. For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. But she’s been keeping her mind sharp and her taste for revenge even sharper. And payback is a bitch.
Mirage by Somaiya Daud
Okay, so it’s about a fake princess, but still. Eighteen-year-old Amani dreams of leaving her isolated home land. But then she is kidnapped by the royal guard and forced to be a body double for the cruel Princess Maram, who is so hated by her people that her life is constantly threatened. Sure, pretending to be the princess does have its perks, but will Amani be able to use her role to change things for the people? Will she survive long enough to even try?
Also In This Story Stream
Unlikable Female Characters in YA Fantasy
Dragons, Magic, and Studying for Algebra: YA Fantasy Books Set in the Modern World
How to Make Romance Work in YA Fantasy
15 Must-Read Queer YA Fantasy Books
Finding Representation at the Festival of Books and in WE HUNT THE FLAME
10 of the Best Feminist YA Fantasy Books of 2019
What Do Adults Love About YA Fantasy?
10 Great Standalone YA Fantasy Books
7 YA Fantasy Books With Heroines Disguised As Boys
A.O.U.S.s: Animals of Unusual Size in YA Fantasy
Beware of These 7 Monster Girls in YA Fantasy
More of the Heroes We Want to See in YA Fantasy
8 Asian-Inspired YA Fantasy Books to Enjoy and Anticipate
Redwall, Determinism, and Making Peace with Flawed Favorites
View all YA Fantasy Week 2019 posts
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#Science Fiction/Fantasy#Sponsored Event#Young Adult Literature#ya fantasy books#ya fantasy novels#ya fantasy series#YA Fantasy Week 2019
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University of California Pr
The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age
University of California Press, 1988 - 698 pagina's
"Schama explores the mysterious contradictions of the Dutch nation that invented itself from the ground up, attained an unprecedented level of affluence, and lived in constant dread of being corrupted by happiness. Drawing on a vast array of period documents and sumptuously reproduced art, Schama re-creates in precise detail a nation's mental state. He tells of bloody uprisings and beached whales, of the cult of hygiene and the plague of tobacco, of thrifty housewives and profligate tulip-speculators. He tells us how the Dutch celebrated themselves and how they were slandered by their enemies."--Amazon
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Gebruikersrecensie - jmoncton - LibraryThing
Schama covers in amazing detail the culture and history of the Netherlands during the peak of its Golden Age in the seventeenth century. He provides great insight on some of the origins of the traits ... Volledige review lezen
Gebruikersrecensie - mattries37315 - LibraryThing
I knew Schama from his A History of Britain series via BBC/History and I have been interested about the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic, so that's what brought me to this book. My usual history ... Volledige review lezen
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Titelblad
Stygian fires and aqua fortis
Temptations and terrors
LUCTOR ET EMERGO
A Bibliographic Guide to the Historyof Dutch Mentality
The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the ...
Amsterdam Amsterdam town baby Batavian became Beverwijck bubble burghers Calvinist Cats's chambers of rhetoric cheese child Christian church common course court Delft domestic drinking Dutch culture Dutch Republic early eighteenth century emblem engraving especially example Fatherland feasts figure folly French genre girls godly guilders Haarlem Hague Harvard University Holland Houghton Library household humanist husband Jacob Cats Jan Miense Molenaer Jan Steen Johan kind labor least Leiden less Luiken magistrates maid manner marriage meant merchant moral moralists mother Museum Netherlandish Netherlands painting patrician patriotic peace Pieter popular predikants prints Renaissance Republic rich Roemer Roemer Visscher Romeyn de Hooghe Rotterdam satires scenes scripture seems seventeenth century social Spanish Stadholder stuivers symbolic tion tobacco town hall trade tradition tulip turned Utrecht virtue Visscher whale whores wife William the Silent wine Witt woman women worldly Zeeland
Simon Schama is an historian, educator, and writer. He was born in London, England on February 13, 1945. Schama earned a B.A. in history in 1966 from Cambridge University and later became a fellow of Christ College. Schama was a Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Brasenose College, Oxford from 1976 to 1980. He also was an Erasmus Lecturer in the civilization of the Netherlands at Harvard University in 1978, and from 1980 to 1993 he was Professor of History and Mellon Professor of the Social Sciences and Senior Associate at the Center for European Studies. Schama has been the Old Dominion Professor of Humanities at Columbia University since 1993, teaching in the history, art history and archaeology departments. Schama's 1977 book, Patriots and Liberators: Revolution in the Netherlands, 1780-1813, received the Wolfson Prize for history and the Leo Gershoy Memorial Prize of the American History Association. Another book, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution, won the NCR Prize for Nonfiction. Schama also worked as an art critic for The New Yorker and has written historical and art documentaries for the BBC. In 2001 he received the CBE. In 2006 Schama earned the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction for Rough Crossings. His more recent works include A History of Britain and The Sory of the Jews, both written in multiple volumes.
Titel The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age
European history - Art history
Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age
Editie herdruk
Uitgever University of California Press, 1988
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HomeArticleHow Many Times Must Assange Be Proven Right Before People Start Listening?
Article, News
author: Caitlin Johnstone
5261 seen
How Many Times Must Assange Be Proven Right Before People Start Listening?
And there it is. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been charged by the Trump administration’s Justice Department with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. Exactly as Assange and his defenders have been warning would happen for nearly a decade.
The indictment, like the one which preceded it last month with Assange’s arrest, is completely fraudulent, as it charges Assange with “crimes” that are indistinguishable from conventional journalistic practices. The charges are based on the same exact evidence which was available to the Obama administration, which as journalist Glenn Greenwald noted last year declined to prosecute Assange citing fear of destroying press freedoms.
Hanna Bloch-Wehba, an associate professor at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law, has called the indictment “a worst-case, nightmare, mayday scenario for First Amendment enthusiasts.” Bloch-Wehba explains that that the indictment’s “theories for liability rest heavily on Assange’s relationship with Manning and his tendency to encourage Manning to continue to bring WikiLeaks material” in a way that “is not readily distinguishable from many reporter-source relationships cultivated over a period of time.”
One of the versions of the New York Times‘ report on the new Assange indictment, which has since been edited out but has been preserved here in a quote by Slate, said that “officials would not engage with questions about how the actions they said were felonies by Mr. Assange differed from ordinary investigative journalism. Notably, The New York Times, among many other news organizations, obtained precisely the same archives of documents from WikiLeaks, without authorization from the government.”
This is the issue, in three sentences. https://t.co/VCt9zAzK7s pic.twitter.com/7AjIDW2Avl
— Jameel Jaffer (@JameelJaffer) May 23, 2019
Press freedom organizations have been condemning these new espionage charges in stark and unequivocal language.
“Put simply, these unprecedented charges against Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are the most significant and terrifying threat to the First Amendment in the 21st century,” reads a statement by Freedom of the Press Foundation Executive Director Trevor Timm. “The Trump administration is moving to explicitly criminalize national security journalism, and if this prosecution proceeds, dozens of reporters at the New York Times, Washington Post and elsewhere would also be in danger. The ability of the press to publish facts the government would prefer remain secret is both critical to an informed public and a fundamental right. This decision by the Justice Department is a massive and unprecedented escalation in Trump’s war on journalism, and it’s no exaggeration to say the First Amendment itself is at risk. Anyone who cares about press freedom should immediately and wholeheartedly condemn these charges.”
“The indictment of Julian Assange under the Espionage Act for publishing classified information is an attack on the First Amendment and a threat to all journalists everywhere who publish information that governments would like to keep secret,” reads a statement by Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon. “Press freedom in the United States and around the world is imperiled by this prosecution.”
“For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges under the Espionage Act against a publisher for the publication of truthful information,” reads a statement by the ACLU. “This is a direct assault on the First Amendment. These charges are an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on journalism, establishing a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets. The charges against Assange are equally dangerous for US journalists who uncover the secrets of other nations. If the US can prosecute a foreign publisher for violating our secrecy laws, there’s nothing preventing China, or Russia, from doing the same.”
BREAKING: For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges under the Espionage Act against a publisher for the publication of truthful information. This is a direct assault on the First Amendment. https://t.co/RJxjFPfkHe
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 23, 2019
Also opposing the new indictment, far too late, have been popular pundits from mainstream liberal news outlets.
“The Espionage indictment of Assange for publishing is an extremely dangerous, frontal attack on the free press. Bad, bad, bad,” tweeted MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.
“Today the Trump DOJ becomes the first administration to ever charge a publisher with *espionage* — an assertive, unprecedented legal crackdown on the traditional rights and protections for publishers,” tweeted MSNBC’s Ari Melber. “That is a legal fact, regardless of one’s views of Julian Assange. The new Trump DOJ indictment treats activities most top newspapers engage in — gathering and publishing classified material — as criminal plotting, claiming Assange ‘conspired’ with and ‘aided and abetted’ his source in the pursuit of classified material.”
One need only to look at the outraged “this is a horrible take” comments underneath these tweets to see that these condemnations are coming long after the propaganda they’ve helped advance against WikiLeaks has seeped well into the bloodstream. It’s impossible to tell the same group of people day after day that Assange is an evil Nazi Putin puppet rapist who smells bad and mistreats his cat, and then persuade them to respond to a depraved Trump administration agenda against that same person with an appropriate level of resistance.
I find no satisfaction in saying ‘I told you so’ to those who for 9 years have scorned us for warning this moment would come. I care for journalism. If you share my feeling you take a stand NOW. Either you are a worthless coward or you defend Assange, WikiLeaks and Journalism. https://t.co/NkUfZWYan8
— Kristinn Hrafnsson (@khrafnsson) May 23, 2019
“I find no satisfaction in saying ‘I told you so’ to those who for 9 years have scorned us for warning this moment would come,” tweeted WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson. “I care for journalism. If you share my feeling you take a stand NOW. Either you are a worthless coward or you defend Assange, WikiLeaks and Journalism.”
Indeed, WikiLeaks staff and their supporters have been warning of this for many years, only to be dismissed as paranoid conspiracy theorists and rape apologists by smearers who insisted Assange was merely avoiding rape charges by taking asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London back in 2012. There are many tweets by the WikiLeaks Twitter account warning that the US is trying to charge Assange under the Espionage Act all the way back in 2010, and they’ve been warning about it over and over again ever since, but nobody’s listened.
“The only barrier to Julian Assange leaving Ecuador’s embassy is pride,” blared a Guardian headline last year by the odious James Ball, with the sub-header “The WikiLeaks founder is unlikely to face prosecution in the US, charges in Sweden have been dropped – and for the embassy, he’s lost his value as an icon.”
Assange has been warning for years that this was coming. He’s been unequivocal about the fact that he was perfectly willing to participate in the Swedish investigation from the beginning and was only taking asylum with Ecuador due to fear of extradition and political prosecution in the US, which Ecuador explicitly stated were its reasons for granting him asylum. He was absolutely correct. He’s been correct the entire time. History has vindicated him. He was right and his critics were wrong.
We are also already seeing Assange vindicated in his warnings of what his prosecution would mean for the free press. He hasn’t even been extradited yet and we’re already seeing a greatly escalated war on journalism being implemented, with new developments in just the last few days like a San Francisco journalist now being charged with conspiracy for receiving internal documents from the San Francisco Police Department, and a prominent French journalist being summoned by police for reporting on corruption in the Macron government.
WIKILEAKS RESPONDS TO ESPIONAGE ACT INDICTMENT AGAINST ASSANGE: UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON FREE PRESS pic.twitter.com/F0iUyr0R7F
All this of course begs the question: what else has he been right about? Anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty who has previously had their doubts about Assange will necessarily begin asking themselves this question now. It’s worth reviewing the things Assange has been saying about Russia not being the source of the 2016 Democratic Party emails that WikiLeaks published, about what really happened in Sweden, and about his general understanding of what’s going on in the world with opaque and unaccountable power structures leading us all down a very dark and dangerous path.
If you open your mind to the possibility that Assange has been right about more than you’ve given him credit for previously, the implications can shatter your world. Give it a try. There’s no longer any legitimate reason not to.
Everyone has my unconditional permission to republish or use any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, throwing some money into my hat on Patreon or Paypal, purchasing some of my sweet merchandise, buying my new book Rogue Nation: Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone, or my previous book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here.
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#Trumpassangeespionageindictmentnewswikileaks
The US Government Is Like A Bad Dad
Professional Assange Smearers Finally Realize His Fate Is Tied To Theirs
mike k / May 24, 2019
The scum rises to the top. The very worst, evil people rule over the rest of us. This is the tragic history of humans on this planet. Unless this is stopped, the very worst outcome for all of us is inevitable. Rich people and their pawns are that scum that we need to free ourselves from.
Reply /
Peter Waffleberg / May 25, 2019
Sounds harsh BUT 100 percenttrue.
99 percent of Western Sheeple are asleep at the wheel.
Without freedom of speech and the press we are screwed!
Its clear to me that is where this scum is taking us .The Fourth Reich is alive and well.
I fully expect in the near future passage of some sort of Enabling Act just like good ole Adolph did.These scumbag deep statists are good very good.While the sheeple play and watch superheroes and grossly overpaid atheletes etc the foundations of Freedom and Democracy are being destroyed bit by bit by a Fascist Corporate Elite.
Things are not going to end well .I feel for the current and subsequent generations who will be the benefactors of this dystopian envinroment
Grace M Joubarne / May 24, 2019
I think that first we have to change the terminology we use. It is not a government, not in USA, Canada, Australia or anywhere else in western society. It is a for-profit corporate de facto authority controlled by the Vatican / OWO that has forced its way into our countries and led us to believe that it owns the landmass. It doesn’t.
The People own the landmass. We have simply abdicated our responsibility to protect our landmass and thrown one another under the bus to ensure we can personally survive, instead of standing with all those oppressed at all times.
So, once we clear our heads and realize we are up against the most depraved corporate entities mankind has ever produced, we, the billions who are suffering at their hands, will then see the way to end corporatocracy and enslavement forever.
As the Pope said, WWIII has already started, with silent weapons for the silent war a-blazing. It is waged in piecemeal fashion, attacking us on every flank. Yet, there are billions of us to their few hundred thousand, we do nothing. How does the Pope know this? The Roman Catholic Church has orchestrated every major atrocity, war and installation of despots, dictators and psychopathic leaders since 300 AD. It made Hitler, the Nazis, Mussolini what they were…read world leading authority on the Vatican, Avro Manhattan’s two books.
Aardvark-Gnosis / May 24, 2019
The depressing truth of your statements is reminiscent of the axiom, “ Never Give a Sucker a Fair Break”…
Royal Elites are subordinate to the power of Jewish Rabbis and Priests in the mix of all things about the money changers and the religious “Free Lunch” The power to control the dystopian mind set is just as bad as sanctions placed on governments and people like Julian Assange… These are Talmudic in nature, because it uses the law of divine right. The old school Hebrew patriarchs saw divine fate as a signal that the gods favored the intellegencia of gifted humans with extraordinary foresight. They christened themselves the orators of the law… These gifted men gave us attorneys like the Rabbis of intellectual junk and magic like the Talmudic Kabalistic Zohar…Voodoo Magic and conjure in the form of superstition and fear for the goyim masses, as well the bondage and subjugation to the lords of their kingdoms, as well, the riches they amassed under the umbrella of the mosaic clusterfuck… yet men will follow in their ignorance of their true human spirit as they worship the lesser gods of intelligencia and conjured illusions of divine right. The devil is In the “thought”, elevated by behaviour means… that men conjure in the creative mind to keep the masses of believers under control… They us wars to divide the essence of the true human spirit, contrary to working towards emancipation from our illusionary masters.
Today the modern world is reminiscent of the old ancient ways of dictation through voodoo magic called modern intelligentsia… the sciences are incorporated into a modern dystopia of past powers of religions that control the mind of the state educated commoner… the matrix of that system finds the best minds to incorporated into the system and keep the ponzi going. Yet we are thought that we are emancipated by our intelligence… but it is not natures way… It’s the lords of Flatbush and the shaman soothsayers world of illusion and fakery in the truth of injustice…
There is no justice for the commoner! If the man Jesus did exist… His commoner mentality crossed paths with this injustice long before our time… Unhappy Jews, aka, Hebrews were fed up with right by might rules they were subjugated to by the psychopaths of their time, minutia and self absorbed narcissistic deviance . Self appointed DNA and mythological bitterness created the divine right of so called Sumerian lore and the genealogy of temporal hell on earth. They were looking for mental freedom from bondage to shamanic thought and illusionary cosmic fake reality’s, The latter, conjured by the religious order of these dystopian police of their age. Rulers good and bad were the failings of the commoners of Flatbush…
We now are regressing as history repeats it self… “Atlas Shrugged” as the one percent control the power of life an death… sanctions, war, then patriots that are used to keep the lords in power, spill the blood in the hornets nest of dystopian religious and secular false intelligentsia. Mother earth purges the men that live by the sword… The innocent are players in the dystopian fallout of complacent material games of materialism as part of the fodder of war by the sword. There are no righteous in this complacency, as children of the corn have been born into the behavioural ignorance of the human stain of their parents! There are no innocent… just ignorant players in a game of life and death.
Depressing is just the idea we’d conjure to explain the latter!
Raelyn / May 24, 2019
Neoliberalism is the agenda to roll back all of our hard-won rights and protections. Why? To this nation’s policy controllers, a healthy middle class and political power are considered a threat, unlike other democratic countries.
The major flaw of Neoliberalism:
John Nash (A Beautiful Mind) put forward a game theoretic formulation which argued that a system driven purely by self-interest could maintain equilibrium as everyone’s self-interest would be balanced by everyone else’s
Nash won a Nobel Prize in economics
His most famous game was called “Fuck You Buddy” where the only way to win was to betray your opponent
Reinforced priority of competition and irrelevance of cooperation for personal or group strategies
Paranoid schizophrenia later acknowledged as a cause of this excessively individualistic approach to social relations
Yet, a whole global economic system continues based on the mental illness of one of its major theorists.
Toward the end of his life, Nash himself admitted that his game theory was incorrect.
Even before John Nash, Friedrich von Hayek, an Austrian economist considered the father of neoliberalism, did not believe in social justice or anything ‘public’. Today, we are seeing the effects of privatization of everything, the ‘greed is good’ mantra of fellow libertarian Milton Friedman that has taken predatory capitalism repeatedly beyond the brink of disaster. It has become THE threat to humankind and the natural environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5u5JpvuiTQ
It’s evident that progressive policies are increasingly under attack as the goal to turn the entire world fascist is actually underway:
The Struggle For Our Future
“Netanyahu’s problem is that the post-World War II international laws and treaties seeking to prevent aggressive nationalism, racism, and the oppression of minorities now stand in the way of Israeli ambitions. So, oddly, the only way Israel can realize its Zionist ambitions while also being seen as a “normal” country—one that is in tune with the international community— is by changing international norms.
That is, Israel now seeks to undermine the progressive international environment that was, in good part, designed to protect the remnants of European Jews. And it would seem, many of those who voted for Netanyahu knew exactly what sort of society they were endorsing.
It would seem that we are in a decisive struggle that will determine the shape of our future. Will it be reactionary or progressive in nature? Organized conservatism has evolved into a reactionary force throughout much of the West, and the hard-fought-for, progressive aspects of our world are in serious danger.
The fate of Donald Trump, the U.S.’s ersatz Mussolini, in the 2020 election might be a pivotal moment in this struggle. In the meantime the struggle seems over in Israel—the reactionaries have won.”
http://tothepointanalyses.com/the-struggle-for-our-future/?fbclid=IwAR00t5f7rtI10Dco7DgsYrxe–6tyU0B578Z9anSyawRvKIESuekrW1ODek
Making Progressives The Enemy
“The truth of the matter is that the Zionists are hell-bent on moving the world backwards: back to the days when racist conquest was mistaken for the spread of civilization, when efforts to institutionalize standards of human and civil rights were seen as impingements on sovereignty, back to the days when no one gave a second thought to oppressed peoples (including oppressed Jews).”
http://tothepointanalyses.com/making-progressives-the-enemy/?fbclid=IwAR0ebXAngJpSZY0-WdB-zOgfqWnGsmYzqkYMP4A69kqbHrTI6WqjSpWM4Ow
richard le sarcophage / May 31, 2019
The Zionists totally control the USA, UK, France, Canada and Australia, politically and in the media and other brainwashing systems. They control as much of the rest of the West as they desire. All through straight money power and the ‘antisemitism’ scam. They are, in fact, de facto world rulers, save for China, their greatest fear. There will be no Confucian or Maoist-Zionist cabal or movement take over China, and the Chinese dare to treat Jews as fellow human beings, nothing more, nothing less. And that is the worst ‘antisemitism’ of all-not knowing your place.
Klaus von Berlin / May 24, 2019
Jean Ziegler the former UN special ambassador for the right to food explains” German fascism needed six war years to kill 56 million people .The neoliberal economic system does this easily in one year” We must focus on ourselves and ask why we do not react with proper moral indignation and counter-measure to totalitarian thought system with such destructive consequences we are responsible for our actions and non -actions and for the society in which we live. Start with not consuming we are citizen and not consumers. Neoliberalism is the greatest global redistribution project of history using a very polished psychologically indoctrination system to pervade all areas of our lives.
Tom Welsh / May 24, 2019
Since the US government is obviously determined to prevent any free and open comment on its plans and actions, the only course remaining is to assume – at all times – that its motives are the very worst, and its intentions hostile to all decency and humanity.
Which of course has been the case for a very long time already.
LSJohn / May 24, 2019
It’s very disappointing to see what a large percentage of our fellow citizens can look at the same facts we see and fail to realize the truth of your words.
A comment on the indictments: The authority to charge a crime is useful, but becomes geometrically more useful with the discretion NOT to charge.
Mockingbird on steroids.
Jimmy Roberts / May 24, 2019
Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning are Knights in Shining Armour embattled with the evil dragon of US imperialism.
The 17 indictments spell the death knell, not only for Julian Assange (ifTrump’s slavering dogs of war get their blood-stained hands on him), but also for freedom of an honest press all over the world.
The phoneys who hid behind the bogus “sexual assault” allegations are now fully exposed for the cowards, windbags, and unprincipled stooges of US imperialism that they are.
Now it is clear for all with eyes to see that Assange and Wikileaks are in the front trench of a ruthless war against a free press and freedom of speech by the killing machine of US imperialism. It is lining up two more Wars for Oil in Venezuela and Iran, and does not want any Journalist exposing its war crimes there too.
It is time for every decent human being in the world to stand up and be counted in the counter-offensive against Trump and his salivating Dogs of War, Bolton and Pompeo. They threaten to darg the world into a Third, Nuclear World War.
They can only be stopped – and Assange and Manning can only be freed – by a mass uprising of the world’s working classes.
The petit-bourgeois, fake radical, “identity politics” brigade has been called to arms over this issue, and every single one of them – including Corbyn, Diane Abbot, and company – have been exposed as drafty dodgers.
The Julian Assange case is the 21st century equivalent of the Dreyfus case in 19th Century France, only with even more momentous political and world significance.
All those who genuinely support human rights, peace, and justice will rally to the support of Assange and Manning. All those who don’t, or who engage in dissembling and equivocation of any kind, are deserters and traitors to the cause of humanity.
If Trump and his Dogs of War are not stopped, they will drag us all into a nuclear holocaust. Where will the pathetic, anaemic, and self-interested “identity politics” agenda be then? Reduced to ashes like everyone and everything else.
FREE JULIAN ASSANGE AND CHELSEA MANNING!! FORWARD TO THE WORLD SOCIALIST REVOLUTION!! JAIL THE WARMONGERS AND MURDERERS!!
Edward / May 24, 2019
The United States is becoming like the Soviet Union. This indictment is of a piece with Trump’s abrogation of treaties, disregard for environmental regulations, or other violations of the rules.
Still, I thought the “Justice Department” was supposed to wait until after Assange was extradited before throwing these extra charges at him. I wonder why they did this now?
Ron Campbell / May 24, 2019
Why now?? In my estimation this is why:
https://nypost.com/2019/05/23/trump-orders-intelligence-agencies-help-barr-with-probe-into-russia-investigation/
sandra / May 24, 2019
Repeated emails and communications to “our” government leaders go unanswered.Julian would be getting more assistance as a convicted drug runner in Bali.It’s a disgrace!
rev dr / May 24, 2019
Thanks, Caitlin, for your succinct eloquent truth telling!
I am glag you mentioned about US.gov going after a foreigner: Julian was never a US citizen as far as I have ever heard, nor ever pledged any oaths of allegiance to the USA! Australian citizenship is now nothing more than a worthless suzerain colony if its citizenry is obliged to self censor to oblige sycophants of foreign countries!
Now the clowns will parade around in another day for Memorial Day which is a farcical high mass for war profiteer cannibals pretending to care about defending constitutional freedoms while standing aloft the bones of millions killed in illegal wars!
Meanwhile Trump insults his hapless deplorable voters by kowtowing to the Clinton Cheney clique. That these servants of war blame Wikileaks for their own failures to abide by laws and protect their data will be recorded in history and will become the true memorial.
Let the hunger strikes begin!
Australia must be competing with Britain for “poodle” status.
And the Australian government continues to sit on it’s hands like the good little Five Eyes lackey that it is.
In our minds we know that the ” shit ” is coming; we know that the “shit” is going to stink; all that we can ever hope for is that the ” shit” will forever clog up the toilet and the “facade of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law under the United States Constitution” no longer is believed by the populace anywhere!!!! President Trump is determined to ignore the United States Constitution and he clearly dares everyone to try and stop him!!!
Nylene13 / May 24, 2019
“Without a Free Press, Democracy cannot exist.”
Sasha / May 24, 2019
And the answer is blowing in the wind as the best singer bard said. Seriously between one or two possible war coming (Venezuela, Iran/q, Syria) and Julian and others whistle blowers treatment by US gov people have to start organize. It is not hard two come up with banner’s ideas. My platform – Richard Wolff, Noam Chomsky may speak from his home. We might starts to think about speeches and share ideas. I don’t want status quo to continue, that may end up with military revolt and blood all over, or antisemitic pogroms from ultra right. I am Jew from Leningrad. 30 years in US, NYC metro area. B well Caitlin!
Chris / May 24, 2019
Good thing the Trump Administration is SO heavy handed in this pursuit.
Maybe they’ll keep going, adding “global warming” to Julian’s list of alleged “high crimes”?
Generally crude and buffoonish in its propagandizing of the US population, this Administration has already pushed the general population’s BS detectors to the “HI” setting.
(except of course for the ~31% that would eagerly follow Trump right into Hell)
Perhaps the best would be for Assange to be extradited to the US, put on trial, and EXONERATED.
Yes, a VERY high stakes situation for Julian!
But a US Court exoneration would set him free in the western world and pretty much neuter the US from further messing with him. And, I don’t believe that the US Government could appeal or re-try such an exoneration verdict.
Regardless, Wikileaks needs to be morphed into some kind of a non-human, faceless, automated (pseudo blockchain), type of enterprise. Thus depriving despotic regimes of ANY individual or group to flak, incarcerate, or kill.
Long before the “Citizens United Decision”, “The US Espionage Act of 1917” was, and remains, a very odious instrument for public suppression by our military-industrial complex and its elected officials.
Don’t forget that there is about an equal number who would follow Hillary (or whomever her replacement turns out to be.) Between them a solid majority.
Ishkabibble / May 24, 2019
” WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been charged by the Trump administration’s Justice Department with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.”
And the US is conducting an ongoing economic and mercenary war against Venezuela.
And the US is helping Saudia Arabia commit genocide in Yemen.
And the US tore up a legally binding agreement with Iran; placing illegal economic sanctions against Iran and threatening any nation who does business with Iran with economic warfare, even though Iran was fullfilling its obligations under the JCPOA.
And the US is still trying to do a regime change in Syria; repeatedly falsely accusing the Assad govt. of using chemical weapons; illegally occupying part of Syria and supporting terrorists in Syria who are trying to overthrow the Assad govt.; declaring the Syrian Golan to be part of Israhell.
And the US is still conducting a war of aggression within Afghanistan while occupying Afghanistan.
And the US conducted a coup in Ukraine.
And the US is still accusing Russia of things it never did, and no doubt more of those things are being cooked up as I type in order to justify more and more economic war.
Etc. Etc. Etc. I know it. You know it. We all know it. WTF can we do about it? The same thing we did about the Vietnam invasion and genocide in the 1960s and early ’70s, which accomplished exactly zero? The only thing that’s happened to the US govt. in the last 50 years is that, internationally, it has become even more of a threat to the survival of humanity.
The good thing is that the US Elite are now fighting among themselves, more and more violently and looking more and more downright ridiculous with each passing day. I’m hoping to see some fisticuffs in the chambers of congress in the near future. Something tells me it won’t be as entertaining as those Ukrainian parliament battles.
And speaking of fisticuffs, maybe next year we can all participate in a repeat of the history of the DNC convention in Chicago in 1968. So mark your placards, go out and buy some heavy-duty protective gear, including gas masks, to press the flesh with the wonderful riot police who will greet you with smiles on their faces and batons in their hands in the streets in front of Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum July 13-16 for the wonderul D convention.
Then from August 24 to 27, travel to the streets in front of the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina — a state that I’m sure just loves, as they used to say in the ’60s, “outside agitators” coming in to stir things up. There, it will be more like one of those annual Civil War re-enactments that are so popular in cities where famous Civil War battles took place.
Make sure you bring plently of bandages and powerful pain killers for the festivities, because the riot police of today are far better equipped than they were in the ’60s. Infinite fiat dollars will fund the whole shebang.
Spanky / May 24, 2019
“You know it. We all know it. WTF can we do about it? The same thing we did about the Vietnam invasion and genocide in the 1960s and early ’70s, which accomplished exactly zero?” — Ish
And yet you advocate more of the same?
We both agree that gradual, generational change isn’t an option — all that will happen is the police surveillance state will grow larger, more intrusive and overbearing…
Then, when the government begins attempting widespread weapons confiscation (and some Presidential wannabes are proposing exactly that) individual and scattered resistance will be cast by the MSM (will there even be an alt media by then?) as either deranged or homegrown terrorism.
Which is exactly why we should be tendering blank ballots at the next election — at every election.
Turn it into a meme, make it viral, underground and popular if at all possible. All we need do is agree that elite corruption and governance is killing the world, the nation — us — and it must be stopped now.
Even if we fail, at least we can gauge our numbers and political strength…
Frances / May 24, 2019
What can Australians do to prod our government to show some backbone and stand up to the US, UK, for telling the truth re war crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am so ashamed of our so-called ‘Christian’ PM and his foreign minister Ms Payne for not assisting an Australian citizen.
Scummo locked up refugee children until they went mad, and/or attempted suicide-and he’s proud of it. As Treasurer he brought in vicious austerity targeting the poor and defenceless. His tax cuts are designed to massively further enrich the wealthy. He is as much a follower of Jesus Christ as Ted Bundy.
Robert Thorpe / May 24, 2019
As usual, a first rate article. I have just recently discovered your work, Caitlin – it is superb, and provides real insight into the issues of our day that count. Thank you so much, Robert Thorpe, Toronto, Canada
RC - Garrs / May 24, 2019
I’m as ashamed as the Germans that found out what the Nazis were doing in their name and behind their backs.
Like Israel, the U.S. has become what we fought and died against, not that long ago.
I wonder if I live in a dystopian1984, in a Government ruled by fascists, Under Nazi rule or am I just lost in a nightmare?
Sam Linder / May 24, 2019
This sickens me. As an American, I am totally ashamed of, and disgusted with, my government. I would call or write letters but what’s the point? The Powers That Be have shown time-and-again that they don’t care about the concerns of the hoi polloi. They are making the same mistake other rulers have made throughout history and they will wake up one day and find their necks on the chopping block – a day that can’t come soon enough for me.
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New CNN Assange Smear Piece Is Amazingly Dishonest, Even For CNN
Why “Incremental Change” Is Worse Than No Change At All
Mainstream “Centrists” Pose The Greatest Ideological Threat To Us All
Caitlin Johnstone ⏳Follow
Caitlin Johnstone ⏳@caitoz·
Our rulers keep us poor and busy, ban psychedelics, marginalize alternative media, and pipe propaganda into our minds 24/7. If humanity had been allowed access to the existing modern tools of awakening, we'd be wide awake by now. We're not sleeping, we're in an induced coma.
Retweet on TwitterCaitlin Johnstone ⏳ Retweeted
The Onion@TheOnion·
The Onion Fact Checks: Trump Accuses Ilhan Omar Of Supporting Al-Qaeda
Aaron Maté@aaronjmate·
Thorough debunking by @kgosztola of CNN’s Assange-Russia story. CNN has no evidence & accordingly, as is the norm, relies on conjecture. With so many outlets still drinking the Russiagate Kool-Aid, it’s up to independent voices like Kevin to push back:
https://t.co/t4FlRtrblA
Kitty Hundal⏳#RebelGirl & #DarkWebIntellectual@kittyhundal·
Good morning @jack and @twittersupport #censorship crew
Please stop shadowbanning the #Unity4J hashtag and reinstate the @unity4J account.
No violations of the ToS occurred as you can see by this cached copy of our tweets at the time of suspension.
https://t.co/punRj1ZTp4
Jonathan Cook@Jonathan_K_Cook·
Caitlin Johnstone on the con of centrism's promise of political change: 'Under Obama and Trump, voters ordered a box of hope and change, received a package labeled “slow, incremental change”, then opened it up and found no meaningful change whatsoever' https://t.co/rkheNIgs2H
Johnstone: Mainstream "Centrists" Pose The Greatest Ideological Threat To Us All
"A Bernie supporter and a Trump supporter are arguing about left versus right while trapped in a room with a tiger who’s eating them both alive..."
Excerpt from "Mainstream 'Centrists' Pose The Greatest Ideological Threat To Us All":
People like Ashton Kutcher imagine that the so-called “center” is called that because it sits smack dab in the middle of the ideological spectrum between communism and fascism, right in that moderate sweet spot that respects capitalism and private ownership without flying off the deep end into Nazi-like tyranny. In reality, the status quo exists entirely outside any left-right paradigm. It’s neither “left” nor “right” to give total control of the western world to an alliance of plutocrats and opaque government agencies who seek to expand their power and wealth by destroying our ecosystem, waging endless wars, and gradually shoring up more and more control of their citizenry via internet censorship, surveillance and police militarization. It’s just crazy.
I’m picking on Ashton not because he occupies some special place in all this, but because he doesn’t. He’s just an illustration of how blind people have become to the real threat that’s right in front of them, and how normalized insanity has become.
People who identify as “left” see the ruling power establishment as right-wing, people who identify as “right” see the ruling power establishment as left-wing, and people who identify as “center” see themselves as moderates whose normal, healthy way of life is under threat by the “far right” and “far left”. But really all that’s happening is a few assholes fucking over everyone else, which is no more “left” or “right” than a terrorist attack. The left versus right argument doesn’t even make sense until this far more pressing issue has been resolved. A Bernie supporter and a Trump supporter are arguing about left versus right while trapped in a room with a tiger who’s eating them both alive.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2019/07/13/mainstream-centrists-pose-the-greatest-ideological-threat-to-us-all/ ... See more
Ashton Kutcher, a stupid person who got famous playing the role of a stupid person, tweeted the following the other day: “Where has the middle gone? Middle class? Politicians who don’t need t…
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Survey: Americans Have Remarkably Ignorant Attitude Toward Nukes And North Korea
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Inspired Living, Purpose, true self
How to Stop Pretending and Start Doing (When it Comes to Bringing Your Dreams Into Fruition)
May 12, 2019 May 9, 2019 by cajspirituality
“Sometimes life is about risking everything for a dream no one can see but you.”
I used to pretend I wanted to be a successful writer. I’d always tell people, “One day, I’ll write a book and it will become a bestseller. I’ll be able to work from anywhere, and have financial freedom.”
But, anyone who looked closely at my actions wouldn’t find me writing anything (except maybe a social media update or text message). My actions contradicted my words.
I was pretending I wanted to be a writer. I was pretending I wanted financial freedom. And I was pretending I wanted personal success. At the time, it seemed easier to live how I was living than to take action and risk being vulnerable, or failing, or both.
In retrospect, I WISH I could have those years back. I can only imagine how much further along I would be in my journey had I started sooner. But the reality is, I wasn’t ready and I wasn’t willing.
And this is a chapter most of us experience in our lives. We only do a tiny, minute fraction of what we’re capable of doing because we think it’s easier to live in a known hell than to take a chance on an unknown heaven.
If it does then take this as a sign that it’s time for you to stop pretending you want to go after some dream or goal, and actually take action and do it.
1.) Stop Making Excuses
“I’m too tired.”
“I’ll do it later.”
“I don’t have the time.”
“I need to feel inspired first.”
Your excuses aren’t going to get you anywhere, nor are they going to improve your life. The only thing your excuses offer you is a lost opportunity.
If you don’t want to stay stuck where you are, then stop making excuses. Each time you catch yourself making an excuse for why you “can’t” do something that would allow you to progress yourself and your dreams, take immediate action.
2.) Reprioritize Your Life
Is your schedule benefiting you?
Are your current habits serving your highest good?
If you answered no to the above questions, then the things you’re doing on a daily basis are keeping you stuck in the “pretending state” rather than creating the momentum you need to move forward.
Take a good look at your routine and the things you do daily – especially unconsciously. How much time do you waste on social media? Watching TV? Laying around doing nothing? How much time do you spend being proactive when it comes to your dreams and goals?
Be honest with yourself as you answer these questions, and figure out where you can adapt your current schedule to prioritize your dreams and goals. Then create a new schedule for yourself where the primary focus is on you doing what’s necessary to bring your dreams into fruition.
3.) Show, Don’t Tell
It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something. It’s another to actually do it.
Rather than telling everyone around you what you want your life to look like, show them instead by taking consistent action and creating the circumstances necessary to allow those dreams of yours to come to fruition.
Always back your claims up with action. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Otherwise, your words will lose power and meaning to you and everyone around you.
4.) Believe in Yourself
Beliefs are powerful. They impact everything in our lives from the thoughts we think, to the words we speak, to the actions we take, to our feelings about ourselves and the world around us.
When you believe you’re capable of doing something, achieving it becomes unquestionable. You know it’s possible, and your doubts are removed and you take the actions necessary to make that thing a reality. In contrast, when you don’t believe you’re capable of doing something, your mind is filled with doubt and fear which then causes you to stay stuck in a place of inaction.
Without self-belief, your dreams won’t come into fruition and you’ll block your own greatness.
Get out of your way! Believe in yourself, and know that whatever you want for your life IS possible.
If self-doubts, fears, and limiting beliefs are holding you back, make sure you check out Manifestation Mindset. It’s an online course I created to help people just like you release past hurt, rewire negative thinking patterns, and let go of self-doubts and fears for good!
Click here to enroll now!
5.) Use “I Am” Consciously
When you think of the words, “I am” what usually comes next for you? Are your statements primarily negative or positive?
The words “I am” are incredibly powerful because whatever follows these words is what shapes your reality.
“I am stupid.”
“I am a failure.”
“I am unlucky.”
If these are the kind of statements you’re making after “I am” then you’re keeping yourself stuck in an unpleasant reality that won’t allow you to bring your dreams into fruition.
Whenever you say “I am (insert)” do so consciously. Make sure your statement reflects the kind of life you want to create for yourself.
“I am powerful.”
“I am capable.”
“I am successful.”
By becoming conscious about how you talk to and about yourself, and making sure whatever “I am” statement you make is personally empowering, you’ll have an easier time bringing your dreams into fruition.
Above all remember, you’re only one decision away from an entirely different life. Make a commitment to yourself and your dreams and choose at least one of the above suggestions to action within the next 24 hours. Your new life is waiting…
#howtostoppretending #mindfulness #mindset #success #goals #dreams #trueself #purpose
How to Find Your Purpose: A Step-By-Step Guide
Spiritual Entrepreneur: 11 Ways to Make Money As A Spiritual Entrepreneur
3 thoughts on “How to Stop Pretending and Start Doing (When it Comes to Bringing Your Dreams Into Fruition)”
Inspiring as always… Yeah I do a few of these things 🙂
You are the sweetest 🙂 I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Sending you big love! Xx,
You too Antasha xoxo
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Tag Archives: www.gekologie.com
Basic/Better/Best
Posted by Candia in Humour, Suttonford, television
Antiques Roadshow, Blackberry, Border Terrier, Brassica, Easter Island, Flog-It!, Moai, Moorcroft, Radio 4, Rocky Road, Sotheby's, Tesco, The Moral Maze, Tribal Art, www.gekologie.com
There was an amateur Antiques Roadshow in Suttonford’s Community Centre on Saturday afternoon, on behalf of the charity, Curs in Crisis. The organisers had asked local auctioneer, Hubert Wormhole, to give of his expertise and they charged £5 per valuation. The queues snaked out into North Street, but thankfully it wasn’t raining.
Ginevra Brewer-Mead had donated a quirky, mystery object as a prize. It was to raise fifty pence a guess as to its identity and use. The winner would be allowed to keep it. It was all good fun.
Ginevra had bought the ugly thing many years before, at a jumble sale. It usually resided on her mantelpiece and her carer, Magda, had encouraged her to get rid of it, as it freaked her out. (Magda was becoming more and more proficient in her utilisation of Slanglish.)
People were laughing as they wondered aloud which of their friends and neighbours most resembled the figure with the over-sized head. Pollux nudged his twin and whispered: Caligula! They both sniggered, but their mother, Brassica, reproved them and said that it was rude to make comments about their teacher.
Hubert had set up a table with Basic / Better/ Best cardboard signs, which was an idea that he had stolen from the real BBC show. Three examples of Moorcroft pottery stood behind the labels.
Again, people were invited to pay fifty pence to guess the relative worthiness of the three items and, if they were correct, they were given a delicious cluster of Rocky Road from a Tesco bucket.
Brassica’s twins had been issued with their pocket money that morning, and, miraculously, still had some left.
Castor walked over to the table with the hideous figure and realised that he had seen it before, at Ginevra’s house, when he had been visiting with his mother. He had been fascinated by it and had looked up similar objects online. He knew that such figures dated from the Pre-Moai period, when Easter Island had been afforested. A similar object had sold at Sotheby’s in the eighties for £100,000.
He was hopping up and down with suppressed excitement when he asked the woman on the stall, who happened to be Sonia, if he could borrow a pen.
Then he concealed his writing with his arm crooked, as he was wont to do in school tests, so that John, his partner on the double desk, would not copy his answers. He wrote very carefully:
Rair deety Ester Iland
He appended his father’s mobile number. Thankfully he was more numerate than literate, so there was a chance of the adjudicator being able to contact him.
He posted his entry in the cardboard box. Sonia said, I think you might be a lucky boy.
Pollux usually did the Arts subject preps and he did the Maths and Science ones. Between themselves, they did quite well. However, on this occasion, he did not collaborate with his twin, nor did he inform him of his entry.
Some people were becoming annoyed as they had guessed the Moorcroft conundrum correctly, owing to an over-exposure of such ceramic art on Flog-It! They thought that they should have won the best object of the three, but even the Rocky Road was unavailable, as it had been consumed by little boys with light fingers and sweet tooths, no, teeth. And, in particular, by twins who had been feeding their Border Terrier who lay under the table, with the chocolate and marshmallow moreish morsels.
These small-minded adults had paid and guessed in vain and they were very disgruntled and said that charities should put humans before canines. They expressed other sentiments in terms which little boys should not have overheard.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Brassie was in her kitchen/diner, cooking supper and the twins had been finishing their flugelhorn and marimba practice next door. She called them to the table.
But, mum, we’re not hungry, they complained.
That’s because you stuffed yourselves with Rocky Road, she lectured. You know I don’t allow sugar treats and now you can see why. All this lovely wholesome Quorn is going to go to waste.
The twins simultaneously eyed their Border. They felt sure that he would oblige in any hoovering up operation to do with leftovers, even though he had consumed a fair amount of the sweet clusters himself.
Darling! She shouted up the garden in the direction of the observatory. Supper’s ready.
Cosmo was already coming down the path, fiddling with his Blackberry.
Castor, he said, it’s Mr Wormhole from the roadshow this afternoon. He says there has been a terrible mistake.
I know, dad. They didn’t pick up on the Polynesian figure.
What? said Brassie. (The phone always rang at mealtimes). I’ll take it. She held the mobile up to her ear with one hand while she stirred the unappetising looking Quorn mish-mash. Easter Island? Rare? Pre-Moy, what?
A similar figure went for an absolute fortune at a London sale of Tribal Art in the Seventies, said Hubert, suddenly very authoritative. Naturally, Mrs Brewer-Mead had no idea what she had donated. Even I wasn’t certain until I went home and referred to my Miller Guides.
But Castor guessed correctly, she insisted, amazed at her son’s vast store of knowledge filched from http://www.geekologie.com etc.
What’s all this about? asked Cosmo, confused as ever.
He says that Castor can’t have his prize as he spelled the answer incorrectly. He’s offering him the best piece of Moorcroft instead, Brassie stage-whispered, holding her hand over the Blackberry.
We’ll see about that, said Cosmo masterfully. He won it fairly and squarely, as far as I can make out.
No, they’ve had a lawyer on to it already and Ginevra seems to be within her rights to withdraw the prize and to offer a substitute. Brassie was frantically trying to remember where she had seen the advertisement for No Win/ No Fee legal services. Mr Wormhole thinks that Mrs Brewer-Mead, I mean Ginevra, has already appropriated it, as it was not on the table at the end of the afternoon.
Mr Wormhole rang off, saying that they could discuss things further on Monday.
Now do you see the importance of spelling, you careless boy? snapped Brassie.
Castor’s lip trembled, but he rallied: My teacher says that you can still get an A* so long as she and the examiner people can make out what it is you are trying to say.
Well, now you know that that is a load of rubbish in the real world, stressed Brassie. I’ll have to have a word with Ginevra on Monday about the EU and Children’s Rights and breach of promise.
Pollux tried to draw the blame onto himself-and succeeded; his father had more experience and kept a low profile.
I’d have known how to spell the answer, he piped up.
Oh, shut up, Smart-Alec, they all said.
Pollux crept over to the Border’s basket to stroke his little, furry friend and as a tear plopped onto the dog’s wiry head, it looked up quizzically, and, as it did so, it gagged.
Give! ordered Pollux.
After a tussle, he forced open its jaws and a carved splinter of something very Moai-like shot out across the kitchen flagstones.
Mum! he screamed.
Andy, the Border, had evidently carried the figure home in his mouth and had been worrying at it throughout their music practice and Brassie’s meal preparation.
They all agreed to say nothing and to accept the Moorcroft gracefully. However, Brassie could feel the discomfort on the back burners of her conscience. She felt that it was the kind of dilemma that The Moral Maze would like to have grappled with on Radio 4 and she felt that they would not emerge smelling of roses. She wished that Castor had never seen the wretched thing. It must have emitted some evil power, as she could see how destructive its forces would have been in her family and community.
Think of all the Dewlap Gins I could have bought, said Ginevra, wistfully.
It freaked me out, replied Magda, her carer. You only lost 20 pence effectively. But you still have your friends.
Let’s drink to that, agreed Ginevra. Bottoms up!
And Magda understood the expression, as her English and Slanglish was coming on.
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Otter app transcribes conversations like it's no big deal - MASHABLE
01.Mar.2018 . 2 min read
BY STAN SCHROEDER, MASHABLE – see original article
Anyone who's ever transcribed an audio interview into text knows what a painfully slow process that is. But with the new Otter app, created by a company called AISense, this could become a thing of the past, even when transcribing a complex conversation with several people speaking.
The app, which I tried out at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is simple to use: Start it up, and it'll start turning the conversation around it into text. After a quick setup process, it knows when you are speaking, and it can distinguish between different voices in the conversation. You can also search it for certain terms that were mentioned in the conversation.
SEE ALSO: The best tech of Mobile World Congress 2018
Otter uses AI smarts for automatic speech recognition, speaker separation and identification as well as deep content search — features not commonly seen on similar software solutions. And it actually does its job quite well in a reasonably quiet room — errors are there, obviously, but having an automated transcript right after you're done with an interview is very useful for journalists (you also get the audio recording of the conversation, don't worry).
In the extremely busy environment of Mobile World Congress, however, Otter's transcript was nowhere near the quality level that would make it usable — especially when recording my voice (it did better with the voices it was trained for). This is unsurprising: With dozens of people talking around you and a voice coming out of the speakerphone drowning out your conversation, I don't think any transcription engine would do a very job. In other words: Do not expect wonders in a noisy environment.
The app is free, but a paid version is currently not a priority and is expected in the second half of this year. "We want to encourage usage. We want to get a lot of users (...) We want to grow a healthy user base. (They) give us a lot of feedback, give us a lot of good training data so that we can improve our product and the end user experience," Simon Lau, head of product at AI Sense, told me.
In case you were wondering, I didn't write those sentences down; they come directly from Otter which was recording our conversation in the chaos of a hallway of Fira Gran Via, the Barcelona venue where Mobile World Congress is held. Check out that entire part of the conversation in the image, below.
Pretty accurate for a noisy setting.
Otter isn't just for journalists, though. Sam Liang, the CEO and co-founder of AI Sense, sees numerous potential uses, both for businesses and individuals. This includes recording meetings, teleconferencing sessions, sales calls and the like.
An obvious concern is privacy. Lau claims all the data is stored and moved around securely, with no one except the owner having access to it. As for potential abuse — such as eavesdropping on your employees, for example — Lau says the company will make efforts to educate its users on acceptable and unacceptable use.
Otter is available for free on Apple's App Store as well as Google Play.
Award-winning voice-first team collaboration app for meetings and conversations.
Otter @ TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility 2019 - San Jose
Otter – Is Where Conversations Live By Closing the Gap
CEO Tech Talk: How Otter.ai Uses Artificial Intelligence To Automatically Transcribe Speech To Text - Forbes
Otter selected as App of the Day by Apple
Dale Beaumont recommends Otter at Youpreneur Summit
Follow @otter_ai
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The Soft Unknown: How Esthera Preda Illustrates Her Dreams
There is an aesthetic strength that comes from knowing yourself. When you’re open to all of your diverse facets and layers, you’re able to tap in that special, specific something that truly defines you. Canadian illustrator Esthera Preda is an expert at creating a world that’s steeped in her own uniqueness. Her work is delicate, complex, and unmistakably hers. We caught up with Esthera to chat about tattoos and folklore, and to delve deeper into what exactly makes her artwork so recognizable.
A lot of your illustrations seem to be inspired by old-school tattoo styles? Is there a reason for this?
