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__label__cc	0.625118	0.374882	Sinlung / Assam As Winter Begins, 20,000 Migratory Birds Sighted in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam Morigaon, Nov 9 : Over 20,000 migratory birds have been sighted in the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Morigaon district with the advent of winter. Among the 214 species of avian fauna found at the sanctuary, 14 are threatened species and 46 are resident birds, officials said. The Lesser Whistling Teal and the Greater Whistling Teal have also been sighted here, they said. Birds of prey Osprey or the fish eating eagle, hawks and falcons of different species as well as endangered storks are attracted to Pobitora's aquatic environment, rich in fish and other aquatic fauna. Pobitora's authority has appealed the tourists and picnickers not to create sound pollution in the sanctuary which would harm the environment.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line780
__label__cc	0.652365	0.347635	Sword Stained With Royal Blood 碧血剑 Excerpts from Chapter 3 and 6 Thread: Sword Stained With Royal Blood 碧血剑 Excerpts from Chapter 3 and 6 Xaari Sword Stained With Royal Blood 碧血剑 (Excerpts from Chapter 3 and 6) Hiya everyone! So I translated these short excerpts from Sword Stained With Royal Blood last year because I liked the character Golden Snake Warrior so much when I was little. Not that he's a hero or anything, but I was really intrigued by him and even cried over his tragic fate. I didn't translate much, but I still want to share what I have because as far as I know, this novel has never been translated. These excerpts deserve to see the light of day, haha. I'm also posting them to make up for my neglect in translating Meteor, Butterfly, Sword because I've been so swamped by my workload lately. Last edited by Xaari; 02-26-11 at 01:17 AM. Mu Renqing suddenly shivered and said, “This belongs to the Golden Snake Warrior.” Mu Sang said, “Golden Snake Warrior? You mean Xia Xueyi? I heard that the man already died ten or so years ago!” Immediately after saying these words he suddenly shouted, “Correct, it is precisely him.” The knife scraped down, and the abdomen of the snake awl revealed the character “Xue.” Another snake awl was engraved with the same character. Yuan Chengzhi asked, “Master, who is Golden Snake Warrior?” Mu Renqing said, “This matter should be put off until later. Elder Disciple Brother, how do you think the concealed weapons ended up hidden inside this cave?” Mu Sang pondered without speaking, blankly entranced. Yuan Chengzhi, seeing that the expressions of his master and master’s disciple brother were solemn, dared not ask more. After dinner, Mu Renqing and Mu Sang exterminated the candle and held a long discussion. Yuan Chengzhi did not understand much, and heard them talk entirely about revenge and murder. Mu Sang suddenly said, “So why do you think the Golden Snake Warrior avoided revenge and came here?” Mu Renqing said, “Given his martial arts and wit, it seems unnecessary to escape so far from Jiangnan to here, and hide within this desolate mountain.” Mu Sang said, “Could it be that he still hasn’t died?” Mu Renqing said, “His behavior has always been unpredictable. These years we’ve been in Jianghu, we’ve only heard his name, which really can be regarded as widespread fame in fighting prowess, yet we have never seen him. People say he’s already dead, but don’t know how he died.” Mu Sang sighed and said, “This person’s behavior is really eccentric, at times extremely fierce and evil, yet at times chivalrous from a sense of justice. People can’t ascertain if he’s good or bad. Several times I wanted to find him, but wasn’t able to.” Mu Renqing said, “Let’s not guess blindly; tomorrow we’ll go see the cave.” Early the next day, Mu Renqing, Mu Sang, Yuan Chengzhi, and the mute brought ropes and bladed weapons to climb up to the top of the cliff. Mu Sang said, “I’m going down.” Mu Renqing nodded and said, “Be careful.” With the rope tied around his waist, he and the mute held on tightly and let the rope down. Mu Sang held a steel chessboard in one hand and three chess pieces in the other hand. He slipped down to the cave mouth, peered down, and saw mist carried by the wind floating under his feet, but was unable to see the ground. Although his qinggong was outstanding, the high peak was dangerous and he wasn’t on flat ground, so he couldn’t help being fearful. He turned his head to look into the cave, but couldn’t see through the pitch darkness and only thought that the cave was very deep. The cave mouth was extremely small and could not be entered, so he wrapped cloth around his hand, lightly scoured the cave, and came across several sharp objects inserted into the cave mouth. Upon touching them he knew they were golden snake awls. Lightly he pulled them out; in total he pulled out fourteen. He extended his hand inside again, until his cheek pressed against the cave mouth, and was unable to touch anything else. Loudly he shouted, “Pull me up.” Mu Renqing slowly retracted the rope, pulling him up until twenty feet from the top of the cliff when Mu Sang pushed his right leg off the cliff and scuttled up. On his chessboard rested a bunch of golden snake awls. He smiled and said, “Old Mu, we brothers are rich from so much gold.” Yet Mu Renqing’s face was extremely serious. Knitting his eyebrows together, he said, “This strange man placed these things there, who knows for what purpose. What else is in the cave? Take me down there for a look.” Mu Sang said, “Going down there is useless; the cave mouth is too small and cannot be entered.” Mu Renqing was filled with thoughts, lowered his head, and said nothing. The thin fellow, afraid he wasn’t dead, came over again and stabbed him twice in the back. He snorted, “If I don’t kill you, what’s to say you won’t kill me? Why should there be a need to be polite?” Immediately he heavily kicked the bald fellow’s corpse and said, “You say I can’t deceive those five rotten old men? Watch me!” Not knowing that Yuan Chengzhi had already awoken, he shadily laughed twice, extinguished the light from the candle, opened the secret book, and looked inside. He swayed his body slightly, his whole face cheerful. He flipped a few pages; a few pages were stuck and couldn’t be opened, so he licked a forefinger and dipped his saliva as he browsed. As he flipped a few pages this way, Yuan Chengzhi suddenly recalled that deadly poison was smeared on the book, so as he flitted through the book, he was bound to be poisoned; he couldn’t help but shout out “Ya.” The thin fellow heard this, turned his head, saw that Yuan Chengzhi’s face was full of fright, and slowly stood up. He pulled out the knife from the bald fellow’s back, walked forward two steps, and said, “I have no enmity with you, but today I cannot spare your life.” As he said this his eyes exposed a fierce light. He raised the knife, laughed maliciously, and said, “If I kill you now, it’s very likely that even when you reach the netherworld you won’t know the reason. To tell you the truth, I am Zhang Chunjiu from the Shiliang Sect in Quzhou, Zhejiang. Our Shiliang Sect and the Golden Snake Warrior are sworn enemies because he raped our disciple sisters and fled to whereabouts unknown. We searched everywhere for him for ten or so years; who knew that his belongings are actually in your hands, young fellow. Where is the Golden Snake Warrior?” As he said this he looked out the window, and involuntarily his face exposed dread, as if afraid that the Golden Snake Warrior would suddenly show up. If Yuan Chengzhi had a little experience in Jianghu, he would speak menacingly, and definitely not walk frightened and cause his heart to have scruples. Not daring to casually injure himself, but now overwhelmed with panic, how would he think of deceiving him? He only said, “The Golden Snake Warrior died long ago, his...his skeleton was buried by me.” Zhang Chunjiu was exalted, and also asked, “Is the Golden Snake Warrior really dead?” Yuan Chengzhi nodded his head. Zhang Chunjiu shouted loudly and asked, “How did he die?” Yuan Chengzhi said, “I don’t know, I really don’t know.” Wen Yi glanced at Yuan Chengzhi and said distressingly, “His skeleton was buried by Master Yuan, so I will not conceal anything from you, but I ask that Master Yuan tell us mother and daughter the circumstances of his death, so...” she spoke until here, her voice was choked again. After a moment, she said, “At that time I didn’t understand why he was so fierce, and actually didn’t want to understand. Daddy forbade us to take one step out the door. I felt very bored; every day I could only play in the garden. Daddy even said that without brothers accompanying us, we girls couldn’t even go to the garden in broad daylight. That day was in the third month, and the fragrance of flowers in the field blew in through the window. I really wanted to go to the hillside to see the flowers and smell the fields, but that murderer Golden Snake Warrior kept me indoors in such wonderful weather. I really wanted to slip away alone for a while, but upon recalling daddy’s severe expression, I didn’t dare. That afternoon, the five of us played in the garden - I and second house’s third older sister, fifth house’s sister-in-law, Brother Tianba, and you, Brother Nanyang. I was on the swing, swinging higher and higher. My body was floating and I peered over the wall, seeing lush green willow trees and beautifully blooming peach blossoms. I was truly happy. Suddenly, Brother Tianba shouted strangely and I fell down face up, scared to death. Only later did I realize that his chest had been hit by a golden snake awl; he had died on the spot. What about you, Brother Nanyang? I remember you had immediately run inside, leaving us three women outside.” Wen Nanyang’s face turned red and he argued, “I was no match for him; if I didn’t leave I would’ve died for nothing. I was going to bring help.” Wen Yi said, “I still don’t understand how it happened, but only saw someone jumping down from the wall and stand exactly above my swing. He swung with force, the swing started flying, and he held me by my waist. I felt like soaring through clouds and sailing through fog as I flew away. I thought that we would both fall to our deaths, but unexpectedly while his left hand held me, his right hand pulled on a branch outside the wall. He flicked again, lightly landing more than ten feet away. At this time I was scared silly and raised my fists to randomly strike his face. He pressed his finger on my armpit, my whole body immediately became limp, and I couldn’t move at all. I only heard the loud shouts of many people chasing us, but later their voices became more and more distant. Holding onto me, he ran quickly for half a day and arrived at a cave above the precipice of a cliff. He unsealed my pressure points and laughed at me maliciously. I suddenly thought of my two sisters-in-laws, thinking that it was better to die cleanly than be humiliated, so I rushed to strike my head on a mountain rock. He pulled me by the middle of my back so that I didn’t die, leaving me this scar.” As she said this she pointed at her forehead. Yuan Chengzhi saw the scar hidden in her hair, an inch exposed, penetrating deeply through the top of her head. It seemed that the injury at that time was indeed not light. Wen Yi sighed, “Supposing that he had let me knock myself dead, he would have benefited himself immensely; who knew that this pull would actually harm him devastatingly. At that time I fainted, and when I woke up I saw my body wrapped with a blanket, and was so frightened I fainted dangerously again. Afterwards when I saw that my clothes were perfectly intact, I relaxed a tiny bit. I thought that because he saw me attempt suicide, the bandit developed kindness, and thus didn’t harm me. I shut my eyes tightly, not daring to glance at him, and even didn’t dare to think about the matters at present. “Afraid that I would attempt to commit suicide again, he watched me closely day and night for the next two days. When he spoke to me, naturally I didn’t respond. When he cooked food for me, I only cried and ate nothing. On the fourth day he saw me completely famished, so he stewed a huge bowl of meat soup, and quietly and gently urged me to drink it. When I paid no attention, he suddenly grabbed me, pinched my nose, and poured the meat soup down my mouth. In this way he forced me to drink most of the soup. As soon as he loosened his hand, I spouted a mouthful of hot soup at his face. I wanted to provoke his anger, so that he might as well kill me with one strike of the blade; I could avoid being bullied and then sold to a brothel to live in suffering like my two sisters-in-laws. Who would have imagined that he didn’t get angry, but only smiled and wiped the liquid off his face with his sleeve. He looked at me blankly, unable to resist sighing.” Yuan Chengzhi and Qingqing glanced at each other, and Qingqing suddenly blushed red across her whole face. Wen Yi said, “That night, he slept at the cave mouth and said to me, ‘Shall I sing a little tune for you to hear?’ I said, ‘I don’t want to listen.’ He happily jumped up and said, ‘I regarded you as a mute, but you can actually talk.’ I scolded, ‘Who’s mute? I don’t talk to evil people.’ He spoke no more and happily sang a mountain song, singing for most of the night. He was still singing when the moon emerged. I always lived in a great house, so of course I had never heard this kind of...this kind of mountain song.” Nanyang shouted, “You were scared to listen yet wanted to listen, right? Who has the patience to listen to your shameless matters?” In large strides he walked out of the pavilion. Qingqing said, “He definitely went to tell the grandfathers.” Wen Yi said, “Let him go talk; I’ve long since not cared about anything.” Qingqing said, “Mother, continue talking.” Wen Yi said, “Afterwards I hazily fell asleep. The next morning when I woke up I didn’t see him, so I thought of escaping home alone. But this cave was at the mountain summit, the peak was very steep, and there was no road down. Only those with utmost high qinggong skills like him could come down. At noon he returned, having brought me a lot of jewelry and cosmetics. I didn’t want them and tossed them all down the valley. He didn’t get angry, and at night he sang to me again. “One day, he brought many chicks, kittens, and tortoises up to the mountain peak, knowing that I didn’t have the heart to throw living things down the mountain. He spent the entire day with me playing with the kittens and feeding the tortoises, and at night he sang to me. I slept in the cave, while he never set foot in the cave. Knowing that he didn’t violate me, I felt a bit relieved, and was willing to eat. But for about a month I didn’t talk to him. He was gentle and polite to me all along; even daddy and mama never treated me this well. “After a few more days, his face suddenly stiffened and he looked at me very fiercely. I was very scared and started crying. He sighed and coaxed me to stop crying. That night I heard him crying brokenheartedly. Not long after, it began to rain heavily, yet he still didn’t enter the cave. I couldn’t bear it, and called him to enter the cave to take shelter from the rain, but he didn’t pay attention. “When I asked him why he was crying, he told me roughly, ‘Tomorrow is the anniversary of my father’s, mother’s, older brother’s, and older sister’s deaths. My entire family was killed by your family’s people. Tomorrow no matter what I should kill one person for revenge. Your home is now strictly guarded against, and they have invited Kongtong Sect’s Taoist Li Zhuo and Shifang Temple’s Buddhist monk Qingming as helpers. Humph, although those two are powerful, don’t tell me that I would thereupon give up?’ Fuming with rage between gritted teeth, he braved the heavy rain and descended the peak. The next evening, he still hadn’t returned; I felt somewhat concerned, and secretly hoped that he would return safely.” After listening up to this point, Qingqing furtively looked towards Yuan Chengzhi to see whether or not he appeared contemptuous. But she saw that he was sitting solemnly and respectfully, listening carefully, so she was relieved and slowly sighed. Wen Yi said, “The sky was nearly dark, and I went to the mountain peak several times to scan from afar. Several times I didn’t know where I was gazing at, but at last I saw on the opposite mountain peak the shadows of four people chasing each other vigorously. Their martial arts motions were extremely fast. I looked carefully: sure enough the first person was him, behind him was a Taoist priest, another one was a Buddhist monk, and the fourth was actually my daddy. In his hand he held the golden snake sword, one person fighting against three, battling and fleeing simultaneously. After fighting for a while, the monk’s staff swept over horizontally, and he could not avoid it right away. In my heart I was worried and shouted loudly, but unexpectedly his golden snake sword returned and actually chopped off a section of the staff. Daddy heard my shouting and spotted me when he turned around. He stopped fighting and hurried over to my mountain peak. “He was very anxious, and in two sword strokes pushed aside the monk and the Taoist priest, giving chase soon after. Thus, it became my daddy in front, him in the middle, and the monk and Taoist in the back. Soon the four people had jumped down the valley. He overtook my daddy, barring him from coming to my side of the mountain peak. After they fought a few rounds, the monk and Taoist caught up, and my daddy found the time to jump out and climb up to my side. These four people fought and ran simultaneously, chasing until they reached the mountain peak I stood on. I was really happy and shouted loudly, ‘Daddy, hurry here!’ At this time he rushed over as if mad, three sword strokes in succession, forcing daddy to have no choice but to retreat. Daddy couldn’t defeat him and was in a dangerous situation. The monk and Taoist also arrived. Daddy shouted, ‘A’Yi, how are you?’ I replied, ‘I’m very good, daddy, don’t worry.’ Daddy said, ‘Good, let’s handle this bandit first.’ The three people encircled him again. “The Taoist said, ‘Golden Snake Warrior, our Kongtong Sect has no enmity with you, but it’s just that your actions are too unreasonable. Thus I came forward as a peacemaker. I won’t help anyone, so if you agree to give up and in the future do not cause trouble for the Wen family, I will thereupon benevolently dismiss today’s matter.’ He shouted loudly, ‘How can I not seek revenge for my parents, older brother, and older sister?’ The Buddhist monk said, ‘You’ve already killed many people; it should be enough. On the behalf of the two of us, I urge you to stop!’ He suddenly thrust his sword at the monk and the four people started fiercely fighting again. The Taoist’s bladed weapons were a bit strange, and it could be assumed that his martial arts were extremely powerful. The monk’s staff thrust out and caused the wind to blow ferociously, also very formidable. He fought more and more poorly, sweating freely, and suddenly swaggered and tumbled dangerously. “The monk hit with his staff, but he dodged it on his side. As he leaned his body on one side, he saw my face. Later he told me that at that time, his muscles were wary and his strength exhausted, but upon seeing me express extreme concern for him, he suddenly roused himself. His sword strokes became faster and faster, the valley in the fog rose, and only the flash of golden light could be seen in the mist. I only heard him call out, ‘Wen guniang, don’t be afraid, watch me!’ The monk shouted out loudly, rolling down the mountain, the center of his forehead pinned with a golden snake awl. My father and the Taoist were both alarmed. As he straightened his sword and thrust it at my father, the Taoist took advantage of his weakness and attacked the middle of his back. He abruptly shouted loudly, two fingers of his left hand aiming at the Taoist’s eyes. As the Taoist lowered his head, he brandished his sword and chopped the Taoist’s waist into two sections.” Qingqing shouted out, “Ya!” Wen Yi said, “He withdrew his sword and then thrust it at daddy. Daddy, having seen him kill two martial arts experts in succession, had long since been so scared that his face was an inhuman color, and he used his steel rod awkwardly. I hurriedly ran out of the cave and shouted, ‘Stop, stop!’ He heard my shout and stopped. I said, ‘He’s my daddy!’ He looked at my dad ferociously and said, ‘Leave. I’ll spare your life!’ Daddy was surprised and turned around to leave. At this moment, because I hadn’t eaten anything all day, was in shock from worry, and happy that he spared my daddy, I suddenly fell. He hurriedly came over to support me. I looked over his shoulder and saw daddy with a murderous glint in his eyes, suddenly lifting his steel rod to violently strike the middle of his back. “He was wholeheartedly concerned with whether or not I was injured, and completely didn’t expect that my daddy would actually instigate a sneak attack. I couldn’t help but yell out, ‘Be careful!’ He looked distracted; it was already too late to get out of the way, so he leaned his head to the side and the rod hit his back. He seized the steel rod with his hands, tossed it down the valley, and charged at daddy with two palms. Daddy was unable to make a move, and closed his eyes awaiting his death. Unexpectedly he turned around to look at me, sighed, and said to daddy, ‘Hurry up and leave. Don’t make me change my mind to not spare you!’ Daddy said nothing and ran down the mountain. His back suffered from daddy’s rod, and his injuries were indeed severe. As soon as daddy left, he spouted out a mouthful of blood on the front of my clothes.” Qinqing grunted and said, “Grandpa has no sense of shame; he knew that he couldn’t win so he secretly carried out an evil scheme!” Wen Yi sighed, “It is reasonable to say that he is my family’s great enemy, having killed more than ten people in my family. But upon seeing him being jointly plotted against, I couldn’t help but side with to him; this is called the sin of past life. “He staggered into the cave, took out injury medicine from his pocket, and ate it. Again he spouted out a lot of blood. I was so scared that I could only cry. Although he was injured, he was in a cheerful mood and asked me, ‘Why are you crying?’ I answered tearfully, ‘You’re wounded.’ He asked smilingly, ‘Are you crying for me?’ I didn’t reply and only felt very grieved. After a while he said, ‘Ever since my entire family was killed by your sixth uncle, nobody has ever cared for me. Today I killed one of your older male cousins, and before that killed forty people altogether. Originally I was going to kill ten more people, but for the sake of your tears, I will thereupon cease killing.’ I only cried and said nothing. He also said, ‘I also won’t harm your family’s women. After my wounds heal, I’ll take you home.’ My heart felt an indescribable feeling, and I only thought it was good that he had agreed to not kill people. But he vomited blood incessantly and sometimes in a daze kept saying ‘mama.’ One day he passed out for the entire day, and at nightfall he wouldn’t make it. I cried until my eyes were swollen. Suddenly he opened his eyes, smiled, and said, ‘It’s not serious; I won’t die.’ After two days, sure enough he slowly got better. One night he told me that on the day he was hit by the rod, originally he couldn’t have survived, but he anticipated that if he died, I could not descend from the summit. My family was afraid of him and wouldn’t dare search for me, so I would die of starvation. For me, he had to survive no matter what.” Qingqing interrupted, “Ma, he treated you well; this person was really conscientious.” As she said this she ferociously looked at Yuan Chengzhi. Yuan Chengzhi’s face became hot and turned his head away. Wen Yi said, “Afterwards his body gradually recovered and he began telling me about his childhood: how his mother and father doted on him, how his older brother and older sister cared for him. One time when he was sick, his mother stayed by his bedside for three days and nights without sleeping. Who would have imagined that one night, sixth uncle actually killed the entire family. At that time I felt that although this person’s methods were cruel and malicious, but when he talked about his relatives, it seemed like his heart was kind and gentle. He took out an embroidered red chest undergarment and showed it to me, saying that his mother embroidered it when he was a week old.” She spoke up to this point, took out a child’s chest undergarment from her bosom, and spread it on the table. Yuan Chengzhi saw the chest undergarment with red satin on the outside, white satin on the inside, and embroidered with a naked, fat baby sleeping on a plantain leaf. The fat baby’s naïve expression was cute, the embroidery was exquisite; he wanted to receive his mother’s wholehearted love for her son as she embroidered. Yuan Chengzhi grew up without a father or a mother, so as he looked at this chest undergarment and thought about his life experience, he couldn’t refrain from feeling sad. Wen Yi continued, “He frequently sung mountain songs for me to hear. He also carved from wood little dogs, horses, and dolls for me to play with, saying that I was a naïve girl doll. Later when his injuries completely healed, I saw that he became more and more unhappy, and couldn’t help but ask him why. He said that he hated to part from me. I said, ‘Then I’ll just live here to keep you accompany!’ He was extremely happy, shouted loudly, jumped up and down the two great trees on the mountain peak, and somersaulted like a monkey. “He told me that he had obtained a map that indicated the location of a great treasure trove. Inside it were so much gold, silver, and jewels that it was difficult to estimate. It was said that when King Yan seized the throne, he fought from Beijing to Nanjing. Emperor Jianwen fled in a panic and buried the inner depository’s treasures in a secret place in Nanjing. After King Yan took the throne, he searched the entire city of Nanjing but was unable to find it. He dispatched three palace eunuchs to sail West several times, firstly to seek the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen, and secondly to probe for the treasures.” Yuan Chengzhi thought, “So what I had discovered in the golden snake manual was actually the map of this treasure trove.” Wen Yi continued, “He said that Emperor Chengzu couldn’t find the map throughout his life, yet several hundred years later, he had accidentally obtained it. At present he had already sought his great revenge, so he only wanted to search for these treasures. After he found them, he would pick me up, but for now he would send me home.” She spoke until this point and quietly sighed, “He hated to part with me, and actually I hated to leave him too. But...but...I couldn’t just follow him there. After I returned home, everyone actually looked down on me. I was really resentful; they didn’t have the ability to protect their own daughter, I returned home pure, but everyone humiliated me instead. So I just took no notice of them and didn’t talk to them.” Qingqing interrupted, “Mama, you’re very right, what did you do wrong?” Wen Yi said, “I waited at home for three months. One night, I suddenly heard someone singing under the window. I immediately recognized his voice and knew that he had arrived, and hurriedly opened the window to let him in. We were very delighted to see each other. That day he and I were well, and had a child, you. I was willing, and until now I still don’t regret it. Others say he forced me, but that’s not true. Qing’er, your daddy treated your mama well. We always loved each other. From beginning to end he respected me and never forced me.” Yuan Chengzhi secretly admired her courage; hearing her talk about her past deep love, he couldn’t refrain from distressing. Qingqing suddenly sang in a low voice, “A flock of wild geese came from the south, some in pairs and some alone. The pairs were wild with joy, their voices loud and clear, the loners fell behind and couldn’t fly up. Not regarding the pairs, only looking at the loners, delicately considering your misery, you are the same as me! Delicately considering your misery, you are the same as me.” Her singing voice was soft and sweet, full of grief over love. Wen Yi said distressingly, “That is a small tune her daddy sang to me before. This child grew up in my embrace listening to these songs and has heard many. Unexpectedly she has also remembered them.” Yuan Chengzhi asked, “It seems that Senior Xia had already found the treasure trove at that time?” Wen Yi said, “He said he hadn’t found it yet, but already had clues. His heart was concerned with me, and he was unwilling to delay time for the treasure trove. When he talked about the treasure trove, I didn’t pay attention. We discussed secretly leaving the second morning. We were delighted, didn’t guard against anything, and didn’t think that others had eavesdropped on our conversation. “The second day when it wasn’t yet light out, I packed clothes, left a letter for daddy, and was just about to leave when suddenly someone knocked on the door. Of course I was very afraid. He said it was all right; even if there were thousands of men and horses we could fight our way out. He held the golden snake sword and opened the door. The three people who entered were actually my daddy and two elder uncles. They were all empty-handed, wearing gowns and jackets, their faces actually smiling happily without the slightest bit of hostility. Upon seeing the three people with such appearances, we were astonished. “Daddy said: ‘I know all about your matters; this is also the sin of past life. Last time you didn’t kill me, so I owe you one. In the future let’s become relatives by marriage, but you must not use weapons again.’ He thought that daddy was afraid he would kill people, so he said, ‘Rest assured, I’ve long since promised your young lady that I will no longer harm your family’s people!’ Daddy said, ‘Leaving in private won’t do; you must marry openly and righteously, and properly kneel to heaven and earth.’ He shook his head distrustfully. My daddy said, ‘A’Yi is my only beloved daughter; I can’t let her elope and not be able to lift her head for her entire life.’ He thought that these words weren’t wrong. Who would have imagined that for the purpose of being considerate to me, he was actually tricked by my daddy.” Yuan Chengzhi asked, “So your father deceived him, and wasn’t sincere?” Wen Yi nodded and replied, “Daddy just let him rest in a side room and began to plan for the wedding. From beginning to end he was distrustful, and he gave the food and drink that my family sent him to the dogs first. The dogs were fine after eating, but he was still not reassured and hardly ate anything. At night he threw them away and went to Shiliang town to buy food. “One night, mama brought a bowl of lotus soup and said to me, ‘Give this to your husband to eat!’ I was naïve, thought that mama empathized with him, and cheerfully brought it to the room. He saw me personally bringing it and was fond so he didn’t guard against anything. He ate it in a few mouthfuls and was just talking with me when suddenly his complexion changed drastically. He stood and shouted, ‘A’Yi, your heart is so cruel!’ I was scared, panicked, and asked, ‘What?’ He asked, ‘Why did you poison me?’” Although Wen Yi said the words “Why did you poison me?” in a soft voice, it was still full of immense terror; she thought of that time when Golden Snake Warrior was so angry and deeply hurt. When Yuan Chengzhi and Qingqing heard this, they couldn’t help but be absolutely terrified. Wen Yi’s tears fell drop by drop on the lapel, and she was unable to say anymore. In the midst of quiet, suddenly they heard a torturous, strange laugh outside the pavilion. The three people hastily turned their heads and saw the Five Wen Elders walking closer side-by-side. Behind them followed twenty to thirty people holding bladed weapons. Wen Fangshan shouted loudly, “A’Yi, have you no shame in telling your own scandals to strangers?” Wen Yi’s face swelled red; she intended to reply, but presently endured it. She turned and said to Yuan Chengzhi, “In the past nineteen years, I haven’t said a word to daddy, and in the future I will also never speak a word to him. Originally I shouldn’t have lived in the Wen family, but I had Qingqing, so where could I go? Moreover, I always hoped that he hadn’t died, and that he would one day return to find me. If I had left this place, then how would he find me? Since he’s already dead, I don’t have any scruples. I’m not afraid of them; are you afraid?” Before Yuan Chengzhi replied, Qingqing already rushed to say, “Brother Chengzhi won’t be afraid.” Wen Yi said, “Good, I’ll continue speaking.” Raising her voice, she continued, “I cried worriedly and didn’t know how to explain or act properly. Suddenly, someone kicked the door and sent it flying. Many people grasping weapons rushed inside.” She pointed outside the pavilion and said, “At that time, it was precisely those people who stood outside the door. They...they all held concealed weapons. Daddy at least had some father-daughter feelings and shouted, ‘A’Yi, come out!’ I knew that after they waited for me to come out, they would immediately launch concealed weapons at him. The room was such a small area; where could he hide? I shouted, ‘I won’t come out; kill me too, then!’ I blocked his body and had only one thought in my heart: to protect him and not let him get injured. “Originally his brows were deeply creased as he sat in the chair; he thought that I had colluded with my family to poison him, and he was utterly heartbroken and pained. He hadn’t wanted to fight and resist, but upon hearing me speak that way, he suddenly jumped up and very happily said, ‘You didn’t know that the lotus soup was poisonous?’ I held the bowl, saw that the bowl still had some soup left, drank it in one mouthful, and said, ‘I’ll die together with you!’ In one slap he sent the bowl to the ground, but I had already drunk it. He smiled and said, ‘Fine, let’s die together!’ He turned around and insulted at them, ‘Are you people not afraid of being shameful for using this sort of despicable hidden poison?’ Elder uncle said angrily, ‘Who used poison? Those who use poison are not heroes. You think your skills are so great, so come out and fight!’ He said, ‘Fine!’ and went out to fight against the five brothers. Although the lotus soup he drank hadn’t been poisoned, it contained the Wen family’s secret ‘intoxicated immortal honey.’ Once drunk, he would slowly lose strength in his entire body, sleep as if dead, and only wake after one day and night. These people were even reluctant to use poison to kill him because they wanted him to faint and then slowly torture him. They...they were heroes all right!” She spoke up to here, her tone full of fierce blame; only because her natural disposition was gentle did she not maliciously swear at them. Wen Fangshi angrily said, “This shameless ** should have been killed long ago; we raised her to this day, but instead she bites the hand that feeds!” Qingqing said, “My mother has eaten more than ten years of food at the Wen home. But fourth grandpa, over the last two years, how much wealth have I found and given you? Can even one hundred people eat so much in a lifetime? The debt we mother and son owe you has long since been paid back in full!” Wen Fangda, who didn’t want to mention the family’s scandals in front of a stranger, shouted, “Hey, the one named Yuan, do you dare to fight against us five brothers?” The past two days Yuan Chengzhi was respectful and considerate to them because they were Qingqing’s elders, but upon hearing Wen Yi tell of their treachery, he was unconsciously full of anger and shouted, “Humph, don’t mention five brothers, even if you had ten or more brothers altogether, what do I have to fear?” Wen Yi smiled coldly and said, “That night, it was also five brothers fighting against one person. Originally he could have resisted against the enemies, but after he drank the ‘intoxicated immortal honey,’ his hands and feet became increasingly limp and painful as he fought. The five brothers had already perfected the Five Elements Formation; upon fighting, the five brothers became one...” Wen Fangshan shouted, “A’Yi, you live on us but help outsiders secretly, divulging the Wen family’s background?” Wen Yi ignored her father’s words and told Yuan Chengzhi, “He urgently wanted to knock down one of the five so that he could break the Five Elements Formation, but he swayed and staggered more and more. I shouted, ‘Leave quickly; I’ll never lose you!’” Her yelling voice was sad and shrill, seemingly shouting the same way as on that night. Qingqing was scared and shouted repeatedly, “Mama!” Yuan Chengzhi said, “Auntie, return to your room to rest. I will talk with them and come visit you again tomorrow.” Wen Yi pulled on his sleeve and shouted, “No, no, I stifled this in my heart for nineteen years; today I must let it out. Master Yuan, listen to me speak!” Yuan Chengzhi, hearing her words carrying the sound of weeping, nodded and said, “I’m listening.” Wen Yi, still tightly grasping his sleeve and not letting go, said, “They wanted his life, but even more importantly, they wanted to get rich. He fought for another while, his body was injured, he couldn’t support himself, he fell to the ground, finally...finally he was captured by them. I threw myself over his body, but I was kicked aside by one of my uncles. They forced him to hand over the treasure map. He said, ‘The map is not with me; whoever has the guts come with me to get it.’ They searched his body carefully and sure enough the map wasn’t there. This was difficult for them: if they released him, once the drug’s properties faded, there would be no way to catch him again; if they killed him, they could never get to the huge treasure trove. At last it was my daddy’s brilliant plan, haha, so clever, isn’t that so? At that time he had already lost consciousness, and I had also fainted. By the time I awakened, they had already broken off all the tendons of his arms and legs. They caused him to lose his entire body’s martial arts, and he could never exert strength again. Then they forced him to get the map and search for the treasure. Truly clever, isn’t it? Haha, haha!” Yuan Chengzhi saw that her eyes were deranged, her breathing was hurried, and her speech was abnormal. He urged her, “Auntie, you should still return to your room and rest.” Wen Yi said, “No, once you leave, they will kill me. I need to finish speaking before I die...they dragged him along. Two experts from the Kongtong Sect also went. They both wanted undeserved fortune. But somehow, he still escaped. Most likely he gave them a map and they became so happy that they neglected to guard against anything. They were very clever, but my husband was also not stupid. When the seven of them got ahold of the treasure map, they snatched and seized among themselves. The five brothers conspired together and killed the two people from the Kongtong Sect first.” Wen Fangyi sternly scolded, “A’Yi, you keep talking nonsense and should be careful!” Wen Yi smiled and said, “Why should I be careful? Do you think I’m scared of death?” She turned and told Yuan Chengzhi, “Who would have thought that the treasure map was actually fake. The five of them dug here and there in Nanjing for more than half a year, spending several thousand taels of silver, yet didn’t find a single coin, haha, truly there’s nothing more amusing.” The Wen brothers were freely darting looks of hatred from outside the pavilion, but they dreaded Yuan Chengzhi and didn’t dare to charge into the pavilion. Wen Yi spoke up to this point and blankly slipped into a trance. In a low voice she slowly said, “After he went, I never received news of him again. The tendons in his arms and legs were broken, so he was already a cripple. He was so proud and arrogant; if he hadn’t died of pain he would have died of anger.” Wen Fangda shouted again, “The one named Yuan, this little ** already mentioned the Five Elements Formation and you already heard about it, so if you have the guts then come out and try it!” Wen Yi said quietly, “You should leave; don’t fight with them.” Sighing softly, she said, “Golden Snake Warrior faced such injustice and grievances; at last someone knows of it.” Yuan Chengzhi had already competed with the Wen brothers one by one before. He knew that if they fought one on one, none of them were a match for him. But as for the five of them together, plus the perfected Five Elements Formation, it was likely that he could not easily defeat them. The first time they crossed swords, both sides had no enmity so they went easy on each other. But now that he already knew their secrets and they believed that he and Golden Snake Warrior had a considerable relationship, this sort of people could use any secret and malicious methods. If he wasn’t careful, a terrible tragedy would immediately occur. But he had no desire to be their murderer, so momentarily he couldn’t help but be rather hesitant. Wen Fangyi shouted, “What, you don’t dare? Obediently kowtow three times to grandpas and we’ll let you go.” Wen Fangshi said gloomily, “At this time kowtowing won’t do.” Yuan Chengzhi thought, “I need to calm down and properly think of the best solution.” It was his first time coming out of a thatched cottage and his experience was very shallow. He didn’t seem like an experienced person in Jianghu, so as soon as he encountered a difficult problem, he would immediately need to come up with a plan. Consequently he said in a clear voice, “Since the Wen’s Five Elements Formation is formidable and matchless, I would actually like to try it out. However I am currently very exhausted, so can you let me rest for two hours?” Wen Fangyi said casually, “Two hours is two hours, but even if you stall for ten days or half a month you won’t be able to escape.” Wen Fangshan said in a low voice, “This young fellow had better not use some crafty scheme. Let’s kill him immediately.” Wen Fangda said, “Second brother has already promised him, so just let him live for two more hours and let him die without complaint.” Wen Yi said worriedly, “Master Yuan, don’t be fooled, their conduct has always been cruel; how could they have such good intentions and be willing to let you rest for another two hours? Over the past few years, they keep the treasure trove constantly in mind. They want to devise ways to harm you; they want to break off the tendons of your arms and legs and force you to help them find the treasure. Quickly leave together with Qingqing, the farther the better.” Wen Fangda heard her hit the mark on his own intention and his complexion became ashen. Coldly smiling, he said, “So the three of you want to leave, the farther the better? Humph, the reverse of my intention sounds rather pretty. The one named Yuan, go rest in the martial arts practice hall. Later when we fight, it’ll be more convenient for everyone.” Yuan Chengzhi said, “Fine!” He stood up. Wen Yi and her daughter, knowing that the Five Elements Formation was formidable, were anxious but unable to obstruct it. They had no choice but to follow him and leave the pavilion at the same time. Last edited by Xaari; 04-19-11 at 02:20 PM. devilz91 Cool. I wonder when someone will take up translation for this novel. 徐中銳 Originally Posted by Xaari These excerpts deserve to see the light of day, haha. And this novel does precede http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthre...bridged-Thread Well, foxs is committed (for the next 6 years perhaps) to translating something else... Any translators keen to tackle Sword Stained with Royal Blood for us ? spcnet.tv/forums/showthread.php/40544 « I know more than I can express in words, and the little I can express would not have been expressed, had I not known more. » — 弗拉基米爾·弗拉基米羅維奇·納博科夫 a_tumiwa up up.. who knows someone volunteer to translate this novel Patudo Originally Posted by a_tumiwa Given the faux-critical diatribes the last translating effort here attracted, I wouldn't hold my breath... Here I thought Patudo was going to volunteer ... Quick Navigation Wuxia Translations Top Silver Spear Cleansed in Blood - 碧血洗银枪 - Gu Long By kaister in forum Wuxia Translations Sword Stained With Royal Blood: Feats Compilation By PJ in forum Wuxia Fiction Question about Sword Stained With Royal Blood (2007) By jhudsui in forum Mainland China TV Series Song in Sword Stained with Royal Blood 2007 By dewyloony123 in forum Music Some questions about Sword Stained with Royal Blood By Allen D in forum Wuxia Fiction	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line788
__label__cc	0.739819	0.260181	Superstox The Superstox formula is Spedeworth's oldest. In fact it was this formula that Spedeworth was founded upon over 40 years ago. Like the organisation itself the cars have come a long way, although the very essence of the class remains. The Superstox car is a very fast, 2 litre Ford, purpose-built, single seater with full contact allowed, just to keep things interesting and to prevent any dawdling! Like most of the other oval track formulae, the fastest cars on the grid start at the back, so those bumpers are rarely out of action. Whilst contact is allowed, the formula is not banger racing of any sort so a high degree of dexterity is required by the driver intent on winning, without a big accident occurring, which occurs occasionally, of course! The first World Championship was held at Ipswich (Foxhall Heath Stadium) in 1961, although the formula in those days was known as F2. That race was won by Jan Scott with the 40th Anniversary race won by Mark Eaton in 2001. This is always a formula worth watching! Superstox.co.uk Visit Superstox on Facebook	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line789
__label__cc	0.681253	0.318747	Biggest Things Happening in Table Tennis Here are the biggest things happening in U.S. table tennis right now. (I'm toying with putting in sandpaper table tennis, with all the new money events they are offering. I may feature them in an upcoming blog.) The rise of full-time training centers. They are all over the place now. Ten years ago there were about ten. Now there are well over fifty, with more popping up regularly. The result is by far the strongest group of cadet players in our history. The depth of the competition these days is just mind-boggling. Now if we can just get them to continue training when they reach college age.... Influx of top Chinese players and coaches. This dramatically raises the level of play in the U.S., as our up-and-coming players get coaching, practice, and compete with these top players and coaches. My club, MDTTC, has Cheng Yinghua, Jack Huang, Jeffrey Zeng Xun (currently out of the country, but returning full-time in June), Wang Qing Liang, Chen Bo Wen ("Bowen"), and our two newest, Chen Jie ("James") and Zhang Liang Bojun ("Brian"). This list doesn't include local Chinese players, only ones who came from China to coach and be practice partners at MDTTC. Clubs in New York, California, and other regions similarly rely on these Chinese coaches and players, and is one of the driving forces for the rise of full-time training centers. Spin NY, LA, Milwaukee, Toronto. These bring a lot of publicity to the sport. By themselves, I don't think they'll make the sport big, but by keeping us on the media radar, they could help a lot when the time comes. Strong team leagues in the SF, LA, and NY regions. This is long-term, since it'll take time for this type of thing to grow and expand in each region, as it did in Europe. MDTTC takes part in the NY league, and of course runs its own singles leagues. We plan a new junior team league starting this fall. Publication of Table Tennis Tactics for Thinkers. Duh!!! Reminder! Tomorrow (Friday) at 7PM I will be doing a book signing at the Maryland Table Tennis Center, in Germantown, MD, USA. I will be selling and signing four of my books - hope to see you there! All books will cost $15, with a Special - buy the Tactics book, get a copy of the Tales & Techniques book for only $5! Here's the info flyer. Below are the books - later I hope to go back to selling Steps to Success and Tales & Techniques online. Table Tennis Tactics for Thinkers Table Tennis: Steps to Success Table Tennis Tales & Techniques Pings and Pongs Table Tennis part of 2014 Youth Olympics Here's the article. The event will be held in Nanjing, China, Aug. 17-28, 2014. Wang Hao vs Fan Zhendong Here's a video (4:44) of these two at the Chinese World Team Trials, with time between points removed. Judah Friedlander on a Ping-Pong Paddle and NBC Sports Here he is, Judah Friedlander (from 30 Rock and stand-up comedian), looking like he's just faced one of Ma Lin's ghost serves. The other paddle shown, "How to Beat Up Anybody," comes from Judah's book. And here's Judah on NBC Sports (2:34) giving a table tennis lesson to anchors Michelle Beadle and Dave Briggs. Since I've given Judah several lessons, that sort of puts me on NBC Sports, right? Table Tennis Meme Here's a great table tennis meme: "What society thinks I do ... What my friends think I do ... What Asians think I do ... What Americans think I do ... What I think I do ... What I really do." Non-Table Tennis - Orioles Top Ten List My article entitled "Top Ten Reasons Brian Roberts Will Have a Monster Season" was the cover story at Orioles Hangout for much of the last two days. Here's the direct link. Send us your own coaching news! 2014 Youth Olympics Biggest Things Happening Chinese Players Fan Zhendong Full-time Centers Orioles Top Ten List TT Meme	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line793
__label__cc	0.609019	0.390981	Fantastic Four: Unthinkable By Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo, Casey Jones, Paul Mounts, Chris Eliopoulus, Rus Wooton, and Paolo Rivera Published by Marvel; $17.99 US/$29.00 CAN Collects Fantastic Four #67-#70, #500-#502 I had mixed feelings about picking up Unthinkable. I started my floppy-fast shortly after the Waid/Wieringo run began, the return of Doctor Doom enjoyed some nice buzz when it came out in single issues, and so initially I was looking forward to the trade. The fact that the trade quickly disappeared from the relatively comprehensive Marvel/DC graphic novel shelves at my local comic shop and – at least whenever I’ve remembered to check – has since failed to reappear, further convinced me it was worth tracking down. But then I managed to get a copy of Rising Storm – the trade collecting the final Waid/Wieringo FF issues – and was pretty under-whelmed. Unthinkable manages to live up to its name in more ways than one, not the least of which being that it’s the only collection of issues from the FF’s home title that I now consider essential to my collection. The first chapter is perhaps the most impressive, following Doctor Doom – sans armor or any other technological enhancements, save a simple metal mask covering his face – through a Georgia tourist trap as he hops from one fortune teller to the next in search of his wayward lover, Valeria. The story ends with a grisly and wonderfully executed surprise, made that much more effective by Waid’s ability to humanize Doom (I’d imagine his past work on Empire served him well while working on Unthinkable). Even though I’ve never been a big FF fan, I’ve always had a soft spot for Doom (it was the only thing that made me regret trading off the largely disappointing Essential Super-Villain Team-Up a few weeks ago), and Waid handles him just the way I like him: quietly menacing at times, while occasionally belting out the traditional, booming decrees and threats that should always end with “I AM DOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The second chapter opens with the same relatively light-hearted tone the Waid/Wieringo run presented its reader before Unthinkable, with Ben and Johnny locked in their constant war of practical jokes, and it almost feels like the entire pre-Unthinkable run was so light just to knock readers off-balance once Doom came back to the playground. I can’t claim to be an avid FF reader, but I’ve seen good chunks of the book, and I’ve never seen it get as dark as it does in this collection. The characters endure the kind of violent torture that’s only a few drops of blood away from your average mature readers superhero series, and while I’ve yet to test it by reading subsequent trades, by the end of the story it feels like the emotional aftershocks will keep coming. In particular, Franklin goes to the kind of dark place you always imagine he would “really” go to, but never has. I’ve never felt it was overly important to give readers of a superhero comic book a story that shows what would “really” happen (because, duh, radiation doesn’t “really” give you super powers, it “really” makes you bleed out of every hole in your body and die), but Franklin’s always pushed the limits of my patience with the kind of it’s-just-a-comic-book mentality I’ve assumed to excuse what would be unacceptable in another fictional medium. It’s always bothered me that with all Franklin’s been through he’s never suffered anything close to the kind of trauma any child would experience from events not nearly as bizarre and devastating as he’s witnessed. Like I said before, I haven’t read tons of FF, but just off the top of my head I can think of stories like Onslaught and Heroes Reborn: The Return in which Franklin was put in a position that would drive any kid his age completely bugfuck. In Unthinkable, we finally see Franklin suffer the chilling after-effects of his parent’s lifestyle. We never know exactly what Franklin endures while under the care of the demons who lend Doom his magical might, but Waid uses a wonderful device in the penultimate chapter of the trade – involving a discussion between Reed, Sue, and Franklin’s therapist – to be non-specific enough to keep the book kid-friendly, while planting seeds in the darker adult minds. My only complaint with this aspect of the story is that, while it’s made clear that Frankin’s trauma lasts until after Unthinkable, there’s a specific symptom of his trauma that’s “cured” by a speech from Ben, and it comes off as just a little too easy. While I hate giving away well-executed jokes in my reviews, I’m finding it difficult to not produce what is now one of my favorite lines ever in a superhero comic book. It actually made me laugh out loud, which is rare, even with books that are genuinely hilarious cover-to-cover. I won’t reveal the context, but I think the line all on its own is enough: “This had better not involve Davy Crockett again. You’ve already given that man too much trouble.” I don’t know why, that just killed me. Overall, a surprisingly great read. Almost all the FF stories that have ever managed to capture my interest have been mini-series like Big in Japan and Unstable Molecules. Unthinkable is a welcome exception. Posted by Mick Martin at 1:02 PM Labels: Graphic Novel/Comic Book Reviews I really liked this storyline, but have to call shenanigans on one thing. DO NOT READ THIS SPOILER IF YOU ARE GOING TO READ THIS STORY IN THE FUTURE. SPOILER IS HERE! OK...that should clear out anyone who doesn't want their nerd-inity deflowered. DOCTOR STRANGE giving Reed a crash course in magic was COOL, UNTIL he made it seem as if ANYONE could do it in "3 EZ STEPS". And that "I know nothing, and thusly am empowered" mystic ray-gun was LAME! Cool to see Reed finally admit he knows nothing about something, but to have it be a way to defeat Doom like that was Capital "W" - Wrong. Aaaand we're Back OK. To anyone who didn't read that SPOILER, we can now go back to the program - already in progress. So THAT's why Reed should NEVER chew or swallow gum. It's cannibalistic. ~P~ P-TOR Mick Martin said... Yeah, I don't think I can disagree with that. I liked Unthinkable as a whole but yeah, that, er, gum-chewing, was pretty lame. It would've been better if Waid had more issues for the story and could've come up with something a little bit better than, gum. Mick Martin Mick Martin is a writer living in Watervliet, New York. Band Name Ideas Graphic Novels/Comic Books Parking Paralysis Shut Up and Take My Money Single Issue Voter Mick and the Book (a blog that focuses on writing and reading) Trouble With Comics (a group comics blog of which I am a small part) Contact Mick Martin: Send me something digital, I might review it. Send me a hard copy of something, I will review it. E-mail Me for my snail mail. (Re)Viewed: James K. Moran's Blog Comics Reporter Comics Research & Such Trouble With Comics Friend Me/Follow Me/Stalk Me/Whatever Michileen's bookshelf: read More of Michileen's books » Cosmic Crisis (or, The Gods Must Hump Like Crazy) The Daily Burn is dead, long live Superheroes, etc... Doctor Mid-Nite Linkage - ADD interviews Brubaker/Leong bashes Wiz... Feeling particularly PC Review - The Incredible Hulk #97	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line799
__label__cc	0.626561	0.373439	Publications (complete list) Highlights from the year: Beware of the Filter Bubbles Conference / Digital Media Studies In my keynote to the Technology and Security NordSTEVA” Final Conference, I argued that to understand the current wave of online misinformation, it is crucial to shift the focus from the content and the truth-value of “fake news” to the characteristic of the infrastructures that encourage their proliferation. To do so, I proposed the concept of “junk news” or “trending bubbles” to define contents that attracts a large share of online attention but are incapable to sustaining it for a long time. I also discussed five infrastructural developments (in economy, technology, social organization, culture and politics) and the way in which that interact to produce the amplification and acceleration of media attention cycles. Download the slides of the presentation Drafting an atlas of artificial intelligence’s matters of reflection Highlight / Projects / Science and Technology Studies To facilitate the exploration of the issues and expertises mobilised by the Global Forum on Artificial Intelligence for Humanity, we have created an atlas of the recent scientific literature on AI for humanity. Starting from a query targeting both the societal implications of AI technologies and the use of AI in human and social sciences, we collected a corpus of more than 23 thousand bibliographic records corresponding to journal articles and conference proceedings published on these topics in the last five years. Using co-citation techniques and force-directed network layout, we created a base map of the relevant scientific literature and use it to locate the keywords, subject areas and institutions appearing in our bibliographic corpus. The results of this work revealed the great diversity of matters of reflections to be addressed during the Forum (and by the International Panel on AI that it prefigures), but also the seamless connection between technical questions related to advanced techniques of computation of robotics innovation and social and human implications of their implementation. See the atlas Bend it like Latour. Or to use Actor-Network Theory as a research method Conference / Science and Technology Studies Actor-Network Theory (ANT) has in recent years raised as the latest étoile of French sociology. But beyond his exotic treatment of non-human actors and his original mix of science and politics, who really knows how to actually do ANT? The very creators of this approach have repeatedly asserted the ‘negative’ nature of this approach and offered a long list of mistakes to avoid, but not much advice on how to do ANT in practice. In the seminar I gave at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, I discussed the ancestors of the ANT (ethnomethodology and semiotics) and the works of its best whizzes to distill some guidelines on how to put together a research worthy of the best Latour’s vintage. Download the slide of the presentation Machine learning as aquali-quantitative method: investigating the compositionof the IPCC Bureau Conference / Digital Methods A presentation I gave at the University of Hamburg on a new research project (with Kari De Pryck and Tobias Blanke), which aims at repurposing advanced techniques of machine learning and artificial intelligence as a quali-quantitative method to investigate organisational elites and in particular the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. What do we see when we look at networks Digital Methods / Highlight / Publications It is an increasingly common practice in several natural and social sciences to rely on network visualisations both as heuristic tools to get a first overview of relational datasets and as a way to offer an illustration of network analysis findings. Such practice has been around long enough to prove that scholars find it useful to project networks on a space and to observe their visual appearance as a proxy for their topological features. Yet this practice remains largely based on intuition and no investigation has been carried out on to render explicit the foundations and limits of this type of exploration. This paper provides such analysis, by conceptually and mathematically deconstructing the functioning of force-directed layouts and by providing a step-by-step guidance on how to make networks readable and interpret their visual features. What do we see when we look at networks an introduction to visual network analysis and force-directed layouts. Tommaso Venturini, Mathieu Jacomy, Pablo Jensen Read the paper in Arxiv VOSON Lab Fellow Digital Media Studies / Digital Methods / Projects During my visiting at the Australian National University in Canberra, I’ve been invited to join the VOSON Lab. An opportunity which of course I’ve gladly accepted! The Virtual Observatory for the Study of Online Networks (VOSON) Lab is located in the Research School of Social Sciences at The Australian National University. We are advancing the Social Science of the Internet through an innovative program of research, research tool development, teaching & research training. We use various terms to describe what we do: web science, network science, computational social science, big data analytics, e-research. The VOSON Lab was formally established in 2005 with an Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative grant. We have been researching online networks since before the era of Facebook and Twitter, and our research has been funded by several ARC grants. See the lab website Political Anthropological Research on International Social Sciences (PARISS) Highlight / Publications / Science and Technology Studies / Sociology of modernization I’ve recently be asked to be part of the editorial board of the newly founded journal “Political, Anthropological Research on International Social Sciences” (P.A.R.I.S.S.). The journal aims to encourage scholars to write across disciplines, academic cultures and writing styles in order to open up orthodox conventions based on assumptions about what proper scholarship should do. Similar to questions of nature that cannot be neatly separated into categories of chemistry, biology or physics, we believe that the social sciences require transversal sites for thought and practice. P.A.R.I.S.S. is such a site. Our journal constitutes a step towards transversality and de-disciplinarization, bringing together multiple disciplines in an effort to transcend them. See the homepage of the journal Expert hearing on disinformation and ‘junk news’ Conference / Digital Media Studies / Highlight I have been invited to intervene as expert on junk news and online misinformation at the 140th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union (Doha, 09/04/19). Read the answers I gave during my hearing DOOM (systems-theory for the Disorders Of Online Media) project Digital Media Studies / Highlight / Projects The project DOOM (systems-theory for the Disorders Of Online Media), which I will be co-leading with Paolo Frasca, has been selected for funding by the CNRS interdisciplinary call for project 80\|PRIME. The project includes a scholarship for one PhD student. Get in touch if interested. Project abstract: Online social media have a key role in contemporary society and the debates that take place on them are known to shape political and societal trends. For this reason, pathological phenomena like the formation of “filter bubbles” and the viral propagation of “fake news” are observed with concern. The scientific assumption of this proposal is that these information disorders are direct consequences of the inherent nature of these communication media, and more specifically of the collective dynamics of attention thereby. In order to capture these dynamics, this proposal advocates the mathematical modelling of the interplay between the medium (algorithmic component) and the users (human component). The resulting dynamics shall be explored by a system-theoretic approach, using notions such as feedback and stability. Download the project document From Fake News to Online Attention Hyper-Synchronization In the seminar I gave to ANU Sociology School, I’ve discussed the proliferation of junk news in online discussion arenas and to shift the focus from the content of this news to the way in which digital infrastructures amplify and accelerate media attention cycles and degrade the quality of public debate. I’ve considered the troubles of the contemporary media system from five different viewpoints (economic, technological, social, cultural and political) and conceptualise them as a metabolic rather than infective disorders. Writing with Data Workshop Digital Methods / Teaching This workshop, which I’ve taught at the University of Amsterdam and at the Australian National University, is meant to provide a collective and hands-on reflection on the techniques of academic writing, with a specific focus on writing for the social sciences. It is explicitly inspired by the “writing workshops” organised by Howard Becker in Chicago and Bruno Latour in Paris, but adapts such model to the writing of essays that are based on the analysis of data. The workshop considers all types of writing (visual as well as textual) and explores their role not only in the presentation of findings but also in the staging of the research protocol. Writing with data is the art (or rather the artisanship) of crafting coherence between the conceptualisation, the operationalisation and the presentation of a scientific research. Read the workshop’s presentation Visiting at Australia National University Digital Media Studies / Digital Methods / Highlight From January to March 2019, I have been visiting research at the School of Sociology at the Australian National University in Canberra, thanks to a scholarship of the College of Arts & Social Sciences. During my visit I have organised three sessions of my “Writing with Data Workshop” and I have worked with professors Robert Ackland and Adrian Mackenzie. Together, we organised a data sprint on online attention dynamics, where we concentrated in particular on data extracted from Reddit. Download the slides of the introductory presentation and of the results of my group “API-based research” or how can digital sociology and digital journalism studies learn from the Cambridge Analytica affair Digital Media Studies / Digital Methods / Highlight / Publications This paper draws on the Cambridge Analytica scandal to discuss the future of API-based research and the importance to develop more solid and diverse digital fieldwork practice. API-based research is an approach to computational social sciences and digital sociology based on the extraction of records from the datasets made available by online platforms through their application programming interfaces (or APIs). This type of research has allowed the collection of detailed information on large populations, thereby effectively challenging the distinction between qualitative and quantitative methods. Lately, access to this source of data has been significantly reduced after a series of scandals connected to the use of personal information collected through online platforms. The closure of APIs, however, can have positive effects, if it encourages researchers to reduce their dependence on mainstream platforms and explore new sources and ways to collect records on online interactions that are closer to the digital fieldwork. Venturini, Tommaso, and Richard Rogers. 2019. “‘API-Based Research’ or How Can Digital Sociology and Digital Journalism Studies Learn from the Cambridge Analytica Affair.” Digital Journalism, Forthcoming. Download the preprint Junk News Podcast I’ve recently been interviewed by Mathilde Simon for “Reset” the Podcast of the Fondation Internet Nouvelle Génération. During the interview (in French), I’ve discussed why “fake news” is a terrible label for the current wave of misinformation and why junk news has become so popular online. From Fake to Junk News, the Data Politics of Online Virality Digital Media Studies / Highlight / Publications ‘Fake news’ is a key subject of data politics, but also a tricky a one. As this chapter aims to show, various phenomena signified by this misleading label have little in common, except being opposite to the kind of algorithmic intelligence that most other chapters present as the main concern of data politics. This does not mean that ‘fake news’ is not related to computational analytics or political intentions, but it does mean that this relation is not straightforward. To discuss this relation, I will go through a three-stage argument. First, I will criticise the notion of ‘fake news’, dismissing the idea that this type of misinformation can be defined by its relationship to truth. Second, I will propose a different definition of this phenomenon based on its circulation rather than of its contents. Third, I will reintroduce the connection to data politics, by describing the economic, communicational, technological, cultural and political dimensions of junk news. Venturini, T. (2019). From Fake to Junk News, the Data Politics of Online Virality. In D. Bigo, E. Isin, & E. Ruppert (Eds.), Data Politics: Worlds, Subjects, Rights. London: Routledge (forthcoming). Download the chapter The Web and its Publics Conference / Digital Media Studies / Sociology of modernization In the talk, I discuss the social and political consequences of the organization of digital media. I consider the limits of a simplistic reading of the power-law distribution of online visibility and the hopes raised by the thematic clustering and the dynamism of the Web. I also touch on the risks that these dynamics entail exploring five series of causes (in economy, media, technology, culture and politics ) which encourage the recent proliferation of ‘junk news’ (see the post “From Fake to Junk News, the Data Politics of Online Virality” for a text detailing these causes). The Jazz Network For an upcoming article that I am preparing on Visual Network Analysis with Mathieu Jacomy and Pablo Jensen, I’ve created a testbed network of the actors of the jazz scene. Download the zipped .gexf of the network Read how it has been generated and analysed Ator-rede versus Análise de Redes versus Redes Digitais: falamos das mesmas redes? Digital Methods / Publications Venturini, Tommaso, Anders Munk, Mathieu Jacomy, Tommaso Venturini, Anders Munk, and Mathieu Jacomy. 2018. “Ator-Rede versus Análise de Redes versus Redes Digitais: Falamos Das Mesmas Redes?” Galáxia (São Paulo), no. 38: 5–27. doi:10.1590/1982-2554236645. The Portuguese translation of my paper “Actor-Network VS Network Analysis VS Digital Networks Are We Talking About the Same Networks?” Teaching Infrastructures Breachingthrough Data journalismand Data Activism Conference / Digital Methods / Teaching Conference of the European Association of Studies of Science and Technology, 25-28 July, Lancaster UK Far from being neutral, data generate political effects at every stage of their production, cleaning, analysis and presentation. Such effects are sometimes manifest, for example in the use of demographic statistics for the justification of public governance, and sometimes, subtler for example in the way we classify knowledge in our libraries. While the bias of the data is easy to proclaim, it is more difficult to observe and even more to teach. Information systems hide their political attachments, not necessarily maliciously, but simply because such opacity makes them more efficient in their tasks of knowledge management. It would be impossible to search a piece of information on the Web if, every time, we had to discuss Google’s business model or to wonder why its algorithms privilege some results. Yet, data infrastructures have fundamentals political consequences that must be part of any curriculum related to digital technologies. Data activism arises precisely from the desire to expose the power asymmetries inherent to information systems. It seeks to promote access to data; to investigate the conditions of their production; to explain the constraints they generate; to propose alternative ways of redistributing their social consequences. Precisely because it raises awareness about the political dimension of digital technologies, the practice of data activism can be beneficial to make students sensitive to the effects of the sociotechnical infrastructures. In this contribution we discuss the benefits and the difficulties of teaching data activism and data journalism drawing on the experience of a course at ENS Lyon France and at King’s College London. The Expert Network (presentation for EASST 2018) The IPCC is a fascinating institutional puzzle. Despite its gruelling mission (maintaining a dialogue on climate change between the academic community and world governments), the IPCC have prospered for three decades and five assessment cycles. In thirty years, the organisation has thrived under all respects: and established itself as the interface between scientific research and diplomatic negotiations. Most amazingly, such expansion has not been accompanied by an institutional hardening of its organisation. The IPCC remains “network organisation” with no permanent organs and no lifelong employees (apart from a small Secretariat). Rather than on a professional bureaucracy, the IPCC has based its success on a vast and complex system of practices and procedures that facilitate the net-work of its contributors. To shed lights on this network architecture, we build a database containing the names, the roles, the national and institutional affiliations of all the individuals who have contributed to the IPCC. In this presentation, we discuss a few preliminary and exploratory visualisations extracted from the analysis of such dataset. Confessions ofa Fake News Scholar Conference / Digital Media Studies / Digital Methods / Highlight / Publications Tommaso Venturini (2018). Confession of a Fake News Scholar (or “on to study popular subject). 68th Annual Conference – International Communication Association, Prague, 24-28 May 2018 Should we talk about “fake news”? According to several observers, we shouldn’t as this notion is vague, politically dangerous; indistinguishable from past misinformation; charged with a simplistic idea of truth, and missing the most important feature of the phenomenon it defines. Such feature is not deceptiveness, but virality – the capacity to pollute media public debate by spreading and transforming. But if virality is the defining features of fake news, then isn’t their critique another way of propagating the infection? Yes and no. Yes, if we stop at the critique. No, if we exploit it to encourage a media inquiry. Because of its simplicity, exaggeration, diffusion, rapid reproduction and mutation, fake news may be the drosophila of media studies. Download the full paper Download the slides of my presentation Japanese translation of the Field Guide to ‘Fake News’ Digital Media Studies / Digital Methods / Publications The Public Data Lab and myself are delighted to see the Japanese translation of the Field Guide to ‘Fake News’ and Other Information Disorders”. Through its various recipes we hope to inspire investigations and experiments not only around misleading content, but also the platforms, infrastructures and algorithms through which they are shared, quantified, monetised and through which they gain their viral character. Recent events serve as a reminder that this remains a vital area for research, reporting, public debate and public policy – and we look forward to seeing how the guide is used in Japan. Download the Field Guide in Japanese A Reality Check(-list) for Digital Methods Venturini, T., Bounegru, L., Gray, J., & Rogers, R. (2018). A reality check(list) for digital methods. New Media & Society, (forthcoming), doi.org/10.1177/1461444818769236 Digital Methods can be defined as the repurposing of the inscriptions generated by digital media for the study of collective phenomena. The strength of these methods comes from their capacity to take advantage of the data and computational capacities of online platforms; their weakness comes from the difficulty to separate the phenomena that they investigate from the features of the media in which they manifest (‘the medium is the message’, according to McLuhan’s 1964 dictum). In this article, we discuss various methodological difficulties deriving from the lack of separation between medium and message and propose eight practical precautions to deal with it. Read the article online Ploughing Digital Landscapes: How Facebook Influences the Evolution of Live Video Streaming Rein, K. & Tommaso Venturini. (2018). Ploughing Digital Landscapes: How Facebook Influences the Evolution of Live Video Streaming. New Media & Society Forthcoming. doi:10.1177/1461444817748954. In this article, we discuss Facebook’s strategy to influence the development of a new communication format known as live video streaming. We take this case study as an example of the ways in which Web platforms operate to harness media innovations and their social uses. The case of Facebook Live illustrates exemplary how, far from developing spontaneously, media landscapes are actively shaped by the technological and financial initiatives of their more influential players. In this article, we describe how Facebook’s technical infrastructure and partnership scheme influence the editorial organisation as well as the storytelling of live video streaming. A Field Guide to Fake News Today sees the launch of A Field Guide to “Fake News and Other Information Disorders, a new free and open access resource to help students, journalists and researchers investigate misleading content, memes, trolling and other phenomena associated with recent debates around “fake news”. The field guide responds to an increasing demand for understanding the interplay between digital platforms, misleading information, propaganda and viral content practices, and their influence on politics and public life in democratic societies. It contains methods and recipes for tracing trolling practices, the publics and modes of circulation of viral news and memes online, and the commercial underpinnings of this content. The guide aims to be an accessible learning resource for digitally-savvy students, journalists and researchers interested in this topic. Download the field guide Read an article presenting the project and its first results Read an article using the methods of the guide on BuzzFeed News Data Activism course @ ENS Lyon This course I have taught, with Axel Meunier, at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyon intends to train students in the politics of information through a data activism project – the actual intervention in a public debate through the mobilization of digital data and the collaboration with the actors engaged in this field Far from being neutral, the data generate political effects at every stage of their production, cleaning, analysis and presentation. But while the bias of the data is easy to proclaim, it is more difficult to observe. Information systems hide their political attachments, not necessarily maliciously, but simply because this allows them to be more efficient in their tasks of knowledge and coordination. It would be impossible to search a page on the Web if we had to discuss every time the business model of Google or wonder why his algorithms privilege some results rather than others. Yet, data infrastructures have the fundamentals political consequences that digital scholars cannot ignore. Data activism arises precisely from the desire to expose (and if possible re-balance) the power asymmetries inherent to information systems. It seeks to promote access to data; to investigate the conditions of their production; to explain the constraints they generate; propose alternative ways of redistributing their social consequences. See the official website of the course See the online log of our work Doing Networks Other than with Mathematics On the October 27th 2017, I was invited to give the keynote lecture for the Digital Humanities Day of the University of Groningen. Here is the abstract of my talk: Networks are, no doubt, powerful mathematical objects. But there is more to networks then the properties of their adjacency matrix. Networks are also rich visual diagrams and engaging narrative devices. In this keynote, we will discuss these often-neglected properties and we will propose a few practical ways to explore network visually and to elicit the stories that they contain. See the slides of my presentation Public Data Lab Digital Methods / Highlight / Projects I am very proud to introduce the new research network I have recently co-founded with friends and colleagues from all over Europe: The Public Data Lab (publicdatalab.org) is a network of European researchers working on digital data and public interventions. It seeks to facilitate research, engagement and debate around the future of the data society. We work in collaboration with researchers, practitioners, journalists, civil society groups, designers, developers and public institutions across the world. Our approach characterised by: Intervention around social, political, economic and ecological issues; Participation through involving different publics in the co-design of our work; Artisanship in advancing the craft of developing data projects and experiences; Openness in sharing our research, data and code for all to use. See our website Hors champs: la multipositionnalité par l’analyse des réseaux Venturini, T., Jacomy, M., Baneyx, A., & Girard, P. (2016). Hors champs: la multipositionnalité par l’analyse des réseaux. Réseaux, 199(5), 11–42. http://doi.org/10.3917/res.199.0011 This article is based on a research by Luc Boltanski on professor of the Institut des Étude Politique of Paris. In this research, Boltanski relies on a table to represent different social fields and to show that the French elite and elites in general are characterized above all by its multipositionality – that is to say by the tendency of its members to occupy several positions in several fields. By replacing Boltanski’s table with a network of individuals and institutions, we will discuss the features and the benefits of a heterogeneous network sociology. The Fish Tank Complex of Social Modelling Venturini, T. (2018). The Fish Tank Complex of Social Modelling. In M. Nagatsu & A. Ruzzene (Eds.), Frontiers of Social Science: A Philosophical Reflection. New York: Bloomsbury (forthcoming). In the BBC documentary The Blue Planet, the British naturalist David Attenborough narrates marine life commenting on the ‘time-lapsed’ images of a tropical reef. The images are beautiful and surprising. Played at accelerated speed, the sequences reveal corals for what they are: not minerals or plants, but animals who grow, crawl, hunt and fight to survive. The effect is startling: the change of tempo shatters the relation between the action and its scenery. While the expected actors disappeared (as the fishes of the reef), the theater wings suddenly come alive and take the center of the stage. A similar effect, I hold, can be experienced in social phenomena by abandoning the spatial metaphors we traditionally use to understand them. I refer here to the classic micro/macro distinction, which not only distinguish actors from structures, but also picture them as nested levels, with actors moving through structures as trains travelling through railways. To be sure, most social theories admit relations between the two levels. Yet, relation does not question separation and our imagination remains trapped in a sort of ‘fish tank complex’ – a conceptual framing where social actors moves against a static background, like fishes in a plastic aquarium. Download the PDF of the article Visual Network Exploration for Data Journalists Venturini, T., Jacomy, M., Bounegru, L., & Gray, J. (2018). Visual Network Exploration for Data Journalists. In S. I. Eldridge & B. Franklin (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook to Developments in Digital Journalism Studies. Abingdon: Routledge. (forthcoming) Networks are classic but under-acknowledged figures of journalistic storytelling. Yet, journalists have so far made little use of the analytical resources offered by networks. To address this problem in this chapter we examine how “visual network exploration” may be brought to bear in the context of data journalism in order to explore, narrate and make sense of large and complex relational datasets. We borrow the more familiar vocabulary of geographical maps to show how key graphical variables such as position, size and hue can be used to interpret and characterise graph structures and properties. We illustrate this technique by taking as a starting point a recent example from journalism, namely a catalogue of French information sources compiled by Le Monde’s Decodex. We establish that good visual exploration of networks is an iterative process where practices to demarcate categories and territories are entangled and mutually constitutive. An unexpected journey: A few lessons from sciences Po médialab’s experience Venturini, T., Jacomy, M., Meunier, A., & Latour, B. (2017). An unexpected journey: A few lessons from sciences Po médialab’s experience. Big Data & Society, 4(2), 205395171772094. doi.org/10.1177/2053951717720949 In this article, we present a few lessons we have learnt during our experience at the Sciences Po médialab. These lessons concern three main aspects of the sociological work: the traces and data that we investigate; the methods with which we analyse them; and the social theory that we use to interpret our results. In all these aspects, the médialab journey brought us to overcome the oppositions that characterize social sciences (qualitative/quantitative, situation/aggregation, micro/macro, local/global) and to move in the direction of a more continuous sociology. Read the article online at Big Data and Society Fake News – Call for collaboration Controversy mapping / Digital Methods Pleased to announce a new project to create “A Field Guide to Fake News”, led by Liliana Bounegru, Jonathan Gray and myself. In the wake of concerns about the role of “fake news” in relation to the US elections, the project aims to catalyse collaborations between digital media researchers, data journalists and civil society groups. The guide will be the first project of the Public Data Lab – an interdisciplinary network seeking to facilitate research, democratic engagement and public debate around the future of the data society – in collaboration with the First Draft Coalition. If you’re interested in collaborating to the project, refer to the Call for Collaborators. From Analysis to Presentation Controversy mapping / Digital Methods / Highlight / Publications Boechat, Marina, and Tommaso Venturini. 2016. “From Analysis to Presentation: Information Visualization for Reifying Issues and Reenacting Insights in Visual Data Analysis.” Les Cahiers Du Numérique 4: 185–205. doi:10.3166/LCN.12.4.185-204. In this paper, we discuss the use of information visualization in digital sociology, (particularly in Controversy Mapping), and its role in outlining issues and objects of study through progressive insights. We believe the differences in visualizations between analysis and presentation are better understood as linked by a chain of transformations, rather than as two separate and stable levels of representation. We propose that, through such chain, two research movements are performed: the reification of issues, related to the construction of a stable consensus, and the reenaction of insights, that points to the role of visualizations as communication tools. We will illustrate such movements and effects by using a few examples of visualizations produced in the EMAPS research project. Read the preprint version of the paper A Data Journalism Hackathon at King’s College London On the 2nd of December, 2016, in collaboration with Open Knowledge International and the EU project SoBigData, the students of my Data Journalism Course (KCL Data Journalism Course) at King’s College, will have the chance to participate to a one-day hands-on data journalism workshop. During the workshop, they will work with data experts, journalists and activists from various civil society organisations to collect, analyse and visualise data on international taxation (taxjustice.net); clinical trials (opentrials.net); human rights violations (decoders.amnesty.org); natural resources extraction (resourcegovernance.org) Read more about the event INRIA Advanced Research Fellowship Starting from January 2017 and for three years, I will be the recipient of an advanced research fellowship of INRIA (the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation) and work on social modelling at the Institut des Systèmes Complexes Rhône-Alpes. Read my research project HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) Controversy Mapping, a Travel Companion HDR in media studies (CNU 71), defended and obtained on 26/09/2016 by Tommaso Venturini (under the Supervision of Pablo Jensen, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon) Jury: Richard Rogers, Dominique Pestre, Didier Bigo, Eric Fleury, Dominique Vinck Since my arrival at the médialab of Sciences Po, 6 years ago, my research path has not been straight. Following the projects that I led (EMAPS, MEDEA) and to which I have participated (MACOSPOL, Contropedia, SOURCE, DIME-SHS Web, Politiques de la Terre, AIME…), it has zigzagged through disciplines and traditions and brought me in contact with various epistemic communities, including STS; digital methods; complex network analysis; environmental politics; information design; media studies; natural language processing and more. In all these encounters, what interested me has been the chance to run experiments, test unusual mixes, try new approaches to the study of collective life. Orthodoxy and faultlessness, I confess, have never been my greatest preoccupations. Yet, my experiments have not been inconsistent. Traveling far lands, I did not just sightsee. I collected bits and pieces and stitched them together in an ensemble that starts to look (to me at least) more and more coherent. Such coherence, of course, is not straightforward. It is tentative, in progress and, too often, implicit. My HDR thesis provides a much-welcomed occasion to address such coherence explicitly and to do it through a comprehensive account of what Controversy Mapping is to me. It is CM that brought me to the médialab, it is the course I have been teaching the last 8 years and the approach that supported most of my projects. CM is also a method with a solid tradition and an upward trajectory, increasingly used around the world for teaching and research. Yet, CM still lacks its instruction manual – a text that would distill its unusual brew of STS reflections and digital developments. My HDR thesis is an effort in this direction. Sprinting with Data The presentation that I gave at the Symposium on “Evidence and the Politics of Policymaking” at the Institute for Policy Research of the University of Bath. 4S-EASST Conference Conference / Digital Methods / Science and Technology Studies This year (2016) I intervened at the 4S-EASST Conference with two different presentations: 1. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde IPCC and the Double Logic of International Expertise See the slides 2. Actor‐Network Theory VS Network Analysis VS Digital Networks Are We Talking About the Same Networks? Data Journalism at King’s College The syllabus of the Data Journalism course that I am teaching with Liliana Bounegru at King’s College London Download the syllabus Contrasting medium and genre on Wikipedia to open up Geoengineering Markusson, Nils, Tommaso Venturini, Andreas Kaltenbrunner, and David Laniado. 2016. “Contrasting Medium and Genre on Wikipedia to Open up Geoengineering.” Big Data & Society 3(2). An investigation of the place of geoengineering in public debate through the study of networks of Wikipedia pages. DMI Summer School 2016 Conference / Digital Methods / Sociology of modernization Dancing Together: the Fluidification of the Modern Mind The keynote presentation that I gave at the 2016 edition of the Amsterdam Digital Methods Initiative Summer School. The talk address the question of social modelling and proposed to replace the current ‘spatial approach’ (based on the divide in micro and macro levels) with a natively temporal approach. Hyphe, a Curation-Oriented Approach to Web Crawling Conference / Digital Methods / Publications Jacomy, Mathieu; Girard, Paul; Ooghe-Tabanou, Benjamin; Venturini, Tommaso (2016). Hyphe, a Curation-Oriented Approach to Web Crawling for the Social Sciences. International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media. A paper and a poster on the functioning of Hyphe, the Web crawler developed by the médialab, and the conceptual principles behind it. Download the poster Data-Sprint: a Public Approach to Digital Research Venturini, T., Munk, A., & Meunier, A. (2016). Data-Sprint: a Public Approach to Digital Research. (C. Lury, P. Clough, M. Michael, R. Fensham, S. Lammes, A. Last, & E. Uprichard, Eds.) Interdisciplinary Research Methods (forthcoming). This paper is about the politics of transdisciplinarity. Not in the sense of the research politics fostering collaboration across disciplines, but in the stronger sense of transcending disciplinary boundaries to make significant political contributions. In short: it is about the making research public. Also, this chapter is not theoretical: it discusses the role of social sciences in collective life, but only to introduce (through a concrete example) an original transdisciplinary practice, that we call data-sprinting. Read the pre-print version of the paper Narrating Networks: Exploring the Affordances of Networks as Storytelling Devices in Journalism Bounegru, L., Venturini, T., Gray, J., & Jacomy, M. (2016). Narrating Networks: Exploring the Affordances of Networks as Storytelling Devices in Journalism. Digital Journalism, (forthcoming). While the mathematical and analytical capabilities of networks have been extensively studied over the years, in this article we argue that the storytelling affordances of networks have been comparatively neglected. In order to address this we use multimodal analysis to examine the stories that networks evoke in a series of journalism articles. We discuss five different kinds of narrative readings of networks illustrated with analyses of examples from journalism. Read the pre-print version How to Tell Stories with Networks: Exploring the Narrative Affordances of Graphs with the Iliad Venturini, T., Bounegru, L., Jacomy, M., & Gray, J. (2016). How to Tell Stories with Networks: Exploring the Narrative Affordances of Graphs with the Iliad. In Datafied Society. Amsterdam: University Press (forthcoming). The preview of the pre-print version of a chapter for the Datafied Society book that I wrote with Liliana Bounegru, Mathieu Jacomy and Jonathan Gray. It use the network of the characters of Homer’s Iliad to exemplify six different types of stories that can be told about a graph. EMAPS wins the Etoiles d’Europe prize Controversy mapping / Digital Methods / Highlight / Projects Happy to announce that the project EMAPS has won the prize Etoiles d’Europe celebrating the best EU financed research project. See Climaps.eu the platform developed by EMAPS. Read an interview about the prize. Making climate negotiations public Digital Methods / Projects / Science and Technology Studies An article presenting the work that I have done with the OpenKnowledgeFoundation on the various versions of the UNFCCC COP21 agreement. Climate Negotiations Browser On the eve of the UNFCCC COP21, I am proud to introduce our new platform on climate negotiations, I have worked for more of one year to this platform with the help of the IISD, the médialab of Sciences Po, the LSIR EPFL and the Atelier Iceberg. The platform allows to browse through the contents of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and contains two interfaces: – The discover interface providing a few visualizations on the visibility of actors and issues of the UNFCCC negotiations – The explore interface allowing to ask complex questions such as: “give me all the ENB sections in which AOSIS discuss about Loss and Damage after Warsaw” More info here: http://www.medialab.sciences-po.fr/?p=3477 Contropedia, and the question of analytically separating the medium and the message Conference / Controversy mapping / Digital Methods My presentation of the Contropedia project at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, at the occasion of the award of the Erasmus prize to the Wikipedia Community See the slides of the presentation See the video of the lecture Detecting Global Bridges in Networks Jensen, P., Morini, M., Marton, K., Venturini, T., Vespignani, A., Jacomy, M., … Fleury, E. (2016). Detecting global bridges in networks. Network Science. The identification of nodes occupying important positions in a network structure is crucial for the understanding of the associated real-world system. Usually, betweenness centrality is used to evaluate a node capacity to connect different graph regions. However, we argue here that this measure is not adapted for that task, as it gives equal weight to “local” centers (i.e. nodes of high degree central to a single region) and to “global” bridges, which connect different communities. In this paper we propose a decomposition of betweenness centrality into two terms, one highlighting the local contributions and the other the global ones. We call the latter bridgeness centrality and show that it is capable to specifically spot out global bridges. O Todo é Sempre Menor que as Partes: um teste digital acerca das mônadas de Gabriel Tarde Latour, B., Jensen, P., Boullier, D., Grauwin, S., & Venturini, T. (2015). O Todo é Sempre Menor que as Partes: um teste digital acerca das mônadas de Gabriel Tarde. Parágrafo, 2(3). The Portuguese version of “The Whole is Always Smaller than the Sum of its Part” A Tale of Two Cities: Controversy Mapping and Issue Mapping (and any subtle differences) The presentation I gave at the Digital Methods Initiative Summer School for the launch of the book Issue Mapping for an Ageing Europe by Richard Rogers, Natalia Sanchez and Aleksandra Kil. Visual Network Analysis Venturini, T., Jacomy, M, De Carvalho Pereira, D. Visual Network Analysis (working paper) The visualization of networks has so far lacked of reflexivity and formalization. Though all network analysis packages propose rich libraries of visualization functions, most literature on networks analysis is still centered on mathematical metrics and does not detail how to read visualized network. We painfully lack the conceptual tools to think about the projection of graphs in the space. This paper means to contribute to such reflection and propose a tentative framework for the visual analysis of networks. To do so we will draw on the visual semiotics of Jacques Bertin (1967) and in particular on three of its variables: positions, size and hue. The papers is divided in three sections, each addressing one of the three variables. Each section will explain how to project one variable on networks and provide guidance on how to make sense of the resulting image. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A WORKING (NON-FINALIZED) PAPER Download the working paper Designing Controversies and their Publics Controversy mapping / Highlight / Publications Venturini, T., Ricci, D., Mauri, M., Kimbell, L., & Meunier, A. (2015). Designing Controversies and their Publics. Design Issues, 31(3) Striving to make the intricacy of scientific debate readable for a larger public, controversy mapping is trapped in a classic simplicity/complexity trade-off: how to respect the richness of controversies without designing maps too complicated to be useful? Having worked on the question for almost two years in a project bringing together social scientists and designers (emapsproject.com1), we can now propose a way out of this contradiction and suggest three ways of moving through the simplicity/complexity continuum. Dowload the preprint Watch a conference I gave on the topic at the University of Leuven Actor-Network VS Network Analysis VS Digital Networks Are We Talking About the Same Networks? Venturini, T., Munk, A., & Jacomy, M. (2016). Actor-Network VS Network Analysis VS Digital Networks Are We Talking About the Same Networks? In D. Ribes & J. Vertesi (Eds.), DigitalSTS: A Handbook and Fieldguide (forthcoming). A paper that I wrote with Anders Munk and Mathieu Jacomy for the forthcoming Handbook of Digital STS. It addresses the thorny question of the ambiguity of the word ‘network’ Read the working version of the paper Scientometrics Landscape A post I published on the blog of the Sciences Po médialab to present the technique of ‘scientometrics landscape’ that we are using to generate maps of the different meanings of CO2 for the ‘Politique de la Terre’ programme. In the last decades, a humble chemical molecule has become one of the most important actors of modern collective life. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is increasingly used as a key marker for politics and economics both at the national and international level. The molecule has thus assumed a variety of different meanings according to who use its name. Chemists, biologists, geologists, soil scientists, physicists, climatologists, they all have different CO2 definitions. And their definitions differ from those of the economists, geo-politicians and NGOs and probably even more from the different representations that public opinion may have of the molecule. Instead of trying to average these definitions, we have tried to make these definitions comparable, using advanced techniques in visual scientometrics to disaggregated the CO2 cycle and transform it into a series of ‘CO2 geo-political maps’. Read the post on the médialab website Societal Controversies in Wikipedia Articles Controversy mapping / Digital Methods / Publications Borra, E., Weltevrede, E., Ciuccarelli, P., Kaltenbrunner, A., Laniado, D., Magni, G., … Venturini, T. (2015). Societal Controversies in Wikipedia Articles. In Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems – CHI ’15 (pp. 193–196). doi:10.1145/2702123.2702436 Collaborative content creation inevitably reaches situations where different points of view lead to conflict. We focus on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia anyone may edit, where disputes about content in controversial articles often reflect larger societal debates. While Wikipedia has a public edit history and discussion section for every article, the substance of these sections is difficult to phantom for Wikipedia users interested in the development of an article and in locating which topics were most controversial. In this paper we present Contropedia, a tool that augments Wikipedia articles and gives insight into the development of controversial topics. Contropedia uses an efficient language agnostic measure based on the edit history that focuses on wiki links to easily identify which topics within a Wikipedia article have been most controversial and when. Fill in the Gap. A New Alliance for Social and Natural Sciences Venturini, T., Jensen, P., & Latour, B. (2015). Fill in the Gap: A New Alliance for Social and Natural Sciences. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 18(2), 11. In the last few years, electronic media brought a revolution in the traceability of social phenomena. As particles in a bubble chamber, social trajectories leave digital trails that can be analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of collective life. To make sense of these traces a renewed collaboration between social and natural scientists is needed. In this paper, we claim that current research strategies based on micro-macro models are unfit to unfold the complexity of collective existence and that the priority should instead be the development of new formal tools to exploit the richness of digital data. The paper has scored #1 in the most viewed JASSS articles for over 8 weeks! Read the paper in the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulations Medusa at the Hairdresser Conference / Science and Technology Studies / Sociology of modernization The conference I gave at the SPRU Freeman Friday Seminars at the University of Sussex on March 27 2015 (stirring quite a bit of controversy…). In the last few years, our societies have been confronted to a new kind of problems. Our planet – once so vast and unexplored – seems to have shrunk around us constraining our actions with its multiple ecological and economical fragilities. Welcome to the Anthropocene! After centuries spent in trying to rule the world, we suddenly realize how tiny is our kingdom and, as the air fill with CO2, how suffocating is its atmosphere. What’s worse, we find ourselves utterly unprepared to deal with the situation we have created. The more we strive to force the knots we tied, the more they seem to tighten around us. The knots that hold us cannot be slashed, but (and it’s our only hope) they might be untied. The fabric of our natural and social interdependencies is complex, but not impenetrable. And this is where social sciences may help, by hijacking one of the strongest forces of modernization (the proliferation of digital inscriptions) and turning it into a source of understanding. Turning inscriptions into traces, and following them as threads through the maze of collective life, we can try to unfold the complexity of our small world and learn to live with it. See the slides of the conference Understanding Climate Negotiations Controversies Conference / Controversy mapping / Science and Technology Studies A introduction to the twists and turns of the climate negotiations and to the datasets that can be used to cover them that I gave to a little crowd of data-journalists from several French news outlets. See the website of the event See the presentations of the project developed by the participants Méthodes digitales: Approches quali/quanti des données numériques Venturini, T., Cardon, D., & Cointet, J.-P. (2015). Méthodes digitales: Approches quali/quanti des données numériques – Présentation du numéro spécial. Réseaux, 188, 9. doi:10.3917/res.188.0009 The special issue on digital and quali-quantitative methods that I curated with Jean-Philippe Cointet et Dominique Cardon for the French journal Réseaux. Day after day new methods appear in the social sciences eroding the classical dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative approaches, circulating between micro and macro, local and global, and allowing researchers to process large amounts of data without sacrificing the thickness of their analysis. These are the experiences gathered in this issue, without exclusion of disciplines, objects or approaches. Read the introduction to the volume Read the papers of the special issue Climaps at Europeana 2015 Conference / Controversy mapping The presentation I gave of EMAPS and its online-atlas Climaps.eu at at Europeana 2015 (one of the largest tech conference in Digital Humanities). Keynote speech at the Digitale Praxen conference at Frankfurt University A keynote speech I delivered on 20/02/15 at the ‘Digital Practices’ conference organized by the group “digitization in everyday life” of the German Society of Folklore. In the speech, I discuss four misunderstandings often connected to use of digital traces: 1. Digital traces are not social data 2. Quantity counts less than variety 3. Digital does not mean automatic 4. More quantification demands more qualification I also try to show than when these misunderstandings are avoided, digital methods can renew the vision of social sciences and help them to overcome the classic divide between qualitative and quantitative methods. See the video What is a social border? On Continuity and Density in the Social Sciences A conference I gave at the Kings’s College doctoral school with Mathieu Jacomy on the notion of social border and the advantage of adding continuity in social research through digital navigation. Review of “An Aesthesia of Networks” by Anna Munster My review of the excellent book by Anna Muster and networks and their aesthetics. Big Data and Society (editorial board) An open access peer-reviewed scholarly journal on digital methods in the social sciences whose editorial board I sit in. Big Data and Society moves beyond usual notions of Big Data and treats it as an emerging field of practices that is not defined by but generative of (sometimes) novel data qualities such as high volume and granularity and complex analytics such as data linking and mining. It thus attends to digital content generated through online and offline practices in social, commercial, scientific, and government domains. This includes, for instance, content generated on the Internet through social media and search engines but also that which is generated in closed networks (commercial or government transactions) and open networks such as digital archives, open government and crowdsourced data. Critically, rather than settling on a definition the Journal makes this an object of interdisciplinary inquiries and debates explored through studies of a variety of topics and themes. BD&S seeks contributions that analyse Big Data practices and/or involve empirical engagements and experiments with innovative methods while also reflecting on the consequences for how societies are represented (epistemologies), realised (ontologies) and governed (politics). See the blog of the Journal Sciencescape Digital Methods / Science and Technology Studies A tool that I’ve been developing for a few years with Mathieu Jacomy (in fact he has done most of the actual developing). Sciencescape is a great little tool for performing simple scientometrics analysis from Scopus or Web of Science data. The last additions is the module ‘Referenscape’ that allows to extract heterogenous bibliometrics maps based on co-citations. Use the Scienscape Watch an how-to video Escaping the Great Divide A long conference and a workshop that I gave (with Paul Girard) at the University of Coimbra in the framework of the project “The Importance of Being Digital”. The theme of the conference was how digital methods help overcome several classic binary oppositions of traditional social sciences. See the web page of the workshop Politiques de la Terre – Politics of the Earth Controversy mapping / Projects / Science and Technology Studies / Sociology of modernization Since the industrial revolution, the Earth may have entered the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch in which humans would be the main actors of the planet changes. The term Anthropocene indicates a new phase in relations between a planet governed by physical and biological laws – the Earth system – and a set of human societies engaged in conflicting relations of domination governed by economic, social or political laws – the World system. But as this transformation requires rethinking the scales and the dynamics of collective action, it imposes rethink jointly the World and the Earth. Such is the general objective of the “Politics of the Earth” interdisciplinary program. See the project website Three Maps and Three Misunderstandings : A Digital Mapping of Climate Diplomacy Venturini, T., Baya-laffite, N., Cointet, J., Gray, I., Zabban, V., & De Pryck, K. (2014). Three Maps and Three Misunderstandings : A Digital Mapping of Climate Diplomacy. Big Data & Society, 1:1 This article proposes an original analysis of the international debate on climate change through the use of digital methods. Its originality is twofold. First, it examines a corpus of reports covering 18 years of international climate negotiations, a dataset never explored before through digital techniques. Second, in this paper we test an original approach to text analysis that combines automatic extractions and manual selection of the key issue-terms. The originality of our corpus and of our approach encouraged us to question some of the habits of digital research and confront three common misunderstandings about digital methods. Download the full text See the images at hi-resolution Ocean Fertilisation Controversy Controversy mapping / Teaching The best controversy atlas in my 2013/14 Controversy Mapping course. It presents the debate around Ocean Iron Fertilisation as a citizen conference: ForceAtlas2, a Continuous Graph Layout Algorithm for Handy Network Visualization Jacomy, M., Venturini, T., Heyman, S. & Bastian, M. (2014). ForceAtlas2, a Continuous Graph Layout Algorithm for Handy Network Visualization Designed for the Gephi Software. PlosONE, 9:6 Gephi is a network visualization software used in various disciplines (social network analysis, biology, genomics…). One of its key features is the ability to display the spatialization process, aiming at transforming the network into a map, and ForceAtlas2 is its default layout algorithm. We lay out its complete functioning for the users who need a precise understanding of its behaviour, from the formulas to graphic illustration of the result. We propose a benchmark for our compromise between performance and quality. We also explain why we integrated its various features and discuss our design choices. Read the article online in PlosONE La Fabrique de la Loi Digital Methods / Projects Unfortunately, I have been involved only indirectly in this project (so far). Yet a great example to showcase to illustrate what quali-quantitative methods and digital datascape navigation mean. The ‘recovered memories’ controversy One of the best video of my students in the Controversy Mapping Course in 2014 (in French however). The nk603 maize controversy Climaps by EMAPS, A Global Issue Atlas of Climate Change Adaptation Climaps.eu presents the results of the EU research project EMAPS, as well as its process: an experiment to use computation and visualization to harness the increasing availability of digital data and mobilize it for public debate. To do so, EMAPS gathered a team of social and data scientists, climate experts and information designers. It also reached out beyond the walls of Academia and engaged with the actors of the climate debate. Climaps.eu is an online atlas providing data, visualizations and commentaries about climate adaptation debate. It contains 33 issue-maps and 5 issue-stories guiding the users in the combined reading of several maps. The atlas is addressed to climate experts (negotiators, NGOs and companies concerned by global warming, journalists…) and to citizens willing to engage with the issues of climate adaptation. It employs advanced digital methods to deploy the complexity of the issues related to climate adaptation and information design to make this complexity legible. See the Climaps Online Atlas See the Summary for Policy Maker of the Project on the Social Sciences Research Network Intangible Cultural Heritage Webs: comparing national networks with digital methods Severo, M., & Venturini, T. (2013). Intangible Cultural Heritage: Webs Comparing national networks with digital methods. New Media and Society, (forthcoming), 1–20. doi:10.1177/1461444814567981 The 2003 Unesco Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is addressed to States and assigns them several tasks. No State, however, can accomplish all these tasks without mobilizing a wide network of institutions, associations and individuals. The national ICH policies intersect, overlap and often transform the existing relationships among these actors. This paper aims at comparing several national networks (France, Italy, Switzerland) involved in the implementation of the 2003 Unesco Convention in order to highlight national trends and specificities. The analysis will employ an innovative methodology based on digital methods and aimed at exploring the landscapes of websites dedicated to the intangible heritage. Analyzing the hyperlinking strategies of ICH actors, we will identify the specific web topology of each nation, showing which actors are central and peripheral, whether clusters or cliques are formed and who plays the roles of authority and hub. See the article in the journal website Cartografia de Controversias Conference / Controversy mapping / Teaching A week-long intensive course in controversy mapping that I gave at the Medialab of the Universitade Federale de Rio de Janeiro See the video of the introductory conference From Before the Cradle: mapping online debates on c-section and family planning A presentation that I gave at the AFSP (Association Française de Sciences Politiques) congress. The presentation describe and discuss a medium-size example of digital methods research: a digital cartography project on c-section and family planning that the médialab is carrying out for the World Health Organisation in collaboration with Density Design Milan. Contropedia (Controversy Mapping in Wikipedia) Funded by the Network of Excellence in Internet Science (EINS) in the call “Disruptive ideas for an Internet Science”, Contropedia aims to build a platform for the real-time analysis and visualization of controversies in Wikipedia. Controversy metrics will be extracted from the activity streams generated by edits to, and discussions about, individual articles and groups of related articles. In this project, I coordinate the médialab team and provide advice on the rational of controversy mapping. Watch a video presenting Contropedia Mapping Connections with Heatmaps A conference I gave at the Amsterdam Digital Methods Summer School. It presents Heatgraph a new tool of the médialab using the example of the article “Intangible Cultural Heritage Webs: comparing national networks with digital methods”. Use the tool Download the preprint of the article Controversy Mapping Syllabus Controversy mapping / Highlight The syllabus of the two controversy mapping course I will teach at Sciences Po PSIA (Paris School of International Affairs) SCUBE (double licence en sciences et sciences sociales) Does television reflect the evolution of scientific knowledge? Publications / Science and Technology Studies Bourdaa, M., Konsman, J. P., Secail, C., Venturini, T., Veyrat-Masson, I., & Gonon, F. (2013). Does television reflect the evolution of scientific knowledge? The case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder coverage on French television. Public Understanding of Science. doi:10.1177/0963662513484842 Biomedical findings mature from uncertain observations to validated facts. Although subsequent studies often refute initial appealing findings, newspapers privilege the latter and often fail to cover refutations. Thus, biomedical knowledge and media reporting may diverge with time. Here we investigated how French television reported on three scientific questions relative to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from 1995 to 2010. Project SOURCE The aim of the SOURCE project is to establish a virtual centre of excellence is to support, stimulate and coordinate European cross-border and cross-sector research on societal security and to integrate this research in the design and implementation of security measures throughout Europe. The centre will thus form the meeting place for and interface between societal and technological design and innovation, industry, and end-user application. The centre will assemble participants from all levels and segments of security research and implementation across Europe. In this project, I coordinate the activities of the médialab, which are meant to visualize the results of the research of the other partners and to provide a wide range cartography of the online and scientific discussion on security issues in Europe. See the description of the deliverables of the médialab Changing Focal Length An introduction to digital methods and their impacts on social sciences. I have been invited to give this conference at the Bibliothèque nationale de France during the seminar “Cartographies de l’invisible Art, réseau, big data” (18/04/13) ASP The Construction of Innovation Networks Digital Methods / Highlight / Science and Technology Studies / Teaching In 2012 and 2013, I have been responsible for organizing the module on Innovation Networks at the the Alta Scuola Politecnica gathering the 150 best students of the Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino. In a week-long intensive workshop, the students learn about Science and Technology Studies and Digital Methods perform the analysis of an innovation network. See one of the lessons that I have given at ASP Des Migrants et des Mots Venturini, T., Gemenne, F., & Severo, M. (2013). Des Migrants et des Mots. Une analyse numérique des débats médiatiques sur les migrations et l’environnement. Cultures & Conflits, 88(4). Though environmental degradations appear today as a major driver of migration flows, the debate about the definition of the relationship between environment and migration remains vivid. In public debates, many terms exist to qualify those who have to migrate because of environmental disruptions: this has lead to controversies surrounding the use of these different terms. This article attempts to document this controversy through a study of the different uses of these terms in public debates online. Course of Data Journalism In collaboration with the data journalist Nicolas Kayser-Brill, I have organize one week intensive course of data journalism for the students of the Ecole de Journalisme de Sciences Po. See the works of my students FORCCAST Controversy mapping / Highlight / Projects The FORCCAST (Formation à la Cartographie des Controverses pour l’Analise de Sciences et de Techniques) project is meant to develop and disseminate the teaching method of controversy mapping. The project has received a 8 years funding by the French Government and gathers a growing consortium of national and international universities. In the project FORCCAST, I am responsible for the coordination of the Axis 1, on the exploration of techno-scientific controversies. The Whole is Always Smaller Than Its Parts Latour, B., Jensen, P., Venturini, T., Grauwin, S., & Boullier, D. (2012). “The Whole is Always Smaller Than Its Parts” A Digital Test of Gabriel Tarde’s Monads. British Journal of Sociology, 63(4), 591–615. In this paper we argue that the new availability of digital data sets allows to revisit Gabriel Tarde’s social theory that entirely dispensed with using notions such as individual or society. By navigating datasets without making the distinction between the level of individual component and that of aggregated structure, it becomes possible to give some credibility to Tarde’s strange notion of ‘monads’. Télécharger le preprint en français Journal of Digital Social Sciences Whether scientific communities will benefit from digitalization depends largely on their capability to understand and profit from the dynamics of the web. As long as online journals will remain the mere transposition of their paper counterparts, their interest will be limited to practical advantages. Though important, such advantages are only the smallest part of the revolution that online scientific publishing may yield if it succeeds in harnessing the full potential of digital networks. For digitalization to be a real step forward, innovative forms of digital publishing should be envisioned. This proposal is meant to discuss new forms of scientific publication and to imagine what an online platform for the publishing of digital social sciences may look like. This conference has been given at the Just-In-Time Sociology workshop (EPFL Lausanne, 04/12/12). Watch the video of the conference Designing Controversies for the Public Conference / Controversy mapping / Highlight A conference on how to engage the publics of sociotechnical controversies in the effort of controversy mapping. I have been invited to give this conference at the 2012 4S conference on Science and Technology Studies (Copenhague – 18/10/12), at the ‘Tactics of Issue Mapping’ seminar of Goldsmith University (London – 26/10/12), at the Department of Media Studies of the University of Amsterdam (17/04/13) and at the Ecsite Conference on science centres and museums (Gothenburg – 08/06/13). Conference / Digital Methods / Highlight In the last few decades, networks acquired a new set of affordances and reached a larger audience, thanks to the growing availability of tools to design them. Drawn on paper or screen, networks become easier to handle and obtain properties that calculation cannot express. Far from being merely aesthetic, the graphical representation of networks has an intrinsic hermeneutic value. Networks become maps and can be read as such. Yet the visualization of networks has so far lacked of reflexivity and formalization. We designed and read networks as if their visual grammar was obvious, but the more we advance, the more we realize that this is not the case. This conference contributes to such reflection and proposes a tentative framework for the visual analysis of networks. I have been invited to give this conference as an introductory Paris ThatCamp of Digital Humanities (24/10/12) See an example of Visual Network Analysis Great expectations: méthodes quali-quantitative et analyse des réseaux sociaux Venturini, T. (2012). Great expectations: méthodes quali-quantitative et analyse des réseaux sociaux. In J.-P. Fourmentraux (ed.), L’Ère Post-Media. Humanités digitales et Cultures numériques (pp. 39–51). Hermann: Paris. This article discusses how digital traces can help social researchers to develop a new generation of quali-quantitative methods. It also introduces the computation, visualization and manipulation affordances of networks as graphs, maps and interfaces. Once Upon a Text: an ANT Tale in Text Analysis Venturini, T., & Guido, D. (2012). Once Upon a Text : an ANT Tale in Text Analysis. Sociologica, 3. doi:10.2383/72700 ANTA or Actor-‐Network Analyzer is a simple piece of software developed at Sciences Po médialab to offer social researchers a simple text-‐analysis tool attuned with the theoretical tenets of actor-‐network theory. Striving to make actor-‐network theory compatible with modern text-‐analysis, we have learned much about both. In this paper we’ll discuss our adventure in ANT and text-‐analysis while describing the basic functions of ANTA and providing examples of its usage. Download the pre-print Controversies Design Science and Technology Studies / Teaching Since 2010, I have been teaching Controversy Mapping and Science and Technology Studies (25h course) in the design workshop of Density Design at the University of the Politecnico of Milano. See the webpage of the course in 2010, 2011, 2012 See the videos produced by the students Controversy Mapping Controversy mapping / Highlight / Teaching Among other things, at Sciences Po I am responsible for coordinating and teaching the courses of Controversy Mapping. Controversy Mapping has been invented by Bruno Latour some twenty years ago as as a method to train students in the observation and description of sociotechnical debates. Since then, the method has evolved considerably and has been implemented by several universities all around the World (Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Manchester, Amsterdam, Liège, Lausanne, Padova, Trento, Buenos Aires…). See the archive of the best work of the students of the course DIME-SHS Web In the framework of the ‘equipment d’excellence’ DIME-SHS, I participate as scientific advisor to the development of a series of tools and methods to exploit web traces for the social sciences. See the project web-page Why We Love Networks A conference on the affordances of networks (as graphs, maps and interface) and their potential to exploit digital traces and provide the first example of what quali-quantitative methods for social sciences could be. I have been invited to give this lecture at the Ecole de Recherche Graphique de école supérieure des arts à Bruxelles (03/07/12) Watch the video of the conference at the ERG of Bruxelles Communicating Controversies Together with A. Lorenzet, I have organize a session on “Debating Environmental Controversies” at the Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference in Florence (18-20/04/12). In this session I gave a conference on the different types of communication of controversial issues. Each controversy is a word apart and its specificity deserves an ad hoc communication strategy. A few ‘controversies families’ can however be identified. In this presentation I present three different types of controversies and their correspondent communication approaches. To do so, I draw on the climate change controversies showing how they clusters around three questions generating three different types of controversies: is global warming occurring and are we responsible? How do we mitigate global warming effects? How do we adapt to global warming? An introductory controversy linking together controversy mapping and digital methods and explaining why the work well together. This conference has been given at the Sociology Department of the Copenhagen University (04/03/12) Second Degree Objectivity One of the most intriguing notions developed by Bruno Latour as a part of his ‘controversy mapping’ approach is the idea of second-degree objectivity. ‘Second-degree objectivity’ is an objectivity obtained by the multiplication of different viewpoints; an objectivity that comes from diversity rather than from uniformity; an impartiality that comes from exploring a multitude of partial bias, rather than abstracting from them. I have been invited to give this conference at the Visualizing Knowledge Controversies Symposium at the University of Oxford (21/01/12) and at the Social Sciences and Web2 workshop at La Cantine (Paris, 04/04/12). Welcome to Flatland (Against Emergence) A conference discussing the concept of ’emergence’ in social sciences and its connection to the methodological distinction between qualitative and quantitative research techniques. In the conference, I argue that digital traceability, providing the possibility to envision a new generation of truly quali-quantitative methods, allows to overcome the opposition between micro-interactions and macro-structures and move toward a ‘flat’ (yet not homogeneous) vision of the social. I have given this conference at “The Unexpected Conference: do human beings behave as atoms” (CREA Paris, 16/11/11) and at the seminar “Réseaux sociaux : des structures à la politique” (IXXI Lyon, 12/12/11). MEDEA (Mapping Environmental Debates on Adaptation) To contribute to understanding the challenges raised by climate change and complement the EMAPS project, MEDEA is meant develop an online toolkit to map the environmental debate in France. Financed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (CEP&S call), MEDEA starts under my coordination on November 1st 2011. Download the project EMAPS (Electronic Maps to Assist Public Science) What difference does it makes to be equipped with online tools for mapping technoscientific issues? Can such equipment improve the way we publicly discuss science and technology? To answer such questions, Bruno Latour and I submitted EMAPS to the EU ‘Science in Society’ call. Focusing on the web as a tool of collective endeavor, EMAPS aims at engaging the actors involved in climate adaptation debate in an ‘open-air’ experiment on the interactive platform developed within the project. Funded by the European Union Commission, the project starts on November first 2011. Click here to download the project HCI (Hypertext Corpus Initiative) Venturini, T. (2011).“Hypertext Corpus Initiative, données hypertextuelles pour les sciences sociales”. In e-Dossier de l’audiovisuel Ina (forthcoming). A short essay presenting the ideas behind the HCI project. Click here to download the preprint. The Social Fabric: Digital Traces and Quali-quantitative Methods Venturini, T. & Latour, B. (2010).