Indeed, traditional tattoos, especially Americana style tattoos, are a big source of inspiration for me. I’m really fascinated by illustrations from the Civil War to WW2. I love how art from that period really documented the world opening up its borders. I feel like it’s very present in the tattoo culture, and I’m guessing it’s because of the wars. But I’m no tattoo historian! I just love the romantic ideas associated with tattoos from back then.
Do you have any tattoos? Do you know if anyone has tattoos of your work?
Yes and yes! I started learning how to tattoo last summer and so a few people have some of my artwork. I’d like to keep tattooing, but just for fun. It’s something that really demands a lot of dedication and I prefer to focus that energy on illustration. And to tell you the truth, I find it pretty nerve wracking! I never feel that way illustrating, so it must be a sign. However, I do a lot of custom tattoo designs, which is the best of both worlds for me. I get to draw something I’m comfortable with and then a skilled tattoo artist can beautifully render the design on someone’s skin.
I read that you are really inspired by dreams and fairy tales. I think most fairy tales are trying to teach us something, a specific fear to have or what is morally right. Do you feel that dreams are the same way?
Dreams are very mysterious! I was surprised to read that scientists don’t even fully understand the purpose of sleeping. But I do feel that dreams can often mirror some of our deepest feelings, yes. Or I also like to believe that some dreams take us to some sort of parallel dimension. You know how some dreams feel so long, like months sometimes? Our brains must experience time differently when we dream! It must mean something, but I don’t know for sure. It’s too nebulous, just like trying to remember a dream.
Do you create your own fairy tales to inspire your work, or do you pull from stories throughout history?
A little bit of both. Folktales always inspire me and whether it’s an intentional or not, I end up integrating elements into my own mythology. I think it’s really hard to invent something completely new though. I feel like the art world is constantly building upon previous times’ creations. At least, I know that I am affected by what I see from the past.
How did you choose your medium? Do you ever work outside it?
I chose by trial and error. I knew I liked using brushes to draw but that I didn’t like using acrylic or oil paints. I liked the ink style from pens, but I didn’t like actually drawing with a pen. Those mediums just wouldn’t create the textures I had in mind. Eventually I figured out that ink and watercolors were what I was looking for and now it’s very hard for me to work outside of that realm. I think it really defines my style and when I use other mediums, I feel like it doesn’t belong in my universe. However, that’s my next trying to integrate gracefully new mediums into my illustrations is my next goal!
I love all of the different animals that you portray in your work. Do they each have a specific meaning or do you include them for more aesthetic purposes?
Thanks! I usually paint in a very subconscious manner. When inspiring elements come to mind, I paint them and then arrange them until I feel like the composition is right. I find that manner of working liberating and so I never have a fully realized vision of my illustrations when I start. It’s like playing a fantasy video game where you have a map in the corner of the screen. In the beginning there’s just black around your character and as you go you become more and more aware of your surroundings until the map fully unveils. The meanings and direction of my illustrations always take shape as I work.
One of the reasons I’m drawn to your work is the element of softness juxtaposed with this feeling of fear, the unknown, or introspection. What about that balance inspires you?
I think that balance is just another inspiration from folkloric tales. Traditional folktales (before they were changed to suit children better) were often like that. If you read them, you realize quickly that they don’t always make sense because of those juxtapositions. In that same way, I don’t want my work to be too obvious. I want everyone to make their own interpretations.
Do you have a favorite “famous” artist? I love Toulouse-Lautrec for his honesty.
I admire Henry Darger for his authenticity. It strikes me how pure his work is. I’m always attracted to artists who create full universes.
Your work does feel distinctly feminine (in the best way!). Do you actively let your femininity inspire your art?
Thank you! I do feel like my work is feminine too, although it’s not a deliberate aesthetic choice. I have a feminine style of drawing to start with and I like to use bright colors. Add to that cute and pretty, magical elements and you have a recipe for a feminine looking body of work!
Photos by Marie-Claire De Blois
Shop Esthera's work
Flower Head Print
by Esthera Preda
Flower Head II Print
Flash sheet n*1 Print
Tiger on rug Canvas Print
Tagged as animals, art, canada, esthera preda, illustrator, montreal, society6 artist, studio tour, tattoos,
SOCIETY6 2017 TNT “WILL” SHAKESPEARE CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES
The Friday Five // 11.09.18
Brook Power Made Us A Bestie Holiday Gift Guide
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Evaluating recent attempts at improving the legislative process at RBI
by Pratik Datta.
A regulator is a mini-State in that it combines legislative, executive and judicial functions. As part of the legislative function, it writes laws, which are called subordinate legislative instruments. There has been considerable criticism about the way the legislative function is organised in India, e.g. Pattanaik and Sharma, 2015.
RBI issues numerous different kinds of subordinate legislative instruments including "regulations", "notifications", "circulars". Each year in July, the RBI issues "master circulars" which consolidate all circulars in force for a particular area.
Existing confusion
The instruments themselves often do not identify themselves. For example, here is an instrument which is classified as a circular on the website, but the body of the instrument does not state that it is a circular.
There should be a sharp distinction between a legal instrument, and communication about it through press releases, FAQs, videos, etc. This clarity is at present lacking. For example, on April 28, 2014, a notification was issued informing certain banks and primary dealers that the Government of India has offered to sell certain securities. Here is another circular which has similar information. These should be mere press releases and not be mixed up with legal instruments.
Sometimes the same instrument is classified under both notifications as well as circulars on RBI's website. For example, on April 1, 2015, an instrument was issued on setting up of IFSC Banking Units, and it is available both under notification as well as circular. This creates heightened legal risk about the distinction between these two classes of instruments.
The Governor had earlier suggested that RBI will take initiatives to simplify its regulations. On January 4, RBI released a press release explaining its new initiative to simplify its communication process. RBI proposes to issue a new instrument named "master directions" on all regulatory matters. It has, thus far, issued 17 master directions. According to RBI, all instructions issued by RBI, on a particular subject matter, under regulations or rules will be consolidated and referred to as Master Direction. This seems to introduce a new word `instructions' which is as yet not understood. We may also point out that formal legal positions of the RBI should not be articulated in press releases. Law firms are grappling with the complexity of understanding the exact use and scope of these master directions.
New Confusion 1: Master Circulars v. Master Directions
The press release states that one master direction will be issued for each subject matter covering all instructions on that subject. It promises that the existing set of master circulars issued on various subjects will stand withdrawn with the issue of the master direction on the subject. This means that master directions will now subsume master circulars as well as all instructions issued on the subject matter. However, all instructions were anyways being issued as circulars, which used to get consolidated into the master circular. Therefore, it is unclear how master directions will be any different from master circulars. Moreover, RBI has already issued a Master Direction - Miscellaneous. This shows that the classification of subject matters has not been clearly thought through and suffers from the same vagueness.
New Confusion 2: Circulars for amendments
RBI's press release states:
Any change in the rules, regulation or policy will be communicated during the year by way of circulars. All the changes will get reflected in the Master Directions available on the RBI website along with the dates on which changes are made.
This appears confused. An amendment regulation or amendment rule is itself available in the public domain. Hence, there is no need for a circular to communicate the same. To illustrate, let us assume FEMA (xyz) Regulations, 2000 are amended by FEMA (xyz)(First Amendment) Regulations, 2010. There is no need to issue a circular (a legal instrument) to communicate the issuance of FEMA (xyz)(First Amendment) Regulations, 2010 (another legal instrument).
New Confusion 3: FAQs
RBI's press release again says:
Explanations of rules and regulations will be issued by way of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) after issue of the Master Directions in easy to understand language wherever necessary.
This assumes that regulations will suffer from ambiguity, and will need to be explained by FAQs. But if FAQs can be drafted lucidly, why can't regulation be similarly drafted? Why the reliance on FAQs?
FAQs are generally put up on the website by junior staff within the regulator. There is little formal due process for their issuance. They can be put up or removed from the website at the discretion of the junior staff. When market participants find some regulation to be badly drafted, junior regulatory staff issue FAQs to clarify their stand, and the ambiguity in the regulation itself is not addressed. There is legal risk in the form of unpredictable changes to FAQs in the future. There are many examples of FAQs being used by regulatory staff as a regulation-making tool (see here and here). The regulator's ability to issue FAQs generates perverse incentives for the staff and results in badly drafted regulations. On a similar note, Burman et. al., 2014, argued that the concepts of `special guidance' and `general guidance' in IFC 1.0 had serious problems, and these were addressed in IFC 1.1. RBI should consider doing away with FAQs, and instead upgrade the quality of drafting of legal instruments so as to remove ambiguities.
A better solution to improving the legislative function at RBI
While the aspiration to improve processes at RBI is a noble one, the recent efforts leave a lot to be desired. Designing the sound working of regulators is part of a specialised subject that is called administrative law. Thousands of man-years of knowledge in this field has coalesced into the work of FSLRC and IFC version 1.1. Instead of reinventing the wheel badly, RBI would do well to simply follow the FSLRC's recommendations on regulation making. Three key ideas are:
RBI should clearly distinguish legal instruments from other media releases. Legal instruments should be drafted at the level of simplicity, precision and clarity required of the drafting of law, e.g. as has been done with the IFC 1.1.
There should be only one permissible legal instrument: the `regulation'. All other tools such as circulars, notifications, master circulars, master directions etc. should be eliminated. Regulations should be amended by amending regulations and the complete updated version of the regulation should be made available on its website. A single comprehensive view of all subordinated legislation by RBI should be visible on the RBI website, as is the case with the UK FCA Handbook.
RBI should refrain from using FAQs. Instead of using FAQs, plain English drafting should be used for drafting all regulations.
Anirudh Burman, Pratik Datta, Suyash Rai, Arjun Rajagopal, Shubho Roy. Difficulties with Special Guidance and General Guidance in the IFC, Ajay Shah's blog, 11 February 2014.
Arpita Pattanaik and Anjali Sharma, Regulatory governance problems in the legislative function at RBI and SEBI, Ajay Shah's blog, 23 September 2015.
The author is a researcher at the National Institute for Public Finance and Policy.
Labels: author: Pratik Datta, financial sector regulation, legal system
soumitro majumdar Friday, 8 January 2016 at 19:20:00 GMT+5:30
To assist effective interpretation of the provisions and thereby promote better compliance, a brief, but specific, preamble/ statement of objects should be incorporated in every "regulation".
Occam's razor of public policy
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Friday , July 5 2019
Home / Music / Reviews music / Music DVD Review: Stanley Jordan Trio – New Morning: The Paris Concert
A mesmerizing performance from one of the world's most gifted guitarists.
Music DVD Review: Stanley Jordan Trio – New Morning: The Paris Concert
Charlie Doherty September 24, 2008 Comments Off on Music DVD Review: Stanley Jordan Trio – New Morning: The Paris Concert 44 Views
Guitar wizard and jazz star Stanley Jordan is a rare breed. Not just a fancy two-handed finger-tapping fretboard shredder, he’s an incredibly versatile musician and arranger with a degree in music theory and composition from Princeton University. To call him a virtuoso of the guitar is one thing, but Jordan takes the art of performing to a level that one hardly ever sees, particularly on his latest DVD Stanley Jordan Trio – New Morning: The Paris Concert (Inakustik).
Jordan, with longtime stand-up bassist Charnett Moffett and drummer David Haynes delivered a 105-minute show in an intimate setting at the New Morning Jazz Club in Paris, France in July of 2007. It was a 12-song setlist that featured many long compositions, some of which he authored but most of which were covers of iconic artists you’ve probably heard at some point in your life, including The Beatles, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Mozart. And the main guitar Jordan used, the Vigier Arpege, was coincidentally, made by the French company Vigier Guitars.
At various points during the show, you see Jordan do something very challenging and sophisticated — from a musician’s point-of-view — that will blow your mind: using the left hand, he will play various rhythmic, jazzy chords on guitar, while simultaneously putting his right hand to work on a piano to play constantly evolving chords and soloing sections. Making impressive records in this fashion is one thing — which he did in the much of the 1980s and occasionally in the ‘90s — but seeing how a man like Stanley Jordan pulls this off live is truly the best way to enjoy his music. And for the most part, this reviewer did enjoy the Stanley Jordan Trio’s show, via the DVD.
The concert began with Jordan performing a majestic and elegant solo cover of the Paul McCartney-penned classic “Yesterday.” This veteran of the jazz circuit is known, of course, for his highly praised reworking of classic rock staples, such as The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” on his breakthrough Blue Note album, 1985’s Magic Touch, a release that earned Jordan a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys.
“A Place In Space,” from Stanley J’s latest studio output State of Nature followed, and though the French audience dug parts of this upbeat, be-bopping number that included all three musicians, it seemed directionless toward the middle of the song. Not his strongest composition.
Perhaps the most impressive and mind-boggling performance of the Paris show came next, with the trio’s cover of Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father.” Jordan, sitting in front of his piano, played an icy, scary-sounding intro, followed by beautiful melodic runs. When the rhythm section came into full swing, Jordan showed off his incredible gift of playing two instruments at once, but with a twist this time. As he arpeggiated the song’s melodies with his left hand on piano, Jordan simultaneously soloed on guitar with his right hand, then in mid-song switched his left hand to guitar and right hand to piano! Jordan wasn’t just showing off here, as his right-handed piano work handled the brighter melodies on the right side of the piano while his left-handed piano parts created darker-sounding flavors to compliment his bright and busy right-handed guitar runs. It was truly amazing to watch, obviously.
Elsewhere, Jordan showed his musical range as he put his stamp on Mozart’s “Piano Concerto #21: 2nd Movement,” another Beatles tune “Because,” John Coltrane’s “Naima,” and the light and lovely Miles Davis bluesy jazz classic “All Blues.” A song written on the spot by Jordan that July night, “New Morning Improv” was another standout, with his guitar and amp emitting spacious reverb as he engaged in more two-handed finger-tapping madness.
There weren’t many lowlights in this performance, but the radically reworked version of “Amazing Grace” stood out the most. It was mainly an experimental free-form piece by Moffett, who alternated between frantic, speedy riffs, bass-slapping and light harmonic touches, occasionally using a wah-wah pedal and violin bow to create new sounds. Only towards the waning moments of the tune — when Stanley Jordan joined in with some light, clean guitar strums — did he play the recognizable “Amazing Grace” intro. And then the song ended.
Other notable features of the DVD include a twelve-minute interview where the one-man musical machine discusses his unique playing style, warm-up exercises, and informs viewers that as a youngster, he actually studied piano before the guitar. [This may very well explain his brilliant piano-playing at the Paris show]
Stanley Jordan and company saved the most impassioned performance for last, with an epic version of Magic Touch standout track “Return Expedition.” This slow-to-fast-paced jazz tune, while slightly exotic, was also at times rockin’, and therefore a true fusion power jam that saw Jordan playing guitar and piano simultaneously one more time. Jordan, hardly out of energy by this point, gyrated his arms and guitar upwards every time he bent up a guitar string, then proceeded to move around the stage to perform with various effects—a fuzzy distortion effect and synthesizer designed for guitar. And while the combo of Moffett and Jordan constantly played off each other here, Haynes controlled the show closer’s direction the whole way with his ornate, dynamic drumming.
What Jordan seeked to accomplish here musically was to document where he was at a moment in time. No longer branching out into funk or soul territory, Jordan embraced jazz, pop, classical, and a little blues into his Paris show, mixing some of the old in with a lot of the new stuff, including new covers (like “Yesterday”), which as usual, he made his own.
In closing, there are a couple ways one can approach this DVD. Compared with Stanley Jordan’s 2003 Live In Montreal: International Jazz Festival DVD, which was an hour long with 11 tracks, The Paris Concert, at 127 minutes long in total (including the interview), is a highly entertaining release but may be somewhat less enjoyable than the former disc because it’s a little too lengthy, especially the one or two songs that seem directionless at times. And with 4 tracks from Jordan’s 2008 CD State of Nature included in the 12-song set versus only a few from his peak years in the mid-1980s-to-early ‘90s, some fans may wish he played more older tracks. On the other hand, the 2003 live DVD had comparatively more familiar cuts but was only an hour in length.
The bottom line: With The Paris Concert, the quality of the show is so captivating and awe-inspiring that Jordan’s fans will likely disregard its length, won’t be picky about song selections, and enjoy it for what it is. I’m no jazz freak, but this was one of those performances that had you constantly in awe of what Jordan was doing in front of your very eyes and wondering, “How does he do that?” It wasn’t my favorite setlist but was a strong performance nonetheless and therefore do no hesitate in recommending this DVD to Stanley Jordan’s fans and anyone else who appreciates elite musicianship.
Tags Instrumental Live Concerts Video
About Charlie Doherty
Senior Music Editor and Culture & Society (Sports) Editor at Blogcritics Magazine; Prior writing/freelancing ventures: copy editor/content writer for Penn Multimedia; Boston Examiner, EMSI, Demand Media, Brookline TAB, Suite 101 and Helium.com; Media Nation independent newspaper staff writer, printed/published by the Boston Globe at 2004 DNC (Boston, MA); Featured in Guitar World May 2014. Keep up with me on twitter.com/chucko33
@Chucko33
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Category: Media
Students Learn The Art Of T’ai Chi
DEVELOPING FORM: The club demonstrating a T’ai Chi form in certain stages of the move.
CHINESE martial art T’ai Chi has found its way to Teesside University as way to help students feeling the pressure of their studies.
The Teesside University T’ai Chi society was formed as a way to ease the minds of students with its work on health of the body and mind.
Stephen Brown, who has been instructing for four years at the club, said: “I was in one of the classes and I’d already been doing teaching when one of the teachers left and I decided to keep it going by teaching it myself.”
FOLLOW THE LEADER: Members attempting to follow the moves showcased by Instructor Stephen
Stephen has been studying T’ai Chi for more than 10 years and believes the form is a lot more than just another martial art.
“T’ai chi helps with self-defence and when I say self-defence, the first thing in self-defence is the health of the body,” he added.
“One can’t defend themselves if they can’t look after themselves. If you’re a student and you walk away from studies and come back with a fresher mind, you can always tackle something.”
FLOW: Following the flow of the move with the instructor
Member and current student Sean Wilkinson encourages students to get involved in order to ease the stress of university.
Sean said: “I think you should give it ago, because it does help your mind and your body.
“Not only is it a physical activity but it’s a mental activity that frees the mind.
“After hours of doing this, your mind is completely clear and it’s still a martial and is used for self-defence.”
T’AI CHI MOVES: Stephen demonstrates a form for his students to follow
Sessions are usually on from 2:00pm to 4:00pm every Sunday in the Brittan Building. To join the club and find out more, e-mail taichi@tees-su.org.uk.
from Tside
Author MarkPosted on February 4, 2014 Categories MediaTags TSIDE
Middlesbrough 0 Wigan Athletic 0: Play-off chasers settle for a draw
HOLLY the Hamster’s fortune has started to desert the Teessiders after a goalless draw against Wigan.
Boro 0 Wigan 0
Neither side looked able to convert any of their chances, as both sides left their shooting boots in the changing room.
Curtis Main was reinstated to the starting line-up after Lukas Jutkiewicz departed to Bolton Wanderers on loan. Emmanuel Ledesma was recalled in place of Albert Adomah who isn’t fit to start.
There was no room in the squad for former Boro boy Josh McEachran who signed on loan for the visitors from Chelsea earlier in the week. Uwe Rosler made four changes to the side that beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup.
Chris McCann could have given the visitors an early lead. Nick Powell’s backpost header fell kindly for the Latics number seven; but his goal bound shot his Rhys Williams and went out for a corner.
15 minutes in and Boro won a free kick in Emmanuel Ledesma territory, just outside the 18-yard box. However the Argentine’s well struck shot was held by Ali Al-Habsi.
The hosts best chance in the early exchanges fell to Mustapha Carayol when he drove at the Wigan back four and unleashed a thunderbolt that skimmed Al-Habsi’s right post.
Moments later Curtis Main’s turn and shot from just outside the area picked out the palms of the Wigan goalkeeper.
Carayol had his second chance in a matter of minutes when Daniel Ayala flicked on Ledesma’s corner. But the Gambian’s header was cleared off the line by Emmerson Boyce.
Boro centre-half was carried off the pitch on a stretcher with a brace around his knee on the verge of half-time. Bad news for the Aussie’s World Cup dream after he was left in a heap after running to head a ball.
Half-time: Boro 0 Wigan Athletic 0 – Wigan have had the lion’s share of possession without looking threatening.
The first chance of the half fell to Main. Ledesma’s cut-back presented the striker with an opportunity from six yards out but he blazed over.
Former Sunderland man James McClean was introduced and almost opened the scoring. The Irishman ran at George Friend, shifted the ball onto his left and whistled it just over the bar.
Shay Given then showed why Aitor Karanka wanted to extend his loan deal from Aston Villa till the end of the season. James McArthur’s deflected shot was saved well by the Irishman after he’d initially dived the wrong way.
McClean continued to be the source of all Athletic’s good moments. This time sending Given sprawling to cover his left-hand post, but he had it covered.
Middlesbrough are the visitors to the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday when they entertain Doncaster Rovers. Next up for Wigan is Charlton Athletic at the DW Stadium.
www.tside.co.uk man of the match: Emmerson Boyce – despite a mismatch with Boro centre-forward Curtis Main, dealt with Boro’s lone frontman with ease.
Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Given; Varga, Williams (Gibson 45′), Ayala, Friend; Whitehead, Leadbitter (c); Ledesma, Emnes (Adomah 59′), Carayol (Kamara 83′); Main
Unused subs: Konstantopoulos, Butterfield, Chalobah, Omeruo
Booked: Varga, Ledesma
Wigan Athletic (4-5-1): Al Habsi; Perch, Barnett, Boyce (c) Crainey; Beausejour, Watson (McArthur 60′), Powell (Maynard 85′), McCann, Espinoza, Fortune (McClean 60′)
Unused subs: Nicholls, Gomez, Kiernan, Browning.
Booked: Perch, Watson
Referee: Mr M Naylor
Attendance: 13,258 (177 visitors)
The strange world of an American frat house
TSIDE reporter Alex Larkin spent the first half of this academic year studying in America at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Here he investigates the strange goings on of a typical Fraternity House and just exactly what it means to be a member of a frat.
Fraternities have been constantly represented in Hollywood movies such as ‘Old School.’ Photo by Richard Foreman – © 2003 – Dreamworks, LLC – All Rights Reserved
IT may seem strange for us here at Teesside University – or any other university in the UK for that matter – as we are not familiar with fraternities, nor do we fully understand what they are.
In short, a fraternity is a group of male students who call themselves ‘brothers’. The female equivalents are known as sororities.
On the surface, these students live together in a shared house and usually choose a preferred charity to support, as they organise fundraisers and other events to raise money.
However, after digging a little deeper during my time at Slippery Rock University, I heard numerous stories of both men and women taking part in breathtaking activities at fraternity-hosted parties, including organised violence and extreme alcohol abuse.
With this, it would appear that Hollywood’s depiction of fraternities in films like Old School or Animal House are not a million miles from the truth.
Throughout my time at Slippery Rock University, I was given exclusive access to one fraternity, Theta Xi, and spent some time with four members in an attempt to unearth just exactly what life is like as a fraternity brother.
Established in 1966, Theta Xi now has 19 active brothers who consistently work towards supporting the Pittsburgh Heart Walk – a charity that aims to raise funds in the fight against heart disease.
Theta is the only fraternity that currently owns a shared house at Slippery Rock University – in which, they have marked their territory with larger than life Greek alphabet letters plastered across the living room ceiling boldly spelling out: THETA XI.
Given that the young men belonging to Theta Xi live unsupervised together, their ongoing charitable efforts are usually not what attract the attention of many, but more so that their house is the number one party destination for all students on a weekend – and is often the outlet for some especially primitive behaviour.
The floors of the basement in the house are sticky underfoot from the copious amounts of spilled alcohol and various substances throughout the many parties of the autumn term.
Tattered, dirty sofas are carelessly slung into corners, with hanging photos of university Theta alumni hung around the walls of the house on proud display.
Final year student, Anthony Beitler, 21, is the current treasurer of Theta Xi, and therefore one of the more experienced brothers as he is now well into his third year of membership.
Beitler cautiously explained his belief that fraternities are wrongly discriminated against across America.
“You see in the movies what supposedly happens and society thinks that all of this goes on in fraternities and we make your life hell,” He said.
“It’s very opposite in real life to what the movies are trying to portray and Theta especially does not do that type of hazing thing.”
But is that really the case?
Fraternities are constantly plagued with rumours of bullying tactics – referred to as hazing – used on new members immersed in the initiation process. New members are known as ‘pledges and tactics include paddling – an activity in which people are savagely hit across the backside with wooden oars.
Beitler however, remained insistent that this is completely untrue at Theta Xi, and was adamant that the fraternity is intolerant of physical abuse and are keen to stamp out hazing.
“With us, you can’t lay a finger on a pledge,” he said.
“We avoid bullying behaviour of any sort because the last thing we want is to make our pledges uncomfortable.”
Theta Xi’s house sits just off of Slippery Rock University campus
Artie McDermitt, a 19-year-old first year, is now in his second term as a brother in Theta Xi, and was given two awards at Theta’s formal ceremony in autumn for what he said were ‘biggest party animal’ and ‘most likely to be drunk’.
“I just like to party, man,” He said.
“Every Thursday we have a gathering with a sorority. Friday will usually be a listed party where we provide the alcohol and Saturday we throw another party where anyone is invited. It’s a three-day weekend basically.”
Despite both Beitler and Robling claiming that Theta Xi are against bullying in any way, McDermitt explained how the fraternity has recently got into trouble for paddling, and are midway through an investigation by the National Board of Directors – a governing organisation that manages the behaviour of fraternities across America, ensuring they act accordingly.
Larry Winger, who is a member of Theta Xi, told me how he was left badly bruised by one of these so-called ‘harmless’ initiations.
“Big and little brothers will paddle each other on initiation night, that’s tradition,” he said.
“Sometimes the guys will just do it for fun though, almost like a bonding thing.
“I got my butt split open a little bit but it was all in good fun. It’s bruised pretty badly,” he said.
And in what may seem particularly shocking to our Tside readers, Winger spoke of how it is not unusual for women to also be subject to violence.
Sororities can also take part in paddling at these events if they wish.
“We tend to hit the girls hard enough that it stings. But at the end of the day, they’re women and we want to respect them,” he laughed.
“When it comes to the guys though, we act like barbarians.”
After my time with Theta Xi, it’s clear that despite Beitler and Robling’s efforts to sanitise the goings-on in a typical American fraternity house, I thank God our students here in UK have a lot more sense than our Stateside cousins.
The Baker Street Kitchen is open for business.
THE BAKER STREET KITCHEN- Owner Marie Neeson.
BAKER Street, Middlesbrough’s quirkiest shopping destination has welcomed a new business into the family.
Middlesbrough local Marie Neeson and partner Mark Stirgess, Sheffield opened their dream business The Baker Street Kitchen last weekend.
The Baker Street Kitchen offers an extensive menu with freshly made produce from scrambled egg with smoked salmon to home made cakes.
Marie and Mark wanted to challenge themselves and build up their own business from scratch.
Marie who has worked in art galleries for 20 years as an Education Manager, said: ”It has been a real labour of love. We both love cafés, we both love eating out, we love food and we thought that we would combine all of those skills into opening a new place.”
A HAPPY BOSS- Owner Marie Neeson having a chat with an employee.
The couple decided to open a cafe December of last year and we’re interested in the developments that were taking place on Baker Street.Marie said: “We’d heard through the council about the incentives that they were giving to new businesses through the Mary Portas initiative to get high streets invigorating more interesting places to be so we thought it was a really ideal opportunity to get involved.”
Mark, a builder and joiner by trade, took on the challenge of building the cafe from the bottom up.
They used recycled materials to build the counters, breakfast bar and the work station is all made out of old oak floor boards that Mark had sanded down and put together himself.
The couple worked with Teesside Architectural Salvage and invested in old school tables and chairs which they striped down and painted.
HAVING A QUIET LUNCH BREAK- Staff members of Baker Street Kitchen having a well earned rest.
Marie said: “It’s very much about creating a place which we would like to go.
“If we were going to a café where you can just relax. Somewhere you don’t feel pressured to eat and move on.”
The Baker Street Kitchen offers freshly made food, take-out options and offers catering for parties or occasions.
There is a book club starting at the café next week, serving wine and luxurious nibbles.
If you wish to contact Marie call 01642 210404 or visit their Facebook page, The Baker Street Kitchen.
Vintage fashion hub holds its first Christmas Carnival
Baker Street host a Christmas Carnival
Author MarkPosted on February 3, 2014 February 3, 2014 Categories MediaTags TSIDE
Students Hitting Hard With University Seiken-Do Club
AT THE READY: Members prepare to strike at the Seiken-Do Club
TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY students can learn about self-defence with the University Seiken-Do society.
Seiken-Do was introduced by Teesside University Psychology student Roy Cullen nearly 20 -years- ago to combine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Jeet Kune Do into one.
The club is still going and is the longest running martial arts society in the university’s history.
Member Paul Standen believes that Seiken-Do has become so distinct of an art that there is no real style involved.
Paul said: “There is no style to the art of Seiken-Do – it is a set of principles and you follow principles rather than a style.
“We take a lot of arts and a lot of techniques from different arts and use them the way Bruce Lee did.”
PRACTICE: The members work on their craft
Developed from the Jeet Kune Do style Bruce Lee used, the club embodies a similar philosophy to the martial arts legend.
Lee believed the majority of martial arts were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in chaotic scenarios.
Club chairman and Teesside University student Jack Serpell believes an advantage of the style is that it is a lot less restricted than other forms.
Jack said: “Seiken-Do isn’t a sport as such; It’s more of a defence art.
“It’s so much more flexible and interchangeable than other forms such as karate. With these different forms you are restricted in how you attack and defend, where as in Seiken-Do you can change your fighting style easily.”
FRONT KICK: Paul Standen delivers a hard front kick to the pads
The club is open to all Teesside University students and Chairman Jack does not believe the club to be a huge burden on his studies.
Jack said: “The training times are very flexible for students.
“We are training Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and it’s really beneficial.
“If you can’t make one night, you can always make another.”
The club is on at 7:30pm to 9:30pm on Thursday, 11:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday and 12pm to 3pm on Sundays.
To find out more about the club, you can go to their Facebook page Seiken-Do UK.
Cycle Recycling at Albert Park
A RECYCLING scheme is being put into gear after proving to be a success in finding new homes for unwanted bikes.
The Middlesbrough Cycle Centre held an event at West Lodge in Albert Park which saw 15 children’s bikes donated and then given away to new owners.
Queues at West Lodge in Albert Park for
Middlesbrough Cycle Centers, cycle recycling scheme
To make the new riders safer, the Cycle Centre team also gave away 21 new helmets.
Mike O’Reilly, Cycling Projects Co-ordinator for Middlesbrough Environment City, said: “Many people may have received a new bike for Christmas and might be wondering what to do with their old one”.
The Cleveland Police Community Protection team and the Cycle Centre are holding a further event for security etching and any additional bike donations to be made.
Etching is a free and efficient way of protecting bicycles and it can assist in the recovery if they are stolen.
This event is open to all members of the public on Friday, 24 January, at West Lodge in Albert Park.
The team’s cycle mechanic will be on hand to provide assistance or advice on the upkeep of bicycles and to make adjustments or tweaks for bikes received over the Christmas period.
Mike O’Reilly said: “The scheme proved a real success before Christmas so we are happy to be offering this service to the public one more.
“And while people are here, they can have their new bikes security etched and adjusted if required.”
Steve Cranston, Crime Prevention Officer for
Middlesbrough Police, security etching a bike for a young Middlesbrough
The team will also be happy to receive any unwanted cycles for future recycling schemes.
For more information visit http://ift.tt/1l5w0zQ or http://ift.tt/1l5w2rk
Author MarkPosted on January 24, 2014 Categories MediaTags TSIDE
Radio presenter visits Teesside
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Anna Foster
NATIONAL BBC radio journalist Anna Foster paid a visit to Teesside University to talk to students about her career and how to make it in the media industry.
Anna, who is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, held an exclusive talk with an audience of aspiring Journalism students about her route into the industry, her career highlights and how she follows up stories in her current role.
During her time as a reporter, Anna covered major stories across the UK as well as being sent to war zones around the world.
”It’s been great to be here to talk with the students and hopefully give them some advice and insight from my own experiences that will help them on their way,” She said.
Anna, who is originally from South Shields, studied at Durham University before starting her career at BBC Radio Cleveland.
One of her most notable jobs was being the presenter of Newsbeat, the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1.
Anna has also broadcast from Iraq and Afghanistan and covered major stories including the Cumbrian shootings, the search for Raoul Moat, the London Marathon and the Olympic Torch Relay.
The radio presenter had some wise words of advice for the budding reporters.
“I think the most important thing is work experience. If you want a job, you’ve got to prove that you know what you are doing,” She said.
“All of my experience is what helped me to get to where I am these days.”
Watch below to hear Anna’s tips on how to make it into the media industry.
Middlesbrough 1 Charlton Athletic 0: Ledesma’s left foot settles cagey affair
KARANKA’S Boro have taken 16 out of the last 18 points available as the Teessiders march up the table to the dizzy heights of ninth.
Boro 1 Charlton Athletic 0
Emmanuel Ledesma’s thunderbolt after 17 minutes settled the tie in the home side’s favour. Boro had countless attempts to double their advantage after Charlton last Rhoys Wiggins to a straight red.
Mustapha Carayol and Curtis Main replaced Albert Adomah and Lukas Jutkiewicz in the Boro starting line-up from the 2-0 win at Blackpool. Kei Kamara and Jonathan Woodgate were fit enough to take their places on the bench.
Chris Powell gave Yohann Thuram-Ulien his debut after joining on loan from Standard Liege as part of Charlton’s link up with the Belgian club.
Boro could have been 1-0 up early on. Main’s through-ball to Carayol ricochet off Richard Wood and sat up kindly for a shot, but it went inches wide.
The home side kept present Charlton with opportunities having lost possession in their own half. Both Jann Kermogant and Jordan Cousins had efforts after Boro mistakes, however neither tested Shay Given.
Ledesma netted for Boro out of nothing, with a shot from 35-yards. The Argentine picked the ball up on the right touchline, cut inside and unleashed – Thuram-Ulien was helpless in the Charlton net with a wicked bobble just in front of him.
The Teessiders could have doubled their advantage after Carayol was twice denied by Thuram-Ulien. The Charlton stopper saved well with his feet from an initial long-range thunderbolt before keeping hold of the follow-up.
Ledesma tried to repeat his heroics of earlier with a shot from downtown, however on loan Thuram-Ulien watched it go well wide.
Half time: Boro 1 Charlton Athletic 0 – The home side are good value for their lead, however Charlton have had a lot of possession in the final third, but have looked very laboured.
Wood should have levelled things up for Charlton. He was given plenty of space in the box by the Boro backline, but his shot went inches wide.
Brilliant footwork on the left from Carayol give him room for a dig on goal. The Gambian’s goal-bound effort was well held well by Thuram-Ulien at his back post.
The visitors thought they had drawn level through Simon Church. Kermogant hooked the ball back into play, the substitute bundled it over but clattered Given in the process.
Wiggins was dismissed for a clumsy, off-balance tackle on Boro sub Richard Smallwood. The Boro midfielder was lucky to come away without an injury.
Ledesma had a goal saved off the line from a very rapid counter attack. Jutkiewicz and Kei Kamara both had bites at the cherry to put the game beyond doubt.
Given pulled off a wonder save right on the final whistle to ensure that Boro wrapped up the three points. The Republic of Ireland international hurled himself in front of a sweetly struck volley from point blank range from Dale Stephens.
Middlesbrough travel to Leicester next weekend for a top of the form table clash at The King Power Stadium. Charlton switch their focus to the FA Cup midweek where they take on Oxford United in a replay.
www.tside.co.uk man of the match: Shay Given – was very rarely called upon but the wonder save at the death was simply world class.
Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Given, Varga, Williams, Friend, Leadbitter (c), Whitehead, Emnes (Jutkiewicz 57′), Ledesma, Carayol (Kamara 88′), Main (Smallwood 79′)
Unused subs: Konstantopoulos, Gibson, Woodgate, Butterfield, Kamara
Goals: Ledesma (17′)
Charlton Athletic (4-5-1): Thuram, Jackson (c) (Green 67′), Morrison, Stephens, Harriot, Wood, Wiggins, Cook (Church 67′), Kermogant, Wilson, Cousins (Ajdarevic 77′)
Unused subs: Phillips, Hughes, Evina, Dervite
Sent off: Wiggins (serious foul play)
Students make historic trip to Auschwitz
Historic Visit: Andrew pictured at the Auschwitz site
Teesside University’s History students visited the Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum this week in preparation for this months Holocaust Memorial Day event.
The three day trip was made to give the students an insight into what exactly they will be commemorating on Monday, January 27.
Second year History student Andrew Robson of Middlesbrough, 20, will be taking part in the event and says it is vital that students recognise the importance of Auschwitz.
“It is a really difficult subject to learn about and difficult for teachers to speak of but it has a significance that will endure forever.” he said.
“I believe as humans we have a duty to ensure that those who have died in acts of war and genocide are not forgotten.
“By teaching young people we will make sure that it is not all in vein.”
As an aspiring history teacher himself, Andrew feels that it is vital that the younger generation are force fed information when it comes to being educated about such atrocities of war.
He said: “The Spanish philosopher George Santayana once said ‘those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it’ and I think that this shows the significance of learning about the Holocaust.
Entrance to Hell: The Auschwitz entrance sign; translating to ‘Work Makes You Free’
“I think it’s also important not to water down any of the teaching; the most harrowing details need to be mentioned because sometimes it’s the only way a subject will stay in people’s minds.”
Despite having always wanted to visit the site, Andrew admits that he felt both anxious and apprehensive about making the journey.
He said: “As much as I had learnt about it in the past I was still very unaware and I think it was the not knowing which unsettled me.
“When I first stepped into Auschwitz the feeling of apprehension had intensified drastically.
“I was deliberately walking around quite slowly because I wanted to take everything in, so it would be the eye-opening experience I thought it would be.”
During the visit Andrew and his fellow students met a survivor of the Holocaust who was just nine years old when she was subjected to the cruel experiments.
Andrew said: “To see a woman before my very eyes, who as a child witnessed the loss of her family and for three years had the threat of death hanging over her affected me in a way I could not describe.
“At one point she stood up, rolled up her sleeve and revealed the number tattoo that Jewish people were marked with at Auschwitz.
“That was the most emotional part of the journey for me as it made the whole experience very real and is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Last Stop: Train tracks which carried Jews to Auschwitz
Despite the rollercoaster of emotions that was endured during the three day trip, Andrew says he couldn’t recommend it enough.
“Whether or not you are interested in history is beside the point, any person who goes there will feel the profound emotional impact as I have done.
“It is certainly not a trip for the feint hearted but if the only thing you take away from it is being more appreciative of your life and what you have, that alone is a worthwhile experience.”
Teesside’s Holocaust Memorial Day takes place Monday, January 27 and is free to both students and the public although booking is essential, please contact arts@tees.ac.uk.
It’s over! Quarrelling Gallaghers make up at family wedding
Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis performing in San Diego on September 18, 2005.
OASIS fans across the country are rejoicing at the news that their favourite brothers have kissed and made up.
Liam and Noel Gallagher, former Oasis band members who split in August 2009, have said to be friends after sorting out their problems at a family wedding.
Since their split Liam, frontman to the famous band, began his own band, Beady Eye, with former members of Oasis, whilst Noel went on a solo career with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
But unfortunately there is still no Oasis reunion on the cards, but a restaurant ran by the two brothers.
A source told the Daily Star: “Liam initially came up with the idea after a recent trip to Manchester with his mum Peggy.
“Then between them they thought Noel should also be brought on board.”
There are rumours that the bar will be called ‘Champagne Supernova’, missing out on the opportunity for “I’m feeling supersonic, give me gin & tonic” by calling their bar ‘Supersonic’, after another one of their famous hits.
Although Noel Gallagher, ex guitarist and song writer for Oasis, and older of the two brothers, has said there will never be a reunion, others think there will be one, including ex Oasis member Bonehead.
He told NME: “If someone said, ‘Here’s a field, here’s a stage, and here’s 200,000 people’ I’m sure Liam would jump up and do it, and I don’t think it would even take anyone offering him a massive bankroll of money.
“He’d do it because that’s what he loves, that’s his passion.”
Fans of the famous Manchester band are on Bonehead’s side, and think that a reunion will be soon.
Oasis fan, and guitarist, Lee Mosey, 23, said: “The Stone Roses said they’d never do it, and I think the Who did at one point too.
“I think that soon enough they’ll decide to go on tour, even if it’s just a one off, they know how much it would mean to the fans.”
Only time will tell if Oasis will get back together, but thousands of people across the world have their fingers crossed hoping that they will.
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Therapeutic implications of selecting the SCORE (European) versus the D'AGOSTINO (American) risk charts for cardiovascular risk assessment in hypertensive patients
Manuel A Gómez-Marcos1,
Carlos Martínez-Salgado2,
Carlos Martin-Cantera3,
José I Recio-Rodríguez1,
Yolanda Castaño-Sánchez1,
Maria Giné-Garriga4,
Emiliano Rodriguez-Sanchez1 and
Luis García-Ortiz1Email author
© Gómez-Marcos et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2009
Accepted: 11 May 2009
No comparisons have been made of scales estimating cardiovascular mortality and overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The study objectives were to assess the agreement between the Framingham-D'Agostino cardiovascular risk (CVR) scale and the chart currently recommended in Europe (SCORE) with regard to identification of patients with high CVR, and to describe the discrepancies between them and the attendant implications for the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia.
A total of 474 hypertensive patients aged 40–65 years monitored in primary care were enrolled into the study. CVR was assessed using the Framingham-D'Agostino scale, which estimates the overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk, and the SCORE chart, which estimates the cardiovascular mortality risk. Cardiovascular risk was considered to be high for values ≥ 20% and ≥ 5% according to the Framingham-D'Agostino and SCORE charts respectively. Kappa statistics was estimated for agreement in classification of patients with high CVR. The therapeutic recommendations in the 2007 European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention were followed.
Mean patient age was 54.1 (SD 7.3), and 58.4% were males. A high CVR was found in 17.5% using the SCORE chart (25.3% males, 6.6% females) and in 32.7% using the D'Agostino method (56.9% males, 12,7% females). Kappa coefficient was 0.52, and increased to 0.68 when the high CVR threshold was established at 29% according to D'Agostino. Hypertensive patients with high SCORE and non-high D'Agostino (1.7%) were characterized by an older age, diabetes, and a lower atherogenic index, while the opposite situation (16.9%) was associated to males, hyperlipidaemia, and a higher atherogenic index. Variables with a greater weight in discrepancies were sex and smoking. A 32.0% according to SCORE and 33.5% according to D'Agostino would be candidates to receive antihypertensive treatment, and 15.8% and 27.3% respectively to receive lipid-lowering treatment.
A moderate to high agreement was found. SCORE may underestimate risk in males with an unfavourable lipid profile, and D'Agostino in diabetics with a lower atherogenic risk. Use of the D'Agostino scale implies treating more patients with lipid-lowering and antihypertensive drugs as compared to SCORE.
Hypertensive Patient
Lipid Lowering Drug
Atherogenic Index
Lipid Lowering Treatment
Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most prevalent cardiovascular risk (CVR) factor and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease in Spain. AH is related to 46.4% of deaths from cerebrovascular disease and to 42% of deaths from heart disease[1, 2].
Current clinical guidelines recommend estimation of cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension and dyslipidaemia to graduate treatment intensity and thus optimise cost-effectiveness [3–5].
Both the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and the Interdisciplinary Spanish Committee for Cardiovascular Prevention (CEIPC)[6] recommend use of the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation) charts[7], which estimate the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, although their calibration in Spain has shown that they underestimate the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality[8]. A new scale based on the Framingham Heart Study (D'Agostino)[9] intended to estimate the risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease has recently been published.
A review of the multiple studies published in recent years reveals that there is no ideal scale for assessing CVR in Mediterranean populations. The original Framingham function[10, 11] in its different versions, identifies more patients with a high CVR than the SCORE chart[12, 13]. However, its calibration for the Spanish population (REGICOR)[14, 15] identifies less patients with a high CVR than the original scale[16, 17], and agreement in identification of patients with high CVR is low [18–21]. It should be kept in mind that scales derived from the Framingham function estimate the incidence of coronary artery disease, except for the D'Agostino scale, which estimates overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, whereas SCORE estimates cardiovascular mortality. The Framingham scales are commonly used as a standard to assess other methods, such as the presence of calcium in the coronary artery[22], and also for assessing the effectiveness of certain interventions[23]. However, no analysis has been made of agreement between the SCORE and D'Agostino scales and of the patient subgroups in which they disagree. The attendant therapeutic implications in patients with hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia have not been studied either.
Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess the agreement between these scales in hypertensive patients aged 40–65 years, to describe patient characteristics that are associated to disagreement in identification of patients with a high CVR, and to assess the impact of both functions on therapeutic indications for blood pressure and hypercholesterolaemia.
Patients with a clinical diagnosis of arterial hypertension from to urban health care centres covering a population of 46.000 inhabitants. For this analysis, 474 patients with clinical hypertension referred to the research unit for confirmation of diagnosis by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) or evaluation of target organ lesions in cases with documented hypertension were consecutively enrolled from December 2005 to June 2008. Patients had to meet the following inclusion criteria: (a) age ranging from 40 and 65 years, and (b) no history of established cardiovascular disease. Variables analysed included all those required to estimate CVR using both scales.
Measurements of risk factors and cardiovascular risk
Risk factors for morbidity and mortality used by the D'Agostino scale [9] include age, sex, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) as quantitative variables, and drug treatment for AH, smoking, and history of diabetes mellitus as dichotomous variables. Risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was estimated using the published risk equation based on the Framingham study[9].
Cardiovascular death risk variables used by SCORE include age, sex, total cholesterol, SBP, and smoking as dichotomous variable. These tables do not include diabetes as a CVR factor, but authors recommend multiplication by 4 in females and by 2 in males if diabetes is found, and this was the option adopted in our study. To estimate cardiovascular risk with SCORE, the version for low risk countries, using total cholesterol from the risk equation based on European cohorts, has been used[7]. The following variables were also collected: blood glucose, full lipid profile, body mass index (BMI), and use of lipid lowering drugs.
Measurements were performed by nursing staff at the research unit. Blood pressure was measured using OMROM M7® sphygmomanometers in accordance with the recommendations by the European Society of Hypertension[24]. Lipid and blood glucose levels were measured blindly at the reference laboratory after fasting for at least 8 hours. Data on CVR factors were taken from the clinical history of each patient. The study was approved by independent ethics committee from University Hospital of Salamanca (Spain), and all participants signed an informed consent.
Patient classification according to risk
Patients with a risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality ≥ 20% in the Framingham-D'Agostino scales and a risk of cardiovascular death ≥ 5% in the SCORE charts were considered to have a high CVR. A CVR ranging from 6%–20% according to D'Agostino and from 3%–4.9% according to SCORE was considered as moderate, and a risk < 6% in the D'Agostino scale and < 3% in the SCORE scale was considered as low, in agreement to recommendations published by the authors[7, 9].
The recommendations in the 2007 European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention were applied to estimate the proportion of patients amenable to drug treatment (antihypertensive or lipid lowering). Candidates to receive antihypertensive drug treatment include patients with SBP ≥ 160 mmHg or DBP ≥ 100 mmHg, irrespective of their CVR, patients with SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg and a CVR ≥ 5% according to SCORE or ≥ 20% according to D'Agostino or diabetics, and patients with SBP ranging from 140–159 mmHg or DBP ranging from 90–99 mmHg and a moderate CVR according to SCORE or D'Agostino. With regard to plasma lipid control, patients with total cholesterol > 320 mg/dL and LDL-C > 240 mg/dL, diabetes or a CVR ≥ 5% according to SCORE or ≥ 20% according to D'Agostino, and total cholesterol ≥ 190 mg/dL and/or LDL-C ≥ 115 mg/dL are considered to be candidates to drug treatment. To perform calculations, antihypertensive or lipid lowering treatments were considered to be adequately indicated in subjects who were already receiving them[12, 13, 25].
Characteristics of patients studied and the CVR levels were described using measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative variables and percentages for categorical variables. These measures were compared between different subgroups using a Student's t test for quantitative variables and qualitative variables of two categories, and a Chi-square test for qualitative variables. kappa coefficient was used to assess agreement of both scales in study subjects. Agreement was considered "excellent" when values ranging from 0.81–1 were obtained, "good" when values ranged from 0.61–0.80, and "moderate" when values of 0.41–0.60 were found[26], and a Pearson's correlation was applied for quantitative measurement. In order to assess the association between patient characteristics and disagreement in categorisation as high risk for both scales, a multivariate analysis was performed using the forward stepwise logistic regression method, taking as dependent variable the discrepancies between the two equations, and including age, sex, smoking, present or absent diabetes, basal blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-C, atherogenic index, SBP, and DBP as independent variables. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of SCORE as compared to the different cut-off points of high CVR in the D'Agostino scale, the area under the ROC curve was used. A value of p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All analyses were performed using SPSS/PC+ version 15.0 software.
Among the total 914 hypertensive patients seen at the research unit during the study period, 474 (52%) were within the recommended age range for use of scales and had no history of cardiovascular disease. Table 1 shows blood pressure values and levels of different biochemical markers, as well as sex differences in patients participating in the study.
Characteristics of study patients, overall and by sex.
Overall (n=74)
Males (n = 277)
Females (n = 197)
54.10 ± 7.27
Obese (BMI > 30)
Hyperlipidaemic
96.04 ± 12.38
100.10 ± 9.99
Glucose (mg/dL)
100.28 ± 28.04
Cholesterol/HDL ratio
4.12 ± 1.09
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)
Triglycerides (mg/dL)
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Antihypertensive drugs
Lipid lowering drugs
CVR by SCORE*
2.97 ± 4
CVR by D'Agostino**
Hyperlipidaemic: cholesterol > 200 mg/dl. BMI: body mass index; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; HDL-C: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol. CVR: cardiovascular risk. Significant differences between males and females. P value: Differences between males and females. Data are shown as mean ± standard deviation or as number and percentages. *Cardiovascular mortality risk as percent risk and estimated at 10 years. **Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk as percent risk and estimated at 10 years.
Estimated cardiovascular risk
Mean CVR was 18% (95% CI 16.78–19.21) according to D'Agostino and 2.97% (95% CI 2.61–3.33) according to SCORE, with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.836 (p = 0.000) between both scales.