“The Social Fabric: Digital Traces and Quali-quantitative Methods”. Proceedings of Future En Seine. An article I wrote with Bruno Latour on quali-quantitative methods and digital sociology. Download the preprint here (English) Diving in Magma: How to Explore Controversies with Actor-Network Theory Venturini, T. (2010). Diving in magma: how to explore controversies with actor-network theory. Public Understanding of Science, 19(3), 258–273. doi:10.1177/0963662509102694 The cartography of controversies is a set of techniques to explore and visualize issues. It was developed by Bruno Latour as a didactic version of Actor- Network Theory to train college students in the investigation of contemporary socio-technical debate. The scope and interest of such cartography, however, exceed its didactic origin. Adopted and developed in several universities in Europe and the US, the cartography of controversies is today a full research method, though, unfortunately, not a much documented one. To fill this lack of documentation, we draw on our experience as Latour’s teaching assistant, to introduce some of the main techniques of the social cartographer toolkit. In particular, in these pages we will focus on exploration, leaving the discussion of visualization tools to a further paper. Building on Faults: How to Represent Controversies with Digital Methods Venturini, T. (2012). Building on faults: how to represent controversies with digital methods. Public Understanding of Science, 21(7), 796 – 812. doi:10.1177/0963662510387558. In this article, I will discuss how to render the complexity of controversiesvthrough an original visualization device: the controversy- website. Capitalizing on the potential of digital technologies, the controversy-website has been developed as a multilayered toolkit to trace and aggregate information on public debates. Degrowth Controversy One of the best websites realized in 2011 by the students of my Controversy Mapping course. Click here to see the website. Global Licence Controversy Il nostro pane quotidiano Projects / Sociology of modernization Post-doc research on the sociology of modernization. The project was co-hosted by the Communication Studies Department of the University of Bologna and the Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Slow Food. The research analyzed the case of Eataly, an Italian supermarket chain that tries to apply the most modern marketing and distribution techniques to the most traditional food production. Can the distinction between modernity and tradition be overcome? Download the research report (warning: 8mb file) MACOSPOL Controversy mapping / Projects My adventure in controversy mapping and my collaboration with Bruno Latour started with the MACOSPOL (MApping COntroversies On Science for POLitics) project, where I worked as an advisor to the Paris team. See the web-platform delivered by the project Sciences Po médialab Since its foundation in 2009, I have coordinated the research activities of médialab of Sciences Po. Created by Bruno Latour, the médialab is a laboratory dedicated to digital research. It is a team of specialists bringing together social scientists, engineers and designers. It is a high- tech facility, a hub for vanguard research, a scientific toolkit and a platform for launching national and international collaborations. The médialab’s project has received an A+ evaluation by the French research evaluation Agency. See the médialab website Piccola introduzione alla cartografia della controversie Controversy mapping / Publications Venturini, T. (2008). Piccola introduzione alla cartografia delle controversie. Etnografia e ricerca qualitativa, 3, 369–394. The cartography of controversies (cartografia delle controversies) is a collection of techniques to observe and describe social issues developed by Bruno Latour as an applied version of Actor-Network Theory. Originally, it was used to guide college students in the exploration of scientific and technological debates. The scope and interest of such cartography, however, exceed its didactic origin. Adopted in several universities and developed by a number of international projects, the cartography of controversies is today a full research methodology. In this article, we draw on our experience as Latour’s teaching assistant, to introduce some of the main ideas and techniques of the cartography of controversies. Download the preprint (in Italian) Les trous noirs de la Révolution Verte Controversy mapping / Publications / Sociology of modernization Venturini, T. (2007). Les trous noirs de la Réevolution Verte. Décroissance & technique, 3. This article describes the controversies stirred by the process of agricultural modernization in the so-called ‘green-revolution’ Download the preprint (in French) Verba Volant, Scripta Manent The discontinuity effect of explicit media Highlight / Publications / Science and Technology Studies Venturini, T. (2007). Verba Volant, Scripta Manent: The Discontinuity Effect of Explicit Media. American Behavioral Scientist, 50(7), 879–896. doi:10.1177/0002764206298313 It is commonly recognized that different social configurations tend to be associated with different types of innovation. Not surprisingly, linear innovations are more likely to be produced by communities of strong and homogeneous ties; while radical innovations are more likely to originate from networks of weak and diverse connections. Yet, there is a second and subtler linkage between social patterns and innovation types: a junction which depends on the nature of the media available to different groups. The key role is played by explicitness. Communities, being relatively homogeneous, can rely on implicit forms of communication, while networks require explicit channels and languages to relate their highly diverse components. This difference in media explicitness tends to produce a difference in innovation styles. According to the main hypothesis of this paper, the more explicit are the media available to a group, the more discontinuous and radical will be the innovation generated. The discontinuity effect of explicit media will be explained with examples drawn from the history of media and technologies and some empirical ground will be provided through the analysis of a much-discussed case of biopiracy. Opera Aperta: Wikipedia e l’oralità secondaria Publications / Sociology of modernization Venturini, T. (2006). Opera Aperta: Wikipedia e l’oralità secondaria. Magma, 4, 35–45. In questo articolo si discuterà di Wikipedia, se ne analizzerà il modello comunicativo e si mostrerà come esso getti nuova luce sulla distinzione oralità/scrittura. Riflettendo sui processi e sui prodotti della mediazione comunicativa, illustreremo quindi come Wikipedia abbia dato vita a una forma di comunicazione davvero nuova. Un modello comunicativo caratterizzato da un’apertura radicale e totale che non può essere assimilata né all’oralità, né alla scrittura. Il mago e l’imprenditore magico Venturini, T. (2005). Il mago e l’imprenditore magico. Cassazione Penale, 45(3). Drawing on the legal case of an italian magician, this article discuss the difference between tradition and modern magic Seminare Vento Controversy mapping / Projects / Sociology of modernization PhD research on the sociology of modernization at the University of Milano Bicocca. The research investigates the tensions connected to the modernization of agriculture by analyzing a series of controversy on biopiracy and the patenting of agro-biodiversity. Download the research report tommaso.venturini AT cnrs.fr Tommaso Venturini is researcher at the CNRS Centre for Internet and Society. He is also associate researcher of INRIA and of the médialab of Sciences Po Paris and founding member of the Public Data Lab. In 2017 and 2018, he has been researcher at the École Normale Supérieure of Lyon and recipient of the “Advanced Research” fellowship of the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation. In 2016, he has been “digital methods lecturer” at the Department of Digital Humanities of King's College London. From 2009 to 2015, he has coordinated the research activities of the médialab of Sciences Po Paris. English CV My research activities focus on: Digital Methods Digital Media Studies Science & Technology Studies Social Modernization I have been leading scientist of the projects EMAPS and MEDEA and responsible for the Axis 1 of the project FORCCAST. I teach Controversy Mapping, Digital Methods, Data Journalism, Data Activism and STS at graduate and undergraduate level. I have been trained in sociology and media studies at the University of Bologna, completed a PhD in Society of Information at the University of Milano Bicocca and a post-doc in Sociology of Modernity at the Department of Philosophy and Communication of the University of Bologna. I have been visiting student at UCLA and visiting researcher at the CETCOPRA of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne. During my studies, I have founded a web design agency and worked in several online communication projects. Moargh.de	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line807
__label__wiki	0.858054	0.858054	Life Lessons from Style Heroes Iris Apfel and Duro Olowu By Alex Frank In case anyone needs a pick me up this hot Thursday morning, Nowness filmed a leisurely stroll through the zoo with longtime friends 91-year old style icon Iris Apfel and London-by-way-of-Lagos designer Duro Olowo, capturing some words of wisdom and general life lessons intended for the kids. "It's easier to get in someone's pants than someone's head," says Apfel. Zing! Apfel's become something of a hero in the fashion world for her colorful style (check her rocking Comme des Garcons on an unbelievably sick Dazed cover) and sagely, unpretentious take on fashion. "You really don't own anything," Apfel says in the video. "You're only here a short time so you kind of rent it, if you think about things that way." If it takes 91 years to look this cool and sound this smart, suddenly impending birthdays aren't looking so rough. "If people don't like [me], it's their problem, not mine," she says. "So I'm not going to stress it." Alex Frank Alex Frank, duro olowu style / News	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line819
__label__wiki	0.592442	0.592442	Since reviewing the vinyl edition of the unbeatable 'Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius' by Abyssal in January 2014 I have published many features on one the best Death Metal entities in existence - all previous Abyssal articles are accessible here. Formed in the UK in 2011, Abyssal plays an extremely suffocating and oppressive style of Death Metal with a unique sound that is, in my opinion, unmatched in today's prolific underground. The follow up album to 'Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius' was the excellent 'Antikatastaseis' which landed the joint number 1 placing on my Top 25 Album listing for 2015. With Abyssal's fourth album, 'A Beacon in the Husk' recently released by Profound Lore Records I was fortunate to interview G.D.C. for a third time, so read on for the interview which also features the full album stream 'A Beacon in the Husk.' I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation to Abyssal for continually supporting The Lair of Filth. Interview by Trevor Proctor with G.D.C from Abyssal. A Beacon In The Husk by Abyssal Hi, many thanks for agreeing to another interview with The Lair of Filth – your cooperation and time taken to answer the questions are very much appreciated. We last spoke in March 2018 and since then a lot has happened with Abyssal including the release of your split with Carcinoma which was released by Goatprayer Records, further live appearances including a slot at the very prominent Maryland Death Fest and the release of your latest album, ‘A Beacon in the Husk.’ Did you ever imagine things could get so productive for Abyssal and what has been your personal highlight? I am constantly humbled by how positive the reception to Abyssal’s music has been. Playing this music for the first time in the United States and Canada has been an overwhelming experience, and the response has been remarkable. In terms of live highlights, the debut appearance at Oration will always hold an important place, but Maryland Deathfest was certainly a much larger and more impressive show. We continue to grow musically and in the maturity of our live performances. ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ has just been released by Profound Lore Records, in your last interview with The Lair of Filth you stated with regards to the album “it has undoubtedly been the most challenging and beleaguered writing process that I have yet endured, involving at least three complete re-writes of the album from scratch.” Are you happy with the final recording, could you tell us a little more about the process and how big of a relief was it to finally get it finished? I am never happy. I constantly feel that each release is an incomplete representation of the ideas that I had in my mind. Beacon was perhaps the most extreme example of this, and in the end I was able to produce something that was close to my intention, but I never get that feeling of creative satisfaction that other artists seem to get. There is always an itch. I think that this is just something that is built into my character in that I am always looking to the next project. The occasion when I write an album that I am happy with is the point at which I stop writing. What was the inspiration/meaning behind the album title ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ and what lyrical themes are explored during it? The title is a representation of this concept that I became enamoured with when studying the works of Carl Jung. The idea of a new, shining axiom emerging from the withered husk of the previous set of presuppositions was one that I saw working on many levels in terms of what I wanted to express musically. In terms of the lyrical concepts covered on this album, they are the most layered and metaphysically complex that I have ever written. I have written extensively about the lyrical content on this record, but it is a topic that I struggle to discuss succinctly. For a very good overview, I would recommend reading my joint interview with Elijah Tamu on this topic. (Accessible by following this link) As with all previous Abyssal releases were the tracks self-recorded and are you happy with the presentation of both formats as released by Profound Lore? I recorded and produced all tracks. In terms of presentation, I feel like the vinyl treatment for this release is the best presented Abyssal release to date. Did you perform all vocals and instrumentation on the album apart from the drums? In terms of sound I feel ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ is both an evolution and continuation from your fantastic third album ‘Antikatastaseis’ do you agree with this and have you any ideas for the next album, or even how you will further evolve the music of Abyssal? I think that it was always going to be a challenge to create a follow up release to Antikatastaseis because that album was so well received. The writing process for that album was also the most ‘painless’ that I have yet experienced, which made it a very natural album to put together. I feel that Beacon is a somewhat darker record in many ways, but I think that you are correct in identifying that a lot of the compositional approaches are similar. This is now the fourth time Profound Lore Records has released Abyssal’s music – obviously you’re happy with the label but will they release future Abyssal music and are there any plans for a cassette version of ‘A Beacon in the Husk?’ At this moment in time, there are no future planned Abyssal releases on Profound Lore, however I imagine that Abyssal will stay on the label for the foreseeable future. There are no current plans for a cassette release, but it would be something that I am interested in doing. Elijah Tamu created the cover artwork for ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ – how did you come to select this particular artist and what guidance did you give before the art was created? Also did Elijah create the inner artwork and how happy are you with the final results? I had originally approached Elijah to discuss him writing the lyrics out in his stylised calligraphy. I sent him the lyrics across to begin the process of transcribing them, but was surprised when he responded with a deep discussion of the concepts I was probing. Elijah was a unique case in that he immediately grasped the concept of the album and understood the importance of the ideas. From that moment, I decided to also commission Elijah to paint the cover art, which he did with almost no guidance and delivered what I consider to be a stunning product. Additional art in the booklet was also provided by Karmazid, Jose Gabriel Alegria and Raoul Mazzero. As previously mentioned the recording for ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ was quite laborious for you with a side effect being a four year wait between full length albums, can you see it taking as long again for a new Abyssal album? I have tried to predict these kinds of things in the past and have consistently been wildly inaccurate. It may take the same time again, maybe more, maybe less. After many years in existence without a Facebook account you finally created one in January of this year, what led to this and have you experienced many benefits from having an account? The unfortunate reality of the modern music scene is that it is difficult to function without a social media presence of some form. I resisted for many years, but in the end the sheer number of people questioning about Abyssal on social media forced me to reconsider this. Not only this, but also the fact there was a very poorly put together imitation page floating around meant that I had to protect the image of the band to some degree. Abyssal’s second live appearance, and also the band’s UK debut, took place at North of the Wall Festival (Scotland) in April 2018. It was a show I thoroughly enjoyed from the front row and I feel you delivered a very tight set – do you agree it was a good performance and did you experience any sound problems etc. on the day? It was an enjoyable set which I believe was solidly performed given that it was the second ever show. The second time I saw Abyssal live was at your third show in London on the 9th of February this year, your first headline show which also featured Deus Vermin, Vacivus and Malthusian. I felt this was another very tight performance that was even better than that at North of the Wall – do you agree and did you get to watch the sets from the other bands? It was a much more comfortable show in terms of it pacing and atmosphere. It was also very good to perform alongside some of the UK and Ireland’s best death metal bands. On the 7th of March it was announced via your Facebook page that Abyssal would play the very high profile Maryland Death Fest – how did it feel being offered the chance to play a world famous festival such as MDF? It was a great privilege, and it was also somewhat surprising given that Abyssal is typically not the kind of band that is often invited to play MDF. When we met at the London show you mentioned you’d hoped to play new material from ‘A Beacon in the Husk’ but were unable to do so on the night – did you play any new material at MDF? Obviously this was Abyssal’s largest performance to date – were you happy with the performance and how well was it received by the audience? The simple reality of the Abyssal live line up is that we are distributed across vast distances. At the time of the London show we had not retooled the set sufficiently to do the new songs, simply due to lack of opportunities to practise. The MDF show was indeed the largest that Abyssal have ever performed, and from the responses that we received from festival goers were very positive. To tie in with your appearance at MDF you performed a further three U.S. dates with Tchornobog. How was the mini tour in general, did you know the members from Tchornobog before the shows and were all shows well attended? I had discussed music and various other topics in the past with Markov Soroka, who, for all intents and purposes, is the sole songwriter and member of Tchornobog. We had never met in person before this. The shows with Tchornobog were well received and generally enjoyable. When we first met several years ago one of the first things I asked you was if you’d ever bring Abyssal’s music to the stage. At that time you were extremely reluctant to do so yet since then the shows mentioned above have all taken place – are you happy with how Abyssal has been received in the live environment and which show to date has been your personal favourite and why? My reluctance around playing live was really around two issues; one was my belief that the material would not translate well live, and the other was the lack of a reliable line up that could perform the music. It really took at least two years to confront these issues fully, including creating versions of the songs that could be played live with two guitars. I’m aware Abyssal is scheduled to play the Netherlands Death ‘Fest next year – aside from this show can you possibly reveal any further planned live dates for Abyssal and what further plans do you have for 2019? There certainly are plans for UK dates, but I cannot speak of those until they become more solidified. Underground extreme music has experienced a massive growth in popularity over recent years, an unfortunate side effect of this rise in popularity is the amount of hipsters, “scene queens” and superficial listeners, what do you make of this situation and do you feel underground music will through time become less popular and return to its proper, genuine fan base again? I think that as long as there is any form of subculture, there will always be people who cling onto it in order to achieve some social notoriety. I don’t think there are any more or less individuals that you might characterise as ‘posers’ today in comparison to earlier times. Either way, the best approach is to just ignore these kinds of people. They don’t last anyway. Due to this rise in popularity we have also witnessed an unfortunate amount of occasions where people have got tours cancelled, bands dropped from labels and even some labels having their credit card payment facilities removed due to the protestations of others. What are your views on this and do you agree there’s a lot more attempted censorship than ever before? I think that these kinds of circumstance are not necessarily due to metal music becoming more popular per se. I think they are a function of social ideologies becoming more totalising, and driving people to try and expunge society of anything that runs counter to their ideology. I think that these kinds of people who threaten violence towards underground bands are genuine imbeciles who are ignorant of just about every facet of history. This year has been very productive in terms of underground releases, what have been your personal highlights so far and what scheduled releases for the rest of 2019 are you looking forward to the most? I am always a year behind on releases. The one exception I will offer is the self titled album by Barshasketh, which is gradually worming its way into my top 10 black metal releases of the decade. Thanks again for your ongoing support for both myself and The Lair of Filth, it means a lot and is greatly appreciated – any closing comments are all yours…… Thank you for your continuing support. Abyssal Facebook Page. Abyssal Bandcamp. Abyssal's prior release was the split with Carcinoma which can be purchased here. Please like The Lair of Filth Facebook page to keep up to date with future articles. Labels: Abyssal, Blackened Death Metal, Carcinoma, Death Metal, Full Album Stream, Goatprayer Records, Interview, Malthusian, Trevor Proctor, UK, Vacivus Unaussprechlichen Kulten - Teufelsbücher - Press R... Abyssal Interview with The Lair of Filth + Full al...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line820
__label__wiki	0.651379	0.651379	Browser > C905> UC Browser UC browser A browser with simple operation for Sonyericsson C905 Your phone model is: Sonyericsson C905 Popular with people at home and abroad, UC Browser is not what you image to be difficult to use, instead, it is simple operating . UC Browser is based on proprietory kernel and cloud technology. Browsing the web, watching movies and downloading files, believe that UC Browser will totally satisfy you. Aino(U10) CK15A CK15i E16i(W8) Sonyericsson C905 introduction Sony Mobile Communications AB (formerly Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB) is a multinational mobile phone manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation. It was founded on October 1, 2001 as a joint venture between Sony and the Swedish telecommunications equipment company Ericsson, under the name Sony Ericsson. Sonyericsson C905 is a touchscreen phone manufactured by Sonyericsson, with a resolution of 240X320.Sonyericsson C905 users can download the latestUC browserfor Sonyericsson C905 via UCWeb's official website. Which browser supports download classification for Sonyericsson C905 Which browser provide cloud encryption service for Sonyericsson C905 Which browser can resume broken downloads on Sonyericsson C905 Most stable browser for Sonyericsson C905 Web freer browser for Sonyericsson C905 Which browser provides a navigation zone about the Word Cup for Sonyericsson C905 Which browser is the best mobile browser for Sonyericsson C905 A browser has a strong feature set that can compete with others for Sonyericsson C905 UC Browser 8.3 for android for Sonyericsson C905	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line829
__label__wiki	0.63344	0.63344	Why Gonzaga Will Win The NCAAB Tournament Gonzaga has long been a bit of a laughingstock once the NCAAB tournament rolls around. Sure, the Bulldogs always enter the bracket coming off a dominant season in the WCC but they have always been bounced early. Despite making the Madness for 19 consecutive seasons, Gonzaga has only made the Elite Eight twice and has never advanced past that round. This year feels different. This Gonzaga squad is one of the best in the nation and if Northwestern taught us anything this year, it’s that droughts need to end at some point. So, here are three reasons why Gonzaga is going to be cutting down the nets in Glendale. Scoring Depth Gonzaga has always sported a good team that relies heavily on one or two guys to score. The tandems of Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis or Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris were dominant for the Bulldogs in the past but the program’s reliance on a selective few offensive guys has hurt them in the past. This Gonzaga squad is much different. This Gonzaga team has five players averaging double-digit points and only two of those players are averaging more than 25 minutes per game (Nigel Williams-Goss, Jordan Mathews). The depth of this team is staggering when you consider it has an all-American point guard (Williams-Goss), possibly the best true center in the country (Przemek Karnowski) and brings a potential first-round pick in the NBA draft off the bench (Zach Collins). Williams-Goss is the main offensive piece but the transfer has struggled on a few occasions this season. Williams-Goss, who leads the team in scoring, has scored 12 or fewer points on nine occasions this season. In those nine games, Gonzaga is 9-0 with four different players leading the team in scoring in each respective game. Gonzaga plays nine deep and there is only minimal drop-off between the starters and the bench players. Of the top nine players on the Gonzaga team, based on minutes played, they all shoot above 41 percent from the floor and over 38 percent from deep (aside from Karnowski, who attempted one trey all season). Battle-Tested Away From Spokane March Madness offers a lot of different looks for teams, with most playing in locations and arenas they have never seen before. This will not be an issue for Gonzaga, as the team has not lost a single game away from McCarthey Athletic Center all season. Of course, you can’t necessarily put a lot of stock in the Zags’ travel schedule within the watered-down WCC, but just a look at their non-conference slate proves their dominance. Gonzaga played four non-conference games away from Spokane, Washington, all of which have been neutral-site outings. Two of those four neutral-site games came against Iowa State and Arizona, who find themselves in the NCAAB tournament. Those two games saw Gonzaga post an average scoring margin of plus-4.5 while holding the Cyclones and Wildcats to an abysmal 22.9 percent from beyond the arc. Cakewalk To The Final Four No 1 seed has an easier path to the Final Four. Kansas could easily be facing off against Purdue and Louisville/Oregon. UNC is in the same bracket as UCLA and Kentucky. Villanova has potential games with Virginia, Florida, SMU, Baylor or Duke. Gonzaga’s path, if chalk holds, sees them playing Northwestern, West Virginia and Arizona. Northwestern looked pretty bad down the stretch, losing seven of its last 12 games. West Virginia is a winnable game for Gonzaga as long as the Bulldogs can avoid turnovers, something they have done well all season. Arizona would be the toughest task, but the Wildcats’ lack of defense means the Zags could score at will. Long and short, Gonzaga has a pretty easy trip to the Final Four, all things considered. Not to say they won’t face challenges, but the Zags would beat pretty much every other team in the West Region more often than not. If Gonzaga could make it all the way to the Sweet 16 last season without Karnowski, imagine how deadly the Bulldogs will be with a healthy, stacked lineup. Want more insights into the other No.1 seeds? Be sure to check out our corresponding articles for the Kansas Jayhawks, UNC Tar Heels and Villanova Wildcats.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line836
__label__wiki	0.63943	0.63943	Words on my Mind Words, Writing and Life Experience Creating a Memoir ENCOUNTERS WITH THE FAMOUS & THE UNIQUE About Victoria Giraud April 12th, 2015: A WRITER/EDITOR’S HISTORY by Victoria Giraud. My writing career has been an adventurous one: lots of fun, great experiences and for years very little money. As I tell my editing clients—you must create through love, not desire for quick fame and fortune. Like most creative endeavors, writing is rewarding for the heart and soul but it takes time for compensation to reach your wallet, much less the bank. Sometimes it never does. Victoria Giraud Reporting stories began with the Barracan, the Wheelus Air Force Base High School newspaper in Tripoli, Libya. I was 14, it was the 1950s and our high school had less than 100 students. The school was surrounded by palm trees and the Mediterranean Sea was a short walk away. Wheelus High was filled with typical American teenagers: jeans, loafers, saddle shoes, and crinolines to poof out our circle skirts were typical attire. We had proms, one radio station that played rock ‘n roll (an audio version of “American Bandstand”—unless you were new to Wheelus, you probably didn’t even know that TV program existed), and a teenage club that had its own student band, Stardust. Although I wrote a few stories, I only recall one of them—the Junior-Senior prom with Ebb Tide as the theme—held at the Tripoli Beach Club. Ginny Stewart had a coketail party first at her family’s nearby villa. The entertainment as I remember it: a fully dressed Libyan woman in a very modest wrap-around indoor garment doing a belly dance to a rhythmic drum. She pushed some of the shawl-like elements of her dress down to accentuate her hips. The woman was most likely a servant of the Stewarts and could be less modest within the house. Outside she would have worn barracan, an all-encompassing white wool garment that covered her head to toe, exposing only one eye and her feet. In college—William & Mary in Virginia—I wrote for the Flat Hat college newspaper. Lots of stories I no longer remember, but I was pleasantly surprised at one class reunion when a displayed scrapbook had three of my stories! When my kids were in grammar school and didn’t need my full attention, I wrote my first column: Hillrise Highlights, which covered local events and soon turned into a political campaign to get a nearby highway bridge widened in Agoura, California. As a concerned citizen, I participated in gathering signatures to get the County of Los Angeles or the State interested in funding the construction. I graduated to covering news for the Acorn, a weekly newspaper for a rapidly growing suburb of LA, in the Conejo Valley, on the border of Ventura County. By the early 1980s I was the editor, responsible for a little bit of everything—writing and editing, headlines, photos, attendance at chamber of commerce meetings and mixers. City incorporation attempts, wildfires, water quality, and commercial/residential growth were some of the pressing issues in those days. There were also the unusual stories: my trip in a hot air balloon in a fur coat and attending a nightclub show of sexy male strippers, an early Chippendales-type show. In the 1990s I got to mingle with a few celebrities on a couple of magazines I helped co-create, write and edit. One of them featured Bob Hope for our initial cover. Alas, Hope was recovering from prostate surgery and the closest I got to him for an interview was visiting his manager’s office in Burbank, a testament to Hope’s many movies with its giant blowups of movie stills going back to the 1930s. Beverly Hills Country Club, a posh tennis club, decided they needed a magazine featuring their members. My boss was an enterprising Iranian who spoke English but was not fluent in writing English. For our first cover, I interviewed Barbara Eden in her home along Mulholland Drive. Delightful and personable, she wore a cropped top and low riding pants, showing off her still fabulous figure and revealing the belly button blocked out on “I Dream of Jeannie,” her famous TV series. Yes, the cover was “photo-shopped.” Appropriately for a sports club magazine, I did stories on members, Rafer Johnson, the Olympics decathlon champion from the 1960s, and 1940s tennis champion Jack Kramer, who had remained active in the sports world promoting tennis and then golf. My first tennis racket was a Jack Kramer and I told him so. Both of these athletes were gentlemen and easy to chat with. The 1990s included a few years of writing a weekly column, People and Places, and local play reviews for the Daily News, a major newspaper that still exists. I must have seen and reviewed about 200 plays, performed by a range of talent of all ages. I was a positive reviewer; it was essentially community theater and equity waiver. I recall a production of “Mr. Roberts,” starring Harry Belafonte’s son-in-law. Belafonte was there and I was thrilled to shake his hand as he told me he loved community theater. No, I did not hum any calypso songs! One of my weekly columns focused on Jake Lloyd, a seven-year-old starring in his first movie, “Jingle All the Way” with Arnold Swarzenegger (before he became the Governator). Jake was charming; on the sound stage of 20th Century Fox, he led me up to a sort of catwalk on the upper levels of the living room set, where I could have an overview and see where the cameras and lights were positioned. They were filming the last scene of the movie that day. As filming is erratic, the last scene of filming would be the actual first scene of the movie. Jake went on to play Anakin Skywalker in a Star Wars movie, “The Phantom Menace.” AMAZON PUBLICATIONS by VICTORIA GIRAUD CHRISTO AND THE UMBRELLAS... 93 views \| 1 comment SCHOOL LIFE AT WHEELUS Ai... 50 views \| 0 comments 1950s Libya – Briti... 46 views \| 1 comment CHRISTO AND THE UMBRELLAS... 29 views \| 0 comments LIBYA IN THE 1950s 25 views \| 0 comments Blog Reader Comments Victoria Giraud on CHRISTO AND THE UMBRELLAS – Triumph and Tragedy in a World of Umbrellas Victoria Giraud on Tripoli Memories Victoria Giraud on 1950s Libya – British Point of View By Victoria Giraud Victoria Giraud on The Libyan Connection Endures — by Victoria Giraud Susan Adair on The Libyan Connection Endures — by Victoria Giraud Artistic Endeavors Author's Appreciation Celebrity Encounters Dating and Personal Ads EDITING BOOKS Living in California Melaynie's Masquerade Mystical Subjects Newspaper Writing Sex et cetera Tripoli Adventures U.S. Army Life US Army Life Washington, D.C. in 1960s © 2020 Words on my Mind \| Powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line837
__label__wiki	0.913361	0.913361	U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton exits Trump administration Source: Xinhua\| 2019-09-11 02:38:16\|Editor: yan WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has resigned upon his request. Trump said he asked Bolton for his resignation Monday night, and received the resignation Tuesday morning. "I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation," Trump tweeted. Bolton disputed Trump's tweets, saying he had offered his resignation Monday night, but Trump told him "let's talk about it tomorrow." Bolton was later quoted by Fox News as saying: "Let's be clear, I resigned." White House Spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters that Trump and Bolton "didn't align on many issues." Bolton's "priorities and policies just don't line up with the president," Gidley said. In a press briefing, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said Trump and Bolton had major differences of opinion on the war in Iraq. Trump said he will be naming Bolton's successor next week. Deputy National Security Advisor Charles Kupperman will serve as acting national security advisor in the interim. Bolton's exit was made public hours after the White House said he would participate in a press briefing alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mnuchin Tuesday afternoon. Republican senators had mixed response to Bolton's departure. Mitt Romney of Utah said it was "an extraordinary loss for our nation and for the White House," while Rand Paul of Kentucky said "the threat of war worldwide goes down exponentially" with Bolton out. Bolton, 70, came to the position in April 2018, and has since become known as a hawkish figure in the Trump administration who advocated for tough foreign policies, especially in regard to Iran and Afghanistan. Autumn scenery in Istanbul, Turkey Overseas Chinese in Belgium celebrate 70th anniversary of PRC founding Blue and White party leader speaks at event ahead of general elections in Israel People visit Chinese-style garden in Brugelette, Belgium Traditional Arabic dessert: Kunafa Boy practices skateboarding in Jakarta, Indonesia Xi meets representatives of outstanding units, individuals in education circles Daily life of teachers in remote mountain areas Eco China: Ningxia, first in China to make headway in reversing desertification Nighttime economy enriches citizens' consumption choices, attracts visitors in Chongqing / 01. China to host int'l event of intangible cultural heritage / 02. China to ease application of temporary driving licenses for int'l travelers / 03. Spotlight: British PM loses final bid for early election / 04. U.S. diplomat says to resume talks over Lebanon's border demarcation with Israel / 05. Rwanda to receive 500 African refugees, asylum seekers from Libya soon: official Activity held to celebrate one-month birthday of twin panda cubs in Belgium Bullfight festival held in China's Tibet In pics: beautiful scenery in northwest China's Xinjiang Scenery of terraced lands of paddy fields in Gaoniang Town, China's Guizhou	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line839
__label__cc	0.624361	0.375639	« Missin mah Doggie Take it Easy » Yemen: Islamic Hellhole From his home in Beersheba, (Israel)…Yahya Marhabi still misses his hometown of Sana’a, Yemen. He left it nine years ago, but it is not the neighbors he misses, nor is it the air of constant fear. Marhabi misses his sister, Lea (18), who disappeared several months ago. Marhabi claims she was abducted, forced to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim. Some six weeks ago, he returned to Yemen to look for Lea, and saw firsthand how Jews were living in a country where al-Qaeda cells roam free. “She was abducted just two weeks after marrying one of the Jewish men of the congregation. She was forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her abductors,” he said. Israeli’s search for missing sister in Yemen provides glimpse into lives of fearful Jews Yemen. Another Islamic cesspool. But hey……… American taxpayers forked over close to $70 million to Yemen in security aid just last year. Do not adjust your screen. 70 million dollars. Now….The Yemeni um.. government, for lack of a better word, is demanding more because of the panty Bomber attack. Even as the US has stepped up cooperation with Yemen in targeting al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, known terrorists wanted by the US government continue to operate in the open while the Yemeni government looks the other way. Yemen permits wanted al Qaeda leaders to operate in the open Of course that didn’t prevent Hussein Obama from personally phoning President Saleh to offer err…”thanks” for all his non existent help in fighting terrorism. Guess what folks?..Instead of handin over yer hard earned dollars to terrorists in Yemen..howzabout a coupla cruise missiles and predators?.. Might be cheaper in the long run eh. Better yet..Take all the money back. Give it to the Israelis who don’t seem to have a problem profiling on airlines. DO NOT allow another flight from Yemen or anyone from Yemen enter our airspace period. See how long it takes the so called Yemeni ‘leaders’ to clean up their own cesspool. Dontcha love how all these foreign countries says the same thing to America. “Give us yer money, and shut the hell up.” And we do just that. Forkin over thousands to the U.N., Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan and on and on and onnnnnnnn. So what if we are practically experiencing our very own bankruptcy eh. So what if we are slowly becoming a nation of illegal immigrants. Perhaps we need to save our dough, bring HOME all of our unappreciated troops out there – ‘protecting’ all sorts of unsavory peoples.. AND TELL THE WORLD TO shut the hell up. OK..you insist on givin them money? Yea…let’s drop the $70 mil from the air: 1,000 pounds at a time. Of course, since we gave Saleh $70 bucks, we might jus get $7 dollars in counterrorism effort outta him. Hey..that’s the cost of a few sticks of Chapstick to aide the lip service Hussein Obama will be givin us. OH wait. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the way JEWS were abused and slaughtered at the hands of Muslims in good ole Yemen: (Don’t even ask how they treated Christians) The Jews of Yemen In 1922, the government of Yemen reintroduced an ancient Islamic law requiring that Jewish orphans under age 12 be forcibly converted to Islam. In 1947, after the partition vote, Muslim rioters, joined by the local police force, engaged in a bloody pogrom in Aden that killed 82 Jews and destroyed hundreds of Jewish homes. Aden’s Jewish community was economically paralyzed, as most of the Jewish stores and businesses were destroyed. Early in 1948, the false accusation of the ritual murder of two girls led to looting. This increasingly perilous situation led to the emigration of virtually the entire Yemenite Jewish community – almost 50,000 – between June 1949 and September 1950 in Operation “Magic Carpet.” A smaller, continuous migration was allowed to continue into 1962, when a civil war put an abrupt halt to any further Jewish exodus. Until 1976, when an American diplomat came across a small Jewish community in a remote region of northern Yemen, it was believed the Yemenite Jewish community was extinct. As a result, the plight of Yemenite Jews went unrecognized by the outside world. Rabbi Moshe al-Nahari, outside his home in Raidah, Yemen. Al-Nahari was a teacher and a leader of Yemen’s Jewish community. He was murdered by a Muslim in December. Amran, 12 Dec. (AKI) – A gunman shot and killed a Yemeni Jew in the Raydah district in northern Yemen, security sources said on Friday. Thirty-nine year-old Mousa Yaish al-Nahari, a father of eight, was reportedly shot for no reason, said Yahya Mousa, a rabbi for Yemeni Jews in the capital Sanaa. Yemen: Man killed in religious hate crime Police are still investigating the motive of the crime, but witnesses say the gunman approached al-Nahari and told him “Jew, accept Islam’s message” and then shot him five times with an AK-47 assault rifle. Al-Abdi is alleged to have murdered his wife two years ago but was not jailed because he agreed to pay compensation to the wife’s family. This, my friends, is IZLAM. Routinely destroying property, threatening others with death and bodily harm, funding terrorism throughout the world, savagely murdering wives and daughters and getting off scot-free. These vile, heinous actions are approved and encouragred by Izlamic teachers (so called “Imams”) and religious leaders. When yet another woman, daughter, JEW or Christian is beheaded, tortured, savagely beaten, buried alive or just plain murdered in cold blood…………….Yet again we are told this act was undertaken by some mentally ill, warped loner claiming to represent Islam but quite against the will of the majority or authority. Rrrrrrrrrrright. Sooooooo, Where is the Human Rights Council? Wait up……., they’re to busy attacking Israel to deal with a little Muslim rape, torture and abduction of women, brutal anti-semitism and slavery. I mean it’s just poor Africans being exploited by Arabs ..Actually… nothing new. What bout good ole Sudan? The Arab Muslim slave trade is alive and well in Sudan where black Muslims are slaughtered and brutalized by Arab Muslims daily. Arab Muslims consider them to be “too black”..Uh huh. Ever hear the media recount that it is the systematic Islamic ethnic cleansing of African Muslims by Arab Muslims that is behind the genocide in Darfur..? And guess what? FYI: The Islamic slave trade dwarfs any other slave trade in recorded human history. This entry was posted on Monday, July 26th, 2010 at 9:40 pm and is filed under Politix. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. 26 Responses to “Yemen: Islamic Hellhole” “..the plight of Yemenite Jews went unrecognized by the outside world.” The plight of Jews the world over is still unrecognized by much of the world. In fact, many of those on the left are actively working to finish them off, aided by their islamist pimps. LomaAlta says: Excellent post. Yemen is a terrible place of babarism. But as you say, the Arab slave trade in the Sudan has been going on for a long time. They are a significant “resource” to Arab slavers. How sad and typical that it is tolerated. Political correctness and fear result in more racism and barbarity today than all other things combined. There used to be a large Christian and animist population in southern Sudan but they were nearly wiped out as the world turned the other way. Thanks again for an important post. Ron Russell says: Great post Angel, honestly I never thought about Jews in Yemen—guess I figured none were there. Its not surprising they are treated so badly by those animals there. As for blacks in in Sudan and the horn of Africa—thats a very old story. They were always victims of the arabs in that part of the world! Captured and marched to the coast and put on slave ships in the old days. Although the old slave ships are gone the slavery still exist and organizations like the UN continue to turn a blind eye caving in to the large Islamic bloc there. Great post Angel, I, like Ron was not aware of a Jewish communitiy (living that is) within the borders of Yemen and that in itself is not only news to me but astounding to hear considering the barbaric atmosphere. Saudi Arabia is also well known for it’s ‘treatment’ of Africans. Maybe if the NBP and the NAACP turned their attention towards real racism in places such as Yeman and Saudi Arabia they might actually do some good, but alas I doubt it. KingShamus says: Gotta love the white-washing of the Arabian slave trade. By the way, the ethnic slur for black person in Arabic is “abd” which means ‘slave’. Shows you where the Muslim mentality towards black people comes from. Yemen is the outward manifestation of the Cancer known as Islam. Get rid of Islam you get rid of the problem. Holger Awakens says: What Katie said ! Great comment! William Stout says: Islam is an evil. Those who actively support the murder of innocents are not extremists, nor are they misrepresenting the religion of Islam. They are doing EXACTLY what the Koran has ordered them to do for the sake of Allah. We have seen them riot in France, destroy Lebanon, rape and pillage in Norway and Sweden and this cancer continues to spread. Here in the United States they seek to build a mosque at the site of the greatest slaughter of innocents in U.S. history and the idiots in charge of NYC has agreed to it. In my opinion, Islam needs to be checked and the sooner the better. Again and again you remind me how we are not just monkeys who see no evil and soforth…we are just blind, deaf and DUMB…Angel, just a thought, but you need to be the next appointee to America’s foreign relations committee…or what ever committee. Gah. There are so many people who need to hear your voice. That was forceful and moving, Angel. Anyone reading that has a heart of stone if they are unmoved. Great job. Trestin Meacham says: I think the GOP needs to make the end of aid to Islamic nations a centerpiece of their 2012 campaign. We should withdraw every cent of aid to these cesspools, cease all immigration from them and tell them that if they step out of line AT ALL they will be bombed to smoldering ruins. AND THEN WE NEED TO STAND BY THAT. Karen Howes says: I think you’ll find “Islamic” and “hellhole” are pretty much synonyms if you look ‘em up. And great point about Eezlaam’s involvement in the slave trade! silverfiddle says: Having lived in a few islamic hellholes, I pray to God we do not invade that country. Bomb it from 50,000 feet, but for the sake of our country, do not get sucked in. I can’t even imagine the insanity that is life over there. Honestly, why are we giving those people money. Agree with all the other comments. This one is an easy one Angel, Yemen (nomen) is not on my “to see” list at all..so if they were perhaps to disappear due to a misguided missile, i would not miss them..Then again, what exactly do they export to the rest of the world…that’s right…evil and hatred… What a great post – touches bases on all points of deception and evil of islam (lcop) –the lip service of bho- Chapsticks jumped out at me— carol-CS Always On Watch says: All Islamic countries are cesspools when it comes to anti-Semitism. For that reason, Turkey should not be allowed into the EU! And throughout the West as well — in those mosques. Debbie's Best says: God Bless Arizona and its really and truly American people along with all of their foreign-born legal immigrants who came to that status by following established rules for becoming an English speaking citizen of our country in good standing. If it were animals coming across our borders and destroying property work places and crops wouldn’t we stop them? Or would we question all dogs and coyotes as well just so we wouldn’t be accused of profiling? As for the ‘racial’ appellation, that is just so much BS, contrived by liberal socialists to attract the pity of those who feel that their race is being attacked or demeaned. As I said – B. S. Stop making up fictitious stories with no bearing of connection with the real intents. As for the illegal aliens, ‘Throw the Bums Out’ along with the rest of the liberal scum. Seal our boarders and start sending any illegal aliens, mistakenly called ‘undocumented immigrants’ by the liberals back to their homes because these people are in this country illegally by way of forcing themselves across the border from Mexico, with help from the officials of Mexico who are anxious to rid their own county of many undesirables. The next time the ignorant and unintelligent Mexican President comes to America, don’t invite him to address the Congress which is run by blatant anti-Americans who are slowly; correction, rapidly killing the United States with their love of foreign law breaking criminals; ask him to address a gathering of TEA Party conservatives. I’d bet he would be afraid to get closer than 500 miles from them. Fredd says: I agree with Silverfiddle. Just dispatch a few squadrons of B-52′s to Yemen and level the place from 50,000 feet. Should’nt take but a couple of hundred million bucks in bombs, jet fuel and chow for the crew. And some cigars for the crew for a job well done once that place is bombed back into the Stone Age. Uh, wait. They are ALREADY living in the Stone Age, where cavemen clubbed davewomen over the head and dragged them back into the cave and called that ‘dating.’ Amazingly shocking information about islam and the slave trade, didn’t know that, but it is shocking if one thinks about how muslims treat other human beings. Thus why I still believe that islam isn’t a religion, but a cult of murder,rape,and serfdom of the followers of the despotic muslims culture. radar says: I would like to reprint (at least a portion) and attribute this entire post on my blog to spread the information to another subset of blog readers. You have powerfully made a blanket case against Islam in just one post. The evil of these Islamoterrorists is so unspeakable it is hard to congratulate you for exposing it so clearly, yet I must. Kimbal WHT, you might be interested -Blackfive The quickest way to offend liberals is to suggest that these terrorists are actually the people practicing true Islam. The entire religion was founded by one of the most violent people in history. Good post. I’d heard about some of that stuff. OT: Last night Valerie Plame was on the communist news network and said to keep an eye on Pakistan…bigCesspool.. Could be big mistake ignoring. August 1st, 2010 at 12:28 pm What a waste of taxpayers dollars. The “security” cover story is a sham for both Obama and the leader of Yemen. Their beholden to Muslims who want us dead. This is outrageous!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line850
__label__cc	0.674098	0.325902	Inspiration for foreigners at home and abroad Kirsten Fogg, Feb 10th, 2015 \| 2124 0 Change is all around us and that means traditional ideas of belonging and how humans connect are being challenged. According to BBC Radio 3 host Philip Dodd, “Belonging is the most compelling cultural and political question of our time. Anywhere across Europe the issue stares back at us. Who are we? Who belongs? Who doesn’t?” Though change can be daunting, it’s also exhilarating and exciting. New ideas are born out of change. And an open attitude to constant change is one of the pillars of true belonging. Not fitting in, but really belonging. It’s a concept that’s both complicated and challenging. As one of my readers eloquently said, our inner belonging is formed by outer world relationships, but those outer world relationships must be nurtured with compassion. Simply understanding our own belonging could take a lifetime. But we also need to be open to those from cultures or countries we’re not familiar with. True belonging comes from questioning ourselves, embracing difference and diversity, being engaged and empathetic. It’s about including other people, not excluding them, and accepting rather than simply tolerating those who are different. Belonging is about respect. It’s about trying to connect with the universal Other, not alienate or isolate her or him. It’s about having a voice and being heard. It’s about learning. It’s about living with uncertainty. Am I passionate, obsessed or just single-minded? Well perhaps all three, but deep down I’m just a writer and a journalist with a hint of wanderlust, who’s looking for answers. Want to know how UK super star philosopher Alain de Botton struggles with belonging, or how belonging found writer and playwright Lisa Southgate? connecting expat foreigner help inspiration migrant Brain surgeon James Doty on the brain-heart connection Norman Doidge on the immigrant’s brain Jhumpa Lahiri on language and belonging Hilary Mantel on writing	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line852
__label__cc	0.737648	0.262352	Telephone: 310-930-4246 E-mail: sales@water-aptech.com フロントラインのウェブサイトで掲載中～ここをクリック！！！ RO浄水器の仕組み This notice describes our Privacy Policy. Our Privacy Policy is designed to advise you about how we collect, use, and protect the Personally Identifiable Information you provide. By visiting this site, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy. WHAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED Information You Provide to Us: We collect the Personally Identifiable Information you choose to enter on various pages of our site, or that you may choose to give us in some other way (such as by email, physical mail, or by telephone). For example, you will be asked to provide Personally Identifiable Information when you access or register for access to certain portions of our site or sign up for newsletters or mailings. The categories of Personally Identifiable Information we collect are your first and last name, e-mail address and telephone number, but you may choose to include more personally identifiable information when you use certain services on our site. You can choose not to provide certain information, but you may not be able to take advantage of our services and features. When you visit a website, you disclose certain information, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and the time of your visit. This site, like many other sites, records this basic information about visits to our site. Cookies are pieces of information that are transferred to your computer from a web server. We use cookies to store visitor preferences, record session information, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, alert visitors to new areas that we think might be of interest to them when they return to our site, record past activity at a site in order to provide better service when visitors return to our site and to customise Web page content based on visitors' browser type or other information that the visitor sends. Most browsers are set up to accept cookies, but you can change your settings to have your browser notify you when you receive a new cookie or you can change your settings to refuse to accept cookies. HOW AND WHEN THE INFORMATION IS USED. THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT IS USED FOR ADMINISTERING OUR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AS FOLLOWS: Provided to the recruitment agencies you contact with feedback of who made contact with them. We do not use this information for marketing purposes or to add you to unsolicited mailing lists. The privacy and protection of your information is important to us. We offer some of our services in connection with our other web sites that we own. WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION Information about our users is important to us. Access to your information is never provided to third parties. We may also disclose your information in response to a court order and we may disclose your information when we believe we are required to do so by law. We may disclose your information in connection with the collection of amounts you may owe to us and to law enforcement authorities whenever we deem it appropriate or necessary. Please note we may not provide you with notice prior to disclosure. METHODS WE USE TO PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION We follow Data Protection Guidelines to protect the confidentiality of your personal information. In addition, our business practices are reviewed periodically for compliance with policies and procedures governing the security and confidentiality of our information. Our business practices limit employee access to confidential information, and limit the use and disclosure of such information to authorised persons. HOW YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR INFORMATION You can request access to all your personally identifiable information maintained by us by sending an e-mail to us at the address listed below. Upon request we offer you the ability to have inaccuracies corrected in your personally identifiable information. You can have this information corrected by sending us an e-mail at the address listed below. By using our website, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If our Privacy Policy or procedures change, we will immediately post those changes to our website. Any such changes will be effective immediately upon being posted, unless otherwise stated in the change. This Privacy Policy is effective as of November 25th, 2016. You may contact us concerning this Privacy Policy by using any of the contact options shown on this site. sales@water-aptech.com Aqua Pacific Technology LLC © 2017 All Rights Reserved \| Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line853
__label__wiki	0.501066	0.501066	Fixtures/Results/Table Leeds United: Our season so far By Kim Bjerregaard I hate international breaks but at least this one gives me the chance to write about our start to the season. I'll say first off that I've been extremely impressed by the way our players seem to fight for the badge, each other, Neil Warnock and of course the fans - almost every player gives 110% in every game and we have the "Leeds United" mentality, Never say die! I've been very impressed by Neil Warnock’s ability to change the team around during games, something his predecessor had big trouble doing - and when we consider all the off pitch activity with talk of takeovers/ investments, you can’t help being impressed by his coolness and his ability in both finding the right guys for us and getting them to play the way they are. Of the players I've been wildly impressed by most, but a few deserve a special mention. · El Hadji Diouf, let’s be honest we almost all hated the fact that he joined the club, but oh my, he’s been a revelation, I haven’t seen him perform like this since the World Cup in 2002. · Sam Byram, well I had not heard much about this kid before he suddenly played in pre season (Only in FM2012 and he was pretty shit there). He's managed to take the step up, much like Tom Lees did last year, but without the loan experience, he's surely one for the future, I can see him captaining Leeds in the Premiership within a few years. · Luciano Becchio, my favourite player in Leeds (almost of all time!). He's working, he's scoring and he's really loving his football again, I think that Warnock’s style of football suits him better than Grayson’s. I predicted him getting 26 goals this season, I wonder if that’s too low?! · Paddy Kenny, Mr Confident, the guy makes very few mistakes and is cool as f*** - I talked to a mate of mine about what a keeper like Kenny could have done for Grayson’s Leeds teams, I think that if Grayson had managed to get a keeper of Kenny’s qualities into his team he might still have been manager of Leeds United. I could have mentioned others who have impressed me, Pearce, Austin & Lees spring to mind as players who are also doing very well. I have actually only been disappointed in one player and that’s Luke Varney, I think he's awful and it looks like Neil Warnock thinks so too after benching him. Don’t get me wrong, I'd like to like him, I liked Billy Paynter even though he was pretty awful too, but at least he tried. Varney runs around acting like he's Messi and like his teammates don’t get his points, I'd be ok with him not playing for Leeds again actually, he seems the rotten apple in the basket. But all in all, can anyone complain about the season so far? 7th place in the league and we knocked Everton out of the cup (In a game that embodied what Leeds United is all about). I hope this investment happens soon and that we're in a position to get a few good signings in come January - I firmly believe that this is our year - we've not had a team, a team spirit or a manager as good as this in 8-10 years. M.O.T Leeds United News 24/7 Follow @weallloveleedsu	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line854
__label__cc	0.621053	0.378947	Liverpool induce snores with scrappy victory in Europe 23rd, August 2006 I could have predicted two things before last night’s Liverpool/Maccabi Haifa match. The first being the ever reliable Clive Tyldsley saying that Peter Crouch has got ‘a good touch for a big man’ and secondly, that the match itself would be one of the dullest in history. Will the alleged title contenders please step forward? Last night, I could hear the pathetic mews of "We got the result, and that’s the most important thing" and "we were professional and did the job…" long before the final whistle. These two lines are relatively new in football. Once, a manager would have said "We were lucky to win", now, middle management rhetoric. You see, Rafa’s Reds looked terrible last night. Fair enough, Maccabi Haifa are no mugs, and have played in these big matches before, but from a team that looked incredibly exciting on paper, to what I saw last night… well, I’m not sure if the red half of Merseyside will have much to celebrate at the end of the season. Of course, I understand that the season is "a marathon, not a sprint", but Criag Bellamy looked lost in his pitch time last night. Crouch needed support and didn’t get it. Pennant rarely threatened and spent most of his time winning freekicks. Against better opponents, Liverpool would be out of Europe. The victory was also tainted by the cries of foul play from the Israeli side. Haifa coach Roni Levy said Uefa’s decision to switch the tie to Kiev due to the Middle East conflict had not helped his side. "It was always going to be difficult for us with the way we had to play here in Kiev and not in Israel. At this level of competition, home advantage is crucial. Liverpool got a very late winner at Anfield because of their home backing, and we would have done much better had we been on home soil. Maybe in Israel it would have been different." Still, Liverpool are through, and probably don’t care much for the criticisms. They’re millions of pounds richer now, and can look forward to tackling the big guns. Mof Gimmers Posted in Liverpool I still think Liverpool could win league this year – then again, I used to think Sven-Goran Eriksson was a good manager, so what do I know? We were at lot worse when we lost to Sturm Garz 1-0 at home in 2004/05 campaign… I don’t have to remind people what happened come May! I’d be lying if I was to say things haven’t been a little disapointing so far… but I’m not too worried yet. At times yesterday we looked quite good… and if Garcia had put half of his chances away there wouldn’t be any criticism. What does worry me is the four injuries in two games! Overall though I’m still expecting us to push Chelsea all the way this year. george vader says: I had a great night’s sleep after watching that boreathon :(	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line858
__label__cc	0.700571	0.299429	#Westpointe 38,000ft2 West Pointe Shopping Center is situated at the northeast corner of Shaw and Brawley Avenues in Fresno. West Shaw Avenue is one of the most successful retail corridors in the Central Valley and brings more than 67,000 cars per day to the site. The immediate trade area boasts many national tenants including Walmart, Target, Steinmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Smart and Final Extra, Food 4 Less, Home Depot, United Artists, Kohl’s, Toys R Us, Costco, Winco and FoodsCo to name a few. Brawley Avenue is a principal north/south street that connects the residential areas to the north and south of Shaw to Herndon Avenue via the Figarden Loop. Shaw Avenue is the major east/west connector street to Freeway 99 and the residential growth areas to the west. West of Freeway 99 is one of the top three residential growth areas in Fresno County. The shopping center has over 38,000 SF of Gross Leasable Area, and is anchored by Office Depot, Sherwin Williams, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, and Tony’s Liquor King. The architecture is punctuated with multiple towers, large fascia signage areas and two free standing pylon signs. The surrounding area is the ultimate location for a thriving retail environment, due to the dense residential population and daytime traffic. +- 38,000 SF of Retail Contiguos to the Walmart Anchored Shopping Center West Shaw retail Market Brawley Connects to the Figarden Loop Area Dense Residential Population 67,277 Cars Per Day Shaw and Brawley Pylon Signage Strong Anchor Established Trade Area Prime Visibility Radius Ring Demographics Drive Time Demographics	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line863
__label__wiki	0.584701	0.584701	American Empire, November 9, 1989-November 27, 2007, R. I. P. People will say that I’m exaggerating, but the American Empire, which started with the fall of the Berlin Wall, officially died on November 27, 2007. The Old American Establishment used all of its influence to convince Middle Eastern leaders that it could still run an empire, and demonstrate it by forcing a tiny country to do make a necessary agreement. Despite putting all its credibility on the line, and using all its resources, the United States was unable to force Israel to do anything other than follow its desired course of continuing to drag out negotiations until every last Palestinian is dead or gone. The Old American Establishment decided that it was necessary to fix the Palestinian problem, and couldn’t even come close. The abject failure of Annapolis represents the official death of the American Empire in the same way that the Suez Crisis represented the official death of the British Empire. Bush’s behavior is telling. He hardly showed up at Annapolis, proceeded to mangle all the names, and gave a speech that was completely inappropriate, one that would have been acutely insulting to all the Arab leaders and diplomats who attended solely on the promise that something positive would come out of the conference (it has been noted that Olmert’s speech was more gracious to the Palestinians than was Bush’s speech). Obviously, the Christian Zionists got to him. The New American Establishment, the Jewish one, ran the show, even undermining Rice’s work through its agent Stephen Hadley. The results were so slanted to Israeli positions that even the Los Angeles Times gets it: “Palestinian and Israeli representatives each said they were satisfied with the outcome of the conference, but there were clear indications that the Israelis came away with a greater share of what they were seeking. Both the Bush administration's approach to talks and a joint declaration negotiated by the Israelis and Palestinians leaned toward Israeli positions.” “Despite statements of mutual support, the vague wording of the joint declaration signaled that the Israelis had emerged from the conference with more of what they wanted than the Palestinians. It also underscored the wide chasm separating the two sides as they begin trying to reach a deal. The Olmert government, worried about critics on its right, appeared successful in its effort to begin negotiations without yielding on anything ahead of time. Abbas' team, by contrast, had sought some sort of Israeli concessions up front to show his public that his alliance with the West is producing benefits in the lives of ordinary Palestinians.” International Jewry really was worried about this conference, as witness the massive amount of whining and lobbying. It needn’t have worried. Running an Empire is hard work, and the Old American Establishment is obviously neither physically nor mentally up to the task. Non-binding framework for negotiations American Empire, November 9, 1989-November 27, 200... Annapolis: Yet another huge victory for Internatio... D. B.'s DNA It's not the oil, stupid Pre-history of Jewish control in Washington Taser problem American peso Zionism as a classic conspiracy Report what I tell you or I'll hold my breath unti... Ultimatum, or laughing stock Annals of the resistance: winning the war against... Staticidal zealotry? Warnings to the Democrats Sanity in Poland Missing Iraqi documents Put up or shut up the american establishmentS Unclear-on-the-concept news Bhutto Rationale of occupation Irrelevantization Is a tip of the hat the kiss of death? Why slur the left? Who are similar in what particular way? More on Mukasey Mukasey conspiracy theory Jill Dekker The peculiar reach of the Lobby West Memphis Three Oil price rise ZPC It's not that difficult to understand More sad neocons Erich von Däniken moment A compendium of phony hate crimes Zionist Whack-A-Mole, Part Two Alan ♥ the Nazis Zionist Whack-A-Mole The standard trick, again Warning of the latest Zionazi conspiracy MacDonald and Wisse Non-paradoxes The attempted Zionist destruction of the French le... A World Without the Rich The calamity of Iraq has not even won us cheap oil... The assassination of Dorothy Kilgallen Lèse majesté	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line864
__label__wiki	0.513444	0.513444	There is some spectacular material out there on the human condition if you peer into the abyss of supremacists: "Israeli poet apologizes for comparing Ahed Tamimi to Anne Frank" (Ofir) and "Caitlyn Jenner Is A Champion For Israel — And Jewish Values" (Boteach)! "Washington Widens the War in Syria by Provoking Turkey" (Whitney): "A five-year-old child could have figured out that Turkey wasn’t going to sit-back and let the US establish a Kurdish state on its border without putting up a fight." This is pure President Jared working Yinon, and he doesn't give a shit about trading in Turkey as an ally for some rag-tag collection of Kurds who are going to get crushed. "US blinks under Turkish pressure in Syria" (Bhadrakumar). Unfortunately, due to the stranglehold that President Jared has over Trump (because Ivanka), the American acknowledgment of the stark realities of the situation is going to be delayed until much more damage is done. "Miscalculations in Israel Could Pave Way to Wider War" (Crooke). If you wanted to analyze it, the Israelis are placing increasingly high-risk bets, and piling one such bet on top of others, a mark of desperation that will certainly eventually lead to disaster for the Khazars. Cough, cough: "Syria - Neo-Conservatives Demand "Action" - Hope For A Larger War" (Moon). "Modern Asia’s “Win-Win” Model Has Averted War Between Turkey, Iran and Russia" (Garrie). The Chinese model is not 'good for the Jews', or any of the Ziowahhabicans. The Zionist model involves: tricking your enemies into fighting each other; false-flags; Yinonization through driving wedges between groups within countries; and proxy armies. None of these tricks and manipulations work if all parties are trying to cooperate for greater collective prosperity. "Remembering Investigative Journalist Robert Parry" (Soloman). A reminder of just how awful - seriously, unbelievably, awful - 99.9% of the professional liars who call themselves 'journalists' really are. "Why Is the FBI Ignoring Bomb-Maker Connected to Tsarnaevs?" (Henry). Orders of sophistication more than something made in 'the kitchen of your Mom'. On Daniel Morley (miraculously, McPhee is a journalist without scare quotes): "Recently, Newsweek published an article with the provocative headline: “Whoever Built the Boston Marathon Bombs Is Still on the Loose, Able to Kill Again.” In it, Boston-based investigative journalist Michele McPhee reviews a perplexing case involving bomb-making materials discovered two months after the Marathon bombing. This case was brought against a former Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) employee, Daniel Morley, only to be subsequently dismissed. What’s perplexing is that there were a number of suggestive similarities between the bomb-making materials found in Morley’s bedroom and the materials used to construct the bombs that exploded at the Boston Marathon finish line. And this was not the only “coincidental” connection between Morley and the Tsarnaevs. The Newsweek article expands on previous reporting McPhee did for her book about the marathon bombing, Maximum Harm: The Tsarnaev Brothers, the FBI, and the Road to the Marathon bombing. Among other startling revelations, McPhee’s book reports a significant strain of skepticism among Boston’s local law enforcement that the feds revealed all they know about the backstory of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. And, as McPhee documents throughout the Newsweek article, multiple local law enforcement officers who were involved in the Morley case before the FBI came in remain baffled as to why the charges against Morley weren’t pursued further. Less than two months after the bombing, police responded to a domestic disturbance in the small suburb of Topsfield outside of Boston, according to a police report reviewed by McPhee. Morley, 27 years old at the time, had allegedly attacked his mother and her boyfriend — both of whom then fled the house and called the police. Morley’s mother, Glenda Duckworth, told the police her son was acting erratically — behavior that had been building over the previous eight weeks, according to McPhee. After a tense four-hour standoff in which Morley threatened to burn the house down and hijack an airplane, police finally coaxed him out of the house and sent him off to a mental health facility for treatment. But when police searched Morley’s bedroom, they found something startling: “His room was a well-stocked bomb-making facility, and it had several components identical to those in the explosive devices used at the Boston Marathon,” McPhee writes in Newsweek. There was “a staggering cache of explosive materials: metallic BBs, electrical wires, batteries, cell phone parts, circuit boards … buckets of aluminum foil, bags of powdery rice flour, tubs of chemicals, hobby fuse and wires … [and] fire starters.” He also had various firearms, ammunition and knives. A shed on the property that his mother described as a “work area” contained even more “known elements in homemade bombs.” Most chillingly, he had a six-quart Fagor pressure cooker just like the ones that had exploded among marathon spectators only weeks before. Police also found an even bigger 24-quart pressure cooker in a closet next to a bag of fertilizer commonly used to make explosives. Is it possible that Morley was just a copycat inspired by the Marathon bombing? McPhee told WhoWhatWhy in an email that the Topsfield police report indicates Morley was in possession of the materials “before the Boston Marathon [bombing].” According to a state trooper McPhee spoke with, FBI agents showed up on scene without having been called. The FBI ultimately seized the evidence that Topsfield police had collected — only to return it months later with the terse and vague statement “we didn’t find anything,” a Topsfield police commander told Newsweek. Morley was initially charged by the Essex County prosecutor “with two counts of assault and battery, making a bomb/hijack threat and a threat to commit a crime.” But the charges were ultimately dropped. The prosecutor did not explain the decision other than to issue a statement through his spokesperson: “Mr. Morley must comply with Department of Health, including medications, and not abuse his family.” The Essex County spokesperson referred all questions to the FBI. The Bureau refused to answer any of Newsweek’s questions related to Morley. WhoWhatWhy reached out to the FBI requesting comment on the Newsweek article, but did not receive a response. The FBI’s handling of Morley’s case is especially curious when one considers the way the Bureau has dealt with other individuals suffering from psychological problems who have engaged in any kind of activity associated with terrorism. The FBI has ensnared dozens of individuals with mental health problems in elaborate terrorism “stings.” In many cases, paid undercover informants lured these individuals into a terroristic plot in an effort to see if they’d take the bait — even going so far as to provide the person of interest with the means to carry out a bogus attack (See here, here, here and here). In the Morley case, the FBI failed to prosecute an individual who had allegedly amassed all the materials needed to carry out a real attack like the one that caused so much death and destruction at the Boston Marathon. Ultimately, Morley was held at three different mental health facilities for about two years, then released about a month after Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial concluded. One local cop remarked to McPhee: “That’s a good way to keep someone out of sight until the trial is over.”" "According to McPhee, “investigators” — it’s not clear which investigators — “suspect Morley also knew Tamerlan — they were in the same criminal justice class at Bunker Hill community college in 2008 and were both devotees of mixed martial arts.”" Of course, the same FBI has just been caught red-handed in plotting a coup d'état by treasonously subverting an American election (and all we hear about is that rascal Putin, and Facebook!). "The Mexican Border-Crossing App That Suddenly Disappeared" (Anderson). Either alt-right trolling or somebody's idea of performance art. I am 100% certain that somebody is blackmailing Lindsay: "Authoritarianism expert: Russia hacked Lindsey Graham’s personal emails so Trump may be blackmailing him". 100%! "Let's Keep Donald Trump" (Giraldi). It has always been obvious that Pence is there to protect Trump from what the bullet dodgers of the Secret Service won't do. "Trump Refuses To Impose New Sanctions On Russia" (Durden). Note the spin from traitors: "Trump Refuses To Impose Congress-Mandated Russian Sanctions" (Kuns). Note also how moving the doomsday clock hands, while Trump is doing all he can to prevent WWIII while his enemies continue to warmonger, is conclusive proof that the 'scientists' care not a whit about nuclear war, with the 'clock' just another Zionist propaganda operation. Cough, cough: "‘Is whistleblowing worth prison or a life in exile?’: Edward Snowden talks to Daniel Ellsberg". Cough: "Denying the Obvious: Leftists and Crimestop" (Curtin): "There are two famous left-wing American intellectuals, one dead and one living, who are often intoned to support this work of propaganda by omission: Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn, both of whom dismissed the killing of JFK and the attacks of September 11 as inconsequential and not worthy of their attention." You know what they say - once you see it, you can't unsee it.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line865
__label__cc	0.647683	0.352317	BMC Geriatrics The well-being of community-dwelling near-centenarians and centenarians in Hong Kong a qualitative study Wai-Ching Paul Wong1,2,3, Hi-Po Bobo Lau4, Chun-Fong Noel Kwok1, Yee-Man Angela Leung2,5, Man-Yee Grace Chan6, Wai-Man Chan7 & Siu-Lan Karen Cheung1,2 BMC Geriatrics volume 14, Article number: 63 (2014) Cite this article Hong Kong has one of the highest life expectancy rankings in the world. The number of centenarians and near-centenarians has been increasing locally and internationally. The relative growth of this population is a topic of immense importance for population and health policy makers. Living long and living well are two overlapping but distinct research topics. We previously conducted a quantitative study on 153 near-centenarians and centenarians to explore a wide range of biopsychosocial correlates of health and “living long”. This paper reports a follow-up qualitative study examining the potential correlates of “living well” among near-centenarians and centenarians in Hong Kong. Six cognitively, physically, and psychologically sound community-dwelling elders were purposively recruited from a previous quantitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Four major themes related to living long and well emerged from the responses of the participants: (a) Positive relations with others, (b) Positive events and happiness, (c) Hope for the future, and (d) Positive life attitude. Specifically, we found that having good interpersonal relationships, possessing a collection of positive life events, and maintaining salutary attitudes towards life are considered as important to psychological well-being by long-lived adults in Hong Kong. Most participants perceived their working life as most important to their life history and retired at very old ages. These findings also shed light on the relationships between health, work, and old age. The worldwide population is ageing at an unprecedented rate [1]. It is projected that the proportion of the world population aged 80 or above will increase almost seven-fold by 2100, from 120 million in 2013 to 392 million in 2050, and to 830 million in 2100 [2]. The number of centenarians will remarkably increase by about 18 times, from 180,000 in 2000 to 3.2 million by 2050 [1]. In Hong Kong, the number of centenarians has also increased four-fold, from 289 in 1981 to 1,890 in 2011 (about 3/10,000, [3]). With a current population of about 7.1 million, the oldest-old (80+) segment is expected to grow at a rate more than twice that of young- to mid-old (age 60-79) (2.7%) [4], and expand from about 246,100 in 2010 (3.5% of the total population) to 956,800 in 2041 (12%) [3]. Many researchers have attempted to examine why and how near-centenarians and centenarians live to such an advanced age. Examples of some long-standing centenarian studies include The Longitudinal Study of Danish Centenarians [5–7], The Okinawa Centenarian Study [8], The US Georgia Centenarian Study [9, 10], The US New England Centenarian Study [11, 12], and The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS) [13]. Most studies have focused on discussing the biological aspects and family history, with less than one-third of them, however, having examined psychosocial aspects of living long [10]. Several studies have underscored the importance of psychosocial mechanisms for understanding how very long-lived adults maintain their quality of life despite increasing constraints [14, 15]. Jopp and Rott [16] found that happiness was robustly predicted by extroverted personality, social network, and self-referent beliefs. In addition, von Faber et al. [17] found that the predictive efficacy of physical health and cognitive astuteness was overshadowed by the abovementioned psychosocial factors. Third, Poon and colleagues [18] discussed the importance of four psychosocial predictors of quality of life including (a) demographics, positive/negative life events and personal history, (b) personality, (c) cognitive functioning, and (d) social and economic resource adequacy. Current knowledge of how psychological aspects contribute to the quality of life and “living well” among centenarians is still sparse. Qualitative studies afford a great degree of flexibility and individualization in the process of data collection and are therefore well-suited to capture the versatile and complex interactions between participants and the social and physical environment. Moreover, if qualitative interviews are to be conducted in the participants’ residential settings, contextual and environmental information can also be collected and used to enhance the understanding of the interconnections of the potential variables that may and may not lead to longevity. Among the paucity of qualitative studies on exceptionally long-lived adults in the literature [19–23], work ethic, optimism, and large social networks have been found to be the most significant psychosocial correlates. The present qualitative study included six physically and psychologically healthy community-dwelling participants who were purposively selected based on six different idiographic examinations (i.e., a centenarian living alone; a centenarian living with spouse; a centenarian living with child (ren); a centenarian living with grandchild (ren); a centenarian living with relatives, and a centenarian living with family members and/or domestic helper) using maximum variation sampling. The six participants were chosen from a larger sample of 153 elderly participants in a quantitative study completed in September 2011 by the research team. The detailed methodology of the quantitative study has been reported [4]. Letters of invitation for participation in the quantitative study were sent to day care centers, district elderly community centers, neighborhood elderly centers, social centers for the elderly, home support teams throughout the territory, and the University of the 3rd Age (U3A) centersa to invite eligible elders. The objective of the quantitative study was to explore the characteristics of a range of correlates for healthy longevity, including physical and mental health, functioning dependence (mobility, activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)), current health and biological condition, vision and hearing, the capacity of physical performance, self-rated health, self-evaluation on life satisfaction, demographic attributes, family structure, socioeconomic status, behavioral risk factors, social and family support, health and elderly care service needs in the community, etc. The present qualitative study serves as a follow-up to the quantitative part, and aims to gain a deeper insight into the potential psychological factors that lead to “living well” among centenarians in Hong Kong. The interviews were semi-structured and conducted by three interviewers including the principal investigator (trained demographer), a co-investigator (clinical psychologist), and a psychology PhD candidate, approximately 1 year after the quantitative data collection period. The interviews examined psychological well-being of the participants and were organized around six areas of investigation: Relations with others, Life events, Life attitude, Hope, Happiness, and Suggestions to others on achieving longevity. The interviews attempted to elicit autobiographical reflections and short narratives on participants’ experiences and everyday life both in the past and at present. The interview questions are listed in Appendix A. Key themes were identified based on the six-factor model of psychological well-being proposed by Ryff and Keyes [24], and related literature [17, 20, 21, 23]. The length of each interview ranged from 1 to 1.5 hours. No multiple or proxy interviews took place. All of the six respondents had relatively good self-reported physical health, cognitive functioning (i.e., mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores ranged from 20 to 30, Mean = 26.33, SD = 3.98), and psychological well-being (i.e., 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score ranged from 0 to 2, Mean = 0.67, SD = 0.82) at the time of the interviews. Cataracts were found to be the most common chronic illness, affecting three of the six participants, while two had hypertension. Gout, thyroid disease, fractures, and osteoporosis also affected some participants (Table 1). All participants reported being able to perform Katz’s [25] six ADL and most of Lawton & Brody’s [26] IADL, except two participants reported that they were not able to travel independently on public transport. Table 1 Characteristics of the participants The participants were informed about the purpose of the study and consented to participate and be videotaped. All interviews were held in participants’ residences. To protect the anonymity of the respondents, each participant was given a pseudonym in this report. Data analysis followed the steps recommended by Braun and Clarke [27]. The interviews were transcribed by a trained research assistant and were then cross-checked with the videos and validated by one of the interviewers. The content of the interview was initially coded independently by two researchers at a general level in order to condense the data into analyzable units. Codes were assigned to segments of transcripts which ranged from a phrase to several sentences based on the pre-selected questions of the semi-structured interview. Initial codes were compared. Then, themes were generated independently and compared. Disagreement in code and theme description and assignment was resolved through constant discussions. A computer program was not used for qualitative analysis due to the small number of participants. To supplement the findings of this study, quantitative findings about the six participants were also checked and used in the analysis. The age of the six participants (three female, three male) ranged from 98 to108 (Median = 101). All were born in China but had resided in Hong Kong for at least 50 years. Table 1 presents the demographic and health characteristics of the participants. Four major themes emerged from the six areas of investigation leading to longevity in Hong Kong, namely, (a) Positive relations with others, (b) Possession of memorable positive life events, (c) Hope for the future, and (d) Positive attitude towards life. Qualitative findings Positive relations with others In general, all participants, regardless of their living arrangements, reported to have positive relationships with others, especially with younger family members and neighbors. All have maintained frequent contact with their family members. For the three participants who lived alone, they were visited by their children or grandchildren almost every day. The survey data revealed that five of the six participants had “never” felt lonely, and all of them reported to have people to turn to when they wanted to be listened to or helped. Three participants lived with family members and all reported having very positive relationships with their cohabitants, mostly their grandchildren. “All of my children and grandchildren respected me.” (Mr. D). “I have many grand and grand-grandchildren. We two [Mr. D and his wife] gave birth to tens and hundreds of people though we cannot remember all of their names… [Interviewer: So who do you like most and who is socially closer to you?] I chat with ALL of them.” (Mr. D). “We [Mr. F and his wife] have no argument at all. We do not argue…when things [discussions] seem to escalate, I go back to my room and sleep… We have a very healthy, peaceful, and happy family…” (Mr. F). In Hong Kong, the majority of residents live in apartments/condominiums in high-rise buildings and work for long hours. Hence, it is not surprising that the sense of neighborhood might be inadequate compared with elsewhere. Nonetheless, one of the participants, who lived alone in an old public estate with a considerable population of elderly, underscored the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbors. “[Interviewer: What is the happiest thing in your life?] Chatting with people. Chatting with people when Yum Cha [having dim sum dishes and Chinese tea]… Sit on a bench at the ground floor of this building and chat with whoever walks past. That’s the happiest thing in my life.” (Mr. A). Possession of memorable positive life events When they were asked to describe the most memorable positive and negative events in their lives, four participants reported positive events that were work-related and stated that those were the happiest moments for them. One recounted that the happiest event was seeing all of his children being highly educated and working as professors at top universities in the United States. One mentioned that there is no event worth recounting as memorable, but the happiest and most important thing in her life is to be visited by her grandchildren. None of the participants reported any significant negative life events in the interviews. Only one participant described the World War II years as “tough”. All participants recalled only positive life events (most related to their career) and none reported negative life events during the interview. It is noteworthy that, with the supporting evidence from their responses in the quantitative survey, although the majority of participants reported being the happiest when they were working, four of the six participants stated that they were “as happy as when they were young” and all of them “always” felt happy. “I made and sold tofu until I was 94 years old. I woke up at 4 o’clock every morning. Soaked the soybeans in a gigantic tub. Soaked them for an hour. Use hands to blend them with a stone mill. For six kilograms of soybeans, I could make 200 bowls of tofu. After the soybeans were well blended, I boiled and cooked them in a 4.8 ft-wide wok. [Interviewer: Did anyone help you with this?] I had a partner. We took the tofu to the market by a trolley. I made tofu until I was 94…” (Mr. A). “The opening of my restaurant. It was a one-floor restaurant [and] around 10,000 square feet [large] with tens of staff. In the whole week of the opening, we invited people to play Chinese lion dance and suona. No one did anything like that in those years. I invented that. The suona was so useful to make the street noisy and attract people’s attention. ” (Mr. D). “I came to Hong Kong when I was 50+ years old. I had worked as a maid for 33 years since then. I mopped the floor, cleaned toilets, cooked meals, and knitted for my boss. Those were my happy moments. If my boss did not move to China, I did not want to retire.” (Ms. C). Contrary to our prediction, participants mentioned that they had nothing significant to hope for. Instead of asking participants explicitly about their plans for the future, the interviewers used analogs in the probing questions to induce ideas related to the topic. Among participants’ responses, none mentioned their long-term plans. However, some participants mentioned that being able to live to the next day is the only thing they wish for. “[Interviewer: If God offered you a wish, what would you wish for?] [I hope for] the arrival of tomorrow…or sleeping well.” (Ms. B). “[Interviewer: Do you plan to do anything that you found you might have missed in your lifetime?] “No. I cannot think too much because what I can do is limited now. The only thing I can do is going to Yum Cha day by day as I wake up in the morning.” (Ms. A). “Nothing…now I have lunch, and then walk to the community center, go back home after that, watch TV, and then go to sleep… I am repeating the same things day by day. What else to think of? If you were living that long life, what can you do? You know, some people are eager to live a great span of life, but they failed… You know this is predetermined.” (Ms. C). Positive attitude towards life We asked participants what their lives were about and what they cared about the most in order to explore their attitudes towards life. Five claimed that they were adventurous, and all of them agreed that life has been beautiful. Their advice to others about longevity was largely related to their attitudes towards life. Here is their advice: “Don’t think too much…be open-minded to problems…walking and doing exercise after meals are important.” (Mr. A). “Life is predetermined.” (Ms. B). “Be kind. Never hurt others.” (Ms. C). “Hard work. Stay sincere. Honest. Persistence.” (Mr. D). “God blesses us.” (Ms. E). “Peace is the most important thing in life. To me, a peaceful family is the most important.” (Mr. F). Discussion and conclusions Studying the survival trajectories of exceptionally long-lived and lived-well individuals enhances our understanding on health and functional capacities of all age groups. This paper reports the first exploratory qualitative study depicting psychological well-being of near-centenarians and centenarians in Hong Kong, a city with one of the world’s highest life expectancies for both genders. Consistent with the literature [16–18, 20, 28, 29], the six oldest-old individuals indicated that having maintained positive relationships with others, possessing a collection of positive life events, and upholding a constellation of salutary attitudes towards life were important to their well-being. It seems that these factors have given a sense of “living life to the fullest with the right people” which has prepared them to be resilient even when challenged in all aspects of life. Maintaining meaningful social contacts with others and a supportive social network have been found to be vital to sustaining quality of life for old people [30]. Contacts with family, neighbors, friends, and community service providers support longevity by offering valuable social resources which are in line with the conception of “well-adjusted” social life [31]. However, access to these resources may be constrained by living conditions [32]. For example, the Georgia Centenarian Study found that centenarians living in nursing homes reported having significantly fewer social resources compared to those living in either private homes or personal care facilities [33]. Our study only involved individuals who lived in the community. Thus, we could not validate the conclusions drawn by Randall and colleagues concerning elderly persons living in care facilities. Nevertheless, the current findings provide support for the importance of positive relations and supportive social resources for the well-being of near-centenarians and centenarians. Programs that facilitate cognitive functioning and social contacts may be beneficial for enhancing social resources and independence. Good examples include Senior Odyssey, which is an adaptation of a program initially developed for grade-school children that focuses on solving novel problems and encourages group collaboration [34], and the Experience Corps, which is an intergenerational program in Baltimore, Maryland. The program trains up older adults to help at-risk students in math and reading skills in collaboration with public schools. Through the program, elderly trainers may benefit from spending less time in less engaging activities such as watching television, from cognition-enhancing activities that help preserve their executive functioning and memory, and from establishing social ties with different age groups [35]. Various studies found that positive attitudes towards life and ageing facilitate quality of life among elderly persons. For instance, possessing high self-efficacy or a ‘can-do’ attitude was found to predict good quality of life, along with more commonly anticipated factors such as good physical health and functional ability [36, 37]. In the present study, based on participants’ recollection of their life histories, we infer that they tended to have high self-efficacy and a ‘can-do’ attitude in their earlier work life. However, when it came to their current well-being, they tended to emphasize the importance of a ‘let go’ or ‘think less’ attitude and adaptive coping responses towards life as the key to achieving tranquility of the mind [38]. This resonates with previous findings on the importance of adapting to physical limitations for successful ageing [17, 31]. In the face of the almost inevitable deterioration in physical functioning and the impending end of life, coping strategies such as acceptance and mental disengagement may be effective in handling fear and insecurities. It is also worth noting that the six participants had shared their perspectives and advice about achieving a long life. Their recommendations covered issues related to spirituality, religiosity, maintaining cognitive astuteness, family, and work ethics. This highlights the need to examine factors of longevity from a multidimensional approach covering biological, psychological, and social aspects, as well as to scrutinize the interactions of different dimensions in the context of elderly people’s daily life and life history. It will be theoretically valuable to collect recommendations on longevity from exceptionally long-lived adults in different societies, as these lay theories could be shaped by factors such as norms about families, cultural ideals, social policies and so forth. While acknowledging the small sample size and the maximum variation sampling method, work featured very heavily in the recollection of positive life events in all six participants which is in line with one of the qualitative studies suggesting that memories of families and friends, work and work ethic, attitude toward life will enhance longevity directly or indirectly [39]. Also, five of the six participants retired at a relatively advanced age and expressed their enjoyment at work. A late retirement age appears to play an important role in the psychological well-being of aged individuals. In addition to a structured daily routine, the work environment may provide platforms for individuals to excel, to be constructive and productive, and to secure self-worthiness. This finding has significant practical implications for future ageing and public policies. The unprecedented rate of ageing population in many developed countries is expected to result in severe shrinkage of the labor force, and in turn, may threaten economic growth and productivity. If retiring at an older age is prospectively beneficial to elderly persons’ well-being, retaining older individuals in the labor force may appear a desirable and tenable idea. In addition, we share the perspective of Vaupel and Loichinger [40] regarding the benefit of expanding the proportion of labor force among developed countries. In their thesis, they suggested that if a greater share of the population works, multiple beneficial outcomes may follow; for instance (a) reduction in the average number of hours of work per week for all individuals, (b) abatement in youth unemployment rates, (c) increase in quality time spent with children among middle-aged parents as they can “spread out” their time spent on work across a larger proportion of their lifetime, (d) increase in leisure activities for those who are still physically capable. On the other hand, a sensible alternative is to compensate younger people for working when they are older by allowing them to work fewer hours per week over the whole course of their lives [41]. However, for developing countries, it is acknowledged that relatively more negative outcomes may incur, including reduced income for the majority due to the reduction in working hours. Also, this recommendation may not work for places where the majority of jobs require high physical exertion. The findings of this study may have some contribution to the current discussion about extending the legal age of retirement in Hong Kong and setting up a universal retirement protection scheme. We acknowledge that the major limitation of this study is its small sample size. However, we would like to stress the difficulties of recruiting extremely healthy near-centenarians and centenarians as the sample of the study. Besides, the collected information seems to skew greatly to the positive side which was not unusual in the centenarian research as some of them were not inclined to talk about the unhappy parts of their life histories [39]. It was noteworthy that our participants did not share much negative information with us during the interviews. This was probably because, first, we specifically told them that we aimed to know how they lived so long and well; second, the participants were reluctant to discuss their concerns with the research team. This is culturally understandable, in that Chinese elders might be relatively conservative and therefore reluctant to discuss openly their weaknesses and worries in front of others out of concern for their own reputation. Chinese culture emphasizes harmony and face-saving (or mianzi) [38, 42]. Mianzi is defined as ‘a social reputation that is highly valued by Chinese’ [42], therefore Chinese may be less likely to disclose their feelings and emotions to others. Previous studies differentiated Chinese communication from North American’s by five communication characteristics which may help explain this limitation: (a) han xu or implicit, (b) ting hua (listening-centeredness), (c) ke qi or politeness, (d) zi ji ren (insider-oriented) and (e) mianzi or face-directed [43, 44]. During the interviews, implicit might play so as to limit responses to an emotionally controllable level. Listening-centeredness and Polite might encourage the elderly to answer more positively to entertain the interviewers. Insider-oriented may help explain why they refrain from full and free expression, because the interviewers might not be treated as an “Insider”. Third, in order to protect face, they might hesitate to share life events that might diminish their reputation with the interviewers. Regardless of these limitations, studying the successfully aged not only allows us to better understand the process of ‘survivorship’ in positive and successful ageing, but also reminds us of what needs to be planned and implemented in our rapidly ageing society, a phenomenon so far unseen in the history of mankind. aThe U3A project is sponsored by the Hong Kong Electric Centenary Trust and coordinated by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) to promote active ageing and life-long learning among the city’s retired population. Its network covers 16 elderly service agencies in Hong Kong. The agencies receive funding to set up self-learning network/centers that provide courses conducted by older persons for the older persons. The webpage is http://www.u3a.org.hk/. Semi-structured open-ended questions Social network contact and family support How frequently do you have contact with your family members (ask specifically for each individuals)? Please evaluate the assistance received from family members in the form of a) household items; b) money; c) emotional support; and d) informational support. Please list up to FIVE individuals who could be considered “significant others” (can include friends, relatives, neighbors, helping professionals, or anyone else), regardless of how often they have contact with you, in your life? After the list is generated, ASK: a) what was the nature of the relationship; b) how often do you meet, and by what means; and c) how does he/she affect your life now? Life events (positive and negative) happened a) in the past year; and b) in your lifetime, that are most memorable to you? How do they affect you? Life attitude Many people have a lot of attitudes about many things, e.g. work, love, etc. What is your attitude about life? Probe if not understood (e.g. What is LIFE to you? What do care most about in life etc? Do you spend a lot of time doing things that are productive? Do you feel good because you do activities are meaningful and purposeful). What do you hope for now? Are you as happy as when you were younger? Do you think your life is the happiest now? Do you think now are the best years of your life? Can you tell me why? As you look back on your life, are you satisfied? If you could change your life, what aspects would you change? How would you describe your personality? Motto and suggestions to others regarding living a long life. 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Edited by: Poon LW, Perls TT. 2008, New York: Springer Publishing Company, 173-204. 10 Vaupel JW, Loichinger E: Redistributing work in aging Europe. Science. 2006, 312: 1911-1913. 10.1126/science.1127487. Vaupel JW: Biodemography of human ageing. Nature. 2010, 464: 536-542. 10.1038/nature08984. Kwang KK, Han KH: Face and morality in Confucian Society. The Oxford Handbook of Chinese Psychology. Edited by: Bond MH. 2010, USA: Oxford University Press Gao G, Ting-Toomey S: Communicating effectively with the Chinese. 1998, Thousand Oaks: Sage Fang T, Faure GO: Chinese communication characteristics: a Yin Yan Perspective. Int J Intercultural Relat. 2011, 35: 320-333. 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2010.06.005. The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://0-www.biomedcentral.com.brum.beds.ac.uk/1471-2318/14/63/prepub The project would not have been possible without the keen involvement of our participants and their family members. This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in January 2011 (Reference Number: EA200111) and by the Ethics Committee of the Department of Health (Reference Number: L/M 48/2011 in DHHQ/5030/5/5) in May 2011. It was supported by the Seed Funding Programme for Basic Research, the matching fund from the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at HKU, and AXA who offered red packets to the participants. The authors would like to thank Mr. Kenneth Liang, Institute of Human Performance and Prof. Paul Yip and Dr. Ernest Chui, The Department of Social Work and Social Administration at HKU. Our heart-felt appreciation also goes to Dr. Morris Tai, Dr. Jason So, Queen Mary Hospital, Dr. Winnie Mok and Dr. Felix Chan, TWGHs Fung Yiu King Hospital, Dr. Linda Hui, Dr. Sammy Ng, Ms. Shelley Chan, Elderly Health Service, the Department of Health and Ms. Winter Chan, Hong Kong Council of Social Service. We also thank Mr. Wan W-K (Phlebotomist), Ms. Karen Cheung C-P, Ms. Irene Lau, Ms. Rosanna Liu & Ms. Luk F-L (Registered Nurses) for supporting this study. Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Hong Kong SAR, China Wai-Ching Paul Wong , Chun-Fong Noel Kwok & Siu-Lan Karen Cheung Sau Po Centre on Ageing, Hong Kong SAR, China , Yee-Man Angela Leung Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong SAR, China Department of Psychology, Hong Kong SAR, China Hi-Po Bobo Lau Department of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China Yee-Man Angela Leung Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Hong Kong SAR, China Man-Yee Grace Chan The Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR, China Wai-Man Chan Search for Wai-Ching Paul Wong in: Search for Hi-Po Bobo Lau in: Search for Chun-Fong Noel Kwok in: Search for Yee-Man Angela Leung in: Search for Man-Yee Grace Chan in: Search for Wai-Man Chan in: Search for Siu-Lan Karen Cheung in: Correspondence to Siu-Lan Karen Cheung. SLKC is the Principal Investigator of the project and PWCW, YMAL, MYGC, and WMC are the Co-investigators. SLKC, PWCW, and BHPL conducted the interviews. PWCW and NCFK conducted data analysis. PWCW, BHPL, NCFK, and SLKC wrote up the manuscript. All authors commented on and approved the manuscript. Wong, W.P., Lau, H.B., Kwok, C.N. et al. The well-being of community-dwelling near-centenarians and centenarians in Hong Kong a qualitative study. BMC Geriatr 14, 63 (2014) doi:10.1186/1471-2318-14-63 Accepted: 30 April 2014 Community and public health Psychology, psychiatry and quality of life	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line868
__label__cc	0.637885	0.362115	info. projects. residency. home. BEFORE AND AFTER THIS. BEFORE AND AFTER THIS. 8 Sep - 7 Oct 2018 Hist-i-o-ry/ L’affare del secolo an exhibition by Hamid El Kanbouhi How many generations does a person need to disentangle him or herself from the collective and personal history? And to what extent can a biased individual be regarded as a … How many generations does a person need to disentangle him or herself from the collective and personal history? And to what extent can a biased individual be regarded as a product, that can be included in the circulation of commodities? These are the questions that form the ground for the performative installation of Hamid El Kanbouhi (1976, works and lives in Amsterdam) of his solo exhibition Hist-i-o-ry/ L’affare del secolo at 1646 that will open this season. For this exhibition Hamid will create new work that takes up the complete gallery space and transforms it into an all covering performative installation, involving painting, drawing, text, objects and human figures that on special occasions will be activated as the artist will put himself on display and offer himself during the performances. Hist-i-o-ry/ L’affare del secolo will be an performative installation through which the artist will explore notions as family, origin, the human being as product, talent, policy resulting into something that is an all involving work inextricable from the reality of the daily life of the artist and his struggle to survive as an artist. The focus of the installation will be directed on measuring the interpretation of the visitor and his or her interaction with the performer, the space and the object. Unconventional correlations are made to the world of football, the position of the player as a product, and the significance the player carries for so many people. In a similar way Hamid El Kanbouhi likes to see the artist and the way the viewer is affected through the game of manipulation. Simultaneously the viewer is involved in experiencing the work, affecting both lives. The installation will be unable to answer all the questions that it raises, rather it offers a collection of symbols and hints from the artists life history and experience. Hamid El Kanbouhi studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, the Sandberg Institute and the Rijksakademie. In 2013 El Kanbouhi participated in the Biennale of Marrakech and in 2014 he became the first city drawer of Amsterdam. In 2015 he was shown in Pangaea II at Saatchi Gallery London. Also in 2015 he started making large format drawings for site specific installations like WHO HAS PEED IN MY MIND (Nest, The Hague). for download. Marc van Dijk on Hamid El Kanbouhi Mister Motley Villa Next door Art Viewer	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line870
__label__cc	0.524564	0.475436	About 7MM Drive By Riff Raff Posted Friday, May 15th, 2015 09:39 am GMT -6 in Concerts, Music The week after we had our first opener only show at First Avenue, I had another first – two concerts in one night. This was just stupidity on my part, as I forgot to check my calendar before buying the second ticket (and I almost bought tickets to the Charlie Parr album release show at the Varsity too). In true music critic form, though, I just hopped in the car between shows and caught part of each. First up was the sold-out Hurray for the Riff Raff show at the Cedar Cultural Center. Doors were at 7 and there was an opening act. Canadian Daniel Romano was originally scheduled, but he dropped out and Laulu was added at the last minute. They were OK, but I was really hoping they would just skip the opener so I could get to First Avenue quicker. Colleen had heard good buzz on Hurray for the Riff Raff, so she bought us two tickets as a Christmas stocking stuffer. Lead singer Alynda Lee Segarra has been on Treme and I picked up their major label debut Small Town Heroes a few months back and really liked it. They played Festival Palomino last year and apparently were well received at SXSW. Their live show was just great (and they had the tallest female bass player I’ve ever seen – don’t think she played on the album, though). The Shusters showed up too, which was a nice surprise. It was a standing show, but we sat on the benches in back for most of it. I really didn’t want to leave, but headed for the door right as the main set ended. Colleen stayed for the encore, while I made it to First Avenue just as the second set of Drive-By Truckers Revenge of the Dirt Underneath Tour started. I’ve seen them before, but this was a unique acoustic show with lots of commentary on how the songs came about (kind of like MTV Unplugged). Patterson Hood is one funny dude (and a very good storyteller). Mike Cooley was a little more reserved, but those two voices are just so unique and powerful. Picked up a cool signed poster, but never found a good place to stand since I got there after everyone else. The Prince Sign O the Times cover was another instant First Avenue classic – just perfect… Originally published by DK on May 15, 2015 at 9:39 am Browse post categories Art (281) Baseball (49) Biking (60) Business (145) Cars (132) Casinos (879) Charities (56) Concerts (505) Design (118) Disney (82) Family (1,397) Fashion (98) Food (1,887) Football (177) Friends (548) Games (118) Golf (874) History (278) Hockey (226) Holidays (217) Housekeeping (63) Links (769) Marathons (128) Mini Posts (22) Movies (341) Museums (82) Music (1,303) Nature (338) News (25) Personal (386) Pets (56) Photography (1,197) Politics (60) Pop Culture (174) Quotes (1,085) Reading (58) Running (454) Schools (134) Science (15) Shopping (177) Skiing (68) Sports (370) Stamps (4) Swimming (1) Technology (431) Television (248) Theater (39) Travel (1,149) Tweets (1,195) Uncategorized (3) Video (73) Weather (290) Wildlife (35) Work (547) Things to Do, #40: Have a Goofy medal placed around my neck. Check. Copyright © 2020 - David Kingsbury	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line875
__label__cc	0.702983	0.297017	Updated Oct-18-2017, 16:40:06 GMT Scrapers Archives - ScraperDB #artificialintelligence Mar-20-2016, 12:50:23 GMT Buying proxy can be very expensive, especially if you need a lot of them, that's why we build this proxy scraper! Scraping websites such as Yelp doesn't involve having an account, therefore, it doesn't matter… proxy, scraper archive, scraperdb 5 products under $10 that changed my life USATODAY - Tech Top Stories Oct-18-2017, 16:40:06 GMT If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives. Every now and then someone (usually a random person on the internet) turns me onto a product that is so useful it turns my whole world upside-down. When these tiny treasures end up being cheap, the feeling's even better; it's like you've been let into a secret club. Here are five products that have two things in common: they're ten dollars or less and I can't imagine living without them. cast iron, jojoba oil, scraper, (15 more...) USATODAY - Tech Top Stories Country: North America > United States (0.85) Industry: Materials > Chemicals (0.34) Affective Computing and Applications of Image Emotion Perceptions Zhao, Sicheng (Harbin Institute of Technology) \| Yao, Hongxun (Harbin Institute of Technology) AAAI Conferences Apr-19-2016 Images can convey rich semantics and evoke strong emotions in viewers. The research of my PhD thesis focuses on image emotion computing (IEC), which aims to predict the emotion perceptions of given images. The development of IEC is greatly constrained by two main challenges: affective gap and subjective evaluation. Previous works mainly focused on finding features that can express emotions better to bridge the affective gap, such as elements-of-art based features and shape features. According to the emotion representation models, including categorical emotion states (CES) and dimensional emotion space (DES), three different tasks are traditionally performed on IEC: affective image classification, regression and retrieval. The state-of-the-art methods on the three above tasks are image-centric, focusing on the dominant emotions for the majority of viewers. For my PhD thesis, I plan to answer the following questions: (1) Compared to the low-level elements-of-art based features, can we find some higher level features that are more interpretable and have stronger link to emotions? (2) Are the emotions that are evoked in viewers by an image subjective and different? If they are, how can we tackle the user-centric emotion prediction? (3) For image-centric emotion computing, can we predict the emotion distribution instead of the dominant emotion category? artificial intelligence, emotion, machine learning, (17 more...) Thirtieth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence > Cognitive Science > Emotion (0.51) Information Technology > Sensing and Signal Processing > Image Processing (0.36) More Free Data Sets @machinelearnbot Aug-4-2017, 01:50:20 GMT Also, you can always find new data sets by searching for data sets on DSC. They have a scraper robot which crawls Indiegogo projects and collects data about them. They also have a scraper robot which crawls all Kickstarter projects and collects data in JSON format. From March 2016 they run this data crawl once a month. collect data, free data, scraper robot Technology: Information Technology > Artificial Intelligence (0.74) #artificialintelligence Apr-5-2017, 17:40:41 GMT We built a series of web scrapers across a number of high-volume e-commerce platforms. Leveraging additional web scrapers and the many Amazon APIs readily available, we automated the process of comparing products, re-pricing, and quantity change detection in a near real-time data warehouse. This information was passed in an automated process to human evaluators who made the final decision to sell the products on the Amazon platform. Auto re-pricing and re-scraping algorithms were also built into the machine to avoid the catastrophic scenario of selling a product that was out-of-stock with the supplier. platform, real time system, scraper, (1 more...) Information Technology > Architecture > Real Time Systems (1.00) Information Technology > Sensing and Signal Processing (0.73)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line877
__label__wiki	0.582403	0.582403	Sightseeing at Capitol Reef National Park ©2006 National Park Services An old wagon trail called the Blue Dugway winds through the park along a scenic, 25-mile route. Over the centuries, the exposed edges of the uplift have eroded into a slickrock wilderness that encompasses most of Capitol Reef National Park's scenic splendors. Layer upon layer of brightly colored sandstone is cut by deep, serpentine canyons or eroded into natural bridges or massive domes. One of these great monolithic rock structures apparently reminded an early traveler of the capitol dome in Washington, D.C., and he came up with the name Capitol Reef. One of the most wonderful parts of the canyon is along the Fremont River. In this deep-cut passage, the early Mormons settled and planted extensive groves of fruit trees, including apple and peach. The park headquarters and visitor center are found here, along with a fine campground. At sunrise and sunset scattered bands of mule deer are often seen feeding in this area, as well as the occasional coyote and gray fox. Sometimes lucky park visitors encounter a herd of desert bighorn sheep. The last sighting of a native bighorn was in 1948, and park officials believe that they disappeared because of diseases caught from domestic sheep. The park has since reintroduced the desert bighorn. Another marvelous area is located in Cathedral Valley to the north of the Fremont River Canyon. In fact, Ansel Adams took one of his most memorable photographs (of the Temple of the Sun rock formation) at this site. The lovely Cathedral Valley reveals eroded spires of Entrada sandstone that rise 50 stories from the valley floor. In the valley, a narrow four-wheel-drive road loops among stark and bizarre formations with such names as the Gypsum Sinkhole, the Walls of Jericho, and the Temple of the Sun. Elsewhere the pioneers descriptively dubbed the terrain Poverty Flat, Fern's Nipple, Tarantula Mesa, and Dogwater Creek. Capitol Reef's lovely, 25-mile-long scenic drive leads into the heart of the park along an old wagon trail called the Blue Dugway. Legend has it that this road has been used by Native Americans, outlaws, miners, and gypsies. It is said that the Devil himself was once spotted strolling on the trail. A pioneer farmer supposedly drove him away with the Book of Mormon. Today the Blue Dugway is graded and covered. It connects the former Mormon community of Fruita with the section of the Waterpocket Fold called Capitol Reef. The backcountry of Capitol Reef National Park is a rugged realm, and careful preparations should be made before undertaking any major trips. Most importantly, sufficient water must be taken in this vast desert region. Capitol Reef National Park Photo Opportunities You'll find dozens of picturesque vistas as you hike along the Fremont River and through Cathedral Valley. Here are some suggestions for other unforgettable sights: Muley Twist Canyon: In the southern end of the park, wilderness trails wind through places with poetic names such as Muley Twist Canyon. This path is so narrow that, in pioneer days, mules had to slither through the canyon. The Castle: Located near the Visitor's Center, the Castle rock formation has an unusual green layer that is associated with uranium. Panorama Point: From Panorama Point, visitors will see a sweeping vista of sandstone formations framed by the peaks of the Henry Mountains. On a clear day, visibility might be 100 miles or more. Cassidy Arch: One spur road off the Blue Dugway leads into the Grand Wash, a canyon supposedly used as a hideout by the famous outlaw Butch Cassidy. From the trailhead in the canyon, a spectacular hiking trail climbs for a mile up to an imposing rock formation known as Cassidy Arch. This rugged region of southern Utah has been home to various inhabitants, including the Fremont people and early Mormon settlers. To read more about the early Capitol Reef dwellers, turn to the next page.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line890
__label__cc	0.571598	0.428402	Duolingo: Learn Languages Free 4493295 votes, 4.6972923278809/5 Author: Duolingo Latest Version: Varies with device Download (Varies with device) Learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Esperanto, Polish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Hebrew, Welsh and English. Totally fun and free. New! Swahili and Romanian. Practice your speaking, reading, listening and writing skills while playing a game! You’ll improve your vocabulary and grammar skills by answering questions and completing lessons. Start with basic verbs, phrases, and sentences, and learn new words daily. • Google Play’s Editor’s Choice and “Best of the Best” of 2013 and 2014! • “Far and away the best language-learning app.” —The Wall Street Journal • “Duolingo may hold the secret to the future of education.” —TIME Magazine • “Among apps for learning a language, you can’t beat Duolingo.” —PC Magazine. • “The most productive means of procrastination ever discovered. The short lesson blocks are painless and peppy, and reaching the next level (and then the level after that) becomes addictive.” —Slate Duolingo is changing the way people learn languages. • It’s free, for real. • It’s fun. Advance by completing bite-sized lessons, and track your progress with shiny achievements. • It’s effective. 34 hours of Duolingo are equivalent to a semester of university-level education. Send any feedback to android@duolingo.com Buy Duolingo gear at https://gear.duolingo.