The proportions of patients considered to have a high CVR were 17.5% with SCORE (25.3% in males and 6.6% in females) and 32.7% with D'Agostino (46.9% in males and 12.7% in females) (p < 0.05). Figure 1 shows the proportions of patients included in the low, moderate, and high CVR categories, both overall and by sex.
Distribution (in percentages) of the population in risk categories, overall and by sex, in the D'AGOSTINO and SCORE functions.
Table 2 shows distribution of the population based on the presence of a high or non-high CVR, using high risk cut-off points of 20% for the D'Agostino scale and 5% for SCORE. Disagreement was found in 18.57% of patients (high CVR in one chart and non-high CVR in the other chart). Of these, 16.88% had a high CVR according to D'Agostino and a non-high CVR with SCORE, while the opposite occurred in the remaining 1.69%. However, when the 163 patients rated as having a high CVR by any scale were only analysed, the disagreement rate increased to 54% of cases.
Classification of cardiovascular risk in the high and non-high categories. Agreement in the high and low risk categories.
Assessment by SCORE
Assessment by D'Agostino
Non-high CVR
High CVR
80 (16.88%)
CVR: cardiovascular risk. Data are shown as n (%) of the total population analysed. Kappa: 0.52 (95% CI, 0.48–0.56); McNemar's test χ2 = 152.01. p < 0.001; discrepancies 18.57%.
Figure 2 shows the percentages of subjects with high CVR according to D'Agostino for different cut-off points, with their kappa indexes as compared to SCORE. The kappa index was higher as the high CVR cut-off point in the D'Agostino scale increased, with the greatest agreement being found in the cut-off point of 29% (kappa 0.678 [95% CI, 0.632–0.724]), in which 90.93% of patients were classified in the same way using both scales.
Proportions of subjects classified as high risk with SCORE (5%) and D'AGOSTINO at different cut-off points and agreement with SCORE. κ: Kappa index.
Figure 3 shows the discriminating power, calculated using the ROC curve between 5% in SCORE and different cut-off points for high CVR according to D'Agostino. The area under the curve was 0.915. The optimum cut-off point in the D'Agostino scale was 25% (sensitivity 88% and specificity 86%). At this threshold, disagreement in classification of patients with high CVR with the D'Agostino scale as compared to SCORE was only 11.6%.
ROC curve for the D'Agostino scale versus SCORE 5%. The test result variable(s): Predicted probability has at least one tie between the positive actual state group and the negative actual state group.
Analysis of discordant patients
Most disagreeing patients, i.e., hypertensive patients rated as high CVR in a scale and not high CRV in the other, correspond to the group with a high CVR in the D'Agostino scale and not high in the SCORE scale. This group show a greater proportion of males (80% versus 50%), higher mean LDL-C levels (141 versus 107 mg/dL), and a higher proportion of patients treated with antihypertensive drugs (77% versus 37%). Only eight hypertensive patients were rated as high CVR with the SCORE scale and not high with the D'Agostino scale (Table 3).
Characteristics of patients with discordant results using the SCORE and D'Agostino equations.
SCORE high-D'AGOSTINO non-high (n = 8)
SCORE non-high-D'AGOSTINO high (n = 80)
56.41 ± 5.6
31.6 ± 7.53
99 ± 10.39
105 ± 55.10
BMI: body mass index; Hyperlipidaemic: cholesterol > 200 mg/dl, HDL: high-density lipoprotein; HDL-C: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol. P value of the association of the typical differences and the probability of being a discordant patient (SCORE non-high-D'AGOSTINO high; SCORE high-D'AGOSTINO non-high). Data are shown as mean ± standard deviation or as number and percentages.
Table 4 shows the variables independently associated to discrepancies. Variables with greater odds ratios included sex (being male) (2.45) and smoking (1,86).
Variables associated to discrepancies in classification as high CVR
Odds Ratio (95% CI)
1.089 (1.048–1.132)
Sex (1 = Male/0 = Female)
Smoker (1 = yes/0 = no)
M: Male; F: Female.
Dependent variable: 1 = (Discrepancy in classification between both scales); 0 = (Agreement in classification between both scales). Multivariate analysis (logistic regression). Atherogenic index = Total Cholesterol/HDL-Cholesterol. Significant model (χ2 = 54.285; p = 0.000).
Therapeutic implications
Compliance with the recommendations in the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention would imply that 32% of patients without treatment, according to the SCORE function, and 33.5% of patients according to the D'Agostino chart would be candidates to receive antihypertensive drugs, and 15.8% and 27.3% of patients without treatment respectively would be candidates to receive lipid lowering drugs. Lipid lowering and antihypertensive drugs would be indicated in a significantly higher percentage of males as compared to females (Table 5).
Patients in the total population candidates to drug treatment (lipid lowering or antihypertensive) according to recommendations in the European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention using the SCORE and D'Agostino equations.
With SCORE
With D'Agostino
P value of differences in treatment based on European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention between both scales.
In this study on hypertensive patients aged 40–65 years with no history of cardiovascular disease, agreement in identification of patients with high CVR between the SCORE equation[7] for low-risk countries using a cut-off point of 5% and the D'Agostino equation[9] using a cut-off point of 20% was moderate (kappa = 0.52), and increased when the cut-off point in this second scale was increased to 29% (kappa = 0.68).
The population with high CVR according to SCORE and a non-high CVR according to D'Agostino consisted of older patients with diabetes and a lower atherogenic index, while a greater proportion of males with a higher atherogenic index and on antihypertensive treatment were found in the group with high CVR using the SCORE equation and non-high CVR using the D'Agostino equation. SCORE may underestimate CVR in males with an unfavourable lipid profile and treated with drugs for AH as compared to the D'Agostino method. By contrast, the D'Agostino equation may underestimate CVR in elderly patients with diabetes and higher HDL-C levels as compared to the SCORE chart.
As regards therapeutic decisions, use of the D'Agostino classification of CVR implies treating 3.5% more males with antihypertensive drugs and 11.6% more patients with lipid lowering drugs (mainly at the expense of males) as compared to when the SCORE equation is used. Thus, if SCORE is used, we will leave untreated a significant number of males with high CVR according to D'Agostino, a group in which clinical trials have shown a greater efficacy of lipid lowering treatment for prevention of ischaemic heart disease.
The proportion of patients rated as having a high CVR using the SCORE equation was higher than reported in other studies seen in primary care [18, 20] and in the general population[12, 21], and similar to the proportions reported by studies on patients with hypertension or hyperlipidaemia[19, 27]. In this study, as in other studies in similar populations[19, 21, 27], most female patients were considered to have a low CVR using the SCORE equation. By contrast, most patients analysed, both males and females, were considered to have a moderate CVR risk when the D'Agostino scale was used. Almost twice as much patients are classified as having a high CVR with the D'Agostino as compared to the SCORE equation, and both scales assign a high CVR to a much greater proportion of males, 4 males per each female.
These data suggest that the scale derived from the D'Agostino equation overestimates CVR as compared to SCORE, despite the fact that it calculates CVR instead of only coronary risk, as occurred to date with the different versions derived from the Framingham equation. This scale would therefore have to be calibrated in our population, or a higher cut-off point would have to be established to classify the same percentage of patients as having a high CVR. Such cut-off point would be from 25% to 30%, the range where the greatest agreement is found between both scales.
The comparison reported in our study between the SCORE and D'Agostino scales at the cut-off point of high CVR of 20% in hypertensive patients aged 40–65 years with no cardiovascular history has not previously been performed. This is the first analysis to compare two mortality and morbidity and mortality scales measuring CVR. This is probably the reason why agreement between both scales shows a kappa index of 0.52, markedly better than reported by other authors comparing the Framingham-REGICOR and SCORE [19, 21, 27]or the Framingham and SCORE scales[12, 13, 27, 28]. The reasons for the poorer agreement observed in previous studies may probably be that while the Framingham function estimates coronary morbidity and mortality, the SCORE equation estimates cardiovascular mortality.
Among patients classified as high CVR, approximately 9 out of every 10 subjects in whom discrepancies were found had high CVR according to the D'Agostino equation and non-high CVR according to SCORE, and only 1 had non-high CVR and high CVR using the D'Agostino and SCORE equations respectively. These figures, while substantial, are lower than the discrepancies reported in other studies[12, 20].
The profiles of discordant patients classified as having a high CVR were different. Patients with high CVR in SCORE and non-high CVR according to D'Agostino, the least common profile, were older and had diabetes and a lower atherogenic index. By contrast, patients with high CVR according to D'Agostino and a non-high CVR using SCORE were males with a higher atherogenic index. Different profiles have been reported by other authors[12, 13, 20, 21], all of whom agreed that the Framingham equation assigns a high CVR to a greater number of males.
From the data obtained, it can be concluded that males with an unfavourable lipid profile and non-high CVR in the SCORE scale probably show a CVR higher than estimated with this scale, which should be considered by clinicians when making therapeutic decisions.
Finally, use of the D'Agostino equation would imply treating more patients (particularly males) with lipid lowering drugs. This agrees with the conclusion drawn by Maiques et al [13] that SCORE promotes treatment in hypertensive females and Framingham in dyslipidaemic males.
Study limitations include the fact that the patient sample studied was not randomly taken from the general population, but consisted of consecutive patients with clinical hypertension referred to the research unit for ABPM for different reasons, mainly to confirm diagnosis, but part of the patients were already on antihypertensive and lipid lowering treatment, which may alter estimation of their cardiovascular risk. However, such limitations do not invalidate the comparison of both equations, because since all patients were assessed by both methods at the same time, the design used was adequate for assessing scale agreement without interfering with the comparison. The primary objective was to estimate and compare the CVRs inferred from both scales, as well as the prognostic and therapeutic implications depending on the result obtained. The scales are only an approach to the actual risk for the subject and this paper intends to contrast both risk estimation tools, though we are aware of the limitations of the instruments, as evidenced in the paper. We have been used as reference SCORE, recommend by Spanish and European regulatory authorities, because there aren't gold standard scale, to compare the new D'Agostino scale.
We have excluded from the analysis a very important population group where the prevalence of hypertension is very high. The reasons for selecting this population group is that the SCORE scale has been developed for a population aged 40 to 65 years, and though the D'Agostino scale allows for using it in a larger population group, the results of the SCORE in the elderly could limit the validity of the analyses performed.
Discrepancies exist between the SCORE scale for low CVR countries and the D'Agostino equation with regard to both CVR assessment and identification of high CVR. Agreement improves when a cut-off point for high CVR of 29% instead of 20% is used in D'Agostino scale. The finding of discordant patient profiles may allow for a better approach to the clinical assessment of CVR and for identification of patients who, while having a non-high CVR according to SCORE, may have an actual CVR higher than estimated. Patients in this group would be candidates to lipid lowering treatment.
Cardiovascular risk
AH:
Arterial hypertension, SCORE: Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation
ABPM:
SBP:
Systolic blood pressure
DBP:
Diastolic blood pressure
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).
This project was supported by the Regional Health Management of the Castilla y León regional government (GRS.275/B/08) and the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII-RETIC RD06/0018 and 06/0016).
MAGM devised the study, designed the protocol, participated in fund raising, and prepared the draft manuscript. CMS and ERS collaborated in protocol design, data interpretation, and review of the manuscript. JCMC and MGC participated in study design, interpretation of results, and manuscript review. JIRR and YCS participated in study design, data collection, and manuscript review. LGO participated in protocol design, fund raising, analysis of results, and final review of manuscript. Finally, all authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript
Primary care Research Unit, La Alamedilla Health Centre, REDIAPP, Salamanca, Spain
Research Unit, Salamanca University Hospital, Unit of Renal and Cardiovascular Pathophysiology, Reina Sofia Institute of Nephrological Research, REDNIREN, Salamanca, Spain
Research Support Unit, IDIAP Jordi Gol, REDIAPP, Passeig de Sant Joan Primary Care Centre, Barcelona, Spain
Physical Activity and Health area, Catalan Institute of Health, FPCEE Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain
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O'Brien E, Asmar R, Beilin L, Imai Y, Mancia G, Mengden T, Myers M, Padfield P, Palatini P, Parati G, Pickering T, Redon J, Staessen J, Stergiou G, Verdecchia P: Practice guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension for clinic, ambulatory and self blood pressure measurement. J Hypertens. 2005, 23 (4): 697-701.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
Fornasini M, Brotons C, Sellares J, Martinez M, Galan ML, Saenz I, da Pena JM: Consequences of using different methods to assess cardiovascular risk in primary care. Fam Pract. 2006, 23 (1): 28-33. 10.1093/fampra/cmi092.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
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García-Ortíz L, González-Elena LJ, Rodríguez-Sánchez E, García García Á, Parra-Sánchez J, et al: Framingham-Grundy, Regicor and Score in cardiovascular risk estimation in hypertensive patients. Agreements and disagreements (ciclo-risk). Hipertensión. 2006, 23: 111-117. 10.1016/S0212-8241(06)71734-0.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
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Theatre Café Festival
Feb 2014 – Nov 2015
The THEATRE CAFÉ model was initiated by Boundless Theatre in 2004. 15 events were delivered in 6 countries, presenting 92 plays (as readings or full productions), and collaborating with artists and citizens from 22 countries across Europe.
In 2014–15 Boundless Theatre worked in partnership with De Toneelmakerij (Netherlands), GRIPS (Germany) and Imploding Fictions (Norway) to deliver 8 festival events across Europe. A key part of the project was the European Writers’ Lab which gave emerging playwrights from each country access to some of the best European playwrights to mentor their development of a new play for young audiences, and access to masterclasses and extended R&D. Young people from across Europe came together in an International Youth Encounter to explore the work of these European playwrights whilst gaining a ‘life changing’ experience.
Theatre Café Festival 2014–15 is presented with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.
“From the point of view of the students, it had a more profound effect than any other project.”
HND tutor on Theatre Cafe
These are past events
Theatre Café Danish Embassy
London, Nov 2015
International Youth Encounter
Berlin, Jul 2015
Theatre Café Woolwich
with the University of Greenwich and GLYPT
Theatre Café Amsterdam
Theatre Café Frankfurt
Theatre Café Berlin
Theatre Café Oslo
Theatre Café York
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Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome
by Mr A Hussain FRCS
The manifestations of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) have been described throughout history, and it has been suggested that Dionysius had OSAS.The first non-medical description is generally attributed to Charles Dickens in Pickwick Papers.The term pickwickian syndrome coined by Osler, comprises the triad of obesity, hyper-somnolence and hypoventilatlon.
OSAS is defined as the cessation of airflow for 10 seconds or more during sleep. Hypopnoea is reduced tidal ventilation sufficient to decrease arterial oxygen saturation. The apnoea index is the number of apnoeic episodes per hour of sleep.
OSAS is predominantly a male disorder and the incidence among men is estimated to be as high as 1.25%. It is uncommon in premenopausal women, presumably due to the respiratory stimulant effect of progesterone. Major anatomical abnormalities are seldom seen; however, subtle structural narrowing of the upper airway is present in almost all patients with OSAS. A number of medical disorders are associated with and predispose to OSAS.
Medical Disorders associated with OSAS
Nasal pathology
Deflected nasal septum
Polyps
Turbinate hypertrophy
Tumour
Adenotonsillar hypertrophy
Excessive pharyngeal tissue
Large uvula
Redundant posterior wall tissue
Tumours
macroglossia
Excessive laryngeal tissue
Omega-shaped epiglottis
large aryepiglottic folds
Hypothyroid goitre
Shy-drager syndrome (multiple system atrophy
with somnogenic abductor laryngeal paresis)
Micrognathia
Retrognathia
Alcohol can also predispose and/or induce sleep apnoea.
OSAS is due to the functional collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Structural abnormality of the upper airway predisposes to this collapse. The structural narrowing occurs mostly in the velopharyrnx and/or tongue base hypo- pharyngeal region. The site of obstruction to airflow has been localised to the supralaryngeal part of the airway, using fibre-optic pharyngoscopy, cine CT scanning, somnofluoroscopy and simultaneous recording of pressure in the oesophagus and supraglottic airway.
The occlusion begins in the oropharynx as the tongue comes into contact with the soft palate and posteriorpharyngeal wall, and this is followed by the progressive collapse of the lower pharygeal airway; the lateral oropharyngeal wall has been shown to collapse in a sphincteric manner. Narrowing of the airway necessitates the generation of a higher negative inspiratory pressure to maintain ventilation and, thus, leads to complete obstruction and apnoea. The consequent hypoxia and hypercarbia awakens the patient, and airway patency is restored during expiration coincident with the dissipation of negative intrathoracic pressure. Physiological aberration increases with the severity of apnoea. The following changes are seen after the cessation of ventilation:
increase in PaCO2
decrease in PaO2
decrease in pH
sinus bradycardia (most common change)
sinus pause
atrioventricular block
premature ventricular contractions
Sinus arrhythmias are due to oxygen desaturation and bradycardia responds to atropine. Hypoxia leads to catecholamine release, which, in turn, contributes to tachycardia on resumption of ventilation. Chronic and recurrent hypoxia puts a strain on the right side of the cardiopulmonary complex; this will aggravate or cause systemic and pulmonary hypertension, and eventually lead to cor pulmonale.
Clinical features of OSAS
Loud, intermittent snoring
Daytime sleepiness or hypersomnolence
Morning headaches
Nocturnal enuresis, loss of libido and impotence
Poor physical or intellectual performance
Structural narrowing of upper airway
Clinical or radiological evidence of pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac failure
Cardiac arrhythmias
Laboratory findings
Polycythaemia
Alveolar hpoventilation (high PaCO2, low PaO2 and low pH)
Hypothyroidism (decreased T3, T4;increased TSH)
Clinical features of OSAS are Listed above.
Most patients with OSAS are overweight and a significant proportion have short, thick necks. A history of noisy, intermittent snoring is present in almost all patients with OSAS and most are brought to the physician by their partner. Snoring is a sign of partial upper airway obstruction and is caused by vibration of the soft palate due to the airflow through the narrow airway. Snoring ceases when the obstruction becomes complete (i.e. apnoea).
Turbulent airflow causes noisy and heavy breathing which resembles inspiratory stridor.
Daytime sleepiness or hypersomnolence is a major incapacitating symptom, which may have serious social and economic consequences, including loss of job, frequent road accidents and divorce. It is caused by sleep fragmentation due to repeated nocturnal wakening. Even in the early part of this century childhood lethargy was often attributed to adenotonsillar hypertrophy.
Morning headaches, decreased libido and impotence are also common symptoms.
A detailed history is important and a thorough otolaryngological examination provides valuable information about the morphology of the airway. A general physical examination should also be carried out to detect any coexisting cardiopulmonary abnormalites.
Diagnosis of OSAS
General investigations
Otolaryngologic examination
Arterial blood gas analysis
Thyroid function test
Specific investigations
Fibre-optic laryngoscopy (sitting and supine)
Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring or ear-lobe oximetry
Somnofluoroscopy (lateral fluoroscopic examination of upper airway during sleep with synchronous polysomnography)
CT scanning and cine CT scanning (during sleep)
Laboratory investigations may demonstrate polycythaemia, which is due to hypoxic stimulation of bone marrow. A chest radiograph and ECG are helpful to evaluate cardiopulmonary status and to identify any coexisting abnormality. Spirometry is also useful; a sawtoothed pattern is indicative of possible airway obstruction during sleep. A sleep study should be undertaken which should include continuous arterial oxygen and ECG monitoring, and polysomnography to measure airflow through the nose and mouth, as well as thoracic cage movements. Earlobe oximetry and transcutaneous oxygen monitoring are occasionally used to confirm desaturation during apnoea.
One of the methods used to localise the site of obstruction is fibre-optic pharyngoscopy with or without Mueller's manoeuvre which is carried out in both the sitting and supine position. Mueller's manoeuvre involves vigorous inspiration with the nose and mouth closed. The movements of the pharyngeal wall during this manoeuvre reportedly replicate obstructive events occurring during sleep. Fibre- optic pharyngoscopy would yield better information if it could be performed during sleep, but this is impractical.
All these investigations are commonly performed and enable the necessary distinction to be made between type, frequency and severity of apnoeaic episodes, and their incidence during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non- REM sleep.
Management of OSAS is summarised below.
Management of OSAS
Avoidance of CNS depressants, including alcohol
Respiratory stimulants (e.g. progesterone, acetazolamide and theophyline)
Protriptyline
Tongue retaining devices
Position alarm
Nasopharyngeal intubation
Treat associated medical disorders
Adenotonsillectomy
Nasal surgery (submucus resection, septoplasty, polypectomy, turbinectomy)
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
Mandibular advancement or reconstruction
Expansion hyoidplasty
Weight reduction surgery
Management may be medical or surgical, depending on the predominant type of apnoea, and the severity of functional and physiological aberration. All patients, irrespective of type of apnoea, should be advised to avoid CNS depressants, including alcohol. Weight reduction should be stongly encouraged as it can decrease the severity of apnoea in obese patients. In morbid obese pateints, weight reduction surgery could be considered.
Medical: progesterone, which is a recognised repiratory stimulant, has been found to be beneficial in OSAS. However, decreased libido, impotence and alopecia are major side-effects in male patents and limit its frequent and long- term use.
Acetazolamide, which is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, stimulates respiration by increasing the concentration of hydrogen ions in arterial blood and has been useful in some cases.
Protriptyline, which is a non-sedating tricyclic antidepressant suppresses REM sleep and is indicated in those patients with little or no apnoea associated with non- REM sleep.
Theophyiline, which increases hypoxic ventilatory drive, has been used successfully in premature infants.
The use of tongue retaining devices (TRD) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is effective, but patient compliance is poor; nasal CPAP splints the airway open with positive pressure and TRD prevents retrolapse of the tongue during sleep. A position alarm is appropriate for patients who have moderate to severe apnoea in the supine position, but little or no apnoea in the lateral position.
Surgical: adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a common cause of pediatric sleep apnoea and adenotonsillectomy is curative. Micrognathia and retrognathia are amenable to mandibula corrective surgery (reconstruction or advancement).
Tracheostomy is the only totally effective treatment but because of the special care required and the possible complications, it is not a preferred primary treatment. It is only indicated in patients with severe apnoea, which is not amenable to other forms of surgical treatment and oxygen desaturation below 50% or a bradycardia of 40-45 beats/ minute with significant arrhythmias. Uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty (UPPP) was introduced as a new surgical procedure for the treatment of OSAS in 1981 and has since been modified.The procedure involves tonsillectomy, amputation of the uvula and appropriate (4-6 mm) resection of the soft palate and redundant pillars of fauces.
The success rate has been reported to be 25-75%. It is most effective when the obstruction is in the velopharyngeal sphincter area. In lower pharyngeal (i.e. hypopharynx, tongue base, epiglottis and/or ayepiglottic fold) obstruction, other surgical procedures, such as tracheostomy or Mandibular-hyoid reconstruction are required.
Reproduced from Hussain A. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Surgery 1990; 87: 2085-7 by kind permission of The Medicine Group (Journals) Ltd.
Editor's Note: Since this article was first published (1990) fibre-optic pharygoscopy is now often carried out during a sleep like state induced by a short acting sedative. Furthermore, better mask and pump design has improved compliance for CPAP, which is now considered as the treatment of choice for OSA and tracheostomy is rarely needed.
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Is there a compassion only Buddhist path?
In a recent version of the Buddhist Geeks podcast Rick Hanson said that recent academic research is showing that in the Pali Canon there were teachings indicating that compassion is enough to progress all the way on the Buddhist path. He further states that this foreshadows the Mahayana developments and if this has been emphasised within the early schools it would have negated the need for Mahayana at all.
Does that ring any bells with anyone? Has anyone heard anything of this research or more broadly has anyone got any references where the Buddha really emphasises compassion and indicates that compassion alone is enough.
Note: if anyone is interested Rick Hanson says this in the last 10 minutes of the podcast.
It's at about time 29:55 through 30:48 in the podcast. Rick Hanson starts by saying (I paraphrase) that:
The Buddha talked about the three poisons: ignorance, anger, greed
Anger and greed map to the brain's two 'red-zone' behaviours, i.e. the 'aversion' and 'approaching' systems of the brain.
Rick goes on to say that the brain has a third need or drive i.e. "heart-ache" for which the antidote is "love", and,
recent scholarship has shown that for him [the Buddha] love is a fully-sufficient path to complete awakening, and scholarship today has shown that maybe if there was a better understanding at the time that that's what he taught, after he died, there might not have been a need for the Mahayana revision if you will in terms of bringing more heart back into Dhamma practice."
He goes on to say that there's a social brain, that love and social skills are the primary evolutionary driver of the brain, etc., that we need to honour heart-ache and pay attention to the attachment system. He thinks of "heartache" as a "fourth poison".
pali-canon mahayana reference-request compassion
Crab Bucket
Crab BucketCrab Bucket
The recent scholarship that Hanson is referring to is probably this, by Richard Gombrich, the eminent British academic scholar of Buddhism:
Kindness and Compassion as means to Nirvana in Early Buddhism
This abstract mentions other places where Gombrich explicated his thesis:
Gotama Buddha taught that compassion can produce enlightenment. So Richard Gombrich claims, based most notably on his reading of the Tevijja Sutta. First announced in his 1996 How Buddhism Began, Gombrich revisited this thesis (his “discovery”) the next year in his Gonda Lecture, “Kindness and Compassion as Means to Nirvana in Early Buddhism” and has returned to it more recently in his 2009 What the Buddha Thought.
Despite Gombrich's rather radical assertion, now almost 20 years ago, I have never been able to find any direct discussion of it by other authors either Western or of any tradition of Buddhism (the above paper is about the neuroscience of the issue). I suspect that is because it is so earthshaking for the Theravada -- effectively saying that they have been missing something huge in the Pali Canon for millenia -- that nobody would touch it with a ten-foot katvanga.
My own speculation (totally unsupported by any scholarship) is that Gombrich may have uncovered the hidden and forgotten roots of the Mahayana in the Pali Canon, but has mistaken it as an either-or doctrine when in fact it is meant -- and was developed by the Mahayana -- as a coordinate path to the highest enlightenment: you need both wisdom (Pañña, Prajna) and compassion, and at the highest level they actually become one.
Addendum -- 8/27/2015. I have since found this rejoinder to Gombrich by Bikkhu Bodhi, the distinguished Theravada scholar and translator. The nub of his objection to Gombrich's proposal is this:
But Gombrich then goes on to argue that for the Buddha union with Brahmà is simply a metaphor for Nibbàna, and thus he concludes the Buddha taught that kindness ... was a way to salvation (p. 62). Such an inference, however, cannot stand, for in many texts the Buddha declares the divine abodes to be inadequate for attaining Nibbàna (e.g. DN 17, MN 83, MN 97, etc.); it would also mean that paññā, insight or wisdom, is not needed for final liberation. Gombrich is not unaware of the texts that contradict his position, but he casually dismisses them as the work of the compilers of other suttas (p. 61). The contrary evidence, however, is just too weighty to allow such an easy way out.
David LewisDavid Lewis
He also asserts that "kindness is salvific" in his book "What the Buddha Thought" (which I enjoyed otherwise) with a strict partial look without really elaborating on all the suttas that strongly disagree (I was very confused by the sight of his credentials and such an obvious partiality) – Thiago Aug 28 '15 at 4:50
As a practicing Theravadin I've studied the Pali Suttas very seriously for the past six years and I've never found anything in them that indicates that compassion is sufficient for enlightenment. In fact the term compassion (Karuna in Pali) is used quite infrequently. The term Metta meaning loving-kindness or goodwill is much more common than the term compassion.
The texts are emphatic in identifying the spiritual path with the Noble Eightfold path, particularly in terms of its alternate formulation as the threefold training of Sila, Samadhi, and Pañña.
BakmoonBakmoon
Good point: Crab Bucket's quote says "love" is sufficient, not compassion. Not much of a distinction between them, in common usage in English... but in Buddhism, compassion and love are distinct enough to be listed as two of the "Four Immeasurables". – Doug_Ivison Oct 13 '14 at 0:31
Has anyone heard anything of this research or more broadly has anyone got any references where the Buddha really emphasizes compassion and indicates that compassion alone is enough?
I have no knowledge about such research. I also can't recollect a reference from the early texts that points, even implicitly, in such direction. There's a reference pointing in the opposite way though:
"And how, bhikkhus, is the liberation of the mind by compassion developed? What does it have as its destination, its culmination, its fruit, its final goal? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness accompanied by compassion … the enlightenment factor of equanimity accompanied by compassion, based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. If he wishes: ‘May I dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ he dwells perceiving the repulsive therein…. If he wishes: ‘Avoiding both the unrepulsive and the repulsive, may I dwell equanimously, mindful and clearly comprehending,’ then he dwells therein equanimously, mindful and clearly comprehending. Or else, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with nonattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ he enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of space. Bhikkhus, the liberation of mind by compassion has the base of the infinity of space as its culmination, I say, for a wise bhikkhu here who has not penetrated to a superior liberation."
-SN 46.54, Accompanied by Lovingkindness
Unrul3rUnrul3r
Can you explain why that points in the opposite way, that is, to the insufficiency of compassion alone for enlightenment. Why does not the mere phrase "the liberation of mind by compassion" support the thesis in question? Of course, when we analyze these scriptures in translation, without knowledge of the original Pali along with some serious scholarship (of the kind that Gombrich applies in abundance), we are somewhat stabbing in the dark. – David Lewis Oct 17 '14 at 20:43
Because that would be reading it out of the context which it is written. Reading the whole paragraph tells one that reaching the base of infinity of space is the culmination of such pursuit, not awakening. In many places in the canon, these bases are referred to as liberations, not awakening. Such base is still within the bounds of perception and hence not a full penetration of suffering. Cessation would be a full penetration if seen with discernment. One could try to argue that compassion alone is enough, I wouldn't argue back though since I'm not interested in the dhamma for debating. – Unrul3r Oct 18 '14 at 9:17
Not debating... just trying to understand. Looking stuff up, I see that the fifth jhana, aka the first formless realm, is infinite space, and I believe that is said to correspond to the Brahmavihara of compassion. That certainly is incompatible with Gombrich's thesis, but there are many contradictions in the Pali Canon. It's been a while since I read Gombrich's stuff so I cannot recall the (rather complex) line of exegesis and reasoning, but given Gombrich's stature as a scholar of Buddhism, I'm sure he is aware of this material and addresses it. – David Lewis Oct 18 '14 at 15:31
In any case, the original question was not whether the assertion is true, but what is the research that Hanson references. – David Lewis Oct 18 '14 at 15:36
I'm not well-studied or taught, but it seems to me that Itivuttaka: The Group of Ones says that (fully) overcoming any one of the three poisons is "sufficient".
My guess is that's something to do with dependent co-arising: eliminating one implicitly eliminates them all?
He says that explicitly about each of the three poisons, e.g.:
Abandon greed as the one quality, and I guarantee you non-return.
Another single factor (not one of the three poisons and not sufficient to guarantee "complete awakening") is in verse 17:
With regard to external factors, I don't envision any other single factor like admirable friendship as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who is a friend with admirable people abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful.
The commentary quotes from the Upaddha Sutta,
In SN 45.2 the Buddha says, "Admirable friendship... is actually the whole of the holy life... It is in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair."
ChrisW♦ChrisW
Pure Land Buddhism
It's so much about compassion with Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. IMO Pure Land Buddhism has allowed everyday people to easily achieve a deep meditative state not with pure abstract ideas like Zen but by using simple iconography (although most temples mix in some Zen). The issue and complaint for some is that some ascribe superstition to the teachings. As my master / bhikkhuni says "People come in [to the temple] when they're in trouble and pray but Buddha doesn't work that way." Even folks like Thích Nhất Hạnh have hinted that the Pure Land is more for the mind than anything else when he wrote about "if there's no lemon trees in the Pure Land."
My advice is explore Pure Land and remember that it's compassion that binds us together. Both the skeptic and superstitious can seat next to each other in a Buddha hall, get the exact same experience and be good friends.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land_Buddhism
BrianBrian
The ultimate problem is ignorance, not cruelty. It's from the ignorance of the four noble truths that every suffering arises. Pragmatically, the problem is the ignorance of the nature of reality, namely that every composed phenomenon is impermanent, unsatisfactory and empty. You cannot destroy this ignorance by concentration alone. You need to understand the nature of reality so that you can let it go. I'm afraid there is no other way around this and every buddhist path converges here: direct experiencial understanding of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and emptiness.
There is a lot of room to emphasize the practice of love and compassion and it should be done. But not to the point where the only real solution to suffering is removed from the practice. Wise attention is what destroys ignorance.
As a personal speculation, I believe that liberation by metta (loving kindness), or metta release, means another thing. When a meditator attains any of the 4 levels of awakening described in the pali canon, he gets access to the practice of phala samapatti. The attainment of a level of awakening is marked by two consecutive events: path and fruit, or magga and phala. Phala samapatti is the recolection of the fruit consciousness that arises after a level of awakening is reached. I believe that metta release is in fact the recollection of the fruit consciousness brought about by the practice of metta. It's a particularly powerful way of abiding in the fruit consciousness and perfecting the release of the level of awakening the meditator is at.
EyeArrowEyeArrow
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged pali-canon mahayana reference-request compassion or ask your own question.
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Pride and Compassion
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DIRTY DONNA: Brazile Gets Away With MURDER Because She’s A BLACK Female Democrat
Written by K. Walker on November 8, 2016
It’s hard to imagine what would happen if it was a white Republican man who did these things. The leftist elites might demand the repealing of the ‘Cruel and Unusual’ clause from the 8th Amendment.
Donna Brazile colluded with the Hillary camp to defeat Bernie in the Primaries.
Check out this article — look at #15.
Brazile, using her position as a CNN contributor, found out some of the debate questions that were going to be asked at the March 13 Town Hall event. She then sent them to Hillary’s camp with the auspicous subject line, ‘From time to time I get the questions in advance’.
Trending: WATCH: The 8-Minute Video PRAISING President Trump That Leftists Don’t Want You To See
Brazile has refused to acknowledge or answer any of the allegations, instead blaming the Russians.
Compare to the CNN Debate Transcript.
On ‘Income Inequality’:
MARTIN: Senator Sanders, you have talked a lot about income inequality during this campaign. Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., who is here, has been fighting Silicon Valley, opening up the doors and opportunities for African-Americans and other people of color.
Yet four years ago, PowerPAC+ did a study showing that the Democratic Party spent $514 million on various consultants, yet minorities only got 1.7 percent or $8.4 million of that.
How can the people trust Democrats to do something about income inequality when, when it comes to political dollars, they practice income inequality?
On ‘Unions’:
MARTIN: Secretary Clinton, yesterday you were in St. Louis, and you talked about carpenters and the rebuilding of the country, the folks who built this nation.
CLINTON: Right.
MARTIN: And, both you and Senator Sanders have significant union support, yet many of the trade unions that — we walk about built the country, they’ve locked out black folks and other minorities for decades. Would you, even right now, and even as president, call a meeting with the trade unions and say it’s time for you to open up those doors and bring in more African-Americans and Hispanics, and others be because those are high-paying jobs. And, if we keep saying rebuild America with a huge infrastructure and billions of dollars, they’re the ones who are going to do it. And, black folks and others are going to be left on the outside looking in.
On ‘The Death Penalty’:
MARTIN: Secretary Clinton, since 1976, we have executed 1,414 people in this country. Since 1973, 156 who were convicted have been exonerated from the death row. This gentleman here is one of them…
Obviously, CNN believes the WikiLeaks email chain is true. CNN in a statement on October 14 said that they were ‘completely uncomfortable’ with Brazile’s actions.
Laura Pratapas of CNN said,
On October 14th, CNN accepted Donna Brazile’s resignation as a CNN contributor. [Her deal had previously been suspended in July when she became the interim head of the DNC.] CNN never gave Brazile access to any questions, prep material, attendee list, background information or meetings in advance of a town hall or debate. We are completely uncomfortable with what we have learned about her interactions with the Clinton campaign while she was a CNN contributor.
Brazile, after sending these emails was appointed as the Interim DNC Chair, replacing Disgraced DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Watch Megyn Kelly as she grills Donna Brazile about the Podesta email, Donna, dodges and weaves, then claims it’s ‘persecution’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnARmUIQ_Rc
Jake Tapper said it was ‘unethical’, ‘very upsetting and very troubling’… interesting.
Check out what Jake Tapper’s team did:
Tapper’s team was asking the Hillary camp what questions to ask during an interview. Was that also very upsetting and troubling?
It seems like CNN is #WithHer.
They have chosen a side.
It’s with the Russians.
H/T: The Daily Caller
Share if you are DISGUSTED by the way the ‘Media’, especially CNN, has worked as a PAC for Hillary’s campaign
K. Walker
ClashDaily's Associate Editor since August 2016. Self-described political junkie, anti-Third Wave Feminist, and a nightmare to the 'intersectional' crowd. Mrs. Walker has taken a stand against 'white privilege' education in public schools. She's also an amateur Playwright, occasional Drama teacher, and staunch defender of the Oxford comma. Follow her humble musings on Twitter: @TheMrsKnowItAll
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Family sues after SWAT team raids apartment by mistake in Back of the Yards
Posted 12:44 PM, November 9, 2018, by WGN Web Desk, Updated at 05:48PM, November 9, 2018
CHICAGO -- A family in the city's Back of the Yards has filed a federal lawsuit against the city for a mistaken police SWAT team raid on their apartment.
The suit says during the Aug. 9 incident, SWAT team members pointed assault rifles at members of the Tate family, including four children, ages 4 to 13.
A gun was pointed at the chest of Ebony Tate while she held her 4-year-old.
The family's Attorney, Al Hofeld Jr. says the family was ordered out of the apartment and onto the street for more than an hour, Grandmother Cynthia Eason dressed only in a T-shirt and underwear.
Officers refused several requests to allow her to go back inside and put on some clothes.
The entire time, the SWAT team, which arrived in an armored vehicle, was at the wrong home.
Ebony Tate suffered a panic attack and required medical attention.
The children were reportedly traumatized by the incident and have had a hard time sleeping since.
The Chicago Police Department has not yet responded to the suit.
Suit: Boy, 8, handcuffed by Chicago police during raid
Ceremony honors CPD officer shot in line of duty, cops who helped save his life
With ICE raids expected, local leaders offer support to undocumented residents
Man with bipolar disorder fatally shot by police during standoff
Man shot, killed by police after Elgin couple says they were kidnapped
Yingying Zhang’s family will request death penalty after Brendt Christensen found guilty
Boy found on South Side reunited with family
Family sues suburban day care after baby’s death, alleges workers failed to do CPR
Man accused of killing wife on wedding night added to FBI’s Most Wanted list
CPD arrests dozens in busts, more officers on the street for the holiday weekend
Man questioned in West Town fatal shooting as victim identified
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The Hardy Boys Handbook: Seven Stories of Survival
By Franklin W. Dixon, Leslie H. Morrill, Sheila Link. 1980
Mysteries and crime stories, Sports and games
Frank and Joe Hardy could get out of any tough situations. After taking a survival course, the young detectives are…
forced to put their training to the test in seven terrifying situations.
By John Mcevoy. 2012
Chicago racetrack publicist Jack Doyle former advertising man and amateur boxer accepts the challenge of a new job…
in the world of thoroughbred horse racing--that of jockey s agent His client is a seventeen-year-old riding phenom from Ireland named Mickey Sheehan who has decided to try her luck in the States They prove to be an effective team until someone begins secretly administering dangerously illegal medications to horses affecting race results In his quest to identify the culprit the shrewd irreverent and always opinionated Doyle is aided by his old friend Moe Kellman furrier-to-the-Mob trainer Ralph Tenuta himself the target of a blackmailer and young veterinarian Ingrid McGuire a greatly talented horse communicator Plus Jack and Moe become co-owners of a talented bargain-priced colt named Plotkin who provides several thrills not all of them welcome The action moves from Chicago s Heartland Downs to New York s famed Saratoga Race Course even stepping aboard Mob capo Fifi Bonadio s lavish yacht in Chicago s Belmont Harbor Is that favor Jack agrees to do for Fifi going to get him killed or will it be his persistent push for answers to the horse doping Mickey s sibling rivalry with her occasionally race-manipulating brother Kieran one of Ireland s top jockeys comes to a climax with Mickey aboard Plotkin in the million dollar Heartland Downs Futurity while Doyle pursues two daunting challenges to his colorful career as an amateur investigator in the world of American racing
By Richard Curtis. 1975
Mysteries and crime stories, Sports fiction, Sports and games
Dave Bolt doesn't know what the Racers' star quarterback has to do with the game no gambler would touch, but…
it smells like a mighty fishy fix. When Jimmy Quinn doesn't show for a meeting and has disappeared, Bolt suspects more than a thrown game. Quinn's books show a few shady deals, but nothing too suspicious. Now Bolt has a dead gambler on his hands, and what he wants to know is...is Quinn next on the list or a cold-blooded killer? No one ever said the sports business was a cup of tea and Dave Bolt takes his coffee strong, bitter and black.
Hook, Line & Sinister: Mysteries to Reel You In
By T Jefferson Parker. 2010
Mysteries and crime stories, Anthologies, Sports and games
Original short stories by best-selling mystery writers about their favorite pastime—?shing. Sixteen of America's favorite author-anglers spin tales of mystery…
and fishing in this collection. From the tragic to the comic with many stops in between, these stories reflect the authors' passions for both making stories and catching fish. Michael Connelly, Ridley Pearson, John Lescroart, Don Winslow, Melodie Johnson Howe, Victoria Houston, and others all share a mysterious affection for things piscatorial when not busy writing best-selling books. This collection of all-original short stories will entertain even the most discriminating mystery reader. Proceeds from this book will help support two charitable groups, Casting For Recovery, which helps women cancer survivors to heal body and soul through fly-fishing, and Project Healing Waters, which does the same for our returning veterans. Contributing authors include • Ridley Pearson • Mark T. Sullivan • Michael Connelly • John Lescoart • Andrew Winer • Dana Stabenow • Don Winslow • Melodie Johnson Howe • James W. Hall • C.J. Box • Victoria Houston • William Beall • Spring Warren • Brian M. Wiprud • William Tapply • T. Jefferson Parker
Riders Down
No one really notices that a fix may be in until Matt O'Connor, a Chicago-based columnist for a national racing…
newspaper, gets a call from Moe Kellman, a horse-owning acquaintance. Kellmans question for Matt: Was the death of ninety-two-year-old Bernard Glockner, Chicago's oldest active bookmaker, suicide or murder? Glockner was Kellman's late uncle and Kellman, a man not unfamiliar with the Chicago mob, wants Matt to check it out. Matt quickly comes to believe that the fate of the bookie is tied to a series of races whose outcomes have been manipulated. His quest is aided by horse trainer Maggie Collins and Dave Zimmer, a professional gambler known as The Fount for his reputation as an encyclopedic source of information. Eventually, going as far afield as Las Vegas and Madison, Wisconsin, they fix their sights on a brilliant sociopath. But why would this psycho have plotted a race-fixing scheme? Spiced with the kind of lively language that marked Blind Switch, the author's debut novel (2004), Riders Down offers striking insights into the world of horse racing and the possibilities of its corruption.
Riverwatcher: A Fly-Fishing Mystery A Fly-Fishing Mystery
By Ronald Weber. 2013
Mysteries and crime stories, General fiction, Suspense and thrillers, Sports and games
Lottery winner and ex-journalist Donal Fitzgerald joins forces with his girlfriend, DNR conservation officer Mercy Virdon, to solve the mysterious…
death of a beloved angler, Charlie, who was murdered in his tent in a state campground and who was known by all—and who may have known too much. Set in the engaging small town of Ossning on the Borchard River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—an angler’s dream, filled with eccentric, believable, sympathetic, and unforgettable characters—Riverwatcher is a classic whodunit. Fitzgerald and Mercy’s investigation to discover the deadly secret among the locals leads to dead ends until a surprisingly bookish theory surfaces. Weber expertly weaves this character-driven novel with a strong sense of place, creating a great yarn for anglers and mystery lovers and, as it turns out, a literally literary mystery.
Bullet Hole (Alan Saxon Mysteries #1)
By Keith Miles. 1986
"In the world of championship golf, the stakes are high and passions run to match. And never more so than…
at the British Open Championship, particularly when it is played at Saint Andrews, venerable home of the game. For Alan Saxon, too long ago a champion and once again in top form, this is a crucial tournament, and he must carefully prepare himself. But his ritual is rudely interrupted by the appearance of a young, pretty golf groupie who starts by demanding a lift and ends up naked and dead in his bed. She is not the only casualty, and it fast becomes clear that someone wants Saxon out of the open. As the championship builds to its climax, at last Saxon thinks he knows who the killer is--but then he must decide: which hole is the bullet hole?"
Green Murder (Alan Saxon Mysteries #3)
Professional golfer Alan Saxon, finding himself short of money, is grateful to get an offer to fly off to Australia…
to take part in a prestigious Skins Game. But Sydney proves no escape; he's back in the city where he spent his honeymoon. Sadly, his ex-wife, Rosemary, is about to marry and deny him access to their beloved teenage daughter. To add to his troubles, Diane, the attractive wife of wealthy Warren Oxley, the Aussie tycoon who's sponsoring the Skins, idolizes Saxon and insists on being his caddie during the contest. When he plays a practice round with her at the Greenblades Country Club, Saxon is overpowered and Diane is abducted, plunging him into a nightmare world of violence, betrayal, murder, financial intrigue, and sexual obsession, as well as the ploys of dedicated environmentalists. The Skins Game becomes a struggle to save his own hide where only his skill with a golf club can ward off extreme danger and deepening heartache.
Double Eagle (Alan Saxon Mysteries #2)
Alan Saxon, pro golfer and amateur sleuth, has hit rock bottom. After a disastrous season on the golf circuit, he…
is hounded by his bank, harassed by his ex-wife and on the verge of losing his current girlfriend. So, when his friend and fellow pro golfer, Zuke Everett, invites him to trade another dreary English winter for a tournament at the posh new Golden Haze Golf Club in sunny California, he leaps at the chance. However, Saxon soon finds himself enmeshed in a tenacious web of violence and intrigue as he attempts to find his friend's killer and free himself from suspicion. Beatings, betrayal and police badgering are par for this, the most treacherous course of Saxon's life.
Honolulu Play-Off (Alan Saxon Mysteries #6)
Alan Saxon flies to Honololu to act as best man at the wedding of a close friend, Donald Dukelow, an…
American golfer who has always beaten Saxon is play-offs. In the party are the groom's mother, who hates the idea of her son marrying a Hawaiian beauty so much younger than him, and Dukelow's first wife, Heidi, a keen golfer and admirer of Saxon. Troubles start when Saxon and Heidi play a round on the Ko Olina course. Things get rapidly worse that evening when Saxon and Dukelow have a meal together. They go on to a nightclub with disastrous results. Though Saxon manages to carry his friend back to the hotel, he finds him brutally murdered in his bed next morning. Since Dukelow has joked that he wanted Saxon there as a bodyguard, the latter feels guilty - especially when he realizes how easily he was duped. To solve the crime and avenge his friend, Saxon has to investigate the Kaheiki family into which Dukelow was about to marry. When he lifts the stones, he does not like what he finds underneath them and he is soon in jeopardy himself. In addition to calming Heidi, consoling Dukelow's mother, keeping the police off his back, following his own lines of inquiry and dealing with the violent Nick Kaheiki, he has to keep one step ahead of two people who seem intent on killing him. Indeed, it's almost as if they're involved in a play-off to see who can murder him first. Unaware of who either of his assassins might be, Saxon weaves, dodges and tries every trick he knows to stay alive. Hawaii is no dream holiday for him. HONOLOULU PLAY-OFF is a racy golf mystery with an intriguing Hawaiian cocktail of murder, suspense, deception and family conflict. It's the sixth novel in the Alan Saxon series.
Flagstick (Alan Saxon Mysteries #4)
A funeral in the family forces Alan Saxon to go home after a gap of many years to confront the…
father he hates. Old wounds are reopened and he beats a hasty retreat but escape is illusory. Though he flies off to the Far East, he cannot outrun his problems. His first port of call is Bangkok where he plays a round of golf with an old friend, Sam Limsong. Pleasure is soon overshadowed by some alarming developments and he flies on to Tokyo with deep misgivings. Contracted to make an instructional video, Saxon falls foul of his host, the tyrannical Shoei Ogino, head of a giant corporation and obsessed with the game of golf. In Ogino's relationship with his three sons, Saxon sees parallels with his own father's attitudes. Those parallels are thrown into sharper relief when Ogino is cruelly murdered in his home during a party. As the heirs jockey for position, it becomes very clear that Japan is the Land of the Rising Son. Saxon, who narrowly escaped with his life at the party, is caught up in the family chaos and drawn into a relationship with the delectable Mitsu, bereaved daughter of Ogino. Problems multiply for the British golfer, but he continues to fly the flag bravely....
Bermuda Grass (Alan Saxon Mysteries #5)
Alan Saxon is helping to design a golf course at a new hotel in Bermuda. When his daughter, Lynette, agrees…
to spend a week on the island with him, he envisages an idyllic holiday. He is soon disillusioned. To begin with, Lynette brings a fellow-student from Oxford with her on the trip and Saxon has grave doubts about Jessica Hadlow. The girl is arrogant, outspoken and brimming with sexuality. Because her father is a wealthy international businessman, her attitude to people and to money makes Saxon gasp. Once in Bermuda, his troubles really start. The nervous Peter Fullard, the course architect working with Saxon, tells him that someone is trying to sabotage their work. Saxon at first refuses to believe this but, when he discovers a dead body hanging from a cedar in the middle of the new golf course, he has to revise his opinion. Then his problems multiply as his ex-wife, Rosemary, is only too pleased to tell him. Saxon begins to wish that he'd never come anywhere near Bermuda... Alan Saxon made his first appearance in Bullet Hole (1986). Other titles in the series were Double Eagle, Green Murder and Flagstick.
Blind Switch: A Jack Doyle Mystery (Jack Doyle Series #0) A Jack Doyle Mystery
Desperate Jack Doyle accepts a sketchy job which leads to a deadly game of fixing horse races and murder--of the…
four-legged kind.... One-time amateur boxer Jack Doyle, an irreverent and rebellious advertising account representative, goes to work one fine Chicago day and finds his desk--and his job--both gone. A two-time loser at the marriage game as well, Doyle, usually ultra-confident, fishes himself out of a bottle to take stock, realizing, "with a thumping finality, that Life sure as hell did have his number and was crunching it." At loose ends, Doyle accepts a most unusual offer from an acquaintance, Moe Kellman, "furrier to the Mob," to fix a horse race. The context of making the deal, a Cubs game at storied Wrigley Field, sets the tone for the drama that follows. Thus begins a chain of events that will lead the FBI to Doyle's door where they "coopt" him into a quest after people who are maiming or killing thoroughbred horses for their insurance values. Their number one target is a loathsome media mogul who can't bear to lose at anything. Built upon recent factual events, spiced with satire and peppered throughout with engaging loonies, Blind Switch is a noteworthy first novel with a hero forced to ask in its ultimate line, "Where have I gone right?"
The Significant Seven (Jack Doyle Series #0)
Seven lifelong friends and racing fans from their student days at the University of Wisconsin strike it lucky at Saratoga…
Race Track when they combine to win a plus million dollar Pick Six. They subsequently use some of those profits to buy race horses, one of which, The Badger Express, turns out to be a sensational runner, stallion, and money maker. Seven years later, the men become targets of a professional assassin, an ex-Navy SEAL and Iraq private security guard named Orth. They begin dying, one by one. Jack Doyle returns to the race track, volunteering to aid FBI agents in a search for criminals fixing races. Doyle then becomes involved in protecting Rene Rison, the favored daughter of the Significant Seven's leader Arnie Rison. Jack Doyle, as always irreverent, observant, opinionated, sometimes mistaken but always persistent, eventually manages to find answers to the questions of who is fixing the races and who is having members of the Significant Seven killed off.
Close Call: A Jack Doyle Mystery (Jack Doyle Series #0) A Jack Doyle Mystery
Ex-amateur boxer and failed advertising account executive Jack Doyle, hero of Blind Switch, returns to the world of thoroughbred horse…
racing at a suburban Chicago track in this new thriller by the author of award-winning Riders Down. With the help of furrier-to-the-mob Moe Kellman, Doyle is hired as publicity director at Monee Park, a struggling suburban Chicago track owned by heiress Celia McCann. Celia is fighting to keep the business afloat while awaiting passage of a law allowing the introduction of lucrative video slot machines at Monee Park. Meanwhile, she is under pressure from her co-heir and cousin, Niall Hanratty, to close the track and sell the valuable property to real estate developers. Working hard to convince Celia to sell are a pair of hired thugs from Chicagoas Canaryville neighborhood. Celia, whose husband is afflicted with ALS, is determined to maintain the business inherited from her beloved uncle Jim Joyce. The exploits of star sprinter Rambling Rosie help Celiaas cause, as do the efforts of the redoubtable Doyle, again a somewhat reluctant knight errant who rises to the occasion when needed. Written from an insideras viewpoint, and featuring a robust cast of offbeat characters, Close Call provides entertaining insight into the unique world of American horse racing with a climax as exciting as a Derby photo finish.
Non-fiction: Sports and games
Fiction: Mysteries and crime stories
(-) Mysteries and crime stories (15)
(-) Sports and games (15)
Canadian fiction
Ghost and horror stories
Humourous fiction
Multi-cultural fiction
(-) Mysteries and crime stories
Serious and literary fiction
(-) Sports and games
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Campaign for Free Expression
Secular Rescue
International Blasphemy Rights Day
Lubna Ahmed
Around the world, militant extremists have harassed, attacked, and murdered secularists and dissidents for daring to promote and defend secular government and fundamental human rights. In some countries, including most recently Bangladesh, this problem is particularly severe, and new threats emerge across the globe every day.
Secular Rescue is a program of the Center for Inquiry designed to provide emergency assistance to writers, bloggers, publishers, and activists who face threats due to their beliefs or expressions regarding religion.
Generous public support has allowed the Center for Inquiry to assist more than two dozen individuals and their families in escaping to safety, either temporarily or permanently.
Read about some of our biggest success stories here.
However, many others remain in danger. Through Secular Rescue, CFI will continue to raise funds for this important cause so that we can act quickly and decisively before another individual is attacked. 100 percent of funds donated go to helping those at risk.
Please give now so that we can help these courageous defenders of secularism and freedom of religion, belief, and expression.
*This program was originally launched as the Freethought Emergency Fund in 2015 and relaunched as Secular Rescue on International Blasphemy Rights Day 2016.
The Campaign for Free Expression is an initiative of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) to focus the public’s attention and efforts on one of the most basic and foundational human rights: the freedom to express yourself. We hope you join us.
Write Foreign Government Leaders
Press U.S. Government Leaders
Support Secular Rescue
Bring CFE to Your Community
Raise Awareness at the Grassroots
IBRD 2016: Let’s Save Some Lives
IBRD 2016: Take Action for Free Expression
IBRD 2016: Spread the Word
The Campaign for Free Expression is an initiative of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) to focus the public's attention and efforts on one of the most basic and foundational human rights: the freedom to express yourself. We hope you join us.
A CENTER FOR INQUIRY CAMPAIGN
Alber Saber
Alexander Aan
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Asia Bibi
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Bahá’í Seven
Hamad Al-Naqi
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Narendra Dabholkar
Niloy Neel
Rimsha Masih
Sanal Edamaruku
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DONATE TO CFI ›
Follow the Center for Inquiry on Twitter and Facebook.
© 2017 Center for Inquiry / CFI Office of Public Policy
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Interlude 41A – Pace, Theia, Miranda, and Abigail
“Oooh, can we get a Two-Face suit?”
The question from Theia came as she (with Pace, of course) stood in the middle of a clothing store holding a black leather jacket in one hand and a red leather jacket with the other. The store itself was a relatively small, corner-located business that specialized in second-hand clothing.
Abigail blinked once at the question, looking over to the girl(s) from where she stood at another of several nearby clothing racks. “A… two-face suit?” She had brought the girls here thanks to a conversation they’d been having earlier. Abigail had asked when Theia’s birthday was, which was something the girl herself didn’t know. Appalled by that, Abigail had said they would make today her birthday. So now they were out shopping for presents. Presents which, among other things, included getting Theia and Pace some actual personal clothes that they could enjoy.
The whole birthday thing was also helping to take Abigail’s mind off the memory of being abducted and nearly killed by her own much younger half-brother, who himself ended up dead in the process.
It had been a very long school year.
“She means like this.” Moving by Theia, Miranda reached out to take the jackets before arranging them next to each other so that the left half of one and the right half of the other were hidden, leaving the two jackets looking like one with different colors on each side. “Two-Face. You know, Batman.”
“We would make a very good Batman,” Theia noted. “Except for killing people. And being a girl. And not a detective. Or rich. Or broody. But we do enjoy beating people up. And scaring people by magically appearing behind them. Which is worth at least a passing grade at Batmanning.”
“So which is it?” Miranda asked, “Do you want to be Two-Face or Batman?”
Theia’s mouth opened, before the girl paused, a sudden gasp of realization escaping her. “We have a brilliant idea. Where is the nearest Batman writer? We can–”
“You can’t turn Two-Face into Batman,” Miranda interrupted, catching the other girl by the arm. “I’m pretty sure something like that already happened with Spider-Man anyway.”
“Besides,” Pace put in then as she briefly took over, “we’re here for new clothes. And if we went with a Two-Face suit, we’d probably stand out just a little bit. Or a batsuit,” she added belatedly before completely changing the subject, as she was wont to do. “You have a codename now too.”
“It’s not a codename,” the other girl corrected, “it’s a Garden name. It’s supposed to signify your rebirth or loyalty to the tribe, or to the Tree, or… whatever.”
Abigail sighed, looking to her. “The name is an insult. You know why they chose it, what they mean by it.”
Meeting her gaze, Miranda shrugged. “Stray? Yeah, I know why they offered the name Stray. Because I’m straying from the tribe, supposedly. Because I’m just a stray in general, just a nobody orphan that sniffs around until someone takes me in. And I know they expected me to object and drag it out. They expected me to make a big fuss about it, expected me to refuse and go with a different name. But I don’t need a different name. The name doesn’t make me, I make the name. And I’ll make this one what I want it to be.”
Theia, watching her carefully, offered an uncharacteristically somber, “Names are powerful. Like a wild bull. If you control it, you’re strong. But sometimes people throw you onto one, because they want it to throw you off and trample you. They throw you onto a bad name, because they want to hurt you.”
“I can ride this bull,” Miranda replied simply. “They don’t get to win.”
Running a hand over the girl’s hair, Abigail looked like she was going to say something, but stopped herself. Instead, she settled on reaching out to pick a handful of clothes. “Here, why don’t you three go ahead and head into the back to try these on. See if you like any of them, then we can go from there.” The woman smiled a little. “And while you do that, I’ll see if there’s a Batman costume hiding somewhere in the corner over there.”
The girls headed into the changing rooms at the back. Theia and Pace stepped into the nearest booth, taking some of the clothes in with them. Unfortunately, they had only just positioned themselves in front of the mirror with a pair of pants held up in front of Pace’s body when both abruptly stopped their ongoing inner dialogue about what color was better. Pace’s head turned, but it was hard to say which of them turned it. Both were in sync, both with that and with the slow, careful sniff that came next.
“Heretics,” Theia muttered aloud.
“Strange Heretics,” Pace added.
“What?” That last one was Miranda, poking her head under the partition to stare up at them. “What do you mean strange Heretics?”
Theia opened the door, whispering, “We smell Garden things. Fresh Garden things. And it’s not the Selling man. Four…” She sniffed again. “Five of them. On Theia-My’s birthday too. Rude.”
She started for the front, but Miranda stopped her with a hand on Pace’s arm. “Wait. They can’t see you like this, remember? Let me go check what’s going on. Just… wait here.” She gave them a brief look of warning before quietly moving that way to glance around the corner.
Unfortunately, she did so just in time to be grabbed by the arm and neck and yanked fully out into the front area. The large man gripping her was covered in some kind of red metal that coated his skin, and he was incredibly strong. In one motion, he hauled Miranda into sight and gave her a firm shove, tossing the girl into the middle of the room. She landed next to Abigail.
“Hey!” Abigail herself reached down to help Miranda up, glaring at the man. “Watch what you’re doing, she’s a student!”
“What are you doing?” Miranda put in then, even as she set herself in front of Abigail. The other woman may have been older, but she was far less experienced if this came down to a fight. And Miranda knew too much about Eden’s Garden to think that this guy and his friends were here just to talk. “You–” She started to look for the proprietor of the shop, only to see the man lying unconscious near the checkout counter. One of the other Heretics was standing nearby. Another was by the door, scribbling a spell onto it that would convince any Bystanders who approached to go somewhere else. That was three, while the other two remained out of sight.
“You attacked that poor man,” Abigail finished Miranda’s sentence, pointing that way. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“Who are we?” the red-armored guy who had thrown Miranda to the ground echoed with a smirk. The armor went away, revealing a man who appeared to be a Pacific Islander, and a well-built one at that. “We’re the heroes, duh.”
Abigail’s voice was flat. “Yes, I’m sure the Greeks would have been proud to write stories about what heroes you are, pushing around little girls and attacking innocent old men.”
“He’ll be fine.” The words came from one of the larger coat racks, as a man stepped into view. He wasn’t that tall, standing a couple inches under six feet, with a thin goatee and slicked back dark hair. “He’s just sleeping. We spend enough time risking our lives to protect these Bystanders, the least they can do is take a nap when we want to have a private conversation.”
“I know you,” Miranda announced, staring at the man while still standing protectively in front of Abigail. “Lovac. Your name is Lovac. You’re Weston Marrero’s uncle.” The boy and his arm-candy girlfriends Josie and Kumiko (who were suspiciously similar in appearance with Flick and Shiori) had clearly been holding a grudge against Miranda ever since she and Koren had their confrontation with them much earlier. The confrontation which had led to finding the video of Pace first being possessed.
“Yeah,” Lovac agreed, “so maybe I’m enjoying this a little more than I would.”
“Enjoying what?” Abigail demanded, setting a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. “What is it you want? You have to have a point to all this. A point other than posturing, I mean.”
The large man who had been armored a moment earlier started to speak, but Lovac interrupted him. “A point? Yeah, there’s a point. But for the record, if you’re waiting for Seller to show up, you’re going to be waiting for awhile. Let’s just say the Victors have a job for him that should keep him out of the way long enough to do what we need to do.”
Squeezing Miranda’s shoulder before the girl could retort, Abigail spoke first, keeping her voice as calm and level as possible to avoid setting off this powder keg. “And what is it you think you need to do?”
A slight smirk touched the man’s face as he casually replied, “You think you’re hot shit. Old Bystander lawyer, stomping in and waving the rule book around. You think most of us care what some dusty old paper says? We’re the ones doing the work. We’re the ones protecting humans, and sometimes that means getting your hands dirty. You think you can just come in here, wag your finger, and change everything? You’ve got another thing coming. Mostly pain. Now, we’re not gonna kill you. After all, you’re one of us. But when we’re done, both of you are going to think twice before you try to throw your weight around again. You’ll shut up and do what you’re told.” He smiled thinly then. “Or we’ll just come back and give you the lesson until it sticks.”
The man who had put the spell on the door spoke up. “Stray there needs to be reminded that her loyalty is to Garden, not to some stupid little friend from Bystander school. And you need to figure out that you ain’t a lawyer here. You’re a bitch who can’t even fight. Maybe taking a little beating will make that sink i–”
That was as far as he got, before there was an abrupt and terrifying crash as something… or someone was hurled through the front window of the store. All eyes jerked that way in time to see another Garden Heretic, bound, gagged, and unconscious, crash to the floor amidst the shattered glass.
An instant later, the door was kicked open, as Theia appeared. She caught hold of the man there by the head, slamming him sideways with enough force to put a hole in the nearby wall from the impact. At the same time, she kicked his feet out from under him. Then she snapped his dazed form back the other way to drive his head into the counter before letting his unconscious form drop to the floor.
“You will not touch Miss Abigail or Miranda-Stray,” she informed the men. There was no humor in her voice, no mockery or sense of mischievous fun. She was bristling with anger.
Weapons were yanked free as the men all focused on the intruder, before Lovac put a hand up to stop them. He was staring, a bit wide-eyed at the figure. “… Pace? That… you’re… you’re a…” Slowly, he looked her up and down, a gradual smile touching his face. “Oh, this is beautiful. This is even better than I could’ve imagined. They’ve been harboring you? And you’re a monster. Werewolf, right? That’s my guess. Werewolf. Were something anyway. They’ve been hiding a fucking werewolf and lying about it? Oh, that is… thank you. Thank you all so much. Now we don’t have to stop at just beating the shit out of them. We can have them imprisoned. Probably even wiped and banished. This is just like… I’m so happy right now.” Belatedly, he added toward Theia, “And you can be dealt with properly of course. Locked up until you’re useful, or put down to make room for something that is. Like any other abomination.” Even as he spoke, the man was gently rubbing his thumb along the shaft of the long, metallic spear he had produced.
Righteous fury filled Abigail’s voice then, as she snapped, “She’s not an abomination! Listen to yourself, what makes you think she’s any different than she was before? She has different powers now because she’s a werewolf? That doesn’t make her a monster! You have to judge people by their actions! She even knocked out your friends there instead of killing them! Would a mindless monster do that? Think for yourselves! Think! What has she actually done to make you call her a monster?!”
“Well,” Lovac replied casually while shifting his spear from one hand to the other. “She killed the poor, innocent Bystander that owns this store, for one.”
“What?” Miranda blurted, head shaking. “No, she didn’t! He’s fine! He’s right there!”
“Huh.” Lovac shrugged. Then, without any further preamble, unceremoniously drove his spear down through the unconscious shop owner’s chest. “That’s funny, he looks pretty dead to me.”
Miranda and Abigail both shouted in horror and disbelief, the latter throwing herself that way. She went to her knees by the impaled man. “What–what are you doing?! He–he was an innocent old man! What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“Wrong?” Lovac echoed. “Wrong with me? Nothing. What’s wrong is you not understanding something important. That guy was weak. We’re strong. The Strangers we kill or put to work, they’re weak. We’re strong. You are weak. We are strong. You think we don’t know that there’s Strangers out there just… living their dull lives, playing house, not attacking anyone? Of course we know. But we don’t care. We kill them, we get power. Because we’re stronger. We’re better. We are the superior breed. How are you not doing the math on this? Do I have to simplify it down to the point that your pathetic Bystander-bred mind can comprehend the–”
In mid-sentence, the man was cut off, his voice turning to the squeal of air escaping a balloon while he doubled over. Abigail’s foot was planted firmly between his legs.
“Funny,” the woman snapped, “the superior breed still has an off-switch.”
Chaos erupted then. The man who had been standing by Miranda armored up once more, spinning to grab the girl only to miss as she dove out of the way. Across the room, the other man brought his shotgun up, firing a shot at the front area where Pace and Theia stood.
With a roar of anger the man lashed out with his spear, only to have it caught by a suddenly-moving Theia, who had blurred forward away from the other man’s shotgun blast. She snatched hold of the spear to stop it, glowering. “I told you, you’re not touching Miss Abigail.”
Lovac’s response was a bellow, as a ball of concussive force erupted from his hand, slamming into the girl to send her flying backwards. She crashed through into the back area where the changing rooms were.
“Deal with them!” he snapped to his companions, already sprinting that way. “I’ll handle this one.” With those words, his body blurred as he too activated his own enhanced speed, reaching the back in an instant.
A broken off chunk of concrete from the back wall flew like a bullet at the man’s head as he stepped into the back room. But he twisted aside at the last instant, letting the projectile pass by, missing him by centimeters. In the process, he dropped his spear, leaving it to clatter along the floor.
Then a red blast of energy took the man in the face, burning his skin and singing that thin goatee even as his head jerked back with a gasp. Theia was there, her kusarigamas raised in their gun forms. Her finger pulled the trigger of the second weapon, sending a white freezing blast his way.
He recovered fast, conjuring a forcefield in front of himself that caught both incoming beams. A quick gesture with one hand collapsed part of the ceiling above the girl, forcing her to dive out of the way. With that opening, the man kicked his speed in once more, rushing that way. Before the girl could recover, he caught her by the throat while using his other hand to knock both weapons from her grasp. With a shout of fury, Lovac slammed her into the wall. Then he did it again, harder.
“Think I’ll get all your Heretic powers and there werewolf ones when I kill you, cunt?” he demanded while making a fist with the hand that wasn’t closed tightly around her throat. “Let’s find out.”
His fist slammed forward, only to collide with the bone-armor that had suddenly appeared around Pace’s body, including her face. Before he could recover from that, the girl shot a collection of bone darts into his foot, making him stumble just a little. That was enough for Theia to jerk free of his grip on her throat, catching his shoulders to hold herself up long enough to slam her armored head into his face.
Landing on her feet, Theia made a blade of bone pop from her armored wrist, snapping, “We are killing him.” With those words, she lashed out.
“We?” the man echoed, catching the blade before snapping it off. He kicked the girl back against the wall before driving the broken bone-blade for the slots in her bone-helmet. “It’s just you and me back here, bitch.”
Pace jerked their head out of the way an instant before the blade would have struck home. I’ll keep us alive, she privately informed her Seosten partner. You focus on putting him down.
Lovac was already following up his first bone-blade swipe with another, but Pace instantly ducked down and under his extended arm, Theia taking the opportunity to drive their fist into his gut. She extended another bone-blade in the process, but it snapped off against his skin.
What followed was a tornado of madness and violence that utterly demolished the back rooms. Acid, bone-darts, fire, and more were thrown in every direction. The two figures slammed each other through the walls of the changing areas, kicked benches into one another, used the shattered mirrors to fling glass into each other’s eyes, and thoroughly destroyed every scrap of furniture in the process. And considering their enhanced speed, all of it took less than a minute.
Lovac should have won handily, given his age, experience, and greater powers. But the man was too angry to take a step back and use his better abilities. And beyond that, he also wasn’t fighting only one person. Pace being able to focus solely on keeping them alive while Theia took any possible opening for attack was an advantage that allowed them to mostly keep up with him. Even then, he was still vastly superior, but their werewolf regeneration helped pick up some of the slack.
Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough. In the end, Theia and Pace ended up on the ground. They were just starting to roll over, as Lovac drove his spear that he had managed to collect at some point through their left leg. The pain drew a howl from them. Which was worse as the sharp point at the end of the spear extended outward like a grappling hook, individual blades snapping into place to hold the spear in position so that it would be almost impossible to yank back out again.
“You like that?!” The man’s voice was high from the rush of violence, his breathing haggard. “Huh, you little bitch?! Tell me! You like it? You like losing?! You like knowing you’re about to die? You like knowing that?! You lose! All that, all that was worthless! You’re gonna die! What do you think of that?! What the fuck do you think of that?” He was so angry in that moment that it had taken him so much to actually put the girl on the ground that he wasn’t thinking clearly. His eyes were wild and crazed.
Lying there, Theia and Pace both looked up at the man. They stared for a moment. Then, together and yet with the same voice, they chuckled softly until it became a full on laugh.
Lovac, looking worn and bruised, stood there, spear impaled through Pace’s leg as he glared down at her. Spitting blood, the man demanded, “The hell do you think is so funny?”
From her position on the floor, Theia gave him a simple smile that was barely visible through the intense bruising already adorning Pace’s face. “We… are just… wondering how you are going to like being killed by a werewolf who is also a Heretic.”
With a sneer, Lovac twisted the spear in her leg to drive even more pain through Pace’s body. “Kill me? You’re as delusional as you are stupid. You aren’t killing anyone. You can’t even stand up. You’re just as pathetic as–”
In mid-sentence, a hand covered the man’s mouth. An instant later, the hand and the arm it was attached to turned into a tree branch. Part of that tree branch extended into the man’s open mouth, driving its way down his throat while he gave a muffled scream.
“She meant the other one, jackass,” Roxa Pittman informed him, before extending the branch that had been sent down through the man’s throat out in every direction. Sharp wood was driven through his heart, stomach, lungs, and more. Every internal organ in the man’s torso was torn apart in an instant.
Shifting her arm back to normal, Roxa let the body fall then, while her glowing bronze aura filled the demolished room. The pleasure made her stagger, almost falling as a loud gasp escaped the girl.
“Either the Heretic killgasm has become contagious,” Theia noted thoughtfully, “or we are just very glad that man is dead.” Pace took over then, expression clearing despite the pain as she quickly asked, “Miranda and Abigail?”
Roxa took a knee, nodding. “They’re fine. Mateo and the rest already helped Miranda finish dealing with the guys out there. Here.” Getting the girls to lift their leg a bit, she checked the spear before hitting the button that made the blades close back up into the shaft. Then she took hold of it and gave them a three count before tearing the weapon out. “Seller sent a message, said they were keeping him busy and that you might need help. You okay?”
It was Pace who replied. “Werewolf healing, can’t beat it.”
“You can if you use Heretic powers to stack a lot more healing on top of it,” Roxa pointed out with a wry smirk. With the bloodied spear in one hand, she extended the other to help them up. “Come on. We may have dealt with the initial problem, but there’ll be more. One of those guys got some kind of message out. Besides, I’m pretty sure Mateo wants to make you, Abigail, and Miranda an offer.”
Theia’s head tilted as she moved their hand to take Roxa’s, painfully straightening up even as their leg began to heal with the spear no longer embedded in it. “An offer?”
“Well,” Roxa pointed out, “you guys can’t exactly go back to Eden’s Garden like that. Not after what happened here. You’re kind of off on your own, and you’re gonna have a lot of pissed off Heretics who want to kill you. So it kind of sounds to us like what you guys need is a pack.”
It was Pace’s turn to blink at that, taking over the body to speak. “Miranda and Abigail aren’t wolves,” she pointed out. “Is that even allowed? I mean, traditionally a werewolf pack is for… you know, werewolves.”
“Sure, usually,” Roxa admitted with a shrug. “But what can I say?
“I’ve never really been much for tradition.”
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged Abigail Fellows, Hey‚ Theia Gets To Tell Her Mother About Her New Birthday., Lovac, Miranda, Pace, Roxa Pittman, Roxa's 'Almost Entirely Invisible To All Senses As Long As You're Not Physically Looking At Her' Power Is God Damn Scary Sometimes., Theia, Two-Face Batman Would Have The Left Half Of His Costume Look Like The Modern Black Armored Suit & The Right Half Look Like The 1960's Gray & Blue Spandex Suit on December 5, 2018 by Cerulean. 13 Comments
← Before The Vault 41-07
Interlude 41B – Margorie And Caela Tombs →
Well, I guess Theia is going to be part of this mission to stop her mother from getting into the vault after all. Also, apparently there are Heretics who know that Alters aren’t all bad and don’t care. I’d say besides psychopaths like Isaac, but those guys did seem pretty psychopathic.
Anyway! Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. Come back Friday for the donator chosen one, and then we will start the penultimate arc of this school year on Monday!
The tags for this chapter are: Abigail Fellows, Hey‚ Theia Gets To Tell Her Mother About Her New Birthday., Lovac, Miranda, Pace, Roxa Pittman, Roxa’s ‘Almost Entirely Invisible To All Senses As Long As You’re Not Physically Looking At Her’ Power Is God Damn Scary Sometimes., Theia, Two-Face Batman Would Have The Left Half Of His Costume Look Like The Modern Black Armored Suit & The Right Half Look Like The 1960’s Gray & Blue Spandex Suit
Pingback: Before The Vault 41-07 | Heretical Edge
I was hoping Abigail would be sticking around Eden’s Garden for awhile longer. Kinda like Cahethal, I was looking forward to seeing what changes she would make.
Then again, this doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t room for her to come back, or that what happened here will be openly known for awhile yet.
Euodiachloris says:
Mind you, if she goes full-on Seostan-twinned-Were-Heretic badass Ace Attorney for the diversified, amorphous Atherby pack, I shall not complain overly much.
Frankly, I think leaning Were-wards suits the Atherby mentality. It would also insulate them from, e.g, any shenanigans others are going to try with the Edge’s rope or the Garden’s set-up.
Because… I’m betting the Garden is also facing a similar issue. Whether they know it or not.
izikblu says:
>“She meant the other one, jackass,”
Hah! Take that! And wow, that was a big killgasm, can’t wait to find out what powers she got
Alex Walters says:
Ugh, hard to avoid quoting the whole chapter.
<blockquote?She had brought the girls here thanks to a conversation they’d been having earlier. Abigail had asked when Theia’s birthday was, which was something the girl herself didn’t know. Appalled by that, Abigail had said they would make today her birthday. So now they were out shopping for presents. Presents which, among other things, included getting Theia and Pace some actual personal clothes that they could enjoy.
And here’s the obligatory Theia chapter moment of Kushiel being terrible.
Called this way back when on Discord.
We’re the ones doing the work. We’re the ones protecting humans, and sometimes that means getting your hands dirty.
What was that about protecting humans, Lovac? From where I’m standing there’s a Stranger in the room: YOU!
“Wrong?” Lovac echoed. “Wrong with me? Nothing. What’s wrong is you not understanding something important. That guy was weak. We’re strong. The Strangers we kill or put to work, they’re weak. We’re strong. You are weak. We are strong.You think we don’t know that there’s Strangers out there just… living their dull lives, playing house, not attacking anyone? Of course we know. But we don’t care. We kill them, we get power. Because we’re stronger. We’re better. We are the superior breed. How are you not doing the math on this? Do I have to simplify it down to the point that your pathetic Bystander-bred mind can comprehend the–”
Oh. Heretic Nazi more or less.
Dual thread mode online.
Nice save Roxa.
Yeah, Roxa’s shaping up to be the tank/heavy-hitter of her age group in the Revolutionary faction.
Tumach says:
That Lovac guy makes Shadow Stalker seem reasonable.
Fuck he makes RUTHERS seem reasonable.
PandaGrill says:
I kind of feel like the timeline is a bit confusing. This happens after Family Day, but I feel like it was mentioned way before that Abigail took Theia out shopping. Or am I just getting it mixed up with IRL time?
I’m not absolutely positive, since the basic idea has been planned for quite awhile, with specifics being updated. So mention of it could have unthinkingly snuck in there somewhere. But I just did a brief search and could find nothing relevant in the past few arcs. It’s quite possible that you just remember me making it an option to be seen for months now in the interlude voting. It’s been on a sliding time scale of being able to happen at any point for months real time, but absolutely had to happen before the next arc. Which is why it’s here now.
>“We would make a very good Batman,” Theia noted. “Except for killing people. And being a girl.
Well, Theia, let us introduce you to Cassandra Cain. Nothing says females can’t be a Batclan member. :V
> You’ll shut up and do what you’re told.” He smiled thinly then. “Or we’ll just come back and give you the lesson until it sticks.”
Oh, is that barely veiled misogyny and machismo I smell? You’re a relic, Lovac, a poorly aging one at that. And your nephew’s a chickenshit coward if he has to run to you to do his dirty work for him. *claps sarcastically*
> Of course we know. But we don’t care. We kill them, we get power. Because we’re stronger. We’re better. We are the superior breed. How are you not doing the math on this? Do I have to simplify it down to the point that your pathetic Bystander-bred mind can comprehend the–”
He’s so drunk on his own kool-aid he completely fails to even vaguely realize he and his ilk are monsters themselves, more than many Alters even. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, nothing of value would be lost with his demise.
>With a sneer, Lovac twisted the spear in her leg to drive even more pain through Pace’s body. “Kill me? You’re as delusional as you are stupid. You aren’t killing anyone. You can’t even stand up. You’re just as pathetic as–”
For someone crowing about their supposed superiority on the “loser”, your situational awareness is dogshit buddy, and will cause your imminent death.
>“She meant the other one, jackass,” Roxa Pittman informed him, before extending the branch that had been sent down through the man’s throat out in every direction. Sharp wood was driven through his heart, stomach, lungs, and more. Every internal organ in the man’s torso was torn apart in an instant.
Gruesome. But as I said, nothing of value was lost. Good riddance you psychopath. As for Roxa’s offer, well she’s right. Eden’s Garden is going to close ranks even though Lovac was a powermad psycho and Abigail, Pace/Theia, and Miranda need protection.
An unpleasant one this go around, but the ending is worth it.
Pingback: Interlude 41B – Margorie And Caela Tombs | Heretical Edge
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Review: Shattered Globe’s “Buried Child”
Posted on June 10, 2009 by Scotty Zacher
Shepherd’s critique of shattered American dreams connects to a bleak reality many of us have glimpsed.
Buried Child
by Sam Shepherd
Shattered Globe Theatre
Sam Shepherd wrote Buried Child, his ode to the tarnished American dream, in 1978, tapping inspiration from an America disillusioned from a soul-crushing war and economic stagflation. Now, as perpetual war and economic crisis frustrates our own era, Shattered Globe Theatre has revisited Shepherd’s Midwestern epic.
Director Steve Scott focuses on elucidating the rifting generations in this eulogy for the modern American family unit. Three generations, spanning the 20th Century experience, inhabit the decrepit central Illinois house. Dodge and Halie (a cranky Maury Cooper and caustic Linda Reiter) come from an obsolete agriculture past. Their sons, Bradley and Tilden (Greg Kopp and Gerrit O’Neill), are emotionally and physically handicapped, matching their 1970’s America, nearly a decade after the counterculture revolution came to an abrupt end. Finally, the generation that ushered in punk rock and is represented by Tilden’s son, Vince (David Dastmalchian), and his girlfriend Shelly (Helen Sadler). The play begins with Vince swinging by his grandparents’ house after six years; instead of a fun family reunion, he is baffled because no one, not even his own father, recognizes him.
The depiction of this Illinois family just becomes more twisted as the play goes on. With her first glance of the house, Shelley likens it to a Norman Rockwell painting. As evidence of rape, incest, and murder bubble to the surface, any down-home feeling attached to the house quickly dissipates. Themes of family and heritage abound in the play, especially in a ghoulish image that several characters witness—glimpsing a face within a face. Like the splitting generations, Scott punches up these themes, and the play takes on an eerie, nearly Biblical feel.
Kevin Hagan encapsulates this epic mood with his dilapidated set. The world is a fusion of prosperity and poverty, ancient and modern, pride and shame. A static-y television sputters nonsense in front of a torn Second Empire style-sofa. The set also radiates a royal aura: Halie slowly walks down the stairs praising her favorite but deceased son, reeking of Classical Greek tragedy.
Thematically-speaking, some of the performances aren’t in line with the rest of the production, however. Cooper’s Dodge is too much ornery, embittered old man and not enough fallen patriarch. His moments of despair and impassioned anger are still powerful, but they lose teeth because Cooper pushes the humor of the script too far. Kopp has a difficult time balancing his characterization of the one-legged Bradley. He can find Bradley’s imposing, predator side but can’t quite find the infantile counterpoint once his leg is stolen. Sadler’s Shelley is another weaker performance, turning out a bit too annoying.
Dastmalachian’s Vince hits the right amount of youthful vigor with just enough instability. As Vince’s shell-shocked father, Tilden, O’Neill manages to be both tender and terrifying. Along with Reiter’s caustic portrayal of Halie, these performances infect the production with suspense, humanity, and madness.
The Shattered Globe production’s staging is dynamic and creepy. Scott fits this story into the intimate stage wonderfully, and uses plenty of levels to illustrate the epic forces shaping the story. Mike Durst’s subtle lighting design helps by imparting an uncanny atmosphere for the world. The design and direction meld to make Shepherd’s creation appropriately perverse.
While Buried Child is definitely darkly funny, the Shattered Globe struggles too hard to make the humor pop. However, the production is still disturbing and undeniably relevant to our situation. Although our national consciousness has altered since the writing of the play, our world is similar to the one Vince dwells in. Shepherd’s critique of shattered American dreams connects to a bleak reality many of us have glimpsed.
“Buried Child,” by Sam Shepard
Directed by Steve Scott
Featuring ensemble members Allison Batty, Maury Cooper, and Linda Reiter
Tickets $20-$35
Additional reviews:
New City: Recommended
Chicago Tribune’s Nina Metz: Fine Shattered Globe cast tells the ugly truth in Shepard’s ‘Buried Child’
TimeOut Chicago: Recommended
Full list of Buried Child reviews at Theatreinchicago.com
Previews: May 14 to 16
Press Opening: Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m.Regular Run: 5/21 – 7/12: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 3 p.m.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning “Buried Child” is a macabre look at an American Midwestern family with a dark, terrible secret; a secret which has all but destroyed the family. With its lower-class, sometimes humorous, recognizable characters and dialogue, “Buried Child” resembles the mid-century American realism and grotesquerie of Arthur Miller (“Death of a Salesman”) or Tennessee Williams (“A Streetcar Named Desire”). However, its roots in ritual and its approach to monumental, timeless themes of human suffering—incest, murder, deceit, and rebirth—resemble the destruction wreaked by the heroes of Greek tragedy. The play contains many of Shepard’s favorite motifs: a quirky, often frightening, family of antagonists contained in a claustrophobic farmhouse somewhere in the great American Midwest. Harold Clurman, in his review of the play’s New York premiere at the Theater for the New City on October 19, 1978, for In the Nation wrote ‘‘What strikes the ear and eye is comic, occasionally hilarious behavior and speech at which one laughs while remaining slightly puzzled and dismayed (if not resentful), and perhaps indefinably saddened. Yet there is a swing to it all, a vagrant freedom, a tattered song. Something is coming to an end, yet on the other side of disaster there is hope. From the bottom there is nowhere to go but up.”
Shattered Globe’s programs are partially supported by The Alphawood Foundation; CityArts 1 grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; the Mid-North Association; Much Shelist; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.
Founded in 1991, Shattered Globe Theatre is an ensemble-driven organization whose primary objectives include dissecting, challenging, and reveling in the American experiment; inspiring social discourse by provoking questions rather than espousing philosophy; stimulating artistic growth for and broadening the perspectives of both artist and audience; and pushing the boundaries of excellence in ensemble theatre. To this end, SGT brings it’s primarily Chicago and Illinois-based audiences fresh renditions of classic works and premiere productions that celebrate new voices and provocative viewpoints.
Filed under: 2009 Reviews, Barry Eitel, Greenhouse Theater Center, Shattered Globe | Tagged: Buried Child, David Dastmalchian, Gerrit O'Neill, Greg Kopp, Helen Sadler, Kevin Hagan, Linda Reiter, Maury Cooper, Mike Durst, Sam Shepard, Shattered Globe Theatre, Steve Scott |
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Review: Lifeline Theatre’s “Treasure Island”
Posted on September 22, 2009 by Scotty Zacher
Lifeline creates an all-hands-on-deck winner
Lifeline Theatre presents:
by Robert Louis Stevenson
adapted by John Hildreth
directed by Robert Kauzlaric
through November 1st (buy tickets)
“There are two kinds of men in the world, ” the impeccably honest innkeeper Mr. Hawkins impresses upon his impressionable young son Jim early on in Treasure Island. “There are decent, God-fearing men who honor God, King and Country.” And here, the good father stops in a fraught pause worthy of Pinter before darkly concluding: “And pirates.”
The moment loses much of its impact on the page, but on stage it captures the marvelous duality of John Hildreth’s adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s coming-of-age-with-pirates classic. On the one hand, this is a violent and sobering story thick with casual, brutal killing and unbridled greed. On the other hand, it’s rich with wry humor, even if that humor is often as black as Blackbeard’s beard.
Directed by Robert Kauzlaric, Treasure Island is a complex adventure that skimps on neither bloodshed nor labyrinthine plot details. Although older children may well find the production thrilling, this is not children’s theater – the stabbings, shootings, stranglings and other assorted murderous goings-on are staged with nightmarish impact. (An early bloodletting scene that looks wincingly real turns out to be only the amuse bouche of the evening.) Moreover, Stevenson’s story sometimes seems to have as many threads as the massive ship’s rigging that stretches in great, ropey arms from stage floor to flyspace. As Jim Hawkins’ allegiances shift from pirates to decent men and back again, you’ll be forgiven if you start to feel that you’re watching an elaborate sort of ping-pong game between scurvy rapscallions and proper British gentlemen. The primary flaw in Hildreth’s adaptation is that characters sometimes get lost amid the plot’s complexities. Amid flashbacks, cannon blasts, and hordes of seamen both jolly and evil, it’s not hard to lose track of who’s who among treasure seekers.
The glorious exception – and lynchpin of this able-bodied adventure – is Sean Sinitski. If there’s a Chicago actor better suited to play the uni-ped antihero Long John Silver, well, we’ll eat a fried parrot stuffed with counterfeit doubloons and basted with rancid rum for Sunday dinner. Young Master Hawkins (Warren Weber, in a solid, if somewhat distant performance) might be the moral center of the story, but Sinitski’s Long John is its moral compass. And a fascinating, conflicted compass he is indeed. Stumping along on prosthetic designer David Rende’s marvelously realized peg leg, Sinitski is a father figure of surprising and unconventional virtue. There is indeed honor among thieves, or pirates as the case may be, as decent men and scalliwags alike enlist Jim’s help in recovering the long lost treasure of the late, unlamented Captain Flint.
The supporting cast is an exemplary ensemble. Kauzlaric accomplishes that signature Lifeline feat of making 10 actors seem like dozens, filling the two hours stage traffic with an epic array of buccaneering rascals and proper Brits. Chief among equals: Christopher Walsh as the rum-and-rickets-infused Billy Bones, a rogue whose “thundering apoplexy” proves the catalyst for the story’s rollicking treasure hunt. Also notable is John Ferrick’s Squire Trelawney, an imperious fusspot who manages to keep his wig perfectly powdered even while under siege in the torrid climes of a tropical isle. Chris Hainsworth’s villainous Israel Hands is a fine, blackhearted reprobate while Patrick Blashill’s Dr. Livesey is a suitably multi-layered good guy foil to Sinitski’s oceanic outlaw. Sea chanteys play a lively part in creating the on-stage community, and for that, Andy Hansen’s original music and sound design should be applauded.
Set designer Alan Donahue (with the atmospheric assistance of Kevin D. Gawley’s lighting design) outdoes himself, creating a wonderfully flexible world of ropes and planks and pulleys that easily shifts from ship to shore. As for all the brawling inherent to any story involving pirates, fight director Geoff Coates creates all-hands-on-deck fisticuffs of skull-thumping veracity.
In all, it’s been a cracking fine year for Robert Louis Stevenson: Lifeline’s Treasure Island is the second world premiere adaptation of the tale this season. (A musical version, penned by former Chicagoans Curt Dale Clark and his husband Marc Robin, debuted at Indianapolis’ Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in April.) The book can be a tough read – Stevenson’s speech patterns might not flow so easily to those used to the 21st century vernacular. A trip to Lifeline will make it abundantly clear just why the story is a classic.
Treasure Island continues through Nov. 1 at Lifeline Theatre, 6901 Glenwood. Tickets are $30, $25 seniors, $15 students and rush tickets. For more information, call 773/761-4477 or go to www.lifelinetheatre.com
PHOTO CREDITS (in posting order)
Treasure Island 1
Long John Silver (Sean Sinitski; center; red vest, black hat, crutch, and wooden leg) takes command of his crew of mutinous pirates, including Tom Morgan (C. Sean Piereman; far left; up-pointed sword), Harry (Robert McLean; orange vest and eye-patch), George Merry (Christopher M. Walsh; white and red window-pane shirt, red head scarf, pistol tucked in belt), and Dick Johnson (Eduardo Garcia; pale sash at waist, knife held to boy’s neck); as Jim Hawkins’ (Warren Weber; far right; blue vest, knife at throat) life is threatened, in Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere production of “Treasure Island,” adapted by John Hildreth, directed by Robert Kauzlaric, based on the classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; previews beginning Friday, September 11, 2009, opening Monday, September 21, 2009, and running until November 1, 2009. Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626. For tickets call the box office at 773-761-4477 or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett.
Squire Trelawney (John Ferrick; left; white vest & shirt) announces his intention to set sail for Treasure Island in search of buried gold, as Jim Hawkins (Warren Weber; center; blue vest and black hat) and Doctor Livesey (Patrick Blashill; right; maroon suit) look on, in Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere production of “Treasure Island,” adapted by John Hildreth, directed by Robert Kauzlaric, based on the classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; previews beginning Friday, September 11, 2009, opening Monday, September 21, 2009, and running until November 1, 2009. Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626. For tickets call the box office at 773-761-4477 or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett.
Jim Hawkins (Warren Weber; left background; blue vest, holding pistol) subdues the pirate Israel Hands (Chris Hainsworth; right foreground; gold shirt) and takes command of the Hispaniola, in Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere production of “Treasure Island,” adapted by John Hildreth, directed by Robert Kauzlaric, based on the classic adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson; previews beginning Friday, September 11, 2009, opening Monday, September 21, 2009, and running until November 1, 2009. Lifeline Theatre is located at 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626. For tickets call the box office at 773-761-4477 or visit www.lifelinetheatre.com. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett.
Filed under: 2009 Reviews, Catey Sullivan, Lifeline Theatre | Tagged: Alan Donahue, Andy Hansen, Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, Catey Sullivan, Chris Hainsworth, Christopher Walsh, Curt Dale Clark, David Rende, Geoff Coates, John Ferrick, John Hildreth, Kevin D. Gawley, Lifeline Theatre, Marc Robin, Patrick Blashill, Robert Kauzlaric, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sean Sinitski, Warren Weber |
« Review: A Red Orchid Theatre’s “Mistakes Were Made” Wednesday wordplay »
[…] Hansen: Treasure Island - Lifeline Theatre (review ★★★½) Kevin O’Donnell: - Wilson Wants It All - House […]
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The Hellcat
Hellcat Halted
Don’t panic—the production of the Dodge Hellcat Charger and Challenger was not halted due to a lack of sales. In fact, Dodge stated in its blog this week it’s no longer taking orders for the 707hp muscle car because it’s too behind on orders.
According to an article from Road and Track, about 2,200 cars have been delivered worldwide—which includes both the 2-door Challenger and the 4-door Charger. More than 9,000 orders have been placed in recent months for the extreme muscle cars.
Fiat Chrysler, which owns Dodge and the SRT division has warned potential customers that certain dealerships have been accepting deposits for the Hellcat without actually having permission from Dodge to do so. Dealerships have been allocated one Hellcat per month. Dealerships must also pay a fine if an unsold Hellcat sits on the lot for more than five days. There have been reports that some dealerships have accepted $5,000 non-refundable deposits on cars they cannot fulfill the order for.
It is unclear how long production will be halted, but one would assume that Dodge will take advantage of the increased demand and hold off on new orders until others have been filled. With demand so strong, and no new orders being taken, it will be interesting to see what will happen to the value of already delivered Hellcats.
The Hellcat Challenger comes with a reasonable base price of $59,995 and the 4-door Charger starts at $63,995. Both vehicles get their power from a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine that makes an astonishing 707hp. For the price, there may not be a better, more powerful car out there. A new Lamborghini Aventador packs 700hp and has a starting price of almost $500,000; although both cars offer different types of extremes.
The Charger wears the crown when it comes to the world of powerful sedans, which has been an increasingly popular market. The car holds a record-setting top speed for a sedan of a blistering fast 204 mph (yes, it’s been proven) and holds the record for the fastest quarter mile by a sedan at 11 seconds.
The Challenger has a top speed of a very fast 199 mph, a 0-60mph in the low three-second range and runs a 10.8 second quarter mile. Surprisingly, the car manages to get 22 mpg despite the massive power output.
To allow for easier daily driving, the Hellcat models come with two different key fobs. One key fob restricts the engines power output to “just” 500hp, while the second key will unleash all 707hp.
According to CNN, Challenger sales are up 60%, while Charger sales have increased 23% for January and February. This leads me to believe Dodge has won the battle of the revival of the muscle cars between Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet. Although successful, sales numbers for the Mustang and Camaro don’t come close to matching that of the Hellcat. Also consider the fact that the Hellcat models are the fastest production muscle cars in the world right now for a very reasonable price. Will Chevy and Ford catch up? Will the Hellcat model duo have any competition in the near future? Only time will tell.
Join the conversation on Twitter (@CarZachdotCom) and tell me which is your favorite, the Challenger, Mustang or the Camaro. Check out daily photos of super cars and muscle cars on by following CarZach on Instagram @carzachdotcom.
Send in your photos via Twitter, Instagram or email (Carzachdotcom@gmail.com) for a chance to be featured on our page.
Check out the 2015 Hellcat Challenger here
Check out the 2015 Hellcat Charger here
Tags america, American, American Made, american muscle, automotive, burnout, challenger, charger, Chevrolet, chevy, demand, dodge, drift, economics, economy, Ford, hellcat, horsepower, made in america, muscle, muscle car, muscle cars, mustang, news, production, super car, super cars, supply, The Hellcat, USA, V8
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Author - Seaford Russell jr.
Seaford Russell Jr. joined Cayman 27 in the spring of 2018. He started off as a part-time photographer but thanks to his hard-work, dedication and eye for photography, he was offered a full-time position as a reporter trainee. Seaford is committed to bringing the people of Cayman informative and balanced news about what’s happening in the community.
Environment • Health • News
USF scientist says prepare for more Sargassum
Seaford Russell jr.
Cayman continues to battle waves of Sargassum washing up on our shores. American scientists are urging Caribbean countries like the Cayman Islands to start preparing for...
Gov’t mulls dedicated Sargassum cleanup team
Government says it plans to continue Sargassum cleanup efforts after the NiCE programme ends. Infrastructure Minister Hon. Joey Hew said they are considering recruiting...
First solar Tesla batteries in Cayman
Cayman’s first Tesla solar batteries are up and running. The batteries were recently approved for use here and GreenTech’s James Whittaker said he and his...
Hew: Critical time for Sargassum to be cleaned
National Community Enhancement (NiCE) summer workers have started cleaning Sargassum and it’s a first for the programme. Infrastructure Minister Hon. Joey Hew said...
Renovations at the Cayman Islands Red Cross nears completion
Upgrades to the Cayman Islands Red Cross headquarters are nearing completion. Those at the local non-profit said when it is finished, the George Town facility will be...
Culture • Environment • News
Changes made to new road network, Morrisons still concerned
New changes along Printers Way have kicked in, it comes as the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Infrastructure Ministry move to address concerns raised by an...
Humane Society flooding brings a positive
Those at the Humane Society animal shelter say following last month’s major flooding some of the dogs and cats taken in by families have been re-homed. The shelter...
Divetech aims to break its own world record
Divetech Cayman is set to hold its second annual underwater fundraiser for breast cancer. Last year 86 female divers joined hands underwater to raise $2800. They also...
Humane Society moves ahead with plans after Dart land donation
Humane Society Director Saskia Salden said Dart’s donation of two acres of land for the shelter’s new home is a gift and plans have already started to turn...
Key Club members off to Baltimore
John Gray’s Kiwanis Key Club members flew out Tuesday (02 July) to compete in the club’s international convention in Baltimore. They earned the right to...
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buffaloaded
Joined: 8/19/07 Posts: 10945
.Not just Trump--all righties.