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duolingo Twitter: https://twitter.com/duolingo Google+: https://plus.google.com/+duolingo Use Duolingo on the Web at https://www.duolingo.com Requirements: Varies with device	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line899
__label__wiki	0.702014	0.702014	Category Archives: Chieftains The Chieftains – 2 (1969) Posted on May 20, 2019 by allerlei2013riffmaster Chieftains 2 is the second album released by the Irish musical group The Chieftains in 1969. It was Peadar Mercier’s album debut on bodhran. When Seán Ó Riada disbanded Ceoltoiri Chualann in 1969, several of the players wanted to continue the sound they had pioneered. The result was the reformation of The Chieftains. “The Foxhunt” had previously been known as a piper’s tune, but here it was given a full band treatment, and was widely played, as a direct result of this recording. (by wikipedia) This is the real stuff, the very best of the group’s early albums and the best representation of the Chieftains’ original sound. If anything, the group is more confident the second time out, and the material, consisting of traditional airs, jigs, and polkas, is stronger than on the first album. Opening with the gorgeous double jig “Banish Misfortune, Gillan’s Apples,” which goes back to the time of the 16th century fiddler Raftery of Connacht, the record simply gets better all the way through. Though more familiar as a harp piece, “Planxty George Brabazon” (written by the harper-composer Turlough O’Carolan) comes off stunningly here played on pipes, flutes, etc., without a plucked instrument in sight; “The Foxhunt” is a great showcase for Martin Fay and Seán Keane’s fiddle skills; the mournful, somber, but beautiful “Am Mhaighdean Mhara” was the tune that Stanley Kubrick absorbed into his movie Barry Lyndon, and tells a magical story of torment and lost love. Production on the album is first-rate and, in particular, makes excellent use of stereo separation. (by Bruce Eder) Martin Fay (fiddle) Seán Keane (fiddle) Peadar Mercier (bodhrán) Paddy Moloney (uillean pipes, tin whistle) Seán Potts (tin whistle) Michael Tubridy (flute, concertina, tin whistle) 01. Banish Misfortune / Gillian’s Apples 3.34 02. Seóirse Brabston (Planxty George Brabazon) 3.29 03. Bean an Fhir Rua (The Red-Haied Man’s Wife) 2.49 04. Pis Fhliuch (The Wet Quirn) (O’ Farrells Welcome to Limerick) 3.33 05. An Páistín Fionn (The Fair-Haired Child)/ Mrs. Crotty’s Reel / The Mountain Top 4.12 06. The Foxhunt 5.13 07. An Mhaighdean Mhara (The Sea Maiden) / Tie the Bonnet / O’ Rourke’s Reel 4.13 08. Callaghan’s Hornpipe / Byrne’s Hornpipe 3.13 09. Pigtown / Tie the Ribbons / The Bag of Potatoes 2.34 10. The Humours of Whiskey / Hardiman the Fiddler 2.54 11. Dónall Óg 3.54 12. Brian Boru’s March 3.12 13. Sweeney’s / Denis Murphy’s / The Scartaglen Polka 3.30 All songs are Traditionals Posted in Chieftains, Irish Folk, Year Of Recording: 1969 \| Leave a reply The Chieftains – Same (1) (1964) Posted on September 27, 2018 by allerlei2013riffmaster The Chieftains is the first album released by the Irish musical group The Chieftains in 1964. The album is now sometimes referred to as The Chieftains 1 due to the numbering system of their later albums. It was one of the first folk albums to be recorded in stereo. (by wikipedia) Paddy always had a vision from the mid 1950’s. A sound he wanted to create, a sound that had never been heard before. He knew it would take much experimentation with different combinations of instruments and so he formed several groups with other musicians in duets and trios. In particular he played with Seán Potts, Michael Tubridy, Matt Molloy and Seán Keane in various combinations who would all later become Chieftains. But it was not until he had formed the original line up for The Chieftains in 1962 that he finally achieved the sound that had eluded him, a sound created by Paddy’s inspired choice of instruments, styles and players. It was only at this point did Paddy feel ready to give his group the title The Chieftains (a name which was inspired by the Irish poet John Montague) and confident enough to take his band into studio to record the very first of many, award winning albums. This recording came about at the invitation of his good friend, the Hon. Garech a Brún for his record label Claddagh Records. (offical press release) The debut album by the Chieftains, recorded when they were still a semi-professional outfit, is more restrained than their subsequent efforts. The opening number introduces each of the bandmembers, Paddy Moloney and Sean Potts on pipes, followed by Michael Tubridy on flute and David Fallon on bodhran, Martin Fay on the fiddle, and then Tubridy on the concertina. The group would later acquire what can only be called a more soulful approach, but the playing here was a revelation at the time, if only for its stripped-down authenticity. The music — mostly airs, reels, and jigs — and performances lack the otherworldly quality that characterized the Chieftains’ 1970s albums, but the melodies are still extremely pretty, and make up in immediacy and high spirits what they lack in mystique and mysticism. Martin Fay’s fiddle is more prominent here than on subsequent records, where Moloney’s pipes became the major voice within the group. Highlights include “Comb Your Hair and Curl It/The Boys of Ballisodare,” “The Musical Priest/The Queen of May,” “The Walls of Liscarroll,” and “The Connemara Stocking.” (by Bruce Eder) David Fallon (bodhrán) Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes, tin whistle) 01. Sé Fáth mo Bhuartha / The Lark On The Strand / An Fhallaingín Mhuimhneach / Trim the Velvet 8.07 02. An Comhra Donn / Murphy’s Hornpipe 4.21 03. Cailín na Gruaige Doinne (The Brown-Haired Girl) 2.51 04. Comb Your Hair And Curl It / The Boys of Ballisodare 3.15 05. The Musical Priest / The Queen Of May 3.38 06. The Walls Of Liscarroll Jig 2.44 07. An Dhruimfhionn Donn Dílis 3.03 08. The Connemara Stocking / The Limestone Rock / Dan Breen’s 2.53 09. Casadh an tSúgan 3.47 10. The Boy In The Gap 1.22 11. Saint Mary’s, Church Street / Garret Barry, The Battering Ram / Kitty goes a-Milking, Rakish Paddy 6.54 All songs: Traditionals James Galway And The Chieftains – In Irleland (1987) Posted on April 16, 2015 by allerlei2013riffmaster James Galway, known worldwide for being one the best professional flautists of modern times, joins traditional Irish band The Chieftans for an unconventional mix of classical flute and Irish pub music. In addition to several well-celebrated Irish tunes including {&”Danny Boy”}, {&”Give Me Your Hand”}, and {&”Crowley’s Reel”}, James Galway and the Chieftains in Ireland also feautures the relationship built between the unlikely combination throughout their many rehearsals, a biography on Galway as presented by Derek Bell, and performances from venues as informal as local pubs to the internationally famous Grand Opera House in Belfast, Ireland. (Tracie Cooper) Andyou will hear a real beautiful rendition of “Danny Boy.” James Galway (flute, whistle) Paddy Moloney (pipes, whistle) Martin Fay (fiddle, bones) Matt Molloy (flute, whistle) Kevin Conneff (bodhrán) Derek Bell (harp, tiompán, harpsichord) National Philharmonic Orchestra Na Píobairí Uilleann Set Dancers 01. Roches Favourite (Set Dance) (Traditional) 3.30 02. Fanny Power; Mabel Kelly; O’Carolan’s Concerto (O’Carolan) 6.45 03. Carrickfergus (Air) (Traditional) 3.54 04. Down By The Sally Gardens (Air) (Traditional) 2.53 05. Give My Your Hand (O’Cathan) 3.44 06. She Moved Through The Fair (Flute Solo) (Traditional) 1.56 07. The Red Admiral Butterfly (Slip Jig) (Traditional) 5.47 08. Danny Boy (Air) (Traditional) 3.20 09. Crowley’s Reel (Traditional) 3.26 10. Tristan And Isolde (Moloney) 3.31 11. Alleluia (Traditional) 4.53 12. When You And I Were Young, Maggie (Traditional) 2.26 13. The Humours Of Kilfenora; The Independent (Hornpipes) (Traditional) 4.46 14. Avondale (Air) (Traditional) 2.31 15. Up And About (Kerry Slides) (Traditional) 3.55 Posted in Chieftains, Galway James, Irish Folk, Year Of Recording: 1987 \| Leave a reply The Chieftains – The Wide World Over (2002) In the Chieftains’ four decades of recording, they’ve changed labels a handful of times, and each label has seen fit to record at least one or two collections of the band’s output under their tenure. At this point they have so many best-ofs and greatest-hits compilations, it’s tough for the listener to know the best of what they’re actually hearing. New millennium — new collection: the band’s longtime label, RCA Victor, has done the Celtic community a favor by releasing a collection that deals more with the band’s journey through their different phases as opposed to trying to reassemble a hits package. The end result is almost like listening to a radio station that only plays Chieftains songs. There are some live tracks, their countrified romp through “Cotton-Eyed Joe”; Van Morrison’s adult-contemporary “Shenandoah”; an unusual introduction of the bandmembers in Chinese; appearances from Sting, Diana Krall, and Art Garfunkel; and a couple of new recordings. The breezy cover of “Morning Has Broken” fares better than the hybridized “Redemption Song” (in fact, it’s a challenge to think of any instances of a successful Celtic/reggae alloy). The album will be enjoyed by Chieftains fans as a fun collection of songs they have never heard back-to-back before, and those looking for a greatest-hits collection will have plenty of other places to look. (by Zac Johnson) Derek Bell (cláirseach, oboe, keyboards, tiompán, vocals) Kevin Conneff (bodhrán, vocals) Martin Fay (fiddle, bones, vocals) Seán Keane (fiddle, tin whistle, vocals) Matt Molloy (flute, tin whistle, vocals) Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes, tin whistle, button accordion, bodhrán, vocals) Anúna (vocals) Jean Butler (dancer) Ry Cooder (electric guitar, mandocello) Elvis Costello (vocals) Art Garfunkel (vocals) Diana Krall (vocals, piano) Ziggy Marley (vocals, guitar, percussion) Joni Mitchell (vocals) Van Morrison (vocals) Carlos Nunez (bagpipe) Sinéad O’Connor (vocals) Linda Ronstadt (vocals) Ricky Skaggs (vocals) Don Was (percussion) Belfast Harp Orchestra Cincinnati Pops Orchestra conducted by Erich Kunzel 01. March Of The King Of Laois (Traditional) 4.25 02. The Foggy Dew (feat: Sinéad O’Connor) (Traditional) 5.01 03. I Know My Love (feat: The Corrs) (Traditional) 3.27 04. Cotton-Eyed Joe (feat: Ricky Skaggs) (Traditional) 2.45 05. The Magdalene Laundries (feat: Joni Mitchell) (Mitchell) 4.57 06. Live from Matt Molloy’s Pub (Traditional) 2.21 07. Shenandoah (feat: Van Morrison) (Traditional) 3.52 08. The Munster Cloak (Traditional) 6.12 09. Morning Has Broken (feat: Art Garfunkel / Diana Krall) (Traditional) 2.55 10. Morning Dew /Women Of Ireland (P.Moloney) 2.57 11. Mo Ghile Mear (feat: Sting) (P.Moloney/Traditional) 3.20 12. Carolan’s Concerto (feat: Belfast Harp Orchestra) (Traditional) 3.02 13. Guadalupe (feat: Los Lobos / Linda Ronstadt) (Traditional) 3.31 14. Full Of Joy (feat: Chinese Ensemble) (Traditional) 3.24 15. Here’s A Health To The Company (Traditional) 3.03 16. Chasing the Fox (feat: Erich Kunzel / Cincinnati Pops Orchestra) (P.Moloney/ Traditional) 4.11 17. Long Journey Home (Anthem) (feat: Anúna / Elvis Costello) (Costello/P.Moloney) 3.20 18. The Rocky Road To Dublin (feat: The Rolling Stones) (Traditional) 4.17 19. Redemption Song (feat: Ziggy Marley) (B.Marley) 4.22 Posted in Belfast Harp Orchestra, Chieftains, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Cooder Ry, Corrs, Costello Elvis, Garfunkel Art, Irish Folk, Krall Diana, Kunzel Erich, Los Lobos, Marley Ziggy, Mitchell Joni, Morrison Van, O'Connor Sinéad, Rolling Stones, Ronstadt Linda, Was Don \| Leave a reply James Galway & The Chieftains – In Irleland (1987) This album is the Chieftains first of their two albums with classic musician, James Galway. This album has a selection of slower airs and other tunes. The National Philharmonic Orchestra also appear on the album and join James Galway on two tracks, Danny Boy, and When You and I Were Young, Maggie. James Galway adds a nice, more classical element to the traditional sound of the Chieftains. A video was also released documenting the making of this album with cuts from the studio, concert hall and a live session at the home of one of the Chieftains. This a brilliant mixture of Irish Folk and some very nice classical elements … You should gives this album a try ! Recorded at Windmill Studios, Dublin, January 1986 and CBS Studios, London, June 1986. Track 15 recorded live at Windmill Studios with dancers participating. Derek Bell (harp, dulcimer, harpsichord) Matt Molloy (flute, tin whistle) Paddy Moloney (tin whistle, bagpipes) James Galway (flute, tin whistle) Na Píobairít Uilleann Set Dancers, Dublin (tap dancers) 05. Give Me Your Hand (O’Cathan) 3.13	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line908
__label__cc	0.652554	0.347446	Data Inventory & GIS Surveys and Inventories UAB Preservation Laboratory Public Education and Research Heritage Dive Site Archaeological Lecture Series Archaeological Sites Sample Documenting NC Historic American Indian Schools The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology is pleased to announce a new internship opportunity focused on documenting American Indian Schools in North Carolina. Please visit the posting for details and requirements. October Archaeology Month 2017 NC Digs! New Book on Catawba Archaeology We are pleased to announce the publication of a new book by OSA staff member Mary Beth Fitts. Combining ethnohistory and archaeology, Fit for War: Sustenance and Order in the Mid-eighteenth-century Catawba Nation, explains how the Nation maintained its sovereignty while continuing to reside in its precolonial homeland near present-day Charlotte, North Carolina. Summer Camp Visits OSARC This Summer, the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) will be hosting youth from the Raleigh History on the Move! Summer Camp at the OSA Research Center. This is the second consecutive summer that camp participants have visited the facility. The camp, which is based at Mordecai Historic Park, lasts one week and focuses on local history and culture. It takes students to various places around the city, such as the City of Raleigh Museum, Pullen Park, the State Capitol Building, and Oakwood Cemetery. Article about Kron House Collection Read about Jacque Dinnes’s M.A. research on the collection from the Kron House Site in the North Carolina Archaeological Society newsletter. Congratulations Recent Graduates Congratulations to the following recent graduates: Kiara Cobb Madison Dillard Jacque Dinnes Andy Jordan Robin Ramey Kelsey Schmitz Jacob Turner Cailtin Wamser Thanks for all your help at OSA this year! Internship with US Forest Service May 2, 2017 - There is a 24-week paid internship opportunity for an archaeologist located in Asheville, working for the U.S. Forest Service. Permanent positions opening in the fall in Alabama and Arkansas may provide the ability for permanent employment. OSA Archaeologist Mary Beth Fitts Receives Impact Award On April 20th, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Graduate School held an awards ceremony at which Mary Beth Fitts was publicly honored with a Graduate Education Advancement Board Impact Award for her dissertation research on the archaeology of the Catawba Indian Nation. Cultural Resources Consultants Workshop North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office and Office of State Archaeology 109 East Jones Street, Raleigh The workshop will focus on how the State Historic Preservation Office with the Office of State Archaeology carries out the review of development projects under federal and state laws and regulations. North Carolina Office of State Archaeology 109 E. Jones Street Raleigh, N.C. 27601 Raleigh, N.C. 27699-4619 A DNCR Agency The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology is a program of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History, Division of Historical Resources, within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line912
__label__wiki	0.736462	0.736462	The Cairns Complex supports Brock University’s mandate as a regional centre of academic excellence and cutting-edge research, with health science, biotech and biology labs, and facilities for the Niagara Campus of McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. The Centre connects north and west to adjacent buildings via elevated bridges that surmount the rolling terrain and allow students and researchers to move easily between buildings. Angled columnar supports beneath the bridges screen a protected courtyard, echoing the modern monasticism of Raymond Moriyama’s original plan and architectural designs for the Brock Campus. The Complex achieves LEED® Silver accreditation with ‘green’ design features that include construction waste diversion, a building-wide recycling system, and locally-specified building materials chosen for low VOC, low embodied energy and recyclability. Fritted and sandblasted glass curtain wall elements articulate the different faces of the building, while an aluminum ‘honeycomb’ screen that wraps the south and west facades further mitigates passive solar gain. Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex St. Catharines, Ontario 13,517m²	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line913
__label__cc	0.574657	0.425343	Mariano Rajoy, You are a Disgrace to Spain and the World, Please Resign: Catalonia Has Spoken Loud and Clear Posted by Mish \| October 1, 2017 8:44:12 \| Economics Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, the man who said there would not be a vote, now has to face the facts: 90% Voted for Independence. 📊 Resultats del Referèndum de #1OCT pic.twitter.com/2jGFL1xLz1 — Govern. Generalitat (@govern) October 1, 2017 90% of the 2.26 million Catalans who voted on Sunday voted in favour of independence, according to preliminary results released by the region’s government. The region has 5.3 million voters. Officials said 770,000 votes were lost due to disruption which resulted in polling stations being raided by Spanish police. Carles Puigdemont, Catalan’s leader, announced in a televised statement that the region had earned the right to become an independent state and that results would be passed the region’s parliament in the coming days. This video of Madrid thugs stomping on people attempting to vote is worth a replay Catalonia says 'Yes' to independence from Spain with %90.09 of the vote. Around 80% of polling stations managed to stay open. pic.twitter.com/yHqCYl0fXw — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 1, 2017 Dear PM Rajoy, Here are the Results Despite the hundreds of thousands of police goons you sent in to stop the vote, a vote did indeed take place. With 90% of the vote in, over 2,020,144 voted for independence. Only 176,565, were against. Your thugs seized another 770,000 ballots, the vast majority of which were undoubtedly in favor of independence. 5.3 million were eligible to vote, and over 50% tried, despite your thug actions. Dear PM Rajoy, Please Resign Dear Rajoy, your career is over. Please resign before you are booted out. But before you go, please take a look at For All the World to See: Police Brutality Videos and Images in Catalonia, then apologize. 118 thoughts on “Mariano Rajoy, You are a Disgrace to Spain and the World, Please Resign: Catalonia Has Spoken Loud and Clear” October 1, 2017 8:49:49 at 8:49 PM “Though the mills of God grind slowly; Yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, With exactness grinds He all.” (unknown poet, translated by Plutarch) Root Hog or Die said: October 3, 2017 8:32:22 at 8:32 AM Hey Sleekster, I think you’ve got a typo there… should read “Though the mills of Gov grind slowly; Yet they grind exceeding small; Though with violence he stands waiting, With exactness grinds he all.” Are YOU ready for “revolution” ? Carl R. said: October 1, 2017 11:16:40 at 11:16 PM Indeed, that could very well be next. Seeing the police using real bullets would not be surprising in the least. Odd as this may seem, those who get their news from MSNBC will remain entirely unaware of this for sometime into the future. If you search their website for Catalonia, all you get in a 2011 article about Homer Simpson and a 2016 article about the 80th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War. This is remarkable, amazing, and sad. Regardless of how one feels about the situation in Catalonia, no one can deny that it is news. How can MSNBC possibly justify pretending it is not going on? Every other news service I checked has pages of stories about it. Yes, I know that in a recent survey, MSNBC had the highest percentage of opinion, and the lowest percentage of actual news of any news service, but until now it never dawned on me that they omit the news entirely. jcs said: seriously, why attempt to obtain news from corporate run “news” media? For the sole purpose of comparing coverage by different “news” media. Prior to the comparison, it never dawned on me that anyone even pretending to provide news coverage would totally miss a story like this. steve wilson said: Mario time to get your payoff from the banking cartel. Maybe you can meet some of the Rothchilds you work for. ps use some of the money for a good security force for you. payback is a bitch Catalonia seems united in their dislike of Madrid and Rajoy (not a surprise)… but we don’t know what they are for instead. Now that they have “won” their revolution / rebellion, the hard work of governing the new country will begin. This is why Trump should not endorse Catalonia (nor condemn it). We don’t know what it is going to be — its not clear the Catalonians know themselves. Rajoy is a thug, and a huge liability for the EU (there are problems for the EU whether they endorse Rajoy or condemn him — either way the EU loses). Hopefully Spain gets a new leader, but the damage to the EU is done. Meanwhile, Catalonia is a huge giant question mark. Jumping to conclusions and supporting Catalonia, when Catalonia can’t define themselves, would be a huge mistake for Trump or PM May (or any leader). Let Catalonia define themselves (without interference) before saying anything. That doesn’t mean we can’t all condemn Rajoy for his Soviet style crackdown. It just means we have to wait and see on Catalonia. If you want to understand Spanish nationalist reasoning it is very simple, and reajusts the understanding of the whole picture. Obviously no-one who is not nationalist will understand this, but I put it down anyway, in order of priority : 1. There will be no secession, Spain is a single nation. 2. Anyone trying to secede knows this ( and they do know this point of view). 3. By attempting to secede therefore, knowing that it will not be allowed, they know that Spain will punish them for trying and for causing disorder. 4. Therefore they are responsible for Spain’s actions, they litterally asked for them. So it is a matter of national pride, and they could not care less what anyone else outside thinks they know, or how right they feel they are. They also consider the existing constitution as a very fair compromise on the part of their nation, so if people err outside of it then the gloves come off, to martial law if need be. So the “clever people” who think they can manipulate Spain had better think again, no matter how much influence they think they have, unless they want to be responsible for civil conflict and military exception. Rajoy is by no means “the worst”, he is no saint, he is a lawyer strongly grounded in national hierarchy, in a clan based party reality. If he is “overthrown”, then more extreme elements will make themselves known. Roughly a third of the country is strongly nationalist, a third “republican”, and the rest whatever. So before anyone thinks to dally in Spain’s circumstance, they should keep the above in mind, as it really is not a game. It is obviously not a game for many Catalans either. Hence the difficulty. Rajoy is a thug, and it doesn’t matter if he was a “lawyer” before that. Being a lawyer proves nothing. He is still a thug. I was not trying to understand the Spanish “nationalists” (are they the ones subjugating themselves to Brussels?). My point was and still is that we know nothing about the Catalonians. From quotes in international newspapers, some of them are clearly socialists. That will end in economic suffering no matter what excuse they try to give. Always has, and this time won’t be different. Other Catalonians apparently are against sending resources to the capitulators in Madrid (and Brussels). A large number don’t seem to have any plan at all. I can’t be “for” that, mostly because there is nothing to be for or against. But I can’t support a bunch of spineless weasels who appease whatever dictats are handed down from Brussels. And if the “nationalists” (who kneel before Brussels) are willing to beat up their fellow Spaniards, they aren’t worth supporting. Are a bunch of old ladies trying to vote a threat? How strong can Spain be if old ladies are mortal threats? And then they mow down a line of firemen who try to protect an unarmed crowd? Seriously? I only said he was not the worst, no more. When Spain was having its yields spike and ZP was in the hot seat, and everyone is wtf to do, I was hoping he would choose out of Euro, it was the only way I could see a return to some decent order. He chose not, went for compliance and gimmicks , failure and he was out. Now Rajoy is in the same hot seat. He is thinking that Spain has levelled economically, is tying big deals, under the rug is another day, he has brought some discipline to society ( by force of law), that Cataluña is out of line, that he is grounded by the constitution to reclaim the territory ZP exchanged for power, that he can fuse an outcome by law and by force, including his EU associations. And again I am thinking : The only real way out of this is to bring back national monetary control, to balance power that way, not by the force of the constitution, that if he does not start from a sound national basis he cannot succeed in the way hoped for. Instead Spain will be played and weakened, one way or the other, still having to go by compromise in the EU “market” of finance and politics. Maybe he sees that as acceptable, to a greater future that is a compromise, but he is imagining if he does not think one day an “alien” politics will not act to completely disassemble anything that resembles the Spain he believes in, undemocratically and against the ability of the Spanish to counter that. Maybe a standoff with EU now will be the catalyst, or maybe it will turn very miserable, or maybe it will become another “acceptable” sell out where everyone “wins” . Who is to say. October 2, 2017 12:56:18 at 12:56 AM It’s not just Spain……..every country that is associated with the EU. “an “alien” politics will not act to completely disassemble anything that resembles the Spain he believes in, undemocratically and against the ability of the Spanish to counter that.” You say ” Now that they have “won” their revolution / rebellion, the hard work of governing the new country will begin.” Say what? This is surely only the beginning of a civil war, a war that I have my doubts that they can win by passive resistance. The Balearic islands have close ties to Cataluña, they saw protests Sunday https://www.eltemps.cat/article/2298/les-illes-contra-la-repressio-a-catalunya While an experienced German lawyer states that “without doubt Cataluña would not (even) leave EU if it seceded” https://www.eltemps.cat/article/2287/kosovo-catalunya-continuaria-europa & money will still go to Spain if Catalonia iapd pays to the EU but via another layer skimming some off. Alternatively Catalonia receives EU funds that are partly from reduced payments to others or the UK exit bill. Business as usual. saruna2017 said: I wonder, in our interconnected world, whether the rights of states are becoming less relevant. Originally the rise of states protected and brought individual human rights to the fore – especially in western societies. Today states and the institutions once trusted have become progressively more corrupt and captured by vested power plays, maybe its time for civil society to reorganize and exert the authority of conservative governance models like the old guilds and local councils where people directly affected by change can have a say. A form of localism, smaller groups and societies. The further our species moves from our development background the more stressed we and our groupings become. We developed in tight knit smaller communities etc. etc. and where everyone had a role. Role (meaning) is very important and in overly large groupings where labour is commoditised or replaced meaning suffers and so do people and social cohesion. In where we developed from lies some indication of where we would be best heading to improve our societal and individual well being. Spanish debt is 750M euros, how much does Catalonia owe upon exit? The same amount of what someone else signed for, that you “owe.” Well in that case why doesn’t every Spanish state break out into independent countries and wipe out the entire debt? QED. Yes, indeed, why do they not? And ditto for US states. Bam_Man said: Rajoy is no different than any other head of state in any other Western “democracy”. He has just had the misfortune to have shown his true colors before any of the others. They are ALL the same, as the people will soon find out – the hard way. Rajoy is part of the George Soros sponsored EU “super state” — hardly a democracy. No one voted for anyone in Brussels, there were no elections. Europe is not a democracy, nor even a republic. Its a dictatorship in drag He is part of that, but he is also part of Spanish nationalist direction . If he messes up with either he is out. Spanish “nationalists” who subjugate themselves to Brussels? The more you try to explain this, the worse it sounds. He works with Spanish nationalist identity that de facto exists in the country, he is tied in loyalty to it. He is also compromised at EU level. Spanish nationalists have utter contempt for EU, barely recognise it. Rajoy and the PP are tied into EUPP and his position in government takes him straight into EU framework of power. Not that hard to understand. If you look at his dealings with EU, they have always been to at least maintain an impression of Spanish political independence… bailouts that weren’t bailouts etc. Exactly where he really stands? I think he is closer to Spain, and that he uses recourse to the constitution and law to emphasise that, as well as to shield or balance his nationalist actions at international level. Constitution does not make him a libertarian though….Spain has always swung quite hard from left to right and back… liberal centre is for miow miows. Left was always chaotic with the right reinstalling order. Post dictatorship constitution was best balanced so far till EU dug its claw. Late so tomorrow :-). During WW2, most of Europe’s “Nationalists” voluntarily submitted to the Germans…. Contemporary Nationalism, like all progressive ideologies, is just smoke and mirror symbolism for “I’m Leader, Rule of Law and labor organizer; you shut up, submit and labor!” Siding with someone they perceive strong enough to help subjugate their own underlings, are par for the course for all of them. So if you look at approval ratings, the Guardia Civil is highest (@60%), then well below is government, and Rajoy etc. The country knows what the “fascist” right is ( I put fascist but mostly it is dictatorial) , they know what it means in real terms. It is a known, not only because they have experienced it, but because the rules of play are simple, familiar. If you “behave” you have nothing to fear and a lot to gain. So you have this tension running through society, sometimes more background , sometimes up front, like in Cataluña. It is part of Spain’s axis. Now imagine the political control of this goes off track ( corruption on all sides, cession of monetary control, increase in regional power, economic confusion etc. ). You end up with a country poised in confrontation, chaos. You have pseudo-legal bureaucracies set up, technocratic or progressive/socialists sitting in offices applying the pre-existing public force incompetently, maybe purposefully so to antagonise. They do not follow the traditional axis but use it…just as the traditional axis will sell or be publicly obliged to cede its position into some future modern Europeanised state.So you end up with some very bad circumstance, resentment resurfacing, you end up with people being disciplined by their own seemingly unfairly, under the control of those they disagree with traditionally, who over extend their power using the kind of socialist dictate that has appeared in our time. Before the opposing band was relatively harmless and disorganised, also familiar – the traditional Spanish left ( unions, PSOE) were workers and very simple/straightforward in their ways. Now it is become technocratic socialism, progressive, intelligence in power, the traditional band suppressed by the recent discipline installed by PP. Add to this the “American” left, as typified by Podemos, who are active at social level trying by all means to overthrow the right, and all of those being influenced by EU, and I think you will understand that the picture is very difficult…and I have only included the most obvious base influences in that picture, it is much more complex still. That last was @ Stuki Oops…meaning just below… Nationalist Spain had some ties with the Germans, the Catholic church also, ratlines were set up in Spain for example to S.America, or Guernica “target practice”, but Spain stayed neutral in the war2 … or did you not notice? It was a balancing act for the country, as others had to also. punto.gata (not.Spanish) said: “They are ALL the same”, is a slanderous generalization and thus an illogical argument. It might be better to not slander people who have not acted badly. As, it does not spoil a good expectation and motivation to live up to those expectations. As , it spoils the communication of a good expectation and motivation to live up to positive ethical expectations. To be clear, breaking down the argument this way: Incorrect statement: Rajoy is no different than any other head of state in any other Western “democracy”. There fore: They are ALL the same,… And, There fore: as the people will soon find out But, in fact, Rajoy is different than other heads of state. That negates the conclusions made after the statement that was false. Rajoy speaks Spanish many others do not. This was also, circular logic based on a statement that was false. Rajoy might be forced to resign soon. And there for. might no longer be head of state! Jaanus Kiipli said: Still, remember UK allowed referendum for scotland and referendum in EU membership, I’m not entirely sure how they treat Ireland’s independence aspiration however. blue peacock said: Next will be what does Rajoy do when Catalonia declares independence in the next few days? Will he send in the military like Franco did? Then comes the tough part – how does Catalunya actually implement secession with an intransigent Madrid. We see how hard Brexit is where they have not even got off the starting gates. Who are the next to demand independence in Europe? The Basque, the Walloons?? King Philip will call for new elections pdq If they stay in the EU there is no independance, only the immediate semblance. If the US experienced another tragedy equivalent to 911 (or worse) most of the Spaniards would probably laugh at us. Most Americans I’ve spoken to who visited Spain were treated like dog squeeze. So I don’t know why I bother supporting either side. I guess I try to look at the situation objectively and take the politics out of it. Scott Harris said: I have visited and worked in Spain several times. I just returned from Madrid a few days ago. I have always been treated politely. Spanish people are delightful to be around. gerald wiltek said: 911 was not what it is made out to be, you know that by now, don’t you? Nobody has any beef with the american people, almost everybody have problems with your government/military. your comment proves you cannot be objective brubaker55 said: Next is Texas!!!!! BillyBob Texas said: Naaah…we could solve a LOT of this Country’s problems if we keep Texas and help California succeed. Oops….we want California to “secede”…..it’s already too late for it to succeed. They should both secede. Along with the other states. Solves the Federal debt problem, amongst other things…… J said: Good luck to a new Catalonia country! Down with Rajoy the terrible!! Paradox1 said: The basis for a drive to independence needs moral and logical foundation. President Trump has taken the side of Spain and its leadership with remarks during WH visit, so clearly he believes such foundation does not exist. If Catalunya becomes truly independent, or even achieves the status of Quebec, is Trump once again on the wrong side of history? Conversely, if Catalunya has the moral high ground, then why not Texas, or California for that matter? Mish said: Why not Texas or California? If they voted to leave I would not have a problem Civil G. said: “The basis for a drive to independence needs moral and logical foundation. President Trump has taken the side of …, so clearly he believes such foundation does not exist. ” Eloquently said. CJ said: No doubt Rajoy’s inept and clumsy violent effort to suppress the vote resulted in a lot of backlash and only strengthened the vote for succession. On the other hand, I would warn the Catalonians to be careful what they wish for. They might get it, and it might not be what they were hoping for. Emanon said: Mish, you need to add the letter ‘l’ to “word” to make it “world” in the title. “Disgrace to Spain and the Word” should be “Disgrace to Spain and the World”. No one else caught it Becaue our mind read whet we knew it was gonig to say anywy. Rob noble said: Even though I expected this the headlines still churned my stomach. I didn’t watch the videos I’m pissed off enough as is. I like your honesty. The wider implications are there for all to see.Deafening silence from the EU. The British could see it. The EU is naked fascism. This is revolution. And about time! Rajoy is a criminal. peterblogdanovich said: Life is rich with ironies. Ironically the Germans run a pretty darn good economy. They have like 1500 small local banks that fund thousands of small and medium sized businesses. They avoid Minsky type credit bubbles by applying common sense valuations to collateral based on expected rents and cash flows. Their one blind spot is export markets. They literally can’t understand why everyone can’t run chronic trade surpluses like Germany does. You have to laugh until you cry at this. Anyway, this is at the bottom of the Catalonia crisis, the Greek crisis, the Italian crisis, the Spanish crisis, and more. And so we are entering “Oh well”, mode. Strap in buckos, it’s gonna be a wild ride. Peter, there’s a real push to reduce the number of banks in the EU. Not satisfied until they interfere with what works. Yes, massive trade surplusses in the single market are a stressor. Underneath that is a “German superiority” complex. Idle southerners lacking discipline etc. German discipline will influence all via control of the EU purse strings. Taken to the extreme it will fracture the EU as money will have to flow out of surplus Germany to keep it together and the German worker/tax payer will notice – enter AfD stage right. The potential combinations of outcome are complex but leaving the EU by Catalonia won’t be on the table. They won’t have the balls and EU/Germany won’t allow it. Therefore – business as usual. What I mean by “what works” are the smaller solvent banks. Some others are the walking dead. punto.gato (Not a Spaniard) said: So, why doesn’t Germany demand something tangible rather euros or bonds in return for it’s trade? Here are two observations from afar. 1. Many of those deficit countries have large coastlines to land area. In other words are peninsular and/or islands. And, warm weather and some times hot weather. Do road interconnections have any thing to do with it? 2. If you were in a country that had rapidly diluted currency and a new currency was offered even though low dilution was promised, many might still expect the same to happen. Those folks might still borrow heavily, due to their experience and expectations of the unknowable future to be simmer. 3. Does Germany produce much in other customer countries? And, what do the successful poling places look like?: Isn’t that an important part of this story that is under emphasised? Every one in a democracy should know how do this efficiently. “Votar és la meva obligació i el meu dret” http://www.ara.cat/videos/reportatges/Votar-meva-obligacio-dret_3_1879642038.html http://www.ara.cat/videos/reportatges/mobilitzacio-collegi-electoral-Vic-minuts_3_1879642076.html I think Gandhi would approve. linked from: http://www.ara.cat/politica/Guardia-Civil-carrega-Calella_3_1880241958.html ” 7h ago 00:31 The turnout was 42%, say Catalan officials. On Sunday afternoon, the Spanish interior ministry said police had closed 79 of the 2,315 polling stations set up for the referendum. Earlier,, the Catalan government had reported that, despite the police’s efforts, voting was taking place in 96% of polling stations. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/oct/01/catalan-independence-referendum-spain-catalonia-vote-live All the false flag terror attacks, thug riot police brutality, political barfing in the world could not stop humans wanting their freedom in Catalonia. God speed, Catalans. Helios said: This is no clear at all for me, and very suspect. First because they want to be independent and free, but will remain in the european union. In the same time they claim that they are not spanish, but in every demonstration I see, their signs are in english : are they english or american ? Think on. EU army will lack critical mass for external deployment. Internal deployment against dissent – yes – the purpose. https://mobile.twitter.com/A_Liberty_Rebel/status/914619421062254592 Settling refugees in Catalonia will help reduce fixed identity and calm this down. The next step by tptb that have been very quiet? joelg5 said: Simple “reversion to the mean” for Madrid. The Spanish Inquisition lasted almost a thousand years and extended to Latin America. But compared to modern day NATO, France, Saudis, the USA and their bombing of Serbia, Libya, Yemen, etc., Spain seems almost mellow and restrained in their partial vote suppression efforts in Catalonia. A PR disaster, yes, but Madrid government so far is weak peaceniks compared to USA. Would have been much worse if USA police were tasked similarly. Abe Lincoln and General Sherman would not have been so kind. But, who knows, maybe the real military crackdown is still in the future. Hugh? said: Whooo hooooo? “Spanish PM says no vote took place in Catalonia” http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/spanish-pm-says-no-vote-took-place-in-catalonia/article19783907.ece formula57 said: So “the region has 5.3 million voters” and “90% of the 2.26 million Catalans who voted on Sunday voted in favour of independence”. That of course suggests that c. 3.266 million did not vote for independence – but we are to encourage the so-called “self-determination” of the minority anyway, and mainly because we are a bit squeamish about unexceptional police crowd control measures? 700,000+ thousand votes were stolen, Madrid sent in thousands of goons to stop the vote and people still voted anyway WFT about that do you fail to understand? What I fail to understand is how the arithmetic is seen as compelling. 700,000 (alleged) votes x the same 90 per cent. in favour suggests an extra 630,000 votes to add to those cast in favour of 2,034,000 (90 per cent. of 2.26 million), thus giving a total of 2.664 million which is close enough to 50 per cent (50.26%) to suggest that given we are dealing with round numbers and estimates it is not a certain enough basis upon which to proceed. Add the actions of the “thousands of goons” that I speculate may have provoked some “no” voters to cast their votes the other way, and I really do struggle to understand your assurredness of view. Yes votes cast / votes cast No votes cast / votes cast I do not think electoral votes use registered voters as the numerator in calculating results of votes? Make sure you go to the poles. formula57@hotmail.co.uk said: But in this case the electorate were told voting was illegal and they should not participate. It is not unreasonable given the circumstances of this referendum to suppose that very many of the “no” voters stayed away from the polls. The circumstances in which the referendum took place were seriously enough flawed to suggest its apparent result is not a sound basis from which to proceed to usher in very substantial and likely irreversible change. “But in this case the electorate were told voting was illegal and they should not participate. It is not unreasonable given the circumstances of this referendum to suppose that very many of the “no” voters stayed away from the polls.” That is an interesting and good point. But, what about this? Rajoy appeared to be deterring of more no voters than yes voters, and converting no votes to yes votes! The yes votors less likely to be deterred. Additionally magnifying the yes vote, by convincing people leaning to a no vote to change their mind, with twice the effect! Minus one no and plus a yes is a difference of 2 (yes-no=1-(-1)=2). Thus, giving a result opposite to Rajoy’s alleged goals. Does Rajoy get to complain about that? Interfering with a pole is illegal, amongst the other crimes. Don’t eat candy. Don’t drink beer. Don’t drink coffee. Don’t admire that beautiful person. Sex is frowned upon. … Don’t be democratic. Don’t express you opinion. Don’t vote! Hah! Why would Rajoy and Spain have helped out the yes vote in such an official manner? Why? It was reported that 97% of the poles were open and the vote was 90% yes. That means to me most of the poles were clear, 97% of them! If one went to a closed pole one could be welcomed to an other one. If you search you can find videos of clear peaceful poles some were posted here. The turn out was better than US turn outs’ which are usually < or = 30%. I think it was near 50%? If it was fair, I think this was one of the most successful poles and land slides in history. It had lots of advertising. For logical arguments, attacking the person rather than the argument is considered an illogical and false argument.* The voters appeared to be attacked in the press but not really on the whole, as 97% of the poles were open, according the a UK paper. I guess most voters were not attacked. *That is known as “fallacy of logic.” That can be looked up to learn about it it is a valuable branch of philosophy. First and third video posted by me below show open poles. One pole open in the first video at 5 minutes and 25 seconds. And, the first two poles are open in the third video. Please resign before you are booted out. Personally, I would much prefer to see him booted out, which for millions of Spaniards (not just Catalans) might be something cathartic process. Camphor Swine said: Everyone should take this into consideration. This might be a planned game. http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2017/10/catalan-independence-5-things-to-think.html#more @ 5 minutes : 27 seconds to 6m:12ss something good seems to happen. “Spain Catalonia Mayor requires President to renounce democracy rocked #CataloniaReferendum ” GIve that person an interview! An other one! Watch the lady too. More from their town: stéphane said: THE BIG QUESTION IS WILL PUERTO RICO OR HAWAI ORGANIZE A REFERENDUM AND BECOME INDEPENDANT FROM THE USA AND WASHINGTON WILL CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS BE WILLING TO PAY EVER MORE TAXES TO FINANCE NYC AND WASHINGTON WILL FLORIDA ASK TO BECOME INDEPENDANT OR MERGE WITH CUBA STATE AND SO ON I AM KIDDING YOU AS IT IS AS NONSENSE AS CATALONIA POLITICAL STANCE YOIU GET THE POINT ? If Puerto Rico, Texas or California voted to leave I would not object So you have no point jc said: When is the next vote in Scotland? Calls for one in England too. johnbarleycorn12 said: I fully agree with you on this one. Respect the wishes of those you govern or violence and misery will rule the day. I’m reading through Puigdemont’s parlament address as it goes on now… seems to be backing off immediate declaration of independence, no parlament tomorrow but general strike. He is calling for mediation… think that means EU. Meanwhile Spain is discussing what next too in congress. It would truly be something, if he puled a Tsipras, and just backed off everything in exchange for some loans…… The only loans he is likely to find are if he creates a new country… And, and this is the bad part: Agrees to shake down his newfound underlings, in order to make them “pay back” loans taken out, signed for and, as always, summarily wasted; by the same hacks from Madrid they just managed to escape from. A ten day strike starts tomorrow in Cataluña, protests are now aimed at calling for police withdrawal. Independence seems pushed into a higher arena but not declared, while Spain considers what action it will take next. Seems like Catalan govern will try to stretch Spain to max without making a clear target of itself. https://cronicaglobal.elespanol.com/ultima-hora/el-ultimatum-de-puigdemont-o-mediacion-internacional-o-dui_90656_102.html views it that 48hr limit before declaration is still acknowledged, that Puigdemont is asking Spain to accept EU mediation or else declaration will take place. Junker meeting with Rajoy this PM. Probably for a discussion over a drink. To remind Rajoy of Spain’s financial circumstance probably, and how EU is above confrontations of this nature. Small update… Rajoy says he will not confront the question of what to do of Cataluña until 10 Oct. , for whatever reason. People are sort of guessing what next… some saying independence 48 hrs after result officially declared (when official?) … some saying 72 hrs from today… Puigdemont saying it is not just a button to push and achieve, mediation necessary…. So it is open, but there are strikes planned from tomorrow… and there will be political moves taking place somewhere or other. The leaders of Catalonia should have had a game plan prior to this. Just because you declare independence does not mean you are a member of the Eurozone. Like Greece, the EU can just cut off international trade in Euros with banks in Catalonia. Which, in fact, are Spanish banks, not Catalonian banks. You can’t become independent without having your own currency and a plan to make it work for your population. If you attempt to simply declare your independence, you will be crushed. And become a total fool to your population. All Spain has to do is declare a freeze on the access of Catalonians to their money in Spanish banks. Catalonia will crumble just like Greece. First business of the day must be to stop tax remittances to Madrid. Keep the money in Catalonia. For hiring local police and a local security apparatus with less confused loyalty, as well as keep critical infrastructure running. If those aren’t handled locally, you’re not really independent. Spanish banks freezing deposits, should be met with invalidating all loans to Spanish banks. Ditto for EU countries’ banks following suit. Like anywhere else on planet earth by now, there’s no shortage of bankers locally, who could quickly handle what banking is needed. As for currency to tax in, just pick one. Gold would be ideal, but Euro, Dollar, Sterling, Yen, Pesos or Swiss Francs would work too. Heck, even Bitcoin, although that may be a bit on the risky side. As long as the Catalans can produce something of value, they’ll find someone willing to trade them some convertible currency in exchange for it. Now with the Las Vegas shooting what’s going down in Catalonia won’t even be a blip on the radar screen in North America. It was barely a blip even before the shooting. Monday Night Football is only a few hours away. Well the comment by “Sound and Fury” yesterday sometime about marines hitting pumpkins at 1 km and anyone being able to learn that comes to mind…twilight zone. Steven milgrom said: They look like storm troopers! Has anyone mentioned that yet? In Spain protesters have the tradition of chanting the imperial march theme when riot police appear. Conscience of a Conservative said: He needs to go, no doubt. Also questioning why Catalonia can’t exist on its own. If they stay in the EU I don’t see how they lose out on trade. They might even save money by not having to contribute to a military budget. With Spain on one side and France on the other, they may be able to get away with a basic police force. jryan1971 said: Mish, are you saying Catalonia should be allowed to have independence ? If so, what is the principle you are using to determine this ? Could you articulate it ? Thanks in advance. Right of self-determination I do not care for their leftist policies – but who am I to decide istherehope1 said: Can California secede? I hope so……and would (at least temporarily) move there to vote YES !! I think there is a really great story here. How was 97% pole stations open and an overwhelming vote achieved with interference going on? When pushed to the wall expect The Establisment to fight back. (‘Kumbaya’ is a fantasy; jackboots are real.) Part of the US once voted for independence, and became a separate country. The US wasnt very tolerant of it then, and wouldnt be now either. You DO NOT have right to anything you want, unless you are able to aquire it via force. Period. They dont have the right to vote for independence, and even if do have no way to aquire it without the force to do so. Dont overlay some democratic ideal that doesnt exist over reality. There is no self determination. Which is why we protect the 2nd amendment vigorously here. Intelligent people are willing to die to keep the right to bear arms agains their own goverment. Look up right in the dictionary. Look at the multiple meanings related to the word! Winston said: Detailed overview: bilejones said: Government is violence, _aleph_ said: Spain’s tourism industry is likely to take a hit. Caribbean, Spain, Mexico, Japan, Puerto Rico, Florida, it’s late in the season for Alaska. Looks like it’s time for a stay-cation. I hold the cops who are “just following orders” as much to blame. US Stocks: A Potential Seasonal Headwind For MLK Week Amidst Key Earnings Reports Best & Worst ADRS - Monday, Jan. 20 Netflix Q4 Earnings Preview Gold Prices A Bargain At $1,550; If They Go Lower, It’s A Better Opportunity Richemont’s Triple Test To Add Share Price Sparkle	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line914
__label__wiki	0.549888	0.549888	Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms David R. Feldman, Daniel P. Kulling, Clive L. Kay, David J. Cole, John T Cunningham, Robert H. Hawes, Paul R. Tarnasky, Peter B. Cotton, Paul L. Baron Background: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a new noninvasive diagnostic method for pancreaticobiliary (PB) imaging without endoscopy, sedation, or iodinated contrast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRCP to depict pancreatic and biliary ductal anatomy compared to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to evaluate the ability of MRCP to accurately diagnose PB neoplasms. Methods: Twenty patients had MRCP, and 17 also had ERCP. All studies were read prospectively by experienced reviewers blinded to other imaging data. Pathologic diagnosis was made in all patients. Results: Bile duct dilatation seen by ERCP in 14 of 17 patients was correctly identified by MRCP in all 14 patients, and normal ducts were correctly identified by MRCP in the other 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was visible on MRCP in the pancreatic head in 17 of 20 patients, the body in 17 of 20 patients, and the tail in 15 of 20 patients. At ERCP, pancreatic duct dilatation was present in 11 cases and was identified by MRCP in 10 of them. Eighteen of 20 patients had malignant PB neoplasms. MRCP indicated PB neoplasm in 19 patients. Seventeen of these 19 patients had histologically confirmed malignant neoplasms pathologically, whereas 2 had benign pathology (both chronic pancreatitis). Among the 17 patients who also had ERCP, MRCP and ERCP correctly agreed on a final diagnosis of malignant neoplasm in 14 cases. In the three cases in which MRCP and ERCP disagreed on a final diagnosis, MRCP was correct in one and incorrect in two. Conclusions: MRCP can accurately and noninvasively delineate PB ductal anatomy and diagnose PB neoplasms comparably to ERCP. MRCP is an interesting new noninvasive method for evaluating patients with suspected PB neoplasms. Published by Lippincott-Raven Publishers Annals of Surgical Oncology Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatic Ducts Pancreatic neoplasm Feldman, D. R., Kulling, D. P., Kay, C. L., Cole, D. J., Cunningham, J. T., Hawes, R. H., ... Baron, P. L. (1997). Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 4(8), 634-638. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography : A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. / Feldman, David R.; Kulling, Daniel P.; Kay, Clive L.; Cole, David J.; Cunningham, John T; Hawes, Robert H.; Tarnasky, Paul R.; Cotton, Peter B.; Baron, Paul L. In: Annals of Surgical Oncology, Vol. 4, No. 8, 12.1997, p. 634-638. Feldman, DR, Kulling, DP, Kay, CL, Cole, DJ, Cunningham, JT, Hawes, RH, Tarnasky, PR, Cotton, PB & Baron, PL 1997, 'Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms', Annals of Surgical Oncology, vol. 4, no. 8, pp. 634-638. Feldman DR, Kulling DP, Kay CL, Cole DJ, Cunningham JT, Hawes RH et al. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 1997 Dec;4(8):634-638. Feldman, David R. ; Kulling, Daniel P. ; Kay, Clive L. ; Cole, David J. ; Cunningham, John T ; Hawes, Robert H. ; Tarnasky, Paul R. ; Cotton, Peter B. ; Baron, Paul L. / Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography : A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. In: Annals of Surgical Oncology. 1997 ; Vol. 4, No. 8. pp. 634-638. @article{c66462929a224c1496158fc44666651f, title = "Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms", abstract = "Background: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a new noninvasive diagnostic method for pancreaticobiliary (PB) imaging without endoscopy, sedation, or iodinated contrast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRCP to depict pancreatic and biliary ductal anatomy compared to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to evaluate the ability of MRCP to accurately diagnose PB neoplasms. Methods: Twenty patients had MRCP, and 17 also had ERCP. All studies were read prospectively by experienced reviewers blinded to other imaging data. Pathologic diagnosis was made in all patients. Results: Bile duct dilatation seen by ERCP in 14 of 17 patients was correctly identified by MRCP in all 14 patients, and normal ducts were correctly identified by MRCP in the other 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was visible on MRCP in the pancreatic head in 17 of 20 patients, the body in 17 of 20 patients, and the tail in 15 of 20 patients. At ERCP, pancreatic duct dilatation was present in 11 cases and was identified by MRCP in 10 of them. Eighteen of 20 patients had malignant PB neoplasms. MRCP indicated PB neoplasm in 19 patients. Seventeen of these 19 patients had histologically confirmed malignant neoplasms pathologically, whereas 2 had benign pathology (both chronic pancreatitis). Among the 17 patients who also had ERCP, MRCP and ERCP correctly agreed on a final diagnosis of malignant neoplasm in 14 cases. In the three cases in which MRCP and ERCP disagreed on a final diagnosis, MRCP was correct in one and incorrect in two. Conclusions: MRCP can accurately and noninvasively delineate PB ductal anatomy and diagnose PB neoplasms comparably to ERCP. MRCP is an interesting new noninvasive method for evaluating patients with suspected PB neoplasms. Published by Lippincott-Raven Publishers", keywords = "Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, Pancreatic neoplasm", author = "Feldman, {David R.} and Kulling, {Daniel P.} and Kay, {Clive L.} and Cole, {David J.} and Cunningham, {John T} and Hawes, {Robert H.} and Tarnasky, {Paul R.} and Cotton, {Peter B.} and Baron, {Paul L.}", journal = "Annals of Surgical Oncology", T1 - Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography T2 - A novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms AU - Feldman, David R. AU - Kulling, Daniel P. AU - Kay, Clive L. AU - Cole, David J. AU - Cunningham, John T AU - Hawes, Robert H. AU - Tarnasky, Paul R. AU - Cotton, Peter B. AU - Baron, Paul L. N2 - Background: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a new noninvasive diagnostic method for pancreaticobiliary (PB) imaging without endoscopy, sedation, or iodinated contrast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRCP to depict pancreatic and biliary ductal anatomy compared to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to evaluate the ability of MRCP to accurately diagnose PB neoplasms. Methods: Twenty patients had MRCP, and 17 also had ERCP. All studies were read prospectively by experienced reviewers blinded to other imaging data. Pathologic diagnosis was made in all patients. Results: Bile duct dilatation seen by ERCP in 14 of 17 patients was correctly identified by MRCP in all 14 patients, and normal ducts were correctly identified by MRCP in the other 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was visible on MRCP in the pancreatic head in 17 of 20 patients, the body in 17 of 20 patients, and the tail in 15 of 20 patients. At ERCP, pancreatic duct dilatation was present in 11 cases and was identified by MRCP in 10 of them. Eighteen of 20 patients had malignant PB neoplasms. MRCP indicated PB neoplasm in 19 patients. Seventeen of these 19 patients had histologically confirmed malignant neoplasms pathologically, whereas 2 had benign pathology (both chronic pancreatitis). Among the 17 patients who also had ERCP, MRCP and ERCP correctly agreed on a final diagnosis of malignant neoplasm in 14 cases. In the three cases in which MRCP and ERCP disagreed on a final diagnosis, MRCP was correct in one and incorrect in two. Conclusions: MRCP can accurately and noninvasively delineate PB ductal anatomy and diagnose PB neoplasms comparably to ERCP. MRCP is an interesting new noninvasive method for evaluating patients with suspected PB neoplasms. Published by Lippincott-Raven Publishers AB - Background: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a new noninvasive diagnostic method for pancreaticobiliary (PB) imaging without endoscopy, sedation, or iodinated contrast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRCP to depict pancreatic and biliary ductal anatomy compared to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to evaluate the ability of MRCP to accurately diagnose PB neoplasms. Methods: Twenty patients had MRCP, and 17 also had ERCP. All studies were read prospectively by experienced reviewers blinded to other imaging data. Pathologic diagnosis was made in all patients. Results: Bile duct dilatation seen by ERCP in 14 of 17 patients was correctly identified by MRCP in all 14 patients, and normal ducts were correctly identified by MRCP in the other 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was visible on MRCP in the pancreatic head in 17 of 20 patients, the body in 17 of 20 patients, and the tail in 15 of 20 patients. At ERCP, pancreatic duct dilatation was present in 11 cases and was identified by MRCP in 10 of them. Eighteen of 20 patients had malignant PB neoplasms. MRCP indicated PB neoplasm in 19 patients. Seventeen of these 19 patients had histologically confirmed malignant neoplasms pathologically, whereas 2 had benign pathology (both chronic pancreatitis). Among the 17 patients who also had ERCP, MRCP and ERCP correctly agreed on a final diagnosis of malignant neoplasm in 14 cases. In the three cases in which MRCP and ERCP disagreed on a final diagnosis, MRCP was correct in one and incorrect in two. Conclusions: MRCP can accurately and noninvasively delineate PB ductal anatomy and diagnose PB neoplasms comparably to ERCP. MRCP is an interesting new noninvasive method for evaluating patients with suspected PB neoplasms. Published by Lippincott-Raven Publishers KW - Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography KW - Pancreatic neoplasm JO - Annals of Surgical Oncology JF - Annals of Surgical Oncology	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line920
__label__wiki	0.575305	0.575305	Hurricane Bud continues to strengthen and will send off-shore and pumping big waves to the Los Cabos Open of Surf Tropical Storm Bud impacting Los Cabos now! CLICK HERE LIVE! From Los Cabos, BCS. Mexico -Conditions shaping up to SURF TODAY! -Moderate to heavy rain, winds overnight in Los Cabos. Light rain began falling on the event site, on the beach, last night just after midnight. Tropical Storm force winds will cross Baja California South, Mexico. Women’s competition, is back on today with a 11:00 call for a 12:00 start. Hurricane Bud put the webcast on pause but we should be up and running for a big finish on sat/sun Round one has been called off after heat 7 due to the arrival of tropical storm Bud. Competition will be off Thursday and event organizers are set to reconvene Friday to access conditions. Stay tuned for updates...Bud sending off-shore and pumping big waves to the Los Cabos Open of Surf. UPDATED! Friday, June 15! Bud became the second major hurricane of the season in the East Pacific basin on Monday morning, less than a week since former Hurricane Aletta passed over similar areas. Bud will track toward the north-northwest the next several days, keeping the powerful tropical system off the coast of Mexico. However, it will track close enough to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the country. Hurricane Bud continues to strengthen and will sen...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line925
__label__cc	0.700624	0.299376	Classic American Short Stories, Volume 1 (Unabridged) By William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More ℗ © 2005 Audio Connoisseur Classic American Short Stories, Volume 1 William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More Summary : Classic American Short Stories, Volume 1 (Unabridged) Unlike the other arts, American literature has been a powerful, influential, and leading aspect of American culture. By turns sedate and mercurial and possessing a moral mind set of various social values, the American short story reveals in its pages the psyche of a growing, sprawling nation whose sense of destiny has always been larger than life. Here are seven masterpieces that will make you smile, make you frown, and leave you pondering the mystery that surrounds the soul of a great nation. Selections in Volume 1: "A Journey" by Edith Wharton - A woman tries to conceal the death of her husband on a train trip. "Impulse" by Conrad Aiken � After a lifetime of pushing his luck, a man pushes it a little too far. "Only the Dead Know Brooklyn" by Thomas Wolfe � A lonely man with a map tries to understand a little piece of the earth. "A Christian Education" by Robert Penn Warren � A troubled farmer recalls the life and death of a retarded boy. "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner � In prose as fully mature and beautiful as anything he ever wrote, this is one of the most searing indictments of revenge ever put on paper. "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather � A youth decides to put his life of fantasy and that of the real world on a collision course. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benét � This beautiful, riproaring tall-tale embraces all that is good in American life. (Tags : Classic American Short Stories, Volume 1 (Unabridged) William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More Audiobook, William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More Audio CD ) More by William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More Light in August (Unabridged) The Sound and the Fury (Unabridged) As I Lay Dying (Unabridged) The Wild Palms (Unabridged) The Mansion (Unabridged) Absalom, Absalom! (Unabridged) Sanctuary (Unabridged) The Town: A Novel of the Snopes Family (Unabridged) The Hamlet (Unabridged) The Reivers (Unabridged) The Unvanquished (Unabridged) A Fable (Unabridged) A Rare Recording of William Faulkner Intruder in the Dust (Unabridged) Collected Stories (Unabridged) William Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Edith Wharton & More Brandstifter Absalom, Absalom! (Ungekürzte Lesung)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line927
__label__cc	0.737499	0.262501	Get well soon, Will Durst! → Posted on April 1, 2019 by howie999April 1, 2019 I can’t believe you guys are still adding jokes. Thanks, guys! Comment away. Posted in News Tagged comment, jokes permalink — 787 Comments WilltheThrill on April 2, 2019 at 5:52 am said: My wife is attending a Girl’s Night Out. Far be it from me to point old that at 68 she is a PRETTY OLD GIRL! Sometimes things work out. My Uncle Leo wears a trench coat and like to flash ladies. My Aunt Virginia is going through “The Change” and has hot flashes. Those two can really light up a room. WilltheThrill on April 3, 2019 at 12:16 pm said: Taking the stage at nearly 66…”Well, I guess I’m officially too old to die young…” will durst on April 3, 2019 at 12:59 pm said: I’m not saying Trump is losing it, but at this point, I’m pretty sure he could not only hide his own Easter eggs but might be able to lay them as well. Bill Williams on April 3, 2019 at 2:49 pm said: A New York Middle school teacher says she was fired over a topless selfie sent to a boyfriend years ago. It’s obvious the picture is from long ago. Her boobs are still perky. “I’ll be in the Feminine Products aisle,” my wife said over her shoulder in Walmart. I found her half an hour later in the chocolate section. Should have known! WilltheThrill on April 4, 2019 at 1:54 pm said: My wife has a pet name for me that I don’t like. “Mr. Anti-Fun.” I mean, really? Young women have so many choices today. When I was growing up there were “sluts,” now a lady can simply choose to provide her love life as “open-source.” will durst on April 5, 2019 at 10:06 am said: President Donald Trump talking about wind turbines: “They say the noise causes cancer.” Who says that? Who is they? Are these people that other folks can hear too? Or more voices that only speak to you? My wife HATES to be bothered when she’s reading. In fact, she has instituted a strict “you talk, you die” policy. Harsh? Yes, but very effective. National Library Week is April 7th-13th. President Trump plans to increase his personal library by 100%…and have two books. Being married is sometimes rather demanding. Sharon looks at me and says: “Darling, it’s time for Spring Cleaning, AND I AM ASSIGNING VOLUNTEERS!” will durst on April 6, 2019 at 2:54 pm said: So let me get this straight. Donald Trump is an admitted serial sexual abuser, a liar, a cheat, a thief, a con- man, a bully, an idiot and an oaf and Joe Biden is out of touch and doesn’t respect personal space. You’re right, get him out of here. Gary Bachman on April 6, 2019 at 3:51 pm said: When ‘The Mummy’ was finished filming did the director say, “That’s a wrap”? Terry Etter on April 6, 2019 at 4:44 pm said: They should make a geriatric version of “Star Trek,” where they oldly go where no one has gone before. Trump made fun of Joe Biden because five or six women complained that he touched them without their consent: “Beginner.” At my age I have got to stop chasing young women. I’d like to think that I’ve had my last “Miss” adventure. When I met my wife, I felt lucky as a gambler throwing 4 and 3 on a dice roll. Now, the bitch drives me 7 kinds of crazy! Call me old-fashioned, but I still can’t get used to nose rings on womens…it’s like their earring ended up in the wrong place. A musical tribute to Johnny Rivers and Junior Brown: “Da da da da da da da da da, Secret Aging Man! They’re giving you a number, and taking way your name…Secret Aging Man!” Dear Democrats. Please shut up. From now on, no bashing of any other democrat. You can say nice things about your guy or gal or decline to state, but that’s it. If you can’t help from saying nasty things, concentrate on the Oval Office Oompa Loompa. Thank you. Old girl, get out of my life. I can’t believe you are really my wife. Better scoot, girl. Your case is moot, girl. Hot hag in the city. Looking old and not too pretty. Old hag, not much of a talker. Got some fancy moves with her walker. With all the shake-ups in the government, man, would I like to have the name tag concession for Trump’s cabinet meetings. California officials are confident that there will be fewer wildfires this year. Must be nothing left to burn. Attorney General William Barr abridging Gone With the Wind: “Girl survives Civil War by wearing a dress made out of curtains.” WilltheThrill on April 10, 2019 at 7:58 am said: I accidently wandered into a lesbian restaurant, and found an old favorite on the menu with a brand new name: Chicken a la Queen. will durst on April 10, 2019 at 9:32 am said: President Donald Trump says he wants a harder line Immigration Department. What does that even mean? What’s worse than kids in cages? Is he going to put the bars closer together? Use a finer mesh? Blast audio of him giving speeches where he uses all the best words? Terry Etter on April 10, 2019 at 5:35 pm said: Astronomers have taken the first picture of a black hole. That’s the first picture of a black hole in outer space. There have been many pictures taken of Trump’s cabinet. Trump wonders why George Washington didn’t name his home — Mount Vernon — after himself. Trump just can’t believe that someone couldn’t be such an egomaniac that he wouldn’t put his name on every building he owns. WilltheThrill on April 10, 2019 at 6:26 pm said: I definitely felt some spring in my step today. But basically April showers bring a bunch of weeds, mud and May flies. Muchos thank you’s to all the women here tonight. I need all the estrogen I can get in my final count-down to dust. will durst on April 11, 2019 at 2:43 pm said: Donald Trump could say that Jesus Christ was a fake savior who unfairly persecuted the rich and his base would claim the president was speaking in tongues. Bill Williams on April 12, 2019 at 4:27 pm said: Sheriffs deputies responded with guns drawn to a report of a burglar locked in a resident’s bathroom only to find a robotic vacuum cleaner. The fuzz had a good laugh when they found that Alexa had pulled the shampoo prank on Roomba. You know, Clean. Rinse. Repeat. This sucks, in a good way. My wife is a monster in bed, and has been ever since she was a bride. I can put up with the screaming, but the hissing has gotten on my nerves. Gosh it was great to see Tiger win another Major. Now, if I could only win even a minor victory with my wife, I’d feel like less of a loser! If the Trump Administration ships undocumented immigrants to San Francisco, we’ll welcome them because we need more Uber drivers to take us to a wider variety of burrito shops. When I get home from work I can always look forward to a little R and R with the wife. Unfortunately, that stands for Ranting and Raving… The repair of Notre Dame is estimated to cost over $112 million. Trump offered to lend the money so long as they renamed it, Notre Damn-I’m-The-Greatest! WilltheThrill Nastali on April 16, 2019 at 8:24 pm said: Will: It’s Stress Awareness Week, sweetie. JILL: Is that meant to be some kind of Stress Crack? WilltheThrill on April 17, 2019 at 10:14 am said: I met a girl online named Wanda Thomas Fox and decided to meet for coffee. She didn’t look anything like her site photo, so I’m thinking WTF? Billionaires have donated more than $700 million to rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral. Oops, make that $700 million and a round of golf at Mar-a-Lago. It was sad that Notre-Dame’s spire collapsed but at least they saved the Golden Dome. will durst on April 18, 2019 at 10:05 am said: Couldn’t really hear Official Administration Lapdog William Barr’s yapping misdirection before the release of the Mueller Report due to the clicking of his toenails on the linoleum. And the drool was distracting. Bill Williams on April 18, 2019 at 11:48 am said: My wife redacted our wedding vows. Now she can have a boy toy and I can have a Barbie. After Ken, Barbie dated a dwarf. It’s a weird image to picture a shrimp on the Barbie… John Lennon redacted. /MAG/// A// /// //////. I used to be a big fan of the Easter Bunny, until I learned he was selling empty calories and Hip Hop. If God created everything, is that including evolution? Happy Easter everybody. The best holiday ever. When Christ comes out of the cave sees his shadow and baseball season starts. Don’t eat too many peeps. The Ukraine just elected a comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, president. That’s nothing. We’re being governed by a clown. Filling out an online form, I was asked to provide my gender. One of the boxes read: “Gender fluid.” I find this confusing…it’s like, hmmmm, what shall I be today… When I met my wife she was a stone cold fox. Now she’s just stone cold. You can file my love-life under F’ed. not saying i’m getting old, but these days i pee so much i don’t even bother zipping up my fly anymore. just wear a long shirt over it. One thing about getting older is that I tend to shrink outside the box… Chimpanzees are 99 percent genetically identical to human beings. Some of us even more so. So I took my wife out to eat at Red Robin…and there wasn’t a single robin on the freaking menu! Let me take a stab at this: One time, exactly once I make a joke about my elderly neighbor traipsing around in her yard wearing a ratty nightgown…and forever afterward my wife calls me a stone-cold psychopath. Women are certifiable. Walking the streets of Ann Arbor last night, I met an old hooker. Believe me, she was definitely past her “sell by” date. My wife and I like to clown around in bed until we both smell funny. WARNING: If you marry a trophy wife get ready for some painful open wallet surgery. She shamelessly spends money like Perrier. WilltheThrill on May 1, 2019 at 3:52 pm said: There was a belly dancer today entertaining at the Senior Center. It was nice to see some shaking that wasn’t tremor-induced. I can’t seem to please ANY FEMALE…even Alexa says I really know how to press her buttons. will durst on May 2, 2019 at 7:44 pm said: Attorney- General William Barr is such an obvious lapdog, he should be recognized by the American Kennel Club as its 194th official breed. Bill Williams on May 3, 2019 at 5:20 pm said: Starbucks has rolled out its new summer drinks menu, including S’more, Mocha Cookie Crumble and Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccinos. For those of you in San Francisco be sure to try the new Golden Gate Frappuccino. It doesn’t taste any different than other other Frappuccinos; just costs 10 times more. A bunch of Southern California entrepreneurs have built a robot that writes movie scripts. And it’s already got an agent. Bernie Asimov collects 20 percent, and supplies all the WD-40 needed. A ship that acts as a religious retreat for the Church of Scientology was quarantined in the Caribbean after someone was diagnosed with measles. Fortunately Tom Cruise was on board and was able to extract the germs, make a 178 foot dive off the bridge into shark-infested waters, bury them 20,000 leagues beneath the sea while John Travolta flew his 747 down to rescue everyone. Terry Etter on May 3, 2019 at 6:32 pm said: Have you noticed that more and more these days Republicans have the same facial expression as a man whose penis was caught in a paper shredder. WilltheThrill on May 4, 2019 at 7:33 am said: My dog walks backwards. Who does he think he is, a god? When it comes to the bedroom, these days I’m about a quart low on hot sauce. An early TV soap opera was called “The Young and Restless.” Fast forward to today with kids glued to their smart phones, and it’s “The Dumb and Zestless.” Yo, text me GF. After all the controversy about a horserace in Kentucky, it seems everybody wants to talk Derby to me. Paris Hilton is getting a little long in the tooth. So long in the tooth in fact, Triumph the Insult Dog wrote a poem to her. Your hair is like silk; corn silk. Your eyes are like pools; cess pools. Your teeth are like stars; they come out at night. I’m not saying the girl next door is a slut, but Virgin Mobile has rejected her application on moral grounds. WilltheThrill on May 10, 2019 at 6:50 am said: My niece has always been a computer genius-type able to repair her own Dells, Apples, IBMs and such. But now that she’s had a baby her life has been turned upside down, and Chelsea is a mother, bored. Terry Etter on May 11, 2019 at 9:34 am said: To protest anti-abortion laws, Alyssa Milano has called for a “sex strike.” Her husband, Dave Bugliari, is looking for strike breakers. WilltheThrill on May 11, 2019 at 10:33 am said: Hey, Happy Mom’s Day, you mothers! A Mom or Dad is the same spelled backwards or forwards. But a kid with the letters reversed is a dik. Just saying… Bill Williams on May 12, 2019 at 7:17 pm said: Game of Thongs; seen it? A cheeky little number produced by the Kardashians. My wife eats low fat yogurt. Maybe that’s why her belly is now brushing her shoe tops? Wife Sharon has all the subtilty of someone stabbing you in the face with a rusty fork. WilltheThrill on May 15, 2019 at 1:43 pm said: How do you define irony? I stopped in at an S&M place and the sound system was playing an Elvis tune called “Don’t Be Cruel.” I innocently told my wife that 2019 was going to be “her year.” Luckily she doesn’t know that it’s the Chinese designated “Year of the Pig.” When we want to show folks our location in Michigan, we hold up our right hand and point it out with our left. Other states don’t offer this convenient mitten-shape, so we feel rather special and “pleased as punch.” Age catches up with us all, and someday lovely Bat Girl will just be another…Old Rabid Bat. It’s frightening. I’m getting so decrepit in the bedroom that I can’t even get my thumbs up…let me know if you’re reading these brilliant posts, fans. Have you noticed that folks are likely to accost an overweight person with cries of “Fatso!” but no one ever yells out: “Thinso!” I have a sneaking suspicion that my new Chinese girlfriend is a gold digger at heart. I’ve only been dating Ka-Ching a short time, but… I’m concerned about my girlfriend being less than committed to our relationship. On the plus side, she did give me a customer loyalty card punch-able for future discounts… I realize that no one can actually tell the future, but I do wish sometimes that my wife came with an expiration date… I like to write about spooky cemeteries, but my agent says readers feel like I’ve done the same old cemetery plot to death. I don’t earn enough dough to support my wife and girlfriend. Not having sufficient bread means that by the end of the month I am toast. These days you must really be careful not offend Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. Bill Williams on May 24, 2019 at 11:30 am said: If you sue a man for sexual harassment and get a financial settlement, doesn’t that make you a hooker-after-the-fact? I met a beautiful, but toxic prostitute. The girl had a heart of mold. Taking the stage: “I can’t see you…but you smell wonderful. Especially this woman here; I love a good blue cheese. Ford is developing robots capable of delivering the mail. I guess it’s just in case this car business thing goes South. I mean, someone’s got to drive those Chinese SUVs, right? The president is in Japan and his favorite thing is the Sumo wrestlers. Mainly ’cause they have a crotch move just like the one he used at Wharton. A new study says one out of five men cheat, and 13% of women. One question: who are these 20% of men cheating with? Dudes, I was going to invest in cannabis. But then I decided to just…ingest. Right now I’d describe myself as an amateur fane. Someday I hope to be profane. Terry Etter on May 28, 2019 at 7:05 pm said: Congress won’t fund Trump’s border wall. Courts won’t let Trump use other money for his border wall. Will Trump ever read the handwriting on the wall? As my elfin wife always tells me, “Go big or go gnome.” Two wine tasters in France knocking off for the night: “Smell ‘ya later!” I’m not saying my wife is a liar, but she is about as slippery as a greased fish. I don’t expect much from my wife in the kitchen, but today she made me a not very super Hero Sandwich. “Can’t you follow a simple recipe? I really wonder, woman.” The flesh on the inside of your cheeks is identical to the flesh inside a vagina. You’re licking the inside of your mouth now, aren’t you? WilltheThrill on June 1, 2019 at 10:31 am said: You always see flyers saying “Lost Dog” or “Help Us Find Our Pet Cat,” but today I saw one that read: “Missing Kayak,” and I thought, well it’s probably dead by the side of the road…in the freaking South Pole! The leather interior of my wife’s new Jaguar has the sweet smell of excess. WilltheThrill on June 3, 2019 at 2:01 pm said: My neighbor has a tree that’s dropping an absolute arsenal of whirly-gig seeds, which are flying like helicopters into our yard. Imagine an unlucky ant riding one of these spinning missiles. That would sure be no picnic! Duh! WilltheThrill on June 4, 2019 at 6:29 am said: Women prefer men who have nice things, like hair and teeth. Following a Ferrari, I noted a bumper sticker that said: “Dog Mom.” Man, that is some doggy style I can get behind. WilltheThrill on June 5, 2019 at 12:26 pm said: My wife asked if I’d like her to get her boobs done for our 36th Wedding Anniversary. I told her: “Faux sure!” My darling wife generally talks my ear off, but now she has laryngitis and is QUIET. Man, it is about Mime! Bill Williams on June 6, 2019 at 12:29 pm said: President Cheesy Poof’s mantra finally makes sense after one simple misspelling is corrected. Make America Grate Again. At first my wife led me down the garden path, which was fine. But now this crazy bitch is definitely driving 200-mph on the psychopath. Roy Rogers had his famous horse, Trigger stuffed. He did the same with his dog, Bullet. When wife Dale Evens died, you have wonder whether Roy might have been tempted to preserve more than the faithful cowgirl’s memory. Happy Trails, indeed. I’ll be gone for a week, Ladies. Here’s hoping you Mrs. me. Terry Etter on June 15, 2019 at 3:16 pm said: The Democrats’ presidential field is huge this year. It’s because of the party’s new program: No Candidate Left Behind. Some of Trump’s favorites — Musical instrument: the lyre Pastime: liars’ poker Disney movie: The Lion King WilltheThrill on June 15, 2019 at 7:59 pm said: I attended an Indian wedding, but didn’t care for the bride’s dress. Sari. I was dating a girl with hearing issues who had done some serious jail time. She had a flair for the dramatic and would often go all the way to DEFCON. Bill Williams on June 16, 2019 at 7:11 pm said: The President’s approval rating is out and it’s 42.4 percent. But that’s not too accurate. Most people asked think ”approval” means, Yes, I’ll have fries with that. WilltheThrill on June 18, 2019 at 5:36 am said: In 36 years, my wife has gone from an Earth Angel to a Dirt Devil, which really sucks. The problem with being married to a masochist who believes in the Golden Rule is that she treats you just as she wants to be treated. Ouch. I have a pretty weird pet. It’s a 40-year-old sturgeon. Bill Williams on June 19, 2019 at 10:09 pm said: Thursday was Take Your Dog to Work Day. And that’s why Hope Hicks didn’t talk to Congress. Her doggie ate her testimony. My wife is still very naïve in the bedroom. When I asked her to bring a sex toy to bed she showed up with an Armadillo. My wife was sweet as candy back in the 80s. All natural with a PH level of .60…Now her PH equates to Passionate Hate. Somewhere along the bumpy road of marriage, my mate decided that her fists could speak better than her lips. Believe me, it’s tough being married to a punching hag. BMW = Be My Wife… expensive to maintain and difficult to keep as it ages. WilltheThrill on June 21, 2019 at 11:22 am said: My wife has been experimenting with skipping wearing a bra. Sorry to say that so far the results have been a big FLOP. So Patrick Shanahan has resigned as Acting Defense Secretary. That means his replacement will be the Interim Acting Defense Secretary. I think it’s strange that companies promote DNA tests as gifts for Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Aren’t the kids trying to prove that you’re not their parent? My wife paid 25K to get her boobs done, and now complains that we are strapped for cash. It’s hard to keep abreast of this woman’s monetary machinations. The U.S. didn’t attack Iran after all. Trump said the weapons were “cocked and loaded” but he just couldn’t go through with it. Melania says he’s had that problem before. It’s official: my trophy wife has left me because I refuse to read her “The Pokey Little Puppy” for the 900th time to help her fall asleep. Her lawyer says I will be in the doghouse for the foreseeable future. The difference between dating and marriage is easy to explain. Imagine your dream girl. Then picture her snoring, drooling, and waking you up to say she thinks she might be a lesbian. You see the LGBT acronym a lot these days. Could this be an alternative interpretation?: Likes Girls, Boys, Trolls. I dated a ninja briefly but couldn’t get used to a woman who was so stealthy and quiet…she could eat Doritos and not make a sound. Creepy if you ask me. will durst on June 26, 2019 at 12:34 pm said: what. you got bored? Of course the Emperor has no shoes! It’s freaking Japan where everyone wears slippers! So I met this woman, Annette, and she is incredible except that she’s very controlling. OK, the babe treats me like a puppet. Bottom line, I will not marionette. My wife is overly conservative. She has a killer figure, but only wears a prim one-piece swim suit to the beach. I wish Sharon wasn’t so afraid of doing the thong thing. Being a gigolo is a male thing. There is a female version called a gigalux, but you don’t hear much about them. Trust me, either one is a very tough gig, and pretty low rather than lux. My trophy wife says she want to buy me a mussel shirt. Sounds fishy to me! Sad to say that I may have to turn in my “Man Card,” folks. The other day I spotted a blonde siren in a heart-attack red bikini, and I thought to myself: “That poor girl must be cold.” Bill Williams on June 29, 2019 at 11:43 am said: I’m worried. My bank’s software was designed by Boeing. Living near a lake is tough this time of year, with the endless nightly pyrotechnics and explosions leading up to July 4th. On the plus side, it’s one way to get some long-absent fireworks in our bedroom. President Trump met with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un in the DMZ. They shook hands, and then executed a barber of their choice. Bill Williams on July 1, 2019 at 10:31 am said: WilltheThrill on July 1, 2019 at 6:21 am said: I’d like to get a drawing of my wife done. I’m thinking a chalk outline would be nice. Preferably on the ground. TV producers are considering a crazy mashup of Star Wars and The Beverly Hillbillys. The theme song might go like this: “Come and listen to a story ’bout a man named Jedi…” I think my wife is trying to kill me. First, for my birthday she bought a gift of hotdogs with unnatural casings. Then she purchased a mushroom nightlight for me…with a deadly nightshade. WilltheThrill on July 1, 2019 at 1:19 pm said: Sylvester Stallone, Action Movie Hero for decades, is starring in RAMBO 5 this fall. When I mentioned this film to my wife, she immediately responded: “What is it called, GRAMPO?” Marriage can be a bumpy ride. Sometimes you pray for something closer to a flat-line. To people who say a ring in the nose is attractive, I have one word: Bull. Computer dating is very dicey. The woman I met tonight had signed her post as “Road Runner.” A more accurate description would have been “Toad Runner.” I live in a hell-hole named Guilt, Texas. No one ever visits me. I guess no one in their right mind wants to take a guilt trip. Bill Williams on July 3, 2019 at 3:39 pm said: Jerry Seinfeld is doing standup again and just finished a show in Vegas. I don’t want to say Jerry’s getting a little old, but he did his last set with his Puffy Shirt tucked into his underpants. Sometimes when I can’ remember how old I am, I count the rings on my neck. Terry Etter on July 4, 2019 at 3:44 pm said: Does anyone else see the irony in the memorial to Honest Abe being the site of a speech by Lying Don? I was a child prodigy raised by wolves. Give me a scent and I can follow it while humming Beethoven. Sadly, there isn’t much call for my brand of furry genius. WilltheThrill on July 5, 2019 at 12:51 pm said: Judging from the chicks’ pictures on my dating app, we’ve officially entered the Dog Days of Summer! Returning home early from a business trip, I knew my trophy wife had shared our marital bed with another man. Shining a black light on the mattress revealed her “Cheat Sheet.” Taking the stage: “Are you? Because I’m not. Imagine an Energizer Bunny as roadkill… WilltheThrill on July 6, 2019 at 11:30 am said: I hate it when my wife gives me “pro tips” in bed. I’d rather forget that she used to be a Las Vegas hooker! Well, she’s old and cold. So, you might say my wife is the worst of both worlds. I’ve made some missteps on my way to comic glory. When you get turned down to perform at an Open Mike, you feel like a worm in the Early Birds’ beak. I like my women like I like my bank account: loaded. My insignificant other must have her way or else. Happy wife, or watch out for the knife. My testosterone level shoots up about 300 nanograms whenever bikini season begins. Too bad I’m married to a Grandma named Nan. I walked into a bar frequented by cops and quickly regretted my decision to wear a string BOLO tie. My wife says I frequently invade her “personal space.” It seems her comfort zone is located in the next room. It’s weird being an old comic. Something between a Trilobite and a try not to suck. From the Acmehumor Dictionary For Our Troubled Times. Bullionaire: A bullshit artist with a lot of money. WilltheThrill on July 10, 2019 at 9:00 am said: The last time I could reasonably describe my wife as “Hot” was several decades ago when she was experiencing hot flashes. WilltheThrill on July 10, 2019 at 5:59 pm said: My niece says she isn’t a hooker. She insists that she’s just “monetizing herself.” Oh, thank god, I was concerned. Internet dating has it’s problems. The female at Starbucks was stunning, with a blonde beehive hair-do…first words out of her mouth? “Let’s talk money, honey.” WilltheThrill on July 11, 2019 at 10:12 am said: I have a few dollars to my name so keeping gold-diggers off-scent is sometimes difficult. These chicks smell my Franklins and say “Where have you BEN all my life?” Women fascinate me. Mood swings are to be tolerated, but a single wrong word can send me, not just to the Dog House, but to the basement of the Dog House. Oooowwwww! WilltheThrill on July 12, 2019 at 12:00 pm said: It’s not easy being a Comic Icon. Even now I can feel my fan base oscillating… Stepping out to entertain the senior crowd this weekend…Quick, call the Cringe Police! If no one dies during my set I’ll rate it as a big old success. A MYSTERY UNSOLVED: I never knew where she came from, or where she went, but I loved Jane’s Dough. At my age I still love a woman with great T&A, but now I mean ladies with Teeth and Annuities. I picture my wife as a Greek Goddess playing one of those little harp instruments. That would be perfect for her…the Lyre! Sometimes between my wife and kids craziness I feel like I’m living in a horror movie. The title could be: “House of Wacks!” You have to make allowances for females as they age. At 68, I’ve got my wife up to $6.00 a week. News has unfolded about a new direction for the Bond films. A young black female actress is said to take up the 007 role. I wouldn’t Spectre to take the name Jimmie Bond. Sometimes when people claim to be experts at Chinese cooking I wonder whether they can really wok the talk. Watching HBO. Yacking on her phone. My wife is busy being lazy. I’ve got a brand spanking new girlfriend! It’s true what they say: love hurts… In the summer my wife likes to drive with her top down. Which would be fine if she had a convertible… You say “tomato” and I say “no way in hell is that dinner, you dumb vegan bitch!” Bill Williams on July 18, 2019 at 5:33 pm said: Berkeley voted to ban gender-specific words in its city code and replace them with gender-neutral options. Words like “manhole” and “manpower” will become “maintenance hole” and “human effort.” But don’t worry, the NBA can still use the word “manhole” when referring to a Kardashian. Terry Etter on July 18, 2019 at 7:10 pm said: With all the little flying insects at the neighborhood swimming pool, we’re calling it the gnatatorium. My wife weighs twice what she did when we first met. It’s like she has gained an evil twin. I’m never sure whether I hear thunder, or just Sharon lumbering down the stairway. Bill Williams on July 19, 2019 at 11:20 am said: White House claims the USS Boxer downed an Iranian drone that came within 1,000 yards of the Navy ship. Wrong! It was a Lifetime Channel drone carrying the cast members of ”Little Women: Atlanta,” and they missed it by a country mile. At first I found my wife very mysterious and intriguing. Now I realize she is legitimately from the dork side. Last night I got my drunk on. But then I couldn’t get her off after we’d done the deed… My new bride works for a pharmaceutical company. On our wedding night she looked at my private parts and asked: “That thing has that thing ever been tested on animals, right?” Sadly, my wife is addicted to buying shoes. When she reached 200+ pair we decided to take action. Sharon enters a Boot Camp tomorrow. Just wondering, at a nudist camp do the chefs go au natural? They always say that you can’t judge a cook by her cover… Ever since we returned home from our Rain Forest vacation, my wife and I have been in what can only be called a tropical depression. My wife says she wants to take our lovemaking to the “next level.” What she means is, I get to sleep in the basement while she remains on the main floor. Every Year, Half A Million Italians Are Reportedly Possessed By Demons…My wife told me to go to Hell last night. “Don’t worry, darling,” I told her, “I’m already there.” My first Alien Contact happened last night…a Mexican beauty with no green card but almond eyes that were out of this world. Call me a maximalist, but there is something to be said for an hourglass figure and plenty of time to explore big curves. Son of a biscuit! My wife is like a poison Ninja salad in the bedroom: silent, deadly, and fully dressed Women may be the fairer sex, but so often the way they treat me is SO UNFAIR. Poor me… Climate change is predicted to turn the Great White North into a parched desert…god, imagine drinking it all in: Canada Dry! Tired of the neighbors leaving flaming packages on your doorstep? A chalk outline on your porch of a neighbor-sized body works wonders to close out these bothersome folks. Sometimes I think the folks who live in Suburbia along with me are subhuman. I woke up Monday morning, checked and saw I had zero bars. This is actually a good thing, since it means I’m not in jail. The people living on either side of me have let it be known that they’re willing to buy stolen property. So, as Robert Frost said in a famous poem, good fences make good neighbors. During a recent trip to Las Vegas I visited a place called the Chicken Ranch. Lovely escorts were paraded for my choosing, and I found myself thinking: Eeany, Meany, Miney, Hoe. My wife was like a sleek Ferrari, all curves and hills and valleys. Lord, how I enjoyed grinding her gears. Now? Well, let’s just say she’s missing a few teeth… 30 year’s ago my wife was slim as a willow. Now she’s more of a roll model. Trolling the singles bars for top-heavy babes, you can bet I register a high number of falsie positives. THE SUPER HERO FILES: The thing about Thor’s brother is that he is rather low-key. Pout it out on National Lipstick Day…My wife bought a shade called “nude” and asked me what to wear with it. Naturally I replied “nothing.” WilltheThrill on August 1, 2019 at 6:29 am said: Sometimes I feel like a roll of toilet tissue: I’m just hanging around waiting for the next person to rip me off! WilltheThrill on August 1, 2019 at 10:15 am said: I paid for a Mail Order bride from Czechia, a country in Central Europe. This was weeks ago, and so far, nothing. When I contacted the broker they said not to worry, the Czech was in the mail. Speaking of that, Mr. Administrator, are you interested in PMing me RE: payment for all these sterling jokes that keep your site going? WilltheThrill on August 2, 2019 at 1:50 pm said: It’s weird being part of a couple. I was invited to a BYOB party, and I brought Sharon because I assumed it meant Bring Your Own Bitch. My wife insists I return the expensive leather Man Cave couch I bought or she will divorce me. Mmmmm, before deciding, I’m going to have to sleep on it. Jill: Does this dress make my butt look too big? Will: Not if you are an orangutan. I have a friend who is a cop. She invited me to a dance where 95% of the people would be police. I told her no, “I don’t want to go to a Fuzz Ball!” The biggest problem I have with women is this: When I ask them out they shake their heads the wrong way… Lately I’ve become concerned that my man cave is not masculine enough. It’s a converted broom closet, so I guess I’m having size issues. Today was National Chocolate Cookie Day. Kind of a half-baked holiday unless you’ve got a drink to go with it, say warm breast milk? My wife can be toxic as a Poison She Devil, I’m not going to lye. I told my wife she ought to be an actress. She took that well until I explained my reasoning: You love to act-out, create drama, and wear a variety of attention-getting costumes, so why not go pro? I asked my wife why she plans weekly girl’s night out jaunts with her female pals. “There just not enough meat in your Manwich, dear,” she replied. Danger, Will Robinson. Wife: Do you think this dress makes me look fat? Will: Absolutely. It is 100% the dresses fault. Marriage is an institution, and I’ve been institutionalized for going on 36 years. Put another way, marriage is the place where dreams go to die… Kidding! Mostly. I’m trying to be positive here, so I won’t harp about my wife doubling in weight over the past 30 years. I ought to be pleased that she is value-sized. I won’t say our lovemaking should be rated “T” for terrifying. Let me just weigh in with this: 3X does not mean extra erotic. I wondered how to keep my dearly departed friend close to me following her cremation. And since I’ve never been a smoker and I always seem to be in my car…I put her in my ash tray. Judge me if you want, but I think it’s what Ashley would have wanted. There’s something about trashy girls. I just want to take them out… My wife has really changed over the past 36 years. I mean, I hardly know her from Eve. I basically camp-out every night. That’s because right next to me is my old sleeping hag. Could I ask for ‘smore? Bill Williams on August 9, 2019 at 10:50 pm said: A flying car made by a Japanese electronics company they intend to sell by 2030 had its first flight last week. A little disappointing as it only got 10 feet high and landed with a bump. Kinda’ like a Denver millennial who couldn’t get a date on Friday night. A lightning strike on a Florida home’s septic tank caused the toilet to explode inside the house. This proves Zeus, the god of lightening is definitely a woman, and she gets really pissed when the toilet seat is left up. Bill Williams on August 10, 2019 at 3:39 pm said: The second amendment gives us the right to bare arms. Unless you’ve got those ugly bat wings hanging down, then better wear long sleeves. WillTheThrill on August 10, 2019 at 4:13 pm said: Of course most women tell bald-faced lies! Last time I looked very few were sporting beards. Bill Williams on August 11, 2019 at 11:27 am said: My wife has started wearing a push-up bra. She’a a bra’d fraud. My wife uses advanced interrogation techniques on me to get her way. JILL: You aren’t mad that I just spent $1800 online for shoes. Because if you get angry then we won’t be having any bed fun. WILL: Mmmmm, me like fun. “Stop acting the fool,” my wife insists. You guys know better. I am definitely NOT acting. A gecko tried to stow away on a flight from Mexico to England. Would have made it too if his Emotional Support Human, Flo hadn’t kept asking for 15% off her cocktail. WilltheThrill on August 12, 2019 at 7:59 am said: She was blonde, petite, wiggly…and a maggot. An Idaho man completed 220 catches in one minute while juggling three NBA-regulation basketballs to break a Guinness World Record. Next he’ll try for the record of juggling three NBA-regulation Kardashians. WilltheThrill on August 12, 2019 at 11:28 am said: I met this girl from Malaysia with very loose morals who loves pasta. She eats wonton and IS wanton. In Pennsylvania a snake had to be rescued when it swallowed several inches of its own tail. This is really bad news. The American Bar Association may have to give up its apprentice lawyer program. If you go see the Stones don’t forget to bring some Beano. ’Cause Mick’s got some gas, gas, gas. My wife has taken up Kung Fu as a way to lose weight and beat up on me. This is the last straw in our combative marriage, and I’ve told her I Won’t Be Fu’ed Again. The computer tech at my business is so darned sexy. I love it when she talks nerdy to me. Feeling a mite desperate, I’ve taken to wearing a magnetic bracelet to make myself more attractive to women wearing underwire bras. My Ex wants plenty of support and she’s pretty transparent about it. Come to think of it, she’s kind of like a clear bra. I hate to brag, but biologically speaking, I think I’m an absolute genus! Terry Etter on August 14, 2019 at 7:55 pm said: The biggest obstacle to Andrew Yang’s presidential campaign is finding a running mate named Yin. Being married teaches you humility. Like this: at a trendy eatery you see a rich guy with his gorgeous trophy wife, and you tell the waitress “I’ll have what he’s having,” and you mean the blonde, but you end up eating humble pie. 2020 Corvette C8 Official Mid Engine Pricing has just been released. GM is letting buyers combine any available interior colors (red and orange anyone?), but should you wish to order a combination “not approved” by General Motors there is a $600 upcharge for the faux pas. This could be termed the “Clown Tax.” Yep, my wife is twice the woman she used to be. And two-times as bitchy. So, anatomically speaking, she has Hate Handles. WilltheThrill on August 16, 2019 at 12:12 pm said: “SFM”can be an acronym for Sent From Mobile, or, in my wives’ case: Spokesmodel For Misery. Either way, the message is not very encouraging. My marriage is like a popular movie genre: Horror Survival. My adult son lives in a ghetto version of the Bat Cave, which also happens to be my basement. My wife has gone from a sleek flaming nymph to a not-very hot tub. More chemicals, please! My spouse has always insisted on non-sequential days of lovemaking. We can never seem to get all our fks in a row. My wife still makes me stiff, except now it’s my neck. I don’t understand when a dude says his girlfriend/wife sucks, and that’s meant to be a negative thing. I mean, my spouse told me on our honeymoon that oral was over, and that DID suck. My wife has the fashion sense of an amoeba. Wearing a tube top to a funeral is never a boss move, even if it is black. When she turned 13, my wife says she had her first organism. In Little League news, it’s Australia vs. Kentucky. So, Down Under vs. Deliverance Twins, y’all. My wife says I remind her of the Energizer Bunny in bed, which I took as a complement. “Not really a positive,” she replied. “I can hear your damn Pacemaker clicking.” My son said he’d joined a crack team of pre-med students…and, you guessed it, their primary focus is investigating the use of crack, personally. When it comes to buying my wife nightgowns, I like them modeled by sweet young things, and I demand absolute transparency in pricing and fabric. Bill Williams on August 21, 2019 at 12:54 pm said: Larry King filed for divorce from his seventh wife. It was a typical case of Hollywood desertion. His mind deserted her body. When I lived in Germany there was temptation to join questionable groups of other teens bent on havoc. Luckily I resisted, and never became part of the Wolfgang. I married a girl from Georgia, and things went very South very quickly. This spoiled peach drained my accounts faster than a billionaire scoots through the velvet ropes at the Hot Rooster Club on Saturday night. Sometimes I feel like America’s Most Unwanted… So, President Trump wants to buy Greenland. I wouldn’t recommend it, personally. My wife is as big as some continents, and frigid as a frozen Hell. Latte Art is cool, but how will you be remembered? People drink your artwork until nothing is left. It’s enough to make me froth at the mouth. I’m having a mid-life crisis at 66. So, does that mean I’ll live to be 132?? If someone is flying both ways in the birds and bees department, do they just kind of “wing it” when it comes to marriage? JILL:”I found a blonde wig in your sock drawer.” WILL:”I wanted to surprise you.” JILL:”By letting me discover I’m married to a transvestite?” My wife is neither a lover or a fighter. She’s more of a Protozoa. With a collection of shoes. Our marriage is firmly within the so-bad-it’s-nearly-alright genre. Somehow we’ve survived 36 years, but, then, so have some blind parrots. JILL: “Describe your wife in two words.” WILL: “She Hulk.” JILL: “You seem to spend a lot of time dating random women.” WILL: “True. For example: 1948, 1951, 1936.” JILL: “You said you rarely pick up girls any more.” WILL: “Also true. I really can’t lift them these days.” I asked my doctor how I could develop some muscle at 66 years old. He thought this over and replied: “Well, I guess you could hire a hitman…” Taylor Swift used to be on my to “do” list, until she was outed as a cheating bitch…I probably wouldn’t have ever “done” her, but now I don’t even want to. When you think about it, a unicorn is really just a very horny horse. I went to a Hot Chili Cook-Off Battle this weekend, and came away with gums blazing! I tried to amp-up my performance in bed last night, and asked my wife this morning how it was for her. “Fairly OK,” she replied. Geesh! My cowgirl would say the Gunfight at OK Corral was a passable kill-fest. I used to be into Cigarette Boat Racing, but I’m trying to quit. During Spring Break in Mexico I was afraid I might nick a teen with that smok’in hot boat. True Story: I met my wife in the non-fiction department of the library, but our life together has been unreal. The first crime in Space has been reported. A female couple comprised of an ASTRONAUNT and an earth-bound former spouse, (divorced some year’s ago), shared a bank account which was illegally accessed from the Space Station. Nothing too earth-shaking here. ATM = Astronaut Taking Money? Just a balance check, but pretty easy to trace from orbit! But how about the possibilities of space crime? I mean it sure would be hard to hang someone in zero G… One thing’s for sure: if I don’t have my wives’ wine poured at 5:00, all Hell breaks loose. I just wish it wasn’t 5AM! You’ve heard of Happy Hour, what we face is Crabby Hour. Her claws come out and I’m a sushi roll of raw fear. If you could lease a wife, then you’d never end up upside down on payments. Or sideways. Or…stuck with an old model. Men and women’s voices are naturally about an octave apart. Or as many females would say, they are higher and males are lower on the scale. Growl. I bought my wife an Air Fryer to keep her busy in the kitchen…but she can’t figure it out, the air head! In honor of the 300th joke: I hate to waste food and so when my hunter wife brings home game…I put my game face on and chow down. Still, I have to draw the line somewhere. So, I just can’t eat bear midriff! As Summer comes to an end and my wife puts away her thongs…I won’t have to view her chipped toe nail polish at the beach! My wife reminds me of a Harley-Davidson, not because she’s an exciting icon. It’s more that my spouse is heavyweight hog! Here’s one for the cooks: I met a girl named candy. She was sweet as chocolate, but had a bad temper. Does anyone know if Slo-Poke is still a thing? I’ve given up complaining about my wives’ sicko shoe addition. After all, dead men’s boots tread no trails! When women are addicted to sex, is it an addicktion? The things you find out when you’re married! Did you know plus-size skinny jeans are a thing? I met a dancer named Woon Tee Fong, who was made in China by her parents…when my wife got wind of her, she summed it up quite accurately with an acronym: “WTF?” Remind me not to criticize my wife. All I said was: Sweating Like a Pig? S L A P ! The fog you see is an estrogen mist women use to blind us to their true purposes in life…dominate men, buy cute shoes. WilltheThrill on September 1, 2019 at 10:36 am said: Such is life: everybody wants to throw-down, but nobody wants to throw-up! WilltheThrill on September 1, 2019 at 5:34 pm said: Do you ever wonder if your life is inspired by true events? In the game of life, an old bleached blonde definitely beats an old beached blonde hands down. I have my standards, and draw the line (in the sand) at necrophobia. Lately I’ve been dating a Rock Star! OK, she’s a Geologist, but she definitely rocks… Last night I had a DOI, but it’s not what you think. She was actually a Decidedly Ok Indian. My wives’ Spirit Animal is Cleocatra: Queenly, Devious, and Kinda Old… My very mystical spouse insists she is best described as an Ancestral Spirit Shamon. Or, as I prefer, the acronym: ASS. WilltheThrill on September 3, 2019 at 6:53 am said: I saw two adjacent houses for sale. One sign said: “I’m Beautiful!” and the other next door proclaimed: “Come and check me out!” Yeesh, I thought: “Get a room, you horny houses!” Her name was Coco, she tipped the scales at 250 lbs, spoke broken, Chinese-English, and, yes, she was largely incoherent. Bill Williams) on September 3, 2019 at 5:15 pm said: I stopped alongside the road to use a Honey Bucket. Pretty snazzy inside. Even has artwork. An original Peecasso. Geeks have more fun. I mean, who wouldn’t want to personalize their browsers and get connected to Russian beauties with marriage on their minds, all-the-while sliding that wireless mouse across a slick surface in pulsating cyber-rhythms? My wife is a like a sheep in wolves’ clothing. Either way, the lady she’s bah to the bone. “You’re in big trouble, Mister!” my wife accused, holding a blonde hair in her fingers. “I found this in our bed…and you promised me you’d stop!” Looking closely at the strand of Angel Hair Pasta dangling in my face, I entreated my wife: “I promise, babe, I’ll never eat in bed again!” So I was bragging about my 20-something trophy wife, and a buddy told me I’d be DIAW if I keep this up. Asked to elucidate, he spelled it out: Dead In A Week. Well, you only live dunce… The problem with the whole SWAT team thing is that in certain lighting those jackets and hats seem to start with a “T.” You should never feed chocolate, avocado or alcohol to your bird. No matter WHAT your parrot says. I have quite a few female friends “with benefits.” Yep, most of my ladies are collecting Social Security. I used to call her the “B” word, then she graduated to the “C” word. Now, just on general principle, I’m going with the all-encompassing “T.” It’s a good alpha bet that Mrs. T does NOT pity of the fool. I am married to an old hippie slob. And I am definitely not picking up what she is putting down! If you close one eye, and squint with the other, I’m still pretty cool…I mean, compared to a corpse or something really dead. I like extinct animals just as much as the next person, but trust me, it’s not easy being married to a woman who has devolved into a Giant Ground Sloth! My wife wears sweat pants that say “PINK” on the rear-end…it makes me think of those weird orangutans’ butts. My spouse says rituals are important to her. Personally, I think sharing dental floss is a turn-off. My wife is very jealous. When we went to Hawaii she was mad at the airport greeter who gave me a lei as we stepped off the plane. “We’ve been in this ‘paradise’ for 10 seconds, and a girl has already given you a lay!” I dated a little Japanese cookie briefly, but she cost me a fortune! That, and I was always finding little pieces of paper everywhere… WilltheThrill on September 8, 2019 at 12:04 pm said: I like to dress to make a statement. My current ensemble says “homeless!” Loads of people say Public Speaking is one of their greatest fears…I say why not make a fool of yourself in public? It beats being a medical school cadaver…most of the time. WilltheThrill Nastali on September 8, 2019 at 1:24 pm said: I had a nightmare last evening. I Was Hitler’s Chauffeur, but didn’t know German, so kept getting lost. Man, that dude had a temper! You can tell a lot about a person when you know they’re favorite book. My wives’ is Mein Kampf. To use a sports’ analogy, when it comes to the bedroom, my wife doesn’t have any skin in the game. So, guys, which do you prefer: Brains or beauty? Or, as I like to say: Heads or tails? Be careful with your acronyms! “TF” can stand for “Total Fox,” or…”Toenail Fungus!” My geek wife says she’s looking for more firmware from me in bed. I really could use a battery-backup, fo sho. I do not understand Reality TV. Seriously, why do people care about the Kartrashians? WilltheThrill Nastali on September 9, 2019 at 12:49 pm said: Thursday night at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase…Will the Thrill in a showcase, busting out like a bald Houdini, punching beneath his weight-class and engaging in an epic dual with sanity. Considering my marriage…There’s a lot less here than meets the eye. Beyond the cellulite and weird world-view, I’m left with a squawk-box, and a feeling my wife ought to own a pitch-fork to complete her demon-like persona. Beautiful girls can make you SAD, because they Slay All Day. Last night I could not find my wife in the Lawless Kingdom we call home. I figured she’d turn up, and since I didn’t feel like going on a witch hunt, I went to bed. WilltheThrill on September 10, 2019 at 6:53 am said: I like to distal life to it’s essence. So, in 3 words, what do men and women think about? Puss and Boots. My wife gets angry when I check out other women’s rear-ends. But, as I tell her, my military training makes me automatically watch their “six.” Sharon and I do some role-playing in the bedroom. She’s never been what you might call “creative,” so when it was time to devise a “safe-word” her choice was “STOP!” My wife is full of devious twists, disturbing secrets, and shocking surprises…and that’s just what’s in her bra! This morning, out of the blue, my wife proclaimed that she is “vexed” with me. Not understanding, I pressed her for details. “If you had a cervix you would know!” she explained. I’m not saying my wife is fat, but last Fall she got lost in a corn maze, and ate her way out. WilltheThrill on September 10, 2019 at 10:23 am said: The only thing my wife has in common with a Super Model is the pout. WilltheThrill on September 10, 2019 at 6:35 pm said: The first thing my wife does when she gets home is take off her bra. The second thing she does is say: “This is about me getting comfortable, and you leaving me the fk alone.” Just kill me now, God. I’m embarrassed to admit my wife and I still have a Landline. I’d try to get rid of it but it’s a potential landmine, and I try to avoid my wives’ explosive tendencies. That ringing noise you hear isn’t just in my head! I took out a contract on my wife. It’s for her mobile phone, but I do like the sound of doing it… I have a single cell-phone. I nick-named named it “amoeba.” I dreamt I had a Royal Flush last night. The King of Norway stopped by and used my bathroom. Isn’t it weird when two identical words have completely different meanings. (Sniff) Oh, my god! Somebody left a stool on the stage! Is this some kind of sick symbolism that my set, which I’ve just started by the way, is crap? Speaking of strange smells, my wife and I were making love last night…and she had just deuced with “Mango Basil.” I’m sorry, ladies, but I felt like I was raw-dogging a salad! When I was a child, my parents always told people that I ate my twin sister in the womb. I honestly don’t remember…It was pretty dark. I live a Fairy Tale existence. I Troll people on the Internet, and my wife is a total Witch. Pretty Grim, eh? Reading about a car interior cleaner, I noted that this magical product “removes unwanted stains.” Um, what the hell kind of stain do you want to keep? Not a sterling night at the Comedy Club tonight. Maybe reading joke cues printed on a 2-Liter bottle label made my set seem less than spontaneous? Maybe I’m the Weirdo, but I don’t get the female obsession with feelings. I say, chop for awhile, yell “Timber,” and don’t worry about the leaf litter. I’m not counting the rings on your neck, Miss Maple. I can’t win! I lost 20 pounds, and now my wife calls me a “gutless wonder!” WilltheThrill on September 13, 2019 at 12:02 pm said: I came home early from work caught my wife with a strange guise. It pays to be an English Major! My wife has a flat-top, and I don’t mean her hair. My favorite shape is a curly triangle. My wife says she wants more volume in her hair-style. My god, isn’t it her freaking neon orange hair LOUD ENOUGH? If you’ve ever dreamed about living with a hot woman, just wait until your wife goes into menopause! Out of the blue she’s screaming at me that every window must be opened at 2AM, and it is definitely my fault that the world is a fiery pit. My wife says she needs shoes for every mood. And god knows the woman is always in a mood, most of them bad. Usually my wife is just the of opposite of in the “mood.” Which means any chance of making love is met with “doom.” Martial arts and marital arts both offer a surprisingly refreshing punch to the face, if you like getting your kicks. Willthe Thrill on September 15, 2019 at 6:51 pm said: I wanted to marry a blonde, but I settled for an albino. Not really her fault that tan-lines are just not her thing… You wish it was possible to tell Van Gogh (who never sold a painting in his lifetime), how much his art is now appreciated. Just be sure to speak into his left ear… WilltheThrill Nastali on September 16, 2019 at 11:19 am said: Don’t believe everything you hear…my wife is wicked, and frequently resting. Probably thinking up more wickedness. If my wife worked in law enforcement, she’d definitely be Bad Cop, Bad Cop. I married a woman from the Polynesian Islands. A gorgeous raven-eyed beauty with flowers in her hair. These days she has turned into a conch potato. My wife says you can learn a lot from history. “For example, I’ve learned quite a bit from your browsing history, sweetie pie.” Gulp. Too many couples avoid the serious S&M discussion. After 36 years, my spouse and I still have trouble talking about our Spending & Money! Keeping it weird: Our king-size bed is a modern motorized version capable of head and toe lifts, a massage mode, and dual remotes we can fight over, ensuring we always go to bed mad at each other. As my wife left the house wearing tight Yoga pants this morning, I thought I heard the Spandex whimpering a little. Nothing shocks me anymore. My wife just installed a defibrillator on our bedroom wall. Just in case I actually see her naked, I guess. The problem with mirrors above our bed is that at night it’s too dark to see anything, and in the morning you don’t want to. More dissention in the bedroom: Clearly my spouse and I have a completely different understanding of “facetime.” Not to say my wife is squeamish in bed, but after 36 years I would say it’s time to take the gloves off! I went to a Hawaiian-themed party where the drinks were spiked. Man, I left feeling punch-drunk… Sorry skinny women, but when it comes to females I have to grade on a curve. In my twisted world a triple D beats AAA all day long. Pillow Talk: JILL: Uh, everything OK down there? WILL: Piece of cake. JILL: Giggle. Angel food or Devils’ food? WILL: More like Red Velvet. Terry Etter on September 20, 2019 at 7:10 pm said: Trump sure is inconsistent. He’s building a wall along the Mexican border to keep aliens out. But now that people are storming Area 51 to see the aliens there, he wants to build a wall around Area 51 to keep the aliens in. Trying to be positive here…I have a wife and a half. All those Doritos have made even more of her to love…crunch! In my youth I was a rock guitar player. I still do some shredding, but now it’s cheese on Taco night… Wife says: “Stop objectifying me.” What? I just called her “Puss N Boots!” Meow. I’ve never understood why that skimpy string bikini bottom is called a “G-string.” Then it hit me: we see one on a beautiful babe and automatically think: “Gee!” I’m not saying my wife is old-school, but she does keep a yard stick in the bedroom, and isn’t afraid to use it when I don’t measure-up. Whack! Red leather mini-shirt. Check. Plunging lacy blouse. Check. Looking at pictures while wife is already asleep upstairs. Check, please. Let’s be real. Reality is overrated. Just for fun, I asked my wife about her “Desert Island List.” Would she want me, the kids, the cat on her desert island? Looking puzzled, she finally replied: “Could we forget all that, and just make it a ‘Dessert Island?'” Fall begins tomorrow, which, when you think about it, is quite a trip and a colorful tumble into cooler temps, unshaven legs, and wives’ nudging the thermostat that much closer to Hell. My wife has bought more useless “cute” shoes, and I’m mad as a sack of owls. WilltheThrill Nastali on September 23, 2019 at 12:58 pm said: Funny how things change. Those formerly perky tits have turned into Milk Duds, and showing less is somehow now “more.” Call me a caveman, ladies, but I still say “club the one you’re with.” WilltheThrill Nastali on September 23, 2019 at 8:24 pm said: Time marches on, and even former top-tier performers have to adjust to aging concerns, thus, I give you: The Pumpkin Spice Girls! I suffer from IMS, Irritable Male Syndrome. And, when you add this to my wives’ PMS, you can bet we are capable of some ABC’s…Atomic Behavior Crap. Left-handed people don’t live as long as others. This just doesn’t seem right, does it? Mr. and Mrs. Newlywed: Grin as much as possible in the early, heady days. Because it can be a rutted road, lovers, and your smilage can vary. The main problem with young lovelies is that, despite all your best efforts, they can be off-putting. As in, “Get off me!” WilltheThrill Nastali on September 25, 2019 at 6:34 am said: When I was younger all my dates (4 of them) ended the same way. The girls always said: “Get some help.” Luckily my wife is used to me, and knows it’s hopeless. Reworking the joke… All my relationships with women have ended the same way. They look me in the eyes, and say those 3 little words: “GET SOME HELP!” (Better?) I was born in Waterloo, Iowa. Which should tell you something. Ever since, I’ve bummed around dead-end streets and Failure Lane. The only time comedy has paid a dime was when I sold a comic book for 50 cents, and that was to my mom. People tell me I’m not too bright, so I’ve taken to wearing day-glo colors… This one is for the Ancients. A woman told me I was her first…totally disastrous date. My profile picture was 30 year’s old. Well, some women like older men because they are less demanding in the sack. Just call me Rumpled Stillskin. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Don’t believe it. Both the credit card bills and a nasty STD followed me home. I was getting good vibes when my wife brought home a glass vase and commented that it was a mouth-blown original. She shut that down by complaining “I guess I’ll have to get some flowers to put in the vase since you’re about as romantic as week-old roadkill.” So there I was, contemplating the beauty of the Universe, when my wife screeched: “If you look at one more college girl, I’m going light you up like a solar flare.” A written survey closed with some pretty personal information requested…”Are you gender fluid/non-binary?” First, I would never drink my gender. And second, what the hell are you asking? I mean, I knew a bi-girl once, but isn’t it all a numbers game? As we age a turkey neck can develop, making turtle neck sweaters an attractive option. Sadly, I can remember women calling me an “animal” for a completely different reason… Women used to describe me as “tall,” now they just say “bald.” Ouch. My ego needs brushing, not crushing! One good thing about being color-blind is that I can imagine I’m married to a blonde! Not sure some people know how this name is pronounced: On a milk carton…”Have You Sean Me?” Sean rhymes with “Gone,” and apparently he is… As the saying goes, her carpeting doesn’t match the drapes. And, honestly, both could use a good vacuuming. In the News…Kids are on strike, demanding action on Climate Change. Yeah, gottca. Put down the Dorritos bags, pull out the ear-buds, unplug the PlayStation controllers, and get the Hell off my grass! I wanted to marry a blonde, but I settled for an Albino. At Christmas my green eyes and her red ones look very festive! Women have that certain something…call it attitude, we guys just can’t shake. It’s like a lipstick stain on the moon. My wife has the financial savvy of Mike Tyson. If I even mention her wasteful ways, she practically chews my ear off! Did you know that trick-or-treaters have a right to all your Halloween candy? It’s called the Doctrine of M&M Domain. I have a foot fetish. Unlike boobs, bigger isn’t better. My wife is not a 3-star cook. Her meals are more like black holes on a plate. You might say I’ve found asylum with my wife. I definitely have all kinds of crazy at home! Some things get better with age…don’t rush me, I’m thinking. I want to tell you about my two Ex-wives…witch one would you like to hear about first? As a child I had plenty of vivid nightmares. One I’ll never forget was dreaming I found a severed Unicorn head in my bed! Not that I can predict the future, but you just have to know the Impeachment proceedings will be the freaking pits! The food industry in the USA has always been progressive. Long before mixed marriages were a thing they were pushing Buffalo Chicken… WilltheThrillNastali on September 30, 2019 at 10:56 am said: I’m not judging here, but haven’t you always wondered about that sketchy Naval title called a “Rear Admiral?” A big difference between Rock & Roll and Comedy is that we just don’t get any groupies. The lure of laughter can’t compete with that R&R God lifestyle. Unless you combine the two, like the aging Rolling Stones… WilltheThrill Nastali on October 1, 2019 at 6:39 am said: Fashion retailer Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy and plans to shutter 178 stores. You might say, in blackjack terms, they’re busted. WilltheThrill Nastali on October 1, 2019 at 10:25 am said: Picture an ethereal ballerina performing lovely dance moves at the Barre. Then imagine a fat broad in a Tu-tu staggering around the Bar. Guess which one I’m married to? Come on, take a spin at my trip down the River Styx… WilltheThrill Nastali on October 1, 2019 at 4:09 pm said: Using a $1500 Smartphone for a flashlight, is a bit like buying a $5000 Memory Foam mattress and sharing it with a wife you’d like to forget. Hey, Season of Fall, you’re bringing me down! Cooler temps? I do not WANT to stay frosty! WilltheThrillNastali on October 2, 2019 at 7:12 am said: As a lawyer, I find it difficult to represent some clients. Last week I was in court with an Exorcist, and found it’s true what you’ve heard: procession IS 9/10’s of the law! WilltheThrill Nastali on October 2, 2019 at 12:55 pm said: WILL: “I used to be a College Hunk.” JILL: “And now you’re just a hunk of sh.” WILL: “Till death do us part, my sweetie.” What does my wife have in common with this list? Yorki-Poo Weiner Dog Gold Retriever Easy, you need a license to own them. Woof! I was raised my Kangaroos. It’s not that I feel jumpy, exactly. Down under it all I’m afraid of growing a pouch and being unattractive to Aussie chicks. I was thinking about famous sculptures, and wondering…If someone was found in a compromising position with the Venus De Milo could he then be arrested for statutory rape? I’ve been dating a lovely woman with the unusual name of “Deck.” When we get together, for me it’s all hands on Deck. I have a Napoleon complex…in my nether regions. As my wife reminds me, “Sometimes short isn’t so sweet, Frenchy.” It hurts my feeling when she rips my Bonaparte. My wife has done the deed in more countries than I can pronounce. Her slogan seems to have been: “Divide my legs and conquer.” I’m OK with the bedroom role-playing, the safe-words, even the costumes…but I have to draw the line at the “Mother May I?” routine. I’m not into incest, even in-jest. My spouse is sub-par, which means she’s a fairly lousy wife, but an excellent golfer! The big problem with going to a strip joint and ogling young beauties is that it’s hard to return to your wives’ back lard. Those tempting places are like a crave yard for your soul. So there she was lost in the Halloween Corn Maze…what started out as fun now left her with a creepy feeling she might be a stalking victim. Boo-ya! The only holiday my wife and I celebrate in the bedroom has a Mexican origin. It’s called “The Day of the Dead.” We just lay there, as usual, but light a skull candle to make things more festive. It’s been a while…I mean, I can get horny just picturing a bedspread. I’m not saying she’s a Demon Ette, an evilish creature, or a freaky female serpent…but there is something demonstrably, well, monstrous about her. Maybe it’s the Doritos breath? If you choose to play around with young chicks when you’re past your sell-by date, let me warn you: These girls can turn into Hell-Oh-Kitty. In High School I was always afraid I’d forget my locker combination. And so, even as an old wrinkled bald dude I still DREAD LOCKS. Women have their monthly curse. Men have their daily one, living with them. WILL: Why are you always lying to me? JILL: I’m not. It’s just that I’m fact-challenged. When our little daughter was growing up she wanted to be a magician…Now she turns tricks in Las Vegas. Poof! My wife is very shy in the bedroom. Round about midnight I heard a sound. At that point I figured I had succeeded and rolled over to catch some sleep… Question: If you make a S’more with cheese does it become a S’neeze? Something is wrong with our expensive Serta Sleep Number mattress. When my wife climbs in the readout zooms to minus 32 degrees. I mean, I knew she was frigid, but this is pretty freaking low! My wife and I went bed shopping, looking at Kings, Queens, per usual. On a cruel note, Sharon asked if they sold a Jester size mattress. Maybe I should’ve inquired whether a “Plus” size was available for her bulk… Someone should invent inconspicuous wing mirrors guys could attach to their glasses for checking out chicks while they’re out with their wives or girlfriends. You could call these REAR-VIEW MIRRORS. It’s hard to beat cute glutes… Consensual sex often does seem like a con that’s not very sensual. Where the heck IS that damn G-Spot? I swear it moves around from where I left it five days ago… My wife likes to dress in Urban Camo, which is a pattern like bricks, buses, and rubbish. It suits her to a “T.” And lets her blend into the general malaise. So many females liked garbanzo beans that farmers finally caved and renamed them chick peas. Everyone knows that women love a bouquet of flowers. Being a living thing, they of course have a short life, then whither and die…I am seeing a parallel with us males. But maybe we don’t smell as sweet even when new. Anyone who knows Im is unlikely to called Im a peach, but are the impeachment initiatives likely to give the Dems a fruity pie-in-the-face? Are you ready for Fall? Colorful, wrinkled, a PAIN TO CLEAN UP AFTER, AND COOL AS MENTHOL. The Season of my Witch. Over time things change in your married life. Foxy Lady becomes Soxy Lady. To misquote Nirvana, Smells like Mean Spirit. I’ve ordered the new C-8 Corvette, but my wife is mad about the optional Bose Stereo with 14 speakers. She says, “You only have 2 ears!” My fault for marrying a woman from the planet Zorg… There is only one Earth, and soon we’ll realize it’s ice-less! Just think, every time you see a person it means there WAS a night when a woman did NOT have a headache…amazing when I imagine the Teutonic Plates I’m forced to spin to get any access to the camel toe. When you look at it alphabetically, the difference between RUDE and NUDE is only three letters, but my wife gives me the first daily, and the second very rarely. WilltheThrill on October 10, 2019 at 7:01 am said: WILL: I wish you would stop swearing so much. JILL: I’m cursing, you dumb f**! WilltheThrill Nastali on October 10, 2019 at 8:09 am said: WILL: I like that song from “Cats!” JILL: Which one? WILL: Mammaries. WilltheThrill Nastali on October 10, 2019 at 10:27 am said: It’s World Mental Health Day 2019! I think I’ve spent too much time out in the sun today…I’m feeling brazed and confused! WilltheThrill Nastali on October 10, 2019 at 6:05 pm said: I came across some blood-stained money, never mind how. When I tried to deposit said cash, the young teller looked me in the eye and flipped her hair: “Sir, I cannot accept these bills. I’d suggest you get them laundered.” After 36 years of marriage my wife is living large…like one of those Russian dolls in reverse, she just keeps getting bigger and BIGGER. “His mighty manhood rose like a purple-veined stallion silhouetted against the damply rumpled satin sheets…” No reason to get excited, it’s flannel season and the only thrills in the house are in the wives’ romance novel… The sad thing is, our bedroom activities would be rated PG for no action, mild language, zero thematic elements, and reimagined dreams turned from wonder to Wonder Bread. JILL: When did you realize your first wife would be your Ex? WILL: One night I found out that she had an exoskeleton. JILL: So you made her aware it was time for her exodus. WILL: Exactly. My wife put mousetraps in her jewelry drawer. Odd, because she herself could get snapped. But I guess it’s one way to thwart thieves, and slip them an unexpected Micky. My wife is a powerhouse crackling with energy. She tried Yoga but found it boring. Our front porch sports a doormat that cost me $88.00! It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I finally broke it off with my trophy girlfriend. I understood she was a prescription for disaster because the effect the girl had on me was 100% placebo. @Meatblankett on October 13, 2019 at 6:50 am said: Fact of the Day: Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world, it is ten times more effective than Valium. And, if you’ve done both, there’s a good chance your date with Bill Cosby didn’t go as planned. Welcome back Meatblanket! You are a rare guy! Dyson abandons electric car plans…this sucks! It’s been so long since my wife has invited me into her fairy garden that I feel like an elf all by lonesome self. I can’t spell but have to tell you that my baby has left me alown. Life is like a spelling bee where I’m stung where I’m hung. One year I was a letchprechaun for Halloween. The best I could do was find a pot-bellied blond at the end of the rainy night. I am confused by Hot Yoga! Is the idea to get sweaty while achieving some inner peace? I mean, discomfort isn’t comforting unless you’re some kind of twisted yogi person. When I first got married I’d envisioned sleeping with a heavenly body…now the true celestial image is one of an oversized freaking crab. SMOKING 2.0…Vaping: the New Age way to get hooked on nicotine! Make mine Strawberry Mango, please. You always hear about “First Responders.” Hey, what about us 14th Responders? We showed up, too! My trophy wife says she has feelings for me: Loathing, Disgust, Vituperative Hate. I should have known Tara was about as real as bacon jerky… The mere sight of my wife used to make me horny. Now when I gaze at her I see a creature who must have been engineered by Satan. WilltheThrill on October 15, 2019 at 12:24 pm said: When my spouse is angry, which is very often, she asks rhetorically: “I guess you’ll be you churning your own butter, Cowboy? I’m not asking for a thrill ride in bed, but my wife put up a 7-foot-high sign saying “You must be this tall to ride.” What does she want, Bigfoot? Good News! My wife says she’ll be gone visiting her sister in Ohio for an entire week…suddenly I hear the theme from “The Magnificent Seven” playing in my mind! My wife and her younger sister were talking about STD’s in the next room, where they assumed I couldn’t hear them. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, right? Nope. They were actually talking about me, and how Sharon thinks I’ve gone from Stud To Dud. Awww, Nice! My wives’ idea of a Love Triangle is one you ring when the food is ready… I used to hate it when girls I was interested in would use the F-word… As in, can’t we just be…friends? My niece says she isn’t a hooker. In her viewpoint she’s just ride-sharing. I say it’s a weird way of justifying pay to play for a sex drive. At first I thought my wife was exotic, having been born in Puerto Rico…little did I know before long I’d see the bitch was really from Planet Freako… At first she was a man-trap, and then I discovered with my wife I had unleased a louse in the house. WilltheThrill on October 17, 2019 at 10:50 am said: I’m not say’in she’s fat, but when my wife moves in bed, I can sense a seismic shift. That’s what I get for marrying a Quaker… Bill Williams on October 17, 2019 at 8:39 pm said: I have always wanted to be 511. Thanks. WilltheThrill Nastali on October 18, 2019 at 12:56 pm said: My wife bought an off-brand car called a Havoc. It didn’t take long for her to wreak havoc. WilltheThrill on October 18, 2019 at 6:43 pm said: I personally love Halloween. One day out of 365 guys need to experience what it’s like to have a damned witch in the house. I am not saying my wife is brainless. It’s just that her grey matter is budget-minded. The last time my wife had any class was…high-school. My wife spilled oatmeal on my antique globe. Damn it, now there’s a kind of mush all over the world! My wife Johnnie like to hide things in strange places (bra in fridge?), so I’ve taken to calling her Johnnie Cache. Sugar-free Preservative-free Comment-free Not good at all. I have a high-horsepower wife. She can nag from 0-100 like nobody’s business. Halloween, Salloween! It’s no big deal to me, because my wife cooks Monster Mash all year long~ Some women subscribe to the notion that you have to suffer to be beautiful. My wife, for example, wears high heels, and in the morning experiences shredded feet. Why wear them IN BED? The punch was spiked. So were her heels. What’s for dinner? Porcupine. Swallow and see how that feels. Got a Flu-shot. Best poke I’ve had this year… A lot of men make love the way they shop. A quick in-and-out does the trick. Most girls’ left boob is bigger than their right. I share this vital information with you today after many year’s of painstaking research, some of it got me jail-time. These days it’s cool to be dope. But not to BE a dope. Confusing to us oldsters… I want a girl that’s smoking hot, just so she doesn’t really, you know, smoke… Punctuation joke: Following some radical surgery I now have a ;. I like my sports cars as I prefer my women: with aggressive rear-ends. Saw this on a sweatshirt with a picture of a ghost: “I’m just here for the Boo’s.” I married Sharon because she was bright, blonde and beautiful…a token to my success in life. Now she’s a virtual hag, toking weed that’s producing a skunky funk which shatters my world into a broken-mirror of reflected sorrow. Huh? Halloween is that time in your youth when you carry an old wrinkled bag around stuffed with treats. Little did I know someday I’d be a gigolo doing the same thing with old ladies. I guess any product can be sexy if you spin it right: “SLIDES UP TO 50% MORE EASILY IN TIGHT SPACES” vs. regular dental floss. People said my girlfriend had a “past” and I was a fool to waste time and money on her. I wanted to believe my dear Rendous when she insisted everything was great. Long story short, I found out she was horrendous… My vampire wife hates anything wooden in the house; spoons, tables, lamps, stakes… Forget cosplay, come on you monsters, let’s have a cos-tomb party! I told my wife that she loves vegetables more than me. She said if I could match the size of her zucchini then I could be #1! The weird thing about Halloween in Las Vegas is that on the strip if you want a treat, you have to pay for a trick. In met my 20-year-old future wife at a bakery. It wasn’t many years before I discovered she was a shallow tart. Roll me in flour and call me a crusty 66-year-old fool! Eye was a pupil who could never get things white, so was frequently lashed, see? I’m sweating like an animal. My antiperspirant has expired or maybe I’m just an animal by nature. I’d say “no sweat” but then I’d be dead. Like this joke! Some blondes seem proud to be dumb. I wouldn’t take it so lightly… She had an hourglass figure, but when I turned her over, sand fell out. Turns out she had a beach-bumm! Things have gone too far! Feminists worldwide plan to protest pumpkin unfairness by promoting Jill-o-Laterns to young girls. The other day I was wondering why my wife is such a Witch. Then, it hit me: she was Gnome-schooled! I guess that could affect any ghoul for a spell. I dated a witch for awhile. Green skin. Creepy eyes. Moles everywhere. And that was just her iguana! The dizzying heights and gutter lows of marriage are like being married to squirrel that drinks expresso by the gallon. My wife works in IT, and is used to evaluating computer performance. I just wish I could turn off her comments in bed! “Why don’t you try something different this year for Halloween?” my wife asked. “Like what?” I replied. “Well, you could try being a real man…” My wife bought a sexy cat suit, but ended up looking oddly like a cartoon feline named Garfield. We have a Sleep Number mattress. I tried setting it to “69” but my wife just laughed at me. Is my wife as flat as a Ouija board? The answer is a definite “yes.” It’s weird being the one with the most cleavage! I swear to you, my thousands of fans, I am NOT even close to being “praved.” So why do most women insist that I must be “depraved?” My wife says I’m insensitive in bed…well, is that just because after a successful coupling I’ve been known to yell: “Nailed it!?” My partner attaches WAY too much importance to her blonde locks. I mean, sure, go get a nice hair-do. It looks sweet in a French Braid. But, I mean, really, it’s hardly do or die! I’ve been dating a chick named Grizwalda for several weeks. But I haven’t seen Grizzy bare yet. My wife is a rather unrealistic person. For example, she says: “I’m saying NO to November.” OK, that should work… WilltheThrill Nastali on November 1, 2019 at 8:01 am said: Well, my Halloween party was a complete flop. Wife got drunk and her sisters were witches, as always. The only thing that would have been worse, was the Donner Party. WilltheThrill on November 1, 2019 at 8:31 pm said: The trouble with killer girlfriends is that they usually end up behind bars for murder. Inconvenient. WilltheThrill Nastali on November 2, 2019 at 6:33 pm said: I used to have a cool wife. Now I have a frigid one. She was nice, now she’s ice. Hope for our marriage is absolute zero. WilltheThrill on November 3, 2019 at 8:06 am said: The problem with a foot fetish is most of the time they’re covered up in Winter. My wife was a Rainbow Unicorn for Halloween. God, if only they didn’t really exist!! WilltheThrill on November 3, 2019 at 10:40 am said: I dated a fashion model briefly during college. She went on to be convicted of fraud and spent time in jail. From what I heard, she was a model prisoner. Have you seen those huge Carvana vending machines that contain actual cars for sale? Zoom to a view of one getting stuck like a Kit Kat half-way down the shoot…definitely do not try to rock the machine, or death may result! At 68 years old, sad to say my wives’ formerly perky boobs are on life support In our younger days my wife and I often did the Foxtrot. Now we’ve transitioned to the Old Dog Stumble. We tried a Waltz, but got Twisted. Just a couple of Golden Oldies. Women have longer lives, but men would swear they’re in a time-loop of estrogen-fueled rockets circling the earth. The Guttenberg Bible covered in Cheeto dust fingerprints. That’s how I see young beauties with those trashy tattoos! Every morning my Ex struggles with closure…of her bra! She used to be as firm as an apple. Now I’m blinded by Cellulite. Ah, life with a woman transformed into Granny Smith… “Been awhile, huh?” a stripper asked me at the bar as I salivated into my beer. Yeah, I thought, our Sleep Number bed keeps track of “Partner Motion”, and still reads 00000 after 3 years. WilltheThrill Nastali on November 6, 2019 at 12:09 pm said: I’m so desperate for sex that having a stroke or two starts to have a certain visceral appeal. My wife is skin and bones…and lot’s and lot’s of fat. People stop her in the store and ask if she’s an Opera star. Maybe it’s the metal bra peeking out? My wife is an artist. Not a painter or sculptress. But if you’re ever in need of a professional Scam Artist, she’s A+. I have multiple mouse by my computer. Some of them alive. Must be more vigilant about sweeping up crumbs… WilltheThrill Nastali on November 7, 2019 at 10:15 am said: I want to donate to the American Alzimers Association. But I can neither remember how to spell it or recall what it is… I can get turned on just by looking at pictures of Brown Booby sea birds. Sad, I know. I’m actually kind of looking forward to increasing bouts of memory loss as I age…maybe I could just forget this whole wife thing and start over with a younger model..? I admit to being less than energic in bed. But, really, is it fair for Sharon to nickname me “Snail Male?” Marriage Fact #37: Another day, another holler. I used to think my wife was a doll, now she uses me as a Voodoo Doll. Girlfriend, Brooke is losing it. She says if I would just ditch wife #1 and marry her everything would be copesetic. It’s getting tough to be with babbling Brooke. Thirty years ago the Berlin Wall fell. Ah, East, West, reunited…Reminds me, I haven’t seen my wives’ Northern regions in years… Like a squirrel, I like my women bright-eyed and tushy-tailed. They can gather my nuts anytime and definitely climb my gnarly tree… My wife likes to wear black with a few small white accents. It’s what I like to call her Shamu Camouflage. Sharon bought a set of yellow bra and panties. “How do I look, Will?” she asked brightly. “Um, seducktive…” I replied. @Meatblankett on November 9, 2019 at 12:45 pm said: Singer Neil Young turns 74 on Tuesday. I think it’s safe now, to JUST calling him “Neil” WilltheThrill Nastali on November 10, 2019 at 7:17 am said: When the clouds start dropping their snowy dandruff it makes me want to comb the travel ads and part ways with Michigan! WilltheThrill Nastali on November 10, 2019 at 2:16 pm said: WILL: “What’s that sweet smell?” JILL: “Probably tissue decomposition. It sure ain’t success.” My wife said she wanted to make love like a couple of horny dinosaurs. So we had Tyrannosaurus Sex. @Meatblankett on November 11, 2019 at 3:24 am said: “2019 E! People’s Choice Awards” aired on The E! Network Sunday night. . . And once again, THIS person’s choice was to not watch! Rate The E an “F.” I’m tired of paying taxes to support Washington. You could say that I am Fed up! WilltheThrill Nastali on November 11, 2019 at 10:06 am said: I’m not say’in my wife is frigid, but she rarely let’s me touch her SNOW GLOBES! 36.2 years of marriage…can I get some relief for time served? I mean, convicts are released eventually, but this is a life sentence, ain’t it? WilltheThrill on November 11, 2019 at 7:38 pm said: New Japanese girlfriend: Five foot two, eyes of Fu. My wife finds out, what am I going to do? Has anybody seen Miss Woo? So “Frozen 2” is due out soon. Actually, I never thaw the first movie… You hear “man and wife” but never “husband and woman,” why is that do you think? In our marriage, my wife is the un-silent partner. That bitch can really walk the squawk. The problem with a fat wife is that she goes big AND goes home. Sharon got a tattoo of an alarm clock on her left hip. Why? “This way,” she explains, “time is always on my side.” Blonde logic. My Chinese-born wife fights dirty. Yep, she is a genuine Dung Fu Master… I remember a romantic song called “Your Body is a Wonderland.” Let’s get real, folks. After awhile it’s a disappointing excursion into well-traveled terrain. I dated a girl during college who was from Istanbul, Turkey. After several months of her lies and deceit I told that bird to get stuffed. Our new mattress is made by Kellogg’s, and it was a big mistake. Every time we roll over or move it’s the same disturbing noise: Snap, Crackle, Pop! Trust me, this is not a Gggggreat way to sleep. My friend and I traded girlfriends when I was in high school. I distinctly remember that I got the better “end” of the deal. Who says oldsters can’t be animals in bed? My wife has a turkey neck and can still shake that waddle for all it’s worth! I would like to invent a new word today, and every man alive will relate: wo-manipulation. They do it best, right guys? In our bedroom my wife is always Top Dog. A metalworkers’ dream: “She sings like an angle.” When you think about it, what IS so mellow about a marsh anyhow? I used to work at Route 66 restaurant. But they kicked me out. Those “Golden Years” you hear about are absolutely untrue. Your wife is a prune, you’re plum tuckered out, and you wonder whether the wrinkles of an unmade bed resemble your freaking face. Wake up and smell the Bran Cereal and Decaf Java. I leaned over, brushed some icicles off the pillowcase, and asked her if she was “in the mood.” “Leave me the freak alone,” my spouse replied coolly. Ah, ya got to love middle age… Cringe-Worthy Moment # 43: “What’s that smell? Oh, it’s you…I thought someone had left a dead hyena under the bed.” It seems lonely people are forming attachments to their Alexis devices, and using them as surrogate “friends” in an increasingly cold and impersonal world. Maybe I’ll jump into this admittedly sad trend and try my latest “Pick-Up Lines” on my trusty Rhumba robotic vacuum! My wife is Speaker of the House, and I’d be interested in the rules to impeach her. Gods knows we haven’t had any sexual congress in years! If a hooker gets an offer for her services that’s unacceptable, IS THAT A LOW-BALL OFFER? See what I did there? It’s my own fault for marrying a member of the X Generation. Our life is one Xtreme Xperience after another. Someday soon she’ll probably be my X. Ford executives are going to wake up one day soon to find a bloody Mustang EV head gasket in their beds. Say something romantic, my wife insisted. Um, OK. I’m arm’s deep in love with you…Not that old phrase again! I dated a buxom woman briefly. Zero personality. I don’t know what I saw in her. Ultimately it was just a huge bust. JILL: “You are obsessed with Sex! It’s all you ever talk about!” WILL: “I can see your point, butt, butt, butt, butt…” One week until Thanksgiving…carcasses get stuffed and then watch football. WTF kind of Holiday is that? My wife is about as sexy as a free bag of alley donuts. William Nastali on November 22, 2019 at 8:07 am said: My spouse is frigid, and trust me, that’s pretty polarizing! WilltheThrill Nastali on November 22, 2019 at 12:03 pm said: I went to my local Planet Fitness and told the trainer I wanted to work on my abs. She took one look at my out-of-shape body and said: “What is this, some kind of absurdist humor?” Women are complex, multi-dimensional creatures. I must admit that I am still trying to find my wives’ good side! It’s the weekend and I’m ready to kick a*! Do you ever feel this way? I mean, like you can’t wait to kick a couple of asterisks? If my wife were a car with a wide-body kit I’d be thrilled. But she’s a human, and the wide-body ain’t so thrilling, bro. She’s got the waddle, check. Her figure is big-breasted, check. Her cavity is stuffed, check. That’s why the lady is a turkey. My German-born wife is a Davenport Spud. Or, in plain English, a freaking Couch Potato! Outgunned. Outnumbered. Out for blood. Sounds like another Thanksgiving with the In-laws! I never know WHAT to buy my wife for Christmas…you’d think that after 36 years I’d have a clue. She tells me gently, as you would talk to a 3-year-old: “No lingerie, no appliances, nothing alive. Please, dear, think outside the sox.” For years the only day my wife would make love was when I got paid. Somewhere in her mysterious female mind she thought: “Check, mate.” I hate Winter. My wife goes into hiding, and the only naked things I see are her eyes. My wife has a fear of heights, which is odd, because the woman is always trying to get high… WilltheThrill on November 27, 2019 at 7:24 am said: I don’t understand women. Why would you wear “nude” stockings, when you could just be, you know, naked? I dated a beauty who had strong religious leanings. How can I ever forget those Hot Cross Buns? Happy Dead Turkey Day! Light or dark meat, gizzard or blizzard of marshmallow encrusted once-green beans, at least we’re still viably alive on this odd holiday before the official insanity of Black Friday hits you between blood-shot eyes. Gift lists, party shoes, holiday dresses…looks like the Season of the Bitch. “And get on your own side of the Manger, Lord Willy!” When you get married, guys, get ready to love your wife through thin and thick. Who needs a night light when you have cellulite? Classy people shop “Ebony Friday.” WilltheThrill on November 29, 2019 at 11:38 am said: My neighbor has a killer ass, but I think she may be a associapath. My wife likes to sing in church. Between us, she sounds like an angel in heat. My wife likes to sing. Between us, she sounds like an angel in heat. My wife is taking advantage of my cognitive memory loss. When I reminded her that it was “Date Night” in the bedroom, and we had skipped many such dates, she laughed: “You are an absolute animal! Babe, you wore me OUT just last night!” Hmmm. Did I? My wives’ hobby is shopping. Why can’t the bitch learn to knit or something? With my luck she’d probably stab me with the knitting needles and then collect the insurance. My spouse is a skunk in vixens’ clothing. No wonder she continuously “reeks” havoc! WilltheThrill Nastali on December 1, 2019 at 8:40 am said: Do we have any fans of smart comedy here tonight? Well, you better leave…I like wet bikinis and dry humor. WilltheThrill Nastali on December 1, 2019 at 5:54 pm said: I’m old enough to remember…when someone hacking in the office meant they were coughing. Some women are smooth as an eel…its almost too goo to be true. WilltheThrill on December 2, 2019 at 7:00 am said: I am not a suave, globe-trotting spy. In fact I couldn’t even post a $300 Bail Bond. My life is like a movie…of deleted scenes. WilltheThrill Nastali on December 2, 2019 at 11:00 am said: Weed is my one pot dinner solution. Folks lined up in Ann Arbor to buy a legal buzz…the stinger is high prices to get HIGH. Things you can do without pants on: 1. Shop Cyber Monday deals. 2. Post “Always Funny” jokes. 3. Have sex, or at least try. WILL: I live by the wits. JILL: My god, how do you survive? During college I worked part-time at a chemical plant that produced acids, ammonia, sulfides, and other poisons. I finally had to quit in my senior year, because I’d reached the point where I just couldn’t stand that toxic environment. In my younger decades I knew a fortune-teller who worked her magic unclothed. Bet you’ve never dated a Topless Trancer! Her name was Crystal, and we had a Ball. WilltheThrill on December 4, 2019 at 1:23 pm said: After many provocative emails from “Amber” she finally owned up to wanted me to contribute to her “Fund Me” page. I told her to change the “n” and “d” to “c” and “k,” dig? Some chick was gaslighting me online, so I pulled out of that shade-throwing noise while I still had my metaphors straight. I used to be up and coming. These days I’m more down and going… The problem with trophy wives is this: Yes, she’s a lovely redhead, less than 1/3 my age, but this beautiful creature so easily transforms into an absolutely RAVING BEAUTY… Last night I was attacked in an alley by 14 clowns. Another example of disorganized crime! The plant and gardening catalogs are expecting gangbuster sales from a new miniature fruit tree developed in the lab. It’s been dubbed the “Imp Peach!” A classic from the land of cuckoo clocks and cheese… WILL: Name one good thing about Switzerland. JILL: Well…their National Flag is a plus. WilltheThrill on December 6, 2019 at 12:36 pm said: I dated a Ninja briefly. She was a beauty, but just too quiet for me. I never knew if she had reached a climax or just delicately sneezed. I met a woman who has her own Eco-System. The first (and last) we met for coffee she exclaimed: “Eeek, Oooh!” So much for not being judgmental! As Christmas approaches my wife keeps leaving lingerie catalogs by my computer. She marks these up in heavy black Sharpie: “Don’t even think about buying me more of this crap!” My wife was making Ginger Bread Man cookies, and decided to also make a point. “This is you,” she said, swiftly removing the head of one of the Ginger Men, “if you ever decide to play around with another woman.” Message received Chef Lady! This Man has zero plans to end up half-baked and headless. I bought my wife a necklace for Christmas. In fact several, since the glow-colors all looked so awesome. I’m not cheap, I prefer to think that I am child-like. Forget all those Christmas “presents.” I am SO past all that. I want Christmas “futures!” My wife is pretty chill in the bedroom… Which is a bad thing. If space is the final frontier, I am getting less of it every year as my wives’ butt gets bigger. It was cute at first: His and Hers towels, robes, toothbrush holders. And this evolved into separate closets, bedrooms, residences, and lives. Somehow we still share my freaking paycheck though… WILL: I’m 66 but I still want to be a Rock Star. JILL: Don’t quit your Day Dream. JILL: I was born on Friday the 13th. Lucky for you! WILL: Yeah, don’t I know it! You’ve grown out of “the curse,” but I still have the bloody specter of a witchy wife who floats over my life like an evil Thanksgiving balloon. WilltheThrill Nastali on December 10, 2019 at 6:05 am said: Some people claim the Impeachment rumblings in D.C. are basically a Witch Hunt. Come on! Can we at least get the gender thing right? It’s a Warlock Hunt, guys. WilltheThrill on December 10, 2019 at 11:00 am said: Next on the stage…Will the Thrill! “I’m like James Brown: (Spin in place) I feel good!” (Little or no audience reaction.) “But I am feeling worse by the second, folks.” WilltheThrill Nastali on December 10, 2019 at 6:19 pm said: When I met my future wife in the Bermuda Islands she was hip, sexy, dangerous, mysterious, and exotic as multi-colored parrot. Now? The bitch is just a Bermuda Square! WilltheThrill on December 11, 2019 at 7:57 am said: I asked a girl of the streets what she was selling. She turned around and purred: “My business end.” WilltheThrill Nastali on December 11, 2019 at 11:01 am said: She was a dancer named Kandy Kane. Meeting and pointlessly pursuing her caused my life to spiral out of control until I ended up twisted and broken in the alley of life. Happy Holidays! The problem with topless bars is that they cause a cleavage with my wife, and I end up feeling like a boob. Unfortunately, my spouse is flat, and I get board with her. Way to milk the joke, Will! A professional golfer is in hot water after getting caught in a prostitution sting. Prior to the Florida tournament he was scheduled to play in, the FBI sting picked him up for a different type of playing around. This is one duck hook he won’t soon forget. I thought I’d dally with a pert little blonde dancer, taking her for a “spin” while still married. Man that chick turned out to be one razor-edged Frisbee. Ouch. A Korean woman was fired from her job at the Nail Salon for being hammered. Guys, be thankful you were not born a scorpion. When you had the urge to chase a bit of girl scorpion tail, it could be fatal! WilltheThrill on December 13, 2019 at 1:22 pm said: The problem with thinking you’re “on fire” with your comedy routine is that you are very likely making an ash of yourself. I bought my wife a corset for Christmas last year. She is STILL bent out of shape about it. I’ve actually gotten used to sleeping on the couch… My wife has gnarly toenails! It’s hard to feel romantic when she shreds the sheets with those fangs. Forget the mistletoe, and put the Christmas kisses on hold. My little elf has a bad case of thistle toe. I met this vampire chick at the bar. What are you drinking, I asked her. “Bloodweiser.” My wife is easy on the eyes, but tough on the wallet. Her shoe collection could shod a small town and she never stops buying more. We tried a Boot Camp intervention, but she just came home with…dozens of pairs of boots Being married to a (dumb) blonde is interesting. This morning her formerly beautiful golden hair was oddly streaked with yellow. “I wanted to add highlights,” she explained, “so I used a Highlighter.” 🙁 My wife says she thought I would be her “Knight in shining armor…but I turned out to be her worst Knightmare. ;( Sharon is spineless, pale, pathetic wife. But in a good way…sometimes you just want a little protoplasm in your life! 🙂 My grand-daughter is a living doll. Not so much a Barbie as a Bratz… Ever wish your nagging wife was a horse so you could just take her out back and shoot her in the head? Me neither. Being married to a Drama Mama makes you want to close the curtain and write a scathing review of your 36th Season with such a poor performing partner. Boo! 🙁 Those creepy “Elf on a Shelf” dolls are AN ODD CHRISTMAS TRADITION. Like my wife, they appear in strange places looking rather evil, making me question whatever shreds of sanity might be lurking just beyond that next comedy gig where I am paid in beer and M&Ms. Babe Ruth’s 500th homer bat sells for more than $1 million…I wish I could get $10 for my old bat… Happy 700! “You had one job,” my wife says, “and that was to be a perfect husband.” The only way I can get her to change her mind is to buy her a lobotomy. It’s Star Wars week, so pretty much nothing else matters. “Yo, Dah!” My wife wants to get her boobs done for the Holidays. She’s singing: “All I want for Christmas is my two front teats!” Pretty classic, eh? I bought my wife a black bra with white fur trim because it reads sexy and festive. Unfortunately, in reality she actually looks like a Chupacabra… Among bears you would hate to see Panda-demic. Funny! I was looking at a Russian dating site and noticed the fill-in-the-blank data requested included “Your REAL email!” Teen girls are big on being “fierce” and “fearless” these days. Just wait until a raccoon finds it’s way into the garage and see if it’s not Dad who gets the call. Grrrirl Power! I like a woman who dresses in daring fashion, however, there is a limit to tastelessness. My wives’ plunging neckline glittery cocktail dress is literally “over the top!” We experienced a Christmas Miracle last night in the bedroom. My wife actually didn’t have a “headache” and let me play drummer boy on her. I said the wrong thing? #15 A lesbian couple gushed: “Were trying to get pregnant!” I told them: “Well, GOOD LUCK!” Hallmark landed in hot water after pulling an ad showing two brides kissing at a wedding, because they had just married each other. Apparently a similar ad showing men was deemed acceptable. It just goes to show you: Lez is more not good. Delivery of peaches has been suspended at the White House kitchen until further notice. My wife got her nails done in alternating red and green polish for Christmas. She didn’t appreciate it when I told her: “Hey, nice Mrs. Santa Claws!” Updated Christmas Humor: OLD: What do you call a polar bear at the beach? Sandy Claws! NEW: What do you call a polar bear at the beach? Global Warming! My kids at Christmas: Give me dough! I feel like a celibate monk, and I’m not even religious. Sometimes I feel like a marked man…on the “past my sell-by date” shelf. Last night I dreamt I was a spiral-sliced ham. The relatives paid attention to me for once, as they bagged my slices and spirited me off to their cars; just like our Christmas party. Someone should invent white hot chocolate…but it sounds kinda hot, so… My wife reminds me of breakfast: Pig in a Blanket. I’ve always wanted to try Ostrich. But I’m not sure I could handle a whole drumstick by myself… WILL IN 1982: “I’m dating a bitch’in blonde! 🙂 WILL IN 2019: “I’m married to a bitching wife. 🙁 When I came home from shopping today, my wife was wearing just three fig leaf’s. “Look,” she said, “I’m Christmas Eve!” The lack of snow on Christmas makes Global Warming seem not so bad after all. You can always shake a snow globe if you want the Wintery vibe… My wife reminds me that good things come in small packages. A nice Christmas sentiment, for sure. Sorry, Babe, I still like big, sloppy boobs. I got lucky last night. My wife gave me an after-Christmas Party favor: she hung mistletoe on my sleep-apnea machine. I gave my unemployed son a bread-making machine for Christmas. “Here you go, David, now you can make your own dough. Love, Dad.” My wife was upset that her new Instapot didn’t come with any weed. Here in Michigan we can puff the Magic Dragon, assuming you’ve got the green to afford it. It’s the 27th and already my wife is needling me to take down the freaking tree. How about if I put her out for the trashmen to pick up instead? Unhappy Holidays! Despite my wives’ irritation, I will always swing my neck to check out a woman with a cute butt. You can’t keep a good wolf down. I bought my wife a Ninja coffee maker for Christmas. Not romantic she says. Just another kitchen appliance for her to deal with she says. Jesus, is the gift “grounds” for divorce? In England the female equivalent of a knight is a “dame.” In the USA the female equivalent of a husband is a demon, or so it seems. I’m married to an ATM, that’s Absolutely Terrifying Mother, who gives her kids from her first marriage anything they desire…my freaking money! $ave for the future? Nah! So there I was, sweating like a banshee, wondering whether to be happy or sad that my wife was viewing my search history…what had I looked at recently…expensive cars? Nudes? Chloroform for fun and profit? They say 80% of New Year’s Resolutions are broken in 20 days. The old 80/20 rule, I guess. But when I’m 80 I’d love to link up with a 20-year-old chick. Dream on, old coot. As 2019 clomps to a close, I say hoarsely: “Let’s do this again next year, just for laughs.” WilltheThrill Nastali on January 1, 2020 at 11:34 am said: My wife got a short hair cut, so “Happy New Ears!” babe. WilltheThrill Nastali on January 1, 2020 at 6:51 pm said: At first she was charming, but somewhere along the way my wife turned into a bad luck charm. How are those resolutions coming along? Let me know in the comments. 🙂 Yeah, right. WilltheThrill Nastali on January 2, 2020 at 9:10 am said: January is a new beginning. No one has booed me off the stage since last year! WilltheThrill on January 2, 2020 at 5:29 pm said: We all know guys who compartmentalize women: leg men, boob men, butt men…foot fetish guys, too. How about necks? Would that be a necromancer? William Nastali on January 3, 2020 at 10:19 am said: In my case “live on stage” is a bit debatable. WilltheThrill Nastali on January 3, 2020 at 12:22 pm said: One funny thing about the “Cats” debacle is that very few movie-goers had any real interest about these damned digital singing/dancing felines. So lack of curiosity killed the cats. When a woman wears too much scent the perfume seems to speak IN CAPITAL LETTERS. I thought if I sprung for a gifted boob job my girlfriend would be more appreciative. Hopeless. It’s been a bust! I’d like to upgrade my bedroom this year. Let’s get started with a fresher bedmate with more colorful tastes! From beige to fustian is the plan. Not to seem transphobic, but if I say I identify as female can I get the bar discount on Ladies Night? Ignore the mystique of my bald head and mustache and show some sensitivity, damn it. My wife bought an expensive cocktail dress…100% proof she refuses to stick to a budget. Now our marriage is on the rocks. My life is on zoom. Things to sell, people to smell. A full calendar to share, if you care… My wife has lost so much weight that in bed she feels like a goddamned bag of Legos! Due to inflation, I’m revising my note to appreciative audiences around the globe: “Thanks a Trillion!” The musical group I play in has several very overweight members…which greatly increases our overall bandwidth. WilltheThrill on January 8, 2020 at 7:00 am said: 61-year-old Madonna is dating a 25-year-old boy toy. She’s graduated from cougar status to saber-tooth with this latest dalliance, but why not? I was born in a tiny town in Kentucky. The population was 35, and that included the cattle. It was one small, unhappy family! Growing up I admired rockers, these days, as an old 60-something, to make me happy, just give me sweaty knockers. JILL: Describe your comedy career. WILL: (Vomits). JILL: Come on, it can’t be that bad! WILL: OK, I’m basically the Pete Best of comedy. JILL: The drummer the Beatles kicked out? WILL: Yeah, yeah, yeah! In Detroit a prison tutor has been accused of giving inmates the answers to GED exams. No word on whether the tutor will do any time if convicted. Maybe he’ll be “barred” from further employment at the jail! I’m not saying my wife is a Hillbilly, but at times she is a bit Hillbish. Know what I mean, y’all? WilltheThrill Nastali on January 10, 2020 at 7:54 am said: You’ve got to love a woman who knows what she DOES’NT want: WILL: Sex tonight? JILL: Absolute no! WilltheThrill on January 10, 2020 at 8:13 am said: Spending too much time in the back-alleys of the Internet, I’ve decided I need to get out more…a comedy show a week this year is the goal, even if it’s just in my from yard waiting for the mailman and talking to crows. WilltheThrill Nastali on January 10, 2020 at 10:26 am said: How’s things? Last night I went down the rabbit hole…at least she was female. I’m making a name for myself in comedy: “JERK!” WilltheThrill on January 10, 2020 at 10:46 am said: If I could, I’d do a cartwheel. Last time I performed one in High School gym class I ended it with a huge fart, so I won’t even try. It sucks getting old. I tried to get life insurance, and the examiner told me she wasn’t sure I was technically alive. I just have an irregular heartbeat; sometimes it takes a few hours off… My wife used to be a real bombshell. Now she looks like an exploded one. Call me weird, but I enjoy pawing through my wives’ underwear drawer. Hey, to me it’s a Female Bureau of Investigation. WilltheThrill Nastali on January 10, 2020 at 2:00 pm said: People tell me I’m “out there” when it comes to comedy. Do they mean that in a outta sight way, or out house way? My wife tends to keep things bottled up. But that never is a problem with wine.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line934
__label__cc	0.567125	0.432875	Ambitime Business tips and tricks Home /Intraday Update: Dow Slips as Tech, Emerging Markets Stumble Stock MarketMay 8, 2019 Intraday Update: Dow Slips as Tech, Emerging Markets Stumble •Talk tech’s ongoing slide; •Touch on emerging markets’ woes; •Point to Boeing (BA), a bright spot in the Dow. Stocks’ early losses picked up steam on Thursday afternoon, with both tech and emerging economies propelling markets lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 0.1%, while the S&P 500 is off 0.6%. The Nasdaq Composite is falling 1.2% in recent trading. Sure, we had good news this morning, with jobless claims hovering near a half-century low, but every silver lining has a cloud. As Plante Moran Financial Advisors’ Jim Baird warns, a tight labor environment may be good for workers for now, but could spell trouble down the road. “Job creation has been a bright spot for the economy for many years, but it will become increasingly difficult to maintain that robust pace as the pool of skilled labor dries up and hiring becomes more difficult,” he writes. “At some point, job creation is likely to slow, which will require employers to find other ways to boost productivity,” which itself is near three-year highs. Yet there are bigger issues today. First among them is tech, which is getting hit by worries about regulation and trade. Semiconductors, not surprisingly, are taking much of the worst punishment, given their reliance on China and global commerce. Credit Suisse’s John Talbott writes that investors are taking a harder look at the group, as the forecasted cash-flow return on investment for the group currently matches the late 2000 peak of 16%. “Despite the short-term optimism, the market is skeptical,” he notes, with investors pricing in about 8% CFROI. “The spread between short-term forecasts and longer term market implied CFROI is currently at a 20-year high (i.e. sharpest fade in 20 years).” Semiconductor Advisors writes that today’s move is a “wake up call” following a quiet summer for chip stocks—but not a surprise. “We have been very clear, for a long time, that memory was too strong for too long, and had to cool off. Whether it cools slowly or takes polar bear plunge matters little.” In fact, it may be better to rip the Band-Aid off quickly rather than suffer multiple drops. Still, with potentially nerve-calming earnings reports still more than a month away, the firm finds it “hard to catch a falling spear and buy into this continuing flow of negative news, especially given the skittishness of the overall market.” Yet, as we noted this morning, pockets of weakness don’t necessarily spell trouble for the U.S. as a whole, or even the rest of tech itself. Morgan Stanley’s Michael Wilson writes that even as markets could get hit by a bit of a cyclical consolidation, we’re still in the middle of a secular bull market, buoyed by an increase in productivity that he sees continuing over the next few years. “As capital deepening and technological diffusion flow through to increased productivity, we expect that an improving fundamental picture should be supportive of equity valuations, creating a virtuous cycle of risk taking, investment, productivity, and growth,” he writes. Emerging markets are having a tougher time. Developing economies are the other big story Thursday, as they continue to be roughed up by trade worries as well as the strength in the U.S. itself. The strong dollar has dinged emerging market currencies, the Federal Reserve is exacerbating the situation by raising interest rates, and some countries, like Russia, are facing U.S. sanctions. Then there is the ongoing trade saga: Even nations not directly affected by the U.S.-China trade spat could still feel pain, especially if China comes out the loser, given its appetite for commodities. (A weaker Chinese economy means less demand for raw materials, a major source of income for some developing countries.) “For China, a trade spat would be one thing if the economy were in great health, but with noise of a slowdown growing louder, the trade war could upend the country’s economic balance,” writes Orbis Insights. The firm cites rapidly rising debt—especially bad debt—decelerating growth, and less effective investments in infrastructure: “Macroeconomic concerns can also affect companies that are neither in China nor directly exposed to tariffs. With China consuming roughly half of the world’s production in steel, coal, copper, and nickel, a prolonged slowdown could severely impact mining businesses.” So, ultimately, we’re back to watching tariffs. If the U.S. keeps a hardline stance on trade, China could be in for more pain and take some wobblier emerging markets with it. Domestic markets, on the other hand, have proven resilient. So that might make today’s losses a bit easier to handle. Midday Movers Bernal Saborio Boeing (BA) has added 1.6% to $352.31 after analysts released comments on its investor day, which was held on Wednesday. CBS (CBS) has risen 3.9% to $54.99 on reports that the company in the process of negotiating CEO Les Moonves’ exit from the company as it looks to reach a settlement with controlling shareholder National Amusements. Franklin Resources (BEN) is down 3.7% to $30.27 after getting cut to Underweight from Neutral by JPMorgan. Tiffany (TIF) is up 3.2% to $124.58 after a director bought 15,000 shares of the company. Total System Services (TSS) has gained 2.1% to $98.59 after getting upgraded to Outperform from Perform at Oppenheimer. —Ben Levisohn Sign up to Review & Preview, a new daily email from Barron’s. Every evening we’ll review the news that moved markets during the day and look ahead to what it means for your portfolio in the morning. Inflation Expectations Are Higher –… Slim Pickings In The Utilities… Morning Movers: Dow Drops 100… Intraday Update: Dow Gains 12… Eli Lilly Has Trimmed Its… Former Saks CEO Is First… After the Bell: How the… Markets Now: The Dow Gains… Morning Movers: Navistar Rises, CBS… Embattled U.S.-Listed Chinese Company’s Key… Declining Labor Shares of GDP: Is There Something to Be Explained? TRUMP NATIONALISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PATRIOTISMLet us reject… Hours of Work No Longer Declining and the Climate May Pay the Price What Dads Really Want for Fathers Day: Medicare for All Video December 20, 2019 Declining Labor Shares of GDP: Is There Something to Be Explained? November 5, 2019 TRUMP NATIONALISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PATRIOTISMLet us reject… July 4, 2019 Entrepreneur 17 Latest News 1 Stock Market 30 Email: ambitimebusiness@gmail.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line937
__label__cc	0.741096	0.258904	Live Stream and Archived Videos Members of Council Safety Services Director Sidewalk Information Office on Aging Maude Neiding Park Anna Schmauch Memorial Pool at Maude Neiding Park Beaver Creek Reservation ABOUT AMHERST Amherst Magazine General Income Tax Information 480 Park Avenue, Upper Level Amherst, Ohio 44001 Regular Office Hours 8:00 am to 4:00 pm - Monday thru Friday (closed on gov’t hoildays) Income Tax Menu Taxpayer’s Rights and Responsibilities Ohio Revised Code Chapter 718 Amherst Codified Ordinances (See sec. 192) Extended Office Hours During Tax Season City of Amherst income tax forms are prepared free of charge in the office at 480 Park Ave. MasterCard, Visa, and Discover payments can be made in person (service fee of 2.45% applies) or on the web (variable service fee) Regular office hours are: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The tax office will be closed on April 10th, 2020 in observance of Good Friday. For the convenience of our taxpayers the office will be open additional hours: Saturday April 4th 9:00 a.m. until Noon Tuesday April 14th 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday April 15th 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The tax office will accept personal checks, money orders, cash, credit cards, and ACH payments (see form below). Credit and debit card payments will be subject to a third party processing service charge. Credit card, debit card and ACH payments are accepted online using the US Bank payment system. The City of Amherst, Ohio has mandatory income tax filing. The tax rate, in effect since 1991, is 1.5% with a 1% credit given for taxes paid to other cities. One percent of the total tax rate is used for general fund expenses. The remaining one-half percent is divided equally between the general fund and the street improvement fund. In January, tax forms are mailed to every Amherst resident who is on file with our office. While every effort is made to mail a tax form to all taxpayers required to file, it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to obtain a form. The tax forms can be obtained in the tax office any time during business hours or from the Amherst Public Library during the months of February, March and April. They can also be obtained at the links listed below. Upon request, our office will calculate your individual Amherst city tax forms for you free of charge. Estimated payments are accepted, but are not mandatory. They can be set up at the time of filing, or at any time by informing the tax office. A written extension request must be received in our office by the original due date of the return. If a federal extension was submitted to the IRS, a copy should be sent to our office before the original due date of the return to avoid late filing notices. The extended due date of the City of Amherst return is the same date as that of the extended federal income tax return. Municipal Income Tax Guidelines and Penalty and Interest Rates Pursuant to Amended Substitute House Bill 5, the State of Ohio has mandated several municipal income tax guidelines effective with tax years beginning January 1, 2016. Please see detailed information below: Withholding Information Individual Tax Information Penalty and Interest Rates Contact Mayor’s Office Mayor Mark Costilow Amherst Codified Ordinances Amherst Police Department Amherst Fire Department Amherst Exempted Village Schools Amherst Historical Society Amherst Public Library Main Street Amherst © 2019 City of Amherst, Ohio. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line940
__label__cc	0.716007	0.283993	TedMed > TEDMED Why Doctors Kill Themselves TEDMED talk by Pamela Wible, MD, on the need to heal the medical profession by TEDMED September 06, 2019 This article is a collaboration between MedPage Today and TEDMED 2020 We're very excited to partner with the TEDMED team and to promote their annual event on March 2-4, 2020 in Boston. The theme for this very special gathering is "Make Way For Wonder." When you register now, you can take advantage of Early Bird pricing -- saving $1,000 off the regular price. In this video, founder of the Ideal Medical Care Movement, Pamela Wible, MD, shares why, in order to heal patients, physicians must first heal their profession – and what can happen if they don't. Note: TEDMED videos are produced for viewing. If at all possible, we strongly suggest watching the video. Much as we love the written word, voices and gestures carry nuanced intonation and emotion. We provide a transcript below, but these are generated with speech recognition software and light human editing, and there may be minor errors. Please double check the actual video before any quotation or reference. I love the three things that people fear the most: death, disease, and public speaking. Here's how it all started. At four, I was so talkative and bossy no babysitter would stay with me, so I tagged along with mom, a hospital psychiatrist, interviewing suicidal patients. Then she'd drop me off at the morgue with dad, a pathologist. He'd open up these big cooler doors and say, "Good morning. Is anyone home?" Then he'd introduce me to his patients as a doctor in training and leave me there talking. My first captive audience. Now, I'm a doctor and I'm speaking on behalf of thousands of doctors who couldn't be with us, but they're here in spirit. I simply ask that you open your heart to their words. "Dear Mama and Daddy. I know you may not understand why I didn't seek help, but this choice makes sense to me. I know I would have been such a successful doctor and wife and mother. I love you so much. Your daughter, Kaitlyn." Date of death: April 11th, 2013. Cause of death: asphyxiation by helium inhalation due to untreated depression in medical school. Each year, more than 1 million Americans lose their doctors to suicide. Across the country, our doctors are jumping from hospital rooftops, overdosing in call rooms, found hanging in hospital chapels. It's medicine's dirty secret and it's covered up by our hospitals, clinics, and medical schools. No medical school wants to be known as the "suicide school." No hospital wants to be #1 for interns jumping from rooftops. No one wants to become a doctor to kill themselves. It's the ultimate oxymoron, the barefoot shoemaker, the starving chef, the suicidal doctor. Why? What the hell is going on and why is it such a secret? Why am I piecing this together between patients? I'm a solo family doc, yet somehow I've become an investigative reporter, a specialist in physician suicide. Why? Mostly because I can't stop asking why. Why both doctors I dated in med school died by suicide and why eight doctors killed themselves just in my sweet little town. I keep talking and writing and listening for the truth. Because I'm listening with my heart and soul 24/7, my cellphone has turned into a suicide hotline and I've received hundreds of letters from suicidal physicians. You may be wondering why do so many people who want to help people kill themselves? Anna, a retired surgeon, writes, "Dear Pamela, I was happy, secure, and mostly unafraid until med school. I recall in vivid detail the first orientation day. Our anatomy professor stood before an auditorium filled with 125 eager, nervous, idealistic, would-be healers and said these words, 'If you decide to commit suicide, do it right so you do not become a burden to society.' He then described in anatomical detail how to commit suicide." What better way to bring shame to your alma mater than with a failed suicide? Alma mater means "kind mother," yet doctors describe med school as a soul-crushing bootcamp, a dehumanizing nightmare, my own personal Vietnam. Medical training is neither motherly nor kind. "I love you, Mom. I'm sorry. Vincent." Date of death: August 25th, 1998. Cause of death: asphyxiation by hanging due to bullying, hazing, and sleep deprivation as an intern at a New York Hospital. Sleep deprivation is a torture technique. Fear as a teaching tool just teaches us to be afraid. I can help doctors, though there's one group I can't help: patients. From all over the country, they write me, begging me to find them caring doctors. How can we give them the care we've never received? "Dear Pamela, I definitely graduated med school with PTSD. It has changed me forever. I will never be the same again. We had two suicides and one murder, skull crushed with a bat and another serving life in prison for murdering a classmate after a delusional episode after not sleeping for a month. Please change medical education. We were so beaten down. It takes a lot for me to cry, but I cried all the time, along with everyone else, but we hid it from each other, of course." Fact: We enter medicine with our mental health on par with or better than our peers. Suicide is an occupational hazard of our profession. "Dear Some, my family, I love you. To others who have been good friends, I love you too. This is just the end of the line for my particular train. Earth wasn't a great place for me. We'll see what else is out there. We'll miss you all. I'm sorry, for what it's worth. Love, Greg." Date of death: June 22nd, 2012. Cause of death: hemorrhage by transection of the major arteries to his wrists and ankles. Okay, what happened here? Greg died just a few hours after being told not to follow his psychiatrist's safety plan. By who? By an agency with no physician oversight that controlled his medical license. Our medical schools, clinics, hospitals, and related agencies actually cause mental health conditions in doctors. Then they blame us and force us to release our confidential medical records, and in the end, they take our license, but it gets worse. "Dear Pamela, do you know what really hurts? The fact that anyone can look me up on the Internet and read my dirty laundry. I'm publicly shamed, punished for being ill. I will only know peace when I am gone. Maybe that's why my friend, an excellent psychiatrist, drives 200 miles out of town, pays cash, and uses a fake name to get mental health care." "Dear Pamela, you don't know how thankful I am for your article on physician suicide. I wanted to hug you after reading it. I had a really rough day. 130 outpatients, 60 emergency admissions, and a 12-hour shift. I'm a final-year internal medicine resident in one of the busiest hospitals in India. Two patients on each bed, two lying together on the floor, poverty, misery, pain all around. I've declared 12 patients dead in a day. I just don't feel death anymore. I just don't feel human. My uncle died recently. I felt nothing. This profession demands too much from us. I've thought of suicide a thousand times. The misery is too much for me." I'm a perpetual optimist, yet after a decade of seven-minute visits at assembly line clinics, even I felt suicidal. I thought I was the only one. Then I got this crazy idea. What if I ask for help? Not from the profession that wounded me, so I asked patients. What is ideal health care? What kind of doctor do you want? They told me an ideal doctor is happy, has a big heart, and a great love for people and service. An ideal clinic is a sanctuary, a safe place, a place of wisdom with fun flannel gowns, complementary massage while waiting, where nobody is turned away for lack of money. I followed their instructions and opened their ideal clinic, the first clinic designed entirely by patients. My life is like a love fest now. My patients and I have inspired hundreds of doctors all across the country to open ideal clinics. At times, I feel like the happiest doctor in America until I get yet another call about a suicide or I read a letter like this. "Dear Dr. Wible, I'm a patient who just got home from another insulting, degrading appointment with my doctor. I'm literally crying as I write to you." I call her. She shares her horror story. I share mine. She never knew doctors could be suicidal. She never knew she could be the victim in a cycle of abuse that began on day one of med school when her insulting doctor was still an idealistic student. How could she know that abused medical students become abused doctors who may one day abuse patients? How do we stop institutional abuse? Physician suicide hotlines inside our hospitals? Resilience training for our wiped out doctors? Meditation classes for medical students? Wait, is our goal to help victims cope with abuse or to end the abuse? It's not costly or complicated to stop bullying, hazing, and abuse. It's been outlawed from elementary schools to fraternities. Why not health care? Medical culture and education must change, yet cultures and institutions don't change because we ask them to change, even when it's in their self-interest. They change when they're forced to change. I favor the honor system. What if those in charge are not behaving honorably? What if our medical system continues to blame, shame, and publicly humiliate its victims? Maybe it's time for us to give them a dose of their own medicine. How? By shining an embarrassing public spotlight on physician suicide. On behalf of those we've lost and those who are barely hanging on, I want to thank you for shining your light into the darkness. Because if we all shine our lights together, there is no darkness to fear. But mostly I want to thank you for your courage, for following a fearless little four-year-old through the morgue and into the coolers to meet a few of her friends. This video was first published by TEDMED, a global community dedicated to shaping a healthier humanity. More in TedMed The Surprising Science of Alpha Males How an Ancient Virus Spread the Ability to Remember The Science of Psilocybin and Its Use to Relieve Suffering Harnessing the Power of Placebo	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line941
__label__cc	0.571123	0.428877	Obama tosses 35 Russians out of US, sanctions others for election meddling Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 9:22 am Pubert wrote: spaceistheplace wrote: Frankly, I don't care where the information came from. The exposed emails show that Clinton and her political organization were hopelessly corrupt. (no one has yet to refute ANY of the revealed information.) The exposed emails show nothing of the sort. Read them with a critical eye. There's nothing there. That the DNC preferred someone who had been a staunch and loyal member of the party over an interloper who joined the party for his own benefit is neither surprising nor corrupt. It's at most embarrassing. That Hillary Clinton was in favor of free trade is neither surprising nor corrupt, and not even embarrassing. That is a central tenet of neoliberalism. That Hillary Clinton's public face is not the same as her private one is neither surprising nor corrupt. That's the definition of a politician (or a CEO, a CTO, a CIO, or any other C-level person, for that matter). Hillary's biggest problems were that she has an indentation between her legs rather than a protrusion, that she was perceived as being an extension of Obama's term, and that she was a rather bad campaigner. None of these problems showed up in those leaked emails. Just one example: Donna Brazil. You don't view passing along debate questions to Clinton as being corrupt? The DNC was corrupt for doing it. And Clinton was corrupt in receiving those questions. So you don't think Trump is corrupt for using his campaign to line his own pockets? See, throwing mud around is easy. Face it, you just hate Clinton. Nothing wrong with that, but don't try to make your hate into something more than it is. Just own the hate and move on. Oh, and in case you missed it, Clinton won't be the next president. Bringing her up at this point makes you look like a tool who can't tell relevant from irrelevant. Waynerro Operative Me wrote: drankin wrote: Got it. You buy the crap they are feeding you because, intelligence agency. Unless "it'" is a stunning inability to understand written language, you don't got "it" at all. I haven't said whether I believe them or not. I haven't said whether anyone else should believe them or not. I have said the same thing over and over again: the fact that they haven't released proof isn't evidence that they're lying, because even if they're telling the truth, they would protect that proof. The fact that you're unable to comprehend such a narrow, simple argument implies a great number of things about your intellect...but none of those things are particularly great. You seem to be misinterpreting what other people are saying. The president's administration has taken action against Russia because US intelligence agencies say they have information that proves Russia's meddling in the recent US presidential election. By taking action against Russia, the president is assuming that the information that intelligence agencies have provided is correct. You haven't said whether you believe them or not, but you have said that actions taken against Russia are justified simply because intelligence agencies are the source of information that we should depend on. You say this despite intelligence agencies being proven incorrect or corrupt several times in the past. Information that legitimately concludes that Russia is at fault has not been provided to the public, and therefore the president is taking war-like actions without first directing actions through public discourse and having it vetted by other sources. This is the same type of action that pushed the US into the Iraq war, which was later proven to be under false pretenses. You can keep saying that US intelligence agencies do not have to be right or wrong and seeming that you have some moral high ground, sure. Other people who have seen what kind of messes the US is capable of getting into would rather see the intelligence be verified as TRUE before taking actions that will waste more taxpayer dollars for efforts that are detrimental to the sustainability of the country. Last edited by Waynerro on Fri Dec 30, 2016 9:47 am AxMi-24 Registered: Jan 30, 2006 DarthSlack wrote: AxMi-24 wrote: carldjennings wrote: pl595 wrote: Carli wrote: I've just read through the JAR document. There is no proof in it that the Russians were involved. The hackers could just as easily be Israeli or Chinese. Cyber attacks are hard to attribute. Perhaps there is some other secret evidence, but surely this would be released before such a major diplomatic move? The lack of evidence seems to point to an attempt by a Democratic president to attempt to make his successor look illegitimate. That's exactly what it is. What makes you think you're entitled to see the evidence? Fact that this might be used as a justification for a NATO attack on Russia and I would prefer not to get nuked when they retaliate? Obama just signed a law to arm jihadists in Syria with anything they want. Russia is calling that a hostile act. There is not much room between hostile act and declaration of war. Evidence better be a lot better than "trust us, we are so not lying this time around" to justify this level of escalation between two nuclear superpowers. PSA: war in RL is a lot less fun than in games and movies, and it gets especially bad when it happens in your own country. Did you just seriously suggest that NATO was going to attack Russia? You mean the North Atlantic Treaty Organization? That NATO? The same NATO that was designed as a defensive organization and only responds when a member is attacked? You honestly expect ANYONE to believe that all of the NATO countries are going to suddenly agree that attacking Russia is a good idea. Man, those Putin dollars must buy some primo weed. NATO is US and is involved in several countries that are way outside its definition. In Europe we have eastern europe that uses Russian buggy man to hide corrupt local politicians, we have germany, france and UK which parrot whatever US commands and we have handful other countries that are too small to do anything against US commands. NATO is moving huge amount of troops to the Russian border, NATO is constantly calling Russia main enemy and danger, NATO is installing ABM systems close to Russia in attempt to gain first strike ability. Yes I am worried about NATO going full retard as it hasn't shows a single shred of intelligence since the fall of soviet union. It is clear that Obama is going full retard, although I have to commend him on finally allowing a security council resolution critical of Israels criminal behaviour. scottwsx96 wrote: lkpentil wrote: Well, that's one possible explanation for which, obviously, you have no proof. Then of course there are other explanations like for example the sources are not being revealed because they don't exist. There is no proof for this theory either. And if we were to rely on history then we would find plenty of examples for both scenarios. So, I do not think your self-righteousness is well grounded in this case. Oh I think you've given me all the grounding I'll need for at least a couple more hours of self-righteousness, (and telling them to read my initial post)...so everyone can thank you for that. Your argument is that the lack of evidence could be proof they have evidence. It could also be proof that there is no evidence. It sorta sounds like you mean that a single fact (we haven't been given any significant proof) doesn't actually offer evidence for believing OR disbelieving them, because the same thing (no proof is provided) would happen either way. You know who else said that? This fucking guy, five long, repetitious hours ago. That. Is. The. Point. The absence of evidence doesn't prove anything one way or another. Thus it's irrelevant to the discussion of whether or not we should believe them. It offers nothing definitive one way or the other. What IS definitive, however, is that someone trying to tell me I'm wrong by literally proving my point is certainly going to keep that self-satisfaction train a'rollin. So? You did not have proof five hours ago and you don't have it now. And your logic is totally off. The fact that there might be cases where the proof can't be provided because of the concerns for the sources does not mean that we are dealing with such case in this particular instance. Live with that. You are just inclined to believe Obama administration (which obviously is biased). That's OK. I bet you believed Bush administration about Iraq WMDs too. So what would you have the U.S. government do? Disband all intelligence collecting? Disband the NSA, DHS, and CIA? How do you know they are wrong? Do you work for one of these agencies? Do you have access to the information they have? Look, it's possible they have an agenda and they lie to the people they advise from time to time. Or maybe not lie outright, but incorrectly interpret the information and provide bad guidance occasionally. But do we absolutely know that one way or the other? Do we know the ratio of bad guidance to good? Have you also considered that there are people, including DJT and BHO, that have access to more information than you or I have? At some point, you have to put some level of trust in what the intelligence agencies are telling you because what is the reason for having them at all otherwise? Trust has to be earned. Those intelligence agencies have been reliably wrong and lying for decades. What US should do is remove politics from them, have them actually follow the rules and base decisions on facts rather than political expediency and wish to create jobs in the arms industry. ShagnWagn Account Banned So, obama is admitting for hillary that she used a private email server to carry out her government-related business. What company would ever support someone using a private server for company business? Let alone a poorly protected server. Umm, can she re-state how she was going to combat cyber security as President if she can't even secure a single server? She is corrupt and could care less about our government. Thank God she didn't get office. So if the mails don't contain anything bad about DNC or Hillary then how exactly did Russia, if we assume that we can trust the "report", impact the election? Either there was nothing there and their hacks had no effect or their hacks did have an effect because there was something there. Can't have it both ways. Shit was leaked about Trump too for that matter. dreamrnj Smack-Fu Master, in training Registered: Jul 11, 2016 Cyphus wrote: Bondi Surfer wrote: Is that a real Trump quote, or a random word generator? No one can ever tell. I think that makes Drumpf is the first person to fail the Turing test. Registered: Feb 11, 2013 Yeah, this is something I'm frequently confused about. After the election, I assumed that Trump supporters had become deathly afraid of Hillary based on the results of the mail hack. I took a look. Yeah, there's definitely things you wouldn't want the public to hear, but they sound no worse than a typical scene from House of Cards said behind closed doors, and I couldn't even find anything that made revelations about Hillary herself, just her campaign manager. Honestly the more compelling anti-DMC reveal came from a Republican hacktivist who illegally recorded some conversations - still not something close to Hillary herself, but even so, it left me confused how E-mails were the primary focus in the news. Alfonse Registered: Oct 9, 2003 That assumes that the people actually read those e-mails, rather than listening to "news" sites regurgitate nonsense about them. Remember: one of the undeniable effects of some of those e-mails was a man went to a pizza parlor with a gun, fired off a few rounds, and aimed it at people. All on the basis of nothing. So yes, it's possible for the e-mails to have caused harm to Clinton's campaign, even though there was nothing there that should have caused harm. What information was leaked that we can point to as having come from Russian hacks? steell arcite wrote: Just imagine, in a few short weeks the full force of Trump's idiocy will be unleashed upon the world. Yep. And be sure to express your appreciation to the Democrat Party for causing that result. And Hilliary of course. Katana314 wrote: That's easy. Hillary Clinton was embroiled in an scandal about her e-mail server. The DNC-hack involved e-mails. Both of these have the word "e-mail" in them, so they're both e-mail scandals involving Clinton. And that leads people, even journalists, to focus on them. Same goes for the Podesta leaks; they're "e-mails" involving Clinton, and thus people are going to see them as linked to her server. Stinkles kaisersoser wrote: Kia wrote: So we're dependent on Trump showing character punishing the people that got him into the whitehouse? Yes, that will be effective. Its actually an effective trap. Trump can either ignore or refuse to implement recommended sanctions in response to the cyber threats or he can act against the foreign entity that acted on his behalf, with or without his consent. If he refuses to act, or ignores the threat, then he opens himself to direct litigation and impeachment for failing in his primary duties as president to defend the interest of the US. If he does act against Russia, then he alienates his ally, and forces Russia to retaliate. In chess, its called a discovered check. We shall see if it leads to a mate. The problem with that assumption is that Drumpf never had Americas interests in mind. He's in this for cultivating favors, there has got to be too many people behind the scenes riding on Drumpfs coattails to ever let him lose office. strykerakamack Registered: Dec 1, 2009 Amazing just like kindergarten kids who after playing in the sand box throw all the toys around before the next class comes along cause they're mad they have to go back to class and can't play anymore OrangeCream Ars Legatus Legionis steell wrote: Are we ignoring the point of the article that Russia had a hand in causing this result? CraigJ Waynerro wrote: In fact he said no such thing. He said that if they have proof they are not going to release it for various reasons. He also said that in a situation like this pointing to lack of evidence as a reason to disregard their assertions is silly. He explicitly stated numerous times that he wasn't taking a position on the validity of the findings. What information about Trump was in the email dumps? RickRoyLeonPrisZhoraRachael OMG. (facepalm) This thread really spun off the US ejects Russian diplomats to a Trump vs Hillary spar. Well, Russian just noted it will NOT to the same. Instead it looks to offer better relations with the next "dynasty" of Capitalism. Cheers! RickRoyLeonPrisZhoraRachael wrote: As well they should. Whether Putin got him there or not, it's clear that Trump is very much their kind of guy. So let Obama have his final little poke at them. They're about to get 4 years of license to do whatever they want. col_kurtz Ah the manufactured Russian conspiracy so progressives can scapegoat instead of understanding the real reason they lost. The irony of American Marxists suddenly blaming Russia instead of idolizing them! In the meantime it's easy to trigger the Conde Nast thought police, even with truthful words (albeit slightly in the future) such as: President Trump. col_kurtz wrote: So you don't believe Russia is willing, capable, nor likely to hurt our country for their benefit? I kind of thought national security was important. rabish12 PROTIP: "The Democrats didn't lose because of Russian meddling in the election" and "Russians tried to meddle with the election" are nowhere near being mutually exclusive. As far as I can tell, the evidence leans in favor of both being true. Dismissing the latter solely because you want to play politics is pretty childish. It amazes me that even though there is not insignificant evidence that Russia is meddling with our political system people will still blame Democrats. If there was evidence that China perpetrated it would you believe it then? What if Drumpf said Russia did interfere, would that be enough? Learn to see past the buttcheeks you have your lips firmly attached to. scottwsx96 The point isn't necessarily about what the emails themselves contained, but the mere fact that Russia attacked the Democratic party in an attempt to influence voters' perceptions. Operative Me Tribus: Apx 1.496 x 10 ^8 kilometers NW of Sol True. Unrelated to my simple point...but true. No, I haven't said anything, at all, about whether the actions are justified or unjustified. I have said, quite simply, that people claiming that the absence of proof of Russian hacking is evidence that no proof exists are incorrect. Any other message you're getting is borne of YOUR presumptions and prejudices. You have precisely no idea what the President has or hasn't done. You are inventing a narrative to justify your position, despite having a limited grasps of facts and knowledge. Back to the "they did it once, so they're doing it again" claptrap, I see. That requires a certain mental effort to achieve, insofar as it requires actively not knowing about things that they've done right...or intentionally not mentioning those things. You can keep saying that US intelligence agencies do not have to be right or wrong and seeming that you have some moral high ground, sure. I haven't said that at all. I have said that, right or wrong, telling the truth or lying, they wouldn't produce proof either way. Other people who have seen what kind of messes the US is capable of getting into would rather see the intelligence be verified as TRUE before taking actions that will waste more taxpayer dollars for efforts that are detrimental to the sustainability of the country. And, as I have repeatedly pointed out, I'm am neither disagreeing nor agreeing with those people with my posts. I have taken no position that you can rail against without demonstrating, repeatedly, that you're just not listening. THAT is why I have the high ground. Because I've made a simple point that you keep attempting to argue against by misreading my words, over and over and over and over. Do you agree that the absence of proof says nothing about whether or not such proof exists? If so, you agree with me. If not, you likely don't know much about how intelligence works. Boom. Done. Finito. Please, for the love of god, go back and read my initial post. Read what the words mean. Take them as literally as possible. Do that. If you think I'm arguing people should trust the government, go ahead and quote the part that you think says it. If you think I'm saying they don't have to be right or wrong, quote me the part that you think says it. If you think I'm agreeing or disagreeing with the actions of the government, go ahead and quote the part that you think says it. Or, if you make it through that post without finding any of those things, own up to the fact that what you've been doing is seeing phantoms in my argument just because you want to validate your own opinion, and so you make silly presumptions that anyone not in lock-step is your enemy. ShakesMcQueen The part in all of this that has really blown my mind, was when the Trump transition team complained that Obama's actions were interfering with a smooth transition of power. ...completely ignoring the various foreign policy matters, just for a start, that Trump has actively and publicly undermined Obama on, before taking office. I honestly will never understand the election of this man. I'm just not wired to be able to see him as anything more than the most obvious and transparent con-man in the history of the world, and so clearly ignorant on actual governance. Most of the thoughtful conservative writers I actually respect, are completely aghast that this man is taking office in less than a month. Hey Ars Republicans - go look at that answer he gave about Russian hacking in the article, and tell me that it doesn't make you a little embarrassed. Look us in the eyes while you say it, too. Remember when we used to cast people out of serious political discourse for not knowing how to spell "potato"? How far has the country fallen? Craver T I think most of us can agree that Russia was involved in unsavory, manipulative behavior, which is quite consistent with their pattern, and something the US should be responsive to. The reason people are pushing back now is because of the timing, and because of the case being made by Obama that the election itself was hacked. I believe the consensus of the intelligence community that Russia was involved in extracting and publishing private data. What I don't believe is that the information provided constitutes a hack on democracy. In fact, some of the revelations (such as revealing the cozy relationship between politicians and the media) are actually helpful to our democracy to let us identify and root out corruption and bias. Even if it was a selective disclosure, it is a good thing for us to have greater transparency into our candidate selection process. This won't be a popular opinion here, but I think the parallels to Snowden are interesting. He was not held to the same standard of leaking information that perfectly presents both sides of an issue. He was simply hailed by most here as a champion of transparency because he brought the uncomfortable truth about our government into the open. It's interesting how fleeting that appetite for truth is when it happens to harm your preferred candidate, and the perpetrator is a somewhat less savory source. Information is good, and I want more of it, not less. If someone wants to try and hack the RNC, go for it. I have a feeling you will find the opposite case from Hillary, in that the decision makers were doing everything they could to get Trump gone! So republican voters got the candidate they wanted despite the party, and democratic voters might not have gotten their candidate due to party manipulation of the primary. Hmmm. It seems likely that this is simply an opportune moment for the democrats to go after the Russian boogeyman and distract from their own anti-democratic behavior. So far, it seems to be working. Ah, smell the propaganda. Tons of assertions, zero credible evidence any of it is true. Protip: NATO was founded to defend against a Soviet attack. So yeah, they do view Russia as the enemy and have since NATO was founded in 1949. And the only one going full retard is you. Tribus: Sunny Florida Registered: Sep 26, 2003 Using his campaign to "line his pockets?" How so? He was already worth billions going in! Unlike the Clintons who supposedly left office penniless - and are now magically worth over a quarter billion dollars. Face it, you just hate Trump - and are unwilling to give the guy a chance. IMHO, he's off to a good start and hasn't even been sworn in yet. Quisquis So that they could debate about the source rather than the content. OrangeCream wrote: Tribus: No. I've missed you, Operative Me. Thanks for your clarity of thought and argumentation. Again with the Clinton's. Don't you ever get tired of having arguments that are irrelevant? Unlike Trump who is well on his way to new levels of corruption. Quisquis wrote: Actually, the media focuses on the emails because the political rhetoric does, and the rhetoric does specifically because it enables them to focus on content. Not actual content, not specifics, just the general insinuation that the content is really bad. The sheer size and scope of the leaks makes it far more difficult to succinctly counter every claim about the leak. It's not the first time that tactic's been used, either. It happened with the Obamacare bill, it happened with the FCC's Open Internet order, and it's happening with the email leaks. Stinkles wrote: Words matter. The intelligence agencies agree that Russia hacked the DNC. The language from the white house is that Russia hacked and interfered with the election itself. If providing information in an attempt to sway voter opinions counts as a hack on democracy, then we better lock up all those editorial writers at the major newspapers. They even have lower standards because it's opinion, whereas the actual hacks simply provided factual information. I assign blame where appropriate. I blame Russia for being a bad actor on the world stage and acting like thugs. I also blame the democratic party for undemocratic behavior during the election process, for exaggerating the damage from the hacks to cover their own failings, and somehow getting off the dime to stand up to Putin at the last possible moment of greatest political expediency, in a manner that seems designed to trap the incoming president's foreign policy. Yes, I think there is plenty of blame to go around, including the democrats. Versus the irony of freedom-lovin' Republicans suddenly cozying up to an autocratic Russian strongman, and a President with myriad potential conflicts of interest involving them...? I've also noticed that the rate at which a person uses the word "Marxist" seems to be inversely proportional to how much they actually understand what Marxism is, and whether it applies in any given scenario. I think there's a variety of reasons Clinton lost the election (though, as always, it needs to be pointed out that she got three million more votes than Trump). She lost because she didn't spend enough time in the rust belt. She lost because there were 898 fewer polling locations than there were in 2012, due to voter suppression tactics almost exclusively targeting Democratic voters in several states. She lost because of a lingering aura of dishonesty (some earned, some unearned, and some comical in the face of the dishonesty of her opponent). She lost because "Teh Emailz!". She lost for a variety of reasons, and most reasons studied have had a grain of truth to them. She lost because she didn't get a couple hundred thousand more votes in a very specific part of the country, despite getting far more votes overall. And lastly, she lost because of a system that effectively means votes in less populated rural states count more. Baron von Robber I thought that was fake news. Do you have a link? It has long been suspected that Trump is worth dramatically less than he claims he is. We will never be able to confirm that one way or another, because he refused to release his tax records. Guess who did? As for being off to a "good start", I don't even know where to begin. Climate skeptic in charge of the EPA. Oil baron running State. Diplomatic conflagration with China. Casually restarting the nuclear arms race. Not bothering to get intel briefings because he thinks he's a supergenius. Casually tanking the stock values of large American employers with tweets. If this is what a "good start" looks like, then you and I just live on different planets. And none of the stuff I mentioned above even involves actual, potential political differences of opinion. You have some Trump on your chin there. Have a napkin. Don't misunderstand. I never said Russia was fully to blame. What I'm saying is that in the interest of national security we do need to make sure Russia isn't given unnecessary access to attack us. ShakesMcQueen wrote: As for being off to a "good start", I don't even know where to begin. Climate skeptic in charge of the EPA. Oil baron running State. Diplomatic conflagration with China. Casually restarting the nuclear arms race. Not bothering to get intel briefings because he thinks he's a supergenius. Casually tanking the stock values of large American employers with tweets To be fair, China has been pushing the US for a while. Speaking to Taiwan is a reasonable diplomatic move to say "hey, calm the fuck down". The "arms race" thing was in response to Putin making a unilateral move to increase arms. And the stocks have rebounded along with the companies saying they're willing to bring down their costs. I'm not saying he's good, but it's worth looking at more than the social media explosion at everything he does, and worth watching the events play out for longer than it takes for the latest anti-Trump hashtag to burn out. Agreed. Saying Russia is the reason Clinton lost is ridiculous. But so is saying that they had nothing to do with it. They hacked the DNC and RNC, then chose to release only "controversial" emails from the DNC. That had an effect. Clinton lost for potentially dozens of different reasons that had a cumulative effect - anyone who claims there's a single reason is just looking for an attention grabbing headline. That still doesn't somehow make it okay that Russia meddled in a US election, simply because you're a fan of the Red Team, and they won.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line943
__label__cc	0.661294	0.338706	Object Gallery (Closed - see Australian Design Centre) Annie Gobel: Edge In In collaboration with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, ADC presents the first Sydney exhibition of Melbourne and Jakarta-based jeweller Annie Gobel. Edge In reflects Gobel’s interest in what was the first step of her childhood creative endeavours – a thick, bold outline. Art Exhibition previously on at Object Gallery (Closed - see Australian Design Centre) in New South Wales, Australia. From Thursday 02 February 2017 to Wednesday 15 March 2017 Published by anonymous on Thursday 19 January 2017. Contact the publisher. Working from the edge in, this line has lifted from the page to become the emboldened black edge of her wearable sculptures in this new body of work. Bounded by memories, they appear in candy coloured enamel and invite recollections of play, toys and childhood adventures. It is memories such as these that have been intrinsic to Gobel’s process as she seeks to ensure that the inherent freedom of childhood remains a part of the adult everyday. Bio: Nurfitria S. Gobel (Annie Gobel) (b.1991 Jakarta, Indonesia) is a Melbourne based Jeweller. She recently exhibited at the Japan International Enameling Show at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan, Hero Worship in Craft, Melbourne and 5×7 at Gallery Funaki, Melbourne, 2016. She participated in the show Colourfast Guaranteed with Marcos Guzman at Rubicon Ari Gallery Melbourne and sPin at Australian National Capital Artists Gallery’s 5th Annual Exhibition Of Miniature Wearable Artworks, ANCA Gallery, Canberra. Gobel had a solo show Re-Played at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace, Jakarta, Indonesia in 2015. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Gold and Silversmithing at RMIT University, Melbourne in 2013 and was a Fresh! awards finalist at Craft Victoria, Melbourne. Gobel recently completed her Graduate Diploma in Arts and Cultural Management at Melbourne University in 2016. https://australiandesigncentre.com/annie-gobel/ Annie Gobel Object Gallery (Closed - see Australian Design Centre)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line944
__label__wiki	0.871438	0.871438	USC joins neighbors in fighting proposed student apartments near historic heart of campus The Post and Courier COLUMBIA — The University of South Carolina needs places to house its growing student body, yet the school joined in opposition to one such project near its campus center. The university, Historic Columbia Foundation and residents of the surrounding neighborhood on Thursday protested as Indiana-based developer Trinitas "To have a building of this mass overwhelms what's been preserved here," Worried about growth, SC city puts six-month moratorium on new subdivisions COLUMBIA — Concerns about the prospect of rapid growth have prompted the city of Cayce, just across the river from Columbia, to pass a six-month moratorium on new... The Post and Courier 2019-12-30 Hicks: Neighbors shouldn't be able to lien on each other over small claims If we didn’t have homeowner associations, Stephen King would have made them up by now. The potential for abject horror is just too great. Ask Devery and Tina Hale of Irmo.... Controversial Fruit Belt apartment project gets a makeover By Jonathan D. Epstein Published Mon, Dec 30, 2019 Facing heated criticism of its proposed five-story residential apartment building on the edge of the Fruit Belt, Symphony... The Buffalo News 2019-12-30 SC college to turn Jim Crow-era hospital into civil debate hall, Emanuel AME memorial COLUMBIA — Allen University will break ground in two weeks on renovations of a former hospital, once the only medical facility to serve African Americans in Columbia,... SC college ready to turn Jim Crow-era hospital into civil debate hall, Emanuel memorial COLUMBIA — Allen University will break ground in two weeks on renovations of a former hospital, once the only medical facility to serve African Americans in Columbia, turning it into classroom space and a memorial to the Emanuel Nine. The $11 million project restoring the former Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital is expected to be complete in April 2021, said Dub Taylor, the... Developer unveils plans for ’121 Larchmere’ apartment mid-rise, office space CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The developer of the upscale 1 University Circle high-rise plans to break ground in the spring on a more affordable 88-unit housing option on Larchmere Boulevard. The proposal from First Interstate Properties, dubbed "121 Larchmere" after the intersecting street, also provides a viable and welcome alternative to the dollar store that was on its way into the... City approves pair of apartment projects Without public opposition, the Huntsville City Council signed off on proposals from two seperate developers to construct a pair of apartment complexes in southwest Huntsville. The largest of the projects — Huntsville Village Apartments — filed plans late last year to begin the second phase of the project on Boettcher Drive. The project will create 14 new units with a total of... The Huntsville Item City council members to decide fate of Hillcrest Village The new Midland City Council on Tuesday will determine the fate of a 200-unit development expected to provide affordable housing for employees of Midland ISD and Midland Memorial Hospital and first-responders. Hillcrest Village is a proposed multi-family development located on nearly 20 acres on Midland Drive, just west of Doug Russell pool. The applicant, the Midland Community... Big RV park, apartments on tap in Warrenton WARRENTON — Developer Jason Palmberg is proposing a 30-acre campground and RV park. The Chinook Village RV Park would include tents, yurts, cabins and a small hotel or lodge spread out along Hill’s Slough, an offshoot on the eastern banks of the Skipanon River, according to application documents. The northern side of the RV park would expand to Seventh Street. Hailey... The Daily Astorian $80M luxury apartments kick off construction in downtown Charleston near Harris Teeter Another new luxury apartment development is on the way to downtown Charleston. Under a tent on a paved parcel, Nashville-based Southern Land Co. formally announced work will begin in about a month on the $80 million Society at Laurens project in one five-story and two four-story buildings across two blocks near Gadsdenboro Park. The 148-unit project is the Nashville developer’s...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line945
__label__wiki	0.525902	0.525902	artsbeatamanda September 3, 2013 Comedy, Crafts, Dance, Drama, Exhibitions, Festivals, Film, Literature, Music, Photography, Prose, Visual Art Melbourne Festival is an autumnal treat The highlight of South Derbyshire’s cultural calendar – Melbourne Festival – takes place over four weeks this month. There will be a Tea Trail on September 7, the annual art and architecture trail on September 14 and 15 and a programme of 15 concerts, performances and talks throughout the month and into October. The gala opening concert in the Assembly Rooms on September 7 features Melbourne’s mixed choir – A Choir’d Taste lead by new musical director Paul Marshall. A piece of theatre devised by CastEnsemble Youth Theatre will be performed in the same venue on September 11. Hold Up looks at the views of young people today, their hopes for the future and the barriers they face. Nicholas Hobbs will be giving a talk about his work as a renowned church furniture designer at St Michael with St Mary in Church Square on September 12. The next evening the comedy club will be taking centre stage and this year’s headline act is Raymond and Mr Timpkins’ Revue. They will be supported by John Scott and Guy Manners. The Open Road, a collective of singers, songwriters and musicians – including Melbourne’s own Karen and Cathy Worrall, will be performing in the Assembly Rooms on September 20 and the next evening opera will be on the agenda as Brendan Wheatley presents singers and pianist Bridgett Gill in Swansea Opera. End to End is a tale of three women who made the journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats (874 miles) on as many varieties of transport as possible with only £1 per mile to do it. Their story is being presented by The Gramophones Theatre Company at the Assembly Rooms on September 27. David Gibb and Elly Lucas, a Derbyshire-based acoustic folk duo who featured in the very first artsbeat magazine, will be on stage at the Assembly Rooms on September 28. The same evening the Rev Mark Powell will be giving a lecture about alchemy entitled How to Make Gold in One Easy Lesson. This light-hearted look at the subject is being presented at St Michael with St Mary Church and is also being given on September 7 at 10.30am. To mark the end of the Festival on October 4 chamber ensemble Musica Donum Dei will perform a selection of Autumnal Delights at The Riding School at Calke Abbey. The Art and Architecture Trail on September 14 and 15 has 120 artists exhibiting in 70 venues ranging from private homes to shops, halls and churches. In addition to Art on the Trail there is also a Food Festival. The Busk Stops have music all afternoon at Castle Street, Church Street and at the Assembly Rooms and Bollywood dancers and the Pop-up Poets will be entertaining visitors on the trail. The list of artists taking part includes artist Susan Bedford, the charcoal work of Barbara Colbert, the glasswork of Stevie Davies, Helen Domleo’s jewellery, Mark Langley’s paintings, blacksmith Hayley Powell, artist John Rattigan, sculptures by Duncan Thurlby and the photographs of Tez Marsden who is artsbeat’s featured photographer this month in the centre pages. For a full list of the artists taking part and for more details of the times and cost of the performances go to the festival website http://www.melbournefestival.co.uk Posted in Comedy, Crafts, Dance, Drama, Exhibitions, Festivals, Film, Literature, Music, Photography, Prose, Visual Art and tagged A Choir'd Taste, Derbyshire, End To End, Gibb and Lucas, Melbourne, Melbourne Festival, Nicholas Hobbs. Bookmark the permalink. Victorian ghost drama at Buxton Barley Beal’s exhibition opens at weekend	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line948
__label__cc	0.532774	0.467226	OPP receive nearly 20 calls of animals in hot cars in Alliston area The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, August 14, 2019 3:16PM EDT Dogs can't sweat the way humans do, meaning they're not able to deal with hot temperatures for very long. (BC SPCA) Provincial police in Alliston are reminding residents not to leave their dogs in cars after receiving 18 calls reporting such incidents so far this summer. They say they've spoken with a veterinarian, who told police that when animals are left in vehicles it can turn deadly fast. Police say the vet told them that an animal that's left in a vehicle for just 10 minutes when it's 20 degrees Celsius outside can experience brain swelling or heat stroke. Officers are asking anyone who sees an animal in distress in a vehicle to call 911. They're also asking people to leave their pets at home on warm, sunny days.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line951
__label__cc	0.583773	0.416227	Home News Instagram Starts Rolling Out Direct Messaging Feature on the Web Instagram Starts Rolling Out Direct Messaging Feature on the Web Anmol Sachdeva - Anmol Sachdeva In line with reports from back in October, Instagram has now finally started rolling out the ability to send messages from its desktop website. This means you no longer need to rely on third-party apps and workarounds to text your friends while at work, using your laptop. Instagram porting the much-awaited direct messaging feature on the web will come as a relief for a large number of users. You can see in the image above that the experience is going to be pretty much the same. You can start private or group conversations, heart a message, and share pictures. The DM feature on the web won’t allow you to start audio/ video calls, send voice messages or share GIFs right away, which is disappointing. In an official tweet, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said, “Today we start to test Direct on the desktop web.” He then added the feature has currently been rolled out to only a tiny percentage of the photo-sharing app’s over 1 million users. Instagram has been testing DMs on the web for a really long time but it still wants to make sure that the feature has been implemented as intended. Haven’t Got DMs on the Web Yet? Here’s a Workaround Up until now, Instagram didn’t officially support Direct Messaging on the web. I talk to a lot of my friends over DMs, so I’ve been using this workaround to converse with them via my laptop itself. First, open the Instagram website in your desktop browser. Right-click and tap the ‘Inspect element’ option or hit ‘Ctrl+Shift+C’ to open the developer tools. Now, click the ‘Toggle device toolbar’ option on the right at the top. Select iPhone X or Pixel 2 XL as the device and refresh (F5) to reload the website. You will see the Instagram mobile website open in your desktop browser and well, you can now use DMs with ease. Once the final round of testing (read as public beta) is complete, you can expect Direct Messages to be made available for all users. It could be within the next few weeks or a couple of months. It all depends on the feedback gathered and bugs that need fixing. I mean, I am really excited to have Direct Messaging on the web. What about you, guys? Share your opinions with us in the comments below.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line958
__label__wiki	0.94994	0.94994	Havok claims to dominate BAFTAs Written by Ben Hardwidge February 27, 2009 \| 14:13 Tags: #assassins #awards #cheng #cpu #creed #david #die #fable #fallout-3 #future #godfrey #gpu #guitar #havok #hero #p #physx #six #times #titles Companies: #amd #ati #bafta #game #games #intel #nvidia Intel has been quite openly sniping at Nvidia this week, but today the company adopted a subtler approach to ribbing its rival. Now that the nominations for the BAFTA games awards are out in the open, Havok (which is owned by Intel) is relishing the fact that ten of the nominated games (making for a total of 27 nominations throughout 12 of the 14 categories) feature Havok-powered tools and software. This, says Havok, is “six times greater than any other physics engine,” which in other words means: “six times greater than PhysX.” We're not entirely sure how you divide either ten or 27 by six into a whole number, so we assume that the "six times" figure refers to the number of categories. Either way, Havok claims that its physics technology "dominates" the 2008 BAFTA award nominations. Havok’s managing director, David O’Meara, claimed that “the significant amount of nominations Havok-built games received speaks volumes for our technical leadership and clear differentiation in the market.” He also added that “Havok continues to offer the highest-quality and most comprehensive set of cross-platform modular tools available today, which makes Havok the solutions provider of choice for top-tier developers worldwide. Havok enables game studios of any size the ability to deliver more compelling gameplay, character interaction and physical effects in less time with substantial cost-effectiveness.” The Havok-powered games nominated for BAFTAs include Fallout 3, Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, Fable II and Guitar Hero: World Tour. Havok also claims that over 65 games are currently lined up to use Havok Physics in 2009, and points out that 200 existing titles already use the technology, including the Halo series and Half-Life 2. However, it’s also worth noting that these games rely on the CPU to process physics, and a large number of games support Nvidia’s PhysX API in the same way. Nvidia also promises that more games will feature GPU-accelerated PhysX this year. The company licensed PhysX to both EA and 2K in December last year, and Mirror’s Edge already features GPU-accelerated PhysX effects. However, Nvidia is currently on its own with GPU-accelerated PhysX effects at the moment, despite offering the technology to AMD. Instead, AMD has signed up to support Havok and has even expressed doubts about whether PhysX will survive in the future. In December last year, AMD’s director of technical marketing at its Graphics Product Group, Godfrey Cheng, said that "There is no plan for closed and proprietary standards like PhysX," adding that "As we have emphasised with our support for OpenCL and DX11, closed and proprietary standards will die." Are Havok’s BAFTA nominations really a sign of Havok’s technical leadership, and which physics API stands the best chance of survival in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the forums. Velocity engine shows potential for CPU physics Terminal Reality demonstrates its Infernal Engine in Ghostbusters, showing how physics can scale over multiple CPU threads. AMD demonstrates Havok with GPU acceleration AMD shows that Havok physics effects can be accelerated on GPUs via OpenCL, and Nvidia says it would be happy to work with Havok. March 27, 2009 \| 11:25 AMD to demo GPU physics at GDC next week AMD plans to reveal its GPU physics strategy on 26 March, saying that it will accelerate Havok using Stream and OpenCL.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line963
__label__cc	0.587835	0.412165	advocacy workshop, Americans for Prosperity, Cannabis Legalization Advocacy Workshop, Concord, HB 1648, home cultivation, legalization, legalization bill, marijuana possession, New Hampshire, NH, press conference, public hearing, testify, Vermont To prepare, join advocates for a workshop in Manchester on Tuesday, January 21 — also, email your state legislators today and ask for their support! The state legislature convened last week, and a public hearing has already been scheduled for the new legalization bill, HB 1648, on Thursday, January 23. This would be a great day for you to visit the state house and voice your support! WHAT: Public hearing on HB 1648 WHEN: Advocates will gather for a press conference at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 23. The hearing will begin at 1:30 p.m. Legislators will testify first, followed by members of the public. Please note that the hearing may last several hours. WHERE: Legislative Office Building, 33 North State Street, Concord (behind the capitol building) — Press conference in lobby, hearing in Rooms 210-212 WHO: All supporters of HB 1648 are welcome to sign in and/or testify in support. You can RSVP here on Facebook. Since the Senate and governor have already made it clear that they’re not ready to support legalizing and regulating cannabis sales in 2020, we have decided to refocus efforts in support of this bill, which would simply legalize possession and limited home cultivation for adults 21 and older — similar to Vermont’s legalization law. You can read a summary of HB 1648 here. To help supporters prepare for the hearing, our allies at Americans for Prosperity have offered to host an advocacy workshop at their Manchester office on Tuesday, January 21, and we would love to have you join us! Here are the details: WHAT: Cannabis Legalization Advocacy Workshop WHEN: Tuesday, January 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m. WHERE: Americans for Prosperity, 340 Granite Street (first floor), Manchester WHO: Supporters of HB 1648 You can RSVP here at the Facebook event page. Please mark your calendars and share this message with your friends and family. If you can’t make it to the workshop but are interested in testifying at the hearing, please email me directly, and I will send you more information. adult use, cannabis convictions, cannabis regulation, cannabis sales, criminal justice reform, criminal records, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, expungement, FL, Florida, HB 1389, home cultivation, legalization, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, MMTCs, SB 1860, Sen. Jeff Brandes, Tax and Regulate Ask your lawmakers to support legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults 21 and older! On Monday, January 13, Sen. Jeff Brandes (R) introduced a bill, SB 1860, to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older. A House companion bill, HB 1389, was also introduced. Meanwhile, it was announced this week that marijuana legalization will not make it to the ballot for voters to decide on in 2020. However, the state legislature could still legalize cannabis for adult use. Ask your lawmakers to support SB 1860/HB 1389 to legalize and regulate cannabis for adult use! Here are a few things the proposed legislation would do: Allow adults to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis in a form for smoking from a licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC); Eliminate the requirement that MMTCs be vertically integrated — meaning businesses would not have to grow, sell, and process cannabis — they could just perform one of the functions; Direct the Department of Health to develop procedures to issue and renew licenses for the cultivation, processing, retail sale, and transportation of cannabis; Provide for expungement of criminal records for past cannabis convictions; and Direct the Department of Agriculture to issue a study on the effects of home cultivation. By legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and older, Florida can reduce the number of cannabis-related arrests, displace the illicit market, and free up law enforcement resources to focus on serious crimes. Ask your lawmakers to follow the will of the majority of Floridians to end prohibition and replace it with a system of regulation. Then, forward this message to your networks and encourage them to do the same. compassion, comprehensive medical marijuana program, Gov. Laura Kelly, Kansas, KS, medical cannabis, Medical Marijuana, patients Email your lawmakers today and ask them to support a compassionate medical cannabis program! The legislature kicked off its 2020 session yesterday. Gov. Laura Kelly (D) has reiterated her support for legalizing medical cannabis, making it part of her personal agenda for 2020. But, a bill must clear the legislature first. Now is a great time to pressure your legislators to make medical cannabis a priority this year. It is past time Kansas join the majority of states and establish a well-regulated, compassionate medical cannabis program. Kansas is now surrounded on three sides by states that have legalized either medical cannabis or cannabis for adult use, and 68 percent of Kansans support the medical use of cannabis. People who could benefit from medical cannabis should not have to wait — and in some cases cannot wait — for the right to use it legally. Please email your lawmakers today and urge them to support a comprehensive medical marijuana program. Together, we can help Kansas patients access the medicine they deserve. Delaware Legislature kicks off its 2020 session today cannabis regulation, DE, Delaware, Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network, Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network’s Citizens’ Cannabis Lobby Day, Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition, Delaware House Appropriations Committee, Delaware House Revenue and Finance Committee, Dover, First State, HB 110, legalization, Lobby Day, Tax and Regulate Ask your lawmakers to support HB 110! The General Assembly begins its 2020 legislative session today. Last year, HB 110, a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adult use was introduced and passed the House Revenue and Finance Committee (7-1). The bill is now pending action this session in the House Appropriations Committee. Please email your lawmakers today and ask them to support HB 110! Delawareans deserve a just, equitable cannabis policy. Replacing cannabis prohibition with sensible regulation would reduce the number of cannabis-related arrests, free up law enforcement resources to focus on more serious crimes, and generate a new source of revenue for the state. Check out our full summary of HB 110 here. You can take further action by attending the Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network’s Citizens’ Cannabis Lobby Day! Help spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook. When: Thursday, January 16, 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Where: Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Avenue, Dover, DE Ask your state legislators to stand with 61% of Delawareans and support HB 110. After your contact your lawmakers, please help us spread the word by forwarding this message to your networks in Delaware. Together, we can end prohibition in the First State! New Approach Montana Submits 2020 Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiatives for State Review 2020 ballot campaign, 2020 ballot initiative, attorney general, ballot initiative, cannabis regulation, constitutional amendment, Election Day 2020, legalization, Legislative Services Division, Montana, Montana Secretary of State, MT, New Approach Montana, Pepper Petersen, signature drive, statutory initiative, Tax and Regulate Secretary of State and Attorney General must review the proposed initiatives before signature collecting can begin New Approach Montana, a statewide political campaign working to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana, today submitted two complementary 2020 ballot initiatives to the state government for review. The first is a statutory initiative that would legalize marijuana in Montana for adults aged 21 and over and establish a regulatory framework for cultivation and sales. The second is a constitutional amendment that would allow the legal minimum age for marijuana consumption to be 21. “Montanans support legalizing marijuana and setting the minimum age at 21,” said Pepper Petersen, spokesperson for New Approach Montana. “Our initiatives will give voters the opportunity to approve those laws at the ballot box on Election Day. It’s time for Montana to stop wasting law enforcement resources that could be spent fighting more serious crime. We can shift marijuana out of the illicit market and into licensed, regulated, and tax-paying businesses. At the same time, we can create jobs and generate significant new revenue for the state.” The initiatives were hand-delivered to the Secretary of State and the Legislative Services Division today, starting a review process that will also involve the Attorney General and the Governor’s budget director. New Approach Montana is sponsoring both initiatives, which were were drafted with the assistance of Montana voters, stakeholders, and policy experts. “These initiatives are the result of a collaborative and diligent drafting process,” said Petersen. “We held seven community listening sessions across the state and received input from hundreds of Montana voters. We’ve spoken with community, church, and tribal leaders. Montana lawyers with experience in ballot initiative drafting and litigation have carefully vetted the details. We’ve received input from Montanans with expertise on our state’s existing medical marijuana program, civil rights, and fiscal policy. We have covered every base.” The statutory initiative establishes a legalization policy that builds upon Montana’s existing medical marijuana framework. “It was important to us that Montana entrepreneurs and businesses would be in a strong position to compete in the legalization market, and our initiative ensures that will be the case,” said Petersen. “We have every confidence that this uniquely Montanan approach to marijuana legalization, regulation, and taxation will gain widespread support at the ballot box in November.” After the Attorney General has approved the final petitions, New Approach Montana must gather 25,468 signatures to qualify the statutory initiative for the 2020 ballot and 50,936 signatures to qualify the constitutional initiative. New Approach Montana determined that it was necessary to amend the state constitution if Montana was going to follow the example of every other legal state by restricting marijuana to those 21 years and older. “There is strong precedent for changing the Montana constitution to restrict marijuana to those 21 years and older,” said Petersen. “As a state, we amended the constitution in 1986 to allow the legislature to restrict alcohol sales to those 21 and over. Our 2020 constitutional amendment adds just two words to existing constitutional language that addresses alcohol, so that marijuana can be age-restricted in the same manner.” The statutory initiative allows possession of up to an ounce by adults aged 21 and older, establishes the Montana Department of Revenue as the regulatory agency, gives Montana medical marijuana providers first entry into the expanded marijuana market, and reduces the tax on medical marijuana from two percent to one percent. The initiative sets a 20% sales tax on marijuana (this would not apply to medical marijuana) and allocates the tax revenue to land, water, and wildlife conservation programs, veteran services, substance abuse treatment, long-term health care, local governments where marijuana is sold, and general revenue for the state. “Our campaign’s initial analysis found that a 20% marijuana sales tax would generate over $37 million per year in new revenue by 2025,” Peterson said. More information, including the full texts of the initiatives, can be found at: www.newapproachmt.org. Special elections TOMORROW could be crucial for cannabis legalization 132nd Assembly District, 48th Assembly District, Brian Farnen, Brian Smith, candidates, cannabis regulation, Colchester, Connecticut, Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana, CT, Fairfield, Jennifer Leeper, Lebanon, legalization, Mansfield, Mark DeCaprio, special elections, survey, Tax and Regulate, Windham If there’s an election in your town, find out where candidates stand before you vote! If not, please contact your representatives and senators today. Two special elections for state representative are being held in Connecticut tomorrow (Tuesday, January 14), and these races could be critical to our success on cannabis legalization in 2020. If you live in one of these two districts, we strongly encourage you to vote! State legislative districts are relatively small, and we’ve seen races decided by a single vote. To find out where candidates stand, we sent them surveys consisting of one simple question: “Would you support legislation to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adults 21 and older?” Here are the details on who is running and where they stand on the issue: In the 48th Assembly District (portions of Colchester, Lebanon, Mansfield, and Windham), Brian Smith (D-Colchester) responded yes to our survey. Mark DeCaprio (R-Lebanon) did not respond. During a public forum, DeCaprio indicated that he does not support legalization. In the 132nd Assembly District (portions of Fairfield), Jennifer Leeper (D-Fairfield) responded yes to our candidate survey. Brian Farnen (R-Fairfield) did not respond. If you have friends or family living in one of these districts, please forward this message to them and remind them to vote tomorrow! If you’re not sure about your voter registration status or where to vote, click here for more information. Finally, if you don’t live in one of these districts, please email your elected officials right now and urge them to support ending marijuana prohibition in 2020! Virginia 2020 legislative session underway; decriminalization a priority 2020 criminal justice agenda, civil fine, criminal justice reform, decrim, decriminalization, Gov. Ralph Northam, marijuana possession, SB 2, Sen. Adam Ebbin, VA, Virginia Ask your lawmakers to support SB 2! The General Assembly kicked off its 2020 legislative session this week, and there is a real possibility that Virginia could decriminalize marijuana possession this year. To turn this possibility into a reality, lawmakers need to hear this is a priority for their constituents. That's where you come in. Let your legislators know you want them to support SB 2 to decriminalize marijuana in 2020! Sen. Adam Ebbin (D) has filed a bill — SB 2 — that would decriminalize marijuana possession by making possession of one ounce or less punishable by a maximum civil fine of $50. Under current law, simple possession of marijuana carries up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail. You can check out our one-pager on decriminalization in Virginia here. Decriminalization has gained increasing support from both elected officials and Virginians. Just last week, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) put decriminalization at the top of his 2020 criminal justice agenda. This move is long overdue. Virginia is currently lagging behind the 26 states that have stopped jailing their residents for marijuana possession. Please email your lawmakers today and ask them to decriminalize cannabis in 2020. Then, share this message with your friends and family in Virginia and encourage them to do the same. It’s official: South Dakota will vote on adult-use legalization in November! 2020 ballot, ballot initiative, cannabis regulation, citizens' initiative, constitutional initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana, legalization, medical cannabis, Medical Marijuana, November ballot, SD, South Dakota, South Dakota campaign, South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, statutory medical marijuana measure, Tax and Regulate With MPP’s support, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws has become the first legalization campaign to qualify a citizens’ initiative for the 2020 ballot! The new decade is off to an exciting start for our movement! Earlier this week, South Dakota Secretary of State Steve Barnett announced that the constitutional initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults has succeeded in qualifying for the general election ballot! In an impressive feat, the campaign gathered over 50,000 signatures in under two months to meet the required threshold. This is a huge step forward and cause for celebration, but we know an even tougher battle lies ahead. Powerful politicians in the state are dead set against legalization, and there’s no doubt they will marshall all the resources they can in an effort to defeat the initiative. South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws needs your help now more than ever. This news follows on the heels of another recent announcement that a statutory medical marijuana measure has also qualified for the November ballot. That means South Dakota will be the first state to vote on medical marijuana and adult-use legalization initiatives simultaneously! Help make 2020 another milestone year for marijuana policy reform by supporting the South Dakota campaign. Let’s put marijuana prohibition where it belongs — in the history books.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line981
__label__wiki	0.606434	0.606434	Sinclairville, NY Best Events Near You in Sinclairville, New York DJ Pauly D Saturday, Jun 27, 2020 at 12:00pm Irving, NY Angola Skate Park 8787 Erie Road Angola, NY Weather permitting opens mid to late April Closes anytime between October and November(weather dependent) Open to anyone seven years of age and... 1600 Riverside Road The Audubon Center and Sanctuary is owned and operated by Jamestown Audubon Society, Inc. whose mission is to connect people to nature and promote ... 1 Bills Dr. Orchard Park, NY Founded in 1959, the Buffalo Bills are one of the most storied franchises in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills have won two American Fo... Featured Yelp Deals for Sinclairville! Sinclairville Top Searches 2655 South Park Avenue Vision Statement:We are moving toward a future where the lives of people of all ages are enriched by living plants of all kinds, and they are commi... Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park One Naval Park Cove HISTORY The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park is a 501(c) (3) corporation and was formed and incorporated as an educationa... Chautauqua County Fair The fair combines farming, food, and fun. Don't miss out on this event for all ages! One Ames Avenue Chautauqua, NY Chautauqua Institution is a community on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York state that comes alive each summer with a unique mi... Eden Corn Festival Legion Drive Eden, NY In 1959, the Eden Chamber of Commerce discussed the idea of holding an annual festival to promote the town. The resulting Garden Festival was held ... Fenton History Center Our Mission: To provide educational and cultural opportunities for the residents of Chautauqua County and its visitors through the collection, pr... Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival 225 Fuhrmann Boulevard 6557 Holiday Valley Road Ellicottville, NY History: It was many years ago in the winter of 1957-58 when the brand new ski area named Holiday Valley first opened for business. Skiing wasn't n... Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena 319 West Third Street Jamestown Savings Bank Arena has become well known as a state-of-the-art ice skating and hockey facility. While that is true, skating is by no mean... Jungle Skate Park The Jungle Skatepark is located above Suburban Blend at 209 Pine Street in Jamestown, NY 14701 HELMETS REQUIRED IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 hou... Lucille Ball Comedy Festival 2 West Third Street The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival (Lucy Comedy Fest) is an annual festival that takes place in Jamestown, NY (Lucy's hometown). Lucille Ball's visio... Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy 2 West 3rd Street The mission of the Lucy Desi Center for Comedy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the wor... Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center Fredonia, NY Mission: As an administrative unit of the College at Fredonia, the mission of Rockefeller Arts Center is to encourage, facilitate, sponsor and prom... Panama Rocks Scenic Park 11 Rock Hill Road Panama, NY Panama Rocks is Chautauqua County’s premier nature park, in operation since 1885. Come explore an enchanting world of towering rocks, deep c... Reg Lenna Center For The Arts 116 East Third Street History: The Reg Lenna Center for The Arts was first opened on February 5, 1923 as the Palace Theatre, a "High Class Vaudeville" house. Films - us... Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History 311 Curtis Street Our Mission:The mission of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History is to honor and continue the work of Roger Tory Peterson to foster ... Scandinavia Folk Festival Gerry Rodeo Grounds Gerry, NY	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line982
__label__wiki	0.66255	0.66255	Betsy S. Atkins Be Board Ready Behind Boardroom Doors Ask Betsy Baja Team Financial Times / How to make company culture more welcoming for women By Betsy Atkins Groups that nurture and empower their gender diversity gain in revenues and adaptability In the past few weeks attempts have been made to clean up the working environment at the ride-hailing company Uber. Former US attorney-general Eric Holder was hired to investigate the group’s culture. The chief executive Travis Kalanick has taken a leave of absence, and several new board members are on the job, including Arianna Huffington. But these steps forward were followed by a step back when, at a meeting to unveil Mr Holder’s report, board member David Bonderman made a joke about women on the board. Mr Bonderman later resigned. I have served on the boards of many important tech companies, and this sounds to me like old news. Women seeking to advance their careers in the technology industry still find themselves bumping up against a silicon ceiling. Research from the Society of Women Engineers found that 20 per cent of today’s engineering school graduates are women, yet just 11 per cent continue working in the field. Women in IT leadership roles make up 9 per cent of the total, according to a survey from Harvey Nash/KPMG. Changing any corporate culture is a challenge, but bringing diversity to the tech industry is even trickier. Fast-growth “unicorn” companies can quickly outgrow their founding, venture-based start-up corporate governance, and find themselves facing Uber-style crises. Yet in my experience, technology companies can and do nurture diverse, inclusive cultures. There are several ways to do this. First, build internal career networks. At Volvo Car AB, where I serve on the board, we have launched a programme in which I meet senior and mid-level women executives to discuss career development. We work with these executives to build on their strengths, clarify their career aspirations, and offer advice on advancement. Second, make mentoring personal. On the board of Schneider Electric, I make a point of directly mentoring a number of women on the company’s senior executive team. Women in management find it tremendously helpful to have someone in the boardroom who takes a personal interest in their career. Ms Huffington will be in an ideal position to do this at Uber. Third, go beyond mentoring. The tech industry, in particular, has too few role models for rising female talents. Companies should ask board members to sponsor female executives. There is a big difference between mentoring, best understood as periodic advice, and coaching or sponsoring, which involves more active help for individuals as they prepare to take the next step up in their careers. Women who are senior managers or board members can take mentoring up a notch by sponsoring women with high potential, taking personal ownership of career coaching for their top talents. Finally, recognise women making a difference. When I served as chair of the board’s compensation committee at tech company Polycom, we were active in the annual recognition event for sales staff. I noted that women were leaders in sales — although they made up less than 10 per cent of the sales force, they accounted for 34 per cent of our “President’s Circle” top sales performers. Making an added effort to celebrate this talent is crucial in sending the message that sales is not just a “guy thing”. While Uber’s woes make the news, they can also serve as a spark for making the support and advancement of women a boardroom mission. Talented women are a strategic asset to companies, and there is a growing body of research showing that groups that nurture gender diversity gain in revenues and adaptability. In any company, you cannot separate balance sheet results from corporate culture. When it comes to reshaping that culture to be more welcoming to women, the boardroom is the ideal place to start. Financial Times – Uber article The writer is the founder of Baja Corporation Corporate Governance in 2020 Why 2019’s IPO Failures Bode Well For 2020’s IPO Market Her Success Story Podcast / Betsy Atkins Interviewed By Ivy Slater Serial entrepreneur, three-time CEO, Digitization and Corporate Governance Expert Corporate Governance in 2020 January 14, 2020 Why 2019’s IPO Failures Bode Well For 2020’s IPO Market November 13, 2019 © 2020 Betsy Atkins / Baja Corp. All rights reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line984
__label__wiki	0.631849	0.631849	5 Great Books About Bookmobiles Derek Attig 04-17-13 April 17 is National Bookmobile Day! I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate than to read some awesome books about bookmobiles. Except maybe reading them while moving. So hop on a bus or go for a stroll with one of these books in hand to get the full celebratory experience: WITH A HIGH HEART With a High Heart (1945) is only one of a surprising number of romance novels about bookmobile librarians published in the middle of the twentieth century—others include Books on Wheels, Books and Beaux, Nancy Runs the Bookmobile, and Girl on the Bookmobile—but it’s probably the most fun. (Nancy runs a close second, though they’re all pretty amusing.) With a High Heart follows the adventures of Anne, who drives a bookmobile around rural New Jersey during the Second World War, bringing books to the people and, naturally, meeting a handsome young fellow along the way. It’s silly nonsense, but it’s enjoyably silly nonsense. With a High Heart can still be found in some libraries and used copies are usually available at online retailers. HERE COMES THE BOOKMOBILE The story of Here Comes the Bookmobile (1952) isn’t the most exciting thing ever. It follows a young boy who joins his librarian aunt on a circuit of the county, aboard her bookmobile. Like I said, cute, but the story really isn’t the point. It’s the book’s aesthetic that I’m in love with. Look at that cover. That font! That blocky red bookmobile! The book is a bright, happy, appealing pleasure to flip through. Copies of Here Comes the Bookmobile are available pretty cheaply at online retailers. CURIOUS MISSIE Curious Missie (1953) tells the story of a young, often disastrously curious young girl named Missie. (Creative title, eh?) With her constant questions, Missie endears herself to a local librarian who gets her to advocate for a bookmobile in their very rural Alabama county. When the plan succeeds, Missie rides along on the bookmobile, touring the county and getting to know the people. The book climaxes in a big meeting held after the county commission reallocates the bookmobile’s funding to a rat-killing program. The book is deeply earnest and optimistic about democracy and community, and I think it’s best read with a skeptical adult’s eye. But it’s a charming read, and the spare and evocative line drawings by Marilyn Miller are a delight. You can find Curious Missie at various online retailers. This novella presents an alternate universe in which Queen Elizabeth II follows her corgis (!) aboard a bookmobile (!!) and is forever changed by the books she finds there. Bennett attempts several seemingly impossible things. He tries to make The Uncommon Reader both a sharp political satire and a gently humane story about how reading changes minds and transforms lives. He aims to offer a sweet story that is also a meditation on the limits of political power. I say seemingly impossible because, against all odds, Bennett succeeds, beautifully. And he does it in less than 120 pages. With corgis. In other words: IT’S AMAZING GO READ IT NOW. READING PLACES In Reading Places: Literacy, Democracy, and the Public Library in Cold War America, library historian Christine Pawley tells the story of a bookmobile program in two Wisconsin counties in the 1950s. That might sound a bit dull, but it’s actually anything but. (And not just because I’m writing a book about bookmobiles myself.) In Pawley’s hands, the tale is one of competing ideologies and sharp political conflict. Nicely written and finely detailed, Pawley also manages to put these Wisconsin bookmobiles in the rich context of the history of books and reading in America. Sign up for our newsletter to have the best of Book Riot delivered straight to your inbox every two weeks. No spam. We promise. To keep up with Book Riot on a daily basis, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. So much bookish goodness–all day, every day. Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books. Enter to win a $50 gift card to Barnes and Noble! #Children's#Fiction#Lists#Nonfiction#Romance/Erotica#Alan Bennett#Bookmobile#Curious Missie#Here Comes the Bookmobile#libraries#National Bookmobile Day#Reading Places#romance novels#The Uncommon Reader#With a High Heart Five Bookish Cross Stitch Patterns from Etsy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line986
__label__cc	0.65602	0.34398	Joe Gross writes on books and culture both popular an un-. Tag: cursed child How Austin proves that Harry Potter still has power Harry Potter & the Cursed Child Midnight Release Party on Saturday, July 30 2016. Erika Rich for American-Statesman Now that we’ve had a few days to recover from the shock of actually receiving a new “Harry Potter” book – and to finish reading it and digest that wondrous plot – we can conclude that, after all these years, the Harry Potter series is still beloved. At the midnight release party BookPeople threw Saturday for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” about 2,000 people showed up to celebrate the bespectacled wizard and his new adventure. That’s a considerable turnout given that we all thought we’d officially hung up our wizards’ robes for such a party many years ago. » See more photos from BookPeople’s midnight release party for “The Cursed Child” BookPeople’s marketing director, Abby Fennewald, said Tuesday evening that the response to the book “was probably higher than we originally anticipated.” The Austin bookstore sold about 75 percent as many copies of “The Cursed Child” at this party as compared to previous midnight release parties, she said; “We’ve already sold over 1,000 copies.” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is a book in script form about Harry and his troubled son, Albus. (The play is currently in production at London’s West End.) Despite the different format from the previous novels, anxiously waiting Muggles appeared in droves at BookPeople and at Barnes & Noble as well for the release. BookPeople dusted off its old Diagon Alley set and had a variety of magical activities for attendees, including a costume contest, a House Cup Tournament, trivia and wizard dueling. And the food trucks joining the fun in the parking lot also didn’t miss out on the theme: Amy’s Ice Creams, for one, was serving up three wizard-worthy flavors, including butterbeer, Gryffindor’s Tower with red velvet and Dementor’s Cloud with dark chocolate. The line to get butterbeer in drink form at another trailer was also long. Chatter all around BookPeople’s “Harry Potter” party reflected how happy everyone was to be back together, costumed in their finest Hogwarts’ wizard robes. Kids were there, sure, but the majority of the crowd congregating from 10 p.m. to midnight were the original “Harry Potter” fans, now in their 20s, 30s and beyond. And for BookPeople, all those enthusiastic fans meant the party was a rousing success. Has “Cursed Child” turned out to be a worthy follow-up to the original story? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out our photo gallery chronicling the “Harry Potter” party at BookPeople. Author American-Statesman StaffPosted on August 3, 2016 August 3, 2016 Categories Austin book news, Book events, BookPeople events, children's booksTags austin, bookpeople, books, cursed child, fun in austin, harry potter, reading, things to doLeave a comment on How Austin proves that Harry Potter still has power Categories Select Category Austin book news (43) Book events (45) BookPeople events (12) chelsea clinton (1) children’s books (4) classic literature (4) Latin Amerinan writers (4) Michener Center (2) MLA convention (4) music books (2) new books\ (2) Ransom Center (4) teen books (7) Texas Book Festival (16) Texas Institute of Letters (1) Texas publishing (12) texas teen book festival (5) Uncategorized (69) Archives Select Month August 2016 (1) July 2016 (1) June 2016 (8) May 2016 (3) April 2016 (2) March 2016 (6) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (13) December 2015 (2) November 2015 (2) October 2015 (23) September 2015 (7) August 2015 (8) July 2015 (11) June 2015 (6) April 2015 (6) March 2015 (5) February 2015 (4) January 2015 (3) December 2014 (5) November 2014 (4) October 2014 (13) September 2014 (2) Theme: Twenty Sixteen. The Reader Proudly powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line987
__label__cc	0.611099	0.388901	Action and intrigue drive new Image/Top Cow series, Samaritan: Veritas Filed under: Comics & Books, Fantasy Realms — Leave a comment Fans of the television series 24 and Mr. ROBOT should check out a new series from Image Comics/Top Cow now available at newsstands: Samaritan: Veritas. Written by Matt Hawkins with artwork by Atilio Rojo, readers are taken into a modern world of high-tech hacking and espionage. A woman with a vendetta is about to get revenge by taking down the top tiers of government and the most successful company in the world. Think Absolute Power (Clint Eastwood’s 1997 film about scandal in Washington) meets Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger and you’ll have a taste of the action and excitement of this new series. Samaritan: Veritas is a good jumping-on point for Hawkins’ Edenverse series, requiring no prior knowledge of the prior books to get onboard. As with Hawkins’ earlier works, Samantha Copeland is the protagonist, this time dead set to take down the man who killed her lover. Hawkins pulls together characters with unclear agendas, taking readers through a shadow world of the “dark web” and underground networks as Copeland formulates her strategy. Copeland is a tough female lead in the latest twist on a Robin Hood story, much like season one of Mr. ROBOT. You’ll find some edgy tension and thrilling situations, thanks in part to some great environments and sequences by artist Atilio Rojo, who also supplied his own color work. Tags: 24 series, Absolute Power, Atilio Rojo, Clear and Present Danger, Edenverse, Image Comics, Matt Hawkins, Mr Robot, Samaritan: Veritas, Top Cow Publishing	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line989
__label__cc	0.682044	0.317956	active 1 year, 7 months ago Lloyd Kevin Urbino @lloyd-urbino Lloyd Kevin Urbino wrote a new post, LG G7 ThinQ first impressions [review] 1 year, 7 months ago With LG now unveiling their latest flagship to the Philippine market, it will need a lot in order to stay relevant in the overly populated smartphone scene, especially with brands like Apple and Samsung still in […] Lloyd Kevin Urbino wrote a new post, The Force rises again with PMCM’s Screening of Star Wars : The Last Jedi 2 years, 1 month ago Ready your lightsabers folks because Disney and Lucasfilms is back with the 8th installment of the one of the most popular, if not the most popular action sci-fi sagas out there, Starwars. We had a chance to get a […] Lloyd Kevin Urbino wrote a new post, DJI Spark First Look – The Drone for the Masses 2 years, 6 months ago After a month after unveiling it to the world, Dji is finally bringing their smallest drone to the Philippine masses. Dji Spark, is not just the company’s latest drone, it’s also their smallest and most important […] Lloyd Kevin Urbino wrote a new post, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ review: Beauty on the outside, Beast on the inside 2 years, 9 months ago Go big or go home is the name of the game as Samsung finally unveils the much awaited Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 + handsets. Unlike its predecessors which pretty much built on the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge platform, this […] Lloyd Kevin Urbino wrote a new post, 4 ASTIG Pinoy YouTube artists to watch out for 2 years, 10 months ago It was a very musical night as YouTube hosted its very first Jam Night last Friday, March 24, 2017 at Commune Cafe in Makati. This is a way for them to Highlight those upcoming local youtube artists in the music […]	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line992
__label__wiki	0.915857	0.915857	Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka Seaman George Duchart 9038A Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 (aged 19) Lieutenant Arthur Robert James Elven Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 Seaman Alfred John Jewell 5591A Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 Seaman William Macangus 5434A Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 (aged 21) Seaman Simon Mcleod 9003A Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 Stoker Patrick Byrne 4601S Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 Stoker John George Yellow 7725S Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Ghurka 08/02/1917 (aged 24) PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL United Kingdom 5 0 0	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line993
__label__wiki	0.540103	0.540103	Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber Travis Sherwood, Cody Young, Jocelyn Takayesu, Alex K Y Jen, Larry Dalton, Antao Chen We have developed a novel approach for fabricating and testing optical ring resonators. Using a side-polished optical fiber and fabricating a ring waveguide directly over its core, an efficient and passive signal filter in the 1.55 um telecommunication band is created. A standard single mode optical fiber is permanently secured in an arcing groove in quartz and is side polished proximally to its core. The ring resonator is fabricated using two-photon initiated free-radical polymerization of tri-functional acrylate on low-index quartz substrate with a 100 femtosecond pulsed Ti/sapphire laser. The quartz substrate is inverted and vacuum mounted to an X-Y-Z stage so that the polymer ring waveguide can be positioned directly above the core of the fiber forming a vertically coupled ring resonator. Our technique allows infinite variation of the width, height, diameter and location (therefore the coupling strength between the fiber and the ring) of the ring resonator waveguide. This approach enables resonators to be fabricated, tested and subsequently removed multiple times on the same side-polished fiber, refining both the ring resonator geometry and materials. Because it is a fiber-based device, it possesses negligibly low optical insertion loss and can be used for fixed and tunable wavelength filters, intensity modulators, and fiber-optic sensors. Both theoretical analysis and experimental data will be presented. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering J.G. Grote, T. Kaino, F. Kajzar https://doi.org/10.1117/12.591422 Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VII - San Jose, CA, United States Duration: Jan 24 2005 → Jan 26 2005 Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VII Optical resonators Sherwood, T., Young, C., Takayesu, J., Jen, A. K. Y., Dalton, L., & Chen, A. (2005). Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber. In J. G. Grote, T. Kaino, & F. Kajzar (Eds.), Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering (Vol. 5724, pp. 356-367). [58] https://doi.org/10.1117/12.591422 Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber. / Sherwood, Travis; Young, Cody; Takayesu, Jocelyn; Jen, Alex K Y; Dalton, Larry; Chen, Antao. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. ed. / J.G. Grote; T. Kaino; F. Kajzar. Vol. 5724 2005. p. 356-367 58. Sherwood, T, Young, C, Takayesu, J, Jen, AKY, Dalton, L & Chen, A 2005, Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber. in JG Grote, T Kaino & F Kajzar (eds), Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. vol. 5724, 58, pp. 356-367, Organic Photonic Materials and Devices VII, San Jose, CA, United States, 1/24/05. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.591422 Sherwood T, Young C, Takayesu J, Jen AKY, Dalton L, Chen A. Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber. In Grote JG, Kaino T, Kajzar F, editors, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. Vol. 5724. 2005. p. 356-367. 58 https://doi.org/10.1117/12.591422 Sherwood, Travis ; Young, Cody ; Takayesu, Jocelyn ; Jen, Alex K Y ; Dalton, Larry ; Chen, Antao. / Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. editor / J.G. Grote ; T. Kaino ; F. Kajzar. Vol. 5724 2005. pp. 356-367 @inproceedings{3cf5a5b64b1c4bbba8cf691e7933df24, title = "Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber", abstract = "We have developed a novel approach for fabricating and testing optical ring resonators. Using a side-polished optical fiber and fabricating a ring waveguide directly over its core, an efficient and passive signal filter in the 1.55 um telecommunication band is created. A standard single mode optical fiber is permanently secured in an arcing groove in quartz and is side polished proximally to its core. The ring resonator is fabricated using two-photon initiated free-radical polymerization of tri-functional acrylate on low-index quartz substrate with a 100 femtosecond pulsed Ti/sapphire laser. The quartz substrate is inverted and vacuum mounted to an X-Y-Z stage so that the polymer ring waveguide can be positioned directly above the core of the fiber forming a vertically coupled ring resonator. Our technique allows infinite variation of the width, height, diameter and location (therefore the coupling strength between the fiber and the ring) of the ring resonator waveguide. This approach enables resonators to be fabricated, tested and subsequently removed multiple times on the same side-polished fiber, refining both the ring resonator geometry and materials. Because it is a fiber-based device, it possesses negligibly low optical insertion loss and can be used for fixed and tunable wavelength filters, intensity modulators, and fiber-optic sensors. Both theoretical analysis and experimental data will be presented.", author = "Travis Sherwood and Cody Young and Jocelyn Takayesu and Jen, {Alex K Y} and Larry Dalton and Antao Chen", doi = "10.1117/12.591422", editor = "J.G. Grote and T. Kaino and F. Kajzar", booktitle = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering", T1 - Polymer ring resonator made by two-photon polymerization and vertically coupled to a side-polished optical fiber AU - Sherwood, Travis AU - Young, Cody AU - Takayesu, Jocelyn AU - Jen, Alex K Y AU - Dalton, Larry AU - Chen, Antao N2 - We have developed a novel approach for fabricating and testing optical ring resonators. Using a side-polished optical fiber and fabricating a ring waveguide directly over its core, an efficient and passive signal filter in the 1.55 um telecommunication band is created. A standard single mode optical fiber is permanently secured in an arcing groove in quartz and is side polished proximally to its core. The ring resonator is fabricated using two-photon initiated free-radical polymerization of tri-functional acrylate on low-index quartz substrate with a 100 femtosecond pulsed Ti/sapphire laser. The quartz substrate is inverted and vacuum mounted to an X-Y-Z stage so that the polymer ring waveguide can be positioned directly above the core of the fiber forming a vertically coupled ring resonator. Our technique allows infinite variation of the width, height, diameter and location (therefore the coupling strength between the fiber and the ring) of the ring resonator waveguide. This approach enables resonators to be fabricated, tested and subsequently removed multiple times on the same side-polished fiber, refining both the ring resonator geometry and materials. Because it is a fiber-based device, it possesses negligibly low optical insertion loss and can be used for fixed and tunable wavelength filters, intensity modulators, and fiber-optic sensors. Both theoretical analysis and experimental data will be presented. AB - We have developed a novel approach for fabricating and testing optical ring resonators. Using a side-polished optical fiber and fabricating a ring waveguide directly over its core, an efficient and passive signal filter in the 1.55 um telecommunication band is created. A standard single mode optical fiber is permanently secured in an arcing groove in quartz and is side polished proximally to its core. The ring resonator is fabricated using two-photon initiated free-radical polymerization of tri-functional acrylate on low-index quartz substrate with a 100 femtosecond pulsed Ti/sapphire laser. The quartz substrate is inverted and vacuum mounted to an X-Y-Z stage so that the polymer ring waveguide can be positioned directly above the core of the fiber forming a vertically coupled ring resonator. Our technique allows infinite variation of the width, height, diameter and location (therefore the coupling strength between the fiber and the ring) of the ring resonator waveguide. This approach enables resonators to be fabricated, tested and subsequently removed multiple times on the same side-polished fiber, refining both the ring resonator geometry and materials. Because it is a fiber-based device, it possesses negligibly low optical insertion loss and can be used for fixed and tunable wavelength filters, intensity modulators, and fiber-optic sensors. Both theoretical analysis and experimental data will be presented. U2 - 10.1117/12.591422 DO - 10.1117/12.591422 BT - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering A2 - Grote, J.G. A2 - Kaino, T. A2 - Kajzar, F. 10.1117/12.591422	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line994
__label__cc	0.67578	0.32422	Features August 25, 2015 October 11, 2018 All Aglow By Barb Howell \| Photography By Holly Leitner Who hasn’t carved a jack-o’-lantern to usher in fall festivities? Triangles for eyes and a nose, a toothy grin for a mouth and you’re done, right? Well, not if you’re Dori Davis Beck. This talented Lake Geneva artist has a passion for pumpkins that translates into elaborate carvings that are both magical and amazing. So amazing in fact, that Davis Beck has created a business called Studio Dori, in which she showcases her talents in the form of one-of-a-kind carved creations. Her specialty is carving pumpkins featuring intricate businesses logos, but her designs have graced pumpkins that have been the centerpieces of birthday celebrations, private parties, weddings, even marriage proposals. Her skills and talents encompass a variety of culinary décor, ranging from beautifully carved watermelons to etched wine glasses and other glassware. HER TALENT EMERGES Many know Davis Beck’s designs from Lake Geneva’s annual Oktoberfest celebration, this year scheduled for Oct. 10-11 and her own event, Lunafest, to be held at Twin Lakes Country Club on Halloween. Her pumpkin carving prowess, however, began years ago. “I used to carve with my older brother when I was just a kid. I didn’t think it would stick with me, but something really kicked in after carving a small pumpkin for Mars Resort when I bartended there years ago.” She explains that after that first attempt, she began receiving lots of requests for specially carved pumpkins, which just so happened to coincide with Lake Geneva’s Oktoberfest celebration. “I talked with George Hennerley, [the then-president of the Geneva Lake Area Chamber of Commerce] and he gave me permission to stay after dark to carve. I probably carved nine or ten pumpkins. A woman who was the director for a facility for mentally challenged adults in Milwaukee stopped by and requested 20 pumpkins. It was an overwhelming and rewarding experience to accomplish that.” At this point, Davis Beck knew she could turn her pumpkin carving talents into a creative outlet and express herself with this art form. This fall Dori is working with 25 businesses to create one-of-a-kind pumpkins that incorporate unique designs with complex logos and fun details. The top five business sponsored pumpkins will be on display at this year’s Oktoberfest celebration in Lake Geneva’s Flat Iron Park. The remaining 20 will be featured and lit Halloween night during Lunafest at Twin Lakes Country Club. HOW SHE CARVES No matter how ornate the design, all of Davis Beck’s creations are done freehand; nothing is ever traced. She attributes this ability to her high school yearbook days when she processed photographs from negatives: “Whatever is white is black and whatever is black is white, that might have triggered this gift,” she explains. Her tools consist of a wide assortment, including some found in pumpkin carving kits she’s purchased, those she’s fashioned from dowel rods, even an assortment of kitchen utensils have a place in her tool kit. She may carve with her left or right hand, holding the pumpkin right-side up or upside down, while keeping it steady with her legs. Once she starts, she says, “I’m in a groove and I’m not stopping!” Although she’s carved thousands of pumpkins for many clients in the 18 years since she placed that first one on the piano at Mars Resort, a highlight of her pumpkin carving career will occur during this year’s Lake Geneva Oktoberfest when she attempts to break the Guinness World Record for fastest time to carve a jack-o’lantern. The record is 16.47 seconds and the caveat is the pumpkin must have a face including eyes, nose, mouth and ears. To carve a pumpkin with just over sixteen ticks on the clock seems almost impossible, but all bets are on that Davis Beck will do just that by harnessing her magical passion for pumpkins. Twin Pines: Standing the Test of Time Preserving Elegance McIntyre’s Resort: Simply Magic Previous articleSaving Stonebeigh Next articleCharles Wacker and the Elegance of Fair Lawn Stebnitz Builders Inc.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1001
__label__wiki	0.995603	0.995603	Billy Dee Williams says it was a mistake to make his 'Star Wars' character pansexual The actor played Lando Calrissian in the original 'Star Wars' movies Words: Steve Brown Billy Dee Williams says it was a ‘mistake’ to make his Star Wars character pansexual. The actor portrayed Lando Calrissian in the original Skywalker trilogy and is set to make his return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker this month. However, the actor caused controversy earlier this month by saying he identifies as pansexual but swiftly corrected himself saying he doesn’t understand the term. And now, Williams has weighed in on the sexuality of his Star Wars character – who was revealed to be pansexual in the Han Solo origins story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, which bombed at the box office. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Williams said the reason the Donald Glover-starring production didn’t have much success was because they made Calrissian pansexual. He said: “I think that’s the reason they didn’t have the success they could have had. “Because they were going for something that was topical, instead of an adventure that’s far beyond those questions. “If you’re talking about this huge, incredible story, why lock yourself into this tiny moment between a character like Lando and his robot friend?” Pansexuality An open letter to all the guys I've ignored or hurt while reclaiming my life after being raped 'Fear of being gay drove me to manic perfectionism' Australia's ad watchdog dismiss complaints about Bond's LGBTQ-inclusive campaign	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1002
__label__cc	0.740304	0.259696	As Natural As Breath, As Startling As Lightning All Articles, Musings / October 10, 2018 October 10, 2018 / brooklyn herborium, community, family, healing, Krista Dragomer, recovery Sleeping on a recovery room fold-out cot in a hospital is a bit like car camping without the fresh air. The makeshift bed roll, the stiff-jointed morning shuffle past bleary-eyed strangers in search of the means to heat water, the disorientation in time and the prevalence of hand sanitizer — it’s a suspension of normal life that may or may not mean that you’re having any fun. The storyline of a family will change over time, precipitated by forces of growth or erosion, by sudden storms or sheer force of will. A husk of familiarity carries a seed of strangeness. You know this seed has been blowing in the currents of your family’s collective movements, yet the day that husk falls away completely and the seed transforms into something fibrous and real, you can’t help but look at one another and say: where did this come from? Love love love, love is all we need. Sitting in this hospital room, I feel the undeniable pith of that strange new reality. It is a reordering of my situated identity at a cellular level. It is a moment in time that everyone comes to, as natural as breath and as startling as lightning. Love love love, love is all we need. It’s so simple, but where to get it, how to feel it, and who to get it from when the wells we’ve always known have run dry are amongst the hardest questions to answer. This is when we have to reach out — with hands sore from endless text updates and clenched, fitful sleep — to take hold of the fibers of this new reality and weave together the love you give yourself. It won’t always be this hard. (Unlike camping) when sleeping on a recovery room fold-out cot in a hospital, it is hard to feel refreshed by one’s surroundings. Hard, but not impossible. As I write this from the Seidman Cancer Center Family Lounge, I can feel the most sumptuous late afternoon sunlight through the window, warming my neck and shoulders, making all my cells wake up and dance. I drink these moments in like hot tea after a rainy night in a tent. This is aliveness. I am alive. Illustration and writing by Krista Dragomer Krista Dragomer is an Ohio-born mixed media artist living and working in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Her work can be seen at www.kristadragomer.com Holistic Philosophy, Sustainably Developed, High Quality Ingredients, Botanically Based, As Organic As Possible, Fairtrade When Available, and Gluten-Free. No GMOs, Petrochemicals, Parabins, SLS, Perfumes, Colorants, or Animal Testing, Ever. Herbal Crafter Apprenticeships Spas & Aestheticians We occasionally offer free goodies and promotional codes to our subscribers. Get on the list and benefit! Sign Up Copyright © 2020 Brooklyn Herborium	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1009
__label__cc	0.720253	0.279747	Birth Your Way Summit Brown Mama Monologues New to Pittsburgh? The Book for Black Moms Mama Motivation Black Girls Garden Meet Muffy Brown Mamas' Blog Uncategorized 5 Lessons I Learned from Nia Long Like most brown girls I first came in sync with the power of Ms. Long via Love Jones. The spell she cast on Darius in that film had me imitating her every move. I thought if I could work that voodoo in life and love it would be no time before I was running through a park at dawn in the fog with my prince charming chasing after me; carefree, and living in love. But, life proved to be a little more complicated. Nonetheless Nia proved to be the girl who just keeps on giving. In my 20s ( and don’t get me to lying about the exact year ) I read an article in Essence magazine featuring Nia and she changed my perspective on life again. The acting chameleon would continue to surprise me through the years. As she birthed children, re-emerged each decade as an icon in the Black acting world and navigated the minefield of love herself, I followed her and more importantly I learned. Here are 5 lessons I learned from the QUEEN of the ‘girl-next-door’ cliche, Ms. Nia Long. 1. You are not 1/2 the woman you are going to be until you are 30. This was such vital piece of advice for me as I finished college and gave birth to my first baby in my 20s. Because I was a young mommy, and just because I’m an ambitious woman, I thought that during my second decade of living I was grown. Well, the world didn’t think so and neither did Nia. She made that statement in an Essence article and it released a lot of tension I had about aging. Suddenly I awoke to an entire 3rd dimension where I would have more room and more time to grow. It taught be that life is not linear, but a circular progression. Life is about evolving to be the woman you are meant to be. It’s not about trying to be all that you can be all at one time. So, take I took my time and allowed life to flow. 2. It’s okay to take a break and start over In the 90s my girl was blowing up. Ms. Long had a plethora of roles and I was in college. As she was making her big leap as a leading lady in films like The Best Man, Soul Food, Stigmata and In Too Deep, I was making my debut on the womanly stage of collegiate education. But just like Ms. Long, around 2000 it was time for a break. We were both pregnant. Me at 19 of course and her a little later in life, but still babies were to be born. Like many of us young brown girls who get stuck with big bellies before the world says it’s time, I thought my life had ended. But, the universe had other plans. And Ms. Nia, well she seems to always have one. It took us seven years, but we got there. As my sistah grew so did I. In ’07 I walked across that college stage and Ms. Long re-emerged on the big screen with Ice Cube in the hit flick Are We There Yet. You see us brown girls can be sure of one thing: What God has for you is for you. It may be delayed, but there is always a path back to it. 3. Comfort is Queen Yes ladies. One thing I love, love, love about Nia Long is she always looks cute and comfortable. Now, I know we have that occasion when the shoes we thought were comfortable proved to be a pain or, when the skirt we thought was long enough to cover that big ol’ thang unexpectedly meets a summer breeze. But, Ms. Long seemingly does not have those days. Whenever I see her she seems comfortable, but equally stylish. She taught me that what we feel the best in, we usually look the best in. 4. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. I am a journalist by trade. I once interviewed Ms. Long as she stomped the campaign trail for President Obama during his ’08 bid for presidency, which he won. She talked about the importance of brown girls getting involved in the political process. She inspired me to always be down for a cause. Growing up, my mom was constantly saying that we needed to stand-up for the things we believed in. But life has a way of helping us forget our power. Black women were the first women on this Earth to give birth. That means something. In fact, it means everything. We have been uniquely called to advocate on behalf of the human womb. Ms. Long taught me that EVERY black woman should have a cause. Mines is motherhood. 5. Our Brown is Oh, So Beautiful! Lastly and on a lighter note, this woman has flawless skin. And not just the substance, but the content. Nia was the first actress that wore her skin with so much pride, dignity and sex appeal. (At least for me and in my generation) I mean we had Halle, but Nia is from around our way. Halle was more like the cheerleader, and Nia is like the chic who hangs in your crew. Even today, I can still relate to Nia the way I related to her in high school, just in a more mature fashion. Nia inspired me to wear my golden, around-the-way girl covering as a badge of honor. She also taught me that us girls from the ghetto can be just as high-fashion, just as worthy and just as pretty as girls from anywhere else. Our brown is sassy, it’s tenacious, it’s intelligent, complicated and beautiful! Muffy MendozaMay 4, 2014 celebritylessons learned from momlife lessonslove jonesnia longteen pregnancy PreviousShould Your Daughter Really Be Dating? NextHELP! I’m Breaking Up with my Bestie Muffy MendozaAuthor posts Muffy Mendoza is an author, speaker and founder of Pittsburgh Brown Mamas, a support group for nearly 4,000 African-American moms in the Pittsburgh region. To further fill the void Muffy has created a line of educational products focused on helping Black moms be the best moms, too. Her first book, The Brown Mama Mindset: A Blueprint for Black Moms on Life, Love & Home, was featured at the 2018 Essence Festival and is currently sold in various cities across the U.S. Muffy champions the beauty of Black motherhood everywhere she goes, even on the TEDx stage. Find out more about Muffy on muffymendoza.com. The Morning Ritual That Centers My Momlife Mama Motivation, Raising Boys, Uncategorized Tips on Selecting Fireplace Inserts that Suit Your Lifestyle What Co-Parents Should Consider Before Going to Court Raising Boys, Uncategorized 10 Gifts Every Black Homeschooler will Love Mom Win: 5 MLK Videos for Kids Help for Our Kids with Sickle Cell Cellphones: Toys or Tools? #MommyMotivation: The Universe is Activated by Faith Brown Mamas’ Mission Brown Mamas exist to provide positive socialization opportunities to Black mothers and connect our moms with resources and information that helps them raise happy, healthy adults. Who are Brown Mamas? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWYEOerqYOA Copyright © 2018 Brown Mamas All Rights Reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1011
__label__cc	0.728731	0.271269	contact@buddhistgumba.co.uk 280 Basingstoke Road, Reading, Berkshire RG2 0HN PostsHome » News » BUDDHIST GUMBA READING CHARITY NIGHT BUDDHIST GUMBA READING CHARITY NIGHT BY OMENDRA GURUNG A charity dinner was organised by the Buddhist Gumba Reading on 07/07/2019 at Rivermead Leisure Complex, Reading to raise funds for acquiring it’s own Monastery (GUMBA) in Reading UK. The event was attended by over 700 guests and managed to raise £45,000. The main guest of the event was Matt Rodda the MP for Reading East, and the highlights of the event was Ani Choying Dolma who is a Nepalese nun and a popular Singer. She is known not only in Nepal but throughout the world for singing many Buddhist chants and feast songs. Ani is a Compassionate advocate who was previously appointed as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal. The popular nun entertained the audience by singing her hit songs including popular and well known song FULKO AAKHAMA FULAI SANSARA. The hall was completely silence when she sang her song AAMA, (mother) because you could hear a pin drop. Ani choying was accompanied by a popular music composer and singer Nhyoo Bajracharya, Raman Maharjan, Sundar Maharjan, Prince Maharjan and Sam. The Nepal Idol judge Nhyoo Bajracharya also sang a few of his songs to entertain the audience. The charity was coordinated by the vice president of the BGR Krishna Gurung, under the chairmanship of retired inspector Khem Gurung and the program was ran by the general secretary of the BGR Kamal Gurung. The number of Nepalese people settled in the UK has increased significantly since the change of immigration rules pertaining the ex-Gurkhas. Reading is a very diverse town with many places to worship such as Gurdwara, Mosque, Synagogue, Temple, Kingdom Halls and churches with the exception of a proper Gumbas for Nyingmapa traditional Buddhism. A majority of the deaths and post-death rituals for the Gurung Buddhist are performed according to Nyingma tradition. There has been a problem of finding a qualified Lama that possess the necessary knowledge of the Gurung culture and tradition as people have started to pass away. As a result, there have been instances where the body had to repatriate back to Nepal because there was no qualified Lama to perform the traditional rituals for Gurungs death/burial and post death rituals (Argum) The BGR was formed on 21st April 2018 in Reading and registered with the charity commission exactly two months later on 21st June 2018 in order to be able to address this void in the community. The committee felt that it would be more viable to either build or purchase a property for a Gumba by finding a qualified Lama to perform all the traditional rituals which would be a valuable asset in the local Buddhist Community, BGR has been working closely with the chairman of the GURUNG (TAMU) LAMA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION NEPAL, who has kindly agreed to provide a qualified Lamas when necessary so that the rituals can be performed in proper traditional manner. The BGR has been running a variety of creative and productive activities to interact with and to educate about Budhdhist Philosophy, while simultaneously extending a cordial relationship to other communities in the UK. So far, £200,000 has been raised while the committee is actively working to find a suitable and affordable property to practice worshiping. The centre will be open to the general public once the Gumba is ready. Special thanks to the committee for playing a vital role in achieving this success. Big KUDOS to you all! बौध्द गुम्बा निर्माणको सहयोग जुटाउन गायिका आनी बेलायत आउँदै बेलायतको रेडिङमा एक बौद्ध गुम्बा निर्माणको लक्ष्यसहित आउँदो ७ जुलाईमा एक च्यारिटी डिनर आयोजना हुने… बुद्धिष्ट गुम्बा रेडिङ्गको गुम्बा निर्माण सहयोगार्थ आयोजित च्यारिटी डिनर नाईट भब्य रुपमा सम्पन्न बुद्धिष्ट गुम्बा रेडिङ्गको गुम्बा निर्माण सहयोगार्थ आयोजित च्यारिटी डिनर नाईटमा ‘फुलको आँखामा फुलै संसार....’ लगायत… बुद्धिस्ट गुम्बा रेडिंगले १८ मे मा धुमधाम बुद्ध जयन्ती मनाउदै आदरणीय सम्पूर्ण वुद्ध मार्गी भकतजनहरुमा ताशिदेलेक,नमस्कार । यहि आउंदाे 18 मे 2019 का दिन हामी… 17 Novemebr मा बुद्धिष्ट गुम्बा रेडिङले शीरलामाको प्रवचनसहित बृहतअन्तर्क्रिया गर्ने Buddhist Gumba Reading UK lll Charity Dinner Night 2019 lll Part 2 Buddhist Gumba Reading UK Charity Dinner Night 2019 lll जहाँ छन् बुद्धका आँखा previous post: बुद्धिष्ट गुम्बा रेडिङ्गकी महिलाहरु ‘रेस फर लाईफ’ मा सहभागिता next post: 17 Novemebr मा बुद्धिष्ट गुम्बा रेडिङले शीरलामाको प्रवचनसहित बृहतअन्तर्क्रिया गर्ने Email: contact@buddhistgumba.co.uk Address:280 Basingstoke Road, RG2 0HN Everest Media NRNA UK Copyright 2019 Buddhist Gumba Reading UK - All Rights Reserved . Website By: Everest Media Services Ltd	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1013
__label__cc	0.560225	0.439775	Posted on August 24, 2016 October 27, 2016 by Stephen Powell A peace gesture from Georgia on the Abkhaz border Sokhumi’s seafront promenade by night The world, it seems, is in two minds about the Black Sea statelet of Abkhazia at the western end of Georgia. For Russians, it is a subtropical holiday paradise and they go there literally by the million every year to frolic by the sea. For the governments of the West, on the other hand, it is a dangerous no-go zone and they advise their citizens not to set foot in these badlands. In 2015 I went three times to the South Caucasus and made it to quite a few places, but back home in Wales it gnawed at me that I had not set foot in Abkhazia. This felt like a serious omission and I decided to find out who is right about Abkhazia – the Russians or the West. In international law this lush, beautiful region is part of Georgia, but covert Russian forces played their part in wresting it from Georgia in a war fought by Abkhaz nationalists in the early 1990s. Abkhazia claims to be an independent state, but only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, Vanuatu and Tuvalu recognise it as such. In practice it is a small extension of Russia, which has a land border on its western edge. Abkhazia’s currency is the Russian rouble. In late June, just a few days after Britain’s European Union referendum, I set off for Georgia. It was a shambolic departure. When I should have been packing, I was writing to my Member of Parliament urging a new referendum. I have never had such a chaotic start to a journey, but that vote did rather upend my emotions. I flew from Bristol via Warsaw to Georgia’s second city, Kutaisi, carrying with me an e-mail from Abkhazia’s foreign ministry promising a visa on arrival in the Abkhaz capital. I arrived at Kutaisi airport in wet, grey weather, but out on the highway in a taxi I knew that I was in Georgia. Cowherds sheltering under umbrellas padded along with their cattle on the road from Zugdidi. Georgia wouldn’t be Georgia without its omnipresent livestock. The taxi driver told me that he had lost his left thumb in the Abkhazia war, which suddenly felt more real. I stayed two nights in the town of Zugdidi for some gentle acclimatisation and then headed in a taxi to the nearby border. This must surely be one of the few official border crossings left in the world where most of the travellers are either on foot or in horse-drawn taxis, covered wagons which ply their trade between the Georgian and Abkhaz border posts. There is another unusual touch. On the left side of the road, after the Georgian passport control and before the bridge over the Enguri river which marks the border, stands the statue of a black revolver pointing towards Abkhazia. But the barrel of the gun is twisted upwards and this actually points at the sky. While the intention, I suppose, is noble, the statue just seems odd on this rather quiet stretch of road. The Enguri river was in a sense familiar territory. A year earlier I had walked to its source in Svaneti, at the Shkhara glacier, and now I was close to the end of its journey. Over on the Abkhaz side of the river I came to a solitary passport officer sitting in a basic shelter. He was a jovial fellow who clearly enjoyed some conversation to help pass the time. He addressed me in Russian, with a certain lightness in his tone. “So, what are you? Tourist, journalist, extremist or terrorist?” Given this menu of options I chose tourist. I also offered the information that I was Welsh since the European soccer championships were on and the world had finally heard of Wales, partly on account of its football maestro Gareth Bale. My new friend, when not flirting with a passing woman, then proceeded to show great interest in matters Celtic and spoke at length about Robert Louis Stevenson and the Picts. I couldn’t follow all he said, but I did reflect that travellers entering Britain would probably not be treated to such literary conversation at passport control. We said farewell on the best of terms and his parting words to me were “Welsh extremist”. Now the author Ned Thomas, many years ago, wrote a book with this title. I can’t imagine that my Abkhaz passport officer knew this, but it is strange how he chose these words. From the border I took another taxi to the nearby town of Gali which is still largely inhabited by ethnic Georgians. The taxi driver even accepted payment in Georgian lari. My guide book described Gali as sadly dilapidated — a result of war damage –but the town had commerce and looked in better shape than I had been expecting. By bus I carried on to Sokhumi, the capital of Abkhazia and a seaside resort of great charm which is finding its feet again after the destruction of civil war. Luckily the website booking.com marches on into disputed territories like Abkhazia and I made my way to a pre-booked guesthouse, run by a woman of Armenian extraction, Anaida. Her husband Sarkis, a self-employed mechanic also of Armenian origin whose forebears fled to these shores after the Genocide, was sitting on a bench in the front yard, pottering with bits of this and that. We fell into conversation. Within less than 10 minutes he asked me: “Why don’t the English like Russia?” I wanted to say “Give me a break, I have only just walked through your door!” Instead I said something to the effect that Russia’s chequered history, with chapters like the Stalinist purges, induced a certain caution in the English where Russia was concerned. This prompted Sarkis to embark on a list of America’s misdeeds over the decades, but happily we did not dwell on geopolitics for long. Still, it was a swift lesson for me that having crossed the Enguri river I was now in a part of the world where the Kremlin’s world view prevailed. Sarkis’s tone was not one of raw hostility, but nor did it feel like an invitation to amicable open-minded debate on the state of the world. Partly, I think, the question was simple curiosity on Sarkis’s part – in the normal way of things he wouldn’t meet many of my compatriots. I spent 16 days in Abkhazia and did not meet a single person from anywhere west of St. Petersburg. Sokhumi was badly damaged in the Abkhaz war but now feels quite prosperous, feeding off a buoyant tourist trade from Russia. Orange and white trolley buses trundle through its streets giving an air of municipal normality and Russian holiday makers throng the seafront promenade lined with oleander bushes. It feels like a good-tempered resort of the old-fashioned kind. During the day a little train takes children for rides along the promenade and in the evening couples come out and dance. Groups set up tables on the stony beach and drink. Young boys shout “Garyachaya cuckoorooza” which to my ear is more melodious than “Hot sweet corn”. I can imagine spending a few happy days shouting “Garyachaya cuckoorooza” on the Sokhumi seafront, but the idea of yelling out the English equivalent has no appeal whatsoever. Occasionally the heavens open and the seaside idyll is temporarily suspended. Once I spent nearly an hour on the seafront huddled inside a popcorn vendor’s stall waiting for a downpour to subside. I arrived in Abkhazia without any firm ideas on itinerary but I didn’t want to try anything too daring. I settled on a plan of walking from Sokhumi to Gagra, another popular seaside resort about 80 kilometres away towards the Russian border. Oh I do like to be beside the seaside The golden domes of Novy Afon monastery I set out on a bright sunny morning. I bought a peaked cap and an umbrella in Sokhumi’s excellent central bazaar and just walked down to the promenade and turned right. There were bathers in the sea, people on the beach and patches of snow on the Caucasus peaks. I love moments like this, when you simply walk out in fine weather into the unknown. At the western end of Sokhumi I was reminded of the region’s difficult modern history. I came across the first war memorial of my walk – I was to see many others. “Eternal glory to the combatants of the Sukhumi battalion who fell in the battles for the motherland!” The memorial gave the names of 36 fighters, one dead in 1992, the others in 1993. Behind were the ruins of a five-storey red brick building partly covered in vegetation. Presumably one of the battles for the motherland had taken place right here. The first day of my Abkhazia walk, July 6, was also the day that Britain published its long-awaited Chilcot report on the Iraq war, so the human propensity for slaughter was hard to shift from my thoughts. One of the outcomes of the Abkhaz war was the mass deportation of Georgians from the region. Before the war about half of the population of Abkhazia was Georgian and they greatly outnumbered the Abkhaz. In the political and economic tumult surrounding the end of the Soviet Union, relations between the ethnic groups fell apart, with both sides committing atrocities. In the fighting Russia put its weight behind the Abkhaz and more than 200,000 Georgians were forced to flee their homes. Today, Abkhazia’s greatly reduced population stands at a little over 240,000. The loss of Abkhazia and the ethnic cleansing of so many people is the worst tragedy to afflict Georgia since it regained its independence in 1991. The whole dreadful episode brings to my mind a short conversation I had in Tbilisi in the spring of 2015, when the Ukraine conflict and Russia’s role in that had been a major world story for months. In the cafe at Prospero’s book shop on Rustaveli Avenue I briefly met Robert Nalbandov, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Utah State University. Nalbandov told me that he had been writing a book on Russian foreign policy under Putin. “So what is it like,” I asked, “to be a neighbour of Russia?” I half-thought that I might get a carefully nuanced reply from a cautious academic. But the good professor’s response was bluntness itself. “It sucks,” he said. As I walked through Abkhazia, it did become clear that linguistically this is a seriously Russified part of the world. Russian is the language on everything from billboards to beer bottles, from fridge magnets to menus. It is the tongue you hear most often. A linguistic map of Georgia, published by the Tbilisi-based Centre for the Studies of Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (website csem.ge) shows how beleaguered the Abkhaz language is. Abkhaz, a Northwest Caucasian tongue spoken by about 100,000 people, is restricted to a band of territory more or less following the coast from Ochamchire in the south to the village of Kaldakhvara in the north, a stretch of about 140 kilometres. In the south Mingrelian, a Kartvelian language related to Georgian, predominates, while in the Kodori valley of eastern Abkhazia there are villages populated by speakers of Svan. The map shows many pockets of Armenian. But what the map doesn’t tell you at all is the primary linguistic truth of Abkhazia – the Russian language is king. I also realised, as I headed north, just how very beautiful Abkhazia is. After about four hours’ walking, largely on roads with no sight of the sea, suddenly there was the Black Sea. I had a glorious view of the whole coast stretching to the northwest, with wooded mountains sweeping down to the water and the golden domes of a monastery glinting in the sun. I walked the last kilometres along deserted beaches, sometimes getting my feet wet because the beach was abruptly terminated by rising land. But these were not savage shores and I came safely home to a long straggling village where I found a room overlooking the sea. The next morning I walked the few kilometres to the golden domes of the huge Novy Afon monastery, established by Russian monks in the 19th century. The monastery and its cathedral are popular spots with day-trippers from Sokhumi. While there were some worshippers, secular tourists set the tone. But it is a very lovely place all the same, with the domes nestling so naturally among the trees. From Novy Afon I retraced my steps to the main road, past a lake and verdant landscaped gardens, and walked on to Gudauta. This is also a seaside town, but utterly eclipsed by its sisters Sokhumi and Gagra. I checked into a sterile hotel which reeked of the Soviet era. The front door squeaked outrageously and immediately to its left was a building in ruins. In the morning a kitchen babushka dispensed porridge to the guests in a rather Spartan canteen. After Gudauta the road swept inland and was quite heavy with traffic. The saving grace was the lush subtropical landscape, the trees and the mountains. Some of the trees are so big. The elder trees, with their flowers in bloom, are great bursts of white in the landscape, but so high that the lowest flowers are out of reach. The elderflower cordial enthusiast would need a ladder! On day three I walked as far as the village of Kaldakhvara. I couldn’t see any sign of a hotel or a B&B so I just went into a shop and asked the owner, a woman, if she knew where I could find accommodation. “Would a tent be OK?” she asked. I said that would be fine and she made a phone call. While I waited I took stock of what she sold. This was a well-provisioned country shop. It had plenty of Abkhaz wine, but the shelves also boasted Jack Daniels and Amaretto. Soon a young man arrived and whisked me off to a nearby camp site. Sadbey, a 23-year-old Abkhaz, said his small camp site was in its first season. He was a qualified mechanical engineer and had studied at Sokhumi and Rostov-on-Don in Russia. He said his grandfather had provided him with the land to start a business. Sadbey was charming, hospitable and mentally attuned to the wider world. He has an aunt living in Virginia. Never again can I view Abkhazia as an improbable distant land of which I know nothing! On day four I rested and read one of Margery Allingham’s novels, “Death of a Ghost”. The time always passes agreeably in Ms Allingham’s company. The next day I completed my walk through the heart of Abkhazia and entered Gagra. Walking along roads is not the ideal scenario, but I felt better acquainted now with this part of the world. I knew the sounds of the Abkhaz countryside – the chirruping of crickets, the tinkle of cow bells and, rather less poetic, the whirr of grass trimmers. For some of my walk from Sokhumi the road had run alongside a railway line. If you ride this line far enough, you arrive in Moscow. Put the other way, you can travel from Moscow’s Kazansky station and 36 hours later arrive in Gagra, in the subtropics. I had never thought before about trains leaving Moscow for the subtropics, but when I checked into my guesthouse I discovered that the place practically shuddered every time a train passed. So I have now mentally adjusted my ideas of Russia’s railway network. There is more to it than the Trans-Siberian. I warmed to Gagra. It is a popular resort in a good sense, without pretension and simply very lovely, with green wooded hills tumbling down to the sea. If you have been through a north Russian winter, this coast must be a taste of bliss. I did fall ill in Gagra, with a stomach complaint and the start of a long attack of hiccups. But such is a traveller’s lot on occasions. On my last full day before returning to Sokhumi, feeling distinctly below par, I paid for a place in a 4×4 to go to Lake Ritsa, one of Abkhazia’s star attractions. The road to Lake Ritsa A lake that most emphatically vaut le détour I was glad that I raised myself from my sick bed. The trip to Lake Ritsa, up in the mountains, was glorious. Now you might imagine looking at a map of the Caucasus, that the route going up to Ritsa is a quiet country road. You would be wrong! The road simply teemed with traffic. Russian tourists in literally hundreds of 4x4s dotted the countryside between the coast and the lake, taking in side tracks that go to two spectacular waterfalls. They often stood in their vehicles, did high-fives with passengers in other cars and generally threw a party over a great swathe of countryside. But what countryside! On the drive to Ritsa the road goes through a canyon and you really couldn’t wish for grander scenery. The lake itself is sublime. The waters are a light greeny blue and specked with little paddle boats. The backdrop is wooded hills and behind them a line of snow-streaked rocky mountain. This is a very popular spot indeed, but somehow nature accommodated everyone and I didn’t begrudge anyone their time in such splendour. Inevitably, Stalin had a dacha here. (You almost didn’t need to be told that. You could probably guess.) Back in Gagra for my final evening I watched a fiery red sun sink into the Black Sea. This is a town of great natural exuberance and beauty. My little health problem accompanied me back to Sokhumi (I travelled in motorised transport this time) and this meant that I did not stray too far from my bed for much of the time. But I did make it to the botanical garden, a well-tended, well-frequented place with shady bamboo groves and soaring pines and palm trees. After a few days of doing little I decided to head back to Georgia proper. At the border my old friend the passport officer recognised me instantly and we re-entered the conversational realm of matters Celtic, particularly languages. For the very first time, just minutes before leaving, I had a conversation in English with an Abkhaz citizen. A man in his thirties told me that he had an MBA from the University of Westminster and a hazelnut processing factory in Gali just down the road. “We export hazelnuts to Russia,” he said. I asked how Gali was doing. “We are building, bit by bit.” He said it was slow because no outside investment was coming in, but he struck an upbeat note about Abkhazia. “We have stability,” he told me. That, presumably, is where the British Foreign Office would disagree with him. But during my 16 days in Abkhazia I didn’t see anything to contradict him. The region felt pretty stable to me and never once did I feel unsafe. I unfurled my Sokhumi umbrella and in light rain embarked on the 20-minute walk to the Georgian border post. A gentle mist hung over the waters of the Enguri and horse-drawn wagons crossed with their passengers. Tagged Abkhazia, Gagra, Georgia, Kutaisi, Lake Ritsa, Robert Nalbandov, Russia, Sokhumi, Zugdidi2 Comments ← Quake-hit city in Armenia tugs at the heart To Georgia’s wine country → 2 thoughts on “In two minds about Abkhazia” Nice piece Steve! I remember that lush greenery you describe, and the mountains behind, but we didn’t go as far west as you! I have found memories of Abkhaz wine too! Glad you are safe and hope you are well. let me know when you’re back! Bestest Tim Perhaps the civil servants at the FO should follow your example and get out more!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1025
__label__cc	0.61293	0.38707	Home News Innovative Planning bags prestigious award for Nairobi buildings Innovative Planning bags prestigious award for Nairobi buildings Two Nairobi building developments were honoured at the International Property Awards, held at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square Hotel on June 12, 2019. The Address, a commercial building Located along Waiyaki Way, received “Best Commercial High Rise Architecture” and The Marquis, a luxury apartment building in Kileleshwa, was the award winner in the “Residential High Rise Architecture” category, with both buildings having competed against similar projects across Dubai, Africa and Arabia. Jatinder Thethy, Founder and Principal Architect at Innovative Planning and Design Consultants (IPDC), the Nairobi, based architectural practice responsible for both building designs and Chetan Hayer, from the Hayer One Group, their developer, were in London to receive the awards at a glittering award gala. Related:Britam Tower features in Emporis Skyscraper Award On receiving the awards, Thethy and Hayer thanked the award organisers and its panel of judges for the recognition, with Thethy stating that they “help promote design excellence and sustainability in architecture and the built environment, across Africa”. The Dubai, Africa and Arabia Property Awards are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme throughout the regions. The awards are judged by an independent panel of over 80 industry experts, that is chaired by members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability. Previous articleFLSmidth wins contract for new cement plant in Morocco Next articleAfrican experts calls for investment in renewable energy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1026
__label__wiki	0.882029	0.882029	Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Jan. 31) January 31, 2018 BlowoutBuzzLeave a comment The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now. What’s Buzzing Today: Collectors react to James Harden’s big game, the big NFL trade and its fallout and today’s arrival of 2018 Topps Series 1 baseball cards. Baseball, Basketball, Board Buzz, Football2018 Topps, 2018 Topps Series 1, Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, Alex Smith trade, Houston Rockets, James Harden, Kansas City Chiefs, Kirk Cousins, MLB, NBA, NFL, Panini America, Patrick Mahomes, Topps, Washington Redskins You’ll have to rip old Arena League packs to find only football cards for new Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy If you suddenly find yourself in need of a football card of new Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy, you ultimately have just one place to find it. In old Arena Football League packs. Football2005 Upper Deck AFL, 2006 Upper Deck AFL, 2006 Upper Deck AFL Arenagraphs, AFL, Arena Football League, Carolina Cobras, Chicago Bears, Columbus Destroyers, Georgia Force, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Nagy, New York Dragons, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles What’s Buzzing Today: Trubisky Time, big NFL pulls, Topps Now sets & more. Autograph Collecting, Baseball, Board Buzz, Football, Pro Wrestling2017 Panini XR, 2017 Topps Heritage High Number, 2017 Topps WWE Women's Division, Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, Carmella, Kansas City Chiefs, Mike Trout, Mitchell Trubisky, NFL, Panini America, Topps, Topps Now, WWE NFL Notables: Six rookies to watch after Week 1 … Hunt, Watt & more September 11, 2017 September 11, 2017 BlowoutBuzzLeave a comment There were surprises and new arrivals on the NFL rookie front — and that’s just Week 1. Six newcomers stepped up with none perhaps more surprising the Kansas City RB Kareem Hunt, who helped the Chiefs pull off a dominating 42-27 win over the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Thursday night. He had 17 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown — and seven catches for 133 yards and a 75-yard score. Not bad for a third-rounder out of Toledo. As you should already know from last week, he already appears on more than 450 different cards with nearly 300 of those being certified autos. He’s got 15 RCs so far by the standard (non-insert) definition and nearly 140 memorabilia cards and is found in most 2017 releases — just like most of our other notables from Sunday. Who made the cut? Keep reading. Football, NFL NotablesChicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson, Deshone Kizer, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, NFL, NFL rookies, Panini America, Pittsburgh Steelers, T.J. Watt, Tarik Cohen Kareem Hunt’s dominating debut puts spotlight on his football cards There’s a new NFL star after Thursday night’s season-opener — and it’s not Angry Tom. It’s Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Kareem Hunt, who helped his team scorch the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots with a more-than-impressive debut in a 42-27 spanking of Tom Brady and his team. Hunt’s final line? Just 17 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown — and seven catches for 133 yards and a 75-yard score. Not bad for a third-rounder out of Toledo. The good news? Hunt has a ton of cards for collectors to, well, hunt. Autograph Collecting, Football2017 Donruss, 2017 Leaf Metal Draft, 2017 Panini Origins, Kansas City Chiefs, Kareem Hunt, Leaf Trading Cards, NFL, Panini America, Toledo football Tino Sabbatelli’s first NXT ink is here — but he’s signed plenty before The arrival of 2017 Topps WWE NXT this week marked the certified autograph debut of aspiring WWE star Tino Sabbatelli and just his third cardboard appearance, too. But it’s far from the first time he’s sat down to sign autographs for a card company. What? Keep reading … Autograph Collecting, Football, Pro Wrestling2007 National Treasures, 2007 NFL Draft, 2017 Topps WWE NXT, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, NXT, Oregon State football, Panini America, Sabby Piscitelli, Tampa Bay Bucs, Tino Sabbatelli, Topps, WWE, WWE NXT Buzz Poll: Who wins Super Bowl LI? We’re down to the last 12 NFL teams and that means we have just one question for the remainder of the football calendar. Buzz Poll, FootballAtlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl, Super Bowl LI, Super Bowl predictions Sunday Six: Memorable (and cheap) cards from 1992 Pro Line Portraits There are many sports cards sets out there from the past that aren’t valuable in the financial way at all but they can carry some intrinsic quality that should just resonate with some collectors anyway. Maybe it’s just because Buzz ripped these packs in the past — or maybe because they are just so much more different than anything made in the years since — but one set that feels that way for me is 1992 Pro Line Portraits. It’s a football card set that’s simple — portraits on the front — and oddly non-statistical with thoughts from the person on the back. Most are football players, but some are players’ wives and others are celebrities who have a fondness for the game. One of those people, for example, is Muhammad Ali and you can see his Team NFL insert card (No. 1 in the set) above. The biggest draw of these back then? There was an autographed card guaranteed in every box. For a simple Sunday item — call it a Sunday Six — here’s a look at six fun cards from the product. Autograph Collecting, Football, Sunday Six1992 Pro Line, 1992 Pro Line Portraits, 1992 Pro Line Portraits Team NFL, 1992 Pro Line Profiles, Atlanta Falcons, Bo Jackson, Brian Jordan, Chris Long, Cincinnati Bengals, Deion Sanders, Howie Long, Jake Long, Joe Montana, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Milton Berle, Muhammad Ali, Oakland Raiders, Pro Line, San Francisco 49ers, Tim Krumrie, Zubaz Will “Catching Kelce” turn into collecting Kelce? Perhaps … Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce will be the star of a reality TV show that revolves around his dating life — and, believe it or not, there’s a shot that it could spark added interest in his football cards. E! Entertainment announced this week that it has eight episodes of Catching Kelce coming soon and in a story to deadline.com an E! executive described why the player was chosen. “On top of being a well-respected athlete, Travis has a fun-loving, over the top personality that draws people to him,” E! executive vice president Jeff Olde said. “We are excited to give our viewers an up-close look at his search for love.” So, why might this mean something for his football cards? Football, Movies, TVABC, Catching Kelce, Disney, E!, Invincible, Jesse Palmer, Kansas City Chiefs, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Oher, NFL, reality TV, The Bachelor, The Blind Side, Travis Kelce, Travis Kelce football cards, Vince Papale Buzz List: Eight NFL players to watch this weekend The NFL’s postseason kicks off with four games this weekend and it seems each of them have players to watch when it comes to collecting football cards. Here’s one player from all eight teams Buzz says could be of interest — some obvious, some not. J.J. Watt — The Houston Texans’ defensive dynamo and part-time tight end is basically a household name with his bloody noses and his Papa John’s commercials, but when it comes to autographed Rookie Cards he might be overvalued. He’s one of very few defensive stars to really get attention when it comes to cards, so it would take a monster game against the Chiefs to make those Contenders Rookie Cards even better buys. Sorry for the bad news there. (Maybe him being able to successfully complete a pizza curl in a follow-up Papa John’s commercial would help?) Buzz List, FootballA.J. McCarron, Antonio Brown, Cincinnati Bengals, Doug Baldwin, Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, J.J. Watt, Kansas City Chiefs, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Peters, Minnesota Vikings, Papa John's, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Teddy Bridgewater, Washington So, who gets the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award? The biggest driver on football cards these days is the Rookie Card and now that the regular season is over most of those big-name newcomers are done for the year. So, naturally, that makes us wonder who get the Rookie of the Year nod? We’ll focus on offense since it matters the most when it comes to cards. (On defense Buzz thinks it will probably go to Kansas City’s Marcus Peters, who tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions and two TDs.) But on offense it’s not as easy. FootballAmari Cooper, Arizona Cardinals, David Johnson, Jameis Winston, Kansas City Chiefs, Marcus Mariota, Marcus Peters, NFL Rookie of the Year, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Bucs, Tennessee Titans, Thomas Rawls, Todd Gurley, Tyler Lockett Buzz Poll: Are Pro Football Hall of Fame mini busts cool or creepy? December 22, 2015 BlowoutBuzz2 Comments Among the items in the Pro Football Hall of Fame‘s online gift shop are a series of five mini busts that Buzz couldn’t help but be drawn to. Why? Buzz can’t figure out whether they are cool or creepy. Buzz Poll, FootballArizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Emmitt Smith, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame Mini Bust, San Francisco 49ers, Terry Bradshaw, Walter Payton Chiefs RB Charcandrick West finally gets a Rookie Card next week December 8, 2015 December 8, 2015 BlowoutBuzzLeave a comment Nobody really expected un-drafted Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Charcandrick West to do a whole lot in the NFL this season. Why? Well, a four-time Pro Bowl selection Jamaal Charles was ahead of him on the depth chart — he of five 1,000-yard seasons in the last six years. But then Oct. 11 happened. Football2015 Panini Crown Royale, Charcandrick West, Charcandrick West Rookie Card, Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Panini America Jeremy Langford, Antonio Brown & Adrian Peterson among NFL’s Buzz-worthy players in Week 10 November 16, 2015 January 9, 2017 BlowoutBuzzLeave a comment Jeremy Langford might not be the Bears rookie that many thought would be stirring things up in Chicago, but in Week 10 he was just that with 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown as well as seven catches for 109 yards and a score. On the season, the fourth-rounder out of Michigan State has four rushing touchdowns and 225 yards — most of that in the last two weeks. when Matt Forte has been out due to injury. Could the Bears have a new option here on offense? Sure seems like it. >> Click here to shop for 2015 football boxes on BlowoutCards.com. He’s not the only Chicago Bear who generated some buzz on the field this week. FootballAdrian Peterson, Antonio Brown, Charcandrick West, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeremy Langford, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Forte, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Zach Miller	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1028
__label__cc	0.567117	0.432883	Status Updates posted by Lucid Dream This is all I've come here for. PaulyBFromDa303 reacted to this KHCast >Literally was going to post this just now. >:/ Just post it tomorrow, nobody will notice lol. Anyways, bye PaulyBFromDa303 Haven't seen you in a few years Lucid. I hope all is ok bud Trying to maintain my interest in Sonic is just getting harder and harder. It feels like a decade since I last felt any sort of interest towards 3D Sonic games even though it's been hardly a year since I played Sonic Generations. Sonic Forces... isn't helping. I kinda want to make a smell bank of nice smelling soaps and other stuff that smells nice. I never knew I loved smells so much. It's a shame that the smell of alcohol is so disturbing for me. At least places like Lush use less alcohol and have other stuff that smell nice. Whoop, getting my first paycheck tomorrow Time to immediately waste it all on some crap. MightyRay, PaulyBFromDa303 and Adamabba reacted to this JosepHenry Buy a Switch for me. Lucid Dream reacted to this MightyRay Congrats man! Enjoy your money! TailsTellsTales Kiah Nice! I always say splurge on that first paycheck. Then from there on out be sure to save something from each one even if it’s just a little bit. You won’t regret it. MightyRay reacted to this Yey I got emplyed Now I gotta think of something to waste my first paycheck on. Games or Lush... I know I'm super late, but I'm soooo happy Fang appeared in Sonic Mania. Looking at him bouncing around makes me so happy. Glad to see the trio are back in some form. I gotta finish Sonic Mania already... Oil Ocean put me off a little. Also hi! Glad to see everyone doing well MightyRay and TheOcelot reacted to this Glad you're having fun with Mania! I haven't bought it yet. hehe Ah Oopsie. I didn't mean to spoil anything for you Nah, it's O.K.! I usually spoil myself on things anyway so it's no big deal. Oh did you see the pic of Mami I drew for you a while ago? OH my god you did that? No I havn't, I must check it out asap! Thank you so much for that. @Mightyray you might want to get on that my friend. ? Mania being awesome aside, there isn't anything deemed to be a spoiler with the game now that's it's been officially released for 2 months now so mentioning anything about it sans spoiler tags is fair game now. Ahh Sonic Mania is so fun. I just finished Chemical plant Zone 2 and it really reminded me of Portal 2 with all the gels and gel tubes. I guess if there's this kind of innovation for all of the old levels, I don't mind the nostalgia zones too much. Finished my final exam and with that, it's the end of school. Even though my official graduation was a while ago, it's only really starting to hit me now that my exams are all done. It's a weird feeling. At least I'm getting a PS4 soon. That's something to look forward too. MightyRay, JosepHenry, Dee Dude and 1 other reacted to this I hope you pass all your exams! Sega is releasing a brand new, revolutionary game. Nothing competes. http://sega.jp/special/aprilfool/ PaulyBFromDa303 and MightyRay reacted to this I decided to catch up on SSMB and see if there was any new news while I was walking around, and I accidently walked into the girls bathroom and stayed there staring at my phone for a few minutes as a result. The girls were understanding (although quite giggly), but that was quite embarrassing. There was nothing new here either. BlueSky and PaulyBFromDa303 reacted to this This made my night. Oh sure. You were looking at your phone. In camera mode LOL Oh damn, thinking about it that way it would have been really easy for a girl to attack me for it. Even though my phone was facing down, and it was obvious I went in by accident. Some people are evil enough to try to twist anything into a sexual harassment/rape case. I have to be careful... In this day and age? Yeah. Panic Planet. That oughta be a Sonic stage Solkia Who TF stands around in a public bathroom texting Late reply, but I thought I went through a hallway. I don't go to public toilets. I know it was really stupid. Would you say shows like Panty and Stocking or Avatar are anime or cartoons? What's the distinction for you? Well, the unofficial term for Western animated shows that look like anime is called animesque. Avatar and a few other cartoons (The Boondocks, Marathon shows like Totally Spies!, etc.) are usually described as that category. PSG (Panty and Stocking) would essentially be the inverse of that, but I don't think there's a term for that though. Tara, Dee Dude, Lucid Dream and 3 others reacted to this Oh, well that's pretty simple. Probably easier to call PSG, Dead leaves, etc cartoonesque then. Even if it's not a proper term, I'm sure the sentiment gets through. Mr Loopone For me, Avatar (and Korra) is a cartoon influenced by Japanese [and a bit of Chinese?] work and Panty & Stocking is an anime influenced by American work. So the former as a cartoon while the latter is an anime. It is a bit of a strange thing in general but I call anime Japanese cartoons for simplistic reasons, just that Panty & Stocking as well as say Lupin the 3rd are more Western influenced than usual by the animation/art style. Plus anime being so niche where I am (it's just Pokemon on TV) that only students would known what an anime is. It just depends whether the writers/production team and the original work is American/Canadian or Japanese. Those examples are clear enough. It gets a bit harder by co-productions though like many French-Japanese or Spanish/Italian-Japanese stuff though. I don't know if Alfred J. Kwak is a cartoon or an anime as an example. Besides many cartoons and anime to a smaller extent have their animation done in South Korea or China. Milo reacted to this That's a great question. I think as long as it's still the same style, it's anime. Technically, Boondocks is anime too Jesus christ, London is still safe people. We've had much worse happen before, our police know what to do. Stop blowing things way out of proportion. None of us are in any more danger than usual. I don't think anyone is overreacting here. Just expressing concern for what is still a terrible thing to have happened even though it's on a lesser degree to other incidents and I have no idea why you have a problem with this. Ayliffe, Boomer, JosepHenry and 1 other reacted to this Wishing for people's safety is not overblowing anything. We should be giving our condolences to the victims. Not jumping to conclusions and assuming London is unsafe and that we're all in danger. This is what terrorist attackers want, for people to think London is dangerous now. I feel like you're looking way into this. We can do both, and it's implied and should go without saying our condolences Like what, you want people to not bat an eye at this, af not have basic human reactions? London has good security, it's as safe as it can be. Nothing is ever truly safe. People have been expressing their condolences as well as their wishes for everyone to be safe. If one life is lost due to someone's total malice and respect for life it's one life too many and we have no idea how much farther this could go. Hence the concern which is something we humans should display towards one another especially in times of distress. That said I really don't understand your stance here. I don't understand it at all. Athena Cykes I mean, you can still wish people to stay safe given the current situation over there. It's pretty obvious that I'm referring to people who think London is in some kind of extreme danger when I say "blowing out of proportion". A lot of people seem to think London is in a lot of danger. @Kiah my point is quite clear. I'm saying that we aren't in danger and that you don't need to worry for us unnecessarily. Just send condolences to the victims. It's just suspicious how people are acting like we're in so much danger. It's being treated like a terrorist attack, but it's not confirmed yet. Hoping for the best is very different to immediately jumping to conclusions, assuming we Again, why can't we wish safety for people? If one person in my city all the way on the other side got killed by someone and the killer was on the loose, I'd still express condolences and safety for people even if they were nowebere near the attack. I don't think it's hard to process expressing people be careful or safe = assumptions that the place is some danger zone where killings always happen No ones jumping to conclusions by saying that stuff "It's pretty obvious that I'm referring to people who think London is in some kind of extreme danger" Good for you if you don't think London is a danger zone. If you look around a little you'll see a lot of people saying Europe and the UK is under threat. I'm not just talking about people here. Your point isn't clear to me and it never will be mainly in part due to being a very sympathetic person. If I am concerned about the well-being and safety of others no matter what the circumstances or the said scale of said circumstances are behind it then by all means I will feel it and express it like I always have. If you think I or anyone else is overreacting due to feeling concern for others then that's on you. Seriously I don't know what to say about that and I still don't know why this is bothering you so much. And no one here is saying nor implying that London is in "extreme danger" but enough had happened for some of us to feel concerned and express that said concern. I think what he's trying to say is that people are acting as though London just fell victim to a 9/11 scale attack when they weren't. He's not complaining about people expressing sympathy for the victims, but expressing discontent for the people trying to paint the incident as a much greater than it is and spreading fear beyond what is rational for the context of the incident. PaddyFancy, Lucid Dream and Mr Loopone reacted to this PaddyFancy I can understand the need to put up a stiff-upper lip and carry on as normal. That's the best way to beat them. Besides, the terror threat level has been like this for a few years, so its been "in extreme danger". People can carry on but there's no harm in showing concern. I, myself, am going to London soon. @KiahThe reason you're not understanding my point is because you're only thinking about yourself. Stop twisting my words. The second paragraph isn't aimed at you if you're just giving condolences. This is aimed towards people who think terrorists are invading Britain. That's extreme danger. Not everything is about you lot. Basically what @Tara said. I've repeated this point several times, it's not just about you. I'm doing no such thing so I suggest you get off the selfish kick. You're the one twisting my words saying I'm making this about me and that's just wrong. It's because of my concern for others that I said what I said among many other things. You came across as being dismissive towards those expressing concern and per other comments here I wasn't the only one that thought this. You didn't make your point clear in addition to the implications otherwise this status update wouldn't of gone the route it did. Tara's comment cleared things up thankfully. One one hand, I give condolences to the people who were lost during the hit and run as well the attacked police officer. It'll be a bit weary and security might be tightened for the week so it'll make London a bit edgy however worse has happened. It is thankful that the police arrested the man that did this. Remains me of the time when I went to London for a school trip then a month later the 7/7 bombings happened, a terrible event that killed a lot of people. On the other hand, I completely get what @Lucid Dream is saying. If it was done where I live (London by comparison is safer, at least for a majority of areas) or nearby Bradford that happens a lot more often with hit & runs (I was a victim myself and luckily on got a scratch on the arm) and attempted police killers it'll be shrugged off, it also wouldn't be on national news either. Maybe 5 minutes worth and front page of the day on local news at most. Axing over 2 hours worth of TV programming for this event on 2 major channels is a bit overblown just because it happened in London and not anywhere else in the country. Honestly I thought until I looked it up that something much worse happened. Hooray for new year money! I got a nice amount of monies to dump on a nice, pricey game. So, what game should I get? I'm thinking devil survivor 2 or Nier Automata, but I'm open to suggestions. I really enjoy Shadow of Mordor and personally can't wait for shadow of War to come out Let's put it this way. If you love Lord of the Rings, and Assassin's Creed, this is the game for you I decided to watch Panty and Stocking to see how a Cartoon based anime would be like. I'm disgusted and amazed at the same time. It's an experience. Crow the BOOLET Its a blessing Panty and Stocking is my fav vulgar cartoon/anime thing. CottonCandy It's one of funniest and most offensive anime I've ever seen. The action is fantastic as well. Panty and Stocking started showing up in my related videos on Youtube again, so I decided to give it another whirl. I loved it then and I love it even more now. For such a vulgar and offensive show, it's ... honest about it? Like it doesn't even try to pretend it has any morally redeeming values, and it's complete disregard for absolutely fucking everything makes it so bad it actually becomes surprisingly endearing. The action's fun too, and I love it every time they blow up those silly little models of the ghost monsters. The characters are very refreshing. I love how much of an irredemably disgusting asshole Panty is and how much of a hypocritical bitch Stocking is. It's charming in it's honesty and style. It feels empowering in a strange way. I think the characters are my favourite thing about the entire show. Especcially Knee Socks. So I just learnt that a childhood friend of mine that I lost contact with was also a huge Sonic fan. Well, I doubt it would've changed much. Still, it would've been nice to talk about it. None of my friends play games now... Psht. I know how it is. Everybody i know stopped playing like after Dreamcast you could say they grew up and became functional adults (just a joke lol) Sonic Forces better have some ultra graphics settings for PC. I don't want to rely on mods to improve the graphics again. My husbando Hijikata has arrived! <3 My day is going so well. Classes were great, the day was great, food was great, figures are FANTASTIC! Whoop! Ristar reacted to this All these comments about mens international day is so obnoxious. Yes, it is hardly celebrated and it should be addressed, but there's a time and place for everything. Videos on womens equality is not the right place, and international womens day is not the right time. It's unfair to drown out a day for women by complaining about a day for men. Pretty stupid too. Lord-Dreamerz, MightyRay, Nightly and 1 other reacted to this It's kinda like a white appreciation day for me, in that essentially every day for those groups is basically a appreciation day since they usually get the better treatment in most situations and have few hardships in historical contexts like other groups. Conquering Storm’s Servant You and those other guys do realize that International Men's Day already is an actual thing, right? Or is there something I'm missing? @Conquering Storm's Servant I think the issue was that the men's day is constantly being shoehorned in, as if the people talking about it want to drown out women's day completely to make it all about themselves. If that's the case, then yeah that is total bullshit. if guys want their day to be a bigger thing, they should work on promoting it, not tearing down other people on their day. @Conquering Storm's Servant I'm quite clearly saying that discussing mens international day (alongside mens issues) on womens international day topics and videos is distasteful. I acknowledge Mens international day in the very first sentence. It actually feels like there's more discussion about mens international day now, as opposed to the day itself. How counterproductive. Such people are what we call insular and greedy. Monkey Destruction Switch No need to spend a weird, unnecessary holiday promoting an equally weird, unnecessary holiday. Mr Loopone and Osmium reacted to this Grinding in Pokemon Sun is such a bore. I guess I'll just catch all the legenderies and call it complete. Big Panda Good luck finding all the Zygarde cells. ...no, seriously, good luck. You'll need it. Nina Cortex Jovahexeon reacted to this I now hate Wednesdays. I have tutorial in the morning, and then no lessons for the next 4 hours. I normally don't go tutorial and enjoy life at home, but teachers are forcing me to go tutorial now. It's such a waste of time. So infuriating. I take this back. My tutorial teacher is amazing. She's telling me she'll sign me in if I let her know I'm not coming. JosepHenry reacted to this I was supposed to study and post here a good amount, but new Overwatch hero distracted me. She distracted me for waaay too long. She's so fun! Ellipsis-Ultima Wait there's a new hero? Stephen Universe is really fun. I really like the characters, they're so fun. Also, when Pearl/Garnet sing Today, in Physics class, I learned how to make a deadly taser using aluminium foil and plastic wrapping. Hell, the foil started sparking up. This was the most practical lesson I've had in a while. Is Steven Universe worth watching? Is it as good as it looks? Nepenthe Gregzilla I definitely recommend it. It's not perfect and the fanbase is rabid, but it's got some very engaging characters and lovely aesthetics. One of my favorite kids' cartoons in a pretty long while. JayRaR Yeah, it's like a bite sized anime. Half Slice of Life, Half Action Adventure, Half Sci-fi. I do love the aesthetic. I do like SoL too. I really wouldn't call it a bite sized anime. It has 112 episodes. Most anime only have 12-24. By bite-sized, I meant that episodes are short. 11 minutes compared to like 22 minutes of an average anime episode. I do like the aesthetic too, and its amazing this show is still going on. Part of me wishes Sonic Boom was like this Yeah, it's worth watching. I'm literally drinking gold tea. Like, really gold tea, made of Saffron. It's amazing though. It tastes spectacular too. Such a shame I can't get these in the UK. I have to treasure all of it. Is there an actual difference between ice tea and tea that's just gone cold? Iced tea is actually refrigerated, so that's actually cold. Tea that's gone cold is lukewarm and gross.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1030
__label__wiki	0.952535	0.952535	Shahid Kapoor’s Arjun Reddy remake finally gets a title! The Akshay Kumar-starrer Kanchana remake to also star Kiara Advani and R Madhavan! Akshay Kumar shares the first look of Good News, film to release on this date! Did Kiara Advani just say NO to Karan Johar and Vicky Kaushal for a film? KOFFEE WITH KARAN 6: Shahid Kapoor has a message for Nick Jonas! The much-anticipated remake of the Telugu cult blockbuster Arjun Reddy has been a topic of discussion ever since it was announced. There has been a lot of speculation about what the film’s title would be for months now. Finally, the wait is over. The Hindi remake of Arjun Reddy finally has a title – it’s KABIR SINGH. Shahid Kapoor, the film’s leading man, announced the news on Twitter. Have a look right here:- #ArjunReddy was loved and appreciated now it is time for #KabirSingh! Get reddy to see him in 2019.👊@Advani_Kiara @imvangasandeep @itsBhushanKumar @MuradKhetani #KrishanKumar @ashwinvarde @Tseries @Cine1Studios @KabirSinghMovie pic.twitter.com/WINiYR8875 — Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) October 26, 2018 The film is directed by Sandeep Vanga who was also the director of the Telugu version. Kiara Advani plays the female lead in the film. The makers of the film kept the film’s title very closely guarded over the last two months. As director Sandeep Vanga says, “When we started work on the Hindi script, it was a very exciting journey. KABIR SINGH, as the protagonist’s name, came naturally, considering the character’s graph. KABIR SINGH has the same punch and madness of Arjun Reddy.” KABIR SINGH will be shot extensively in Mumbai, Delhi and Musoorie. Shahid will sport four different looks in the film and has been preparing for it over the last three months. Workshops with all the actors are right now in full swing. “It’s all about taking KABIR SINGH to the next level,” says Vanga. KABIR SINGH is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Krishan Kumar and Ashwin Varde. The film’s shoot commenced in Mumbai a few days back. It’s all set to release on June 21, 2019! KABIR SINGH is on the way… Stick to this space for the latest in Bollywood! Related Topics:Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh, Kiara Advani, Shahid Kapoor By Puneet Rawtani June 24, 2019 Actress Yami Gautam is a household owing her popularity being a face of several endorsements. Much... By Puneet Rawtani June 3, 2019 Actress Yami Gautam has been in China these past few days to promote her film super... Richa Chadha Takes On 4 Different Types Of Fitness Training For Her Role In Panga By Puneet Rawtani May 30, 2019 Taking on one of her most physically challenging role, Richa has been training extensively to don... After Mirzapur, Ali Fazal & Shriya Pilgaonkar To Star In House Arrest Post the release of the hit digital series Mirzapur, late last year, Ali was fondly being... By Vinamra Mathur May 14, 2019 The Akshay Kumar-Vidya Balan starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa was undoubtedly one of the most loved movies back when it... Deepika Padukone to join Ranveer Singh as his co-star and co-producer in 83′? Well, here’s an exciting piece of news for all the Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone fans.... Was Taapsee Pannu replaced in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga because of Anil Kapoor? Many of you might be unaware of the fact that actress Taapsee Pannu was the initial... Anushka Sharma reveals why she hasn’t signed any movie after Zero! Anushka Sharma is quite choosy when it comes to scripts. From playing a simple girl in... After Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan to become a father through surrogacy? It seems like Salman Khan is all set to follow the footsteps of other celebrities who... Abhimanyu Singh to play the villain in Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi! The Akshay Kumar-Katrina Kaif starrer Sooryavanshi is one of the most awaited movies of the year... Has Saif Ali Khan signed Imtiaz Ali’s next directorial? Are Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty reuniting for Auzaar 2?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1032
__label__cc	0.635567	0.364433	CANADA STOCKS-TSX ends higher as energy stocks buck oil price fall (Adds investor comment, updates prices to close) TORONTO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Canada’s main stock index rose on Thursday, with energy stocks bucking weak oil prices as investors returned to riskier assets after an upbeat assessment of the U.S. economy by the Federal Reserve. Trading was volatile, however, with the index at one point turning negative after rising as much as 1.6 percent and telecom stocks exerting downward pressure. “We’re getting volatility from two fronts, from everything energy-related and from fixed income,” said Paul Taylor, chief investment officer for BMO Asset Management. The Fed’s promise to take a “patient” approach to hiking interest rates, while adding a note of clarity on when it might raise rates, was seen as broadly positive for equities. Meanwhile crude prices resumed their slide after a short-covering rally on Wednesday, but Canada’s energy sector did not follow suit after weeks of downward pressure. “On the energy side, for those who are not faint of heart, there are some real opportunities if your time horizon extends beyond the next six to twelve months,” Taylor said. He said oil could fall into the $35-$40 a barrel range in the near term, but should recover to $75-$95 range a year out. Among oil and gas shares, Canadian Oil Sands Ltd jumped 10.4 percent to C$10.75, Cenovus Energy Inc gained 4.1 percent to C$22.76, and MEG Energy Corp rose 10.8 percent to C$18.34. That trio is among producers scaling back 2015 spending plans or reducing dividends in response to tumbling oil prices. “This is giving people reassurance that they are paying more attention to the balance sheet,” said Michael Simpson, senior portfolio manager at Sentry Select Capital. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended up 132.87 points, or 0.93 percent, at 14,346.75 for its third straight day of gains after a string of losses. Shares in convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc surged 8.6 percent to C$46.21 after it said it would buy smaller U.S. rival Pantry Inc for about $861 million to boost its presence in the southeastern and Gulf Coast regions of the United States. Telecom stocks were notably absent from the rally, with investors cautious on the sector ahead of a federal government wireless-industry policy announcement later in the day. Telus Corp slipped 1.2 percent to C$42.15 and Manitoba Telecom Services fell 1.1 percent to C$26.85. ($1=$1.16 Canadian) Additional reporting by Solarina Ho; diting by Meredith Mazzilli, Chizu Nomiyama; and Peter Galloway	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1034
__label__cc	0.549187	0.450813	November 9, 2016 / 6:32 PM / 3 years ago WRAPUP 2-Canada currency pares losses, stocks climb after Trump win (Adds analyst comment, updates market reaction, adds details on forestry and autos sector) TORONTO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Canada’s currency pared some of its overnight losses while shares of energy producers and gold miners pushed its stock market up 1 percent as investors saw a Donald Trump presidency favoring the oil sector and potentially stoking inflation. Some financial players also talked about increased prospects of a Bank of Canada rate cut to underpin growth which might be threatened by Trump’s stance on trade, though the implied probability of near-term move held around 27 percent. Energy stocks jumped 2.1 percent as bets that Trump might revive the Keystone XL pipeline boosted TransCanada Corp and the broader oil sands industry. “Based on what he has said, I think this could be an overall benefit to the Canadian economy and Canadian stock market, to start with Keystone and then we can go from there,” said Philip Petursson, chief investment strategist at Manulife Investments. The materials sector, which includes gold miners, jumped 3 percent. Gold, which jumped nearly 5 percent at one point, was up about 1 percent. The gold sector benefits from his win “because all of his policies are inflationary,” said Diana Avigdor, head of trading at Barometer Capital Management. At 12:01PM EDT (1701 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index rose 134.18 points, or 0.92 percent, to 14,791.02. But some sectors of the market saw heavy losses, including auto parts makers which depend on supply chains that cross borders. Trump has repeatedly attacked the outsourcing of American auto jobs. Shares of Canada’s Magna International Inc, whose Mexican operations account for about 14 percent of sales, fell 6 percent. Linamar Corp and Martinrea International Inc also fell more than 5 percent. Forestry stocks also fell. The sector has been a significant source of trade disputes with the United States and Trump is not expected to be a flexible negotiator. West Fraser Timber Co Ltd fell 7.4 percent. CURRENCY STILL WEAKER The Canadian dollar pared some losses after hitting an eight-month low against its U.S. counterpart earlier on uncertainty about the implications of a Trump win. Trump has pledged to renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, which could threaten parts of Canada’s trade-intensive economy. “From a G10 perspective Canada is bearing the brunt of this Trump victory,” said Jack Spitz, managing director of foreign exchange at National Bank Financial, who added that market volatility had triggered active trading by clients. At 11:11 a.m. EST (1611 GMT), the Canadian dollar CAD=D4 was trading at C$1.3447 to the greenback, or 74.37 U.S. cents, much weaker than Tuesday’s close of C$1.3305, or 75.16 U.S. cents. Canadian short-term government debt prices firmed but long bond prices fell, steepening the yield curve in sympathy with U.S. Treasuries. Investors weighed potential for the Federal Reserve to hold off from a rate hike in December and bet that Trump will enact policies that will increase inflation. (Reporting by Fergal Smith, Alastair Sharp, Solarina Ho, Allison Martell and Jeffrey Hodgson; Editing by Grant McCool and Andrew Hay)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1035
__label__wiki	0.914988	0.914988	Cameron Fields Sixers Wire Warriors Wire December 12, 2016 Cameron Fields Women’s Basketball: Ohio’s showing against Thomas More proves team’s depth OLIVER HAMLIN Ohio’s Quiera Lampkins goes in for a layup during a game against Northern Illinois University on Feb. 6, 2016, in The Convo. Lampkins will be graduating this year and will leave behind a big hole in the Bobcats’ roster.(FILE) Ohio hasn’t started its regular season yet, but despite an uncertain starting lineup and rotation, one thing is certain: the team will be as good as it has been in recent years. The Bobcats lost sharpshooter Kiyanna Black to graduation this season, and there was a legitimate question as to whether the Bobcats could maintain their level of offensive output. With an 87-50 win over Thomas More on Saturday, however, Ohio has reason to be optimistic. “I think we got some good things, we showed quite a few deficiencies,” coach Bob Boldon said after Saturday’s exhibition. “I told my coaches at least we got something to practice this week.” The purpose of the exhibition game was to experiment with different lineups. Boldon wanted to see how different players played together. The team’s first regular season game will be at High Point on Nov. 13. One combination Boldon experimented with was pairing Jasmine Weatherspoon and Hannah Boesinger in the starting lineup. The team’s top rebounders, Weatherspoon and Boesinger played well together. Weatherspoon had a double-double, posting 21 points and 12 rebounds. Boesinger had 10 points. Weatherspoon has added a serviceable jump shot to her game, as she shot 60 percent from beyond the arc against Thomas More. Last season, Weatherspoon wasn’t a premier option on offense, averaging 6.3 points per game. This season, however, Weatherspoon has the potential to be the team’s next best player after Quiera Lampkins. “Jasmine’s been playing well all preseason, and it was nice to see her translate it over on the court,” Boldon said. Along with Weatherspoon’s showing, guards Yamonie Jenkins and Taylor Agler showed the ability to penetrate the defense. If the layup wasn’t there, Jenkins or Agler would pass the ball to an open teammate for a jump shot. The Bobcats love to shoot the three — they ranked No. 4 in the nation last season for three-point field goals attempted — and they don’t plan on taking less threes this season. “I think this year we will take way more threes just because I think we don’t have as many slashers,” Lampkins said Thursday. The Bobcats are no stranger to the 3-point shot — they shot 1,016 last season — which led the Mid-American Conference in three-point field goals attempted. Lampkins is right, though. With the Bobcats only having Weatherspoon as a viable inside threat, more players will need to play well around the perimeter. And the solid perimeter play continued to show, too, on Saturday. The Bobcats shot 32.3 percent from the three-point line. In October, Boldon mentioned Ohio’s depth could be an asset this season. With a supporting cast of players like Agler, Jenkins and Boesinger, the Bobcats don’t have a true supporting cast yet. Essentially, most of their players can provide valuable minutes this season — and that makes for what could be a tight rotation. “We’ve had more depth than we’ve ever had,” Boldon said on Oct. 13. “We have a lot of players that are really good. And the difference between playing and not playing could be pretty minuscule on this team.” Ohio Women's Basketball Published by Cameron Fields View all posts by Cameron Fields Previous Women’s Basketball: Jasmine Weatherspoon posts double-double in 87-50 win over Thomas More Next Wide receiver Jerrid Marhefka shares love for cars with family	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1037
__label__cc	0.672541	0.327459	Camping Babble Join the Camping Babble forums today and become an active member of our growing community. Once registered you'll be able to exchange camping photos, stories and experience with other members. If you're still undecided, feel free to take a look around and see what we're all about! Parka for any kind of weather My father used to say that campers should always have parka. It is a protection not only for the body and limbs but also for the head (if there is... Thread by: Alexandoy, Jul 20, 2017, 3 replies, in forum: Attire Know About Frost-Bite & Treatment Most of us go camping in the summer and never think about the hazards of winter camping. However, if you travel or live in the upper northern... Thread by: 2sweed, Jun 17, 2013, 9 replies, in forum: Other Camping	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1038
__label__cc	0.648232	0.351768	SEC Charges Morgan Keegan Directors with Failing to Oversee Asset Valuations By Sandy Ouano The SEC has charged eight former Morgan Keegan directors with failing to provide accurate valuations for mortgage-backed securities during the subprime crisis of 2007. We wrote a paper in 2009 (PDF) explaining the collapse of the RMK bond funds and how they relate to these very same securities. The mutual funds at issue are 1) RMK High Income Fund, Inc.; 2) RMK Multi-Sector High Income Fund, Inc.; 3) RMK Strategic Income Fund, Inc.; 4) RMK Advantage Income Fund, Inc.; and 5) Morgan Keegan Select Fund, Inc. The Select Fund was an open-end company which contained three open-end series—the Select High Income portfolio, the Select Intermediate Bond portfolio, and the Select Short Term Bond portfolio. The RMK funds were essentially the same fund. They behaved in the same manner and held many similar securities. Below is a graph of the return if someone invested $100 on December 31, 2005 with reinvested dividends. By December 2008 an investor would have loss about 90% of the investment. These funds did not behave like their peers. Below is a graph which compares the total returns of the RMK closed-end funds with non-RMK closed-end high income funds from January 2007 to December 2009. Six of the eight directors sat on the Fund’s Audit Committee and were designated as “Audit Committee Financial Expert.” Their task was to oversee the process of determining the fair value of the funds. According to the SEC order, the directors did not provide any guidance on how to determine fair value. Many of these securities were in structured finance that were below investment grade. Also, they were highly leveraged and illiquid. Some of the reported values for these illiquid securities went unchanged for several months before the turmoil in the subprime MBS market. In our 2009 paper, we calculated that about 60% or more of the gross assets of these funds were in structured finance. We also calculated that more than 80% of the losses between March 2007 and December 2007 were in asset backed securities and/or from internally priced securities--the securities that the SEC alleges the eight directors had a responsibility to accurately value. RMK Funds Were Structured Finance Funds % of Gross Assets in Structured Finance % of Gross Assets in Corporate Bonds Select High Income Select Intermediate Bond Strategic Income Advantage Income Multi-Sector High Income Morgan Keegan also misrepresented some of these asset backed securities as corporate bond or preferred stock. For example, most of all of the securities classified as “Corporate Bonds – Special Purpose Entities” are asset backed securities. Moreover, RMK misrepresented the riskiness of the funds. The RMK funds were four to six times as volatile as their benchmark during the 1-year, 2-year and 3-year periods ending on March 31, 2007. They were more than 12 times as volatile as their benchmark. RMK Funds Were Much More Volatile Than Benchmarks (annualized standard deviations, ending March 31, 2007) Prior Three Years Prior Two Year Prior One Year 13.8% (4.8 ×) (12.3 ×) RHY MKHIX 3.5% (1.2 ×) (4.9 ×) Benchmark (VWEHX) Benchmark (HYG) MKIBX Benchmark (VBIIX) In June of 2011 the SEC settled with Morgan Keegan & Company and Morgan Asset Management for $200 million and barred former portfolio manager James C. Kelsoe Jr. and suspended comptroller Joseph Thompson Weller. Labels: Asset-Backed Securities, Morgan Keegan, SEC	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1044
__label__cc	0.541284	0.458716	People vs. Adtech You are currently browsing articles tagged New Jersey. Saving High Mountain February 27, 2017 in Geography, history, Journalism, News, Past, Personal, publishing, Technology \| 2 comments I’ve long thought that the most consequential thing I’ve ever done was write a newspaper editorial that helped stop development atop the highest wooded hilltop overlooking the New York metro. The hill is called High Mountain, and it is now home to the High Mountain Park Preserve in Wayne, New Jersey. That’s it above, highlighted by a rectangle on a shot I took from a passenger plane on approach to LaGuardia in 2008. The year was 1970, and I was a 23-year-old reporter for a suburban daily called Wayne Today (which may still exist). One day, while at the police station picking up copies of the previous day’s reports, I found a detailed plan to develop the top of High Mountain, and decided to pay the place a visit. So I took a fun hike through thick woods and a din of screaming cicadas (Brood X, I gather—the same one that inspired Bob Dylan’s “Day of the Locust”) to a rocky clearing at the crest, and immediately decided the mountain was a much better place for a park than for the office building specified in the plan. As it happened there was also a need for an editorial soon after that, and Jerry Fuchs, who usually wrote our editorials, wasn’t available. So I came off the bench and wrote this: That was a draft proof of the piece.* I ran across it today while cleaning old papers from a file cabinet in my garage. I doubt anybody has the final printed piece, and I’m amazed that the proof exists. I left for another paper after that, and didn’t keep up with Wayne news, beyond hearing that my editorial derailed the development plan. No doubt activists of various kinds were behind the eventual preservation of the mountain. But it’s nice to know there is some small proof I had something to do with that. *Additional history: Wayne Today published in those days using old-fashioned letterpress techniques. Type was set in lead by skilled operators on Linotype machines. Each line was a “slug,” and every written piece was a pile of slugs arranged in a frame, inked with a roller and then proofed by another roller that printed on blank paper. That’s what we marked up (as you see above) for the Linotype operators, who would create replacement slugs, give them to the page composers in layout, who could read upside down and backwards as they arranged everything in what was called a forme. The layout guys (they were all guys) then embossed each page into a damp papier-mâché sheet, which would serve as a mold for a half-cylinder of hot lead. Half-cylinders wrapped around giant rollers inked each rotation by other rollers did the printing. Other machines after that cut, stacked and folded the pages that ended up as newspapers at the end of the line. So the whole process went like this: reporter->Linotype operator->editor->Linotype operator->page composer->stereotype operator->printer. Ancestors of robotics eventually replaced all of it not long after I left (and the press burned down). Now in the U.S. exemplars of big-J journalism (New York Times, Washington Post) are tarred by the President as “fake news,” and millions believe him. My, how times change. More High Mountain links: Trail Conference NJU Urban Forest Bing images Tags: High Mountain, Journalism, New Jersey, Photography, Wayne Thinking outside the Internet box August 28, 2009 in Business, Future, Gear, Ideas, infrastructure, Past, Politics, problems, Technology \| 8 comments A couple days ago I responded to a posting on an email list. What I wrote struck a few chords, so I thought I’d repeat it here, with just a few edits, and then add a few additional thoughts as well. Here goes. Reading _____’s references to ancient electrical power science brings to mind my own technical background, most of which is now also antique. Yet that background still informs of my understanding of the world, and my curiosities about What’s Going On Now, and What We Can Do Next. In fact I suspect that it is because I know so much about old technology that I am bullish about framing What We Can Do Next on both solid modern science and maximal liberation from technically obsolete legal and technical frameworks — even though I struggle as hard as the next geek to escape those. (Autobiographical digression begins here. If you’re not into geeky stuff, skip.) As a kid growing up in the 1950s and early ’60s I was obsessed with electricity and radio. I studied electronics and RF transmission and reception, was a ham radio operator, and put an inordinate amount of time into studying how antennas worked and electromagnetic waves propagated. From my home in New Jersey’s blue collar suburbs, I would ride my bike down to visit the transmitters of New York AM stations in the stinky tidewaters flanking the Turnpike, Routes 46 and 17, Paterson Plank Road and the Belleville Pike. (Nobody called them “Meadowlands” until many acres of them were paved in the ’70s to support a sports complex by that name.) I loved hanging with the old guys who manned those transmitters, and who were glad to take me out on the gangways to show how readings were made, how phasing worked (sinusoidal synchronization again), how a night transmitter had to address a dummy load before somebody manually switched from day to night power levels and directional arrays. After I learned to drive, my idea of a fun trip was to visit FM and TV transmitters on the tops of buildings and mountains. (Hell, I still do that.) Thus I came to understand skywaves and groundwaves, soil and salt water conductivity, ground systems, directional arrays and the inverse square law, all in the context of practical applications that required no shortage of engineering vernacular and black art. I also obsessed on the reception end. In spite of living within sight of nearly every New York AM transmitter (WABC’s tower was close that we could hear its audio in our kitchen toaster), I logged more than 800 AM stations on my 40s-vintage Hammarlund HQ-129x receiver, which is still in storage at my sister’s place. That’s about 8 stations per channel. I came to understand how two-hop skywave reflection off the E layer of the ionosphere favored flat land or open water midway between transmission and reception points . This, I figured, is why I got KSL from Salt Lake City so well, but WOAI from San Antonio hardly at all. (Both were “clear channel” stations in the literal sense — nothing else in North America was on their channels at night, when the ionosphere becomes reflective of signals on the AM band.) Midpoint for the latter lay within the topographical corrugations of the southern Apalachians. Many years later I found this theory supported by listening in Hawaii to AM stations from Western North America, on an ordinary car radio. I’m still not sure why I found those skywave signals fading and distorting (from multiple reflections in the very uneven ionosphere) far less than those over land. I am sure, however, that most of this hardly matters at all to current RF and digital communication science. After I moved to North Carolina, I used Sporadic E reflections to log more than 1200 FM stations, mostly from 800 to 1200 miles away, plus nearly every Channel 3 and 6 (locally, 2,4 and 5 were occupied) in that same range. All those TV signals are now off the air. (Low-band VHF TV — channels 2 to 6 — are not used for digital signals in the U.S.) My knowledge of this old stuff is now mostly of nostalgia value; but seeking it has left me with a continuing curiosity about the physical world and our infrastructural additions to it. This is why much of what looks like photography is actually research. For example, this and this. What you’re looking at there are pictures taken in service to geology and archaeology. (End of autobiographical digression.) Speaking of which, I am also busy lately studying the history of copyright, royalties and the music business — mostly so ProjectVRM can avoid banging into any of those. This research amounts to legal and regulatory archaeology. Three preliminary findings stand out, and I would like to share them. First, regulatory capture is real, and nearly impossible to escape. The best you can do is keep it from spreading. Most regulations protect last week from yesterday, and are driven by the last century’s leading industries. Little if any regulatory lawmaking by established industries — especially if they feel their revenue bases threatened, clears room for future development. Rather, it prevents future development, even for the threatened parties who might need it most. Thus the bulk of conversation and debate, even among the most progressive and original participants, takes place within the bounds of still-captive markets. This is why it is nearly impossible to talk about Net-supportive infrastructure development without employing the conceptual scaffolding of telecom and cablecom. We can rationalize this, for example, by saying that demand for telephone and cable (or satellite TV) services is real and persists, but the deeper and more important fact is that it is very difficult for any of us to exit the framing of those businesses and still make sense. Second, infrastructure is plastic. The term “infrastructure” suggests physicality of the sturdiest kind, but in fact all of it is doomed to alteration, obsolescence and replacement. Some of it (Roman roads, for example) may last for centuries, but most of it is obsolete in a matter of decades, if not sooner. Consider over-the-air (OTA) TV. It is already a fossil. Numbered channels persist as station brands; but today very few of those stations transmit on their branded analog channels, and most of them are viewed over cable or satellite connections anyway. There are no reasons other than legacy regulatory ones to maintain the fiction that TV station locality is a matter of transmitter siting and signal range. Viewing of OTA TV signals is headed fast toward zero. It doesn’t help that digital signals play hard-to-get, and that the gear required for getting it sucks rocks. Nor does it help that cable and satellite providers that have gone out of their way to exclude OTA receiving circuitry from their latest gear, mostly force subscribing to channels that used to be free. As a result ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and PBS are now a premium pay TV package. (For an example of how screwed this is, see here.) Among the biggest fossils are thousands of TV towers, some more than 2000 feet high, maintained to continue reifying the concept of “coverage,” and to legitimize “must carry” rules for cable. After live audio stream playing on mobile devices becomes cheap and easy, watch AM and FM radio transmission fossilize in exactly the same ways. (By the way, if you want to do something green and good for the environment, lobby for taking down some of these towers, which are expensive to maintain and hazards to anything that flies. Start with this list here. Note the “UHF/VHF transmission” column. Nearly all these towers were built for analog transmission and many are already abandoned. This one, for example.) Third, “infrastructure” is a relatively new term and vaguely understood outside arcane uses within various industries. It drifted from military to everyday use in the 1970s, and is still not a field in itself. Try looking for an authoritative reference book on the general subject of infrastructure. There isn’t one. Yet digital technology requires that we challenge the physical anchoring of infrastructure as a concept. Are bits infrastructural? How about the means for arranging and moving them? The Internet (the most widespread means for moving bits) is defined fundamentally by its suite of protocols, not by the physical media over which data travels, even though there are capacity and performance dependencies on the latter. Again, we are in captured territory here. Only in conceptual jails can we sensibly debate whether something is an “information service” or a “telecommunication service”. And yet most of us who care about the internet and infrasructure do exactly that. That last one is big. Maybe too big. I’ve written often about how hard it is to frame our understanding of the Net. Now I’m beginning to think we should admit that the Internet itself, as concept, is too limiting, and not much less antique than telecom or “power grid”. “The Internet” is not a thing. It’s a finger pointing in the direction of a thing that isn’t. It is the name we give to the sense of place we get when we go “on” a mesh of unseen connections to interact with other entitites. Even the term “cloud“, labeling a utility data service, betrays the vagueness of our regard toward The Net. I’ve been on the phone a lot lately with Erik Cecil, a veteran telecom attorney who has been thinking out loud about how networks are something other than the physical paths we reduce them to. He regards network mostly in its verb form: as what we do with our freedom — to enhance our intelligence, our wealth, our productivity, and the rest of what we do as contributors to civilization. To network we need technologies that enable what we do in maximal ways. This, he says, requires that we re-think all our public utilities — energy, water, communications, transportation, military/security and law, to name a few — within the context of networking as something we do rather than something we have. (Think also of Jonathan Zittrain’s elevation of generativity as a supportive quality of open technology and standards. As verbs here, network and generate might not be too far apart.) The social production side of this is well covered in Yochai Benkler‘s The Wealth of Networks, but the full challenge of what Erik talks about is to re-think all infrastructure outside all old boxes, including the one we call The Internet. As we do that, it is essential that we look to employ the innovative capacities of businesses old and new. This is a hat tip in the general direction of ISPs, and to the concerns often expressed by Richard Bennett and Brett Glass: that new Internet regulation may already be antique and unnecessary, and that small ISPs (a WISP in Brett’s case) should be the best connections of high-minded thinkers like yours truly (and others named above) to the real world where rubber meets road. There is a bigger picture here. We can’t have only some of us painting it. Tags: ABC, AM, Brett Glass, Broadband Politics, CBS, cloud, Erik Cecil, FM, fox, Hammarlund, Hammarlund HQ-129x, information service, internet, NBC, New Jersey, new york, Nicholas Carr, ota, PBS, projectvrm, regulatory capture, Richard Bennett, Sporadic E, telecommunication service, television, towers, uhf, utility, vhf, VRM, Wealth of Networks, Yochai Benkler February 9, 2009 in Life \| 2 comments Ruth Dwyer was married long and happily to my father‘s cousin Jack Dwyer. Even though she was Pop’s cousin-in-law, we still called her Aunt Ruth. Jack was Uncle Jack too, as was his father, who was married to my grandma Searls’ sister Florence. I pulled this picture of Ruth from this family shot here. She’s in this one too. (So are both Uncle Jacks. The younger is on the far right, shot before he grew his signature handlebar mustache). I’m sure I have a few shots from a family gathering a few years ago at Big Brook, my Aunt Grace’s place in New Jersey. Ruth died two days ago, surrounded by her family, at age 85. (More details in her obituary.) I haven’t seen her, or any of her kids (my second cousins) much since the years I was growing up in New Jersey. Looking at these pictures, and remembering the good times, I regret the distance that grows as families fan out acrosss time and generations. (Ruth and Jack had six kids and ten grandkids.) I’m also glad that we’ve at least been able to catch up and hang out with Aunt Grace (now in Maine and going strong at 96) and other East Coast Searls-side family, since coming to live (at least during the school year) in Boston. Tom Brokaw called Ruth and Jack’s “The Greatest Generation”. It might be a stretch to lay that label on any generation, but I agree with it. And now most of them are gone. My generation — boomers the Greatest produced in abundance — are aging to become the next round of geezers walking the plank of life. Life is short. That’s why it’s important to pause in the midst to remember those who live it well. Tags: Big Brook, Ethel Englert, Ethel Searls, Florence Englert, Grace Apgar, Jack Dwyer, Maine, New Jersey, Ruth Dwyer, Ruthie Dwyer, Searls, Searls family	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1049
__label__wiki	0.621133	0.621133	Sam Faber Healthcare provision Kibera: 20 years of MSF in one of Africa's largest slums Sam is a doctor from the UK currently on his first assignment with MSF. He blogs about the work of the team in Kibera, a settlement in Nairobi, where MSF treats patients with a wide range of health needs, including HIV, TB, and support after sexual and gender based violence. © Phil Moore Now into the second half of my assignment with MSF. For the past four months I've been working in Kibera, Africa's second biggest slum, where MSF have been running several health centres and small clinics for almost 20 years. Initially started as an HIV/TB programme, the project has grown to incorporate child & maternal health, non-communicable diseases, sexual and gender based violence, and mental health. It also caters for all day-to-day emergency cases, of which in an urban slum setting there are many. Sam treats a patient at the clinic. Photo: MSF. The two health centres currently employ close to 200 national staff, many of whom have been here from day one. This was during a dark period when HIV was stupidly out of control, causing misery to many people unable to access live-saving antiretroviral medications. Nowadays, thanks to some incredible work from MSF and many other NGOs, the HIV pandemic in places like Kibera is much better controlled. That said, there is still much progress to be made. On a daily basis I encounter many patients coming to see a doctor for the first time at a really late stage of their illness, or failing their treatment, usually because of poor adherence to their medication. Poverty is ubiquitous, but Kibera is unbelievably vibrant and the community spirit is palpable HIV is still highly stigmatised out here, and along with the many other social and cultural barriers, is a major contributor to unacceptable HIV-associated mortality. My first ever time in an urban slum, Kibera is a fascinating place. Built on the edge of Nairobi, it truly feels like a city within a city. Kibera back street. Photo: Sam Faber / MSF Poverty at its most extreme is ubiquitous here, crime and violence is a daily occurrence. But that aside, Kibera is unbelievably vibrant and the community spirit is palpable. Small businesses operate, people frequent the bars, children attend schools... Life does go on here! MSF has been a part of this community for many years, offering free primary healthcare to anyone who attends the clinics. In a country where patients frequently suffer crippling, extortionate bills even in the public hospitals, the service that MSF offers can really impact positively upon the lives of people living in poverty. At our clinics patients recognise that they will be given the attention they deserve Throughout my short time here I regularly come across patients that have travelled to Kibera from the far side of Kenya to seek medical care from MSF. Often we may not be able to provide the specific treatment they require, however just providing patients with at least a diagnosis can be an overwhelming relief for them. For me, as a medical doctor for the project, my greatest satisfaction comes from the patients. The patients we see could not be more respectful and appreciative of the care we offer them (something that sadly I find is becoming a rarity in certainly the UK health system). Patients will often spend close to a whole day within the health centre, passing through triage, seeing nurses or clinicians, then perhaps counsellors, nutritionists, and social workers. There can be a substantial waiting time but very rarely do you hear a complaint. I think patients recognise that they will eventually be given the attention they deserve. This mutual respect makes my job feel incredibly worthwhile and enjoyable. The Kibera South Health Centre. Photo: Phil Moore / MSF. But the success of this project would not exist without the staff. The Kenyan staff, many of whom come from Kibera themselves, are overwhelmingly warm, humble, and caring. Never in my career have I ever felt so welcomed into a new position. These people are the heart of the Kibera project. It is obvious that many of the staff have really grown professionally within MSF, and are now armed with a bank of transferable skills. The local staff are the heart of the Kibera project After 20 years in Kibera, MSF is now in the process of handing over all responsibilities to the Ministry of Health. By June 2017, MSF will no longer have a physical presence in Kibera. It's a complex hand-over process, not without its multiple challenges and anxieties. Last week we transferred over the running of the TB department. Mine and other's roles are now adjusting to coaching and mentoring the new Ministry of Health staff and ensuring that the high standards of care can be maintained when we are not there. But a sad and uncertain atmosphere now exists within the project. Many staff will have to find new employers; patients are now asking what will happen when we leave: will my anti-convulsive and diabetic medications still be freely available? We don't have all the answers. But we do know that MSF's mark has truly been left on Kibera. Many people have been empowered about their health, quality of life has been improved, and lives have been saved. Now it's time to empower other health providers to continue to meet the needs of Kibera's people. Without a doubt MSF's presence will be felt for many years to come... View over Kibera. Photo: Sam Faber / MSF sexual and gender based violence Treating burns in Burundi: "How do we explain this to children?" "Luckily, our care is free": Inside L'Arche de Kigobe trauma centre Crossing the swamp: How we get healthcare to the people in remote South Sudan A midwife in DRC: "The roads are like nothing I have ever seen" Innovation: How my microbiology team helps the healing process Non-Communicable Diseases: A short assignment in Lebanon Advocacy: How we achieve better healthcare in the wake of Ebola The belief in natural healing powers Termite time: A day with a community outreach team	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1050
__label__cc	0.561196	0.438804	CM 97/98 Losing the hours all over again How to install CM97/98 Friends of the Blog Everything’s Coming up Mulhouse – Part 3 Posted on August 18, 2019 by David Black Bonjour! Welcome back to France. I took over the worst club in France Ligue 2 and expected to be a hero by now. Instead, we languish in mid table unable to defend. The squad is also bloated, full of my questionable signings and players who can’t be shifted. Today we’ll head through the third quarter of the season to see if we can move up the table rather than down First on the agenda though it’s Troyes at home in the cup. They are many points above us in the table but the game swings in our favour when Troyes go down to 10. The only bad news is Olivero goes off injured. Fingers crossed on that one. SIX WEEKS?! Ah ffs. He has 16 in 21 and will undoubtedly be missed. Still, don’t let that take away from an excellent result. Into round 2 we go where we’ll face Non-league opposition away. Lovely. Back to league action then and an away game with Niort turns out to be quite eventful. Not every day you have two players score a hat-trick, especially playing with 10 men. Natigol, as only I am calling him, is loving life. He’s on the scoresheet again at home to the Lorient express in a narrow 3-2 win. Scoring is not a problem, keeping them out very much is. It’s therefore a brave decision to sell promising centre back Malek Ait Alia. He has 20 for aggression and that’s a recipe for disaster in this formation. £475k will come in handy as soon as anybody good actually wants to join us. Top of the table Nancy is statistically the toughest fixture we’ll face. Natigol scores after a minute and despite the efforts of Tony Cascarino, we end up winning 4-2. A wonderful result and a signal of intent. Vareille and Sritong-In are a brutal partnership. An away game with non-league opposition would be a banana skin to a less ruthless team but we’ve got our goal goggles on and despite an agonising wait for the second goal, it eventually arrives. With that, two becomes four and we’ll see you in round 3. Red Star are really struggling. So much so they’ve appointed Jack Charlton. They put us under pressure and the more successful Le Saux brother puts us under more pressure. Sritong-In comes up trumps in the final minute to snatch a point and keeps our run going. Nimes are 6th. That sounds impressive but we are 7th. That should make for a tight game but we have one of those days where we can’t defend. Despite the efforts of Monarch of the Glen we fall to a 5-2 loss. Frustrating. A second home game follows on Valentine’s Day. I doubt Mulhouse is the city or even the village of love but I am falling in love with Natipong Sritong-In. A late winner here maintains our momentum after Branlard – Breakfast for fat people – threatens to ruin us. It’s Ligue 1 opposition in the 3rd round of the cup. Lyon are 8th in the top tier and boast talents like Joseph Desire-Job, Tomas Repka and Reyland Pedros. Natigol gives us the lead but Stephane Roche equalises before France International Pedros wins it. So close. But nearly is nowhere. The transfer deadline is approaching so I’m pleased to receive bids for two players who don’t feature. £600k banked and a bit more wiggle room to continue to build a squad I don’t despise. I had so many Richter scale puns lined up as well. Laval are relegation fodder and count Ulrich Le Pen as a star player. Le Pen played once for Ipswich in the early 2000s to give you some idea of what we’re dealing with. Kavanagh can make you feel good with a double whilst Pennyfather also scores twice to secure a 4-2 win. His monocle drops out in surprise before he rides off on horseback into the night. Troyes must be sick of us. We turn up and score three goals in four minutes to record an impressive 3-0 win. They’ve fallen from 2nd to 6th and it is largely our fault. Last game of the day is Butthead away. They are not particularly good and it shows as Vareille nets his 20th and 21st of the season. Is it too late for a promotion push? The short answer to that is: probably. We’ve found some sort of form and our the top scorers in the division. We also have one of the worst defences. Can we make up 6 points on the top three? There are 12 games left, so obviously we can mathematically but that’s a huge ask. Our form is pretty good though and 7 of our remaining games are at home. We have to go to Saint Etienne and we finish at home to Wasquehal, so it’s almost in our hands. Natigol has 13 in 16 for us whilst Vareille has 21 in 28. Olivero has just returned to fitness and will surely add to his 16 league goals once he’s up to full speed. Pennyfather, brought in as a bit of a joke, has 16 assists to his name and leads the way in the division. He’s just turned 35 but as long as he keeps pulling rabbits out of his top hat, I’m ok with it. That’s all for this week, we’ve got a big finale next week to try and get out of this division at the first attempt. If we don’t, I’m confident we can do it next season if we can keep this squad together. Toodles for now. This entry was posted in Mulhouse by David Black. Bookmark the permalink.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1060
__label__cc	0.550083	0.449917	CMMRL News Home » Members \| Computational Manufacturing and Materials Research Lab Here are the current members and alumni of the Computational Manufacturing and Materials Research Lab in the UC Berkeley Department of Mechanical Engineering. If you would like to know more about our members’ research pursuits, please contact them directly. CMMRL OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH SLIDES Tarek I. Zohdi Research Description: Research themes: (1) Modeling and simulation of advanced manufacturing and 3D printing systems (2) Modeling and simulation of multiphase/composite material behavior (3) Modeling and simulation of fire propagation and control with the Fire Research Group (4) Modeling and simulation of UAVs and swarms (5) Modeling and simulation of biological systems (6) Modeling and simulation of ballistic fabric shielding Methods of analysis: (1) Discrete Element Methods (2) Finite Element Methods (3) Finite Difference Methods (4) Computational Optics (5) Machine-Learning Algorithms (6) Agent-Based Methods Email: zohdi@berkeley.edu Director of the Fire Research Group Professor Zohdi’s Webpage Takashi Maeshima Ultra-fast laser-patterning computation for advanced manufacturing of powdered materials Dr. Maeshima started studying here as a visiting researcher. He is from Japan. He is working for TOYOTA CENTRAL R&D Labs as a researcher. His major is materials science and engineering. He will study prediction of the deposition of mixed powder material and of selective melting phenomenon of the mixed powder. He likes to play golf and go camping, and used to play the guitar. Email: t_maeshima@berkeley.edu Graduate Student Members Donghoon Kim Toolpath optimization of additive manufacturing process using Machine Learning Donghoon is a PhD student in mechanical engineering at University of California, Berkeley. His main interests are Machine Learning, Deep Learning and its application to the modeling and simulation of advanced manufacturing processes. Other interests include swelling and fatigue of batteries, mesh-free particle methods and micro/nano scale self-assembly. In his free time, he usually goes to the gym or plays some magic tricks to other people. Email: donghoon_kim@berkeley.edu Youngkyu Kim Mechanical properties of composite materials Youngkyu received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from POSTECH, and he is currently an MS/PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering department. His main research interest is in improving a fully coupled thermo-mechanical MPM/GIMP. Also, he is working on developing a simplified numerical model of surface processes for a Kalman Filter. Email: youngkyu_kim@berkeley.edu Nicolas Castrillon Toolpath Planning for Additive Manufacturing Nicolas is an M.S./Ph.D. student interested in new technologies for advanced manufacturing, such as Additive Manufacturing. After receiving his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida, he worked at GE as a mechanical design engineer in the consumer products, gas turbine power generation, and oil & gas industries. Outside of his work, he enjoys playing soccer, rock climbing, and road biking. There is nothing better for him than to be out in nature. Email: nicolas.castrillon@berkeley.edu Avery Rock Modeling and Simulation of Powder Deposition for 3D Printing Avery is an MS/PhD student advised by professor Zohdi. Avery graduated from Brown University with a BS in Materials Science Engineering. Email: avery_rock@berkeley.edu David Gabriel Alcantara Multiscale modeling and simulation of robotic free-form electrophoretic 3D printing David is an MS/PhD student in mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley co-advised by Profs. Tarek Zohdi and Philip Marcus. David graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a BS in mechanical engineering, as well as a BS in computer science. Outside of academics he enjoys hip-hop dance and video/board gaming. Email: dalcantara@berkeley.edu Roger Isied Modeling and Simulation of Laser Sintering for 3D printing Roger is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. His previous research experience is in photocuring manufacturing processes and mechanical testing of additively manufactured specimens. Outside of research, Roger enjoys playing basketball, volleyball, and exploring. Email: ruisied@berkeley.edu Kate Edwards Modeling of Additive Manufacturing of Bio Materials Kate is a M.S. student in mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley with a B.S. in mechanical engineering for Louisiana State University. Her research interests are in additive manufacturing and biomechanics through computational modeling. In her spare time Kate enjoys reading, visiting art museums, and hiking. Email: kmedwards400@gmail.com Dynamic Optimization for Advanced Manufacturing Methods After receiving his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University, Brian worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a research engineer developing radiative- curing materials for advanced manufacturing techniques. As a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering department, Brian is interested in toolpath & trajectory optimization, as well as model predictive control of additive manufacturing processes. In his spare time, Brian is an avid cyclist and long-distance runner. Email: bmatthewhowell@gmail.com Zachary Yun Multi-physics Modeling of Advanced Manufacturing Processes Zack is an M.S./Ph.D. student interested in optimization of advanced manufacturing processes through computational modeling combined with experiments. Before entering the grad program at UC Berkeley, he received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly SLO and then worked as a manufacturing engineer for Haas Automation supporting varied manufacturing processes in the machine shop through tooling/fixture design, experimental process development, and robotic/automation projects. Outside of research, Zack enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, backpacking, surfing, and going to watch baseball and hockey games. Email: zackyun@berkeley.edu Payton Goodrich Design and fabrication of biodegradable sensor nodes Payton Goodrich is a PhD student in mechanical engineering co-advised by Prof. Tarek Zohdi (ME) and Prof. Ana Arias (EECS). Payton received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 2015 and his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 2018. His research interests are in printed electronics, wearable devices, and environmental sensors. Outside of the lab, Payton enjoys stand-up comedy, mixed-martial arts, and backpacking. Email: paytongoodrich@berkeley.edu Undergraduate Student Members Sarvesh Sadana Development of novel polymer composites for use in 3D printing Sarvesh is an undergraduate student majoring in physics and mathematics at UC Berkeley. His main research interests include additive manufacturing, particle physics, and nuclear fusion (in fact, he once built a nuclear fusion reactor from scratch in his garage). Outside of research, he enjoys playing board and video games. Email: ssadana@berkeley.edu Master of Engineering Capstone Project Teams (2019~2020) Large Scale Floating Solar Farms We are designing and analyzing an improved module for floating solar to be used on human-made bodies of water. Arthur Labarre Email: arthur_labarre@berkeley.edu Gina Myers Email: gina_myers@berkeley.edu Priyaj Mehta Email: priyaj_mehta@berkeley.edu Roger chen Email: roger_chen@berkeley.edu Weiheng Lu Email: weih_lu@berkeley.edu WildFire Technologies–Geographic Data Analysis, Multi-UAV ML Path Planning, and Computer Vision Efficiency Enhancement Our team project is basically divided into three parts. In the first part, the team will dive into wildfire geographic data collection and analysis. Annually burned area size and locations of each state will be calculated and analyzed by pixel computation. We will also visualize the data and provide solid supports for following multi-UAV path planning. In the second part, after selecting one or several specific high-risk locations as examples, we employ machine learning/GE Algorithm to multi-UAV path planning model, aiming to minimize various kinds of cost, like energy and human resources, by modifying parameters including domain, location weight, UAVs’ mass, speed, and initial distribution. In the third part, we focus on flash-based ToF and Lidar-based body scanning process by enhancing its performance on the speed and accuracy of simulation, enlarging scanning scope, and applying to real occasions including wildfire emergency. Jingtong Zhao Email: jingtong_zhao@berkeley.edu Rui Sun Email: rui_sun@berkeley.edu Rui Xu Email: xurui970112@berkeley.edu Wei Huang Email: wei_huang@berkeley.edu Fire Technologies in the Era of Climate Change – Digital Twin Between UAV Controlled Mapping and Deployable Fire Simulations The Fire Technologies Capstone strives to provide a comprehensive solution to wildfire risk reduction. Our team will focus on pairing fire simulations and real-life environments through controlling swarms of UAVs in a mapping effort. Through this digital twin, we look to produce a simulation method to predict fire propagation through digitally recreated terrain and identify how to distribute that information primarily for mobile fire fighting decision-making purposes. Carlos Núñez Email: carlos_nunez@berkeley.edu Jeremy Hamlin Email: jeremy_hamlin@berkeley.edu Mikio LaCapra Email: mikio.lacapra@berkeley.edu Phase Field Modelling of Transformation and Failure Mechanisms Simon graduated from the University of Kaiserslautern with a Dipl.