(In response to this post by hawg1)
Posted: 07/11/2019 at 6:05PM
Are Rs here in favor of citizenship question? If so, why? ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 11:57AM
Goods and services -- CUKev 07/11/2019 7:15PM
The question didn’t ask for that info -- BarkingDogBuff 07/11/2019 8:22PM
It’s a moot point now. Maybe Trump should have tried that argument. ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 7:17PM
Why wouldn't that be a valid question on a census? ** -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 1:53PM
Here is the issue in my mind. -- buffaloaded 07/11/2019 6:25PM
I was a census-taker, which required a lot of training; and -- Buffs4Ever 07/11/2019 3:32PM
You didn’t answer my question but I’ll answer yours. -- hawg1 07/11/2019 2:04PM
Why is the motive wrong? We should know the distribution of people. ** -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 2:06PM
The motive was clearly stated by Hofeller -- BarkingDogBuff 07/11/2019 8:25PM
Or it's to get an accurate distribution of the population -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 12:50PM
So you’re cool ignoring the intent behind the question for the excuse, nice -- BarkingDogBuff 07/12/2019 4:05PM
Has literally nothing to do with any race but keep playing those games ** -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 4:48PM
False, Hofeller was very clear about this ** -- BarkingDogBuff 07/12/2019 4:49PM
My argument has nothing to do with what any one politician says -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 4:55PM
I’m sure it would go away if the GOP strategist didn’t specifically -- BarkingDogBuff 07/12/2019 5:23PM
Y'all need to quit with the race card stuff, such a bad look -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 5:32PM
I’m playing the race card by pointing out the GOP plan -- BarkingDogBuff 07/12/2019 5:50PM
Not playing the race card yet can't get past talking about white people -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 6:05PM
Just pointing out verifiable facts -- BarkingDogBuff 07/12/2019 6:22PM
Yikes. ** -- hawg1 07/12/2019 12:58PM
How is that yikes? -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 1:03PM
Don’t back down, back up. ** -- hawg1 07/12/2019 2:17PM
I didn't back down at all -- 90_Buff 07/12/2019 2:50PM
The Supreme Court said the reasoning behind the question was wrong. -- hawg1 07/11/2019 2:09PM
How are you finding the distribution -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 2:43PM
Why is that important to know this time around? ** -- Wisent 07/11/2019 3:15PM
We should always know the distribution, it's not a "this time around" thing ** -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:28PM
Distribution of what? -- Wisent 07/11/2019 4:27PM
Why? ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:30PM
Self explanatory - knowing the distribution of citizens/gc holders/etc. -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:33PM
Why is knowing citizenship important? I am not trying -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:40PM
Why is knowing any of the other questions? -- 84Buff 07/11/2019 3:47PM
Everybody knows why Trump wants to ask this question. So far -- hawg1 07/11/2019 4:42PM
.Not just Trump--all righties. ** -- buffaloaded 07/11/2019 6:05PM
More information about the demographics and change in demos the better -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:41PM
And, by the way, truth is the power. Not information. ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:46PM
Power of information leads to the truth ** -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:47PM
Speak power to the truth. ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:55PM
Maybe Trump should try that argument with SCOTUS along -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:42PM
Moot. He’s going to back down say reports. ** -- hawg1 07/11/2019 2:49PM
Not moot, relevant question ** -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 2:54PM
The question is relevant to some. Not me. Not the Courts. -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:00PM
He won by losing -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:04PM
Please explain your election comments. I thought we were talking -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:08PM
We are talking about the election -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:32PM
He won the census issue by losing the census issue. I said -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:35PM
I am guessing you are voice typing. This can lead to some funny -- buffaloaded 07/11/2019 6:12PM
I'm not triggered but you do you man -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:40PM
There you go. Calling names. Trying to belittle others to -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:45PM
I didn't call you a name nor did a belittle you in anyway -- 90_Buff 07/11/2019 3:47PM
I get it. Something about the word bothers you. That’s cool. I have words -- hawg1 07/11/2019 3:57PM
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Marketers, sell your product, not social norms
April 8, 2016 Multimedia Essay 3Advertising, black men, chocolate, DOVE chocolate, marketing, men, Nestle, portrayal of women, Racism, Sexism, sexist advertising, six-pack, womenkakawa
The aim of an advert is to promote a product and entice people to buy it. Marketing companies use people’s desires and emotions to promote products. However, in attempt to attract the largest audience, they often appeal to the general population and use social norms and stereotypes to advertise. For example, the vast majority of chocolate advertisements are targeted at women because women are stereotyped to consume vastly more chocolate than men, even though research has proven otherwise. Mintel found that females only consume 4% more chocolate than males (CNN; Mintel 2010; Mintel 2014). This is a surprising statistic. Many people expect a larger difference since advertisements have fostered the stereotype that women eat more chocolate than men. With advertisements present on televisions, billboards, the internet, magazines, newspapers, taxis, supermarkets, public transport, and many more places, it is estimated that each person is exposed to 3,000 advertisements per day (Johnson; Story). Therefore, problematic social beliefs are affirmed daily, as we are exposed to thousands of advertisements that perpetuate stereotypical representations of social norms. Therefore, even if an advert is based on a small idea, with daily exposure it becomes a stereotype, and the young next generation are fed these stereotypes and social norms such that they no longer see them as ideas but as truth. Thus, marketers have a huge influence and power on creating or affirming society’s beliefs. Therefore, marketers must be conscious of the message they send out as they advertise their products.
The Original Dove Advertisement
In 2007 the marketers of Dove were not careful with their advertising power and released the advert below. This advertisement is built on many troublingly social beliefs and is discriminative.
Firstly, Dove has completely sexualised men here. They centred and enlarged the abs to fill the entire advertisement, blurred out the sides and background, increased the shadow under each ab, and increased the light reflected off of each ab. This highlights and make us focus only on the muscle and its definition, as if that is the only thing that is important. The human body has many components: emotional, spiritual, mental, physical, and intellectual components. Even physically the human body has many parts and yet Dove chose to show only the male’s abdominal muscles. This promotes a superficial attitude towards men and degrades them to being an aesthetic pleasure, something of only physical worth.
Furthermore, Dove does not only degrade men to a physical body but even more so, their choice to use of a man of colour degrades black men to an object. Dove has used the racist social construct that as Caucasians are to vanilla, Hispanics are to caramel, and Asians are to butterscotch, blacks are to chocolate. Their use of a black model and dim enticing sexual lighting shows that Dove is fostering the idea that while whiteness symbolises ideas of cleanliness, purity, dullness, and blandness, blackness denotes themes of dirt, sin, extreme sexuality, and interest. Therefore, the lack of use of the model’s face and the use of the model’s skin colour to compare him as chocolate represents the disrespectful degradation of black men from a person to an object – a chocolate bar that is worth roughly one dollar.
From the small text at the bottom of the advertisement we see that the intended audience of this advert is a girl. The first issue is that Dove promotes heterosexual relationships and excludes homosexuals. Therefore Dove has tagged along and helped grow one of the biggest problems in chocolate advertising today – extremely frequently, only heterosexual relationships are used to sell chocolate. This Nestlé compilation video shows three examples of such exclusion towards those who are in the minority and are not heterosexually oriented.
Dove’s advert is not only sexist and discriminates against men, but their specific wording fosters common stereotypes that surround women too. The word “melts” plays on and encourages the idea that women are overly emotional and irrational over chocolate and muscles, so much so that their most vital organ will melt after one look at a six-pack and a taste of Dove’s chocolate. Additionally, the use of the word “girl’s” instead of “woman’s” is demeaning because it suggests that in this heterosexual relationship the male is superior and the female is inferior. All in all, Dove’s wording suggests that men are more dominant and in control, which promotes a patriarchal social construct and prevents us from moving towards a gender equal society.
The Recreated Advertisement
To show that it is possible to advertise chocolate without fostering disrespectful social norms, being racist, sexist, or excluding people, I have recreated Dove’s chocolate advert below.
The primary goal of an advertisement is to promote the product that you are trying to sell. Unlike in Dove’s advertisement, chocolate is clearly the product here. It is at the centre. It is large. It is clear. In Dove’s advert “Dove chocolate” was finely printed at the bottom and the tiny chocolate bar and pieces were in the lower bottom right corner. Previously, only if you looked closely could you have been able to tell that it was an advertisement for chocolate.
Furthermore, the recreated advert has moved away from promoting social norms. Since a six-piece chocolate bar has replaced the previously racialised and sexualised six-pack, the advert no longer degrades a person to their physique, nor to an object. The recreated advert also includes numerous races and people of different ethnicities so that the advertisement is neither exclusive nor racist. The ideas of a patriarchal society, overly emotional and irrational woman, and the exclusion of non-heterosexuals have been removed. Instead, the audience has opened up to be all-inclusive as the recreated advertisement plays on the idea that chocolate is fundamentally social: The Maya word “chokola’j”, a potential source for our Spanish and English word for chocolate today, means “to drink chocolate together” (S. D. Coe and M. D. Coe 61).
Marketing companies need to be more conscious about the methods they use to promote their products. There is no problem in promoting products to inform potential consumers what they might want to purchase; however, this should be done in a way that does not exclude, racialise, sexualise, discriminate, or degrade people or communities, or affirm or encourage the growth of disrespectful social norms. A safer way to ensure moral marketing is to keep the adverts focused on the product itself – what it can do, its purpose, and why it is worth purchasing. This will help prevent the fostering of disrespectful stereotypes and social norms and enable us to be a progressive society.
“Anywhere the Eye Can See, It’s Likely to See an Ad.” 2007. Louise Story, The New York Times. 15 Jan 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/business/media/15everywhere.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1 08 April 2016.
Coe, Sophie D. and Michael D. “The True History of Chocolate.” Thames & Hudson 2007 (1996). 61. Print
“Consumer Demand for Chocolate Stays Sweet.” Mintel. 08 October 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/consumer-demand-for-chocolate-stays-sweet 08 April 2016.
“Nation of Chocoholics: Eight Million Brits Eat Chocolate Every Day.” Mintel. 17 April 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/nation-of-chocoholics-eight-million-brits-eat-chocolate-every-day 08 April 2016.
“New Research Sheds Light on Daily Ad Exposures.” Sheree Johnson, SJ Insights. 29 September 2014. Retrieved from: https://sjinsights.net/2014/09/29/new-research-sheds-light-on-daily-ad-exposures/ 08 April 2016.
“Six Pack that Melts a Girl’s Heart.” 2007. Dove Chocolate, Mars Company. Digital File. 08 April 2016.
“Who consumes the most chocolate?” CNN. 17 Jan 2012. Retrieved from: http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/17/who-consumes-the-most-chocolate/ 08 April 2016.
How Women Are Portrayed in Chocolate Advertising
April 8, 2016 College, Multimedia Essay 3, UncategorizedAdvertising, chocolate, gender, gender and sexuality, Gender Stereotypes, Godiva, marketing, men, Sexualized, womenoreolove96
Early Advertisements
Chocolate companies used women to sell their products from the beginning. Through the years women in advertising became more and more sexualized. Chocolate advertising does not stick to satisfy hunger appetites, but it “arouses appetites of a social nature by promising to satisfy viewers’ deep-seated desires for sexual fulfillment and higher class status” (Fahim, 2). In other words, the advertisements are trying to sell it by saying that by eating the chocolate, one should feel that they have been sexual fulfilled and be in a higher class status. The beginning advertisements of chocolate showed women, but not in a very sexualized manner. The two women shown above are average looking women dressed in day-to-day clothing. The advertisement is says “for her…”, but it is not objectifying the women sexually. As AdWomen sums it up, “Women love chocolate, chocolate loves advertising and advertising loves women. It is a chain like all chains of love”. Consumers “love feelings and chocolate brings sensations”, it is because of this that chocolate companies focus on women to show those loving feelings and the sensations that accompany eating chocolate (AdWomen). Chocolate advertisements use women to show that eating their chocolate can fulfill sexual desires and show the high class value that comes along with their specific brands of chocolate.
Advertising Today
In today’s advertising, women are very sexualized when it comes to chocolate especially. The women in this advertisement is dressed in very nice bedroom clothing and has a piece of chocolate placed just above her bust. She is most likely lying on a bed in a bedroom and is posing very seductively. On the advertisement is says, “You can see it in her eyes the joie de Godiva”. She is staring at the viewer by making direct eye contact. The customer can feel beautiful and sexy by eating Godiva chocolate. It plays on the emotions of fulfillment and feeling higher up by eating Godiva chocolate. This is just one image of a set of the “Go Diva” campaign that Godiva launched. All of the ads feature women in very sexualized manners showing their love for Godiva chocolate. Godiva “promotes a more sophisticated chocolate and use powerful imagery to convince consumers that they may attain an unparalleled experience of high-class luxury” (Fahin, 3). Godiva is trying to prove that it is the essence of luxury and power with these sexualized advertisements featuring women. This representation of women in chocolate advertising is the normal standard because chocolate companies must sell the sexualized women for their brands.
My Advertising With Men
In the advertisement I made, it shows a man with chocolate all around his mouth and says, “You can see ti all on his face Godiva”. This man is eating his chocolate and making a mess out of it. He is wearing a plain t-shirt and a neutral background is behind him. This is not the typical ad you would see for chocolate. It is different in the largest extent because he is a male, but there is nothing sexualized about him in the ad. He is your average guy enjoying eating chocolate. This goes against what “sells” in advertising. The story behind this advertisement is that all guys can enjoy their chocolate as messy as they like it. They do not have to look like a model and scream high-class luxury. There are advertisements portraying men in chocolate, but they are usually shirtless and look like perfect models. This representation of a man enjoying chocolate is very far from the standard for chocolate companies. Though, many people could see this ad and want to enjoy chocolate as much as this guy is, companies do not see this as the ideal for selling their chocolate brands.
Fahim, Jamal. “Beyond Cravings: Gender and Class Desires in Chocolate Marketing.” Occidental College, 2010. Web.
MailOnline, Lucy Waterlow for. “Who Were the Aero Women? Chocolate Brand Searches for Mysterious Stars of Vintage Adverts.” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 11 Oct. 2013. Web.
“Marketing and Advertising Chocolate Group.” » Godiva Appeals to Women with “Diva” Campaign. N.p., 3 Mar. 2014. Web.
“Reloader.” How To Tell What a Man Will Be Like in Bed by the Way He Eats ~. N.p., n.d. Web.
“Women, Chocolate and Advertising | AdWomen.” AdWomen. N.p., n.d. Web.
Challenging the Standards of Men in Chocolate Advertisements
April 8, 2016 Extension, Multimedia Essay 3advertisement, Advertising, Aerie, Audrey Hepburn, chocolate, commercial, Galaxy Chocolate, men2016e415
Why is it that chocolate advertisements, more often than not, focus on women enjoying chocolate and not men? In this blog post, I will challenge that idea. In this groundbreaking Galaxy Chocolate commercial, we see a woman who is clearly enjoying the amazing views around her, the attractive man in front of her, but really, she’s just loving that chocolate. At the end of this article, we’ll explore ideas about an alternate scenario, in which I have created a more inviting and diverse take on the ad, demonstrating a man and a woman sharing chocolate without the divide of the back and front seats of the car.
This Galaxy chocolate ad from 2013, features a computerized rendering of Audrey Hepburn, who is on a bus that seems to have crashed into a farm stand’s cart. After seeing the Galaxy chocolate bar in her purse, she glances out the window and immediately locks eyes with a handsome man, who gestures to the front passenger seat of his car. The music and mood changes as Audrey scoots her way off the bus and walks to the man’s car, stealing the bus driver’s hat in the process. Instead of getting into the front seat like any normal human, she places the bus driver’s hat onto the man’s head and earns a glance of confusion. As Audrey magically appears in the back seat, the man drives off into a landscape of paradise. Audrey tears open the Galaxy chocolate bar wrapper, breaks off a piece, and as she enjoys the chocolate we see another wide pan view of the luxurious oceanside. She has the stereotypical female losing herself to chocolate reaction, without ever sharing a piece with her driver, who was never formally introduced to us.
This ad is definitely marketed towards women as it features one so heavily. Not only is this ad speaking to women and saying “wow, Audrey Hepburn is dead and she likes that chocolate, I’m alive I’ll like it too” It also comments that, “this chocolate will make a hunky man show up in a shiny car.” Now why didn’t she share her chocolate with any of the men surrounding her in this commercial? Well, obviously Audrey Hepburn is not a zombie and couldn’t go off script in this ad to add in her own personality…But with all of the men in this commercial, why can’t we see past the woman?
Screenshot from 0:04 from Galaxy Chocolate Ad
According to Laura Tan (2), chocolate presented distinctly to women by women may be on its way out. Tan shows that men are currently eating more chocolate than women, and by popularity, sugar is now more evil than fat. This means that today’s modern woman yearns for permission to consume such villainous delicacies, that is, only if their food tracking apps say they have enough room for a candy bar will they spend a dollar or so at CVS. Conversely, there are also studies that show dark chocolate can be beneficial to heart health. While it has it’s health benefits, those women actively counting and scrimping every last detail of their diet, are likely to only feast on chocolate for a “treat yourself” dessert once in a while. So, if more and more women are jumping onto the fad of being overly healthy, why are they still the main stars of chocolate ads?
To challenge the motif of men as background characters; I inlisted the help of two colleagues.
Instead of a beautiful, sunny landscape in paradise with an elegant celebrity sensually consuming chocolate, we see cold and grey urban day with two people in ordinary street clothing. A woman is in the driver’s seat with a man accompanying her in the passenger seat, completely opposite from what we previously saw in the Galaxy chocolate ad where the woman is in the backseat while the man drove. Instead of only seeing a woman enjoy her chocolate, we also see a man enjoying his. One of the stereotypes challenged by this mock ad is that chocolate is always a sexualized object. Shown clearly, both parties are genuinely enjoying their chocolate, not forcing an overly stimulated emotion on top of it. Unlike other stereotypical advertisement images, the woman in this photo is happily enjoying her chocolate, instead of sensually taking a bite while wearing red lipstick and silk surrounds her. Seeing a man enjoying his chocolate not only markets to men who will think “oh if he is enjoying his chocolate with that girl, I can too!” it continues to market to women as well.
In conclusion; if ads were more inclusive, products would in turn be more inclusive. For example, Aerie (the lingerie line by American Eagle), started its campaign “Aerie Real” or #aeriereal. With this, Aerie put an end to retouching and photoshopping of their models leaving in traits that make their models human: unlike other companies that will retouch every freckle and wrinkle until their models are plastic. Their demographic ranges from young women aged 15-21 (6) and these real unretouched women are an inspiration for them to be happy and proud of the body they have. If any of the major chocolate companies out there started advertising with real people; and no, not the “real” people used in car commercials, but actual real live people that go to work every day, cook dinner for their families, and occasionally want a chocolate bar, their ads would be diverse and inclusive to a broader range of individual customers.
1-3- “Audrey Hepburn: Galaxy Chocolate Commercial” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx9eDoS76LM
2- “How we resurrected Audrey Hepburn(TM) for the Galaxy Chocolate Ad” http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/oct/08/how-we-made-audrey-hepburn-galaxy-ad
3- “The Secrets Behind Advertising Chocolate to Women and Why it’s about to Change Forever” http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/do-chocolate-firms-target-women-flake-cadburys-sweets-confectionery
4- “Why is Dark Chocolate Good for You? Thank Your Microbes” http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-dark-chocolate-good-for-you-thank-your-microbes/
5- Aerie Real https://www.ae.com/featured-aeriereal/aerie/s-cat/6890055
6- “Aerie’s Unretouched Ads ‘Challenge Supermodel Standards’ for Young Women” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/aerie-unretouched-ads-photos_n_4618139.html
Gallery Walk: Chocolate, Gender, and Industrialization
March 11, 2016 Multimedia Essay 2, Uncategorizedart, chocolate, gender, gender roles, Globalization, industrialization, men, painting, women2016x148
Art is closely tied to the culture of a society. Studying changes and patterns in symbolism and representations over time can provide clues to shifting norms and cultural expectations in society. By studying the path of chocolate through art history, we can better understand the shifting associations between chocolate and gender.
Chocolate has been intimately tied to gender since its origins in ancient Mesoamerica. As chocolate spread to new cultures and new continents, practices surrounding the production, serving, and consumption of chocolate changed to reflect the sometimes strict, sometimes contradictory gender norms of these new cultures.
Ancient Mesoamerica: women and production
The women above – on the left, from a Mayan vase ca. 750 CE, and on the right, from the Aztec Codex Tudela ca. 1500 CE – are each pouring chocolate from one vessel to another, a key step in the preparation of ancient Mesoamerican chocolate beverages. The images below illustrate the somewhat different relationship of deities to chocolate.
On the left, from the Dresden Codex, the rain god holds a bowl of cacao in his hands, presumably for consumption; on the right, a high-ranking Mayan man seated on a platform is inspecting a pot containing a frothed cacao beverage – again, he appears to be preparing to drink the chocolate. Though we have access today to only a fraction of the images of chocolate created in the first several hundred years of its consumption, the images that we do have draw a compelling distinction between the relationship of men and women to chocolate. Women produced chocolate, and men consumed it. Aztec and Maya texts, as well as the writings of the European colonists who settled in Mesoamerica, indicate that these earliest consumers of chocolate were well aware of its stimulating effect (Coe and Coe). In Aztec society, the consumption of chocolate was expressly limited to nobles, merchants, and warriors – all, for the most part, male (Coe and Coe). The roles of women in Mesoamerican society were far more restricted – women were primarily involved in the domestic sphere – and far less physically active, meaning they lost the privilege of drinking chocolate.
Chocolate houses, European men, and chaos
By the early 17th century, cacao had officially arrived in Europe. It was first drunk only by royalty, but quickly spread – especially in England – to the masses, aided by the class-defying appeal of London’s coffeehouses (Calhoun). William Hogarth’s engraving, below, shows a raucous crowd of men at White’s Chocolate House, many gambling, smoking, or stabbing at the air with swords.
A somewhat tamer scene is depicted below; again, though, men have come together in great numbers to consume chocolate.
Coffee houses and chocolate houses were generally a space from which women were excluded. There is historical disagreement about whether women were forbidden from frequenting these spaces by decree, as Bramah claims, or merely made unwelcome, as Cowan argues; whatever the means of exclusion, the visual record confirms that chocolate houses were a gendered space. Women were only present in chocolate houses as owners or employees. (Calhoun). A deeper cultural gender divide is clear when we consider the conversations that generally took place in coffeehouses and chocolate houses: historians often acknowledge the role of these spaces in disseminating the intellectual ideals of the Age of Enlightenment to the public sphere (Calhoun). The absence of women from this important sphere where culture and politics were discussed, debated, and shaped reveals the lack of autonomy given to women to change their position in society.
Wealthy women, working women
European women may have been excluded from chocolate houses, but they certainly were not excluded from consuming chocolate.
For the first time in our visual journey, female consumption is central. Men certainly continued to consume chocolate, but women appear far more frequently in paintings of domestic consumption. The paintings to the right and below are from the mid-18th century. All the women pictured are upper-class: their clothing and surroundings clearly demonstrate wealth, and the paintings appear to be posed – typical of portraiture in the period, but also an indicator of wealth, as only the elite could afford to commission portraits.
Wealthy men tend only to appear as consumers of chocolate when a woman is at the center of the painting, as in the Penthièvre family portrait above and Longhi’s painting to the left, where men literally surround a woman reclining in a tulle dress.
Women were painted with chocolate to demonstrate their wealth. Chocolate was a less powerful symbol of wealth for men: men had always been allowed to consume chocolate, and so a painting of a man drinking it was unsurprising.
While wealthy women began to be depicted as consumers, servants and lower-class women were still confined to the production and serving of chocolate. The painting below inspired advertising campaigns for both Droste and Baker’s chocolate.
For many middle-class women, the packaging on cocoa powder was the closest interaction they would have with chocolate and art.
Non-elite women did consume chocolate, and were often depicted consuming it, especially by the Impressionists. Renoir painted three portraits, each titled “The Cup of Chocolate,” in rapid succession around the turn of the 20th century.
Globalization and new gender roles
Though women of lower social status were now able to consume chocolate, they were also responsible for preparing it and serving it. The massive shifts in production that came with global industrialization meant that society became strictly stratified, and gender roles were not necessarily consistent across the strata.
In fact, images of men preparing and serving chocolate – traditionally a responsibility reserved for women – begin to appear around this time, especially in advertisements (such as the Fry’s chocolate advertisement above, where a man working at a drugstore is selling chocolate) and shop signs (the chocolatier sign depicts a man stirring a pot of chocolate).
Domestic food preparation was an almost entirely female arena in ancient Mesoamerica; surviving Mayan and Aztec art depicts women preparing chocolate and men preparing to consume it. Industrialization led to the increased stratification of European society, and brought new gender roles for the elite and for the working class. Wealthy women were no longer responsible for preparing food: they had servants to cook for them. The woman’s role in domestic management was displaced by the growing gap between the wealthy and the poor. Meanwhile, the globalization of food and food production meant that more men became responsible for food production somewhere along the supply line: harvesting cacao, grinding and conching and pressing chocolate, and handling the financial side of large chocolate businesses were all primarily male occupations.
Food production, for a large part of human history, took place almost exclusively within the home. Industrialization shifted production outside of the home, and created stratified gender roles. Art provides clues to the changing structure of human societies by giving us a glimpse of the prototypical figures of men and women over time. Continued consideration of how accurate a picture those glimpses paint is crucial – not all members of society are portrayed in art, and not all the images we see are accurate portrayals.
Peck, D. G. (1973) Drawing of a detail from the Princeton Vase. Published in Michael Coe’s The Maya Scribe and His World (1973). Image source: http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2014/maya-drinking-cup.
The Princeton Vase: Artist unknown, of Late Classic Maya origins (A.D. 670-750). Princeton Vase. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Art Museum.
Image of Aztec woman pouring chocolate. Artist unknown (16th century). Codex Tudela. Madrid: Museo de América. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mujer_vertiendo_chocolate_-_Codex_Tudela.jpg
Image of Rain God and Opossum God: Artist unknown (ca. 12th century). Dresden Codex Maya Hieroglyphic Text of Almanac: 25-28. Image courtesy of The Maya Codices Database, Version 4.1. Source: http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/maya/chocolate/cacao-money.
Image of Mayan inspecting chocolate beverage. Artist unknown (15th century). Image source: http://www.lindt.com/noswf/ger/world-of-lindt/lindt-history/swiss-chocolate-pioneers-in-the-19th-century.
William Hogarth (1697-1764). The Rake’s Progress, Plate VI “Gaming House Scene,” engraved by W. Radclyffe. Source: Complete Works, facing p. 98. Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. Image source: http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/18c/hogarth/rp6.html
Image of 17th-century London Chocolate House. Artist unknown (date unknown). Image source: http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/12/10/london-chocolate-festival-take-a-choco-tour-of-london.
Liotard, J. E. (1744). A Lady Pouring Chocolate. London: National Gallery. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liotard-Lady_Pouring_Chocolate.jpg.
Charpentier, J. B. (1768). La famille du duc de Penthièvre (“La Tasse de Chocolat”). Versailles: Musée National du Château. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_famille_du_Duc_de_Penthi%C3%A8vre_dit_la_tasse_de_chocolat.jpg.
Longhi, P. (1774-1780). La cioccolata di mattino. Venice: Ca ‘Rezzonico. Image source: http://www.exibart.com/profilo/eventiV2.asp?idelemento=58655
Liotard, J. E. (1743-44). La Belle Chocolatière. Dresden: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chocolate_Girl#/media/File:Jean-Etienne_Liotard_-_The_Chocolate_Girl_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Musset, J. (ca. 1900). Droste cocoa packaging. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droste.
Baker’s Cocoa (1919). Baker’s Cocoa Advertisement in Overland Monthly, January 1919. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Baker_%26_Company.
Renoir, P. A. (1878). The cup of chocolate. Private collection. Image source: http://www.wikiart.org/en/pierre-auguste-renoir/the-cup-of-chocolate-1878.
Renoir, P. A. (1912). Cup of chocolate (Femme prenant du chocolat). Philadelphia: Barnes Foundation. Image source: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/collections/art-collection/object/7007/cup-of-chocolate-femme-prenant-du-chocolat.
Renoir, P. A. (1914). Cup of chocolate (La tasse de chocolat). Philadelphia: Barnes Foundation. Image source: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/collections/art-collection/object/5068/cup-of-chocolate-la-tasse-de-chocolat.
J.S. Fry & Sons, Ltd. (ca. 1900). Advertisement for Fry’s Chocolates. Image source: http://digital.lib.muohio.edu/cdm/ref/collection/tradecards/id/1559
Borrari, O. (Date unknown). Sign of Milanese Shop. Gallery unknown. Image source: http://www.paintingsoncanvas.net/print-98538-6009700/sign-milanese-shop-other.
Caraud, J. (1872). Sharing the Chocolate [Painting]. Gallery unknown. Image source: https://www.papillonclub.org/History/PhotoGallery-OldMasters-C-Sharing-the-Chocolate.html
Bramah, E. (1972). Tea and Coffee: A Modern View of Three Hundred Years of Tradition. Tiptree, Essex: Hutchinson & Co, Ltd.
Calhoun, B. (2012). “Shaping the Public Sphere: English Coffeehouses and French Salons and the Age of the Enlightenment,” Colgate Academic Review 3: 7. Accessed: http://commons.colgate.edu/car/vol3/iss1/7
Coe, S. D., & Coe, M. D. (1996). The true history of chocolate. New York: Thames and Hudson.
Colmenero, A. (1652). Chocolate: or, An Indian Drinke. First printing, London: J.G. for John Dakins. Wadsworth, J. (translator). Accessed: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/21271/21271-h/21271-h.htm
Cowan, B. W. (2001). “What Was Masculine about the Public Sphere? Gender and the Coffeehouse Milieu in Post-Restoration England.” History Workshop Journal 51: 127–157.
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How 2 Million People Loved MoviePass Nearly to Death
In 2012 I wrote:
What is strange about this business model is that the people that love your service the most are your worst customers. The people that essentially forget about it are your best customers.
Now in 2018, Bloomberg reports:
The parent company, Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc., which now owns 92 percent of MoviePass, said last week that it had just $15.5 million in cash at the end of April and $27.9 million on deposit with merchant processors. MoviePass has been burning through $21.7 million per month. A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing last month revealed that the company’s auditor has “substantial doubt” about its ability to stay solvent.
Seems like they’ve had some time to figure this out already.
Extra creepy, the business actually sees itself as not a ticket-broker, but a place that collects and sells data on people:
Lowe can sketch an expansive vision of monetizing his data trove with targeted ads, reaching users with a demonstrated preference for body-horror films or female superheroes or poke restaurants.
But marketers are skeptical. Mark Douglas, CEO of digital ad platform SteelHouse, says companies would pay no more than a few thousand dollars for access to MoviePass’s customer database
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/ Relationships and Collaboration
/ Law Enforcement
Cifas and law enforcement
Cifas collaborates with police and law enforcement agencies to assist them in the prevention of fraud and financial crime. We work with them to protect the public and the UK economy from the adverse effects of economic crimes. We also support them in the disruption of fraudsters who are harming the organisations that contribute to our databases.
Chris Greany, the former National Coordinator for Economic Crime, City of London Police – the lead police force for fraud – discusses how collaborating with Cifas helps in the fight against financial crime. (Taken from our Annual Report 2015.)
Essential fraud and financial crime intelligence
The operational intelligence we provide supports the police and law enforcement in the detection and apprehension of criminals in many ways, including:
Supplying our member organisations’ fraud reports from the National Fraud Database to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) on a daily basis, to support the development of crime packages disseminated to UK police for investigation and prosecution;
Supplying Cifas information to the National Crime Agency to support specific operations into suspected money laundering, corrupt professionals, and intelligence building on other types of financial crime;
Providing a free service for UK police officers to make specific requests for information on potential suspects as part of their day to day operations; and
Providing local police with reports of fraud and financial crime that help them pursue individuals committing other crime e.g. drugs or immigration crime.
Keeping the police and the public aware
We also provide strategic intelligence to police, government and law enforcement to identify advantageous opportunities, including:
Working with local police forces to identity potential ‘persons of interest’ carrying out fraud or financial crime in their force area and who they may not be aware of;
Statistical analysis on the number and location of individuals who have had their identity compromised, so as to inform targeted awareness campaigns for the general public e.g. on protecting your identity details;
Supplying information directly to local police to help them target their limited resources on financial criminals causing the most harm in their local area; and
Providing key information on fraud threats, trends and enablers to the National Crime Agency and other government departments to inform their national strategic assessments of crime across the UK.
The latest fraud and financial crime statistics
Cifas reports, as passed to the NFIB, also contribute to national crime statistics on fraud, collated by the Office of National Statistics. This helps raise the profile of fraud and financial crime, so that appropriate government officials are better informed of the nature and scale of economic crime when creating national counter-economic crime policies.
To speak to one of our team about how we work with law enforcement please contact us.
Law enforcement are also able to attend the Organised Fraud and Intelligence Group (OFIG) meetings, which are the central route we offer for intelligence and investigation professionals to share information with each other on fraud threats, trends, and techniques.
More information on our OFIG page.
Organised Fraud and Intelligence Group meetings
Blog: Three measures the next Government should take in tackling fraud
Cifas' responses to consultations
Cifas' national fraud statistics
Work and collaborate with Cifas
MC Grindah’s Deadliest Dupes - the importance of keeping young audiences aware of fraud
Financial fraud is on the rise: are you banking safely?
Internal fraud is the biggest fraud risk of all, but who really manages it?
Fighting Fraud and Corruption Locally 2020
Finding an IP needle in a fraudstack – using Cifas’ databases to track criminal networks and prevent fraud
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High court dismisses contempt charges against EC Chair, six others
The High Court has cleared the contempt charges brought against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensah and six other commissioners.
The commissioners were sued for not implementing an order from the High Court that ROPAA should be operationalized within 12 months.
The applicants in the case are five Ghanaians who live in the diaspora.
According to them the EC had “failed, refused or neglected to respect and comply” with the specific orders of the court in spite of numerous letters that they wrote to remind the EC of the impending deadline.
But the court in its ruling which was not read in full rejected the arguments and dismissed the application.
The five Ghanaians sued the Electoral Commission claiming it had “gone to sleep” and refused to implement Act 699, 11 years after it was passed.
The “deliberate refusal” or inaction of the EC to implement the act, they argued, had robbed them of the chance to vote in three general elections (2008, 2012 and 2016) and other public elections.
They also contended that it was discriminatory for the EC to continue to register a category of Ghanaian citizens studying abroad or working in Ghana’s missions/embassies abroad to vote in public elections and referenda without including them.
Source: Fred Tetteh Djabonor | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
Tags: Contempt chargesElectoral CommissionGhana NewsJean Mensa
Maritime Authority's ex-boss Kwame Owusu appointed Board Chair of GRA
NAM1 arrives in Ghana; being interrogated by police
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BLM sends Wyo. guidelines to protect sage grouse
January 05, 2010 10:45 AM ET
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is directing its Wyoming offices to consider certain restrictions for oil and gas drilling, new wind turbines and other types of development in sage grouse habitat.
In many cases, the BLM could limit drilling to one well pad per square mile. Also, the BLM will prohibit many activities during sage grouse breeding season each spring.
Acting BLM State Director Bill Hill sent the guidance to Wyoming’s BLM field offices in a memorandum Monday. While restrictions to protect sage grouse aren’t a new idea, BLM officials said they want their Wyoming field offices to adopt a more uniform approach to such restrictions statewide.
At the same time, the restrictions are guidelines and don’t mandate the same approach to every bit of development proposed in sage grouse habitat, said Chris Keefe, a BLM wildlife biologist in Cheyenne.
“It doesn’t say, ‘Here’s your restrictions, here’s how to approach every project,'” said Keefe. “It says, ‘These must be considered in your range of alternatives in how to develop things.'”
The guidelines come as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepares to decide whether to list sage grouse as an endangered species. That decision is expected no later than next month.
One goal in the memorandum says there should be no more than one new oil or gas well or wind turbine per square mile in core sage grouse habitat.
“There are places where that goal can’t be met, but that certainly should be our goal everywhere,” Keefe said.
Environmentalists praised the drilling density goal, which is much lower than the density of existing wells in much of Wyoming. It could pre-empt an endangered species listing, said Brian Rutledge, executive director of Audubon Wyoming.
“If we can limit the total development to no more than one pad per section and apply it broadly, we can see this ecosystem continue,” Rutledge said. “We can have the energy we need and we can maintain tourism, hunting, et cetera.”
Also, any activities that might disturb sage grouse would be prohibited during breeding season. For example, disruptive activities could be prohibited in core area nesting habitat each March 15-June 30.
The BLM restrictions resemble many restrictions already in effect on state land, said Ryan Lance, a deputy chief of staff to Gov. Dave Freudenthal who’s been consulting with the BLM and Fish and Wildlife Service on sage grouse.
“It’s kind of a unification of the management now across the state,” Lance said.
Lance said he’s confident about resolving energy industry concerns about seasonal sage grouse restrictions.
Sage grouse are found in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming, as well as in Canada. Disappearance of sagebrush habitat is one reason why the birds are believed to have declined between 55 and 90 percent from their historic numbers.
Tags : drilling energy environment tech environmental concerns government business and finance government regulations industry regulation politics united states wildlife
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CNN’s ‘Reliable Sources’ Turns Network’s Colossal Screwup Into An Attack On Trump [VIDEO]
December 10, 2017 1:25 PM ET
CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” hosted by Brian Stelter, bills itself as a show that provides “the story behind the story, how the media really works, and how the news really gets made.”
But the show, which airs Sunday mornings, failed to live up to that billing in its discussion of its massive screwup on a CNN story about Trumpworld that the network was forced to correct on Friday.
Stelter addressed CNN’s blunder for a couple of minutes, offering up a brief review of the reporting of the story. The media reporter then quoted the network’s public relations department, which downplayed the scandal. (RELATED: 7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017)
Stelter then trotted out Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein and anti-Trump pundit David Frum, both of whom avoided discussing how CNN got its story wrong. Instead, they focused on President Trump, calling him a “serial liar.”
CNN walked into a scandal of its own making on Friday morning, when reporter Manu Raju reported that congressional investigators had been provided an email suggesting that Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump associates had been offered a preview of emails that had been hacked by Democrats, possibly by Russian operatives. The email, which CNN reported was dated Sept. 4, 2016, also included a decryption key to access the documents. (RELATED: CNN Botches ‘Bombshell’ Alleging Contacts Between Don Jr. And Wikileaks)
Raju said that “multiple sources” had provided the information about the email.
But after several hours of breathless coverage of the story, CNN’s reporting fell apart. The email, which was obtained by The Daily Caller and other news outlets, was actually dated Sept. 14, 2016, a day after the documents cited in the email had been published online.
The revelation of the actual date of the email showed that instead of a super secret preview of stolen documents, a random person reached out to Trumpworld to point to documents that had already been released.
CNN corrected the article but did not retract it.
The network also declined to discipline Raju or his co-writer, Jeremy Herb. CNN’s PR department said that both reporters went through the proper editorial process regarding the use of anonymous sources. CNN also refused to out its sources for the story, saying that it was not believed that the sources misled Raju and Herb on purpose.
Stelter said Sunday that CNN’s press shop claimed that the sources had been reliable in the past. He did not address questions about why Raju reported on the contents of the email without actually seeing it or whether Raju’s sources are believed to have seen the document.
How the story fell apart would have presented a golden opportunity for Stelter, whose show purports to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the practice and process of journalism. In his two minutes of coverage of the story, Stelter did acknowledge that the corrected report was “a black eye for CNN.”
But instead of diving into the nuts and bolts of how CNN put its story together, Stelter gave a light overview of CNN’s correction before providing the boilerplate spin from CNN’s press department. And instead of interviewing guests who might provide analysis of the process of journalism and the CNN article, Stelter interviewed Bernstein and Frum, two pundits who make no secret of despising Trump.
“Look, reporters, journalists make mistakes,” said Bernstein, a paid CNN analyst and veteran of Watergate. “Our record as journalists in covering this Trump story and the Russian story is pretty good, especially compared to the record of Donald Trump and his serial lying.”
“Attacking the press is the basic element that too many demagogues in our culture have used to whip up this cold civil war, and especially to appeal to the base of the President of the United States,” he added.
Frum, a former George W. Bush speechwriter who frequently criticizes Trump, offered up a contorted take on the CNN correction.
“The mistakes are precisely the reason the people should trust the media,” he said.
“The worst mistakes that press organizations have made in their coverage of Trump has precisely occurred in their overzealous effort to be fair to the president.”
WATCH: David Frum defends media mistakes
After a commercial break, Stelter brought Bernstein back on to discuss Fox New’s coverage of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. CNN, which believes that Fox is unfairly targeting Mueller, spent seven minutes on the topic.
Tags : brian stelter carl bernstein cnn david frum donald trump donald trump jr manu raju
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City of Memphis Shelby County State Government Education Criminal Justice Daily Briefs Bicentennial
Second Memphis Cares reflects on Memphis of 1968 and change
By Bill Dries Published: April 09, 2019 12:25 AM CT
Reuben Davidson listens with his sister Saniyah Bennett-Rauls to an opening hymn during a multicultural Memphis Cares 2 event at St. John's United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 7. The 9-year-old was one of nearly a dozen speakers at the event. The original Memphis Cares gathering was held at Crump Stadium three days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
James Lawson Mike Cody Rosalyn Nichols Memphis Cares Sanitation Strike
Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
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Singer songwriter Dana Crowe has developed her own distinctive sound since releasing her debut Ep Everything in 2017. In a time when genres are blurred she takes from roots to rock and rolls it all together with sincerity and harmony.
Originally from Wagga her songwriting journey began with a travel sized black martin guitar she bought while traveling solo. Influenced by Fleetwood Mac to Springsteen after months of breaking down songs to the bare form she began her own. Writing what would be her first 5 song Ep Everything she made the move to Melbourne and on release the single Everything entered the Amrap radio charts and stayed in the top 10 for 4 weeks.
After playing with several bands she met and began working with producer Alessandro Stellano, who could hear that hint of country twang in her voice and heard potential for a collaboration. Resulting in a bone rattling guitar driven cover of Rolling in the deep.
A sound that stuck and continued on Darlin Darlin receiving radio play Australia wide and Peace Of Mind in 2018 which had happy mag describing as “a captivating brand of music that we guarantee you’ll be unable to rip your attention away”.
Currently writing and recording a follow up Ep will be available later in 2019.
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Lidarti, Christian Joseph: 6 duetti notturni per due flauti
Composer: Christian Joseph Lidarti
Edition: Da Vinci Edition, TMT-Tesori Musicali Toscani
Format: A4 - Paperback
Genre: Chamber
Instrumentation: Flute
Period: Classical
Lidarti, Christian Joseph: 6 duetti notturni per due flauti quantity
SKU: DVTMT 20643 Category: Da Vinci Edition
Christian Joseph Lidarti
Da Vinci Edition, TMT-Tesori Musicali Toscani
A4 – Paperback
Christian Joseph Lidarti: (b Vienna, 23 Feb 1730; d ?Pisa, after 1793). Austrian composer of Italian descent. He studied at a Cistercian monastery in Klagenfurt and afterwards at the Jesuit seminary in Leoben. While enrolled in philosophy and law courses at the University of Vienna, he studied the harpsichord and harp and began to teach himself composition. In Vienna the Kapellmeister Giuseppe Bonno, his uncle, reproached him for his dilettantism and directed him to study the classic theorists. In 1751 he went to Italy to complete his musical education. After short stays in Venice and Florence, he spent five years in Cortona as a music teacher and composer and studied with Jommelli in Rome in 1757. From then until at least 1784 he was a player in the chapel of the Cavalieri di S Stefano in Pisa. In 1761 he became a member of the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna and later in Modena. His last dated composition is from 1793. Lidarti’s regular association and correspondence with his colleagues such as Martini, Jommelli and Burney indicates that they held him in high esteem. Five letters to Martini spanning the years 1762–84 are in the Bologna Conservatory library. Lidarti’s instrumental works (of which there are nearly 200) are bipartite in structure and show a preference for forms such as the minuet, even in sonata finales. They are lightly ornamented and often approach near-equality in voicing. Van der Straeten depicts Lidarti as a cellist, a fact omitted from his autobiography but borne out by the unusual technical demands placed on the cello in much of his chamber music, especially the quartets, in which the cello is more prominent than in the majority of quartets of that time. His compositions maintain a serene songlike quality, interrupted only by occasional fugal or canonic passages.
Andronikou, Michalis: Three Flute Duets, for two Flutes (With Parts)
Alberti, Giuseppe Matteo: Sonata a violino solo e basso
Anonymous: Renaissance dances, for young Orchestra
Alberti, Giuseppe Matteo: Concerti per chiesa e per camera, opera prima
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Big Give 2019 About Log In
Big Give 2019
This project is now in update mode. Check back regularly to see how things are progressing.
Global Public Health Summer Fellowships
Share to Maximize
Raised toward our $45,000 Goal
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Project ended on April 20, at 11:59 PM PDT
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The mission of the UC Berkeley Center for Global Public Health (CGPH) at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health (SPH) is to cultivate global public health education for students on the UC Berkeley campus, and to build public health education capacity in developing countries, through research and education partnerships and programs that leverage the rich and dynamic global public health expertise at UC Berkeley.
CGPH Fellow Alexander Goodell in Burundi CGPH Fellow Grace Lesser in Nepal
Since 2008, via the CGPH Global Health Summer Fellowship Program, CGPH has annually awarded faculty-mentored fellowships to students from UC Berkeley to explore complex global health challenges and gain critical research experience in developing countries. We are committed to funding 10-12 students per year to travel to low-income countries to engage in cutting edge global health research and, since 2013, global health reporting as well. For our fellows at the cusp of their global public health careers, these competitive fellowships have given students an inaugural chance to contribute to cutting edge research under a network of global health mentors and organizations; to engage one-on-one with vulnerable communities to improve population health; and to participate in knowledge-sharing, global health diplomacy, and self-enrichment. For many, it has been a critical stepping stone to their career in global public health.
CGPH Fellow Saira H. Zaidi in Dhaka (Probiotics in Blangladesh Infants)
This year marks the 10th Year Anniversary of this program. In the last decade, the CGPH has sent 91 graduate student fellows to 32 countries. With pilot funds allotted by central Campus funds and generous individual contributions, we have invested $370,000 in sending students to various countries all over the world. Through these experiences, our fellows have been given the invaluable experience to apply classroom-knowledge into real-life global health settings. They have gained diverse tools and skills in overlapping public health areas: infectious disease epidemiology, maternal and child health, health policy and systems, the environmental health sciences/WASH, and global health reporting. Many have been exposed to the importance of cultural competencies, global health diplomacy, and the values of international partnerships—cornerstones of their future careers.
Figure: 91 fellows have travelled to 32 countries
We hope to raise $45,000 for future fellowship cohorts. Help us continue the CGPH Global Health Fellowship Program! With your support we can!
Email: cgph@berkeley.edu
Choose a giving level
Your $50 donation will go into a travel grants fund to support lodging, flights and research training costs for CGPH Fellows. If you've ever been a CGPH fellow, or have known one, you know that $50 goes a long way!
Contribute $50
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association(ALS Association, California, Golden West Chapter, Fresno)
Supporting people with ALS and families in 31 California counties and Hawaii by providing comprehensive care services, advancing research for a cure, advocacy and education.
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association(ALS Association, California, Golden West Chapter, Oakland)
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association(ALS Association, California, Orange County Chapter, Tustin)
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Angel Flight West, Inc.(Angel Flight West)
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Animal Rescue Volunteers
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Animal Welfare Institute
Horses brutally slaughtered. Dogs and cats stolen for experimentation. Farm animals confined in cramped crates. Wildlife caught in brutal traps. Help us protect these animals.
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ASI helps improve and expand knowledge about human-animal relationships in order to create safer and more compassionate communities for all. Help us change the world!
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Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club(Boys & Girls Club of the Antelope Valley)
We provide after-school programming to thousands of youth. Our program focuses on three priority outcome areas: Healthy Lifestyles, Academic & Career, and Character & Leadership.
45404 Division Street, Lancaster, CA 93584
Antelope Valley Partners for Health
Through collaborative work we serve as a local public health planning and intervention agency, our programs target those who are undeserved, vulnerable, or at risk.
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Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and PTSD, are real, serious, and treatable. We champion research for a cure and offer educational resources to millions suffering silently.
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Anza-Borrego Foundation
Protects and preserves the natural landscapes, wildlife habitat, and cultural heritage of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® for present and future generations.
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Promotes healthy Asian/Pacific Islander children and families by providing support services to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. Advocates for culturally competent services for APIs.
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API Cultural Center, Inc. (Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC))
OACC builds vibrant communities through Asian and Pacific Islander arts and cultural programs that foster intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, collaboration, and social justice.
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We strive to achieve health care equity and promote wellbeing for the LGBT and other underserved communities and people living with and affected by HIV.
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Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation
We are the trusted source for information about bone marrow failure diseases – empowering, educating, and supporting patients – funding critical research towards better treatments and cures.
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Aquarius Aquarium Institute(Fresno Aquarium)
fosters respect, understanding and conservation of the world’s aquatic ecosystems through educational programs, interpretive exhibits, scientific research and aquarium propagation of aquatic species.
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Chronic pain caused by arthritis, cancer, injuries and other conditions cripple over 100M Americans. Help us continue our search for new medications to relieve pain.
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Arthritis Foundation, Inc.(Arthritis Foundation)
The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. The Foundation helps conquer battles through life-changing information and resources, access to care and advancements in science.
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Arthritis Foundation, Inc.(Arthritis Foundation, California, Great West Region, Carmel)
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8555 Aero Dr Ste 200, San Diego, CA 92123
Arts Visalia Visual Art Center
DEVELOP AND PROMOTE VISUAL ARTS IN VISALIA.
214 E Oak St, Visalia, CA 93291
To advance an Everyone a Changemaker world, where anyone can apply the skills of changemaking to solve complex social problems.
1700 N Moore Street Suite 2000, Arlington, VA 22209
APIAHF influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
1 Kaiser Plaza #850, Oakland, CA 94612
Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center
We transform lives by advancing health, wellness, and equality for people of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and immigration statuses.
730 Polk Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94109
Asian American Drug Abuse Program, Inc.(Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP))
AADAP provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment and prevention services, including employment and education, to youth/adults throughout Los Angeles County. AADAP’s motto is “People Need People”.
2900 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus
Promoting and advancing legal and civil rights of the Asian Pacific American community, with focus on the needs of low-income, immigrant and refugee populations.
55 Columbus, San Francisco, CA 94111
Asian Americans for Community Involvement
Improve the health, mental health, and well-being of individuals, families, and the Asian Community.
2400 Moorpark Avenue #300, San Jose, CA, 95128
Asian Children's Assistance Limited(Asian Children's Rescue & Relief Fund)
Saving Asian abandoned, orphaned, destitute, and handicapped children by providing hope and opportunity. Reaching their full potential through basic care, corrective surgery, therapy, and training.
PO Box 702194, Tulsa, OK 74170
Asian Immigrant Women Advocates(Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA))
AIWA empowers low-income, limited English speaking immigrant women and youth to improve their living and working conditions through education, leadership development and self-advocacy opportunities.
310 8th Street Suite #301, Oakland, CA, 94607
Asian Inc.
basic needs of our community and families are met,
1167 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
Asian Neighborhood Design
With your support, AND provides green construction/solar training to low-income, formerly incarcerated, homeless and emancipated youth. Over 80% obtain jobs within 6 mos.
1245 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
APEN works for environmental justice for all people who have a right to a clean and healthy environment, in which communities can live and thrive.
426 17th St Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94612
Asian Pacific Fund
We strengthen the Asian and Pacific Islander community in the San Francisco Bay Area by supporting organizations that serve our most vulnerable community members.
465 California St, San Francisco, CA 94104
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc.(Asian Pacific Health Care Venture (APHCV))
APHCV operates centers that provide in-person interpreters for multiple languages and health care services including health education programs, behavioral health, and case management, and etc.
4216 Fountain Ave., Los angeles, 90029
Asian Pacific State Employees Association Foundation
We are a small organization that support the career development of state government workers and helping students pursuing a college education.
6915 Arabella Way, Sacramento, CA 95831
ASPCA: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Staged dog fights to the death. Puppy factories with overcrowded and unsanitary breeding pens. Kittens tortured for amusement. Help stop these acts of animal cruelty.
Assistance League of Diablo Valley
Our community needs your help. We provide food, new school clothing, necessary supplies and vital enrichment programs to children, families, foster youth and the elderly.
2711 Buena Vista Avenue, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
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A Math-free Look at Azimuthal Surface Seismic Techniques
Franck Delbecq, Jon Downton and Mark Letizia
Hampson-Russell, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Article Coordinator(s): Bill Goodway / David Cho / Penny Colton
Many interpreters are interested in characterizing fractured reservoirs using 3D surface seismic data, and there are a variety of azimuthal techniques to extract this information from the data. However, once the results from two or more methods are compared the question may arise: why do the results from various azimuthal analysis methods differ?
The following discussion is deliberately math-free. This is in response to an oft-heard request: “Please, no equations!” It is hoped that the loss of precision that comes from describing these ideas without using equations is compensated by a fresh perspective on their significance (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Precision and significance. (Source: www.mathworks.com)
Spoiler Alert: The Short Answer
Why are the estimates of anisotropy often different depending on the azimuthal technique used? The short answer is:
The techniques ‘see’ different things.
Travel time methods – Shear-wave Splitting and Velocity Variation with Azimuth (VVAz) – measure layer properties: they see how the seismic wavefront is affected by traveling through the anisotropic zone.
Reflectivity Azimuthal AVO methods measure interface properties: they ‘see’ how the anisotropic layer contrasts to the overlying layer.
The techniques ‘see’ different scales, or resolutions. S-wave Splitting and VVAz relate more to trends, while reflectivity AzAVO captures local deviations.
The traditional near offset Rüger-style reflectivity AzAVO technique is limited by an inherent ambiguity in the fracture direction it estimates. (The Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients approach resolves this: read on!)
All techniques deliver estimates of anisotropy, but to understand these in terms of fracture properties you have to assume a physical model and the measurements mean something different in each model.
The discussion begins with a brief review of the nature and scale of real-world fractured rock systems, and then considers three simplified frameworks to represent this complicated reality mathematically. We review the following azimuthal techniques for quantifying seismic anisotropy:
Travel time-based methods:
Shear-wave Splitting
Velocity Variation with Azimuth (VVAz)
Amplitude-based methods1 (AVAz):
Rüger-style Azimuthal AVO (AzAVO)
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients (Az FC)
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients Elastic Inversion (Az FC Inv): a new technique potentially integrating all of the above methods
We then summarize how the anisotropy parameters output by each technique can be compared and formulated in terms of the three rock physics frameworks.
1 S-wave amplitude differences may also be indicators of anisotropy; this method is not discussed here.Interested readers please see Reasnor (2001).
Isotropy: the same in all directions. In seismically isotropic material, velocity has no directional dependence.
Seismic Anisotropy: velocity varies with direction of travel. For the simple forms addressed in this article, the anisotropy can be described in terms of the symmetry axis.
VTI (Vertical Transverse Isotropy): VTI is the special case where the bedding-plane normal is vertical and the beds are horizontal (a simple flat layer cake type model).
TTI (Tilted Transverse Isotropy): dipping shales, for example.
HTI (Horizontal Transverse Isotropy): a set of vertical fractures, for example.
Put simply, subsurface fractures usually occur in sets and are locally aligned in one dominant orientation. The fracture aperture size is typically in the ballpark of hundredths to tenths of a millimetre, and the distance between adjacent fractures is much greater than the fracture aperture. Fracture intensity is less than 0.75 fractures/m for very sparse sets, and may exceed 10 fractures/m for very crowded sets. In contrast, seismic wavelengths are typically tens and hundreds of metres, which means that we can model a fractured zone as a seismically anisotropic solid.
Fractures Can Make Rock Seismically Anisotropic
Fractures act as speed bumps – they can slow seismic waves traveling perpendicular to them, while waves traveling parallel to them are not really affected. By characterizing the seismic anisotropy, the goal is to work backwards to estimate physical properties of interest such as fracture intensity and orientation (where are the speed bumps and which way are they oriented).
To Describe Anisotropy: Models of Fractured Media
When we discuss seismically anisotropic media, we need some way to characterize the physical features and their directional nature. One quickly sees that the complex irregularities of the real-world situation – a porous rock with vertical-ish cracks and fractures – are not easily portrayed by equations. To enable a mathematical description, we turn to a simplified representation of reality. We consider the reservoir rock as having a set of vertical fractures – a horizontally transverse isotropic (HTI) medium (Figure 2) – and explore three rock physics frameworks for explaining HTI anisotropy. While these mathematical models might at first impression looked complicated, they are all based on physical parameters (velocities, fracture aperture, etc.) and they set a foundation for interpreting the anisotropy parameters and for the ‘Comparing Methods’ section of this article.
Figure 2. HTI Anisotropy.
1. Thomsen-style Model: Vertical “Layers” of Anisotropic Media
To characterize the directional differences in transversely anisotropic media, five elastic parameters are needed: Young’s elasticity moduli parallel and perpendicular to symmetry, and Poisson’s ratios parallel, perpendicular, and typically at 45° to bedding (that is, 45° to the vertical symmetry axis). Thomsen considered VTI horizontal anisotropic layers (such as shale beds) and showed that for weakly anisotropic rocks, these five elastic constants can be recast into more geophysically accessible parameters: P- and S-wave velocities along the vertical symmetry axis, and three dimensionless fractional parameters γ, ε, and δ. How far these Thomsen parameters deviate from zero characterize the relative strength of anisotropy.
By performing a coordinate rotation, Rüger extended the VTI parameterization to the HTI case (such as our set of vertical fractures), giving the Thomsen-style anisotropic parameters γ(v), ε(v), and δ(v) (the superscript (v) denotes that the vertical velocities are used as reference velocities). γ(v) represents the fractional difference between fast and slow S-wave velocities, and is sufficient to determine shear wave velocity at any direction of travel. For compressional waves, the wavefront may be non-elliptical: Pwave velocity becomes a function of both incidence angle and azimuth. To describe it fully, two parameters are needed: ε(v), which is the fractional difference in fast and slow velocity for Pwaves travelling horizontally through the HTI zone, and δ(v) which describes P-waves travelling obliquely (that is, at intermediate incidence angles and not in the isotropy plane). It is important to note that we cannot get ε(v) directly from surface seismic data (because waves travelling horizontally – that is, having incidence angle of 90 degrees – are unlikely to be recorded by surface receivers, even those at the farthest sourcereceiver offsets in the survey). We have to use data from intermediate incidence angles, hence Thomsen’s anisotropy parameter δ(v) is key to characterizing anisotropy for surface seismic data.
The physical meaning of δ(v) is a bit elusive to unpack2. It turns out to be a very important parameter for understanding the fractured rock, and we will expand on the significance of δ(v) in the following section, in the context of fracture weaknesses.
2. Linear Slip Theory Model: Fractures as Parallel Planes of Weakness Inside a Host Rock
While Thomsen-style parameters characterize anisotropy, they do not make direct reference to fracture properties, consequently it can be useful to look to more specific models. Linear Slip Theory (LST) is a model that describes fractures as surfaces inside an isotropic host rock (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Cartoon representation of (left to right): Actual fractured and porous rock; Linear Slip Theory’s planar fractures; Hudson’s finite penny-shaped cracks. Adapted from Gurevich et al, 2009.
LST parameterizes the fractured rock in terms of compliance; compliance is the inverse of stiffness. The total elastic compliance of the fractured rock is the sum of the compliance of the background non-fractured rock plus the excess compliance due to the fractures.
The fractures can be parameterized in terms of fracture compliance, or alternatively, fracture weaknesses. This second parameterization describes how fractures weaken a background isotropic rock, and has the advantage of being a fractional value. The stiffness matrix of the HTI media is expressed in terms of elastic parameters λ and μ of the isotropic host rock, and the normal and tangential weaknesses δN and δT of the fracture system3 (δN means normal to the plane of the fractures; δT means along the plane of the fractures4).
Normal and tangential weaknesses convey how much of the strain of the fractured rock system is taken up by the fractures (the strain is the displacement due to a normal or tangential stress or force). The normal fracture weakness δN describes how a fractured rock will react to a normal force (a force acting to push the fracture surfaces together) and will be affected by fluid content (a waterfilled crack is more difficult to compress than a gas-filled crack), crack density and aperture. The tangential fracture weakness δT indicates how fractured rock will react to shearing force (a force trying to slide the fracture surfaces across one another) and is unaffected by fluid content. These dimensionless parameters range from 0 to 1; a fracture weakness of 0 means the fracture has no influence on the stiffness of the rock, 1 means that the rock falls apart (has no normal or tangential stiffness).
Note that when the LST model is assumed, it is possible to express Thomsen’s anisotropy parameters as scaled versions of normal and tangential fracture weaknesses (the equations are provided in the Appendix). As one might expect, γ(v) – which describes shear wave velocities – is a function of only the tangential fracture weakness. To understand more fully the physical meaning of Thomsen’s δ(v) parameter, it is instructive to observe that while ε(v) is a function of only the normal fracture weakness (remember ε(v) describes the compressional horizontally-traveling velocities), δ(v) – which describes the P-wave anisotropy at oblique incidence – is a function of both normal and tangential fracture weaknesses. This presents itself on surface seismic data as variation of P-wave velocity with azimuth and incidence angle, and is a reason for the complicated P-wavefront shape.
2 Thomsen's anisotropy parameter δ(v) is not simply a scaled ε(v), it is a physical parameter: a non-intuitive combination of stiffness coefficients from the rock’s linear elasticity matrix that are needed to describe P-wave velocity at oblique incidence angles.
3 Unfortunately the literature has used the Greek letter delta, δ, for weakness. This is different from Thomsen’s anisotropy parameter δ. Some literature uses the upper case, Δ, for weakness, but as this has a previous connotation in geophysics as meaning the change in a property across an interface, we will stick with δN and δT for normal and tangential weaknesses of the fracture system, and δ(v) for Thomsen's delta anisotropy parameter in HTI coordinates. No wonder there arises a plea for equation-free summaries!
4 δT can be further decomposed into tangential-vertical ( δV ) and tangential-horizontal (in the fracture plane) ( δH ) weaknesses, but to keep things simple, in this article we disregard this complication.
Elastic moduli describe how a rock will transmit a stress to a strain, for the various kinds of stress: tension, compression, shearing. (Our discussion is restricted to the linear region of a rock's stress-strain curve; in other words up until it bends, tears or breaks.)
Stress is how hard (with how much force) the solid is being pulled or pushed by a load. Strain is how much the shape of the solid changes as a result. Stress is not the same thing as strain.
Strength and stiffness: By strength of a material we usually mean that stress (force) which is needed to break it. Strength is not the same thing as stiffness. Stiffness is a property of the structure.
Compliance is the inverse of stiffness. A compliant material is spongy; when you push against it, it absorbs some of your push. Nylon rope is strong and compliant; steel rope is strong and stiff.
Weakness is the same concept as compliance, but is dimensionless and cast on a scale from 0 to 1.
3. Hudson’s Model: Fractures as Aligned Isolated Pennyshaped Cracks Inside a Host Rock
Hudson’s penny-shaped model is conceptually simple to understand and has been experimentally verified. But it imposes more restrictive assumptions than LST.
Hudson’s model considers fractured rock as a single set of parallel penny-shaped cracks in an isotropic host solid (Figure 3). The cracks are ellipsoidal shaped (oblate spheroids) and the cracks are isolated –meaning that the model does not account for possible fluid flow between the cracks.
Hudson’s penny-shaped crack model parameterizes anisotropy in terms of crack density ξ, the number of cracks per unit volume, and a fluid term k representing the stiffening effect of the fluid content. It is possible to isolate the fluid effect and the influence of the aspect ratio (crack shape) with a single variable which we call Omega, Ω. When W approaches Ω, we have the dry case (compliant); when Ω approaches infinity, the fluid-filled crack case (stiff).
Note that compared to Thomsen-style parameterization, LST and Hudson’s models:
narrow the solution space (by making more assumptions on the fracture set);
directly relate anisotropy parameters to fracture properties; and
can be parameterized with two variables instead of three.
LST has been our “preferred model” in parameterization so far because of the intuitive understanding of weaknesses that it offers, and because it does not require the strong assumption of penny shaped cracks.
Estimating Seismic Anisotropy Using Azimuthal Techniques
Now that we have reviewed how seismic anisotropy can be represented by these three simple models, we turn our attention to ways of measuring anisotropy from the seismic data. To estimate any rock property which has a directional quality, one needs to account for the direction of travel of the seismic waves. In 3D surface seismic data, this means that, at every bin within a 3D survey, one must extend the usual prestack analysis to account for azimuth.
Travel Time-based Methods
Shear-wave Splitting5 Technique
If the 3D survey was recorded using multicomponent receivers, azimuthal analysis of the mode-converted (PS) data can provide estimates of anisotropy.
While compressional waves (P-waves) have particle motion in the direction of wave propagation, shear, or S-waves have a particle motion orthogonal to the direction of wave propagation (Figure 4). In the simplest case, S-wave particle motion is polarized in two directions: horizontal and vertical.
Figure 4. Wave propagation and particle motion: P-wave, SH and SV shear wave components. (Adapted from http://petroleumgeophysics.com)
A set of parallel fractures, like our HTI vertical fractures, will act as a polarizing filter on a shear wave travelling through the fractured zone. Roughly speaking, the fractures split the converted S-wave into a fast S1 component - aligned parallel to the fracture set - and a slow S2 component - perpendicular to the fracture set.
Following appropriate 3C data processing, estimates of fast PS1 polarization and PS1-PS2 time delay may be derived. This operation is performed in a layer stripping manner. This analysis is automated and repeated at every spatial location. Symmetry axis and anisotropy magnitude attributes for the target zone are output. The anisotropy magnitude delivered by the Shear-wave Splitting technique is directly related to Thomsen’s γ(v).
VVAz: Variation of Travel Time with Offset and Azimuth Technique
VVAz, also known as Azimuthal NMO, examines variation in travel time (velocity) with azimuth to characterize the anisotropy. With the introduction of aligned fractures, the rock structure can no longer transmit compressional waves equally well in all directions. The fractured rock system’s incompressibility is diminished, hence the P-wave velocity is reduced (recall our speed bump analogy). Azimuthal NMO methods simply try to describe how P-wave velocity varies with direction of travel.
For short recording offsets – less than or equal to the reflector depth – the variation in NMO velocity with azimuth can be described by an ellipse. This velocity ellipse is a simplified model, characterized by the major axis, Vfast; the minor axis, Vslow; and the azimuthal orientation of Vfast. For most rocks the fast velocity corresponds to the rock matrix, and so the orientation of Vfast is parallel to the fracture strike. The ratio of the two velocities provides an estimate of the magnitude of the anisotropy. The anisotropy magnitude delivered by VVAz is directly related to Thomsen’s δ(v).
The analysis of effective anisotropy gives Vfast and Vslow averaged down to the target and is typically used to correct for azimuthal moveout in the data and to improve the imaging. Once the cumulative influence of layers above is removed, then a zone-specific analysis of the anisotropic zone of interest (our set of vertical fractures) is conducted through the use of interval velocities.
5 Shear-wave Splitting is more properly called shear wave birefringence.
AVAz: Amplitude-based Methods
We discuss the following amplitude-based methods:
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients Elastic Inversion (Az FC Inv)
Near offset Rüger-style Azimuthal AVO (AzAVO) Technique
Near offset Rüger-style Azimuthal AVO is the traditional method that most people think of when one talks about “Azimuthal AVO”.
Fractures lower both Vp and Vs, but by differing degrees. This difference in (Vp/Vs)parallel-to-the-isotropy-plane to (Vp/Vs) perpendicular is what drives an azimuthal AVO response. The amplitude gradient will vary with direction, and the largest variation will be between the AVO responses parallel and perpendicular to the isotropy plane.
The near offset Rüger-style Azimuthal AVO technique is based on Rüger and Tsvankin’s (1997) near offset (two-term) Azimuthal AVO equation which predicts that at the interface of an isotropic medium overlying an HTI medium, the reflection’s AVO Gradient (B) varies with azimuth in an elliptical fashion between two simple extremes: parallel to the isotropy plane and perpendicular to it.
If there is no anisotropy then the AVO Gradient is the same in all directions: Biso. If there is anisotropy, then the AVO Gradient varies with azimuth; in the direction of the symmetry axis, the AVO Gradient is the sum of Biso and Bani at that azimuth. Bani is a measure of how much the anisotropy perturbed the isotropic AVO response.
However, and this is a very large ‘however’, the axis of symmetry estimated by Rüger-style AzAVO carries with it an ambiguity of 90° (for example, “The fracture strike is at a bearing of either South or West, but we cannot tell which”). Why?
Mathematically, the least-squares solution of the near offset Rüger-style AzAVO equation gives the magnitude of Bani, but it cannot tell us the sign. The equation has a non-unique solution: two answers fit the data equally well. This uncertainty in the sign of the anisotropic gradient Bani translates into a 90° ambiguity in AzAVO’s estimated axis of symmetry (and hence the fracture strike, which is perpendicular to the symmetry axis).
The outputs of AzAVO are the azimuth of the axis of symmetry (with a 90° ambiguity), and the Anisotropic Gradient, Bani, which describes how the AVO gradient varies with azimuth. It is important to note that the interpretation of Bani is not straightforward: it is a reflectivity parameter (a measure of contrast from one layer to another) and it is a weighted difference of γ(v), and δ(v). It is only when assuming Hudson’s model that Bani may be interpreted as a direct indicator of fracture density.
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients Technique
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients are also an Azimuthal AVO interface analysis, but the math is handled in a new way. As well, unlike Rüger-style AzAVO, Az FC does not require the assumption of isotropic overlying HTI media, and it is not a near offset approximation; an approximation which, as pointed out by Goodway et al. (2006), can have a strong influence on the results.
For HTI media, at any incidence angle, amplitude variation with azimuth is repetitive (Figure 5). One can therefore calculate a Fourier transform of amplitude variation with azimuth at any particular angle of incidence to decompose the waveform into a Fourier series.
Figure 5. Amplitude signal versus azimuth extracted at one incidence angle (35 degrees) (left); decomposed into its Fourier coefficients (right).
The bulk of the information is captured in the first few Fourier coefficients (FCs) of the series; indeed, coefficients higher than fourth order can be neglected. The properties of the Fourier transform allow AVO and AVAz to be treated as separate problems: the n=0 FC is equivalent to the classic three-term AVO expression, the AVAz part is portrayed by the 2nd and 4th FCs.
The anisotropic gradient, Bani, and the symmetry axis can be obtained using the 2nd FC at just one incidence angle (!), but with some ambiguity in the symmetry axis. By including more angles of incidence and the 4th FC, the symmetry axis ambiguity can be resolved and an improved estimate of the Bani obtained.
It is important to remember that with conventional AzAVO methods, one cannot be sure how much of the amplitude variation is due to fracturing and how much is due to isotropic AVO. One of the key advantages of the Az FC method is that since we are examining one incidence angle at a time, we are able to separate the AVO and AVAz and therefore avoid cross-talk between the two.
One can push forward and derive fracture parameters, such as weaknesses, which would be more straightforward to interpret than Bani. However these parameters would still be reflectivity parameters, this is one of the important motivations to continue on to a true azimuthal inversion.
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients Elastic Inversion Technique
Az FC Inversion uses all the Azimuthal Fourier Coefficient volumes (simultaneously at each incidence angle) as input and computes a deterministic geologic fractured model that best matches the available data. As well, the solution complies with user-defined physical constraints, such as lateral continuity or realistic weakness values.
One important input is the initial model. It is now possible to input a spatially variable Vp/Vs volume which can be derived from a standard isotropic elastic inversion. For the fracture parameters initial model, we typically start from the isotropic case where δT and δN = 0 or introduce a background trend model.
In addition to integrating all the available data, the biggest upside of the method is that it solves for layer properties. In comparison to interface reflectivity analyses, the inversion process inherently brings a more stable and objective solution, simplifying the interpretation.
The Az FC Inversion approach outputs an unambiguous orientation for each layer, and can be directly parameterized to output fracture properties like normal and tangential weaknesses. From there one can easily remove the anisotropy to correct elastic parameters (such as Poisson’s ratio) to their true isotropic value.
Comparing Methods
When comparing results, it is important to remember that AVAz methods results have the resolution of the seismic bandwidth; VVAz is lower; S-wave Splitting generally lower still, due PS data quality (Figure 6).
Figure 6. The typical frequency spectrum of each tool. AVAz methods have higher bandwidth but are missing the low frequencies needed to capture the background trend.
VVAz and S-wave Splitting convey information about trends, where AVAz techniques will not capture these trends but local deviations. Usually when we discuss resolution we are concerned with having sufficiently high frequencies to resolve details, but it’s the low frequencies that are needed to establish the background trend. This becomes important when deriving quantitative measurements like stresses, as pointed out by Dave Gray (Gray et al., 2012), and calibrating the results to other measurements.
One should keep in mind the inherent differences in resolution of the various methods when interpreting the outputs. For example, the low frequency measurements may give information about regional stresses but cannot be expected to reveal local variations, just as the high frequency measurements may reveal localized variations in the stress field or local natural fractures but ought not to be interpreted as regional trends. These differences in resolution might be why seismically-derived stress estimates which invoke AVAz in their workflow don’t always show the regional dominant stress.
Azimuthal inversion can potentially be used as a data integration tool; an initial model can be provided to fill the missing low frequency. The logical next step will be to use VVAz and S-wave Splitting for the background information and input this model for AZ FC Inversion. This approach is still under testing but opens the door to more accurate quantitative analyses.
Azimuthal Techniques and Models of Fractured Media: Summary Table
The above azimuthal methods each output two basic anisotropy parameters: axis of symmetry (anisotropy direction), and magnitude (how anisotropic is it). These can be interpreted in terms the rock physics models. It is important to note that the models can be formulated in terms of each other (the equations illustrating this are shown in the Appendix).
The table helps us understand when the results from the various azimuthal techniques may be compared. For instance, when formulated in terms of LST we see that anisotropy magnitude measured by S-wave Splitting relates directly to tangential fracture weakness δT, and for VVAz it relates to a weighted sum of δT and δN. Since the weakness values are always positive and the methods have the same property type and resolution, the results from these two techniques could potentially be compared. But one should not expect the result from Rüger-style AzAVO method – being a weighted difference of δT and δN in LST formulation – to be always comparable with the results from VVAz and Shear-wave Splitting methods.
If we assume Hudson’s model (fractures are aligned isolated penny-shaped cracks) and we assume isotropic overlying HTI media, then all techniques become comparable and linearly scaled to the crack density. (Just remember that this model places the most assumptions, and there are inherent resolution differences between the methods.)
In other words, assuming Hudson’s model, the anisotropy parameters output by each method are scaled versions of the crack density, ξ. Each method scales the crack density differently, which interestingly, suggests that each method detects the crack density with varying sensitivity. In fact, as shown in the Appendix, two interesting observations can be made: 1) VVAz (in the gas case) is the most sensitive indicator of fractures (excluding resolution considerations); and 2) Vp/Vs of the background rock has a remarkable influence on the anisotropy detection. In fact, at a Vp/Vs ratio of approximately 1.7 (Bakulin, et al., 2000), there will be no amplitude variation with azimuth; even if the crack density is incredibly high, AVAz Bani parameter won’t detect any anisotropy (a cautionary tale to interpreters: keep the influence of Vp/Vs in mind).
The various azimuthal techniques use different approaches to measure seismic anisotropy. They examine different seismic properties in the light of different bandwidths. When used in combination – and with interpretation guided by realistic rock physics frameworks – these techniques can provide the geophysicist with a comprehensive and thoughtful characterization of fractures in complex reservoirs (Figure 7). While it was beyond the scope of this paper to include examples illustrating these different techniques and showing interpretations, the interested reader will find successful applications in the references. The authors are also available to discuss this further (corresponding author: franck.delbecq@cggveritas.com).
Figure 7. An example of shale gas sweet spot detection via inversion (rock properties) and fracture analysis combined.
The authors would like to thank our many colleagues who generously offered helpful advice and suggestions, Benjamin Roure, Richard Bale and David Gray for giving their time and feedback, and Jan Dewar for her assistance in writing this article and being a voice for those who benefit from math-free descriptions.
Franck Delbecq is a reservoir group manager with Hampson-Russell, A CGGVeritas Company, and has previously worked in software support and as a reservoir geophysicist. His professional work has been focused on applied reservoir geophysics for both conventional and unconventional resources, with experience in Europe and North America. Franck received a Master of Reservoir Engineering degree in 2005 from the Nancy School of Geology, France, and has worked in Calgary since 2007. Franck has presented multiple papers about stochastic inversion and fracture analysis and enjoys sharing ideas with the geoscience community.
Jon Downton is a Senior Research Advisor with Hampson-Russell, A CGGVeritas Company. Jon has worked as a reservoir geophysicist, research geophysicist and research manager, focusing on reservoir geophysics and the seismic processing associated with this. His current research involves the prediction of fractures and stress from seismic anisotropy. Jon has extensive experience in estimating rock and fluid properties from seismic data, including AVO, inversion and rock physics. He is one of the original co-authors of the lambda*rho mu*rho approach to elastic inversion.
Jon has presented numerous papers at SEG, EAGE and CSEG conferences, for which he has received several Best Paper awards, most recently the Best Exploration Paper at VII INGEPET in the fall of 2011. He has also been a keynote speaker at CSEG and EAGE conferences. Jon obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Calgary in 2005 and his B.Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Alberta in 1985. Jon is a member of the CSEG, SEG, EAGE and APEGA and is a past president of the CSEG.
Mark Letizia is a Reservoir Geoscientist with CGGVeritas in the Hampson-Russell Services team, focusing on multicomponent registration, various forms of inversion and fracture analysis. Mark has worked on unconventional resource plays – from shale gas to heavy oil – for major oil and gas clients. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geophysics with a minor in Geology from the University of Calgary. Mark is a member of the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG) and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG).
and Suggested Further Reading
We have attempted to indicate which papers may be of most relevance to the reader interested in a particular topic. Of course, there is overlap between the papers and we feel they are all worth a read!
Seismic Anisotropy
Delbecq, F., et al, 2011, A Comparison of Azimuthal Seismic Techniques , 2011 CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention, Calgary.
Hunt, L., et al., 2010, Am I Really Predicting Natural Fractures in the Tight Nordegg Gas Sandstone of West Central Alberta? , GeoCanada 2010 CSPG CSEG CWLS Joint Convention, Calgary, Alberta.
Perez, M., 2010, Beyond Isotropy – Part I: A Prestack Perspective , CSEG RECORDER, 35, No. 7, 36-41.
Perez, M., 2010, Beyond Isotropy – Part II: Physical Models in LMR Space , CSEG RECORDER, 35, No. 8, 37-43.
Anisotropy / Fractures Models
Bakulin, A., Grechka, V., and Tsvankin, I., 2000. Estimation of fracture parameters from reflection seismic data—Part I: HTI model due to a single fracture set , Geophysics, 65, 1788-1802.
Gurevich, B., and Pervukhina, M., 2010, An analytical model for stress induced anisotropy of a cracked solid , SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 29, 2517-2521.
Hudson, J. A.,1988, Seismic wave propagation through material containing partially saturated cracks : Geophysical Journal International, 92, 33–37.
Hudson, J. A., Liu, E., and Crampin, S., 1996, The mechanical properties of materials with interconnected cracks and pores : Geophysical Journal International, 124, 105–112.
Schoenberg, M., 1980, Elastic wave behavior across linear slip interfaces : J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 68, 1516–1521.
Thomsen, L.A., 1986, Weak elastic anisotropy : Geophysics, 51, 1954-1966.
Bale, R., and Wright, C., 2009, Compensation for shear-wave anisotropy effects above a heavy oil reservoir , 2009 CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention, Calgary.
Kendall, R. and Wikel, K., 2012, Multicomponent time-lapse monitoring of bitumen recovery and geomechanical implications , 2012 GeoConvention, Calgary.
Reasnor, M., 2001, Forward modeling and interpretation of multicomponent seismic data for fracture characterization, Weyburn field, Saskatchewan , Master’s Thesis, Colorado School of Mines. (http://geophysics.mines.edu/rcp/theses/Reasnor_2001.pdf)
VVAz (Azimuthal NMO)
Davison, C., et al., 2011, Azimuthal velocity uncertainty: estimation and application , SEG 2011 Annual Meeting, San Antonio
Tsvankin, I., 1997, Reflection moveout and parameter estimation for horizontal transverse isotrop y: Geophysics, 62, 614–629.
Near offset Rüger-style Azimuthal AVO (AzAVO)
Goodway, W., Varsek, J. and Abaco, C., 2006, Practical applications of P-wave AVO for unconventional gas Resource Plays, Part 2 , CSEG RECORDER, 31, No. 4, 52-65.
Gray, F. D., and Todorovic-Marinic, D., 2004, Fracture detection using 3D azimuthal AVO , CSEG RECORDER, 29, No. 10, 5-8.
Rüger, A., 1996, Reflection Coefficients and Azimuthal AVO Analysis in Anisotropic Media , Doctoral Thesis, Center for Wave Phenomena, Colorado School of Mines.
Rüger, A., 2002, Reflection coefficients and azimuthal AVO Analysis in anisotropic media : SEG Geophysical Monograph Series No. 10.
Rüger, A., and Tsvankin, I., 1997, Using AVO for fracture detection: Analytic basis and practical solutions : The Leading Edge, 10, 1429-1434.
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients
Downton, J., and Roure, B., 2012, Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients: A simple method to estimate fracture parameters , 2012 GeoConvention, Calgary.
Downton, J., Roure, B., and Hunt, L., 2011, Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients , CSEG RECORDER, 36, No. 10, 22-36.
Azimuthal Fourier Coefficients Elastic Inversion
Roure, B., and Downton, J., 2012, Azimuthal Fourier Coefficient Elastic Inversion , 2012 GeoConvention, Calgary.
Stress, Strength, Stiffness and such
Gordon, J.E., 1984, The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don’t Fall Through the Floor , Princeton University Press.
Gray, F. D., et al., 2012, Estimation of stress and geomechanical properties using 3D seismic data , First Break, 30, March 2012, 59-68
Here we provide the major equations for the topics discussed. The equations can provide an extra degree of understanding, complementing the preceding math-free physical explanations.
Assuming the weak anisotropy case (Bakulin et al., 2000), the three models – Thomsen-style HTI, Linear Slip Theory, and Hudson – are related by the following equations:
Definition of Thomsen style HTI parameters, when assuming LST fracture model:
g=(Vs/Vp)2 of the background rock
ε(v) : fractional difference between Vp fast and Vp slow horizontal
γ(v) : fractional difference between Vs fast and Vs slow
δ(v) : fractional difference between fast and slow P-wave velocities for oblique incidence angles
δN : normal fracture weakness
δT : tangential fracture weakness
Definition of LST weaknesses parameters, when assuming Hudson’s penny shaped cracks fracture model:
ξ : crack density
Ω : term representing the fluid effect and the aspect ratio influence
Shear-wave Splitting equations:
Please note: this section talks only about Horizontal velocities.
Using square root Taylor series expansion for small numbers:
This simplifies to:
In terms of Thomsen-style, LST, and Hudson parameters this simplifies to:
VVAZ equations:
Rüger near offset (two-term) Azimuthal AVO equation:
R: Reflectivity
A: Intercept (reflectivity at zero offset)
Biso : Isotropic Gradient
Bani :Anisotropic Gradient
ϕ : Source to receiver azimuth
ϕsym : Azimuth of symmetry axis
θ : Average angle of incidence
In terms of Thomsen-style, LST, and Hudson parameters:
Assuming a single set of aligned rotationally invariant vertical fractures, Downton (2011) shows that the linearized AVAz expression can be written as the Fourier series:
Where the Fourier Coefficients are:
The bulk of the information is captured in the first few Fourier coefficients of the series; coefficients higher than fourth order can be neglected. And because of reciprocity (the locations of the source and receiver are interchangeable), only the even order Fourier Coefficients are non-zero, so the odd FCs can be neglected.
The D.C. term (r0) is the classic three-term AVO expression
A0, B0, and C0 are functions of the isotropic parameters and fracture parameters
ϕsym is the azimuth of the symmetry axis
For small incidence angles, magnitude of the 2nd FC (r2) is a scaled version of the anisotropic gradient:
The magnitude of the 4th FC (r4) is a scaled version of κ :
Bani and κ are both weighted differences of the normal and tangential fracture weakness parameters δN and δT:
Theoretical comparison of azimuthal techniques when assuming Hudson’s model and a look at the influence of the Vp/Vs on the results
Using Hudson’s model and assuming the isotropy over anisotropy scenario, the mathematical relationships become simpler and all the discussed families of tools relate directly to crack density and fluid term. By taking the extreme cases (dry and wet cases) the three techniques become linearly related to crack density only (AVAz being the Bani coefficient below):
The coefficients enclosed in the red boxes can be plotted in order to compare the methods as a function of Vp/Vs:
Anisotropy coefficient as a function of Vp/Vs background, for various azimuthal methods. The x-axis is Vp/Vs. Note that there is a background Vp/Vs ratio (around 1.7) for which AVAZ(gas case) Bani might not detect the crack density (the AVAz gas case line crosses 0).
Alternatively, one can plot the coefficients as a function of the crack density, for a constant Vp/Vs, and then can compare the sensitivity of each technique versus crack density:
Figure App-2. Anisotropy coefficient as a function of crack density, for Vp/Vs=2.5. The x-axis is crack density ξ.
Tight Gas Geophysics: AVO Inversion for Reservoir Characterization
David Close, Simon Stirling, David Cho, and Frederik Horn
McKay Oil Sands 2D Seismic Inversion Case Study
Laurie M. Weston Bellman, Amanda Knowles, and Rozalia Pak
Marcellus & Utica Shale PSDM Case Study – Improved Structural Imaging and Rock Properties
Morgan Brown, David Waibel, Scott Schapper and Joel Starr
Geophysical Constraints in Geostatistical Modelling
David I. Close
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Theatre Review
Sherlock Holmes Gets Laughs and a Makeover in RLT's Baskerville
Raleigh -- ( Fri., Apr. 12, 2019 - Sun., Apr. 28, 2019 )
Raleigh Little Theatre: Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
$ -- Raleigh Little Theatre (Cantey V. Sutton Theatre) , (919) 821-3111 , http://www.raleighlittletheatre.org
By Roy C. Dicks
April 12, 2019 - Raleigh, NC:
Sherlock Holmes has been around for more than 130 years in all forms of media. The character's continuing popularity apparently allows infinite room for more versions, so Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor, Crazy For You) joined the crowded field in 2015 with his own take. Raleigh Little Theatre's production of the awkwardly titled Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery does its best to minimize weaknesses in the script through some astonishing performances, a number of clever technical effects, and a few twists of its own.
Ludwig's script closely follows the original 1901 Arthur Conan Doyle story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, in which Holmes and Dr. Watson, set out to solve the mysterious murders surrounding the Baskerville family, purportedly involving a giant, bloodthirsty hellhound. The main twists in Ludwig's version are that it's played for laughs and it's written for only five actors: one each for Holmes and Watson, with the other three playing over 40 characters among them.
If this sounds suspiciously like the play The 39 Steps, you're right. Ludwig admits he was influenced by seeing that popular sendup of the famous Alfred Hitchcock film. If only Ludwig hadn't been so obvious in employing many of that play's ingenious ideas, not to mention his inclusion of easily recognizable bits from the movie Young Frankenstein.
And if only Ludwig hadn't been so focused on keeping all the details of the original Doyle story, with its dizzying number of characters and plot strands to remember. Instead, he has streams of narration from Watson throughout the play, even starting it off with a character reading out pages of Baskerville history while the audience waits for something to happen. Overall, there's so much verbiage from Holmes, Watson, and assorted characters that momentum is lost time and again while they provide details to set up what thankfully become hilarious and surprising segments. Despite these flaws, RLT's cast and creative team valiantly attempt to surmount them, with a high rate of success.
Dennis R. Berfield's massive two-story unit set has a balcony at the back, a long flight of steps down one side, and multiple doors and exits on both levels, leaving the main playing area free to become whatever locations are required. These are sometimes indicated by a lowered gate, a set of curtains, or a wall of picture frames, but mostly they are conjured by John Maruca's projections of art works (both representational and abstract) onto what at first seem like solid walls on both levels. Much humor is derived by characters appearing and disappearing through those walls, which are reflective material split in the middle. Sometimes the material is lit from behind for shadow effects and the appearance of windows. Additionally, the locations are projected on the front of the balcony, often with witty descriptions. Liz Droessler's lighting design aids the spooky sides of the story that take place in the murky night, underpinned by Brennan Reilly's sound design of baying hounds, howling winds, and train whistles.
Guest director Jeremy Skidmore has mapped out the intricate paths that the three actors playing multiple parts must take to make their frenetic exits and lightning quick re-entrances as different characters with different costumes, wigs, and accessories. Jenny Mitchell's costumes are not only fine period pieces, especially the menswear, but they also have been constructed to be quickly removed and worn in layers.
On opening night, the three "ensemble" actors stole the show, each consummate comedians who knew how to sell the gags and pratfalls without resorting to mugging and milking. Kirsten Ehlert easily limned everything from an urchin boy to a sullen Scandinavian servant to a beautiful damsel in distress. Her accent work was particularly impressive. Tony Hefner showed why he is an old hand at this sort of thing, sporting a marvelous range of stuffy, prissy, and scowling doctors, landed gentlemen, and elderly ladies. His weary, slow-talking Baskerville servant, Barrymore, was astutely underplayed.
First among equals was Gus Allen in one of his most engaging performances, robustly inhabiting Henry Baskerville, the distant heir from Texas come to claim the family manor. His Texas twang and aw-shucks personality were particularly endearing when he became moonstruck over a neighboring young woman. Allen also entertainingly offered a crass Inspector Lestrade, a messenger boy, and the elderly Hugo Baskerville.
Skidmore's decision to cast women as Holmes and Watson completed the script's genderbending vibe. Mary Rowland's Holmes, complete with deerstalker hat and Inverness cape, had the proper stature, intelligence, and room-filling personality. Her commanding voice and perceptive delivery projected authority. Ludwig doesn't do the performer playing Holmes any favors with a wordy part that really isn't the focus of the script. In fact, Ludwig gives more time to Watson, both as narrator and investigation participant.
Laurel Ullman is one of the area's finest actors, but her performance as Watson was curiously placid and uninvolved, often speaking quietly in a realistic style that seemed at odds with the heightened manner of the others. Although the script also doesn't give Watson much to work with, there should have been room for a more energized and personable Watson.
The cast and creative team's efforts allow for a number of laughs and some all-in-fun little scares. It's best to go into the production with some knowledge of the Doyle story and an expectation of an undemanding entertainment for a pleasant night out.
Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery continues through Sunday, April 28. For more details on this production, please view the sidebar.
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2019 AFCON: Mikel Demands Captaincy For Eagles’ Return
By CybokNews on April 15, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )
John Mikel Obi wants to be assured of his position as the Super Eagles’ captain as a condition for him to return to the senior national football squad.
Mikel, who joined English Championship side, Middlesbrough last January from Chinese Super League side, Tianjin TEDA has not kicked a ball for the Eagles after captaining the national team to a first-round exit at the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Head coach, Gernot Rohr has made frantic efforts to manage the agitations that trailed the continued absence of the ex-Chelsea star from the squad which has raised doubts about his commitment.
Mikel now wants to be assured of reclaiming the captain’s armband before taking the decision to be part of the squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations starting in June in Egypt.
Mikel’s demand is coming after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick referred to Ahmed Musa as “Captain” at the NFF Awards Night in Eko Hotel held in Lagos on April 1.
The Awards gala which had the Super Eagles class of 94 in attendance saw Ahmed Musa voted Nigeria’s Male Player of 2018 and Pinnick while receiving the award for Musa said, “I want to say congratulations to my son, my captain; Ahmed Musa.”
Guests were visibly left in shock wondering if the All Nassr forward had officially taken over the captaincy of the Eagles from Mikel.
Rohr, who it was learned was making last-minute moves to have a private discussion with the Middlesbrough player gave various reasons for Mikel’s self- imposed exile during a parley with the media in Asaba last month.
“Obi Mikel is playing again in Middlesbrough for a few weeks and is doing well now. But there is still a little problem with his knee and it was not the moment now to come back for him in these conditions.
“They have so many games in Middlesbrough, they are fighting for promotions. He told me that this is not the moment to come back to the question was not there to come back now but if Obi Mikel, is very fit again if he has the motivation if he shows that he is better than the other people we have, the door is open for everybody.
“I’m not like (Joachim) Löw who announced officially that three of his players are out definitively from the Germany national team, I never say that because you never know what can happen. You can have injuries, you can sometimes a great fitness and performance from the players who you believe are finished.
“We are watching and seeing what is happening to see if he can come back. We need experience in our team, we have young players so the experience of such a player could be interesting.”
Meanwhile, the media officer of the Eagles, Toyin Ibitoye says Mikel has not made such demands since he is still the captain of the team.
“Rohr has the final say who leads the team and as far as we know, the coach has not told us that Mikel is no longer the captain of the team.
“Even Ahmed Musa, who has been the stand-in captain had always referred to Mikel as the substantive captain of the team. People should not create a problem when there is none” Ibitoye warned in an emphatic tone.
Ibitoye also described as baseless and unfounded insinuations that the backroom staff has a preferred player they are supporting to captain the national team.
“That’s absolutely untrue. The backroom staff does not have such powers. We can’t meddle into such issues because it is specifically the responsibility of the coach. We work with any player that has been picked by the technical crew to wear the armband” he added.
-TheNation
Categories: Featured, LifeStyle, News, News Now, Sports
Tagged as: #amaju pinnick, #nff, ahmed musa, chinese, Gernot Rohr, Middlesbrough, mikel obi, super eagles, TEDA
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Audio IEM Design IEMs Knowledge Quick Thoughts Thoughts Universal-Fit
Quick Thoughts: Audio-Technica ATH-LS200
By Mr. T April 29, 2017 August 23, 2017
2 Comments on Quick Thoughts: Audio-Technica ATH-LS200
Editor’s Note: This overview of the Audio-Technica ATH-LS200 is based off multiple listening sessions at headphone stores and shows, without sustained personal time with the product. Thus, it should not be regarded as a full review — in fact, our entire ‘Thoughts‘ category of articles is not meant to house comprehensive reviews.
The ATH-LS200 is Japanese audio giant Audio-Technica‘s latest dual balanced armature earphone effort, continuing the long line of well-regarded IEMs that stem from the pedigree of the vaunted, near-legendary ATH-CK10. Their previous model, the ATH-IM02, seemed to be well-reviewed by most people, but rather than a complete overhaul, was more of an evolution of their previous ATH-CK90 MK2 and ATH-CK90. We presented the reasons why we believed so in an old article (here).
Essentially, for about five years, Audio-Technica had been recycling its acoustic formula for multiple generations of the ATH-CK90, ATH-CK90 MK2, and the ATH-IM02, fitting the same exact dual driver assembly (the Knowles GQ-30783) into its earphones and outputting it through the exact same length/diameter “acoustic horn“.
For 2017, however, Audio-Technica has engineered a completely different model, and the results really are great. The first time I had a listen was late last year at an audio show, and then multiple times thereafter at a headphone shop. It has never disappointed me, neither with sound nor ergonomics.
Having sung the praises of the ATH-LS200 twice on our Facebook page, I thought I’d give people the lowdown on why the new model is so good.
Let’s start with the drivers. Instead of going with Knowles like they have for the past few generations, Audio-Technica has switched to Sonion for the ATH-LS200 (Audio-Technica has a history of contracting with both companies for its drivers). They likely did so for access to the easy-to-use AcuPass system, which allows audio designers to drop a dual driver assembly into any earphone and have only a single output port to worry about. If you need a refresher on AcuPass, here’s a link to our past article on how AcuPass works (link).
Last year, after having pretty good success with its first generation of AcuPass drivers in the 1723 series of driver assemblies, Sonion introduced its second generation of AcuPass drivers, offering more versatility and modularity with swappable central plates. AcuPass drivers could now come in pretty much any combination of drivers, giving way to some pretty exciting possibilities. While we were privy to this development way back in early 2015, all of this information was confidential and not finalized —- we weren’t allowed to let the public know.
The release of Klipsch’s flagship X20i launched the first of the second generation AcuPass drivers with a custom-ordered version of the 26-E25T. It was essentially a Sonion 2600 driver mated to a new supertweeter called the E25T. The E25T promised great real-world treble extension (both Knowles and Sonion have in the past claimed the ability of their drivers to extend to 40 kHz in the ultrasonic region but have had trouble maintaining sound pressure from 20 Hz to 20 kHz), all the way to 18.5 kHz, and a smooth gradation getting there. The prospect of these kinds of drivers in affordable packages was truly exciting. The only caveat was that the 2600 driver really wasn’t the most dynamic, exciting, or even accurate BA driver around. Being a smaller driver, it didn’t quite deliver the bass impact or extension.
Audio-Technica‘s announcement of the ATH-LS200 was truly exciting, however. While Audio-Technica has never specified what it used as drivers for the ATH-LS200, from marketing pictures it was clear they were using a second generation AcuPass driver different from the 26-E25T — the 23-E25T (link). Wider at the base, the 2300 driver is a larger driver than the 2600, but is a staple standard driver for most audio designers seeking a balanced, neutral tone from the bass all the way to the treble. Mating the 2300 with a E25T would mean really great, extended treble performance.
The Audio-Technica ATH-LS200 uses the new Sonion 23-E25T AcuPass driver assembly, which mates a 2300 series full-range driver with the E25T supertweeter.
In addition, such a design from Sonion is approximately the same size as the GQ from Knowles, allowing Audio-Technica‘s industrial designers already familiar with the GQ’s required cavity spaces to evolve on an already small housing size. For the icing on top, Audio-Technica opted for a stainless steel tube to reinforce the highs, in the stead of the plastic horn used in the past.
Frequency Response & Subjective Impressions
With all this new age technology fully in play, how does the ATH-LS200 measure on an ear simulator?
In terms of frequency response, it is pretty darn good. Currently, two Korean websites have measured the ATH-LS200‘s various characteristics: the first is from blogger HeavyMetalHallelujah’s Ear-Fi Blog (in two parts, here and here), with all measurements performed by our very own Speakerphone, while the second is from 0dB (link). Both sets of measurements agree that the ATH-LS200 has pretty good linearity with respect to Harman’s “Olive-Welti” target equalization, and when equalized to the diffuse field target, it imparts a pretty smooth downsloping curve.
Unequalized IEC-60318-4 (a.k.a. IEC 711) frequency response of the Audio-Technica ATH-LS200 (Figure courtesy of Speakerphone)
When I first heard the ATH-LS200 (before any measurements ever came out), it felt close to a neutral signature without anemic bass or annoying treble spikes, with great and expansive treble extension that allowed the “soundstage” to feel unbounded. The center image was large and seemed phase-correct, with a bit of vocal warmth that I happen to like a lot. In this sense, it was genre-versatile, able to play pretty much anything from classic jazz to modern pop. Simply put, the LS200 just sounded correct.
Ergonomically, the ATH-LS200 is comfortable inside my ears. The new A2DC plugs are pretty good too — they rotate less easily than MMCX connectors and are less bulky than the reversed two-pin connectors they replaced.
The ONLY negative I can really say about it is that I’d personally take down the bass a teeny-tiny bit, and the bass extension and depth of impact is not on the level of earphones with big huge CI drivers or DTEC drivers, but for its form factor (a Sonion 2300 stacked with an E25ST), it’s good enough. I can hear some bass distortion at high volumes, but I’m not bothered.
The measurements corroborated my findings:
+4.5 dB boost under 200 Hz relative to 500 Hz
+6.0 dB boost under 200 Hz relative to 1000 Hz
Fairly flat diffuse field EQ profile from 800 to 4000 Hz
The uncompensated plot shows a healthy 9 dB rise from 800 to 2700 Hz
A small 5k clarity bump, but without 6-7k sibilance
Not much of a dip between 9-12k
A huge 16-18k spike: this means there’s treble energy way up there that just isn’t easily quantified by an IEC 711 coupler
The CSD has a nice, middle thickness midrange that isn’t too thick; no obvious ringing artifacts, other than the big 16-18k spike
Square wave response shows mild mid-bass centered response and warmish presentation, with both being mild
The thing I dislike about Sonion’s 2300 series drivers is their high distortion; Knowles’ ED drivers are a lot better in that regard (Knowles drivers just have lower distortion across the board in general), and the ATH-LS200 has quite a bit of measured distortion, up to 2-3% THD in the midrange band between 800-900 Hz. Strangely enough, however, you won’t hear it as patently as you do with the bass distortion in the 1723 AcuPass models. Then again, I’ve only heard the ATH-LS200 in louder environments, where distortion is more difficult to hear. In the quietest instance where I was able to test the LS200, I did hear distortion here and there, especially with male vocals, but it didn’t seem to ruin my perception and enjoyment of the music. In some ways, the distortion of the ATH-LS200 presents itself more similarly to the warm “haze” that Final Audio earphones tended to give off in the past (link).
Overall, I firmly believe the Audio-Technica ATH-LS200 is one of the best overall earphones the company has produced. It’s an ‘entry’ level balanced armature in-ear with a balanced, relatively neutral-sounding profile versatile with all kinds of music, delivering clarity without harshness, and bass presence without head-thumping pressure. The ergonomics of the LS200 are also well-considered, and well-rounded earphones at this lower mid-end price point are hard to find.
Tags: ATH-CK90 ATH-CK90PRO ATH-CK90PRO MK2 ATH-IM02 ATH-LS200 audio Audio-Technica balanced armature IEM in-ear in-ear monitor Japan Sonion universal universal in-ear monitor
Published by Mr. T
Mr. T is an in-ear fanatic by day, and writes SOAP notes by night. He pities the fool who actually has the patience to read through his stuff. View all posts by Mr. T
Hi, How do they compare with ATH-IM02 in your experience (if you had any)?
CYMBACAVUM says:
The IM02 are thinner sounding and less mid-forward. There is less distortion on the IM02 but the LS200 has a more euphonic signature and smoother highs.
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You are at:Home»North America Rugby»Major League Rugby»Austin Elite Rugby Signs Siaosi Finau
Austin Elite Rugby Signs Siaosi Finau
By djcoilrugby November 17, 2017 1 Comment
Austin Elite Rugby – Siaosi Finau
Austin Elite Rugby announced that Austin Blacks prop Siaosi Finau has signed with the team for the 2018 Major League Rugby season.