-Ing. in theoretical fundamentals of mechanical engineering. He is a PhD student in Kaiserslautern, working on modelling the martensitic transformation in metastable austenitic steels using a phase field approach. In his spare time he enjoys running, swimming and cycling. Email: sd.schmidt.saar@gmail.com Lukas Bante Adapted Solver Methods for the Simulation of Additive Manufacturing Lukas received B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration and a M.S. in Aerospace from the Technical University of Munich. He is a visiting student here at the CMMRL as part of his graduate studies. Further research interests are aerospace applications of additive manufacturing, space robotics and flight data analysis. He spends his spare time biking, hiking or climbing in the mountains and singing as a classical baritone. Email: lukas.bante@tum.de Christoph Schreiber Phase field modeling of fracture Christoph received his B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees in his Bavarian home at HAW Landshut before he moved to Kaiserslautern to start his Ph.D studies at TUK. Currently, he enjoys his second scholar visit to the CMMR Lab. His research is focused on modeling different aspects of fracture, as e.g. fracture of anisotropic materials or fatigue crack growth utilizing the phase field method. When there is time, he likes to travel, go hiking, running, or snowboarding. Email: schreibc@rhrk.uni-kl.de Chang Yoon Park Particle Based Simulation Framework for Sintered Mechanical Components Chang yoon Park graduated from UC Berkeley in 2019. His research topic was on optimizing toolpaths via physical simulations of the nozzle extrusion process in additive manufacturing techniques. Currently, he is working in personal projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. Email: changyoonpark@gmail.com Shanna Hays Modeling of Inkjet Printing with Photopolymers Shanna got her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2019. Research interests include investigation of material properties and behavior during additive manufacturing through computational modeling. In her spare time she enjoys jogging and hiking with her dog. Email: sahays@berkeley.edu Timo Schmidt Modeling and simulation of SLS-3D printing process Timo received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Hamburg (Germany), and he is currently in a Master’s program in Hamburg. In the framework of a one year exchange program between the Technical University of Hamburg and UC Berkeley, Timo works in the Computational Manufacturing and Materials Research Lab. His main interests are various particle based multiphysics simulations. Moreover, he is interested in Additive Manufacturing and robotics. In his free time, he plays a European sport called team handball and he enjoys skiing and hiking. Email: timo.schmidt@tuhh.de Maxwell Micali Physical Simulation and Machine Learning for Manufacturing Toolpath Planning Maxwell received his M.S. & Ph.D. while an NSF Graduate Research Fellow in mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley. His primary focus was pioneering new approaches to couple fast physical simulation and evolutionary machine learning techniques to optimize additive manufacturing toolpaths, preventing common process defects without human intervention. His additional research interests include cybermanufacturing, production planning, human-machine interaction, machining, and sustainable manufacturing. He was also a member of the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Sustainability. Prior to Berkeley, he graduated with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Yale University. Non-engineering interests include marine biology, skiing, and science policy. Email: maxwell.micali@berkeley.edu Website: https://maxwellmicali.com/ M. Erden Yildizdag 3D Printing of Smart Materials Erden is from Kadikoy, Istanbul. His research interests include additive manufacturing, material point method, isogeometric analysis, and level set method. He is currently working on modeling and simulation of extrusion based additive manufacturing applications. Email: yildizdag@berkeley.edu Sasha Evans Performance and reliability considerations in using recycled materials in consumer electronics She is interested in advanced manufacturing technologies with the focus on innovative materials, performance, and reliability, and is currently working as a Reliability Engineer for consumer electronics in the Bay Area. In her spare time she enjoys running, hiking, skiing, and reading a good book. Email: sasha_evans@berkeley.edu Santiago Miret Multi-scale and Multi-physics Modeling Santiago got his PhD in Materials Science & Engineering co-advised by Prof. Tarek Zohdi in the Mechanical Engineering Department and Mark Asta in the Materials Science & Engineering Department. Santiago’s research focuses on creating a design tool for composite materials in exigent environments by using numerical methods to compute their properties and behavior. Email: santiago@berkeley.edu Three-Dimensional Holographic Lithography Brett was co-advised by Prof. Hayden Taylor, working on development of new technologies for volume-at-once 3D printing. He likes to run, and he competed in Track and Field and Cross Country for Cornell University as an undergraduate. Don’t worry, he enjoys playing real sports as well, and he also loves skiing and being on a mountain in general. Email: bkelly14@berkeley.edu Marc Russell Multi-physics Modeling of Additive Manufacturing Processes Ph.D.(ME): 05/2018. While at the CMMRL, Marc researched the use of Mesh-Free numerical methods to simulate Additive Manufacturing Processes. Marc is currently serving as an engineering consultant. Outside of work, he is interested in space exploration and promoting science and engineering in his community. In his spare time, he enjoys trail running, cycling, watching soccer, cooking, and eating ice cream. Go Bears! Email: marcrussell1@gmail.com Website: https://www.marcrussellphd.com/ David Fernández-Gutiérrez Delta Voronoi Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, ẟ-VSPH Ph.D. (ME): 05/2018. Prior to come to Berkeley, David worked in the R&D department of Seaplace, an offshore consulting company in Spain. His research interests include numerical hydrodynamics, structural design, and advanced control systems. Outside the university, he loves soccer, biking, hiking and reading. He’s part of the Mechanical Engineering Athletics Team, so go MEAT! Email: dfg82@berkeley.edu Website: http://www.davidfg.com/ Christian Zeller Adaption of Numerical Methods, Laser Beam Melting He was a visiting PhD student from the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management of Technical University of Munich, Germany. He got a bachelor degree in mathematics and a master degree in mathematic in science and engineering. His research is on the adaption of numerical methods to the specific requirements of the additive manufacturing technology laser beam melting. In his spare time, he enjoys doing every kind of sport. Email: christian.zeller@iwb.mw.tum.de Zeyad Zaky Particle-laden fluid for manufacturing and industrial processes. Ph.D.(ME): 12/2017. Zeyad is currently at Apple Inc. working on display processes. His expertise is in computational modeling, scientific computing, and numerical techniques. Namely, his thesis work used Lattice Boltzmann models to simulate infiltration into permeable porous media as applied to CMC manufacturing. Zeyad also has passions in applying optimization models and methods to simulations in order to hone in on the most desirable parameter spaces for a desired output, and he has used Genetic Algorithms and Simulated Annealing to this end. He also has a passion for Sensitivity Analysis in order to perform dimension reduction for simulations, thereby optimizing around the most important inputs. In his free time he enjoys spending time with family, playing sports and being active, reading, learning, talking, and eating. Email: zeyadzaky@berkeley.edu Anna Rehr Finite Elements, Contact Mechanics, Error Estimation and Mesh Adaptivity Anna is a graduate student in Computational Mechanics at TU Munich. She was a visiting student at UC Berkeley in the Computational Manufacturing and Materials Research Lab, where she wrote her Master Thesis in the field of Error Estimation and Adaptive Refinement for Contact Mechanics. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, traveling and playing soccer. Email: anna.rehr@berkeley.edu Henning Wessels Meshfree Methods, Selective Laser Melting Henning was a visiting PhD student from the group of Prof. Wriggers in Hannover, Germany. His research focuses on the development of mesh free methods to enhance simulation of additive manufacturing processes, especially Selective Laser Melting. He is a passionate outdoor activist who enjoys swimming, cycling and hiking. Email: wessels@ikm.uni-hannover.de Matthew W. Kury Beam Based Modeling of Open-Celled Foams Soil Simulations in Subterranean Blasts He is an avid dancer, in his undergraduate years he was a member of various dancing organizations, from the competitive ballroom team to the social tango club. In recent years, he mostly dances socially, namely hustle and swing. He has even helped a couple prepare for their wedding dance. In addition, he enjoys playing board games and seeing movies. Email: mkury@berkeley.edu Mickey Clemon Statistical modeling and experimentation for manufacturing Ph.D.(ME): 5/2017. Mickey is currently a Partner and Consultant at Taylor & Clemon Consulting LLC (9/2017). He is a design expert and additive manufacturing researcher. He investigates material defect formation in, material reuse and recycling for, and real-time monitoring of powder-based additive manufacturing processes. In addition, he explores environmental impacts of manufacturing and design engineering for hazardous waste processing. His primary methods involve statistical modeling and experimentation. Email: mclemon@berkeley.edu Website: leeclemon.com Atrin Sarmadi Multi-physics modeling M.S.: 5/2017. He is currently a Manufacturing Engineer at ODMS LLC. His interests include Additive Manufacturing, Sustainable Manufacturing, Manufacturing Systems and Renewable energy technologies. Atrin’s hobbies include playing and watching sports, and he is a certified open scuba diver. Email: atrin.sarmadi@berkeley.edu Anju Toor Nanoparticle-Polymer Composite Dielectric Materials for High Performance Energy Storage Anju Toor is currently a postdoc in the Materials Sciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. She completed her PhD in May 2017 under the guidance of Prof. Albert Pisano and Prof. Tarek Zohdi. Her research interests include Nanomaterials Self-assembly, Polymers, Thin Films and Nanocomposites. She has developed solid state dielectric materials with high dielectric permittivity and low dielectric loss properties. She is currently working on generating structured liquids employing nanoparticle-polymer self-assemblies at the liquid interfaces. Email: atoor@berkeley.edu Alex Alves Bandeira Computational Modeling of Solid Mechanics Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley (6/2015-7/2016). Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Bahia (Brazil). Holds MSc (1997) and Ph.D. (2001) degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Since 1997, has been working in computational mechanics applied to structural engineering, optimization, non-linear analysis, finite element method, contact mechanics, impact problems, elastoplasticity, reinforced concrete and concrete structures reinforced with carbon fiber. Developed part of his Ph.D. research with Prof. Peter Wriggers at the Institute for Computational Mechanics in the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany (1999-2001), and with Prof. Giorgio Zavarise, at the University of Padua, Italy (1999-2000). Developed a Post-Doctoral Scholar (2015-2016) at the University of California, Berkeley, with Prof. Tarek Ismail Zohdi, in the Computational Manufacturing and Materials Research Lab. Since 2015, has been developing research in Discrete Element Method, particle methods, computational materials, granular materials and structural fabric. Email: alexbandeira@ufba.br Semion Shaul Kidney Stones: Fluid Dynamics Modeling and ESWL Treatment Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley (01/2015-09/2016). He is currently a Solid State Research Scientist at Perrigo API. Semion received his PhD from BGU, Israel. He enjoys finding solutions to problems in areas of mechanical, chemical and bio system engineering. He believes that the source for innovation is finding simple and creative solutions to challenging problems. Email: semion@berkeley.edu Syd Hashemi Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling of Heat Transfer He enjoys playing tennis, squash, and soccer. Email: sydhashemi@berkeley.edu Maria Pace Silicon Nanowires for Chemical Sensors, True pH Measurement and Species Identification Now a post-doc at UCSF, she conducted her PhD research under the supervision of Dean Albert P. Pisano and Professor Tarek I. Zohdi. Some of her research interests include design, modeling and characterization of MEMS nanowire electrochemical sensors, resonators, harsh environment MEMS, modeling and design of transducers and investigation of mechanical and electrical properties of 2D materials. Maria received the National Science Foundation Fellowship in 2010. Email: mariaep@berkeley.edu Daniel Driver EM Simulations of Laser Ablation for Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Flexible Electronics Ph.D.(ME): 12/2015. He is an Engineering Analyst at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (1/2016~). He is a North American Unicycle Basketball Champion. Email: Dandriver@gmail.com Website: dandriver.com Aashish Ahuja Developing Energy Efficient Facades for Buildings Prior to working on this project, he helped Applied Materials in developing an API between Siemens NX and Simulink as a part of his Master’s thesis at UC, Berkeley. He completed his undergraduate degree from BITS, Pilani, India in Mechanical Engineering. His hobbies include ballroom dancing, table tennis, and windsurfing. Email: aashishahuja@berkeley.edu John Stevens Operational Analysis of Artificial Photosynthetic Systems Interests include renewable energy technology, energy policy, and CO2 sequestration. Hobbies include the outdoors and bicycling. Email: j.colby.stevens@berkeley.edu Rishi Ganeriwala Multiphysical Modeling and Simulation of Selective Laser Sintering Ph.D.(ME): 12/2015. He is currently an Engineering analyst and computational mechanics code developer at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (01/2016 – present). Interests include 3D printing and novel additive manufacturing technologies. Also deeply interested in renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and environmental policy. Some hobbies include hiking, running, music, and reading. Email: rkganeri@berkeley.edu Alejandro Queiruga Simulation of Electromagnetically Sensitive Ballistic Fabric His research interests include Electromagnetic Structure Interaction, Impact Phenomena, Numerical modelling of multiphysics problems. His personal hobbies include Go, Electronics, FPGA programming. Email: afq@berkeley.edu Website: https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~afq/ Modeling and Simulation of Particle Doped Materials under an Electromagnetic Field Ph.D.(ME): 12/2015. Job title: Assistant Research Professor. Hailing from France, he received his “Diplôme d’Ingénieur” Arts et Métiers from ParisTech, France. His hobbies include soccer, Bollywood movies, and music. Email: b.patel@berkeley.edu Website: https://calmi2.org/dr-bhavesh-patel-ph-d/ Ercan Degirmenci Discrete Multi-Scale Network Modeling of Fabric Undergoing Ballistic Impact He was a visiting scholar in CMMRL (2013-2014). He is currently an associated Professor at Turkish National Defense Ministry. Previous research focused on experimental, theoretical and numerical aspects of impact phenomena that are mostly associated with the design and simulation of high-strength isotropic and anisotropic materials. Email: ercan1011@gmail.com Eduardo M.B. Campello DEM Formulations for the Modeling of Particulate Materials and Biological Membranes and FEM Formulations for the Analysis of Thin Structures Associate Professor at the Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Was a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Computational Mechanics in the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany (2006), and a Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Berkeley, USA (2012-2014, Department of Mechanical Engineering). Holds MSc and DSc degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of São Paulo (2000 and 2005), and Habilitation in Solid Mechanics from the Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo (2016). Has research efforts focused on theoretical and numerical aspects of computational mechanics that are associated with three main subjects: (1) thin flexible structures, (2) steel structures, and (3) granular materials and discrete media. Member of the Editorial Board of the scholarly journal Computational Particle Mechanics (Springer) and President (elected, since 2016) of the Brazilian Association for Computational Methods in Engineering (ABMEC – an IACM affiliated). Email: campello@usp.br Website1: http://sites.poli.usp.br/p/eduardo.campello Website2: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eduardo_M_B_Campello Debanjan Mukherjee Discrete Particle Simulation Techniques for the Analysis of Colliding and Flowing Particulate Media Ph.D.(ME): 12/2013. He is currently a Post-doctoral Scholar UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering. In his free time Dr. Mukherjee likes to pursue his interests in music and to try his hand at cooking new recipes. Email: debanjan@berkeley.edu Website: Dr. Mukherjee’s Webpage Ilker Temizer FEM Composites, Multi-Scale Modeling, Homogenization and Modeling of Fabrics M.S.: 2003, Ph. D.(ME): 12/2005. He is currently an assistant professor at Bilkent University, Turkey. He leads Computational Multiscale Mechanics Laboratory where the research efforts are focused on the theoretical and numerical aspects of computational mechanics that are associated with multiscale-multiphysics modeling strategies for heterogeneous materials and interfaces. Email: temizer@bilkent.edu.tr M.S.: 2005, Ph. D.(ME): 2008. He is currently an Engineer with Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants. He was once a staff scientist at the Army Research Labs (ARL). In his free time, David likes to paint and attend art competitions. He also enjoys learning about history, especially ancient history, and traveling. Email: dapowell03@gmail.com Diego Arbelaez Computational Modeling of Granular Flows for Industrial Applications M.S.: 2005, Ph. D.(ME): 5/2008, and was co-supervised with D. Dornfeld. Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley (5/2008-5/2009). Email: darbelaez@lbl.gov Jonathan Wenk M.S.: 2005, Ph. D.(ME): 5/2008, and was co-supervised with P. Papadopoulos. Currently an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky. Email: jonathan.wenk@uky.edu George Mseis Ph.D.(ME): 12/2010. He is currently a product design engineer at Apple. Email: mseis@berkeley.edu Tim Kostka FEM, Ductile Fracture, Material Localization Ph.D.(ME): 5/2010. He is currently a Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories (2010-present). Email: kostka@gmail.com Lik Chuan Lee Coupling of Cardiac Electrophysiology with Cardiac Mechanics Ph.D.(ME): 06/2010. Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley/UCSF(with Prof. J. Guccione), 07/2010-12/2012. He is currently an assistant professor at Computational Biomechanics Research Group at Michigan State University since 08/2014. Previous research included study of grain boundary diffusion in polycrystalline solids, and its effects on seismic wave attenuation. Email: lclee@egr.msu.edu Website: https://researchgroups.msu.edu/compbiomech/ Doron Klepach Computational Mechanics, Continuum Mechanics, Bio-Mechanics, Multiphysics Modeling, FEM Ph.D.(ME): 12/2010. Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley/UCSF(with Prof. J. Guccione), (12/2010-8/2012). He is currently a lecturer at Tel-Aviv University, Israel. Email: klepachd@berkeley.edu Ryan Krone FEM, Composites, Multi-Scale Modeling, Homogenization and Modeling of Fabrics Ph.D.(ME): 12/2010 and was co-supervised with D. Steigmann. Post-Doctoral Scholar: Stanford University, (8/2013-7/2014). Post-doctoral fellowship in the Biodesign program at Stanford 2012-13. He is currently a Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Madorra Inc.. Ryan spends his working hours on his medical device start-up (Madorra) and another medtech company focused on changing the paradigm for interventional stroke care in the Bay Area. His free time he spends with his wife and kids being active where they live in Portland, OR. Email: rkrone@gmail.com Particulate Flow in Channels Ph.D.(ME): 5/2012 and was co-supervised with A. Pisano. Post-doc fellow at LBNL (06/2012-05/2014). He is currently a Senior Research Scientist at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (06/2014~). Email: sunchoi08@gmail.com Brett Collins Multi-Scale Modeling of Electromagnetic Composites and Micromechanics Ph.D.(ME): 5/2013. He is a Senior Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories – Livermore CA. Email: bccolli@sandia.gov Hiroyuki Minaki Multiscale Modeling Ph.D.(ME): 5/2013 and was co-supervised with S. Li. Currently works for a tire manufacturer in Japan. Email: minaki@berkeley.edu Peter Minor Discrete Element Modeling of Impact Damage on Thermal Barrier Coatings Ph.D.(ME): 12/2013. He is currently a Partner of CITRIS Foundry at UC Berkeley. His hobbies and interests include technology, energy affairs, environmentalism, and current events. Email: peterm959@gmail.com Philipp Glösmann Post-Doctoral Scholar: Hamburg, Germany (8/2007-8/2008) Email: gloesmann@tu-harburg.de Gilles Lubineau Composite and Heterogeneous Materials Analysis and Simulation Visiting Researcher: 2007-2008. He is currently a professor of Mechanical Engineering at KAUST and a principal investigator of Composite and Heterogeneous Materials Analysis and Simulation Laboratory (COHMAS). Email: gilles.lubineau@kaust.edu.sa Konrad Linnemann Post-Doctoral Scholar: UC Berkeley (01/2009-06/2009). He is currently a Scientific Employee at the BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Email: konrad.linnemann@bam.de Simulation and Optimization of Fused Deposition Modeling(FDM) Process The market of Additive Manufacturing process has grown dramatically from 5 billions to 7 billions by 40% in 2018. However, this process is hard to simulate because of its transient(time-depending) model. In order to model this process, I had utilized Star-CCM+ and its API in Java to generate a simulation model. Further, optimizations and several parameter studies regarding to printing environment are conducted with the simulation model. Zhi-Wei Lin Email: jerry8312345@gmail.com Lei Zhou Email: globalps@163.com Yucao Ji Email: yucao_ji@berkeley.edu Ismail Breiwish Email: irb@berkeley.edu WorkOutimal (Smart Exercise Machine) The goal of WorkOutimal is to create a stationary exercise bike that is able to passively guide the rider through an efficient workout. An efficient workout, for our purposes, is one in which the combination of force applied by the user and the velocity of pedalling results in a maximum power output. Therefore, the workout is able to burn the most amount of calories per unit time. We will be simulating an ideal control system, while building the hardware to implement a simplified version of the system. Additionally, our team has done market research and created a business plan for bringing this technology to market. Abdulaziz Alfaris Email: alfaris@berkeley.edu Rex Chen Email: rex_chen@berkeley.edu Bradley Los Email: bradlos18@berkeley.edu Meredith Meyer Email: meredith_meyer@berkeley.edu Ming-Hsueh Wu Email: minghsueh_wu@berkeley.edu Shican Zheng Email: shican_zheng@berkeley.edu Next Generation 3D Printing Materials We are working to create new 3D printer materials that have properties that are determinable by the customer. The printing process should be user-friendly, cost efficient, and maintain the integrity of the material, as well as, be easy to produce. Accordingly, our value proposition focuses on customizable 3D printer material, which users are able to choose the properties they want and we will make it for them. Apoorva Sooranahalli Email: sooranahalli_apoorva@berkeley.edu Jiayun Shao Email: jiayun.shao@berkeley.edu Email: liuxiao77@berkeley.edu Nagapratik Mundla Email: nagapratik_mundla@berkeley.edu Tsung-Ying Tsai Email: tsai.ramo@berkeley.edu Johann Chow Email: johann_chow@berkeley.edu Modeling the Design of a Specialized Lubricant for Rotating Machinery We are a bunch of Master of Engineering graduate, working on creating a mathematical model for additive based lubricants. The definition of success or the aim for the project is to build a mechanistic model of the heat generation within a bearing, as a function of the properties of the lubricant and the additives. We will formulate a numerical technique to integrate the model and solve the inverse problem of computing lubricant additives to obtain a given heat generation limit. Kshitij Verma Email: kshitij_verma@berkeley.edu Mayur Birari Email: mayur_birari@berkeley.edu Gaurav Vijay Shende Email: gaurav.v.shende@berkeley.edu Modeling the Dynamics of a Swarm A swarm is a system composed of a large amount of simple and identical agents which interact locally among themselves without any central control, allowing complex group behavior and emergent collective intelligence. It involves population based algorithms that can generate fast and robust solutions to complicated optimization problems which traditional approaches cannot solve. The main algorithm used in our project, Particle Swarm Optimization, is a population based, stochastic optimization technique. Our capstone project objective is to create simulation software in MATLAB that reproduces the mathematical models of interaction, or “swarm behavior” using the PSO algorithms. Wendy Siu Email: wendy_siu@berkeley.edu Liang Fan Email: liang_fan@berkeley.edu UC Berkeley News ‘On equal terms:’ UC Berkeley celebrates 150 years since women were first admitted Dorothea Lange Fellowship winner tells stories of people on the fringe Power returned to all campus building after early Thursday outage CMMRL is a part of the UC Berkeley. © Computational Manufacturing and Materials Reaseach Lab All Rights Reserved	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1061
__label__cc	0.62341	0.37659	Home page of College of Liberal Arts Events CLA Calendar of Events CLA Home "Unsettling Southern Histories" by Angela Hudson The public is invited to “Unsettling Southern Histories,” a talk by Angela Pulley Hudson. Southern history is far more complex and contradictory than is often acknowledged and focusing on the experiences of Indigenous southerners can help lay bare those complexities. This talk will go beyond a call to simply add more American Indians to studies of the region, and instead urge a reconceptualization of time, place, and power in the South. Angela Pulley Hudson is an Auburn alumna (Class of ‘96) and currently professor of History at Texas A&M University. The event is free, open to the public, and will be followed by refreshments. The Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities at Pebble Hill is located at 101 S. Debardeleben Street, Auburn. Maiben Beard maiben@auburn.edu Book Talk by Dr. Elena Aydarova Dr. Elena Aydarova, assistant professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Technology and faculty affiliate of Women’s Studies at Auburn University, will lecture on her 2019 book, Teacher Education Reform as Political Theatre: Russian Policy Dramas. Refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Brittany Rose at bzr0003@auburn.edu or 334-844-1974. bzr0003@auburn.edu Artist Talk and Closing Reception: Chakaia Booker Biggin Hall Gallery Artist Talk and Closing Reception for "Auspicious Behavior" by Chakaia Booker. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sarah Odens at sao0014@auburn.edu. Sarah Odens sao0014@auburn.edu Italian Film Screening Sun, Feb 2, 2020 Jule Collins Smith Museum Students, faculty, staff and general audience are invited to screen "Them" (Loro) an Italian film with English subtitles, by director Paolo Sorrentino (his film "The Great Beauty" (La Grande Bellezza) won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in the 2014 Academy Awards). The film talks about the businessmen and politicians – the Loro (Them) from the title – who live and act with media tycoon and politician Silvio Berlusconi in the years between 2006 and 2009. Dr. Giovanna Summerfield summegi@auburn.edu French Film Series: Persepolis Mon, Feb 3, 2020 Biggin Hall 005 Persepolis (2007); 96 min. For Foreign Language students. Films include English subtitles. Dr. Adrienne Angelo ama0002@auburn.edu Student Recital: Erica Lovato, oboe Goodwin Music Building Goodwin Recital Hall Erica Lovato, oboe, will present a recital at 7:30PM in the Goodwin Recital Hall. This is a FREE, non-ticketed event. music@auburn.edu Faculty Recital: Dr. Mark DeGoti & Dr. Michael Covington, trumpet ONLINE Prices: AU Student - 7.50 General Admission 12.50. ALL TIX AT THE DOOR - $15 Dr. Mark DeGoti and Dr. Michael Covington, trumpet faculty, will present a recital on Feb. 5 at 7:30 PM in the Goodwin Recital Hall. Student Recital: Sam Becker, horn Thu, Feb 6, 2020 Sam Becker, horn, will present a recital at 6:00 PM in the Goodwin Recital Hall. This is a FREE, non-ticketed event. AU Symphonic Winds Jay & Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center ONLINE Prices: AU Student - $10.00 General Admission $15.00. ALL TIX AT THE DOOR - $20 The Auburn University Symphonic Winds will present a concert at the Gogue Performing Arts Center on Feb. 7 at 7:30 PM. This is a ticketed event. Student Recital: Gillian Ash, flute Gillian Ash, flute, will present a recital at 7:30 PM in the Goodwin Recital Hall. This is a FREE, non-ticketed event. Book Talk by Dr. Alicia Carroll Dr. Alicia Carroll, associate professor of English and faculty affiliate of Women’s Studies at Auburn University, presents her 2019 book, New Woman Ecologies: From Arts and Crafts to the Great War and Beyond. Refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Brittany Rose at bzr0003@auburn.edu or 334-844-1974. French Film Series: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964); 91 min. Auspicious Behavior Chakaia Booker December 11, 2019 through January 29, 2020 M-F 7:45 am to 4:45 pm or by appointment Biggin Gallery Works by Althea Murphy-Price Althea Murphy-Price February 5, 2020 through March 6, 2020 2020 Juried Fine Arts Student Exhibition and Awards Juror: John Freyer March 23, 2020 through April 6, 2020 B.F.A. Candidates Senior Project Exhibition BFA Seniors On the Route to Calamities by Catherine M. Adams Catherine M. Adams April 29, 2020 through August 28, 2020 Find Events By Department & Program Foreign Languages & Literatures Sociology, Anthropology, & Social Work Contact CLA For more information about events in the College of Liberal Arts or to add an event, contact Wendy Bonner, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing. emailla@auburn.edu	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1069
__label__wiki	0.581577	0.581577	October 19, 2016 \| Comment Watchworthy Wednesday: 15 DML Speakers Ignite, Enlighten Category: Digital Learning Fifteen inspiring speakers took the stage Oct. 6 and 7 during the 7th annual Digital Media and Learning Conference at the University of California, Irvine. With 20 slides and 5 minutes each, they delivered some powerful talks, enlightening conference-goers about the DML projects that fuel their passions. The following are excerpts from the speakers and videos of their full Ignite presentations. Fresh Rap From Prof Ross “Well, this is a story about how my teaching got flipped, turned upside down…. In So California, born and raised, watching TV is how I spent most of my days, vegging out, slacking, chillaxing all cool. When I turned on the TV right after my school, my pops got mad, thought I was up to no good, ‘turn it off, read your book, do your brain some good.’ I said, ‘yo, dad, I’m down to read, but all my favorite stories are told on TV. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was my No. 1 show.’… That was exposition, next to rising action. I was starting to learn that plot stages were happening, so you know the tale that I’m telling in rhyme. I’m a quote Will Smith for the next few lines.” — Nick Ross, middle and high school English teacher Designing with Empathy “I believe in something called inclusive design…. Very often, students with disabilities, especially cognitive disabilities, are not asked about what they need so, I wanted to ask them. I wanted to have them create empathy maps.” — Rhianon Gutierrez, Boston public schools media artist Lying for Learning “As game designers, we believe that taking creative license and game mechanics, you can really enhance scientific learning in kids…. We don’t want scientific accuracy but boring nor do we want something that’s really visually appealing but is kind of scientifically misleading and that would be counterproductive, so how do we go about and try to reconcile these two and figure out what we’re doing?” — Peter McPartlan, UCI doctoral student “Everyone says smaller classes are better. I’m going to argue that large classes are not only just as good but can be better than smaller classes.” — Kim Jaxon, associate professor of English at Chico State Characteristics of Play “Learning scholars have lots to say about the role of play on meaning-making…. Play is how we modify new information to make sense of our world.” — Jason Engerman, Penn State University Reviving Higher Ed “Public higher education in the U.S. is dying on our watch. We are increasingly funding with revenues that come from private enterprise and on the backs of our debt-ridden students, so I want to make an argument that we have to make a case for public funding for higher education and I want to suggest that we do that using the philosophies of open education.” — Robin DeRosa, professor of interdisciplinary studies at Plymouth State University Toilet Selfies and Crohn’s Disease “Looking at me, you wouldn’t know that I have Crohn’s Disease. I had to grow up through my teenage years dealing with that, and I didn’t feel that anybody could ever empathize with me. I felt alone, completely isolated, but thanks to the affordances of social media, it means that we don’t have to be so alone anymore. Thousands of people now come online and we come into communities and we can share our stories and learn together.” — Kate Green, University of Nottingham doctoral student Annotating the Web “Let’s talk about knowledge. Let’s talk about how knowledge is constructed and how it’s contested.” — Remi Kalir, assistant professor of information and learning technologies at the University of Colorado, Denver Lighting a Learning Fire “I submit that improvising with your students can help you to create the culture and to practice the processes that facilitate 21st century learning…. Education is not the filling of a pail. It is the lighting of a fire.” — Laurel Felt, lecturer in communication at USC “Why technology in parks? Because parks is about fun. Parks is about play, and why not digital learning as play?” — Ana Maria Campos, director of computer resource centers for New York City Roadtrip Through Career Exploration “Career exploration should be about following your interests instead of trying to retrofit yourself into a career. So, then, how do you become that thing? You have to take active steps in order to fulfill your dreams.”— Annie Mais, Roadtrip Nation curriculum product manager Enabling Refugees to Hack German Higher Ed “Integrating refugees into higher education in Germany is not an easy task. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to this, but bureaucracy and the system itself is trying to do just that.” — Christian Friedrich, Hamburg University and Leuphana University Future of eSports “eSports is sexy right now…. Riot Games just announced that 100 million people are now playing League of Legends every month. That’s over 1% of the human population plays one game…. eSports is the information revolution’s answer to traditional athletics. It’s the next evolution of competition.”— Mark Deppe, acting director of UCI eSports Civic Tech for Civic Learning “How do we grow as civic actors through our uses of technology and media? Not only that, but how are we actually designing these tools and who are those designers and what are the values that they hold?” — Erhardt Graeff, researcher at MIT Media Lab Piloting Tech Incubators to Create Curriculum “Once these underserved kids in San Leandro get a taste of the experience, they start soaring.” — Bridget McGraw, mighty operations manager at Pilot City Banner photos by Alan Levine December 16, 2019 A Resource-Packed Guide on How Digital Learning Can Connect Youth to Opportunity September 16, 2019 Growing Up Digital	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1070
__label__wiki	0.612298	0.612298	ClassicReload » The Rocketeer Utopia - The Creation of a Nation Gods - Demo Follow the Reader (Mickey Mouse) Monty on the Run start stop fullscreen No gamepads detected. Plug in and press a button to use it. Ducktales : The Quest for Gold X-Men II: The Fall of the Mutants Ultimate Domain CD (Genesia) Abuse - shareware Days of Thunder Press Keyboard right side: Alt+Enter keys to switch to full screen game play, and Alt+Enter keys to return. Select ratingGive The Rocketeer 1/5Give The Rocketeer 2/5Give The Rocketeer 3/5Give The Rocketeer 4/5Give The Rocketeer 5/5 How to play The Rocketeer Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse. The Rocketeer Description The Rocketeer for DOS is a 1991 game based on the period adventure film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and based on the character of the same name created by comic book writer/artist Dave Stevens, who also served as a co-producer. Directed by Joe Johnston, the film stars Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul Sorvino and Tiny Ron Taylor. Set in 1938 Los Angeles, California, The Rocketeer tells the story of stunt pilot Cliff Secord who discovers a jet pack that enables him to fly. His heroic deeds attract the attention of Howard Hughes and the FBI, as well as sadistic Nazi operatives. Cheats/Hints/Walkthroughs for The Rocketeer No posted cheats for this game yet. Game year FallThru Blue Max - Aces of the Great War PGA Tour Golf III SEGA Genesis 1994 Air Bucks Murder on the Atlantic The Misers House MicroLeague Baseball II MAC OS 7.x 1989 Tony La Russa Baseball Senet - The Game of Pharaohs	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1071
__label__wiki	0.642274	0.642274	Published on October 23rd, 2016 \| by Adam Johnston Target Hits Bullseye As Top 2016 US Corporate Solar Installer October 23rd, 2016 by Adam Johnston Target has hit a solar energy bullseye. The Minneapolis-based retail giant topped all other American big businesses going solar, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Image via SEIA In the 2016 Solar Means Business report, Target knocked out former champion Walmart. It was a close race, though,with Target installing 147 MW and Walmart installing 145 MW. Here’s how the top 10 companies broke out: Target — 147 MW Walmart — 145 MW Prologis — 107.8 MW Apple — 93.9 MW Costco — 50.7 MW Kohl’s — 50.2 MW IKEA — 44 MW Macy’s — 38.9 MW General Growth Properties Inc. — 30.2 MW Hartz Mountain Industries — 22.7 MW To date, top US corporations have added nearly 1,100 MW of solar energy — in over 38 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC. In 2016 alone, US corporations have added 142 MW, more than all of 2015, which topped out at 129 MW. “At Target, sustainability is a principle that drives the decisions we make across the company — from the products we make to the way we run our business,” said John Leisen, Target vice president of property management. “We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made in improving building efficiencies and reducing environmental impact. Our commitment to installing solar panels on 500 stores and distribution centers by 2020 is evidence of that progress,” Leisen added. SEIA interim president Tom Kimbis suggested investment in solar energy is a reliable investment for big businesses as they look to diversify their portfolio. “Investing in solar is a common-sense decision that pays dividends for both the environment and companies’ bottom lines and these leaders deserve a big round of applause,” Kimbis said. It’s this type of investment which is helping to create thousands of new jobs while helping to offset 1.1 million tons of carbon emissions yearly, Kimbis added. Corporations investing more in renewables are surely taking advantage of falling costs, but they are also mitigating future climate change risks, including all sorts of extreme weather. Expect corporate competition for a top solar installation ranking to become more fierce as many awake to the benefits of going solar. Tags: Apple, Costco, General Growth Properties Inc., Hartz Mountain Industries, ikea, John Leisen, kohl's, Macy’s, Prologis, SEIA, Solar Means Business, target, Tom Kimbis, Walmart Adam Johnston is expected to complete the Professional Development Certificate in Renewable Energy from the University of Toronto by December 2017. Adam recently completed his Social Media Certificate from Algonquin College Continuing & Online Learning. Adam also graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a three-year B.A. combined major in Economics and Rhetoric, Writing & Communications in 2011. Adam owns a part-time tax preparation business. He also recently started up Salay Consulting and Social Media services, a part-time business which provides cleantech writing, analysis, and social media services. His eventual goal is to be a cleantech policy analyst. You can follow him on Twitter @adamjohnstonwpg or check out his business www.salayconsultiing.com. Tesla & Robotaxi Economics: The Network That Optimizes The Machine → Target Has Installed 500 Solar Power Systems → The Ford Mustang Mach-E Is A Sharp Effort To Seize The Moment → 11 Autonomous Driving Stories You May Have Missed →	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1072
__label__wiki	0.509532	0.509532	Stela of King P... Stela of King Ptolemy II and the deified Queen Arsinoe II - ROM2008_10293_1 ROM2008_10293_1 Stela of King Ptolemy II and the deified Queen Arsinoe II Medium:Limestone, carved and painted Geography: Undetermined site, Egypt Date: c. 250 BC Period: Ptolemaic Period Object number: 979.63 Gallery Location:Galleries of Africa: Egypt This round-topped limestone stela is decorated at the top in good Egyptian fashion with a winged solar disc with pendant uraeii. On the right side of the stela the standing figure of a king is shown in pharaonic style, wearing the double crown and shendyt kilt; he offers a nw-jar to the female figure on the left. She stands facing right, wearing a traditional Egyptian sheath dress and tripartite wig. She holds a very tall staff with an ankh sign at the top in her right hand. Egyptian deities hold their staffs vertically in front of them, so this pose may reflect Hellenistic influence, recalling images of the goddess Athena holding her spear. The female figure appears to be making a libation with her left hand over a horned altar represented in the centre of the scene. The horned altar was introduced to Egypt in the Persian Period and is found throughout the Near East in the Hellenistic and Roman eras. The female figure can be identified by the special crown that she wears. This crown takes the form of the red crown of Lower Egypt, but without the spiral. On top of the basic red crown are added the horizontal ram horns of Amun with a small sun disc flanked by cow horns in the centre; above this are two tall straight plumes. This special crown, which comes in a few variant forms, identifies the figure as the deified Arsinoe II, who was the wife of Ptolemy II. The stela is uninscribed, but there is an empty cartouche placed by the head of the female figure, presumably meant to include the queen's name. The king is therefore presumably Ptolemy II making an offering to his deified wife. The stela was likely set up in a mixed Greek and Egyptian community, such as in the Fayum, in honour of the royal cult of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt. (S. B. Shubert) Cataloguer: Gayle Gibson (ROM Staff 1990 - 2015, ROM Volunteer 2015-Present) Cataloguer: Steven B. Shubert (ROM Research Associate, 2008-present) EgyptGreek World Department: World Cultures: Egyptian	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1076
__label__cc	0.549042	0.450958	Doctors should take cookery lessons to offer patients better advice on nutrition Joanna Tweedy October 19, 2018 December 19, 2018 Features, News GPs should consider taking cookery courses so they’re better placed to advise patients on healthy eating, which in turn could reduce the country’s Type 2 diabetes rate. Britain’s obesity problem is currently the worst in Europe, with around two thirds of adults now overweight. At a conference in Glasgow in October, Dr Abhinav Bhansali, of Culinary Medicine UK, said family doctors could do more when it comes to advising on nutrition. GPs – and GPs of the future – should go on courses to learn more about nutrition, Dr Bhansali of Culinary Medicine UK, told doctors at the Royal College of GPs annual conference in Glasgow Medical schools should also consider making trainee doctors learn more about the effects a poor diet can have on patients, he added. Addressing the Royal College of GPs annual conference on October 12th, he said: “We want to start the conversation where GPs can talk to patients about the benefits of healthy cooking. “We have this growing trend of chronic conditions and we’re not really equipped to deal with it.” Culinary Medicine UK is a not-for-profit organisation that trains GPs at weekends on how to cook healthier food, with recipes including more nutritious versions of popular dishes, including curries and burgers. Dr Bhansali explained: “One of the recipes is spaghetti bolognese. We cook different versions, from simple bolognese to something more wholesome with lentils, peppers, garlic and parsley. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said time restraints made it difficult for doctors to offer such advice but they would welcome “handy resources” that offered information that was easy to pass on to patients. She said: “There is already so much to do within the confines of a ten-minute consultation, expecting GPs to do even more is unrealistic.” healthy eating; GPs; doctors; nutrition	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1077
__label__cc	0.700656	0.299344	Posts tagged “The Star Wars” Weekly Comic Reviews – 9/3/2013 This week saw thirteen new 3D covered .1 issues released by DC. My readership of their output has dropped so heavily that I only bought one, and I’ll get to that a little later on. I want to let you guys know that when it comes to DC my views are a little shaded right now. I see everything through the dark haze of “clearly this isn’t meant for me” every time I crack a cover. DC published several dozen titles and I only actively enjoy about three of them. That number will drop when Williams and company leave Batwoman and I drop that like a hot potato. It would take a miracle for DC to put together a creative team for that book that would wash the bad taste of that decision out of my mouth. But hey, that’s just me speaking. Unfortunately I don’t have any Marvel comics to review for you this week, so you’re going to have to deal with a little negative energy. BATMAN 23.1 – The Joker Written by: Andy Kubert Art by: Andy Clarke U.S. Price: 3.99 The Joker has FOREVER been the face of EVIL in the DC Universe…but what led him on this devious path of treachery? Andy Kubert pens this early adventure showcasing the maniacal exploits of the Crown Prince of Gotham—The JOKER! The biggest fear I have had about these Villains Month issues, aside from the fact that they would drive speculators into the shops in droves thus giving me a headache that no amount of Advil could cure (a prediction that Wednesday proved to be true), was that they would be useless filler that negated all the hype and hooplah surrounding them. Surprise, surprise…that’s pretty much what you’re getting. This particular issue, focusing on the Joker and his attempts to raise a gorilla as a surrogate son and the hijinks that ensue, feels completely tone-deaf with regards to Snyder’s work on the title. Attempts to shed light on an abusive homelife in Joker’s early formative years do little to shock because the rest of the issue does little to capture our attention or feel substantial in any real way. Coming on the heels of the Death in the Family arc makes Kubert’s work here seem off-base and, at least to me, offensive. There was a chance here to tell a truly worthwhile Joker tale, one that people would remember. You know what people will remember about this issue? The stupid cover. This issue is a joke. I’m not trying to be witty or make a pun; this issue is laughable. As a writer, you cannot let a gimmick overtake your work. In a few months, everyone will be mocking the entire Villains Month endeavor. I doubt a single positive step forward will come out of any story told in any of these gimmick issues. I am saddened that there is so little here to enjoy. I was hoping DC would prove me wrong. Whoops, there I go again. FOREVER EVIL # 1 Written by: Geoff Johns Art by: David Finch, Richard Friend The first universe-wide event of The New 52 begins as FOREVER EVIL launches! The Justice League is DEAD! And the villains shall INHERIT the Earth! An epic tale of the world’s greatest super-villains starts here! I made it through the first issue of Trinity War. Apparently that led to this. You don’t need to worry about catching up, the issue is fairly cut and dry in getting everyone up to speed. Lex Luthor opens the issue blackmailing another businessman like the greasy industrialist he is when he’s interrupted by the arrival of shadowy figures doing nefarious things. The issue then plays out as roughly thirty pages of showing us which villains are being broken out of which prisons until the Crime Syndicate led by Ultraman and Superwoman reveal that they have defeated the Justice League. It is as by the numbers as an event book can get. It reads like everything Geoff Johns has slapped onto a page in previous tent-pole titles and honestly the schtick is wearing thin on my nerves. There’s nothing fresh here, not in the writing nor in the artwork. David Finch’s dark linework portrays the sense of mood the title wants to inflict on the readers but feels rushed and without any real weight. Compared to something like Infinity which took the time to build the world the event would unfold in, Forever Evil feels like watching a recorded TV show at 1.5x speed and being unable to tell if you’re missing the nuances or if they’re even there at all. This is a book for a very particular type of fan and the only thing I can say is that I honestly had hoped that type of fan went extinct with the end of the 90’s but seeing how copies of issue number one flew off the shelf on Wednesday it would appear they have not only survived but may in fact have multiplied. It was like that rolling wave of Zombies in World War Z except they were all asking for variant covers and extra bags and boards. The Star Wars # 1 of 8 Writer: J.W. Rinzler Artist: Mike Mayhew Cover Price: 3.99 Before Star Wars, there was The Star Wars! This is the authorized adaptation of George Lucas’s rough-draft screenplay of what would eventually become a motion picture that would change the world. Annikin Starkiller is the hero . . . Luke Skywalker is a wizened Jedi general . . . Han Solo is a big green alien . . . and the Sith . . . Well, the Sith are still the bad guys. High adventure and derring-do from longer ago, in a galaxy even further away! Of all the books I picked up, this is the one that shone brightest. I know the company it keeps isn’t that elevated, but let me assure you that I was hesitant to even give this one a shot. I am glad I overrode my guttural instincts because this is a fun comic. Elements of what became Star Wars are definitely in the story here, names may be familiar but the story takes such a different turn that you can’t help but be fascinated how this eventually became the classic we all know and love. I will state for the record that based off of this, Lucas has had an interest in shoe-horning trade diplomacy into space pulp fantasy since the beginning, he simply had to wait until Episode I to get it on the screen. The backdrop of this series utilizes those elements in an interesting way and lets itself play out in a way consistent with the rest of the story. Honestly, reading this and comparing and contrasting story elements is quite a fun little experiment. It really gives you a look inside George Lucas’ head in a way most people only like to speculate. Will Star Wars fans enjoy it? I believe so. I think those turned off by the later installments will find a great deal to like here. There is so much that is obviously pulled from the series that Lucas idolized in his youth and while it is certainly a rough outline of a story it seems to have molded into something worth reading. More happens in the first issue of this series than in the entirety of Episode I, so if that’s a bar you’re willing to set, go ahead and give it a read. You can’t possibly be let down. September 5, 2013 \| Categories: Blog Posts, Reviews \| Tags: 3D Covers, Andy Kubert, Batman, Dark Horse Comics, David Finch, DC Comics, Forever Evil, Geoff Johns, JW Rinzler, The Star Wars, Villains Month \| Leave a comment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1079
__label__cc	0.580212	0.419788	MacArthur Winners, a Czech Zeppelin and more! Your Weekly Lit News Roundup by Laurel Dowswell September 26, 2016 laurel dowswell Literary News, News One comment MacArthur Winners Announced! The 2016 MacArthur Fellows include a human rights lawyer, an art historian, a theoretical computer scientist, and many others including some incredible creative thinkers and activists. As President Julia Stasch says of the honorees, “While our communities, our nation, and our world face both historic and emerging challenges, these 23 extraordinary individuals give us ample reason for hope. They are breaking new ground in areas of public concern, in the arts, and in the sciences, often in unexpected ways. Their creativity, dedication, and impact inspire us all.” The list includes playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, writer Maggie Nelson, and poet Claudia Rankine. On the MacArthur website, they have published lovely video presentations of each winner. Here is Claudia Rankine: A Zeppelin in Prague for Art & Literature The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art has commissioned architect Martin Rajnis in the design of a huge “airship” as a new space for the presentation of literature and arts programs. The 138-feet (42-meter) long and 33-feet (10-meter ) wide ship, named Gulliver after the hero of Jonathan Swift’s tale, will seat 120 people. The space is scheduled to open in late November or early December of this year. A Comic Book for Orlando DC Comics and IDW Publishing are coming out with Love is Love, a comic book in honor of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. The proceeds of the sales of the comic book will be going to Equality Florida and a fund the organization has set up for individuals and families affected by the attack on June 12. Click here for more information and to see a preview of one of the images – Batwoman! A ‘Book Train’ at New York Public Library The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, part of the NYPL system, is getting a “Book Train.” This 950-foot track with 24 cars will pick up books and other materials from the stacks and deliver them to researchers. Each car can hold up to 30 pounds! Check out the video here: Glendale, CA, Resident Opens Japanese Library Mitsuko Roberts has created a Japanese library at her home. She has filled it with approximately 700 items including fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, and comic books from her personal collection and area donations for younger and older students to use and enjoy. The family sets up tables and chairs a few times per month with the library items. In an effort to expand access to Japanese language and literature, she has also worked with a local elementary school with a dual-language program. Bonus links! If you are looking for a new idea to try to make money as a writer, you may utilize these ideas at your own risk/potential benefit. HuffPo: The Complete Guide to Writing Your Book. ::Read the second part of sentence of the above once more:: Because: JCO Laurel Dowswell is the Features Editor at Change Seven. Her short story “I Am theEggman” was nominated for the 2016 Pushcart Prize. She was a copy editor for an independent feminist newspaper in Santa Fe, NM, after being raised and educated in Florida. She lives and writes in Georgia, just outside of Atlanta with her son. She is currently working on a novel filled with oil paintings, family drama, and the spectrum of sexuality. Follow her on twitter @laurels_idea. Book trainBooksBranden Jacobs-JenkinsChange Seven MagazineClaudia RankineDOX Centre for Contemporary ArtGlobal literary newsMacArthurMaggie NelsonOrlandoPulseWritingwriting news Previous Post: Benched by Joe Mills Next Post: 7 Reads We Recommend for September: Fall/ing by Laurel Dowswell & Emily Ramser Pingback: MacArthur Winners, a Czech Zeppelin and more! Your Weekly Lit News Roundup by Laurel Dowswell \| Laurel Dowswell	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1087
__label__cc	0.670021	0.329979	IVF services at Derriford Hospital to be privatised by Charlotte Holloway \| Nov 11, 2019 \| News and Updates Commenting on the announcement that IVF services at Derriford are being re-tendered and only private sector companies will be bidding, Labour’s candidates in Plymouth said as follows. Charlotte Holloway, Labour and Cooperative Parliamentary Candidate for Plymouth Moor View, said: “This news is completely shocking. I’m a new mum and I’m genuinely astounded that the ability to have a baby should be privatised at Derriford. Private companies should have no place making profit from the difficulties of childlessness. It’s simply not right.” Luke Pollard, standing for re-election in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said: “NHS services should be run by the public sector and not private companies that take a profit from them. The news that IVF services will now be run by a private company taking profit from making babies shows there is nothing that won’t be privatised. The Conservatives are privatising NHS services and that means less money for the NHS and more taken by fat cat shareholders. A Labour Government would stop privatisation of the NHS.” Luke and Charlotte have spoken to management at Derriford Hospital asking that patients and staff are fully engaged during any tendering process. Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary commented: “ This is Tory privatising of the NHS at its worst. Labour will halt this privatisation in its tracks. But we can only do it if we get Luke and Charlotte elected in Plymouth by my side rebuilding a quality NHS for all” More information here: https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2019-11-11/plymouth-s-derriford-hospital-will-no-longer-offer-ivf-treatment-from-next-year/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1089
__label__cc	0.699824	0.300176	It is difficult to say whether this is something pathological or not since the rapid breathing for a short period of time may be due to smelling something (looks like breathing with the chest movements) or another cause; if there are no other symptoms and these ‘episodes’ only last a couple of seconds I would keep an eye on things for now and bring it up with your Veterinarian at Salem’s next checkup. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM It’s a well-known fact that Foreign Blues are hearty eaters. This cat breed will devour what you put in front of them and ask for seconds! If left alone, the sleek Russian Blue will turn fat and the target of weight-related conditions in no time. You can counter this dilemma by giving food only on specific periods and telling family members not to spoil the cat too much. My 4 year old cat,yuri,had diaherria and vomited after she vomited she started to breathe rapidly and acted uneasey we thought maybe she has heatstroke so we cooled her off and after that we thought she was OK but we did not realize later that she was still breathing rapidly and acting lethargic the whole day ,she also hasn't eaten anything at since morning and has drank very little water ,I've been very worried and been thinking to take her to the vet tomorrow morning ,just hoping you guys would give us some advice for the night What makes the Russian Blue more than “any other grey cat?” The many years of selective breeding and careful registration of ancestry via pedigrees allowing only blue shorthaired cats has resulted in a breed with a distinctive appearance and a unique personality that sets it apart from other cats...making the Russian Blue an entertaining and affectionate companion to its family and friends. ^ "Colorpoint Longhair" has multiple meanings and "Javanese" has been used for at least one other breed; the WCF uses the "Javanese" name for the Oriental Longhair (not colorpointed). The WCF has also merged the colorpointed Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair, the Himalayan and the Colourpoint Shorthair of other registries into a single breed, the Colourpoint. In the CFA, the TICA and some other registries, the Javanese/Colorpoint Longhair has merged back into the Balinese as a division My cat was run over nearly a month ago. She had her tail amputated. She then come home and developed a lump in her belly. She went back to the vets and had surgery the lump was removed and sent to the lab for testing. It come back with relation to trauma of the car accident. Then last Friday i took her cone off to eat her dinner i went upstairs to have a shower and left her unattended when i come down her cut and drain marks were bleeding. I took her back to the vets who cleaned her up and sent us home! Sunday i noticed she was very quiet and not herself. I took her to the vets last night and she was shaking and her breathing was up at 48 breathes per minute! the vet gave her a 2 week antibiotic injection and has sent us home! today Wednesday i measured her breathing again and it is still at 48 a minute. I have called the vet and said that if she is still the same tomorrow then bring her back. How long does it take for the antibiotic to start working and will this then slow her breathing down? Thank you in advance Big cats spawn on grass blocks at light levels of 9 or more in groups of up to 4. Some cats only spawn in certain biomes: leopards spawn in jungles, forests and forest variants; lions, panthers and tigers spawn in plains and forests; and snow leopards spawn in cold biomes. Lions and tigers also spawn more frequently than panthers. There is a 1/20 chance for a white lion, white lioness or white tiger to spawn. Rapid breathing may be caused by a variety of different issues which may include traumatic injury and pain; however if there has been a puncture wound to the chest or neck which is compromising the respiratory tract, it should be treated as a medical emergency. You should keep Grace calm for now but visit a Veterinarian as soon as one is open if she’s having difficulty breathing. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM I'm afraid that I can't offer much more assistance for Bella than what you have already done, without being able to see or examine her. If she has not had a trans-tracheal wash, that may be one test that can help determine the type of cells that are present in her lungs, and if the x-rays have not been evaluated by a specialist, that is another possibility, as your veterinarian should be able to send those x-rays to be evaluated further. Inconsistency in breed classification and naming among registries means that an individual animal may be considered different breeds by different registries (though not necessarily eligible for registry in them all, depending on its exact ancestry). For example, the TICA's Himalayan is considered a colorpoint variety of the Persian by the CFA, while the Javanese (or Colorpoint Longhair) is a color variation of the Balinese in the TICA and the CFA; both breeds are merged (along with the Colorpoint Shorthair) into a single "mega-breed", the Colourpoint, in the World Cat Federation (WCF), who have repurposed the name "Javanese" for the Oriental Longhair. Also, "Colo[u]rpoint Longhair" refers to multiple different breeds in some other registries. There are several examples of nomenclatural confusion of this sort. Furthermore, many geographical and cultural names for cat breeds are fanciful selections made by Western breeders to be "exotic"-sounding and bear no relationship to the actual origin of the breeds;[4] the Balinese, Javanese, and Himalayan are all examples of this trend. Any changes in breathing should be concerning, you should keep a close eye on Lucy to see if it passes; if it seems like she is having difficulty getting enough oxygen or her gums are pale you should visit a Veterinarian immediately. Infections, laryngeal disorders, airway obstructions, tumours, poisoning, anaemia among other causes may cause respiratory difficulties. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM There are many different causes for the symptoms which you are describing which most likely are attributable to an infection; continue with the antibiotics and feed some plain canned pumpkin to help move the bowels a little, if Teddy isn’t drinking you should try syringing water to the mouth little by little as it is important he remains hydrated. See how he goes, but if there is no improvement you should return to your Veterinarian for another examination. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM Not much is known about this rare breed; however, it is believed that the Russian blue originates from northern Russia, specifically the Archangel Isles. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), cat rumor has it that "the Russian blue breed descended from the cats kept by the Russian Czars. Assuming the Russian blue did migrate from northern Russia, it was likely via ship to England and northern Europe in the mid-1860s." As early as the sixteenth century, recorded history shows that trade ships passed between this territory and the British Isles, and the Vikings were active in both regions centuries prior, but there is no mention of the Russian blue cat until the nineteenth century. Thank you for you email. unfortunately, without examining Kai, i can't comment on what might be going on with him. He needs to see his veterinarian to try and determine what is going on with him and how to treat him. If he seems to be in distress and unable to catch his breath, taking him to the emergency clinic tonight is most appropriate. I hope that he is okay. Originally hailing from Mesopotamia, now present-day Iran, these kitties won over a guy (OK, more accurately an Italian nobleman, perhaps the first documented “cat man”) who brought them to Europe in the 1600s, says Purina, adding that they later became a favorite of Queen Victoria. Perhaps their regal past is why they’re noted as independent and usually selective about the humans with whom they hang. They’re described as quiet types who thrive in relaxed environments. As the name suggests, this breed is believed to have originated in Russia. It is widely believed that British sailors, fascinated by this breed of cat, brought them home from the White Sea port town of Archangel (Arkhangelsk) in northern Russia. The presence of a warm, thick coat suggests that they were long accustomed to surviving in a cold climate. As mentioned earlier in this article, there has been some suggestion that the Russian Blue lived in the wild and was hunted for its fur. Whether these stories are true or not remains pure speculation. Regarding the Savannah and those wishing to add one as a member of their family… Do your research! Because of the lineage of the Savannah, and the fact that they are not far removed from their wild side, there are laws of the location where you live to look into. Some places are requiring licenses to own these hybrids, others don’t allow them at all, while still others are legal to own an animal that is farther removers, for example an F1 or F2 is illegal but anything past an F3 is okay. Okay so we’ve had our cat since being a kitten and she’s always been very scatty as we think she was abused, due to getting her and her having marks on her neck, but her breathing has always been rapid. (80 resps per minute) but in herself, she’s like any normal cat. She’s very friendly, not in any form of pain, is this something that needs to be addressed? If Squeakers is acting normally otherwise and doesn't seem to be having any respiratory distress, this may just be normal for her. If she hasn't had a checkup in a while, it would be a good idea to have her checked out, regardless, as a veterinarian can listen to her heart and lungs, and assess her general health and whether this breathing pattern is normal, or a potential problem. I hope that all goes well for her! Contact us at webmaster@catfederation.com \| Sitemap xml \| Sitemap txt \| Sitemap	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1091
__label__cc	0.626624	0.373376	You are here: Home › Christian About Christian Commercially astute multi-sector business leader ranked as the worlds 11th most influential CIO. Notable track record of success in permanent & interim capacity at board level including VC & PE backed firms. First class delivery credentials & experience on a global scale including: - Board Advisory: Strategic dev/review, > ROI, organisational insight, investment & capability reviews - Strategic business planning: Vision, core competencies, market opportunities - Business strategy formulation & execution - Transformation: IT/cultural change, systems/process integration, complex change, analytics - IT supplier management, IT sourcing & BPO - Full M&A lifecycle: Due diligence, integration, restructuring & value realisation - Defining & transitioning to a new Target Operating Model (TOM) - Product Builder: Building products that deliver compelling customer experiences & business value - IT Modernisation: Move to cloud infrastructure, legacy rationalisation & re-platform to AWS / Azure - Work with c-suites helping them prepare for capital raising with focus on IPO - Software Development: DevOps, SDLC, Agile, API, EA, Mobile Payments, AI, ML, Blockchain - Start-Up Engagement: Mentoring, collaborative innovation, partnerships, pilots - Member of Technology Panel for €5b European Commission VC Fund Exceptional knowledge of current & emerging technology. Able to deliver fully secure solutions that build new customer experiences, enable competitive advantage, solve business critical issues, maximise efficiency & enable more effective ways of working. Ability to adapt & translate technical matters for non-technical audiences. Comfortable in engaging with customers in getting feedback & using this to improve products. Engaging blend of commercial acumen, highly developed interpersonal skills & cultural dexterity. Skilled in leading globally dispersed teams & building collaborative relationships in matrix organisations across diverse stakeholders & geographies. Author Archive \| Christian Read my contribution to a ZDNet article, “Artificial intelligence: How to build the business case” By Christian on 6th March 2017 in AI, Artificial Intelligence, CIO Read my contribution to a ZDNet article, “Artificial intelligence: How to build the business case”. You can read the article here on ZDNet. Read my contribution to a ZDNet article: “Four ways to create a happy and creative team” By Christian on 4th January 2017 in CEO, CIO, HR Read my contribution to a ZDNet article, “How many of these does your boss do? Four ways to create a happy and creative team” 100 Most Influential Chief Information Technology Officers By Christian on 19th December 2016 in CIO, CITO, CTO I am honoured to be included at #11 on the Richtopia list of the ‘The 100 Most Influential Chief Information Technology Officers’ – please click here to see the full list. This is an important ranking as its calculated weekly and especially as it is amongst such esteemed global peers. Recognised as a top Digital Transformation Leader by HP Enterprise By Christian on 21st October 2016 in CIO, Digital Transformation, Digital Trends, Leadership Honoured to be recognised by HP Enterprise as a top Digital Transformation Leader to follow and you can read the full piece on the HP Enterprise website here. A short quote from the opening paragraph of the piece states: Follow these influential experts to get a direct line into what the best minds in the business think of the latest digital trends. Technology is changing the world at an unprecedented pace for both consumers and businesses. To survive and thrive, IT professionals need to be ahead of the curve when it comes to digital transformation. One of the best ways to stay on top of this rapidly evolving world is by following its leaders on Twitter. In no particular order, here are 18 influential experts whose insights you won’t want to miss. Delighted to be quoted in The Times today By Christian on 4th October 2016 in Big Data, CDO, CIO, Transformation I was delighted to be quoted in The Times today within their Data Economy Supplement. As The Times has a paywall, you can read the full piece with my quotes here. Book Review – Be The Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT By Christian on 27th September 2016 in CIO, Digital Leadership, IT Leadership After reviewing Martha Heller’s excellent last book, The CIO Paradox: Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership back in 2012 I was delighted to be asked to review her new book entitled, Be The Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT. The book rightly covers how technology now permeates nearly everything a company does and how regardless of industry, IT has moved much closer to (if not directly in) the revenue stream of the organisation. Martha has an amazing network of CIOs and an innate knowledge of how their roles have evolved in the past 5 years including how many leading CIOs are dramatically re-conceptualising the role of IT and creating new IT operating models as a result. In keeping with this new era of IT, these new operating models distribute IT investment decisions, innovation, delivery, and adoption throughout the enterprise, rather than keeping those activities solely within the IT function. Ultimately, these new IT operating models position the IT function as an internal professional services organisation that provides the company with a wide array of services including management consulting, customer experience, innovation, end-user productivity, and security. I have long heralded the cause for CIOs to be more progressive and deeply involved in operating and driving the business forward; Actually being a part of the core team which leads and drives the business forward rather than being content just running the technology silo and ‘keeping the lights on.’ I have referred to this more commercially focused and digitally savvy role as CIO 2.0 with more focus on supporting the business, reinvigorating its use of technology, enhancing the customer experience, driving the digital initiative and enabling it to deliver its strategic growth objectives. This book is full of practical and thought-provoking narrative on how CIOs can progress to the ‘2.0’ role in this new era of IT and each chapter resonates with illuminating quotes from leading CIOs who have been through this transition and which lend real world insight to Martha’s text. Chapters such as Step in to the Digital Void, Turn IT Consumers in Co-investors and Becoming the ‘What’ CIO invigorate the mind and really help you shape your thoughts in to meaningful and effective strategic goals that you can carry forth in to your own organisations. This book is by no means an instructional guide on how to elevate yourself as a technology leader but gently steers you in to the key areas you need to consider, investigate and embrace to succeed in this new era of IT. When digesting this book on first reading, it really resonated with me on how well it flowed and knitted together the journey to becoming a CIO 2.0. On second reading, I did so with a highlighter pen and marked out large areas of text in each chapter from which I wanted to take time to further drill down in to. I highly recommend this book and feel confident in saying that it will be a well-thumbed reference point for me that will stimulate my thoughts and interchanges with others for a long time to come. Read my input to an article entitled “What makes a real IoT platform?” By Christian on 28th July 2016 in CIO, Internet of Things, IoT Read my input to an article entitled “What makes a real IoT platform?” on the Informa publication IoT World News which discusses the rise of connectivity in the business and the specific technical challenges that CIO’s face. You can read the article here on IoT World News. Honoured to be recognised as a Digital Leader by Cisco By Christian on 20th July 2016 in CIO, Digital Leadership, Digital Transformation Honoured to be recognised as a digital leader by @Cisco in the July issue of #CiscoFocus – click here to read. CIO UK – Top UK CIO’s to follow on Twitter By Christian on 19th July 2016 in CIO, Social Media, Twitter Delighted to be included and top CIO UK’s list of top CIO’s to follow on Twitter – click here to see the list. Smart Strategies from #SocialCIOs – CIO Executive Council By Christian on 23rd June 2016 in CIO, Social Media In these times of digital transformation, social media is becoming more and more necessary for business leaders, especially for CIO’s who are in most cases leading the charge. I was approached by the CIO Executive Council at IDG to contribute to a blog piece about this where I answer questions about how I use social media, the benefits it gives me and some tips on how business leaders can get involved. Please click here to see the blog piece.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1099
__label__cc	0.513723	0.486277	Tutoring evolution Discussion in 'Science' started by robyn147, Jan 14, 2012. robyn147 I am tutoring someone in A-level biology. I normally tutor maths but my previous life was as a biochemist so am enjoying tutoring it. We have just started variation (B2 in AQA). My tutee is not the world's best at biology - she wants to be a nurse so apparently needs biology. I was chatting to her about some of the reasons for variation and DNA. This then led on to "Where do humans come from?". "Monkeys" - after a while. "Ok - but where did they come from?" Big hesitation - long pause "Ummmm. God?" Now this is new territory for me. I started to talk about what science has shown, evolution but didn't go too much down this road as we've only just started. She is a Christian. I don't think she's a deep (for want of a better word) Christian. I'm just not sure how to approach this whole topic. I am an atheist but I would not push my beliefs on to someone else. How do science teachers teach this topic? Do they teach it as fact or as what science has shown? I'm sure this has come up before - however this is a new area for me and as it's tutoring, we are going to have interesting conversations to try to stimulate her mind. robyn147, Jan 14, 2012 Anonymous New commenter Anonymous, Jan 14, 2012 BelleDuJour Star commenter robyn147 said: I am tutoring someone in A-level biology. We have just started variation (B2 in AQA) B2 is GCSE! It is taught as a theory, supported by evidence, not as fact. BelleDuJour, Jan 14, 2012 Well it's the one after the exam she's just done - it's Biol 2 (sorry - spent the week doing C1, OCR maths, AQA Unit 1, AQA Unit 2 and C2 maths so allowed to make a mistake ) So you don't teach it as fact - just a theory with lots of evidence. That sounds interesting - I'll be interested to see if she understands the difference. Mangleworzle Star commenter I am an atheist but I would not push my beliefs on to someone else. I don't see how teaching about evolution is pushing your beliefs on someone else, perhaps the fact you think this is why you find it difficult to approach? Refer to the syllabus and teach that, she's hardly likely to object. I'd be very surprised if any biology syllabus was written in such as way that it presented ideological difficulties, unless you are very fundamentalist that is. I had a Jehova's witness in my class a couple of years ago she said "we don't believe this stuff", tutted and rolled her eyes on occasion but learned it for the exam. Mangleworzle, Jan 14, 2012 blazer Star commenter At GCSE if i have to teach this topic (my highest Biology qualification is O level) I always start with variation. With a class this is easy as you can just look round the room to see differences in height, eye colour etc. Then you can move into animals to talk about if variations can make life or death effects eg does the ability for a deer to run faster confer an advantage over slower members of the herd? Once this is embedded you can then discuss inheritiance of characteristics by offspring. This leads to understanding that over time advantageous variations will be tend to be passed on whilst disadvantageous variations will tend not to get passed on. Thus species change over time (use horse fossils). If sufficient different changes occur in two populations of the same species eventually they may become two distinct but related species (things get a bit unclear here for me as I have never had the actualy 'origin of species' explained fully to my satisfaction). Thus Humans and chimps for instance have a common ancestor (humans are not evolved from chimps) and each species followed it own route of eveolution to what we have today. Loads of evidence in fossils and also in modern exaples such as the Peppered moth and antibiotic resistant bacteria. blazer, Jan 15, 2012 OP, can I suggest you take a look in the resources section on TES. There's loads on evolution there, both GCSE and A level. Worth a look. MikeOw blazer said: I have never had the actualy 'origin of species' explained fully to my satisfaction I always thought "The Origin of Species" describes different species splitting from a common ancestor, not life itself - more like the difference between bumblebee and honey bee rather than elephant and giraffe. When I was at uni the definition of defferent species were if the two organisms could not mate to produce viable offspring (that could then produce offspring). MikeOw, Jan 16, 2012 MikeOw said: That is the definition I have always used (since O level) but today I asked 2 Biologist colleagues and they reckon that that definition isn't strictly true as there are examples of different species that can mate and produce viable offspring (some only the female offspring are vaible). There is the recent case of Brown and Polar bears. Long thought to be separate species but some have mated in captivity and climate change is now making their habitats overlap in the wild and they are breeding with each other to produce viable offspring. So perhaps they had not been separated long enough to develop into separate species? The Origin of Species I was not refering to the great book but to the mechanism of how a new specie can evolve. How much genetic variation would a population have to exhibit before it became sufficiantly incompatible with the original population so that you now had 2 species? I mean look at how selective breeding had changed animals likedogs and yet despite massive differences they are still the same species. Which reminds me of the old joke. Have you heard the one about the chiuaua who mated with a great Dane? His mates put him up to it! Defining a species is notoriously difficult. That it is so difficult to do so provides more evidence for evolution and the fact that organisms are so closely related to each other that they can interbreed if certain barriers can be overcome. James_Williams Evolution does not have to pose a problem for anyone - Christian, Muslim, Atheist etc etc. Science is about the acceptance of evidence and it is not a belief system like Christianity. Evolution deals with the development and diversity of life on ewarth, not the origin of life. Humans and chimps both evolved from a common ancestor which (very briefly) answers your question. Evolution is a fact. It has been observed and is evidenced by many strands of evidence from DNA analysis to fossil evidence as well as seeing speciation in nature. But it is a scientific fact and, as such, is not to be confused with truth or facts as in the law. Scientific 'facts' (like theories) can and do change when new evidence comes along. Evolution is also a theory - that is there is an evidenced explanation for evolution through natural selection and this is accepted by the scientific community. Remember that theories explain natural phenomena and they are not unevidenced and they are not guesses or hunches. I do not feel that it is the duty of any teacher to try and change a person's beliefs. By putting across that it is a matter of acceptance over belief then two seemingly incompatible positions can be held at once. For example, if you are a juror in a trial you can only convict a person on the basis of the evidence presented - you cannot say a person is guilty just because you 'believe' he or she is. e.g. many people 'believed' that Michael Jackson was guilty of being a paedophile, but in court there was sufficient evidence, so he was presumed and declared innocent. I seem to recall a juror being interviewed who said that hehad to find him innocent but still believed he was guilty! With acceptance of something comes the ability to change and not accept what you previously thought was the case for something. Beliefs are much much harder to change (and often you don't change a person's belief system) so taking the path of acceptance of evolution and avoiding saying anything about 'believing' in evolution is a much better way to teach what is currently scientifically accepted - that evolution is a scientific fact explained by the scientific theory of evolution by means of natural selection. James_Williams, Jan 16, 2012 housesparrow New commenter I have tutored science to quite a number of children from evangelical Christian homes who absolutely do not support Darwin's theory of evolution and believe that the world was formed in 6 x 24 hour days just over 4000 years ago including 2 of the ministers' own children. When I explained that if they wanted their marks then they must learn and regurgitate this, this and this, and that the examiner will award nothing for anything else, then everyone appreciated what must be done in order to achieve the grades. Yes, I teach evolution as another theory and keep my own beliefs to myself out of respect for theirs, it saves an awful lot of problems. If there is time in school, then a properly chaired debate between the different views would be a worthwhile activity but such a debate must be chaired tightly with very clear rules and boundaries in order to be a success and so as not to descend into a shouting match from which no-one benefits. housesparrow, Jan 17, 2012 Rossmg You've hit the nail on the head, Mr. Williams. The idea that we have evolved from chimps and that evolution is suspect because it is "only a theory" are the two biggest stumbling blocks on the road to enlightenment. On that note, I assume everyone is delighted to learn that such misunderstandings may be a thing of the past as the government wants evolution and inheritance taught at (the new) Upper Key Stage 2. Thoughts? Rossmg, Jul 17, 2013 mrswallow Occasional commenter OP - you may like to have a read through this web page. It wears its colours proudly with a disclaimer at the top. I quite like the graphic they use about a third of the way down, and it does explain the 'reasoning' behind some of the claims. I found it an interesting read, not least because I was shocked to find out that there are still people who believe the Earth is flat because of something it says in the bible.... IMO this whole creationism thing is a politically motivated propaganda exercise by a group of Christians ('Answers in Genesis' I think) in the States to try and make education less secular and therefore increase the power of the Christian right in the US, and is less to do with actual religion. The way that it is promulgated and turned into a black/ white simplistic sound bite (like most questions about morals and ethics in the US) is as much to do with the media as anything else. It all gets a bit 'four legs good, two legs bad' at times. But that's just my take on it, and as such it may be wrong. Anyhow. OP you are teaching/ tutoring Biology, and as such stick to the scientific theory and the evidence underpinning it. However at the end of the day, sometimes you just have to say to the pupil 'If you want to pass the paper, you need to know this' (as another poster suggested). Although I have also used the 'If you don't understand evolution, how are you ever going to effectively argue against it?' mrswallow, Jul 27, 2013 Scintillant Star commenter There are several different species concepts. Have a look at a summary of them. And despite a post to the contrary above, evolution is a scientific fact. If you're not sure, look up what a scientific fact is, and then decide for yourself. Scintillant, Jul 29, 2013 Trainer44 @Scintillant and James_Williams: "evolution is a scientific fact" well that depends.... Adaptation (aka "microevolution") IS a scientific fact (eg Darwin's Finches, horse evolution, peppered moths etc.) @blazer that's why dog breeders get huge variation but only ever dogs and not different kinds of animals (eg winged dogs). However, Macroevolution (aka "microbes to man" Evolution) is entirely a different kind of Science. The science of Origins necessarily cannot be repeated in the laboratory so it will always remain a hypothesis and never a fact, whatever the evidence. There is actually a lot of scientific evidence against Macroevolution, but because evidence FOR Microevolution is provided as evidence for Macroevolution, pupils are given the illusion that they shouldn't question Macroevolution. It's a travesty of science that Evolution is being taught as unquestionable fact. A terrible example of this is the new Primary National Curriculum that states that the "lengthening of giraffes' necks" should be given as evidence of "evolution." It may surprise you to discover the number of giraffe fossils discovered with neck lengths shorter than the current length given that it must have taken millions of years for the giraffe's neck to evolve through mutation and natural selection. The answer is ZERO. The only scientific evidence that giraffes' necks have got longer over time is that, if Evolution is true, then they must have evolved from shorter necked giraffes. How this got into the National Curriculum as the best evidence for Evolution is a great warning to teachers not to blindly believe Richard Dawkins and other committed atheists just because they are on the telly. Also look at Truth in Science website www.truthinscience.org.uk/tis2 for an alternative viewpoint! Trainer44, Feb 27, 2014 There is an echo in here! blazer, Feb 27, 2014 Trainer44 said: It's a travesty of science that Evolution is being taught as unquestionable fact. It's not, so that's ok. I do hear though that in some places, the idea of everything being made by an invisible sky pixie IS being taught as fact and people who question it are called names and looked down upon. Mangleworzle, Mar 1, 2014 shajnafaisal idlp56, neddyw, siege, scarfandhat, amartinhallgreen, rpaterson89, mae_east, bessiesmith2, blondiejohnson, ziaiqbal59, phlogiston, lauretta10ng, janinevarley, vickyfrisby7, bert217, danhgiow, morganht93, LGrice92, slcgarvey, jmathsresources, tom_dunne_9383, johwilson1, celago22, asha18, hollie269, aypi, pmichelmore, starsunshine10, Brionne, WalneyWanderer, hcable91, Keep_hope_alive, shannon_howes15	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1102
__label__cc	0.51329	0.48671	24 hodin denně; 7 dní v týdnu (hovory pouze v angličtině) Zatelefonujte nám na číslo 239 014 224‎ Dle základních sazeb‎. 10 Things to Do with Your Family in Milan Milan’s Best Family-Friendly Places Omlouváme se. Tato stránka dosud nebyla přeložena do vašeho jazyka. Milan may be better known as a destination for fashionistas and romantics. However, families aren’t left out as this beautiful city has plenty in store for travellers, even those with kids. Even the Duomo inspires awe for both young and old, and a visit can provide a lot of fun as you navigate inside the cathedral to climb to the top and share the prize view. Here’s a shortlist of Milan’s best family-friendly places, ranging from waterparks where you can cheerfully splash and slide about, to amusement parks and interactive museums that offer days out for exploring and learning. Plan your next family trip with these things to do with your family in Milan. A medieval maze with dramatic skylines This major Gothic landmark that serves as the focal point of Milan is not to be missed by any visitor to the city. However, families with kids can have a great time besides taking selfies and admiring this massive architectural wonder. Young kids will have a blast playing “I spy” with the hundreds of spires and countless statues – some of the Gothic reliefs are amusingly out of place, such as tennis rackets and boxing gloves. It can also be a fun journey navigating through the maze-like cathedral and climbing up to the Duomo’s scenic terrace. Poloha: Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Daily from 9am to 7pm Hosté doporučují: Acquatica Waterpark Splashing fun for families in Milan You can reach this waterpark within a half-hour’s drive west from downtown Milan. It isn’t very large, but offers a fun time out with its collection of pools and slides. Entry is around €19 for adults but free for kids under a metre tall, and locker rentals are around €5. Some of the slides require you to be at least 120cm tall. Thrill-seekers can try the 25-metre-high racetrack-style slides, as well as a spiralling Twister slide and the 90-metre-long Kamikaze. Fun bits for smaller kids include a lagoon and dedicated kiddie park. Poloha: Via Gaetano Airaghi, 61, 20153 Milan, Italy Otevřeno: July - August daily from 10am to 7pm Leonardo da Vinci National Science Museum Inspiring interactive science exhibits for all ages For an educational trip that can also offer a tonne of fun and inspiration for adults, check out the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology. It houses an impressive collection of interactive and educational exhibits. Among them are 3D realisations of da Vinci’s mechanical designs, including his famous bat-like gliders and many more of his fascinating flying machines. Other multimedia exhibits serve as windows into the wondrous world of physics and astronomy. A life-size WWII submarine is parked outside, which most kids will find irresistible. Full tickets are from €10. Poloha: Via San Vittore, Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Tuesday - Friday from 9.30am to 5pm, Saturday - Sunday from 9.30am to 6.30pm Autor fotografií: Museo nazionale della scienza e della tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, Milano (CC BY-SA 4.0) upraveno Milan Civic Aquarium A small but interesting collection of aquatic exhibits in the city North of Sforza Castle, on the edge of Parco Sempione, the Acquario Civico di Milano (Civic Aquarium of Milan) is a good spot for families to spend a few calm hours. Don’t expect a large marine-park-like collection, though. It’s a lovely Renaissance building with a few ponds outside and its façade features a statue of Neptune and busts of various marine creatures. For around €5 for adults (free for the little ones), you can enter to walk through their small tunnel through a tank filled with rays, and explore other tanks featuring a variety of fish, starfish and sturgeon. Poloha: Viale Gadio, 2, 20121 Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Tuesday - Sunday from 9am to 5.30pm (closed on Mondays) Autor fotografií: Yorick39 (CC BY-SA 3.0) upraveno A 15th-century fortress to explore Milan’s Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle) is a good place for your kids to live their fairy-tale fantasies. The castle has a large courtyard where they can wander around, as well as circular towers and gardens that they can discover. Older kids can broaden their horizons on art and history at the castle’s library and its several museums within. Some of the castle’s galleries house important Renaissance artworks, including some by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. There are also cats roaming freely around the castle and its dry moat. Poloha: Piazza Castello, Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Tuesday - Sunday from 9am to 5:30pm Leolandia Park Fun rides and a park filled with miniature Italian landmarks Please the kids with a visit to this massive children’s amusement park that’s around a 45-minute drive northeast from central Milan. Leolandia occupies a vast green space that’s filled with over 40 rides and attractions suited for varying ages. Kids can meet their favourite TV and cartoon characters here, such as Peppa Pig and Geronimo Stilton, and they can even hop aboard Thomas the Train for a fun ride. Adjoining Leolandia is Minitalia, a spacious park where you can feel like a giant looking over various miniatures of Italy’s famous landmarks. Tickets are around €38.50 per person. Poloha: Via Vittorio Veneto, 52, 24042 Capriate San Gervasio, Italy Otevřeno: July - September daily from 10am to 6pm Autor fotografií: Sys76 (CC BY-SA 3.0) upraveno Milan Natural History Museum Walk under a T-Rex and view life-size dioramas The Civico Museo di Storia Naturale (Natural History Museum of Milan) is housed in a 19th-century building at the edge of the Indro Montanelli Park. Highlighted ground-floor exhibits include a real T-Rex skeleton on display, mounted in a stalking stance, together with other dinosaur fossils and full-scale models. Further upstairs, you and your kids can discover the museum’s series of life-size dioramas. These feature various animals in their mock-up habitats from the world’s major continents. Tickets are €5 for adults, while kids enter for free. Poloha: Corso Venezia, 55, 20121 Milan, Italy Autor fotografií: Stefano Stabile (CC BY-SA 3.0) upraveno Ulrico Hoepli Civic Planetarium Learn about the planets, the solar system, and beyond Simply referred to as the Milan Planetarium, the Ulrico Hoepli Civic Planetarium is considered Italy’s largest. Established back in the 1930s, the planetarium retains much of its historical features, such as its original architectural styling and interiors with wooden chairs. Its regular schedule of family events includes a young astronomers’ club where you and your budding space explorers are introduced to the wonders of the stars, and rewarded with a special pin. Tickets are around €5 for adults and €3 for kids. Otevřeno: Monday - Friday from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm, Saturday - Sunday from 2.15pm to 5.30pm Autor fotografií: David Orban (CC BY 2.0) upraveno Vast green oasis in the heart of Milan This pleasant green space right in the heart of Milan adjoins the Sforza Castle. The little ones can enjoy running freely across green lawns and even going on some classic rides or having fun in dedicated playgrounds. Meanwhile, mum and dad can enjoy the lovely views and even discover some of their own favourite spots within the park. The lake here is home to ducks and turtles, and there are plenty of places to sit and have a picnic. Poloha: Piazza Sempione, 20154 Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Tuesday - Sunday from 9am to 5.30pm MUBA Children's Museum Interactive and fun learning for young kids The non-profit MUBA or Museo dei Bambini (Children’s Museum) of Milan features workshops and events for young kids. Most of the activities follow fixed schedules, so you’ll need to check what’s on in advance, and you’ll usually have to book ahead. Among their more popular workshops is an interactive exhibition of light and colours, suitable for toddlers. Led by a team of educators, the kids can actively learn through interactive exhibits with touch and experimentation. Tickets are around €8 for adults and €6 for kids. Poloha: Via Enrico Besana, 12, 20122 Milan, Italy Otevřeno: Tuesday - Saturday from 9.45am to 6pm (closed on Mondays) Autor fotografií: Steven Depolo (CC BY 2.0) upraveno Ari Gunadi \| Cestuje často Naplánujte si cestu Neznám přesná data Pokoje 1 pokoj, 1 dospělý1 pokoj, 2 dospělíDalší možnosti... Další zajímavé destinace Milan Travel Kit Where to Stay in Milan? 10 Best Things to Do in Milan in a Day Ari Gunadi, 24 Dec, 2019 4 Places for Shopping on a Budget in Milan Anita Choudhary, 23 Dec, 2019 10 Free Things to Do in Milan 6 Things to Do in Milan in Spring 10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Milan	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1114
__label__cc	0.707606	0.292394	Emergency & Bioterrorism Preparedness The objective of the Emergency/Bioterrorism Preparedness Department is to ensure Public Health preparedness and establish an effective response to bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, emergencies and other public health threats. The responsibilities of CVDHD’s Emergency/Bioterrorism Preparedness Department include the following: Assessment and Planning Development of new and assessments of existing plans, procedures, staff, equipment and resources. Establish community collaboration with local emergency response agencies to ensure local preparedness efforts are complete. Frequently exercise Emergency Response Plans on a local, regional and state level. Surveillance and Epidemiology CVDHD staff investigates reportable diseases (see Epidemiology Department). Utilize several surveillance programs to monitor and rapidly detect unusual disease activity within the Cumberland Valley District. 911 calls are monitored. Emergency Department visits are monitored. Diagnoses by network medical providers are reported. School absenteeism is surveyed daily. Communications and Information Technology Maintain communications (telephone, fax, and e-mail) with health care providers, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency response personnel and other health departments to ensure rapid dissemination of information. Inform and recruit community volunteers who would be asked to work Mass Dispensing/Vaccination Clinics in response to a large-scale disease outbreak or bioterrorism attack. We do this through our Medical Reserve Corps. Ensure that health/risk information is readily available to the public during a terrorist event or natural disaster. Maintain relationships with various media outlets to ensure rapid dissemination of information. Provide training to key health personnel who respond to public health emergencies. Coordinate education and training with other health and emergency agencies. Provide training to community members who volunteer to work in Mass Dispensing/Vaccination Clinics. Organize and participate in emergency drills. Staff in the Emergency Preparedness/Terrorism Department can be reached by calling 606-598-5564 Ext. 111. Volunteer Management – https://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/MrcUnits/UnitDetails/304 http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1120
__label__wiki	0.506869	0.506869	Coporates Gadget Gyaan Techno-Legal Home / Advisory / After a Delay of Two Years the Cyber Crime Data of 2017 has been published by National Crime Records Bureau of India: A jump of 77 percent from previous year After a Delay of Two Years the Cyber Crime Data of 2017 has been published by National Crime Records Bureau of India: A jump of 77 percent from previous year Posted on 18th November 2019 20th November 2019 by Sagganik Guru Spread the word :) NCRB Cyber Crime Report 2017 shows an increase of 77 percent in reported offences The Cyber Crime Cases in India On 21 October 2019, the National Crime Records Bureau of India published the “Crime in India Report for the year 2017”. Leaving aside the reasons for the two year delay in publishing the report; this data is vital for the Cyber Crime Analysts and Cyber Evangelists’, who toil at the backstage to ensure Cyber Security in their respective arenas and for “Secure Cyber Space” free from Crime and Vulnerabilities. This report is not exhaustive or conclusive. One is sure that over 30 percent of the Cyber Crime that happens in India is not reported and they are hence unrecorded and the black economy that is an out flow of this un-reported crimes is again pumped back to ensue more crime in the society. The 1460 page document list out various statistics of crime booked under IPC (India Penal Code) and SLL (Special, Local Laws). There is a dedicated and deliberate effort in the report to address the Cyber Crime, in its exclusive sections. The tabulated data also provides an insight into the individual crimes classified under the Cyber Crime Heading. There is a bifurcation carried out to the Cyber Crime Main head, thereby bringing out salient details pertaining to Cyber Crime against Women as also against Children. State wise year on year data The report also shows a 77% rise in the number of Cyber Crime cases in the year 2017 from the previous year 2016. This again in figures shows an increase of about 9000 cases; The cyber crimes cases in 2016 was reported to be 12,317 and in 2017 it is numbered at 21,796. Most of these cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh (4,971) followed by Maharashtra (3,604) and Karnataka (3,174). The statistics shows that in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, the figures have doubled from the previous year (i.e. 2016). The report also claims that ‘fraud’ and ‘sexual exploitation’ as the prime motive behind the Cyber Crime across the country. In Odisha the Cyber Crime reported figures, rose from 317 in the year 2016 to 828 in the year 2017, a three-fold increase. Similar is the case with Jharkhand and Karnataka which also shows a three-fold increase. In the NCRB provided statistics, only Goa State Cyber Crime figures, shows a decrease from 31 cases in the year 2016 to 13 cases in the year 2017. Under the “Cyber Crime” head and the “Data Theft” Sub-head, Telangana reported a total number of 201 cases out of the 307(The total cases reported for the complete country). In the sub-head; “Offences under Section 66 of IT Act”, (Computer Related Offence(other than crime involving ransomware)), Uttar Pradesh Reported a total number of 2585 cases, as against the total country figure of 3208 cases. In the category of Cyber Crime in which “Cyber Stalking on Women and Children” is concerned for the complete country the total cases reported were 530 cases and Maharashtra alone had 301 cases in this category. In the category of Cyber Crime in which “Online Banking Fraud” is concerned for the complete country the total cases reported were 804 cases, and Maharashtra alone had 345 cases in this category. The alarming fact is that at the end of year 2017, a total of 35,938 Cyber Crime cases were pending for disposal which also includes the backlog of the previous years. The released Crime Report is an eye-opener, and it also rings the bell for the hierarchy to be conscious and take actions to provide its citizens a robust, reliable, and resilient Cyber Space. Government should strengthen the Cyber Space not only from Malafide State Actors, but also unscrupulous elements and offenders within the geographic boundaries. Much is to be done to make India Cyber Safe. The revision of the IT Act, the Methodology of redressing Cyber Crime Complaints, the setting up of improvised and time bound investigation mechanisms, empowering the LEA, equipping the LEA to handle Cyber Crime Cases, the establishment of exclusive Tribunal, augmentation of the Adjudication mechanism as provided in the IT Act, education of the end-users, and last but not the least- a Government that is sensitive to the Cyber Domain. Taking a cue from this published report, the Indian governments should also widen their collaboration with private companies to include talent sharing. Cyber security specialists could rotate roles between the public and private sectors, as part of their natural career development. (The Full Report is available for download at : “http://ncrb.gov.in/”) ← The Small Devil can result in an unwarranted Juice Jacking Attack on your Smart Phone: Avoid the USB Charging Hubs at Public Places for Charging It is no more just Jamtara, the Government of India will need to look at curtailing the spread of e-crime corridor to safeguard its citizens from Fiscal Fraud → CyberSpace Insights Your next Samsung Smart TV will be even smarter: Introduces a new privacy app called ‘Privacy Choices’ that will allow users to take control of their privacy Formjacking: How Indian Users are falling victim to this new form of Cyber Attack in the present day Digital Payment Era India establishes a Seven (7) pronged scheme to fight cyber crime with the inauguration of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and launching of the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal 5G Technology to power not only Smartphones but Tabs, Laptops, connecting Machine-to-Machine and Internet of Things (IoT) devices U.S. Passes Legislation to Control the Sale of Cyber Tools Abroad: It is time that India certify and promulgate its own indigenous Cyber Tools Copyright © 2020 Cyber Secure India 2019	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1124
__label__cc	0.694441	0.305559	Posts tagged ‘Boone Pickens’ I Used to Respect Michael Crow. Never Mind. The NCAA Hypocrisy Never Ends Arizona State University (ASU) has always had a certain niche in the college world, a niche best evidenced by their making both the top 10 party school and top 10 hottest women lists in the same year. President Michael Crow has done a fair amount to, if not reverse this image, at least add some academic cred to the university. ASU has been creeping up the USN&WR rankings, has a very serious and respected honors college (Barrett) and hosts the Origins conference each year, one of the most fun public education events I have attended. But Michael Crow is now upset that another Phoenix area school has been given Division I status in sports, a for-profit college named Grand Canyon University. This could really hurt both ASU's athletic recruiting in the area as well as dilute its revenues. But in the supremely hypocritical world college athletics, he can't say that. Instead, he says (Via Tyler Cowen) The conference's 12 presidents signed and delivered a letter dated July 10 urging the NCAA's Executive Committee to "engage in further, careful consideration" about allowing for-profit universities to become Division I members at the committee's August meeting. In the meantime, Pac-12 presidents decided at a league meeting last month not to schedule future contests against Grand Canyon while the issue is under consideration. "A university using intercollegiate athletics to drive up its stock value -- that's not what we're about," Arizona State president Michael Crow said in a phone interview over the weekend. "... If someone asked me, should we play the Pepsi-Cola Company in basketball? The answer is no. We shouldn't be playing for-profit corporations."... "Our presidents have a pretty clear view that athletics works for the broader benefit of the university," said Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott. "There's a discomfort with the idea that the sole accountability around athletics would be to a company that might use athletics as a marketing tool to drive stock price. There's a sense that changes the dynamics and accountability around athletics." It is freaking hilarious to get lectured on accountability around athletics by the NCAA. This is an organization that has been making billions off unpaid workers for years, workers who think so much of the value of the compensation they do receive (a free education) that most of the best of them never complete it. I wrote more about the NCAA and athletes here. In short, though, all these schools use the athletic program to raise capital (in the form of donations), likely far more so than a private school's sports team would raise its stock value. Unless you grew up near the school, what do you know about well-known schools like Penn State, Ohio State, University of Miami, LSU, Alabama and even Notre Dame other than their athletics program? Michael Crow reveals himself as just another incumbent that does not want competition. In regards to Grand Canyon specifically, though, it would certainly appear that Crow, who's been spearheading the effort, is driven in part by protecting his own turf. Arizona State has long been the only Division I university in the Phoenix market. And in the bigger picture, it seems a bit self-righteous that the same group of presidents that in 2011 signed a $3 billion contract with ESPN and FOX -- and which last year launched a profitable television network of their own -- would play the "non-profit" card in calling out someone else's motives. "It's different in the following sense," Crow said of the comparison. "Whatever income we generate from a television network goes to support the swimming team, the rowing team at Cal. We support thousands of athletes and their scholarships, their room-and-board, as part of the intercollegiate spirit of athletics. ... In the case of a for-profit corporation, those profits go to the shareholders." His last point is a distinction without a difference. First, I am not sure it is true -- Grand Canyon also has other athletic programs that cost money but don't bring in revenue. They also have a women's swim team, for example. But who cares anyway? Why is a student interested in swimming more worthy of receiving football largess than an investor? Maybe Crow is worried that the people of Arizona that fund so much of his operations (and bloated overpaid administrative staff) might suddenly start wondering why they don't get a return for their investment as do GCU shareholders. Postscript: Phil Knight at Oregon and Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State (to name just 2 examples) get an incredible amount of influence in the university due to the money they give to their football programs and the importance of the football programs to those schools. Boone Pickens says he has given half a billion dollars to OSU, half of which went to the football program. But it is clear he would not have given a dime if he had not been concerned with the football team's fortunes and the problem of his university's football team losing to other rich guy's teams. Is this really somehow better and cleaner than being beholden to equity markets? The link in the original article is broken, so here is a better link to an article and video of how "non-profits" are spending their athletic money, on things like this palatial locker room for the Alabama football team that would make Nero's gladiators blush. Tags: Arizona, Arizona State, asu, Boone Pickens, college, football, Grand Canyon, Michael Crow, ncaa, Phoenix, television Category: Education, Sports \| 24 Comments Perfect the Enemy of the Good For years, my observation has been that the perfect has been the enemy of the good in energy policy. Now, I don't support the feds making energy policy at all, but given that they do, too often the government has ignored the 80/20 solution that would get most of the desired benefits for a fraction of the cost of alternatives being considered. For example, in California, the state could have made a ton more progress reducing vehicle emissions had they accepted a low emissions standard decades ago that allowed for things like compressed natural gas (CNG) as a vehicle fuel. However, environmentalists insisted on zero emissions, and thus only electric vehicles passed muster, and the technology simply has not been there (not to mention that at the margin, new electric vehicles in the state would at best be powered by natural gas and at worst by Arizona and Nevada coal plants, making the very concept of "zero-emissions" crazy). I am thinking of this by looking at this chart from the EIA of CO2 emissions per BTU for various fuels (pounds per million BTU): Coal (anthracite) 227 Coal (bituminous) 205 Coal (lignite) 215 Coal (subbituminous) 213 Diesel fuel & heating oil 161 Gasoline 156 Propane 139 Natural gas 117 Looking at this, and given the huge amounts of natural gas in this country, one might reasonably expect that a logical policy suggestion would be to try to provide incentives to substitute natural gas for coal and diesel fuel. The technology exists right now, today, to produce electricity with gas and to power large vehicles with CNG (and focusing on truck fleets eases the distribution issues with CNG). But of course absolutely no one in the global warming movement is suggesting this (except for T. Boone Pickens, and he is involved in climate bills as a rent-seeker, not as an advocate). You see, we want "renewable" energy, and natural gas does not fit. Though for some reason ethanol does, despite the fact that ethanol probably creates more CO2 than it reduces. No point here really, since I am not advocating any sort of energy policy. But it reinforced to me why no one should claim as a justification for energy policy that somehow the system will be more efficient if a few smart people design it top-down, when one of the most obvious 80/20 solutions to Co2 reduction is not even considered. Tags: Boone Pickens, BTU, CNG, diesel, EIA, electricity, ethanol, fuel, gas, oil Category: Energy \| 22 Comments Over-Stating Our Ability to Adopt Renewables July 9, 2009, 10:16 am All those confident in our ability to ramp up things like wind and solar quickly should take a long look at T. Boone Pickens decision to virtually abandon billions of investment in wind. One of the ways I think our potential to increase renewables is over-stated is that the government has begun lumping hydro power into wind, as in these charts. They show "renewables" as about 9% of electricity production. Increasing this to, say, 20% seems daunting but doable - after all, we are just doubling it. But in fact, almost all of the 9% is hydro power, and that is not going to increase (in fact environmental presure is actually to destroy several hyrdo facilities to allow the rivers to run free). This means that to get total renewables to 20%, other renewables like wind and solar will have to increase from about 1% to 12%, or a twelve fold increase. This is much more daunting, especially since a raft of subsidies and incentives and programs have gotten us to just 1%. Postscript: Owning a home in Phoenix with a big flat roof, there is no one in the world rooting for solar to be economic more than I am. I have run the numbers recently, and taking advantage of all government subsidies, the investment has about an 8-10 year payback. It's just not there yet. Further, I worry that the current silicon/germanium IC technologies are dated and dead end. I fear that buying solar now is like buying the last IBM mainframe before PCs came out. I have a ton of confidence in the innovativeness of man, and believe that a real solar breakthrough will occur in the next 10 years. Wind, on the other hand, is never going to work. It is the ethanol of electricity production. Tags: Boone Pickens, electricity, ethanol, IBM, IC, Phoenix, Postscript Owning, solar, wind More on Wind Capacity The other day I wrote to beware of rated capacity for wind and solar, because such plants tend to run way below their rated capacity on a 24-hour average. MaxedOutMamma reads the wind report of the largest utility in Germany, which is as a country is among the largest adopters of wind power. She finds this interesting bit: wind power capacity rises, the lower availability of the wind farms determines the reliability of the system as a whole to an ever increasing extent. Consequently the greater reliability of traditional power stations becomes increasingly eclipsed. a result, the relative contribution of wind power to the guaranteed capacity of our supply system up to the year 2020 will fall continuously to around 4% (FIGURE 7). In concrete terms, this means that in 2020, with a forecast wind power capacity of over 48,000MW (Source: dena grid study), 2,000MW of traditional power production can be replaced by these wind farms. This is an even lower substitution factor than I mentioned previously, and is so because this report looks not just at the percent of time wind is blowing at full speed, but also at the peak load conventional power plants that must be kept running on standby due to the unreliability of wind. At this 24:1 substitution ratio, folks like Al Gore and Boone Pickens will bankrupt us. But of course, their investment portfolios, laden with alt-energy investments, will be paying off. Tags: Al Gore, Boone Pickens, FIGURE, investments, solar, wind, wind power Oil at $140 is Still a Modern Miracle Over the weekend, I was reading an article about T. Boone Pickens' energy plan, a thinly disguised strategy to grab government subsidies for his wind investments. And I started to think how amazing it is that electricity from wind has to be subsidized to compete with electricity from fossil fuels. Here's what I mean: To get electricity from wind, one goes to a windy area, and puts up a big pole. I presume that there are costs either in the land acquisition or in royalty payments to the land holder. Either way, one then puts a generator on top of the pole, puts a big propeller on the generator, add some electrical widgets to get the right voltage and such, and hook it into the grid. To get electricity from petroleum is a bit more complex. First, it's not immediately obvious where the oil is. It's hidden under the ground, and sometimes under a lot of ocean as well. It takes a lot of technology and investment just to find likely spots where it might exist. One must then negotiate expensive deals with often insanely unpredictable foreign governments for the right to produce the oil, and deal day to day with annoyances up to and including rebel attacks on one's facilities and outright nationalization once the investments have been made. Then one must drill, often miles into the ground. Offshore, huge, staggeringly expensive platforms must be erected -- many of which today can be taller than the worlds largest skyscrapers. Further, these oil fields, once found, do not pump forever, and wells must be constantly worked over and in some cases have additional recovery modes (such as water flood) added. The oil, once separated from gas and water, is piped and/or shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles to a refinery. Refineries are enormously complex facilities, each representing billions of dollars of investment. The oil must be heated up to nearly 1000 degrees and separated into its fractions (e.g. propane, kerosene, etc.). Each fraction is then desulpherized, and is often further processed (including cracking and reforming to make better gasoline). These finished products are in turn shipped hundreds or thousands of miles by pipeline, barge, and truck to various customers and retail outlets. To make electricity from the oil, one then needs to build a large power plant, again an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars. The oil is burned in huge furnaces that boil water, with the steam driving huge turbines that produce electricity. This electricity must then go through some electrical widgets to get to the right voltage, and then is sent into the grid. Incredibly, despite all this effort and technology and investment required to generate electricity from fossil fuels, wind generators still need subsidies to compete economically with them. In a very real sense, the fact that fossil fuels can come to us even at today's prices is a modern day business and technological miracle. Of course, in the press, the wind guys begging at the government trough are heroes, and the oil companies are villains. Tags: Boone Pickens, electricity, gas, investments, oil, prices, recovery, strategy, wind Category: Economics \| 48 Comments Hilarious Calculus of Liberal Altruism I had to say that this, from Janna Goodrich as quoted by Kevin Drum, is absolutely hilarious: Education is one of the best engines for upward mobility and poor students cannot afford to pay for higher education on their own. Their families don't have the physical collateral to borrow money in the private financial markets nor the savings to pay for the tuition outright....But if we gave poorer students mostly grant-based aid we'd be asking for the rest of the society to subsidize those who are one day going to be wealthier than the average citizen. Two different concepts of fairness or equality are at play here and I'm not sure if both of them could be achieved at the same time. Can you just see the liberals getting twisted in knots? Oooh, helping the poor is good, but if we send them to college and they get rich, then we are helping rich people, and that's baaaad. Its like that logic problem where a card says "the statement on the other side is false" and on the other side says "the statement on the other side is true." Only a liberal could take the happy story of a poor kid going to college and getting rich and turn it into bad news. I never thought about what a problem education was for liberal ethics, in that it converts sainted victims (e.g poor) into evil exploiters (e.g. rich). Maybe that explains why they oppose school choice? By the way, I have about zero sympathy for this whole grants in education discussion. From an incentives standpoint, it is perfectly reasonable to ask people who are getting public money for self-improvement to share the risk with the public through the debt and repayment obligation they take on. A lot of people today already don't take good advantage of the opportunity they have while in college, and this is certainly not going to get any better if we give them a free ride rather than loans. The second problem I have with public funding of grants for education is that colleges and their alumni groups can decide to fix this problem privately if they so desire. My school (Princeton) makes a commitment that everyone who gets into the school, not matter how poor, will get a financial aid package that will make it possible to attend. And, the financial aid is all in grants such that the student graduates from one of the most expensive schools in the country debt-free (and yes, the incentives problem worries me some). All with private money. We are able to do this because our school makes it a priority and our alumni give the money to make it happen. I know what you are going to say -- Princeton is full of rich people, so they can afford this. Yes and no. First, our alumni do pretty well for themselves, but they also have to help fund financial aid for the highest tuitions in the country. Other schools with lower tuitions have a lower bar to clear. Second, while Princeton alums may be wealthier per capita, our alumni population, because we are a small school, is probably one tenth the size of a Berkley or a Texas. As a result, schools like Texas almost certainly have a much wealthier alumni group in total. But few of them give back. It's not a priority for them to create financial aid money for incoming students (instead, T Boone Pickens gives $125 $165 million to the OU OSU football program). So don't come crying to me that students at your schools need government grants -- you could have funded such a program at your school privately if you had made it a priority. Postscript: My dad ran numerous fund raising initiatives at the University of Iowa for years. After decades of effort, I think he has finally despaired of getting state school alumni to donate money for something other than the sports program. Update: OK, that's what I get for making a throw-away statement without fact-checking. Boone Pickens actually gave $165 million to the athletic programs of Oklahoma State, not OU. I got a bunch of aggrieved emails on this. Sorry. Being from Texas, I get all that stuff up in the trans-Red-River region mixed up. Tags: Boone Pickens, college, debt, Education, Janna Goodrich, kevin drum, OU, Princeton, rich, risk Category: Education \| 5 Comments	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1130
__label__cc	0.643528	0.356472	Imam At-Tirmidhi > English>Biography of Imams>Imam At-Tirmidhi Item Code: 225 Qty in Stock: 127 Publisher: Dar-us-Salam Download Sample (273.83k) Buy with an account and earn 5 loyalty points. Your cart will total 5 points worth $0.50 for future use. No review at the moment Imam Ibn Maajah Imam Shawkani Author Salahuddin Ali Abdul Mawjood Translator Abu Bakr Salmaan bin Nasir Size in Inches 6x9x1 Size in Centimeters 15x22 Edition First, 2007 Actual Weight 1.1 Imam At-Tirmidhi (210H - 279H), may Allah have his mercy on his soul, was born during the caliphate of Abbasid khalifa Al-Ma'mmun Abdullah ibn Harun Ar-Rashid, who started the fitna that Quran was a creation of Allah and not His speech. During his lifetime 9 Muslim Khalifas ruled with some being pious and noble while some committing evil and innovations. Imam At-Tirmazi traveled a lot in quest for seeking knowledge which gave him the expertise needed to become a Faqih and muhadith of his time. Imam At-Tirmizi has related from likes of Imam Bukhari and Muslim. He was one of the outstanding students of Imam Bukhari and also studied under Imam Muslim. Imam Tirmidhi learned extensively from Imam Malik and became known as one of his staff due to his dedication in his learning the knowledge of ahadith. Many of the scholars of past have highly praised Imam At-Tirmadhi. His book Al-Jami' At-Tirmidhiii is one of the most invaluable books of hadith available to date. Al-Hafiz ibn Al-Athir states in Jami al-Usul: "His sahih book is the best of books, the greatest of them in benefit, the best of them in organization, and the least of them in repetition." Imam Tirmidhi also gained a high status in other sciences of knowledge including Tafsir, Fiqh, and history. This book is in a series of biographies of some of the scholars and Muhaddithin of this ummah which Allah has granted glory and honor until the Hour. It focuses on certain aspects of the lives of these scholars including their attributes, their manners, their religion, and how great is our need in this era to know about these matters. There can be no return to the glory and honor that this ummah possesses except by assuming the noble attributes that the first generation possessed. The biographies of these scholars are unknown to many Muslims. People have become tired of hearing empty talk. They want to see religion become a practical reality just as it was during the lives of these scholars and in the lives of those people that followed them. This religion was well established at their times and it filled their hearts and minds, it was part of their very flesh and blood. If they spoke, it was for Allah's sake that they spoke, and when they remained silent, that too was for Allah's sake. They illuminated the world with their piety, knowledge, worship, and their righteous deeds. Their character, morals, and manners were like those of the Prophet himself. If you look at their dealings you would see a living practical application of dealings of the Prophet himself. The very mention of these scholars softens the heart of the believer, leading to sincere worship of Allah. More items by this publisher: Dar-us-Salam 0/101/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/10 Virtue of Tawheed and a Warning Against What... Imam Zaid ibn Thaabit (R) History of Islam 5: Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (R) Selected Fatawa for Women Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Albani Imam ibn al-Qayyim Imam Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1133
__label__cc	0.72158	0.27842	« Alton Sterling Micah Xavier Johnson – a rant in 500 words or less » Fri Jul 8th 2016 by abagond A picture Castile posted of himself on Facebook. Philando Castile (1983-2016), a Black American school cook, was shot dead during a Routine Traffic Stop by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, a White suburb of St Paul. Castile had a gun, but it was not in his hand. His girlfriend, Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds, showed part of the stop live on Facebook. This was at 9.00pm on July 6th 2016, less than 48 hours after Alton Sterling was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The video starts after the four or five shots have been fired. Castile is covered in blood and seems to be passing out. Reynolds says, “Stay with me.” Pointing through the car window is a nervous police gun. Reynolds is trying to remain calm: her four-year-old daughter is in the back seat. Police tell Reynolds to get out of the car and walk backwards with her hands up. One officer points a machine gun at her like she is a dangerous criminal. Another officer is holding her daughter. They tell her to get on her knees. They put on handcuffs. Her daughter is crying. Reynolds asks why she is being arrested. They say she is being “detained” while they sort things out. When the ambulance comes, she cries out to God. Before the video, according to Reynolds, they were pulled over for a broken tail light that was not broken. A “Chinese” police officer tells them to put their hands in the air – and then asks Castile for his licence and registration. Then: “As he’s reaching for his back pocket wallet, he lets the officer know: ‘Officer, I have a firearm on me.’ I begin to yell, ‘But he’s licensed to carry,’ After that, he [the officer] began to take off shots: ba ba ba ba. ‘Don’t move, don’t move!'” The police will not say who did it. The case is being investigated by Minnesota state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the same that found no wrong in the killing of Jamar Clark in November. There have been protests both at Larpenteur Avenue and Fry Street, where the shooting took place, and at the governor’s mansion in St Paul. The governor, Mark Dayton, came out of his mansion when Reynolds was there. He apologized to her and promised justice. President Obama said all Americans “should be deeply troubled” by the Sterling and Castile shootings, that they are not Isolated Incidents but “symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system.” Hillary Clinton, who is running for president, tweeted: “America woke up to yet another tragedy of a life cut down too soon. Black Lives Matter. #PhilandoCastile -H” Donald Trump, also running for president, that loudmouth who wants to “Make America Great Again”, said – nothing. A parent of one of the students at the school where Castile worked: “My borderline autistic son hugged him every day. You guys. This was a GOOD MAN. This was a violent murder, an execution. A horrible, horrible act of racist violence. I am sick.” Update (July 8th, 16:22 GMT): The Sterling and Castile shootings led to protests across the country last night. The one in Dallas ended with 11 police officers getting shot. Five have died. Police say it was the work of snipers. Castile’s killer has been named: Jeronimo Yanez, who has been with the force for four years. His name is Spanish and he does not look particularly “Chinese”, though the picture quality in this photo is not great: Philando Castile dashcam video also died in police custody: Alton Sterling – same week Jamar Clark – same state Walter Scott – also killed after being pulled over for a broken tail light Sandra Bland – also drove while Black Peter Liang What to do if stopped by the police yet more racism in Minnesota: Christopher Lollie University of Minnesota blackface video The whiteness of Laura Ingalls Wilder The 1920 Duluth lynching Black Brute stereotype on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 02:18:19 sharinalr When Obama can engage in police reform thenot I will listen. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 02:21:25 michaeljonbarker The NRA has remained silent on the two shootings. Appernemty guns rights only apply to white people. The Second Admendment Foundation, a small gun rights group, has called for an independent investigation into Philando Castile’s death. Reason magazine writes a piece about the events. http://reason.com/blog/2016/07/07/black-lives-matter-and-so-do-their-gun-r on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 03:50:12 Mary Burrell Watching the YouTube of his life seeping out of him was horrible and the girlfriend’s hysteria was just horrendous and a small child was witnessing this. So even when you comply just as this young brother did you can still die. May his soul rest in peace. My heart is heavy. And it gets worse: at protests in Dallas, 10 cops have been shot, 3 are dead. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 04:47:35 Origin I’m not surprised. Escalating violence always seemed inevitable. It was only a matter of “when” in my mind. The justice system has no credibility as a system that serves all Americans and when that happens, some people will take matters into their own hands. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 04:57:26 Michael Jon Barker This is what the media will focus on. The police become the victims and BLM agitates violence. Their is no evidence at this point that the shooters were Black. My gut instinct is that the shooters were former military because of how they pulled this off. I’ve been reading that the shooters were snipers who shot at police from elevated positions. I don’t think they were directly associated with the protests. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 05:46:01 jefe was shot dead during a Routine Traffic Stop by an Asian American police officer Does anyone know the ethnic background of Jeronimo Yanez? I can’t find it online. The information around the Dallas incident is constantly evolving. The “facts” will probably be a lot different by later this morning. I suppose that will be a matter for another post. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 07:16:44 Michael Cooper Criminal activity from police officers shouldn’t be a shocker to people anymore. Unfortunately, more and more cops are becoming active criminals. Earlier today I was conversing via Google+ with a White commenter on the recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. But, as usual, the White commenter (who’s actually a well-known troll) threw the “White-on-Black” violent crime script at me like a baseball pitcher. No worries, I belted his crime script “out of the park.” I told him that the murders that are committed by Black men are mostly committed by marginalized street gang members named Pookie or Baby Ray-Ray. The murders that are committed by White men are mostly committed by White professionals and businessmen like Orville Fleming (California fire chief), Michael Slager (oath-taking police officer), David Viens (chef), Charles Merritt (business owner), Brian Karl Brimager (retired Marine), Timothy Loehmann (police officer), Raymonf Clark III (Yale laboratory technician), Bradley Stone (Marine), Brian Randone (fashion model), Johannes Mehserle (oath-taking police officer), Joshua Thomas Bohl (blue-collar worker), Daniel Pantaleo (oath-taking police officer), etc. There’s a huge difference. The White commenter mentioned DeMarquise Elkins (Black man). In 2013, 17-year-old Elkins was sentenced life in prison for fatally shooting a White baby in a stroller while trying to rob the child’s mother. I asked him if Elkins was a business professional or a young marginalized gang member? He didn’t reply. I also asked him is Elkins serving life in prison? Again, no reply. I mentioned Brian Karl Brimager (White man). In 2011, 36-year-old Brimager – a retired Camp Pendleon Marine – admitted to stabbing his girlfriend, dismembering her body and hiding a backpack with her body parts in a remote jungle in Panama. In February, Brimager pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Yvonne Baldelli. In May, Brimager was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison. Both Elkins and Brimager committed violent murders but one gets life in prison and other gets 26 years. Race plays a MAJOR in America. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 07:25:49 AccessDenied I believe this is exactly what the establishment wants. A continual and widening against races as well as supposed authority that patrol the streets. Violence is not the answer but it is the reaction one gets when put in a corner. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 08:59:27 Buddhuu I saw the video of the poor lady stuck in the car with Mr Castile as he died, with the police who murdered him still yelling at them. I also saw the video of Mr Sterling’s execution. Much of the reaction to the cop deaths will no doubt be in line with what the shallow, idiot musician Joe Walsh has been vomiting on Twitter. The deaths of black people will be ignored but the deaths amongst police will be seen as justification for more demonisation of an entire race. I’m only surprised it took this long for (what seems likely to be) some kind of organised resistance to take action. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t happen again. When the system doesn’t act to protect you then you have to protect yourselves. That poor lady and kid in the car with Philando Castile… I can’t condemn a fight back. Ask the liberals who will condemn it what alternative steps they are taking to address the situation. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 11:14:35 v8driver this is not good, at all, the civilians will be paying for this every time the lights start flashing in the rearview on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 12:56:57 cleonette Just heard they tired to pin the shooting on a black man whom was open carrying at the protest. His picture was put on CNN as a suspect. A person at the protest released cell phone video that showed the suspect on camera when the shooting began. Witnesses are saying the shots actually orginated from police vehicles as well and there were so many bullets flying they think it was multiple shooters. I should add that the video released showing the black suspect showed standing peacefully when the shooting started. He was not involved in any way. In Dallas the protesters will be lumped in with the cop killer. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 14:32:29 Solitaire I would not be at all surprised if the sniper(s) were white supremacists. They know the shootings will initially be blamed on BLM, maybe permanently if the snipers manage to elude detection. I haven’t been able to find it yet. The media has switched to calling him Hispanic/Latino instead of Asian/Chinese, but I haven’t been able to find anything but speculation on his actual racial origin. If you have seen the photo, he’s definitely not a white Hispanic, although he could possibly be part white. He didn’t look obviously Pilipino or Guamanian to me, but I’ve been wrong before. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 15:35:38 blakksage My heart goes out to the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Rest in peace brothers! The shooting incident in Dallas is just a small sample of what will eventually take place. White people or this country as a whole should brace themselves because of what they’ve collectively done to Yah’s people over the past 500 years or so. There will be no escaping of judgment for them, … just watch. Jeremiah 16:16 “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.” https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10209748506817968&id=1489932727&refid=8&_ft_=qid.6304980745473452756%3Amf_story_key.-3670805484913371559 Me neither. The only reference I could find to suggest that he might be Asian was from the girlfriend who at one point said he was a “Chinese” cop, but that does not explain his Hispanic name and ambiguous racial look. Anyhow, since Abagond had labelled him as “Asian American”, I thought he must have access to information that is not easily found online. Otherwise, I think it might be best not to affix the racial label until we know more. But the media also had problems affixing racial labels to gunmen like George Zimmerman and Elliot Rodger and police felons like Daniel Holtzclaw. The msm can’t be trusted to tell the truth they bend and twist the narratives. And because it’s Black Lives Matter they are just going to conflate everything. And in regards to the tragedy in Dallas something is very fishy. Something they are hiding and trying to bid their time so they can concoct a lie. I hate all this conspiracy garbage. I based “Asian American” on Reynolds’s description of him being “Chinese”. But since his name is Spanish and since he does not look clearly “Chinese” in the picture I could be pretty sure was him, I took out “Asian American” from the post, but I left in her description since it is clearly marked as an eyewitness account. Update: The Sterling and Castile shootings led to protests across the country last night. The one in Dallas ended with 11 police officers getting shot. Five have died. Police say it was the work of snipers. (see above for the picture I added to the post). I assumed Abagond wrote “Asian American” because at that time that is how the press was describing him, and to the best of my knowledge, the press was basing that solely on Diamond Reynolds’ description. It’s understandable that she would not necessarily be able to accurately identify his race, especially under the extremely traumatic circumstances. But the press shouldn’t have run with it as fact until independently confirmed. As you and I both know, his Spanish name doesn’t preclude his being of Asian or part-Asian descent, but it does make it unlikely. What happened was blow back. But don’t expect that fact to be apart of mainstream reporting. “But this phenomenon is by no means restricted to international affairs. It can characterize civil unrest as well. Again, what we saw yesterday in Dallas was, if not something even more diabolical, blowback.” “The American people feel under siege. Different populations feel besieged by different forces. Black Americans especially have suffered decades of persecution by the American “justice” system: police brutality and harassment, mass incarceration, being nickel-and-dimed by tickets and fines, etc. And especially since the summer of 2014, they have been seeing a litany of viral photos and videos of black Americans having been gunned down, throttled, and broken by the police.” “This violence too is driven by collectivism. Law enforcement officers are granted an exceptional status in society: a special dispensation to mete out violence with impunity. This caste privilege has instilled deep tribalism in many police officers, which is amplified by training and police union propaganda. Cops are trained to be obsessed with “officer safety” and to effectively treat those outside the “blue tribe” (whom they ostensibly “protect and serve”) as an enemy population: as if every American they detain is a potential quick-draw gunman ready to shoot them down in a millisecond. This paranoia, combined with the impunity of the badge, is what makes an encounter with the police so potentially lethal: especially for black civilians.” “Take the collectivism of “blue” tribalism explained above and add, for some individuals, the collectivism of racial terror (irrational, hateful prejudice that every black male is a potential super-predator), and you begin to understand the epidemic of police violence against American blacks.” http://fee.org/articles/the-sniper-shooting-in-dallas-was-both-murder-and-blowback/ on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 16:57:59 TeddyBearDaddy The officer could be a Filipino… which doesn’t make the crime any better or worst. Sorry, Abagond — we cross-posted and I didn’t see your explanations and revisions before writing my most recent comment to Jefe. on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 19:03:42 Afrofem @Michael Cooper I love, love, love your responses to the White commenter who tried to tie you up with the Black on Black crime (or the Black on White crime) scripts that Black folk often encounter on comment sections, forums or social media. I’m not surprised that all you heard back from him or her was “no reply”. White on White crime results in 26 years in prison. Black on White crime results in life in prison or death. Blue (police) on Black crime results in a two week (or longer) paid vacation, no prison time and in some cases, a huge payday. http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/darren-wilson-reportedly-receives-a-large-bounty-of-financial-support-for-killing-michael-brown on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 19:26:36 villagewriter Jesse Williams speech still ringing in my mind. He set fire on many peoples seats. @Buddhuu There are non-violent alternatives. Every “fightback” need not be done with fists, knives or guns to be effective. Considering the rising levels of panic that the Palestinian BDS movement is inspiring in certain circles, it seems that economic non-participation and institutional divestment are potent weapons against people who value money over human life. https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/pro-israel-groups-vow-eliminate-bds I saw this on your website’s About page and completely agree with your ideas that: “… revolutionary approaches are futile unless preparatory groundwork has been done to educate people… it is necessary to have working social structures and logistical processes in place to act as examples. Change must be evolutionary as much as revolutionary.” I think a combination of “fightback” tactics are most effective. They must be held together with an overarching vision of where people want to be instead of what they think is possible now. I agree. Jesse Williams speech was well timed, not just for events in the US, but also in a global context. “…in regards to the tragedy in Dallas something is very fishy. Something they are hiding and trying to bid their time so they can concoct a lie.” I thought about that last night when I heard about the police being shot. I wondered who would have the most to gain if police were shot and killed. BLM protesters didn’t even make the top one million list as suspects on that type of operation. White Supremacists groups, however, made the top three list. They have been plotting massive violence for a long time. What better spark than killing cops and having the media blame non-violent BLM protestors? on Fri Jul 8th 2016 at 20:01:39 gro jo Obama on the dead Dallas cops: All cop lives matter. there’s a protest march in north philly now close to temple univ., i am a bit tired for that right now Whenever individuals, groups ect attack State agents it’s the State that benifits through gaining more power over people and more laws are passed restricting the civil liberties of all American citizens. Last night set the precedent that a government “robot” was used to blow up the shooter. I belive that this is the first time a drone has been used to kill an American citizen on U.S. soil. In the view of the State what happened last night was an insurrection. Yes, that miserable mountebank has never be able to get the words, “Black Lives Matter” past his lying lips. on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 00:01:22 Mary Burrell I hope Mark Hughes sues The Dallas Police Department they singled him out as a person of interest in the sniper shootings in Dallas last night. @Abagond: Will you be doing a post on the shootings of the police officers in Dallas and the sniper Micah Xavier Johnson? on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 00:12:43 v8driver supposedly they duct taped a claymore antipersonnel mine to the bomb robot that’s posse comitatus violations again i only said it four times before on here or something, it’s escalating for sure on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 00:40:12 michaeljonbarker 5,413 vs. 10. The last time 5 cops died in one day was 9/11/01. 5,413 days ago. The last time the cops killed 5 civilians in one day was 6/27/16. 10 days ago. Copied from a FB post. on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 02:34:27 Afrofem One that the State planned for and duly provoked to achieve its own ends. on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 02:36:13 KingRaized Why is everyone stating the victimm is Black American when he has a Spanish name? We are all hating, going against one another, killing one another. It’s a total collapse of each other. Freedom, justice, love, respect, compaison, is going away. Hate is rampant all over America. It seems as lately that every person in America. Be it, Suburban, Rural , Urban etc areas are tearing each other up. Don’t you’s get it? If we continue this we are making is easier for militant Jihadists to finish us and then who are you going to hate distrust and tear to shreds? NOTHING…… Nothing will be left. We will all have invited them into our house to do with us as they see fit. Smarten Up……… on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 19:15:16 TheHipHopRecords (@TheHipHopRecord) The animal (Jeronimo Yanez) deserves the electric chair. He’s on paid leave. So the system is already protecting him. His girlfriend is truly amazing in the way she kept her calm. They would’ve happily killed her and maybe spared the young child. They would’ve covered it up. She stayed calm to tell the story and to stay alive at least for her daughter. Without her recording we would never have seen this. Meanwhile you had a cop screaming like fucking a banshee about why he shot Phil AND STILL HOLDING THE GUN ON PHIL, STILL ? Nobody calling for help for him, his girlfriend can’t move or she’ll be dead. Why do they even become police officers if they are too emotionally fragile to handle what the job entails? But as usual they spaz out and start shooting people all because someone is black and they twitched This is the fuckery that we, as melanated people have to deal with on a visceral level. Trauma is imbedded in our DNA. But back to that sister. Man. As I’ve said she and her little girl would have been dead dead dead if she wasn’t in full survival mode. I commend her bravery. I hope her little girl doesn’t develop PTSD. That’s a very impressionable age to experience this type of trauma. If you ain’t ready, you better get ready! Cause the revolution is HERE! on Sat Jul 9th 2016 at 23:06:13 sharinalr Just read somewhere that they claim they pulled him over because he fit the description of a man who robbed the store 4 days prior. Theven man in the store video had a goatee and castile had a goatee sideburn connect type cut. on Sun Jul 10th 2016 at 17:43:42 Origin It seems the broken tail light was a reason Yanez made up for the stop. I’ve seen a report where they’re saying Castile was pulled over for his “wide set nose” according to dispatch audio. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeXW1ZqK0vs) on Sun Jul 10th 2016 at 17:45:59 nomad @sharinalr We all look alike to them. “Broken tail light” and “fit the description” are just nice ways of saying the N-word. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/stopped-52-times-by-police-was-it-racial-profiling/2016/07/09/81fe882a-4595-11e6-a76d-3550dba926ac_story.html Apparently he was stopped over 50 times in the last few years. A large proportion of those stops were likely for BS too since many of his violations were dismissed. This is basically stalking then killing by a predatory system. @Origin That’s incredible! ” $6,588 in fines and fees, although more than half of the total 86 violations were dismissed” That’s incredible. I’ve been stopped several times for driving while black. But 52!!! I remember going to court and seeing hundreds of people lined up. 90 % of them black in a city that’s 50 % black. And then got a bullsh-t ticket on the same day that I had just been to traffic court! And I thought that was bad. But 52!!! That’s incredible! on Sun Jul 10th 2016 at 19:19:04 Mary Burrell @Origin: I read something about “wide set nose” in regards to Philando Castille and I just had to shut down my iPad I couldn’t read anymore that is the most disgusting and racist garbage, it’s beyond pathetic. I have read that cops have a quota to make so they go to low income communities where Black/Brown citizens live and harass those people. on Sun Jul 10th 2016 at 20:34:48 sharinalr This video says a lot. (https://youtu.be/oK35y9-dTuw) @Sharina: Thanks for the link it’s confirmation that the police culture is corrupt and it is similar to a gang. If the good cops snitch they will be retaliated against. ‘You fit the description’ is a stock and trade excuse. You must haave probable and reasonable cause to stop someone here(Toronto). Hence, you fit a suspects description. So what if you are 5’8, to the supects 6’5, or have a bald ead instead of a head full of hair? on Mon Jul 11th 2016 at 17:24:11 melissa Anyone notice a trend in these white hispanics killing helpless black people, e.g. George Zimmerman? Where does their anger stem from? on Tue Jul 12th 2016 at 16:46:13 nomad “State investigators named Jeronimo Yanez and Joseph Kauser as the officers involved. Both had been with the St. Anthony Police Department for four years and were put on administrative leave, as is standard. Yanez approached Castile’s car from the driver’s side, and Kauser from the passenger side, according to a statement from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It said Yanez opened fire, striking Castile multiple times. No one else was injured.” Something I don’t understand. Is the video of the killing reversed? Why is Castile and the steering wheel on the right side of the car? What’s going on here? I think the video is flipped. on Tue Jul 12th 2016 at 17:02:43 v8driver The video is mirror flipped because she used the front camera, I read. on Tue Jul 12th 2016 at 22:47:15 Zoe Jordan Haven’t commented on a post for many, many, months but feel compelled with this one. Watching the live feed on FB of this literally broke me. I was actually moved to send a message of love to Lavish Reynolds which is something I have never done before and probably never will again. Here in the UK we are all shocked to the core and heart broken for Mr Castile’s family. We all know this is not anything new or surprising but the world has witnessed it. That officer killed a man in front of his child! As a mother it makes me cry. My Boyfriend’s sister is planning to move to the states with her husband an 4 children at the end of the year and he is begging her not to go. They are a hard working and relatively wealthy family. Over there they will be considered quite middle class and of course British but what does it matter? They are black. We do not believe they will be safe. My heart bleeds for all the lives taken and all the families who have lost loved ones by a xenophobic police force simply because they are the ‘wrong’ colour. Shame on you America on Wed Jul 13th 2016 at 05:01:23 Afrofem @Zoe Jordan Please beg your boyfriend’s sister to reconsider. The US is in a scary place right now. Canada might be a safer destination. on Wed Jul 13th 2016 at 10:32:23 nomad Bears repeating. on Wed Jul 13th 2016 at 14:26:41 Herneith You may be right: https://www.thestar.com/business/economy/2016/07/12/how-canada-may-actually-benefit-from-brexit.html I would rephrase that to; ‘Shame on white America’! Black Americans are recipients of their dastardly acts. Kudos Black America, you have my unequivocal support. @abagond and v8driver Thanks. I suspected as much. But for a while I was thinking Castile was a passenger. I remember I had the same problem with this. http://cdn01.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/shooter-wife/omar-mateen-orlando-shooting-called-911-01.jpg http://a.disquscdn.com/get?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fbreakingbrown.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F06%2Fshooter1.png%3Fw%3D720%26quality%3D80%26strip%3Dinfo&key=INM8OQVWo5EEiah850W6MQ&w=800&h=647 Speaking of which, we’ve got to discuss the Dallas shooting as a possible false flag of the same order. on Wed Jul 13th 2016 at 21:14:57 Zoe Jordan @ Herneith. Not really. You have many black people in influential positions in the U.S. not least of all your very own president. I know Obama went to Dallas straight after the shootings there (as he should) but how many of the recently murdered black peoples families has he visited? ‘We are not as divided as we seem’! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/us/politics/obama-dallas-attacks-speech.html?_r=0 Really Obama? Really?? on Wed Jul 13th 2016 at 21:23:26 Solitaire @ Zoe Jordan Herneith is Canadian. Sorry Herneith, my mistake. However I still think my point is valid. I also ought to make it clear, I am white x @Jordan: I stand by what I wrote. Sure there are shuck and jive artists in the States, Judas goats. I stand with my fellow Blacks! Except the kerchief heads. I don’t have any ‘leaders’ regardless of their political stripes, they are not ‘mine’. on Thu Jul 14th 2016 at 17:16:05 Linda Wowww, Kiwi…. your first comment on this post and you hit the nail right on the head about the most important thing: black people who can’t tell the difference between different ethnic groups. because after seeing her boyfriend shot to death… for Diamond, the priority was to make sure she could tell the difference between a Chinese or Mexican person with Native American features yep, as you mentioned, she sure f’cked that one up (oh yeah, Kiwi – I’m sure you meant to say “RIP Philando” first but it slipped your mind in your haste to make a comment) back to the main topic at hand I wish Mexicans would stop calling themselves “Latino” and start calling themselves “Native Americans” then black Americans won’t be confused when they actually see a Mexican with Native American ancestry and won’t accidentally call them “Asian” (because as we know, Native Americans don’t look like any ethnic group from Asia at all) hopefully, the next witness to a police shooting gets the Ethnicity or Nationality of the cop right…if not for society, then just for you, Kiwi 🙂 can’t keep falsely identifying people — that just leads to stereotypes kind of like how officer Yanez thought Philando looked like the other black guy who robbed the store because of his wide nose – but we can rest in peace, Philando got shot for the other black man’s crimes — justice was served, right Kiwi I like how you are sticking to the topic here… good Job! (and by the way, in all seriousness Kiwi – I’m not mad at you – but even you know you are dead wrong for keeping up this BS) The picture that is in my previous comment is officer Jeronimo Yanez on Thu Jul 14th 2016 at 18:12:34 Origin Yup. Latinos can belong to any of Americas other racial classifications in addition to being Hispanophone. Mexicans are more likely to look European or Native while Caribbean Latinos like Cubans, Dominicans or Puerto Ricans tend to occupy the African/European continuum. (Now that Cuba is open Americans are probably going to be very surprised how “black” it is!). Castile’s girlfriend couldn’t divine Yanez’ ancestral homeland. She was just trying to get across what he looked liked after having watched her boyfriend’s murder. Origin, I was being totally sarcastic in my post to Kiwi I thought that would be evident, that’s why I didn’t add a disclaimer and I agree, people in the USA will be shocked at how “black” Cuba really is funny enough, I have friends from east/central Europe who moved to south Florida, and were shocked to discover that the Cubans in Miami were “white” they were used to seeing black Cubans visiting their countries when they were still part of the communist Eastern Europe I wasn’t contradicting you at all. I knew exactly what you meant. No worries. on Thu Jul 14th 2016 at 19:11:10 TerryC here is avideo about the 2nd amendment & racism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGtuH22pWtk) on Mon Jul 18th 2016 at 11:35:04 nomad Another cop murder: http://www.11alive.com/news/local/midtown/apd-cop-who-killed-man-didnt-know-his-skin-color/271655565 “…didn’t know his skin color”. What a crock! on Mon Jul 18th 2016 at 18:35:18 taotesan I had been listening all the comments on the Alton Sterling thread, too. I am very sorry for Alton Sterling and his family and community. I am also very sorry that Philando Castile had lost his life in front of his little girl. And his girlfriend, for having the presence of mind under such harrowing circumstances.The post –traumatic stress disorder and complex traumatic stress disorder this child would inevitably suffer from…. I had been hesitant in commenting on the modern day lynching of the Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. At this moment, I would like to express my solidarity and thoughts, esp. to Mary Burrell. Also, to all commenters and readers who were affected by this terrible tragedy. Sadly, and very predictably their deaths will not be the last of the police murders. There was a very visceral feeling of sadness and controlled anger all the weekend reading Abagond’s Blog. Why should I, across the Atlantic ocean, far away, feel so affected by it? After all, am I not desensitized to violence as many South Africans are? I have witnessed and had violent crime committed against me by the state and by white and Black people. Alton Sterling’s and Philandro Castile’s deaths had started important conversations in South Africa. There were demonstrations outside the USA embassy in support of Black Lives Matter. Over the last few decades, the cultural export of negative images of Black Americans have become mainstream overseas in the same way negative images of Africa has been implanted in the American mind. I have been more informed by Abagond and the many insightful comments than by the mainstream press, which one just has to turn off. It was distressing to see the reaches of propaganda even on Al-Jazeera. Watching Barack Obama smiling with the ‘men In blue” just left me cold. Re: Barack Obama- what can one expect from a man who drones Pakistani children? Do you know they are called ‘bugsplat’? The one consolation is that a coward dies a thousand deaths. From the slave patrols to lynchings to Jim Crow to Alsatians and water hoses on protesters in Birmingham to COINTELPRO to mass incarceration of young African American men combined with modern lynchings and all other manner of Civil Rights undermining, white supremacy in the USA has been transmuted from one beast into another. The more things change, the more they stay the same. ” There were demonstrations outside the USA embassy in support of Black Lives Matter. “ Thanks for sharing that bit of information. Few, if any American “news” outlets covered international response to the constant stream of murders by police. I also thought about the deep, deep post traumatic stress that the child in the car with Philando Castile will suffer for the rest of her life. No child should have to witness such ugliness. “…a coward dies a thousand deaths.” Each one will be deserved for the coward in question. Glad you shared your thoughts and feelings, taotesan. Yeah. Wonder if he knew what color neighborhood he was in? One where SOP is to approach ‘suspects’ (victims) with guns blazing? Because you know the lives in this neighborhood don’t matter? on Tue Jul 19th 2016 at 00:10:57 Afrofem So true. None of the lives in the entire neighborhood matter. ‘Might as well shoot. There are no consequences for me as a police officer. Wrong person? Oh well. My motto is shoot first, ask questions later.’ Didn’t know about this one either. Guess it’s only the ones caught on camera that catches our attention. No pix? Didn’t happen. “The Revolutionary Black Panther Party will hold an armed march against genocide in St. Louis, Missouri, an open-carry weapons state, on August 5, to honor Angelo Brown, also known as General Houdari Juelani, the local party leader who was shot dead by police in nearby Belleville, Illinois, last month. The party also plans “to file human rights violations with the International Criminal Court and the World Court,” according to Chief General in Charge Dr. Ali Muhammad. Juelani died from a single bullet to the temple, but his face showed signs that he had been beaten before death. “Every time he was out he was harassed” by the cops, said Dr. Muhammad, a neurologist. “They assassinated him.”” Guess that’s why Miriam Carey, shot in essentially the same way as Walter Scott, fleeing and at that point no threat to no one. On the Washington mall no less. Yet her case did not stir the same kind of outrage. No pix? Didn’t happen. on Tue Jul 19th 2016 at 15:08:03 Linda Kiwi @ If someone were attacked and misidentified their assailant as “Black” or “Muslim”, they would rightly be called out as a racist. Kiwi, that’s a bunch of BS and you know it … why are you wasting everyone’s time with your ignorant blah blah blah and Kiwi … Thank you for showing what a child you are because you got your feelings hurt by GroJo and can’t seem to get over it. I hope your wounds heal soon but in the mean time, if you really wanted to – you could once again start adding value to the conversations and stop bringing up irrelevant sh’t that has nothing to do with the topic on Tue Jul 19th 2016 at 16:08:03 gro jo Linda, why are you blaming me for Kiwi’s bs? All I did was to bring out what was already there. on Tue Jul 19th 2016 at 16:17:01 Fan ... “Over the last few decades, the cultural export of negative images of Black Americans [to African minds] have become mainstream overseas in the same way negative images of Africa has been implanted in the American mind. ” I wasn’t fully aware of the size of the African to African American disconnect until recently. It was something I read, or heard, from another Black man, Dr Sebi, a nutritionist and herbal doctor . I can’t begin to express the anger and sadness over the WEDGE we’ve permitted the enemy to use to continue to divide and separate us from each other. on Thu Jul 21st 2016 at 18:38:57 nomad This is how they do it in France when police murders black man. (https://youtu.be/4RJf85uike4) on Thu Jul 21st 2016 at 18:44:23 abagond In the US, since at least the 1940s, most Black riots have been set off by an act of police brutality. “We know if things don’t burn nothing will come of it. That is how we feel.” Sounds like 1960s America. (https://youtu.be/M99nzyiS830) I guess you’re still choosing to be an a/shole with no real rational arguments… you just want to have the last word no Kiwi — I want you to stop saying stupid sh’t I miss the Kiwi that made rational comments and added value to the blog it would be nice to have him back. Exactly… being attacked is NOT an excuse to become a racist troll which is what you are indulging in because you feel like you were attacked by black commenters on this block and you got no support from anyone I see through all your smokes and mirrors Kiwi – you aren’t fooling anyone but yourself at this point, you are throwing any and everything against the wall to see what sticks… throwing out random premises and answering them yourself… does not foster discussion, nor does it make you a righteous soldier if you no longer have intentions of having an honest discussion with people, why are you still here and what the h’ll are you trying to achieve? Kiwi… who the h’ll cares about 9/11… but I’ll play you’re stupid game: please describe how Diamond describing the Yanez as “Chinese” is racist? and lets keep in mind what the going definition of racism is, based on the western academics that we were all educated in: rac·ism ˈrāˌsizəm/ http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/racism so, please enlighten all of us just how Diamond displayed “racism” (and also keep this in mind when you respond back to me… even though you have been saying the dumbest sh’t for the last few weeks, trying to play the “tit for tat” game by equating black people with white people because you are mad at black commenters I still don’t believe you are racist… wounded animals lash out all the time) did I bring up 9/11 or is this post about 9/11? why are talking about 9/11 attackers… what the h’ll does that have to do with the question I asked you? you made a statement that Diamond was racist for describing Yanez as Chinese– so now back up your hypothesis (take a sh’t or get off the pot, Kiwi) So, Kiwi I guess with that BS statement… you decided to wipe your a’s with some toilet paper, so you can get off the toilet I’ll lay a rose on the grave of the former Kiwi I’m not interested in this new personal… ciao I certainly don’t give a sh’t about anything your saying right because it’s all pure, utter, irrevocable bullsh’t you haven’t answered my question.. which was in response to your original statement… on the topic of Diamond Reynolds– Philando Castiles girlfriend why are you now talking about everything under the sun, except for Diamond and Philando are you having fun… because I know you realize you are having a discussion with yourself? you are making statements and discussing “said” statement with and by yourself you obviously aren’t interested in being serious but keep going… you obviously need the human interaction online on Fri Jul 29th 2016 at 00:11:32 Solitaire So you don’t see a difference between (1) a direct victim of a crime making a mistake when trying to describe the appearance of the assailant (2) people who were not at a crime scene and who did not see the assailants junping to conclusions about what the assailants’ race must be due to the nature of the crime? on Fri Aug 5th 2016 at 22:21:10 gro jo “This case only proves to me that Chinese are in fact being scapegoated for police brutality, as I’ve been saying all along.” You know Kiwi, I agree with you. If that bastard, Peter Liang hadn’t gunned down Akai Gurley for no reason, Reynolds wouldn’t have made the mistake of ethnic attribution she did. Why do you flatter me so shamelessly. Show a little originality. on Sat Aug 6th 2016 at 01:15:56 Herneith http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/philanto-castile-gun-police-officers-black-lives-matter-right-to-bear-arms-wrong-skin-colour-alton-a7130471.html on Mon Aug 8th 2016 at 20:52:16 Linda what Kiwi really said to Linda with his last response: blah blah blah, I have nothing of real value to say anymore because I am now the new troll on Abagonds blog Linda responds to Kiwi: Yawnnnn, did you speak… the nothingness of your words was very deafening and blinding? Kiwi responds: Oh my God, now black people believe Asians should all get tickets for texting and driving…black people are sooooo racist!! (see Kiwi, I can be childish too… it’s fun sometimes isn’t it) and by the way, mimicry is not a response or an answer the way the game of “tit-to-tat” is played is: since I asked my question FIRST — then you respond second to my question; Then you get to ask me your question (no matter how Left field it is) “Although Castile had been stopped 46 times, only six of those were for offenses that an officer could have seen before stopping the car.” So 40 times he was stopped for no reason at all – except, presumably, for driving while Black. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/09/baltimore-police-department-justice-department-investigation-findings on Thu Aug 11th 2016 at 16:43:29 Origin It’s ridiculous and depressing. It’s really as if he was stalked and finally killed. on Thu Aug 25th 2016 at 20:28:51 Linda no darling Kiwi that whole paragraph is all YOU…. only you believe those things and that’s why you come here and say them – so you can share your new “racial” views your issues and resentments against black people are clouding your view and judgment good luck with your new comedy schtick called “black people are just white people with dark tans” on Fri Jun 16th 2017 at 21:42:37 resw The racist white supremacist officer Jeronimo Yanez was cleared on all counts. Where are all the black Democrats and the good white liberals working to eliminate the fake “feared for my life” defence codes that keep racist murderers out of prison? on Fri Jun 16th 2017 at 23:21:47 Mary Burrell So the murdering cop was acquitted black lives will never matter. Black people are not considered human. I am not surprised at the outcome it’s always the same murdering thugs with badges kill with impunity. I am sick to my stomach right now. Rest In Peace Brother Castille. on Sat Jun 17th 2017 at 00:18:41 michaeljonbarker The news made me nauseous as well. R.I.P. Philando and deepest sympathies towards his girl Diamond Reynolds and close family. on Sat Jun 17th 2017 at 09:20:45 Mack Lyons (@DDSSBlog) A predictable outcome, all things considered. Funny how a black man’s life is worth nothing in this country, but his labor is worth more than gold. A great summation of slavery, if you ask me. on Sat Jun 17th 2017 at 18:06:30 Origin What can one say really? We’d all have been very surprised by a guilty verdict. Our perceptions and understandings are validated over and over again. Black lives do not matter to others and we should accept this. Acceptance that is, cognizance as prerequisite to responding appropriately, not defeatism. Instead of being infected by that atmosphere and viewing each other with contempt our reaction should be one of rebellion against it. That is, we must matter to each other as we all face the viciousness of racism whether overt or covert. That is the only equation we have to solve as only our own arms will save us. Some pray to Jesus but even he says “The Kingdom of God is within YOU” [Luke 17:21]. Even in the old testament there are curious verses like Psalms 82:7: “You are gods and all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you will die like men and fall like one of the princes”. The human, as the most complete material manifestation of the divine forces, is something accepted as a given by many ancestral cultures. [It seems likely that this would be adopted, and likely warped in meaning, by younger people] He/she is seen as the means by which the divine involutes into its own creation much as you do when you involve yourself in your own dream by creating an avatar to experience it. That one is both you and not you. Just as Jesus is both the father and not. In that view he is a model, a picture, of you. His very name means “Jah is salvation” while Jah is the “I am”, the spiritual force of existence and consciousness. The one thing you are absolutely sure of is that you exist. You are your savior. While historically, the orthodoxy has fought against “heretical” esoteric interpretations of Jesus’ words I suggest that such an empowering view is the only one valuable to Christianized Africans facing the trials of the present season. That way we won’t sit around waiting for salvation to appear in the shape of a blond-haired, blue-eyed white man but will act to realize a victorious vision confident that once the spirit has been aroused with the will we’ll see success. That’s my personal approach to going after what I want in life anyway, even in the face of obstacles. Mourn at the injustice but don’t let your spirits be broken. Take care of yourselves everyone. on Sat Jun 17th 2017 at 19:24:24 Afrofem @ Origin “Black lives do not matter to others and we should accept this.[…] …our reaction should be one of rebellion against it. That is, we must matter to each other as we all face the viciousness of racism whether overt or covert. That is the only equation we have to solve as only our own arms will save us.[…] Sometimes Black people forget that when they are (mostly) united, focused and willing to persevere, White people and their allies are forced to make transformational changes. They will play mind games on an industrial scale to keep Black people from acting. They will brandish fearsome weaponry to keep Black people from acting. They will stuff Black people into cages (mass imprisonment) and shatter our families (foster care system) to keep Black people from acting. Yet, only when Black people are finally ready to create and act on that “victorious vision” will the path to through the artificial obstacles of anti-Black racism become clear. I agree that the first step is acceptance of the fact that Black people’s lives do not matter to anyone but themselves. The second step is the realization that the White Power Structure (WPS) and its allied forces are not invulnerable. There are several points of weakness where Black people can exert enough pressure to not only stop current actions against them, but to make long lasting changes. The response will be an increase in formal and informal violence against Black people because that is the primary tool of the WPS (and to paraphrase Maslow, “when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”) Yet, Black people already live in an era of ever increasing violence against our community members. There is already a chorus of White and allied voices telling Black people that non-violent resistance against WPS violence is violence(is that Orwellian or what?). According to those voices, Black people should just accept the murder of our people with passivity and silence. To do otherwise, would lead Black people to upsetting the carefully stacked racial hierarchy that benefits White people and their non-Black allies. I think Black folk should move forward with a Sankofa awareness that anything they do will not only be fiercely fought in the present moment but the WPS will seek to undermine any concessions to Black people in the future. Black people must also accept that the struggle will be multi-generational and that the forces arrayed against Black people will continue their depredations well into the future. https://www.berea.edu/cgwc/the-power-of-sankofa/ Origin, that “victorious vision” you write of must be clear, broad and deep. It must be imbued with spirit. Some Black people love the supine position of most of all. They will always choose White over all other. on Sun Jun 18th 2017 at 00:44:17 michaeljonbarker Valerie Castile makes a powerful statement about the murder of her son. (https://youtu.be/tsTGh8JoIEA) on Sun Jun 18th 2017 at 04:22:20 Afrofem @ michaeljonbarker Thanks for sharing that video. I agree with Mr. Castile’s mother that Black people are just the first to suffer. The system (WPS) will go after others in the near future. on Sun Jun 18th 2017 at 15:03:03 Mary Burrell “The state of Minnesota killed my son” Mr. Castile’ is correct the state of Minnesota allowed a murderer to go free. This murdering animal killed a man who obeyed his commands and Mr. Castile told him he had a gun. Yet this cowardly piece of human feces fired his weapon into their car with an unarmed woman and a young child in the back seat. Jeronamo Yanez is a monster. Even though he was fired that will not placate the people and family of Mr. Castile. I guess the family of Mr. Castile will sue the police department or the city and they will get some type of financial restitution, but no amount of money will bring Mr. Castile back. I was on a couple of mainstream media sites and in the comments the hateful and vitriol was outrageous. It’s true that black Americans need to accept our lives mean nothing and we are not even considered human. Mr Castile’s mother^^^^^^^typo on Sun Jun 18th 2017 at 17:52:38 Solitaire http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/17/opinions/philando-castile-verdict-is-too-familiar-jackson/index.html …What’s even more compelling is that Officer Yanez appeared unhinged in the viral Facebook Live video. Even after firing the barrage of fatal shots, Yanez stands outside the car, with his gun still trained on a bleeding and dying Castile while yelling hysterically: “I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hands open.” Contrast this with Reynolds’ calm and composed demeanor, while she addresses Yanez as “sir,” and reminds him that what he asked Castile to do was produce his driver’s license…. Yanez is the only one who appears to be hyper and out of control. Reynolds is respectful and polite — despite witnessing her boyfriend dying before her. Even her 4-year-old daughter is more composed than Yanez, as she reassures her mom by saying “it’s okay, I’m right here with you.” Isn’t it the officer who is supposed to be trained and experienced in these encounters? Isn’t it the officer who takes the oath to protect and serve? Isn’t it the officer who must adhere to that oath by exercising good judgment and self-control? Isn’t it the officer who should be calm, steady, even tempered, composed and courteous? What does it say when a civilian is more level-headed and restrained than law enforcement? Worse, what does it say when a 4-year-old has to calmly sooth and reassure her mom after witnessing an officer lose his composure. Should we expect children to be more reasonable than a man with a badge and gun? @Solitaire: 10000+ Why didn’t those stupid jurors see that. What were they thinking to produce this outrageous verdict to let this monster Yanez go free? on Mon Jun 19th 2017 at 07:21:05 Origin Thanks for that Afrofem. On another note, youtube comments on videos related to this might induce all manner of severe diseases. You have people still trying to justify Catille’s murder just because he was black. I appreciated Valerie Castille’s honesty though. on Tue Jun 20th 2017 at 05:29:15 abagond Unfortunately, the verdict did not surprise me one bit. The police dashcam video has just been released. Already burned into my brain as part of What America Is. on Fri Sep 1st 2017 at 20:55:21 Psalms - By Their Strange Fruit […] 4 – #DelrawnSmall July 5 – #AltonSterling July 6 – #PhilandoCastile July 7 – #DallasPoliceShooting Every day laid a thick new layer of grief, fear, frustration, […] on Tue Oct 24th 2017 at 03:00:14 Afrofem Philando Castile’s family and friends set up a fund to help the children Castile cared for everyday in his job as a nutrition services supervisor. The fund continues his work of helping all children to have access to lunch everyday. According to Think Progress, the fund started with a goal of $5000.00 and ended up raising more than $72,000.00. The article states: “Pamela Fergus, a psychology professor at a community college in Minnesota launched a fundraiser called “Philando Feeds the Children”, which was created to honor Castile’s memory. The funds are being used to pay off several thousands of dollars worth of school lunch debt accrued by students at J.J. Hill. “[Castile] supervised their food program and interacted with the kids every day. He knew their names and their diets. He LOVED his job!” Ferguson wrote on the fundraiser’s YouCaring site. “Philando’s death affected every one of those kids. This fund hopes to provide the kids with a lasting connection to Mr. Phil.” The fund also seeks to stop the practice of “lunch shaming” where children whose lunch accounts are past due are singled out for humiliation by cafeteria staff. The article describes lunch-shaming: In one particularly eregerious instance of lunch-shaming, a Santa Fe woman working the cash register at a local school’s cafeteria told a 4-year-old girl whose parents had missed her lunch payments that she had no money and threw the girl’s lunch in the trash. Some states have taken preventative measures to halt lunch-shaming practices. California and Texas have both passed legislation that bans schools from shaming children — either by tossing their meals in the trash, making them wear identifying labels noting their debt, making them do extra chores, or giving them alternative meals — who don’t have the ability to pay for food. https://thinkprogress.org/fundraiser-philando-castile-school-lunch-debt-aa4d64a06f94/ The US is an extremely wealthy nation where the children of working people are humiliated in lunch rooms and forced to rack up debt while money is wasted on weapons systems that don’t, can’t and will never work. I found an article that shows that compares US school lunches to school lunches in other countries. I posted it on the Open Thread: https://abagond.wordpress.com/open-thread/comment-page-1/#comment-382760 on Tue Oct 24th 2017 at 10:52:41 Mary Burrell @Afrofem: That’s so horrible that a young child if they are poor and their parents can’t afford to pay for their lunch get shamed. I feel this system that oppresses the poor and disenfranchised is deliberate. How are young children supposed to perform efficiently in school? So the babies are hungry and they can’t learn because they are hungry. This is so shameful and heartbreaking. on Tue Oct 24th 2017 at 11:08:08 Solitaire That was the whole point of the free and reduced lunch program, to keep the kids from being too hungry to learn and to concentrate!!! Especially when there is enough money in this country to ensure a nutritious lunch for every single child in school. Many of the children whose parents fall behind in payments are either just above the income threshold for reduced lunches, don’t know they qualify or find the paperwork overwhelming. Philando Castile was beloved by the children and staff because he cared about the children. He knew their names and diets. He was also known for paying for children’s lunches out of his own pocket, when the need arose. He was a true asset to society. Right, I see what you’re saying. If a child was already getting lunches entirely free, presumably their account would not come up showing any payment due. And in addition to the points you made above about reduced lunches, some families who qualify may still struggle to pay that reduced amount every week or may have times when unexpected expenses like car repairs squeeze their finances too tight. I guess the point I was trying to make is the principle ought to remain the same. A hungry child isn’t prepared to learn. And a child who has been publicly shamed on top of that is going to be very upset, which makes it even more likely they won’t be able to concentrate. I cannot imagine doing such a thing to a four-year-old. That’s a baby! They aren’t going to understand! And to throw away the food sends such a mixed message about the value of it, like the money is somehow more precious!! I’m sorry, this is the first I’d heard of lunch-shaming, and I’m outraged almost to the point of incoherency. Yes, he was. His death was a great loss to society. People like him make such a huge impact on the lives of children. Jobs like his don’t get much respect in society, but the truth is that someone with a caring heart like his does more good in one day in a school cafeteria than most of the rich fat cats do in their entire lives. on Wed Oct 25th 2017 at 00:18:49 Afrofem “I guess the point I was trying to make is the principle ought to remain the same. A hungry child isn’t prepared to learn.” My mom was a teacher and always kept snacks in the classroom for her students. This was before free and reduced price lunch programs. During the holidays, she would also cook a full meal for her students, haul it to the classroom and send them home with leftovers. In the current climate of fear, disrespect (for teachers and students) and frivolous litigation, she would be prohibited from that level of caring for her students. I feel fortunate to have seen that level of devotion on the part of a teacher. I still remember how her former students would thank her years later when they met her in public places, for believing in them and showing how much she cared about them. “…to throw away the food sends such a mixed message about the value of it, like the money is somehow more precious!!” Yes, a child’s first lesson that profit is more important than people. Reminds me of the line in the Guanahani post: “They were looking for yellow gold, which they worship.” https://abagond.wordpress.com/2017/10/09/guanahani/ Our society still kneels at the altar of yellow gold. on Wed Oct 25th 2017 at 01:26:00 Mary Burrell Throwing away food is so wasteful treating children in this horrific manner. I have never heard of this before either so the system starts in on the babies by starving them so they perform poorly. on Wed Oct 25th 2017 at 02:11:16 Solitaire Your mother sounds like a wonderful person and role model. I don’t remember any teachers feeding students, but I do remember them discreetly collecting hand-me-downs and buying underclothes for very needy families. A lot of us wore hand-me-downs so that wasn’t a big deal, but those exchanges usually took place within family or neighbor networks. There were a few families who didn’t have those networks and/or whose need for clothing went beyond those resources, so the teachers stepped in. And it was done discreetly; I only knew about it because my family was one of those the teachers typically asked, and I remember as a kid being admonished to keep it a secret and not shame the children of the recipient families. I could go on and on about teachers. So many of them spend their own money one way or the other on their students, and they don’t get paid enough to begin with. ” teachers…many of them spend their own money one way or the other on their students, and they don’t get paid enough to begin with.” Yes. One great teacher at the top of their game is worth more than ten bankers. In Texas, at least, a law was passed to ban lunch-shaming. That is a good first step. @That’s good to know but this lunch shaming shouldn’t be happening anywhere. Throwing away food is reprehensible. @Afrofem: Your mother sounds like a lovely lady. on Thu Oct 26th 2017 at 04:30:07 Afrofem She was a complex figure with good, bad, ugly and beautiful aspects—–like all other humans.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1147
__label__cc	0.730666	0.269334	« Black Liberals Obama’s “I Don’t Have a Dream” Speech » Obama retrospective Thu Jan 26th 2017 by abagond My thoughts on Barack Obama one week after he stepped down as US president: President Obama was a huge disappointment: Drone Master, Wall Street water boy, Rented Negro, Deporter-in-chief. To get his attention Black people had to protest and riot in the streets. He was, in effect, Bush III, more than I thought any Democrat could be. What little good he did is now being swept away by President Trump. It is good that the US had a Black president. In the long run I think it will help weaken racist stereotypes. Obama and his family were the picture of grace and dignity. You could not ask for better. But the shock proved too much for the nation, even with its ideas about Exceptional Negroes. And now we must live through the grotesque White blacklash. Obama squandered his moral authority as the country’s first Black president. Like Lincoln, his words could have lived for over a hundred years, the sort schoolchildren – and therefore the nation – would be made to learn. Instead he called the Baltimore rioters “thugs” and stood where Martin Luther King Jr once stood, 50 years before to give the “I Have a Dream” speech, and mouthed lizard-mouth Reagan: “Legitimate grievances against police brutality tipped into excuse-making for criminal behavior … And what had once been a call for equality of opportunity, the chance for all Americans to work hard and get ahead, was too often framed as a mere desire for government support, as if we had no agency in our own liberation, as if poverty was an excuse for not raising your child and the bigotry of others was reason to give up on yourself.” But I am disappointed in myself too for having had such faith and hope in this man. Ralph Nader, who I voted for twice, warned that Obama would do nothing for Black people. Obama, right in his own book, “The Audacity of Hope” (2006), pretty much agreed: “An emphasis on universal, as opposed to race-specific, programs isn’t just good policy; it’s also good politics” It was not Republican obstructionism that stopped him. He was New Black, a colour-blind racist. It is not for the government to uphold equality before the law – no, it is for Black men to be better fathers. I thought by voting for him I was voting for me. But when he became president he started doing stuff I would never do. I thought maybe power was turning him bad. No, it was not that. It was his mindset. He believes in American exceptionalism, meaning US exceptionalism. He believes Black people are held back more by their own pathologies than by racism. His White mother likely believed the same. There were two huge red flags even before the 2008 election. First, he threw his own pastor under the bus, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Second, there was all the money he accepted from big Wall Street banks. The writing was on the wall but I did not want to read it. Posts from the Obama era and before: 2007: Barack Obama 2008: Barack Obama for president 2008: Yes, We Can 2008: Obama wins!!! 2009: Barack Obama is now president 2011: Obama seems like a different person 2012: Why I am voting for Obama 2012: The incomplete list of children Obama has killed with drones 2013: Is Obama a Rented Negro? 2013: Obama’s “I Don’t Have a Dream” Speech 2014: Obama then and now: War in Iraq 2017: Yes We Can – the song is the same yet not the same Jeremiah Wright New Blacks Black pathology Exceptional Negroes The White Liberal Guide to Black people US exceptionalism Samantha Power – his long-time foreign affairs adviser Baltimore riot The term “thug” Bush II on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 19:40:31 yogibreeze Excellent analysis. I detest him: pompous, out of touch and most of all ineffective. Singularly, his only achievement was the dignified manner in which he and his family carried themselves thereby saliently calling into question many negative stereotypes about the so-called “Black family.” Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 20:21:48 Raymond Horton thank you for voting for Nader and helping get us into the worst war in American history! Raymond Horton Composer, Arranger Minister of Music, Edwardsville (IN) United Methodist Church Retired Bass Trombonist, Louisville Orchestra, 1971-2016 on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 20:42:26 ConcernedCitizen You offer a shockingly simplistic assessment of the entire situation for a man who is very astute and even brilliant on so many levels, Abagond. I think your expectations were way too high, just as the case with so many others who refused to grasp the full depths of white supremacy ideology. Abagond, you are a man of high intelligence and depth. Please take a closer look at the the inapproriateness of over-personalizing things as shown in this statement from you: “I thought by voting for him I was voting for me. But when he became president he started doing stuff I would never do.” Why would you even expect Obama to think like you, and how can you really claim he did things you “would never do,” since you have no idea what kinds of pressures to compromise, and other forced factors going on behind the scenes? Did it occur to you that Obama played the role he was supposed to play in history? Maybe it was his presence that was necessary on a national stage to help pull back the veil off of hidden, systemic racism that so many denied with seriously premature pronouncements of America being post-racial? Armchair critics are a dime a dozen. Most people would have committed suicide or homicide if they had to function under the ongoing threats and duress Obama had to face. Can you honestly say you would have handled things well under levels of obstruction that were unprecedented? I wish I had been on the Internet in 2008. Maybe I would have seen it too. But, alas, I was benighted by my only news source, MSM. But when I did get on the Internet, around the time of Barama’s inauguration, it took me about eight months to conclude he was a fraud, after half a year of suspecting it. I was never impressed in the first place, BTW, and was a little mystified as to why people were. But by August 2009, I knew he was a fraud. nomadAugust 21, 2009 at 1:28 PM Up till now I have been taking a wait and see attitude towards Obama. Yeah he was surrounding himself with the same old oligarchy that has run things for past 2 decades, but I thought they might act as a kind of foil for the progressiveness he would inaugurate. But sellout on healthcare that seems to be in the works indicates that he is just what Rev. Wright said he was. A politician. Change we can believe in? Yeah, Wright. on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 21:13:44 Glenn (freedom of movement) Robinson @getgln Abagond, you forgot “Deporter-in-chief”, breaking up families. yogibreeze “. Singularly, his only achievement was the dignified manner in which he and his family carried themselves thereby saliently calling into question many negative stereotypes about the so-called “Black family.” ” It was the Cosby Show. A high powered husband and wife with cute kids. What casting! on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 21:14:59 James Simplistic,immature, and myopic….WTF did you think would happen? It’s EASY to be POTUS at home on your laptop. @ Concerned Citizen, thanks for being an ADULT! “seriously premature pronouncements of America being post-racial” Obama was the poster boy for post racial. It’s so closely associated with him I wonder if he coined the term. It certainly was his philosophical outlook. Race was passe as far as he was concerned. “Most people would have committed suicide or homicide if they had to function under the ongoing threats and duress Obama had to face” Oh bull cakes. Can’t stand the heat stay off the throne. Isn’t it ironic? At the inauguration of Obama there was great euphoria, among many Americans. But especially black people. I remember screaming and signs declaring “We did it!”. A kind of hysteria. And here we are again eight years later. Another inauguration. Another hysteria. An opposite one this time. Fear instead of joy. Though the bookends of inaugurations represent opposite poles of hysteria, nevertheless. I must say this. How can I not? Hysteria repeats itself. on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 21:46:32 dorisjean23 Obama did become a president for black people he became a president for all people and with a nation such as ours, he kept a delicate balance. ” I remember screaming and signs declaring “We did it!”.” I don’t remember screaming. I remember people screaming. on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 22:11:17 Brothawolf It’s sad for me to say this, but it’s disheartening to hear black folks say that they voted for him because he’s black. (I admit that’s part of my reason for voting for him.) But this society is all about putting images first. We want to see a black person in the highest office in the land, and we want to see a democrat in office after eight long years of George W. Bush. Barack Obama was, as many of us thought, the candidate we both need and want, even though at the end of the day, he was just another typical American politician pandering to the white population. Granted, it was wrong that he received so much hate from the right, but their hatred is largely based on racism. They didn’t go after him for his policies. They went after him because he was a black man in the oval office. In the end, we need to stop believing and hoping that black people in political offices are saviors of black people. In the end, they largely don’t care too much about the problems black folks face. I’m just theorizing here, but they pander to the general white population, because that’s where the power lies. That’s partly how Obama got elected, because he pandered mostly to left-leaning whites. on Thu Jan 26th 2017 at 23:00:15 Deb I appreciate your honesty Abagond. I was so cynical when Obama won the election. I remember thinking, seeing someone had written on the rear car window. “We overcame”. WE ain’t overcame nothing. A couple of black folk “overcame”. Here’s another reverse irony re Trump and Obama. One of the most prominent conspiracy theories about Obama from the right is that he’s a socialist, trying to impose some communist style governance on America. Now from the left a conspiracy theory subscribed to by all. Trump is a Russian stooge. That Putin does get around. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 00:01:48 gro jo Abagond should have titled this post my exercise in dishonesty. Charge #1 against Obama: “President Obama was a huge disappointment: Drone Master, Wall Street water boy, Rented Negro, Black pathologist-in-chief. To get his attention Black people had to protest and riot in the streets. He was, in effect, Bush III, more than I thought any Democrat could be. What little good he did is now being swept away by President Trump.” In Obama’s defense, he never pretended to be anything other than what he turned out to be. Long before he became president, he was identified as a Chuck Robb, Bill Clinton, Democratic Leadership Council, right wing democrat. Charge #2: “It was not Republican obstructionism that stopped him. He was New Black, a colour-blind racist. It is not for the government to uphold equality before the law – no, it is for Black men to be better fathers.” Again, nothing new here. People who knew him wrote honest pieces about him, but people like Abagond refused to believe them because, “I thought by voting for him I was voting for me…There were two huge red flags even before the 2008 election. First, he threw his own pastor under the bus, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Second, there was all the money he accepted from big Wall Street banks. The writing was on the wall but I did not want to read it.” The fault is not Obama’s but Abagond’s and those who think like him. In order to be honest, Abagond needed to state why he pushed facts aside and bought the public relation campaign. What we have instead is: “It is good that the US had a Black president. In the long run I think it will help weaken racist stereotypes. Obama and his family were the picture of grace and dignity.” Whose racist stereotypes did their “grace and dignity” weaken, surely not the ignorant Tea party types, maybe, it weakened the sense of lack of self worth among Blacks? If that’s the case, there’s rhyme and reason to Obama’s Tough love speeches, making him a tough coach instead of a New Black, a colour-blind racist! Abagond shares Obama’s “US exceptionalism”. Only in the USA could a member of a reviled minority become president, as long as he does the bidding of those with the real power! It’s that hope, and agreement with the program of upholding US supremacy, that made him overlook the facts. Nothing fundamentally wrong with the status quo that a few nonwhite faces at the top can’t cure. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 01:11:48 Afrofem “There were two huge red flags even before the 2008 election.” The three huge red flags for me before the 2008 election were: ⚑ His speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention where he said: “Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you: They don’t want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or by the Pentagon. Go into any inner-city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can’t teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to teach, that children can’t achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. They know those things. […] There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html Negro Please! ⚑ His orchestrated rise from Illinois state senator to the US Senate between 2004 and 2008. I realized he had powerful connections that were operating behind the scenes. Plus, he was an unknown quantity who had not paid his dues on the local or national stage. ⚑ His praise of Reagan while on the campaign trail in 2004: “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America…He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like, you know, with all the excesses of the 60s and the 70s, and government had grown and grown, but there wasn’t much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people just tapped into — he tapped into what people were already feeling, which was, we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.” http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/politics/21seelye-text.html Yes, the “excesses of the 60s and 70’s that made it possible for him to run for political office. I remember what my home neighborhood looked like before Reagan and what I looked like after twelve years of Reagan and Bush I. I remember the optimism of my family and neighbors before Reagan and the sense of despair after Reagan. Any politician that praised Reagan was not a politician I could support. I never trusted, supported or voted for Obama. I took a lot of flak for not buying his “hope and change” marketing. It just hurts to see the devastation he left behind. Many of the Black people he sold down the river are still cheering him on as they float toward a gigantic waterfall. That hurts most of all. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 01:35:00 satanforce Hope you learn our lesson this time. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6aCVPxSbqI) Who was it who said “Not all my skinfolk are my kinfolk?” Perhaps living in a black-majority community has immunized me from these type of people. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 02:30:33 Deb @Afrofem…an excellent, excellent comment, one with which I totally agree! And for those same three reasons, I never trusted, supported or voted for the Changeling. All of his, “community organizer” BS was just that — BS! This exposé alone should’ve told Black folk who he was, and would be for us: http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/?s_campaign=8315 “Many of the Black people he sold down the river are still cheering him on as they float toward a gigantic waterfall.” Truer words have never been spoken. Black folk here in SC are STILL making excuses for his behind, even as they’re still reeling from the devastation left in his wake. @Abagond…“The writing was on the wall but I did not want to read it.” I know this piece was hard for you to write, which is why I appreciate your honesty in laying your hurt and disappointment on the table — and owning it. Don’t beat yourself up, Brother. Consider it a lesson learned. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 03:01:37 blakksage @Abagond, … this is an impressive post! My advice, ignore the scoffers and those who hold you in derision, just as Obomber disassociated himself and ignored them while in office. @satanforce…That was Zora Neale Hurston on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 03:31:34 Allen Shaw Well what can anyone say about people who are so unfamiliar with the power structure. Under the circumstances President Obama did what had to be done. He was not President of the Black people he was President of the United States. Those individuals who are speaking negatively about his conduct while in office probably have never been in a position where they were responsible for so many different situations. I have seen in my career many individual like those that complain about President Obama. When they got near the White power structure they started skinning and grinning and getting on their knees. The actions of President were as expected in a political environment that was completely hostile to him. The “crab in the barrel” is always with us! Thank you President Obama for your courage, stamina and wisdom while you had the responsibilities of the office. When history is finally written the grandchildren of those who today find fault with your administration will realize how great a President you were. Allen Shaw, name one thing Obama did that your grandchildren will thank him for? on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 04:09:34 michaeljonbarker Regan was great for white people. But Regan wasn’t the “fiscal conservative” that people pretend him to be. The U.S. deficit increased 130% under Regan and Obama seems blind to that in his comments about Regan. What Regan did do was build prisons, ramp up the war on drugs, and allow tons and tons of cocaine to flow into the U.S. much of it directed at Black communities. U.S. imperalism in central America helped set up the drug trade while simultaneously fighting it. “Changeling” is a very apt description for the 44th President. He seemed to have a different face for every specific audience he addressed. What he did to the people of Grove Parc Plaza he wanted to do to everyone, especially Black folk, whom he holds in utter contempt. There were a lot of complaints about Bush II and now Trump with their open slash and burn policies toward working class people. Obama was more of a laparoscopic surgeon; he was able to disembowel his unwary supporters with just one or two discreet cuts. Now that’s skill! I agree with Deb. It had to be hard to write about your disappointment with Obama. The painful lessons are the ones you never forget. The earmarking of Federal funds for the construction of “insanity” (mental health) wards/wings in already established state and fed hospitals. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! I just listened to a Project Censored podcast today that discussed among other things, the way San Jose Mercury reporter, Gary Webb was pushed to the margins after he exposed the CIA/Central American/Crack Cocaine connection. That discussion starts at 48:00. http://projectcensored.org/brian-covert/ Perhaps the “War on Drugs” were not such a “failure” after all. It has helped certain people achieve objectives they couldn’t have otherwise. Correction: @michaeljonbarker on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 04:55:16 Solitaire Reagan was great for some white people. He did a number on my community, too. Remember the farm crisis? In the 70s all the little farm towns in my area had healthy downtowns with small local businesses. By the end of the 80s most of those stores were vacant and boarded up. Many still look that way; those towns never did recover. And then the meth moved in. Clarification: I’m not trying to say Reagan screwed us as badly as he did black communities. Just that he screwed us. Oh, how I hate that man. “…in the 70s all the little farm towns in my area had healthy downtowns with small local businesses. By the end of the 80s most of those stores were vacant and boarded up. Many still look that way; those towns never did recover.” I remember those towns. They all seemed to have a drugstore, Woolworth’s, a diner or two, movie theater, hardware store, feed stores and a fully stocked IGA grocery store. Nearly all of the businesses were family owned. Walmart destroyed the Reagan survivors. You are right, meth took a baseball bat to the rest. I have no doubt that in the future, when research papers peer back through the annals of history concerning Obomber, he will solidly fit the description of a sociopath. Aggressive at times; charming at times; a liar sometimes and a lack of conscience regarding other people. To me, this man is certainly detached but has the keen ability to give the appearance as if he’s got it all together. At bottom, I see and internally troubled man who hasn’t outwardly expressed his situation as of yet. Give it time, it will self demonstrate at some point! Yes! We had a movie theater, a five and dime, a bakery, a bowling alley, a hardware store, a clothes store, and one of those old-timey drugstores with a soda fountain. All locally owned. All gone. There were two grocery stores – only one survived (the IGA). In those towns where the buildings are occupied again, they don’t hold the same type of businesses. It’s now antique stores and gift shops catering to the weekend tourists, not to the local community. “At bottom, I see and internally troubled man who hasn’t outwardly expressed his situation as of yet. ” blakksage. What’s inside is a puzzlement. Sheds tears for murdered children yet jokes about drone murder. If he is troubled it is not about things that trouble normal folks. He is not likely troubled by anything he has done but by the thought of deception being discovered. Of being unmasked. He is also every bit the narcissist Trump is. Everything is about him. ‘Trayvon looks like me’ for example. His personal animosity to those that challenged him, like Cornel West. His macho pose against Putin and bragging of killing Bin Laden. Narcissistic. You have to wonder why he would, as Paul Craig Roberts says, align himself with evil. Great evil. And deceive the people as he did. When he was in a position to do so much good. All the good he was promising before he got elected. He is A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery Inside an Enigma. @satanforce) Who was it who said “Not all my skinfolk are my kinfolk?” I can’t believe I never heard that before. That’s a great line. You can bet I’m going to be using it. “That was Zora Neale Hurston” Good observation. I had noticed this approach to policies by US government, domestic and abroad. Make things worse, or even create problems whole cloth, then go in and ‘fix’ them, looking like a hero in the process. Of course they don’t really ‘fix’ them. It creates a self perpetuating syndrome. I was going to call it the Munchausen by Proxy approach to politics. And I still will. But somebody beat me to it. https://normanpilon.com/2017/01/25/obamas-political-munchausen-syndrome-by-proxy-chelsea-manning-as-bait-james-petras-the-james-petras-website/ on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 09:21:55 a Russian nagpo Yesterday I was watching a Russian documentary on recent American politics saying Obama shut down some closed prisons similar to those in Guantanamo. Man was B.S.ing since the infomercial. A regular Donald Trump/Bernie Sanders type who wins the class president election by promising to give everyone free soda, Pokemon cards, 10 CDs for 99 cents, tickets to the Aaliyah concert and free FuBu. Second, there was all the money he accepted from big Wall Street banks. Meet Penny Pritzker Superior was the first of the deregulated go-go banks to go bust – at the time, the costliest failure ever. US taxpayers lost nearly half a billion dollars. Superior’s depositors lost millions and poor folk in Sen. Obama’s South Side district lost their homes. Penny did not like paying $460 million. No, not one bit. What she needed was someone to give her Hope and Change. She hoped someone would change the banking regulators and the Commerce Department so she could get away with this crap. Pritzker introduced Obama, the neophyte state senator, to the Ladies Who Lunch (that’s really what they call themselves) on Chicago’s Gold Coast. Obama got lunch, gold and better – an introduction to Robert Rubin. Rubin is a former Secretary of the Treasury, former chairman of Goldman Sachs and former co-chairman of Citibank. Even atheists recognized Rubin as the Supreme Deity of Wall Street. Rubin opened the doors to finance industry vaults for Obama. Extraordinarily for a Democrat, Obama in 2008 raised three times as much from bankers as his Republican opponent. Then there is the Obama Presidential Library. An order of battle pitting a number of potentially combustible forces against one another had already become evident. On one side: a genuine grassroots desire to enshrine the legacy of America’s first black president in the city where his political career began; a megalomaniac mayor; and the desperate hopes of a devastated black neighborhood exploited by a great university’s passion to become an even greater one. On the other side: the same corps of dispossessed black Chicagoans and liberal white neighborhood activists who’ve been fighting off the imperial private university as a land-grabber and community-traducer for going on sixty years. The meeting was called to order, and it soon became clear which side was going to win. Demagoguery did not go unchallenged. “I believe you’re being misled, just as the community is being misled,” cried an elderly white woman with a fanny pack, the perfect specimen of the sort of hectoring Hyde Park neighborhood activist whom university flacks have been crossing the street to avoid since the 1950s. “They’ve created an emergency situation to make you think you need to give up park land to get the Obama library on the South Side.” An officer of the Washington Park Conservancy pointed out that trees standing when George Washington was president “would be cut down and replaced with a building.” One of Chicago’s most legendarily irascible community organizers, the Rev. Slim Coleman, pointed out that if the library really was supposed to be some kind of neighborhood charity, it would be sited in the far worse-off West Side……….. An older man reminded the younger ones—public radio station WBEZ pointed out that reaction to the library plans have generally split along generational lines—that “the University of Chicago has historically not been a good neighbor. Colored folks, Negroes, blacks, whatever you may call it, the University of Chicago won’t give you anything. Don’t trust the University of Chicago.” Which is really the bottom line, isn’t it? Gentrification always poses a paradox: a geographical area might end up revitalized. But inexorably, that means the human beings who happen to live there cannot . . . Oh, hell, I sound like a professor. Much better was the way a woman who announced she’d been trained as a community organizer by Barack Obama put it: “Look out. We gonna be gone.” It was all futile. A chant trumped logic: “Bring it on home! Bring it on home!” It produced in me that sinking feeling you get in the middle of an election season, in the moment when you know your guy can’t possibly win—when you hear a slogan you just know was devised in some back room, probably with the benefit of gigabytes worth of research reports, certainly focus-grouped. Worse, you hear these carefully massaged word formations bubbling forth sincerely from ordinary people’s mouths as if they had just come up with them on their own. However, at the root of matter, the issue that is not being addressed, is the role that middle class Diaspora blacks play in supporting the power structure that so many of them claim to be against. Obama did not existing a vacuum. Scratch that. Obama did exist in a vacuum – a moral and intellectual one created by a black middle class that has abandoned any notion of social justice and black self-determination for some scraps from Massa’s table and the opportunity to elevate themselves over their lumpen (former) brethren. Not trying to romanticize the poor blacks among us, but when middle class get their hands on something that can damage diaspora blacks, they make it so much worse. Gangsta Rap may have been started with Ice-T and Schooly-D, but it took a group led by architectural draftsman Ice Cube to really get it going . Don’t get me started on Howard Univerity’s Puff Daddy. If ever there is to be found the manifestation of “Screw You, I got mine”, it is the back middle class that has chosen to emulate their (much wealthier and secure) white counterparts. All we are seeing in Barack Obama is the same milquetoast middle-class amorality that mouths the same mealy-mouthed platitudes that are part and parcel of the New Black/Civil Rights/Right Wing/whoever he is trying to please at the moment dictionary. Whether its from some goddamn office memo, SixSigma silliness or presidential message – its all the same. “architectural draftsman Ice Cube to really get it going . Don’t get me started on Howard Univerity’s Puff Daddy.” really? I thought these guys were from the streets? on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 14:41:57 Herneith I would love to be Presidentess of the US! Free room and board, vacation home, free transportation, extensive travel! Do the get a clothing and hairdressing allowance? If they do, I’m even more enthused. What’s the pay like? How is it as a Canadian, I knew from the get-go that this guy would not affect any substantiative change? He was an admirer of Reagon that should have told people everything they had to know about him just as Trump comparing himself to Ol’ Hickory does. A chicken in every pot? Oops, that was Herbert Hoover of Hooverville shanty town! ” He is not likely troubled by anything he has done but by the thought of deception being discovered. Of being unmasked.” Well said. A classic symptom of sociopathy. Loved it! You went deep. Do you have a link to the Penny Pritzker story? I knew someone(s) greased the skids for him. I never researched who those people were. Thanks for filling in much needed information. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 15:32:26 Joe Nice post, Abagond! “Man was B.S.ing since the infomercial.” Wow. Never saw the infomercial before. I feel so…. on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 15:41:13 sondis Oh abogond, don’t feel so bad, we all got duped. I think we as black people, felt a need to vote for that poor excuse for a black man. I think we as black people need to do this even more! Let me explain… Black people are the most critical people of their own people, than any other racial group. For the first time, black people supported a black man without raising an eye brow. We as black people need our own brand of “black supremacy” but not the kind that white people support. We need to not be so quick to throw our own people under the bus, just to appease white people. We need to look the other way, when we see other black people, harming other racial groups, mainly white people but this could apply to other groups. White people always give their own people the benifit of the doubt and passes for whatever they do, not black people. We as black people need to stop being the moral compass by which other races of people are judged. Let a news anchor stick a camera and mic in my face, then expect me to condemn a crime a black person has done. I’d be like… “we need to see all the fact,first!” “I don’t know, i wasn’t there, were you?” “everyone deserves their day in court” And at the very least, i’d be like…. “No comment” -_- I’m not messing around with these white people….its been getting worse. Throwing our own under the bus and kissing white people’s butt hasn’t gotten us ANYWHERE! Think its time to change our strategy? So i say all that to say this….Yes, i would still vote for obama if i had a chance to do it all over again. Why you ask? because for all this time, we as black people always fought for every kind of access there is to be had in America. It would have been a waste of all the courage and suffering our ancestors went through for us to just say…..”I voted for a black president for the first time in my life and it was for nothing.” Looking back at my 2 votes for obama for 2 terms, they weren’t for him but for those who fought and died, so that i could have the chance to even be able to vote for the bum and for him to even be elected for the highest office, across the land. if not for nothing, we can as a race, scratch another accomplishment black people has achieved off the board. @Afrofem…“Changeling” is a very apt description for the 44th President. He seemed to have a different face for every specific audience he addressed.” I’ve called him that ever since I started watching and writing about him because you’re right — different face for every constituent place and lying to them all (except for the banksters of course — he saved his skinnin’ and grinnin’ and gettin’ on his knees for all that cash). I’d say SPECIFICALLY to Black folk BECAUSE of that utter contempt he holds — and has displayed on more than one occasion! Obama was more of a laparoscopic surgeon; he was able to disembowel his unwary supporters with just one or two discreet cuts. Now that’s skill! No sht! This look like a gangster to you? Abagond needs to fix the links in my post http://www.gregpalast.com/billionaire-bankster-breaks-into-obamas-cabinet/ No. We don’t need First Blacks. Just good ones. @nomad…“Thanks.” You’re welcome! “I had noticed this approach to policies by US government, domestic and abroad. Make things worse, or even create problems whole cloth, then go in and ‘fix’ them, looking like a hero in the process. Of course they don’t really ‘fix’ them. It creates a self perpetuating syndrome.” Yeah it does — and still is! Thanks for that link! It was exactly what I was thinking when he magnanimously commuted Manning’s sentence, but didn’t say immediately, which of course, leaves open the possibility for that clown now in the seat, to try to undo it since he feels, “Manning is an ungrateful traitor who never should’ve been released”: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-manning-234207 SMDH @satanforce…Where’d you get that pic? Just too damned funny!!!😆😆😆😆 Oh, I knew about Miss Ann, Penny Pritzker, but not familiar with the “infomercial” you mentioned — no link there either. gro jo and others: I do not need to waste my time explaining to individuals who have made up their minds. “I have made up my mind, do not confuse me with facts” I only wish I could write with the great skill many of the commentators on this site do. I am sure each and every one of them have held extremely high level duties and responsibilities during their life. They surly could speak of such responsibilities and the success they had. How else could they be so critical of President Obama. That pic is too funny. I went to YouTube and searched ‘Obama infomercial.” It came up. I think its the one Satanforce was talking about. Thanks for the link. Greg Palast has been on the case for decades now. Allen Shaw, such modesty is silly, All I asked is that YOU tell me why your grandchildren should remember Obama. When you have the little ones gathered around your rocker, what will you tell them about the time when a colossus such as Obama occupied the white house? How is it a waste of your time to give us an aperçu? on Fri Jan 27th 2017 at 22:55:48 Brothawolf As a side note, looking at that picture shows that the Presidency can age you faster than cigarettes lol. Gro jo and friends: Quite frankly either you are too dense to understand or your mind is made up and you do not want to be confused with facts.”You “pazz” your money and you takes yr choice”. At the end of the Trump/Pence Administration you will understand. As I said before each of you probably have held high offices were you were completely successful in the management of all things around you and therefore are in the position of judging others. I am sure you put all of those powerful White people in their place and did not take any crap out of any of them. I can tell from your writing that you (all) are “all powerful people”. on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 02:04:56 Deb @Brotheaolf…“As a side note, looking at that picture shows that the Presidency can age you faster than cigarettes lol.” Happens to ALL of ’em, Brother — whether they were good presidents or not: http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-presidents-aging-before-after-2016-12/#johnson-who-didnt-visibly-age-too-much-in-his-five-year-tenure-joins-nixon-shortly-after-nixon-is-elected-president-in-november-1968-16 Brotheaolf= Brothawolf (apologize, it’s the Port!) on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 02:12:30 gro jo “Allen Shaw Gro jo and friends: Blah, blah blah blah facts. Blah blah blah choice…At the end of the Trump/Pence Administration you will understand. Blah, blah blah blah. I am sure you put all of those powerful White people in their place and did not take any crap out of any of them.” I understand that your Obama never missed a chance to impress by coming down hard on Blacks every chance he got, White misdeeds were another matter. Do you remember the nationally televised beer klatch with the cop and the Harvard professor? Being the kind of Negro I think you are, you probably had a lump in your throat and tears in your eyes from being so proud that a black man, holding the highest office in the land would stoop to kissing some racist cop’s ass on prime time tv. My reaction was one of revulsion. The way you keep harping on the powerful White people theme tells me you are a worshiper of “power” even to the point of worshiping the semblance of it. I never held high office, but I did supervise whites. I never took any crap from them or anybody else. I did my job as I saw fit, damn anybody who didn’t like it. When I left, I had zero regrets. Allen Shaw, since you can’t name a single thing Obama did to earn your grandchildren’s admiration, I’ll tell you that, in my book, the forced resignation of general Stanley Allen McChrystal after the latter was insubordinate earned Obama grudging respect from me. See, it wasn’t that hard to find some good in the man was it? You try it. on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 05:32:50 michaeljonbarker If Mr.Shaw waits long enough the myth of Obama will take form over the upcoming years and liberals will look back fondly. Regan’s image was turned into a conservative super hero and his legacy is invoked amongst Republicans. It’s a myth that many U.S. citizens firmly believe in. I think the same will happen for Obama only he will be known as the great liberal of American exceptionalism. “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being.” President Obama on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 09:43:04 satanforce Funny. Someone just told me something like that. I’m trying to wake her up with the mouse-clicks. More LuLZ. All them Under Armor shirts, personal trainers and inections can’t wash away his sins. @satanforce…Where’d you get that pic? Just too damned funny!!!😆😆😆 From. his. Fcking. Wikipedia. page. It. is. there. for. everyone. to. see. If you can’t answer Gro Jo’s question then the bolded part of the above quote is all that matters. Your whole post, as is was Abagond’s and the rest of black people’s justification,was just a neurotic defense. A defense against truth. A defense against action. That long list of posts that Abagond has up there is just a neurotic defense against what was happening right in front of everybody to see. “It can’t be true! It can’t have been for nothing! Change! ” You will learn. You will learn what we in the Caribbean and in Africa have known for 50 years now. You will learn. on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 09:57:08 Allen Shaw “I never held high office, but I did supervise whites.” So Gro Jo you compare your success with the President of the US. Way to go! Glad you did not take any crap. U b 1 powerful person. The truth is the majority of comments about the Obama Administration are made by people who do not have a clue about the job being evaluated. Crabs in a barrel. You will learn what we in the Caribbean and in Africa have known for 50 years now. BINGO to blood clot. What’s a cirkejerk? cirkejerk u b using word that have no meaning to me! Place of birth is important when developing thoughts. u may b superior to me because you were not born in the main land of usa. What can i do about that. I notice that many people come to the usa from the “Caribbean and in Africa” but not many individuals leave the usa to go to those places. I suppose it is because of your great wisdom, which those of us who are born in the usa do not have. By the way, no Black can ever say u can’t be President of the USA because you are Black. Our next step is to promote a Black who has no White blood in their veins. on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 18:52:46 Solitaire Is it like Cirke du Soleil? 😉 I believe the intended word was circlejerk? You google it. Do you notice how each of the friends pack up at the bottom of the barrel to pull down one. Crabs in a barrel Cirke du Soleil (Cirque du Soleil) circlejerk (???). Anything except an admittance that none of you have a clue about the responsibilities of the President ‘s job and the active part the congress took to keep him from succeeding. You just did not like that man and found every thing wrong with his work. He is gone now so you can start paying attention to President Trump. Good bye for awhile. @ Allen Shaw Oh, for Betsy’s sake, that was a playful tease about a typo. It had nothing to do with Obama and certainly wasn’t meant to pull satanforce down off the top of any barrel. Did congress prevent him from firing McChrystal? No. Did congress make him go to that church, where Dylan Roof gunned down his victims, to sing Amazing Grace instead of announcing a program to unleash war against domestic terrorists like Roof? No. The only thing congress didn’t want to work with him on was cutting Social Security. Who do you think would have been hurt more severely had they agreed to work with him? on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 23:10:03 Afrofem “Did congress make him go to that church, where Dylan Roof gunned down his victims, to sing Amazing Grace instead of announcing a program to unleash war against domestic terrorists like Roof?” gro jo Such a little to talk about for 8 years. Yes I did like the man and I believe he did an outstanding job. If he would have been White all of you would be screaming about what a wonderful President he was. But because you thought he would be a King and did not understand the limitations of his office, especially with a hostile congress you started finding fault with him. Just stop and think about your comment about his failures. You believe he should have been a President for the Black people and he should have disregarded all others. “WRONG”! Who would have been harmed if congress would have supported him? I do not believe you can say, I know I do not have a clue. Whatever all of you think when you are given a job you do not spend your life helping out people of one group alone. No person is ever given a job of responsibility if they are unable to be even handed. So the next time you vote for a Black to hold a position in a “national office” be sure you understand that that person is going to represent Blacks, Whites Jews, Christians, Muslims and all other individuals equally. The majority of the Presidents job is dealing with other nations. You do not even seem to recognize that. To expect anything else is to be a fool. If you want a Black leader vote him or her into a Black organization that is advocating the Black agenda. Example Louis Farrakhan Sr. or Jesse Jackson when he was working with the Black organizations. “Did congress make him go to that church, where Dylan Roof gunned down his victims, to sing Amazing Grace instead of announcing a program to unleash war against domestic terrorists like Roof?” What do you really know about any of his policies?” You have been too busy complaining about nothing to really get into the duties of the President of the United States. Finally, while President Obama was in office more Blacks were hired by the government than any time in the past. Watch the employment status, now that President Trump is the main man. on Sat Jan 28th 2017 at 23:41:03 dorisjean23 @Allen Shaw I think you misunderstand the point we are trying to make. No one expected Obama to be an imperial President. Like Bush 2. We know a president has to juggle special interests. What was expected was something like a return of Glass-Steagal (a bad idea)., a proper stimulus pan, a proper healthcare plan. Instead, he choked. He was low energy. Unlike Democrats like Truman and even Carter, got slapped around. His low energy cost him the Senate and Congress. Had stood up and fought when he was strong., he wouldn’t we wouldn’t have had a problem with him. His low energy first term cost him the respect of people like, me. Like Bush, he was a man who was out of his depth. It sounds like you are saying, in so many words, that no US president should take the concerns of Black people seriously. Do I have that right? @ Glenn How could I forget? I know someone who was deported by Obama! Thank you for the correction. on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 03:28:55 Mack Lyons (@DDSSBlog) Well, I can give you all a selfish reason as to why I voted for Obama back in 2008: because it was an opportunity to vote for someone who looked like me, nevermind the minutae of his exact racial heritage. And it was a wonderful feeling seeing that man win the election and swagger his way into the White House. Less wonderful was seeing the man knuckle down to the bankers, plead with the opposition in vain and tap-dance around issues affecting black Americans unless directly confronted over them. But part of me expected that. If Obama had gone full-bore during his first week the way Trump’s doing right now, I dare say some assassin’s bullet would have cut his presidency very short. Besides, I thought black Americans had enough of waiting around for their Moses to lead them out of Egypt and into the promised land. Instead of spending 40 years in the wilderness, we’ve spend the past 40 waiting at the banks of the Red Sea. on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 05:14:32 satanforce That is what Allen and Doris are saying. I wonder if they understand the whole idea of an “election campaign”. Abagond. Time for Markdown syntax. My body is ready. “Had stood up and fought when he was strong., he wouldn’t we wouldn’t have had a problem with him. ” He would have been fighting for something he didn’t believe in. He never had any intention of doing those things. From the beginning he was a fake. He was hired not to fight. To throw the fight. That was the Trojan Horse’s assignment was. He’s only low energy when it comes to stuff he only pretends to care about. He’ll expend a lot of energy for something he really wants, like a Grand Bargain to cut social security, or a TPP corporate takeover, or gun control, or starting a war with Syria or Russia. No lack of energy there. No lack of dogged persistence. Also he diligently kept his Tuesday assassination schedule. He was no slouch in the things he really cares about. on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 06:27:28 Afrofem So right. He was exceptionally persistent in pursuing TPP, TiSA and TTIP. He attempted to destroy our national sovereignty to please his corporate masters. Question. If the white man takes a Negro and places him in a position of power, is that still a black achievement? If the white man chooses your leader for you, is that still a black leader, (don’t know how to make trademark signs but imagine them behind ‘the white man’) on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 06:41:47 Allen Shaw Abagond: Where did you get the idea that I said he should forget the Blacks. Please read my comments. Presidents propose Congress passes laws. You seem to ignore that fact. What did Senator McConnell say? satanforce: You should study the constitution of the United States (see above) The President proposed the congress refused to pass the laws. The President used Executive Orders to accomplish many things. Why don’t you take a look at his Executive Orders. Abagond: The President does not deport people, the Justice Department and the Courts do that. If your friend was deported they had done something that was illegal.The President signed an Executive Order keeping millions of “Dreamers from being deported. satanforce:”His low energy first term cost him the respect of people like, me. Like Bush, he was a man who was out of his depth.” What nonsense your lack of understanding of the power of the congress makes for a laughable moments. Macklyons: Thanks for having such an understanding. By the way are you keeping up with the current endeavor of President Trump? He is a White Billionaire with the entire congress in disarray. Many of his Executive Orders are going to be challenged and found to be unconstitutional. He is making a wind storm. Are the commentators on this site suggesting that President Obama could have done such foolishness. As I have stated most of those individuals who are attempting to judge have very little knowledge of the real world of US Politics and they just seem to be hurt because a Black man could not be a Roosevelt. In the end the only true fact is a Black person has been the President of the United States and saw the economy return and was elected for a second term because he realized he was the “President of the United States and not the President of the Black people of United States. President Barrack Obama served his eight years in office with great skill. He protected the military service personnel, keeping them from harms way while not pursuing wasted war projects. Many Blacks were hired into government positions and many private companies and corporations advanced Black people within their structure. He allowed his cabinet to perform their functions in spite of the lies that are told about him. He assisted in giving us the Affordable Care Act which allowed millions of Blacks to obtain medical care. The Republican Party will not dare to take away the Health Care of the 20 to 30 million people that “Obama Care’ provides. They will have to replace it with a better plan. Yes I did approve of him and will continue to advance reasons why he was a successful leader. Most of the comments on this site speak of trivia and the actions suggested have to be done by congress. Please, let the Black people break the barrel that they try to keep their fellow Blacks in. Please learn to study politics before preparing judgments. Please understand the problems that any Black has when they are projected into the “White Power Structure” at the highest levels. Please do not be a part of their enemy group, they have plenty of enemies with prejudiced Whites and jealous co-workers. Stop pulling others back into the barrel! So long for a while. on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 08:18:43 Fan ... “Please learn to study politics before preparing judgments. Please understand the problems that any Black has when they are projected into the “White Power Structure” at the highest levels.” Shaw, Black people aren’t “projected” into the white power structure. They are PROMOTED or CHOSEN/SELECTED into the white exclusive club, if they don’t refuse the assignment. It’s not against the law to say, “no thank you” to a job offer. Obomber chose to accept his appointment (oozing with half hidden District of Columbia excrement) when he consented to doing the bidding of the white power structure, i.e. like bombing/droning Brown and Black people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Somalia … while funding Israel’s land grab/oppression of the Palestinian people, becoming the world’s biggest arms dealer, etc, etc, etc, etc! It doesn’t take a Political Science degree to discern what type of man or president he (or anyone else) is. All it takes is about an ounce of common sense (which seems to be in very rare supply nowadays). No. No one is suggesting that. If you want to set the bar that low, then even a Magic Eight Ball would be a better president. on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 12:31:44 Herneith If the white man takes a Negro and places him in a position of power, is that still a black achievement? No. I don’t believe in ‘leaders’. Leaders can be targeted. Facilitators is a better term. Call this selfish, but if you are not representing my interests, you will not get my vote, regardless of what political stripe one adheres to. They can sponsor and put any clown or puppet into office. Fan “Projected?” Nice play on words. Forgive me for giving you an opportunity to ignore my comments because I used an incorrect word. Way to go! Bet u felt good when you said “gotcha”. Abagon: i do not know what is suggested. I stated that President Trump is writing Executive Orders and I believe that it takes time to properly prepare Executive Orders; yet out they are coming and the congress seems to be mute. Herneith: I am not sure if I commented on a “Negro being placed in power”; however many individuals are selected to hold positions in higher offices settings. The word leader is an accepted word, regardless of your personal choice. No political leader can give each and every constituent their desires; therefore I do not know how you can vote for anyone. I vote for a person who I believe will do the best job they can do. Politics is the art of compromise. I have put too much time on this subject; however since I believe that President Obama was an outstanding President for the current time frame I want to be sure that at least one voice is heard complimenting him. Bet many of you wish you had the “skill and luck” to have such an opportunity to hold such a high office. What is that old saying “You will be damned if you do and dammed if you don’t”. “No. I don’t believe in ‘leaders’. Leaders can be targeted. Facilitators is a better term. Call this selfish, but if you are not representing my interests, you will not get my vote,” If only more black people felt like that. The 2012 election proved they didn’t. The 90% black approval rating throughout his presidency proves that they didn’t. He said if he had ran a third time he’d get elected. Blacks would vote for him again. Probably at the same rate they voted for him before. And most of us still think that his presidency was a great black achievement. Skill and luck had nothing to do with it. It was a top down operation by powerful forces. Rich forces. Secret forces. At least one of them foreign. Well, skill had something to do with it. He had to be a great actor in order to pull it off. @nomad: An example of the type of person you are referring to, nice kerchief heads is our current Police Chief, Mark Saunders. The City of Toronto police department has a carding policy supposedly to run ‘intelligence’ on ‘gangs’. Guess who they stop disproportionately? Well did this fool get rid of this policy on his ascension to office? Nope, he tried to justify it. He is a stereotypical self-loathing POS! Google him and carding in Toronto. That’s why I laugh when they say Canadians are friendly and polite, they’re more insidious. Give me a bombastic, lippy Yank any day! Remember all, you don’t have to be white to subscribe to a white supremacist ideology. I still think the reason Obama refused to release the infamous 28 pages is because he owed Saudi Arabia for financing his post grad education. Barack Obama. The man with the mysterious background. https://aislec.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/global-elite-picked-obama-long-before-voters/ (https://youtu.be/RP8gIzfvy7c) on Sun Jan 29th 2017 at 16:13:00 Solitaire Funny, now that you mention it, a Magic Eight Ball would be a better president than Donald Trump. “Forgive me for giving you an opportunity to ignore my comments because I used an incorrect word. Way to go! Bet u felt good when you said “gotcha”.” @Shaw No, not really. Is that how the patients entertain each other at your psychiatric hospital?? Have you ever considered getting a real hobby … like a library card?? No one here, including me, cares much about your incorrect words. It’s your incorrect, uncommon, patently upside-down thoughts (including your BUBBLE-ISH ways of seeing things) that astound the readers here. It’s as if your alien points of view are rooted in some distant far away galaxy where life/culture/communication works totally different than it does here on Earth. “By the way are you keeping up with the current endeavor of President Trump? He is a White Billionaire with the entire congress in disarray.” LOL!!! Trump is not a billionaire! He is terrified of releasing his tax returns because they would show him to be a puffed up phony. A mere millionaire who has not paid income taxes in over twenty years. His real skills are convincing suckers that he is a successful “businessman” and living on other people’s money. Trump is way, way out of his depth with the presidency. He thinks he can just play a hyped up reality television role as POTUS, tweet his rants at 2am and continue with life as usual in NYC (with New Yorkers picking up the huge security tab) while VP Pence runs the show in DC. We will see how long that continues unabated. Something will give. The Congress is not in “disarray”. They are dominated by Repubs who approve of Trump’s line of bovine excrement. They use the Prez as cover while they plan and execute their dirty deeds with help from the Dems. Tool of the powerful, the rich and the secret. “President Obama’s own work in 1983 for Business International Corporation, a CIA front that conducted seminars with the world’s most powerful leaders and used journalists as agents abroad, dovetails with CIA espionage activities conducted by his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham in 1960s post-coup Indonesia on behalf of a number of CIA front operations, including the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Ford Foundation. Dunham met and married Lolo Soetoro, Obama’s stepfather, at the East-West Center in 1965. Soetoro was recalled to Indonesia in 1965 to serve as a senior army officer and assist General Suharto and the CIA in the bloody overthrow of President Sukarno.” https://archive.org/details/WayneMadsen-BarackObama-AllInTheCompany @sondis “if not for nothing, we can as a race, scratch another accomplishment black people has achieved off the board.” satanforce @sondis “No. We don’t need First Blacks. Just good ones”. “You will learn. You will learn what we in the Caribbean and in Africa have known for 50 years now. You will learn.” Satanforce, it’s not the same – apples and oranges look at what our ancestors had to go through in the Caribbean and Africa for black people to take charge and run our own countries. black Americans are NOT in the same position as we are they are a “minority” population, trying to compete with and live with a white majority government and population In Jamaica, we don’t have a white government or majority population that we have to fight against so that our civil rights are maintained we have a white/brown minority that is silently selling Jamaica out, with the consent of our black/brown government, while our black police force is killing black men. (but that’s another story for another time) In Jamaica, we can vote for sh’tty or good black PMs or candidates all day long because we have that option black Americans don’t – they can only choose between good or bad white president or candidates – because that is their reality As Sondis said, white people will always protect their own, they come together and close ranks when its time — No Matter What in white majority countries: (USA, Canada, Europe) black Americans/ black & brown people will be their puppets, who have to “play along to get along” because we have no end game in these countries – so we remain the losers (the Jews did it but they had an end game and are now members of the white supremacy club- that was their goal) In Africa and the Caribbean, we have an end game, with faulty planning and implementation (selling out to China) with shaky goals but I guess black Americans on this blog need to vent their feelings about the first and ONLY black president they ever had — so let me mind my business Macklyons: Thanks for having such an understanding. By the way are you keeping up with the current endeavor of President Trump? He is a White Billionaire with the entire congress in disarray. Many of his Executive Orders are going to be challenged and found to be unconstitutional. He is making a wind storm. I can’t help but keep up with the slow-motion train wreck that is the Trump presidency, although the recent EOs point towards jokers like Steve Bannon actually running the show. Bannon and Co. makes the policies. Trump is just the chump who signs the papers and makes loud noises to satisfy his largely rural and rural-minded white base. Are the commentators on this site suggesting that President Obama could have done such foolishness. See abagond’s answer. Just noting that Trump’s current estimated net worth stands at #3.7 billion, but that probably includes his own brand name (TRUMP) and the highly inflated values of his real estate holdings. As far as liquid assets goes, he’s probably in danger of having the pot his pisses in repoed (and the window’s been bricked up for non-payment long ago). @ An Scríbhneoir Gael-Mheiriceánach Bernie Sanders would be a better president than Trump. Or Obama. I highly doubt that. Besides, BernieBros were part of the reason why Trump’s in office in the first place. Many were so upset over their awesome-cool candidate being brushed off in favor of The Pre-Selected One (HRC) that most of them took their votes and went home. Overt vs. Covert. At least the former is refreshing and gives you a crystal-clear idea of where one stands. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzTeLePbB08) Deleted a comment here and on the Black Liberal thread where you used a moderated word to address another commenter. Please use a commenter’s right name or shortened version thereof. “For the record, though, all of the Sanders supporters I know turned out to vote for the Democratic ticket. Myself included.” What did you promise your local community of necrophiliacs so they would join you in voting for Sanders?? Regular access to your discovery of a recently relocated group of vampires? on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 00:34:13 gro jo Thank you for pointing out that I used a moderated word. Let me rephrase my reply to Satanforce using a non-moderated version of my reply to his “cirke jerk” jab: “past tense and past participle of defecate, er, Satanforce, no need to be jealous, Apportune and I will gladly make room for you in our “cirkejerk””. Does this meet your exacting criteria? on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 02:43:03 satanforce No. We have a black one that we have to fight against so that our civil rights are maintained. That is what it means to live in a democracy. Riights are not earned, but are constantly secured by political action – legitamte or otherwise. we have a white/brown minority that is silently selling Jamaica out, with the consent of our black/brown government, Our excellent Affirmative Action Program has fixed that imperfect racial ratio. Besides, our issues are class based, not racial. And I have no intentionof sitting still while being squeezed by a lumpen that insists on behaving like the extras from “Planet of the Apes” and an Upper Class power structure that have had their heads up their ass for so long that they see their own shit and scream Black Power!!!! Or in this case Black and Yellow Power!!!! The Chinese investment has been hyped and over-exaggerated. They can do nothing for us. The onlyway to winis to combine forces with like-minded people, especially from majority-black areas, and the international immigrant community. while our black police force is killing black men. (but that’s another story for another time) Those men are mostly of the Bleached race. And if you’ve seen what I’ve seen, as in personally, as in with my fellow middle-class frienns, who got caught up in a certain route – you’d be okay with that. Mark you , the program could be a bit more focused, a bit more guided. And we are working on that. Busta, Mike Manley and Eddie Seaga would like to have a word with or two with you. Those guys are indeed proof that HBD theories about majority black countries are wrong. on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 03:20:31 Fan ... @Scrib “Trying to make heads or tails of that nonsensical drabble … Still can’t.” ” He and I sometimes disagree, but I have great respect for his powers of logic and reason; I hold him in the highest esteem.” Beware of fake white people who mouth out loud words like “great respect” and “highest esteem” to Black people! If they truly respected us or held us in high esteem, they would demonstrate it by their actions, not by their cow excrement. Do you ever get tired of sucking up?? You seem to suck up to just about anyone, EXCEPT the person or people you ought to be sucking up to. If you had a lick of sense, you’d suck up to Taotesean, Sharina and Herneith as if your life depended on it! You’re tired of trying to make sense of my drabble? I’m tired of trying to figure out why your undesirable racist ___ still remains here?? Nonsensical? As if you don’t know what a necrophiliac is… as you yourself introduced that very term to this site followed up by an eventual weak-azz/fake apology and a self-imposed short ban (a mere 10 days?) on posting. Then you think everything/everyone is supposed to be okay as if nothing happened and that you’re a regular accepted member of this site as if we have all forgotten what and who you are! Adding insult to injury you recently disrespect Taotesan again, but this time you drag in Herneith and Sharina without provocation. You truly are a POS. Now – ask me how I really feel! Don’t get me started on those racist chimp pics you posted here, or your other insults and slights. I’ve made it my job to remind you that the real you is known and remembered for who you really are, for as long as you remain here. Can you understand what’s happening, now?? on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 07:49:58 resw After advocating and voting for Obama twice and then supporting and advocating for his racist surrogate in the last general election, he writes a post telling us how bad Obama is. What a hypocrite. And the excuse is always the same. It’s always a “vote against” someone else. I guess abagond still has a few gullible commenters left who are buying your BS. on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 17:53:34 lifelearner I think I saw President Obama through rose-colored glasses, but your analysis seems to be pretty accurate. IF anything Obama’s presidency truly gave an up to date version of racism in the USA. It will continue to change in it’s many forms. From slavery to mass incarceration to … what’s next? It will be the people that make change for the better, the politicians aren’t going to do it. on Mon Jan 30th 2017 at 22:48:11 Mira I can tell you are very disappointed. I am sorry Obama turned out to be like this. I do agree that it’s good that you (US) got a black person as a president but he wasn’t perfect. Though I have a feeling he’ll be remembered in more idealized terms because of his successor. A personal question (I apologize in advance if I’m overstepping the line): what did you think of Obama in 2012? Did you vote for him then? I think US-ians are facing a somewhat new thing for them (which is a totally “normal” thing for many of us): that you don’t really vote FOR someone but AGAINST someone else… People are kind of forced to choose the lesser evil. on Tue Jan 31st 2017 at 04:35:48 gro jo “If Obama had gone full-bore during his first week the way Trump’s doing right now, I dare say some assassin’s bullet would have cut his presidency very short.” It’s not as easy to kill a president as you make it sound. Four presidents were assassinated, two were rumored to have been assassinated and seventeen plots to assassinate a president failed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_assassination_attempts_and_plots#Barack_Obama. Despite not going “full-bore” two attempts were made on his life. It seems that people on this blog will come up with all manner of specious arguments to avoid a simple truth: Obama was a slick public relations trick played on Blacks with their willing cooperation. “gro jo Such a little to talk about for 8 years…Just stop and think about your comment about his failures. Allen Shaw, you do a great job arguing against strawmen, try arguing against something I actually wrote. I challenge you to find anything I wrote that matches the nonsense you attribute to me. Obama inherited an economic crisis where even establishment economists were calling for nationalization of financial institutions, and massive spending to keep the economy from crashing. Billions were wasted on companies that ended up in bankruptcy. He should have also spent billions on job programs for youths, with all the graft that such programs entail. You don’t seem to realize that your crab barrel argument implies that people like Obama have a right to use Blacks as steppingstones with no obligation to them. The reason the crabs in the barrel cling to the one getting out, is because he stands on top of them and they feel they should get something in return. What’s wrong with that? LOL, ARE YOU EXPECTING TRUMP TO BE “EVEN HANDED”? I hope you’ll write Trump to remind him that he’s the president of all the people, not just some. The following is proof that I’ve been paying attention to Trump. Where’s your assessment of him? https://abagond.wordpress.com/2017/01/20/guide-to-trump/ on Tue Jan 31st 2017 at 04:40:13 Mira The president should represent all people and not to throw some under the bus. I guess people are not surprised when white presidents do that but they expected Obama to know better. ? on Tue Jan 31st 2017 at 12:21:38 Allen Shaw gro jo You did not read my past comments. I said I will not try to list any of President Obama’s achievements because u will not care what I say. Let history speak for itself. on Tue Jan 31st 2017 at 12:52:31 nomad “Obama was a slick public relations trick played on Blacks with their willing cooperation.” Yes but it has got to have been something more. They didn’t just cooperate. They became his fervent advocates and would viciously attack anyone who criticized him no matter how valid the criticism. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence of blatant betrayal black approval ratings were through the roof. I suggest something a bit stronger than PR was used on us. Weapons grade PR. Brainwashing. Cognitive infiltration. Social engineering. Whatever. We have been manipulated by those powerful rich secret forces and have been transformed from advocates of civil rights to advocates of empire. By the insidious weapon: Barack Hussein Obama. Barack Obama: The Insidious Weapon. (https://youtu.be/_dOVXhyx4gg) Wow. Just browsing the Pinkney video again. Good points throughout. Got to break the Obama trance, as Abagond has done. But also got to get to the point where we won’t be fooled again. “Stanley Ann Dunham in 1960s post-coup Indonesia on behalf of a number of CIA front operations” You see, his mother was CIA. The grandparents who raised him were CIA. The grandmother, as a bank president, probably laundered money. As a banker, she couldn’t have been too rich because Barack had to apply for scholarships, apparently posing as a Kenyan national to do it, and he had to have his Harvard education financed by Saudi Arabia. Get the picture? Of this ‘all in the family’ background? He worked for a CIA front. He never knew his African father and his black mentor had CIA connections. Get the picture? He is the only president in history to have and alias. If it doesn’t look like a duck but quacks like a duck, what the heck is it? The apple does not fall far from the tree. Allen Shaw, you are a comedian, the kind people laugh at. I used direct quotes from you and you, absurdly, claim that I didn’t read what you wrote! WTF, do you ever read what you write? Where’s your assessment of Trump? I posted a long article by Joe Kloc showing up Trump for the sewer rat he is, show me where you’ve done something similar? Yes but it has got to have been something more. They didn’t just cooperate. They became his fervent advocates and would viciously attack anyone who criticized him no matter how valid the criticism. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence of blatant betrayal black approval ratings were through the roof. I suggest something a bit stronger than PR was used on us. Weapons grade PR. Brainwashing. Cognitive infiltration. Social engineering. Whatever.” Qh, okay, when you’ve nailed it down, come back and tell us what it was, meanwhile, I’ll go with vicarious empowerment. People like Allen Shaw are able to claim that Obama didn’t do what he wanted to do because they are used to being emasculated. I don’t buy it Obama did exactly, or pretty close to what he intended. Pinkney is a clown. Who still wears such outlandish uniforms? on Tue Jan 31st 2017 at 18:14:53 Fan ... “You did not read my past comments. I said I will not try to list any of President Obama’s achievements because u will not care what I say. “WTF, do you ever read what you write?” Having a normal discourse with Mr, Shaw about anything he imagines is a topic worthy of his commentary always devolves into a thing much like trying to have an intelligent discussion about rocket telemetry with a can of colorless (or green) paint. Hence the “bobble” and the “potato” – which were not accidental nicknames, but accurate descriptions of what’s really going on. His style is also very much like a Hit & Run driver. He hits this site consistently with some bombastic something or other. Always, without fail, he accuses anyone who questions the correctness of his view with any BS that he uses to disqualify himself from having to answer to, defend, debate or argue his ALTERNATIVE facts. Yep. Comic relief. I didn’t see this but it certainly fits with what I’m saying about putting Obamites in a trance. “Perhaps you recall that, during the 2008 Primary race, there were several large Obama events where the audience was slowly chanting “O-bam-AH, O-bam-AH,” right out of an old Star Trek episode in which Kirk and his crew were dealing with a society under the hypnotic control of a high priest who turned out to be a computer. I watched one of these Obama campaign rituals on television—and suddenly the chanting stopped on a dime. I assumed Democratic operatives in the hall shut it down. They didn’t want the viewing audience at home to think O’s candidacy was a ceremonial invocation or an MKULTRA sub-project.” https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2017/01/31/obama-is-back-and-this-is-what-will-happen/ on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 00:49:48 Afrofem Hypocrite Alert: Obama is expressing support for the protests against the Trump Muslim ban. According to Democracy Now: “Former President Barack Obama also spoke out against Donald Trump and in favor of the massive protests against Trump’s immigration ban. On Monday, Obama’s spokesperson, Kevin Lewis, said, “Citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake. … The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion.” https://www.democracynow.org/2017/1/31/headlines/obama_backs_protests_denounces_trumps_muslim_ban This from a former prez who killed hundreds of Muslims with drones and bombs, etc. The second level of hypocrisy is his newfound love of the Constitution which he shredded every chance he got, from the organized multi-city crackdown on Occupy Wall Street to National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provisions that empower the President to arrest and indefinitely detain any citizen for any reason. This seems to be more schadenfreude than sincerity. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schadenfreude on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 01:55:41 Deb @Afrofem…“This from a former prez who killed hundreds of Muslims with drones and bombs, etc. I co-sign every bit of this, Sister! on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 05:55:17 Allen Shaw Allen Shaw, you are a comedian, the kind people laugh at People like Allen Shaw are able to claim that Obama didn’t do what he wanted to do because they are used to being emasculated. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 06:10:29 Anonymous So would you rather have had John McCain or Mitt Romney as president for the past 8 years? on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 06:25:57 abagond @ Anonymous I think McCain and Romney would have been worse and I think Trump will be vastly worse. Thinking that does not require me to sanitize Obama. on Wed Feb 1st 2017 at 12:43:44 nomad Obama effectively worse. he did the same as McCain Romney and trump would do, only he had dems behind him and there were no protests. the more effective evil, in the words of bar. hypocrisy, thy name is Obama. “bombing them okay, but banning them!!! that’s where I draw the line!!!” (https://youtu.be/4FTFB9GDfls) to the extent that trump is antiestablishment (anti-globalist), hes better than the other three. on Thu Feb 2nd 2017 at 11:34:59 nomad “Pinkney is a clown. Who still wears such outlandish uniforms?” Damn, gro jo, Criticize the man’s words not what he looks like. Oh, I mean, Why don’t you criticize the man’s words not what he looks like. Why are you so superficial? And lay off the ad hominems, why don’t you? Obama’s final insult. Gift to Blackstone. Shaft to homeowners. (https://youtu.be/fTUledVgFA8) on Thu Feb 2nd 2017 at 15:02:04 Deb Good catch ‘Mad!!! Not surprised. SMDH Hey Deb. Bet they wont report that on MSM. Because MSM is designed to keep us in the dark. They are co conspirators with Obama and the ‘economic terrorists’. Max Keiser. I’d vote for him. He’s planning to run for congress I think. Of course not! Not that it matters to the Changeling now — he’s out! It’s his “faithful followers who’ll be gob-smacked when they finally put 2 +2 together how he hoodwinked them regarding that sht! As for voting for Keiser, before ANYBODY with whom I’m not so familiar, gets me to pull that lever — gotta do my own diggin’! “As for voting for Keiser, before ANYBODY with whom I’m not so familiar, gets me to pull that lever — gotta do my own diggin’!” True that. I’ve been watching him for a while now. Very informative on the economic stuff. Stuff, like I say, they never cover on MSM (unless they’ve changed since I stopped watching). Check him out. @nomad…“Very informative on the economic stuff. Stuff, like I say, they never cover on MSM (unless they’ve changed since I stopped watching). Check him out.” Now you know the MSM ain’t changing, they’d have to do some REAL journalism work instead of just parroting what they’re told to say by the government if they did! I’ll keep my eye on Keiser, Brother. on Fri Feb 3rd 2017 at 05:02:03 Afrofem “It’s his “faithful followers who’ll be gob-smacked when they finally put 2 +2 together how he hoodwinked them regarding that sht!” Judging by the push back from the Obama faithful in this comment community, it will take them a very long time to put “2+2 together”. Some of them are still lecturing Obama skeptics about how “we don’t understand” their hero, or ” we don’t know about his responsibilities”, etc. Even when confronted with empirical evidence and links to trusted news sources, the Obamatons, still deny the dirty deeds of their champion. The hoodwinking continues…. on Fri Feb 3rd 2017 at 15:50:05 nomad Continuity. CNN Trumps Economic Advisory Counsel meeting privately (secretly?) at this moment. Who is at his right hand? The CEO of Blackstone. When government unites with corporations to govern, that’s fascism. Continuity. Who authorized the Yemen strike? Trump or Obama? Does it matter? on Sat Feb 4th 2017 at 14:56:47 nomad “If he would have been White all of you would be screaming about what a wonderful President he was. ” Shaw, I think. No we wouldn’t. We would have been protesting. Can you imagine How angry we would be if a white president had said the things to us that Obama said? Or neglected us so maliciously? We would have reacted much the same as we are reacting to Trump, whose policies are very similar. He is, in effect, Obama in white face. I’m still reviewing the Obama years. No retrospective would be complete without stating that he was a war criminal. Yes, I know, Bush was too. But we talking about Obama here. He took war crime to whole new level. Mechanizing and normalizing it. Making it so we don’t even mention it. Like Chris Hedges said, it’s unspeakable. What he meant is its unspoken about. Here. Reflect upon the beginning of his bloody crimes, as Trump begins his own. “Obama would write his own name in the black book of U.S. imperial terrorism, later telling White House aides that “it turns out I’m pretty good at killing people” while commanding a drone program that became “the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times” (Noam Chomsky). Among the many grisly scenes Obama will carry to his well-heated grave, one occurred early in his presidency in the first week of May 2009, a U.S. air-strike killed more than ten dozen civilians in Bola Boluk, a village in western Afghanistan’s Farah Province. Ninety-three of the dead villagers torn apart by U.S. explosives were children. Just 22 were males 18 years or older. As the New York Times reported: “In a phone call played on a loudspeaker on Wednesday to…the Afghan Parliament, the governor of Farah Province, Rohul Amin, said that as many as 130 civilians had been killed, according to a legislator, Mohammad Naim Farahi…. The governor said that the villagers have brought two tractor trailers full of pieces of human bodies to his office to prove the casualties that had occurred…. Everyone was crying…watching that shocking scene.’ Mr. Farahi said he had talked to someone he knew personally who had counted 113 bodies being buried, including…many women and children” (NYT, May 6, 2009).” http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/02/03/unspeakable-the-black-book-of-imperial-terrorism/ on Sat Feb 4th 2017 at 15:40:39 abagond I agree with nomad. Blacks (and White Liberals), on the whole, gave Obama a HUGE pass, particularly on drones and deportations. He was FAR WORSE than Bush on both counts. And if Bush had talked about Blacks the way Obama did, there would have been way more outcry. But as the first Black president, It seems that Blacks felt a need to protect him from his enemies. on Sat Feb 4th 2017 at 16:29:38 Fan ... “I agree with nomad. Blacks (and White Liberals), on the whole, gave Obama a HUGE pass, particularly on drones and deportations.” It’s not just a Black and white thing! Are Afro-Egyptians considered Black?? I would ask Rabab herself but she banned herself from this site. She took notable exception to the name “Obomber.” And let’s not forget people like TeddyBearDaddy as a representative of (silent) Asians who also gave Obomber a huge pass! on Sun Feb 5th 2017 at 14:09:16 nomad This shows that black people did not completely abandon their morals during the Obamage. This group condemned him for his murderous policies back in 2013. If only more of us had had such integrity. We should not have waited til the white guy became president to start protesting. “The Revered Anthony Evans says, “I do not know what to say after the pronouncement of this evil policy. This policy has led me to a life of prayer for the soul of this administration and for this President. Anyone who has had anything to do with formulating a policy like this either in the Bush or Obama administration will have to answer before God one day. May God have mercy on their souls.” Rev Evans continued to ask where the outcry against such a policy is, saying “Where are the loud the mouths and the so-called drum majors for justice when it comes to correcting this president and this administration on this evil policy. Where are you Al Sharpton?? Where are you Jesse Jackson?? Where are you Ben Jealous?? Where are you John Lewis?? Where are you members of the Black caucus? Where are the Catholic bishops?? Where are you “The American Way”? Where are you Rev. Jim Wallis? Where are you Pastor T.D. Jakes? Pastor Creflo Dollar? Where are you Joseph Lowry? Where are the Southern Baptists? Where are you Pastor Joel Osteen? Where are you Dean Alton Pollard? If the church does not speak against this immoral policy we will lose our moral voice, our soul, and our right to represent and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.”” Where were you, Oprah Winfrey? Where were you Maya Angelou? https://abagond.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/maya-angelou-2/ “The black church is not only appalled that this comes out of the administration of the only black president, but we are frightened by the monstrous tendencies that have emerged from this administration. The unleashing of the mechanical drones kill not only their target but everyone that is near who is morally innocent of any crime. The church’s heart cries out for mercy and sanity for such an ill-conceived policy. President Obama has to be roaringly condemned by the entire Christian church for allowing such a policy to emerge from such a promising administration. NBCI cannot be proud of this, and neither can we be supportive of it. This policy should be condemned by both liberal and conservative and especially those who love mercy, do justice, and walk humbly before God.” (original link broken. have to send you to my website) https://aislec.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/good-news-the-black-church-speaks-out/ on Fri Mar 17th 2017 at 06:43:53 nomad (ANTIMEDIA) An overlooked interview of Maria Zakharova with Russia’s 1 TV Channel, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, on a national Russian TV show has brought insight into the frustration Russia encountered in dealing with the Obama administration over the years. Zakharova suggested President Barack Obama will go down in history as one of America’s evilest presidents http://theantimedia.org/interview-russia-views-obama-legacy/ on Sat Apr 1st 2017 at 00:48:26 nomad Obama was a disaster for black people. That’s something black people need to take into their hearts and souls and let it marinate on the inside of them for a while. He was awful. Write that message with 10 foot high letters. He was Trump in black face; and we didn’t even know it. Well, I did. I called him Bush in black face. Same difference. (https://youtu.be/0w2mqg46yUE) on Sun Apr 2nd 2017 at 17:47:48 nomad obamas mission accomplished on Mon Apr 3rd 2017 at 21:26:09 nomad Cynthia McKinney – …Barack Obama and his administration was allowed to degenerate into killing more people on the planet than I ever thought was even possible for a US president and Barack Obama did that and he did that with eyes open of the so called progressive community, the Democratic Party stalwarts … became cheerleaders every time a bomb was dropped. video on conspiracy thread on Tue Apr 4th 2017 at 14:07:56 nomad hats off to Cynthia McKinney. a genuine black leader in an age of phonies. on Tue Apr 4th 2017 at 14:56:36 resw +1000. That’s precisely why she’s no longer in Congress. Obaminable on Wed Apr 5th 2017 at 19:30:29 nomad Manufacturing black consent? Social engineering? Brainwashing? Whatever. Obama was the tool by which it was accomplished. He was the insidious weapon. Back in late August of 2013, Obama threatened to launch airstrikes against Syria. Polls showed that 40 percent of Black Americans would have supported such an airstrike, compared to only 38 percent of whites and a smaller percentage of Hispanic Americans. It is true that only minorities of any American ethnicity supported Obama’s threatened strike, but this was the first poll in the history of polling in which more Black people were for a warlike action than white people. Compare that to the only 7 percent of Blacks that supported an invasion of Iraq, a decade earlier. Obama has had his effect. https://www.blackagendareport.com/mlk_obama_opposed_legacies on Wed Apr 19th 2017 at 16:56:09 nomad Now we see the supreme and awful irony. America’s first black president is responsible for slavery taking place in a once prosperous African country and his role is covered up by people who once would have condemned his actions. Black people defended Muammar Gaddafi if no one else did. American presidents made a show of castigating Gaddafi, calling him crazed, fanatical, dictatorial and mentally ill. Black Americans were unanimous in their support whenever he was attacked, whether militarily or even rhetorically. But that support ended when he fell under Obama’s cross hairs. Barack Obama’s ascendancy to the presidency was a curse on black America’s political heritage .https://www.blackagendareport.com/obama_brought_slavery_to_libya on Fri May 12th 2017 at 18:55:11 nomad WHAAATTT!?!?!! What could be more absurd than Drone War King Barack Obama getting an award for courage? http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/05/12/the-audacity-of-sleaze-profiles-in-corruption/ Finally! Barack has come back to Chicago!!! (https://youtu.be/tEtYzVo2U18?t=25s) The obvious question, which has many black Chicagoans (and black people nationwide) scratching their heads, is this: Where was all of this heartfelt concern, and more importantly, money and resources, for black folk when Obama for eight whole years reigned as this nation-state’s “First Black President”? http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/05/12/black-people-and-the-legacy-of-barack-obama/ Can you smell what Barack is cooking!?! on Fri May 12th 2017 at 23:31:14 Deb @nomad…Brother you bringin'</> it ain’t you??? Those Counterpunch articles were great!!! I’m so glad we happened upon each other in the blogosphere — it let’s me know my old a$$ ain’t crazy!😆😆😆 on Fri May 12th 2017 at 23:52:25 Allen Shaw For those of you who just hate the hell out of President Obama I respectfully request you actually study the Constitution of the United State. First they created a Congress! Afterwards they created an office of the president; however to make certain that the President did not have any power they gave congress power over the position. The fact that it is stated that the President is the most powerful person on earth is really not true. The leader of the House can block any move the President makes and the Senate majority Leader is equally powerful. Both of those positions have been filled by Republican who have pledged to make President Obama a failed President. If anyone has paid attention to the past 7 years plus the current activities of the new administration they would realize that there has been and continues to be a constant effort to prove that President Obama (a Black man) was a failure and therefore no “Black person need apply” is now the unspoken thought. While those of you who do not understand politics, I wish you a happy day as you celebrate the undermining of your own future. on Sat May 13th 2017 at 00:13:00 Afrofem This is a glimpse of what your beloved Obama really did for eight years in office: https://abagond.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/maya-angelou-2/#comment-308642 He was not a failure. He was fabulously successful at undermining Black folk around the globe. on Sat May 13th 2017 at 02:34:21 nomad that reminds me of why I came here, in the last year of obamas administration. I came here to kick obamas adze and chew bubble gum. and I’m all out of bubble gum. hearty chuckle on Sat May 13th 2017 at 04:59:49 gro jo “For those of you who just hate the hell out of President Obama I respectfully request you actually study the Constitution of the United State.” Ok, where is the following stated in the Constitution? “The leader of the House can block any move the President makes and the Senate majority Leader is equally powerful.” I thought a two thirds majority of Congress was required to override a presidential veto? Correct me if I’m wrong, can’t the president appoint people without the ok of Congress? Didn’t Obama appoint a number of people that way? Thanks for clearing up my confusion on this question. on Sat May 13th 2017 at 07:29:23 Allen Shaw gro jo Did the Judge Garland get appointed? Please pay attention. The congress has the “Power of the Purse” They authorize the President a budget which he must operate within. It is useless to ask people to read the Constitution, because they would rather go on what they are told. The leader of the Senate lowered the required vote to a majority to appoint the new Republican Judge.They voted to keep Judge Garland out. The President and his Administration may hire within the Administration, write instructions called Executive orders, which are to his personnel, Cabinet Leaders and Departments. Cabinet leaders have powers which are established by laws which were created and approved by congress. His veto’s can be overridden by the Congress. When you have a majority Republican Party and you have a number of Democrats that vote with the Republican Party you can control the President and he will be required to compromise to get anything done. Members of Congress do not vote the party they vote their will. I understand you believe you have capped me with your “Correct me if I’m wrong, can’t the president appoint people without the ok of Congress? Didn’t Obama appoint a number of people that way? Thanks for clearing up my confusion on this question.” Once again take a course in US Government. Afrofem: In your case I have nothing constructive to add. You probably have not even managed a first level office yet, yet you feel qualified to pass judgement on the first Black person to be President of the United States. During my lifetime I have witnessed highly qualified Blacks starting with Adam Clayton Powell and moving forward. He was actually banned from the floor because the members said he did something wrong. Yet his constituents continued to send him to congress. I have spoken to Senior ranking Black officer who have been sidelined into nothing jobs and retired with lower grades. I witness B.O Davis Jr. be insulted by having his juniors promoted above him. You can follow the history of the successful rise of Blacks in this nation and if you are not blind and stupid you will realize that each of them have been held back. You failed to pay attention to the Senate Majority Leader when he said he intended to make President Obama a one term President and you failed to see how they failed to give him the respect that was due a President. You along with the other Obama haters, who do not understand anything about POWER and the workings of the government preferred to complain about The Presidents failures. You constantly comment about a subject you have no real information about. Do you really believe that under any circumstances that President Obama could have fired the Head of the FBI. In the last 100 days you have seen the difference between a President who has the support of the Congress and a President who had a Congress that set about the task of destroying him. How many votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Why did the Congress vote against President Obama when he wanted to take action in Syria and turn around and tell the world how wonderful President Trump was when he did what he said President Obama should not do. President Obama has not set the Blacks back. Blacks that did not get to stand in the sun rays of his office decided to spend their time assisting the White “Black haters” in keeping him down in the barrel with the rest of the crabs. I hope I have not somehow insulted anyone so this article will be unsuitable for those anti Obama people. If it is I apologize ahead of time for the sensitive feelings I have hurt. Me, I feel that I am so proud of that man an his family that I am bursting with joy that he actually managed to get through 8 years without a blemish. I will be here a little while longer so I will be telling everyone Barack Hussein Obama II what a wonderful man and President 8 years without a war! Abagon: “But when he became president he started doing stuff I would never do. I thought maybe power was turning him bad” Until you are dead, never say what you would not do! Power corrupts, absolute power corrupt absolutely. But you do not have to worry, you have convinced Black people to never vote for a Black again, keep them in the barrel where they belong. As far as I know the only known person without fault was Jesus. By the time President Trump has completed his eight years in office, you may actually have a different view of history. Have you ever read the news article about Abraham Lincoln, written in 1861 until his big win. hmmm… the force is strong in this one (Shaw) seen this? (https://youtu.be/s1TcnQxV4BE) “Do you really believe that under any circumstances that President Obama could have fired the Head of the FBI.” yes. if he wanted to. he didn’t want to. “In the last 100 days you have seen the difference between a President who has the support of the Congress and a President who had a Congress that set about the task of destroying him.” Trump doesn’t even have the support of his party. what was baramas excuse the first 2 years of his presidency? he had every thing he needed and he chose to govern like a republican. here, shaw, put on these special glasses. youll be able to see this creature for what he is. Ooooohhh. You had me going there a minute, Shaw. But then I got to the last line and I realized… this is satire! Nice job. that’s hilarious! on Sat May 13th 2017 at 15:41:55 abagond I agree that Obama is not Jesus and that Trump is likely to turn out way worse, but that hardly places Obama beyond criticism. I understand that power corrupts. I considered that right in the post: “I thought maybe power was turning him bad. No, it was not that. It was his mindset. ” Question: Where was it that I “convinced Black people to never vote for a Black again, keep them in the barrel where they belong”? “…what a wonderful man and President 8 years without a war!” I’m not sure how you define “war”. I think dropping bombs, deploying missiles and directing drone counts as war, especially when you and your family are on the receiving end of the bombs, missiles and drones. Upthread, resw posted an informative cartoon that lists Obama’s wars: https://abagond.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/obama-retrospective/comment-page-1/#comment-368430 Perhaps it is time for you to dig a little deeper and learn a little more about your hero. Out of the twelve countries listed, five are on the African continent. Good one! I loved the film, They Live by John Carpenter. He was at the height of his powers in the 1980s and early 1990s. barack Obama was quite different from continental black americans, raised by a white family, of course. some continental black Americans are raised by whites. by continental I mean blacks raised in the contiguous 48 states. we have a shared heritage of slavery. that is not in Obama’s lineage. neither on his fathers or mothers side. likewise being raised outside the black community he doesn’t have the run ins with the law and relatives mistreated by the police that is a part of growing up black in America. and yet we are more loyal to him than we are to our homegrown black leaders. that always struck me as kind of odd and suggests to me that some sophisticated cognitive manipulation was being employed on the black community. to cause them to love him so. I was kind of addressing this, saying, yes we voted for a black for president, that is true, but we haven’t voted for someone from the black community. He was a black from the white community. Abagond, as far as I know, has never “convinced Black people to never vote for a Black again”. If anybody has dissuaded people from voting for a black president again, its Barack Obama. and don’t forget the other part of that satirical statement. ‘wonderful man’. with one of the most evil war programs ever conceived, his signature drone murder program. what a wonderful man. For your commentators: The word war has a special meaning. No matter how many bombs are dropped it is not a “WAR” until nations or groups are fighting each other. In the real world words have meaning and it takes a long time for the meaning of word to change. Every thing President Obama has done was being done and continues now that he is out of office. As far as I know, the1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, with neither side able to claim outright victory. From Abagon: “I was kind of addressing this, saying, yes we voted for a black for president, that is true, but we haven’t voted for someone from the black community. He was a black from the white community” I believe Jesse Jackson ran for President. I believe Jesse Jackson was from the Black community. I believe in numbers and: “In addition, there were 37,144,530 non-Hispanic blacks, which comprised 12.1% of the population. This number increased to 42 million according to the 2010 United States Census, when including Multiracial African Americans, making up 14% of the total U.S. population.” The majority of blacks are living in 10 southeast states where they are outvoted by the whites. “The electoral collage makes their votes meaningless”. I wish I could underline that information. http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/us-states-with-the-largest-relative-african-american-populations.html “Rank US States With The Largest Relative African American Populations Alone Or In Combination With Other Races, Per 2010 US Census 1 District of Columbia 50.7% African American 2 Mississippi 37.3% African American 3 Louisiana 32.4% African American 4 Georgia 31.4% African American 5 Maryland 30.1% African American 6 South Carolina 28.5% African American 7 Alabama 26.4% African American 8 North Carolina 21.6% African American 9 Delaware 21.0% African American 10 Virginia 19.9% African American This page was last modified on March 2, 2017." The balance of the United States contains a large population of whites; therefore the only way a black can be elected is for the whites to vote that person in. Most of the comments on this site show a lack of knowledge of the constitution and how the government functions. During President Obama term millions of blacks were hired and moved up the ladder in both the government and outside businesses, yet your commentators only find those things that they seem to believe he should have done. His reduction in the prisons, which President Trump is reversing was not given any credit. It seemed to me that some one was almost celebrating the fact that his programs are being rolled back, which is unprecedented in normal changes of administrations. No understanding that it is not anti-Obama it is anti-black. Blaming President Obama for the problems in Chicago is an example of the foolishness of thought. The federal government has no jurisdiction within the state or city when it comes to such matters. The mayor could have requested the city be placed under federal jurisdiction, however that means the military would have had to be stationed in the city. I am certain that millions of dollars of federal money was put into the food, drug rehabilitation, housing and other programs. Blaming the President for the killings,gangs and other unrest is a supercilious argument made by individuals who could not prove they have any real knowledge of government. Once again, no notice of the Senate and House working against President Obama. Just a “I hate that man”! President Obama is gone. He has received the “John F Kennedy Award Profile of Courage for his political courage and ‘enduring commitment to democratic ideals”, yet your commentators continue to be blind to the reality of the picture. I hope you did not think that I meant you alone when I referred to the barrel. I am referring to all of those individuals who have no experience in venturing into the upper levels of either private management or government. They have not been privy to conversations where powerful leaders have openly voiced their opposition to any person of color being acceptable for leadership and the demand that they toe the line or else. They do not know that no position is above others, who will support or oppose and actively attempt to destroy. Think once more of Senator McConnell and John Boehner in the first term. Good bye until the next subject. The word war has a special meaning. No matter how many bombs are dropped it is not a “WAR” until nations or groups are fighting each other. everybody, including the press, calls the Obama wars ‘wars’ oh yeah. but we didn’t vote for him. on Sun May 14th 2017 at 02:57:33 Allen Shaw “everybody, including the press, calls the Obama wars ‘wars’” yes and they call “people” snowflakes I bet you are alright with that to. You are an Obama hater and you are proud of it. You say “My mind is made up do not confuse me with facts”. We voted for Jesse Jackson, our vote does not count without the white vote. Look at the numbers I quoted. on Sun May 14th 2017 at 05:13:18 Afrofem “..we have a shared heritage of slavery. that is not in Obama’s lineage. neither on his fathers or mothers side. likewise being raised outside the black community he doesn’t have the run ins with the law and relatives mistreated by the police that is a part of growing up black in America.” That is the crux of the matter. Obama, Allen Shaw and other people who look Black, but are not of the Black/African slave descent community are essentially clueless about what it really means to grow up Black in America: ◉ That day when you are four or five and your realize that you are considered less than other children. In your childish brain you think it is because of something you did instead of the social system you were born into. ◉ The time you and your family are stopped by the police and the cops disrespect your father right in front of your mother and your siblings. You see him clench his jaw so that he won’t say anything to provoke a beatdown. He drives home seething with rage. You are angry and bewildered by the cops behavior. ◉ You are in a line with your grandmother in a store and the White clerk makes a point of waiting on the White women in line behind you. You look up at your grandmother with indignation and she is stony faced. She knows that protesting will only make things worse. ◉ You attend ramshackle schools with second hand textbooks. Many of the teachers couldn’t care less whether you learn anything or not. Most of them think you are intellectually inferior and therefore incapable of learning, so they make minimal efforts to teach you anything at all. ◉ Everytime you turn on the TV, all of the Black folk are depicted as dumb, lazy and immoral. That is in stark contrast to the relatives, neighbors and friends who are highly intelligent, work 12 hour days and are scrupulous in their dealings with everyone they know. As a child, you wonder about this disconnect between what you see in your community and how your community is perceived by outsiders. Obama never dealt with these scenarios or others common to slave descent Black people. The pain that ordinary Black people carry every day of their lives was never a part of his life. He merely triangulated Black people and White people to achieve his own selfish ends. He did it so skillfully that people like Allen Shaw didn’t even feel the shoes that scampered across his back for eight years. on Sun May 14th 2017 at 05:34:14 nomad You are an Obama hater yeah. I hate monsters. but youre the one that won’t face facts. I guess it was whites that elected Obama. that’s fitting. our first black white president. Afrofem: You have made an assumption which is the bases of the problem. You believe that something happened to you that did not happen to someone else. That because someone did not cry out that they are suffering the same indignation as you; however they did not let it fill them with hate. They somehow do not know what happened to you. You want to hate President Obama because he is not black enough or he did not do enough for blacks. Which one is it? His father was black, he suffered some problems being a mixed breed child, which you do not understand. For all practical purposes he did not get to set in the car and see his father, he had to grow up without a father. In fact because of the circumstances of his life he even loss his mother, in a sense when he was palmed off on his grandmother, who was a redneck from Kansas and who had to learn how to even treat a mixed race child. Your inability to have any compassion for a person who was not fortunate enough to have a mother and father family relationship is sad. You are so consumed with hate that it has blinded you to the facts that are present. You are are attempting to play like your life is an unknown book. Millions of blacks have lived with the problems you describe. You have this feeling that you are privy to some experience that has not been described and experience over and over and over and over and over! I do not know if you live in the south east or some other community; however it is rare today that the situation you described would occur anywhere except in some backwoods community that a black family has decided to remain in. Today the victim would be a Muslim or foreign speaking person with brown skin, who would not be from Sub Sahara Africa. After the Korean and Vietnam war you would witness the same treatment of the foreign wife’s of service personnel. I realize that to some blacks no mistreatment is equal to their mistreatment. Once again the upward mobility of blacks proves that when they apply themselves and educate themselves they improve themselves. Those that choose to live the past and blind themselves with hate will be treated in such a manner that more hate is the only expected results. Do not attempt to accuse others of lack of knowledge or experience that you think you have more of. Do not ass u me! that’s it, shaw. stand up for your hero on Sun May 14th 2017 at 14:46:35 Herneith @ Afrofem: As a black Canadian, I can attest to some of those experiences as well. on Sun May 14th 2017 at 16:07:47 gro jo Why, what good are you if you can’t answer simple questions? Obama could and did fire people he didn’t want. Do you remember general McChrystal? That bozo was stupid enough to talk sh*t about Obama and Bidden in front of a journalist, he was given the choice to retire or be fired. “The congress has the “Power of the Purse” They authorize the President a budget which he must operate within.” You are babbling Shaw, the purse has nothing to do with appointing Ambassadors, cabinet officers, judges, etc. The fact that you think it does shows your ignorance, nothing more, so yes, I “capped” (whatever that means) you. As usual you don’t know what you’re talking about so I’ll leave you alone. Afrofem wrote: “Obama, Allen Shaw and other people who look Black, but are not of the Black/African slave descent community are essentially clueless about what it really means to grow up Black in America”. Really? Lots of “authentic” Black American hustlers are willing and able to sell their people for a pat on the head, does the name Clarence Thomas ring a bell? A number of other blacks, born under foreign suns have led struggles for Black emancipation, Hubert H. Harrison and Stokley Carmichael come to mind. So the claim that there’s something special about the Black American psyche strikes me as a sentimental evasion of the failure of Blacks of this generation to assess their situation and come up with serious political programs. Obama never promised anybody anything, he was taken up by the Black community after he showed he could convince whites to vote for him. Having no program to speak of, fantasy took over. The election became a spectator sport. Both Blacks and Whites were invested in the show of electing the first black as president. Obama lived up to the low expectations placed on him. Obama never promised anybody anything he never promised black folk anything. he promised America as a whole a lot http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/ “… it is rare today that the situation you described would occur anywhere except in some backwoods community that a black family has decided to remain in.” In your dreams, Allen Shaw! This stuff still goes on to this day; with more pronounced and depressing results. To me, it is even worse because years ago we at least had something called community. Many Black children don’t get to experience those tight knit networks of family, friends and neighbors that acted as buffers for Black children of the 20th century. Now Black kindergarteners are criminalized, handcuffed and stuffed into the school to prison pipeline. That may be “progress” to you, it is the opposite to me. I know it is no better in “The Great White North”. They are just more “polite” when they disrespect and abuse their Black citizens. “Lots of “authentic” Black American hustlers are willing and able to sell their people for a pat on the head, does the name Clarence Thomas ring a bell? A number of other blacks, born under foreign suns have led struggles for Black emancipation, Hubert H. Harrison and Stokley Carmichael come to mind.” Valid points. Those currents have always been present in Black/African American society. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “…the failure of Blacks of this generation to assess their situation and come up with serious political programs.” Black folk, like all other Americans have in a sleepwalking state for the past 40 years. Ferguson was a wake-up call. Yet, mobilization is not organization. I think it will take some time before the current generation comes up with and begins to execute an effective plan. Some have already gone astray, seduced by millions of dollars of funding from the non-profit/NGO/foundation industrial complex. Others have already been jailed or killed. Only a relatively small percent will survive and do the work necessary to build serious political and economic programs. We can criticize them or we can roll up our sleeves and help them. that’s one reason. I don’t think anybody hates him because hes not black enough. and even then it would be his state of mind that was not black enough, not his skin. it would be the mind given to him by his white family, not his black father, who he never knew. the mind given to him by his family and the CIA, which was one and the same. I guess you could hate him for that. I don’t for that. for that he was a helpless mind control victim. I cant hate him for not being able to overcome that powerful mind programming. I cant really hate him for not doing enough for blacks. I hate him for his treachery and the carnage he caused throughout the world in my name. as if he were acting according to my wishes as a black citizen. I hate him for sullying the honor of black americans. “I hate him for his treachery and the carnage he caused throughout the world in my name. as if he were acting according to my wishes as a black citizen. I hate him for sullying the honor of black americans.” And all this time I thought he was acting as the President of the United States! At no time did I believe he was acting according to the wishes of the blacks. I believe that is the problem. The expectation that any black is acting only in the interest of the blacks. Watch out for that barrel! oh no. he was definitely representing us. even if just as president . he postured black. he pandered black. he insinuated me in his heinous crimes. I didn’t expect any thing from him. he did that regardless of whether I expected anything or not. barrels aint got nothing to do with it except the one your head is stuck in, if you want to go down that path. chuckle yeah, you’re right. “You are babbling Shaw, the purse has nothing to do with appointing Ambassadors, cabinet officers, judges, etc. The fact that you think it does shows your ignorance, nothing more, so yes, I “capped” (whatever that means) you. As usual you don’t know what you’re talking about so I’ll leave you alone.” Appointed yes, approved by congress yes! Section 2 “He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.” You missed the point, the FBI was not investigating Obama. I spoke of one situation only the Director of the FBI. The same as the Syrian bombing that congress voted NO. No money for any follow up action that might result if the President bombed. Consider the depth of each situation and see it separately “A number of other blacks, born under foreign suns have led struggles for Black emancipation, Hubert H. Harrison and Stokley Carmichael come to mind. So the claim that there’s something special about the Black American psyche strikes me as a sentimental evasion of the failure of Blacks of this generation to assess their situation and come up with serious political programs.” I have never said anything about the black psyche (whatever that is). “Both Blacks and Whites were invested in the show of electing the first black as president.” Well no truer statement. There is a difference. From the very beginning the Republican Party (then minority leader McConnell made his remarks: — President Obama, interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” recorded on Sept. 12, 2012, and aired on Sept. 23 “It was no surprise, because the senator from Kentucky, who just spoke, announced at the beginning, four years ago, exactly what his strategy would be. He said, his number-one goal was to make sure that Barack Obama was a one-term president.” ” and Both Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley started their anti-Obama movement. This anti Obama conversation is nothing but a continuation of the same rhetoric of Dr. West. He has kept up a constant drum beat against President Obama from the beginning of this adventure. Finally, the racial makeup of this nation places the black race near the bottom in numbers of people. The merging of blacks and whites and Hispanic is creating a new group called other or mixed. As time goes by and those who have identified as black, but who are mixed will change their identity on the census and the black race will start to decline in numbers. I think that when President Obama came to the mainland he did not consider himself a ‘black’ man. He changed after he was here and realized the “one drop rule” and worked in the “black community” and of course met his wife. http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-raceethnicity/?currentTimeframe=0&selectedDistributions=two-or-more-races&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Two%20Or%20More%20Races%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D 37,144,530 named as black 4,855,470 as mixed. Today the one drop rule no longer applies! The lack of acceptance by those individuals who are black is causing increasingly mixed individuals to soul search themselves out of the black race. Why would anyone continue to be browbeaten because of the coincidence of their birth? on Mon May 15th 2017 at 00:58:08 gro jo Shaw, you’re showing your usual confusion. The whole advice and consent thing is a seesaw between the executive and legislative powers. A strong president like LBJ shoved his programs down Congress’s throat. When you have somebody like Obama, he grovels in front of Congress. How did LBJ do it? He realized something you wrote. “Members of Congress do not vote the party they vote their will.” LBJ made sure he knew the weak points of the members of Congress and put maximum pressure on them to get what he wanted. Are you going to tell me that during Obama’s terms members of Congress were impervious to such tactics? “I have never said anything about the black psyche (whatever that is).” I was addressing Afrofem when I wrote this, not you. I won’t try to respond to the rest of your comments because I’m not sure I understand them. on Mon May 15th 2017 at 09:53:13 Allen Shaw “A strong president like LBJ shoved his programs down Congress’s throat” What happened to the strong man Johnson? http://www.azquotes.com/author/7511-Lyndon_B_Johnson?p=3 “I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom of it. If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you. Lyndon B. Johnson ” I’ll have those niggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years. [Touting his underlying intentions for the “Great Society” programs, LBJ confided with two like-minded governors on Air Force One] “Johnson’s popularity within his own party plummeted as well. When it appeared that he might face a stiff challenge for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, Johnson announced his decision not to run for re-election. “I shall not seek, nor will I accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president,” ” The entire Republican Party has voted as a block since they took over at the end of Obama’s 1st year. on Tue May 16th 2017 at 03:21:59 Allen Shaw Thank you for not wiping out my entire remark; however I hope you understand that you removed the sting from my remarks by replacing the “N” word with “colored man”. No one will understand the relationship of the black vs white when you cover up the hate that I experienced. I doubt if Johnson referred to blacks as “colored men” until he made his conversion, after MLK. Why do you want to hide a word that was real to so many of us in our lives? That word then and today is so common that it seems like you are living in a bubble! You even modified the page of the reference to hide the “N” word. You can run but you cannot hide from the racial problems that exist in this nation. Johnson was a prejudice man from Texas who after years of existing as a prejudiced man appeared to change when he became President. I wanted gro jo to know that and also that he was actually technically a one term President. Now that President Trump is in office some whites are already reflecting there anti black thoughts publicly. Are you going to hide that also? on Tue May 16th 2017 at 05:17:59 gro jo So, which is it, they vote as a block or they vote their will? According to this article some republicans backed Obama in 2008. In 2012, Obama’s vote among Cuban-Americans increased from 35% to 48%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_and_conservative_support_for_Barack_Obama_in_2008 http://www.republicansforobama.org/ “What happened to the strong man Johnson?” He retired having passed some of the most progressive laws in the history of the USA, especially for Blacks. President do not pass laws, they sign them after a congress passes them. He did not retire, he realized he was not going to be reelected and chose not to run for a second term. Your lack of understanding of the government is amazing. Remember the Vietnam loss. That belongs to your hero. Yes he did sign the Civil Right Bill, which was passed by Congress. you do remember MLK don’t you. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/what-the-hells-the-presidency-for/358630/ Yes it is true at the end President Johnson was a “good old boy” Now what other bills did he pass personally, without congress. Please go back and see how many Black people he put into his government and then be honest and go see how many black people President Obama put into the government. I was there. Were you there at that time. (1963) I was leaving Montgomery, Alabama after living there from 1961, integrating the all white world! President Johnson got into office on the death of John Kennedy and his administration was full of the Kennedy powerful. You remember Bobby, who was killed, was the Attorney General. Go back and look and study. The same power group that supported Johnson is still supporting the black movement. That is why President Obama got the Profile of Courage Award from the Kennedy Foundation. Please recognize those who are attempting to advance the cause of the black race in this nation. on Wed May 17th 2017 at 04:35:16 Afrofem “…recognize those who are attempting to advance the cause of the black race in this nation. That would be the Prison abolition movement, some in the Movement for Black Lives and countless Black men and women fighting for various Black causes everyday——–not that pimp, Obama or the phony Kennedys. on Wed May 17th 2017 at 05:56:07 gro jo “Your lack of understanding of the government is amazing.” One as ignorant as you should be careful labeling others. If you were there as you claim, you’ll remember that the Kennedys were getting nowhere in Congress with the Civil Right Bill. It took LBJ’s cajoling of the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives to get it passed. I appreciate your ‘lecture’ on the proper roles of presidents and legislatures but in this instance, it can verily be said that LBJ passed this bill. “you do remember MLK don’t you.” Yes, aside from giving LBJ the “we shall overcome line”, what role did he play in passing the bill? You are under the delusion that you can intimidate me by throwing out names like MLK, Kennedy, etc., two can play at that game. Robert Caro, have you heard of him and his multi volume bio of LBJ? Consult it to prevent exposing your ignorance any further. http://www.robertcaro.com/the-books/ How come you’re quiet on Obama’s republican backers and the fact that he increased his Cuban-American vote, staunch supporters of the republicans, from 35% in 2008 to 48% in 2012? on Wed May 17th 2017 at 08:17:34 Allen Shaw So all MLK did was give a speech. I give up. You should do a more careful study of the life of MLK. I bet you Mr Robert Caro is white Johnson hero worshiper. Yes I did look him up http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-on-power-20170320-story.html They are still writing books about Abraham Lincoln. I read two of them and one of the first is now pretty much out of favor and the latest is is Team of Rivals. It means nothing. No, I was not intimidating you. You have proven over the years that you are not interested in facts; however I respond to you because other read what I say, I hope. I promise that I will make every attempt to not respond to you anymore unless I have something to offer to the Abagon site. I will not read any volume written by a paid biographer. I suspect that after eight years in office President Obama is going to have plenty of negative garbage pitched at him. Starting with you, who does not understand the limits of the President, Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley who have been against the President from day-one, who have felt that President Obama was a failure from day one. “The Donald” has dedicated himself to destroying all of the legacy that he can of the past eight years. President Obama will be like that Egyptian Ruler whose name was wiped out and we will end up with a 12 year Bush Administration and at least 8 or 12 year Trump Administration and the name Obama will not be seen or spoken. There will be no history of a Black President of the United States. Read Article II of the Constitution concerning the President. Please do not confuse yourself. The Presidents power is controlled by the Congress. Read Article I. Article. II. Section. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector. The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President. The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States. No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States. In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected. Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—”I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments. The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session. The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress. The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State. Article. V. The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate. “So all MLK did was give a speech. I give up.” Only because you don’t know what you’re talking about. “You should do a more careful study of the life of MLK.” You should take your own advice because you can’t tell me what and how MLK helped pass the Civil Right Bill. “I bet you Mr Robert Caro is white Johnson hero worshiper.” I don’t know about the worshiper bit, but he’s white and spent several decades researching the life of LBJ. I promise that I will make every attempt to not respond to you anymore unless I have something to offer to the Abagon site…Blah,blah,blah” Whatever. on Wed May 17th 2017 at 12:02:12 Herneith People must have a lot of time on their hands to write the post, aka tomes! on Wed May 17th 2017 at 12:32:40 nomad why I hate barack Obama (https://youtu.be/1ZHifTobAgY) “There will be no history of a Black President of the United States.” Hilarious! And. So. Very. Wrong. The fact that there was a first “Black” president of the US in the early days of the 21st century will be an enduring lesson in how American institutions always elevate Black figureheads to high office when they are in decline after years of White mismanagement. Then the White Power structure (government, business interests and the media) uses the Black figurehead as a scapegoat for the decline. Unwary Black people who are awed by “Black Faces in High Places” and “First Black This and That” will reflexively defend the Black figurehead. That unthinking defense of the Black figurehead helps to intensify popular White anger on the Black figurehead and all Black people. In this way, The White Power Structure redirects popular anger for their misdeeds and screw-ups onto the shoulders of Black folk instead of themselves. The Black figureheads usually are in on the game. The masses of Black people are not. The Black figureheads are generally well compensated with financial and social rewards. The masses of Black people fall further behind while they waste time lauding and defending the cynical Black figurehead. Not only will there be an enduring history of “a Black President of the United States”, Obama’s presidency will be required reading for future scholars on how to snooker masses of people with “hope and change”. nomad, wtf does your youtube link have to do with Obama? r u nuts? if you cant figure it out that’s your problem. grojo. my apologies. dam that old stuck previous link thing. I meant to post this. sorry (https://youtu.be/hne-hG4raHI) my apologies again while waiting for moderation. Summary: ‘Trump is president because Barack Obama is a f%$#@g buffoon.’ okay, forgot parenthesis brilliant analysis! did you see the video of wnen Ali was asked if he wanted to be president? check it out. he said “The ship must be sinking” if they let a black man be president. the brother was prescient. nomad, did you forget to take your medicine again? Your link had nothing to do with Obama, hence my question. Your act is a little transparent, that’s why you’re hypersensitive. As far as I know, CNN and Obama are not the same so “why I hate barack Obama” followed by a link about military intelligence infiltration of CNN seemed a stretch to me. Bull. You are free to make irrational leaps of logic like that and I’m free to call it bs. No apologies warranted. hey gro jo, it was a mistake. and go to hiel. that was as I said a summary, obviously of the video in moderation. I think I was right the first time. u r nuts. abagond, please release the comment before grojo blows a gasket. Afrofem: About your post about President Obama not disappearing, you are totally correct. By your own admission “No black need apply rings true”. If a black person does the black people will think he is suppose to pick all of them up and push them to the top. I hope you read the Article II, in case you had not read it before. Most people do not understand the weak position of the president. (When the congress gets tired of “the Donald” they will put a block on him that will shock most people”) They do not understand that the president is not the president of the black people who are in charge of United States, he is a black person that the white people trust to be the leader and expect him to act the same as a “white leader”. Since blacks make up only 12% of the population (not counting mixed race) and further most of them are concentrated in 5 states with more in 5 other states, they are always going to be an insignificant force in this nation. At least 30 states have less then 3 % blacks and that includes the military which has a large number of blacks. Those states alone will make certain that no black need apply unless that black does as they require. And further since among blacks there is no trust of other blacks and the highest % of blacks in any state is about 37% (did not count Washington, DC, it is not a state) the very mental process of blacks will keep the blacks as a group out of power. Please note how little credit that gro jo gives to MLK and how highly President Johnson is praised. The words you should use for President Obama is ‘Uncle Tom or oreo”, because he dared to enter the white competition and won. on Thu May 18th 2017 at 14:35:35 Herneith The Black figureheads are generally well compensated with financial and social rewards. That’s it! I’m running for office I need a new car! so anyway, thanks for pointing out that I posted the wrong video. I actually appreciate that. I never would have known otherwise. did I mention I hate barack Obama? like Obama did. he went far and beyond what whites and white racists required. he is a conservative friend and agent of America’s highly unequal capitalist system, imperialism, and (curiously enough) white supremacism and white supremacy is what you are supporting when you defend him. barack was a vaccine. a little bit of blackness injected into the whitehouse to inoculate against an actual black president (one from the black community). https://aislec.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/the-heartbreak-of-obamaphelia-a-short-history-and-diagnostic-guide/ the ship must be sinking (https://youtu.be/Ba23hxCDrM4) @nomad You will be older than I am before you see a black President from what ever you call the black community. The black community is becoming smaller and smaller and is being concentrated in states where blacks are a minority and the whites intend to keep them nearly in bondage. No matter how many super rich black people are concentrated around the large cities in the south east the balance of the states is full of whites that will control the politics. Idealism is wonderful, it keeps hope alive; however, without the help of whites the blacks do not have the numbers needed. The President of the United States must always represent all of the people. You are blind to the help that the past President gave the black community and you seek the negative and ignore the positive. . >You are blind to the help that the past President gave the black community you must mean LBJ, because the rest haven’t a thing. Obama did less than nothing. i.e. made things worse for everybody (except the rich). esp black people. on Thu Jun 1st 2017 at 12:27:19 nomad the pursuit of upward mobility through cultivation of white folks’ political favor is not confined to base and conniving caricatures like David Clarke. Sadly, it has become the main route to political fortune in Black America. The best (or worst) example is Barack Obama, who spent a lifetime making himself acceptable to the more politically correct section of the white ruling class. Obama was not a Black leader; he was the Black politician most acceptable and attractive to white Democrats and moneybags – “articulate and bright and clean” in the whitest kind of way, not “like Jesse Jackson.” What’s more dangerous: a Black opportunist that curries favor with the worst elements of the White Man’s Party, but whose primary effect on Black politics is to make Black folks more vigilant, or a smooth Black operator who is so good at gaining the confidence of the ruling class that they entrust him to wage war on most of the world, and to impose capitalist austerity at home, knowing his mere presence will pacify Blacks and neutralize them as a force for change? https://www.blackagendareport.com/black-hating_negroes_%20and_their_uses on Thu Jun 1st 2017 at 13:21:57 Allen Shaw @nomad we know you do not like President Obama (now retired and no longer a part of the picture); but, could you give us a break. He is gone from the picture and we now have “the trumpster”. You should be hoping that the new president learns, gets a decent staff and does this nation some good. Do you have an unused supply of anti Obama hate messages? If you do let us have them all at the same time so we can get on with the current situation. Once again, in case you failed to see the latest news the current president is Donald J. Trump. could you give us a break. lol. do you even have to ask? was that a rhetorical question? obviously the answer is N O. on Thu Jun 1st 2017 at 13:46:54 Afrofem Two faulty assumptions: ✧ The size of a community has little to do with the economic and political power it wields. The American Jewish community is 3 percent of the population and they do quite well, both economically and politically. ✧ What Whites intend to do is less important than what Black people choose to do. All it would take is a small determined group of Black people to provide leadership and the course of history could change. We don’t know the future. im still waitng on your list of things obama gave the black community. id really like to know. can anybody tell me. cause i cant think of a dam thing. on Sat Jun 3rd 2017 at 09:56:29 nomad Paul Street saw the approaching Obamanation. https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/keynote-reflections-by-paul-street/ what? there shoulda been a ‘2004’ in front of that. 2004: Paul Street saw the approaching Obamanation. on Wed Jun 14th 2017 at 23:09:48 nomad why black americans need to repudiate barack obama The first Black U.S. president, Barack Obama, was among the most aggressive defenders of white supremacy in history — defending the accumulated advantages that colonialism provided to western European nations, settler states (like the U.S.) and citizens — having launched an ongoing military offensive aimed at strangling the Chinese giant and preventing an effective Eurasian partnership with Russia. The first phase of the offensive, the crushing of Libya in 2011, allowed the United States to complete the effective military occupation of Africa, through AFRICOM. https://www.blackagendareport.com/bernie_sanders_imperial_pig on Wed Jun 14th 2017 at 23:25:26 Deb @’Mad…I JUSTread that piece @ Black Agenda Report and I concur WHOLEHEARTEDLY — just adding the link so’s to agree with the posting policy (cuz what the piece says is so real!l: https://blackagendareport.com/bernie_sanders_imperial_pig on Thu Jun 15th 2017 at 00:29:17 nomad after obama, we need to shake off the cognitive dissidence and admit just how anti-black he really was. with friends like these, we dont need no enemies. with black presidents like this, we dont need no donald trumps. my mind is obviously on vacation today. i meant ‘cognitive dissonance’ on Thu Jun 15th 2017 at 03:03:48 Allen Shaw @abagon and @nomad plus all of those other would be the greatest if they could only have the chance to be picked to be some important person other than standing on the sidelines looking into the arena. All that President Obama had to do is be able to prove to the 86% of the US population that he could be given the responsibilities of the President of the United States and concern himself with the bigger picture. He was not picked to be the president of the black people. Black people should pick their own representatives to speak to the government about black problems. As far as I am aware they have the NAACP, Urban League, Black Muslims and other newly formed organizations. They have the ability to elect black members to the House of Representative and maybe even to the Senate. Each of the individuals that are elected to the federal government have the total US to concern themselves with. The 14% of the population deserves no more than 14 % of the thought. During the 8 years of the Obama Administration many blacks were hired due to his policies and the policies of his cabinet. Many good thing happened which the individuals that comment on this site have not paid any attention to. During my working career, with the exception of my three years in the Black military I was always assigned to organizations where I was responsible for white service personnel. Rarely did I supervise blacks. I did not give much thought to blacks because my job was to make the organization run. Some of the supervisors who were in my department had blacks working for them and they were fair in the treatment of their workers. I never thought about a persons race, ethnics, religion or any of the other separators of mankind. My job was to treat each individual equally and to assure that my supervisors did the same. So you can spend the balance of your life complaining about what President Obama did or did not do; however, you will never convince any successful black that aspires to be the President of the United States that they should concentrate on black problems. That my friends is not how to get to first place! Hate is the most destructive of all emotions! very presumptuous of you. you have no idea what youre talking about but feel you have to defend obama at all costs. hes not president anymore. you dont have to defend him anymore. remove the scales from your eyes and realize that you were brainwashed into following him and advocating against your own interests as a black person by sophisticated cia mind manipulation manufacturing of consent pr techniques. you need to unbrainwash. thats my purpose, to help unbrainwash you. obama was a devil. the sooner you realize it the better. too bad you couldnt realize it while he was president. still its necessary to unbrainwash so that you, your children and whoever you may have influence over, do not fall prey to this kind of manipulation in the future. he was a white man in black skin. for you, no black person is good but obama. truly the brainwashing worked too well on you. it might be permanent. @ nomad I bet you did not give a thought to what I said. Please provide your qualifications for making such decisions about what took place in the White House and where you have the background to make your opinions worth more than other. You are a parrot repeating what you believe the duties of the president are. Anyone can complain! @nomad ‘he was a white man in black skin” You do not even have that correct. He was a man with a black father and a white mother, that you want to decide what his race is. There are very few people left that think that an ounce of black blood makes you black. A person is who he is, based on the surroundings that nurtured them. Just because a person was born (?Black?) does not mean they have the same thinking process as another. The person that thought that President Obama was going to ignore the demands of his office should look more closely at their decisions of why they supported him. Just what made you think he was going to do any of the things that “YOU” thought were important. im talking bout his mind, dude. for all his tawny hide hes white pure white inside. as for credentials. i dont need no stinking badges. and yes i do not read your posts. too tedious. i got better things to do. i scan them. if you want me to pay attention you have to feed me in small bites. thats what i do. on Sat Aug 31st 2019 at 10:29:20 iamvistinginstructoreric	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1148
__label__wiki	0.758491	0.758491	Woman killed in I-294 crash in Alsip ALSIP, Ill. (WLS) -- A 28-year-old Hillside woman was killed in a crash on I-294 in Alsip Sunday morning, Illinois State Police said. Monique Robinson was driving a 2014 Chevrolet in the northbound lanes of I-294 near milepost 13 when she lost control and struck the left wall and stopped in the center lane at about 2:22 a.m., police said. Her car was then struck by a 2005 Kia, police said. Robinson was transported to Christ Hospital, where she later died. The driver of the Kia was not injured, police said. Several lanes of I-294 were closed as police investigated. hillsidealsiptraffic fatalitieswoman killed	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1150
__label__cc	0.708563	0.291437	Creating a Digital HR Foundation Module 1 - The Digital Challenge for HR Introduction to Module 1 (0:33) Digital, VUCA and the changing world of work (1:07) The new world of work will be more networked and data driven (1:11) Video Link: A First Drive Digital listening (4:14) Video link: Predicting people's behavior Skill-based organizations (2:02) Summary: Six trends in the new world of work (1:54) New expectations and opportunities for HR (1:27) Building an agile organization (0:10) Video link: Agile organizations Fact-based insights (0:34) HR analytics lead to strong results (1:15) Summary: responding to new expectations (0:27) The conventional response of HR (1:03) HRIS benefits are often not met (1:57) End-user adoption risk is quite severe (1:38) Summary: a need to go beyond the conventional approach (0:39) A better response: Digital HR (0:16) A Digital HR agenda (5:20) The business case for Digital HR (2:09) Summary: the digital challenge for HR (1:12) Module 1: Quiz Module 2 - CxHR: The Customer Experience of HR Towards a Customer-Led HR (0:15) Customer Experience Language (0:40) Lessons Learned from Customers to the World of HR (0:33) Employee Experience: How to map it out (0:55) Translating CX Language into HR (1:19) HR Service Design Thinking and Journey Mapping (0:48) Applying Design Thinking to HR (2:38) Critical Elements of Journey Mapping (1:05) Customer Experience Measurement and Benchmarking (2:39) Applification and Machine Learning (0:33) Real-life example: A smart tool for talent acquisition (0:14) Video link: HireVue Real-life example: "Recruiter interaction" (1:38) Summary - CxHR: The Customer Experience of HR (0:21) Module 3 - Skill-Based Organization of Work Help me build an agile organization (0:34) The 2 DNAs of work (0:17) Organizing work (0:31) Networks and Collaboration principles (1:09) New organization of work (0:50) Adaptive and empowered culture (1:10) Real life example: Collaboration platform (0:08) Video link: Collaboration platform Real-life example: W.L. Gore (0:33) Summary so far (0:18) Skill management (0:26) Contingent workers are growing (0:34) Building blocks of a skill-based organization (1:14) Expertise will be sourced from talent pools by skill (0:20) Real-life examples: Techniques of talent marketplaces (0:39) Real-life example: Swisscom "Ask the Brain" (0:41) Summary: Skills management (0:35) Network leadership culture (0:34) A new third leadership discipline (0:47) What makes a network leader? (2:14) Summary: Skill-based organization of work (0:38) Module 4 - Why is People Analytics Important? Let's look at the wider context (1:39) The Business value of analytics (0:54) The value to employees (1:17) The value to Managers (1:26) Sources of data: HR and non-HR (1:37) Sources of data: Think about the data you don't have (2:49) Data usage (1:23) Data outputs (4:22) Examples of typical People Analytics projects (4:43) Conclusion (0:45) Module 5 - The First 100 Days of HR Digital HR Digital change map (2:15) Connecting the dots - key points (0:41) Days 1 - 30: Introduction (0:34) HR Digital maturity diagnostic (2:26) Identifying priorities (1:13) Digital HR Roadmap - Current State (1:25) Digital HR Roadmap - Future State (0:56) Digital HR Roadmap - Value proposition for the business (0:40) Digital HR Roadmap - Project Plan (0:58) Digital HR Roadmap - Project Organization and Resources (2:08) Days 1-30: Summary (0:44) Days 31-70: Introduction (0:28) Discover & Explore (1) (1:56) Design (1:21) Validate and Activate (1) (1:48) Days 31-70: Summary (1:16) Days 71-100: Introduction (0:39) Measure & Benchmark (3:48) Course Summary (0:37)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1154
__label__cc	0.581331	0.418669	Workplace training in accessibility, universal design, inclusion and diversity Judy O’Connor Maxine Parker Deliver a Workshop Egress Group Ageing and Later Life Built Environment Accessibility EgressAbility™ and Inclusive Evacuations Luminance Contrast Assessment Tool Performance-Based Design 1: History, Development & Current Day Performance-Based Design 2: The NCC & Performance Solutions Rooming Houses (Class 1b Buildings) Disability Access: The Facts Stair and Ramp Compliance Understanding the Basics of Access Children and Early Learning Document Accessibility Media Accessibility NDIA and SDA Public Space Accessibility Technology and Accessibility Virtual Environment Accessibility Web-based Accessibility Building Accessibility Seminar Series Download the A4 Flyer Building Accessibility in Adelaide Building Accessibility in Brisbane Building Accessibility in Canberra Building Accessibility in Darwin Building Accessibility in Hobart Building Accessibility in Melbourne Building Accessibility in Perth Building Accessibility in Sydney Egress Group provides information on this website (the “website“) subject to the following terms and conditions (the “Terms of Use“). 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__label__wiki	0.883135	0.883135	protest (65) + - anc (54) + - prison (42) + - member (35) + - cabinet (29) + - releas (29) + - elect (28) + - demonstr (25) + - island (23) + - march (22) + - robben (22) + - sash (21) + - mandela (18) + - support (18) + - western (420) + - apartheid (289) + - demonstr (163) + - nation (113) + - parti (76) + - congress (61) + - activist (52) + - minist (42) + - campaign (30) + - stellenbosch (x) mountain (x) polit (x) People protest Prime Minister Daniel Francois Malan's plans, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Politics, National Party (South Africa), Demonstration People protest Prime Minister Daniel Francois Malan's plans, Cape Town. Minister of Bantu Administration, Westbrook, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Politics, Cabinet ministers, National Party (South Africa), Governments The swearing-in of the new Deputy Minister of Bantu Administration by the State President (Mr. J. J. Fouche), Development (Mr A. J . Raubenheimer) took place today. Shown in the garden of Westbrook, the State President's official residence in Rondebosch after the ceremony are, from left, Dr. P. Koornhof, Deputy Minister of Bantu Administration, the Prime Minister (M.r. B. J. Vorster), Mr. Fouche, Mr. M. C. Botha, Minister of Bantu Administration and Mr. Raubenheimer. Tuynhuys, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Public buildings, Politics, Residential buildings, Government Government House dining-room: state banquet. Members of the Inkatha Freedom Party Western Cape committee, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Politics, Memorials, Demonstrations Members of the Inkatha Freedom Party Western Cape committee hold a memorial service outside Parliament to mark the first anniversary of the Shell House shootings. Cabinet members, Cape Town, 1968 Prime Minister B.J. Vorster (centre front) with members of the Cabinet, 1969 BJ Vorster, 1961 election results, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Elections, Newspapers, Politics, Broadcasting, Prime Minister B.J. Vorster commenting on the 1961 election results. Students in silent protest, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Youth, Demonstrations, Apartheid, Politics A student gives her name to a police major during yesterday's confrontation with police, while other students stand by, gagged in silent protest. Residence, Robben Island, Cape Town Western Cape (South Africa), Robben Island (South Africa), Political prisoners, Historic sites, Monuments, Architecture, Residential buildings A residence on Robben Island, Cape Town. Armed forces stand for the opening ceremony, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Politics, Armed forces Coloured Coloured Representative Council (CRC) opening. Petrus Vaalbooi addressing a meeting Bushman, San, indigenous, Southern Africa, community, gathering, meeting, speaker, Vaalbooi, Petrus, Khomani (African people)--Claims, Khomani (African people)--Relocation--South Africa--Northern Cape, San (African people)--South Africa--Northern Cape--Claims, San (African people)--Relocation--South Africa--Northern Cape, San (African people)--South Africa--Northern Cape--Politics and government, Northern Cape (South Africa) Accused terrorists on bail, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Politics, Bail On bail: Jozua "Ismael" Joubert, second from left, with co-accused, from left, Nazeem Adams, Anwaar Mentoor, Fadiel Adams and Yurus Adams. All are on bail pending appeals against sentences for terrorism and possessing illegal explosives. Petitioning to release prisoners, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Demonstrations, Politics Petitioning to release prisoners, Cape Town. Terrorism trialist, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Apartheid, Politics, Trials Terrorism trialist, Cape Town. Cabinet at Tuynhuys, Cape Town Members of the Vorster Cabinet at Tuynhuys, Cape Town. Left to right: [?], Minister M C Botha (Bantu Administration), Minister P W Botha (Defence), Prime Minister Vorster, Minister Dr Hilgard Muller (Foreign Affairs), [?], Minister Connie Mulder (Information and the Interior) June 16th protest, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Demonstrations, Politics, Youth June 16th protest, Cape Town. Child's funeral, Bellville, Cape Town Western Cape (South Africa), Bellville (South Africa), Politics, Apartheid, Government, Resistance to, Funerals An emotional choir sings during the funeral service for Patrick Muller, 13, at the N G Sendingkerk in Bellville South. On the left is his mother, a member of the choir. He died during violence on election night. ANC rally, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Politics, Demonstrations, African National Congress, Liberation, Political prisoners Some of the more than 20 000 people who braved the cold and wind to catch a glimpse of the African National Congress (ANC) leaders at a rally shortly after Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Black Sash demonstrates at St. Mary's Cathedral, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Demonstrations, Women political activists, Politics, Crime Nope to the rope: Campaigner Mr Reggie September and Black Sash members demonstrate at St Mary's Cathedral. Ex-islander Mikki Xhayiya, Cape Town Cape Town (South Africa), Western Cape (South Africa), Political prisoners, Apartheid Ex-islander, Mikki Xhayiya. Save the Press campaign, UCT Apartheid--South Africa, South Africa--Politics and government--1978-1989, South Africa--History--1961-1994, Demonstrations--South Africa, University of Cape Town--Students, Youths--South Africa, Universities and colleges--South Africa, Save the Press' campaign meeting in the Beattie Lecture Theatre at the University of Cape Town (UCT)., circa 1980s	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1158
__label__wiki	0.691672	0.691672	Digital Heritage Connecting Appalachian culture and traditions with the world. Mountain Heritage Award John Parris, 1976 Posted in: Mountain Heritage Award Cornshuck dolls from Allenstand part of the John Parris Collection Parris Receives Heritage Award/John Parris Receives Award During Mountain Heritage Day Festivities Asheville Citizen/ The Reporter Oct. 17th 1976 / Oct. 20th 1976 Western Carolina University Saturday night confers its first Mountain Heritage Award on John Parris, the man who did come home again. The presentation, made in Whitmire Stadium as dusk shadowed the nearby peaks, climaxed a day long, old fashioned get together at WCU its annual Mountain Heritage Day. With his wife, Dorothy Luxton Parris, at his side, Parris received from Western Carolina Chancellor H. F. Robinson the award plaque, fashioned from a weathered board. A simple inscription etched in copper by WCU art professor Ted Matus read “Western Carolina University, Mountain Heritage Award, 1976 John Parris.” It was the first award of its type ever given by the University and Parris was selected to be the first recipient by a special university committee, chaired by Dr. James E. Dooley, Vice Chancellor for development and special services. In a citation also awarded to the famed newspaperman and author, the university said: “The people of the mountains owe an unpayable debt to John Parris, the Master Chronicler of their lives and their land. More than any other person, he has kept alive the wondrous ways, the vanishing arts, the disappearing days, and the lingering legends that are the heritage of the hills.” Borrowing from the titles of Parris’ four best-selling books, the citation continued: “In ‘Roaming the Mountains’, John Parris justly may claim that these are ‘my mountains, my people.’ As one truly ‘mountain bred,’ he has found in ‘these storied mountains’ old times, magic moments, the seasons’ glories, and ferreted out hidden lore, and through his peerless writing, preserved them for now, and for all time. “Western Carolina University, in grateful acknowledgement of his monumental work, presents its First Mountain Heritage Award to John Parris, brilliant newspaperman, distinguished author, and mountain son. In the discovery and recording of the humor and the history, the music and the mysteries of his native highlands, he has proved himself a man to match the mountains.” It was in the swirl and excitement of all those tributes to yesteryear and the flavor of which might have been lifted straight from one of his columns or books, that John Parris was honored. The criteria for the award, Dr. Robinson said, provide that it be made “for outstanding contributions to the preservation or interpretation of the history and culture of Southern Appalachia, or for outstanding contributions to research on, or interpretation of, contemporary or future problems which threaten the quality of life of the people of the region.” The work of Parris, Dr. Robinson said, makes it “abundantly clear that he satisfies these criteria in every respect… for John Parris has done more than re-tell stories already familiar… he has sought out hidden stories, lost treasures, and fast fading memories and brought them to robust and vigorous life. His is painstaking research, his is pioneering work capped by writing style that has illuminated our heritage as it has not been light before.” A Corn husk Family from Allenstand, part of the John Parris Collection H. F. Robinson, 1979 Robinson Presented Heritage Award During Building Dedication At WCU Dr. H.F. Robinson, Chancellor of Western Carolina University, was presented the 1979 […] John B. Battle, 1983 WCU Honors Battle Asheville Citizens Times John Parris 9/25/83 CULLOWHEE - Western Carolina University’s 1983 Mountain Heritage award went Saturday to John Bascomb […] Mary Jane Queen and the Queen Family, 1999 Mary Jane Queen and The Queen Family Receive 1999 Mountain Heritage Award CULLOWHEE — Mary Jane Queen and the Queen Family, performers who have played a major role in […] Jackson County Genealogical Society, 2012 Mountain Heritage Award Winner, 2012 Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Awards for 2012 were presented Saturday (Sept. 29) to Rob Tiger, a Hayesville community leader who has […] The Deitz Family, 2006 WCU’s Mountain Heritage Award Presented To Jackson County’s Musical Deitz Family CULLOWHEE – Western Carolina University presented its Mountain Heritage Award for 2006 […] Mountain Feist A Mountain Feist is a type of small hunting dog. Like the many others varieties of feists, it is not a specific breed. The ancestral [...] On March 14, 1967, Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson, arrived in Jackson County, North Carolina. She had come to visit the [...] Land Trusts Some of Appalachia’s most special places are protected through land trusts. These non-profit organizations work with private landowners and other organizations to protect places of significant [...] Appalachian Trail Through Hikers The Appalachian Trail extends 2,160 miles from Springer Mountain in North Georgia to Mount Katahdin in northern Maine. “Through Hiker” is the name given to [...] Carolina Lily Have you ever seen a Carolina Lily? Did you know it is North Carolina’s official state wildflower? But take care to avoid mistaking it for [...] About The Digital Heritage Project DigitalHeritage.org includes essays, video interviews, and other materials created by the students of Western Carolina University. It also includes regional lesson plans created by teachers participating in the Adventure of the American Mind project sponsored by the Library of Congress. Radio spots created by WCU faculty and students may be heard on stations WKSF-FM, WMXF-AM, WPEK-AM, WWCU-FM, and WWNC-AM. A print version is available each month in the Laurel of Asheville. Tonya Carroll (B.A., 2007 M.A., 2009) with Bruce Frazier (Carol Grotnes Belk Endowed Professor in Commercial & Electronic Music) in the recording studio. The Digital Heritage Project gratefully acknowledges the support of Western Carolina University and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Copyright Digital Heritage. All Rights Reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1161
__label__cc	0.73788	0.26212	Tag Archives: Official Candidate on the United Nations Secretary – General Selection 2016 Media Confirmation about Lockheed Martin’s problems with F-35 and the russian link as predicted by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook and Paperback book published April 1, 2016 – Billionaires, Intelligence Services, United Nations Secretary-General Selection 2016, Terrorism, Politicians,Business and World Predictions 2016 – Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions Clairvoyants : Dimitrinka Staikova, Ivelina Staikova, Stoyanka Staikova Media Confirmation about Lockheed Martin’s problems with F-35 and the russian link as predicted by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook and Paperback book published April 1, 2016 – Billionaires, Intelligence Services, United Nations Secretary-General Selection 2016, Terrorism, Politicians,Business and World Predictions 2016 – Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions Buy this Ebook Now – Directly from the Authors – Order your Ebook today, pay with PayPal and You will receive the PDF file in the next 24 hours Buy the Ebook from the authors – https://sites.google.com/site/dimitrinkastaikova/ Buy the Paperback book from Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Billionaires-Intelligence-Secretary-General-Politicians-Predictions/dp/1530873894/ Buy the Ebook from Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Billionaires-Intelligence-Secretary-General-Politicians-Predictions-ebook/dp/B01DR5I2AO/ Lockheed Martin’s President and CEO Marillyn Hewson – Problems with engine, ignition – aircraft-hybrid, three types of fuel+russian nuclear – choice, decision, deal. Electricity – eliminated as energy, ISS researches, the health of Marillyn Hewson – Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions by Clairvoyant House “Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna – 20 March 2016,9am. Problems with engines and more exactly with the ignition of the engine. This is a machine – hybrid : it has a little of helicopter, it looks like aircraft, but it can move also on a water. The machine is ready as whole. It is connected with three energy sources. It has vertical take-off. There is a cross-reference (link) on the idea of russian machine – aircraft. I see circular and spiral movement. There is additional body with stronger energy – like the one of the spaceships. There is fast landing. From outside, I see total five bodies – a nose, first body as a square + long body with three energy sources + fourth body, which during the take-off in the Space is separated + two fins on the aircraft. For now – I see problems – during the flight, I see the nose of the aircraft pointing downwards. There are also problems with the air blast under the belly of the aircraft, because of the three energy sources. Nine banks are financing the project. Five companies are working about that project : 2+1+2. By them, only one company belongs to the intelligence. The project will be accomplished perfectly when is finished and made the exact fuel ( the ingredients). The fuel is cross- referenced as additional from the russian one. And so, there is upcoming- choice,decision, deal for the russian nuclear (space) fuel. Only the company who is dealing with Intelligence is not ready yet. There is offered electrical variant who is eliminated. Also are eliminated the additional energy sources at the fins. I see tests in the Space. Then follows joint tests with the russians. Follows the intervention of germans with a lot of nerves and money. The aircraft will be perfect with international participation in the projects, but as whole dominates russian participation and research in the International Space Station (ISS). The truth – to fly from the ground, the magnetic field must be plugged in anticlockwise. To go back to the ground is the contrary. Marillyn Hewson – Clairvoyant Health Diagnosis – March 2016 Pains – sinusitis channel, at right – pains above the teeth, the liver and the right shoulder until the neck. She will have problems with the heart. It must be treated. She must take more iodine with the food, otherwise the thyroid gland will be serious affected. About the pains in the head – the forehead – she needs only clean air, movement and rest. Her way of life soon will not be changed. She has a sense, instinct and luck. Her gene (DNA) will be kept also in the future. Is the Yak-141 the ‘father’ of the F-35B? MAY 05, 2017 BORIS EGOROV RBTH https://www.rbth.com/defence/2017/05/05/is-the-yak-141-the-father-of-the-f-35b_757401 This entry was posted in Bank of England, banks, Da'esh, Devlet Bahceli, George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Isis, terrorism, Turkey, Uncategorized, US Election 2016, World Predictions 2017 and tagged #job, #magic, aircraft-hybrid, Airport, Alex Younger, Alexandria, American VTOL fighter, Ancient Secrets, António Guterres, as predicted, assaults, Atlantis, Attack of aircraft, Attempt for murder, Avalon, Bashar al-Assad, before the end of that war, Belgian intelligence and Security agency, Belgian intelligence Security agency, Bell V-22 Osprey, Berkshire Hathaway, Bernard Bajolet, billionaires, BND, Bombs on the border, Borders, Brexit, British Aerospace Sea Harrier, British Secret Intelligence Service, Brussels airport explosions, building, Bulgaria, business, Cairo, caves, Chief, choice, CIA, Clairvoyant, Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova, Clairvoyant Ivelina Staikova, Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions, Computers, Confirmation, Constructions in Syria, Cuba, Cyprus, Danilo Türk, David Cameron, David Thomson, deal, decision, Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Destiny, Dilma Rousseff, Director of CIA, Director of State Security Service, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Directorate - General for External Security, Discovery of secrets, Donald Trump, Donald Tusk, ebook, Egypt, EgyptAir plane Flight MS181, elections - dates, electricity, Energy Consortium, Energy war, engine, EU-Turkey summit, European Council President, European Union, Executive, expansion of Turkey, explosions, External Security, F-35B, fallen angels, FBI, fBrussels, Foreign Minister of Montenegro, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former President of Slovenia, Former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Former Prime Minister of Portugal, France, France above all, Future, General Directorate for Internal Security, Georg Schaeffler, Gerhard Schindler, Germany, Gravitational device, Great Britain, He has no feeling for fear, He will survive always, head, health, Health diagnosis, hijacked, Hijacker, Hillary Clinton, hobby, Holy Grail, How he will die?, ignition, Igor Lukšić, Inheritance, intelligence services, intelligencer, Iran, Iraq, Irina Bokova, Isis, Israel, ISS researches, jaak raes, James Comey, Jean -Claude Juncker, Jens Stoltenber, Jens Stoltenberg, John Owen Brenan, Karma, King Arthur, Laser Interferometer Gravitational, leader of the countries, Lebanon, Leningrad, Libya, Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin’s fighter, Marillyn Hewson, Mary Celeste, Media, media confirmation, Meeting, Merrick Garland, MI6, middle east, military aircraft, military aviation, Moldova, money, Montenegro, Moskva, mount Hermon, Mysterious, Natalia Gherman, naval VTOL aircraft, New constructions underground, New Ebook, New Space Technology discovered in India, Nicos Anastasiades, Non - standart, northern Syria, Nuclear Power plant, Official Candidate on the United Nations Secretary - General Selection 2016, Patrick Calvar, Paul Watford, payment, Personal life, Philosopher's Stone, PKK, Political bargain, Political career, Political events, Politicians, Portugal, Power, President and CEO, president Obama, President of Brazil, President of Cyprus, President of the Bundesnachrichtendienst, president of the European Commission, Prime Minister of Great Britain, Prime Minister of Lebanon, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, Problems in Cairo, Psychic Dimitrinka Staikova, psychic predictions, Raul Castro, refugees, Reuters, riots, Russia, Russian Aerospace Forces, russian bases, russian nuclear, Saudi Arabia, Secret Negotiation about Syria, Secretary General of Nato, secretive, September and October, Sergey Lavrov, Serial Murderer, Shambala, space, Srgjan Kerim, Sri Srinivasan, State of Louisiana, Supreme Court Candidate, Supreme Court shortlist, Syria, Tammam Salam, terrorism, terrorist’s actions in Brussels, The choice, The Destiny of USA, The future, The future of Syria, the German Intelligence Service, the health, The Owner of Reuters, The Pandora's box, the Pope, The President of Cuba, the president of Syria, The Refugee crisis, The Secrets of immortality, the Soviet Union, the wars, Third Reich’s secrets, Thoughts, three types of fuel, Thule, Transport, Turkey, U.S. Marine Corps., UK Government. World Predictions about Great Britain, UN Secretary -General Selection 2016, UNESCO Director-General, United Nations Secretary-General Selection 2016, US Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, US Election 2016, USA, vertical takeoff and landing, Vesna Pusic, Vocation, VTOL, VTOL planes, war, War in Turkey, Warren Buffett, Wars, Washington state, Wave Detector, weapons, Work, World Order, World Predictions 2016, Yak-141, Yakovlev, Yakovlev Bureau, Yakovlev design Bureau, Year 2017 on November 3, 2017 by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova. Media Confirmation about the Victory of António Guterres for UN Secretary-General as predicted by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook : Billionaires, Intelligence Services, United Nations Secretary-General Selection 2016, Terrorism, Politicians,Business and World Predictions 2016 – Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions Clairvoyants : Dimitrinka Staikova, Ivelina Staikova, Stoyanka Staikova Media Confirmation about the Victory of António Guterres for UN Secretary-General as predicted by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook : Buy the Ebook from the Authors –http://sites.google.com/site/dimitrinkastaikova Buy the Ebook from Amazon –https://www.amazon.com/Billionaires-Intelligence-Secretary-General-Politicians-Predictions-ebook/dp/B01DR5I2AO/ Buy the Paperback book from Amazon –https://www.amazon.com/Billionaires-Intelligence-Secretary-General-Politicians-Predictions/dp/1530873894/ António Guterres (Former Prime Minister of Portugal and Official Candidate on the United Nations Secretary -General Selection 2016) – The same as the Pope: He is secretive, mysterious and he is born to be a leader of the countries – Clairvoyant/psychic predictions by Clairvoyant house”Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters-Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” from Europe,Bulgaria,Varna-31.03.2016, 2pm. Photo – November 2015 About António Guterres the war escalates and is going on East. He is able to save the good and the victory. He is able even in the bad times to reach a good results. He is entered into a profitable year about him. • January 2016 – there is a temporary rest. By the end of January and February, I see many travels abroad – private travels. Behind him will stay a powerful corporation and Portugal as a country about his candidature for the United Nations Secretary – General Selection 2016. He has all signs of winning leader. • March 2016 – there is a temporary loss of money. In the end of March 2016 the things roll over – that concerns the business staying behind him. • April 2016 – The cause will look doomed. The best leader will not be able to collect enough votes. Against him will stay Moldova and Montenegro. • May 2016 begins badly, but this is only the first days. After that the candidatures of the others drop fast. May 2016 – I see intervention of Egypt in the choice. • June 2016 – I hear fanfares (fanfaronade) to announce the winner. António Guterres doesn’t have a bad sides. He is very irascible, but he controls itsself fast. He is combinatorial with fast analytical mind, he has immediate mind and immediate reactions. He has a hereditary disease in the kidneys. He does not tolerate foods with chemicals inside – he is sensitive and allergic. The same as the Pope, he likes the movement and the active work. The same as the Pope – he is secretive, mysterious and he is born to be a leader of the countries. Media Confirmation: António Guterres to be next UN secretary general Security council agrees, in surprisingly quick decision, that former Portuguese PM will succeed Ban Ki-moon at start of 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/05/antonio-guterres-next-un-secretary-general This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged #job, #magic, #NextSG, 193-member General Assembly, a Bulgarian national, a former UN assistant secretary general, activist on humanitarian causes, aircraft-hybrid, Airport, Alex Younger, Alexandria, Ancient Secrets, António Guterres, as predicted, assaults, Atlantis, Attack of aircraft, Attempt for murder, Avalon, Ban Ki-moon, Bashar al-Assad, before the end of that war, Belgian intelligence and Security agency, Belgian intelligence Security agency, Berkshire Hathaway, Bernard Bajolet, billionaires, BND, Bombs on the border, Borders, Brexit, Britain, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, British Secret Intelligence Service, Brussels airport explosions, building, Bulgaria, business, Cairo, caves, Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chief, China, choice, CIA, Clairvoyant, Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova, Clairvoyant Ivelina Staikova, Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions, Climate Change, Computers, Confirmation, Constructions in Syria, Cuba, Cyprus, Danilo Türk, David Cameron, David Thomson, deal, decision, Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Destiny, Dilma Rousseff, Director of CIA, Director of State Security Service, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Directorate - General for External Security, Discovery of secrets, Donald Trump, Donald Tusk, ebook, Egypt, EgyptAir plane Flight MS181, elections - dates, electricity, Energy Consortium, Energy war, engine, EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, EU-Turkey summit, European commission’s vice-president, European Council President, European Union, Executive, expansion of Turkey, explosions, External Security, fallen angels, FBI, fBrussels, Foreign Minister of Montenegro, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former Portuguese Prime Minister, Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, Former President of Slovenia, Former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Former Prime Minister of Portugal, France, France above all, Future, General Directorate for Internal Security, Georg Schaeffler, Gerhard Schindler, Germany, Gravitational device, Great Britain, Guterres, He has no feeling for fear, He will survive always, head, health, Health diagnosis, hijacked, Hijacker, Hillary Clinton, hobby, Holy Grail, How he will die?, ignition, Igor Lukšić, Inheritance, intelligence services, intelligencer, Iran, Iraq, Irina Bokova, Isis, Israel, ISS researches, jaak raes, James Comey, Jean -Claude Juncker, Jens Stoltenber, Jens Stoltenberg, John Owen Brenan, Karma, King Arthur, Kristalina Georgieva, Laser Interferometer Gravitational, leader of the countries, Lebanon, Libya, Lockheed Martin, Louis Charbonneau, Marillyn Hewson, Mary Celeste, Media, media confirmation, Meeting, Merrick Garland, MI6, Michael Doyle, middle east, Moldova, money, Montenegro, mount Hermon, Mr. Guterres, Mysterious, Natalia Gherman, New constructions underground, New Ebook, New Space Technology discovered in India, next UN secretary general, Nicos Anastasiades, ninth United Nations Secretary-General, Non - standart, northern Syria, Nuclear Power plant, Official Candidate on the United Nations Secretary - General Selection 2016, Patrick Calvar, Paul Watford, payment, Personal life, Philosopher's Stone, PKK, Political bargain, Political career, Political events, Politicians, Portugal, Power, President and CEO, president Obama, President of Brazil, President of Cyprus, President of the Bundesnachrichtendienst, president of the European Commission, Prime Minister of Great Britain, Prime Minister of Lebanon, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, Problems in Cairo, Psychic Dimitrinka Staikova, psychic predictions, Raul Castro, refugees, Reuters, riots, Russia, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, russian bases, russian nuclear, Saudi Arabia, secret ballots, Secret Negotiation about Syria, Secretary General of Nato, Secretary-General of the United Nations, secretive, Security Council, September and October, Sergey Lavrov, Serial Murderer, Shambala, Slovak Miroslav Lajčák, South Sudan, space, Srgjan Kerim, Sri Srinivasan, State of Louisiana, straw polls, Supreme Court Candidate, Supreme Court shortlist, Syria, Tammam Salam, terrorism, terrorist’s actions in Brussels, The choice, The Destiny of USA, the European Council on Foreign Relations, The future, The future of Syria, the German Intelligence Service, the head of Unesco, the health, The Owner of Reuters, The Owner of Reuters, The Pandora's box, the Pope, The President of Cuba, The President of Cuba, the president of Syria, The Refugee crisis, The Secrets of immortality, The Security Council, The Security Council, The U.N. Director at Human Rights Watch, The United States, the wars, Third Reich’s secrets, Thoughts, three types of fuel, Thule, Transport, Turkey, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, UK Government. World Predictions about Great Britain, UN general assembly, UN leadership race, UN Secretary -General Selection 2016, UN Secretary-General, UNESCO Director-General, UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Secretary-General Selection 2016, United Nations Security Council, US Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, US Election 2016, US Election 2016 Коментари, USA, Vesna Pusic, veto wielding powers, Vocation, war, War in Turkey, Warren Buffett, Wars, Washington state, Wave Detector, weapons, Work, World Order, World Predictions 2016, Year 2017, Yemen on October 6, 2016 by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1165
__label__wiki	0.943338	0.943338	Television episodes, The Suite Life on Deck episodes Family Thais The Suite Life on Deck "Family Thais" Jeff Hodsden & Tim Pollock Rich Correll The Suite Life on Deck Episodes "Smarticle Particles" "Goin' Bananas" "Family Thais" is the twenty-seventh episode of The Suite Life on Deck. It premiered on September 18, 2009 and is the seventh episode of the second season. Bailey and London go to Thailand to meet London's grandmother and discover that she is a poor farmer so London gives her grandmother and her hut a makeover. Meanwhile, Zack asks Cody to be his wingman because he likes a girl, although he wants to be faithful to Bailey. In the end, the girl ends up liking Cody. Phill Lewis as Mr. Moseby Erica Aulds as Sasha, Ashley Farley as Hilary, Elizabeth Sung as Khun Yai The Suite Life of Zack & Cody • The Suite Life on Deck • The Suite Life Movie Other media: "Karate Kid-tastrophe" • "Weasels on Deck" Main: Zack Martin • Cody Martin • London Tipton • Maddie Fitzpatrick • Marion Moseby • Bailey Pickett • Carey Martin • Marcus Little Recurring: Woody Fink • Emma Tutweiller • Arwin Hochauser • Esteban Ramírez • Maya Bennett • Bob • Barbara Brownstein • Kurt Martin • Nia Moseby • Jessica and Janice Ellisfont Season One: "Hotel Hangout" • "The Fairest of Them All" • "Maddie Checks In" • "Hotel Inspector" • "Grounded on the 23rd Floor" • "The Prince & the Plunger" • "Footloser" • "A Prom Story" • "Band in Boston" • "Cody Goes to Camp" • "To Catch a Thief" • "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad Hotel" • "Poor Little Rich Girl" • "Cookin' with Romeo and Juliet" • "Rumors" • "Big Hair & Baseball" • "Rock Star in the House" • "Smart & Smarterer" • "The Ghost of Suite 613" • "Dad's Back" • "Christmas at the Tipton" • "Kisses & Basketball" • "Pilot Your Own Life" • "Crushed" • "Commercial Breaks" • "Boston Holiday" Season Two: "Odd Couples" • "French 101" • "Day Care" • "Heck's Kitchen" • "Free Tippy" • "Forever Plaid" • "Election" • "Moseby's Big Brother" • "Books & Birdhouses" • "Not So Suite 16" • "Twins at the Tipton" • "Neither a Borrower nor a Speller Bee" • "Bowling" • "A Kept Man" • "The Suite Smell of Excess" • "Going for the Gold" • "Boston Tea Party" • "Have a Nice Trip" • "Ask Zack" • "Suite Life" • "What the Hey?" • "A Midsummer's Nightmare" • "Lost in Translation" • "Volley Dad" • "Loosely Ballroom" • "Scary Movie" • "Ah! Wilderness!" • "Birdman of Boston" • "Nurse Zack" • "Club Twin" • "Risk it All" • "Nugget of History" • "Miniature Golf" • "Health and Fitness" • "Back in the Game" • "The Suite Life Goes Hollywood" • "I Want My Mummy" • "Aptitude" Season Three: "Graduation" • "Summer of Our Discontent" • "Sink or Swim" • "Super Twins" • "Who's the Boss?" • "Baggage" • "Sleepover Suite" • "The Arwin That Came to Dinner" • "Lip Synchin' in the Rain" • "First Day of High School" • "Of Clocks and Contracts" • "Arwinstein" • "Team Tipton" • "Orchestra" • "A Tale of Two Houses" • "Tiptonline" • "Foiled Again" • "Romancing the Phone" • "Benchwarmers" • "Doin' Time in Suite 2330" • "Let Us Entertain You" • "Mr. Tipton Comes to Visit" Season One: "The Suite Life Sets Sail" • "Parrot Island" • "Broke 'N' Yo-Yo" • "The Kidney of the Sea" • "Showgirls" • "International Dateline" • "It's All Greek to Me" • "Sea Monster Mash" • "Flowers and Chocolate" • "Boo You" • "SeaHarmony" • "The Mommy and the Swami" • "Maddie on Deck" • "When in Rome..." • "Shipnotized" • "Mom and Dad on Deck" • "The Wrong Stuff" • "Splash & Trash" • "Mulch Ado About Nothing" • "Cruisin' for a Bruisin'" • "Double-Crossed" Season Two: "The Spy Who Shoved Me" • "Ala-ka-scram!" • "In the Line of Duty" • "Kitchen Casanova" • "Smarticle Particles" • "Family Thais" • "Goin' Bananas" • "Lost at Sea" • "Roomies" • "Crossing Jordin" • "Bermuda Triangle" • "The Beauty and the Fleeced" • "The Swede Life" • "Mother of the Groom" • "The Defiant Ones" • "Any Given Fantasy" • "Rollin' with the Holmies" • "Can You Dig It?" • "London's Apprentice" • "Once Upon a Suite Life" • "Marriage 101" • "Model Behavior" • "Rock the Kasbah" • "I Brake for Whales" • "Seven Seas News" • "Starship Tipton" • "Mean Chicks" • "Breakup in Paris" Season Three: "The Silent Treatment" • "Rat Tale" • "So You Think You Can Date?" • "My Oh Maya" • "Das Boots" • "Bon Voyage" • "Computer Date" • "Party On!" • "Love and War" • "Trouble in Tokyo" • "The Ghost and Mr. Martin" • "Senior Ditch Day" • "My Sister's Keeper" • "Frozen" • "A London Carol" • "The Play's the Thing" • "Twister" • "Snakes on a Boat" • "Prom Night" • "Graduation on Deck" Boston • Tipton Hotel • S.S. Tipton Retrieved from "https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Family_Thais?oldid=3768858"	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1169
__label__cc	0.664072	0.335928	DesktopLinux.com: KDE Increases Its Dominance In the 2004 Desktop Linux Market survey (concluded in January 2005), 3841 DesktopLinux.com readers weighed in with their choices for amongst others Linux distributions, email clients and web browsers. Particularly interesting are the result of the windowing environments poll: in just a year, KDE grew from 44% to 61%. Congratulations to the KDE team for such amazing results. Thanks to all people involved in KDE development! You all must be doing something right ;-D By Sam Weber at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am Re: Congrats! Well, yes. They are, but GNOME is also doing something wrong, imho. KDE has that slick integrated environment feel, which is the whole point of a 'desktop environment' rather than just picking a window manager, picking a terminal emulator, running a few background apps. Konqueror is so fast to pull up and search with (via web shortcuts) that it's probably the most productive environment I've ever used. By contrast, although GNOME was originally my favorite and I'd still prefer it in Free Software grounds, GNOME seems to have fundamental bits missing: no automatic SDI/MDI switching from a common windowing layer, difficult database/UI integration, and a general lack of useful widgets/high-level programming abstractions. I think if they'd used C++ and embraced a more object-oriented philosophy from the beginning, they'd be further ahead now. I think losing Anjuta 2 was a big nail in the coffin: they really needed a better development environment, and it never happened. One thing I will say for GNOME is that they really nailed the accessibility and (especially) the international text handling via pango. I keep having troubles with missing international glyphs in KDE, whereas it all "just works" in GNOME. That alone is a big thing, and is almost enough to tempt me back. Only almost, though. Thankfully, all these things are coming to KDE soon: better glyph handling (I think), better accessibility (thanks to GNOME for that) and better input methods (based on GNOME too). By Lee at Tue, 2005/05/10 - 5:00am Wow! That must be the most uninformed comment I've read in a long while. Where do I begin? no automatic SDI/MDI switching from a common windowing layer, difficult database/UI integration What? Ever heard of GNOME-DB? http://www.gnome-db.org/ and a general lack of useful widgets/high-level programming abstractions. WTF? What is GTK+ for then? If C is too cryptic for you, what about all the higher-level bindings for GTK+ including C++? And since C++ is retarded to begin with, what about the Python, Perl and Ruby bindings? Those aren't high-level enough for you? And if you have a phobia for dynamic languages, what about Mono, or the Java bindings? I think if they'd used C++ and embraced a more object-oriented philosophy from the beginning, they'd be further ahead now. And who said they aren't using object-oriented philosophies? What is Glib, Gobjects, GTK+ etc all about? Procedural philosophies? I think losing Anjuta 2 was a big nail in the coffin: they really needed a better development environment, and it never happened. My God! When was Anjuta 2 lost? http://anjuta.sourceforge.net/ I mean, if you do not understand the GNOME technologies, don't you think it is disingenuous to speak authoritatively about them? The GNOME platform is as object oriented as it gets. Also, applications written for the platform do integrate well with it. Metacity and the gnome terminal integrate excellently well with GNOME. I don't know what the hell you are babbling about. And, for christ sake, a language doesn't automatically determine whether a framework is object oriented or not. Functional programming, object oriented programming, aspect oriented programming, design by contract, etc are just paradigms. Their concepts can be implemented in assembly or even C! Yes, that's very shocking, isn't it? But it's true. Let me let you in on another secret, most frameworks written in so called object oriented languages actually suck! Why? Because OO gets ugly and complex real quick. Almost nobody knows how to write utopian OO. Well, only very few people know how to do it. Well designed interfaces, abstractions and concepts is what makes great frameworks, not programming languages. By . at Tue, 2005/05/10 - 5:00am In fact, that was just a reactionary comment. The GIMP guys have been complaining about the lack of SDI/MDI facilities, so I'm not wrong there. GNOME-DB is in it's infancy compared to KDE's database-aware widgets, so get your facts straight there. Likewise, with the high-level widgets. You are the one that is implying someone said they don't use object-oriented philosophies. I spoke of more object-oriented philosophies. Anjuta 2 was lost when they declared it wasn't happening, and they would just go back to improving Anjuta 1. Anjuta 2 is not the same as the second version of anjuta 1, it was a completely different project. Again, get your facts straight. Anyway, I've no interest in continuing this conversation with someone who just reacted that way to straightforward comments, so take my comments or leave them and make your own. Don't be silly. libgda and other components in GNOME-DB have been around since GNOME 1. How could you label GNOME-DB infant? Last time I checked, GNOME-DB supports a hell of a lot more databases than Qt does. Has GNOME-DB failed you in any of your projects? If so, how? Do you have any real world experience to back up your careless statements? Secondly, you are the one who said GNOME was not object-oriented and did not provide higher-level constructs. Your erroneous statements were clearly debunked. Thirdly, Anjuta never died, don't pretend as if you have been following the project. Look, just admit you do not know much about GNOME and its technologies. Don't start spreading misconceptions about shit you know almost nothing about. Finally, GTK+ does support SDI and MDI widget implementations. How the hell do you think Epiphany, gEdit, Xchat and company support tabs? You need to be specific about what SDI/MDI implementation that GTK+ lacks. And frankly, I'll be shocked if you come up with one. No offense, but your statements reek of hearsay, speculation, FUD and unfounded assumptions. > How could you label GNOME-DB infant? Because last I looked, its tools were missing basic features, like creating databases. That wasn't yesterday, but it was recent enough, and I certainly expected more progress from gdb1. Mergeant is a primitive table-based sql editor, whereas KDE's database tools can easily do RAD-based generation of forms etc. from directly within the IDE. Thus, gnome-db is, by comparison, in its infancy. Nothing to argue about here. > Secondly, you are the one who said GNOME was not object-oriented and > did not provide higher-level constructs. Your erroneous statements were > clearly debunked. No. You misread my comment the first time, and I corrected you. You are still missing the simple qualifications in my statement. I suggest you read that part again until you get it right, then learn what debunking an argument actually involves. > Thirdly, Anjuta never died, Well, if it didn't die, it certainly went into deep freeze for a while. I distinctly remember reading that it had been dropped for various reasons, in favour of focusing limited resources on improving anjuta 1. But maybe this explains why I heard that. http://gnomedesktop.org/node/2126 > Don't start spreading misconceptions about shit you know almost > nothing about. Please try to keep this civil and honest if you wish to continue the discussion. Frankly, explaining this to you is already pretty boring for me without that. > Finally, GTK+ does support SDI and MDI widget implementations. Of course it does. I never said it didn't. Again, you have overreacted and have misread what I said. > You need to be specific about what SDI/MDI implementation that GTK+ > lacks. And frankly, I'll be shocked if you come up with one. I don't need to do anything, but in the interests of educating you a little, I pulled the first two links off a two-second google search: http://lists.ximian.com/archives/public/gtk-sharp-list/2002-November/000... http://www.forum4designers.com/archive57-2005-3-201815.html Beyond that, you'll have to do your own research on such a well-known issue, since again, I have little interest. > No offense, but your statements reek of hearsay, speculation, > FUD and unfounded assumptions. Actually, you've been quite offensive throughout this conversation. But again, if you read my comments and stop being reactionary, you'll see that I gave GNOME credit where credit was due, and there really is nothing to argue about here. Anyway. I've got better things to do than argue with you. Goodnight. Wrong again! GNOME-DB can create databases and has been able to do that since its inception. I do not see anything KDE's database tool can do, that GNOME-DB can't. GNOME-DB supports more database backends, last I checked. GTK supports both SDI and MDI interfaces, and has done so forever. You failed to provide any convincing evidence to the contrary. Reading comments on blogs, mailinglists, emails and forums does not qualify as facts or credible sources. Try reference documentations, code and even statements from maintainers of the project, next time. Yes, you really should find something better to do than argue. Well I find your argument as unconvincing as you find mine, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I found your actual sources to back up your arguments quite convincing. The guy who claimed his vitriol is better than your actual sources is obviously either a loon or a troll. So I wouldn't be worried. Yeah, his source were very convincing. You know, I get all my facts from forums and mailinglists these days. And yeah, GTK+ does not SDI/MDI widgets. My sources from a forum told me that. And I believe it. And yeah, GNOME-DB can't create datatbases, I got that from kde.news, and you better believe that. People like you make the "InterWeb" a sad ignorant space. Anybody who remotely dispells falsehood is labeled a troll. Go ahead keep supporting and spewing cow dung because some clueless person on IRC said so and that qualifies as reliable sources. By . at Wed, 2005/05/11 - 5:00am People like you would believe GNOME development happens behind closed doors at Fedora cathedral ivory towers. Wake up and smell the coffee. It happens on this, the InterWeb, as you call it. Visit planet.gnome.org sometime, check the mailing lists. Inform yourself. You might be surprised. On the other hand, I would be very surprised if you even used GNOME -- you're probably just here to give them a bad name. If I didn't use GNOME, how could I have dispelled all of Lee's myths? Do you think it was divine inspiration? Excuse me, but your so-called dispellation of myths has already been amply refuted by the revelation of your lies and defamation as regards the GNOME project. No need to invoke either your God or your Devil, only that you face your own ignorance. If you will be so kind to point out my lies and defamation of the GNOME project. Go ahead, I dare you. > Go ahead, I dare you. What are you 5 years old? I don't do dares. Either play by yourself or go find someone else to play with. Ahh, you have a point on Anjuta 2 at least, since they've resurrected the project. But they did abandon it, as I said, and it's still not ready. I stand by my point that GNOME has probably lost a lot of development progress due to that gap. First of all, you don't need Anjuta to develop GNOME applications or any applications for that matter. Most Unix developers can't stand Integrated Development Environments, they'd rather use Emacs or VIM. Frankly, I don't blame them, apart from Eclipse and IntelliJ, every other IDE I have used sucks! Secondly, I don't know where you get this rumors that Anjuta died. I had followed the project for the longest time, and although there were periods of low activity, I don't ever remember the project dying, or resurecting. I also don't understand what development progress GNOME has lost as a result of Anjuta's supposed misfortune. The development process of GNOME and Anjuta are very orthogonal. GNOME has many problems, but I'm afraid you listed none of them. > better accessibility (thanks to GNOME for that) and better input methods (based on GNOME too) I don't know why you thank GNOME: the credits all have to go to Trolltech and the Immodule project which provides an input method subsystem already for Qt3. Don't worry too much -- I wasn't crediting GNOME for the code :) I read just recently that the input method system in Qt4 would be more like GTK's, and I had seen the current skim-like system, which seems quite different, so I guess I jumped to a conclusion there that they had decided to go with a different method which GNOME(/MS Windows?) led the way on. I'm still not sure if qt-immodule was based on GNOME or not. Apologies if that was incorrect, though. By Lee at Wed, 2005/05/11 - 5:00am 61% ?! Wow. What would happen without RHs dominance on corporate landscape.. Which leads me to thinking 'lies, damn lies and statistics'. KDE is by far the most popular, but 61% without RHs backing sounds bit too heavy. By Anonymous Coward at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am Re: impressive Red Hat has committed ritual suicide on the desktop with the whole Fedora mess. My entire University ditched Red Hat for example, in favour of believe-it-or-not Gentoo with a KDE default. Prior to that all the desktops were Red Hat BlueCurve, set to KDE by default. By anon at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am As impressive piece of work as SUSE 9.3 is, i would have to conclude that they must be heading to something similar than RH with Fedora. They have a plenty of really neat stuff in, especially KDE wise, but it's just not polished well enough (too many annoying bugs). Have to hope that this matures within the next few months.. First you have to realize that RH are not as important as you think. Perhaps they have a dominance on corporate landscape, but only in the US. And they see stiff competition from Suse/Novel and others. RHs backing aside, a high percentage of RH desktop users are also KDE users. In addition to RH not primarily being a desktop distribution the effect from RH not backing KDE are not that big. By Morty at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am Its not as surprising as you might think. KDE does amazingly well (in terms of usage) on Redhat desktops in spite of Redhats best efforts. Until the whole fedora mess, I ran Redhat; as did almost all the Linux users I personally know... ...they also ALL ran KDE. By brockers at Tue, 2005/05/10 - 5:00am > ...they also ALL ran KDE. I hope not using the ugly and still buggy Bluecurve style. Thanks for KDE KDE just works and I am getting my work seriously done. Thanks to the people involved you rock. By Bonobo at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am Re: Thanks for KDE I found bug every time I use KDE seriously and can't complete a task without report a bug to bugzilla... Seriously, why there is so difficult to have a usable environment that don't flash every time you open a window or a tab... By Yan Morin at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am http://it.geocities.com/roccopapaleo/faq/italiano/asciidontfeed.html By Anonymous at Sat, 2005/05/07 - 5:00am Hmm, 15 bugs reported - 14 closed, one unconfirmed and against an old version. http://bugs.kde.org/simple_search.cgi?id=Yan+Morin Rich. By Richard Moore at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am So grandparent has used KDE seriously 15 times? By Martin at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Sorry -- couldn't resist to do the math. Thanks for reporting bugs! Strange and none of his reported bugs should stop one from getting serious work done. A bunch of compiling errors reported but a normal user shouldn't compile things anyways, he/she should use a ready made distribution, install the stuff and start getting his daily work done. A normal user don't know about memory leaks either. So there was no real reason for him replying that he has to report bugs for every task he did because none of his tasks are real life scenarios where people wouldn't get their work done. It would have been different if he reported a wish that Umbrellos starts supporting Rational Rose UML savefiles but that's another thing. I even doubt he knows that that is :) By Bonobo at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Take a closer look at the hits that produces. Most of them are from different "Morins". bugzilla doesn't use an AND relation with the two search terms. I only found Yan Morin in two or three of them. By cm at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Maybe the bug is somewhere else? Sorry, bad joke. By KDE User at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am I also find bugs. But I find bugs in M$ software, too. I don't know who to inform about M$ bugs. But speaking about KDE I'm glad to have bugzilla. And I have experienced several times that my issues were resolved in less than 24 hours. Dear Yan, let's go on and find bugs. And report them. The next release will be rewarding enough... Unfortunately software has a lifecycle, and bugs are simply a reality in any development process, no matter which software company or hacker group. But it also takes the users who inform the developers that something is getting on their nerves. M$ does not have such an attentive and communicative group of supporters. By Markus Heller at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Hear hear! Of course, we've still got a long way to go, but in my opinion, Linux (specifically Debian) plus KDE has already far surpassed Windows in terms of stability and usability. I don't get _stressed out_ or _pissed off_ using my Linux box at home like I do on WinXP at work. By Bill Kendrick at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am Invalidating bug reports I just want to comment that poo-pooing other peoples bug reports is not very helpful to anyone. Even if they sound silly or slanderous to you or seem to carry a hidden agenda -- you know we dont always say how we mean. Professionally I find that by listening to my users carefully -- especially the foolish ones, I often find great insights into how my application is not doing what I expected or they expected... and that too is a bug. And one more thing; KDE is FREE as in FREEDOM of EXPRESSION By athleston at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Re: Invalidating bug reports Yep. Your confusion of the meaning of free in this context is a very common one. This site goes a long way towards clarifying the confusion: http://lazaridis.com/core/project/gnu_gpl.html By anon at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Your comment links back to your own web which if anything tries to confuse the meaning of freedom by inventing its own terms. I think the definitive meaning of free software comes from GNU: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html IMHO writing software is a form of expression to a programmer analagous to a painter creating art. The comments/bugs submitted in KDE's forums similarly are personal expressions of their owners and as such all are equally valid. By athleston at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am Excuse me but this is not my site. It is a page on Lazaridis&co to clear up the free software confusion caused by GNU. By anon at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am While I don't agree with the sites newly invented terms, one must realize that it was the FSF who started the confusion by using the word "free" in the first place. There are several other English synonyms that more closely fit with the Free Software idea. Among them are "unrestricted", "unencumbered", and "open". Does "libre" help matters any? Not much. Since the right to copy, modify and distribute traditional copyrighted works is a salable item, "gratis" is indeed an appropriate meaning. When one receives Free Software, once is receiving rights normally kept exclusive to the owner. Gratis. For free. As in beer. By Brandybuck at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am I agree with most of what you've said here. Please don't overload the term "Free" any more than it already is. IMHO, Free(dom) is important enough to be a great selling point on its own merits :) Left RedHat for KDE! As soon as Redhat created Bluecurve and hiding the beauty of KDE, I started to search for a better distro which did not blemish the beauty of KDE by putting their own icons and styles. And I found KDE in Slackware good, because KDE packages for Slackware are always readily available ;) and Redhat packages would not come out for weeks of each KDE release! It is good to hear that KDE is 61%, soon it will be 90% ;) it (slackware+kde) performs well on a Celeron 500Mhz + 196 mb sdram! Definitely KDE 3.4 is the fastest of the previous versions! By Asif Ali Rizwaan at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Re: Left RedHat for KDE! I'm just in the same boat as you, slackware on a 400Mhz system with 320 Mb ram. Running -current I got the latest kde (3.4) and I enjoy it every day! To get extra speedy starts of your applications, be sure to let prelink run on your system once in a while. And to make small applications, you can use ruby/kdevelop, that works perfect, even on this (on paper) slow system. Next to the big group of kde hackers, I want to special thank Schot Wheeler (Juk), Jesper Pedersen (KimDaBa), Richard Dale (Ruby bindings) and Peter Hedlund (KVocTrain). You created my favorite applications, running kde rocks! By Pieter at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Well, I intended two months ago to buy an upgrade kit, just for fun, and finally I didn't. My K7 500 + Slack + homebuilt KDE 3.4 definitively satisfies me, and I'm still longing for my computer to breakdown. This sh_"'$ simply doesn't want to retire, I'm waiting that since more than 2 years now! Maybe KDE 3.4 (and maybe future stabilized gcc 4 too btw) should be declared "Unamerican", for preventing consumers to buy new hardware... Long life to XP & longhorn! By christian at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am I could not agree any more :-) Slackware + KDE == Vanilla Evil UNIX With a Freindly Face(TM) ~Macavity By Macavity at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am bluecurve hiding the beauty of KDE? its just* a theme. By Ricky at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am I lot of folks use "Bluecurve" to refer not only to the theme, but to the whole collection of usability problems RedHat put into KDE. AFAIK they can all be corrected, but it's more time-consuming than just changing themes. Examples: installing the wrong display manager by default with KDE (breaks shutdown/reboot function), mouse cursor themes are strangely broken (default cursor okay, certain "events" are not), admin utilities use RTL button order, etc. Yes, everything can be fixed. But the whole point of the distro is to have this all working out-of-the-box, with no changes left for the user except maybe a simple theme change. By ac at Mon, 2005/05/09 - 5:00am Confusing... If you look at the details, you'll find that the survey also says that more than half of the KDE users don't use Konqueror as thier main web browser or KMail as mail client. In other words: The majority of the KDE users prefer Firefox/Mozilla to Konqueror and Evolution/Thunderbird/Mozilla to KMail. I doubt in the correctness of these numbers, but if that would be true it would almost degrading KDE's results to KWin being the most used window manager... By furanku at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am Re: Confusing... Its a matter of how you look at it :) Assuming that all Konqueror uses and KMail uses are among the KDE users, there are plenty of Firefox and Thunderbird users who are using them on KDE, despite these applications being sometimes mistaken for applications developed for other desktop environments. By Kevin Krammer at Sun, 2005/05/08 - 5:00am	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1187
__label__cc	0.633966	0.366034	When I met Margaret Thatcher April 16, 2013 By dralfoldman in Austerity, David Cameron, Neoliberal, Politicians, Politics, Thatcherism, UK Tags: 10 Downing Street, Conservative, Finchley, Margaret Thatcher, Member of parliament, North London, Politics, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 3 Comments Margaret Thatcher with Ronald Reagan at Camp David (Photo credit: Wikipedia) US First Lady Nancy Reagan with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Although it was over twenty-five years ago, I still have an extremely vivid memory of the night when I met Margaret Thatcher. It was at a cheese and wine party in Finchley, North London; it was sponsored by the local Conservative Association for people to meet their Member of Parliament, who was also Prime Minister. Aides told us that when Margaret Thatcher arrived that we should stay where we were as she liked to “work the room” at her own pace, and she always managed to talk to everybody. We shared some small talk with the aides and were reminded that Margaret Thatcher played a full part in her political constituency. When it was our turn, Margaret Thatcher was interested in where we lived and I asked her about the whiskey in the tumbler in her hand. She replied that she treated herself to one glass of whiskey and soda each evening. The conversation was very natural, ordinary and soon she was talking to somebody else. I have always been a passionate Margaret Thatcher supporter. I was extremely saddened at the way the Conservative Party conspired against her and brought her down. She never deserved that humiliation. I remember well the photos of her in tears as she was driven away from 10 Downing Street after she was hounded from office. I have been a Conservative Party supporter all my life. My political views are set out in my blog. However, for me, after Margaret Thatcher’s downfall, the Conservative Party was never quite the same. « Beyond Babel: Linguistic and intercultural skills for tomorrow \| OECD Insights Blog IMF puts pressure on George Osborne with criticism of cuts \| Business \| guardian.co.uk » Pingback: Radical, egotistical, romantic, innocent – the real Margaret Thatcher – Telegraph « Dr Alf's Blog Pingback: Conservatives’ new ‘share-owning democracy’ plans – Telegraph « Dr Alf's Blog paisstat says: The UK and the world has lost a strong supporter of economic freedom and liberty in general. As the world is becoming more and more smitten with socialist principles, we need more strong leaders such as Thatcher to support and push for the true liberal legacy of the enlightenment and freedom of the individual. It sickens me to see these hoodlums celebrating her death with song and party, but bless their hearts, how can they not, when they have been so indoctrinated over the course of their lives from media, ‘intellectuals’ and societal trends in general.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0035.json.gz/line1194

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