Siaosi is 25 years old, 6’ tall and weighs 245lbs. He was born and raised in Euless, Texas, which has a sizable ethnic Tongan enclave. He attended Trinity High School beginning in the Fall of 2007 and graduated in 2010. There he played football with the team winning the State Championship in 2009. Jerry Longman of the New York Times, the impact that the Tongan community had on their rise as a football powerhouse.
After graduating high school, Siaosi enrolled at Tyler Junior College in 2011 and obtained two Associates Degrees in 2013 in General Studies and in Business. He also played football there. The Summer between his first and second year at Tyler Junior College, he played center with Euless Rugby Club. He played that position because the team consisted of larger men that were my cousins or uncles.
He then attended San Angelo State University during the Spring 2014 semester before transferring to Arkansas State University for the Fall 2014 semester. He attended there because he wanted to play rugby at a higher level and did so until he graduated in Spring 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management.
At Arkansas State, he initially was a center and was converted to a prop. “The coaches and players did a great job molding me to the player I am today. They literally taught me everything on how to play the sport.”
After graduation from Arkansas State, he joined the Austin Blacks in the Fall 2016 and has continued with the team through 2017. There he played both prop and hooker. The later was a new position. “I never really knew how to hook, but I was willing to learn and make the adjustments.”
“Playing football my entire life helped me with my work ethic, strength, and speed. I had to workout with my cousins who were huge linemen, so that definitely pushed me to keep up with them in weights. But rugby is a completely different sport. The amount of fitness you have to have is on another level. The different skills you have to hold like passing, catching, learning how to run lines, reading the defense, and knowing what to do ahead of time just makes the sport what it is. Obviously, I don’t have the pads to protect me so I have to be smarter about how I use my body, while at the same time be a force to be reckoned with.”
“The atmosphere for both sports are different. Rugby is a sport full of gents.”
“So far with the Austin Elite, the change is great and I’m loving every second. Everything is what you expect it to be; high tempo, great coaching, and training.”
Austin Elite Rugby Comments
Siaosi considers “his greatest rugby accomplishment his selection for Austin Elite Rugby and playing professionally in his home state, especially considering that he had only played rugby informally until age 22. ” Siaosi added that “The first time I played rugby competitively is when I was playing for Arkansas State. I actually learned the game properly at college. All the time before were just playing for fun.”
Austin Elite Rugby
Alain Hyardet – Head Coach
Rick Medina – Corporate Sales Manager
Peter Malcolm – Hooker
Zinzan Elan-Puttick – Fullback
Sione Fangaihuia – Center
Vetekina Malafu – Wing
Michael Reid – Scrumhalf
Mason Pedersen – Loosehead Prop
Zac Mizell – Flyhalf, Utility Back
Sani Taylor – Wing
Knute O’Donnell – Scrum-half
Allan Hanson – Utility Back
Timothée Guillimin – Utility Back
Antonio Winn – Utility Back
Pakisonasi Afu – Midfield
Paddy Ryan – Tighthead Prop
Robert Drummond – Prop
Siaosi Finau – Prop
DJCoil Rugby articles by Doug Coil are also available Facebook. Other Social Media sites to follow or subscribe include Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for interviews.
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Algorithmen
Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course)
Hebräische Universität von Jerusalem
129,836 recent views
What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course* you will build a modern computer system, from the ground up. We’ll divide this fascinating journey into six hands-on projects that will take you from constructing elementary logic gates all the way through creating a fully functioning general purpose computer. In the process, you will learn - in the most direct and constructive way - how computers work, and how they are designed. What you’ll need: This is a self-contained course: all the knowledge necessary to succeed in the course and build the computer system will be given as part of the learning experience. Therefore, we assume no previous computer science or engineering knowledge, and all learners are welcome aboard. You will need no physical materials, since you will build the computer on your own PC, using a software-based hardware simulator, just like real computers are designed by computer engineers in the field. The hardware simulator, as well as other software tools, will be supplied freely after you enroll in the course. Course format: The course consists of six modules, each comprising a series of video lectures, and a project. You will need about 2-3 hours to watch each module's lectures, and about 5-10 hours to complete each one of the six projects. The course can be completed in six weeks, but you are welcome to take it at your own pace. You can watch a TED talk about this course by Googling "nand2tetris TED talk". *About Project-Centered Courses: Project-centered courses are designed to help you complete a personally meaningful real-world project, with your instructor and a community of learners with similar goals providing guidance and suggestions along the way. By actively applying new concepts as you learn, you’ll master the course content more efficiently; you’ll also get a head start on using the skills you gain to make positive changes in your life and career. When you complete the course, you’ll have a finished project that you’ll be proud to use and share.
Untertitel: Englisch, Hebräisch
Logic GateComputer ArchitectureAssembly LanguagesHardware Description Language (HDL)
Course introduction and overview, the roles of abstraction and implementation in systems design, the road ahead.
5 Videos (Gesamt 27 min), 1 Lektüre, 1 Quiz
Unit 0.0: Introduction 1m
Unit 0.1: The Road Ahead10m
Unit 0.2: From Nand to Hack7m
Unit 0.3: From Hack to Tetris3m
Unit 0.4: Project 0 Overview3m
Reading1 Lektüre
Module 0: Introduction Roadmap10m
Boolean Functions and Gate Logic
We will start with a brief introduction of Boolean algebra, and learn how Boolean functions can be physically implemented using logic gates. We will then learn how to specify gates and chips using a Hardware Description Language (HDL), and how to simulate the behaviour of the resulting chip specifications using a hardware simulator. This background will set the stage for Project 1, in which you will build, simulate, and test 15 elementary logic gates. The chipset that you will build this module will be later used to construct the computer's Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) and memory system. This will be done in modules 2 and 3, respectively.
8 Videos (Gesamt 128 min), 1 Lektüre, 1 Quiz
Unit 1.1: Boolean Logic12m
Unit 1.2: Boolean Functions Synthesis9m
Unit 1.3: Logic Gates10m
Unit 1.4: Hardware Description Language18m
Unit 1.5: Hardware Simulation33m
Unit 1.6: Multi-Bit Buses8m
Unit 1.7: Project 1 Overview24m
Unit 1.8: Perspectives 9m
Module 1: Boolean Functions and Gate Logic Roadmap10m
General Course Information
1 Video (Gesamt 2 min), 3 Lektüren
Promo Video2m
Course Overview10m
Textbook10m
FAQ10m
Boolean Arithmetic and the ALU
Using the chipset that we've built in the previous module, we will now proceed to build a family of adders -- chips designed to add numbers. We will then take a big step forward and build an Arithmetic Logic Unit. The ALU, which is designed to perform a whole set of arithmetic and logical operations, is the computer's calculating brain. Later in the course we will use this ALU as the centerpiece chip from which we will build the computer's Central Processing Unit, or CPU. Since all these chips operate on binary numbers (0's and 1's), we will start this module with a general overview of binary arithmetic, and only then delve into building the ALU.
Unit 2.1: Binary Numbers7m
Unit 2.2: Binary Addition12m
Unit 2.3: Negative Numbers11m
Unit 2.4: Arithmetic Logic Unit16m
Unit 2.6: Perspectives10m
Module 2: Boolean Arithmetic and the ALU Roadmap10m
Having built the computer's ALU, this module we turn to building the computer's main memory unit, also known as Random Access Memory, or RAM. This will be done gradually, going bottom-up from elementary flip-flop gates to one-bit registers to n-bit registers to a family of RAM chips. Unlike the computer's processing chips, which are based on combinational logic, the computer's memory logic requires a clock-based sequential logic. We will start with an overview of this theoretical background, and then move on to build our memory chipset.
Unit 3.1: Sequential Logic9m
Unit 3.2: Flip Flops15m
Unit 3.3: Memory Units25m
Unit 3.4: Counters10m
Module 3: Memory Roadmap10m
A critically important aspect of building a new computer system is designing the low-level machine language, or instruction set, with which the computer can be instructed to do various things. As it turns out, this can be done before the computer itself is actually built. For example, we can write a Java program that emulates the yet-to-be-built computer, and then use it to emulate the execution of programs written in the new machine language. Such experiments can give us a good appreciation of the bare bone "look and feel" of the new computer, and lead to decisions that may well change and improve both the hardware and the language designs. Taking a similar approach, in this module we assume that the Hack computer and machine language have been built, and write some low-level programs using the Hack machine language. We will then use a supplied CPU Emulator (a computer program) to test and execute our programs. This experience will give you a taste of low-level programming, as well as a solid hands-on overview of the Hack computer platform.
10 Videos (Gesamt 187 min), 1 Lektüre, 1 Quiz
Video10 Videos
Unit 4.1: Machine Languages: Overview11m
Unit 4.2: Machine Languages: Elements 16m
Unit 4.3: The Hack Computer and Machine Language15m
Unit 4.4: Hack Language Specification10m
Unit 4.5: Input / Output26m
Unit 4.6: Hack Programming, Part 124m
Unit 4.8: Hack Programming, Part 3 32m
Unit 4.9: Project 4 Overview 19m
Unit 4.10: Perspectives 7m
Module 4: Machine Language Roadmap10m
Top reviews from Build a Modern Computer from First Principles: From Nand to Tetris (Project-Centered Course)
von MM•Feb 18th 2017
An excellent course provided by phenomenal professors! Everything is broken down into simple, easily understandable portions, and leaves you with a clear idea how to proceed to solve a given problem.
von BC•Oct 12th 2017
Really good course. Great explanations of everything and the tools provided make it very easy to implement some very high levels ideas. Would recommend this to anyone interested in how a CPU works
Shimon Schocken
Noam Nisan
Über Hebräische Universität von Jerusalem
Ranked among the top academic and research institutions worldwide, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel's leading university and premier research institution. Serving 23,000 students from 70 countries, the Hebrew University produces a third of Israel’s civilian research and is ranked 12th worldwide in biotechnology patent filings and commercial development. The Hebrew University was founded in 1918 by visionaries including Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Martin Buber and Chaim Weizmann. It is located on three campuses in Jerusalem and a fourth in Rehovot. Visit the website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en. Join our online learners community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/hujimooc/. ...
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Charlie Sheen Bombs In First Live Show, Booed Off Stage By Angry Fans
Shortly before Charlie Sheen’s 20-city tour was to kick off tonight in Detroit, the former Two and a Half Men star tweeted: “The moment of truth is upon us Detroit!! Do not fear … the Sheenius is here!” Well, he was right about the moment of truth part. According to local reports, fans who packed the Fox Theatre started walking out shortly after the Sheen’s show started and those who stayed eventually booed the actor off the stage.
Things started off horribly with Sheen’s opening act, Kirk Fox, who was booed so hard, he didn’t finish his set. The same continued during the main attraction, which featured more video clips than actual live show from Sheen. The actor tried to keep his cool, declaring “I’m having a ball, a f**ing good time,” according to Detroit Free Press’ live blog. But he eventually got unnerved, shouting back at a fan, “Sorry dude, I already got your money” before leaving the stage never to return.
Seems like the only “sheenius” here was tour promoter Live Nation’s decision to insert a “no refunds” policy on the tickets. And for all Sheen’s bitching about the quality of the writing on Two and a Half Men, he never looked that bad on the show. He seems to be needing comedy writers for his tour … badly.
'When They See Us' Stars On Its Emmy Noms: "The Title Came To Life"
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Adversity Crime
Mother Allegedly Gets Caught on Camera Using Her Daughter to Help Her Poison Husband With Antifreeze
Stacey Coles January 4, 2019
A New York woman pleaded not guilty to several charges on Thursday, after being caught on surveillance allegedly trying to poison her husband.
According to People, Renee Burke, 40, and her husband Matthew Burke have been in the midst of an ugly divorce. The father has custody of their two children.
The mother of two allegedly broke into her husband’s home on three separate occasions in September.
Attempted murder charges: Prosecutors say Renee Burke poured antifreeze into her estranged husband’s wine bottle in the presence of her 8 yr old daughter. Week prior her 4 yr old son told babysitter he saw “mommy put something in daddy’s drink.” Husband unharmed pic.twitter.com/11CC3eaxVa
— Kristin Thorne (@KristinThorne) January 3, 2019
According to People, on September 6, Matthew poured himself a glass of wine, but said he spit it out because it had a “chemical taste.”
Suffolk District Attorney Timothy Sini added that the children’s babysitter later told Matthew that his 4-year-old son said, “mommy came in and put something in daddy’s drink.”
On September 10, Matthew experienced a similar taste when attempting to drink a Pepsi. Following this encounter, police advised him to set up security cameras in his home.
According to prosecutors, footage from September 12 allegedly shows Renee poisoning a bottle of wine with a pink liquid she’d put in two baby bottles and had her eight-year-old daughter carrying.
Renee was later arrested on a burglary charge.
As People reports, she told police that she only added water and fruit juice to the drinks, but lab tests revealed the pink liquid was actually antifreeze.
Further, police say they discovered a bottle of pink antifreeze in her kitchen while searching her home.
According to People, Sini also said that Renee allegedly googled “what liquids for cars can kill a human.”
As People reports, Matthew’s lawyer, Richard Stafford, told the NY Post:
“He’s happy to get a good night’s sleep without worrying about her breaking in again. She made a cold-blooded and calculated decision to try to kill him. That’s pretty chilling.”
In court on Thursday, Renee’s lawyer, Joel Salinger, said that his client denies all allegations and is being set up by her estranged husband. The lawyer argues that this is “mostly all about her children” and making sure she can still be a part of their lives.
That same day, she pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder, second-degree attempted assault, second-degree burglary, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She is being held on $400,000 bond.
crime Wife
Teen Told Police He Shot Friend During Altercation. Now He Says It Was the Result of a Social Media Challenge
A teen admits to accidentally firing off a single shot as the pair took part in the “No Lackin” challenge, police say.
Tiffani Credle January 4, 2019
Adversity Health Issues
Five-Year-Old Survives After Accidentally Setting Herself on Fire. She Recovers by Becoming Princess Elsa
Almost all of Lillie’s body was burned after she accidentally lit her dress on fire while playing with a lighter.
Adversity Family
Jenelle Evans Speaks out After Police Claim She Made up Story of Dog Being Shot for ‘Publicity’
“The evidence collected indicates that the allegations of animal cruelty were fabricated.”
Adversity Missing Children
Mom’s 7-Year-Old With Autism Wanders off Alone While She’s in Bathroom. Police Are Still Working to Find Him
“He was just gone that quick. It was very fast.”
Adversity Health Issues Tragedy
New Mom Is Hospitalized for Flesh-Eating Disease. She May’ve Gotten It Because of a Mistake During Birth
“Our lives have been turned upside down.”
Batya Carl January 17, 2018
Adversity Family Health Issues Loss of a Child Raising Kids Tragedy
15-Year-Old Boy Dies From Diabetes Condition. Dad Gets Arrested for His Death
“All I can say is that I tried to get help.”
India Moorhouse February 16, 2018
Adversity Loss of a Child Loss of a Loved One Tragedy
Boy Had 10-Pound Tumor That Almost Snapped His Neck Removed. But It Wasn’t Enough to Save Him
“Another angel has arrived in Heaven.”
Shannon Alexander January 23, 2018
Girl Escapes Possible Child Abduction at Her School Bus Stop When She Asks Stranger for ‘Secret Password’
“In my mind, I said you don’t want to get in the car because something bad is going to happen and you’re never going to see your family again.”
Tiffani Credle May 31, 2019
Judge Says Mom Running Over Son in School Parking Lot Is ‘Simply Inexcusable.’ Then Sentences Her to 30 Days in Jail
“The next time I saw my son he was lying in a coma…”
Stacey Coles April 23, 2019
Woman Got Into Crash When She Lost Control of Her Car, But Now She’s Calling It a True ‘Blessing’
“During the routine CT scan…”
Sarah Caskie March 22, 2018
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Russia deploys two Tu-160 strategic bombers to Venezuela
in Aviation, News, Photo
Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, an Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy military transport plane and an Ilyushin Il-62 plane arrived in Venezuela, the Russian defense ministry said on Monday.
“Two Tu-160 strategic bombers, an An-124 heavy military transport plane and an Il-62 long-haul plane of the Russian aerospace forces that took off from aerodromes in Russia have landed at the Maiquet·a “Sim·n Bol·var” International Airport of the Venezuelan capital city,” the ministry said.
It’s not the first time the Tu-160s (NATO reporting name ‘Blackjack’) are seen in Venezuela as the strategic bombers already visited it in 2008 and 2013.
Also noted that Russian aircraft have carried out a 10,000-kilometer flight from Russia to Venezuela, being shadowed by Norwegian F-16 fighter jets along the way.
The flight of the Russian air group was conducted over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents Sea, the Sea of Norway and the Caribbean Sea. “During some parts of the route, the Tu-160 bombers were escorted by the F16s of the Norwegian Air Force,” the ministry said.
Moscow pointed out that the journey was performed “in strict accordance with the international regulations on the use of airspace.”
Tags: RussiaVenezuela
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Ukrainian Soldiers obliterates unique Russian artillery reconnaissance complex
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Aug 9 Artist Alley: @Valiantcomics #Vanquished Fan Art Contest For @Hyper_RPG
Art, Artist, Contest, Hyper RPG, Uncategorized, Valiant, Valiant Comics, Valiant Digital, Valiant Entertainment, VALIANT VANQUISHED
Valiant Digital is proud to announce the Valiant Vanquished Fan Art Contest – a fun-filled chance to let fans worldwide bring the exciting world of VALIANT VANQUISHED: SEASON TWO to stunning life! From now until August 13th, unleash your inner artist and create your own fan art based on the storyline that continues each week on the live-action role playing game from Valiant Digital and Twitch’s Hyper RPG! Then, enter the chance to have your fan art published in an actual comic book published by Valiant Entertainment by following these easy instructions: 1) Create a piece of fan art inspired by VALIANT VANQUISHED: SEASON TWO, the latest pulse-pounding season of the live-streaming game show based in the world of Catalyst Game Labs’ best-selling VALIANT UNIVERSE RPG. Create any character, battle, interaction, or scene based on VALIANT VANQUISHED: SEASON TWO, and submit as many entries as you want!
2) Post your artwork entries to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, tagging @Hyper_RPG and @ValiantComics with #Vanquished by August 13th, 2017. If you are not on social media, e-mail your entry to Contest@HyperRPG.com by August 13th, 2017.
3) All artwork entries will then be judged by the staff of Hyper RPG and Valiant Entertainment, who will reveal the winning entry live in the VALIANT VANQUISHED chatroom!
4) The winning piece of artwork will then be published in an upcoming comic book published by Valiant Entertainment, complete with an editorial profiling the artist!
For more rules and information on the Valiant Vanquished Fan Art Contest, please visit the official webpage here.
VALIANT VANQUISHED: SEASON TWO is a live-streaming game show created in partnership between Valiant Digital and Twitch’s Hyper RPG. Airing every Wednesday night at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT, VALIANT VANQUISHED creates all-original adventure set in the Valiant Universe as a fun-filled cast leads their role-playing characters through improvised stories featuring X-O Manowar, the Harbinger Renegades, Bloodshot, H.A.R.D. Corps, and countless more of Valiant’s greatest superheroes.
Want to be part of the action? Then log onto the VALIANT VANQUISHED chatroom to give your feedback in realtime with hashtags and comments… and shape the outcome of each story, the destiny of every character, and the future of the Valiant Universe! Following live recordings, every episode of VALIANT VANQUISHED will then be available to watch on the official HyperRPG YouTube channel.
With crayons, pencils, or any medium you choose, express your fandom for the exciting live-streaming gameshow based on your favorite superhero universe with the Valiant Vanquished Fan Art Contest...and then tune into VALIANT VANQUISHED: SEASON TWO every Wednesday at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT on Twitch's Hyper RPG!
Are you an artist? Why not join the contest. Let us know if you do in the comment section below. Also, don't forget to like, share and subscribe to all things Constant Collectible so you can keep up to date with all the news & reviews from a world of GEEK CULTURE.
Aug 9 On The Shelf: @Archiecomics Expands Lineup With B&V VIXENS
Aug 8 On The Shelf: @Boomstudios Has Had One "Wet Hot American Summer"
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Background and Description
The codling moth (Cydia pomonella; CM) is a tortricid moth originally native to Europe but now occurring in most parts of the world that have favorable habitat. In the mid-2000s it became a serious problem in many North Carolina orchards due to factors that included insecticide resistance and the practice of storing bins near orchards. (Apple bins are an ideal environment for overwintering larvae, and orchards within 100 to 150 yards (approximately 90 to 140 meters) of bins are particularly susceptible.) The use of mating disruption, new insecticides, and improved management practices have reduced the severity of CM damage, though CM, along with oriental fruit moth, remains one of the most significant lepidopterous apple pests in the region.
The adult CM is about 1/2 inch (12.5mm) long with gray striped wings that have patches of copper brown coloration at the tips. Both sexes have a similar appearance. The pupa is approximately 3/8 inch (9.5mm) long and brown. A fully developed larva is about 3/4 inch (19mm) long with a pinkish-beige body, brown head, and legs that are readily visible. CM larvae do not have the "anal comb" structure that is found on oriental fruit moth larvae when examined under a microscope. Eggs are about 1/25 inch (1mm) in diameter and are flat, white, and typically laid singly on both fruit and leaves.
Codling moth adult.
Steve Schoof, NC State
Codling moth pupa.
J. F. Walgenbach file
Codling moth larva.
Codling moth eggs on apple.
Codling moth eggs on apple leaf.
Life History
CM overwinter as fully-developed larvae in thick cocoons under loose soil, dead leaves, or loose bark on the trunks of trees. In early spring, they change to the brown pupal stage, and by April or early May (depending on the year and location), they emerge as adult moths and begin mating. They lay eggs singly rather than in masses, and these generally begin to hatch near the time of the first cover spray. Larvae then tunnel into fruit, feeding and growing inside the apples. Larvae then leave the fruit and pupate on tree trunks, branches, and dead wood. The Southeast typically sees two generations per season, although a partial or complete third generation sometimes occurs.
The CM larvae usually tunnel into fruit directly, leaving holes containing frass (crumbly, brown excrement) that is visible on the exterior. Inside the fruit, they generally make a straight path to the core and sometimes feed on the seeds. This is in contrast to oriental fruit moth, which typically creates random tunnels as it feeds and usually does not attack the core. CM larvae may also cause "stings" on the surface of fruit if the larva is killed (by insecticides, for example) before it has a chance to penetrate inside.
Codling moth entry in calyx with frass visible.
Codling moth entry in calyx.
Apples with codling moth tunneling.
Codling moth 'stings' on apples.
For detailed information on insect emergence times, degree-day calculations, and the most current control practices (including mating disruption and recommended insecticides), read the "IPM Practices for Selected Pests" and "Relative Effectiveness of Insecticides and Miticides" sections of the Integrated Orchard Management Guide for Commercial Apples in the Southeast.
First Generation: Recommendations are provided for low- and moderate-to-high population densities. Low-density orchards are those with less than 0.5 percent of fruit damaged the previous year and pheromone trap catches that do not exceed 10 moths per trap per week anytime during the first generation (to about 1,000 DD after biofix).
In low-density orchards, make a single insecticide application near 350 DD after biofix. In moderate-to high-density orchards, apply two insecticide applications at 14 to 21 days apart, the first at 100 to 250 DD after biofix: 100 to 150 if using a product which depends primarily on ovicidal activity for control (i.e., Intrepid or Rimon), and 250 if using an insecticide that targets early stage larvae. Additional applications may be necessary if trap captures remain high (greater than 7 moths per trap).
A second emergence of overwintering adults sometimes occurs between 500 and 800 degree days after biofix. This is often referred to as the “B peak” and may be associated with insecticide-resistant individuals in the population. Hence, pheromone trapping is important throughout the flight period.
Second Generation: Recommendations are provided for extremely low, low, and moderate-to-high population densities. Extremely low-density orchards may not require an insecticide application (no first-generation damage is observed and pheromone trap catches remain below one moth per trap per week between 1,000 and 2,500 DD after biofix). Low-density orchards require one insecticide application, and recent research indicates the optimum timing is 1,400 to 1,500 DD. These orchards may have no sign of damage by first generation larvae and trap catches between 3 to 7 moths per trap per week between 1,000 to 1,500 DD after biofix. Moderate-to high-density orchards will have fruit damage and higher pheromone trap catches requiring at least two insecticide applications at 14-day intervals, starting about 1,400 DD after biofix.
Third Generation: The model should not be relied upon alone for timing insecticide applications for the third generation, because the model becomes less accurate over time.
Exceptions to the Model: Where codling moth populations are extremely high and where pheromone trap catches remain high between generations, additional insecticide applications at shorter intervals may be necessary. This often occurs in orchards adjacent to abandoned orchards, orchards near bins, or in problem orchards with high populations.
Codling moths in pheromone trap.
Jim Walgenbach
Extension Entomology Specialist (Fruits/Vegetables)
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Effects of text enhancements on the differentiation performance of orthographically similar drug names
Issue title: Special Section 1: Ergonomic Practices in Hong Kong
Authors: Or, Calvin K.L. | Chan, Alan H.S.
Affiliations: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China | Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, The City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
Note: [] Corresponding author: Calvin K. L. Or, 8/fl., Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Haking Wong Building, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Tel.: +852 2859 2587; Fax: +852 2858 6535; E-mail: klor@hku.hk
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Orthographically similar drug names create confusion errorsand pose a potential threat to medication safety. Enhancing the differing letters in similar drug names is one possible way to address the problem. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects oftext enhancement methods(tall man, boldface, larger lowercase, and red lettering withlowercase as the comparison group) and orthographic similarity (referred to the extent to which the letters that made up the two names in a pair were similar to each other) on the differentiation performance of look-alike drug names. METHODS: Sixty individualsfroma university and its affiliatedhospitalparticipated in the differentiation test in which theydetermined whether the two drug names in each of the120 confusable name pairs were the same or different. Outcome measures were response time and proportion of correct responses. RESULTS: Using larger lowercase and red letteringresulted in significantly shorter response times. Drug names that were more similar to each other led to significantly longer response times. Text enhancement and orthographic similarity did not have impact on proportion of correct responses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides additional support for the use of text enhancement to emphasize the differences between medicines with names that look alike.
Keywords: Human factors, drug safety, orthographically similar drug name, textual format, drug name differentiation
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131809
Journal: Work, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 521-528, 2014
Received 13 August 2012
Volume Pre-press
Issue Pre-press
Issue Supplement 1
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By SpaceTime Mathematics | April 25, 2008
Realms, the intense action shooter is now available as a free download. Start with any of six different races and prepare your ship to embark on a journey through the six realms, encountering minefields, power generators, guardians and protectors. Collect Tari to upgrade your ship and buy inventory to make your journey less perilous. Once your vessel is armed, prepare to test your skills in destruction, strategy, defense, and maneuverability as you engage in space warfare.Each realm consists of five missions, each with its own guardians and uniquely crafted storyline. The final mission in each realm is a one-on-one face-off with the realm's Protector, the last defense toward off predators like yourself. Version 1.21 includes unspecified updates.
Windows NT Windows Vista Windows 95 Windows XP Windows 2000 Windows 98 Windows Me Windows
WIndows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server
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Crime Fiction LoverNewsSummertime, and the living is EZ
Summertime, and the living is EZ
Written by DavidPrestidge
On the Radar — Ezekiel ‘Easy’ Rawlins returns this week for another neon-lit adventure among the hills and boulevards of Los Angeles. We’ve also got a new printing of Dashiell Hammett’s short stories, and a great selection of further crime novels to try.
Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley
PI Easy Rawlins doesn’t look for trouble but when his old friend, the lethal hitman nicknamed Mouse asks for help, he knows that trouble will soon be looking for him. Mouse isn’t a man who takes no for an answer, and soon Rawlins, trying to help the man they call Charcoal Joe, is doing his best to avoid hits from all directions on the glitzy streets of LA. In our back pages you can read our PI Case Files on Mosley’s most memorable creation. Out on 16 June.
Pre-order now on Amazon
Arson Plus by Dashiell Hammett
Dashiell Hammett remains a hugely influential figure 55 years after his death. Now, independent book publisher Open Road is bringing us eight collections of Dashiell Hammett’s complete short fiction featuring the Continental Op, his landmark anonymous PI. Arson Plus is the story that introduced the world to the nameless detective whom Dashiell Hammett described as “…a little man going forward day after day through mud and blood and death and deceit- as callous and brutal and cynical as necessary” Available from 14 June.
The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr
This historical thriller has a curiously modern resonance. It’s set in 16th century Spain and a bloody conflict brewing between Islam and Christianity. The Moriscos are Muslims who have been forced – at sword-point – to convert to Christianity, and their resentment is made worse by the actions of the brutal Inquisition. When a Christian priest is murdered in his own church the Muslims are blamed, and local magistrate Bernardo de Mendoza is appointed to find the truth – and prevent a bloodbath. On the shelves from 14 June.
Written Off by EJ Copperman
Who better than a writer of mystery thrillers to solve a real life thrilling mystery? ‘Almost anyone’ would be the sensible answer, but this is crime fiction and author Rachel Goldman picks up the phone one day to find her caller is none other than Duffy Madison, the principal character in her novels. Is madness looming for Rachel, or does the real-life Duffy hold the key to catching a serial killer whose targets are… thriller writers! Out now for Kindle and later in June in print.
Death on the Sapphire by RJ Koreto
This is the debut novel from Richard Koreto, who is a New York financial journalist. Death on the Sapphire is set in Edwardian London where the deals are as deadly as they are on Wall Street, and the word ‘cut-throat’ is not a metaphor. Suffragette Lady Frances Ffolkes is a determined and independent modern woman. Her charm and beauty open doors, but she needs to employ all her wiles to investigate the cover-up of an atrocity committed during the Boer War, and the consequent murder of a family friend who threatened to expose the guilty. Published on 14 June.
False Hearts by Laura Lam
In our First look at this book, we were entranced by the beautifully designed cover with its brushed metallic finish, but how about the contents? The title is both literal and metaphorical, as the futuristic plot involves conjoined twins Tila and Taema who were separated, but are now kept alive by artificial hearts. When one twin is accused of murder, to what extent will the other be prepared to go in the name of sisterly love? The book is set in San Francisco, the author is Californian, and she lives in Scotland. Available on 16 June.
S is for Stranger by Louise Stone
Parents have a shared worst nightmare. It is when their child is spirited away by a malevolent stranger, from under their very nose. Sophie is a parent. Yes, she is an alcoholic, and yes, her excesses have driven her marriage into the ground. But she still has access to her daughter Amy. When Sophie spends some quality time with Amy at a fairground all goes well until she loses concentration for a moment. Then she finds Amy has disappeared, and so begins a descent into hell. This psychological thriller offers suspicion, deceit, malice and revenge. Published on 16 June.
Destiny’s Pawn by DA Keeley
Peyton Cote is a federal agent and has been in some rough, tough places. Like the Mexican border, and the bleakly beautiful forests of her home state, Maine. Now she must solve the riddle of why a Ukrainian boy is living rough on the Canadian border, and why his existence is a key issue for so many big players. She uncovers a dramatic conspiracy involving international relations, the heist of an irreplaceable painting from a famous art gallery, and a cabal of ruthless criminals. Destiny’s Pawn is just out for Kindle, and will be in print on 1 July.
Check out last week’s new releases here.
Arson Plus Charcoal Joe DA Keeley Dashiell Hammett Death On The Sapphire Destiny's Pawn EJ Copperman False Hearts Laura Lam Louise Stone Matthew Carr RJ Koreto S Is For Stranger The Devils of Cardona Walter Mosley Written Off
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Pingback: Official Website of Author Walter Mosley » Blog Archive » Summertime, and the living is EZ
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Astralis, Origen Will Be Split Off from RFRSH Entertainment
Home > All > Tencent Takes First Step to Distribute Nintendo Switch Console in China
Tencent Takes First Step to Distribute Nintendo Switch Console in China
H.B. Duranthathbduran Apr 19, 2019 Apr 19, 2019 All, Asia, Market+Companies, News
Newzoo, Tencent Holdings
Nintendo has partnered with Tencent Holdings Ltd. to sell the Switch console in China.
Tencent is the world’s largest public video game company in terms of game revenue.
China lifted its ban on gaming consoles in 2015, but they still account for less than 3% of the country’s gaming market.
Nintendo plans to sell its Switch console in China through a partnership with Tencent , according to a Reuters report. China is the world’s largest video game market, but consumers largely invest in mobile and PC titles over consoles.
China’s southern Guangdong province issued a statement on Thursday saying that it has provisionally approved Tencent’s application to sell the console in the province along with a free, trial version of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. The final decision will be made following a comment period ending April 24.
Nintendo stock jumped more than 16 percent following news of the partnership, but analysts warned investors not to get overly excited.
“China has a complicated regulatory environment and it is worth noting that consoles were only unbanned in 2014 after 14 years,” Daniel Ahmad, an analyst at Niko Partner told GameDaily. “Nintendo is currently going through the approval process and whilst the news today is a positive sign, the company still needs to receive approval from China’s Certification Commission….Nintendo and Tencent will also need to submit each game for approval in China and ensure the games comply with content regulations. This too is a lengthy process and means that it will take some time before Nintendo can build up a large library of official games in China.”
Related Article: Smash, DBFZ, and Arena of Valor Round Out Esports Offerings on Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch console proved commercially-successful, selling 32.3M units globally as of December 2018. Nintendo has already sold N64 and the 3DS XL units in China under iQue branding. While selling the Switch in China creates new opportunities, the company has several hurdles to overcome.
For example, foreign home consoles were banned in China from 2000-2015. Despite a lift of the ban and the availability of consoles on the gray market (neighboring countries such as Japan), Chinese consumers still turn to PC and mobile titles more than any other platform.
Despite China’s new game regulations enacted in 2018, Tencent accounted for nearly 15% of the global video game market and earned $19.7B USD in revenue, according to Newzoo.
AsiaChinagovernmentGuangdongmobileNew Super Mario Bros. U DeluxeNintendoPCswitchTencent
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ASUS Republic of Gamers Named Hardware Sponsor of ESPN’s EXP Series July 13, 2019
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Elements of Funk
It's Voting Time!!!!!!!!!
That's right! It's voting time! We got nominated for Review Magazine Awards again this year! GO VOTE!
Best Funk Band
Best Blues Vocalist - Eric Middlebrooks
Best Blues Instrumentalist. - Deshawn Witherspoon
http://review-mag.com/awards-nomination
And the winner for Best Funk Band goes to....
That's right! Elements of Funk is the 2014 winner for Best Funk Band for the Review Music Awards! We would like to thank everyone that voted for us. This could not have happened without all of your support. Thank you so much! We're going to keep working hard and make sure that this isn't the last award we win.
Turn it Up 2014!
Elements of Funk is constantly evolving. In 2013 we said goodbye to our guitar player Vince Vasquez and said hello to our newest member, Deshawn Witherspoon. Having a bass player like Deshawn has added a new feel to EOF and we really appreciate it. So what do we have in store for 2014?
1) We are audidioning guitar players so that we can become a 5 piece to round out the group
2) We're adding new songs!
3) We'll be heading back to the studio to record some new tunes with our friend Steve Filpansick at his studio (The Crap Shack)
4) We're shooting video to add to our Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/eofvids
5) Updating pics and info on all of our sites!
6) Booking more shows!
We'll keep you posted so check back often. - Eric
New Song Poll
Next group of songs is up so vote for what you want us to add!
Don't settle for just a DJ, we're the total package!
Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are The Elements of Funk. We perform top 40 dance covers of artists like: Stevie Wonder, Usher, Hall & Oats, Bruno Mars and The Ides of March. The music never stops when you hire EOF. We even DJ during our breaks! We always provide a fun family friendly experience for all ages.
E.O.F. (Elements of Funk) is available for
And other special events!
Ask about our special rates for Friday and Sunday events.
© 2011 Elements of Funk. All Rights Reserved.
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Tesla delivers ‘first grid-scale Powerpack installation in Asia-Pacific’, watch cool timelapse video of the installation
- Oct. 25th 2016 8:01 am ET
Last week, Vector, a major electric utility in New Zealand, inaugurated what it believes to be the ‘first grid-scale Tesla Powerpack installation in Asia-Pacific’. Tesla delivered 24 Powerpacks for a 1MW/2.3MWh system at a substation in Glen Innes, a suburb of Auckland.
Vector has shown a lot of interest in Tesla’s energy storage products ever since the unveiling of the new ‘Tesla Energy’ Division last year. Not long after the event, Vector announced that it was giving away 130 Tesla Powerwall with new solar installations in the country.
While the Tesla Powerwall is for residential installations, Vector is now interested in the Powerpack to support its grid infrastructure. Chief Executive Simon Mackenzie wrote in a press release that “the Tesla Powerpack battery storage system could help to reduce peak demand and extend the life of the substation, deferring capital expenditure and providing supplementary power to the Glen Innes area – all without compromising reliability.”
Vector says that the new Tesla Powerpack installation will be able to power the equivalent of 450 average homes for 2.3 hours during peak demand hours.
Vector executives and the New Zealand’s Minister of Energy, Hon Simon Bridge, assisted at the inauguration of the new substation. Here are pictures from the event via Vector:
Mackenzie says that they need invest NZ$2 billion ($1.4 billion USD) in Auckland’s electric grid and that the Tesla Powerpack could be an important part of that investment.
The announcement of this first Powerpack installation in the country comes just as Tesla confirmed that it will also expand in New Zealand with its vehicle division. The automaker said that they will start hosting events for potential customers to try its vehicles in the country by the end of the year, and they will have a Tesla Store/Service center and Superchargers in New Zealand in 2017.
Vector is also investing in charging stations to support the growing electric vehicle fleet on its electric grid.
The company also released an interesting timelapse video of the Tesla Powerpack installation from the ground up:
This new project is one among many new Powerpack installations for Tesla in the past few weeks and months:
Tesla starts to deliver ‘first grid-scale Powerpack system’ in Europe
Tesla’s Powerpack will power an off-grid solar system at a luxury safari lodge in Africa
Tesla to deploy ‘largest li-ion battery project in the world’ with 80 MWh in Powerpacks
Tesla Energy installs 1.5 MWh Powerpack system at Brea Mall in California
We also recently reported that Tesla is working on the Powerpack 2.0 with twice the energy capacity using the new 2170 battery cells produced at the Gigafactory in Nevada. The new product could be unveiled as soon as Friday at Tesla’s ‘solar roof’ event in Los Angeles.
Tesla Powerpack
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Reeling Rutgers desperate for answers, clarity after disastrous Kansas visit
(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Rutgers has had several embarrassing defeats since their Big Ten entry. Saturday’s loss against the Big 12’s worst may be the nadir.
Losing to the Kansas Jayhawks by 41 points in Lawrence is bad enough, even if you’re taking on the university’s illustrious men’s basketball program. If you’re losing by that margin to the football team, however, you better be a Football Championship Subdivision team or a Group of Five bottom-feeder.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are neither.
Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the Scarlet Knights have suffered 14 losses that featured a margin of at least 35 points. The latest addition to that mark, however, may be the most humiliating. Some of those blowouts, namely games against ranked conference competition, came with at least a quantum of understanding, like last week’s 52-3 defeat against the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
But Saturday became the latest crime against football that Rutgers has become known for since introducing America to the college game in 1869.
For one week, Kansas became a football school, victors in a 55-14 shellacking that victimized the hapless Scarlet Knights. Even with hometown Kansas riding on a personal high, returning home after ending their 46-game losing streak on the road against Central Michigan last week, there was zero excuse for the Knights to completely whiff in a winnable game.
“Our players are mature, they understand what we’re trying to do, and we have to do it better,” head coach Chris Ash said after the loss, per Josh Newman of the Asbury Park Press. “If I was worried about perception when I took this job, then I’m not in the right position. Right now, I love our fans, I really care about our fans, but I didn’t come here with any false pretenses.”
It’s a good thing Ash isn’t worried about public perception because the people of Piscataway have undoubtedly started to think of new options in the head coach slot. Ash, signer of a new contract back in November, one slated to keep him at Rutgers through at least 2022, likely isn’t going anywhere. But, despite the administration-granted vote of confidence, Ash has made little progress in his third season in terms of returning Rutgers to respectability.
Traditionally, the third season is the most crucial for the big conference college football coach, a year full of “his” guys and increased familiarity. Recent notable victims of the trend include Jim McElwain at Florida and Mike Riley at Nebraska, each dismissed after disappointing “junior” seasons.
“Nobody said this was going to be easy. This is a tough turnaround, and for anybody that is frustrated more than me, I’d like to see it,” Ash said, according to Newman. “I’m frustrated, but I also know we’re going to keep working. We came here with a plan, but there’s a lot of things that go into turning around a program, and it doesn’t happen overnight.”
With a three-game homestand in Piscataway approaching, the pressure to perform will only increase.
In terms of the on-field personnel, at the forefront of the pressure will be true freshman quarterback Art Sitkowski. After posting respectable numbers in his debut against Texas State, the four-star recruit has been removed from each of the past two games, going 13-for-37 for 85 yards and four interceptions. His seven interceptions currently lead the nation.
Removing Sitkowski, an Old Bridge, NJ native, from the starters’ spot could cripple a college career before it truly begins, and it’s not like he has had much help.
“It’s not just Art. We couldn’t run the ball,” Ash said, according to James Kratch of NJ Advance Media. “We’ve got to look at our o-line, look at what we’re doing. Look at our receivers and see what the options are. See what we can do with what we have.”
To Ash’s point, the Scarlet Knights have yet to have any of their young receivers step up, as nobody on the team has 100 yards receiving through three games. Blocking help has been hard to come by. Defensively, the Knights let the Jayhawks, losers in an opening weekend game to Nicholls State, tally 544 yards, one week after they let Ohio State post 579. Touted cornerback Blessuan Austin may need season-ending surgery.
In fact, the one area of the team clicking may be the special teams, who provided a brief glimmer of hope when Deonte Roberts took a blocked field goal back 64 yards for a score in the first quarter … one that ended with Kansas up 17-7.
Despite three straight games at HighPoint.com Stadium, the road doesn’t get any easier for the Knights, as angry hometown fans will be the least of their concerns. Undefeated Buffalo, next Saturday’s opponent, has proved to a strong offensive threat, while Big Ten play reopens with games against Indiana and Illinois. Last season’s matchup against the Hoosiers was a soaking 41-0 shutout defeat in the rain, another disastrous footnote in the Ash era. The head coach is stressing patience as the Knights move forward.
“I’ve seen it when I was at Iowa State, it was our sixth year when we went to a bowl game,” Ash said, per Steve Politi of NJ Advance Media. “We’re not trying to wait that long. We want to win as fast as we can. But we want to do it the right way.”
Follow Geoff Magliocchetti on TWITTER
NEXT: ESNY College Football Week 3 Top 25
NJD
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Securing Identity for Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 is a popular choice when you’re looking to outsource the management and infrastructure costs of running commodity applications like email and other productivity tools. Office 365 enables the use of a federated identity model that gives you full control of a user’s identity, including their password hashes.
Using BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) lets you to provide secure, federated identity management from your existing Active Directory to Office 365, without the complexity of additional layers of Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) servers and proxy servers. You can use many of the enhanced APM security features, such as geographical restrictions and multi-factor authentication, to further protect access to Office 365.
Once you’ve decided to migrate users to Office 365 you’ll need to decide on a sign-in model. Many large organizations choose a federated identity model, so they can retain complete internal control of password hashes.
In the federated identity model, Office 365 uses Security Access Markup Language (SAML) to authenticate users using your existing Active Directory service (the Identity Provider or IdP). Choosing the federated sign-in requires that you allow Office 365 to access your Active Directory servers and to translate SAML authentication requests.
One way to accomplish this is using Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) servers and ADFS proxy servers to manage secure access and act as the SAML IdP.
But there’s an easier way.
With BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) and Access Policy Manager (APM), you can eliminate either just the ADFS Proxy servers or the ADFS proxy servers and the ADFS servers themselves. In either case, the advanced security protection policies that BIG-IP offers (firewall capabilities, geographical, reputation restrictions, pre-authentication, and others) can be used to protect your key directory infrastructure.
Replacing the ADFS proxy servers gives you high availability as well as pre-authentication services for the ADFS servers, provided by a secure, firewall-certified platform.
Replacing both the ADFS proxy servers and the ADFS servers themselves provides the same security and pre-authentication benefits, plus it simplifies the infrastructure.
Clients can be pre-authenticated with advanced checks such as two-factor authentication, client certificates etc. You can also deploy endpoint checks, such as location and reputation.
Deploying BIG-IP to protect or replace ADFS servers can be greatly streamlined by using the F5 ADFS iApp template. iApp templates transform the creation of advanced configurations into a simple, wizard-driven process that results in a tested and verified config.
Once you have a working SAML IdP, you can extend this identity federation to many other SAML-enabled applications and services, giving you single sign-on across many other web-based SaaS applications.
First, you’ll decide which deployment model to choose. Your options are fully laid out in the F5 article series on ADFS.
1. Once you’ve decided on a deployment model that meets your requirements, read the ADFS Deployment Guide and download the iApp Template.
2. Make sure you have the credentials and permissions to make config changes to your Active Directory servers.
3. Deploy your BIG-IP Systems and test high availability, network connectivity, and so on.
4. Run the iApp template and enter the required information. Now you have a basic working installation.
Streamlined, secure, and managed access for users to Office 365.
If you want to explore advanced authentication, read BIG-IP Access Policy Manager Policy Manager: Authentication and Single Sign-On.
Included in this use case:
BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager
BIG-IP Access Policy Manager
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Tremendous cricket
1st Jul 2019 2nd Jul 2019 'farmer white'
County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Hampshire 30th June, 1st, 2nd and 3rd July. Taunton.
Before beginning the report on the first day’s play I would like to record that a minute’s silence was held before the start of play in memory of Charles Clark, Somerset CCCs late Chairman, who died recently.
Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.
First day. 30th June – Tremendous cricket
That was a day of what Championship cricket should be all about if it is to bring the crowds in and keep them there. And it was certainly played in front of a bumper Championship crowd. Well upwards of 2000, possibly nearer 3000, by my estimate if the numbers in the Somerset Stand and the Temporary Stand where the old scoreboard used to be were any indication. And quite a few younger people than the norm for the Championship. I even had to field a ball when I went out to look at the pitch at lunchtime. It was the sort of first day in the days of three-day cricket which you would go home waxing lyrical about, especially if it were a Saturday after a working week.
There were liberal measures of cut and thrust, ebb and flow, batting to scintillate, bowling to exhilarate; not to mention 423 runs and 11 wickets. If your team is trying to win the Championship you might prefer all those terms to apply only to your own side. On the first day of this match they were shared although Somerset deserved the major portion. Perhaps. It will take at least another day of cricket to be sure, for by tea Somerset were in a position to bat Hampshire out of this match; by the close Hampshire had bowled themselves into a position from where they could at least see a route towards parity. Who knows where this match will be by the close of the second day.
At the beginning of the first day the overnight cloud was still hanging around and occasionally dark enough in colour to remind me that I had opted not to bring my umbrella. As the morning wore on the cloud gradually lifted in line with the forecast and the cricket brightened with the weather. By the evening session blue rather than grey ruled the heavens and the sun was drenching those of us sitting near the back of the ground level terrace of the Somerset Pavilion. It was a perfect day to watch cricket.
The first hour provided a considerable test for the Somerset batsmen as Abbot bowled a piercing opening spell from the Somerset pavilion end although Barker, largely bowling around the wicket from the River End, seemed less of a threat. Azhar began by cutting Barker and clipping Abbott square so effectively the stroke brought cheers but the text from the online watcher said, “Abbott is getting into the groove and finding some movement.” Almost immediately he swung a ball perfectly into Azhar, took the pad and Azhar was gone for 12. Somerset 18 for 1.
The fall of early top order wickets has been the bane of Somerset’s season and thoughts of more to follow hovered over proceedings as Hildreth joined Abell. Both bat this year in positions in which they have struggled and above the places in the order in which they scored so many runs in 2018. Immediately they worked away at the bowling. Abell keeping it out, Hildreth taking runs where he could with strokes of characteristic audacity. The lightest of steers wide of third slip and a delicate cut backward of square, both off Barker, flew to the boundary. An hour into the morning session the pair had taken the score, not without the ball passing the bat or crashing into the pads to thunderous appeals from Abbott, to 45 for 1. Abbott’s initial force though was spent.
Fuller replaced Abbott and Edwards replaced Barker. The score began to accelerate as Hildreth began to play with the freedom and precision of the artist unleashed. He outscored Abell by two to one as Abell fought to secure the other end. It gave the artist the freedom to display his artistry and begin to build Somerset’s score. Hildreth’s stroke of choice seemed to be a rare delicacy of a cut between backward point and third slip, often played in defiance of a carefully placed gully. Before long the slip ‘cordon’ had been transformed into a skirmish line of first slip, fourth slip and gully and still the ball found its way through to the third man boundary. “He does like that shot doesn’t he,” someone said.
As lunch approached, Abell began to pick up his score but only just dented Hildreth’s two to one advantage. A straight drive to the Botham Stand off Edwards seared along the grass but it was the running of a rising number of ones and twos which really helped pick up the scoring rate. The Hampshire fielding was aggressive and precise in the pick-up although the throws often arrived too wide of the keeper to apply real pressure as Hildreth and Abell ran their bats through the crease at speed time and again. When in the penultimate over before lunch Crane dropped very short outside leg stump Hildreth was on the ball like a lion on its prey as he pulled viciously behind square to the Somerset Stand. Three runs later lunch came with Somerset at 98 for 1 with Hildreth 51 not out and Abell 30 not out. It was Somerset’s best first morning with the bat this season.
A lunchtime look at the wicket, along with about two hundred others curious to know if they could see anything other than grass, revealed only that it had more of a tinge of green than was evident from beyond the boundary and that there might be the early stages of a foot mark developing at the Somerset Pavilion End which might be of some use to Leach against Hampshire’s three left-handers later in the game. Whether Leach would think so might be another matter. After lunch Donald appeared as the substitute keeper in the absence of Alsop who it subsequently emerged was unable to return to the field after lunch due to a hamstring injury.
Hildreth began after lunch with the same intent he had shown before it. He started by crashing Fuller, bowling from the River End, through the covers to the World Cup Temporary Stand where the old scoreboard used to be. In an over from Abbott, bowling from the Somerset Pavilion end Hildreth brought up the 100 partnership with a cover drive, “Shot!”, to the old Stragglers, an on drive along the ground to the Ondaatje boundary and a clip just in front of square to the Caddick Pavilion boundary. When Crane, with his leg spin, replaced Abbott, Hildreth was merciless. A long hop which pitched a yard outside leg stump was clubbed to the boundary for four. Another, completely helpless, long hop was pulled half way up the Temporary Stand for six. It brought up Hildreth’s century and Somerset were 169 for 1 in the 44th over. If brutality to a cricket ball were a crime Hildreth would have no defence after those two strokes. Crane’s next ball was a no ball, one of four he bowled, which almost bounced twice, pitched well outside leg stump and ran down to the Sir Ian Botham stand for four byes. It was painful to watch but the first division is a ruthless place and teams which want to win it have no choice but to be ruthless if they get into a position where they can be. Hildreth’s onslaught had pushed Somerset’s run rate beyond four an over.
Facing Edwards after lunch was a very different proposition as he bowled opposite Crane. His post-lunch spell was fast, accurate and constantly tested the batsmen. His short-pitched bowling was frighteningly accurate. Eventually he hit Hildreth on the helmet and removed him next ball for 105 when another short ball was pulled downwards, but not steeply enough, towards midwicket where Barker took a good catch diving forward. Somerset were 196 for 2. Hildreth 105.
Abell had contributed 53 to the partnership of 178 but his increasing solidity opposite Hildreth was crucial to giving Hildreth the licence to play as he did. Hildreth is a batting artist and the longer Abell held firm the more did Hildreth’s stroke play flow. Abell exhibits the batting art himself but his art is of a less free, more structured, variety. A carefully constructured, powerfully built Palladian mansion to Hildreth’s impressionist masterpiece. Two sweeps off Weatherley, whose occasional off spin had been drafted in to replace Crane’s wayward leg spin, crashed into the Caddick Pavilion boards. The power in the stroke the antithesis of Hildreth’s deft stroke play. Abell took the score forward as Banton established himself, scoring 24 of their partnership of 41. The partnership came to an end after Hampshire successfully requested a replacement ball. “It’s moving more,” said the text from the online watcher as Abbott returned at the River End although the ball which Abell edged to slip seemed to owe more to bounce than movement. He had made 82, priceless in this summer of top order Somerset batting collapses. Somerset were 237 for 4 after 55 overs.
Abell’s departure brought together Banton and Bartlett, two young men fast establishing themselves in the Somerset batting order. Neither tarries at the wicket and each has a distinctive style of play. Banton hits clean, hard and long. He repeatedly leant into on drives which raced across the ground. A square drive to the Somerset Pavilion off Abbott took the breath away. He pulled Weatherley square for six and played a perfect reverse sweep along the ground towards the Trescothick Stand for two. Bartlett appears to me more idiosyncratic in his strokes, sometimes taking a hand off the bat or a foot off the ground. He cut, pulled and drove his way forward at a rate which matched Banton’s and Hildreth’s. The number of Bartlett’s significant scores, and scores made at crucial times, is mounting. Together they added 116 runs in 21 overs of spectacular stroke play by the end of which Hampshire’s ground fielding was fraying at the edges as three times a ball went through the hands of a boundary fielder. Eventually Banton was lbw to Fuller who seemed to get movement with the replacement ball which he had been unable to do with the original. Along with the Hildreth-Abell partnership, they had raced the score along at truly breakneck speed.
The noise in the crowd was constant, the cheers for the boundaries cacophonous and the talk, at least that which you could hear above the universal hubbub, was all about the pace of the play, the dominance of the Somerset batting and the immense promise of the two batsmen currently at the wicket. Somerset reached 289 for 3 at tea. “191 runs in the afternoon session,” someone said to me as we passed in the tea interval. It was draw-dropping and this was the first division. Watching Somerset bat does not get much better than that. After tea the assault continued as Banton and Bartlett added another 64 runs at five an over. Banton hit Crane for three fours in an over leaving Crane with final figures of 12-0-88-0. When Banton was lbw to Fuller to a ball that cut in sharply of the seam Somerset were 353 for 4 in the 76th over. Banton 79. 361 for 5 when Fuller moved another another ball in, although not by nearly as much, to beat Davies’ defensive stroke for another lbw. They were two crucial wickets for they opened up Somerset’s lower order to the ferocity of Abbott and the new ball.
With the new ball Abbott bowled like a man possessed. Alphonso Thomas, to be seen on the outfield before the start of play coaching the Hampshire bowlers, used to bowl like that occasionally. It can be devastating when it happens. Initially Gregory fought fire with fire. The harder and faster Abbott bowled the harder and further Gregory seemed to hit him. Six fours in the 19 balls he faced. Abbott looked increasingly frustrated the harder Gregory hit the ball but he kept his cool and kept coming. Eventually Gregory tried to drive a ball which was slightly too wide outside off stump and which might have bounced a little more than he expected. He was caught at slip for 25 and Somerset were 401 for 6, Gregory having just brought up the fifth batting bonus point with a straight drive off Abbott. And then, within minutes, after Bartlett was ‘strangled’ down the leg side off a short ball from Edwards for 68, Abbott, moving the ball sharply in off the seam took the last three wickets within two overs and Somerset were all out for 408.
The last seven wickets fell for 55 runs, the last five for seven runs, Abbott took four of those five in a blisteringly accurate spell of fast bowling in which he also found movement of the seam. He had changed, or rather halted, the course of the Somerset innings. Whether he has altered the course of the match is the question hanging over the second day.
Before the close Hampshire faced six overs from Gregory and Overton during which Overton bowled a phenomenal ball to Soames. It was Overton’s third ball of the match. It was angled in, straightened, lifted off the pitch and was edged to Davies. Or as the text said, “Fast, straight, shape, lift, movement. Not sure what the batsman could have done.” Hampshire ended on 15 for 1 with Rahane looking like he might bring some calm to proceedings on the second morning.
It had been a phenomenal day of cricket. Somerset were racing away with the game at tea. By the close Hampshire, mainly in the form of Abbott, had torn back into contention by ripping out the Somerset lower order. Punch and counter-punch. Abbot’s savage fusillade had left some Somerset supporters disappointed after the dizzy heights of 353 for 3. But the overwhelming impression I was left with was of the Somerset top order rampant with the bat who had played with coruscating vigour and driven the Hampshire bowling headlong before them until a bowler of proven Test class had broken through the middle and lower order and halted the charge. But 408 runs in 88 overs left more of an impression than Abbott’s riposte. Whether Jamie Overton’s thunderbolt or Rahane’s calm will prove to be the more predictive of the second day’s play remains to be seen but the spirit of the Somerset batting in the first five hours of the first day will stick long in the memory.
Close. Somerset 408 (J.C. Hildreth 105, T.B. Abell 82, T. Banton 79, K.J. Abbott 6 for 84). Hampshire 15 for 1. Hampshire trail by 393 runs with nine first innings wickets standing.
v Hampshire
Overton excels
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Archive for Kabballah
THE TIME MACHINE SECRET OF THE SPHINX
Posted in Art, Chaos Magic, Dr Who, Ghost, Goetia Girls, Goth Girls, Lucid Dreaming, Occultism, Science Fiction, Sex Magic, Shamanism, Sorcery, Succubus, Surrealism, Time Travel, Tulpa Creation, Witchcraft with tags art muse, bedroom invader experience, biophoton, cabbala, cranial deformation, DMT, Dr John C. Lilly, dream lover, eight legged mare, Eloi, Faerie Lover, floatation tank, H.G Wells, Horus, Isis, Kabballah, kings sarcophagus, Lea, Leannan sìth, lilith, lucid dream, lucid dreaming, merkaba, merkabah, mitochondrial DNA, Montauk Chair, nightmare, old hag syndromeee, oobe, out of body experience, pharaoh, quantum computer, remote viewing, Robert Monroe, RV, shaman, Sirius, Sphinx, stargate, tardis, Theta brain wave, throne, time machine, time travel, Weena, Zodiac Ages on October 8, 2017 by FAUSTUS CROW
Did H.G. Wells know the secret of the Sphinx? Wells very likely knew that the ancient Greek word, Sphinx means to strangle. Wherefore the Sphinx was known as the strangler, which refers to the original meaning of the composite word, Night-Mare, which is experienced when an an individual inadvertently accesses hypnagogic trance at the point of sleep, who then feels a great weight bearing down upon the chest area of the body, leading to the sensation of being strangled.
In Hebrew folklore the experience of the strangling (Sphinx) Nightmare is associated with a Night-time Succubus visitation of ‘Lilith.’ Although the phenomenon of a Succubus visitation is documented by many another culture. Hence the reason why the female term, ‘Mare’ is used. The Nightmare is technically termed as the ‘Old-Hag-Syndrome’ or otherwise known as the Bedroom Invader Experience.
The initial hypnagogic trance experience of the Night-Mare is utterly terrifying, since it involves experiencing vivid visionary material, which can be that of pure horror made manifest, causing a ‘Flight, Fight’ response, this then induces your lungs to secrete endogenous DMT.
The (Sphinx) experience of hypnagogic trance is also the power of the Merkaba throne in the Hebrew mystical system of the Kabballah, which had been influenced by ancient Egyptian symbolism. The Pharaoh considered the throne as being feminine of source, which was personified as the Goddess, Isis, who is often depicted being winged, like a raptor.
The throne refers to the power of the dream, which is illuminated by the bio-photon, emanating from the mitochondrial DNA. The mitochondrial DNA is passed down from the mother to her children. When consciously accessing hypnagogic trance an individual might experience the sensation of horns sprouting forth from atop of the head, or that of the top of the skull opening up, or the head elongating. These sensations led to the symbolism of the crown, such as the elongated crown of the Pharaoh.
The experience of the head being elongated is spoken of by the Kalahari Bushmen, as well as the Dogon of South Africa, which is a common neurological sensation of accessing trance. In some societies it was taken much further by artificially deforming the skull of a child. There are those who believe the elongated skulls belong to alien hybrids; such is not the case.
In ancient shamanic societies, Shamans practiced consciously accessing (Sphinx) hypnagogic trance, which enabled them to attain conscious ingress into a lucid dream.
A Pharaoh is essentially a Shaman. When attaining ingress into a lucid dream via (Sphinx) hypnagogic trance the Pharaoh was enabled to attain an Out-Of-Body-Experience (OOBE), to thence fly as a disembodied winged Sun, or to Remote-View Time-Travel hover as a Horus Hawk over the Zodiac Ages.
As a sort of an aside, it is rather curious that Robert Munro OOBE accessed a steampunk alternate Earth via an inner (Stargate) ‘portal’ governed over by a female called, Lea.
Dr John C. Lilly also spoke of inner doorways, which lead to other worlds, who to have floated as a Pharaoh (Shaman/Nommo) within his floatation tank of a kings sarcophagus.
It just so happens that the name of Lea is etymologically connected to the name of a Celtic Faerie Lover (Art Muse) called a Leannan Sìth. It is with Lea, slider Monro becomes romantically attached, as his (Succubus) Dream Lover, when sliding into an alternate self of an Avatar.
Maybe H.G. Wells had done likewise, to ‘Sphinx dream’ of an Eloi Muse, named, Weena, when accessing (Sphinx) hypnagogic trance?
If So, then H.G. Wells had ‘Travelled Without Moving,’ when drifting off to sleep within his humble ‘Montauk Chair’ of gnarled wood and tatty Victorian leather as his ‘Night-Mare’ Time-Machine, to Remote-View know of other alternate Zodiac Ages, whose conjured Theta Brainwave ‘Art Muses,’ inspired his quantum computing lucid dreams.
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Archive for surrealistic
SORCERY ART COOL WORLD LUCID DREAMING
Posted in Art, Chaos Magic, Film, Ghost, Goetia Girls, Lucid Dreaming, Occultism, Sex Magic, Shamanism, Sorcery, Succubus, Surrealism, Time Travel, Tulpa Creation, Witchcraft with tags anima, art, art muse, cave art, chaos magic, chaos magick, consciousness expansion, Cool World, dreaming, faustus crow, goetia, Lilith's Harem, lucid dreaming, magic, magick, occult, Palaeolithic, pop occulture, shaman, shamanism, sorcerer, sorcery, succubus, surreal, surrealism, surrealistic, symbolism, witchcraft on March 18, 2016 by FAUSTUS CROW
Visualising a mind-doll to sculpt of consummate thought form amidst the triangle of Art Imagination, to thence conjure, of manifest painting, is an act of sorcery.
This is more so the case when the imagined Artist’s model indulges in an Active Imagination intercourse of an internal dialogue, with her conjurer, who as a Muse, inspires the Artist as his created ghost.
Should this sound far too strange, it is because you have not, as yet realised your potential as being, an Artist, perhaps such is never to be your arena of exploration. You will find that most Artists create imaginary characters, and other imagined creations of varying degrees of visionary intensity in order to manifest them of artistry; it is essentially what magic is about.
Those who say otherwise are just followers of the Artists creations who indulge in religion. The Artists imagination is unfettered, like that of a child looking upon the world for the first time, which of Art manifests as bright incandescent colours, nigh abstract of non consceptualised form; some believe this to be the unsullied source, unblemished by the morass of life experiences, being the first language of a symbolic perception.
But it isn’t; though that of the foundation stone, it is not the temple. The problem however, is that the foundation stone of the first language is forgotten as the temple of further conceptualisations is built over time.
Whereupon, the temple becomes that of a fixed tunnel reality of a mundane perception, which afflicts many an adult and society in general who feel as if they are in a Plato’s cave of a drab prison.
This state of being is often exacerbated by religious perceptions, which are nigh unchangeable of a Matrix of symbolic prison bars, whose hold over the mass populace is perpetuated by the indoctrinated generations over great stretches of time; hence brainwashed.
There are those who believe that their temple needs to be totally pulled down so as to return back to the first language of the abstract child, likened to that of returning back to the blissful ignorance of an innocent abstract Eden before sentience was attained. Alas, the perception of a child cannot survive for long in this world; hence the sentient creation of the temple in the first place.
The answer lies in the Da’at Apple lore ‘Knowledge’ to question how the temple of further conceptualisations was created of sentient observations over time, which leads you to the first shaman of the painted cave who as a horned Artist knows that the way out of Plato’s cave is to go internal.
The shaman is aware that a two-dimensional image can become as a three-dimensional interactive reality within a ‘Cool World’ lucid dream.
For a shaman an image symbolically encapsulates the spiritual (energy/informational) essence of what the shaman is focusing upon of artistic creativity, which of a conceptualisation is a living reality within the symbolic interface of the dream.
Those who do not understand that a two-dimensional image can become as three-dimensional reality within a lucid dream will invariably misunderstand Palaeolithic cave Art; for they have forgotten how to dream, which invariably leads to labyrinthine intellectualisations about cultural influences, that reveals they do not have any personal experience of the internal reality.
The same can be said for the present practice of Art, whose creations are religiously pumped out for the mass consumption of the worshipping masses; much of which has become totally disconnected from the internal reality of the dreaming shaman.
The shaman is not a child, but he/she is very much aware of the first language form of the child, which is that of the unfettered imagination; whereupon, what artistic conceptualisations are further created know no limits.
Whence, the shaman Artist conjures up two-dimensional creations into a three-dimensional-reality within his/her dreams, which enables the expansion of consciousness to go beyond the established conceptualised limits, by creating new concepts; many of which can potentially lead to Art movements and ensuing social changes.
For example, a sorcerer Artist can personify a concept as being his Art Muse, of a conjured Succubus, who visits him within his lucid dreams; whereupon he attains ingress into her Art studio of a painted Parisian cave.
In other words, if the sorcerer Artist had created a Succubus to personify another temporal place or epoch of time, to time-travel remote-view, or to be of some other planetary sphere or alternate Earth, etc, he will be able to access what she symbolically represents within a lucid dream, when to conjure her, of an ‘Anima’ fluctuation.
Some to say, that you should not dally with entities; but you do so whenever your quantum computing brain dreams up its created virtual realities, populated by your creations, a Tibetan Buddhist would term as being Tulpas, which, when becoming lucid, you can consciously engage with.
Others will argue that the entities of the dream are discarnate personalities, that, or other dreamers, or even another order of intelligence, etc. All can be true, or not as the case may be of varying concepts, which of a personal truth will be determined by the (Da’at) beliefs you have.
Your Da’at beliefs will in turn determine what you tune into within the dream of ring-pass-not limits. But if you so choose to of artistry, you can seer beyond them, by metaprogramming your own brain.
But if you otherwise worship your programmed concepts to not question, of a religious fixation, you will be ‘imprisoned’ by your own beliefs, which, should you ever decide to fathom how they were first formulated of a temple creation, you will duly find the horned shaman Artist.
Suffice to say, a conjured Artist’s model of an exotic otherworldly Succubus does not require any Shekels to hire her rather expensive services. Although, it does require the Artist to hone his Visualisation skills as well as exercising his Active Imagination, let alone remembering his ‘Cool World’ dreams. But then, such a skill set is part and parcel of his sorcerer vocation as a shaman Artist.
Basically, Art and Sorcery are indivisible from the other, they are one and the same of Shamanic practice, which is otherwise termed as Magic, Witchcraft or the Occult, etc.
You only see pigeonholed differences between these terms because the terminology commonly conjures up a symbolic language of trained associations.
But it is that of the shared ‘techniques’ of consciousness expansion they employ of a ‘foundation stone,’ which unifies them into Art; wherefore a sword is a pencil, a wand is a paint brush, your pentacle, the canvas, of a one time cave wall.
SUCCUBUS ART MUSES OF FAUSTUS CROW
Posted in Addams Family, Alien, Art, Chaos Magic, Comics, Extraterrestrial, Goetia Girls, Lucid Dreaming, Occultism, Science Fiction, Sex Magic, Shamanism, Sorcery, Succubus, Surrealism, Time Travel, Tulpa Creation, UFO, Witchcraft with tags 23 enigma, art, art muse, artist, chaos magick, comic, comic art, consciousness, creativity, dimensions, discordian, Disinfo, dream sexuality, egregore, eleven dimensions, eternal recurrence, exquisite corpse, frankenhooker, frankenstein, ghost girl, goetia, goetia girls, golem, Grant Morrison, heyoka, imagination, magic, magician, mind doll, multiverse, muse, occult, ouroboros, pop occulture, rebellion, ritual magic, robert anton wilson, shaman, shamanism, sorcerer, sorcerer artist, sorcery, succubus, succubus evocation, surreal, surrealism, surrealistic, synchronicity, synchronicity engineering, tulpa, witchcraft, wizard on September 4, 2014 by FAUSTUS CROW
A Succubus of an Exquisite Corpse Mind-Doll, Frankenhooker Tulpa, is meditated upon in league with her Golem Ghost Girl (Emet) seal of an abstract sigil; while knitting her together of artistry, upon a slab of canvas. (The Artworks are available as Art Prints from Saatchi Art. If you are interested, Click the Images to see the Full Artwork and details.)
Basically, you have two forms of art. The first form of art being the Succubus herself, whose erotic egregore expression, a Dr Frankenstein of a Sorcerer Artist is artistically knitting together of an exquisite corpse, represents a figurative manifestation of his wish.
The second form of art is her abstract seal of a sigil, which sums up Frankenstein’s energetic charge of desires.
The sigilised desire will give eventual life unto the Succubus construct of an exquisite corpse Mind-Doll Frankenhooker Tulpa. She will thence frequent Frankenstein’s eleventh-dimensional dreams of an informational domain.
There are of course, mundane associative thoughts of two-dimensional associations concerning the meaning, origin, and necessity of an abstract sigil of two-dimensional artistry.
The sigils of abstract art have formed some of the central riddles of modern art.
The answers to them are rather remote now of fourth-dimensional time, considering that contemporary painting encompasses veins of both abstraction and figuration, which of sculpture becomes three-dimensional.
This exploration is more so important, when conducting sorcery, which is essentially the practice of art; both practices are indivisible from each other.
Magic and Art are one and the same. I kid you not!
Alas, the practice of art lost its shamanic path, long ago, along the fourth-dimensional corridor of time, becoming quite separated from the internal processes of the informational realm of the dream, which instead was taken over by the externalised technique of the dreamless artisan.
Though a Freemason of a tenth-dimensional Artisan is aware of first-dimensional consciousness, two-dimensional thought processes are only ever utilised.
Hence, during the years when Abstract Expressionism flourished, figuration was shunned by many technique driven artists, who became entirely embroiled in elitist attitudes due to competitive racetracks of indoctrinated ‘thought,’ which date back to the late 1930’s of a now entrenched tradition.
I will generally examine the terms of this mundane debate concerning abstraction versus figuration, which continued into much of the twentieth century and still does so unto the present.
You also have the concept of ‘representation,’ which art critics have come to commonly use since the 1970’s, who to religiously argue over an art ‘brand,’ just as many indoctrinated occultists to argue over how many Incubi Angels and Demons they can fit onto the end of a viral-meme needle point of a ‘branded’ belief.
The concept of representation acknowledges that abstract and figurative art are not as different as they might seem, which is bloody obvious!
All art is essentially abstract art, should you see abstraction as being a neural process of drawing impressions from the shape, colour, and texture of three-dimensional objects. What is important here of sorcery practice is the internal generation of an emotive charge, enlivening the conceptual, which then stirs your ‘symbolically’ associative dreams, and in turn generating concordant synchronicities.
This will then lead to the observation of a feed-back-loop of symbolic correspondences. When this process is consciously observed of sorcery experimentation, the (mandala) artist (writer-mantra) then becomes aware that time is not linear of a fourth-dimensional sequence of events, it is in fact circular of a fifth-dimensional ever recurring Ouroboros.
The internal processes of shamanic artists have ‘abstracted’ the reality around them since prehistoric times, which was once one and the same of sorcery. But this ability was lost, when many artists forgot to dream, due to changing cultural influences. These all encompassing cultural influences were primarily of a religious nature, which negated the sixth-dimensional (sixth-sense) faculty of attaining lucid dreaming.
Art was then utilised, as a means for cultural propaganda much of the time. It was not until the early twentieth century that abstraction began to be defined as a sought for technique in its self.
Abstract art tends to solely rely upon five pentagram sensory associations of form to suggest meaning, rather than employing any recognizable motifs to point at particular themes and content.
Whereupon the artist will understand his/her work, but the audience will be left aghast as to what it all means of an occult code. Those who believe themselves to be privy to the artist’s occult creations are to be found drinking copious amounts of wine, when to drunkenly sojourn an art gallery paying exorbitant amounts of shekels for a two-dimensional scribble upon a piece of three-dimensional cardboard.
However, they may just find that the artist has a Chimpanzee as his familiar who does the scribble painting. This should not be taken as a slight upon such artworks; for it does require the artist to achieve the innocent state of an ape brain, or to go further back of atavistic mammalian, to the emotive reptilian, to create something spontaneous, out of reach of the comceptual hominid.
Whereby a shamanic trance state of automatism is often employed. Although there are many an artist who do not employ this methodology, in order to attain a seventh-dimensional awareness of alternate possibilities, to instead focus upon an intellectualisation of the now fashionable abstract, without further ado, who pander to what is presently in elitist vogue.
Whatever the case, abstract art can widely range of alternate seventh-dimensional Ouroboros possibilities, from the easily comprehensible, quasi-figurative, landscape-based imagery of Kandinsky, to the far more obscure, mystical monochromes of Malevich.
Imitation, or realistic representations of what is perceived, has been the holy grail of the visual arts since earliest times. At one time it was believed that the creation of a realistic representation was also one and the same as the object it’s self, of a magical act.
Whereupon the ancients had termed such art as being Mimesis. This can only be really understood by an artist, when to work upon a figurative piece of Frankenhooker art, to thence find her being brought to Tulpa life within a lucid dream.
However, many an artist has forgotten how to electron dream, who focus more on an external technique in order to perfect.
But it soon came to pass that the capturing of the real was then taken over by photography and more recently by computer generated art, which can be utilised to explore eighth-dimensional realities, where present Maya physics do not apply; such as in video game Matrix worlds, whose physics are programmed.
Many artists have striven to create the technical effect of an illusion, with their art, in order to extend the experiential, three-dimensional Maya space of the viewer. At other times artists have striven for realism, to create an impression of Samsara social reality.
During the twentieth century, the ascending art of abstraction is best thought of in the generalised sense, as being ‘figuration,’ though some Abstract Expressionists considered any residual presence of the figure (such as is seen in Miró, or early Rothko), no matter how abstracted, to be mere figuration, which was, and still is considered to be anathema to the established tradition of the Modern Art movement.
In regards to sorcery practice, which is indivisible to art, I am really not at all concerned about such nigh religious bickering between back-biting traditions, which is no different to pompous occultists, who say they practice the high art of magic, when in fact, they are habitually indulging in the commonality of religion.
I have no time for entrenched traditions or dogmatic religions; since they are intrinsically static of an indoctrinated symbolic perception.
Whereas art and in turn magic are rebelliously fluid and ever evolving of ninth-dimensional sorcery. Both of these practices deal with the stirring of the subconscious realm, of eleventh-dimensional electron dreams via the manipulation of photonic symbols, to associatively conjure amidst your Triangle Of Art Imagination.
Whereupon I utilise the modern symbolism of the lowbrow comic, when to engage in a Widdershin-wise reversal of an indoctrinated brainwash, along with utilising Discordian Heyoka humour to thence negate the Inquisitional negative. Hence, a rebellious Frankenstein artist uses both art forms in order to conjure up a Succubus of an exquisite corpse Mind-Doll Frankenhooker Tulpa, to frequent his lucid dreams of ninth-dimensional Surrealistic artistry.
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This Is Us fall finale: Creator explains that shocker about Jack's brother Nicky
November 27, 2018 at 10:01 PM EST
Fall TV
Warning: This story contains plots details from Tuesday’s episode of This Is Us, “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning.”
Remember all that mystery over that Pearson fellow who died tragically years ago? Well, here’s a twist to shout about over the holidays: He’s not dead anymore!
No, we’re not talking about Jack, beloved father of the Big Three who perished via heart attack via smoke inhalation via house-fire rescue — we’re referring to Nicky (Michael Angarano), Jack’s troubled, death-wished little brother who was thought to have perished in combat during the Vietnam War. However, the fall finale of This Is Us, titled “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning,” brought you on the biggest Whoa-MG moment of the fall season as it shed tiny but precious light on what happened to Jack’s younger sibling whilst in combat. A boat that he seemed to be on was bombed, prompting Jack — who’d spent the last two weeks desperately trying to rehabilitate his damaged, high younger brother — to dive frantically into the water to save him. It’s unknown right now what happened next; that was the last glimpse we got of that time of terror. But as Kevin — on a mission to the Vietnam fishing village where Jack lived — discovered from his tour guide, Trong, that Nicky did not perish while in the war, at least according to Vietnam War veteran records. Whether he was alive or not was another question.
Ron Batzdorff/NBC; Brent Lewin/NBC
And viewers didn’t have to wait long for a definitive answer to that new question. The final scene of the episode showed an older man in a trailer… and a stack of mail addressed to Nicholas Pearson. Yes, apparently Nicky is among us, and the Pearsons are surely about to get the (latest) shock of their lives. How much, if anything, did Jack know of this secret? What would a Pearson family reunion with Nicky possibly look like? Does Nicky know what’s going with his brother’s family? Here to talk about Nicky’s miraculous rise from the dead — and what the heck might happen next — is series creator Dan Fogelman.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan. Did you feel that because you took Jack from us, we should at least get his brother back?
DAN FOGELMAN: [Laughs.] Very good. In terms of getting his brother back, there’s a story to come in the back half of the season, and we’ll see what that looks like and what that entails. But you can never have enough Pearson men, is what we say around here.
Did Michael know from the get-go that Nicky was not actually dead, and what was his reaction?
Michael has known of the arc of the story since the beginning. There’s been a contingent of people who always suspected in a way that that might be a possibility, and I don’t know where Michael landed on that from the beginning. From the very start, we tell all the actors what the arc of the characters are and where it’s going, so they don’t have a lot of time to think otherwise.
The idea that Jack has been mourning a brother that was actually alive — and that Jack was carrying around that guilt for the rest of his life — is almost too much to swallow. What intrigued you about that scenario, and did it rip at your hearts in the writers’ room, too?
Yeah. If as we’re saying, Nicky’s alive and Jack in present day has been carrying that, it’s not quite mourning as much as: What happened and what has Jack been hiding, and why? Psychologically it’s a big part of what we get into in the back half of the season pretty quickly. Which is, not just what happened, not just where is and what happened to Nicky, but also, what was going on with Jack all of this time? What did Jack know — or not know? And then, the last component of it is: In the present day, as some stuff starts coming to light to their family, what is the reaction of family members who learn that something might have been kept from them for a very long time?
So, can we assume that Jack didn’t know that his brother died? Or is it possible that Nicky reached out to him later in life?
Right now, as an audience, anything is possible. We’ve had a very specific story that will answer all of that relatively quickly. It was a story that was decided on before we really embarked on our details of our Vietnam arc, and so once you understand what happened and what was known and not known, it will all make sense. But I think right now, if I’m watching just the episode that just aired, I think anything is possible. As we get into the next few episodes, the pieces will start coming together for everybody.
NEXT PAGE: Fogelman teases an ‘intense’ Pearson family reunion with Nicky right here
Nicky is living under his real name, and in Pennsylvania, just a few hours from Pittsburgh. That suggests that he’s not trying to live in total secret. Then again, he also had a creepy, isolated-man-in-a-cabin-in-the-woods vibe. What can you say about his reasons for living not that far away?
You’d have to ask yourself that question of the how and the why. The one question that’s pretty obvious at the end of this episode is: Jack had a brother who ostensibly died in Vietnam as far as the family knows, and he never spoke about. So, no one’s been searching for him. Why would you? This moment at the end of the episode where Kevin realizes he’s never checked the Vietnam Memorial Wall for his name because it was just not anything they ever talked about or looked at. It was just an element of their life. That was a no-fly zone with Jack. What is really interesting — and potentially most interesting — about the whole Nicky storyline is the reaction not just of the Big 3 in the present day to some information that they may or may not find out, but also Rebecca’s reaction and the ramifications of this news coming to light in the present day. What does Kevin opening up this can of worms do to this family?
We the audience know how damaged Nicky was. But Kevin doesn’t. Assuming Kevin continues his search, what is he walking into when he discovers that Nicky is alive? After all, Nicky seemed so far gone in this episode and in previous ones; he’s so damaged from the war.
When we’re seeing Nicky in the Vietnam scenes, he’s in the middle of the war, and people came home from that war in a lot of different ways. In Jack, we’ve painted a picture of a vet who was able to compartmentalize the experience of both his childhood and this terrible war and live a highly developed, functional, decent full life where he was able to compartmentalize it and put it away. There’s other people who go the complete opposite way; there were all types of shadings with the war…. We’re trying to paint all different types of pictures because there’s a lot of different ways it can manifest itself, and we’re trying to just be truthful and real to the characters and what they experience.
You touched on this briefly. You would also imagine that the other Pearsons also would have severely conflicting feelings about this guy. What does that family reunion even look like?
If it were to happen, it will be intense. [Laughs.] What I find most interesting is in some ways in the whole story, is not just the mystery of what happened in 1970, but what is happening here in 2018 with these kids and how the sins of our fathers can have ramifications 40 years after the fact is a very interesting storyline. And very much fits in our structure where we’re able to tell a story in the past and the present simultaneously, and seeing the ramifications of the event in the same hour of television.
The Pearsons may not know about him, but what does he know about them? Has he been following from afar? It’s an interesting question to consider.
It is. Yeah, it’s one of the most interesting parts of it. I can’t talk about it too much, because it’s very much in a way where we’re heading, but it is very interesting, and it is something we explore.
The words that haunt are when Nicky says, “I’m not going to complete the mission.” Which is, to get out of this war alive. In a way, he does, of course — though Jack may or may not know that. Did he come up with a plan to fake his death on the fly, and/or was he hoping to die in that boat explosion, but somehow survived?
There’s not a lot I can say, other than you’ll get all the answers very quickly when we come back on the other side.
How significant is Nicky’s story in the second half of season 3?
It’s significant. It’s a big part of the front part of the back half of our season.
How does Michael look in the old-age makeup, if that’s the direction you are going?
Can’t talk about it. [The grownup version of Nicky will be played by Griffin Dunne, as revealed in Tuesday night’s credits].
Did you drop the teeniest of clues about this shocker last year in the episode where we first learned that Jack had a brother? When Jack goes to the garage when Rebecca’s asleep and looks at the old photos of Nicky, the first photo he looks at is Jack posing next to a sign that says Resurrection City.
It’s funny you say that. That, I believe, if my memory strikes me right, is an actual photograph that Milo had given us from his father’s stuff in Vietnam. We wanted to put that in there. If you’re really looking at our timeline in Vietnam, I think we have a slight timeline issue just in that one photo. But it is interesting that you point that out.
We had this nice scene with Kevin talking to the man in Jack’s old fishing village who explained that though Kevin didn’t get the answer he wanted, he got something else, and had an important moment of shared connection and commonality. Ultimately that mystery proved to be somewhat of a red herring for Kevin and for viewers. Based on the message of the scene, is it safe to assume that part of the storyline has been tied up, or is there more to learn?
I never want to close a door on us being able to go back for a special episode to enjoy before everything happened — a storyline between, let’s say, Jack and young Robinson, or something like that. But in terms of our period Vietnam storyline, by the time we had completed the Nicky story in the back half of the season of what happened there, we’ve pretty much completed our main Vietnam storyline.
If viewers should be asking themselves one question about Nicky during the holiday hiatus, what would you like it to be?
I think it would be: What happened? From the point that we ended the entire episode on in present day to the point where we left Jack diving into the water: What the hell happened between then and now? I think that’s the answer. Our first episode back from the break focuses on what happened with our present-day characters between the break and the two months they have advanced their storylines that we’ve all missed. But then in the second episode back, it dives heavily into that question, filling in the blanks of what happened between Jack diving into the water and that shot of Nicky with the mail.
For more from the This Is Us creator on finally revealing who “her” is in those flash-forwards and Randall & Beth’s future, click here.
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<em>This Is Us</em> fall finale: Creator explains that shocker about Jack's brother Nicky
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Custom «Electronic Marketing» Essay Paper
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The computer security “protects ones computer and everything associated with it but more importantly the stored information in the system” (Russell and Gangemi 8). The issue of security of computer and information is fundamentally a matter of understanding the susceptible areas and the techniques needed for security. The most important thing is to realize that the security of computer is the responsibility of everyone and thus should not be left to the computer security managers alone.
The contents within a computer are susceptible to few risks except when it is connected to other network computers. Since the introduction of computer networks particularly the Internet, the conception of computer security has developed to signify issues associated with resources and networked computers. The computer security involves the confidentiality of personal data, prevention of illegitimate access to computer systems, ensuring contingency of back-up plans especially if information or data gets lost and protecting the computer system against malicious activities like denial of attack on services, worms and viruses among other malware.
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There has been a venerable view that the purpose security of the computer is to fundamentally guard against the external intruders from breaking into the system and stealing secrets stored. The critical technical areas related to computer security have usually been denoted by initials CIA which means confidentiality, integrity and authentication or even availability. The confidentiality in computer security means secrecy or privacy of data, integrity on the other hand means protection of information against unauthorized alterations by unauthorized persons with malicious intentions that are not detectable to authorized persons.
Authenticity refers to verifying the originator of the information and to establish who sent and entered it into the system as well as recording when the information was sent and received (Russell and Gangemi 10). The availability of the information means that the computer system has the capacity to work effectively and is able to retrieve information in the event a disaster strikes. Even though confidentiality, integrity and authenticity remains the main concerns of computer security managers, the issue of confidentiality (privacy) stands out to be most significant aspect associated with computer security especially for Internet users.
Nevertheless, many users of computers particularly those connected to the Internet at times may feel that they have nothing to hide when registering their information of the Internet site, but it should be understood that privacy is all about protecting one’s data and information even if the information does not seem sensitive. The ease with which information has started circulating especially in electronic form; there is need for individuals to have control of what information is collected about them, for what purpose is the information going to be used, by whom and how it will be used.
Computers that are connected to the Internet are very susceptible to malware infection which is defined as “the malignant computer programs that infect computers without their owners knowing it” (Weverka et al. 395). These may include threats such as viruses, worms, spyware, Trojan horses among other malicious programs that may harm ones computer. The malware are very destructive when they get into your computer because they can destroy significant computer files.
The viruses according to Cohen cited in Russell and Gangemi (1991, p.84) are “programs that can infect other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself and can spread throughout the computer system or network using the authorizations of every user using it to infect their programs.” Many viruses are days spread through e-mail addresses even though others are being spread using floppy disks when they are transferred from one person to another. There are those that reach computers through CD-ROMS, websites and through downloaded files. In order to protect your computer from viruses, it is advisable to get best antivirus software such as VirusScan from McAfee or Norton Antivirus from Symantec (Weverka et al. 395).
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Both of these programs have been known to be reliable in offering protecting to computers from virus and other malware infections. It is thus recommended that every time you use a floppy disk you should check for viruses and the same way applies with email especially those with attachments and also when one downloads a file from the website they should be checked for virus infection before they can be used in a computer. This is solely to protect the computer and more importantly the stored information and data in the system.
It is thus important to have security programs (antivirus software) installed into the computer but more importantly the software should be updated regularly since many viruses appear on daily basis. These security programs have been known to offer security to your computer as long as they are kept up to date and this saves on unnecessary expenditure on upgrading of the hardware in the event a malware finds its way into your computer (Weverka et al. 395). These security programs have a removal tool on their site that necessitates the cleaning of the mess that may get into your computer and more importantly one can easily install and uninstall these programs in case you want to change them.
Many of these security programs have an advantage of updating themselves automatically and they are simple to use because practically one may forget about them and thus they are ideal solution for security of computers for any user. For those who do not want automatic updates, these security programs offer a variety of options like deciding on when to install the updates with first checking them and at what time determined during setup. The antivirus detects and deletes unknown and suspecting files found in the antivirus database to keep computer safe from viruses.
The disadvantage is that during uninstallation process a lot of trash is left on your computer and this may pose great risk since malware like viruses may be left in the computer and hence result to breakdown or even lose of important files and data. There are some security programs that have been reported to be notorious in interfering with other software especially the operating system due to its ability to insinuate into different places within the computer network system.
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Even though installation and uninstallation process is easy for many security programs, not all of them are completely and correctly uninstalled. Some security programs like Symantec (Norton) have been described as being resource hungry and thus do not fit well with old machines (Fatayerji 42). Installing more than one security program in one computer may result to malfunctioning because if both antiviruses are displayed on the background either detects the other as a virus and any attempts by such antivirus to remove it leads to improper functioning of your computer.
The computer security program functions by detecting and deleting any files found in the antivirus database that are suspected to be viruses. The first step in the functioning of an antivirus is to install it into a computer and scanning all files stored in the hard disk to ensure that they are not infected by malware. If the computer is connected to the Internet the antivirus should be updated frequently to ensure that it has the capacity to search and detect unknown viruses that finds their way into the computer system (Fatayerji 42).
The security program similarly looks at the contents of every file and searches for a particular signature pattern that matches the virus signature of a file suspected to be harmful to a computer. The antivirus functions normally by being updated on daily bases so that it can detect and clean the files because the more updated the database is, the more secure the computer system becomes and the best solution is to update the antivirus in use regularly (Weverka et al. 395). Therefore the antivirus offers a variety of alternatives on how to respond to such threats by either removing the offending patterns or by destroying the files altogether.
The antivirus also functions by offering a variety of updated signatures on detecting a new virus and through this the updated antivirus enables the computer to automatically learn of the new virus and as a result starts checking all files that may be infected together with the old viruses. The most interesting thing about viruses is that they do not fade away completely but instead their signatures remain as part of the master version of all other virus signatures.
The development of security programs started in early 1980s after a group of people developed computer viruses on IBM and Apple II computers even though during that time were not referred to as viruses. A well developed antivirus consists of a scanning application, a virus engine and a virus definition. The scanning application assists in defining the scanning options, features and alerts (Hunter et al. 254). The virus engine is used to scan files from suspected activity and behavior like a file containing instructions to delete the contents in the directory and in the event the engine detects such behavior, the virus definition is checked to establish whether the virus signature is known and how it can be repaired. The virus definition on the other hand is helps to determine if a file has already been detected as a virus and the instructions necessary for its repair (Weverka et al. 395).
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When a computer is connected to the Internet is becomes vulnerable to security threats, Trojans, viruses and all manner of malware. Regardless of whether one is surfing the web the connection itself to the Internet poses great risks to personal information and data. The installation of antivirus such as McAfee or Symantec offers a valuable defense against security threats and thus keeps ones computer and personal data and information safe from access by unauthorized users in the event a virus attacks your computer.
The login approach has been used by many people as an authentication online approach and by entering userid and password during computer session the actions are authenticated. In order to ensure that no one accesses your information or data, the users should not disclose their userid’s or passwords to third parties and in case the computers are shared, the private documents should be stored in folders and restricted from being shared and if possible one should generate passwords in order to access them. Many people have been making mistakes while surfing such as failing to sign out and this has given other users an opportunity to access your information. The solution to this is through being authenticated using digital signature and certificate. Your browser has the capacity to authenticate who you are at all times during logins.
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All skins Fortnite
Fun site
by Alexandra · Published July 14, 2019
Fortnite Season 10
Season 9 is just coming to an end, and we are already looking forward to a new one. Season 10 promises to be interesting and exciting, simply because the end of season 9 prepares...
by Alexandra · Published May 14, 2019 · Last modified July 14, 2019
The ninth season has already begun, and we traditionally make a page where you can find all the necessary information about the new Fortnite season. When does Fortnite Season 9 start? The ninth Fortnite...
by Alexandra · Published February 18, 2019 · Last modified March 4, 2019
The 8th season in the Fortnite game will begin very soon. How it will be not yet known, but on this page you can find all the current information about the eighth season. When...
by Alexandra · Published February 18, 2019
When does Fortnite Season 7 start? The official Fortnite website states that the 6th season will end on Thursday, December 6th. If nothing changes, and Epic Games will continue to operate as planned, then...
When does Fortnite Season 6 start? The 6th Fortnite season began on September 27, 2018. The theme “Darkness Rises” was made public at the end of Season 5, which was the previous part of...
When does Fortnite Season 5 start? Fortnite Season 5 began on July 12, 2018. The Plot of Season 5 The idea of season 5 is a transition to the real world era after the...
When does Fortnite Season 4 start? 4th season Fortnite began May 1, 2018. The Plot of Season 4 Thematically this season focused on super heroes and sandy urban environments. Season 4 included the conclusion...
When does Fortnite Season 3 start? Fortnite season 3 held from February 22 to April 30, 2018. The Plot of Season 3 Thematically, it was a season focused on outer space — on a...
Last Skins
9 season outfits / Outfits / Skins
How to Change Fortnite Resolution on PC & Consoles
How To Run Fortnite On 32 Bit Windows
Fortnite Ice-cream Healing Object Locations
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What is the file size of the Fortnite Battle Royale on PC/PS4/Xbox One/Mobile?
Fortnite Battle Royale © 2019. Все права защищены.
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Reasonable Investigation Under FCRA: Two Times Might Not Be a Charm
By B. Chad Ewing on January 18, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )
Ponder v. Ocwen Loan Serv., LLC, 2018 WL 4474635 (N.D. Ga. July 30, 2018) is a reminder to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies to conduct a reasonable investigation of any reported errors the first time they learn of a dispute.
Under the facts of the case, Plaintiff filed a number of claims against Ocwen arising from alleged improper mortgage servicing. Among other things, Plaintiff claimed that Ocwen reported inaccurate information to the consumer reporting agencies about an account that was charged off due to a Bankruptcy Case prior to the date upon which Ocwen obtained servicing rights. Essentially, Plaintiff alleged that Ocwen reported two trade lines regarding his mortgage loan, and that the second trade line was incorrect because it contained old information regarding the pre-bankruptcy status of the loan. Plaintiff alleged that he reported the inaccuracy to the consumer reporting agencies who reported the claim to Ocwen who then investigated the claim and took the position that the reporting was correct.
In response, Plaintiff filed a complaint against Ocwen with the CFPB. Allegedly, because of the CFPB complaint, Ocwen conducted a second investigation into Plaintiff’s claims and determined that, in fact, the account was charged off prior to the date upon which it obtained servicing rights and, as a result, Ocwen should not have reported the second trade line. Ocwen then requested that the consumer reporting agencies delete this second trade line and informed Plaintiff that it had done so.
Plaintiff then filed suit against Ocwen for failing to conduct a reasonable investigation of his claim as required by 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2(a)(2)(B). In response, Ocwen moved to dismiss this claim on the basis that, in fact, it did investigate Plaintiff’s claim. The Ponder Court denied Ocwen’s motion. In doing so, the court held that Plaintiff’s Complaint stated a FCRA claim because Ocwen was required to conduct a reasonable investigation, not just an investigation. The court reasoned that Plaintiff could allege that Ocwen’s initial investigation was not reasonable because Ocwen reviewed the same materials in both investigations. Because Ocwen found its error after it received the CFPB complaint, the court reasoned that it could have found its error through its initial investigation. Faced with two investigations into the same subject – one of which did not find the error and one of which found the error – the Ponder court held that the Plaintiff could allege that the former investigation was deficient and unreasonable.
Time Will Tell: FCRA Statute of Limitations Defense on a Motion to Dismiss
Wal-Mart Hit With Certification of Massive FCRA Class Action
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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Chesapeake Energy, Devon Energy, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and First Solar - Press Releases
Posted: Nov 29, 2011 8:30 AM
Chicago, IL – November 29, 2011 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK), Devon Energy Corporation (DVN), ConocoPhillips (COP), ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) and First Solar Inc (FSLR).
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Climate Change: At What Price Growth?
South Africa is playing host to the climate conference, which opens today in the city of Durban. Climate change conferences focus on reducing global temperatures, which appear to accelerate global warming.
The Kyoto Protocol (1997), the game-changer in climate negotiations had identified developed countries as primarily responsible for high levels of green house gas emissions following decades of unbridled industrialization. The protocol requires countries to lower emissions according to pre-agreed targets.
The commitment period that started in 2008 will conclude in 2012. Therefore, the Durban conference comes at an important juncture. Governments had agreed last year that emissions need to be reduced to keep global temperature rises at less than 2 degrees Celsius. However, according to EU negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger, recent reports caution that the world was looking at warming up by up to 4.5 degrees.
Economic expansion, which started with the Industrial Revolution in the 18th -19th century in Europe, Japan and North America, and spread to other parts of the globe, has fueled income and population growth across the world – a feat unparalleled in the preceding centuries. Global warming and climate change appear to be the harmful derivatives of economic growth.
The U.S. is making a conscious effort to financially support the climate change program with other nations by participating in an assistance fund. The country is at the same time trying to move away from fossil fuels to shale gas and other renewable sources like, solar and wind. This is a feasible energy strategy because not only are shale gas, solar and wind energy cheap, but they are clean too.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) and Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) are renewing focus on their core competence in gas. Majors such as ConocoPhillips (COP) and ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) are investing in smaller players with sizeable stakes in big shale fields. First Solar Inc (FSLR), a leading US-based solar energy player is focusing on solar project construction in response to the increasing demand from project owners like, the US government, corporates and institutions.
The world is facing issues that need critical attention at this point in time, namely the economic crisis in Europe. However, climate change is no less serious because of its far-reaching and irreversible impact.
Durban hopefully will be able to draw up a concrete way-forward plan to lower greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and settle issues germane to funding this global cause. It should at the same time be able narrow down differences among nations on the gravity of climate change.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
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CHESAPEAKE ENGY (CHK): Free Stock Analysis Report
CONOCOPHILLIPS (COP): Free Stock Analysis Report
DEVON ENERGY (DVN): Free Stock Analysis Report
FIRST SOLAR INC (FSLR): Free Stock Analysis Report
EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report
WATCH: Omar Has The Audacity To Talk About The 'Racist Tropes' She's Endured
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Leading Prostate Cancer Research Organization Partners with Florence
Home/clinical trials, eCTD, Electronic Health Record Systems (EHR / EMR), eTMF, News, Trial Site Regulatory eBinders/Leading Prostate Cancer Research Organization Partners with Florence
PCCTC Collaborates with Florence Healthcare to Enhance Regulatory Document Management Capabilities
ATLANTA, GA and NEW YORK, June 10, 2016 – Florence Healthcare, developer of the innovative trial site-focused electronic trial site and master file (eTMF) platform, eBinder Suite™, and the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC), the nation’s leading multicenter clinical research organization specializing in cutting-edge prostate cancer research, today announced their new collaboration to expand and enhance the Consortium’s trial management capabilities.
“The complexities of ensuring the accuracy and compliance of study documents cannot be underestimated,” commented PCCTC CEO Jake Vinson. “Deploying Florence’s eTMF within the PCCTC has the potential to shorten the time it takes to bring safe and effective products our investigators develop to market.”
Internationally recognized leaders in the field, PCCTC members work together on a single mission: to design, implement and complete hypothesis-driven early phase trials in prostate cancer, translating scientific discoveries to improved standards of care. To do so the PCCTC coordinates the intricate details of regulatory document management throughout a project’s lifecycle, serving as a single point of contact for industry partners and investigators.
Florence partners with leading institutions to make research run faster. Specifically, the eBinder Suite helps investigator teams take on more studies and reduce compliance risks, so that new therapies can reach those in need, sooner.
“Florence focuses on converting wasteful paper chores into one-click tasks—tasks that not only reduce site work but deliver insights to study sponsors”, described by Florence Clinical Director Mike Kassin, MD. “PCCTC has a track record of making research more efficient for both sites and sponsors overall, and we’re delighted to support them as they advance the battle against cancer.”
About the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC)
In 2005, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Department of Defense (DOD) Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) initiated the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC) in response to gaps identified in prostate cancer clinical research by physician investigators and prostate cancer advocates. By establishing transparent project co-development between investigators, research sites and industry partners, the PCCTC has created a new paradigm for evaluating prostate cancer therapies. Uniform trial endpoints, the use of validated biomarkers, and the adaptation of the clinical states model of prostate cancer have further enabled accelerated drug development within the consortium. The PCCTC is now a major multi-institutional clinical research organization consisting of a nationwide network of physicians at over 20 academic institutions specializing in cutting-edge prostate cancer research. For more information, please visit www.pcctc.org.
About Florence eBinder Suite
Florence, founded by experts in document management (Microsoft SharePoint), enterprise security (Airwatch / VMWare), clinical trials (Emory + Medtronic) is focused on advancing clinical research through software. Hundreds of sponsors and sites around trust Florence eBinders to move past paper study roadblocks and enable new approaches to managing trials. Florence is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
To arrange an interview with the Florence team or for more information, please mail info@florencehc.com
Mike Kassin2017-06-11T17:36:51-04:00
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